Receiving Communion in the Eastern Orthodox Church: Things You May Not Know!

[Brian T]

Strictly speaking, I think Hillary Clinton planned to do just that. Ukraine is probably the most important geopolitical place in Europe right now. Doesn't make Orthodoxy or Russia right, to be sure.

I definitely agree with that. And things are looking pretty grim, frankly. I don't see any way out of this situation that doesn't end up in a shooting war. Lord have mercy.

 

[Rome2Geneva]

Yeah, those monks are still into that daily communion thing as I witnessed at the couple of EO monasteries I visited. Spending a couple of weeks in those monasteries and seeing the daily routine of round-the-clock clockwork mechanical liturgies and other services, made me come to realize just how much the EO really does turn worship into some rote, mechanical act.

The bell rings, the monks show up, and they do the exact same things over and over and over and over and over...

I mean, it's all mechanical-ritual priestcraft anyways, so of course it devolves into that.

Might a more charitable interpretation be that, at least for the monks, it is more of a lifestyle of prayer rather than a rote act without much thought given to it?

I visited a couple monasteries while EO, including a couple ROCOR ones. The monks I met and spoke with exuded a true charity and prayerful spirit which I found genuine and attractive.

Zeal for truth is commendable and necessary. At the same time I think charity towards those outside the fold is also necessary. I didn't see "mechanical-ritual priestcraft" when I visited the monastery. I saw men who, though deluded and in error, seemed to take prayer and communion with God very seriously.