Question to a psychologist 

What time is the church service? What time does the morning, evening, Saturday, Sunday and night service in the church on weekdays and holidays, Christmas, Epiphany, Candlemas, Annunciation, Palm Sunday, Easter, Rado

Liturgy (translated as “service”, “common cause”) is the main Christian worship service, during which the sacrament of the Eucharist (preparation) is performed. Liturgy in Greek means joint work. Believers gather in the temple in order to glorify God together with “one mouth and one heart” and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ (I draw your attention to the fact that in order to take communion, you need to specially prepare: read the canons, come to church completely on an empty stomach, i. e. do not eat or drink anything after 00-00 hours before the service).
Liturgy in simple words. Liturgy is the most important church service. This is the sacred action (church service) during which you can take communion in the church.

What is Mass in the Orthodox Church?

Liturgy is sometimes called mass, since it is usually supposed to be performed from dawn to noon, that is, in the pre-dinner time.

When, what time and on what days is the Liturgy held in the church?

In large churches and monasteries, Liturgy can take place daily. In smaller churches, Liturgy usually takes place on Sundays.
The beginning of the Liturgy is around 8-30, but it is different for each church. Duration of service 1.5–2 hours.

Why does the Liturgy take place (need) in the temple? What does Liturgy mean?

This holy Sacrament was instituted by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper with the Apostles, before His sufferings. He took bread into His most pure hands, blessed it, broke it and divided it to His disciples, saying: “Take, eat: this is My Body. "Then he took a cup of wine, blessed it and, giving it to the disciples, said: "Drink all of it from it: for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:26-28). Then the Savior gave to the apostles, and in their person to all believers, the commandment to perform this Sacrament until the end of the world, in remembrance of His suffering, death and resurrection, for the closest union with Him of the faithful. He said, "Do this in remembrance of Me" (Luke 22:19).

What is the meaning and symbolic action of the Liturgy? What is the Liturgy?

The Liturgy commemorates the earthly life of Jesus Christ from birth to His ascension to Heaven, while the Eucharist itself expresses the earthly life of Christ.

Order of the Liturgy:

1. Proskomedia.

First, everything necessary for the Sacrament of Communion is prepared - Proskomidi (translation - offering). The first part of the Proskomedia Liturgy is the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. The bread used on Proskomedia is called prosphora, which means "offering".
During Proskomedia, the priest prepares our gifts (prosphora). For Proskomidia, five service prosphora are used (in remembrance of how Jesus Christ fed more than five thousand people with five loaves) as well as prosphora ordered by parishioners. For communion, one prosphora (Lamb) is used, which in its size should correspond to the number of communicants. The proskomidia is performed by the priest in an undertone on the Altar with the Altar closed. At this time, the third and sixth hours are read according to the Book of Hours (liturgical book).

Proskomidia, during which wine and bread (prosphora) are prepared for the Eucharist (Communion) and the souls of Christians living and dead are commemorated, for which the priest removes particles from the prosphora.

At the end of the service, these particles are immersed in the Cup of Blood with the prayer "Wash away, O Lord, the sins of all those here remembered by Your Honorable Blood by the prayers of your saints." The commemoration of the living and the dead at Proskomidia is the most effective prayer. Proskomidia is performed by the clergy in the altar; the Hours are usually read in the temple at this time. (in order for the priest to read a prayer for your loved one during the Proskomedia, you need to submit a note to the candle shop before the Liturgy with the words “for the proskomidia”)


2. The second part of the Liturgy is the Liturgy of the catechumens.

During the Liturgy of the catechumens (the catechumens are people preparing to receive Holy Baptism) we learn how to live according to the Commandments of God. It begins with the Great Litany (jointly intensified prayer), in which the priest or deacon reads short prayers for times of peace, for health, for our country, for our loved ones, for the Church, for the Patriarch, for travelers, for those in prison or in trouble. . After each petition, the choir sings: "Lord have mercy."

After reading a series of prayers, the priest solemnly takes the Gospel out of the Altar through the northern gate and just as solemnly brings it into the Altar through the Royal Doors. (The procession of the clergyman with the Gospel is called the small entrance and reminds the believers of the first exit of Jesus Christ to preach).

At the end of the singing, the priest with the deacon, who carries the gospel on the altar, goes to the pulpit (in front of the iconostasis). Having received a blessing from the priest, the deacon stops at the Royal Doors and, lifting up the Gospel, proclaims: “Wisdom, forgive,” that is, reminds the believers that they will soon hear the Gospel reading, therefore they must stand straight and with attention (forgive - means directly).
The Apostle and the Gospel are read. When reading the Gospel, believers stand with their heads bowed, listening with reverence to the holy gospel.
Then, after reading the next series of prayers, the catechumens are invited to leave the temple (the catechumens go out).

3. The third part is the Liturgy of the faithful.

Before the Cherubic Hymn, the Royal Doors open and the deacon performs incense. After the fulfillment of the words: “Now let us lay aside all worldly cares ...” the priest solemnly takes out the Holy Gifts - bread and wine - from the northern gates of the Altar. Stopping at the Royal Doors, he prays for all those whom we especially remember, and, returning through the Royal Doors to the Altar, he places the Holy Gifts on the Throne. (The transfer of gifts from the Altar to the Throne is called the Great Entrance and marks the solemn procession of Jesus Christ to free suffering and death on the cross).
After the "Cherubim" a petitionary litany is heard and one of the main prayers, the "Symbol of Faith", is sung, which is performed by all the parishioners together with the chanters.

Then, after a series of prayers, the climax of the Liturgy comes: The Holy Mystery of the Eucharist is celebrated - the transformation of bread and wine into the true Body and true Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Then the "Song of Praise to the Theotokos" and the petitionary litany are heard. The most important - "The Lord's Prayer" (Our Father ...) - is performed by all believers. After the "Lord's Prayer" the communion verse is sung. The Royal Doors open. The priest takes out the Cup with the Holy Gifts (in some churches it is customary to kneel when taking out the cups with Communion) and says: “Come with the fear of God and faith!”.

The communion of believers begins.
What to do during communion?

