Christian sacraments. Seven Sacraments

Priesthood, Blessing of Unction.

To a believer who has received the first Sacrament of St. Baptism gives the right to be a full member of this Church and to benefit other saints. Sacraments and rituals.

In the waters of St. Baptism washes away all a person’s sins, but then, falling into one sin or another, he again defiles both his soul and body. And if there is no feeling of repentance in him, he hardens in this sinful dirt, erecting from it a blank wall of alienation from God.

In order to destroy this wall that separates us from God, the Church again gives us a helping hand - she offers us the Sacrament of Repentance.

What is this Sacrament? Briefly put, this is a sincere confession of one’s sins before God’s witness - the priest.

During the performance of this Sacrament, Christ the Savior Himself appears invisibly and, through His servant - the priest - He Himself accepts the confession of the repentant sinner. And it depends on the latter: to receive forgiveness from the Lord or to leave with what you came with. That is, if a person recognizes his sinfulness and confesses it with contrition of heart, having the firm intention to leave sin and correct his life, he thereby destroys the wall of alienation and from a child of God’s wrath becomes a child of His love. God's mercy and blessing returns to him. And what could be more joyful and comforting than to always abide in the love of Christ! He generously bestows love on those who, after heartfelt repentance, unite with Him in the Holy Sacrament of Communion, tasting His Most Pure Body and His Precious Blood under the guise of bread and wine.

This holy Sacrament, like others, was established by Christ Himself, when at the Last Supper - the last meal, on the eve of his suffering on the cross and death, "... took bread and, blessing it, broke it, and distributing it to the disciples, said: take, eat; this is My Body. And he took the cup and, giving thanks, gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28).

Thus, the essence of St. The sacrament of communion consists in the fact that during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, wheat bread and grape wine are transubstantiated (transformed) by the power and action of the Holy Spirit, become the true Body of Christ and the true Blood of Christ and serve for the Christians who receive them as a genuine spiritual and physical union with Christ: " He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me and I in him."

Our Lord Jesus Christ, being true and perfect God, was at the same time a perfect man. Everyone saw, heard and touched him as an ordinary person.

Like this incomprehensible miracle of the Incarnation, Christ was pleased to cover His Most Pure Body and His Most Pure Blood under the guise of bread and wine. Therefore, when a communicant eats material bread and wine, it means that he eats in them the Most Honest Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Accepting with due reverence Holy Communion, Orthodox Christian honored to be a partaker eternal life. St. Demetrius of Rostov says this about the great Sacrament of Communion: “Man is like iron, and the Body of Christ is a scorching fire, and when a person unites in the Holy Sacrament of Communion with Christ, he becomes fiery. And just as a sick person cannot look at the sun with his eyes, so demons cannot look upon one who has worthily received the Body of Christ.”

And Saint John Chrysostom, confirming the salvific nature of Communion, says that if a person receives communion worthily and dies on that day, then he does not go through the terrible ordeals of afterlife, and the angels directly carry his soul to the abode of heaven, of course, not for the sake of his merits and exploits, but for the sake of that Shrine that he accepted on that day.

Doesn’t all this convince us how great the significance of Holy Communion is in our lives?

In the first centuries of Christianity, believers took communion every Sunday. But modern Christians, not having such purity of life as their distant ancestors, must still, at least 4 times a year - during the prescribed fasts - partake of the Holy Mysteries. Of course, having previously prepared yourself by abstaining from food, fulfilling prayer rule, sincere reconciliation with your family and neighbors and, finally, sincere repentance before your confessor.

Having made such preparation, we can, with the fear of God and faith, approach the Holy Chalice and, humbly recognizing our unworthiness, accept the Holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and eternal life.

In the practice of church service, a priest often encounters people who are embarrassed by the very fact of many people receiving communion from one Chalice and one spoon. They are afraid of getting infected infectious disease, which may affect one of the communicants. How to resolve this confusion?

At first, superficial glance, it seems strange that they take communion from one spoon and healthy people and the sick. From the point of view of sanitation and simply common sense, this cannot be done! But if we look at Communion from the point of view of St. teachers, we will see how profound the difference is in the approach to resolving this issue.

