Communion is a Sacrament in which a believer (Orthodox Christian), under the guise of bread and wine, receives (tastes) the very Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and through this is mysteriously united with Christ and becomes a partaker of Eternal Life.
The Sacrament of Holy Communion was instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself during the last, Last Supper, on the eve of His suffering and death. He Himself performed this Sacrament, taking bread and thanking (God the Father for all His mercies to the human race), broke it and gave it to His disciples, saying: Take, eat: this is My Body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me. Then, taking the cup of wine, giving thanks, he gave it to them, saying: Drink from it, all of you, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Do this in remembrance of Me (Matt. 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–24; Luke 22:19–24).
So Jesus Christ, having established the Sacrament of Communion, commanded his disciples to always perform it.
In a conversation with the people, Jesus Christ said: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you will not have life in you. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has Eternal Life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:53–54).
According to the commandment of Christ, the Sacrament of Communion is constantly celebrated in the Church of Christ and will be celebrated until the end of the century during a divine service called the Liturgy, during which bread and wine, by the power and action of the Holy Spirit, are transformed, or transubstantiated, into the true Body and true Blood of Christ. This Sacrament is incomprehensible to the limited human mind, and only by faith can a Christian partially comprehend it.
By partaking of the Most Pure Body and Blood of Christ (also called the Holy Mysteries), every Christian enters into the closest communion with the Lord. The Holy Mysteries of Christ are the true Body and Blood of Christ, but for the bodily senses they retain the external appearance of bread and wine. This great Sacrament is perceived by faith, and it is revealed and revealed through its action: just as natural bread strengthens a person’s bodily strength, so spiritual Bread - the Body of Christ - strengthens a person’s entire being: his will, mind, heart; brings correctness to the wishes and desires of the soul and body, frees the natural properties of a person from those ailments with which they are infected during the fall. Spiritual Drink - the all-holy Blood of Christ - promotes spiritual food, it imparts to the soul of a Christian the properties of Christ.
It is useful for those preparing for Communion to reflect on the insignificance, sinfulness, and tendency to fall of man and about the greatness of God, the ineffable love of the Savior, who feeds Christians with His Flesh and Blood and thereby brings the fallen being of man into the closest communion with Himself. From these reflections, the heart of a Christian will come into contrition and a sincere consciousness of his unworthiness to receive the Holy Mysteries will appear. Sincere consciousness of one's unworthiness is an indispensable condition for accepting the Mysteries of Christ not for judgment or condemnation, but for the healing of soul and body.
The feelings that every Christian should have before communion are fully expressed by the holy fathers in their prayers for Communion. With these prayers the saints will help our dullness and bitterness; with them they clothe our souls, as in wedding garments, in the humility so beloved of our Savior.
The first Christians, whose entire lives were devoted to serving God, were worthy of receiving communion daily. By daily receiving the Sacrament of Communion, they revived their spiritual life from the Source of life - Jesus Christ.
Those blessed early Christian times have long passed, and none of the people living in the world can lead such a strict life as to take Communion daily. However, true Christians, who care about their spiritual life, at all times try to approach the Source of life more often.
All generally faithful children of the Orthodox Church must begin Communion at least four times a year during the period of four fasts. If any life conditions prevent this, then at least a Christian is obliged to cleanse his soul once a year with confession and begin the Holy Mysteries. Not only before Communion, but also after accepting this great Gift, every Christian must lead the most attentive lifestyle.
It is impossible to express in words the enormous significance that Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ has in the spiritual life of a Christian. Communion is the guarantee of a future blessed life with Christ and in Christ.
How to prepare for Communion
1. On the eve of Communion, you should try to be at the evening service, which usually consists of a combination of Vespers and Matins. In the daily liturgical circle of the Orthodox Church, there is one more service - Little Compline, which is usually not served in parish churches, and therefore there is a pious custom on the eve of communion to read at home three canons from this Compline: the penitential canon, the canons of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Guardian Angel.
On the morning of Communion day, “Following to Holy Communion” is read.
2. Preparation for Communion in church practice is usually combined with abstinence in food (fasting).
3. On the day of Communion, out of reverence for this Sacrament, it is customary not to eat or drink anything before Communion.
4. On the eve of Communion, spouses must abstain from marital relations. It is not customary for women to receive the Holy Sacraments during their menstrual cycles.
5. Before Communion, the Sacrament of Confession is performed. It is better to confess the day before at the evening service.
If necessary, you can confess in the morning, on the day of Communion.
After Communion, you cannot bow to the ground until the morning; you also cannot spit out anything or rinse your mouth. Participants must try to protect themselves from idle talk, especially from condemnation, and to avoid idle talk, they must read the Gospel, the Jesus Prayer, and the Holy Scriptures.