Communion is the grace-filled communion of the soul with eternal life. Holy Communion

Holy Communion -
Central Sacrament of the Church of Christ

The Sacrament of Communion was instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ at the farewell Last Supper. The evangelists speak of this: And while they were eating, Jesus took bread, and having blessed it, broke it, and giving it to the disciples, said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them, and said, Drink all of you out of it, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. I tell you that from now on I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink new wine with you in the kingdom of my Father. (Matthew 26-20:29; Mark 14:17-25; Luke 22:14-20; John 13:1-13).

The first partakers of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ were His disciples. After His Resurrection, appearing to two unrecognized disciples on the way to Emmaus, in their roadside shelter when he was reclining with them, he took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him. But He became invisible to them.(Luke 24:30-31)
Long before this, the Savior of the world foretold this Sacrament after feeding five thousand people with five loaves. The Son of God delivered a sermon on the Bread of Life: I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness and died; but the bread that comes down from heaven is such that whoever eats it will not die.(John 6:48-50) Whoever eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.(John 6:54)
Pointing to the manna as a prototype of the future Eucharist, the Savior immediately points out that the manna had a temporary, transitory meaning, and the Eucharist is the resurrection and Eternal Life. The Capernaum Conversation also reveals the ecclesiastical meaning of the Eucharist as the sacraments of church unity: He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him(John 6:56). A Christian who worthily partakes of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ becomes a member of His Body - the Church. There is no Eucharist without the Church, and the Church cannot exist without the Eucharist. Therefore, to be a member of the Church means to constantly partake of the Body and Blood of the Son of God.
According to the Lord's command: do this in my remembrance e The Church continued to celebrate the sacrament of the Eucharist and passed it on to subsequent generations of Christians as a remembrance of the Lord, His Incarnation and earthly life, as a sacramental communion with the Last Supper, suffering, death, Resurrection and His Ascension to Heaven.
The prototype of the Apostolic Eucharist was the Lord's Supper, which, in turn, has the structure of the Old Testament family Easter meal that formed it: A bowl of blessing and ... breaking bread I (1 Corinthians 10:16).
He who partakes of the Body and Blood of Christ receives the grace of the Holy Spirit, which assists him in spiritual life, just as food and drink contribute to bodily life, and strengthens him in life in Christ. Holy Communion ignites the love of Christ in us, elevates the heart to God, gives birth to virtues, bestows strength against temptations, enlivens the soul and body, heals them, gives them strength, restores in us that purity of soul, which was with the primordial Man in Paradise before the fall.
The Savior Himself teaches about the fruits of the Sacrament of Communion, therefore, in order to receive them, it is necessary for everyone who believes in Him, who has received the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, to approach this Sacrament as often as possible, following the example of the ancient Christians who took communion at every liturgy. This necessity of communion was expressed by Christ Himself in the words “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you will not have life in you. and,” (John 6:53) – then, establishing the Sacrament of the Eucharist, He clearly said about the cup: “get away from her e,” therefore definitely put it as a necessary obligation for everyone.
Let's finish our reflections on the meaning of Holy Communion with a story about a vision of an old ascetic. He saw a fiery sea: the waves heaved and seethed, presenting a terrible sight. On the opposite bank stood a beautiful garden. From there came the singing of birds, the fragrance of flowers wafted. The ascetic hears a voice: "Cross this sea e". But there was no way to go. For a long time he stood thinking about how to cross, and again he hears a voice: “Take the two wings that the Divine Eucharist gave: one wing is the Divine Flesh of Christ, the second wing is His Life-Giving Blood. Without them, no matter how great the feat, it is impossible to reach the Kingdom of Heaven. I".
Saint Innocent (Veniaminov) writes about Holy Communion thus: The Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ is food on the way to the kingdom of heaven e. But is it possible to go on a long and difficult journey without food? The body and blood of Jesus Christ is visible shrine I, betrayed to us and left to us by Jesus Christ Himself for our sanctification. But who would not want to be a participant in such a Holy Place and be sanctified? So, do not be lazy to start cup of life, immortality, love and shrines And; but approach with the fear of God and faith. And whoever does not want and cares about it, he does not love Jesus Christ, and he will not receive the Holy Spirit and, therefore, he will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Sacraments of Confession and Communion are not related to each other in such a way that Confession is a condition for participation in Communion. When we regularly take communion, we need to confess only when we feel a special need for it or when we enter into Great Lent- total time of repentance and verification life path. Everyone should strive to ensure that non-participation in Communion would be the exception for him, not the rule. For the sake of feeling unworthy, no one should not heed the call of the Lord, or consider that by communing less often, he can better prepare for Communion and be more worthy. The feeling of unworthiness is the only right attitude that allows us to accept the highest mercy of God, offered to us as a completely free gift from our Savior.

