The church calendar contains fasts before certain holidays. But confession and communion are individual sacraments. No one specifies the day when one should cleanse one’s soul from sins, just as no one prescribes with what frequency one should confess. One person confesses his sins to his confessor every week, another - before major church holidays. Sometimes the period before communion falls on the general Orthodox fast. What to do then?
Some people even come to communion without fasting or confession. But the Holy Gifts are the greatest sacrament. According to the Church, they should not be eaten by people mired in sins. And in order to prepare oneself for confession and communion, a person should fast. But if there is still some clarity with meat and animal products, then the question of whether fish can be eaten before communion remains open. A document from the Inter-Council Presence commission regarding this problem was recently released. It is called "Preparation for Holy Communion." Let's see what this document says about fasting.
The importance of fasting before communion
How the soul should be prepared to receive the Holy Gifts was discussed even in the early Church, and not only at the commission of the Inter-Council Presence on problems of parish practice. In the First Epistle to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul writes that people who eat the bread of the Lord and drink His cup unworthily will be guilty of sins against the Body and Blood of Christ. Therefore, you need to test yourself so as not to be condemned.
This indicates that a person must cleanse his body and soul before receiving communion. And even the priest performing the liturgy pronounces the following formulation: “May it not be a condemnation for me to receive the communion of Your Holy Mysteries.” One thing is clear: before consuming the Gifts of the Lord, one should confess and fast. And if we prepare our soul with prayers and repentance, then our body - with abstinence in food. But is it possible to eat fish before confession and communion? Is this product considered prohibited during this period?
The meaning of fasting
Before you accept God into yourself and partake of His Body and Blood, you need to prepare yourself for this event. After all, even before secular holidays, we clean our house and decorate the room in which we will receive guests. How should one prepare to partake of the Holy Gifts? All priests argue that the matter should not be limited to one fast. If you limit yourself in food, but at the same time be arrogant, do not admit your sins, harbor hostility towards your neighbor and violate the commandments of Christ, then such abstinence will not give anything.
Confession before communion is required. After all, then the believer comes to the realization of his sins and repentance. And besides the question of whether it is possible to eat fish and fish soup before communion, a person should be more concerned about his own state of mind. After all, it is not for nothing that the period before receiving the Holy Gifts is called fasting, and not just fasting. Those preparing for this event must read three canons (repentance to Christ, prayer service to the Mother of God and to the Guardian Angel). He must also attend the evening service in the church on Saturday. And of course, worldly entertainment should be avoided during this period.
Number of days of fasting
The Church does not have a consensus on how many days a believer should abstain from drinking before receiving the Holy Gifts. In this matter, everything is very individual. The fast, or rather its duration, is prescribed by the confessor. Usually this is three days. But if a person has diseases (especially the gastrointestinal tract), general weakness of the body, pregnancy or lactation, then the duration of fasting is reduced.
The group of “beneficiaries” also includes military personnel, who cannot choose dishes and products at their own discretion, but are forced to eat what they give. The confessor also looks at other circumstances. First of all, this is the frequency of communion. If someone resorts to partaking of the Holy Gifts for the first time, then such a person is prescribed a week-long fast. And whoever takes communion every Sunday, then it is enough for such a believer to abstain from fast food only on Wednesday and Friday. This category of people has a question: is it possible to eat fish before communion?
What types of posts are there?
For a worldly person, bodily abstinence seems to be something unified. If you are fasting, it means you cannot eat meat and animal products (milk and eggs). Can you eat fish? vegetable fats, drinks, including alcoholic drinks, vegetables and fruits. But the Church divides fasts into ordinary and strict. There are days when you can’t eat not only meat, but also fish. Some fasts also prohibit vegetable oil (so-called oil).
There are days of dry eating. During them, you cannot take any food until sunset, and in the evening you are allowed to eat only Now let’s look at the fasting before receiving the Holy Gifts: is it possible to eat fish before communion?
What fast should you observe before confession?
Cleansing the soul from sins does not require any preparation. Previously, good believers went to their confessor and confessed when they felt the need for it. And it is not at all necessary to receive the Eucharist immediately after the remission of sins. But if you are going to do this, then fasting is necessary, that is, preparing the soul and body to receive the holy sacrament of the Church. And here it would be appropriate to ask the question: is it possible to eat fish before communion? Regarding this product, a negative answer can only be given with certainty for Saturday evening. Everything else depends on the frequency of your communion, on your health and life circumstances. It also matters whether the Orthodox Church observes general fasting on these days. In this case, the food requirements for fasting people change.
On the eve of participation in the holy liturgy, when you are about to begin receiving the Holy Gifts, you must observe strict fasting. This means that fish and various dishes You can't eat from it. Monks are instructed to consume only uneaten sochivo (that is, vegetables not flavored with any fat) on Saturday evenings.
The church day begins at midnight. Therefore, all Sunday before receiving the sacrament you can neither eat nor drink. It is also advisable to attend the Saturday evening service. Is it possible to eat fish before communion on other days? If, for example, your confessor has prescribed a week of abstinence for you, then you should avoid meat, dairy products and eggs for all seven days. But besides this, on Wednesday and Friday you need to stick to it, that is, exclude fish, fish soup and seafood from your diet on these days. The Church has a special attitude towards nutrition on Saturday (if it is not Holy Saturday). Many priests believe that it is impossible to fast on the sixth day of the week. But this does not apply to those who fast, that is, those who prepare themselves to receive the Gifts of the Lord.
We have already mentioned above that the degree of severity of abstinence depends on church days. If all Orthodox Christians observe fasting (before Easter or Christmas), then those fasting should even more so avoid forbidden foods. Moreover, their abstinence should differ from others in greater severity.
If, for example, on certain days believers are forbidden to eat meat, then fasting people should also refuse fish. On some days, such as Wednesday and Friday, it is better for them not to add sugar to their drinks, but to replace it with honey. Vegetable oil, sauces and seasonings are also undesirable when fasting. You should also not overeat on permitted foods. After all, moderation in food is integral part preparation for receiving the Holy Gifts.
