We receive Baptism once in a lifetime and are anointed. Ideally, we get married once. The Sacrament of the Priesthood is not of a comprehensive nature, it is performed only on those whom the Lord has judged to be accepted into the clergy. Our participation in the Sacrament of Unction is very small. But the Sacraments of Confession and Communion lead us through life to eternity, without them the existence of a Christian is inconceivable. We go to them time after time. So sooner or later we still have the opportunity to think: are we preparing for them correctly? And understand: no, most likely not quite. Therefore, the conversation about these Sacraments seems to us very important. In this issue, in a conversation with the editor-in-chief of the magazine, hegumen Nektariy (Morozov), we decided to touch upon (because covering everything is an impossible task, too “borderless” topic) confession, and next time we will talk about Communion of the Holy Mysteries.
“I guess, more precisely, I guess: nine out of ten people who come to confession do not know how to confess…
— Indeed, it is. Even people who regularly go to church do not know how to do many things in it, but the worst thing is with confession. It is very rare for a parishioner to confess correctly. Confession must be learned. Of course, it would be better if an experienced confessor, a person of high spiritual life, spoke about the Sacrament of Confession, about repentance. If I dare to speak about this here, it is simply as a confessing person, on the one hand, and on the other, as a priest who quite often has to receive confession. I will try to summarize my observations of my own soul and how others participate in the Sacrament of Penance. But by no means do I consider my observations sufficient.
Let's talk about the most common misconceptions, misconceptions and mistakes. A person goes to confession for the first time; he heard that before taking communion, one must go to confession. And that in confession one must speak one's sins. The question immediately arises for him: for what period should he “report”? For a lifetime, from childhood? But can you retell it all? Or do you not need to retell everything, but just say: “In childhood and in my youth I showed selfishness many times” or “In my youth I was very proud and vain, and now, in fact, I remain the same”?
- If a person comes to confession for the first time, it is quite obvious that he needs to confess for the whole past life. Starting from the age when he could already distinguish good from evil - and until the moment when he finally decided to confess.
How can you tell your whole life in a short time? At confession, however, we do not tell our whole life, but what is sin. Sins are specific events. However, it is not necessary to recount all the times you have sinned with anger, for example, or lying. It is necessary to say that you committed this sin, and give some of the brightest, most terrible manifestations of this sin - those from which the soul really hurts. There is another pointer: what is the least you want to talk about yourself? This is exactly what needs to be said in the first place. If you are going to confession for the first time, your best bet is to set yourself the task of confessing the heaviest, most painful sins. Then the confession will become more complete, deeper. The first confession cannot be like this for several reasons: it is also a psychological barrier (to come for the first time with a priest, that is, with a witness, to tell God about your sins is not easy) and other obstacles. A person does not always understand what sin is. Unfortunately, not even all people living the church life know and understand the Gospel well. And except in the Gospel, the answer to the question of what is sin and what is virtue is nowhere, perhaps, to be found. In the life around us, many sins have become commonplace... But even when reading the Gospel to a person, his sins are not immediately revealed, they are gradually revealed by the grace of God. Saint Peter of Damascus says that the beginning of the health of the soul is the vision of one's sins as countless as the sand of the sea. If the Lord had immediately revealed to a man his sinfulness in all its horror, not a single person could have endured this. That is why the Lord reveals to man his sins gradually. This can be compared to peeling an onion - first one skin was removed, then the second - and, finally, they got to the bulb itself. That is why it often happens like this: a person goes to church, goes to confession regularly, takes communion, and finally realizes the need for the so-called general confession. It is very rare that a person is ready for it right away.
- What it is? How is a general confession different from a regular one?
— The general confession, as a rule, is called the confession for the entire life lived, and in a certain sense this is true. But confession can be called general and not so comprehensive. We repent of our sins week after week, month after month, this is a simple confession. But from time to time you need to arrange a general confession for yourself - a review of your whole life. Not the one that has been lived, but the one that is now. We see that the same sins are repeated in us, we can’t get rid of them - that’s why we need to understand ourselves. Your whole life, as it is now, to reconsider.
— How to treat the so-called questionnaires for general confession? They can be seen in church shops.
- If by general confession we mean confession for the whole life lived, then there really arises a need for some kind of external assistance. The best manual for confessors is the book by Archimandrite John (Krestyankin) “The Experience of Building a Confession”, it is about the spirit, the correct mood of a penitent person, about what exactly one must repent of. There is a book “Sin and repentance of the last times. On the secret ailments of the soul” by Archimandrite Lazar (Abashidze). Useful excerpts from St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov) - "To help the penitent." As for the questionnaires, yes, there are confessors, there are priests who do not approve of these questionnaires. They say that it is possible to subtract such sins from them that the reader has never heard of, but if he reads it, he will be damaged ... But, unfortunately, there are almost no such sins that modern man would not know about. Yes, there are stupid, rude questions, there are questions that obviously sin with excessive physiology ... But if you treat the questionnaire as a working tool, like a plow that needs to plow itself all over once, then I think it can be used. In the old days, such questionnaires were called such a wonderful word for the modern ear "renovation". Indeed, with their help, a person renewed himself as the image of God, just as they renovate an old, dilapidated and sooty icon. It is completely unnecessary to think about whether these questionnaires are in good or bad literary form. The serious shortcomings of some questionnaires should be attributed to the following: the compilers include in them something that, in essence, is not a sin. Didn’t you wash your hands with fragrant soap, for example, or didn’t wash it on Sunday ... If you washed it during the Sunday service, it’s a sin, but if you washed it after the service, because there was no other time, I personally don’t see a sin in this.
