Why does it become easier after confession, and what to do if you confessed “not completely.” Why can't you eat before communion? And is it possible to have breakfast if confession and communion are in the evening?

Is it necessary to confess to a priest before each Communion? What should be done to prevent confession from becoming formal? What events in the life of a layman should be sanctified by the blessing of a priest? Why can’t you rush to choose a confessor? How to avoid spiritual “doubleness”? We discussed these and other pressing issues with the chairman of the Synodal Commission for the Canonization of Saints, vicar of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', abbot of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Valaam Monastery, Bishop Pankratius of Trinity.

Revelation of thoughts and confession of a layman

Vladyka, today you can hear different points of view regarding confession: it should be frequent or rare, regular or only in case of falling into serious sins... Which approach, in your opinion, is the most correct?

I think that now a period has come in the life of our Church when these questions are being tested by life. The practice of half a century ago or the Synodal era is no longer acceptable - today, as a rule, people take communion more often. And life itself has changed a lot. Previous approaches and solutions can no longer satisfy people, so new ones are being developed - including in such discussions. It is very good that discussions are taking place, that people are aware, thinking, and reasoning.

I believe that these issues will eventually be resolved and I hope that they will not be enshrined in any mandatory rules. Now is not the time for there to be one pattern: to take communion or confess so many times on so many days. Moreover, there are no strict canons on this matter - there are different practices, different customs. There must be a certain degree of freedom in this crucial matter. Each person, with the help of a confessor, solves it in his own way. And it’s up to the parishioner to find the confessor he needs, who can help him.

Should every communion be accompanied by a preliminary confession? Is it possible to receive Communion without confession or if confession took place several days before Communion?

In my opinion, if a person does not feel any serious sins that would force him to seek a full confession, he does not have to confess before each communion. The Sacrament of Repentance is, after all, an important independent sacrament, a “second baptism” and it is unacceptable to reduce it to some kind of obligatory appendage to the Eucharist. After all, confession often becomes formal due to the fact that a person gets used to the idea: confession is what I will call before the priest, repentance is what I will tell him. But this, at best, can be called a revelation of thoughts. And often it's just a conversation. There is no ardent, deep repentance before God, and a person, perhaps, does not even pay attention to it.

We must understand that repentance occurs not only at the moment of confession. Repentance is a state of mind, it is the determination to break with sin and change your life. It can happen at any time in life. They often ask: what should I do if at home I repented, cried, but came to confession, and there was nothing in my heart - I just dryly confessed? It's OK. Thank God that you repented at home - the Lord will accept this too.

If we understand repentance this way, it becomes clear that it is not necessary to go to confession to the priest before each Communion. It’s okay if, while you receive communion three or four times a month, you confess only twice.

- Is our traditional practice of confession useful as a revelation of thoughts?

I don’t think at all that revelation of thoughts is always useful for the laity. The confession of a layman and the monastic revelation of thoughts are completely different things. A monk ideally should reveal to his spiritual father all the movements of his soul and take blessings for everything. For a layman this is impossible and even harmful. It’s strange when wives ask priests what they should ask their husbands: where to go on vacation, whether to buy this or that thing, whether to have more children...

Some important events can be sanctified with the blessing of a priest, but it should not be decisive and decisive. The laity themselves must decide issues related to their lives.

I am against monastic eldership extending to the laity - it creates the ground for such a dangerous phenomenon as young age or, more precisely, false eldership. A layman needs to know the basics of faith, read the Gospel, live according to it, and use the advice of a confessor in his spiritual life.

About choosing a spiritual father

- How to look for a confessor today?

The same as always. If there is no confessor, do not be upset, pray that the Lord will send you a meeting with such a priest who would really help you go to God.

You can't rush here and you have to be very careful. There are indeed a lot of cases of false eldership, when a confessor interferes in a person’s entire life, and this does not depend on the age and position of the priest. The confessor should not decide anything at all in the life of his child, he should only warn him against mistakes and sin.

- Is it useful for the laity to look for a confessor in a monastery?

If this is an experienced confessor, why not. You can have a confessor in the monastery, come to him infrequently, when there is a need to solve some serious personal problems in your spiritual life, and confess ordinary sins to the parish priest. Many also find the opportunity to talk with their spiritual father in writing or by telephone.

Is confession over the phone generally acceptable? Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) described how the Tver governor, seeing from the window of his house that the rebels were following him, called the bishop and confessed to him over the phone...

If repentance is understood not only as those words that we pronounce in confession, but as a willingness to change, leave sin and go to Christ, live according to His holy commandments, then the question of how it is technically implemented is secondary. A person can repent at home in front of icons, on the subway, talking on the phone or sending messages. The main thing is what happens in his soul.

On the problem of confession among young priests

There is a problem in our Church that very young and not yet experienced priests are asked to confess, and at the same time provide spiritual guidance.

A person graduated from seminary at just over 20 years old, just got married or took monastic vows, was ordained - and begins to minister. How will he provide care when he himself still knows neither spiritual life nor everyday difficulties?

The Greek Churches follow a different practice - they provide a confessor. A certain prayer order is performed over the priest, and only then can the priest accept confession and spiritually care for other people. This sometimes leads to the other extreme: confession becomes rare, which is also bad.

If we had a lot of priests with both spiritual and worldly experience, such problems would not exist. In a good way, I wouldn’t ask a person to confess before he was 40 years old. But we cannot afford this. There are not enough clergy at all - let alone confessors...

- How should a priest teach his spiritual children to repent?

You can't teach what you can't do yourself. To teach others to repent, the priest himself must learn to repent. Unfortunately, many priests, especially those serving in rural parishes, repent and confess very rarely. This is how it works: confessors in dioceses are busy, priests themselves are busy...

It’s good in a large city parish - several priests serve, they can repent to each other. But this is not always the case either. It happens that they do not really trust each other.

- Is mistrust between brothers bad and needs to be eradicated, or is it still normal?

