“Let everything be done decently and in order.”

Corinthians ap. Pavla 14.40

The Church is the place of God’s presence and one should dwell in it with reverence and love. When you enter it, calm yourself down sign of the cross and make three small bows, remembering that the Lord Himself mysteriously and truly dwells in the altar, on the throne, in the Holy Gifts.

Before making a bow, you need to sign yourself with the sign of the cross and then make a bow - if it’s small, then you need to bow your head so that you can reach the ground with your hand; with a great (earthly) bow, you need to bend both knees together and reach the ground with your head. The sign of the cross should be depicted on oneself correctly, with reverence, slowly, joining together the first three fingers of the right hand as a sign that God is the One and Equal Trinity, and the remaining two fingers folded and bent towards the palm in commemoration of the fact that Jesus Christ is God and man who came to our earth for the sake of salvation. The right hand (right hand) folded in this way should be placed first on the forehead, so that the Lord will enlighten our mind, then on the belly, in order to tame the flesh that wars on the spirit and sanctify our feelings, and then on the right and left shoulders - to sanctify our bodily strength.

Then say a short prayer:

God, be merciful to me, a sinner (bow).

God, cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me (bow).

Who created me, Lord, forgive me! (bow).

You need to come to the temple at the very beginning of the service. If the service has begun, stand in a certain place and listen intently to the readings and chants. You should not shake hands with your acquaintances; greet them with a silent bow, do not talk or move from place to place during the service. There is a pious rule to come to the Liturgy on an empty stomach, even if one does not receive communion that day.

Upon entering the temple, it is customary to venerate the “festive” icon lying on a lectern in the middle of the church and make small bows before the icons of the Lord Jesus Christ, Holy Mother of God and saints (if the service has not started at this time). Before the service begins, you can light candles in front of one image or another, which are purchased at the entrance in a “candle box” - this is our small contribution - a sacrifice to the Church. You should not pass between the Royal Doors and the lectern, but when you pass in front of the lectern, make a small bow, making the sign of the cross.

Men, according to ancient custom, stand on the right side of the temple, and women on the left. Men, according to the Apostle Paul, should be in the temple without a headdress, and women should have their heads covered. Women should not come to church in trousers, short or open dresses, or wear cosmetics - for the Lord does not look at the faces, but at the hearts of people.

In church, during worship, you are supposed to stand facing the altar. You can sit due to weakness or illness, when the main sacred rites are not performed. Before the start of any service, three bows are required. During all services, while reading or singing “Come, let us worship...”, with three times “Alleluia...”, with “Holy God...”; to “Be the Name of the Lord...”; to “Glory to God in the highest” and with the exclamation of the priest “Glory to Thee, Christ God, our hope, glory to Thee.” Only in the middle of the reading of the Six Psalms are no bows made, but the sign of the cross is performed.

Sign yourself with the sign of the cross and make a bow from the waist: during the litanies, with the exclamation “Lord, have mercy” or “Give, Lord,” together with the clergyman; when a clergyman overshadows those present in the church with a cross, or a Gospel, or a Chalice, or a holy icon.

When starting to read or sing the Creed, reading the Gospel, the Apostle or proverbs, one is supposed to make the sign of the cross without bowing.

When the priest says: “Peace to all,” “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ...”, “Bow your heads to the Lord”; While reading the Gospel, burning incense, lighting candles, or blessing with your hand, you should bow your head.

Thus, there should be a distinction between worship before a shrine and before people, even if they are sacred. When accepting the blessing of a priest or bishop, Christians fold their palms crosswise, placing the right on the left, and kiss the right hand of the blessing, but do not cross themselves before doing this. This custom recalls that this hand held the Holy Cup of the Eucharist.

When applying (kissing) the Holy Gospel, holy relics and icons, one should bow in due order, without haste and without crowding, two bows before kissing and one after kissing the shrine. When kissing icons of the Savior, you should kiss the foot (in the case of half-length images, the hand); to icons Mother of God and saints - in the hand; to the icon miraculous image Savior and to the icon of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist - in a braid of hair.

