Is it necessary to take communion before Easter? Important changes: home prayers for Holy Week and preparation for Communion
Each time you will have to resolve this issue individually. There is no consensus in the Church. Some priests do not give communion on Easter, and some, on the contrary, believe that, according to the word of St. John Chrysostom, both the worthy and the unworthy should approach the Chalice. So what's right?
Are you baptized?
Master of Theology, Rector of the Church Life-Giving Trinity in Troitsky-Golenishchev, Archpriest Sergius Pravdolyubov does not give communion on Easter to those whom he sees for the first time before the Chalice: “When I give communion on Easter, I will not give communion to a single stranger. I have no right to give him communion. What if he is not baptized? Where did he confess? You need to know that he is baptized, a believer and fasting. In our parish, approximately 700 people have received communion on Easter for 20 years. I know them all by sight and name, I know their families, their difficulties.” Of course, you can ask such people, strangers to the priest, before the cup: are you baptized, have you confessed? But this is not very convenient for Easter: there are too many communicants. In addition, there are misunderstandings. Father Sergius talks about one of these misunderstandings with a laugh: “Once it turned out that I asked Prince Zurab Chavchavadze whether he had been baptized. I didn’t know his face! It seems to me that he was offended by me for quite a long time.”Long dispute
“According to the recollections of my father, grandfather and great-grandfather, none of the people in the 19th century received communion on Easter. Only the priests are in the altar. This is wrong. – says Father Sergius. — For me personally, the opinion of Father John Krestyankin is a serious reason for receiving communion on Easter. He said that we should take communion once every two weeks. Sick and pregnant women can do it once a week. These are the words of Father John, who was never a modernist.”Senior lecturer at the Department of Practical Theology of PSTGU Ilya Krasovitsky says on this matter: “During the synodal period, church life in Russia largely lost its “Eucharistic” nature, that is, it became detached from the Eucharist. It was believed that the Holiday was one thing, but Communion was something completely different, something very sad, associated with the need to fast, confess, pray a lot and give up entertainment. The majority received communion once a year, and only the very zealous - once every Lent. The whole country lived, one might say, almost without full participation in the Eucharist. And we know how it all ended. The revival of frequent communion is associated with the name of St. John of Kronstadt. He called for communion very often, and all the crowds of thousands that gathered at his service received communion every time.”
Now many fathers judge this differently. Some are in favor of taking communion often and obligatory on Easter, others are against it. But these disputes are not new. In the 18th century, there was an opinion that one should take communion no more than once every forty days. “For what reason do we fast these forty days? In the past, many approached the Mysteries simply as it happened. And this happened mainly at the time when Christ gave us this Sacrament. The Holy Fathers, realizing the harm that comes from careless Communion, gathered together and determined forty days of fasting, prayer, listening to the Scriptures and attending church, so that on these days we all, having been cleansed through diligence, and prayers, and almsgiving, and fasting, and all-night vigils, and tears, and confession, and all other virtues, as far as it is in our power, thus with clear conscience proceeded to the Sacrament,” these words of St. John Chrysostom are cited by supporters of rare communion, and they are quoted in their “Most soulful Book on the Continuous Communion of Saints Mysteries of Christ» Saint Nicodemus the Holy Mountain. In response, he proposes not to take patristic quotations out of context, but to think about what will happen if the supporters of the “forty days” themselves begin to fulfill these words exactly: “Therefore, they should not only say what Chrysostom says about the definition of forty days by the divine fathers, in which we, while fasting, receive communion, but we should consider both what precedes these words and what follows them, and what this word leads to divine father, and for what reason and to whom his conversation is addressed. Those who object to us assert and prove that the divine Chrysostom limited the use of Divine Communion only to the day of Easter. If these defenders of the forty-day period want to justify this, then they must, in accordance with their opinion, either take communion only once a year, that is, on the holiday of Easter, and become like those to whom Chrysostom then spoke, or must perform ten Great Lents a year - so many , how many times do they take communion.”
It is unlikely that the practice of rare communion can be substantiated by the words of St. John Chrysostom, because it is known that as a shepherd he himself was upset when he saw that his parishioners, his flock rarely received communion. In his sermons, John Chrysostom complains about those parishioners who listen to the sermon and immediately after that go home without waiting for Communion. At the same time, his creations prove that the trend towards rare communion arose not at all in Russia XVIII century, and in Byzantium in the 4th century.
On Svetlaya
If there is no consensus in the Church about communion on Easter, then everything is even more confused about frequent communion on Bright Week. After all, before communion you need to prepare. How to prepare if everyone eats everything, celebrates and prayers are kept to a minimum?Father Sergius believes that one should not receive communion often on Bright Week: “You cannot mechanically transfer early Christianity for the 21st century. After all, even the clergy, who take communion every time they serve, suffer from this. One must have such spiritual trepidation and fear of God not to get used to receiving the Sacrament, and a layman can even get used to it: he simply does not have enough time, opportunity and mental strength to constantly realize what Communion is. And it will turn out according to the Apostle Paul: as a judgment I will drink for myself, without judgment, the Body and Blood of our Lord. And many of them get sick, and many die. This is a very serious thing and there is no need to take such risks. Only saints can live like this, but even schema-monks do not receive communion every day. What are we, worldly people? Moreover, there is no normal training there cannot be communion on Bright Week. And it is difficult for young people to follow the rule of abstinence from married life on Bright Week.”
