Communion is a sacrament of the Orthodox Church, which helps purify the soul and unity with God. To cleanse your soul, you need to sincerely repent of your sins - the rite of Confession will help with this.
These sacraments, related to each other, must be carried out with a serious attitude of the believer towards them. They require a certain spiritual preparation. Fasting, reading prayers and repentance are essential conditions for performing the sacrament.
Prayers before confession and communion cleanse the soul and help a person tune in to the sacrament. To correctly select and read the necessary texts, you need to read the article below.
General principles of preparation for communion
A believer is allowed to the sacrament of Holy Communion only after certain preparatory measures, including prayer, fasting and repentance.
- The Church calls preparation for Communion a fasting.
- Fasting usually takes 3-7 days and is directly related to both spiritual and physical life person.
- During the days of fasting, a person prepares for a meeting with the Lord, which will occur during the sacrament of Communion.
In total, preparation for Communion consists of the following stages:
- fasting immediately before Communion;
- stay on evening worship on the eve of the sacrament;
- saying a specific set of prayers;
- abstaining from food and drink on the day of Communion - from midnight until the sacrament itself;
- confession with a clergyman, during which he makes a decision on a person’s admission to Communion;
- attending the Divine Liturgy.
Retreat is aimed at making a person aware of his sins, confessing them before the clergy and God, and beginning the fight against sinful passions. During preparation for Communion, a believer must distance himself from everything that fills his soul with unnecessary vanity. The Lord dwells only in a pure heart, so fasting must be approached with the utmost seriousness and concentration.
Fasting and its features
During the days of fasting, the believer must observe bodily purity - in other words, abstain from intimacy and marital relations. Restriction in food (fasting) is mandatory.
A few words about the post:
- the duration of the fast must be at least 3 days;
- on these days you should avoid any food of animal origin (meat and dairy products, eggs). If the fast is strict, fish is also excluded;
- Products of plant origin (vegetables, fruits, grains, flour products) should be consumed in moderation.
If a person has only recently joined the Church, or has not turned to it for a long time, forgetting about God, or has not observed everything established posts, the clergyman in this case can assign him an additional fast of 3-7 days.
- Strict dietary restrictions at this time should also be combined with moderation in eating and drinking, with abstinence from visiting establishments and entertainment events (theaters, cinemas, clubs, etc.), with abstinence from watching entertainment television programs, films and listening to popular secular music .
- The mind of a person preparing for Communion should not be entertained and wasted on everyday trifles.
The strictest fast occurs on the day before the sacrament of Communion, starting at midnight. During this time, abstinence from food and drink must be absolute.
You should go to Communion on an empty stomach. Also during this period, a person must completely stop smoking and drinking alcohol. Women are not allowed to take Communion on days of purification (during menstruation).
Behavior and mood before communion
A person who is preparing for Communion should let go of all negative feelings and emotions (hatred, anger, irritation, anger, etc.).
You also need to forgive your offenders and ask for forgiveness from those who were once offended by you, and reconcile with those with whom your relationship was not on good terms. Consciousness must be free from condemnation and obscene thoughts. You should also discard disputes and empty talk. Time is best spent in silence and solitude, reading the Gospel and spiritual books. If possible, you should definitely attend services held in the church.
What is repentance
Many do not understand why go to confession at all - the Lord sees everything, why can’t it be done at home? But Orthodox Christians do this every day, reading the words of repentance that are on the list of daily prayers.
The appearance in the temple is intended to demonstrate not so much sinfulness as the person’s determination to abandon his bad deeds. After all, to speak about them in front of a witness requires courage, repentance, and a certain detachment from your former self. These are all signs of spiritual work.
Prayers read before confession very well help to recognize among habitual actions those that are sinful. People are so used to them that they often don’t even notice them. Sins are divided into two main types:
- Against God. Didn't attend church, was late for services, didn't listen attentively. I missed home prayers and broke fasts. He hid his membership in the Church, was embarrassed to wear a cross or apply the sign of the cross to himself.
- Against your neighbor. I envied my friend. Discussed someone behind his back. He condemned the actions of other people in his heart. Succumbed to sinful passions. Pride, rudeness - everything falls into this category. Careless attitude towards work.
Repentance should not be limited to just a declaration of one’s sinfulness. First of all, this is the right thing to do. Did you offend your wife? Come and apologize. Debt a neighbor? Bring money. Are you eating too much? Restrain yourself, impose a fast on yourself.
At the same time, it is better not to promise the Lord anything, but simply ask for His gracious help. After all, a person is very weakened by sins; he can take on too heavy obligations, fail to fulfill them, and then become despondent. It is better to fall and rise than to refuse confession altogether.
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Pairing of Repentance and Communion
The rule that one must confess before participating in the Eucharist is in fact not canonical. For example, priests do not follow it and receive communion freely on any day. This causes controversy in the church environment and confusion among parishioners.
- In the first centuries of Christianity, there was only one repentance - before receiving baptism. Then everyone freely participated in the Lord's Supper without any preparation. However, one must understand how seriously people then took the adoption Christian faith. The preparation lasted for years - from 3 to 10 years. When people became full members of the Church, they began to behave differently.
- There have been cases where baptism was delayed so as not to “accumulate” sins before death. This, of course, is extreme. Over time, they began to practice confession for those who had already been baptized and stumbled. After all, many admitted to wrongdoing and asked to return to the community.
- In modern Greek Church practice, attendance at confession before Communion is not required. And in the Russian Orthodox Church, some priests allow their spiritual children to take the Chalice without preparation - however, this is not advertised. And, basically, only bishops or rectors of churches who know very well the spiritual state of a particular person do this.
What should ordinary parishioners who want to begin the Sacrament do? I'll have to proofread everything orthodox prayers before confession, attend services. Perhaps, having appreciated your efforts, the priest will eventually become less demanding in matters of fasting and frequency of repentance. However, services and prayers remain unchanged. Unfortunately, not everyone can bear such a burden. Many, frightened by such serious preparation, completely refuse to visit the temple, which is very sad.
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On the day of Holy Communion
On the day of Communion, after reading the “Our Father,” the believer should approach the altar and wait for the Holy Gifts to be brought out.
- You shouldn’t rush forward - children, old people and sick people should be the first to go to the Chalice.
- Having waited your turn, approaching the Chalice, you should bow from a distance and cross your arms on your chest (put your right hand on your left).
- There is no need to make the sign of the cross in front of the Holy Chalice, so as not to accidentally push it.
- Before the Cup you need to name your full name, received at baptism, and then, with reverence in the soul, accept the Body and Blood of Christ and swallow.
- When the Holy Mysteries have been received, you should, without crossing yourself, kiss the edge of the Chalice and go to the table, eat the prosphora and wash it down with warmth.
After receiving Communion, you cannot immediately leave the church - you need to wait until the priest walks around with the altar cross and kiss this cross. It is highly advisable to attend prayers of thanksgiving, but in extreme cases they can be read at home.
On the day of Communion, the behavior of the person receiving communion must remain decorous and reverent.
Prayers before Confession and Communion
Prayer is a personal conversation between a person and God, which consists of turning to Him with requests for forgiveness of sins, for assistance in the fight against sinful passions and vices, for the granting of mercy in everyday and spiritual needs.
A person preparing for Communion during the days of fasting should more carefully and diligently observe the daily home prayer rule. Morning and evening prayers must be pronounced in full. It is also necessary to read at least one canon every day.
Prayerful preparation for Communion includes the following prayers:
- morning prayer rule;
- prayers for the future;
- “Canon of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos”;
- “Canon to the Guardian Angel”;
- “Following to Holy Communion.”
Saying all the prayers before the sacrament of Communion requires calm, attentiveness, concentration and a lot of time. To make it easier to comply with this condition, the Church allows the reading of all canons to be distributed over several days.
