Ethiopian Orthodox?? Still in communion with them?

I recently heard from an ethiopian friend that their church doesn't give communion to teens ages 14-16 since it's the
"Age of sin"

If this is true, how are we even in communion with them?? This is a huge issue! Not giving communion to all people that age just because they are known in that age to sin a lot? What if there were perfect teens who never did anything wrong? Should they also be deprived of the sacrifice?

Comments

  • erghh..
    that doesn't sound right...at all.
    maybe your friend misunderstood soemthing..?

    There's no such thin as not giving communion to sinners...there would be no purpose for communion if that was the case.
  • Sinners take communion for redemption...
    How then does it make sense to stop sinners from taking communion, not to mention that the 14-16 thing isn't even close to a good judgement? Are we trying to get rid of people in that age range or bring them closer to church when they need God?

    This doesn't make very much sense at all... Double check your information.. find out if it's just your friends' church... perhaps this is a case of bad judgement by a priest? Or perhaps just a misunderstanding [I HOPE IT'S A MISUNDERSTANDING!] ....

    +God Bless
  • Briefly, we are most certainly still in communion with the Ethiopian (Tewahedo) Orthodox Church.  There were some rifts as a result of political wranglings, but a brokered protocol for full acceptance of each Church for the other was carried out by H.H. Catholicos Aram I of the Armenian Orthodox Church (Jurisdiction of the Catholicosate of Cilicia).  The protocol was signed in Egypt at the Great Cathedral of St. Mark in Cairo in September 2007.  The signators were:  The Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Patriarch-Catholicos of the Ethiopian Church, and the Catholicos of the Armenian Church (House of Cilicia).

    I never heard about the other reference relative to administering the Mystery of the Eucharist to mid-teenagers.
  • Actually, I'm not so sure anymore. But if I find out it was true, then i'll post a reference.
  • well ive read in H.G. Bishop Antonious Markos' book "Come to Africa and help us", the first of the three books on his life an work in Ethiopia that teenagers and even adults, up till old age did not receive communion, because it was this "age of sin". I also recall His Grace's indignaton at this when he was just a monk, and stood up for the life of circumspection - but that is off topic.
  • Hi ALL,

    That is wrong. True,there were some politicall fighting between the Ethiopian Church and the Egyptian church,but the Church itslef is one and the same,eventhough the Ethios have their own Patriarch, since 1958 a wish that was fulfiled by Pope Kyrillos.

    So, we are all in full communion with each other ( Belong to the Oriental church)

    Pope kyrillos,that friend of yours needs some schooling:) bring him here:)
  • thanks for making it clear hezekiel  :)
  • well.."the age of Sin" as u said would mean every single human on earth..we r all sinners..no matter what..then there should be no one taking communion....

    (p.s. there r no perfect  ppl like u said at the beggining

    What if there were perfect teens who never did anything

    )

    Plz correct me if i am wrong... 

    God Bless

    Coptic Pharaoh
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