“Unfortunately, in our church shops you can sometimes buy such things ...
“That is why it is necessary to consult with the priest before using the questionnaire. I can recommend Priest Alexy Moroz's book "I Confess a Sin, Father" - this is a reasonable and very detailed questionnaire.
- Here it is necessary to clarify: what do we mean by the word "sin"? The majority of confessors, uttering this word, have in mind precisely a sinful act. That is, in fact, a manifestation of sin. For example: “Yesterday I was harsh and cruel with my mother.” But this is not a separate, not a random episode, this is a manifestation of the sin of dislike, intolerance, unforgiveness, selfishness. So, you don’t need to say that, not “yesterday I was cruel”, but simply “I am cruel, there is little love in me.” Or how to speak?
“Sin is a manifestation of passion in action. We must repent of specific sins. Not in passions as such, because passions are always the same, you can write one confession to yourself for the rest of your life, but in those sins that were committed from confession to confession. Confession is the Sacrament that gives us the opportunity to initiate a new life. We repented of our sins, and from that moment our life began anew. This is the miracle that takes place in the Sacrament of Confession. That is why you should always repent - in the past tense. It is not necessary to say: "I offend my neighbors", we must say: "I offended my neighbors." Because I have the intention, having said this, not to offend people in the future.Each sin in confession should be named so that it is clear what exactly it is. If we repent of idle talk, we do not need to retell all the episodes of our idle talk and repeat all our idle words. But if in some case there was so much idle talk that we bored someone with it or said something completely superfluous - perhaps we should say a little more, more definitely about this in confession. After all, there are such gospel words: For every idle word that people say, they will give an answer on the day of judgment (Matt. 12, 36). It is necessary to look at your confession in advance from this point of view - whether there will be idle talk in it.
- And yet about passions. If I feel irritation at the request of my neighbor, but I do not betray this irritation in any way and provide him with the necessary help, should I repent of the irritation I experienced as a sin?
- If you, feeling this irritation in yourself, consciously struggled with it - this is one situation. If you accepted this irritation of yours, developed it in yourself, reveled in it - this is a different situation. It all depends on the direction of the will of the person. If a person, experiencing a sinful passion, turns to God and says: “Lord, I don’t want this and I don’t want it, help me get rid of it” - there is practically no sin on a person. There is sin, to the extent that our heart has participated in these tempting desires. And how much we allowed him to participate in it.
— Apparently, we should dwell on the “sickness of storytelling”, which stems from a certain cowardice during confession. For example, instead of saying “I acted selfishly,” I begin to say: “At work ... my colleague says ... and I answer back ...”, etc. I end up reporting my sin, but - just like that, in the frame of the story. This is not even a frame, these stories play, if you look at it, the role of clothes - we dress in words, in a plot, so as not to feel naked at confession.
- Indeed, it's easier. But there is no need to make it easy for yourself to confess. Confessions should not contain unnecessary details. There should not be any other people with their actions. Because when we talk about other people, we most often justify ourselves at the expense of these people. We also make excuses due to some of our circumstances. On the other hand, sometimes the measure of the sin depends on the circumstances in which the sin was committed. Beating a person out of drunken rage is one thing, stopping a criminal while protecting a victim is quite another. To refuse to help your neighbor because of laziness and selfishness is one thing, to refuse because the temperature was forty that day is another. If a person who knows how to confess confesses in detail, it is easier for the priest to see what is happening to this person and why. Thus, the circumstances of the commission of a sin should be reported only if the sin you committed is not clear without these circumstances. This, too, is learned by experience.
Excessive narration in confession may also have another reason: a person’s need for participation, for spiritual help and warmth. Here, perhaps, a conversation with a priest is appropriate, but it should be at a different time, by no means at the moment of confession. Confession is a Sacrament, not a conversation.
- Priest Alexander Elchaninov in one of his notes thanks God for helping him every time to experience confession as a catastrophe. What should we do to ensure that our confession, at least, is not dry, cold, formal?
“We must remember that the confession we make in church is the tip of the iceberg. If this confession is everything, and everything is limited to it, we can say that we have nothing. There was no real confession. There is only the grace of God, which, despite our unreason and recklessness, still acts. We have the intention to repent, but it is formal, it is dry and lifeless. It is like that fig tree, which, if it bears any fruit, then with great difficulty.Our confession is made at another time and prepared at another time. When we, knowing that tomorrow we will go to the temple, we will confess, we sit down and sort out our lives. When I think: why did I condemn people so many times during this time? But because, judging them, I myself look better in my own eyes. I, instead of dealing with my own sins, condemn others and justify myself. Or I find some pleasure in condemnation. When I realize that as long as I judge others, I will not have the grace of God. And when I say: “Lord, help me, otherwise how much will I kill my soul with this?”. After that, I will come to confession and say: "I condemned people without number, I exalted myself over them, I found sweetness in this for myself." My repentance lies not only in the fact that I said it, but in the fact that I decided not to do it again. When a person repents in this way, he receives very great grace-filled consolation from confession and confesses in a completely different way. Repentance is a change in a person. If there was no change, confession remained to a certain extent a formality. “Fulfillment of Christian duty,” as for some reason it was customary to express it before the revolution.
