Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States
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Besides the fact that communion is a sacrament, what biblical references do we have that only a priest or bishop is allowed to lay hands, bless, break and administer the communion?

The responsibilities of the priesthood in the Church of the New Testament is similar to the priestly responsibilities in the Old Testament in that the priest administers all the rites and rituals of worship, atonement, and offering of the sacrifices. When the Lord Jesus Christ established the canons of the Church, He began by ordaining His twelve disciples and then the seventy-two apostles. When He instituted the Mystery of the Holy Eucharist, He did so amongst His disciples only. He gave thanks, blessed, broke, and gave to them. In the miracle of the feeding the multitude, He illustrated the service of the priests in a more covert way. He instructed His disciples to organize the people, then He thanked, blessed, broke, and gave to the disciples to give to the people. Because the priest's only service and purpose is to serve God and His people, he is obliged to perform all rites and rituals with the utmost reverence and sanctity. Christ preserved the holiness of this Mystery amongst His disciples, and they did the same amongst their successors. Thus, by doing this, Christ the Lord declared that the gathering in the upper room was the inner sanctuary where the priests serve with Christ in their midst gathered around the altar bearing His holy body and precious blood. The Lord did many miracles plainly in the sight of all the people, but this one Mystery, this holy sacrament, was instituted amongst the disciples who would become priests and dispense the Holy Eucharist and all the seven Holy Mysteries.

These links are also helpful:
- http://www.suscopts.org/messages/lectures/sacrament2.pdf
- http://www.coptic-isneed.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/priesthood.pdf
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