Many Orthodox believers ask the priests in person, via the Internet, or ask their relatives: is it possible to brush your teeth before communion? But this is far from the only thing that not only beginners can ask. A lot of questions arise from the church-goers. It is worth noting that there are a huge number of near-church myths and misconceptions.
This article summarizes the answers of experienced and pious priests, gives recommendations and helpful tips beginners.
What is Communion?
How does Christ speak in the Gospel about Communion? the day before terrible death on the cross He gathers His disciples together and prepares a meal. There is bread and wine on the table. Christ says that in memory of Him they will drink wine and eat bread, since these are symbols of His blood and body.
To this day, liturgy is being performed in churches and preparations are being made. Holy Communion with bread and wine. The priests pray together with the parishioners with the words "Let us pray to the Lord for the offered Honest Gifts."
What is actually meant by the bread and wine in the Holy Chalice? Prayers read before Communion at home are just as necessary for a Christian as church prayers. Why is prayer needed? Because the Lord unites with the very person who calls him to himself.
What is Communion?
There are several testimonies about how Communion is actually prepared and what is hidden from human eyes under it. One day a man entered the temple. The royal gates in the temple were open. The priests stood at the altar. Suddenly, a man who came in saw the priest pierce the baby with a spear. He shouted to the whole temple: “Why are you killing a baby?” All the people standing in the temple turned around. No one could understand what kind of baby they were talking about. In fact, the priest had a prosphora in his hands (a small bread made from wheat flour and water).
The Lord invisibly and endlessly sacrifices himself for the sake of people, but not materially, but spiritually. His crucifixion was actually seen almost 2,000 years ago at Golgotha in Jerusalem.
Let's return to the Gospel and to those lines where the Lord is at the Last Supper. He said: "From now on you will drink my blood (wine) and eat my body (bread) in memory of Me." But how this would happen, even the apostles did not know. Moreover, it is not given to us to know. This is a divine secret. We can only take it seriously, and as it is, without a doubt. Therefore, the prayers read before Communion are very necessary, first of all for the one who takes communion.
Another living testimony:
In the city of Lanciano (Italy) to this day there is a true proof that the Eucharist is not just bread and wine. AT catholic church Saint-Legotius in the 8th century, one priest doubted that Communion was a miracle. When he picked up a piece of bread, he saw something similar to muscle tissue. He looked into the Chalice and saw that instead of wine there was blood. The priest screamed in horror. Then he realized that there was no doubt. The Lord proved to him that everything was real. To this day, this miracle is in Lanciano. Many pilgrims come to pray near such a shrine.
What does a Christian need before Communion?
Of course, first of all, the belief that he will be given to taste not just bread and wine, but the body of Christ. Of course, such a meal is a miracle. The Lord gives a piece of himself to a sinful person. Therefore, Communion must be approached not only with fear, but also with faith. You can't just partake like that.
How to treat?
Above we have considered two testimonies of the miracle of God. It is worth noting that not only Jesus Christ is in the altar during the Liturgy, but also the Mother of God, the Archangels, and saints.
No wonder the holy fathers said that angels grieve because they do not receive communion. Because they have no body, no need. They are with God. And the Lord gave man such a great gift - to unite with Himself during Communion. Let it be invisible.
*canon repentant to the Savior;
* prayer canon Mother of God;
* canon to the Guardian Angel;
*Adherence to Holy Communion.
It is all these prayers, chants, and kontakia that will help you prepare correctly to receive the Holy Gifts in the right way.
Posts and confessions:
Priests say that you need to fast for at least 3 days. If a person is not churched, rarely visits the temple, sins, then he needs to prepare for almost a week. That's why best option for such people - this is the Great, Christmas fast, as well as Petrov and Uspensky. But that is why it is not necessary to choose periods of many days of fasting. After all, more important is reconciliation with God, and not convenience.
What to do before Communion to someone who rarely goes to church?
Firstly, Be sure to go to the priest for confession. When the priest receives the penitents, you can find out in the church that is closer to your home or which you want to visit. Be prepared for the fact that the priest after confession may not allow you to take Communion. There could be many reasons for this. Often, in order to be admitted to communion, you need to fast, repent, visit the temple many times. Be sure to ask the priest after confession whether he blesses the approach to the Holy Chalice or not. Often the priests themselves insist that the confessor take communion. You need to take this advice.
What is the post before communion?
If you are a beginner or have not been to the temple for a long time, then be sure to go to the priest for confession. Usually, during this sacrament, many spiritual issues are resolved. The priest will explain to you what to do, what to beware of, when you can take communion.
What is meant by post?
Meat, milk can not be eaten, eggs too. In addition, dishes, products, drinks that contain the above products are not consumed. Remember that the post must be worn spiritual character. Eat little food. For example, for breakfast - tea with oatmeal cookies or oatmeal porridge on the water, at lunch - soup on vegetable broth, at dinner - vegetable salad and rice/potatoes.
Drink before communion, as well as during fasting, alcoholic drinks forbidden. It is also recommended to refuse coffee. After all, the body should be a temple of the soul, a calm "home", sober and vigorous. The food is modest (not fasting), coffee and alcohol cannot in any way set you up for prayers.
