When is communion in church? The sacrament of communion in the Orthodox Church: what is communion for, how to prepare for it, how does communion take place in the church, what time does it start on Saturday and Sunday and how long does it last? How to prepare for communion

What is communion in church? And what is it for? This question is answered by the modern Greek preacher and theologian Archimandrite Andrei (Konanos).

Jesus Christ himself established the Sacrament of Communion at the last meal with the Apostles - his disciples before he was taken into custody and then crucified.

Communion of the Flesh and Blood of Christ (Eucharist - Greek "thanksgiving") is performed at every Liturgy (morning service) and is essentially the goal of every Liturgy. During communion unity is restored between the Creator and his creation.

“God became man so that man might become deified” (Athanasius the Great)

The mystical secret of the Eucharist (bread and wine) lies in the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross. By shedding His Blood and crucifying His Flesh on the Cross, He restored our fallen human nature. This is why he came - to bring us this medicine for our salvation - the medicine of communion of the Body and Blood of the Savior.

It is difficult to comprehend this mystery, that taking communion - eating the Flesh and Blood of Christ - is not a symbolic action, but a very real one. Archimandrite Andrei (Konanos) in his Conversation on Holy Communion says that thanks to the sacrament “THE BLOOD OF CHRIST FLOWS IN OUR VEINS.”

Some people believe that taking communion several times a year is enough. But, according to one of the priests, our soul needs cleansing even more often than our body. At the same time, we don’t forget to wash ourselves almost every day, but we rarely worry about cleansing the soul in the sacrament of communion!

Why is communion needed in church? The answer in the Gospel is in the words of Jesus Christ Himself

Contemporary Greek preacher Archimandrite Andrei (Konanos) on Holy Communion

Reflections by Archimandrite Andrei (Konanos) on how miraculously our lives would change if we realized the mystery of the sacrament.

Holy Communion cleanses everyone, just as the Holy Spirit cleanses. You cannot become infected with anything through the sacrament. It's like taking something dirty out into the sun. Sunlight dirt cannot harm, on the contrary: the sun will whiten clothes and make them clean again.

According to statistics, priests live the longest. As a rule, priests die at a very old age. They constantly take communion, consume Holy Communion and live for so many years. And neither science nor human logic can explain this.

Saint Andrew of Crete, as a child, spoke for the first time after communion - although before that he was mute. Saint John of Kronstadt gave communion to people with such faith that after communion many miracles occurred - the sick were healed by receiving the Gifts of the Communion.

When we receive communion, we are like children playing with precious stones and they don’t understand what it is.

If we realized the meaning of Communion in our lives, our lives would change a lot for the better, including in your own family. During communion, God Himself enters into us. And our body becomes one with His body, Christ’s blood flows in our veins, our breath becomes His breath.

In such moments of awareness of the greatness of the Sacrament of Communion, we long to receive communion of Christ (to receive communion means to become part of him), this is the purpose of the Holy Liturgy. The liturgy is served in order for us to receive communion. And those who do not receive communion, let us rejoice for those who do receive communion. And be jealous of them, and try to quickly correct your shortcomings so that you too can receive communion!

I hope, friends, you have received an answer to the question: “What is communion in church and why is it needed?” You can learn how to receive communion correctly, how to go to confession for the first time, how to prepare for communion and confession from this article.

Watch this video. Archpriest Andrey Tkachev “About Holy Communion”:

I wish everyone not to be discouraged, enjoy life and thank God for everything!

Infants are not given communion on Wednesday and Friday of Lent. Any other day is possible.
Children usually do not fast either the day before or on the morning of communion, this is how he can stand it. For me, Sashka sometimes doesn’t eat in the morning.
The schedule in churches is different, look at what time the liturgy begins. From the beginning to communion it takes 1 - 1.5 hours, you should arrive 15-30 minutes before communion.
Crosses, of course, should be on you and the baby. There, realize, the priest will come out with the Chalice, everyone will line up, the babies will be let in first. Come up and say his name in full, with which you were baptized. Then you'll go get something to drink. That seems to be all. It happens that children get scared out of habit and cry, then there is no need to force them, just stand aside, next time they will agree. 12/20/2002 22:11:50, Olga Ovodova

