How to prepare for Holy Communion. Briefly about the sacrament of Confession. How to prepare to receive the Holy Mysteries of Christ

Church life is filled with different rules and rituals. But there is one most important one - this is the Sacrament of Communion. However, you need to know exactly how to take communion in church. Otherwise, strict church orders can be violated. It is believed that this is an insult to God; such a sin should not be allowed. Therefore, this issue should be taken seriously.

What is Communion

Before taking communion in church, you need to devote several days to preparation. This is the most important Sacrament of the seven that exist in Orthodoxy. Catholics have similar sacraments. Protestant churches have different views on this issue.

During the Last Supper, Christ gave communion to his disciples for the first time and offered them bread and wine. Until the moment of the Savior’s death on the cross, people sacrificed animals as a prototype of future trials of the Son of God. After He was resurrected, there was no longer any need for other offerings. Therefore, prayers are now read over bread and wine. They also administer Communion.

Why do the churches demand that parishioners take communion and confess? How to do it right? This is a symbol of the unity of God with man. Christ Himself commanded that people do this. The sacrament transforms bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus. By accepting them, the believer accepts the Lord into himself. He maintains his spiritual strength at the proper level.

Communion gives a great “charge” of spirituality. It is especially important that this Sacrament be performed on the sick and dying. The living should start it regularly. At least once during Lent, preferably on every major holiday.

How to prepare for communion

In the Orthodox Church, everyone is not allowed to participate in the sacrament. A number of conditions must be met:

be an Orthodox Christian;

maintain strict fasting (at least 3 days);

read all the necessary prayers;

go to confession after the All-Night Vigil;

come to Liturgy in the morning.

Only if all these conditions are fulfilled will a parishioner be able to properly receive communion in the Church. In some churches, confession is not accepted the night before, but in the morning during the service. But then it turns out that during the Divine service people are distracted by standing in lines. It is still better to confess when there is no need to rush and there is no crowd around.

The following are allowed to the Sacrament without confession:

infants (children under 6 years old) - however, it is not advisable to feed them before the service;

those who received Baptism the day before - but they also need to fast and also read prayers.

The fast must be strict - you must give up all animal food (meat, fish, all dairy, eggs). The church calendar will help you find your way. It indicates which products are allowed. On some days, vegetable oil may also be prohibited. For sick and elderly people, the priest can make an exception, but in general it is not customary to relax the fast. You should also not drink after 12 midnight until the very moment of Communion.

How to confess in church correctly

Many are also concerned about the question of how to properly confess in church - embarrassment and inexperience get in the way. But in order to prove to God your firm desire to improve, you will have to overcome your fears. The priest is only a witness, he has seen and heard a lot, so it is unlikely that he will be greatly surprised. But before you approach your confessor, you need to prepare.

Since many people feel nervous during confession, there is a tradition of writing down their sins on a piece of paper. At the end of confession, the priest takes this “list” and tears it up, as a sign that the Lord forgives everything. To compose a confession, you can use a special brochure, or simply take the 10 commandments and think about how you sinned against each.

During confession, you should not blame others, thereby justifying your negative behavior. Example: a wife yelled at her husband and said that it was “himself to blame” because he came drunk. Let it be so, but in any situation you must restrain yourself, act with love, without insults. Just like confessing in church, it is necessary to talk only about yourself, and not about others.

There is also no need to boast that there are no sins against some commandments. And is this so? Adultery is considered not only physical betrayal, but even thoughts about it. Smoking is a slow form of suicide, and this is the gravest sin. In addition, the smoker harms those around him, aggravating his guilt. It is necessary to repent of this sin, because a Christian must maintain order not only in the soul, but also monitor the health of the body.

There is no need to argue with the priest. This is a serious sin, for which one can be excommunicated from communion altogether. Most likely, there are things that are still unclear to you. You should reflect on what has been said.

There are no strict rules governing what to say in church during confession. It is important to show a sincere desire to improve. Confessors usually help those who are experiencing difficulties by asking questions. There is no need to list every sin whose name is found in the books. Many have a common root - pride, greed, unwillingness to work on oneself, dislike for neighbors.

Prayers and Worship

After the sins are named, the priest will cover his head with an epitrachelion (part of the vestment, a long embroidered strip) and read a special prayer. During this you will have to say your name. After this, take the blessing from the priest, listen to the instructions, if any. Then you need to go home to prepare further.

Before taking communion, you should read the daily prayer rule and special sacramental canons. They are published in all prayer books. The canon is a type of church poetry that tunes the soul in the right way. You can read them in church before confessing.

The canons are followed by prayers; they can be read in the morning, if there is time, but not during the Liturgy, but before it. The participle rule is sometimes divided into several parts to be read over three days. But then the necessary mood is not achieved. In case of doubt, you need to ask the priest for advice - he will tell you what is best to do.

We must try to maintain peace of mind during the days of fasting and not quarrel with anyone, or all preparation will be lost. Many holy fathers teach that abstaining from certain foods is not as important as abstaining from anger and bad deeds.

You must come to the Liturgy without delay.

Small children are usually brought to Communion later - the priest will tell you what time to come.

Women should not put on much perfume and make-up - the Church is not a secular get-together, but the Temple of God.

If someone makes a remark in church, it is better not to be offended, but to thank and step aside.

If after confession you have committed some sin, you must try to find your confessor and tell him about it. Usually, before Communion, one of the clergy leaves the altar to maintain order.

Before going to the Chalice, you need to fold your hands on your chest so that the right one is on top. Make prostrations in advance!

If a person has just received Baptism, he is obliged to come to the next Liturgy. He will be allowed to receive Communion without confession. Otherwise, the “Christian” demonstrates complete disregard for everything on which spiritual life is built. Baptism as a ritual does not guarantee salvation; for this it is necessary to constantly improve.

Now you know how to properly receive communion and confess in church. Over time, most of the questions disappear by themselves, yesterday's beginner becomes an experienced parishioner. May there be acceptance of the Holy Mysteries of Christ for the salvation of soul and body!

How to confess correctly for the first time

How to properly take communion and confess in church was last modified: July 8th, 2017 by Bogolub

Instructions

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note

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. 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.

Helpful advice

Communion and Confession. If in the world pious parishioners receive communion once every one or two months, then novices and monks of monasteries - once every two weeks, and monks and clergy even more often. It is easier for them to fast, and they, as they lead a more spiritual life, are in greater need of support from this Sacrament. How a person often receives communion and confesses, and how he behaves during the performance of these Sacraments, can tell a lot to an experienced confessor.

It is considered a great sacrament. Its meaning is that the communicant is united with the Body and Blood of Christ. A believer can decide for himself when and how many times to take communion, or he can receive the blessing of a spiritual mentor. But according to church customs, it is worth taking communion at least five times a year. Before performing this sacrament, you should prepare. There are several rules that will help you complete this ritual in accordance with all Christian laws.

