What can you eat three days before communion. Can I eat fish before communion? Basic diet rules

EGGS WITH IMAGES

O a new kind of iconoclasm

Great Lent is coming to an end. Approaching . Orthodox believers prepare according to tradition to meet her .

Let's say one "Easter" online store offers us "a wide range of various products for the Easter holiday." For example, “Easter stickers “With faces of saints””

True, on the packaging with stickers you will not find instructions on how to dispose of them. It is unlikely that there will be those who want to put natural chicken eggs with iconic faces in a red corner and pray on them. Then what? Will the holy images go into the trash along with the shell? There is a compromise option - burn it in a clean place, and bury the ashes, as it is necessary according to church rules to deal with consecrated objects. In the conditions of a metropolis, and just a city, this is difficult. And how many people want to bother like thatfromfor some shells with "stickers"?

How "joyful" it will be for the hostess to cover the festive table with such a work of applied art and conveniently arrange dishes with eggs, Easter cake, sausage, arrange cutlery on the face of the Virgin or the Savior, Crucified for her in Who endured suffering, reproach and reproachful death! After all, all this was a long time ago, and on this day she should rejoice at the Resurrection of Christ and cut sausage on His Face for breaking the fast after a long fast! ..

True, the manufacturer is unaware that there was no Easter joy at the Last Supper.

I think that after all that has been said above, three questions arise: 1) how do we relate to the Easter holiday, 2) to God and His saints, and 3) to their sacred images (icons, frescoes, mosaics, etc.).

It is my deep conviction that almost every Christian holiday is a "holiday with tears in the eyes", including Easter. “For our Passover, Christ, was slain for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7) and we are “bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20, 7:23). During Great Lent, the Church reminds her children of this almost every Sunday with special services: passions (in addition to the texts of the Lenten Triodion and the Octoechos). The service of the entire Passion Week is dedicated to the same.

Onlyspiritually ignorant person or, worse, devoid of the fear of God,can with a fearless hand stick on the egg the face of the Savior, or His Most Pure Mother, or the saints who served God(unlike us sinners) with their righteous life, full of sorrows, suffering for the truth of God, and many with a painful death for their testimonyaboutChrist; stick,knowing in advance that in a couple of days, along with the shell, he will throw them in the trash . Even the image of an ordinary person is worthybabout more respect! Do we allow ourselves to simply stick photos of our loved ones, people we love on objects, tear them up, throw them in the trash? How then should we treat sacred images?

The cathedral oros says where, on what and for what purpose sacred images should be located and how to be revered by believers: “... we define: like the image of an honest and life-giving Cross,to believe in God's holy churches, on sacred vessels and garments, on walls and boards, in houses and on paths honest and holy icons, painted and madefrommosaics andfromanother substance suitable for this, the icon of the Lord and God and Our Savior Jesus Christ ... the Mother of God ... honest angels and all saints and reverend men. For the more often through the image on the icons they are visible, the morelooking at them encouraged to remember about the archetypes themselves and love for them and to honor them with kisses and reverent worship ...reverence according to the same model as it is given to the image of the honest and life-giving Cross and the holy Gospel, and other shrines,incense and lighting candles ... For the honor given to the image goes back to the prototype, andworshiping the icon worships the hypostasis depicted on it »

Fromthe conciliar definition implies that sacred images should

1) be placed in worthy places;

2) be madefromdurable materials;

3) be honored by kissing, burning incense (incense), lighting candles;

4) they are designed to raise the human mind from the image (icons, frescoes, mosaics) to the prototype - Christ, the Mother of God, angels and saints of God;

5) the honor given to the icon ascends to the face (hypostasis) depicted on it;

6) any impious and offensive action in relation to the icon also goes back to its prototype, that is, to the person (hypostasis) of Christ, the Mother of God, angels and saints.

Many Orthodox believers ask the priests in person, via the Internet, or ask their relatives: is it possible to brush your teeth before communion? But this is far from the only thing that not only beginners can ask. A lot of questions arise from the church-goers. It is worth noting that there are a huge number of near-church myths and misconceptions.

This article summarizes the answers of experienced and pious priests, gives recommendations and useful tips for beginners.

What is Communion?

How does Christ speak in the Gospel about Communion? On the eve of a terrible death on the cross, He gathers His disciples together and prepares a meal. There is bread and wine on the table. Christ says that in memory of Him they will drink wine and eat bread, since these are symbols of His blood and body.

To this day, liturgy is celebrated in churches and Holy Communion is prepared using bread and wine. The priests pray together with the parishioners with the words "Let us pray to the Lord for the offered Honest Gifts."

What is actually meant by the bread and wine in the Holy Chalice? Prayers read before Communion at home are just as necessary for a Christian as church prayers. Why is prayer needed? Because the Lord unites with the very person who calls him to himself.

What is Communion?

There are several testimonies about how Communion is actually prepared and what is hidden from human eyes under it. One day a man entered the temple. The royal gates in the temple were open. The priests stood at the altar. Suddenly, a man who came in saw the priest pierce the baby with a spear. He shouted to the whole temple: “Why are you killing a baby?” All the people standing in the temple turned around. No one could understand what kind of baby they were talking about. In fact, the priest had a prosphora in his hands (a small bread made from wheat flour and water).

The Lord invisibly and endlessly sacrifices himself for the sake of people, but not materially, but spiritually. His crucifixion was actually seen almost 2,000 years ago at Golgotha ​​in Jerusalem.

