Isn't it time for us all to learn how to confess correctly? Archimandrite Markell (Pavuk) answers the questions.

– A large number of people don’t know what to repent of. Many go to confession and remain silent, waiting for leading questions from the priests. Why does this happen and what does an Orthodox Christian need to repent of?

– Usually people don’t know what to repent of for several reasons:

1. They lead a distracted life (busy with thousands of things), and they have no time to take care of themselves, look into their souls and see what is wrong there. Nowadays there are 90% of such people, if not more.

2. Many suffer from high self-esteem, that is, they are proud, and therefore are more inclined to notice and condemn other people’s sins and shortcomings than their own.

3. Neither their parents, nor teachers, nor priests taught them what and how to repent.

And an Orthodox Christian should repent, first of all, of what his conscience denounces him of. It is best to build a confession according to the Ten Commandments of God. That is, during Confession, we must first talk about what we have sinned against God (these could be sins of unbelief, lack of faith, superstition, deity, oaths), then repent of sins against our neighbors (disrespect, inattention to parents, disobedience to them, deception, cunning, condemnation, anger against neighbors, hostility, arrogance, pride, vanity, stinginess, theft, seducing others into sin, fornication, etc.). I advise you to read the book “To Help the Penitent,” compiled by St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov). The work of Elder John Krestyankin presents a sample of confession according to the Ten Commandments of God. Based on these works, you can compose your own informal confession.

– How detailed should you talk about your sins during confession?

– It all depends on the degree of your repentance for your sins. If a person has determined in his heart not to return to this or that sin again, then he tries to uproot it and therefore describes everything to the smallest detail. And if a person repents formally, then he gets something like: “I sinned in deed, in word, in thought.” The exception to this rule is the sins of fornication. In this case, there is no need to describe the details. If the priest feels that a person is indifferent even to such sins, then he can ask additional questions in order to shame such a person at least a little and encourage him to true repentance.

– If you don’t feel at ease after confession, what does that mean?

– This may indicate that there was no genuine repentance, confession was made without heartfelt contrition, but only a formal listing of sins with an unwillingness to change one’s life and not sin again. True, sometimes the Lord does not immediately give a feeling of lightness, so that a person does not become proud and immediately fall into the same sins again. Ease also does not immediately come if a person confesses old, deeply rooted sins. For ease to come, you need to shed a lot of tears of repentance.

– If you went to confession at Vespers, and after the service you managed to sin, do you need to go to confession again in the morning?

– If these are prodigal sins, anger or drunkenness, then you definitely need to repent of them again and even ask the priest for penance, so as not to commit previous sins so quickly. If sins of another kind have been committed (judgment, laziness, verbosity), then during the evening or morning prayer rule sincerely ask the Lord for forgiveness for the sins committed, and at the next confession, confess them.

– If during confession you forgot to mention some sin, and then after a while you remembered it, do you need to go to the priest again and talk about it?

– If there is such an opportunity and the priest is not very busy, then he will even rejoice for your diligence, but if there is no such opportunity, then you need to write down this sin so as not to forget it again, and repent of it during the next confession.

– How to learn to see your sins?

– A person begins to see his sins when he stops judging other people. In addition, seeing one’s weakness, as St. Simeon the New Theologian writes, teaches one to carefully fulfill God’s commandments. As long as a person does one thing and neglects the other, he will not be able to feel what a wound his sins inflict on his soul.

– What to do with the feeling of shame during confession, with the desire to obscure and hide your sin? Will this hidden sin be forgiven by God?

– Shame in confession is a natural feeling, which indicates that a person’s conscience is alive. It's worse when there is no shame. But the main thing is that shame does not reduce our confession to formality, when we confess one thing and hide another. It is unlikely that the Lord will be pleased with such a confession. And every priest always feels when a person is hiding something and formalizing his confession. For him, this child ceases to be dear, one for whom he is always eagerly ready to pray. And, conversely, regardless of the severity of the sin, the deeper the repentance, the more the priest rejoices for the repentant. Not only the priest, but also the Angels in heaven rejoice for a sincerely repentant person.

– Is it necessary to confess a sin that you are absolutely sure to commit in the near future? How to hate sin?

