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Joined: Feb 2009
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So as I visit the EC how long should I fast before the Divine Liturgy and how long for a child? Also is water allowed? We are in FL so risk of dehydration is there depending on the time of the Divine Liturgy. I want to be sure I follow the fasting guidelines.
For LR I have heard both one hour before Mass as well as one hour before receiving. I think most observe the one hour before Mass. What bugs me is that people chew gum and don't realize they shouldn't be doing that either. Water is allowed if needed.
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Since you normally are following RC Guidelines then you follow their Eucharistic fast - that is one hour BEFORE Receiving Communion.
If your child Receives in the RC Church then she can receive at DL and should follow the normal Eucharistic fast.
Providing you are both well hydrated normally, then one hour without water will not make you dehydrated.
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Joined: Aug 2006
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I am not disagreeing with what Our Lady's Slave has said, but I would also call the pastor of the EC Church you will be attending, explain your situation, and ask him what the parish rules are for fasting.
Joe
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It's a pious custom. There seems to me to be a tendency to get legalistic about it. Certainly there is no magic about waiting 10 hours, 6 hours or 5 minutes.
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Joined: Feb 2009
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Thanks Joe,
I will be calling. The drive alone is over an hour. I want to be respectful. We are going to make sure we have both gone to reconciliation too. I'm a little nervous since we will probalby stick out anyway. I am excited and nervous.
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What bugs me is that people chew gum and don't realize they shouldn't be doing that either. Chewing gum is always bad!!!  Apart from that, don't worry! I have always been made to feel welcome when I have visited Eastern churches. I am sure you will too!
Last edited by Latin Catholic; 03/18/09 07:59 PM.
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I'm not worried but have mixed feelings. Feelings of returning home. Feelings of being away from home. Feelings of not knowing anyone. I am already arranging to meet one of the members from here at one of the churches so that is a little wierd since I shared more than I would with anyone I would meet face to face for the first time. I didn't think I would meet anyone from here LOL. It is all internal and part of the experience. Nerves and excitement. I am hoping for a very spiritual experience so I need to be prepared for that spiritualy.
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At the end of the service, the ones who took Communion carefully listen to the thanksgiving prayers and do not come up to venerate the Cross with everyone else. When the thanksgiving prayers are over, the Cross is brought out to them for veneration. At that time, when one kisses the Cross, it is not customary to kiss the priest's hand. Blink! Blink! I have not only never heard this, I have never seen it, not even at the ROCOR parishes I have attended. I fast from my Confession after Vespers on Saturday evening until Holy Communion. Among the Orthodox, at least (it may be different for Eastern Rite as a result of contact), I see very little *legalism* attached to fasting, in fact, there's a lot of bending over backwards not to be legalistic, without decreasing the importance of the fast. I guess the most conservative Russians would probably be the most legalistic, but that's a tendency they have demonstrated over the years about a lot of things (and I'm not being critical, or trying to start a jurisdiction war -- just observing). There are only a handful of women who cover their heads at our parish, interestingly, all elderly or young (in their 20s). That includes Holy Communion. It isn't an issue in my parish, although I have never seen a woman of any age with lipstick or makeup at church. And chewing gum? In chuch? AIEEEEEEE!
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Joined: Jul 2008
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Blink! Blink! I have not only never heard this, I have never seen it, not even at the ROCOR parishes I have attended. Comes from St. Johns in House Springs,its a hold over from ROCA days.
Last edited by Irish Melkite; 03/25/09 05:28 AM. Reason: insert quote tags
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What, precisely is it that you have not seen?
Fr. Serge
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The Eucharist is a very special gift and out of Love we must receive Christ in the proper frame of mind.. awe, love, and respect. Fasting is one of those ways in which we show our reverence. That being said, please allow me to explain some legitimate reasons why fasting may be eased:
For centuries the male members of the family would work in the fields, mines, trades or factories, starting in the early morn. The women and children would generally stay and preserve and prepare food, make clothing and crafts, and other chores. Families would eat together at supper, and maybe breakfast. On Sunday or Feastdays there would be no work performed and the family would attend morning Liturgy together together and receive the Eucharist if they had gone to Confession within a reasonable period.
Those conditions are extrememly rare...how many families don't attend work or school on a Holyday. Many people now work on Sunday.
Members of families often eat at different times (and places) for legitimate reasons.
More frequent reception of the Eucharist than once or twice a year is strongly encouraged.
These are GOOD reasons for decreasing the fasting period, without being blasphemous.
However, there is nothing to prevent anyone from fasting as long as they want prior to the Eucharist. One could fast on bread and water for a week if they choose to.
