Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, head of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, declared in a public forum that Christians who have been married in the Orthodox Church but are not Greek Orthodox themselves, may receive Holy Communion.
His statement came in a question and answer session during the annual conference of Leadership 100, an organization of Greek Orthodox Church donors, which was holding its annual event in Palm Beach, Florida.
Specifically, the Archbishop was responding to a question by a member of the audience who asked why the Orthodox Church wouldn’t administer Holy Communion to non-Orthodox spouses.
The Archbishop answered the question pointedly suggesting that since a non-Orthodox spouse has already participated in a sacrament of the Orthodox Church (marriage), why wouldn’t he or she be allowed to participate in the sacrament of Holy Communion.
It is important to note that the question was specifically about non-Orthodox Christian spouses who have been married in the Orthodox Church.
According to Orthodox Church canons, only those individuals who are either baptized or chrismated into the Church can receive Communion, which the church says is the body and blood of Jesus Christ and the most important sacrament of the faith.
The current practice of the Orthodox Church— especially in pluralistic societies like the United States— allows non-Orthodox Christians, from what is called “Trinitarian” Christian traditions, to marry in the Orthodox Church. Trinitarian Christians are those who have been baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity and include Roman Catholics, most Protestants and Episcopalians.
This practice of allowing Orthodox Christians to marry non-Orthodox Trinitarian Christians in the Orthodox Church became a more prevalent practice in the United States during the leadership of Archbishop Athenagoras in the 1940s.
Throughout history and in various locations where Orthodox Christians have built communities outside of countries where Orthodox Christians are the majority, the use of “pastoral economia” or the slight bending of the rules, has been justified by the Church’s desire to prevent adverse effects from the strict observance of the law in exceptional circumstances.
Non-Christians, including those of other faith traditions like Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and others are not permitted to marry or receive Communion in the Orthodox Church.
There has been no official communique from the Archdiocese on the matter, nor a response from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which not only oversees directly the Archdiocese of America, but is considered the guardian of global Orthodox Christian tradition and dogma.
This isn’t the first time the Archbishop has pushed for more church openness to non-Orthodox spouses, suggesting that mixed marriages should be considered an opportunity for the church to grow and reach more non-Orthodox.
Last October he told the Archdiocese Council that the nearly 50% of all marriages taking place in the Orthodox Church should be considered “miracle marriages,” and not “mixed marriages.”
“With this in mind, I would make this suggestion: instead of calling marriages with non-Orthodox spouses “mixed marriages,” might we not better refer to them as “miracle marriages?” For these marriages are the main road that ushers converts to the Faith,” Elpidophoros said.
“Every faithful marriage is a miracle marriage—a miracle of God’s love and a Mystery to be celebrated with joy and embraced with thanksgiving. Whether or not the spouse joins the Church in a formal way through Chrismation, they are still 100% part of our community, and should be embraced as such. If we are to be a Church that truly serves and embraces our young people who live in a technologically advanced and pluralistic world, we must embrace the strangers in our midst—make them strangers no more, and embrace all the members of our community and our Country.”
Featured photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash
28 comments
I absolutely love the decision of Archbishop Elpidophoros. I would hope that all the priests under our Archdiocese would comply to this new idea. As we become more united we can grow our faith.
This is a Satanic betrayal of our Church. It runs counter to all our history and to the teachings of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ. Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered!
This is the most ridiculous statement I have seen by anyone related to His Eminence’s statement. Satanic? Please, let’s be serious. It is more likely that your feelings on this subject are more likely from Satan, so that the evil one can stir trouble where someone is trying to do our Lord’s work. What his Eminence is trying to do is spread the love and understanding that our Savior himself would have done.
I will ask you one question, that any sane person could never disagree with: If Jesus Christ himself was standing in front of HIS altar offering HIS body and blood to those who believe in him, do you think he would deny ANYONE that loved and followed him?!?!
Or do you think that Jesus would ask to see each person’s Church “membership” card, and unless it said Orthodox he would deny them. Jesus is way more likely to be furious that all the various denominations even exist as a result of centuries and centuries of fighting between various groups of Christians. He doesn’t care what you call yourself, only that you believe in Him.
Anybody hear of famous Greek Orthodox “prophetess” Vassula Ryden? She wrote a book I read called ‘Heaven Is Real & So Is Heaven’…
I urge everyone to read it & comment what they think.