Instructions

Before communion, be sure to attend the evening service, and pray before going to bed. Read the three canons: “to our Lord Jesus Christ”, “to the Most Holy Theotokos” and “to the Guardian Angel”.

If a person is sick, then a priest can be invited home to conduct the sacrament of communion. To do this, you need to come to and agree with the priest in advance. It is better to do this a month before communion.

The sacrament of communion includes confession. Therefore, first you need to confess. You can prepare before this ritual. Many priests advise on a piece of paper what you want to tell, since many people are lost and do not know what to say.

When the priest appears, the communicants must bow. When approaching the Holy Chalice you do not need to be baptized. Say your name and receive the “Body” and “Blood of Christ.”

It is better to leave the temple in silence, without turning your back to the altar. Remember, the essence of the rite of communion is not in the exact observance of the rules, but in leading a Christian life, joining the church, and spirituality. In order to undergo this rite, you need to be ready for it, have a desire and realize that communion is one of the most important parts of communication with God.

A believer prepares for Orthodox communion with special spiritual trepidation, because the day of communion of the holy mysteries is a holiday for a Christian. The Church strongly recommends that people prepare their souls for communion of the holy thing through fasting and a special prayer rule, which includes certain canons, as well as a sequence read directly for communion. If a Christian begins communion with deep faith and understanding of the upcoming event, then the person’s soul experiences special joy.

The Church recommends that people spend the day of communion righteously and reverently, thinking about eternity. This is no coincidence, because a Christian has communed with God during the liturgy. We can say that the sacrament makes a person holy until the moment of the latter’s fall. Thus, not only on the day of communion, but also throughout the subsequent time after participating in the sacrament, a Christian must try to abstain from sin.

On the day of communion, it is recommended to read sacred texts from the Bible (especially the New Testament). It will also be useful to become familiar with the works of the Holy Fathers of the Church. To understand the full depth of the meaning of the sacrament, an Orthodox Christian can turn to the teachings of the saints regarding this holy sacrament.

Immediately after communion, an Orthodox person should thank God by reading special prayers of thanksgiving, which are published in many prayer books. After communion, a practicing Christian should not forget about the cell prayer rule.

On the day of communion with the Lord, a believer tries to minimize entertainment: for example, watching TV, excessive laughter. Foul language and idle talk (as well as other obscenities) are not allowed. A believer should not spit on the day of Holy Communion.

Thus, the day of communion for a Christian, which is special, should be spent reflecting on what has happened and striving to preserve for as long as possible the purity of the soul and the holiness bestowed through the union of man with God.

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Sacrament of Communion

Confession and communion are one of the main sacraments of the Church. They help a person cleanse his soul and mind from heavy sinful thoughts. It’s as if a person is starting his life over again. An important point is proper preparation for the sacraments. A person must monitor his thoughts, behavior, and actions. You cannot wish anyone harm, envy, get irritated or swear. For three days, you should maintain a strict fast, which concerns not only food, but also intimate life, drinking alcohol, smoking, and entertainment.

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General rules for preparing for confession and communion

All people who believe in God need to confess and receive communion to calm their souls. This can be done when there is a strong desire to get rid of the heavy burden of committed sins. However, Lent is the best time for a person to think about his life, ask the Lord God to forgive sins, conduct the sacrament of confession and prepare for communion.

In order for repentance of sins to be carried out correctly, it is important to observe certain conditions:

It is necessary to accept the sacrament of Baptism, performed by a priest in the temple. If a person has already been baptized, then this needs to be discussed with the priest.
Remember or make a written list of your sins starting from the age of 7 or from the moment of Baptism for those who were baptized as adults.
If sin has caused harm to another person, then before going to confession, you must do everything possible to make amends. In addition, you yourself need to forgive the sins of your offenders.
It is important to keep yourself in your soul from anger, envy, gossip and physical communication between spouses, on the night after communion too. But during Holy Week, marital fasting is not so strong.

During confession, you must sincerely and honestly talk about your sinful actions.

It is important to repent of what the person himself did, and not to blame someone else or the current life circumstances.

You need to tell the story in simple language, without trying to use special church terms.

There is no need to fear that the priest will be greatly shocked by the confession or will ridicule the person. It is important to remember that confession remains only between the priest and the one who talks about his sins.

List of sins

To make it easier to prepare for the sacrament of confession, you can use a short list of sins in accordance with the Ten Commandments that must be repented of in church:

Commandment	Corresponding Sin
I am the Lord your God; you shall have no other gods before Me.	Atheism, communist views on life, atheism, magic, visiting grandmothers, healers, astrology, reading horoscopes, participation in sects, pride, boasting, arrogance, pride, careerism
Do not make an idol for yourself, do not worship or serve them	Worship of various idols, divination, feeding of the brownie
Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain	Blasphemy, mockery of holy things, use of swear words, breaking promises made to God
Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy; You shall work six days, and the seventh day is Sunday to the Lord your God	Doing work on a holiday, missing Sunday services, parasitism, not fasting
Honor your father and your mother	Insulting parents, disrespecting elders and teachers
Dont kill	Murder, abortion, anger, swearing, fighting, feelings of hatred and resentment, rancor
Don't commit adultery	Cheating, intimate relationships outside of marriage, homosexuality, masturbation, viewing pornography
	Theft, theft, fraud, greed, stinginess
Do not bear false testimony	Perjury, lies, deception, slander, gossip, betrayal
Don't covet someone else's	Feelings of envy, dissatisfaction with one's position, grumbling

About preparing for Communion

After a person has repented of his sins, he needs to prepare for the next important sacrament - Holy Communion. This preparation process has its own characteristics.

Communion is celebrated in the morning during the Sacrament of the Divine Liturgy.
On the eve of Communion, one must attend the evening service, which usually consists of a combination of Vespers and Matins.
The preparation process also includes abstaining from food. You should fast for three days. At this time, do not eat eggs, meat, dairy products, fish, or sweets.
On the eve of communion, spouses are prohibited from entering into intimate relationships. Various types of entertainment are prohibited. It is necessary to limit television viewing.
On the day of communion, starting from midnight, you cannot eat anything, drink water, or smoke.
In the morning, be sure to wash your face and brush your teeth.
It is advisable to get up early in order to have time to read the prayers for Holy Communion.
You must arrive at the church at the beginning of the service without delay.

After the people in the temple sing “Our Father,” you should approach the Royal Doors closer. At the same time, it is important to let women with small children, elderly people, and nuns go first. If a person is allowed to pass, then you need to bow as a sign of gratitude and immediately pass.

You should be baptized in advance; this cannot be done near the Chalice. After a person has taken communion, he should go to a special table where he will be given something to drink.

Reading prayers

Reading prayers before confession and communion in Orthodoxy is an important stage for thorough preparation for the purification of the soul and the reception of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. If a person is going to confess or receive communion for the first time, then it is important to carefully read all the rules for conducting the sacraments and read all the canons.

There are several most commonly used prayers before confession.

Text of prayer before confession.

Prayer of St. Simeon the New Theologian.