There are examples of saints who brought repentance to God in their hearts, changed their lives, and the Lord accepted this repentance, although there was no stole over them, and the prayer for the forgiveness of sins was not read. But there was repentance! But with us it’s different - and the prayer is read, and the person takes communion, but repentance as such did not happen, there is no break in the chain of sinful life.
There are people who come to confession and, having already stood in front of the lectern with the cross and the Gospel, begin to remember what they have sinned. This is always a real torment - both for the priest, and for those who are waiting for their turn, and for the person himself, of course. How to prepare for confession? First, an attentive sober life. Secondly, there is a good rule, which you can’t think of anything to replace: every evening, spend five to ten minutes not even thinking about what happened during the day, but repenting before God for what a person considers himself to have sinned. Sit down and mentally go through the day - from the morning hours to the evening. And acknowledge every sin for yourself. Whether a sin is great or small, it must be understood, felt, and, as Anthony the Great says, placed between oneself and God. See it as an obstacle between yourself and the Creator. Feel this terrible metaphysical essence of sin. And for every sin, ask God for forgiveness. And put in your heart the desire to leave these sins in the past day. It is advisable to write down these sins in some kind of notebook. This helps put a limit on sin. We did not write down this sin, we did not perform such a purely mechanical action, and it “passed over” to the next day. Yes, and then it will be easier to prepare for confession. You don't have to "suddenly" remember everything.
- Some parishioners prefer confession in this form: "I have sinned against such and such a commandment." It's convenient: "I sinned against the seventh" - and nothing more needs to be said.
“I think this is completely unacceptable. Any formalization of spiritual life kills this life. Sin is the pain of the human soul. If there is no pain, then there is no repentance. St. John of the Ladder says that the pain that we feel when we repent of them testifies to the forgiveness of our sins. If we do not experience pain, we have every reason to doubt that our sins are forgiven. And the Monk Barsanuphius the Great, answering the questions of various people, repeatedly said that a sign of forgiveness is the loss of sympathy for previously committed sins. This is the change that must happen to a person, an inner turn.
- Another common opinion: why should I repent if I know that I will not change anyway - this will be hypocrisy and hypocrisy on my part.
 |
And here is a situation known to me personally: a girl regularly came to one of the Moscow churches and confessed that she earns her living by the oldest, as they say, profession. No one allowed her to take Communion, of course, but she continued to walk, pray, and try to somehow participate in the life of the parish. I don’t know if she managed to leave this craft, but I know for sure that the Lord keeps her and does not leave her, waiting for the necessary change.
It is very important to believe in the forgiveness of sins, in the power of the Sacrament. Those who do not believe complain that after confession there is no relief, that they leave the temple with a heavy soul. This is from lack of faith, even from disbelief in forgiveness. Faith should give a person joy, and if there is no faith, there is no need to rely on any emotional experiences and emotions.
“Sometimes it happens that some long-standing (as a rule) act of ours evokes in us a reaction that is more humorous than repentant, and it seems to us that talking about this act in confession is excessive zeal, bordering on hypocrisy or coquetry. Example: I suddenly remember that once in my youth I stole a book from the library of a rest home. I think that it is necessary to say this in confession: whatever one may say, the eighth commandment has been violated. And then it becomes funny...
“I wouldn't take it so lightly. There are actions that cannot even be formally performed, because they destroy us - not even as people of faith, but simply as people of conscience. There are certain barriers that we must set for ourselves. These saints could have spiritual freedom, which allows them to do things that are formally condemned, but they did them only when these actions were for the good.
– Is it true that you do not need to repent of sins committed before Baptism if you were baptized in adulthood?
 |
We have talked quite a lot here about how to prepare for confession, but what should we read or, as they say, read at home the day before, what kind of prayers? In the prayer book there is a Follow-up to Holy Communion. Do I need to read it in its entirety and is it enough? In addition, after all, Communion may not follow confession. What to read before confession?
“It is very good if a person reads the Canon of Penitence to the Savior before confession. There is also a very good Penitential Canon of the Mother of God. It can be just a prayer with a repentant feeling, "God, be merciful to me a sinner." And it is very important, remembering every sin committed, bringing to the heart the consciousness of its fatality for us, from the heart, in your own words to ask for forgiveness from God for him, simply standing in front of the icons or making bows. Come to what St. Nikodim the Holy Mountaineer calls the feeling of being “guilty.” That is, to feel: I am dying, and I am aware of it, and do not justify myself. I recognize myself as worthy of this death. But with this I go to God, bow before His love and hope for His mercy, believing in it.