Instead of a conclusion
Perhaps some will think that this article did not answer the question of whether it is possible to eat fish before communion. A categorical no can only be said regarding the day on which the sacrament will take place (from midnight you cannot eat or drink anything).
It is also considered soul-saving to abstain from food all day on Saturday, and in the evening, on the eve of communion, you should dine on foods that are allowed during strict fasting (that is, without fish). But this requirement can also be relaxed for the sick, pregnant and lactating women. The severity and duration of fasting before communion is established by the confessor.
Tell me how to properly prepare for communion? Is fasting always necessary both before communion and directly on the day of communion? I heard that you can’t even drink water in the morning or brush your teeth. And if, due to weakness, it is not possible to withstand a strict fast before communion, is it possible to start it? And what is the greater sin - a long absence of communion due to non-fasting or communion without proper preparation? Thank you! Sincerely, Elena.
Hello, Elena!
Preparation for Communion should be feasible, but its extent is established in a personal conversation with the priest. By general rule, fasting is required for 3 days before Communion (abstaining from meat and dairy products, eggs; abstaining from entertainment - watching movies, TV shows, etc.). The days of preparation for communion are called fasting, and during this period one should increase the prayer rule, and, if possible, attend church services.
Before communion you must read penitential canon, prayer canon to the Most Holy Theotokos, canon to the Guardian Angel, as well as following to Holy Communion. The reading of the canons can be divided over several days. You need to start Communion strictly on an empty stomach; you can brush your teeth. There is no need to fast after communion (unless you receive communion during a multi-day fast or on a fast day). For people who regularly receive communion, or those who are sick, the fast before communion can be weakened or shortened with the blessing of the priest.
You should take communion regularly 1-2 times a month with reverence, awareness of your unworthiness, fear of God, faith and love.
In the Epistle to the Romans of the Apostle Paul there are the words: “If your brother is grieved over food, then you are no longer acting out of love... Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.” During fasting and fast days at work in a secular team, it is customary to celebrate birthdays, others do not church holidays and treat your colleagues. In such cases, how not to violate Church discipline regarding fasting and at the same time act out of love, and not out of man-pleasing?
Hello, Evgeniy!
If you carefully read the 14th chapter of Romans, you will see that most of this chapter is devoted to instructions about not judging those who do not fast for one reason or another, and not about leaving the fast in order not to upset those who do not fast. Yes, in the lives of saints and patericons one can find situations where saints, out of love for their neighbors, broke the fast, but these were isolated cases, this was done with the deepest humility and love for their neighbors, and was isolated, not systematic.
At work, it is quite possible to come to the holiday, spend a little time with the team, and congratulate the hero of the occasion. But no one forces you to eat non-fast food!
Don't be ashamed to tell your colleagues that you are fasting. This may surprise them at first, but over time it will even earn them respect. On a table that gathers in honor of the New Year or another common holiday, you can always find something lean: fish, vegetables, fruits, olives, etc. Moreover, if the table is going to “share”, you can bring some kind of lean yourself food.
Sincerely, priest Alexander Ilyashenko
Why can't you get married during Lent? On Saturday and other days?Tatiana
Hello Tatiana!
Weddings do not take place on days when Orthodox Christians must abstain from marital intimacy (fasting, the eve of fast days - Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays). In addition, fasting is a time of special repentance for sins; wedding celebrations during this period are inappropriate.
Sincerely, priest Alexander Ilyashenko
Answer please! I am fasting, but they don’t cook for us at work. Lenten food, because basically no one follows it. And so, for example, I eat soup without meat, but meat broth. Question: Is this considered to be breaking my fast? Should I give up the first course? Elena
Hello, Elena!
Yes, you are breaking your fast, and if possible, it is better to refuse the first course.
Sincerely, priest Alexander Ilyashenko
Hello! Please tell me what is the right thing to do in such a situation? My husband and I have been living together for a month and a half. Got married, got married. But although he does not accept my opinion about the fasts and life of a believer, he does not understand it. He wants a child. For a month now I didn’t want to think like that at once: I both want to and am afraid. Now I want it. But fasting began. I told him about my desire to have a child. That's why now he can't understand me. He thinks religion is too important for me. And that's not normal in modern world. Believe, go to church, pray, but fasting... I don’t want us to have quarrels. Family is very important. Then we will have a complete one. Thank you in advance.
Hello, Katerina!
You are right - if refusal of marital relations during Lent causes a negative reaction from the spouse and discord in the family, then there is no need to insist on this. According to the words of the Apostle Paul, it is not the wife who has power over her body, but the husband, and one must abstain from intimacy by mutual consent. In the future, try to agree with your spouse on abstinence on the eve of Communion and at the most important days: for example, on Holy Week Great Lent. Pray for your spouse, ask the Lord to grant him faith and bring him to the temple.
God help you!
Sincerely, priest Alexander Ilyashenko
Hello! Please tell me, is it possible to baptize a child during Lent? Marina
Hello, Marina!
Yes, you can baptize a child during Lent. Remember that it is important not only to baptize the baby, but also to raise him in Orthodoxy and regularly partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
Sincerely, priest Alexander Ilyashenko
Good day! Is it possible to get married (register a marriage) during Lent (Assumption Fast, the wedding is scheduled for August 24)?
Hello, Anastasia!
It is possible to register a marriage during Lent, but the wedding and the beginning family life in this case, it is better to coincide with the wedding, which can be performed after the end of Lent (after August 28).
May God grant you to create a strong and happy family!
Sincerely, priest Alexander Ilyashenko
Father, what should you do if it is difficult to fast, if by the end of the fast you have no appetite, although you want to eat? In our family, everyone fasts, but as fasting comes, problems with food begin. Everyone is lazy to cook (me too), and it turns out that it’s all pasta, potatoes and salad, and cookies with chocolate.
