You can, but you shouldn’t plan to. The Divine Liturgy is a single, complete action from beginning to end, and we’re called to be present for all of it.
Think of it this way. You wouldn’t leave a wedding right after the vows but before the pronouncement. You wouldn’t walk out of a meal after the appetizer. The Liturgy isn’t a lecture you can duck out of early. It’s the Church’s eucharistic offering, and you’re part of it. Your presence matters. We enter together, we offer together, we receive together, and we’re sent out together.
The dismissal isn’t just a formality. When the priest says “Let us depart in peace,” that’s not filler. It’s the moment we’re blessed and sent into the world to live what we’ve just received. Leaving before that happens cuts off the liturgical action before it’s complete.
But Life Happens
That said, we’re not legalists. Orthodoxy recognizes that real life intrudes.
If you’ve got a toddler melting down in the narthex, nobody expects you to white-knuckle it through the dismissal. If you work offshore on a rotating schedule and you’ve got to be at the dock by 11:30, talk to your priest. If you’re sick, pregnant and nauseated, or dealing with a medical condition that makes standing for two hours impossible, use common sense. God knows your situation. So does your priest.
Some people have to leave early because of their stage in the catechumenate. Historically, catechumens were dismissed before the Eucharist. Some parishes still do this. If that’s you, don’t feel awkward about it. That’s the ancient practice of the Church.
But here’s the thing. These are exceptions, not the rule. If you’re regularly planning to leave early because the service is long or you’ve got brunch plans or you just don’t feel like staying, that’s a different issue. That’s treating the Liturgy like an event you attend rather than the life of the Body you’re part of.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Most Orthodox Christians in Southeast Texas are juggling a lot. You might work at the refinery on a shift schedule. Your extended family might expect you at Mamaw’s by noon. You’ve got kids who didn’t sleep well. We get it.
Here’s what helps. Sit near an exit if you’ve got small children. That way if you need to step out, you’re not climbing over six people. Arrive a few minutes early so you’re settled before things start. If you know you’ll need to leave before the end, let the priest know. He’s not going to scold you. He’ll appreciate the heads-up.
And if you’re new to Orthodoxy, give yourself time to adjust. The services are long. St. John Chrysostom’s Liturgy runs about 90 minutes, and if you’re coming from a Baptist background where church meant an hour on Sunday morning, this feels like a marathon. Your feet will hurt. You won’t know when to stand or sit. That’s normal. Don’t bail out halfway through just because it’s hard. Stick with it. You’ll adjust.
Why We Stay
There’s a reason the Church has always expected the faithful to remain for the whole service. The Liturgy isn’t modular. You can’t just take the parts you like. It’s organic. The prayers build on each other. The Scripture readings prepare us for the Eucharist. The Eucharist sends us out into the world. Miss the end and you’ve missed the point.
Fr. Alexander Schmemann wrote about this better than I can, but the basic idea is that the Liturgy is the Church’s movement from this world into the Kingdom and back again. We’re not just watching. We’re participating in something that’s happening. When you leave early, you’re stepping out of that movement before it’s finished.
And there’s a communal aspect too. When you’re absent, we notice. Not in a judgmental way, but in the way you notice when someone’s missing from the family table. The Church is a body. Your presence matters to the rest of us.
A Word for Visitors
If you’re visiting for the first time, don’t stress about this. Stay as long as you can. If you need to leave, leave. Nobody’s going to chase you down. We’d rather you come back next week than feel trapped and never return.
But if you’re serious about Orthodoxy, if you’re thinking about becoming a catechumen or you’ve already started that process, start working toward staying for the whole service. It’s part of learning to be Orthodox. You’re training your body and your attention for something that doesn’t come naturally in our culture. That takes time.
Talk to someone at St. Michael’s if you’re struggling with this. We’ve all been where you are. The priest has heard every reason people need to leave early, and he’s not going to judge you. But he will encourage you to aim for staying, because that’s what formation in the faith looks like.