– The Holy Fathers teach that the greatest sin is unrepentant sin. Even if we do not feel the strength to fight sin, we still need to resort to the Sacrament of Repentance. With God's help, if not immediately, then gradually we will be able to overcome the sin that has taken root in us. But don't overestimate yourself too much. If we lead a correct spiritual life, we will never be able to feel completely sinless. The fact is that we are all compliant, that is, we very easily fall into all kinds of sins, no matter how many times we repent of them. Each of our confessions is a kind of shower (bath) for the soul. If we constantly take care of the purity of our body, then all the more we need to take care of the purity of our soul, which is much more expensive than the body. So, no matter how many times we sin, we must immediately run to confession. And if a person does not repent of repeated sins, then they will entail other, more serious offenses. For example, someone is used to lying about little things all the time. If he does not repent of this, then in the end he may not only deceive, but also betray other people. Remember what happened to Judas. He first quietly stole money from the donation box, and then betrayed Christ Himself.

A person can hate sin only by fully experiencing the sweetness of God’s grace. While a person’s sense of grace is weak, it is difficult for him not to fall into a sin for which he has recently repented. The sweetness of sin in such a person turns out to be stronger than the sweetness of grace. Therefore, the holy fathers and especially Venerable Seraphim Sarovsky insists that main goal Christian life must be the acquisition of the grace of the Holy Spirit.

– If a priest tears up a note with sins without looking at it, are these sins considered forgiven?

– If the priest is perspicacious and knows how to read what is written in the note without looking into it, then, thank God, all sins are forgiven. If the priest does this because of his haste, indifference and inattention, then it is better to go to confession to another or, if this is not possible, confess your sins out loud, without writing them down.

– Is there a Orthodox Church general confession? How to feel about this practice?

– General confession, during which they read special prayers from the Trebnik, usually held before individual confession. Saint righteous John Kronstadtsky practiced general confession without individual confession, but he did this forcedly because of the multitude of people who came to him for consolation. Purely physically, due to human weakness, he did not have enough strength to listen to everyone. IN Soviet time Sometimes such confessions were also practiced, when there was one church for an entire city or region. Nowadays, when the number of churches and clergy has increased significantly, there is no need to make do with one general confession without individual. We are ready to listen to everyone, as long as there is sincere repentance.

Archimandrite Markell (Pavuk)
Interviewed by Natalya Goroshkova
Orthodox Life

Viewed (3388) times

The question of Communion of the laity throughout the year and especially on Easter, Bright Week and during the period of Pentecost seems controversial to many. If no one doubts that on the day of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ in Holy Thursday We all take communion, but there are different points of view about Communion on Easter. Supporters and opponents find confirmation of their arguments in various fathers and teachers of the Church, and indicate their pros and cons.

The practice of Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ in the fifteen Local Orthodox Churches varies in time and space. The fact is that this practice is not an article of faith. Opinions of individual Church fathers and teachers different countries and eras are perceived as theologomene, that is, as a private point of view, therefore, at the level of individual parishes, communities and monasteries, a lot depends on the specific abbot, abbot or confessor. There are also direct resolutions of the Ecumenical Councils on this subject.

During fasting, no questions arise: we all receive communion, purely preparing ourselves through fasting, prayer, and acts of repentance; that’s why we tithe the yearly circle of time - Lent. But how to receive communion on Holy Week and during the period of Pentecost?
Let's turn to practice ancient Church. “They continued constantly in the teaching of the Apostles, in fellowship and in the breaking of bread and in prayer” (Acts 2:42), that is, they constantly received communion. And the entire book of Acts says that the first Christians of the apostolic age received communion constantly. Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ was for them a symbol of life in Christ and an essential moment of salvation, the most important thing in this fast-flowing life. Communion was everything to them. This is what the Apostle Paul says: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). Constantly partaking of the Holy Body and Blood, Christians of the early centuries were ready both to live in Christ and to die for the sake of Christ, as evidenced by acts of martyrdom.

Naturally, all Christians gathered around the common Eucharistic Cup on Easter. But it should be noted that at first there was no fasting before Communion at all; first there was a common meal, prayer, and sermon. We read about this in the letters of the Apostle Paul and in Acts.

The Four Gospels do not regulate sacramental discipline. The evangelical weather forecasters talk not only about the Eucharist celebrated at the Last Supper in the Upper Room of Zion, but also about those events that were prototypes of the Eucharist. On the way to Emmaus, on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, during a miraculous catch of fish... In particular, when multiplying the loaves, Jesus says: “But I do not want to send them away without eating, lest they weaken on the way” (Matthew 15:32). Which road? Not only leading home, but also on life path. I don’t want to leave them without Communion - that’s what the Savior’s words are about. We sometimes think: “This person is not pure enough, he cannot receive communion.” But it is to him, according to the Gospel, that the Lord offers Himself in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, so that this person does not weaken on the road. We need the Body and Blood of Christ. Without this we will be much worse off.

