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It was established by the Lord Himself and has been performed in the Church continuously for two millennia. All this time, Christians of different times and peoples, as it were, participate in that Last Supper, when Christ divided the bread and wine among His disciples and declared this food to be the Divine Body and Blood.

Of course, not every wine or bread is sacred, but only those over which special, liturgical prayers are said. The Particles eaten at the Liturgy give the believers Divine grace, spiritual strength, cleanse from the consequences of sin. There are frequent cases of recovery from diseases and other miracles that occur at the will of God.

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The main shrine of the Church should be approached after appropriate preparation. An important step in this preparation is fasting. Fearing to break church rules, inexperienced parishioners often ask priests how to fast before Communion? Is fasting obligatory for everyone? In what cases can it be weakened or canceled? A brief excursion into the history of the ancient Church will help to understand this.

How did the tradition of fasting before Communion begin?

In the first centuries of the existence of the Christian Church, Communion was obligatory for any Christian present. Every Sunday, and sometimes more often, people gathered in the house of one of the Christians and had a meal with prayers and the sharing of bread. At that time, there was no special fasting before this action, because the Eucharist was held in the evening and all the participants in the action had already had lunch and even supper.

It often happened that the dinners of wealthy Christians were too luxurious and combined with music and dancing, as was customary in the east. The Apostle Paul, himself often celebrating the Eucharist, considered it inadmissible that such Christians come to Communion after feasts and amusements, when their thoughts cannot concentrate on prayer. Over time, they began to celebrate the Liturgy in the morning, and the custom arose to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ on an empty stomach, "before any meal." However, even then they still did not fast for several days, as is customary in the modern Church.

When the persecution of Christians ceased in 4 AD, many began to be baptized. Once small, tight-knit communities that met secretly in homes, they turned into large gatherings of worshipers in spacious temples. Due to human weaknesses, the moral level of believers has declined. The Holy Fathers of the Church, seeing this, urged every Christian to carefully examine his conscience when approaching Communion.

It was not allowed to approach the Sacrament if a person ate food on the night before the Liturgy, had sexual contacts or "impure visions" (dreams). Christians who revealed these involuntary sins at confession were temporarily suspended from Communion and fulfilled a special prayer rule. There were no restrictions on food on other days, since the believers strictly observed Wednesday, Friday and four fasts a year.

The tradition of fasting before Communion for three or seven days was established during the synodal period (XVIII-XIX centuries). This was due to a general decline in spirituality and religiosity. Many began to go to church “out of habit,” and received communion only because this was taken into account in church documents. If there was no record in the church book that the parishioner confessed and took communion, troubles in the civil service could follow.

At this time, the tradition of "fasting" was introduced - preparation for Communion for several days, in order to distract a lazy person from the hustle and bustle of life and help tune in to prayer. This custom is preserved in the Russian Orthodox Church to this day. Fasting consists of restriction in food and confession on the eve of Communion. How many days to fast - the confessor decides. You can also read about this in the Rules, a stand with which is usually located in a prominent place in the temple.

Fasting Rules Before Communion

So, there is no general church rule of obligatory fasting and confession before communion. But many priests strongly recommend to their parishioners fast for three days before entering the Sacrament. Is it worth it to reject a good tradition for the sake of the letter of the law? It is impossible to argue with the priest or deliberately refuse fasting, since condemnation and insults only add sin to the already existing ones. It is better to fulfill the prescribed rule based on your physical strength.

Orthodox prescribes the rejection of the following products:

the meat of any animal or bird, even lean;
milk (kefir, cottage cheese, whey, etc.);
eggs of any bird;
fish (not always).

In fact, at the disposal of the fasting Christian are fruits, vegetables, cereals, pasta and bread. Don’t be tempted to cook gourmet “lenten dishes”: food should not become a source of pleasure, but only support strength.

