On the Sacrament of Holy Communion. On Communion at Easter and Bright Week

Communion in Great Lent is the consecration and eating of bread and wine, which is the Body and Blood of the Lord.

Surely every Orthodox Christian remembers the Last Supper, at which, before his crucifixion, Jesus Christ celebrated Easter with his disciples. On that day, when he broke bread, he said that it was his body, and when he poured wine, he called it his blood. Then the Son of God called the disciples to receive these gifts constantly, so that they could always remain with the Lord. Since that time, at every church service, bread and wine are consecrated in prayer.

Why is communion necessary?

Communion allows a person to inherit the Kingdom of God, which means it makes it possible to go to heaven after death.

Communion in Great Lent, as in other times, is necessary to strengthen the soul. It helps not to become embittered in everyday life, to remain sensitive to people, supports faith and helps to maintain balance even in the most difficult situations, hoping for God.

The sacrament of communion cleanses sins. Every day a person is faced with condemnation, envy, discontent and other negative feelings. He feels how this negativity pours out of himself, and also sees it in other people. Being in such an atmosphere, the soul gradually becomes callous, moving away from God and completely immersed in worldly concerns. Constant dissatisfaction poisons life, and the inability to achieve your goals sometimes makes it simply meaningless. But these thoughts do not visit people who have God in their hearts. Faith and hope in God allows you to find the right path and enjoy life. Therefore, every person needs communion, which washes the soul and unites with God.

Communion in Great Lent

Great Lent is the time that precedes the crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Orthodox Christians, in memory of the great sacrifice that the Savior brought, fast for 48 days (from March 11 to April 27, 2019), and then celebrate Easter with joy. During fasting, abstaining from fast food, being in humility and prayer, a person tames his body and is cleansed. Confession and communion in Lent are of great importance, but communion before Lent is also important, as well as throughout the year.

Very often people take communion before Easter, paying tribute to the tradition, not really realizing their sinfulness. But communion without an understanding of sins is of no use. You need to recognize your sins, wanting to get rid of them, and try not to repeat them in the future.

How should one fast in order to take communion in Great Lent?

First of all, you need to remember that fasting is not just abstaining from food. The main thing is to humble your heart, rid it of hatred, anger, fill it with kindness and love. Try not to quarrel with loved ones, not to enter into conflicts, resolving all issues humbly and with love. During Lent, one should refrain from watching television, especially films with bloody and erotic scenes. At the same time, more time should be devoted to reading spiritual literature, because, looking at the exploits of holy people and the miracles they perform, the soul begins to come to life and strive for the best.

It is important to understand that during fasting it is not so sinful to eat a piece of meat as to offend a person. Although abstinence in food is also important.

How to Prepare for Communion?

If you want to take communion during Great Lent, you need to start preparing 3-4 days in advance. At this time, protect you from all the fuss, try to devote time to your spiritual development.

According to the church charter, there are four canons of Communion (Penitent to Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, the Guardian Angel and Follow-up to Communion), they can be found in prayer books or printed from the Internet. In order not to get too tired, you can consciously read one canon a day. It is also important to read the Gospel at this time. Priests advise every Christian to read the Gospel in full during Great Lent. But if it is difficult, then one chapter a day will also be enough.

From 12 nights before communion, it is forbidden to eat any food. On this day, you need to be in time for the beginning of the service, confess and, after the liturgy, partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, which will purify the soul and bring it closer to God!

My kind but unobtrusive advice. If we talk about cleansing our own conscience, about the desire to glorify the Risen Christ with a pure heart, we should not transfer the so-called “general confession” to Holy Week, which requires a deep understanding of the lived and experienced in order to splash out from the depths of the heart what, perhaps, for years it rotted there, the sins of the “youth of Kazan”.

All this must be done in advance, like the prudent virgin from the parable of Christ, who fills her vessel with oil and does not wait until the cry is heard: “Behold the Bridegroom is coming, go out to meet Him.”

Passion Week, unusually deep and meaningful, in its inner meaning presupposes in the reasonable children of the Church the fullness of participation in evangelical events. It is no time already on Holy Week to crowd around the cross and the Gospel, like moths flying around a candle. But it is time to reveal the stories of the sufferings of Christ, listening to the mournful and solemn hymns and prayers of the Church. To follow the Lord along the mournful path, like Simon of Cyrene, to help Him carry the cross, to ascend after Him to the cross of crucifixion and prayer, so that, suffering with Christ, and reign with him.

Each day of Holy Week is infinitely significant, associated with the milestones of the suffering of Christ the Savior.

Here is Great Wednesday. The last Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, a commemoration of the betrayal of Judas, who sold and betrayed his Teacher for thirty pieces of silver. While the sinful woman became chaste, repented, shedding tears on the feet of the Lord and anointing them with myrrh.

People who are deeply ecclesiastical, who have become close in spirit to the Gospel and who always try to remain in prayer to the Lord, strive both on Passion Week and on Bright Week to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, to which the Mother Church calls them. The priests do not need to sulk at all, make a gloomy face and drive away from the Holy Chalice the children of the Church, who came to the temple for this very reason, in order to hide the shrine in their hearts.

Is it really just because you communed on Great Wednesday that you can’t partake of the Body and Blood of the Lord on Great Thursday – the time the Lord established the Last Supper, when the whole temple sings after the Church: “Receive the Body of Christ, taste the Immortal Source”?

Is it really possible to stand aside from the Holy Chalice on the Great Blessed Saturday, when the sky, and the earth, and the animals, and the trees, and the flowers - everything freezes in deep silence? For nature itself listens to God, who removes the curse from the earth, returning the blessing of God to the world.

Not taking communion on the night of Easter is the fate of unbaptized Chinese. But Orthodox people during Great Lent walked for forty days along the narrow path of Gospel self-sacrifice in order to feel Christ the Savior, Who mysteriously rises from the tomb of our soul, illuminating it with His Divine light.

And what difficulties can there be in regard to communion of the Holy Mysteries during Bright Week, when we just need to abstain in the evening and not burden ourselves with fast food? But during the day, no one prevents you from bringing Easter cake to your friends, breaking the fast with Easter, Easter eggs, having tested the strength of your own Christian convictions.

Therefore, dear friends, let us leave aside hypocrisy and hypocrisy, which sometimes takes place among the clergy, let us not prevent the children of the Church from being sanctified by Divine grace in the Sacrament of Communion, as the Mother Church calls us to this throughout the entire Bright Week.

Even the sacramental verse, which is sung while the priest crushes the Holy Lamb on the throne, says: "Take the Body of Christ, taste the Immortal Fountain."

This is the fullness of life in the Lord, the fulcrum of a Christian - so that he, having tasted the holy things, reflects on what gift he was worthy of. Christ Himself testifies to this: "Whoever drinks the blood and eats the body of the Son of Man, I will live, and I will raise him up on the last day, and he will never die." Because Eternal Life dwells in the depths of our heart.

And please do not tell me about those churches and pastors who do not allow their God-loving parishioners to the Holy Chalice on Easter and Bright Week, but rather inform His Holiness Patriarch Kirill about this. He will find words of persuasion for negligent priests and send them to the nearest monastery for a month or two so that they repeat the seminary course and understand the mysterious meaning of Christ’s words: “Whoever does not gather with Me, squanders.”

A priest is not a gendarme or a jailer, whose function is to keep parolees released behind bars. The good shepherd, "father Aibolit" should - "chick-chick-chick, my chickens" - invite immortal human souls to share with him, the shepherd, the joy of the risen Christ in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

Priest Dimitry Turkin: We must save ourselves from confession to communion

The most important thing for a Christian is, of course, meeting with the Lord. And this meeting happens in the best way when a person partakes of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Whatever he understands in this, whatever he expects in it, it is still an encounter with God that the Lord Himself creates, offers us, and Himself comes to meet us.

We just have to decide: “Do we want to meet with Him?” We must ask ourselves this question, and

then let's start doing it consciously, creatively and for the benefit of ourselves.

