Rules of pious behavior in the temple
Before going to the Temple, every Christian must remember
the main rules for staying in the House of the Lord.
“My house is a house of prayer” (Luke 19.46)
There are many rules for our salvation,
Here’s one – “Churching”
Go to the holy temple with prayer,
And in the unity of Christ,
Join the new Life.
Before entering the cathedral,
Take off your headdress,
Drive away evil thoughts:
You don't need them.
Don't judge anyone
Give help to the beggar
Light a candle and then
Cross yourself with a cross.
Keep the thought of God,
Drive laziness away
Reconcile your soul with God,
Pray for the whole world.
Don’t push Bogomoltsev,
Get used to the order in the temple.
Don't look around -
It's not good for us.
X 
be it an old lady or a maiden -
Don't look at faces
Let your eyes fall to the ground,
About your sins of sadness
With humility, like a publican
Look at the holy altar,
Where the Spirit of God dwells,
He feeds us with grace.
Listen to the singing and the service,
Break off your friendship with demons,
Don't accept their intrigues
Listen to the Word of God.
And I will say from the heart;
Don’t rush to leave the temple,
Stay in service until the end,
Listen to your father's sermon.
Then venerate the Cross,
Make a promise to Christ
That I intend to improve,
And remain true to your vows,
Don't waste time,
Love God's service
And while the soul is in the chest,
Come to prayer.
Invite your brothers with you,
Dress smarter
Sunday is God's holiday,
Rejoice, he is yours too.
Author – Hegumen Vissarion (Ostapenko), resident of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra
Orthodox church
TO 
As a rule, Orthodox churches have three entrances: the main (western, opposite the altar), northern and southern. The entire church building is divided into the altar, the temple itself and the vestibule. The altar is separated from the temple itself by an iconostasis, which in most cases reaches the ceiling. The altar contains the throne and the altar. The Royal Doors (central), as well as the northern and southern doors lead to the altar.
Women are prohibited from entering the altar. Men can enter the altar only with the permission of the priests, and then only through the northern or southern doors. Only clergy enter the altar through the Royal Doors.
Directly adjacent to the iconostasis is the solea - an elevated platform along the entire altar. Opposite the royal doors is the ambo - the central part of the solea. Without the permission of the clergy, it is also not allowed to ascend to the pulpit and solea.
Since ancient times, it has been established to perform divine services three times a day: in the evening, in the morning and in the afternoon - the liturgy. You should know that the church day begins not at 0 o'clock on the calendar day, but at 18 o'clock on the previous day.
The entrance to the temple from the street is usually arranged in the form of a porch - a platform in front of the entrance doors, to which several steps lead. When approaching the temple, you need to make the sign of the cross and bow from the waist. When going up to the porch, before entering the doors, you again need to sign yourself with the sign of the cross. You should not pray for a long time and for show while standing on the street.
You should arrive at the temple 10-15 minutes before the start of the service. During this time, you can submit notes, put a donation on the eve, buy candles, put them on and venerate the icons. If you are late, you must behave in such a way as not to disturb the prayer of others. If it is not possible to freely approach the icons and light candles, ask them to pass the candles through other people.
During the service, men should stand on the right side of the temple, women on the left, leaving a clear passage from the main doors to the Royal Doors. It is forbidden to sit in an Orthodox church, the only exception being the parishioner’s ill health or severe fatigue.
In a temple, it is indecent to show curiosity and look at others. It is unacceptable to condemn and ridicule the involuntary mistakes of employees or those present in the temple. It is forbidden to talk during the service. One should not condemn or reprimand a newcomer who does not know the church rules. It is better to help him with polite and kind advice. Candles should only be purchased from the temple you came to. If possible, you should not leave the temple until the end of the service.
When visiting temples, you are supposed to dress so that most of your body is covered. It is not customary to go to church in shorts and sportswear. Whenever possible, men and women should also avoid T-shirts and short-sleeved shirts. A woman's head must be covered. Men are required to remove their hats before entering the temple.
In an informal setting, clergy are usually called as follows:
Patriarcha - His Holiness;
bishop - lord;
priest - father;
abbess - mother;
deacon - father deacon.
It is not customary at meetings to greet clergy with exclamations: “Hello, father!” or “Hello, master!” You should say: “Father, bless!” or “Master, bless!”
You should not ask for blessings from deacons and ordinary monks, since they do not have the right to do this. Priests and bishops, as well as abbess of monasteries in the rank of abbess, bless. When accepting a blessing, you should fold your palms crosswise (right palm on top of the left) and kiss the right, blessing hand of the clergyman; there is no need to cross yourself before doing this.
Catholic Church
A Catholic church has generally the same structure as an Orthodox one. The most significant difference that catches your eye is the absence of an iconostasis. Instead, there is a low altar barrier. The church has a central part - the altar, or presbytery - the place where worship takes place and where the Holy Gifts - bread and wine transubstantiated into the Body and Blood of Christ - are kept. You can recognize this place by the unquenchable lamp burning in front of the tabernacle.
In addition to the central altar, there may be side chapels in honor of saints. The church also has a special place for the choir and a sacristy (a separate room for church servants and storage of liturgical vestments and objects).
Men must remove their hats when entering the temple. Headscarves are not required for women. There are also no special standards in clothing or use of cosmetics. Appearing in the temple in shorts or too revealing clothing is not welcome, and in some temples, including St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, it is prohibited.
At the entrance to the temple there is a vessel with consecrated water, or a crypt, into which the fingers of the right hand are dipped and then crossed.
Immediately upon entering the temple, kneeling (right knee) is performed before the tabernacle. And subsequently, passing by the tabernacle, they kneel or at least bow their heads. Catholics are baptized in a different order from Orthodox Christians - first the left shoulder, then the right. There are no special moments outside the liturgy when the sign of the cross is required.
In the temple there are rows of prayer benches, and at the bottom there are low benches (people kneel on them during worship). Confession in a Catholic church is performed in special confessionals - small booths for the priest and the confessor.
If someone is talking in the confessional, you should not be within earshot, nor should you approach the priest during his conversation with someone - this can be a purely spiritual and personal conversation. One should not interrupt the prayer or silent contemplation of believers; one should wait until they finish.
Actually, this limits the basic rules of conduct in a Catholic church.
The head of the Catholic Church is the Pope.
Appeals to clergy:
to the Pope - Your Holiness;
to the cardinal and archbishop - Your Eminence;
to the bishop - Your Eminence (personal - Vladyka).
For persons belonging to the highest church hierarchy, the title “Monsignor” is also used, added to the title. The rector of the temple is addressed as “Your Reverence.” In a personal conversation, you can address all priests as “father,” monks as “brother,” and nuns as “sister.”
It is very difficult to distinguish one rank from another in everyday life, therefore, when preparing for a meeting with a priest, you need to know his title in advance. However, the presence of a red belt, piuska (a red bishop's cap or a non-black cassock), as a rule, indicates belonging to the highest hierarchy. True, in everyday life the priesthood wears ordinary dark suits with dark shirts and a white stripe under the collar.
In communication with the priesthood, two levels must be distinguished - the one when, during a meeting, the priest is called to perform a divine service or sacrament, and the usual conversation. The conversation is subject to the rules of normal etiquette.
The Catholic priesthood takes a vow of celibacy, so it is tactless to be interested in the family life of your interlocutor. Another feature is that, as a rule, the priest is the first to offer his hand, including to women.
Adults and children know how to behave in the mosque: Do not make noise or shout, Do not interfere with the prayer.
In the ablution room
Do not create dirty puddles.
And, of course, without a doubt,
You need to be polite.
Rules of conduct in madrasah (
The madrasah has its own order.
You should behave like this:
Don't run up stairs
Take a quiet step down,
You only need to eat in the dining room,
Just throw trash in the trash.
It is important to listen in class
Answer questions.
For fun and fun
Change has been given to us -
We play and frolic;
There is silence in class!
P
RULES OF BEHAVIOR IN THE SYNAGOGUE
The center of religious and social life of the Jewish community is the synagogue.
Currently, various currents coexist in Judaism - from ultra-Orthodox to ultra-liberal. Accordingly, synagogue services in different Jewish communities can vary significantly. The ancient traditions are most preserved in Orthodox Judaism.
Services in Orthodox synagogues are usually held three times a day; On holidays and Saturdays, additional prayers are read. For worship to take place, at least ten men over 13 years of age must be present to form a minyan (quorum).
The seats for women in the synagogue are either separated from the seats for men by a partition, or women occupy seats in the gallery.
M 
Men are forbidden to be in the synagogue with their heads uncovered, so during morning prayer they wear a special prayer shawl (tallit), which is a rectangular piece of woolen material with four tassels at the corners (tzitzit).
On weekdays, during morning prayer, men put on tefillin - leather boxes with pieces of parchment with passages of Holy Scripture enclosed in them. With the help of long straps, these boxes are tied to the forehead and left hand of the worshipers.
Prayers are said standing or sitting: those praying are not allowed to prostrate or kneel, with the exception of certain moments of festive services.
When entering the synagogue and reading some prayers, it is customary to bow your head. Prayers are recited in Hebrew, and a number of prayers are recited in Aramite (Aramaic), the language of everyday communication of the ancient Jews.
The order of worship developed over the centuries involves the recitation of certain prayers, the sequence of which corresponds to one or another day of the religious calendar. Any adult Jewish male can lead a service. In large communities, a particularly revered person (khazzan) is usually appointed to read prayers on holidays and Saturdays, sometimes accompanied by a male choir. Some parts of the liturgy are sung by everyone present in the synagogue.
In many communities belonging to other branches of Judaism - Conservative, Reform, Liberal - synagogue traditions can differ significantly. Thus, in reform communities, men and women sit together. Men may not wear a tallit or tefillin, although they often wear a special cap (kippah) on their heads.
The synagogue choir in Reform and many Conservative synagogues includes women. In many countries, part of the service may be conducted in the language of that country, and the ratio of prayers in Hebrew to prayers in another language varies among different communities. The very composition of prayers in the services of various communities is also changing.
Rabbis still lead Jewish communities today, although much of their leadership is in the nature of spiritual mentoring. The responsibilities of rabbis include organizing solemn religious ceremonies - marriages, funerals, etc.
The functions and position of the rabbinate may differ in different countries of the world. Thus, in Israel, rabbis are government officials. They are confirmed in office by the chief rabbis and the Ministry of Religious Affairs and take on some of the important government and judicial functions.
Unlike other religions, where there are certain rules of etiquette in dealing with clergy of various ranks, in Judaism as a whole there are no such rules. The only thing is that when addressing a rabbi by name, the word “rabbi” is sometimes added.
Rules of conduct in a Buddhist temple
What not to do in a Buddhist temple
If you are not just going on an excursion, but want to attend a sacred service (which is allowed in some churches), under no circumstances should you be late. Being late may be regarded as disrespect for the clergy.
Before entering the temple, you must remove your hats and take off your shoes. In addition, clothing should cover the arms up to the forearms and the legs up to the ankles. Sometimes, at the entrance to the temple, visitors are given special clothes, but, of course, it is better to take care of your costume in advance.
You cannot talk on the phone, communicate with each other and solve any of your problems.
It is better for women not to start a conversation at all and not to take any action towards the clergy - in some temples, monks are prohibited from communicating with women. Or with visitors in general.
Never sit in front of a Buddha statue with your toes pointing at it (and among the Thais, even towards people, this is considered an indecent gesture).
What to do in a Buddhist temple
In the central hall, move in the direction of the sun, i.e. from left to right, trying not to turn your back to the altar.
Make offerings and donations (with this we develop generosity and suppress greed).
Order a prayer service (usually in the lobby to the left of the entrance to the central hall), entering the names of relatives and friends and making offerings. By wishing well to all living beings, we acquire favorable karma.
If you need to spend some time in the temple to think about the meaning of life, about good and evil, about moral and ethical standards, you can sit on a bench or on the floor.
Buddhist temple structure
Each temple should be surrounded by a wall with a heavy gate.
Behind the main temple gate there is a multi-tiered tower - a pagoda, in which the remains of saints are kept. As a rule, the pagoda is built in three to five floors, but in some temples it can reach a hundred meters or more.
Behind the pagoda is the central, or “golden” hall. In the hall there is an altar with an image of Buddha, oriented so that his face faces east. In addition to the main one, there may also be smaller sculptures depicting the life paths of the Buddha or his followers. In front of the altar there is a tray for candles and incense.
The pagoda and the Golden Hall are surrounded by galleries in which the monks and people at the temple live.
Upon entering the temple, you can purchase a small traditional offering of orchid flowers, lotus flowers, candles and incense sticks.
We light the candles and place them in a tray at the entrance to the temple. We light incense from the candles and insert it into vases with sand, which are located nearby. To make an offering, in the central hall you need to sit on your knees in front of the altar (tourists do not have to sit down) and fold your hands at your head in a gesture of respect. Then place the flowers on the tray prepared there. Some temples have money boxes.
Rules of behavior in the temple and church etiquette
Behavior in the temple
An Orthodox church is a place of God’s special presence on Earth. You need to behave reverently in church, so as not to offend the greatness of the shrine, and not to incur the wrath of God.
You must arrive to the service in advance, 10-20 minutes. When entering, cross yourself and make a bow from the waist. Upon entering, men remove their hats. Women enter the temple with their heads covered and dressed according to their gender. Clothing must be decent and neat.
Conversations in the temple should be limited to the limit. Briefly greet acquaintances, postponing conversations for later and outside the temple threshold.
When you come to church with children, you should try not to let them run around and be naughty. You should try to calm a crying child; if this fails, it is advisable to leave the temple with the child.
You can only sing along with the choir very quietly. During public singing, do not allow “disorderly screaming.”
Sitting in the temple is allowed only due to illness or severe fatigue. You cannot sit with your legs crossed.
If everyone praying kneels, you need to join them. Smoking is not allowed on the church porch. Animals are not allowed into the temple. It is unacceptable to walk and talk while reading the Gospel, singing the “Cherubic” and the Eucharistic canon at the liturgy (from the Creed to the “Our Father”). At this time, it is also undesirable to light candles and venerate icons.
You can make a remark to a neighbor who has violated the rules of good behavior quietly and delicately, but it is better to refrain from making comments at all, unless, of course, there is an arrogant, hooligan action.
Finally, you need to stay in the church until the service is completely over. You can leave ahead of time only due to infirmity or serious necessity.
Church etiquette
It is difficult for a person who has crossed the church threshold for the first time to find an appropriate address to his neighbor. Indeed, what should you call a candle maker – “woman”, “lady”, “citizen”? How to address a priest - “sir”, “master”, “comrade”?
But there are no difficulties. Christians are one family, where everyone is related to each other. Relatives do not need conventions.
“Brother”, “sister” - the best way to address the laity. We are all children of the One God and descendants of Adam and Eve. “Father” or “father” is how priests are called as performers of the sacraments, “through which people are born to spiritual life.” Usually after the words “father” a name is added, for example, “Father Nikolai.” You can address a deacon as “Father Deacon,” and the rector of a church (monastery) as “Father Superior.”
In the conversations of Orthodox people, the word “father” is often heard. It must be remembered that this word is used only when directly addressing a person. You cannot, for example, say “Father Vladimir blessed me,” this is illiterate.
You should not address clergy as “holy father,” as is customary in Catholic countries. The holiness of a person is known by his death.
We affectionately call the wives of altar servers, as well as older women, “mother.”
Bishops - bishops, metropolitans, the Patriarch - must be addressed as “Vladyka”, as those vested with ecclesiastical authority.
Sometimes there is a need to contact a clergyman in writing. Priests should be called “Your Reverence”, archpriests – “Your Reverence”, bishops – “Your Eminence”, archbishops and metropolitans – “Your Eminence”, Patriarchs – “Your Eminence”.
Sectarians who do not have a priesthood reproach the Orthodox for allegedly violating the words of Christ: “And do not call anyone on earth your father: for you have one Father, who is in Heaven” (Matt. 23:9). But it is clear that “do not name” has the meaning of “do not worship,” otherwise the words of the Lord can be turned into nonsense. Back in the 1st century, the Evangelist John the Theologian, in his Council Epistles, addressed Christians as “children.” The response was obviously appropriate. It's not about the word, but about the internal attitude towards it. 06 Deacon Andrei Kuraev writes well about this:
“Even the most convinced Baptist calls his parent father and does not mind when his little son calls him “dad.” Here, as in relation to the icon: you can worship and serve only God. But we can and should honor those through whom we receive the gift of life.”
“Bless me, father!”
Every believer considers it obligatory to ask for a blessing when meeting with a priest or bishop, but many do this incorrectly. Of course, there are no strict canons on this issue, but the traditions of the Church and simple common sense tell us how to behave.
Blessing has many meanings. The first of these is greeting. Only someone equal in rank has the right to shake hands with a priest; everyone else, even deacons, receive a blessing from him when they meet the priest. To do this, you need to put your palms together, the right one on top of the left, in order to receive the blessing hand in them and kiss it as a sign of respect for the sacred office. And for nothing more! The folding of the palms does not have any mysterious meaning; grace does not “fall” in them, as some old women teach.
You can be blessed by a priest not only when he is in church clothes, but also in civilian clothes; not only in the temple, but also on the street, in a public place. However, you should not approach an unveiled priest who does not know you for a blessing outside the church.
In the same way, every layman says goodbye to a priest. If several priests are standing nearby, and you want to be blessed by everyone, then first you need to approach the senior one.
The second meaning of a priestly blessing is permission, permission, parting words. Before starting any responsible business, before traveling, as well as in any difficult circumstances, we can ask the priest for advice and blessings and kiss his hand.
Finally, there are blessings during the church service. The priest, saying: “Peace to all,” “The blessing of the Lord is upon you...”, “The grace of our Lord...”, makes the sign of the cross over the worshipers. In response, we humbly bow our heads without folding our hands - after all, it is impossible to kiss the blessing right hand.
If the priest overshadows us with sacred objects: the Cross, the Gospel, the Chalice, the icon, we first cross ourselves and then bow.
You should not approach the blessing at an inopportune moment: when the priest is giving communion, censing the temple, anointing with oil. But you can do this at the end of confession and at the end of the liturgy, while kissing the Cross. You should not abuse the blessing by approaching the same priest several times a day. The words “bless, father” should always sound joyful and solemn to a layman, and they should not be turned into a saying.
Church note
If you want the memorial note you submitted to the altar to be read carefully and slowly, remember the rules:
1. Write in clear, understandable handwriting, preferably in block letters, trying to mention no more than 10 names in one note.
2. Title it “about health” or “about repose.”
3. Write names in the genitive case (the question “who”?).
4. Use the full form of the name, even if you remember children (for example, not Seryozha, but Sergius).
5. Find out the church spelling of secular names (for example, not Polina, but Pelageya; not Artem, but Artemy; not Yuri, but Georgiy).
6. Before the names of the clergy, indicate their rank, in full or in an understandable abbreviation (for example, Priest Peter, Archbishop Nikon).
7. A child under 7 years old is called a baby, from 7 to 15 years old - an adolescent (youth) and is written: ml. Alexandra or neg. Hope.
8. There is no need to indicate the last names, patronymics, titles, professions of those mentioned and their degree of relationship in relation to you.
9. It is allowed to include in the note the words “warrior”, “monk”, “nun”, “sick”, “travelling”, “prisoner”.
10. On the contrary, there is no need to write “lost”, “suffering”, “embarrassed”, “student”, “grieving”, “maiden”, “widow”, “pregnant”.
11. In the funeral notes, mark “newly deceased” (deceased within 40 days after death), “ever memorable” (deceased who have memorable dates on this day), “killed”.
12. There is no need to pray for those whom the Church has glorified as saints (for example, Blessed Xenia).
Health is commemorated for those who have Christian names, and repose is remembered only for those baptized in the Orthodox Church.
Notes can be submitted at the liturgy:
For proskomedia - the first part of the liturgy, when for each name indicated in the note, particles are taken out of special prosphoras, which are subsequently dipped into the Blood of Christ with a prayer for the forgiveness of the sins of those commemorated;
At mass - this is what people call the liturgy in general, and the commemoration of it in particular. Usually such notes are read by clergy and clergy before the Holy See;
At the litany - remembrance for all to hear. It is usually performed by a deacon. At the end of the liturgy, these notes are commemorated a second time in many churches, at services. You can also submit a note for a prayer service or memorial service.
Candle
What does a person do first when he crosses the threshold of the temple?
Nine times out of ten, it goes to the candle box.
Our practical Christianity and initiation into the ritual begins with a small wax candle.
It is impossible to imagine an Orthodox church in which candles are not lit...
The interpreter of the liturgy, Blessed Simeon of Thessaloniki (XV century), says that pure wax means the purity and innocence of the people bringing it. It is offered as a sign of our repentance for perseverance and self-will. The softness and pliability of wax speaks of our willingness to obey God. The burning of a candle means the deification of a person, his transformation into a new creature through the action of the fire of Divine love.
In addition, a candle is a testimony of faith, a person’s involvement in the Divine light. It expresses the flame of our love for the Lord, the Mother of God, angels or saints. You cannot light a candle formally, with a cold heart. External action must be complemented by prayer, even the simplest one, in your own words.
A lit candle is present at many church services. It is held in the hands of those newly baptized and those united in the sacrament of marriage. Among many burning candles, the funeral service is performed. Covering the candle flame from the wind, pilgrims go to the religious procession.
There are no mandatory rules about where and how many candles to place. Their purchase is a small sacrifice to God, voluntary and not burdensome. An expensive large candle is not at all more beneficial than a small one.
Those who regularly visit the temple try to light several candles each time: to the festive icon lying on the lectern in the middle of the church; to the image of the Savior or the Mother of God - about the health of your loved ones; to the Crucifixion on a rectangular table-candlestick (eve) - about the repose of the departed. If your heart desires, you can light a candle to any saint or saints.
Sometimes it happens that there is no free space in the candlestick in front of the icon; everyone is occupied by burning candles. Then you shouldn’t put out another candle for the sake of your own; it’s more appropriate to ask the minister to light it at a good time. And there is no need to be embarrassed that your half-burnt candle was extinguished at the end of the service - the sacrifice has already been accepted by God.
There is no need to listen to talk about how you should light a candle only with your right hand; that if it goes out it means there will be misfortunes; that melting the lower end of the candle for stability in the hole is a mortal sin, etc. There are many superstitions around the church, and they are all meaningless.
God is pleased with a wax candle. But He values the burning of the heart more. Our spiritual life and participation in worship are not limited to a candle. By itself, it will not free you from sins, will not unite you with God, will not give you strength for invisible warfare. The candle is full of symbolic meaning, but it is not the symbol that saves us, but the true essence - Divine grace.
Orthodox CUSTOMS and TRADITIONS
In ancient Rus' there was a close connection and interaction between the church and home life of our ancestors. Orthodox people paid great attention not only to What cooked for lunch, but also How preparing. They did this with constant prayer, in a peaceful state of mind and with good thoughts. And they also paid special attention to the church calendar - they looked at what day it was - fasting or fasting.
The rules were observed especially strictly in monasteries.
The ancient Russian monasteries owned vast estates and lands, had the most comfortable farms, which gave them the means to make extensive food supplies, which in turn gave them abundant means for the wide hospitality bequeathed to the inhabitants by their holy founders.
But the matter of receiving strangers in monasteries was subordinated to both the general church and private statutes of each monastery, that is, one food was offered to the brethren, servants, wanderers and beggars on holidays and feeding days (commemorated for depositors and benefactors) days, another on weekdays; one - on fast days, the other - on fast days and on fasts: Great, Nativity, Assumption and Petrovka - all this was strictly determined by the statutes, which were also distinguished by place and means.
Nowadays, not all of the provisions of the church charter, which were aimed primarily at monasteries and clergy, can be applied in everyday life. However, an Orthodox person needs to learn some rules, which we have already mentioned above.
First of all, before you start preparing food, you must pray to God.
What does it mean to pray to God?
To pray to God means to glorify, thank and ask Him for the forgiveness of your sins and your needs. Prayer is the reverent striving of the human soul towards God.
Why do you need to pray to God?