The sacrament of Holy Communion strengthens our love for God

In order to kindle in ourselves a great love for God, let us pay attention to the love that God shows us in the Mystery of the Body and Blood of Christ. The Great God and Almighty created us in His image and likeness, and when we, having sinned and offended Him, fell from our rank, He sent His Only Begotten Son to earth to seek each of us. He accepted a painful death on the cross in order to redeem and snatch us from the hands of the devil, to whom we have enslaved ourselves to sin, and raised us into his heavenly rank. But besides, he deigned to establish the Sacrament of the Body and Blood as food for us for the most essential merging with our nature of all the power of God's Dispensation. Such a memory of God's much love for us must be kept constantly in order to nourish and inflame our love for God more.
1) If you think about when God began to love you, you will see that this has no beginning. Since as much as He Himself is eternal according to His Divine nature, so much is His love for you, according to which He, before all ages, decided in His advice to give you His Son.
2) Think also that all mutual affections of people among themselves, no matter how great they are, have their measure and their limit. One love of God for us has no limit. Therefore, when it was necessary to satisfy her in a special way, He betrayed His Son, who was equal to Him in majesty and nature. So, His love is such, what is the gift, and, conversely, such is His gift, what is love. Both are so great that no human mind can imagine a greater measure.
3) Think again that God loved us not out of any necessity, but out of His only natural goodness, loved us regardless of anything, Himself from Himself, how immeasurably, just as incomprehensibly.
4) That on our part, in response to God's love, no meritorious deed worthy of retribution can be presupposed, so that the infinite God would reward our all-round poor for this. Because He not only loved us, but also gave Himself to us, His most unworthy creatures.
5) That this love, if you look at its purity, is not mixed, like most human love, with the expectation of some good from us ahead. For God has no need of any good from outside. Therefore, if he deigned to pour out unspeakable goodness and love on us, then he poured it out not for the good of Himself from us, but for our own good.
From such thoughts one cannot help but be filled with amazement and joy, seeing oneself so highly valued by God and so dear to Him. Understanding that He, with immeasurable love, does not seek or desire anything else, but to draw our love to Himself and to deify us by Himself, tearing us away from any addiction. Any beneficence of God's love can be reflected in such an impact on the soul, but it is more natural for this to be with a reasonable view of the Mystery of the Divine Eucharist.
Preparing to receive Holy Communion with humility and warmth of heart, imagine who is the One whom you have to receive into yourself, and who you are, having to receive Him.
He is the Son of God, clothed in incomprehensible majesty, before Whom the heavens and all angels tremble, - there is the Holy of Holies, the brightest of the sun, unthinkable purity, in comparison with which every purity of creation is unclean, Who, out of love for you, having taken the form of a slave, wanted to be despised, mocked and crucified by the wickedness of the lawless world, being at the same time God, in whose right hand is life and death of the whole world. Who are you? You are nothing, in your corruption, cunning and malice, who, instead of giving thanks to the generous God for such good deeds, carried away by your fantasies and lusts, despised such a great Benefactor and Master and trampled down His priceless blood shed for you, and He, with all that , out of His unceasing and unchanging love for you, calls you to His Divine Meal, and sometimes compels you to approach it with terrible threats, reminding you to all of His spoken word: unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you will not have life in you. and (John 6:53) - and just as He does not close the door of His mercy before you, so He does not turn away His face from you, although you, due to your sins, are both leprous and weak, and blind, and poor, and enslaved by everyone passions and desires.
Here is what He requires of you:
1) so that you would be sick in your heart about insulting Him;
2) so that you most of all hate sin - everyone: both big and small;
3) so that you completely surrender yourself to Him and with all the disposition and love of your heart and have one care - always and in everything, in every deed to be in His will and in complete obedience to Him alone;
4) so ​​that you have strong faith in Him and firmly hope that He will have mercy on you, cleanse you from all your sins and protect you from all your enemies, visible and invisible.
Fortified by such inexpressible love of God for you, come to Holy Communion with the fear of the saints, saying: “I am not worthy, my Lord, to receive You, since I have not yet surrendered myself with all sincerity to love for You, into Your will and into obedience to You. Oh My God, all-powerful and immeasurably good! but according to Your all-generous loving-kindness, make me worthy to accept You, who come to You in faith.
After you have been vouchsafed Holy Communion, utter in the inmost secrets of your heart to God such or a similar conversation: “Most High King of heaven and earth! and I commit myself to Thee, that I may be wholly in Thee. I know, Lord, that this cannot be, if there is not complete self-denial in me, if any trace of self-love remains in me, if sympathy and disposition towards to any will of my own, or to my thoughts, or to my self-pleasing habits, which is why I want and try to fight in myself from now on in everything that is displeasing to You, and to force myself to do everything that is pleasing to You. I myself am not strong enough to succeed in this, but how from now on You are with me, I boldly hope that You Yourself will do everything worthy in me. And may my heart be one with Your heart. action Om of Your power in me. Yes, from now on You will be the only light, strength and joy for me; and I hope that this will be Your saving influence for me.
Then take care to more and more overflow with faith in the power of this Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist and do not cease to be amazed at this wondrous Sacrament, think how God, under the form of bread and wine, reveals Himself to you and essentially appears in you to make you the most holy, reverend and blessed. For blessed are those who do not see, but believe, according to the word of the Savior: blessed are those who have not seen and believed e (John 20, 29). And do not wish that in this life God revealed Himself to you under any other form than this Sacrament. Try to kindle in yourself a warm desire for this Sacrament and daily succeed in your zealous readiness to do the will of God alone and in spiritual wisdom to make it the queen and ruler of all your affairs, both spiritual, and spiritual, and bodily. Every time you take communion, partaking of this Bloodless Sacrifice, and offer yourself as a sacrifice to God, that is, express your full readiness, out of love for the Lord, who sacrificed for us, to endure any misfortune, any sorrow and any slander that may meet in the course of your life.
Those who partake with faith, love and readiness until the end of their lives to be faithful to the commandments of God and to every will manifestly manifested by Him, take upon themselves the duty to no longer live for themselves, nor for the world and sin, but for the Lord God, who died and died for them, accepted by them in Holy Communion. resurrected.
Finally, having received in Holy Communion the Lord, who was slain for you, and being a partner in the strength of this sacrifice, in her name, offer up to the Heavenly Father, after thanksgiving and doxology, prayer and supplication for your needs, spiritual, spiritual and bodily, then for the Holy Church of God about your household, about benefactors and about souls who have died in the faith.
And our prayer, being combined with the sacrifice by which the Son of God proceeded to us from God the Father for all mercy, will be heard, and will not be left without fruit.

