You can't spit after communion. Is it possible to brush your teeth, eat, drink, bathe, wash your face, or take a shower before Communion in church? Is it possible to sleep, make love, drink alcohol, kiss icons, a child, relatives, or kneel after Communion? What's wrong
Reader question:
Hello, I wanted to ask, is it possible to eat meat, fish, milk on the same day after communion? Thanks in advance.
Archpriest Andrei Efanov answers:
Good afternoon If it’s not a fast day, then you can eat everything! The main thing is to keep silence and peace inside, because, having received communion, you have accepted the Body and Blood of Christ Himself.
God bless you!
Read about Communion, preparation for it and the correct attitude towards the sacrament in these materials:
Participle. Some people hesitate to start it for years, some are stopped by the complicated preparation, some consider it no more obligatory than “swimming” in an ice hole at Epiphany, some decide to take communion only during a period of serious illness or when death is approaching... Meanwhile, this is what the earthly Church exists for. We talk with Metropolitan Volokolamsky Hilarion(Alfeev), Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate
Is it possible to receive communion if you were not at the service the day before? Is it necessary to fast on Saturday? Archpriest Pavel Velikanov answers readers’ questions following the document “On the Participation of the Faithful in the Eucharist”
Explanatory dictionary with Yuri Pushchaev
How can it be that bread and wine become the Flesh and Blood of God? How can you drink and eat God, taking Him inside yourself?
How to behave before Holy Communion? Is it possible to brush your teeth and take medicine in the morning? What should you not do after the Eucharist? Should I continue to fast? Why shouldn't you bow to the ground? Is it allowed to kiss icons? Is there a ban on foods with seeds? Read the answers to the questions in the article.
The sacrament that connects man with God
Communion (Eucharist) is the central Sacrament of the Church. Thanks to him, a person can already unite with Christ on earth. After all, when we approach the cup, we eat not bread and wine, but the Body and Blood of Christ, thus accepting the Savior into our hearts.
And this is not some symbolic action, but reality. So that people are not literally afraid when they see Flesh and Blood in the chalice, the Lord vouchsafes us to partake of the Holy Gifts under the guise of bread and wine. But in the history of Christianity you can find many cases when those who approached the cup with doubts were horrified at some point. They saw the bloody liquid with their own eyes and even felt the taste of flesh in their mouths. Anyone can familiarize themselves with such examples in Christian literature; many cases are described in the book of Archpriest Vyacheslav Tulupov “The Miracle of Holy Communion.”
But we would like to draw the reader’s attention to a slightly different topic - how to behave on the day of Communion - and talk about some myths.
We have already written about preparation for the Eucharist in the article “Communion for the first time - how to prepare?” . Here you can learn in detail how to fast, what prayer rules to read and generally how to behave the day before.
How to behave in the morning before the Sacrament of the Eucharist?
On the day of Communion one should not just “subtract” morning rule and “finish” the sequence. First of all, it is worth praying carefully so that the Lord will vouchsafe us to receive communion. We are all unworthy of the Body and Blood of the Savior, so we must gratefully accept this life-giving gift.
Should I brush my teeth?
The question is often asked: is it possible to brush your teeth in the morning? Some “orthodox” believe that it is impossible. But many priests answer: it is possible. Why?
If it is unpleasant for a person to go to work or communicate with people because of the unpleasant smell from his breath, then how can he approach the Chalice in this form and with such a feeling? We must come to Christ with a pure heart and clean lips. In all senses.
Communion and taking medications
Another problematic question: how to take communion if you have to take pills in the morning?
Bishop Mark Golovkov says that the pills are not food, but medicine. If you have serious health problems and it is dangerous for you to interrupt the course of some drug, then you should not refuse both the pills and Holy Communion.
If you are taking any vitamins or nutritional supplements, and nothing serious will happen when you drink them not in the morning, but in the afternoon, then why panic? You can calmly take communion, and when you get home, take vitamins or medications.
