Eucharistic discipline

Eucharistic discipline is the term applied to the regulations and practices associated with an individual preparing for the reception of the Eucharist. Different Christian traditions require varying degrees of preparation, which may include a period of fasting, prayer, repentance, and confession.

Anglican practice

From the 1979 Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church in the United States:

The Holy Eucharist is the sacrament commanded by Christ for the continual remembrance of his life, death, and resurrection, until his coming again. The Eucharist, the Church's sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, is the way by which the sacrifice of Christ is made present, and in which he unites us to his one offering of himself. The Holy Eucharist is called the Lord's Supper, and Holy Communion; it is also known as the Divine Liturgy, the Mass, and the Great Offering.

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The outward and visible sign in the Eucharist is bread and wine, given and received according to Christ's command. The inward and spiritual grace in the Holy Communion is the Body and Blood of Christ given to his people, and received by faith. The benefits we receive are the forgiveness of our sins, the strengthening of our union with Christ and one another, and the foretaste of the heavenly banquet which is our nourishment in eternal life.

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Prior to receiving the Eucharist, it is required that we should examine our lives, repent of our sins, and be in love and charity with all people.

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Saint Augustine's Prayer Book, which is used by many Anglicans of a High Churchmanship, requires a Eucharistic Fast to be held by Christians prior to receiving Holy Communion; it defines this as a "strict fast from both food and drink from midnight" that is done "in order to receive the Blessed Sacrament as the first food of the day" in "homage to our Lord". It asks Anglicans to fast for some hours before the Midnight Mass of Christmas Eve, the first liturgy of Christmastide.

Latin Church

In addition, one abstains from food and drink (except water and medicine) for at least one hour before receiving. The discipline for Eastern Catholics generally requires a longer period of fasting and some Latin Catholics observe the earlier (pre-1955) discipline of fasting from the previous midnight.

The 1917 Code of Canon Law mandated a Eucharistic Fast from midnight until the reception of Holy Communion; this fast requires abstention from both food and liquids, inclusive of water. As such, "Those who have not kept the natural fast from midnight are not allowed to receive, except in danger of death, or in case it should become necessary to consume the Blessed Sacrament to safeguard it against irreverence."

Eastern Catholic Churches

The rules regarding fasting, prayer and other works of piety are set by each church sui iuris and the faithful should follow those rules wherever taking Communion. At least one such church in the United States follows the Latin discipline of fasting for one hour before Communion.

Eastern Orthodox practice

Eastern Orthodox Christians are required to fast from all food and drink and abstain from marital relations in preparation for receiving the Eucharist. The fast commences, depending on local custom, no later than when the retiring to sleep the preceding evening and no later than midnight, or even from vespers or sunset the night before. The abstinence from marital relations extends through the preceding day (for which reason married priests may not celebrate the divine liturgy daily), and in some places (notably in Russia), a married priest sleeps in a separate bed from his wife the night before celebrating the liturgy. Fasting in monastic practice is often more strict. During this fasting period, many faithful keep a period of quiet reflection by, for example, abstaining from or limiting television and other entertainment, and by reading devotional literature. Fasting is relaxed for pregnant and nursing women, the ill, the elderly, and young children. It is a matter of some controversy whether or not a menstruating woman may receive the Eucharist, with very traditional churches not allowing her to even enter the nave of the church or receive any of the sacraments except on her deathbed, while other churches may totally disregard this custom. Likewise, a man who is bleeding, for instance from a recently extracted tooth, also may not commune.

One who communes infrequently must go to confession beforehand, while one who communes on a regular basis does confess, but the frequency varies by local custom. However, for those who are mentally or physically incapable of communicating their sins to a priest, absolution is given without confessing, and for babies and young children even absolution is dispensed with.

Additional Russian practices

In some parts of the Russian Orthodox Church, there is a custom before receiving Holy Communion that, in addition to reading the evening and morning prayers and attending vespers the night before, reading three devotional canons and an akathist. The canons are usually to Christ, the Theotokos and the guardian angel. There is a custom, among those who have the liturgical resources, to chant the following canons according to the day of the week:

On a Monday: Canon to the Lord, the Theotokos, the Archangels, and if he so desire, the Guardian Angel
On a Tuesday: Canon to Lord, the Theotokos, the Forerunner, and the Guardian Angel
On a Wednesday: Canon to the Cross, the Theotokos, and the Guardian Angel
On a Thursday: Canon to the Lord, the Theotokos, the Guardian Angel, the Apostles and, if he so desire, Saint Nicholas
On a Friday: Canon to the Cross, the Theotokos, and the Guardian Angel
On a Saturday: Canon to the Lord, the Theotokos, the Guardian Angel, and All Saints
On a Sunday: Canon to the Lord, the Theotokos, and the Guardian Angel

For Pascha (Easter) and Bright Week, this requirement is usually relaxed.

Prayers before and after communion

In all Orthodox churches, special prayers before and after communion are recited by the faithful before and after the Eucharist. In current practice, at least a portion of the pre-communion prayers are often recited during the divine liturgy. These prayers express humility and the communicants' sense of unworthiness for the gift they are about to receive. The post-Communion prayers are often read aloud by a reader or a member of the congregation after the liturgy and during the veneration of the cross, these prayers of thanksgiving expressing the communicants' joy at having received the holy mysteries "for the healing of soul and body".

Irvingian practice

The New Apostolic Church, the largest of the Irvingian Churches, teaches: