Seven Sacraments of the Orthodox Church. Brief information for the temple stand

"Seven Church Sacraments"

The fact that the number of sacraments in the Church is seven is known to every Sunday school student, although, of course, this division is conditional, since the Church itself is a mystery, since everything in it is mysterious. Nevertheless, since such a classification of the sacraments exists, we will give an explanation of them in accordance with this classification.

1. Being a non-Christ is worthless
Baptism. This sacrament was instituted by Christ Himself, saying to His disciples: “Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” This phrase contains one of the main requirements for the rule of baptism: they baptize into the Orthodox faith, dipping into water three times - in the name of the Trinity. But even in the first centuries of Christianity, a heresy (Eunomian) appeared, the followers of which immersed the baptized person in water once - as a sign of the death and resurrection of Christ. On this occasion, the apostles even established a rule (fiftieth), according to which one who immerses the baptized one time, and not three, will be expelled from the Church. Therefore, even now, when a Christian of a non-Orthodox faith wishes to accept Orthodoxy, a thorough study of the rules according to which he was baptized before is carried out. If they were immersed once, then such baptism is considered invalid, but if they were baptized according to the trinity formula, then such baptism is recognized. Careful research is necessary because a person only needs to be baptized once.

On this occasion, the question often arises whether it is necessary to baptize the so-called immersed, that is, those who were baptized in the villages by believing grandmothers. In such cases, if it is not possible to find out how correctly the baptismal formula was observed, it is necessary to go through the sacrament of baptism again, and the priest, in order not to violate the prohibition of re-baptism, will definitely say: “if not baptized yet.” If a person was baptized correctly, then he comes to the sacrament of baptism, but is included in the performance of the sacrament only at the stage of chrismation, since his grandmother was definitely not anointed with chrism.

2. We are all smeared with one world
Confirmation, although performed during baptism immediately after dipping into the font, is nevertheless an independent sacrament. During this sacrament, the priest seals the “seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit” by anointing the newly baptized with holy chrism. Miro is a fragrant oil that is brewed during the last days of Great Lent and is consecrated by His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia on Maundy Thursday (Thursday of Passion Week). Then myrrh is poured into vessels and transported to all dioceses. Various sects, including those who arbitrarily call themselves "Orthodox", do not have chrism, and therefore do not have the sacrament of chrismation.

After baptism and chrismation, a person begins life as if from scratch: all his previous sins are cleansed by the “bath of resurrection”, but since it is difficult not to sin in this fallen world, the Church has established the sacrament of repentance, to which a baptized person should resort as often as possible.

3. Open the door of repentance
Repentance (confession). No matter how grave the sins of a person, the Merciful God can forgive him on condition of sincere repentance. It is sincere, not formal. A person will always find reasons for repentance, and for this it is not worth sinning on purpose. Moreover, a person who sins consciously, in the hope that God will forgive him for this during confession, is unlikely to receive this forgiveness.

In recent years, a tradition has developed that confession in churches is taken at a certain time, as a rule, on the eve of communion. And in order to start taking communion, it takes several days to fast (fast) and read a lot of special prayers. In this regard, in the minds of new beginning Christians, there was a conviction that all this must be done on the eve of confession. And since not everyone can follow the established rules, many cannot confess their accumulated sins. It should be noted that repentance is an independent sacrament, and a person can proceed to it not necessarily after rigorous preparation in the form of fasting and reading prayers. It is only advisable to attach your desire to confess to the time set in this or that temple. The only condition for those who want to confess is a sincere condemnation of their sins and a desire not to repeat them. But in order to proceed to the sacrament, you need to specially prepare.

4. This is My Body
The sacrament of communion. At the Last Supper, Christ, breaking bread and distributing it to His disciples, said: “This is My Body”, giving a cup of wine, said: “This is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Christ thereby replaced the bloody sacrifice (the Jews slaughtered a lamb on Passover) with a bloodless sacrifice. Since then, Christians, taking communion during the sacrament of communion, take into themselves the Body and Blood of Christ, into which bread and wine are mysteriously transubstantiated during the service.

In the Russian Orthodox Church, there is a tradition to proceed to the sacrament of the sacrament only after confession, strictly on an empty stomach (starting from 24 hours of the previous day), having spoken for at least three days the day before and having read special prayers. Infants up to seven years old (up to six years old inclusive) receive communion without confession. Sick people suffering from serious illnesses and who cannot do without pills are allowed to take medicine, if necessary, on the eve of communion, since medicine is not considered food. "Immersed" (baptized by the laity) can proceed to communion only after the completion of such baptism by a priest. It is customary for the laity to take communion at least five times a year (during four long fasts and on their day of the Angel), as well as in special life situations, for example, on the eve of marriage.

5. Marriage is honorable and the bed is not bad.
Wedding. We note right away that the Church does not recognize as legal the so-called “civil marriage”, in which people cohabit without registering with the registry office. Therefore, in order to avoid misunderstandings, only persons who have a marriage registration document are allowed to get married. The Church recognizes such a registered marriage as legal. Nevertheless, the Church reminds that civil registration is not enough for Orthodox people and that it is imperative to receive God's sanctification of family life.

Wedding in our time has become a fashionable phenomenon, and, unfortunately, not everyone who starts it is aware of its importance and their responsibility to God and their spouse, which they take during the wedding. The Church, wishing to be an honest marriage, and an indecent marriage bed, asks God to protect the young throughout their life together. But it often happens that spouses treat the wedding as a kind of magical rite that should automatically seal their union without mutual efforts. Without faith in God, a wedding in most cases becomes meaningless. A church marriage is strong only when the spouses do not forget the promises they made at the wedding, and do not forget to ask God to help them fulfill these promises. And God will always help them, as well as those who turn to Him in case of illness during the sacrament of unction, or unction.

6. Healing infirmities of the soul and body
Unction (unction). The essence of this sacrament was most accurately outlined by the apostle James: “Is any of you sick, let him call for the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him” (The Epistle of the Apostle James, chapter 5, verses 14-15). Many people treat this sacrament with a completely unfounded fear: they say, unction precedes death. Indeed, quite often a person is united on the eve of death, thereby purifying him of all involuntary sins that he committed in life and about which, due to ignorance or forgetfulness (but not hiding it on purpose), he did not repent at confession. However, cases are not uncommon when, it would seem, hopelessly ill people, after the sacrament of unction, got up on their feet. So you should not be afraid of this healing sacrament.

7. Pop - from the word dad
And the last (not in importance, of course, but in quantity) sacrament is the sacrament of the priesthood. The Orthodox Church has preserved the continuity of the priesthood from the apostles, whom Christ Himself ordained. Since early Christian times, the sacrament of priesthood (ordination) has been continuously transmitted in the depths of the Church until our time. Therefore, in those Christian organizations that periodically arise from scratch and which claim to be called the Church, there is in fact no priesthood as such.

The sacrament of the priesthood is performed only over males who profess Orthodoxy, who are in their first marriage (married) or who have taken monastic vows. In the Orthodox Church there is a three-level hierarchy: deacons, priests and bishops. A deacon is a clergyman of the first degree who, although he takes part in the sacraments, does not perform them himself. A priest (or priest) has the right to perform six sacraments, in addition to the sacrament of ordination. A bishop is a clergyman of the highest degree who performs all seven church sacraments and who has the right to transfer this gift to others. By tradition, only a priest who has taken the monastic rank can become a bishop.

Unlike Catholicism, where all priests, without exception, take celibacy (celibate vow), in Orthodoxy there is a white clergy (married) and a black one (who have taken the monastic rank). Nevertheless, there is a requirement for white clergy to be married once, that is, a person who is remarried cannot be a clergyman, and a clergyman who has become a widower does not have the right to marry a second time. Often widowed priests take the monastic rank. Monks who break their vow of celibacy are expelled from the Church.

According to ancient tradition, clergy (deacons and priests) are called fathers: Father Paul, Father Theodosius, etc. It is customary to call bishops bishops. In official appeals, the corresponding titles of clergymen are written: “Your Love of God” is addressed to a deacon, “Your Reverence” to a priest, and “Your Reverence” to an archpriest (senior priest). Abbots and archimandrites (senior priests of the monastic rank) are also titled high reverend. If a deacon or a priest is a monk, then they are called hierodeacon and hieromonk, respectively.

Bishops, also called bishops, may have several administrative degrees: bishop, archbishop, metropolitan, patriarch. The bishop is officially addressed as “Your Eminence”, the archbishop and metropolitan - “Your Eminence”, the patriarch - “Your Holiness”. In the Orthodox Church, in contrast to the Catholic Church (where the Pope is considered the vicar of Christ on earth, and therefore infallible), the patriarch is not endowed with the status of infallibility. The presence of the word “Holy” in the title of a patriarch refers not to him, but to the Church itself, one of the earthly structures of which he heads. All the most important ecclesiastical decisions in the Orthodox Church are made collectively, that is, collectively, since, despite the presence of titles and titles, all Orthodox are brothers and sisters in Christ and all together are the same Church that is holy and infallible.

Well, as for the word "pop", which in modern times has acquired some kind of insulting and dismissive coloring, it should be noted that it came from the Greek word "papes", which means a loving father or dad!

