How to fast before confession. Communion prohibitions. Is it possible to contract some kind of disease after communion? In the temple where I went, it was required not to lick the spoon, the priest himself threw a piece into his wide open mouth. In another temple they corrected me,
Many Orthodox believers ask the priests in person, via the Internet, or ask their relatives: is it possible to brush your teeth before communion? But this is far from the only thing that not only beginners can ask. A lot of questions arise from the church-goers. It is worth noting that there are a huge number of near-church myths and misconceptions.
This article summarizes the answers of experienced and pious priests, gives recommendations and helpful tips beginners.
What is Communion?
How does Christ speak in the Gospel about Communion? On the eve of a terrible death on the cross, He gathers His disciples together and prepares a meal. There is bread and wine on the table. Christ says that in memory of Him they will drink wine and eat bread, since these are symbols of His blood and body.
To this day, liturgy is being performed in churches and preparations are being made. Holy Communion with bread and wine. The priests pray together with the parishioners with the words "Let us pray to the Lord for the offered Honest Gifts."
What is actually meant by the bread and wine in the Holy Chalice? Prayers read before Communion at home are just as necessary for a Christian as church prayers. Why is prayer needed? Because the Lord unites with the very person who calls him to himself.
What is Communion?
There are several testimonies about how Communion is actually prepared and what is hidden from human eyes under it. One day a man entered the temple. The royal gates in the temple were open. The priests stood at the altar. Suddenly, a man who came in saw the priest pierce the baby with a spear. He shouted to the whole temple: “Why are you killing a baby?” All the people standing in the temple turned around. No one could figure out which baby in question. In fact, the priest had a prosphora in his hands (a small bread made from wheat flour and water).
The Lord invisibly and endlessly sacrifices himself for the sake of people, but not materially, but spiritually. His crucifixion was actually seen almost 2,000 years ago at Golgotha in Jerusalem.
Let's return to the Gospel and to those lines where the Lord is at the Last Supper. He said: "From now on you will drink my blood (wine) and eat my body (bread) in memory of Me." But how this would happen, even the apostles did not know. Moreover, it is not given to us to know. This is a divine secret. We can only take it seriously, and as it is, without a doubt. Therefore, the prayers read before Communion are very necessary, first of all for the one who takes communion.
Another living testimony:
In the city of Lanciano (Italy) to this day there is a true proof that the Eucharist is not just bread and wine. IN catholic church Saint-Legotius in the 8th century, one priest doubted that Communion was a miracle. When he picked up a piece of bread, he saw something similar to muscle tissue. He looked into the Chalice and saw that instead of wine there was blood. The priest screamed in horror. Then he realized that there was no doubt. The Lord proved to him that everything was real. To this day, this miracle is in Lanciano. Many pilgrims come to pray near such a shrine.
What does a Christian need before Communion?
Of course, first of all, the belief that he will be given a taste of not just bread and wine, but the body of Christ. Of course, such a meal is a miracle. The Lord gives a piece of himself to a sinful person. Therefore, Communion must be approached not only with fear, but also with faith. You can't just partake like that.
How to treat?
Above we have considered two testimonies of the miracle of God. It is worth noting that not only Jesus Christ is in the altar during the Liturgy, but also the Mother of God, the Archangels, and saints.
No wonder the holy fathers said that angels grieve because they do not receive communion. Because they have no body, no need. They are with God. And the Lord gave man such a great gift - to unite with Himself during Communion. Let it be invisible.
*canon repentant to the Savior;
* prayer canon Mother of God;
* canon to the Guardian Angel;
*Adherence to Holy Communion.
It is all these prayers, chants, and kontakia that will help you prepare correctly to receive the Holy Gifts in the right way.
Posts and confessions:
Priests say that you need to fast for at least 3 days. If a person is not churched, rarely visits the temple, sins, then he needs to prepare for almost a week. That's why best option for such people - this is the Great, Christmas fast, as well as Petrov and Uspensky. But that is why it is not necessary to choose periods of many days of fasting. After all, more important is reconciliation with God, and not convenience.
What to do before Communion to someone who rarely goes to church?
Firstly, Be sure to go to the priest for confession. When the priest receives the penitents, you can find out in the church that is closer to your home or which you want to visit. Be prepared for the fact that the priest after confession may not allow you to take Communion. There could be many reasons for this. Often, in order to be admitted to communion, you need to fast, repent, visit the temple many times. Be sure to ask the priest after confession whether he blesses the approach to the Holy Chalice or not. Often the priests themselves insist that the confessor take communion. You need to take this advice.
What is the post before communion?
If you are a beginner or have not been to the temple for a long time, then be sure to go to the priest for confession. Usually, during this sacrament, many spiritual issues are resolved. The priest will explain to you what to do, what to beware of, when you can take communion.
What is meant by post?
