Rules for Receiving Holy Qurbono

Rules for Receiving H. Communion (Originally posted in ICON on June 22, 2009, Message #23750

Dear all
I may be opening a controversy here, but I can not but say. I am quite surprised
by the enumeration of the rules for receiving H. Qurbono and further comments on
it (In East Syriac it is Qurbana and in our Syriac which is West Syriac it is
Qurbono. Our misunderstanding regarding things starts there). To the Syriac
tradition any baptized person (of course in the Church) has the right to demand
Holy Qurbono any time of the day or night with no questions asked. That is why
earlier we used to keep H. Elements in the altar until the next service. Of
course modesty and decency are all part of the culture. Again H. Qurbono has to
be received and eaten and not swallowed. Providing water came from an earlier
tradition when it was received in hand and water was given in hand. In Syriac
Church no small piece is given. Because we do not know how to make H. Qurbono
bread in Kerala we made it small and give tiny pieces. Participation in H.
Qurbono liturgy is to receive it and there is no days stipulation regarding
that, we have to receive it every time we participate in the liturgy. We need to
continously be renewed in the relationship with our Lord and this is the primary
way to do that. We made it too unapprochable and not many people participate in
it any longer. Yes it is fire, not the consuming fire but cleansing and
liberating fire. What Paul says is not understood well by us. He said it in the
context of other religions and their practice of receiving things offered to
other gods. He said any body who receives it has to have full faith in it and
has to understand what it is without which it is a curse. That is why priest
would say after it is administered “let it not be for our condemnation or
punishment, but for forgiveness of sins and for life eternal”. Just be reminded
that we in Kerala did not invent this.

Regards
Yuhanon Mor Meletius Metropolitan, Thrissur

Rules for Receiving H. Qurbono (Posted in ICON July 4, 2009)
Earlier I participated in a discussion in our forum regarding the rules related
to receiving Communion. There were few comments, but few I am duty bound to
respond. Let me say at the outset, I was not stating my opinion rather what I
learned from the canons and writings of the fathers of the Church. When there
is a question of this sort it is always better to go to the fathers of the
Church. Many a time we talk about the teaching of the fathers, but never reveal
specifically who said it. These days with information becoming so open and pubic
it is not difficult to get answers from original source. I am giving few
statements and the references from the canons and writings of the fathers of the
Church (I am sorry I can not give page number of any quotation as I am using a
soft version of the 38 volume “Writings of Early Church Fathers&”). They are
self explanatory. What I see in the writings of the fathers is “participation in
the Holy Eucharist is the right of a believer who has received baptism”. For
absolution, confession or express statement of sin is required (it used to be
public and open, but later it was made personal and secret). No priest is
permitted to absolve any individual without an express confession of sins (at
least in sign language if too sick to speak). This does not apply to the general
absolution given in the Holy Eucharistic worship (A general prayer of penitence
is present in the liturgy after the Promion and before the Sedra called Husoyo
prayer. The Promion begins with a call for repentance saying: Let us pray and
implore the Lord for grace and mercy. Gracious Lord, have mercy upon us and help
us. Make us worthy O Lord, to offer unto you continuously at all times and in
all season, praise and thanksgiving, glory and honour and never ceasing
exaltation. The deacon earlier said, Staumon Kalos which means “Let us stand
well” – Until then the people will be sitting after the Gospel reading during
the hymn and the sermon. – A general absolution using the words “from God may we
receive pardon for our debts and forgiveness of our sins in both worlds now and
ever more” is given just before the blessing of the censors. This makes every
one participating in the Eucharistic liturgy eligible to receive Holy body and
blood of Christ. Though, for the liturgy and for the initial dispensation of the
H. Qurbono a priest is needed, in time of urgency a believer can self administer
it (please remember that H. Qurbono used to be sent with nuns and monks (not
priests) to people on sick bed at home. Please read a well written article by
Rev. Fr. Ninan George, Vice Principal, St. Thomas Orthodox Seminary, Nagpur in
Bethel Patrika of Chengannur diocese a couple of years back on the question of
Husoyo).It is well in line for a community to make rules about their life and about one
to one relationship. But few things need to be borne in mind: it should not
contradict the general and basic principles set by the founders of the
community; it should not take the community back in time; should not deprive the
members of their inherent rights and also should be grounded on valid reason.

There was a question regarding the making of H. Eucharistic bread. I almost
every Sunday and on other occasions go to different parishes in our Church. I
have rarely seen well prepared bread as we see in Mediterranean countries or in
Europe. Some times it will be over cooked and dark at the bottom, some times not
cooked well enough, some times not enough leaven, some times not in good shape.
Some times not enough salt, some times too much salt, many a time the leaven not
well mixed with the flour. Kerala food culture is cooking culture and not
baking culture so we are not familiar of baking. Unless we take extra care our
baking will be a disaster. These days people cook the bread in the micro wave
oven and it becomes very dry that it is too hard to break in to pieces. I have
seen in other Orthodox Churches well baked big bread and larger pieces given.

