Can Orthodox Saints Take Communion?

can orthodox saints take communion

Orthodox saints

Orthodox Christians do not hold back their children from taking the sacrament of communion. They believe that God, in His essence, is a mystery that no one can fully understand. This includes the mysteries of the Eucharist and the Incarnation. They also believe that the sacraments should be available to everyone, including infants.

However, this does not mean that Catholics can take Communion with Orthodox Christians. In some cases, Catholics extend Eucharistic hospitality to Orthodox Christians.

Orthodox Christians

Orthodox Christians can take communion during a worship service. These services usually last an hour and are preceded by several preparatory services. If you’re new to Orthodox worship, you might wonder when it’s time to take communion. Typically, these services take place after Matins, the church’s hour-long morning service. Listed times are educated guesses, though. This is because the Orthodox priest will be at the altar for over three hours.

Orthodox Christians are allowed to take communion when they are prepared and are not in penance. Proper preparation includes a recent confession, fasting, and being at peace with others. In addition, they must be on time for the divine service. If you are unsure about whether you are ready, talk to your priest.

Non-Orthodox Christians

In Orthodoxy, the icons are a vital part of the faith. They are a physical representation of Christ and the saints. It is said that icons open the way to Heaven. The Church Fathers taught that they are windows to the heavenly realm. This is one of the reasons that lit candles are used as part of the ceremony.

Orthodox Christians believe that Communion is the True Body and Precious Blood of Christ. Therefore, if non-Orthodox Christians are willing to receive communion with Orthodox saints, they can partake. Orthodox Christians also believe that Communion is a sign of Christian unity and the crown of the common faith.

Roman Catholics

The Orthodox Church does not recognize the doctrine of transubstantiation, but Roman Catholics do. According to the Roman Catholic tradition, communion is a sacred act. When the priest administers the Eucharist, he invokes the Holy Spirit, acting as Christ and the body and blood of Jesus Christ become present in the bread and wine. In this way, the gifts become the actual body and blood of Christ, thereby bringing forgiveness of sins. The Eucharist is also known as the Holy sacrifice of the Mass.

While the two rites are distinct, both Orthodox and Roman Catholics believe in the same deity. They both believe that God is unknowable in His Essence, and that he dwells in “divine darkness.” As a result, the mysteries of God, the Incarnation, and the Eucharist remain largely veiled to human understanding. Moreover, neither of the two traditions prohibit children from receiving the sacraments.

Protestants

Protestants are not forbidden to take communion with orthodox saints, but they are not permitted to take Communion with Catholics. This is because Protestants have differing beliefs regarding transubstantiation, which is the change of substance of the gifts during the Mass. In Orthodox Christian churches, the Priest acts as Christ and invokes the Holy Spirit in the ceremony. The gifts are consecrated by the Priest, who then transforms them into Christ’s body and blood.

In the early Church, Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians disagreed on the use of bread in the Eucharist. The difference was rooted in understanding of the Last Supper, the Passover meal, and the role of leaven. The Orthodox, however, maintain the symbolism of the risen bread, which symbolizes the risen Christ. In fact, the use of bread in the Eucharist was a major point of controversy during the Great Schism.

Lutherans

The Lutheran Book of Concord teaches that the Lord’s Supper should be consecrated by an ordained minister. However, the LCMS and many other Lutheran bodies have abandoned this teaching. While the LCMS has declared ELCA communion unauthentic, Protestants are allowed to take communion with Catholics, but it is extremely uncommon. Lutherans believe that the body and blood of Christ are present in the Lord’s Supper.

While Orthodox saints and Lutherans are very different in some aspects, they are often congruent on important doctrines. In the early 1600s, leading Lutherans began dialogue with the Patriarch of Constantinople. Because Lutherans were the largest Protestant denomination at the time, they assumed that any differences would be resolved in the long run.

Baptists

Among the various Christian denominations, Baptists are perhaps the most far-removed from Orthodoxy, with their extreme theology and anti-Catholicism. Furthermore, their polity and beliefs do not recognize the validity of other baptisms. Although, Baptists can be accepted into some Orthodox churches through chrismation, they cannot take communion with cradle Orthodox Christians without rebaptism.

The piety of Baptists, however, has been called into question by many. While most Baptists believe in the reformed life after conversion, many question the sincerity of the conversion. Moreover, while Orthodox Christians speak of theosis, most Baptists use the term sanctification, which describes the process of gradual interior reformation by the Holy Spirit.

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