Holy Communion, as we said above, is one of the seven Sacraments of the church. And where there is a mystery, the mystery of God’s action, everything must be perceived by Faith, and not by rational conclusions. A sincerely believing Christian, when he partakes of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, understands that he is tasting not just bread and wine, but the Most Pure Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore for him there is no room for doubt or confusion. Those to whom the devil inspires the temptation of the danger of illness from a single Chalice of Communion can ask the question: how to explain the fact that a priest who has served for decades and at the end of each Liturgy uses the remaining Holy Gifts in the Chalice, from which he gave communion to both sick and healthy people , never gets sick from a contagious disease? I can also confirm this, having served at the throne of God for more than fifty years. But what about the fact that seriously ill people, sometimes hopeless, after communion of the Holy Mysteries, to the surprise of doctors, gain health and strength?! All this convincingly indicates that healing power inherent in the holy Sacrament of Communion.

Now it is necessary to say a few words about the holy Sacrament of Marriage. Nowadays, the concept of marriage is often reduced to the carnal cohabitation of a man and a woman. The instinct of sexual desire is passed off as love. And if one of the parties suddenly feels satiated with such love, then a feeling of disgust for the other party appears, a desire to get rid of it as quickly as possible, that is, divorce is inevitable. This is what we see from sad statistics: today every third marriage is dissolved. This is the downfall of a family. It brings grief and moral destruction of all the foundations of life not only to the family itself, but also to society and the state as a whole. These are the sad facts of civil marriage; a marriage not sanctified by the holy Sacrament of the Church.

Some may object: aren’t there cases of divorce among those couples who sanctified their marriage in the Church? Yes, there is, but this is an exception to the rule. Basically, people who came to the Temple of God of their own free will to celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage were aware of what they were doing. And the celebrant of the Sacrament, the priest, is obliged to explain to the newlyweds in advance what they are about to do, so that this is not a tribute to today’s fashion, that this is not just a beautiful ceremony, but Holy Sacrament, the marriage union that God the Creator Himself established in paradise, when he created the first people - man and woman. St. Clement of Alexandria, emphasizing the holiness of Marriage, says: “God Himself unites those sanctified by the Sacrament and is present in their midst.” The Lord Himself, through His servant the priest, blesses such a union of two hearts, the union of their souls and bodies in mutual love for each other, in the image of the love of Christ and the Church.

Yes, Christian marriage is the mystery of love - not only human love, but also divine love. That is why the Apostle Paul in his letter confirms that “This mystery is great...” (Eph. 5.32). For the love of a husband for his wife is a similarity to the love of Christ for the Church, for which He accepted the crucifixion on the Cross, and the lovingly humble obedience of a wife to her husband is a similarity to the relationship of the Church to Christ, which finds in him the joy of being and its endless happiness. Yes, the secret of happiness of Christian spouses lies in the joint fulfillment of the will of God, uniting their souls with each other and with Christ.

And without love for Christ, no connection will be strong, for not only in mutual attraction, in common tastes, in common earthly interests lies a true strong connection, but, on the contrary, often all these values ​​suddenly begin to serve separation.

Thus, only faith in Christ and a full-blooded life in His Church are the only a necessary condition unbreakable Christian marriage. “What God has joined together, man does not separate” (Matt. 19:6).

It should also be noted that the grace and blessing of God, which are taught during the Sacrament of Marriage, descend not only on those entering into marriage, but also on the children born to them, and on their entire home. This is the incredible value of Church Marriage. And reasonable spouses should make every effort to preserve this God's blessing and His love until the end of their lives.

A husband and wife who recognize themselves as members of the Church must be obedient to it in everything. And she, through the mouth of the Apostle Paul, says: “A wife has no power over her body, but a husband; likewise, a husband has no power over his body, but a wife. Do not deviate from each other, unless by consent, while practicing in fasting and prayer, and then Be together again, so that Satan does not tempt you with your intemperance" (1 Cor. 7:4-5).

From all that has been said, it becomes clear: in order to become an heir to heavenly bliss in the future eternal life, you must first organize your life here on earth, i.e. frame it Orthodox Christianity. Not in words, but in deeds to be an Orthodox Christian. And for this you need to work hard and build your life as a strong and reliable building in which you want to live happily and peacefully and which will not be afraid of “neither wind, nor water, nor anything else that can damage”, for the foundation of this house will be true Faith, its walls will be cemented by Orthodoxy, and the roof will be the Love of God and His Blessing to the one who created this house.