Evangelist Mark, speaking about the multiplication of the loaves, emphasized that Jesus, when he came out, saw a multitude of people and took pity (Mark 6:34). The Lord took pity on us because we were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus, multiplying the loaves, acts like a good shepherd, giving his life for the sheep. And the Apostle Paul reminds us that every time we eat the Eucharistic Bread, we proclaim the death of the Lord (1 Cor. 11:26). It was the 10th chapter of the Gospel of John, the chapter about the good shepherd, that was the ancient Easter reading when everyone received communion in the temple. But the Gospel does not say how often one should receive communion.

Fast requirements appeared only from the 4th–5th centuries. Modern church practice based on Church Tradition.

What is Communion? A reward for good behavior, for fasting or praying? No. Communion is That Body, that Blood of the Lord, without Which you, if you perish, you will perish completely.
Basil the Great responds in one of his letters to a woman named Caesarea Patricia: “It is good and beneficial to commune every day and partake of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ, since [the Lord] Himself clearly says: “He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood, has eternal life." Who doubts that to continually partake of life is nothing other than to live diversified?” (that is, to live with all mental and physical forces and feelings). Thus, Basil the Great, to whom we often attribute many penances excommunicating from Communion for sins, very highly valued worthy Communion every day.

John Chrysostom also allowed frequent Communion, especially on Easter and Bright Week. He writes that we should constantly resort to the Sacrament of the Eucharist, receive communion with due preparation, and then we can enjoy what we desire. After all, the true Easter and the true holiday of the soul is Christ, Who is sacrificed in the Sacrament. Lent, that is, Great Lent, occurs once a year, and Easter three times a week, when you receive communion. And sometimes four, or rather, as many times as we want, for Easter is not fasting, but Communion. Preparation does not consist in reading three canons for a week or forty days of fasting, but in cleansing the conscience.

The prudent thief needed a few seconds on the cross to clear his conscience, recognize the Crucified Messiah and be the first to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. For some, it takes a year or more, sometimes their whole life, like Mary of Egypt, to partake of the Most Pure Body and Blood. If the heart requires Communion, then it should receive Communion both on Holy Thursday and on Holy Saturday, which this year falls on the Annunciation, and on Easter. One confession the day before is enough, unless the person has committed a sin that needs to be confessed.

“Whom should we praise,” says John Chrysostom, “those who receive communion once a year, those who receive communion often, or those who rarely? No, let us praise those who approach with a clear conscience, a pure heart, and an impeccable life.”
And confirmation that Communion is possible on Bright Week is in all the most ancient anaphoras. In the prayer before Communion it is said: “Grant by Thy sovereign hand to give us Thy Most Pure Body and Honest Blood, and to us to all people.” We also read these words at the Easter Liturgy of John Chrysostom, which testifies to the general Communion of the laity. After Communion, the priest and people thank God for this great grace with which they are awarded.

The issue of sacramental discipline became controversial only in the Middle Ages. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the Greek Church experienced a deep decline in theological education. From the 2nd half of the 18th century, the revival of spiritual life in Greece began.

The question of when and how often one should take communion was raised by the so-called Kolivadas, monks from Mount Athos. They received their nickname due to their opposition to performing a memorial service over the koliv on Sundays. Now, 250 years later, when the first Kolyvads, such as Macarius of Corinth, Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain, Athanasius of Paria, became glorified saints, this nickname sounds very worthy. “A memorial service,” they said, “distorts the joyful character of Sunday, in which Christians should receive communion, and not remember the dead.” The dispute over the koliva lasted for more than 60 years, many kolivads suffered severe persecution, some were removed from Mount Athos and deprived of the priesthood. However, this dispute served as the beginning of a theological discussion on Mount Athos. The Kolivadas were universally recognized as traditionalists, and the actions of their opponents looked like attempts to adapt the Tradition of the Church to the needs of the time. They, for example, argued that only clergy could receive communion on Bright Week. It is noteworthy that Saint John of Kronstadt, also a defender of frequent Communion, wrote that the priest who receives communion on Easter and Bright Week alone, and does not give communion to his parishioners, is like a shepherd who shepherds only himself.

