What to do if you take communion without confession. What can and cannot be done before communion? Video Sources
How to Prepare for Confession.
What is required in order to proceed to Confession?
To do this, it is enough to know your sins and have a desire to repent of them.
You can start Confession regardless of whether you fasted or not, ate today or didn’t eat.
Are you in the temple now? Is Confession taking place in the temple at the moment? Did you remember your sins, did you have a desire to throw off the sinful stone from yourself - to confess? Go to Confession right now, you don't need any instructions for this, you have everything you need: sins and repentance.
When a person decides to start Confession for the first time, then usually his about He remembers and is well aware of the greater sins, they lie "on the surface" of the soul. Go with them now to Confession, express all the sins that you remember now, and what you remember later, you will bring to the next Confession. Do not put off your repentance “for tomorrow”, when you forget your sins, lose your determination to confess, harden your soul, and lose the ability to repent.
If you have now matured in the temple the determination to confess, but at the moment Confession is not being performed in the temple, and there is no priest in the temple to ask if he has the opportunity to confess you now, then make up your mind to confess at any nearest divine service. Confession is made at every evening service (during Great Lent - not at every evening service), which traditionally begins at 17:00 in all churches. In some churches, Confession is also performed at the morning service, which traditionally begins in all churches at 08:30. For accuracy, look at the schedule of services on the church fence of the temple, or ask church workers. Currently, all churches are gradually transferring the performance of Confession only to the evening service.
If there is time before Confession: one or more days.
If you plan to confess at the next divine service, then the time of waiting for the day and hour of your Confession is recommended to be used on training- repentant THOUGHT (testing one's conscience, remembering one's sins). If you confess for the first time, then you need to try to remember your sins for the rest of your life (starting from the age of seven - everything that is in your memory).
For your convenience, you can write down the sins you remember on a piece of paper, making a cheat sheet for yourself (so as not to forget). Having come to Confession, you can confess from memory, using, if necessary, a compiled list of sins, or simply read everything from a piece of paper. It is advisable to read for yourself.
When remembering your sins, you can use as a hint - viewing the general list of the most common sins, which can be found in a church shop or on the Internet. A pamphlet with a list of sins, usually called "To help the penitent."
Before going to Confession, you can read the penitential canon at home, or morning prayers, or the 50th Psalm, or the prayer "Our Father", and simply say a prayerful sigh: "Lord, accept my repentance, grant me forgiveness of my sins."
But there is no mandatory requirement here, it is up to you. For confession, it is enough to have awareness of one's sins and repentance.
Before confession, one must reconcile with offenders and forgive insults.
Basic concepts of confession.
say goodbye all sins in which a person repents. BUT! a necessary condition for receiving the forgiveness of sins is the personal forgiveness of insults to your offenders.
Confessed sins do not need to be named next time at Confession, if they have not been repeated again.
In subsequent Confessions, one must name the sins that the person still remembered, and those that were repeated again.
5. How many times do you need to confess? How often?
On the day of Baptism, the soul of a person is dressed in white clothes, in clothes of “light”, in clothes of “joy”.
After Baptism, a person soils these clothes. And each of us soiled these clothes with our sins.
But Orthodox person differs from non-church (and formally Orthodox) in that these “clothings” are regularly cleansed by the sacrament of Confession. Dirty spots appeared, and it is unpleasant for an Orthodox person to be dirty, to walk in such dirty clothes, and he hurries to Confession and repents of his sins. And he receives bright clothes again, and has spiritual joy. No matter how dirty the soul of a person is, no matter how great sins it defiles itself, if a person repents, then the Lord cleanses any dirt, and dresses the soul of a person in bright clothes of joy and purity.
A non-church person, on the other hand, considers his sins to be the norm of life, expresses approximately the following wording: “Everyone lives like this, therefore there is nothing terrible in sins,” or says about sin: “This is such a trifle,” or like this: “It’s not sin is what you call "sin", etc.
Orthodox Christians, who take care of the cleanliness of the clothes of their souls, proceed to Confession regularly. Each has its own frequency, and depends on the measure of spiritual growth. Many go to confession weekly - every Sunday or in the middle of the week.
All Orthodox Christians try to fulfill the 4th commandment of the Law of God: “Work six days, devote the seventh to the Lord Your God,” and every Sunday they come to the temple: they thank God for the past week (for joys and sorrows), ask God’s blessing on next week, and test their soul: what sins did they commit during the week? If some sins are remembered, then they come to Confession, and repent of their sins, and leave the temple in bright clothes of joy. This is the most optimal frequency.
Maybe postpone Confession "for tomorrow"?
At what confession will the forgiveness of sins be denied?
Hidden sins.
There are sins that a person cannot confess because he does not remember them, these are forgotten sins. Nothing can be done about it if the Lord does not open the memory of a person. With sincere repentance for known and unknown sins, the Lord also forgives forgotten sins.
But if a person knows and remembers his sin for sure, but deliberately does not name it, for example, because of shame, then such a sin is called “hidden”, it becomes severe, acquires great severity, and condemnation. And a person departs from Confession with a heavy heart, with the realization that he did not have the courage, the determination to name his sin. But if it was difficult to name his sin, but the person overcame himself and nevertheless named his sin, then he departs from Confession with joy and a sense of victory: it was hard, but the person won and received forgiveness.
Before Confession, the priest pronounces the following teaching:
“Here, child, Christ stands invisibly, accepting your confession: do not be ashamed, and do not be afraid, but without justification, say everything that you have done, so that you receive forgiveness from our Lord Jesus Christ. I am only a witness, but I testify before Him, everything that you say to me, but if you hide anything from me, you will have a serious sin. Be careful not to leave the clinic unhealed.”
The sins confessed on earth, they will be completely blotted out at the Judgment of God, but hidden and unnamed - then they will be revealed to everyone: the conscience of a person as a judge will stand before everyone, exposing all our sins to everyone. Then there will be a day of great shame and shame for some, and a day of great glory and reward for others.
Formulation of sins.
At Confession, a person has a temptation: to formulate his sin in such a way that it looks insignificant, or excusable, forced. Man tries to minimize his sin. Or justifies himself, wants to accuse others of his sin. For example, he says: yes, I was angry, but I have “such!” neighbors are bad. In general, you need to call your sin directly, as it is, without belittling it, and without making excuses: call black - black, white - white.
Sometimes a person in Confession wants to tell not sins, but what a great righteous man he is, what feats he performs, how he fasts, how he prays, or wants to tell some lengthy stories from his life about miraculous incidents with him, etc. No, at Confession one should not show off one's virtues and brag, but say all the dirtiest things about oneself, the worst, all that one is ashamed of: from this dirt a person came to get rid of at Confession.
What about a person?
