And the sacrament is a reception (with proper preparation) of the holy gifts. Communion is like a fresh new shirt - you can't put on a dirty body. The sacrament is given as a reward for and intensified recitation of prayers.
1.How to prepare for the service in church on Sunday (for the Liturgy) correctly, if you want to receive the Holy Communion?
If you decide to visit the temple on Sunday "in full", then you should prepare in advance. The Sunday morning “most powerful” service in the church is called the Liturgy (when they receive communion, that is, the priest gives “the blood and body of Christ” = a piece of bread in wine). You can talk a lot about the benefits of the sacrament, but here we will talk about how to prepare for it:
-You need to prepare for a coupledays.
- It is necessary to fast at least on Friday and Saturday: do not eat animal food, do not sin: do not drink alcohol, do not commit "conjugal intimacy", try not to swear, not to offend or be offended.
- on Saturday, read 3 canons for the night (it will take about 40 minutes) (canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ, canon of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos, canon to the Guardian Angel) + 35 more minutes "Follow to Holy Communion."
- in the evening you should also read prayers for the coming sleep (about 20 minutes)
- after midnight, do not eat, drink or smoke, that is, go to bed before 00-00.
2. When to come to church before the Sunday morning service (Liturgy)? When does the Sunday morning service start?
We arrive at the church at about 7-20 (but better see the schedule).
Until that time, you need to:
- be strictly on an empty stomach, incl. no smoking. You can only brush your teeth, and then try not to swallow anything.
- read the morning rule (min 15-20)
In the church itself? when the Liturgy and Communion are going on:
—writing notes for health and peace (can be simple)
- we go up and kiss the central icon.
— we put candles whoever we want (I usually put 3 candles: on the main candlestick, to the saint at will and for the repose).
During the service itself, there is no need to light candles, as this distracts everyone.
- we take the line for confession. It usually starts at 7-30 (again, see the schedule of services in your church). We confess.
- we take place: men on the right side of the temple, women on the left.
- The Liturgy lasts about 2 hours. All this time we listen to prayers, think “about life, what they did wrong where” and all the time we repeat “Lord, Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”.
Time usually goes byquickly, when the Liturgy and Communion are going on.
Liturgy takeaway
When everyone began to read the "Symbol of Faith" - it means that the sacrament itself will soon be.
- When everyone began to read Our Father, it means that the sacrament will be very soon.
- When the priest brings out 2 large bowls for the first time, we just bow our heads.
- When the priest endures small bowl (it is with the sacrament) - then we bowkneeling down.
- They can carry the alms trays around the church. Donate money there, no matter how much.
3 What to do during the sacrament itself?
- Participle: first small children receive communion, then men, then women. Only those who have properly prepared have the right to receive Communion. Don't be angry with God.
- When approaching the sacrament, we cross our arms over our chest (right at the top). We approach the bowl as close as possible. We do not cross ourselves so as not to hurt the thicket. We call a name, open our mouth, eat Communion from a spoon, let us wipe ourselves, kiss the bowl and go to eat and drink.
- On a special table we take a small cup with a wash and a piece of prosphora. They eat it and drink it so that the pieces of the Communion completely get inside, and not fly out accidentally with saliva or something else. It is better to drink it first, then eat the prosphora.
- We are waiting for the end of the service to kiss the cross. The priest can say “Sacraments, listen to the words of the prayer of thanksgiving” - then we go to listen to the prayer. If this did not happen, then at home we read "Thanksgiving Prayers for Holy Communion".
4. What to do after receiving the sacrament?
- we don't kneel down anywhere: neither in front of the icons, nor in the rest of the service
- we wait for the end of the service and kiss the cross of the priest.
- we read thanksgiving prayers for Holy Communion
- you can go home. Immediately after communion, do not immediately smoke or drink alcohol (at least first eat normally). Don't defile the Sacrament.
And now everything is in order. Church services or public worship is the main purpose of all temples. Evening, morning and afternoon services are held daily and each of them consists of three types of services. Thus, it turns out that 9 services are held per day, which are repeated from day to day, therefore such daily services are called the daily circle.
There is also a seven-day circle of divine services - a sequence of services repeated within 1 week (1 week). There are services that are held once a year, they are called annual. The church bell calls all believers to the church for prayer, but it is better to come to the church in advance in order to have time to venerate the icons, order a commemoration, and light candles before the service begins.
Women should wear a dress or a skirt to the temple, always come with their heads covered, and it is also advisable not to use cosmetics. Men, on the other hand, must bare their heads when entering the temple. If you have a desire to take part in the service, it is better to know in advance how the service in the church is going.
Entering the temple, you should cross yourself 3 times and bow. As soon as the service has begun, you should stand in one place. The service itself is prayers and church chants performed by a clergyman, who is often helped by the church choir. From these hymns, Christians learn about the life of Christ and his disciples; in prayers, believers thank the Lord.
