Holy Communion

Holy Communion is the communion between God and the human being. It is God’s ultimate gift to humanity, allowing us to have a tangible and mystical experience with Him. During the Divine Liturgy, the Holy Spirit descends, through prayer, to transform the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. It is not a symbolic change — it is real. In order to participate in such an awesome, mystical experience, we need to be prepared.

Preparing for Holy Communion is not merely limited to the fasting of specific foods. It also requires a genuine self-examination of ourselves and our lives, in order to recognise any shortcomings and errors which may have led us to sin. Having examined our conscience, and recognising our mistakes, preparing for Holy Communion truly begins with a genuine, heartfelt repentance, a cleansing of body and soul through the sacrament of Holy Confession and fasting, and the reading of certain prayers before and after approaching the Holy Eucharist.

Partaking in Holy Communion is discouraged without having confessed first. The frequency of Communion and Confession should be discussed and determined with your spiritual father. Consumption of food and beverages is prohibited for at least six hours prior to receiving Holy Communion, unless advised otherwise by your spiritual father.

The prayers before Communion are best read quietly before coming to Church — perhaps the night before, or in the morning before leaving home, if the hour is not too rushed. “May your holy Body be for me the bread of life everlasting, compassionate Lord, and may your precious Blood be a protection from all illness.”

Approaching the chalice, we come forward slowly, our arms crossed over our chest, quietly giving our Christian name to the priest. What we receive at that moment is not an idea or a memory, but the Lord Himself — the Medicine of Immortality, as St Ignatius of Antioch called it — poured out for the healing of soul and body.