Meat, milk can not be eaten, eggs too. In addition, dishes, products, drinks that contain the above products are not consumed. Remember that fasting should be spiritual in nature. Eat little food. For example, for breakfast - tea with oatmeal cookies or oatmeal porridge on the water, for lunch - soup on vegetable broth, for dinner - vegetable salad and rice / potatoes.
Drink before communion, as well as during fasting, alcoholic drinks forbidden. It is also recommended to refuse coffee. After all, the body should be a temple of the soul, a calm "home", sober and vigorous. The food is modest (not fasting), coffee and alcohol cannot in any way set you up for prayers.
Spiritual side:
Let's continue our conversation about fasting. We've dealt with food. As for entertainment, watching movies, you need to postpone all this. Any unimportant things should be replaced with prayers to God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, your Guardian Angel and the saints.
Let's talk about what to read before Communion. Above we mentioned the canons and the following to Holy Communion. In addition to them, it is advised to read the Gospel, the holy fathers. Beware of taking near-church literature or that which belongs to false Christian literature.
No need to fuss while fasting. If possible, postpone things for later. They can wait. After all, earthly life is fleeting, and a fasting person needs to think about eternity.
Why such restrictions?
During the Liturgy, before the removal of the Holy Chalice, the choir sings that we (the parishioners) are leaving all earthly fuss. Not every (especially modern) person understands that sooner or later earthly life will end and everything that he worked so hard for will go into oblivion. After all, he will not be able to take his passport or his favorite job, bank accounts or a computer with valuable information with him into the afterlife. He will appear before God with his conscience, with sins and virtues. The Lord won't ask if you were CEO, He will ask you to answer for offending the grandmother client. God doesn't care if you had a Lexus. He will ask if you brought the weak, the weak, without taking money from them.
Why restrictions in fasting in relation to entertainment?
The time has come to sit down at the table or stand in front of the icons and think: what have you done wrong in your whole life, for this period.
Is the conscience clear?
It is more important for a Christian to know not about, for example, whether it is possible to brush one's teeth before Communion, but about what sins really are and what repentance is, how not to sin. The Lord is grieved when a person commits a sin even mentally. Just think: you are mentally angry, even your heart is numb. This is also a sin. You need to repent sincerely.
When is communion not allowed?
Do you know that you need to get rid of your sins? If you have repented, you should try to avoid transgressions. In order for the priest to allow Communion, you need to attend the evening service every Saturday, then in the morning at the Liturgy. The same should be done on major church holidays. It is necessary to read morning and evening prayers according to the Prayer Book at home. Of course, it takes 20-30 minutes. If you do not have time, then you can read the Seraphim's rule: three times "Our Father", three times "Theotokos ..." and once "The Creed". But at the same time, during the day, you need to silently pray to God, to the saints. These are the most important rules.
They may not be allowed to receive Communion in such cases, for example:
*murder, abortion; divination, divination, extrasensory perception, spiritualism, astrology;
*other faith, heretical views;
* cohabitation outside of marriage, debauchery, homosexuality, drug addiction and alcoholism, and so on.
The priest needs to tell the whole truth during confession, not to hide any sin. The Lord stands by invisibly, He knows everything, only awaits repentance of the heart. If you hide something, it will be an even greater sin. You need to completely cleanse your soul before Communion.
What do the holy fathers and priests say?
The human soul must be pure, bright, with the hope of correction and change of life for the better. You should not go to the Chalice if you are not sure that you want to live with God.
If the father blessed:
When a priest gives a blessing, one should take it seriously. You should read not only the canon to the Mother of God before Communion, but also the canons to the Savior, the Guardian Angel, as well as the Follow-up. All this is in the Orthodox prayer books.
The reading space is very large. Therefore, the canons can be read 2-3 days before communion, but the Follow-up is read only the night before, after coming from the church from the evening service.
You need to make sure that no one distracts you. If you take communion with your family, friends, pilgrims, then read in turn, pray.
Morning before Communion:
As you know, Orthodox Christians cannot eat anything in the morning before Communion. Even medicines are not allowed.
But can you brush your teeth before Communion?
There is no ban on this. If you are sure that you do not accidentally swallow water or paste, you can brush your teeth.
If the stomach is sick, there is no way to wait a long time until noon, then it is better to go to early service. IN small towns and in the villages the Liturgy is served early, and in megacities - at 7 in the morning or at 9-10 o'clock.
For the sake of union with God, you can endure. It is worth reading prayers to yourself.
The morning before Communion is always exciting. You need to mentally prepare. After reading the morning rule, go to the church at least half an hour before the Liturgy to calmly submit notes, light candles, and go to your favorite saints.
Before Communion itself:
At the service, you should carefully listen to prayers. When the priests prepare the Communion, pray that you will receive the Blood and Body of Christ worthily. At the same time, a pious person should sincerely consider himself unworthy of such a Gift.