Bishop Alexander (Mileant)

Sacraments of the Church

Introduction

Sacrament of Repentance

Sacrament of Communion

Sacrament of Marriage

Sacrament of the Priesthood

Sacrament of Unction

Conclusion

Introduction

ATGod's will, all living things in nature are called to grow and develop. In the plant and animal world, this is carried out with the help of those elements, elements and means with which the Lord enriched nature. A person, as a bearer of the image of God, must also grow, develop and improve - but not so much externally as internally, spiritually. And he also does this not on his own, but with the help of a special life-giving power of God, called Grace.

Everything that God gave to the Church is a conductor of His grace - His word in the Holy Scriptures, prayers, divine services, church singing, church art, the instructions of the saints of God ... A special place among these blessed conductors is occupied by the so-called. sacraments. They were established either directly by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, or by His apostles. There are seven of them: baptism, chrismation, repentance, communion-Eucharist, marriage, priesthood and unction. The sacraments are a kind heights in a long chain of hills of other worship and prayers. Just as in a person the spiritual essence is hidden behind his physical shell, so in the sacraments, behind the visible and tangible sacred action, the grace-filled power of God acts invisibly and mysteriously. Words of blessing, accompanied by external sacred actions, are, as it were, spiritual vessels by which the grace of the Holy Spirit is scooped up and given to the members of the Church.

In this work, we will briefly describe the essence of each sacrament, how it was established, what is the main thing in it, and how it is performed.

Sacraments of Baptism and Chrismation

FROMAmong the sacraments of the Church, the sacrament of Baptism ranks first. It, as it were, serves as a door that introduces a person into the grace-filled Kingdom of Christ - the Church, which gives him access to all its spiritual treasures. Even before the establishment of Baptism, the Lord Jesus Christ, in His conversation with Nicodemus, pointed out its absolute necessity, saying: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God: that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”(John 3:5-6). In other words, in his usual state, a person is incapable of spiritual life - for this he needs to be born spiritually.

AT the sacrament of Baptism, a believer in Christ through threefold immersion in water with the invocation of the name of the Most Holy Trinity - the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit - is washed from all his sins, is born with grace for the spiritual Christian life and becomes a member of the Kingdom of God.

Baptism was instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Who sanctified Him by His own example, having received Baptism from John on the Jordan River. Before His ascension to Heaven, the Lord commanded the apostles to baptize all those who believe in Him: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit"(Mat. 28:19).

To receive Baptism, faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, repentance for all sins, and a firm intention to live according to the commandments of God are necessary.

The Orthodox Church allows the baptism of infants according to the faith of their parents and recipients, on the condition that both of them undertake to educate the person being baptized in the Orthodox faith and guide him in a truly Christian life. The gospel stories clearly testify to the fact that gifts of grace are given according to the faith of others, for example: according to the faith of a Roman centurion, the Lord healed his servant. When healing the paralyzed, it is narrated how "Jesus, seeing their faith (who brought the sick man), said to the paralytic: child, your sins are forgiven you"(Mark 2:5). According to the faith of the Canaanite mother, the Lord healed her daughter; etc. Therefore, the recipients and parents who neglect the sacred duty of raising a child in the Christian faith, deprive him of the opportunity to know God from childhood and leave him unarmed before all the temptations that await him in adulthood.

Sectarians condemn the Orthodox for performing the sacraments on babies. But the basis for infant baptism is that baptism replaced the Old Testament circumcision, which was performed on eight-day-old babies. The Apostle Paul calls Christian baptism " circumcision without hands"(Colossians 2:11-12).

Since at baptism a person receives, instead of the old old being, a new life, becomes a child of God and an heir to eternal life, it is quite obvious that baptism is necessary for everyone, including infants, so that, while developing physically, they simultaneously grow in spirit in Christ. The Lord Himself said: "Let the children come to Me and do not forbid them, for of such is the Kingdom of God"(Luke 18:16). After all, babies, like adults, are involved in original sin and, therefore, have a need to be cleansed from it. In the apostolic writings, the baptism of entire families is repeatedly mentioned (the house of Lydia, the house of the prison guard, the house of Stephens (1 Cor. 1:16), and nowhere is it mentioned about the exclusion of infants during general baptism. The Church Fathers in their teachings insist on the baptism of children. St. Gregory the Theologian, addressing Christian mothers, says: “Do you have a baby? - Do not let the damage increase over time; let it be sanctified in infancy and consecrated to the Spirit from youth. Are you afraid of the seal due to the weakness of human nature, like a cowardly and unfaithful mother? But Anna promised Samuel to God even before birth, and after birth she soon consecrated and raised him for the sacred robe, not fearing human weakness, but believing in God.

Since baptism is a spiritual birth, and a person is born only once, then the sacrament of baptism over a person is performed only once: "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism"(Eph. 4:4).

Baptism is not only a symbol of purification, it is the very beginning and source of all subsequent divine gifts, cleansing and destroying all sinful filth and giving new life. All sins, original and personal, are forgiven; the way is opened for a new life; the opportunity to receive God's gifts is open. Further spiritual growth is based on the free aspiration of man. But since the tempting principle often finds sympathy for itself in human nature, which has a tendency to sin, moral improvement is not without struggle. A person receives grace-filled help in this struggle through anointing with holy chrism.

Mystery of Chrismation It is usually performed immediately after the sacrament of baptism, constituting one liturgical rite with it. In it, the newly baptized are given the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which strengthen him in the Christian life. About the grace-filled gifts of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ said: “Whoever believes in Me, as it is said in Scripture, rivers of living water will flow from the womb (from the inner center, heart). because Jesus was not yet glorified"(John 7:38-39). In the sacrament of chrismation, every believer partakes in the miracle of Pentecost, when the apostles and other believers received the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul, referring to the receiving of grace-filled gifts by believers precisely through anointing, writes: "But he who confirms us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who both sealed us and gave the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts"(2 Car. 1:21-22).

The grace-filled gifts of the Holy Spirit are necessary for every believer in Christ to successfully fight his weaknesses and the many temptations with which he is surrounded on all sides. In addition to the general gifts that every Christian needs, there are also so-called. extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are communicated to people who carry out special ministries in the Church, such as: priests, preachers, prophets, apostles, all well-meaning rulers.

Initially, the apostles performed the sacrament of chrismation through the laying on of hands (Delyan. 8:14-17; 19:2-6). However, already in the middle of the first century, this sacrament began to be performed through anointing with holy oil. the world. The impetus for this was the fact that with the spread of Christianity in many countries, the apostles and their successors could not physically lay hands on each newly baptized. There are a lot of examples of the teaching of grace gifts precisely through anointing with oil in the Old Testament sacred history (Ex. 29:7; Lev. 8:12; 1 Sam. 10:1; 2 Sam. 9:3; Ps. 132:2). Hence the very name "Messiah" or "Christ," which in Greek means "anointed one."

holy the world(previously it was written through "Izhitsa" - " mvro") is called a specially prepared and consecrated composition of fragrant substances and oil. Myrrh was consecrated first by the apostles, and then by their successors - bishops, as bearers of apostolic grace. The anointing of believers is performed by presbyters (priests).

That the anointing is sanctified world ascends to the apostles, is evident from the words of the apostle Paul, who wrote: "But he who confirms us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who both sealed us and gave the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts"(2 Corinthians 1:21-22). The very perfecting words of the sacrament Seal of the Gift Holy Spirit closely related to this saying of the apostle, who writes: "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you are sealed on the day of redemption"(Eph. 4:30). "Day of deliverance" in the Holy Scriptures is called baptism; by "the sign of the Holy Spirit," undoubtedly, is meant the "seal of the Holy Spirit," following immediately after baptism.

During the performance of the sacrament, the following parts of the body are anointed with holy chrism to the believer: forehead, eyes, ears, mouth, chest, arms and legs - with the words: " Seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit, amen."

Notes:

Before the sacrament of Baptism is performed, the newborn is named (given) name; usually in honor of one of the holy saints of God. At the same time, the priest three times overshadows him with the sign of the cross and prays to the Lord to be merciful to this person and, after joining the holy Church through baptism, make him a participant in eternal blessedness.

Coming to Baptism, the priest prays to the Lord to cast out from the person being baptized every evil and unclean spirit that is hidden and nestling in his heart, and to make him a member of the Church and heir to eternal blessedness. The one who is baptized, for his part, renounces the devil and promises to continue to serve only Christ alone. By reading the Creed, he confirms his faith in Jesus Christ as the only begotten Son of God and his Savior. At the baptism of an infant, the renunciation of the devil and the reading of the Creed are pronounced on his behalf by the godparents, who are guarantors for his faith. Then the priest prays to the Lord to bless the water in the font and, driving the devil away from it, make it a source of new and holy life for the person being baptized, while doing the sign of the cross in the water three times, first with his own hand, and then with consecrated oil, with which he also anoints the person being baptized as a sign the mercy of God to him. After that, the priest immerses him three times in water, saying:

"The servant of God is baptized(name)in the name of the Father, amen, and of the Son, amen, and of the Holy Spirit, amen."