Morning prayer rule
The prayer rule of a layman consists of morning and evening prayers, which are performed daily. This rhythm is necessary, because otherwise the soul easily falls out of the prayer life, as if waking up only from time to time. In prayer, as in any big and difficult matter, inspiration, mood and improvisation are not enough.
There is a complete prayer rule, designed for monks and spiritually experienced laity, which is printed in the Orthodox Prayer Book.
However, for those who are just beginning to get used to prayer, it is difficult to immediately begin to read the entire rule. Typically, confessors advise starting with several prayers, and then adding one prayer to the rule every 7-10 days, so that the skill of reading the rule is developed gradually and naturally.
In addition, lay people sometimes have situations when there is little time left for prayer, and in this case it is better to read with attention and reverence short rule than to hastily and superficially, without a prayerful attitude, mechanically read out the full rule.
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Rules of morning prayers for beginners
Today there are many prayers that are worth choosing depending on the circumstances. The first and most important action is to renounce Satan.
There are no specific strict rules for reading prayer texts, and to a greater extent, the spiritual mood is very important. When turning to God, the believer must be calm, not experience any negative feelings and not think about anything other than the Lord. Only thanks sincere faith you can count on the Higher powers to hear the prayer and respond to it.
- The morning rules for pronouncing prayer are very simple.
- First you should wash your face and dress in decent attire.
- It is best to turn to God while alone, so that nothing interferes or distracts you.
- You need to read the prayer in front of the image, after placing a lighted candle or lamp next to it.
- You can learn the text by heart, but it is difficult for beginners, so use a prayer book.
Prayer for Beginners
Before reading the prayer text, you need to thank God that last night went well, and then you can say a short morning prayer for beginners, and the publican’s text is as follows:
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
Don't underestimate this one a short prayer which has enormous power. It is read not only in the morning, but also before leaving the house or any important events. After this, you can turn to God in your own words, telling about what is on your soul, what your goals and desires are. A sincere appeal will allow you to free yourself from the burden and tune in to a good wave.
The prayer can also be said in church, which you should go to without breakfast; this rule does not apply to sick people. It is worth paying attention to clothing, so the woman should have a long skirt and a head covered with a scarf. When entering the temple, you should cross yourself three times and bow.
Prayer "Our Father"
- The morning prayer “Our Father” is ideal for turning to God, both in church and at home; in general, it is considered universal.
- Reading this prayer, a person, as it were, pays tribute to To higher powers, sending gratitude for allowing us to wake up and giving us another day of life.
- People who have just turned to faith should know that you can also read it in difficult moments life when you need support and help.
The text of the prayer is as follows:
Every person has a guardian angel who is nearby and helps to cope with different problems. You can contact him with various questions. There is a special morning prayer to the guardian angel that should be read to give thanks, ask for forgiveness and receive protection.
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
The text of the prayer is:
“Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Blessed One, our souls.”
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Evening prayers for the coming sleep
Every Orthodox Christian must adhere to a certain prayer rule performed daily: morning prayers are read in the morning, and in the evening it is necessary to read prayers for the coming sleep.
Why do you need to read prayers before going to bed?
- There is a certain rhythm of prayer intended for monastics and spiritually experienced lay people.
- But for those who have recently come to the Church and are just beginning their prayer journey, it is quite difficult to read it in its entirety. And it happens that unforeseen situations arise for the laity when there is too little opportunity and time for prayer.
- In this case, it is better to read the short rule than to mindlessly and without reverence jabber the full text.
Often, confessors bless beginners to read several prayers, and then, after 10 days, add one prayer to the rule every day. Thus, the skill of prayer reading is formed gradually and naturally.
Important! Any prayer request will be supported by Heaven when a person directs his activities to serving God and people.
Evening prayers
IN evening time laymen read a short rule - a prayer at night before going to bed:
Tropari
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us; Perplexed by any answer, we offer this prayer to You as the Master of sin: have mercy on us.
Glory: Lord, have mercy on us, for we trust in You; Do not be angry with us, do not remember our iniquities, but look upon us now as if you are gracious, and deliver us from our enemies; For You are our God, and we are Your people; all the works of Your hand, and your name we call.
And now: Open the doors of mercy to us, blessed Mother of God, who trust in You, so that we may not perish, but may be delivered from troubles by You: for You are the salvation of the Christian race.
Lord have mercy. (12 times)
Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary
“O good Mother of the King, Most Pure and Blessed Mother of God Mary, pour out the mercy of Thy Son and our God on my passionate soul and with Thy prayers instruct me in good deeds, so that I may pass through the rest of my life without blemish and through You may I find paradise, the Virgin Mary Pure and Blessed."
Prayer to the Holy Guardian Angel
Angel of Christ, my holy guardian and protector of my soul and body, forgive me all who have sinned this day, and deliver me from every wickedness of the enemy who opposes me, so that in no sin I will anger my God; but pray for me, a sinful and unworthy servant, that you may show me worthy of the goodness and mercy of the All-Holy Trinity and the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints. Amen.
Kontakion to the Mother of God
“To the chosen Voivode, victorious, as having been delivered from the evil, let us write thanks to Thy servants, the Mother of God, but as having an invincible power, free us from all troubles, let us call Ti; Rejoice, Unbrided Bride.
Glorious Ever-Virgin, Mother of Christ God, bring our prayer to Your Son and our God, may You save our souls.
I place all my trust in You, Mother of God, keep me under Your roof.
Virgin Mary, do not despise me, a sinner, who requires Your help and Your intercession, for my soul trusts in You, and have mercy on me.
Prayer of Saint Ioannikios
My hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son, my protection is the Holy Spirit: Holy Trinity, glory to Thee.
It is worthy to eat as you truly bless Thee, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the Mother of our God. We magnify You, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all saints, have mercy on us. Amen."
Interpretation of individual prayers
In prayer, the Holy Spirit is called the King, because He, like God the Father and God the Son, rules the world and reigns in it. He is a comforter and still provides comfort to those who need it. He guides believers on the righteous path, which is why he is called the Spirit of Truth.
The petition is addressed to three hypostases Holy Trinity. The heavenly angels sing a great song before the throne of God. God the Father is the Holy God, God the Son is the Holy Almighty. This conversion is due to the victory of the Son over the devil and the destruction of hell.
Throughout the prayer, a person asks for permission from sins, healing of spiritual infirmities for the sake of glorifying the Most Holy Trinity.
This is an appeal directly to the Almighty as the Father; we stand before Him as children before their mother and father. We affirm the omnipotence of God and His power, we beg to control human spiritual forces and direct them to the true path, so that after death they will be awarded the honor of being in the Kingdom of Heaven.
He is Good Spirit for every believer, determined by God Himself. Therefore, praying to Him in the evenings is simply necessary. It is he who will warn against committing sins, help to live holy and will protect the soul and body.
The prayer especially highlights the danger of attacks from bodily enemies (people pushing to commit sin) and incorporeal (spiritual passions).
Nuances of the evening rule
Most people have a question: is it possible to listen to Orthodox chants on audio recordings?
The Epistle of the Apostle Paul says that it does not matter what a person does, the main thing is that any of his work is done for the glory of God.
Important! It is necessary to understand that you cannot replace prayers for future sleep by listening to Orthodox songs.
Prayer should begin before going to bed. Before starting to read the rule, it is recommended to thank God for everything that He has given throughout the day. You need to turn to Him with your mind and heart, realizing the meaning of every word spoken.
Advice! If the text is read in Church Slavonic, then you need to study its Russian translation.
In modern practice, the rule is supplemented by reading prayers for:
- close and dear people
- living and deceased;
- about enemies;
- virtues and about the whole world.
In a dream, a person is especially vulnerable to the devil’s army; he is visited by sinful thoughts and bad desires. Night in the Christian understanding is considered a time of rampant demons. A person can receive information that can seduce his body and lead his soul into sin. Demons are very insidious; they can send nightmares in a dream.
