Prayer before confession in Russian. Cathedral

Confession or repentance is one of the seven Christian Sacraments, during which the penitent confesses his sins to the priest, the representative of the Lord on earth, after which the forgiveness of sins is carried out. It is believed that these Sacraments were established by Jesus Christ himself. To achieve the best result, prayers are read before confession and communion, according to Orthodoxy, this allows the believer to tune in the right way.

In order for the ritual to go according to all the rules, you need to prepare before communion:

• It is necessary to realize one's sinfulness, sincerely, heartily repent of the sins committed.
• It is necessary to realize the desire to leave sin and not repeat it anymore, believing in Jesus Christ, hoping for his mercy.
• We must believe that confession has sufficient power to cleanse sins.

To receive absolution, you will need to undergo the Sacrament of baptism in the church before receiving communion, becoming an Orthodox Christian.

In addition, there are some simple rules:

• Remember all the evil words, starting from the age of 7 or the moment of baptism, admit only your guilt in having uttered them.
• Offer up prayers before God, promise that with his help you will make every effort to exclude the repetition of sin, you will try to do good.
• If sin has resulted in harm to your neighbor, you need to make amends for the harm done.
• Forgive the sins of those who caused moral or material damage to you before communion occurs.

You must feel sincere repentance during confession, only then the Lord will be able to illuminate your soul with light. And if you decide to confess “for show”, it’s better not to do this at all. This is a great Sacrament, not a formality.

To pass the sacrament ritual you need:

• Understand the meaning of the ritual. Your goal is to become a partaker of the Divine, to unite with Christ, to be cleansed from sin.
• Recognize the need for ritual. Offer prayers, heartily desire to pass it.
• Find spiritual peace, a state opposite to malice, enmity, hatred.
• Do not violate church canons.
• Get confession on time.
• Stick to the post.
• Participate in worship services, pray at home.
• Keep body and spirit clean.

Prayers will help prepare for the Sacraments

It is necessary to prepare for the sacrament of the holy confession and communion by repentance, fasting, in addition, prayers are also read at this time. There are several types of prayers, some of which can be read at home or in the temple. Reading a prayer for communion will help you cleanse yourself spiritually, prepare for the ritual, and make it much easier.

Orthodox Christians note that this kind of preparation really makes the process more enjoyable, allows you to better understand its meaning, frees you from disturbing thoughts, and gives understanding. You can even pray for your loved ones who will have a ritual, no doubt, this will allow them to go through it much easier.

Examples of Orthodox prayers

Prayer "Following Holy Communion"

“Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen. Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of Truth, Who is everywhere and fills everything, Treasury of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Blessed, our souls. Holy God, Holy Strong, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice) Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen. Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Lord, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Your name's sake. Lord have mercy. (Thrice) Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen. Our Father, Who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as in heaven and on earth. Give us our daily bread today; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Lord have mercy. (12 times) Come, let us bow down to the King of our God. (Bow) Come, let us bow and bow down to Christ, our King God. (Bow) Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the King and our God. (Bow) ”

Familiarize yourself with the three canons and akathists, they include "the canon of the penitent to the Lord", "the prayer canon to the Most Holy Theotokos", "the canon to the Guardian Angel".

Prayer of the "Penitent" to the Lord God

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner. Lord Christ God, Who healed my passions with His passions and healed my ulcers with His ulcers, grant me, who have sinned much against You, tears of tenderness; dissolve my body from the smell of Your life-giving Body, and delight the soul My Thy Honest Blood from sorrow, drink me the enemy; raise my mind to Thee, drooping valley, and raise me from the abyss of perdition: as if I do not imam repentance, I do not imam tenderness, I do not imam tears of consolation, raising children to their inheritance. Darkened by the mind in worldly passions, I cannot look to You in illness, I cannot warm myself with tears, even if I love You. But, Lord Jesus Christ, treasure of the good, grant me wholehearted repentance and an industrious heart to seek Thy, grant me Thy grace and renew in me the signs of Thy image. Leave you, don't leave me; come out to my exaction, lead me to Your pasture and count me among the sheep of Your chosen flock, raise me with them from the cereal of Your Divine Sacraments, by the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all Your saints. Amen."

Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos

“Holy Mother of God, save me. My queen, my hope is the Mother of God, friend of orphans and strange representatives, grieving joy, offended patroness! See my misfortune, see my sorrow, help me like a weak one, feed me like a strange one. Offend my weight, let me that, as if you will: as if there is no other imam of help to You, neither another representative, nor a good comforter, only to You, O Bogomati, as if you save me and cover me forever and ever. Amen. To whom shall I cry, Lady? To whom shall I resort in my sorrow, if not to Thee, Queen of Heaven? Who will receive my weeping and my sighing, if not You, Immaculate One, the hope of Christians and the refuge of us sinners? Who will protect you more in adversity? Hear my groaning, and incline Your ear to me, the Lady of the Mother of my God, and do not despise me, demanding Your help, and do not reject me, a sinner. Reason and teach me, Queen of Heaven; do not depart from me, Thy servant, Lady, for my murmuring, but wake me Mother and intercessor. I entrust myself to Your merciful protection: bring me, a sinner, to a quiet and serene life, let me weep over my sins. To whom shall I resort guiltily, if not to Thee, the hope and refuge of sinners, with hope for Thy inexpressible mercy and Thy bounty we enshrine? Oh, Lady Queen of Heaven! You are my hope and refuge, protection and intercession and help. My favored queen and ambulance intercessor! Cover my sins with Your intercession, protect me from enemies visible and invisible; soften the hearts of evil people who rise up against me. Oh, Mother of the Lord my Creator! You are the root of virginity and the unfading color of purity. Oh Mother of God! Give me help to those who are weak with carnal passions and who are sick of the heart, for Yours alone and with You Your Son and our God imam intercession; and by Your wonderful intercession, may I be delivered from all misfortune and misfortune, O immaculate and glorious Mother of God, Mary. The same with hope, I say and cry: Rejoice, full of grace, rejoice, rejoiced; Rejoice, blessed one, the Lord is with you."

Prayer to the Guardian Angel

“Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me. Holy Angel of Christ, falling down to you, I pray, my holy guardian, given to me to keep my sinful soul and body from holy baptism, but with my laziness and my evil habit, I angered your most pure lordship and drove away thee from yourself with all student deeds: lies, slander, envy, condemnation, contempt, disobedience, fraternal hatred, and rancor, love of money, adultery, rage, avarice, gluttony without satiety and drunkenness, verbosity, evil thoughts and crafty, proud custom and prodigal rage having self-desire for every carnal desire. Oh, my evil will, even the beasts of speechlessness do not create it! But how can you look at me, or come to me, like a stinking dog? Whose eyes, angel of Christ, look at me, entwined with evil in vile deeds? Yes, how can I ask forgiveness for my bitter and evil and crafty deed, I fall into it all day and night and at every hour? But I pray, falling down, my holy guardian, have mercy on me, your sinful and unworthy servant (name), be my helper and intercessor for the evil of my opponent, with your holy prayers, and make the Kingdom of God a partaker of me with all the saints, always, and now and forever and ever. Amen."

On the eve of Easter, it is recommended to read the Easter canon. There are several prayers that must be read before the Sacrament of Confession. It is recommended to read them at home or within the walls of the church, placing candles in front of the icon of Jesus Christ.

(22 votes : 4.45 out of 5 )

(Translated by the Moscow Theological Academy.

Reprinted from a prayer book published in Moscow in 1874).

Prayers Before Communion

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who is everywhere and fills everything, the source of blessings and the giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth and save, Good, our souls.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us (thrice).

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now (now), and always (always), and forever and ever. Amen (that's right).

Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse our sins, Lord, forgive our iniquities, Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Your name's sake.

Lord, have mercy (three times). Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Our Father who art in heaven. Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us our daily (necessary) bread today, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (the evil one is evil, the devil) For (because) Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.

Psalm 22

The Lord shepherds (leads) me and does not deprive me of anything. There, in a green place, He settled me and brought me up by still water. He turned my soul, directed me on the path of truth for the sake of His name. Even if I walk in the shadow of death, I will not fear evil, for You are with me: Your rod and Your staff - they consoled me. You have prepared a table for me in the sight of my oppressors, You have anointed my head with oil, and Your cup makes me drink like an excellent one! And Your mercy follows me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for many days!

Psalm 23

The Lord's earth and everything that fills it, the universe and all who live in it. He founded it on the seas, and built it on the rivers. Who will ascend the mountain of the Lord? Or who will stand in His holy place? He who has unreproachable hands and a pure heart, who in his soul was not carried away by vanity and did not swear evilly to his neighbor. This one will receive a blessing from the Lord and mercy from the God of his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek the Lord, who seek the face of the God of Jacob! Princes, lift up your gates and rise up, eternal gates! And the King of Glory will enter. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord is strong and strong, the Lord is strong in battle. Princes, lift up your gates and rise up, eternal gates! And the King of Glory will enter. Who is this King of Glory? Lord of hosts, He is the King of Glory.

Psalm 115

I believed and therefore said: I am very contrite. But I said in my frenzy: every man is a liar. What shall I repay the Lord for all that He has given me? I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord before all His people. Honorable before the Lord is the death of His saints. God! I am Your servant. I am Your servant and the son of Your handmaid. You have broken my bonds. I will offer you a sacrifice of praise and I will call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord before all His people, in the courts of the Lord's house, among you, Jerusalem!

Tropari

Lord, born of the Virgin! Despise my iniquities, purify my heart and make it a temple of Your most pure Body and Blood, and do not reject me from Your face, infinitely merciful!

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. How can I, unworthy, dare to partake of Your holy things? If I dare to approach You with the worthy, the clothes convict me, because they are unmarried, and I will deserve the condemnation of my sinful soul: cleanse, O Lord, the impurity of my soul and save me, because You are philanthropic.

And now and forever, and forever and ever, Amen. Mother of God is pure! I have many sins. I ran to You, seeking salvation. One Blessed One! Come to the aid of my exhausting soul and pray to Your Son and our God that He forgive me in everything that I have done ungodly.