Spiritual side:
Let's continue our conversation about fasting. We've dealt with food. As for entertainment, watching movies, you need to postpone all this. Any unimportant things should be replaced with prayers to God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, your Guardian Angel and the saints.
Let's talk about what to read before Communion. Above we mentioned the canons and the following to Holy Communion. In addition to them, it is advised to read the Gospel, the holy fathers. Beware of taking near-church literature or that which belongs to false Christian literature.
No need to fuss while fasting. If possible, postpone things for later. They can wait. After all, earthly life is fleeting, and a fasting person needs to think about eternity.
Why such restrictions?
During the Liturgy, before the removal of the Holy Chalice, the choir sings that we (the parishioners) are leaving all earthly fuss. Not every (especially modern) person understands that sooner or later earthly life will end and everything that he worked so hard for will go into oblivion. After all, he will not be able to afterlife pick up your passport or favorite job, bank accounts or computer from valuable information. He will appear before God with his conscience, with sins and virtues. The Lord won't ask if you were CEO, He will ask you to answer for offending the grandmother client. God doesn't care if you had a Lexus. He will ask if you brought the weak, the weak, without taking money from them.
Why restrictions in fasting in relation to entertainment?
The time has come to sit down at the table or stand in front of the icons and think: what have you done wrong in your whole life, for this period.
Is the conscience clear?
It is more important for a Christian to know not about, for example, whether it is possible to brush one's teeth before Communion, but about what sins really are and what repentance is, how not to sin. The Lord is grieved when a person commits a sin even mentally. Just think: you are mentally angry, even your heart is numb. This is also a sin. You need to repent sincerely.
When is communion not allowed?
Do you know that you need to get rid of your sins? If you have repented, you should try to avoid transgressions. In order for the priest to allow Communion, you need to attend the evening service every Saturday, then in the morning at the Liturgy. The same should be done in large church holidays. Need to read at home morning and evening prayers by Prayer. Of course, it takes 20-30 minutes. If you do not have time, then you can read the Seraphim's rule: three times "Our Father", three times "Theotokos ..." and once "The Creed". But at the same time, during the day, you need to silently pray to God, to the saints. These are the most important rules.
They may not be allowed to receive Communion in such cases, for example:
*murder, abortion; divination, divination, extrasensory perception, spiritualism, astrology;
*other faith, heretical views;
* cohabitation outside of marriage, debauchery, homosexuality, drug addiction and alcoholism, and so on.
The priest needs to tell the whole truth during confession, not to hide any sin. The Lord stands by invisibly, He knows everything, only awaits repentance of the heart. If you hide something, it will be an even greater sin. You need to completely cleanse your soul before Communion.
What do the holy fathers and priests say?
The human soul must be pure, bright, with the hope of correction and change of life for the better. You should not go to the Chalice if you are not sure that you want to live with God.
If the father blessed:
When a priest gives a blessing, one should take it seriously. You should read not only the canon to the Mother of God before Communion, but also the canons to the Savior, the Guardian Angel, as well as the Follow-up. All this is in the Orthodox prayer books.
The reading space is very large. Therefore, the canons can be read 2-3 days before communion, but the Follow-up is read only the night before, after coming from the church from the evening service.
You need to make sure that no one distracts you. If you take communion with your family, friends, pilgrims, then read in turn, pray.
Morning before Communion:
As you know, Orthodox Christians cannot eat anything in the morning before Communion. Even medicines are not allowed.
But can you brush your teeth before Communion?
There is no ban on this. If you are sure that you do not accidentally swallow water or paste, you can brush your teeth.
If the stomach is sick, it is not possible to wait a long time until noon, then it is better to go to the early service. In small towns and villages, the Liturgy is served early, and in megacities - at 7 in the morning or at 9-10 o'clock.
For the sake of union with God, you can endure. It is worth reading prayers to yourself.
The morning before Communion is always exciting. You need to mentally prepare. After reading the morning rule, go to the church at least half an hour before the Liturgy to calmly submit notes, light candles, and approach your favorite saints.
Before Communion itself:
At the service, you should carefully listen to prayers. When the priests prepare the Communion, pray that you will receive the Blood and Body of Christ worthily. At the same time, a pious person should sincerely consider himself unworthy of such a Gift.
Remember the Canon of the Theotokos before Communion: you need to pray that the Mother of God will intercede for us sinners. And what does the canon of Jesus Christ say? We repent to the Lord of our sins. Keep this in mind when you wait for Communion.
The very moment of Communion:
When the Royal Doors open and the priest comes out with the Chalice, you need to bow to the ground. Then stand in line with your arms crossed over your chest. When you come to the Chalice, you need to tell your father orthodox name and open your mouth wide. The sacrament should be swallowed immediately so that the particle does not get stuck in the teeth. Accept warmth and prosphora. Many people ask: “Can I eat before Communion?” Do you know why the answer is no? Because the Lord must enter the body of a Christian first. After all, God is more important to us than food.
WHAT TO SAY IN CONFESSION?
Quite often, those who decide to go to church for this sacrament for the first time think about what they need to say in confession.
