Communion is the grace-filled introduction of the soul to eternal life. Children's Communion

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In the Orthodox Church there is such a concept as the sacrament of communion; it is also called the Eucharist. Communion is the Lord’s blessing for the remission of sins and filling Christians with His grace. If you have decided to visit the temple for this purpose, then our article will explain to you all the related issues.

The main thing in the article

What is the sacrament of communion in the Orthodox Church: what does it give and what is it needed for?

Not every person who wears a cross and who was baptized in the Orthodox Church can call himself a Christian. A person becomes a believer when he begins to participate in the life of the church and observe all its canons. . In other words, he is in spiritual unity with God.

For our ancestors, who professed the Orthodox faith, it was unthinkable to be called Christians and not observe the sacrament.

The Sacrament of Communion was instituted by Jesus Christ even before he was betrayed and sent to torture. At the Last Supper, the Savior established the sacrament of communion among his disciples. He blessed the daily bread and wine as his own flesh and blood, thereby commanding his apostles, and through them, their other successors, to perform this good deed.

By performing the sacrament of communion, a person has the opportunity to be cleansed of sin and receive healing of the soul. There is an opportunity to improve your life for the better, to transform your human essence.

How is communion celebrated in church?

If you are a true believer, then must properly prepare for communion (read more about this below). By doing this you will express gratitude and respect to the Lord. You need to come to the decision to take communion not out of a sense of duty, your soul must consciously strive for this.

The concepts of confession and holy communion are inseparable . You will not be able to receive communion if you do not confess first.

Confession is repentance before the Lord God about the sins committed, denial of committing further sins. You, a servant of God, in the presence of a priest, voice all the sins for which you ask God for forgiveness. In turn, the priest helps you through prayer to cleanse yourself of your sins. You also need to prepare for confession:

Early think about possible sins that you have committed. First of all, pay attention to those committed acts that bother you and interfere with your life. But do not forget about other disobediences of faith that, at first glance, seem less significant (check out the list).

If it is difficult for you to voice your sins out loud, then you can write a note and give it to the priest, he will do it for you. Only at the moment of confession you need to sincerely realize your mistakes - you will not hide anything before God.

After preparing for communion and confession, the priest gives the blessing to receive communion.

As a rule, the sacred action occurs in this way:

In the morning a person comes to confession, after which the service in the church begins.
Then the priest brings out a cup of red wine, symbolizing the blood of the Savior.
Then, one by one, without jostling, people approach the priest to take a little wine from a spoon.
After drinking red wine, the Orthodox Christian steps aside, where church ministers give him a piece of prosphora with holy water, symbolizing the flesh of Christ.
Children are allowed to receive communion first; until they are seven years old, they may not prepare for communion.
At this point, the procedure for receiving the sacrament of communion is considered completed.

What are the days of communion in church?

You can receive the sacrament of communion on any day when there is a church service. This Christian service has a name - liturgy. To avoid mistakes, talk in advance with the priest or church officials about the exact day of communion. As a rule, church services must be held on Saturday and Sunday.

The exception is Great Lent before Easter until Holy Week. During this period, there is a special calendar (schedule) of services.

Lent is intended to prepare the Christian people for the great celebration of Easter. Divine services during this period are distinguished by prayers for the remembrance of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and his repentance.

An Orthodox Christian should receive communion as often as possible, once or twice a month. But this is very individual, you yourself must feel the pull towards repentance, and not adhere to standards. It would not be a bad idea to discuss with your priest all the issues of spiritual life that concern you.

What time does communion start in church on Saturday and Sunday?

The sacrament of communion begins at the end of the morning service in church. Each church has its own individual start time for the morning service. Church services are divided into: morning, afternoon, evening. Communion is often held at the morning service (there are exceptions), it is also called the 1st hour. Typically, such a service begins no earlier than seven and no later than ten in the morning.

The duration of service depends on:

On the nature of the service (holiday, daily, evening, Lenten, etc.).
From the speed of the service performed by both the holy father and the choir. In some churches this happens slowly, in others it happens more quickly.
Depending on the number of people wishing to confess before the start of the service and receive communion after it, respectively.
It depends on whether there will be a sermon at the service.

On average, the morning service lasts 1 hour 20 minutes - 2 hours.

If you will take communion at an evening service, then it is better to consult with the Holy Father about the moments of preparation for it, since the action should take place on an empty stomach. Perhaps it is better to confess before the evening service, and receive communion after the morning service.

How long does a participle last?

The duration of communion itself will depend on the number of those eager to receive communion .
After the end of the service, the priest takes out the Chalice with the Holy Gifts from behind the altar and invites those who wish to receive communion.
First, church ministers and monks receive communion, and then children and everyone else are allowed through.
While waiting for your turn, you cannot arrange a farce and showdown, otherwise all repentance will not make any sense.
To taste the Holy Gifts (“Cahors”, prosphora, holy water or “warmth”), it will take less than a minute.

How often can you receive communion?

This is a rather controversial question. Rather, it is not the frequency that is important, but the “quality” of communion, the person’s awareness of the importance of what is happening. If such awareness is always present, then you can take communion as often as possible, even every week.

Orthodox Christians It is recommended to experience the sacrament of communion two or three times a month.
People who are preparing to devote their lives to the church can receive communion more often, then mental and physical fasting can be slightly weakened for one or two days.
You can also do this before each post - four times a year.
It is strictly forbidden to receive communion twice in one day.

Thanks to the church, human spirituality is revived. If you feel a burden in your soul, start attending just the liturgy, without communion. Talk to the Holy Father, perhaps you will find answers and find peace. When your consciousness itself comes to the desire to confess and take communion, you will feel it.

How to take Holy Communion for the first time?

The first communion occurs a little after the child's baptism.

Before First Communion you need to spiritually tune and prepare both yourself and the child:

It would be a good thing if after the christening, relatives and godparents will take communion with the child .
The preparation before communion includes all the same points that you read earlier.
Say prayers for the child (see below), ask the Lord in your own words , so that he would endow the baptized child with his grace and help raise a worthy Christian on the path to the salvation of his soul.
Then bring the baby to the priest, place his head on his right hand, hold his hands so that he cannot accidentally knock over the Holy Chalice.
Also need prepare your clothes correctly , the child should be comfortable so that he does not worry again.

If you teach a child to take communion as often as possible, he will grow up being in spiritual balance with himself.

It happens that a person receives baptism and first communion as an adult. Then don’t be afraid to make a mistake - the first communion, like all subsequent ones, is almost the same. Feel free to ask questions to your spiritual mentor, he will be able to prepare you.

Preparation for Communion

The most important preparation for communion is awareness of the process itself. You should go to church to get closer to God, to realize and repent of your sins. You should feel a bright mood before going to church, and not a painful burden from compulsion.

Further, no later than three days, need to fast– do not eat food of animal origin. The communion itself must take place on an empty stomach.
Also three days before communion you must abstain from sexual contact , and try to rid even your thoughts of this. The end of bodily abstinence ends on the day following the day of communion itself.
It is required to give up worldly pleasures and celebrations.
If there are no obstacles in life, then you need to cleanse your body; entering church dirty is a sin. For this Wash early in the morning before going to the temple.
Next you need confession- repentance before God about all your sins.
After going through confession or attending a church service, you can be blessed to receive communion by a priest.

What prayers should you read before communion?

How to behave at communion in church, what should you say?