God is our Creator and Father. He cares about us all more than any child-loving father and gives us all the blessings in life. By him we live, move and have our being; that is why we must pray to Him.
How do we pray?
We sometimes pray internally - with our mind and heart; but since each of us consists of a soul and a body, for the most part we say the prayer out loud, and also accompany it with some visible signs and bodily actions: the sign of the cross, a bow to the waist, and for the strongest expression of our reverent feelings for God and deep humility We kneel before Him and bow to the ground.
When should you pray?
You should pray at all times, without ceasing.
When is it especially appropriate to pray?
In the morning, upon awakening from sleep, to thank God for keeping us through the night and asking for His blessings on the coming day.
When starting a business - to ask for God's help.
At the end of the case - to thank God for help and success in the case.
Before lunch - so that God will bless us with food for health.
After lunch - to thank God who feeds us.
In the evening, before going to bed, to thank God for the day and ask Him for forgiveness of our sins, for a peaceful and serene sleep.
For all cases, special prayers are prescribed by the Orthodox Church.
Prayer before lunch and dinner
Our Father... or:
The eyes of all trust in You, Lord, and You give them food in good season, You open Your generous hand and fulfill all animal blessings.
On Thea - on You. They hope - they turn with hope. In good time - in due time. If you open it, you open it. An animal is a living being, everything living. Favor - good disposition towards someone, mercy.
What do we ask of God in this prayer?
In this prayer we ask that God bless us with food and drink for health.
What is under the hand of the Lord?
The hand of the Lord is of course here giving us good things.
What does it mean to do every kindness to animals?
These words mean that the Lord cares not only about people, but also about animals, birds, fish, and in general about all living things.
Prayer after lunch and dinner
We thank Thee, Christ our God, for Thou hast filled us with Thy earthly blessings; Do not deprive us of Your Heavenly Kingdom, but as You came among Your disciples, Savior, give them peace, come to us and save us. Amen.
Earthly goods are everything necessary for earthly life, for example, food and drink.
What are we praying for in this prayer?
In this prayer, we thank God for satisfying us with food and drink, and we ask that He not deprive us of His Heavenly Kingdom.
If several people are sitting at the table, the oldest person reads the prayer out loud.
What can be said about someone who crosses himself incorrectly and carelessly during prayer or is ashamed to cross himself?
Such a person does not want to confess his faith in God; Jesus Christ Himself will be ashamed of this at His Last Judgment (Mark 8:38).
How should one be baptized?
To make the sign of the cross, we put the first three fingers of the right hand - thumb, index and middle - together; We bend the last two fingers - the ring and little fingers - to the palm.
We place the fingers folded in this way on the forehead, on the stomach, on the right and left shoulder.
What do we express by folding our fingers like this?
By putting the first three fingers together we express the belief that God is One in Essence, but threefold in Persons.
The two bent fingers show our faith that in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, there are two natures: Divine and human.
By depicting a cross on ourselves with folded fingers, we show that we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ crucified on the Cross.
Why do we sign the cross on our forehead, stomach and shoulders?
To enlighten the mind, heart and strengthen strength.
Perhaps a modern person will find it strange or even fantastic to say that the taste of dinner can depend on prayer or mood. However, in the lives of the saints there is a very convincing story on this topic.
One day, Prince Izyaslav of Kiev came to the monastery to visit Saint Theodisius of Pechersk (who reposed in 1074) and stayed to dine. On the table there was only black bread, water and vegetables, but these simple dishes seemed sweeter to the prince than overseas dishes.
Izyaslav asked Theodosius why the monastery meal seemed so tasty. To which the monk replied:
“Prince, our brethren, when they cook food or bake bread, first they take a blessing from the abbot, then they make three bows in front of the altar, light a candle from a lamp in front of the icon of the Savior, and with this candle they light a fire in the kitchen and bakery.
When it is necessary to pour water into the cauldron, the minister also asks the elder for a blessing for this.
Thus, everything is done with blessing.
Your servants begin every task with grumbling and annoyance at each other. And where there is sin, there can be no pleasure. In addition, your courtyard managers often beat the servants for the slightest offense, and the tears of the offended add bitterness to the food, no matter how expensive they are.”
The Church does not give any special recommendations regarding food intake, but you cannot eat before the morning service, and even more so before communion. This prohibition exists so that the body, burdened with food, does not distract the soul from prayer and communion.
What is the sacrament of communion?
The fact is that a Christian accepts the true Body of Christ under the guise of bread, and the true Blood of Christ under the guise of wine for union with the Lord Jesus Christ and for eternal blissful life with Him (John 6:54-56).
How should one prepare for Holy Communion?
Anyone who wishes to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ must first fast, i.e. fast, pray more in church and at home, make peace with everyone and then confess.
Should you take communion often?
One should receive communion as often as possible, at least once a month and necessarily during all fasts (Great, Nativity, Assumption and Petrov); otherwise it is unfair to be called an Orthodox Christian.
At what church service is the sacrament of communion celebrated?
During the Divine Liturgy, or mass, which is why this service is considered more important than other church services, for example, Vespers, Matins and others.
In liturgical practice, the Russian Orthodox Church uses the Typikon. Typikon, or Charter, is a liturgical book containing detailed instructions: on what days and hours, at what divine services and in what order the prayers contained in the Service Book, Book of Hours, Octoechos and other liturgical books should be read or sung.
The Typikon also pays great attention to the food eaten by believers. However, a secular person should not literally follow all the instructions contained in the Charter, for it is aimed primarily at the monastic brethren.
The proposed rules are the simplest, but at the same time necessary for everyone who wants to live the church life.
Visiting a temple and rules of conduct for Christians
Visiting a temple usually requires preliminary preparation. So, before entering it, you must have the appropriate mental attitude. In the temple you also need to behave in such a way as not to unwittingly offend the feelings of believers.
Preparing to visit the temple
When going to an Orthodox church, you should turn off your mobile phone in advance or not take it with you at all. Telephone calls will distract believers from prayers. You should not talk on the phone during the service for the same reasons.
Spiritual mood
Before visiting church, you need to prepare yourself spiritually. To do this, it is recommended to read the Bible or other spiritual literature. In general, before each holiday it is recommended to read relevant literature.
Reading spiritual literature should encourage a person to reflect on how he lived the past week, what was on his heart or in his thoughts. It is advisable, when testing yourself, to remember what you have sinned since the day of your last confession. You can even write down your sins so as not to forget them before confession, distracted by everyday problems.
It will also be useful during spiritual reflection to remember all the good gifts and mercies received from God. For all this we should thank Him.
You should prepare your soul especially carefully for communion.
Appearance
Dress for church should be modest and decent. In addition, it should be clean and ironed, shoes should be cleaned, and hairstyle should be neat. Under no circumstances should you come to church wearing what you usually wear at home or on the beach.
The appearance of a Christian (not only behavior, but also clothing) reflects his inner state, although it is not an indicator of his piety. However, the desire for internal cleanliness, as a rule, encourages a person to also be neat on the outside. If a person is modest and meek, this will also be expressed in modest clothing and meek behavior. A person who has peace and tranquility in his heart will be quiet and reserved in conversation, all his gestures will be balanced. A believer will have a desire for order in everything.
It is better to stick to calm tones in clothes. In some cases, it is recommended to come in light clothes (for example, on Easter), sometimes, on the contrary, in black (on days of mourning). Flashy tones will be inappropriate.
Women need to be especially careful about their clothing. They should always look very modest in church. Lately, many people wear jeans or trousers to church. However, you should still wear a skirt to confession or communion. It should be no higher than the knee, not transparent and without cuts. It is recommended to choose a jacket or blouse without a deep neckline on the chest and also opaque, dim, without sparkles, etc. Women should definitely cover their heads with a scarf. There are no strict requirements for shoes, but it is still recommended to choose the most comfortable ones, since you have to stand for a long time during services. You cannot use cosmetics, especially lipstick. You should also not use perfume, especially in hot weather, as its strong smell can make others feel unwell.
Men can come in jeans or trousers, a sweater or shirt, or a suit. Shorts and T-shirts should not be worn. Unlike women, men must always bare their heads when entering church (even in winter).
On church holidays you can dress more beautifully and solemnly, on fasting days - on the contrary, more modestly.
Young people should not come to the temple in T-shirts, especially those with flashy stickers on them in the form of various slogans, images of pop music idols, etc. Only children under 7 years old are allowed to wear shorts.
Entrance to the temple
You should arrive at the service 5-10 minutes before it starts. You need to enter the church with reverence, calmly and quietly. At the threshold, they usually make the sign of the cross three times and read a prayer. You can read the “Our Father” prayer or simply say: “Lord, have mercy.” In this case, you need to look at the domes of the temple and the crosses on them. At the end of the prayer, you should bow. How to make the sign of the cross and bows will be discussed below.
You should not smoke at the entrance to the temple. When entering the porch, you should once again make the sign of the cross, since it is believed that already here a person is in a holy place. We need to stop all non-spiritual conversations.
You should not linger at the entrance to the temple, making it difficult for other pilgrims to enter it.
Upon entering the temple, you must try, without disturbing anyone, to find a place for yourself and, turning to the altar, make three bows with the sign of the cross. If there is a service going on at this time, men should go and stand on the right side, and women on the left.
It is advisable to come to church on time, that is, at the beginning of the service, and not during it. Latecomers should try to move forward calmly.
Conducting financial affairs, with the exception of purchasing candles, should be done either before or after the service, but in no case during the service.
In the temple
It is not customary to talk inside the church, so as not to interfere with others turning their thoughts to God.
In church, parishioners pray, and, as a rule, silently. This unspoken rule also applies to singing. You should not quietly sing along with the singing choir, or echo the words of the priest or reader out loud. Such an action may prevent neighbors from praying. It is advisable not to violate this order.
In the past, it was customary to pray out loud. Currently, parishioners can pray aloud together while reading the Lord's Prayer and the I Believe prayer, as well as sing troparia and magnifications for the holidays.
Before the service begins, you can go to the candle box, where you can receive candles, purchase books and other church utensils. At this time, you can say hello to your friends or talk with a clergyman about some church or spiritual topic.
You cannot walk, talk, light candles or venerate icons while reading the Gospel, singing the Cherubim and the Eucharistic canon at the liturgy (from the Creed to the Lord’s Prayer).
In church they usually stand, but they are also allowed to sit. According to the proverb, it is better to think about God while sitting than to think about your feet while standing.
Seats in the church should be given up to the sick and old. Those sitting should not cross their legs.
However, you should still stand up during important moments.
When everyone kneels during congregational prayer, one must also kneel.
In church you should not keep your hands in your pockets or chew gum.
When you come to church with children, you need to make sure that they do not run around, laugh or play around in the church. If the child cries, he should be calmed down immediately; if this fails, it is better to take him outside and calm him down. After this you can return to the church. You cannot come to church with animals or birds.
It is undesirable to make comments to those who behave incorrectly out of ignorance. The exception is disorderly, hooligan behavior.
You must remain in the church until the end of the service. Leaving ahead of time is appropriate only for the infirm or in case of urgent need.
Prayer
Before you start praying, you need to calm down and focus on the Divine, and only after that say the words of the prayer. You can first place candles in front of the icons of the saints to whom the prayer will be addressed.
Prayer must be performed quietly, without disturbing other worshipers. To do this, you need to choose a convenient place where other parishioners will not interfere with your concentration on communication with God and His saints. You should not displace other believers from their places in front of the icons; it is better to wait until they leave or choose another place. You can pray not only according to your own needs, but also by taking part in a divine service, during which there is time for both personal and general prayer.
Even without speaking a word or understanding the language in which the service is conducted (in Orthodox churches, the service is conducted in the Old Church Slavonic language), you can still feel involved in everything that happens in the church. This helps to tune in internally to spiritual reflection.
When thoughts involuntarily scatter during worship, it is recommended to read the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.”
Sign of the cross and bows
An Orthodox Christian who comes to church should know when and how to make the sign of the cross.
The sign of the cross expresses a person's faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. Faith in Christ means loving Him and doing His holy will in your life. It is this kind of faith that saves us from the power of evil.