At the beginning of the fast I feel normal and physically tolerate the fast normally, but by the end I can barely stand it. When I fasted for the first time during the Nativity Fast, I got a stomach ache, so I broke the fast. How to eat during fasting if you get sick during fasting?
Hello, Ulyana!
Yes, if serious health problems arise, then the fast can be weakened (with the blessing of the priest), but there is no need to bring yourself to such a state. After all, judging by your letter, your problems are not due to your health, but because you are too lazy to cook during Lent. Lenten table can be varied, tasty, and healthy. By the way, oatmeal cooked in water is very useful for a sore stomach - what’s wrong with that? There are recipes on our website Lenten dishes, there are even special cookbooks, if you would like to cook!
Sincerely, priest Alexander Ilyashenko
Hello. Help me please. My fiancee's parents are very negative about fasting and lean food. Every day her parents put pressure on her and force her to eat meat. I have already become involved in this, because they care about our health. We are far from fat and we are working out intellectual work. It got to the point where they said there would be no wedding if we continued our fasting. What to do: eat meat for their sake and preserve peace, or go for an ever-increasing confrontation and continue to fast according to the rules?
Hello, Alexander! Unfortunately, your letter does not reflect the motives that prompt your bride’s parents to guard her health so zealously. If this is an anti-religious prejudice, pray for them, remember them in church. For example, order a magpie about their health. For now, it’s better to prefer family peace to fasting. But in confession it is obligatory to repent of not keeping the fast, explaining its reasons. Perhaps during confession the priest, having delved into the situation, will give you more specific and effective advice. Sincerely, priest Mikhail Samokhin.
Copyright 2004
Many Orthodox believers ask the priests in person, via the Internet, or ask their relatives: is it possible to brush your teeth before communion? But this is far from the only thing that not only beginners can ask. Churchgoers have a lot of questions. It is worth noting that there are a huge number of para-church myths and misconceptions.
This article briefly retells the answers of experienced and pious priests, gives recommendations and useful tips for beginners.
What is Communion?
What does Christ say in the Gospel about Communion? On the eve of his terrible death on the cross, He gathers his disciples together and prepares a meal. There is bread and wine on the table. Christ says that in memory of Him they will drink wine and eat bread, since these are symbols of His blood and body.
To this day, liturgy is celebrated in churches and preparations are made. Holy Communion using bread and wine. The priests pray together with the parishioners with the words “For the offered Honest Gifts to the Lord, let us pray.”
What is actually meant by the bread and wine in the Holy Chalice? Prayers read before Communion at home are just as necessary for a Christian as those in church. Why is prayer needed? Because the Lord connects with precisely the person who calls him to himself.
What is Communion?
There are several pieces of evidence about how Communion is actually prepared and what is hidden underneath it from human eyes. One day a certain man came into the temple. The royal doors in the temple were open. The priests stood at the altar. Suddenly a man who came in saw the priest piercing the baby with a spear. He shouted to the whole temple: “Why are you killing the baby?” All the people standing in the temple turned around. No one could understand which baby we were talking about. In fact, the priest had a prosphora (small bread made from wheat flour and water) in his hands.
The Lord invisibly and endlessly sacrifices himself for the sake of people, but not materially, but spiritually. His actual crucifixion was seen almost 2000 years ago at Golgotha in Jerusalem.
Let's return to the Gospel and to those lines where the Lord is at the Last Supper. He said: “From now on you will drink my blood (wine) and eat my body (bread) in memory of Me.” But even the apostles did not know how this would happen. Moreover, it is not given to us to know. This is a Divine secret. We can only take it seriously, and as it is, without a doubt. Therefore, the prayers read before Communion are very necessary, first of all for the person receiving communion.
Another living testimony:
In the city of Lanciano (Italy) to this day there is true proof that Communion is not just bread and wine. IN catholic church Saint-Legotius in the 8th century, a priest doubted that Communion was a miracle. When he picked up a piece of bread, he saw something similar to muscle tissue. He looked into the Cup and saw that instead of wine there was blood. The priest screamed in horror. Then he realized that there was no doubt. The Lord proved to him that everything was for real. To this day, this miracle is located in Lanciano. Many pilgrims come to pray near such a shrine.
What does a Christian need before communion?
Of course, first of all, the belief that he will be given to taste not just bread and wine, but the body of Christ. Of course, such a meal is a miracle. The Lord gives a piece of himself to a sinful person. Therefore, one must approach Communion not only with fear, but also with faith. You can’t just receive communion like that.
How to treat?
Above we looked at two testimonies of the miracle of God. It is worth noting that during the Liturgy there is not only Jesus Christ in the altar, but also the Mother of God, Archangels, and saints.
It is not for nothing that the holy fathers said that the angels grieve because they do not receive communion. After all, they have no body, no need. They are already with God. And the Lord gave man such a great gift - to unite with Himself during Communion. Even if it is invisible.
*canon of repentance to the Savior;
*prayer canon Mother of God;
*canon to the Guardian Angel;
*following to Holy Communion.
It is all these prayers, chants, kontakia that will help you prepare correctly to receive the Holy Gifts as they should be.
Fasting and Confession:
The priests say that you need to fast for at least 3 days. If a person is not a church member, rarely attends church, or sins, then he needs to prepare for almost a week. That's why best option for such people it is Lent, the Nativity Fast, as well as Petrov and Uspensky. But this is why there is no need to choose periods of multi-day fasting. After all, what is more important is reconciliation with God, not convenience.
What should someone who rarely goes to church do before Communion?
Firstly, You definitely need to go to the priest for confession. When the priest receives penitents, you can find out in the temple that is closer to your home or that you want to visit. Be prepared for the fact that the priest may not allow you to receive Communion after confession. There could be a lot of reasons for this. Often, in order to be allowed to receive communion, you need to fast, repent, and visit the temple many times. After confession, you must definitely ask the priest whether he blesses you to approach the Holy Chalice or not. Often the priests themselves insist that the confessor receive communion. You need to take this advice.