“These issues must be resolved by each person separately with the priest to whom he comes. What is not possible for one person may be possible for another. In our prayer books and canons, which we usually read in preparation for communion, it is indicated that on the days Holy Week instead of the three canons, the canon of Easter must be read. This means that such a practice is provided for by the Church, says the head of the department of pastoral and moral theology PSTGU, priest Pavel Khondzinsky. – Historically, fasting and communion, apparently, became so inseparable from each other due to the fact that, according to tradition, communion had to be preceded by long period preparation for it. And since this tradition is quite ancient, we have no reason to say that in the 16th century they took communion more often than in the 19th century. But to 19th century, or rather after the reforms of Peter, the life of the Church changed significantly, and then the understanding gradually arose that frequent communion is necessary for Christians in these new conditions more than anything else. At the same time, according to the priest. Sergius Mechev, even such a consistent supporter of frequent communion as his father, St. Alexey Mechev believed that everyone here should have their own norm, determined by their confessor. Of course, receiving communion on Easter is wonderful. In any case, there are no special obstacles to this, and it is possible not to give communion to a person on this day only for the same reasons for which he cannot be given communion on any other day church year- that is, if he has grave sins, for which he is not ready to bring active repentance."
Irina SECHINA
The question of Communion of the laity throughout the year and especially on Easter, Bright Week and during the period of Pentecost seems controversial to many. If no one doubts that on the day of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ on Holy Thursday we all receive communion, then there is information about Communion on Easter different points vision. Supporters and opponents find confirmation of their arguments in various fathers and teachers of the Church, and indicate their pros and cons.
Practice of the Communion of Saints Christ's Mysteries in the fifteen Local Orthodox Churches changes in time and space. The fact is that this practice is not an article of faith. Opinions of individual Church fathers and teachers different countries and eras are perceived as theologomene, that is, as a private point of view, therefore, at the level of individual parishes, communities and monasteries, a lot depends on the specific abbot, abbot or confessor. There are also direct resolutions of the Ecumenical Councils on this subject.
During fasting, no questions arise: we all receive communion, purely preparing ourselves through fasting, prayer, and acts of repentance; that’s why we tithe the yearly circle of time - Lent. But how to receive communion on Holy Week and during the period of Pentecost?
Let's turn to practice ancient Church. “They continued constantly in the teaching of the Apostles, in fellowship and in the breaking of bread and in prayer” (Acts 2:42), that is, they constantly received communion. And the entire book of Acts says that the first Christians of the apostolic age received communion constantly. Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ was for them a symbol of life in Christ and an essential moment of salvation, the most important thing in this fast-flowing life. Communion was everything to them. This is what the Apostle Paul says: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). Constantly partaking of the Holy Body and Blood, Christians of the early centuries were ready both to live in Christ and to die for the sake of Christ, as evidenced by acts of martyrdom.
Naturally, all Christians gathered around the common Eucharistic Cup on Easter. But it should be noted that at first there was no fasting before Communion at all; first there was a common meal, prayer, and sermon. We read about this in the letters of the Apostle Paul and in Acts.
The Four Gospels do not regulate sacramental discipline. The evangelical weather forecasters talk not only about the Eucharist celebrated at the Last Supper in the Upper Room of Zion, but also about those events that were prototypes of the Eucharist. On the way to Emmaus, on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, during a miraculous catch of fish... In particular, when multiplying the loaves, Jesus says: “But I do not want to send them away without eating, lest they weaken on the way” (Matthew 15:32). Which road? Not only leading home, but also on life path. I don’t want to leave them without Communion - that’s what the Savior’s words are about. We sometimes think: “This person is not pure enough, he cannot receive communion.” But it is to him, according to the Gospel, that the Lord offers Himself in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, so that this person does not weaken on the road. We need the Body and Blood of Christ. Without this we will be much worse off.
Evangelist Mark, speaking about the multiplication of the loaves, emphasized that Jesus, when he came out, saw a multitude of people and took pity (Mark 6:34). The Lord took pity on us because we were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus, multiplying the loaves, acts like a good shepherd, giving his life for the sheep. And the Apostle Paul reminds us that every time we eat the Eucharistic Bread, we proclaim the death of the Lord (1 Cor. 11:26). It was the 10th chapter of the Gospel of John, the chapter about the good shepherd, that was the ancient Easter reading when everyone received communion in the temple. But the Gospel does not say how often one should receive communion.
Fast requirements appeared only from the 4th–5th centuries. Modern church practice is based on Church Tradition.
What is Communion? A reward for good behavior, for fasting or praying? No. Communion is That Body, that Blood of the Lord, without Which you, if you perish, you will perish completely.
Basil the Great responds in one of his letters to a woman named Caesarea Patricia: “It is good and beneficial to commune every day and partake of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ, since [the Lord] Himself clearly says: “He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood, has eternal life." Who doubts that to continually partake of life is nothing other than to live diversified?” (that is, to live with all mental and physical forces and feelings). Thus, Basil the Great, to whom we often attribute many penances excommunicating from Communion for sins, very highly valued worthy Communion every day.
John Chrysostom also allowed frequent Communion, especially on Easter and Bright Week. He writes that we should constantly resort to the Sacrament of the Eucharist, receive communion with due preparation, and then we can enjoy what we desire. After all, the true Easter and the true holiday of the soul is Christ, Who is sacrificed in the Sacrament. Lent, that is, Lent, occurs once a year, and Easter three times a week, when you receive communion. And sometimes four, or rather, as many times as we want, for Easter is not fasting, but Communion. Preparation does not consist in reading three canons for a week or forty days of fasting, but in cleansing the conscience.
The prudent thief needed a few seconds on the cross to clear his conscience, recognize the Crucified Messiah and be the first to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. For some, it takes a year or more, sometimes their whole life, like Mary of Egypt, to partake of the Most Pure Body and Blood. If the heart requires Communion, then it should receive Communion both on Holy Thursday and on Holy Saturday, which this year falls on the Annunciation, and on Easter. One confession the day before is enough, unless the person has committed a sin that needs to be confessed.
“Whom should we praise,” says John Chrysostom, “those who receive communion once a year, those who receive communion often, or those who rarely? No, let us praise those who approach with a clear conscience, a pure heart, and an impeccable life.”
And confirmation that Communion is possible on Bright Week is in all the most ancient anaphoras. In the prayer before Communion it is said: “Grant by Thy sovereign hand to give us Thy Most Pure Body and Honest Blood, and to us to all people.” We also read these words at the Easter Liturgy of John Chrysostom, which testifies to the general Communion of the laity. After Communion, the priest and people thank God for this great grace with which they are awarded.
The issue of sacramental discipline became controversial only in the Middle Ages. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the Greek Church experienced a deep decline in theological education. From 2nd half of the XVIII century, the revival of spiritual life in Greece begins.
The question of when and how often one should take communion was raised by the so-called Kolivadas, monks from Mount Athos. They received their nickname due to their opposition to performing a memorial service over the koliv on Sundays. Now, 250 years later, when the first Kolyvads, such as Macarius of Corinth, Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain, Athanasius of Paria, became glorified saints, this nickname sounds very worthy. “The memorial service,” they said, “distorts the joyful character of Sunday, on which Christians should receive communion, and not remember the dead.” The dispute over the koliva lasted for more than 60 years, many kolivads suffered severe persecution, some were removed from Mount Athos and deprived of the priesthood. However, this dispute served as the beginning of a theological discussion on Mount Athos. The Kolivadas were universally recognized as traditionalists, and the actions of their opponents looked like attempts to adapt the Tradition of the Church to the needs of the time. They, for example, argued that only clergy could receive communion on Bright Week. It is noteworthy that Saint John of Kronstadt, also a protector frequent Communion, wrote that the priest who takes communion on Easter and Bright Week alone, and does not give communion to his parishioners, is like a shepherd who shepherds only himself.
You should not refer to some Greek books of hours, which indicate that Christians should receive communion 3 times a year. A similar prescription migrated to Russia, and until the beginning of the twentieth century, communion was rarely received in our country, mainly during Lent, sometimes on Angel’s Day, but no more than 5 times a year. However, this instruction in Greece was related to the penances imposed, and not to the prohibition of frequent Communion.
If you want to receive Communion on Bright Week, you need to understand that worthy Communion is connected with the condition of the heart, not the stomach. Fasting is a preparation, but by no means a condition that can interfere with Communion. The main thing is that the heart is cleansed. And then you can take communion on Bright Week, trying not to overeat the day before and abstain from fast food for at least one day.
Nowadays, many sick people are prohibited from fasting at all, and people who suffer from diabetes are allowed to eat even before Communion, not to mention those who vitally need to take medicine in the morning. The essential condition of fasting is life in Christ. When a person wants to receive Communion, let him know that no matter how he prepares, he is not worthy of Communion, but the Lord wants, desires and gives Himself as a Sacrifice, so that the person becomes a partaker of the Divine nature, so that he is converted and saved.
Communion is one of the main and obligatory rites for every Orthodox Christian. Its other name is Eucharist, and if translated from Greek, this word means “thanksgiving.” Its deepest essence lies in the communion of a person with God, union with him spiritually and physically: having drunk wine and tasted bread, a Christian seems to taste the very blood and body of Christ. This is a demonstration of readiness to accept the Lord with all your soul. But in order to confirm the sincerity of his intentions, a layman must undergo purification by fasting and prayers of repentance. The practice of preparing for the sacrament on Bright Week constitutes a special case.
The Charter of the Orthodox Church before the Eucharist prescribes the fulfillment of certain rules, which include:
- observing spiritual and physical fasting in within three days;
- reconciliation with those who offended and asking for forgiveness from the offended;
- abstaining from slander and condemnation;
- attending the evening service on the eve of the Eucharist;
- repentance of sins and receiving a blessing from the priest for communion;
- reading the prayer rule for communion;
- observing the Eucharistic fast (not eating or drinking after midnight).
Until recently, there was controversy surrounding the issue of communion with the holy sacraments on Bright Week. Different parishes had different practices, based mainly on the thesis that without repentance there is no communion. Easter fills the soul of every believer with rejoicing, and the sacrament of the Eucharist is always associated with confession of committed sins. According to established tradition, repentance and a joyful mood on the day of the Resurrection of the Lord were considered incompatible.
The document “On the Participation of the Faithful in the Eucharist,” approved by the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, defines the believer’s need to receive the holy gifts as a special spiritual and moral state, the desire to unite with the Savior, forming one body with him. In this way, all apparent contradictions between the content of the great holiday and the essence of communion on Easter week are eliminated.
The same document also stipulates some aspects of the rite of communion in Easter period. Bearing in mind that the church charter does not provide for fasting during Bright Week, and the day of Easter itself was preceded by the seven-week feat of Great Lent. Christians who observe it can begin to receive communion, limiting themselves only to the Eucharistic fast.
A blessing by a confessor of a lay person for the communion of the holy gifts can occur without confession, except in those cases when the communicant himself experiences a special need for it.
How to prepare for communion on Bright Week
Every Christian believer should know how it goes Easter follow-up to Holy Communion. Prayerful preparation for the Eucharist in ordinary days includes morning and evening prayer rules, following the holy communion, as well as canons.
Those who wish to receive communion should
wives lead these prayers privately and in church. During Bright Week, the order of prayer preparation changes, so you should know what to read before communion on Easter week. On the day of Bright Resurrection, the communion canons of the usual sequence are replaced by the Easter canon before communion . This is the central chant of the festive matins, the main idea of which is associated with the Resurrection of Christ.
The souls of believers should be filled with bright, enthusiastic feelings, therefore the church charter replaces repentance prayers Easter Canon for Holy Communion. Another feature of the sacrament celebrated on Bright Week is that the passage to Holy Communion is read without psalms, and the morning and evening rules replaced by the Holy Easter clock.
The prayers of thanksgiving for the Eucharist remain unshakable and must be read at the end of the service. After the completion of the sacrament, it is necessary to maintain spiritual purity in order to preserve in thoughts the grace of the most important holiday - Easter.
Fasting and prayers before Communion
Until this year, I had confessed and received communion only once in my life, in adolescence. I recently decided to take communion again, but forgot about fasting, prayers, confession... What should I do now?
According to the canons of the Church, before communion it is obligatory to abstain from intimate life and communion on an empty stomach. All the canons, prayers, fasting are simply means to tune yourself into prayer, repentance and the desire to improve. Even confession, strictly speaking, is not obligatory before communion, but this is the case if a person regularly confesses to one priest, if he has no canonical obstacles to communion (abortion, murder, going to fortune-tellers and psychics...) and there is the blessing of the confessor is not always necessary to confess before communion (for example, Bright Week). So in your case, nothing particularly terrible happened, and in the future you can use all these means of preparing for communion.
How long should you fast before communion?
Strictly speaking, the Typicon (rule) states that those wishing to receive communion must fast for a week. But, firstly, this is a monastic charter, and the “Book of Rules” (canons) contains only two necessary conditions for those wishing to receive communion: 1) the absence of intimate marital relations (not to mention fornication) on the eve of communion; 2) the sacrament must be taken on an empty stomach. Thus, it turns out that fasting before communion, reading canons and prayers, and confession are recommended for those preparing for communion to more fully induce a repentant mood. Nowadays, at round tables, dedicated to the topic communion, the priests came to the conclusion that if a person observes all four major fasts during the year, fasting on Wednesday and Friday (and this time takes at least six months a year), then for such a person the Eucharistic fast is sufficient, i.e., receiving communion on an empty stomach . But if a person has not gone to church for 10 years and has decided to take communion, then he will need a completely different format for preparing for communion. All these nuances must be agreed upon with your confessor.
Can I continue to prepare for communion if I had to break my fast on Friday: I was asked to remember a person and was given non-fast food?
You can say this in confession, but this should not serve as an obstacle to receiving communion. For breaking the fast was forced and in this situation justified.Why are kakons written in Church Slavonic? After all, they are so difficult to read. My husband doesn't understand anything he reads and gets angry. Maybe I should read it out loud?
It is customary in the Church to hold services on Church Slavonic language. We pray in the same language at home. This is not Russian, not Ukrainian or any other. This is the language of the Church. There are no obscenities or swear words in this language, and in fact, you can learn to understand it in just a few days. After all, he has Slavic roots. This is to the question of why we use this particular language. If your husband is more comfortable listening when you read, you can do that. The main thing is that he listens carefully. I advise you to free time sit down and analyze the text with a Church Slavonic dictionary to better understand the meaning of the prayers.
My husband believes in God, but somehow in his own way. He believes that it is not necessary to read prayers before confession and communion; it is enough to recognize your sins and repent. Isn't this a sin?
If a person considers himself so perfect, almost a saint, that he does not need any help in preparing for communion, and prayers are such help, then let him take communion. But he remembers the words of the Holy Fathers that we then receive communion with dignity when we consider ourselves unworthy. And if a person denies the need for prayers before communion, it turns out that he already considers himself worthy. Let your husband think about all this and with heartfelt attention, reading prayers for communion, prepare to receive the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
Is it possible to attend an evening service in one church and attend communion in the morning in another?
There are no canonical prohibitions against such practices.
Is it possible to read the canons and the order of communion during the week?
It is better to carefully, pondering the meaning of what is being read, so that it is truly a prayer, distribute the recommended rule for communion over a week, starting with the canons and ending with prayers for communion on the eve of receiving the Mysteries of Christ, than to read it thoughtlessly in one day.
How to fast and prepare for communion while living in a 1-room apartment with non-believers?
The Holy Fathers teach that you can live in the desert, but have a noisy city in your heart. Or you can live in a noisy city, but there will be peace and quiet in your heart. So, if we want to pray, we will pray in any conditions. People prayed in sinking ships and in trenches under bombing, and this was the most pleasing to God prayer. He who searches finds opportunities.
Children's Communion
When to give communion to a baby?
If the Blood of Christ is left in a special Chalice in churches, then such babies can be given Holy Communion at any moment, at any time, as long as there is a priest. This is especially practiced in big cities. If there is no such practice, then the child can be given communion only when the liturgy is celebrated in the church, as a rule, on Sundays and on major holidays. With babies you can come to the end of the service and give him communion in general procedure. If you bring babies to the beginning of the service, they will begin to cry and thereby interfere with the prayer of the rest of the believers, who will grumble and be indignant at their unreasonable parents. Small amounts of drinking water can be given to a baby of any age. Antidor, prosphora is given when the child is able to consume it. As a rule, infants are not given communion on an empty stomach until they are 3-4 years old, and then they are taught to take communion on an empty stomach. But if a 5-6 year old child, out of forgetfulness, drank or ate something, then he can also be given communion.
The daughter has been receiving the Body and Blood of Christ since she was one year old. Now she is almost three, we have moved, and in the new temple the priest gives her only Blood. In response to my request to give her a piece, he made a remark about the lack of humility. Resign yourself?
At the level of custom, indeed, in our Church, infants under 7 years of age receive communion only with the Blood of Christ. But if a child is taught to receive communion from the very cradle, the priest, seeing the adequacy of the baby when he grows up, can already give the Body of Christ. But you need to be very careful and control so that the child does not spit out a particle. Usually, full Communion is given to infants when the priest and the baby get used to each other, and the priest is confident that the child will fully consume Communion. Try to talk with the priest once on this topic, motivating your request by the fact that the child is already accustomed to receiving both the Body and Blood of Christ, and then humbly accept any reaction from the priest.
What to do with clothes that a child has burped on after communion?
Part of the clothing on which the sacrament came into contact is cut out and burned. We patch the hole with some kind of decorative patch.
My daughter is seven years old and will have to confess before communion. How can I prepare her for this? What prayers should she read before communion, what should she do with the three-day fast?
The main rule in preparing for the reception of the Holy Sacraments in relation to young children can be concluded in two words: do no harm. Therefore, parents, especially the mother, must explain to the child why to confess and for what purpose to receive communion. And the prescribed prayers and canons should be read gradually, not immediately, perhaps even with the child. Start with one prayer, so that the child does not overwork, so that this does not become a burden to him, so that this coercion does not push him away. In the same way, with regard to fasting, limit both the time and the list of prohibited foods, for example, give up only meat. In general, first the mother needs to understand the meaning of the preparation, and then, without fanaticism, gradually teach her child step by step.
The child has been prescribed a course of vaccinations against rabies. He cannot drink alcohol for a whole year. What to do with the sacrament?
Believing that the sacrament is the most the best medicine in the universe, when we approach it, we forget about all restrictions. And according to our faith we will heal both soul and body.
The child was prescribed a gluten-free diet (no bread allowed). I understand that we eat the Blood and Body of Christ, but the physical characteristics of the products remain wine and bread. Is Communion possible without partaking of the Body? What does wine contain?
Once again I repeat that communion is the best medicine in the world. But, given the age of your child, you can, of course, ask that he be communed only with the Blood of Christ. The wine used for communion may be real wine, made from grapes with added sugar for strength, or it may be a wine product made from grapes with added ethyl alcohol. You can ask the priest what kind of wine is used in the church where you receive communion.
Every Sunday they gave the child communion, but the last time, when approaching the Chalice, he began to have a terrible hysteria. The next time, in another temple, everything happened again. I'm desperate.
In order not to aggravate negative reaction child for communion, you can try just going into the church without receiving communion. You can try to introduce the child to the priest, so that this communication will smooth out the child’s fear, and over time he will again begin to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ.
Communion on Easter, Bright Week, and last weeks
Is it necessary to observe a three-day fast, read the canons and follow in order to receive communion on Bright Week?
Starting from the night liturgy and throughout all the days of Bright Week, communion is not only permitted, but also commanded by the 66th rule of the sixth Ecumenical Council. Preparation these days consists of reading the Easter Canon and going to Holy Communion. Starting from the week of Antipascha, preparations for communion are made as throughout the whole year (three canons and succession).
How to prepare for communion during continuous weeks?
The Church, like a loving mother, takes care not only of our soul, but also of our body. Therefore, on the eve of, for example, the rather difficult Lent, it gives us some relief in food through a continuous week. But this does not mean that we are forced to eat more fast food these days. That is, we have a right, but not an obligation. So, prepare as you wish for communion. But remember the main thing: first of all, we prepare our soul and heart, cleansing them with repentance, prayer, reconciliation, and the stomach comes last.
I heard that one can receive communion on Easter, even if one has not fasted. Is this true?
Some kind of special rule There is no permission to receive communion specifically on Easter without fasting and without preparation. The answer to this question must be given by the priest after direct communication with the person.
I want to take communion on Easter, but I ate soup with non-Lenten broth. Now I'm afraid that I can't receive communion. What do you think?
Remembering the words of John Chrysostom, which are read in Easter night, that those who fast do not condemn those who do not fast, but we all rejoice, you can boldly approach the sacrament of communion on Easter night, deeply and sincerely realizing your unworthiness. And most importantly, bring to God not the contents of your stomach, but the contents of your heart. And for the future, of course, we must strive to fulfill the commandments of the Church, including fasting.
During communion, the priest in our church scolded me for not coming to communion on the days of fasting, but coming on Easter. What is the difference between communion at Easter service and “ordinary” Sunday?
You need to ask your father about this. For even the canons of the Church welcome communion not only on Easter, but throughout Holy Week. No priest has the right to prohibit a person from receiving communion at any liturgy, if there are no canonical obstacles to doing so.
Communion of the elderly and sick people, pregnant and nursing mothers
How to properly approach communion for the elderly at home?
It is advisable to invite a priest to visit sick people at least during Lent. It wouldn't hurt to add it to other posts either. Mandatory during an exacerbation of the disease, especially if it is clear that things are heading towards death, without waiting for the patient to fall into unconsciousness, his swallowing reflex disappears or vomiting. He must be of sound mind and memory.
My mother-in-law recently fell ill. I suggested inviting the priest home for confession and communion. Something was stopping her. Now she is not always conscious. Please advise what to do.
The Church accepts a person’s conscious choice without forcing his will. If a person, being in memory, wanted to begin the sacraments of the Church, but for some reason did not do this, then in case of clouding of his mind, remembering his desire and consent, it is still possible to make such a compromise as communion and unction (this is how we give communion infants or the insane). But if a person, being of sound consciousness, did not want to accept the sacraments of the church, then even in the event of loss of consciousness, the Church does not force the choice of this person and cannot give him communion or unction. Alas, it is his choice. Similar cases are considered by the confessor, directly communicating with the patient and his relatives, after which the final decision is made. In general, of course, it is best to clarify your relationship with God in a conscious and adequate state.
I am diabetic. Can I take communion if I took a pill and ate in the morning?
In principle, it is possible, but if you wish, you can limit yourself to a pill and take communion at the first services, which end early in the morning. Then eat to your health. If you absolutely cannot go without food for health reasons, then discuss this in confession and take communion.
I have a thyroid disease, I can’t go to church without drinking water and having a snack. If I go on an empty stomach, it will become bad. I live in the provinces, the priests are strict. It turns out I can’t take communion?
If required by medical indicators, there are no prohibitions. In the end, the Lord looks not into the stomach, but into the heart of a person, and any competent, sane priest should understand this perfectly.
For several weeks now I have not been able to take communion due to bleeding. What to do?
This period can no longer be called normal female cycle. Therefore it is already a disease. And there are women who experience similar phenomena for months. Moreover, not necessarily for this reason, but for some other reason, during such a phenomenon the death of a woman may occur. Therefore, even the rule of Timothy of Alexandria, prohibiting a woman from receiving communion during “ Women's Day”, however, for the sake of mortal fear (threat to life) the sacrament is allowed. There is an episode in the Gospel when a woman suffering from bleeding for 12 years, wanting healing, touched the robe of Christ. The Lord did not condemn her, but on the contrary, she received recovery. Considering all of the above, a wise confessor will bless you to receive communion. It is quite possible that after such Medicine your bodily ailment will be healed.
Is preparation for confession and communion different for pregnant women?
For military personnel participating in hostilities, their service life is considered to be three years. And during the Great Patriotic War V Soviet army soldiers were even given 100 grams at the front, although in peacetime vodka and the army were incompatible. For a pregnant woman, the time of bearing a child is also “ wartime“, and the Holy Fathers understood this very well when they allowed relaxation in fasting and prayer for pregnant and lactating women. Pregnant women can also be compared to sick women - toxicosis, etc. And the rules of the church (29th rule of the holy apostles) for the sick also allow a relaxation of fasting, up to its complete abolition. In general, each pregnant woman, according to her conscience, based on her state of health, determines the extent of fasting and prayer. I would recommend taking communion as often as possible during pregnancy. Prayer Rule Communion can also be done while sitting. You can also sit in the church; you can come before the beginning of the service.
General questions about the sacrament
In recent years, after Sunday liturgy, I have started to have severe headaches, especially on communion days. What could this be connected with?
Similar cases in various variations occur quite often. Look at all this as a temptation in a good deed and, naturally, continue to go to church for services without succumbing to these temptations.
How often can you receive communion? Is it necessary to read all the canons before communion, fast and confess?
The purpose of the Divine Liturgy is the communion of believers, that is, bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ so that they can be eaten by people, and not just by the serving priest. In ancient times, a person who was at the liturgy and did not take communion was then obliged to give an explanation to the priest why he did not do so. At the end of each liturgy, the priest, appearing at the Royal Doors with the Chalice, says: “Approach with the fear of God and faith.” If a person receives communion once a year, then he needs a preliminary week-long fast in food, and canons with prayers, and if a person observes all four major fasts, fasting every Wednesday and Friday, then he can receive communion without additional fasting, fasting the so-called Eucharistic fast , i.e., take communion on an empty stomach. As for the rule for communion, we must realize that it is given in order to evoke repentant feelings in us. If we often take communion and we have this feeling of repentance and it is difficult for us to read the rule before each communion, then we can omit the canons, but it is advisable to still read the prayers for communion. At the same time, we must remember the words of St. Ephraim the Syrian: “I am afraid to receive communion, realizing my unworthiness, but even more so - to be left without communion.”
Is it possible to receive communion on Sunday if you did not attend the all-night vigil on Saturday because of obedience to your parents? Is it a sin not to go to church on Sunday if your family needs help?
The best answer to such a question will be given by a person’s conscience: was there really no other way out not to go to service, or is this an excuse to skip prayer on Sunday? In general, of course, Orthodox person It is advisable, according to God’s commandment, to be at divine services every Sunday. Before Sunday, it is generally advisable to be at the Saturday evening service, and especially before communion. But if for some reason it was not possible to be at the service, and your soul longs for communion, then, realizing your unworthiness, with the blessing of your confessor you can take communion.
Is it possible to take communion on a weekday, that is, after communion, go to work?
You can, at the same time, protect the purity of your heart as much as possible.
How many days after communion do you not make bows or bows to the ground?
If the liturgical charter (during Lent) prescribes prostrations, then starting from the evening service they can and should be placed. And if the charter does not provide for bows, then on the day of communion only bows from the waist are performed.
I want to take communion, but my father’s anniversary falls on the day of communion. How to congratulate your father without offending him?
For the sake of peace and love, you can congratulate your father, but do not stay long at the holiday, so as not to “spill” the grace of the sacrament.
Father refused to give me communion because I had makeup on my eyes. Is he right?
Probably, the priest considered that you are already a mature enough Christian to realize that they go to church not to emphasize the beauty of their body, but to heal the soul. But if a beginner has come, then under such a pretext it is impossible to deprive him of communion, so as not to scare him away from the Church forever.
Is it possible, by taking communion, to receive a blessing from God for some matter? A successful job interview, IVF procedure...
People take communion for the healing of soul and body, expecting through communion to receive some kind of help and God's blessing in good deeds. And IVF, according to church teaching, is sinful and unacceptable. Therefore, you can take communion, but this does not mean at all that this communion will help in the unpleasing task you have planned. Communion cannot automatically guarantee that our requests will be fulfilled. But if we generally try to lead a Christian lifestyle, then, of course, the Lord will help us, including in earthly matters.
My husband and I go to confession and communion in different churches. How important is it for spouses to receive communion from the same Chalice?
No matter in which Orthodox canonical church we receive communion, all the same, by and large, we all receive communion from the same Chalice, consuming the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. It follows from this that it does not matter at all whether spouses receive communion in the same church or in different ones, for the Body and Blood of the Savior are the same everywhere.
Prohibitions for communion
Can I go to communion without reconciliation, for which I have neither the strength nor the desire?
In the prayers before communion there is a kind of announcement: “Although, O man, the Lord’s Body, first reconcile you to those who have grieved you.” That is, without reconciliation, a priest cannot allow a person to receive communion, and if a person decides to arbitrarily receive communion, then receiving communion will be his own condemnation.
Is it possible to receive communion after desecration?
You can’t, you are only allowed to taste the prosphora.
Can I receive communion if I live in an unmarried civil marriage and confessed my sins on the eve of communion? I intend to continue such a relationship, I’m afraid, otherwise my beloved will not understand me.
It is important for a believer to be understood by God. But God will not understand us, seeing that people’s opinions are more important to us. God wrote to us that fornicators will not inherit the Kingdom of God, and according to the canons of the Church, such a sin excludes a person from communion for many years, even if he reforms. And the cohabitation of a man and a woman without registration in the registry office is called fornication, this is not a marriage. People who live in such “marriages” and take advantage of the condescension and kindness of their confessor actually expose them very much to God, because the priest has to take on their sin if he allows them to receive communion. Unfortunately, such a disorderly sex life has become the norm of our time, and shepherds no longer know where to go, what to do with such flocks. Therefore, have pity on your priests (this is an appeal to all such prodigal cohabitants) and legitimize your relationship at least in the registry office, and if you are mature, then receive a blessing for marriage through the sacrament of wedding. You need to make a choice what is more important to you: the eternal fate of your soul or temporary bodily consolations. After all, even confession without the intention to improve in advance is hypocritical and resembles going to the hospital without the desire to be treated. Let your confessor decide whether to admit you to communion or not.
The priest imposed penance on me and excommunicated me from communion for three months because I had an affair with a man. Can I confess to another priest and receive communion with his permission?
For fornication (intimacy outside of marriage), according to the rules of the Church, a person can be excommunicated from communion not for three months, but for several years. You do not have the right to cancel the imposed penance from another priest.
My aunt read her fortune on a nut and then confessed. The priest forbade her to receive communion for three years! What should she do?
According to the canons of the Church for similar actions(in fact, occultism) a person is excommunicated from communion for several years. So everything that the priest you mentioned did was within the scope of his competence. But, seeing sincere repentance and a desire not to repeat anything like that again, he has the right to reduce the period of penance (punishment).
I have not yet completely gotten rid of my sympathy for Baptistism, but I want to go to confession and receive communion. Or should I wait until I am completely confident in the truth of Orthodoxy?
Anyone who doubts the truth of Orthodoxy cannot begin the sacraments. So try to be completely established. For the Gospel says that “it will be given to you according to your faith,” and not according to formal participation in the sacraments and rites of the church.
Communion and other sacraments of the Church
I was invited to be the child's godmother. How long before baptism should I take communion?
These are not related sacraments. In principle, you should receive communion constantly. And before baptism, think more about how to be a worthy godmother who cares about Orthodox education baptized
Is it necessary to confess and receive communion before unction?
In principle, these are unrelated sacraments. But since it is believed that in unction, forgotten and unconscious sins that are the cause of human illnesses are forgiven, there is a tradition that requires us to repent of those sins that we remember and know, and then collect unction.
Superstitions about the sacrament of communion
Is it possible to eat meat on the day of communion?
A person, when going to see a doctor, takes a shower, changes his underwear... Like this Orthodox Christian When preparing for communion, you fast, read the rules, come to Divine services more often, and after communion, if it is not a fast day, you can eat any food, including meat.
I heard that on the day of communion you should not spit anything out or kiss anyone.
On the day of communion, any person eats food and does it with a spoon. That is, in fact, and, oddly enough, by licking the spoon many times while eating, a person does not eat it with food :). Many people are afraid to kiss the cross or icons after communion, but they “kiss” the spoon. I think you already understand that all the actions that you mentioned can be performed after drinking the sacrament.
Recently, in one of the churches, before communion, the priest instructed those confessing: “Do not dare to approach communion for those who brushed their teeth or chewed gum this morning.”