Abbot Nikon (Vorobiev) has a wonderful letter to a certain woman, no longer young, who, due to age and illness, had to prepare for the transition to Eternity. He writes to her: “Remember all your sins and in each one - even the one you confessed - repent before God until you feel that the Lord forgives you. It is not a charm to feel that the Lord forgives, this is what the holy fathers called joyful weeping - repentance that brings joy. This is the most necessary thing - to feel peace with God.
Interviewed by Marina Biryukova
archim.Preparation for Confession- a test of conscience before.
In contrast to the magical rite of purification, which allows blind execution of the instructions of a "clergy" sorcerer or magician, the Sacrament of Penance implies the presence of faith, the awareness of personal guilt before God and neighbors, a sincere and conscious desire to be freed from the power of sin.
The Sacrament of Penance cannot be approached mechanically. The forgiveness and absolution of sins is not a legal act of declaring the sinner innocent. Everyone who has confessed at least once in his life could pay attention to what kind of prayer is read over him: "reconcile and unite the saints of your Church." Through the Sacrament of Penance, a person is reconciled with, restores himself as a member.
Repentance for sin consists of 3 stages: Repent of sin as soon as it is committed; remember him at the end of the day and again ask God for forgiveness for him; confess it in the Sacrament of Repentance (Confession) and receive permission from this sin.
From the Sacrament of Penance should be distinguished:
— a confidential spiritual conversation with a priest;
- a repentant conversation before (optional).
Where and when can you confess?
You can confess anywhere on any day of the year, but confession is generally accepted at a scheduled time or by agreement with. The confessor must be baptized.
It is better not to come to the first confession or confession after a long break on Sundays or the days of great church holidays, when the churches are full of prayers and the line for confession is long. It is also advisable to come to the Sacrament in advance.
The First Confession should not be combined with the First Communion in order to fully experience the impressions of this great event in our lives. However, this is just advice.
How to prepare for Confession?
In preparation for confession, in contrast to preparation for the Sacrament of Communion, the church charter does not require any special or special prayer rule.
Before going to confession it is appropriate:
- Focus on prayers of repentance.
- Carefully examine thoughts, thoughts, deeds; note, if possible, all your sinful traits (as an auxiliary tool, bring those accusations that came from relatives, friends, and other people).
- If possible, seek forgiveness from those who were offended by sin, offended by inattention, indifference.
- Consider the plan of confession, and, if necessary, prepare questions for the priest.
- In case of serious sins or rare confession, an additional fast may be recommended.
- Sins are confessed from the moment of the last confession, if they have never been confessed, then from the moment of Baptism.
- In the Sacrament, all sins are forgiven, with the exception of those deliberately hidden. If you forgot to name some minor sin, then don't worry. The sacrament is called the sacrament repentance, but not " The sacrament of listing all the sins committed ".
- First of all, you need to confess what you are ashamed of! Tactically, confession should always be very substantive and specific. You can’t repent that you are “proud” - it’s pointless. Because after such your repentance nothing changes in our life. We can repent of having arrogantly looked at or said some words of condemnation to a particular person. Because, having repented of this, the next time we will think about whether it is worth doing this. It is impossible to repent "in general", abstractly. Subject confession allows you to simultaneously draw up a plan to combat certain passions. At the same time, pettiness should be avoided; there is no need to list a large number of sins of the same type.
Don't use sly generalizations. For example, under the phrase dealt unjustly with one's neighbor can be understood as involuntary grief, and murder.
- It is not necessary to describe sexual sins in detail, it is enough to name them. For example: sinned ( , ).
In preparation for and at Confession, self-justification should be avoided.
- If you do not feel your sins, it is recommended to turn to God with " Lord, grant me to see my sins».
Is it possible to write down sins so as not to forget them at confession?
What to do if you do not consider yourself a sinful person? Or if the sins are ordinary, like everyone else.
You should compare yourself first of all with, then your own spiritual health will not look so rosy.
A clear conscience is a sign of a short memory...
Is it worth confessing if you will surely sin again with some sins?
Is it worth it to wash if you know for sure that you will get dirty again? Repentance is a desire to be reborn, it does not begin with confession and does not end with it, it is the work of a lifetime. Repentance is not only a listing of sins before the testimony of a priest, it is a state that hates sin and avoids it.
Repentance should not be just an emotional release, it is a systematic, meaningful work on oneself, with the goal of approaching God in one's qualities, becoming like Him in. Orthodoxy has an inexhaustible ascetic heritage, compiled by holy ascetics, which must be studied for proper organization.
Our goal is not just to be cleansed of sins and passions, but to acquire. It is not enough, for example, to stop stealing, it is necessary to learn mercy.
Gross sins have already been overcome, and at every confession one has to repeat practically the same sins. How to get out of this vicious circle?
Bishop Tikhon (Shevkunov): “For people who have been churched for a long time, the “list” of sins, as a rule, is approximately the same from confession to confession. There may be a sense of some formal spiritual life. But at home we often sweep the floor, and, thank God, not every time we have to rake the Augean stables. It's just not a problem. The trouble is that you begin to notice how the life of some Christians becomes duller and duller over the years. But it should be the opposite: it should become more and more saturated and more and more joyful.
However, you don't need to be complacent that you can't conquer all sins, you just need to realize that not all sins and passions can be conquered instantly. This is a system task, the solution of which is.