Is it permissible to eat fish before Communion? In most cases, a healthy person should refuse it. The exception is living in the Far North or ships, where fish is the main source of food. Seafood is considered more "lean" than fish and is allowed in moderation. A short fast before Communion is also associated with other restrictions, refusing the following:

sweets;
sexual contacts;
alcoholic beverages;
smoking;
participation in various entertainments (weddings, parties, concerts).

6 hours before the start of the Liturgy, food and drink should be completely excluded.. This six-hour fast is called "Eucharistic". If the Eucharistic fast is broken, the priest may not admit to the Sacrament.

Many believers strive to receive communion on the days of general church fasts. This makes it possible to calmly prepare, especially if loved ones also fast and do not offer unnecessary temptations.

Is it permissible to take communion if you smoked or unwittingly broke the fast? About all the excesses allowed during fasting should be tell the priest in confession. Through confession, admission to the Sacrament is made, and the concealment of even a small offense is considered a great sin before God.

How to fast children

The Russian Orthodox Church has a tradition compulsory confession for children from the age of seven. At the same age, they should be accustomed to fasting. But children take communion from the very moment, i.e. from infancy.

Fasting before communion is not obligatory for a child if he or she is under three years of age.

From three to seven years of age, restrictions are introduced gradually, the child must not only be deprived of delicious food, but be aware of the need and purpose of fasting. You can support your child by your own example by removing fast foods from the family menu. Parents themselves should begin confession and Communion together with the child.

The decision on whether it is possible to lighten the fast should be made by the parents after a conversation with the priest, based on the state of health of the child. Children who grow up in unbelieving families and do not have proper spiritual development should not be forced to fast.

Fasting for pregnant women

Pregnant women and the sick, who wish to take communion, but are on a strict diet, fasting can be weakened or canceled. This is done only with the blessing of the priest. Before you go for such permission, you should test yourself, will a short-term fast really be an unbearable burden, or because of laziness you don’t want to break the usual course of life?

If it is impossible for a pregnant woman to give up dairy products, you can replace this by giving up sweets or other things to which she feels affection. Such abstinence will be accepted by the Lord as a significant achievement.

Post in a hostel

It is allowed to ease or cancel the fast for Christians who are in military service, study, hospital, boarding school or places of deprivation of liberty, where food is provided in common canteens and there is no opportunity to choose fast food. In this case, one should adhere to the blessing of the confessor visiting a military unit or boarding school. Refusal of fast food can be replaced by other restrictions or prayer. For those wishing to receive communion, it is better to resolve this issue with the priest a week before the Sacrament or (if not possible) before confession.

When can I take communion without fasting

During Christmas time - from the Nativity of Christ to Epiphany - and on Bright Week - seven days after Easter - a five-day fast for communicants is not required, only a six-hour Eucharistic one is preserved. But this permission can be allowed only to those who fully observed the previous, Christmas and Great Lent.

Lenten preparation is canceled for the seriously ill and dying.

The Orthodox Church secures seven holy sacraments, which allow the Orthodox person to unite with Christ. One of the main ones is the sacrament of the Eucharist. It requires special preparation. Let's talk about fasting before communion.

The preparation for the Eucharist is determined for each Orthodox Christian by a priest, depending on the bodily or moral condition, employment, and other life circumstances.

How many days to fast, it is impossible to say for sure. It is important to properly prepare for the sacrament, otherwise the acceptance of the holy gifts will be a great sin.

The measure and duration of fasting depends on various circumstances. For example, for certain diseases that require special nutrition or during pregnancy, as well as for the dying, fasting can be weakened or canceled. This also applies to those Christians who stay in places with a common food: the army, boarding school, places of detention.

According to the general rules of the Church Charter, the duration of fasting before communion is a week. As practice shows, those who take communion several times a year can fast for three days before confession. It happens that Christians take communion every day or several times a month. In this case, you can proceed to the Holy Chalice, saving one day of fasting, but with the blessing of the priest.

Note! Communion is possible only after confession to the priest. Children under seven years of age approach the Holy Chalice without confession.

