Fasting and Prayer Before Communion

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

According to the canons of the Church, before communion, abstinence from intimate life and communion on an empty stomach are obligatory. All the canons, prayers, fasting are simply means to set oneself up for 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 does not have 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 to fast before communion?

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

Is it possible for me to continue preparing for communion if I had to break the fast on Friday: they asked me to remember the person and gave non-fast food?

You can say this in confession, but this should not be an obstacle to communion. For breaking the fast was forced and justified in this situation.

Why are kakons written in Church Slavonic? Because they are so hard to read. My husband doesn't understand anything he reads and gets angry. Maybe I should read aloud?

It is customary in the Church to hold services in Church Slavonic. We also pray in the same language at home. This is not Russian, not Ukrainian, and no other. This is the language of the Church. There are no obscenities, 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 the question of why we use this particular language. If your husband is more comfortable listening while you read, you can do so. The main thing is that he listens carefully. I advise you to sit down in your free time and parse the text with the Church Slavonic dictionary in order 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 sins in oneself and repent. Isn't this a sin?

If a person considers himself so perfect, almost holy, 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 partake worthily 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 the prayers for communion, prepare to receive the holy Mysteries of Christ.

Is it possible to be in the evening service in one church, and in the morning for communion in another?

There are no canonical prohibitions against such practice.

Is it possible to read the canons and the following to the sacrament during the week?

It is better with attention, thinking about the meaning of what is being read, so that it is really a prayer, to distribute the recommended rule for communion for a week, starting with the canons and ending with prayers for communion on the eve of receiving the Mysteries of Christ, than to subtract thoughtlessly in one day.

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

The Holy Fathers teach that one can live in the desert and have a noisy city in one's heart. And 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 the trenches under bombardment, and this was the most pleasing prayer to God. Who seeks, he finds opportunities.

Communion of children

When to Communion a Baby?

If in churches the Blood of Christ is left in a special chalice, then such babies can be communed at any moment, at any time, as long as there is a priest. This is especially true in big cities. If there is no such practice, then a child can be communed only when a liturgy is performed in the temple, as a rule, on Sunday and on major holidays. With babies, you can come to the end of the service and take communion in the general order. If you come with babies to the beginning of the service, they will begin to cry and this will interfere with the prayers of the rest of the believers, who will grumble and be indignant at unreasonable parents. Drinking in small quantities can be given to an infant of any age. Antidor, prosphora is given when the child is able to use it. As a rule, babies are not communed 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 communed.

The daughter from the year partakes of the Body and Blood of Christ. Now she is almost three, we have moved, and in the new temple the priest gives her only Blood. At my request to give her a piece, he made a remark about the lack of humility. Reconcile?

At the level of custom, indeed, in our Church, a baby up to 7 years old is communed only with the Blood of Christ. But if a child is accustomed to 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 father and the baby get used to each other, and the priest is sure that the child will fully consume Communion. Try once to talk with the priest on this topic, motivating your request by the fact that the child is already accustomed to partaking of both the Body and the Blood of Christ, and then humbly accept any reaction from the priest.

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

The part of the garment that has come into contact with the sacrament is cut out and burned. We patch the hole with some kind of decorative patch.

My daughter is seven years old and she will have to go to confession before taking communion. How can I prepare her for this? What prayers should she read before communion, what about a three-day fast?

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

The child has been vaccinated against rabies. He can't drink alcohol for a whole year. What to do with the sacrament?

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

The child was prescribed a gluten-free diet (bread is not 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 is in wine?

Once again, the sacrament is the best medicine in the world. But, given the age of your child, you can, of course, ask to receive communion only with the Blood of Christ. The wine used for communion may be real wine made from grapes with added sugar for strength, or it may be a wine product made from grapes with alcohol added. What kind of wine is used in the temple where you take communion, you can ask the priest.

Every Sunday the child was communed, but the last time when he approached the Chalice, he began to have a terrible hysteria. The next time it happened in another temple. I'm desperate.

In order not to aggravate the negative reaction of the child to the sacrament, you can try to simply go to the temple without taking 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 for Easter, Bright Week

Is it necessary to observe a three-day fast, subtract the canons and the following in order to take communion for Bright Week?

Beginning with the night liturgy and throughout all the days of Bright Week, communion is not only permitted, but also commanded by the 66th Canon of the Sixth Ecumenical Council. Preparation these days consists in reading the Paschal canon and following Holy Communion. Starting from the week of Antipascha, communion is prepared as throughout the year (three canons and a follow-up).

How to prepare for communion in continuous weeks?

The Church, as a loving mother, cares not only for our souls, but also for our bodies. Therefore, on the eve of, for example, a rather difficult Great 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 how you want to prepare for communion, so prepare. 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 on Easter you can take communion, even if he did not fast. Is it true?

There is no special rule that allows communion specifically on Easter without fasting and without preparation. On 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 on non-fasting broth. Now I'm afraid that I can't take 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 reprimanded me for not coming to communion during fasting days, but coming at Pascha. What is the difference between communion in the Easter service and "simple" Sunday?

You need to ask your father for this. For even the canons of the Church welcome Communion not only at Pascha, but throughout the entire Bright Week. No priest has the right to forbid a person to take communion at any liturgy, if there are no canonical obstacles to doing so.

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

How to Approach Communion for the Elderly at Home?

It is advisable to invite a priest to sick people at least during Great Lent. Will not interfere with other posts. Necessarily during an exacerbation of the disease, especially if it is clear that the case is coming to an end, without waiting for the patient to fall into unconsciousness, his swallowing reflex will disappear or he will vomit. He must be in a sober mind and memory.

My mother-in-law recently passed away. I offered to invite 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 the conscious choice of a person, without violating his will. If a person, being in memory, wanted to start the sacraments of the Church, but for some reason did not do this, then in case of clouding of the mind, remembering his desire and consent, you can still make such a compromise as communion and unction (this is how we commune infants or insane). But if a person, being in his right mind, did not want to accept the sacraments of the Church, then even in the event of a loss of consciousness, the Church does not force the choice of this person and cannot receive 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 the final decision is made. In general, of course, it is best to find out your relationship with God in a conscious and adequate state.

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

In principle, it is possible, but if you wish, you can limit yourself to a pill, take communion at the first services, which end in the early morning. Then eat healthy. If it’s impossible without food for health reasons, then stipulate this at confession and take communion.