I have very difficult life circumstances, I am afraid that a simple priest will not understand me.
The Lord will understand anyway. There is a good story about this: .
God wished that we repent not before sinless angels, but before people. We should be ashamed of committing sin, not repentance. If a person sincerely hates his sins, then he will not hesitate to confess them to the priest.
Sometimes you can see that some parishioners, with amazing pedantry and scrupulousness, confessing to the slightest violations of church rules or disrespect for shrines, with the same amazing constancy, remain rather tough and unpeaceful in relations with people around them.
Priest Philip
Every person has difficult moments in life, when a stone of unspoken grievances, lies, aggravation of feelings for certain actions, for which sometimes it becomes ashamed and painful, lies on the soul. In order to relieve the soul and repent of all sins, there is the sacrament of confession. This article will tell you in detail how to prepare for confession, what rules you need to follow and what to say to the priest.
Confession means to sincerely repent of your sins and try not to break the laws of God anymore. Before confession, it is necessary to fully realize the full gravity of the sins committed, and with faith in the soul, consciously come to the desire to confess. It is important to remember all your sins without being ashamed, and without hiding anything from the priest, otherwise everything that you have not expressed will remain a heavy burden on your soul, with which you will have to continue to live.
Before confession, you need to ask for forgiveness from everyone you could offend during your life and forgive all the offenders you meet. You should not gossip or discuss anyone, you should refrain from reading frivolous literature (novels, detective stories, etc.), and watching TV.
The best pastime will be reading the bible and other literature on spiritual topics.
When preparing for confession and during it, it is recommended to observe a number of important conditions. Take a look at this list:
What to think about
When preparing for confession, you should use special literature, where you can find a detailed explanation of the essence of each sin. We invite you to study the list of sins in confession, a sample:
- Sins committed against the Lord God: lack of faith in God; recognition of another faith; participation in other religious meetings; appeal to fortune-tellers, fortune-tellers, shamans; creating your own idols. By "idols" can be understood any people, things and everything that a person can put above God.
- Sins against neighbors: discussion and condemnation of people, slander and lies, neglect, adultery (treason to a spouse), promiscuity. And also this category includes "civil marriage", which is very common in modern society. Even if the spouses are registered in the registry office, but not married, then this is considered a sin. Theft, robbery, deception of people, for the purpose of making a profit, are also considered great sins. Abortion, even if done for health reasons, is a very serious sin.
To understand what sins you have committed, you should turn to the commandments, and they should be understood not only literally. For example, "thou shalt not kill" implies not only physical murder, but also murder in words and even in thoughts.
Behavior at Confession
Before confessing, you need to find out the time of confession in the temple. In many churches, confession takes place on holidays and Sundays, but in large churches it can be on Saturdays and on weekdays. Most often, a large number of people who want to confess come during Great Lent. But if a person confesses for the first time or after a long break, it is best to talk with a priest and find a convenient time for calm and open repentance.
Before confession, it is necessary to endure a three-day spiritual and bodily fast: give up sexual activity, do not eat animal products, it is advisable to give up entertainment, watching TV and “sitting” in gadgets. At this time, it is necessary to read spiritual literature and pray. There are special prayers before confession, which can be found in the Prayer Book or on specialized sites. You can read other literature on spiritual topics that the priest can recommend.
It is worth remembering that confession is, first of all, repentance, and not just a sincere conversation with a priest. If you have any questions, you should approach the priest at the end of the Service and ask him to give you some time.
The priest has the right to impose penance on the parishioner if he considers the sins grave. This is a kind of punishment to eradicate sin and receive speedy forgiveness. As a rule, penance is the reading of prayers, fasting and serving others. Penance should be taken not as a punishment, but as a spiritual medicine.
You must come to confession in modest clothing. Men must wear trousers or trousers and a long-sleeved shirt, preferably without images on it. Hats should be taken off in church. Women should dress as modestly as possible; trousers, dresses with a neckline, bare shoulders are not allowed. The length of the skirt is below the knee. There must be a headscarf on the head. Any make-up, especially painted lips, is unacceptable, because you will need to kiss the Gospel and the cross.
Confession order:
- You have to wait in line for confession.
- Turning to all those present, you need to say the following words: "Forgive me, a sinner." In response, people should say: "God will forgive, and we forgive."
- Having bowed your head in front of the lectern (a high stand on which icons and books are placed), you need to cross yourself and bow, and after that you can confess.
- After listening to the confession, the priest reads a prayer that forgives sins. After the prayer, the priest baptizes the confessed and removes the stole.
- After confession, you must listen to the priest, and after crossing yourself three times and bowing, kiss the cross and the book of the Gospel.
sacrament of communion
After confession, the believer is admitted to communion. As a rule, these two ceremonies are held on different days.
Before taking communion, one should strictly fast for three days. A week before the sacrament, akathists to the Saints and the Mother of God should also be read. On the third day of Lent, the Canon of the Penitent, the Canon of the Prayer to the Theotokos, and the Canon of the Guardian Angel are read. It is necessary to attend the evening service before Communion.
