The church is a kind of house that contains many traditions and laws. Receiving a blessing also has its own. So, how to ask for a blessing from the priest, what rules need to be followed, and in what cases is it better to postpone your request to a more favorable day?
The concept of “blessing” contains two components: “good” and “word”. “Good” in this context carries within itself the principle of God. God alone has the highest goodness, that is, purity. “Word” means God’s action, because all believers know that “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” From this we can conclude that the term “blessing” itself means God’s grace, help, approval to the person who asks to bless him.
Blessings should only be asked if a person already has what he is asking to be blessed for. For example, if you want to get approval for your desire to start a family, then you should already have an agreement on marriage, only then go for a blessing. If you want to be blessed to buy an apartment, then first look for a new home, and only then ask for a blessing on it. The same applies to work, entering a university for any specialty, moving to another city, and so on.
Don't be alarmed if a church minister asks if what you are asking for a blessing on will be bad for you. For example, in the case of marriage, the priest will find out whether your fiancé (or bride) is an unbeliever or whether he (she) belongs to a different faith.
Basic Rules
- When blessing, the clergyman must fold his fingers so that they form the letters Ic and Xc, which means Jesus Christ. This position of the hand means that Jesus Christ himself will bless us through the priest.
- If, while in the temple, you hear words of general blessing, you must bow.
- A person who wants to be blessed must fold his hands in a special way: a cross, the right hand on top of the left, palms facing up.
- After receiving the blessing, a person kisses the priest’s hand, thereby symbolically kissing the hand of Christ himself.
If there is not one priest standing in front of you, but several, which of them should you ask to bless you? First of all, you should pay attention to their rank. Accordingly, the blessing must be received from the one whose rank is higher than the rest.
Is it possible to ask for a blessing outside of church? Even when the priest is not in clerical robes and is outside the church, you can ask him for a blessing. But this does not mean at all that you should approach an unfamiliar clergyman on the street with such a request.
It is not advisable to come up for a blessing when the priest is conducting a service, giving communion, that is, at an inopportune hour. Even if we ignore it, disturbing a person who is busy with something is simply impolite.
There is no need to approach the priest several times a day and ask to bless you. You should only go for a blessing in a good mood, when there are no other problems or thoughts in your head. You should only tune in to receive blessings from the Lord, because your attitude towards what is happening is the most important thing.
There are also times when it is necessary to remove the blessing. If you asked the priest to bless you to sell your apartment, but circumstances soon changed and you changed your mind, then you need to come to the priest and notify him about this, ask him to remove the blessing from you. For blessing is a gift from God that should be treasured.
Having taken note simple rules how to ask for a blessing from the priest, you will be blessed for any matter!
Church Hierarchy
Clergy- a concept that unites clergy of all levels. It is divided into a white clergy, consisting of married persons, and a black clergy, consisting of persons who have accepted monasticism.
The Church initially has a sacred hierarchy with its three degrees: diaconal, presbyteral and episcopal. These degrees are of apostolic origin, and they will remain until the end of the age. The Church has no power to abolish any of them; nor can she multiply the number of sacred degrees.
Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church is His Holiness Patriarch Moscow and all Rus'. He governs the Church together with the Holy Synod. The Synod, in addition to the Patriarch, constantly includes the Metropolitans of Kiev, St. Petersburg, Krutitsky, Minsk.
Bishop- This is the highest degree of the Priesthood. Each region (Diocese) has its own Bishop. Any clergyman at this level (Patriarch, Metropolitan, Archbishop and Bishop) can be called a bishop. The step below are the Priests (Presbyters). They are entrusted with leading church life in Parishes, urban and rural.
Priests divided into Priests and Archpriests. The senior priest in the parish is called the Rector.
Deacons– Lowest degree of Priesthood. They help Bishops and Priests perform the sacraments, but do not perform them themselves. Senior Deacons are called Protodeacons.
Monakhov(“hermits” - in translation) in Orthodoxy are called “black” clergy, as those who have taken a vow of celibacy (in contrast to the “white”, married).
There are three degrees of monasticism: the ryassophore, the mantle (or small schema) and the schema (or great schema). The lowest degree, cassock, means “wearing a cassock” (cassock is the everyday long-skirted robe of monks, with wide sleeves). Small and great schema (“form”, “image”) - higher degrees. They are distinguished by more strict vows.
All bishops are monks. Their names translated from Greek mean:
Patriarch – ancestor
Metropolitan — a man from the main family,
Bishop — guardian
Archbishop — senior shepherd.
Patriarchs or Metropolitans are the main (Primates) of all Church organizations in Orthodox countries.
How to properly address parishioners
Because we are one in Christ, "brother or sister" - this is the best way for believers to communicate with each other. This is how believers address the entire congregation: "Brothers and sisters" .
In the church environment, it is not customary to call even older people by their patronymics; they are addressed only by their first names (that is, the way we approach Communion, to Christ).
These beautiful words express the deep unity of believers, which is spoken of in the prayer: “But unite us all from the one Bread and Cup of communion to each other into the One Holy Spirit of Communion.” In the broadest sense of the word, both the bishop and the priest are also brothers for a layman.
When laypeople meet, men usually kiss each other on the cheek at the same time as they shake hands; women do without a handshake. Ascetic rules impose restrictions on greeting a man and a woman through kissing: it is enough to greet each other with a word and a bow of the head (even on Easter, rationality and sobriety are recommended so as not to introduce passion into the Easter kissing).
Relations between believers should be filled with simplicity and sincerity, with a humble readiness to immediately ask for forgiveness when wrong. For church environment characteristic small dialogues: « Sorry, brother (sister)." - “God will forgive you, forgive me” . When parting, believers do not say to each other (as is customary in the world): “ All the best!”, but: “God bless”, “I ask for prayers”, “With God”, “God’s help”, “Guardian Angel” and so on.
If confusion often arises in the world: how to refuse something without offending the interlocutor, then in the Church this question is solved in the simplest and most simple way. in the best possible way: “Sorry, I can’t agree to this, because it’s a sin.” or “Sorry, but this does not have the blessing of my confessor”. And thus the tension is quickly relieved; in the world this would require a lot of effort.
