Is it necessary to fast for 3 days before communion? Preparation for Communion: canonical norms and practice of Local Orthodox Churches

Fasting and prayers before Communion

Until this year, I had confessed and received communion only once in my life, in adolescence. I recently decided to take communion again, but forgot about fasting, prayers, confession... What should I do now?

According to the canons of the Church, before communion it is obligatory to abstain from intimate life and communion on an empty stomach. All the canons, prayers, fasting are simply means to tune yourself into prayer, repentance and the desire to improve. Even confession, strictly speaking, is not obligatory before communion, but this is the case if a person regularly confesses to one priest, if he has no canonical obstacles to communion (abortion, murder, going to fortune-tellers and psychics...) and there is the blessing of the confessor is not always necessary to confess before communion (for example, Bright Week). So in your case, nothing particularly terrible happened, and in the future you can use all these means of preparing for communion.

How long should you fast before communion?

Strictly speaking, the Typikon (rules) states that those who wish to receive communion must fast for a week. But, firstly, this is a monastic charter, and the “Book of Rules” (canons) contains only two necessary conditions for those wishing to receive communion: 1) the absence of intimate marital relations (not to mention fornication) on the eve of communion; 2) the sacrament must be taken on an empty stomach. Thus, it turns out that fasting before communion, reading the canons and prayers, and confession are recommended for those preparing for communion to more fully induce a repentant mood. Nowadays on round tables dedicated to the topic of communion, the priests came to the conclusion that if a person observes all four major fasts during the year, fasting on Wednesday and Friday (and this time takes at least six months a year), then the Eucharistic fast is sufficient for such a person, i.e. take communion on an empty stomach. But if a person has not gone to church for 10 years and has decided to take communion, then he will need a completely different format for preparing for communion. All these nuances must be agreed upon with your confessor.

Can I continue to prepare for communion if I had to break my fast on Friday: I was asked to remember a person and was given non-fast food?

Why are kakons written in Church Slavonic? After all, they are so difficult to read. My husband doesn't understand anything he reads and gets angry. Maybe I should read it out loud?

It is customary in the Church to hold services on Church Slavonic language. We pray in the same language at home. This is not Russian, not Ukrainian or any other. This is the language of the Church. There are no obscenities or swear words in this language, and in fact, you can learn to understand it in just a few days. After all, he has Slavic roots. This is to the question of why we use this particular language. If your husband is more comfortable listening when you read, you can do that. The main thing is that he listens carefully. I advise you to free time sit down and analyze the text with a Church Slavonic dictionary to better understand the meaning of the prayers.

My husband believes in God, but somehow in his own way. He believes that it is not necessary to read prayers before confession and communion; it is enough to recognize your sins and repent. Isn't this a sin?

If a person considers himself so perfect, almost a saint, that he does not need any help in preparing for communion, and prayers are such help, then let him take communion. But he remembers the words of the Holy Fathers that we then receive communion with dignity when we consider ourselves unworthy. And if a person denies the need for prayers before communion, it turns out that he already considers himself worthy. Let your husband think about all this and with heartfelt attention, reading prayers for communion, prepare to receive the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

Is it possible to attend an evening service in one church and attend communion in another in the morning?

There are no canonical prohibitions against such practices.

Is it possible to read the canons and the order of communion during the week?

It is better to carefully, pondering the meaning of what you read, so that it is truly a prayer, distribute the recommended rule for communion over a week, starting with the canons and ending with prayers for communion on the eve of receiving the Mysteries of Christ, than to read it thoughtlessly in one day.

How to fast and prepare for communion while living in a 1-room apartment with non-believers?

The Holy Fathers teach that you can live in the desert, but have a noisy city in your heart. Or you can live in a noisy city, but there will be peace and quiet in your heart. So, if we want to pray, we will pray in any conditions. People prayed both in sinking ships and in trenches under bombing, and this was the prayer most pleasing to God. He who searches finds opportunities.

Children's Communion

When to give communion to a baby?

If the Blood of Christ is left in a special Chalice in churches, then such babies can be given Holy Communion at any moment, at any time, as long as there is a priest. This is especially practiced in big cities. If there is no such practice, then the child can be given communion only when the liturgy is celebrated in the church, as a rule, on Sunday and after big holidays. With infants, you can come to the end of the service and give him communion in the general manner. If you bring babies to the beginning of the service, they will begin to cry and thereby interfere with the prayer of the rest of the believers, who will grumble and be indignant at their unreasonable parents. Small amounts of drinking water can be given to a baby of any age. Antidor, prosphora is given when the child is able to consume it. As a rule, infants are not given communion on an empty stomach until they are 3-4 years old, and then they are taught to take communion on an empty stomach. But if a 5-6 year old child, out of forgetfulness, drank or ate something, then he can also be given communion.

The daughter has been receiving the Body and Blood of Christ since she was one year old. Now she is almost three, we have moved, and in the new temple the priest gives her only Blood. In response to my request to give her a piece, he made a remark about the lack of humility. Resign yourself?

At the level of custom, indeed, in our Church, infants under 7 years of age receive communion only with the Blood of Christ. But if a child is taught to receive communion from the very cradle, the priest, seeing the adequacy of the baby when he grows up, can already give the Body of Christ. But you need to be very careful and control so that the child does not spit out a particle. Usually, full Communion is given to infants when the priest and the baby get used to each other, and the priest is confident that the child will fully consume Communion. Try to talk with the priest once on this topic, motivating your request by the fact that the child is already accustomed to receiving both the Body and Blood of Christ, and then humbly accept any reaction from the priest.

What to do with clothes that a child has burped on after communion?

Part of the clothing on which the sacrament came into contact is cut out and burned. We patch the hole with some kind of decorative patch.

My daughter is seven years old and will have to confess before communion. How can I prepare her for this? What prayers should she read before communion, what should she do with the three-day fast?

The main rule in preparing for the reception of the Holy Sacraments in relation to young children can be concluded in two words: do no harm. Therefore, parents, especially the mother, must explain to the child why to confess and for what purpose to receive communion. And the prescribed prayers and canons should be read gradually, not immediately, perhaps even with the child. Start with one prayer, so that the child does not overwork, so that this does not become a burden to him, so that this coercion does not push him away. In the same way, with regard to fasting, limit both the time and the list of prohibited foods, for example, give up only meat. In general, first the mother needs to understand the meaning of the preparation, and then, without fanaticism, gradually teach her child step by step.

The child has been prescribed a course of vaccinations against rabies. He cannot drink alcohol for a whole year. What to do with the sacrament?

Believing that the sacrament is the most the best medicine in the universe, when we approach it, we forget about all restrictions. And according to our faith we will heal both soul and body.