The communicants fold their hands on their chests, right over left. First the children receive communion, then the men, then the women. Approach the priest with a bowl, say the name, open your mouth. I put a piece of prosphora in wine into your mouth. It is necessary to kiss the cup in the hands of the priest. Then you need to eat the sacrament, go to the table and take a piece of prosphora there, eat it and then drink it down. It is necessary to seize and drink so that all the sacrament gets inside the body, and does not remain on the palate or in the teeth.

At the end of communion, the chanters sing a hymn of thanksgiving: "Let our lips be filled ..." and Psalm 33. Then the priest pronounces the dismissal (that is, the end of the Liturgy). Sounds "Many Years" and the parishioners kiss the Cross.

I draw your attention to the fact that after the sacrament it is necessary to read the “Prayers of Thanksgiving”.

Saint Righteous John (of Kronstadt): “…in us there is no true life without the source of life – Jesus Christ. The Liturgy is a treasury, a source of true life, because the Lord Himself is in it. The Master of life gives Himself as food and drink to those who believe in Him, and in abundance gives life to His communicants... Our Divine Liturgy, and especially the Eucharist, is the greatest and constant revelation of the love of God to us.”

The picture shows a photograph showing the image of Jesus Christ and the light from the icons during the Liturgy

What can not be done after Communion?

- After communion, you can’t kneel in front of the icon
- You can not smoke, swear, but you must behave like a Christian.

We have already said that liturgy- the main, most important service, during which the Sacrament is performed Eucharist, or sacrament of communion. This Sacrament was first performed by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself on the eve of His sufferings, on Maundy Thursday. The Savior, having gathered all the apostles together, gave praise to God the Father, took bread, blessed it and broke it. He gave it to the holy apostles with the words: Take, eat: this is my body. Then He took a cup of wine, blessed it and gave it to the apostles, saying: Drink everything from it: for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.(Mt 26:28). The Lord also commanded the apostles: Do this in remembrance of me(Luke 22:19). Even after the resurrection of Christ and His ascension into Heaven, the Apostles performed the Sacrament of Communion. During the Eucharist (gr. thanksgiving) each time, what the Lord did at the Last Supper actually happens. We mysteriously, under the guise of bread and wine, partake of the Divine Himself — Body and Blood of the Savior. He abides in us, and we abide in Him, as the Lord said (cf. Jn 15:5).

The Eucharist is also called Bloodless victim because it is an image of the sacrifice that the Lord Jesus Christ offered for us at Calvary. He did it once, having suffered for the sins of the world, resurrected and ascended into Heaven, where he sat at the right hand of God the Father. The sacrifice of Christ was offered once and will not be repeated. With the establishment of the New Testament, the Old Testament sacrifices ceased, and now Christians make the Bloodless Sacrifice in remembrance of Christ's sacrifice and for the communion of His Body and Blood.

The Old Testament sacrifices were only a shadow, a type of the Divine sacrifice. The expectation of the Redeemer, the Liberator from the power of the devil and sin is the main theme of the entire Old Testament, and for us, the people of the New Testament, the sacrifice of Christ, the atonement by the Savior of the sins of the world is the basis of our faith.

The Holy Gifts are a fire that burns every sin and every defilement, if a person strives to partake worthily. We partake of the healing of soul and body. When approaching communion, one must do it with reverence and awe, realizing one's weakness and unworthiness. “Although eat (eat), man, Body of the Lady, approach with fear, but do not be scorched: there is fire,” says the prayers for Holy Communion.

Saint Ignatius (Bryanchaninov) writes about how the Lord enlightened one young man, Dmitry Shepelev, and showed that in Holy Communion the true Body of the Savior is served: “He was brought up in the Corps of Pages. Once, during Great Lent, when the pages were fasting and were already approaching the Holy Mysteries, the young man Shepelev expressed to his comrade walking beside him his resolute disbelief that the body and blood of Christ should be in the cup. When the secrets were taught to him, he felt that he had meat in his mouth. Horror seized the young man: he stood beside himself, not feeling the strength to swallow a particle. The priest noticed the change that had taken place in him and ordered him to enter the altar. There, holding a particle in his mouth and confessing his sin, Shepelev came to his senses and used the Holy Mysteries taught to him ”(“ Fatherland ”).

Often, spiritual people, ascetics, during the celebration of the Eucharist, there were manifestations of heavenly fire descending on the Holy Gifts. Yes, the Sacrament of Communion, the Eucharist, is the greatest miracle and mystery, as well as the greatest mercy to us sinners, and visible evidence that the Lord established the New Covenant with people in His Blood (see: Lk 22:20), bringing a sacrifice for us on cross, died and rose again, spiritually resurrecting all mankind by Himself. And we can now partake of His Body and Blood for the healing of soul and body, abiding in Christ, and He will "abide in us" (see: Jn 6:56).

Origin of the liturgy

The sacrament of communion, the Eucharist, from ancient times also received the name liturgy, which translates from Greek as common cause, common service.

The holy apostles, disciples of Christ, having received from their Divine Teacher the commandment to celebrate the Sacrament of Communion in remembrance of Him, after His ascension began to celebrate the breaking of bread - the Eucharist. Christians constantly abided in the teaching of the Apostles, in communion and the breaking of bread, and in prayers(Acts 2:42).

The order of the liturgy was formed gradually. At first, the apostles celebrated the Eucharist according to the very order that their Master had taught them. In apostolic times, the Eucharist was combined with the so-called agapamy, or meals of love. Christians ate food and were in prayer and fellowship. After supper, the breaking of bread and communion of the faithful took place. But then the liturgy was separated from the meal and began to be celebrated as an independent sacred rite. The Eucharist began to be celebrated inside sacred temples. In the I-II centuries, the order of the liturgy, apparently, was not written down and was transmitted orally.

What are the liturgies

Gradually, in different localities, their own liturgical rites began to take shape. Served in the Jerusalem community Liturgy of the Apostle James. In Alexandria and Egypt there was Liturgy of the Apostle Mark. In Antioch, the liturgy of Saints Basil the Great and John Chrysostom. All these liturgies are the same in their meaning and significance, but differ in the texts of the prayers that the priest offers at the consecration of the Holy Gifts.