After midnight, you should abstain from food and water. Upon awakening, morning prayers are read. And it is also worth remembering that when preparing for Communion, one should not drink alcohol, do not smoke, do not use foul language and refuse to perform marital duty.
The sacrament of confession, as well as the sacrament of communion, are very important events in the life of every person. Cleansing from sins, the confessor becomes closer to God. A person who starts on the true path is already taking a big step towards the purification of the soul and the improvement of life. It is worth remembering that these important events should be approached very seriously and prepared. And having repented and received forgiveness, to keep the soul, body and thoughts in purity and harmony.
10 moments of confession that will help you avoid embarrassment and shorten the time of the sacrament itself.
1. Approach the priest
Usually a separate place is allocated for confession in the temple. There is a lectern (high, beveled table) on which lies the Cross and the Gospel. Nearby is a priest.
Tip: do not make many bows and signs of the cross directly near the lectern. This can be done in advance.
2. What is my name?
Before starting, give your church name (the one with which you were baptized), so that the priest would not ask him again later. Even if you are a permanent parishioner of this church, the priest should not know everyone by name.
3. Where to put money for confession?
Confession in church is always free. But people want to donate money. To do this, a skarbonka or plate is placed near the lectern. In some churches, it is customary to bring a candle to confession. This can be found in the church stall.
4. What to say?
We name a specific sin. For example, he sinned with condemnation, anger, envy, etc. There is no need to tell that a neighbor came and said ... I quarreled with her, they answered me and the like - it is necessary to voice the very sin of this story.
5. Is it necessary to cry in confession?
Why cry? Do not do this by artificially causing tears in yourself. This only lengthens the time taken by one confessor. And if each of the two hundred standing in line to the priest will cry? It happens that tears themselves roll from the eyes - this is understandable, but excessive sobbing is not necessary.
6. Preparation for confession
Need to get ready. It is necessary to know personal sins (we know about strangers, but our own, relatives, are somehow not remembered). It is better to name bad deeds from memory. As a last resort, write down on paper (so as not to forget), and then read them out. But don't let the priest sort through your notes! This is acceptable if a person cannot pronounce his sins aloud due to illness or old age.
7. Reading prayers during confession
There is a certain rule in the prayer books for preparing for confession. Prayers are recommended. They can be read at home, before going to the temple. It is NOT necessary to read them at the confession itself. We only name sins. Reading different prayers also delays the time of the sacrament. Before going out to confess, the priest in the Altar reads the necessary prayers (sometimes he reads this rite in front of the parishioners, if possible, for example, the service has not yet begun).
8. Blessing for weakening the fast
No need to burden the priest with your inability to keep the fast, literally snatching his blessing to eat food! In illness, during pregnancy, breastfeeding, even on a trip / journey, food restriction is removed. Therefore, if there is no confessor, decide for yourself what to eat. If the doctor prescribes a certain menu, then you need to listen to the doctor. The main thing in fasting is our spiritual work and abstinence.
9. How long should confession take?
If everything is done correctly, following my advice, the time fits within two minutes. Sometimes people come who are not ready, like: ask me, I will answer. Or they say that I have nothing to repent. Well, why did you come to confession then? For company? Or is it a tradition?
Everyone has their own sins. Dig into yourself, ask your conscience, and get an answer.
10. End of confession
After the priest reads a prayer over the head of the confessor, he kisses the Cross and the Gospel - as a sign of his cleansing from sins, is applied to these shrines. Folding his palms crosswise, right to left, he asks for blessings from the priest. He blessed, puts his hand in folded palms. And the parishioner kisses this hand - not as a priest, but as the right hand of the Lord Himself, acting invisibly through a minister of the church.
Sometimes the priest can, after blessing, put his hand on the head of the one who is praying - this is also permissible. But in this case, it is not necessary to specifically reach out for a kiss to the hand.
Be baptized on the butt
There is such a concept. They make the sign of the cross before the priest. You don't need to do this. We are baptized before the shrines: the Cross, icons, relics, etc.
About confession, I also want to say that no matter how serious a sin is committed by a person, he is not forgiven UNLESS this person names the sin at confession. Therefore, no matter how ashamed you are to confess, always name all your sins, hiding nothing. After all, you cannot hide from God, but unconfessed sin burdens the soul and a person suffers.
There is no need to repeat an already forgiven (previously confessed) sin, for example, an abortion. But if a long-forgotten sin is remembered, then, of course, it must be named.
And I also want to say that you can confess often (at least every day, if there is something) separately from Communion. There is an opinion that after confession it is necessary to receive communion. It is not right. In preparation for Communion, a person must confess. But, when sins appear, you can do this at any time, even if there is no service in the temple.
Do not postpone confession for the next post - sins are forgotten and an unrepentant soul is weighed down! Be with God! Guardian Angel!
One of the most important sacraments in Orthodoxy can be called the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ. This is the moment when the believer connects with the Son of God. However, you should know how the preparation for the sacrament takes place, especially for those who have decided to take it for the first time (for example, you need to confess, pray, etc.). This is necessary in order for the right attitude to appear, the realization of the future unity with Christ.
Preparing for confession and communion is not a one-day procedure, so you need to know exactly what to do and when. This is exactly what will be discussed in the article.
