☦ Enter the holy temple with spiritual joy. When you enter the temple and see the holy icons, think that the Lord Himself and all the saints are looking at you; be especially reverent at this time.
☦ The holiness of the temple requires special reverence for itself. You should come to the temple in decent, clean clothes, not in sports (not modest) or defiantly bright. Women are supposed to have a headscarf or headdress on their heads. Keeping Christian bashfulness, both your own and your neighbors, you should not come to church in immodest clothing or trousers. If possible, you should come to the temple without bags and packages, so as not to create unnecessary fuss.
☦ Always come to the temple in advance to have time to light candles before the start of the service, order a commemoration, and venerate the icons. Until the end of the service, do not leave the temple unless absolutely necessary.
☦ Before entering the temple, one should perform a bow with prayer and sign of the cross... Entering the temple, you must also make three bows towards the altar with the prayer of the publican.
☦ It is necessary to put candles, to kiss icons and shrines before the start of the service, and during the service, you should not break the common prayer by walking around the temple and passing the candles.
☦ You cannot kiss the relics of the temple and participate in the Sacrament of Holy Communion with painted lips.
☦ Passing opposite one is supposed to cross and bow in the direction of the throne. You cannot pass between the pulpit and the central analogion when the clergy are praying in front of it in the middle of the church. In the temple it is not supposed to talk, much less laugh and joke. It is customary to greet each other with a bow.
☦ It is customary to stand in an Orthodox church during divine services. It is allowed to sit down and rest in cases of ill health. However, Saint Philaret of Moscow said well about bodily weakness: "It is better to think about God while sitting, than standing up - about your feet." In case of physical weakness, you can sit on a chair or bench.
☦ Traditionally, men are expected to stand on right side temple, and women on the left.
☦ There is a tradition to approach the Chalice during communion, first to infants, then to men, and then to women. The same sequence must be followed for anointing with oil. In confession, going to the cross at the end of the liturgy, as well as in many other cases, one should not try to get ahead of others, but the order must be observed.
☦ Entering the temple during especially solemn moments - reading the Gospel, Cherubim, Eucharistic Canon - you should stop at the entrance, wait until the end and only then stand in the place of prayer. You cannot consider a certain place in the temple “yours,” all the more so ask those who have taken it to move. During the service, one must stand and pray in one place, without looking around. During the censing of the church, one must move away from the wall, giving passage to the clergyman, and, turning to him, bow to the incense.
☦ In the Orthodox Church it is customary to pray while standing, quietly and reverently, therefore it is not good to show your special prayer feelings in any way outwardly: to bow down to earth during the service (out of time when it should be), kneel with your head on the floor, etc. If the church is cramped, then it is better not to bow to the ground even at the proper moments of the liturgy (with the exclamation of "Holy to the Saints" and when taking out the Holy Gifts), so as not to push those around you. You cannot pull back and teach if someone from the parishioners unknowingly does something wrong. If his actions interfere with common prayer, then you should humbly prompt him.
☦ During the service, when the priest blesses those present with his hand or makes incense for those praying from the ambo, one should bow without the sign of the cross, and when the blessing is performed with the cross or the Chalice, one should cross and then bow. Until the end of the service, one should not leave their temple, unless for a really important reason.
☦ Do not condemn the involuntary mistakes of the servants or those present in the temple - it is more useful to delve into your own shortcomings and ask the Lord for the forgiveness of your sins. It happens that during a service, someone in front of your eyes prevents the parishioners from praying with concentration. Do not be annoyed, do not pull anyone down (unless, of course, obvious hooliganism and blasphemy is committed). Try not to pay attention, and if due to weakness you do not cope with the temptation (i.e. test), it is better to go quietly to another place.
☦ Do not get upset when listening to the teachings of grandmothers. Humbly accepting their reproaches, do not try to "enlighten" them yourself. The Church has priests and missionaries for this.
☦ Don't be afraid to get embarrassed by doing something wrong. People come to church not to evaluate their neighbors, but for public prayer and participation in the Sacraments.
☦ The main thing is mutual love parishioners and understanding of the content of the service.
☦ Before leaving the temple, you need to make three bows with the sign of the cross and prayer, thanking God and asking for His blessing. Going out into the street, you should turn to the temple and bow again. Always, passing by the temple, you should stop and bow in its direction with the sign of the cross.
Church Relationship Rules.
☦ When meeting with a priest, you should take his blessing and then start a conversation. At subsequent meetings with him on this day, you do not need to take a blessing. Also, when parting with a priest after a long conversation with him or a common cause, it is customary to take a blessing.
☦ When addressing a priest by phone, you need to start a conversation by asking for a blessing with the words: “Father, bless” or “Father (name), bless”.
☦ When laity meets, three times Christian kissing or mutual bow is accepted. The usual church greeting in holidays: "Happy Holidays!" Entering the house: "Peace be to this house." Answer: "We accept in peace." Wishes on the road, on the road: "Guardian angel!", "God bless you!", "Bless you, Mother of God!" Accepted wish to those who eat food: "Angel at the meal!" Answer: "Invisibly to come." For the service, attention, help, as well as for the refreshment, it is customary to thank the words: "God save!", To which they usually answer: "To the glory of God!"