The angels would not be able to listen to our sins, but they would incinerate us, therefore the Lord appointed for Confession the same person of flesh and blood, who himself has the experience of the fall and repentance. If the apostle Peter had not sinned, what a strict shepherd he would have been? But the Apostle Peter denied Christ three times, then repented, wept bitterly, and God forgave him and restored him to the apostolic rank. Also, every priest has many sins, struggles with them, repents, confesses, and God grants forgiveness. Those. the priest himself knows what sin, repentance and forgiveness are. And some priests collected a lot of sins before the priesthood, and then repented, changed. Therefore, the priest, having personal experience of the forgiveness of his sins at Confession, rejoices for a repentant person, no matter what serious sins a person calls: the more serious the sin, the greater the joy of his repentance and forgiveness.
The Church teaches that all the saints who had the same flesh and blood, had the same passions and temptations, but won, will also take part in the Judgment of God. Therefore, the saints will be our accusers, because. had equal opportunities with us to either fall into sin or overcome it.
The Sacrament of Confession was established not by man, but by God. The Lord gave authority to His disciples to forgive sins, saying, “To whom you forgive sins, they will be forgiven; on whom you leave, on him they will remain” (John 20:23). And this power is transferred in the Church from the apostles to the real priesthood.
How to Prepare for Confession.
Confession and Communion are two DIFFERENT Sacraments.
Confession does not require any preparation.
It is possible to confess without Communion. But Communion without Confession is impossible
(with the exception of those parishioners who were blessed by the confessor).
Difference between Confession and Communion. Is one available without the other?
If you now wish to proceed to Confession, but you haven’t prepared for Communion, or you still don’t know how to prepare for Communion, then you can start Confession now in any case, without any obstacle. To do this, you do not need to know any special instructions, because. Confession does not require any special. knowledge, and no special preparation.
But if you were preparing for Communion(for the first time), you cannot proceed to it without Confession. The priest at Confession, in addition to accepting repentance from you, must find out what your idea of the sacrament of Communion is, and it is possible to correct you if you are mistaken. The priest must find out - how did you prepare for St. Communion, and perhaps you can be corrected a little in this. In addition, the priest at Confession must make sure that you are an Orthodox person, that you do not hold grudges and rancor against other people, that you do not have unrepentant mortal sins. All this needs to be clarified to the priest at Confession so that you do not accept the sacrament of Communion to condemn yourself and to your detriment.
AT this case Confession is also part of the preparation for Communion: the soul prepares for Communion by repentance, the remission of sins.
So, it is possible to confess without Communion, but it is impossible to receive Communion without Confession (for the first time).
On Holy Communion and the preparation for it, the most famous Romanian elder and spiritual father Archimandrite Cleopa(Elijah).
Holy Communion brings great benefits to a person if he really takes communion in faith, having prepared and received the permission of the spiritual father. And whoever approaches unworthily, that judgment eats and drinks for himself, for Communion is a fire that burns the unworthy - you have seen what is said in the prayers before Holy Communion.
- Who can partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ?
- The one whose life is pure, blameless; whose message of thought is pure, on whom there are no canonical obstacles, and who is permitted by the confessor, he can take communion, and whoever has not confessed, is not permitted by the confessor and has not fulfilled the penance assigned to him, he cannot proceed to Communion. For even if he takes communion only once a year, he will still be like Judas, who took communion once, and then Satan entered into him, and he betrayed the Lord (see: John 13:27).
If someone is unworthy, let him not take communion once a year... And if he has cleansed himself and prepared according to the canonical order of the Church of Christ with confession and fulfilled the penance due to him, then let him begin with fear and trembling.
- What can you say about the communion of children under seven years of age? Is confession necessary?
It would be good for innocent children under five children to receive communion, if possible, every Sunday. And children of six or seven years old, especially now, it will be good to confess and then take communion, because today children see and hear many temptations: at home, on TV and everywhere, when their parents are not watching them.
St. Simeon of Thessaloniki also speaks of the old and sick: “It will be good for the old and sick, on whom there are no canonical obstacles, to receive Communion more often, and on great holidays.”
Always before Communion, after you have put down your bows, after you have given up sin and performed the penance appointed by the priest, you must not drink wine for at least three days before Holy Communion, nor eat fast food or cooked in vegetable oil. And in the time intervals between fasts, you cannot take communion without confession, without penance, and without a week of fasting (or at least three days). Before taking communion, do not eat food with vegetable oil and do not drink wine; only dryness. This is how it is supposed to be before Holy Communion, brothers.
- Tell us about the communion of monks, about frequent communion.
- Monastic monks, if they have a good confessor, let them go to confession as often as possible. We have confession, as you can see, once a week, on Friday. But I have very sober monks who come two or even three times a week for confession: “Father, I missed Matins”, “Father, I didn’t read the rules”, “Father, I ate something before meals, ”and you wonder what they will not say. If his conscience reproaches him, then he comes, you put your hand on his head, you allow him, and it becomes easy for him.
So both old and sick monks can take communion once a week; the rest, if the confessor allows them, can receive communion at least once every forty days, and best of all, once a month.
- Is there any indication from the holy fathers about communion once every forty days?
- Yes, there is, in St. Simeon of Thessaloniki. He says that once every forty days, let everyone prepare and take communion, if there is no canonical obstacle on him. There is a sin that forbids Communion even for twenty years.
In the event of death, if you see that a person can die, you give him Communion. Before death, one cannot forbid him to take communion; if he does not die and remains alive, he will continue to fulfill his penance. Know it.
Is it possible for someone to take communion without going to confession?
No. Never. Not in the case of mortal danger, nor in any other case, no. First confession, and then let him take communion.
What can you tell us about general confession practiced locally, in which believers do not individually confess their sins and there is no remission of sins with the laying on of hands on everyone?
- This confession is non-canonical, it does not have the power of the Sacrament, and the sins remain unresolved. Such practices must be completely stopped so that the Sacrament of Holy Confession is not abolished and both the priest and the believer are not cast into condemnation.
- How many times a year should the laity go to confession?
- Confession is not timed to any times and dates during the year. We can resort to a confessor every time we feel the need to lighten our soul from the burden of sins and receive comfort through grace and the hope of salvation. The more often we confess, the better.
However, usually confession is tied to four fasts. The fourth commandment of the Church teaches us to confess our sins four times a year, in four fasts. Let the most prosperous and pious go to confession every month, and the rest at least once a year, namely during Great Lent.
- How many times a year should we take communion, according to the charter of the Church?
Holy Communion, being closely connected with confession, can be given, after the remission of sins by the confessor, in four fasts or, most often, once a month for the most reverent and, at the very least, on Holy Pascha, but only after the execution of the imposed penance. St. John Chrysostom advises believers to take communion most often twelve times a year, on the twelfth holidays, after the remission of sins by the confessor, however, "with fear and trembling, so as not to accept condemnation instead of food and death instead of life."
- What are the main conditions that must be met in order to worthily receive the Body and Blood of the Lord?
- Preparation for Holy Communion is of two types: bodily and mental. In general, it consists of the following parts:
a) confession, that is, the recognition of sins, without which no one can receive communion, even a clergyman. Only children under seven years of age are exempted from confession;
b) reconciliation with all people. No one should receive communion if he is in a quarrel with someone, has not reconciled with someone, feels anger, hatred or a desire for revenge against someone. God, being Love, accepts in the Holy Place only those who forgive and live in love;
in) abstinence from fast food and all bodily lust and uncleanness. Spouses must keep themselves clean for at least seven days before Holy Communion and three more days after Holy Communion.