During the service, you cannot walk around the church, you cannot talk, you must stand and listen carefully to everything that the clergyman says. Only seriously ill people are allowed to sit, while the rest can only sit while reading some prayers. If you are late for the beginning of the service, then you should enter the temple and join the worshipers.
But the Orthodox celebrate the most important parts of the service, such as the Six Psalms, the Gospel, during which entry is prohibited: you should stay at the door, waiting for the end of these prayers. Leaving the temple during the service is a great sin. If you saw someone you know while the service is in the church, you should only nod your head, shaking hands in the church is forbidden.
The duration of the services is not limited by any canons; the service can last from 1.5 to 3 hours. The Orthodox Church attaches great importance to any prayer, but it is believed that it is the conciliar prayer of the assembled believers that has the greatest power. In addition to the daily, seven-day and annual circle of services, services are also held in the church, called trebias, which means according to the needs of Christians. These include baptism, prayer services, weddings, funeral services, memorial services, etc.
9.1. What is worship? The divine service of the Orthodox Church is service to God by readings of prayers, hymns, sermons and sacred acts performed according to the Charter of the Church. 9.2. What are the services for? Worship as the outer side of religion serves as a means for Christians to express their inner religious faith and reverent feelings for God, as a means of mysterious communication with God. 9.3. What is the purpose of worship? The purpose of the divine service established by the Orthodox Church is to give Christians the best way to express petitions, thanksgiving and praise to the Lord; to teach and educate believers in the truths of the Orthodox faith and the rules of Christian piety; to lead believers into mysterious communion with the Lord and impart to them the grace-filled gifts of the Holy Spirit.
9.4. What does Orthodox worship by name mean?
(common cause, public service) - this is the main divine service, during which the Communion (Communion) of believers takes place. The remaining eight services are preparatory prayers for the Liturgy.
Vespers- service performed at the end of the day, in the evening.
Compline- service after evening (supper) .
Midnight Office – a service intended to be performed at midnight.
Matins – the service performed in the morning before sunrise.
Clock service – recollection of the events (by the hour) of Good Friday (the suffering and death of the Savior), His Resurrection and the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles.
On the eve of major holidays and Sundays, an evening service is performed, which is called an all-night vigil, because among the ancient Christians it lasted all night. The word "vigilance" means "vigilance." The All-Night Vigil consists of Vespers, Matins and the First Hour. In modern churches, all-night vigil is most often performed in the evening on the eve of Sundays and holidays.
9.5. What services are held in the Church every day?
- In the name of the Holy Trinity, the Orthodox Church celebrates evening, morning and afternoon services in churches every day. In turn, each of these three services is composed of three parts:
Evening worship - from the ninth hour, Vespers, Compline.
Morning- from midnight office, matins, first hour.
Daytime- from the third hour, the sixth hour, Divine Liturgy.
Thus, nine services are formed from the evening, morning and afternoon church services.
Due to the weakness of modern Christians, such statutory services are performed only in some monasteries (for example, in the Valaam Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior). In most parish churches, services are held only in the morning and in the evening, with some reductions.
9.6. What is depicted in the Liturgy?
- In the Liturgy, under the external rites, the entire earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ is depicted: His birth, teaching, deeds, suffering, death, burial, Resurrection and Ascension to heaven.
9.7. What is called a mass?
- The people call the Liturgy Liturgy. The name "Mass" comes from the custom of ancient Christians, after the end of the Liturgy, to use the remnants of the brought bread and wine at a common meal (or public dinner), which took place in one of the parts of the temple.
9.8. What is called a bank?
- The succession of pictorial (Lent) - this is the name of a short service that is performed instead of the Liturgy, when the Liturgy is not supposed to be served (for example, during Great Lent) or when it is impossible to serve it (there is no priest, antimension, prosphora). The obednitsa serves as some image or a semblance of the Liturgy, in composition it is similar to the Liturgy of the catechumens and its main parts correspond to the parts of the Liturgy, with the exception of the celebration of the Sacraments. There is no communion during the Mass.
9.9. Where can you find out about the schedule of services in the temple?
- The schedule of services is usually posted on the doors of the temple.
9.10. Why is the censing of the temple not at every service?
- The curing of the church and the worshipers happens at every service. Liturgical censing is complete when it covers the entire church, and small when the altar, the iconostasis and the people coming from the pulpit are censed.