This is why believers pray every day before going to bed.
Advice! Even when all life circumstances are going well, we must not forget about faith and the Heavenly Father, because human destinies are initially predetermined in Heaven. Therefore, it is necessary to turn to God before going to bed, and the next day will definitely turn out better than the previous one.
- It is useful to listen to the singing of the elders of Optina Hermitage. This men's monastic monastery is famous for its miracle workers who could and can foresee human destinies. The need to serve the Almighty is conveyed through their prayer songs and sets them on the righteous path.
- The Church has a positive attitude towards viewing Orthodox videos, but this material must be treated very carefully, and in the process of listening or watching it is recommended to put aside worldly activities.
- Church officials advise including evening rule prayers of the Optina elders. Their texts have evolved over centuries and each of their phrases carries greatest wisdom, capable of explaining the foundations of the Orthodox faith and understanding their full depth.
Prayer is the breath of the soul of an Orthodox person. He practically cannot control his sleep, and other life processes are difficult to control. Therefore, prayer before going to bed is aimed at ensuring that the Creator participates in human life, otherwise He will not have the opportunity to help us.
Important! Making a prayer before going to bed is gaining Orthodox Christian protection and support. In addition to their own protection, mothers beg God to protect their children and send them mercy.
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Canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ
IN Orthodox world There are liturgical traditions. There are several types. One of them is the canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ. But before talking about it, you need to understand what this concept means.
A canon is a complex church multi-stanza work that is dedicated to the glorification of church holiday or saint.
It is part of the morning and evening services. The entire canon is divided into the following components:
The number of such songs in one canon can be from two to nine.
When to read the canon of repentance to the Lord Jesus Christ
It should be noted that the canon to the Lord Jesus is included in any prayer book. This is one of the three canons, which mandatory read before preparing for the Sacrament of Communion. From the name it is clear that it is aimed at softening the soul of the believer and setting him up for a wave of repentance.
Also, his reading is connected with the sacrament of Repentance. As you know, it is this sacrament that precedes communion.
- It should be noted that very often people who are just starting to go to church are upset and upset by the very preparation for communion.
- It involves special training for three days.
- These days you need to fast and limit yourself to fatty and dairy foods.
- In addition, if possible, it is necessary to attend church all three days and pray fervently.
Direct preparation begins at a church service on the eve of the ceremony itself. Namely, at the evening service. And only after strict adherence to such preparation, the clergyman can conduct the rite of Communion.
But it is worth remembering that Repentance is not just a canon and church tradition, this is an independent prayer that must be read at any time when a person’s soul is inclined to do so.
Canon of repentance to the Lord Jesus Christ in Russian
As you know, all prayers are written in ancient Slavic. Sometimes people who do not have special education either cannot read the prayer correctly, or when reading it they cannot understand its meaning and essence. It is clear that such reading will not be of any use.
Therefore, for the convenience of most Orthodox believers penitential canon translated to the Lord Jesus Christ in Russian. Now it can be read not only by clergy, but also by Orthodox believers. At the same time, they understand the deep meaning of prayer.
Song 1
“Like Israel, who walked through the abyss like dry land, seeing the persecutor Pharaoh drowned, we sing and proclaim a victory song to God.
Now I, sinful and burdened, approach You, my Lord and God! I don’t dare look at heaven, but I just ask, saying: give me reason, Lord, so that I bitterly mourn my deeds!
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me!
Oh, woe to me, a sinner! I am the most unfortunate of all people, I have no repentance! Oh, give me tears, Lord, so that I may bitterly mourn my deeds!
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!
O foolish, unhappy man! You are wasting your time in laziness! Imagine your life and turn to the Lord God and weep bitterly about your deeds!
And now, and always, and forever! Amen.
Most Pure Mother of God! Turn your gaze on me, a sinner, and deliver me from the devil’s snare. and put me on the path of repentance, so that I bitterly mourn my deeds!”
Song 3
There is no one like You in holiness, O Lord my God, who has lifted up the horn of Your faithful, O Good One, and established us on the rock of Your confession.
When the thrones of the Last Judgment are set, then the affairs of all people will be revealed! There will be woe to the sinners who are sent to flour! And knowing this, my soul, turn from your evil deeds! The righteous will rejoice, and the sinners will cry! Then no one will be able to help us, but our very deeds will condemn us! Therefore, before the end, turn from your evil deeds!
Glory: Alas for me, a great sinner, defiled by deeds and thoughts: from hardness of heart I have not a drop of tears! Now rise up from the earth, my soul, and turn from your evil deeds!
And now: Oh, Lady! Here Your Son calls to you and teaches us good things, but I, a sinner, always shy away from good things! You, merciful one, have mercy on me, so that I may turn from my evil deeds!
Sedalen, voice 6th
I reflect on the terrible day and mourn my evil deeds. How will I respond to the immortal King, or with what boldness will I, the prodigal, look at the Judge? Merciful Father, Only Begotten Son and Holy Spirit, have mercy on me!
Glory, and now: Theotokos:
Now, being bound by many shackles of sins and surrounded by many sufferings and troubles, I resort to You, my salvation, and cry out: Help me, Virgin Mother of God!
Song 4
Christ is my strength, my God and Lord! Thus the worthy Church sings magnificently, crying out from pure meaning and rejoicing in the Lord.
Here the path is wide and convenient for pleasure, but how bitter it will be on the last day, when the soul is separated from the body! O man, keep yourself from them, for the sake of the Kingdom of God!
Why do you offend the poor, steal a worker’s wages, don’t love your brother, show fornication and pride? So, my soul, leave this and correct yourself for the sake of the Kingdom of God!
Slava: Oh, foolish man! How much longer will you wallow in collecting your wealth like a bee? Soon it will perish, becoming dust and ashes, and you seek more of the Kingdom of God!
And now: Madam Mother of God! Have mercy on me, a sinner, and strengthen and preserve me in virtue, so that insolent death does not snatch me away unprepared, and bring me, Virgin, to the Kingdom of God!
Song 5
O Good One, illuminate with Your divine light the souls who stand before You with love in the morning, so that You, the Word of God, may be known as the true God! So I pray, calling out from the darkness of sin.
Remember, unfortunate man, how enslaved you are by your sins to lies, slander, robbery, infirmities, and fierce beasts! My sinful soul, is this what you wanted?
My limbs are trembling, for I have been guilty of all of them: looking with my eyes, listening with my ears, speaking evil tongue, surrendering everything to Gehenna! My sinful soul, is this what you wanted?
Glory: Oh, Savior, You have already accepted the repentant fornicator and robber, but I am still burdened with sinful laziness and enslaved to evil deeds! My sinful soul, is this what you wanted?
And now: Mother of God, wonderful and quick helper to all people! Help me, unworthy, for my sinful soul already wanted it!
Song 6
Seeing the sea of life disturbed by the storm of temptation, I ran to Your quiet pier, crying out to You: O Most Merciful One, raise my life from corruption!
I lived my life on earth as a prodigal, and betrayed my soul into darkness, but now, merciful Master, I beg You: free me from this slavery of the enemy and give me reason to do Your will!
Who does something like me? For just as a pig lies in the mud, so I serve sin. But You, Lord, tear me out of this vileness and give me such a heart as to fulfill Your commandments!
Slava: Unhappy man! Remember your sins, rise up to God, falling to the Creator, shedding tears and groaning! He is merciful and will give you reason to know His will!
And now: Virgin Mary! Save me, O Most Pure One, from visible and invisible evil and take my petitions and pass them on to Your Son, may He give me the understanding to do His will!
Kontakion
My soul! Why are you rich in sins, Why are you fulfilling the devil’s will, where do you place your hope? Stop and turn to God weeping, crying: merciful Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner!
Ikos
Imagine, my soul, the bitter hour of death and doomsday your Creator and God, when you, soul, are captured by formidable forces and brought into Eternal flame! Therefore, before you die, correct yourself, crying out: Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner!