Now in the practice of the Russian Orthodox Church there are usually performed three rites of the liturgy. These are the liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, the liturgy of St. Basil the Great, and the liturgy of St. Gregory the Dialogist.

This liturgy is performed on all days of the year, except for the first five Sundays of Great Lent and weekdays of Great Lent. Saint John Chrysostom composed the order of his liturgy on the basis of the previously composed liturgy Saint Basil the Great but shortened some of the prayers.

Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great

According to St. Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium, St. Basil the Great asked God “to give him the strength of spirit and mind to celebrate the Liturgy in his own words. After six days of fervent prayer, the Savior appeared to him miraculously and fulfilled his petition. Soon Vasily, imbued with delight and divine awe, began to proclaim: “Let my lips be filled with praise”, “Beware, Lord Jesus Christ our God, from Thy holy habitation” and other prayers of the liturgy.

Liturgy of Saint Basil committed ten times a year:

on the eve of the Nativity of Christ and Epiphany (on the so-called Christmas and Epiphany Eve), on the day of memory of St. Basil the Great on January 1 (January 14, according to the new style), on the first five Sundays of Great Lent, on Great Thursday and Great Saturday.

Liturgy of St. Gregory the Dialogist, or the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

During the Holy Fortecost of Great Lent on weekdays, the service of the full Liturgy stops. Lent is a time of repentance, weeping for sins, when all festivity and solemnity are excluded from worship. And therefore, according to the rules of the Church, on Wednesday and Friday of Great Lent, Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. The Holy Gifts, with which believers partake, are consecrated at the liturgy on Sunday.

In some Local Orthodox Churches, on the feast day of the holy Apostle James (October 23, old style), a liturgy is served according to his order.

The sequence and symbolic meaning of the liturgy

The procedure for celebrating the full Liturgy (that is, not the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts) is as follows. First, the substance is prepared for the celebration of the Eucharist. Then the faithful prepare for the Sacrament. And, finally, the Sacrament itself is performed - the consecration of the Holy Gifts and the communion of believers. The Divine Liturgy thus has three parts: proskomedia; liturgy of the catechumens; liturgy of the faithful.

Proskomedia

The word is Greek and means bringing. In ancient times, the members of the early Christian community themselves brought everything necessary for the Sacrament before the Liturgy: bread and wine. The bread used in the celebration of the liturgy is called prosphora, which means offering(in ancient times, Christians themselves brought bread to the liturgy). In the Orthodox Church, the Eucharist is celebrated on prosphora made from leavened (yeast) dough.

Used for proskomidia five prosphora in memory of the miraculous feeding of five thousand people by Christ.

For communion, one prosphora (lamb) is used. For the Lord also gave communion to the apostles, breaking and distributing one bread. The Holy Apostle Paul writes: one bread, and we many are one body; for we all partake of the same bread(1 Cor 10:17). The Lamb is broken up after the transfer of the Holy Gifts, and the clergy and all who are preparing for communion partake of it. Wine during the celebration of the liturgy is used red, grape, as it resembles the color of blood. Wine is mixed with a small amount of water as a sign that blood and water have flowed from the perforated rib of the Savior.

The proskomedia is performed at the very beginning of the liturgy in the altar during the reading of the hours by the reader. exclamation "Blessed is our God", anticipating reading third hour, is also the initial exclamation of the proskomedia. The Liturgy is preceded by a service third and sixth hours.

The proskomedia is a very important part of the Divine Liturgy, and preparation of the Gifts for consecration has a deep symbolic meaning.

Recall: proskomidia is performed on altar.

From Lamb prosphora priest with a special knife called copy, cuts out the middle in the shape of a cube. This part of the prosphora is called Lamb as a sign that the Lord, as the Immaculate Lamb, was slain for our sins. From the bottom, the Lamb is incised crosswise with the words: “The Lamb of God is eaten (that is, sacrificed) take away the sins of the world, for the worldly belly (life) and salvation.” The priest pierces the right side of the Lamb with a spear, saying the words: One of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who saw testified, and his testimony is true(John 19:34-35).

With these words, wine mixed with water is poured into the chalice. The preparation of the Gifts on proskomedia has several meanings. Here we recall the birth of the Savior, His coming into the world and, of course, the Calvary sacrifice on the Cross, as well as burial.

The prepared Lamb and the particles taken out of the other four prosphora symbolize the fullness of the Church, heavenly and earthly. After preparing the Lamb, he relies on the paten.

The priest takes out a triangular particle from the second prosphora in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos and places it on the right side of the Lamb. Particles are removed from the third prosphora in honor of St. John the Baptist, the prophets, apostles, saints, martyrs, reverends, unmercenaries, saints whose memory is celebrated by the Church on this day, the parents of the Mother of God, the holy righteous Joachim and Anna, and the saint whose liturgy is performed.

From the next two prosphora, particles are taken out for the living and deceased Orthodox Christians.

At the altar at the proskomidia, believers submit notes about health and repose. For the people whose names are contained in the notes, particles are also taken out.

All particles are placed in a certain order on the diskos.

The priest, after shaking, places an asterisk on the paten over the Lamb and the particles. The diskos marks both the Bethlehem cave and Golgotha, the asterisk - the star above the cave and the cross. The priest incenses special covers and puts them over the paten and chalice as a sign that Christ was laid in the tomb and His body was wrapped in swaddling clothes. These swaddling clothes also symbolize Christmas wrappings.

The meaning of the commemoration at the proskomedia

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, after the communion of the faithful, the priest pours the particles taken from the prosphora on the proskomedia into the holy Chalice with the words: “Wash away, O Lord, the sins of those who are remembered here by Your honest blood, by the prayers of Your saints”.

Prayer at the proskomedia for health and repose with the removal of particles for them, and then immersing them in a chalice is the highest commemoration in the Church. A Bloodless Sacrifice is offered for them. They also participate in the liturgy.