The first three fingers, folded together, express faith in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, as a consubstantial Trinity. Two fingers pressed to the palm mean Christ during His descent to earth, when two essences were united in him - divine and human.
Thus, the sign of the cross itself, like the cross worn around the neck, does not bring liberation or salvation; they cannot be used as talismans or protection from the evil demonic manifestations of this world. According to Orthodox doctrine, only true faith can save. The sign of the cross is only a visible manifestation of this faith.
Orthodox Christians make the sign of the cross in the following way: the thumb, index and middle fingers of the right hand are folded together at the ends, and the ring and little fingers are pressed against the palm.
When making the sign of the cross, you must first place your folded fingers on your forehead (to sanctify the mind), then to your stomach (to sanctify your inner feelings), and then to your right and left shoulders (to sanctify your bodily, physical strength).
Having lowered your hand, you should bow, since by depicting the Calvary cross on yourself, the believer will certainly express his worship of Christ who accomplished the feat on it. You cannot bow at the same time as making the sign of the cross.
You only need to cross yourself with your right hand.
You should try to perform the sign of the cross correctly. At the same time, there is no need to rush, otherwise you will end up simply waving your hand, which does not look very good and may be perceived by other believers as blasphemy.
The believer bows as a sign of humility before God. Bows can be from the waist to the ground. During waist bows, they bow to the waist, and during earthly bows, the believer kneels and touches his head to the ground.
The sign of the cross is usually performed in the following cases:
When approaching everything holy (when entering a temple, touching a cross or icon, etc.);
At the beginning, during and at the end of any prayer;
At the beginning of Matins;
When the priest exclaims, "Blessed be God";
When raising the name of the Most Holy Trinity, for example: “Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit...”;
During the elevation of the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
During the prayer “Most Honest”;
When the name of the holy day is spoken at the dismissal;
At key moments in the service, for example, when shouting “Yours from Yours,” etc.
If the sign of the cross is not performed during prayer, you should say to yourself: “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen.”
Blessing of the Priest
The blessing of the priest is the sign of the cross with which he makes the sign of the believers. In this case, the priest folds his hands differently than with the usual sign of the cross. His fingers represent the letters IC. XC., which means Jesus Christ. In other words, Jesus Christ himself blesses the believer through the priest.
The blessing should be received with reverence. Another meaning of blessing is permission, permission and guidance. For example, a believer asks a priest for a blessing when going on a journey, before an important task, or in any difficult situation.
Blessing can be general or private. A general blessing occurs during the service, when the priest, blessing all the believers present in the church, says: “Peace to all,” “The blessing of the Lord is upon you...”, “The grace of our Lord...”, and makes the sign of the cross over them. . At the same time, everyone bows back, without folding their arms or crossing themselves.
If the priest makes the sign of the cross over the faithful with the help of sacred objects, such as the Cross, Gospel, Chalice, icon or others, those present must cross themselves and bow.
When a believer receives a blessing separately for himself, he should fold his hands into a cross and palms up - right to left. The priest makes the sign of the cross and places his hand in the folded palms of the believer. Having received a blessing, the believer must kiss the hand of the priest with which he blessed, thereby as if kissing the hand of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
Icons
Upon entering the church, believers usually approach the icon, which is located on the lectern in the center of the temple, and kiss it (kiss it). This is an icon of the holiday, it usually depicts the event being celebrated, for example, “The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem,” or a saint whom the church commemorates on this day. One should venerate this icon after first making the sign of the cross and bowing twice, then one should kiss the icon and bow again, crossing oneself.
In the Orthodox Church there is a procedure for kissing icons. Everyone who enters the temple must venerate the revered icon of this local church.
A parishioner should not kiss all the icons of the temple and iconostasis. Only the bishop does this. Violation of this rule by a layman is an outrage.
You should also not wander throughout the church from one icon to another, preventing worshipers from concentrating on their prayers. Showing respect for icons should not go beyond the bounds of decency. Other icons can be approached at another time.
If there is no service in the church, you can go up to the icon located in the center of the temple, cross yourself twice and venerate its lower part, and then cross yourself a third time. More details about icons and their veneration will be discussed below.
Candles, lamps and lamps
A special symbol inherent in Orthodox churches are candles. They are lit as a sign of sacrifice and dedication to God.
Lamps and candles in an Orthodox church burn in the altar behind the throne in a special lamp called a seven-branched candlestick, on the High Place, on the throne, on the altar, and also near individual icons. In the middle part of the temple, lamps are lit near all the icons. Several lamps are placed near especially revered icons. Candlesticks with many cells are placed near the icons so that believers can place their candles in them.
The largest candlestick is placed in the center of the temple on the eastern side of the lectern, near the icon revered on this day. During the small entrances (at vespers and liturgy), the great entrance (at the liturgy), and also before the Gospel (if it is brought out at the entrances or for reading), a special candlestick with a large candle is used, which symbolizes the light of Christ’s preaching to this world, as well as the Christ, who is the true Light.
The candles that are placed in front of the icons of saints signify the saints’ fiery love for God, their sacrifice and complete dedication. Candles also remind us that saints are lamps, burning and shining to the whole world with the feat of their faith and their virtues.
During censing, a deacon walks in front of the priest with a censer, carrying a special deacon’s candle, which symbolizes the light of the apostolic sermon that preceded the people’s acceptance of faith in Christ.
The lamp lit in front of the icon symbolizes the pillar of fire that accompanied the people of Israel in the desert in ancient times. The candles placed around the lamp are an image of the unburnt thorn bush in which God appeared to Moses. According to Orthodox tradition, the unburnt bush is a prototype of the Mother of God.
The candles, placed in regular circles, symbolize the chariot on which Elijah ascended to heaven. The circles of light represent the wheels of this chariot.
Burning candles are used in various church services. They must be in the hands of those being baptized or married. The funeral service is also held among many lit candles. With candles, believers go to the religious procession.
On weekdays, when prayers of repentance and contrition are heard mainly in the temple, there are very few burning candles. On holidays and Sundays, when there is a solemn doxology and preaching of the Gospel, the entire church is illuminated with candles and lamps. And on the greatest Christian holiday, the Resurrection of Christ, in addition to lighting the church, all believers also hold lit candles in their hands.
The candle is one of the foundations of practical Orthodox Christianity. Its wax, soft and pliable, symbolizes a person ripe for repentance and ready for inner changes in obedience. The fire of a candle symbolizes the deification of man through spiritual rebirth from the fire of Divine love. The purity of a candle means the purity of a person as a result of his repentance and communion with the Divine nature.
During the reading of the Six Psalms, which speaks of awareness of one’s sinful state, almost all the candles in the church are extinguished so that in the twilight people are more attentive to what they hear and, if necessary, can sigh or shed a tear. Darkness promotes mental concentration on one's own soul. During the liturgy (the divine service at which communion is celebrated), which takes place both on weekdays and on holidays, the most candles are lit. Before the reading of the Gospel begins, candles are lit throughout the church, reminding that the Word of the Good News illuminates the whole earth.
First of all, they light a candle on the altar, then on the throne, and then in front of the icons of the Savior, the Mother of God, the temple and saints.
Thus, the lighting of candles in the temple by the clergy is part of the worship service. They light them in a certain order with a certain meaning. At the same time, the parishioner should not interfere with the divine service with his unworthy behavior.
Candles are used in all rituals and sacraments:
During baptism (three candles are placed on the font as a symbol of the Holy Trinity, the recipients also hold candles in their hands, as if saying that the person being baptized is moving from darkness to light);
During betrothal and wedding (candles are held by the betrothed and the wedding couple, which signifies the purity of their life before and after marriage);
During the unction (seven candles are placed near the lamp or vessel with wine and oil, meaning the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, and all those present hold lit candles as a sign of fiery prayer);
At the funeral (candles are placed in four candlesticks in the corners of the coffin, which symbolizes the cross; relatives also hold burning candles during the funeral service, which symbolize Divine light for a baptized Christian).
There are no special rules about where and how many candles to place.
A monetary contribution is a kind of donation - small and feasible for everyone. The size of the candle and its manufacture play absolutely no role in serving God.
People who constantly go to church, as a rule, always put several candles, for example, one each to the festive icon located on the analogue, to the image of the Savior or the Mother of God (with prayers offered for the health of their loved ones) and to the Crucifix, praying for repose deceased. You can also place a candle in front of the icon of any of the saints at the behest of your heart.
If there is no room on the candlestick in front of the icon due to many burning candles placed by other people, you should not put out someone else’s candle.
The believer should also not be offended or indignant if someone extinguishes his candle before the end of the service, since it is believed that God reads in the heart and accepts the heart’s sacrifice, while the candle is only a reflection of this sacrifice in the outside world.
You should not take to heart the belief that if a candle goes out, it is bad luck. Also, you should not listen to those who say that melting the lower end of a candle to install it in a candlestick should be considered a sin. There are no special instructions on which hand the candle should be placed with - right or left. Various superstitions that arise among the people are not accepted by the church.
Candles and lamps are lit not only in churches, but also in the homes of pious Christians.
To light a candle without disturbing others with your behavior, you should arrive before the service begins. Often those who are late and come to the temple in the middle of the service distract other believers from prayer and worship by passing their candles through them. This behavior is unacceptable. If you are late, it is better to wait until the end of the service, after which you can light a candle without disturbing others or disturbing the order.
Candles should not be the believer's only participation in worship. After all, a candle by itself does not provide spiritual healing, liberation from sins, or strengthening of the spirit. Despite its symbolic essence, a candle does not have the ability to save the soul. In order to light a candle, you also need to have the appropriate mental attitude.
Burning candles are a sacrifice to God. By placing them in front of a specific icon, a person should have love, respect and veneration for the person depicted on it. If this is not in the heart, candles mean nothing to God. Often people light their candles in front of those saints about whom they know nothing, and therefore do not like them. It becomes a useless action.
Some turn the lighting of candles into a simple ritual, not caring to learn about God, the Mother of God or the saints, something useful for themselves, inspiring and bringing them closer to God. At the same time, they make God and all His saints so small that they think that they need candles, and not a pure heart. You can hardly hope to receive anything from God in response to your prayer or petition.
Some, having lit a candle, believe that they have fulfilled their duty towards God, and this is enough to be called an Orthodox Christian, righteous and pure. They quietly sin, deceiving and offending others, and then, like a sacrifice for sins, they light candles to God or light lamps in front of icons.
Candles should be lit only as a sign of displaying the fire that burns in the heart - the fire of love. If the darkness of sin and unbelief reigns in the soul, there is no need for a candle. With their burning it is impossible to buy real cleansing of the soul. You cannot bribe God, as the pagans did in ancient times, by sacrificing various valuables, including birds and livestock, to idols.
Thus, when lighting a candle, you should think about whether this is dictated by love for God, which is confirmed by pious behavior. If not, the candle is an attempt at bribery, which is not only meaningless, but also offensive to God, especially if the candles are bought with money obtained through dishonest labor.
“It is good to place candles in front of icons. But it is better if you sacrifice to God the fire of love for Him and your neighbor. It’s good if both happen together. If you light candles, but don’t have love for God and your neighbor in your heart: you are stingy, you don’t live peacefully, then your sacrifice to God is in vain” (Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt)
The Bible says that if people continue to commit iniquities, the sacrifices they make are disgusting to God: “Why do I need the multitude of your sacrifices...
As for relationships with people, you should try to live in peace with others. Lighting a candle with anger in your heart against someone is a waste of time. If a person is in a hostile relationship with someone in the family, at work, this victim will be rejected.
Candles can be purchased in the temple where a person came to pray. However, it is not prohibited to place and light candles purchased in any other Orthodox church in front of the icons.
Candles for the health of relatives and friends are usually placed in front of icons of saints in special candlesticks, of which there are several in the church. Such candlesticks, as a rule, are placed in front of the icons of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (Nicholas the Wonderworker), Xenia of St. Petersburg, etc. The icon of the saint is selected in accordance with the needs of the worshiper.
Candles for the repose of the souls of the dead are placed in a special funeral canon that exists in any church. As a rule, there is a small crucifix on it. On Easter Sunday, candles are not lit for the repose.
