Correspondence service in the church does not go why. When can one sit during Orthodox services? Opinion of Priest Andrey Chizhenko

1. How often should I go to the temple? How often can and should children be given communion?

The more often, the better. In an everyday situation, when a person has a complete set of everyday affairs (home, work, children, etc.) - at least on Sundays. Adults can and should receive communion on average once a month, children can do it more often, but with reverence, albeit imperfect, but with a sense of respect for the Sacrament. And most importantly - to partake of communion by the parents themselves, and not just to bring children. The grace of God descends upon the family first of all through its head.
If the parents themselves received communion once a month, then the children could receive communion every week, while carefully monitoring that the children treat this as a reward, and not as an obligation. It can be explained to children, by virtue of their perception, that Communion is Divine Bread, cleansing them from evil deeds and thoughts, helping not to get sick in soul and body.

2. The service is often incomprehensible - fuzzy words and unclear singing, is it possible to read other prayers from the prayer book at this time, or should I buy a follow-up to the service and try to read the text in parallel with the service? And if there is no text, what then?
Many books have now been published explanation of the service. You can buy them in advance, in our temple there are about 3-4 such books. In the service, you can only use them to clarify some ambiguities. But it is better to do it at home, and pray in the temple. Saint Seraphim advised, if the reading is incomprehensible or hard to hear, pray the Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner," but try to delve into the service as much as possible.

3. Do I need to read morning prayers before the service or just go to the temple?
Morning prayers are read before the service. But if there is no time, then it is better to pray briefly and go to the temple to the beginning of the service (or with the children to read the Gospel or even to Communion), and then read the prayers after the service, or read on the way in the car using a recording on a disk, but with reverence. For family people, you can read not the whole rule, but some part of it, after consulting with the priest about it.

4. Are fasting on Wednesday and Friday obligatory?
Yes, but for the sick, pregnant women, soldiers traveling or carrying heavy physical loads, fasting is relaxed. But it's not cancelled. At the same time, the spiritual component of fasting increases. You can also add earthly bows. In general, it is better to talk with your confessor about your fasting norms.

5. If you need to leave the service early, at what point in the service is it undesirable to leave the temple?
Leaving the service, if it is very necessary, is allowed at any time. But it’s better, if you don’t take communion, to wait until the singing of the “Our Father” is over and the Royal Doors are closed.

6. It is difficult for children to stand for more than 1 hour, the wife does not always want to go to the temple, it turns out: I bring the children to communion for 15 minutes, another 30-40 minutes. I am with them in the church at a prayer service after communion and must leave. At the same time, I myself do not have time to listen, because I follow the behavior of children. Maybe give them albums to sit and draw, and at the expense of this, stand up more on their own, or what?

Firstly, you can leave the service immediately after it ends, without staying for a prayer service, because. the main thing is the COMMUNICATION (the prayer service begins with the prayer "To the King of Heaven"). Secondly, you can give children albums, but let them draw not in the temple, but in the porch. And it’s better to let them take care of the candles a little - they love it. The duty of the parent is to watch over the children, so you will have to devote some of your attention to this, but you must also teach the children not to interfere with the father or mother in prayer. No need to over-indulge them, let get used to the service. Wife doesn't want to go? Let him stay with the children, and you go, next time you will go. God should come first, family second.

7. How to accustom children to the service, sometimes I don’t understand anything, and even more so for them, how to keep them?

To accustom means to gradually teach something. Good things take a long time to learn, and bad things are learned quickly. Teaching others is very easy, but teaching is very difficult. In my opinion, children can be taught something good, including love for church service, if the teacher himself (in this case, the parent) is truly passionate about the service. Children perceive, first of all, the feelings and inner experiences of the teacher, and not words. You will really get carried away, and they will get carried away. But how to get interested in the service yourself? To do this, you need to ask God to let him feel, including children with his wife, the grace of worship, the beauty of church services, the peace that is born in the soul after temple prayer. You need to find time to come to the evening service alone at least once a month, to be alone with God in the temple. One familiar archimandrite (now an archbishop) once said that you need to feel the sweetness of prayer in order to strive to pray as often as possible. There are prayers for the gift of prayer, you can also pray to God for the gift of church prayer. There is prayer, writes St. Theophan the recluse, not just words, but the feelings of repentance, humility, reverence, etc. born from them ... pray, and prayer itself will teach you to pray.

