Different churches and traditions celebrate communion diversely. There are three main ways: through a common cup from which all drink, through intinction (dipping the bread into the communal cup), or through the offering of individual cups and pieces of bread/wafers.
Below are some of the ways different groups of Christians have celebrated communion, and their reasons why:
Roman Catholic Church:
To receive communion, or Eucharist, in the Roman Catholic Church, one must be in a “state of grace,” meaning one has not committed any “mortal sins” since last confessing. This requirement is drawn from an interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11:27-28 to not partake in an unworthy manner.
A person must then believe in the doctrine of transubstantiation, which is explained by Catholic Answers as the Roman Catholic belief that the bread and wine are “transformed into the actual body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ, and only the appearances of bread and wine remain.” This comes from the interpretation that when Jesus said, “this is my body” and “this is my blood,” He meant it literally.
A person also must not have eaten or drank anything besides water (with the exception of medicine) for an hour before partaking. Finally, they must be in good standing with the Catholic Church. Partakers receive the Eucharist from an ordained priest.
Only Catholics and sometimes Orthodox believers may partake.
Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church also calls for fasting before communion, making the partaker “hungry for God.” It calls for confession of sins to God, so as not to partake in an unworthy manner (1 Corinthians 11:27).
Great care is given to honor the sacred nature of the elements, as shown in this excerpt from the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco:
“When we come before the priest for Holy Communion, our hands should not be in our pockets, but at our sides. We make the sign of the cross, tell the priest our baptismal name, hold the Communion cloth carefully under our chin, and open our mouth wide. We do not slurp from the spoon, nor should our teeth scrape on the spoon. After receiving Communion we wipe our lips carefully with the Communion cloth (not on our hand or shirtsleeve), make the sign of the cross, and hand the Communion cloth to the next person.
We are always careful that we do not allow Communion to fall from the communion spoon or from our lips onto our clothing or to the floor. For this reason we move very slowly toward the chalice and the communion spoon, and we do not pull our head away quickly after receiving. We are careful not to bump the chalice or the hand of the priest. After receiving Communion, we do not chew gum (or spit), because when we dispose of our gum it may contain particles of Holy Communion.”
Only Orthodox Christians may partake.
Protestant Churches
This is where it is no longer easy to state what even a majority of Protestant practices. Though the above can’t necessarily be true of all Roman Catholics or all Orthodox believers, the structured and liturgical nature of these churches makes it more uniform.
Not so much for the myriad denominations of Protestants.
Some, like Episcopalians, usually use actual wine and communal cups, like Catholic and Orthodox believers. More liturgical churches like the Anglican, Episcopalian, and Lutheran congregations tend to receive communion from church leaders, perhaps kneeling at the altar.
Others, like Baptists, stick to grape juice. Baptist and nondenominational churches often tend to pass around a tray of the elements or allow congregation members to approach tables and self-serve. This stems from a greater focus on an individual’s direct interaction with God, rather than a person approaching the communion through the mediation of a priest or pastor.
Most, though not all, Protestant congregations practice “open communion,” in which anyone who is a believer may partake in communion.
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