What is the fast before communion?
If you are new or have not been to church for a long time, then be sure to go to the priest for confession. Usually during this sacrament many spiritual issues are resolved. Father will explain to you what to do, what to beware of, and when you can receive communion.
What is meant by fasting?
Meat and milk should not be eaten, eggs too. In addition, dishes, products, and drinks that contain the above products are not consumed. Remember that fasting should be spiritual in nature. Eat little food. For example, for breakfast - tea with oatmeal cookies or oatmeal porridge with water, for lunch - soup with vegetable broth, during the dinner - vegetable salad and rice/potatoes.
Drink before communion, as during fasting, alcoholic drinks forbidden. It is also recommended to give up coffee. After all, the body should be a temple of the soul, a calm “home”, sober and cheerful. Meal food (not fasting), coffee and alcohol cannot in any way induce prayer.
Spiritual side:
Let's continue our conversation about fasting. We've sorted out the food. As for entertainment, watching movies, you need to put all this aside. Any unimportant matters must be replaced with prayers to God, the Most Holy Theotokos, your Guardian Angel and the saints.
Let's talk about what to read before Communion. Above we mentioned the canons and adherence to Holy Communion. In addition to them, it is recommended to read the Gospel and the Holy Fathers. Beware of taking near-church literature or that which is falsely Christian.
There is no need to fuss during fasting. If possible, put things off until later. They can wait. After all, earthly life is fleeting, but a faster needs to think about eternity.
Why such restrictions?
During the Liturgy, before the removal of the Holy Chalice, the choir sings that we (the parishioners) are leaving all earthly vanity. Not every (especially modern) person understands that sooner or later earthly life will end and everything that he worked so hard on will go into oblivion. After all, he will not be able to, together with himself, afterlife pick up your passport or favorite job, bank accounts or computer with valuable information. He will appear before God with his conscience, with his sins and virtues. The Lord won't ask if you were general director, He will ask you to answer for offending your grandmother-client. God doesn't care if you had a Lexus. He will ask if you gave lifts to the infirm, the weak, without taking money from them.
Why are there restrictions on fasting in relation to entertainment?
The time has come to sit down at the table or stand in front of the icons and think: what bad have you done in your entire life, during this period.
Is your conscience clear?
It is more important for a Christian to know not about, for example, whether it is possible to brush your teeth before Communion, but about what sins actually exist and what repentance is, how not to sin. The Lord is upset when a person commits a sin even mentally. Just think: you are mentally angry, even your heart is numb. This is also a sin. You need to repent sincerely.
When are you not allowed to receive communion?
Do you know that you need to get rid of your sins? If you have repented, you should try to avoid sins. In order for a priest to be allowed to receive Communion, you must attend the evening service every Saturday, then at the Liturgy in the morning. The same should be done on major church holidays. You need to read the morning books at home and evening prayers according to the Prayer Book. Of course, this takes 20-30 minutes. If you don't have time, you can read Seraphim's rule: “Our Father” three times, “Virgin Mary” three times and “Creed” once. But at the same time, during the day you need to silently pray to God and the saints. These are the most important rules.
They may not be allowed to receive Communion in such cases, for example:
*murder, abortion; divination, fortune telling, extrasensory perception, spiritualism, astrology;
*other faith, heretical views;
*cohabitation outside of marriage, debauchery, homosexuality, drug addiction and alcoholism, and so on.
During confession, the priest needs to tell the whole truth and not hide any sin. The Lord stands nearby invisibly, He knows everything, He just waits for heartfelt repentance. If you hide anything, it will be an even greater sin. You need to completely cleanse your soul before Communion.
What do the holy fathers and priests say?
The human soul must be pure, bright, with hope for correction and for changing life for the better. You should not go to the Chalice if you are not sure that you want to live with God.
If the priest blessed:
When a priest gives a blessing, you should take it seriously. You should read not only the canon to the Mother of God before Communion, but also the canons to the Savior, Guardian Angel, and also the Follow-up. All this is in the Orthodox prayer books.
The reading volume is very large. Therefore, the canons can be read 2-3 days before communion, but the Consequence is read only the night before, after arriving from the church from the evening service.
You need to make sure that no one distracts you. If you take communion with your family, friends, or pilgrims, then take turns reading and praying.
Morning before Communion:
As Orthodox Christians know, they cannot eat anything in the morning before Communion. You are not even allowed to take medicine.
But is it possible to brush your teeth before Communion?
There is no ban on this. If you are sure that you will not accidentally swallow water or toothpaste, you can brush your teeth.
If your stomach is sick and you can’t wait long until noon, then it’s better to go to early service. IN small towns and in villages the Liturgy is served early, and in megacities - at 7 am or 9-10 o'clock.
For the sake of union with God, one can endure. It is worth reading prayers to yourself.
The morning before Communion is always exciting. You need to prepare yourself mentally. After reading morning rule, go to church at least half an hour before the Liturgy to calmly submit notes, light candles, and approach your favorite saints.
Before Communion itself:
During the service you should listen carefully to prayers. When the priests prepare Communion, pray that you may receive the Blood and Body of Christ with dignity. At the same time, a pious person must sincerely consider himself unworthy of such a Gift.
Remember the Canon to the Mother of God before Communion: we need to pray that the Mother of God will intercede for us sinners. What does the canon of Jesus Christ say? We repent to the Lord of our sins. Remember this when you are waiting for Communion.
The very moment of Communion:
When the Royal Doors open and the priest comes out with the Chalice, you need to bow to the ground. Then stand in line with your arms crossed over your chest. When you approach the Chalice, you need to tell the priest your Orthodox name and open your mouth wide. The communion should be swallowed immediately so that the part does not get stuck in the teeth. Accept the warmth and prosphora. Many people ask: “Can I eat before Communion?” Do you know why the answer is no? Because the Lord must enter the body of a Christian first. After all, God is more important to us, not food.
