We continue the translation of the book by Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite and Saint Macarius of Corinth, «The Book Beneficial to the Soul Concerning Continual Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.»

Some, fearing atheism, call it a heresy when someone receives Communion continually. They say that just as those who receive Baptism outside the tradition of the Church are heretics, so too are those who receive Communion continually heretics.

We, to tell the truth, do not know what to answer to these insolent words. Except only this: that, according to this opinion, heretics are not only all those saints who urged the faithful to approach the Divine Communion, but also those who accept their words. And likewise — oh, what blasphemy! — all the priests who daily serve and receive Communion. Above all — Saint Apollos, who was widely renowned for his holiness and had five thousand disciples under his obedience. Of him the divine Jerome writes, who himself came and saw him: «After we had completed the prayer, they, having washed our feet and set out a meal, gave us a kiss of soul and body, that is, together with them we partook of the Divine Mysteries, which they do every day.

Then, after the meal, we rested, while they, withdrawing into the wilderness, prayed on bended knee until morning, until the time came for the church assembly. And after the ninth hour and Vespers they received Communion, and after Communion some sat down to eat, while others, more zealous, withdrew into stillness, living only by the power of the Holy Communion. The ever-memorable elder gave us many instructions beneficial to the soul, especially that we should receive the Divine Mysteries daily and receive travelers as angels of God, after the manner of Abraham, Lot, and others like them, for on these two commandments all the Law and the Prophets are established» (Matt. 22:40).

Therefore, since the whole assembly of the divine fathers consists, by common acknowledgment, of saints and true servants of Christ, it follows from this that those who put forward such an objection, which contradicts what has been said above, set themselves against both the apostles and the Ecumenical and Local holy Councils, and also against the holy fathers. And not only against them, but against the Lord Himself, Who says: «Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life,» and also: «Do this in remembrance of Me,» that is, every day and always, as the divine Chrysostom interprets it, of which we spoke earlier.

Saint Timothy of Alexandria even permits the demon-possessed to receive Communion every Sunday, if they do not blaspheme the Divine Gifts. He says: «A faithful person who is demon-possessed, if he does not profane the Mysteries, nor blaspheme in any other way, then let him receive Communion, but not every day: it is enough for him only on Sundays.» (Abba Cassian, in the «Evergetinos,» says that Holy Communion was given to the demon-possessed and was never forbidden them by the ancient elders, and that the Holy Gifts are given not as food for the demon but, rather, for the cleansing of soul and body and for the burning away of the evil spirit dwelling in the members of the human body; and that if we forbid Communion to the demon-possessed, we thereby give the demon occasion to act in them more often and more grievously, through depriving them of the help of God that is granted through the Divine Communion.»)

And whereas the divine fathers receive into the Communion of the Divine Mysteries without ceasing not only the healthy but also the demon-possessed, these blessed ones do not even receive those who are of sound mind, but demand that they appear more lawful than the law.