Pre-Communion prayers: timing

[Christopher Dombrowski]

I'm wondering if anyone has researched at all reasoning behind the timing of the performance of the pre-communion prayers for our individual communion preparation rule (our corporate I guess if in a monastery)? I've seen groups who do the prayers before the Saturday night Vespers/Vigil. I've seen some who say them as a part of their nightly reposing prayers. And I've also seen some who do them before Liturgy on Sunday morning. Is there any reasoning behind these different approaches? Or is it simply about what one is most comfortable with?

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

I'm wondering if anyone has researched at all reasoning behind the timing of the performance of the pre-communion prayers for our individual communion preparation rule (our corporate I guess if in a monastery)? I've seen groups who do the prayers before the Saturday night Vespers/Vigil. I've seen some who say them as a part of their nightly reposing prayers. And I've also seen some who do them before Liturgy on Sunday morning. Is there any reasoning behind these different approaches? Or is it simply about what one is most comfortable with?


One always wants to do the rule in a prayerful spirit so when one would say it would also depend on a time most appropriate for this. For example some say the rule during the day before the Liturgy because after the evening Vigil fatigue (plus an evening meal) would prevent them from being able to concentrate properly on the prayers.

But again this would vary from person to person. Consult your priest.

In Christ- Fr Raphael