On the holy fortecost it is read:

When the glorious disciples were enlightened during the ablution at the evening, then the wicked Judas, who was ill with the love of money, became darkened (in his soul), and handed over you, the righteous Judge, to lawless judges. Look, collector of estates, at the one who strangled himself because of them. Flee the insatiable soul who acted so boldly with the Teacher. Merciful Lord to all, glory to Thee!

Psalm 50

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy and according to the multitude of Thy mercies, cleanse my iniquity. Wash me many times from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin, for I recognize my iniquity, and my sin is always before me. You alone have I sinned and done evil before You, so that You will be righteous in Your judgment and overcome when You judge. For behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and in sins my mother bore me. But you loved the truth: the unknown and secret of your wisdom you showed me. You will sprinkle me with hyssop (the herb used in worship) and I will be cleansed, you will wash me and I will become whiter than snow.

Give joy and gladness to my ears, and the humble bones will rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins and blot out my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and confirm me with the Sovereign Spirit. I will teach the transgressors Your ways, and the wicked will turn to You. Deliver me from (shedding) blood, O God, God of my salvation! And my tongue will joyfully praise Your righteousness. God! Open my mouth and they will proclaim Your praise. If You had wanted a sacrifice, I would have given it, (but) You are not pleased with a burnt offering. Sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; God will not despise the contrite and humble heart.

Benefit, O Lord, according to Your good pleasure, Zion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then you will be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, the offering and the burnt offering, then they will offer calves on your altar.

K A N O N (tone 2).

Canto 1

Irmos: Come people, let us sing a song to Christ God, who parted the sea and led through it the people whom He brought out of Egyptian slavery; for He is glorified. (On each song of the canon, after the irmos (before the first troparion), one should say: “Create a pure heart in me, O God, and renew the spirit of righteousness in my insides,” before the next troparion - “Do not cast me away from Your presence, and Your Holy Spirit take it not from me.” Before the Theotokos, “Most Holy Theotokos, save us!”).

Merciful Lord! Let Thy Holy Body be to me the bread of life that has no end, and honest Blood - healing from various diseases.

Christ! Defiled by vile deeds, I, miserable, become unworthy of the communion of Your most pure Body and Divine Blood; grace me with it.

Bogorodichen: Blessed Bride of God, beautiful land, which has grown without cultivation the Ear, saving for the world, worthy of salvation for me, who eats it.

Canto 3

Irmos: Who established me on the rock of faith, You opened my mouth against my enemies; For my spirit rejoiced in singing: There is none so holy as our God, and there is none righteous but Thee, O Lord.

Lord Christ! Give me drops of tears that cleanse the impurity of my heart, so that, cleansed by my conscience, with faith and fear, I begin to partake of Your Divine Gifts.

Lover of mankind! May Your Most Pure Body and Divine Blood serve me in the remission of sins, in the communion of the Holy Spirit, in eternal life and in liberation from passions and sorrows.

Bogorodichen: The most holy meal of living bread, which, by His mercy, descended from on high and gives the world new life! Honor now me, the unworthy one, with fear to taste it, in order to be alive.

Canto 4

Irmos: Not an intercessor, not an angel, but You Yourself, Lord, came from the Virgin, having taken flesh from Her, and saved all of me, a man; therefore I cry to Thee: glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Many-merciful! Being incarnated for us, You wanted to be slain for the sins of people, like a sheep; therefore I humbly beseech Thee: blot out my sins.

God! Heal the wounds of my soul and sanctify everything. Lord! Deign me, the unfortunate one, to partake of Thee, Thy mysterious Divine Supper.

Bogorodichen: mistress! Be merciful to me, who was born of You, and keep me, Your servant, undefiled and blameless, so that, having accepted the pearl represented in my mind, I may be sanctified.

Canto 5

Irmos: Lord, giver of light and Creator of times! Guide us with the light of your precepts; for we acknowledge no other God but Thee.

Christ! What He Himself said before, let it be to Your insignificant servant, and, as You promised, abide in me; for behold, I partake of Thy Divine Body and drink Thy Blood.

O Word of God (Father) and God! May the coal of Your Body serve me, the darkened one, for enlightenment, and Your Blood - for the purification of my defiled soul.

Bogorodichen: Mary, Mother of God, precious receptacle of fragrance! Make me a chosen vessel by Your prayers, so that I may be a partaker of the consecrations of Your Son.

Canto 6

Irmos: Immersed in the abyss of sin, I invoke the incomprehensible abyss of Your mercy. God, bring me out of the doom!

Savior! Sanctify my mind, soul, heart, and body, and make me worthy, Master, to proceed without condemnation to terrible mysteries.

Christ! Through the communion of Your holy mysteries, may I be freed from passions and receive the multiplication of Your grace and the strengthening of life.

Bogorodichen: God, the Holy Word of God! Through the prayers of Your Holy Mother of all, sanctify me, now approaching Your Divine mysteries.

Kontakion

Christ! Allow me to receive bread - Your Body, and do not deprive me, unfortunate, Lord, of the communion of Your Divine Blood - Your most pure and terrible secrets. Let communion not serve as a condemnation to me, but grant me eternal and immortal life.

Canto 7

Irmos: The wise youths did not serve the golden idol, they themselves went into the flames and laughed at their gods; they cried in the midst of the flames, and the angel sprinkled them with dew: the prayer of your lips was heard.

Christ! The communion of Your immortal mysteries will now be for me a source of blessings, light, life, victory over passions and serve to the prosperity and increase of Divine virtue, so that I glorify You, the only merciful one.

Philanthropic! With trembling, love and reverence, now approaching You, Your immortal and Divine mysteries, may I be delivered from passions, enemies, needs and all sorrow in order to sing to You: Blessed are You, the God of our fathers!

Bogorodichen: Filled with divine grace, inconceivably giving birth to Christ the Savior! I beg You, Pure, I, Your unclean servant, cleanse me from the impurity of the flesh and spirit of all of me, now wanting to proceed to the most pure mysteries.

Canto 8

Irmos: Praise the creations of the Lord and exalt for all ages God, who descended to the Jewish youths in a fiery furnace and turned the flame into dew.

My Savior, Christ God! Honor me, who have lost all hope of salvation, to be now a partaker of the heavenly, terrible and holy mysteries and Your Divine Mystical Supper.

Merciful! Running under Your mercy, I cry out to You with fear: Savior, as You Yourself said, abide in me and I in You! Trusting in this mercy, here I eat Your Body and drink Your Blood.

Accepting the fire, I tremble, lest I should burn, like wax and grass. O terrible mystery! O mercy of God! How can I, clay, partake of the Divine Body and Blood and remain unharmed?

Canto 9

Irmos: The Son of the Beginningless Father, God and the Lord, incarnated from the Virgin, appeared among us to enlighten the darkened, to gather the scattered, therefore we magnify the glorious Mother of God.

Taste and see - it's Christ. The Lord, who for our sake became like us, once offered Himself as a sacrifice to His Father, is always stabbed to sanctify those who partake.

Vladyka, the benefactor is many-merciful! Through the communion of the sacred mysteries, may I be sanctified in soul and body, may I be enlightened, may I be saved; let me be your house, having you in me, together with the Father and the Spirit.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. May Your Body and Precious Blood, my Savior, be like fire and like light to me, burning all sinfulness in me and burning the thorns of passions, and always enlighten me so that I pay homage to Your Divinity.

And now and forever, and forever and ever. mistress! God became incarnate from Your pure blood; Therefore, every race and multitude of intelligent (beings) glorify You, because they clearly know that he who has taken on human nature from You is the Lord of everything.

It is truly worthy to glorify You, Mother of God, always blessed and immaculate, Mother of our God. You are more honest (more honorable) than the cherubim and incomparably more glorious than the seraphim. We magnify you, who incorruptibly gave birth to God the Word.

Prayers Before Communion

Master Lord Jesus Christ, our God, the source of life and immortality, the Creator of all creation, visible and invisible, the Son of the Father without beginning, eternal and without beginning together with Him, in the last days, by excessive mercy, clothed in flesh, crucified and buried for us, the ungrateful and insensible Who renewed our sin-damaged nature with His blood! Immortal King Himself, accept repentance from me a sinner, incline Your ear to me and hear what I will say: I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned against heaven and before You and am not worthy to raise my eyes to the height of Your glory, for I have angered Your mercy by transgressing Your commandments and disobeying Your commands.

But You, Lord, gentle, long-suffering and merciful, did not leave me to perish with my iniquities, in every possible way awaiting my conversion. You, Lover of mankind, yourself said through your prophet: “I definitely do not want the death of a sinner; but I want him to turn and live.” So you do not want, Lord, to destroy the creation of your hands, you do not want the death of people. But you want everyone to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. Therefore, even though I am unworthy of heaven and earth and this fleeting life, having given myself into slavery to sin and sensual pleasures, I have defiled Your image. But I, the unfortunate one - Your creation and creation - do not lose hope for my salvation and proceed, hoping for Your immeasurable mercy. And so, Lover of mankind, Christ, accept me as a harlot, as a robber, as a publican, as a prodigal son, and take off the heavy yoke of sin from me, You, who take away the sins of the world, heal human infirmities, call to yourself the working and burdened, and calm them down. who came to call to repentance not the righteous, but sinners. Cleanse me from all impurity of body and spirit. Teach me to do a holy deed with reverence for You, so that I, with an irreproachable testimony of conscience, accepting part of Your holy things, unite with Your holy Body and Blood and have You living and abiding together with the Father and Your Holy Spirit.

Hey, Lord Jesus Christ my God! Communion of Your most pure and life-giving Mysteries may not serve as a condemnation to me, and may I not become from an unworthy communion with their weak soul and body. Grant me, O Lord, until my last breath uncondemnedly receive a part of Your holy things in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, as parting words of eternal life, in a favorable answer at Your terrible judgment, so that with all Your chosen ones I can participate in Your incorruptible blessings, which You have prepared for those who love You. and for whom you are blessed forever. Amen.