Natasha, everything is much simpler, the main thing is that they are not afraid - no one in the church bites, and don’t be shy to ask the grannies when it comes to the child, they all fall into tenderness and will tell you everything, the main thing is not to anger them with tight jeans and bare heads. They always give communion during the morning service - the Liturgy, but it’s better if you go up to the priest and say that you want to give communion to your child for the first time (if you want to, it’s a little stricter), he’ll say everything. It’s not clear how old the child is, but if he’s probably been eating meat for a year, it’s better, of course, not to eat before communion, but it’s unlikely he’ll do without breakfast, ours can also chew an apple in an hour in church (in any case, it’s better than a tired, crying child), if this is your first time, then estimate how long he can calmly spend himself in the church, I love the service and we go to the beginning, but Sashka is already used to it. For me, coming 5 minutes before communion is not very clear, at least 30-40 minutes before, because it’s not for yourself, but for the child, although of course it’s up to you, but usually the kids like it in church)), even those who are visiting for the first time. That seems to be all, look at how others will give communion at the beginning and do the same. I hope you (and you will like it too) and this will not be the last time.))) 12/20/2002 19:07:43, OleNkaM

>>I'm wondering if it's possible to brush your hair during Lent?
Yes, sure

>>Is it possible to feed a child meat a day in advance?
A small child usually does not fast.

>>What time should you come to church?
If for the communion itself - approximately an hour after the start of the liturgy, where and how, it is better to ask behind the candle box in the church where you are going.

>>What should you take with you?
Place the cross on the child.

>>Is it necessary to defend an entire service?
Optional. As a rule, small children are brought to the temple immediately before Communion.

>>What day should I come?
Any day in the morning when there is a service in the church (Divine Liturgy).

>>Who should I contact?
You can simply go “to the front row” of those praying after everyone has loudly sung “Our Father” and wait for Communion. Children receive communion before adults.

>>And most importantly, what should we say?
Take the child in your arms, if he is small, then lay him down in your arms, with his head to your right elbow. If he’s older, just pick him up and fold his arms crosswise on his chest (right one on top). Approaching the priest, say clearly full name child. After Communion is given into his mouth with a spoon, he will need to kiss the bottom of the cup (or simply kiss it). Then you need to go to a table where you will be given to wash down Communion with a small amount of warm wine, heavily diluted with water. Like that. 12/20/2002 19:02:18, Emily

Ideally, a child should receive communion every week and, of course, during Lent too. There is no need to fast (the little one just won’t be able to do it), you can eat and drink. It’s better to arrive at the end of the service (or rather, at communion), because it will be difficult for both you and your child to stand through the entire service, but I know that there are heroes who have calm children, they go to the entire service. Communion is given on any day when there is a service in the church. Children are given communion first and usually all the old women vigorously “push” mother and child forward and clear the way for them. So go ahead. And advice: if you are afraid that your child will be scared or that he is generally averse to the spoon, then it is better to put him on right hand, with the other hand, hold the baby’s arms and bring him to the thicket in a lying position. This is how the youngest are usually given communion. Then the same grandmothers themselves will indicate where the drinks are. 12/20/2002 18:59:16, trapezund

You can and should take communion during Lent :), if you take communion at all, then fasting is no different, the only thing is that there are days when there is no communion. On weekends and holidays (major church holidays), communion is required. Feeding meat... is an individual matter, it depends on the traditions in the family, in principle, no one requires young children to observe fasts, but I would not feed... there will be no harm to health, other than benefit, from temporarily abstaining from meat, but somehow it’s better... You need to come not at the end of the service, as they wrote below, but at the middle, because communion is not at all at the end. Usually this is about an hour and a half from the start of the liturgy; you can find out about the start time of the service by calling the temple or looking at the schedule near it. But sometimes in some churches they serve quite quickly, then it can be an hour from the beginning. A child under three years old does not have to be given communion strictly on an empty stomach, but if he may not eat in the morning, it is better not to feed him. It’s also not necessary to approach the priest separately and take a blessing for communion (they said below that it’s necessary), but if you do, that’s also a good idea. You don’t need anything with you, except maybe take a spoon to drink it (after communion, come and drink it - there’s a table there and they pour it into everyone’s cups, you can take a spoon if you don’t want to drink from a common cup). It’s better on Sunday or just find out in advance whether there is a liturgy and communion on that day. Speak is the child's full name, with which he was baptized. He (if large enough) folds his arms crosswise on his chest; if he is small, you take him in your arms, on your right hand. Afterwards, you can feed, there is no need to spit and give something that needs to be spat out. 12/20/2002 18:51:08, Motherland

The first inhabitants of the Earth, the ancestors Adam and Eve, lived in Paradise, not knowing the need for anything. According to the conviction of the evil Serpent, they tasted the forbidden fruit - they sinned and were expelled to Earth. Modern man succumbs to other temptations, like Adam and Eve, and by his actions becomes ineligible for Paradise. It is never too late to ask God for forgiveness, while in earthly life you must have a firm desire not to sin - to confess and take communion. What communion is in the church and how it is performed requires clarification, because not everyone knows about it.