Memorial and church note
Memorials appeared not very long ago and are unique to the Orthodox Church. This is a special small book that can be purchased at the church and in which Christian believers enter the names of all relatives, both living and deceased, as a keepsake for posterity. Memorials should be treated with respect and kept clean and tidy at home near the icons.
At the service, the clergyman is given a one-time commemoration. It contains the names of living and dead people for whom you need to pray “for health” or “for repose.” Such a memorial is called a church note. It should also be treated with respect and notes taken carefully.
Church notes are brought by priests to the altar, where they are read during the Divine Liturgy before the Holy Altar. In this regard, they can also be called liturgical books. Church records should be treated with even greater respect.
Even in a one-time memorial book, names must be entered carefully, in legible handwriting, supplementing what is written with an image of a cross. Carelessly written notes indicate that the author does not understand their meaning.
Church prayer for the dead is said during the liturgy, when bloodless sacrifices or gifts are offered - bread and wine, that is, holy communion is celebrated. Therefore, it is believed that prayers in church are especially powerful and beneficial in comparison with prayer at home.
The power of prayers said in church is also great because they are offered by priests - people specially appointed to perform sacred rites.
Prayer “for health” involves prayer not only for a person’s physical health, but also for his material well-being, mental and spiritual state. Therefore, praying “for health” for an evil person, a believer asks God to correct this person, change him internally, and turn him to salvation.
In a note “about health” a person can include everyone to whom he wishes not only health, but also the salvation of the soul, as well as simply prosperity in life.
The rules for filling out a church note are as follows:
It must have one of two names: “about health” or “about repose”;
You must write in clear and understandable handwriting, or in block letters;
You should not mention more than 5-10 names in it (to mention a larger number of relatives and friends, you should write several notes);
Names must be written in the genitive case (for this you need to ask the question “who?”);
Names must be written down in full form, even if these are the names of small children (for example, not “Volodya”, but “Vladimir”);
Names must be written in their church form (for example, Sergius, not Sergei, Appollinaria, not Polina, Anthony, not Anton, etc.);
You should not indicate patronymic and surname, as well as ranks, titles, profession and degree of relationship in notes;
The names of bishops and priests are written down first, their rank should be indicated (in full or in an understandable abbreviation), then the name of the submitter of the note and his relatives and friends is indicated;
A child under 7 years old should be recorded in a church note as an infant (for example, baby Elijah), and children from 7 to 15 years old - as a youth or young woman;
You should not write in notes “about health” the words “suffering”, “embarrassed”, “needy”, “lost”, “student”, “widow”, “maiden”, “pregnant”, “grieving”. You can use the words: “sick”, “travelling”, “prisoner”, “warrior”, “monk”, “nun”;
In the notes “about the repose” it is necessary to note “newly deceased” (about the deceased within 40 days after death), “ever memorable” (if the deceased has a memorable date on this day - the day of death, name day, etc.), the words are also allowed "killed" and "warrior".
You can include everyone who has Christian names in the “health” note. Only the names of those baptized in the Orthodox Church are included in the “repose” note.
Church notes can be read before or during the service and in various forms, which is discussed in advance at the request of the parishioner. He can submit a note for a proskomedia, mass (liturgy) or litany.
Proskomediacalled the initial, preparatory part of the liturgy, during which the clergy prepare bread and wine for the upcoming sacrament. It takes place in the altar and is invisible to the parishioners. At this time, for each name indicated in the note, the priest takes out small particles from the special prosphora served by the believers, which he then puts into a bowl of wine, symbolizing the Blood of Christ, and prays for the forgiveness of the sins of the people being remembered.
In the second case, the commemoration takes place immediately after the end of the mass and, as a rule, in front of the Holy Altar.
Litany- this is a general three-fold exclamation of “Lord, have mercy!”, after which the names given in the notes are publicly commemorated. The names are usually read out by the deacon.
After the service, all submitted notes are read and remembered a second time.
The dead, according to Orthodox tradition, must be remembered on the days of their death, birth and name day. The names of suicides cannot be included in the “repose” note (except in specially specified cases).
Memorial notes should be submitted as often as possible, and always on days such as birthdays, baptisms and name days of both yourself and family members. It is imperative to submit church notes on the child’s birthday and baptism.
Registered note
A registered note is served at a prayer service or memorial service. These commemorations differ in that they take place after the liturgy. Memorial notes for them are submitted separately from ordinary church notes.
A prayer service is a special service in which the clergyman asks the Lord, the Mother of God and the saints for mercy and thanks for the benefits received. The prayer service takes place before and after the liturgy, as well as after Matins and Vespers.
A note “about health” with a prayer service differs from a simple note “about health” in that after removing particles from the prosphora, the deacon reads out loud the names of those commemorated at the litany, then the priest repeats these names before the altar; at the end of the liturgy, the names from the ordered note are also read out during prayers at the prayer service.
A customized note “about repose” with a memorial service is carried out in the same sequence: after removing the particles with the reading of the names of the dead, the deacon pronounces these names aloud at the litany, then the priest repeats them in front of the altar, and after the service the names of the deceased are remembered at the memorial service.
A registered note can also be submitted for a special prayer service called fortysomething. This is a prayer service performed for forty days. Every day, particles are removed from the prosphora and the living or dead are commemorated. This type of prayer service is especially often ordered for seriously ill patients.
Memorial services are short services that include prayers for the forgiveness of sins and the repose of the soul of the deceased. During the funeral service, relatives and friends of the deceased are present at the service and hold burning candles in their hands. At the end of the service, the candles are extinguished without waiting for them to burn out completely.
In the church you can order commemoration of the living or deceased for a month, six months or a year, as well as for eternal remembrance, which is practiced in some churches and monasteries.
In the note for the prayer service, first indicate the name of the saint to whom the prayer service will be offered, then you must write “about health” or “for repose” and enter the names of those who should be mentioned in the prayer song. When submitting a registered note, you must tell the minister whether it is necessary to perform the minor blessing of water during the prayer service or not.
Festive services
Such services are held especially solemnly. As a rule, during such services, special actions are performed that are unique to them. The most striking example is the procession during the festive Easter service. For such cases, church etiquette prescribes special behavior.
Easter holiday
The Resurrection of Christ is celebrated on Easter. This is the greatest and most solemn Christian holiday. Believers begin to gather in the temple long before midnight. At the same time, they must be dressed in light-colored clothes. The beginning of the holiday is announced by a solemn bell (shortly before midnight).
Easter matins are celebrated in the church, during which the canon of John of Damascus is sung, and the clergy with a cross and censer walk around the entire church and joyfully greet everyone present with the words: “Christ is Risen!” - to which everyone present in the church responds in chorus: “Truly He is Risen! "
From the first day of Easter until Vespers on the Feast of the Holy Trinity, one is not supposed to kneel or prostrate in church.
At the end of Matins, after the chanting of “Let us embrace each other with our lips: brethren! and we will forgive all those who hate us through the resurrection!”, all believers begin to greet each other with the words “Christ is risen!”, answering: “Truly he is risen!”
On the following Easter days there are processions of the cross near the church, accompanied by the ringing of bells.
Feast of Pentecost (Holy Trinity Day)
This holiday was established in memory of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles on the fiftieth day after the Resurrection of Christ.
The celebration begins with an evening service, at which believers read three touching prayers of Basil the Great, while kneeling. On the same day, prayers are offered for the departed.
On the holiday of Pentecost, it is customary to decorate the temple and houses with tree branches and flowers. You should also come to the temple with flowers in your hands.
Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord
On this day, believers bring fruits to the temple - apples, pears, plums, which are blessed and consecrated by the priest after the service, at the end of the liturgy. In this regard, this holiday is also called the apple Savior. It is believed that until the fruits have been blessed in the church, they should not be eaten.
Feast of the Nativity of Christ
Believers prepare themselves for the celebration of Christmas by fasting for forty days. A particularly strict fast should be observed on the day before the holiday. This day is called Christmas Eve.
From evening until morning an all-night vigil is held.
Feast of the Epiphany (Epiphany)
On this holiday, two great blessings of water are performed: one on the eve of the holiday in the temple, the other on the day of the holiday in the open air, on rivers, ponds and wells.
The procession of the cross on Epiphany is called the Procession of the Cross to the Jordan, since it was there that the baptism of Jesus Christ took place.
What not to do in church
When readers or priests are reading, you should not disturb them by moving in front of them from one place to another.
In general, you should not move around, buy or light candles, or venerate icons during the most important moments of the service.
Donations
Donations in the temple are brought mainly in the form of money, although you can donate any things that are used in the church, for example, cups, candles, wine, cloth, oil for lamps, etc. Sometimes food is donated to the church for a meal for the clergy.
Donations can be made to the temple or to individual clergy personally. You can give donations as payment for remembering relatives, when performing sacraments, etc.
Among Orthodox Christians, it is customary to make donations not only to the temple, but also to those who beg for alms on the porch.
The amount of the donation (in any case) depends on the income of the person who makes it. How much to donate is up to everyone to decide for themselves; there are no strict rules.
Rules for addressing clergy
When addressing someone from the clergy, you should use neutral words. You should not use the address “father” without using this name, as it will sound too familiar.
In church, clergy should also be addressed as “you.”
In close relationships, the address “you” is allowed, but in public it is still better to adhere to the address “you,” even if this is the wife of a deacon or priest. She can address her husband as “you” only at home or in private, but in the parish such an address can belittle the authority of the minister.
In church, when addressing clergy, one must say their names as they sound in Church Slavonic. For example, you should say “Father Sergius” and not “Father Sergei”, “Deacon Alexy” and not “Deacon Alexey”, etc.
When addressing a deacon, you can use the words “father deacon.” To find out his name, you need to ask: “Excuse me, what is your holy name?” However, in this way you can address any Orthodox believer.
If a deacon is addressed by his proper name, the address “father” should be used. For example, “Father Alexy,” etc. In a conversation, when mentioning a deacon in the third person, you should call him “Father Deacon” or by a proper name with the address “father.” For example: “Father Andrei said that...” or “Father deacon advised me...”, etc.
A deacon in a church is approached to ask for advice or to ask for prayer. He is an assistant priest. However, a deacon does not have ordination, and therefore does not have the right to independently perform the rites of baptism, wedding, unction, as well as serve the liturgy and confess. Therefore, you should not contact him with a request to carry out such actions. He also cannot perform services, such as consecrating a house or performing a funeral service. It is believed that he does not have special grace-filled power for this, which the minister receives only during his ordination to the priesthood.
When addressing a priest, the word “father” is used. In colloquial speech it is permissible to call a priest priest, but this should not be done in official speech.
When a priest is mentioned in a conversation and spoken of in the third person, one can say: “Father the rector advised,” “Father Vasily blessed,” etc. Calling him by his rank will not be very euphonious in this case. Although, if there are priests with the same names in the parish, to distinguish them, next to the name they put the rank corresponding to each of them. For example: “Hegumen Pavel is now holding a wedding, you can address your request to Hieromonk Pavel.” You can also call the priest by his last name: “Father Peter Vasiliev is on a business trip.”
The combination of the word “father” and the priest’s surname (for example, “Father Ivanov”) sounds too official, so it is used very rarely in colloquial speech.
When meeting, the parishioner must greet the priest with the word “Bless!”, while folding his hands to receive a blessing (if the greeter is next to the priest). It is not customary in church practice to say “hello” or “good afternoon” to a priest. The priest responds to the greeting: “God bless” or “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” At the same time, he makes the sign of the cross over the layman, after which he places his right hand on his palms folded to receive the blessing, which the layman must kiss.
The priest can bless parishioners in other ways, for example, by making the sign of the cross on the bowed head of a layman or blessing from a distance.
Male parishioners may also receive the priest's blessing differently. They kiss the hand, the cheek, and again the hand of the minister who blesses them.
When a priest blesses a layman, the latter should under no circumstances apply the sign of the cross to himself at the same time. This action is called "being baptized by the priest." This behavior is not very decent.
Asking for a blessing and receiving it are basic components of church etiquette. These actions are not a mere formality. They testify to an established relationship between priest and parishioner. If a lay person asks for a blessing less often or stops asking for it altogether, this is a signal to the minister that the parishioner has some problems in his earthly life or on a spiritual plane. The same applies to the situation when the priest does not want to bless a layman. In this way, the pastor tries to make it clear to the parishioner that something contrary to Christian life is happening in the latter’s life, that the church is not blessing him.
