When to take communion? The question of communion in Passion and Bright Week

The 66th canon of the VI Ecumenical Council instructs all Christians throughout Bright Week to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ daily. This is the rule of the Ecumenical Council. Unfortunately, few people can do it. There are even fewer people who know about it at all, because practice has distorted our lives so much that everything is often done in a completely different way.

Many people still have a heretical idea (this heresy is real, condemned by the Ecumenical Council) that meat and communion are incompatible. Some Hindu considerations are brought in there: that this is a killed animal and other nonsense. As if the potato is not a dead plant. This is not a Christian idea at all, because it is said: “Whoever abhors meat because of uncleanness, let him be anathema.” But many people have a specific relationship with meat. There was a fast - a person fasted, now there is no fast - a person does not fast.

I do not forbid communion. What about myself? I myself ate meat yesterday, and today I serve. If I, a priest, do this, then it turns out that I can, but he can’t? By what right? Unclear. The priest must live stricter than the layman. It turns out that the priest allows himself everything, but it is impossible for others. This is hypocrisy.

What are the peculiarities of preparation for Communion at this time?

The Easter Canon and the Easter Hours are read.

On Communion for Easter and Bright Week

Archpriest Valentin Ulyakhin

Let us turn to the practice of the ancient Church. “They were constantly in the teaching of the Apostles, in fellowship and breaking bread and in prayers” (), that is, they constantly took communion. And the whole book of Acts says that the first Christians of the apostolic age took communion constantly. Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ was for them a symbol in Christ and an essential moment of salvation, the most important thing in this fleeting life. Communion was everything to them. This is what the apostle Paul says: “For to me life is Christ, and death is gain” (). Constantly partaking of the Holy Body and Blood, Christians of the early centuries were ready both for life in Christ and for death for the sake of Christ, as evidenced by the acts of martyrdom.

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

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

Evangelist Mark, speaking about the multiplication of loaves, emphasized that Jesus, having gone out, saw a multitude of people and had compassion (). The Lord took pity on us, because we were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus, in multiplying the loaves, acts like a good shepherd who gives his life for the sheep. And the Apostle Paul reminds us that every time we eat the Eucharistic Bread, we proclaim the death of the Lord (). It was the 10th chapter of the Gospel of John, the chapter on the good shepherd, that was the ancient Paschal reading, when everyone took communion in the church. But how often you need to take communion, the Gospel does not say.

Guard requirements appeared only from the 4th-5th centuries. Modern church practice is based on Church Tradition.

What is Communion? A reward for good behavior, for fasting or praying? No. Communion is that Body, that is the Blood of the Lord, without which, if you perish, you will perish completely.

You say: I do not dare, I am not prepared ... - But you dared on other days. And on this night the Lord forgives everything. At the dawn of this day, He sends through an angel to Peter the denounced the miron-bearers with the gospel ().

You will say: how will I celebrate, eat and drink? - But on this day, the Church not only does not ask us to fast, but directly forbids it (Ap. post. pr. 64 and Gangra. sob. 18).

I will be in society, I will not be able to keep my mind collected ... - Well, remember that His power and greatness are reflected in every drop.

I heard about a priest of God who, on Paschal night, invited all those who remained at the liturgy to take communion, even those who had not confessed. If he introduced this as a regular rule, it would be extremely tempting. But if he only once became jealous, and dared to take on his conscience the unpreparedness of the flock in order to wake her up and show that the Lord had given her this holy. night, I dare not lift a stone against him.

I also met another priest who boasted that he had weaned his parishioners from taking communion at Pascha. “After all, we, they say, did not have this in Russia ...” What can I say to this ?!

The whole of Great Lent is a preparation for approaching the chalice on Pascha. Here, a week before it begins, the Church sings: “Let us ascend to repentance, and cleanse our feelings, fight against them, create fasting entrance, knowing the hope of the grace of the heart ... And the Lamb of God will be carried away by us in the sacred and luminous night of the Resurrection; for the sake of us, the slaughter was brought, joined by the disciple in the evening of the sacrament, and dispersing the darkness of ignorance, with the light of his Resurrection ”(meat-failing week, stichera at the verse of the evening).

Two days later, we hear: “Let us pray to see the figurative completion of Easter here and the true manifestation” (Tuesday cheese on verse. Eve).

A week later, we pray: “May we be worthy of the communion of the Lamb, slain for the world by the will of the Son of God, and we spiritually celebrate the Resurrection of the Savior from the dead” (Tuesday 1 of the week to the verse of the evening).

Two days pass, we sing again: “Wishing to partake of the Divine Pascha, not from Egypt, but from the coming Zion, we will take away the sinful kvass by repentance” (Thursday 1 seventh verse to the verse of the evening).

The next day: “Let us be marked by the Blood of us, Vedenny to death by will, and the destroyer will not touch us: and we will take off the most sacred Pascha of Christ” (Friday 1 seventh verse in the morning)

On Wednesday of the fourth week: “Vouchee to partake of Thy divine Pascha” (verse on the Lord cried).

The closer Pascha is, the more unstoppable our desire is: “To precede with joy the terrible and holy Resurrection” (week 4, evening stichera on the Lord cried out).

It is impossible for such intense preparation to end only with a symbolic, albeit inspired, celebration of the Resurrection of Christ!

On this day, “created by the Lord”, when it is announced that “the Word became flesh and dwell in us” (), let us spread our hearts, let us contain God the Word in ourselves in the most pure mysteries of His Body and Blood, so that He dwells with us and in us.

Listen: how does a Christian generally prepare for communion? Prayer, confession... What else? Let's say: fasting, reading spiritual books, reconciliation with others...

And how does the Church prepare us all for Easter?

Lent ... Here is the great Lent, and just before Easter itself, the only strictly fasting Saturday of the year, Great Saturday.

Reading... In Lent, the Psalter is intensively reread in the Church, the books of Genesis, Proverbs, St. the prophet Isaiah ... Before the brightest matins, the entire book of the Acts of the Apostles is read.