Remember the Canon of the Theotokos before Communion: you need to pray that the Mother of God will intercede for us sinners. And what does the canon of Jesus Christ say? We repent to the Lord of our sins. Keep this in mind when you wait for Communion.
The very moment of Communion:
When the Royal Doors open and the priest comes out with the Chalice, you need to bow to the ground. Then stand in line with your arms crossed over your chest. When you come to the Chalice, you need to tell your father orthodox name and open your mouth wide. The sacrament should be swallowed immediately so that the particle does not get stuck in the teeth. Accept warmth and prosphora. Many people ask: “Can I eat before Communion?” Do you know why the answer is no? Because the Lord must enter the body of a Christian first. After all, God is more important to us than food.
WHAT TO SAY IN CONFESSION?
Quite often, those who decide to go to church for this sacrament for the first time think about what they need to say in confession.
It is important to understand that confession is not just an intimate conversation with a priest, but religious rite aimed primarily at repentance.
In confession, it is important to be completely determined to correct your life. The realization that it has become difficult for you to live because of the commission of some sin or even several is the first step towards correction. Only after this understanding is complete should one sign up for confession.
In some situations, not only repentance after committing a sin can be a reason to go to confession. If it is difficult for you to distinguish good from bad, or life seems useless and painful, you can also come to confession, because the church is always open for those who need it.
What sins to talk about in confession:
One of the main mistakes of people who come to confession is to list all their sins in their entire lives. It is extremely important to highlight exactly why you came. Sin is an act against the church, God. This is a kind of violation of morality - one's own, someone else's, public. In Christianity, there are eight deadly sins, the fulfillment of which carries severe consequences for a person - anger, sadness, gluttony, fornication, despondency, vanity, pride and avarice. In addition, there are personal sins - these are various activities against conscience and God. As a rule, a person can determine some sins only by himself; they are not spelled out in any holy book. A sin can be that act that in every possible way burdens your life.
It doesn't matter what you bring to church. In confession, the main thing is complete repentance and an inner understanding of the deed.
What to say to a priest in confession:
Confession in Orthodoxy, as in most other religions, is a conversation with God about your misdeeds, a request for help. The priest serves only as a witness to this conversation, God's helper on earth.
Therefore, in confession it is important to be extremely frank and not hide anything about what is bothering you. It is especially important to tell what is most bothering you at the moment, not forgetting the small things and details of the offense for which you want to repent.
You can trust a priest with your biggest secrets, because he has no right to tell anyone about your confession. Remember that you do not need to be afraid of condemnation from the church, the very fact that you have come to repentance is already a worthy deed of a believer.
Important to remember that it is not necessary to speak at confession about a sin for which you have already confessed, if it has not been committed again. And, often, confession alone will not be enough. You need to ask God in prayers for forgiveness, come to church as soon as you feel like it, honor traditions and rituals.
The Church advises that confession, like communion, should be regular. Your confessor will be able to tell you about the frequency of confession. Remember that it is the clergyman who will be your main assistant in observing church rites.
As you can see, confession is a very complex sacrament. Not everyone is ready for it. If you decide to confess, then you need to weigh the pros and cons for yourself, and your soul will tell you what to say in confession. Remember that repentance and freeing yourself from the sin you have committed is a long process that will require a lot of strength and patience from you.
INTERNAL CONFESSION.
Diseases and other troubles do not fall on a person just like that. Man is a cosmic being and develops according to the laws of not only the material, but also the spiritual world. If he violates these laws, there is an illness or some tragic circumstances that endanger life.
It is enough to eliminate these violations, and everything in your life will return to normal. This is what inner confession helps to do.
The confession has two parts:
Part one: you must remember all the times when someone greatly offended or insulted you. After all, resentment is a source of continuous flow of negative psychic energy.
Calmly remember your past life from the age of 12 (it is from this age that a person begins to bear karmic responsibility for his actions). The offender (even if this person has died) must be mentally imagined, and then hugged and kissed tightly!
Sometimes resentment reaches such strength that hugging and kissing, even mentally, does not work. In such cases, the "enemy" can be imagined as an unintelligent child of 2-3 years old. But it is necessary to hug and kiss - this is an indispensable condition of the Rescue Mechanism!
Second part: not only do you have enemies, someone, perhaps, considers you their enemy. It is possible that you yourself were a violator of moral truths.
In this case, imagine that you are on the court, and the judge is your own heart. Get on your knees before him and tell all your bad deeds, mistakes, vices from the age of 12. Speak everything you remember - giving an account that you will not do it again.
After all, by repenting, you remove all the negativity that has accumulated over the years. If the inner confession was carried out correctly and sincerely, then recovery and deliverance from troubles will come in a hundred cases out of a hundred, regardless of the severity of the illness or the scale of the misfortune that has fallen on you. It's only a matter of time.
After an inner confession, try not to repeat your previous mistakes - otherwise misfortunes will return in double volume.