The child was prescribed a gluten-free diet (no bread allowed). I understand that we eat the Blood and Body of Christ, but the physical characteristics of the products remain wine and bread. Is Communion possible without partaking of the Body? What does wine contain?

Once again, I repeat that communion is the best medicine in the world. But, given the age of your child, you can, of course, ask that he be communed only with the Blood of Christ. The wine used for communion may be real wine, made from grapes with added sugar for strength, or it may be a wine product consisting of grapes with the addition of ethyl alcohol. You can ask the priest what kind of wine is used in the church where you receive communion.

Every Sunday they gave the child communion, but the last time, when approaching the Chalice, he began to have a terrible hysteria. The next time, in another temple, everything happened again. I'm desperate.

In order not to aggravate the child’s negative reaction to communion, you can try simply entering the church without receiving communion. You can try to introduce the child to the priest, so that this communication will smooth out the child’s fear, and over time he will again begin to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ.

Communion on Easter, Bright Week, and last weeks

Is it necessary to observe a three-day fast, read the canons and follow in order to receive communion on Bright Week?

Starting from the night liturgy and throughout all the days of Bright Week, communion is not only permitted, but also commanded by the 66th rule of the sixth Ecumenical Council. Preparation these days consists of reading the Easter Canon and going to Holy Communion. Starting from the week of Antipascha, one prepares for communion as during the whole year (three canons and succession).

How to prepare for communion during continuous weeks?

The Church, like a loving mother, takes care not only of our soul, but also of our body. Therefore, on the eve of, for example, the rather difficult Lent, it gives us some relief in food through a continuous week. But this does not mean that we are forced to eat more fast food these days. That is, we have a right, but not an obligation. So, prepare as you wish for communion. But remember the main thing: first of all, we prepare our soul and heart, cleansing them with repentance, prayer, reconciliation, and the stomach comes last.

I heard that one can receive communion on Easter, even if one has not fasted. Is it true?

There is no special rule that allows communion on Easter without fasting and without preparation. By this issue the answer must be given by the priest after direct communication with the person.

I want to take communion on Easter, but I ate soup with non-Lenten broth. Now I'm afraid that I can't receive communion. What do you think?

Remembering the words of John Chrysostom, which are read on Easter night, that those who fast do not condemn those who do not fast, but we all rejoice, you can boldly approach the sacrament of communion on Easter night, deeply and sincerely realizing your unworthiness. And most importantly, bring to God not the contents of your stomach, but the contents of your heart. And for the future, of course, we must strive to fulfill the commandments of the Church, including fasting.

During communion, the priest in our church scolded me for not coming to communion on the days of fasting, but coming on Easter. What is the difference between communion at Easter service and “ordinary” Sunday?

You need to ask your father about this. For even the canons of the Church welcome communion not only on Easter, but throughout Holy Week. No priest has the right to prohibit a person from receiving communion at any liturgy, if there are no canonical obstacles to doing so.

Communion of the elderly and sick people, pregnant and nursing mothers

How to properly approach communion for the elderly at home?

It is advisable to invite a priest to visit sick people at least Lent. It wouldn't hurt to add it to other posts either. Mandatory during an exacerbation of the disease, especially if it is clear that things are heading towards death, without waiting for the patient to fall into unconsciousness, his swallowing reflex disappears or vomiting. He must be of sound mind and memory.

My mother-in-law recently fell ill. I suggested inviting the priest home for confession and communion. Something was stopping her. Now she is not always conscious. Please advise what to do.

The Church accepts a person’s conscious choice without forcing his will. If a person, being in memory, wanted to begin the sacraments of the Church, but for some reason did not do this, then in case of clouding of his mind, remembering his desire and consent, it is still possible to make such a compromise as communion and unction (this is how we give communion infants or the insane). But if a person, being of sound consciousness, did not want to accept the sacraments of the church, then even in the event of loss of consciousness, the Church does not force the choice of this person and cannot give him communion or unction. Alas, it is his choice. Such cases are considered by the confessor, directly communicating with the patient and his relatives, after which a final decision is made. In general, of course, it is best to clarify your relationship with God in a conscious and adequate state.

I am diabetic. Can I take communion if I took a pill and ate in the morning?

In principle, it is possible, but if you wish, you can limit yourself to a pill and take communion at the first services, which end early in the morning. Then eat healthy. If you absolutely cannot go without food for health reasons, then discuss this in confession and take communion.

I have a thyroid disease, I can’t go to church without drinking water and having a snack. If I go on an empty stomach, it will become bad. I live in the provinces, the priests are strict. It turns out I can’t take communion?

If this is required for medical reasons, there are no prohibitions. In the end, the Lord looks not into the stomach, but into the heart of a person, and any competent, sane priest should understand this perfectly well.

For several weeks now I have not been able to take communion due to bleeding. What to do?

This period can no longer be called a normal female cycle. Therefore it is already a disease. And there are women who experience similar phenomena for months. Moreover, not necessarily for this reason, but for some other reason, during such a phenomenon, the death of a woman may occur. Therefore, even the rule of Timothy of Alexandria, which prohibits a woman from receiving communion during “women’s days,” nevertheless, for the sake of mortal fear (threat to life), allows communion. There is an episode in the Gospel when a woman suffering from bleeding for 12 years, wanting healing, touched the robe of Christ. The Lord did not condemn her, but on the contrary, she received recovery. Considering all of the above, a wise confessor will bless you to receive communion. It is quite possible that after such Medicine your bodily ailment will be healed.

Is preparation for confession and communion different for pregnant women?

For military personnel participating in hostilities, their service life is considered to be three years. And during the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet army even gave front-line soldiers 100 grams, although in peacetime vodka and the army were incompatible. For a pregnant woman, the time of bearing a child is also “ war time“, and the Holy Fathers understood this very well when they allowed relaxation in fasting and prayer for pregnant and lactating women. Pregnant women can also be compared to sick women - toxicosis, etc. And the rules of the church (29th rule of the holy apostles) for the sick also allow a relaxation of fasting, up to its complete abolition. In general, each pregnant woman, according to her conscience, based on her state of health, determines the extent of fasting and prayer. I would recommend taking communion as often as possible during pregnancy. The prayer rule for communion can also be done while sitting. You can also sit in the church; you can come before the beginning of the service.

General questions about the sacrament

In recent years, after Sunday liturgy, I have started to have severe headaches, especially on communion days. With what it can be connected?

Similar cases in various variations occur quite often. Look at all this as a temptation in a good deed and, naturally, continue to go to church for services without succumbing to these temptations.

How often can you receive communion? Is it necessary to read all the canons before communion, fast and confess?