I have a thyroid disease, I can't go to church without drinking water and eating. If I go on an empty stomach, it will become bad. I live in the provinces, the priests are strict. Does that mean I can't take communion?

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

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

Such a period can no longer be called an ordinary female cycle. Therefore, it is already a disease. And there are women who have similar phenomena for months. In addition, and not necessarily for this reason, but for some other reason, during such a phenomenon, the death of a woman may also occur. Therefore, even the rule of Timothy of Alexandria, which forbids a woman from communion during "women's days", nevertheless, for the sake of fear of a mortal (threat to life), allows communion. There is such an episode in the Gospel when a woman suffering from bleeding for 12 years, desiring healing, touched the robes 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 take communion. It is quite possible that after such a Medicine you will be healed of a bodily ailment.

Does the preparation for confession and communion differ for pregnant women?

For military people participating in hostilities, the service life is considered as a year for three. And during the Great Patriotic War in the Soviet army, soldiers were even given front-line 100 grams, although in peacetime vodka and the army were incompatible. For a pregnant woman, the time of bearing a child is also “time of war”, and the Holy Fathers understood this very well when they allowed pregnant and lactating women to relax in fasting and prayer. Pregnant women can still be compared with sick women - toxicosis, etc. And the rules of the church (the 29th canon of the holy apostles) for the sick are also allowed to relax the fast, up to its complete abolition. In general, every pregnant woman, according to her own conscience, based on the state of her health, determines the measure of fasting and prayer herself. I would recommend taking communion as often as possible during pregnancy. The prayer rule for communion can also be performed while sitting. You can also sit in the temple, you can not come to the beginning of the service.

General questions about the sacrament

In recent years, after the Sunday Liturgy, I begin to have severe headaches, especially on the days of Communion. With what it can be connected?

Such cases in various variations are quite common. Look at all this as a temptation in a good deed and, of course, continue to go to church for services without succumbing to these temptations.

How often can you take communion? Is it necessary to read all the canons before communion, observe fasting and go to confession?

The purpose of the Divine Liturgy is the communion of believers, that is, bread and wine are turned into the Body and Blood of Christ in order to 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. At the end of each liturgy, the priest, appearing in the Royal Doors with the Chalice, says: "Come with the fear of God and faith." If a person takes communion once a year, then he needs both a preliminary weekly fast in food and canons with prayers, and if a person observes all four major fasts, fasts every Wednesday and Friday, then he can take communion without an additional fast, fasting with 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 arouse 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 read the prayers for communion after all. At the same time, one must remember the words of St. Ephraim the Syrian: “I am afraid to take communion, realizing my unworthiness, but even more so - to be left without communion.”

Is it possible to receive communion on Sunday if you were not at the all-night vigil on Saturday because of obedience to your parents? Is it a sin not to go to the service on Sunday if relatives need help?

To such a question, the conscience of a person will give the best answer: was there really no other way out not to go to the service, or is this a reason to skip prayer on Sunday? In general, of course, it is desirable for an Orthodox person, according to the commandment of God, to attend worship every Sunday. Before Sunday afternoon, it is generally desirable to be at the Saturday evening service, and especially before Communion. But if for some reason it was not possible to be in the service, and the soul longs for communion, then, realizing one’s unworthiness, one can take communion with the blessing of the confessor.

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

It is possible, at the same time, to protect the purity of your heart as much as possible.

How many days after communion do not bow and bow to the ground?

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

I want to take communion, but the day of communion falls on the anniversary of the pope. How to congratulate the father, so as not to offend?

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.

Batiushka refused me communion because my eyes were tinted. Is he right?

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

Is it possible, having received communion, to receive a blessing from God for some work? Successful job interview, IVF procedure...

People take communion for the healing of soul and body, expecting to receive some help and God's blessing in good deeds through the sacrament. And IVF, according to church teaching, is a sinful and unacceptable business. Therefore, you can take communion, but this does not mean at all that this sacrament will help in the unpleasing work you have planned. The sacrament cannot automatically guarantee the fulfillment of our requests. But if we generally try to lead a Christian way of life, 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 partake of the same Chalice?

No matter what Orthodox canonical church we partake of, anyway, by and large, we all partake from the same Chalice, consuming the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. From this it follows that it is absolutely unimportant whether spouses commune 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 eat, man, the Body of the Lady, first reconcile thee to those who grieve.” That is, without reconciliation, a priest cannot allow a person to take communion, and if a person decides to take communion arbitrarily, then he will take communion in condemnation.

Is it possible to receive communion after desecration?

It is impossible, it is only allowed to taste the prosphora.

Can I take 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. And God will not understand us, seeing that the opinion of people is more important for us. God wrote to us that fornicators do not inherit the Kingdom of God, and according to the canons of the Church, such a sin excommunicates a person from communion for many years, even if he reforms. And the cohabitation of a man and a woman without a signature in the registry office is called fornication, this is not a marriage. People living in such "marriages" and taking advantage of the indulgence and kindness of the confessor, in fact, really set them up before God, because the priest has to take on their sin if he allows them to take communion. Unfortunately, such a promiscuous sex life has become the norm of our time, and the shepherds no longer know where to go, what to do with such flocks. Therefore, take pity on your fathers (this is an appeal to all such prodigal cohabitants) and legitimize your relationship at least in the registry office, and if you mature, then receive a blessing for marriage and through the sacrament of the wedding. You have to make a choice what is more important for you: the eternal destiny of your soul or temporary bodily comforts. After all, even confession without the intention to improve in advance is hypocritical and resembles a trip to the hospital without a desire to be treated. To admit you to communion or not, let your confessor decide.

The priest imposed a 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, with his permission, receive communion?

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 penance imposed by another priest.

My aunt told fortunes on the nut, then she confessed. The priest forbade her to take communion for three years! How should she be?

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

I have not yet completely got rid of sympathy for Baptism, but I want to go to confession and take communion. Or wait until I am completely sure of the truth of Orthodoxy?

Whoever doubts the truth of Orthodoxy cannot proceed to the sacraments. So try to fully assert yourself. For the Gospel says that “according to your faith it will be given to you,” 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 godmother of the child. How long before baptism should I take communion?

These are not interconnected ordinances. In principle, you must take communion constantly. And before baptism, think more about how to be a worthy godmother, who cares about the Orthodox upbringing of the baptized.

Is it necessary to confess and receive communion before the unction?