Prayer of St. John of Damascus before communion.

First confession

For those who want to confess for the first time, it is important to try to remember and write down all their sins, which they will need to tell the priest about. If it is difficult for a person to tell about his wrong actions, then he can give a piece of paper with his unworthy actions written down to the priest. After the person confesses, the recording will be burned.

For those who wish to confess for the first time, it is better to choose a time when the priest is not very busy, so that he can devote more time to the newcomer.

At the end of confession, the priest gives a short instruction that you need to remember and accept for yourself. After this, the person’s head is covered with an epitrachelion, and the priest reads a prayer of permission to forgive sins. Next, the confessor kisses the cross and the Gospel.

It is important to remember that the sacrament of communion must be regular. You should not put off your next confession for many years. On average, it is advisable to confess once a month.

Can a pregnant woman attend the sacraments?

Pregnant women, like other believers, can confess and receive communion. Moreover, the church strongly recommends doing this, especially before childbirth. This will help ease the birth process and give health and strength to the mother and her baby.

A pregnant woman should drink holy water and eat prosphora in the morning. Expectant mothers may not fast strictly. The degree of participation in the fast is established jointly with the doctor.

Otherwise, the rules for communion are the same as for everyone else.

Preparing a child for communion

To properly prepare a child for communion, it is important to consider the child’s age:

Age	Preparation methods
From birth to one year	During this period of infancy, the main point of preparation is for the mother to maintain a good mood and complacency while going to church for the Liturgy.
From one year to 3 years	At this age, you can already start talking about church with your child. During this period, most children’s memory is based on visually perceived images of objects. Preparation for the sacrament at this age means that the child and his parents regularly gather and attend church. It is important that the actions are played out at the speech level by the parents: “Now we will get up, wash our faces, brush our teeth, get ready and go to church.” Each action should be affectionately commented on by the child’s father and mother.
From 3 to 7 years	At this time, the child begins to perceive the world more meaningfully. You should buy and read Orthodox literature with your children. This will give parents and children the opportunity to spend more time together, discuss what they have read, and develop skills in retelling and literate speech. In addition to reading, it is important to pay attention to raising a child. You should help your child learn the concepts of “good” and “bad” and discuss his actions. The child already has an idea of what fasting is. You can start to accustom him to it, however, this should be a children's fast: for chocolate, ice cream, cartoons, computer games. A child should not be forced to learn large prayers, as this will simply be mechanical memorization of the text.

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How to write a note with sins and what to tell the priest? Confession is the most important religious Sacrament, which is present not only in Orthodoxy and Christianity, but also in other religions, such as Islam and Judaism. It is a key point in the spiritual life of a believer in these spiritual traditions.

A story in the presence of a witness - a clergyman - about sins committed before God cleanses from them, God, through the priest, forgives sins, and atonement for sins occurs. After repentance, the burden is removed from the soul, life becomes easier. Usually confession takes place before, but it is possible separately.

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

This Sacrament is called the second Baptism. In the modern Church, as a rule, it precedes the Sacrament of Communion of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, since it prepares the souls of the repentant to participate in this Great Table. Need for Sacrament of Penance is connected with the fact that a person who has become a Christian in the Sacrament of Baptism, which washed away all his sins, continues to sin due to the weakness of human nature.

These sins separate man from God and put a serious barrier between them. Can a person overcome this painful gap on his own? No. If it weren't for Repentance, a person would not be able to be saved, would not be able to preserve the unity with Christ acquired in the Sacrament of Baptism. Repentance- this is spiritual work, the effort of a sinned person aimed at restoring a connection with God in order to be a partaker of His Kingdom.

Repentance implies such spiritual activity of a Christian, as a result of which the sin committed becomes hateful to him. A person’s repentant effort is accepted by the Lord as the greatest sacrifice, the most significant of his daily activities.

Preparing for confession note

In Holy Scripture Repentance is a necessary condition for salvation: “Unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way” (Luke 13:3). And it is joyfully accepted by the Lord and pleasing to Him: “So there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent” (Luke 15: 7).

In the continuous struggle against sin, which continues throughout a person’s earthly life, there are defeats and sometimes serious falls. But after them, a Christian must get up again and again, repent and, without giving in to despondency, continue on his way, because God’s mercy is endless.

The fruit of repentance is reconciliation with God and people and spiritual joy from the revealed participation in the life of God. Forgiveness of sins is given to a person through prayer and the sacrament of a priest, who is given the grace by God in the Sacrament of the Priesthood to forgive sins on earth.

The repentant sinner receives justification and sanctification in the Sacrament, and the confessed sin is completely erased from a person’s life and ceases to destroy his soul. The visible side Sacraments of Penance consists in the confession of sins brought to God by the repentant in the presence of a priest, and in the resolution of sins performed by God through the clergy.

It happens like this:
1. The priest reads preliminary prayers from the service Sacraments of Penance, encouraging confessors to sincere repentance.

2. The penitent, standing in front of the cross and the Gospel, lying on a lectern, as if before the Lord Himself, verbally confesses all his sins, without hiding anything and without making excuses.
3. The priest, having accepted this confession, covers the penitent’s head with an epitrachelion and reads a prayer of absolution, through which in the name of Jesus Christ he absolves the penitent from all the sins of which he confessed.

The invisible effect of God's grace consists in the fact that the repentant, with visible evidence of forgiveness from the priest, is invisibly absolved from sins by Jesus Christ Himself. As a result of this, the confessor is reconciled with God, the Church and his own conscience and is freed from punishment for confessed sins in eternity.

confession and communion for the first time

Establishment of the Sacrament of Penance

Confession as the most important part Sacraments of Penance, has been performed since the time of the apostles: “Many of those who believed came, confessing and revealing their deeds (Acts 19; 18)”. The ritual forms of the celebration of the Sacrament in the apostolic age were not developed in detail, but the main components of the liturgical and liturgical structure inherent in modern rites already existed.

They were next.
1. Oral confession of sins to a priest.
2. The pastor’s teaching on repentance is in accordance with the internal structure of the recipient of the Sacrament.
3. Intercessory prayers of the shepherd and repentant prayers of the penitent.

4. Resolution from sins. If the sins confessed by the penitent were grave, then serious church punishments could be imposed - temporary deprivation of the right to participate in the Sacrament of the Eucharist; prohibition from attending community meetings. For mortal sins - murder or adultery - those who did not repent of them were publicly expelled from the community.

Sinners subjected to such severe punishment could change their situation only on condition of sincere repentance. In the ancient Church there were four classes of penitents, differing in the degree of severity of the penances imposed on them:

1. Crying. They had no right to enter the temple and had to remain at the porch in any weather, with tears asking for prayers from those going to the service.
2. Listeners. They had the right to stand in the vestibule and were blessed by the bishop along with those preparing for Baptism. Those who listen to the words “The Announcement, come forth!” are with them! left the temple.