That's life. Of course, it would be better if there was trust, but it does not always exist. As a matter of fact, this is why you need a confessor - a priest you trust.

Prayer is work

Prayer teaches repentance. If a person has no experience of real spiritual life, no experience of prayer and personal standing before God, then he will not have real, deep and sincere repentance. Prayer, especially repentant prayer, seems to pave the way for the soul to God. One of the most important prayers, at least for monastics, is the Jesus Prayer - the spirit of repentance. Standing before God itself practically cannot be other than repentance, at the level of spiritual development at which most of us find ourselves.

- On the other hand, prayer is a gift from above...

Prayer is work. “The Kingdom of God is in need of force, and the needy women delight it”(Matt. 11:12). This means that the Kingdom of Heaven will be received by those who made efforts to obtain it. This is why we must force ourselves, even if prayer is difficult at first. Of course, the Lord, in His mercy, gives grace and prayer to the one who prays, but for this the person himself must work on his soul.

This is the only way a person learns to repent.

If he lives an absent-minded life, without prayer, then maybe one day - if “thunder strikes” - he will be able to come to a feeling of repentance and prayer, but this will not be the gift you are talking about.

Communion - the meaning of the Liturgy

- Vladyka, how do you advise preparing for Communion?

A feeling of repentance should accompany us constantly, and this, strictly speaking, should be our main preparation for Communion. If we constantly prepare to receive the Holy Mysteries of Christ and receive them as often as we can, then this will be the correct Christian dispensation.

Until now, oddly enough, there are disputes not only about the frequency, but even about the days when Communion is possible: some priests do not give Communion to adults on Bright Week, because on these days it is not necessary to fast...

Don't go to such priests. Let their temples be empty. If it’s somewhere in the wilderness, you’ll have to be patient. Or ask. Ask and it will be given to you.

Well, how does the priest himself serve (sometimes several times a week)? He also receives communion. Why does he extend other requirements of fasting to his parishioners? Why does he demand that they strictly fast for a week, but he himself does not fast? Why does he make an exception for himself? Why does he place “unbearable burdens” on his flock?

It is clear that lay people cannot live like monks. But it is possible to try to have the Liturgy, the union with Christ, at the center.

The opinion of many holy fathers is known that it is necessary to receive communion more often. This is clear to any person who studies this issue even a little. The meaning of the liturgy is to receive communion. After all, the Lord says: drink from the Cup, everyone - everyone is invited.

Another thing is that we are not always worthy to begin the Cup. But you cannot exaggerate your unworthiness. “No one is worthy” is said in the liturgical prayer of St. Basil the Great. But this does not mean that there is no need to approach the Sacrament - if we do not receive Communion, there will be no Life in us, there will be no Christ. We'll just die. This should be completely clear to every Christian.

It happens that believers limit themselves to Communion once a month or only on great holidays. It's not very good. In my opinion, it is right for a Christian to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ at every Sunday service, and to prepare for this all the previous days with prayer, an attentive life, and a repentant attitude. But, of course, every Christian must decide when to receive communion independently, after consulting with his confessor.

But in the same Middle Ages, life was structured differently, and the rhythm of life was subordinated to the Church, at least at the level of fasting and prayer: at a certain moment everyone went to service, on a certain day everyone’s diet changed... Moreover, the person was not so public - Internet users are constantly in sight. Personally, for example, when I write on a blog or social network, a problem arises - I try to be sincere, but there is still a feeling of being picturesque: this is how I appear to people, this is how I want to look. It seems to me that modern man is tempted by hypocrisy - not outright lies, but something subtle...

I don’t think the main thing has changed much since the past. Of course, we undergo enormous information loads - we are much more involved in the life of the world than our ancestors, we can spend less time in silence and solitude than they can. But the fundamental principles of human life in the world have remained unchanged. We simply must follow what the Lord has told us: discover the Gospel and act in accordance with His commandments.

How to create a church community?

Another problem is that community ties have disintegrated. Even joint prayer and Liturgy have become a private affair. How to make people feel like a community, a single whole?

It depends on the parish priest. If there is a good priest, there will be active parish life, and there will be Christian communication.

To achieve this, the priest must try to live as St. lived. right John of Kronstadt - so that his ministry, his word unites people.

All forms of non-liturgical parish activity are suitable. A meal, drinking tea after the service - all this brings the priest closer to the parishioners, warmer, more humane, trusting relationships arise. If the parish priest is also a confessor for his parishioners, then during such meals you can talk about spiritual life (of course, we are not talking about personal spiritual issues - here you need to find time for a face-to-face conversation). It is very bad when a priest is an inaccessible figure. He's a shepherd.

The problem is that we have very large churches, including new ones. Several priests serve there, a lot of people go there - how can we find unity here?! The ancient parish churches were very small. The spiritual father was a priest whom the whole parish knew and who knew the whole parish. This is the basis for community life.

Interviewed by Maria Senchukova.

An integral part of fasting is confession, that is, repentance. This is one of the Orthodox sacraments, when a person tells a church minister about his sins that he committed during his life. It is important to know how to prepare for confession, since without this it will be impossible to begin communion.

How to prepare for confession and communion?

There are several requirements that clergy speak about to people who want to receive communion.

1. The person must be an Orthodox Christian who has been baptized by a legitimate priest. In addition, it is important to believe and accept the Holy Scriptures. There are various books through which a person can learn about faith, for example, the Catechism.
2. When figuring out what you need to know before confession and communion, it is worth pointing out that it is necessary to remember evil deeds starting from the age of seven or from the moment of baptism, if this happened in adulthood. It is important to point out that you cannot mention the sins of others to justify your own actions.
3. A believer must make a promise to the Lord that every effort will be made to no longer make mistakes and do good.
4. In a situation where sin has caused damage to loved ones, then before confession it is important to make every possible effort to make amends for the committed act.
5. It is equally important to forgive existing grievances to people yourself, otherwise you should not count on the Lord’s condescension.
6. It is recommended to develop a habit for yourself every day, for example, before going to bed, to analyze the past day, bringing repentance before the Lord.