Here are relevant statements for Ancient Fathers of the Church.
1. FROM THE CONSTITUTION OF THE HOLY APOSTLES
XXIX. Any one who has received the seal of baptism can be administered
communion.

LVIII. Those who participate in the Holy Eucharistic Liturgy let those who are
not baptized go out after the exhortation on the Word of God and let those
illuminated ones participate in the Communion of His mysteries. Let them leave
after receiving blessing from the bishop.

(Section 2) VIII. After the catechumens leave let the illumined pray for those
left and for their repentance and for their return to the fold to participate in
the Holy Eucharist.

XLVII. 10. Those illumined who participate in the reading of the scriptures, but
leave without receiving Holy Communion must be suspended from the community.

2. BASIL THE GREAT
LETTER XCIII.(2): To the Patrician Caesarea,(3) concerning Communion.
IT is good and beneficial to communicate every day, and to partake of the holy
body and blood of Christ. For He distinctly says, “He that eateth my flesh and
drinketh my blood hath eternal life.” And who doubts that to share frequently in
life, is the same thing as to have manifold life. I, indeed, communicate four
times a week, on the Lord’s Day, on Wednesday, on Friday, and on the Sabbath,
and on the other days if there is a commemoration of any Saint. It is needless
to point out that for anyone in times of persecution to be compelled to take the
communion in his own hand without the presence of a priest or minister is not a
serious offence, as long custom sanctions this practice from the facts
themselves. All the solitaries in the desert, where there is no priest, take the
communion themselves, keeping communion at home. And at Alexandria and in Egypt,
each one of the laity, for the most part, keeps the communion, at his own house,
and participates in it when he likes. For when once the priest has completed the
offering, and given it, the recipient, participating in it each time as entire,
is bound to believe that he properly takes and receives it from the giver. And
even in the church, when the priest gives the portion, the recipient takes it
with complete power over it, and so lifts it to his lips with his own hand. It
has the same validity whether one portion or several portions are received from
the priest at the same time.

3. HYPPOLYTUS OF ROME
(28, 29)
That the faithful ought to eat nothing before the Holy Communion.
That care is to be well taken that nothing fall from the chalice to the ground.

4. CANONS OF THE CHURCH OF ALEXANDRIA.
Canon 29 Of the keeping of oblations which are laid upon the altar,–that
nothing fall into the sacred chalice, and that nothing fall from the priests,
nor from the boys when they take communion; that an evil spirit rule them not,
and that no one speak in the protection,(2) except in prayer; and when the
oblations of the people cease, let psalms be read with all attention, even to
the signal of the bell; and of the sign of the cross, and the casting of the
dust of the altar into the pool.

5. TEACHINGS OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES (DIDACHE)
Canon 31 also talks about administering the communion (I do not find in these
two any reference to the said rules)

6. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM: HOMILIES.
XXVII Talks about the conduct after receiving the communion. He asks faithful to
be modest and not to have any excessive festivities and luxuriousness

XXVIII. Let them come for communion with the purity of conscience.

V. On St. Mathew.
He talks about people who are awed while they are in the Church and then receive
Communion. Then they go out and plunge in to things unsuited to the communion.
He asks people to go home and take the Bible call every one in the household and
to put together what was heard in the Church. Then go to market and act
according to the principles set by the communion (for him what is important is
not how it was eaten, rather how one lives after).

7. CYPRIAN OF CARTHAGE: THE 82 EPISTLES OF CYPRIAN
Those who feel that they have sinned may do penance for a set time and then come
to public confession, then the bishop may place his hand on him and may receive
communion. However, if it is the time of persecution, they can very well receive
communion without any of these.

(On the Lapsed [failed)
No communion for sinners without confession followed by absolution. If they do,
violence is done to His body and blood.

8. POPE LEO THE GREAT: LETTER TO JULIAN, BISHOP OF COS (of course we do not hold
him a person of much authority due to the Tom he wrote)

Question V. If the person is in death bed and can not express the repentance,
but ask for it by signs, absolution shall be given.
Question IX. Even if the person is in pain and is confessing out of fear of
death only, still absolution is administered..

9. THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY Book VII. Chapter XVI.
As in supplicating for pardon; it is requisite to confess the sin, it seems
probable that the priests, from the beginning, considered it irksome to make
this confession in public, before the whole assembly of the people. They
therefore appointed a presbyter, of the utmost sanctity, and the most undoubted
prudence, to act on these occasions; the penitents went to him, and confessed
their transgressions; and it was his office to indicate the kind of penance
adapted to each sin, and then when satisfaction had been made, to pronounce
absolution (Quotations over)

I shall be most obliged and grateful if some one would bring to my notice
further a quotation from one of our early Church fathers or a passage from an
authentic document regarding rules for receiving Holy Communion.

