We are baptized and anointed once in a lifetime. Ideally, we get married once. The Sacrament of the Priesthood is not all-encompassing; 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 all life to eternity, without them the existence of a Christian is unthinkable. We proceed to them over and over again. 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, it seems to us very important to talk about these Sacraments. In this issue, in a conversation with the editor-in-chief of the magazine, Hegumen Nektariy (Morozov), we decided to touch upon (because it is an impossible task to cover everything, too "boundless" topic) confession, and next time - to talk about the Communion of the Holy Mysteries.
- I suppose, more precisely, I guess: nine out of ten who come to confession do not know how ...
- Indeed it is. Even people who regularly go to church do not know how to do many things in it, but the worst of all is with confession. Very rarely does a parishioner confess correctly. You have to learn to confess. Of course, it would be better if an experienced confessor, a man of high spiritual life, spoke about the Sacrament of Confession, about repentance. If I dare to speak about it here, then simply as a confessing person - on the one hand, and on the other - as a priest, who quite often has to accept confession. I will try to summarize my observations of my own soul and how others participate in the Sacrament of Penance. But in no case do I consider my observations sufficient.
- Let's talk about the most common misunderstandings, misconceptions and mistakes. A person goes to confession for the first time; he had heard that before taking communion, one had to confess. And that in confession you have to tell your sins. He immediately has a question: for what period to "report"? For your whole life, starting from childhood? But can you tell all this? Or do you not need to retell everything, but you just need to say: “In childhood and adolescence I manifested selfishness many times” or “In my youth I was very proud and vain, and now, in fact, I remain the same”?
- If a person came 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 - until the moment when he finally decided to confess.
How can you tell your whole life in a short time? At confession, we do not tell our whole life, but what is a sin. Sins are specific events. However, there is no need to retell every time you have sinned by anger, for example, or by lying. It is necessary to say that you have committed this sin, and to cite some of the brightest, most terrible manifestations of this sin - those from which the soul really hurts. There is another pointer: what do you least want to tell about yourself? This is exactly what must be told in the first place. If you are going to confession for the first time, it is best for you to set yourself the task: to confess your most serious, most painful sins. Then the confession will become more complete, deeper. The first confession cannot be like that - for several reasons: this is a psychological barrier (to come for the first time with a priest, that is, with a witness, telling God about your sins is not easy) and other obstacles. After all, 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, perhaps you will not find anywhere else. In the life around us, many sins have become a habitual phenomenon ... But even when reading the Gospel to a person, his sins are not immediately revealed, they are gradually revealed by the grace of God. The Monk Peter Damascene says that the beginning of the health of the soul is the vision of one's own sins, countless, like the sand of the sea. If the Lord immediately revealed to a person his sinfulness in all its horror, not a single person could bear it. That is why the Lord reveals to a person his sins gradually. This can be compared to peeling an onion - first one peeled off, then the second - and finally, we got to the bulb itself. That is why it often happens like this: a person goes to church, regularly confesses, receives communion - and finally realizes the need for the so-called general confession. It rarely happens that a person is ready for it right away.
- What it is? How is a general confession different from an ordinary confession?
- General confession, as a rule, is called the confession for the whole life lived, and in a certain sense this is true. But the general confession can be called 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 for yourself a general confession - a review of your whole life. Not the one that was lived, but the one that is now. We see that the same sins are repeated with us, we cannot get rid of them - that is why we need to understand ourselves. Review your whole life as it is now.
- How to relate to the so-called questionnaires for the general confession? They can be seen in church shops.
- If by general confession we mean exactly confession for the whole life lived, then here there really is a need for some kind of external benefits. The best manual for confessors is the book by Archimandrite John (Krestyankin) "The Experience of Building Confession", it is about the spirit, the correct attitude of a repentant 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 (Brianchaninov) - "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 in them it is possible to deduct such sins that the reader has never heard of, but reads and will be damaged ... But, unfortunately, there are almost no sins left that a modern man would not know about. Yes, there are stupid, rude questions, there are questions that clearly sin with excessive physiology ... But if you treat the questionnaire as a working tool, like a plow that needs to be plowed all over once, then I think you can use it. In the old days, such questionnaires were called such a wonderful word for the modern ear, "renewal". Indeed, with their help, a person renovated himself as an image of God, just as an old, dilapidated and sooty icon is renovated. It is completely unnecessary to think about whether these questionnaires are written in good or bad literary form. The following is a serious shortcoming of some questionnaires: the compilers include in them what, in essence, is not a sin. Did you wash your hands with scented soap, for example, or did you wash it on Sunday ... If you did it during the Sunday service, it’s a sin, and if you did it after the service, because there was no other time, I personally don’t see it as a sin.