During the days of Passion Week and Holy Week, some perplexed questions arise about how to properly prepare for Holy Communion. There are a lot of communicants during Holy Week, especially in its last days.

From Maundy Thursday begins such a time when a person especially feels the closeness of Heaven, especially strives for God. There are a lot of communicants on Holy Thursday.

Some of them managed to confess the day before, and some before the liturgy. But there is still Holy Saturday and Easter night itself. And not everyone will be able to approach the priest during these difficult hours for everyone.

Even if there is time for internal preparation, the ministers themselves have duties to prepare the temple for the feast. Everyone is busy, everyone is very solemn and tense.

How can you take communion on Saturday or Sunday if you understand that it is difficult to get to confession? You need to take from your confessor - the priest to whom you constantly confess - a blessing to take communion on Thursday and Saturday or on Thursday and on Easter night.

For such a request, you must, firstly, internally be prepared for the fact that the priest will not give such a blessing. He can decide for himself how it will be more useful and convenient for you to do this.

But, if he gives such permission, how do you need to tune in to the inner spiritual world, so that those hours and days that pass from confession to communion do not confuse your inner spirit, so that you approach the Chalice in a spiritual disposition to your neighbors, to God and the inner calm?

How to achieve this? Of course, only practice. You need to learn in advance, and if there is no such practice, then right now do not condemn anyone.

The following problem arises: we need to save ourselves from the time of confession, which sometimes happens on other days from evening to morning, when we take communion. After all, at least it is stupid to confess in the evening, then do some business in order to go to confession again in the morning. And this problem is not isolated - a similar situation is repeated from year to year.

Therefore, today we must stop judging anyone. Treat everyone as if they are the best people we have ever met in our lives.

Of course, such a mood cannot be extended for a week or a month - it will be an extra effort. But it is possible to keep it for a few days - by constantly reminding yourself that "Judge not, lest you be judged" and who are you that you judge your neighbor - "another's slave", as the Lord says.

Of course, we cannot stop sinning. You just need to stop judging, concentrate on this shortcoming of yours, but not be tense, but simply attentive to yourself, to your feelings and experiences. Not in the sense that experiencing them with all your might, but simply not paying attention to them. Attentive to your thoughts. And do not pay any attention to the shortcomings of your neighbors.

Make this effort, and the problem of remoteness of confession in time from communion will be easily solved for you.

Concerning Communion on Bright Week. The main perplexity is the problem of how to fast.

According to one of the traditions that I know for sure, the following attitude is accepted: fasting, which we spent more or less worthy, and prepares us for communion throughout Bright Week. That is, everything that we could do, we have already done. And on the Bright Week we can not fast, even if we take communion every day.

It's another matter, maybe not every person will and can do it. But if such a dispensation is possible, useful and blessed by a priest, why not. After all, in the end, the priest who blessed you to do this will answer.

Well, maybe not every day, every other day ... But if there is such joy, if you finally found your God, whom you finally fell in love with, then why can’t you take communion several times during Bright Week, which is the single day of Easter? This is possible and must, thus you will show your zeal and understand, finally, that there is spiritual joy.

Of course, this requires a certain mood. Everything that has been said about a repentant and humble mood regarding fasting and Holy Week applies to Light Week as well. The same mood - non-judgment, love for one's neighbor. But at the same time - why fast?

The only thing is that I would recommend spending the evening on the eve of communion a little more humbly - do not eat meat in the evening and in general - put some kind of extensive meal on the table. Allow yourself everything you can in the morning and at dinner, and in the evening humble yourself a little and, thereby, prepare for communion.

So it will turn out: it seems that there is no fast, and it cannot be said that you did not prepare at all and did not work hard. I think that this approach will be the most correct.

Archpriest Alexy Uminsky: To give the opportunity to confess to those who did not do this in Lent

How to properly confess and take communion during Holy Week? Every person is different. Holy Week is a special time. There are people who diligently attended divine services throughout Lent, confessed and communed regularly every Sunday liturgy, maybe even more often.

Therefore, there is a time when, during Holy Week, it may be worthwhile for such people to give way in line for confession to those who have come to the end of the fast, as “eleventh hour workers,” who, for some reason, are little visible to us, - maybe because they had just woken up by the end of Lent, maybe something real was born in them by the end of Lent, and suddenly they decided to approach Pascha in a real, Christian way.

And there are a lot of services, priests are often overloaded. Therefore, before the service of especially Holy Thursday, the whole church strives to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

Therefore, it seems to me that Christians who really took their souls quite seriously throughout Lent can now humbly step aside a little and give those who did not do this during Holy Week a chance to confess during Lent, so that the priest has the opportunity to truly listen deeply to everyone.

This is my advice to practicing Christians.

Recorded by: Daria Mendeleeva, Tamara Amelina

Video: Victor Aromshtam

I have been asked the following question several times:

Can we take communion at Easter? What about Holy Week? Do we need to keep fasting to receive communion?

The question is good. However, it betrays a lack of a clear understanding of things. On Easter, it is not only possible, but even necessary, to take communion. In favor of this statement, I would like to summarize a number of arguments:

1. In the first centuries of the history of the Church, as we see in the canons and patristic writings, participation in the Liturgy without communion of the Holy Mysteries was simply unthinkable. (I advise you to read the article about this: " When and how should we take communion? .) However, over time, especially in our area, the level of piety and understanding among Christians began to decline, and the rules for preparing for the sacrament became stricter, in places even excessive (including double standards for clergy and laity). Despite this, communion at Easter was a common practice, continuing to this day in all Orthodox countries. However, some postpone communion until Easter itself, as if someone is preventing them from approaching the Chalice every Sunday of Great Lent and throughout the year. Thus, ideally, we should take communion at every liturgy, especially on Maundy Thursday, when the Eucharist was instituted, on Pascha and on Pentecost, when the Church was born.

2. For those on whom penance is imposed because of some serious sin, some confessors are allowed to take communion (only) on Easter, after which, for some time, they continue to bear their penance. This practice, which, however, is not and should not be generally accepted, took place in ancient times, to help the penitent, to strengthen them spiritually, allowing them to join the joy of the holiday. On the other hand, allowing penitents to take communion on Pascha indicates that the mere passage of time and even the personal efforts of the penitent are not enough to save a person from sin and death. Indeed, for this it is necessary that the risen Christ Himself send light and strength to the soul of the penitent (just as the Monk Mary of Egypt, who led a dissolute life until the very last day of her stay in the world, was able to embark on the path of repentance in the desert only after communion with Christ) . From this arose and spread in some places the erroneous idea that only thieves and fornicators receive communion on Pascha. But does the Church have a separate communion for thieves and fornicators, and another for those who lead a Christian life? Is not Christ the same at every liturgy throughout the year? Doesn't everyone partake of Him - priests, kings, beggars, robbers, and children? By the way, the word of St. John Chrysostom (at the end of Paschal Matins) calls everyone without division to communion with Christ. His call "Fasting and non-fasting, rejoice now! The meal is plentiful: everyone is satisfied! Taurus is big and plump: no one leaves hungry!” explicitly refers to the communion of the Holy Mysteries. It is surprising that some read or listen to this word without understanding that we are not called to a meal with meat dishes, but to communion with Christ.

3. The dogmatic aspect of this problem is also extremely important. People are queuing to buy and eat lamb for Passover - for some, this is the only "biblical commandment" they keep in their lives (because the rest of the commandments do not suit them!). However, when the book of Exodus speaks of the slaughter of the Passover lamb, it refers to the Jewish Passover, where the lamb was a type of Christ the Lamb slain for us. Therefore, eating the Paschal lamb without communion with Christ means a return to the Old Testament and a refusal to recognize Christ "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world"(John 1:29). In addition, people bake all kinds of Easter cakes or other dishes, which we call" Easter ". But don't we know that"Our Easter is Christ"(1 Cor 5:7)? Therefore, all these Paschal dishes should be a continuation, but not a replacement for the communion of the Holy Mysteries. This is not specifically said in churches, but we should all know that Easter is first of all the Liturgy and Communion of the Risen Christ.