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

Superstitions about the sacrament of communion

Is it permissible 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 Divine Services more often, and after Communion, if it is not a fast day, you can eat any food , including meat.

I heard that on the day of communion you can not spit anything and kiss anyone.

On the day of communion, any person takes food and does it with a spoon. That is, in fact, and, oddly enough, licking a spoon many times while eating, a person does not eat it with food :). Many 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 done after drinking the sacrament.

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

I also brush my teeth before work. You don't really need to chew gum. When we brush our teeth, we take care not only of ourselves, but also that others around us do not hear an unpleasant smell from our breath.

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

Probably the devil 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 the heart of a person. However, there was no point in getting angry. Repent of this in confession.

Is it possible to contract some kind of disease after communion? In the temple where I went, it was required not to lick the spoon, the priest himself threw a piece into his wide open mouth. In another temple, they corrected me that I was taking the sacrament incorrectly. But it's very dangerous!

At the end of the service, the priest or deacon consumes (finishes) the sacrament left in the Chalice. And this despite the fact that in the vast majority of cases (what you wrote, I generally hear for the first time that a priest “loads” the sacrament into his mouth, like an excavator), people take communion by taking the sacrament with their lips and touching a liar (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 Cup, we must understand that this is a Sacrament, and not an ordinary plate of food from which many people eat. Communion is not ordinary food, it is the Body and Blood of Christ, which, in fact, cannot initially 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 communions. 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 in this case there can be no arithmetic. The one who receives the Mysteries of Christ should always be equally aware of his unworthiness and be grateful to God for allowing him to partake of communion.

Add your price to the database

A comment

The meaning of the sacrament

First of all, in preparation for communion, there will be an awareness of the meaning of communion, so many go to church because it is fashionable and it could be said that you took communion and confessed, but in fact such communion is a sin. When preparing for communion, you need to understand that you go to church to the priest, first of all, to draw closer to the Lord God and repent of your sins, and not to arrange a holiday and an extra reason to drink and eat. At the same time, go to communion only because you were forced to, it’s not good to go to this sacrament at will, cleansing your soul from sins.

So, anyone who wants to worthily partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ must prayerfully prepare himself for this in two or three days: pray at home in the morning and evening, attend church services. Before the day of communion, you must be at the evening service. The rule for Holy Communion is added to home evening prayers (from the prayer book).

The main thing is the living faith of the heart and the warmth of repentance for sins.

Prayer is combined with abstinence from fast food - meat, eggs, milk and dairy products, with strict fasting and from fish. In the rest of the food, moderation should be observed.

Those who wish to take communion should, best of all, on the eve, before or after the evening service, bring sincere repentance for their sins before the priest, sincerely opening their soul and not concealing a single sin. Before confession, one must certainly reconcile both with one's offenders and with those whom one has offended oneself. At confession, it is better not to wait for the priest's questions, but to tell him everything that is on your conscience, without justifying yourself in anything and without shifting the blame to others. In no case should you condemn someone in confession or talk about other people's sins. If it is not possible to confess in the evening, you need to do it before the start of the liturgy, in extreme cases - before the Cherubic Hymn. Without confession, no one, except for infants up to seven years of age, can be admitted to Holy Communion. After midnight, it is forbidden to eat and drink, you must come to Communion strictly on an empty stomach. Children should also be taught to abstain from food and drink before Holy Communion.

How to Prepare for Communion?

The days of fasting usually last a week, in extreme cases - three days. Fasting is prescribed on these days. Modest food is excluded from the diet - meat, dairy products, eggs, and on days of strict fasting - fish. Spouses abstain from physical intimacy. The family refuses entertainment and TV viewing. If circumstances permit, these days one should attend services in the temple. The morning and evening prayer rules are more diligently carried out, with the addition of reading the Penitential Canon to them.

Regardless of when the Sacrament of Confession is performed in the temple - 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 the prayers for the future, three canons are read: Penitent to our Lord Jesus Christ, the 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 until 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, they 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 the sacrament. Parents, together with the confessor, need to choose the optimal number of prayers that the child will be able to do, then gradually increase the number of necessary prayers needed to prepare for Communion, up to the full prayer rule for Holy Communion.

For some, it is very difficult to read the necessary canons and prayers. For this reason, some do not go to confession and do not receive communion for years. Many people confuse preparation for confession (which does not require such a large volume of prayers to be read) and preparation for communion. Such people can be recommended to approach the Sacraments of Confession and Communion in stages. First, you need to properly prepare for confession and, when confessing sins, ask your confessor for advice. It is necessary to pray to the Lord that He will help to overcome difficulties and give strength to adequately prepare for the Sacrament of Communion.

Since it is customary to start the Sacrament of Communion on an empty stomach, from twelve o'clock in the morning 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 old, and if possible even earlier) must be taught to the existing rule.

In the morning they also do not eat or drink anything and, of course, do not smoke, you can only brush your teeth. After reading the morning prayers, prayers for Holy Communion are read. If it is difficult to read the prayers for Holy Communion in the morning, 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, it is necessary to arrive on time, before the start of confession. If confession was made the night before, then the confessor comes to the beginning of the service and prays with everyone.

Fasting before confession

People who come to Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ for the first time need to fast for a week, those who take Communion less than twice a month, or do not keep Wednesday and Friday fasts, or often do not observe fasts for many days, fast three days before Communion. Do not eat animal food, do not drink alcohol. Yes, and do not overeat with lean food, but eat as needed to saturate and nothing more. But who every Sunday (as befits a good Christian) resorts to the Sacraments, you can fast only Wednesday and Friday, as usual. Some also add - and at least on Saturday evening, or on Saturday - do not eat meat. Before communion, from 24 hours no longer eat, and do not drink anything. On the prescribed days of fasting, eat only plant foods.

It is also very important these days to keep yourself from anger, envy, condemnation, empty talk and bodily communication between spouses, as well as on the night after communion too. Children under 7 do not need to fast or go to confession.

Also, if for the first time a person goes to communion, you need to try to subtract the entire rule, read all the canons (you can buy a special booklet in the shop, called “The Rule for Holy Communion” or “Prayer Book with the Rule for Communion”, everything is clear there). To make it not so difficult, you can do this by dividing the reading of this rule into several days.

Clean body

Remember that it is not allowed to go to the temple dirty, unless, of course, the life situation requires it. Therefore, preparing for communion implies that on the day when you go to the sacrament of communion, you must wash your body of physical dirt, that is, take a bath, shower or go to the bathhouse.