A Christian cannot be admitted to Communion if:

He did not confess (except for children under seven years old).
He is excommunicated from the Holy Mysteries.
He has lost his mind and is not himself. Faith is not forced.
Spouses who had sexual intercourse the day before.
Woman during menstruation.
Doesn't wear a cross.
Other points are discussed with the priest.

You must arrive at the church before the service begins. If you are late, confession and communion will be postponed.
After the prayer “I believe, Lord, and confess...”, the priest brings out the Chalice with the Gifts, while you need to bow low .
When the royal gates open you need to cross yourself, fold your arms with a cross on your chest (right on top) . In this situation, you need to receive the sacrament of communion.
You need to approach the Chalice from the right side of the church, without getting ahead of other parishioners.
It is advisable for women to take communion without makeup (at least without lipstick).
Finding yourself near the priest, you need to clearly say your name, accept the Holy Gifts, kiss the Chalice (like the rib of Christ) . You can't touch or kiss anything else.
After leaving, you will receive prosphora and drink from the church servants - holy water or warmth.
If there are several Cups, then the Gifts can only be received from one.
Next, read the prayers for Holy Communion or listen to them in church.

What is needed for a child to receive communion in church?

Basic rules for communion in the Orthodox Church

According to church law, there are certain rules that every Christian must follow. Passing the sacrament of communion also has its own nuances. Let's figure out which ones.

Is it possible to receive communion at the evening service?

You can definitely receive communion at the evening service on the day of the Last Supper. Jesus Christ himself laid down this rule by giving communion to his disciples - giving them his flesh and blood.

As for evening communion on other days, the answer to this question is rather ambiguous. In the vast majority of cases, communion occurs in the morning, on an empty stomach. It is not very convenient to follow such a rule throughout the day, and not everyone can stand it. In this case, it is advisable to attend the evening service; you can also confess there, or you can do it in the morning. Therefore, this question needs to be asked to the holy father of the church where you are going to take the sacrament of communion.

Is it possible to receive communion during menstruation?

No, You cannot take communion during your period , such an act will be considered insolence and a great sin. Touching the Holy Chalice during this period is a great disrespect for the Lord God. Moreover, A woman during her menstrual period cannot enter the temple at all. The explanation for this is that menstruation is an unfulfilled pregnancy, and a woman should be held responsible for this. A woman is considered “unclean” because of her bloody discharge, thereby desecrating the church by entering it.

It’s a completely different matter if bleeding accompanies a woman for a long time - this is no longer a cleansing, but an illness. Then ask your spiritual mentor for advice, and at confession, repent. The priest should allow you to take communion, perhaps by going through it you will receive healing.

Is it possible for pregnant women to receive communion?

Yes, you can, and the more often the better. This is a special period; a woman, even before the birth of a child, should realize the importance of atonement, and after birth she should involve her child in this process.

The Church is lenient for pregnant women - they are allowed to simplify their fast according to their well-being. If the state of health allows, fasting and prayers are prepared according to general rules. Preparation with prayers and service in church can be done while sitting in a pew.

Is it possible to receive communion if you have not fasted?

There are different cases sometimes the fast can be broken due to a small mistake (accidentally eating a quick meal, for example).
Or a person due to health reasons, he cannot come to communion hungry or without drinking water. Such moments are discussed with the priest, and in confession you need to repent for this.

You need to understand that fasting is good, but the purpose of communion is the remission of sins and unity with God. If there are good reasons why the fast was broken, there are no obstacles to receiving the sacrament.

If we are talking about violation of physical abstinence by spouses - then it’s better to skip the sacrament once, and take this moment into account at the subsequent confession.

Is it possible to receive communion without an empty stomach?

It is possible, but only for children under seven years old. Moreover, eating food should not occur immediately before communion, but in advance. Children should be prepared from a very young age for communion on an empty stomach.

This rule also applies to sick people if they cannot do without food in the morning.

Is it possible to receive communion without preparation?

No, you can't do that . It turns out that you are doing this just “for show.” But you should look at this situation from two sides:

You take communion several times a year, in general, just like you attend the church itself. In this case, you need to strictly observe fasting, go to confession, read all the canons and prayers.
You live according to church canons, observe all fasts, that is, preparing for communion is your way of life. Then you can simply come to the sacrament of communion on an empty stomach and read the necessary prayers.
As already mentioned, Children under seven years old may not be prepared.

Is it possible to receive communion without confession?

This rule also applies to children under seven years of age. In some churches, exceptions are made for regular parishioners if they take the sacrament of the sacrament often.

Is it possible to receive communion if I had an abortion?

The Lord God is all-merciful, he is able to forgive any sin if you truly sincerely repent of it. Infanticide is one of the most terrible sins of humanity. The purpose of realizing this atheism is to avoid committing similar acts in the future. The spiritual mentor cannot refuse confession and communion if you want to atone for your guilt.

If a woman runs to church after each abortion, then this is not welcomed by the church; the woman has not fully realized her guilt if she continues to do this.

Is it possible to receive communion if you live in a civil marriage?

Many people confuse the concept of marriage, let's find out where the truth is:

Church marriage - this is a marriage that received its blessing in the sacrament of marriage.
Civil marriage - This is a legally registered marriage by the state. His church recognizes and allows people in such a marriage to receive communion, even if they are not married.

Do not confuse civil marriage with ordinary cohabitation , which in church terminology it's called fornication . If you live in fornication, then you may be denied a blessing for the sacrament of communion.

It's another matter if you regret your action, and Are you planning to legalize your marriage soon? . According to Orthodox canons, you need to either get married or end the relationship, then you can take communion.

Video: How is communion celebrated in church?

If you are interested in how the Sacrament of Communion works in practice, then watch the following video:

1. About the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

THE SACRAMENT OF COMMUNION

The Sacrament of Communion (Eucharist) is the most important of the Christian Sacraments, in which the believer, under the guise of bread and wine, receives (tastes) the very Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and through this is mysteriously united with God and becomes a partaker of eternal life.

The word “Communion” (“Communion”) comes from the word “part” and means participation, involvement, connection, communion, belonging to something.

The Sacrament of Communion is the greatest miracle on earth, which is performed constantly during the divine service called the Liturgy, during which bread and wine, by the power and action of the Holy Spirit, become the true Body and true Blood of Christ

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill:“We must remember that the most important thing we celebrate as a Church is the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. That is why it is important for believers to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ more often.

In ancient times, when one of the baptized, while at the Liturgy, did not receive communion, he had to publicly explain to the bishop why he was avoiding receiving the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

Today this tradition has left us due to our weak faith, due to our weak piety. But this tradition is sacred, and we should all strive to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ as often as possible, first confessing our sins, preparing our souls for the communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. And we will believe that it is through this communion that the Lord will replenish our infirmities, our weaknesses and heal our ailments.”

Holy Righteous Alexy Mechev: “ Take communion more often and do not say that you are unworthy. If you talk like that, you will never receive communion, because you will never be worthy. Do you think that there is at least one person on earth worthy of receiving the Holy Mysteries? No one deserves this, and if we do receive communion, it is only by the special mercy of God. We are not created for communion, but communion is for us. It is we, sinners, unworthy, weak, who more than anyone else need this saving source... I give you communion often, I proceed from the purpose of introducing you to the Lord, so that you feel how good it is to be with Christ.”