4. Some also say that you cannot take communion on Easter, because then you will eat fast. But doesn't the priest do the same? Why, then, is the Paschal Liturgy celebrated, and after it is it blessed to eat dairy and meat? Isn't it clear that after communion everything can be eaten? Or, perhaps, someone perceives the Liturgy as a theatrical performance, and not as a call to communion with Christ? If eating fast food were incompatible with communion, then the Liturgy would not be celebrated on Easter and Christmas, or there would be no breaking the fast. Moreover, this applies to the entire liturgical year.

5. And now about communion in Holy Week. Canon 66 of Trullo Council (691) prescribes that Christians" enjoyed the Holy Mysteriesthroughout the entire Bright Week, even though it is continuous. Thus, communion is started without fasting. Otherwise, there would be no liturgy, or fasting would continue. The idea of ​​the need to fast before communion concerns, first of all, the Eucharistic fast before receiving the Holy Mysteries. Such a strict Eucharistic fast is prescribed for at least six or even nine hours (not like Catholics, who take communion an hour after the meal). If we are talking about a multi-day fast, then the seven-week fast that we kept is quite enough, and there is no need - moreover, it is even forbidden - to continue fasting. At the end of Bright Week, we will fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, as well as during three other multi-day fasts. After all, priests do not fast during Bright Week before communion, and then it is not clear where the idea that the laity should fast these days comes from! Nevertheless, in my opinion, only those who have observed the entire Great Lent, who lead a whole, balanced Christian life, always strive for Christ (and not just by fasting) and perceive communion not as a reward for their works, but as a cure for spiritual diseases.

Thus, every Christian is called to prepare for the sacrament and ask for it from the priest, especially at Easter. If the priest refuses without any reason (in the event that a person does not have such sins for which penance is due), but uses all sorts of excuses, then, in my opinion, the believer can go to another temple, to another priest ( only if the reason for leaving for another parish is valid and not slyness). This state of affairs, which is especially widespread in the Republic of Moldova, needs to be corrected as soon as possible, especially since the highest hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church has given clear instructions to priests not to refuse the faithful to receive communion without obvious canonical grounds (see Resolutions of the Councils of Bishops 2011 and 2013 ). Thus, we should look for wise confessors, and if we have found such, we must obey them and, under their guidance, take communion as often as possible. Don't trust your soul to just anyone.

There have been cases when some Christians took communion on Easter, and the priest laughed at them in front of the entire church assembly, saying: “Wasn’t seven weeks enough for you to take communion? Why are you breaking the customs of the village?”. I would like to ask such a priest: “Didn’t four or five years of study in a spiritual institution be enough for you to decide: either you will become a serious priest, or you will go to pasture cows, because “stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Corinthians 4: 1) they can't say such stupid things..." And we must speak about this not for the sake of ridicule, but with pain about the Church of Christ, in which even such incompetent people serve. A real priest not only does not forbid people to take communion, but also calls them to this and teaches them to live in such a way that they can approach the Chalice at every liturgy. And then the priest himself rejoices at how different the Christian life of his flock is becoming. "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!".

Therefore, “with the fear of God, with faith and love, let us draw near” to Christ, in order to better understand what “Christ is risen!” means! and "Truly risen!". For He Himself says: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. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day"(John 6:53-54).

Translation by Elena-Alina Patrakova

We have no right to refuse Christians who wish to partake of the holy mysteries of Christ. The only obstacle here is the ongoing state of mortal sin. Communion must be a deep inner need. It is unacceptable to take communion formally, for external reasons: because Schmemann orders to take communion every Sunday, or because my mother asked, or because everyone is going ...

Communion is a personal matter, the most important event in a person's life. The priest must remind the parishioners of the importance of communion. But there is no need to demand complete uniformity. When a so-called person with little church comes to me, I tell him that the indispensable duty of a Christian is annual communion. To those who are accustomed to receive communion every year, I say that it would not be bad to receive communion during all fasts of many days and on the day of the angel. To those who go to church regularly and seek spiritual guidance, I say the desirability of communion once a month or every three weeks. Who wants more often - maybe every week and even more often. There are people who want to take communion every day. These people are lonely, middle-aged, infirm. I cannot refuse them, although I believe that even they should go to confession every time.

The norms of fasting and abstinence for each are determined individually. If a person takes communion once a year, why shouldn't he have a week of fasting, as it was before? But if they take communion every week, you can probably fast for no more than three days. At the same time, it is difficult to force fasting on the Sabbath, remembering how much ink was shed to condemn the Latin Sabbath fast.

Here the problem of "double morality" also arises: the clergy do not fast either on Saturday or on other non-fasting days, when they receive communion the next day. Obviously, the church order does not require a clergyman to fast before taking communion, not because he is “better” than a layman, but because he takes communion more often than a layman. It is difficult to prescribe to others what you yourself do not fulfill, and it seems that the only sensible way to get rid of "double morality" is to bring the measure of fasting of the laity who often take communion closer to the measure of the clergy, in accordance with this very frequency. There are no canonical grounds for the orders of those abbots who solve the problem in the opposite direction, obliging subordinate clerics to abstain from meat for a certain number of days before communion.

Regardless of communion, the measure of fasting varies from person to person. It is impossible to demand strict fasting from the sick, children, pregnant and nursing mothers. Nor can it be demanded from those who are not accustomed to fasting or from those who live in cramped living conditions: those who live in unbelieving families, who are in the army, in a hospital, or in prison. In all these cases, fasting is either softened (and here there is the possibility of a multi-stage gradation) or completely canceled.

It is hardly expedient to demand abstinence from food and drink from infants up to the age of seven: the moment of a mystical meeting with Christ, which the child’s soul cannot help but feel, should not be obscured and overshadowed by hunger for the child, not only painful, but also completely incomprehensible. It happens that a person needs to take medicine urgently: in case of a heart attack, headache, etc. This should in no way be an obstacle to communion. For those suffering from diabetes, frequent meals are necessary, which also does not deprive them of the right to partake of the holy mysteries.

Nowadays, pilgrimages have received great development. Often they are timed to coincide with major holidays. It is a pity when a Christian cannot take communion on a holiday because on the way he could not keep the fast in full form. In such cases, relief is also needed.

There is also the problem of marital fasting. This is a delicate area, and perhaps you should not subject parishioners to interrogations on this topic. If they themselves want to fulfill all the rules, they need to be reminded of the words of the Apostle of Tongues that spouses should fast only by mutual agreement. If one of the spouses is an unbeliever, or even if they are on different spiritual levels, both being Orthodox, forcing abstinence on a less spiritual spouse can have very dire consequences. And if a believing person who is married wants to receive communion, the intemperance of his husband or wife should not be an obstacle to communion.

Prayer preparation for communion is also a problem. Let us remember that in our liturgical books a distinction is made between the literate and the illiterate, and the latter are allowed not only to have all cell rules, but even church services (vespers, matins...) to replace the Jesus Prayer. In our time, it seems that there are no illiterates, but there are people who are just starting to master church books. Modern man is immersed in the cycle of worldly bustle much more than it was 300 years ago. It is difficult for many modern people to read the monastic rule: three canons and an akathist. It is advisable to require the reading of the Eucharist or at least ten prayers from it. Otherwise, the parishioner begins to conscientiously read the three canons, and due to lack of time does not reach the Follow-up. But if a person did not have time to subtract the Follow-up, but sincerely wants to take communion, it is difficult to refuse him.

It is not always easy for everyone to be at divine services on the eve of communion. It is unlikely that anyone will demand this from an old woman who only a few times a year gathers her strength to go to church and take communion. But it is also difficult for the worker, the evening shift worker, and the mother of small children. In general, these days it is difficult to require everyone to attend the evening service on the eve of communion, although, of course, this should be encouraged and welcomed.

The practice of confession before each communion generally justifies itself. This requires, with the frequent communion of parishioners, a great effort from the priests. Unfortunately, in some cases this turns out to mean that the priest, in order to make his life easier, prevents the frequent communion of his parishioners, limiting communion to fasting periods, preventing communion on Easter, on other holidays, although the church canon (66th VI Ecumenical Council) prescribes take communion every day of Bright Week (of course, fasting is out of the question in this case).