8. Temple icons are publicly available, isn't it contagious to bring children to kiss the icon if they do it automatically, without proper trembling before God?

According to your faith, be it to you. The priest, after everyone takes communion, All that is left in the Chalice consumes (eats). That is, scientifically, he would have had to pick up so many diseases from people that he would not have served for a year. The same applies to the question: "Is it possible get infected from icons?" The infection is not transmitted through the Shrine. Of course, if you notice that someone accidentally or deliberately left behind a lot of marks on the icon, then it must be said that it was wiped, however, the employees of the temple are specially watching this.
About reverence in children when kissing icons. From the fact that children behave irreverently at the table, they are not deprived of food, but are taught to eat as expected; the same with icons: teach them to kiss icons with reverence, and do not forbid children to kiss the sources of holiness and grace. An icon is not just an image or picture. The saint himself, depicted on the icon, is mysterious.

9. Is it possible during the service to approach and put candles to the icons or the cross, or kiss the icons?

You can, but very quietly, without distracting anyone from prayer. It is better to light candles and kiss the icons before the start of the service, but if you have come with your children for Communion, then carefully listen to what is happening in the church right now. If the Eucharistic canon has begun, then you need to go into the temple and stand without putting anything, but only pray. See how seasoned, reverent parishioners behave, and do the same. After the "Our Father" you can put candles, but when the priest comes out to take communion, you need to set aside everything, make a deep bow from the waist, or better than the earth, fold your hands on your chest crosswise and go to take communion. Icons are usually applied before and after the service.

10. Is it necessary to drink compote after communion (I’m afraid that the children won’t catch some kind of infection, I don’t think that these cups also have a holy bactericidal effect)?
See point 9. What is drunk after communion is not called compote, but a drink. This is done not because they want to treat us to sweet water, but so that not a single crumb of the Body of Christ remains in our mouth, and we do not accidentally spit it out later.
If there is no faith in church cups, you can come with your own, even bring your own drink. But it is better to believe in the purity of church vessels - the Lord touched lepers and did not get sick, and we will be afraid of some bacteria and shun people who partake of His Body and Blood. You just need to believe that God will not allow you to get infected through the Holy Place and the people consecrated by It.

11. How to observe Christmas and other fasts if the wife is irresponsible and demands intimacy?

“If a woman asks ...”, then in order to save the family, the fast in this regard is canceled, but the spouse tries to find a compromise in order to less often enter into close bodily relationships. Especially on the eve of Holidays, Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. The main thing is to keep peace in the family. And you can make up for the fast violated by bodily intimacy by more strict abstinence in something else, for example, in delicacies, in wine or beer, in watching TV shows, etc.

1. To prepare for the morning visit, you need to prepare as follows:
Rising from bed, give thanks to the Lord, who gave you the opportunity to spend the night in peace and extended your days for repentance. Wash yourself, stand in front of the icon, light the lampada (from a candle) so that it evokes a prayerful spirit in you, put your thoughts in order, forgive everyone, and only then proceed to reading the prayer rule (morning prayers from the Prayer Book). At the same time, it must be remembered that it is better to read one prayer with sincere contrition of the heart than the whole rule with the thought of how to finish it all as soon as possible. Beginners can use an abbreviated prayer book, gradually adding one prayer at a time.

Before leaving, say:
I deny you, Satan, your pride and your service, and unite with you, Christ Jesus our God, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Cross yourself and calmly go to the temple, not being afraid of what a person will do to you.
Walking down the street, cross the road in front of you, saying to yourself:
Lord, bless my ways and keep me from all evil.
On the way to the temple, read a prayer to yourself:
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

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

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

4. In the temple it is indecent to show curiosity and consider others. It is unacceptable to condemn and ridicule the involuntary mistakes of employees or those present in the temple. It is forbidden to talk during worship. You should not condemn and rebuke a newcomer who does not know the rules of the church. It is better to help him with polite and kind advice. Candles need to be bought exactly in the temple to which you came. If possible, you should not leave the church before the end of the service.