The Unified Prayer, which any person can do, regardless of their religious beliefs, will help you avoid this. This prayer, as practice shows, is able to reduce the temperature in a matter of minutes, relieve any pain.
Prayer must be done in solitude, with a lit candle, kneeling:
"God! Good God!
Yes, shine Your name in Heaven and on Earth.
From end to end of the universe!
God! Strengthen your strength in resisting the forces of darkness, so as not only to resist it, but also to cleanse Mother Earth from this garbage.
Teach me to separate good from evil and to remain in peace and firmness of spirit, in order to worthily do Thy Will among people.
Strengthen the strength of my brothers and sisters - both close and unknown to me.
May they see Your true glory and be filled with love in their hearts.
And they will overcome the dark barriers in the movement along the Path to the Light.
And let them stretch out their hands to each other and give the immeasurable warmth of the soul.
God! May Your Will be done! And there will be One People on Earth.
He who loves his Mother - Nature, reunited with You with his love and walking along the Path of True Spiritual Development, relying on Your Last Testament.
IN THE MORNING: “Bless, Lord, on the deeds of the coming day, and may its difficulties be met as it befits those who walk under Your Light.”
IN THE EVENING: "Fill up, Lord, the lost strength for the good, in order to prepare for the meeting of the day of the future."
“I go to bed, I have the Cross seal on me. Guardian Angels! Save my Soul from evening until midnight, and from midnight until morning.
And the prayer "Our Father" three times.
Prayer is the most powerful force in the universe! The Bible says:
"Whatever you ask in prayer WITH FAITH, you will receive." (Matthew 21:22)"ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH LET IT BE TO YOU" (Mat. 9:29).
The Sacrament of Communion (Eucharist) is impossible before the preliminary fasting, home prayer and confession. Fasting allows us to humble our bodily passions, renounce earthly pleasures, look deep into ourselves and come closer to the realization of sins. Prayer serves as a "bridge" between the physical and spiritual nature of man; it is an additional strengthening for preparing for sincere repentance, performed at confession. But it all starts with a post.
In Orthodoxy, in one calendar year there are four multi-day fasts (Great, Petrov, Assumption and Christmas) and a large number of one-day fasts (Wednesday, Friday, Epiphany Christmas Eve, the Beheading of John the Baptist, the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord). With strict observance of a multi-day fast, there is no need to specifically fast before communion. The only exception is fish - it must be abandoned three days before the sacrament.
Believers who do not observe the fasts established by the Church should first talk with the priest to whom they plan to confess. Admission to communion is carried out after confession - accordingly, this conversation cannot be avoided. Usually, priests set a strict diet (it is allowed to eat plant foods, fresh and boiled, seasoned). vegetable oil) three day post, but depending on the capabilities of a person and other factors only known to him, this period can be increased to seven days.
Believers who strictly observe both multi-day and one-day fasts, in turn, can count on some indulgences, but they must also agree on them with the priest at the beginning. The same applies to people suffering from certain diseases and pregnant women: if, for health reasons, they cannot refuse to take certain foods and medicines, then at the beginning they must notify the priest about this and only then proceed to fast.
Medicines cannot be taken before communion, because communion itself is a medicine not only for the soul, but also for the body. herbal teas, vitamin supplements and ointments during fasting are allowed. Prohibited drugs include only drugs that are taken orally.
The minimum fast before communion lasts three days. It implies the rejection of food of animal origin - meat and dairy products, eggs, butter, alcohol. Smokers should give up cigarettes, or at least try to do so. During fasting, it is advisable to refrain not only from "forbidden" food, but also from everything that gives a person pleasure in earthly life - sex, entertainment (discotheques, theaters, concerts, watching TV, etc.) and any kind of excesses, in including in lean food (fasting and gluttony are incompatible things!).
On the eve of the Eucharist, starting from twelve o'clock at night, the use of any food and water is prohibited. Brushing your teeth after midnight is also not allowed. If communion falls on the night (Christmas, Easter), then strict fasting begins - at least eight hours before the sacrament (around five in the evening).
Many Orthodox go to communion on Sundays. In this case, the fast before communion actually lasts not three, but four days: Lenten Wednesday almost always joins Lenten Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with the only difference being that fish is allowed during it. On continuous weeks (weeks when Lenten Wednesdays and Fridays are cancelled), Wednesday is not Lenten, but you still need to observe fasting before Communion.
Children up to seven years of age receive communion without fasting or confession, but the sooner their parents teach them to abstinence and realize their sins, the better. You can introduce your child to fasting by giving up their favorite sweets and cartoons.
It was established by the Lord Himself and has been performed in the Church continuously for two millennia. All this time, Christians of different times and peoples, as it were, participate in that Last Supper, when Christ divided the bread and wine among His disciples and declared this food to be the Divine Body and Blood.