The purpose of the Divine Liturgy is the communion of believers, that is, bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ so that they can be eaten by people, and not just by the serving priest. In ancient times, a person who was at the liturgy and did not take communion was then obliged to give an explanation to the priest why he did not do so. At the end of each liturgy, the priest, appearing in Royal Doors with the Cup, says: “Approach with the fear of God and faith.” If a person receives communion once a year, then he needs a preliminary week-long fast in food, and canons with prayers, and if a person observes all four major fasts, fasting every Wednesday and Friday, then he can receive communion without additional fasting, fasting the so-called Eucharistic fast , i.e., take communion on an empty stomach. As for the rule for communion, we must realize that it is given in order to evoke repentant feelings in us. If we often take communion and we have this feeling of repentance and it is difficult for us to read the rule before each communion, then we can omit the canons, but it is advisable to still read the prayers for communion. At the same time, we must remember the words of St. Ephraim the Syrian: “I am afraid to receive communion, realizing my unworthiness, but even more so - to be left without communion.”

Is it possible to receive communion on Sunday if you did not attend the all-night vigil on Saturday because of obedience to your parents? Is it a sin not to go to church on Sunday if your family needs help?

The best answer to such a question will be given by a person’s conscience: was there really no other way out not to go to service, or is this an excuse to skip prayer on Sunday? In general, of course, Orthodox person It is advisable, according to God’s commandment, to be at divine services every Sunday. Before Sunday, it is generally advisable to be at the Saturday evening service, and especially before communion. But if for some reason you were unable to attend the service, and your soul longs for communion, then, realizing your unworthiness, you can receive communion with the blessing of your confessor.

Is it possible to take communion on a weekday, i.e. after communion go to work?

You can, at the same time, protect the purity of your heart as much as possible.

How many days after communion do you not make bows or bows to the ground?

If the liturgical regulations (during Lent) prescribe prostrations to the ground, then starting from the evening service they can and should be made. And if the charter does not provide for bows, then on the day of communion only bows from the waist are performed.

I want to take communion, but my father’s anniversary falls on the day of communion. How to congratulate your father without offending him?

For the sake of peace and love, you can congratulate your father, but do not stay long at the holiday, so as not to “spill” the grace of the sacrament.

Father refused to give me communion because I had makeup on my eyes. Is he right?

Probably, the priest considered that you are already a mature enough Christian to realize that they go to church not to emphasize the beauty of their body, but to heal the soul. But if a beginner has come, then under such a pretext it is impossible to deprive him of communion, so as not to scare him away from the Church forever.

Is it possible, by taking communion, to receive a blessing from God for some matter? A successful job interview, IVF procedure...

People take communion for the healing of soul and body, expecting through communion to receive some kind of help and God's blessing in good deeds. And IVF, according to church teaching, is sinful and unacceptable. Therefore, you can take communion, but this does not mean at all that this communion will help in the unpleasing task you have planned. Communion cannot automatically guarantee that our requests will be fulfilled. But if we generally try to lead a Christian lifestyle, then, of course, the Lord will help us, including in earthly matters.

My husband and I go to confession and communion in different churches. How important is it for spouses to receive communion from the same Chalice?

No matter in which Orthodox canonical church we receive communion, it is all the same by and large, we all partake from the same Chalice, consuming the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. It follows from this that it does not matter at all whether spouses receive communion in the same church or in different ones, for the Body and Blood of the Savior are the same everywhere.

Prohibitions for communion

Can I go to communion without reconciliation, for which I have neither the strength nor the desire?

In the prayers before communion there is a kind of announcement: “Although, O man, the Lord’s Body, first reconcile you to those who have grieved you.” That is, without reconciliation, a priest cannot allow a person to receive communion, and if a person decides to arbitrarily receive communion, then receiving communion will be his own condemnation.

Is it possible to receive communion after desecration?

You can’t, you are only allowed to taste the prosphora.

Can I receive communion if I live in an unmarried civil marriage and confessed my sins on the eve of communion? I intend to continue such a relationship, I’m afraid, otherwise my beloved will not understand me.

It is important for a believer to be understood by God. But God will not understand us, seeing that people’s opinions are more important to us. God wrote to us that fornicators will not inherit the Kingdom of God, and according to the canons of the Church, such a sin excludes a person from communion for many years, even if he reforms. And the cohabitation of a man and a woman without registration in the registry office is called fornication, this is not a marriage. People who live in such “marriages” and take advantage of the condescension and kindness of their confessor actually expose them very much to God, because the priest has to take on their sin if he allows them to receive communion. Unfortunately, such a disorderly sex life has become the norm of our time, and shepherds no longer know where to go, what to do with such flocks. Therefore, have pity on your priests (this is an appeal to all such prodigal cohabitants) and legitimize your relationship at least in the registry office, and if you are mature, then receive a blessing for marriage through the sacrament of wedding. You need to make a choice what is more important to you: the eternal fate of your soul or temporary bodily consolations. After all, even confession without the intention to improve in advance is hypocritical and resembles going to the hospital without the desire to be treated. Let your confessor decide whether to admit you to communion or not.

The priest imposed penance on me and excommunicated me from communion for three months because I had an affair with a man. Can I confess to another priest and receive communion with his permission?

For fornication (intimacy outside of marriage), according to the rules of the Church, a person can be excommunicated from communion not for three months, but for several years. You do not have the right to cancel the imposed penance from another priest.

My aunt read her fortune on a nut and then confessed. The priest forbade her to receive communion for three years! What should she do?

According to the canons of the Church, for such actions (in fact, involvement in the occult), a person is excommunicated from communion for several years. So everything that the priest you mentioned did was within the scope of his competence. But, seeing sincere repentance and a desire not to repeat anything like that again, he has the right to reduce the period of penance (punishment).

I have not yet completely gotten rid of my sympathy for Baptistism, but I want to go to confession and receive communion. Or should I wait until I am completely confident in the truth of Orthodoxy?

Anyone who doubts the truth of Orthodoxy cannot begin the sacraments. So try to be completely established. For the Gospel says that “it will be given to you according to your faith,” and not according to formal participation in the sacraments and rites of the church.

Communion and other sacraments of the Church

I was invited to be the child's godmother. How long before baptism should I take communion?

These are not related sacraments. In principle, you should receive communion constantly. And before baptism, think more about how to be a worthy godmother who cares about the Orthodox upbringing of the person being baptized.

Is it necessary to confess and receive communion before unction?

In principle, these are unrelated sacraments. But since it is believed that in unction, forgotten and unconscious sins that are the cause of human illnesses are forgiven, there is a tradition that requires us to repent of those sins that we remember and know, and then collect unction.

Superstitions about the sacrament of communion

Is it possible to eat meat on the day of communion?

A person, when going to see a doctor, takes a shower, changes his underwear... Similarly, an Orthodox Christian, preparing for communion, fasts, reads the rules, comes to services more often, and after communion, if it is not a fast day, you can eat any food , including meat.

I heard that on the day of communion you should not spit anything out or kiss anyone.