Prostrations should be made at the end of the prayer “We sing to You”; at the end of the prayer “It is worthy to eat”; at the beginning of the “Our Father” prayer, when bringing out the Holy Gifts for communion, during the blessing of the Holy Gifts; exclamation “Always, now and ever and unto ages of ages” and “Theotokos and Mother of light...”

One should not make prostrations and kneel after communion of the Holy Mysteries and on Sundays, great holidays, as well as from Holy Easter to Pentecost, from the Nativity of Christ to the Epiphany of the Lord (Svyatka), since on these days our reconciliation with God is remembered.

By being late for the start of the service or leaving before its end, a person shows disrespect for the Sacrament. In case of emergency, you can leave, but not while reading the Gospel and celebrating the Eucharist.

You should not move around, buy or light candles, or venerate icons during important points services:

when the priest comes out with the censer,

when reading the Six Psalms,

when bringing out the Gospel and during its reading,

while singing “Mercy of the World...” until the priest exclaims “First remember...”

while singing the Creed and “Our Father”,

when taking out the Holy Chalice (Chalice).

The care of the Holy Church for us continues even after the service, so that we do not lose the grace-filled mood that, by the grace of God, we were awarded in church. The Church commands us to disperse after the service in reverent silence, with thanksgiving to God, with prayer that the Lord will grant us to always visit His holy monastery until the end of our lives.

Saving Power church prayers, chants and readings depend on the feeling with which our heart and mind receive them. Therefore, if it is impossible to bow for one reason or another, then it is better to humbly ask the Lord for forgiveness than to violate church decorum.

But it is absolutely necessary to delve into everything that happens during church service to feed on it. Only then will everyone warm their heart, awaken their conscience, revive their withered soul and enlighten their mind.

There are moments in every person’s life when he needs to go to church. That may be why different reasons: you can go to the big one, famous temple out of curiosity, or you only attend church on major holidays (Easter, Christmas), or perhaps you sincerely wanted to be a church member, that is, to become a full-fledged and equal member of the church. There may be many options, but in any case, in the church it is necessary to follow certain rules so as not to offend other worshipers with your behavior. I often see such people in church: from their confused look you can immediately understand that they are here for the first time, they light a candle at the wrong time, forget about the handkerchief - and the all-knowing grandmothers (no doubt, they are in any church) swoop down on them with condemnation. You watch how they, poor people, embarrassed, leave the temple, and sadly you understand that they will not return here again. The impulse of the soul or even the need to communicate with God is severely interrupted due to some trousers instead of a skirt or the absence of a skirt. Therefore, before visiting an Orthodox church, be sure to read the rules of conduct there.

How is an Orthodox church structured?

Rules of conduct in the Orthodox Church

A man comes to the temple to give thanks higher power, repent of your sins, be morally reborn, and sincere prayers will certainly be heard by the Lord. However, today a common obstacle to attending church is simple ignorance of the rules of behavior in the temple of God.

As the clergy themselves say, there is nothing wrong with this; one cannot blame a person who does not fully know the procedure in the temple, because ideal people No. You can simply ask a clergyman about this or read special literature.

Orthodox church

Church is a special place. The norms of behavior in the temple went through a very long process of development. The general norms of behavior in all churches are only the following: do not smoke, do not drink alcohol, do not make noise and behave with respect for the place of God’s presence. All other rules are very different.

Believers know exactly how to behave in the temple, but many churches are open to visits by a huge number of tourists, and simply people who, out of need of the soul or out of curiosity, decided to go to the temple. In order not to make a mistake, not to hurt the feelings of believers and not to disturb the peace of the temple, before visiting the church you should familiarize yourself with the rules of behavior in it.

The entire church building is divided into the altar, the temple itself and the vestibule. The altar is separated from the temple itself by an iconostasis, which in most cases reaches the ceiling. The altar contains the throne and the altar. The Royal Doors (central), as well as the northern and southern gates lead to the altar.