3. Appearing. They had the right to stand at the back of the temple and participate with the faithful in prayers for the penitents. At the end of these prayers, they received the bishop's blessing and left the temple.

4. Worth purchasing. They had the right to stand with the faithful until the end of the Liturgy, but could not partake of the Holy Mysteries. Repentance in the early Christian Church could be performed both publicly and secretly. Public Confession was a kind of exception to the rule, since it was appointed only in cases where a member of the Christian community committed grave sins, which in themselves were quite rare.

Sins spoken in confession

sins spoken in confession

Confession of grave carnal sins was made publicly if it was known for certain that the person had committed them. This happened only when the secret Confession and the assigned penance did not lead to the correction of the penitent

The attitude towards such mortal sins as idolatry, murder and adultery in the ancient Church was very strict. The guilty were excommunicated from church communion for many years, and sometimes for life, and only near death could be the reason that penance was lifted and Communion was taught to the sinner.

Public Repentance practiced in the Church until the end of the 4th century. Its abolition is associated with the name of the Patriarch of Constantinople Nektarios († 398), who abolished the position of presbyter-spiritual priest in charge of public affairs. Repentance.

Following this, the degrees gradually disappeared Repentance, and by the end of the 9th century public Confession finally left the life of the Church. This happened due to the impoverishment of piety. Such a powerful means as public Repentance, it was appropriate when strict morals and zeal for God were universal and even “natural.” But later many sinners began to avoid public Repentance because of the shame associated with it.

Another reason for the disappearance of this form of the Sacrament was that sins revealed publicly could serve as a temptation for Christians who were not sufficiently established in the faith. Thus, secret Confession, also known since the first centuries of Christianity, became the only form Repentance. Basically, the changes described above occurred already in the 5th century.

Currently, with a large gathering of confessors in some churches, the so-called “general” Confession. This innovation, which became possible due to the lack of churches and for other, less significant reasons, is unlawful from the point of view of liturgical theology and church piety. It should be remembered that the general Confession- is by no means a norm, but an assumption due to circumstances.

Therefore, even if, with a large crowd of penitents, the priest conducts a general Confession, he must, before reading the prayer of permission, give each confessor the opportunity to express the sins that most burden his soul and conscience. Depriving the parishioner of even such a brief personal Confessions under the pretext of lack of time, the priest violates his pastoral duty and humiliates the dignity of this great Sacrament.

Example of what to say in confession to a priest

Preparation for Confession
Preparation for Confession is not so much about remembering your sins as fully as possible, but rather about achieving a state of concentration and prayer in which the sins will become obvious to the confessor. The penitent, figuratively speaking, must bring Confession not a list of sins, but a feeling of repentance and a contrite heart.

Before Confession you need to ask forgiveness from everyone to whom you consider yourself guilty. Start preparing for Confessions(fasting) must be done a week or at least three days before the Sacrament itself. This preparation should consist of a certain abstinence in words, thoughts and actions, in food and entertainment, and in general in the renunciation of everything that interferes with inner concentration.

The most important component of such preparation should be concentrated, in-depth prayer, promoting awareness of one’s sins and aversion to them. In rank Repentance to remind those who came to Confessions their sins, the priest reads a list of the most significant sins and passionate movements inherent in man.

The confessor must listen to him carefully and once again note to himself what his conscience accuses him of. Approaching the priest after this “general” Confession, the penitent must confess the sins that he has committed.
Sins previously confessed and absolved by the priest are repeated on Confessions should not be because after Repentance they become “as if they were not.”

But if since the previous Confessions they were repeated, then it is necessary to repent again. It is also necessary to confess those sins that were forgotten earlier, if they are suddenly remembered now. When repenting, one should not name accomplices or those who voluntarily or unwittingly provoked the sin. In any case, a person himself is responsible for his iniquities, committed by him out of weakness or negligence.

Sins in Orthodoxy confession

Attempts to shift the blame onto others only lead to the confessor aggravating his sin by self-justification and condemnation of his neighbor. Under no circumstances should one indulge in long stories about the circumstances that led to the confessor being “forced” to commit a sin.

We must learn to confess in such a way that Repentance do not replace your sins with everyday conversations, in which the main place is occupied by praising yourself and your noble deeds, condemning loved ones and complaining about the difficulties of life. Self-justification is associated with downplaying sins, especially with reference to their ubiquity, as if “everyone lives like this.” But it is obvious that the mass nature of sin does not in any way justify the sinner.

Some confessors, in order not to forget the sins they have committed due to excitement or lack of collection, come to Confession with a written list of them. This custom is good if the confessor sincerely repents of his sins, and does not formally list the iniquities recorded but not mourned. A note with sins immediately after Confessions needs to be destroyed.

Under no circumstances should you try to do Confession comfortable and go through it without straining your spiritual powers, saying general phrases such as “sinful in everything” or obscuring the ugliness of sin with general expressions, for example, “sinned against the 7th commandment.” You cannot be distracted by trifles and remain silent about what really weighs on your conscience.

Provoking such behavior Confessions False shame in front of a confessor is destructive for spiritual life. Having become accustomed to lying before God Himself, you can lose hope of salvation. A cowardly fear of seriously beginning to understand the “quagmire” of one’s life can sever any connection with Christ.

This arrangement of the confessor also becomes the reason for him to downplay his sins, which is by no means harmless, since it leads to a distorted view of himself and his relationship with God and his neighbors. We must carefully reconsider our entire life and free it from sins that have become habitual.

How to properly prepare for confession

Scripture directly names the consequences of covering up sins and self-justification: “Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wicked people, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6; 9, 10).”

One should not think that killing an unborn fetus (abortion) is also a “minor sin.” According to the rules of the ancient Church, those who did this were punished in the same way as the murderers of a person. You cannot hide out of false shame or shyness Confessions some shameful sins, otherwise this concealment will make the remission of other sins incomplete.

Consequently, the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ after such Confessions will be in "trial and condemnation." The very common division of sins into “heavy” and “light” is very arbitrary. Such habitual “light” sins as everyday lies, dirty, blasphemous and lustful thoughts, anger, verbosity, constant jokes, rudeness and inattention to people, if repeated many times, paralyze the soul.

It is easier to renounce a grave sin and sincerely repent of it than to realize the harmfulness of “minor” sins that lead to the enslavement of a person. A well-known patristic parable demonstrates that removing a pile of small stones is much more difficult than moving a large stone of equal weight. When confessing, you should not expect “leading” questions from the priest; you must remember that the initiative is in Confessions must belong to the penitent.

It is he who must make a spiritual effort on himself, freeing himself in the Sacrament from all his iniquities. Recommended when preparing for Confessions, remember what other people, acquaintances and even strangers, and especially close and family members usually accuse the confessor of, since very often their claims are fair.

If it seems that this is not so, then here too it is simply necessary to accept their attacks without bitterness. After a person’s churching reaches a certain “point,” he has problems of a different order associated with Confession.