Let's return to the Gospel and to those lines where the Lord is at the Last Supper. He said: "From now on you will drink my blood (wine) and eat my body (bread) in memory of Me." But how this would happen, even the apostles did not know. Moreover, it is not given to us to know. This is a divine secret. We can only take it seriously, and as it is, without a doubt. Therefore, the prayers read before Communion are very necessary, first of all for the one who takes communion.

Another living testimony:

In the city of Lanciano (Italy) to this day there is a true proof that the Eucharist is not just bread and wine. In the Catholic Church of Saint-Legotius in the 8th century, one priest doubted that Communion was a miracle. When he picked up a piece of bread, he saw something similar to muscle tissue. He looked into the Chalice and saw that instead of wine there was blood. The priest screamed in horror. Then he realized that there was no doubt. The Lord proved to him that everything was real. To this day, this miracle is in Lanciano. Many pilgrims come to pray near such a shrine.

What does a Christian need before Communion?

Of course, first of all, the belief that he will be given to taste not just bread and wine, but the body of Christ. Of course, such a meal is a miracle. The Lord gives a piece of himself to a sinful person. Therefore, Communion must be approached not only with fear, but also with faith. You can't just partake like that.

How to treat?

Above we have considered two testimonies of the miracle of God. It is worth noting that not only Jesus Christ is in the altar during the Liturgy, but also the Mother of God, the Archangels, and saints.

No wonder the holy fathers said that angels grieve because they do not receive communion. Because they have no body, no need. They are with God. And the Lord gave man such a great gift - to unite with Himself during Communion. Let it be invisible.

*canon repentant to the Savior;

* canon of the prayer of the Mother of God;

* canon to the Guardian Angel;

*Adherence to Holy Communion.

It is all these prayers, chants, and kontakia that will help you prepare correctly to receive the Holy Gifts in the right way.

Posts and confessions:

Priests say that you need to fast for at least 3 days. If a person is not churched, rarely visits the temple, sins, then he needs to prepare for almost a week. That is why the best option for such people is the Great, Christmas Lent, as well as Petrov and Uspensky. But that is why it is not necessary to choose periods of many days of fasting. After all, more important is reconciliation with God, and not convenience.

What to do before Communion to someone who rarely goes to church?

First of all, Be sure to go to the priest for confession. When the priest receives the penitents, you can find out in the church that is closer to your home or which you want to visit. Be prepared for the fact that the priest after confession may not allow you to take Communion. There could be many reasons for this. Often, in order to be admitted to communion, you need to fast, repent, visit the temple many times. Be sure to ask the priest after confession whether he blesses the approach to the Holy Chalice or not. Often the priests themselves insist that the confessor take communion. You need to take this advice.

What is the post before communion?

If you are a beginner or have not been to the temple for a long time, then be sure to go to the priest for confession. Usually, during this sacrament, many spiritual issues are resolved. The priest will explain to you what to do, what to beware of, when you can take communion.

What is meant by post?

Meat, milk can not be eaten, eggs too. In addition, dishes, products, drinks that contain the above products are not consumed. Remember that fasting should be spiritual in nature. Eat little food. For example, for breakfast - tea with oatmeal cookies or oatmeal porridge on the water, for lunch - soup on vegetable broth, for dinner - vegetable salad and rice / potatoes.

Drinking before communion, as well as during fasting, alcoholic beverages are prohibited. It is also recommended to refuse coffee. After all, the body should be a temple of the soul, a calm "home", sober and vigorous. The food is modest (not fasting), coffee and alcohol cannot in any way set you up for prayers.

Spiritual side:

Let's continue our conversation about fasting. We've dealt with food. As for entertainment, watching movies, you need to postpone all this. Any unimportant things should be replaced with prayers to God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, your Guardian Angel and the saints.

Let's talk about what to read before Communion. Above we mentioned the canons and the following to Holy Communion. In addition to them, it is advised to read the Gospel, the holy fathers. Beware of taking near-church literature or that which belongs to false Christian literature.

No need to fuss while fasting. If possible, postpone things for later. They can wait. After all, earthly life is fleeting, and a fasting person needs to think about eternity.

Why such restrictions?

During the Liturgy, before the removal of the Holy Chalice, the choir sings that we (the parishioners) are leaving all earthly fuss. Not every (especially modern) person understands that sooner or later earthly life will end and everything that he worked so hard for will go into oblivion. After all, he will not be able to take his passport or his favorite job, bank accounts or a computer with valuable information with him into the afterlife. He will appear before God with his conscience, with sins and virtues. The Lord will not ask if you were a CEO, He will ask you to answer for offending a client grandmother. God doesn't care if you had a Lexus. He will ask if you brought the weak, the weak, without taking money from them.

Why restrictions in fasting in relation to entertainment?

The time has come to sit down at the table or stand in front of the icons and think: what have you done wrong in your whole life, for this period.

Is the conscience clear?

It is more important for a Christian to know not about, for example, whether it is possible to brush one's teeth before Communion, but about what sins really are and what repentance is, how not to sin. The Lord is grieved when a person commits a sin even mentally. Just think: you are mentally angry, even your heart is numb. This is also a sin. You need to repent sincerely.

When is communion not allowed?

Do you know that you need to get rid of your sins? If you have repented, you should try to avoid transgressions. In order for the priest to allow Communion, you need to attend the evening service every Saturday, then in the morning at the Liturgy. The same should be done on major church holidays. It is necessary to read morning and evening prayers according to the Prayer Book at home. Of course, it takes 20-30 minutes. If you do not have time, then you can read the Seraphim's rule: three times "Our Father", three times "Theotokos ..." and once "The Creed". But at the same time, during the day, you need to silently pray to God, to the saints. These are the most important rules.

