Have People Died from Unworthy Reception of the Eucharist?

Yes, they have. St. Paul assures us this happened in the early days of the Church (1 Cor. 11:23-34).

Some might counter that, in our modern day, they see people in unrepentant mortal sin regularly receive the Eucharist without experiencing a physical death. And yet, as in the similar case of Adam and Eve, there is a much more profound spiritual death when we commit mortal sin that the devil deceived our first parents about when he said they wouldn’t die if they transgressed God’s command. And thus those who receive the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin further compound their bad spiritual state.

Let us pray for their repentance. And commend to God’s mercy those who have died from such unworthy reception of Holy Communion.