At the relics of St. Theodosius of Chernigov, Hieromonk Alexy (1840-1917), the future elder of the Goloseevsky Skete of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra (now glorified as a locally revered saint), served his obedience. He got tired and dozed off by the shrine. Saint Theodosius appeared to him in a dream and thanked him for his labors. He asked that his parents, Priest Nikita and Matushka Maria, be commemorated at the liturgy. When Hieromonk Alexy asked the saint how he could ask for the prayers of a priest when he himself stands before the Throne of God, St. Theodosius said: “The offering at the Liturgy is stronger than my prayers.”

Saint Gregory the Dialogist tells us that after the death of a negligent monk who suffered from a love of money, he ordered thirty funeral liturgies to be served for the deceased, and the brethren to perform a common prayer for him. And after the last liturgy, this monk appeared to his own brother and said: “Until now, brother, I suffered cruelly and terribly, but now I feel good and I am in the light.”

Liturgy of the catechumens

The second part of the liturgy is called liturgy of the catechumens. In ancient times, in order to receive holy baptism, people underwent a very long preparation. They studied the foundations of the faith, went to church, but they could only pray at the Liturgy until the transfer of the Gifts from the altar to the throne. The catechumens, as well as the penitents, who were excommunicated for grave sins, had to go out into the porch of the temple.

After the exclamation of the priest: "Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever" the choir sings: "Amen." The peaceful, or great, litany is pronounced. It begins with the words: "Let us pray to the Lord in peace". The word "peace" tells us that we must pray in the world, reconciled with our neighbors, only then the Lord will accept our prayers.

Peaceful litany embraces all aspects of our existence. We pray: for the peace of the whole world, for the holy churches, for the temple where the service is performed, for bishops, presbyters, deacons, for our country, its authorities and its soldiers, for the goodness of the air and the abundance of earthly fruits necessary for subsistence. Here we also ask God to help all those who are traveling, sick and in captivity.

The liturgy is common cause, and prayer on it is performed conciliarly, that is, by all the believing people, "with one mouth and one heart." Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them.(Mt 18:20), the Lord tells us. And according to the charter, a priest cannot celebrate the Liturgy alone; at least one person must pray with him.

After great litany psalms are sung antiphons, since they are supposed to be sung on two kliros alternately. The psalms of the prophet David were part of the Old Testament worship and made up a significant part of the hymns in the early Christian service. After the second antiphon, the hymn is always sung: “Only Begotten Son…” – about the coming into the world of Christ the Savior, His incarnation and redemptive sacrifice. During the singing of the gospel beatitudes from Christ's Sermon on the Mount, the royal doors open and the small entrance is made, or entrance with gospel. The priest or deacon, raising the Gospel, signifying the cross in the royal doors, proclaims: “Wisdom, forgive!” Translated from Greek sorry means directly. This is said as a reminder to us that we need to be attentive in prayer, to stand straight.

It also speaks of the wisdom that the Divine Gospel and the preaching of the Lord brings us, for the Gospel is taken out of the altar as a sign that Christ has come out to preach and brings the Good News to the world.

After singing the troparions dedicated to the holiday, the given day, the saints of the day and the temple, Trisagion: “Holy God ...” On the Nativity of Christ, the Baptism of the Lord, Easter and Easter week, on the day of the Holy Trinity, as well as on Lazarus and the Great Saturday, instead of the Trisagion, it is sung: put on (put on). Alleluia." In ancient times, catechumens were traditionally baptized on these holidays. On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord and the week of Great Lent, instead of the Trisagion, it is sung: “We worship Thy Cross, Master, and glorify Thy holy Resurrection.”

For careful reading Apostle And gospels we are prepared by the exclamations of “Let us attend” and “Wisdom, forgive us, let us hear the Holy Gospel.” After the gospel reading, a special (enhanced) litany follows, at which, in addition to various prayers for the clergy, authorities, the army and all believers, there is a commemoration by name of those who submitted their notes to the liturgy: their names are proclaimed by the clergy, and all the people together with them pray for health and the salvation of God's servants, "all who are now remembered here."

During the special litany, the priest reveals on the throne holy antimension.

After the spoken special litany often added Litany for the Dead. During it, we pray for all our deceased fathers, brothers and sisters, we ask God to forgive their voluntary and involuntary sins and to place them in heavenly abodes, where all the righteous rest.

Followed by litany of the catechumens. For some, this part of the service is bewildering. Indeed, the practice of catechumens, preparation for baptism, which was in the ancient Church, does not exist now. Today, as a rule, we baptize people after one or two conversations. But still, there are catechumens who are preparing to accept the Orthodox faith even now. There are many people who have not yet received baptism, but are reaching out, going to the Church. We pray for them, that the Lord would strengthen their good intention, reveal to them His "Gospel of Truth" and join them to the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

In our time, there are many people who were baptized at one time, in childhood, by their parents or grandmothers, but who are completely unenlightened. And that the Lord would “announce them with the word of truth” and bring them into the church fence, and we need to pray at this litany.

After the words "Announcers, come out" those preparing for baptism and the penitents left the church, for the main part of the Divine Liturgy began. With these words, we must especially carefully look into our soul, banish from it all resentment and enmity against our neighbors, as well as all worldly vain thoughts, in order to pray with full attention and reverence at the Liturgy of the faithful.

Liturgy of the Faithful

This part of the service begins after the catechumens are called to leave the temple. Two short litanies follow. The choir starts to sing Cherubic Hymn. If we translate it into Russian, it will read as follows: “We, mysteriously portraying the Cherubim and singing the Trisagion Hymn to the Life-Giving Trinity, will now lay aside the care of all worldly things in order to receive the King of all, Who is surrounded by angelic Forces. Praise God!”

This song mentions that the Lord is surrounded by angelic hosts, constantly glorifying Him. And not only clergy and parishioners pray at the Divine Liturgy. Together with the earthly Church, the heavenly Church celebrates the Liturgy.