Song 7
The angel watered the oven for the holy youths, but scorched the Chaldeans with the command of God, forcing the tormentor to cry out: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Do not rely, my soul, on bodily wealth and on collecting earthly goods, because you do not know to whom you will leave it all, but rather cry out: Christ God, have mercy on me, unworthy!
Do not trust, my soul, in bodily health and fleeting beauty, because you see that both the strong and the young are dying, but rather cry out: Christ God, have mercy on me, unworthy!
Slava: Remember, my soul, eternal life and the Kingdom of Heaven, prepared for the saints, and the outer darkness and the wrath of God for the evil, and cry: Christ God, have mercy on me, unworthy!
And now: Come, my soul, to Mother of God, and ask her, and She, the quick helper of those who turn, will ask the Son, Christ God, and He will have mercy on me, unworthy!
Song 8
He poured out moisture from the fire to the saints and burned the sacrifice of the righteous with water. You, Christ, do whatever you want! We praise You at all times.
How can I help but cry when I imagine death, For I saw my brother lying in the coffin, inglorious and ugly? What do I expect and what do I hope for? Lord, give me only repentance before the end! (Twice).
Glory: I believe that You will come to judge the living and the dead! Then everyone will stand in their rank: old and young, rulers and princes, virgins and priests, but where will I end up? Therefore I cry: Lord, give me repentance before the end!
And now: Most Pure Mother of God! Accept my unworthy request, and save me from arrogant death, and give me repentance before the end!
Song 9
It is impossible for people to see God, whom even the ranks of angels do not dare to look at! Through You, O All-Pure One, the incarnate Word appeared to people, magnifying Which, we with the heavenly powers please You.
Now I turn to you, angels, archangels and all heavenly powers standing at the Throne of God! Ask your Creator to save my soul from eternal torment!
Now I cry before you, holy forefathers, kings and prophets, apostles and saints and all the chosen ones of Christ! Help me at the trial, so that He can save my soul from the enemy’s power!
Glory: Now I lift up my hands to you, holy martyrs, hermits, virgins, righteous people and all the saints, asking the Lord for the whole world to have mercy on me at the hour of my death.
And now: Mother of God! Help me, who rely greatly on You, ask Your Son, so that when He sits to judge the living and the dead, He will appoint me, unworthy according to right hand my! Amen.
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Orthodox Canon of the Blessed Virgin Mary
From time immemorial Orthodox people venerates the Most Holy Theotokos as “the Ever-Blessed and Immaculate Mother of our God, as the Most Honest Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim”, great Intercessor and Intercessor in the affairs of Christian believers. The veneration of the Mother of God is based on the word of God and on faith in Her special virtues. Icon paintings, prayer works in the form of akathists, troparions and canons of the Mother of God are dedicated to everyone’s favorite image of the Most Pure One.
Her greatness became genuine, since She alone happened to receive the grace of God, to become blessed among all women, to hear from the Heavenly Messenger: “The Lord is with You.”
- The prayerful veneration of the Ever-Virgin among Orthodox Christians is very great.
- Ordinary Christians associate every day with Her name and prayerful appeal to Her.
- In the resting canon of the Most Holy Theotokos, Christian believers, having repented of their sins, ask the Mother of God to “have mercy” on them and save them from many sins.
The meaning of the Canon of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Reverence for the Mother of God is one of the best means, effective forces for genuine repentance, correction and prosperity in spiritual life. Through her omnipotent prayers, Orthodox believers will be granted eternal life in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The canon of prayer for the Most Holy Theotokos is one of the most characteristic prayers, emphasizing the importance of the Mother of God for the common people. Christians do not see a more powerful protector, a deliverer from many troubles, than their Lady.
Between glory and irmos throughout the entire Orthodox canon, the main phrase to the Most Holy Theotokos is the prayer for salvation: “Most Holy Theotokos, save us.” The Most Pure One is called the “Mother of the Word, the author of good things and the support of the believers,” to whom they resort as a “reliable wall and one quick protector.”
The entire Christian canon of the Mother of God consists of zealous invocations to the Mother of God - “a warm prayer book, an impregnable wall, a source of mercy and a refuge for the world.” Perhaps not enough Orthodox worship There are prayers in which the Most Pure One has so many exact names.
sudba.info
Canon to the Guardian Angel
The canon consists of nine songs, which are read together only in the canon of Andrei Kritsky and in the canons parent's Saturday. In other cases, canons often use two, three, four or eight songs.
- Canons that do not use the second canto have eight cantos.
- During the days of Great Lent, canons of three or four songs are used, which are “three songs” and “four songs,” and canons consisting of two songs are “two songs.”
The Byzantine and modern Greek canons are metrically similar. With a Slavic translation, it is impossible to copy the exact poetic content of the Greek metrics, which in this case allows the irmos to be sung and the troparia to be read. The Easter canon is an exception; it must be sung in its entirety. Such a canon is sung in one of eight voices.
- The basis of the canon are Old Testament songs.
- When the canon is sung, all the texts of biblical songs and troparia should be distributed equally among the choirs, so the number of songs and troparions is always even.
- In order to make it easier to listen to the canon and attract new attention from listeners, it was divided into three parts.
- Between the parts of the canon, something is read that is the opposite in meaning to the canon.
- The canon is a song of praise with a complex melody.
How to read the canon
The interval between songs allows for prayer instead of praise, a song is replaced by reading, and a complex chant is replaced by a simple one. This allows the inter-songs in the canon to be divided into three groups: reading, prayer and singing. Following the Charter, it is necessary to combine several canons every day (in weekdays three, and on holidays and weekends four canons).
- Following the traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church, the canon is read along with the prayers that are read before communion.
- Following modern church books, which say that the canon is for the guardian angel before communion.
- Before communion, you must attend the evening service, and then, while reading prayers at home before going to bed, three canons are also read: the canon of repentance to the Lord Jesus Christ, prayer canon to the Holy Mother of God and at the end only the canon to the Guardian Angel is read.
At the conclusion of the home prayer before communion, it is necessary to read the sequence to Holy Communion. After reading everyone necessary prayers at home, it is already forbidden to eat food and even drink water, since the sacrament of Communion takes place on an empty stomach. Reading from early morning morning prayers and if prayers for Holy Communion were not read in the evening, these prayers must be read in the morning.
The canon of repentance to the Guardian Angel can be read if a person finds himself in a difficult situation and needs the support of the Guardian Angel. This canon is read if necessary, both for yourself and for your family and friends, taking care of them.
magictheory.ru
Following to Holy Communion
What are these canons?
- Canon to the Guardian Angel
- Canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ
- Canon of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos.
During the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ, these canons are replaced with the Easter canon. If you don’t have free time to read them, don’t worry, because it’s not necessary. But if you do this, you will only benefit your spiritual state.
Its main task is to consume less food and drink, reduce viewing of entertainment programs, music, and theater. At this time, it is necessary to adhere to not only mental, but also physical purity. The day before and after the ceremony, it is necessary to abstain from physical intimacy. 12 hours before Communion, you must adhere to strict fasting.
- The mood before the ceremony is considered important.
- Refrain from negative emotions, feelings of anger and irritability.
- Try not to judge anyone.
- Better spend free time in reading the Gospel or other spiritual books.
Before Communion it is necessary to go through confession. Until this moment, it is necessary to compare yourself with the offenders and the offended, and also ask for forgiveness. Confession is bringing your sins to the Lord in the presence of a witness - a priest. Just tell him what’s weighing on your soul.
This can be done in any temple, for example in the Optina Monastery. The procession for Holy Communion in Optina Pustyn can be heard quite often. This monastery in the Kaluga region, which keeps certain secrets.
The Procedure for Holy Communion in Russian is written so that people who do not speak Church Slavonic can read it without difficulty.
icona-i-molitva.info
Frequency of Communion
The first Christians took Communion every Sunday.
