What is confession?

Why is it needed, and how to correctly name sins in confession?

Why do you need to confess to a priest?

How to properly prepare for the sacrament for those who want to repent for the first time?

All these questions sooner or later every Orthodox person asks himself.

Let's look into all the intricacies of this sacrament together.

Confession for an Orthodox person - what is it?

Repentance or confession is a sacrament during which a person verbally reveals his sins to God in the presence of a priest who has the power to forgive sins from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The Lord during his earthly life gave his apostles, and through them to all the priests, the power to forgive sins. During confession, a person not only repents of committed sins, but also makes a promise not to repeat them again. Confession is the purification of the soul. Many people think: “I know that anyway, even after confession, I will again commit this sin (for example, smoking). So why should I confess? This is fundamentally wrong. You don’t think: “Why should I wash if I’m going to get dirty tomorrow anyway.” You still take a bath or shower, because the body must be clean. Man is weak by nature and will sin throughout his life. This is what confession is for, in order to cleanse the soul from time to time and work on your shortcomings.

Confession for Orthodox person is very important, because during this sacrament reconciliation with God takes place. You should go to confession at least once a month, but if you have a need to do it more often, please do so. The main thing is to know how to correctly name sins in confession.

For some special grave sins the priest can appoint a penance (from the Greek "punishment" or "special obedience"). This may be prolonged prayer, fasting, almsgiving or abstinence. This is a kind of medicine that will help a person get rid of sin.

A few tips for those who want to confess for the first time

As before any sacrament, you need to prepare for confession. If you have decided to repent for the first time, then you need to find out when the sacrament is usually held in your temple. It is mainly held on holidays, Saturday and Sunday.

As a rule, on such days there are many people who want to confess. And this becomes a real obstacle for those who want to confess for the first time. Some are shy, while others are afraid to do something wrong.

It will be good if you turn to the priest before the first confession with a request to appoint a time for you when you and the priest will be alone. Then no one will bother you.

You can make yourself a little cheat sheet. Write down your sins on a piece of paper so that you don’t miss anything at confession due to excitement.

How to correctly name sins in confession: what sins need to be called

Many, especially those who have just begun their path to God, rush from one extreme to another. Some dryly list common sins, usually issued from church books about repentance. Others, on the contrary, begin to describe each sin committed in such detail that it no longer becomes a confession, but a story about themselves and their lives.

What sins to name at confession? Sins are divided into three groups:

1. Sins against the Lord.

2. Sins against neighbors.

3. Sins against your soul.

Let's take a closer look at each individually.

1. Sins against the Lord. Majority modern people distanced themselves from God. They do not visit temples or do it extremely rarely, but about prayers in best case only heard. However, if you are a believer, have you hidden your faith? Maybe you were embarrassed to cross yourself in front of people or say that you are a believer.

Blasphemy and grumbling against God- one of the most serious and serious sins. We commit this sin when we complain about life and believe that there is no one more unhappy than us in the world.

blasphemy. You have committed this sin if you have ever ridiculed the customs or ordinances of the Church, of which you understand nothing. Jokes about God or the Orthodox faith are also blasphemy. It doesn't matter if you listen or talk.

False oath or swearing. The latter says that in man there is no fear of the greatness of the Lord.

Failure to fulfill your vows. If you made a vow to God to do some good deed, but did not keep it, this sin must be confessed.

We do not pray daily at home. It is through prayer that we communicate with the Lord and the Saints. We ask for their intercession and help in the fight against our passions. Without prayer there can be neither repentance nor salvation.

interest in the occult and mystical teachings, as well as pagan and heterodox sects, divination and divination. In fact, such an interest can be not only detrimental to the soul, but also to the mental and physical state of a person.

Superstition. In addition to the superstitions that we inherited from our pagan ancestors, we began to get carried away with the absurd superstitions of the newfangled teachings.

Care of your soul. Moving away from God, we forget about our soul and stop paying due attention to it.

Thoughts of suicide, gambling.

2. Sins against neighbors.

Disrespectful attitude towards parents. We should treat our parents with reverence. The same applies to the relationship of students to their teacher.

Offense inflicted on a neighbor. By hurting loved ones, we harm his soul. We also commit this sin when we advise our neighbors to do something vicious or evil.

Slander. Slander people. To accuse a person, not having confidence in his guilt.