WHAT TO SAY AT CONFESSION?
Quite often those who decide to go to church for this sacrament for the first time think about what needs to be said in confession.
It is important to understand that confession is not just an intimate conversation with a priest, but a religious ceremony aimed primarily at repentance.
In confession, complete determination to correct your life is important. Realizing that it has become difficult for you to live because of committing some sin or even several is the first step towards correction. Only after this complete understanding should one sign up for confession.
In some situations, not only repentance after committing a sin can become a reason to go to confession. If it is difficult for you to distinguish good from bad, or life seems useless and painful, you can also come to confession, because the church is always open to those who need it.
What sins to talk about in confession:
One of the main mistakes of people who come to confession is to list all their sins throughout their lives. It is extremely important to highlight exactly what you came for. Sin is an act against the church, God. This is a kind of violation of morality - one's own, someone else's, public. In Christianity, there are eight mortal sins, the commission of which carries serious consequences for a person - anger, sadness, gluttony, fornication, despondency, vanity, pride and love of money. In addition, there are personal sins - these are various actions against conscience and God. As a rule, some sins can only be determined by a person himself; they are not written down in any holy book. A sin can be an action that burdens your life in every possible way.
It doesn't matter what you come to church with. In confession, the main thing is complete repentance and internal understanding of what has been done.
What to say to the priest during confession:
Confession in Orthodoxy, as in most other religions, is a conversation with God about your misdeeds, a request for help. The priest serves only as a witness to this conversation, as an assistant to God on earth.
Therefore, in confession it is important to be extremely frank and not hide anything about what is bothering you. It is especially important to tell what worries you most at the moment, without forgetting about the little things and details of the offense for which you want to repent.
You can trust a priest with your biggest secrets, because he has no right to tell anyone about your confession. Remember that you do not need to be afraid of condemnation from the church; the very fact that you came to repentance is already a worthy act of a believer.
Important to remember What to say in confession about a sin for which you have already confessed is not necessary if it was not committed again. And, often, confession alone will not be enough. You need to ask God in prayers for forgiveness, come to church as soon as you want, and honor traditions and rituals.
The Church advises that confession, like communion, should be regular. Your confessor will be able to tell you about the frequency of confession. Remember that it is the clergyman who will be your main assistant in observing church rituals.
As you can see, confession is a very complex sacrament. Not every person is ready for it. If you decide to confess, then you need to weigh the pros and cons for yourself, and your soul will tell you what to say in confession. Remember that repentance and freeing yourself from committed sin is a long process that will require a lot of strength and patience from you.
INNER CONFESSION.
Diseases and other troubles do not fall on a person just like that. Man is a cosmic being and develops according to the laws of not only the material, but also the spiritual world. If these laws are violated, illness or some tragic circumstances arise that pose a threat to life.
It is enough to eliminate these violations, and everything in your life will return to normal. This is exactly what internal confession helps to do.
Confession consists of two parts:
Part one: you must remember all the times when someone seriously offended or insulted you. After all, resentment is a source of continuous supply of negative mental energy.
Calmly remember your past life from the age of 12 (it is from this age that a person begins to bear karmic responsibility for his actions). The offender (even if this person has died) must be imagined mentally, and then hugged and kissed tightly!
Sometimes the resentment reaches such strength that it is impossible to hug and kiss, even mentally. In such cases, the “enemy” can be imagined as an unintelligent child of 2-3 years old. But it is necessary to hug and kiss - this is an indispensable condition of the Rescue Mechanism!
Second part: Not only do you have enemies, someone, perhaps, considers you their enemy. It is possible that you yourself were a violator of moral truths.
In this case, imagine that you are in court, and the judge is your own heart. Kneel before him and tell him all your bad deeds, mistakes, vices since the age of 12. Say everything you remember, making sure that you will never do it again.
After all, by repenting, you remove all the negativity that has accumulated over the years. If the internal confession was carried out correctly and sincerely, then recovery and deliverance from troubles will occur in one hundred cases out of a hundred, regardless of the severity of the illness or the scale of the misfortune that has befallen you. It's only a matter of time.
After internal confession, try not to repeat previous mistakes - otherwise misfortune will return in double volume.
A single prayer that can be performed by anyone, regardless of their religious beliefs, will help you avoid this. This prayer, as practice shows, can reduce the temperature and relieve any pain in a matter of minutes.
The prayer must be done in solitude, with a lit candle, on your knees:
"God! Dear God!
Hallowed be it Your name in Heaven and on Earth.
From the edge to the edge of the Universe!
God! Strengthen your strength in confronting the forces of darkness, so as not only to resist it, but also to cleanse Mother Earth of this garbage.
Teach us to separate good from evil and to remain in peace and firmness of spirit, in order to worthily do Your Will among people.
Strengthen the strength of my brothers and sisters - both close and unknown to me.
May they see Your true Glory and be filled with love in their hearts.
And they will overcome dark obstacles in moving along the Path to Light.
And let them stretch out their hands to each other and give the immense warmth of their souls.
God! May Your Will be done! And there will be One People on Earth.
Loving his Mother - Nature, reunited with You with his love and walking along the True Path Spiritual Development, relying on Your Last Testament."
IN THE MORNING: “Bless, Lord, the deeds of the coming day, and may its difficulties be met as befits those who walk under Your Light.”
IN THE EVENING: “Replenish, Lord, the lost strength for good, in order to prepare for meeting the day of the future.”
“I go to bed, I have the Cross Seal on me. Guardian Angels! Save my Soul from evening until midnight, and from midnight until morning."
And the Lord's Prayer three times.
Prayer is the most powerful force in the Universe! The Bible says:
“Whatever you ask in prayer IN FAITH, you will receive.” (Matthew 21:22)"ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH MAY IT BE TO YOU" (Matt. 9:29).