On the way to church, there is a custom to say a prayer:
I will enter Thy house, I will worship Thy holy temple in Thy stras. Lord, instruct us with Thy righteousness, my enemy, for the sake of Thy sake, correct my path before Thy: as if there is no truth in their mouth, their heart is vanity, the grave is open their throat, their tongues flatter. Judge them, God, that they will fall away from their thoughts, because of the multitude of their wickedness, I will wipe them out, as though I have bitter Thee, O Lord. And may all who trust in You rejoice, rejoice forever, and dwell in them, and boast of loving You Your name... As you bless the righteous, Lord, as you crowned us with the weapon of grace.
☦ One should enter the church quietly and reverently, as into the house of God, into the mysterious dwelling of the Heavenly King. Noise, conversations, and even more laughter, when entering a church and staying in it, offend the holiness of the temple of God and the greatness of God who dwells in it.
☦ After entering the temple, you should stop near the door and make three bows (earthly simple days, and on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays - belt) with prayers:
God, have mercy on me, a sinner... - Bow.
God, cleanse me, sinner, and have mercy on me... - Bow.
Having created me, Lord, forgive me!- Bow.
In the following prayers, obeisances are usually performed in the belt:
We bow to Thy Cross, Master, and Holy resurrection We glorify yours.
It is worthy to eat as truly blessed Ty, the Mother of God ...
Glory, and now ...
Lord have mercy!(Three times) Bless.
Through the prayers of the saints, our Father, Lord, Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us.
☦ After that, according to custom, bowing to both sides of the people who had entered before and making three bows in the waist with the Jesus prayer: - Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner- listen to the Divine service that has begun with reverence and fear of God.
☦ The church service is performed with many great and small bows. The Holy Church demands to worship with inner reverence and outward goodness, without haste, and, if possible, simultaneously with other worshipers in the church. Before making the bow, you need to overshadow yourself with the sign of the cross and then make a bow - if it's a small one, then you need to tilt the head so that you can reach the ground with your hand, but with a great one, you need to bow both knees together and reach the ground with your head. The sign of the Cross should be depicted on oneself correctly, with reverence, without haste, connecting the first three fingers together right hand as a sign that God is the Trinity, One and Equal, and the other two fingers are folded and bent to the palm to commemorate the fact that Jesus Christ is God and Man, who came down to our earth for the sake of salvation. The right hand (right hand) folded in this way should be placed first on the forehead, so that the Lord enlightens our mind, then on the belly, in order to tame the flesh fighting against the spirit, and then on the right and left shoulders- to sanctify our activities. The Church Rule strictly requires that we bow down in the temple of God not only earnestly, decorously and all at the same time, but also slowly (“not struggling”), and in a timely manner, that is, exactly when it is indicated. Bows and knees should be done at the end of each short petition or prayer, and not during its execution. The Church's Rite pronounces strict judgment about those who are dishonestly bowers (Typikon, Monday of the first week of Holy Great Lent).
Mission Statement No. 16
The Rule of Godliness – certain rules behavior appropriate to those accepted in the Church.
Archimandrite Platon (Igumnov): Piety is like a vertical, directed from earth to heaven (man-God), church etiquette is a horizontal (man-man). At the same time, one cannot ascend to heaven without loving a person, and one cannot love a person without loving God: If we love each other, then God dwells in us (), and who does not love his brother, whom he sees how he can love God, Who is not sees? (). Thus, the spiritual foundations determine all the rules of church etiquette, which should regulate the relationship between believers striving towards God.
1.Rules of conduct in the temple.
Enter the holy temple with spiritual joy. When you enter the temple and see the holy icons, think that you and everyone is looking at you; be especially reverent at this time.
The holiness of the temple requires a particularly reverent attitude towards itself. You should come to the temple in decent, clean clothes, not in sportswear or provocatively bright. Women are supposed to have a headscarf or headdress on their heads. Keeping Christian bashfulness, both your own and your neighbors, you should not come to church in immodest clothing or trousers. If possible, one should come to the temple without bags and packages.
Always come to the church in advance in order to have time to light candles before the start of the service, order a commemoration, and venerate.
Before entering the temple, one should perform a bow with prayer and the sign of the cross. Entering the temple, you must also make three bows towards the altar with the prayer of the publican.
It is necessary to put candles, to kiss icons and shrines before the beginning, and during the service one should not break the common prayer by walking around the church and passing the candles.
You cannot kiss the shrines of the temple and participate in the Sacrament of the Saint with painted lips.
Passing opposite Royal gates it is supposed to cross and bow to the side. You cannot walk between the central one when the clergy are praying in front of it in the middle of the church. In the temple it is not supposed to talk, much less laugh and joke. It is customary to greet each other with a bow.
It is customary to stand in an Orthodox church during services. It is allowed to sit down and rest in cases of ill health. However, the saint said well about the bodily weakness: "It is better to think about God while sitting, than standing - about your feet." In case of physical weakness, you can sit on a chair or bench.
