A very public divide is growing in Canada over the directive by Greek Orthodox Archbishop Sotirios for churches in the Ontario region to use multiple spoons to distribute Holy Communion.
Numerous instances of public outrage in various churches in Canada were captured on video and a group is planning a demonstration outside Archdiocese headquarters to protest the directive.
Greek Orthodox churches in Canada followed the orders of government officials and closed to the public on March 17, reopening again with certain safety measures on June 12, 2020.
According to a statement from the Archdiocese that was emailed to faithful, a complaint was lodged against the Church by unnamed individuals whose names are known to the Archdiocese and, according to the Archbishop’s statement, will be released at a later date.
This complaint led to a decision to withhold communion altogether on Sunday, July 5 in all parishes, and a revision of the method of distribution of communion to be implemented by the Archdiocese for future services.
On July 12, after discussion with government authorities — according to the statement by Archbishop Sotirios — all parishes in the Ontario region received instruction to follow a single procedure for the the dissemination of communion, which included the use of separate stainless steel spoons for each individual receiving communion.
When the announcements were made in some parishes, faithful openly and vocally protested to priests against the directive, some shouting that Archbishop Sotirios was “anaxios,” or unworthy— considered a blasphemous expression in the Orthodox Church.
At St. George Church in Toronto, Fr. Triantafillos Porfiris clashed with a parishioner who, during the angry exchange, was revealed to be his doctor. Dr. Irene Polydoulis can be heard screaming her objections at the priest, who at one point throws back the podium in disgust and walks into the altar.
In another public exchange, Fr. Philip Philippou at St. John Church clashes with a parishioner who interrupted the announcement of the use of multiple spoons, yelling “unacceptable!”
The priest responded, saying that the parish and the Metropolis will be harmed if the directives weren’t followed and eventually called the parishioner “shameful” and asked him to leave the Church.
Archbishop Sotirios defended his decision, calling it a necessary temporary measure, given the “difficult times” the Church was facing.
“We must all realize – archbishop, the priests, the community councils and the people (the faithful), that we are living in difficult times. The instructions of the government authorities clearly state that it is forbidden to share objects of worship,” Sotirios said in his statement to faithful. “Therefore it is imperative for Holy Communion to be given with a separate spoon for each believer. This is a temporary measure depending on how long the Covid-19 will last.”
Regarding the accusations against the Archbishop and the demonstration that is said to be taking place, the Archbishop responded directly to the protesters in his statement.
“Some Christians shouted in the churches. An instigator near the microphone shouted three times ‘Sotirios is unworthy.’ I respond. I am not sinless. Every time I conduct the Divine Liturgy, I pray: ‘No one bound by carnal desires and pleasures is worthy to approach, draw near, or minister to You, the King of Glory… He who is without sin let him throw a stone first.’ Saint John Chrysostom says: ‘For more stormy billows vex the soul of the bishop than the gales which disturb the sea.’ Is it possible, I wonder, that those shouting feel how much the Archbishop is suffering and how hard he tried? Shouldn’t they be like Simon of Cyrene? Must they always ‘throw stones’ at the Archbishop?”
“As for the rally that some are organizing for Sunday, July 19, 2020, in front of our Archdiocese, I say to them: Personally, I do not mind. But this will harm Orthodoxy and Hellenism. We risk presenting ourselves to all others as self-destructive, so willingly ready to inflict harm on each other. It would be preferable for the leaders who are organizing this demonstration to contact me and have a meeting, in order to discuss and solve our problems as a family.”
“I pray and I ask you to pray also that God helps us recover from this grave affliction of Covid-19. To restore peace to the world. To live peacefully as one Christian family, as befits true Christians.”
The Canadian matter has gone viral through dozens of articles shared across various Orthodox news websites in Greece, Russia and beyond.
One Greek parody site called Luben TV mashed up the videos into a viral clip that poked fun at the outrage, using the Greek word for spoon (“Lavida”) and playing it against the pop song “La Vida Loca.”
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article erroneously stated that Archbishop Sotirios of Canada’s directive regarding Holy Communion applied to all Canadian churches. The archbishop’s directive only applies to churches in the Ontario region. (UPDATED JULY 21).
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9 comments
That people question this directive is selfish. I do not want my yiayia to get sick.