They may not be allowed to receive Communion in such cases, for example:

*murder, abortion; divination, divination, extrasensory perception, spiritualism, astrology;

*other faith, heretical views;

* cohabitation outside of marriage, debauchery, homosexuality, drug addiction and alcoholism, and so on.

The priest needs to tell the whole truth during confession, not to hide any sin. The Lord stands by invisibly, He knows everything, only awaits repentance of the heart. If you hide something, it will be an even greater sin. You need to completely cleanse your soul before Communion.

What do the holy fathers and priests say?

The human soul must be pure, bright, with the hope of correction and change of life for the better. You should not go to the Chalice if you are not sure that you want to live with God.

If the father blessed:

When a priest gives a blessing, one should take it seriously. You should read not only the canon to the Mother of God before Communion, but also the canons to the Savior, the Guardian Angel, as well as the Follow-up. All this is in the Orthodox prayer books.

The reading space is very large. Therefore, the canons can be read 2-3 days before communion, but the Follow-up is read only the night before, after coming from the church from the evening service.

You need to make sure that no one distracts you. If you take communion with your family, friends, pilgrims, then read in turn, pray.

Morning before Communion:

As you know, Orthodox Christians cannot eat anything in the morning before Communion. Even medicines are not allowed.

But can you brush your teeth before Communion?

There is no ban on this. If you are sure that you do not accidentally swallow water or paste, you can brush your teeth.

If the stomach is sick, it is not possible to wait a long time until noon, then it is better to go to the early service. In small towns and villages, the Liturgy is served early, and in megacities - at 7 in the morning or at 9-10 o'clock.

For the sake of union with God, you can endure. It is worth reading prayers to yourself.

The morning before Communion is always exciting. You need to mentally prepare. After reading the morning rule, go to the church at least half an hour before the Liturgy to calmly submit notes, light candles, and approach your favorite saints.

Before Communion itself:

At the service, you should carefully listen to prayers. When the priests prepare the Communion, pray that you will receive the Blood and Body of Christ worthily. At the same time, a pious person should sincerely consider himself unworthy of such a Gift.

Remember the Canon of the Theotokos before Communion: you need to pray that the Mother of God will intercede for us sinners. And what does the canon of Jesus Christ say? We repent to the Lord of our sins. Keep this in mind when you wait for Communion.

The very moment of Communion:

When the Royal Doors open and the priest comes out with the Chalice, you need to bow to the ground. Then stand in line with your arms crossed over your chest. When you approach the Chalice, you need to tell the priest your Orthodox name and open your mouth wide. The sacrament should be swallowed immediately so that the particle does not get stuck in the teeth. Accept warmth and prosphora. Many people ask: “Can I eat before Communion?” Do you know why the answer is no? Because the Lord must enter the body of a Christian first. After all, God is more important to us than food.

WHAT TO SAY IN CONFESSION?

Quite often, those who decide to go to church for this sacrament for the first time think about what they need to say in confession.

It is important to understand that confession is not just a sincere conversation with a priest, but a religious ceremony aimed primarily at repentance.

In confession, it is important to be completely determined to correct your life. The realization that it has become difficult for you to live because of the commission of some sin or even several is the first step towards correction. Only after this understanding is complete should one sign up for confession.

In some situations, not only repentance after committing a sin can be a reason to go to confession. If it is difficult for you to distinguish good from bad, or life seems useless and painful, you can also come to confession, because the church is always open for those who need it.

What sins to talk about in confession:

One of the main mistakes of people who come to confession is to list all their sins in their entire lives. It is extremely important to highlight exactly why you came. Sin is an act against the church, God. This is a kind of violation of morality - one's own, someone else's, public. In Christianity, there are eight deadly sins, the fulfillment of which has serious consequences for a person - anger, sadness, gluttony, fornication, despondency, vanity, pride and avarice. In addition, there are personal sins - these are various actions against conscience and God. As a rule, a person can determine some sins only by himself; they are not spelled out in any sacred book. A sin can be that act that in every possible way burdens your life.

It doesn't matter what you bring to church. In confession, the main thing is complete repentance and an inner understanding of the deed.

What to say to a priest in confession:

Confession in Orthodoxy, as in most other religions, is a conversation with God about your misdeeds, a request for help. The priest serves only as a witness to this conversation, God's helper on earth.

Therefore, in confession, it is important to be extremely frank and not hide anything about what is bothering you. It is especially important to tell what is most bothering you at the moment, not forgetting the small things and details of the offense for which you want to repent.

You can trust a priest with your biggest secrets, because he has no right to tell anyone about your confession. Remember that you do not need to be afraid of condemnation from the church, the very fact that you have come to repentance is already a worthy deed of a believer.

Important to remember that it is not necessary to speak at confession about a sin for which you have already confessed, if it has not been committed again. And, often, confession alone will not be enough. You need to ask God in prayers for forgiveness, come to church as soon as you feel like it, honor traditions and rituals.

The Church advises that confession, like communion, should be regular. Your confessor will be able to tell you about the frequency of confession. Remember that it is the clergyman who will be your main assistant in observing church rites.

As you can see, confession is a very complex sacrament. Not everyone is ready for it. If you decide to confess, then you need to weigh the pros and cons for yourself, and your soul will tell you what to say in confession. Remember that repentance and freeing yourself from the sin you have committed is a long process that will require a lot of strength and patience from you.

INTERNAL CONFESSION.

Diseases and other troubles do not fall on a person just like that. Man is a cosmic being and develops according to the laws of not only the material, but also the spiritual world. If he violates these laws, there is an illness or some tragic circumstances that endanger life.