Traditionally, men are supposed to stand on the right side of the temple, and women on the left.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
I want to say a few words to those of you who have recently arrived in our parish and who often leave without hearing the sermon.
Our Parish was dear to people because in it, at divine services, one could pray in deep silence, surrounded by the silence of all those present and the immobility of other worshipers.
Per recent times this situation has changed sadly. Those who come to church, not accustomed to strict, harmonious Orthodox piety, often talk to each other, often walk around the church, forgetting what is happening in it now. This is a completely unacceptable thing. You must understand that when you come to the temple, you become face to face with Christ and with God, that, standing before Him, you must be filled not only with internal, but also external pious silence, and that yours is not only a privilege, but yours. it is the duty to make it possible that the prayer of others is not interrupted by anything.
Therefore, I appeal to all of you not only with a request, not only with exhortation, but with a strong appeal: when you come to the temple, stop at the door of the temple, cross yourself, realize where you entered.
Remember the publican who did not dare to enter the temple of God because he felt too sinful to enter the area where the Lord Himself reigns.
The Savior told us that where two or three gather in His name, there He will also be present. And so, when you enter the temple, know, firmly know, by faith and conviction, if even this has not reached your experience and heart - know that you are in the presence of Christ Himself, crucified for your own salvation and resurrected in order to so that you can enter into eternal life, triumphant and rejoicing.
The temple is not a place to meet friends and not a place where you have the right to look around to see what icons are on the walls.
This is the place where you must face the Living God with trepidation, with deep spiritual horror. And if you cannot pray all the time, which many are unable to do, then you should at least stand in deep silence of your soul and lips and not interfere with anyone else's prayer.
And I am addressing you with a request, with exhortation, from the bottom of my heart: enter the temple reverently, choose a place where you will stand and not leave it anywhere, except to light a candle at the beginning, when you enter, and, if you will receive communion, to come to the Holy Mysteries. Otherwise, stay in silence, because God meets in the deep silence of the soul, and only in this deep silence can those in the temple become one with each other in Christ. This is not a question of church discipline, it is a question of your personal salvation, the fact that you met God - or that you passed Him by and despised His presence.
Take, therefore, my words into account, be attentive to what I said, and I will ask all those who have some kind of deep, honest ecclesiastical consciousness - and others to help in this regard. Amen.
There are cases when the soul of a person who is baptized, a believer, but does not attend the temple, asks to visit the church. Of course, most often this happens when a person wants to repent of his sins, or ask the Lord for help in business, or to thank for something ... And sometimes it happens that you suddenly wanted to, and that's all. A person will mentally gather himself together, make up his mind, but suddenly think: “I don't know how to enter a church correctly, what to say, how to behave in a temple and what to do there. Will not go…"
As the clergy themselves say, there is nothing wrong with that, one cannot condemn a person who does not quite know the procedure for actions in the church. You can ask a clergyman about this, read special literature, or simply ask those people who also came to the temple to pray. It is unlikely that someone will refuse such a request.
We will also consider in detail the rules of conduct in the temple (church).
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Rules of conduct in the temple (church)
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regulations |
explanations // exceptions |
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Appearance |
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forbidden |
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Womanit is supposed to wear a long skirt or dress, and cover your head with a scarf or scarf. Manmust take off the headgear. To allMembers are advised to wear long sleeves. |
Womanwear trousers, use cosmetics, especially lipstick. To all: tracksuits, shorts |
Most modern clergymen believe that a woman can enter the temple wearing trousers if her decision to enter the church was not planned in advance. This rule was bequeathed by the Apostle Paul himself, who wrote: “To every man the head is Christ, to the wife is the husband, and to the head of Christ is God. Any husband who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. And every wife praying or prophesying with an open head shames her head, for it is the same as if she were shaved ... So, the husband should not cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God, and the wife is the glory of the husband ... Wife must have on her head the sign of power over her "(1 Cor., XI, 3-10). |
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The fact that a person should look neat is not worth talking about. |
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Come to the temple for a dose 10-15 minutes before the start of the service. During this time, you can submit notes, put a donation on the eve, buy candles, put them on and venerate the icons, order a commemoration. If you are late, then you need to be careful not to interfere with the prayer of others. |
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Entering the temple during the reading of the Six Psalms of the Gospel or after the Cherubic Liturgy (at this time the Transfiguration of the Holy Gifts is performed), stand at the door until the end of these most important parts of the service. |
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Approaching the temple and looking at its domes, believers make the sign of the cross and bow in the bow. Climbing the porch, they again cross themselves with the sign of the cross. |
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Enter the templeyou need to calmly, silently, with reverence. In this case, you do not need to knock or stamp your feet. |
By knocking when walking around the temple, the prayer of others is disturbed. |
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On the thresholdchurch read "The Prayer of Him Who Goes to Church" or "Our Father" |
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When you entered the temple, do three bowing to the ground(on holidays - three bows in the bow), after which the worshipers should bow to the right and left sides. |
Such rules are sometimes almost impossible to observe in a church full of parishioners, therefore it is allowed to walk a little to the side and cross oneself three times, while making three bows in the waist. |
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You should not go from place to place in the church during the service. |
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In some churches, the ancient rule is still observed, according to which during services women stand on the left side and men on the right, leaving a passage opposite the altar. |