9.11. Why is censing in the temple?
- Incense lifts the mind to the throne of God, where it goes with the prayers of believers. In all ages and among all peoples, the burning of incense was considered the best, purest material sacrifice to God, and of all types of material sacrifice accepted in natural religions, the Christian Church retained only this and a few more (oil, wine, bread). And in appearance, nothing resembles the graceful breath of the Holy Spirit so much as the smoke of incense. Filled with such high symbolism, the incense greatly contributes to the prayer mood of believers and its purely bodily effect on a person. Incense has an enhancing and stimulating effect on the mood. For this purpose, the ustav, for example, before the Passover vigil, prescribes not just censing, but the extraordinary filling of the temple with the smell from the installed vessels with incense.
9.12. Why do priests serve in different colored vestments?
- The groups have learned a certain color of the vestments of the clergy. Each of the seven colors of the liturgical vestments corresponds to the spiritual meaning of the event in honor of which the service is performed. There are no developed dogmatic precepts in this area, but there is an unwritten tradition in the Church that assimilates certain symbols for the various colors used in worship.
9.13. What do the different colors of the priestly vestments represent?
On holidays dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as on the days of remembrance of His special anointed ones (prophets, apostles and saints) the color of the royal vestments is golden.
In golden robes serve on Sundays - the days of the Lord, the King of Glory.
On holidays in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos and angelic forces, as well as on the days of commemoration of holy virgins and virgins the color of the vestment is blue or white, symbolizing special purity and purity.
Purple adopted on the feasts of the Cross of the Lord. It combines red (symbolizing the color of the blood of Christ and the Resurrection) and blue, reminding that the Cross opened the way to heaven.
Dark red - the color of blood. Services are held in red vestments in honor of the holy martyrs who shed blood for the faith of Christ.
In green vestments the day of the Holy Trinity, the day of the Holy Spirit and the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) are celebrated, since green is a symbol of life. Divine services in honor of the saints are also performed in green vestments: monastic deed revives a person by union with Christ, renews his entire nature and leads to eternal life.
In black vestments usually serve on weekdays. Black color is a symbol of renunciation of worldly vanity, crying and repentance.
White color as a symbol of the Divine uncreated light, it was adopted on the holidays of the Nativity of Christ, Epiphany (Baptism), Ascension and Transfiguration of the Lord. In white vestments, Easter Matins also begins - as a sign of the Divine light that shone from the Tomb of the Risen Savior. White vestments are also used for baptisms and burials.
From Easter to the Feast of the Ascension, all services are performed in red vestments, symbolizing the ineffable fiery love of God for the human race, the victory of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ.
9.14. What do candlesticks with two or three candles mean?
- These are dikiri and triciri. Savage - a candlestick with two candles, signifying two natures in Jesus Christ: the Divine and the human. Trikiriy is a candlestick with three candles that signify faith in the Holy Trinity.
9.15. Why is there a Cross decorated with flowers sometimes instead of an icon in the center of the church on a lectern?
- It happens in the week of the Cross of the Great Lent. The cross is carried out and rests on a lectern in the center of the temple, in order to remind of the suffering and death of the Lord to inspire and strengthen those who are fasting to continue the feat of fasting.
On the feast days of the Exaltation of the Lord's Cross and the Origin (Wearing out) of the Honorable Trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, the Cross is also taken out in the center of the temple.
9.16. Why does the deacon stand with his back to the worshipers in the temple?
- He stands facing the altar, in which the Throne of God is located and the Lord Himself is invisibly present. The deacon, as it were, leads the worshipers and on their behalf pronounces prayer petitions to God.
9.17. Who are the catechumens who are encouraged to leave the temple during the service?
- These are people who are not baptized, but who are preparing to receive the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. They cannot participate in the Church Sacraments, therefore, before the beginning of the most important Church Sacrament - Communion - they are called to leave the church.
9.18. What date does Maslenitsa start?
- Shrovetide is the last week before the beginning of Lent. It ends with Forgiveness Sunday.
9.19. Until what time is the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian read?
- The prayer of Ephraim the Syrian is read until the Wednesday of Holy Week.
9.20. When is the Shroud taken away?
- The Shroud is taken to the altar before the beginning of the Easter service on Saturday evening.
9.21. When can I venerate the Shroud?
- You can venerate the Shroud from the middle of Good Friday until the beginning of the Easter service.
9.22. Does Communion happen on Good Friday?
- No. Since the Liturgy is not served on Good Friday, because on this day the Lord Himself sacrificed Himself.
9.23. Does Communion happen on Holy Saturday, Easter?
- On Great Saturday and Easter, the Liturgy is served, therefore, there is also Communion of the faithful.
9.24. How long does the Easter service last?
- In different churches, the end time of the Easter service is different, but most often it happens from 3 to 6 in the morning.
9.25. Why are the Royal Doors open during the Liturgy during the entire service on Easter Week?
- Some priests are awarded the right to serve the Liturgy with the Royal Doors open.
