The Sacraments

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef

156 questions in 25 topics

Topics

Confession 37Baptism 35Holy Communion 20Priesthood 13Confession Father 9Eucharist 9Crowning Ceremony 4Annulment 3Holy Sacraments 3Infant Baptism 3Menstruation and Eucharist 3Purification 3Holy Myron 2Absolution 1Catechumens 1Excommunication 1Fasting Before Communion 1Holy Bread 1Judas and Eucharist 1Location of Crowning Ceremony 1Oblations 1Ordination 1Rational Sacrifice 1Rebaptism 1Transubstantiation 1

All questions in this theme

• QAbsolutionIf my wife and I received an absolution from a Coptic orthodox priest 30+ years ago because my wife, who is Orthodox married me, a Catholic husband in a Catholic Church,…
• QAnnulmentIs it right to annul a marriage if before the marriage, the wife doesn't tell that she is unable to have kids?
• QAnnulmentAnnulment: Does the Coptic Church recognize a divorce if the marriage was financially, emotionally, and physically/sexually abusive? What about if both parties were too…
• QAnnulmentMy wife and I have been married for almost a year and we still have not had a physical relationship. She has given me hints that she does not want to be intimate. Is it…
• QBaptism"Salvation in the Orthodox Concept" by Pope Shenouda 111, states that it is an individual's faith which makes him eligible for baptism. How then can a baby be baptized?…
• QBaptismThe thief who was on the right side of the Lord Jesus Christ entered the Kingdom of Heaven without Baptism. How do you justify that? Doesn't that prove that it is by…
• QBaptismWhy does the Church baptize boys after 40 days, and girls after 80 days?
• QBaptismIn Acts 2:36-39, Baptism took place after conviction of sin and repentance. There is no mention of Baptism at infancy as is the case at our church. Colossians 2:11,12,…
• QBaptismThe Lord Jesus Christ was not baptized as a baby because a baby does not know how to distinguish between good and evil. Although Lord Jesus Christ had no evil in Him, yet…
• QBaptismIs the Lord's commandment in the Holy Book of Genesis 17 (regarding circumcision and eight day old boys) a symbol of Baptism at Infancy?
• QBaptismI have met someone who claims she has recently converted to Christianity, but does not know what baptism is. She claims she has become Christian simply by believing in…
• QBaptism" Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all ?" (I Cor 15:29). What is "Baptism for the dead"? Could Your Grace please…
• QBaptismWhat is the Orthodox view on the "Baptism of the Spirit"? Is it always accompanied with "the speaking in tongues"? St. Paul talks about it a lot and confirms it,…
• QBaptismWhy doesn’t the Orthodox church accept the following viewpoints : a) the water our Lord Jesus refers to in “being born of the water” (John 3:1-7) is the water in the…
• QBaptismIs Baptism necessary for salvation?
• QBaptismIn your article on baptism you state the reasons for waiting forty and eighty days. Does the Coptic Church follow this Old Testament based teaching?
• QBaptismIn the Holy Book of Acts 19 Paul called St John's baptism as one for the remission of sins and he baptized them again (verse 5) following that with the laying of his…
• QBaptismIf a woman, tricked her husband and their parish priest into thinking that she truly had faith in Christ and continued this deceit until after she had been baptized and…
• QBaptismIs a forced baptism or a baptism conferred on a deep sleeping person or someone in a coma ever considered a valid Baptism? It appears that the church has used forced…
• QBaptismHow would the Coptic Orthodox Church receive someone who has been baptized at the protestant church and Chrismated at the Eastern Orthodox Church?
• QBaptismDoes the Coptic Orthodox Church consider Chaldean Catholic Baptism valid?
• QBaptismDoes a Catholic or a Protestant (Lutheran) have to be baptized in the Coptic Orthodox Church to be able to marry in the Orthodox Church?
• QBaptismhttp://www.fairlds.org/apol/misc/misc23.html, is a Mormon web site defending their practice of baptism for the dead. I know our church does not practice baptism for the…
• QBaptism" This is He who came by water and blood Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth " (1…
• QBaptism" The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit " (John…
• QBaptismIs water baptism a requirement for salvation?