How to contact a priest correctly
"Father" or "father" - this is what priests are called as performers of the sacraments, through which people are born to spiritual life. Usually after words "father" add a name, for example, "Father Vladimir". You can contact the deacon "father deacon" , to the rector of the temple (monastery) "Father Superior"
In church practice, it is not customary to greet a priest with the words: “Hello”, “Good afternoon”. When meeting they say "Bless." If you know the name of the priest, then say: “Bless, father (name)” If you don’t know the priest’s name, then simply say: “Bless me, father.”
When saying goodbye, as well as when meeting, the layman again asks the priest for a blessing: “Forgive me, father, and bless me.”
In conversations Orthodox people the word is often heard "father"
. It must be remembered that this word is used only when directly addressing a priest. You cannot, for example, say “Father Andrey blessed me,” this is illiterate.
Contact clergy "Holy father"
, as is customary in Catholic countries, not worth it. The holiness of a person is known by his death. They say: "honest father"
(For example: “Pray for me, honest father”).
We call the wives of Priests, Nuns and elderly women working in the Temple with an affectionate word "Mother".
TO Bishops, Bishops, Metropolitans, Patriarchs- need to contact "Lord" , as those invested with ecclesiastical authority.
When writing to:
— To the Patriarch – "Your Holiness";
— Archbishop or Metropolitan – "Your Eminence";
— Bishop — "Your Eminence";
— Archpriest, Abbot, Archimandrite – "Your Reverence";
— Priest, Hieromonk, Monk (Nun) – "Your Reverence";
— Deacon and Hierodeacon – "Your Good News".
How to properly ask for a blessing from a priest
Every believer considers it imperative when meeting Father to ask him Pastoral Blessing, but many do it wrong. Of course, there are no strict canons on this issue, but the traditions of the Church and simple common sense tell us how to behave. Blessing has many meanings. The first of these is greeting (or farewell). Only the priest has the right to shake hands with equal in rank, everyone else, even deacons, when meeting with the priest, is blessed by him.
A blessing is taken to perform some good deed. For this purpose, the essence of the issue is briefly outlined to the priest, and then a blessing is asked for the commission of this matter. Priestly blessing
- this is permission, permission, parting words. Before starting any responsible business, before traveling, as well as in any difficult circumstances, we can ask the priest for advice and blessings. In order to ask for a blessing, you need to put your palms together, the right one on top of the left at chest level, in order to receive the blessing hand of the priest in them. After this, the person receiving the blessing kisses the blessing hand of the priest, like the hand of Christ Himself, who gives the grace-filled power to the blessing. None mysterious meaning the folding of the palms does not have, grace does not “fall” in them, as some old women teach. 
Orthodox priest blesses
not by your strength and your name, but by the Power of God and the holy name of our Lord Jesus Christ. When a priest or bishop blesses us with his hand, he folds his fingers so that they depict the letters IC XC, that is, Jesus Christ. This means that through the priest our Lord Jesus Christ Himself blesses us. 
Therefore, we must accept the blessing of a priest with reverence. A Christian receives a blessing from the Lord Himself and God protects him in his deeds and ways.
If you find yourself in a society where there are several priests, then the blessing is taken, first of all, from the priests of senior rank, that is, first from the archpriests, then from the priests. If not all of them are familiar to you, and this is difficult for you, say: "Bless you, honest fathers" and bow down.
If several people come up to receive a blessing, then the men come up first, according to seniority (if there are clergy among those gathered, then they come up first). Then the women come up (also according to seniority).
If a family is eligible for blessing, then the husband, wife, and then the children (according to seniority) approach first. If they want to introduce someone to a priest, they say, for example: “Father Alexy, this is my wife, Nadezhda. Please bless her."
If you meet a priest on the street, in transport, in a public place (in a store, on the street, etc.), you can approach him to receive a blessing, even if the priest is wearing secular clothes. But only if you are sure that you will not interfere with his personal affairs and will not put him in an awkward position with your appeal.
If it is impossible to take the blessing, you can limit yourself to a greeting in the form of a slight bow.
Colors of liturgical vestments. Symbolism of flowers
The color scheme of liturgical vestments consists of the following primary colors: white, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, black. They all symbolize the spiritual meanings of the saints and sacred events being celebrated.
On holidays dedicated to Lord Jesus Christ, as well as on the days of remembrance of the prophets, apostles and saints, the color of the royal vestments is gold or yellow of all shades.
On the Mother of God holidays(and also Candlemas) color of vestments - blue or blue,
and on the days of remembrance of the ethereal Angelic forces - white.
On days of remembrance Holy Cross – purple or dark red
, signifying the strength of spirit and the feat of the cross of the Savior.
On holidays saints and holy fools – green
. In green vestments of all shades symbolizing color eternal life, are also celebrated days of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit and Palm Sunday.
To regular days of Lent serve Vh black vestments
, on Saturdays and Sundays, Maundy Thursday, The First and Second Finding of the Head of John the Baptist and the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste - purple
, V parents' Saturdays, Lazarev and Holy Saturday – white
, Palm Sunday - green, on Saturday Akathist(and the Annunciation, if it falls on Lent) – blue
. As for the rest of the fasts, the color of the vestments at this time does not change compared to the other days of the church year.
Burials, as a rule, are performed in white vestments, because for Christians death is only a transition to better world. White color is also designated for the holidays of the Nativity of Christ, Epiphany, Ascension of the Lord and Transfiguration of the Lord, because it marks the Divine light that illuminates and transforms God’s creation.
The Feast of the Resurrection of Christ begins in white vestments as a sign of the Light that shone from the Tomb of the risen Savior, but the main easter color– red with gold. The red color of vestments is also adopted on the days of remembrance of martyrs, and purple on the day of the Beheading of John the Baptist.
White color, which combines all the colors of the rainbow, is a symbol of Divine uncreated light. They serve in white vestments on the great holidays of the Nativity of Christ, Epiphany, Ascension, Transfiguration; Easter Matins begins in them. White vestments are used for baptisms and burials.
Red color, following the white one, continues the Easter service and remains unchanged until the Feast of the Ascension. This is a symbol of God’s inexpressible, fiery love for the human race. But it is also the color of blood, and therefore services in honor of martyrs are held in red or scarlet vestments. 
Yellow (gold) and orange colors are the colors of glory, greatness and dignity. They have adopted Sundays as the days of the Lord, the King of Glory; In addition, in golden robes the Church celebrates the days of His special anointed ones - prophets, apostles and saints.