Believers must keep themselves clean and fast on Wednesdays, Fridays, and all four fasts when they receive communion. In case of severe illness, the priest appoints a shorter fast, depending on the circumstances. Those who take communion outside of fasting must fast at least three to seven days before Holy Communion. Before accepting the Shrine, Christians must refrain from drunkenness, tobacco, entertainment, jokes, envy, slander, and so on;
G) execution of penance imposed by the confessor. Believers cannot take communion without the consent of their confessor and the fulfillment of the penance imposed on them at confession, except in cases of illness and other difficult circumstances, when people who find themselves in them can receive the Shrine, no matter what situation they are in;
e) prayer; believers before receiving Holy Communion should pray in a special way: read the Book of Hours, the Psalter and the Akathist book on the eve, lay down earthly and waist bows give alms to the poor and do other good deeds. They especially need to read the Akathist to the Savior in the evening, the Canon of the Mother of God, the Canon of repentance, the Canon to the Guardian Angel and the Canon for Holy Communion, and in the morning - twelve prayers. After accepting the Shrine, believers should read thanksgiving prayers.
How are monks supposed to confess and receive communion, according to the establishment of the holy fathers? How often can monks, schemamonks, and sick monks receive communion?
Everything that I have said so far about this Holy Sacrament is valid for monks as well. Monks and schemamonks should partake of the Body and Blood of the Lord more often than the laity, but with due preparation, according to sacred canons, and with the permission of their confessor.
Monks can receive communion most often once a month or, as St. John Chrysostom says, on twelve great feasts. Schemamonks, especially the sick, as well as the elderly, can receive Communion as often as possible once a week, according to our monastic tradition. This is also taught to us by the instructions from the Missal, which says: “Let the parish priests teach their believers that in a clear conscience, male and female, they should commune, if possible, on the Lord’s holidays during the year, and if not, then at least in four fasts, let them prepare for the communion of the Holy Mysteries, however, with due preparation and with the consent of their confessor, let them do this.
- Can a person be saved without a confessor and confession?
No. No one can be saved - neither the laity, nor the monks, nor the clergy - without the confession of sins and the permission of their confessor, according to the word of the Lord, which says: receive the Holy Spirit. To whom you forgive sins, they will be forgiven; on whom you leave, on that they will remain(John 20:22-23). And elsewhere: whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven(Matthew 18:18).
So, how can anyone enter the Kingdom of Heaven without being untied on earth from their sins? And this power [to bind and loose] is given only to the elect, that is, to the apostles, bishops and priests, but not to the laity. We should all have our confessors and confess regularly, even those who think that he has no sins.
This is what the holy apostle and evangelist John teaches us: if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, then He, being faithful and just, will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.(1 John 1:8-9). And St. Simeon of Thessaloniki points out: “We all must repent - both laity, and monks, and priests, and bishops. We will all repent (confess) in order to be saved. No one can be saved without confession, because we all make a lot of mistakes(James 3:2). Every person is conceived and born in sins (see: Gen. 8:21; Ps. 50:7; Matt. 7:11; Rom. 3:9). Holy Scripture tells us that sin breeds death(James 1:15) and what nothing unclean will enter the Kingdom of God(cf.: Rev. 21:27).
So, let us remember that sin is a violation of the law of God, an abomination and impurity before Him, and that the wrath of God falls on those evil and sinful people who die unconfessed and unrepentant. Sinners, through confession and repentance, deflect the righteous wrath of God from themselves and receive the salvation of their souls.
What do you think of those clerics who too often and without proper examination of the conscience of believers give them Holy Communion?
Priests who administer Holy Communion to believers without due study and penance should carefully read the instructions in the Missal, which relate to the spiritual and bodily preparation of believers for Holy Communion. Priests should have a good knowledge of the sacred canons and practices Orthodox Church, and if necessary, consult with the local bishop, to whom they must obey all their lives.
Priests should read the teaching of St. John Chrysostom on how to teach Holy Communion. Here is what he says: “A considerable torment awaits you, priests, if you, knowing any evil for someone, allow him to partake of this Meal. The blood of Christ will be required at your hands. Even if it were a governor, even if it was an eparch, even if it was the king himself, crowned with a crown, but if he approaches unworthily (to the Shrine), forbid him. You have more power than him. Because worse than a demoniac is he who has sinned and proceeds. For he, since he is demon-possessed, will not be tormented, but these, if they approach unworthily, indulge in eternal torment. So, not only will we forbid this, but, in short, everyone we see approaching unworthily. Let no one accept like Judas, so as not to suffer like Judas.
And he also says: “Do not give a sword instead of food. But even if out of madness he came to take communion, rebuke him. Don't be afraid. Fear God, not man. And if you do not dare to forbid him, bring him to me. I won't let that happen. I'd rather part with my soul than give blood to the Lord unworthily. And I will shed all my blood before I give blood so terrible to anyone who should not. And if, having studied a lot, he did not know the bad things about him, then there is no guilt.
Therefore, the confessor must be very attentive at confession, deciding who to forbid, and to whom it is worthy to teach the Holy. If someone leads an immoral life and wants to receive Holy Communion by deceit, Satan will enter into him (cf. John 13:27) as into one who has become like Judas.
Questions to Archimandrite Cleopas (Iliya)
asked Archimandrite Ioanniky (Belan)
Translated from Romanian by Zinaida Peikova
I can only say what the Church has witnessed for centuries: Repentance is one of the seven most important Sacraments that ensure the fullness of a person's spiritual life and his salvation. Salvation is impossible without repentance. This is the foundation of the spiritual life. The Holy Fathers call the sacrament of Penance the second Baptism, for in it the human soul is cleansed and reborn and becomes capable of receiving the grace-filled gifts of other Church Sacraments, including the Eucharist. Whoever ignores this Sacrament to some extent or neglects it, and such trends have begun to appear in our time, runs the risk of turning his entire spiritual life into a hypocritical farce.
I think that these aspirations to belittle the significance of Confession for the spiritual life of a Christian arose in the Orthodox milieu under the influence of Protestantism on church consciousness. Unfortunately, Protestantism in the West deformed the consciousness of Catholicism, and now it has reached Orthodoxy. Confession - necessary condition in order to bring the soul into a charitable state. We read from the Holy Fathers that all the spiritual life of man is based on repentance. Confession is the main means for deep repentance. Saint Ignatius Bryanchaninov noted in his writings that the importance of Confession in the life of an Orthodox Christian is growing and will continue to grow, as people less and less use other spiritual means. We do not know how to pray and we do not show diligence, we do not show zeal for fasting, we easily succumb to sinful temptations. If we still push Confession to the periphery of our spiritual life, then we can be taken with our bare hands.