Of course, not every wine or bread is sacred, but only those over which special, liturgical prayers are said. The Particles eaten at the Liturgy give the believers Divine grace, spiritual strength, cleanse from the consequences of sin. There are frequent cases of recovery from diseases and other miracles that occur at the will of God.
The main shrine of the Church should be approached after appropriate preparation. an important step this training is fasting. Fearing to break church rules, inexperienced parishioners often ask priests how to fast before Communion? Is fasting obligatory for everyone? In what cases can it be weakened or canceled? A brief excursion into the history of the ancient Church will help to understand this.
How did the tradition of fasting before Communion begin?
In the first centuries of existence Christian Church Communion was obligatory for any Christian present. Every Sunday, and sometimes more often, people gathered in the house of one of the Christians and had a meal with prayers and the sharing of bread. At that time, there was no special fasting before this action, because the Eucharist was held in the evening and all the participants in the action had already had lunch and even supper.
It often happened that the dinners of wealthy Christians were too luxurious and combined with music and dancing, as was customary in the east. The Apostle Paul, himself often celebrating the Eucharist, considered it inadmissible that such Christians come to Communion after feasts and amusements, when their thoughts cannot concentrate on prayer. Over time, they began to celebrate the Liturgy in the morning, and the custom arose to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ on an empty stomach, "before any meal." However, even then they still did not fast for several days, as is customary in modern church.
When the persecution of Christians ceased in 4 AD, many began to be baptized. Once small, tight-knit communities that met secretly in homes, they turned into large gatherings of worshipers in spacious temples. Due to human weaknesses, the moral level of believers has declined. The Holy Fathers of the Church, seeing this, urged every Christian to carefully examine his conscience when approaching Communion.
It was not allowed to approach the Sacrament if a person ate food on the night before the Liturgy, had sexual contacts or "impure visions" (dreams). Christians who revealed these involuntary sins at confession were temporarily suspended from Communion and fulfilled a special prayer rule. There were no restrictions on food on other days, since the believers strictly observed Wednesday, Friday and four fasts a year.
The tradition of fasting before Communion for three or seven days was established during the synodal period (XVIII-XIX centuries). This was due to a general decline in spirituality and religiosity. Many began to go to church “out of habit,” and received communion only because this was taken into account in church documents. If there was no record in the church book that the parishioner confessed and took communion, trouble could follow civil service.
At this time, the tradition of "fasting" was introduced - preparation for Communion for several days, in order to distract a lazy person from the hustle and bustle of life and help tune in to prayer. This custom is preserved in Russian Orthodox Church up to this day. Fasting consists of restriction in food and confession on the eve of Communion. How many days to fast - the confessor decides. You can also read about this in the Rules, a stand with which is usually located in a prominent place in the temple.
Fasting Rules Before Communion
So, there is no general church rule of obligatory fasting and confession before communion. But many priests strongly recommend to their parishioners fast for three days before entering the Sacrament. Is it worth rejecting good tradition for the letter of the law? It is impossible to argue with the priest or deliberately refuse fasting, since condemnation and insults only add sin to the already existing ones. Better perform established rule based on their physical strength.
Orthodox prescribes the rejection of the following products:
- the meat of any animal or bird, even lean;
- milk (kefir, cottage cheese, whey, etc.);
- eggs of any bird;
- fish (not always).
In fact, at the disposal of the fasting Christian are fruits, vegetables, cereals, pasta and bread. Don’t be tempted to cook gourmet “lenten dishes”: food should not become a source of pleasure, but only support strength.
Is it permissible to eat fish before Communion? In most cases healthy person it should be abandoned. The exception is accommodation Far North or ships where fish is the main source of food. Seafood is considered more "lean" than fish and is allowed in moderation. A short fast before Communion is also associated with other restrictions, refusing the following:
- sweets;
- sexual contacts;
- alcoholic beverages;
- smoking;
- participation in various entertainments (weddings, parties, concerts).
6 hours before the start of the Liturgy, food and drink should be completely excluded.. This six-hour fast is called "Eucharistic". If the Eucharistic fast is broken, the priest may not admit to the Sacrament.
Many believers strive to receive communion on the days of general church fasts. This makes it possible to calmly prepare, especially if loved ones also fast and do not offer unnecessary temptations.
Is it permissible to take communion if you smoked or unwittingly broke the fast? About all the excesses made during fasting should be tell the priest in confession. Through confession, admission to the Sacrament is made, and the concealment of even a small offense is considered a great sin before God.
How to fast children
The Russian Orthodox Church has a tradition compulsory confession for children from the age of seven. At the same age, they should be accustomed to fasting. But children take communion from the very moment, i.e. from infancy.
Fasting before communion is not obligatory for a child if he or she has not reached the age of three years.
From three to seven years of age, restrictions are introduced gradually, the child must not only be deprived of delicious food, but be aware of the need and purpose of fasting. You can support your child by your own example by removing fast foods from the family menu. Parents themselves should begin confession and Communion together with the child.