Every Sunday and every holiday, unforgettably partaking of the Holy Mysteries, Venerable Seraphim of Sarov When asked how often one should start receiving Communion, he answered: “The more often, the better.” He said to the priest of the Diveyevo community Vasily Sadovsky: “The grace bestowed upon us by Communion is so great that no matter how unworthy and no matter how sinful a person may be, if only in the humble consciousness of his total sinfulness he approaches the Lord, who redeems us all, at least from head to toe covered with sores of sins, and will be cleansed by the grace of Christ, become more and more bright, completely enlightened and saved.” You must prepare yourself for the sacrament of Holy Communion with prayer, fasting and repentance. In addition, it is very important to remember that preparation for Communion should be not only the fulfillment of certain instructions, but our entire life, built on Gospel principles.

How to prepare for the Sacrament of Holy Communion

Anyone wishing to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ must prayerfully Prepare yourself for this: pray more and more diligently at home, attend church services. The time of preparation for Communion is called fasting.

On the eve of communion, it is customary to attend an evening temple service (if it is scheduled) or in the morning at the beginning of the morning service.

To prepare prayerfully for Holy Communion on the eve of communion, you need to read the following home prayer rule:

Akathists to the Sweetest Christ or the Theotokos

three canons:

canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ
prayer canon to the Most Holy Theotokos
canon to the Guardian Angel
Following to Holy Communion

All this is in the Orthodox prayer book.

It is possible and even advisable to read the prayers mentioned above gradually, adding to the daily prayer rule (morning and evening prayers, reading the Gospel, Psalms and patristic works) according to the canon on the day, and on the eve of Communion the very Follow-up to Holy Communion.

Fast

Placed before Communion liturgical fast. For newcomers who have fallen away and have not observed the multi-day and one-day (Wednesday and Friday) fasts established by the Church, a 7-day fast is required before Communion. If certain conditions and necessity exist, with the blessing of the priest, you can fast before Communion at other times.

Fasting, in addition to food restrictions, also consists of eating and drinking less than usual, and also refraining from visiting the theater, watching entertaining films and programs, and listening to secular music. It is necessary to maintain bodily and mental purity. Spouses should abstain from physical contact on the day before and after communion.

On the eve of communion, from 12 o'clock at night, a strict fast begins - complete abstinence from drinking and food (in the morning, going to church for communion, you are not allowed to eat or drink anything; those suffering from tobacco addiction must also abstain from their passion).

Mood and behavior

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.

Confession

Those who wish to receive communion must, on the eve, before or after the evening service, confess their sins to God in the presence of a witness - a priest, sincerely opening their soul and not hiding a single sin they have committed and have a sincere intention to correct themselves.

When can you receive communion during the week of Lent?

– During Lent, adults can receive communion on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays; small children - on Saturdays and Sundays.

Why are infants not given communion at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts?

– The fact is that at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, the Chalice contains only blessed wine, and the particles of the Lamb (the Bread transposed into the Body of Christ) are pre-saturated with the Blood of Christ. Since infants, due to their physiology, cannot be given communion with a part of the Body, and there is no Blood in the Chalice, they are not given communion during the Presanctified Liturgy.

Is it possible to take communion several times on one day?

- No one and under no circumstances should receive communion twice on the same day. If the Holy Gifts are given from several Chalice, they can only be received from one.

Is it possible to receive communion after Unction without Confession?

– Unction does not cancel Confession. At the Unction, not all sins are forgiven, but only forgotten and unconscious ones.

How to give communion to a sick person at home?

– The patient’s relatives must first agree with the priest about the time of Communion and about measures to prepare the sick person for this Sacrament.

How to give communion to a one-year-old child?

– If a child is not able to remain calmly in church for the entire service, then he can be brought to the end of the Liturgy - to the beginning of the singing of the Lord’s Prayer and then given communion.

Is it possible for a child under 7 years old to eat before Communion? Is it possible for sick people to receive communion without an empty stomach?

– Only in exceptional cases is it allowed to receive communion without an empty stomach. This issue is resolved individually in consultation with a priest. Infants under 7 years of age are allowed to receive communion without an empty stomach. Children should be taught to abstain from food and drink before Communion from an early age.

Is it possible to receive communion if you have not attended the all-night vigil? Is it possible to receive communion if you have fasted, but have not read or did not finish reading the rule?

– Such issues can only be resolved with the priest individually. If the reasons for absence from the all-night vigil or failure to follow the prayer rules are valid, then the priest may allow communion. What is important is not the number of prayers read, but the disposition of the heart, living faith, repentance for sins, and the intention to correct one’s life.

Are we sinners worthy to receive communion often?

– “It is not the healthy who need a physician, but the sick” (Luke 5:31). There is not a single person on earth worthy of Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, and if people do receive communion, it is only by the special mercy of God. It is the sinners, the unworthy, the weak, who more than anyone else need this saving source - like the sick in treatment. And those who consider themselves unworthy and exclude themselves from Communion are like heretics and pagans.

With sincere repentance, God forgives a person’s sins, and Communion gradually corrects his shortcomings.

The basis for deciding the question of how often one should receive communion is the degree of preparedness of the soul, its love for the Lord, and the strength of its repentance. Therefore, the Church leaves this issue to priests and spiritual fathers to decide.

If you feel cold after Communion, does this mean that you received Communion unworthily?

– Coldness occurs in those who seek consolation from Communion, but who considers himself unworthy, grace remains with him. However, when after Communion there is no peace and joy in the soul, one must see this as a reason for deep humility and contrition for sins. But there is no need to despair and mourn: there should be no selfish attitude towards the Sacrament. In addition, the Sacraments are not always reflected in the feelings, but also act in secret.

How to behave on the day of Communion?

– The Day of Communion is a special day for the Christian soul, when it mysteriously unites with Christ. These days should be spent as great holidays, devoting them as much as possible to solitude, prayer, concentration and spiritual reading.

After Communion, we must ask the Lord to help us preserve the gift with dignity and not return back, that is, to previous sins.

It is necessary to especially protect yourself in the first hours after Communion: at this time, the enemy of the human race is trying in every possible way so that a person insults the shrine, and it would stop consecrating him. A shrine can be insulted by sight, a careless word, hearing, or condemnation. On the day of Communion, one must eat moderately, not have fun, and behave decently.

You should protect yourself from idle talk, and to avoid it, you need to read the Gospel, the Jesus Prayer, akathists, and the lives of saints.

Is it possible to kiss the cross after Communion?

– After the Liturgy, all those praying venerate the cross: both those who received communion and those who did not.

Is it possible to kiss icons and the priest’s hand after Communion and bow to the ground?

– After Communion, before drinking, you should refrain from kissing icons and the priest’s hand, but there is no such rule that those receiving communion should not kiss icons or the priest’s hand on this day and not bow to the ground. It is important to keep your tongue, thoughts and heart from all evil.

Is it possible to replace Communion by drinking Epiphany water with artos (or antidor)?

– This erroneous opinion about the possibility of replacing Communion with Epiphany water with artos (or antidor) arose, perhaps, due to the fact that people who have canonical or other obstacles to Communion of the Holy Mysteries are allowed to drink Epiphany water with antidor for consolation. However, this cannot be understood as an equivalent replacement. Communion cannot be replaced by anything.

Can children under 14 years of age receive communion without Confession?

– Without Confession, only children under 7 years old can receive communion. From the age of 7, children receive communion only after Confession.

Questions about the Sacrament of Communion

Hwhat is Communion?

This is the Sacrament in which, under the guise of bread and wine, an Orthodox Christian partakes (partakes) of the very Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life, and through this is mysteriously united with Him, becoming a partaker of eternal life. Comprehension of this Sacrament surpasses human understanding.

This Sacrament is calledEvharistia, which means “thanksgiving.”

TOHow and why was the Sacrament of Communion established?