Malevolence and hatred. This sin is equated with homicide. We must help and sympathize with our neighbor.

rancor. It shows that our heart is overflowing with self-love and self-justification.

Disobedience. This sin becomes the beginning for more serious evils: insolence against parents, theft, laziness, deceit and even murder.

Condemn. The Lord said, “Judge not, lest you be judged; for by what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with what measure you measure, I will measure it to you.” Judging a person for this or that weakness, we can fall into the same sin.

Theft, miserliness, abortion, theft, commemoration of the dead with alcohol.

3. Sins against your soul.

Laziness. We do not go to the temple, we shorten the morning and evening prayers. We engage in idle talk while we need to work.

Lie. All bad deeds are accompanied by lies. Satan is called the father of lies for a reason.

Flattery. Today it has become a weapon to achieve earthly goods.

foul language. This sin is especially prevalent among young people today. From foul language the soul becomes coarse.

Impatience. We must learn to restrain our negative emotions so as not to harm our soul and offend loved ones.

Lack of faith and unbelief. A believer should not doubt the mercy and wisdom of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Charm and self-deception. This is an imaginary closeness to God. A person suffering from this sin considers himself practically a saint and puts himself above others.

Long concealment of sin. As a result of fear or shame, a person cannot reveal a committed sin at confession, believing that he can no longer be saved.

Despair. This sin often haunts people who have committed grave sins. It must be confessed in order to prevent irreparable consequences.

Blaming others and self-justification. Our salvation lies in the fact that we can recognize ourselves and only ourselves guilty of our sins and actions.

These are the main sins that almost every person commits. If earlier during confession sins were voiced that were no longer repeated, then they do not need to be confessed again.

Fornication (including marriage without a wedding), incest, adultery (treason), sexual relations between people of the same sex.

How to correctly name sins in confession - is it possible to write them on paper and just give them to the priest

Sometimes, in order to tune in to confession and not worry that you will forget something during the sacrament, they write sins on paper. In this regard, many people ask themselves the question: is it possible to write sins on a piece of paper and just give it to a priest? Definite answer: No!

The meaning of confession lies precisely in the fact that a person voices his sins, mourns them and hates them. Otherwise, it will not be repentance, but writing a report.

Over time, try to completely abandon any papers, and tell in confession exactly what is weighing on your soul at this particular moment.

How to correctly name sins in confession: where to start confession and how to end

Approaching the priest, try to put thoughts of the earth out of your head and listen to your soul. Begin confession with the words: “Lord, I have sinned against You” and begin to list sins.

There is no need to list the sins in detail. If you, for example, stole something, then you do not need to tell the priest where, when and under what circumstances it happened. It is enough to simply say: I have sinned by stealing.

However, it is not worth listing the sins completely dry. For example, you come up and start saying: “I sinned with anger, irritation, condemnation, etc.” This is also not entirely correct. It would be better to say this: “I have sinned, Lord, by irritation with my husband” or “I constantly condemn my neighbor.” The fact is that a priest during confession can give you advice on how to deal with this or that passion. It is these clarifications that will help him understand the cause of your weakness.

You can end the confession with the words “I repent, Lord! Save and have mercy on me, a sinner!

How to correctly name sins in confession: what to do if you are ashamed

Shame during confession is a completely normal phenomenon, because there are no such people who would be pleased to talk about their not very pleasant sides. But you should not fight it, but try to survive it, endure it.

First of all, you must understand that you are not confessing your sins to a priest, but to God. Therefore, one should be ashamed not before the priest, but before the Lord.

Many people think: "If I tell the priest everything, he will probably despise me." It is absolutely not important, the main thing is to beg forgiveness from God. You must clearly decide for yourself: to receive deliverance and purify your soul, or to continue to live in sins, plunging into this dirt more and more.

The priest is only an intermediary between you and God. You must understand that during confession the Lord Himself stands invisibly before you.

I would like to say once again that only in the sacrament of confession does a person with a contrite heart repent of sins. After that, a permissive prayer is read over it, which frees a person from sin. And remember, the one who hides sin during confession will acquire an even greater sin before God!

Over time, you will get rid of shame and fear and will better understand how to correctly name sins in confession.

Confession is a sacrament of repentance, when a believer sets forth his committed sins to a clergyman in the hope of God's forgiveness. The rite was established by the Savior himself, who spoke to the disciples the words recorded in the Gospel of Matthew: chapter 18, verse 18. The topic of confession is also covered in the Gospel of John: chapter 20, verses 22-23.