- Unfortunately, in our church shops you can sometimes buy this ...
- That is why it is necessary to consult with the priest before using the questionnaire. I can recommend the book by Priest Alexy Moroz "I Confess Sin, Father" - this is a reasonable and very detailed questionnaire.
- Here it is necessary to clarify: what do we mean by the word "sin"? Most of the confessors, pronouncing this word, mean exactly a sinful act. That is, in essence, a manifestation of sin. For example: "Yesterday I was harsh and cruel with my mother." But this is not a separate, not an accidental episode, it is a manifestation of the sin of dislike, intolerance, unforgiveness, selfishness. This means that it is not necessary to say so, not “yesterday was cruel”, but simply “I am cruel, there is little love in me”. Or how should one speak?
- Sin is a manifestation of passion in practice. We must repent of specific sins. Not in the passions as such, because the passions are always the same, you can write one confession to yourself for your whole life, but in those sins that were committed from confession to confession. Confession is the Sacrament that gives us the opportunity to start a new life. We repented of our sins, and from that moment our life began anew. This is the miracle that is performed in the Sacrament of Confession. That is why one must always repent - in the past tense. It is not necessary to say: “I offend my neighbors”, it is necessary to say: “I have offended my neighbors”. Because I have an intention, having said this, henceforth not to offend people.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 tired someone with this or said something completely unnecessary, perhaps we need to say about this in confession in a little more detail, more definite. There are, after all, such words from the Gospel: For every idle word that people say, they will give an answer on the day of judgment (Matthew 12, 36). It is also necessary to look at your confession in advance from this point of view - whether there will be idle talk in it.
- And yet about the passions. If I feel irritated at the request of my neighbor, but I don’t betray this irritation in any way and I 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 fought 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 do not want and do not want this, help me get rid of this" - there is practically no sin on the person. There is sin, as far as our heart participated in these tempting desires. And how much we allowed him to participate in this.
- Apparently, it is necessary to dwell on the "disease of narration" arising from a certain cowardice during confession. For example, instead of saying “I was selfish,” I begin to tell: “At work ... my colleague says ... and I say in response ...”, etc. I eventually report my sin, but - just like that, framed by the story. This is not even a frame, these stories play, if you look, the role of clothing - we dress in words, in a plot, so as not to feel naked in confession.
- Indeed, it's easier that way. But there is no need to make the task of confession easier for oneself. Confession should not contain unnecessary details. There should not be any other people with their actions. Because when we talk about other people, we 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 of the sin. To beat a person out of drunken anger is one thing, to stop a criminal while protecting a victim is quite another. To refuse to help a neighbor because of laziness and selfishness is one thing, to refuse because the temperature that day was forty 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 sin should be communicated only if, without these circumstances, the sin you committed cannot be understood. This is also learned from experience.
Excessive narration in confession may have another reason: a person's need for participation, for mental help and warmth. Here, perhaps, a conversation with a priest is appropriate, but it should be at a different time, certainly not at the moment of confession. Confession is a Sacrament, not a conversation.