Approved Products

The following foods are allowed for fasting:

Cereals.
Vegetables.
Fruit.
Berries.
Greens.
Nuts.
Dried fruits.
Vegetable, olive, soybean oil.
Jam.

On the Internet, you can often find a variety of delicious dishes. In stores, shelves with lean products are specially created.

Before communion, it is necessary to refrain from meat, dairy products, eggs, and sometimes fish. Any products containing the listed ingredients must be excluded. Cakes, cakes and chocolates will have to say no. It is advisable not to feast before communion. It's okay if you allow yourself a little lean cookies, gingerbread, halva or sweets. There are plenty of things to eat on fast days. The main thing is not to get fed up with lean food.

Rules

Fasting before confession and communion consists not only in refusing fast food. On such days, you should visit church more often and make prayer rules.

The Orthodox prayer book contains morning and evening prayers performed by Christians daily.

What you need to refrain from:

entertainment, visiting friends, watching TV and various kinds of entertainment programs;
the bad habit of smoking (RCP calls for complete abandonment);
drinking alcohol;
marital intimacy.

Questions often arise as to how to fast. We must try not to condemn anyone, not to argue with anyone, not to be offended, to do good deeds. Helping the sick, the poor, the thirsty, the weeping, the hungry, the condemned is charity done for the glory of God. It is not necessary to help with money when you can give clothes, food, books, and sometimes moral support is enough.

The main thing is not to observe an external fast, but an internal one. Pharisees and hypocrites parade their exploits, for whom the opinion of others is important, their praise, and not the desire to be with God in thought, heart and soul.

Fasting before Communion requires a Christian to offer sincere repentance. A believing Christian remembers all his sins that he committed during his life, if he confesses for the first time. If the believer has already been to the sacrament of confession, then he remembers sins from the last time.

The books “To Help the Penitent,” “The Experience of Building a Confession,” and others will help prepare for confession. A sincere awareness of one's sinfulness and a desire to correct oneself are pleasing to God.

fish consumption

This question often arises both among new Christians and those who have been attending the Orthodox Church for a long time. There are days when fish is generally prohibited, for example, during the days of Lent. Then it cannot be eaten before Communion.

On the evening before the sacrament, fish should be abstained from. With strict abstinence from fast food, fish is not eaten at all. The use of fish products largely depends on the state of health and the frequency of communion.

If in doubt, the priest will help in resolving the issue. It happens that you unknowingly eat a forbidden product. You should not worry about this, but you need to say this in confession.

In general, the question of whether it is possible to eat fish before communion cannot be answered unambiguously. Everyone decides for himself whether he can do without it or not.

Note! Before the Sacrament of the Eucharist, three canons must be read: the canon of repentance to the Lord Jesus Christ, the canon to the Most Holy Theotokos, the canon to the Guardian Angel, and the Follow-up to Holy Communion.

Starting from 12 at night and until partaking of the Holy Gifts, it is necessary to refrain from food and drinks. You should come to the liturgy on time, you can submit notes about the health or repose of loved ones. An important rule on how to fast before accepting the Holy Gifts is the preservation of the tongue and unceasing stay in prayer.

Not all believers can observe a weekly fast on the eve of the sacrament. At present, many fast for three days. And it will not be considered a sin. For some, fasting is canceled or reduced, but in this case, the blessing of the priest is required. Those who take communion often can observe a one-day fast before taking communion, but also with a blessing.

The number of fasting days depends on the bodily, physical, mental, emotional state, on other life circumstances: business trips, hard physical work, and more. But you need to try to limit yourself in something.

Baby food

Is it possible for children to eat on the eve of the sacrament of the Eucharist. Until the age of three, a child is allowed to partake of the holy gifts. Parents should gradually accustom the baby to fasting - limit watching cartoons, sweets and entertainment. The duration of fasting is determined by the parents upon prior consultation with the priest.

Until the age of seven, children are brought to the Holy Chalice for communion without prior confession. Parents should strive to take communion with their children at least once a month so that the child understands the importance of this Sacrament. When a child begins to realize his actions, he needs to tell the priest about them in confession. The kid should see his bad deeds and try to correct them.

