I have been asked the following question several times:

Can we take communion at Easter? What about Holy Week? Do we need to keep fasting to receive communion?

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

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

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

3. The dogmatic aspect of this problem is also extremely important. People are queuing to buy and eat lamb for Passover - for some, this is the only "biblical commandment" they keep in their lives (because the rest of the commandments do not suit them!). However, when the book of Exodus speaks of the slaughter of the Passover lamb, it refers to the Jewish Passover, where the lamb was a type of Christ the Lamb slain for us. Therefore, eating the Paschal lamb without communion with Christ means a return to the Old Testament and a refusal to recognize Christ "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world"(John 1:29). In addition, people bake all kinds of Easter cakes or other dishes, which we call" Easter ". But don't we know that"Our Easter is Christ"(1 Cor 5:7)? Therefore, all these Paschal dishes should be a continuation, but not a replacement for the communion of the Holy Mysteries. This is not specifically said in churches, but we should all know that Easter is first of all the Liturgy and Communion of the Risen Christ.

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

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

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

There have been cases when some Christians took communion on Easter, and the priest laughed at them in front of the entire church assembly, saying: “Wasn’t seven weeks enough for you to take communion? Why are you breaking the customs of the village?”. I would like to ask such a priest: “Didn’t four or five years of study in a spiritual institution be enough for you to decide: either you will become a serious priest, or you will go to pasture cows, because “stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Corinthians 4: 1) they can't say such stupid things..." And we must speak about this not for the sake of ridicule, but with pain about the Church of Christ, in which even such incompetent people serve. A real priest not only does not forbid people to take communion, but also calls them to this and teaches them to live in such a way that they can approach the Chalice at every liturgy. And then the priest himself rejoices at how different the Christian life of his flock is becoming. "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!".

Therefore, "with the fear of God, faith and love, let us draw near" to Christ, in order to better understand what it means "Christ is risen!" and "Truly risen!". For He Himself says:Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you will not have life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day"(John 6:53-54).

Translation by Elena-Alina Patrakova

I have been asked the following question several times:

"Can we take communion at Easter? And on Bright Week? To receive communion, do we need to continue fasting?"

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

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

3. The dogmatic aspect of this problem is also extremely important. People are lining up to buy and eat lamb for Passover - for some, this is the only "biblical commandment" they keep in their lives (because the rest of the commandments do not suit them!). However, when the book of Exodus speaks of the slaughter of the Passover lamb, it refers to the Jewish Passover, where the lamb was a type of Christ the Lamb slain for us. Therefore, eating the paschal lamb without communion with Christ signifies a return to the Old Testament and a refusal to recognize Christ as "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). In addition, people bake all kinds of Easter cakes or other dishes, which we call "Easter". But don't we know that "our Passover is Christ" (1 Cor 5:7)? Therefore, all these Paschal dishes should be a continuation, but not a replacement for the communion of the Holy Mysteries. This is not particularly mentioned in churches, but we should all know that Easter is, first of all, the Liturgy and communion of the Risen Christ.

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

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

Therefore, “with the fear of God, with faith and love, let us draw near” to Christ, in order to better understand what “Christ is risen!” means! and "Truly risen!". After all, He Himself says: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you will not have life in you. Whoever eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day "(John 6:53-54).

The Orthodox Catechism gives the following definition of this sacrament: “Repentance is a sacrament in which the one who confesses his sins, with a visible expression of forgiveness from the priest, is invisibly absolved from sins by Jesus Christ Himself.”

Each of us, at least a few times in our lives, had to admit we were wrong, saying a simple, but such, sometimes difficult to pronounce, word “sorry”. But if an unchurched person asks for forgiveness only from those whom he offended, then a Christian still asks for forgiveness from God.

Confession is not a conversation about one's shortcomings, doubts, and not a story to a confessor about one's life, it is a sacrament, and not just a pious custom. Confession is an ardent repentance of the heart, a thirst for purification.

What does the concept of confession mean, and how to prepare for it, we will try to figure it out with the help of Holy Scripture and the holy fathers.

Confession is a change of mind

The words "repentance" or "confession", unfortunately, do not accurately reflect the meaning of this sacrament. In Russian, to confess means to reveal one's sins. AT Greek the sacrament of confession is called "metanoia" - a change of mind. This means that her goal is not only to ask for forgiveness, but also to change her mind with the help of God.

The sermon of Christ calls for a change in the way of thinking and way of life, the rejection of sinful deeds and thoughts. A synonym for repentance is the word "conversion" often found in the Bible: "Turn every one from his evil way and correct your ways and your deeds" (Jer. 18:11).

To turn, explains Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh, “means to turn away from many things that had a value for us only because they were pleasant or useful to us. Conversion manifests itself, first of all, in a change in the scale of values: when God is in the center of everything, everything else takes on new places, gets a new depth. All that is God's, all that belongs to Him, is positive and real. Anything outside of Him has no value or meaning. It is an active, positive state of going in the right direction.”

Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev) notes: “Repentance is not just repentance. Judas, having betrayed the Lord, subsequently repented, but did not bring repentance. He regretted what he had done, but did not find the strength in himself either to ask for forgiveness from the Lord, or to do something good to correct the evil that he had committed. He failed to change his life, to embark on a path in which he could make amends for his former sins. This is the difference between him and the Apostle Peter: he denied Christ, but throughout his subsequent life, through the feat of confession and martyrdom, he proved his love for God and atoned for his sin a thousandfold.”

The establishment of the sacrament of confession

Repentance before God, sometimes by the whole people, is a common practice, widely encountered in times Old Testament. We can remember the righteous Noah, who called the people to repentance. We come across positive examples of repentance: the prophet Jonah called out to the Ninevites, proclaiming their doom. And the inhabitants heard his words and repented of their sins, they propitiated God with their prayers and received salvation (Jonah 3; 3).

The sacrament of confession in Christian understanding originates from apostolic times. The Acts of the Apostles says that "many of those who believed came, confessing and revealing their deeds" (Acts 19; 18).

AT Holy Scripture repentance is a necessary condition for salvation: “unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). And it is joyfully accepted by the Lord and pleasing to Him: “So in heaven there will be more joy over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous who have no need of repentance” (Luke 15:7).

It was to the apostles and their successors, the bishops, and through them to the priests, that the Lord gave the right and opportunity to forgive human sins: “Receive the Holy Spirit; and in the same way you hold, hold on (on whom you leave, on that they will remain) ”(John 20:22-23).

Confession in the first centuries did not have a strict following, like other sacraments. In different Churches there were different practices associated with local customs. But even then it was possible to distinguish several main components that were found almost everywhere. Among them, first of all, it is necessary to note personal confession before a pastor or bishop and confession before the entire church community, which was practiced until the end of the 4th century, when Patriarch Nektarios of Constantinople abolished the position of priest-confessor who dealt with matters of public Penance.

How to prepare?

A common mistake many Christians make is the vicious practice of remembering their sins while standing in line. Preparation for confession should begin long before the sacrament. Within a few days, the one who is preparing must analyze his life, remember all the deeds, thoughts, deeds that confuse his soul.