The construction of any building requires a variety of materials: in addition to bricks, cement, nails and wood, glass, paints, etc. are needed, without which the house will not be suitable for habitation.

So the building of our life also requires finishing materials with which it is decorated. These are numerous church institutions and rituals, good and sacred traditions, customs and rules of Christian behavior. Although we have already talked about some of them earlier, this topic is broad and vast. Therefore, in addition to what has been said, we should still answer the questions that concern many.

Orthodox Sacraments - sacred rites revealed in Orthodox church rites, through which the invisible Divine grace or the saving power of God is communicated to believers.

It is accepted in Orthodoxy seven sacraments: baptism, confirmation, eucharist (comunion), repentance, sacrament of priesthood, sacrament of marriage and consecration of oil. Baptism, repentance and the Eucharist were established by Jesus Christ himself, as reported in the New Testament. Church Tradition testifies to the Divine origin of other sacraments.

The sacraments are something that is unchangeable, ontologically inherent in the Church. In contrast, visible sacred rites (rites) associated with the performance of the Sacraments were formed gradually throughout the history of the Church. The Performer of the Sacraments is God, who performs them with the hands of the clergy.

The sacraments constitute the Church. Only in the Sacraments does the Christian community transcend purely human standards and become the Church.

ALL 7 (SEVEN) Sacraments of the Orthodox Church

Sacrament This is the name given to such a sacred action through which the grace of the Holy Spirit, or the saving power of God, is secretly, invisibly given to a person.

The Holy Orthodox Church contains seven Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Repentance, Communion, Marriage, Priesthood And Blessing of Unction.

The Creed only mentions Baptism, because it is, as it were, the door to the Church of Christ. Only those who have received Baptism can use other sacraments.

In addition, at the time of drawing up the Creed, there were disputes and doubts: whether some people, such as heretics, should not be baptized a second time when they return to the Church. The Ecumenical Council indicated that Baptism can be performed on a person only once. That is why it is said, “I confess united Baptism".

Sacrament of Baptism

The sacrament of Baptism is such a sacred act in which the believer in Christ, through immersing the body in water three times, with invocation of name Holy Trinity- Father and Son and Holy Spirit, is washed from original sin, as well as from all sins committed by himself before Baptism, is reborn by the grace of the Holy Spirit into a new spiritual life (spiritually born) and becomes a member of the Church, i.e. blessed Kingdom of Christ.

The Sacrament of Baptism was established by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He sanctified His Baptism by example, baptized by John. Then, after His resurrection, He gave the apostles the command: Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit(Matt. 28:19).

Baptism is necessary for everyone who wishes to be a member of the Church of Christ. Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God, said the Lord Himself (John 3:5).

Faith and repentance are required to receive Baptism.

The Orthodox Church baptizes infants according to the faith of their parents and adopters. This is why there are recipients at Baptism, in order to vouch before the Church for the faith of the person being baptized. They are obliged to teach him faith and make sure that their godson becomes a true Christian. This is the sacred duty of the recipients, and they sin gravely if they neglect this duty. And the fact that gifts of grace are given through the faith of others is given to us in the Gospel during the healing of the paralytic: Jesus, seeing their faith (who brought the sick man), says to the paralytic: child! Your sins are forgiven(Mark 2:5).

Sectarians believe that infants cannot be baptized and condemn Orthodox Christians for performing the Sacrament on infants. But the basis for infant Baptism is that Baptism replaced the Old Testament circumcision, which was performed on eight-day-old infants (Christian Baptism is called circumcision made without hands(Col. 2, 11)); and the apostles performed baptism over entire families, which undoubtedly included children. Infants, just like adults, are involved in original sin and need to be cleansed from it.

The Lord Himself said: Let the children come to Me and do not forbid them, for to such is the Kingdom of God(Luke 18:16).

Since Baptism is a spiritual birth, and a person will be born once, then the Sacrament of Baptism is performed on a person once. One Lord, one faith, one baptism(Eph. 4:4).

Confirmation there is a Sacrament in which the believer is given the gifts of the Holy Spirit, strengthening him in the spiritual Christian life.

Jesus Christ Himself said about the grace-filled gifts of the Holy Spirit: Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, from the womb(i.e. from the inner center, heart) Rivers of living water will flow. This He spoke of the Spirit, which those who believed on Him were about to receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet given to them, because Jesus was not yet glorified.(John 7:38-39).

The Apostle Paul says: He who confirms you and me in Christ and anoints us is God, who sealed us and gave the pledge of the Spirit into our hearts.(2 Cor. 1:21-22).

The gracious gifts of the Holy Spirit are necessary for every believer in Christ. (There are also extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are communicated only to certain people, such as: prophets, apostles, kings.)

Initially, the holy apostles performed the Sacrament of Confirmation through the laying on of hands (Acts 8:14-17; 19:2-6). And at the end of the first century, the Sacrament of Confirmation began to be performed through anointing with holy chrism, following the example of the Old Testament church, since the apostles did not have time to perform this Sacrament themselves through the laying on of hands.

Holy myrrh is a specially prepared and consecrated composition of fragrant substances and oil.

The myrrh was certainly consecrated by the apostles themselves and their successors - bishops (bishops). And now only bishops can bless the chrism. Through the anointing of the holy world consecrated by the bishops, on behalf of the bishops, the Sacrament of Confirmation can also be performed by presbyters (priests).

When performing the Sacrament, the following parts of the body of the believer are anointed with the holy world in a cross shape: forehead, eyes, ears, mouth, chest, arms and legs - with the words “Seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

Some call the Sacrament of Confirmation “the Pentecost (descent of the Holy Spirit) of every Christian.”

Sacrament of Penance

Repentance is a Sacrament in which the believer confesses (orally reveals) his sins to God in the presence of a priest and through the priest receives forgiveness of sins from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

Jesus Christ gave the holy apostles, and through them all the priests, the power to absolve (forgive) sins: Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive, they will be forgiven; whoever you leave it on will stay on it(John 20, 22-23).

Even John the Baptist, preparing people to accept the Savior, preached baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins... And everyone was baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins(Mark 1:4-5).

The holy apostles, having received authority to do this from the Lord, performed the Sacrament of Repentance, many of those who believed came, confessing and revealing their deeds(Acts 19:18).

To receive forgiveness (resolution) of sins from the confessor (repentant), the following is required: reconciliation with all neighbors, sincere contrition for sins and verbal confession of them before the priest, a firm intention to correct one’s life, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and hope in His mercy.

In special cases, penance (the Greek word means “prohibition”) is imposed on the penitent, which prescribes certain deprivations aimed at overcoming sinful habits and the performance of certain pious deeds.

During his repentance, King David wrote a repentant prayer-song (Psalm 50), which is an example of repentance and begins with these words: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your compassions blot out my iniquities. Wash Me often. from my iniquity, and from my sin, cleanse me."

Sacrament of Communion

Communion there is a Sacrament in which a believer (Orthodox Christian), under the guise of bread and wine, receives (tastes) the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and through this is mysteriously united with Christ and becomes a partaker of eternal life.

The Sacrament of Holy Communion was established by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself during the Last Last Supper, on the eve of His suffering and death. He Himself performed this Sacrament: taking the bread and giving thanks(God the Father for all His mercies to the human race), broke it and gave it to the disciples, saying: Take and eat: this is My Body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me. Also, taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, saying: drink everything from it; for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins. Do this in My remembrance(Matt. 26, 26-28; Mark 14, 22-24; Luke 22, 19-24; 1 Cor. 11, 23-25).

So Jesus Christ, having established the Sacrament of Communion, commanded his disciples to always perform it: do this in remembrance of Me.

In a conversation with the people, Jesus Christ said: If you do not eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you will not have life in you. He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My Flesh is truly food, and My Blood is truly drink. He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood abides in Me, and I in him(John 6:53-56).

According to the commandment of Christ, the Sacrament of Communion is constantly performed in the Church of Christ and will be performed until the end of time during the divine service called Liturgy, during which bread and wine, by the power and action of the Holy Spirit, are offered, or are transformed into the true body and true blood of Christ.

The bread for Communion is used alone, since all believers in Christ constitute one His body, the head of which is Christ Himself. There is one bread, and we, many, are one body; for we all partake of one bread, says the Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 10:17).

The first Christians took communion every Sunday, but now not everyone has such purity of life to take communion so often. However, the Holy Church commands us to take communion every fast and no less than once a year. [According to the canons of the Church, a person who missed good reason three Sundays in a row without participation in the Eucharist, i.e. without Communion, thereby placing himself outside the Church (21st canon of the Elvira, 12th canon of the Sardician and 80th canon of the Trullo Councils).]