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When we are baptized outside of prayer, we must mentally say: “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen" |
The word "Amen" means "truly, truly, so be it." |
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The sign of the Cross and bows must be performed simultaneously with everyone. |
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During the service, it is customary to be baptized during the words - to the Holy Trinity and the Savior Jesus Christ, during the ectinia to any proclamation "Lord, have mercy", "Lord give," as well as at the beginning of the prayer, during prayer times, at the end of prayer, when approaching all that is holy. |
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You need to be baptized and bow your head when the priests overshadow with the cross, the Gospel, an image, or a holy cup. |
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During the shading of candles, the sign of the cross and the censer, you only need to bow your head. |
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If there is no service, you are allowed to approach any icon, cross yourself twice, kiss the bottom of the image and cross yourself a third time. |
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During the service you should not look around, look at the worshipers, ask them about anything, chew chewing gum, keep hands in pockets, shake hands with friends, talk on the phone. It is best to defend service to the end. You also need to monitor your children: they must adhere to general rules. |
It is better to turn off the phone altogether, or at least put it into silent mode. |
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The laity, except for the church watchmen, should not enter the holy altar, not leave the temple, especially after the Cherubic song until the very end of the service. |
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If it is not possible to freely approach the icons and put candles, then you can quietly ask to pass the candles through other people. |
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In temples forbidden photo and video filming. They are allowed only after the blessing of the clergy in special cases related to church ordinances. |
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Few words about candles. It is best to buy them at the beginning of the service; money should also be prepared in advance so as not to interfere with the rest of the worshipers. It is allowed to light a candle with either hand. It is very good to put the first candle in front of the main shrine of the temple. |
TO church candle we must be reverent, because she is a symbol of our prayer burning before the Lord. They light them one from the other and set them straight. |
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Candles in health put in special candlesticks, which are located under the images. |
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Candles for peace are put on a special canon, which is easy to recognize by square shape and the presence of a small crucifix. |
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It is very important to remember that you need to put a candle in front of a shrine with sincere prayer. |
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If you want to light a candle to some saint or pray to him, you should cross yourself twice, bow in front of you, light a candle, cross yourself again and bow. If all the seats are occupied, leave your candle nearby, the clergy will put it on the vacant spot themselves. |
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It is necessary to apply to the icons before or after the service. |
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It is customary to stand in an Orthodox church during services. You can only sit while reading the Kathisma (Psalms) and Paremias (readings from the Old and New Testaments on great vespers on great holidays and on days of remembrance of especially revered saints) |
In case of ill health, it is allowed to sit down and rest. Saint Philaret of Moscow said well about bodily weakness: “It is better to sit while thinking about God, if you are unwilling - about your legs”. |
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During the service, the saints make the sign of the cross over us. This overshadowing is called a blessing. |
During the blessing, the priest folds his fingers so that they represent "Is.Xs.", that is, Jesus Christ. This means that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself blesses us through the priest. Therefore, we should receive the priest's blessing with reverence. |
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When in the church we hear the words of the general blessing “Peace to all” and others, then in response we must bow down without being baptized. |
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If we want to receive the priest's blessing for ourselves personally, then we must fold our hands in a cross: right to left, palms up. Having received a blessing, we kiss the hand that blesses us - we kiss as if invisible hand Christ the Savior Himself. |
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The article will tell you about what rules exist in the church and how to properly behave in the temple.
The Church is a special world, where there are rules and orders. That is why people attending church and temple must adhere to strict standards of conduct. This is intimidating to those who have never attended church before or who have rarely attended. Nevertheless, you need to go to it and therefore you should familiarize yourself with the main nuances. Orthodox church, whether it is pre-holiday or ordinary days.
IMPORTANT: If you visit the temple of God during a holiday, you should know that on such an occasion you should come to church much earlier than the service begins. Service times are usually written on the doors of the church for everyone to know.
Man and woman should wear clean and tidy clothes. It does not have to be expensive and sophisticated, but its neatness is a sign of respect for the Lord and His house (church, temple).
A man should be dressed a shirt and trousers that could cover his arms and legs (preferably).
That's why give up short-sleeved T-shirts, T-shirts and shorts.
Also, you should not wear clothes that are too bright or with defiant bright drawings, inscriptions, holes, cuts in the church.
- A man should not cover his head, on the contrary, you need to take off any panama, cap, hat or hat.
Women to church you should wear modest clothes that would cover the figure and do not tight it. Be sure to hide your chest and shoulders, close long skirt legs (the shortest skirt should be no higher than the knees).
- The most important thing for women to wear is a headscarf..
The fact is that the covered woman's head in the temple is a sign of respect for the Lord, because he is the owner of his house and therefore, entering the church, one must obey his rules.
IMPORTANT: Women should not go to church during menstruation and while blood is still being released after childbirth. Such a violation will show your disrespect for the Lord and will defile the church.
Before you go to the temple, you should:
- Stand in front of its main entrance, look at the cross (it should be located on doors or gates) and cross yourself three times, bowing each time.