It is important to understand that confession is not just a sincere conversation with a priest, but a religious ceremony aimed primarily at repentance.
In confession, it is important to be completely determined to correct your life. The realization that it has become difficult for you to live because of the commission of some sin or even several is the first step towards correction. Only after this understanding is complete should one sign up for confession.
In some situations, not only repentance after committing a sin can be a reason to go to confession. If it is difficult for you to distinguish good from bad, or life seems useless and painful, you can also come to confession, because the church is always open for those who need it.
What sins to talk about in confession:
One of the main mistakes of people who come to confession is to list all their sins in their entire lives. It is extremely important to highlight exactly why you came. Sin is an act against the church, God. This is a kind of violation of morality - one's own, someone else's, public. In Christianity, there are eight deadly sins, the fulfillment of which has serious consequences for a person - anger, sadness, gluttony, fornication, despondency, vanity, pride and avarice. In addition, there are personal sins - these are various activities against conscience and God. As a rule, a person can determine some sins only by himself; they are not spelled out in any holy book. A sin can be that act that in every possible way burdens your life.
It doesn't matter what you bring to church. In confession, the main thing is complete repentance and an inner understanding of the deed.
What to say to a priest in confession:
Confession in Orthodoxy, as in most other religions, is a conversation with God about your misdeeds, a request for help. The priest serves only as a witness to this conversation, God's helper on earth.
Therefore, in confession, it is important to be extremely frank and not hide anything about what is bothering you. It is especially important to talk about what worries you the most on this moment, not forgetting the little things and details of the offense for which you want to repent.
You can trust a priest with your biggest secrets, because he has no right to tell anyone about your confession. Remember that you do not need to be afraid of condemnation from the church, the very fact that you have come to repentance is already a worthy deed of a believer.
Important to remember that it is not necessary to speak at confession about a sin for which you have already confessed, if it has not been committed again. And, often, confession alone will not be enough. You need to ask God in prayers for forgiveness, come to church as soon as you feel like it, honor traditions and rituals.
The Church advises that confession, like communion, should be regular. Your confessor will be able to tell you about the frequency of confession. Remember that it is the clergyman who will be your main assistant in observing church rites.
As you can see, confession is a very complex sacrament. Not everyone is ready for it. If you decide to confess, then you need to weigh the pros and cons for yourself, and your soul will tell you what to say in confession. Remember that repentance and freeing yourself from the sin you have committed is a long process that will require a lot of strength and patience from you.
INTERNAL CONFESSION.
Diseases and other troubles do not fall on a person just like that. Man is a cosmic being and develops according to the laws of not only the material, but also the spiritual world. If he violates these laws, there is an illness or some tragic circumstances that endanger life.
It is enough to eliminate these violations, and everything in your life will return to normal. This is what inner confession helps to do.
The confession has two parts:
Part one: you must remember all the times when someone greatly offended or insulted you. After all, resentment is a source of continuous flow of negative psychic energy.
Calmly remember your past life from the age of 12 (it is from this age that a person begins to bear karmic responsibility for his actions). The offender (even if this person has died) must be mentally imagined, and then hugged and kissed tightly!
Sometimes resentment reaches such strength that hugging and kissing, even mentally, does not work. In such cases, the "enemy" can be imagined as an unintelligent child of 2-3 years old. But a hug and a kiss is a must indispensable condition Rescue Mechanism!
The second part: not only do you have enemies, someone, perhaps, considers you their enemy. It is possible that you yourself were a violator of moral truths.
In this case, imagine that you are on the court, and the judge is your own heart. Get on your knees before him and tell all your bad deeds, mistakes, vices from the age of 12. Speak everything you remember - giving an account that you will not do it again.
After all, by repenting, you remove all the negativity that has accumulated over the years. If the inner confession was carried out correctly and sincerely, then recovery and deliverance from troubles will come in a hundred cases out of a hundred, regardless of the severity of the illness or the scale of the misfortune that has fallen on you. It's only a matter of time.
After an inner confession, try not to repeat the same mistakes - otherwise misfortunes will return in double volume.
The Unified Prayer, which any person can do, regardless of their religious beliefs, will help you avoid this. This prayer, as practice shows, is able to reduce the temperature in a matter of minutes, relieve any pain.
Prayer must be done in solitude, with a lit candle, kneeling:
"God! Good God!
May Your Name be hallowed in Heaven and on Earth.
From end to end of the universe!
God! Strengthen your strength in resisting the forces of darkness, so as not only to resist it, but also to cleanse Mother Earth from this garbage.
Teach me to separate good from evil and to remain in peace and firmness of spirit, in order to worthily do Thy Will among people.
Strengthen the strength of my brothers and sisters - both close and unknown to me.
May they see Your true glory and be filled with love in their hearts.
And they will overcome the dark barriers in the movement along the Path to the Light.
And let them stretch out their hands to each other and give the immeasurable warmth of the soul.
God! May Your Will be done! And there will be One People on Earth.
Loving his Mother - Nature, reunited with You with his love and walking along the True Path Spiritual Development relying on Your Last Testament.”
IN THE MORNING: “Bless, Lord, on the deeds of the coming day, and may its difficulties be met as it befits those who walk under Your Light.”
