Services

The Holy Eucharist is the oldest experience of Christian Worship as well as the most distinctive. Eucharist comes from the Greek word, which means thanksgiving. In a particular sense, the word describes the most important form of the Church's attitude toward all of life. The origin of the Eucharist is traced to the Last Supper at which Christ instructed His disciples to offer bread and wine in His memory. The Eucharist is the most distinctive event of Orthodox worship because in it the Church gathers to remember and celebrate the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ and, thereby, to participate in the mystery of Salvation. (Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America)

Requirements for Holy Communion

• Baptism/christmation in the Orthodox Church
• Participation in Holy Confession on a regular basis
• Proper prayer and fasting prior to receiving Holy Communion
• Good standing with the Orthodox church (e.g. have had their marriage blessed, if married, in the Orthodox Church)

Note

From a theological perspective, participation in Holy Communion is an all-embracing event, presupposing full communion in doctrine and practice. As a result, Orthodox Christians are not permitted to receive Communion in any Protestant or Roman Catholic Church. Likewise, Protestants and Roman Catholics are not permitted to receive Holy Communion in the Orthodox Church.