Eucharist

===Preparation===
{{Main|Eucharistic discipline}}

====Catholic====
The Catholic Church requires its members to receive the [[Sacraments of the Catholic Church|sacrament]] of [[Sacrament of Penance (Catholic Church)|Penance or Reconciliation]] before taking Communion if they are aware of having committed a [[mortal sin]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P39.HTM|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628182123/https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P39.HTM|url-status=dead|title=Code of Canon Law, canon 916|archivedate=28 June 2011}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=http://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/la/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_jp-ii_apc_19901018_codex-can-eccl-orient-2.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130144307/https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_jp-ii_apc_19901018_codex-can-eccl-orient-2_lt.html#TITULUS_XVI|url-status=dead|title=Codex Canonum Ecclesiarum orientalium, die XVIII Octobris anno MCMXC – Ioannes Paulus PP. II &#124; Ioannes Paulus II|archivedate=30 November 2012|website=www.vatican.va}}</ref> and to prepare by fasting, prayer, and other works of piety.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P39.HTM|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628182123/https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P39.HTM|url-status=dead|title=Code of Canon Law, canon 919|archive-date=28 June 2011}}</ref>

====Eastern Orthodox====
Traditionally, the Eastern Orthodox church has required its members to have observed all church-appointed fasts (most weeks, this will be at least Wednesday and Friday) for the week prior to partaking of communion, and to fast from all food and water from midnight the night before. In addition, Orthodox Christians are to have made a recent confession to their priest (the frequency varying with one's particular priest),<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.orthodoxchristian.info/pages/communion.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080721004058/http://www.orthodoxchristian.info/pages/Communion.htm|url-status=dead|title=Preparing to Receive Holy Communion|archive-date=21 July 2008}}</ref> and they must be at peace with all others, meaning that they hold no grudges or anger against anyone.<ref name="How to Prepare for the Eucharist">{{Cite web|url=http://www.stgeorgegoc.org/eucharist.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509063618/http://www.stgeorgegoc.org/eucharist.html|url-status=dead|title=How to Prepare for the Eucharist|archive-date=9 May 2013}}</ref> In addition, one is expected to attend [[Vespers]] or the [[All-Night Vigil]], if offered, on the night before receiving communion.<ref name="How to Prepare for the Eucharist"/> Furthermore, various pre-communion prayers have been composed, which many (but not all) Orthodox churches require or at least strongly encourage members to say privately before coming to the Eucharist.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stlukeorthodox.com/html/parishinfo/preparation.cfm |title=Preparation for Holy Communion |publisher=Stlukeorthodox.com |date=2001-02-04 |access-date=2019-05-16 |archive-date=25 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130125015935/http://www.stlukeorthodox.com/html/parishinfo/preparation.cfm |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, all this will typically vary from priest to priest and jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but abstaining from food and water for several hours beforehand is a fairly universal rule.

====Protestant confessions====
Many Protestant congregations generally reserve a period of time for self-examination and private, silent confession just before partaking in the Lord's Supper.{{cn|date=September 2023}}