www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship Vespers, Matins & the Divine Liturgy Tips for Newcomers

I had been to 5 Divine Liturgies and tried to observe the process for receiving communion with the spoon. I was accustomed to intinction from Maronite as well as the Roman parish I grew up in but both with unleavened hosts dipped/intincted in the blood immediately before placed on my tongue.

I'm more and more intrigued by the East really rooted in my love for icons. I've lacked the courage to try present myself for communion because it is so different

I asked before the liturgy about how to present myself. I was told to cross my arms across my chest and to hold my head back like a little bird and not to clasp lips on the spoon.

When the time came, I did as i had read and had been told but it was very awkward -- leading to this question...

As someone who is above average in height, should I kneel to receive in the Ukrainian Byzantine Rite? I know there have been problems with Latinizations but i also would be horrified to cause a spill or to fall while trying to crouch for the priest to communicate me. I want to be respectful of the rich liturgical heritage of the Byzantine Rites but i also want to be practical about the issue of the height differential.

Christ is in our midst!!

CuriousMarten,

Welcome to the forum. May I suggest you contact the priest at the parish at which you wish to commune sometime during the week, meet with him in person, and pose this question? It might be the simplest, fastest way to resolve this issue for you.

Bob
Moderator

Don't go as far as outright kneeling, but if he's awkwardly reaching up to you, sure bend a knee to reduce your height to a practical level.

Even with him on the Ambon, I'm a full head taller than my priest--and he's injured his right shoulder badly enough that he has to rely on a server to hold the other end of the cloth (name escapes me at the moment) over the gifts. I really have no idea how he makes it through the communion line (but it helps that he has the deacon distributing ss well)