The Orthodox church is divided into three parts: the vestibule, the temple itself, and the altar. Climbing the stairs, you will find yourself in the vestibule and only then in the temple. You are allowed to approach the altar only with the permission of the priest. Upon entering the temple, you must stop at the door and bow three times with the prayers “God, be merciful to me, a sinner” (on a weekday, bow to the ground, and on fasting days, bow to the ground). Afterwards you need to bow to the right and left to those who came to the temple. If there is a service going on, you should stay in place and listen carefully to the psalms and prayers that are read in the church, without others speaking to themselves, without reading from books separately from church singing. Such behavior is considered separation from the church congregation and is condemned.

1. It is advisable to enter the temple some time before the start of the service in order to have time to place, venerate the icons and order a commemoration. When entering the church, when the Transsumption of the Holy Gifts is taking place, you should remain at the entrance doors until the end of the most important parts of the service.


2. You cannot enter an Orthodox church with animals or birds.


3. Do not forget that you should turn off your mobile phone.


4. Men must enter the temple without covering their heads, but women cover their heads. It is important to follow the rules that dictate how to dress in church. Clothes not allowed: shorts, short skirts, trousers (for women). It is advisable that clothes be modest, neutral, soft colors and cover most of the body.


5. Upon entering the temple, you must go to the lectern, a special table located in the middle of the temple, on which lies the Icon of the temple and the Saint of this day, and venerate them. During worship, it is customary for men to stand on the right side and women on the left. It is not customary to sit in an Orthodox church, with the exception of the sick and the elderly. When you come to church with children, you must make sure that they behave modestly and do not make noise. If the baby starts crying, you should immediately take him outside. Children should not be allowed to eat in church except for the blessed bread distributed by the priest. When walking around the temple, you cannot turn behind the clergyman and turn your back to the altar.


6. You cannot leave the temple until the end of the service. The service must be defended from beginning to end; it is considered a sacrifice to God.

For a person who has just come to faith and started attending divine services, the question always arises: is he doing the right thing, is he correctly perceiving what is happening around him.

A person who has started going to church must understand that when he goes to church, he is going to meet God himself. This is the first and main condition. Joint church prayer does not allow thoughts to dissipate, and church hymns tune the soul into the appropriate mood.

Before the service, it is advisable to spend some time in silence and prayer. The temple is the house of God. Based on this, the visit should be reverent.

Everyone is required to attend Sunday and holiday services. One should strive to understand worship. All questions and doubts that arise should be resolved with the priest.

When visiting a temple, you should dress clean and tidy. Women should wear clothing appropriate to their gender, that is, dresses and skirts that are not too revealing or tight. It is advisable to do without cosmetics. A woman should have her head covered (1 Cor. 11:13). A man should be without a head covering (1 Cor. 11:4). A woman cannot visit the temple during the period of purification.

When entering the temple, you should leave all worldly worries behind. During the service there is no need to move around, create noise, talk, distracting people from prayer. Men, according to the ancient tradition of the Church, stand on the right side of the temple, women on the left.

During the service you need to delve into prayers, singing and reading. If the thread of the service is lost, then the priests recommend praying silently: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” You must not leave the temple until the end of the service.

And you shouldn’t think that putting a candle is a bribe to God. “The sacrifice to God is a broken spirit” (Ps. 50:19). By lighting a candle, a person likens himself to soft wax, wanting to become just as pliable to the will of Christ, and calls on God to light the flame of faith in the heart.

The more a person continues to go to church, the fewer questions remain, everything falls into place. It is always worth remembering the words of St. King David: “I will enter Your house according to the abundance of Your mercy” (Ps. 5:8), that is, a person enters the temple by the mercy of God, and not by his own will. And St. John Chrysostom calls, having received mercy from God, to make the following sacrifice in response: “I will worship Your holy temple in Your fear” (Ps. 5:8) - not like many of the worshipers who at this time scratch themselves, yawn, doze, but with fear and trembling. He who prays in this way puts aside all evil, is disposed towards all virtue, and acquires God's favor for himself.

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• how to go to church correctly

What the church is and how this “thing” works is often not fully understood by everyone. And in general, is the church a “thing”, or is it something living?

People often think that going to church or doing something there has important meaning for their life. Perhaps this is an imprint of upbringing, perhaps the human soul is looking for something hidden and lofty. Whatever the reason, a person's interest in the church is always a good thing. But, nevertheless, he must know something so that this interest brings only positive results and not disappointment.