Adapted from the book "Invisible Warfare."
http://www.wco.ru/biblio/books/bran1/Main.htm

About preparing for Holy Communion

What is your duty, partaker of the divine Mysteries? you should think of the things above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God a (Col. 3:1-2), and not to philosophize about earthly things, for for this sake, Christ down to earth, but raise us to heaven t (Akath. Iis. Sweet. Cond. 8). There are many mansions in my Father's house. And if it were not so, I would say to you: I am going to prepare a place for you.(John 14:2). Our life in heaven eats b (Phil. 3:20). Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.. (Matthew 5:3:20). Let the children come to Me and do not forbid them, for of such is the Kingdom of God.(Luke 18:16). Do you see what is the last purpose for which Christ came down to earth, for which He teaches us His divine Mysteries - Body and Blood? This goal is to give us the Kingdom of Heaven. Strive for it.
Some put all their well-being and service before God in reading all the prescribed prayers, not paying attention to the readiness of the heart for God, to their inner correction; for example, many read the rule for communion in this way. Meanwhile, here, first of all, we must look at the correction and readiness of the heart to receive St. Secrets; if the heart has become right in your womb, by the grace of God, if it is ready to meet the Bridegroom, then glory to God, although you did not have time to subtract all the prayers. The kingdom of God is not in word, but in strength e (1 Cor. 4:20). Good obedience in everything to the mother of the Church, but with prudence, and if possible, kt about can accommodate b - a long prayer - yes it will accommodate. But not all contain the word si e (Matthew 19:11); if a long prayer is incompatible with the ardor of the spirit, it is better to make a short but fervent prayer. Remember that one word of the publican, spoken from a warm heart, justified him. God does not look at a lot of words, but at the disposition of the heart. The main thing is the living faith of the heart and the warmth of repentance for sins.
In order to unquestionably partake of the life-giving Mysteries with faith and overcome all the intrigues of the enemy, all slanders, imagine that what you receive from the cup is the one Eternally Existing One. When you have such an arrangement of thoughts and heart, then from the acceptance of St. Mysteries you will calm down, rejoice and revive, you will know in your heart that the Lord truly and essentially abides in you, and you are in the Lord.
Saint John of Kronstadt “THE THOUGHTS OF A CHRISTIAN BUT ABOUT REPENTANCE AND COMMUNICATION.”