IN THE EVENING: "Fill up, Lord, the lost strength for the good, in order to prepare for the meeting of the day of the future."
“I go to bed, I have the Cross seal on me. Guardian Angels! Save my Soul from evening until midnight, and from midnight until morning.
And the prayer "Our Father" three times.
Prayer is the most powerful force in the universe! The Bible says:
"Whatever you ask in prayer WITH FAITH, you will receive." (Matthew 21:22)"ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH LET IT BE TO YOU" (Mat. 9:29).
Approaching the holy chalice, the communicant must fold his hands crosswise on his chest, clearly pronounce his name and open his mouth wide. A small particle of the Holy Gifts, as advised Saint Ambrose Optina, must be swallowed whole. If the particle is large, it can be gently crushed with the teeth. After the deacon or clergyman wipes his mouth with a cloth, you need to kiss the lower edge of the bowl. You should not be baptized and make prostrations near the bowl.
After communion, it is customary to drink "warmth" - warm water mixed with wine. This "warmth" should be rinsed in the mouth so that there are no particles of the Body of Christ left, and then swallowed.
Departing from the bowl and heading to the table with "warmth", one should not kiss the icons. Also, do not kneel or bow down on the day of communion. Bows to the earth are an expression of repentant sorrow for sins, but the communicant must remain in spiritual joy and glorification of God. After the communion of the Holy Mysteries, one must thank the Lord and listen in church or read at home the prayers for Holy Communion. Some of the Christians do not attach of great importance these prayers. Are they right?
Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) wrote that he knew a pious clergyman who considered the cause of many temptations to be the omission or hasty, frivolous reading of the rule on Holy Communion. From his own experience, he experienced that in the latter case, the Divine grace received in the sacrament left him, and temptations set in.
The Lord is philanthropic, but we should not and cannot offend Him with impunity with our neglect, not even considering it necessary to thank Him for His inexpressible mercy towards us.
One of the parishioners of the church where I serve, told an incident that happened to his relative, the servant of God Vasily. This person has a very deep faith and tries to lead a godly life. Every year he takes communion seventeen times. However, with all his zeal for the salvation of his soul, Vasily did not attach much importance to reading thanksgiving prayers after communion. No, he, of course, thanked God, but he always limited himself only to the fact that, having come home, he said in front of the icons: “Glory to Thee, Lord, glory to Thee!”
Once, after the communion, Vasily came home in a joyful mood, stood in front of the icon case and, as usual, said from the bottom of his heart: “Glory to Thee, Lord, glory to Thee!” And suddenly a firm commanding voice was heard: “Why don’t you read thanksgiving prayers after communion?!” Vasily was so frightened that he trembled all over. Since then, after accepting the Holy Mysteries, he always rigorously reads the prescribed prayers.
Is it possible to thank the Lord in your own words? Of course, we can, from the abundance of our hearts, thank the Lord for His mercy to us, sinners, with our own prayers. However, at the same time, we must not forget to read the prayer rule determined for us by the Church.
“From the moment of communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ,” St. Nikon of Optina instructed, “until you drink it, you must watch out so as not to spit. Out of reverence, they try to avoid spitting all this day, although there is no indication of this anywhere and there is no sin in this. More rigorously this issue the elder Hieroschemamonk Sampson spoke out. Once he was asked:
Sometimes on the day of communion you accidentally spit. It is a sin?
You can’t,” replied Elder Sampson. - Must be collected. And if you spit in a handkerchief, then you need to wash it separately. Through the communicant, all objects are consecrated, including clothes, and even a cell.
What to do with fish bones after dinner on the day of communion?
Collect it in a piece of paper and then burn it, but don’t put it on a plate, because they can take it to the trash. On the day of communion, in no case should you eat meat under any pretext, and do not drink wine, and do not visit guests, and do not receive guests. Name days are celebrated very modestly. And then it happens like this: he took communion, and in the evening a banquet, a feast for the whole world. Here and laughter, and all stupidity, and disgrace!
Regarding eating food after communion, the words of Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) are instructive: “By the way, a very remarkable and characteristic observation was noticed: after communion, one does not want to eat “fat”, but something more “thin”, fasting.
Here the instinctive physical “consciousness” of the discrepancy between the “carnal” and the spiritual state, into which the body is introduced by communion with God, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, is reflected. I knew a man who, on the day of communion, ate almost nothing at all, except for Lenten tea.
And vice versa, when a person gorges on fatty foods or even overeats after communion, he can immediately observe himself how that light, subtle, spiritual perishes in him, which he clearly felt only before that.
Heterogeneous elements cannot exist together.
Meanwhile, how often in practice we act precisely contrary to both experience and consciousness: after communion we do not know the measure of food and drink. And for that we lose both the “bodily” and “spiritual” grace of Communion.”
The soul and body of a person who has accepted the Body and Blood of the Lord are filled with Divine grace, which must be carefully preserved. This grace sanctifies not only the communicant himself, but also the space around him. Sometimes, by the providence of God, people are vouchsafed to feel the grace emanating from the communicant with their bodily feelings.