The first and most important thing to know about the church is that the church is not a building. Every person has seen majestic structures with shiny domes on top more than once in his life. A beautiful sight. But this is not a church at all. The Church is a living organism consisting of people. That's exactly how the Bible defines the church. And the people who are part of it come together to grow spiritually together in unity. So, a church is not a building, even a very beautiful one, but a gathering of people. And those majestic buildings with domes that everyone knows are just places where living churches gather. These are temples that help in worshiping God. So, the church works not as a building, but as something living.

The second thing that is often overlooked is diversity. “We need all kinds of churches, all kinds of churches” - some will agree, others will protest. But, no matter what you think, there is one truth hidden in this reworked expression: church is not only . There are three main confessions (“church” is a concept unique to Christianity): Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism. Slavs are often closest to Orthodoxy, but it is important to understand that the church is not limited to this. Even if you have a negative attitude towards Catholics or Protestants, the meeting of members of these denominations will still be called a church.

Due to the fact that there are different churches, you need to understand what to expect from a particular church. The church works (here in the literal sense, meaning the schedule and nature of services) in each confession and denomination differently. For example, in Orthodox churches there is a schedule of main services, but a believer, in most cases, can come to the temple at any other time for prayer, and even in this case he will become involved in the church. In Protestant churches, great emphasis is placed on general meetings and worship services, when only the church becomes the church. In addition, each individual local church's vision may be slightly different on some issues than others.

So, a church is a gathering of living souls in the name of God, and if a person wants to go to church, then he must be ready to come to God together with other people, and not just come to the temple to perform a religious act. A religious action (prayer, lighting candles in a church, taking communion) should be an expression of the desire to communicate with God. And each church may have its own peculiarities of conducting worship, which is manifested both in the schedule and in the image and method.

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• who works in the church

The need to visit church arises not only among Orthodox Christians, but also among many atheists during periods of difficult life crises. The Church - the temple of God - opens its doors to everyone: believers and doubters, adults and small children. When visiting a temple, you need to remember how to behave during worship.

You will need

• For women - headscarf, skirt below the knees

Instructions

A visit to a temple gives strength, primarily spiritual, and fills a person’s consciousness with wisdom. Come to church some time before the service begins. If you entered during the reading of the Six Psalms, the Gospel, or at the moment of the transfiguration of the Holy Gifts, wait until the end of these parts of the service at the entrance door. Enter the church with humble joy, cross yourself and bow three times from the waist.

People come to an Orthodox church to ask for blessings, to thank for miracles, to repent of sins, to order prayer services, or simply to calm down and cleanse the soul. In the temple they should be on the right side, and women should be on the left. Women should wear skirts below the knees and cover their heads with a headscarf. A visit to the temple requires the absence of makeup on the face.

Light candles only from other candles. Place them to the Savior, the Mother of God, Panteleimon and other saints who heal. A candle for health is placed with the words: “Holy servant of God (name), pray to God for me, a sinner (or, if you ask for something else, his name).” Cross yourself, bow and venerate the icon. If you light a candle for all the saints, say: “All saints, pray to God for us.”

Before venerating an icon, Gospel or Cross, bow and cross yourself twice before kissing and once after. When kissing the icon of the Savior, believers kiss the foot, and if the Savior is depicted from the waist up, kiss the hand with the words of the prayer “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” When kissing the icons of the Mother of God (with the words “Most Holy Theotokos, save us”) and saints, they kiss the hand.

Listen to the prayers and, if you know their text, pray with everyone from your heart. Don't get annoyed with others or judge their occasional mistakes. Do not eat anything in church except the blessed bread that is distributed by the clergy. During the service, do not walk around the temple; listen to the service while standing. If you feel unwell, of course, you are allowed to sit down, but do not leave the temple unless absolutely necessary.

If the clergyman overshadows the parishioners with the Gospel, an image, a cross or a chalice, then the parishioners cross themselves and bow. If the clergyman blesses with his hand, carries a censer with the words “Peace to all,” or lights candles, the parishioners make a bow without crossing themselves and without folding their hands, as with a personal blessing.

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Helpful advice

A parishioner of the Orthodox Church should know at least a few prayers. Among them are the Lord's Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity, Prayers to the Virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit. Also learn the Creed, It is Worthy to Eat, the Song of the Most Holy Theotokos, Psalm 50 (repentance).

