Should You Fast Before Communion? | Greek Orthodoxy Fact vs Fiction 

This is good, only let us remember to pray when we fast. Let us prepare our hearts with confession and repentance. May God have mercy on us.

you know im converting from my pagan ways into the greek orthodox church and i enjoy watching these videos as they are helpful informative and enjoyable. keep it up Father!

hi from greece(HELLAS)..!!!

The early Christians "broke bread" and drank of the cup in communion with one another. Paul admonished people for treating like any other meal, they were taking more of their share, not leaving for others and drinking the wine to drunkeness. He instructed them to eat at home if they were hungry

Thank you so much for all this information. I am learning so much from your tutorials🙏

And we should fast on Wednesdays and Fridays… meaning that we do vegan… not overeat… etc.

For all that is Holy and Just, why do you have taverna music playing? There are many sacred Orthodox Hymns which can be utilized for the introduction and closure.

Wonderful video! Happy Pascha!

god bless..!!

In Russian Orthodox tradition we fast 3 days prior (no meat, milk or sometimes even fish), go to confess on Saturday’s evening and consume nothing from 12 o’clock on Saturday’s night before receiving the Communion on Sunday‘s Liturgy. I’ve heard it was a monk tradition before but somehow became a rule of a thumb with possible exceptions later

Love holy communion body and blood of Lord I grew up Lutheran Church taking commiuon

Well said Father

The Eucharist is at the center of Eastern Christian faith communities, both Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic. Eastern Orthodox Christians affirm the real presence in the Sacred Mysteries (consecrated bread and wine), which they believe to be the actual body and blood of Jesus, transformed through the operation of the Holy Spirit. The Eucharist is normally received in the context of the Divine Liturgy. In Orthodox Eucharistic theology, though many separate Divine Liturgies may be celebrated geographically, the bread and wine present is considered to be part of one whole, rather than numerous different existences of the body and blood of Jesus appearing, separate from each other. The Eastern Orthodox Church has never clarified or made statement on the exact nature of transformation of the bread and wine, nor gone into the detail that the Roman Catholic Church has with the doctrine of transubstantiation, which was formulated after the Great Schism of 1054; the Eastern Orthodox churches have never formally affirmed or denied this doctrine, preferring to state simply that it is a "Mystery", while at the same time using, as in the 1672 Synod of Jerusalem, language that may appear similar as to that used by the Roman Catholic Church. The Anaphora (Eucharistic prayer) contains an anamnesis (lit. "making present"), a liturgical statement recounting the historical facts of Jesus' death, including the Eucharist, Passion, Resurrection and Ascension; in the Eastern Christian churches, the anamnesis is also considered to make these aspects of Jesus' ministry present, forming a link to these events. The Anaphora ends with an epiclesis ("calling down from on high") during which the priest invokes the Holy Spirit to come and "change" the Gifts (elements of bread and wine) into the actual body and blood of Jesus. The Orthodox do not link the moment the Gifts change to the Words of Institution, or indeed to any one particular moment, instead affirming that the change is completed at the Epiclesis. Communion is given only to baptized, chrismated Orthodox Christians who have prepared by fasting, prayer, and confession (different rules apply for children, elderly, sick, pregnant, etc. and are determined on a case-by-case basis by parish priests). The priest administers the Gifts with a spoon directly into the recipient's mouth from the chalice. From baptism, young infants and children are carried to the chalice to receive Holy Communion. The holy gifts reserved for the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts or communion of the sick are specially consecrated as needed, especially on Holy Thursday. They are kept in an elaborately decorated tabernacle, a container on the altar often in the shape of a church or of a dove. Generally, Eastern Christians do not adore the consecrated bread outside the Liturgy itself. However, they prostrate to the ground during the transfer of the Holy Gifts during the Presanctified Liturgy (the "Entrance"), as a sign of utmost reverence. After the Eucharist has been given to the congregation, the priest or the deacon has to consume the Holy Gifts that are left. The most perfect expression of the Eucharistic unity of the Eastern churches is considered to be found in the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy (a liturgy at which a bishop is the chief celebrant), as, following the writings of Ignatius of Antioch, the church is considered to be fully present in the presence of a bishop surrounded by clergy and members of the congregation.

Makes sense

What about drinking coffee on Sunday morning before church?

It’s also in the bible. When the disciples of St John asked Jesus why His disciples didn’t fast He said they can’t fast when the groom is present but when the groom is away they will fast.

So water is okay before a Sunday morning liturgy? Does this vary between Greek, Antiochian, and other Orthodox churches?

As I know it, in general for the Church it's 6 hours before Communion, but as Father has said a degree of eikonomia is allowed by bishops, depending on the situation.

Father, I always drink coffee ( and smoke cigarettes) in the morning. I never thought of it as being bad, because I never eat, but now I see that it is. I know that this will sound silly in asking, but can you advise me on how to stop or to ween myself off on Sunday’s ?

Recieving the Body & Blood of Christ should be taken far more serious and applied to all equally, (unless the person has a serious illness). However it seems that too much emphasis is made on what one is eating/drinking, the most vital thing a person should fast from is SIN.

I wonder if the father could give any words on The Orthodox Study Bible, published by Thomas Nelson in 2008 I'm thinking of picking this book up for further study into the Orthodox view on the old and new testament. Would this be a good source, or should I pass on it?

At one time Catholics had to fast from midnight before receiving holy Communion

Father question what about people who have diabetes health issue.

I’m a catholic, and we are told not to have food one hour before beginning of mass

Other Christians are discouraged from accepting communion in the Roman Catholic church, as they do not believe in transubstantiation. Question: Can a Roman Catholic accept communion if they attend an Orthodox Catholic service? 🤔

No, in actual fact communion was normally taken after a shared meal in the early church

You didn't talk about everything about fasting and receiving communion you receiving communion on a Sunday definitely the Saturday before your meals are only shellfish and oil no meat or dairy according to the church's you have to be clean from food and other things for 4 days and also is good to keep up with confession and to have permission from your Confessor that it's okay for you to receive communion

“Agapee” meal, come one Fr., you’re Greek use the correct pronunciation.