• QBaptismJohn the Baptist was sure of baptizing the Lord. He saw the Dove and the Sound saying, " This is My Beloved Son.... " (Matthew 3:17) Later on he sent some of his…
• QBaptismI have a friend that asked me if a person would have to be baptized over if they were converting into another denomination but still under Christianity; I did not really…
• QBaptismI had a question regarding the wait after birth for women. I know for baby boys, it is 40 days and for baby girls, 80 days. But, if we are no longer following Moses' law,…
• QBaptismI've been hearing a lot about a second baptism. I was baptized as a baby and not as a grown up to make my own decision. Does God command us to be baptized when we are…
• QBaptismI love this quote from H.H. Pope Shenouda III: "One should then meet with God within oneself, not outside, for many seek Him here or there while He is within them and…
• QBaptismWhy did Jesus get baptized, and why specifically in the Jordan River? Does it have to do with the scrolls that Satan threw in the river?
• QBaptismIf Jesus Christ was baptized for our sins in his baptism, and removed the original, when we are baptized we are uniting with him and accepting what He did for us in the…
• QBaptismJesus was baptized only for being anointed as the Messiah (the High Priest, King of kings, and the Prophet) or for other reasons too? I thought Jesus was baptized to show…
• QBaptismWhen were the disciples of our Lord baptized? Did the people that God saved from hell get baptized in order to enter paradise?
• QBaptismSome say that when Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, that was their baptism?
• QBaptismI thought St. John's baptism was for repentance; so, it does not count as the same baptism as Christ's baptism (Acts 19:5)?
• QBaptismIn baptism, we know that the old man dies (as mentioned by St. Paul in Romans 6), and we rise with Christ. What exactly dies (or what is the old man composed of)? Does…
• QBaptismCan my son have his child baptized in the Coptic Church? My son was baptized in the Coptic Church and his wife in the Roman Catholic Church. My daughter-in-law wants…
• QCatechumensWhy is the traditional practice of the early church regarding catechumens not exercised in our church anymore?
• QConfessionIs there any reference in the Holy Bible to confession as being necessary before partaking of Holy Communion? Also, is there a reference to confessing our sins to a…
• QConfessionMany denominations do not have "Confession" and do not believe it to be essential for their "Salvation." Why does the Coptic Orthodox Church believe in "Confession?"
• QConfessionHow does one go about finding a truly spiritual Father of Confession? Not all priests take the spiritual life as seriously as a person may desire. In such a case, should…
• QConfessionAfter I confess and repent, I fall into despair and feel worse than I did before confessing. I go home feeling like I am the biggest sinner and not worthy to be God's…
• QConfessionAt confession, if we inadvertently forget to confess a sin to our spiritual father, are we still forgiven for that sin through the absolution given by the priest?
• QConfessionIn the Holy Gospel of St. John, it says, " If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them, if you retain the sins of any, they are retained " (John 20:23).…
• QConfessionI do not want to confess because I feel embarrassed. What can I do?
• QConfessionIs it true that you can confess through e-mail? For example, if a priest or bishop you were comfortable with lived far away, could you e-mail them your "sins."
• QConfessionWhen two priest differ in their opinion on the same issue concerning a major decision in life (the choice of your partner in marriage), who do you believe; and who of the…
• QConfessionIn the Mystery of Confession, must the priest understand the sin of the confessor in order for the latter to be forgiven even though the absolution is read?
• QConfessionWhat happens if I repent for my sins but don't take the next step of confessing?
• QConfessionTwo years ago, my friend practiced oral sex, but didn't confess it. What is the church's view on that? What will happen to my friend if he does not confess his sin?
• QConfessionRecently, I have been trying to correct mistakes I have made in my life; and I know I have some sins to confess. I am a 19 year old male, a recent convert into Coptic…
• QConfessionI am 17 years old and I do not have a Father of Confession. I used to believe that I do not need a Father of Confession, and that I could just "confess" to God. But now I…
• QConfessionI love my Father of confession dearly; and I feel he truly cares about me. However, because he works hard serving his people, he is usually exhausted when I go for…
• QConfessionI find myself continually trying to recall sins that I have forgotten to confess. While doing so, I get wrapped up in sins that I have already confessed/repented of.…
• QConfessionI have been wondering if confession on the phone is acceptable if your confessor father agrees to it.
• QConfessionWhy do I have to confess to a priest? Isn't it enough to confess directly to God?