This is a kind of greeting with the Lord and a sign that you orthodox person.
- After you overcome entrance doors, you do not immediately find yourself in the church, but in the vestibule - a special place in the form of a small corridor. Here you should cross yourself three times again and only then go into the church hall itself.
Where is the best place to stand in the church?
The meaning of an Orthodox person is to glorify the Lord. That is why he goes to church and in prayer communication tells God about his problems, successes, doubts and fears in order to find the only important decision and help.
If you came to the temple in advance (15 minutes before the start of the service), you should light candles or write special notes for the service.
You can borrow absolutely anything in the church comfortable spot that you like in the hall. There is only one main rule to follow.(it is observed not always and not everywhere) - during the service, women should stand on the left, and men on the right.
If you find a fair amount of free space in the room, it is important not to stand where the main passage is.
IMPORTANT: Remember, the place you occupied should only be yours until the end of the service. You can't walk around the church, change your place. It is also impossible to loudly greet friends and relatives, talk to them, distract others present from prayers.
You can also take a sitting place in the temple. There are always special shops in the church, but they are needed only for those who cannot for health reasons or feeling unwell stand long time(sick people, people with missing or damaged lower limbs, small children and older people). You should sit on the lavas modestly, without spreading or throwing your legs.
Anyway try to behave with restraint in the church without putting your hands in your pockets, putting them behind your back and not folding them on your chest.
You need to stand in the temple because in this way you appear before God, opening your heart and soul. It can also be assumed that vertical position body, elevates human purpose.
How to behave in church and temple at the service, what to do, how to be baptized?
As already mentioned, if there is a service in the church, he comes to the temple in advance. Any Orthodox holiday or an important day (like, for example, Sunday) requires an Orthodox person to be neat and tidy. You should choose modest, but beautiful clothes: clean, ironed, light. You should also comb your hair and wash. Women should not put on a thick layer of makeup, skip it altogether, or use only minimal amounts.
Modest clothing requires humble behavior ... Be likewise welcoming, joyful, and happy attending church.
One should be baptized before entering the church, in the narthex and in front of the images.
- If you are in the service, listen to prayers and watch over the clergy. Get Baptized Every Time Someone Begins to Be Baptized even if you can't make out the words clearly.
IMPORTANT: An Orthodox person is always baptized by folding all the fingers of his right hand into a handful. Touch your forehead with your fingers, then the abdomen, and only then the right and left shoulder. Thus, you "draw" on yourself the cross of the Lord, blessing and cleansing yourself.
How to behave in church and temple in confession?
Confession is a special church sacrament, during which an Orthodox person tries to "open his heart and soul" to a clergyman and ask the Lord for forgiveness for his sins. People who have never confessed before God are always worried about not knowing how to behave, what to say and what questions to ask.
Many ministers of the church call this sacrament "second baptism", because during repentance, the soul of a person is cleansed.
"Purify the soul" should be when you feel the desire for it. Human nature is considered weak and because of weakness, people commit sins even after repentance, which alienates them from God.
Repentance and Confession are Necessities for Salvation human soul... It is important to learn for yourself that only a sincere confession of sins will allow you to get rid of them, throwing off the "stone" from your soul. When telling about your life to the priest, remember everything from an early age.
It is known that only those people who confess all their sins can go to Paradise.
- While repenting, do not be afraid to seem ridiculous, lost, and in no way be ashamed of your words.
- If you have offended someone, be sure to ask these people for forgiveness before or after confession. Forgive your offenders too.
Confess better evening so that in the morning service you do not feel the burden of your sins.
If you are going to repentance for the first time, warn the clergyman about this so that he will guide you and not let you get upset at an important moment.
How to behave in church and temple at the funeral service?
The funeral service is a mandatory procedure for an Orthodox person, which is performed only by a clergyman. This is done at home or in church (at the request and capabilities of the family). The meaning of the funeral service is that the priest reads prayers (which are as melodic as songs), lights a special lamp that emits smoke. All this is needed only in order to cleanse the soul before it leaves the body and flies to heaven to God.
Those facing a funeral service for the first time often feel uncomfortable. You should not be afraid of this process, after all, the funeral service is a good procession that relieves the suffering of the soul.
- While the clergyman reads the prayer words, try to listen carefully and understand them. It is customary for relatives to stand around the coffin with the deceased and hold a lit memorial candle in their hands.
IMPORTANT: If you do not consider yourself Orthodox, have a different faith, or are simply convinced that it does not exist, just stand on the procession, not attracting attention to yourself either by your behavior, words or face. Your calm demeanor is a tribute to all those present who have lost a loved one.
How to behave in church and temple during unction?
Unction is a special sacrament that is important for believers. The purpose of this procession is to heal from any ailments and mental trauma. In some ways, this sacrament can be compared with confessing to a priest, because it also forgives a person his sins. But unlike repentance, unction is carried out by several priests.
Unction can take place in a church or at home (if parishioners are unable to get to church due to illness).
Unction is not a funeral service for the soul and not the last prayers of a dying person.
Yes, very often it is carried out as last hope get well. Nevertheless, unction is meant to give the believer strength and hope for the future.
