Eucharistic discipline is the term applied to the regulations and practices associated with an individual preparing for the reception of the

Eucharist The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instit ...

. Different Christian traditions require varying degrees of preparation, which may include a period of

fasting Fasting is the abstention from eating and sometimes drinking. From a purely physiological context, "fasting" may refer to the metabolic status of a person who has not eaten overnight (see " Breakfast"), or to the metabolic state achieved after ...

prayer Prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship through deliberate communication. In the narrow sense, the term refers to an act of supplication or intercession directed towards a deity or a deified ...

, repentance, and

confession A confession is a statement – made by a person or by a group of persons – acknowledging some personal fact that the person (or the group) would ostensibly prefer to keep hidden. The term presumes that the speaker is providing information th ...

Anglican/Episcopalian practice

From the American ''Book of Common Prayer 1979''

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.

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.

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.

Saint Augustine's Prayer Book Saint Augustine's Prayer Book is an Anglo-Catholic devotional book published for members of the various Anglican churches in the United States and Canada by the Order of the Holy Cross, an Anglican monastic community. The first edition, edi ...

, which is used by many Anglicans of a

High Church The term ''high church'' refers to beliefs and practices of Christian ecclesiology, liturgy, and theology that emphasize formality and resistance to modernisation. Although used in connection with various Christian traditions, the term originate ...

manship, 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 In many Western Christian traditions Midnight Mass is the first liturgy of Christmastide that is celebrated on the night of Christmas Eve, traditionally beginning at midnight when Christmas Eve gives way to Christmas Day. This popular Christmas ...

of Christmas Eve, the first liturgy of

Christmastide Christmastide is a season of the liturgical year in most Christian churches. In some, Christmastide is identical to Twelvetide. For the Catholic Church, Lutheran Church, Anglican Church and Methodist Church, Christmastide begins on 24 December ...

Catholic practice

Sufficient spiritual preparation must be made by each

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

prior to receiving Holy Communion and one must believe truly in the

Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist The real presence of Christ in the Eucharist is the Christian doctrine that Jesus Christ is present in the Eucharist, not merely symbolically or metaphorically, but in a true, real and substantial way. There are a number of Christian denomina ...

. A Catholic in a state of

mortal sin A mortal sin ( la, peccatum mortale), in Catholic theology, is a gravely sinful act which can lead to damnation if a person does not repent of the sin before death. A sin is considered to be "mortal" when its quality is such that it leads t ...

should first make a sacramental

: otherwise that person commits a

sacrilege Sacrilege is the violation or injurious treatment of a sacred object, site or person. This can take the form of irreverence to sacred persons, places, and things. When the sacrilegious offence is verbal, it is called blasphemy, and when physica ...

. A sacrilege is the unworthy treatment of sacred things. Deliberate and irreverent treatment of the Eucharist is the worst of all sacrileges, as this quote from the

Council of Trent The Council of Trent ( la, Concilium Tridentinum), held between 1545 and 1563 in Trent (or Trento), now in northern Italy, was the 19th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. Prompted by the Protestant Reformation, it has been described a ...

shows: The above applies to both

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

and

Eastern Eastern may refer to: Transportation *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai *Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways *Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991 *Eastern Air Li ...

rite Catholics, the Eastern Catholic canon law (which applies to the

Eastern Catholic Churches The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also called the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Eastern Rite Catholicism, or simply the Eastern Churches, are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous ('' sui iuris'') particular churches of t ...

) having exactly the same rule regarding the obligation to receiving the sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation before taking Communion,

Western Catholic Churches

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. It was required for those aged twenty-one to sixty. 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.” On 6 January 1953, Pope Pius XII provided a dispensation in which the sick could take liquids during this time, though alcohol was strictly forbidden; the dispensation also allowed priests to consume liquids if they were offering the sacrifice of the Holy Mass after 9 am, engaged in "onerous work of the sacred ministry (for example, from early in the morning or for a long time)," or after a long journey. The present-day canonical discipline of the Latin Church is found in Book IV, Part I, Title III, Chapter I, Article 2 (Participation in the Holy Eucharist) of the

1983 Code of Canon Law The 1983 ''Code of Canon Law'' (abbreviated 1983 CIC from its Latin title ''Codex Iuris Canonici''), also called the Johanno-Pauline Code, is the "fundamental body of ecclesiastical laws for the Latin Church". It is the second and current comp ...