Usually, refusal of a blessing is painfully endured by both the priest and the laity, which suggests that such actions are not purely formal. In this case, both should try to smooth out the tension in the relationship by confessing and asking for forgiveness from each other.
From the day of Easter and for the next forty days, parishioners should first of all greet the pastor with the words “Christ is Risen,” to which the priest usually responds: “Truly He is Risen” and gives his blessing with the usual gesture.
If a parishioner finds himself in the company of several priests at once, he should ask for a blessing first from the senior priests, and then from the younger ones, for example, first from the archpriest, then from the priest. If a layman is not familiar with them, the rank can be distinguished by the cross that the priests wear: the archpriest has a cross with decorations or is gilded, and the priest has a silver cross, sometimes gilded.
It is customary to take a blessing from all nearby priests. If this is difficult for any reason, you can simply ask: “Bless, honest fathers” - and bow. The address “holy father” is not accepted in Orthodoxy.
If several people approach the priest at once for a blessing, the men should apply first, according to their seniority, and then the women. If church ministers are present in this group of people, they are the first to ask for blessings.
If a family approaches the priest, the husband comes out first for the blessing, then the wife, followed by the children in order of seniority. At this time, you can introduce someone to the priest, for example, your son, and then ask him to bless him. For example: “Father Matthew, this is my son. Please bless him."
When parting, instead of saying goodbye, the layman also asks the priest for a blessing, saying: “Forgive, father, and bless.”
If a layman meets a priest outside the church walls (on the street, in transport, in a store, etc.), he can still ask for a blessing if he does not distract the pastor from other matters. If it is difficult to take the blessing, you just need to bow.
In communicating with a priest, a layman must show deference and respect, since the minister is the bearer of special grace, which he receives during the sacrament of ordination to the priesthood. In addition, the priest is appointed to be a shepherd and mentor of the believers.
When talking with a clergyman, you should watch yourself so that there is nothing indecent in your gaze, words, gestures, facial expressions, or posture. The speech of a layman should not contain rude, abusive, slang words, with which the speech of many people in the world is full. Addressing a priest in an overly familiar manner is also not allowed.
When talking to a clergyman, you should not touch him. It is better to be at a distance that is not very close. You cannot behave cheekily or defiantly. There is no need to stare or grin at the priest’s face. The look should be meek. It’s good to lower your eyes a little when talking.
If the priest is standing, the lay person should not sit in his presence. When the priest sits down, the lay person can sit down only after being asked to sit down.
When talking with a priest, a layman must remember that through a pastor who is involved in the sacraments of God, God Himself can speak, teaching the truth of God and righteousness.
Address of the laity to each other
All believers in Christ are brothers and sisters .
Therefore, it is common practice in the church to address each other as “brother” or “sister,” although not as often as in churches in the West. When a Christian addresses a congregation of believers, he says, “Brothers and sisters.”
Thus, the spiritual position of all believers in relation to each other is as between brothers and sisters.
In fact, even deacons, priests and bishops are simply brothers for any layman, because they all have one spiritual Father - God.
In Orthodox churches it is not customary to call each other by name and patronymic. Even older people should only be called by their first name.
When lay acquaintances meet each other, men greet each other with a handshake and a kiss on the cheek, and women only with a kiss on the cheek. A man and a woman should not greet each other by kissing; it is enough to simply greet each other with a word and bow their heads.
In their dealings with each other, believers should be honest, sincere, meek and humble. Having committed an offense, they should always be ready to ask each other for forgiveness. For example:
Sorry, brother.
God will forgive. Forgive me.
When parting, Orthodox believers say to each other: “With God,” “God bless,” “God’s help,” “Guardian Angel,” “I ask for prayers,” etc. It is not customary for Orthodox Christians to say: “All the best,” or "Goodbye".
If the interlocutor offers to participate in something dubious, the believer can easily refuse, saying: “Forgive me, but I cannot agree to this, because it is a sin” or “Forgive me, but this does not have the blessing of my confessor,” etc.
There should be nothing obscene in the conversation. All abusive and slang words should be excluded from the vocabulary. The look should be humble, and not boring or riveted to the spot.
During a conversation, you should always try to listen carefully to your interlocutor without interrupting him.
In turn, when expressing your own thoughts, you should not be too intrusive and tire your interlocutor with conversation unless absolutely necessary. There is no need to be verbose.
Written communication
Correspondence in the church environment also has its own rules. Most often, believers in letters congratulate each other on church holidays, of which there are a great many, starting from the Nativity of Christ, Easter, patronal feasts and ending with name days, birthdays, etc.
One of the basic rules of correspondence is to send both letters and replies to them on time. Congratulations for the holidays should arrive without delay. The text of congratulations should breathe love and joy, and also be completely sincere.
Congratulations on the holiday of the Nativity of Christ can begin, for example, with the following words: “Christ is born - glorify!” The word “born” refers to Old Slavonic. These words are the first line of the first Christmas song in the canon. At the end of the letter you can write the following: “I wish you the help of the Divine Infant Christ in your godly deeds.”
Congratulations on Easter usually begin with the words “Christ is Risen!” and end with “Truly Christ is Risen!” These two phrases can be highlighted in red ink in the letter.
When congratulating on a name day, as a rule, they wish the birthday person help
Church requirements
Church services are called church services that are held at the request of believers.
Requirements include prayers for the living and the dead, as well as the consecration of food and household items.
Intensified prayer for the living includes prayer services, and for the deceased - memorial services and funeral services. They were described above.
Priests consecrate food only on certain days, for example, on Easter (blessing of Easter cakes and eggs) or on the Feast of Transfiguration (blessing of apples and other fruits).
The priest also consecrates the house (apartment) or car. It takes place at a convenient time, which is agreed upon in advance. The Orthodox Church also practices the blessing of weapons among military personnel.
How to invite a priest to services
You can invite a priest you know to the service by telephone. However, you should not start a conversation with the word “hello.” Instead they ask:
Hello, is this Father Peter? Bless me, father.
Then you should state your need. They end the conversation with the priest with thanksgiving and the word “bless,” as at the beginning. Before the priest comes to fulfill the requirement, you should approach him in the church or turn to the person standing behind the candle box and ask what needs to be prepared for the priest’s arrival.
If a priest is invited to a sick person in order to give him communion or give farewell instructions, he should prepare the patient and tidy the room.
There should be candles, water and a clean scarf in the house. Animals should be removed from the room in which the patient is located, and the TV, radio and tape recorder should be turned off. Everyone present in the house must be dressed decently and behave accordingly.
If a priest is invited to perform unction, in addition to candles, you need to prepare wine, oil and cotton wool in advance. For a funeral service at home, you need candles, a prayer of permission, a funeral cross, a veil and an icon.
To consecrate a house or car you will need candles, vegetable oil and holy water.
After prayer, you can invite the priest for a cup of tea, during which you can talk with him about spiritual topics, ask questions, and sometimes solve some problems.
Church obedience
Church obedience includes selling candles and icons, cleaning the temple, protecting the territory of the local church, singing in the choir, serving at the altar, etc. All this is performed by ordinary parishioners.
People who are obedient in the temple should be a model of behavior for other parishioners. They must be meek and humble, and show love to those who come to worship. They should not be angry, but friendly, patient, ready to help, explain incomprehensible things to newcomers and simply know the basic rules of cultural behavior.
People who are obedient must show by example how to honor the sanctity of the temple. This is, first of all, decent clothing and civilized behavior in church. Not rude, but attentive attitude towards parishioners, polite answers to telephone calls, attention and gentleness in communication with those who seek clarification of church orders and traditions - these are the qualities that should be characteristic of people who are obedient. They themselves must know perfectly well not only all the church orders adopted in their parish, but also the basics of Orthodoxy, in order to intelligently explain this to other people who are ignorant of these issues.
If one of the parishioners has encountered rudeness or inhospitability of people carrying out church obedience, they should not give room for offense in their hearts, but accept it with meekness and forgive in the love that Christianity teaches.
Based on materials:
In the life of every Orthodox person, sometimes there is a need to come to church. The reasons for this can be completely different: sometimes a person goes to a large, famous temple out of curiosity, or he, although rarely, comes to church on major holidays such as Christmas or Easter, but some have a sincere desire to regularly attend services, that is become a churched, full-fledged and equal member of the Orthodox Church. The churching of every person begins not only with attending services, but also with knowledge and observance of certain church rules that must be followed in order to consciously fulfill the requirements of the church charter, ongoing services and prayer services, and most importantly, so as not to offend the feelings of deeply believers and praying people with one’s behavior parishioners When newcomers first appear in the church, they can be identified by their confused look, frequently asked questions, and sometimes deviations from established church rules. Or women will come without a scarf, in trousers, light a candle at the wrong time, and even forget their pectoral cross at home. And then the all-knowing grandmothers, who undoubtedly exist in any temple, attack them with condemnation. Sincerely wanting to follow church canons and rules, they mercilessly, albeit in a whisper, scold such newcomers. It can be very sad to watch how poor newcomers, quite embarrassed, leave the church, and perhaps forever, leaving a negative attitude not only towards this church, but also towards Orthodoxy in general. It becomes sad to look at such a picture. After all, the completely normal impulse of the human soul to join the religion of its ancestors - Orthodoxy, the need to communicate with God were severely interrupted due to some elementary violations of the rules of behavior in the temple.
Before the service starts
Approaching the temple, pious Christians, looking at the holy crosses and domes of the church, make the sign of the cross three times and bow from the waist. On the way to the temple, you do not need to be distracted by worldly conversations with your companions, but read the prayer: “I am going to Your house, I will worship Your holy temple, with reverence for You.” If you don’t know it, you should repeat the publican’s prayer: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”
Rising to the porch, before entering the doors, they again make the sign of the cross with a bow three times. You should stop at the door of the temple and make three bows from the waist with prayers:
“God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”
“He who created me, O Lord, have mercy on me.”
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for prayers
Your Most Pure Mother and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen."
But you can read “Our Father.” If you don’t know this prayer, you can simply cross yourself and say: “Lord, have mercy.”
When entering the porch, you must cross yourself again. This is where you leave all thoughts about extraneous topics and focus on spiritual things.
But at the same time, you should not pray for a long time and for show while standing on the street.
Before entering the temple, turn off your mobile phone so as not to disturb the spiritual atmosphere of the temple with ringing sounds. Moreover, it is unacceptable to talk on the phone in church.
When you go to the temple of God, prepare money at home for candles, prosphora and church fees. It is inconvenient to change them when buying candles, because this interferes with both the Divine service and those praying.
On our sinful land, the Holy Temple is the only place where we can take refuge from the storms and bad weather of life, from everyday moral dirt. The temple is like heaven on earth. In the temple, “invisibly the powers of heaven serve with us.” Remember and know the Holy Temple is the house of God, in which God Himself invisibly dwells, and therefore our behavior in the temple must correspond to its holiness and greatness. It is necessary to enter the Holy Temple with humility and meekness in order to leave the Temple justified, like the humble Evangelical tax collector.
When you enter the Temple and see the Holy Icons, think that the Lord Himself and all the Saints are looking at you, so be especially reverent at this time and have the fear of God. What is meant here is not fear itself, but the deepest respect and love for the Lord.
Parishioners are summoned to the service by the ringing of bells 15 minutes before it starts. Therefore, by arriving early, you will have time to purchase church books, icons, candles, crosses, talk with the clergyman, submit notes, buy and put candles and venerate the icons. All this can be done only before the start of the service or after it. Only candles can be purchased during the service. By the way, do not try to light candles to all the icons at once in one visit, so that your walking around the temple does not distract other parishioners from their prayers. Better visit the church again. For the same reason, it is undesirable to ask those in front to pass a candle to place in front of the icon. Wait until the end of the service and place the candle yourself where you want.
Arriving at the temple, you need to venerate the main holiday icon, which is located opposite the Royal Doors in front of the salt. To do this, you need to cross yourself three times, and then kiss the corner of the icon or the edge of the clothing of the depicted image, cross yourself again and quietly move away without disturbing the others. Waist bows are also performed in front of the icons of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Most Holy Theotokos and the saints (if the service has not begun at this time). All this must be done in advance so as not to interfere with prayer during the service.