- Priest Alexander Yelchaninov in one of his notes thanks God for helping him to experience confession as a catastrophe every time. 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 the temple 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 really no confession. There is only the grace of God, which, despite our folly and folly, still acts. We have an 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 performed at another time and is being prepared at another time. When we, knowing that tomorrow we will go to church, will confess, 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 condemn 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 was exalted over them, I found sweetness for myself in this." My repentance is not only that I said it, but that I decided not to do it again. When a person repents in this way, he receives a 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 it was 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 epitracheli over them, and the prayer for the remission of sins was not read. But there was repentance! And in our country it is different - both the prayer was read, and the person received 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 analogue with the cross and the Gospel, begin to remember what they sinned. This is always sheer 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 cannot think of to replace: every day in the evening to devote five to ten minutes not even thinking about what happened during the day, but repentance before God for what a person considers himself to be a sinner. Sit down and mentally go through the day - from morning hours to evening. And to realize every sin for yourself. Big or small sin - you need to understand, feel it and, as Anthony the Great says, put it between yourself and God. See it as an obstacle between yourself and the Creator. Feel this terrible metaphysical essence of sin. And ask God for forgiveness for every sin. And put in your heart the desire to leave these sins in the past. It is advisable to write down these sins in some kind of notebook. It helps to set a limit for sin. We didn’t write down this sin, we didn’t do such a purely mechanical action, and it “passed over” the next day. And then it will be easier to prepare for confession. It is not necessary to recall everything “all of a sudden”.
- Some parishioners prefer confession in this form: "I have sinned against such and such commandment." It is convenient: “I have sinned against the seventh” - and there is no need to tell anything else.
- I believe that this is completely unacceptable. Any formalization of spiritual life kills this life. Sin is the pain of the human soul. If this pain is not there, then there is no repentance. The Monk John Climacus says that the pain that we feel when we repent of them testifies to the forgiveness of our sins. If we are not in 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 a loss of sympathy for previously committed sins. This is the change that must happen to a person, an inner turn.
- Another widespread opinion: why would 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 most ancient, as they say, profession. No one allowed her to take Communion, of course, but she continued to walk, prayed, tried 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, 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 hope for some kind of emotional experience and emotions.
- Sometimes it happens that some old (as a rule) our act causes 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 sometime in my youth I stole a book from the library of a holiday home. I think I need to say this in confession: whatever one may say, the eighth commandment has been violated. And then it becomes funny itself ...
- I would not take it so lightly. There are actions that cannot even be done formally, because they destroy us - not even as people of faith, but simply as people of conscience. There are certain barriers that we must set ourselves up. 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 talked a lot here about how to prepare for confession, but what should we read or, as they say, read on the eve of the house, what prayers? In prayer, there is a Follow-up to Holy Communion. Do I need to read it in its entirety and is that enough? In addition, the Sacrament may not follow the confession. What to read before confession?
- It is very good if a person reads the Penitential Canon 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 perfect sin, bringing to the heart the consciousness of its disastrous for us, from the heart, in your own words to ask for forgiveness from God for it, just standing in front of the icons or making obeisances. To come to what the Monk Nikodim Svyatorets calls the feeling of being "guilty". That is, to feel: I am perishing, and I am aware of this, and I do not justify myself. I acknowledge myself worthy of this death. But with this I go to God, surrender myself before His love and hope for His mercy, believing in it.
Abbot Nikon (Vorobyov) has a wonderful letter to a certain woman, already not young, who, due to age and illness, had to prepare for the transition into Eternity. He writes to her: “Remember all your sins and in everyone - even the one that you have confessed - repent before God until you feel that the Lord forgives you. It is not delight to feel that the Lord forgives, this is what the holy fathers called joyful crying - repentance that brings joy. " This is the most necessary thing - to feel peace with God.
Interviewed by Marina Biryukova
archim.Preparation for Confession- test of conscience before.
In contrast to the magical rite of cleansing, which allows the blind fulfillment of the instructions of a "sacred" sorcerer or magician, the Sacrament of Repentance implies the presence of faith, an 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. Forgiveness and permission of sins is not the legal act of declaring a sinner innocent. Everyone who confessed at least once in his life could pay attention to what prayer is read over him: “reconcile and unite in the holiness of your Church”. Through the Sacrament of Repentance, a person is reconciled with, restores himself as a member.
Repentance for sin consists of 3 stages: Repentance of sin as soon as you commit it; remember him at the end of the day and again ask God for forgiveness for him; confess him in the Sacrament of Repentance (Confession) and receive permission from this sin.
The Sacraments of Penance should be distinguished from:
- confidential spiritual conversation with a priest;
- a confessionary conversation before (optional).