Easter and Christmas are holidays when a lot of "non-church" people come to church. Our duty is to give them all possible attention on such days. Therefore, parishioners need to confess on the eve, say, on the first three days of Passion Week. Of course, one who confesses and takes communion on Holy Thursday can also take communion on Easter. Generally speaking, communion at Easter is a gratifying achievement in our church life in recent decades. But, unfortunately, this achievement is not universal. Some abbots do not give communion to the people on Easter at all (probably so as not to overwork), while others agree to give communion only to those who have regularly fasted the whole of Holy Forty Day. In this case, the reading of the Paschal sermon of St. John Chrysostom, where those who have fasted and those who have not fasted are called to communion, turns into an empty and hypocritical formality. Easter is the day when many of our contemporaries come to church for the first time. We must do everything in our power to ensure that the meeting of these people with Christ takes place. They must be confessed if they so wish, and perhaps also communed.

Undoubtedly, it is positive that the “general confession” is being eliminated in our day. However, if a parishioner, well known to the priest, comes up to the lectern and says that he wants to take communion, the priest can probably limit himself to reading the permissive prayer.

It is impossible to deny the importance of penance in the matter of the spiritual rebirth of man. In some cases, excommunication from communion for a certain period may also apply. In modern conditions, this period should not be long. At the same time, some self-proclaimed elders practice annual or even two-year excommunication not only from communion, but also from attending the temple. In our time, this leads to the dechurching of people who, before this unsuccessful penance, had already become accustomed to regular attendance at divine services.

In conclusion, I would like to quote from St. John Chrysostom, answering the much discussed question of our time about the frequency of communion. As we can see from these words of the saint, various practices of communion encountered in his time: someone took communion very often, and someone once or twice a year (and not only hermits and hermits).

“Many partake of this Sacrifice once in the whole year, others twice, and others several times. Our words apply to everyone, not only to those present here, but also to those who are in the desert, because they receive communion once a year, and sometimes after two years. What? Who do we approve? Is it those who commune once, or those who often, or those who rarely? Neither one nor the other, nor the third, but those who commune with a clear conscience, with a pure heart, with an impeccable life. Let them always start. But not like this - not once ... I say this not to forbid you to start once a year, but more desiring that you incessantly approach the holy mysteries.

Thus, the saint does not formally declare one of the practices of communion that existed in his time as obligatory, as some modern doctrines do, but establishes an internal, spiritual criterion.

Every believer must understand that in confession he confesses his deeds to the Lord. Each of his sins must be covered by the desire to atone for his guilt before the Lord, the only way to achieve his forgiveness.

If a person feels that his heart is heavy, then it is necessary to go to church and go through the sacrament of confession. After repentance, you will feel much better, and a heavy burden will fall from your shoulders. The soul will become free and conscience will no longer torment you.

What is needed for confession

Before you properly confess in church, you need to understand what to say there. Before confession, you need to make the following preparations:

• realize your sins, sincerely repent of them;
• have a sincere desire for sin to be left behind, with faith in the Lord;
• sincerely believe in the fact that confession will help to purify spiritually with the help of prayers and sincere repentance.

Confession will help remove sins from the soul only if repentance is sincere and the person's faith is strong. If you said to yourself “I want to confess”, then your conscience and faith in the Lord should tell you where to start.

How is confession

If you are thinking about how to confess in church correctly, then you must first understand that all actions must be as sincere as possible.. In its process, it is necessary to open your heart and your soul, fully repenting of your deed. And if there are people who do not understand its meaning, who do not feel relief after it, then these are simply unbelieving people who have not really realized their sins and certainly have not repented of them.

It is important to understand that confession is not just a listing of all your sins. Many people think that the Lord already knows everything about them. But that's not what He expects from you. In order for the Lord to forgive you, you should be willing to get rid of sins, repent of them. Only then can relief be expected after confession.

What to do during confession

People who have never done the sacrament of confession do not have the slightest idea how to properly confess to a priest. In churches, all people who are ready to confess are welcome. Even for the biggest sinners, the way there is never closed. Moreover, priests often help their parishioners in the process of confession, pushing them to the right actions. Therefore, there is no need to be afraid of confession, even if you do not know how to confess correctly for the first time.

During individual confession, one should not forget about those sins that were mentioned during the general sacrament. You can do this with any words, since the form of repentance does not matter. You can express your sin in one word, such as “stole,” or you can tell more about it. You need to speak from the heart, with the words that your heart tells you. After all, you pour out your thoughts before God, and it does not matter to him what the priest may think at this time. Therefore, there is no need to be ashamed of your words.

What to do if you forgot to name some sin?

Every person can get excited. You can then just go to the priest and tell everything. There is nothing criminal in this.

Many parishioners write down their sins on a piece of paper and so come to confess. This has its advantages. Firstly, this way you will not forget about the main thing, and secondly, by writing down, you will consider your actions and understand that you did wrong.

But here, too, one should not overdo it, as this process can make confession a mere formality.

At the first confession, a person must remember all his misdeeds, starting from the age of six. After that, it is no longer necessary to remember those sins that have already been named before. If they, of course, did not commit more of this sin.

If the above offenses are not considered a sin, then the priest should tell the person about it, and together they should think about why this act bothers the parishioner so much.

How to confess

Having made the decision to confess, you should find out how such a procedure takes place. After all, for this there is a whole Orthodox ritual that takes place in a specially designated place called the lectern. It is a table with four kuts, on which you can see the Holy Gospel and the cross.

Before repenting of sins, it is necessary to approach him and put two fingers on the Gospel. After that, the priest can already put an epitrachelion on his head. In appearance, it somewhat resembles a scarf.

But a priest can do this even after he has listened to the sins of a person. After that, the clergyman will read a prayer for the remission of sins. The priest baptizes a parishioner.

At the end of the prayer, the epitrachelion is removed from the head. Even then you need to cross yourself, kiss the holy cross. Only then can you receive a blessing from the priest.

The priest after confession can assign a penance to a person. Recently, this has happened quite rarely, but you don’t need to be afraid of such a step - these are just actions, the purpose of which is to quickly eradicate sins from a person’s life.

But the priest can soften or even cancel the penance if the person asks for it. Of course, for such a step, you need to have a good reason. Very often, prayers, prostrations, or other actions are prescribed as penance, which should become an act of mercy on the part of the confessing person. But lately, priests most often prescribe penance only if the person himself asked for it.

How to confess correctly - advice from a priest

It often happens that during confession, tears flow from a person. There is no need to be ashamed of this, but one should not turn tears of repentance into hysteria either.

What is the best way to go to confession?

Before you go to confession, you should review your wardrobe. Men must come in long pants, long-sleeved shirts or T-shirts. It is very important that the clothes do not depict various mythical characters, women without clothes or scenes with elements of smoking or drinking alcohol. In the warm season, men should stay in the church without hats.

Women should dress very modestly for confession. Outerwear must necessarily cover the shoulders and décolleté. The skirt should not be too short, maximum to the knees. There should also be a scarf on the head. It is very important not to make up and, moreover, not to use lipstick. because you need to kiss the cross and the Gospel. You should not wear shoes with long heels, as the service can go long enough and your legs will get tired.

Preparing for Confession and Communion

Confession and communion can take place on the same day, but this is not necessary. You can confess during any Divine service, but you need to prepare much more seriously for the second sacrament, since it is very important to take the sacrament correctly.

Before the sacrament, communion must go at least three days of strict fasting. A week before this, it is necessary to read akathists to the Mother of God and the Saints. On the day before communion, it is worth attending the evening Service. Do not forget about the proofreading of three canons:

• Savior;
• Mother of God;
• Guardian Angel.

You are not allowed to eat or drink anything before taking communion. It is also necessary to read morning prayers after sleep. At confession, the priest will definitely ask the question of whether the person observed the fast before communion and read all the prayers.

Preparing for the sacrament includes avoiding marital obligations, smoking, and drinking alcohol. It is not worth while preparing for this sacrament to swear, gossip about other people. This is very important, because preparations are underway to receive the Blood and Body of Christ.