. The particular applications of

Canon 915 Canon 915, one of the canons in the 1983 ''Code of Canon Law'' of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church, forbids the administration of Holy Communion to those upon whom the penalty of excommunication or interdict has been imposed or declared ...

have been quite controversial in recent years, while canons 916 and 919 have not stirred as much controversy: :Can. 916: A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to celebrate Mass or receive the body of the Lord without previous sacramental confession unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess; in this case the person is to remember the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition which includes the resolution of confessing as soon as possible. :Can. 919: §1. A person who is to receive the Most Holy Eucharist is to abstain for at least one hour before holy communion from any food and drink, except for only water and medicine. ::§2. A priest who celebrates the Most Holy Eucharist two or three times on the same day can take something before the second or third celebration even if there is less than one hour between them. ::§3. The elderly, the infirm, and those who care for them can receive the Most Holy Eucharist even if they have eaten something within the preceding hour.

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. The rules of the Eastern Catholic Churches of

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

tradition correspond to those of the

Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, also called the Orthodox Church, is the second-largest Christian church, with approximately 220 million baptized members. It operates as a communion of autocephalous churches, each governed by its bishops vi ...

, as detailed in the next section.

Eastern Orthodox practice

Eastern Orthodox Christians Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism. Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or "canonical") ...

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 Vespers is a service of evening prayer, one of the canonical hours in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic (both Latin and Eastern), Lutheran, and Anglican liturgies. The word for this fixed prayer time comes from the Latin , meanin ...

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 Divine Liturgy ( grc-gre, Θεία Λειτουργία, Theia Leitourgia) or Holy Liturgy is the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine Rite, developed from the Antiochene Rite of Christian liturgy which is that of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of ...

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 Monasticism (from Ancient Greek , , from , , 'alone'), also referred to as monachism, or monkhood, is a religion, religious way of life in which one renounces world (theology), worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work. 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 The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

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

beforehand, while one who communes on a regular basis does confess, but the frequency varies by local custom and whatnot. 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 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 An Akathist Hymn ( el, Ἀκάθιστος Ὕμνος, "unseated hymn") is a type of hymn usually recited by Eastern Orthodox or Eastern Catholic Christians, dedicated to a saint, holy event, or one of the persons of the Holy Trinity. The ...

. The canons are usually to

Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

, the Theotokos and the

guardian angel A guardian angel is a type of angel that is assigned to protect and guide a particular person, group or nation. Belief in tutelary beings can be traced throughout all antiquity. The idea of angels that guard over people played a major role in A ...

. 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

Archangel Archangels () are the second lowest rank of angel in the hierarchy of angels. The word ''archangel'' itself is usually associated with the Abrahamic religions, but beings that are very similar to archangels are found in a number of other relig ...

s, and if he so desire, the Guardian Angel *On a Tuesday: Canon to Lord, the Theotokos, the

Forerunner Forerunner may refer to: Religion * A holy person announcing the approaching appearance of a prophet, see precursor (religion). ** As a title, used in particular for John the Baptist within Christianity, and especially within the Eastern Orthodox ...

, 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 Pascha (or other similar spellings) may refer to: * Passover, the Aramaic spelling of the Hebrew word ''Pesach'' **Pesach seder,_the_festive_meal_beginning_the_14th_and_ending_on_the_15th_of_Nisan *Easter.html" ;"title="san in the Hebrew c ..., t ...

(Easter) and

Bright Week Bright Week, Pascha Week or Renewal Week ( el, Διακαινήσιμος Ἑβδομάς) is the name used by the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Rite Catholic Churches for the period of seven days beginning on Easter and continuing up to (but n ...

, 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 Humility is the quality of being humble. Dictionary definitions accentuate humility as a low self-regard and sense of unworthiness. In a religious context humility can mean a recognition of self in relation to a deity (i.e. God), and subsequent ...

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 A reader is a person who reads. It may also refer to: Computing and technology * Adobe Reader (now Adobe Acrobat), a PDF reader * Bible Reader for Palm, a discontinued PDA application * A card reader, for extracting data from various forms of ...

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 Church The Catholic Apostolic Church (CAC), also known as the Irvingian Church, is a Christian denomination and Protestant sect which originated in Scotland around 1831 and later spread to Germany and the United States.

Lutheran practice

In the

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...

tradition, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ is believed to be really present in the sacrament of the Eucharist (see

Sacramental union Sacramental union (Latin: ''unio sacramentalis''; Martin Luther's German: ''Sacramentliche Einigkeit'';''Weimar Ausgabe'' 26, 442.23; ''Luther's Works'' 37, 299-300. German: ''sakramentalische Vereinigung'') is the Lutheran theological doctrine o ...

). Lutherans are taught to prepare to receive this sacrament through prayerful reflection upon their sinful nature, their need for a Savior, the promise that their sins are forgiven for the sake of Jesus' death on the Cross, and that the Eucharist gives this forgiveness to them. "Fasting and bodily preparation are indeed a fine outward training,"

Martin Luther Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation and the namesake of Lutherani ...

said, "but he is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words, 'given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.Martin Luther, Dr. Martin Luther's Small Catechism (St. Louis:

Concordia Publishing House Concordia Publishing House (CPH), founded in 1869, is the official publishing arm of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS). Headquartered in St Louis, Missouri, at 3558 S. Jefferson Avenue, CPH publishes the synod's official monthly magaz ...