The Sacrament of Communion was established by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself at the Last Supper with the Apostles on the eve of His suffering. He took bread into His Most Pure hands, blessed it, broke it and divided it to His disciples, saying: “Come, eat: this is My Body” (Matthew 26:26). Then he took a cup of wine, blessed it and, giving it to the disciples, said: “Drink from it, all of you, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:27-28). Then the Savior gave the apostles, and through them all believers, the commandment to perform this Sacrament until the end of the world in remembrance of His suffering, death and Resurrection for the unity of believers with Him. He said, “Do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19).

PWhy is it necessary to take communion?

The Lord Himself speaks about the obligatory nature of communion for all who believe in Him: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you will not have life in you. He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My Flesh is truly food, and My Blood is truly drink. He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:53-56).

He who does not partake of the Holy Mysteries deprives himself of the source of life - Christ, and places himself outside of Him. A person who seeks union with God in his life can hope that he will be with Him in eternity.

TOHow to prepare for Communion?

Anyone who wishes to receive communion must have heartfelt repentance, humility, and a firm intention to improve. It takes several days to prepare for the Sacrament of Communion. These days they prepare for Confession, try to pray more and more diligently at home, and abstain from amusements and idle pastimes. Fasting is combined with prayer - bodily abstinence from modest food and marital relations.

On the eve of the day of Communion or in the morning before the Liturgy, you must go to confession and attend the evening service. After midnight, do not eat or drink.

The duration of preparation, the measure of fasting and prayer rules are discussed with the priest. However, no matter how much we prepare for Communion, we cannot adequately prepare. And only looking at the contrite and humble heart, the Lord, out of His love, accepts us into His fellowship.

TOWhat prayers should one use to prepare for Communion?

For prayerful preparation for Communion, there is a usual rule, which is found in Orthodox prayer books. It consists of reading three canons: the canon of repentance to the Lord Jesus Christ, the canon of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos, the canon to the Guardian Angel and the Follow-up to Holy Communion, which consists of the canon and prayers. In the evening you should also read prayers for the coming sleep, and in the morning - morning prayers.

With the blessing of the confessor, this prayer rule before Communion can be reduced, increased, or replaced by another.

TOHow to approach Communion?

Before the start of Communion, those receiving communion come closer to the pulpit in advance, so as not to rush later and not create inconvenience to other worshipers. In this case, it is necessary to let the children who receive communion first go ahead. When the Royal Doors open and the deacon comes out with the Holy Chalice with the exclamation: “Come with the fear of God and faith,” you should, if possible, bow to the ground and fold your arms crosswise on your chest (right over left). When approaching the Holy Chalice and in front of the Chalice, do not cross yourself, so as not to accidentally push It. One must approach the Holy Chalice with the fear of God and reverence. Approaching the Chalice, you should clearly pronounce your Christian name given at Baptism, open your lips wide, reverently, with the consciousness of the holiness of the Great Sacrament, accept the Holy Gifts and immediately swallow. Then kiss the base of the Chalice, like the rib of Christ Himself. You cannot touch the Chalice with your hands and kiss the priest’s hand. Then you should go to the table with warmth and wash down Communion so that the holy thing does not remain in your mouth.

TOHow often should you take communion?

Many holy fathers call for communion as often as possible.

Typically, believers confess and receive communion during all four multi-day fasts of the church year, on twelfth, great and temple holidays, on Sundays, on their name days and births, and spouses on their wedding day.

The frequency of a Christian's participation in the Sacrament of Communion is determined individually with the blessing of the confessor. More commonly - at least twice a month.

D Are we, sinners, worthy of receiving communion often?

Some Christians receive communion extremely rarely, citing their unworthiness as the reason. There is not a single person on earth worthy of Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. No matter how much a person tries to purify himself before God, he will still not be worthy of accepting such a greatest Shrine as the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. God gave people the Holy Mysteries of Christ not according to their dignity, but out of His great mercy and love for His fallen creation. “It is not the healthy who need a physician, but the sick” (Luke 5:31). A Christian should accept the Holy Gifts not as a reward for his spiritual deeds, but as a Gift from the Loving Heavenly Father, as a saving means of sanctifying the soul and body.

Is it possible to take communion several times on one day?

Under no circumstances should anyone receive Communion twice on the same day. If the Holy Gifts are given from several Chalice, they can only be received from one.

Everyone receives communion from the same spoon, is it possible to get sick?

There has never been a single case of someone becoming infected through Communion: even when people receive communion in hospital churches, no one ever gets sick. After Communion of believers, the remaining Holy Gifts are consumed by a priest or deacon, but even during epidemics they do not get sick. This is the greatest Sacrament of the Church, given, among other things, for the healing of soul and body.

Is it possible to kiss the cross after Communion?

After the Liturgy, all those praying venerate the cross: both those who received communion and those who did not.

Is it possible to kiss icons and the priest’s hand after Communion and bow to the ground?

After Communion, before drinking, you should refrain from kissing icons and the priest’s hand, but there is no rule that those receiving communion should not kiss icons or the priest’s hand on this day and not bow to the ground. It is important to keep your tongue, thoughts and heart from all evil.

How to behave on the day of Communion?

The Day of Communion is a special day in the life of a Christian when he is mysteriously united with Christ. On the day of Holy Communion, one should behave reverently and decorously, so as not to offend the shrine with one’s actions. Thank the Lord for the great blessing. These days should be spent as great holidays, devoting them as much as possible to concentration and spiritual work.

Can you take communion on any day?

Communion is always given on Sunday morning, as well as on other days when the Divine Liturgy is served. Check the schedule of services at your church. In our church, the Liturgy is served every day, except during Lent.

During the period of Great Lent, on some weekdays, as well as on Wednesday and Friday at Maslenitsa, there is no Liturgy

Is Communion paid for?

No, in all churches the Sacrament of Communion is always performed free of charge.

Is it possible to receive communion after Unction without Confession?

Unction does not cancel Confession. Confession is needed. Sins that a person is aware of must necessarily be confessed.

Is it possible to replace Communion by drinking Epiphany water with artos (or antidor)?

This erroneous opinion about the possibility of replacing Communion with Epiphany water with artos (or antidor) arose, perhaps, due to the fact that people who have canonical or other obstacles to Communion of the Holy Mysteries are allowed to drink Epiphany water with antidor for consolation. However, this cannot be understood as an equivalent replacement. Communion cannot be replaced by anything.

Can an Orthodox Christian take communion in any non-Orthodox church?

No, only in the Orthodox Church.

How to give communion to a one-year-old child?

If the child is not able to remain calmly in the church for the entire service, then he can be brought to the time of Communion.

Is it possible for a child under 7 years old to eat before Communion? Is it possible for sick people to receive communion without an empty stomach?

This issue is resolved individually in consultation with a priest.

Before Communion, young children are given food and drink as needed, so as not to cause damage to their nervous system and physical health. Older children, from the age of 4-5, are gradually taught to take communion on an empty stomach. Children from the age of 7 are taught, in addition to taking communion on an empty stomach, also to preparee to communion through prayer, fasting and confession, but of course in a very simplified version.

In some exceptional cases, adults are blessed to receive communion without an empty stomach.

Can children under 14 years of age receive communion without Confession?

Only children under 7 years old can receive communion without Confession. From the age of 7, children receive communion after Confession.

Is it possible for a pregnant woman to receive communion?

Can. It is advisable for pregnant women to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ more often, preparing for Communion through repentance, confession, prayer and fasting, which is weakened for pregnant women.