Fasting before confession

There are no direct prohibitions regarding whether it is possible to eat food before the sacrament of confession, but it is recommended to abstain from food for 6-8 hours. If you are interested in how to fast before confession and communion, then you must adhere to a three-day fast, as permitted products include: vegetables and fruits, cereals, fish, baked goods, dried fruits and nuts.

Prayers before confession

One of the important stages of preparation is reading prayer texts, and this can be done both at home and in church. With their help, a person carries out spiritual cleansing and prepares for an important event. Many Orthodox believers assure that in order to prepare for confession, it is important to read prayers, the text of which is clear and known, thanks to which you can get rid of disturbing thoughts and gain understanding of the upcoming ritual. The clergy assure that you can even ask for your loved ones who are about to confess and receive communion.

How to write down sins before confession?

Many people misunderstand the need to list their own sins, even using “lists.” As a result, confession turns into a formal listing of one’s own mistakes. The clergy allow the use of notes, but these should only be reminders and only if a person is really afraid of forgetting something. When figuring out how to prepare for confession, it is worth pointing out that it is important to understand the term “sin” as an act that is contrary to the will of the Lord.

There are several tips on how to write sins before confession in order to fulfill everything according to the existing canons.

1. First, you need to remember the offenses that concern the Lord, for example, lack of faith, using superstitions in life, turning to fortune-tellers and creating idols for yourself.
2. Rules before confession include indicating sins committed against oneself and other people. This group includes condemnation of others, neglect, bad habits, envy, and so on.
3. It is important when talking with clergy to discuss only your own sins, without inventing special church language.
4. When confessing, a person should talk about really serious things, and not about trifles.
5. When figuring out how to properly prepare for confession and communion, it is worth pointing out that a believer should try to change his life before going to an individual conversation in church. In addition, you need to try to live in peace with the people around you.

Is it possible to drink water before confession?

There are many prohibitions regarding such important and responsible events in the life of a believer, such as confession and. It is believed that, as a preparation, it is necessary to refrain from taking food and liquid for at least 6-8 hours. It is important to note that before confession, only people who need to wash down medications important for life are allowed to drink water. If a person drank water before communion, he should tell the clergyman about it.

Is it possible to smoke before communion and confession?

There are different opinions expressed by clergy on this topic.

1. Some believe that if a person smokes for a long time, it will be difficult for him to quit the bad habit, and there are cases when this is dangerous. In their opinion, cigarette addiction cannot be a reason for denial of confession and communion.
2. Other clergy, answering the question regarding whether it is possible to smoke before confession and communion, are categorical, arguing that if it is difficult for a person to abstain from tobacco before this important event, then it is difficult to talk about the triumph of the spirit over the body.

Is it possible to have sex before confession?

Many believers misunderstand it, considering it something dirty and sinful. In fact, sex is an integral part of a marital relationship. Many priests are of the opinion that husband and wife are free individuals, and no one has the right to enter their bedroom with their advice. Sex before confession is not strictly prohibited, but if possible, abstinence will be useful to maintain the purity of body and soul.

Many Orthodox believers ask the priests in person, via the Internet, or ask their relatives: is it possible to brush your teeth before communion? But this is far from the only thing that not only beginners can ask. Churchgoers have a lot of questions. It is worth noting that there are a huge number of para-church myths and misconceptions.

This article briefly retells the answers of experienced and pious priests, and gives recommendations and useful advice to beginners.

What is Communion?

What does Christ say in the Gospel about Communion? On the eve of his terrible death on the cross, He gathers his disciples together and prepares a meal. There is bread and wine on the table. Christ says that in memory of Him they will drink wine and eat bread, since these are symbols of His blood and body.

To this day, liturgy is celebrated in churches and Holy Communion is prepared using bread and wine. The priests pray together with the parishioners with the words “For the offered Honest Gifts to the Lord, let us pray.”

What is actually meant by the bread and wine in the Holy Chalice? Prayers read before Communion at home are just as necessary for a Christian as those in church. Why is prayer needed? Because the Lord connects with precisely the person who calls him to himself.

What is Communion?

There are several pieces of evidence about how Communion is actually prepared and what is hidden underneath it from human eyes. One day a certain man came into the temple. The royal doors in the temple were open. The priests stood at the altar. Suddenly a man who came in saw the priest piercing the baby with a spear. He shouted to the whole temple: “Why are you killing the baby?” All the people standing in the temple turned around. No one could understand which baby we were talking about. In fact, the priest had a prosphora (small bread made from wheat flour and water) in his hands.

The Lord invisibly and endlessly sacrifices himself for the sake of people, but not materially, but spiritually. His actual crucifixion was seen almost 2000 years ago at Golgotha ​​in Jerusalem.

Let's return to the Gospel and to those lines where the Lord is at the Last Supper. He said: “From now on you will drink my blood (wine) and eat my body (bread) in memory of Me.” But even the apostles did not know how this would happen. Moreover, it is not given to us to know. This is a Divine secret. We can only take it seriously, and as it is, without a doubt. Therefore, the prayers read before Communion are very necessary, primarily for the person receiving communion.

Another living testimony:

In the city of Lanciano (Italy) to this day there is true proof that Communion is not just bread and wine. In the Catholic Church of Saint-Legotius in the 8th century, a priest doubted that Communion was a miracle. When he picked up a piece of bread, he saw something similar to muscle tissue. He looked into the Cup and saw that instead of wine there was blood. The priest screamed in horror. Then he realized that there was no doubt. The Lord proved to him that everything was for real. To this day, this miracle is located in Lanciano. Many pilgrims come to pray near such a shrine.

What does a Christian need before communion?

Of course, first of all, the belief that he will be given to taste not just bread and wine, but the body of Christ. Of course, such a meal is a miracle. The Lord gives a piece of himself to a sinful person. Therefore, one must approach Communion not only with fear, but also with faith. You can’t just receive communion like that.