As for reconciliation with neighbors, then remember how in the primordial Church every time before the offering of the Holy Gifts, after the words “let us love one another”, the faithful (and they were all preparing to take communion) kissed each other. This, as he explains: "as a sign that people should love each other ... that whoever wants to partake of Him (Christ) should appear without enmity, and that in the next century everyone will be friends." Subsequently, this custom of kissing had to be destroyed, perhaps for the same reason that the indispensable custom of taking communion after every divine liturgy or on every holiday, because those ancient ones were more spiritual, because we were weakened. But on Paschal night, which is the image of the future age, we, all, all, are invited to the sacred meal and sing: “Let us forgive everything on the Resurrection,” and give each other the triple kiss of peace.

One priest told me how, as a boy, he would run into the church on Paschal morning, which was already empty after the solemn divine service. Light, elegant, but silent and deserted ... And the boy became sad: Christ is alone!

Brethren! On the day of the Resurrection, it is not fitting to leave Christ alone. Let us all receive Him strangely, the One, who had no place to lay His head, in our hearts. Let us all receive into ourselves His Body and Blood. Amen.

Collection "The Resurrection of Christ" 1947
Publication source - "Orthodox Russia", No 7, 1992

About Communion at Holy Week

I believe that priests who do not bless communion on Easter allow very blunder. Why? Because the Liturgy is served for people to take communion.

AT Great Lent on weekdays - on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays - the Liturgy is not served. And this lack of opportunity to take communion is a sign of repentance and fasting. And the fact that the Charter prescribes to serve the Liturgy on Bright Week every day just means that people are called to take communion every day.

Why shouldn't they fast on Easter week? Because, as Christ said, “can the sons of the bridal chamber grieve while the bridegroom is with them?”

Easter is the most main holiday Christian Church. The entire Great Lent is a preparation for Easter. How can you demand from a person that he also fasts on Bright Week if he wants to receive communion!

On Communion at Easter and Bright Week

Abbot Peter (Prutyanu)

I have been repeatedly asked the following question: “Can we take communion at Easter? What about Holy Week? Do we need to keep fasting in order to receive communion?”

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

1. In the first centuries of the history of the Church, as we see in the canons and patristic writings, participation in the Liturgy without communion of the Holy Mysteries was simply unthinkable. However, over time, especially in our area, the level of piety and understanding among Christians began to decline, and the rules for preparing for the sacrament became stricter, in places even excessive (including double standards for clergy and laity). Despite this, communion at Easter was a common practice, continuing to this day in all Orthodox countries. However, some postpone communion until Easter itself, as if someone is preventing them from approaching the Chalice every Sunday of Great Lent and throughout the year. Thus, ideally, we should take communion at every liturgy, especially on Maundy Thursday, when the Eucharist was instituted, on Pascha and on Pentecost, when the Church was born.

2. For those on whom penance is imposed because of some serious sin, some confessors are allowed to take communion (only) on Easter, after which, for some time, they continue to bear their penance. This practice, which, however, is not and should not be generally accepted, took place in ancient times, to help the penitent, to strengthen them spiritually, allowing them to join the joy of the holiday. On the other hand, allowing penitents to receive communion on Pascha indicates that simple flow time and even the personal efforts of the penitent are not enough to save a person from sin and death. Indeed, for this it is necessary that the risen Christ Himself send light and strength to the soul of the penitent (just as Reverend Mary The Egyptian, who led a dissolute life until the very last day of her stay in the world, was able to embark on the path of repentance in the wilderness only after communion with Christ). From this arose and spread in some places the erroneous idea that only thieves and fornicators receive communion on Pascha. But does the Church have a separate communion for thieves and fornicators, and another for those who lead a Christian life? Is not Christ the same at every liturgy throughout the year? Does not everyone partake of Him—priests, kings, the poor, robbers, and children? By the way, the word of St. (at the end of Paschal Matins) calls everyone without division to communion with Christ. His call “Those who fasted and those who did not fast, rejoice now! The meal is plentiful: everyone is satisfied! Taurus is big and well-fed: no one will leave hungry!” clearly refers to the communion of the Holy Mysteries. It is amazing that some read or hear this word without realizing that we are not called to a meal with meat dishes but to communion with Christ.

3. The dogmatic aspect of this problem is also extremely important. People are queuing to buy and eat lamb for Passover - for some, this is the only "biblical commandment" they keep in their lives (because the rest of the commandments do not suit them!). However, when the book of Exodus speaks of the slaughter of the Passover lamb, it refers to the Jewish Passover, where the lamb was a type of Christ the Lamb slain for us. Therefore, eating the Paschal lamb without communion with Christ means a return to the Old Testament and a refusal to recognize Christ as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (). In addition, people bake all kinds of Easter cakes or other dishes, which we call “Easter”. But don't we know that "Our Easter is Christ" ()? Therefore all these Paschal dishes should be a continuation of, but not a substitute for, Communion of the Holy Mysteries. This is not particularly mentioned in churches, but we should all know that Easter is, first of all, the Liturgy and communion of the Risen Christ.