Where and when can I confess?
You can confess anywhere on any day of the year, but it is generally accepted to confess at a certain time or by agreement with. The confessing person 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 churches are full of worshipers and there is a long queue for confession. 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 life. 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 features (as an aid, cite those accusations that came from relatives, friends, and other people).
- If possible, ask for forgiveness from those who have been offended by sin, offended by inattention, indifference.
- Consider a plan for confession, and, if necessary, prepare questions for the priest.
- For serious sins or a rare confession, an additional fast may be recommended.
- Sins are confessed from the moment of the last confession, if they have never 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 a minor sin, then don't worry. The sacrament is called the sacrament Penance, but not " The sacrament of enumeration of all sins committed ".
- First of all, you need to confess what you are ashamed of! Tactically, confession should always be very substantive and specific. You cannot repent that you are “proud” - it is pointless. Because after your repentance like that, nothing changes in our life. We can repent that we have arrogantly looked or said some words of condemnation to a specific person. Because, having repented of this, next time we will think about whether it is worth doing this. You cannot repent “in general,” abstractly. Objective 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 one kind.
- Do not use crafty generalizations. For example, under the phrase treated unfairly can be understood as involuntary grief and murder.
- You should not describe in detail the sexual sins, it is enough to name them. For example: sinned (,).
- Self-justification should be avoided in preparation for and during the Confession.
- 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 in confession?
What if you don't consider yourself a sinful person? Or if sins are common, like everyone else's.
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 with some sins again?
Should you wash yourself 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 be not just an emotional release, it is a systematic, meaningful work on oneself, with the goal of approaching God in its 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 from sins and passions, but to gain. 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, from confession to confession is about the same. There may be a feeling of some kind of 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 just doesn't matter. The trouble is that you begin to notice how the life of some Christians becomes more boring and boring over the years. But it should be the other way around: it should become more intense and more joyful. "
Nevertheless, one does not need to be complacent in the fact that you cannot overcome all sins, you just need to realize that not all sins and passions can be overcome instantly. This is a systemic task, the solution of which it serves.
I have very difficult life circumstances, I'm afraid that a simple priest won't understand me.
The Lord will understand anyway. There is a good story about this:.
God wanted us to repent not to sinless Angels, but to people. We should be ashamed of committing sin, not repentance. If a person sincerely hated his sins, then he does not hesitate to confess them to the priest.
Sometimes it can be noticed that some parishioners, with amazing pedantry and scrupulousness, confess the slightest violation of church rules or disrespect for sacred objects, with the same amazing constancy remain rather tough and unfriendly in relations with the 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 to repent of all sins, there is the sacrament of confession. How to prepare for confession, what rules you need to follow and what to say to the priest, this article will tell you in detail.
Confessing means sincerely repenting of your sins and trying not to break the laws of God anymore. Before confessing, it is necessary to fully realize the 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, not being ashamed, and not hiding anything from the priest, otherwise everything you have not said 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 whom you could offend during your life and forgive all offenders that you meet. You should not spread gossip or discuss anyone, you must refrain from reading frivolous literature (novels, detective stories, etc.), and watching TV.
The best pastime is to read the Bible and other spiritual literature.
When preparing for and during confession, 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 suggest that you 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 sorcerers, fortune tellers, shamans; creation of "idols" for oneself. 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 (betrayal of a spouse), promiscuous sex. 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, deceiving people in order to make 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 not only be understood literally. For example, “Thou shalt not kill” implies not only physical murder, but also murder in word and even in thought.
Confession behavior
Before confessing, you need to know 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 Saturday or on a weekday. Most often, a large number of those wishing to confess comes during Great Lent. But if a person is confessing for the first time or after a long break, it is best to talk to a priest and find a convenient time for calm and open repentance.
Before confession, it is necessary to endure a three-day fast, spiritual and bodily: give up sex life, 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 spiritual literature that a priest might recommend.
It is worth remembering that confession is, first of all, repentance, and not just a spiritual 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 time.
The priest has the right to impose penance on a parishioner if he considers the sins to be grave. This is a kind of punishment to eradicate sin and receive early forgiveness. As a rule, penance is reading prayers, fasting, and serving others. Penance should be taken not as a punishment, but as a spiritual medicine.