Green color- fusion of yellow and blue. It was adopted on the days of remembrance of the saints and testifies that their monastic feat revives a person through union with Christ ( yellow) and takes him to heaven (blue). According to ancient tradition, green flowers of all shades are used on the day of the Holy Trinity, Palm Sunday, and Holy Spirit Monday.
Light blue or blue
– the color of the holidays Holy Mother of God. This is the color of the sky, and it corresponds to the doctrine of Mother of God, which contained the Celestial Being in Her Most Pure Womb.
Purple adopted on the days of remembrance of the Holy Cross. It combines red - the color of the blood of Christ and the Resurrection, and blue, indicating that the Cross opened the way to heaven for us.
Black or dark brown the color is closest in spirit to the days of Lent. This is a symbol of renunciation of worldly vanity, the color of crying and repentance.
(21 votes: 4.67 out of 5)
priest Andrey Dudchenko
Piety is like a vertical, directed from earth to heaven (man-God), church etiquette– this is a horizontal (person-person). At the same time, you cannot rise to heaven without loving a person, and you cannot love a person without loving God: If we love each other, then God abides in us (), and he who does not love his brother, whom he sees, how can he love God, Whom sees? ().
Thus, spiritual foundations determine all the rules of church etiquette, which should regulate relations between believers striving for God.
There is an opinion that “there is no point in being mannered,” since God looks at the heart. The latter, of course, is true, but virtue itself is offensive if it is combined with repulsive manners. Of course, horrific intentions can be hidden behind brilliant treatment, which is due to the symbolic nature of our behavior, when, say, a gesture can reveal our true state or desire, but it can also hide. Thus, Pontius Pilate in one modern novel, washing his hands of the trial of Christ, gives the following interpretation of his gesture: “Let the gesture be elegant and the symbol impeccable, if the act is dishonorable.” Such abilities of people, with the help of ambiguous gestures and good manners, to hide a bad heart cannot serve as an excuse in the absence of church “good form.” “Bad form” in church can become a stumbling block for a person with little church on his path to God. Let us remember the groans and complaints of converts who come to churches and are sometimes met with simply barbaric attitude towards themselves by those who consider themselves churchgoers. How much rudeness, primitive mentoring, hostility and unforgiveness can be found in other communities! How many people - especially among the youth and intelligentsia - have lost their parishes because of this! And someday they, these departed people, will come to the temple again? And what answer will those who served as such a temptation on the way to the temple give?!
A God-fearing and church-educated person, if he sees anything indecent in the behavior of another, only corrects his brother or sister with love and respect.
An incident from the life of the monk is indicative in this regard:
“This elder retained one habit from his worldly life, namely, sometimes, when sitting down, he crossed his legs, which might not seem entirely decent. Some of the brothers saw this, but none of them dared to reprimand him, because everyone respected him very much. But only one elder, Abba Pimen, said to the brethren:
“Go to Abba Arseny, and I will sit with him as he sometimes sits; then you reprimand me that I don’t sit well. I will ask you for forgiveness; At the same time, we will correct the elder too.”
They went and did so. The Monk Arseny, realizing that it was indecent for a monk to sit like that, gave up his habit” (Lives of the Saints. Month of May. Eighth Day).
Politeness, as a component of etiquette, for a spiritual person can become a means of attracting the grace of God. Usually, politeness is understood not only as the art of showing by external signs the inner respect that we have for a person, but also the art of being friendly with people for whom we have no disposition. What is this - hypocrisy, hypocrisy? For a spiritual person who knows the innermost dialectic of external and internal, politeness can become a means on the path of acquiring and developing humility.
There is a well-known expression of one ascetic: do the external, and for the external the Lord will also give the internal, for the external belongs to man, and the internal belongs to God. When external signs virtue, virtue itself gradually increases in us. Here is how the bishop wisely wrote about this: 1 “Whoever anticipates the greetings of others with his own greeting, expresses helpfulness and respect towards everyone, prefers everyone everywhere to himself, silently endures various griefs and strains himself in every possible way mentally and practically and in self-abasement for the sake of Christ, at first he experiences a lot difficult and difficult moments for personal pride.
But for the uncomplaining and patient fulfillment of God’s commandment about humility, the grace of the Holy Spirit is poured on him from above, softens his heart for sincere love for God and for people, and his bitter experiences are replaced by sweet ones.
Thus, acts of love without corresponding feelings of love are ultimately rewarded by an outpouring of heavenly love in the heart. He who humbles himself begins to feel in the faces around him relatives in Christ and is disposed towards them with goodwill.”
The order of meals in the parish often copies the monastic one: if it is an everyday table, then the appointed reader, standing behind the lectern, after the blessing of the priest, for the edification of those gathered, loudly reads the life or instruction, which is listened to with attention. If this is a festive meal, where birthday people are congratulated, then spiritual wishes and toasts are heard; Those who wish to pronounce them would do well to think in advance what to say.
At the table, moderation is observed in everything: in eating and drinking, in conversations, jokes, and the duration of the feast. If gifts are presented to the birthday boy, these are most often icons, a book, church utensils, sweets, and flowers. At the end of the feast, the hero of the occasion thanks all those gathered, who then sing to him “Many Years.” Praising and thanking (among believers it is customary to pronounce the full, not truncated formula of thanksgiving: not “thank you,” but “God save” or “God save”) the organizers of the dinner, all those who worked in the kitchen, also observe the measure, for “ The Kingdom of God is not food and drink, but joy in the Holy Spirit.”
About the behavior of parishioners who bear church obedience.
The behavior of parishioners carrying out church obedience (selling candles, icons, cleaning the temple, guarding the territory, singing in the choir, serving at the altar) is a special topic. It is known what importance the Church attaches to obedience. Doing everything in the Name of God, overcoming your old man, is a very difficult task. It is further complicated by the fact that “getting used to the shrine” quickly appears, a feeling of being the owner (mistress) of the church, when the parish begins to seem like one’s own fiefdom, and hence - disdain for all “outsiders”, “coming”. Meanwhile, the holy fathers nowhere say that obedience is higher than love. And if God is Love, how can you become like Him without showing love yourself?
Brothers and sisters who bear obedience in churches should be examples of meekness, humility, gentleness, and patience. And the most basic: culture: for example, being able to answer phone calls. Anyone who has had to call churches knows what level of culture they are talking about - sometimes you don’t want to call anymore.
