Communion?

Nektarios14 · Post by **Nektarios14** » Fri 10 January 2003 7:48 pm

Does the ROCOR commune lay people that aren't in the ROCOR (or Serbian or under the JP)? Also does the ROCOC recognize the validity of converts who are only chrismated in the GOA or OCA? Thanks

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Fri 10 January 2003 8:11 pm

From what I understand, most ROCOR Priests will commune any practicing Orthodox Christian (including those in the OCA, GOA, AOA, etc). Of course, it's polite--and for some Priests, necessary--that you first introduce yourself and explain who you are before the service in which you wish to partake. It's a very awkward position to put a Priest in to suddenly present yourself as a stranger before him at communion. The best thing to do would be to ask via phone how the Church went about things if you were going to attend a particular Church; and remember not to fall into the sin of judgment should the Priest say something you don't find particularly agreeable.

Regarding chrismation, my wife and I have been told by a number of Priests that we will most likely be received into ROCOR through confession and the eucharist, and that we won't be chrismated (we were both already chrismated in a different Orthodox jurisdiction). Again, though, each Priest would be following his conscience unless directly told what to do by his bishop, so it might differ from Priest to Priest.

Nektarios14 · Post by **Nektarios14** » Fri 10 January 2003 9:17 pm

Thank you for the post. For now I have no intention of attending a ROCOR church (don't live very close to one and am very happy with my GOA church and monastery), but I was curious for the future. I truly admire the ROCOR's stance on ecumenism and other modernist issues, and wish other jurisdictions would follow them. To me the topic of who the ROCOC will comune is interesting because the actual answers contradict what all the anti-Orthodox claim (i.e. that we have not "unity"). I also find it interesting that the "zealot" monasteries will commune GOA.

One last questions: when you say recieved into ROCOR, what is meant by that? Is it considered an all out conversion or just a formality to officially switch jurisdictions? I know I didn't word that well, but I think it makes sense.

Nektarios

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Mon 13 January 2003 11:38 pm

I don't think ROCOR (or at least, the majority in ROCOR) view "switching jurisdictions" as a conversion. They view it just as that: switching from one Orthodox jurisdiction to another. I think it's a conversion when you become Orthodox, but I don't think it's viewed as a conversion to move around within the Orthodox family. At least, that's the impression I've gotten from the contact I've had with members of ROCOR.