Women are prohibited from entering the altar. Men can enter the altar only with the permission of the priests, and then only through the northern or southern gates. Only clergy enter the altar through the Royal Doors.

Directly adjacent to the iconostasis is the solea - an elevated platform along the entire altar.

Opposite the royal doors is the ambo - the central part of the solea. Without the permission of the clergy, it is also not allowed to ascend to the pulpit and solea.

Since ancient times, it has been established to perform divine services three times a day: in the evening, in the morning and in the afternoon - the liturgy. You should know that the church day begins not at 0 o'clock on the calendar day, but at 18 o'clock on the previous day.

The entrance to the temple from the street is usually arranged in the form of a porch - a platform in front of the entrance doors, to which several steps lead. When approaching the temple, you need to make the sign of the cross and bow from the waist. Rising to the porch, before entering the doors, you again need to make the sign of the cross and bow. You should not pray for a long time and for show while standing on the street.

Upon entering the temple, you should stop near the door and bow three times with prayers: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” - Bow. “God, cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me.” - Bow. “O Lord, who created me, forgive me.” - Bow.

One should make the sign of the cross slowly, joining together the first three fingers of the right hand, and folding the remaining two fingers and bending them towards the palm. With your right hand folded in this way, you should successively touch your forehead, stomach, right and left shoulders.

You should arrive at the temple 10-15 minutes before the start of the service. During this time, you can submit notes, put a donation on the eve, buy candles, put them on and venerate the icons. If you are late, you must behave in such a way as not to disturb the prayer of others. If it is not possible to freely approach the icons and light candles, ask them to pass the candles through other people.

During the service, men should stand on the right side of the temple, women on the left, leaving a clear passage from the main doors to the Royal Doors. It is forbidden to sit in an Orthodox church, the only exception being the parishioner’s ill health or severe fatigue.

During worship, you should not look around, it is indecent to show curiosity and look at those praying, ask them about anything, chew gum, keep your hands in your pockets, shake hands with friends, or talk on the phone.

It’s better to turn off your phone altogether or at least put it on silent mode. Leaving mobile phones turned on in a church becomes an obstacle to attentive prayer, while worship, on the contrary, enriches and delights the human soul.

It is unacceptable to condemn and ridicule the involuntary mistakes of employees or those present in the temple. It is forbidden to talk during the service. One should not judge or reprimand a newcomer who does not know church rules. It is better to help him with polite and kind advice. You need to buy candles exactly in the temple you came to. If possible, you should not leave the temple until the end of the service.

Photo and video filming is prohibited in churches. They are permitted only after the blessing of the clergy in special cases related to church sacraments.

When visiting temples, you are supposed to dress so that most of your body is covered. It is not customary to go to church in shorts and sportswear. Whenever possible, men and women should also avoid T-shirts and short-sleeved shirts. A woman's head must be covered.

Men are required to remove their hats before entering the temple.

You should not ask for blessings from deacons and ordinary monks, since they do not have the right to do this. Priests and bishops, as well as abbess of monasteries in the rank of abbess, bless. When receiving a blessing, you should fold your palms crosswise ( right palm over the left) and kiss the right, blessing hand of the clergyman; there is no need to be baptized before this.

How to be baptized correctly?

On the right hand we fold large, medium and index fingers, so that they touch with pads (symbol of the Trinity - God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit), we press the remaining two to the palm (symbol of the dual nature of Jesus Christ - God and Man). Next, we raise our hand to the forehead (in the Name of the Father), to the stomach (and the Son), to the right shoulder (and the Holy Spirit), to the left shoulder (Amen) and bow.

Where to put candles for health?

Candles for health are placed on any candlestick, except for the eve (the table near the Crucifixion) - candles with a prayer for the dead are placed there. Which saint? As your soul pleases, to whom your heart directs. Your prayer is to the Lord. And the saints are our intercessors and intercessors before Him. You can also light candles, for example, for icons of the Mother of God or a Holiday that are especially revered by you and your family.