Sources:

• Pravoslavie.ru

Sometimes there is a bad mood, there is a kind of “mental heaviness”, and a person cannot find a place for himself, something is constantly bothering him. At such moments, it is best to go to church in order to cleanse yourself, ask for spiritual help from God and drive away the evil that has accumulated in your soul over time. When visiting church, you must adhere to some rules.

Instructions

Pay attention to your appearance. After all, when you visit a temple, you consciously go to meet God. Therefore, it is necessary to go to church clean and in neat clothes. Women must wear skirts below the knee and sweaters that cover their shoulders. No deep cuts or décolletés are allowed. It is mandatory to enter the church with your head covered. tie a scarf or throw a scarf over your head. Men, on the contrary, should be in church without a headdress. Women are not allowed to enter church during “Women’s Day”.

Before entering the temple, turn off your mobile phone or put it on silent mode. This will avoid noise in case of an unexpected call. It is prohibited to make noise or talk during the service. If you need to convey something to someone, then say it in a whisper, without distracting others from their prayers.

Don't forget about prayers. It is not necessary to know many of them, it is enough to repeat the simplest one: “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen". It will be very good if you buy and put a few candles.

In order to visit a church for the purpose of communion, you must first prepare. Three days before communion, give up meat and dairy foods. Chocolate should also not be eaten at this time. It is best to read prayers several times a day during these three days. The next morning, before going to church, ask your loved ones for forgiveness. If for some reason it is impossible to do this in the morning, then ask for forgiveness in the evening. You cannot eat food on the day until you come from church. After communion, you must not spit out anything for the entire day. Therefore, you should give up seeds and chewing gum.

If possible, it is better to stand on your feet for the entire service. Of course, if this is not possible due to health reasons, then do not leave the church until the end of the service, but simply sit on a bench and continue reading prayers.

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For many believers in our country, the church is a sacred place. Like any other public place, the church has its own norms and rules of behavior that everyone must adhere to. Unfortunately, not everyone knows what to do in church, how to behave correctly, etc.

Before going to church, you need to dress decently and modestly. Dark and calm tones in clothing will be most preferable. The skirt or dress must be of sufficient length - no higher than the knees. It is better for women not to paint their lips, since it is obscene to kiss a cross or an icon with painted lips.

You must enter the church calmly and quietly, with reverence. Before entering the church you need to cross yourself and read a special prayer. However, if you don’t know one, then “Our Father” will do. You can simply cross yourself, saying “Lord, have mercy.”
When entering the church, men must bare their heads. Women, on the contrary, need to wear a hat or cover their heads with a scarf. Upon entering the church, find a place without fuss and make three bows towards the altar. If there is a service in the temple, then men stand on the right side, and women on the left. If you visited the church at a time when there is no service, then you can go up to the icon that stands in the center of the temple. In this case, you need to cross yourself twice and kiss the bottom of the icon. Then you need to cross yourself again.

The most important place in the church is the altar. Only clergy and those males whom the priest has blessed are allowed to enter there. Women are strictly prohibited from entering the altar.

Candles for health should be placed in front of icons of saints. If you light a candle for the repose of the souls of the dead, then in every church there is a funeral canon for this. You can recognize it by the small crucifix that is located on it. You can light a candle with either hand, but you should only cross yourself with your right hand.

It is necessary to be baptized, bowing your head, when you are overshadowed: with a cross, an image, the Holy Gospel, a holy cup. You can only bow your head without crossing yourself when they bless you with their hand, overshadow you with candles, burn incense. If you have any questions, please contact the priest (just not during the service).

Tip 7: How often to go to church

Ideals and extremes

If you look at any church, it is not difficult to see that some kind of service takes place almost every day - morning, afternoon, evening. The ideal option, of course, would be to attend all these services.

But ideals are extremely rarely achievable in reality. Attending absolutely all services can be either a monk who has completely devoted his life to serving God and has no other responsibilities, or a lonely pensioner who no longer needs to study, work, or even nurse children or grandchildren. However, older people often face another stumbling block – their health status.

No one requires a layman to attend all services without fail. But there is another extreme: a person goes to church only on Easter, Christmas, and perhaps two or three other major holidays, and this is where his church life is limited.