In the sacrament of repentance, parishioners state the main passions (mortal sins) committed by them:

• gluttony (excessive consumption of food);
• anger;
• fornication, debauchery;
• love of money (desire for material values);
• despondency (depression, despair, laziness);
• vanity;
• pride;
• envy.

The representative of the church is empowered to forgive sins in the name of the Lord.

Preparation for confession

The need to confess in the vast majority of cases arises when:

• committing a grave sin;
• preparation for communion;
• decision to get married;
• mental anguish from the offenses committed;
• serious or terminal illness;
• desire to change the sinful past.

Confession requires preparation. You need to know the schedule for when ordinances are held and choose a suitable date. Confession is usually done on weekends and holidays, daily rituals are possible.

Attention! During the sacrament, a significant number of believers are present. If there are difficulties with opening the soul to the priest and repentance in front of a large crowd of people, it is advisable to contact the minister of the church and choose a day when it is possible to be alone with him.

Before confession, it is recommended to make a list of sins, correctly identifying them. Offenses committed by word, deed, in thoughts are taken into account, starting from the last repentance. In the case of the first confession in adulthood, they remember their own sins from the age of 7 or after baptism.

In order to tune in to the right mood, it is advisable to read the Penitential Canon in the evening before the sacrament. It is important to go to confession in the absence of ungodly thoughts, forgive your offenders and apologize to those whom you have offended yourself. Fasting before the ceremony is optional.

Confession should be done once a month, if desired and the need arises, you can do it more often. Women during menstruation abstain from the ceremony.

How to confess properly

It is important to come to the sacrament of repentance without delay. Confession is held in the morning or evening. Repentant believers read the rites. The priest interrogates the names of those who came to confession, you should tell him in a calm voice, without shouting. Latecomers do not participate in the sacrament.

It is recommended to conduct a rite of repentance with one confessor. You need to wait for your turn, then turn to people with the words: “Forgive me, a sinner (sinner).” The answer will be the phrase: "God will forgive, and we forgive." After that, they approach the clergyman and bow their heads in front of the lectern - an elevated table.

Having crossed himself and bowed, the believer confesses, listing sins. You should start the phrase with the words: “Lord, I have sinned (sinned) before You ...” and reveal what exactly. They report misconduct without details, in general terms. If you need clarification, the priest will ask. However, to speak too briefly: "Sinful (sinful) in everything!" also not allowed. It is important to list all misconducts without hiding anything. They end the confession, for example, with the phrase: “I repent, Lord! Save and have mercy on me a sinner (sinner)!” Then they carefully listen to the priest, take into account his advice. After reading the "permissive" prayer by the clergyman, they cross themselves and bow twice, kiss the Cross and the book of the Gospel.

Important! For serious sins, a representative of the church appoints a penance - a punishment that may consist in reading a long prayer, fasting or abstinence. Only after its fulfillment and with the help of a “permissive” prayer is the believer considered forgiven.

In large Temples, with a significant number of people, a “general” confession is used. In this case, the priest lists the main sins, and those who confess repent. After that, each parishioner approaches the representative of the church under the "permissive" prayer.

sacrament of repentance

Confession is considered the second baptism. If at baptism a person is cleansed of original sin, then with repentance, liberation from personal passions occurs.

When conducting the ceremony, it is important to be honest with yourself and God, be aware of the misconduct committed and sincerely repent of them. One should not be embarrassed or afraid of condemning the priest - this will not happen, the representative of the church is only a conductor between the believer and the Lord, there is no need to make excuses before him, only repent.

One cannot continue to be tormented by a sin that has already been repented, since it is considered forgiven. Otherwise, the church perceives this as a manifestation of lack of faith.

Examples of sins that are listed to the priest during confession include various categories.

Common female transgressions include:

• turned to witches, fortune-tellers, and so on;
• rarely attended church and read prayers;
• had sexual relations before marriage;
• during prayer, she thought about pressing problems;
• was afraid of old age;
• had impious thoughts;
• had an abortion;
• was superstitious;
• excessive use of alcohol, sweets, drugs;
• wore revealing clothes;
• refused to help those in need.