What is the Sacrament of Communion?
Before you figure out how the preparation for the sacrament begins (this is especially important for beginners), you should know what kind of sacrament it is in general. For the first time it was accepted by Christ and commanded to repeat it to his followers. The first communion took place at the Last Supper on the eve of his crucifixion.
Before the sacrament, a divine service is necessarily performed, which is called the Divine Liturgy, or the Eucharist, which is translated from Greek as "thanksgiving". It was this action that Christ performed in the distant past before giving communion to his disciples.
Thus, the preparation for communion must also include remembrance of these distant ancient events. All this allows you to tune in the right way, which will undoubtedly lead to a deeper acceptance of the Sacrament.
How often do you need to take communion?
Preparation for the sacrament (especially for those who do it infrequently or even for the first time) should include the concept of how many times you can participate in this sacrament. Here you should know that this action is voluntary, therefore, in no way should you force yourself to do this. The main thing is to come to communion with a pure and light heart, when you want to partake of the Mystery of Christ. For those who are in any doubt, it is better to consult a priest.
It is recommended that you start communion if you are ready for it internally. That Christian who lives with faith in God can perform this sacrament at every liturgy. If there are still doubts in your heart, but you believe in God and are on this path, then you can take communion once a week or a month. As a last resort during each big post. However, all this should be regular.
It should also be noted that, according to ancient sources, communion was desirable to be performed daily, but well and four times a week (Sunday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday). Those who are just embarking on the path of the Christian faith should know that there is one day in the year - Maundy Thursday (before Easter), when communion is simply necessary, this is a tribute to the ancient tradition that started it all. About it is written in the article above.
Some clergy believe that frequent communion is unacceptable. However, it should immediately be said that, according to canonical laws, they are not right. Here you need to look into a person very deeply and see how much he really needs this action. In addition, the sacrament should not be mechanical. Therefore, if it is performed often, then the layman must constantly keep himself in good shape, be ready to accept the Gifts. Not everyone can do this, so what is described in this preparation article should happen regularly. Constant prayers, confession and observance of all fasts. The priest should know about all this, since you really cannot hide such a life.
Prayer rule before communion
So, now let's take a closer look at all the points that need to be considered before preparing for the sacrament. First of all, it should be noted that home prayer before the Sacrament is very important. In the Orthodox Prayer Book there is a special sequence that is read before communion. This is preparation for communion. The prayers that are read before this, not only at home, but also church ones, are also included in the preparation for the Sacrament. It is imperative to attend the service immediately before the Sacrament, but in general it is advisable to do this every day.
- prayer canon of the Mother of God;
- penitential canon to Jesus Christ;
- canon to the Guardian Angel.
Thus, conscious preparation for communion and confession, prayers from a pure heart can help the believer to feel the importance of the Sacrament and spiritually prepare for this miracle.
Fasting before Communion
It is equally important to fast before communion. This is a prerequisite. After all, Holy Communion, preparation for which must take place consciously, is a very important rite, and it should not be mechanical, otherwise there will be no benefit from it.
So, those believers who regularly observe multi-day and one-day fasts are entitled to only the so-called liturgical fast. Its meaning is not to eat and drink from twelve o'clock at night before receiving the Sacrament. This fast continues in the morning (that is, communion takes place on an empty stomach).
For those parishioners who do not observe any fasts, as well as those who have just joined Orthodoxy, the priest can establish a seven-day or three-day fast before communion. All such nuances should be coordinated additionally in the church and not be afraid to ask about them.
How to behave, what thoughts to avoid before the Sacrament
When the preparation for communion begins, one should realize one's sins in full. But besides this, so that there are no more of them, you need to refrain from various amusements, for example, visiting the theater, watching TV. Spouses must renounce physical contact the day before communion and on the day it is received.
Pay special attention to your mood, behavior and thoughts. See to it that you do not condemn anyone, discard obscene and malicious thoughts. Do not succumb to bad mood, irritation. Leisure time should be spent in seclusion, indulging in spiritual reading or prayer (as far as possible).
It should be noted that the most important thing for receiving the Holy Gifts of Christ is repentance. A person should sincerely repent of his deeds. This is what you need to focus on. Fasting, prayer, reading the scriptures are just the means to achieve this state. And this must be remembered.
How to Prepare for Confession
Confession before communion is very important. Apply for this request to the priest of the church where you are going to receive the Sacrament. Preparation for communion and confession is a special attitude aimed at correcting one's sins, one's bad behavior and impure thoughts, as well as keeping track of everything that contradicts and violates the Commandments of the Lord. Everything that was found and consciously, and should be confessed. But remember about sincerity, do not turn a conversation with a priest into just a formal enumeration of sins on a list.
So, why is such a serious preparation for confession and communion necessary? One should recognize one's sins in advance in order to know what to tell the priest about. It often happens that a believer comes, but does not know what to say, where to start. You also need to tune in to the fact that the priest is just a guide, the Sacrament of Repentance remains with him and the Lord. Therefore, there is no need to be embarrassed when talking about your sins. This is necessary to cleanse and continue life freely.