Women are not allowed to kiss icons with painted lips. During the service, many people will venerate the icon, so what will it look like at the end of the service if women smack it with their painted lips? It should also be remembered that when kissing an icon, we are not kissing the board with paint on it, but through a kiss we are addressing our love and respect to the image depicted on it.
Before the start of the service, you can also light several candles for health or repose. It doesn’t matter with which hand you do it, you just need to do it with sincere prayer for the one for whom you light this candle. A candle is a sacrifice to God, and it burns without a trace only for His sake.
You are not supposed to pass between the Royal Doors and the lectern, but if you pass in front of the lectern, make a small bow, making the sign of the cross. When we visit the temple of God, let us remember that we are in the presence of the Lord God, the Mother of God, Angels and saints. Be afraid, wittingly or unwittingly, to offend with your behavior those praying and those shrines that surround us in the temple of God. When choosing a place for prayer in a church, you need to take into account that some elderly parishioners who constantly visit this church and usually stand in the same place begin to consider this place “theirs.” If you accidentally stand in “someone’s” place and are asked to vacate him, do not argue and quietly move to another place—do not disturb your prayerful mood with an argument.
Anyone who is late for the start of the service should enter quietly, not disturb other parishioners, take the free seat closest to the exit, trying not to block the passage.
When you see acquaintances in the temple, a silent bow as a sign of greeting or a quiet greeting is enough. Kissing, hugging, shaking hands, talking loudly is not worth it. Do not shake hands in the Temple and do not ask about anything; be truly modest in the Holy Temple.
You are not supposed to hold hands in church. It is strictly forbidden to laugh, chew, keep your hands in your pockets and talk loudly. You are not allowed to take photographs or use mobile phones. It is better to turn them off before entering the temple.
It is forbidden to sit in an Orthodox church, the only exception being the parishioner’s ill health or severe fatigue.
When coming to church with children, you need to make sure that they behave quietly. If a small child bursts into tears in the temple, the mother should immediately take him out. Children should never be allowed to eat anything in church other than blessed bread and prosphora (and care must be taken that the child does not lose crumbs of these holy items).
In a temple, it is indecent to show curiosity and look at others. It is unacceptable to condemn and ridicule the involuntary mistakes of employees or those present in the temple. It is forbidden to talk during the service.
It is customary to perform divine services in the temple 3 times. If you get to church at a time when there is no service, then you can stand quietly and pray, light candles. If you decide to attend the liturgy (daytime service), then remember that you need to arrive in advance, about 10-15 minutes before the start. Different churches begin services at different times, so check in advance. During worship there are many people praying in the church, and there is no need to disturb them. Try to find a place that is convenient for you, where you can clearly see and hear everything. And this is not without common sense: a simple unchurched person will not immediately understand what is happening, he will not even understand what is being said and sung (because the service takes place in Church Slavonic), so it makes sense to at least see what is happening.
During the service
When coming to church to pray, it is better to leave everyday matters at home. On average, the service lasts 2-3 hours; if you are not used to it, it is difficult to spend so much time on your feet, so if you are tired, you can sit on the benches that stand in the vestibule or inside the temple. You can’t sit with the Royal Doors open; even if weak, sick old women get up, let alone the young and strong. You also cannot turn your back to the altar; of course, this does not oblige you to back away like a lob when leaving, but you should not demonstratively turn your back to the altar during the service. If for some reason you cannot stay in the church until the end of the service, then you need to quietly leave, crossing yourself at the exit and in front of the church itself.
In church, pray as one participating in the Divine service, and not just present, so that the prayers and chants that are read and sung come from your heart. Follow the service carefully so that you can pray for exactly what the whole Church is praying for. Make the sign of the cross and bow at the same time as everyone else. For example, during the Divine service it is customary to be baptized during the praises of the Holy Trinity and Jesus, during the litanies - to any exclamation “Lord, have mercy” and “Give, Lord,” as well as at the beginning and at the end of any prayer. You need to cross yourself and bow before approaching the icon or lighting a candle, and when leaving the temple. You cannot hastily and inattentively sign yourself with the sign of the cross, because at the same time we appeal to the Lord’s love and grace.
They prepare for Communion by prayer and fasting, abstaining from various entertainments and pleasures (the duration of preparation is determined by the blessing of the priest). Those preparing for Communion read the canons and rules for Holy Communion according to the prayer book, which for beginners is better not to do on the last day, but to distribute the reading of these prayers over all days of preparation for Communion. Before Communion, you cannot eat or drink anything, starting from twelve o’clock at night. An exception is made for those who need to eat or drink something as prescribed by a doctor.
Before Holy Communion, it is necessary to make peace with your neighbors, to be the first to ask forgiveness for sins, voluntary and involuntary.
One approaches Holy Communion after repentance of sins in confession and the priest’s prayer of permission. Only children under seven years of age are allowed to receive communion without confession. Approach Holy Communion humbly and reverently, one at a time, without jostling, with your arms crossed over your chest (right to left). With the fear of God, partake of the Holy Mysteries. Without crossing yourself, so as not to accidentally push, kiss the cup, and silently move away to the table with a drink. Participants listen to prayers of thanksgiving for Holy Communion in church or read them at home according to the prayer book. At the end of the Liturgy, come and venerate the Cross, which the priest gives to the believers to kiss. When leaving the Temple, cross yourself reverently.
Don't miss Sunday and holiday services in the church. Teach your children to go to the Temple, teach them to pray and behave reverently in the Temple.
After all, the Monk Barsanuphius of Optina said: “A sure sign of the death of the soul is evasion from church services. A person who grows cold towards God, first of all, begins to avoid going to church, first tries to come to the service later, and then completely stops visiting the Temple of God.”
Church notes
During the Divine Liturgy, the main Christian service, Orthodox Christians submit notes about the health of their living relatives and, separately, about the repose of the dead. Notes are given before the start of the service, usually in the same place where candles are bought.
If you want the memorial note you submitted to the altar to be read carefully and slowly, remember the rules:
- Write in clear, understandable handwriting, preferably in block letters, trying to mention no more than 10 names in one note.
- Title it “about health” or “about repose.”
- Write names in the genitive case (the question “who”?).
- Use the full form of the name, even if you are remembering children (for example, not Seryozha, but Sergius).
- Find out the church spelling of secular names (for example, not Polina, but Pelageya; not Artyom, but Artemy; not Yuri, but Georgiy; not Svetlana, but Fotigna).
- Both men and women can be named by names such as Evgeny, Alexander, so you need to indicate the gender of the person being remembered next to the name.
- Before the names of the clergy, indicate their rank, in full or in an understandable abbreviation (for example, Priest Peter, Archbishop Nikon).
- A child under 7 years of age is called a baby, from 7 to 15 years of age is called an adolescent.
- There is no need to indicate the last names, patronymics, titles, professions of those mentioned and their degree of relationship in relation to you.
- It is allowed to include in the note the words “warrior”, “monk”, “nun”, “sick”, “travelling”, “prisoner”.
- On the contrary, there is no need to write “lost”, “suffering”, “embarrassed”, “student”, “grieving”, “maiden”, “widow”, “pregnant”.
- In the funeral notes, mark the “newly deceased” (deceased within 40 days of death), “ever memorable” (deceased who have memorable dates on this day), “killed.”
There is no longer a need to pray for those whom the Church has glorified as saints (for example, Blessed Xenia, Saint and Righteous John of Kronstadt). By canonizing them as saints, the Church implies that they are already in the Kingdom of Heaven.
They remember health for those who have Christian names, even those who have not been baptized, and for repose only those who have been baptized in the Orthodox Church.
Notes can be submitted at the liturgy:
For proskomedia - the first part of the liturgy, when for each name indicated in the note, particles are taken out of special prosphoras, which are subsequently dipped into the Blood of Christ with a prayer for the forgiveness of the sins of those commemorated;
At mass - this is what people call the liturgy in general, and the commemoration of it in particular. Usually such notes are read by clergy and clergy before the Holy See;
At the litany there is a commemoration for all to hear. It is usually performed by a deacon. At the end of the liturgy, these notes are commemorated a second time in many churches, at services. You can also submit a note for a prayer service or memorial service.
Sign of the Cross
It is necessary to be baptized slowly, joining together the first three fingers of the right hand, and the remaining two (a symbol of the two natures, the Divine and human of Jesus Christ) - folded and pressed to the palm. With the right hand folded in this way, one should successively touch the forehead (to sanctify the mind), then the womb of the belly (to sanctify the feelings), the right and left shoulders (to sanctify the bodily forces) and bow. Why? We depicted a cross on ourselves, now we worship it.
When in church people are blessed with a cross or the Gospel, an image or a Chalice, then everyone puts the sign of the cross on themselves, bowing their heads.
You only need to bow your head without crossing yourself when the bishop overshadows those praying with candles (dikirium or trikirium), or when the priest blesses with his hand, consecrating us with the power of God’s grace, and also when they burn incense to those who are coming.
Only on Holy Week of Easter, when a priest censes with a cross in his hand, exclaiming: “Christ is risen!” - everyone makes the sign of the cross and exclaims: “Truly he is risen!”
We must make the sign of the cross and worship before a shrine (cross, Gospel, icon, Chalice with the Holy Mysteries) or when pronouncing the Easter greeting.
During the Divine service, it is customary to be baptized during the praises of the Holy Trinity and Jesus Christ, during the litanies - to any exclamation “Lord, have mercy” and “Give, Lord,” as well as at the beginning and end of any prayer. You need to cross yourself and bow before approaching the icon or lighting a candle, and when leaving the Temple.
The sign of the cross gives us great power to drive away and defeat evil and do good, but we must remember that the cross must be laid correctly and slowly, because at the same time we appeal to the Lord's Love and grace, otherwise there will not be an image of the cross, but a simple waving of the hand, what only demons rejoice at. By carelessly performing the sign of the cross, we show our disrespect for God - we sin, this sin is called blasphemy.
When we are baptized not during prayer, then mentally, to ourselves, we say: “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen,” thereby expressing our faith in the Most Holy Trinity and our desire to live and work for the glory of God. The word “amen” means: truly, truly, so be it.
Blessing
Every believer considers it obligatory to ask for a blessing when meeting with a priest or bishop, but many do this incorrectly. Of course, there are no strict canons on this issue, but the traditions of the Church and simple common sense tell us how to behave.
Blessing has many meanings. The first of these is greeting. When meeting and saying goodbye to a priest, it is not customary to say hello or goodbye, but they say: “Bless.” The blessing is received from a priest or bishop (bishop), but not from a deacon (they can be easily distinguished by their attire).
Only someone equal in rank has the right to shake hands with a priest; everyone else, even deacons, receive a blessing from him when they meet the priest. To do this, you need to put your palms together, the right one on top of the left, in order to receive the blessing hand in them and kiss the right hand (right hand) of the blessing as a sign of respect for the sacred office. And for nothing more! The folding of the palms has no mysterious meaning. There is no need to be baptized. Greeting is only one meaning of blessing, the second is permission, permission, parting words.
- ♦ Father, bless me to go on vacation.
- ♦ Father, bless me to pass the exams.
- ♦ Father, bless me to begin the fast.
You can be blessed by a priest not only when he is in church clothes, but also in civilian clothes; not only in the temple, but also on the street, in a public place. However, you should not approach an unveiled priest who does not know you for a blessing outside the church.
In the same way, every layman says goodbye to a priest. If several priests are standing nearby, and you want to be blessed by everyone, then first you need to approach the senior one.
The second meaning of a priestly blessing is permission, permission, parting words. Before starting any responsible business, before traveling, as well as in any difficult circumstances, we can ask the priest for advice and blessings and kiss his hand.
Finally, there are blessings during the church service. The priest, saying: “Peace to all,” “The blessing of the Lord is upon you...”, “The grace of our Lord...”, makes the sign of the cross over the worshipers. In response, we humbly bow our heads without folding our hands—after all, it is impossible to kiss the blessing right hand.