It is enough to eliminate these violations, and everything in your life will return to normal. This is what inner confession helps to do.

The confession has two parts:

Part one: you must remember all the times when someone greatly offended or insulted you. After all, resentment is a source of continuous flow of negative psychic energy.

Calmly remember your past life from the age of 12 (it is from this age that a person begins to bear karmic responsibility for his actions). The offender (even if this person has died) must be mentally imagined, and then hugged and kissed tightly!

Sometimes resentment reaches such strength that hugging and kissing, even mentally, does not work. In such cases, the "enemy" can be imagined as an unintelligent child of 2-3 years old. But it is necessary to hug and kiss - this is an indispensable condition of the Rescue Mechanism!

Second part: not only do you have enemies, someone, perhaps, considers you their enemy. It is possible that you yourself were a violator of moral truths.

In this case, imagine that you are on the court, and the judge is your own heart. Get on your knees before him and tell all your bad deeds, mistakes, vices from the age of 12. Speak everything you remember - giving an account that you will not do it again.

After all, by repenting, you remove all the negativity that has accumulated over the years. If the inner confession was carried out correctly and sincerely, then recovery and deliverance from troubles will come in a hundred cases out of a hundred, regardless of the severity of the illness or the scale of the misfortune that has fallen on you. It's only a matter of time.

After an inner confession, try not to repeat the same mistakes - otherwise misfortunes will return in double volume.

The Unified Prayer, which any person can do, regardless of their religious beliefs, will help you avoid this. This prayer, as practice shows, is able to reduce the temperature in a matter of minutes, relieve any pain.

Prayer must be done in solitude, with a lit candle, kneeling:

"God! Good God!
May Your Name be hallowed in Heaven and on Earth.
From end to end of the universe!
God! Strengthen your strength in resisting the forces of darkness, so as not only to resist it, but also to cleanse Mother Earth from this garbage.
Teach me to separate good from evil and to remain in peace and firmness of spirit, in order to worthily do Thy Will among people.
Strengthen the strength of my brothers and sisters - both close and unknown to me.
May they see Your true glory and be filled with love in their hearts.
And they will overcome the dark barriers in the movement along the Path to the Light.
And let them stretch out their hands to each other and give the immeasurable warmth of the soul.
God! May Your Will be done! And there will be One People on Earth.
He who loves his Mother - Nature, reunited with You with his love and walking along the Path of True Spiritual Development, relying on Your Last Testament.

IN THE MORNING: “Bless, Lord, on the deeds of the coming day, and may its difficulties be met as it befits those who walk under Your Light.”

IN THE EVENING: "Fill up, Lord, the lost strength for the good, in order to prepare for the meeting of the day of the future."

“I go to bed, I have the Cross seal on me. Guardian Angels! Save my Soul from evening until midnight, and from midnight until morning.

And the prayer "Our Father" three times.

Prayer is the most powerful force in the universe! The Bible says:

"Whatever you ask in prayer WITH FAITH, you will receive." (Matthew 21:22)"ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH LET IT BE TO YOU" (Mat. 9:29).

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

The preparation for the Eucharist is determined for each Orthodox Christian by a priest, depending on the bodily or moral condition, employment, and other life circumstances.

How many days to fast, it is impossible to say for sure. It is important to properly prepare for the sacrament, otherwise the acceptance of the holy gifts will be a great sin.

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

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

Note! Communion is possible only after confession to the priest. Children under seven years of age approach the Holy Chalice without confession.

Approved Products

The following foods are allowed for fasting:

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

On the Internet, you can often find a variety of delicious dishes. In stores, shelves with lean products are specially created.

Before communion, it is necessary to refrain from meat, dairy products, eggs, and sometimes fish. Any products containing the listed ingredients must be excluded. Cakes, cakes and chocolates will have to say no. It is advisable not to feast before communion. It's okay if you allow yourself a little lean cookies, gingerbread, halva or sweets. There are plenty of things to eat on fast days. The main thing is not to get fed up with lean food.

rules

Fasting before confession and communion consists not only in refusing fast food. On such days, you should visit church more often and make prayer rules.

The Orthodox prayer book contains morning and evening prayers performed by Christians daily.

What you need to refrain from:

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

Questions often arise as to how to fast. We must try not to condemn anyone, not to argue with anyone, not to be offended, to do good deeds. Helping the sick, the poor, the thirsty, the weeping, the hungry, the condemned is charity done for the glory of God. It is not necessary to help with money when you can donate clothes, food, books, and sometimes moral support is enough.

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

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

The books “To Help the Penitent,” “The Experience of Building a Confession,” and others will help prepare for confession. A sincere awareness of one's sinfulness and a desire to correct oneself are pleasing to God.

fish consumption

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

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

If in doubt, the priest will help in resolving the issue. It happens that you unknowingly eat a forbidden product. You should not worry about this, but you need to say this in confession.

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

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

Starting from 12 at night and until partaking of the Holy Gifts, it is necessary to refrain from food and drinks. You should come to the liturgy on time, you can submit notes about the health or repose of loved ones. An important rule on how to fast before accepting the Holy Gifts is the preservation of the tongue and unceasing presence in prayer.

Not all believers can observe a weekly fast on the eve of the sacrament. At present, many fast for three days. And it will not be considered a sin. For some, fasting is canceled or reduced, but in this case, the blessing of the priest is required. Those who take communion often can observe a one-day fast before taking communion, but also with a blessing.