Before the Chalice of Christ, you need to stand with your arms crossed on your chest and, before drinking wine and bread, say your name.

How to Confess for the First Time

If a person wants to confess for the first time, then he needs to understand that it is not just repentance that awaits him. Such a confession is usually called a general confession. It must be approached consciously and very carefully. It is important for a person to concentrate and remember all his sins from the age of six (next times this will not be necessary).

Church ministers recommend fasting during the preparation period and abandoning relationships with members of the opposite sex. How long to fast depends on the person. You need to listen to the needs of your soul and follow them.

Do not forget these days about reading prayers and reading the Bible. In addition, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the literature that exists on this topic. Some books may be recommended by a priest. But before reading unverified publications, it is better to consult with your priest.

In confession, you should not use any memorized words or phrases. After the person talks about the sins, the priest can ask some more questions. They need to be answered calmly, even if they confuse a person. Exciting questions can be asked by the parishioner himself, because the first confession exists so that a person embarks on the true path and does not leave it.

But do not forget about other people who came to the Liturgy and also want to confess. No need to take a very long time, even if there are still some questions. They can be given to the priest after the Service.

The sacrament of confession has its own purpose - it cleanses human souls from sins. But do not forget that you need to confess constantly. After all, in our troubled times it is impossible to live without sinning. And all sins are a heavy burden on our soul and our conscience.