Once Elder Gabriel (Zyryanov), being ill, took communion of the Holy Gifts. After communion with him, the monk Father Epiphanius entered the cell. Feeling the fragrance in the room, he turned to the cell-attendant:
What did you do with the old man? My God, what must be expensive perfume? How good it smells...
Soon another monk came to visit Fr. Gabriel, Fr. Abner. He also felt an unusual fragrance in the room and also asked the attendant a question: where and at what price were such wonderful perfumes bought? Meanwhile, neither Elder Gabriel nor his cell-attendant used perfume. “I,” Elder Gabriel later recalled, “lay broken, like one who had fallen into robbers. But I was a partaker of the Life-Giving Body and Blood of Christ; and behold: the Spirit gives life! and we all hear His fragrance with our sense of smell. He, like the Gospel Samaritan, pours the wine and oil of His grace on the wounds of the one who has fallen into robbers.
After communion, we must take special care to ensure that the Lord, who has entered our hearts, is not grieved by some sin. According to the words of Schiegumen Savva: “After death, we will be severely tortured if we do not keep the grace of the Holy Spirit. If it happens on the day of communion that you get irritated, upset, condemn someone, then we will try to clean this stain in the soul with repentance. This day is best spent in silence and prayer, or in reading the Holy Scriptures and the teachings of the holy fathers, because the soul at this time is especially receptive to the good and the wondrous gospel words will sink into the depths of the heart.
If, by the grace of God, we have been honored to receive grace-filled gifts during communion, we need to keep them, strictly observing the movements of our heart, the thoughts of the mind and the use of bodily feelings. The Monk Alexy Zossimovsky said: “The fruits of Holy Communion work if we do not offend the shrine. If we offend her, then on the same day of communion she ceases to act. And we offend the shrine with what? Sight, hearing and other senses; verbosity and condemnation. Therefore, on the day of communion, one must primarily preserve one’s eyesight and be silent more, keep one’s mouth shut.”
The famous Greek spiritual writer, Archimandrite Cherubim († 1979), in the days of his youth, lived for some time on Athos under the guidance of one of the Svyatogorsk elders. Once this elder invited several Athos ascetics to his kaliva for a festive divine service. Vespers and Liturgy lasted all night. At dawn, the monks took communion. Father Cherubim was shocked by the fiery prayer of the righteous, the burning of their spirit and the abundant tears that flowed from their eyes.
As soon as the liturgy ended, Father Cherubim ran to prepare coffee for the participants in the service. However, before he could light the fire, everyone left. Then father Cherubim asked his elder:
Why did the fathers leave without drinking coffee?
Thereafter all-night vigil can they sit down for coffee? They received Christ, the precious Pearl, and immediately left, so as not to lose in conversations what the all-night vigil had given them, - the elder answered.
It should be noted that many Athos ascetics spend their time after communion in prayerful wakefulness. Once, at the end of the divine service, the novices suggested that Elder Gabriel the Hermit lie down to rest. The old man replied:
It's not good for us to sleep after Divine Liturgy and Divine Communion, for we have taken into ourselves the Most Pure Mysteries of Christ and the universal enemy, the devil, must not find us sleeping in order to tempt us, defile our body and soul and put impure thoughts and harmful lusts into us, from which the grace of God, which enters into us with Divine Communion.
“It has been noted,” wrote Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov), “that if a communicant goes to bed shortly after communion (especially after a hearty meal), then, upon waking up, he no longer feels grace. The holiday seemed to be over for him. And this is understandable: devotion to sleep testifies to inattention to the heavenly Guest, the Lord and Master of the world; and grace departs from the negligent participant in the Royal Supper. It is better to spend this time in reading, thinking, even an attentive walk. So I had to observe this among the monks. And in the world you can visit the sick, do good to someone, or enjoy pious fellowship with your brothers, or go to the cemetery to your dead.”
The Monk Nektarios of Optina advised his spiritual children after communion not to rush to any business, but “to give yourself a privilege until half a day, read the Holy Scriptures, abide in prayer and thanksgiving to the Lord.”
Let's summarize all of the above. So, do we need to behave after communion?
1. We must remain in reflection about what a terrible gift in its greatness we have received. We need to give thanks to the Lord for this and be spiritually sober, so as not to offend in any way the Divine grace, which we were honored to receive in the sacrament of the Eucharist.
2. Having the Lord Himself in us, we must use the time after communion to deepen our spiritual life, acquire virtues, fight passions and sinful habits.
3. The Lord who dwells in us immeasurably strengthens our spiritual powers. Therefore, the period of time following the acceptance of the Holy Gifts is priceless. They should be treasured and should be used wisely.
about. Alexander:- Good evening, Dear friends! AT live radio "Radonezh" rector of the Moscow church of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Krapivniki, Archpriest Alexander Abramov.
From the bottom of my heart I congratulate you on the accomplished Christmas of Christ, on the holy days that extend between the feasts of the Nativity and the Epiphany of the Lord. I will be answering your questions in the next hour.
Let's start our conversation with the most important issue: the relationship with our children.
Here is the story. A person rarely goes to the temple and tries not to go to the same temple as his mother. When asked why, she replies that her mother walks in a headscarf, reads all the prayers and rules, but she is so angry, curses him with his children, how can you go to the same temple with her? And what's the point of her going to church?