It is advisable to begin the churching of a child from the moment the parents find out that they will have a child. Even in the womb, the child perceives everything that happens to the mother and around her. At this time, participation in the Sacraments and prayer of parents is very important.

How to give communion to a sick person at home?

The patient's relatives must first agree with the priest about the time of Communion and consult on how to prepare the patient for this Sacrament.

When can you receive communion during the week of Lent?

During Lent, children receive communion on Saturdays and Sundays. Adults, in addition to Saturday and Sunday, can receive communion on Wednesdays and Fridays, when the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is served. There is no Liturgy on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday during Lent, with the exception of the days of great church holidays.

Why are infants not given communion at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts?

At the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, the Chalice contains only blessed wine, and the particles of the Lamb (the Bread transposed into the Body of Christ) are pre-saturated with the Blood of Christ. Since infants, due to their physiology, cannot be given communion with a part of the Body, and there is no Blood in the Chalice, they are not given communion during the Presanctified Liturgy.

Can the laity receive communion during the continuous week? How should they prepare for communion at this time? Can a priest prohibit communion on Easter?

In preparation for communion during the continuous week, it is allowed to eat fast food. At this time, preparation for communion consists of repentance, reconciliation with neighbors and reading the prayer rule for Communion.

Communion on Easter is the goal and joy of every Orthodox Christian. The entire Holy Pentecost prepares us for communion on Easter night: “let us be led to repentance, and let us purify our feelings, against which we fight, creating the entrance to fasting: the heart is aware of the hope of grace, not worthless, not walking in them. And the Lamb of God will be carried away by us, in the sacred and luminous night of the Resurrection, for our sake the slaughter brought, the disciple received on the evening of the sacrament, and the darkness destroying ignorance with the light of his resurrection” (stichera on the verse, on the Meat Week in the evening).

Rev. Nicodemus the Holy Mountain says: “those who, although they fast before Easter, do not receive communion on Easter, such people do not celebrate Easter... because these people do not have in themselves the reason and occasion for the holiday, which is the Sweetest Jesus Christ, and do not have that spiritual joy that is born from Divine Communion."

When Christians began to shy away from communion on Holy Week, the fathers of the Trullo Council (the so-called Fifth-Sixth Council) with the 66th canon testified to the original tradition: “from the holy day of the Resurrection of Christ our God until the new week, throughout the entire week, the faithful must holy churches to continually practice psalms and chants and spiritual songs, rejoicing and triumphant in Christ, and listening to the reading of the Divine Scriptures, and enjoying the holy mysteries. For in this way we will be resurrected together with Christ and ascended.”

Thus, communion on Easter, on Holy Week, and in general on continuous weeks is not forbidden to any Orthodox Christian who may be admitted to Holy Communion on other days of the church year.

What are the rules for prayerful preparation for communion?

The scope of the prayer rule before communion is not regulated by the canons of the Church. For the children of the Russian Orthodox Church, it should be no less than the Rule for Holy Communion available in our prayer books, which includes three psalms, a canon and prayers before communion.

There is, in addition, a pious tradition of reading three canons and an akathist before receiving the Holy Mysteries of Christ: the canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ, the canon to the Mother of God, the canon to the Guardian Angel.

Is confession necessary before every communion?

Mandatory confession before communion is not regulated by the canons of the Church. Confession before each communion is a Russian tradition, caused by the extremely rare communion of Christians during the synodal period of the history of the Russian Church.

For those who came for the first time or with serious sins, for new Christians, confession before communion is mandatory, since for them frequent confession and the instructions of the priest have important catechetical and pastoral significance.

At present, “regular confession should be encouraged, but not every believer should be required to confess without fail before every communion. By agreement with the confessor, for persons who regularly confess and receive communion, observe church rules and fasts established by the Church, an individual rhythm of confession and communion can be established” (Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev)).

Confession (repentance) is one of the seven Christian Sacraments, in which the penitent, confessing his sins to the priest, with visible forgiveness of sins (reading a prayer of absolution), is invisibly absolved from them. By the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. This sacrament was established by the Savior, who said to His disciples: “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose (untie) on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Gospel of Matthew, chapter 18, verse 18). And in another place: “Receive the Holy Spirit: whose sins you forgive, their sins are forgiven; on whomever you leave it, it will remain on him” (Gospel of John, chapter 20, verses 22-23). The apostles transferred the power to “bind and loose” to their successors - the bishops, who in turn, when performing the Sacrament of ordination (priesthood), transfer this power to the priests.

The Holy Fathers call repentance the second baptism: if at baptism a person is cleansed from the power of original sin, transmitted to him at birth from our first parents Adam and Eve, then repentance washes him from the filth of his own sins, committed by him after the Sacrament of Baptism.

In order for the Sacrament of Repentance to be accomplished, the following are necessary on the part of the penitent: awareness of his sinfulness, sincere heartfelt repentance for his sins, the desire to leave the sin and not repeat it, faith in Jesus Christ and hope in His mercy, faith that the Sacrament of Confession has the power to cleanse and wash away, through the prayer of the priest, sincerely confessed sins.

The Apostle John says: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1st Epistle of John, chapter 1, verse 7). At the same time, you hear from many: “I don’t kill, I don’t steal, I don’t

I commit adultery, so what should I repent of?” But if we carefully study God’s commandments, we will discover that we sin against many of them. Conventionally, all sins committed by a person can be divided into three groups: sins against God, sins against neighbors and sins against oneself.

Ingratitude to God.

Disbelief. Doubt in faith. Justifying one's disbelief through an atheistic upbringing.

Apostasy, cowardly silence when the faith of Christ is blasphemed, not wearing a cross, visiting various sects.

Taking the name of God in vain (when the name of God is mentioned not in prayer or in pious conversation about Him).

Oath in the name of the Lord.

Fortune telling, treatment with whispering grandmothers, turning to psychics, reading books on black, white and other magic, reading and distributing occult literature and various false teachings.

Thoughts about suicide.

Playing cards and other gambling games.

Failure to comply with morning and evening prayer rules.

Failure to visit the temple of God on Sundays and holidays.

Failure to observe fasts on Wednesday and Friday, violation of other fasts established by the Church.

Careless (non-daily) reading of the Holy Scriptures and soul-helping literature.

Breaking vows made to God.

Despair in difficult situations and disbelief in God's Providence, fear of old age, poverty, illness.

Absent-mindedness during prayer, thoughts about everyday things during worship.

Condemnation of the Church and its ministers.

Addiction to various earthly things and pleasures.

Continuation of a sinful life in the sole hope of God’s mercy, that is, excessive trust in God.

It’s a waste of time watching TV shows and reading entertaining books to the detriment of time for prayer, reading the Gospel and spiritual literature.

Concealing sins during confession and unworthy communion of the Holy Mysteries.

Arrogance, self-reliance, i.e. excessive hope in one’s own strength and in someone else’s help, without trusting that everything is in God’s hands.

Raising children outside the Christian faith.

Hot temper, anger, irritability.

Arrogance.

Perjury.

Mockery.

Stinginess.

Non-repayment of debts.

Failure to pay money earned for work.

Failure to provide assistance to those in need.

Disrespect for parents, irritation with their old age.

Disrespect for elders.

Lack of diligence in your work.

Condemnation.

Appropriation of someone else's property is theft.

Quarrels with neighbors and neighbors.

Killing your child in the womb (abortion), inducing others to commit murder (abortion).

Murder with words is bringing a person through slander or condemnation to a painful state and even to death.

Drinking alcohol at funerals for the dead instead of intense prayer for them.

Verbosity, gossip, idle talk. ,

Reasonless laughter.