5. When visiting temples, it is customary to dress in such a way that most of the body is covered. It is not customary to go to the temple in shorts and sportswear. Women should not come to church in trousers, short skirts, with bright makeup on their faces, lipstick on their lips is unacceptable. The head must be covered with a headscarf or scarf. Men must remove their hats before entering the church.

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

Can I eat before visiting the temple in the morning?
According to the charter it is impossible, it is done on an empty stomach. Retreats are possible due to weakness, with self-reproach.

How to be baptized?

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

How long do you need to be on duty?
Service must be upheld from beginning to end. Service is not a duty, but a sacrifice to God. Will it be pleasant for the owner of the house, to whom guests have come, if they leave before the end of the holiday?

Is it possible to sit in the service if there is no strength to stand?
To this question St. Philaret of Moscow answered: "It is better to think about God while sitting than about standing feet." However, while reading the Gospel it is necessary to stand.

How to kiss icons correctly?
Lobyzaya St. the icon of the Savior, you should kiss the feet, the Mother of God and the saints - the hand, and the Image Not Made by Hands of the Savior and the head of John the Baptist - in sackcloths.

How should you behave when cuddling?
When burning, you need to bow your head, as if you are receiving the Spirit of Life, and say the Jesus Prayer. At the same time, one should not turn one's back to the altar - this is the mistake of many parishioners. You just need to turn around a little.

Where to put candles for health?

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

Types of notes:

- about health: proskomedia, litany, prayer service.
- about repose: proskomidia, litany, requiem.

For both the living and the dead, you can also order a magpie, semi-annual, annual, five-year and eternal commemoration.
Proskomedia: takes place before the Liturgy: particles are removed from the prosphora and placed in the Chalice, the liturgical prosphora is prepared - the Lamb. Names are read from notes submitted for proskomedia. And the particles are taken out for these people. Already during the Liturgy, after the Transubstantiation of the Gifts, the removed particles are immersed in the Holy Chalice with a prayer to Christ to wash away the sins of those who are commemorated.
Litany: the names are read during the Augmented Litany after the reading of the Gospel at the Liturgy.
Prayer: a separate service is ordered (more precisely, this is called a requirement). In a note for a prayer service, you can indicate to whom: for example, a prayer service to any icon of the Mother of God, a saint ...
memorial service: separate service for the dead. Done often. There are also Parental Saturdays, before which Parastas is served - a special memorial service. Notes submitted for Parents' Saturday are read the day before, on Friday, at the Parastas, and on Saturday at the Liturgy at the litany, and after the Liturgy at the memorial service.
Sorokoust: prayer while reading the psalter in the monastery for 40 days;
semi-annual, annual, five-year and eternal commemoration - respectively, according to the same principle.
Notes should be served in the candlestick of the temple. There are samples everywhere. If the sample is not posted, you can ask the temple candlestick about the design - they will explain everything to you.

Only the names of baptized people are written in the notes. Newborns (not yet baptized) are written like this: "mother's name" with a child. Pregnant - non-idle "name". If a person is sick - sick (go) "name". If the note is about the dead, then you can’t write suicides, unbaptized babies (they are prayed for at home).

What is confession?

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

How to prepare for confession?

There is no universal recipe here. And you won’t ask anyone in particular: how do you prepare for confession? Because it's a very personal matter. Some generally write everything on a piece of paper the day before. The main thing to do is to tune in to reflect on your actions and thoughts.

How is the confession going?

Find out in the temple about the hours of confession. It can be evening (after or even during the service) and morning (before the Liturgy). If you know any priest (you saw him at the service, talked and were filled with confidence), find out in the candle-room when he confesses. It is better (especially for the first time) to go to confession to someone who disposes you to himself. Despite the fact that you confess to God, and not to the priest, the personal factor influences here, and at first we cannot do anything about it. Although it may not matter to some.