Every church event requires certain rules to be followed. A true Christian must perform repentance and communion, which helps a person to cleanse himself of sins and begin life with a pure soul and thoughts. But not all parishioners, especially beginners, know how to prepare for the sacrament (fasting before communion).
What is the meaning of abstinence before communion?
To perform the rite of communion, the believer must undergo preparation, which includes:
- Fasting, or abstaining from animal products, fish and vegetable oil on special days.
- Refusal intimacy.
- Reading prayers.
- Moral humility, or renunciation of worldly entertainment, bad thoughts and actions.
Carrying out church canons, the parishioner prepares his soul and body for the opportunity to receive divine gifts and the grace of the Lord.
Why is it necessary to observe fasting in food, actions and thoughts, if after confession and communion everything sins committed reset? The point is simple: if on the eve of the sacrament a parishioner is in a state of satiety, satiated with amusements, gluttony, and bodily pleasures, then he will not be able to accept the grace of God. A well-fed body is more drawn to sleep and rest, and prayers do not reach its soul and mind in the quality required for spiritual enlightenment and forgiveness of sins both by God and by the Christian himself.
The abstinences listed above are a kind of sacrifice of a person who repents and receives communion, making it possible to let Christ into his soul. If fasting is done consciously, and not just for show, then the believer will more deeply feel the severity of sin and will not want to commit it again. The Lord cannot be deceived, and those who take preparations for communion lightly may be punished even more, and forgiveness will not happen.
Types of posts and their features
What fast to observe before communion depends on the time at which a Christian prepares for the sacrament and how often he attends church and confesses to his confessor.
According to church rules, there are the following types of fasting:
- Fasting can be strict when it is unacceptable to eat animal products and even fish. Exceptions for persons with pathologies in the gastrointestinal tract, diabetes mellitus, pregnant women, nursing mothers, children and other parishioners with nutritional recommendations from a doctor. If a person has gathered for communion, when church calendar observe Christmas or Easter post, then all days of fasting you need to exclude foods prohibited during fasting.
- During regular fasting, there are days when it is allowed to include fish in the diet when fasting before communion. But otherwise the rules of fasting are the same.
- A fast during which you cannot eat not only fish, meat, dairy products, eggs, but also vegetable oil. This type of fasting is called “unction”.
- Dry eating is a type of fasting when any food is prohibited until sunset, and then you can only eat lean foods.
In order to follow the rules of preparation before communion and understand what kind of fast a layman should hold, you need to turn to church ministers for help - they will explain, taking into account the peculiarities of the time chosen for confession and communion.
Rules for fasting before communion
Fasting before communion must be strictly followed, taking into account time and possible fasting according to Orthodox calendar. In addition to fasting in food, before communion, the believer needs to put his thoughts in order and consider his actions.
- Limit watching entertainment programs on TV, computer, and attending events.
- You can devote your free time from household chores and work to reading church literature for personal enlightenment.
- Eliminate quarrels and resentments in relationships with people around you. Reconsider your actions and, if possible, do a good deed.
- Refuse intimacy with your partner for the period of fasting before communion.
- On the third day of fasting, the day before communion, read mandatory canons: repentant to Christ, prayers to the Most Holy Theotokos, Guardian Angel. The canons can be read at a convenient time during the day before communion. On the day of communion, you need to read the prayer for communion in the morning. All prayers and canons can be found in the prayer book for the Orthodox or you can buy separate literature on preparing for communion.
- The believer must fast, or fast, until the end of the morning liturgy and the celebration of the sacrament. The church day begins not in the morning, but in the evening of the previous day. Therefore, a parishioner who has gathered for communion and has endured a three-day fast must completely abstain from food and drinks the evening before communion.
- Visit evening service before the day on which the sacrament is scheduled. If Sunday is chosen, then be in church for the evening liturgy on Saturday.
- Before partaking of the gifts of God, you need to cleanse yourself of sins through confession, telling the priest about what is on your soul.
Only after a sincere confession and the absence of offense, the sacrament of communion will have the power and meaning that is preached Orthodox religion. If after three days fast There are still doubts and unfinished business, it is better to postpone the ceremony and prolong your humility and achieve peace of mind so as not to commit other sins.
How long does the post last?
There are different requirements for the number of days of fasting that a believer must observe before receiving communion:
- Long fasting for a week is the best option fasting and humility for Christians who rarely attend church and do not observe all the canons. In 7 days, a person has time to think about his actions, pacify his pride, forgive offenders and ask for forgiveness from loved ones and acquaintances. Having received earthly forgiveness, they will be forgiven by the Lord. Until recently, it was mandatory for all believers wishing to receive communion.
- A three-day fast is the main preparation for communion for Orthodox man. A beginner and those who have health problems do not have to keep a strict fast in food, but otherwise the requirements do not change.
- Fasts on Wednesdays and Fridays for those who visit the temple weekly for Sunday services.
There is no need to fast before communion for believers engaged in military service or tourism, because these people eat only what is available and being in such a situation regarding food, they should observe spiritual fasting.
Is it possible to eat fish during Lent before communion?
A Christian who regularly observes fasts according to the church calendar will not have any difficulty in fasting for three days. But for a beginner, giving up everyday food can be difficult at first. By excluding meat and animal products from the diet, newcomer parishioners have a mundane question: is it possible to eat fish during these three days? Are seafood and fish on the list of prohibited foods? It is impossible to answer unequivocally whether it is possible to fish during fasting before communion or not.
It all depends on the period in which confession and communion are expected. You can eat fish on those days when it is allowed to be consumed during normal fasting. But in the days strict fasting Even fish is prohibited for believers.
Fish is allowed for pregnant women, lactating women, and children, so as not to deprive them of adequate nutrition during preparation for the ritual and not to harm their health. For other Orthodox Christians who doubt whether it is possible to eat fish during fasting, it is better to give it up for three days, given that the period is short. Any doubts will be resolved by the priests of the church if a parishioner asks questions of interest, so that mistakes are not made in fasting before communion due to lack of information.