Communion of the Holy Mysteries at every Liturgy makes us healthy, peaceful, renewed.
Take, eat... Drink from her all and (Matt. 26, 26-27)... Does everyone eat and drink the Flesh and Blood of the Lord according to His commandment? We have in the Orthodox world in other places in the church ... - there are no communicants; in the universities there are no communicants, not to mention other Christian denominations... Numerous innumerable intellectuals do not take communion at all, many people are very rare, many only take communion once a year. And the Lord calls daily: take, eat... drink all... and no eating and drinking!
The inexpressible greatness and ineffable gift is the communion of the most pure Body and Blood of the Son of God! What is the depth of the fall and corruption of the sinful, the extraordinary means of restoring the fallen, the renewal of the corrupt, the cleansing of the greatest filth of sin, which can be cleansed by nothing but the inestimable and pure and all-cleansing Blood of the Most Holy of all the saints of the Son of God. We must meditate on this mystery of salvation day and night, give thanks and praise unceasingly for it, and try to live up to it with all our strength, desires, and the fulfillment of all the saving commandments of God. Horrified about this, heaven and earth were surprised at the ends, as if God had appeared as a carnal man. Oh what love! What condescension! What truth, wisdom, what sanctification, deification, elevation of our nature above all heaven!

Saint John of Kronstadt th “LIVE EAR.”

Communion should be the core around which our whole life is built. We are called to make our whole life the Eucharist. Before Communion, we read prayers for Holy Communion. These prayers give a person the opportunity to tune in to the appropriate mood, make him understand what, in fact, is the meaning of Communion. And the reading of these prayers should never turn into a formality, a routine.
There are circumstances when we do not have enough time for preparatory prayer, and the most we can do is gather our strength and come to the Liturgy. In such cases, one should not think that without reading the prayers, we are automatically deprived of the right to Communion. We can read one prayer for Holy Communion, but if we read it with attention, with complete penetration into every word of it, this is already a lot.
In addition, we must not forget that the Liturgy itself is a prayerful preparation for Communion. Coming to the Liturgy, we are immersed in that element, which, like the waves of the sea, bringing the boat to the harbor, after one and a half to two hours, brings us to the Holy Chalice. And if we carefully listen to the words that are sung and read during the service, then our experience of the Divine Liturgy becomes a preparation for Communion.
The Divine Liturgy is the icon of all human life. If we perceive the Liturgy as a guide to action, and those words that are read, sung and pronounced at the Liturgy as a model according to which we must build our life, then in time we will come to the conclusion that our whole life will become a Liturgy, that is everything we do will be dedicated to God. And not only at the moment of Communion, not only while in the church or standing at prayer at home, but also in other circumstances - at work, in the family and even on vacation, we will not tear ourselves away from God, but will live in constant feeling His presence, dedicating to God everything we do. It is precisely for this that we partake, and it is precisely this that should be the goal that we set before ourselves - that our whole life be transformed in the image of Christ, God become Man - and that it become one unceasing Liturgy...

Ep. Illarion (Alfeev)“YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.”

On the Saving Significance of Communion of the Holy Mysteries
and how often to take communion.