The number of fasting days depends on the bodily, physical, mental, emotional state, on other life circumstances: business trips, hard physical work, and more. But you need to try to limit yourself in something.

Baby food

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

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

The value of fasting

Often beginners ask if they should fast before communion. Fasting before communion is obligatory for all in one way or another.

Reading the Holy Scriptures, morning and evening prayers, restriction in entertainment, almsgiving and work - this is what is necessary for a worthy communion. Fasting helps clear your mind and begin to see your own sins that need to be confessed.

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

In no case. We must show love and compassion to our neighbor. The observance of fasting days is necessary for the purification of our conscience. Fasting does not only consist in limiting oneself in food. As the holy fathers say, the main thing is not to "eat" people.

Pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding fast according to the advice of the priest. For such, there may be certain restrictions on food, for example, the rejection of meat. Often there are cases when women can fast completely. It is possible to independently decide how to fast for pregnant women before communion, what restrictions or indulgences to make. But in any case, you need to turn to the spiritual father for advice.

Prohibitions

In what cases it is impossible to receive communion:

• if the fasting days before communion are not properly observed;
• if he was not at the Sacrament of Penance or did not receive a permissive prayer;
• there are unconfessed sins (deliberately hidden);
• women during critical days;
• in a state of alcoholic intoxication;
• in a state of malice;
• enmity with neighbor;
• non-Christians and unbaptized also cannot participate in the sacraments.

Useful video

Summing up

Communion in case you have not fasted is possible only with the blessing of the priest. He can weaken or cancel the fast for pregnant, seriously ill, dying or other believers whose life circumstances prevent fasting.

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

Fasting is a very difficult topic of stumbling block between believers and the modern world. To date, there are three different versions of the appointment of "lean" days. The first and most important point of view belongs to the Church itself, or rather to the priests, who characterize any fast as a test of abstinence, thanks to which you can partially atone for your own sins before the Lord.

The second group of people believe that Great Lent, Ramadan, St. Peter's Fast and other events of this kind are intended solely for the healing of our body, and not for the purification of the soul. And finally, the third group of people do not consider it necessary to fast at all, explaining this by the fact that all fasting severely restricts a person.

Whatever category of people you belong to, we will not convince you and persuade you to someone else's point of view. It’s just that now a lot of people want to follow all the rules of “lenten” days, some for the purification of the soul, others just for healing. But as soon as the Great, Peter's Fast or Ramadan approaches, people do not know how to fast properly, so they postpone this procedure until the next time. How to fast? Is it necessary to fast before communion or confession? We will try to answer these and other questions today. Let's get started.

The meaning of “fasting” days for a person is very ambiguous. According to church ministers, along with spiritual growth, new, hitherto unfamiliar facets and spiritual aspects open up for a person. It is very important that the former meanings of such purification remain unchanged, but they are gradually supplemented by new, higher values.

For the majority of people who have just embarked on this path, that is, they observe for the first time, whether it’s Great, Peter’s Lent, Ramadan, or simply eat “correct” food for the Church on Good Friday and Wednesday, this event is exclusively in the nature of some kind of conciliar solidarity.

People fast together with the Church in order to feel like a part of it, to unite in it together and experience the same sensations that many hermits, saints and Jesus himself experienced, who spent a month before his ministry, or rather forty days, alone with himself in desert place.

And only when a person forgets about the formality of all existing commandments, he begins to really struggle with his passions. It is true faith, and not herd mentality, that "forces" a person to re-understand his preferences and set new priorities.

More than one month will pass when a person begins to notice that Great and Peter's Lent, Ramadan and other "fast" days bring some positive changes to his soul, which subsequently help to strengthen his spirit.

Lenten periods of time are not only liberation from negative thoughts, but also a feeling of lightness that the body acquires during cleansing with lean food. And now fasting is not some kind of test on the path to spiritual life, but a reliable assistant.

What should the lunch menu look like?

To observe “fasting” days or not is the right of every person. By the same principle, the degree of dietary restrictions is observed, which directly depends on the person himself and the advice of his spiritual mentor.

For all Orthodox people, there is, so to speak, a landmark, which is represented by the monastic charter. It contains clear instructions for the whole year, where every month and day is scheduled: what you can eat while observing Ramadan, Great and Peter's Fast, what the menu should look like on Friday and Wednesday (church days). And even more, from the charter you can find out what needs to be done before communion.

But despite the unity of this document, the severity of fasting in all Orthodox churches is different. When in some monasteries Great and Peter's Lent is the use of only bread, noodles and potatoes, while in others they serve real dishes (of course, from lean foods).

All people who have complex chronic diseases can make some indulgences. This also applies to pregnant women, since this way of life can adversely affect the full formation of the unborn baby. Also, Great and Petrov Fast, Ramadan, Lenten Wednesday and Friday are allowed not to be observed by military personnel who are not able to independently organize their own diet.

What should be avoided while fasting?

It is believed that the first four days of fasting and its last week are the most strict (and it does not matter if it is Ramadan or Great Lent). According to the charter, it is also important to follow a certain diet on any Wednesday of the year, and on Good Friday, you should completely refuse any food.

Where it is worth starting a fast is with the knowledge of prohibitions, on which how to fast correctly depends.

So, on Great, Peter's Fast, on Ramadan and other "fast" days (Wednesday, Friday and Monday), it is forbidden to drink alcohol, smoke and make love.

Also, spiritual mentors categorically forbid using bad words in speech, show aggression, slander and commit perjury. It is important to remember that each fast is, first of all, the purification of the soul, and not the body, as is commonly believed. And you should not forget about it, because everyone can survive on fast food for a month, but not everyone can follow spiritual prohibitions.