If everything is more or less clear with behavior before Communion, then many questions remain with what is possible and not possible after receiving the Holy Gifts.
What is possible and what is not allowed after Holy Communion?
Should I bow to the ground? Is it possible to spit? Is it possible to kiss on this day? Should you brush your teeth in the evening? These questions will seem funny to many, but nevertheless, they often worry participants.
You can't sin
If you ask a priest what you cannot do after Communion, he will probably answer in one word: “Sin.”
Why? Because you have accepted Christ into your heart. And God is sinless. It cannot be combined with sin. Therefore, if we begin to break the commandments, then we literally drive the Savior out of our hearts.
That is why after the Sacrament of the Eucharist it is advised to be especially careful so as not to lose the received grace. It is believed that one should talk a little, pray more, thank God, and, if possible, avoid empty talk and company.
After all, if the demon cannot tempt us directly, then he will try to do it through family and friends or even random people.
Always give thanks
If a person does something kind or pleasant to us, we just want to thank him. But how can we thank the Lord, who for the sake of our salvation accepted death on the cross and gave us the opportunity to unite with him in the Sacrament of the Eucharist? No earthly words will suffice. But this does not mean at all that you should not try.
To bow or not to bow?
It is believed that on the day of Holy Communion one should not bow to the ground. Why?
Kneeling is a sign of repentance, crying for sins. And the person receiving communion rejoices, and does not cry or mourn. He accepted Christ into his heart.
Should I continue to fast?
Some confessors bless their spiritual children to abstain from fast food and wine throughout the day. It is worth saying that there are no such regulations. Where did this custom come from then?
After Holy Communion it is very easy to dissipate grace. And a hearty meal can contribute to this. You had a good lunch, then you wanted to sleep. Thoughts about prayer and the meaning of the Sacrament faded into the background. This is why some priests do not bless eating heavy fatty foods and drinking wine.
But a moderate meal, even if it contains meat, dairy products and wine, will not harm. So the main emphasis in this matter is moderation.
Is it possible to spit and eat berries with seeds?
Surely you have heard from believers or even priests that after the Sacrament of the Eucharist you cannot spit out anything. How to understand this and is it worth adhering to this rule?
This prohibition is associated with pious fear, so as not to accidentally spit out a piece of the Holy Gifts. But in order to minimize this risk, after Communion we always take a drink - holy water or diluted wine and pieces of prosphora.
Moreover: during Holy Communion it is advised to swallow the piece completely without chewing it. Then you won’t be afraid that I might accidentally spit out a particle along with food while brushing your teeth in the evening.
Some priests still, to be on the safe side, advise not to eat certain foods that will cause us to “spit”: fish with bones, berries with seeds, and so on. If you had to use them, they are often advised to carefully collect the seeds and burn them.
In general, the opinions of priests on this issue differ: some say that there is a point in such actions, while others call not to strain out the mosquito.
What should you do? Either consult the priest you are confessing to, act according to your conscience, or avoid altogether possible situations. It is not necessary to eat foods with seeds on the day of Holy Communion.
Is it possible to brush your teeth, kiss icons and relatives?
If you received Communion by swallowing a piece without chewing, then you hardly need to worry that you will accidentally clean out a piece of the Holy Gifts. If any concerns remain, then perhaps you should refrain from evening dental care.
And the last question from this category: is it possible to venerate icons and kiss relatives?
The ban on kissing crosses and icons looks like a manifestation of excessive piety. After the Sacrament of the Eucharist, you can and should venerate holy objects.
There are no specific prohibitions on kissing relatives or marital kisses. But the person receiving communion should, if possible, refrain from sensory experiences and devote more time to prayer. In general, this is purely individual.
Priest Maxim Kaskun also talks about what not to do after Communion:
Take it for yourself and tell your friends!
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When the deceased needs to be taken on his last journey, his relatives quite often commit all sorts of superstitions and absurdities. The modern idea of death for many is practically no different from the views of our distant pagan ancestors.