Common male sins are:

• lack of faith, blasphemy against the Lord;
• cruelty;
• pride;
• laziness;
• ridicule of the weak;
• greed;
• evasion from military service;
• insulting people around, the use of violence;
• weakness in resisting temptations;
• slander, theft;
• rudeness, rudeness;
• refusal to help those in need.

In Orthodoxy, there are 3 main groups of sins that are subject to presentation during confession: in relation to the Lord, relatives, and oneself.

Sins against God

• interest in the occult sciences;
• apostasy;
• an insult to God, ingratitude to him;
• unwillingness to wear a pectoral cross;
• superstition;
• atheistic upbringing;
• mentioning the Lord in vain;
• unwillingness to read morning and evening prayers, visit the temple on Sundays and holidays;
• thoughts of suicide;
• passion for gambling;
• rare reading of Orthodox literature;
• non-observance of church rules (fasting);
• despair in difficulties and problems, denial of God's providence;
• condemnation of representatives of the church;
• dependence on earthly pleasures;
• fear of old age;
• hiding sins during repentance, unwillingness to fight them;
• arrogance, denial of God's help.

Sins towards relatives

The group of vices against neighbors includes:

• disrespect for parents, irritation with old age;
• condemnation, hatred;
• anger;
• quick temper;
• slander, rancor;
• raising children in a different faith;
• non-repayment of debts;
• non-payment of money for work;
• rejection of people in need of help;
• arrogance;
• quarrels, swearing with relatives and neighbors;
• greed;
• driving a neighbor to suicide;
• having an abortion and encouraging others to do so;
• drinking alcohol at funerals;
• theft;
• laziness at work.

Sins against the soul

• deception;
• foul language (use of obscene language);
• self-delusion;
• vanity;
• envy;
• laziness;
• despair, sadness;
• impatience;
• lack of faith;
• adultery (violation of fidelity in marriage);
• laughter for no reason;
• masturbation, unnatural fornication (proximity of people of the same sex), incest;
• love for material values, the desire for enrichment;
• gluttony;
• perjury;
• doing good deeds for show;
• dependence on alcohol, tobacco;
• idle talk, verbosity;
• reading literature and viewing photos, films with erotic content;
• extramarital intimacy.

How to confess to children

The Church teaches children from an early age to a sense of reverence for the Lord. A child under 7 years old is considered a baby, he does not need to confess, including before communion.

Upon reaching the specified age, children begin the rite of repentance on an equal basis with adults. Before confession, it is recommended to set up the baby by reading Holy Bible, children's Orthodox literature. It is desirable to reduce the time of watching TV, to devote Special attention reciting morning and evening prayers.

When a child behaves badly, they talk to him, awakening a sense of shame.

Children also make a list of committed sins, it is important that they do this on their own, without the help of adults. To help the child, he is given a list of possible sins:

• did not miss the morning or evening prayers before the meal?
• did not steal?
• didn't you guess?
• Do you brag about your skills and abilities?
• Do you know the main prayers (“Our Father”, “Jesus Prayer”, “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice”)?
• do not hide sins at confession?
• do not use amulets, symbols?
• attend church on Sundays, don't play around in the service?
• not fond of bad habits, do not use foul language?
• did not mention the name of the Lord unnecessarily?
• don't be shy pectoral cross, wear without taking off?
• did not deceive parents?
• didn't snitch, didn't gossip?
• help your loved ones, are you not lazy?
• did not mock the beasts of the earth?
• didn't play cards?

The child may name personal sins not listed. It is important that he understands the need for awareness of his own misdeeds, sincere and sincere repentance.

Examples of confession

Speech during the sacrament of repentance is made up arbitrarily, depending on the enumeration of the sins of the believer. A few examples of what to say in confession will help to make an individual appeal to the priest and God.

Example 1

Lord, I have sinned (sinned) before You with adultery, lies, greed, slander, foul language, superstition, the desire for enrichment, extramarital carnal intimacy, quarrels with loved ones, gluttony, abortion, dependence on alcohol, tobacco, vindictiveness, condemnation, non-compliance with church rules . I repent, Lord! Have mercy on me, a sinner (sinner).

Example 2

I confess to the Lord God, in the Holy Trinity glorious, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, all sins from youth to the present, committed by deed, word and thought, voluntarily or involuntarily. I put my hope in God's mercy and wish to correct my life. I sinned (sinned) with apostasy, impudent judgments about church laws, love for earthly goods, disrespect for elders. Forgive me, Lord, cleanse, renew my soul and body, so that I can follow the path of salvation. And you, honest Father, pray for me to the Lord, the Most Pure Lady of the Mother of God and the saints, that the Lord will have mercy on me with their prayers, forgive me from my sins and make me worthy to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ without condemnation.