List of approved products
The basket for a meal during a three-day fast cannot be called meager. The assortment is varied and contains a complex useful vitamins and minerals, if you create a menu correctly and don’t eat monotonous dishes:
- cereals;
- pasta without eggs, made from flour and water;
- fruits;
- vegetables, greens;
- berries;
- nuts;
- mushrooms;
- vegetable oil;
- lean bread;
- tea, black coffee, decoctions, compotes.
Spices are not prohibited spices and natural sauces without added animal fats. If you approach menu planning with imagination, then fasting will not seem like torture, but the body will be prepared for cleansing and atonement for sins.
Finally
You need to take the sacrament seriously and perform the ritual not because it is customary to do so, but only with the readiness to perform church rules preparation as a true Christian. Only with a full understanding of the meaning of divine gifts can you open your soul to the entry of the faith and grace of Christ into it.
From this article you will learn how priests prepare for Communion: canonical norms and practice of Local Orthodox Churches.
Your Eminence!
All-honorable fathers, brothers and sisters!
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man
and drink His Blood, you will not have life in you.
He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life,
and I will raise him up on the last day
(John 6, 53-54)
The Gospel commandment given to us by Christ the Savior about the need to partake of His Body and Blood is the foundation on which the Church is built. For an Orthodox Christian, this statement seems so obvious that it would seem that it does not require any special proof, because indeed, without the sacrament of communion, true spiritual life is impossible. At the same time, in church environment There is still no clear opinion on how often the believing Orthodox people should approach the sacrament of communion and what preparation should be for this sacrament.
To begin with, I would like to cite a few quotes: All the faithful who enter the church and listen to the scriptures, but do not remain in prayer and holy communion to the end, as they cause disorder in the church, should be excommunicated from church communion (Apostolic Canon 9). According to the explanation of the largest interpreter of the canons, Patriarch Theodore Balsamon, “the definition of this rule is very strict. For he excommunicates those who are in church, but do not remain to the end and do not receive communion. And other rules (80 canon of the VI Ecumenical Council, and 11 canon of the Sardician Council) similarly determine that everyone should be ready and worthy of communion, and excommunicate those who do not receive communion on three Sundays.”
Thus, we see that the communion of an Orthodox Christian, whose conscience is not burdened with mortal sins, at each liturgy is the canonical norm of the Church, deviation from which is fraught with falling away from the Church.
Today we can observe that everything large quantity Our parishioners strive to take Holy Communion not occasionally (once during Lent), but regularly. There are frequent cases when the laity express a desire to receive communion every Sunday. At the same time, completely legitimate questions arise about what should be the standard of preparation for the sacrament of communion.
The established church practice tells us about the need to observe a three-day fast before communion, read the sequence consisting of three canons and the rules for holy communion, evening and morning prayers, obligatory confession the day before, or on the day of communion itself. Of course, it is possible to receive communion only on an empty stomach. This practice, which has become almost a church rule, has become the norm for most parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church. At the same time, we must understand that this practice is not ancient and does not have the status of a council resolution.
From a canonical point of view, the practice of preparing for Communion is regulated by the following rules: the Council of Carthage 47 (58) and the Council of Trullo 29; St. Nikephoros the Confessor 9th; Timothy of Alexandria 5th and I Ecumenical Council 13th. According to the rules of the Councils of Carthage and Trullo, one can receive communion only on an empty stomach; the 9th rule of St. Nikephoros the Confessor speaks of the possibility of giving communion to a dying person even after he has eaten food. The rule of Timothy of Alexandria defines the need for marital abstinence on the eve of communion.
To summarize, we can say that, according to the canons of the Church, an Orthodox Christian can begin communion on an empty stomach (without eating food since midnight); for those Orthodox Christians who are married, spousal abstinence is necessary on the eve of communion. Volume prayer rule, the need to observe additional fasting days and mandatory confession before communion are not regulated by the canons of the Church.
All this, of course, does not mean that the prayer rule, fast days and confession should be absent from the life of Orthodox Christians. The existing practice in the Russian Church of preparing for communion, in the event that a person receives communion only a few times a year, is completely understandable and justified for those who receive communion rarely. Indeed, if a person most church year does not live a church life, does not observe the fasts established by the Church, has no experience of home cell prayer, it will be useful for him to do some spiritual work on himself before receiving communion. Questions arise when the laity live a full church life, attend regular services, observe all the multi-day and one-day posts, express a desire to receive communion at every Sunday liturgy. What to do in this case with the obligatory three-day fast, taking into account that fasting on Saturday is prohibited by Apostolic Canon 64 (If anyone from the clergy is found fasting on the Lord's Day, or on Saturday, except only (Great Saturday): let him be expelled. If he is a layman: let him be excommunicated)?
I don’t think it would be a big secret to say that a clergyman preparing to celebrate the liturgy does not observe additional fasting days before communion, except for those fasts established by the Church. To this one can hear the objection that a priest cannot perform the liturgy without receiving communion, but this is exactly what the canons say in relation to the laity. 9 We have already cited the Apostolic Canon. As for preparation for communion, priests do not have any special privileged position, as St. John Chrysostom writes about: “But there are cases when a priest does not differ from a subordinate, for example, when it is necessary to partake of the Holy Mysteries. We are all equally honored with them, not as in Old Testament Where the priest partook of something else, the people partook of something else, and where the people were not allowed to partake of what the priest partook of, people were forbidden to participate in what was for the priests. Nowadays it is not so - but one Body and one Cup are offered to everyone...”
Thus, we see that a certain conflict arises - a priest performing the liturgy is freed from the need to observe additional fast days and mandatory confession before communion, a layman who has expressed a desire to receive communion every Sunday is forced, in addition to other fasts, to observe a three-day fast before communion, while violating 64 Apostolic rule prohibiting fasting on Saturday.