Oh my God! I know that I am unworthy and not fit for You to ascend under the roof of the house of my soul, because it is empty and fallen down, and you will not find a worthy place in me to lay your head. But You from heavenly heights for us appeared on earth in a humble form; condescend also now to my misery. And as You deigned to lie down in a cave and in the manger of dumb cattle, enter also into the manger of my unreasonable soul and into my sinful body. Just as I did not despise entering and supping with sinners in the house of Simon the leper, deign also to enter the house of my poor soul, a leper and a sinner. Just as You did not reject from Yourself a sinful harlot like me, who came and touched You, have mercy also on me, a sinner, who comes and touches You. And just as you did not disdain the impurity of her defiled lips that kissed You, do not disdain also my even more impure and filthy lips and my disgusting, impure and defiled lips, and even more impure my tongue.

But may the coal of Your most holy Body, and Your honest Blood, serve me for sanctification, enlightenment and strengthening of my wretched soul and body, for alleviating the burden of many of my sins, for preserving from any influence of the devil, for removing and freeing me from my evil and crafty skill, in the mortification of passions, in the preservation of Your commandments, in the multiplication of Your Divine grace, in the attainment of Your Kingdom. I come to You, Christ God, not with negligence, but with boldness in Your inexpressible mercy, so that, having evaded communication with You for a long time, I would not be caught by the mental wolf, like a predatory beast.

Therefore, I pray to You: You, one holy Master, sanctify my soul and body, mind and heart, and all the insides, renew all of me, root Your fear in my members, and make Your sanctification unfailingly be in me. And be my help and shield, ruling my life in silence, make me worthy of standing on the right side with Your Angels, through the prayers and intercession of Your Most Pure Mother, Your incorporeal servants and pure powers and all the saints who have pleased You from the beginning of the world. Amen.

The only pure and incorruptible Lord, through unspeakable compassion and love for mankind, who took upon Himself all our complex nature from the pure and immaculate blood of the Virgin, who supernaturally gave birth to You the Divine Spirit by the influx and goodwill of the eternal Father, Christ Jesus, the Wisdom of God, and peace, and power! You, who accepted life-giving and saving sufferings with Your flesh: Cross, nails, spear, death, - kill my bodily passions that are harmful to the soul. By Your burial, having devastated the kingdom of hell, bury my bad intentions with good thoughts and scatter the spirits of evil. By Thy life-giving resurrection on the third day of the fallen forefather, raise up me, who slipped by sin, offering me the means to repentance. By your glorious ascension, you deified the flesh you assumed and gave it the honor to sit on the right side of the Father, make me worthy to reach the right side of those who are being saved with the communion of your holy Mysteries. By the descent of the Comforter of the Spirit, having made Your sacred disciples precious vessels, make me also the receptacle of His coming. Coming again to judge the universe righteously! Delight me to meet You, my Creator and Creator, on the clouds with all Your saints, so that I endlessly glorify and sing to You, with Your Father without beginning and Your all-holy, and good, and life-giving Your Spirit, now, and always, and forever and ever. Amen.

Master Lord Jesus Christ, our God, merciful and philanthropic, who alone has the power to forgive the sins of people, despise (forget), forgive all my sins, conscious and unconscious, and vouchsafe me without condemnation to partake of Your divine, glorious, pure and life-giving Mysteries not in punishment, not in the multiplication of sins, but in purification, sanctification, as a pledge of the future life and kingdom, in a solid stronghold, in defense, in the defeat of enemies, in the extermination of many of my sins. For You are the God of mercy and generosity and love of mankind, and we glorify You with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.

I know, Lord, that I unworthily partake of Your most pure Body and Your precious Blood, and am guilty, and I eat and drink condemnation to myself, not realizing that this is Your Body and Blood, Christ and my God. But, hoping for Your mercy, I come to You, who said: “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood, he abides in Me, and I in him.” Have mercy, Lord, and do not rebuke me a sinner, but deal with me according to Your mercy, and may this Holy thing serve me for healing, purification, enlightenment, for the protection, salvation and sanctification of soul and body, for driving away every dream and evil deed, and the attacks of the devil, acting through thoughts in me, - in boldness and love for You, in correcting life and strengthening it, in multiplying virtue and perfection, in fulfilling the commandments, in communion with the Holy Spirit, in farewell to eternal life, in a favorable answer at Your terrible judgment - not in condemnation.

From bad lips, from a vile heart, from an unclean tongue, from a defiled soul, accept prayer, my Christ, and rejecting neither my words, nor my temper, nor shamelessness, let me freely say what I want, my Christ, but better and teach me what I should do and say. I have sinned more than a harlot who, knowing where You are, having bought peace, dared to come and anoint Your feet, Christ my Lord and my God. As You did not reject her, who came from a pure heart, do not disdain me, Word! Allow me to hold and kiss Your feet, and with a stream of tears, how to boldly anoint them with precious peace. Wash me with my tears, cleanse me with them, Word! Let go of my sins and grant me forgiveness. You know many vices, you know my wounds, and you see my ulcers, but you also know my faith, and you see zeal, and you hear groans. Not hidden from You, my God, my Creator, my Redeemer, not a drop of tears, not a drop of a certain part. Thy eyes have noticed what I have not completed, and in Thy book there is also that which has not yet been made written by You. Look at my humility, look at my suffering, and forgive me all my sins, O God of the universe, so that with a pure heart, a trembling thought and a contrite soul, I partake of Your most pure and all-holy Mysteries, by which everyone who eats You and drinks with sincerity is enlivened and deified. heart. After all, You, my Lord, said: "Everyone who eats My Flesh, as well as drinks My Blood, abides in Me, and I am in him." In everything, the word of the Lord and my God is true: after all, partaking of the divine and deifying Gifts, I really am not alone, but with You, my Christ, the Light, bright as three suns, enlightening the world. Therefore, so that I would not be left alone, without You, the life of the Giver, my breath, my life, my joy, the salvation of the world, I came to You, as You see, with tears and a contrite soul, begging to receive deliverance for me. from my sins and Your life-giving and immaculate Sacraments to partake not in condemnation; so that you may remain, as you said, with me, thrice unhappy; so that the deceiver, finding me deprived of Your grace, does not steal me treacherously and, having deceived, does not lead me away from Your deifying words. Therefore, I fall down at Your feet and fervently cry out to You: as You accepted the prodigal son and the harlot who came to You, so accept, Merciful, me, the prodigal and filthy, with a contrite soul now coming to You. I know, Savior, that no one else has sinned against You like I have, and has not done the deeds that I have done. But I also know that neither the severity of sins, nor the multitude of sins, exceeds my God, much longsuffering and the greatest love of mankind, but with merciful compassion You both purify and enlighten the ardently penitent, and bring them into the light, generously making them partakers of Your Divinity; and - which is wonderful both to the angels and to human thoughts - you talk with them many times, as with your true friends. It gives me courage, it inspires me, my Christ! And, boldly trusting in Your rich blessings to us, rejoicing and trembling together, I, the grass, partake of fire, and I happen - a wondrous miracle - inexplicably irrigate, like in ancient times a bush of thorns, burning, without burning. So, with a grateful thought and a grateful heart, with all my grateful feelings, my soul and my body, I worship, and magnify, and glorify Thee, my God, as blessed both now and forever.

God! Let go, allow, forgive my sins that I have committed in word, deed, thought, voluntarily or involuntarily, consciously or unconsciously, and, as a merciful and philanthropic one, grant me forgiveness in everything. And through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother, Your intelligent servants and holy forces (angels) and all the saints who have pleased You from the beginning of the world, please me without condemnation to accept Your holy and most pure Body and honest Blood for the healing of soul and body and for the purification of my evil thoughts . For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer is his

Lord God! I am not worthy that You should enter under the shelter of my soul, but since You, as a philanthropist, want to live in me, I boldly approach. You command me to open the doors created by You alone, and You would enter them with Your characteristic love of mankind. You enter and enlighten my darkened thoughts. I believe that You will do this, for You did not depart from the harlot who came to You with tears, You did not reject the publican who brought repentance, You did not drive away the robber who knew Your kingdom, and the persecutor who turned to You, did not leave what he was but all who turned to You through repentance, You placed in the midst of Your friends. You alone are blessed always, now and into endless ages. Amen.

Prayer is his

Lord Jesus Christ, my God! Let go, allow, cleanse and forgive me, Thy servant, sins, crimes, falls and everything that I have sinned from my youth to this day and hour - consciously or unconsciously, in words, deeds, intentions, thoughts, activities and in all my feelings, - and through the prayers of the Immaculate Ever-Virgin Mary, Your Mother, who gave birth to You without a seed (without a husband), Your Mother, the only undoubted hope, intercessor and salvation, grant me to partake without condemnation of Your most pure, immortal, and life-giving, and terrible sacraments of Yours for the forgiveness of sins, in eternal life, into sanctification and enlightenment, strengthening, healing and health of the soul and body, into the destruction and complete elimination of my impure thoughts, thoughts, enterprises and night dreams, dark and evil spirits. For Yours is the kingdom, power, honor and worship, together with the Father and Your Holy Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Already I stand before the doors of Your temple, and impure thoughts do not depart from me. But You, Christ God, who justified the publican, who had mercy on the Canaanite woman, and who opened (opened) the doors of paradise to the thief, open the doors of Your philanthropy for me and accept me, who comes and touches You, as a harlot and bleeding. As soon as she touched the edge of Your garment, she immediately received healing; the other, grasping Your most pure feet, received the permission of her sins. But I am accursed, daring to accept Your whole body, but I will not be scorched (burned). But accept me as those two, and enlighten the feelings of my soul, burning sinful inclinations, through the prayers of the Immaculately Born You and through the prayers of the heavenly powers. For you are blessed forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer of St. John Chrysostom

(read by the priest when taking out the cup).

I believe, Lord, and I confess that You are truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. I also believe that this is Your most pure Body, and this is Your precious Blood. Therefore, I pray to You: have mercy on me and forgive me my sins, voluntary and involuntary, which (I did) in words and deeds, consciously and unconsciously, and make me worthy to partake without condemnation of Your most pure Mysteries for the remission of sins and eternal life. Amen.

Son of God! Deign me to be a partaker of Your mystical Supper today. I will not reveal the mysteries to Your enemies, and I will not give You kisses, like Judas, but, like a thief, I confess You. Remember me, Lord, in Your Kingdom! May the communion of Your most pure Mysteries, O Lord, not be for condemnation, but for the healing of soul and body. Amen

As you begin communion, say the following verses within yourself.

Here I come to Divine Communion,

Do not scorch me, Creator, with this communion,

Because You are the fire that consumes the unworthy;

But cleanse me from all impurity.

Then:

And the verses: Tremble, man, seeing the deifying Blood: / for it is a burning coal, scorching the unworthy. / The body of God both deifies me, and nourishes: / deifies the spirit, but the mind nourishes incomprehensibly.

And troparia: You attracted me with love, Christ, / and changed me with a divine desire for You. / But burn my sins with an immaterial fire / and vouchsafe to be satisfied with pleasure in You, / so that I, rejoicing, magnified / Your two comings, Good One.

Into the bright assembly of Your saints / how can I, unworthy, enter? / After all, if I dare to enter the bridal chamber with them, - / the clothes convict me, / for they do not go to marriage in such, / and, bound, I will be expelled by the Angels. / Cleanse, Lord, defile my soul / and save me, as a Lover of mankind.

And again: Supper by Your mysterious participant / this day, Son of God, accept me. / For I will not tell secrets to Your enemies, / I will not give You a kiss like Judas. / But as a thief I confess You: / “Remember me, Lord, in Your Kingdom!"

Prayers After Communion

Glory to Thee, God! Glory to Thee, God! Glory to Thee, God!

Prayer one

I thank You, Lord my God, that You did not reject me a sinner, but made me worthy to be a participant in Your holy things. I thank You for vouchsafed me, unworthy, to partake of Your most pure and heavenly gifts. But, O philanthropic Master, who died and rose again for our sake, and who bestowed on us these terrible and life-giving sacraments of Yours for the benefit and sanctification of our souls and bodies! Give them to me for the healing of soul and body, for the reflection of every enemy, for the enlightenment of the eyes of my heart, for the appeasement of my spiritual strength, for shameless faith, for unfeigned love, for the increase of wisdom, for the fulfillment of Your commandments, for the increase of Your grace and the assimilation of Your kingdoms, so that I, guarded by them in Your sanctification, always remember Your grace and live not for myself, but for You, our Lord and benefactor. And so, having ended this life with the hope of eternal life, he reached eternal rest, where (heard) the unceasing voice of those who enjoy bliss and the infinite joy of those who contemplate the inexpressible beauty of Your face, for You, Christ our God, are the true delight and inexpressible joy of those who love You, and You praise all creatures forever. Amen.

Prayer of St. Basil the Great

Lord Christ God, King of the ages and Creator of all! I thank You for all the blessings that You bestowed on me in receiving Your most pure and life-giving sacraments. I beg You, merciful and philanthropic, keep me under Your shelter and in the shade of Your wings, and grant me, until my last breath, with a clear conscience worthy to partake of Your holy things for the remission of sins and eternal life. For You are the bread of life, the source of holiness, the giver of blessings, and we glorify You together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.

Who freely gave me Your flesh to eat, You are the fire that burns the unworthy! Do not burn me, my Creator, go better into the members of my body, into all the joints, into the insides, into the heart, and burn the thorns of all my sins. Cleanse the soul, sanctify the thoughts, strengthen the knees with the bones together, enlighten the five main feelings, nail me all with fear of You. Always protect, protect and protect me from every deed and word harmful to the soul. Purify, wash and arrange me; adorn, admonish and enlighten me. Reveal me as Your abode, the one Spirit, and no longer the abode of sin, so that every villain, every passion flees from me after receiving Communion, as from Your house, as from fire. As intercessors for myself, I present to You all the saints, the Commanders of the disembodied hosts, Your Forerunner, the wise Apostles, and above them - Your immaculate, pure Mother. Accept their prayers, my merciful Christ, and make Your servant a son of light. For You, the only Good One, are the sanctification, as well as the radiance of our souls, and to You, as befits God and the Master, we all send glory every day.

Prayer Four

Lord Jesus Christ our God! May Thy holy body be unto me for everlasting life, and Thy precious blood for the remission of sins. May this (feast) of thanksgiving be to me in joy, in health and joy. In Your terrible second coming, grant me a sinner to stand on the right side of Your glory through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all the saints.

Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos

Most Holy Lady Theotokos, light of my darkened soul, hope, protection, refuge, consolation, my joy! I thank You for deigning me, the unworthy, to partake of the most pure Body and the precious Blood of Your Son. But, having given birth to the true light, enlighten the spiritual eyes of my heart! Producing the source of immortality, revive me, mortified by sin! As a merciful Mother of a merciful God, have mercy on me and grant tenderness and contrition to my heart, modesty and liberation from the captivity of my thoughts to my thoughts. Vouchsafe me until my last breath to accept uncondemned sanctification by the most pure sacraments for the healing of soul and body. And give me tears of repentance and confession to sing and glorify You all the days of my life; for you are blessed and glorified forever. Amen.

Now you release your servant, Lord, according to your word, in peace; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all people, a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel ().

Communion is the sacrament of the Orthodox Church, which helps to purify the soul and unite with God. To purify your soul, you need to sincerely repent of your sins - this will help the rite of Confession.

These sacraments, connected with each other, should be performed with a serious attitude of the believer towards them. They require a certain spiritual preparation. Fasting, reading prayers and repentance are indispensable conditions for the celebration of the sacrament.

Prayers before confession and communion purify the soul and help a person tune in to the sacrament. To correctly select and read the necessary texts, you need to read the article below.

General Principles of Preparing for Communion

A believer is admitted to the sacrament of Holy Communion only after certain preparatory measures, including prayer, fasting, and repentance.

1. The preparation for Communion is called fasting by the Church.
2. Fasting usually takes 3-7 days and is directly related to both the spiritual and physical life of a person.
3. During the days of fasting, a person prepares for a meeting with the Lord, which will take place during the sacrament of Communion.

In general, the preparation for Communion consists of the following steps:

• fasting immediately before Communion;
• attending the evening service on the eve of the sacrament;
• reciting a specific set of prayers;
• abstinence from food and drink on the day of Communion - from midnight until the very sacrament;
• confession with a clergyman, during which he decides on the admission of a person to Communion;
• stay at the Divine Liturgy.

Fasting is aimed at a person's awareness of his sins, their confession before a spiritual person and God, at the beginning of the struggle with sinful passions. The believer, while preparing for Communion, must move away from everything that fills his soul with unnecessary fuss. The Lord dwells only in a pure heart, so fasting must be approached with the utmost seriousness and concentration.

Post and its features

On the days of fasting, the believer must observe bodily cleanliness - in other words, refrain from intimacy and marital relations. Restriction in food (fasting) is mandatory.

A few words about the post:

• the duration of the fast must be at least 3 days;
• these days, any food of animal origin (meat and dairy products, eggs) should be abandoned. If the fast is strict, fish is also excluded;
• plant products (vegetables, fruits, grains, flour products) should be consumed in moderation.

If a person has only recently joined the Church, or has not turned to her for a long time, forgetting about God, or has not observed all the established fasts, the clergyman in this case can assign him an additional fast of 3-7 days.

1. Strict restriction in food at this time should also be combined with moderation in eating and drinking, with abstinence from visiting establishments and entertainment events (theaters, cinema, clubs, etc.), with refraining from watching entertainment TV shows, films and from listening to popular secular music. .
2. The mind of a person preparing for Communion should not be entertained and exchanged for everyday trifles.

The strictest fast falls on the day before the sacrament of Communion, starting at midnight. During this time, abstinence from food and drink should be absolute.

You should go to Communion on an empty stomach. Also, for this period, a person should completely stop smoking and drinking alcohol. Women are not allowed to take Communion on the days of atonement (during menstruation).

Behavior and mood before communion

A person who is preparing for Communion should let go of all negative feelings and emotions (hatred, anger, irritation, anger, etc.).

You also need to forgive your offenders and ask for forgiveness from those who were once offended by you, reconcile with those with whom the relationship was at odds. Consciousness should be free from condemnation, obscene thoughts. Arguments, empty talk should also be discarded. Time is best spent in silence and solitude, reading the Gospel and spiritual books. If possible, you should definitely attend the services held in the church.

What is repentance

Many do not understand why go to confession at all - the Lord sees everything, why can't you do it at home? But the Orthodox do this every day, reading the words of repentance that are on the list of daily prayers.

The appearance in the temple is intended to demonstrate not so much sinfulness as the determination of a person to leave his bad deeds. Indeed, in order to speak about them in front of a witness, one needs courage, repentance, a certain detachment from the former self. These are all signs of spiritual work.

Prayers read before confession help very well to recognize among the usual actions those that are sinful. People are so used to them that often they don't even notice them. Sins are divided into two main types:

• Against God. He did not attend the temple, was late for the service, listened inattentively. He missed home prayers, broke fasts. He hid his belonging to the Church, was embarrassed to wear a cross or make the sign of the cross on himself.
• Against neighbor. I envied a friend. Discussing someone behind his back. He condemned in his heart the actions of other people. He succumbed to sinful passions. Pride, rudeness - everything belongs to this category. Careless attitude towards work.

Repentance should not be limited to a declaration of one's sinfulness. First of all, it is the right thing to do. Hurt your wife? Come apologize. Did you owe a neighbor? Bring money. Are you eating too much? Restrain yourself, impose a post on yourself.

At the same time, it is better for the Lord not to promise anything, but simply to ask for His grace-filled help. After all, a person is very weakened by sins, he can take on too heavy obligations, not fulfill them, and then fall into despondency. It is better to fall and rise than not confess at all.

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Conjugation of Repentance and Communion

The rule that one must confess before participating in the Eucharist is not really canonical. For example, priests do not follow it and commune freely on any day. This causes controversy in the church environment, bewilderment among the parishioners.

• In the first centuries of Christianity there was only one repentance - before being baptized. Then everyone freely participated in the Lord's Supper without any preparation. However, one must understand how seriously people then took the adoption of the Christian faith. The preparation lasted for years - from 3 to 10 years. Becoming full members of the Church, people already behaved differently.
• There were cases when baptism was delayed in order not to “accumulate” sins before death. These are, of course, extremes. Over time, they began to practice confession for those who had already been baptized and stumbled. After all, many confessed their misdeeds and asked to return to the community.