Example 3

I bring you, merciful Lord, the heavy burden of my sins from early youth to this day. I have sinned (sinned) before You by forgetting Your commandments, ingratitude to You for mercy, superstition, blasphemous thoughts, desire for pleasure, vanity, idle talk, gluttony, breaking fasts, refusing to help those in need. I have sinned in words, thoughts, deeds, sometimes involuntarily, but more often consciously. I sincerely repent of my sins, I do my best not to repeat them. Forgive and have mercy on me, Lord!

No one on earth can consider himself worthy to be a partaker of the holy mysteries. In preparing for the sacrament, we purify our spiritual and bodily nature. We prepare the soul by prayer, repentance and reconciliation with our neighbor, and the body by fasting and abstinence. This preparation is called fasting.

Prayer Rule

Those preparing for communion read three canons: 1) repentant to the Lord Jesus Christ; 2) a prayer service to the Most Holy Theotokos; 3) the canon to the guardian angel. The Follow-up to Holy Communion is also read, which includes the canon for Communion and prayers.

All these canons and prayers are contained in the Canon and the usual Orthodox prayer book.

On the eve of communion, it is necessary to be at the evening service, for the church day begins in the evening.

Fast

Before communion, fasting, fasting, fasting - bodily abstinence is attributed. During fasting, food of animal origin should be excluded: meat, dairy products, and eggs. With a strict fast, fish is also excluded. But lean foods should also be consumed in moderation.

Spouses during fasting must refrain from bodily intimacy (5th canon of St. Timothy of Alexandria). Women who are in purification (during the period of menstruation) cannot take communion (7th canon of St. Timothy of Alexandria).

Fasting, of course, is necessary not only with the body, but also with the mind, sight and hearing, keeping one's soul from worldly entertainment.

The duration of the Eucharistic fast is usually negotiated with the confessor or parish priest. It depends on the bodily health, the spiritual state of the communicant, and also on how often he begins to partake of the holy mysteries.

The general practice is to fast before communion for at least three days.

For those who take communion frequently (for example, once a week), the duration of the fast can be reduced with the blessing of the confessor to 1-2 days.

Also, the confessor can weaken the fast for sick people, pregnant and lactating women, and also taking into account other life circumstances.

Those preparing for communion no longer eat after midnight, as the day of communion arrives. You need to take communion on an empty stomach. Under no circumstances should you smoke. Some mistakenly believe that you should not brush your teeth in the morning so as not to swallow water. This is completely wrong. In the Teaching News, each priest is prescribed brushing his teeth before the Liturgy.

Repentance

The most important moment in preparing for the sacrament of communion is the cleansing of one's soul from sins, which is performed in the sacrament of confession. Christ will not enter into a soul not cleansed of sin, not reconciled with God.

One can sometimes hear the opinion that it is necessary to separate the sacraments of confession and communion. And if a person regularly confesses, then he can proceed to communion without confession. In this case, they usually refer to the practice of some Local Churches (for example, the Greek one).

But our Russian people have been in atheistic captivity for more than 70 years. And the Russian Church is only just beginning to recover from the spiritual catastrophe that has befallen our country. We have very few Orthodox churches and clergy. In Moscow, for 10 million inhabitants, there are only about one thousand priests. People are not churched, cut off from traditions. Community life is practically non-existent. The life and spiritual level of modern Orthodox believers is incomparable with the life of Christians of the first centuries. Therefore, we adhere to the practice of confession before each communion.

By the way, about the first centuries of Christianity. The most important historical monument of early Christian writing, “The Teaching of the 12 Apostles” or in Greek “Didache”, says: “On the day of the Lord (that is, on Sunday. - O. P.G.), having gathered together, break bread and give thanks, having confessed your transgressions in advance, so that your sacrifice may be pure. But whoever is at odds with his friend, let him not come with you until they are reconciled, lest your sacrifice be defiled; for this is the command of the Lord: in every place and at all times a pure sacrifice must be offered to me, for I am a great King, says the Lord, and my name is marvelous among the nations” (Didache 14). And again: “Confess your sins in church and do not approach your prayer with a bad conscience. Such is the way of life!” (Didache, 4).