That habit of the Sacrament, which arises as a result of repeated appeal to it, gives rise, for example, to formalization Confessions when they confess because “it’s necessary.” While dryly listing true and imaginary sins, such a confessor does not have the main thing - a repentant attitude.

Confession and Communion rules

This happens if there seems to be nothing to confess (that is, a person simply does not see his sins), but it is necessary (after all, “it is necessary to take communion”, “holiday”, “haven’t confessed for a long time”, etc.). This attitude reveals a person’s inattention to the inner life of the soul, lack of understanding of his sins (even if only mental ones) and passionate movements. Formalization Confessions leads to the fact that a person resorts to the Sacrament “in court and in condemnation.”

A very common problem is substitution Confessions their real, serious sins, imaginary or unimportant sins. A person often does not understand that his formal fulfillment of “the duties of a Christian (reading the rule, not fasting on a fast day, going to church) are not a goal, but a means to achieving what Christ himself defined in the words: “By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

Therefore, if a Christian does not eat animal products during fasting, but “bites and devours” his relatives, then this is a serious reason to doubt his correct understanding of the essence of Orthodoxy. Getting used to Confessions, as with any shrine, leads to dire consequences. A person ceases to be afraid of offending God with his sin, because “there is always Confession and you can repent.”

Such manipulations with the Sacrament always end very badly. God does not punish a person for such a mood of the soul, he simply turns away from him for the time being, since no one (not even the Lord) experiences joy from communicating with a double-minded person who is not honest either with God or with his conscience.

A person who has become a Christian needs to understand that the struggle with his sins will continue throughout his life. Therefore, one must humbly, turning for help to the One who can ease this struggle and make him a winner, and persistently continue this grace-filled path.

Conditions under which a confessor receives absolution Repentance- this is not just a verbal confession of sins to a priest. This is the spiritual work of the penitent, aimed at receiving Divine forgiveness, destroying sin and its consequences.

List of sins for confession for women and men

This is possible provided that the confessor
1) laments his sins;
2) is determined to improve his life;
3) has undoubted hope in the mercy of Christ. Contrition for sins.

At a certain moment in his spiritual development, a person begins to feel the severity of sin, its unnaturalness and harmfulness to the soul. The reaction to this is grief of the heart and contrition for one’s sins. But this contrition of the penitent should stem not so much from fear of punishment for sins, but from love for God, whom he offended with his ingratitude.

The intention to improve your life. A firm determination to correct one's life is a necessary condition for receiving the forgiveness of sins. Repentance only in words, without an inner desire to correct one’s life, leads to even greater condemnation.

Saint Basil the Great discusses this as follows: “It is not he who confesses his sin who said: I have sinned, and then remains in sin; but the one who, in the words of the psalm, “found his sin and hated it.” What benefit will the care of a doctor bring to the patient when the person suffering from illness clings tightly to what is destructive to life?

So there is no benefit from forgiving someone who commits injustice, and from apologizing for debauchery to someone who continues to live dissolutely.”.

Faith in Christ and hope in His mercy

An example of undoubted faith and hope for God's endless mercy is the forgiveness of Peter after his three-fold denial of Christ. From the Sacred History of the New Testament it is known, for example, that for sincere faith and hope the Lord had mercy on Mary, the sister of Lazarus, who washed the Savior’s feet with tears, anointed them with myrrh and wiped them with her hair (See: Luke 7; 36-50).

What sins to talk about in confession

The publican Zacchaeus was also pardoned, having distributed half of his property to the poor and returning to those whom he had offended four times more than what had been taken away (See: Luke 19; 1-10). The greatest saint of the Orthodox Church, the Venerable Mary of Egypt, having been a harlot for many years, through deep repentance changed her life so much that she could walk on water, saw the past and future as the present, and was awarded communion with angels in the desert.

Perfect sign Repentance is expressed in a feeling of lightness, purity and inexplicable joy, when the confessed sin seems simply impossible.

Penance

Penance (Greek epithymion - punishment under the law) - voluntary performance by the penitent - as a moral and corrective measure - of certain works of piety (prolonged prayer, alms, intensive fasting, pilgrimage, etc.).

Penance is prescribed by the confessor and does not have the meaning of punishment or punitive measure, without implying the deprivation of any rights of a member of the Church. Being only “spiritual medicine”, it is prescribed for the purpose of eradicating the habits of sin. This is a lesson, an exercise that accustoms one to spiritual achievement and gives rise to a desire for it.

Feats of prayer and good deeds, assigned as penance, must be in essence directly opposite to the sin for which they are assigned: for example, works of mercy are assigned to someone who is subject to the passion of love of money; an intemperate person is assigned a fast beyond what is prescribed for everyone; absent-minded and carried away by worldly pleasures - more frequent going to church, reading the Holy Scriptures, intensive home prayer, and the like.

Preparing for confession list of sins

Possible types of penance:
1) bows during worship or reading a home prayer rule;
2) Jesus Prayer;
3) getting up for the midnight office;
4) spiritual reading (Akathists, Lives of Saints, etc.);
5) strict fasting; 6) abstinence from marital intercourse;
7) alms, etc.

Penance must be treated as the will of God expressed through the priest, accepting it for mandatory fulfillment. Penance should be limited to a precise time frame (usually 40 days) and, if possible, performed according to a strict schedule.

If the penitent, for one reason or another, cannot fulfill the penance, then he must seek a blessing on what to do in this case from the priest who imposed it. If the sin was committed against a neighbor, then a necessary condition that must be met before performing penance is reconciliation with the one whom the penitent offended.

A special prayer of permission, called the prayer of permission from prohibition, must be read over the person who has fulfilled the penance given to him, by the priest who imposed it.

How to prepare for communion and confession

Children's Confession

According to the rules of the Orthodox Church, children should begin to confess at the age of seven, since by this time they are already able to answer before God for their actions and fight their sins. Depending on the degree of development of the child, he can be brought to Confessions both a little earlier and a little later than the specified period, after consulting with the priest on this topic.

The rite of Confession for children and adolescents is no different from the usual, but the priest, naturally, takes into account the age of those coming to the Sacrament and makes certain adjustments when communicating with such confessors. Communion of children and adolescents, like adults, should be done on an empty stomach.

But if, for health reasons, the child needs to eat in the morning, Communion, with the blessing of the priest, can be given to him. Parents should just not deliberately and unreasonably violate the rule about Communion on an empty stomach, since such actions can offend the holiness of this great Sacrament and it will be “in court and condemnation” (primarily for parents who condone lawlessness).

Teenagers are not allowed to come to Confessions very late. Such a violation is unacceptable and can lead to a refusal to give communion to a latecomer if this sin is repeated several times.

Confession children and adolescents should produce the same results as with Repentance adult: the repentant must no longer commit confessed sins, or at least try with all his might not to do so. In addition, the child should try to do good deeds, voluntarily helping parents and loved ones, caring for younger brothers and sisters.

