Talk to your priest before Liturgy. That’s the short answer.
The Eucharist isn’t something we figure out on our own. It’s the heart of the Church’s life, and your priest is there to help you discern whether you’re ready to receive on any given Sunday. If you’re standing in the nave wondering whether you should approach the chalice, that uncertainty itself is a sign you need to have a conversation.
Who receives Communion?
Holy Communion is for baptized and chrismated Orthodox Christians who are living in the faith and preparing themselves properly. If you’re a catechumen, still learning and preparing to be received into the Church, you’re not yet ready to commune. You’ll come forward for a blessing and receive blessed bread (antidoron) after Liturgy, but the chalice waits until after your chrismation.
If you’re visiting from a Baptist or Methodist background, or if you’re Catholic and attending out of curiosity or because your spouse is Orthodox, you can’t receive Communion here. That’s not coldness. The Eucharist expresses full unity in faith and life, and we’re not there yet if you’re not Orthodox. You’re welcome at the service. You’re welcome to venerate icons and light candles. But the chalice is for those who’ve been fully received into the Church.
What preparation looks like
Orthodox Christians preparing to receive Communion fast from midnight the night before (though there are pastoral exceptions for medication, nursing mothers, health conditions, shift workers coming off a night at the plant). We also pray. Many parishes expect you to be at Vespers the night before if possible, and most people pray through the pre-Communion prayers either at home or using the prayer books in the narthex before Liturgy starts.
And if you’re conscious of serious sin, something that’s broken your relationship with God and the Church, you go to confession first. You don’t just show up and receive. The priest hears your confession, gives counsel, offers absolution, and then you’re ready to approach the chalice with a clean conscience.
Some parishes expect confession weekly. Others monthly during Lent. It depends on local practice and your priest’s guidance. But the principle is consistent: you don’t receive Communion while carrying unrepented sin.
When you’re uncertain
Maybe you fasted but you’re not sure you prayed enough. Maybe you had a fight with your spouse Saturday night and you’re still angry. Maybe you took Tylenol at 2 a.m. and you’re worried that broke your fast. Maybe you just feel unworthy.
Here’s the thing: we’re all unworthy. St. John Chrysostom knew that. The prayers before Communion say it plainly. “I believe, O Lord, and I confess that You are truly the Christ…I am not worthy that You should come under the roof of my soul.” We say that every time.
But unworthiness isn’t the same as unreadiness. If you’re uncertain because of genuine sin or because you haven’t prepared, don’t receive. If you’re uncertain because you’re aware of your own brokenness and need for God’s mercy, that might be exactly the right disposition for approaching the chalice.
You can’t sort this out in your head while the choir is singing. Find your priest before Liturgy. Pull him aside after the Gospel if you have to. He’ll ask a couple of questions, give you direction, and you’ll know whether to receive or to wait. Sometimes he’ll say, “Come to confession this week and we’ll talk.” Sometimes he’ll say, “You’re fine, receive with my blessing.” Sometimes he’ll say, “Not today, but let’s figure out what’s going on.”
The pastoral reality
Priests in Southeast Texas understand that your family thinks you’ve joined a cult and that you’re working twelve-hour shifts and that you’re doing your best. They’re not looking for perfection. They’re looking for repentance, honesty, and a desire to grow in Christ.
If you’re a recent convert still learning the ropes, you’re going to get things wrong. You’ll forget to fast. You’ll show up late. You’ll wonder if that cup of coffee at 6 a.m. disqualified you. Your priest knows this. He’s not interested in trapping you or shaming you. He wants you to receive Communion worthily and regularly, and he’ll help you get there.
The Eucharist is medicine, not a reward for good behavior. But medicine has to be taken properly or it doesn’t heal. When you’re unsure, ask. That’s what your priest is for.