You should not refer to some Greek books of hours, which indicate that Christians should receive communion 3 times a year. A similar prescription migrated to Russia, and until the beginning of the twentieth century, communion was rarely received in our country, mainly during Lent, sometimes on Angel’s Day, but no more than 5 times a year. However, this instruction in Greece was related to the penances imposed, and not to the prohibition of frequent Communion.

If you want to receive Communion on Bright Week, you need to understand that worthy Communion is connected with the condition of the heart, not the stomach. Fasting is a preparation, but by no means a condition that can interfere with Communion. The main thing is that the heart is cleansed. And then you can take communion on Bright Week, trying not to overeat the day before and abstain from fast food for at least one day.

Nowadays, many sick people are prohibited from fasting at all, and people who suffer from diabetes are allowed to eat even before Communion, not to mention those who vitally need to take medicine in the morning. The essential condition of fasting is life in Christ. When a person wants to receive Communion, let him know that no matter how he prepares, he is not worthy of Communion, but the Lord wants, desires and gives Himself as a Sacrifice, so that the person becomes a partaker of the Divine nature, so that he is converted and saved.

Dear Father Andrey, I heard somewhere that on Bright Week you can receive communion without fasting. Is this true, and how to prepare for communion on Bright Week. Do I need to confess, can I receive communion in any church? Thank you.

If a Christian spent Great Lent in abstinence and prayer, then on Bright Week he can begin communion on an empty stomach, but without fasting the day before. The rule for communion is the reading of the Paschal canon (which is already read at Matins before the Liturgy), the hours of Easter and the Follow-up to communion. As for confession: if you last confessed no earlier than Lazarus Saturday or on Holy Week and did not commit serious sins, then it is better to determine the need for confession immediately before communion with the priest of your parish or confessor.

Of course, the practice of communion cannot be completely regulated. General concept is as written above, but within certain limits it may vary from parish to parish. Therefore, it is best to listen to what your confessor or the clergy of your parish says. Then it will become easier for you to decide on the regularity of communion and the days when it is better to begin this Sacrament.
On February 2 and 3, 2015, the Bishops' Conference held in Moscow approved. It says the following about communion on Bright Week:

“A special case regarding the practice of preparation for Holy Communion is Bright Week- a week after Easter. Ancient canonical norm about the obligatory participation of all the faithful in the Sunday Eucharist in the 7th century was extended to the Divine Liturgies of all days of Bright Week: “From the holy day of the Resurrection of Christ our God until New Week, throughout the entire week, the faithful must in the holy churches continually practice psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, rejoicing and triumphant in Christ, and listening to the reading of the Divine Scriptures, and enjoying the Holy Mysteries. For in this way we will be resurrected together with Christ and ascended.”(66th rule of the Trullo Council). From this rule it clearly follows that the laity are called to receive communion at the liturgies of Bright Week. Bearing in mind that during Bright Week the Rules do not provide for fasting and that Bright Week is preceded by seven weeks of the feat of Great Lent and Holy Week, it should be recognized that the practice that has developed in many parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church, when Christians observed Great Lent during Bright Week, corresponds to canonical tradition. They begin Holy Communion, limiting their fast to not eating food after midnight. A similar practice can be extended to the period between Christmas and Epiphany. Those preparing for communion these days should: special attention guard yourself from excessive consumption of food and drink.”

Christ is Risen!

I have been asked the following question several times:

Can we receive communion on Easter? And on Bright Week? To receive communion, do we need to continue fasting?

Good question. However, it betrays a lack of clear understanding of things. On Easter it is not only possible, but even necessary to receive communion. In favor of this statement, I would like to summarize a number of arguments:

1. In the first centuries of the history of the Church, as we see in the canons and patristic works, participation in the Liturgy without communion of the Holy Mysteries was simply unthinkable. (I advise you to read the article about this: " When and how should we receive communion" .) However, over time, especially in our area, the level of piety and understanding among Christians began to fall, and the rules for preparing for communion became stricter, in some places even excessive (including double standards for clergy and laity). Despite this, communion on Easter was a common practice, continuing to this day in all Orthodox countries. However, some put off communion until Easter itself, as if someone is stopping them from taking the Chalice every Sunday of Lent and throughout the year. Thus, ideally we should receive communion at every liturgy, especially on Maundy Thursday, when the Eucharist was instituted, at Easter and at Pentecost, when the Church was born.