How to treat?

Above we looked at two testimonies of the miracle of God. It is worth noting that during the Liturgy there is not only Jesus Christ in the altar, but also the Mother of God, Archangels, and saints.

It is not for nothing that the holy fathers said that the angels grieve because they do not receive communion. After all, they have no body, no need. They are already with God. And the Lord gave man such a great gift - to unite with Himself during Communion. Even if it is invisible.

*canon of repentance to the Savior;

*canon of prayer to the Mother of God;

*canon to the Guardian Angel;

*following to Holy Communion.

It is all these prayers, chants, kontakia that will help you prepare correctly to receive the Holy Gifts as they should be.

Fasting and Confession:

The priests say that you need to fast for at least 3 days. If a person is not a church member, rarely attends church, or sins, then he needs to prepare for almost a week. That is why the best option for such people is the Great Fast, the Nativity Fast, as well as Petrov and Uspensky. But this is why there is no need to choose periods of multi-day fasting. After all, what is more important is reconciliation with God, not convenience.

What should someone who rarely goes to church do before Communion?

Firstly, You definitely need to go to the priest for confession. When the priest receives penitents, you can find out in the temple that is closer to your home or that you want to visit. Be prepared for the fact that the priest may not allow you to receive Communion after confession. There could be a lot of reasons for this. Often, in order to be allowed to receive communion, you need to fast, repent, and visit the temple many times. After confession, you must definitely ask the priest whether he blesses you to approach the Holy Chalice or not. Often the priests themselves insist that the confessor receive communion. You need to take this advice.

What is the fast before communion?

If you are new or have not been to church for a long time, then be sure to go to the priest for confession. Usually during this sacrament many spiritual issues are resolved. Father will explain to you what to do, what to beware of, and when you can receive communion.

What is meant by fasting?

Meat and milk should not be eaten, eggs too. In addition, dishes, products, and drinks that contain the above products are not consumed. Remember that fasting should be spiritual in nature. Eat little food. For example, for breakfast - tea with oatmeal cookies or oatmeal porridge with water, for lunch - soup with vegetable broth, for dinner - vegetable salad and rice/potatoes.

Drinking before communion, as well as during fasting, is prohibited. It is also recommended to give up coffee. After all, the body should be a temple of the soul, a calm “home”, sober and cheerful. Meal food (not fasting), coffee and alcohol cannot in any way induce prayer.

Spiritual side:

Let's continue our conversation about fasting. We've sorted out the food. As for entertainment, watching movies, you need to put all this aside. Any unimportant matters must be replaced with prayers to God, the Most Holy Theotokos, your Guardian Angel and the saints.

Let's talk about what to read before Communion. Above we mentioned the canons and adherence to Holy Communion. In addition to them, it is recommended to read the Gospel and the Holy Fathers. Beware of taking near-church literature or that which is falsely Christian.

There is no need to fuss during fasting. If possible, put things off until later. They can wait. After all, earthly life is fleeting, but a faster needs to think about eternity.

Why such restrictions?

During the Liturgy, before the removal of the Holy Chalice, the choir sings that we (the parishioners) are leaving all earthly vanity. Not every (especially modern) person understands that sooner or later earthly life will end and everything that he worked so hard on will go into oblivion. After all, he will not be able to take his passport or favorite job, bank accounts or computer with valuable information with him into the afterlife. He will appear before God with his conscience, with his sins and virtues. The Lord will not ask if you were the general director, He will ask you to answer for offending your grandmother-client. God doesn't care if you had a Lexus. He will ask if you gave lifts to the infirm, the weak, without taking money from them.

Why are there restrictions on fasting in relation to entertainment?

The time has come to sit down at the table or stand in front of the icons and think: what bad have you done in your entire life, during this period.

Is your conscience clear?

It is more important for a Christian to know not about, for example, whether it is possible to brush your teeth before Communion, but about what sins actually exist and what repentance is, how not to sin. The Lord is upset when a person commits a sin even mentally. Just think: you are mentally angry, even your heart is numb. This is also a sin. You need to repent sincerely.

When is it not allowed to receive communion?

Do you know that you need to get rid of your sins? If you have repented, you should try to avoid sins. In order for a priest to be allowed to receive Communion, you must attend the evening service every Saturday, then at the Liturgy in the morning. The same should be done on major church holidays. You need to read morning and evening prayers at home according to the Prayer Book. Of course, this takes 20-30 minutes. If you don’t have time, then you can read the Seraphim’s Rule: “Our Father” three times, “Theotokos ...” three times and “Creed” once. But at the same time, during the day you need to silently pray to God and the saints. These are the most important rules.

They may not be allowed to receive Communion in such cases, for example:

*murder, abortion; divination, fortune telling, extrasensory perception, spiritualism, astrology;

*other faith, heretical views;

*cohabitation outside of marriage, debauchery, homosexuality, drug addiction and alcoholism, and so on.

During confession, the priest needs to tell the whole truth and not hide any sin. The Lord stands nearby invisibly, He knows everything, He just waits for heartfelt repentance. If you hide anything, it will be an even greater sin. You need to completely cleanse your soul before Communion.

What do the holy fathers and priests say?

The human soul must be pure, bright, with hope for correction and for changing life for the better. You should not go to the Chalice if you are not sure that you want to live with God.

If the priest blessed:

When a priest gives a blessing, you should take it seriously. You should read not only the canon to the Mother of God before Communion, but also the canons to the Savior, Guardian Angel, and also the Follow-up. All this is in the Orthodox prayer books.

The reading volume is very large. Therefore, the canons can be read 2-3 days before communion, but the Consequence is read only the night before, after arriving from the church from the evening service.

You need to make sure that no one distracts you. If you take communion with your family, friends, or pilgrims, then take turns reading and praying.

Morning before Communion:

As Orthodox Christians know, they cannot eat anything in the morning before Communion. You are not even allowed to take medicine.

But is it possible to brush your teeth before Communion?