The temple ritual has three main parts:
- Prayer chant
- Consecration
- Anointing
IMPORTANT: The whole church must first pray and be baptized. After that, each believer takes communion, puts seven candles and the priest prepares for consecration. Only then does the anointing of the congregation take place.
How to behave in church and church during the liturgy?
Liturgy is a procession during which the believer communicates with the Holy Spirit. During the liturgy, many chants and prayers are read. This ritual is distinguished by its importance for the church and its duration, during which one should stand for a long time, pray a lot and be baptized.
In addition, when you come to the liturgy, you should definitely wear modest and clean clothes as a tribute to the Lord. During the procession, you should read aloud many prayers, for example, the "creed", if you do not know them by heart, take a prayer book with you.
How to behave in church and temple at the funeral service?
The requiem (reading of prayers for the dead) is held after the liturgy. You should give notes with names for prayer commemoration even before the start of the Liturgy.
- At the memorial service, in no case should you make noise and talk loudly with someone, let alone laugh and attract attention to yourself. You should be fully aware of the seriousness and tragedy of this procession, so as not to be able to somehow darken and offend those present.
If you are very emotional, try not to quarrel with anyone at the memorial service, not push anyone or wave your arms. Everything that accompanies the memorial service (discussion of the dead or their commemoration) should be postponed until the moment you leave the church.
- During and after the memorial service, you can light candles in front of the faces of the saints and read prayers to them.
How to behave in church and temple at the sacrament?
Communion is a significant procession for an Orthodox person, during which he communes with the Body of Christ, eating sacred bread (his flesh) and drinking sacred wine (his blood). The sacrament is always a voluntary and conscious decision of every believer.
The sacrament requires certain points:
- Observance of Spiritual and Physical Fasting
- Observance of the prayer schedule: morning and evening
- Regularly reading spiritual literature
- Church visit
- Confession
IMPORTANT: If you are attending the sacrament, you should be fully aware of the importance of this ordinance and in no way draw attention to yourself. Take your place in the church, pray sincerely and be baptized every time the priest does.
How to behave in church and temple at the wedding?
Wedding - recognition by God marriage union men and women. It is customary to come to the wedding with a pure soul and heart, both by the newlyweds themselves and by the guests present. For this reason, it is important to wear clean, light and tidy clothes, and for women to cover their heads.
- The whole procession takes place under the leadership of the priest. and therefore at the wedding, it is customary to carefully listen to his words and follow his actions, repeating prayers and crossing himself at the right time.
Try not to draw attention to yourself and not break the silence in the temple, you cannot laugh and talk, if you have tears, just wipe them silently, but do not get hysterical.
Parents' Saturday: How to Behave in the Temple?
Parent's Saturday is necessary so that every Orthodox believer can remember the deceased loved ones and order a requiem for them.
- Before starting the action a note should be passed with the names of deceased friends and family and only after that put candles for them on the funeral table.
Listen to all the chants of the priest and read prayers with him. In memory of those people who have passed away, you can also give alms to those who ask near the church. Donations to the church and foodstuffs that you can bring with you before the procession to the temple are also good (they are left on a special table near the funeral table).
What is the right way to leave the church?
You should leave the church, giving a share of honor and respect to the Lord, just as you did when you entered it.
- Coming out of church hall, bow to him and cross yourself three times... Do the same when you go out the front doors.
Video: "How to behave in the temple?"
The temple is not only a house of prayer, but also a place of the special presence of God, and just as, when gathering for a visit, we try to look worthy, so when entering the Church, we should remember to Whom we come and Who looks at us. A person who carefully looks after the state of his soul will certainly notice that his behavior, thoughts, wishes also depend on clothes. Austere dress obliges a lot.
Women should not come to Church wearing trousers, short skirts, sweaters, or sleeveless blouses (with open hands), with makeup on the face. Lipstick is especially unacceptable. The woman's head should be covered with a handkerchief, headscarf or scarf.
Men are required to take off their headdress before entering the temple. You cannot appear in church in T-shirts, shorts, and untidy sports clothes.
HOW TO BEHOLD YOURSELF WITH THE BEGGARS LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE TEMPLE
While doing good to his neighbor, everyone should remember that the Lord will not leave him alone. "Do you think that the one who feeds Christ (that is, the beggars)," wrote St. Augustine, "will not be fed by Christ?" Indeed, in the eyes of the Lord, because of our sins, perhaps, we look more terrible and insignificant than all these unfortunate people who live on charity.
You should not tempt yourself with the thought that the poor "earn" no less than us, and sometimes they are dressed no worse. Each will be asked first of all for his deeds. Your business in in this case- show mercy.
If you see that there are beggars in front of you who spend all their money on drink, give them not money, but food: an apple, cookies, bread, etc.
ON BEHAVIOR IN THE TEMPLE
You should come to the temple ten to fifteen minutes before the start of the service. This time is usually enough to submit notes, buy and light candles, and venerate the icons.
Approaching the temple, pious Christians, looking at the holy crosses and domes of the church, make the sign of the cross and bow in the bow. Rising to the porch, they again make the sign of the cross with a bow three times.