9.26. What days is the Liturgy of Basil the Great?
- The Liturgy of Basil the Great is celebrated only 10 times a year: on the eve of the holidays of the Nativity of Christ and the Baptism of the Lord (or on the days of these holidays, if they fall on Sunday or Monday), January 1/14 - on the feast day of St. Basil the Great, on five Sundays Great Lent (Palm Sunday is excluded), Great Thursday and Holy Saturday of Holy Week. The Liturgy of Basil the Great differs from the Liturgy of John Chrysostom in some prayers, their longer duration and more drawn-out singing of the choir, therefore it is served a little longer.
9.27. Why isn't the service translated into Russian to make it more understandable?
- The Slavic language is a blessed spiritualized language that the holy church people Cyril and Methodius created especially for divine services. People have become unaccustomed to the Church Slavonic language, and some simply do not want to understand it. But if you regularly go to the Church, and not enter from time to time, then the grace of God will touch the heart, and all the words of this pure spirit-bearing language will become understandable. The Church Slavonic language, due to its imagery, accuracy in the expression of thought, artistic brightness and beauty, is much more suitable for communication with God than the modern crippled spoken Russian language.
But the main reason for the incomprehensibility is still not in the Church Slavonic language, it is very close to Russian - in order to fully perceive it, you need to learn only a few dozen words. The fact is that even if the entire service were translated into Russian, people would still not understand anything about it. The fact that people do not accept worship is a linguistic problem to the least degree; in the first place - ignorance of the Bible. Most of the chants are highly poetic adaptations of biblical stories; without knowing the source, it is impossible to understand them, in whatever language they may be sung. Therefore, whoever wants to understand Orthodox worship should, first of all, begin with reading and studying Holy Scripture, which is quite accessible in Russian.
9.28. Why are lights and candles sometimes extinguished during church services?
- At Matins, while reading the Six Psalms, candles are extinguished in churches, except for a few. The Six Psalms is the cry of a repentant sinner before Christ the Savior, who came to earth. The lack of illumination, on the one hand, helps thinking about what is being read, on the other hand, it reminds of the gloominess of the sinful state depicted in the psalms, and that the sinner does not suit the external lordship. By arranging this reading in this way, the Church wants to dispose believers to self-deepening, so that, having entered into themselves, they enter into an interview with the merciful Lord, who does not want the death of the sinner (Ezek. , To the Savior, a relationship broken by sin. The reading of the first half of the Six Psalms expresses the sorrow of the soul who has withdrawn from God and is seeking Him. Reading the second half of the Six Psalms reveals the state of a repentant soul, reconciled with God.
9.29. What psalms are included in the six psalms, and why are these?
- The first part of Matins opens with a system of psalms known as the Six Psalms. The six psalms include: Psalm 3 “Lord, what you have multiplied”, psalm 37 “Lord, let not rage”, psalm 62 “God, my God, I will matins to You”, psalm 87 “Lord God of my salvation”, psalm 102 “Bless to my soul the Lord ", psalm 142" Lord, hear my prayer. " The Psalms must have been chosen not without intention from the different passages of the Psalms evenly; by this they represent it all. The Psalms are chosen of the homogeneous content and tone prevailing in the Psalms; namely, they all depict the persecution of the righteous by the enemies and his firm hope in God, only growing from the increase of persecution and finally reaching a triumphant repose in God (Psalm 102). All these psalms are inscribed with the name of David, excluding 87, who are the "sons of Korah", and were sung by him, of course, during the persecution by Saul (maybe Psalm 62) or Absalom (Psalms 3; 142), reflecting the spiritual growth of the singer in these disasters. Of the many psalms of similar content, these are selected here, and because in some places they mean night and morning (Ps. 3: 6: "I am sleepy and sleepy, vostakh"; Ps. 37: 7: " ", Article 14:" I will be flattering all day long "; Ps.62: 1:" I will come to Thee, "Article 7:" I will remember Thee on my bed, in the morning learn from Thee "; ps.87: 2:“ in the days of crying and in the night before you ", v. 10:" all the day my hand lifted up to you ", v. 13, 14:" food will be known in thy miracles ... and I cried out to you, Lord, and morning prayer mine will precede Thee "; ps.102: 15:" his days are like a flower of oil "; ps.142: 8:" I hear Thy mercy do me in the morning "). Penitential psalms alternate with thanksgiving.
Six Psalms listen in mp3 format
9.30. What are polyeleos?
- The most solemn part of Matins is called Polyeleus - the divine service, which is performed in the morning or in the evening; polyeleos are served only on festive mornings. This is determined by the liturgical charter. On the eve of Sunday or the feast of Matins, it is part of the all-night vigil and is served in the evening.