On the other hand, people going to church need to know that the Church is a special world with its own rules. Therefore, you cannot go to church dressed provocatively: women should not wear trousers, short skirts, no headdress, or lipstick; men should not come in shorts, T-shirts, and they should not smell of tobacco. These are issues not only of piety, but also of etiquette, because violating norms of behavior can cause a fair negative reaction (even if only in the soul) from others.
To everyone who, for some reason, had unpleasant moments of communication at the parish - advice, you come to God, to Him, bring your heart, and overcome temptation with prayer and love.
In the monastery
The love of the Orthodox people for monasteries is known. There are now about 500 of them in the Russian Orthodox Church. And in each of them, in addition to the monks, there are workers, pilgrims who come to strengthen themselves in faith, piety, and to work for the glory of God on the restoration or improvement of the monastery.
The monastery has stricter discipline than the parish. And although the mistakes of newcomers are usually forgiven and covered with love, it is advisable to go to the monastery already knowing the rudiments of the monastic rules.
Spiritual and administrative structure of the monastery.
The monastery is headed by the sacred archimandrite - the ruling bishop or (if the monastery is stauropegial) the Patriarch himself.
However, the monastery is directly controlled by the governor (this can be an archimandrite, abbot, or hieromonk). In ancient times he was called the builder, or abbot. The convent is governed by the abbess.
Due to the need for a clearly organized monastic life (and monasticism is a spiritual path, so verified and polished by centuries of practice that it can be called academic), everyone in the monastery bears a certain obedience.
The first assistant and deputy governor is the dean. He is in charge of all worship services and the fulfillment of statutory requirements. It is to him that people usually refer regarding the accommodation of pilgrims coming to the monastery.
An important place in the monastery belongs to the confessor, who spiritually cares for the brethren. Moreover, this does not have to be an old man (both in the sense of age and in the sense of spiritual gifts).
From among the experienced brethren the following are selected: treasurer (responsible for storing and distributing donations with the blessing of the governor), sacristan (responsible for the splendor of the temple, vestments, utensils, storage of liturgical books), housekeeper (responsible for the economic life of the monastery, in charge of the obediences of workers who come to the monastery), cellarer (responsible for storing and preparing food), hotel (responsible for the accommodation and accommodation of monastery guests) and others.
In women's monasteries, these obediences are carried out by the nuns of the monastery, with the exception of the confessor, who is appointed by the bishop from among the experienced and usually elderly monks.
Appeal to the monks.
In order to correctly address the monk (nun) of the monastery, you need to know that in the monasteries there are novices (novices), cassock monks (nuns), robed monks (nuns), schemamonks (schemanuns). IN monastery Some monks have holy orders (serve as deacons and priests).
Conversion in monasteries is as follows.
In a monastery.
You can contact the governor indicating his position (“Father Viceroy, bless”) or using a name (“Father Nikon, bless”), possible and simple "father"(rarely used). In a formal setting: "Your Reverence"(if the governor is an archimandrite or abbot) or "Your Reverence"(if hieromonk). In the third person they say: “father governor”, “father Gabriel”. The dean is addressed: indicating the position (“father dean”), with name added (“Father Pavel”), “father”. In the third person: “father dean” (“turn to father dean”) or “father... (name)". The confessor is addressed using the name (“Father John”) or simply “father.” In the third person: “what the confessor will advise,” “what Father John will say.”
If the housekeeper, sacristan, treasurer, cellarer have priestly rank, you can contact them "father" and ask for blessings. If they are not ordained, but have been tonsured, they say “father housekeeper”, “father treasurer”.
One can say to a hieromonk, abbot, or archimandrite: "father…(Name)", "father".
A tonsured monk is addressed: "father", to the novice - "Brother"(if the novice is in old age - “father”). When addressing schema-monks, if rank is used, the prefix “schema” is added - for example: “I ask for your prayers, Father Schema-Archimandrite.”
In a nunnery.
The abbess, unlike the nuns, wears a gold pectoral cross and has the right to bless. Therefore, they ask for her blessing, addressing her in this way: "mother abbess"; or using a name: "Mother of Varvara", "Mother of Nicholas" or simply " mother". (IN convent the word “mother” refers only to the abbess. Therefore, if they say. “That’s what mother thinks,” meaning the abbess.)
In an address to the nuns they say: “mother Eulampia”, “mother Seraphim”, but in a specific situation you can simply "mother". The novices are addressed: "sister"(in case of advanced age of the novice, conversion is possible "mother"). There is no spiritual justification for the practice of some parishes, where parishioners who work in the kitchen, in the sewing workshop, etc., are called mothers. In the world, it is customary to call only the wife of a priest (priest) a mother.
About monastic rules.
The monastery is a special world. And it takes time to learn the rules of monastic life.
Since this material is intended for lay people, we will indicate only the most necessary things that must be observed in the monastery during pilgrimage.
- When you come to the monastery as a pilgrim or worker, remember that in the monastery they ask for a blessing for everything and strictly fulfill it.
- You cannot leave the monastery without a blessing.
- They leave all their sinful habits and addictions (wine, tobacco, foul language, etc.) outside the monastery.
- Conversations lead only about the spiritual, they do not remember about worldly life, they do not teach each other, but they know only two words - “forgive” and “bless”.
- Without grumbling, they are content with food, clothing, sleeping conditions, and eat food only at a common meal.
- They do not go to other people’s cells, except when they are sent by the abbot. At the entrance to the cell they say aloud a prayer: “Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us” (in the convent: “Through the prayers of our holy mothers...”). They do not enter the cell until they hear from behind the door: “Amen.”
- They avoid free speech, laughter, and jokes.
- When working on obediences, they try to spare the weak person who works nearby, covering with love the errors in his work. When meeting each other, they greet each other with bows and the words: “Save yourself, brother (sister)”; and the other responds to this: “Save, Lord.” Unlike the world, they don’t take each other’s hands.
- When sitting down at the table in the refectory, they observe the order of precedence. The prayer said by the person serving the food is answered “Amen”, the table is silent and listens to the reading.
- They are not late for divine services, unless they are busy with obedience.
- Insults encountered during general obediences are endured humbly, thereby gaining experience in spiritual life and love for the brethren.
How to behave at a reception with a bishop
A bishop is an angel of the Church; without a bishop, the Church loses its fullness and very essence. Therefore, a church person always treats bishops with special respect.
When addressing the bishop, he is called “Vladyko” (“Vladyko, bless”)."Lord" is vocative case Church Slavonic language, in the nominative case - Lord; For example: “Vladyka Bartholomew blessed you...”