, 1971), 21, Small Catechism 6.3. As such, many Lutherans receive the

sacrament of penance The Sacrament of Penance (also commonly called the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession) is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church (known in Eastern Christianity as sacred mysteries), in which the faithful are absolved from si ...

before partaking of the Eucharist. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States, practices open communion, offering the Eucharist to adults without receiving catechetical instruction, provided they are baptized and believe in the Real Presence. Some Lutherans practice closed communion, and require catechetical instruction for all people before receiving the Eucharist. Failing to do so is condemned by these Lutherans as the sin of "unionism". These Lutheran denominations restrict communicants to members of their own Synod and those churches and Synods with whom they share "

altar and pulpit fellowship Altar and pulpit fellowship describes an ecumenical collaboration between two Christian organizations, and is a Lutheran term for full communion, or ''communio in sacris.'' ''Altar'' refers to the altar in Christian churches, which holds the sacram ...

", which may mean excluding even other Lutherans from Eucharistic reception. The timing of First Communion also varies. Historically, First Communion was delayed until after an individual had completed catechism classes and been

confirm In Christian denominations that practice infant baptism, confirmation is seen as the sealing of the covenant (religion), covenant created in baptism. Those being confirmed are known as confirmands. For adults, it is an wikt:affirmation, affirma ...

ed, but gradually the timing of First Communion shifted so that it was administered before Confirmation rather than after, following the

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

tradition. In many Lutheran churches, the average age of first communion is somewhere between the ages of seven and ten, though a considerable number of Lutheran churches offer First Communion even earlier. In North America, the time for administering First Communion is usually determined by the parents in consultation with the local pastor, but some Synods may have guidelines which prevent communion before a specific minimum age.

Methodist practice

''The Doctrines and Discipline of the Methodist Church'' specifies that "Upon entering the church let the communicants bow in prayer and in the spirit of prayer and meditation approach the Blessed Sacrament." Traditionally, before the Lord's Supper is celebrated on a Sunday, Methodist pastors meet with class leaders and their

class meeting The cell group is a form of church organization that is used in many Christian churches. Cell groups are generally intended to teach the Bible and personalize Christian fellowship. They are always used in cell churches, but also occur in parac ...

s on the preceding Friday (the traditional day of fasting in Methodism) to "inquire how their souls are prospering; to exhort, reprove, advise, etc., as duty may require, preparatory to their receiving the Lord's Supper." In many Methodist connexions, such as the

United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelic ...

, the table is made available to all people, and none are turned away. This practice is referred to as keeping an " Open table". The general invitation is typically made in the ritual, "Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him, who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another." All are free to communicate at the appropriate time, though unbaptized persons who respond to the invitation are urged to be instructed in and receive baptism as soon as possible, as Methodism recognises that in normal circumstances, baptism should be a prerequisite to a person's partaking in the Eucharist. Other Methodist connexions, such as the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, teach that "No person shall be admitted to the Lord's Supper among us who is guilty of any practice from which we would exclude a Member of our Church." The Wesleyan Holiness Association of Churches holds that "Being the Communion Feast, only those who have faith in Christ and love for the saints should be called to participate (Matt. 26:26-29; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-29)."

Oriental Orthodox practice

Oriental Orthodox Christianity The Oriental Orthodox Churches are Eastern Christian churches adhering to Miaphysite Christology, with approximately 60 million members worldwide. The Oriental Orthodox Churches are part of the Nicene Christian tradition, and represent o ...

, the "holiness of the Church is traditionally tied scripturally with the Jerusalem Temple". As such, believers fast after midnight and "sexual intercourse is prohibited the night before communion".

Pope Dionysius of Alexandria Dionysius the Great ( grc, Διονύσιος Ἀλεξανδρείας) was the 14th Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria from 28 December 248 until his death on 22 March 264. Most information known about him comes from his large surviving correspo ...

taught that with regard to menstruating women that "not even they themselves, being faithful and pious, would dare when in this state either to approach the Holy Table or to touch the body and blood of Christ." As such, Oriental Orthodox Christian women, such as those belonging to the Coptic Orthodox Church, are not permitted to receive Holy Communion while they are menstruating. In the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, people who are ritually unclean may approach the church but are not permitted to enter it; they instead stand near the church door and

pray Prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship through deliberate communication. In the narrow sense, the term refers to an act of supplication or intercession directed towards a deity or a deified a ...

during the liturgy.