After reading the Kathisma (Psalter), Polyeleos begins with the singing of praise verses from the Psalms: 134 - "Praise the name of the Lord" and 135 - "Confess the Lord" and ends with the reading of the Gospel. In ancient times, when the first words of this hymn "Praise the name of the Lord" sounded after the kathismas, numerous lamps (oil lamps) were lit in the temple. Therefore, this part of the all-night vigil is called "multilevel" or, in Greek, - polyeleos ("poly" - a lot, "oil" - oil). The Royal Doors are opened, and the priest, preceded by the deacon holding a lighted candle, censes the throne and the entire altar, iconostasis, choir, worshipers and the entire temple. The opened Royal Doors symbolize the opening of the Holy Sepulcher, from where the kingdom of eternal life shone. After reading the Gospel, all those present at the service come up to the icon of the holiday and attach themselves to it. In memory of the fraternal meal of the ancient Christians, which was accompanied by the anointing with fragrant oil, the priest inscribes the sign of the cross on the forehead of everyone who approaches the icon. This custom is called anointing. The anointing with oil serves as an external sign of participation in the grace and spiritual joy of the holiday, of communion with the Church. Anointing with blessed oil on polyeleos is not a Sacrament; it is a rite that only symbolizes the invocation of God's mercy and blessing.
9.31. What is lithium?
- Lithium in translation from Greek means fervent prayer. The current charter knows four types of litiya, which, according to the degree of solemnity, can be arranged in the following order: a) "litiya outside the monastery", laid on some twelve feasts and on Bright Week before the Liturgy; b) lithium at the Great Vespers, combined with the vigil; c) lithium at the end of the festive and Sunday Matins; d) lithium for repose after weekday Vespers and Matins. In terms of the content of prayers and rites, these types of lithium are very different from each other, but they have in common the procession from the temple. This origin in the first form (of the listed) lithium is complete, and in the rest it is incomplete. But here and there it is performed in order to express the prayer not only in words, but also in movement, to change its place to revive prayer attention; the further purpose of the litiya is to express - by removing from the temple - our unworthiness to pray in it: we pray, standing before the gates of the holy temple, as if before the heavenly gates, like Adam, the tax collector, the prodigal son. Hence the somewhat repentant and sorrowful character of the lithium prayers. Finally, in the litia, the Church proceeds from her blessed environment into the outside world or into the vestibule, as a part of the temple, in contact with this world, open to all who have not been accepted into the Church or excluded from it, for the purpose of a prayer mission in this world. Hence the national and universal character (for the whole world) of lithium prayers.
9.32. What is a religious procession and when does it happen?
- A procession of the cross is a solemn procession of priests and lay believers with icons, banners and other shrines. Religious processions are performed on the annual, established for them, special days: on the Bright Resurrection of Christ - Easter Religious Procession; on the feast of the Epiphany for the great consecration of water in memory of the Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan, as well as in honor of shrines and great church or state events. There are also extraordinary religious processions established by the Church on especially important occasions.
9.33. What is the origin of the processions of the cross?
- Just like the holy icons, the Processions of the Cross got their beginning from the Old Testament. The ancient righteous often performed solemn and popular processions with singing, trumpeting and jubilation. The stories about this are set forth in the sacred books of the Old Testament: Exodus, Numbers, books of Kings, Psalms and others.
The first prototypes of the processions of the Cross were: the journey of the sons of Israel from Egypt to the promised land; the procession of all Israel after the ark of God, from which the miraculous separation of the Jordan River took place (Josh. 3: 14-17); a solemn sevenfold circumambulation with the ark around the walls of Jericho, during which the miraculous fall of the impregnable walls of Jericho took place from the voice of the sacred trumpets and the exclamations of all the people (Josh. 6: 5-19); as well as the solemn nationwide transfer of the ark of the Lord by kings David and Solomon (2 Kings 6: 1-18; 3 Kings 8: 1-21).
9.34. What does the Easter Procession mean?
- The Bright Resurrection of Christ is celebrated with special solemnity. The Easter service begins on Holy Saturday, late in the evening. At Matins, after midnight office, the Easter Procession is performed - those praying, led by the clergy, leave the temple to make a solemn procession around the temple. Like the myrrh-bearing wives who met the resurrected Christ the Savior outside Jerusalem, Christians meet the news of the coming of the Bright Resurrection of Christ outside the walls of the temple - they seem to march towards the risen Savior.
The Easter Procession is accompanied by candles, gonfalons, censers and an icon of the Resurrection of Christ, accompanied by a continuous ringing of bells. Before entering the temple, the solemn Easter procession stops at the door and enters the temple only after the triumphant message sounded three times: "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death on death and giving life to those in grave!" The procession of the cross enters the church, just as the wives of the myrrh-bearer came to Jerusalem with the joyful news of Christ's disciples about the risen Lord.
9.35. How many times is there an Easter Procession?
- The first Easter Procession takes place on Easter night. Then, during the week (Bright Week), the Easter Procession is performed every day after the end of the Liturgy, and before the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, the same processions of the Cross are performed every Sunday.