This is an important question! How can we go to the temple and not change? What is our churchness worth if we know all the rules, read the canons and observe the fasts, but do not become better? It so often happens that no one becomes the greatest reproach to the church in the eyes of external people, like the church people themselves. And our various political accusers reproach us for things about which they themselves have a very vague idea. We will not talk now about various things connected with the episcopate, with the shameful way of life of certain people, but about what they routinely and constantly reproach, and, unfortunately, often rightly: “Why do you go to church and so evil?" FAQ. “Teach everyone humility, but where is your humility? You preach peace and help, why don’t you bring peace and help to anyone?” Often this is heard from those who really want to understand, and not from those who are not looking for the truth, but simply want to speak out and not hear an answer. Recorded critics will criticize us even when we are absolutely holy and do not commit a single sin. The Gospel says very clearly that there is no need to cast pearls in front of pigs, no need to waste time arguing with such people. But there are many respectable people who are confused by our moral character. That we, being involved in the highest school Gospels, to the gospel of Christ, we ourselves remain carnal, stout, inwardly coarse, unchanging people. You confess, and what is the use of your confession - that's the subject of conversation, important topic for a possible discussion.
And another theme that resonates in many questions: many people who have recently started going to church are striving to bring their relatives there, near and far, to force them to go to church. So, this question alone is wrong. It shows that people do not understand anything. No one needs to be forced. A slave is not a pilgrim. This proverb has been well known for a long time. Perhaps you can force it, but the person will hate both you and the church... There will come a mockery and ridicule of the church. And that one way to bring someone to the temple is this Gospel truth: “by this they will know that you are my disciples, that you will have love for one another.” If you are a bright, warm, sincere, loving person, then people will reach out for you, begin to spy where you go, what happens there, in this temple on Sunday and some other days, why you come back different. And not only do you return, becoming more joyful for a few minutes, but in general you live a different, brighter life. And this life is not some kind of Martian, so you can live! Many will say that the stories are useless, but you need to bring them and make them take communion, prepare them - and then everything will be fine. And that's when nothing will be normal. We have repeatedly said in this studio that a huge number of revolutionaries came from the families of the clergy, because they had gone through with religious education, strictness. Read the memoirs of classmates at the Tiflis Seminary of Joseph Stalin, those who, like him, did not become priests. Many seminaries were hotbeds of the revolutionary spirit, these people skipped services, gathered in their apartments, read Marx, organized circles, and did things that are shameful to even talk about here now. Here are the fruits of excessive rigidity in religious education! Stalin's mother was also a good pious woman, she wanted her son to become a priest. But this is what happens when it comes not from love, but only from discipline, only from obedience, only from pressure. It is very dangerous.
Question:- How to behave as godparents, if it is noticeable that parents do not contribute much to the churching of children and rarely attend church themselves?
about. Alexander: - These parents themselves are not your concern at all. The main thing is the children. But, firstly, you must be close with these children, they must know you not just as a gloomy uncle or aunt who will come on Sunday and lead the child to where he is bored and uninteresting. It must be friends. You need to play with them, know how they live, when and how they get sick ... They must trust you. And then an offer should come from your side to go to the temple. First, for a short time, then for a longer time, then to take communion, then the first post, soft, but welcome. Reading the memoirs good people end XIX-beginning XX century: "Mom said that she would punish and not take with her to the temple." Skipping a service was perceived as a punishment, one wanted to go there. It is necessary to create a situation where you want to go to the temple, and not when the child goes to church with a fight and a roar just because after you promised him a trip to a cafe or a chocolate hare. If so, then it doesn't make sense. You yourself must understand exactly and correctly what you are going to do there. Often touched parents hold a child in their arms before communion and say terrible words: "Well, let's come, the father will give you sweets." Is this possible? Body and Blood of Christ! And you need to clearly understand what is happening at this moment, and the child must be attuned and informed in terms accessible to him about what you are inviting him to and calling him to the temple.
Question:- There is an expression "The theater begins with a hanger", and in the temple it turns out that the first thing a person who comes again meets with those who work there, with those who stand behind candle box, for example. And now they are met not with love and understanding, but with an unfriendly attitude and sometimes rudeness. And so you can look at this as God's permission, a lesson in humility, and on the other hand, those who serve in the temple need to be especially patient and loving. How do you think?
about. Alexander:- I adhere to the second point of view. It is not necessary to endure and humble yourself before rudeness, especially in the temple. Under the guise of humility, it is unacceptable to allow the humiliation of human dignity. I remember when I was a boy, a student, I came to one of the temples, where I liked everything very much, but I saw a spelling mistake in one ad. It was written there: "gaps". I was in the most rosy mood. And here is such an omission! And I decided to go ask for a fix. Many years later I remembered that they told me there who I was and where I should go, and that this was the temple of God, and about the beam in my own eye ... And I was offended then. I didn’t know yet that you shouldn’t be offended by the church, but there are specific carriers of rudeness, and sometimes you just need to warn the rector about such incidents, there is nothing shameful here. People of the Soviet era are strong, you can’t put them out of action with rudeness. Well, young ones do not have to be more durable, but on the contrary, they can be more fragile. And thank God! So rudeness in the church cannot be tolerated. The late Patriarch Alexy spoke of such things as a huge sin: an aunt behind a candle box got nasty, got nasty and forgot in a second, and the one who got nasty got immunity against the church for a year in advance. Of course, you don’t have to be completely squishy, because comments can be reasonable. In general, there should be no rudeness, and in no case should one respond with evil to evil.