They put on the baptized white clothes and pectoral cross. The white robe is a sign of the purity of the soul after baptism and reminds him to continue to maintain this purity, and the cross is a sign that he has become a Christian.

Immediately after Baptism, the sacrament of Chrismation is performed. The priest anoints the baptized St. peace, making them the sign of the cross on different parts of the body with the pronunciation of the words: " Seal (sign) of the gift of the Holy Spirit At this time, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are invisibly given to the person being baptized, with the help of which he grows and strengthens in spiritual life. The forehead, or forehead, is anointed with myrrh to sanctify the mind; eyes, ears, nostrils, sanctification of the heart, hands and feet - for the sanctification of deeds and behavior. Then three times walking around the font symbolizes "walking" in the commandments of Christ, which makes the newly baptized like Him. Lit candles in their hands serve as a sign of spiritual enlightenment, and the cross-shaped cutting of the hair on the head of the baptized is done in a sign of his consecration to the Lord.

Baptism of babies .

As already mentioned, all people, descended from one person, inherited from him a nature damaged by original sin. This spiritual and moral damage, like a defective gene, is inherited from parents to their children. It is precisely this sinful injury that keeps all the unbaptized, on the one hand, in a state of spiritual inertia, and, on the other hand, makes them susceptible to any sin. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Romans, wrote in great detail on this subject. That is why, in principle, not only adults but also children need spiritual healing, which is given to people in the sacrament of Baptism. In this sacrament, a double miracle is performed: a person is cleansed of all sins, including the original, and is born for a spiritual and moral life. Therefore, the sooner one is baptized, the better for a person. The fact that children are not yet able to consciously appreciate the presence of grace in themselves is another matter. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that their childish and innocent hearts are very receptive to everything Divine. No wonder the Lord said: "Let the children come to Me and do not hinder them, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven" and "Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven". In the light of these clear words of Christ, all objections to the baptism of children should fall away of their own accord, and all discussion on this subject should turn to the search for ways to do so that the grace of Baptism will be most effectively fixed in them.

Speaking about enrichment with spiritual treasures, it should be taken into account that the human soul is able to perceive not only what it is aware of and understands, but also what eludes its consciousness. Psychologists have long established the fact that a person accumulates most of his impressions and concepts precisely in early childhood. This process of unconscious and semiconscious perceptions continues throughout life.

When we stand in church, not all prayers and hymns reach our consciousness. However, this does not mean that they pass without a trace. On the contrary, bypassing the consciousness, they penetrate deeper into the heart, leaving their beneficial trace in it. The very spiritual atmosphere of the temple penetrates deeply into the heart apart from our active participation. That is why, for example, foreigners, having come to our services, feel spiritual uplift and enlightenment in the temple. Similarly, in relation to children, it should be said that the time will come when their unconsciously perceived sensations during home or temple prayer, accumulating somewhere deep in the soul, will bear their good fruit.

When Jesus Christ laid His hands on the children and blessed them, by this He not only expressed His affection for them, but His sanctifying Divine power actually descended into their pure souls. And not only from the Savior, but also from many others, such a good influence comes - from a serving priest, from a beautifully singing choir, from parents who show their love and affection to their children - from everyone who carries sparks of His Light in themselves.

It should be added to what has been said that, in addition to impressions perceived consciously or unconsciously, in the sacrament of Baptism, as in all divine services of the Church, the all-pervading grace of God invisibly operates. It is she who, more than our conscious effort, consolidates certain beneficial changes in the person being baptized.

Does something similar happen in everyday life? Do we consciously perceive the beneficial effect of solar warmth and light when we bask in the bosom of nature? Do the sun and mud baths arranged for the sick and the elderly not have a healing effect on them, regardless of their consciousness? If we look closely at our lives, we will see that we receive a significant part of our spiritual content apart from our active efforts. All the more, the grace of God exerts its beneficial influence on us every time we come into contact with it, whether we realize it or not. That is why the baptism of newborns and children in general is beneficial and saving for them.

Only improper upbringing can weaken and, as it were, annul the good that children received in their Baptism. That is why it is so important to bring to the consciousness of both parents and recipients the need for a Christian upbringing of children.

So, the whole atmosphere of Baptism, prayers, sacred rites are always effective. In one way or another, their beneficial action penetrates the soul of the person being baptized and leaves their mark there. The grace of God, perceived by an infant, like a seed thrown into the ground, does not remain dead in it, but will germinate in due time and bear fruit.

Sacrament of Repentance

Prepentance is called the second baptism, because it washes away from a person the filth of sins committed after baptism. In this sacrament the believer confesses, i.e. openly admits before God his sins and receives through the priest, as a witness of confession, the forgiveness of sins from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Even John the Baptist, preparing people for the acceptance of the Savior, preached "The baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And they were all baptized by it in the Jordan River, confessing their sins"(Mark 1:4-5). The power to forgive sins was given by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who said to the apostles, and in their person and to the successors of their work, the bishops and priests: "Receive the Holy Spirit, to whom you forgive sins, they will be forgiven, to whom you leave, they will remain"(John 20:22-23). Having received authority for this from the Lord, the Apostles performed the sacrament of repentance everywhere, as we read about this in the book of Acts: "Many of those who believed came, confessing and revealing their deeds"(Acts 19:18).

To receive forgiveness of sins from a penitent, it is required: reconciliation with all neighbors, sincere contrition for sins and their oral confession, i.e. saying them aloud, with the firm intention of correcting your life.

In some cases, a "penance" (in Greek - prohibition) is imposed on the penitent, consisting of pious deeds and some hardships aimed at overcoming sinful habits.

When approaching the sacrament of Repentance, one must understand that here it is important not only to realize one’s sinfulness, but it is also necessary customize your the will to correct, desire and firmly resolve to fight their bad inclinations. Recognizing himself as a sinner, the penitent asks God to help him become better and give him spiritual strength to fight temptations. Such heartfelt and sincere repentance is necessary so that the effectiveness of this sacrament extends not only to the removal of sins, but so that blessed healing helping the believer grow and grow spiritually.

The very utterance aloud of one's spiritual illnesses and falls in front of a confessor - the confession of sins - has the meaning that it overcomes pride - this main source of sins, and the feeling of hopelessness of one's correction. Bringing sin into the light already brings it closer to its eruption from oneself.

He who approaches the sacrament of repentance prepares himself for it by the so-called shit, i.e. prayer feat, fasting and self-deepening, in order to realize one's sinfulness and the need to consider the path to correction.

In the Mystery of Repentance, the mercy of God comes towards the penitent, testifying through the lips of the pastor-confessor that the Heavenly Father does not reject the one who comes to Him, just as He did not reject the prodigal son and the repentant tax collector. This evidence consists in special permissive words pronounced by the priest over the penitent.

Notes

It is desirable to make confession in the evening, the day before Communion, or before the beginning Divine Liturgy, during the reading of the Hours. At confession, you do not need to wait for the questions of the priest, but you must list your sins yourself. To do this, you need to prepare for confession at home: retire, collect your thoughts and carefully follow your life. You need to cheer with your soul for every sinful act, repent of it with all your heart before God and think about how to correct your life. It is good to write down your sins on a piece of paper and read them to your confessor at confession so as not to forget something.

Approaching confession, the penitent bows before the lectern and kisses the cross and the gospel lying on the lectern. It is necessary to speak frankly, without obscuring the ugliness of sins with general expressions (for example, "sinned in everything" or "sinned against the 7th commandment"). When confessing, it is necessary to avoid self-justification and attempts to bring "extenuating circumstances," such as references to third parties who allegedly led us into sin. All this comes from self-love and false shame.

At the end of confession, the priest places the epitrachelion on the bowed head of the penitent and reads a permissive prayer, asking God to forgive all his sins. Having kissed the cross, the confessor departs from the lectern, taking a blessing from the priest.

A sign of repentance accepted by God is the feeling of peace, lightness and joy that a person experiences after confession.

Sacrament of Communion

Cthe spruce of our life is spiritual renewal. It is carried out not only by our efforts, but, in particular, by our mysterious union with the God-man Jesus Christ - the source of life. The sacrament in which this union takes place is called Communion, and it takes place during the Divine Liturgy, where the bread and wine in the cup become the true Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord revealed the necessity of connecting believers with Himself in the conversation about the Vine: "Just as a branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it is in the vine, so you, unless you are in Me. I am the Vine, and you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing"(John 15:46). Even more clearly He revealed the need for communion in His discourse on the Heavenly Bread: "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 on the last day. For My flesh is truly food, and My blood is truly there is drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him."(John 6:53-56).

The very method of performing this sacrament, the Lord Jesus Christ, established on Last Supper - on the eve of His crucifixion. For the first time personally making it, the Lord took bread and, having thanked God the Father for all His mercy to the human race, broke it and gave it to the disciples, saying: "Take and eat: this is my body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me." Then, taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to the apostles, saying: "Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins"(Mat. 26:26-28; Mark. 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-24; 1 Cor. 11:23-25).