Orthodoxy confession and communion

Parents must form a conscious attitude of the child towards Confessions, excluding, if possible, a chastising, consumerist attitude towards her and towards her Heavenly Father. The principle expressed by the simple formula: “You to me, I to you” is categorically unacceptable for a child’s relationship with God. A child should not be encouraged to “please” God in order to receive some benefits from Him.

We must awaken in a child’s soul its best feelings: sincere love for the One who is worthy of such love; devotion to Him; natural aversion to all uncleanness. Children are characterized by vicious tendencies that need to be eradicated.

These include such sins as mockery and ridicule (especially in the company of peers) of the weak and crippled; petty lies into which an ingrained habit of empty fantasies can develop; cruelty to animals; appropriation of other people's things, antics, laziness, rudeness and foul language. All this should be the subject of close attention of parents who are called to the daily painstaking work of raising a little Christian.

ConfessionAnd Communion seriously ill patient at home

At that moment when the life of an Orthodox Christian is approaching sunset and he lies on his deathbed, it is very important that his relatives, despite the difficult circumstances that often accompany this, are able to invite a priest to him to guide him into Eternal Life.

If the dying man can bring the last Repentance and the Lord will give him the opportunity to receive communion, then this mercy of God will greatly influence his posthumous fate. Relatives need to keep this in mind not only when the patient is a church person, but also if the dying person has been a person of little faith all his life.

The last illness greatly changes a person, and the Lord can touch his heart already on his deathbed. Sometimes in this way Christ calls even criminals and slanderers! Therefore, at the slightest opportunity for this, relatives need to help the sick person take this step towards the calling Christ and repent of his sins.

Usually the priest is called to the house in advance, turning to the “candle box”, where they must write down the coordinates of the patient, immediately setting, if possible, the time for the future visit. The patient must be psychologically prepared for the priest’s arrival, set up to prepare for Confessions, as far as his physical condition allows.

Complete list of sins for confession

When the priest comes, the patient needs, if he has the strength to do so, to ask him for a blessing. The patient’s relatives can be at his bedside and take part in prayers until the start of the Confessions when they naturally have to leave.

But after reading the prayer of permission, they can re-enter and pray for the communicant. Chin Confessions patients at home differs from the usual and is placed in the 14th chapter of the Breviary entitled “The Rite, when it soon happens that the sick person will be given communion.”

If the patient knows the prayers for Communion by heart and is able to repeat them, then let him do this after the priest, who reads them in separate phrases. To receive the Holy Mysteries, the patient must be placed on the bed so that he does not choke, preferably reclining. After Participles the patient, if possible, reads prayers of gratitude himself. Then the priest pronounces the dismissal and gives the Cross to be kissed by the communicant and all those present.

If the patient’s relatives have a desire and if the condition of the communicant allows it, then they can invite the priest to the table and once again clarify in a conversation with him how to behave at the bedside of a seriously ill person, what is preferable to discuss with him, how to support him in this situation.

Passion as the root and cause of sin

Passion is defined as a strong, persistent, all-encompassing emotion that dominates a person’s other impulses and leads to concentration on the object of passion. Thanks to these properties, passion becomes the source and cause of sin in the human soul.

Orthodox asceticism has accumulated centuries of experience in observing and combating passions, which has made it possible to reduce them into clear patterns. The primary source of these classifications is the scheme of St. John Cassian the Roman, followed by Evagrius, Nilus of Sinai, Ephraim the Syrian, John Climacus, Maximus the Confessor and Gregory Palamas.

According to the above-mentioned ascetic teachers, there are eight sinful passions inherent in the human soul:

1. Pride.
2. Vanity.
3. Gluttony.
4. Fornication.
5. Love of money.
6. Anger.
7. Sadness.
8. Dejection.

Stages of gradual formation of passion:

1. Prediction or attack (glory: hit - collide with something) - sinful impressions or ideas that arise in the mind against the will of a person. Addictions are not considered a sin and are not charged against a person if the person does not respond to them with sympathy.

2. A thought becomes a thought that first meets interest in a person’s soul, and then compassion for oneself. This is the first stage of passion development. A thought is born in a person when his attention becomes favorable to the pretext. At this stage, the thought evokes a feeling of anticipation of future pleasure. The Holy Fathers call this a combination or conversation with a thought.

what sins to list in confession

3. Inclination towards a thought (intention) occurs when a thought completely takes possession of a person’s consciousness and his attention is focused only on it. If a person, through an effort of will, cannot free himself from a sinful thought, replacing it with something good and pleasing to God, then the next stage begins when the will itself is carried away by the sinful thought and strives for its implementation.

This means that the sin in intention has already been committed and all that remains is to practically satisfy the sinful desire.

4. The fourth stage of the development of passion is called captivity, when passionate attraction begins to dominate the will, constantly dragging the soul towards the realization of sin. A mature and deep-rooted passion is an idol, which a person subject to it, often without knowing it, serves and worships.

The path to liberation from the tyranny of passion is sincere repentance and determination to correct your life. A sign of passions formed in a person’s soul is the repetition of the same sins at almost every Confession. If this happens, it means that in the soul of a person who has become close to his passion, a process of imitation of the struggle with it is taking place. Abba Dorotheos distinguishes three states in a person in relation to his struggle with passion:

1. When he acts according to passion (bringing it to fulfillment).
2. When a person resists it (not acting out of passion, but not cutting it off, having it in himself).
3. When he eradicates it (by struggling and doing the opposite of passion). Freeing himself from passions, a person must acquire virtues that are opposite to them, otherwise the passions that had left the person will definitely return.

Sins

Sin is a violation of the Christian moral law - its content is reflected in the Epistle of the Apostle John: “Whoever commits sin also commits iniquity”(1 John 3; 4).
The most serious sins, which, if unrepentant, lead to the death of a person, are called mortal. There are seven of them:

1. Pride.
2. Gluttony.
3. Fornication.
4. Anger.
5. Love of money.
6. Sadness.
7. Dejection.

Sin is the realization of passion in thoughts, words and deeds. Therefore, it must be considered in a dialectical connection with the passion that has formed or is being formed in the human soul. Everything said in the chapter devoted to passions is directly related to human sins, as if revealing the fact of the presence of passion in the soul of a sinning person. Sins are divided into three categories, depending on whom they are committed against.

How confession happens video

How confession happens on video

1. Sins against God.
2. Sins against one's neighbor.
3. Sins against oneself.

Below is an approximate, far from complete list of these sins. It should be noted that the recently widespread tendency to see the goal Repentance in the most detailed verbal enumeration of sins, it contradicts the spirit of the Sacrament and profanes it.

Therefore, it is not worth engaging in scolding, expressed in the weekly “confession” of countless sins and transgressions. “A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; You will not despise a broken and humble heart, O God” (Ps. 50:19)- says the inspired prophet David about the meaning of Repentance.

Paying attention to the movements of your soul and noting your wrongdoing before the Lord in specific circumstances of life, you must always remember that to acquire in the Sacrament of Repentance you need a “contrite heart” and not a “much-verbal” tongue.