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

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

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

There have been cases when some Christians took communion at Easter, and the priest ridiculed them in front of the entire church assembly, saying: “Wasn't seven weeks enough for you to take communion? Why are you violating the customs of the village? I would like to ask such a priest: “Didn’t four or five years of study at a spiritual institution be enough for you to decide: either you become a serious priest, or you go to graze cows, because “ stewards of the mysteries of God” () cannot say such nonsense ... ". And we must speak about this not for the sake of ridicule, but with pain about the Church of Christ, in which even such incompetent people serve. A real priest not only does not forbid people to take communion, but also calls them to this and teaches them to live in such a way that they can approach the Chalice at every liturgy. And then the priest himself rejoices at how different the Christian life of his flock is becoming. "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

Therefore, “with the fear of God, faith and love, let us draw near” to Christ, in order to better understand what it means “Christ is risen!” and “Truly risen!”. For He Himself says: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you will not have life in you. Whoever eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

Translation by Elena-Alina Patrakova

What to do if several days pass from confession to Communion? Is it possible to receive communion several times during Holy Week? Is it possible for the laity to take communion on Svetlaya and how to prepare for communion?
During the days of Passion Week and Holy Week, some perplexed questions arise about how to properly prepare for Holy Communion. There are a lot of communicants during Holy Week, especially in its last days. My kind but unobtrusive advice. If we talk about cleansing our own conscience, about the desire to glorify the Risen Christ with a pure heart, we should not transfer the so-called “general confession” to Holy Week, which requires a deep understanding of the lived and experienced in order to splash out from the depths of the heart what, perhaps, for years it rotted there, the sins of the “youth of Kazan”.

Archpriest Artemy Vladimirov

All this must be done in advance, like the prudent virgin from the parable of Christ, who fills her vessel with oil and does not wait until the cry is heard: “Behold the Bridegroom is coming, go out to meet Him.”
Holy Week, unusually deep and meaningful, in its inner meaning implies in the rational children of the Church the fullness of participation in gospel events. It is no time already on Holy Week to crowd around the cross and the Gospel, like moths flying around a candle. But it is time to reveal the stories of the sufferings of Christ, listening to the mournful and solemn hymns and prayers of the Church. To follow the Lord along the mournful path, like Simon of Cyrene, to help Him carry the cross, to ascend after Him to the cross of crucifixion and prayer, so that, suffering with Christ, and reign with him.
Each day of Holy Week is infinitely significant, associated with the milestones of the suffering of Christ the Savior.
Here is Great Wednesday. The last Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, a commemoration of the betrayal of Judas, who sold and betrayed his Teacher for thirty pieces of silver. While the sinful woman became chaste, repented, shedding tears on the feet of the Lord and anointing them with myrrh.
People who are deeply ecclesiastical, who have become close in spirit to the Gospel and who always try to remain in prayer to the Lord, strive both on Passion and Bright Week to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, to which the Mother Church calls them. The priests do not need to sulk at all, make a gloomy face and drive away from the Holy Chalice the children of the Church, who came to the temple for this very reason, in order to hide the shrine in their hearts.
Is it really just because you communed on Great Wednesday that you can’t partake of the Body and Blood of the Lord on Great Thursday – the time the Lord established the Last Supper, when the whole temple sings after the Church: “Receive the Body of Christ, taste the Immortal Source”?
Is it really possible to stand aside from the Holy Chalice on the Great Blessed Saturday, when the sky, and the earth, and the animals, and the trees, and the flowers - everything freezes in deep silence? For nature itself listens to God, who removes the curse from the earth, returning the blessing of God to the world.
Not taking communion on the night of Easter is the fate of unbaptized Chinese. But Orthodox people during Great Lent walked for forty days along the narrow path of Gospel self-sacrifice, in order to feel Christ the Savior, Who mysteriously rises from the tomb of our soul, illuminating it with His Divine light.
And what difficulties can there be in regard to communion of the Holy Mysteries during Bright Week, when we just need to abstain in the evening and not burden ourselves with fast food? But during the day, no one prevents you from bringing Easter cake to your friends, breaking the fast with Easter, Easter eggs, having tested the strength of your own Christian convictions.
That's why, Dear friends let us leave aside hypocrisy and hypocrisy, which sometimes takes place among the clergy, let us not prevent the children of the Church from being sanctified by Divine grace in the Sacrament of Communion, as the Mother Church calls us to this throughout the entire Bright Week.
Even the sacramental verse, which is sung while the priest crushes the Holy Lamb on the throne, says: "Take the Body of Christ, taste the Immortal Fountain."
This is the fullness of life in the Lord, the fulcrum of a Christian - so that he, having tasted the holy things, reflects on what gift he was worthy of. Christ Himself testifies to this: "Whoever drinks the blood and eats the body of the Son of Man, I will live, and I will raise him up on the last day, and he will never die." Because Eternal Life dwells in the depths of our heart.
And please do not tell me about those churches and pastors who do not allow their God-loving parishioners to the Holy Chalice on Easter and Bright Week, but rather inform His Holiness Patriarch Kirill about this. He will find words of persuasion for negligent priests and send them to the nearest monastery for a month or two so that they repeat the seminary course and understand the mysterious meaning of Christ’s words: “He who does not gather with Me, squanders.”
A priest is not a gendarme or a jailer, whose function is to keep parolees released behind bars. The good shepherd, "father Aibolit" should - "chick-chick-chick, my chickens" - invite immortal human souls to share with him, the shepherd, the joy of the risen Christ in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
The most important thing for a Christian is, of course, meeting with the Lord. And this meeting in the best way occurs when a person partakes of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Whatever he understands in this, whatever he expects in it, it is still an encounter with God that the Lord Himself creates, offers us, and Himself comes to meet us.
We just have to decide: “Do we want to meet with Him?” We must ask ourselves this question, and