Confession before Communion: confession of sins
So, the preparation for confession and communion is over. But the hardest part is yet to come. When you come to confession, open your heart without waiting for the priest's questions. Tell everything that lies like a stone on your soul. It is better to perform this action in the evening, on the eve of the liturgy, although it will not be a mistake to do this in the morning before it.
If you are going to receive communion for the first time, then it is better to confess the day before. This is necessary so that the priest has time to listen to you. If you want to confess in the morning, then choose a day when there are few people. For example, on Sunday there are a lot of parishioners in the temple, so the priest will not be able to listen to you in detail. After confessing sins, one should adhere to the right path and strive with all his might not to commit them in the future, otherwise what was the point in this spiritual conversation?
Communion day. What to do?
On the day of communion, certain rules must be observed. As mentioned above, you need to go to the temple on an empty stomach. If you smoke, then you need to refrain from cigarettes until you accept the Gifts of Christ. In the church, when the moment comes for their removal, you need to approach the altar, but let the children go ahead if they come, since they are the first to receive communion.
You don’t need to be baptized near the Chalice, you just need to bow in advance, crossing your arms over your chest. Before accepting gifts, you need to pronounce your Christian name, and then immediately eat them.
What should be done after a person has received communion?
The rules for preparing for communion also include knowing what to do after the Sacrament has taken place. Kiss the edge of the Bowl and go to the prosphora table to eat a piece. Do not leave the church until you kiss the altar cross, which will be held by the priest.
Also in the temple, prayers of thanksgiving are read, which must be listened to. In extreme cases, you can read them at home on your own. Keep the purity you have received inside your soul. Each time it will happen easier and easier.
What you need to know about the communion of children and the sick
It should be said that small children (up to the age of seven) receive communion without confession. Also, they do not need to prepare the way an adult does (fasting, prayer, repentance). Those babies who have received baptism receive communion on the same day or during the next liturgy that follows their baptism.
Exceptions are also made for patients. They do not need to prepare in the way that healthy people do, but if possible, they should at least confess. But if the patient cannot do this, then the priest reads "I believe, Lord, and I confess." Then he immediately takes communion.
In church practice, those parishioners who have been excommunicated for a while from communion, but are on their deathbed or in danger, are not denied acceptance of the Holy Gifts. However, upon recovery (if so) the ban continues to apply.
Who can't take communion
Preparing for the sacrament for beginners includes knowing and who cannot receive it. This will be discussed below:
- those who have not confessed cannot take communion (the exception is children who are under seven years old);
- parishioners who have been excommunicated from receiving the Holy Mysteries also cannot receive communion;
- those who are insensible;
- parishioners who are insane and possessed if they blaspheme in their fits (if this does not happen, then you can take communion, but this should not happen every day);
- spouses who, on the eve of receiving the Sacraments, had an intimate life;
- women who are menstruating should not receive communion.
A Brief Reminder for Communioners and Confessors
So, now let's summarize all the moments that arise when preparation for confession and communion takes place. The memo will help you not to forget all the steps.
- Consciousness of sin.
- Repentance for the perfect, a special state when you have forgiven everyone and do not feel evil.
- Preparation for confession. Here it is necessary to reconsider what sins can be: in relation to God, relatives, to oneself (smoking, for example), carnal sins, those that relate to the family (infidelity and the like).
- Correct and sincere, without concealment, confession.
- Post if needed.
- Prayers.
- Communion directly.
- Further retention of purity and Christ in the body.
Separately, it is necessary to say about how to behave in the temple during communion.
- Don't be late for Liturgy.
- You need to cross yourself when opening the royal doors, then fold your hands crosswise. To approach and depart from the Chalice in the same way.
- Approach from the right side, and the left should be free. Don't push.
- Communion should take place in turn: bishop, presbyters, deacons, subdeacons, readers, children, adults.
- Women are required to come to the temple without lipstick.
- Before accepting the Gifts of Christ, do not forget to give your name.
- They are not baptized directly in front of the Chalice.
- It happens that the Holy Gifts are given from two or more Chalices. In this case, one should be chosen, since communion more than once a day is considered a sin.
- At home, after communion, you need to read thanksgiving prayers if you did not listen to them in the temple.
Now, perhaps, you know all the stages that include communion in the church, preparation for it. It is very important to approach this consciously, with deep faith in the heart. The most important thing is repentance for one's sins, which must be true, and not just in words. But you shouldn't stop there either. It is necessary to reject sin from life as something alien, to understand that it is impossible to live like this, to realize that lightness can come only with purity.
Finally
So, as we see, preparation for communion is a serious stage before the Sacrament itself. All recommendations should be followed in order to come ready to receive the Gifts of Christ. It is necessary to recognize in advance the importance of this moment, and therefore more fervent prayer is required. And the observance of fasting will help to purify the body of the believer, confession to the priest will purify the soul. Conscious preparation for communion and confession will help the parishioner understand that this Sacrament is not at all one of the many rites, but something deeper. This is a special communion with the Lord, as a result of which the life of a Christian changes dramatically.
However, it should be taken into account (this is important primarily for those parishioners who have just set foot on the path of repentance) that it is impossible to fix everything at once. If you have been building up a sinful burden for decades, then you need to get rid of it gradually. And taking the sacrament is the first step on that path.