You need to come to confession in modest clothes. Men should dress in trousers or pants, and a long-sleeved shirt, preferably without images on it. The hat in the church should be removed. 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 scarf on the head. Any makeup, especially painted lips, is unacceptable, because you will need to kiss the Gospel and the cross.
Confession order:
- You must wait for your turn to confess.
- Turning to everyone present, you need to say the following words: "Forgive me, a sinner." In response, people should say, "God will forgive, and we forgive."
- Bowing your head in front of the analogue (a high stand on which icons and books are placed), you need to cross yourself and bow, and after that you can confess.
- After hearing the confession, the priest reads a prayer that absolves of sins. After the prayer, the priest baptizes the confessed person and removes the epitrachelion.
- After confession, you need to listen to the priest, and after crossing yourself three times and bowing, kiss the cross and the book of the Gospel.
Sacrament of the sacrament
After confession, the believer is admitted to communion. as a rule, these two rites are performed on different days.
Before receiving communion, you should fast for three days. A week before the sacrament, akathists should also be read to the Saints and the Mother of God. On the third day of fasting, the Canon of Penitence, the Canon of the Prayer to the Mother of God and the Canon to the Guardian Angel are read. It is necessary to attend the evening service before Communion.
After midnight, you should refrain from food and water. Upon awakening, morning prayers are read. And it is also worth remembering that in preparing for Communion, one should not drink alcohol, not smoke, not use foul language and refuse to fulfill marital duty.
The sacrament of confession, like the sacrament of the sacrament, are very important events in the life of every person. Cleansing from sins, the confessing becomes closer to God. A person who is beginning to take 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 already repented and received forgiveness, 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 ordinance itself.
1. We approach the priest
Usually there is a separate place for confession in the temple. There is a lectern (a high, sloping table) with the Cross and the Gospel on it. A priest is standing nearby.
Advice: do not do 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 does not ask him again later. Even if you are a regular 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 gift box or plate is placed near the lectern. In some churches it is customary to bring a candle to confession. You can find out about this in the church stall.
4. What to say?
We name a specific sin. For example, he sinned with judgment, anger, envy, etc. There is no need to tell that the neighbor came and said ... I had a fight with her, they answered me and something like that - we need to voice the very sin of this story.
5. Should we cry in confession?
Why cry? Do not do this by artificially causing oneself to cry. This only lengthens the time taken by one confessor. And what if each of the two hundred standing in line to see the priest cry? It happens that tears themselves roll from the eyes - this is understandable, but unnecessary sobbing is not necessary.
6. Preparing for confession
We need to prepare. 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 it down on paper (so as not to forget), and then read them out. But don't let the priest understand your notes! This is acceptable if a person cannot speak out loud of his sins due to illness or old age.
7. Reading prayers during confession
There is in the prayer books a certain rule of preparation for confession. Prayers are recommended there. You can read them at home, before going to the temple. It is NOT necessary to read them at the confession itself. We name only sins. Reading different prayers also delays the sacrament time. Before going out to confessing, the priest reads the necessary prayers in the Altar (sometimes he reads this rite in front of the parishioners, if there is an opportunity for this, for example, the service has not yet begun).
8. Blessing for the weakening of fasting
No need to burden the priest with your inability to fast, literally snatching his blessing for eating food! In illness, pregnancy, breastfeeding, even on a trip / trip, the restriction in food 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 who are not ready come, - like: ask me, I will answer. Or they say that I have nothing to repent of. Well, why did you come to confession then? For company? Or such a tradition?
Everyone has their own sins. Dig into yourself, ask your conscience, and you will get the answer.
10. End of confession
After the priest reads the prayer above the confessor's head, he kisses the Cross and the Gospel - as a sign of his cleansing from sins, applies to these shrines, folding his palms crosswise, right to left, asks the priest for blessing. He, having 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, invisibly acting through a minister of the church.
Sometimes the priest can, after the blessing, put his hand on the head of the person praying - this is also permissible. But in this case, you do not need to specially reach for a kiss to the hand.