9.36. What does the procession with the Shroud on Holy Week mean?
- This mournful and deplorable procession of the Cross takes place in remembrance of the burial of Jesus Christ, when His secret disciples Joseph and Nicodemus, accompanied by the Mother of God and the myrrh-bearing wives, carried Jesus Christ, who died on the cross, in their arms. They walked from Mount Golgotha to Joseph's vineyard, where there was a burial cave, in which, according to Jewish custom, they laid the body of Christ. In remembrance of this sacred event - the burial of Jesus Christ - the procession with the Shroud is performed, which represents the body of the deceased Jesus Christ, as it was taken down from the cross and laid in the grave.
The apostle says to believers: "Remember my bond"(Col. 4:18). If the apostle commands Christians to remember his sufferings in chains, then how much more strongly should they remember the sufferings of Christ. During the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, modern Christians did not live and did not share grief with the apostles, therefore, during the days of Passion Week, they remember their sorrows and lamentation for the Redeemer.
Anyone who is called a Christian, who celebrates the sorrowful moments of suffering and death of the Savior, cannot but be a participant in the heavenly joy of His Resurrection, for according to the words of the Apostle: "But heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with Him, so that we may be glorified with Him."(Rom. 8:17).
9.37. For what extraordinary cases are religious processions performed?
- Extraordinary religious processions are performed with the permission of the diocesan church authorities on occasions that are especially vital for the parish, diocese or the entire Orthodox people - when foreigners invade, when a destructive disease is attacked, during famine, drought or other disasters.
9.38. What do the banners with which the processions of the cross are performed?
- The first prototype of the banners was after the great flood. God, appearing to Noah during his sacrifice, revealed a rainbow in the clouds and called it "A sign of the everlasting covenant" between God and people (Genesis 9: 13-16). Just as a rainbow in the sky reminds people of the covenant of God, so on the banners the image of the Savior serves as a constant reminder of the deliverance of the human race at the Last Judgment from the spiritual fiery flood.
The second prototype of the banners was at the exit of Israel from Egypt during the crossing of the Red Sea. Then the Lord appeared in a pillar of cloud and covered all Pharaoh's army with darkness from this cloud, and destroyed it in the sea, but He saved Israel. Likewise, on the banners, the image of the Savior is seen as a cloud that appeared from heaven to defeat the enemy - the spiritual Pharaoh - the devil with all his armies. The Lord always wins and drives away the power of the enemy.
The third type of gonfalons was the same cloud that covered the tabernacle and overshadowed Israel during the journey to the promised land. All Israel looked at the sacred cloud cover and with spiritual eyes understood in it the presence of God Himself.
Another type of gonfalons is the brazen serpent, which was erected by Moses at the command of God in the wilderness. When looking at him, the Jews received healing from God, since the brazen serpent represented the Cross of Christ (John 3: 14,15). Carrying the banners during the procession, believers raise their bodily eyes to the images of the Savior, the Mother of God and the saints; with spiritual eyes they ascend to their prototypes that exist in heaven and receive spiritual and bodily healing from the sinful gnawing of spiritual serpents - demons that tempt all people.
A Practical Guide to Parish Counseling. St. Petersburg 2009.
During the service, you need to carefully monitor its progress, be baptized and bow together with everyone present in the church. Before you light a candle or go to the icon, you should also cross yourself. When entering and leaving the church, they also bow and are baptized. Service in the church does not tolerate fuss. They do not leave it unnecessarily during the service, women come with their heads covered and modestly dressed, if possible, without makeup; on the days of menstruation, it is strictly forbidden to go to church, this is a great sin.
Conducting services in accordance with the church charter
There is a church charter, according to which a daily service is held in monasteries and should be carried out in a church. How long is the service in the church? First there is the morning service, then the Divine Liturgy. The evening service takes place around 6-7 pm.
A certain time of the day is optional, but the service is tied to a specific time of day by its purpose and content, so the church adheres to the services in the hours allotted to it. The length of service is also not limited by any canons. For centuries, there is a custom of conducting service, which averages from 1.5 to 2-3 hours.
Services in the church are divided into daily, weekly, and annual services. Daily services go on during the day, then they are repeated, thus closing in a circle. The same happens with the week, with the annual circles. Services do not have a specific ritual, only daily daily services are unchanged, this is the basis of worship.
How is the service in the church
Daily services are held daily. On the days of fasting, Great and others, not only service to God is performed, but also a service is held in the church with confession and communion of the Holy Mysteries of Jesus Christ. Large parishes, where a large number of believers gather for services, can celebrate two Liturgies a day. Rural parishioners attend services on Sundays and holidays.