Preparation for confession

Before confession itself, which is a separate sacrament (not necessarily after it should be followed by Communion, but preferably), you can not keep a fast. A person can confess at any time when he feels in his heart that he needs to repent, confess sins, and as soon as possible so that the soul is not weighed down. And you can take communion, properly prepared, later. Ideally, if possible, it would be nice to attend the evening service, and especially before the holidays or the day of your angel.

It is absolutely unacceptable to keep fasting in food, but not change the course of your life in any way: continue to go to entertainment events, to the cinema for the next blockbuster, to visit, to sit all day at computer toys, etc. The main thing in the days of preparation for Communion is to live they are different from other days of everyday life, not much work for the Lord. Talk to your soul, feel why it spiritually missed you. And do what you have been putting off for a long time. Read the Gospel or spiritual book; visit loved ones, but forgotten by us people; ask for forgiveness from someone who was ashamed to ask for it and we put it off for later; try these days to give up numerous attachments and bad habits. Simply put, these days you have to be braver to be better than usual.

Communion in the Church

The Sacrament of Communion itself takes place in the Church at a divine service called liturgy . As a rule, the liturgy is performed in the first half of the day; the exact time of the beginning of the services and the days of their performance should be found out directly in the temple where you are going to go. Services usually begin between seven and ten in the morning; the duration of the liturgy, depending on the nature of the service and partly on the number of communicants, is from one and a half to four to five hours. In cathedrals and monasteries, liturgies are served daily; in parish churches on Sundays and church holidays. It is advisable for those preparing for Communion to be present at the service from its beginning (for this is a single spiritual act), and also to be at the evening service the day before, which is a prayerful preparation for the Liturgy and the Eucharist.

During the liturgy, you need to stay in the church without a way out, prayerfully participating in the service until the priest leaves the altar with a cup and proclaims: “Come with the fear of God and faith.” Then the communicants line up one by one in front of the pulpit (first the children and the infirm, then the men and then the women). Hands should be folded crosswise on the chest; it is not supposed to be baptized in front of the cup. When the turn comes, you need to stand in front of the priest, give your name and open your mouth so that you can put in a liar with a particle of the Body and Blood of Christ. The liar must be carefully licked with the lips, and after the lips are wet with the board, with reverence kiss the edge of the bowl. Then, without touching the icons and without talking, you need to move away from the pulpit and take a “drink” - St. water with wine and a particle of prosphora (in this way, the oral cavity is washed, so that the smallest particles of the Gifts are not accidentally expelled from oneself, for example, when sneezing). After communion, you need to read (or listen to in the Church) prayers of thanksgiving and in the future carefully keep your soul from sins and passions.

How to approach the Holy Chalice?

Each communicant needs to know well how to approach the Holy Chalice so that communion takes place sedately and without fuss.

Before approaching the Chalice, one must bow to the ground. If there are many communicants, then in order not to disturb others, you need to bow in advance. When the royal doors open, one must cross oneself and fold one’s hands crosswise on the chest, the right hand over the left, and with such a folded hands take communion; you need to move away from the Chalice without separating your hands. It is necessary to approach from the right side of the temple, and leave the left free. Altar attendants receive communion first, then monks, children, and only then everyone else. It is necessary to give way to neighbors, in no case do not push. Women need to remove their lipstick before communion. Women should approach communion with their heads covered.

Approaching the Chalice, you should loudly and distinctly say your name, accept the Holy Gifts, chew them (if necessary) and immediately swallow them, and kiss the lower edge of the Chalice like the rib of Christ. You can not touch the Chalice with your hands and kiss the priest's hand. It is forbidden to be baptized at the Chalice! Raising your hand for the sign of the cross, you can accidentally push the priest and spill the Holy Gifts. Going to the table with a drink, you need to eat antidor or prosphora to drink warmth. Only after that you can apply to the icons.

If the Holy Gifts are taught from several Chalices, they can only be received from one. You cannot take communion twice a day. On the day of Communion, it is not customary to kneel, with the exception of bows during Great Lent when reading the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, bows before the Shroud of Christ on Great Saturday and kneeling prayers on the day of the Holy Trinity. When you come home, you should, first of all, read thanksgiving prayers for Holy Communion; if they are read in the temple at the end of the service, one must listen to the prayers there. After communion until the morning, one should also not spit anything out and rinse the mouth. Communicators should try to keep themselves from idle talk, especially from condemnation, and in order to avoid idle talk, one must read the Gospel, the Jesus Prayer, akathists, and Holy Scripture.

Questions about the Sacrament of Communion

Hwhat is communion?

This is the Sacrament in which, under the guise of bread and wine, an Orthodox Christian partakes (participates) of the very Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and eternal life, and through this is mysteriously united with Him, becoming a partaker of eternal life. The comprehension of this Mystery surpasses human understanding.

This Mystery is calledEvharistia, which means thanksgiving.

TOHow and why was the Sacrament of Communion established?

The Sacrament of Communion was instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself at the Last Supper with the Apostles on the eve of His sufferings. He took bread into His most pure hands, blessed it, broke it and divided it to His disciples, saying: “Send, eat: this is My Body” (Matt. 26:26). Then he took a cup of wine, blessed it and, giving it to the disciples, said: “Drink everything from it, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:27-28). At the same time, the Savior gave the commandment to the apostles, and in their person and to all believers, to perform this Sacrament until the end of the world in remembrance of His suffering, death and Resurrection for the believers to unite with Him. He said, "Do this in remembrance of Me" (Luke 22:19).

Pwhy do you need to partake?

The Lord Himself speaks of the obligation of communion for all who believe in Him: “Verily, 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. Whoever eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My Flesh is truly food, and My Blood is truly drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him” (John 6:53-56).

He who does not partake of the Holy Mysteries deprives himself of the source of life - Christ, places himself outside of Him. A person who seeks in his life to connect with God can hope that he will be with Him in eternity.

TOhow to prepare for communion?

Whoever wants to take communion must have heartfelt repentance, humility, and a firm intention to improve. They prepare for the Sacrament of Communion for several days. These days they prepare for Confession, try to pray more and more fervently at home, refrain from amusements and idle pastime. Fasting is combined with prayer - bodily abstinence from fast food and marital relations.

On the eve of the day of Communion or in the morning before the Liturgy, one must confess, be at the evening service. Do not eat or drink after midnight.