• QConfessionIf I were to confess to any priest I would confess much more often to different priests. This way I would be confessing to God without having to worry about one…
• QConfessionCan a priest pray the absolution for a person who has committed a capital murder, given that that person did not surrender his actions to local authorities? Our…
• QConfessionDoes the Holy Spirit come into the heart of the confession father during the sacrament of confession to: Prevent him from saying or making ANY mistakes? Prepare him to…
• QConfessionI've lost my virginity and regret it everyday. I've decided that I am going to wait till marriage to have sex again and to start getting closer to my faith. I know the…
• QConfessionCan a Coptic Orthodox member confess to a Greek Orthodox priest instead of a Coptic Orthodox priest?
• QConfessionI have been having Confession seriously since childhood. Recently, I have been struggling with a couple of issues. I tried listening to sermons and going on the Q & A…
• QConfessionAt what age should anyone start to confess and why?
• QConfessionWhen I confess, for example, if I had watched something inappropriate, I would tell my father of confession, "I watched inappropriate things," or if I swear, for example,…
• QConfessionOutside of confession with my spiritual father, is it okay to vent or express my emotions to others, such as to family or close friends, regarding situations in my life…
• QConfessionDue to the pandemic, I will confess today on the phone. Is it truly a sacrament? Is the absolution completely valid as if we were in person?
• QConfessionI am a Coptic Orthodox Christian from the Eritrean Orthodox Church. I have recently started to confess. With the grace of God, I have also taken Holy Communion. But, each…
• QConfessionIs it a sin if I confess but do not say a certain confession, even if I never feel ready to talk to my priest about this sin? I still have to say it right? I am really…
• QConfessionWhy does it matter if you confess to a priest instead of directly to God even when you feel remorse for your sins and confess to someone else? St. Moses the Strong never…
• QConfessionI am wondering, will God forgive my past sins? In my past job, I used to have my breaks longer than usually which means that I was not working the total hours for which I…
• QConfessionRegarding making confession time only for confession, what if what I need advice in is directly related to what I am confessing? Moreover, would it be okay to continue…
• QConfessionI come to you with a question that has been weighing heavily on my heart, and that has taken much peace from me. There have been certain thoughts that I have been…
• QConfessionIn the Holy Mystery of Confession, is the priest bound by the seal of Confession or are there circumstances where the priest can reveal, such as murder or rape, the sin…
• QConfessionWhy do we have to practice confession? I had a Father Confessor for many years, but he is not the role model I have always looked up to. I have lost my respect and…
• QConfessionI have been to confession twice. I was told it is okay to go every 3-4 weeks. I previously was going every two, I feel like three weeks is too long and I am afraid that I…
• QConfession FatherI really do not feel comfortable when I talk to the priest in the States but sometimes I have to go to him not just to confess, but because I need someone trustworthy to…
• QConfession FatherI currently do not have a father of confession for reasons such as language and cultural barriers. I have not been able to build trust with the priest of my church. I…
• QConfession FatherFor the last few months, neither my friend nor I have been able to confess to our father of confession for several reasons. Our first reason is because of the language…
• QConfession FatherHow do you react to a spiritual father who seems to be neglecting or avoiding a person?
• QConfession FatherEver since my father of confession moved to a different church, I feel like our relationship has faded away. When I confess, I don't feel like we are comfortable anymore…
• QConfession FatherI have been struggling in my confessions. I am not comfortable with my father of confession because he is not helping me at all. I want to grow in my spiritual life but I…
• QConfession FatherGreetings, I am a member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Sweden. I have converted to Orthodoxy as an adult. My spiritual father, whom I love, and most of our…
• QConfession FatherIf one's father is a priest, is that person allowed to confess to him? If so, does the rule apply to other Oriental Orthodox Churches?
• QConfession FatherI love my father of confession and he has helped me many times. However, lately I feel that he has been getting more and more busy (though this may just be for these days…
• QCrowning CeremonyWhat is the interpretation of the wedding ceremony, in specific, the role of the priest(s) and the key parts of the ceremony and symbolism behind it? What are the…
• QCrowning CeremonyIf one was engaged in any kind of adulterous activity, like sex with his girlfriend, masturbation, watching pornography, and so on, but at last, needed to marry and have…
• QCrowning CeremonyIn Malachi 2:14, marriage is described as a covenant. However, I am unable to find any mention of "covenant" in the Crowning Ceremony Prayer. How come this element of…
• QCrowning CeremonyCould you please explain to me the prayers said to a bride and groom during their wedding ceremony? The prayers said to a groom on how he should behave towards his wife…
• QCrowning Ceremony: Location of Crowning CeremonyDoes a marriage have to take place at a Coptic Orthodox Church. Is it possible to get married at a resort or at another spot?
