Pope Shenouda III
Prostration is in fact a series of successive prostration accompanied by short prayers.
The Church combines prostration with abstinence from food for a number of hours. Thus, on days when abstinence is not allowed, -e.g. feast days, Saturdays, Sundays, and the fifty days following Easter- then prostration are also not permissible. A belly full of food is not fit spiritually or bodily for prostration. Prostration are therefore better observed in the early morning or at any time during fasting before food is eaten.