The decision on whether it is possible to lighten the fast should be made by the parents after a conversation with the priest, based on the state of health of the child. Children who grow up in unbelieving families and do not have the proper spiritual development.
Fasting for pregnant women
Pregnant women and the sick, who wish to receive communion, but are on strict diet, the post can be weakened or canceled. This is done only with the blessing of the priest. Before you go for such permission, you should test yourself, will a short-term fast really be an unbearable burden, or because of laziness you don’t want to break the usual course of life?
If it is impossible for a pregnant woman to give up dairy products, you can replace this by giving up sweets or other things to which she feels affection. Such abstinence will be accepted by the Lord as a significant achievement.
Post in a hostel
Relief or cancellation of fasting is allowed for Christians who are on urgent military service, study, hospital, boarding school or places of deprivation of liberty, where meals are provided in common canteens and there is no opportunity to choose lean food. In this case, one should adhere to the blessing of the confessor visiting a military unit or boarding school. Refusal of fast food can be replaced by other restrictions or prayer. For those wishing to receive communion, it is better to resolve this issue with the priest a week before the Sacrament or (if not possible) before confession.
When can I take communion without fasting
During Christmas time - from the Nativity of Christ to Epiphany - and on Bright Week - seven days after Easter - a five-day fast for communicants is not required, only a six-hour Eucharistic one is preserved. But this permission can be allowed only to those who fully observed the previous, Christmas and Great posts.
Lenten preparation is canceled for the seriously ill and dying.
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You can often see the question following character: “How many days to fast?” And, as a rule, it is asked by people who do not understand the full meaning of this event and its role in the life of a true Christian.
- fasting;
- attending the evening service on the eve of the ceremony;
- reading the prayer rule, the necessary Communion;
- strict abstinence on the day of Communion itself;
- confession to the priest and his admission to the sacrament;
- presence at the Divine Liturgy from beginning to end.
How long to fast before Communion
Preparation for Communion (rest) lasts, as a rule, 3 days and concerns both the physical and spiritual aspects of a person’s life:
- physical (bodily) cleanliness is abstinence from marital relations and restriction in food. These days, animal food and fish should be completely excluded, and dry food should be consumed in a fairly moderate amount;
- spiritual cleansing consists in attending a divine service in a church, reading certain prayers and canons.
It is necessary to refuse food (fasting) after midnight, since it is customary to start the sacrament on an empty stomach. Also, a person who is preparing for the ceremony must expel all negative thoughts and extinguish anger. It is better to spend time in solitude and reading the Word of God.
Confession takes place immediately before Communion (in the evening or in the morning). Without it, no one can be admitted to Communion, except for children under 7 years old and cases bordering on mortal danger.
How to Fast Before Confession
Before confession, it is also desirable during three days adhere to fasting physical and spiritual. It must be remembered that Communion depends on this rite, and hence the further purification of a person.
Very often, its passage turns out to be a very difficult and overwhelming task. And if a Christian has already embarked on this path, it means that he is full of strength and will for the further path. In addition to bodily fasting, one must not forget about the purity of thoughts: not to be subjected to abuse, idle thoughts and entertainment, to do good deeds.
Fasting before confession, what you can eat
For complete spiritual cleansing on the eve of confession, you should eat in this way:
- eat cereals, vegetables and fruits;
- eat fish;
- exclude food of animal origin;
- Alcohol and tobacco are strictly prohibited.
Do pregnant women fast?
But if a woman in such a position wants to fast, she can do it not to the fullest extent, but be sure to try not to eat meat products and undergo spiritual purification, since the health and life of her child depends on this.
Are the children fasting?
IN this issue also a lot of controversy. Therefore, initially, a child who is already at a conscious age (starting from the age of seven) needs to correctly and intelligibly explain the meaning and meaning of fasting. After all, children do not fully understand what it means to limit oneself and why to do it. Here it would be appropriate to carry out work on preparing for the post on the following points:
- fasting is not a diet;
- visibility of fasting time (calendar);
- among other children (do not advertise, but do not be shy);
- post - need or whim;
- Sunday joys and the feast of expectation;
- from each according to his measure.
If all these points have been studied, and the child is ready to try his hand, you just need to help him in word and deed. And remember that the main thing is your own example.
Fasting is a truly great sacrament that a person goes through on his own, and the result depends only on him, and it always requires strength and faith. To fast means to become one step closer to the Lord, gradually gaining his spiritual blessing and righteous grace.
Fasting Prayer (Jesus Prayer, Sinner's Prayer)
"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner";
"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me";
"Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me";
"Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me";
"Lord have mercy".
The Lord is always with you!
Watch a video about fasting before communion:
The meaning of the sacrament
First of all, in preparation for communion, there will be an awareness of the meaning of communion, so many go to church because it is fashionable and one could say that you took communion and confessed, but in fact such communion is a sin. When preparing for communion, you need to understand that you go to church to the priest, first of all, to draw closer to the Lord God and repent of your sins, and not to arrange a holiday and an extra reason to drink and eat. At the same time, go to communion only because you were forced to, it’s not good to go to this sacrament at will, cleansing your soul from sins.