Here it is appropriate to remember that the relationship between God and a person who believes in him should be built on love. Would a loving person agree to meet with his beloved woman or an equally beloved friend twice a year? No, he will look for meetings as often as possible! If a person does not seek meetings with God, which take place in church, it is difficult to call him a Christian.

Golden mean

When deciding on the frequency of visiting church, it is appropriate to remember one of the commandments. It goes like this: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy; six days you shall work and do all your work, but the seventh day is for the Lord your God.” In other words, God himself gave people a specific recommendation: to set aside one day a week to meet with God.

In Old Testament times, as indicated in the commandment, such a day was Saturday - the day when God “rested from all His works” after six days of creation, which is why the Jews still worship it.

In Christianity, Sunday is considered a sacred day, when the Resurrection of Christ is remembered. It is the resurrection that a Christian should dedicate to God by visiting church on this day.

Going to church once a week, on a day off, is not at all burdensome. This allows you to constantly “keep yourself in shape” by checking your spiritual life with the requirements of the Church.

Each person has his own path to God. A child baptized in infancy does not necessarily grow up in a church-going family. That is why adults who feel the need to visit the temple may not know the answers to the simplest questions. How to start going to church?

How to start going to church?

How to prepare for visiting the temple

First of all, you need to discard embarrassment. No one will look askance at a newcomer who does not know how to behave correctly at a service, where to light a candle for peace or health, how to take communion or confess. You can ask about everything from experienced parishioners directly in the church or from the seller in the church shop.

If there is a churched person in your circle or a layman who regularly attends church, it is worth talking to him. And yet, priests advise starting with the main thing: the Bible. Moreover, it is better to start with the New Testament, it is easier to understand and easier to read. First, read one Gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John).

You should definitely read about church sacraments. For example, one of the most important is the sacrament of communion. Ideally, you should take communion every week. But before receiving communion, the believer needs to undergo the sacrament of confession and receive a blessing.

Priests receive confession daily during services. No special preparation is required for it. But you need to prepare for communion three days in advance:

Keep a fast, giving up meat, milk, fish, eggs;

On the evening before communion, come to the service;

From 12 o'clock at night before communion you cannot eat.

Understanding the meaning of this sacrament, the beginner will feel more confident.

How to behave in church

If a woman starts going to church, she should know the basic rules:

You can enter the temple only wearing a headscarf (a shawl or scarf is acceptable);

Clothing should be modest: no miniskirts, ripped jeans, low necklines, etc.;

During critical days and for 40 days after childbirth, you cannot visit the temple.

If this is your first time in the service, do not be scared. The service lasts approximately one and a half hours. To begin with, you can simply stand, listen to what the priest is saying, and be baptized when the parishioners are baptized. It is not necessary to kneel, and kissing icons is also not necessary.

When you confess for the first time, be sure to tell the priest about it. He will tell you what to do. Don’t be afraid to talk about your sins: the priest will not judge, but will be glad that a layman is seeking the salvation of his soul, and will forgive his sins. The most terrible sin from the point of view of the church is not forgiven. Think about what to talk about in advance. You can put a list of sins on a piece of paper so as not to get confused and forget anything.

You cannot take communion without confession. You must tell the priest that this is your first time taking part in the sacrament.

As for candles, you can place them for your health both in front of a specific icon (for example, St. Nicholas), and in front of any icon in general. Just light a candle, pray, turn to God with your request, or read a prayer to the saint from whom you are asking for help. Candles for the repose of the soul are placed in a certain part of the temple: to the left of the entrance, where a large crucifix is ​​located.

The temple, in other words the house of God, is a special room in which worship services are performed. It is believed that there is a special grace sent to people from the Almighty through the clergy. tells that the Lord himself is invisibly present in holy places, therefore one should behave accordingly there. Every parishioner should know how to properly enter church and how to behave during worship.

Church rules when entering the temple and preparing for worship

Christians prepare in advance for entering the temple. It is not recommended to eat before the service; all sacred sacraments are received on an empty stomach. Appearance is of great importance. Clothes should be clean, neat, modest, not bright or flashy (for Easter and holidays, light colors of clothes are suitable, on mournful dates it is better to choose dark colors). Women cover their hair with a headscarf and always wear a skirt with a hem below the knee. The top of a dress or blouse must have long sleeves, covering the shoulders and without a deep neckline. Wearing makeup is also not recommended. Men are allowed to remain bareheaded. Dressing is also expected to be modest and neat. No shorts or open legs, only dress pants. The remaining details of clothing, accessories and additional wardrobe items should not attract the attention of others and distract from the service.

