Q&A Home > C > Holy Communion

What is the Orthodox Church belief concerning Eucharist?  Do we eat Christ’s body and blood in the PHYSICAL SENSE (i.e. skin cells, platelets, etc), in the spiritual sense?

The Lord Jesus Christ Himself instituted the Holy Communion on the Thursday of the Covenant, in the Upper Room of Zion, a few hours before His arrest and trial. After He had celebrated the Rite of the Jews' Passover, He rose and washed His holy disciples' feet as a sign of repentance and preparation; and then He sat down and instituted the Passover of the New Covenant that is the Sacrament of Holy Communion. "He took bread, blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, 'Take, eat this is My Body, then He took the cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them saying: Drink from it all of you, for this is My Blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:26-28) and St. Paul repeats these same words in the Holy Book of Corinthians 11:23-25. There is no delineation or actual words from the Lord Jesus Christ, which speak as to how the change occurs. Therefore the Lord Jesus Christ's actual words are intended as a Mystery.

Therefore, the Coptic Orthodox considered the change of the "bread and wine" as a MYSTERY. We do not contemplate on the existence of red blood cells, white blood cells or platelets. We do not contemplate on its transubstantiation. It is simply a MYSTERY. We accept this as it is.

There are so many very important biblical verses about the Holy Communion that allude to its MYSTERY.

1. "He who eats My Flesh, and drinks My Body abides in Me, and I in him" (John 6:56). By receiving this Sacrament "we become members of His Body, of His Flesh and of His Bones" (Ephesians 5:30) also we become partakers of the Divine Nature (Peter 1:4).



2. It gives us eternal life, "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).



3. It grants us growth in the Spirit, holiness and life in the Lord Jesus Christ as He said, "For My Flesh is food indeed, and My Blood is drink is indeed. As the living Father sent me, and I live in Him because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me" (John 6:55,57).
   
   Just like when we eat substantial food we nourish our bodies making them strong and healthy; likewise when we eat the Holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ we strengthen our souls and God’s grace grows continuously in us.



4. It gives remedy to the soul, body, and spirit, as we say in the Offertory Mystery: "That they (Holy Body and Precious Blood) may become to us all for participation and healing and salvation for our souls, bodies, and our spirits."
   
   The actual words of the Lord Jesus Christ concerning the reality of the His Body and Blood are VERY CLEAR. They need no further explanation and the apostles understood this. The Jews at the time argued among themselves: "The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves saying 'How can this Man give us His flesh to eat? From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then the Lord Jesus Christ said to the 12, 'Do you also want to go away?" (John 6:52,66,67)
   
   It is worth noting that the Lord Jesus Christ instituted this Holy Sacrament and passed it on to His disciples during the last hour of His life. Therefore, we cannot accept the interpretation that He was speaking metaphorically to mean "in remembrance."
   
   St. Paul tells us that this sacrament implied "sharing in the body of Jesus Christ." "I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless; is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?" (I Corinthians 10:15-16)