Can Old Believers sit at the same table with heretics, eat from the same dishes, and participate in joint prayer? #

Much depends on the circumstances—whether you are visiting them or they are visiting you.

There are numerous Church rules that regulate our conduct regarding heretics. What do these rules say? Looking at their context and interpretations, they prohibit joint prayer with heretics or those excommunicated from the Church, whether at home, privately, or in a church assembly. However, this applies specifically when you go to them to pray, or participate in their religious celebrations. If they come to our church, they must not be allowed to serve in the sanctuary (e.g., acting as a priest or deacon) or to sing in the choir. They also must not be allowed access to sacred things, such as participation in the Sacraments or taking prosphora.

Typically, rules governing the behavior of non-Orthodox visitors are displayed in the vestibule or at the entrance to the church. According to these rules, non-Orthodox individuals remain in the vestibule, must not distract the faithful with their actions, and are expected to pray along with everyone else, make the sign of the cross with two fingers, refrain from making bows at will, and abstain from venerating icons. They have come to us, not we to them. Therefore, they must abide by the internal order of our church.

Can we sit at the same table with them and eat from their dishes? What is the basis for any prohibition of this?

In the rite of confession, it is mentioned as a sin to share a meal with heretics. However, this does not refer to mere eating but to close fellowship where one deliberately goes to heretics, participates in their celebrations and feasts, and adopts their customs.

The Apostle Paul writes:

“I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.”
(1 Corinthians 5:9–13)

It is clear from this that the measure of not eating together applies not to outsiders or strangers, but to those within the Church who openly live in sin. God judges those outside; what is that to us? How could your refusal to share a meal with an unfamiliar person affect them?

Our task is not to distance ourselves from those who wish to come to us but, on the contrary, to ensure that as many people as possible learn about Christ and the true Church of Christ. Thus, obedience to commandments and canons should always be carried out with reason and love. The goal is not to repel someone but to bring them to Christ, lovingly explaining that not everything happens at once—that they must gradually ascend to the Church, step by step. If done with love, the person will understand and value more deeply what is not given immediately.

— Priest Evgeny Gureev