Christians must prepare themselves for the Sacrament of Holy Communion fasting which consists of fasting, prayer, reconciliation with everyone, and then - confession, i.e. cleansing your conscience in the Sacrament of Repentance.

The Sacrament of Holy Communion in Greek is called Eucharist, which means "thanksgiving".

Marriage there is a Sacrament in which, with the free (before the priest and the Church) promise by the bride and groom of mutual fidelity to each other, their marital union is blessed, in the image of the spiritual union of Christ with the Church, and the grace of God is asked and given for mutual help and unanimity and for a blessed birth and Christian education of children.

Marriage was established by God Himself in heaven. After the creation of Adam and Eve, God blessed them, and God said to them: Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it(Gen. 1:28).

Jesus Christ sanctified Marriage by His presence at the wedding in Cana of Galilee and confirmed its divine institution, saying: Creator(God) in the beginning he created them male and female(Gen. 1:27). And said: Therefore a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh(Genesis 2:24), so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. So what God has joined together, let not man put asunder(Matt. 19:6).

The Holy Apostle Paul says: This mystery is great; I speak in relation to Christ and to the Church(Eph. 5:32).

The union of Jesus Christ with the Church is based on the love of Christ for the Church and on the complete devotion of the Church to the will of Christ. Hence, the husband is obliged to love his wife selflessly, and the wife is obliged to voluntarily, i.e. lovingly, obey your husband.

Husbands, says the Apostle Paul, - love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her... he who loves his wife loves himself(Eph. 5, 25, 28). Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church, and He is the Savior of bodies. a (Eph. 5:2223).

Therefore, spouses (husband and wife) are obliged to maintain mutual love and respect, mutual devotion and fidelity throughout their lives.

Good Christian family life is a source of personal and public good.

The family is the foundation of the Church of Christ.

Being in Marriage is not necessary for everyone, but persons who voluntarily remain celibate are obliged to lead a pure, immaculate and virgin life, which, according to the teaching of the Word of God, is one of greatest feats(Matt. 19, 11-12; 1 Cor. 7, 8, 9, 26, 32, 34, 37, 40, etc.).

Priesthood there is a Sacrament in which, through the episcopal ordination chosen person(to become a bishop, or presbyter, or deacon), receives the grace of the Holy Spirit for the sacred service of the Church of Christ.

Dedicated to deacon receives the grace to serve in the celebration of the sacraments.

Dedicated into a priest(presbyter) receives the grace to perform the sacraments.

Dedicated to bishop(the bishop) receives the grace not only to perform the sacraments, but also to consecrate others to perform the sacraments.

Christian sacraments. Seven Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Sacrament of the Eucharist, Sacrament of Repentance, Sacrament of the Priesthood, Sacrament of Marriage, Blessing of Anointing.

Christian sacraments.

The sacraments must not be confused with rituals and called rites. Rite - any external sign reverence expressing our faith.
A sacrament is a sacred act during which the Church calls on the Holy Spirit, and His grace descends on the believers. There are seven sacraments in the church: Baptism, Confirmation, Communion (Eucharist). Repentance (Confession), Marriage (Wedding), Blessing of Unction (Unction), Priesthood (Ordination).

For the life of the Church, the main place is the sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, which are actually called the Holy Mysteries. The sacrament itself is also called the Eucharist, i.e. “thanksgiving” is the main work of the Church. The main divine service of the Church, accordingly, is the Divine Liturgy - the rite of the sacrament of the Eucharist. Further, the sacrament of the priesthood is extremely important in the life of the Church - the consecration of selected persons to serve the Church at hierarchical levels through ordination (ordination), which provides the necessary structure of the Church. The three levels of priesthood differ in their attitude to the sacraments - deacons serve at the sacraments without performing them; priests perform the sacraments while being subordinate to the bishop; Bishops not only perform the sacraments, but also, through ordination, teach others the gift of grace to perform them. Finally, the sacrament of baptism, which replenishes the composition of the Church, is especially important. The remaining sacraments, intended for the reception of grace by individual believers, are necessary for the fullness of life and holiness of the Church. In each sacrament, a certain gift of grace is imparted to the Christian believer, specific to that particular sacrament. A number of sacraments, such as baptism, priesthood and confirmation, are unique.