The duration of preparation, the measure of fasting and the prayer rule are negotiated with the priest. However, no matter how much we prepare for Communion, we cannot adequately prepare. And only looking at a contrite and humble heart, the Lord, in His love, accepts us into His fellowship.

TOWhat prayers should be used to prepare for Communion?

For prayerful preparation for Communion, there is a common rule that is found in Orthodox prayer books. It consists of reading three canons: the canon of repentance to the Lord Jesus Christ, the canon of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos, the canon to the Guardian Angel, and the Follow-up to Holy Communion, which consists of a canon and prayers. In the evening it is also necessary to read prayers for a dream to come, and in the morning - morning prayers.

With the blessing of the confessor, this prayer rule before Communion can be reduced, increased, or replaced by another.

TOhow to approach communion?

Before the beginning of Communion, the communicants come closer to the ambo in advance, so that later they do not rush and do not create inconvenience to other worshipers. At the same time, it is necessary to skip ahead the children who receive communion first. When the Royal Doors are opened and the deacon comes out with the Holy Chalice with an exclamation: “Come with the fear of God and faith”, you should, if possible, bow to the ground and fold your arms crosswise on your chest (right over left). Approaching the Holy Chalice and in front of the Chalice itself, do not cross yourself, so as not to accidentally push Her. It is necessary to approach the Holy Chalice with the fear of God and reverence. Approaching the Cup, you should clearly pronounce your Christian name given at Baptism, open your mouth wide, reverently, with the consciousness of the sanctity of the Great Sacrament, accept the Holy Gifts and immediately swallow. Then kiss the base of the Chalice as the rib of Christ Himself. You can not touch the Chalice with your hands and kiss the priest's hand. Then you should go to the table with warmth, drink Communion so that the shrine does not remain in your mouth.

TOHow often do you need to take communion?

Many holy fathers call for communion as often as possible.

Usually, believers confess and receive communion during all four multi-day fasts of the church year, on the Twelfth, Great and Temple Feasts, on Sundays, on the days of their name day and birth, spouses on their wedding day.

The frequency of a Christian's participation in the Sacrament of Communion is set individually with the blessing of the confessor. More common - at least twice a month.

D Are we sinners worthy to take communion often?

Some Christians commune extremely rarely, citing their unworthiness. There is not a single person on earth who is worthy of Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. No matter how much a person tries to purify himself before God, he will still not be worthy of accepting such a great Shrine as the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. God gave people the Holy Mysteries of Christ not according to their dignity, but according to His great mercy and love for His fallen creation. “The healthy do not need a doctor, but the sick” (Luke 5:31). A Christian should accept the Holy Gifts not as a reward for his spiritual deeds, but as a Gift from the Loving Father in Heaven, as a saving means of sanctification of soul and body.

Is it possible to take communion several times on the same day?

No one should take Holy Communion twice on the same day. If the Holy Gifts are taught from several Chalices, they can only be received from one.

Everyone is communed with one spoon, is it possible to get sick?

There has never been a single case of someone becoming infected through Communion: even when people receive Communion in hospital churches, no one ever gets sick. After the Communion of the faithful, the remaining Holy Gifts are used by the priest or deacon, but even during epidemics they do not fall ill. This is the greatest Sacrament of the Church, given, including for the healing of the soul and body.

Is it possible to kiss the cross after Communion?

After the Liturgy, all the worshipers venerate the cross: both those who took communion and those who did not.

Is it possible to kiss icons and the priest's hand after Communion, to make prostrations?

After Communion, before drinking, you should refrain from kissing the icons and the hands of the priest, but there is no such rule that those who take communion should not kiss the icons or the hand of the priest that day and not bow to the ground. It is important to keep the tongue, thoughts and heart from all evil.

How to behave on the day of Communion?

The day of Communion is a special day in the life of a Christian, when he is mysteriously united with Christ. On the day of Holy Communion, one should behave reverently and decently, so as not to offend the shrine with one's actions. Thank the Lord for a great blessing. These days should be spent as great holidays, dedicating them as much as possible to concentration and spiritual work.

Is it possible to take communion on any day?

Communion is always given on Sunday morning, as well as on other days when the Divine Liturgy is served. See the schedule of services in your church. In our church, the Liturgy is served every day, except for the period of Great Lent.

During Great Lent on some weekdays, as well as on Wednesday and Friday at Maslenitsa, Liturgy is not allowed

Is Communion paid?

No, in all churches the Sacrament of Communion is always performed free of charge.

Is it possible to take communion after the Unction without Confession?

Unction does not cancel Confession. Confession is needed. Sins that a person is aware of must be confessed.

Is it possible to replace Communion by partaking of Epiphany water with artos (or antidoron)?

This erroneous opinion about the possibility of replacing Communion with baptismal water with artos (or antidoron) arose, perhaps due to the fact that people who have canonical or other obstacles to Communion of the Holy Mysteries are allowed to use baptismal water with antidoron for consolation. However, this cannot be understood as an equivalent replacement. Communion cannot be replaced by anything.

Can an Orthodox Christian take communion in any non-Orthodox church?

No, only in the Orthodox Church.

How to give communion to a one-year-old child?

If the child is not able to calmly stay in the temple for the entire service, then he can be brought at the time of Communion.

Can a child under 7 eat before Communion? Is it possible to take communion when the sick are not on an empty stomach?

This issue is resolved individually in consultation with the priest.

Before Communion, small children are given food and drink as needed, so as not to damage their nervous system and bodily health. Older children, from the age of 4-5, are gradually taught to take communion on an empty stomach. Children from the age of 7 are taught, in addition to taking communion on an empty stomach, also to preparee to communion through prayer, fasting and confession, but of course in a very light version.

In some exceptional cases, adults are blessed to take communion not on an empty stomach.

Can children under 14 receive communion without Confession?

Without Confession, only children under 7 years of age can receive communion. From the age of 7, children receive communion after Confession.

Can a pregnant woman take communion?

Can. It is desirable for pregnant women to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ more often, preparing for Communion by repentance, confession, prayer and fasting, which is weakened for pregnant women.

It is advisable to start the churching of a child from the moment the parents found out that they would have a child. Even in the womb, the child perceives everything that happens to the mother and around her. At this time, participation in the Sacraments and the prayer of parents is very important.

How to take Communion to a sick person at home?

The patient's relatives must first agree with the priest on the time of Communion and consult on how to prepare the patient for this Sacrament.