What does it mean to take communion in church?

Awareness of one's own sinfulness entails a desire to repent, that is, to admit a wrong action and the intention not to commit such a thing in the future. To ask for forgiveness for sins committed - to confess, and to reunite with him in soul - to take communion in church, to feel like part of a big God's grace. Communion is prepared from bread and wine, which are the blood and flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ.

How does communion work?

The main condition for receiving communion is confession with the priest, spiritual rebirth, in which a person admits the mistakes he has made and sincerely asks for forgiveness not from the priest, but from God himself. During church services, bread and wine are invisibly transformed into church communion. Taking communion is a Sacrament, through which a person becomes an heir to the kingdom of God, an inhabitant of paradise.

What is the sacrament for?

For a believer, the sacrament gives relief from bad thoughts, helps to fight the attacks of evil in everyday affairs, serves as spiritual reinforcement, and leads to inner spiritual rebirth. The unequivocal answer regarding thinking about whether it is necessary to take communion is yes. The human soul is the creation of the Lord, his spiritual child. Every person, coming to an earthly parent, rejoices if he has not seen him for a long time, and every soul rejoices when coming to God, the heavenly father, through this ritual.

On what days can you take communion in church?

It is taken on days when the Divine Service is held in the church. A person decides how often he can receive communion on his own. The Church recommends that at every fast, and there are 4 fasts, you come to confession and receive communion, preferably annually. If a person has not come to church for a long time - has not received communion, and the soul requires repentance, there is no need to be afraid of condemnation from the priest, it is better to come to confession right away.

How to properly take communion in church?

It is customary to follow the rules indicating. After confession, the priest gives his blessing to receive Holy Communion, which is celebrated on the same day. At the liturgy, after the Lord’s Prayer, the communicants approach the steps leading to the altar and wait for the priest to take out the Chalice. It is not appropriate to be baptized in front of the cup; you must listen carefully to the prayer.

At such a moment, there is no need to fuss, create a crowd - slowly approach the communion, letting children and the elderly pass first. In front of the Holy Chalice, fold your arms over your chest, say your name, open your mouth and swallow a piece, kiss the edge of the bowl, then go to the table with warm tea and prosphora, wash down the communion. After such actions, it is allowed to kiss icons and talk. It is prohibited to receive communion twice on the same day.

How to prepare for communion?

Preparation for the communion of an adult is to fast, make peace with enemies, not harbor feelings of hatred or malice, realize sinful offenses, regret what was done wrong, abstain from bodily pleasures for several days, perform repentant prayers, confess. The decision to give communion to seriously ill people is made by the priest without special preparation.

People who are in mortal danger, if they do not have the opportunity to prepare to receive the Holy Sacraments, are not deprived of the opportunity to receive communion. Church-baptized children under 7 years of age are allowed to receive communion without confession or fasting. Infants after the Sacrament of Baptism, they can take communion very often, they are given a small particle - a drop under the guise of Blood.

Fasting before Communion

Before communion, it is customary to fast, to abstain from eating meat, dairy, and fish products for 3-7 days, unless the same fast established by the church for everyone falls during this period, for example, Christmas or Great Lent. Deciding whether one can receive communion if one has not fasted due to the physical state of a person’s health must be done only on the advice of a clergyman. The exception to the rule is children under seven years of age and people whose health does not allow them to adhere to such a nutritional system.

The answer to the question whether it is possible for a repentant person to receive communion without confession is no. The priest listens to the sins of the repentant not out of curiosity, he is a mediator who testifies to God that the person repented, came to church, regretted, and expressed a desire to start life over a new leaf. The priest who confesses the person makes a decision on admission to communion and gives a blessing based on specific rules, and not personal motives.

Prayers before communion

On the day preceding communion, from the evening until the reception of the Sacraments, they refuse to eat and drink water, do not smoke cigarettes, and do not allow intimate relationships. You should first read - appeals to God, in which he expresses his sinfulness in words and asks for forgiveness. Before confessing, they read the prayers of repentance called canons:

• canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ;
• prayer canon to the Most Holy Theotokos;
• canon to the Guardian Angel;
• following to Holy Communion.