But here the question immediately arises: I can repent at home during personal prayer, why is Confession necessary in the church?
Let's immediately separate these concepts - personal repentance, which the Lord undoubtedly hears, and Church Confession as a sacrament. Yes, the Lord hears and often forgives a person many sins that he mourned in his personal prayer. And when we in the Church say: “Lord, have mercy,” the Lord forgives us a lot. Nevertheless, this does not replace the sacrament of Confession, because a person needs not only to receive the forgiveness of sins, but also grace is required to heal a sinful wound, and grace-filled power is also needed so that the sin committed is no longer repeated. These gifts are given in the Church Confession, in this greatest Sacrament spiritual rebirth therefore it is essential in the life of a Christian. I’ll tell you from my own experience: when I studied at the seminary, I had the opportunity to confess every week at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, and I remember my inner state then, how deeply and subtly everything sinful in my personal life was experienced and it was easier to resist it. Then came another period in my life, when I began to go to confession less often, maybe once every two or three weeks. And it was already a different state. It was as if all my senses were hardened and dulled. Consciousness fixes sin, and there are fewer internal forces for resistance. To a person who doubts the truth, effectiveness and usefulness of the Confession, I suggest trying it from personal experience, what it is, approaching it with the utmost responsibility and seriousness.
But, father Vadim, how do they say that in some other Local Orthodox Churches, say in Greece, it happens that believers receive communion regularly, but confess not so often. Although at the same time it must be admitted that in the Greek monasteries much attention is paid to frequent regular Confession. In this regard, I am reminded of the work of the Serbian professor Vladeta Jerotic, who writes that in order to receive a worthy Communion, one must resort to regular Confession, so that Confession necessarily precedes Communion. But what to do when we are given as an example the practice of other Churches, where they do not necessarily confess before communion. So maybe we don't need to confess?
In the Russian Orthodox Church, there is a wonderful tradition of confessing before every Communion, and God forbid that it be preserved for a long, long time. Of course, this issue has its own nuances. There can be no formal approach here. But generally speaking, Confession before Communion is a very important and useful spiritual principle. Yes indeed, in some Local Churches this practice looks a little different than ours. Sometimes the Russian tradition is compared with the Greek one, where people go to Confession when they feel the need for it. It should be noted that the history of the emergence of this tradition in Greece is a separate special and controversial issue. For example, in the XIV century. St. Gregory Palamas in his sermon “On the Holy and Terrible Mysteries of Christ” directly points to the need for Confession before Communion: God, before we correct ourselves according to the rule of piety, we proceed [to the Holy Mysteries], then, of course, we do this to our own judgment and to eternal torment, pushing away from ourselves God’s very bounties and His patience towards us.” A detailed discussion of the history of the emergence of the divided practice of Confession and Communion in the Greek-speaking environment is beyond the scope of our conversation. Let's agree that it really exists now. But why is this tradition, in my opinion, not applicable to modern church life in Russia? First of all, because the Greek people did not survive such a period of godlessness that we got. Modern Greeks grow up in Orthodox families. For the most part, they know what sin is and what virtue is. Orthodoxy is their state religion. They are brought up in Orthodox traditions for several generations, and this tradition has not been interrupted. Therefore, many important principles of spiritual life are rooted in their minds from childhood. Without special instructions, they understand that if I have sinned today, then I cannot take communion today, I must go to the confessor for Confession.
In our Fatherland, which has gone through a terrible period of persecution of the Church, people sincerely reached out to the temple. This is amazing. But due to their spiritual ignorance, most of them do not understand the gravity of the sins they commit, most often they do not see them at all. Now a lot of Orthodox literature is being published - that's great, but how much of it is read by those people who are taking their first steps to the temple? A modern person reads very little, so the educational possibilities of printed matter should not be overestimated. In such a situation without mandatory Confession before Communion is indispensable. Any priest has repeatedly come across such examples: a person comes to Confession, repents of the recently committed sin of fornication, adultery or abortion, and immediately says: father, bless me to take communion, I haven’t eaten anything since morning. A person says this sincerely, he does not intend to partake in condemnation or deliberately neglect the principles of spiritual life, he simply does not know them. Or another, even more common example: a person does not see a single sin in himself or formally calls some general phrase without the slightest contrition or self-reproach and strives for the Holy Chalice. If we did not have the tradition of confessing before Communion, then who, when and where would help such people? Let us remember the formidable words of the Apostle Paul about unworthy communion: “Whoever eats this Bread or drinks the Cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and thus let him eat from this Bread and drink from this Cup. For whoever eats and drinks unworthily, he eats and drinks condemnation to himself, not considering the Body of the Lord. That is why many of you are weak and sick and many die.”(1 Corinthians 11:27-30). If we give even a little thought to these apostolic words, where do they lead us? To Confession. If now we reject the principle of the relationship between Confession and Communion and give everyone the opportunity to decide the issue of Confession based on personal considerations, then we will become like an unreasonable mother who gave birth to a child, and then took him out into the street, laid him down at a crossroads and, leaving him, said: hands, you have legs, you have a head, there is a temple, here is a house, behind a hillock there is a garden - go work, eat and live pleasing to God.
Of course, the principle of the relationship between Confession and Communion must be used with reason, as it is said in the Gospel: "the Sabbath is for man, not man for the Sabbath". There are periods in church life when the relationship between Confession and Communion may not be so unambiguous. For example, during the period Holy Week when there are long intense services and many parishioners zealously attend them. At this time, in many churches it is prudently invited to parishioners to confess during Holy Week and then take communion both on Great Thursday and Holy Easter, it is also invited to take communion on Bright Week. However, it seems to me that it would be thoughtless and wrong to mechanically transfer this practice to the entire church year.
Sometimes such voices are heard that no matter how many times you come to the church, to the liturgy, take communion as many times. And to confess - well, maybe twice a year or even less often. And they also say: but priests, when they serve the Liturgy, they rarely go to confession before it, don't they?
The question of the frequency of communion is very important and purely personal. There can be no simple stamped answers here. In the church tradition there are some general rules, but they are not a strict pattern for all without exception. This issue must be resolved individually at Confession. St. John Chrysostom clearly expressed the main condition for the periodicity of Communion: “The only time for approaching the Mysteries and Communion is a clear conscience,” and Confession is the main means for cleansing the conscience. In church life one has to face the most different examples. There are people who once a year prepare, go to confession and take communion. This, of course, is not enough, but one should also rejoice and pray for this spark so that the flame of love for the Lord ignites from this spark. It is clear that for such people there can be no Communion without careful Confession. There are those who show diligence in every multi-day fast - also, thank God, strengthen them, Lord, and for them Confession is necessary before Communion. There are those who prepare and take communion once a month, or on every twelfth feast day, or at least once every three weeks—great, may their zeal not weaken, but without regular Confession before Communion, it will hardly last. Some Christians are especially zealous and strive to receive communion even every Sunday. If this is done not as a tribute to the liturgical "fashion", not as a kind of "renovation duty", not as a habit, but with the blessing of the confessor "with the fear of God and faith ...", then, undoubtedly, they will reap their good fruit. If a parishioner is in regular contact with his confessor, slightly different forms of the relationship between Confession and Communion are possible, but there is no doubt that Confession should be frequent. However, the last example concerns sufficiently experienced Christians, "whose senses have been accustomed by skill to distinguish between good and evil"(Heb. 5:14).