Preparation for confession does not consist in possibly fully remembering and even writing down your sin. It consists in reaching that state of concentration, seriousness and prayer, in which, as in the light, our sins will become clearly visible. The confessor should bring to the confessor not a list, but a feeling of repentance, not a detailed account of his life, but a contrite heart.

Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh in one of his sermons noted: “Sometimes people come and read a long list of sins - which I know from the list, because I have the same books that they have. And I stop them, I say: “You are not confessing your sins, you are confessing the sins that can be found in the nomocanon, in prayer books. I need your confession, or rather, Christ needs your personal repentance, and not a general stereotyped repentance. You can't feel like you've been condemned by God to eternal torment because you haven't read evening prayers either he didn’t read the canons, or he didn’t fast like that.”

Metropolitan Anthony is echoed by Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev): “Often at confession they talk not about their own sins, but about the sins of other people: son-in-law, mother-in-law, mother-in-law, daughter, son, parents, colleagues, neighbors. Sometimes the priest has to listen to stories with many actors, with stories about the sins and shortcomings of relatives and friends. All this has nothing to do with confession, because our relatives and friends will answer for their sins themselves, but we will have to answer for our sins. And if one of us does not develop relationships with relatives, colleagues, neighbors, then in preparation for confession, we must ask ourselves the question: what is my fault; what have I done wrong; What could I have done to change the situation for the better, but didn't? You should always look for your own fault first, and not blame your neighbors. Sometimes people come to complain about life. Something in life did not work out, a failure occurred, and a person comes to the priest to say how difficult it is for him. It must be remembered that a priest is not a psychotherapist, and a temple is not the place where one should come with a complaint. Of course, in some cases the priest must listen, console, encourage, but confession cannot be reduced to psychotherapy.”

The Monk Nikon of Optina, speaking of preparing for confession, advises his children “to delve deeper into themselves and carefully follow their thoughts, feelings and cry about the passionate, sinful feelings, desires, thoughts that we have, we must certainly expel them, as God objectionable, and, having driven out, by no means allow it into our hearts, for we cannot sing the song of the Lord in a passionate state.

An important point of preparation is a pure heart. Wanting to confess, a Christian must wholeheartedly ask for forgiveness from those whom he offended, and forgive his offenders. Archimandrite John (Krestyankin) says the following about this: “Before we begin to repent, we must forgive everyone everything! Forgive without delay, now! Forgive for real, and not like this: "I forgave you, but I can't see you and I don't want to talk to you!" We must immediately forgive everyone and everything, as if there were no insults, grief and hostility! Only then can we hope to receive forgiveness from the Lord.”

/N. Losev. Prodigal son. 1882./

In the gospel parable of the prodigal son, the image of "repentance" is shown - changing oneself, refusing to sin. Confession (Sacrament of Repentance) is the sacrament of the Orthodox Church, during which the one who confesses his sins with sincere repentance receives permission and forgiveness of sins from God.

Confession of sins

To bring repentance for sins, it is necessary to understand and understand what sin is. Catholic tradition, dating back to Anselm of Canterbury, defines sin in a legal plane. Sin is perceived as breaking the law, committing a crime.

The Orthodox tradition has always treated sin as a disease, which was recorded in the decision of the VI Ecumenical Council. And in the liturgical practice of the Orthodox Church, such an understanding of sin is expressed in numerous prayers, the most famous of them in the rank of Confession. To a person who confesses his sins, it is said: “Hear, therefore, for thou hast come to the doctor’s clinic, so that thou shalt not go unhealed.” Yes and just Greek word amartya, translated as "sin", has several other meanings, one of which is disease.

St. Gregory of Nyssa speaks of sin thus: “Sin is not an essential property of our nature, but a deviation from it. Just as disease and ugliness are not inherent in our nature, but are unnatural, so the activity directed towards evil must be recognized as a distortion of the good that is innate in us.

St. Ephraim the Syrian echoes him: “Sin commits violence against nature.”

“Repentance is born from love for God: it is standing before Someone, and not thinking about something. This is an appeal to the Personality, and not an impersonal assessment of what happened. The son in the parable of the prodigal son does not just talk about his sins - he repents. Here is love for the father, and not just hatred for oneself and one's deeds. In church language, repentance is the antonym of despair. You can’t go to God with the feeling “here I will repent and everything will be fine.” Repentance is connected with the expectation of healing help from outside, from the loving grace of God. Deacon Andrei Kuraev.

How often should you go to confession?

This question does not have a clear answer. The frequency of confession should be determined by the Christian himself, after consulting with his confessor. Metropolitan of Saratov and Volsk Longin in one of the programs answered the question of the viewers in the following way: “As needed, this is very individual. If there is a skill, then every time the heart hurts about some kind of sin. Someone needs it several times a month, someone - once a week, someone more often, someone less often. It is necessary to confess so often that the voice of conscience always resounds loudly in the human heart. If it starts to subside, then something is wrong.

If the confessed sin continues to torment, and the pain from it does not subside, you should not be embarrassed by this, Vladyka said. “Sin wounds the human soul. It takes time for any wound to heal, it cannot just go on and on. We are people, we have a conscience, we have a soul, and after the wound inflicted on it, of course, it hurts. Sometimes all my life. There are such situations, such sins, the wound from which remains in the human heart for a very long time, even if the person repented and received forgiveness from God.

But if these sins were no longer repeated, then there is no need to mention them again at confession, Metropolitan Longin noted. “Every sin, we know, is traditionally atoned for by penance. And this memory of sin, a mournful, painful memory, may well be perceived as a penance from God.

Children's confession

At what age should children confess, how to tell and prepare the baby for the first repentance - these questions concern many Orthodox parents. Archpriest Maxim Kozlov advises not to rush in such cases: “You cannot demand that from the age of seven all children come to confession. The norm that children should confess before Communion from the age of seven has been established since the synodal era and more early centuries. As, if I am not mistaken, Father Vladimir Vorobyov wrote in his book on the sacrament of Repentance, for many and many children today, physiological maturation is so much ahead of spiritual and psychological that most of today's children are not ready to confess at the age of seven. Isn't it time to say that this age is set by the confessor and the parent absolutely individually in relation to the child?

At the age of seven, and some even a little earlier, they see the difference between good and bad deeds, but it is too early to say that this is a conscious repentance. Only the chosen, subtle, delicate natures are capable of such early age experience it. There are amazing kids who at the age of five or six have a responsible moral consciousness, but most often these are other things. Or parents' motivations associated with the desire to have additional tool upbringing (it often happens that when a small child misbehaves, a naive and kind mother asks the priest to confess him, thinking that if he repents, he will obey). Or some kind of ape in relation to adults on the part of the child himself: they stand, they approach, the priest says something to them.

Nothing good comes from this. For the majority, moral consciousness wakes up much later. But let yourself later. Let them come at nine, ten, when they have major degree adulthood and responsibility for their lives. In fact, the earlier a child confesses, the worse it is for him - apparently, it is not in vain that children are not charged with sins until they are seven years old. Only from a rather later age do they perceive confession as a confession, and not as a list of what was said by mom or dad and written down on paper. And this formalization that occurs in a child, in the modern practice of our church life, is a rather dangerous thing.”