I also brush my teeth before service. And you really don’t need to chew gum. When we brush our teeth, we take care not only of ourselves, but also that those around us do not smell an unpleasant odor from our breath.
I always approach communion with a bag. The temple worker told her to leave her. I got irritated, left my bag and took communion in a state of anger. Is it possible to approach the Chalice with a bag?
Probably the demon sent that grandmother. After all, the Lord does not care what we have in our hands when we approach the Holy Chalice, for He looks into a person’s heart. But, nevertheless, there was no need to be angry. Repent of this in confession.
Is it possible to contract any disease after taking communion? In the temple where I went, it was required not to lick the spoon; the priest himself threw the particle into his wide open mouth. At another church they corrected me that I was taking the sacrament incorrectly. But this is very dangerous!
At the end of the service, the priest or deacon consumes (eats) the remaining communion in the Chalice. And this despite the fact that in the absolute majority of cases (about what you wrote, this is the first time I’ve ever heard of a priest “loading” the sacrament into his mouth, like an excavator), people take communion by taking the sacrament with their lips and touching the spoon. I myself have been using the remaining Gifts for more than 30 years, and neither I nor any of the other priests have ever infectious diseases after that there was no pain. When going to the Chalice, we must understand that this is a Sacrament, and not an ordinary plate of food from which many people eat. Communion is not ordinary food, it is the Body and Blood of Christ, which in fact initially cannot be sources of infection, just as icons and holy relics cannot be the same source.
My relative says that communion on the day of the feast of St. Sergius of Radonezh is equal to 40 sacraments. Can the Sacrament of Communion be stronger on one day than on another?
Communion for any Divine Liturgy has the same force and meaning. And there can be no arithmetic in this matter. He who receives the Mysteries of Christ must always be equally aware of his unworthiness and be grateful to God, who allows him to receive communion.
Holy Easter of Christ is the greatest holiday in the life of any Christian. It is not surprising that, for some time, it changes our entire way of life. In particular, the home prayers of Bright Week differ from the usual ones. The order of preparation of a layman for Communion is changing. From the evening of the first Saturday after Easter until the feast of Trinity, some of the usual elements of morning and evening prayers also change.
So, let's look at how the home prayers of Bright Week are changing and how they differ from those we are used to. I admit that my page can be read by people who are just joining the church, and I will start with a small introduction.
One of important points church life A Christian is the daily home (so-called “cell”) reading of morning and evening prayers. This can be compared to " good morning" And " Good night”, which loving children say to their parents in the morning and when going to bed. Morning and evening prayers are a set of prayers composed by various saints, which the Church recommends as containing the most necessary for every Orthodox doxology and petition to God, the Mother of God and the saints for the day and the coming night.
From the Feast of Easter to the Feast of the Trinity, home prayers are modified in order to express respect for the holy holiday during Bright Week and then to show the believers' understanding of the main biblical events that followed it.
The most important change a believer needs to know is: all the days Easter week(Bright Week) - the first week after the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ, until Saturday morning inclusive, - evening and morning prayers can't read at home. Instead, the Easter Hours are sung or read. They can be found in large prayer books and canonical prayer books.
Also, any other home prayers of Bright Week - canons, akathists, etc. must be preceded by three readings of the Easter troparion:
“Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and giving life to those in the tombs.”
Preparation for Communion on Bright Week
If a Christian spent Great Lent in abstinence and prayer, then on Bright Week he can begin Communion on an empty stomach (that is, without taking food or water since midnight), but without fasting the day before. Of course, a reservation should be made that before Communion and break the fast Breaking the fast- permission, at the end of fasting, to eat fasting food that is prohibited during fasting it is necessary in moderation, without overeating and without indulging in drunkenness or smoking tobacco.
The home prayers of Bright Week, which make up the rule for Holy Communion, are changed in this way: instead of the three canons (Repentant, Theotokos and Guardian Angel), the Canon of Easter is read, then the Easter Hours, the Canon for Communion with prayers.
As mentioned above, all prayers, including prayers of thanks for Holy Communion, are preceded by three readings of the Easter troparion, and psalms and prayers from the Trisagion to “Our Father...” (with troparions after it) are not read.
Regarding confession before Communion: if you confessed at Holy Week and have not committed serious sins, then the need for confession immediately before Communion is best determined with the priest of the church where you want to receive communion or with your confessor.
Home prayers for the second week of Easter and until Trinity
From the second week after Easter (the evening of the first Saturday), the reading of the usual morning and evening prayers is resumed, as well as the Rules for Holy Communion, including the canons to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Most Holy Theotokos, the Guardian Angel and the Follow-up to Holy Communion.
However, it is necessary to pay attention to the following features: before the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord (40th day after Easter), on the eve of which the Easter holiday is celebrated, instead of praying to the Holy Spirit “Heavenly King...” the Easter troparion “Christ is risen from the dead...” is read three times.
From the Ascension to the Feast of the Holy Trinity (50th day), prayers begin with the Trisagion “Holy God...”, the prayer to the Holy Spirit “Heavenly King...” is not read or sung until the Feast of the Holy Trinity.
I remind you once again that before the day of the Holy Trinity, prostrations to the ground are canceled not only at home, but also in the Temple, in particular - to the exclamation “Holy to the Saints” and when taking out the Holy Chalice.
Zadostoynik
From Monday of Bright Week until Ascension, instead of the usual ending of the prayers, “It is worthy to eat...”, the worthy saint is sung.