Types of notes:

— about health: proskomedia, litany, prayer service.
— about repose: proskomedia, litany, requiem.

You can also order Sorokoust, an annual commemoration, for both the living and the dead.

Proskomedia: performed before the Liturgy: particles are taken from the prosphora and placed in the Chalice, the liturgical prosphora - the Lamb - is prepared. Names are read from the notes submitted to the proskomedia. And the particles are taken out for these people. Already during the Liturgy, after the transubstantiation of the Gifts, the removed particles are immersed in the Holy Chalice with a prayer to Christ to wash away the sins of those commemorated

Litany: names are read during the Greater Litany after the reading of the Gospel at the Liturgy

Prayer service: a separate service is ordered (more precisely, it is called a prayer service). In a note for a prayer service, you can indicate to whom: for example, a prayer service for some icon of the Mother of God, a saint...

Memorial service: a separate service for the deceased. Happens often. There are also Parental Saturdays, before which Parastas is served - a special funeral service. Notes submitted to Parents' Saturday, read the day before, on Friday, at Parastas, and on Saturday at the Liturgy at the litany, and after the Liturgy at the memorial service

Sorokoust: prayer while reading the psalter in the monastery for 40 days;
annual commemoration - accordingly, according to the same principle.
Notes should be submitted to the candle candle of the temple. There are samples everywhere. If the sample is not posted, you can ask the temple candle shop about the design - they will explain everything to you.

Only the names of baptized people are written in the notes. If a person is sick - the sick person’s “name”. If the note is about the dead, then you can’t write suicides, unbaptized babies(they pray for them at home).

What is confession?

Confession implies an open heart to God, a sincere desire to become better and to part with bad thoughts and actions, to get rid of the desire to commit bad deeds (in relation to both others and oneself). And repentance for the bad things that have already been done. What is sinful? There is enough sensible literature on this topic, which you can buy in a church shop, for example, “To help the penitent” by Ignatius Brianchaninov.

How to prepare for confession?

There is no universal recipe here. And you don’t really ask anyone: how do you prepare for confession? Because this is a very personal question. Some even write everything on a piece of paper the day before. The main thing to do is to tune in to thinking about your actions and thoughts.

How is confession going?

Check with the church about confession hours. This can be in the evening (after or even during the service) and morning (before the Liturgy). If you know a priest (saw him at a service, talked to him and gained confidence) - find out in the candle room when he will confess. It’s better (especially for the first time) to go to confession with someone who likes you. Despite the fact that you are confessing to God and not to the priest, the personal factor influences here, and at first we cannot do anything about it. Although, perhaps, this does not matter to some.

You must come to confession on a first-come, first-served basis. As you approach, bow your head. Start “sinned” and list the sins. After you have said everything, finish the confession “Forgive me, Merciful Lord.” After you have finished confession, the priest covers your head with an epitrachelion (accessory liturgical vestments- a long ribbon that goes around the neck and both ends go down to the chest) and reads a prayer. First he will ask for your name (do not forget that if your name is Rose, and you were baptized Nadezhda, you must say “Nadezhda”). After prayer, you cross yourself, kiss the Gospel lying in front of you, and the Cross (in the same place) and move away from the lectern.

The main thing: you cannot receive communion without confession, but you can go to confession without subsequent communion. Preparing for communion is much more complex and extensive than preparing for confession.

How to prepare for Communion?

Three days before Communion, one must fast (not eat meat, dairy products, eggs, and during fasting, fish). Fasting also includes giving up smoking, drinking and abstinence. During preparation, it is necessary to read the rule for Communion (it is in any Orthodox prayer book). On the day of Communion itself, after 12 o’clock at night (that is, from the beginning of a new day), you are not supposed to eat or drink until the end of the Liturgy. Previously people for communion they dressed in light clothes - there was this Orthodox tradition. Confession is required before the service or the day before.