Why do you need a priest for confession?

Confession is not a conversation. The priest is not required to say anything. He is obliged to listen, he is obliged to understand whether a person sincerely repents. Giving advice is not always appropriate. Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh said in one of his words about confession: “Sometimes an honest priest must say: “I was sick with you with all my heart during your confession, but I can’t tell you anything about it. I will pray for you, but I cannot give advice.”

Each confession is a promise to make every effort not to return to confessed sin in the future. The priest is only a witness to your oath of allegiance to God.

The priest is endowed with the power from God to forgive those of our sins in which we bring sincere repentance. This heavy burden of responsibility and authority Christ gave to His apostles.

Why are they not allowed to take Communion?

“It’s better for you not to take communion today…” Such penance imposed by a priest is often perceived as an undeserved punishment. What are the reasons for not allowing a person to take communion? Archpriest Konstantin Ostrovsky, Rector of the Assumption Church in the city of Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region, Dean of the Churches of the Krasnogorsk District of the Moscow Diocese, answers.

The most dangerous thing is formalism

Father Konstantin, sometimes priests do not allow communion because a person has fasted not for three days, but for two. Some refuse to take communion during Bright Week or at Christmas time, because at this time the parishioners do not fast. On the other hand, there is an opinion that fasting before communion is not necessary at all - according to church calendar in a year and so about half of the fasting days.

Breaking the fast in itself does not refer to such grave sins and conditions in which a person should be prohibited from partaking of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. church rules, including about fasting, this is a gift of the Church to her children, and not a burden that one has to bear with anguish so that the priest does not scold. If a person, for some reason beyond his control, is not able to use the gift of the Church, this is a subject for patience and humility. If, due to frivolity, or partiality, or forgetfulness, a person has violated the rule given by the Church, this is a reason for repentance, but not yet for a ban. I advise all violators of fasting and other similar church regulations not to excommunicate themselves from communion arbitrarily, but to come to the service and bring the matter to the decision of the confessor. And decisions may be different, but they should never be formal. The task of the priest is not to observe the rule, but to bring benefit to a person, or at least not harm. It happens that a person is so distracted and gorged himself (even with lenten food) on the eve of communion that he himself feels the need to postpone communion. Well, let him put it off, fast, and then take communion. And it happens that someone, out of forgetfulness, put sour cream in the soup. I don't think strictness is appropriate in such cases.

As for the fast before communion, I think it should not be abolished altogether, but the severity and duration of the fast should be appropriate to the situation: different people in different circumstances should be given different tips. It is one thing when a person, for some reason, takes communion once a year, and quite another thing when on all Sundays and holidays. Both health and lifestyle habits matter. For someone, giving up meat and dairy is a real feat, but for someone sunflower oil in potatoes - an indulgence to gluttony.

The worst thing about fasting is formalism. Some demand scrupulous observance of what they read in the Typicon, others demand the abolition of strict rules. But in fact, let the rules remain as a norm, a guideline, and how and to what extent to apply them, let the priest decide in each specific case especially, praying for a person, driven by love for him and a desire to help him on the path of salvation.

As for communion on Bright Week and on the Holy Days after Christmas, then, of course, if a liturgy is served in the Church, then it is possible to receive communion. How about a post? For those who ask me, I advise you to eat all kinds of food these days, but do not overeat. But I don't want to impose anything on anyone; the worst thing, I think, in this area is the disputes over the letter. If someone wants to eat greens for Easter, there is nothing wrong with that, just don’t be proud of it and don’t condemn those who eat differently. And let those who do not fast strictly, do not consider the fasters backward and unspiritual.

Let me give you an extensive quote from the Apostle Paul: “... Some people are sure that they can eat everything, but the weak eat vegetables. Who eats, do not humiliate the one who does not eat; and whoever does not eat, do not condemn him who eats, because God has accepted him. Who are you, condemning someone else's slave? Before his Lord he stands or falls. And he will be raised, for God is mighty to raise him up. One distinguishes day from day, and another judges every day equally. Everyone act according to the assurance of his mind. He who distinguishes the days distinguishes for the Lord; and whoever does not distinguish the days does not distinguish for the Lord. Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, does not eat for the Lord, and gives thanks to God. ... And what are you judging your brother? Or are you also, that you humiliate your brother? We will all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. ... Let us no longer judge each other, but rather judge how not to give a brother a chance to stumbling or temptation. I know and am confident in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself; only to him who considers something unclean, it is unclean to him. But if your brother is grieved over food, then you no longer act out of love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. … For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:2-6, 10, 13-15, 17).

The grounds for prohibiting communion for a longer or shorter period can only be either a serious sin (fornication, murder, theft, witchcraft, denial of Christ, obvious heresy, etc.), or a moral state that is completely incompatible with communion (for example, refusal to reconcile with repentant offender).

Legalization of non-churchness

In the nineties, many priests did not allow people living in an unmarried marriage to receive communion. Patriarch Alexy II pointed out the inadmissibility of this. But what about those living in a so-called civil marriage? Formally - fornication, but in fact it can not always be called such.

Indeed, the late Patriarch Alexy II pointed out the inadmissibility of excommunicating people from communion only on the grounds that they live in an unmarried marriage. Of course, pious Orthodox Christians will not start married life without church blessing, which in our time is just taught in the sacrament of the wedding. But there are many cases when unbaptized people entered into a legal marriage, have children, love each other, and remain faithful. And so, let's say, the wife believed in Christ and was baptized, but the husband has not yet. What to do? Is their marriage now turned into fornication and must be destroyed? Of course not. Yes, the apostle Paul writes about this: “If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she agrees to live with him, then he should not leave her; and a wife who has an unbelieving husband, and he agrees to live with her, must not leave him ”(1 Cor. 7: 12-13). Surely the fulfillment of the apostolic instruction should entail a prohibition in church communion? Moreover, in the first centuries of Christianity, church weddings did not exist at all. Christians entered into marriage with the knowledge of the bishop, but according to the laws of the country, and then, together with the whole community, they partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, this was the church recognition of their marriage. The ecclesiastical ceremony of marriage took shape gradually over the course of several centuries and became obligatory everywhere for Christians entering into marriage only at the end of the first millennium.