You must come to confession on a first-come, first-served basis. As you approach, bow your head. Start with "sinned" and list the sins. After you have said everything, finish the confession "Forgive me, Merciful Lord." After you have finished confession, the priest covers your head with an epitrachelion (an accessory of liturgical vestments is a long ribbon that wraps around your neck and descends to your chest with both ends) and reads a prayer. He will first ask for your name (do not forget that if your name is Rosa, and you are baptized with Hope, you must say “Hope”). After the prayer, you are baptized, kiss the Gospel lying in front of you, and the Cross (ibid.), and move away from the lectern.
The main thing is that you cannot take communion without confession, but you can confess without subsequent communion. Preparation for communion is much more difficult and longer than for confession.

How to prepare for Communion?

Three days before Communion it is necessary to fast (do not eat meat, dairy products, eggs, and fasting - and fish). Fasting also includes quitting smoking, drinking and abstinence. It is necessary during the preparation to read the rule for Communion (it is in any Orthodox prayer book). On the day of Communion itself, after 12 o'clock at night (that is, from the beginning of a new day), it is not supposed to eat and drink until the end of the Liturgy. Formerly people they dressed in bright clothes for communion - there was such an Orthodox tradition. Before the service or the day before, confession is prescribed.
During the Liturgy, towards the end of the service, having heard the singing: “One is Holy, One is the Lord Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father. Amen. ”, start slowly moving to the right side of the temple. It is from there that they approach the Chalice. After the priest’s words “Come with the fear of God and faith” (he takes out the Cup) and singing “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, God the Lord and appear to us” - the prayer “I believe, Lord, and I confess ...” is read (you will already recognize it after home preparation for Communion). Her father reads himself, but the whole church silently (sometimes, out loud) repeats. After the prayer to the singing of “Take the body of Christ…” those who take communion approach the Chalice. Hands are folded crosswise on the chest - right to left.

Approaching the Cup, say your name in baptism, open your mouth and receive the Body and Blood of the Lord. After that, kiss the edge of the Chalice and move further to the left side of the temple. Take a piece of prosphora there and drink it down. It is not necessary to be baptized and bow at the Chalice itself, so as not to hurt it. Also, before you drink, you should not say anything. After communion, you should not immediately leave the temple. Wait until the end of the service, kiss the Cross, which the priest will give after the sermon, and only after that leave the church refreshed. Do not forget to read the prayers after Communion at home. Or listen to them in the temple at the end of the service.

Upon leaving the temple

Blessing
One must distinguish between worship before a shrine and before people, even if they are sacred. Accepting the blessing of a priest or bishop, Christians fold their palms crosswise, placing the right on the left, and kiss the right hand of the blesser, but do not cross themselves before that. This custom recalls that this hand held the Holy Chalice of the Eucharist.

General
Leaving their temple, make three waist bows with the sign of the cross.
The care of the Holy Church for us continues after the service, so that we do not lose the grace-filled mood, which, by the grace of God, we were honored in the temple. The Church commands us to disperse after the service in reverent silence, with thanksgiving to God, with a prayer that the Lord grant us to always visit His holy monastery until the end of our lives.
Smokers are forbidden to smoke even on the street within the church fence.
But it is absolutely necessary to delve into everything that takes place during church services in order to feed on them. Only then will each one warm his heart, excite his conscience, revive his withered soul, and enlighten his mind.

Now we answer to frequently asked questions:

- a basket of money (near the lectern at confession, near the drink after communion, or somewhere else in the church) is a voluntary sacrifice, not a payment for the sacrament. Decide according to your ability and conscience.

- the fact that Communion is given with one spoon, don't bother you either. No one has yet been infected by the Chalice.

- after the first confession (especially if you have repented of serious sins) you may not be allowed to take Communion. Rarely, but such cases do happen. Go quietly home, do what the priest said, and get ready for the next confession. It is impossible to approach the Chalice without blessing.

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

What should I do if, while standing at a prayer service or other divine service, I did not hear the name that I filed for commemoration?
It happens that the clergy are reproached: they say, not all the notes were read or not all the candles were lit. And they don't know what to do. Judge not lest ye be judged. You came, brought - everything, your duty is fulfilled. And as the priest does, so it will be asked of him!