Priest Dimitry Turkin

then let's start doing it consciously, creatively and for the benefit of ourselves.
During the days of Passion Week and Holy Week, some perplexed questions arise about how to properly prepare for Holy Communion. There are a lot of communicants during Holy Week, especially in its last days.
From Maundy Thursday begins such a time when a person especially feels the closeness of Heaven, especially strives for God. There are a lot of communicants on Holy Thursday.
Some of them managed to confess the day before, and some before the liturgy. But there is still Holy Saturday and Easter night itself. And not everyone will be able to approach the priest during these difficult hours for everyone.
Even if there is time for internal training, the ministers themselves have duties to prepare the temple for the holiday. Everyone is busy, everyone is very solemn and tense.
How can you take communion on Saturday or Sunday if you understand that it is difficult to get to confession? You need to take from your confessor - the priest to whom you constantly confess - a blessing to take communion on Thursday and Saturday or on Thursday and on Easter night.
For such a request, you must, firstly, internally be prepared for the fact that the priest will not give such a blessing. He can decide for himself how it will be more useful and convenient for you to do this.
But, if he gives such permission, how do you need to tune in to the inner spiritual world so that those hours and days that pass from confession to communion do not confuse your inner spirit so that you approach the Chalice in a spiritual disposition towards your neighbors, towards God and inner peace?
How to achieve this? Of course, only practice. You need to learn in advance, and if there is no such practice, then right now do not condemn anyone.
The following problem arises: we need to save ourselves from the time of confession, which sometimes happens on other days from evening to morning, when we take communion. After all, at least it is stupid to confess in the evening, then do some business in order to go to confession again in the morning. And this problem is not isolated - a similar situation is repeated from year to year.
Therefore, today we must stop judging anyone. Treat everyone as if they were the most the best people that we have ever met in life.
Of course, such a mood cannot be extended for a week or a month - it will be an extra effort. But it is possible to keep it for a few days - by constantly reminding yourself that "Judge not, lest you be judged" and who are you that you judge your neighbor - "another's slave", as the Lord says.
Of course, we cannot stop sinning. You just need to stop judging, concentrate on this shortcoming of yours, but not be tense, but simply attentive to yourself, to your feelings and experiences. Not in the sense that experiencing them with all your might, but simply not paying attention to them. Attentive to your thoughts. And do not pay any attention to the shortcomings of your neighbors.
Make this effort, and the problem of remoteness of confession in time from communion will be easily solved for you.
Concerning Communion on Bright Week. The main perplexity is the problem of how to fast.
According to one of the traditions that I know for sure, the following attitude is accepted: the fast, which we spent more or less worthily, prepares us for communion throughout Bright Week. That is, everything that we could do, we have already done. And on the Bright Week we can not fast, even if we take communion every day.
It's another matter, maybe not every person will and can do it. But if such a dispensation is possible, useful and blessed by a priest, why not. After all, in the end, the priest who blessed you to do this will answer.
Well, maybe not every day, every other day ... But if there is such joy, if you finally found your God, whom you finally fell in love with, then why can’t you take communion several times during Bright Week, which is the single day of Easter? This is possible and must, thus you will show your zeal and understand, finally, that there is spiritual joy.
Of course, this requires a certain mood. Everything that has been said about a repentant and humble mood regarding fasting and Holy Week applies to Light Week as well. The same mood - non-judgment, love for one's neighbor. But at the same time - why fast?
The only thing is that I would recommend spending the evening on the eve of communion a little more humbly - do not eat meat in the evening and in general - put some kind of extensive meal on the table. Allow yourself everything you can in the morning and at dinner, and in the evening humble yourself a little and, thereby, prepare for communion.
So it will turn out: it seems that there is no fast, and it cannot be said that you did not prepare at all and did not work hard. I think that this approach will be the most correct.
How to properly confess and take communion during Holy Week? Every person is different. Holy Week is a special time. There are people who diligently attended divine services throughout Lent, confessed and communed regularly every Sunday liturgy, maybe even more often.

Archpriest Alexy Uminsky

Therefore, there is a time when, during Holy Week, it may be worthwhile for such people to give way in line for confession to those who have come to the end of the fast, as “eleventh hour workers,” who, for some reason, are little visible to us, - maybe because they had just woken up by the end of Lent, maybe something real was born in them by the end of Lent, and suddenly they decided to approach Pascha in a real, Christian way.
And there are a lot of services, priests are often overloaded. Therefore, before the service of especially Holy Thursday, the whole church strives to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
Therefore, it seems to me that Christians who really took their souls quite seriously throughout Lent can now humbly step aside a little and give those who did not do this during Holy Week a chance to confess during Lent, so that the priest has the opportunity to truly listen deeply to everyone.

- Why is every day of Holy Week called Great?

Lent is the strictest and longest: it prepares us for the greatest of the holidays of the Russian Orthodox Church - the Resurrection of the Lord. The last Holy Week no longer refers to a fast that has already ended. The Passion of the Lord is torture and torment, betrayal. The Lord knew that Judas would betray Him. On Maundy Thursday was the Last Supper, at which the Lord washed the feet of his disciples, including Judas. Many say that communion is grace, but we also see another communion, when the Lord gave Judas bread - His Body, and the devil entered into it. The one who takes communion, being worthily prepared, receives great grace, and the one who does it unworthily, then “eats judgment and drinks for himself,” as the prayer says.

The Lord endured great tortures, torments, a great betrayal of the whole people. On Palm Sunday, a few days ago, the people shouted: "Hosanna on high! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Jews are very emotional, they celebrate by kicking up dust from the air, waving branches, covering the ground with clothes.

When the Lord resurrected Lazarus, the Jews came to condole with his sisters Martha and Mary. They saw that Lazar had already died, and some, perhaps, were even in those moments when he was just dying. They knew that he had been buried and that he was already stinking. The Lord said, "Put the stone away," and the sister replied, "Lord, it already stinks." Christ exclaimed: "Lazarus, come out!" And a few minutes ago, the decaying corpse came out a living person, full of life and strength. And the Jews, seeing death and resurrection, said that it was necessary to kill Christ and Lazarus.

This week we see great trials and great repentance - the repentance of the thief. The robber said to his brother: “You and I received according to our merits” - this is repentance. And he asked for forgiveness: Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”. This is forgiveness, confession and preaching, because it is said in front of the whole crowd. Only God could do the greatest thing - resurrect. He was resurrected, and there is considerable evidence of this from that time. Therefore, this week is called the Great Passion Week, and every day in it is Great.

- What should be given Special attention during the remaining days of Holy Week?