Approaching the holy chalice, the communicant must fold his hands crosswise on his chest, clearly pronounce his name and open his lips wide. A small particle of the Holy Gifts, as advised by the Monk Ambrose of Optina, must be swallowed whole.
If the particle is large, it can be carefully crushed with your teeth. After the deacon or clergyman wipes his mouth with the cloth, he must kiss the bottom edge of the cup. You should not cross yourself or bow near the chalice.
After communion, it is customary to drink “warmth” - warm water mixed with wine. You need to rinse your mouth with this “warmth” so that no particles of the Body of Christ remain there, and then swallow it. When leaving the bowl and heading towards the table with “warmth”, you should not venerate the icons. Also, there is no need to kneel or prostrate on the day of communion. Prostrations to the ground are an expression of repentant sorrow for sins, while the communicant must remain in spiritual joy and glorification of God. After communion of the Holy Mysteries, one must thank the Lord and listen in church or read prayers for Holy Communion at home. Some Christians don't give
of great importance
these prayers. Are they right?
Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) wrote that he knew one pious clergyman who considered the cause of many temptations to be failure to read or a hasty, frivolous reading of the rules for Holy Communion. From his own experience, he experienced that in the latter case, the Divine grace received in the sacrament left him, and temptations began.
Once, after communion, Vasily came home in a joyful mood, stood in front of the icon case and, as usual, said with all his heart: “Glory to Thee, Lord, glory to Thee!” And suddenly a firm commanding voice rang out: “Why don’t you read prayers of thanks after communion?!” Vasily was so frightened that his whole body trembled. Since then, after receiving the Holy Mysteries, he always religiously reads the prescribed prayers.
Is it possible to thank the Lord in your own words? Of course, we can, from the abundance of our hearts, thank the Lord for His mercy towards us sinners with our own prayers. However, at the same time, we must not forget to read the prayer rule determined for us by the Church.
“From the moment of communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ,” instructed St. Nikon of Optina, “until you drink it, you must be careful not to spit. Out of reverence, they try to beware of spitting all this day, although there is no indication of this anywhere and there is no sin in it.” More strictly on
this issue
Elder Hieroschemamonk Sampson spoke out.
Once he was asked:
Sometimes on the day of communion you accidentally spit. It is a sin?
“It’s impossible,” answered Elder Sampson. - We definitely need to collect it. And if you spit on a handkerchief, you need to wash it separately. Through the communicant, all objects are consecrated, including clothing, and even the cell.
Where to put fish bones after lunch on the day of communion?
Collect it in a piece of paper and then burn it, but don’t put it on a plate, because it might be taken to the trash. On the day of communion, do not eat meat under any circumstances, and do not drink wine, and do not visit guests, and do not receive guests. Name days are celebrated very modestly. Otherwise it happens like this: I took communion, and in the evening there is a banquet, a feast for the whole world. There is laughter, and all sorts of stupidity, and disgrace!
Dissimilar elements cannot exist together.
Meanwhile, how often in practice we act precisely contrary to both experience and consciousness: after communion we do not know the measure of food and drink. And for this we lose both the “physical” and “spiritual” grace of Communion.”
The soul and body of a person who has received the Body and Blood of the Lord are filled with Divine grace, which must be carefully preserved. This grace sanctifies not only the communicant himself, but also the space around him. Sometimes, by God's providence, people are privileged to feel the grace emanating from a communicant with their bodily senses.
One day Elder Gabriel (Zyryanov), being sick, received Holy Communion.
After communion, the monk Father Epiphanius came into his cell. Feeling the fragrance in the room, he turned to the cell attendant:
What did you perfume the old man with? My God, what an expensive perfume this must be? It smells so good...