It is difficult to read the prayers prescribed before communion in one evening; it is permissible to divide the reading of the rules over 2-3 days. The Canon for Communion (Rule for Communion) is read the night before, after which there are prayers for the coming sleep. Prayers before Communion (Rule for Communion) are read in the morning on the day of Communion, after morning prayers.

Is it possible to receive communion during menstruation?

You cannot take church communion if a woman is menstruating. For Orthodox Christians, communion is a holiday of spiritual triumph; it is customary to prepare for it in advance, and not to put off the possibility of repentance until later. Coming to the temple, a person leads his soul to a living source - by receiving communion he renews mental strength, and through a healed soul, bodily weaknesses are healed.

Confession (repentance) is one of the seven Christian Sacraments, in which the penitent, confessing his sins to the priest, with visible forgiveness of sins (reading a prayer of absolution), is invisibly absolved from them. By the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. This sacrament was established by the Savior, who said to His disciples: “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose (untie) on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Gospel of Matthew, chapter 18, verse 18). And in another place: “Receive the Holy Spirit: whose sins you forgive, their sins are forgiven; on whomever you leave it, it will remain on him” (Gospel of John, chapter 20, verses 22-23). The apostles transferred the power to “bind and loose” to their successors - the bishops, who in turn, when performing the Sacrament of ordination (priesthood), transfer this power to the priests.

The Holy Fathers call repentance the second baptism: if at baptism a person is cleansed from the power of original sin, transmitted to him at birth from our first parents Adam and Eve, then repentance washes him from the filth of his own sins, committed by him after the Sacrament of Baptism.

In order for the Sacrament of Repentance to be accomplished, the following are necessary on the part of the penitent: awareness of his sinfulness, sincere heartfelt repentance for his sins, the desire to leave the sin and not repeat it, faith in Jesus Christ and hope in His mercy, faith that the Sacrament of Confession has the power to cleanse and wash away, through the prayer of the priest, sincerely confessed sins.

The Apostle John says: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1st Epistle of John, chapter 1, verse 7). At the same time, you hear from many: “I don’t kill, I don’t steal, I don’t

I commit adultery, so what should I repent of?” But if we take a closer look at God's commandments, we will find that we sin against many of them. Conventionally, all sins committed by a person can be divided into three groups: sins against God, sins against neighbors and sins against oneself.

Ingratitude to God.

Disbelief. Doubt in faith. Justifying one's disbelief through an atheistic upbringing.

Apostasy, cowardly silence when the faith of Christ is blasphemed, not wearing a cross, visiting various sects.

Taking the name of God in vain (when the name of God is mentioned not in prayer or in pious conversation about Him).

Oath in the name of the Lord.

Fortune telling, treatment with whispering grandmothers, turning to psychics, reading books on black, white and other magic, reading and distributing occult literature and various false teachings.

Thoughts about suicide.

Playing cards and other gambling games.

Failure to comply with morning and evening prayer rules.

Failure to visit the temple of God on Sundays and holidays.

Failure to observe fasts on Wednesday and Friday, violation of other fasts established by the Church.

Careless (non-daily) reading of the Holy Scriptures and soul-helping literature.

Breaking vows made to God.

Despair in difficult situations and disbelief in God's Providence, fear of old age, poverty, illness.

Absent-mindedness during prayer, thoughts about everyday things during worship.

Condemnation of the Church and its ministers.

Addiction to various earthly things and pleasures.

Continuation of a sinful life in the sole hope of God’s mercy, that is, excessive trust in God.

It’s a waste of time watching TV shows and reading entertaining books to the detriment of time for prayer, reading the Gospel and spiritual literature.

Concealing sins during confession and unworthy communion of the Holy Mysteries.

Arrogance, philanthropy, i.e. excessive hope for own strength and on someone’s help, without trusting that everything is in God’s hands.

Raising children outside the Christian faith.

Hot temper, anger, irritability.

Arrogance.

Perjury.

Mockery.

Stinginess.

Non-repayment of debts.

Failure to pay money earned for work.

Failure to provide assistance to those in need.

Disrespect for parents, irritation with their old age.

Disrespect for elders.

Lack of diligence in your work.

Condemnation.

Appropriation of someone else's property is theft.