Regarding "civil marriage", let's clarify the terminology. A civil marriage (without any quotes) is a marriage concluded according to the customs and laws of the people or state, to which the husband and wife belong. It is no coincidence that I use here, together in themselves, the various terms "custom" and "law", "people" and "state", because at different times and in different places the legality of a marriage can be defined in different ways. How to treat people who live in a family way, but who have not legally formalized their relationship in any way? Can they be allowed to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ? In the vast majority of cases, such cohabitation is unacceptable from a church point of view, and people must either enter into a legal marriage, or part with their cohabitants, and only then receive permission for sins in the sacrament of confession and be accepted into church fellowship. But there are difficult situations when a lawless family was created by non-church people and children were born to them. Here is an example from life: people have been living as spouses for many years, consider themselves husband and wife, but the marriage has not been registered. They have three children. About two years ago, the wife believed in Christ and came to the Church, she was told that the marriage must be registered. She agrees, tries to persuade her husband, but he refuses, says that all his friends who have signed are already divorced, but he does not want to get divorced. Of course, I don’t agree with him, that is, I think that I need to sign, but he doesn’t come to me for advice. And his wife can't convince him. She goes to the temple, takes the children to communion (her husband even helps her with this), the children study with us in Sunday school. Really, in this situation, it would be necessary to forbid this woman to take communion or demand from her to destroy the family, even if it was unregistered? The rule requiring Christians to enter into marriages in accordance with state laws is wise and should, of course, be observed. But we must not forget that although the law is higher than lawlessness, love is still higher than the law.

For some serious sins (murder, practicing the occult), excommunication from communion is expected for almost 20 years. Nobody canceled these rules, but today they are practically not applied.

It seems to me that today long-term penance cannot fulfill its functions - healing the soul, reconciling it with God. In Byzantium it was possible. All the people there lived the church life, and the one who committed a serious sin remained a member of the community that was gathered around the Church. Just imagine: everyone goes to the service, and he remains on the porch. He doesn’t go to the movies and he doesn’t lie on the sofa by the TV, but he stands on the porch and prays! After a while, he begins to enter the temple, but cannot receive communion. All these years of penance, he prayerfully repents, realizing his unworthiness. And what will happen today if we excommunicate a person from communion for five years? Not a member of the community, but most likely someone who came to confession for the first time in his life at the age of 40-50-60. As he did not go to church before, so now he will not. Moreover, “legally,” he will say: the priest did not allow me to take communion, so I lie at home, drink beer, and when the period of penance passes, I will go to take communion. It will be so, only not everyone will live to see the end of the penance, and of those who live, many will forget about God. That is, today modern conditions By imposing a long-term penance on a person who first came to the temple, we essentially legalize his non-churchhood. Meaning? After all, a person who is in mortal sin and does not want to repent, change his life, and so cannot receive communion until repentance. If he has changed, laments about what he has done, I believe that even with the most serious sins, if it is forbidden for him to take communion, then not for long, especially for those who came for the first time.

The attitude towards church people should be more strict. Fortunately, church people do not often fall into grave mortal sins, but I remember a case when a regular parishioner who had been going to church for many years had an abortion and took communion. Here penance was appropriate, and the woman did not grumble when she was appointed to her, a man has a conscience. But when a pensioner comes, whom her grandmother took to communion as a child, then she became a pioneer, a Komsomol member, lost her way, had an abortion, and 40 years later she thought about God, what kind of penance can there be? And even if an abortion was recently performed, but by a non-church woman who walked the ways of this world, and now she believed and repented, I also do not think that penance should be imposed on her. I note, by the way, that a priest can impose even small penances only with the consent of the penitent himself. Only the ecclesiastical court itself and the ruling bishop have the right to ecclesiastical court. As for long-term penances, this is all the more not within the competence of the parish priest.

Communion should not be considered a feat

How often, in your opinion, should a layman take communion? Is it possible to take communion every day at Christmas time or Bright Week?

It is absolutely normal when the whole community gathers on a Sunday or other holiday for the liturgy and everyone partakes of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. True, this norm is forgotten by most of us. And daily communion was just not the norm, because the liturgy was not served every day. But since then a lot of water has flowed under the bridge, church customs have changed, and not only because of the lack of spirituality among the parishioners and the clergy, there are also factors that do not depend on specific people. Now, I think, it is impossible to introduce or even recommend general rules for all.

There are people who recognize themselves as Orthodox, who do not fall into grave mortal sins, who, however, take communion only three or four times a year and do not feel the need for more. I do not think that they should be forced or even persuaded to take communion more often. Although, as far as possible, I try to explain to all Christians the meaning and salvation of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood.

If an Orthodox person takes communion on all Sundays and holidays, this is natural for a Christian. If for some reason it does not work out, let it be as it turns out. Once a month, it seems to me, every person can get out to the temple for communion, but if this is not possible, what can you do. The Lord welcomes the intention. Only it is not necessary to consider communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ a feat! If so, then it is better not to take communion at all. The body and blood of Christ is not our feat, but the grace of God. But if someone wants to take communion several times in a row during the Bright Week, not in the order of achievement, but in simplicity, then what's wrong with that? If a person is not hindered by anything, I usually do not mind. But in order to constantly take communion every day, there must be serious reasons. In and of itself, this has never been a church norm. Here is St. Theophan the Recluse in last years communed every day of his life. Let everyone look at what really incites him to extraordinarily frequent communion: the grace of God or his own vain fantasies. It is also good to consult with a confessor.

Confessors themselves must approach human souls with great caution. I remember once I had to confess to an old woman (I was still a novice priest at that time), she said that she did not want to, but she took communion every day. "How so?" I asked. She replied that her spiritual father told her so. I tried to dissuade the old woman from such an absurd, in my opinion, feat, but the authority of the spiritual father prevailed. I don't know how it ended.

The question of the communion of the laity throughout the year, and especially at Pascha, at Bright Week and during Pentecost, seems to many to be debatable. If no one doubts that on the day of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ on Holy Thursday we all receive Communion, then there are different points of view about Communion at Easter. Supporters and opponents find confirmation of their arguments from various fathers and teachers of the Church, indicate their pro et contra.

The practice of Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ in the fifteen Local Orthodox Churches changes in time and space. The fact is that this practice is not an article of faith. The opinions of individual fathers and teachers of the Church of different countries and eras are perceived as teologomene, that is, as a private point of view, therefore, at the level of individual parishes, communities and monasteries, a lot depends on the specific rector, abbot or confessor. There are also direct decisions of the Ecumenical Councils on this subject.

During fasting, there are no questions: we all take communion, purely preparing ourselves in fasting, prayer, in deeds of repentance, for this is the tithe of the annual circle of time - Great Lent. But how to take communion on Bright Week and during Pentecost?
Let us turn to the practice of the ancient Church. “They were constantly in the teaching of the Apostles, in communion and breaking bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42), that is, they constantly took communion. And the whole book of Acts says that the first Christians of the apostolic age took communion constantly. Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ was for them a symbol of life in Christ and an essential moment of salvation, the most important thing in this fleeting life. Communion was everything to them. Thus says the apostle Paul: “For to me life is Christ, and death is gain” (Phil. 1:21). Constantly partaking of the Holy Body and Blood, Christians of the early centuries were ready both for life in Christ and for death for the sake of Christ, as evidenced by the acts of martyrdom.