The purpose of communion of the Holy Mysteries St. John Chrysostom sets out in his anaphora with the words: “As if to be partaking of the sobriety of the soul, for the remission of sins, for the communion of Your Holy Spirit, for the fulfillment of the Kingdom of Heaven, for the boldness of the hedgehog to You, not in judgment or in condemnation e”; and St. Basil Great words: “But unite all of us, from the one bread and the cup of those who partake, unite to each other, in one Holy Spirit communion: and not a single one of us in judgment or condemnation, do to partake of the holy Body and Blood of Thy Christ: but let us find mercy and grace with all the saints from pleasing to you, forefathers, fathers, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, preachers, evangelizers, martyrs, confessors, teachers, and with every righteous spirit who died in faith I".
The saving significance of the Communion of the Holy Mysteries made it obligatory for all participants in the Eucharist. St. Justin Martyr in the description of the Eucharist says: “The so-called deacons among us give each of those present to partake of bread, over which thanksgiving is made, and wine with water, and they are attributed to those who were not present.” Moreover, under the conditions of persecution, many Christians received communion daily with the Holy Gifts brought from the Eucharistic assembly. Tertullian speaks of this. St. Basil the Great wrote about this: “It is good and beneficial to commune and receive the holy Body and Blood of Christ every day, because Christ Himself clearly says: eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life yu... However, we commune four times every week: on the day of the Lord, on Wednesday, on Friday and on Saturday, as well as on other days, if there is a memory of a saint.”
Along with this, in the same 4th century, there were deviations from communion, against which the Church took legislative and pastoral measures. Of the legislative ones, the 9th Apostolic canon is known, which reads: “All the faithful who enter the church and listen to the Scriptures, but do not remain in prayer and holy communion to the end, like outrage in the church, should be excommunicated from church communion”, and canon 2- e Council of Antioch (341): “All who enter the church and hear Holy Scriptures, but, due to a certain deviation from the order, those who do not participate in prayer with the people or turn away from the communion of the Holy Eucharist, let them be excommunicated from the Church.
Many of those who evade St. The sacraments explained this by their personal unworthiness. St. John Chrysostom said on this occasion: “Coming to communion in a year, do you really think that forty days is enough for you to cleanse your sins for the whole time? And then, after a week, you again indulge in the former? .. And you think to propitiate God? .. Are you kidding, man! I say this not to forbid you to approach once a year, but rather desiring that you unceasingly approach the Holy Mysteries.”
Something similar is conveyed by St. John Cassian the Roman: “Although we know that we are not without sin, however, we must not deviate from Holy Communion ... And whoever is purer in spirit, the more he sees himself unclean, he finds more reasons for humility than for exaltation .. We must not refrain from communion with the Lord because we recognize ourselves as sinners, but even more and more with thirst we must hasten to Him for the healing of the soul and purification of the spirit, however, with such humility of spirit and faith that, considering ourselves unworthy receiving such grace, we desired more healing for our wounds. Otherwise, even once a year, one cannot worthily receive communion, as some do, who, while living in monasteries, evaluate the dignity, sanctification, and beneficence of the heavenly sacraments in such a way that they think that only saints, immaculate ones should receive them. And it would be better to think that these sacraments, through the communication of grace, make us pure and holy.”
St. John Cassian gives an interesting answer from Abba Serena to the question: “Why evil spirits excommunicate from the Lord's communion? “If we have such an opinion, faith, that everything is produced by the Lord and everything is done for the benefit of souls, then not only will we not despise them at all, but we will also pray unceasingly for them as for our members, and we will begin to sympathize with them with all our hearts.” , with full location. For when one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. We must know that without them, as our members, we cannot fully improve ... And, remember, our elders did not forbid Holy Communion to them, on the contrary, they thought that, if it were possible, it was even necessary to teach it to them daily. .. Being accepted by a person, it, like a burning flame, drives away the spirit that sits or hides in its members ... For the enemy will more and more attack the one possessed by him when he sees that he is separated from heavenly medicine, and the more evil and more often he will torment, the longer he will evade spiritual healing.
We find interesting judgments about the salvific significance of communion specifically for sinners in St. Barsanuphius and John in Answers to the Questions of the Disciples. “Do not forbid yourself to approach, condemning yourself as a sinner, but acknowledge that a sinner who approaches the Savior is rewarded with remission of sins. And in Scripture we see those approaching Him with faith and hearing that Divine voice: Your many sins are forgiven you f. If he who approached Him were worthy, he would have no sins; but since he was a sinner and a debtor, he received the forgiveness of sins. Listen to the Lord Himself who says: I came to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance yu - and more: e. Therefore, confess yourself sinful and sick, and draw near to him who is able to save the lost.”
“When sinners approach the Holy Mysteries as wounded and asking for mercy, such people are healed and made worthy of His Sacraments by the Lord Himself, who said: I came to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance yu - and more: Those who are not healthy need a doctor, but they are sick e ... And no one should recognize himself as worthy of communion, but say: I am unworthy, but I believe that I am consecrated communion m, and this is fulfilled over him according to his faith by our Lord Jesus Christ ”.

From an article by N.D. Uspensky: "PATRISTIC DOCTRINE ON THE EUCHARIST.»

Taken from the electronic library: http://www.wco.ru/biblio/

Churches in the sacrament of the Eucharist, bread and wine are transubstantiated into the true Body and Blood of Christ. Calvinists do not fully recognize transubstantiation, but only allow the “co-presence” of the real Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist with bread and wine; according to their teaching, however, those who partake of the bread and wine of the Eucharist partake in it of the real Body and Blood of Christ, while the bread and wine themselves serve only as symbols of the Body and Blood, which, according to the teaching of Zwingli, they partake only spiritually, mentally, with the eyes of faith.