Having communed the apostles, the Lord commanded them: "Do this in remembrance of me," - those. do this constantly, remembering Me and all that I have done for the salvation of people. According to this command, the sacrament of Communion is constantly celebrated in the Church and will be celebrated until the end of the age at the divine service called Liturgy during which bread and wine are changed or transubstantiated into the true Body and into the true Blood of Christ by the power and action of the Holy Spirit. The sacrament of communion is also called Eucharist, which in Greek means "thanksgiving," since thanksgiving God is the main content of the prayers of this divine service.

The first Christians took communion every Sunday, which was then called "the day of the Lord." However, over time, the zeal of Christians began to decline, and now the majority receive communion once or several times a year, which, of course, is very sad, because union with the Lord is a powerful source spiritual renewal and internal forces for the believer.

However, more frequent communion should not serve as a reason to lose reverence for this greatest Sacrament. It should always be approached with appropriate preparation: the cleansing of conscience from sins, prayer and spiritual composure.

Note

The bread for Communion is used alone, since all those who believe in Christ constitute one His body, the head of which is Christ Himself. "One bread, and we many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread," says the apostle Paul (1 Cor. 10:17). The very name of bread in the Gospel - artos- says that it is not unleavened bread(matzo), namely bread made with yeast. Wine for Communion should be dark red, resembling blood.

In apostolic times, Christians took communion every Sunday. Over time, such zeal began to weaken, so that in modern practice, believers take communion much less often. In principle, you should take communion more often. It is good to take communion five times a year: on the day of the memory of your saint and once during each of the four fasts. Some confessors advise taking communion on the Twelfth Feasts, the days of great saints, and patronal feasts. Under the guidance and with the blessing of a spiritual mentor, the laity can receive communion even more often. But, in this case, we must try not to lose that feeling of reverence and fear of God, which should always be experienced by us when approaching the Chalice.

Preparation for Communion usually lasts several days and concerns both the physical and spiritual life of a person. During periods of fasting, which usually occur during many days of fasting (Great, Christmas, Apostolic and Assumption), one should refrain from humble food (meat and dairy products), from physical pleasures and all sorts of excesses, trying to stay in prayerful communion with God. As far as possible, one should try to attend church services.

When fasting takes place outside the fasts established by the Church, then a Christian should at least observe fast days - Wednesdays and Fridays - and again refrain from excesses and physical pleasures for several days. A Christian should deepen his prayer, read books of spiritual content, meditate on God and try to be in fellowship with Him. Before Communion, it is necessary to repent of your sins and confess to the confessor in order to prepare your soul for a worthy acceptance of the great Guest.

On the eve of Communion, in addition to evening prayers, one should read the canon for Holy Communion at home. The clergy and the most zealous of the laity also read the canon to the Savior, or the penitential canon, the canons of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Guardian Angel. After midnight, no food or drink is allowed (and, of course, no smoking). On the morning of the day of Communion, after morning prayers, prayers for Holy Communion should be read. Read after communion gratitude prayers printed in the prayer book.

Sacrament of Marriage

FROMfamily is the basic "cell" of human society. If families begin to disintegrate, then the state also disintegrates with them. From the point of view of Christianity, every family is a "little church," in which members of the Church of Christ grow and form. Therefore, it is quite understandable how much attention the apostles and their successors always paid to the family and cared for its unity and strength.

To bless the new family, the Church established the sacrament of Marriage. At this sacrament, the bride and groom promise before God to keep mutual fidelity and love each other. The priest, in special prayers, asks them for the grace of God for a life together, for mutual help and unanimity, and for the blessed birth and Christian upbringing of children.

Marriage was established by God in Paradise. Upon the creation of Adam and Eve, God blessed them and said : "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it"(Gen. 1:28). Jesus Christ sanctified marriage by His presence at the wedding in Cana of Galilee and confirmed its divine institution, saying: "He who created (God) in the beginning created male and female them (Gen. 1:27). And he said, Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.(Gen. 2:24), so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. And so that which God has joined together, let no man separate."(Mat. 19:4-6).

The Apostle Paul, explaining the importance of the divine establishment of marriage, adds: "This mystery is great," and likens the relationship between husband and wife to the union between Christ and His Church (Eph. 5:31-32). This union is based on the love of Christ for the Church and on the complete devotion of the Church to the will of her Savior. Therefore, the husband is obliged to selflessly love his wife, and the wife must respect her husband and support him as the head and leader of the family.

"Husbands"says the Apostle Paul, "Love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself up for her... he who loves his wife loves himself... Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church, and He is the Savior of the body."(Ephesians 5:22-23). Therefore, spouses are obliged to maintain mutual love and respect, mutual devotion and fidelity. A good Christian family life is a source of personal and social good. The family is the basis not only of society, but also of the Church of Christ. In a healthy family, future members of society and believing pious Christians are formed.

The sacrament of marriage is not obligatory for everyone. However, persons who voluntarily remain celibate are required to pure and pure life which, according to the teaching of the Word of God, is higher than married life, and is one of the greatest feats (Mat. 19:11-12; 1 Cor. 7:8-40).

Notes

The worship of marriage begins with the so-called. betrothal. The groom stands on the right side, and the bride - on the left. The priest blesses them three times and gives them lighted candles in their hands, as a sign of conjugal love, blessed by the Lord. After praying to God for the bestowal of all blessings and favors on the betrothed and for their preservation and unity in peace and unanimity, the priest blesses them with wedding rings. The bride and groom wear rings as a sign of the inviolability of the marital union they want to enter into.

Betrothal is followed by wedding, which takes place in the middle of the church in front of the lectern, on which lie the cross and the gospel. At the same time, the priest prays to the Lord to bless the marriage and send His heavenly grace to those who enter into it. As a visible sign of this grace, he places crowns on them, and then blesses them three times, saying: " Lord, our God, crown me with glory and honor!"(i.e., bless them). The message of Apostle Paul, which is read, speaks of the importance of the sacrament of marriage and the mutual duties of husband and wife, and in the gospel - about how the Lord Jesus Christ blessed the marriage in Cana of Galilee with His presence, performing on him His first miracle. Those who are married drink wine from one cup as a sign that from now on they must live in unanimity, sharing their joys and sorrows together. Three times walking after the priest around the lectern with the gospel reminds them that their whole family life should be built on the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, set forth in the Gospel.

Mixed marriage, i.e. marriage of an Orthodox with a non-Orthodox (or vice versa) is allowed in cases where the other side belongs to one of the traditional Christian denominations that recognizes the main Christian dogmas, for example, about the Holy Trinity, about the Divinity of Jesus Christ, etc. In the case of a mixed marriage, a non-Orthodox person makes a promise that the children born from this marriage will be baptized and brought up in the Orthodox faith.

Indissolubility of marriage . The Church only in exceptional cases gives consent to the dissolution of a marriage, mainly when it has already been desecrated by adultery or destroyed by life circumstances (for example, the long-term unknown absence of one of the spouses). Entering into a second marriage, for example, after the death of a husband or wife, is allowed. However, prayers for the second-married are no longer so solemn and are of a repentant nature. The third marriage is tolerated only as a lesser evil in order to avoid a greater evil - debauchery (explanation of St. Basil Vel).

Sacrament of the Priesthood

ATsacrament of the Priesthood, or ordination, recognized by the Church, a worthy candidate is ordained a bishop, presbyter or deacon and receives the grace of the Holy Spirit for the sacred service of the Church of Christ.

Priestly service in the Church is especially gracious: since here is standing before the Lord in prayer for all the people; and the offering to God at the Divine Liturgy of the bloodless Sacrifice on behalf of all believers; and guidance of the souls of people on the way to the Kingdom of Heaven; and the shepherding of God's flock, following the example of the Lord Jesus Christ, who said: "I am the good shepherd, and I know mine, and mine know me... The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep..." And if in every good deed we ask for God's blessing and help, then, all the more so, when entering the pastoral ministry for life, God's grace should be invoked, blessing this feat, assisting and strengthening the future shepherd. The blessing is sent down to the one who is about to receive the gift of the priesthood, through the laying on of hands from the bishop, who himself bears, by succession, the grace of the priesthood, at the prayer of the council of the clergy and all the people present at the service.

Holy Scripture gives direct and clear indications that the appointment to the degree of the priesthood is a message special blessed gift without which this ministry is impossible.

There are three degrees of priesthood: deacon, presbyter (priest) and bishop (bishop). Initiate in deacon receives the grace of service in the performance of the sacraments, ordained in priest receives grace to perform the sacraments, and the one who is ordained bishop in addition, he receives grace and consecrates others to perform the sacraments.

The sacrament of the priesthood is a divine institution, as St. Paul when he says that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself "He appointed some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as shepherds and teachers, for the perfection of the saints, for the work of service, for the building up of the Body of Christ"(Eph. 4:11-12).

On the election and ordination by St. The apostles of the first deacons say in the book of the Acts of the Apostles: "They [the men chosen by the people] were placed before the apostles, and these [apostles] having prayed, laid hands on them"(Acts 6:6). Regarding the ordination of presbyters, it says: "Having ordained elders for them in every church, they [the apostles Paul and Barnabas] prayed with fasting and committed them to the Lord, in whom they believed"(Acts 14:23).