As for food products that cannot be eaten on Wednesday, Good Friday, Great and Petrov Fast and Ramadan, then it is forbidden fall:

• food of animal origin - meat, fish, dairy products, eggs and others;
• alcoholic drinks, except for red wine (on holidays and Sundays);
• meat and dairy products made from soy and its substitutes;
• coffee, tea and other drinks that have an invigorating effect;
• all kinds of sauces, seasonings, spices that improve the taste of food.

At first glance, it may seem that the list of forbidden foods is not so big, but all these foods make up the lion's share in the diet of each of us.

The Orthodox Church is not a community of highly qualified doctors. A clergyman cannot know everything, especially when it comes to newfangled foods that have just "came" into our diet. For example, most seafood (mussels, shrimp, squid, etc.) are not considered fish products, while it is known for certain that they are all natural aphrodisiacs, due to which sexual desire increases.

Therefore, a person faces a choice that he must overcome himself, based on his own prejudices. You can independently decide whether to use this or that product on “lean” days. Whether to observe a “hungry” Good Friday and stick to a diet on Wednesday is also entirely your decision.

For people who fast for the first time, spiritual mentors do not advise fasting for a whole month. At first, you can limit yourself to only communion, then give up your favorite dishes, meat, and so on. Then you can try to "organize the spiritual environment" by adjusting your own menu. And more than one month will pass before a person can fully observe Ramadan, Great and Peter's Lent in full measure and according to all the rules.

As a rule, a person who truly leads an Orthodox lifestyle is already waiting for this period of time in order to receive God's blessing and cleanse his body and soul.

Basic principles of diet during fasting days

Of course, the food that is allowed by the monastic charter during the observance of any fast is less nutritious and high-calorie compared to ordinary food, which should not be in the diet.

And in order not to harm your own body and to replenish vital energy reserves in a timely manner, it is worth increasing the volume of food consumption. However, this must be done with extreme caution, since one of the most important rules of fasting: “Do not leave the dining table with a feeling of complete satiety and heaviness in the stomach” should not be violated.

And in order to solve the current situation, it is only necessary to increase the number of meals, that is, if you previously ate 3 times a day, now there should be five meals a day. But it certainly shouldn't be done. If you do not need to increase the amount of food (you feel good, there is no feeling of hunger, etc.), then you do not need to do this.

It is very important to organize your diet: meals should be strictly at the appointed time. It is believed that demons are trying to defile the human soul, inciting an imaginary feeling of hunger in it.

It is for this reason that you should eat strictly according to the schedule. And besides, it will help to accustom your body to the regime, which is very important in organizing a proper and healthy lifestyle.

To make it easier to give up the usual quick food, you can conduct some self-training: tell yourself that these foods are very harmful, they not only defile your soul, but also “clog” the body, preventing a full life and.

Many qualified specialists resort to this method when it is necessary to exclude certain foods from the patient's diet for medical reasons.

Consider why vegetarians don't eat animal products. Refusal of such food is based on the fact that animals are abused and even killed. And all this so that a person can just sit down and eat.

If desired, a person can find a lot of reasons to refuse forbidden food during fasting. If you forcibly force yourself to fast for a whole month, then there will be no point in it: the body cannot be cleansed, but there is no question of the soul.

The benefits of fasting and what you can eat during it

Now let's talk about foods that you can add to your menu during any fast, as well as before communion.

The abundance of dishes and products is simply amazing and inspires respect. All kinds of home preservation (pickled vegetables, fruits, berries, pickles and pickles), fresh and frozen vegetables, fruits, berries and mushrooms, jams, jams, all kinds of nuts, legumes, dried fruits, natural spices, greens, lean sweets and confectionery products that can be purchased at any store.

The list of allowed food products can also be supplemented with cereals, pasta and bakery (non-rich) products. During fasting, you can also add granulated sugar to drinks, but on Wednesday, Friday and before communion, it is better to replace it with honey.

So, regardless of the amount of food consumed, your diet will always be balanced and correct. Many nutritionists argue that a sharp rejection of meat and fish products for a month or more can provoke a decrease in the level of vitamins and microelements, therefore, before “fasting” days, it is necessary to choose plant foods that can make up for the deficiency of these substances.

Protein Sources

You can replace the proteins that enter our body with meat and fish by adding beans, peas, sunflower seeds, all kinds of nuts, dried fruits, and, of course, mushrooms, which contain a lot of protein.

By preparing dishes from all of the above products, you can easily replenish the daily protein intake. And besides, plant foods do not contain "bad" cholesterol and fats, which are so abundant in meat.

There are "fast" days that allow the consumption of fish. However, it is allowed to introduce into your diet only low-fat fish, the meat of which is white. On the same days, you can eat seafood. As for seaweed, you can eat it on any day of fasting, as well as before communion.

On top of that, if you eat seaweed for a whole month, you can replenish not only the supply of protein substances, but also saturate the body with vital iodine and other equally important microelements.

Sources of Fat

You can provide a complete replacement for fats with the help of vegetable oils:

• olive;
• sunflower;
• linen;
• peanut;
• rapeseed;
• cedar;
• corn.

These oils can easily replace animal fats during fasting. It is extremely important to introduce unrefined oils into your diet, since they contain all the useful substances, while the usual “odorless oil” will only clog the body.

Sources of carbohydrates

Thanks to a wide range of vegetables, cereals, fruits and noodles, during fasting, the body is saturated with exclusively “slow” carbohydrates, which are not converted into fat cells, but provide our body with all the necessary substances for a full life and.

