If I don't partake of Communion, should I abstain from food before the Liturgy?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-09

In the Coptic Orthodox tradition, the practice regarding fasting before the Divine Liturgy depends on whether or not you intend to partake of the Holy Mysteries (ⲛⲓⲙⲩⲥⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲉⲩ - ni-mysterion ethowab).

1. If You Are Not Taking Communion

If you have determined, perhaps through the guidance of your Father of Confession, that you will not be receiving Holy Communion (ⲡⲓⲙⲉⲧⲗⲁⲙⲃⲁⲛⲓⲛ - pi-metlambanin), the strict nine-hour Eucharistic fast (abstaining from all food and water) is not a canonical requirement.

However, there are important spiritual considerations:

• The Spirit of the Liturgy: Many Coptic Orthodox Christians choose to remain fasting until the end of the Liturgy out of respect for the presence of the Lord on the Altar and to maintain a spirit of sacrifice and prayer.
• Liturgical Fasting Days: If the Liturgy is held on a Wednesday, Friday, or during a fasting season (such as Great Lent or the Apostles' Fast), you are already required to fast according to the rules of that specific season, regardless of whether you receive Communion.

2. The Importance of Attendance and Preparation

Even if you are not receiving the Holy Body and Blood, your presence at the Liturgy is vital. According to the rites of the Church:

• Sanctification through the Word: As noted by St. Severus Ibn al-Muqaffa, the readings (the Paulines, Catholicon, Praxapostolos, and the Holy Gospel) are performed to sanctify the soul and body. Even if you do not commune, hearing the Word of God provides spiritual nourishment.
• The Minimum Requirement: The teachings of the Church, as emphasized by H.G. Bishop Mettaous, suggest that to truly benefit from the Liturgy, one should be present from the beginning or, at the very least, by the reading of the Gospel.

3. Receiving the "Eulogia" (Qurban/Baraka)

At the end of the Liturgy, the priest distributes the Holy Bread (ⲡⲓⲕⲟⲩⲣⲃⲁⲛ - pi-kourban), also known as the Antidoron or Baraka. This bread is blessed but is not the Body of Christ.

• If you have not fasted, you may still receive this bread as a blessing (baraka).
• However, if you are not taking Communion due to a specific sin that requires repentance or because you have not confessed, you should speak with your priest about your standing and readiness to receive even the blessed bread.

Summary: While the strict "Eucharistic fast" is specifically a preparation for the Holy Body and Blood of the Lord, staying in a state of fasting during the Liturgy is a pious custom that helps the believer focus on the "one thing needed"—spiritual nourishment through prayer and the Word of God.