The value of fasting

Often beginners ask if they should fast before communion. Fasting before communion is obligatory for all in one way or another.

Reading the Holy Scriptures, morning and evening prayers, restriction in entertainment, almsgiving and work - this is what is necessary for a worthy communion. Fasting helps clear your mind and begin to see your own sins that need to be confessed.

The desire to improve, sincere repentance is necessary for the believer. Only after the heavy burden of sins has fallen from the soul, one can approach the Holy Chalice with fear and trembling. Is it possible to receive communion if you have not reconciled with your neighbor, if you hold a grudge against someone?

In no case. We must show love and compassion to our neighbor. The observance of fasting days is necessary for the purification of our conscience. Fasting does not only consist in limiting oneself in food. As the holy fathers say, the main thing is not to "eat" people.

Pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding fast according to the advice of the priest. For such, there may be certain restrictions on food, for example, the rejection of meat. Often there are cases when women can fast completely. It is possible to independently decide how to fast for pregnant women before communion, what restrictions or indulgences to make. But in any case, you need to turn to the spiritual father for advice.

Prohibitions

In what cases it is impossible to receive communion:

if the fasting days before communion are not properly observed;
if he was not at the Sacrament of Penance or did not receive a permissive prayer;
there are unconfessed sins (deliberately hidden);
women during critical days;
in a state of alcoholic intoxication;
in a state of malice;
enmity with neighbor;
non-Christians and unbaptized also cannot participate in the sacraments.

Useful video

Summing up

Communion in case you have not fasted is possible only with the blessing of the priest. He can weaken or cancel the fast for pregnant, seriously ill, dying or other believers whose life circumstances prevent fasting.

Often, newcomers are frightened by numerous lists of restrictions and refuse important church sacraments - repentance and communion. You can not pay attention to the obsessive thoughts of the evil one. The first step is always difficult to take. But for the sake of spiritual salvation, union with Christ, for gratitude to the Lord for his love, we must embark on the path of repentance and partake of the Holy Mysteries.

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In the section on the question Tell me please, is it possible to eat seafood and fish in preparation for communion, when you fast for 3 days? given by the author Ivan Belosokhov the best answer is Can. But, it is better to limit yourself to unleavened bread and clean water.

Answer from Neurosis[guru]
All this is church ideas and nothing more. it’s better, of course, to exclude everything that used to be alive, but if you have anemia or other diseases, it’s not necessary, the main thing is that the soul is ready, make peace with everyone, where the stigma is in the cannon, use someone else’s without asking, gossip, etc.

Answer from quit[guru]
If seafood is a delicacy for you, then it’s better not to.
And in general, it is possible. But no fish.
Here is the priest's answer. And about fasting and about preparing for communion.
.."
Now about the post. The essence of fasting is abstinence. In abstaining from everything that will help us, through the weariness of the body, to humble our sinful passions that command our soul, first of all, through our mortal body. One of the components of fasting is abstinence in food, which fattens our body. The church charter explicitly states that during Great Lent it is necessary to abstain from meat food, eggs, dairy products, fish (except for the feasts of the Annunciation, the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem and patronal feasts, if they fall on Great Lent) and from wine and oil - vegetable oil (except Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays). So eating shrimp and squid does not violate the letter of fasting, moreover, for example, on Athos, where this food is common, it is allowed to eat it during Great Lent. But try to judge for yourself: does not the spirit of fasting violate our eating shrimp, squid, soy mayonnaise, cheese, meat, etc.? I say this, of course, referring to the bodily fasting of a fairly healthy young man. Undoubtedly, strict observance of fasting - the humility of one's flesh - is a gift of God, and it is not given to everyone, but to many it is replaced by various ailments. Therefore, everyone needs to choose with reasoning the measure of the severity of fasting in accordance with his lifestyle (heavy work), bodily, spiritual forces. Bodily fasting should in no way be ahead of spiritual labor during fasting, they must be proportionate to each other. Therefore, if you see fit, you can make certain concessions on the taste of vegetable oil on all days, shrimp, squid. And, for example, for pregnant women and seriously ill people, there may be an indulgence even for fish and dairy products as needed.
Sincerely,
priest Sergiy Demyanov. hristianskih dobrodetelyah, post i prayer.htm
Here is also interesting about preparing for the sacrament

Everyone who calls himself Orthodox must receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least once a year. It symbolizes the unity of the flock with the Savior by eating consecrated food. The Church imposes significant prohibitions on believers in relation to this rite. In particular, the list of food that cannot be eaten before Communion is quite lengthy.

Abstinence before Communion

Everyone who wishes to undergo the rite of the Eucharist is obliged to observe the Fast. If a person has just crossed the threshold of the Church and is taking the first steps towards comprehending the foundations of Orthodoxy, the advice of a priest is necessary.

As a rule, beginners are given a weekly Fast, which provides for ban on such products:

Milk;
Milk derivatives and fermented milk products;
Meat products;
Chicken eggs;
In exceptional cases, it is recommended to limit the consumption of fish.

Even those products that are not listed above should not be abused in any case. Moreover, it is recommended to eat portions smaller than usual.

In addition to gastronomic prohibitions, you should also not visit the theater, watch the performances of actors on the TV screen, watch humorous programs and dance in discos. Only church music is allowed. In general, you need to do everything in order to remain clean in both soul and body.

How long before Communion should you not eat?

On the eve of the sacrament, the prohibitions increase many times:

With the cash of the new day, it is strictly forbidden to touch food and water;
The restriction applies to cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption;
A day before Communion, you should refrain from love pleasures;
There is a common misconception that you should not brush your teeth before the ceremony. However, there is no official position of the church on this matter.

All of the above applies to the case when the Eucharist takes place during the day. However, sometimes believers wish to go through the sacrament at night during one of the great church holidays (most often they choose Christmas or Easter). In this case, abstinence should begin at least eight hours before Communion.

In this video, priest Andrey Fedosov will tell you how many days before Holy Communion you need to fast:

Indulgence before the Sacrament

The state of health and age of a person does not always allow one to fully comply with all spiritual prescriptions. Therefore, in some cases, the clergyman, to whom the believer turned for help, may allow relief:

Usually, religion does not allow the ingestion of medications on the eve of the ceremony. The ban applies only to those products of the pharmaceutical industry that must be swallowed. Those that allow external use can be used without fear of sacred punishment. It is obvious that sometimes it is worth deviating from rigid religious prescriptions for the sake of health. To do this, you just need to notify the priest in advance;
If a person suffers from diseases that do not allow strict fasting, the church also meets halfway and reduces the level of requirements;
Those chained to a bed and in mortal danger can take communion in the field of eating;
Rather loosely, church morality also applies to small children, especially to those who cannot yet partake of the Holy Gifts;
Anyone who keeps the covenants of the faith of Christ for several years or a lifetime can also count on milder conditions of abstinence. As a rule, the priest allows the fast to be reduced to three days.

It is forbidden to conduct a ceremony for the holy fools, the dead and excommunicated from the church.

How is the sacrament of the Eucharist (Communion) carried out?

The ritual procedure is as follows:

When carrying out ritual bread and wine, believers should bow at the waist;
Then the priest reads the prayer due to the occasion, the completion of which must also be honored with a bow. It is allowed to bow in advance if the church is crowded with people;
As soon as the main gates of the iconostasis open, you should cross yourself;
Before the actual rite of Communion, the believer folds his arms on his chest in the shape of a cross and approaches the cup of wine;
When approaching the vessel, you need to repeat the prayer in an undertone;
According to the canons, the order of Communion is as follows: clergy, children, adults;
When approaching a vessel with wine, they clearly name their own name and accept the Gifts. It is strictly forbidden to touch the Chalice with your hands;
At the end of the ceremony, they bow deeply to the icon of Christ, eat bread and then drink it down;
After that, it is allowed to approach the icons;
In one day, only a single passage of the rite is allowed.

