Is it permissible to visit cafeterias, cafés, or restaurants? Should one pray openly before and after meals and make the sign of the cross?
Strictly speaking, Church rules contain prohibitions against eating in taverns. However, it’s important to understand that taverns in ancient times, when these rules were formulated, were not merely “places of public dining.” They were associated with questionable individuals and unrighteous activities. For clergy, there is a strict prohibition against eating in taverns, except in cases…