Once, the Monk Seraphim of Sarov, being a hierodeacon, served the Divine Liturgy. After a small entrance, Seraphim proclaimed at the royal doors: “Lord, save the pious and hear us!” But as soon as he turned to the people, he pointed at the forthcoming orarion and said: “And forever and ever!” - as a beam lit up him brighter than sunlight. Looking at this radiance, he saw the Lord Jesus Christ in the form of the Son of Man in glory, shining with indescribable light, surrounded by Heavenly Powers - Angels, Archangels, Cherubim and Seraphim.

During the Cherubic Hymn, the Gifts prepared for consecration are transferred from the altar to the throne.

This is called transfer great entrance. The priest and the deacon carry the Gifts, leaving the altar through the northern (left) doors. Stopping on the pulpit, in front of the royal doors, facing the faithful, they commemorate His Holiness the Patriarch, metropolitans, archbishops, bishops, the priesthood, all those who work and pray in this church.

After that, the clergy enter the altar through the royal gates, place the Chalice and paten on the throne, and cover the Gifts with a special veil (air). Meanwhile, the choir sings the Cherubic Hymn. The Great Entrance symbolizes the solemn procession of Christ on His free suffering and death.

Litany, following the transfer of the Gifts, is called petitionary and prepares the faithful for the most important part of the liturgy - the consecration of the Holy Gifts.

After this litany, Symbol of faith. Before the singing of the Creed by all the people, the deacon proclaims: “Doors, doors! Let us hear wisdom!” These words in ancient times reminded the gatekeepers that the main and solemn part of the service was beginning, so that they would watch the doors of the temple so that those who enter would not violate the decorum. It reminds us that we need to close the doors of our mind from extraneous thoughts.

As a rule, all worshipers sing the Creed, confessing their faith in the most important dogmas of the Orthodox Church.

Often one has to deal with the fact that the godparents, the recipients at the Sacrament of Baptism, cannot read the Creed. This is due to the fact that people do not read morning prayers (they include the Creed) and rarely go to the liturgy. After all, in the temple, every Divine Liturgy, all the people with one mouth confess their faith and, of course, know this hymn by heart.

The sacrament of the Eucharist, the holy offering must be offered with the fear of God, with reverence and special care. Therefore, the deacon proclaims: “Let us become good, let us stand with fear, let us pay attention, bring the holy exaltation in the world.” Begins eucharistic canon. chants "The grace of the world, the sacrifice of praise" is the answer to this call.

The exclamations of the priest alternate with the singing of the choir. The priest reads during the singing of the so-called secret (that is, sacramental, not read aloud) Eucharistic prayers.

Let us dwell on the main, main prayers of the Eucharistic canon. According to the priest, “We thank the Lord!” preparations begin for consecration, the realization of honest Gifts. The priest reads the thanksgiving Eucharistic prayer. It glorifies the blessings of God, especially the redemption of the human race. We thank the Lord that He accepts from us the Bloodless Sacrifice in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, although angelic ranks await and serve Him, glorifying Him: “Singing the song of victory, crying out, crying out and speaking.” The priest pronounces these words of prayer in a full voice.

Continuing the Eucharistic prayers, the priest recalls how the Lord Jesus Christ on the eve of His voluntary suffering established the Sacrament of Communion of His life-giving Body and Blood. The words of the Savior, sounded at the Last Supper, the priest proclaims loudly: "Take, eat, this is my body, which is broken for you for the remission of sins". At the same time, he points to the diskos with the Lamb. And further: “Drink from her all, this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins.”, - pointing to the holy Chalice.

Further, remembering all the blessings given by God to people—the Sacrament of Communion itself, His sacrifice on the Cross, and His second glorious Coming promised to us—the priest utters an exclamation full of deep theological meaning: “Yours from Yours, offering to You about everyone and for everything”. We dare to bring these gifts to God from His creations (bread and wine), offering a bloodless sacrifice for all the children of the Church and for all the good deeds that He has shown us. The chorus ends this phrase with the words: “We sing to you, we bless you, we thank you, we pray to you(You), our God".

While singing these words occurs consecration, transformation prepared bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. The priest prays, prepares for this great moment, reading aloud the troparion of the third hour three times. He asks that God send His Most Holy Spirit on all those who pray and on the Holy Gifts. Then the holy Lamb signifies with the words: “And make this bread, the precious body of your Christ”. The deacon answers: "Amen". Then he blesses the wine, saying: “And the hedgehog in this Cup is the precious Blood of Thy Christ”. The deacon replies: "Amen". Then he marks the paten with the Lamb and the holy Chalice with the words: "Changing by Your Holy Spirit". The consecration of the Holy Gifts ends three times: "Amen, amen, amen". The clergy bow to the ground before the Body and Blood of Christ. The Holy Gifts are offered as a bloodless sacrifice for everyone and everything without exception: for all the saints and for the Mother of God, as is said in the exclamation of the priest, which is the end of the priestly prayer: "Considerably(especially) of the Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed, Glorious Our Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary". In response to this exclamation, a hymn dedicated to the Mother of God is sung: "Worthy to eat". (On Pascha and on the Twelfth Feasts, before the giving away, another Theotokos hymn is sung - the merit.)

This is followed by a litany which prepares the faithful for communion and also contains the usual petitions of the petitionary litany. After the litany and the exclamation of the priest, the Lord's Prayer is sung (most often by all the people) - "Our Father" .

When the apostles asked Christ to teach them how to pray, He gave them this prayer. In it, we ask for everything necessary for life: for everything to be the will of God, for daily bread (and, of course, for the Lord to vouchsafe us to receive heavenly bread, His Body), for the forgiveness of our sins and for so that the Lord would help us overcome all temptations and deliver us from the wiles of the devil.

Priest's voice: "Holy to the holy!" tells us that one must approach the Holy Mysteries reverently, sanctifying oneself with prayer, fasting, and being cleansed in the Sacrament of Penance.

In the altar, at this time, the clergy crush the holy Lamb, commune themselves and prepare the Gifts for the communion of believers. After that, the royal doors open, and the deacon takes out the holy Chalice with the words: "Come with the fear of God and faith". Opening of the Royal Doors marks the opening of the Holy Sepulcher, and removal of the Holy Gifts The appearance of the Lord after His resurrection.