Baptized on the priest
There is such a concept. They impose the sign of the cross on themselves before the priest. This is not necessary. We are baptized in front of shrines: the Cross, icons, relics, etc.
About confession I would also like to say that no matter how serious a sin is committed by a person, it is not forgiven, IF this person does not name the sin in confession. Therefore, no matter how ashamed you are to confess, always name all your sins, without hiding anything. After all, you cannot hide from God, and unconfessed sin weighs on 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 forgotten long-standing sin is recalled, then, of course, it must be named.
And I also want to say that you can often confess (at least every day, if there is anything) separately from Communion. There is an opinion that after confession it is imperative to receive communion. It is not right. When preparing for Communion, a person must necessarily 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 until the next post - sins are forgotten and the unrepentant soul is burdened! Be with God! Guardian Angel!
One of the most important sacraments in Orthodoxy is the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ. This is the moment when the believer unites with the Son of God. However, you should know how the preparation for the sacrament takes place, especially for those who first decided to take it (for example, you need to confess, pray, etc.). This is necessary in order for the correct attitude to appear, the awareness 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 the Sacrament?
Before you figure out where 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, Christ accepted him and commanded him to repeat this to his followers. The first communion took place at the Last Supper on the eve of his crucifixion.
Before the sacrament, a service is necessarily performed, which is called the Divine Liturgy, or the Eucharist, which is translated from Greek as "thanksgiving." It is this action that Christ performed in the distant past before giving the Holy Communion to his disciples.
Thus, preparation for the sacrament should include memories 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 should you receive 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 ordinance. 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 begin the sacrament if you are ready for it internally. The 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 every big post. However, all this should be regular.
It should also be noted that, according to ancient sources, it was desirable to carry out communion 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 from which everything began. It is also written about it in the article above.
Some clergy believe that frequent partaking of the sacrament is unacceptable. However, it should immediately be said that, according to canonical laws, they are wrong. 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 done often, then the layman must constantly keep himself in good shape, be ready to accept the Gifts. Not everyone can do it, so what is described in this article about preparation should happen regularly. Constant prayer, confession and observance of all fasts. The priest should know about all this, since such a life cannot really be hidden.
Prayer rule before communion
So, now we will more specifically consider 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 the sacrament. The prayers that are read before this, not only at home, but also in the church, 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 the sacrament and confession, prayers from a pure heart can help the believer to feel the importance of the Sacrament and spiritually prepare for this miracle.
Observance of the fast before communion
It is equally important to fast before the sacrament. This is a prerequisite. After all, Holy Communion, preparation for which must take place consciously, is a very important rite, and it must not be mechanical, otherwise there will be no benefit from it.
So, those believers who regularly observe fasts of many and one day are entitled to only the so-called liturgical fast. Its meaning is not to eat and drink from twelve o'clock in the morning before accepting the Sacrament. This fast continues in the morning (i.e., the sacrament 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 the sacrament. 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 the sacrament begins, one must 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, going to the theater, watching TV. Spouses need to give up physical contact the day before the sacrament and on the day it is received.
Particular attention should be paid to your mood, behavior and thoughts. Make sure not to condemn anyone, discard obscene and evil thoughts. Do not succumb to bad mood, irritation. Free time should be spent in seclusion, indulging in spiritual reading or prayer (as much as possible).
It should be noted that the most important thing for receiving the Holy Gifts of Christ is repentance. A person must sincerely repent of his deeds. It is on this that you need to focus your attention. Fasting, prayer, and scripture reading are just the means to achieve this state. And this must be remembered.
How to prepare for confession
Confession before the sacrament is very important. Contact the priest of the church where you are going to receive the Sacrament for this request. Preparation for the sacrament and confession is a special attitude aimed at correcting your sins, your bad behavior and unclean thoughts, as well as keeping track of everything that contradicts and violates the commandments of the Lord. All that was found and consciously, and should be confessed. But remember about sincerity, do not turn the conversation with the priest into just a formal listing of sins on the list.
So why is such a serious preparation for confession and communion necessary? One should realize 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 Penance remains with him and the Lord. Therefore, there is no need to feel embarrassed when talking about your sins. This is necessary to purify yourself and continue your life freely.