Question: - She was in the temple in Krapivniki, she submitted a note where she wrote "about the health of the baby Elijah with relatives", met with the disapproval of the worker: they say, you can’t write like that. How to look at it?
about. Alexander:- I don’t know what the conflict is, I think that nothing special happened. It's just that there is not much space in the note, but usually a person is inseparable from relatives and is commemorated with them. If you especially want to remember someone, write separately, without burdening the note with unnecessary information. And on Proskomidia, you can only commemorate those whose names are indicated in the notes.
Question:- Is it possible to eat meat after Communion?
about. Alexander: - Fasting preparatory - the time until Communion, so that the Eucharistic fast after Communion ends. This is not, of course, about Great Lent or special fasting days.
Question:- In continuation of the conversation about errors in announcements in temples, I want to ask whether it is still necessary to correct or is it better to remain silent?
about. Alexander: - Complex issue in fact. We have, as in the Ark of salvation, each creature in pairs. Sorry for this analogy. People are not from outer space, all of different upbringing, temperament. You yourself see if you can make a comment. There are also hot-tempered people. You have to be ready for this. But, of course, it is necessary to correct errors in general.
Question:- If long-confessed sins do not let go, what to do?
about. Alexander: - You know, the devil often makes a person turn repeatedly to the circumstances of sin, remember the conditions, the smallest details, in order to return a person to the root of this sin. If this is a fornication sin, for example, then so that lust hits the head again. I would ask the priest to pray with you before the revered one in some way, so that the Lord would soften his heart. And the fact that every now and then the memory of sin will come flooding back is worth confessing in order to soften the heart. Some things were sometimes so heavy and shameful that it is impossible to forget about them, but this does not mean that they are not forgiven, and the memory of them is given to you so that you never go over this fence again. Do not despair, the sin is forgiven, go beyond the path of the commandments.
Question:- At the beginning of my coming to church, I also had the experience of meeting such an unfriendly old woman. This did not repulse me, but gave the impression of severity. And how many years have passed, but I remember this particular woman. Perhaps it is not strictness and harshness that should scare people away (such an attitude is not bad, but probably quite the contrary), but indifference? People sometimes come to the temple, not understanding at all why and for what they are there, so, maybe such "sobering" grandmothers are needed?
about. Alexander: - You raised a lot of questions... Firstly, I would say that then at the meeting your reaction was more correct - you were hurt by tough behavior. And now you have Stockholm syndrome - when the victim comes to terms with the punishers. Of course, strictness and rudeness should not be confused. Of course, behind the appearance of a distant and cold person, a completely loving heart can be hidden. But in no way should such a heart be manifested through rudeness. Father Pavel Gruzdev is a wonderful example in this sense. He could have missed salty jokes, and a strong word, but you immediately understood that it was from love, and there could be no offense! Your injury - you just rethought it already. But grandmothers should not perceive the church as their own privatized space, where they have the right to tell everything and everyone, for that - no, thanks! "Razzuy your shoes, the ground where you stand is holy." This is nobody's house but the Lord's. All of us there must be humble enough to understand that our only task is to be in this house people who serve God.
As for the people who come to the temple, not understanding why, then yes, it is true that many do not go to faith, but for its fruits. To whom to give a prayer service in order to pass the exam, and everything like that. The consumer attitude of everyone in everything has overwhelmed those who go to church. There are people in search, they ask themselves and the priests questions, they search, study the Scriptures, test Christ - and they do it right. And there are those who need an immediate result, magical and ritual services for a fee. And it is bad when the servants of the temple respond to this. It is necessary to correctly interpret that the temple, the house of the Lord, is a house of prayer, to send to the priest, in the end. Indeed, many come to the temple for services. But they will not receive anything, because Christ is not the head of a corporation, but our personal Savior, and He will not agree to anything less than our whole heart - He does not need a hundred rubles.
I would like to remind you, dear listeners, that at the church of St. Sergius in Krapivniki there is a museum "Faith and People". It was created by the efforts of people who donated exhibits to the temple museum. Let me remind you that you can visit the exposition and listen to the tour from 13 to 15 every Saturday, unless there are holidays and services. We no longer have enough space, because the number of exhibits is very large, but we continue to accept exhibits in the museum, which tells about how people believed in Soviet times. We celebrate Akathists to the Cross every Friday at 17:00.
And also let me remind you that my book "Let the Thirsty One Come" has been published. These are the Gospel texts of Sundays and major holidays, days of remembrance of revered icons in the order in which they are read this year, and my comments on these days and readings. The second edition was the book "Spring of Our Hope", about the services and Gospel readings of Great Lent. January 21 at 12.30 there will be a meeting where you can ask questions and not just talk about books, but talk on the topic: "How the Gospel sees us, how we see the Gospel." How does the gospel define the life of a Christian, what happens if we don't want to be defined by the gospel?