The priest reads the prayer of St. John Chrysostom before Holy Communion: I believe, Lord, and I confess for you are truly the Christ, the Son of the Living God, who came into the world to save sinners, and from them I am the first ... ”And people pray, listening to humble prayer, realizing their unworthiness and bowing before the greatness of the taught shrine. The prayer before communion with the Body and Blood of Christ ends with the words: “I will not kiss Thee, like Judas, but like a thief I confess Thee: remember me, Lord, in Thy Kingdom. May the communion of Thy Holy Mysteries, Lord, not be for judgment and condemnation, but for the healing of soul and body. Amen".

One who communes unworthily, without faith, without contrition of heart, having malice and resentment towards his neighbor in his heart, is likened to Judas the traitor, who was one of the twelve disciples, was present at the Last Supper, and then went and betrayed the Teacher.

All those who were preparing for communion and received permission from the priest partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. After that, the priest brings the holy Chalice into the altar.

The priest overshadows those who pray with the holy Chalice with the words: "Always, now and ever and forever and ever" and carries it to the altar. This marks the last appearance of the Savior to the disciples and His ascension to heaven.

The deacon pronounces a short litany of thanksgiving, ending with the priest's prayer behind the ambo (that is, read before the ambo).

At the end of the liturgy, the priest says vacation. On leave, the Mother of God, the saint whose liturgy was celebrated, the saints of the temple and the day are usually remembered.

All those who pray kiss holy cross held by the priest.

After the liturgy, thanksgiving prayers for Holy Communion are usually read. If they are not read in the temple, all those who take communion read them when they come home.

It is 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 mourners, accepts gratitude from a person. Divine services are performed strictly according to the charter. To find out what time the service begins in the church, 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 in the afternoon. On fasts, 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 worship services are divided into:

  • daily allowance;
  • weekly;
  • annual.

All services are held in full in the 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 line up depending on the main holiday of Easter. The daily worship 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 feast or saint commemorated the next day according to the calendar. Every day the church creates a memory of some 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 - a special day, small Easter, remembrance of the resurrection of Christ;
  • Monday pray to the Angels;
  • Tuesday - the holy prophet John the Baptist;
  • Wednesday - the betrayal of the Lord by Judas and the memory of the Cross, the day of fasting are remembered;
  • Thursday - the day of the Apostle and St. Nicholas;
  • Friday - service in honor of the sufferings of the Lord and the Life-giving Cross, the day of fasting;
  • Saturday - the Mother of God, the memory of the saints and all the deceased Orthodox Christians are revered.

Modern evening worship consists of:

  • vespers;
  • matins;
  • 1st 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 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 worship, it will not be superfluous to inquire in advance about the more accurate time in a particular church.

How long is the service in the church and what determines its duration

Divine service aims to tear a person away from earthly vanity, to touch eternity. It instructs in faith and prayer, disposes to repentance and thanksgiving. Believers communicate with the Lord through common prayer, the sacraments. In church services there is not a single action or word said for beauty or inappropriately, everything has a deep meaning and symbolism. How long the service in the church goes on will depend on parameters such as:

  • parish church or monastery;
  • type of service (holiday, regular Lenten, all-night service, liturgy, etc.);
  • choir singing;
  • the speed of the service by the clergy;
  • the number of confessors and communicants;
  • duration of the sermon.

In parish churches, divine services are greatly reduced due to the numerous earthly concerns of the believing laity, in monasteries they are held in full. During Lent, especially during Great Lent, the 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 greater the number of confessors and communicants, 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 faithful, 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, the church service can go from 1.5 to 8 hours. On average, in parish churches, on ordinary days, prayer lasts 1.5–3 hours, and on Mount Athos and in other monasteries it reaches 6–8 hours. Before major feasts and Sundays, an all-night vigil is always performed, 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 start at the church?

In modern church practice, the morning service consists of:

  • 3rd hour (commemoration 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).

The Liturgy or Eucharist (Thanksgiving) is the central service in the church, at which the main Sacrament takes place - the Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. This sacrament was approved by the Lord Himself at the Last Supper, on the eve of suffering on the Cross, and He commanded that this 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 offered an abbreviated version of the service. In the modern church, these two rites are still used. The Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great is served 10 times a year: on Sundays of Great Lent, except for Palm Sunday, on Great Thursday and Saturday of Holy Week, January 14 (on the feast day of Saint Basil), and on the feasts of the Nativity of Christ and the Baptism of the Lord.

During Great Lent, on Wednesdays and Fridays, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is served. The rest of the year, the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated.

The Liturgy commemorates the earthly life and teachings of the Savior from birth to ascension. In ancient times, such a service was called the breaking of bread. In Holy Scripture it is called the Lord's Supper or Supper (1 Cor. 10:21; 11:20).

The answer to the question "What time does the morning service begin in the church?" will depend on the tradition that has developed in a particular parish, the number of communicants and thrones in the church, but we can say for sure that the liturgy is always performed before noon. In large churches with a large parish, there may be three services, starting at 6 o'clock in the morning. Small churches with one throne cannot celebrate 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 God's presence. Any person, even 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. It is better for women to wear a skirt or dress below the knees and scarves, shoulders should be covered. Men are supposed to enter the temple without a headdress in decent clothes. It is not allowed to talk, let alone laugh, especially during the service.

It's best to arrive early to:

  • buy and put candles;
  • write notes for the repose and health;
  • order a prayer service, magpie, memorial service (optional);
  • venerate icons, relics, crucifixion.

Be sure to put a candle for the holiday on the central lectern with the icon of the day or saint, opposite the iconostasis. For the repose, they put it 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 Theotokos, saints or church holidays. There is no strict rule as to where and how much candles should be placed 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 a free place, 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 dispensation in the Orthodox Church. A good rule would be to follow the actions of the clergy and laity, to be baptized and bow down together with everyone. Only seriously ill people are allowed to sit during the service. The gospel is listened to with a bowed head, with special reverence. At the Divine Liturgy, the prayers "Symbol of Faith" and "Our Father" are read aloud by all those present, they must be memorized.