On the day of communion, any person eats food and does it with a spoon. That is, in fact, and, oddly enough, by licking the spoon many times while eating, a person does not eat it with food :). Many people are afraid to kiss the cross or icons after communion, but they “kiss” the spoon. I think you already understand that all the actions that you mentioned can be performed after drinking the sacrament.

Recently, in one of the churches, before communion, the priest instructed those confessing: “Do not dare to approach communion for those who brushed their teeth or chewed gum this morning.”

I also brush my teeth before service. And you really don’t need to chew gum. When we brush our teeth, we take care not only of ourselves, but also that those around us do not smell an unpleasant odor from our breath.

I always approach communion with a bag. The temple worker told her to leave her. I got irritated, left my bag and took communion in a state of anger. Is it possible to approach the Chalice with a bag?

Probably the demon sent that grandmother. After all, the Lord does not care what we have in our hands when we approach the Holy Chalice, for He looks into a person’s heart. But, nevertheless, there was no need to be angry. Repent of this in confession.

Is it possible to contract any disease after taking communion? In the temple where I went, it was required not to lick the spoon; the priest himself threw the particle into his wide open mouth. At another church they corrected me that I was taking the sacrament incorrectly. But this is very dangerous!

At the end of the service, the priest or deacon consumes (eats) the remaining communion in the Chalice. And this despite the fact that in the absolute majority of cases (about what you wrote, this is the first time I’ve ever heard of a priest “loading” the sacrament into his mouth, like an excavator), people take communion by taking the sacrament with their lips and touching the spoon. I myself have been using the remaining Gifts for more than 30 years, and neither I nor any of the other priests have ever suffered from any infectious diseases after that. Going to the Chalice, we must understand that this is a Sacrament, and not regular plate with food that many people eat from. Communion is not ordinary food, it is the Body and Blood of Christ, which in fact initially cannot be sources of infection, just as icons and holy relics cannot be the same source.

My relative says that communion on the day of the feast of St. Sergius of Radonezh is equal to 40 sacraments. Can the Sacrament of Communion be stronger on one day than on another?

Communion at any Divine Liturgy has the same power and meaning. And there can be no arithmetic in this matter. He who receives the Mysteries of Christ must always be equally aware of his unworthiness and be grateful to God, who allows him to receive communion.

The sacrament of Communion (Eucharist) is impossible before preliminary fasting, home prayer and confession. Fasting allows us to humble ourselves bodily passions, renounce earthly pleasures, look deep into yourself and come closer to the awareness of sins. Prayer serves as a “bridge” between the physical and spiritual nature of man; it is an additional strengthening for preparation for sincere repentance performed at confession. But it all starts with fasting.

In Orthodoxy for one calendar year there are four multi-day fasts (Great, Petrov, Assumption and Christmas) and a large number of one-day fasts (Wednesday, Friday, Epiphany Eve, Beheading of John the Baptist, Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord). If you strictly observe a multi-day fast, there is no need to specifically fast before communion. The only exception is fish - it must be abandoned three days before the sacrament.

Believers who do not observe the fasts established by the Church must first talk to the priest to whom they plan to confess. Admission to communion is carried out after confession - accordingly, this conversation cannot be avoided. Usually priests set strict rules (it is allowed to eat plant foods, fresh and boiled, seasoned vegetable oil) three-day fast, but depending on the person’s capabilities and other factors known only to him, this period can be increased to seven days.

Believers who strictly observe both multi-day and one-day fasts, in turn, can count on some relaxations, but they must also agree on them with the priest at the beginning. The same applies to people suffering from certain diseases and pregnant women: if for health reasons they cannot refuse to take certain foods and medications, then first they must notify the priest about this and only then begin fasting.

Medicines should not be taken before communion, since communion itself is a medicine not only for the soul, but also for the body. Herbal teas, vitamin supplements and ointments are allowed during fasting. Prohibited drugs include only drugs ingested.

The minimum fast before communion lasts three days. It involves avoiding food of animal origin – meat and dairy products, eggs, butter, alcohol. People who smoke should give up cigarettes or at least try to do so. During fasting, it is advisable to abstain not only from “forbidden” food, but also from everything that gives a person pleasure in earthly life - sex, entertainment (discos, theaters, concerts, watching TV, etc.) and any kind of excesses, including including in lean food (fasting and gluttony are incompatible things!).

On the eve of communion, starting from twelve o'clock at night, the consumption of any food and water is prohibited. You should also not brush your teeth after midnight. If the sacrament takes place at night (Christmas, Easter), then strict fasting begins - at least eight hours before the sacrament (around five in the evening).

Many Orthodox Christians go to communion on Sundays. In this case, the fast before communion actually lasts not three, but four days: fasting Thursday, Friday and Saturday are almost always joined by fasting Wednesday, with the only difference being that fish is allowed during it. On continuous weeks (weeks when fasting Wednesdays and Fridays are abolished), Wednesday is not fasting, but fasting before communion must still be observed.

Children under seven years of age receive communion without fasting or confession, but the sooner their parents teach them to abstain and recognize their sins, the better. You can introduce your child to fasting by giving up your favorite sweets and cartoons.

The Orthodox Church reserves for itself seven holy sacraments, which allow an Orthodox person to unite with Christ. One of the main ones is the sacrament of the Eucharist. It requires special preparation. Let's talk about how to fast before communion.

Preparation for the Eucharist is determined for everyone Orthodox Christian priest, depending on physical or moral condition, employment, and other life circumstances.

It is impossible to say for sure how many days you should fast. It is important to prepare properly for communion, otherwise accepting the holy gifts will be a great sin.

The measure and duration of fasting depends on various circumstances. For example, in case of certain diseases that require special nutrition or during pregnancy, as well as for the dying, fasting may be weakened or canceled. This also applies to those Christians who stay in places with common food: the army, boarding schools, places of detention.

By general rules Church Charter The duration of fasting before communion is a week. As practice shows, those who receive communion several times a year can fast for three days before confession. It happens that Christians receive communion every day or several times a month. In this case, you can proceed to the Holy Chalice, saving one day of fasting, but with the blessing of the priest.

Note! It is possible to receive communion only after confessing to a priest. Children under seven years of age begin the Holy Chalice without confession.

Authorized Products

The following foods are allowed for fasting people:

1. Cereals.
2. Vegetables.
3. Fruits.
4. Berries.
5. Greenery.
6. Nuts.
7. Dried fruits.
8. Vegetable, olive, soybean oil.
9. Jam.

On the Internet you can often find a variety of delicious dishes. Stores specially create shelves with lean products.

Before communion, you must abstain from meat, dairy products, eggs, and sometimes fish. Any products containing these ingredients should be excluded. Pastries, cakes and chocolates you'll have to say no. It is advisable not to eat before communion. It's okay if you allow yourself a little Lenten cookies, gingerbread, halva or sweets. There is quite a lot of what you can eat on fasting days. The main thing is not to get fed up with lean foods.