• QEucharistWhy did Christ choose to institute the Eucharist on the Thursday before His Crucifixion instead of after His Resurrection?
• QEucharistWhat is the nature of the Eucharist? Catholics believe a molecular change happens to the bread and wine as the priest blesses it; and it literally becomes Christ's body…
• QEucharistShould we expose our small children to the terms "Body and Blood" when they are about to receive Holy Communion or is it alright to use other names such as juice or soup…
• QEucharistHow can I explain to my Protestant friends my Coptic Church's view on the Holy Eucharist?
• QEucharistMy understanding is that in the Eucharist, Christ's Human Nature and Divine Nature are united, is this correct?
• QEucharistPlease explain the process in which the priest/bishop picks the Holy Bread for the Holy Communion and its symbolism/significance.
• QEucharistWhy is it that the Church (the clergy of the church) advocates that people must go to confession before partaking of the Eucharist? In fact, for a church that prides…
• QEucharistI know that the deacon covers his eyes during the priest's confession because no one is worthy to look at the Holy Body and Blood. I am just asking if it is okay to take…
• QEucharistWhy does our church believe in closed Communion? I have asked this question to family members and different priests and keep receiving different answers. I understand why…
• QExcommunicationWhat is the excommunication procedure for the oriental orthodox churches? Do they practice shunning? Would anyone be expected to shun family members whom they rely on?…
• QFasting Before CommunionIsn’t fasting a decision made by a person according to his spiritual level? In the Catholic Church, it is logical that you shall not eat one hour before communion.
• QHoly BreadWhat is the Church's view regarding a woman's eating of the holy bread, not picked for consecration, during her menstrual period?
• QHoly CommunionWhat is the Orthodox Church belief concerning Eucharist? Do we eat Christ’s body and blood in the PHYSICAL SENSE (i.e. skin cells, platelets, etc), in the spiritual…
• QHoly CommunionThe Holy Bible admonishes us from receiving Holy Communion unworthily. How should we then prepare ourselves for Holy Communion; and how often must one confess?
• QHoly CommunionIf a man commits adultery and his wife divorces him, will he be able to receive Holy Communion if he shows true repentance?
• QHoly CommunionWhich verses in the Holy Bible prove that Holy Communion is the true Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ?
• QHoly CommunionIs it correct or incorrect to make the sign of the cross after receiving the Holy Communion?
• QHoly CommunionIn the Holy Book of 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 and throughout the Holy Bible, leavened bread is used in a negative sense. Why do we not use unleavened bread instead for Holy…
• QHoly CommunionSince Holy Communion is a very great and blessed spiritual gift from our Lord Jesus Christ that is required for our forgiveness of sins, salvation, and for spiritual…
• QHoly CommunionWhat is your opinion regarding the following excerpt from a book written by a Copt.
• QHoly CommunionI have a number of questions that I would like your Grace to answer in the order I present them. After partaking of Holy Communion;does the Body and Blood of our Lord get…
• QHoly CommunionCan a woman take the communion by herself alone if her husband is not ready to take it? Can she take it individually and still live with her husband?
• QHoly CommunionI notice that when the congregation partakes of the holy blood that the same spoon is given to every member. The thought of catching herpes or some other disease from the…
• QHoly CommunionI am currently going to a Coptic Orthodox Church on Sundays and I do love the Orthodox Church. I was never before and am not a part of a specific denomination now, but…
• QHoly CommunionWhy 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,…
• QHoly CommunionI live in Norway and have known a woman for six who lives with her children. She is an active participant in the church. She serves and her children do the same. Once up…
• QHoly CommunionHow are the sacraments driven to keep our personal bodies as temples, and as a result, the body of Christ (the church community) kept holy as well?
• QHoly CommunionIt says that if one partakes of Holy Communion unworthily, they eat and drink damnation upon themselves. If someone does take communion unworthily, can they repent and…
• QHoly CommunionWhy does God prefer to give us the mystery like Communion rather than showing us how He does it?
• QHoly CommunionIf you are clean the night before church, but in the morning, you are unclean for a man such as expulsion of semen. Are you forbidden to take Holy Communion?