Eastern (coming from Byzantium) solemnity and eloquence in addressing the bishop at first even confuses the heart of a person of little church, who can see here a (in fact non-existent) derogation of his own human dignity.
In official address, other expressions are used.
Addressing the bishop: Your Eminence; Your Eminence Vladyka. In the third person: “His Eminence ordained him a deacon...”
Addressing the Archbishop and Metropolitan: Your Eminence; Your Eminence Vladyka. If you want to enter into a conversation with a bishop unfamiliar to you and you do not know what hierarchical level he is at, pay attention to the bishop’s headdress: in the modern Russian Orthodox Church, an archbishop, unlike a bishop, wears a small four-pointed cap on his hood or skufiya cross made of transparent faceted stones; in addition, the metropolitan, unlike the bishop and archbishop, has a hood white. In general distinctive feature bishop - wearing over sacred clothes a round panagia with the image of the Savior or the Mother of God. IN third person: “With the blessing of His Eminence, we inform you...”
Addressing the Patriarch: Your Holiness; Holy Master. In the third person: “His Holiness visited... the diocese.”
A blessing is taken from the bishop in the same way as from a priest: the palms are folded crosswise one on top of the other (the right one is at the top) and they approach the bishop for the blessing.
A telephone conversation with the bishop begins with the words: “Bless, Master” or “Bless, Your Eminence (Eminence).”
The letter can begin with the words: "Bless the Master" or “Your Eminence (High Eminence), bless.”
When formally writing to the bishop, the following form is used.
In the upper right corner of the sheet write, observing the line:
His Eminence
His Eminence(Name),
Bishop(name of the diocese),
Petition.
When contacting to the archbishop or metropolitan:
His Eminence
Your Eminence(Name),
to the archbishop(to the Metropolitan),
(name of the diocese),
Petition.
When addressing the Patriarch:
His Holiness
His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and all
Rus Alexiy
Petition.
They usually end a petition or letter with these words: “I ask for the prayers of Your Eminence...”
The priests, who are essentially under church obedience, write: “Humble novice of Your Eminence...”
At the bottom of the sheet they put the date according to the old and new styles, indicating the saint whose memory the Church honors on this day. For example: July 5/18, 1999 A.D. (Christmas Day). St. Sergius of Radonezh.
Arriving at an appointment with the bishop at the diocesan administration, they approach the secretary or the head of the chancellery, introduce themselves and tell them why they are asking for an appointment.
When entering the bishop's office, they say a prayer. “Through the prayers of our holy Master, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us,” They cross themselves onto the icon in the red corner, approach the bishop and ask for his blessing. At the same time, there is no need to kneel or prostrate out of excessive reverence or fear (unless, of course, you have come confessing to some sin).
There are usually many priests in the diocesan administration, but it is not necessary to take a blessing from each of them. In addition, there is a clear rule: in the presence of the bishop, they do not take blessings from the priests, but only greet them with a slight bow of the head.
If a bishop leaves his office for the reception, he is approached for blessing in order: first the priests (according to seniority), then the laity (men, then women).
The bishop's conversation is not interrupted by anyone asking for a blessing, but they wait until the end of the conversation. They think about their appeal to the bishop in advance and present it briefly, without unnecessary gestures or facial expressions.
At the end of the conversation, they again ask for the bishop’s blessing and, having crossed themselves at the icon in the red corner, they sedately leave.
In days of trouble
Finally, a few notes about the time when all festivities are abandoned. This is a time of mourning, that is, an outward expression of feelings of sadness for the deceased.
There are deep mourning and ordinary mourning.
Deep mourning is worn only for father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, husband, wife, brother, sister. Mourning for father and mother lasts one year. According to grandparents - six months. For the husband - two years, for the wife - one year. For children – one year. For brother and sister - four months. According to uncle, aunt and cousin - three months. If a widow, contrary to decency, enters into a new marriage before the end of mourning for her first husband, then she should not invite any of the guests to the wedding. These periods can be shortened or increased if, before death, those remaining in this earthly vale received a special blessing from the dying person, for pre-death benevolence and blessing (especially parental) are treated with respect and reverence.
Generally in Orthodox families without the blessing of parents or elders do not accept any important decisions. Children with early years They even learn to ask for the blessings of their father and mother for everyday things: “Mommy, I’m going to bed, bless me.” And the mother, having crossed the child, says: “A guardian angel for your sleep.” A child goes to school, on a hike, to a village (to a city) - along all the paths he is protected by his parents’ blessing.
If possible, parents add to their blessing (at the marriage of their children or before their death) visible signs, gifts, blessings: crosses, icons, holy relics, the Bible, which, forming a household shrine, are passed on from generation to generation.
The inexhaustible bottomless sea church life. It is clear that this small book contains only some outlines of church etiquette.
Hegumen Aristarchus (Lokhapov)
Orthodox view of church blessing
Every Christian asks for a blessing from a priest or bishop on important events In my life. Believers also ask for blessings when meeting a clergyman. In addition, blessing in one form or another is present in church service. Now, unfortunately, in the minds of many believers there is a misunderstanding of blessing as permission or even a command to perform any action...
Most priests today, when asking for a blessing, will sign the person with the sign of the cross and, most likely, will not utter any words or say something like: “God bless.” Although it would be necessary to say: “God is blessed” or something similar. Among the Greeks, when giving a blessing, the priest says: “O Kyrios,” i.e. "Lord." This is a shortened version of the answer: “Blessed be the Lord.”
To see how blessing is understood in Church Tradition, which is expressed, among other things, in liturgical tradition, let us turn to our divine service.
At the end of Vespers and Matins, the choir sings, addressing the primate: “Bless.” Following this, the serving priest utters the exclamation: “Blessed is Christ our God...” (by the way, here the priest calls God with the sacred Old Testament name “Yahweh” - “He” - “Who is.” The same name is written on the icons of Christ).
A teacher at the Orthodox St. Tikhon’s Theological Institute, M. Zheltov, speaks about this (I quote below his lecture notes from the Internet): “You see how great the boldness is in the Christian religion: in Old Testament the high priest uttered only this word once a year, and in the New Testament every priest at the end of the service pronounces this exclamation: “Blessed are you!..” For us, the word “bless” is often associated with a request to the priest: “Father, bless!” And the priest blesses.
