Eucharist in the Catholic Church

‘Shocked’ by overcrowding on Epiphany, says health expert

Manolis Dermitzakis, professor of genetics at the University of Geneva, said on Thursday he was "shocked" by the crowding he saw in the streets and the images of some faithful receiving Communion from the same spoon on Wednesday, when the Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of the Epiphany.

Patriarch Daniel:Communion in prayer, cooperation in good deeds can turn fear into courage and hope

Communion in prayer, kindness of the heart and cooperation in good deeds can work wonders, turning fear into courage and hope, Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church said as he delivered the New Year's blessing service, the Akathist of our Lord Jesus Christ, at the Patriarchal Cathedral.

Holy Synod defends Holy Communion, decries yoga

The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece rebuffed a call issued this week by the Istanbul-based Patriarch Vartholomaios for a dialogue between Orthodox churches regarding Holy Communion in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, while also denouncing yoga, which has been recommended by various bodies and groups as a way to relieve stress during the pandemic. 

Communion ritual unchanged in Orthodox Church despite virus

One by one, the children and adults line up for the centuries-old ritual of Holy Communion, trying to keep a proper social distance. The priest dips a spoon into the chalice of bread and wine, which the faithful believe is the body and blood of Christ, and puts it into the mouth of the first person in line.

Services without congregations

A priest at a Greek Orthodox church in Nea Kios in the northern Peloponnese conducts the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper late on Wednesday night. The service was broadcast live online as it was conducted without a congregation, following the closure of all places of worship by the government on March 20 as part of efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Communion under scrutiny after Holy Synod statement

Sparking controversy, the ruling body of the Orthodox Church of Greece issued a statement on Monday saying that the coronavirus cannot be transmitted through holy communion as the "faithful of all ages know that even in the midst of a pandemic, it is both a practical affirmation of self-surrender to the Living God and a potent manifestation of love."

Pages