Quarrels with neighbors and neighbors.

Killing your child in the womb (abortion), inducing others to commit murder (abortion).

Murder with words is bringing a person through slander or condemnation to a painful state and even to death.

Drinking alcohol at funerals for the dead instead of intense prayer for them.

Verbosity, gossip, idle talk. ,

Reasonless laughter.

Foul language.

Self-love.

Doing good deeds for show.

Vanity.

The desire to get rich.

Love of money.

Envy.

Drunkenness, drug use.

Gluttony.

Fornication - inciting lustful thoughts, unclean desires, lustful touching, watching erotic films and reading such books.

Fornication is the physical intimacy of persons not related by marriage.

Adultery is a violation of marital fidelity.

Unnatural fornication - physical intimacy between persons of the same sex, masturbation.

Incest is physical intimacy with close relatives or nepotism.

Although the above sins are conditionally divided into three parts, ultimately they are all sins both against God (since they violate His commandments and thereby offend Him) and against their neighbors (since they do not allow true Christian relationships and love to be revealed ), and against themselves (because they interfere with the salvific dispensation of the soul).

Anyone who wants to repent before God for their sins must prepare for the Sacrament of Confession. You need to prepare for confession in advance: it is advisable to read literature on the Sacraments of Confession and Communion, remember all your sins, you can write them down on

a separate piece of paper to review before confession. Sometimes a piece of paper with the listed sins is given to the confessor to read, but the sins that especially burden the soul must be told out loud. No need to tell your confessor long stories, it is enough to state the sin itself. For example, if you are at enmity with relatives or neighbors, you do not need to tell what caused this enmity - you need to repent of the very sin of judging your relatives or neighbors. What is important to God and the confessor is not the list of sins, but the repentant feeling of the person being confessed, not detailed stories, but a contrite heart. We must remember that confession is not only an awareness of one’s own shortcomings, but, above all, a thirst to be cleansed of them.

In no case is it acceptable to justify yourself - this is no longer repentance! Elder Silouan of Athos explains what real repentance is: “This is a sign of the forgiveness of sins: if you hated sin, then the Lord forgave you your sins.” It is good to develop the habit of analyzing the past day every evening and bringing daily repentance before God, writing down serious sins for future confession with your confessor. It is necessary to reconcile with your neighbors and ask for forgiveness from everyone who was offended.

When preparing for confession, it is advisable to strengthen your evening prayer rule by reading

Canon of Penance

, which is in the Orthodox prayer book.

Starting from the age of seven, children (adolescents) begin the Sacrament of Communion, like adults, only after first performing the Sacrament of Confession. In many ways, the sins listed in the previous sections are also inherent in children, but still, children's confession has its own characteristics.

To motivate children to sincere repentance, you can pray for them to read the following list of possible sins:

Did you lie in bed in the morning and therefore skip the morning prayer rule?

Did you not sit down at the table without praying and did you not go to bed without praying? Do you know the most important ones by heart? Orthodox prayers

: “Our Father”, “Jesus Prayer”, “Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice”, a prayer to your Heavenly patron, whose name you bear?

Did you go to church every Sunday? Have you been interested in various amusements in church holidays

instead of visiting the temple of God? Did you behave properly? church service

, didn’t he run around the temple, didn’t he have empty conversations with his peers, thereby leading them into temptation?

Did you pronounce the name of God unnecessarily?

Are you performing the sign of the cross correctly, are you not in a hurry, are you not distorting the sign of the cross?

Were you distracted by extraneous thoughts while praying?

Do you read the Gospel and other spiritual books? Do you wear pectoral cross

and aren't you ashamed of him?

Aren't you using a cross as a decoration, which is sinful?

Do you wear various amulets, for example, zodiac signs?

Didn’t you tell fortunes, didn’t you tell fortunes?

Didn’t you hide your sins before the priest in confession out of false shame, and then receive communion unworthily?

Were you not proud of yourself and others of your successes and abilities?

Have you ever argued with someone just to gain the upper hand in the argument?

Did you deceive your parents for fear of being punished?

During Lent, did you eat something like ice cream without your parents’ permission?

Did you listen to your parents, didn’t you argue with them, didn’t you demand an expensive purchase from them?

Have you ever beaten anyone? Did he incite others to do this?

Did you offend the younger ones?

Did you torture animals?

Did you gossip about anyone, did you snitch on anyone?

Have you ever laughed at people with any physical disabilities?