How are the services in the church going? It must be said that services are not performed one at a time. For example, a service dedicated to Birth or Baptism (that is, an event that occurs once a year) is not separated into a separate service, but is combined with services of the daily circle. The daily circle includes weekly and annual services. They are combined into one service, in which prayers, readings and chants are heard, which are associated with the days of the year and week.
There are 9 types of church services in the church: In the morning - 9th hour, evening service, Compline, then Midnight Office. Matins, and then by the hour: the first, third and sixth. In the evening, after six o'clock - Divine Liturgy. The first hour joins the morning prayer, and is a special service. There are usually seven services to be held in the temple.
All prayers, with the exception of "Our Father", were invented by people
The history of Christianity knows only one prayer transmitted directly by Jesus Christ: "Our Father." Then the apostolic instructions gave recommendations for the reading of daily prayers. In the morning, at the third hour, at the sixth, at the ninth and in the evening. In the morning - in gratitude to the Lord, in the third because Christ received the judgment. The sixth hour is the hour of the crucifixion and the ninth hour of the tribulation. Evening prayer is thanksgiving to God. As in ancient times the apostles glorified Jesus Christ and the most significant events associated with his life and death, so today the tradition of worship in the temple is preserved.
Each of these services should be performed in the church daily and independently. But, condescending to the conditions of worldly life, the church holds morning and evening services twice a day, that is, in public churches they do not adhere to strict observance of the charter. Services in the monasteries are held in accordance with the church charter, as it should be, seven times a day.
Jesus, in his instructions to the apostles, says that prayer should be sincere. Whatever the prayers written by others, a person always has the opportunity to turn to God directly, in his heart, and He will surely hear a sincere prayer coming from the heart.
It is located everywhere and you can offer prayers to Him anywhere. Temples, cathedrals, churches - this is heaven on earth, where the Lord dwells in a special way, grants His grace-filled help in various matters, comforts the grieving, and receives gratitude from a person. Divine services are performed strictly according to the charter. To find out what time the service in the church begins, you need to call or go to the temple of interest.
As a rule, common prayers are performed in the morning, in the evening, sometimes during the day. On fasting, holidays or ordinary days, the schedule of services changes. In monasteries they live according to a special regime, they work for God more often and longer. During special periods, such as Easter and Christmas, the Liturgy takes place at night. All divine services are subdivided into:
- daily allowance;
- weekly;
- annual.
All services are held in full in monasteries. Divine services are held daily in city cathedrals and large churches. Small urban and rural parishes schedule services based on the existing requirements of the laity and the capabilities of the clergy.
The liturgical church year starts on September 1 according to the old style, and all services of the year are lined up depending on the main holiday of Easter. The daily service begins in the evening, based on the biblical creation of the universe: first there was evening, and then morning. Vespers is celebrated in honor of a holiday or saint, remembered the next day on the calendar. Every day the church creates the memory of an event from the earthly life of the Lord, the Queen of Heaven or the Saints.
Each day of the liturgical week is dedicated to an important event:
- Sunday is a special day, Little Easter, remembrance of the resurrection of Christ;
- Monday pray to Angels;
- Tuesday - to the holy prophet John the Forerunner;
- Wednesday - remember the betrayal of the Lord by Judas and the memory of the Cross, the day of fasting;
- Thursday - the day of the Apostles and St. Nicholas;
- Friday - service in honor of the sufferings of the Lord and the Life-giving Cross, fasting day;
- Saturday - the Mother of God, the memory of the saints and all deceased Orthodox Christians are honored.
Modern evening worship consists of:
- Vespers;
- matins;
- 1 hour.
The evening service is dedicated to the memory of events from the Old Testament: the creation of the world by God, the fall of the first people, the law of Moses, the activities of the prophets. Orthodox Christians thank God for the sorrows and joys of the day they have lived and ask for blessings for the coming night and morning.
Many are interested in the question: what time does the evening service in the church begin? Different parish churches develop their own tradition of holding common prayers, but on average, the beginning of Vespers usually falls on the time interval from 15:00 to 18:00 local time. If there is a desire to participate in the divine service, it will not be superfluous to inquire in advance about a more accurate time in a particular church.
How long is the service in the church and what determines its duration
Worship is aimed at tearing a person away from earthly vanity, touching eternity. It teaches in faith and prayer, disposes to repentance and thanksgiving. Believers communicate with the Lord through common prayer, sacraments. In church services, there is not a single action or word spoken for beauty or inappropriate, everything has a deep meaning and symbolism. How long the service is in the church will depend on parameters such as:
- a parish church or monastery;
- type of service (festive, ordinary Lenten, all-night service, liturgy, etc.);
- choir singing;
- the speed of the clergy's service;
- the number of confessors and communicants;
- the duration of the sermon.