Priests are, in theory, people from the category of experienced Christians. In addition, the specifics of priestly service are often such that he does not have the opportunity to confess before each liturgy, for example, if he is alone in the parish. In such situations, priests confess at every other opportunity. The laity often do not see how the clergy confess to each other in the altar before Communion, and therefore they think that the priests do this very rarely. Let us not forget that priests in the Sacrament of Ordination are granted the grace of “… the infirm healer and replenisher of the impoverished…”, which the laity do not have and by virtue of which the priest has the opportunity to celebrate the Liturgy, and, accordingly, to receive communion more often than the laity. For these gifts and opportunities, he bears an incomparably greater responsibility before God than any of the laity - “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required, and to whom much has been entrusted, more will be exacted from him”(Luke 12:48). Therefore, the spiritual life of a layman and a priest has never been considered in the Church in exactly the same way.
Thank you, father Vadim, for the answer. There were deeply informative articles about this in the journal "Blessed Fire". But let's consider this situation. Suppose, when people want to take communion, they first go to Confession, stand in line, wait for them to come to the priest, tell everything, then accept the absolution of sins. Doesn't Confession, in this case, serve as an obstacle to a deeper assimilation of the Liturgy, when one has to stand still and delve into the prayers? What do you say? Such opinions are expressed today.
The problem you have outlined is not doctrinal, not canonical, not liturgical, but purely organizational. You just need to streamline parish life in the church, including Confession, find a place and time for this. His Holiness the Patriarch gave his blessing that there should be clergymen on duty in every church, it is necessary to announce this to people, to say that on such and such days we have a priest on duty, come and confess. It is not necessary to make Confession only during the Vespers or before the Liturgy, and it is highly undesirable during the Liturgy. In addition, priests can instruct penitents so that when they confess, they express the essence of a sinful act and really bring repentance for what they have done, and not just retell their lives, leaving no time for others to confess. In this case, confession will be meaningful, effective, beneficial and will not take a lot of time.
But how it happens that sometimes conclusions of a different nature are drawn from this purely organizational problem, they say: let's abolish Confession altogether, the main thing is to take communion more often, and Confession is something secondary; Let's separate these two Sacraments. Although we know that the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation inseparably follow one after the other, and in general in the Church the Sacraments are connected with each other. It seems to me that here it is impossible to break so easily. Sometimes they say this: take communion more often, and only Confession ... if necessary. Although in the letters of Archimandrite John (Krestyankin) we read: "It is impossible to take communion without confession." What can you say in this regard?
If we separate Confession and Communion, then, without a doubt, people will confess less. I doubt that this will benefit them, but this will be most convenient for us priests, because Confession is the heaviest Sacrament in the Church for clergy. Why? Imagine that for several hours people express their sins and pains to you, and this is done several days a week. They do not just repent, but need your compassion and advice. Without the grace of God, this cannot be endured. It's very hard. Therefore, it is clear that in solving this issue, someone humanly tries to find easier ways. I confess that sometimes such thoughts come to me myself, but at the same time I immediately recall a phrase from Holy Scripture: “Woe to the shepherds who shepherd themselves! Shouldn't shepherds tend the flock?(Ezek. 34, 2).
It should be noted that this problem was already outlined by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy at two Diocesan meetings that took place in Moscow. He drew attention to a strange practice that arose in some Moscow parishes. In particular, at the Diocesan meeting in 2005, he said: “In addition, parishioners are required to take communion as often as possible, at least once a week. To the timid objections of believers that it is difficult to adequately prepare for the reception of the Holy Mysteries on a weekly basis, such priests claim that they take full responsibility. As a result, the reverence and fear of God characteristic of Orthodox people before Holy Communion is lost. It becomes something familiar, ordinary and everyday. At the next diocesan meeting in 2006, His Holiness the Patriarch again turned to this topic. In one of the notes, he was asked the following question: “At the last Diocesan meeting, Your Holiness, you warned about the danger of losing reverence for the Holy Mysteries with very frequent communion, for example, once a week. The same concern is expressed in the Orthodox Catechism of St. Philaret of Moscow, which recommends that the laity take communion no more than once a month. The same fears can be found in the writings of St. Theophan the Recluse and the last Glinsk Elders. Why is it that in some Moscow churches, despite your warnings, weekly and even more frequent communion of the laity is practiced, as a result of which the parishioners lose their reverence and fear of the Holy Sacrament? His Holiness the Patriarch replied: “Apparently, those who allow such a practice are unfamiliar with Orthodox Catechism St. Philaret, as well as with the works of St. Theophan the Recluse and does not show any desire to get acquainted with them. It seems to me that reformers in this area need to heed the words of His Holiness Patriarch.
In conclusion, I will say that the Orthodox Church is the great heir of Christ and the Apostles, and Orthodoxy is an invaluable treasure in which we, by the grace of God, have become partakers. However, the significance of the spiritual experience of Orthodoxy is realized not so much through abstract reasoning and theologizing, but through personal experience of life. If we have questions or doubts about this or that church statement or tradition, then we need to enter into it, get used to it, start living in accordance with this teaching. Only then will it be revealed how deep and spiritual the practice is. Orthodox life, and all questions will be removed by themselves.
With Priest Vadim Leonov
interviewed by Valery Dukhanin
About the Sacrament of Communion
(Luke 22:19).
15.6. Who can partake?
–
About the Sacrament of Communion
15.1. What does communion mean?
- In this Sacrament under the guise of bread and wine Orthodox Christian He partakes of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and through this is mysteriously united with Him, becoming a partaker of eternal life, for in every particle of the crushed lamb the Whole Christ is contained. The comprehension of this Mystery surpasses the human mind.
This Sacrament is called the Eucharist, which means "thanksgiving".
15.2. Who established the Sacrament of Communion?
– The Sacrament of Communion was established by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
15.3. How and why did Jesus Christ establish the Sacrament of Communion?
– This Holy Sacrament was instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ at the Last Supper with the Apostles on the eve of His sufferings. He took bread into His pure hands, blessed it, broke it and divided it among His disciples, saying: “Take, eat: this is my body» (Matthew 26:26). Then he took a cup of wine, blessed it and, giving it to the disciples, said: “Drink from it all, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”(Matthew 26:27,28). At the same time, the Savior gave the commandment to the apostles, and in their person and to all believers, to perform this Sacrament until the end of the world in remembrance of His suffering, death and Resurrection for the closest connection of believers with Him. He said: "Do this in remembrance of me"(Luke 22:19).