Rising from sleep on the day of visiting the temple, you need to thank the Creator for a peaceful night and a new day, wash your face, light a lamp and read your morning prayers. Remember, it is better to sincerely and wholeheartedly say one appeal to God than to read the prayer book for a long time and persistently with thoughts of a speedy completion. On the way to church you should say a prayer to Jesus Christ. And already on the threshold of the temple three signs of the cross are made in front of the image of the Savior and three bows from the waist. The following prayers are said for each bow:

• “God, be merciful to me a sinner” - to the first;
• “God, cleanse my sins and have mercy on me” - to the second;
• “I have sinned without number, Lord, forgive me” - to the third.

One should also be baptized during church hymns: at the words of an appeal to the Almighty, the Mother of God and other saints; at the beginning and end of prayers; with promises of “Amen” and declarations of “Hallelujah”; when calling out “Let us bow down” and “Let us fall down.” When bringing out gifts, bows to the ground are required.

Basic standards of conduct during service for adults and children

As mentioned above, a place of worship and a holy place has its own rules of behavior. It is not enough to be able to enter the temple competently; you need to know how to behave correctly during worship.

1. You need to come to the church in advance in order to have time to light candles, give notes and venerate the icons before the hymns begin (first of all, they kiss the main icon, which is located opposite the Royal Doors).
2. Congregants should be quiet, modest, and reverent.
3. Thoughts should be directed towards God, you should let go of everything earthly and forgive everything bad.
4. It is strictly forbidden to talk, much less laugh or behave in a provocative manner. It is a sin to try to attract attention to yourself and disrupt the order of the chants.
5. Under no circumstances should you turn your back to the altar.
6. Moving from place to place, fussing and creating panic is also prohibited.
7. You can sit down if you feel unwell. If strength permits, it is better to spend time standing during the service. While the Royal Doors are open, both the sick and the infirm must stand.
8. Be sure to turn off your cell phone! Permission for video filming must be requested in advance from the abbot.

The rules apply to both adults and young children. If a mother fails to instill in a spoiled child the rules of obedience and humility, then the naughty child should be taken out of the church so as not to create inconvenience for the presence of other parishioners. It’s better to have a conversation with your child the day before and explain the importance of decent behavior in sacred places.

We must not forget that you should not leave the temple until the end of the service. This is not just bad form, it is dismissive. Perhaps those who came to worship for the first time or those just starting to visit holy places do not know how to properly enter the church and other subtleties and nuances, but you can always turn to the clergy for help. Each church organizes Sunday schools for children and adults, where the basics of Orthodoxy can be easily learned. Also, printed literature will always come to the rescue in difficult situations. After all, it’s not scary to seek advice from the older generation. The main thing is to do everything with a pure, open heart and sincere love for our Lord.

During the period of revival of Orthodox traditions, a wide range of people show a desire to visit church. Parishioners have established habits of behavior that should not interfere in a holy place. A beginner should familiarize himself with simple tips on how to go to church correctly. These traditions have been observed since ancient times. We need to respect this place. The soul should be bright and joyful, ready for prayer.

Visiting church for the first time

The Orthodox tradition has long created simple rules explaining how to go to church. When visiting a temple, a beginner needs to be aware of the presence of God and angels in this sacred place. Parishioners go to church with faith in their hearts and prayer on their lips. It is not difficult to attend church correctly; it is better to go with other people and observe them.

The first rule: do not offend the priests and laity present by your inappropriate behavior. Inside the temple there are often shrines whose value can be measured over centuries. Even if a lay person does not recognize the holiness of the icon or relics, their value should not be publicly questioned. If parishioners bow next to a valuable icon, then it will not be difficult to bow following the example of others.

Few people think about what precedes a visit to the temple. This is also of great importance. During your morning visit, it is better to refrain from eating. According to the religious canon, it is better to come to church hungry. A hearty breakfast is only allowed to sick parishioners.

Before God, one must maintain a meek spirit, fully understand one's sinfulness, and show respect to those saints who have decided to cleanse themselves of sin in their worldly lives.

The temple allows you to create a connection between the sinful earth and pure heaven, when a person comes with faith in a powerful patron and intercessor. The church is created as a house of prayer, where they come to ask for the most secret things.