The importance of repentance, cleansing from sins before communion is undeniable, so let's dwell on this topic in a little more detail.

For many, the first confession and communion was the beginning of their churching, becoming Orthodox Christians.

Preparing to meet our dear guest, we try to clean our house better, put things in order. Even more so, we must prepare with trepidation, reverence and diligence to receive into the house of our souls the "King of kings and the Lord of lords." The more attentively a Christian follows spiritual life, the more often and more zealously he repents, the more he sees his sins and unworthiness before God. No wonder the holy people saw their sins as countless as the sand of the sea. A noble citizen of the town of Gaza came to the Monk Abba Dorotheus, and the abba asked him: “Eminent gentleman, tell me who do you consider yourself to be in your city?” He replied: "I consider myself great and the first in the city." Then the monk again asked him: “If you go to Caesarea, what will you consider yourself to be there?” The man replied: "For the last of the nobles there." “If you go to Antioch, who will you consider yourself to be there?” “There,” he replied, “I will consider myself one of the commoners.” “If you go to Constantinople and draw near to the king, who will you consider yourself to be there?” And he answered: "Almost for a beggar." Then the abba said to him: “This is how the saints, the closer they come to God, the more they see themselves as sinners.”

Unfortunately, we have to see that some perceive the sacrament of confession as a kind of formality, after which they will be admitted to communion. Preparing to receive communion, we must with all responsibility treat the purification of our soul in order to make it a temple for the acceptance of Christ.

Repentance the holy fathers call second baptism, baptismal tears. Just as the waters of baptism wash our souls from sins, tears of repentance, weeping and contrition for sins cleanse our spiritual nature.

Why do we repent if the Lord already knows all our sins? God expects from us repentance, recognition of them. In the sacrament of confession, we ask Him for forgiveness. You can understand this with this example. The child climbed into the closet and ate all the sweets. The father knows perfectly well who did this, but he is waiting for the son to come and ask for forgiveness.

The very word "confession" means that a Christian has come tell, confess, tell yourself your sins. The priest in prayer before confession reads: “These are Your servants, word be kindly resolved." Man himself is resolved from his sins through the word and receives forgiveness from God. Therefore, confession should be private, not public. I mean the practice when a priest reads a list of possible sins, and then simply covers the confessor with an epitrachelion. "General confession" was an almost universal phenomenon in Soviet times, when there were very few functioning churches and on Sundays, holidays, and also fasting, they were overflowing with worshippers. It was simply unrealistic to confess to everyone who wanted to. Conducting confession after the evening service was also almost not allowed anywhere. Now, thank God, there are very few churches where such a confession is held.

In order to be well prepared for the purification of the soul, before the sacrament of repentance, one must reflect on one's sins and remember them. The following books help us in this: “To Help the Penitent” by St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov), “The Experience of Building a Confession” by Archimandrite John (Krestyankin) and others.

Confession cannot be perceived as just a spiritual washing, showering. You can mess around in the ground and not be afraid of dirt, anyway, then everything will be washed off in the soul. And you can go on sinning. If a person comes to confession with such thoughts, he confesses not for salvation, but for judgment and condemnation. And having formally “confessed”, he will not receive permission from God for sins. It's not that simple. Sin, passion causes great harm to the soul, and even having repented, a person bears the consequences of his sin. So in a patient who has had smallpox, scars remain on the body.

It is not enough just to confess sin, you need to make every effort to overcome the tendency to sin in your soul, not to return to it anymore. So the doctor removes the cancerous tumor and prescribes a course of chemotherapy to defeat the disease, to prevent a relapse. Of course, it is not easy to immediately leave sin, but the penitent should not be hypocritical: "I will repent - and I will continue to sin." A person must make every effort to embark on the path of correction, no longer return to sin. A person should ask God for help to fight sins and passions.

Those who rarely go to confession and communion cease to see their sins. They move away from God. And vice versa, approaching Him as the Source of light, people begin to see all the dark and impure corners of their souls. Just as the bright sun illuminates all the uncleaned nooks and crannies of the room.

The Lord does not expect earthly gifts and offerings from us, but: "Sacrifice to God - the spirit is contrite, the heart contrite and humble God will not despise" (Ps. 50:19). And as we prepare to be united with Christ in the sacrament of communion, we bring this sacrifice to Him.