Christian denominations that arose in the later reformation period of the church (Anabaptists, Baptists, Methodists, Adventists, Pentecostals, etc.) do not recognize the direct transubstantiation of bread and wine into the literal Flesh and Blood of Christ, but teach to perceive only symbols in wine and bread during communion and images of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, and, eating them, by faith mentally experience the Calvary sufferings of Jesus Christ.

In Catholicism, transubstantiation occurs at the moment of pronouncing the words of Jesus Christ, which established the Eucharist (Matt. 26:26), which are interpreted as sacramental, and not at the epiclesis, which, however, is actually pronounced in the Latin rite, but in a different form.

The sacrament of the Eucharist can only be performed by bishops, or by ordinary priests on their behalf. The sacrament must be performed in the temple, only in case of any special circumstances is it allowed to be performed outside the temple. According to the 7th canon of the VII Ecumenical Council, particles of the relics of the holy martyrs should be placed on the thrones on which the Eucharist is celebrated. In the local tradition of the Russian Orthodox Church, since 1655, relics have also been sewn into antimensions, which makes it possible to serve the Liturgy outside the church. IN catholic church after the Second Vatican Council, the position of the relics on the altar stone is optional.

According to the teachings of St. fathers, the Eucharist is "mystery of mysteries", daily real connection to the incarnation of the Logos ; at the same time, communion is a real, concrete deification of a person, a real communion with the Divine, which, as Simeon of Thessalonica wrote (XV century), is the goal of the Liturgy and "the pinnacle of all blessings and desires".

In his treatise On the Mysterious Body of the Lord Jesus Christ, St. Gennady Scholary writes:

In Orthodoxy, it is believed that Christians should take communion as often as possible, from the 8th day of their life (the day of baptism, which, in case of a threat to the life of a baby, may already be at least on the first day), and until the very last day (the day of bodily death) .

Another important difference exists in the choice of the substance of the sacrament: leavened bread is used for the Eucharist - prosphora, while in Catholicism it is unleavened, hostia.

Another substance of the sacrament, wine, in the Orthodox Church is necessarily diluted hot water, thereby symbolizing the life-giving and deification of the dead Body of Christ at the moment of His death. St. Simeon of Thessalonica wrote about this:

In Lutheranism

Notes

Links

• On the Sacrament of the Eucharist in the Catechism of the Catholic Church

• Prot. M. Kozlov Understanding the Sacrament of the Eucharist in Catholicism. The opinion of an Orthodox priest. Audio lectures in size mp3.
• A meeting of hospital priests was held at the Commission for Church Social Activities.
• J. J. Fraser. Golden branch. Chapter 50. Communion with the Body of God (Ethnographic Parallels of the Eucharist)

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010 .

See what "Holy Communion" is in other dictionaries:

Holy Communion- Holy Communion (Church) ... Russian spelling dictionary

Holy Communion- ♦ (ENG Holy communion) see Lord's Supper… Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms

Wiktionary has an entry for "participle" Participle is an ambiguous term. Communion (tracing paper from Latin participium) in grammar, part of speech or a special form of the verb Communion (Holy Mysteries, Eucharist, Holy ... Wikipedia

Church life is full different rules and rites. But there is one most important - this is the Sacrament of Communion. However, it is necessary to know exactly how to take communion in church. Otherwise, you can violate the strict church orders. It is believed that this offends God, one should not allow such a sin. Therefore, this issue should be taken seriously.

What is Communion

Before you take communion in church, you need to devote several days to preparation. This is the most important Sacrament of the seven that are in Orthodoxy. Catholics have similar sacraments. Protestant churches have different views on this issue.

During the Last Supper, Christ for the first time communed his disciples, we will offer them bread and wine. Until the moment death on the cross People sacrificed the Savior as animals as a prototype of the future trials of the Son of God. After He was resurrected, there was no need for other offerings. Therefore, now prayers are read over bread and wine. They also take Communion.

Why does the church demand that parishioners take communion and confess? How to do it right? It is a symbol of the unity of God with man. Christ Himself commanded people to do this. The sacrament turns bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus. By accepting them, the believer receives the Lord into himself. He maintains his spiritual strength at the proper level.

Communion gives a great "charge" of spirituality. It is especially important that this Sacrament be performed over the sick and dying. The living must come to it regularly. At least once a fast, preferably on every big holiday.

How to Prepare for Communion

Everyone is not allowed to the sacrament in the Orthodox Church. A number of conditions must be met:

• be an Orthodox Christian;

• maintain a strict fast (at least 3 days);

• read all the necessary prayers;

• go to confession after the All-Night Vigil;

• come to Liturgy in the morning.