Soon another monk, Father Abner, came to visit Father Gabriel. He also felt an extraordinary fragrance in the room and also asked the cell attendant: where and at what price were such wonderful perfumes purchased? Meanwhile, neither Elder Gabriel nor his cell attendant used perfume. “I,” Elder Gabriel later recalled, “lay broken, like one who had fallen into thieves. But I was a partaker of the Life-giving Body and Blood of Christ; and behold: the Spirit gives life! and we all hear His fragrance by smell. He, like the Gospel Samaritan, pours wine and oil of His grace onto the wounds of those who have fallen into the thieves.” After communion, we must take special care to ensure that the Lord, who has entered our hearts, is not upset by any sin.
If, by the grace of God, we have been honored to receive gifts of grace during communion, we need to preserve them, strictly observing the movements of our hearts, the thoughts of our minds, and the use of our bodily senses. Reverend Alexy Zosimovsky said: “The fruits of Holy Communion are effective if we do not offend the shrine. If we insult it, then on the same day of communion it ceases to function. How do we insult the shrine? Vision, hearing and other senses;
verbosity and condemnation. Therefore, on the day of communion, one must primarily preserve one’s eyesight and remain silent more, keeping one’s tongue shut.”
The famous Greek spiritual writer Archimandrite Cherubim (+ 1979) in his youth lived for some time on Mount Athos under the guidance of one of the Svyatogorsk elders. One day this elder invited several Athonite ascetics to his kaliva for a festive service. The all-night vigil and liturgy lasted all night. At dawn the monks took communion. Father Cherub was shocked by the fiery prayer of the righteous, the burning of their spirit and the abundant tears that flowed from their eyes.
As soon as the liturgy ended, Father Cherubim ran to prepare coffee for the participants in the service. However, before he could light the fire, everyone left.
Then Father Cherubim asked his elder:
Why did the fathers leave without drinking coffee?
After this all-night vigil, can they sit down for coffee? “They accepted Christ, a much-valued Pearl, into themselves, and immediately left so as not to lose in conversations what the all-night vigil had given them,” the elder answered.
“It has been noted,” wrote Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov), “that if a communicant goes to bed soon after communion (especially after a hearty dinner), then when he wakes up, he no longer feels grace. The holiday seemed to be over for him already. And this is understandable: devotion to sleep testifies to inattention to the heavenly Guest, Lord and Master of the world; and grace departs from the careless participant in the Royal Supper. It is better to spend this time reading, thinking, even taking a mindful walk. So I had to observe this among the monks.
But in the world you can visit a sick person, do something good for someone, or enjoy pious fellowship with your brothers, or go to the cemetery to see your dead.”
The Venerable Nektarios of Optina advised his spiritual children after communion not to rush into doing anything, but to “give yourself the benefit of half the day, read the Holy Scriptures, remain in prayer and thanksgiving to the Lord.” HOW TO BEHAVIOR DURING AND AFTER COMMUNION When approaching the holy chalice, the communicant must fold his arms crosswise on his chest, clearly pronounce his name and open his lips wide. A small particle of the Holy Gifts, as advised by the Monk Ambrose of Optina, must be swallowed whole. If the particle is large, it can be carefully crushed with your teeth. After the deacon or clergyman wipes his mouth with the cloth, he must kiss the bottom edge of the cup. You should not cross yourself or bow near the chalice. After communion, it is customary to drink “warmth” - warm water mixed with wine. You need to rinse your mouth with this “warmth” so that no particles of the Body of Christ remain there, and then swallow it. When leaving the bowl and heading towards the table with “warmth”, you should not venerate the icons. Also, there is no need to kneel or prostrate on the day of communion. Prostrations to the ground are an expression of repentant sorrow for sins, while the communicant must remain in spiritual joy and glorification of God. After receiving the Holy Mysteries, you must thank the Lord and listen in church or read prayers for Holy Communion at home. The Lord is philanthropic, but we should not and cannot offend Him with impunity with our neglect, not even considering it necessary to thank Him for the ineffable mercy towards us. Of course, we can, from the abundance of our hearts, thank the Lord for His mercy towards us sinners with our own prayers. However, we must not forget to read , determined for us by the Church. “From the moment of communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ,” instructed St. Nikon of Optina, “until you drink it, you must be careful not to spit. Out of reverence, they try to beware of spitting all this day, although there is no indication of this anywhere and there is no sin in it.” Elder Hieroschemamonk Sampson spoke more strictly