Now, due to changes in people’s lifestyles, the Church recommends taking communion, if possible, during each fast, but not less than once a year.
Confession - Christian sacrament, through which every believer must go, cleansing his soul from sins, and his thoughts from everything evil and negative. Find out how to properly prepare and how to pray before confession.
At confession, Orthodox believers open their souls before God, talking about their most secret things. Often, what is said in confession to the priest is told the most secret things, they share bad thoughts and terrible sins, misdeeds that sometimes gnaw at a person for years.
Before coming to the Almighty for repentance, a person must prepare himself and his soul. After all, he must sincerely repent of all sinful actions and want to become more righteous.
Preparing for Confession
Before admitting your own sins, you should lead a calm and righteous life. Three days before going to church, be sure to fast and abstain from any entertainment. It is not idle pastime that should occupy the penitent, but thoughts about his immortal soul. It is worth spending more time in solitude, reflecting on your own actions and reading church literature.
During confession itself, you cannot hide a single sin committed from the priest. You should not wait for questions, you must yourself, sincerely admit everything that you have done and ask for forgiveness from the Lord.
Prayers preparing for confession
Before confession, you must pray and turn to God, asking him to strengthen your spirit and faith. The Church says that before confession, a prayer-conversion is possible, from the heart in one’s own words. By sincerely asking for grace and guidance on the true path, you will prepare yourself for the Orthodox sacrament.
“Come, Holy Spirit, enlighten my mind so that I may become more aware of my sins; motivate my will to genuine repentance for them, to sincere confession and decisive correction of my life.”
“O Mary, Mother of God, Refuge of Sinners, intercede for me.”
“Holy Guardian Angel, my patron saints, ask God for me the grace of genuine confession of sins.”
You can also read a prayer to the spinner the night before communion. In this way you will notify the Lord of your imminent repentance. In the morning you will be able to confess and tell about your worst sins without fear of God's punishment.
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy and according to the multitude of Your mercies, cleanse my iniquity. Above all, wash me from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my iniquity, and I will take away my sin before me. You alone have sinned and committed evil before You, so that You may be justified in Your words and overcome, never judge You. Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother gave birth to me in sins. You have loved the truth; you have revealed to me the unknown and secret wisdom of Yours. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Give joy and gladness to my hearing; humble bones will rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins, and cleanse all my iniquities. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me. Reward me with the joy of Your salvation, and strengthen me with the Master’s Spirit. I will teach the wicked Your way, and the wicked will turn to You. Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, God of my salvation; my tongue will rejoice in Your righteousness. Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will proclaim your praise. For even if you would have sacrificed, you would have given; you will not be pleased with burnt offerings. A sacrifice to God—a broken spirit, a contrite and humble heart—God will not despise. Bless Zion, O Lord, with Your favor, and may the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then favor the sacrifice of righteousness, the offering and the burnt offering; Then they will place the bullock on Your altar.”
Sincere repentance from the bottom of your heart will have a positive effect on your state of mind. Such a “conversation with God” is necessary for every believer to cleanse himself of everything bad and sinful. Take care of yourself and your loved ones and don't forget to press the buttons and
12.08.2015 01:10
A prayer to the revered Christian saint, whom God has endowed with the gift of healing sick people, is considered one of the most powerful. ...
The priest often has to stand at the lectern with the Cross and the Gospel not to accept the confession of the penitents, but to listen to speeches of self-justification and condemnation of neighbors (relatives, co-workers, neighbors, etc.) This happens partly due to the Orthodox misunderstanding of the meaning of the sacrament of Confession, partly due to the tedious unwillingness to talk to your conscience, to remove the filth of sin and wash it with repentance.
Confession- this is not a conversation about your shortcomings, doubts, or telling your confessor about your life. Confession is repentance of the heart, born of a thirst for cleansing from the filth of sin. We come to confession with the intention of receiving forgiveness of sins from the Lord God through the priest. So know that your confession is empty, fruitless, invalid and even offensive to the Lord if you go to confession without any preparation, without testing your conscience, for shame or another reason you hide your sins, you confess formally, coldly, mechanically, without having a firm intention to improve.
Here is what needs to be done in preparation for the Sacraments of Penance and Eucharist (Communion):
3 days - fasting(food of animal origin is excluded, abstinence from entertainment).
Do the following prayer rule:
- MORNING PRAYERS
- PRAYERS FOR THE SLEEP OF THE COMING
CANON:
- REPENTANCE TO OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
- PRAYER TO THE HOLY VIRGIN
- GUARDIAN ANGEL
Using the book THE EXPERIENCE OF CONSTRUCTING A CONFESSION, compose a confession on paper.
In the days of preparation for confession, one must attend divine services in church and read the GOSPEL.
After midnight they no longer eat or drink, because it is customary to begin the SACRAMENT OF COMMUNION on an empty stomach (you cannot smoke).
In the morning read:
FOLLOWING HOLY COMMUNION, except for the canon read the day before.
At the end of the service, you must hurry home, read the PRAYERS OF THANKS FOR HOLY COMMUNION and spend the rest of the day reading spiritual books and helping your neighbors, protecting yourself from empty talk and entertainment.
Communion- a mysterious, incomprehensible to the mind, the deepest and closest union possible for a person with God through partaking of the greatest shrine - the Eucharistic Gifts, Bread and Wine - the true Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Get to it most holy sacrament It is necessary, if possible, monthly, but no less than 4 times a year. One must carefully prepare for it so that Communion does not lead to judgment or condemnation.
When preparing for communion, be sure to make peace with everyone with whom you had a conflict or quarrel. Taking communion in hostility is a grave sin.
On the eve of the day of communion, it is necessary to attend the evening service. This is an indispensable condition for preparation for the sacrament of Communion.
The Sacrament of Communion must necessarily be preceded by the Sacrament of Confession.
The communicant must wear a cross on his body.
One should approach the Holy Chalice with reverence, without pushing anyone, realizing one’s unworthiness. Cross your arms across your chest, right over left. Do not be baptized before the Chalice .
state your full name given at baptism. Take St. carefully. Gifts, kiss the edge of the Chalice and calmly move away. The gifts should be chewed and swallowed immediately if necessary. Then wash down the Gifts with “warmth” and eat a piece of prosphora.
Usually people inexperienced in spiritual life do not see either the plurality of their sins or their vileness - “I didn’t do anything special, I only have minor sins, like everyone else - I didn’t steal, I didn’t kill.” What about self-esteem? Intolerance to reproaches? Callousness? People-pleasing, weakness of faith, lack of love for one's neighbor? Are these all unimportant sins? Let's take a closer look at ourselves, remember what our relatives and friends usually reproach us for. Very often their accusations and reproaches are fair. Have we achieved meekness, freedom from anger, humility? Do we love every person as commanded by the Savior?
Knowing your sins does not mean repenting of them. True, the Lord accepts confession: - sincere and conscientious, even if it is not accompanied by a strong feeling of repentance, even if this sin of ours - the stony insensibility of the heart - we confess courageously and frankly, without hypocrisy. And yet, contrition of heart, sorrow for our sins is the most important thing that we can bring to confession. To soften our hearts and sharpen the feeling of repentance, we need prayerful preparations for confession and fasting. Fasting disrupts bodily well-being and complacency, which is disastrous for spiritual life, loosens the soil of our heart, which can then absorb prayer, the word of God, the lives of saints, the works of the Holy Fathers, and this, in turn, will give us strength to fight sin and do good deeds .
There is no need to wait for questions during confession, you need to make the effort yourself, because confession is a feat and self-compulsion. It is necessary to speak accurately, without obscuring the ugliness of sin general expressions. We must give up attempts to justify ourselves with “mitigating circumstances,” and give up references to others who allegedly led us into sin. Confession must be complete, that is, we must confess all our sins, without hiding anything or putting it off “for later.” Unrepentant sins constantly burden the soul and prepare it for eternal damnation. One should be ashamed to commit a sin, and not repent of it. Don’t you dare think that your sins are so great that it’s not worth repenting. Who accepts our repentance? Who heals our sinful ulcers? Almighty God. Almighty Doctor! And as such, He makes forgiveness possible for all the most serious sins.