Rules

Fasting before confession and communion does not only mean refusing fast food. On such days, you should attend church more often and perform prayer rules.

IN Orthodox prayer book contains morning and evening prayers performed by Christians every day.

What you should avoid:

• entertainment, visiting friends, watching TV and various entertainment programs;
• bad habit of smoking (RCP calls for complete cessation);
• drinking alcohol;
• marital intimacy.

Questions often arise about how to fast. We must try not to judge anyone, not to argue with anyone, not to be offended, and to do good deeds. Helping the sick, the poor, the thirsty, the crying, the hungry, the condemned is alms done for the glory of God. You don't have to help in cash, when you can give clothes, food, books, and sometimes enough moral support.

The main thing is to observe not an external fast, but an internal one. Pharisees and hypocrites flaunt their exploits, for whom the opinions of others and praise from them are important, and not the desire to be with God in thought, heart and soul.

Fasting before Communion requires a Christian to offer sincere repentance. A Christian believer remembers all his sins that he has committed in his life if he confesses for the first time. If a believer has already been to the sacrament of confession, then he remembers his sins from the last time.

The books “Helping the Penitent”, “The Experience of Constructing a Confession” and others will help you prepare for confession. Sincere awareness one’s sinfulness and desire to improve are pleasing to God.

Eating fish

This question often arises both among new Christians and among those who have been attending the Orthodox Church for a long time. There are days when fish is generally prohibited, for example, during Lent. Then it cannot be eaten before Communion.

On the evening before the sacrament, you should abstain from fish. With strict abstinence from fast food, fish is not eaten at all. The consumption of fish products largely depends on the state of health and the frequency of communion.

If in doubt, the priest will help resolve the issue. It happens that you unknowingly eat a prohibited product. You shouldn’t worry about this, but you need to talk about it in confession.

In general, the question of whether it is possible to eat fish before communion cannot be answered unambiguously. Everyone decides for himself whether he can do without it or not.

Note! Before the Sacrament of the Eucharist, three canons must be read: The Penitential Canon to the Lord Jesus Christ, canon to the Most Holy Theotokos, canon to the Guardian Angel and Follow-up to Holy Communion.

Starting from 12 at night until partaking of the Holy Gifts, you must abstain from food and drinks. You should come to the liturgy on time, you can submit notes about the health or repose of your loved ones. Important rule How to fast before receiving the Holy Gifts - maintaining your tongue and constantly remaining in prayer.

Not all believers can observe a week-long fast on the eve of the sacrament. Nowadays many people fast for three days. And this will not be considered a sin. For some, the fast is canceled or reduced, but in this case the blessing of the priest is required. Those who frequently receive communion can observe a one-day fast before communion, but also with blessing.

Quantity fast days depends on the bodily, physical, mental, emotional state, from other life circumstances: business trips, difficult physical labor and other. But you definitely need to try to limit yourself in some ways.

Baby nutrition

Is it possible for children to eat on the eve of the sacrament of the Eucharist? Until the age of three, a child is allowed to partake of the holy gifts. Parents should gradually accustom their child to fasting - limit watching cartoons, sweets and entertainment. The duration of the fast is determined by the parents after prior consultation with the priest.

Until the age of seven, children are brought to the Holy Chalice for communion without prior confession. Parents should strive to take communion with their children at least once a month so that the child understands the importance of this Sacrament. When a child begins to realize his actions, he needs to tell the priest about them in confession. The child must see his bad deeds and try to correct them.

The meaning of the post

Newcomers often ask whether they need to fast before communion. Fasting before communion is obligatory for everyone to one degree or another.

Reading Holy Scripture, morning and evening prayers, restrictions on entertainment, alms and work - this is what is necessary for worthy communion. Fasting helps you clear your mind and begin to see your own sins that need to be confessed.

The desire to improve, sincere repentance is necessary for the believer. Only after the heavy burden of sins has been lifted from the soul can one approach the Holy Chalice with fear and trembling. Is it possible to receive communion if you have not made peace with your neighbor and hold a grudge against someone?

In no case. We must show love and compassion to our neighbors. Observing fast days is necessary to cleanse our conscience. Fasting does not only consist of limiting oneself in food. As the Holy Fathers say, the main thing is not to “eat” people.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women observe fasting in accordance with the advice of the priest. For such people there may be certain restrictions in food, for example, refusal of meat. There are often cases when women can fast completely. It is possible to decide on your own how to fast for pregnant women before communion, what restrictions or relaxations to make. But in any case, you need to turn to your spiritual father for advice.

Prohibitions

In what cases should you not receive communion:

• if the fast days before communion are not properly observed;
• if you have not attended the Sacrament of Repentance or have not received a prayer of permission;
• there are unconfessed sins (intentionally hidden);
• women during their periods;
• while intoxicated;
• in a state of anger;
• enmity with one's neighbor;
• people of other faiths and unbaptized people also cannot participate in the sacraments.

Useful video

Let's sum it up

You can receive communion if you have not fasted only with the blessing of the priest. He may weaken or cancel the fast for pregnant women, those who are seriously ill, the dying, or other believers whose life circumstances prevent them from observing the fast.

Often, newcomers are frightened by the numerous lists of restrictions and refuse important church sacraments - repentance and communion. You cannot pay attention to the obsessive thoughts of the evil one. The first step is always difficult to take. But for the sake of spiritual salvation, union with Christ, to thank the Lord for his love, we must take the path of repentance and partake of the Holy Sacraments.

Everyone who calls himself Orthodox must undergo the sacrament of the Eucharist at least once a year. It symbolizes the unity of the flock with the Savior through eating consecrated food. The Church imposes significant prohibitions on believers regarding this rite. In particular, there is a fairly extensive list of foods that cannot be eaten before Communion.

Abstinence before Communion

Everyone who wishes to undergo the rite of the Eucharist is obliged to observe Lent. If a person has just crossed the threshold of the Church and is taking the first steps towards understanding the foundations of Orthodoxy, the advice of a priest is needed.

As a rule, beginners are given a week-long Fast, which includes ban on such products:

• Milk;
• Milk derivatives and fermented milk products;
• Meat products;
• Chicken eggs;
• In exceptional cases, it is recommended to limit fish consumption.

Even those products that are not listed above should not be abused under any circumstances. Moreover, it is recommended to eat smaller portions than usual.

In addition to gastronomic prohibitions, you should also not visit the theater, watch the performances of actors on the TV screen, watch comedy programs and dance in discos. Only church music is allowed. In general, you need to do everything to stay clean in both soul and body.

How long before Communion can you not eat?