Entering the temple, you should stop near the door and make three bows with prayers:
God, be merciful to me, a sinner. - Bow.
God, cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me. Bow.
God who created me, forgive me. Bow.
After that, they serve notes, attach themselves to the icons, light candles and take a comfortable place, standing with reverence and fear of God.
By ancient custom, men stand on the right side of the temple, women on the left, leaving a free passage from the main doors to the Royal Doors.
In addition, to this day, one can observe a pious rule when women let men go ahead during the Anointing of the Holy One, Communion, applying to the festive icon and to the Cross. At the end of the service, the same prayers are recited as at the entrance to the church.
When we visit the temple of God, we will remember that we are in the presence of the Lord God, Mother of God, holy angels and saints.
Be afraid, willingly or unwillingly, offend the worshipers with your behavior and those shrines that surround us in the temple of God.
If you come to the church during the service, it is better to refrain from squeezing through the worshipers and putting candles in front of the icons. A candle is a sacrifice to God, but in this case, remember that another sacrifice is more pleasing - “the spirit is broken,” a humble awareness of your sinfulness before the Lord, which brighter than any candle will highlight all your desires and needs.
If possible, refrain from comments, unless, of course, there is obvious hooliganism or blasphemous behavior. It is permissible for a person violating the norms of behavior to make remarks in a delicate manner, without irritability and arrogant instruction in the voice.
Walking around the temple during the service is unacceptable, especially conducting conversations.
During the divine service in Orthodox Church they pray while standing, and how can one sit in the presence of God, because in our prayers we turn to the King of Kings, to the Creator of the universe. Sitting is allowed only due to special weakness, illness, so that, as Metropolitan Filaret (Drozdov) said: "It is better to think about God while sitting than standing about your feet." However, you cannot sit with your legs crossed or stretched out your legs. Before you sit down, ask God to strengthen you physically. During the reading of the Gospel and especially important places in the Liturgy, one should stand.
Parents, having come to the temple with their children, should observe their behavior and not allow them to distract the worshipers, play naughty, and laugh. You need to try to calm down the crying child, if this fails, you should leave the church with the child.
You cannot enter the temple with animals and birds.
You should attach to the icons, leaving bulky bags aside.
You should approach the Chalice during Communion with your arms crossed on your chest - right over left.
During the censing of the temple, one should not turn around after the clergyman and stand with his back to the altar.
At the time of the opening of the Royal Doors, one must bow. Smokers are prohibited from smoking even on the street within the church fence.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO LEAVE THE TEMPLE BEFORE THE END OF SERVICE
The service must be defended from beginning to end. Service is not an obligation, but a sacrifice to God. Would it be nice to the owner of the house, to which the guests came, if they leave before the end of the holiday?
Remember that leaving worship unless absolutely necessary or because of urgent circumstances is a sin before God. Especially try not to leave the church during the Liturgy, because at least before singing "Our Father ...".
The end of the morning service is the appearance of the priest with the cross. This moment is called letting go. During the dismissal, the believers come up to the Cross, kiss it and the priest's hand holding the cross. Having moved away, you need to bow to the priest.
The care of the Holy Church for us continues even after the service, so that we do not lose the gracious mood, which, by the grace of God, we were rewarded in the church. The Church commands us to leave the temple in reverent silence, with thanksgiving to the Lord, who vouchsafed us to be present in the temple, with a prayer that the Lord would grant us to always visit His holy house until the end of our lives.
COLORS OF THE LORD'S VESSELS AND THEIR SYMBOLS
The liturgical clothes of clergymen have different colors, each of which symbolizes spiritual meaning the event in honor of which the service is performed. Primary colors liturgical vestments- white, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, blue, purple, black.
Before the service, when vesting, the clergy read special prayers prescribed by the charter, in which the symbolic meaning of the sacred garments is revealed.
On holidays in honor of the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as on the days of remembrance of the prophets, apostles and saints, the color of the vestment is royal: gold or yellow of all shades due to the fact that Christ is the King of Glory, and His servants have the fullness of grace in the Church the highest degree priesthood.
On holidays in honor Holy Mother of God and angelic forces, as well as on the days of remembrance of holy virgins and virgins, the color of the vestments is blue or white, symbolizing special purity and purity.
On the feasts of the Cross of the Lord, the color of the vestments is purple or dark red, symbolizing the feat of the Savior on the cross.
On holidays and days of memory of the holy martyrs, the dark red color of the vestments was adopted as a sign that the blood shed for the faith of Christ was evidence of their ardent love for the Lord.
In green vestments of all shades, the day of the Holy Trinity, the day of the Holy Spirit and the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem are celebrated, since green color- a symbol of life, for everything that has life according to the will of the Father and through the Son is quickened by the Holy Spirit. In green vestments, divine services are also performed in honor of the saints, ascetics and holy fools, since their feat, killing the sinful principles of human nature, does not kill the person himself, but renews his entire nature and leads to eternal life.
During fasting, the color of the vestments is dark: dark blue, purple, dark red, black. They usually serve in black clothes on weekdays of Great Lent.