It is wrong to think that after confessing our many sins, the priest will begin to neglect us as sinners. On the contrary, any priest rejoices at the sincere repentance of a sinner, just as a good shepherd rejoices when he finds a lost sheep. Knowing our ailments, he will be more likely to help us, to indicate a way to heal from our sinful ulcers.
One must confess as often as possible; the intervals between confessions must be filled with an internal struggle against sinful temptations, efforts towards a righteous life, supported by the previous confession, anticipation and preparation for the next one.
List of the most common spiritual diseases, sins, evil habits, passions:
This list is provided so that those preparing for confession can take a deeper look at themselves, more accurately find expressions and names of their illnesses. It is useful to draw up a rough plan for yourself - what sins to confess, so as not to forget later in confession; but you will have to not just read a piece of paper about your ulcers, but with a feeling of guilt and repentance open them before God, take them out of your soul like nasty snakes and get rid of them with a feeling of disgust.
LOW FAITH. Doubt about the omnipotence and mercy of the Creator. God's ingratitude for everything that happens to us. Attributing successes to yourself and grumbling at God for failures. View of Orthodoxy as national tradition, a set of external rituals. The discrepancy between our words and deeds in the church and outside the church fence.
SUPERSTITION AND HERESY. Belief in omens, dreams, horoscopes, astrological forecasts. Seeking help from intermediaries of demonic power - occultists, psychics, bioenergeticists, non-contact massage therapists, hypnotists, traditional healers, sorcerers, fortune tellers, healers, fortune tellers, astrologers, parapsychologists, Scientologists. Watching and listening to television and radio programs with their participation, reading occult literature. (“White” sorcerers and healers does not exist. Even if they read prayers, hang icons on the stage and assure of their love for the Church - do not believe it! According to the teachings of the Holy Fathers, these are wolves in sheep's clothing). Participation in coding sessions, removal of “damage and evil eye”, spiritualism. Contacting UFOs and the “higher mind.” Connecting to “cosmic energies”. Study of theosophy, martial arts and religious cults, yoga, meditation, dousing according to the system of Porfiry Ivanov. Studying the “living ethics” of the Roerichs, Dianetics and Scientology (Hubbard’s teachings) and participating in auditing sessions, etc.
Attending speeches by Protestant preachers, participating in meetings of Baptists, evangelists, Adventists, Pentecostals (charismatics), “Word of Life” Church, Moonites (“unification church”), “Jehovah’s Witnesses”, “Virgin Center”, “White Brotherhood” and others non-Orthodox religious organizations. Watching and listening to television and radio programs with their participation. Participation in non-Orthodox services, acceptance of baptism by sectarians. Attending services and participating in the Sacraments of schismatics, many of whom call themselves Orthodox, but are not in communion with the Russian Orthodox Church: Old Believers, Uniates (Greek Catholics) and others (“Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchate”, “Free Orthodox Church” ”, “True Orthodox Church”, etc.). Propaganda and dissemination of the ideas of the mentioned sects, “churches” and organizations. 1
Blasphemy and Godhood. Murmuring at God for suffering that seems undeserved to us. An irreverent attitude towards God, church shrines, and the Sacraments. Disrespect for clergy. Mentioning the name of God or the Most Holy Theotokos in vain (in everyday conversations as interjections: “Oh, you, Lord!”, “God be with him,” “All of us are not glory to God,” etc.). Mentioning sacred words jokingly, in anger, along with insults. Prayer for punishment of another person. It is also sinful to threaten your enemies with the wrath of the Lord. Summoning evil spirits in anger or simple conversation (cursing). Use of swear words.
PRAYERLESSNESS. Neglect of church services. Not attending church on Sundays and holidays. Late for church service due to negligence and leaving the temple before the end of the service. Inattention and distraction at home and church prayer. Conversations during worship. Infrequent confession and communion without proper preparation. Lack of understanding of the meaning of the Sacraments being performed and lack of interest in this knowledge. Failure to comply with morning and evening prayer rules. Failure to pray before and after meals.
PRIDE AND VANITY. Self-love. A high opinion of oneself, of one’s imaginary merits. High-mindedness, loss of simplicity. Self-will, disobedience. Self-justification, condemnation of one's neighbor. The desire to teach and save others. Seeking fame, praise from people. Unequal treatment of others (personality). Doing good deeds, almsgiving and prayer in plain sight, for show to people (hypocrisy). People-pleasing, cunning, flattery. Anger, irritability. Hot temper, rudeness. Selfishness. Envy. Stubbornness.
SPIRITUAL CHARM. An opinion about one’s chosenness, considering oneself worthy and having achieved special spiritual perfection. Accepting dreams as divine “revelations”. A trusting attitude towards the waking phenomena of visions and signs.
DEPRESSION. The fading of love for others, indifference to the suffering of others, the inability to rejoice in the joy of one’s neighbor. Doubt about the possibility of forgiveness of one's sins. Empty pastime, “killing time.” Laziness. Excessive sleep. Television omnivorousness. Reading blank books.
CELEBRATION. Empty, useless talk. Gossip, retelling of rumors. Love of controversy. Empty laughter, jokes, witticisms.
LIE. Misleading a neighbor by word, deed or silence. Failure to keep promises. Gossip, fiction and exaggeration in idle conversations. Slander. Bold reasoning about obscure things. Jokes based on deception.
LOVE OF AVERAGE. Addiction to money, things, all kinds of material goods, manifested both in the form of wastefulness and in its opposite - stinginess. Desire for wealth. Envy. Unmercy, contempt for the poor. Excessive concern for one's well-being and fear of losing it. Gambling.
THEFT. Illegal appropriation of someone else's property (private or public). Failure to return monetary debts or things given on loan. Parasitism, begging unless absolutely necessary. Damaging the property of a neighbor. Extortion of payment for one's labor in excess of what is due (extortion).
GLUTTONY. Treating food as a source of pleasure. Consolidation. Drunkenness. Smoking. Failure to observe fasts (multi-day fasts - Great, Petrov, Uspensky and Rozhdestvensky (Filippov), one-day fasts - on Wednesdays and Fridays, and on special days established by the Church). Eating food out of boredom, despondency, idleness. Dissatisfaction with food.
FORTURNING. Fornication (carnal relationship between a single man and an unmarried woman not sanctified by the sacrament of Marriage). Adultery (marital fidelity). Incest. Sodomy, bestiality, masturbation. Watching seductive shows, lewd films, paintings, books. Seductive conversations, lewd stories. Prodigal dreams. Intemperance in married life on fasting days.
MURDER. Taking the life of another person. Suicide attempt. Abortion (equivalent to murder). Assault, beating, wounds, mutilation. Inciting a fight, pitting people against each other with gossip, slander, slander. Failure to provide assistance to a sick, dying, homeless, hungry, drowning before your eyes, beaten or robbed, victim of fire or flood. Killing animals unnecessarily, torturing them. Not raising children in Orthodox faith. A cruel word, abuse, mockery, mockery of someone else's grief.
One should prepare for the Sacrament of the Eucharist both by repentance and prayers for communion. The preparation should not only be the fulfillment of prescribed instructions, but also a change in one’s entire life, which includes following the principles of the Gospel. It is required to observe internal discipline, which will help a believer to desire fellowship with Christ.
Prayer for communion and confession can be at home or in church. Those who strive to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ need to prayerfully prepare for this significant event: offer prayer to God more often and more diligently at home, and go to services.