If we recognize that these are indeed the Great days of the earthly life and earthly death of Jesus Christ, then why should we indulge in some trifles? Many people spend the whole week worrying about what cakes they will bake, how they will paint the testicles, who they will invite to visit and where they will go. The whole Great Week passes in petty fuss. It is worthy to paint eggs and bake Easter cake, but you should not betray this great importance, otherwise it will be a derogation of the holiday. Judas received the Body and Blood from Christ, and a demon entered him. Let's not put the petty over the great, otherwise we will also not be far from Judas. The first thing should be the remembrance of the great days of our Lord Jesus Christ. Many did piously when they took communion on Maundy Thursday or Holy Week, and went to church more often. If a person is used to attending the temple only on Sundays, then it is good to visit it every day, if possible. My mother used to say: "There is no time for those who do nothing." Whoever gets into the rhythm will have enough time for everything. When we think about how to please the Lord, then our earthly affairs will improve very well - this is unequivocal.

Question of a TV viewer from the Volgograd region: “I am a disabled person of the second group, I take a vital drug, without which I cannot move. Can I take it before communion, will it not be a condemnation to me?

This will not condemn you. If you invited a priest home to confess and take communion as a sick person, he would not even ask if you ate or not. For a sick person, fasting and Eucharistic abstinence are weakened. After complex operations I also have to take medicine every morning. If you need to drink medicine with a sip of water, then do this too and go to God with a clear conscience. The Lord has aggravated your fast with sickness. Help God!

Ideally, every Christian needs to go to church every day during Holy Week. On Maundy Thursday, the establishment of the Sacrament of the Eucharist is commemorated. AT Good Friday remember the Lord's suffering on the Cross. This is very important days when you need to have a special reverent and prayerful state. But we live in a world that does not allow this to be done properly. Once upon a time this week everyone was released from work, but now there is no such possibility. How to be a working person if he cannot be at the service?

Whoever can visit the temple on all days of the week is worthy and good. Whoever cannot, due to some circumstances, pray diligently to yourself, impose the rule on yourself at home to read the Psalter, the Gospel more, to meditate. Sing psalms, many spiritual ones good poems, for example, "Intercessor of the World, Mother of the All-Perpetual". Sometimes I sing at home, so the whole family immediately listens to me. There are pious chants, pious prayers, and pious activities. Do not be discouraged if for some reason you cannot come to the temple, pray at home.

I do not agree with Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy in many ways, there are moments for which he was excommunicated from the Church. But he has a story about a harsh master who forced his workers to plow the fields at Easter. Some murmured, others threw down their tools in anger, sabotage began. When the owner arrived at the field, he saw one humble worker who plowed, attaching a candle to the plow. The wind is blowing and the candle is burning! And the worker sings psalms and plows. The owner was very touched by this humility and miracle. And, perhaps, in the temple he would not have prayed as much as he prayed at work. Humble yourself, strengthen your heart, do good deeds and increase prayer at home. You can say to the Lord: “Lord, You didn’t let me go to the temple on Maundy Thursday, but for this, as soon as I have time, I’ll go and help someone.” It will be accepted by God as a sacrifice. No need to murmur.

One matushka came up to me for confession during the Easter week: “I fast.” I say: “Easter week is coming, but you haven’t even eaten an egg?” She replies: “No, father, I only have enough money for bread, but not for an egg.” It is better to visit this mother on Maundy Thursday, to ask: “Are you ready for Easter?”. We only take care of ourselves, but a person needs next to us. This will be a great sacrifice and help. “If you brought your gift to God and remembered that your brother is angry with you, then leave the gift and go, reconcile with your brother, and then bring the gift, and then it will be accepted". By going to the temple, you are already offering a sacrifice for the cause of God. But maybe you didn't make peace with someone? Maybe there is someone in need, and you forgot about him? We will always find where to please God, as long as our hearts desire it. The heart wants - God will show.

Question from a viewer Krasnodar Territory: “I submitted a note about health, and they read it about repose. What should I do?".

Cheer up: it was just a mistake, they happen to everyone, a person cannot live without a mistake. Even if you forgot to read it at all, it's okay. You filed a note, made some kind of sacrifice for it. Filed about health and know that she went about health.

- I once wrote a note, but for some reason the priest did not say the name.
- When they wrote the note, the man had already mentioned. It happens that the priest lost, did not say, was forgotten - we are all people. For you, the note is already with God, do not hesitate.

- Is it right to stand and listen like this: will they pronounce or not pronounce?
- We need to stand and pray. When the priest commemorates, you yourself commemorate yours, whom you indicated in the note. With your prayer, Father's prayer will only be stronger. It will be much more pious than standing and thinking: “Oh, what a father, I forgot to read it!” You are committing a sin.

On our air, we once cited Lenten statistics, which were published by the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion. 1,600 people were surveyed, of which only 3% observe Great Lent. However, 9% of the respondents said that they plan to fast during Holy Week. What is the reason for such a desire of people to fast this particular week?

Holy Week, even in the days of atheists, was well known. I served in a rural parish in Talitsa. It used to happen that many people came to take away the shroud, to the Twelve Gospels, who did not come for the whole Great Lent. It has become fixed in people's hearts that Holy Week is special. About 12-14 million people in our country (9%) will fast during Holy Week - what a powerful army of Christians! And 4 million people fast the entire post - and this is very significant.

About 30 years ago I happened to open the first temple in the city of Kamyshlov, they allowed me to buy a house. The first Easter passed, my children were still young. With my son, daughter, altar boy (now Archpriest Igor), we agreed to go for a walk in the evening along Kamyshlov, but set ourselves the condition for everyone we met to say: “Christ is Risen!”. The reaction of people was as follows: two or three will twist their fingers at their temples, three more will stop, opening their mouths and not knowing what to answer, and somewhere the fifth or sixth or eighth or ninth will say: “Truly Risen!” or they will ask: “What is the answer?”. Now everyone or almost everyone will answer you: “Truly, He is Risen!” True, we had one commissioner who proudly called himself an atheist, and when he was told "Christ is Risen!", he answered: "Hello, hello." It's like a joke when Leonid Ilyich was told: "Christ is Risen!", and he replies: "I know, I know, they already reported to me."