Rules for women

Requirements for women relate only to details of appearance and the place where one should stand during the Divine Service. Someone from the older generation in the family knows how to properly go to church as a woman. You can find out about this from your grandmother or mother. The main requirement of appearance is emphasized modesty. The beauty of a woman's body is a symbol of temptation, and therefore a woman should not wear clothes that expose any part of her body. You cannot wear a short skirt, a low neckline, or even a dress that exposes your shoulders.

Before visiting, it is advisable for a girl to wash off her makeup and cover her head with a scarf. In a holy place, every parishioner should think about the eternal. Concern for the salvation of your soul, pray. On the good path he should not be distracted by beauty and lust. Therefore, bright outfits are considered inappropriate. Church is not a place to attract attention.

During the service, women should stand on the left side. During communion, women stand at the back of the line.

Where to start

As soon as the church appears in sight, you need to bow to it and make the sign of the cross, even if you do not plan to go inside.

When approaching the door, you need to stop, think about your goal, and cross yourself again. When visiting a temple, you need to imagine that you are entering from the space of earthly sin into the small and pure house of God.

There is a simple ritual common to all parishioners on how to properly enter the church. You should start with a bow as a symbol of humility of your pride. Next you need to cross yourself and read the lines, addressing the face of Christ the Savior in the following order:

• Before the first bow it is said: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”
• The second bow is accompanied by the words: “God, cleanse my sins and have mercy on me.”
• The words “I have sinned without number, Lord, forgive me” complete the ritual.

It is advisable to remember this sequence and repeat it during exit.

When visiting, it is advisable not to take large bags, and if you have one, you should leave it at the entrance. During the communion ritual, both hands must be free.

You can indicate your secret goal in a note to the priest. Usually the request is sent to pray for yourself or for your neighbor.

At the entrance, you can go to the minister to buy candles, while at the same time donating to the needs of the temple in a symbolic form. A burning candle is an important symbol in Christianity. A small light of God's spark burns in every eternal soul, so the candle is lit:

• Wishing health to your neighbors.
• For the difficulties in life that we managed to overcome. In this case, the candle is lit with gratitude to your Saint for the trials and help sent.
• On the eve of a key event in life. Before an important decision, turning to God, angels and saints for support and admonition.
• For the peace of those who have already passed into eternal life.

To remember the dead, every church has a special memorial table. On the eve you can put bread, red wine and cookies.

In every temple, the central place is occupied by a “festive” icon. The first thing a visitor does is touch it. This icon can be different for each day. The priest, according to the calendar known to him, selects a “festive” icon, placing it in the center, on the lectern.

When approaching the holiday icon, you need to sign yourself with the sign of the cross and make a bow to the ground and from the waist. When the parishioners move away from the icon, they need to bow to it a third time.

In addition to the holiday icon, a particularly valuable, ancient icon is displayed in the temple. As a rule, there are several wonderful icons that travel from one temple to another. The arrival of a particularly revered icon is announced in advance.

When they approach the icon of a revered saint, their intercessor, they pronounce his name and ask: “pray to God for the servant of God,” saying the name of the relative for whose recovery they came to ask.

The main godly feature of behavior will be humility. There is no need to look around as if on an excursion. It is important to always remember the main purpose of your coming to the temple.

When a well-known friend appears in church, it is not customary inside the church to shake hands. Friends bow as a greeting. It is important to remain silent and allocate another time for friendly conversation.

Particular attention should be paid to the behavior of children. The child may want to have fun. It is necessary to explain to him in advance the importance of the temple as a special place of communication with God. The child should be taught to behave as modestly and quietly as possible.

Special time of worship

After the start of the service, it is advisable not to disturb people and the priest himself, and therefore all prayers, placing candles and passing notes should be completed before the start of the church service.

It is forbidden to bother other people with your questions. The words of the priest should be listened to in silence and concentration, since at this moment the Word of God is transmitted.

Demonstration of uncivil behavior in the temple will result in big troubles than in ordinary life. If parishioners look at a person with condemnation, he provokes them to sin.

When those around you begin to bow and cross yourself, you need to join them, performing the ritual together with everyone.

For those who would like to sit down during the service, it is worth remembering that Divine service is an act of spiritual labor and is therefore performed while standing. Standing for a long time strengthens a person’s spirit, and everyone can check themselves: if it’s hard to stand, there’s a reason for it. Those who are full of faith do not notice difficulties. It is hard for one who cannot be filled with reverence. Attention to the words of the priest leads each listener to his moment of spiritual enlightenment and self-improvement. For the sake of these good goals, you need to forget about minor inconveniences.