When can I take communion during the week of Great Lent?

During Lent, children receive communion on Saturdays and Sundays. Adults, in addition to Saturday and Sunday, may receive communion on Wednesdays and Fridays, when the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is served. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays during Great Lent, there is no Liturgy, except for the days of great church holidays.

Why are babies not given communion at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts?

At the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, the Chalice contains only the blessed wine, and the particles of the Lamb (the Bread that was changed into the Body of Christ) are soaked in advance with the Blood of Christ. Since babies, due to their physiology, cannot be communed with a particle of the Body, and there is no Blood in the Chalice, they are not communed at the Presanctified Liturgy.

Can the laity take communion during the whole week? How can they prepare for communion at this time? Can a priest forbid communion on Easter?

In preparation for communion in a continuous week, it is allowed to eat fast food. At this time, preparation for communion consists in repentance, reconciliation with neighbors and reading the prayer rule for Communion.

Communion at Easter is the goal and joy for every Orthodox Christian. The whole Holy Forty Day prepares us for communion on Easter night: “Let us ascend to repentance, and cleanse our feelings, scold them, the entrance of fasting: the hope of grace is known to the heart, not brushy, not using them. And the Lamb of God will be dreamed of by us, in the sacred and luminous night of the Resurrection, for the sake of us, the slaughter was brought, joined by the disciple in the evening of the sacrament, and the darkness devastating ignorance with the light of his resurrection ”(stichera on the apostle, in the meat-fare week in the evening).

Rev. Nicodemus the Holy Mountaineer says: “Those who, although they fast before Easter, do not take communion on Easter, such people do not celebrate Easter ... because these people do not have in themselves the reason and reason for the holiday, which is the Sweetest Jesus Christ, and do not have that spiritual joy that is born from Divine Communion.

When Christians began to avoid communion at Bright Week, the fathers of the Trulli Council (the so-called Fifth-Sixth Council) testified to the original tradition with the 66th canon: “from the holy day of the Resurrection of Christ our God until the new week, throughout the whole week, the faithful must the holy churches to unceasingly exercise in psalms and chants and spiritual songs, rejoicing and triumphing in Christ, and listening to the reading of the Divine Scriptures, and enjoying the holy mysteries. For in this way let us resurrect with Christ and be exalted.”

Thus, communion on Pascha, on the days of Bright Week, and in general on continuous weeks, is not forbidden to any of the Orthodox Christians who can be admitted to Holy Communion on other days of the church year.

What are the rules for prayer preparation for communion?

The volume of the prayer rule before communion is not regulated by the canons of the Church. For the children of the Russian Orthodox Church, it should be no less than the Rule for Holy Communion in our prayer books, which includes three psalms, a canon and prayers before communion.

There is, in addition, a pious tradition of reading three canons and an akathist before accepting the Holy Mysteries of Christ: the canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ, the canon to the Mother of God, the canon to the Guardian Angel.

Is confession necessary before each communion?

Obligatory confession before communion is not regulated by the canons of the Church. Confession before each communion is a Russian tradition, caused by the extremely rare communion of Christians during the synodal period in the history of the Russian Church.

For those who come for the first time or with serious sins, confession before communion is obligatory for new Christians, since for them frequent confession and the instructions of the priest have an important catechetical and pastoral significance.

At present, “regular confession should be encouraged, but not every believer should be required to confess without fail before each communion. By agreement with the confessor, for persons who regularly confess and take communion, who observe church rules and fasts established by the Church, an individual rhythm of confession and communion can be established ”(Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev)).

The menstrual cycle is laid down by nature. Women experience a lot of inconvenience, some severe pain. Believers perceive such a ban as unfair.

The Russian Orthodox Church does not have a consensus on why it is impossible to go to church with menstruation. All priests interpret the ban at their discretion.

Reasons for the ban

To determine whether it is possible to attend church during menstruation, you need to read the Bible and try to find the answer in it. The ban on entering the church in Old Testament times was physical disturbances in the human body:

• Infectious diseases;
• Inflammatory processes in the active phase;
• Discharge from the urethra in men;
• Menstruation in women.

In addition, it was forbidden to visit the temples who had physical contact with the deceased (washing, preparing for burial). For young mothers to attend church 40 days after the birth of a son and 80 days after the birth of a daughter.

The ban on women with a menstrual cycle is associated with the fact that blood cannot be shed in the church. Priests or parishioners, injured, must leave the temple and stop the bleeding outside. Blood on the floor, icons or sacred books is unacceptable, because after that it must be re-consecrated.

With the advent of the New Testament, the list of conditions forbidding church attendance has been reduced. It still has 40 days since the birth of children and menstruation. The latter is considered a sin. The onset of the menstrual cycle, according to some interpretations, indicates a dead egg and spontaneous abortion.

There is evidence in the New Testament of Jesus healing a woman with uterine bleeding. During the ceremony, she touched him with her hand and the bleeding stopped. Some clergymen associated such a state of a woman with the possibility of the birth of a new life, with which the Almighty awarded women to her. Others considered bleeding as a punishment for the sins of the first woman - Eve.

The attitude of the modern church

Is it possible to go to church with menstruation?! With this question, young women come to the clergy and ask for advice. To allow or not is a personal matter of the minister.

Priests are allowed to be present in the church, but you can not:

1. Put candles;
2. Touch the images.

It is allowed to enter and pray in the temple. The priests are indulgent towards the sick. Some women and girls are concerned about uterine bleeding during the establishment of the menstrual cycle and its completion. Unfortunately, medicine is not able to stop them at once. Periodic treatment does not bring results. Then they go with a prayer to the Lord and the saints for health.

In such situations, the first prayer must be said in the church by lighting a candle. Before prayer, it is customary to go through the rite of confession and communion. Before him, the holy father is warned about his situation and asked for blessings.

Is it possible to take communion during menstruation

Confession, communion and baptism are not carried out for girls, girls and women during menstruation. The church is a place of bloodless sacrifice and, according to the laws, people with bleeding wounds cannot visit it.

On the subject of baptism

The sacrament of baptism consists in the death of sinful flesh and its rebirth by the Holy Spirit. A person is cleansed of sins and reborn according to church customs. During baptism, prayers are read, washed with holy water.

Infants are completely dipped, adults are washed head and face. After the person is dressed in clean clothes. Despite modern means of hygiene, a woman with menstruation is pure in soul, but not pure in body. Therefore, the sacrament of Baptism is not performed during the period of the cycle.