On the eve of the sacrament, the prohibitions increase many times:

1. With the dawn of a new day, it is strictly forbidden to touch food and water;
2. The restriction applies to smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol;
3. One day before Communion, you should abstain from lovemaking;
4. There is a common misconception that you should not brush your teeth before the ceremony. However, there is no official position of the church on this matter.

All of the above applies to the case when the Eucharist occurs during the day. However, sometimes believers want to undergo the sacrament at night during one of the great church holidays (most often they choose Christmas or Easter). In this case, abstinence should begin at least eight hours before Communion.

In this video, priest Andrei Fedosov will tell you how many days before Holy Communion you need to fast:

Indulgence before the Sacrament

The state of health and age of a person do not always allow one to fully comply with all spiritual instructions. Therefore, in some cases, the clergyman to whom the believer turned for help may allow concessions:

• Typically, religion does not allow the ingestion of medications on the eve of the ceremony. The ban applies only to those pharmaceutical products that must be swallowed. Those that allow external use can be used without fear of sacred punishment. Obviously, sometimes it is worth deviating from strict religious regulations for the sake of health. To do this, you just need to notify the priest in advance;
• If a person suffers from diseases that do not allow strict fasting, the church also meets halfway and reduces the level of requirements;
• Those who are bedridden and in mortal danger can receive communion and receive food;
• Church morality also applies quite freely to young children, especially those who cannot yet partake of the Holy Gifts;
• Anyone who keeps the covenants of the faith of Christ for several years or whole life, can also count on more mild conditions abstinence. As a rule, the priest allows the duration of fasting to be reduced to three days.

It is forbidden to perform rituals for holy fools, dead people and excommunicated people.

How is the sacrament of the Eucharist (Communion) performed?

The ritual procedure is as follows:

1. When bringing out the ritual bread and wine, believers must bow at the waist;
2. Then the priest reads a prayer appropriate for the occasion, the conclusion of which must also be honored with a bow. It is permissible to bow in advance if the church is crowded;
3. As soon as the main gate of the iconostasis opens, you should cross yourself;
4. Before the actual rite of Communion, the believer folds his hands on his chest in the shape of a cross and approaches the cup of wine;
5. When approaching the vessel, you need to repeat the prayer in a low voice;
6. According to the canons, the order of Communion is as follows: clergy, children, adults;
7. When approaching a vessel with wine, they clearly call given name and receive the Gifts. It is strictly forbidden to touch the Cup with your hands;
8. At the end of the ritual, they make a deep bow to the icon of Christ, eat bread and then wash it down;
9. After this, it is allowed to approach the icons;
10. Only one ritual is allowed in one day.

What should you not do after Communion?

The Church prescribes continued abstinence some time after Communion. In particular, on the day of the ceremony it is prohibited:

• Spit;
• Hugging and kissing each other;
• Have fun (dance, sing, laugh loudly);
• Indulging in lust;
• Kneel, even in front of icons;
• Kiss icons and hands of clergy;
• Throw away food. All food is sacred on this great day. Therefore, some Orthodox Christians try to finish all the crumbs on their plate. Anything that cannot be eaten (bones, waste) is put on fire.
• Talk loudly and a lot. Believers spend several hours after the ceremony in peace and quiet, alone with their thoughts and God;

Like any other church holiday, Communion Day is recommended to be spent reading spiritual literature and constant prayers. Usually Communion is celebrated in a quiet, cozy family circle. You need to clean the house ahead of time. On this great day, you need to adhere to moral and physical purity with all your might.

Among the things that cannot be eaten before Communion are everyday foods: meat, fish, eggs and milk. However, canons cannot be elevated to something absolute. In rare cases, priests can accommodate those who cannot fast for health reasons, but want to touch the Faith of God. After all spiritual abstinence much more important than the physical.

Video: how to prepare for Holy Communion?

In this video, Archpriest Vladimir will answer popular questions about preparing for Communion, what fast to observe, what prayers to read:

Confession (repentance) is one of the seven Christian Sacraments, in which the penitent, confessing his sins to the priest, with visible forgiveness of sins (reading a prayer of absolution), is invisibly absolved from them. By the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. This sacrament was established by the Savior, who said to His disciples: “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose (untie) on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Gospel of Matthew, chapter 18, verse 18). And in another place: “Receive the Holy Spirit: whose sins you forgive, their sins are forgiven; on whomever you leave it, it will remain on him” (Gospel of John, chapter 20, verses 22-23). The apostles transferred the power to “bind and loose” to their successors - the bishops, who in turn, when performing the Sacrament of ordination (priesthood), transfer this power to the priests.

The Holy Fathers call repentance the second baptism: if at baptism a person is cleansed from the power of original sin, transmitted to him at birth from our first parents Adam and Eve, then repentance washes him from the filth of his own sins, committed by him after the Sacrament of Baptism.

In order for the Sacrament of Repentance to be accomplished, the following are necessary on the part of the penitent: awareness of his sinfulness, sincere heartfelt repentance for his sins, the desire to leave the sin and not repeat it, faith in Jesus Christ and hope in His mercy, faith that the Sacrament of Confession has the power to cleanse and wash away, through the prayer of the priest, sincerely confessed sins.

The Apostle John says: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1st Epistle of John, chapter 1, verse 7). At the same time, you hear from many: “I don’t kill, I don’t steal, I don’t

I commit adultery, so what should I repent of?” But if we take a closer look at God's commandments, we will find that we sin against many of them. All sins are conditional, committed by man, can be divided into three groups: sins against God, sins against neighbors and sins against oneself.

Ingratitude to God.

Disbelief. Doubt in faith. Justifying one's disbelief through an atheistic upbringing.

Apostasy, cowardly silence when blasphemed faith in Christ, not wearing pectoral cross, visiting various sects.

Taking the name of God in vain (when the name of God is mentioned not in prayer or in pious conversation about Him).

Oath in the name of the Lord.

Fortune telling, treatment with whispering grandmothers, turning to psychics, reading books on black, white and other magic, reading and distributing occult literature and various false teachings.

Thoughts about suicide.

Playing cards and other gambling games.

Failure to comply with morning and evening prayer rule.

Failure to visit the temple of God on Sundays and holidays.

Failure to observe fasts on Wednesday and Friday, violation of other fasts established by the Church.

Careless (non-daily) reading of the Holy Scriptures and soul-helping literature.

Breaking vows made to God.

Despair in difficult situations and disbelief in God's Providence, fear of old age, poverty, illness.

Absent-mindedness during prayer, thoughts about everyday things during worship.

Condemnation of the Church and its ministers.

Addiction to various earthly things and pleasures.

Continuation of a sinful life in the sole hope of God’s mercy, that is, excessive trust in God.

It’s a waste of time watching TV shows and reading entertaining books to the detriment of time for prayer, reading the Gospel and spiritual literature.