On the eve of communion, you are supposed to attend an evening church service. For spiritual preparation in the evening at the service, you need to read Orthodox prayers before communion and confession. The order for communion can be found in every Orthodox prayer book.
There is a pious custom of reading 3 canons and an akathist. Canons are small prayers of a petitionary nature, which contain the rationale for requests and the petitions themselves. An akathist for communion is a laudatory, hymnographic and spiritual work. Both canons and akathists were compiled by saints or pious people. To the canons before The sacrament of Communion includes the following texts:
- repentant to the Lord Jesus;
- prayer service to the Most Holy Mother of God;
- to the Guardian Angel.
In the first week after Easter (also called Bright Week), instead of prayers for confession and communion, Orthodox Christians traditionally read the Easter canon.
Features of abstinence
Reading prayers before confession and communion is not the only condition for preparing for the Sacrament of the Eucharist: the day before it is necessary to perform a liturgical fast. For neophytes (beginners), as well as those who did not observe the fasting abstinence established by the Church, the clergyman can determine an additional period of abstinence for 3-7 days - before receiving the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
Fasting, in addition to restrictions on certain foods, consists of eating and consuming less liquid than usual, and also refusing to attend entertainment events or watch entertaining films and television shows. It is necessary to maintain physical and spiritual purity. Married people should refrain from intimate contact the day before and after communion.
Before accepting the Mysteries of Christ, a strict fast begins from midnight - absolute abstinence from drinking and eating. Those who suffer from tobacco addiction should stop smoking cigarettes. The same applies to alcohol addicts and drug users.
A priest's blessing must be obtained for communion. Life-saving medications are not food and can be taken after midnight.
Preparing for confession and communion
He who is preparing for the Sacrament of the Eucharist must make peace with everyone and protect his soul from anger and irritability. It is important to restrain yourself from condemnation and any bad thoughts, staying, as far as possible, alone, reading the Gospel, the works of the holy fathers and other spiritual books. Before accepting the Holy Mysteries, you need to set yourself up correctly in order to cleanse your spirit in the Sacrament of Confession:
Before receiving the Holy Mysteries, some churches confess to children and the sick. Going to confession when the morning service is already underway is extreme negligence and a disdainful attitude towards the Sacrament.
Children under the age of 7 receive communion without confession (in the future, they will have the opportunity to go to confession not before every Eucharist, but having received the blessing of the priest for this).
Proper Communion
The Holy Gifts are taken out from the altar, proclaiming that the sacrament must be approached with fear and faith. It is necessary to receive the Sacrament after monks, children, elderly and sick parishioners. When approaching the Holy Chalice, you must first fold your hands on your chest in a special way
(right on top, left on bottom).
Before the Chalice itself, you should not make the sign of the cross: otherwise, you can unwittingly catch it and push it. When approaching the priest, you need to clearly state the name that was given on the day of Baptism - in full, without abbreviating it. Then open your mouth wide and reverently, accept the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ and immediately swallow.
After this, without doing sign of the cross, you should kiss the edge of the Chalice and go to a special table to taste the liturgical bread and wash it down with warm water. The last actions are necessary in order for Communion in the best possible way went inside.
What to do after the Eucharist
At the end of the service, the priest invites the parishioners to kiss the throne cross. Before this reverent action, which is called “dismissal,” it is not appropriate to leave the temple. If in the parish after the Eucharist it is customary to read thanksgiving prayers, after dismissal, it is necessary to stand closer to the reader and listen to them to the end. If prayers are not read, you need to read them at home yourself.
On this day, it is necessary to reverently keep within oneself “Christ accepted” and behave decently in order to heal one’s soul and body.
How often should you take communion?
Ancient Christians partook of the Sacraments every Day of Christ (i.e., every Sunday), and in the 4th century, Saint Basil the Great wrote: “We (that is, he and his monastic community) receive communion 4 times every 7 days.”
All the holy fathers of the Church speak about the frequent acceptance of Christ. The Sacrament itself contains the words recorded in the Gospel: “When they were eating food, Jesus took bread and, blessing it, broke it and, dividing it among the disciples, said: take, eat: this is My Body. After this, taking the cup, he thanked the Heavenly Father and said to them: Drink from it, all of you, because this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Gospel of Matthew, chapter 26). Evangelist Luke adds: “Do this in remembrance of Me” (chapter 22).
This call of the Savior to the communion of the Holy Mysteries lives in the heart of every Christian and calls him to the main sacred action in the life of a believer. Maximus the Confessor, saint and priest, testifies that no church sacrament can become perfect without the Eucharist. Therefore, Communion is called the “sacrament of the sacraments,” believing that it is in it that life of grace lies.
It is the Eucharist that makes the Church a true community, united by the Holy Spirit of God. Those events in history in which the Eucharistic life in the Christian circle begins to weaken illustrate that this has a fatal effect on people, and those years become very difficult for the destinies of the believers.
Of course, in the history of the Church there were times when it was very rare to partake of the Holy Mysteries. For example, the monks of the first times of Christianity, who lived as hermits in the Egyptian desert, often did not have the opportunity to receive communion. This was partly due to the fact that there was no place to serve the Liturgy in the desert. In addition, in those days priestly and monastic services were rarely combined, so the monks could not perform the Liturgy themselves.
Later, the monasteries began to grow, and large monasteries arose. They began to ordain monks there for worship and the celebration of the Eucharist. This is how monastic priests appeared - hieromonks.
In modern monastic rules there is a note: a monk who does not take communion for 2 weeks is not a monk.
Canonical Precepts
From the point of view of the canons, which were established according to the recommendations and records of the saints and teachers of the Church, the practice of preparing for the reception of the Savior is established by the following instructions:
According to the resolutions of the Ecumenical Councils held in Carthage and Trulla, it is allowed to partake of the Body and Blood of the Savior only on an empty stomach. Saint Nikephoros teaches that a priest can give communion to a Christian lying on his deathbed, even if he has eaten food or taken medicine. Saint Timothy of Alexandria establishes the need for spouses to abstain from intimate contact the night before participating in the Eucharist.
You must prepare yourself for the sacrament of Holy Communion through prayer, fasting and repentance. Preparation for Communion includes:
Fasting before Communion;
Attendance at the evening service on the eve of Communion;
Reading a specific prayer rule;
Abstinence from food and drink on the day of Communion itself, from midnight until Communion itself;
Admission to Communion by a priest at confession;
Presence at the entire Divine Liturgy.
This preparation (in church practice it is called fasting) lasts several days and concerns both the physical and spiritual life of a person.
The body is prescribed abstinence, i.e. bodily purity (abstinence from marital relations) and food restriction (fasting). On fasting days, food of animal origin is excluded - meat, milk, eggs and, if strict fasting, fish. Bread, vegetables, fruits are consumed in moderation. The mind should not be distracted by the trifles of everyday life and have fun.
On the days of fasting, one should attend services in the church, if circumstances permit, and more diligently follow the home prayer rule: whoever usually does not read everything, let him read everything in full; whoever does not read the canons, let him read at least one canon on these days.
For prayer preparation for Holy Communion you need to read:
On the eve of Communion, you must be at the evening service. If this did not happen for reasons beyond your control, then try to tell the priest about it in confession.
After midnight they no longer eat or drink, for it is customary to begin the Sacrament of Communion on an empty stomach. In the morning, morning prayers and the Follow-up to Holy Communion are read, except for the canon read the day before.
Those preparing for Holy Communion must make peace with everyone and protect themselves from feelings of anger and irritation, refrain from condemnation and all indecent thoughts and conversations, spending time, as far as possible, in solitude, reading the Word of God (Gospel) and books of spiritual content.
Before Communion, confession is necessary - either in the evening or in the morning, before the liturgy.
Without confession, no one can be admitted to Holy Communion, except for children under 7 years of age and in cases of mortal danger.
Anyone preparing to receive communion must come to church in advance, before the start of the Liturgy.