As for “fast” carbohydrates, which our body also needs, but only in smaller quantities, they can be “obtained” from honey, jam and other lean sweets. The main thing is a sense of proportion.

If you exclude meat from your menu for a whole month, this can lead to iron deficiency in the body, which is very detrimental to health. You can get this substance from nuts, berries, pumpkin, rose hips, celery, bell peppers and herbs (parsley, cilantro and dill).

Thanks to beets, carrots, nuts, apples, honey, spinach, pomegranate and raisins, you can replenish not only iron deficiency, but also other useful substances that our body needs so much.

And in conclusion, I would like to add - do not perceive "lean" days as a rigid diet. They are given to us to strengthen the spirit and body. Take any fast as a panacea that will help you cleanse not only your soul, but also your body from all kinds of bad accumulations.

We sincerely wish you good spirit and health!

Many Orthodox believers ask the priests in person, via the Internet, or ask their relatives: is it possible to brush your teeth before communion? But this is far from the only thing that not only beginners can ask. A lot of questions arise from the church-goers. It is worth noting that there are a huge number of near-church myths and misconceptions. This article summarizes the answers of experienced and pious priests, gives recommendations and useful tips for beginners.

What is Communion?

How does Christ speak in the Gospel about Communion? On the eve of a terrible death on the cross, He gathers His disciples together and prepares a meal. There is bread and wine on the table. Christ says that in memory of Him they will drink wine and eat bread, since these are symbols of His blood and body.

To this day, liturgy is celebrated in churches and Holy Communion is prepared using bread and wine. The priests pray together with the parishioners with the words "Let us pray to the Lord for the offered Honest Gifts."

What is actually meant by the bread and wine in the Holy Chalice? Prayers read before Communion at home are just as necessary for a Christian as church prayers. Why is prayer needed? Because the Lord unites with the very person who calls him to himself.

What is Communion?

There are several testimonies about how Communion is actually prepared and what is hidden from human eyes under it. One day a man entered the temple. were opened in the temple. The priests stood at the altar. Suddenly, a man who came in saw the priest pierce the baby with a spear. He shouted to the whole temple: “Why are you killing a baby?” All the people standing in the temple turned around. No one could understand what kind of baby they were talking about. In fact, the priest had a prosphora in his hands (a small bread made from wheat flour and water).

The Lord invisibly and endlessly sacrifices himself for the sake of people, but not materially, but spiritually. His crucifixion was actually seen almost 2,000 years ago at Golgotha ​​in Jerusalem.

Let's return to the Gospel and to those lines where the Lord is at the Last Supper. He said: "From now on you will drink my blood (wine) and eat my body (bread) in memory of Me." But how this would happen, even the apostles did not know. Moreover, it is not given to us to know. This is a divine secret. We can only take it seriously, and as it is, therefore, the prayers read before Communion are very necessary, first of all for the communicant himself.

Another living testimony

In the city of Lanciano (Italy) to this day there is a true proof that the Eucharist is not just bread and wine. In the Catholic Church of Saint-Legotius in the 8th century, one priest doubted that Communion was a miracle. When he picked up a piece of bread, he saw something similar to muscle tissue. He looked into the Chalice and saw that instead of wine there was blood. The priest screamed in horror. Then he realized that there was no doubt. The Lord proved to him that everything was real. To this day, this miracle is in Lanciano. Many pilgrims come to pray near such a shrine.

What does a Christian need before Communion? Of course, first of all, the belief that he will be given to taste not just bread and wine, but the body of Christ. Of course, such a meal is a miracle. The Lord gives a piece of himself to a sinful person. Therefore, Communion must be approached not only with fear, but also with faith. You can't just partake like that.

How to treat?

Above we have considered two testimonies of the miracle of God. It is worth noting that not only Jesus Christ is in the altar during the Liturgy, but also the Mother of God, the Archangels, and saints.

No wonder the holy fathers said that angels grieve because they do not receive communion. Because they have no body, no need. They are with God. And the Lord gave man such a great gift - to unite with Himself during Communion. Let it be invisible.

• canon repentant to the Savior;
• prayer canon of the Mother of God;
• canon to the Guardian Angel;
• adherence to Holy Communion.

It is all these prayers, chants, and kontakia that will help you prepare correctly to receive the Holy Gifts in the right way.

Posts and confession

Priests say that you need to fast for at least 3 days. If a person is unchurched, rarely visits the temple, sins, then he needs to prepare for almost a week. That is why the best option for such people is Veliky, as well as Petrov and Uspensky. But that is why it is not necessary to choose periods of many days of fasting. After all, more important is reconciliation with God, and not convenience.

What to do before Communion to someone who rarely goes to church? First, be sure to go to the priest for confession. When the priest receives the penitents, you can find out in the church that is closer to your home or which you want to visit. Be prepared for the fact that the priest after confession may not allow you to take Communion. There could be many reasons for this. Often, in order to be admitted to communion, you need to fast, repent, visit the temple many times. Be sure to ask the priest after confession whether he blesses the approach to the Holy Chalice or not. Often the priests themselves insist that the confessor take communion. You need to take this advice.

What is the post before communion?

If you are a beginner or have not been to the temple for a long time, then be sure to go to the priest for confession. Usually, during this sacrament, many spiritual issues are resolved. The priest will explain to you what to do, what to beware of, when you can take communion.

What is meant by post? Meat, milk can not be eaten, eggs too. In addition, dishes, products, drinks that contain the above products are not consumed. Remember that fasting should be spiritual in nature. Eat little food. For example, for breakfast - tea with oatmeal cookies or oatmeal porridge on the water, for lunch - soup on vegetable broth, for dinner - vegetable salad and rice / potatoes.