What confuses me is Why Patriarch Bartholomew
excommunicated her yet she’s preaching similar message of Ecumenical communion of All Christian faiths. I’m confused… Frankly I’m not even 100% certain where Patriarchate stands.
I still think Elpidoforos should request spouses of Orthodox to take class on tenets of Orthodoxy.
Its satanic to recieve communion? You clearly don’t understand the teachings of the Master . I hope you go back and reread your gospel
Johnnyboy, Steve S is not saying that it is “satanic to recieve communion” – he is saying that it is Satanic to distribute the Holy Body and Blood of Our Lord and Savior to those who are a) not members of His Orthodox Catholic Church and b) have not prepared for the occasion. We know that such an action can lead to illness and even death (1 Corinthians 11:30).
I first for most stand that our church’s stand on closed communion. Point one, our Creed belief is not the same as an non Orthodox spouse .2. The trinity is not the same belief as non Orthodox spouse. 3. If these non Orthodox spouses want to commune with their Orthodox spouse …then become Orthodox yourself . If you have “conviction” of your non Orthodox church(which is obvious) then respectfully understand the Orthodox Conviction of Faith and please stop creating “mud” in our churches and conflicts of “having voice” you have made in our charity organizations. You are always welcomed to bake ,volunteer in non governing positions .Also I want to share an experience once when I was seeking a position for Art instruction once in my young adult years the Ad read “ Associates Art degree ,no experience needed ,teach while earning a teaching certificate Roman Catholics need only to appply.Guess what another opportunity lost for a non Roman Catholic. I guess point made. I qualified for everything but the Roman Catholic portion of the ad.
In a positive vein, we must pray for his conversion and for his soul. I converted from Roman Catholicism 6 years and I felt such peace because the liberal errors prevalent in the RC church were not (apparent) in the Orthodox Church. But now this heresy! I asked my Orthodox Priest 5 years ago for permission to receive Holy Communion at my Mom’s Funeral Mass at her Catholic Church. He had to say no, and I respect that. But this heretical statement by the Archbishop is contrary to Orthodoxy! It is disobedience! It is bleeding heart misdirected leadership. I pray that he is removed.
He he the one who ordered that his encyclicals be read while Our Lord is present on the altar! You would think he was (the) anti-Christ!
This is fake news
Not fake – I have it from parishioners at the Honolulu parish who heard it from him IN CHURCH. Immediately, at least one non-Orthodox parishioner took advantage of the offer…and went around “bragging” about it at coffee hour.
I have not been able to find this in writing anywhere – perhaps the Archbishop knows that there will be massive resistance to the idea, not only among members of the Greek Archdiocese, but other Orthodox jurisdictions and the Church in general.
Fake news. Don’t believe everything you read..I would think he can be dethroned for such a statement.
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Congratulations to Archbishop Elpidophoros for choosing to open doors to our church instead of putting up walks. God bless you!
I absolutely love the inclusiveness! My husband and I agreed before marriage that we would raise our children under one faith. (I was raised Lutheran) I have always respected and honored the Orthodox Traditions and rules, but I was not ready to convert when we got married. I felt that it was hypocritical to convert with lack of comprehension.
I also knew that my conversion would happen, and God would lead me to that decision. Being told I could not have communion, because I was not “Orthodox” was a hard pill to swallow, but I accepted it as part of the rules.
Now, that my children are young adults, I realize their future spouse will most likely be another denomination or my child will convert to their spouse’s faith. By letting a Christian spouse take communion, opens doors. We are all God’s children.
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And my question is the opposite… from the research I’ve conducted, only the Russian Orthodox allow communion to be received at non-Orthodox Christian churches, like at a Catholic church.
Why can’t Greek Orthodox receive communion at non-Orthodox churches, in our pluralistic society (the United States)?
I’m afraid you may have to expand the parameters of your research. I have seen no such evidence that Moscow allows Orthodox Christians to receive Holy Communion elsewhere. Please elaborate on the official sources and the examples you have uncovered.
regarding Ann Tsatsos commment ,we all God’s Childern but God ‘ s children disobey God like Children disobey parents. There faiths so called christen who believe in homosexual marriages , have homosexual pastors ,female pastors, . If you read the Bible , homosexuality is comdemed by God himself. How can you then commune with a “church” that claims homosexuality is okay . When the Protestants and RC. Churches dissolve their identities and repent their ancestral mistakes in the past …understanding MEANING Jesus Christ in the orthodox teaching only then can they commune .
In Orthodox funerals we do not have Communion during this service.