During the Liturgy, towards the end of the service, hearing the singing: “One is Holy, One is Lord Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father. Amen.", begin to slowly move into right side temple. They approach the Chalice from there. After the words of the priest “Come with the fear of God and faith” (he brings out the Cup) and the singing “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, God the Lord, and has appeared to us”, the prayer “I believe, O Lord, and I confess...” is read (you will already recognize it after homework preparation for Communion). The priest reads it himself, but the whole church repeats it to himself (sometimes out loud). After the prayer, while singing “Receive the Body of Christ...”, those receiving communion approach the Chalice. The arms are folded crosswise on the chest - right to left.

When approaching the Chalice, say your baptismal name, open your mouth and accept the Body and Blood of the Lord. After this, kiss the edge of the Chalice and move further to the left side of the temple. There, take a piece of prosphora and wash it down. There is no need to cross yourself and bow at the Chalice itself, so as not to hurt it. Also, before you drink, you should not say anything. After communion you should not leave the church immediately. Wait until the end of the service, kiss the Cross, which the priest will give after the sermon, and only after that, renewed, leave the church. Don't forget to read your prayers at home after Communion. Or listen to them in the church after the service.

Upon leaving the temple

Blessing
There must be a distinction between worship before a shrine and before people, even if they are sacred. When accepting the blessing of a priest or bishop, Christians fold their palms crosswise, placing the right on the left, and kiss the right hand of the blessing, but do not cross themselves before doing this. This custom recalls that this hand held the Holy Cup of the Eucharist.

General
When leaving the temple, make three bows from the waist with the sign of the cross.
The care of the Holy Church for us continues even after the service, so that we do not lose the grace-filled mood that, by the grace of God, we were awarded in church. The Church commands us to disperse after the service in reverent silence, with thanksgiving to God, with prayer that the Lord will grant us to always visit His holy monastery until the end of our lives.
Smokers are prohibited from smoking even on the street within the church fence.
But it is absolutely necessary to delve into everything that happens during church services in order to be nourished by it. Only then will everyone warm their heart, awaken their conscience, revive their withered soul and enlighten their mind.

Rules of conduct in Orthodox Church

1. Enter the holy temple with spiritual joy. Remember that the Savior Himself promised to comfort you in sorrow: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Gospel of Matthew, chapter 11, verse 28).

2. Always enter here with humility and meekness, so that you can leave the temple justified, just as the humble publican of the Gospel came out.

3. When you enter a temple and see holy icons, think that the Lord Himself and all the saints are looking at you; Be especially reverent at this time and have the fear of God.

4. Entering St. temple, make three bows to the ground on weekdays, and three bows from the waist on holidays, praying: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” - Bow. “God, cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me.” - Bow. “O Lord, who created me, forgive me.” - Bow.

5. During the Divine Liturgy - the main Christian service - Orthodox Christians submit notes about the health of their living relatives (baptized, Orthodox) and, separately, about the repose of the dead. They are formatted as follows:

Names are written neatly, legibly - full, in the genitive case: about the health (or repose) of whom? - Tamara, John, Nicephorus, etc. The number of names does not matter, but the priest usually reads a not very long note more carefully and more prayerfully. But these are the kinds of notes that are given when a person often comes to church! Notes are given before the start of the service, usually at the same place where candles are bought. In order not to be embarrassed, you should remember that the difference in the price of the notes only reflects the difference in the amount of your donation for temple needs. The same can be said about the price of candles.

6. Be reverent church candle: this is a symbol of our prayerful burning before the Lord, His Most Pure Mother, the holy saints of God. The candles are lit one from another, which is burning, and, having melted the bottom, they are placed in the socket of the candlestick. The candle must stand strictly straight. If on the day of a great holiday a minister extinguishes your candle in order to light the candle of another, do not be disturbed in spirit: your sacrifice has already been accepted by the All-Seeing and All-Knowing Lord.