So, anyone who wants to worthily partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ must prayerfully prepare himself for this in two or three days: pray at home in the morning and evening, attend church services. Before the day of communion, you must be at the evening service. To home evening prayers a rule is added (from the prayer book) to Holy Communion.
The main thing is the living faith of the heart and the warmth of repentance for sins.
Prayer is combined with abstinence from fast food - meat, eggs, milk and dairy products, with strict fasting and from fish. In the rest of the food, moderation should be observed.
Those who wish to take communion should, best of all, on the eve, before or after the evening service, bring sincere repentance for their sins before the priest, sincerely opening their soul and not concealing a single sin. Before confession, one must certainly reconcile both with one's offenders and with those whom one has offended oneself. At confession, it is better not to wait for the priest's questions, but to tell him everything that is on your conscience, without justifying yourself in anything and without shifting the blame to others. In no case should you condemn someone in confession or talk about other people's sins. If it is not possible to confess in the evening, you need to do it before the start of the liturgy, in extreme cases - before the Cherubic Hymn. Without confession, no one, except for infants up to seven years of age, can be admitted to Holy Communion. After midnight, it is forbidden to eat and drink, you must come to Communion strictly on an empty stomach. Children should also be taught to abstain from food and drink before Holy Communion.
How to Prepare for Communion?
The days of fasting usually last a week, in extreme cases - three days. Fasting is prescribed on these days. Modest food is excluded from the diet - meat, dairy products, eggs, and on days strict posts- and fish. Spouses abstain from physical intimacy. The family refuses entertainment and TV viewing. If circumstances permit, these days one should attend services in the temple. The morning and evening prayer rules are more diligently carried out, with the addition of reading the Penitential Canon to them.
Regardless of when the Sacrament of Confession is performed in the temple - in the evening or in the morning, it is necessary to attend the evening service on the eve of communion. In the evening, before reading the prayers for the future, three canons are read: Penitent to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, Guardian Angel. You can read each canon separately, or use prayer books where these three canons are combined. Then the canon for Holy Communion is read until the prayers for Holy Communion, which are read in the morning. For those who find it difficult to perform such a prayer rule in one day, they take a blessing from the priest to read three canons in advance during the days of fasting.
It is quite difficult for children to follow all the prayer rules for preparing for the sacrament. Parents need to choose together with the confessor optimal amount prayers, which will be within the power of the child, then gradually increase the number of necessary prayers necessary to prepare for communion, up to a complete prayer rule for Holy Communion.
For some, it is very difficult to read the necessary canons and prayers. For this reason, some do not go to confession and do not receive communion for years. Many people confuse preparation for confession (which does not require such a large volume of prayers to be read) and preparation for communion. Such people can be recommended to approach the Sacraments of Confession and Communion in stages. First, you need to properly prepare for confession and, when confessing sins, ask your confessor for advice. It is necessary to pray to the Lord that He will help to overcome difficulties and give strength to adequately prepare for the Sacrament of Communion.
Since it is customary to start the Sacrament of Communion on an empty stomach, from twelve o'clock in the morning they no longer eat or drink (smokers do not smoke). The exception is infants (children under seven years of age). But children from a certain age (starting from 5–6 years old, and if possible even earlier) must be taught to the existing rule.
In the morning they also do not eat or drink anything and, of course, do not smoke, you can only brush your teeth. After reading the morning prayers, prayers for Holy Communion are read. If it is difficult to read the prayers for Holy Communion in the morning, then you need to take a blessing from the priest to read them the evening before. If confession is performed in the church in the morning, it is necessary to arrive on time, before the start of confession. If confession was made the night before, then the confessor comes to the beginning of the service and prays with everyone.
Fasting before confession
People who come to Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ for the first time need to fast for a week, those who take Communion less than twice a month, or do not keep Wednesday and Friday fasts, or often do not observe fasts for many days, fast three days before Communion. Do not eat animal food, do not drink alcohol. Yes, and do not overeat with lean food, but eat as needed to saturate and nothing more. But who every Sunday (as befits a good Christian) resorts to the Sacraments, you can fast only Wednesday and Friday, as usual. Some also add - and at least on Saturday evening, or on Saturday - do not eat meat. Before communion, from 24 hours no longer eat, and do not drink anything. On the prescribed days of fasting, use only plant origin food.
It is also very important these days to keep yourself from anger, envy, condemnation, empty talk and bodily communication between spouses, as well as on the night after communion too. Children under 7 do not need to fast or go to confession.
Also, if for the first time a person goes to communion, you need to try to subtract the entire rule, read all the canons (you can buy a special booklet in the shop, called “The Rule for Holy Communion” or “Prayer Book with the Rule for Communion”, everything is clear there). To make it not so difficult, you can do this by dividing the reading of this rule into several days.
