Concerning Frequent Communion of the Immaculate Mysteries of Christ

by Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain, George Dokos, Father (Translator)

These words of our Lord Jesus Christ have been, since the moment they were spoken, a "scandal" and stumbling block, and a point of departure for all who could not see in them "words of eternal life" (Jn. 6:58). The misconceptions and mis-interpretations continue to exist today, as does the need for a patristic and pastoral response. Just such a reply exists in Saint Nikodemos' renowned work, "Concerning Frequent Communion". The pious reader will find therein answers, combed from the entire patristic tradition, to such questions as: How should I approach the Holy Mysteries? What preparation is necessary? How often should I commune? And, what does it mean to be "worthy" of Holy Communion? Based upon and gathered from the teachings of the Holy Fathers of the Church, "Concernring Frequent Communion" provides a much needed, comprehensive and "catholic corrective" to the variety of one-sided approaches so prevelant today. This, the second volume in the series The Works of Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite, includes a thorough explanation of the Lord's Prayer, an apology for frequent communion, answers to objections and clarifications of misconceptions. This edition is further enriched with a brief history of the book's compilation and two appendices on the Divine Eucharist from otHer works of Saint Nikodemos.

Genres: Spirituality

241 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

St. Nicodemus the Hagiorite or St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain (Greek: Ὃσιος Νικόδημος ὁ Ἁγιορείτης) born Nicholas Kallivroutsis (Νικόλαος Καλλιβρούτσης)is a saint of the Eastern Orthodox Church. He was an ascetic monk, mystic, theologian, and philosopher. His life's work was a revival of traditional Christian practices and patristic literature. He wrote ascetic prayer literature and influenced the rediscovery of Hesychasm, a method of contemplative prayer from the Byzantine period. He is most famous for his work with St. Macarius of Corinth on the anthology of monastic spiritual writings known as The Philokalia. He was canonized by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in 1955.

Reviews

[Michaelo El Grando · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I'm quite new to practicing Orthodoxy so I wanted to learn how to better prepare myself for receiving the Eucharist during the Divine Liturgies. This book was very helpful in that it explains the importance and great spiritual benefits of receiving the Eucharist frequently. I also learned how the Orthodox church views Eucharist and its spiritual/theological significance. All in all, it can be a helpful book for catechumens or enquirers into the Orthodox faith. I gave it 4 stars because there were some passages that I personally didn't find that interesting or relevant to my personal questions.