7. It’s good if there is a place in the temple where you are used to standing. Walk towards him quietly and modestly, and when passing by the Royal Doors, stop and reverently cross yourself and bow. If there is no such place yet, do not be embarrassed. Without disturbing others, try to stand so that you can hear the singing and reading. If this is not possible, stand on free place and practice inner prayer carefully.

8. In St. Always come to church at the beginning of the service. If you are still late, be careful not to disturb the prayers of others. When entering the temple during the reading of the Six Psalms, the Gospel, or after the Cherubic Liturgy (when the transubstantiation of the Holy Gifts takes place), stand by entrance doors until the end of these essential parts of the Service.

9. During the service, try not to walk around the temple, even to light candles. One should also venerate the icons before and after the start of the Divine service, or at a set time - for example, at the all-night vigil after anointing. Some moments of the service, as already mentioned, require special concentration: reading the Gospel; Song of the Mother of God and Great Doxology at the All-Night Vigil; the prayer “Only Begotten Son...” and the entire Liturgy, starting from “Like the Cherubim...”.

10. In the temple, greet your acquaintances with a silent bow; even with those who are especially close, do not shake hands and do not ask about anything - be truly modest. Do not be curious and do not peer into those around you, but pray with sincere feeling, delving into the order and content of the services.

11. One must stand in the temple and only in cases of ill health is one allowed to sit down and rest. However, Metropolitan of Moscow Philaret (Drozdov) said well about bodily weakness: “It is better to think about God while sitting than to think about your legs while standing.” But during the reading of the Gospel and in especially important places of the Liturgy, you need to stand.

12. When the clergyman censes the temple, you need to step aside so as not to disturb him, and while censing the people, bow your head slightly. You should not be baptized at this time. It is also customary to bow your head when the Royal Doors are opened or closed, when the priest proclaims “Peace to all” or blesses the people with the Gospel. During the consecration of the Holy Gifts (the prayer “We sing to You”), if the church is not very crowded, it is necessary to bow to the ground. On holidays and Sundays prostrations are not required, they are not performed after communion either. On these days, make bows from the waist, touching the floor with your hand.

13. In church, pray as one participating in the Divine service, and not just present, so that the prayers and chants that are read and sung come from your heart; follow the service carefully so that you can pray for exactly what the whole Church is praying for. Make the sign of the cross and bow at the same time as everyone else. For example, during the Divine service it is customary to be baptized during the praises of the Holy Trinity and Jesus Christ, during the litanies - to any exclamation “Lord, have mercy” and “Give, Lord,” as well as at the beginning and at the end of any prayer. You need to cross yourself and bow before approaching the icon or lighting a candle, and when leaving the temple. You cannot hastily and inattentively sign yourself with the sign of the cross, because at the same time we appeal to the Lord’s love and grace.

14. If you come with children, make sure that they behave modestly and do not make noise, teach them to pray. If the children need to leave, tell them to cross themselves and leave quietly, or take them out yourself.

15. Never allow a child to eat in the holy temple, except when the priests are distributing the blessed bread.

16. If a small child bursts into tears in the temple, immediately take him out or carry him out.

17. Do not condemn the involuntary mistakes of employees or those present in the temple - it is more useful to delve into your own shortcomings and ask the Lord for forgiveness of your sins. It happens that during a divine service someone, before your eyes, interferes with the parishioners’ concentration in prayer. Don't get irritated, don't bother anyone. Try not to pay attention, and if, due to weakness, you cannot cope with the temptation, it is better to go quietly to another place.

18. When you go to the temple of God, prepare money at home for candles, prosphora and church fees: it is inconvenient to change them when buying candles, because this interferes with both the Divine service and those praying.

19. Until the end of the service, never, unless absolutely necessary, leave the temple, for this is a sin before God. If this happens, tell the priest in confession.

20. According to our old customs, men should stand on the right side of the temple, and women on the left. No one should occupy the passage from the main doors to the Royal Doors.

