[jeaccatty]

In Orthodox practice, a person who actively kills himself is not permitted to be given a Church burial or funeral. However, a key consideration is that this person must have made the decision to suicide while "in his right mind" that is not under the influence of drugs or alcohol or while mentally ill. This allows a lot of pastoral leeway in dealing with tragic situations.

Also there is indeed a big difference between "suicide" and simply refusing treatment. It is well within the Orthodox tradition for a person to put themselves at the mercy of God and withdraw from treatment for a potentially mortal condition. In such a case, the avenue of miraculous intervention is always opened and life is not cut short unnaturally, but allowed to continue as long as God in His mercy permits. I am well aware of a monk/priest who was terminally ill and who, with the blessing his abbot and bishop, ceased active treatment for his condition, putting himself in God's hands. This man's death was slow and inevitable, but it allowed much time for him to seek forgiveness and reconciliation in situations where trivial arguements had arisen. It allowed him to spend the remainder of his days in a state of prayer and repentance, receiving the sacrament daily. And had God spared him and healed him, or at least brought him to sufficient health to live on - he would have done so gladly. When he died, it was with a great spiritual benefit, not only to himself, but to those around him. He did not "suicide" but rather put himself in God's hands, and was of course buried from the Church.

Fr David Moser