Prayers Before Receiving Communion
Canon for preparation for Holy Communion (pdf) To be said the evening before you plan to partake of Holy Communion.
Prayers to be said on the morning you plan to partake of Holy Communion (pdf)
Prayer
of St. John Chrysostom
Lord, Jesus Christ my God, forgive the faults and sins which I, Your
unworthy servant have committed from my youth to this day and hour, whether
knowingly or in ignorance, whether by words, deeds, intentions or thoughts
and whether by habit or through any of my senses. By the prayers of Your
pure and Virgin Mother, make me worthy without condemnation to receive
Your precious, immortal and life-giving Mysteries for the forgiveness
of sins and eternal life. May the Eucharist sanctify, enlighten, strengthen
and heal my soul and body and thus destroy my evil thoughts, intentions
and prejudices. For Yours, Christ our God, is the Kingdom, the power,
the glory, the honor and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
now and forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer of St. John of Damascus
Master and Lord, Jesus Christ our God, You alone have authority to
forgive my sins, whether committed knowingly or in ignorance, and
make me worthy to receive without condemnation Your divine, glorious,
pure and life-giving Mysteries, not for my punishment, but for my
purification and sanctification, now and in Your future Kingdom.
For You, Christ our God are compassionate and love mankind and to
You we give glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit now and forever
and ever. Amen.
Prayers Right Before Communion
I believe and confess, Lord, that You are truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. I also believe that this is truly Your pure Body and that this is truly Your precious Blood. Therefore, I pray to You, have mercy upon me, and forgive my transgressions, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, known and unknown. And make me worthy without condemnation to partake of Your pure Mysteries for the forgiveness of sins and for eternal life. Amen
How shall I, who am unworthy, enter into the splendor of Your saints? If I dare to enter into the bridal chamber, my clothing will accuse me, since it is not a wedding garment; and being bound up, I shall be cast out by the angels. In Your love, Lord, cleanse my soul and save me.
Loving Master, Lord Jesus
Christ, my God, let not these holy Gifts be to my condemnation because
of my unworthiness, but for the cleansing and sanctification of soul and
body and the pledge of the future life and kingdom. It is good for me to
cling to God and to place in Him the hope of my salvation.
Receive me today, Son of God, as a partaker of Your mystical Supper.
I will not reveal Your mystery to Your adversaries. Nor will I give
You a kiss as did Judas. But as the thief I confess to You: Lord,
remember me in Your Kingdom.
Prayers After Receiving Communion
Anonymous
I thank Thee, O Lord my God, that Thou hast not rejected me, a sinner,
but hast granted me to be a communicant of Thy holy Things. I thank Thee
that Thou hast granted me, unworthy as I am, to partake of Thy pure and
heavenly Gifts. But, O Lord, Lover of men, Who didst die for us and rise
again and bestow upon us these Thy dread and life-giving Mysteries for
the well being and sanctification of our souls and bodies, grant that
these may be even to me for the healing of my soul and body, for the
averting of everything hostile, for the enlightenment of the eyes of
my heart, for the peace of the powers of my soul, for unashamed faith,
for sincere love, for the fullness of wisdom, for the keeping of Thy
commandments, for an increase of Thy divine grace, and for familiarity
with Thy Kingdom; that being kept by Them in Thy holiness I may ever
remember Thy grace, and never live for myself but for Thee our Lord and
Benefactor. And so when I have passed from existence here in the hope
of eternal life, may I attain to everlasting rest, where the song is
unceasing of those who keep festival and the joy is boundless of those
who behold the ineffable beauty of Thy face. For Thou art the true desire
and the unutterable gladness of those who love Thee, O Christ our God,
and all creation sings of Thee throughout the ages.
Prayer of St. Basil the Great
Lord Christ our God, King of the ages and Creator of all, I thank Thee
for all the blessings Thou hast granted me and for the communion of Thy
pure and life-giving Mysteries. I pray Thee, therefore, good Lord and
Lover of men, guard me under Thy protection and within the shadow of
Thy wings; and grant me with a clear conscience till my last breath worthily
to partake of Thy holy Things for forgiveness of sins and for life eternal.
For Thou art the Bread of Life, the Source of Holiness, the Giver of
all that is good, and to Thee we send up the glory, with the Father and
the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer of St. Symeon the Translator
O Thou Who givest me willingly Thy Flesh for food,
Thou Who art fire, and burnest the unworthy,
Scorch me not, O my Maker,
But rather pass through me for the integration of my members,
Into all my joints, my affections, and my heart.
Burn up the thorns of all my sins.
Purify my soul, sanctify my mind;
Strengthen my knees and bones;
Enlighten the simplicity of my five senses.
Nail down the whole of me with Thy fear.
Ever protect, guard, and keep me
From every soul-destroying word and act.
Sanctify, purify, attune, and rule me.
Adorn me, give me understanding, and enlighten me.
Make me the habitation of Thy Spirit alone,
And no longer a habitation of sin,
That as Thy house from the entry of communion
Every evil spirit and passion may flee from me like fire.
I offer Thee as intercessors all the sanctified,
The Commanders of the Bodiless Hosts,
Thy Forerunner, the wise Apostles,
And Thy pure and immaculate Mother.
Receive their prayers, my compassionate Christ.
And make Thy slave a child of light.
For Thou alone art our sanctification, O Good One,
And the radiance of our souls,
And to Thee as our Lord and God as is right
We all give glory day and night.
Anonymous
May Thy Holy Body, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, be to me for eternal life,
and Thy Precious Blood for forgiveness of sins. And may this Eucharist
be to me for joy, health, and gladness. And in Thy awful second coming,
make me, a sinner, worthy to stand on the right hand of Thy glory, through
the intercessions of Thy holy and most pure Mother and of all Thy Saints.
Amen.
To the Most Holy Mother of God
All-holy Lady, Mother of God, the light of my darkened soul, my hope and
protection, my refuge and consolation, and my joy, I thank thee that
thou hast made me, who am unworthy, worthy to be a communicant of the
immaculate Body and precious Blood of thy Son. But do thou who didst
bear the true Light enlighten the spiritual eyes of my heart. O thou
who didst conceive the Source of Immortality, give life to me who am
dead in sin. O thou who art the compassionately loving Mother of the
merciful God, have mercy on me and give me compunction and contrition
of heart, humility in my thoughts, and the recall of my reasoning powers
from their captivity. And grant me till my last breath to receive without
condemnation the sanctification of the Holy Mysteries for the healing
of soul and body. And give me tears of repentance and confession, and
of thanksgiving, that I may praise and glorify thee all the days of my
life. For thou art blessed and glorified for ever. Amen.
Then the Song of Symeon is said:
Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, O Lord, according to Thy
word. For my eyes have seen Thy salvation which Thou hast prepared in
the sight of all peoples, the light of revelation for the Gentiles, and
the glory of Thy people Israel.