What should I do if I break my fast?

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

In the Coptic Orthodox tradition, fasting is a spiritual discipline intended to strengthen the spirit over the flesh. If you break your fast, whether intentionally or unintentionally, here is how you should proceed according to the teachings of the Church:

1. Consult Your Confession Father

The most important step is to speak with your spiritual father (your priest). In the Coptic Church, the rules of fasting—including the duration of abstinence and the types of food permitted—are tailored to the individual’s spiritual and physical health under the guidance of a confession father. If you break your fast, he will provide the necessary spiritual guidance, potential penance, or encouragement to continue.

2. Do Not Abandon the Fast

A common temptation from the enemy is the thought that because the fast was broken, the rest of the day or the rest of the fasting season is "ruined," leading one to give up entirely. This is a mistake. If you fall, you must get back up immediately. As the Church Fathers teach, the goal is the direction of the heart. If you ate something non-fasting, repent and resume the fast immediately.

3. Fasting and Holy Communion

If you are preparing for the Divine Liturgy:

• Abstinence: The Coptic Church requires a period of total abstinence from all food and drink before receiving the Holy Mysteries. Generally, this is nine hours or from midnight the night before.
• If you break this abstinence: You must not proceed to Holy Communion without the explicit permission of the priest. Breaking the pre-communion fast is a serious matter, as we must prepare our bodies to be a temple for the King of Kings.

4. Distinguish the Nature of the Fast

• Ecclesiastical Fasts: During Great Lent, the Apostles' Fast, or the Wednesday and Friday fasts, if you break the fast by eating non-fasting food (prohibited fats/animal products), you should return to the fast and confess it.
• Abstinence (Inqita’): If you are supposed to abstain from all food until a certain hour (such as 3:00 PM or sunset during Lent) and you eat early, you should still maintain the dietary restriction (eating vegan/Coptic fasting food) for the remainder of the day, as advised by your confession father.

5. Spiritual Repentance

Fasting is not merely a change in diet; it is a "severing of the mediums which cause us to commit sin." If you break the fast, reflect on what led to it—was it gluttony, lack of preparation, or social pressure? Use the Jesus Prayer—“My Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”—to refocus your mind on Christ.

Summary of Rites Regarding Food:

• Eulogia: Even after the Liturgy, how we handle blessed bread is important. If it is a fasting day, you should keep the blessed bread until your period of abstinence for that day is complete before eating it.
• Communion and Fasting: It is important to note that receiving Holy Communion does not "break" the fast of abstinence for the day. If the Mass ends early on a fasting day (like a Wednesday or Friday), you should continue to abstain from food until the time decided upon with your confession father.

In all things, do not be discouraged. The Church is a hospital, and the fast is a medicine. If you spill the medicine, return to the Physician for a new supply.