According to the Russian Orthodox tradition, God is in everyone's soul, and in order to ask him for something, it is not necessary to go to church, since the text of the prayer comes to God through the word. The order of service in the church is only the earthly embodiment of faith. You can come here, repent and receive a blessing.

It is very important for many people not only to feel the support of God in their souls, but also to see his incarnation in the icons that are in the temple. Divine services are held in the church according to certain canons. The duration and start time differ depending on the church holiday.

Schedule of liturgies

Not for churches general rule holding Divine Liturgies, matins, especially on weekdays. The temple opens early in the morning. The time of the event is determined by the priest himself. depending on the wishes of the people visiting it.

For big Christian holidays evening and morning liturgy is held. In addition, a prayer service is held on Sunday. The beginning of the service in the church on Sundays, as a rule, takes place at 7-8 o'clock in the morning. In some churches, Matins and Matins may be moved an hour later or an hour earlier. That's why about matins you need to check with the servants of the temple where you go, how long the liturgy lasts in the morning, they decide. Vespers at 19-20 hours. There is also a night service, but only on major holidays: Epiphany, Easter. In addition, a religious procession is held for the glory of God.

How long the service in the church lasts depends on the significance of the holiday. On weekdays, it can be held for a maximum of 2 hours, and the Sunday service in the Orthodox Church reaches up to three hours.

What time the evening service in the church begins also depends on the scale of the holiday. The earliest start can be at 16:00, the latest at 18:00. Such a service takes place within 2-4 hours. If church holidays are celebrated, then it is divided into everyday, small and great. conducted using the all-night language.

Types of worship

Regardless of who conducts it and in what place, all services are divided into daily, annual and weekly. Services are held in full in monasteries, and it is the monks who follow all the canons of the church. The monks fully comply with the rules of church services, but in small churches they are held depending on the schedule created by the ministers.

Every day of the week is celebrated in the church and is dedicated to certain moments.:

• Sunday is a small Easter, on this day the resurrection of Christ is remembered.
• You can pray to the angels on Monday.
• John the Baptist hears prayers on Tuesday.
• On Wednesday, the betrayal of Judas and the memory of the Cross are remembered.
• Thursday is considered an apostolic day and is dedicated to St. Nicholas.
• On Friday, services are held dedicated to prayer for the suffering of Christ.
• Saturday is dedicated to the Mother of God.

Therefore, if you do not have the opportunity to go to church regularly, then you can read prayers by day, depending on who they are intended for.

Church services on weekdays

Believers visit the temple not only on Saturday or Sunday, but also on weekdays. You can go to church when it is convenient for the believer. At the same time, a Christian parish must always be open. The daily cycle of worship is divided into 9 different parts, and it includes:

• The circle starts at 18:00.
• Compline is the reading of prayers in the evening.
• From 12:00 midnight there is a midnight service.
• Matins is divided into the following: the first hour - from 7:00, the third hour - from 9:00, the sixth hour - from 12:00, the ninth hour from 15:00.

Liturgy, held from 6:00, 9:00 to 12:00, is not included in the daily cycle of church service. Speaking of the ideal worship service, each temple should be open at this time, and all the listed services should be held.

The peculiarity of their conduct depends solely on the chief priest of the church. In the villages, early and late readings of prayers take place only in large temples.

Service in the temple

As already mentioned, the service is held in each temple, the only difference is in the time of holding and its duration. During the day, the main service is the Divine Liturgy.

At the service, a prayer is read, Christ is remembered, and it ends with an invitation to all who wish to go through the sacrament of Communion. It takes place between 6 and 9 o'clock.

On Sunday, as a rule, one service is held, and it is called the Eucharistic. The service on this day goes one after another. Matins gives way to mass, and mass, in turn, gives way to evening service.

Not so long ago in church charter there have been changes, and now Compline is held only during the beginning of Lent. If we are talking about church holidays, then the service may not stop, and one replaces the other.