It is impossible within the framework of one article to consecrate the topic "How is the service", because during the year there are many different services, and all of them differ from each other in chants and prayers. And there are also special services in the form of prayers, memorial services, which go according to a special rank. Lenten services are very heartfelt, long, with many kneeling prayers: at this time they read a lot and sing little. Festive services are held under the bright illumination of the temple, the Lord, the Mother of God, the Saints are majestically and magnificently glorified, and a person receives consolation, joy, is sanctified by grace.

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There are a large number of religious rites and rituals. Most people who are not particularly knowledgeable may not even know about them. But each of us at least once heard such a term as vigil. You can ask a clergyman or read in our article what this is an all-night vigil.

What does it mean

Among ordinary people, the most common name for this rite is the vigil. This type of worship can be held on the eve of especially revered church holidays. This ritual brings together the evening and morning worship, which are held with greater illumination of the temple than on other days.

How long is the all-night vigil? Initially, such a procession got its name due to the fact that it began late in the evening and lasted all night until dawn. But later attention was drawn to the infirmities of the believers and the duration was reduced, but the name remained.

Most often, the Divine Liturgy of the All-Night Vigil is held the day before:

Useful articles:

  • days of temple holidays,
  • Sunday days
  • holidays that are marked with a special sign in the Typicon,
  • twelfth holidays,
  • any holiday at the request of the rector of the temple or regarding local traditions.

Features of this ritual:

  1. After Vespers, the consecration of wine, vegetable oil, bread and wheat may be held.
  2. Full observance of the all-night vigil implies reading passages from the Gospel during Matins, as well as singing a great doxology in which a person thanks the Lord for the day he has lived and asks for help in protecting him from sins.
  3. After the service, the believers are anointed with oil.

How is worship

According to the explanation of the church service, the all-night vigil is such a service that can help free the soul of a person from bad and negative thoughts, and also prepare for the acceptance of grace. This rite is a symbol of the history of the Old and New Testaments. There is a certain structure for conducting worship:

  • The beginning of such worship is called the Great Vespers. It tries to show the main Old Testament stories. Next comes the opening of the Royal Doors, which means the creation of the Holy Trinity of the world.
  • Then the reading of a psalm in which the Creator is glorified. The clergyman must burn the believers and the temple.
  • After that, the Royal Doors are closed, which means the commission of original sin and a prayer is already read in front of them. Readings of verses are held that remind people of their distress after the fall.
  • Next, the stichera of the Mother of God is read during which the priest passes from the northern doors of the altar to the Royal Doors. This procedure means the appearance of the Savior.
  • The transition of evening to morning signifies the coming of the New Testament. Particular attention is paid to polyeleu. This is the name of the solemn part of the service, during which they thank the Lord for the message of the Savior.
  • There is also a solemn reading of the Gospel dedicated to the holiday, and the canon is performed.

Basically, the all-night vigil on Saturday is held before the Sunday service. Presence at the All-Night Vigil is an obligatory service before Communion. It is highly recommended to attend, but there are times when this is not possible. There are reasons that are quite weighty, but if these are just excuses, then a person first of all sins before himself.

To take part in such worship services is the decision of everyone. It must be remembered that the all-night vigil is an optional rite, but simply telling yourself that I will not go is wrong. It all depends on the motivation of the person.

Remember that the main thing is your spiritual faith and observance of the basic church laws.

The Lord is always with you!

Church services or, in popular words, church services are the main events for which temples are intended. According to the Orthodox tradition, daily, morning and evening rites are performed in them. And each of these ministries consists of 3 types of services, which together are combined into a daily circle:

  • evening - from Vespers, Compline and the ninth hour;
  • morning - from matins, the first hour and midnight;
  • daytime - from the Divine Liturgy and the third and sixth hours.

Thus, the daily cycle includes nine services.

Services Features

In Orthodox services, much is borrowed from Old Testament times. For example, it is customary to consider the beginning of a new day not at midnight, but at 6 pm, which is the reason for holding Vespers - the first service of the daily circle. It recalls the main events of the Sacred History of the Old Testament; we are talking about the creation of the world, the fall of the forefathers, the ministry of the prophets and the Mosaic legislation, and Christians give thanks to the Lord for the new day lived.

After that, according to the Charter of the church, Compline should be served - public prayers for the coming dream, which speak of the descent of Christ into hell and the liberation of the righteous from it.

At midnight, it is supposed to perform the 3rd service - midnight. This service is held to commemorate the Last Judgment and the Second Coming of the Savior.

The morning service in the Orthodox Church (matins) is one of the longest services. It is dedicated to the events and circumstances of the Savior's earthly life and consists of many prayers of repentance and thanksgiving.

The first hour is done around 7 o'clock in the morning. This is a short service about Jesus' presence at the trial of the high priest Caiaphas.

The third hour is at 9 am. At this time, the events that took place in the Zion Upper Room are recalled, when the Holy Spirit descended to the apostles, and in the Praetorium of Pilate the Savior received a death sentence.

The sixth hour is held at noon. This service is about the time of the crucifixion of the Lord. Do not confuse with him the ninth hour - the service of His death on the cross, which takes place at three o'clock in the afternoon.

The main divine service and a kind of center of this daily circle is considered to be the Divine Liturgy or mass, a distinctive feature of which from other services is the opportunity, in addition to remembrances of God and the earthly life of our Savior, to unite with Him in reality, participating in the sacrament of Communion. The time of this liturgy is from 6 to 9 o'clock until noon before dinner, which is why it was given its second name.

Changes in the conduct of services

The modern practice of worship has brought some changes to the prescription of the Rule. And today, Compline is held only during the period of Great Lent, and Midnight is held once a year, on the eve of Easter. The ninth hour passes even more rarely, and the remaining 6 services of the daily cycle are combined into 2 groups of 3 services.

Evening service in the church takes place with a special sequence: Christians serve Vespers, Matins and the first hour. Before holidays and Sundays, these services are combined into one, which is called the all-night vigil, that is, it implies long night prayers before dawn, held in antiquity. This service lasts 2-4 hours in parishes and from 3 to 6 hours in monasteries.