What can not be done after Communion?

The Church prescribes to continue abstinence some time after Communion. In particular, on the day of the ceremony it is forbidden:

Spit;
Hug and kiss each other;
Have fun (dance, sing, laugh out loud);
Indulge in lust;
Kneel down, even in front of icons;
Kiss the icons and hands of the clergy;
Throw away food. All food on this great day is sacred. Therefore, some Orthodox try to eat up all the crumbs from the plate. That which cannot be eaten in any way (bones, waste) is put on fire.
Loud and talk a lot. Believers spend several hours after the ceremony in peace and quiet, alone with their thoughts and God;

Like any other church holiday, the day of Communion is recommended to be spent in reading spiritual literature and constant prayers. Usually Communion is celebrated in a quiet, cozy family circle. Need to get out of the house ahead of time. On this great day, you need to keep moral and physical purity with all your might.

Among the things that cannot be eaten before Communion are everyday foods: meat, fish, eggs and milk. However, one cannot elevate the canons to something absolute. In rare cases, priests can meet those who cannot fast for health reasons, but want to touch the Faith of God. After all spiritual abstinence much more important than the physical.

Video: how to prepare for Holy Communion?

In this video, Archpriest Vladimir will answer popular questions about preparing for Communion, what kind of fasting should be observed, what prayers to read:

Can you tell me how to properly prepare for communion? Is fasting always necessary both before communion and directly on the day of communion? I heard that you can’t even drink water in the morning and brush your teeth. And if, due to weakness, it is not possible to endure a strict fast before communion, is it possible to proceed to it? And what is the greater sin - a long absence of communion due to non-observance of fasting or communion without proper preparation? Thank you! Sincerely, Elena.

Hello, Elena!

Preparation for Communion should be feasible, but its measure is established in a personal conversation with the priest. As a general rule, fasting is required for 3 days before Communion (abstaining from meat and dairy products, eggs; abstaining from entertainment - watching movies, TV shows, etc.). The days of preparation for communion are called fasting, and during this period one should increase the prayer rule, and, if possible, attend church services.

Before communion, it is necessary to read the penitential canon, the prayer canon to the Most Holy Theotokos, the canon to the Guardian Angel, as well as the following to Holy Communion. The reading of the canons can be divided into several days. You need to start Communion strictly on an empty stomach, you can brush your teeth. After communion, you do not need to fast (unless you take communion during a multi-day fast or on a fast day). For people who regularly take communion or who are sick, the fast before communion can be weakened or shortened with the blessing of the priest.

Communion should be regularly 1-2 times a month with reverence, awareness of one's unworthiness, fear of God, faith and love.

In the Epistle to the Romans, the Apostle Paul has the words: "If your brother is grieved for food, then you no longer act out of love .... Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died." During fasts and fasting days at work in a secular team, it is customary to celebrate birthdays, other non-church holidays and treat colleagues. How, in such cases, not to violate Church discipline in relation to fasting and at the same time act out of love, and not out of human pleasing?

Hello Eugene!

If you carefully read the 14th chapter of Romans, you will see that most of this chapter is devoted to instructions about not condemning those who, for one reason or another, do not fast, and not about leaving the fast in order not to upset those who are not fasting. Yes, in the lives of saints, patericons, one can come across situations when the saints, out of love for their neighbor, broke the fast, but these were isolated cases, this was done with the deepest humility and love for the neighbor, and was of a single, not systematic nature.

At work, it is quite possible to come to the holiday, spend a little time with the team, congratulate the hero of the occasion. But no one is forcing you to eat junk food!

Do not be ashamed to tell colleagues that you are fasting. Perhaps at first it will surprise them, but over time it will even cause respect for you. On a table that gathers in honor of the new year or other common holiday, you can always find something lean: fish, vegetables, fruits, olives, etc. food.