There is no ban on this. If you are sure that you will not accidentally swallow water or toothpaste, you can brush your teeth.

If your stomach is sick and you can’t wait long until noon, then it’s better to go to early service. In small towns and villages, the Liturgy is served early, and in big cities - at 7 am or 9-10 am.

For the sake of union with God, one can endure. It is worth reading prayers to yourself.

The morning before Communion is always exciting. You need to prepare yourself mentally. After reading the morning rule, go to church at least half an hour before the Liturgy to calmly submit notes, light candles, and approach your favorite saints.

Before Communion itself:

During the service you should listen carefully to prayers. When the priests prepare Communion, pray that you may receive the Blood and Body of Christ with dignity. At the same time, a pious person must sincerely consider himself unworthy of such a Gift.

Remember the Canon to the Mother of God before Communion: we need to pray that the Mother of God will intercede for us sinners. What does the canon of Jesus Christ say? We repent to the Lord of our sins. Remember this when you are waiting for Communion.

The very moment of Communion:

When the Royal Doors open and the priest comes out with the Chalice, you need to bow to the ground. Then stand in line with your arms crossed over your chest. When you approach the Chalice, you need to tell the priest your Orthodox name and open your mouth wide. The communion should be swallowed immediately so that the part does not get stuck in the teeth. Accept the warmth and prosphora. Many people ask: “Can I eat before Communion?” Do you know why the answer is no? Because the Lord must enter the body of a Christian first. After all, God is more important to us, not food.

WHAT TO SAY AT CONFESSION?

Quite often those who decide to go to church for this sacrament for the first time think about what needs to be said in confession.

It is important to understand that confession is not just an intimate conversation with a priest, but a religious ceremony aimed primarily at repentance.

In confession, complete determination to correct your life is important. Realizing that it has become difficult for you to live because of committing some sin or even several is the first step towards correction. Only after this complete understanding should one sign up for confession.

In some situations, not only repentance after committing a sin can become a reason to go to confession. If it is difficult for you to distinguish good from bad, or life seems useless and painful, you can also come to confession, because the church is always open to those who need it.

What sins to talk about in confession:

One of the main mistakes of people who come to confession is to list all their sins throughout their lives. It is extremely important to highlight exactly what you came for. Sin is an act against the church, God. This is a kind of violation of morality - one's own, someone else's, public. In Christianity, there are eight mortal sins, the commission of which carries serious consequences for a person - anger, sadness, gluttony, fornication, despondency, vanity, pride and love of money. In addition, there are personal sins - these are various actions against conscience and God. As a rule, some sins can only be determined by a person himself; they are not written down in any holy book. A sin can be an action that burdens your life in every possible way.

It doesn't matter what you come to church with. In confession, the main thing is complete repentance and internal understanding of what has been done.

What to say to the priest during confession:

Confession in Orthodoxy, as in most other religions, is a conversation with God about your misdeeds, a request for help. The priest serves only as a witness to this conversation, as an assistant to God on earth.

Therefore, in confession it is important to be extremely frank and not hide anything about what is bothering you. It is especially important to tell what worries you most at the moment, without forgetting about the little things and details of the offense for which you want to repent.

You can trust a priest with your biggest secrets, because he has no right to tell anyone about your confession. Remember that you do not need to be afraid of condemnation from the church; the very fact that you came to repentance is already a worthy act of a believer.

Important to remember What to say in confession about a sin for which you have already confessed is not necessary if it was not committed again. And, often, confession alone will not be enough. You need to ask God in prayers for forgiveness, come to church as soon as you want, and honor traditions and rituals.

The Church advises that confession, like communion, should be regular. Your confessor will be able to tell you about the frequency of confession. Remember that it is the clergyman who will be your main assistant in observing church rituals.

As you can see, confession is a very complex sacrament. Not every person is ready for it. If you decide to confess, then you need to weigh the pros and cons for yourself, and your soul will tell you what to say in confession. Remember that repentance and freeing yourself from committed sin is a long process that will require a lot of strength and patience from you.

INNER CONFESSION.

Diseases and other troubles do not fall on a person just like that. Man is a cosmic being and develops according to the laws of not only the material, but also the spiritual world. If these laws are violated, illness or some tragic circumstances arise that pose a threat to life.

It is enough to eliminate these violations, and everything in your life will return to normal. This is exactly what internal confession helps to do.

Confession consists of two parts:

Part one: you must remember all the times when someone seriously offended or insulted you. After all, resentment is a source of continuous supply of negative mental energy.

Calmly remember your past life from the age of 12 (it is from this age that a person begins to bear karmic responsibility for his actions). The offender (even if this person has died) must be imagined mentally, and then hugged and kissed tightly!

Sometimes the resentment reaches such strength that it is impossible to hug and kiss, even mentally. In such cases, the “enemy” can be imagined as an unintelligent child of 2-3 years old. But it is necessary to hug and kiss - this is an indispensable condition of the Rescue Mechanism!

Second part: Not only do you have enemies, someone, perhaps, considers you their enemy. It is possible that you yourself were a violator of moral truths.

In this case, imagine that you are in court, and the judge is your own heart. Kneel before him and tell him all your bad deeds, mistakes, vices since the age of 12. Say everything you remember, making sure that you will never do it again.

After all, by repenting, you remove all the negativity that has accumulated over the years. If the internal confession was carried out correctly and sincerely, then recovery and deliverance from troubles will occur in one hundred cases out of a hundred, regardless of the severity of the illness or the scale of the misfortune that has befallen you. It's only a matter of time.

After internal confession, try not to repeat previous mistakes - otherwise misfortune will return in double volume.

A single prayer that can be performed by anyone, regardless of their religious beliefs, will help you avoid this. This prayer, as practice shows, can reduce the temperature and relieve any pain in a matter of minutes.