• In the modern practice of the Greek Church, attending confession before Communion is not required. And in the Russian Orthodox Church, some priests allow their spiritual children to the Chalice without preparation - however, this is not advertised. Yes, and they do this, basically, only bishops or abbots of temples, who know very well the spiritual state of a particular person.

What about ordinary parishioners who want to begin the Sacrament? You will have to read all Orthodox prayers before confession, attend services. Perhaps, having appreciated your efforts, the priest will eventually become less demanding in matters of fasting and the frequency of repentance. However, services and prayers remain unchanged. Unfortunately, this burden is not for everyone. Many, frightened by such a serious preparation, refuse to attend the temple at all, which is very sad.

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On the day of Holy Communion

On the day of Communion, after reading the “Our Father”, the believer should go to the altar and wait for the Holy Gifts to be brought out.

1. You should not rush forward - the first to let the Chalice pass are children, the elderly and sick people.
2. Having waited for your turn, approaching the Chalice, you should still bow from a distance and cross your arms over your chest (put the right one on the left).
3. It is not necessary to overshadow oneself with the banner of the Cross in front of the Holy Chalice, so as not to accidentally push it.
4. In front of the Cup, you need to name your full name received at baptism, and then with reverence in your soul accept the Body and Blood of Christ, swallow it.
5. When the Holy Mysteries are received, one should kiss the edge of the Chalice without making the sign of the cross and go to the table, eat the prosphora and drink it with warmth.

After receiving Communion, you cannot immediately leave the church - you need to wait until the priest walks with the altar cross and kiss this cross. It is highly desirable to be present at the prayers of thanksgiving, but in extreme cases they can be read at home.

On the day of Communion, the behavior of the person who takes communion must remain decent and reverent.

Prayers before Confession and Communion

Prayer is a personal conversation of a person with God, which consists in turning to Him with requests for the forgiveness of sins, for assistance in the fight against sinful passions and vices, for the granting of mercy in worldly and spiritual needs.

A person preparing for Communion during the days of fasting should more carefully and diligently observe the daily home prayer rule. Morning and evening prayers must be said in full force. It is also necessary to read at least one canon every day.

Prayer preparation for Communion includes the following prayers:

• morning prayer rule;
• prayers for a dream to come;
• “Canon of Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos”;
• "Canon to the Guardian Angel";
• "Following Holy Communion".

The utterance of all prayers before the sacrament of Communion requires calmness, attentiveness, concentration and considerable time. To make it easier to comply with this condition, the Church allows the reading of all the canons to be distributed over several days.

morning prayer rule

The lay prayer rule consists of morning and evening prayers, which are performed daily. This rhythm is necessary, because otherwise the soul easily falls out of the life of prayer, as if waking up only from time to time. In prayer, as in any big and difficult task, inspiration, mood and improvisation alone are not enough.

There is a complete prayer rule, designed for monks and spiritually experienced laity, which is printed in the Orthodox Prayer Book.

However, for those who are just beginning to get used to prayer, it is difficult to immediately begin to read the entire rule. Usually confessors advise to start with several prayers, and then add one prayer to the rule every 7-10 days, so that the ability to read the rule develops gradually and naturally.

In addition, situations sometimes arise among the laity when there is little time left for prayer, and in this case it is better to read a short rule with attention and reverence than hastily and superficially, without a prayerful mood, mechanically read out the full rule.

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Rules for morning prayers for beginners

To date, there are many prayers that should be chosen depending on the circumstances. The first and most important action is to renounce Satan.

There are no specific strict rules for reading prayer texts, and a spiritual attitude is very important to a greater extent. During the appeal to God, the believer should be calm, not experience any negative feelings and not think about anything other than the Lord. Only thanks to sincere faith can one count on the fact that the Higher powers will hear the prayer and respond to it.

• Morning prayer rules are very simple.
• First, you should wash yourself and put on worthy clothes.
• It is best to turn to God when you are alone, so that nothing interferes or distracts you.
• You need to read a prayer in front of the image, after placing a lit candle or lamp next to it.
• You can learn the text by heart, but for beginners it is difficult, so use a prayer book.

Prayer for beginners

Before reading the prayer text, you need to thank God that last night went well, and then you can say a short morning prayer for beginners, and the publican's text is as follows:

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner."

Do not underestimate this short prayer, which has great power. It is read not only in the morning, but also before leaving the house or any important events. After that, you can turn to God in your own words, telling about what is in your soul, what goals and desires you have. Sincere appeal will allow you to get rid of the burden and tune in to a good wave.

Prayer can also be said in the church, which you should go to without breakfast, this rule does not apply to sick people. It is worth paying attention to clothing, so a woman should have a long skirt and a head covered with a scarf. Entering the temple, you should cross yourself three times and bow.

Prayer "Our Father"

1. The morning prayer "Our Father" is ideal for turning to God, both in the temple and at home, in general, it is considered universal.
2. Reading this prayer, a person, as it were, pays tribute to the Higher powers, sending gratitude for the fact that they allowed him to wake up and gave him another day of life.
3. People who have just converted to faith should know that you can also read it in difficult moments of life, when you need support and help.

The text of the prayer is as follows:

Each person has a guardian angel who is nearby and helps to cope with various problems. You can contact him with various questions. There is a special morning prayer to the guardian angel, which should be read to thank, ask for forgiveness and receive protection.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

The text of the prayer is:

“King of Heaven, Comforter, Soul of Truth, Who is everywhere and fills everything, Treasury of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Blessed One, our souls.”

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Evening prayers for the coming dream

Every Orthodox Christian must adhere to a certain daily prayer rule: morning prayers are read in the morning, and prayers for the coming dream must be read in the evening.

Why you need to read prayers before bed

1. There is a certain rhythm of prayer reserved for monastics and spiritually advanced laymen.
2. But for those who have recently come to the Church and are just beginning their prayer journey, it is rather difficult to read it in its entirety. Yes, and it happens that unforeseen situations arise for the laity, when there is too little opportunity and time for prayer.
3. In this case, it is better to read a short rule than to thoughtlessly and without reverence chatter the full text.

Often confessors bless beginners to read several prayers, and then, after 10 days, add one prayer to the rule every day. Thus, the habit of prayer reading is formed gradually and naturally.

Important! Any prayer appeal will be supported by Heaven when a person directs his activity to serve God and people.

Evening prayers

In the evening, a short rule is read by the laity - a prayer for the night before going to bed:

Tropari

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us; bewildering any answer, we offer this prayer as the Lord of sin: have mercy on us.

Glory: Lord, have mercy on us, we put our trust in Thee; do not be angry with us, remember our iniquities below, but look now as if you are merciful, and deliver us from our enemies; Thou art our God, and we are Thy people, all works by Thy hand, and we call on Thy name.

And now: Open the doors of Mercy to us, blessed Mother of God, who hope in Thee, let us not perish, but let us be delivered from troubles by Thee: Thou art the salvation of the Christian race.

Lord have mercy. (12 times)

Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos

“Good Tsar, good Mother, Most Pure and Blessed Mother of God Mary, pour out the mercy of Your Son and our God on my passionate soul and guide me with your prayers to good deeds, so that the rest of my life will pass without a blemish and I will find paradise with You, Virgin Mother of God, one Pure and Blessed."

Prayer to the Holy Guardian Angel

Angel of Christ, my holy guardian and protector of my soul and body, forgive me all, the fir-tree of sinning today, and deliver me from all the wickedness of the enemy, so that I will not anger my God in any sin; but pray for me a sinful and unworthy slave, as if I were worthy, show the goodness and mercy of the All-Holy Trinity and the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints. Amen.

Kontakion to the Theotokos

“To the chosen Voivode, victorious, as if we had got rid of the evil ones, gratefully we will write down Ti Thy servants, Mother of God, but as if having an invincible power, free us from all troubles, let us call Ty; Rejoice, Unbrided Bride.

Glorious Ever-Virgin Mother of Christ God, bring our prayer to Your Son and our God, may our souls be saved by You.

I place all my hope in You, Mother of God, keep me under Your shelter.

Virgin Mother of God, do not despise me, a sinner, requiring Your help and Your intercession, my soul trusts in You, and have mercy on me.
Prayer of St. Joannicius
My hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son, my protection is the Holy Spirit: Holy Trinity, glory to Thee.

It is worthy to eat as truly blessed Thee, the Mother of God, the Blessed and Immaculate and Mother of our God. The most honest Cherubim and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, without the corruption of God the Word, who gave birth to the real Mother of God, we magnify Thee.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen."

Interpretation of individual prayers

• King of Heaven.

In prayer, the Holy Spirit is called the King, because He, as God the Father and God the Son, rules the world and reigns in it. He is a comforter and to this day comforts those who need it. He guides believers on the righteous path, which is why he is called the Spirit of Truth.

• Trisagion.

The petition is addressed to the three hypostases of the Holy Trinity. The angels of heaven sing a great song before the throne of God. God the Father is Holy God, God the Son is Holy Almighty. This conversion is due to the victory of the Son over the devil and the destruction of hell.

During the prayer, a person asks for permission from sins, healing of spiritual infirmities for the sake of glorifying the Most Holy Trinity.

• Lord's Prayer.

This is an appeal directly to the Almighty as to the Father, we stand before Him as children before our mother and father. We affirm the omnipotence of God and His might, we implore you to manage human spiritual forces and guide them on the true path, so that after death you will be honored to be in the Kingdom of Heaven.

He is the Good Spirit for every believer, ordained by God Himself. Therefore, praying to Him in the evenings is simply necessary. It is he who will warn against committing sins, will help to live holy and will patronize the soul and body.

In prayer, the danger of attacks by bodily enemies (people pushing them to commit sin) and incorporeal (spiritual passions) is emphasized.

The nuances of the evening rule

Most people have a question: is it possible to listen to Orthodox chants in an audio recording?

The Epistle of the Apostle Paul says that it doesn’t matter what a person does, the main thing is that any of his deeds be done for the glory of God.

Important! It must be understood that it is impossible to replace prayers for a dream to come by listening to Orthodox songs.