Burials, as a rule, are performed in white vestments, since for a Christian death is only a transition to another world.
The white color of vestments is adopted on the holidays of the Nativity of Christ, Epiphany (Baptism), Transfiguration and Ascension of the Lord, as it symbolizes the Divine Light that comes into the world and sanctifies the creation of God.
The feast day - Easter of Christ - begins in white vestments as a sign of Divine light that shone from the Tomb of the risen Savior. In some churches, it is customary for Easter matins to change vestments at each of the eight canon songs, so that each time the priest appears in a vestment of a different color. The play of colors is very much in line with this "triumph of celebrations". The Easter Liturgy, like all the services of the subsequent Bright Week, is celebrated in red vestments, symbolizing the victory of the "Sun of Truth" - the risen Lord Jesus Christ.
HOW IT IS CORRECT TO APPLY ICONS
Since the honor given to the icon is elevated to the face depicted on it, kissing it (kissing it), we mentally touch this face.
The icons should be approached slowly, not crowded. Say a prayer in your mind, cross yourself twice with bows and kiss the icon as a sign of love and respect for the one depicted on it. Then, for the third time, cross yourself with the sign of the cross and bow down.
In the same order, Christians should approach any shrine: icons, the Holy Gospel, the Cross, holy relics.
Applying to the icon of the Savior, one should kiss His feet; The Mother of God and the saints - a hand; to the icon Image miraculous Savior and to the icon of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist - hair. You should not kiss the face on icons.
The icon may depict several sacred persons, but with a gathering of worshipers, kissing the icon is supposed to once, so as not to detain others and thereby not violate the deanery in the church.
Before the image of the Savior, you can say the Jesus Prayer to yourself:
"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner (uyu)."
In front of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, you can pronounce a short prayer:
"Most Holy Theotokos, save us."
Or the following:
"My queen, Abiding, my hope to the Theotokos, friend of the orphan and to the strange Representative, grieving joy, offended Patroness, behold my misfortune, behold my sorrow. Help me, as if I am weak, feed me, as if it is strange. ; as if there is no other help to the Imam, except for You, not for another Representative, not for a good comforter, only for You, O Bogomati, as if you may preserve me and cover me forever and ever. Amen. "
Before the honest The life-giving cross Christ the following prayer is read:
"We worship Thy Cross, O Lord, and we glorify Thy Holy Resurrection."
Before the icon of the saint:
"The holy saint of God Nicholas (or the great martyr and healer Panteleimon, the faithful prince Alexandra, etc.), pray to God for me a sinner (sinner), may the Lord forgive me all my sins and with your holy prayers WILL ACCEPT the Kingdom of Heaven."
THE GREAT SIGNIFICANCE OF ICONS IN THE WORK OF OUR SALVATION.
“Holy icons are of great benefit to us in the work of our salvation.
1. Holy icons have a beneficial effect on all the spiritual forces of a person:
A) they serve to enlighten the mind of Christians. People who are illiterate, unable to read Holy Scripture, from icons understand the economy of our salvation, they assimilate the history of the Old and New Testaments, and especially the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, while those who read the same events are deeply imprinted in their souls through holy images;
B) holy icons in the heart of a Christian arouse love for the Lord God and the saints depicted on them, move Christians to the most fervent prayer, enhance feelings of affection and despair about sins;
C) holy icons strengthen the will of Christians in the struggle against sin and in the creation of good deeds by examples and deeds of the saints depicted on them, the execution of sinners, the view Of the Last Judgment etc.
2. By arranging and kissing holy icons and worshiping them, we thereby testify to our love for God and the saints depicted on them. “The honor of the image,” says Saint Basil the Great, “goes over to the prototype; thus, through the veneration of holy icons, we attract to ourselves the blessing of God and the love of God's saints.
3. For the Lord God, holy icons serve as an instrument for the manifestation of His Divine power for our salvation: through them He performs great signs and wonders to establish faith in Him and His holy Church, to comfort sorrowful hearts, to heal diseases. If the Lord pours out his grace through the holy icons, then all the more he serves to our sanctification and salvation invisibly. And if God himself apparently acts through holy icons to our salvation, then we need to have a lot of courage (if not to say more) in order to assert that icons do not have great significance in the matter of salvation.
4. Where there are holy icons, there are ineffective or less effective the intrigues of the enemy of the human race - evil spirit therefore he is trying with all his might to destroy them. If holy icons help Christians in the fight against visible enemies, then all the more they help them in the fight against invisible enemies; we know that through holy icons evil spirits completely expelled from the people possessed by them.
Let us conclude our conversation with the words of St. John of Damascus; "Away, you envious devil! You are jealous that we see the image of our Lord and through him we are sanctified; you envy that we see His saving sufferings, we are amazed at His excellence, we contemplate His miracles, we cognize and glorify the power of His Divinity; you envy the honor of the saints. , which they are awarded from God; you do not want us to look at images of their glory and become zealots of their courage and faith; you do not tolerate the bodily and mental benefits that come from our faith. But we do not listen to you, man-hating demon. "
Doctor of Theology Archbishop Sergius Spassky