In the epistles to Timothy and Titus, whom St. Paul appointed bishops, says: "I remind you [Bishop Timothy] to stir up the Gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands"(1 Tim. 1:6). "For this I put you [Bishop Titus] in Crete, so that you complete the unfinished business and put presbyters in all the cities, as I commanded you"(Tit. 1:5). Instructing Bishop Timothy to be prudent in raising new candidates to the priesthood, he writes: "Do not hastily lay hands on anyone, and do not become a participant in other people's sins. Keep yourself clean"(1 Tim. 5:22). On the moral qualities of candidates for the sacred degrees of St. Paul writes: "But the bishop must be blameless... Deacons must be honest..."(1 Tim. 3:2, 8).

From these and other passages of the New Testament Scripture it is clear that both the apostles and their successors, firstly, everywhere looked for candidates for various sacred degrees, and, secondly, that they performed the sacrament of the Priesthood by the laying on of hands.

Notes

The Sacrament of the Priesthood is celebrated in the altar, at the throne, during the hierarchical service of the Liturgy. Deacons and priests are ordained by one bishop, and episcopal consecrations are made by a council of bishops, at least two.

Initiation into deacons performed at the Liturgy after the consecration of the gifts, which shows that the deacon does not receive the right to perform the sacraments; in priests they consecrate at the "liturgy of the faithful" after the "great exit," so that the consecrated one, as having received the proper grace for that, takes part in the consecration of the gifts; in bishops they consecrate during the "liturgy of the catechumens" after the "little entrance," which shows that the bishop is given the right to consecrate others to various sacred degrees.

The most important action during the consecration is the laying on of hands by the bishop with the invocation of the grace of the Holy Spirit upon the consecrated, and therefore this consecration is called ordination, or in Greek, consecration.

The ordained deacon or priest is entered into the altar through the royal gates. After circumambulating the throne three times and kissing its corners, he bows down before it. The bishop covers his head with the end of his omophorion, makes the sign of the cross three times over it, and, laying his hand on it, proclaims aloud that this person "Divine grace ... prophesies (i.e., makes through ordination) to the deacon (or presbyter) let us pray for him, that the grace of the All-Holy Spirit may come upon him." On the kliros they sing in Greek: "TO and rie ate e and dream"("Lord have mercy"). When laying on the ordained sacred robes corresponding to his rank, the bishop proclaims: "Axios!" (Worthy"), and this "axios" is repeated by all the clergy and chanters. After vestments, the clergy of the degree to which the ordained belongs kiss the newly ordained as their brother, and he, together with them, takes part in the further course of the Liturgy.

Bishops are consecrated almost in the same way, with the only difference that before the beginning of the Liturgy, in the middle of the church, the consecrated pronounces aloud the confession of the Orthodox faith and the promise to pass his service properly according to the law, and after the "little entrance," during the singing of the "trisagion," is brought to the altar and kneels before the throne; when, then, the bishop who takes the lead in the service reads the prayer of consecration, then all the bishops, in addition to laying their hands on the consecrated, still hold the open Gospel above his head with the letters down.

In modern practice, for a bishop celibacy necessarily, although in the first centuries of Christianity many bishops were married and had children. The custom of celibacy for bishops was strengthened after the 6th Ecumenical Council. As for priests and deacons, the Church decided not to impose such an obligatory burden on them, but to follow the ancient rule, forbidding clergymen to marry upon their receipt of consecration, but allowing persons already married to the sacrament of the priesthood, and even considering this as the norm. . Second marriages, as well as those who have a wife in a second marriage, cannot be ordained. In the Roman Church in the 4th-6th centuries, celibacy also began to be introduced for priests and deacons. This innovation was rejected by the 6th Ecumenical Council, but the decision of the Council was ignored by the Roman popes.

The Protestants rejected the sacrament of the Priesthood. Their pastors are chosen and appointed by ordinary people, but they do not receive any special gracious consecration and, in this sense, do not differ from ordinary members of their congregations. Historically, this is explained by the protest directed against the abuse of their rights by the Latin clergy at the end of the Middle Ages. By rejecting the priesthood, the Protestants deprived themselves of the blessed sacraments of the Church, as a result of which, in their public prayers, only the Last Supper is remembered, but there is no real communion of the Body and Blood of Christ.

Sacrament of Unction (Unction)

ATThe consecration of the oil, when the sick person is anointed with consecrated oil, the grace of God is called upon him to heal him from bodily and spiritual illnesses. This sacrament is also called unction, because several priests (the “council”) gather to perform it, although, if necessary, one priest can also perform it. This sacrament originates from the apostles. Having received authority from the Lord Jesus Christ during the sermon to heal every sickness and infirmity, they "many sick people were anointed with oil and healed"(Mark 6:13). The apostle James speaks in particular detail about this sacrament: "Is any of you sick, let him call for the elders of the Church, and let them pray for him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven"(James 5:14-15).

The holy apostles did not preach anything from themselves, but taught only what the Lord had commanded them and inspired by the Holy Spirit. Ap. Paul says: "I declare to you, brethren, that the gospel which I proclaimed to you is not human, for I received it and learned it not from men, but through the revelation of Jesus Christ"(Gal. 1:11-12).

The visible side of the sacrament is that the clergy successively perform a sevenfold cruciform anointing of the sick with oil. The anointing is accompanied by prayers, the reading of established passages from the apostle and the gospel. At the very anointing, a prayer is said seven times: "Holy Father, doctor of souls and bodies, sending Your Only Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who heals every disease and delivers from death, heal Your servant (name of the rivers) ..."

Notes

Before the beginning of the Unction, a small vessel with oil is placed in a dish with wheat, as a sign of God's mercy, and red wine is added to the oil in imitation of the "merciful Samaritan" and as a reminder of the blood of Christ shed on the cross; around the vessel, lighted wax candles are placed in wheat, and between them - seven sticks with cotton wool at the end for seven times anointing the patient. Lighted candles are distributed to all present. After the prayer for the consecration of the oil and for it, by the grace of God, to serve the sick for the healing of spiritual and bodily infirmities, seven selected passages from the apostolic books and seven gospel narratives are read. After reading each Gospel, the priest crosswise anoints the patient’s forehead, cheeks, chest, hands, at the same time saying a prayer to the Lord so that He, as a doctor of souls and bodies, heals His sick servant from bodily and mental infirmities. After the seventh anointing, the priest opens the Gospel and, holding it with the letters down, lays it on the sick person's head, reciting a prayer for the forgiveness of sins. Here, for the sick person, a host of His servants stand before the Lord and, by the prayer of faith, on behalf of the entire Church, implores Him, the most merciful, to grant remission of sins to the weak and cleanse him from all defilement. This also means that a person who is exhausted in body and soul is not always able to make a proper confession of his sins; this relief of the conscience of the one who receives the sacrament of unction opens the way for the grace-filled healing of him from any bodily ailment.

In some churches, with the participation of the bishop, a special rite of unction is sometimes performed simultaneously on many persons. This is usually done towards the end of Lent.

Conclusion

Andthus, each of the sacraments brings its own special gift to our soul. In the sacrament of Baptism, the seed of holy life is laid in us, which we must grow in ourselves; in the sacrament of Confirmation we are given grace-filled help for spiritual growth and for the fight against temptations; in the sacrament of Penance we receive forgiveness and cleansing of sins committed after baptism; in the sacrament of Communion we receive Divine life into ourselves, partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ; in the sacrament of the Unction we receive healing from internal and external ailments, - in particular, from badly repentant or forgotten sins; in the sacrament of Marriage, family life is sanctified, the blessing of God descends on the birth and Christian upbringing of children; in the sacrament of the Priesthood, strength is given to be a prayer book for others, a performer of the sacraments, and a leader in spiritual life.

Anyone approaching the sacraments with faith and reverence truly feels in his soul an influx of spiritual forces and a clear change produced by the touch of the grace of the Holy Spirit on it. A fire flares up in the soul, peace descends on it, confusion and disorder of feelings subside. Man is determined to love God and neighbor and live for good.

Let us remember this grace of God given to us in the sacraments of the Church, and let us approach them with strong faith, hope, and with gratitude to our Savior!

SEVEN MYSTERIES OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH

The Holy Mysteries were instituted by Jesus Christ himself: “Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt 28:19-20). With these words, the Lord clearly indicated We are told that in addition to the Sacrament of Baptism, He also established the other Sacraments.There are seven Sacraments of the Church: the Sacrament of Baptism, Confirmation, Repentance, Communion, Marriage, Priesthood and Anointing of the Sick.
Sacraments are visible actions through which the grace of the Holy Spirit, the saving power of God, invisibly descends on a person. All Sacraments are closely connected with the Sacrament of Communion.
Baptism and Chrismation introduce us to the Church: we become Christians and can take Communion. In the Sacrament of Penance our sins are forgiven us.
By taking Communion, we are united with Christ and already here, on earth, become participants in Eternal Life.
The Sacrament of the Priesthood gives the protege the opportunity to perform all the Sacraments. The Sacrament of Marriage teaches a blessing on married family life. In the Mystery of the Anointing (Unction) the Church prays for the forgiveness of sins and for the return of the sick to health.