Concealing sins during confession and unworthy communion of the Holy Mysteries.

Arrogance, self-reliance, i.e. excessive hope in one’s own strength and in someone else’s help, without trusting that everything is in God’s hands.

Raising children outside the Christian faith.

Hot temper, anger, irritability.

Arrogance.

Perjury.

Mockery.

Stinginess.

Non-repayment of debts.

Failure to pay money earned for work.

Failure to provide assistance to those in need.

Disrespect for parents, irritation with their old age.

Disrespect for elders.

Lack of diligence in your work.

Condemnation.

Appropriation of someone else's property is theft.

Quarrels with neighbors and neighbors.

Killing your child in the womb (abortion), inducing others to commit murder (abortion).

Murder with words is bringing a person through slander or condemnation to a painful state and even to death.

Drinking alcohol at funerals for the dead instead of intense prayer for them.

Verbosity, gossip, idle talk. ,

Reasonless laughter.

Foul language.

Self-love.

Doing good deeds for show.

Vanity.

The desire to get rich.

Love of money.

Envy.

Drunkenness, drug use.

Gluttony.

Fornication - inciting lustful thoughts, unclean desires, lustful touching, watching erotic films and reading such books.

Fornication is the physical intimacy of persons not related by marriage.

Adultery is a violation of marital fidelity.

Unnatural fornication - physical intimacy between persons of the same sex, masturbation.

Incest is physical intimacy with relatives or nepotism.

Although the above sins are conditionally divided into three parts, ultimately they are all sins both against God (since they violate His commandments and thereby offend Him) and against their neighbors (since they do not allow true Christian relationships and love to be revealed ), and against themselves (because they interfere with the salvific dispensation of the soul).

Anyone who wants to repent before God for their sins must prepare for the Sacrament of Confession. You need to prepare for confession in advance: it is advisable to read literature on the Sacraments of Confession and Communion, remember all your sins, you can write them down on

a separate piece of paper to review before confession. Sometimes a piece of paper with the listed sins is given to the confessor to read, but the sins that especially burden the soul must be told out loud. There is no need to tell the confessor long stories; it is enough to state the sin itself. For example, if you are at enmity with relatives or neighbors, you do not need to tell what caused this enmity - you need to repent of the very sin of judging your relatives or neighbors. What is important to God and the confessor is not the list of sins, but the repentant feeling of the person being confessed, not detailed stories, but a contrite heart. We must remember that confession is not only an awareness of one’s own shortcomings, but, above all, a thirst to be cleansed of them.

In no case is it acceptable to justify yourself - this is no longer repentance! Elder Silouan of Athos explains what real repentance is: “This is a sign of the forgiveness of sins: if you hated sin, then the Lord forgave you your sins.” It’s good to develop the habit of reviewing the past day every evening and bringing daily repentance before God, recording serious sins for future confession with the confessor. It is necessary to reconcile with your neighbors and ask for forgiveness from everyone who was offended.

When preparing for confession, it is advisable to strengthen your evening prayer rule by reading

Children under seven years of age (in the Church they are called babies) begin the Sacrament of Communion without prior confession, but it is necessary from early childhood to develop in children a sense of reverence for this great

Sacrament. Frequent communion without proper preparation can develop in children an undesirable sense of the ordinariness of what is happening. It is advisable to prepare infants 2-3 days in advance for the upcoming Communion: read the Gospel, lives of saints, and other soul-helping books with them, reduce, or better yet completely eliminate, television viewing (but this must be done very tactfully, without developing negative associations in the child with preparation for Communion ), follow their prayer in the morning and before bed, talk with the child about the past days and lead him to a feeling of shame for his own misdeeds. The main thing to remember is that there is nothing more effective for a child than the personal example of parents.

Starting from the age of seven, children (adolescents) begin the Sacrament of Communion, like adults, only after first performing the Sacrament of Confession. In many ways, the sins listed in the previous sections are also inherent in children, but still, children's confession has its own characteristics.

To motivate children to sincere repentance, you can pray for them to read the following list of possible sins:

Did you lie in bed in the morning and therefore skip the morning prayer rule?

Did you not sit down at the table without praying and did you not go to bed without praying? Do you know the most important ones by heart? orthodox prayers : “Our Father”, “Jesus Prayer”, “Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice”, prayer to your Heavenly patron

, whose name you bear?

Did you go to church every Sunday? Have you been interested in various amusements in church holidays

instead of visiting the temple of God?

Did you behave properly at church services, did you not run around the church, did you not have empty conversations with your peers, thereby leading them into temptation?

Did you pronounce the name of God unnecessarily?

Are you performing the sign of the cross correctly, are you not in a hurry, are you not distorting the sign of the cross?

Were you distracted by extraneous thoughts while praying?

Do you read the Gospel and other spiritual books? Do you wear pectoral cross

and aren't you ashamed of him?

Aren't you using a cross as a decoration, which is sinful?

Do you wear various amulets, for example, zodiac signs?

Didn’t you tell fortunes, didn’t you tell fortunes?

Were you not proud of yourself and others of your successes and abilities?

Have you ever argued with someone just to gain the upper hand in the argument?

Did you deceive your parents for fear of being punished?

During Lent, did you eat something like ice cream without your parents’ permission?

Did you listen to your parents, didn’t you argue with them, didn’t you demand an expensive purchase from them?

Have you ever beaten anyone? Did he incite others to do this?

Did you offend the younger ones?

Did you torture animals?

Did you gossip about anyone, did you snitch on anyone?

Have you laughed at people who have any physical disabilities?

Have you tried smoking, drinking, sniffing glue or using drugs?

Didn't he use foul language?

Have you played cards?

Have you ever engaged in handjobs?

Did you appropriate someone else's property for yourself?

Have you ever had the habit of taking without asking what does not belong to you?

Weren't you too lazy to help your parents around the house?

Was he pretending to be sick to evade his responsibilities?

Were you jealous of others?

The above list is only a general outline of possible sins. Each child may have his own, individual experiences associated with specific cases. The task of parents is to prepare the child for repentant feelings before the Sacrament of Confession. You can advise him to remember his misdeeds committed after the last confession, write his sins on a piece of paper, but you should not do this for him. The main thing: the child must understand that the Sacrament of Confession is a Sacrament that cleanses the soul from sins, subject to sincere, sincere repentance and the desire not to repeat them again.

Confession is performed in churches either in the evening after the evening service, or in the morning before the start of the liturgy. Under no circumstances should you be late for the start of confession, since the Sacrament begins with the reading of the rite, in which everyone who wishes to confess must prayerfully participate. When reading the rite, the priest turns to the penitents so that they say their names - everyone answers in an undertone. Those who are late for the start of confession are not allowed to the Sacrament; the priest, if there is such an opportunity, at the end of confession reads the rite for them again and accepts confession, or schedules it for another day. Women cannot begin the Sacrament of Repentance during the period of monthly cleansing.