Foul language.

Self-love.

Doing good deeds for show.

Vanity.

The desire to get rich.

Love of money.

Envy.

Drunkenness, drug use.

Gluttony.

Fornication - inciting lustful thoughts, unclean desires, lustful touching, watching erotic films and reading such books.

Fornication is the physical intimacy of persons not related by marriage.

Adultery is a violation of marital fidelity.

Unnatural fornication - physical intimacy between persons of the same sex, masturbation.

Incest is physical intimacy with close relatives or nepotism.

Although the above sins are conditionally divided into three parts, ultimately they are all sins both against God (since they violate His commandments and thereby offend Him) and against their neighbors (since they do not allow true Christian relationships and love to be revealed ), and against themselves (because they interfere with the salvific dispensation of the soul).

Anyone who wants to repent before God for their sins must prepare for the Sacrament of Confession. You need to prepare for confession in advance: it is advisable to read literature on the Sacraments of Confession and Communion, remember all your sins, you can write them down on

a separate piece of paper to review before confession. Sometimes a piece of paper with the listed sins is given to the confessor to read, but the sins that especially burden the soul must be told out loud. There is no need to tell the confessor long stories; it is enough to state the sin itself. For example, if you are at enmity with relatives or neighbors, you do not need to tell what caused this enmity - you need to repent of the very sin of judging your relatives or neighbors. What is important to God and the confessor is not the list of sins, but the repentant feeling of the person being confessed, not detailed stories, but a contrite heart. We must remember that confession is not only an awareness of one’s own shortcomings, but, above all, a thirst to be cleansed of them. In no case is it acceptable to justify yourself - this is no longer repentance! Elder Silouan of Athos explains what real repentance is: “This is a sign of the forgiveness of sins: if you hated sin, then the Lord forgave you your sins.”

It is good to develop the habit of analyzing the past day every evening and bringing daily repentance before God, writing down serious sins for future confession with your confessor. It is necessary to reconcile with your neighbors and ask for forgiveness from everyone who was offended. When preparing for confession, it is advisable to strengthen your evening prayer rule by reading the Canon of Repentance, which is found in the Orthodox prayer book.

To confess, you need to find out when the Sacrament of Confession takes place in the church. In those churches where services are performed every day, the Sacrament of Confession is also celebrated every day. In those churches where there are no daily services, you must first familiarize yourself with the service schedule.

Children under seven years of age (in the Church they are called babies) begin the Sacrament of Communion without prior confession, but it is necessary from early childhood to develop in children a sense of reverence for this great

Sacrament. Frequent communion without proper preparation can develop in children an undesirable sense of the ordinariness of what is happening. It is advisable to prepare infants 2-3 days in advance for the upcoming Communion: read the Gospel, lives of saints, and other soul-helping books with them, reduce, or better yet completely eliminate, television viewing (but this must be done very tactfully, without developing negative associations in the child with preparation for Communion ), follow their prayer in the morning and before bed, talk with the child about the past days and lead him to a feeling of shame for his own misdeeds. The main thing to remember is that there is nothing more effective for a child than the personal example of parents.

Starting from the age of seven, children (adolescents) begin the Sacrament of Communion, like adults, only after first performing the Sacrament of Confession. In many ways, the sins listed in the previous sections are also inherent in children, but still, children's confession has its own characteristics. To motivate children to sincere repentance, you can pray for them to read the following list of possible sins:

Did you lie in bed in the morning and therefore skip the morning prayer rule?

Did you not sit down at the table without praying and did you not go to bed without praying?

Do you know by heart the most important Orthodox prayers: “Our Father”, “Jesus Prayer”, “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary”, a prayer to your Heavenly patron, whose name you bear?

Did you go to church every Sunday?

Have you been carried away by various amusements on church holidays instead of visiting the temple of God?

Did you behave properly at church services, did you not run around the church, did you not have empty conversations with your peers, thereby leading them into temptation?

Did you pronounce the name of God unnecessarily?

Are you performing the sign of the cross correctly, are you not in a hurry, are you not distorting the sign of the cross?

Were you distracted by extraneous thoughts while praying?

Do you read the Gospel and other spiritual books?

Do you wear a pectoral cross and are you not embarrassed by it?

Aren't you using a cross as a decoration, which is sinful?

Do you wear various amulets, for example, zodiac signs?

Didn’t you tell fortunes, didn’t you tell fortunes?

Didn’t you hide your sins before the priest in confession out of false shame, and then receive communion unworthily?

Were you not proud of yourself and others of your successes and abilities?

Have you ever argued with someone just to gain the upper hand in the argument?

Did you deceive your parents for fear of being punished?

During Lent, did you eat something like ice cream without your parents’ permission?

Did you listen to your parents, didn’t you argue with them, didn’t you demand an expensive purchase from them?

Have you ever beaten anyone? Did he incite others to do this?

Did you offend the younger ones?

Did you torture animals?

Did you gossip about anyone, did you snitch on anyone?

Have you ever laughed at people with any physical disabilities?

Have you tried smoking, drinking, sniffing glue or using drugs?

Didn't you use foul language?

Didn't you play cards?

Have you ever engaged in handjobs?

Did you appropriate someone else's property for yourself?

Have you ever had the habit of taking without asking what does not belong to you?

Weren't you too lazy to help your parents around the house?

Was he pretending to be sick to evade his responsibilities?

Were you jealous of others?

The above list is only a general outline of possible sins. Each child may have his own, individual experiences associated with specific cases. The task of parents is to prepare the child for repentant feelings before the Sacrament of Confession. You can advise him to remember his misdeeds committed after the last confession, write his sins on a piece of paper, but you should not do this for him. The main thing: the child must understand that the Sacrament of Confession is a Sacrament that cleanses the soul from sins, subject to sincere, sincere repentance and the desire not to repeat them again.

Confession is performed in churches either in the evening after the evening service, or in the morning before the start of the liturgy. Under no circumstances should you be late for the start of confession, since the Sacrament begins with the reading of the rite, in which everyone who wishes to confess must prayerfully participate. When reading the rite, the priest turns to the penitents so that they say their names - everyone answers in an undertone. Those who are late for the start of confession are not allowed to the Sacrament; the priest, if there is such an opportunity, at the end of confession reads the rite for them again and accepts confession, or schedules it for another day. Women cannot begin the Sacrament of Repentance during the period of monthly cleansing.

Confession usually takes place in a church with a crowd of people, so you need to respect the secret of confession, not crowd next to the priest receiving confession, and not embarrass the person confessing, revealing his sins to the priest. Confession must be complete. You cannot confess some sins first and leave others for next time. Those sins that the penitent confessed in pre-

previous confessions and those that were already released to him are not mentioned again. If possible, you should confess to the same confessor. You should not, having a permanent confessor, look for another to confess your sins, which a feeling of false shame prevents your familiar confessor from revealing. Those who do this by their actions try to deceive God Himself: in confession, we confess our sins not to our confessor, but together with him to the Savior Himself.

In large churches, due to the large number of penitents and the impossibility of the priest to accept confession from everyone, a “general confession” is usually practiced, when the priest lists out loud the most common sins and the confessors standing in front of him repent of them, after which everyone, in turn, comes up for a prayer of absolution . Those who have never been to confession or have not gone to confession for several years should avoid general confession. Such people must undergo private confession - for which they need to choose either a weekday, when there are not many people confessing in the church, or find a parish where only private confession is performed. If this is not possible, you need to go to the priest during a general confession for a prayer of permission, among the last, so as not to detain anyone, and, having explained the situation, open up to him about your sins. Those who have grave sins should do the same.