In fact, if we look at patristic interpretations and the Bible itself, the main meaning of the word “bless” is “to bless God.” And the choir sings: “Bless!”, and the priest says: “Blessed is the Lord,” and blesses the Lord. And this is observed here ancient tradition: Don’t bless us, the choir sings here, but “bless” means “God.”
And the priest blesses: “Blessed is Christ our God,” thereby confessing Christ as God. A blessing in the biblical sense of the word is the blessing of God. This understanding persisted for quite a long time. Let us recall an example from the life of the Venerable Mary of Egypt. When Zosima meets her, they argue for a long time about who should bless whom. Finally, the Venerable Mary gives in and says: “God bless,” i.e. blesses God.
By blessing God, a person enters into a special spiritual relationship with Him, and this blessing passes to him. This is the biblical model. Following God's blessing, God Himself blesses man.
When a priest or bishop is asked to give a blessing to someone, it is most often understood this way: the clergyman blesses the person, and this means that God blesses him. In fact, God blesses a person through the fact that the person himself first blesses God. This is exactly the model used in the Bible.
Thus, when a priest is asked for a blessing, he must, making the sign of the cross on the one asking, bless GOD, and the Lord Himself will give the blessing to the one asking him. Or he won’t give it - God is free in His decision. And He has the right not to give a blessing to the one whom the priest blesses.
Now let's imagine the following situation. I asked for a blessing for something and received it. Does this mean that I must definitely do what I have in mind? No, that doesn't mean it. I asked for God's blessing - which means I asked God to intervene in my situation. And if this deed is for good, God will arrange everything so that the deed is accomplished. If it is not for good, the Lord will somehow show it to me. In any case, I should not be guided by the principle of doing what I have been blessed at any cost.
One day asked a question: “Does blessing have anything to do with prayer? In the Russian Church it is quite canonized: for every deed you must ask for a blessing... What is the connection: what is God’s and what is not? There is always this very difficult moment: maybe God doesn’t like this... I have such selfishness that I often just forget about it, I just do it and that’s it. But this can also be mechanical: he asked for a blessing and went, and you answer, since you blessed. I have experience; I, if I want, will do it anyway, even if they didn’t allow me, and I paid for it to the extent that they promised me. There is a moment in this: inviting trouble upon yourself...”
Vladyka Anthony responded to this: “When we are little children, we ask dad or mom: can I play, can I do this or that?.. When we become a little older, we understand that now we have no time for playing, now we need to do something else, and then We no longer ask: Dad, let me, Mom, let me, but we know that now is the time, I will do this with God’s blessing, if this is not a bad thing in itself. And things are mostly average in the sense that maybe it’s not bad, and maybe it’s not particularly good, there’s nothing special about it, I can do it.
And if you turn everything into a situation where you have to ask for a blessing for every thing, then firstly, there is no one, and secondly, it’s even worse when there is someone who has enough ingenuity or intelligence or experience or he will stop and say: no, it is absolutely necessary this way and not another. You must somehow be able to make a choice like an adult, sometimes after thinking, sometimes after consulting, and somehow internally saying: God bless, I will do it as best I can!”
Then the conversation with Bishop Anthony continued: “Can I amuse you a little? I came to Russia with this blessing, I wanted to buy a car, I came to the priest: I need you to bless me to buy a car... He says: In general, you know, I’m somehow more involved in spiritual matters, but about the car I need to consult with someone who deals with cars, who understands something about them... Since then I have divided more or less, but sometimes I get confused.
Thank God, here it is man of sense turned out to be! You can always say: Lord, in my opinion this is not a bad thing - bless! If it is not according to You, put some kind of barrier to prevent this from happening...
You need to pray and you will feel it!
I think such absolute rules are risky. Now you are in such and such a mood and your soul is open, and you feel: yes, yes!.. And at another moment you have withered and you do not have such a living feeling that God is blessing you or not. I think then you have to think: is this a good thing, right? Or even “average” in the sense that there is nothing particularly good or bad in it, just some everyday thing. Pray for him and let God do something that you yourself cannot do.
We can’t do everything and we can’t ask for everything: Lord, instruct me!.. - and God has already laid the answer on your soul. Sometimes it happens like this - I’m not thinking about children now, but about adults: a person needs something, and you cannot help him. There is a very remarkable place in one letter where he says: sometimes it happens that a person has a need or pain, he needs something and no one can help him, because God knows that he is not mature enough to accept it. help. He may accept it mechanically: “Oh, I’m freed,” and then he will return to the same problem again, because he has not gotten over it in himself. So it is not necessarily possible to always solve every problem. This is not a consolation for, say, a priest who cannot find any answers to any questions, but it means that sometimes you feel that no, I could formally say something, but this is not the answer to this person and the wrong answer.”
priest Andrey Dudchenko
Believers often ask for blessings from the priest. Why is this being done? What is the point of such an event? And how do you ask for a blessing from the priest, what should you say? Let's talk in detail. It will not be possible to simply figure it out, since the matter is too important for the soul of a believer. Not in religion technical points, which can be corrected casually, without thinking and reflecting on the essence. When figuring out how to correctly ask for a blessing from the priest, you need to understand the meaning of this action, why such a rule arose. It doesn’t hurt to figure out how following it affects the believer. This is what we'll do.
What is a blessing?
It is necessary to start from the philosophical side, understandable to any believer. We come to the temple to gain a constant connection with the Lord. It appears at the level of the heart. A person feels it as unity with the Holy Spirit. Every action of a believer is aimed at grace. In this sense, communication with those who serve the Lord is useful. Blessing is a special prayer. The priest pronounces it for the one asking. The text, as a rule, depends on the appeal of the person himself. That is why it is advisable to understand how to ask for a blessing from the priest. After all, you can express your need in a general phrase, or specify it. The priest is responsible for his prayer. This means that he needs to understand the person speaking. People often don't think about this side of the issue. Pride manifests itself here, that is, confidence in one’s own wisdom and rightness. But true religiosity lies in trust in the Lord. It also manifests itself when a parishioner asks for a blessing from the priest. Let's look at these points in more detail.