I know that we often think "that times have changed" is an poor reason to make changes but... at other times changing Church Law is prudent. When our culture progresses to the point that we shut down everything except churches on Sundays and Holydays we can go back to the old fasting regulations.
Fr Deacon Paul
Last edited by Paul B; 03/28/09 05:24 PM. Reason: grammar
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Greetings Brothers and Sisters: Perhaps the following guidelines on fasting prior to receiving Holy Communion will provide additional insights on this topic from an Eastern Orthodox perspective. +Cosmos ******* Fasting * Fasting is a spiritual discipline which was and is intended to enhance our participation in the Eucharist. It is not to be seen as an excuse to keep away from the Chalice. Fasting is a discipline which is not restricted only to food. It is more than simply not eating. It is also not lying, stealing, cheating, committing adultery, gossiping, quarreling, etc. We must abstain from all forms of evil. To think that by only setting a few days aside to omit certain foods from our diet makes us worthy to receive the Eucharist is to be spiritually naive. * It is not uncommon to hear Orthodox Christians say they are fasting on Wednesday and Friday because they plan to take Communion at Sunday Liturgy. In reality, the practice of Wednesday and Friday fasting has never been purposefully linked to participation in the Eucharist. Orthodox Christians are required to fast on those two days of the week regardless if they are going to take Holy Communion or not. [The Holy Apostles Sixty-Ninth Canon of the Church]. This same Canon requires that fasting be maintained throughout Great Lent also. No mention is made of the Eucharist. In other words, regular fasting must be a way of life. * Many Orthodox Christians extend the Wednesday and Friday fast to Saturday. They reason that if they fast on Wednesday and Friday in preparation for the Eucharist on Sunday, it does not seem right not to fast on Saturday, the day prior to receiving Communion. However, in so doing, they violate the sixty fourth Canon of the Holy Apostles which specifically forbids ever fasting on Saturday, the day God rested after creation. Exceptions to this Canon - Holy Saturday and a few other major feast days should they fall on a Saturday. * The Eucharistic Fast involves total abstinence from any food or drink in the morning prior to receiving the Eucharist. If, therefore, you keep the Eucharistic Fast, and there exists no moral reason for you to stay away from Chalice, you become obligated to come forward and receive Christ as He is offered at the liturgy. * To assert that one has not fasted on the previous Wednesday and Friday and therefore cannot come forward for Communion, is, by itself, an insufficient cause to abstain from the Eucharist. The early Orthodox Church attended liturgy for one reason - the Eucharist. * St John Cassion, writes, "We must not avoid Communion because we deem ourselves to be sinful. We must approach it more often for the healing of the soul, but with much humility and faith, considering ourselves unworthy. Otherwise it is impossible to receive communion once a year, as certain people do. Such people manifest more pride than humility, for when they receive, they think of themselves as worthy". * Fasting was never intended to be a barrier to keep us from Christ, but a bridge to lead us to fuller participation in the life of Christ. http://www.fatimafamily.org/images/Eucharist-cover.jpghttp://communio.stblogs.org/icon2.jpghttp://www.orthodoxchristian.info/pages/Eucharist.htm
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With the modern Roman Catholic fasting rules, a person could practically be pigging out on their way into the narthex and still comply with the "Eucharistic fast," which only requires fasting an hour before receiving Our Lord. Perhaps on Sundays. However, if you are a Catholic who goes to daily Mass early in the morning, the one-hour rule can be tougher than it looks. Since daily Mass is normally over in 20-30 minutes, with communion coming in at about 15-25 minutes into the Mass (depending on the length of the homily if any, and how chatty or silent the priest is in the course of the Mass), the one hour rule really means "don't eat anything 45 minutes before daily Mass". In practice, this often means forgoing breakfast or any food at all from waking up until morning Mass. I know that many in Opus Dei do not eat or drink at all until after their daily early morning Mass.
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[However, if you are a Catholic who goes to daily Mass early in the morning, the one-hour rule can be tougher than it looks. Since daily Mass is normally over in 20-30 minutes, with communion coming in at about 15-25 minutes into the Mass (depending on the length of the homily if any, and how chatty or silent the priest is in the course of the Mass), the one hour rule really means "don't eat anything 45 minutes before daily Mass".
In practice, this often means forgoing breakfast or any food at all from waking up until morning Mass. Orthodox Christians, and Roman Catholics until a few short decades ago, always keep a fast from Midnight until whenever Liturgy ends. All this modern Roman Catholic has to do not to be cheated out of his breakfast before the lightning fast daily Mass is - surprise - get up a few minutes earlier so he can eat before Holy Communion. Fr David Straut
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Or alternatively do as is often done in Europe - go to Church and then stop at the local bakery for a very fresh , possibly still warm from the ovens , pastry and a coffee on the way to work 
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