There were times much worse. You told me about such percentages, and I am very surprised. But there are still others - 80% call themselves believers. It turns out that 100 million people in Russia call themselves believers. Russia becomes Orthodox. At the same time, I do not in the least detract from the merits of Muslims, Jews and Catholics. With Muslims and Jews, we fought in the same trenches and in the same tanks in Patriotic War defending our homeland, but still it is Orthodox. I have good Muslim friends, and they always say: “You are our “big brothers”, we are younger than you here”, and this is always said with respect. Russia becomes a believer - this is the main thing. Churches, mosques, synagogues are being built, we are becoming like civilized people.

What do you remember from your life, could you give some examples of how people react to the festive mood?

I was transferred to the diocese, and I began to serve in Yekaterinburg, was assigned to Uralmash. Elena Anatolyevna Shevchenko, our headman, even before me began the “battle” for the church. I came to small room the former cinema, we began to seek the church, and then the article appeared in the newspaper "Build it - we'll blow it up!". They organized rallies, there was a sea of ​​​​opponents, and now, if you say that Uralmash is godless, then 90% of the inhabitants will be offended. There are churches there now, and services are going on.

In Talitsa for Christmas, my wife and I decided to take a walk, and I took a box of chocolates with me. Then it was very difficult to get candy, these were the times of a rich country with hungry people. The wife asks: “Where are you, father, taking sweets?” I answer: “Now we will see!”. They went out into the street, and I told her: “Now I will ask all the children who get caught, what holiday is today? Whoever answers me that today is Christmas, I will give this box of chocolates to him. And only the fifteenth or sixteenth child answered that today is Christmas. Now everyone knows! Everyone knows the Trinity, everyone knows Easter. It becomes a completely different time: Russia is waking up, the “Russian hero” is waking up.

We have already said that you should not get too carried away with cooking, buying gifts for Easter, but you need to pay more attention to prayer. Tell me why these symbolic dishes appear on the tables?

The egg has its own legend. On the one hand, it is, as it were, “twice born” and symbolizes our life: a person is now on Earth, and then from his bodily “shell” by the grace of God will come out and live a second life - eternal. And where it will be depends on our earthly affairs. The second tradition: a Jew came to the market to sell eggs, and when he was told that Christ, who had been crucified a few days ago, had risen, he replied: “It is more likely that the eggs in my basket will turn red than I will believe that He has risen!” I opened the basket, and the eggs are all red.

As for the Easter cakes, they symbolic meaning has a prototype of the gospel bread, the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. There are many different traditions, but let's not pay much attention to this, but let's think about how we can be with Christ on Great Week. Not with an egg and not with Easter, but with Christ and with Him to be crucified. And if we are crucified with Him, then He will resurrect us with Himself! Let's think about how we can not run away from Him, as many of the disciples did. One student ran away, and when they grabbed him by the clothes, he left the clothes and ran away naked. The Lord handed over to his Mother all mankind: "Behold thy child". And he showed us our Heavenly Mother: "Child, behold thy mother". Let us remember these great deeds in order to be adopted by the Theotokos and recognize her as our Great Heavenly Mother.

Question from a TV viewer: “On the Internet, in TV programs, I often stumble upon such things as prophecies about Russia, information about passports, electronic cards glasses, about the fact that this must be abandoned, otherwise you will not be saved. This creates a lot of confusion and anxiety. But in the Gospel it is written that the power, the government is set by God and you need to obey him.

Take your passports, don't throw them away: we live in a state. They told the Savior: “You must pay a tax,” and He did pay it: he sent Peter, he caught a fish, and she had gold coin He gave this coin for himself and for Peter. We see that the Savior reproved, but He did not resist the authorities anywhere. Let's do what the law has laid down. I have a passport and other documents, but no electronic cards just because I am completely ignorant in the electronic sense. Who refuses to retire - this is generally absurd. You earned a pension yourself, deductions went to it long years maybe you're getting paid now less than that what you've earned, so don't give up. Correctly written in the Gospel: "Be obedient to the authorities." Your disobedience against the God-fighting authorities will not be condemned, but now we can be proud of the head of our country. After all, I still found Stalin, I lived under Khrushchev and under Brezhnev. Yes, our president is wrong, I disagree with him in some ways, but we have a worthy ruler who is rooting for his country, setting an example for us how to love and defend our Motherland. Thank God, our authorities are not theomachist, but believers, Orthodox.

On the last program, a woman asked that she had three sixes in her passport. People meet this number in documents, on car numbers and so on. How to treat it right?

There are countries where the number 13 does not exist at all. There are many beliefs, opinions and various rumors. Let's not be prejudiced about this. If you can painlessly move away from this figure - move away. Or if today they give you a pension of 6,666 rubles or 16,666, then take it and don't think about these sixes! We think about numbers and forget to think about God future life, good deed. Because of these three sixes, we are ready to scratch someone's eyes, God forgive me. Let this be a satanic number, but God is stronger than the devil!

Question from a viewer: “I go to the Church of the Nativity, I want to take communion this Sunday, but my work does not allow me to fast in food. Can I take communion without fasting?”

If your conscience tells you that you can, then I, as a priest, will not impose a ban on you. It is advisable to fast at least a day. Do your best, the more Passion Week is coming. But if you took communion 4-5 times during the entire fast, fasted, you can take communion on Easter even without confession. In general, you need to prepare. Of course, one has a job, the other has a disease. If fast food is like medicine for you, and your conscience tells you about it, you can take it. If you feel that you are fasting to the detriment of your health, then this is not fasting, but suicide. Based on this, see what your conscience says, come to me and I will talk to you. All the same it is necessary that people abstain. If everything is allowed now, then after breakfast people will come to the church for communion. You need to be as strict as possible for you.