Prayer should be started before going to bed. Before starting to read the rule, it is recommended to thank God for everything that He has been given for the whole day. You need to turn to Him with your mind and heart, realizing the meaning of each spoken word.

Advice! If the text is read in Church Slavonic, then you need to study its Russian translation.

In modern practice, the rule is supplemented by reading prayers for:

• close and dear people
• the living and the dead;
• about enemies;
• virtues and about the whole world.

In a dream, a person is especially vulnerable to the devil's army, he is visited by sinful thoughts, bad desires. Night in the Christian understanding is considered the time of rampant demons. A person can receive information that can seduce his body and lead his soul into sin. Demons are very insidious, they can send nightmares in a dream vision.

That is why believers pray every day before going to bed.

Advice! Even when all life circumstances turn out well, one should not forget about faith and the Heavenly Father, because human destinies are predetermined in Heaven from the very beginning. Therefore, it is necessary to turn to God before going to bed and the next day will definitely turn out better than the previous one.

1. It is useful to listen to the singing of the elders of Optina Hermitage. This male monastic monastery is famous for miracle workers who could and can foresee human destinies. The need to serve the Almighty is transmitted through their prayer songs and sets them on the righteous path.
2. The Church has a positive attitude towards watching Orthodox videos, but this material must be treated very carefully, and in the process of listening or watching, it is recommended to postpone secular activities.
3. The clergy advise including the prayers of the Optina Elders in the evening rule. Their texts have evolved over the centuries, and each of their phrases carries the greatest wisdom capable of explaining the foundations of the Orthodox faith and knowing all their depth.

Prayer appeal is the breath of the soul of an Orthodox person. He practically cannot control his sleep, and other life processes are also difficult to control. Therefore, prayer before going to bed is aimed at ensuring that the Creator participates in human life, otherwise He will not have the opportunity to help us.

Important! The ascension of a prayer before going to bed is the acquisition of protection and support by an Orthodox Christian. In addition to their own protection, mothers beg God to protect their children and send them mercy.

prayer-info.ru

Canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ

There are liturgical traditions in the Orthodox world. They are of several types. One of them is the canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ. But before talking about it, you need to understand what this concept means.

A canon is a complex church multi-line work, which is dedicated to the glorification of a church holiday or a saint.

It is part of the morning and evening services. The whole canon is divided into the following components:

• song,
• Irmis,
• Troptaria.

The number of such songs in one canon can be from two to nine.

When to read the canon of repentance to the Lord Jesus Christ

It should be noted that the canon to the Lord Jesus is included in any prayer book. This is one of the three canons, which is mandatory read before preparing for the Sacrament of Communion. From the name it is clear that it is he who is aimed at softening the soul of the believer and attuning him to a repentant wave.

Also, his reading is connected with the sacrament of Penance. As you know, it is this sacrament that precedes communion.

1. It should be noted that very often people who are just starting to go to church are frustrated and upset by the very preparation for the sacrament.
2. It involves special training for three days.
3. These days you need to fast and limit yourself to fatty and dairy foods.
4. In addition, if possible, it is necessary to attend church all three days and pray fervently.

Direct preparation begins at the church service on the eve of the rite itself. Namely, at the evening service. And only after strict observance of such preparation, the clergyman can conduct the rite of Communion.

But it is worth remembering that Repentance is not just a canon and church tradition, it is an independent prayer that must be read at any time when the human soul is disposed to this.

Penitential canon to the Lord Jesus Christ in Russian

As you know, all prayers are written in Old Slavonic. Sometimes people who do not have special education either cannot read the prayer correctly, or when reading it they cannot understand its meaning and essence. It is clear that such a reading will not be of any use.

Therefore, for the convenience of the majority of Orthodox believers, the penitential canon to the Lord Jesus Christ was translated into Russian. Now it can be read not only by clergy, but also by Orthodox believers. At the same time, they understand the whole deep meaning of prayer.

Canto 1

“Like Israel, walking through the abyss with their feet on dry land, seeing the persecutor of Pharaoh drowned, we sing and proclaim to God a song of victory.

Now I, sinful and burdened, come to Thee, Lord and my God! I do not dare to look at the sky, but only ask, saying: give me reason, Lord, so that I bitterly mourn my deeds!
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me!

Oh, woe to me, a sinner! I am more unfortunate than all people, There is no repentance in me! Oh, give me tears, Lord, so that I bitterly mourn my deeds!

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!
Oh foolish, unfortunate man! You're wasting your time in laziness! Imagine your life and turn to the Lord God and weep bitterly about your deeds!

And now, and always, and forever! Amen.
Holy Mother of God! Turn your eyes on me, a sinner, and deliver me from the net of the devil. and put me on the path of repentance, so that I bitterly mourn my deeds!

Canto 3

In holiness there is none like Thee, O Lord my God, who lifted up the horn of Thy faithful, O Good One, and established us on the rock of Thy confession.

When the thrones of the Last Judgment are set up, then the deeds of all people will be revealed! There will be woe for sinners sent to torment! And knowing this, my soul, turn from your evil deeds! The righteous will rejoice, but the sinners will weep! Then no one will be able to help us, but our very deeds will condemn us! Therefore, before the end, turn from your evil deeds!

Glory: Alas, to me, a sinful one, defiled by deeds and thoughts: I don’t have a drop of tears from hardness of heart! Now rise from the earth, my soul, and turn from your evil deeds!

And now: Oh, Lady! Your Son calls to you and teaches us good things, but I, a sinner, always shy away from good! You, merciful one, have mercy on me, may I turn from my evil deeds!

Sedalen, tone 6

I reflect on the terrible day and mourn my evil deeds. How will I answer the immortal King, or with what boldness will I, the prodigal, look at the Judge? Merciful Father, Only Begotten Son and Holy Spirit, have mercy on me!

Glory, and now: Theotokos:

Now, being bound by many fetters of sins and surrounded by many sufferings and troubles, I resort to You, my salvation, and cry out: Help me, Virgin Mother of God!

Song 4

Christ is my strength, my God and Lord!, The worthy Church sings so magnificently, crying out from pure meaning and rejoicing in the Lord.
Here the path is wide and convenient for enjoyment, but how bitter it will be on the last day, when the soul will be separated from the body! Oh man, keep yourself from them, for the sake of the Kingdom of God!

Why do you offend the wretched, appropriate the salary of the worker, do not love your brother, show fornication and pride? So, my soul, leave it and correct yourself for the sake of the Kingdom of God!

Glory: Oh, foolish person! How long will you wallow, collecting your wealth like a bee? Soon it will perish, becoming dust and ashes, and you look more for the Kingdom of God!

And now: Lady Mother of God! Have mercy on me, a sinner, and strengthen and preserve me in virtue, so that impudent death does not steal me unprepared, and bring me, Virgin, to the Kingdom of God!

Canto 5

O Good One, illumine with Your Divine light the souls of those who come to You with love in the morning, so that You, the Word of God, may be known as the true God! So I pray, crying out from sinful darkness.

Remember, unfortunate person, how you are enslaved by your sins to lies, slander, robbery, infirmities, fierce beasts! My sinful soul, is that what you wanted?
My members tremble, for I have been guilty of all of them: looking with my eyes, listening with my ears, speaking evil with my tongue, committing myself to hell! My sinful soul, is this what you wanted?

Glory: Oh, Savior, You accepted the already repentant fornicator and robber, but I am still weighed down by sinful laziness and enslaved to evil deeds! My sinful soul, is this what you wanted?

And now: Mother of God, wonderful and quick helper to all people! Help me, unworthy, for my sinful soul already wanted it!

Canto 6

Seeing the sea of ​​life disturbed by the storm of temptations, I ran to Your quiet haven, crying out to You: O Many-merciful One, raise my life from decay!
I lived my life on earth as a fornicator, and betrayed my soul into darkness, but now, merciful Master, I implore You: free me from this slavery of the enemy and give me reason to do Your will!

Who does things like me? For as a pig lies in the mud, so do I serve sin. But You, Lord, tear me out of this vileness and give me such a heart to fulfill Your commandments!

Glory: Unfortunate man! Remember your sins, rise up to God, falling down to the Creator, shedding tears and groaning! He is merciful, He will give you the understanding to know His will!
And now: Virgin Mary! Save me, Most Pure One, from visible and invisible evil and take my petitions and pass them on to Your Son, may He give me the understanding to do His will!

Kontakion

My soul! Why are you rich in sins, Why do you fulfill the devil's will, in what do you place hope? Stop and turn to God with weeping, crying out: merciful Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner!

Ikos

Imagine, my soul, the bitter hour of death and the terrible judgment of your Creator and God, when formidable forces will catch you, soul, and lead you into eternal fire! Therefore, before death, correct yourself, crying out: Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner!

Canto 7

The angel watered the furnace for the holy youths, but scorched the Chaldeans by the command of God, forcing the tormentor to cry out: Blessed be the God of our fathers!
Do not hope, my soul, for bodily wealth and for collecting earthly goods, because you do not know to whom you will leave all this, but rather cry out: Christ God, have mercy on me, unworthy!

Do not rely, my soul, on bodily health and fleeting beauty, because you see that both the strong and the young are dying, but rather cry out: Christ God, have mercy on me, unworthy!

Glory: Remember, my soul, eternal life and the Kingdom of Heaven prepared for the saints, and outer darkness and the wrath of God to the evil, and cry out: Christ God, have mercy on me, unworthy!
And now: Fall, my soul, to the Mother of God, and ask her, and She, the ambulance of those who turn, will beg the Son, Christ God, and He will have mercy on me, unworthy!

Canto 8

The saints poured out moisture from the fire and burned the righteous sacrifice with water. You, Christ, do whatever you want! We praise you at all times.
How can I not cry when I imagine death, For I saw my brother lying in the coffin, inglorious and ugly? What do I expect and what do I hope for? Lord, give me only repentance before the end! (Twice).

Glory: I believe that You will come to judge the living and the dead! Then everyone will stand in their rank: old and young, lords and princes, virgins and priests, but where will I be? Therefore, I cry out: Lord, give me repentance before the end!

And now: Most Pure Theotokos! Accept my unworthy petition, and save me from impudent death, and give me repentance before the end!

