What are the benefits of Holy Communion?
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10
In the Orthodox Church, the Holy Eucharist (from the Greek loanword, Eucharistia) is the Crown of the Sacraments. It is not merely a symbolic memorial, but the actual transformation of bread and wine into the true, life-giving Body and precious Blood of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ.
When approached with proper spiritual preparation—through repentance, sacramental confession, fasting, and reverence—Holy Communion grants profound spiritual and physical benefits:
1. Abiding in Christ and Divine Union
The foremost benefit of Communion is union with the Savior. As the Lord Himself promised:
"He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood abides in Me, and I in him." (John 6:56)
By partaking of His sacred Body and Blood, we become “members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones” (Ephesians 5:30) and are granted to become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). We are woven into the life of Christ, walking in intimate communion with Him.
2. The Pledge of Eternal Life and Resurrection
Holy Communion is the antidote to the corruption of the fall. The Church Fathers, beginning with St. Ignatius of Antioch, referred to the Eucharist as the "medicine of immortality" (pharmakon athanasias):
"Whoever eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day... He who eats this Bread will live forever." (John 6:54, 58)
Partaking worthily plants the seed of the incorruptible resurrection within our mortal bodies.
3. Remission of Sins and Salvation
In the final Confession recited by the priest at the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Church boldly professes that the Holy Body and Blood are:
“Given for our salvation, remission of sins, and eternal life to those who partake of Him.”
While the Sacrament of Repentance and Confession cleanses us of the sins we consciously confess before the priest, Holy Communion completes this cleansing. It grants the remission of hidden, unconscious faults and sanctifies the believer from the lingering effects of sinful passions.
4. Purification of Soul, Body, and Spirit
In the Divine Liturgy, before partaking of the Holy Mysteries, the priest prays the Prayer of Submission:
"Make us all worthy to partake of Your Holy Body and Honored Blood for the purification of our souls, bodies, and spirits, the forgiveness of our sins and iniquities..."
The Holy Mysteries act as a refining fire that cleanses the intellect, sanctifies the senses, and purifies the inner desires of the heart.
5. Spiritual Nourishment and Strength Against Sin
Just as material food sustains physical life, the Lord's Flesh and Blood sustain the spiritual life:
"For My Flesh is food indeed, and My Blood is drink indeed." (John 6:55)
Worthy communion provides spiritual vitality, strengthens the will against demonic warfare, calms the flesh, and grants the grace needed to grow toward Christian perfection.
6. Unity of the Church
Through the common cup and the one Loaf, the faithful are united to God and to one another. As the liturgical prayers proclaim:
“...that we may become one body and one spirit with You.”
St. Paul confirms this communal unity: “For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread” (1 Corinthians 10:17). Communion knits the members of the Church together into the undivided Body of Christ.
The Necessity of Worthy Preparation
Because of these immense blessings, the Church warns against approaching the altar thoughtlessly or unworthily. St. Paul cautions:
"He who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep." (1 Corinthians 11:29–30)
Approached with genuine repentance, reconciliation with others, and proper physical fasting, Holy Communion serves as our ultimate source of life, healing, and salvation.