Author: fr. Vassilios B.

In Greece, until around the 1980s, it was unthinkable for a Greek Orthodox Christian to receive Holy Communion without having fasted for seven days, or at least three days beforehand.  However, certain circles in our country campaigned vigorously to abolish this particular fasting practice, invoking various arguments. They even went so far as to claim…

Theologians and priests everywhere, in Greece, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, America, and elsewhere, in order to support the view that fasting before Holy Communion is not required, put forward a single argument: “There is no Sacred Canon.” And this is true. But the question is, why? Canons were established whenever a problem arose, in order…

Explore Orthodox Church tradition and the historical practice of fasting before Communion. When we ask whether fasting is necessary before Holy Communion, it is as though we were asking whether we need to prepare our home when the King is about to visit us. How much more so when the One who is about to…

Discover how fasting purifies the soul and mind, preparing us for true theology, according to the Holy Fathers. In the time of Saint Gregory the Theologian, the daily conversations of the citizens of Constantinople revolved around theological matters concerning the Divinity of Christ and the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. To our ears, such discussions…

The Lord said: “However, this kind (of demons) does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17:21) Thus, the Lord Himself reveals that fasting possesses such great power that it drives away demons—our worst enemies. But why is this so? “He fears it like the devil fears incense,” says a popular proverb. The…

Discover how Christian fasting expresses love, sacrifice, and devotion to Christ through the teachings of the Church. Let us suppose that a father has two children. One of them does whatever he likes, without asking himself whether what he does is pleasing to his father. The other is careful. He does everything he can to…

The act of sin contains pleasure within it. For example, when a thief steals, he experiences pleasure. When an adulterer commits adultery, he experiences pleasure. And because fasting involves pain and deprivation, it is considered a “counterbalance” to pleasure, and thus the forgiveness of sin comes about. What is eternal Hell? Eternal payment for sins!…

A full stomach, an empty soul; an empty stomach, a full soul. “Mysterious” things. Let us examine them briefly. Man consists of body and soul. These two elements are so closely connected to each other that, in this earthly life, neither can exist without the other, and for this reason, each directly affects the other.…