1. THE MYSTERY OF HOLY BAPTISM AND ANOINTMENT

The sacrament of Baptism was established by the Lord Jesus Christ: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19). When we are baptized, we become Christians, we are born for a new spiritual life, we acquire the title of Christ's disciples.
The condition for receiving Baptism is sincere faith and repentance.
Both an infant, according to the faith of the godparents, and an adult can proceed to Baptism. The "parents" of the newly baptized are called godparents, or godfather and mother. Only believing Christians who regularly attend the Church Sacraments can be godparents.
Without accepting the Sacrament of Baptism, Salvation is not possible for a person.
If an adult or a teenager is baptized, then before baptism he is announced. The word "announce" or "announce" means to make public, notify, announce before God the name of the person who is preparing for baptism. During training, he learns the basics of the Christian faith. When the time of Holy Baptism comes, the priest prays to the Lord to expel from this person every crafty and unclean spirit that is hidden and nestling in his heart, and make him a member of the Church and heir to eternal blessedness; the one who is baptized, renounces the devil, makes a promise to serve not him, but Christ, and by reading the Creed confirms his faith in Christ as King and God.
For the baby, the announcement is made by his godparents, who take responsibility for the spiritual upbringing of the child. From now on, the godparents pray for their godson (or goddaughter), teach him to pray, tell him about the Kingdom of Heaven and its laws, and serve as a model of Christian life for him.
How is the Sacrament of Baptism performed?
First, the priest sanctifies the water and at this time prays that the holy water will wash the person being baptized from previous sins and that he will be united with Christ through this sanctification. Then the priest anoints the person being baptized with consecrated oil (olive oil).
Oil is an image of mercy, peace and joy. With the words "in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit," the priest crosswise anoints his forehead (imprinting the name of God in the mind), chest ("for the healing of the soul and body"), ears ("for the hearing of faith"), hands (to do deeds, pleasing to God), feet (to walk in the ways of God's commandments). After that, a three-fold immersion in holy water is performed with the words: "The servant of God (name) is baptized in the name of the Father. Amen. And the Son. Amen. And the Holy Spirit. Amen."
In this case, the person who is baptized receives the name of a saint or saint. From now on, this saint or saint becomes not only a prayer book, intercessor and defender of the baptized, but also an example, a model of life in God and with God. This is the patron saint of the baptized, and the day of his memory becomes a holiday for the baptized - name day.
Immersion in water symbolizes death with Christ, and the exit from it symbolizes a new life with Him and the coming resurrection.
Then the priest, with the prayer "Give me a light robe, clothe yourself with light like a robe, Christ our God, many-merciful" puts on a newly baptized white (new) clothes (shirt). Translated from Slavic, this prayer sounds like this: "Give me clean, bright, unstained clothes, Himself clothed in light, the Many-merciful Christ our God." The Lord is our Light. But what kind of clothes are we asking for? That all our feelings, thoughts, intentions, actions - everything was born in the light of Truth and Love, everything was renewed, like our baptismal clothes.
After that, the priest puts on the neck of the newly baptized pectoral (pectoral) cross for constant wear - as a reminder of the words of Christ: "Whoever wants to follow Me, deny yourself and take up your cross, and follow Me" (Matthew 16, 24).

Mystery of Chrismation.

As birth is followed by life, so Baptism, the Sacrament of new birth, is usually immediately followed by Confirmation - the Sacrament of new life.
In the Sacrament of Confirmation, the newly baptized receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. He is given "strength from above" for a new life. The Sacrament is performed through the anointing with the Holy Myrrh. The Holy Myrrh was prepared and consecrated by the apostles of Christ, and then by the bishops of the ancient Church. The priests received chrism from them during the sacrament of the Holy Spirit, since then called Chrismation.
Holy Myrrh is prepared and consecrated every few years. Now the place of preparation of the Holy Peace is the Small Cathedral of the Donskoy Monastery of the God-saved city of Moscow, where a special oven was tripled for this purpose. And the consecration of the World of Steel takes place in the Patriarchal Epiphany Cathedral in Yelokhovo.
The priest anoints the baptized person with holy myrrh, making them the sign of the cross on different parts of the body with the words "seal (i.e. sign) of the gift of the Holy Spirit." At this time, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are invisibly given to the baptized, with the help of which he grows and strengthens in his spiritual life. The forehead, or forehead, is anointed with myrrh to sanctify the mind; eyes, nostrils, mouth, ears - to sanctify the senses; chest - for the consecration of the heart; hands and feet - for the sanctification of deeds and all behavior. After that, the newly baptized and their godparents, with lighted candles in their hands, follow the priest three times in a circle around the font and lectern (Analoe is an inclined table on which the Gospel, Cross or icon is usually placed), on which the Cross and the Gospel lie. The image of the circle is the image of eternity, because the circle has neither beginning nor end. At this time, the verse "They were baptized into Christ, put on Christ" is sung, which means: "Those who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ."
This is a call everywhere and everywhere to carry the Good News about Christ, bearing witness to Him in word and deed, and in one's whole life. Since baptism is a spiritual birth, and a person will be born once, the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation over a person are performed once in a lifetime. "One Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Eph. 4:4).

2. THE MYSTERY OF REPENTANCE

The Sacrament of Repentance was established by the Lord Jesus Christ so that, confessing our bad deeds - sins - and striving to change our lives, we could receive forgiveness from Him: “Receive the Holy Spirit: to whom you forgive sins, they will be forgiven; on whom you leave, on that they will remain ”(Inn 20, 22-23).
Christ Himself forgave sins: “Your sins are forgiven you” (Luke 7:48). He urged us to keep purity so that we would avoid evil: “Go and sin no more” (Inn 5, 14). In the Sacrament of Penance, the sins we have confessed are forgiven and left through the priest by God Himself.
What is required for confession?
To receive forgiveness (permission) of sins from the penitent, it is required: reconciliation with all neighbors, sincere contrition for sins and their oral confession. As well as a firm intention to improve their lives, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and hope for His mercy.
Preparing for confession should be in advance, it is best to re-read the Commandments of God and thus check what our conscience convicts us of. It must be remembered that forgotten unconfessed sins burden the soul, causing mental and bodily malaise. Deliberately concealed sins, deceit of the priest - out of false shame or fear - make Repentance invalid. Sin gradually destroys a person, prevents him from growing spiritually. The more thorough the confession and testing of conscience, the more the soul is cleansed of sins, the closer it is to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Confession in the Orthodox Church is performed at an lectern - a high table with an inclined tabletop, on which lie the cross and the Gospel as a sign of the presence of Christ, invisible, but hearing everything and knowing how deep our repentance is and whether we have concealed anything out of false shame or specially. If the priest sees sincere repentance, he covers the bowed head of the confessor with the end of the stole and reads a prayer of permissiveness, forgiving sins on behalf of Jesus Christ. Then the confessor kisses the cross and the Gospel as a token of gratitude and fidelity to Christ.

3. THE MYSTERY OF ST. COMMITMENT - THE EUCHARIST

The Sacrament of Sacraments - The Eucharist was instituted by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper, in the presence of His disciples (Matthew 26:26-28). “Jesus took bread and, having blessed, broke it and gave it to the disciples, saying: “Take, eat: this is My body. And he took the cup, and having given thanks, gave it to them, and said, Drink all of you from it; For this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (see also Mk 14:22-26; Lk 22:15-20).
In Communion, under the guise of bread and wine, we partake of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and so God becomes a part of us, and we become a part of Him, one with Him, closer than the closest people, and through Him - one body and one family with by all members of the Church, now our brothers and sisters. Christ said: “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him” (John 6:56).
How to prepare for Communion?
Christians prepare in advance for Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. This preparation includes intense prayer, attendance at divine services, fasting, good deeds, reconciliation with everyone, and then confession, that is, the cleansing of one's conscience in the Sacrament of Penance. You can ask the priest for details about preparing for the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
Regarding Communion in relation to Christian worship, it should be noted that this Sacrament constitutes the main and essential part of Christian worship. According to the commandment of Christ, this sacrament is constantly performed in the Church of Christ and will be performed until the end of the age at the divine service called the Divine Liturgy, during which bread and wine, by the power and action of the Holy Spirit, are changed, or transubstantiated, into the true Body and into the true Blood of Christ. .
4. THE MYSTERY OF THE WEDDING. MARRIAGE - MARRIAGE
A wedding or marriage is a Sacrament in which, with a free (before the priest and the Church) promise by the bride and groom of mutual fidelity to each other, their marital union is blessed, in the image of the spiritual union of Christ with the Church, and the grace of God is requested and given for mutual help and unanimity, and for the blessed birth and Christian upbringing of children.
Marriage was established by God Himself in Paradise. After the creation of Adam and Eve, "God blessed them and God said to them: be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it" (Gen. 1, 28). In the Sacrament of the Wedding, two become one soul and one flesh in Christ.
The rite of the Sacrament of Marriage consists of betrothal and wedding.
First, the ceremony of betrothal of the bride and groom is performed, during which the priest puts on their wedding rings with prayers (in the word "betrothal" it is easy to distinguish the roots of the words "hoop", that is, a ring, and "hand"). A ring that has neither beginning nor end is a sign of infinity, a sign of union in boundless and selfless love.
When the Wedding is performed, the priest solemnly lays crowns - one on the head of the groom, the other on the head of the bride, saying at the same time: "The servant of God (name of the groom) is married to the servant of God (name of the bride) in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen." And - "The servant of God (the name of the bride) is married to the servant of God (the name of the groom) in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen." Crowns are a symbol of the special dignity of those who are getting married and their voluntary acceptance of martyrdom in the name of Christ. After that, blessing the newlyweds, the priest proclaims three times: "Lord our God, crown them with glory and honor." “Crown” means: “unite them into one flesh”, that is, create from these two, who have lived separately until now, into a new unity, carrying in itself (like God the Trinity) fidelity and love for each other in any trials, sickness and sorrow.
Before performing the Sacrament, the bride and groom must confess and have a special conversation with the priest about the meaning and goals of Christian marriage. And then - to live a full-blooded Christian life, regularly approaching the Sacraments of the Holy Church.