Reconciliation

“So if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matt. 5:23-24), the word of God tells us.

The one who dares to take communion sins mortally, having malice, enmity, hatred, unforgiven insults in his heart.

The Kiev-Pechersk Patericon tells about the terrible sinful state that people can fall into when they begin to receive communion in a state of anger and non-reconciliation. “There were two brothers in spirit – the deacon Evagrius and the priest Titus. And they had great and unfeigned love for each other, so that everyone marveled at their unanimity and immeasurable love. The devil who hates good, who always walks around, “like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5: 8), aroused enmity between them. And he put such hatred into them that they shied away from each other, did not want to see one another in person. Many times the brethren begged them to be reconciled among themselves, but they did not want to hear. When Titus walked with the censer, Evagrius ran away from the incense; when Evagrius did not run away, Titus passed him without shaking. And so they spent a long time in sinful darkness, proceeding to the holy mysteries: Titus, not asking for forgiveness, and Evagrius, angry, the enemy armed them before. Once Titus fell very ill and, already at death, began to grieve about his sin and sent to the deacon with a plea: “Forgive me, for God's sake, my brother, that I was angry with you in vain.” Evagrius answered with cruel words and curses. The elders, seeing that Titus was dying, forcibly brought Evagrius in order to reconcile him with his brother. Seeing him, the sick man got up a little, prostrated himself at his feet and said: “Forgive me and bless me, my father!” He, unmerciful and fierce, refused to forgive in the presence of everyone, saying: “I will never be reconciled with him, neither in this age, nor in the future.” And suddenly Evagrius escaped from the hands of the elders and fell. They wanted to pick him up, but they saw that he was already dead. And they could neither stretch out his hand nor close his mouth, as in the case of a long-dead one. The patient immediately got up, as if he had never been ill. And everyone was horrified at the sudden death of one and the speedy recovery of the other. With much weeping they buried Evagrius. His mouth and eyes remained open, and his arms outstretched. Then the elders asked Titus: “What does all this mean?” And he said: “I saw angels departing from me and weeping for my soul, and demons rejoicing at my wrath. And then I began to pray to my brother to forgive me. When you brought him to me, I saw an unmerciful angel holding a fiery spear, and when Evagrius did not forgive me, he struck him and he fell dead. The angel gave me his hand and lifted me up.” Hearing this, the brethren were afraid of God, who said, “Forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37).

In preparation for the communion of the Holy Mysteries, it is necessary (if only there is such an opportunity) to ask for forgiveness from everyone whom we have voluntarily or involuntarily offended and forgive everyone ourselves. If it is not possible to do this personally, one must be reconciled with one's neighbors, at least in one's heart. Of course, this is not easy - we are all proud, touchy people (by the way, touchiness always stems from pride). But how can we ask God for forgiveness of our sins, count on their remission, if we ourselves do not forgive our offenders. Shortly before the communion of the faithful at the Divine Liturgy, the Lord's Prayer - "Our Father" is sung. As a reminder to us that God will only then "leave ( forgive) we owe ( sins) ours”, when we also leave “our debtor”.

On the path of life, a person cannot avoid mistakes and falls. As the apostle Paul said: "I do not do the good that I want, but I do the evil that I do not want, I am a poor man." Some people come to God in their youth, others realize their love for the Lord in their more mature years, but every Christian, at one time or another in his life, voluntarily or involuntarily violates the commandments of God and commits a sin.

About confession

Confession (repentance) is one of the main and important sacraments Orthodox Church. In repentance, the human soul is renewed, spiritually cleansed. IN Orthodox understanding sin is a disease of the soul, and repentance (confession) is understood as healing. The temple is considered to be a spiritual clinic, and the Lord Himself acting through the priest is the doctor.

• A confessing Christian must be a baptized fellow Orthodox faith who consciously came to God for forgiveness and remission of their sins.
• To repent to God is the desire of a person to change the way of his life, deeds, thoughts in accordance with the commandments of God. On the eve before going to confession, it is necessary to sit down and remember with concentration and realize your sins, regretting with all your heart the wrongdoings you have committed. Comprehension of one's sins is the most strict and captious self-assessment and self-criticism.
• The forgiving sacrament of confession takes place in every Orthodox church, as a rule, in the evening reading of the Vespers or in the morning after the beginning of the liturgy.
• In preparation for repentance, the church charter does not say about the observance of a special fast and a special word when addressing. The Lord asks only true confession and heartfelt regret.