2. For those who are entrusted with penance due to some serious sin, some confessors allow them to receive communion (only) on Easter, after which, for some time, they continue to bear their penance. This practice, which, however, is not and should not be generally accepted, took place in ancient times, to help penitents, to strengthen them spiritually, allowing them to join in the joy of the holiday. On the other hand, allowing penitents to receive communion on Easter indicates that the mere passage of time and even the personal efforts of the penitent are not enough to save a person from sin and death. Indeed, for this it is necessary that the risen Christ Himself send light and strengthening to the soul of the repentant (just like the Venerable Mary of Egypt, who led a dissolute life until last day during her stay in the world, she was able to take the path of repentance in the desert only after communion with Christ). This is where the erroneous idea arose and spread in some places that only robbers and fornicators receive communion on Easter. But does the Church have a separate communion for robbers and fornicators, and another for those who lead a Christian life? Isn't Christ the same at every liturgy throughout the year? Doesn’t everyone commune with Him - priests, kings, beggars, robbers, and children? By the way, the word of St. John Chrysostom (at the end of Easter Matins) calls everyone without division to communion with Christ. His call "Those who fasted and those who did not fast, rejoice now! The meal is plentiful: be satisfied, everyone! Taurus is big and well-fed: no one will leave hungry!” clearly refers to the communion of the Holy Mysteries. It is surprising that some read or listen to this word without realizing that we are not called to eat with meat dishes, but to communion with Christ.

3. The dogmatic aspect of this problem is also extremely important. People are jostling in lines to buy and eat lamb for Easter - for some, this is the only “biblical commandment” that they observe in their lives (since the other commandments do not suit them!). However, when the book of Exodus speaks of the slaughter of the Passover lamb, it refers to the Jewish Passover, where the lamb was a type of Christ the Lamb slain for us. Therefore, eating the Passover lamb without communion with Christ means returning to Old Testament and refusal to acknowledge Christ"The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). In addition, people bake all kinds of Easter cakes or other dishes, which we call "Passover". But don't we know that "Our Easter is Christ"(1 Cor 5:7)? Therefore, all these Easter dishes should be a continuation, but not a replacement, for the sacrament of the Holy Mysteries. This is not particularly talked about in churches, but we should all know that Easter is, first of all, Liturgy and communion with the Risen Christ.

4. Some also say that you cannot take communion on Easter, because then you will eat the savory meal. But doesn't the priest do the same thing? Why then is the Easter Liturgy celebrated, and after it it is blessed to eat dairy and meat? Isn’t it clear that after communion you can eat everything? Or maybe someone perceives the Liturgy as a theatrical performance, and not as a call to communion with Christ? If eating the humble meal were incompatible with communion, then the Liturgy would not be celebrated on Easter and Christmas, or there would be no breaking of the fast. Moreover, this applies to the entire liturgical year.

5. And now about communion on Holy Week. Canon 66 of the Council of Trullo (691) stipulates that Christians" enjoyed the Holy Mysteries"during the entire Holy Week, despite the fact that it is continuous. Thus, they begin communion without fasting. Otherwise there would be no liturgy, or fasting would continue. The idea of ​​the need to fast before communion concerns, first of all, the Eucharistic fast before receiving the Holy Mysteries. Such a strict Eucharistic fast is prescribed for at least six, or even nine hours (not like Catholics, who receive communion an hour after the meal). If we are talking about a multi-day fast, then the seven-week fast that we kept is quite enough, and there is no need - moreover, it is even forbidden - to continue fasting. At the end of Bright Week, we will fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, as well as during the other three multi-day fasts. After all, priests do not fast on Holy Week before communion, and then it is unclear where the idea came from that the laity should fast on these days! However, in my opinion, only those who have observed the entire Great Lent, who lead an integral, balanced Christian life, always strive for Christ (and not just through fasting) and perceive Communion not as a reward for their works, but as a cure for spiritual illnesses.

Thus, every Christian is called to prepare for communion and ask the priest for it, especially at Easter. If the priest refuses without any reason (in the event that the person does not have such sins for which penance is imposed), but uses various kinds of excuses, then, in my opinion, the believer can go to another temple, to another priest ( only if the reason for leaving for another parish is valid and is not deceit). This state of affairs, which is especially common in the Republic of Moldova, needs to be corrected as soon as possible, especially since highest hierarchy The Russian Orthodox Church gave clear instructions to priests not to deny believers communion without obvious canonical grounds (see Resolutions of the Councils of Bishops 2011 and 2013 ). Thus, we should look for wise confessors, and if we have found them, we must obey them and, under their guidance, receive communion as often as possible. You shouldn't entrust your soul to just anyone.