What to say in confession - a list of women's sins

1. She violated the rules of good behavior for those who pray in the holy temple.
2. She had dissatisfaction with her life and people.
3. She performed prayers without zeal and a low bow to the icons, she prayed lying down, sitting (without need, out of laziness).
4. She sought fame and praise in virtues and labors.
5. I was not always content with what I had: I wanted to have beautiful, varied clothes, furniture, delicious food.
6. Annoyed and offended when she received a refusal of her desires.
7. She did not abstain from her husband during pregnancy, on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, on fasts, in uncleanness, by agreement, she was with her husband.
8. Sinned with disgust.
9. After committing a sin, she did not repent immediately, but kept it to herself for a long time.
10. She sinned with idle talk, dishonesty. I remembered the words spoken against me by others, I sang shameless worldly songs.
11. She complained about a bad road, about the length and tediousness of the service.
12. I used to save money for a rainy day, as well as for a funeral.
13. She was angry with her loved ones, scolded her children. She did not tolerate remarks from people, fair reproaches, she immediately fought back.
14. She sinned with vanity, asking for praise, saying “you cannot praise yourself, no one will praise you.”
15. The deceased was commemorated with alcohol; on a fast day, the memorial table was modest.
16. Didn't have a firm determination to give up sin.
17. Doubted the honesty of others.
18. Missed chances to do good.
19. She suffered from pride, did not condemn herself, was not always the first to ask for forgiveness.
20. Allowed spoilage of products.
21. She did not always reverently keep the shrine (artos, water, prosphora spoiled).
22. I sinned for the purpose of “repenting.”
23. She objected, justifying herself, got annoyed at the stupidity, stupidity and ignorance of others, made reprimands and remarks, contradicted, divulged sins and weaknesses.
24. Attributed sins and weaknesses to others.
25. She succumbed to rage: scolded loved ones, insulted her husband and children.
26. Made others angry, irritable, indignant.
27. She sinned by condemning her neighbor, blackened his good name.
28. Sometimes she was despondent, carried her cross with a murmur.
29. Intervened in other people's conversations, interrupted the speaker's speech.
30. She sinned with quarrelsomeness, compared herself with others, complained and became angry at offenders.
31. She thanked people, she did not extend her eyes of gratitude to God.
32. Fell asleep with sinful thoughts and dreams.
33. I noticed bad words and deeds of people.
34. Drank and ate food that was harmful to health.
35. She was embarrassed by the spirit of slander, considered herself better than others.
36. She sinned by indulgence and indulgence in sins, self-complacency, self-indulgence, disrespect for old age, untimely eating, intransigence, inattention to requests.
37. I missed the opportunity to sow the word of God, to bring benefits.
38. She sinned with gluttony, larynx: she loved to eat too much, savor tidbits, and enjoyed drunkenness.
39. She was distracted from prayer, distracted others, emitted bad air in the temple, went out when necessary, without saying it at confession, hastily prepared for confession.
40. She sinned with laziness, idleness, exploited other people's labor, speculated in things, sold icons, did not go to church on Sundays and holidays, was lazy to pray.
41. Hardened towards the poor, did not accept strangers, did not give to the poor, did not clothe the naked.
42. Trusted in man more than in God.
43. Was visiting drunk.
44. I did not send gifts to those who offended me.
45. Was upset at a loss.
46. ​​I fell asleep during the day without need.
47. I was burdened by regrets.
48. I did not protect myself from colds, I was not treated by doctors.
49. Deceived in a word.
50. Exploited someone else's labor.
51. I was despondent in sorrows.
52. She was hypocritical, pleasing to people.
53. Wished evil, was cowardly.
54. Was inventive for evil.
55. Was rude, not condescending to others.
56. I did not force myself to do good deeds, to pray.
57. Angered the authorities at rallies.
58. Reduced prayers, skipped, rearranged words.
59. Envy others, wished for honor.
60. She sinned with pride, vanity, self-love.
61. I watched dances, dances, various games and spectacles.
62. She sinned with idle ranting, secret eating, petrification, insensitivity, neglect, disobedience, intemperance, stinginess, condemnation, greed, reproach.
63. Spent the holidays in booze and earthly amusements.
64. She sinned with sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch, inaccurate observance of fasts, unworthy communion of the Body and Blood of the Lord.
65. She got drunk, laughed at someone else's sin.
66. She sinned with lack of faith, infidelity, treason, deceit, lawlessness, groaning over sin, doubt, freethinking.
67. She was inconstant in good deeds, did not take pleasure in reading the holy Gospel.
68. Made up excuses for my sins.
69. She sinned with disobedience, arbitrariness, unfriendliness, malice, disobedience, insolence, contempt, ingratitude, severity, slander, oppression.
70. She did not always conscientiously fulfill her official duties, was careless in her affairs and hastily.
71. She believed in signs and various superstitions.
72. Was an instigator of evil.
73. Went to weddings without a church wedding.
74. I sinned with spiritual insensitivity: hope for myself, for magic, for divination.
75. Did not keep these vows.
76. Hiding sins at confession.
77. Tried to learn other people's secrets, read other people's letters, eavesdropped on telephone conversations.
78. In great sorrow she wished for herself death.
79. Wore immodest clothes.
80. Talked during the meal.
81. I drank and ate what was said, “charged” by Chumak water.
82. Worked through strength.
83. I forgot about my Guardian Angel.
84. She sinned with laziness to pray for her neighbors, she did not always pray when asked about it.
85. I was ashamed to cross myself among unbelievers, took off the cross, going to the bathhouse and to the doctor.
86. She did not keep the vows given at Holy Baptism, did not preserve the purity of her soul.
87. She noticed the sins and weaknesses of others, divulged and reinterpreted them for the worse. She swore, swore by her head, by her life. Called people "devil", "Satan", "demon".
88. She called the dumb cattle the names of saints: Vaska, Masha.
89. She did not always pray before eating food, sometimes she had breakfast in the morning before the celebration of the Divine Service.
90. Being previously an unbeliever, she tempted her neighbors into unbelief.
91. She set a bad example with her life.
92. I was lazy to work, shifting my work onto the shoulders of others.
93. She did not always treat the word of God with care: she drank tea and read the Holy Gospel (which is irreverence).
94. Took Epiphany water after eating (without need).
95. I tore lilacs at the cemetery and brought them home.
96. She did not always keep the days of communion, she forgot to read thanksgiving prayers. I ate these days, slept a lot.
97. She sinned with idleness, late arrival to the temple and early departure from it, rare going to the temple.
98. Neglected menial work when it was in dire need.
99. She sinned with indifference, was silent when someone blasphemed.
100. She did not exactly observe fast days, during fasts she was fed up with fast food, she tempted others to eat delicious and inaccurate according to the charter: hot loaf, vegetable oil, seasoning.
101. She was fond of negligence, relaxation, carelessness, trying on clothes and jewelry.
102. She reproached the priests, employees, spoke about their shortcomings.
103. Gave advice on abortion.
104. Violated someone else's dream through negligence and insolence.
105. Read love letters, copied, memorized passionate poems, listened to music, songs, watched shameless movies.
106. She sinned with immodest glances, looked at someone else's nakedness, wore immodest clothes.
107. I was tempted in a dream and passionately remembered it.
108. I suspected in vain (slandered in my heart).
109. She recounted empty, superstitious tales and fables, praised herself, did not always tolerate the revealing truth and offenders.
110. Showed curiosity to other people's letters and papers.
111. She idly inquired about the weaknesses of her neighbor.
112. Not freed from the passion to tell or ask about the news.
113. I read prayers and akathists copied with errors.
114. I considered myself better and more worthy than others.
115. I do not always light lamps and candles in front of icons.
116. Violated the secrecy of her own and someone else's confession.
117. Participated in bad deeds, persuaded to a bad deed.
118. Stubborn against good, did not listen to good advice. Boasted beautiful clothes.
119. I wanted everything to be my way, I was looking for the perpetrators of my sorrows.
120. After praying, she had evil thoughts.
121. Spent money on music, cinema, circus, sinful books and other amusements, lent money for obviously bad deeds.
122. Plotted in thoughts, inspired by the enemy, against the holy faith and the Holy Church.
123. Violated the peace of mind of the sick, looked at them as sinners, and not as a test of their faith and virtue.
124. Yielded to untruth.
125. I ate and went to bed without praying.
126. Ate until mass on Sundays and holidays.
127. She spoiled the water when she bathed in the river from which they drink.
128. She talked about her exploits, labors, boasted of her virtues.
129. With pleasure I used fragrant soap, cream, powder, dyed my eyebrows, nails and eyelashes.
130. Sinned with hope “God will forgive”.
131. I hoped for my strength, abilities, and not for the help and mercy of God.
132. She worked on holidays and weekends, from work on these days she did not give money to the poor and the poor.
133. I visited a healer, went to a fortune-teller, was treated with “biocurrents”, sat at sessions of psychics.
134. She sowed enmity and discord among people, she herself offended others.
135. Sold vodka and moonshine, speculated, drove moonshine (was present at the same time) and took part.
136. Suffered from gluttony, even got up to eat and drink at night.
137. She drew a cross on the ground.
138. I read atheistic books, magazines, “tracts about love”, looked at pornographic pictures, maps, half-naked images.
139. Distorted Holy Scripture (mistakes in reading, singing).
140. She was exalted with pride, she sought primacy and supremacy.
141. In anger, she mentioned evil spirits, invoked a demon.
142. Was engaged in dancing and playing on holidays and Sundays.
143. In uncleanness she entered the temple, ate prosphora, antidor.
144. In anger, I scolded and cursed those who offended me: so that no bottom, no tire, etc.
145. Spent money on amusements (attractions, carousels, all sorts of spectacles).
146. She took offense at her spiritual father, grumbled at him.
147. Disdain to kiss icons, take care of the sick, old people.
148. She teased deaf-mutes, weak-minded, minors, angered animals, repaid evil for evil.
149. Tempted people, wore translucent clothes, miniskirts.
150. She swore, was baptized, saying: “I’ll fail in this place,” etc.
151. Retelling ugly stories (sinful in their essence) from the life of her parents and neighbors.
152. Had a spirit of jealousy for a friend, sister, brother, friend.
153. She sinned with quarrelsomeness, self-will, lamenting that there is no health, strength, strength in the body.
154. Envy rich people, the beauty of people, their intelligence, education, prosperity, goodwill.