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

The Four Gospels do not regulate sacramental discipline. Evangelical weather forecasters speak not only of the Last Supper in Zion Upper Room Eucharist, but also about those cases that were prototypes of the Eucharist. On the way to Emmaus, on the shores of the Lake of Gennesaret, during a miraculous fish catch... In particular, during the multiplication of loaves, Jesus says: “But I do not want to let them go without eating, lest they become weak on the way” (Matt. 15:32). Which road? Not only leading home, but also on life path. I don't want to leave them without Communion - that's what the Savior's words are about. We sometimes think: "This person is not clean enough, he should not receive communion." But it is to him, according to the Gospel, that the Lord offers Himself in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, so that this person does not weaken on the road. We need the Body and Blood of Christ. Without it, we will be much worse off.

Evangelist Mark, speaking about the multiplication of loaves, emphasized that Jesus, having gone out, saw a multitude of people and had compassion (Mk. 6:34). The Lord took pity on us, because we were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus, in multiplying the loaves, acts like a good shepherd who gives his life for the sheep. And the Apostle Paul reminds us that every time we eat the Eucharistic Bread, we proclaim the death of the Lord (1 Cor. 11:26). It was the 10th chapter of the Gospel of John, the chapter on the good shepherd, that was the ancient Easter reading, when everyone took communion in the church. But how often you need to take communion, the Gospel does not say.

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

What is Communion? A reward for good behavior, for fasting or praying? No. Communion is that Body, that is the Blood of the Lord, without which, if you perish, you will perish completely.
Basil the Great answers in one of his letters to a woman named Caesarea Patricia: “It is good and beneficial to commune every day and partake of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ, since [the Lord] Himself clearly says: “He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood, has eternal life." Who doubts that to partake unceasingly of life is nothing but to live in many ways?” (that is, to live with all mental and bodily forces and feelings). Thus, Basil the Great, to whom we often attribute many penances that excommunicate for sins, highly valued worthy Communion every day.

John Chrysostom also permitted frequent Communion, especially at Pascha and Bright Week. He writes that one should incessantly resort to the Sacrament of the Eucharist, partake of Communion with due preparation, and then one can enjoy what one desires. After all, the true Pascha and the true feast of the soul is Christ, Who is offered as a Sacrifice in the Sacrament. Forty days, that is, the Great Fast, happens once a year, and Easter is three times a week, when you take communion. And sometimes four, or rather, as many times as we want, for Easter is not a fast, but Communion. Preparation is not to read three canons for a week or forty days of fasting, but to purify one's conscience.

It took the prudent thief a few seconds on the cross to clear his conscience, recognize the Crucified Messiah and be the first to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Some need a year or more, sometimes their whole life, like Mary of Egypt, to partake of the Most Pure Body and Blood. If the heart demands Communion, then it should take communion both on Great Thursday and on Great Saturday, which this year accounts for the Annunciation, and at Easter. Confession, on the other hand, is enough on the eve, unless the person has committed a sin that must be confessed.

“Whom should we praise,” says John Chrysostom, “those who take Communion once a year, those who often take Communion or those who rarely? No, let us praise those who come with a clear conscience, with a pure heart, with an impeccable life.
And confirmation that Communion is also possible on Bright Week is found in all the most ancient anaphoras. In the prayer before Communion, it is said: “Vouchee with Your sovereign hand to give us Your Most Pure Body and Precious Blood, and by us to all people.” We also read these words at the Paschal Liturgy of John Chrysostom, which testifies to the general Communion of the laity. After Communion, the priest and the people thank God for this great grace, which they are honored with.

The problem of sacramental discipline became debatable only in the Middle Ages. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the Greek Church experienced a deep decline in theological education. From 2nd half of XVIII century, the revival of spiritual life in Greece begins.

The question of when and how often to take communion was raised by the so-called kolivads, monks from Athos. They got their nickname because of their disagreement to perform a memorial service over the koliv on Sundays. Now, 250 years later, when the first kolyvads, such as Macarius of Corinth, Nicodemus the Holy Mountaineer, Athanasius of Parius, became glorified saints, this nickname sounds very worthy. “The memorial service,” they said, “distorts the joyful nature of Sunday, on which Christians should take communion, and not commemorate the dead.” The dispute about koliva continued for more than 60 years, many kolyvads underwent severe persecution, some were removed from Athos, deprived of their priesthood. However, this dispute served as the beginning of the theological discussion on Athos. Kolivady was recognized by all as traditionalists, and the actions of their opponents looked like attempts to adapt the Tradition of the Church to the needs of the time. They, for example, argued that only clergymen could receive communion during Bright Week. It is noteworthy that St. John of Kronstadt, also a protector frequent Communion, wrote that the priest who takes communion on Easter and on Bright Week alone, but does not commune with his parishioners, is like a shepherd who shepherds only himself.

You should not refer to some Greek books of hours, which indicate that Christians should take communion 3 times a year. A similar prescription migrated to Russia, and until the beginning of the 20th century, communion was rare in our country, mainly on Great Lent, sometimes on Angel Day, but no more than 5 times a year. However, this instruction in Greece was connected with the imposed penances, and not with the prohibition of frequent Communion.

If you want to take communion during Bright Week, you need to understand that worthy Communion is connected with the state of the heart, not the stomach. Fasting is a preparation, but by no means a condition that can prevent Communion. The main thing is that the heart be cleansed. And then you can take communion on the Bright Week, trying not to overeat the day before and refrain from quick food for at least one day.

Today, many sick people are forbidden to fast at all, and people who suffer from diabetes are allowed to eat even before Communion, not to mention those who need to take medicine in the morning. The essential condition of fasting is life in Christ. When a person wants to take communion, let him know that no matter how he prepares, he is not worthy of Communion, but the Lord wants, desires and gives Himself as a Sacrifice so that a person becomes a partaker of the Divine nature, so that he is converted and saved.

Fasting and Prayer Before Communion

Until this year, I confessed and took communion only once in my life, in adolescence. Recently I decided to take communion again, but I forgot about fasting, prayers, confession... What should I do now?

According to the canons of the Church, before communion, abstinence from intimate life and communion on an empty stomach are obligatory. All the canons, prayers, fasting are simply means to set oneself up for prayer, repentance and the desire to improve. Even confession, strictly speaking, is not obligatory before communion, but this is the case if a person regularly confesses to one priest, if he does not have canonical obstacles to communion (abortion, murder, going to fortune-tellers and psychics ...) and there is the blessing of the confessor is not always necessary to confess before communion (for example, Bright Week). So in your case, nothing particularly terrible happened, and in the future you can use all these means of preparing for communion.

How long to fast before communion?

Strictly speaking, the "Typicon" (charter) says that those who wish to receive communion must fast during the week. But, firstly, this is a monastic charter, and the “Book of Rules” (canons) contains only two necessary conditions for those wishing to take communion: 1) the absence of intimate marital relations (not to mention prodigal ones) on the eve of communion; 2) Communion must be taken on an empty stomach. Thus, it turns out that fasting before communion, reading canons and prayers, confession are recommended for those preparing for communion in order to more fully evoke a repentant mood. In our time on round tables devoted to the topic of Communion, the priests came to the conclusion that if a person observes all four major fasts during the year, fasts on Wednesday and Friday (and this time takes at least six months a year), then the Eucharistic fast is enough for such a person, i.e. . take communion on an empty stomach. But if a person has not gone to church for 10 years and decided to take communion, then he will need a completely different format for preparing for communion. All these nuances must be coordinated with your confessor.