• QHoly CommunionBesides the fact that communion is a sacrament, what biblical references do we have that only a priest or bishop is allowed to lay hands, bless, break and administer the…
• QHoly CommunionCan you repent and be forgiven if you take Holy Communion unworthily?
• QHoly MyronWhen and why did the church decide that the Holy Spirit be received through the Holy Myron instead of simply by the "laying of hands" as the Apostles did?
• QHoly MyronWhat is the significance of holy oil and holy water?
• QHoly SacramentsA question about the Baptism and Myron arose in a discussion. It is understood that Philip (the deacon) did not have the authority to give the Holy Spirit; so when he…
• QHoly SacramentsPlease explain 1 John 5:6-12, mainly verses 6-8. The Orthodox Study Bible talks about the Sacraments of Chrismation, Baptism, and Eucharist, but clarification would be…
• QHoly SacramentsWhat are the 7 Sacraments existing in the church and which are mandatory to reach Heaven?
• QInfant BaptismI have the hardest time accepting the Orthodox view on Baptism at infancy. I think the requirements and benefits of Baptism can’t apply to infants. I think it is rash to…
• QInfant BaptismI am a Roman Catholic currently interested in knowing more about Infant Baptism from both scriptural and historical perspectives. I found the information on the Southern…
• QInfant BaptismA non-Christian doctor was asking why we baptize new born babies and what sins do they have?
• QJudas and Eucharist" But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table " (Luke 22:21). I thought that Judas was not with them for the Holy Communion after the Passover Meal. Could…
• QMenstruation and EucharistI am an Orthodox Christian and wish to offer some input on your response to a question regarding Menstruation and Holy Communion. Please see the passage below. My own…
• QMenstruation and EucharistWhy women can not have communion during their menstrual cycle?
• QMenstruation and EucharistWhat is the biblical reason why women cannot take communion when they have their period?
• QOblationsHow can I answer our youth when they ask why do we offer our specific oblations with a certain shape and symbols? What do these symbols mean? Why can it not be any loaf…
• QOrdinationTo my understanding, the mystery of holy Priesthood is normally conferred in consecutive steps with one normally ordained to the Diaconate first before being ordained a…
• QPriesthoodWhy do Bishops and Priests wear black?
• QPriesthoodIs the official ecclesiastical opinion for an Orthodox priest or bishop only established by Church council or by revelation of the Holy Spirit followed by submission to…
• QPriesthoodHow does a bishop get to know who to choose to ordain as a priest?
• QPriesthoodWhat seminaries prepare laypersons for ordination in the Coptic Church? Any in Florida?
• QPriesthoodIf the Bible itself teaches us not to live luxurious lives filled with earthly materials, why do our own religious leaders such as priests have some of the most expensive…
• QPriesthoodMy brother and I were always under the same impression that a priest is called by God through the Holy Spirit, instead of being chosen by a congregation. In the back of…
• QPriesthoodAre priests allowed to “retire” from their service or limit their willingness to serve to the point where their congregation is suffering as a result?
• QPriesthoodCan priests trim their beards? How about monks? What is the meaning behind the beard and how did it originate?
• QPriesthoodWhen can a priest remarry and in what situation?
• QPriesthoodWhy is a priest allowed to marry?
• QPriesthoodIf a father's son becomes a priest, will the father call his son "father" or "son"?
• QPriesthoodIs it right to have two people get married for the sake of making the guy a priest for the church and to keep the girl as an asset to the specific church? I have seen it…
• QPriesthoodCan a priest become a president and still be a priest?
• QPurificationWhy are women to refrain from taking the blessing of the Holy Communion during periods of menstruation? Why are girls baptized after 80 days and boys after only 40 days?
• QPurificationWhy is the purification period eighty days after the birth of a girl while it is only fourty days after the birth of a boy?
• QPurificationAfter delivery, why are women not allowed to receive Holy Communion except after a definitive number of days (forty for a baby boy and eighty for a baby girl)?
• QRational SacrificeWhat is "rational sacrifice" referred to in the Divine Liturgy?
• QRebaptismIs re-baptizing, for the purpose of rededicating oneself, a church legitimized practice? If not, why not? How can one undo the rebaptism?
• QTransubstantiationDoes the Coptic Church believe in the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ? Could you please elaborate on our church's stance on…

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.