The prayer must be done in solitude, with a lit candle, on your knees:

"God! Dear God!
Hallowed be Thy Name in Heaven and on Earth.
From the edge to the edge of the Universe!
God! Strengthen your strength in confronting the forces of darkness, so as not only to resist it, but also to cleanse Mother Earth of this garbage.
Teach us to separate good from evil and to remain in peace and firmness of spirit, in order to worthily do Your Will among people.
Strengthen the strength of my brothers and sisters - both close and unknown to me.
May they see Your true Glory and be filled with love in their hearts.
And they will overcome dark obstacles in moving along the Path to Light.
And let them stretch out their hands to each other and give the immense warmth of their souls.
God! May Your Will be done! And there will be One People on Earth.
Loving his Mother - Nature, reunited with You with his love and walking along the Path of True Spiritual Development, relying on Your Last Testament.”

IN THE MORNING: “Bless, Lord, the deeds of the coming day, and may its difficulties be met as befits those who walk under Your Light.”

IN THE EVENING: “Replenish, Lord, the lost strength for good, in order to prepare for meeting the day of the future.”

“I go to bed, I have the Cross Seal on me. Guardian Angels! Save my Soul from evening until midnight, and from midnight until morning."

And the Lord's Prayer three times.

Prayer is the most powerful force in the Universe! The Bible says:

“Whatever you ask in prayer IN FAITH, you will receive.” (Matthew 21:22)"ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH MAY IT BE TO YOU" (Matt. 9:29).

What is Communion? How should one fast properly before this day? You will find answers to these and other questions in the article.

All believing Orthodox Christians must go to church for Communion. The Holy Eucharist is a special procedure that is a remembrance of Christ.

• On the eve of his terrible death, Christ told his disciples that in his memory people would drink wine and eat bread. These are symbols of his blood and body.
• Therefore, throughout the existence of the Orthodox faith, people go to the liturgy, partake of wine and eat bread, and the priests read prayers with the words “Let us pray for the Honest Gifts offered to the Lord.”
• How should one properly prepare for Communion? What can you do the day before and what can’t you do? What are church rules allowed to do after Communion? Read about this in the article.

Is it possible to brush your teeth, bathe, wash your face, or take a shower before Communion in church?

Previously, even during the persecution of the church, grandmothers still visited churches and took their children and then grandchildren to the liturgy. But, if we talk about Orthodox literacy, there was almost none. Everyone acted as they saw fit, because people were afraid not only to ask, but also to have any conversations about God or the church.

Now these children and grandchildren have grown up, but they all continue to visit the temple. They often have a question: is it possible to brush your teeth, wash your face, wash your face, take a shower before Communion in church, because grandmothers taught one rules, but the canons of the church mean something completely different.

• Visiting a temple is a special event, because we meet God, becoming partakers of the Holy Eucharist, we accept the true Body and Blood of Christ in bread and wine.
• A person must realize that this is a holiday. Therefore, you need to brush your teeth, wash, wash your face and take a shower NECESSARILY. The rules of the church state that if a person brushes his teeth and swallows a little water or toothpaste, it is not considered that he drank water or ate. We need to look at the situation realistically, using the wisdom and intelligence that God has given us.
• It is also necessary to wear clean and beautiful clothes. The Divine Liturgy is a celebration, a meeting with God, life in prayer. You need to remember this, and then questions will not arise about whether you can wash yourself and how you should dress.

The temple should occupy a special place in the life of every Christian. This is the house of God, where we should come without sorrow and despondency.

Strict fasting begins before Communion begins after 12 am the previous day. This means that you cannot eat or drink anything. The liturgy usually begins at 8 am, communion begins after 1.5-2 hours. Therefore, it turns out that 9-10 hours before Communion you cannot eat or drink.

Is it possible to eat fish on the eve of Communion?

3 days before Communion you need to fast. All meat and dairy products are prohibited, but you can eat cereals, vegetables, and nuts. Is it possible to eat fish on the eve of Communion? Fish is allowed, but, like other dishes, before the start of strict fasting before the Eucharist, that is, until 12 o'clock at night.

Important: Limit sweets for three days before communion. Only dried fruits are allowed. Don't eat to your heart's content. Observe a fast in which it is not human needs that are important, but prayer.

During a three-day fast before Communion, it is important to read prayers: the canon of repentance to the Savior, the canon of prayer to the Mother of God, the canon to the Guardian Angel, following to Holy Communion. These kontakia and chants will help you prepare correctly if you want to receive the Holy Gifts correctly.

During fasting before Communion, it is forbidden to drink alcoholic beverages, drink kvass, or drink coffee. During these three days, the human body is a temple of the soul, where it should be calm, and coffee, kvass with yeast and alcoholic drinks cannot properly tune in to prayers. You can drink water, but before the start of strict fasting - until 12 o'clock at night.

Is it possible to feed a child before Communion?

It is difficult for a small child to survive for a long time without food, and the Eucharist usually begins no earlier than 10-00 o’clock. Therefore, many parents ask the question: is it possible to feed a child before Communion?

• Children under 3 years old can be fed 2 hours before receiving the Holy Gifts.
• Particular attention should be paid to feeding infants. If you feed an infant and then bring it to Communion, he may burp, and this is unacceptable. Therefore, a small child under one year old also needs to go without food for at least 2 hours before the start of the Eucharist.

Important: The best solution in this case would be to attend the early liturgy, which is usually celebrated in large churches. At 8 o'clock in these churches there is already Communion.

A person needs fasting to curb the body, and when it is weak, it does not need it. A sick body needs help to heal and get well. This is written in the church rules. Therefore, before Communion, sick people can eat, but you need to try to do this as early as possible, so as not before the process of receiving the Holy Gifts itself.

Pregnant women are also given a relaxation in fasting. But you need to discuss everything with the priest during evening confession. He will advise you on how to act correctly according to the Laws of God.

Important: Be sure to ask for blessings from the priest regarding any doubts you have regarding any church activities or even life situations.

Is it possible to take medicine before Communion?

There are diseases when medications need to be taken constantly at intervals of 2-3 hours (asthma, diabetes, various inflammations, and so on). People with such diseases wonder: is it possible to take medicine before Communion?