In addition to large services, rituals and sacraments, reading evening and morning prayers, reading akathists in the temple, and much more can be held in the church. All divine services, regardless of the time of holding, are conducted by the servant of the temple, and visitors become its participants.

Going to church, reading a prayer for the night or during the day is exclusively everyone's business. No one can force a person to go to church and pray. Only the person himself decides for himself what to do, what to visit and how to convey his prayer to God.

The temple is not only a house of prayer, but also a place of special presence of God, and just as when we are going to visit, we try to look worthy, so when we come to Church, we should remember Who we are coming to and Who is looking at us. A person who carefully monitors the state of his soul will surely notice that his behavior, thoughts, wishes also depend on clothing. Strict clothing obliges a lot.

Women should not come to the Church in trousers, short skirts, sweaters and sleeveless blouses (with open arms), with makeup on their faces. Lipstick is especially unacceptable. A woman's head should be covered with a headscarf, kerchief or scarf.

Men are required to remove their hats before entering the temple. You can not appear in the church in T-shirts, shorts, sports untidy clothes.

HOW TO DEAL WITH BEGGERS IN FRONT OF THE TEMPLE

Doing good to others, everyone should remember that the Lord will not leave him. "Do you think that he who feeds Christ (that is, the poor)," wrote St. Augustine, "will not be fed by Christ?" Indeed, in the eyes of the Lord, because of our sins, perhaps we look more terrible and insignificant than all these unfortunate people living on alms.

We should not tempt ourselves with the idea that the beggars "earn" no less than we do, and sometimes they are dressed no worse. Everyone will be asked first of all for his deeds. Your job in this case is to show mercy.

If you see that there are beggars in front of you, spending all their money on drinking, give them not money, but food: an apple, cookies, bread, etc.

ON BEHAVIOR IN THE TEMPLE

You should arrive at the temple ten to fifteen minutes before the start of the service. This time is usually enough to submit notes, buy and light candles, and venerate icons.

Approaching the temple, pious Christians, looking at the holy crosses and domes of the church, make the sign of the cross and bow from the waist. Rising to the porch, they again make the sign of the cross with a bow three times.

Entering the temple, you should stop near the door and make three bows with prayers:

God, be merciful to me, a sinner. - Bow.

God, cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me. Bow.

Lord, who created me, forgive me. Bow.

After that, notes are served, applied to the icons, candles are placed and they take a comfortable place, standing with reverence and fear of God.

According to ancient custom, men stand on the right side of the temple, women - on the left, leaving free passage from the main doors to the Royal Doors.

In addition, to this day one can observe the pious rule when women let the men go ahead during the Anointing, Communion, veneration of the festive icon and the Cross. At the end of the service, the same prayers are read as at the entrance to the church.

Being in the temple of God, let us remember that we are in the presence of the Lord God, the Mother of God, holy angels and saints.

Be afraid, voluntarily or involuntarily, to offend those praying and those shrines that surround us in the temple of God with your behavior.

If you came to the temple during the Divine Service, it is better to refrain from squeezing through the worshipers and placing candles in front of the icons. A candle is a sacrifice to God, but in this case, remember that another sacrifice is more pleasing - "a broken spirit", a humble awareness of one's sinfulness before the Lord, which will illuminate all your desires and needs brighter than any candle.

If possible, refrain from remarks, unless, of course, there is obvious hooliganism or blasphemous behavior. It is permissible for a person who violates the norms of behavior to make comments in a delicate form, without irritability and arrogant instruction in his voice.

It is unacceptable to walk around the temple during the service, especially the conduct of conversations.

During worship in Orthodox Church they pray standing up, and how can one sit in the presence of God, because in prayers we turn to the King of kings, the Creator of the universe. Sitting is allowed only due to special infirmity, illness, so that, as Metropolitan Filaret (Drozdov) said: "It is better to think about God while sitting than standing about your feet." However, you can not sit with your legs crossed or legs stretched out. Before you sit down, ask God to strengthen you physically. During the reading of the Gospel and especially important places of the Liturgy, you need to stand.