Many devotees of piety warn that a grave sin, about which the confessor remained silent during general confession, remains unrepentant, and therefore not forgiven.

After confessing sins and reading the prayer of absolution by the priest, the penitent kisses the Cross and the Gospel lying on the lectern and, if he was preparing for communion, takes a blessing from the confessor for communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

In some cases, the priest may impose penance on the penitent - spiritual exercises intended to deepen repentance and eradicate sinful habits. Penance must be treated as the will of God, expressed through the priest, requiring mandatory fulfillment for the healing of the soul of the penitent. If it is impossible for various reasons to perform penance, you should contact the priest who imposed it to resolve the difficulties that have arisen.

Those who wish not only to confess, but also to receive communion, must prepare worthily and in accordance with the requirements of the Church for the Sacrament of Communion. This preparation is called fasting.

The days of fasting usually last a week, in extreme cases - three days. Fasting is prescribed on these days. Meal food is excluded from the diet - meat, dairy products, eggs, and on days of strict fasting - fish. Spouses refrain from physical intimacy. The family refuses entertainment and watching television. If circumstances permit, you should attend church services on these days. The morning and evening prayer rules are followed more diligently, with the addition of the reading of the Penitential Canon.

Regardless of when the Sacrament of Confession is celebrated in the church - in the evening or in the morning, it is necessary to attend the evening service on the eve of communion. In the evening, before reading prayers for bedtime, three canons are read: Repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ, Mother of God, Guardian Angel. You can read each canon separately, or use prayer books where these three canons are combined. Then the canon for Holy Communion is read before the prayers for Holy Communion, which are read in the morning. For those who find it difficult to perform such a prayer rule in

one day, take a blessing from the priest to read three canons in advance during the days of fasting.

It is quite difficult for children to follow all the prayer rules for preparing for communion. Parents, together with their confessor, need to choose the optimal number of prayers that the child can handle, then gradually increase the number of necessary prayers needed to prepare for communion, up to the full prayer rule for Holy Communion.

For some, it is very difficult to read the necessary canons and prayers. For this reason, others do not confess or receive communion for years. Many people confuse preparation for confession (which does not require such a large volume of prayers read) and preparation for communion. Such people can be recommended to begin the Sacraments of Confession and Communion in stages. First, you need to properly prepare for confession and, when confessing your sins, ask your confessor for advice. We need to pray to the Lord to help us overcome difficulties and give us strength to adequately prepare for the Sacrament of Communion.

Since it is customary to begin the Sacrament of Communion on an empty stomach, from twelve o'clock at night they no longer eat or drink (smokers do not smoke). The exception is infants (children under seven years of age). But children from a certain age (starting from 5-6 years, and if possible earlier) must be accustomed to the existing rule.

In the morning, they also don’t eat or drink anything and, of course, don’t smoke, you can only brush your teeth. After reading the morning prayers, prayers for Holy Communion are read. If reading prayers for Holy Communion in the morning is difficult, then you need to take a blessing from the priest to read them the evening before. If confession is performed in the church in the morning, you must arrive on time, before confession begins. If confession was made the night before, then the person confessing comes to the beginning of the service and prays with everyone.

Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ is a Sacrament established by the Savior Himself during the Last Supper: “Jesus took bread and, blessing it, broke it and, giving it to the disciples, said: Take, eat: this is My Body. And taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Gospel of Matthew, chapter 26, verses 26-28).

During the Divine Liturgy, the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is performed - bread and wine are mysteriously transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ and the communicants, receiving Them during Communion, mysteriously, incomprehensible to the human mind, are united with Christ Himself, since He is all contained in every Particle of the Sacrament .

Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ is necessary to enter eternal life. The Savior Himself speaks about this: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you will not have life in you. He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day...” (Gospel of John, chapter 6, verses 53 - 54).

The Sacrament of Communion is incomprehensibly great, and therefore requires preliminary cleansing by the Sacrament of Repentance; the only exception is infants under seven years of age, who receive communion without the preparation required for the laity. Women need to wipe off lipstick from their lips. Women should not receive communion during the period of monthly cleansing. Women after childbirth are allowed to take communion only after the cleansing prayer of the fortieth day is read over them.

When the priest comes out with the Holy Gifts, the communicants make one prostration (if it is a weekday) or a bow (if it is a Sunday or holiday) and carefully listen to the words of the prayers read by the priest, repeating them to themselves. After reading the prayers

private traders, folding their hands on their chests crosswise (right over left), decorously, without crowding, in deep humility approach the Holy Chalice. A pious custom has developed to let children go to the Chalice first, then men come up, and then women. You should not be baptized at the Chalice, so as not to accidentally touch it. Having said his name out loud, the communicant, with his lips open, accepts the Holy Gifts - the Body and Blood of Christ. After communion, the deacon or sexton wipes the communicant’s mouth with a special cloth, after which he kisses the edge of the Holy Chalice and goes to a special table, where he takes the drink (warmth) and eats a piece of prosphora. This is done so that not a single particle of the Body of Christ remains in the mouth. Without accepting the warmth, you cannot venerate either the icons, the Cross, or the Gospel.

After receiving the warmth, the communicants do not leave the church and pray with everyone until the end of the service. After the emptiness (the final words of the service), the communicants approach the Cross and listen carefully to the prayers of thanksgiving after Holy Communion. After listening to the prayers, the communicants ceremoniously disperse, trying to preserve the purity of their souls, cleansed of sins, for as long as possible, without wasting time on empty talk and deeds that are not good for the soul. On the day after communion of the Holy Mysteries, bows to the ground are not made, and when the priest gives a blessing, they are not applied to the hand. You can only venerate icons, the Cross and the Gospel. The rest of the day must be spent piously: avoid verbosity (it is better to remain silent in general), watch TV, exclude marital intimacy, it is advisable for smokers to abstain from smoking. It is advisable to read prayers of thanksgiving at home after Holy Communion. It is a prejudice that you cannot shake hands on the day of communion. Under no circumstances should you receive communion several times in one day.

In cases of illness and infirmity, you can receive communion at home. For this purpose, a priest is invited to the house. Depending

Based on his condition, the sick person is adequately prepared for confession and communion. In any case, he can receive communion only on an empty stomach (with the exception of dying people). Children under seven years of age do not receive communion at home, since they, unlike adults, can only receive communion with the Blood of Christ, and the reserve Gifts with which the priest administers communion at home contain only particles of the Body of Christ, saturated with His Blood. For the same reason, infants do not receive communion at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, celebrated on weekdays during Great Lent.

Each Christian either himself determines the time when he needs to confess and receive communion, or does this with the blessing of his spiritual father. There is a pious custom of receiving communion at least five times a year - on each of the four multi-day fasts and on the day of your Angel (the day of remembrance of the saint whose name you bear).

How often it is necessary to receive communion is given by the pious advice of the Monk Nicodemus the Holy Mountain: “True communicants are always, following Communion, in a tactile state of grace. The heart then tastes the Lord spiritually.

But just as we are constrained in body and surrounded by external affairs and relationships in which we must take part for a long time, the spiritual taste of the Lord, due to the splitting of our attention and feelings, is weakened day by day, obscured and hidden...

Therefore, zealots, sensing its impoverishment, hasten to restore it in strength, and when they restore it, they feel that they are tasting the Lord again.”

Published by the Orthodox parish in the name of St. Seraphim of Sarov, Novosibirsk.

