Holy Communion (The Eucharist)

The Eucharist is the heart of Orthodox Christian life. The Greek word Eucharist means “thanksgiving,” and the entire Divine Liturgy is the great act of thanksgiving in which the Church remembers Christ, prays the Anaphora, and receives the consecrated bread and wine that Orthodox believe are truly the Body and Blood of Christ.

This page explains what Orthodox Communion is, who may receive, how parishioners prepare, and what visitors can expect and participate in.

What Orthodox Believe About the Eucharist

The Orthodox Church teaches that during the Divine Liturgy, the bread and wine offered on the altar are consecrated by the Holy Spirit and become the very Body and Blood of Christ. This is not symbolic. It is not metaphorical. It is a real and substantial transformation, called in Greek metabole (change) or in liturgical language the consecration.

When an Orthodox Christian receives Holy Communion, they are receiving Christ Himself, in the form of bread soaked in wine, given on a small spoon by the priest. This is the most sacred moment of their week and the source of their spiritual life.

The Eucharist is also the visible sign of the unity of the Church. To share in the Eucharist together is to declare and embody the unity of faith, life, and discipline that binds the Church.

Who May Receive Holy Communion

Holy Communion in the Orthodox Church is for baptized and chrismated members of the canonical Orthodox Church, who are in good standing, prepared appropriately, and not under any disciplinary restriction.

This means:

• Orthodox Christians from any canonical jurisdiction (Greek, Russian, Ukrainian, Serbian, Antiochian, OCA, etc.) may receive at our parish, since we are all in full communion with each other.
• Catechumens (those formally enrolled but not yet received) do not yet receive Communion. They are blessed instead.
• Non-Orthodox Christians (Catholic, Protestant, etc.) do not receive Communion. The Orthodox understanding is that intercommunion presupposes a unity of faith and life that has not been formally established between the Orthodox Church and other Christian bodies.
• Inquirers and visitors do not receive Communion. They are warmly welcomed in every other way.

Why Visitors Do Not Receive

This is often the question that surprises or hurts new visitors. We want to explain it briefly with love.

The Orthodox Church does not believe non-Orthodox Christians are not Christians, are not loved by God, or are unwelcome. We believe deeply in the Christianity of our Catholic and Protestant brothers and sisters. We pray for unity. We long for the day when full communion is restored between all who confess Christ.

But we also believe that the Eucharist is the embodied sign of unity, not merely an inspirational moment. To share in the Eucharist is to share in the same faith, the same sacraments, the same discipline, the same Church. When that unity has not been formally established, sharing the Eucharist would be a kind of false sign, an enacted unity that does not actually exist. We do not want to lie liturgically.

If you are a non-Orthodox Christian and you want to receive Communion at an Orthodox church, the path is to become Orthodox. The catechumenate is the structured way the Church gives you to do that. See our becoming Orthodox page.

What Visitors Can Receive: Antidoron

When Holy Communion ends, the priest offers antidoron, blessed bread that has been blessed but not consecrated. The word means “instead of the gift” or “alongside the gift.” It is offered to everyone in the church, Orthodox and non-Orthodox alike.

To receive antidoron:

1. After Communion ends, approach the priest who is standing in front holding a basket or plate of small bread pieces
2. Hold out your hands, right over left
3. Receive the bread, eat it
4. Return to your place

This is a sign of welcome and shared blessing. It is the Church’s way of saying “we are glad you are here, we share this bread with you, even when full Communion is not yet possible.”

If you are a visitor and unsure whether to come forward for antidoron, look around. Most parishioners receive it. You will not be alone. And no one will judge you for either receiving or not receiving.

How Orthodox Christians Prepare to Receive

For Orthodox parishioners reading this, the preparation for Holy Communion is significant but not crushing.

Prayer. The night before Liturgy, pray the Pre-Communion Prayers. They are in any Orthodox prayer book. There are several canons (long prayer sequences) traditionally read; do as many as you can sustain.

Fasting. Communicants traditionally fast from food and drink (including water, in strict practice) from midnight before receiving. Modern pastoral practice in many parishes accepts the standard, with allowances for medical needs, the elderly, children, and pregnant or nursing mothers. Talk with Fr. Stephen if you have specific questions.

Confession. Most Orthodox traditions expect you to confess regularly (some weekly, some monthly, some seasonally). Talk with Fr. Stephen about a rhythm appropriate to your spiritual life.

Reconciliation. If you are at odds with anyone, do what you can to make peace before approaching the chalice. The Lord’s instruction in Matthew 5 is taken seriously.

Disposition. Approach with humility, with awareness of your sins, and with gratitude. The chalice is not a routine. It is the most sacred moment of your week.

How Communion Is Celebrated at St. Michael

The Communion of the Faithful happens after the Anaphora, the great consecrating prayer, and after the priest’s own Communion in the altar.

The line forms. Parishioners line up in the center aisle, with arms crossed over the chest in the form of an X. Children come first by tradition, then women, then men, then clergy and altar servers. Some parishes mix the order.

Approach the chalice. When it is your turn, approach Fr. Stephen, who stands holding the chalice. Open your mouth. The deacon or server holds a red cloth (the plat) under your chin to catch any drops.

Receive. Fr. Stephen will say a brief prayer of administration (“The servant of God [your name] partakes of the Body and Blood of Christ for the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting”) and place the bread soaked in wine on your tongue from a small spoon.

Return. Move to the side, do not turn your back to the altar, kiss the base of the chalice (an act of reverence), and return to your place.

After. Many parishioners then approach the table at the side to receive antidoron and warm wine (zapivka). This helps swallow the Communion and is also a return to ordinary food after the great mystery.

For Children

Orthodox children are baptized and chrismated as infants and receive Holy Communion from the same age. There is no “First Communion” milestone in Orthodoxy as there is in Catholicism. Babies in arms receive a small drop of the consecrated wine from the spoon. Toddlers and young children receive in the same way as adults.

This means at our parish you will see infants and young children receiving Communion at every Liturgy. This is normal and theologically intentional. The Orthodox understanding is that Communion is not a reward for understanding but a gift that builds understanding over a lifetime.

Plan to Receive

If you are an Orthodox Christian visiting from another parish, please feel welcome to receive at St. Michael. We ask that you have prepared in the manner your home parish expects.

If you are a catechumen at another parish, please introduce yourself to Fr. Stephen before the Liturgy and let him know your status.

If you are a visitor or non-Orthodox Christian, please come for the worship, the prayers, the homily, the antidoron, and the fellowship after. We are glad you are here.

Sunday Divine Liturgy: 10:00 AM. Hours and confessions: 9:30 AM. Address: 9201 60th St, Pinellas Park, FL 33782. Phone: 727-777-4450.

Read your first visit and becoming Orthodox for more.