If one receives a proper confession and receives Holy Communion then how is this compared to touching the Ark? I would conclude that a Christian who has received all of the Sacraments and has received a proper confession could look and touch the Ark without being struck down to death.

After all what is greater the Ark which housed the Ten Commandments or the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ Son of the Living God which is present in Holy Communion?

I say let all Baptized Christians in the state of Grace be allowed to venerate the Holy Ark (and Kiss it). The price has been paid by Jesus on the cross. Let all come and see the Ark in a CHURCH not a Museum.

Do I have this wrong??????

I am curious to here from the many Religious on this forum if my view of the Ark is accurate with regards to touching it. If for example, the real Ark was revealed could a Christian whom received all the Sacraments and was in the state of Grace touch the Ark without being struck down?

I guess that is one way to find out if you are in the 'state of grace' or not for sure

Ray: a Christian who had received ALL the sacraments would be a married cleric who had been near death at least once...

and even then, no guarantees he has not sinned since his last confession!

Note also: replicas of the Ark of the Covenant are used in the Ge'ez Rite* a lot.

*or sub-rite... depending upon whom one asks.

LOL!!! That's Funny!!!

One thing the prophets and saints of the Old Testament never got to do was receive Communion. Since we Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholics/Eastern Catholics know what our churches teach on communion we can probably gather that if we can take communion then the ark probably wouldn't zap us. The Ark may have housed God, but Communion is God.

That is what I thought!

One never takes communion. One receives it as a gift.

So if this is one of the signs of the apocolypse then why would the patriarch want to open it? Will the Pope be involved somehow? Wouldn't it be great if the Ark wa sopened and somehow it caused Christian unity?

I saw a news paper article the other day saying the story was a media beat up and the Patriarch was not impressed at being misquoted by the press.

I think that those who have posted about the Ark vs. Communion and the Old vs. New Covenants are right on.

In the Synoptic Gospels, the curtain of the Temple was torn in two at the time of Our Lord's death. I've read two explanations: God abandoned the Jerusalem Temple, and/or the Temple was opened to all (i.e. Gentiles). Of course, by Christ's time, the Ark was long gone. However, the Ark, the Temple, and its associated worship are all fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

If the Ark is in Ethiopia and retains all of its properties as reported in the Old Testament, then what's the point of being a Christian?

Dave

This is not correct since many parishes have the Anointing on Great and Holy Wednesday that is open to all who wish to come and does not require a "near death" status. Even outside of Holy Wednesday, in a more authentically Eastern approach to the anointing of the sick, it is realized that not all sicknesses are physical, and treatment for these spiritual ailments should not be held in abeyance until the threat of mortal death.

Also the Slavonic term for "tabernacle", kivot, also can mean ark. The use of ark or a similar term is not limited to the Ethiopians.

Well, surely the Body of Our Lord Jesus is much holier than the Ark -- if it still exists! So, just replace "Ark" here with "Blessed Sacrament" ... then answer the question.

Note that the annointing with oil after feasts is a Sacramental, is not the same as the Sacrament of Annointing of the Sick, which is presecribed for those "in danger of death." Near death was a bit of hyperbole on my part, but the Sacrament of Annointing of the Sick would imply having been gravely ill or undergoing surgery.

(one might wish to check the Chatechism of the Catholic Church at http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc/index.htm )