Sacrament Participles established by the Lord Himself last supper- the last meal with the disciples on Easter night before His capture and crucifixion.

“And while they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat: this is My body. And, taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them and said: drink from it, all of you, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:26-28), "... do this in remembrance of Me" (Luke 22:19). In the Sacrament of the Flesh and Blood of the Lord ( Eucharist - Greek. “thanksgiving”) there is a restoration of that unity between the nature of the Creator and the creation that existed before the Fall; this is our return to paradise lost. We can say that in Communion we receive, as it were, the embryos of future life in the Kingdom of Heaven. The mystical mystery of the Eucharist is rooted in the Savior's Sacrifice on the Cross. Having crucified His Flesh on the cross and shed His Blood, the God-man Jesus offered the Sacrifice of Love for us to the Creator and restored fallen human nature. Thus, the communion of the Body and Blood of the Savior becomes our participation in this restoration. « Christ is risen from the dead, death by death trampled down, and gave life to those in the tombs; and giving us eternal life...”

Eating the Flesh and Blood of Christ in the Sacrament of the Eucharist is not a symbolic action (as Protestants believe), but quite real. Not everyone can accommodate this secret.

« Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.”

He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

For My Flesh is truly food, and My Blood is truly drink.

He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood abides in Me, and I in him.

Just as the living Father sent Me, and I live through the Father, so he who eats Me will also live through Me.

This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not as your fathers ate manna and died: whoever eats this bread will live forever.

…………………………………………

Many of His disciples, hearing this, said: What strange words! who can listen to this?

…………………………………………

From that time on, many of His disciples departed from Him and no longer walked with Him” (John 6:53–58, 60, 66).

Rationalists try to “bypass” the mystery, reducing mysticism to a symbol. The proud perceive what is inaccessible to their reason as an insult: Leo Tolstoy blasphemously called the sacrament “cannibalism.” For others it is a wild superstition, for others it is an anachronism. But the children of the Church of Christ know that in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, under the guise of bread and wine, they truly partake of the Body and Blood of Christ in Their essence. Indeed, it is not human nature to eat raw flesh and blood, and therefore at Communion the Gifts of Christ are hidden under the image of bread and wine. Nevertheless, hidden under the outer shell of perishable matter is the incorruptible substance of the Divine nature. Sometimes, by special permission, the Lord lifts this veil of mystery and allows those in doubt to see the true nature of the Holy Gifts. In particular, in my personal practice there were two cases when the Lord wanted to allow those who were communing to see His Body and Blood in their authentic form. Both times were first communions; in one case, a person was sent to the Church by psychics for their own reasons. In another, the reason for coming to the temple was very superficial curiosity. After such a wonderful event, both became faithful children of the Orthodox Church.

How can we at least approximately understand the meaning of what is happening in the Sacrament of Communion? The nature of creation was created by the Creator akin to Himself: not only permeable, but also, as it were, inseparable from the Creator. This is natural given the holiness of created nature - its original state of free unity and submission to the Creator. The angelic worlds are in this state. However, nature our the world is distorted and perverted by the fall of its guardian and leader - man. Nevertheless, she did not lose the opportunity to reunite with the nature of the Creator: the clearest evidence of this is the incarnation of the Savior. But man fell away from God voluntarily, and he can also reunite with Him only through free will (even the incarnation of Christ required the consent of a person - the Virgin Mary!). In the same time deification inanimate, without free will, nature, God can do it naturally, without permission . Thus, in the divinely established Sacrament of Communion, the grace of the Holy Spirit at the established moment of the service (and also at the request of a person!) descends on the substance of bread and wine and offers them into a substance of a different, higher nature: the Body and Blood of Christ. And now a person can accept these highest Gifts of Life only by showing his free will! The Lord gives Himself to everyone, but those who believe Him and love Him—the children of His Church—accept Him.

So, Communion is the grace-filled communion of the soul with the highest nature and in it with eternal life. Reducing this greatest mystery to the realm of an everyday image, we can compare Communion with the “nutrition” of the soul, which it should receive after its “birth” in the Sacrament of Baptism. And just as a person is born into the world by flesh once, and then feeds for the rest of his life, so Baptism is a one-time event, and we must resort to Communion regularly, preferably at least once a month, possibly more often. Communion once a year is the minimum acceptable, but such a “hungry” regime can bring the soul to the brink of survival.

How is Communion celebrated in the Church?

It is necessary to properly prepare for participation in the Eucharist. A meeting with God is an event that shakes the soul and transforms the body. Worthy communion requires a conscious and reverent attitude towards this event. There must be sincere faith in Christ and an understanding of the meaning of the Sacrament. We must have reverence for the Savior’s Sacrifice and an awareness of our unworthiness to accept this great Gift (we accept It not as a well-deserved reward, but as a manifestation of the mercy of a loving Father). There must be reconciliation of the soul: you need to sincerely forgive in your heart everyone who has “saddened us” in one way or another (remembering the words of the Lord’s Prayer: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors”) and try, if possible, to reconcile with them ; This applies even more to those who, for one reason or another, consider themselves offended by us. Before Communion, one should read the prayers defined by the Church and compiled by the holy fathers, which are called: “Following to Holy Communion”; These prayer texts are present, as a rule, in all editions of Orthodox prayer books (collections of prayers). It is advisable to discuss the exact amount of reading of these texts with the priest to whom you turn for advice and who knows the specifics of your life. After the Sacrament of Communion is performed, it is necessary to read “Prayers of Thanksgiving for Holy Communion.” Finally, preparing to accept into yourself - into your flesh and into your soul - the Mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ, terrible in their greatness, you must cleanse yourself with body and soul. Fasting and Confession serve this purpose.

Corporal fasting involves abstaining from eating savory food. The duration of fasting before Communion is usually up to three days. Directly on the eve of Communion one must abstain from marital relations and from midnight one must not eat any food (in fact, one must not eat or drink anything in the morning before the service). However, in specific cases, significant deviations from these norms are possible; They should, again, be discussed individually.

Communion in Church

The Sacrament of Communion itself takes place in the Church at a service called liturgy . As a rule, the liturgy is celebrated in the first half of the day; The exact start time of services and the days they take place should be found out directly in the temple you are going to go to. Services usually begin between seven and ten o'clock in the morning; The duration of the liturgy, depending on the nature of the service and partly on the number of communicants, is from one and a half to four to five hours. In cathedrals and monasteries, liturgies are served daily; in parish churches on Sundays and church holidays. It is advisable for those preparing for Communion to attend the service from the beginning (for this is a single spiritual action), and also to attend the evening service the day before, which is prayerful preparation for the Liturgy and the Eucharist.

During the liturgy, you need to stay in the church without going out, prayerfully participating in the service until the priest comes out of the altar with a cup and proclaims: “Approach with the fear of God and faith.” Then the communicants line up one after another in front of the pulpit (first children and the infirm, then men and then women). Hands should be folded crosswise on the chest; You are not supposed to be baptized in front of the cup. When your turn comes, you need to stand in front of the priest, say your name and open your mouth so that you can put in a spoon with a particle of the Body and Blood of Christ. The liar must be thoroughly licked with his lips, and after wiping his lips with the cloth, reverently kiss the edge of the bowl. Then, without venerating the icons or talking, you need to move away from the pulpit and take a drink - St. water with wine and a particle of prosphora (in this way, it is as if the oral cavity is washed, so that the smallest particles of the Gifts are not accidentally expelled from oneself, for example, when sneezing). After communion, you need to read (or listen in Church) prayers of thanksgiving and in the future carefully guard your soul from sins and passions.

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