Drinking before communion, as well as during fasting, alcoholic beverages are prohibited. It is also recommended to refuse coffee. After all, the body should be a temple of the soul, a calm "home", sober and vigorous. (not Lenten), coffee and alcohol cannot in any way set you up for prayers.

spiritual side

Let's continue our conversation about fasting. We've dealt with food. As for entertainment, watching movies, you need to postpone all this. Any unimportant things should be replaced with prayers to God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, your Guardian Angel and the saints.

Let's talk about what to read before Communion. Above we mentioned the canons and the following to Holy Communion. In addition to them, it is advised to read the Gospel, the holy fathers. Beware of taking near-church literature or that which belongs to false Christian literature.

No need to fuss while fasting. If possible, postpone things for later. They can wait. After all, earthly life is fleeting, and a fasting person needs to think about eternity.

Why such restrictions?

During the Liturgy, before the removal of the Holy Chalice, the choir sings that we (the parishioners) are leaving all earthly fuss. Not every (especially modern) person understands that sooner or later earthly life will end and everything that he worked so hard for will go into oblivion. After all, he will not be able to take his passport or his favorite job, bank accounts or a computer with valuable information with him into the afterlife. He will appear before God with his conscience, with sins and virtues. The Lord will not ask if you were a CEO, He will ask you to answer for offending a client grandmother. God doesn't care if you had a Lexus. He will ask if you brought the weak, the weak, without taking money from them.

Why restrictions in fasting in relation to entertainment? The time has come to sit down at the table or stand in front of the icons and think: what have you done wrong in your whole life, for this period. Is the conscience clear? It is more important for a Christian to know not about, for example, whether it is possible to brush one's teeth before Communion, but about what sins really are and what repentance is, how not to sin. The Lord is grieved when a person commits a sin even mentally. Just think: you are mentally angry, even your heart is numb. This is also a sin. You need to repent sincerely.

When is communion not allowed?

Do you know that you need to get rid of your sins? If you have repented, you should try to avoid transgressions. In order for the priest to allow Communion, you need to attend the evening service every Saturday, then in the morning at the Liturgy. The same should be done on major church holidays. It is necessary to read the morning prayers and according to the Prayer Book at home. Of course, it takes 20-30 minutes. If you do not have time, then you can read the Seraphim's rule: three times "Our Father", three times "Theotokos ..." and once "The Creed". But at the same time, during the day, you need to silently pray to God, to the saints. These are the most important rules.

They may not be allowed to receive Communion in such cases, for example:

• murder, abortion;
• divination, divination, extrasensory perception, spiritualism, astrology;
• other faith, heretical views;
• cohabitation outside of marriage, debauchery, homosexuality, drug addiction and alcoholism, and so on.

The priest needs to tell the whole truth during confession, not to hide any sin. The Lord stands by invisibly, He knows everything, only awaits repentance of the heart. If you hide something, it will be an even greater sin. You need to completely cleanse your soul before Communion. What do the holy fathers and priests say? The human soul must be pure, bright, with the hope of correction and change of life for the better. You should not go to the Chalice if you are not sure that you want to live with God.

If the father blessed

When a priest gives a blessing, one should take it seriously. You should read not only the canon to the Mother of God before Communion, but also the canons to the Savior, the Guardian Angel, as well as the Follow-up. All this is in the Orthodox prayer books.

The reading space is very large. Therefore, the canons can be read 2-3 days before communion, but the Follow-up is read only the night before, after coming from the church from the evening service.

You need to make sure that no one distracts you. If you take communion with your family, friends, pilgrims, then read in turn, pray.

Morning before Communion

As you know, Orthodox Christians cannot eat anything in the morning before Communion. Even medicines are not allowed. But can you brush your teeth before Communion? There is no ban on this. If you are sure that you do not accidentally swallow water or paste, you can brush your teeth.

If the stomach is sick, it is not possible to wait a long time until noon, then it is better to go to the early service. In small towns and villages, the Liturgy is served early, and in megacities - at 7 in the morning or at 9-10 o'clock.

For the sake of union with God, you can endure. It is worth reading prayers to yourself.

The morning before Communion is always exciting. You need to mentally prepare. After reading the morning rule, go to the church at least half an hour before the Liturgy to calmly submit notes, light candles, and approach your favorite saints.

Before the Communion

At the service, you should carefully listen to prayers. When the priests prepare the Communion, pray that you will receive the Blood and Body of Christ worthily. At the same time, a pious person should sincerely consider himself unworthy of such a Gift.

Remember the Canon of the Theotokos before Communion: you need to pray that the Mother of God will intercede for us sinners. And what does the canon of Jesus Christ say? We repent to the Lord of our sins. Keep this in mind when you wait for Communion.

The Moment of Communion

When the Royal Doors open and the priest comes out with the Chalice, you need to bow to the ground. Then stand in line with your arms crossed over your chest. When you approach the Chalice, you need to tell the priest your Orthodox name and open your mouth wide. The sacrament should be swallowed immediately so that the particle does not get stuck in the teeth. Accept warmth and prosphora.

Many people ask: “Can I eat before Communion?” Do you know why the answer is no? Because the Lord must enter the body of a Christian first. After all, God is more important to us than food.

So we talked about whether it is possible to brush your teeth before Communion, how to prepare, what to read, gave examples of testimonies of true faith. We must remember that God needs our prayers and repentance, and not earthly vanity.