First Confession or First Communion?
For many Orthodox faithful growing up in Canada, the influence of the Roman Catholic Church was strong due to the presence of large Roman Catholic immigrant communities (Italians, Portuguese, Spanish, Mexicans, French etc.). As such, the ideas of “First Communion,” “Confirmation,” “Mass” and “wedding vows” were all very common phrases floating around. Today we will explore the idea of “First Communion” as it relates to the Orthodox reality (we will explore the others at a later time).
“For as often as you eat this Bread and drink the Cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” (I Corinthians 11:26)
Does the Orthodox Church Have “First Communion?”
A child being baptized in a Greek Orthodox Church. Nek Vardikos, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In short, no. In fact, the Orthodox Churches, in all its many jurisdictions, practices ‘infant communion’ which is to say that children can partake of Holy Communion. When a child is baptized, they are washed in the water of Baptism and then sealed with the Holy Spirit in Chrismation. The final step is then to actually receive Holy Communion, completing their membership in the Church (usually at the next Divine Liturgy). The general understanding is that the sacrament of Holy Communion is healing and salvific, even for children who cannot comprehend it (not to say that adult Christians are able to fully comprehend this mystery). And unlike adults, children can approach the chalice without Holy Confession until the age of 7 or 8, which is when we believe that children begin to become aware of sin.
While infant communion was practiced in the early Christian Church (before the Roman Catholic Church split with the Orthodox Church in 1081), at the end of the 1500s, the Roman Catholic Church (and many Protestant denominations) made the decision to stop infant communion. It is their belief that infants and children are unable to comprehend the mystery that is Holy Communion and therefore delay it until the age of approximately 7 years.
Read more about "Infant Communion" by Fr. Gregory HoggAbout First Confession
As such, in the Orthodox Church we take a moment to prepare the child for the special moment that is their first confession.
It is generally understood that children’s self-consciousness and awareness develops around the age of 6, 7, or 8. This is such a general understanding that even our school system is designed around this cognitive development. It is around this age that the child is able to sit still and concentrate and begin to understand abstract concepts rather than just concrete ones. And this is reflected in their inner life as well with their self-reflection.
Read tips to help your child prepare for their First Confession