21. Women should enter the temple modestly dressed and with their heads covered. It is unacceptable to receive Holy Communion and venerate sacred objects with painted lips.

22. The main thing is the mutual love of the parishioners and understanding of the content of the Service. If we enter the temple of God with reverence, if, standing in the Church, we think that we are in heaven, then the Lord will fulfill all our requests.

23. After the end of the service, when leaving the temple, you should cross yourself and bow three times and then head home, trying to preserve the grace acquired by the temple prayer.

Now we answer frequently asked questions:

- a box with money (near the lectern or somewhere else in the temple) is a voluntary sacrifice, and not payment for the sacraments. Decide according to your capabilities and conscience.

- Don’t let the fact that Communion is given with one spoon bother you either. No one has yet become infected from the Chalice.

- after the first confession (especially if you repented of serious sins) you may not be allowed to receive Communion. Rarely, but such cases do happen. Go home calmly, do what the priest said, and get ready for the next confession. You cannot approach the Chalice without a blessing.

— if you have a need to tell a priest about something, arrange an individual appointment with him. During confession, long conversations are inappropriate - most likely, there are many more people standing behind you.

Rules of conduct in church

How to behave in church for children

Children's program from the series " Good word", TV channel "My Joy"

In times of trial, a person strives for God. His soul asks for Holy place- in church. To find answers to your questions, to find peace. Both secular places and church places have their own basic rules and dress code. It is imperative to follow them. Otherwise, the parishioners will reprimand you, because... misbehavior will hurt their feelings. And your mood will deteriorate. During the tsarist reign, people were taught how to behave correctly in church; now they have to find out the information on their own.

• Choose appropriate clothing. Women wear long-sleeve sweaters and skirts below the knee, preferably to the floor. The head must be covered with a scarf or stole. The main thing is to hide your hair. Be as natural as possible. You should not wear makeup, even say “No” to hygienic lipstick. Men similarly choose clothes that cover the body as much as possible. It is not recommended to wear shorts, even in hot weather. Opt for loose-fitting clothes.
• If you plan to attend a service, find out the service start time in advance. Usually the schedule hangs on a board in the vestibule - a place located on the street territory of the temple. Buy candles there. The Church is unkind to candles purchased in regular stores. Come to the service early, 15-20 minutes in advance. If you are still late, do not come in, because... you will prevent people from praying. Just wait until the end of the service and light a candle for health or repose.

• 1 time on the street in front of the church entrance;
• 1 time in front of the doors to the church;
• 3 times on the threshold of the church;
• 3 times at the main icon in the center, then touch it with your lips;
• 3 times at the exit from the church;
• 1 time near the icon.

• Place candles in front of the icon. Light the wick from any burning candle, and then lightly melt the bottom tip of your candle. So that she stands straight and stable.
• If someone else's candle goes out, you are allowed to light it again. You can’t put out other people’s candles, but you can do your own.
• Place the candle for repose on a candlestick specially designated for this purpose. It has a square shape and a small crucifix.

It is important to behave correctly in church. This is a manifestation of respect for others, adherence to traditions.

Russia is an Orthodox country, and the people in it are mostly the same. Nominally. Many were once baptized, many believe in God, but... unfortunately, not everyone makes it to church. Some are hampered by a lack of faith, while others are hampered by a completely natural fear of doing something wrong in church and being judged by all-seeing and all-knowing grandmothers. Meanwhile, it is in church that a person can come into contact with true understanding heavenly and earthly world order, communicate with God, cleanse your soul of sins, get help for yourself and your loved ones, try to become at least one step closer to Paradise.

The basic principle of choosing clothes for visiting a temple is to look non-provocative. Women should prefer loose clothing that covers their legs and arms. It is advisable to use scarves as a headdress (light ones - in holidays, dark ones - on days of fasting) and only as a last resort - hats. Men should ensure that their trousers and shirts are not too tight or revealing. Shorts, even in the summer heat, are not welcome in the temple. In winter, women can afford to come to the temple in trousers, provided that their outer clothing reaches at least knee level. The latter is an exception and is not allowed in all temples.