Confession before the Sacrament: Awareness of Sins
So, the preparation for confession and communion is over. But the most difficult thing 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 would 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, there are a lot of parishioners in the church on Sunday, so the priest will not be able to listen to you in detail. After confessing your sins, you should adhere to the correct path and strive with all your might not to commit them in the future, otherwise what was the meaning of this spiritual conversation?
Communion day. What to do?
There are some rules to follow on the day of the sacrament. 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 them to be carried out, you need to approach the altar, but let the children go ahead if they come, since they are the first to receive communion.
You do not 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 eat them immediately.
What should be done after a person has received the Holy Communion?
The rules for preparing for the sacrament also include the knowledge of what to do after the Sacrament has taken place. Kiss the edge of the Bowl and go to the table with prosphora to eat a bite. Do not leave the church until you have kissed the altar cross held by the priest.
Also in the temple prayers of thanks are read, which must be listened to. As a last resort, you can read them yourself at home. Keep the purity you received within your soul. Each time it will be easier and easier.
What you need to know about communion with children and the sick
It should be said that little children (up to the age of seven) receive communion without confession. They also 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 the sick. You don't need to prepare for them the way healthy people do, but if possible, you should at least confess. But if the patient cannot do this, then the priest reads "I believe, Lord, and I confess." Then he immediately gives communion.
In church practice, they do not refuse to accept the Holy Gifts by those parishioners who are excommunicated for a while from the sacrament, but are on their deathbed or in danger. However, upon recovery (if this happens), the prohibition continues to apply.
Who cannot partake of the sacrament
Preparing for the sacrament for beginners includes knowing who is unable to receive it. This will be discussed below:
- those who have not confessed cannot take the sacrament (with the exception of children under the age of seven);
- parishioners who have been excommunicated from the reception of the Holy Sacraments also cannot receive communion;
- those who are insensible;
- parishioners who are insane and possessed in the event that they blaspheme in their seizures (if this does not happen, then you can receive communion, but this should not happen every day);
- spouses who had an intimate life on the eve of the reception of the Sacraments;
- women who are menstruating cannot receive communion.
A Brief Memo 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.
- Awareness of sin.
- Repentance is perfect, a special state when you have forgiven everyone and do not feel evil.
- Preparing for confession. Here it is necessary to reconsider what sins can be: in relation to God, those close to oneself (smoking, for example), carnal sins, those that relate to the family (infidelity and the like).
- Correct and sincere, without concealment, confession.
- Fasting as needed.
- Prayers.
- Communion itself.
- Further retention of purity and Christ in the body.
Separately, it should be said about how to behave in church during communion.
- Don't be late for the liturgy.
- You need to cross yourself when opening the royal doors, then fold your arms crosswise. Approach and leave the Chalice in the same way.
- Approach from the right side, and the left should be free. Do not push.
- The sacrament should take place in turn: the bishop, elders, deacons, subdeacons, readers, children, adults.
- Women need to go to the temple without lipstick.
- Before accepting the gifts of Christ, do not forget to give your name.
- People are not baptized directly in front of the Chalice.
- It happens that the Holy Gifts are given from two or more Cups. In this case, you should choose one, since communion more than times a day is considered a sin.
- At home, after communion, you need to read thanksgiving prayers, if you did not listen to them in church.
Now, perhaps, you know all the stages that include the sacrament in church, preparation for it. It is very important to approach this consciously, with deep faith in your heart. The most important thing is repentance for your sins, which should be true, and not just in words. But this is also not worth dwelling on. It is necessary to reject sin from life as something alien, to understand that it is impossible to live like that, to realize that lightness can come only with purity.
Finally
So, as we can see, preparation for the sacrament 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 realize in advance the importance of this moment, and therefore more fervent prayer is required. And to cleanse the body of the believer will help observance of the fast, to cleanse the soul - confession to the priest. Conscious preparation for the sacrament and confession will help the parishioner understand that this Sacrament is not one of the many rituals, 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 first of all 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 the sinful burden for decades, then you need to get rid of it gradually. And partaking of the sacrament is the first step on this path.