Confession usually takes place in a church with a crowd of people, so you need to respect the secret of confession, not crowd next to the priest receiving confession, and not embarrass the person confessing, revealing his sins to the priest.

Confession must be complete. You cannot confess some sins first and leave others for next time. Those sins that the penitent confessed in pre-

previous confessions and those that were already released to him are not mentioned again. If possible, you should confess to the same confessor. You should not, having a permanent confessor, look for another to confess your sins, which a feeling of false shame prevents your familiar confessor from revealing.

Those who do this by their actions try to deceive God Himself: in confession, we confess our sins not to our confessor, but together with him to the Savior Himself.

In large churches, due to the large number of penitents and the inability of the priest to accept confession from everyone, a “general confession” is usually practiced, when the priest lists out loud the most common sins and the confessors standing in front of him repent of them, after which everyone takes turns to come up for a prayer of absolution . Those who have never been to confession or have not gone to confession for several years should avoid general confession. Such people must undergo private confession - for which they need to choose either a weekday, when there are not many people confessing in the church, or find a parish where only private confession is performed.

In some cases, the priest may impose penance on the penitent - spiritual exercises intended to deepen repentance and eradicate sinful habits. Penance must be treated as the will of God, expressed through the priest, requiring mandatory fulfillment for the healing of the soul of the penitent. If it is impossible for various reasons to perform penance, you should contact the priest who imposed it to resolve the difficulties.

Those who wish not only to confess, but also to receive communion, must prepare worthily and in accordance with the requirements of the Church for the Sacrament of Communion.

This preparation is called fasting.

The days of fasting usually last a week, in extreme cases - three days. Fasting is prescribed on these days. Meal food is excluded from the diet - meat, dairy products, eggs, and on days of strict fasting - fish. Spouses refrain from physical intimacy. The family refuses entertainment and watching television. If circumstances permit, you should attend church services on these days. The morning and evening prayer rules are followed more diligently, with the addition of the reading of the Penitential Canon.

Regardless of when the Sacrament of Confession is celebrated in the church - in the evening or in the morning, it is necessary to attend the evening service on the eve of communion.

In the evening, before reading prayers for bedtime, three canons are read: Repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ, Mother of God, Guardian Angel. You can read each canon separately, or use prayer books where these three canons are combined. Then the canon for Holy Communion is read before the prayers for Holy Communion, which are read in the morning. For those who find it difficult to perform such a prayer rule in one day, take a blessing from the priest to read three canons in advance during the days of fasting. It is quite difficult for children to follow all the prayer rules for preparing for communion. Parents need to, together with their confessor, choose the optimal number of prayers that the child can handle, then gradually increase the number

For some, it is very difficult to read the necessary canons and prayers. For this reason, others do not confess or receive communion for years.

Many people confuse preparation for confession (which does not require such a large volume of prayers read) and preparation for communion. Such people can be recommended to begin the Sacraments of Confession and Communion in stages. First, you need to properly prepare for confession and, when confessing your sins, ask your confessor for advice. We need to pray to the Lord to help us overcome difficulties and give us strength to adequately prepare for the Sacrament of Communion.

Since it is customary to begin the Sacrament of Communion on an empty stomach, from twelve o'clock at night they no longer eat or drink (smokers do not smoke). The exception is infants (children under seven years of age). But children from a certain age (starting from 5-6 years, and if possible earlier) must be accustomed to the existing rule. In the morning, they also don’t eat or drink anything and, of course, don’t smoke, you can only brush your teeth. After reading

morning prayers

prayers for Holy Communion are read. If reading prayers for Holy Communion in the morning is difficult, then you need to take a blessing from the priest to read them the evening before. If confession is performed in the church in the morning, you must arrive on time, before confession begins. If confession was made the night before, then the person confessing comes to the beginning of the service and prays with everyone.

Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ is necessary to enter eternal life.

The Savior Himself speaks about this: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you will not have life in you.

He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day...” (Gospel of John, chapter 6, verses 53 - 54).

The Sacrament of Communion is incomprehensibly great, and therefore requires preliminary cleansing by the Sacrament of Repentance; the only exception is infants under seven years of age, who receive communion without the preparation required for the laity. Women need to wipe off lipstick from their lips. Women should not receive communion during the period of monthly cleansing. Women after childbirth are allowed to take communion only after the cleansing prayer of the fortieth day is read over them.

When the priest comes out with the Holy Gifts, the communicants make one prostration (if it is a weekday) or a bow (if it is a Sunday or holiday) and carefully listen to the words of the prayers read by the priest, repeating them to themselves. After reading the prayers after Holy Communion. After listening to the prayers, the communicants ceremoniously disperse, trying to preserve the purity of their souls, cleansed of sins, for as long as possible, without wasting time on empty talk and deeds that are not good for the soul. On the day after communion of the Holy Mysteries, bows to the ground are not made, and when the priest gives a blessing, they are not applied to the hand.

You can only venerate icons, the Cross and the Gospel. The rest of the day must be spent piously: avoid verbosity (it is better to remain silent in general), watch TV, exclude marital intimacy, it is advisable for smokers to abstain from smoking.

It is advisable to read prayers of thanksgiving at home after Holy Communion. It is a prejudice that you cannot shake hands on the day of communion. Under no circumstances should you receive communion several times in one day.

In cases of illness and infirmity, you can receive communion at home. For this purpose, a priest is invited to the house. Depending Based on his condition, the sick person is adequately prepared for confession and communion. In any case, he can receive communion only on an empty stomach (with the exception of dying people). Children under seven years of age do not receive communion at home, since they, unlike adults, can only receive communion with the Blood of Christ, and the reserve Gifts with which the priest administers communion at home contain only particles of the Body of Christ, saturated with His Blood. For the same reason, infants do not receive communion at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, celebrated on weekdays during Great Lent. Each Christian either himself determines the time when he needs to confess and receive communion, or does this with the blessing of his

spiritual father

. There is a pious custom of receiving communion at least five times a year - on each of the four multi-day fasts and on the day of your Angel (the day of remembrance of the saint whose name you bear).

How often it is necessary to receive communion is given by the pious advice of the Monk Nicodemus the Holy Mountain: “True communicants are always, following Communion, in a tactile state of grace. The heart then tastes the Lord spiritually.

But just as we are constrained in body and surrounded by external affairs and relationships in which we must take part for a long time, the spiritual taste of the Lord, due to the splitting of our attention and feelings, is weakened day by day, obscured and hidden... Therefore, zealots, sensing its impoverishment, hasten to restore it in strength, and when they restore it, they feel that they are tasting the Lord again.” Published Orthodox parish Sarovsky, Novosibirsk.