There is my personal observation that so many people gather for the Easter service that it is not even possible to get into some churches. But two hours pass, the procession, it is announced that Christ is Risen, and about 30-40% of the people leave. How to explain such behavior, and how to convey to people the importance of the entire worship service, and not just its beginning?

Here, too, there is a turning point. Earlier, when I served in Talitsa, I noticed that after the procession there were very few people left in the church, but that was in those years. Now people remain families, with children, stand services. If earlier drunk people came to the temple and behaved ugly, now this is practically non-existent. The improvement is noticeable.

Question of a TV viewer from Yekaterinburg: “Does everyone Orthodox Christian who preaches, confesses regularly, takes communion, must have a confessor?

A confessor is a priest who guides you through life. You come to him to talk, to talk about your hardships, not necessarily in confession. He can advise you on what to do about work, family, children, teaching, on any issue. There are family doctors, and it happens that one doctor leads entire generations: grandparents, son and daughter, grandson and granddaughter, and knows all the heredity of this family. Such a doctor will be much more valuable than the one who talked with you for 15 minutes at the reception. It’s the same with a confessor: if he knows you, you trust him, consult him, ask him to resolve difficult issues, then over the years he will study you and, perhaps, give advice better than anyone else. It is better to have a confessor, but you have the right to choose him: to whom your heart will lie. But if you have chosen, then if you change him, the loss will be for you, because he knows you like no one else. To have a confessor, I think, is very worthy. And to take communion, you can come to confession to any priest. A person can visit his spiritual father even in another region, call on the phone, for example, once every three months.

The question of the viewer of the servant of God Marina: “I am a parishioner of the Church of the Nativity of Christ at Uralmash. Batiushka said that it was possible to come to Holy Communion without confession for the whole Bright Week. What to do with food, because you can’t fast during Bright Week?

I haven’t heard about the whole week, but on the day of the Resurrection of the Lord you can take communion without confession, but in the event that you kept the entire fast, confessed, took communion. There is Eucharistic abstinence, and I would not advise communing all Bright Week, sooner or later it may turn out that we get used to communion and stop reverently treating this Sacrament. You need to read at least the minimum rule. Once at Pascha, if you have been preparing yourself for the entire fast, come and partake of the Glory of God.

- How to spend the remaining days before Easter, what to strive for, how to meet the Bright Resurrection of Christ itself?

The remaining days should be spent in enhanced abstinence. If there is an opportunity and you were preparing, then you need to take communion on Maundy Thursday or Holy Saturday. There is no need to put the small over the great, less hassle. It often happens with us that we put the knowledge of a dogma above its fulfillment. We know, and let's do it, otherwise the Terrible Judgment will be over all of us: everyone will answer for their deeds. Bright week should be spent in joy, love, remember that best gift God is to help our neighbor. If we find out that a person needs help and help him in Bright Week, then do not be afraid, there will be no sin if you break Bright Week with work. I worked as a watchman in a church in 1974, praying at Vespers on Trinity, and an old man approached me: “The wind blew off the fence of one housewife, and sheep are grazing nearby, now they will go into her garden. Let's go and make a fence for her." We went and blocked it, on other days people completed the fence. And when we walked, they cursed at us that we were doing other things during the Vespers on the Trinity. This old man (he lived to be 106 years old) says to me: “Volodya, don’t worry, today you didn’t fence this grandmother here, you fenced him in a higher life, in heaven. This fence will be with God.” This is how you should spend your time: fun, with love and kindness.

Question from a TV viewer: “Granddaughter is 3 years old, we often take her to communion. How to explain to her Whom she accepts?

At the age of 3 it is too early to talk about the Passion of the Lord. In the children's books that we sell, all this is explained in a very simple and intelligible language.

I am glad that of all those who got through today, two are parishioners of the church, of which you are the rector. Some people believe that if they go to confession to some priest, then he automatically becomes their confessor.

This is fine. When people go to one priest for confession, he knows them by sight and by name, he knows what and how a person lives, what his heart is inclined to, this priest is a confessor.

Shouldn't there be an official acceptance from a person who takes responsibility for their spiritual son or daughter?

The confessor prays for his children, commemorates at a solitary and church prayer, and the child prays for his confessor. Thus, a spiritual bridge is built between them. A child also often knows his confessor, how he lives, what weaknesses and troubles he has, and also tries to support him. All this is decent and normal, no official certificates are needed.

Host: Dmitry Brodovikov
Transcription: Anna Solodnikova

From April 2, 2018 comes Holy Week (week), the end of which is the great feast of the Holy Resurrection of Christ - Easter, which falls on April 8. During the week, the Church and believers remember the last days of Christ's earthly life, His suffering, crucifixion and burial. The divine services of Holy Week are filled with a special prayerful spirit.

What not to do in Holy Week 2018:

All days of Holy Week are called Great. On these holy days, neither commemoration of the dead, nor prayer songs, nor the memory of saints are performed. The week is dedicated to the last days of Christ's earthly life, His sufferings - "passions", crucifixion, painful death on the cross for our salvation.

The Holy Church calls us this week to leave everything vain and worldly. Fasting these days is especially strict, prayer is intensified. We try to minimize all household chores and meetings. Silence, prayer, good deeds, and worship attendance are how we should spend these days, if possible.

When to take communion in Holy Week, when to go to services: priest's advice

At the very least, communion should be Maundy Thursday, Saturday and Easter.

The first three days of Holy Week are the liturgies of the Presanctified Gifts. These days it is quite problematic to attend all services.

But starting from Wednesday evening, you need to be constantly in the temple: on Wednesday evening to be in the temple, on Maundy Thursday to partake of the most pure Body and Blood of Christ, which He commanded us to take for the healing of soul and body, for the remission of sins and eternal life.

On Great Saturday, every Christian also needs to take communion.

Attending divine services makes it possible, piercing space and time, to be partakers last days earthly life of the Savior coming to death. Compassionate with Him, follow Him with reverence.