Have you tried smoking, drinking, sniffing glue or using drugs?

Didn't you use foul language?

Have you played cards?

Have you ever engaged in handjobs?

Did you appropriate someone else's property for yourself?

Have you ever had the habit of taking without asking what does not belong to you?

Was he pretending to be sick to evade his responsibilities?

Were you jealous of others?

The above list is only a general outline of possible sins. Each child may have his own, individual experiences associated with specific cases. The task of parents is to prepare the child for repentant feelings before the Sacrament of Confession. You can advise him to remember his misdeeds committed after the last confession, write his sins on a piece of paper, but you should not do this for him. The main thing: the child must understand that the Sacrament of Confession is a Sacrament that cleanses the soul from sins, subject to sincere, sincere repentance and the desire not to repeat them again.

Confession is performed in churches either in the evening after the evening service, or in the morning before the start of the liturgy. Under no circumstances should you be late for the start of confession, since the Sacrament begins with the reading of the rite, in which everyone who wishes to confess must prayerfully participate. When reading the rite, the priest turns to the penitents so that they say their names - everyone answers in an undertone. Those who are late for the start of confession are not allowed to the Sacrament; the priest, if there is such an opportunity, at the end of confession reads the rite for them again and accepts confession, or schedules it for another day. Women cannot begin the Sacrament of Repentance during the period of monthly cleansing.

Confession usually takes place in a church with a crowd of people, so you need to respect the secret of confession, not crowd next to the priest receiving confession, and not embarrass the person confessing, revealing his sins to the priest.

Confession must be complete. You cannot confess some sins first and leave others for next time. Those sins that the penitent confessed in pre-

In large churches, due to the large number of penitents and the inability of the priest to accept confession from everyone, a “general confession” is usually practiced, when the priest lists out loud the most common sins and the confessors standing in front of him repent of them, after which everyone takes turns to come up for a prayer of absolution . Those who have never been to confession or have not gone to confession for several years should avoid general confession. Such people must undergo private confession - for which they need to choose either a weekday, when there are not many people confessing in the church, or find a parish where only private confession is performed. If this is not possible, you need to go to the priest during a general confession for a prayer of permission, among the last, so as not to detain anyone, and, having explained the situation, open up to him about your sins. Those who have.

grave sin

Many devotees of piety warn that a grave sin, about which the confessor remained silent during general confession, remains unrepentant, and therefore not forgiven.

After confessing sins and reading the prayer of absolution by the priest, the penitent kisses the Cross and the Gospel lying on the lectern and, if he was preparing for communion, takes a blessing from the confessor for communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. In some cases, the priest may impose penance on the penitent - spiritual exercises intended to deepen repentance and eradicate sinful habits. Penance must be treated as the will of God, expressed through the priest, requiring mandatory fulfillment for the healing of the soul of the penitent. If it is impossible to various reasons

To perform penance, you should contact the priest who imposed it to resolve the difficulties that have arisen.

Those who wish not only to confess, but also to receive communion, must prepare worthily and in accordance with the requirements of the Church for the Sacrament of Communion.

Regardless of when the Sacrament of Confession is celebrated in the church - in the evening or in the morning, it is necessary to attend the evening service on the eve of communion.

In the evening, before reading prayers for bedtime, three canons are read: Repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ, Mother of God, Guardian Angel. You can read each canon separately, or use prayer books where these three canons are combined. Then the canon for Holy Communion is read before the prayers for Holy Communion, which are read in the morning. For those who find it difficult to perform such a prayer rule in

one day, take a blessing from the priest to read three canons in advance during the days of fasting.

It is quite difficult for children to follow all the prayer rules for preparing for communion. Parents, together with their confessor, need to choose the optimal number of prayers that the child can handle, then gradually increase the number of necessary prayers needed to prepare for communion, up to the full prayer rule for Holy Communion.

For some, it is very difficult to read the necessary canons and prayers. For this reason, others do not confess or receive communion for years.

Many people confuse preparation for confession (which does not require such a large volume of prayers read) and preparation for communion. Such people can be recommended to begin the Sacraments of Confession and Communion in stages. First, you need to properly prepare for confession and, when confessing your sins, ask your confessor for advice. We need to pray to the Lord to help us overcome difficulties and give us strength to adequately prepare for the Sacrament of Communion.

Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ is a Sacrament established by the Savior Himself during the Last Supper: “Jesus took bread and, blessing it, broke it and, giving it to the disciples, said: Take, eat: this is My Body. And taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Gospel of Matthew, chapter 26, verses 26-28).