My dearest Nick, unfortunately you do not understand the true meaning of Holy Communion! Sleep tight, no one gets sick from Holy Communion.
Sharing a common spoon with many people is such a kefi killer
No one who enters God’s church will catch any sickness. The Church is God’s house. Kissing holy objects such as crosses and the holy chalice would NEVER cause any transmission of any sickness/disease/COVID. And communion of Christ’s flesh and blood (via same spoon) would NEVER cause any transmission either. It is for the healing of soul and body; not sickness!!! The world thinks this way but Christ and His church are above the world and it’s laws. We need to have faith in God and not in this fallen world. Glory be to God in all things. Amen.
Andrew, it’s pretty sad and sickening that in 2020 we still think like this, like uneducated brain-dead sheep. We Greeks gave the world reason and science and philosophy and critical thought, and yet we still believe and follow this barbaric, dark age nonsense? Our ancestors are rolling in their graves.
Please read up on the plague of Justinian. 100 million dead. We should be ashamed and embarrassed as Greeks to still follow chistianity or any other religion for that matter.
The Body of Christ is incorruptible. we survived plague, ebola, sars, lots of things. people who are concerned about getting ill, are not forced to receive communion. what is the point of receiving communion if you don’t believe it is the incorruptible body and blood of Jesus Christ/
The plague of Justinian ((541–549 AD) left Constantinople a desert killing 10,000 people daily. So no you did not survive the plague.
In a desperate effort to change the narrative, Archbishop Sotirios of Canada has since accused the faithful of idolatry, making matters even worse.
On Sunday, July 19, 2020, during Holy Vesper Services for the Feast of The Glorious Prophet Elias, His Eminence, among other things, accused those who believe in the sanctity of Holy Communion of idolizing the “lavida” instead of worshiping Jesus Christ. He went on to unapologetically defend his decision to impose separate lavides – an ill-advised decision that erroneously concedes that Holy Communion is infectious on a communal lavida or spoon. And herein lies the crux of this controversy.
This is the YouTube video of the Holy Vesper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBVfGWJ0uxc
The Archbishop’s full remarks begin at 1:42 08, but his comments on Holy Communion start at 1:56 18.
What Archbishop Sotirios fails to understand is that congregants are not crying out for the lavida because they worship it, but because they rightly know that separate lavides are an affront to the sacred character and holy identity of the body and blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is a sad state of affairs when you are attacked by your very own Archbishop for defending God Himself from those who believe He can make you sick unless you receive Him on a separate spoon.
The Archbishop also argued that the method by which we have received Holy Communion has changed many times throughout the history of our religion. No one disputes this point, but the difference is those changes were not ushered in to accommodate fears of contamination, from Holy Communion no less, as is being done now. To draw a moral equivalence in this regard is unconscionable.
As the Blessed Elder Philotheos Zervakos wisely said, “In cases where our Orthodox Faith is ignored or slandered, it is permissible to check it and have just anger, most justifiable, but silence is not permissible…”
To accuse us of idolatry is unbefitting of an Archbishop. His Eminence can mock us, but he cannot make a mockery of Holy Communion. Please share this video with the world and pray that we overcome this crisis in Canada. God help us and have mercy on us all.
…this is a MIRACLE !
…We MUST do this in the US !!! This is sheer #bravery of our Clergy…and we MUST support them !
Thank you for caring about saving our lives and that of our Beloved Clergy !
You stand in the stead of the Savior Himself in this !
No one on this earth has ever done so much for me as when these Clergy had the courage to do this !
I was humbled to tears… and was shaking… and could not stop…for hours…
There is SUCH important work to be done…as this !…
This allows someone such as me…to be ABLE to receive Holy Communion as an immuno compromised person…for the FIRST time…in 29 years ! ???
These are what #heroes look like ! … and you are forever within my heart…
You…saved me…and showed that I was saved in this moment… again…
by Him…and in Him…+
And reminded that He loves me…and I am forever grateful … ❤
I faced leaving this earth without receiving this healing… life saving Sacrament again…
And you have given me the ability to fight even more for my survival…with this…
Bless you… ??
And the Heavens will rejoice over the return
of the lost sheep…
?? ? ? ? ??