The meaning of tradition
Trying to figure out how to correctly ask for a blessing from the priest, you need to look into your soul. Why do you want a clergyman to pray for you? How can you describe your intention? It's not a simple matter. After all, some need support, others need confidence in their abilities, and still others want to receive the help of the Lord. And these are different things. A believer always directs his labors toward acquiring the Holy Spirit. As Seraphim of Sarov taught, this must be done constantly. After all, the Holy Spirit is similar to earthly riches, only it is not material, and therefore eternal. By accumulating we create for ourselves “heavenly capital”, more valuable than which there is nothing in the world. When we ask the priest for a blessing, we thereby express our intention to direct our work towards acquiring the Holy Spirit, that is, we indicate the true goal of our activity. For example, many are interested in how to ask the priest for a blessing for a trip or a new job. Below we describe the process technique. It's not about her. To come to the idea of turning to a clergyman, you need to realize simple thing. What we are about to undertake is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, that is, it is done for the sake of gaining grace. The goal of any activity of a believer is to become closer to the Lord, to take another step along this road. And he dedicates any business to God. This is probably how the spiritual part of the answer to the question of how to ask for a blessing from the priest should be formulated. Without deep reflection, tradition itself loses its meaning. But there is another side to the problem.
About humility
Let's think about why you should ask for a blessing from the priest. Some say that this is customary in their parish, others try to explain how this will help in carrying out the intended task. However, the essence of the tradition is much deeper. The same Seraphim of Sarov often drew the attention of believers to such a sin as pride. We need to understand that all our abilities and talents come from God. We probably gain skills and experience ourselves, but only with his blessing. When we take on a new activity, we try to rely on existing qualities. And this is not entirely correct, or rather, they should not be put at the forefront. Our first hope is the Lord. He will allow - the person will cope with his task, if he is against it, he will fail everything, no matter how talented he is. The clergy develop this theme during their sermons, and the saints spoke about it. Forgetting the Lord and relying only on your skills and abilities means showing pride. It is not right for a believer to do this. Jesus spoke about humility. The Lord has measured out his own path for everyone, it should be accepted and followed. This is why they ask for the priest’s blessing; it is a kind of demonstration of spiritual humility. But this feeling must be distinguished from devotion or respect for the clergyman himself. They have nothing in common. Through the priest's prayer grace comes from the Lord. He is only a mediator in these complex relationships. And even accepting his help means showing sincere humility.
About responsibility
Church literature says that blessing is a gift and an expression of Divine love. There are two participants in the process itself. Think about it yourself, why do you need to ask for a blessing from the priest, what is its meaning, if you don’t talk about your business? You need to understand: the one who conveys the gift bears a great responsibility before the Lord. Father acts on His behalf. But how should he think if the parishioner does not state the reason for the request, how to bless God knows what? The priest also answers for his prayer to the one asking. He gives him the go-ahead for some activity, opens the way to the goal. The clergy themselves describe their responsibility differently. Some people say that it is not necessary to designate a goal. This is practiced when the priest knows a member of the flock well. He is sure that he will not think of anything bad. If you have not yet established a trusting relationship with a clergyman, it is better to indicate the reason, at the same time you will understand what matters you can ask for the priest’s blessing. Although the last question can be called empty. Father will not refuse a conversation, he will try to help you sort out your plans. But he doesn’t always bless.
Practical questions
We have a little understanding of philosophy. But this is not quite the answer to the question of how to ask for a blessing from the priest. People are interested in practice, that is, when to approach, what to say, and the like. We'll look into that too. The first thing to remember: there is no need to tear the clergyman away from his work. Wait until the person is free. On the one hand, politeness is necessary in this, as in any other communication, on the other hand, this is a serious undertaking, although it takes a little time. If you see that the priest is free, then calmly head towards him. Take your time, give him time to notice you. And while you’re walking, think again about whether it’s possible to ask for the priest’s blessing in your particular situation. If you are not sure, just ask the clergyman a question on this topic. For example, there is no doubt that new job, travel, marriage, matchmaking, childbirth, study - good deeds. As a rule, the priest does not refuse their blessing. But is it worth asking to pray for a party, for example? Does it make sense for the priest to bless you for entertainment? The last two sentences are not statements, they are questions. People's situations are different. They need to be thought through. Another example: let’s say you don’t want to have an operation for which you have everything medical indications, how to ask for a blessing from the priest for refusal? Will he give it? After all, the responsibility is very great! In each specific case, it is necessary to understand in detail, preferably with the confessor himself.
What to do and say?
One more thing don’t forget: look at yourself in the mirror when you go to the temple. You need to dress modestly. This no means no cosmetics or jewelry, if you are used to both. Clothes should show your state of humility and modesty, that is, be decent, not provocative. A rule now considered unnecessary... However, the internal state is always reflected externally, including in outfits. Approaching the clergyman, bow and extend your clasped hands to him, palms up. At the same time, you need to say this: “Father, bless on...”. That is all that is required of a believer. The priest will appreciate your request. No matter how quickly he reacts, this man never forgets his responsibility. If the request seems normal to him, he will cross his hands, folding his fingers in a special way. His answer is: “God bless.” This is a short prayer for just such an occasion. Sometimes the priest calls on God: “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” The prayer may be different to suit your case. Listen carefully and humbly.
What to do next?
Traditional communication does not end there. The priest blesses the person with prayer and hand (baptizes). Next, you need to show him gratitude. It is customary to take his hand in yours and kiss it. People who rarely visit the temple may be offended by such behavior. Be sure to listen to your feelings. If there is dissatisfaction inside that you need to kiss your hand, then pride speaks louder than conscience. One conclusion follows from this: we need to pray for humility. Apparently, you are not yet ready to receive the blessing of the Lord. This is actually a pretty serious point. Monks, for example, ask for blessings for almost every deed. These people decided to work with their souls, to go to the Lord with all their might. We need to take an example from them. When you talk to the priest, you should see him as the messenger of the Lord, and not ordinary person. He conveys to you the highest value that we can receive on earth - the gift of Divine love. By the way, sometimes the priest asks about the details of the matter for which you are asking for a blessing. Need to tell. He is not interested out of curiosity - as already said, he has a great responsibility.
How to ask for a blessing from the priest for childbirth?