Is it possible for me to continue preparing for communion if I had to break the fast on Friday: they asked me to remember the person and gave non-fast food?

You can say this in confession, but this should not be an obstacle to communion. For breaking the fast was forced and justified in this situation.

Why are kakons written in Church Slavonic? Because they are so hard to read. My husband doesn't understand anything he reads and gets angry. Maybe I should read aloud?

It is customary in the Church to hold services in Church Slavonic. We also pray in the same language at home. This is not Russian, not Ukrainian, and no other. This is the language of the Church. There are no obscenities, swear words in this language, and in fact, you can learn to understand it in just a few days. After all, he has Slavic roots. This is the question of why we use this particular language. If your husband is more comfortable listening while you read, you can do so. The main thing is that he listens carefully. I advise you in free time sit down and parse the text with a Church Slavonic dictionary in order to better understand the meaning of the prayers.

My husband believes in God, but somehow in his own way. He believes that it is not necessary to read prayers before confession and communion, it is enough to recognize sins in oneself and repent. Isn't this a sin?

If a person considers himself so perfect, almost holy, that he does not need any help in preparing for communion, and prayers are such help, then let him take communion. But he remembers the words of the Holy Fathers that we then partake worthily when we consider ourselves unworthy. And if a person denies the need for prayers before communion, it turns out that he already considers himself worthy. Let your husband think about all this and with heartfelt attention, reading the prayers for communion, prepare to receive the holy Mysteries of Christ.

Is it possible to be in the evening service in one church, and in the morning for communion in another?

There are no canonical prohibitions against such practice.

Is it possible to read the canons and the following to the sacrament during the week?

It is better with attention, thinking about the meaning of what is being read, so that it is really a prayer, to distribute the recommended rule for communion for a week, starting with the canons and ending with prayers for communion on the eve of receiving the Mysteries of Christ, than to subtract thoughtlessly in one day.

How to fast and prepare for communion while living in a 1-room apartment with unbelievers?

The Holy Fathers teach that one can live in the desert and have a noisy city in one's heart. And you can live in a noisy city, but there will be peace and quiet in your heart. So, if we want to pray, we will pray in any conditions. People prayed both in sinking ships and in the trenches under bombardment, and this was the most pleasing prayer to God. Who seeks, he finds opportunities.

Communion of children

When to Communion a Baby?

If in churches the Blood of Christ is left in a special chalice, then such babies can be communed at any moment, at any time, as long as there is a priest. This is especially true in big cities. If there is no such practice, then a child can be communed only when a liturgy is performed in the temple, as a rule, on Sunday and on major holidays. With babies, you can come to the end of the service and take communion in general order. If you come with babies to the beginning of the service, they will begin to cry and thus interfere with the prayers of the rest of the believers, who will grumble and be indignant at unreasonable parents. Drinking in small quantities can be given to an infant of any age. Antidor, prosphora is given when the child is able to use it. As a rule, babies are not communed on an empty stomach until they are 3-4 years old, and then they are taught to take communion on an empty stomach. But if a 5-6-year-old child, out of forgetfulness, drank or ate something, then he can also be communed.

The daughter from the year partakes of the Body and Blood of Christ. Now she is almost three, we have moved, and in the new temple the priest gives her only Blood. At my request to give her a piece, he made a remark about the lack of humility. Reconcile?

At the level of custom, indeed, in our Church, a baby up to 7 years old is communed only with the Blood of Christ. But if a child is accustomed to communion from the very cradle, the priest, seeing the adequacy of the baby when he grows up, can already give the Body of Christ. But you need to be very careful and control so that the child does not spit out a particle. Usually, full Communion is given to infants when the father and the baby get used to each other, and the priest is sure that the child will fully consume Communion. Try once to talk with the priest on this topic, motivating your request by the fact that the child is already accustomed to partaking of both the Body and the Blood of Christ, and then humbly accept any reaction from the priest.

What to do with clothes that a child vomited on after communion?

The part of the garment that has come into contact with the sacrament is cut out and burned. We patch the hole with some kind of decorative patch.

My daughter is seven years old and she will have to go to confession before taking communion. How can I prepare her for this? What prayers should she read before communion, what about a three-day fast?

The main rule in preparing for the reception of the Holy Mysteries in relation to young children can be concluded in two words: do no harm. Therefore, parents, especially mothers, must explain to the child why confess, for what purpose to take communion. And the prescribed prayers and canons are gradually, not immediately, perhaps even read with the child. Start with one prayer, so that the child does not overwork, so that it does not become a burden for him, so that this coercion does not push him away. Similarly, with regard to fasting, limit both the time and the list of prohibited foods, for example, give up only meat. In general, at first it is necessary that the mother understands the meaning of preparation, and then, without fanaticism, she gradually teaches her child step by step.

The child has been vaccinated against rabies. He can't drink alcohol for a whole year. What to do with the sacrament?

Believing that the sacrament is the best medicine in the universe, when we approach it, we forget about all the limitations. And according to our faith, we will heal both the soul and the body.

The child was prescribed a gluten-free diet (bread is not allowed). I understand that we eat the Blood and Body of Christ, but the physical characteristics of the products remain wine and bread. Is Communion possible without partaking of the Body? What is in wine?

Once again, the sacrament is the best medicine in the world. But, given the age of your child, you can, of course, ask to receive communion only with the Blood of Christ. The wine used for communion may be real wine made from grapes with added sugar for strength, or it may be a wine product made from grapes with added sugar. ethyl alcohol. What kind of wine is used in the temple where you take communion, you can ask the priest.

Every Sunday the child was communed, but the last time when he approached the Chalice, he began to have a terrible hysteria. The next time it happened in another temple. I'm desperate.

In order not to aggravate backlash child for communion, you can try to just go to the temple without taking communion. You can try to introduce the child to the priest, so that this communication will smooth out the child’s fear, and over time, he will again begin to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ.

Communion for Easter, Bright Week

Is it necessary to observe a three-day fast, subtract the canons and the following in order to take communion for Bright Week?

Beginning with the night liturgy and throughout all the days of Bright Week, communion is not only permitted, but also commanded by the 66th Canon of the Sixth Ecumenical Council. Preparation these days consists in reading the Paschal canon and following Holy Communion. Starting from the week of Antipascha, communion is prepared as throughout the year (three canons and a follow-up).

How to prepare for communion in continuous weeks?

The Church, as a loving mother, cares not only for our souls, but also for our bodies. Therefore, on the eve of, for example, a rather difficult Great Lent, it gives us some relief in food through a continuous week. But this does not mean that we are forced to eat more fast food these days. That is, we have a right, but not an obligation. So how you want to prepare for communion, so prepare. But remember the main thing: first of all, we prepare our soul and heart, cleansing them with repentance, prayer, reconciliation, and the stomach comes last.