• If the medicine is vital, then it must be taken without fail.
• If you can refrain from taking medications, then it is better to do so.
• If you have doubts about this, you need to contact the priest, who will decide whether to allow you to the Sacrament of the Eucharist or not. Ask the priest for his blessing.

So that you have no doubts, discuss this issue with the priest in advance. Then you will be able to prepare for confession and Communion with a calm soul.

For people with diabetes, knowing your blood glucose levels is vital. Therefore, before communion, you can donate blood for sugar and take the necessary medications.

Is it possible to watch TV before Communion?

In church practice, preparation for Communion is called fasting. It lasts three days until the Eucharist, and concerns both the physical and spiritual life of a person. The body abstains from eating meat and dairy foods, and the mind should not be distracted by everyday trifles and have fun. Therefore, before Communion, it is unacceptable to watch TV or go to noisy companies. You need to spend time at home - in silence and prayer.

After Communion: when and what can you eat, can you eat meat?

Fasting is established only before Communion, as a feat of abstinence from earthly goods. This is necessary so that a person acquires a reverent disposition to receive the Holy Gifts. After Communion, you can eat everything, including dairy products and meat. But if there is no fasting on this day. If the church prescribes fasting on the occasion of some holiday or commemoration of a Saint, then it is necessary to refrain from eating meat, dairy products and fish.

Important: Often during Lent, on some church holidays, you can eat fish. On this day, the person receiving communion can also eat it, but it is advisable that the fish be without bones, so as not to spit them out.

On the day of the Holy Eucharist and after it, there are no canonical obstacles to drinking alcoholic beverages. You can celebrate and drink wine after Communion and on this day itself, but in moderation, and not turn the feast into drunkenness and unification. It is important that you do not feel sick on this day. Therefore, it is better to give up vodka and drink some good wine.

When can you brush your teeth, wash your face, bathe, or wash your hair after Communion?

On the day of Communion, it is better not to spit anything, so you should refrain from brushing your teeth. There are no canonical prohibitions regarding washing the body and head after the Holy Eucharist. If you are concerned that you will wash your face, bathe, or wash your hair after Communion and involuntarily spit out the water, then refrain from these procedures for one day.

After Communion, many people want to come home and go to bed. After all, on this day people usually wake up early in order to have time to get ready for the liturgy and read all the necessary prayers. So is it possible to sleep after Communion? It is not advisable to do this, since only wakefulness will help preserve the grace received. On this day after church, it is better to read the Bible and think about the Lord in order to maintain a bright feeling of joy in your soul longer.

Is it possible to make love after Communion?

Church rules prescribe on the day of the Holy Eucharist to maintain the bodily frequency and occupy your mind only with thoughts of God and prayers. Therefore, there is no need to make love after Communion.

Is it possible to go to work after Communion?

If you need to go to work after Communion, then there are no obstacles to this in the church. But, if it is possible to postpone work, then do it, and spend at least half a day reading prayers and in peace of mind.

Many people argue that after Communion you cannot kiss icons, the cross, the priest’s hand, a child or other relatives. But any priest will say that this is superstition. According to church canons, on Sunday only prostrations are not made. If you venerate the chalice after receiving the Holy Gifts, this should in no way affect the further visible manifestation of your piety. Immediately after Communion, you need to take warmth (warm water mixed with wine) and then you can venerate the icons, the cross and the blessing hand of the priest.

Is it possible to kneel after Communion?

As mentioned above, there is no need to bow to the ground after the Holy Eucharist. But, if everyone in the church knelt during services and prayers, then you can do this too. But this is unlikely to happen, since after the end of Communion, prayers of thanksgiving to God are read and the service ends with a short sermon by the priest.

The day of Communion should be devoted to spiritual activities, and it is better to do secular affairs later. You should not clean the house on the day of Communion out of a sense of gratitude before the Holy Sacrament, and also in order to preserve this grace within yourself.

It should be remembered that a quarrel with a loved one is even worse than doing housework. Therefore, on the day of the Holy Eucharist, you need to think about good things, try not to talk to anyone, and read prayers. But if you need to do housework to help your neighbor, then this can be done, but with special spiritual caution.

Why can’t you work in the ground after Communion?

Communion is a holiday that should be spent with joy in the soul, enjoying every minute of the grace given from above. It is believed that after receiving the Holy Gifts one should not work in the ground so as not to lose grace. Someone says that the demon can steal this grace. But this is superstition. If you want to do something or need to do it after Communion, then consult with the priest. Most likely, he will answer that this day should be dedicated to God, read prayers and be at home in peace.

As mentioned above, you cannot spit after the Sacrament of Communion, much less spit out the seeds from the berries. Avoid such food after receiving God's grace.

What else can’t you do on the day of communion?

The life experience of many people suggests that it is easier to receive than to keep. The same can be said about spiritual experience - it is important to be able to use the gift - this is the hardest thing that awaits the recipient. What else can’t you do on the day of communion? Here are some tips:

• Sin, become irritated and become despondent.
• Kiss animals, as well as cuddle and talk to them.
• You can cough and blow your nose, but into a tissue and not spit on the ground.
• Chew chewing gum.

There is a legend that the expelled evil spirits wander through the forests and fields after Communion, and those who have not found shelter think: “Shouldn’t we go back to the house?” She returns again to a person who is spiritually pure after Communion and calls 7 more spirits with her. Therefore, it often happens that after Communion a person begins to sin even more. It is important to preserve the state and grace given during the reception of the Holy Gifts. There is no need to get hung up on superstition; you need to read prayers and canons and live according to the commandments of the Lord.

When we cross the threshold of the church, we find ourselves in God's house - this is Heaven, not earth, and all worldly problems and thoughts must remain beyond the threshold. Is it possible to become infected with anything during Communion in church? Near the chalice people accept the Body and Blood of Christ. There is only Cleanliness and Sterility here. Believers should not even think about contagious diseases. Besides this, an Orthodox Christian should not think about it at all. Father goes to give communion to sick people in hospitals, but no one has become infected yet.

