Preparation for Communion

The following are the requirements for reception of Holy Communion in St. Matrona of Moscow parish. These guidelines closely adhere to the traditional practices of the Russian Orthodox Church throughout the world. Any questions or clarifications about the requirements, the reasons behind them, or possible exceptions to what follows should be addressed to Fr. Jeremiah.

1. One must be a member of the Holy Orthodox Church, in unity of faith with and in prayerful and canonical communion with the Local Orthodox Christian Churches and in particular with our Russian Orthodox Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), under whose jurisdiction our parish is established.

2. One must be conscious, in the week before Holy Communion, that one is preparing for reception of the Holy Mysteries. One must be prayerfully watchful and preserve, to the best of one’s ability, a spirit of repentance during this time.

3. One must have forgiven one’s enemies, must be at peace with everyone, and must not harbor anger, grudges, irritation, or hatred towards anyone.

4. One should attend the Vigil (or Vespers & Matins) service the evening before Divine Liturgy if at all possible. This is not an absolute requirement in our parish. If the communicant must be absent from the previous evening’s services due to distance, obligations of work, or other “honorable reasons”¹, we instruct him to spend time praying the longer communion rule (described in the next item).

5. One should read carefully the traditional prayers of Preparation for Holy Communion. In the tradition of the Russian Orthodox Church there is a “shorter” and “longer” order for these prayers.

   a. Shorter Rule

   The “Order of Preparation for Holy Communion” included in the Jordanville Prayer Book, p. 331. Also available online: https://orthodox-europe.org/english/liturgics/prayers/order-of-preparation-for-holy-communion/

   In our parish, communicants may pray the Shorter Rule (“The Order of Preparation for Holy Communion”) provided that they have attended at least most of the previous evening’s Vigil service.

   b. Longer Rule

   The “Canons for Holy Communion”, including the Akathist to Jesus Christ or the Mother of God, p. 346 of the Jordanville Horologion, followed by the same “Order of Preparation” as in the Shorter Rule. Also available online: https://orthodox-europe.org/english/liturgics/prayers/canons-for-holy-communion/

   The Longer Rule includes the three Canons to Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, the Holy Guardian Angel, and an Akathist, in addition to “The Order for Holy Communion” mentioned above. While those who have been to Vigil will also receive spiritual blessings from praying these prayers attentively, any communicant who has not been to the previous evening’s Vigil is normally required to do so.

   Please note that in our parish, we read the Akathist to the Mother of God on Sundays before we begin Hours & Liturgy, so those who arrive on time do not have to read the Akathist even during the Longer Rule.

   Both the shorter and longer Rules have also been printed as individual volumes, and it is advisable to obtain one especially if one often prays the longer rule. Please see Fr. Jeremiah for a copy if you do not own an Horologion.

   Many people find it helpful to break up the reading of the Communion Rule, for instance doing it in parts during the course of the day Saturday and Sunday before Church, rather than all at once.

6. One must fast from all food and drink (including water) from midnight the night before Communion (12 am of the day the Divine Liturgy takes place). An exception is made for those who must take prescribed medication. Such medication may be taken without any qualms of conscience, and may be washed down with water without the fast being broken, according to the Synod of Bishops of ROCOR.

   However, it is still a good practice to seek the specific blessing of one of the priests of our parish if you need to take medication before Holy Communion. You should also seek such a blessing if you have health problems which require some adaptation. In this way all of us prepare humbly and in obedience keeping a clear conscience.

   If there are any other questions or doubts about the strictness of the fast, please consult with one of the assigned priests of our parish. If you ate, drank, or took medication after Midnight on the morning of Holy Communion without have consulted one of the priests, you should tell the priest about this at Confession.

7. One must go to Confession and be absolved of one’s sins before Holy Communion. In our parish’s practice, you must have been to communion within the past 4 days (about half of a week) before receiving Communion. For example, if you have not gone to Confession since the previous Saturday or Sunday, you must go to Confession again before receiving Communion on this Sunday.

   Orthodox Christian children younger than 7 do not come to Confession and so may commune without Confession. According to the judgment of their parents and the parish priest, when children reach the age of 7, they must begin to follow the same practices of preparation as the adults.

   Finally, we remind Orthodox Christians who cannot Commune for some reason at the Liturgy that Confession itself is a Mystery of the Church that imparts grace to the penitent. One may (and often should) confess one’s sins even if he is not preparing for Holy Communion.

8. One should arrive at the services on time and pray attentively during the Hours read before Liturgy as well as at the Divine Liturgy itself. Those who arrive after the reading of the Holy Gospel should not take Holy Communion at that Liturgy.

9. Women should approach the Communion Chalice with their heads covered, in accordance with the tradition of the Church. (See 1 Cor. 11:5-6)

10. Husbands and wives should abstain from marital relations the evening and morning before receiving Holy Communion. This is, as the Holy Apostle Paul instructed, “with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer” (1 Cor. 7:5).

11. One should not receive Holy Communion if one is bleeding. This includes women who are at their time. This applies even to the priest, if he should cut his finger preparing the Holy Gifts and the bleeding cannot be stopped in time for Liturgy. In Communion, we are united to Christ’s own Body and Blood, and pious Orthodox Christians avoid immediately spilling their blood after such a profound union.

    This rule stems from antiquity and may seem strange to modern Christians; nevertheless we observe it as part of the tradition that has been handed down to us. For men, if there has been a nocturnal emission, even if the man was not at fault, he should not take Communion in the morning but should go to Confession and wait until the next day.

    These things are not necessarily voluntary sins, but they are signs and indications of our fallen state. Just as we wear clean and modest clothing to Church, as a symbol of our respect, we should observe the ancient traditions with respect, not presuming that Holy Communion is a “right” to which we are entitled.

12. One should never receive Holy Communion, no matter how well-prepared, if one has severe nausea. This is because there is a danger of vomiting forth the Body and Blood of Christ.

13. After receiving Holy Communion, one should remain praying in the Church until the end of Divine Liturgy and listen attentively to the Prayers of Thanksgiving Following Holy Communion, normally read by one of that day’s communicants. The whole day after receiving Holy Communion, we must strive to continue in inward peace, prayer, gratitude, and reverence, instead of plunging back into worldly pursuits. Above all, we must strive not to repeat the sins from which we were just cleansed.