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Questions & Answers

Holy Communion

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › The Sacraments › Holy Communion

The question

Why does the wine (that later turns into the blood of Christ) in which we partake during Holy Communion have a percentage of alcohol in it? Why does it have to be wine, why not grape juice? I know the wine the Church uses has a small alcoholic percentage. So why do we not just use alcohol-free wine since this is better for infants anyway?

The answer

Alcohol is a byproduct of fermented grapes. Our Lord Jesus Christ used wine, not grape juice, when He instituted the Holy Eucharist. Be assured that the amount of alcohol in the wine that our Church uses in the Holy Communion is not in any way intoxicating or harmful to infants or children. The Church endeavors to preserve all the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, if the Lord used these same components to institute the Holy Mystery of the Eucharist, we trust and follow the same tradition without change or alteration.

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

Related questions

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 2193 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.