The morning service in the church differs from past times in the successive services of the third, sixth hours and Mass.

It is also important to note the holding of early and late liturgy in churches where there is a large number of Christians. Such services are usually performed on holidays and on Sundays. Both liturgies are preceded by the reading of the Hours.

There are days when the morning service in the church and the liturgy are not held. For example, on Friday of Holy Week. On the morning of this day, a short succession of pictorial works takes place. This service consists of several hymns and, as it were, depicts the liturgy; at the same time, the status of independent service was not received by this service.

Divine services also include various sacraments, ceremonies, the reading of akathists in churches, community readings of evening and morning prayers, and rules for Holy Communion.

In addition, services are performed in churches according to the needs of parishioners - trebs. For example: Wedding, Baptism, funerals, prayers and others.

In each church, cathedral or temple, the hours of service are set differently, therefore, in order to obtain information about the holding of any service, clergymen recommend finding out the schedule compiled by a particular spiritual institution.

And those who is unfamiliar with him, you can follow the following time intervals:

  • from 6 to 8 and from 9 to 11 am - early and late morning service;
  • from 16:00 to 18:00 - evening and all-night services;
  • during the day - a festive service, but it is better to clarify the time of its holding.

All divine services are usually performed in the temple and only by clergy, and believing parishioners participate in them by singing and praying.

Christian holidays

Christian holidays are divided into two varieties: passing and not passing; they are also called the Twelfth Feasts. In order not to miss services regarding them, it is important to know the dates.

Non-transferable

Passing, for 2018

  1. April 1 - Palm Sunday.
  2. April 8 - Easter.
  3. May 17 - Ascension of the Lord.
  4. May 27 - Pentecost or Holy Trinity.

The duration of church services on holidays differs from each other. Basically, it depends on the holiday itself, the fulfillment of the service, the duration of the sermon, and the number of communicants and confessors.

If for some reason you are late or do not come to the service, no one will judge you, because it is not so important what time it will start and how long it will last, it is much more important that your arrival and participation are sincere.

Preparation for Sunday Rite

If you decide to come to the temple on Sunday, then you should prepare for this. The morning service on Sunday is the strongest, it is held for the purpose of communion. It happens like this: the priest gives you the body of Christ and his blood in a piece of bread and a sip of wine. Get ready for this The event must be at least 2 days in advance..

  1. You should fast on Friday and Saturday: remove fatty foods, alcohol from the diet, exclude marital intimacy, do not swear, do not offend anyone and do not be offended yourself.
  2. The day before communion, read 3 canons, namely: penitent to Jesus Christ, prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos and to the Guardian Angel, as well as the 35th Admonition to Holy Communion. This will take about an hour.
  3. Read a prayer for the coming dream.
  4. Do not eat, smoke or drink after midnight.

How to behave during communion

In order not to miss the beginning of the service in the church on Sunday, it is necessary to come to the church in advance, around 7.30. Until then, do not eat or smoke. There is a certain procedure for visiting.

After communion, in no case do not rush to get what you want e, that is, smoke enough and so on, do not desecrate the sacrament. It is recommended to know the measure in everything and read grace-filled prayers for several days so as not to desecrate this divine service.

The need to go to the temple

Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who came to earth for us, founded the Church, where everything necessary is present and invisible to this day, which is given to us for eternal life. Where "the invisible Powers of Heaven serve for us", - they say in Orthodox hymns, "Where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them" - it is written in the Gospel (chapter 18, verse 20, Gospel of Matthew), - so the Lord said to the apostles and to all who believe in Him, therefore the invisible presence of Christ during the services in the temple, people lose if they do not come there.

An even greater sin is committed by parents who do not care about the service of the Lord of their children. Let us remember the words of our Savior from Scripture: "Let your children go and do not hinder them from coming to Me, for for them is the Kingdom of Heaven." The Lord also tells us: "Man shall not live by bread, but by every word that proceeds from God's mouth" (chapter 4, verse 4 and chapter 19, verse 14, the same Gospel of Matthew).

Spiritual food is also necessary for the human soul, as well as bodily food to maintain strength. And where can a person hear God's word, if not in the temple? Indeed, there, among those who believe in him, the Lord himself dwells. After all, it is there that the teaching of the apostles and prophets is preached, who spoke and predicted by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, there is the teaching of Christ Himself, who is the true Life, Wisdom, Way and Light, which enlightens every parishioner coming into the world. The temple is heaven on our earth.

The divine services that are performed in it, according to the Lord, are the works of angels. Passing teachings in a church, temple or cathedral, Christians receive God's blessing, which contributes to success in good deeds and undertakings.

“You will hear the ringing of the church bell, calling to prayer, and your conscience will tell you that you need to go to the house of the Lord. Go and put aside, if you can, all sorts of things aside and hasten to God’s church,” advises Theophan the Recluse, a saint of Orthodoxy, “Know that your guardian angel is calling you under the shelter of the house of the Lord; it is he, your celestial being, who reminds you of the earthly Heaven, so that you can sanctify your soul there your grace of Christ and delight your heart with heavenly comfort; And, who knows what will happen? - maybe he calls you there also in order to avert from you a temptation that cannot be avoided in any way, because if you stay at home, you will not be sheltered under the canopy of the house of the Lord from great danger ... ".

A Christian in the church learns the heavenly wisdom that the Son of God brings to earth. He also learns the details of the life of his Savior, and gets acquainted with the teachings and life of the saints of God, and takes part in church prayer. And conciliar prayer is a great power! And there are examples in history. When the apostles were waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit, they were in unanimous prayer. Therefore, in the church, we in the depths of our souls expect that the Holy Spirit will come to us. This happens, but only if we do not create obstacles for this. For example, a lack of openness of heart can prevent parishioners from connecting believers when reading prayers.

In our time, unfortunately, this happens quite often, since believers behave incorrectly, including in the temple, and the reason for this is ignorance of the truth of the Lord. The Lord knows our thoughts and feelings. He will not leave a sincere believer in him, as well as a person in need of communion and repentance, therefore the doors of God's house are always open for parishioners.