There have been cases when some Christians began to take communion on Easter, and the priest laughed at them in front of the entire church meeting, saying: “Wasn’t seven weeks enough for you to take communion? Why are you violating the customs of the village?” I would like to ask such a priest: “Wasn’t four or five years of study at a religious institution enough for you to decide: either you will become a serious priest, or you will go to herd cows, because you are “stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Cor 4:1) They can’t say such nonsense...” And we must talk about this not for the sake of ridicule, but with pain about the Church of Christ, in which such people serve. incompetent people. A real priest not only does not forbid people to receive communion, but also encourages them to do so and teaches them to live so that they can approach the Chalice at every liturgy. And then the priest himself rejoices at how different he becomes Christian life his flock. "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!".

Therefore, “let us approach Christ with the fear of God, faith and love” in order to better understand what “Christ is risen!” means! and “Truly he is risen!” After all, He Himself says: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day"(John 6:53-54).

Translation by Elena-Alina Patrakova

Communion in Great Lent is the consecration and eating of bread and wine, which is the Body and Blood of the Lord.

Surely everyone Orthodox Christian remembers last supper, where Jesus Christ celebrated Easter with his disciples before his crucifixion. That day, breaking bread, he said that this was his body, and pouring wine, he called it his blood. The Son of God then encouraged the disciples to accept these gifts continually in order to always remain with the Lord. From that time on every church service Bread and wine are consecrated in prayer.

Why is communion necessary?

Communion allows a person to inherit the Kingdom of God, which means it gives the opportunity to go to heaven after death.

Communion during Lent, as at other times, is necessary to strengthen the soul. It helps not to become embittered in everyday life, to remain sensitive to people, supports faith and helps to maintain balance even in the most difficult situations, relying on God.

The sacrament of communion cleanses sins. Every day a person faces condemnation, envy, dissatisfaction and other negative feelings. He feels this negativity pouring out of himself, and also sees it in other people. Being in such an atmosphere, the soul gradually becomes callous, moving away from God and becoming completely immersed in everyday worries. Constant dissatisfaction poisons life, and the inability to achieve your goals sometimes makes it simply meaningless. But these thoughts do not occur to people who have God in their hearts. Faith and hope in God allows you to find the right paths and enjoy life. Therefore, every person needs communion, which washes the soul and brings it to God.

Communion in Lent

Lent is the time that precedes the crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Orthodox Christians, in memory of the great sacrifice made by the Savior, fast for 48 days (from March 11 to April 27 in 2019), and then joyfully celebrate Easter. During fasting, abstaining from modest food, remaining in humility and prayer, a person tames his body and cleanses himself. Confession and Communion in Lent have great importance, but communion before Lent is also important, as well as throughout the year.

Very often people take communion before Easter, paying tribute to tradition, without realizing their actual sinfulness. But communion without understanding sins is of no benefit. You need to realize your sins, want to get rid of them, and try not to repeat them in the future.

How do you need to fast to receive communion during Lent?

First of all, you need to remember that fasting is not just about abstaining from food. The main thing is to humble your heart, rid it of hatred, anger, and fill it with kindness and love. Try not to quarrel with loved ones or get into conflicts, resolving all issues humbly and with love. During Lent, you should refrain from watching television, especially films with bloody and erotic scenes. At the same time, you should spend more time reading spiritual literature, because, looking at the exploits of holy people and the miracles they performed, the soul begins to come to life and strive for the best.

It is important to understand that during fasting it is not so sinful to eat a piece of meat as to offend a person. Although abstinence in food is also important.

How to prepare for communion?

If you want to receive communion during Lent, you need to start preparing 3-4 days in advance. At this time, protect you from all vanity and try to devote time to your spiritual development.

According to the church charter, there are four canons for communion ( Repentant to Jesus Christ, Mother of God, Guardian Angel and Follow-up to Communion), they can be found in prayer books or printed from the Internet. In order not to get too tired, you can consciously read one canon a day. It is also important to read the Gospel at this time. Priests advise every Christian to read the entire Gospel during Lent. But if this is difficult, then one chapter a day will also be enough.

From 12 midnight before communion, it is forbidden to eat any food. On this day, you need to be in time for the beginning of the service, confess and after the liturgy partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, which will cleanse the soul and bring it closer to God!