If the priest overshadows us with sacred objects: the Cross, the Gospel, the Chalice, the icon, we first cross ourselves and then bow.
You should not approach the blessing at an inopportune moment: when the priest is giving communion, censing the temple, anointing with oil. But you can do this at the end of confession and at the end of the liturgy, while kissing the Cross. You should not abuse the blessing by approaching the same priest several times a day. The words “bless, father” should always sound joyful and solemn to a layman, and they should not be turned into a saying.
Candle
A person who crosses the threshold of the temple, as a rule, approaches the candle box. Our practical Christianity and initiation into the ritual begins with a small wax candle. After all, it is impossible to imagine an Orthodox church without lit candles.
The candles are lit one from the other and placed in the socket of the candlestick. The candle must stand strictly straight. If on the day of a great holiday a minister extinguishes your candle in order to light the candle of another, do not be disturbed in spirit: your sacrifice has already been accepted by the All-Seeing and All-Knowing Lord. You can light a candle with either hand. But only the right one needs to be baptized.
The interpreter of the liturgy, Blessed Simeon of Thessaloniki (XV century), says that pure wax means the purity and innocence of the people bringing it. It is offered as a sign of our repentance for perseverance and self-will. The softness and pliability of wax speaks of our willingness to obey God. The burning of a candle means the deification of a person, his transformation into a new creature through the action of the fire of Divine love.
In addition, a candle is a testimony of faith, a person’s involvement in the Divine light. It expresses the flame of our love for the Lord, the Mother of God, angels or saints. You cannot light a candle formally, with a cold heart. External action must be complemented by prayer, even the simplest one, in your own words.
A lit candle is present at many church services. It is held in the hands of those newly baptized and those united in the sacrament of marriage. Among many burning candles, the funeral service is performed. Covering the candle flame from the wind, pilgrims go to the religious procession.
There are no mandatory rules about where and how many candles to place. Their purchase is a small sacrifice to God, voluntary and not burdensome. An expensive large candle is not at all more beneficial than a small one. Candles should only be purchased from the temple where you came to pray.
Those who regularly visit the temple try to light several candles each time: to the festive icon lying on the lectern in the middle of the church; to the image of the Savior or the Mother of God - about the health of your loved ones; to the Crucifixion on a rectangular table-candlestick (eve) - about the repose of the departed. If your heart desires, you can light a candle to any saint or saints.
Sometimes it happens that there is no free space in the candlestick in front of the icon; everyone is occupied by burning candles. Then you shouldn’t put out another candle for the sake of your own; it’s more appropriate to ask the minister to light it at a good time. And don’t be embarrassed that your half-burnt candle was extinguished at the end of the service - the sacrifice has already been accepted by God.
There is no need to listen to talk about how you should light a candle only with your right hand; that if it goes out it means there will be misfortunes; that melting the lower end of the candle for stability in the hole is a mortal sin, etc. There are many superstitions around the church, and they are all meaningless.
God is pleased with a wax candle. But He values the burning of the heart more. Our spiritual life and participation in worship are not limited to a candle. By itself, it will not free you from sins, will not unite you with God, will not give you strength for invisible warfare. The candle is full of symbolic meaning, but it is not the symbol that saves us, but the true essence - Divine grace.
Cloth
Believers come to the temple in attire appropriate to their gender. What is acceptable to wear on the street or on the beach is completely unacceptable in church. Under no circumstances should you come to worship services in this form. Immodest clothing disrupts the splendor of the temple environment. A temple is not only a house of prayer, but also a place of God’s special presence. When coming to Church, we should remember Who we are coming to and Who is looking at us. A person who carefully monitors the state of his soul will definitely notice that his behavior, thoughts, and wishes also depend on his clothes. Formal clothing obliges you to do a lot.
Women should dress decently and modestly in church. Calm, dark colors are preferred, flashy ones are unacceptable. You cannot wear a miniskirt, shorts, a transparent blouse, clothes with a deep neckline, or too open tops and T-shirts to church.
It is customary for women to be in the temple with a covering (this can be a headscarf, scarf or just an outer headdress), a skirt below the knees and a long-sleeved jacket. Only virgins can come to church with their heads uncovered - keep this in mind. You should not use cosmetics. Lipstick on the lips is especially unacceptable. When receiving Holy Communion, it is unacceptable to venerate shrines, icons or crosses with painted lips.
At communion and confession, a woman must wear a skirt, and if she doesn’t have one, then in many churches you can rent a headscarf and a skirt with strings to wear directly over a miniskirt or jeans.
Perfume should be applied very carefully or not at all, as it can become stuffy during church services. Therefore, deodorant will be quite sufficient, and only provided that it does not have a strong odor.
It is highly undesirable to come to the temple with makeup. At the very least, make sure it is as inconspicuous as possible.
Men are required to remove their hats before entering the temple. You cannot appear in church in T-shirts, shorts, or untidy sportswear. Clothing should cover the body as much as possible. During Holy Week and days of mourning, people wear dark-colored clothes, but on solemn religious holidays they come to church in light-colored clothes.
You cannot come to church wearing clothes decorated with non-Christian symbols.
Other church rules
The main thing is the mutual love of the parishioners and understanding of the content of the service. If we enter the Temple of God with reverence, if, standing in the Church, we think that we are in heaven, then the Lord will fulfill all our requests.
It’s good if there is a place in the Temple where you are used to standing. Walk towards him quietly and modestly, without fuss, and when you get up, make three bows. If there is no such place yet, do not be embarrassed. Without disturbing others, try to stand so that you can hear the singing and reading. If this is not possible, stand in an empty place and pray carefully within yourself.
If you are late, be careful not to disturb the prayers of others. When entering the Temple during the reading of the Six Psalms, the Gospel, or after the Cherubic Liturgy (when the Transubstantiation of the Holy Gifts takes place), stand at the entrance doors until the end of these most important parts of the service.
An ancient church custom states that if there is a service, men stand on the right side, women on the left, clearing the central aisle.
When the clergyman censes the Temple, you need to step aside so as not to disturb him, and while censing the people, bow your head slightly.
In the Temple, pray as a participant in the Divine service, and not just as someone present. It is necessary that the prayers and chants that are read and sung come from your heart. Follow the service carefully so that you can pray for exactly what the whole Church is praying for. Make the sign of the cross and bow at the same time as everyone else.
In addition, to this day in many churches one can observe the pious rule when women let men pass ahead during anointing, communion, and application to the holiday icon and to the Cross. And children or parents with children are allowed in at all churches.
If you come with children, make sure that they behave modestly and do not make noise, teach them to pray. If children need to leave, tell them to cross themselves and quietly leave, or take them out yourself.
If a small child bursts into tears in the Temple, immediately take him out or carry him out.
Until the end of the service, never, unless absolutely necessary, leave the Temple, for this is a sin before God.
Never allow a child to eat in the Temple except when the priests are distributing the blessed bread. Parents sometimes give a whole prosphora even to very young children, who crumble it all over the floor. People walk on these crumbs and unwittingly trample the sacred bread. Isn’t it better for parents to give their children a piece of prosphora themselves and make sure they don’t crumble it? Sometimes children come to church with chewing gum in their mouths. This is completely unacceptable.
Only the clergyman and the male person whom he blesses can enter the altar.
Every church has a fundraiser. You can participate in this if you wish. You can donate not only money, but also food, dishes, fabric, candles, etc. This can also be a fee for carrying out rituals - weddings, baptisms, funerals, commemorations.
When you are in the Temple, do not condemn or ridicule the involuntary mistakes of those serving or present in the Temple; It is more useful and better to delve into your own mistakes and shortcomings and earnestly ask the Lord for the forgiveness of your sins.
You need to reprimand a neighbor who has violated the rules of good behavior quietly and delicately. It is better to refrain from making comments altogether, unless, of course, there is an insolent, hooligan action. After participating in a temple service, try to maintain a reverent state at home: be courteous to your parents and kind to your children. Devote your free time to works of mercy or reading spiritual literature. This especially applies to those who have received the Holy Mysteries of Christ. These rules of pious behavior in church are not difficult for those who participate in church services every Sunday and on holidays.
And finally, probably the most important advice: during the service, do what everyone else is doing. If believers are baptized, be baptized with them; if they bow, bow too. Each bow or sign of the cross is made in response to some words or actions of the clergy. And believe me, most of those present in the temple do not know why they cross themselves and bow at this particular moment and not at another. But behind every action there is a deep tradition that has developed over centuries. And you should not violate them, trying to show your liberality or independence from the rules. After all, we enter the church to pray, but this will not bring us truth and benefit if we enter the temple without humility.
One should not condemn or reprimand a newcomer who does not know the church rules. It is better to help him with polite and kind advice. A reprimand can only be made to someone who grossly violates piety by interfering with common prayer.
Your correct behavior in an Orthodox church is not only an indicator of your upbringing, but also a demonstration that you respect Orthodox traditions and rituals. At the same time, maintain silence, behave modestly, and do not disturb believers and other visitors. Therefore, before visiting an Orthodox church, be sure to familiarize yourself with the rules of behavior in it; this will save you from awkwardness and those around you from inconvenience.
At the end of the service
The service is over. Everyone who submitted notes can again go to the candle box and receive prosphora - white wheat bread baked with yeast, with the addition of holy water. Prosphora is a Greek word, it means “offering”... It was the custom of the first Christians to bring bread from home to perform the sacrament of Communion. Now prosphora is baked in bakeries at churches. During the Liturgy, particles are taken out of the prosphora in memory of those whom we commemorate in our notes, and after the particles are taken out, the prosphora is returned to us. This is holy bread and should be eaten on an empty stomach, with holy water and prayer.
Here is the text of such a prayer: “Lord my God, may Your holy gift be: prosphora and Your holy water for the remission of my sins, for the enlightenment of my mind, for the strengthening of my mental and physical strength, for the health of my soul and body, for the subjugation of passions and my infirmities according to Your boundless mercy, through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all Your saints. Amen".
After the morning service, prayer services are held in churches. What is a prayer service? A short prayer for our specific needs. “Keep it short and hot,” St. Ambrose of Optina taught us. Just at the prayer service we’ll pray... Are you sick? Let us pray for the sick. Have something important to do? Let's ask for God's help. Are we heading out? There is a farewell prayer. You can order a prayer service at the same candle box where we bought candles and left notes. You just need to indicate the name of the person for whom the prayer service is being performed. There is such a practice: they order a prayer service and go home. Of course, it is better to stay and pray with the priest.
There are also prayer services and public ones. The church prays during bad weather or during drought, there is a New Year's prayer service, there is a prayer service for unclean spirits, and there is a prayer service for the disease of drunkenness. But we especially need to remember about thanksgiving prayers. The Lord helped, choose a time, come to the temple, serve a prayer service, give thanks. It’s not a bad idea to teach children: I passed the exam at school, let’s go and order a prayer service, for example, to St. Sergius of Radonezh, he helps us with our studies...
The day we were in the temple was not a day wasted. We remember our relatives and friends, we participate in divine services, we pray for those who feel bad, and we give thanks for God’s mercy. We learn to humble ourselves and be better, we learn to repent and rejoice, endure and rejoice. And there is no need to look around in confusion, be embarrassed and, even more so, angry if you suddenly did something wrong and got “wrong” beyond measure for it.
How to deal with beggars
Orthodox canons provide for the giving of alms to the beggars sitting at the entrance to the church.
When doing good to one's neighbor, everyone must remember that the Lord will not abandon him. “Do you think that the one who feeds Christ (that is, the poor), wrote St. Augustine, “will not be fed by Christ?” After all, in the eyes of the Lord, because of our sins, perhaps we look more terrible and insignificant than all these unfortunate people living on alms.
But at the same time, if you see that there are beggars in front of you, spending all their money on drinking, give them not money, but food: an apple, cookies, bread, etc.
You should not tempt yourself with the thought that the poor “earn” no less than us, and sometimes are dressed no worse. Everyone will be asked first of all for their deeds. Your job in this case is to show mercy.
It is in relation to us, who can see Christ Himself in the asking brother, that the words of the Savior spoken by him at His Last Judgment apply: “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom... I was hungry, and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you accepted Me; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to Me... truly I say to you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did it to Me.”