Sins against God

Pride: breaking God's commandments; unbelief, lack of faith and superstition; lack of hope in God's mercy; excessive reliance on God's mercy; hypocritical veneration of God, formal worship of him; blasphemy; lack of love and fear of God; ingratitude to God for all His blessings, as well as for sorrows and illnesses; blasphemy and murmuring against the Lord; failure to fulfill promises made to Him; calling on the Name of God in vain (unnecessarily); pronouncing oaths invoking His name; falling into delusion.

Disrespect for icons, relics, saints, Holy Scripture and any other shrine; reading heretical books, keeping them in the house; irreverent attitude towards the Cross, the sign of the cross, the pectoral cross; fear of professing the Orthodox faith; failure to comply with prayer rules: morning and evening prayers; omission of reading the Psalter, Holy Scripture, and other Divine books; absences without a valid reason from Sunday and holiday services; neglect of church services; prayer without zeal and diligence, absent-minded and formal.

Conversations, laughter, walking around the temple during church services; inattention to reading and singing; being late for services and leaving church early; going to the temple and touching its shrines in physical uncleanness.

What to say before confession video

Lack of zeal in repentance, rare Confession and deliberate concealment of sins; Communion without heartfelt contrition and without proper preparation, without reconciliation with neighbors, at enmity with them. Disobedience to one's spiritual father; condemnation of clergy and monastics; grumbling and resentment towards them; disrespect for the feasts of God; bustle on major church holidays; violation of fasts and constant fasting days - Wednesdays and Fridays - throughout the year.

Watching heretical TV shows; listening to non-Orthodox preachers, heretics and sectarians; passion for Eastern religions and creeds; appeal to psychics, astrologers, fortune tellers, sorcerers, “grandmothers”, sorcerers; practicing “black and white” magic, witchcraft, fortune telling, spiritualism; superstitions: belief in dreams and omens; wearing “amulets” and talismans. Suicidal thoughts and attempts to commit suicide.

Sins against one's neighbor

Lack of love for neighbors and for one’s enemies; unforgiveness of their sins; hatred and malice; responding evil to evil; disrespect towards parents; disrespect for elders and superiors; killing babies in the womb (abortion), advising your friends to have abortions; attempt on someone else's life and health; causing bodily harm; robbery; extortion; appropriation of someone else's property (including non-repayment of debts).

Refusal to help the weak, oppressed, and in trouble; laziness towards work and household responsibilities; disrespect for other people's work; unmercifulness; stinginess; inattention to the sick and to those in difficult life circumstances; omission of prayers for neighbors and enemies; cruelty to flora and fauna, consumerism towards them; contradiction and intransigence to neighbors; disputes; a deliberate lie for the “eloquent word”; condemnation; slander, gossip and gossip; disclosure of other people's sins; eavesdropping on other people's conversations.

What to do before confession and communion

Infliction of insults and insults; enmity with neighbors and scandals; cursing others, including one’s own children; insolence and impudence in relations with neighbors; poor upbringing of children, lack of effort to plant the saving truths of the Christian faith in their hearts; hypocrisy, using others for personal gain; anger; suspicion of neighbors of unseemly actions; deception and perjury.

Seductive behavior at home and in public; the desire to seduce and please others; jealousy and envy; foul language, retelling of indecent stories, obscene jokes; intentional and unintentional (as an example to follow) corruption of others by one’s actions; the desire to gain self-interest from friendship or other close relationships; treason; magical actions with the aim of harming a neighbor and his family.

Sins against yourself

Dejection and despair arising from the development of vanity and pride; arrogance, pride, self-confidence, arrogance; doing good deeds for show; thoughts of suicide; carnal excesses: gluttony, sweet eating, gluttony; abuse of bodily peace and comfort: excessive sleeping, laziness, lethargy, relaxation; addiction to a certain way of life, reluctance to change it for the sake of helping one’s neighbor.

Drunkenness, drawing non-drinkers, including minors and the sick, into this vicious passion; smoking, drug addiction, as a type of suicide; playing cards and other games of chance; lies, envy; love for the earthly and material more than for the heavenly and spiritual.

Idleness, wastefulness, attachment to things; wasting your time; using God-given talents not for good; addiction to comfort, acquisitiveness: collecting food, clothing, shoes, furniture, jewelry, etc. “for a rainy day”; passion for luxury; over-concern, vanity.

Desire for earthly honors and glory; “decorating” oneself with cosmetics, tattoos, piercings, etc. for the purpose of seducing. Sensual, lustful thoughts; commitment to seductive sights and conversations; incontinence of mental and physical feelings, pleasure and procrastination in unclean thoughts.

Sacrament of Confession and Communion video

Voluptuousness; immodest views of people of the opposite sex; recollection with delight of one’s former carnal sins; addiction to prolonged viewing of television programs; watching pornographic films, reading pornographic books and magazines; pimping and prostitution; singing obscene songs.

Indecent dancing; defilement in a dream; fornication (outside of marriage) and adultery (adultery); free behavior with persons of the opposite sex; masturbation; immodest view of wives and young men; intemperance in married life (during fasting, on Saturdays and Sundays, church holidays).

Confession

Coming to Confessions, must know that the priest receiving it is not a simple interlocutor for the confessor, but is a witness to the mysterious conversation of the penitent with God.
The Sacrament occurs as follows: the penitent, approaching the lectern, bows to the ground before the cross and the Gospel lying on the lectern. If there are many confessors, this bow is done in advance. During the interview, the priest and confessor stand at the lectern; or the priest is sitting, and the penitent is kneeling.

Those waiting their turn should not come close to the place where Confession is being performed, so that the sins being confessed are not heard by them, and the secret is not broken. For the same purposes, the interview should be conducted in a low voice.
If the confessor is a novice, then Confession can be structured as reflected in the Breviary: the confessor asks the penitent questions according to the list.

Confession with video explanations

In practice, however, the enumeration of sins is done in the first, general part. Confessions. The priest then pronounces the “Testament,” in which he urges the confessor not to repeat the sins he has confessed. However, the text of the “Testament” in the form in which it is printed in the Trebnik is rarely read; for the most part, the priest simply gives his instructions to the confessor.

After Confession finished, the priest reads the prayer “Lord God, the salvation of Thy servants...”, which precedes the secret prayer Sacraments of Penance.

After this, the confessor kneels, and the priest, covering his head with the stole, reads a prayer of permission, containing the secret formula: “Our Lord and God Jesus Christ, by the grace and generosity of His love for mankind, forgive you, child (name), all your sins, and I, an unworthy priest, by His power given to me, forgive and absolve you from all your sins, in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen".

Then the priest makes the sign of the cross over the head of the confessor. After this, the confessor rises from his knees and kisses the Holy Cross and the Gospel.

If the confessor considers it impossible to forgive confessed sins due to their severity or other reasons, then the prayer of absolution is not read and the confessor is not allowed to receive Communion. In this case, penance may be assigned for a certain period. Then the final prayers are read “Worthy to eat...”, "Glory, and now..." and the priest administers the dismissal.