Clean body
Remember that it is not allowed to go to the temple dirty, unless of course it is required life situation. Therefore, preparing for communion implies that on the day when you go to the sacrament of communion, you must wash your body of physical dirt, that is, take a bath, shower or go to the bathhouse.
Preparation for confession
Before confession itself, which is a separate sacrament (not necessarily after it should be followed by Communion, but preferably), you can not keep a fast. A person can confess at any time when he feels in his heart that he needs to repent, confess sins, and as soon as possible so that the soul is not weighed down. And you can take communion, properly prepared, later. Ideally, if possible, it would be nice to attend the evening service, and especially before the holidays or the day of your angel.
It is absolutely unacceptable to keep fasting in food, but not change the course of your life in any way: continue to go to entertainment events, to the cinema for the next blockbuster, to visit, to sit all day for computer toys, etc. The main thing in the days of preparation for Communion is to live they are different from other days of everyday life, not much work for the Lord. Talk to your soul, feel why it spiritually missed you. And do what you have been putting off for a long time. Read the Gospel or spiritual book; visit loved ones, but forgotten by us people; ask for forgiveness from someone who was ashamed to ask for it and we put it off for later; try these days to give up numerous attachments and bad habits. Simply put, these days you have to be braver to be better than usual.
Communion in the Church
The Sacrament of Communion itself takes place in the Church at a divine service called liturgy . As a rule, the liturgy is performed in the first half of the day; exact time the beginning of services and the days of their performance should be found out directly in the temple where you are going to go. Services usually begin between seven and ten in the morning; the duration of the liturgy, depending on the nature of the service and partly on the number of communicants, is from one and a half to four to five hours. In cathedrals and monasteries, liturgies are served daily; in parish churches Sundays and on church holidays. It is advisable for those preparing for Communion to be present at the service from its beginning (for this is a single spiritual action), and also to be at the evening service the day before, which is a prayerful preparation for the Liturgy and the Eucharist.
During the liturgy, you need to stay in the church without a way out, prayerfully participating in the service until the priest leaves the altar with a cup and proclaims: “Come with the fear of God and faith.” Then the communicants line up one by one in front of the pulpit (first the children and the infirm, then the men and then the women). Hands should be folded crosswise on the chest; it is not supposed to be baptized in front of the cup. When the turn comes, you need to stand in front of the priest, give your name and open your mouth so that you can put in a liar with a particle of the Body and Blood of Christ. The liar must be carefully licked with the lips, and after the lips are wet with the board, with reverence kiss the edge of the bowl. Then, without touching the icons and without talking, you need to move away from the pulpit and take a “drink” - St. water with wine and a particle of prosphora (in this way, the oral cavity is washed, so that the smallest particles of the Gifts are not accidentally expelled from oneself, for example, when sneezing). After communion, you need to read (or listen to in the Church) prayers of thanksgiving and in the future carefully keep your soul from sins and passions.
How to approach the Holy Chalice?
Each communicant needs to know well how to approach the Holy Chalice so that communion takes place sedately and without fuss.
Before approaching the Chalice, one must bow to the ground. If there are many communicants, then in order not to disturb others, you need to bow in advance. When the royal doors open, one must cross himself and fold his arms crosswise on his chest, right hand over the left, and with such a folded hands to take communion; you need to move away from the Chalice without separating your hands. Must come with right side temple, and leave the left free. Altar attendants receive communion first, then monks, children, and only then everyone else. It is necessary to give way to neighbors, in no case do not push. Women need to erase before communion lipstick. Women should approach communion with their heads covered.
Approaching the Chalice, you should loudly and distinctly say your name, accept the Holy Gifts, chew them (if necessary) and immediately swallow them, and kiss the lower edge of the Chalice like the rib of Christ. You can not touch the Chalice with your hands and kiss the priest's hand. It is forbidden to be baptized at the Chalice! Raising your hand for the sign of the cross, you can accidentally push the priest and spill the Holy Gifts. Going to the table with a drink, you need to eat antidor or prosphora to drink warmth. Only after that you can apply to the icons.
If the Holy Gifts are taught from several Chalices, they can only be received from one. You cannot take communion twice a day. On the day of Communion, it is not customary to kneel, with the exception of bows during Great Lent when reading the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, bows before the Shroud of Christ in Great Saturday and kneeling prayers on the day of the Holy Trinity. When you come home, you should, first of all, read thanksgiving prayers for Holy Communion; if they are read in the temple at the end of the service, one must listen to the prayers there. After communion until the morning, one should also not spit anything out and rinse the mouth. Communicators should try to keep themselves from idle talk, especially from condemnation, and in order to avoid idle talk, one must read the Gospel, the Jesus Prayer, akathists, and Holy Scripture.