During the Divine Liturgy, the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is performed - bread and wine are mysteriously transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ and the communicants, receiving Them during Communion, mysteriously, incomprehensible to the human mind, are united with Christ Himself, since He is all contained in every Particle of the Sacrament .

Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ is necessary to enter eternal life.

The Savior Himself speaks about this: “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.

He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day...” (Gospel of John, chapter 6, verses 53 - 54).

private traders, folding their hands on their chests crosswise (right over left), decorously, without crowding, in deep humility approach the Holy Chalice. A pious custom has developed to let children go to the Chalice first, then men come up, and then women. You should not be baptized at the Chalice, so as not to accidentally touch it. Having said his name out loud, the communicant, with his lips open, accepts the Holy Gifts - the Body and Blood of Christ. After communion, the deacon or sexton wipes the communicant’s mouth with a special cloth, after which he kisses the edge of the Holy Chalice and goes to a special table, where he takes the drink (warmth) and eats a piece of prosphora. This is done so that not a single particle of the Body of Christ remains in the mouth. Without accepting the warmth, you cannot venerate either the icons, the Cross, or the Gospel.

After receiving the warmth, the communicants do not leave the church and pray with everyone until the end of the service. After the emptiness (the final words of the service), the communicants approach the Cross and listen carefully to the prayers of thanksgiving after Holy Communion. After listening to the prayers, the communicants ceremoniously disperse, trying to preserve the purity of their souls, cleansed of sins, for as long as possible, without wasting time on empty talk and deeds that are not good for the soul. On the day after communion of the Holy Mysteries, bows to the ground are not made, and when the priest gives a blessing, they are not applied to the hand.

You can only venerate icons, the Cross and the Gospel. The rest of the day must be spent piously: avoid verbosity (it is better to remain silent in general), watch TV, exclude marital intimacy, it is advisable for smokers to abstain from smoking.

Depending on his condition, the sick person is adequately prepared for confession and communion. In any case, he can receive communion only on an empty stomach (with the exception of dying people). Children under seven years of age do not receive communion at home, since they, unlike adults, can only receive communion with the Blood of Christ, and the reserve Gifts with which the priest administers communion at home contain only particles of the Body of Christ, saturated with His Blood. For the same reason, infants do not receive communion at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, celebrated on weekdays during Great Lent.

Each Christian either himself determines the time when he needs to confess and receive communion, or does this with the blessing of his spiritual father. There is a pious custom of receiving communion at least five times a year - on each of the four multi-day fasts and on the day of your Angel (the day of remembrance of the saint whose name you bear).

How often it is necessary to receive communion is given by the pious advice of the Monk Nicodemus the Holy Mountain: “True communicants are always, following Communion, in a tactile state of grace. The heart then tastes the Lord spiritually.

But just as we are constrained in body and surrounded by external affairs and relationships in which we must take part for a long time, the spiritual taste of the Lord, due to the splitting of our attention and feelings, is weakened day by day, obscured and hidden...

Therefore, zealots, sensing its impoverishment, hasten to restore it in strength, and when they restore it, they feel that they are tasting the Lord again.”

Published Orthodox parish in the name of St. Seraphim Sarovsky, Novosibirsk.

One of the main sacred rites Orthodox Church- communion of the believer. The sacrament of the Eucharist, performed sincerely, at the call of the soul, has great importance for a Christian. Going through a sacred ceremony with an understanding of the essence and importance of the ritual leads to sincere repentance, receiving forgiveness, and spiritual cleansing.

What is communion

Belonging to a religious denomination implies adherence to traditions. What is the Eucharist? The most important religious rite involves receiving from the hands of a clergyman and then eating bread and wine, symbolizing the Flesh and Blood of Jesus Christ. The sacrament includes prayers, bows, chants, and preaching. Communion in church introduces a person to God and strengthens the spiritual connection with the Higher powers. To conduct a ceremony in a church, the purity of the believer, both physical and mental, is required. Communion must be preceded by confession and preparation.

Sacrament of Communion

The ritual originates from the Last Supper, which preceded the crucifixion of Christ. Having gathered with his disciples at the table, the Savior took the bread, divided it into parts and distributed it with the words that it was His Flesh. Then Christ blessed the cup of wine, calling its contents his Blood. The Savior commanded his followers to always perform a ceremony in memory of Him. This custom is followed by the Russian Orthodox Church, in which the rite of the Eucharist is celebrated daily. In pre-Petrine times, there was a decree according to which all laity were obliged to take communion in church at least once a year.

