ORTHODOX MODULE

HOLY COMMUNION

The Holy has the central place among the Sacraments of the Orthodon Church. Today the Orthodox Church celebrates the following Liturgies: 1. The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom - the usual Liturgy of Sundays and Weekdays. 2. The Liturgy of St. Basil the Great - on the Sundays of Great and certain Feast Days. 3. The Liturgy of St. James the Brother of the Lord - on October 23 (St. James' Day) in certain places only (e.g. Jerusalem). 4. The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts - on Weekdays of Great Lent and Holy Week.

The Saviour Himself said, I am the bread of life. At the Last Supper, Jesus fakes bread, and blesses, and breaks it, and gives it to the disciples and says,'Take, eat; this is My body'. And He takes a cup, and says, 'Drink of it, all of you, for this is My blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins' (Matt. 26:26- 28; cf. Mark 14:12-16, Luke 22:7-13; 1 Cor 11:23-30). Through the Eucharist we unite with Christ and with each other as a church. We become part of the Mystical Body of Christ. Through the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, we attain salvation and eternal life. The Fathers of the Church strongly stress the unity of all Orthodox believers in the Holy Eucharist. St. Ignatius of Antioch, in his Letter to the Ephesians reminds them that all of you without exception, through God's grace are united in common faith and in Jesus Christ. According to St. Nicholas Cabasilas, a medieval Orthodox teacher, the Church's understanding of the Eucharist as follows: In the first place, the sacrifice is not only a symbol, but a real sacrifice. In the second, that is the very Body of Christ After the final of the Liturgy, the faithful come up to kiss the Hand Cross and receive a small piece of bread - the Antidoron. This bread expresses Christian fellowship and love (agape).

VOCABULARY: among – među attain - dostići believer - vernik certain - izvjestan covenant - zavjet disciple - učenik exception - izuzetak express - izraziti forgiveness - oproštaj medieval - srednjovjekovni pour out - izlivati se remind - podsjetiti sacrifice - žrtva stress - naglasiti usual - uobičajen without - bez

EXERCISES: 1. Answer the following questions: 1. What kind of liturgies are celebrated today? 2. Who established the Holy Eucharist? 3. What did He do then? 4. What do we attain through the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist? 5. What do the Fathers of the Church strongly stress? 6. What does St. Nicholas Cabasilas say about the Eucharist? 7. What is the Antidoron?

2. Find the correct answer: 1. The faithful come up to kiss the Hand Cross and receive a small piece of bread - the Antidoron: a) before the Liturgy b) after the final blessing of the Liturgy c) after the Liturgy 2. We become part of the Mystical Body of Christ: a) through the Eucharist b) through reading the Saviour's words c) through the Antidoron 3. St. Nicholas Cabasilas understands the Eucharist as: a) the very Body of Christ b) the very bread c) the very faith 4. Through the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, we attain: a) the Body of Christ b) the Antidoron c) salvation 5. The Saviour Himself said: a) that the sacrifice is only a symbol b) I am the bread of life c) his pupils to read St. Nicholas Cabasilas 4. Translate into Serbian/English: 1. 'Take, eat; this is My body' 2. the Mystical Body of Christ 3. St. Ignatius of Antioch 4. spasenje 5. 'Drink of it, all of you; for this is My blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins' 6. život večni 7. faith in our Lord Jesus Christ 8. the very Body of Christ 9. the Antidoron 10. Letter to the Ephesians