15.4. Why should you take communion?
– To enter the Kingdom of Heaven and have eternal life. Without frequent Communion It is impossible to achieve perfection in the spiritual life of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
The grace of God acting in the Sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion enlivens the soul and body, heals them, tangibly acts in such a way that a Christian person becomes sensitive to his sins and infirmities, does not easily succumb to sinful deeds and is strengthened in the truths of faith. Faith, the Church and all its institutions become native, close to the heart.
15.5. Is repentance alone sufficient for cleansing from sin, without Communion?
– Repentance cleanses the soul from the defilements, and Communion fills with God's grace and prevents the return of the evil spirit, expelled by repentance, into the soul.
15.6. Who can partake?
– All baptized Orthodox Christians can and should receive communion after the necessary preparation for this by fasting, prayers and confession.
15.7. How to prepare for Communion?
—Those who wish to receive communion worthily must have heartfelt repentance, humility, and a firm intention to correct themselves and begin a pious life. It takes several days to prepare for the Sacrament of Communion: to pray more and more fervently at home, to be at the evening service on the eve of the day of Communion.
Fasting is usually combined with prayer (from one to three days) - abstinence from fast food: meat, milk, butter, eggs (with strict fasting and from fish) and, in general, moderation in eating and drinking. You should be imbued with the awareness of your sinfulness and protect yourself from anger, condemnation and obscene thoughts and conversations, refuse to visit places of entertainment. The best time to spend is reading spiritual books. It is necessary to confess in the evening on the eve of the day of Communion or in the morning before the Liturgy. Before Confession, one must reconcile both with the offenders and with the offended, humbly asking everyone for forgiveness. On the eve of the day of Communion, refrain from marital relations, after midnight do not eat, drink or smoke.
15.8. What prayers should be used to prepare for Communion?
– There is a special rule for prayer preparation for Communion, which is in Orthodox prayer books. It usually consists of reading four canons the night before: the canon of repentance to the Lord Jesus Christ, the canon of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos, the canon to the Guardian Angel, the canon from the Follow-up to Holy Communion. In the morning, prayers are read from the Follow-up to Holy Communion. In the evening it is also necessary to read prayers for a dream to come, and in the morning - morning prayers.
With the blessing of the confessor, this prayer rule before Communion can be reduced, increased, or replaced by another.
15.9. How to approach Communion?
– After singing “Our Father”, one should approach the steps of the altar and wait for the removal of the Holy Chalice. Children should be skipped ahead. Approaching the Chalice, one should fold his hands crosswise on his chest (right over left) and do not cross himself in front of the Chalice, so as not to accidentally push it.
Approaching the Cup, you should clearly pronounce your Christian name given at Baptism, open your mouth wide, reverently accept the Holy Gifts and immediately swallow. Then kiss the bottom of the Cup like the rib of Christ. You can not touch the Chalice and kiss the priest's hand. Then you should go to the table with warmth, drink Communion so that the shrine does not remain in your mouth.
15.10. How often should you take communion?
– This must be coordinated with the spiritual father, since priests bless in different ways. For people seeking to church their lives, some modern pastors recommend taking communion from one to two times a month. Other priests also bless more frequent Communion.
Usually they confess and receive communion during all four multi-day fasts. church year, on the twelfth, great and temple holidays, on the days of their name days and births, spouses - on the day of their wedding.
The opportunity should not be missed as often as possible to enjoy the grace bestowed by the communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
15.11. Who is not eligible to receive communion?
– Not baptized in the Orthodox Church or baptized in other religious denominations, not converted to Orthodoxy,
- one who does not wear a pectoral cross,
- who received the priest's prohibition to take communion,
- women in the period of monthly cleansing.
It is impossible to receive communion for the sake of "tick", for the sake of certain quantitative norms. The Sacrament of Communion should become for an Orthodox Christian a need of the soul.
15.12. Can a pregnant woman take communion?
– It is necessary, and as often as possible, to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, preparing for Communion by repentance, confession, and prayer within your power. The Church exempts pregnant women from fasting.
The churching of a child should begin from the moment the parents learned that they would have a child. Even in the womb, the child perceives everything that happens to the mother and around her. The echoes of the outside world reach him and in them he is able to capture anxiety or peace. The child feels the mood of his mother. At this time, it is very important to participate in the Sacraments and the prayer of the parents, so that the Lord through them would work His grace on the child.
15.13. Can an Orthodox Christian take communion in any other non-Orthodox church?
– No, only in the Orthodox Church.
15.14. Is it possible to take communion on any day?
– Every day in the Church, Communion of the faithful takes place, with the exception of Great Lent, during which communion is possible only on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
15.15. When can I take communion during the week great post?
– During Great Lent, adults can take communion on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays; small children - on Saturdays and Sundays.
15.16. Why are babies not given communion at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts?
– The fact is that at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, the Chalice contains only blessed wine, and the particles of the Lamb (the Bread that was changed into the Body of Christ) are soaked in advance with the Blood of Christ. Since babies, due to their physiology, cannot be communed with a particle of the Body, and there is no Blood in the Chalice, they are not communed at the Presanctified Liturgy.
15.17. Is it possible to take communion several times on the same day?
- No one should take Holy Communion twice on the same day. If the Holy Gifts are taught from several Chalices, they can only be received from one.
15.18. Is it possible to take communion after the Unction without Confession?
– Unction does not cancel Confession. At the Unction, not all sins are forgiven, but only forgotten and unconscious ones.
15.19. How to take Communion to a sick person at home?
- Relatives of the sick person must first agree with the priest on the time of Communion and on measures to prepare the sick person for this Sacrament.
15.20. How to give communion to a one-year-old child?
- If a child is not able to calmly stay in the church for the entire service, then he can be brought to the end of the Liturgy - to the beginning of the singing of the prayer "Our Father" and then take communion.
15.21. Can a child under 7 eat before Communion? Is it possible to take communion when the sick are not on an empty stomach?
—Only in exceptional cases is it permitted to take communion on an empty stomach. This issue is resolved individually in consultation with the priest. Infants under the age of 7 are allowed to take communion not on an empty stomach. Children should be taught to abstain from food and drink before Communion from an early age.
15.22. Is it possible to take communion if you have not been to all-night vigil? Is it possible to take communion if you fasted, but did not read or did not finish reading the rule?
– Such issues are resolved only with the priest individually. If the reasons for the absence from the all-night vigil or for not fulfilling prayer rule are respectful, the priest may allow communion. What is important is not the number of prayers read, but the disposition of the heart, living faith, repentance for sins, the intention to correct one's life.
15.23. Are we sinners worthy of frequent communion?
– "The healthy do not need a doctor, but the sick"(Luke 5:31). There is not a single person on earth who is worthy of Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, and if people do receive Communion, it is only through the special mercy of God. It is the sinners, the unworthy, the weak, who need this saving source more than anyone else - like those who are sick in treatment. And those who consider themselves unworthy and distance themselves from Communion are like heretics and pagans.
With sincere repentance, God forgives a person's sins, and Communion gradually corrects his shortcomings.
The basis for deciding how often to take communion is the degree of readiness of the soul, its love for the Lord, the strength of its repentance. Therefore, the Church leaves this issue to the priests and confessors to decide.