I heard that on Easter you can take communion, even if he did not fast. Is it true?

some special rule, allowing to receive communion precisely on Easter without fasting and without preparation, no. On this issue, the answer must be given by the priest after direct communication with the person.

I want to take communion on Easter, but I ate soup on non-fasting broth. Now I'm afraid that I can't take communion. What do you think?

Remembering the words of John Chrysostom, which are read on Easter night, that those who fast do not condemn those who do not fast, but we all rejoice, you can boldly approach the sacrament of communion on Easter night, deeply and sincerely realizing your unworthiness. And most importantly, bring to God not the contents of your stomach, but the contents of your heart. And for the future, of course, we must strive to fulfill the commandments of the Church, including fasting.

During communion, the priest in our church reprimanded me for not coming to communion during fasting days, but coming at Pascha. What is the difference between communion in the Easter service and "simple" Sunday?

You need to ask your father for this. For even the canons of the Church welcome Communion not only at Pascha, but throughout the entire Bright Week. No priest has the right to forbid a person to take communion at any liturgy, if there are no canonical obstacles to doing so.

Communion of the elderly and sick people, pregnant women, nursing mothers

How to Approach Communion for the Elderly at Home?

It is advisable to invite a priest to sick people at least during Great Lent. Will not interfere with other posts. Necessarily during an exacerbation of the disease, especially if it is clear that the case is coming to an end, without waiting for the patient to fall into unconsciousness, his swallowing reflex will disappear or he will vomit. He must be in a sober mind and memory.

My mother-in-law recently passed away. I offered to invite the priest home for confession and communion. Something was stopping her. Now she is not always conscious. Please advise what to do.

The Church accepts the conscious choice of a person, without violating his will. If a person, being in memory, wanted to start the sacraments of the Church, but for some reason did not do this, then in case of clouding of the mind, remembering his desire and consent, you can still make such a compromise as communion and unction (this is how we commune infants or insane). But if a person, being in his right mind, did not want to accept the sacraments of the Church, then even in the event of a loss of consciousness, the Church does not force the choice of this person and cannot receive communion or unction. Alas, it is his choice. Such cases are considered by the confessor, directly communicating with the patient and his relatives, after which the final decision is made. In general, of course, it is best to find out your relationship with God in a conscious and adequate state.

I am diabetic. Can I take communion if I take a pill in the morning and eat?

In principle, it is possible, but if you wish, you can limit yourself to a pill, take communion at the first services, which end in the early morning. Then eat healthy. If it’s impossible without food for health reasons, then stipulate this at confession and take communion.

I have a thyroid disease, I can't go to church without drinking water and eating. If I go on an empty stomach, it will become bad. I live in the provinces, the priests are strict. Does that mean I can't take communion?

If it is required for medical reasons, there are no prohibitions. In the end, the Lord does not look into the stomach, but into the heart of a person, and any literate, sane priest should understand this very well.

For several weeks now I have not been able to take communion due to bleeding. What to do?

Such a period can no longer be called an ordinary female cycle. Therefore, it is already a disease. And there are women who have similar phenomena for months. In addition, and not necessarily for this reason, but for some other reason, during such a phenomenon, the death of a woman may also occur. Therefore, even the rule of Timothy of Alexandria, which forbids a woman from taking communion during " women's days”, however, for the sake of mortal fear (threat to life) allows communion. There is such an episode in the Gospel when a woman suffering from bleeding for 12 years, desiring healing, touched the robes of Christ. The Lord did not condemn her, but on the contrary, she received recovery. Considering all of the above, a wise confessor will bless you to take communion. It is quite possible that after such a Medicine you will be healed of a bodily ailment.

Does the preparation for confession and communion differ for pregnant women?

For military people participating in hostilities, the service life is considered as a year for three. And during the Great Patriotic War in Soviet army soldiers were even given front-line 100 grams, although in peacetime vodka and the army were incompatible. For a pregnant woman, the time of bearing a child is also “time of war”, and the Holy Fathers understood this very well when they allowed pregnant and lactating women to relax in fasting and prayer. Pregnant women can still be compared with sick women - toxicosis, etc. And the rules of the church (the 29th canon of the holy apostles) for the sick are also allowed to relax the fast, up to its complete abolition. In general, every pregnant woman, according to her own conscience, based on the state of her health, determines the measure of fasting and prayer herself. I would recommend taking communion as often as possible during pregnancy. Prayer Rule communion can be performed while sitting. You can also sit in the temple, you can not come to the beginning of the service.

General questions about the sacrament

In recent years, after the Sunday Liturgy, I begin to have severe headaches, especially on the days of Communion. With what it can be connected?

Similar cases in various variations occur quite frequently. Look at all this as a temptation in a good deed and, of course, continue to go to church for services without succumbing to these temptations.

How often can you take communion? Is it necessary to read all the canons before communion, observe fasting and go to confession?

The purpose of the Divine Liturgy is the communion of believers, that is, bread and wine are turned into the Body and Blood of Christ in order to be eaten by people, and not just by the serving priest. In ancient times, a person who was at the liturgy and did not take communion was then obliged to give an explanation to the priest why he did not. At the end of each liturgy, the priest, appearing in the Royal Doors with the Chalice, says: "Come with the fear of God and faith." If a person takes communion once a year, then he needs both a preliminary weekly fast in food and canons with prayers, and if a person observes all four major fasts, fasts every Wednesday and Friday, then he can take communion without an additional fast, fasting with the so-called Eucharistic fast , i.e. take communion on an empty stomach. As for the rule for communion, we must realize that it is given in order to arouse repentant feelings in us. If we often take communion and we have this feeling of repentance and it is difficult for us to read the rule before each communion, then we can omit the canons, but it is advisable to read the prayers for communion after all. At the same time, one must remember the words of St. Ephraim the Syrian: “I am afraid to take communion, realizing my unworthiness, but even more so - to be left without communion.”

Is it possible to receive communion on Sunday if you were not at the all-night vigil on Saturday because of obedience to your parents? Is it a sin not to go to the service on Sunday if relatives need help?

To such a question, the conscience of a person will give the best answer: was there really no other way out not to go to the service, or is this a reason to skip prayer on Sunday? In general, of course, Orthodox person it is desirable, according to the commandment of God, to be every Sunday at the service. Before Sunday afternoon, it is generally desirable to be at the Saturday evening service, and especially before Communion. But if for some reason it was not possible to be in the service, and the soul longs for communion, then, realizing one’s unworthiness, one can take communion with the blessing of the confessor.

Is it possible to take communion on a weekday, i.e., after communion go to work?

It is possible, at the same time, to protect the purity of your heart as much as possible.

How many days after communion do not bow and bow to the ground?

If the liturgical charter (during Great Lent) prescribes prostrations, then already starting from the evening service they can and should be laid. And if the charter does not provide for bows, then on the day of communion only bows are performed from the waist.

I want to take communion, but the day of communion falls on the anniversary of the pope. How to congratulate the father, so as not to offend?

For the sake of peace and love, you can congratulate your father, but do not stay long at the holiday so as not to “spill” the grace of the sacrament.