Presbyterian practice

Among Presbyterians, there is neither requirement, nor prohibition, of any of the traditional understandings of what it means to "make ready": it is left to local custom. In modern times, there is no uniform practice of earlier patterns of fasting, public or private prayer, or the preparatory service (Vespers). However, the

Westminster Larger Catechism The Westminster Larger Catechism, along with the Westminster Shorter Catechism, is a central catechism of Calvinists in the English tradition throughout the world. History In 1643 when the Long Parliament of England called the Westminster As ...

has rather extensive instructions on how those who "receive the sacrament of the Lord's supper are, before they come, to prepare themselves unto . . . ." Specifically, they are to prepare "by examining themselves of their being in Christ, of their sins and wants; of the truth and measure of their knowledge, faith, repentance; love to God and the brethren, charity to all men, forgiving those that have done them wrong; of their desires after Christ, and of their new obedience; and by renewing the exercise of these graces, by serious meditation, and fervent prayer." Therefore, the

Presbyterian Church in America The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is the second-largest Presbyterian church body, behind the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the largest conservative Calvinist denomination in the United States. The PCA is Reformed in theology and presb ...

's Directory for the Worship of God advises that a week's notice be given to the congregation prior to the administration of the Lord's supper: "It is proper that public notice should be given to the congregation, at least the Sabbath before the administration of this ordinance, and that, either then, or on some day of the week, the people be instructed in its nature, and a due preparation for it, that all may come in a suitable manner to this holy feast." The Westminster Larger Catechism also provides extensive instructions on "what is required of them that receive the sacrament of the Lord's supper" ''during'' and ''after'' its administration.

Sedevacantist practice

Sedevacantists are people who identify as Catholic.. and hold that the present occupier of the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of R ...

is not the pope due to the mainstream church's espousal of what they see as

heresies Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, in particular the accepted beliefs of a church or religious organization. The term is usually used in reference to violations of important religi ...

modernism Modernism is both a philosophy, philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western world, Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new fo ...

and that, for lack of a valid pope, the See has been vacant since the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, the death of

Pope John XXIII Pope John XXIII ( la, Ioannes XXIII; it, Giovanni XXIII; born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, ; 25 November 18813 June 1963) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 28 October 1958 until his death in June 19 ...

in 1963, the death of

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his death in Augus ...

in 1978, or since the first alleged publicly proclaimed heresy by Paul VI, or what they view as some other failure of the true Church to appoint a valid pontiff. Sedevacantists often hold concerns regarding perceived departures from dogmatic pronouncements and changes to ecclesiastical discipline since the Second Vatican Council, leading to a difference between their fasting and abstinence practices and that of the Catholic Church. The

Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen The Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen ( la, Congregatio Mariae Reginae Immaculatae; CMRI) is a sedevacantist Traditionalist Catholic religious congregation. The CMRI is dedicated to promoting the message of Our Lady of Fátima and the de ...

(CMRI), a Sedavacantist religious group, teaches that the Eucharistic Fast consists of means fasting from food and alcohol three hours prior to receiving Holy Communion, and though not obligatory, members of the sect are "urged to observe the Eucharistic fast" from midnight on a day until the time that they receive communion.

Jansenist practice

Jansenists were a theological group part of the Roman Catholic church starting in the 1600s. They believed that Holy Communion should be received very infrequently, and that reception required much more than freedom from

instead arguing that a high degree of

perfection Perfection is a state, variously, of completeness, flawlessness, or supreme excellence. The term is used to designate a range of diverse, if often kindred, concepts. These have historically been addressed in a number of discrete disciplines, ...

, including purification from attachment to

venial sin According to Catholicism, a venial sin is a lesser sin that does not result in a complete separation from God and eternal damnation in Hell as an unrepented mortal sin would. A venial sin consists in acting as one should not, without the actual inc ...

, was necessary before approaching the sacrament of the Eucharist.

Notes

External links

Orthodox

Preparation for Holy Communion
— article by

Thomas Hopko Thomas John Hopko (March 28, 1939 – March 18, 2015) was an Eastern Orthodox Christian priest and theologian. He was the Dean of Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary from September 1992 until July 1, 2002 and taught dogmatic theolo ...

, former Dean of St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary.
Preparation to Holy Communion
— excerpt from ''Beginning Orthodoxy'' by Bishop Alexander (Mileant) of the

Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (russian: Ру́сская Правосла́вная Це́рковь Заграни́цей, lit=Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, translit=Russkaya Pravoslavnaya Tserkov' Zagranitsey), also called Ru ...

.
Communion
from the website o

in

San Jose, California San Jose, officially San José (; ; ), is a major city in the U.S. state of California that is the cultural, financial, and political center of Silicon Valley and largest city in Northern California by both population and area. With a 2020 popu ...

; includes the text of pre- and post-Communion prayers. {{DEFAULTSORT:Eucharistic Discipline Eucharist Eucharist in the Catholic Church Lutheran Eucharistic theology Anglican Eucharistic theology Eucharistic devotions Sacramental law