Canto 9

It is impossible for people to see God, whom even the orders of angels do not dare to look at! Through You, O All-Pure One, the incarnate Word appeared to people, magnifying Which, we, with the heavenly powers, please You.
Now I am turning to you, angels, archangels and all the heavenly powers standing at the Throne of God! Ask your Creator to deliver my soul from eternal torment!

Now I cry before you, holy forefathers, kings and prophets, apostles and saints and all the chosen ones of Christ! Help me in court so that He saves my soul from the enemy's power!

Glory: Now I raise my hands to you, holy martyrs, hermits, virgins, the righteous and all the saints, asking the Lord for the whole world, so that He has mercy on me at the hour of my death.

And now: Mother of God! Help me, who strongly hopes in You, beg Your Son, so that when He sits down to judge the living and the dead, He will put me, unworthy, on His right hand! Amen.

ikona-i-prayer.info

Orthodox Canon of the Most Holy Theotokos

From time immemorial, the Orthodox people have venerated the Most Holy Theotokos as “The Blessed and Immaculate Mother of our God, as the Most Honorable Cherubim and the most glorious Seraphim without comparison”, the great Intercessor and Intercessor in the affairs of believing Christians. The veneration of the Mother of God is based on the word of God and on faith in Her special virtues. Icon-painting creations, prayer works in the form of akathists, troparia and canons of the Mother of God are dedicated to the beloved image of the Most Pure.

Her greatness became genuine, since she alone happened to receive the grace of God, to become blessed among all women, to hear from the Heavenly Messenger: "The Lord is with you."

• The prayerful veneration of the Ever-Virgin among Orthodox Christians is very great.
• Ordinary Christians associate every day with Her name and prayer appeal to Her.
• In the reposed canon of the Most Holy Theotokos All-Tsaritsa, believing Christians, having repented of their sins, ask the Mother of God to “have mercy” on them and save them from many sins.

The meaning of the Canon of the Most Holy Theotokos

Reverence for the Mother of God is one of the best means, effective forces for true repentance, correction and prosperity in spiritual life. Through her all-powerful prayers, Orthodox believers will be vouchsafed eternal life in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The canon of prayer for the Most Holy Theotokos is one of the most characteristic prayers, emphasizing the importance of the Mother of God for the common people. Christians do not see a more powerful protector, deliverer from many troubles than their Lady.

Between glory and irmos, throughout the entire Orthodox canon of the Most Holy Theotokos, the main phrase is a prayer for salvation: "Most Holy Theotokos, save us." The Most Pure is called the "Mother of the Word, the originator of blessings and the support of the believers", which is resorted to as "a reliable wall and a single quick defender."

The entire Christian canon of the Mother of God consists of zealous appeals to the Mother of God - "a warm prayer book, an impregnable wall, mercy to the source and the world of refuge." Perhaps there are few prayers in Orthodox worship in which the Most Pure One has so many exact names.

sudba.info

Canon to the Guardian Angel

The canon consists of nine songs, which are read all together only in the canon of Andrew of Crete and in the canons of the parental Sabbath. In other cases, two, three, four or eight songs are used more often in canons.

1. Canons that do not use the second canto are eight cantos.
2. On the days of Great Lent, canons of three or four songs are used, which are “three songs” and “four songs”, and canons consisting of two songs are “two songs”.

The Byzantine and modern Greek canons are metrically similar to each other. In the Slavic translation, it is impossible to copy the exact poetic content of the Greek metric, which in this case allows the irmos to sing, and the troparia to read. The Easter canon is an exception; it must be sung in its entirety. Such a canon is sung in one of eight voices.

• The basis of the canon are Old Testament songs.
• When the canon is sung, it should be that all the texts of biblical songs and troparia are distributed equally among the faces, so the number of songs and troparia is always even.
• In order to facilitate the listening of the canon and to draw new attention to the listeners, it has been divided into three parts.
• Between parts of the canon something is read that is opposite in meaning to the canon.
• Kanon is a song of praise with a complex melody.

How to read canon

The intersong allows prayer instead of praise, the song is replaced by reading, and the complex chant is replaced by a simple one. This allows the inter-songs in the canon to be divided into three groups: reading, prayer and singing. Following the Charter, it is necessary to unite several canons every day (three canons on weekdays, and four canons on holidays and weekends).

1. Following the traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church, the canon is read along with the prayers that are read before communion.
2. Following modern church books, which say that the canon is to the guardian angel before communion.
3. Before communion, it is necessary to attend the evening service, and then, while reading prayers at home before going to bed, three canons are also read: the canon of repentance to the Lord Jesus Christ, the prayer canon to the Holy Mother of God, and at the end only the canon to the Guardian Angel is read.

At the conclusion of the home prayer service, before communion, it is necessary to read the follow-up to Holy Communion. After reading all the necessary prayers at home, it is already forbidden to eat and even drink water, since the sacrament of Communion takes place on an empty stomach. Morning prayers are read from early in the morning, and if prayers for Holy Communion were not read in the evening, these prayers must be read in the morning.

The canon of repentance to the guardian angel can be read if a person finds himself in a difficult situation and he needs the support of the Guardian Angel. This canon is read if necessary, both for oneself and for relatives and friends, taking care of them.

magictheory.ru

Follow-up to Holy Communion

What are these canons?

• Canon to the Guardian Angel
• Canon of the penitent to our Lord Jesus Christ
• Canon of Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos.

During the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ, these canons are replaced by the Paschal canon. If you do not have free time to read them, then do not be discouraged, as this is not necessary. And if you do this, you will only benefit your spiritual state.

Its main task: to eat less food and drink, to reduce the viewing of entertainment programs, music, theater. At this time, it is necessary to adhere not only to spiritual, but also to bodily purity. The day before and after the ceremony, it is necessary to refrain from physical intimacy. 12 hours before Communion, a strict fast must be observed.

1. The mood before the ceremony is considered important.
2. Refrain from negative emotions, feelings of anger and irritability.
3. Try not to judge anyone.
4. Better spend your free time reading the Gospel or other spiritual books.

Before Communion, you must go to confession. And until this moment, it is necessary to try on the offenders and the offended, and also ask for forgiveness. Confession is the bringing of your sins to the Lord in the presence of a witness - a priest. Just tell him what weighs on your soul.

You can do this in any temple, for example, in the Optina Monastery. Follow-up to Holy Communion in Optina Pustyn can be heard quite often. This is a male monastery in the Kaluga region, which keeps certain secrets.

The Instruction to Holy Communion in Russian is written so that people who do not speak Church Slavonic can read it without difficulty.

ikona-i-prayer.info

Communion Frequency

The first Christians took Communion every Sunday.

Now, due to the change in people's way of life, the Church recommends taking communion, if possible, during each Lent, but at least once a year.

Confession and communion are the most important rituals obligatory for Christians. Despite the fact that there are about a hundred million Orthodox in our country, not everyone knows how to properly confess and receive communion, and that it is necessary to read the correct prayers before these rites.

Why Confession and Communion Should Be Done

Every self-respecting Christian is obliged to confess and receive communion. It is a commitment to God and to yourself. According to the rules, only seriously ill people are allowed to do this at home or not to do it at all. Naturally, the desire should come from a pure heart, and not just because it needs to be done. The opinion of church ministers fluctuates - someone says that the true desire for communion and confession always comes from the heart, therefore, in any case, it is up to the person himself to decide whether to confess every day or once a year. Some say that this sacrament should be held at least five times a year: on the four main fasts and on the day of the angel.

Worldly life is hard, because there are many temptations in it that make you delay going to church, but when a person takes his everyday life into the background and goes to church with a pure soul, then this is a real holiday.

Confession and Communion: How to Prepare

The mere desire to go to church is not entirely insufficient, since these rites still have their own rules. Of course, if there is a desire, then everything will work out, but the prescriptions, one way or another, must be followed. Spiritual preparation is needed.

First, you must fast for at least three days. This is a prerequisite for every believer who respects himself and God.

Secondly, you need to go to communion with a pure soul. No offense to anyone, in the appropriate mood.

Thirdly, it is necessary to prepare prayerfully. To do this, you need to attend the evening service in the church and read prayers at home. Right before communion at home, it is also advised to read the "Following to Holy Communion."

The prayer before confession is as follows:

God and Lord of all, who has power of every breath and soul, alone heal me! Hear the prayer of me, the accursed one, and the snake nesting in me, by the influx of the All-Holy and Life-Giving Spirit, having killed the consumer. And to me, poor and naked of all virtues existing, at the feet of my holy father (spiritual) with tears, vouchsafe, and his holy soul to mercy, to have mercy on me, attract. And give, Lord, in my heart humility and good thoughts, befitting a sinner who agreed to repent of You; and may not in the end leave the soul alone, united with Thee and confessing Thee, and choosing and preferring Thee instead of the world. Weigh bo, Lord, as if I want to be saved, even if my crafty custom is an obstacle: but it is possible for You, Master, the essence of everything, the spruce is impossible, the essence is from a person. Amen.

After communion, many people forget to read the prayer of thanksgiving, which is also in the prayer book. This is no less important, because when the sacrament is completed, it is necessary to thank God for giving us the opportunity to approach him and become part of it, because the sacrament is a rite, a sacrament in which we partake of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. This is an act of reunion with God himself, and confession before him is obligatory. There is no communion without confession, since those who have not prepared for communion and have not passed confession cannot be allowed to partake of the Blood and Body of the Lord.

These are simple rules that anyone can follow. It is necessary to be prudent, pure in your thoughts and spiritually prepared for this great sacrament, and then everything will go well. Don't forget to prepare for communion and confession,and also press the buttons and

08.12.2015 00:40

Confession is a Christian sacrament associated with repentance before the Lord for all sins. Every believer must go through...

One of the most important sacraments in Orthodoxy can be called the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ. This is the moment when the believer connects with the Son of God. However, you should know how the preparation for the sacrament takes place, especially for those who have decided to take it for the first time (for example, you need to confess, pray, etc.). This is necessary in order for the right attitude to appear, the realization of the future unity with Christ.

Preparing for confession and communion is not a one-day procedure, so you need to know exactly what to do and when. This is exactly what will be discussed in the article.

What is the Sacrament of Communion?