With regards and prayers
Yuhanon Mor Meletius Metropolitan, Thrissur

Dear all
I may be opening a controversy here, but I can not but say. I am quite
surprised by the enumeration of the rules for receiving H. Qurbono and
further comments on it (In East Syriac it is Qurbana and in our Syriac
which is West Syriac it is Qurbono. Our misunderstanding regarding
things starts there). To the Syriac tradition any baptized person (of
course in the Church) has the right to demand Holy Qurbono any time of
the day or night with no questions asked. That is why earlier we used
to keep H. Elements in the altar until the next service. Of course
modesty and decency are all part of the culture. Again H. Qurbono has
to be received and eaten and not swallowed. Providing water came from
an earlier tradition when it was received in hand and water was given
in hand. In Syriac Church no small piece is given. Because we do not
know how to make H. Qurbono bread in Kerala we made it small and give
tiny pieces. Participation in H. Qurbono liturgy is to receive it and
there is no days stipulation regarding that, we have to receive it
every time we participate in the liturgy. We need to continously be
renewed in the relationship with our Lord and this is the primary way
to do that. We made it too unapprochable and not many people
participate in it any longer. Yes it is fire, not the consuming fire
but cleansing and liberating fire. What Paul says is not understood
well by us. He said it in the context of other religions and their
practice of receiving things offered to other gods. He said any body
who receives it has to have full faith in it and has to understand what
it is without which it is a curse. That is why priest would say after
it is administered “let it not be for our condemnation or punishment,
but for forgiveness of sins and for life eternal”. Just be reminded
that we in Kerala did not invent this.

Regards
Yuhanon Mor Meletius Metropolitan, Thrissur

Today, during the Holy Qurbana on Friday (in Gulf our main church service is on
Friday), one of our learned and blessed laity brethren gave a message.His
message was powerfully delivered, but at the end, I was in a state of confusion
on the teachings on this Holiest Koodasha of our church.

The topic he dwelt upon was on the rules of receiving the Holy Qurbana.
He listed the rules of the church in receiving the Holy Qurbana. I was in a way
pained to hear that all of them were on the physical cleanliness rather than the
need of a repentant and contrite heart.

I would like to gain a little more insight clearly from the blessed and learned
members of ICON on the rules and their sources for receiving the Holy Qurbana.

I reproduce some of the rules my blessed brother stated (as I understood)for
your valuable guidance:

1.Once we receive the Holy Qurbana, the effect is for 40 days.
2.One needs to fast for 6 Hrs before receiving the Holy Qurbana.
3.One need to complete all the Yama Prarthana starting from the previous
evening prayers.
4.One must chew well the received Holy Qurbana with the teeth before
swallowing.(From my childhood, I have been told that one should not allow the
teeth to come in touch with the body and blood and hence must be swallowed
directly)
5.One needs to have a bath and wear modest and light coloured dress.
6.One should not do make up with lipstick and bindi.
7.One should not come directly from the office to the church for receiving the
Holy Qurbana because he would not have had chance to take bath and change into
fresh clothes.
8.One should not have bodily relation ship with the spouse the previous day.
9.Do not watch TV from the previous evening
10.Do not talk loudly after receiving the Holy Qurbana.

It was also mentioned that the Holy Qurbana is indeed fire and if you do not
follow the rules, you will receive curse instead of the blessing you are
seeking.

The example sited was that of Uzzah putting his hand to the ark of God(2 Samuel
6:6). Uzzah, the son of Abinadab, took hold of the ark of God because the oxen
stumbled.Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck
him there for his error, and he died there by the ark of God.

With all the reverence, I understand and believe that Jesus unveiled the new
face of God through His life and cross from the “eye for an eye” of old
testament to a paradigm shift of “love your enemy”.
My genuine concern is about a lot our brethren in Gulf who toil in the scorching
sun at 50 degree Celsius for 12 hours and have no one to turn to except God.What
the church needs to offer them who are part of the body of our church as much
spiritual solace as possible and not bring in physical rules in getting their
spiritual realization through partaking in the Body and Blood of new covenant of
our Lord and Saviour.
I would also like the views of the ICON family on the teaching of the church on
Hoosoyo replacing the Holy Confession.

Of course, the physical cleanliness is a symbol of the cleansing by the spirit.A
lot of emphasis on the physical aspect without attributing the spiritual
symbolism may take us back to the old testament.

Awaiting to get edified by the ICON Family.

Love in Christ

Jacob Varghese
Muscat