The Apostolic Decrees clearly speak about the procedure for receiving the Holy Gifts:
“... let the bishop receive communion, then the presbyters, deacons, subdeacons, readers, singers, ascetics, and among the women - deaconesses, virgins, widows, then children, and then all the people in order, with modesty and reverence, without noise.”
Having received the Holy Mysteries, you should kiss the edge of the Chalice without crossing yourself and immediately go to the table to taste a particle of the antidor and wash it down with warmth. It is not customary to leave the church before kissing the altar cross in the hands of a priest. After that, you need to listen (or read them when you get home).
On the day of Holy Communion one must behave reverently and decorously in order to “worthily preserve within oneself the Christ received.”
Hegumen Paisiy (Savosin) answers the question:
– Is it necessary to strictly prepare for communion, reading all the canons and fasting, during Bright Week?
As an example of a prayer rule, I can cite the practice of the St. John the Theologian Monastery in Poshchupovo, according to which, for Compline with the canons and for the evening prayers, the Easter hour is chanted (read out) twice (found in the canons and many prayer books), and then the actual following to Holy Communion. Regarding fasting... As the Savior says in the Gospel, “ the sons of the bridal chamber cannot fast when the bridegroom is with them"... A Bright Week...isn't this the time? But, if a person is embarrassed, he can have a plant-based dinner on the eve of Communion.
Features of preparation for Communion for children
The Church does not forbid making significant concessions to children. It would be most correct in each specific case to consult with a priest - while keeping in mind the main thing: visiting church, prayer, Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ should bring joy to the child, and not become a difficult and unwanted duty. In the latter case, upon reaching a certain age, the internal protest raised in the child by overly zealous parents can spill out in the most unexpected and unpleasant forms.
Hieromonk Dorotheos (Baranov):
“First of all, a person who wants to receive Communion must clearly understand for himself what Communion is, what kind of event it is in his life. So that it doesn’t turn out like this: a person will do everything correctly, prepare, fast, read all the prescribed prayers, confess, but the most important thing is will not know, or will not want to find out. Therefore, if you have any perplexed questions about what happens during the liturgy, what is in the Holy Chalice and is taught to the believers, then they must be resolved with the priest in advance, before Communion. Even if a man long time goes to church and has taken communion more than once, you still need to honestly ask yourself the question, do we understand the meaning correctly? church sacraments(Communion and Confession) to which we proceed.
Correct preparation for the sacrament of Communion in the tradition of the Orthodox Church is called “fasting”. It usually lasts for three or more (up to a week) days before Communion. These days, a person prepares himself for the meeting with God, which will occur during Communion. God can only move into a pure heart, so the main goal of preparation is awareness of one’s sins, confessing them before God and one’s spiritual father, and the determination to leave sins (passions), or at least begin to fight them. To do this, it is necessary for the duration of the fast to resolutely move away from everything that fills the soul with unnecessary vanity. This does not mean that a person should not go to work or do anything at home. No! But: do not watch TV, do not go to noisy companies, do not meet unnecessarily with numerous acquaintances. This is all quite within the power of anyone and is necessary in order to look carefully into your heart and, with the help of such a “tool” as conscience, cleanse it of everything that is called in general terms- sin.
The most effective means of preparing for a meeting with God is prayer. Prayer is a conversation, communication with God, consisting of turning to Him with requests: for forgiveness of sins, for help in the fight against one’s vices and passions, for mercy in various spiritual and everyday needs. Before Communion, three canons must be read, which are found in almost all prayer books, as well as the Rule for Holy Communion. If you were unable to find these prayers on your own, then you need to go directly to the priest in the temple with the prayer book and ask him to indicate what exactly needs to be read.
It takes time to calmly and carefully read all the prayers prescribed before Communion. If the three canons and the Rule for Holy Communion are read at once together, it will take at least one and a half, even up to two hours, especially if a person does not read them often and is not familiar with the text. If we add morning or evening prayers to this, then such prayerful tension can deprive a person of both physical and spiritual strength. Therefore, there is a practice that the three canons are read gradually over the course of several days before Communion, the canon for Communion (from the Rule for Communion) is read the night before and after it prayers for bedtime, and prayers before Communion (from the Rule for Communion) in the morning of the day Communion after the usual morning prayers.
In general, all “technical” questions regarding preparation for Communion should only be learned from the priest in the church. This may be hindered by your timidity, indecisiveness, or the priest’s lack of time, but one way or another, with some persistence, you can find out everything. The main thing is not to pay attention to all the confusion and bewilderment (or, in church terms, temptations) that will certainly arise, but to trust in God. We need to pray that He will bring us to the sacrament of Communion, and thus fulfill our main purpose, the goal of our life - union with God."
About the frequency of Communion
The first Christians took communion every Sunday, but now not everyone has such purity of life to take communion so often. In the 19th and 20th centuries, St. The Church commanded us to take communion every Lent and no less than once a year. St. Theophan the Recluse writes about how often one should receive communion:
“God's mercy be with you!
Having fasted during this Lent, you wrote that you are dissatisfied with your fasting, although you love fasting and would like to do this work of Christian piety more often. - Since you didn’t indicate why you are dissatisfied with your fasting, I won’t say anything about it, I’ll just add: try to bring your fasting to the point that it satisfies you. You can ask your confessor how to improve your fasting. As for more often, there is no need to make it more frequent, because this frequency will take away not a small part of the reverence for this greatest cause, I mean fasting and communion. It seems that I have already written to you that it is enough to speak and take communion in every major post out of 4. And in the fasts before Easter and Christmas twice. And look no more. Try to better organize and perfect your inner self.”
Archimandrite Raphael (Karelin):
“Already Theophan the Recluse, in a letter to one of his spiritual daughters, wrote that irregularities had crept into parish life, and as the most dangerous example of such irregularities, he cited the vicious practice of priests who prevent Christians from frequently receiving communion. The reason why this is done, first of all, , personal lack of spirituality, when the priest himself does not feel the inner need to receive communion as often as possible, and looks at communion as his professional duty. The second reason is theological ignorance and reluctance to become familiar with the unanimous teaching of the holy fathers about frequent communion as the Heavenly Bread necessary for the soul person. The third reason is laziness and the desire to shorten the time needed for confession and communion. There is another reason: this is a false, Pharisaic reverence. The Pharisees, in order to show their special respect for the name of God - Jehovah, forbade saying it at all. Thus, they they distorted the commandment: “Do not take the name of your Lord in vain (in vain).’ The liturgy itself is a divine service, during which the sacrament of the transubstantiation of the Holy Gifts is performed and the sacrament is given to the people. When the liturgy is served, then you can receive communion. In liturgical prayers, the Church calls on everyone in the church to accept the Body and Blood of Christ (of course, if they have prepared for this). During Easter week and Christmastide, and in the several weeks preceding Great and Petrine Lents, one can without a doubt receive communion, since otherwise the Church would not serve the liturgy on these days. The life of St. Macarius the Great tells how a priest, who arbitrarily excluded people from communion, was severely punished with many years of paralysis, and was healed only through the prayers of the saint. Macaria. St. John of Kronstadt especially sharply denounced this vicious practice of communion. On Bright Week, before communion, it is enough to abstain from meat food, but it is better to agree on this issue with your confessor... Archpriest Belotsvetov wrote in a well-known collection of his sermons that in his time Christians tried to take communion on Bright Week every day.”
Currently, the Church leaves the issue to priests and spiritual fathers to decide. It is with the spiritual father that one must agree on how often to take communion, for how long and how strictly to fast before it.
Follow-up to Holy Communion with translation into Russian Saint Theophan the Recluse. What is spiritual life and how to tune in to it:
Teaching about. John on Communion. - I.K. Sursky. Father John of Kronstadt Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov). Ascetic sermon:
Patriarch Pavel of Serbia. Can a woman come to church for prayer, kiss icons and receive communion when she is “unclean” (during her period)?