Only if all these conditions are fulfilled, the parishioner will be able to properly take communion in the Church. In some churches, confession is not received the night before, but in the morning during the service. But then it turns out that during the Divine service people are distracted by standing in lines. Still, it is better to confess when there is no need to rush and there is no pandemonium around.

Without confession, the following are allowed to the Sacrament:

• infants (children under 6 years old) - however, it is undesirable to feed them before the service;

• those who received Baptism the day before - but they also need to fast and also read prayers.

Fasting must be strict - it is required to give up all animal food (meat, fish, all dairy, eggs). Will help you orient yourself church calendar. It indicates which products are allowed. Some days and vegetable oil may be banned. For the sick and the elderly, the priest can make an exception, but in general it is not customary to relax the fast. Also, you can not drink after 12 at night and until the very moment of Communion.

How to Confess in Church

Many are also concerned about the question of how to properly confess in church - embarrassment and inexperience interfere. But in order to prove to God your firm desire to improve, you will have to overcome your fears. The priest is only a witness, he has seen and heard a lot, so it is unlikely that he will be very surprised. But before you approach the confessor, you need to prepare.

Since many are overwhelmed at confession, there is a tradition to write down their sins on a piece of paper. At the end of the confession, the priest takes this “list” and tears it up, as a sign that the Lord forgives everything. To compose a confession, you can use a special brochure, or simply take 10 commandments and think about what you have sinned against each.

• Do not blame others in confession, thereby justifying your negative behavior. Example: the wife yelled at her husband and says that he is “to blame” because he came drunk. So be it, but in any situation one must restrain oneself, act with love, without insults. As well as confessing in the church, it is necessary, talking only about yourself, and not about others.

• There is also no need to boast that there are no sins against some commandments. Yes, and is it? Adultery is considered not only physical adultery, but even the thought of it. Smoking is a slow form of suicide, and this gravest sin. In addition, the smoker harms others, exacerbating guilt. It is necessary to repent of this sin, because a Christian must maintain order not only in the soul, but also monitor the health of the body.

• No need to argue with the priest. This is a pure sin, for which they can generally be excommunicated from communion. Most likely, there are things that you still do not understand. You should reflect on what has been said.

There are no strict rules governing what to say in church during confession. It is important to show a sincere desire to improve. Confessors usually help those who are having difficulty by asking questions. There is no need to enumerate every sin whose name is read in the books. Many have a common root - pride, greed, unwillingness to work on themselves, dislike for others.

Prayers and worship

After the sins are named, the priest will cover his head with an epitrachelion (part of the vestment, a long embroidered strip), and read a special prayer. During it, you will need to give your name. After that, take a blessing from the priest, listen to instructions, if any. Then you need to go home to prepare further.

Before taking communion, you should read the daily prayer rule and special sacramental canons. They are published in all prayer books. The canon is a kind of church poetry that sets the soul in the right mood. You can read them in church before going to confession.

After the canons, prayers follow, they can be read in the morning, if there is time, only not during the Liturgy, but before it. The sacramental rule is sometimes broken into several parts to be read over the course of three days. But then the necessary mood is not reached. In case of doubt, you should ask the priest for advice - he will tell you how best to proceed.

We must try to maintain peace of mind during fasting days, not to quarrel with anyone, or all preparation will be lost. Many holy fathers teach that abstaining from certain foods is not as important as abstaining from anger, bad deeds.

• You must come to the Liturgy without delay.

• Small children are usually brought to Communion later - the priest will tell you what time to come.

• Women should not put on much perfume and make up - the Church is not a secular party, but the Temple of God.

• If a remark was made in the church, it is better not to be offended, but to thank and step aside.

• If after confession they committed some kind of sin, you should try to find your confessor and tell him about it. Usually, before Communion, one of the clergy leaves the altar to maintain order.

• Before you go to the Cup, you need to fold your hands on your chest so that the right one is on top. Earthly bows do in advance!

If a person has just accepted Baptism, he is obliged to come to the next Liturgy. He will be admitted to Communion without confession. Otherwise, the "Christian" demonstrates a complete disregard for everything on which the spiritual life is built. Baptism as a ritual does not guarantee salvation, for this it is necessary to constantly improve.

Now you know how to take communion and confess in church. Over time, most questions disappear by themselves, yesterday's newcomer becomes an experienced parishioner. May there be the acceptance of the Holy Mysteries of Christ for the salvation of soul and body!