Communion is one of the Great Sacraments. A person must accept the Holy Gifts in order to purify the soul. It is important that a person does not lose reverence, but feels with all his nature the benefits of the Sacrament of Communion. Only true believers feed their souls throughout their lives with a unique contrast: between the melancholy of a slave who kneels and prays (during confession), and the free flight of an eagle with its wings spread wide (after Communion).

Video: Where did the ban on food before Communion come from?

Repentance or confession is a sacrament in which a person confessing his sins to a priest, through his forgiveness, is absolved from sins by the Lord Himself. This question, Father, is asked by many people who join church life. Preliminary confession prepares the soul of the penitent for the Great Meal - the Sacrament of Communion.

The essence of confession

The Holy Fathers call the Sacrament of Repentance the second baptism. In the first case, at Baptism, a person receives cleansing from the original sin of the ancestors Adam and Eve, and in the second, the repentant is washed from his sins committed after baptism. However, due to the weakness of their human nature, people continue to sin, and these sins separate them from God, standing between them as a barrier. They are unable to overcome this barrier on their own. But the Sacrament of Repentance helps to be saved and to acquire that unity with God acquired at Baptism.

The Gospel says about repentance that it is a necessary condition for the salvation of the soul. A person must continuously struggle with his sins throughout his life. And, despite any defeats and falls, he should not become discouraged, despair and grumble, but repent all the time and continue to carry his life’s cross, which the Lord Jesus Christ laid on him.

Awareness of your sins

In this matter, the main thing is to understand that in the Sacrament of Confession, a repentant person is forgiven all his sins, and the soul is freed from sinful bonds. The ten commandments received by Moses from God, and the nine received from the Lord Jesus Christ, contain the entire moral and spiritual law of life.

Therefore, before confessing, you need to turn to your conscience and remember all your sins since childhood in order to prepare a real confession. Not everyone knows how it goes, and even rejects it, but a true Orthodox Christian, overcoming his pride and false shame, begins to spiritually crucify himself, honestly and sincerely admit his spiritual imperfection. And here it is important to understand that unconfessed sins will lead to eternal condemnation for a person, and repentance means victory over oneself.

What is real confession? How does this sacrament work?

Before confessing to a priest, you need to seriously prepare and understand the necessity of cleansing your soul from sins. To do this, you need to reconcile with all the offenders and with those who were offended, refrain from gossip and condemnation, any indecent thoughts, watching numerous entertainment programs and reading lightweight literature. It is better to devote your free time to reading the Holy Scriptures and other spiritual literature. It is advisable to confess a little in advance at the evening service, so that during the morning Liturgy you will no longer be distracted from the service and devote time to prayerful preparation for Holy Communion. But, as a last resort, you can confess in the morning (mostly everyone does this).

For the first time, not everyone knows how to confess correctly, what to say to the priest, etc. In this case, you need to warn the priest about this, and he will direct everything in the right direction. Confession, first of all, presupposes the ability to see and realize one’s sins; at the moment of expressing them, the priest should not justify himself and shift the blame onto another.

Children under 7 years of age and all newly baptized people receive communion on this day without confession; only women who are in purification (when they are menstruating or after childbirth until the 40th day) cannot do this. The text of the confession can be written on a piece of paper so that you don’t get lost later and remember everything.

Confession procedure

In church, a lot of people usually gather for confession, and before approaching the priest, you need to turn your face to the people and say out loud: “Forgive me, a sinner,” and they will answer: “God will forgive, and we forgive.” And then it is necessary to go to the confessor. Having approached the lectern (a high stand for a book), crossed yourself and bowed at the waist, without kissing the Cross and the Gospel, bowing your head, you can begin confession.

There is no need to repeat previously confessed sins, because, as the Church teaches, they have already been forgiven, but if they were repeated again, then they must be repented of again. At the end of your confession, you must listen to the words of the priest and when he finishes, cross yourself twice, bow at the waist, kiss the Cross and the Gospel, and then, having crossed yourself and bowed again, accept the blessing of your priest and go to your place.

What do you need to repent about?

Summing up the topic “Confession. How does this sacrament work?” it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the most common sins in our modern world.

Sins against God - pride, lack of faith or unbelief, renunciation of God and the Church, careless performance of the sign of the cross, failure to wear a cross, violation of the commandments of God, taking the name of the Lord in vain, careless performance, failure to attend church, prayer without diligence, talking and going to church on time services, belief in superstitions, turning to psychics and fortune tellers, thoughts of suicide, etc.

Sins against one's neighbor - grief of parents, robbery and extortion, stinginess in alms, hard-heartedness, slander, bribery, insults, barbs and evil jokes, irritation, anger, gossip, gossip, greed, scandals, hysteria, resentment, betrayal, treason, etc. d.

Sins against oneself - vanity, arrogance, anxiety, envy, vindictiveness, desire for earthly glory and honors, addiction to money, gluttony, smoking, drunkenness, gambling, masturbation, fornication, excessive attention to one's flesh, despondency, melancholy, sadness etc.

God will forgive any sin, nothing is impossible for him, a person only needs to truly realize his sinful deeds and sincerely repent of them.

Participle

They usually confess in order to receive communion, and for this they need to pray for several days, which means prayer and fasting, attending evening services and reading at home, in addition to evening and morning prayers, the canons: Theotokos, Guardian Angel, Repentant, for Communion, and, if possible , or rather, at will - Akathist to the Sweetest Jesus. After midnight they no longer eat or drink; they begin the sacrament on an empty stomach. After receiving the Sacrament of Communion, you must read prayers for Holy Communion.

Don't be afraid to go to confession. How is it going? You can read accurate information about this in special brochures that are sold in every church; everything is described in great detail in them. And then the main thing is to tune in to this true and saving work, because an Orthodox Christian always needs to think about death so that it does not take him by surprise - without even communion.