|
||||
|
Communion Practices |
||||
|
Question: My mother and I are Roman Catholic. This past weekend we attended mass at the Ukrainian Catholic Church in her home town. We were both amazed at the differences in the services. My question is regarding Communion. Our understanding was that we would receive bread and wine from the priest from the chalice on a spoon. This was the case, except that there was also a basket of bread prior to the priest. We assumed that we were to take the bread and give it to the priest, who would then dip it in the wine. This was not the case. What were we to do with the initial bread. Eat it before receiving from the priest or after? |
||||
|
Answer:
There are five special Communion loaves that are cut into pieces by the Priest in preparation for the Divine Liturgy. Not all the bread is used for purposes of Holy Communion, however. That which remains is given to the faithful to take home with them. It is "blessed" bread, but is not Communion. Following Holy Communion, some parishes follow the ancient practice of giving communicants this blessed bread to eat upon receiving Holy Communion. Other parishes include holy water as well, to help "wash down" the Sacred Eucharist in deference to it. There are ancient rules regarding one's bearing in going to Communion, one is not allowed to bow or make prostrations after receiving Communion, for the entire day, for example. And one must be EXTREMELY careful when receiving Communion to ensure that it is not (may God forbid!) cast out of our mouths or falls from the spoon etc. The Eastern Church is very scrupulous about this, as we should all be. This is why the practice of taking the blessed bread immediately following Communion. We should also take the blessed bread home with us and keep it in a special place. Each morning, before breakfast, we should eat some of this bread, which is, as you (wonderful) Roman Catholics say, a "sacramental!" This hearkens back to the ancient tradition (that pre-dates St John Chrysostom) when Christians would actually take some Holy Communion home with them to their Home Church. They would give themselves Holy Communion each morning in this exact same manner. Later, it was forbidden to take Communion home, but the blessed bread took its place. One may also drink some holy water in the morning as well. Although the blessed bread is not the Eucharist, Eastern Christians venerate it highly as symbolic of Holy Communion and as something that really does impart Grace. This is why a rite developed for its reception in the morning at home, with a special table used, covered in a white cloth, a white knapkin being used to prevent particles from falling and the Jesus Prayer and Psalms used in preparation for this act. There is also the afternoon service of the "Typika" that Catholics may recognize in the old Tridentine service of the "Dry Mass" that is no longer around. Any layperson may say this office, and the blessed bread, holy water and the kissing of the cross is done at the end, a form of spiritual Communion, to be sure. Dr. Alexander Roman alex@unicorne.org
|
||||