155. She did not keep her prayers and good deeds secret, she did not keep church secrets.
156. She justified her sins by illness, infirmity, bodily weakness.
157. She condemned other people's sins and shortcomings, compared people, gave them characteristics, judged them.
158. Revealed other people's sins, mocked them, ridiculed people.
159. Deliberately deceived, told a lie.
160. Hastily read the holy books, when the mind and heart did not assimilate what they read.
161. She left prayer because of fatigue, justifying herself with infirmity.
162. She rarely wept that I was living unrighteously, forgot about humility, self-reproach, about salvation, and about the terrible judgment.
163. In life, she did not betray herself to the will of God.
164. Ruined her spiritual home, mocked people, discussed the fall of others.
165. She herself was an instrument of the devil.
166. She did not always cut off her will before the elder.
167. I spent a lot of time on empty letters, and not on spiritual ones.
168. Didn't have a sense of the fear of God.
169. Was angry, shook her fist, cursed.
170. Read more than pray.
171. Yielded to persuasion, temptation to sin.
172. Powerfully ordered.
173. She slandered others, forced others to swear.
174. Turned her face away from those who asked.
175. She violated the peace of mind of her neighbor, had a sinful mood of spirit.
176. She did good without thinking about God.
177. Was conceited with a place, title, position.
178. The bus did not give way to the elderly, passengers with children.
179. When buying, she bargained, fell into curiosity.
180. She did not always accept the words of the elders and confessors with faith.
181. Watched with curiosity, asked about worldly things.
182. Unlived flesh with a shower, bath, bath.
183. Traveled aimlessly, for the sake of boredom.
184. When the visitors left, she did not try to free herself from sinfulness by prayer, but remained in it.
185. She allowed herself privileges in prayer, pleasures in worldly pleasures.
186. She pleased others for the sake of the flesh and the enemy, and not for the benefit of the spirit and salvation.
187. She sinned with a non-soul-beneficial attachment to friends.
188. Was proud of herself when doing a good deed. I did not humiliate myself, I did not reproach myself.
189. She did not always feel sorry for sinful people, but scolded and reproached them.
190. Was dissatisfied with her life, scolded her and said: "When only death will take me."
191. There were times when she called annoyingly, knocked loudly to open.
192. While reading, I didn't think about the Holy Scripture.
193. She did not always have cordiality towards visitors and the memory of God.
194. She did things out of passion and worked without need.
195. Often kindled by empty dreams.
196. She sinned with malice, did not remain silent in anger, did not move away from the one who provoked anger.
197. In illness, she often used food not for satisfaction, but for pleasure and enjoyment.
198. Coldly received mentally useful visitors.
199. I grieved for the one who offended me. And grieved at me when I offended.
200. At prayer, she did not always have repentant feelings, humble thoughts.
201. Insulted her husband, who avoided intimacy on the wrong day.
202. In anger she encroached on the life of her neighbor.
203. I have sinned and am sinning fornication: I was with my husband not to conceive children, but out of lust. In the absence of her husband, she defiled herself with masturbation.
204. At work, she experienced persecution for the truth and grieved about it.
205. Laughed at the mistakes of others and made comments out loud.
206. She wore women's whims: beautiful umbrellas, magnificent clothes, other people's hair (wigs, hairpieces, braids).
207. She was afraid of sufferings, endured them reluctantly.
208. She often opened her mouth to show off her gold teeth, wore gold-rimmed glasses, an abundance of rings and gold jewelry.
209. Asked for advice from people who do not have a spiritual mind.
210. Before reading the word of God, she did not always call on the grace of the Holy Spirit, she took care to only read more.
211. Transferred the gift of God to the womb, voluptuousness, idleness and sleep. Did not work, having talent.
212. I was too lazy to write and rewrite spiritual instructions.
213. Dyed her hair and rejuvenated, visited beauty salons.
214. When giving alms, she did not combine it with the correction of her heart.
215. She did not evade flatterers, and did not stop them.
216. She had a predilection for clothes: care, as it were, not to get dirty, not to get dusty, not to get wet.
217. She did not always wish her enemies salvation and did not care about it.
218. At prayer she was a "slave of necessity and duty."
219. After fasting, she leaned on fast food, ate to the point of heaviness in the stomach and often without time.
220. She rarely prayed at night. She sniffed tobacco and dabbled in smoking.
221. She did not avoid spiritual temptations. Had a soulful date. Fell in spirit.
222. On the road, she forgot about prayer.
223. Intervened with instructions.
224. Didn't sympathize with the sick and mourners.
225. Didn't always lend.
226. Feared sorcerers more than God.
227. She spared herself for the good of others.
228. Dirty and spoiled sacred books.
229. She spoke before the morning and after the evening prayer.
230. She brought glasses to the guests against their will, treated them beyond measure.
231. She did the works of God without love and diligence.
232. Often did not see her sins, rarely condemned herself.
233. She amused herself with her face, looking in the mirror, making grimaces.
234. She spoke about God without humility and caution.
235. Weary of service, waiting for the end, hurrying to the exit as soon as possible in order to calm down and take care of worldly affairs.
236. Rarely did self-tests, in the evening I did not read the prayer “I confess to you ...”
237. Rarely thought about what she heard in the temple and read in Scripture.
238. She did not look for traits of kindness in an evil person and did not talk about his good deeds.
239. Often did not see her sins and rarely condemned herself.
240. I took contraceptives. She demanded protection from her husband, interruption of the act.
241. Praying for health and repose, she often went over names without the participation and love of her heart.
242. She uttered everything when it would be better to remain silent.
243. In a conversation, she used artistic techniques. She spoke in an unnatural voice.
244. She was offended by inattention and neglect of herself, was inattentive to others.
245. She did not abstain from excesses and pleasures.
246. She wore other people's clothes without permission, spoiled other people's things. In the room she blew her nose on the floor.
247. I was looking for benefits and benefits for myself, and not for my neighbor.
248. Forced a person to sin: to lie, steal, peep.
249. To inform and retell.
250. I found pleasure in sinful dates.
251. Visited places of wickedness, debauchery and godlessness.
252. She turned her ear to hear evil.
253. She attributed her successes to herself, and not to God's help.
254. While studying the spiritual life, she did not fulfill it in deeds.
255. In vain she disturbed people, did not calm the angry and sad.
256. Often washed clothes, wasted time without need.
257. Sometimes she fell into danger: she ran across the road in front of transport, crossed the river on thin ice, etc.
258. She towered over others, showing her superiority and wisdom of mind. She allowed herself to humiliate another, mocking the shortcomings of the soul and body.
259. Postponed the deeds of God, mercy and prayer for later.
260. She did not mourn herself when she did a bad deed. With pleasure she listened to slanderous speeches, blasphemed life and the treatment of others.
261. Didn't use surplus income for spiritually useful things.
262. She did not save from the days of fasting in order to give to the sick, the needy, and children.
263. Worked reluctantly, grumbling and vexed because of the small pay.
264. She was the cause of sin in family discord.
265. Without gratitude and self-reproach she endured sorrows.
266. She didn't always go into seclusion in order to be alone with God.
267. She lay and basked in bed for a long time, did not immediately get up to pray.
268. She lost self-control while defending the offended, kept hostility and evil in her heart.
269. Didn't stop talking gossip. She herself often passed on to others and with an increase from herself.
270. Before the morning prayer and during the prayer rule, she did household chores.
271. She autocratically presented her thoughts as the true rule of life.
272. Ate stolen food.
273. She did not confess the Lord with her mind, heart, word, deed. Had an alliance with the wicked.
274. At the meal she was too lazy to treat and serve her neighbor.
275. She was sad about the deceased, that she herself was ill.
276. I was glad that the holiday had come and I didn’t have to work.
277. I drank wine on holidays. Loved going to dinner parties. I got fed up there.
278. She listened to teachers when they said something harmful to the soul, against God.
279. Used perfumes, smoked Indian incense.
280. Engaged in lesbianism, with lust touched someone else's body. With lust and voluptuousness she watched the mating of animals.
281. Cared beyond measure for the nourishment of the body. Accepted gifts or alms at a time when it was not necessary to accept it.
282. Didn't try to be away from a person who likes to chat.
283. Didn't get baptized, didn't read prayers at church bell ringing.
284. Under the guidance of her spiritual father, she did everything according to her own will.
285. She was naked when bathing, sunbathing, exercising, in case of illness she was shown to a male doctor.
286. She did not always recall and count her violations of the Law of God with repentance.
287. While reading prayers and canons, she was too lazy to bow.
288. When she heard that a person was ill, she did not rush to help.
289. With thought and word she exalted herself in the good done.
290. Believed in slander. She didn't punish herself for her sins.
291. During the service in the church she read her house rule or wrote a commemorative book.
292. She did not abstain from her favorite foods (although fasting ones).
293. Unfairly punished and lectured children.
294. Didn't have a daily memory of God's Judgment, death, the Kingdom of God.
295. In times of sorrow, she did not occupy her mind and heart with the prayer of Christ.
296. She did not force herself to pray, to read the Word of God, to weep over her sins.
297. Rarely performed commemoration of the dead, did not pray for the departed.
298. With unconfessed sin she approached the Chalice.
299. In the morning I did gymnastics, and did not dedicate my first thought to God.
300. When praying, I was too lazy to cross myself, sorted out my bad thoughts, did not think about what awaits me beyond the grave.
301. She was in a hurry to pray, out of laziness she shortened it and read without proper attention.
302. She told her neighbors and acquaintances about her grievances. I visited places where bad examples were set.
303. Admonished a man without meekness and love. Irritated when correcting my neighbor.
304. She did not always light a lamp on holidays and Sundays.
305. On Sundays, I didn’t go to the temple, but for mushrooms, berries ...
306. Had more savings than necessary.
307. She spared her strength and health in order to serve her neighbor.
308. She reproached her neighbor for what had happened.
309. Walking on the way to the temple, I did not always read prayers.
310. Assented when condemning a person.
311. She was jealous of her husband, remembered her rival with malice, wished for her death, used a healer's slander to torment her.