How to Confess for the First Time

How to Communion and Confess in Church was last modified: July 8th, 2017 by Bogolub

Prepared, three days before it, fast food should be abandoned, i.e. observe fasting, and after twelve at night do not take it at all and do not drink. Also refrain from marital relations. You can not cross the threshold of women during cycles. Observe these simple rules and thus you will achieve physical purification. In order for your soul to be ready to perform this sacred act, try not to commit any unseemly deeds for three days, do not swear, do not swear and do not kiss anyone. To keep your thoughts pure, sincerely forgive all your enemies and reconcile with those with whom you are in a quarrel. Participle often called "the communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ." Therefore, communion is very important for every believing Christian. However, the frequency of performing this rite depends on the spiritual state of the person. If this is the first time you have decided to go through the process of communion, contact the priest with whom you are going to confess. He will “evaluate” the degree of your church commitment and tell you about the timing and methods of preparing for communion. Church services are performed only on Sundays and public holidays. Of course, these are not secular, but those days that are determined by. The sacrament of the sacrament is performed at the morning Divine Liturgy. If you really feel the need for confession and further communion, visit the evening service on the eve of this action, and read three canons at home: penitential canon, canons of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Guardian Angel. Before you go to church, read the canon "Following Holy Communion". Of course, if you do not have church literature, you can skip this "step" of preparation for the sacrament of the sacrament. But without confession, you will not be admitted to the rite of communion, because according to Orthodox customs this is a big sin. Children under the age of seven, who according to church canons are considered infants at this age, are allowed to receive communion without confession. You can also go through the rite of communion without confession if you were baptized no more than a week ago. The rite itself looks like this: during the service, they take out a bowl with small pieces of consecrated wine and diluted with water. Above it are prayers, invoking the holy spirit of Jesus Christ. Orthodox fold their hands on their chests and take turns approaching the bowl. Having named their name given at baptism, they receive holy gifts, swallow them, wipe their mouths with a prepared towel and kiss the cup. After partaking of the “flesh and blood of Christ,” the believer receives the blessing of the clergyman, kisses his hand and leaves, making way for others. At the end of the service, you should once again approach the cross and kiss it.

IN Orthodox Church there are no more or less important sacraments. But one of them - the divine Eucharist - can be called central, since it is the culmination of each liturgy. Another name for the sacrament is communion. What is communion in the Church? It is eating under the guise of wine and bread of the blood and body of the Lord.

What is presented to us as simple earthly products has unusual properties. Many believers note that after the Eucharist they feel extraordinary joy and peace in their souls. What is communion in the Church? This is spiritual help to a Christian, which makes him able to deal with the negative aspects of his nature (passions) and overcome sin.

For the sake of communion

Everything that is done in the church is done specifically for the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Without it, writing icons, building churches, and embroidering vestments are meaningless. What is communion in the Church? It is an act of uniting believers into one whole. In different time zones, in different states, all Orthodox Christians partake of the same Jesus Christ, which makes them true brothers and sisters.

Carefully! The dangers of life without the Eucharist

If, for any reason, regular communion stops in a person’s life, but without falling away from the Church, something else, always undesirable, comes to this place - “ church magic”(this is when they are looking for“ prayer for money ”,“ prayer for cellulite ”, etc.), pseudo-asceticism (at the same time, a deceived person feels like a holy“ doer of exploits ”, pride usually stands behind this), the desire for“ mentorship ”without education, blessings and sufficient knowledge. Therefore, it is impossible for any particular person to leave the Eucharist. If he does not fall into one of the three described traps, then he may leave the Church altogether for a while or forever. One can repent of sins, but falling away from God is tragic and dangerous.

After cleansing

To become one with Christ, it is enough, after repentance, fasting and prayerful preparation, to accept His blood and body after the Liturgy. Communion and confession in the Church often take place separately. That is, the second in the evening, and the first in the morning. However, in small churches everything often happens in one morning, since the priest serves only on Sundays. If a believer was unable to attend the divine service in the evening for a good reason, he is allowed to confess right before communion. But it is impossible to approach the bowl without it. Of course, people may not tell you anything, but in the eyes of God, such behavior will look bad.

How does this happen

How is communion in church? After the liturgy, the priest and ministers bring out to the people a chalice containing the Holy Gifts (that is, the blood and body of Christ). Usually, parishioners let small children go ahead, who, under the age of 7, can take communion without confession at least at every liturgy. Adult believers fold their hands on their chests in a special way and reverently swallow a small particle of the Gifts and kiss the edge of the cup. After that, they move aside, where they are given prosphora and heated water.

What is communion in the Church? This is a means of uniting believers and a way of obtaining strength for spiritual struggle. The Christian cannot ignore this.