5. PRIESTHOOD

Priesthood is a Sacrament in which a properly chosen person receives the grace of the Holy Spirit for the sacred service of the Church of Christ. Ordination to the priesthood is called ordination, or ordination. In the Orthodox Church, there are three degrees of priesthood: deacon, then - presbyter (priest, priest) and the highest - bishop (bishop).
The ordained deacon receives the grace to serve (help) during the celebration of the Sacraments.
The consecrated bishop (hierarch) receives grace from God not only to celebrate the Sacraments, but also to consecrate others to celebrate the Sacraments. The bishop is the heir of the grace of the Apostles of Christ.
The ordination of a priest and a deacon can only be performed by a bishop. The Sacrament of the Priesthood is celebrated during the Divine Liturgy. The protege (i.e., the one who takes the dignity) is circled around the Throne three times, and then the bishop, laying his hands and omophorion on his head (Omophorus is a sign of episcopal dignity in the form of a wide strip of fabric on the shoulders), which means the laying on of hands of Christ, reads a special prayer. In the invisible presence of the Lord, the bishop prays for the election of this person as a priest - an assistant to the bishop.
Handing over to the ordained the objects necessary for his ministry, the bishop proclaims: "Axios!" (Greek "worthy"), to which the choir and the whole people also respond with triple "Axios!". Thus, the church assembly testifies to its consent to the ordination of its worthy member.
From now on, having become a priest, the ordained person assumes the obligation to serve God and people, just as the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and His apostles served in His earthly life. He preaches the Gospel and performs the sacraments of Baptism and Chrismation, on behalf of the Lord forgives the sins of repentant sinners, celebrates the Eucharist and gives communion, and also performs the Sacraments of Marriage and Unction. After all, it is through the Sacraments that the Lord continues His ministry in our world - leads us to Salvation: Eternal Life in the Kingdom of God.

6. UNION

The Sacrament of the Unction, or the Consecration of the Unction, as it is called in the liturgical books, is the Sacrament in which, when the sick person is anointed with consecrated oil (olive oil), the grace of God is invoked on the sick person to heal him from bodily and spiritual illnesses. It is called unction, because several (seven) priests gather to celebrate it, although, if necessary, one priest can also perform it.
The sacrament of unction goes back to the apostles, who, having received from Jesus Christ "the power to heal diseases," "they anointed many sick with oil and healed" (Mk. 6.13). The essence of this sacrament is most fully revealed by the Apostle James in his Catholic Epistle: “Is any of you sick, let him call for the presbyters of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven" (James 5:14-15).
How does congregation take place?
In the center of the temple is placed a lectern with the Gospel. Next to it is a table on which stands a vessel of oil and wine on a platter of wheat. Seven lit candles and seven brushes for anointing are placed in wheat - according to the number of passages from the Holy Scriptures read. All congregants hold lit candles in their hands. This is our witness that Christ is the light in our lives.
Chants are heard, these are prayers addressed to the Lord and the saints, who became famous for miraculous healings. This is followed by a reading of seven passages from the Epistles of the Apostles and the Gospels. After each gospel reading, the priests will anoint the forehead, nostrils, cheeks, lips, chest and hands with consecrated oil on both sides. This is done as a sign of the purification of all our five senses, thoughts, hearts and works of our hands - all that we could sin with. The Consecration of the Unction ends with the laying of the Gospel on their heads. And the priest prays over them. Unction is not performed on babies, because a baby cannot have consciously committed sins. Physically healthy people cannot resort to this sacrament without the blessing of a priest. In case of a serious illness, you can call a priest to perform the Sacrament at home or in a hospital.

Sacraments of the Orthodox Church- these are sacraments through which, on the basis of the command of Jesus Christ, under visible sensual signs, invisible grace is not only presented but really taught to those who receive them. Man, as a spiritual-sensory being, can cognize the invisible God only in sensible forms, and the more easily and more strongly he becomes convinced of the reality of spiritual objects.

Visible signs in the sacraments, or sacraments, are necessary for one person; and the grace of God does not need any means to influence a person. St. John Chrysostom says: “If we were incorporeal; then Christ would communicate spiritual gifts to us without a body: but since our soul is united by a body; the spiritual is communicated to us in sensual forms. Therefore, according to his structure, man needs visible means in order to receive through them the invisible power of God.

Origin of the sacraments

It goes without saying that no one else but the Lord himself could establish such means of favoring a person. This is the work of God, the gift of God himself. This is what distinguishes the sacraments from other sacred rites, which include: monastic tonsure, various prayer services, etc. These actions are in themselves sacred, pious; but ours, by ourselves on our own behalf and to the glory of God, are done. There are sacred actions and those that cannot be called our actions, as performed by the grace of God, but are not considered sacraments, for example, the consecration of temples or water, the blessing of bread.

Divine action without appearance would be only spiritual, not mysterious. In the visible and invisible action of God and in the external form established by God, lies, according to the concept of the Eastern Church, the distinctive property of the sacrament - why all the sacraments are performed and taught by the laying on of hands and blessing, as a sign of the message of grace, through the image of the Lord's cross, by which the mystery is accomplished our salvation and granted us all divine powers.

Hence, having such a conception of the sacraments, how impious it would be just as insane to equate the Christian sacraments with magical mysteries, in which such a property is attributed to certain actions or signs that they supposedly evoke a supernatural force. Here, the signs themselves mean nothing. Their whole significance lies in the fact that God, not out of any necessity, but quite freely, deigned to unite with them the actions of His saving grace. From this it is clear that only those sacred rites have the undoubted significance of mysteries or Christian sacraments, which are established by God himself as visible means of communicating to man the saving gifts of the Holy Spirit. They effectively fulfill the gospel of Christ.

How many sacraments are there in the Church

The Holy Church, in accordance with God's vision of us, foreordained by the Gospel, confirmed by the holy fathers in tradition, allows seven sacraments in her Divine services, which correspond to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, counted by the Prophet Isaiah. The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit sent down to earth are depicted in the form of seven fiery lamps burning before the Throne, and in the form of the seven eyes of the Lamb, slain for us, in the seven eyes of His seeing about us. Having a relationship with our life, the seven sacraments of the sacraments embrace the whole life of a Christian, satisfy all the needs of his life in Christ and, as it were, constitute a new seven of the Lord’s graceful deeds for a Christian and fill his whole real life. Through the sacraments we are born, we breathe, we eat, we continue our race, we are cleansed and healed. All seven sacraments of the Orthodox Church: Baptism, Confirmation, Communion, Repentance, Priesthood, Marriage and Unction are of divine origin; because they were established by Jesus Christ himself.

All christian sacraments have a real meaning only in the Orthodox Church, and only here is their true meaning understood in the Orthodox and their grace-filled power is real. Outside the worship of the church, they are not mysterious actions, but simple rites or something else, as it was in paganism.

In the Orthodox Church, through the sacrament of Baptism, the person who receives it is introduced into the church, becomes a member of the body of Christ and receives the beginning of a new life, is clothed in the new right of sonship to God, and thus becomes a new person. Therefore, Baptism, to express its inner meaning, in the Holy Scriptures is called the bath of resurrection, newborn and putting on Christ. Therefore, it, like a new birth, does not repeat itself, for which the holy church says in the Creed: I confess one baptism.

Through sacrament of chrismation the newly baptized, as it were, is consecrated to the first degree of the church, or receives that title in the church, which belongs to all its members. All the anointed of God, have on themselves the seal of the Holy Spirit and in themselves all the Divine powers. Like Baptism, this sacrament cannot be repeated.

Through the sacrament of Penance a person receives constant healing from spiritual illnesses - sins, the seed of which remains in our nature even after Baptism and constitutes that old man, the complete putting off of which, together with the full putting on of the new, is the main task of the earthly life of a Christian - to put on the new man, created according to God in righteousness and reverence for truth. In healing sinners with the sacrament of Penance, the holy Church in this way constantly restores the union with God that they have broken and restores to them the right of sonship acquired in holy Baptism. Therefore, Repentance is sometimes called the second Baptism.