Parents, having come to the temple with their children, should observe their behavior and not allow them to distract the worshipers, play pranks, and laugh. A crying child should be tried to calm down, if this fails, you should leave the temple with the child.

It is forbidden to enter the temple with animals and birds.

It should be applied to the icons, leaving aside bulky bags.

Approaching the Chalice during Communion should be with arms crossed on the chest - the right over the left.

During the censing of the temple, one should not turn around after the clergyman and stand with his back to the altar.

During the opening of the Royal Doors, you must bow. Smokers are forbidden to smoke even on the street within the church fence.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO LEAVE THE TEMPLE BEFORE THE END OF THE SERVICE

Service must be upheld from beginning to end. Service is not a duty, but a sacrifice to God. Will it be pleasant for the owner of the house, to whom guests have come, if they leave before the end of the holiday?

Remember that leaving worship without extreme necessity or because of urgent circumstances is a sin before God. Especially try not to leave the temple during the Liturgy, at least until the singing of "Our Father ...".

The end of the morning service is the exit of the priest with a cross. This moment is called a break. During the holidays, believers approach the Cross, kiss it and the priest's hand holding the cross. Stepping away, you need to bow to the priest.

The care of the Holy Church for us continues after the service, so that we do not lose the grace-filled mood, which, by the grace of God, we were honored in the temple. The Church commands us to leave the temple in reverent silence, with thanksgiving to the Lord, who has made us present in the temple, with a prayer that the Lord will grant us to always visit His holy house until the end of our lives.

COLORS OF LITTLE GARMENTS AND THEIR SYMBOLS

The liturgical robes of the clergy have different colors, each of which symbolizes the spiritual significance of the event in honor of which the service is performed. The main colors of liturgical vestments are white, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, black.

Before the divine service, while vesting, the clergy read special prayers prescribed by the charter, in which the symbolic meaning of sacred garments is revealed.

On holidays in honor of the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as on the days of the memory of the prophets, apostles and saints, the color of the vestment is royal: gold or yellow of all shades due to the fact that Christ is the King of Glory, and His servants have the fullness of grace in the Church the highest degree priesthood.

On holidays in honor of Holy Mother of God and angelic powers, as well as on the days of remembrance of the holy virgins and virgins, the color of the vestments is blue or white, symbolizing special purity and purity.

On the feasts of the Cross of the Lord, the color of the vestments is purple or dark red, symbolizing the feat of the Cross of the Savior.

On holidays and days of remembrance of the holy martyrs, the dark red color of the vestments is adopted as a sign that the blood shed for the faith of Christ was evidence of their fiery love for the Lord.

In green vestments of all shades, the day of the Holy Trinity, the day of the Holy Spirit and the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem are celebrated, since green color- a symbol of life, for everything that has life according to the will of the Father and through the Son is quickened by the Holy Spirit. Divine services are also performed in green vestments in honor of the saints, ascetics and holy fools, since their feat, killing the sinful principles of human nature, does not kill the person himself, but renews his whole nature and leads to eternal life.

During Lent, the color of the vestments is dark: dark blue, purple, dark red, black. Black clothes are usually served on weekdays of Great Lent.

Burials, as a rule, are performed in white vestments, since for a Christian, death is only a transition to another world.

The white color of the vestments is accepted on the feasts of the Nativity of Christ, Theophany (Baptism), Transfiguration and Ascension of the Lord, as it symbolizes the Divine Light that comes into the world and sanctifies God's creation.

The feast of the holidays - Easter of Christ - begins in white vestments as a sign of the Divine light that shone from the Tomb of the risen Savior. In some churches, it is customary on Easter morning to change vestments on each of the eight songs of the canon, so that the priest each time appears in robes of a different color. The play of colors is very appropriate for this "triumph of celebrations". The Paschal Liturgy, like all the services of the subsequent Bright Week, is performed in red vestments, symbolizing the victory of the "Sun of Truth" - the risen Lord Jesus Christ.

HOW TO CORRECTLY APPLY TO ICONS

Since the honor paid to the icon is raised to the person depicted on it, then kissing it (applying to it), we mentally touch this face.