A candle is held in hands only during a funeral service or on special occasions. On a normal day, a candle is placed in a candlestick. You need to make sure that the wax does not drip onto the person in front.

Since a layman comes to visit God, it is advisable not to leave before the service ends. For the same reason, you cannot be late for it. The period of worship is a personal sacrifice that we offer to God. Devoting one's time to spirituality is a must for every believer. Leaving the service is permitted only for a very good reason. If a mother cannot calm her child down, she is advised to leave the church for a while and return when the child calms down.

Only those in whose body there is illness and whose need for relief is undeniable are allowed to sit.

During the liturgy and reading the Gospel, you need to ask God to enlighten you to understand all the Truths. When the priest opens the Royal Doors, it is customary to bow. If words are heard in an unknown language and you cannot pronounce them, then you can replace these words with a well-known prayer.

When the Priest finishes his sermon, he comes out to the people with a cross in his hands. Parishioners traditionally kiss his hand and cross. During the procession there is a traditional order:

• Parents with small children should arrive first.
• Minor children come second.
• Then it’s the men’s turn.
• Women complete the procession.

The priest has his own prayer prepared for each group. If someone breaks the line, they will tell him where to stand correctly.

Which day to choose

For an Orthodox Christian it is godly to visit church once a week. Regular attendance is required so that a layman can rest his soul from the sinful world, get out of the everyday bustle and turn to eternal questions.

The priest awaits parishioners on Saturday and Sunday, as well as during church holidays. The exact day can be found out from the Orthodox calendar. If the need arises to pray, you can go to church any day you wish.

Small churches may not work on weekdays due to a shortage of priests. Monday is considered a time of rest after two consecutive days of worship. On Monday, the church devotes prayers to angels, so it does not welcome the popular superstition about the severity of this day. Small name days are celebrated on Monday because guardian angels are venerated on this day.

What you want to know

There is an altar worker inside the church who can tell you how to properly enter the church and what not to do. Mobile phones do not have to be turned off, but they must be switched to silent mode. You cannot answer the phone during the service, as this is not the time for talking.

In the evening after the service, you can purchase candles again for your home. Even if you don’t have enough money, you can ask for a candle for free. It is not accepted in a Christian environment to refuse people in need.

If someone is sick at home, the candle lit in the temple is taken home and placed in the room where the sick person is lying. You can light a candle for an unbaptized person, but you cannot ask for a note or order a prayer. It is not customary to ask for suicide.

At the end of the service, you can return to individual prayer or ask the priest for a conversation, if there is a good reason for this. At this time, it is possible to order a prayer for another person who is sick, but cannot attend Church on his own.

Thus, A Christian believer should attend church at least once a week, observing simple rituals and rules of behavior in the temple. Regularly turning to eternal questions, to God, a person becomes purer and wiser. The sanctity of the temple is determined not only by the age-old religion, but also by the miraculous icons of saints to which one can turn. Listening to the words of the priest during worship is useful for every person for the salvation of his eternal soul.

Priests do not have a definite answer to the question of whether it is possible to go to church with menstruation. Some argue that you can attend church services without participating in the holy sacraments, others say that it is better to avoid visiting during critical days.

Why can’t you go to church while you’re on your period, where did this ban come from, and what is the right thing to do. To understand the question of whether it is possible to attend church while menstruating, we need to familiarize ourselves with the point of view of the Holy Fathers and Holy Scripture. These are two important authorities for an Orthodox Christian.

Reasons for the ban

In the Old Testament you can find precise reasons why parishioners should refrain from attending church.

Do not go to church if:

1. A person suffers from a serious illness.
2. The woman or man is not pure.
3. The man had touched the dead the day before.

Diseases for which it is not allowed to enter the church include infections, inflammation in the active phase, discharge from the urethra in men, and uterine bleeding in women.

Previously, such ailments included ulcers, leprosy, scabies, as well as all physical disorders associated with bleeding.

The ban on church attendance for young mothers who have given birth to a child remains in place to this day. Previously, when a boy was born, women did not enter the temple for 40 days after birth, and girls for 80 days. This period was required for purification.