Ends Confession instructions from the confessor to the penitent and assignment to him to read the canon against his sins, if the priest finds the need for this.

The material uses chapters from the book (abbreviated) “Handbook of an Orthodox Person. Sacraments of the Orthodox Church" (Danilovsky Evangelist, Moscow, 2007

We hope you liked the article about confession and communion: how to write a note with sins and what to say to the priest and a video on this topic. Stay with us on the portal of communication and self-improvement and read other useful and interesting materials on this topic!

The goal of Christian life is knowledge of God, unity with Him to the extent that it can be achieved on earth. But since here a person is burdened with sin and bodily weakness, the Lord provides miraculous help in the Church Sacraments. This article explains in detail how to prepare for the main one - Communion.

Installation of the Sacrament

Everyone who has read the Gospel knows that on the eve of his death on the cross, Christ celebrated the Last Supper with his disciples. The plot has been depicted many times by different artists; this scene is present above the altar of any Orthodox church. That evening Jesus established a new bloodless sacrifice, replacing the sacrifices that existed among the Jews. That's why Easter is sometimes called New Testament Easter. There are significant differences, although the Jewish holiday is a prototype of the current Christian one.

Instead of an innocent lamb, the Lamb of God was slain on the Cross. His blood redeemed Christians, who are the New Testament firstborn, by analogy with the Israelis.
The passage through sea waters symbolizes Baptism, which frees Christians from subjection to sins.
Walking in the desert is an analogy to earthly life filled with suffering.
The prototype of Communion was manna from heaven. Instead, Christ gave the apostles consecrated bread and wine.

The Jews prepared themselves to receive God's gifts by spending their lives following His direct instructions given through Moses. They also observed many rituals. Modern people need to prepare for Communion according to different rules. Communion is available only to members of the Church, that is, to those who were baptized in an Orthodox church. Baptism at home is only allowed if a person is dying. Sometimes a priest is called to the intensive care ward. Immediately after Baptism, Communion is served without preparation.

Abstinence of the body

Man consists of soul, spirit and body. It happens that the desires of the flesh become more important than spiritual needs. Such a life is no longer Christian. To avoid slavery to a weak body, members of the Church are obliged to keep this element of themselves under control. An important stage in proper preparation for Communion is fasting. The church calendar will tell you exactly how to fast. It depends on the period - sometimes fish is allowed, sometimes only vegetable oil and uncooked food.

Number of days - no less than 3. To participate in the Eucharist on Sunday morning, you must begin your fast on Thursday. Although no official documents approved by the Church on this matter simply exist. In the Greek Orthodox Church they receive communion without any preparation at all. But in Russia this is widespread practice.

If a person is a regular parishioner and observes all existing fasts (and there are more than half of them in a year), then the highest church clergy recommends not imposing additional fasts on such Christians before the Sacrament. However, the final decision rests with the parish priest.

For people who visit the temple quite rarely, 3 or 7 days of fasting will only be beneficial. Difficulties can be caused by the need to fast on Saturday, when the whole family is at home and adheres to their usual diet. You should take care of your diet in advance - buy nuts and dried fruits, which help maintain the required level of energy. You can drink soy or coconut milk. But in everything you should adhere to moderation.

It is also highly advisable to abstain from marital relations during this period, at least before Communion. However, if the husband is not baptized, the situation should not lead to confrontation. If the spouse sharply objects, then you should tell the priest in confession - he should advise how to behave so as not to aggravate relations in the family.

How to prepare for confession

At the same time, it is necessary to prepare for confession. If it is coming for the first time, it is advisable to read special literature - it can be borrowed from the church library or from friends who have been visiting the temple for a long time. This sacrament is intended for cleansing from sins, sometimes it is compared to re-baptism. God's mercy is like the waters of Jordan.

Many believe that without committing theft, adultery and other terrible sins, they do not need to repent. But this is self-deception. God's short commandments must be understood fully. To prepare for confession and communion, you need to remember your sins well and write them down. Deviations from the commandments are divided into two types:

Against the Lord: murmuring against God, idle chatter, idleness, lack of faith, passion for magic, gambling, failure to attend temple, failure to fast, rarely reading the Bible, despair, etc.

Against neighbors (all people, not just friends and relatives): irritation, neglect of Christian upbringing of children, pride, vindictiveness, quarrels, abortion, slander (gossip), greed, etc.

How to prepare a list of sins? There is no need to describe all the hurtful words that were said to your friend. Just writing is slandering your neighbor. You should not go into detail and describe all your misdeeds, much less justify yourself with various circumstances, or blame others for provoking you. Thus, another sin is committed - condemnation.

During Lent (including Lent), preparation for communion does not require any additions. You must fast according to church regulations and attend services. That is why most parishioners receive communion during the fasting weeks. But if you want to start the Chalice during the holidays, you need to consult with your confessor.

How to prepare children for communion?

A child under 7 years old does not have to fast; he simply cannot be fed in the morning before the Liturgy so that the sacrament can be taken on an empty stomach. But parents must prepare him mentally:

read the Holy Scriptures together;
reduce the amount of entertainment, including watching television;
pray morning and evening;
talk to your child about his behavior.

When a child turns 7 years old, he must go to confession while preparing for Communion. It is necessary to analyze his behavior in more detail. Does he miss services, Sunday school? Does he always pray morning and evening? Does he know the obligatory prayers - the Creed, the Lord's Prayer? You should not put too much pressure; the priest will conduct the Sacrament on his own. The task of parents is to lead the child, to set the right example.

For pregnant women, preparation for communion is the same as for everyone else. But expectant mothers do not have to fast - it is voluntary. The clergy advises in a special situation to approach the Sacrament as often as possible, although in general this is a purely individual issue that must be resolved with the confessor.

Prayers

The natural way to communicate with God is through prayer. Therefore, when preparing for communion, you need to devote more time to them than usual. What exactly should you read and when?

3 canons (Christ, Mother of God, Guardian Angel);
Consequence (special prayers before communion);
Morning and evening rule (as usual).

If you read everything on the day before the sacrament, it will seem like a very difficult test to an unprepared person. Not only do you need to attend the evening service, go to confession, but also devote 2-3 hours to prayers! Therefore, the canons can be distributed over several days. Then they prepare as follows - after the evening service, the rule, the sacramental canon, is read. The remaining prayers are postponed until the morning.

Will they be allowed to take communion if it is not possible to attend the service the night before? The priest must be informed about this; if a person has prepared (confessed, fasted, prayed), then usually this does not become an obstacle.

Communion in the church takes place at the end of the Liturgy, a morning service that occurs on Sundays and Saturdays. It can also take place on other days; you can usually read about this in the temple schedule, which hangs at the entrance. All questions regarding participation in the Sacrament of Communion should be asked to the priest without hesitation.

May the acceptance of the Holy Mysteries of Christ lead to the salvation of the soul and eternal life!