What is the situation like in other Local Churches? It should be said right away that we were not able to conduct a comprehensive study regarding the practices of all Local Orthodox Churches. In world Orthodoxy, we have conditionally identified two main traditions – conditionally Greek and conditionally Russian. Greek practice, to which we include the parishes of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Greece, and Cyprus, suggests the possibility of the laity receiving communion at the liturgy without mandatory confession. Parishioners try to receive communion every Sunday, while confession is performed at a time separate from the liturgy and is in no way connected with communion. Moreover, not every clergyman can confess, but only those who have received a special letter from the bishop, which gives the right to confess. Typically, such permission is issued to a clergyman who already has sufficient pastoral experience. The very fact of ordination to the priesthood in the Greek tradition does not mean that the newly ordained priest immediately receives the power to “knit and decide.”
There is no uniformity in the Serbian Church: everything depends on where “the priest studied.” Graduates of Greek theological schools adopt the traditions of the Greek Church, and priests of the Russian school consider confession an indispensable prelude to communion, and in non-Lenten times many of them do not advise taking communion.
The youngest Local Church is the Orthodox Church in America, which in the last century had the same problems that we are asking in this speech, is currently one of the most dynamically developing Churches in North America. The preparation for communion is the Liturgy itself, according to the words of St. Nicholas Cabasilas: “the psalms and readings of the Scriptures prepare us for sanctification with the Holy Mysteries.” Every faithful receives communion at every Liturgy. The canon for holy communion and prayers for communion are included in the home prayer rule.
No additional post required. Fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays, as well as long fasts, is sufficient. Those. the faithful are subject to the same requirements that the priests themselves fulfill (we have already cited a quote from St. John Chrysostom on this subject).
Regular confession is required (on the advice of the priest - once every one to two months), according to at will a believer (in most churches you can always confess before the start of the liturgy or after Vespers), if the believer has fallen into mortal sin (murder, adultery, idolatry - including leaving the church for a long period). During Lent, confession is obligatory for everyone.
Back in the 70s of the last century, Orthodox Christians in America lived in the tradition of “infrequent” communion. Thanks to the efforts of such illustrious pastors as Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann and Protopresbyter John Meyendorff, today the attendance of Sunday liturgies and holidays in the Orthodox Church in America (which has no other resources other than the church itself) is the highest among all Orthodox jurisdictions in the United States.
Alas, the situation is not so favorable in all Local Orthodox Churches. Many of us are familiar modern practice Bulgarian Orthodox Church, in which the adherence to the liturgy almost universally excludes the possibility of the laity receiving communion, because the requirements for communion are unreasonably strict - a month of fasting before communion. The consequence of this was the half-empty churches of Bulgaria.
Whether the Russian Church wants to follow in the footsteps of the Orthodox in Bulgaria or not depends on the position that the clergy of our Church will defend. It seems to us that the existing diversity of liturgical traditions in various Local Churches is a completely normal and understandable phenomenon. But the attitude towards the sacraments cannot be the tradition of this or that Church. In this matter, we can only talk about who is more and who is less consistent with what is called the Tradition of the Church.
Of course, we are not talking about removing all possible restrictions and giving communion to everyone indiscriminately. As we have already said, for people who receive communion, a rarely existing practice is completely justified. But the task of the shepherd is to inspire the faithful to constantly participate in the Sacraments and help develop a reasonable and feasible rule of preparation. In the event that the faithful themselves want to participate more fully in the Sacraments, we must in every possible way support such a desire and develop reasonable pastoral approaches. In this matter, we really need what is in Orthodox theology called consensus patrum, i.e. "the consent of the fathers." And if the patristic consensus patrum on this issue is unambiguous, the agreement of the living fathers is not always obvious.
It seems appropriate, based on the canons of the Church, to determine an individual approach for each parishioner, taking into account his experience church life. In the event that a person expresses a desire to receive regular communion at every Sunday liturgy (which ideally should become the norm for all parishioners), it is possible to give a blessing for communion without an additional three-day fast (of course, with the obligatory observance of the fasts existing in the Church). The volume of the prayer rule should be no less than the Rule for Holy Communion available in our prayer books, which includes three psalms, a canon and prayers before communion. The reading of the three canons should be left to the discretion of the person preparing for communion.
The issue of compulsory confession is, of course, one of the most delicate. Confession is not a service sacrament in relation to communion, and it is especially sad when confession by many parishioners, according to the apt remark of Fr. Alexander Schmemann is perceived as a “ticket to communion.” Of course, an individual approach is also possible here, especially in cases where parishioners (according to Canon 66 of the VI Ecumenical Council) wish to receive communion on all days Holy Week. Trying to protect the laity from formalizing the sacrament of communion, we are, in fact, formalizing the sacrament of confession, which from the sacrament of “second baptism” becomes one of the conditions for communion.
In any case, the shepherd must always remember that he has no right to demand from his flock what he himself does not do. It would not be amiss for us to remember the words of Christ: “...Woe to you lawyers, because you impose burdens on people that are unbearable, but you yourself do not even touch them with one finger” (Luke 11:46).
And I would like to conclude my speech with the words of Archimandrite Ephraim, abbot of the Vatopedi Monastery, which he said during the bringing of the Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos to Russia:
“I know that in Russia some priests say that before Communion one must fast for three days, and some for five days. In fact, there is no mandatory law on how many days to fast before Holy Communion. Proof of this is the fact that priests do not fast without fail, and then not only receive communion the next day, but also serve the Liturgy. After all, we observe certain fasts - four fasts a year and fasts on Wednesday and Friday, I think that these fasts are enough. If someone wants to fast before Communion, even for a whole week, for the sake of asceticism, for the sake of reverence, please, but for this to be legitimized by confessors - we have never heard about this anywhere. If it were prerequisite for Communion, firstly, the priests would have to always fast. Sometimes they say that Christians only need to take communion once every two or three months—there is no such law either. When a Christian has no mortal sins, he has the right to receive communion much more often.”
Thank you for your attention!