There Christian dominations who do not recognize Old Testament in their Bible and what about the Mormons who have a bizarre Bible. …I started to read one once and it started with “the founder” having a dream . What happen In the beginning God created…? I sending as an Orthodox Church member the mega Greek OXI and for those who understand the Big NO !
It’s intensely disrespectful of homosexuals to demand we give their Civil Partnerships
the title of “marriage” which can only belong to a man with woman. The hostile gay activists are Now emboldened to sue & destroy people’s careers who refuse to bake their deviant cakes & photograph their perversion .
I am ashamed to know Liberal leftist Orthodox are trying to infiltrate Orthodoxy & let it crash & burn like mainstream Protestants have
That’s very christian of you especially when homosexuals are already a marginalised (and minority) of the church especially considering christianity was marginalised once and in contemporary times is on the decline.
Same-sex attraction, in itself, is not inherently wrong.
What is wrong is to act upon these impulses. God’s design for humanity is that one man and one woman will come together, “be fruitful and multiply, increase greatly on the earth…” as it says in Genesis 9:7. When Our Lord spoke of marriage, He specified that a man and woman will join themselves to each other and become one (Matthew 19:4-6).
We also know from the writings of St. Paul the Apostle that homosexuality is, as it always has been, considered a deviation from God’s plan for humanity (Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 1 Timothy 1:10). To ignore this is a slap in the face to one of our faith’s greatest saints, and ultimately, a complete disregard of God’s vision for humanity. The Orthodox Catholic Church must never, under any circumstances, accept same-sex marriage. We must, at all times, remain faithful to the teachings of God as delivered by Our Lord and His saints.
This concept has actually been circulating for many years behind the scenes, in various “Ecumenical dialogues:. When we decouple our critical thinking from the emotional topic of a “utopian inclusive Church” and focus on the simple theological facts, this is what it boils down to:
1) For its entire history, the Orthodox Church has a Tradition of Confessing the Faith and baptizing the faithful prior to receiving Holy Communion.
2) The concept of “economia” about Chrismation only (vs. Baptism) that was extended by “local synods” and not an Ecumenical Synod to specifically Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, etc is still a controversial question that should have been resolved in an Ecumenical Synod. We cannot deceive ourselves…it is no longer “economia”, when it has turned into a blanket practice, and it warrants an Ecumencial Synod to resolve…(the letters of St. Basil, and others that became a citation of justification for what is going on today were very cautious about which schismatic baptisms were accepted and which were not, on a case by case basis. Such a decision about Roman Catholicism has NEVER been made at an Ecumenical Synod level, and this has resulted in a fragmentation within Orthodoxy, where some Churches accept the baptism, and others don’t…not a healthy situation.
3) The above statement in the article that the Ecumenical Patriarchate is a “guardian” of Orthodox Traditions is misleading. We have a Synodical approach, to dogmatic Theology and there have been Patriarchs of Constantinople throughout history who have actually been heretics, so accepting the notion that a single Patriarch is a “guardian” of all Orthodox dogma opens the door to the same slippery slope that resulted in the full consolidation of power to the Vatican (recall that Pope Leo III’s edicts about the Creed were not heeded back then, proving that there was a time when Rome did NOT have absolute power)…
4) Finally, and most importantly, if this statement was made, and if subsequently the various Metropolitans follow suit and order their clergy to administer “Open Communion”, without following the 2000 year old Traditions that the Church has put in place prior to receiving Holy Communion, this action would constitute a de facto “backdoor Union” with the Roman Catholic and other aforementioned institutions. It would be a return to the what happened back in 1439 when only St. Mark of Ephesus (who is not particularly celebrated or mentioned these days in the GOARCH world) stood up and prevented the “surrender” of Constantinople to Rome.
Take note of #4, because this will be the reasoning for a mass exodus of the “anti-Uniate” movement from GOARCH communities, and their migration to other Orthodox jurisdictions that will refuse to follow this practice (a.k.a. major schism). This is not a joking matter…
Another reason to marry into your faith and Nationality.
Theloume ELLINES
[…] Actually, they were confirmed by another more accurate account in an article posted by the Pappas Post that also appeared on the next morning of the event (Feb. 22), https://pappaspost.com/archbishop-elpidophoros-of-america-ok-for-non-orthodox-christian-spouses-…. […]
This is an atrocious idea. The Body and Blood of Our Lord and Savior is reserved for those who have united themselves to His Holy Orthodox Catholic Church and prepared as necessary to receive Divine Communion. It is not to be given out flippantly to those who have not readied themselves to experience this, especially considering that partaking unworthily can lead to sickness or even death! This occurred even in Biblical times (see 1 Corinthians 11). I pray that Archbishop reconsiders this position.