Before you figure out how the preparation for the sacrament begins (this is especially important for beginners), you should know what kind of sacrament it is in general. For the first time it was accepted by Christ and commanded to repeat it to his followers. The first communion took place at the Last Supper on the eve of his crucifixion.

Before the sacrament, a divine service is necessarily performed, which is called the Divine Liturgy, or the Eucharist, which is translated from Greek as "thanksgiving". It was this action that Christ performed in the distant past before giving communion to his disciples.

Thus, the preparation for communion must also include remembrance of these distant ancient events. All this allows you to tune in the right way, which will undoubtedly lead to a deeper acceptance of the Sacrament.

How often do you need to take communion?

Preparation for the sacrament (especially for those who do it infrequently or even for the first time) should include the concept of how many times you can participate in this sacrament. Here you should know that this action is voluntary, therefore, in no way should you force yourself to do this. The main thing is to come to communion with a pure and light heart, when you want to partake of the Mystery of Christ. For those who are in any doubt, it is better to consult a priest.

It is recommended that you start communion if you are ready for it internally. That Christian who lives with faith in God can perform this sacrament at every liturgy. If there are still doubts in your heart, but you believe in God and are on this path, then you can take communion once a week or a month. As a last resort during each big post. However, all this should be regular.

It should also be noted that, according to ancient sources, communion was desirable to be performed daily, but well and four times a week (Sunday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday). Those who are just embarking on the path of the Christian faith should know that there is one day in the year - Maundy Thursday (before Easter), when communion is simply necessary, this is a tribute to the ancient tradition that started it all. About it is written in the article above.

Some clergy believe that frequent communion is unacceptable. However, it should immediately be said that, according to canonical laws, they are not right. Here you need to look into a person very deeply and see how much he really needs this action. In addition, the sacrament should not be mechanical. Therefore, if it is performed often, then the layman must constantly keep himself in good shape, be ready to accept the Gifts. Not everyone can do this, so what is described in this preparation article should happen regularly. Constant prayers, confession and observance of all fasts. The priest should know about all this, since you really cannot hide such a life.

Prayer rule before communion

So, now let's take a closer look at all the points that need to be considered before preparing for the sacrament. First of all, it should be noted that home prayer before the Sacrament is very important. In the Orthodox Prayer Book there is a special sequence that is read before communion. This is preparation for communion. The prayers that are read before this, not only at home, but also church ones, are also included in the preparation for the Sacrament. It is imperative to attend the service immediately before the Sacrament, but in general it is advisable to do this every day.

• prayer canon of the Mother of God;
• penitential canon to Jesus Christ;
• canon to the Guardian Angel.

Thus, conscious preparation for communion and confession, prayers from a pure heart can help the believer to feel the importance of the Sacrament and spiritually prepare for this miracle.

Fasting before Communion

It is equally important to fast before communion. This is a prerequisite. After all, Holy Communion, the preparation for which must take place consciously, is a very important rite, and it should not be mechanical, otherwise there will be no benefit from it.

So, those believers who regularly observe multi-day and one-day fasts are entitled to only the so-called liturgical fast. Its meaning is not to eat and drink from twelve o'clock at night before receiving the Sacrament. This fast continues in the morning (that is, communion takes place on an empty stomach).

For those parishioners who do not observe any fasts, as well as those who have just joined Orthodoxy, the priest can establish a seven-day or three-day fast before communion. All such nuances should be coordinated additionally in the church and not be afraid to ask about them.

How to behave, what thoughts to avoid before the Sacrament

When the preparation for communion begins, one should realize one's sins in full. But besides this, so that there are no more of them, you need to refrain from various amusements, for example, visiting the theater, watching TV. Spouses must renounce physical contact the day before communion and on the day it is received.

Pay special attention to your mood, behavior and thoughts. See to it that you do not condemn anyone, discard obscene and malicious thoughts. Do not succumb to bad mood, irritation. Leisure time should be spent in seclusion, indulging in the reading of spiritual books or prayer (as far as possible).

It should be noted that the most important thing for receiving the Holy Gifts of Christ is repentance. A person should sincerely repent of his deeds. This is what you need to focus on. Fasting, prayer, reading the scriptures are just the means to achieve this state. And this must be remembered.

How to Prepare for Confession

Confession before communion is very important. Apply for this request to the priest of the church where you are going to receive the Sacrament. Preparation for communion and confession is a special attitude aimed at correcting one's sins, one's bad behavior and impure thoughts, as well as keeping track of everything that contradicts and violates the Commandments of the Lord. Everything that was found and consciously, and should be confessed. But remember about sincerity, do not turn a conversation with a priest into just a formal enumeration of sins on a list.

So, why is such a serious preparation for confession and communion necessary? One should recognize one's sins in advance in order to know what to tell the priest about. It often happens that a believer comes, but does not know what to say, where to start. You also need to tune in to the fact that the priest is just a guide, the Sacrament of Repentance remains with him and the Lord. Therefore, there is no need to be embarrassed when talking about your sins. This is necessary to cleanse and continue life freely.

Confession before Communion: confession of sins

So, the preparation for confession and communion is over. But the hardest part is yet to come. When you come to confession, open your heart without waiting for the priest's questions. Tell everything that lies like a stone on your soul. It is better to perform this action in the evening, on the eve of the liturgy, although it will not be a mistake to do this in the morning before it.

If you are going to receive communion for the first time, then it is better to confess the day before. This is necessary so that the priest has time to listen to you. If you want to confess in the morning, then choose a day when there are few people. For example, on Sunday there are a lot of parishioners in the temple, so the priest will not be able to listen to you in detail. After confessing sins, one should adhere to the right path and strive with all his might not to commit them in the future, otherwise what was the point in this spiritual conversation?

Communion day. What to do?

On the day of communion, certain rules must be observed. As mentioned above, you need to go to the temple on an empty stomach. If you smoke, then you need to refrain from cigarettes until you accept the Gifts of Christ. In the church, when the moment comes for their removal, you need to approach the altar, but let the children go ahead if they come, since they are the first to receive communion.

You don’t need to be baptized near the Chalice, you just need to bow in advance, crossing your arms over your chest. Before accepting gifts, you need to pronounce your Christian name, and then immediately eat them.

What should be done after a person has received communion?

The rules for preparing for communion also include knowing what to do after the Sacrament has taken place. Kiss the edge of the Bowl and go to the prosphora table to eat a piece. Do not leave the church until you kiss the altar cross, which will be held by the priest.

Also in the temple, prayers of thanksgiving are read, which must be listened to. In extreme cases, you can read them at home on your own. Keep the purity you have received inside your soul. Each time it will happen easier and easier.

What you need to know about the communion of children and the sick

It should be said that small children (up to the age of seven) receive communion without confession. Also, they do not need to prepare the way an adult does (fasting, prayer, repentance). Those babies who have received baptism receive communion on the same day or during the next liturgy that follows their baptism.

Exceptions are also made for patients. They do not need to prepare in the way that healthy people do, but if possible, they should at least confess. But if the patient cannot do this, then the priest reads "I believe, Lord, and I confess." Then he immediately takes communion.

In church practice, those parishioners who have been excommunicated for a while from communion, but are on their deathbed or in danger, are not denied acceptance of the Holy Gifts. However, upon recovery (if so) the ban continues to apply.

Who can't take communion

Preparing for the sacrament for beginners includes knowing and who cannot receive it. This will be discussed below:

• those who have not confessed cannot take communion (the exception is children who are under seven years old);
• parishioners who have been excommunicated from receiving the Holy Mysteries also cannot receive communion;
• those who are insensible;
• parishioners who are insane and possessed if they blaspheme in their fits (if this does not happen, then you can take communion, but this should not happen every day);
• spouses who, on the eve of receiving the Sacraments, had an intimate life;
• women who are menstruating should not receive communion.

A Brief Reminder for Communioners and Confessors

So, now let's summarize all the moments that arise when preparation for confession and communion takes place. The memo will help you not to forget all the steps.

1. Consciousness of sin.
2. Repentance for the perfect, a special state when you have forgiven everyone and do not feel evil.
3. Preparation for confession. Here it is necessary to reconsider what sins can be: in relation to God, relatives, to oneself (smoking, for example), carnal sins, those that relate to the family (infidelity and the like).
4. Correct and sincere, without concealment, confession.
5. Post if needed.
6. Prayers.
7. Communion directly.
8. Further retention of purity and Christ in the body.

Separately, it is necessary to say about how to behave in the temple during communion.

1. Don't be late for Liturgy.
2. You need to cross yourself when opening the royal doors, then fold your hands crosswise. To approach and depart from the Chalice in the same way.
3. Approach from the right side, and the left should be free. Don't push.
4. Communion should take place in turn: bishop, presbyters, deacons, subdeacons, readers, children, adults.
5. Women are required to come to the temple without lipstick.
6. Before accepting the Gifts of Christ, do not forget to give your name.
7. They are not baptized directly in front of the Chalice.
8. It happens that the Holy Gifts are given from two or more Chalices. In this case, one should be chosen, since communion more than once a day is considered a sin.
9. At home, after communion, you need to read thanksgiving prayers if you did not listen to them in the temple.

Now, perhaps, you know all the stages that include communion in the church, preparation for it. It is very important to approach this consciously, with deep faith in the heart. The most important thing is repentance for one's sins, which must be true, and not just in words. But you shouldn't stop there either. It is necessary to reject sin from life as something alien, to understand that it is impossible to live like this, to realize that lightness can come only with purity.

Finally

So, as we see, preparation for communion is a serious stage before the Sacrament itself. All recommendations should be followed in order to come ready to receive the Gifts of Christ. It is necessary to recognize in advance the importance of this moment, and therefore more fervent prayer is required. And the observance of fasting will help to purify the body of the believer, confession to the priest will purify the soul. Conscious preparation for communion and confession will help the parishioner understand that this Sacrament is not at all one of the many rites, but something deeper. This is a special communion with the Lord, as a result of which the life of a Christian changes dramatically.

However, it should be taken into account (this is important primarily for those parishioners who have just set foot on the path of repentance) that it is impossible to fix everything at once. If you have been building up a sinful burden for decades, then you need to get rid of it gradually. And taking the sacrament is the first step on that path.