The icons should be approached slowly, without crowding. Mentally say a prayer, cross yourself twice with half bows and venerate the icon as a sign of love and respect for the image depicted on it. Then for the third time make the sign of the cross over yourself and bow.

In the same order, Christians should approach any shrines: icons, the Holy Gospel, the Cross, holy relics.

When kissing the icon of the Savior, one should kiss His feet; Mother of God and saints - hand; to the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands and to the icon of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist - hair. You should not kiss the face on the icons.

Several sacred persons can be depicted on the icon, but when a crowd of worshipers gathers, it is supposed to kiss the icon once, so as not to detain others and thereby violate the decorum in the temple.

Before the image of the Savior, you can say the Jesus Prayer to yourself:

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner (s)".

Before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, you can say a short prayer:

"Holy Mother of God, save us."

Or the following:

"My Queen, my hope is the Mother of God, a friend of the orphans and a strange Representative, squealing joy, offended Patron, see my misfortune, see my sorrow. Help me, as if I am weak, feed me, as if strange. ; as if I don’t have other help, except for Thee, nor another Representative, nor a good comforter, only Thee, O Bogomati, as if save me and cover me forever and ever. Amen.

Before the honest Life-Giving Cross of Christ, the following prayer is read:

"We worship Thy Cross, Master, and we glorify Thy Holy Resurrection."

Before the icon of the saint:

"Holy servant of God Nicholas (or the great martyr and healer Panteleimon, the faithful prince Alexander, etc.), pray to God for me a sinner (sinner), may the Lord forgive me all my sins and with your holy prayers LOVE to reach the Kingdom of Heaven."

THE GREAT SIGNIFICANCE OF ICONS IN OUR SALVATION.

“The holy icons are of great benefit to us in the matter of our salvation.

1. Holy icons have a beneficial effect on all the spiritual forces of a person:

A) they serve to enlighten the mind of Christians. Illiterate people, unable to read Holy Scripture, understand the economy of our salvation from icons, assimilate the history of the Old and New Testaments and especially the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, and those who read the same events are deeply imprinted in the soul through holy images;

B) holy icons in the heart of a Christian arouse love for the Lord God and the saints depicted on them, move Christians to the most fervent prayer, strengthen feelings of compunction and contrition for sins;

C) holy icons strengthen the will of Christians in the fight against sin and in doing good deeds by examples and deeds of the saints depicted on them, the executions of sinners, the appearance Doomsday etc.

2. By arranging and kissing the holy icons and worshiping them, we thereby testify to our love for God and the saints depicted on them. “The honor of the image,” says St. Basil the Great, “passes over to the prototype; thus, through the veneration of the holy icons, we attract to ourselves the blessing of God and the love of the saints of God.

3. For the Lord God, holy icons serve as an instrument for the manifestation of His Divine power for our salvation: through them He performs great signs and wonders to affirm faith in Him and His holy Church, to comfort sorrowful hearts, to heal diseases. If the Lord pours out his grace through the holy icons visibly, then all the more does he minister to our sanctification and salvation invisibly. And if God Himself apparently works through the holy icons to our salvation, then one must have a lot of courage (if not more) to assert that icons do not have great significance in the matter of salvation.

4. Where there are holy icons, the intrigues of the enemy of the human race, the evil spirit, are inactive or less effective, therefore he tries with all his might to destroy them. If holy icons help Christians in the fight against visible enemies, then all the more they help them in the fight against invisible enemies; we know that through holy icons, evil spirits were completely expelled from people possessed by them.

Let us conclude our conversation with the words of St. John of Damascus; "Away with you, envious devil! You are jealous that we see the image of our Lord and through him we are sanctified; you are jealous that we see His saving sufferings, we are amazed at His cooperation, we contemplate His miracles, we recognize and glorify the power of His Divinity; you are jealous of the honor of the saints which they are awarded from God; you do not want us to look at the images of their glory and become zealots for their courage and faith; you do not tolerate the bodily and spiritual benefits that come from our faith. But we do not listen to you, misanthropic demon "".

Doctor of Theology Archbishop Sergius Spassky