Marriage and the Eucharist

I think this is handled more as a pastoral matter in the Orthodox Church. I know people who have non-orthodox spouses who receive communion. If she is non-practicing Catholic why does she care if she can receive communion or not?

She\'s not nonpracticing now, but she was when she married her agnostic husband outside the church. I\'ve heard of Orthodox Christians with nonOrthodox spouses, but isnt it different when their spouse is a complete unbeliever, and not just a Christian with a different denomination?

This is up to the Priest, everyone is different and as such has different spiritual needs.

Are the non-Orthodox spouses heterodox? Were they married in an Orthodox Church? If they have children, were the children Baptised/Chrismated in the Orthodox Church? I feel that this is too much of an important sacramental issue to be considered a \\"pastoral matter\\" .... There\'s ought to be more \\"Orthodox Universality\\" in the answer.

The answer to the first question is yes, the second, I don\'t know, and the third is definitely yes in the particular case I am thinking of. There may be some universal Orthodox policy on this matter, but I am not aware of it. I am only commenting on what I have observed in GOA & OCA parishes.

I always hear it as if you get married in another Christian church then it has to be blessed by the Orthodox church before you can receive communion. If the spouse is not Christian, the marriage is not recognized. ... maybe that\'s only in the Carpatho-Rusyn diocese but... that\'s how I always understood it.

‘No one born of a forbidden marriage, nor any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, even to the 10th generation (i.e., never).” Artintel, may I say that OT directives must be seen for what they are - prefigurations, types and shadows. Orthodox Christianity is not Seventh-day Adventism or Messianic Judaism, for the shadow of the Law has passed away. I sincerely hope you are not suggesting Orthodox Christians in \\"irregular\\" marital situations are expected to be subject to this Deuteronomic directive.

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese has a department of interfaith marriage (which has a good website). Father Charles Joanides wrote some pastoral guidelines for interfaith marriages, which you can find there. Keep in mind that an Orthodox wedding can only occur between an Orthodox Christian and another Trinitarian Christian(http://goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/marriage/interfaith) He says: \\"In order to remain in proper canonical and spiritual standing with the Orthodox Church, Orthodox Christians must be married by an Orthodox priest, in an Orthodox Church, and in the manner prescribed by the priest’s service book. Orthodox partners should be made aware that if their marriage is not solemnized by the Orthodox Church, they are no longer in good standing and are not permitted to receive the sacraments or participate in the sacraments. Inter-Christian couples are also respectfully informed that non-Orthodox Christians who marry in the Orthodox Church do not subsequently have sacramental privileges in the Orthodox Church. Because of the Orthodox Church’s position on sacramental participation, only those who are in good standing canonically and spiritually have sacramental privileges. Similarly, intermarried couples should also be aware that only Orthodox Christians who are in good standing canonically and spiritually are (a) permitted an Orthodox Funeral Service, (b) and allowed to serve on the Parish Council, (c) permitted to vote in parish elections, and (d) permitted to serve as godparents or sponsors at baptisms and weddings.\\"