They prepare for baptism in advance, and if suddenly menstruation began earlier and fell on this day, then it is better to reschedule it to another date. The priest is notified in advance f. When a child is baptized, the clergyman may forbid the mother from participating in the baptism because of the menstrual cycle.

Possibility of confession

Every believer goes through the ritual of confession. It is aimed at spiritual purification. With worldly problems, misdeeds, people turn to the clergyman.

The priest releases sinful thoughts and deeds to a person, gives advice and instructions for a righteous life. In addition to spiritual cleansing, bodily cleanliness is also necessary. During menstruation, this is impossible, therefore, they do not go to confession on such days.

sacrament of communion

This is the sacrament of union with the Lord, established by him before suffering. Then he divided the bread and wine among the apostles as his own flesh and blood. The rite has much in common with the actions of Christ.

After the service and prayer, people come to the altar in anticipation of the bowl. Children are skipped ahead. They do not drink from the cup, but open their mouths to receive a church drink and kiss its bases. Prosphora are used as bread.

The sacrament of communion is prohibited during menstruation, an exception is made for diseases in which there are uterine bleeding. For communion, a person purifies the soul and must be clean in body. This condition cannot be fulfilled with the physiological characteristics of the female body.

Sincerely believing women are sympathetic to the covenants and canons of the Gospel and with dignity accept the will of the clergy. Therefore, it is not difficult for them to refuse the sacrament or prayer in the church.

“It’s better for you not to take communion today…” Such penance imposed by a priest is often perceived as an undeserved punishment. What are the reasons for not allowing a person to take communion? Archpriest Konstantin Ostrovsky, Rector of the Assumption Church in the city of Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region, Dean of the Churches of the Krasnogorsk District of the Moscow Diocese, answers.

The most dangerous thing is formalism

Father Konstantin, sometimes priests do not allow communion because a person has fasted not for three days, but for two. Some refuse to take communion during Bright Week or at Christmas time, because at this time the parishioners do not fast. On the other hand, there is an opinion that fasting before communion is not necessary at all - according to the church calendar in a year, and so about half of the fast days.
- Breaking the fast in itself does not refer to such grave sins and conditions in which a person should be prohibited from partaking of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Church rules, including those about fasting, are a gift from the Church to her children, and not a burden that one has to bear with anguish so that the priest does not scold. If a person, for some reason beyond his control, is not able to use the gift of the Church, this is a subject for patience and humility. If, due to frivolity, or partiality, or forgetfulness, a person has violated the rule given by the Church, this is a reason for repentance, but not yet for a ban. I advise all violators of fasting and other similar church regulations not to excommunicate themselves from communion arbitrarily, but to come to the service and bring the matter to the decision of the confessor. And decisions may be different, but they should never be formal. The task of the priest is not to observe the rule, but to bring benefit to a person, or at least not harm. It happens that a person is so distracted and gorged himself (even with lenten food) on the eve of communion that he himself feels the need to postpone communion. Well, let him put it off, fast, and then take communion. And it happens that someone, out of forgetfulness, put sour cream in the soup. I don't think strictness is appropriate in such cases.

As for fasting before communion, I think it should not be abolished altogether, but the severity and duration of fasting should be appropriate to the situation: different people in different circumstances should be given different advice. It is one thing when a person, for some reason, takes communion once a year, and quite another thing when on all Sundays and holidays. Both health and lifestyle habits matter. For some, the rejection of meat and dairy is a real feat, but for some, sunflower oil in potatoes is an indulgence to gluttony.

The worst thing about fasting is formalism. Some demand scrupulous observance of what they read in the Typicon, others demand the abolition of strict rules. But in fact, let the rules remain as a norm, a guideline, and how and to what extent to apply them, let the priest decide in each specific case especially, praying for a person, driven by love for him and a desire to help him on the path of salvation.
As for communion on Bright Week and on the Holy Days after Christmas, then, of course, if a liturgy is served in the Church, then it is possible to receive communion. How about a post? For those who ask me, I advise you to eat all kinds of food these days, but do not overeat. But I don't want to impose anything on anyone; the worst thing, I think, in this area is the disputes over the letter. If someone wants to eat greens for Easter, there is nothing wrong with that, just don’t be proud of it and don’t condemn those who eat differently. And let those who do not fast strictly, do not consider the fasters backward and unspiritual.

Let me give you an extensive quote from the Apostle Paul: “... Some people are sure that they can eat everything, but the weak eat vegetables. Who eats, do not humiliate the one who does not eat; and whoever does not eat, do not condemn him who eats, because God has accepted him. Who are you, condemning someone else's slave? Before his Lord he stands or falls. And he will be raised, for God is mighty to raise him up. One distinguishes day from day, and another judges every day equally. Everyone act according to the assurance of his mind. He who distinguishes the days distinguishes for the Lord; and whoever does not distinguish the days does not distinguish for the Lord. Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, does not eat for the Lord, and gives thanks to God. ... And what are you judging your brother? Or are you also, that you humiliate your brother? We will all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. ... Let us no longer judge each other, but rather judge how not to give a brother a chance to stumbling or temptation. I know and am confident in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself; only to him who considers something unclean, it is unclean to him. But if your brother is grieved over food, then you no longer act out of love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. … For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:2-6, 10, 13-15, 17).

The grounds for prohibiting communion for a longer or shorter period can only be either a serious sin (fornication, murder, theft, witchcraft, denial of Christ, obvious heresy, etc.), or a moral state that is completely incompatible with communion (for example, refusal to reconcile with repentant offender).

Legalization of non-churchness

In the nineties, many priests did not allow people living in an unmarried marriage to receive communion. Patriarch Alexy II pointed out the inadmissibility of this. But what about those living in a so-called civil marriage? Formally, fornication, but in fact it can not always be called such.
- Indeed, the late Patriarch Alexy II pointed out the inadmissibility of excommunicating people from communion only on the grounds that they live in an unmarried marriage. Of course, pious Orthodox Christians will not begin married life without a church blessing, which in our time is just taught in the sacrament of marriage. But there are many cases when unbaptized people entered into a legal marriage, have children, love each other, and remain faithful. And so, let's say, the wife believed in Christ and was baptized, but the husband has not yet. What to do? Is their marriage now turned into fornication and must be destroyed? Of course not. Yes, the apostle Paul writes about this: “If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she agrees to live with him, then he should not leave her; and a wife who has an unbelieving husband, and he agrees to live with her, must not leave him ”(1 Cor. 7: 12-13). Surely the fulfillment of the apostolic instruction should entail a prohibition in church communion? Moreover, in the first centuries of Christianity, church weddings did not exist at all. Christians entered into marriage with the knowledge of the bishop, but according to the laws of the country, and then, together with the whole community, they partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, this was the church recognition of their marriage. The ecclesiastical ceremony of marriage took shape gradually over the course of several centuries and became obligatory everywhere for Christians entering into marriage only at the end of the first millennium.