The priest’s answer to why you can’t go to church while you’re on your period is usually based on the fact that you can’t shed blood in the shrine. Only one sacred blood can be present in the temple - the holy gifts, the Body and Blood of Christ.

If a person accidentally gets hurt, then he needs to go out and stop the bleeding outside the temple. If blood gets on the floor, icons or books, the Holy Monastery is considered desecrated, so it needs to be re-consecrated and certain prayers read.

The reason why people don’t go to church and monastery with menstruation is due to the opinion that this process was given to all women for the sinful fall of Eve, our ancestor, and, of course, there should be nothing sinful inside the temple.

According to other versions, during menstruation a dead egg is released, and this, to some extent, is considered death. The presence of deadly objects in the church is also not allowed.

Not only is it forbidden to go to church during menstruation, it is forbidden to do so for those people who had physical contact with the deceased, for example, preparing him for burial, washing him.

Interesting! The book of Leviticus of the Old Testament tells that during the period of bleeding, that is, during menstruation, not only wives are considered unclean, but also every person who dares to touch them.

Since ancient times, women were forbidden to go to church while bleeding, communicate with other people, or touch them.

New Testament

The coming of Jesus radically changed the opinion about whether it is possible to go to church with menstruation. In the Holy Scriptures there is evidence of a woman touching the Savior who had been bleeding for 12 years, which was considered unacceptable by the Jews.

After touching the clothing of Jesus Christ, as is known, it was healed, and the Lord felt healing power emanate from him.

Having learned that an “unclean” woman had touched him, He did not reproach her for what she had done, but, on the contrary, encouraged her and called on her to strengthen her faith.

Need to know! In his sermons, Jesus made it clear that people with sinful thoughts coming from the heart and evil intentions are considered defiled, and he did not consider bodily uncleanliness a sin.

The Holy Fathers, when asked whether it is possible to go to church with menstruation, gave a completely different answer. They considered the processes occurring during menstruation to be natural, given to women by the Almighty. This is a very important period for the female body, associated with the opportunity to prolong the human race.

Georgy Dvoeslov also argued that spiritual purity plays a paramount role, so he did not consider it a sin to go to church while menstruating. The first Christian women, according to traditions and canons, independently made the decision to visit the temple.

Some of them, finding it difficult to answer whether it was possible to enter the church while menstruating, listened to the service in the vestibule, while others entered, but did not touch anything holy. There were Christian women who believed that, apart from sin, nothing could separate them from God. They were supported by many theologians, for example Gregory the Great, who called not to condemn wives and virgins who go to church during their periods, confess, and take communion.

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This teaching lasted until the seventeenth century. After this, the question of whether women can attend church during menstruation again remained open.

Modern look

Nowadays, Christian believers are increasingly wondering whether it is possible to go to church, and also
Is it possible to confess and receive communion? The opinion of clergy may differ, so it is better to ask your spiritual mentor about this.

The priest's answer will help to finally resolve this dilemma. Some clergy allow you to come to a service, pray quietly and leave without touching anything.

Undoubtedly, when considering whether it is possible to go to church during critical days, confess and receive communion, it is better to be guided by your own spiritual aspirations and the opinion of the clergyman.

We must not forget that every person will still answer before God for all his sins. At the same time, there are situations when a person simply needs God’s help, then all conventions fade into the background. This applies to women suffering from uterine bleeding who wish to turn to God with a request for healing.

Unfortunately, sometimes medicine is powerless, doctors are unable to stop the flow, and treatment remains ineffective. At this moment, patients decide to turn to the Almighty in prayer.

If a woman feels that she will soon give her soul to God, is she allowed to go to church while on her period? Of course yes! Every Orthodox Christian has the right to receive communion and confess before leaving.

If a woman is healthy and feels great, then during her menstrual period it is not advisable for her to do the following:

• baptism,
• communion,
• wedding.

The sacrament of these rituals lies in getting rid of sinful and unclean things. A person is born according to church rules, so it is better to approach these sacraments spiritually and physically cleansed. Of course, modern hygiene products can completely solve this problem and many women do not even doubt whether to go to the temple or not.

However, clergy advise, if possible, it is better to postpone this ritual until the woman becomes pure in both soul and body.

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Conclusion

We can talk about women’s “uncleanness” for a very long time, but we must not forget that Jesus Christ cleansed men and women with his blood. The Lord has given us eternal, spiritual life, independent of the flesh.

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