How to behave during worship services?
You can learn how to behave correctly in the Orthodox Church by looking at the parishioners around you. Usually, each church has its own permanent flock, which comes there regularly and knows all the nuances of the ongoing services. The schedule of services, as a rule, is posted in the vestibule - a place located between the street and internal doors of the temple. In large churches, services are held every day in the morning and evening. On holidays there are two morning services– one early, one regular. There may also be early morning services during the week. Any Sunday service, including on days of fasting, is considered festive and takes place especially solemnly. During worship services, you must not talk to each other or use mobile phone and perform any loud actions that distract other people from prayer. Remember: during church service Not only the priest, but also every parishioner, one of whom you are, communicates with God. It is necessary to maintain silence in the temple even during hours when services are not held, since people come to communicate with God at any time.

How and when to be baptized and bow?
In order to make the sign of the cross, you need to put the thumb, index and middle fingers of your right hand together so that their pads touch each other. Three fingers are a symbol of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit. The remaining two fingers are pressed against the palm. They symbolize the dual nature of Jesus Christ - Divine and Human. Right hand with folded fingers, first you need to bring it to the forehead, then to the stomach, then to the right and finally to the left shoulder.

After making the sign of the cross, a bow is made. Its depth largely depends on the physical capabilities of the person, but it is assumed that the bow should be from the waist. A bow to the ground differs from a bow in that it is performed while kneeling with the forehead necessarily touching the floor. Prostrations are made on especially important occasions. You can find out when to do them by looking around. If the bulk of the parishioners fall on their faces during the service, then you better do the same. Old and sick people are not allowed to bow to the ground.

The sign of the cross is performed once before entering the temple, three times at the entrance, once when approaching any icon, three times when leaving the temple and once on the street in front of the temple. During the service, you can be baptized after the priest and other parishioners. If for some reason you feel awkward, cannot follow what is happening, or are deeply immersed in prayer, then you do not need to worry because everyone has made the sign of the cross, but you have not. Many people in the church are baptized purely intuitively, feeling that right now they need the Lord’s help.

What can you do in the temple?
Learning to behave correctly in church externally is not difficult, but it is much more important to master the internal background spiritual question. The first thing to do when entering the temple is to come up and bow to the central icon. When approaching the icon, you first need to cross yourself, then bow, then touch it with your lips and forehead. Through a kiss, Orthodox Christians express their love and veneration for the one depicted in the icon; The forehead touch is done in the hope of gaining higher wisdom and grace. In this way you can venerate all the icons in the temple.

It is best to buy candles that are placed in front of icons in a candle box. Everything that is sold inside the temple is sanctified and pleasing to God. Candles bought secondhand on the street, in Orthodox churches are not welcome. In order for the candle to stand level, you must first light it from another candle, then melt the lower tip and quickly place the candle in the chosen place. You can touch other people's candles, straighten them if they bend under the influence of the flame, or light them if they go out. It is forbidden to extinguish other people's candles and throw them into special containers. There are special people in the temple for this. You can do whatever you want with your candle - even put it out in the middle of a prayer and take it home. Candles that burn during services have the most effective power.

Notes “about health” and “about repose” can only be submitted for reading by a priest in relation to baptized people. Usually the note is written personally, sometimes it can be written for you in a candle box. When composing a note, you must write down its purpose and put an image of an Orthodox cross.

During the service, it is advisable not to wander back and forth around the temple. Going out of the temple to the street to “breathe” fresh air", is also not advisable. This can only be done if you feel unwell. When crossing center line church you need to cross yourself once. You cannot go after the central icons (the main and central icons of the limits). They need to be walked around from the front. You can turn your back to the altar only as a last resort. During censing (when the priest walks around the temple with a smoking censer), you must stand in the inner circle - otherwise you will find yourself outside the most effective prayers for every Orthodox Christian.