What to do if you can't go to Holy Week service

For those who cannot attend the church these days, you can: find in the Gospel synopsis of reading for each day of Passion Week; read in any free minute excerpts from the Triodion of the Lenten Service of Holy Week.

Prayer fellowship with God these days should be above all. Holy Week prepares us for the Easter holiday and shows us the way to the Resurrection. This path goes through the cross and suffering. And it is important that pre-Easter preparations: taking care of gifts, Easter dishes, cleaning the apartment do not overshadow the main thing - waiting for Easter as Christ's Resurrection.

Fasting in Holy Week 2018: what you can eat by day

Holy Week this year runs from 2 to 8 April. During these seven days, fasting should be especially observed.

How to eat in Holy Week 2018 - food calendar by day.

Holy Monday

On Monday, you can eat raw vegetables and fruits, as well as bread, honey and nuts. It is recommended to eat once a day - in the evening.

Good Tuesday

As on the previous day, raw fruits and vegetables, honey, nuts and bread are allowed. It is advisable to eat only in the evening.

Passion Wednesday

You can also eat bread, vegetables and fruits, cold raw food without oil.

Pure Thursday

On this day, it is allowed to eat hot vegetable food with vegetable oil twice a day.

Good Friday

On Good Friday, generally refrain from eating.

Holy Saturday

On Saturday, you can eat hot vegetable food once a day, but without oil.

Easter Sunday

Holy Week 2018: what to do, traditions

Monday is the first day of Holy Week

On Holy Week Monday, a big cleaning of the house began. Everything unnecessary and cumbersome was taken out. Old things were thrown away or distributed to poor people. The room had to be bright and spacious so that the fresh wind would fill it with the Holy Spirit.

Tuesday of Holy Week before Easter

On Tuesday, the necessary products for the celebration of Easter were purchased. If necessary, women prepared medicinal infusions. But the men were not even supposed to touch any herbs, or powders from them, or infusions.

Wednesday of Holy Week - Third Day

On the Wednesday of Holy Week, they washed, washed, cleaned and scraped (floors). Carpets were carefully beaten out of dust.

Wednesday in Holy Week was expected for a special rite against bodily ailments. From a barrel or a well scooped up a mug of water. They were baptized three times and covered it with a new towel (you can just clean it). They got up at two o'clock in the night, were baptized again three times, and poured water over their heads. A little liquid was left in the mug. They didn’t wipe themselves off, but immediately put on clean clothes on a wet body, and poured the remaining water (you need to have time before 3 hours) on flowers or a bush on the street. It was believed that after such a rite, the body was reborn.

Pure Thursday in Holy Week

On Maundy Thursday on Holy Week before Easter, one-year-old children were cut for the first time. It was a sin to cut them before a year. To make hair healthy and beautiful, thick and long, the girls cut the ends of their braids. Livestock were also not left unattended, from which a tuft of wool was also cut for health and well-being.

Housewives on Thursday in Holy Week always prepared Thursday salt, calcining it in a frying pan to common salt acquired healing properties. From the pan, all family members took a handful and poured into a bag. Then they consecrated it in the Temples. Thursday salt- medical. She heals ailments, protects the family, house, livestock, garden from negative energy.

Maundy Thursday was called "clean" and cleansed the body with water before sunrise, dousing, bathing in ponds. They were also cleansed spiritually, which was the main thing on that day. Everyone took communion, accepted the sacrament established by Christ.

On Maundy Thursday, they washed themselves before dawn, saying:

“I wash away what they let loose on me, what my soul and body toils with, everything is removed on Maundy Thursday.”

From women's diseases, women were advised to douse themselves with water prepared in the evening at midnight on Maundy Thursday.

FROM Clean Thursday silver items were placed in the water, which was prudently left until Easter. Girls and women rinsed their faces in the morning. It was believed that such a procedure would give the skin freshness and smoothness, bring beauty and wealth.

Unmarried people also waited for Maundy Thursday. After washing, they wiped their faces with a new towel, and on Easter they gave it along with colored eggs and Easter cake to those who asked for alms. The rite brought the wedding celebration closer.

Tradition on Maundy Thursday holy week all members of the household continued to put things in order in the house. But the floors were not swept until Easter.

The children brought juniper twigs, which fumigated all the premises in the dwelling and the barn. Juniper smoke is healing. He protected people and livestock from evil spirits and ailments.

Eggs laid on Thursday were kept and eaten at Easter. The shells were buried in the ground in their pastures so that the animal would not be jinxed.

Question: I would like to know what are the rules for Holy and Bright weeks. Father Sergius said more than once that they no longer confess on Strastnaya Street - the entire previous Great Lent was time for this. But the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is served on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Then for whom? Is it possible to confess, for example, on Maundy Tuesday or Wednesday, when there are not so many people, but take communion on Maundy Thursday? And then on Easter without confession, right?

The same is true about Bright Week: it seems that there is even a rule of some Council that you need to take communion during Bright Week every day (for those, of course, who fasted throughout Great Lent, confessed and took communion several times). Is confession necessary? Fast? What is the rule for Communion to read?
There are many opinions on this matter, I would like to know what Father Sergius thinks. This is of interest to many.

Reply to Prot. Sergius Pravdolyubov: There is a long, detailed confession, with reflections and a request for advice. Such a confession is appropriate in Great Lent. And on Strastnaya, digging into your sins is not the time. Briefly saying general words - go to the priest for confession anyway, when there are few people. It is very good to confess as you suggest and take communion on Maundy Thursday. And on Great Saturday in the morning and on Easter at night - without verbal confession, but with contrition of the heart, and after listening to the common permissive prayer. On Easter Week, you can also take communion according to the rank of Passion, after listening to the common prayer of permissiveness. - This is the permission of the Holy Synod. But Father John Krestyankin never recommended communion every day of the Paschal week. In general, he did not say anything about communion at Paschal. At least twice or once is quite enough for Easter. And every day is already either for saints or schemers. Do not dare to classify yourself as a schemniki.
All respect and blessings.