Through sacrament of Communion man, tasting the true Body and true Blood of Christ, unites himself most intimately with Christ.

Through the sacrament of the Priesthood pastoral authority, or the right and power to lead believers, feed them with the word of God and teach them the grace of the Holy Spirit, is communicated to the recipient. Shepherding is taught only to selected persons in the sacrament of the priesthood. By its very meaning, this sacrament is not repeated.

Through the sacrament of Marriage, the union of two persons of different sexes is blessed; after which they are no longer just man and woman for each other, but husband and wife and one flesh. From their blessed union, as from a sacred root, holy branches can also arise, i.e., children from Christian marriage in their very origin already receive sanctification.

The sacraments of the Orthodox Church must be accepted by those who approach them with faith in the Redeemer, with repentance and contrition for sins, with prayer and tenderness of the heart.

Through the sacrament of the Anointing of the Unction, the church heals the bodily infirmities of its members. If not always through this sacrament bodily health is restored to the sick and their life is preserved; then through this the grace of the sacrament is in no way denied; because the sacrament of the Unction of the Unction extends not to one body, but to the soul, and the prayers of the faithful can never remain fruitless for their brother who is weak in body.

In order for the sacraments, as sacred rites, to have a beneficial effect on a person, for this they must be performed according to the will of the Lord Jesus, in accordance with His institution.

In order for both sacraments to be performed in accordance with the will of the Lord, for this it is necessary for the performer of the sacraments to have the right to what and how he performs, and the desire to perform the sacred action in the manner established by God.

The clergyman must approach the celebration of the sacraments not only with intent or desire, but also with the deepest reverence, in purity of spirit and body. This is required by the majesty and holiness of the sacraments; and the church itself prepares the clergyman for the celebration of the sacraments, for example, Baptism and the Eucharist, with special touching prayers. Here it should be noted that reverence is required from the performer of the sacraments only so that he himself will not be subjected to judgment and the court of the Church for neglect of the work of God.

What do the sacraments give to a person

A small particle of poison that enters the human body infects and kills the body. The poison of sin has spread throughout mankind and infected it with a deadly infection. Filth has been introduced into human nature, and through it alienation from God and spiritual death. To avoid this death is possible only through union with God, and it is achieved by repentance and faith in the redemptive feat of the Savior. A person needs to become a follower of Christ and through Him by the action of the Holy Spirit to be cleansed of sins and begin a new life in the love and truth of the commandments of God. Only this makes him capable of eternal and blissful life. The means through which each believer receives the grace that sanctifies him are the Christian Sacraments. The word "sacrament" means any deep, hidden thought, thing or action. Sacraments are such sacred actions in which, when certain words are pronounced, the grace of God mysteriously and invisibly acts on the believer. At the creation of the world, the Creator said: “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3), and light became the power of His word. So it is in the Sacraments - when pronouncing the words established by the Church, the grace of God powerfully affects a person.

Sacraments These are aids to weak mankind. Their goal is to give people the blessings of God's love. Their fruit is liberation from sinful life. The very word "sacrament" indicates that it is not subject to the study of the mind, but is accepted by the believing heart. How and under what conditions is union with God carried out, and by what means? The first condition is a voluntary and sincere desire to free oneself from a sinful life, to repent. Repentance is one of the great achievements of the human spirit, it is the fruit of the realization of one's guilt both in deeds and in thoughts. Repentance is taking care of your spiritual state. God Himself helps the conversion of a person. In this, the main active force is the love of God. The second condition is to replace your old sinful life with a new one: not to do evil, but to do good. It is necessary to absorb new views coming from the Savior through His Church. To do this, we need help, we need guidance. How to find guidance and leaders for the Christian life? In folk customs? But in them, prejudice and human untruth are mixed with truth and purity of morality. what should be done. They concern the external manifestations of a person's will, but they hardly touch the inner, heart life.

According to the teaching of the Church, the condition for receiving grace in the Sacrament is the inner disposition, the disposition of the person who receives the sacrament; faith, sincere desire and full readiness to accept it are required from a person.

How does a person turn to God? It takes place in the interaction of God and man. God, by His grace, arouses in man the desire to turn to Him. A person responds to the actions of exciting grace with his will, desire and readiness to accept it. But a person can also leave the calls of God unheeded. Then the appeal will not take place. The grace of the Holy Spirit is the special power of God necessary for the salvation of man. Under the influence of grace, a person acquires the ability to perceive and understand the Word of God.

1. THE MYSTERY OF BAPTISM there is such a sacred act. in which the believer in Christ, through triple immersion in water, with the invocation of the name of the Holy Trinity - Father and Son and Holy Spirit, washed from original sin, as well as from all the sins committed by him before baptism, revived the grace of the Holy Spirit into a new spiritual life (spiritually born) and becomes a member of the Church, i.e. blessed Kingdom of Christ. Baptism is necessary for everyone who wants to be a member of the Church of Christ. "If one is not born from water and Spirit cannot enter into the Kingdom of God,” said the Lord Himself (John 3 , 5)

2. THE MYSTERY OF ANOINTING- a sacrament in which the believer is given the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which strengthen him in the spiritual Christian life. The Apostle Paul says: “He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed we have a God who captured us, and gave the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts" (2 Cor. 1 , 21-22)
The Sacrament of Confirmation is the Pentecost (descent of the Holy Spirit) of every Christian.

3. THE MYSTERY OF REPENTANCE (Confession)- a sacrament in which a believer confesses (orally reveals) his sins to God in the presence of a priest and receives forgiveness of sins from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself through the priest. Jesus Christ gave the saints apostles, and through them priests the power to allow (forgive) sins: “Receive the Holy Spirit. To whom you forgive sins, they will be forgiven; on whom you leave, on that they will remain "(John. 20 , 22-23).

4. THE MYSTERY OF COMMUNICATION (Eucharist)- the sacrament in which the believer (Orthodox Christian), under the guise of bread and wine, receives (tastes) the very Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and through this is mysteriously united with Christ and becomes a partaker of eternal life. Our Lord Christ Himself instituted the sacrament of Holy Communion during the last Last Supper, on the eve of His suffering and death. He Himself performed this sacrament: “taking bread and giving thanks (to God the Father for all His mercies to the human race, he broke it and gave it to the disciples, saying: take, eat: this is my body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me. Likewise He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink all of it, for this is My Blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins. Do this in remembrance of me."
In a conversation with the people, Jesus Christ said: “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)

5. MARRIAGE (Wedding) there is a sacrament in which, with a free (before the priest and the Church) promise by the bride and groom of mutual fidelity to each other, their marital union is blessed, in the image of the spiritual union of Christ with the Church, and the grace of God is asked for and given for mutual help and unanimity, and for the blessed birth and Christian upbringing of children.
Marriage was established by God Himself in Paradise. After the creation of Adam and Eve, “God blessed them and God said to them: be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen. 1, 28).
Jesus Christ sanctified marriage by His presence at the marriage in Cana of Galilee and confirmed its divine institution, saying: “He who created (God) in the beginning male and female created them (Gen. 1, 27). And he said: Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh (Gen. 2:24), so that they are no longer living, but one flesh. And so that which God has joined together, let no man separate” (Matt. 19:4-6).
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself up for her.<…>he who loves his wife loves himself” (Eph. 5:25-28)
“Wives, be subject to your husbands as to the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church, and He is the Savior of the body” (Eph. 5:22-23)
The family is the foundation of the Church of Christ. The sacrament of marriage is not obligatory for everyone, but persons who voluntarily remain celibate are obliged to lead a pure, immaculate and virgin life, which, according to the teaching of the Word of God, is higher than married life, and is one of the greatest feats (Mt. 19, 11-12; 1 Cor 7, 8-9, 26, 32, 34, 37, 40, etc.).

6. PRIESTHOOD there is a sacrament in which a properly elected person (to the bishop, presbyter or jyacon), through the laying on of bishops, receives the grace of the Holy Spirit for the sacred service of the Church of Christ.
This sacrament is performed only on persons who are elected and ordained as priests.
The sacrament of the priesthood is a divine institution. The Holy Apostle Paul testifies that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself “appointed some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as shepherds and teachers, for the perfection of the saints, for the work of service, for the building up of the Body of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-12).
There are three levels of priesthood:
1. The ordained deacon receives the grace to serve in the performance of the sacraments.
2. The ordained priest (presbyter) receives the grace to perform the sacraments.
3. The consecrated bishop (hierarch) receives the grace not only to perform the sacraments, but also to consecrate others to perform the sacraments.

7. SANITATION (Unction) there is a sacrament in which, when the sick person is anointed with consecrated oil (oil), the grace of God is called upon the sick person to heal him from bodily and spiritual illnesses.
The Sacrament of Unction is also called unction, because several priests gather to perform it, although, if necessary, one priest can perform it.
This sacrament originates from the apostles. Having received from the Lord Jesus Christ the power to heal every disease during the sermon, they “anointed many sick people with oil, and healed” (Mark 6:13).
The apostle James speaks in particular detail about this sacrament: “Is anyone among you sick, let him receive the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him” (James 5:14-15).