The Eucharist

The heart of Orthodox worship — the true Body and Blood of Christ given for the life of the world.

The Eucharist is the central Mystery of the Orthodox Church. Everything in our worship leads to it and flows from it. In this Mystery we receive the true Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the forms of bread and wine.

This is not a symbol or a mere remembrance. The Orthodox Church has always believed and taught that the bread and wine truly become the Body and Blood of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. When we approach the chalice, we receive Christ Himself — for the forgiveness of sins, for the healing of soul and body, and for eternal life.

The Divine Liturgy is ordered around this gift. We hear the Word of God, we offer prayers and thanksgiving, and then the gifts of bread and wine are brought to the altar. The priest calls upon the Holy Spirit to come upon them and make them the Body and Blood of Christ. This moment of consecration is the heart of the Liturgy.

We receive the Eucharist with a spoon (the lavida), a practice that developed in the Church and has been retained in Orthodoxy. The priest places the Holy Gifts directly into the mouth of the communicant with the words: “The servant of God (name) partakes of the holy and precious Body and Blood of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins and unto life everlasting.”

Because the Eucharist is the true Body and Blood of Christ, the Church approaches it with great reverence. We prepare by prayer, fasting, and Confession. We approach the chalice with humility, crossing our arms over our chest, and we receive in faith and love. After Communion we remain in quiet thanksgiving.

The Eucharist is not only the climax of the Liturgy — it is the source of the entire Christian life. From this table we are sent back into the world, carrying the life of Christ within us. Every act of love, every struggle against sin, every moment of prayer is nourished by the gift we have received.

This is why the Eucharist stands at the center of Orthodox life. It is not one Mystery among many. It is the Mystery from which all the others draw their meaning, and the place where heaven and earth are most fully joined.