Top 10 Orthodox Priest Grievances | Greek Orthodoxy 101

By popular request, Father Maggos shares his Top 10 grievances as an Orthodox priest, from smartphones going off during the service to lipstick on the icons! This is our final Greek Orthodoxy 101 of the season. We'll be back with new episodes this September! Have a great summer everyone!

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Produced by Demos Euclid

Music by SfxValley

Clips from:
Star Wars (1977); The Late Show with David Letterman (1993-2015)

#GreekOrthodox #Christian #Orthodox

[annunciationorthodox]

Keep your suggestions coming! We may do a follow up!

[lapun]

It isn't only priests who are grieved by phones ringing during services.

[American-Jello]

I'm a newly illumined Orthodox Christian, I was received on Holy Saturday, and my godmother warned me about several of the things you mentioned in this video!
I've noticed that a fair number of people leave liturgy right after receiving communion, literally walking out the door from the line. I've never understood that. It's almost as if some folks have gotten into the habit of treating liturgy as a series of things that need to get done instead of reflective worship. It's probably because I'm new that I see it, so I'll need to always make certain I don't do the same after years have passed.

[Ftsikoudis]

your #1 is so important. I appreciate and I am more engaged when i see /hear the priest be involved beyond just speed speaking. and yes on the sermons. iknow not everyone is a good orator, but we don't want to be toning out at that part cause the priest rambles.

[evans]

Well said Father! We deacons can relate to all 10.

[rsissel]

I live in the southern Balkans and have participated in services in many churches in several countries. It's interesting to contrast the behavior of the Greeks vs. the Slavs. Late arrivals, early departures, and talking (by a few) are the norm. Almost every service. About talking, I've lost track of how many people I've asked to be quiet. I finally stopped because it never works. I blame the clergy. For example, on Great and Holy Thursday, during the reading of the passion gospels, several guys were chatting away like they were in a coffee shop. I asked them nicely to be quiet. Didn't work. I then lost my cool and told them to shut up. Didn't work. I then found a priest who was not serving and told him. He shrugged his shoulders and walked away. I also blame the laity. For example, I'm now living in a village in Greece. The end of the liturgy is always the same. Post communion prayers are chanted, we come up for the antidoron, the church sounds like a bazaar, and the priest asks everyone to be quiet. That works for like 10 seconds. No respect for the priest. Shameful.

[GeonusKaikun]

I've also heard that many people do not confess properly. They either treat confession like a counseling session, trying to find ways to feel better rather than confessing sins, or they will spend time talking about the sins of others.

[davidnewberry]

Some priests and others take many photos from behind the iconostasis. I never thought of lipstick as a problem, and instead I would have expected something else to be mentioned, such as scanty summer clothing, though the Annunciation congregation seems well dressed. I have got used to the screams of children, and have been persuaded that it is a sign of life, though I generally agree with JohnFDonovan's comments.

[stormshadowctf]

People who dont go to confession and receive communion.

[Тертий_В]

Showing up 5-10 minutes before Holy Communion is an interesting phenomenon I’ve only witnessed in Greek Churches. I don’t believe my Priest will commune someone if they show up after the Gospel is read (not that we have a problem with people regularly showing up late.)

[JohnFDonovan-bynt]

As an ecumenical gesture, I am a RC organist and music director. Top pet peeve, # 1: CELL PHONES. Before Mass everyone is told to tun them off. Does the congregation pay attention? Rarely. #2: Because we are western, we kneel. The pews have attached kneelers. Just before the Eucharist Prayer begins 50% of the congregation drops the kneelers and it sounds like the Good Friday Earthquake. #3. Parents with screaming babies. I get it. I had children, four boys to be exact. Mass is not always child friendly, but I do not understand how parents will remain in the pew while their child screams during the Mass. Screams during the consecration. Screams during the sermon. etc... Some will let their child just scream without stopping. When we were younger my parents went to different Masses (Again this is western) so we would not drive people crazy. When we brought our children to Mass the moment the "sustained" noise began I took them out into the narthex of the church. What is so complicated about that? #4 Rambling contentless banal homilies. The yang to ying is the priest is on fire and the homily is so long and so overburdened with ideas that one suffers religious indigestion. The first is far more common but every now and then the second does happen. #5: People who receive communion and leave before the end of Mass. it happens. it is very irreverent. Church is not a holy fast food restaurant! One priest I read put the following sign over the exits: Judas was the first person to leave the first Mass early. #6: Lectors of both sexes who do not bother to go over the readings before Mass and commit howlers with mispronunciation. # 7: Inappropriate dress for church. #8 An exaggeratively familiar style of what we westerners call the ars celebrandi on the part of the priest. The unfortunate versus populum, facing the people, liturgical position of the priest gives many of them an audience and the desire to entertain comes out in two seconds. # 9: Untrained cantors who scream into the mic and flap their arms lie decapitated chickens to let the congregation knew when it is time to sing. Ugh! They are often a diabolical distraction. # 10 Yakking before Mass to the point where others cannot say their prayers. As one who respects Orthodoxy, some of your complaints made me smile. Some were uniquely Orthodox. Some were not. As the saying goes misery loves company!
.

[BaikalTii]

lots of bare shoulders in that wedding party

[ariagrippasboulevards]

All I can say, is we became worse hypocrites than the Catholics and the Jews. Lipstick on the icon is annoying, but kissing the back of the hand and passing all our germs to everyone, not annoying. The people taking pictures during the gospel reading => annoying. The media taking videos of the priest during the gospel reading => most welcome.

[stormshadowctf]

Father...not all orthodox are greek. Especially in the u.s. your churches arent very full. Better learn.