In parish churches, services are greatly reduced due to the numerous earthly concerns of lay faithful, in monasteries they are held in full. During Lent, especially during Great Lent, services are long, with the reading of the Psalter and prayers of repentance. Church holidays are held with special grandeur and triumph, with numerous clergy and people. The more confessors and partakers there are, the longer the conciliar prayer. The style of conducting the service also matters: in some churches the choir sings longer and prayers are pronounced slowly, clearly, but somewhere, on the contrary, the pace is faster. After the liturgy, the priest, for the edification of the believers, delivers a sermon on the important events of the day or on the theme of a passage from the Gospel being read. One priest speaks for a long time, instructively, with examples from life, the other briefly, to the point.
Considering all these points, a church service can last from 1.5 to 8 hours. On average, in parish churches on ordinary days, prayer lasts 1.5–3 hours, while on Mount Athos and in other monasteries it reaches 6–8 hours. Before major holidays and Sundays, an all-night vigil is always served, combining Vespers, Matins and the 1st hour. In ordinary parish churches it lasts about 2-4 hours, in monasteries - 3-6.
What time does the morning service in the church begin?
In modern church practice, the morning service consists of:
- 3rd hour (remembrance of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles);
- 6th hour (in memory of the crucifixion of the Lord);
- Divine Liturgy (proskomedia, liturgy of the catechumens and the faithful).
Liturgy or Eucharist (Thanksgiving) is the central divine service in the church, at which the main Sacrament takes place - the Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. This sacred rite was approved by the Lord Himself at the Last Supper, on the eve of the sufferings of the Cross, and He commanded this to be done in His remembrance.
In the 4th century, Saint Basil the Great compiled and wrote down the rite of the Liturgy, and later Saint John Chrysostom proposed an abbreviated version of the service. In the modern church, these two orders are still used. The Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is served 10 times a year: on Sundays of Great Lent, except for Palm, on Maundy Thursday and Saturday of Holy Week, January 14 (the feast day of St. Basil) and on the feasts of the Nativity of Christ and the Epiphany of the Lord.
During Great Lent, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is served on Wednesdays and Fridays. The remaining days of the year are celebrated the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.
At the Liturgy, earthly life and the teachings of the Savior from birth to ascension are remembered. In ancient times, this service was called the breaking of bread. In the Holy Scriptures it is called the Lord's meal or suppers (1 Cor. 10, 21; 11, 20).
The answer to the question "What time does the morning service in the church begin?" In large churches with a large parish, there can be three services each, starting at 6 o'clock in the morning. Small churches with one altar cannot perform more than one liturgy per day. On average, the beginning of the morning service ranges from 06:00 to 10:00. The specific time can always be found in the temple itself.
You can pray to God everywhere, but the temple is a special place of the presence of God. Any person, even those far from the church, entering the house of the Lord, will feel the special grace that dwells there. As in any public place, there are important rules of conduct in the temple.
Approaching the house of God, you need to cross yourself three times with a short prayer: "Lord, have mercy" or learn a special one that is read at the entrance to the church. For women, it is better to wear a skirt or dress below the knee and scarves, shoulders should be covered. Men are supposed to enter the temple without a headdress in decent clothing. It is not allowed to talk, let alone laugh, especially during the service.
It is better to come to the service in advance so that:
- buy and put candles;
- write notes for peace and health;
- order a prayer service, magpie, panikhida (optional);
- venerate icons, relics, crucifixion.
It is imperative to put a candle for the holiday on the central lectern with an icon of the day or saint, opposite the iconostasis. For the repose they put in a separate place (eve), usually near the crucifix. The rest of the candlesticks are all for health, as a rule, near the icon of the Most Pure Mother of God, saints or church holidays. There is no hard and fast rule as to where and how many candles or donations should be placed: it all depends on the desire and capabilities of the person.
When the service begins, you need to stand in an empty seat, listen carefully to the reading and chants, try to delve into and pray with everyone. From the first time everything will be incomprehensible, but if you wish, you can read special educational literature and gradually study the liturgical arrangement in the Orthodox Church. It is a good rule to follow the actions of the clergy and laity, be baptized and bow with everyone. Only seriously ill people are allowed to sit during the service. The Gospel is listened to with bowed head, with special reverence. At the Divine Liturgy, the prayers "Symbol of Faith" and "Our Father" are read aloud by all present, they must be memorized.
It is impossible within the framework of one article to consecrate the topic "How is the service going", because many different services take place throughout the year, and they all differ from each other in chants and prayers. And also there are special services in the form of prayers, memorial services, which are held according to a special rite. Lent services are very heartfelt, lengthy, with many kneeling prayers: at this time they read a lot and sing little. Festive services are held under the bright illumination of the church, the Lord, the Mother of God, the Saints are glorified majestically and magnificently, and a person receives comfort, joy, is sanctified by grace.