Why Holy Communion is Necessary

The sacrament of communion is of great importance for a believer. A layman who does not want to perform the rite of the Eucharist moves away from Jesus, who commanded to observe tradition. Disruption of communication with God leads to confusion and fear in the soul. A person who regularly receives communion in church, on the contrary, strengthens his religious faith, becomes more peaceful, and closer to the Lord.

How to take communion in church

The Eucharist is the first step taken by a person towards God. This act must be conscious and voluntary. To confirm the purity of his intention, a layman should prepare for communion in church. First you need to ask for forgiveness from those who may be offended by you. For several days before the ceremony, an adult needs:

• Observe fasting by refusing to use meat dishes, eggs, dairy products. Dietary restrictions are imposed for a period of one to three days, depending on the physical condition.
• Give up the habit of “eating” yourself and others. Internal aggression should be kept to a minimum. You need to behave kindly to others; selfless help to your neighbors is useful.
• Eliminate foul language, tobacco, alcohol from everyday life, intimacy.
• Do not attend entertainment events or watch entertaining television programs.
• Read evening morning prayers.
• Attend Liturgies, listen to sermons. It is especially recommended to attend the evening service on the eve of the day of communion and read the Sermon.
• Study spiritual literature, read the Bible.
• Confess on the eve of communion in church. This requires understanding life, events, and actions. Sincere confession is needed not only as preparation for communion. Repentance makes a believer purer, gives a feeling of lightness and freedom.

Rite of Communion

On the day of the ceremony, you need to skip breakfast and come to the temple early, feel the atmosphere of the place, get ready, and tune in to the right mood. What is communion in church? The sacrament begins during the service, closer to its end. The Royal Doors open, and a relic is brought out to visitors - a bowl with consecrated gifts - Cahors and bread. The dishes are symbols of the Flesh and Blood of the Savior. The bowl is placed on a special platform called the pulpit. The priest reads prayer of thanksgiving intended for communion.

How to take communion in church? The priest gives each parishioner who approaches the bowl a taste of the dish from a spoon. You need to get closer, cross your arms across your chest, say your name. Then you should kiss the base of the bowl. You can leave the temple after the end of the service. Before leaving you need to kiss the cross. A ritual performed sincerely and with all the heart brings the believer closer to Christ and gives the soul happiness and salvation. It is important to preserve holy grace in the heart after communion, and not to lose it outside the church.

How children receive communion

Communion of a child is important for his spiritual maturation. The ritual is necessary so that the baby is under the care of the guardian angel in whose honor he was baptized. The first communion in the church occurs after baptism. Children under seven years of age are not required to go to confession the day before. It doesn’t matter how often the baby’s parents take communion in church or whether they do it at all.

Important rule children's communion in church - carrying out the ceremony on an empty stomach. Allowed to have breakfast small child. It is better to feed the baby at least half an hour before the ceremony so that he does not burp. After three years, it is advisable to bring children to church on an empty stomach, but there is no strict rule. It is important that the child gradually gets used to the restrictions during preparation. For example, you can remove games, cartoons, meat, something very tasty. Compliance prayer rules children are not required.

You can come to communion with babies. You are allowed to arrive early with older children, depending on how long the child can stand standing in the temple. Children often lack patience; on the contrary, they have a lot of energy. This needs to be understood and not force the child to stand in one place, instilling a dislike for the ritual. During communion, an adult pronounces the name for a small child. When the baby grows up, he must identify himself.

How does communion happen to the sick?

If a person, for health reasons, is unable to listen to the liturgy or take communion within the walls of the church, this can easily be resolved by performing the ceremony at home. Seriously ill patients are allowed by the canons of Orthodoxy to undergo the procedure. It is not necessary to read prayers and fast. However, confession and repentance for sins are necessary. Patients are allowed to receive communion after eating. Clergy often visit hospitals to give confession and communion to people.

How often can you take communion?

The ritual must be performed when the soul desires it, when there is an internal need. The number of sacraments is not regulated by representatives of the Patriarchate. Most believers receive communion once or twice a month. The ceremony is necessary for special occasions- at weddings, baptisms, name days, during great holidays. The only restriction is the ban on communion more than once a day. The holy gifts are served from two church vessels; you only need to try from one.

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