Batiushka refused me communion because my eyes were tinted. Is he right?

Probably, the priest thought that you are already a mature enough Christian to realize that people go to church not to emphasize the beauty of their bodies, but to heal their souls. But if a beginner has come, then under such a pretext it is impossible to deprive him of communion, so as not to forever scare him away from the Church.

Is it possible, having received communion, to receive a blessing from God for some work? Successful job interview, IVF procedure...

People take communion for the healing of soul and body, expecting to receive some help and God's blessing in good deeds through the sacrament. And IVF, according to church teaching, is a sinful and unacceptable business. Therefore, you can take communion, but this does not mean at all that this sacrament will help in the unpleasing work you have planned. The sacrament cannot automatically guarantee the fulfillment of our requests. But if we try to lead at all christian image life, then, of course, the Lord will help us, including in earthly matters.

My husband and I go to confession and communion in different churches. How important is it for spouses to partake of the same Chalice?

No matter what Orthodox canonical church we take communion in, anyway, by and large, we all take communion from the same Chalice, consuming the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. From this it follows that it is absolutely unimportant whether spouses commune in the same church or in different ones, for the Body and Blood of the Savior are the same everywhere.

Prohibitions for communion

Can I go to communion without reconciliation, for which I have neither the strength nor the desire?

In the prayers before communion there is a kind of announcement: “Although eat, man, the Body of the Lady, first reconcile thee to those who grieve.” That is, without reconciliation, a priest cannot allow a person to take communion, and if a person decides to take communion arbitrarily, then he will take communion in condemnation.

Is it possible to receive communion after desecration?

It is impossible, it is only allowed to taste the prosphora.

Can I take communion if I live in an unmarried civil marriage and confessed my sins on the eve of communion? I intend to continue such a relationship, I'm afraid, otherwise my beloved will not understand me.

It is important for a believer to be understood by God. And God will not understand us, seeing that the opinion of people is more important for us. God wrote to us that fornicators do not inherit the Kingdom of God, and according to the canons of the Church, such a sin excommunicates a person from communion for many years, even if he reforms. And the cohabitation of a man and a woman without a signature in the registry office is called fornication, this is not a marriage. People living in such "marriages" and taking advantage of the indulgence and kindness of the confessor, in fact, really set them up before God, because the priest has to take on their sin if he allows them to take communion. Unfortunately, such a promiscuous sex life has become the norm of our time, and the shepherds no longer know where to go, what to do with such flocks. Therefore, take pity on your fathers (this is an appeal to all such prodigal cohabitants) and legitimize your relationship at least in the registry office, and if you mature, then receive a blessing for marriage and through the sacrament of the wedding. You have to make a choice what is more important for you: the eternal destiny of your soul or temporary bodily comforts. After all, even confession without the intention to improve in advance is hypocritical and resembles a trip to the hospital without a desire to be treated. To admit you to communion or not, let your confessor decide.

The priest imposed a penance on me and excommunicated me from communion for three months, because I had an affair with a man. Can I confess to another priest and, with his permission, receive communion?

For fornication (intimacy outside of marriage), according to the rules of the Church, a person can be excommunicated from communion not for three months, but for several years. You do not have the right to cancel the penance imposed by another priest.

My aunt told fortunes on the nut, then she confessed. The priest forbade her to take communion for three years! How should she be?

According to the canons of the Church, for such actions (in fact, classes in the occult), a person is excommunicated from communion for several years. So everything that the priest you mentioned has done is within his competence. But, seeing sincere repentance and a desire not to repeat anything like this again, he has the right to shorten the period of penance (punishment).

I have not yet completely got rid of sympathy for Baptism, but I want to go to confession and take communion. Or wait until I am completely sure of the truth of Orthodoxy?

Whoever doubts the truth of Orthodoxy cannot proceed to the sacraments. So try to fully assert yourself. For the Gospel says that “according to your faith it will be given to you,” and not according to formal participation in the sacraments and rites of the church.

Communion and other sacraments of the Church

I was invited to be the godmother of the child. How long before baptism should I take communion?

These are not interconnected ordinances. In principle, you must take communion constantly. And before baptism, think more about how to be a worthy godmother, who cares about the Orthodox upbringing of the baptized.

Is it necessary to confess and receive communion before the unction?

In principle, these are unrelated sacraments. But since it is believed that unrecognized sins that are the cause of human illnesses are forgiven in unction, there is a tradition that we repent of those sins that we remember and know, and then we unify.

Superstitions about the sacrament of communion

Is it permissible to eat meat on the day of communion?

A person, when going to see a doctor, takes a shower, changes his underwear... Similarly, an Orthodox Christian, preparing for Communion, fasts, reads the rules, comes to Divine Services more often, and after Communion, if it is not a fast day, you can eat any food , including meat.

I heard that on the day of communion you can not spit anything and kiss anyone.

On the day of communion, any person takes food and does it with a spoon. That is, in fact, and, oddly enough, licking a spoon many times while eating, a person does not eat it with food :). Many are afraid to kiss the cross or icons after communion, but they “kiss” the spoon. I think you already understand that all the actions that you mentioned can be done after drinking the sacrament.

Recently, in one of the churches, the priest instructed confessors before communion: “Do not dare to come to communion, those who brushed their teeth or chewed gum this morning.”

I also brush my teeth before work. You don't really need to chew gum. When we brush our teeth, we take care not only of ourselves, but also that others around us do not hear an unpleasant smell from our breath.

I always go to communion with a bag. The temple worker told her to leave. I got annoyed, left my bag and, in a state of anger, took communion. Is it possible to approach the Chalice with a bag?

Probably the devil sent that grandmother. After all, the Lord does not care what we have in our hands when we approach the Holy Chalice, for He looks into the heart of a person. However, there was no point in getting angry. Repent of this in confession.

Is it possible to contract some kind of disease after communion? In the temple where I went, it was required not to lick the spoon, the priest himself threw a piece into his wide open mouth. In another temple, they corrected me that I was taking the sacrament incorrectly. But it's very dangerous!

At the end of the service, the priest or deacon consumes (finishes) the sacrament left in the Chalice. And this despite the fact that in the vast majority of cases (what you wrote, I generally hear for the first time that a priest “loads” the sacrament into his mouth, like an excavator), people take communion by taking the sacrament with their lips and touching a liar (spoon). I myself have been using the remaining Gifts for more than 30 years, and neither I nor any of the other priests have ever suffered from any infectious diseases after that. Going to the Cup, we must understand that this is a Sacrament, and not an ordinary plate of food from which many people eat. Communion is not ordinary food, it is the Body and Blood of Christ, which, in fact, cannot initially be sources of infection, just as icons and holy relics cannot be the same source.

My relative says that communion on the day of the feast of St. Sergius of Radonezh is equal to 40 communions. Can the Sacrament of Communion be stronger on one day than on another?

Communion for any Divine Liturgy has the same power and meaning. And in this case there can be no arithmetic. The one who receives the Mysteries of Christ should always be equally aware of his unworthiness and be grateful to God for allowing him to partake of communion.