on this issue. Once he was asked: “Sometimes on the day of communion you accidentally spit.” It is a sin? “You can’t,” answered Elder Sampson. - We definitely need to collect it. And if you spit on a handkerchief, you need to wash it separately. Through the communicant, all objects are consecrated, including clothing, and even the cell. - Where to put the fish bones after lunch on the day of communion? - Collect it in a piece of paper and then burn it, but don’t put it on a plate, because it might be taken to the trash. On the day of communion, do not eat meat under any circumstances, and do not drink wine, and do not visit guests, and do not receive guests. Name days are celebrated very modestly. And then it happens like this: I took communion, and in the evening there is a banquet, a feast for the whole world. There is laughter, and all sorts of stupidity, and disgrace! Regarding eating food after communion, the words of Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) are instructive: “By the way, a very remarkable and characteristic observation has been noticed: after communion you don’t want to eat “fatty” foods, but something more “subtle”, fasting. And vice versa, when a person eats fatty foods or generally overeats after communion, he can immediately observe how that light, subtle, spiritual thing perishes in him, which only before this he clearly felt. Dissimilar elements cannot exist together. The soul and body of a person who has received the Body and Blood of the Lord are filled with Divine grace, which must be carefully preserved. This grace sanctifies not only the communicant himself, but also the space around him. Sometimes, by God's providence, people are privileged to feel the grace emanating from a communicant with their bodily senses. After communion, we must take special care to ensure that the Lord, who has entered our hearts, is not upset by any sin. This day is best spent in silence and prayer or in reading the Holy Scriptures and the teachings of the holy fathers, because at this time the soul is especially receptive to goodness and the wondrous words of the Gospel will sink into the depths of the heart. It should be noted that many Athonite ascetics spend time after communion in prayerful vigil. One day, at the end of the service, the novices suggested that Elder Gabriel the Hermit lie down to rest. The elder said in response: “It is not right for us to sleep after the Divine Liturgy and Divine Communion, for we have received into ourselves the Most Pure Mysteries of Christ and the universal enemy, the devil, should not find us sleeping in order to tempt us, defile our body and soul and infuse us with unclean things.” thoughts and harmful lusts, from which the grace of God that enters us with Divine Communion disappears. “It has been noted,” wrote Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov), “that if a communicant goes to bed soon after communion (especially after a hearty dinner), then when he wakes up, he no longer feels grace. GENERALIZATION: 1. We must remain in thought about what a terrible gift we have received in its greatness. We need to thank the Lord for this and be spiritually sober, so as not to offend in any way the Divine grace that we have been honored to receive in the sacrament of the Eucharist. 2. Having the Lord Himself within us, we must use the time after communion to deepen our spiritual life, acquire virtues, and fight passions and sinful habits. 3. The Lord who dwells in us immeasurably strengthens our spiritual powers. Therefore, the period of time following the acceptance of the Holy Gifts is priceless. It must be treasured and used wisely.
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 is great amount parachurch myths and misconceptions.
This article briefly retells the answers of experienced and pious priests, gives recommendations and useful tips for 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 preparations are made. Holy Communion 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, first of all 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 catholic church 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;
*prayer canon 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.
Drink before communion, as during fasting, alcoholic drinks forbidden. 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, together with himself, afterlife pick up your passport or favorite job, bank accounts or computer with valuable information. He will appear before God with his conscience, with his sins and virtues. The Lord won't ask if you were 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 are you 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 in large church holidays. I need to read my morning books at home and evening prayers 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 religious rite, 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, a person can only determine some sins himself; they are not spelled out 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 the clergyman 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 inner 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 it Your 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).
