How Does the Orthodox Church View Communion (Holy Eucharist)?
Some teach that Communion or the Lord’s Supper (which Orthodox call “the Eucharist”) is only a sign or symbol. Most of Christendom, however, believes it is far more. The Orthodox Church has always believed that we, in a mystery, receive the Body and Blood of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. The benefit experienced by the recipient is succinctly expressed in a prayer segment from an anonymous author that is included in one of the Orthodox Divine Liturgy Hymnals under the heading of, ‘Prayers of Thanksgiving Following Holy Communion.’ The prayer segment says, ‘0 loving Master, who died and rose for our sake, and granted to us these awesome and life-giving mysteries for the well-being and sanctification or our souls and bodies, let these gifts be for healing of my own soul and body, the averting of every evil, the illumination of the eyes of my heart, the peace of my spiritual powers, a faith unashamed, a love unfeigned, the fulfilling of wisdom, the observing of Your commandments, the recei