There are women who are desperately afraid of the upcoming mystery of the birth of a child. Funny, is not it? Where can the baby go if his mother doesn’t let him out? Being nervous in such a situation is not only unproductive, but also dangerous. That is why women go to church and ask for the priest’s blessing. This calms you down and puts you in a constructive mood. Everything must be done as described above. Just remember to be modest and sincere in your faith. To be afraid of childbirth means to show unbelief, to abandon the Lord. He has already blessed you to conceive, even if you didn’t ask. Without His will, nothing happens in this world. When you contact the priest, he responds with a special prayer for a favorable resolution. It turns out that the woman is no longer alone in her care, but together with the Lord. It helps a lot. It’s good to light candles for your health and your baby’s. And it’s okay that he hasn’t been baptized yet. The Lord will still support His child. And when the priest gave his blessing, we must put aside our fears. Prayer helps believers. Women are advised to look at how much energy and time they spend on experiences, and devote it to turning to the Lord or the Mother of God. You’re still not doing anything productive, so it’s better to pray, putting aside your pride. This will make it easier, and the child inside will stop worrying, feeling his mother’s fears.
Why do you dream of asking for a blessing from your priest?
A person’s soul is always directed towards the Lord, even if his ego resists. Sometimes she gives certain signs in a dream, prompting reflection. If you were not going to church, then the plot with the priest hints at the need to consult your conscience. It's no secret that we sometimes commit not the most moral actions; they harm others. Someone is offended, another is angry, a third is angry, and as a result we try to take it out on our loved ones or colleagues. A pure soul in dreams suggests that you don’t need to do this. When you harm another, you worry yourself. Father in night vision is a sign of a conscience fearing suffering. She does not whisper in this way, but already shouts that the time has come to reassess her behavior, change her attitude towards a problem or person. Who or what exactly we are talking about - you have to figure it out yourself. But such a dream cannot be missed. Be sure to reflect on its meaning. Sometimes it has a different purpose. The Lord, through sleep, tells you what to do in the near future. Remember what you wanted to receive a blessing for. Make this your main concern.
You know, sometimes it can be so difficult to understand yourself, to understand what is important and what needs to be abandoned... This is the most common state for a person. But to remain confused for the rest of your life is to spend it in vain. This is probably the very case when a blessing is needed like air. After all, our first task is to understand why we appeared in the world, how to make it better in the name of the Lord. What do you think? You have never asked for a blessing from the priest, this is a reason for you to get your first experience. It is even more useful to those who strive to go to the Lord and acquire the Holy Spirit. Believe me, you don’t need to look for information online about how and what to do, but rather talk about it. And don’t think that the priest won’t understand or will refuse to listen. His flock is his most important concern on earth. He will definitely listen and help, advise, advise.
Is a priestly blessing just pious church etiquette, a ritual, a good tradition, or does it have a deeper hidden meaning?
The clergy (i.e., especially dedicated people performing divine services) - our spiritual fathers: bishops (bishops) and priests (priests) - make the sign of the cross over us. This kind of overshadowing is called a blessing.
When the priest blesses us, he folds his fingers so that they depict the letters: Isa. Hs., that is, Jesus Christ. This means that through the priest our Lord Jesus Christ Himself blesses us. Therefore, we must accept the blessing of a priest with reverence.
When we hear the words of general blessing in church: “peace to all” and others, then in response to them we must bow, without sign of the cross. And in order to receive a blessing from a bishop or priest separately for yourself, you need to fold your hands in a cross: right over left, palms up. Having received a blessing, we kiss the hand that blesses us - we kiss as if invisible hand Christ the Savior Himself.
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk writes: “When you kiss the blessing hand of a priest, kiss mentally the One formed by it. One of the fathers, being reproached by the iconoclasts for worshiping the tree of the cross, answered: “I would kiss with reverence every tree from which I knew that an image of the cross of the Lord would be made.”... And further the saint explains: “Directness index finger and the middle mood depict the name "Iesus". The position of the straight finger is depicted by the letter I; the middle letter C, folded transversely ring finger with the little finger, mean the name “Christ”. The blessing hand means the name of the blessed Jesus Christ, in whom all nations are blessed, as it was promised to the blessed patriarch Abraham: in your seed all the families of the earth will be blessed (Gen. 12:3). He did not say, explains the Divine Apostle, about many (seeds), but about the seed, which is Christ (Gal. 3:16). Likewise, the formation of a blessing hand means nothing more than the name of the One with whom we are blessed. Therefore, I think that by Divine Providence the number of fingers on the hand was first arranged in such a way, neither more nor less, so that it was neither excessive nor insufficient, but there were enough of them for such a sign” (Creations like our father Tikhon of Zadonsk. M., 1889. T .1. P. 234).
So, according to Saint Tikhon, the priestly blessing has a deep sacred meaning. God's Providence even in the location and number of fingers of the blessing hand indicated the name of His beloved Son. A person who takes a blessing from a priest with faith not only expresses his respect for him and greets him, but also receives great benefit - he attracts the grace of God. The Lord Himself, through the blessing hand of the priest, blesses him for good deeds.
In ancient times, people did not begin any good deed without receiving a blessing from a priest. From the conception of a child to death, all stages of a person’s life were accompanied by a priestly blessing. The Lord granted people asking for blessings good health, many children, fertility of the earth, and victory over the conquerors. Although there are many unsightly pages in the history of the Russian State, the Russian people have always emerged victorious from all the state turmoil, thanks to the firm, unshakable faith of the majority of people in the invincible power of God's blessing. So, for example, in the 14th century, the holy noble prince Dmitry Donskoy, having received St. Sergius Radonezh's blessing for the battle on the Kulikovo field, defeated the superior army of Khan Mamai. In the 17th century, with the blessing of the Holy Patriarch Hermogenes, the Novgorod merchants Minin and Pozharsky collected civil uprising and liberated Moscow from foreign conquerors. And how many special cases there are of the manifestation of the special power of priestly blessing in this or that matter!
The blessing of a priest comes in different forms. It happens like a greeting. So we see the priest and say: “Father, bless!” Father says: “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit! Hello, Petya!” And he will ask us about something. That's how we said hello. There is another blessing. When, for example, we have prayed and are already leaving the church and say: “Father, bless us on our way!” Father will bless us, and somehow we will feel warmer - this is how Father and I said goodbye. It also happens that we ask for blessings when we don’t know what to do in a responsible matter, morally serious, or in one that can determine our entire future life, and here we want to avoid self-will, to do something that is not what I like , but as God pleases. And then we, knowing that if we approach the priest with prayer and faith, then through him the Lord will tell us what to do, we come up and say: “Father, this is such and such a situation, I don’t know what to do. Bless me, and I I will accept your will, because I believe that the Lord Himself will guide me through it.” And if we really go with such a feeling and accept what the priest says, then the Lord will guide us to the better.