I agree with this statement by Archbishop Elpidophoros. The Eucharist should not be withheld from anyone who asks for it and seeks to know Jesus, especially when they believe that it is the true body and the true blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus instructed all Christians to eat His body and drink His blood so that we may all have everlasting life. Nowhere in scripture does Jesus instruct his disciples to refuse the Eucharist to anyone. If Jesus were they one distributing the Eucharist in your church, do you think that He would refuse to give it to anyone who came to Him and asked for it?
Not fake – I have it from parishioners at the Honolulu parish who heard it from him IN CHURCH. Immediately, at least one non-Orthodox parishioner took advantage of the offer…and went around “bragging” about it at coffee hour.
I have not been able to find this in writing anywhere – perhaps the Archbishop knows that there will be massive resistance to the idea, not only among members of the Greek Archdiocese, but other Orthodox jurisdictions and the Church in general.
St. John Chrysostom writes: “Let no-one communicate who is not of the disciples. Let no Judas receive, lest he suffer the fate of Judas. I would give up my life rather than impart of the Lord’s Blood to the unworthy; and I will shed my own blood rather than give such awful Blood contrary to what is right.” (Homilies on Matthew, 83.6).
St. John of Damascus writes: “With all our strength let us beware lest we receive Communion from or give it to heretics. ‘Give not what is holy to the dogs,’ says the Lord. ‘Neither cast ye your pearls before swine’, lest we become partakers in their dishonour and condemnation.” (Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, IV, 13).
Elpidophoros is NOT Orthodox.
Robert, Your view is not Orthodox, not biblical and not Christian.
Orthodox Christian emperors enforced laws against homosexuality. The edict of Constantius II (337-361) and Constans (342) extended proscription from active pederasts to passive sodomites and prostitution by exsoleti. Valentinian II, Theodosius, and Arcadius issued an edict in 392. It prescribed burning as the death penalty for active sodomites, procurers of boys and male prostitutes, or perhaps for any form of homosexuality. The latter view is more probable in light of Codex Theodosius 9.7.6. Another edict was issued by Justinian in 538. He described homosexuality as contrary to nature. (see Novella 77). In Novella 141 Justinian called homosexuality “abominable and impious conduct deservedly hated by God.”
From the earliest times Church Fathers repeated the New Testament witness for restriction of homosexuality by law. But many Church Fathers condemned homosexuality without referring to legal proscription (See Clement of Alexandria, Paidagogus 2. 10.86f.; 3.3-8, 15-23; St. John Chrysostom, Ad pop. Antioch, hom. 19.7; Didache 5:2; 16.3; Bar. 10.6; 20:2.; Pol. Phil. 5.3; Ign. Eph. 16.1; Apoc. Pet. 32).
The book, “Homosexuality and the Western Christian Tradition” says that it would be tedious to present all of the evidence from the Church Fathers. In this book, he cites: Ephraim the Syrian, John Chrysostom, Augustine, Gregory, Apos. Constit (6, 11, 27-28), Tertullian (De pudic. 4, where he banishes homosexuals from the church), Cyrpian, Eusebius, Basil, and Clement of Alexandria. St. John Chrysostom condemns homosexuality in his commentary on Romans 1:26-32 (This is one of the most extensive). Apostolic Constitutions 7:2 says sodomy is unacceptable Christian behavior. (see also the Didache 2.2 and the Epistle of Barnabas 19:4).
Church councils condemned homosexuality, such as Elvira (305-6); Ancyra ( 314); and Tours, (567).
Homosexuality is condemned in the Old and New Testaments, the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha (see Ecclesiasticus; Wisdom of Solomon; 2 Enoch; 3 Maccabees; Jubilees; 4 Ezra/2 Ezdras; Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs; Letter of Aristeas); Josephus; Philo; the Mishna/Talmud, and other rabbinic literature. Were it not for the Holiness Code in Leviticus, the world would be a much different place today
RECOMMENDED BOOKS
“Homosexuality: Contemporary Claims Examined in Light of the Bible and Other Ancient Literature and Law,” by James B. De Young;
“Homosexuality and the Western Christian Tradition,” by Derrick Sherwin Bailey.