15.24. If after Communion one feels coldness, does this mean that one received communion unworthily?
– Coldness happens to those who seek consolation from Communion, and whoever considers himself unworthy, grace remains with him. However, when after Communion there is no peace and joy in the soul, one must see this as an occasion for deep humility and contrition for sins. But one should not despair and grieve: there should not be a selfish attitude towards the Sacrament.
In addition, the Sacraments are not always reflected in the senses, but act secretly.
15.25. How to behave on the day of Communion?
- The Day of Communion is a special day for the Christian soul, when it is mysteriously united with Christ. These days should be spent as great holidays, dedicating them as much as possible to solitude, prayer, concentration and spiritual reading.
After Communion, you must ask the Lord to help you keep the gift worthy and not go back, that is, to your previous sins.
It is necessary to especially protect yourself in the first hours after Communion: at this time, the enemy of the human race is trying in every possible way so that a person offends the shrine, and she would stop consecrating him. A shrine can be offended by sight, a careless word, hearing, condemnation. On the day of Communion, one should eat moderately, not have fun, and behave decently.
You should keep yourself from idle talk, and in order to avoid them, you need to read the Gospel, the Jesus Prayer, akathists, and the lives of saints.
15.26. Is it possible to kiss the cross after Communion?
—After the Liturgy, all the worshipers venerate the cross: both those who received communion and those who did not.
15.27. Is it possible to kiss the icons and the priest's hand after Communion, do prostrations?
– After Communion, before drinking, you should refrain from kissing icons and the priest’s hand, but there is no such rule that those who take communion should not kiss icons or the priest’s hand that day and not bow to the ground. It is important to keep the tongue, thoughts and heart from all evil.
15.28. Is it possible to replace Communion by partaking of Epiphany water with artos (or antidoron)?
- It misconception about the possibility of replacing Communion with baptismal water with artos (or antidoron) arose, perhaps due to the fact that people who have canonical or other obstacles to Communion of the Holy Mysteries are allowed to use baptismal water with an antidoron. However, this cannot be understood as an equivalent replacement. Communion cannot be replaced by anything.
15.29. Can children under 14 receive communion without Confession?
– Without Confession, only children under 7 years old can receive communion. From the age of 7, children receive communion only after Confession.
15.30. Is Communion paid?
– No, in all churches the Sacrament of Communion is always performed free of charge.
15.31. Everyone is communed with one spoon, is it possible to get sick?
“Squeamishness can only be fought with faith. There has never been a single case of someone becoming infected through the Chalice: even when in hospital temples people take communion, no one ever gets sick. After the Communion of the faithful, the remaining Holy Gifts are used by the priest or deacon, but even during epidemics they do not fall ill. This is the greatest Sacrament of the Church, given, among other things, for the healing of soul and body, and the Lord does not shame the faith of Christians.
Interview with the hegumen of the Valaam Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior, Bishop Pankraty, to the portal "Orthodoxy and the World" in September 2013.
06.12.2018 The labors of the brethren of the monastery 46 028
Is it necessary to confess to a priest before each Communion? What should be done so that confession does not become formal? What events in the life of a layman should be sanctified by the blessing of a priest? Why not rush to choose a confessor? How to avoid spiritual "splitness"? We discussed these and other topical issues with the Chairman of the Synodal Commission for the Canonization of Saints, Vicar of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Abbot of the Valaam Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior, Bishop Pankraty of Trinity.
Revelation of thoughts and confession of a layman
Lord, today you can hear different points opinion regarding confession: should it be frequent or rare, regular or only in case of falling into grave sins… Which approach, in your opinion, is the most correct?
I think that a period has now come in the life of our Church when these questions are being tested by life. The practice of half a century ago or the Synodal era is no longer acceptable - today, as a rule, people take communion more often. Yes, life itself has changed a lot. The old approaches and solutions can no longer suit people, so new ones are being developed, including in such discussions. It is very good that discussions are going on, that people are aware, thinking, reasoning.
I believe these issues will eventually be resolved and I hope that they will not be enshrined in some binding rules. Now is not the time for there to be one pattern: communion or confession so many times in so many days. Moreover, there are no strict canons on this score - there are different practices, different customs. There must be a certain degree of freedom in this crucial issue. Each person, with the help of a confessor, solves it in his own way. And the parishioner's business is to find the confessor that he needs, who can help him.
Should each communion be accompanied by a preliminary confession? Is it possible to take communion without confession or if confession was a few days before Communion?
In my opinion, if a person does not feel any serious sins that would force him to seek a full-fledged confession, he does not have to confess before each communion. The Sacrament of Repentance is, after all, an important independent Sacrament, a “second baptism,” and it is inadmissible to reduce it to some obligatory appendage to the Eucharist. After all, confession often becomes formal due to the fact that a person gets used to the thought: confession is what I will say in front of the priest, repentance is what I will tell him. But at best it can be called a revelation of thoughts. And often it's just a conversation. There is no hot, deep repentance before God, and a person, perhaps, does not even pay attention to it.
It must be understood that repentance does not occur only at the moment of confession. Repentance is a state of mind, it is the determination to break with sin and change your life. It can happen at any moment in life. They often ask: what should I do if at home I repented, wept, but came to confession, and I have nothing in my heart - I just confessed dryly? It's OK. Thank God that you repented at home - the Lord will accept it.
If we understand repentance in this way, then it becomes clear that it is not necessary to go to confession to the priest before each Communion. It's okay if you, having communion three or four times a month, go to confession only twice.
- Is our traditional practice of confession useful as a revelation of thoughts?
I do not think at all that the revelation of thoughts is always useful for the laity. The confession of a layman and the monastic revelation of thoughts are completely different things. Ideally, a monk should reveal to his spiritual father all the movements of his soul and take blessings for everything. For a layman, this is impossible and even harmful. It is strange when wives ask priests what they should ask their husbands: where to go on vacation, whether to buy this or that thing, whether to have more children ...
Some important events can be consecrated with the blessing of a priest, but it should not be defining and decisive. The laity themselves must decide questions related to their lives.
I am against the spread of monastic eldership to the laity - it creates the basis for such a dangerous phenomenon as young eldership, or, more precisely, false eldership. A layman needs to know the basics of faith, read the Gospel, live according to it, and use the advice of a spiritual father in his spiritual life.
On choosing a spiritual father
- How to look for a confessor today?
Just like always. If there is no spiritual father, do not be upset, pray that the Lord will send a meeting with such a priest who would really help to go to God.
You can't rush here, and you have to be very careful. There are really a lot of cases of false eldership, when a confessor interferes in a person’s whole life, and this does not depend on the age and position of the priest. The confessor should not decide anything in the life of his child, he should only warn him against mistakes and sin.
- Is it useful for the laity to look for a confessor in a monastery?
If this is an experienced confessor - why not. You can have a confessor in the monastery, come to him infrequently, when there is a need to solve some personal serious problems in the spiritual life, and confess ordinary sins to the parish priest. Many also find the opportunity to talk to their spiritual father in writing or over the phone.