Question:- Should a person prepare for confession and Communion at such a time as Christmas time?
about. Alexander:- It is better to choose a time when it will be possible to fast and prepare, take it more strictly right away, and also consult personally with the priest.
Question:- If the godparents are not indicated in the baptismal certificate, what should be done?
about. Alexander:- No way. It doesn't have special significance. It is important that the Sacrament took place, and the presence or absence of godparents does not change anything.
Question:- I help in the temple and I am strict with those who come. I invite them to help themselves - they don't go.
about. Alexander: - Yes, they are not obliged. And this is not a reason for you to be strict and harsh with them. What did you come there to do? Soul save or grumble? Others are not to blame for not wanting to, they have their own relationship with God. Yes, we have a lot of lazy people, but you can’t force everyone, and you, all the more, should not force anyone. If you came to the temple to work hard - do not grumble, do not turn the temple into a Soviet vegetable store. I'm sure you don't. Well, don't.
Congratulations to all on the holidays, all the best!
The question, apparently, arose because some believers incorrectly believe that on the day of Communion, after receiving the Holy Mysteries, one should not eat meat. This opinion arose due to a misunderstanding of the spiritual meaning of fasting. Fasting before communion was established as a feat of abstinence, so that we acquire a reverent disposition for the acceptance of the greatest shrine. After Communion, if there is no fasting, you can eat any food.
Church rules prescribe the observance of charter fasts, but forbid to shun meat or any other food. So, in the "Apostolic Canons" it is said: "If anyone, a bishop, or a presbyter, or a deacon, or in general from the sacred rank, is removed from marriage and meat and wine, not for the sake of the feat of abstinence, but because of abhorrence, forgetting that all good is green and that God, creating man, man and woman, created them, and thus blaspheming, slanders the creation: either let it be corrected, or let it be expelled from the sacred rank and rejected from the Church. So is the layman” (51st rule). This decree is based on the statement of the holy Apostle Paul: “For every creation of God is good, and nothing is reprehensible if it is accepted with thanksgiving, because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer” (1 Tim. 4: 4-5).
Commenting on the above apostolic canon, Bishop Nikodim (Milosz) writes: “Already at the very beginning of the existence of the Church of Christ, various heretics appeared, preaching that it is sinful and not pleasing to God to marry, eat meat and drink wine, and forbade all this to their followers. This view stemmed from the concept of the Gnostics about matter in general, which, according to their teaching, is the creation of the devil and, therefore, unconditional evil. This false concept was especially developed among the Encratites and Marcionites, who insisted more than other Gnostics on practical application such a look. The words of Holy Scripture quoted at the beginning of this interpretation already serve as an obvious condemnation of this Gnostic doctrine of matter as absolute evil. We find the same thing in the Apostolic Decrees (VI. 8, 10, 26), which distinguish the Marcionites, who abhorred marriage, meat and wine by virtue of their dualistic principles (good and evil), from the Encratites, who held this view out of some kind of hypocritical pride. . From the aforementioned heretics, this teaching began to penetrate into the Orthodox milieu. To prevent this evil, the apostolic canon praises abstention from marriage and the use of meat and wine for a Christian purpose, that is, as an exercise in virtue, but it sharply condemns all who do this from heretical motives and prescribes: to every clergyman who adheres to such a teaching, to indicate, first of all, on the gospel teaching; if it does not obey and remains stubborn in evil, then such a person is not only cast out of a hierarchical degree, but is generally excluded from the Church altogether as a follower of the heretical teaching on temperance.
Misconception: on the day after communion, do not brush your teeth, do not kiss anyone, fast.
Some believers think that on the day after communion it is impossible to brush your teeth, spit out the bones from berries and fish, kiss loved ones, icons, relics, the priest's hand (only a cross is allowed), eat meat, drink wine.
After communion, in order to prevent a particle of the Holy Gifts from remaining in the mouth and accidentally flying out, for example, when sneezing, there is a tradition to immediately drink the sacrament with warmth - wine diluted large quantity water, - and after that eat a piece of prosphora - consecrated bread. Warmth and prosphora are always distributed in the church after communion.
If a piece of the Holy Gifts remains in the mouth (for example, stuck in a tooth hole), one should really take care that it is swallowed and not spit out.
If you washed down the sacrament and there was nothing left in your mouth, then later that day you can brush your teeth in the evening, spit out bones, kiss loved ones, kiss icons, the priest’s hand, the cross. It is already impossible to spit out a part of the Gifts.
Eating meat, drinking wine in moderation on the day after communion is also possible. Before communion, fasting is established as a feat of abstinence, in order to set oneself reverently before accepting the greatest shrine. After communion, if there is no fast at this time, you can eat any food.
What to do?
Not properly:(
Fast the day after communion.
On the day after communion, be afraid to brush your teeth, spit out bones, kiss icons or loved ones.
Correctly:)
Make sure that the Holy Gifts are completely swallowed, and there is nothing else to be afraid of.
On the day after communion, especially try to treat the people around you with love.
On the day after communion, especially try to eat in moderation and not get drunk drunk.