Preparation for confession

So, coming to confession means taking a critical look at your life path, looking into the depths of your soul and rethinking deeds and thoughts, following God's commandments. With strong excitement, you can write down your sins on a small piece of paper so as not to miss this or that offense during a conversation with God. The repentant must confess a general consciousness of wickedness, naming especially his inherent weaknesses and passions. For example - lies, fornication, anger, pseudo-love. If a Christian experiences special guilt, for example, from abortion, murder, violence - the sin is pronounced in full, set out in a brief petition.

How to tell about the secret in confession

Sometimes even the bravest and bravest Christians are afraid to go to confession, thinking that the priest will condemn and shame them for their deeds. In this case, it is necessary to completely eradicate fear in oneself, and understand that the most important holy duty of the Father is in no case to allow the disclosure of the contents of the confession. It should be remembered that we confess to the Lord, and not to the clergyman, he is only a witness helping us in communion with the Almighty. At the end of the sacrament, a prayer forgiving (cleansing) sins is pronounced, its end sounds like this: “The clergyman asks that the Lord forgive those children and you are not a worthy priest, by his power, which I have been allowed to forgive and resolve from your sins and passions. Amen”, that is, it should be understood that the Lord himself performs the sacrament of confession, and not the priest.

How to prepare for confession. Sins against God

Very often you can hear: “I didn’t kill anyone, I didn’t betray, I didn’t steal, so why should I ask for forgiveness and repent before God?” If you study the commandments, there are 10 in total, you will realize that we often violate many of them. Misdemeanors and sins are divided into 3 main groups - sins committed against the Lord, against your loved ones and yourself.

• Sins committed against God - the creation and veneration of other idols besides Him, concealment or omission of sins in repentance, fortune-telling, card games and gambling, thoughts of suicide, spreading false teachings, ignoring morning and evening prayers, despondency and renunciation in difficult life situations, not performed coming to the temple on Sundays and holidays, mentioning the name of the Lord in religious direction fellowship, apostasy, and not wearing one's body cross.
• Sins committed against neighbor - murder, irascibility, anger, perjury, not honoring parents, condemning another, theft, quarrels, abortion, not diligence in the process of work, not paying others for work done, failure to help and callousness to the difficulties of those in need, use alcoholic beverages on memorial dinner, instead of prayer and petition for the deceased, disrespect for elders, raising children outside of communion with the Orthodox faith.
• Sins committed against oneself - drunkenness, lying, verbosity, fornication (intimacy outside of marriage), condemnation, gossip, excessive pride, pride, doing good deeds for show, the desire to get rich, fornication, masturbation, incest.

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, because without this it will be impossible to proceed to the sacrament.

How to prepare for confession and communion?

There are several requirements that the clergy talk about to people who want to take communion.

1. The person must be Orthodox Christian who was baptized by a legal 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, such as the Catechism.
2. Understanding 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 one should not mention other people's sins in order to justify one's own actions.
3. A believer must make a promise to the Lord that every effort will be made to make no more mistakes and do good.
4. In a situation where sin provoked 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 the existing offenses to people yourself, otherwise you should not count on the Lord's indulgence.
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 to 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 refrain from eating 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, so products include: vegetables and fruits, cereals, fish, pastries, dried fruits and nuts.

Prayers before confession

One of the important stages of preparation is the reading of prayer texts, and this can be done both at home and in church. With their help, a person conducts 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 understandable 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 will have confession and 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 enumeration own mistakes. The clergy allow the use of records, but these should only be reminders and only if the 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 it is 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, the use of superstition in life, turning to fortune-tellers and creating idols for yourself.
2. The rules before confession include an indication of the 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 the clergy to discuss only their own sins, without inventing a special church language.
4. When confessing, a person should talk about really serious things, and not about trifles.
5. Finding 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.

Can I drink water before confession?

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

Can I smoke before communion and confession?

On account of this topic, there are different opinions expressed by the clergy.

1. Some believe that if a person smokes long time, then it will be difficult for him to quit a bad habit, and there are cases when this is dangerous. In their opinion, cigarette addiction cannot be a reason for refusing confession and communion.
2. Other clergy, answering the question of 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.

Can I have sex before confession?

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