Is confession over the phone acceptable? Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) described how the governor of Tver, seeing from the window of his house that the rebels were following him, called the bishop and confessed to him over the phone ...
If repentance is understood not only as the words that we utter in confession, but as a readiness to change, to leave sin and go to Christ, to live according to His holy commandments, then the question of how it is technically carried out is of secondary importance. A person can repent at home in front of icons, in the subway, talking on the phone or sending messages. The main thing is what happens in his soul.
On the problem of confession among young priests
There is a problem in our Church that they are appointed to confess, and at the same time to spiritually nourish, very young and not yet experienced priests.
A man graduated from a seminary at the age of 20, just got married or took the tonsure, received a dignity - and begins to take care of. And how will he provide for him when he himself does not yet know the spiritual life or the difficulties of life?
The Greek Churches follow a different practice - they supply a confessor. A certain prayer order is performed over the priest, and only then can the priest receive confession and spiritually nourish other people. This sometimes leads to another extreme: confession becomes rare, which is also bad.
If we had enough priests who had both spiritual and worldly experience, there would be no such problems. I would, in a good way, before the age of 40 and would not put a person to confess. But we cannot afford it. There is not enough clergy at all - what can we say about confessors ...
- How should a priest teach his spiritual children to repent?
You can't teach what you don't know how to do. In order to teach others to repent, the priest himself must learn to repent. Unfortunately, many priests, especially those who serve in rural parishes, repent and go to confession very rarely. It’s just the way things are: confessors in the dioceses are busy, the priests themselves are busy…
Well, in a large city parish - several priests serve, they can repent to each other. But this is also not always the case. Sometimes they don't really trust each other.
- Distrust between brothers - is it bad and needs to be eradicated or is it normal?
That's life. Of course, it is better if there is trust, but it is not always there. Strictly speaking, this is why you need a confessor - a priest you trust.
Prayer is work
Prayer teaches repentance. If a person has no experience of a real spiritual life, no experience of prayer and personal standing before God, then he will not have real, deep and sincere repentance. Prayer, especially repentance, as it were, paves the way for the soul to God. One of the most important prayers, at least for monastics, is the Jesus Prayer - the spirit of repentance. Standing before God itself practically cannot be other than repentant, at that level spiritual development where most of us are.
- On the other hand, prayer is a gift from above ...
Prayer is work. "Kingdom God's power is needy, and the needy admire her "(Matthew 11:12). This means that the Kingdom of Heaven will be received by those who made efforts to obtain it. That is why we must force ourselves, even if prayer is difficult at first. Of course, the Lord, in His mercy, gives grace and prayer to those who pray, but for this a person must work on his soul himself.
This is the only way a person learns to repent.
If he lives a distracted life, without prayer, then maybe one day - if "thunder strikes" - he will be able to come to a repentant and prayerful feeling, but this will not be the gift you are talking about.
Communion - the meaning of the Liturgy
- Vladyka, how would you advise preparing for Communion?
The feeling of repentance should accompany us constantly, and this, in fact, should be our main preparation for Communion. If we constantly prepare to receive the Holy Mysteries of Christ and receive them as often as we can, then this will be the correct Christian dispensation.
Until now, oddly enough, there are disputes not only about the frequency, but even about the days when Communion is possible: some priests do not give communion to adults on Bright Week, because it is not supposed to fast on these days ...
And you do not go to such priests. Let their temples be empty. If somewhere in the wilderness, then you have to be patient. Or ask. Ask and it will be given to you.
Well, how does the priest himself serve (sometimes several times a week)? He also takes communion. Why does he extend the other requirements of fasting to his parishioners? Why does he require them to strictly fast for a week, but he himself does not fast? Why does he make an exception for himself? Why does he place “unbearable burdens” on his flock?
If we keep Wednesday and Friday fasts, no additional fast is needed to prepare for Communion. By the way, this is how they live now: they fast on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and receive communion four days a week - on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday (after fast days) and Sunday. And this is absolutely correct: people live by Christ. Liturgy is the center of their life around which everything else is built. Otherwise it is impossible.It is clear that lay people cannot live like monks. But it is possible to try to have the Liturgy in the center, the union with Christ.
We know the opinion of many holy fathers that it is necessary to receive communion more often. This is understandable to anyone who studies this issue even a little. The purpose of the liturgy is to receive communion. After all, the Lord says: drink from the Cup, everyone - everyone is invited.
Another thing is that we are not always worthy to start the Chalice. But you can not exaggerate your unworthiness. “No one is worthy,” as it is said in the liturgical prayer of St. Basil the Great. But this does not mean that there is no need to proceed to the Sacrament - if we do not take communion, there will be no Life in us, there will be no Christ. We'll just die. This should be perfectly clear to every Christian.
It happens that believers confine themselves to Communion once a month or only on great holidays. It's not very good. In my opinion, for a Christian it is right for each Sunday service to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, and to prepare for this all the previous days - by prayer, an attentive life, a repentant attitude. But, of course, it is up to each Christian to decide when to receive communion on their own, after consulting with their confessor.
But in the same Middle Ages, life was arranged differently, and the rhythm of life obeyed the Church, at least at the level of fasting and prayer: at a certain moment everyone went to the service, on a certain day everyone changed their diet ... In addition, the person was not so public - Internet users are constantly in sight. Personally, for example, when I write on a blog or social network, a problem arises - I try to be sincere, but still there is a feeling of picturesqueness: I show myself to people like that, I want to look like that. It seems to me that modern man there is a temptation to hypocrisy - not a direct lie, but something subtle ...
I do not think that the main thing has changed a lot since the past. Of course, we are undergoing huge information loads - we are much more involved in the life of the world than our ancestors, we can spend less time than they can in silence and solitude. But the fundamental foundations of human life in the world have remained unchanged. We just have to follow what the Lord has told us: open the gospel and act in accordance with His commandments.
How to create a church community?
Another problem is that communal ties have collapsed. Even joint prayer, Liturgy has become a private matter. How to make people feel like a community, a single whole?
It depends on the parish priest. If there is a good priest, there will be an active parish life, and there will be Christian fellowship.
To achieve this, the priest must try to live as St. rights. John of Kronstadt - so that his ministry, his word would unite people.
All forms of non-liturgical parish activities are suitable. A meal, tea drinking after the service - all this brings the priest closer to the parishioners, warmer, more humane, trusting relationships arise. If the parish priest is also a confessor for his parishioners, then during such meals you can talk about spiritual life (of course, we are not talking about personal spiritual issues - here you need to find time for a conversation face to face). It is very bad when a priest is an inaccessible figure. He is the shepherd.
The problem is that we have very big temples- including new ones. Several priests serve in it, a lot of people go there - how can one find unity here ?! The old parish churches were very small. Spiritual father- it was a priest who was known by the whole parish and who was known by the whole parish. This is the basis for the life of the community.
Interviewed by Maria Senchukova.