312. I used to be demanding and disrespectful to people. Gained the upper hand in conversations with neighbors. On the way to the temple, she overtook older than me, did not wait for those who lagged behind me.
313. She turned her abilities to earthly goods.
314. Had jealousy for the spiritual father.
315. I tried to be always right.
316. Asked unnecessary things.
317. Wept for the temporary.
318. Interpreted dreams and took them seriously.
319. Boasted of sin, committed evil.
320. After communion, she was not guarded from sin.
321. Kept atheistic books and playing cards in the house.
322. She gave advice, not knowing whether they were pleasing to God, she was negligent in the affairs of God.
323. She accepted prosphora, holy water without reverence (she spilled holy water, spilled crumbs of prosphora).
324. I went to bed and got up without prayer.
325. She spoiled her children, not paying attention to their bad deeds.
326. During fasting she was engaged in larynx, she liked to drink strong tea, coffee, and other drinks.
327. I took tickets, food from the back door, went on the bus without a ticket.
328. She placed prayer and the temple above serving her neighbor.
329. Endured sorrows with despondency and grumbling.
330. Irritated in fatigue and illness.
331. Had free treatment of persons of the opposite sex.
332. At the recollection of worldly affairs, she gave up prayer.
333. Forced to eat and drink the sick and children.
334. Contemptuously treated vicious people, did not seek their conversion.
335. She knew and gave money for a bad deed.
336. She entered the house without invitation, peeped through the crack, through the window, through the keyhole, eavesdropped at the door.
337. Entrusted secrets to strangers.
338. Used food without need and hunger.
339. I read prayers with errors, got lost, skipped, put stress incorrectly.
340. Lived lustfully with her husband. She allowed perversions and carnal pleasures.
341. She gave loans and asked for debts back.
342. She tried to learn more about divine things than was revealed by God.
343. Sinned with body movement, gait, gesture.
344. She set herself as an example, boasted, boasted.
345. She spoke passionately about earthly things, delighted in the remembrance of sin.
346. Went to the temple and back with empty talk.
347. I insured my life and property, I wanted to cash in on insurance.
348. Was greedy for pleasure, unchaste.
349. She passed on her conversations with the elder and her temptations to others.
350. She was a donor not out of love for her neighbor, but for the sake of drinking, free days, for money.
351. Boldly and willfully plunged herself into sorrows and temptations.
352. I was bored, I dreamed about traveling and entertainment.
353. Made wrong decisions in anger.
354. Was distracted by thoughts during prayer.
355. Traveled south for carnal pleasures.
356. Used the time of prayer for worldly affairs.
357. She distorted words, distorted the thoughts of others, expressed her displeasure aloud.
358. I was ashamed to confess before my neighbors that I was a believer, and I visit the temple of God.
359. She slandered, demanded justice in higher instances, wrote complaints.
360. She denounced those who do not attend the temple and do not repent.
361. I bought lottery tickets with the hope of getting rich.
362. She gave alms and rudely slandered the one who asked.
363. She listened to the advice of egoists who were themselves slaves of their womb and carnal passions.
364. Engaged in self-aggrandizement, proudly expected a greeting from her neighbor.
365. I was weary of fasting and looked forward to its end.
366. She could not bear the stench from people without disgust.
367. She denounced people in anger, forgetting that we are all sinners.
368. She lay down to sleep, did not remember the affairs of the day and did not shed tears about her sins.
369. She did not keep the Rule of the Church and the traditions of the holy fathers.
370. She paid for help with household chores with vodka, tempted people with drunkenness.
371. In fasting she made tricks in food.
372. Distracted from prayer when bitten by mosquitoes, flies and other insects.
373. At the sight of human ingratitude, she refrained from doing good deeds.
374. She shied away from dirty work: clean the toilet, pick up the trash.
375. During the period of breastfeeding, she did not abstain from married life.
376. In church she stood with her back to the altar and the holy icons.
377. Cooked sophisticated dishes, tempted with guttural insanity.
378. I read entertaining books with pleasure, but not the Scriptures of the Holy Fathers.
379. I watched TV, spent whole days at the “box”, and not in prayers in front of the icons.
380. Listened to passionate secular music.
381. She sought consolation in friendship, yearned for carnal pleasures, loved kissing men and women on the lips.
382. Engaged in extortion and deceit, judged and discussed people.
383. While fasting, she felt disgusted with monotonous, lenten food.
384. The Word of God spoke to unworthy people (not “cast pearls before swine”).
385. She neglected the holy icons, did not wipe them from dust in time.
386. I was too lazy to write congratulations on church holidays.
387. Spent time in mundane games and entertainments: checkers, backgammon, loto, cards, chess, rolling pins, ruffles, Rubik's cube and others.
388. Spoke illnesses, gave advice to go to fortune-tellers, gave addresses of sorcerers.
389. She believed in signs and slander: she spat over her left shoulder, a black cat ran, a spoon, fork, etc. fell.
390. She responded sharply to an angry person to his anger.
391. Tried to prove the justification and justice of her anger.
392. Was annoying, interrupted people's sleep, distracted them from the meal.
393. Relaxed by social conversations with young people of the opposite sex.
394. Engaged in idle talk, curiosity, hung out on fires and was present at accidents.
395. She considered it unnecessary to be treated for illnesses and visit a doctor.
396. I tried to calm myself by hasty execution of the rule.
397. Excessively troubled herself with work.
398. I ate a lot in the meat-fare week.
399. Gave wrong advice to neighbors.
400. She told shameful anecdotes.
401. To please the authorities, she closed the holy icons.
402. She neglected a man in his old age and poverty of his mind.
403. She stretched out her hands to her naked body, looked and touched secret uds with her hands.
404. She punished children with anger, in a fit of passion, with scolding and cursing.
405. Taught children to peep, eavesdrop, pimp.
406. She spoiled her children, did not pay attention to their bad deeds.
407. Had a satanic fear for the body, was afraid of wrinkles, gray hair.
408. Burdened others with requests.
409. She drew conclusions about the sinfulness of people according to their misfortunes.
410. Wrote insulting and anonymous letters, spoke rudely, interfered with people on the phone, making jokes under an assumed name.
411. Sit on the bed without the permission of the owner.
412. In prayer, she imagined the Lord.
413. Satanic laughter attacked when reading and listening to the Divine.
414. She asked advice from people who were ignorant of the matter, she believed crafty people.
415. Strived for superiority, rivalry, won interviews, participated in competitions.
416. She treated the Gospel as a divinatory book.
417. Picked berries, flowers, branches in other people's gardens without permission.
418. During the fast, she did not have a good disposition towards people, she allowed violations of the fast.
419. She did not always realize and regret the sin.
420. Listened to worldly records, sinned by watching video and porn movies, relaxed in other worldly pleasures.
421. She read a prayer, having enmity against her neighbor.
422. She prayed in a hat, with her head uncovered.
423. Believed in omens.
424. Used indiscriminately the papers on which the name of God was written.
425. She was proud of her literacy and erudition, imagined, singled out people with higher education.
426. Assigned found money.
427. In the church, I put bags and things on the windows.
428. Ride for pleasure in a car, motorboat, bicycle.
429. Repeated other people's bad words, listened to people cursing obscenities.
430. I read newspapers, books, secular magazines with enthusiasm.
431. She abhorred the poor, the poor, the sick, who smelled bad.
432. Was proud that she did not commit shameful sins, grievous murder, abortions, etc.
433. She ate and drank before the onset of the fasts.
434. Acquired unnecessary things without having to do so.
435. After a prodigal dream, she did not always read prayers for defilement.
436. Celebrated the New Year, put on masks and obscene clothes, got drunk, swearing, overeating and sinning.
437. She caused damage to her neighbor, spoiled and broke other people's things.
438. She believed the nameless "prophets", in "holy letters", "the dream of the Mother of God", she copied them herself and passed them on to others.
439. She listened to sermons in church with a spirit of criticism and condemnation.
440. She used her earnings for sinful lusts and amusements.
441. She spread bad rumors about priests and monks.
442. Huddled in the temple, hurrying to kiss the icon, the Gospel, the cross.
443. She was proud, in want and poverty she was indignant and murmured against the Lord.
444. Pee in public and even joke about it.
445. She did not always repay what she borrowed on time.
446. Belittled her sins at confession.
447. She gloated at the misfortune of her neighbor.
448. Instructed others in an instructive, imperative tone.
449. She shared their vices with people and affirmed them in these vices.
450. Quarreled with people for a place in the temple, at the icons, near the eve table.
451. Inadvertently caused pain to animals.
452. Left a glass of vodka on the grave of relatives.
453. She did not sufficiently prepare herself for the sacrament of confession.
454. She violated the holiness of Sundays and holidays with games, visits to spectacles, etc.
455. When crops were damaged, she swore at the cattle with dirty words.
456. Arranged dates in cemeteries, in childhood they ran and played hide and seek there.
457. Allowed sexual intercourse before marriage.
458. She deliberately got drunk in order to decide on a sin, along with wine she used medicines in order to get more drunk.
459. Begged for alcohol, pawned things and documents for this.
460. To draw attention to herself, to make her worry, she tried to commit suicide.
461. In childhood, she did not listen to teachers, prepared lessons poorly, was lazy, disrupted classes.
462. Visited cafes, restaurants arranged in temples.
463. She sang in a restaurant, on the stage, danced in a variety show.
464. In crowded transport, she felt pleasure from touches, did not try to avoid them.
465. She was offended by her parents for punishment, remembered these insults for a long time and told others about them.
466. She consoled herself with the fact that worldly cares prevent her from doing things of faith, salvation and piety, she justified herself by the fact that in her youth no one taught the Christian faith.
467. Wasted time on useless chores, fuss, talk.
468. Engaged in the interpretation of dreams.
469. With impatience she objected, fought, scolded.
470. She sinned with thefts, in childhood she stole eggs, handed them over to the store, etc.
471. She was vain, proud, did not honor her parents, did not obey the authorities.
472. Engaged in heresy, had an incorrect opinion about the subject of faith, doubt and even apostasy from the Orthodox faith.
473. She had the sin of Sodom (copulation with animals, with the wicked, entered into an incestuous relationship).