Regarding "civil marriage", let's clarify the terminology. A civil marriage (without any quotation marks) is a marriage concluded according to the customs and laws of the people or state, to which the husband and wife belong. It is no accident that I use here the various terms "custom" and "law," "people" and "state" together, by themselves, because at different times and in different places the legality of marriage can be determined in different ways. How to treat people who live in a family way, but who have not legally formalized their relationship in any way? Can they be allowed to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ? In the vast majority of cases, such cohabitation is unacceptable from a church point of view, and people must either enter into a legal marriage, or part with their cohabitants, and only then receive permission for sins in the sacrament of confession and be accepted into church fellowship. But there are difficult situations when a lawless family was created by non-church people and children were born to them. Here is an example from life: people have been living as spouses for many years, consider themselves husband and wife, but the marriage has not been registered. They have three children. About two years ago, the wife believed in Christ and came to the Church, she was told that the marriage must be registered. She agrees, tries to persuade her husband, but he refuses, says that all his friends who have signed are already divorced, but he does not want to get divorced. Of course, I don’t agree with him, that is, I think that I need to sign, but he doesn’t come to me for advice. And his wife can't convince him. She goes to church, takes the children to communion (her husband even helps her with this), the children study with us in Sunday school. Really, in this situation, it would be necessary to forbid this woman to take communion or demand from her to destroy the family, even if it was unregistered? The rule requiring Christians to enter into marriages in accordance with state laws is wise and should, of course, be observed. But we must not forget that although the law is higher than lawlessness, love is still higher than the law.

For some serious sins (murder, practicing the occult), excommunication from communion is expected for almost 20 years. Nobody canceled these rules, but today they are practically not applied.
- It seems to me that today many years of penance cannot fulfill its functions - healing the soul, reconciling it with God. In Byzantium it was possible. All the people there lived the church life, and the one who committed a grave sin remained a member of the community that was gathered around the Church. Just imagine: everyone goes to the service, and he remains on the porch. He doesn’t go to the movies and he doesn’t lie on the sofa by the TV, but he stands on the porch and prays! After a while, he begins to enter the temple, but cannot receive communion. All these years of penance, he prayerfully repents, realizing his unworthiness. And what will happen today if we excommunicate a person from communion for five years? Not a member of the community, but most likely someone who came to confession for the first time in his life at the age of 40-50-60. As he did not go to church before, so now he will not. Moreover, “legally,” he will say: the priest did not allow me to take communion, so I am lying at home, drinking beer, and when the period of penance has passed, I will go to take communion. It will be so, only not everyone will live to see the end of the penance, and of those who live, many will forget about God. That is, today, in modern conditions, by imposing many years of penance on a person who first came to the temple, we essentially legalize his non-churchhood. Meaning? After all, a person who is in mortal sin and does not want to repent, change his life, and so cannot receive communion until repentance. If he has changed, laments about what he has done, I believe that even with the most serious sins, if it is forbidden for him to take communion, then not for long, especially for those who came for the first time.

The attitude towards church people should be more strict. Fortunately, church people do not often fall into grave mortal sins, but I remember a case when a regular parishioner who had been going to church for many years had an abortion and took communion. Here penance was appropriate, and the woman did not grumble when she was appointed to her, a man has a conscience. But when a pensioner comes, whom her grandmother took to communion as a child, then she became a pioneer, a Komsomol member, lost her way, had an abortion, and 40 years later she thought about God, what kind of penance can there be? And even if an abortion was recently performed, but by a non-church woman who walked the ways of this world, and now she believed and repented, I also do not think that penance should be imposed on her. By the way, I note that a priest can impose even small penances only with the consent of the penitent himself. Only the ecclesiastical court itself and the ruling bishop have the right to ecclesiastical court. As for long-term penances, this is all the more not within the competence of the parish priest.

How often, in your opinion, should a layman take communion? Is it possible to take communion every day at Christmas time or Bright Week?
- It is absolutely normal when the whole community gathers on a Sunday or other holiday for a liturgy and everyone partakes of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. True, this norm is forgotten by most of us. And daily communion was just not the norm, because the liturgy was not served every day. But since then a lot of water has flowed under the bridge, church customs have changed, and not only because of the lack of spirituality among parishioners and clergy, there are also factors that do not depend on specific people. Now, I think, it is impossible to introduce or even recommend general rules for all.
There are people who recognize themselves as Orthodox, who do not fall into grave mortal sins, who, however, take communion only three or four times a year and do not feel the need for more. I do not think that they should be forced or even persuaded to take communion more often. Although, as far as possible, I try to explain to all Christians the meaning and salvation of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood.

If an Orthodox person takes communion on all Sundays and holidays, this is natural for a Christian. If for some reason it does not work out, let it be as it turns out. Once a month, it seems to me, every person can get out to the temple for communion, but if this is not possible, what can you do. The Lord welcomes the intention. Only it is not necessary to consider communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ a feat! If so, then it is better not to take communion at all. The Body and Blood of Christ is not our feat, but the mercy of God. But if someone wants to take communion several times in a row during the Bright Week, not in the order of achievement, but in simplicity, then what's wrong with that? If a person is not hindered by anything, I usually do not mind. But in order to constantly take communion every day, there must be serious reasons. In and of itself, this has never been a church norm. Here St. Theophan the Recluse in the last years of his life took communion every day. Let everyone look at what really incites him to extraordinarily frequent communion: the grace of God or his own vain fantasies. It is also good to consult with a confessor.
Confessors themselves must approach human souls with great caution. I remember once I had to confess to an old woman (I was still a novice priest at the time), she said that she did not want to, but she communed every day. "How so?" I asked. She replied that her spiritual father told her so. I tried to dissuade the old woman from such an absurd, in my opinion, feat, but the authority of the spiritual father prevailed. I don't know how it ended.