Since in the narrow sense of the word the sacraments are “like heights in a long chain of hills of the remaining liturgical rites and prayers,” they are only the most obvious expressions of the fullness of the hidden life of the Church, which is why their categorization and calculation are not absolutized by the Orthodox Church. Historically, the distinction between sacramental rites did not always correspond to what is accepted today, and the number of sacraments included the following:
1. Monasticism
2. Burial
3. Consecration of the temple

Seven Sacraments.

1. In Baptism a person is mysteriously born into spiritual life.
2. In Confirmation he receives grace that spiritually increases (promotes spiritual growth) and strengthening.
3. In Communion (a person) is nourished spiritually.
4. In Repentance one is healed from spiritual illnesses, that is, from sins.
5. In the Priesthood he receives the grace to spiritually regenerate and educate others through teaching and the Sacraments.
6. In Marriage he receives grace that sanctifies marriage, natural birth and raising of children.
7. In the Blessing of Anointing one is healed from bodily diseases through healing from spiritual (illnesses).

The concept of church sacraments.

The Creed speaks of Baptism, “because faith is sealed by Baptism and other Sacraments...” “The Sacrament is a sacred act through which grace, or, what is the same, the saving power of God, secretly acts on a person.”
The Creed speaks only about Baptism and does not mention other sacraments for the reason that in the 4th century there were disputes about the need to re-baptize heretics and schismatics coming to the Orthodox Church. The Church decided not to baptize such people a second time in those cases where baptism was performed, even in a community separated from the Church, but in accordance with the rules of the Catholic Church.

1. Baptism.

“Baptism is a Sacrament in which a believer, by immersing his body three times in water with the invocation of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, dies to a carnal, sinful life, and is reborn from the Holy Spirit into a spiritual, bright life.”
“... unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God” (John 3:5). The Sacrament of Baptism was established by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, when He sanctified Baptism by His example, having received it from John. Finally, after His resurrection, He gave the apostles a solemn command: “Go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

The perfect formula of Baptism is the words:
“In the name of the Father. Amen. And the Son. Amen. And the Holy Spirit. Amen".
The condition for receiving Baptism is repentance and faith.
“Peter said to them: Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins...” (Acts 2:38)
“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved...” (Mark 16:16)
The sacrament of Baptism is performed only once in a person’s life and under no circumstances is it repeated, because “baptism is a spiritual birth: a person will be born once, therefore he will be baptized once.”

2. Confirmation.

“Confirmation is a Sacrament in which the believer, when the parts of the body are anointed with the consecrated world, in the name of the Holy Spirit, is given the gifts of this Spirit, increasing and strengthening them in spiritual life.”

Initially, the apostles performed this sacrament through the laying on of hands (Acts 8:14-17).
Later they began to use anointing with myrrh, which could serve as an example of the anointing used in the days Old Testament(Ex. 30, 25; 3 Kings 1, 39).

On the internal action of the sacrament of Confirmation in Holy Scripture it says as follows:
“You have the anointing of the Holy One and you know everything... the anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you; but just as this very anointing teaches you all things, and is true and not false, whatever it has taught you, abide in it” (1 John 2:20, 27). “Now He who confirmed you and me in Christ and anointed us is God, who sealed us and gave the deposit of the Spirit into our hearts” (2 Cor. 1:21-22).

The perfect formula of the Sacrament of Confirmation is the words: “The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

Holy myrrh is a fragrant substance that is prepared according to a special rite and consecrated by the highest clergy, usually the primates of the autocephalous Orthodox Churches, with the participation of the Councils of Bishops, as successors of the Apostles, who “themselves performed the laying on of hands for the alms of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.”

The anointing of each part of the body has specific value. Yes, anointing
a) chela means “sanctification of the mind or thoughts”
b) perseus - “sanctification of the heart and desires”
c) eyes, ears and lips - “sanctification of the senses”
d) hands and feet - “sanctification of the deeds and entire behavior of a Christian.”

In reality, Baptism and Confirmation are a twofold sacrament. In Holy Baptism a person receives new life in Christ and according to Christ, and in holy confirmation he is given the grace-filled powers and gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as the Holy Spirit Himself as a gift for a worthy passage of theanthropic life in Christ. In confirmation, a person as an individual is anointed by the Holy Spirit in the image and likeness of the Divine Anointed One - Jesus Christ.

3. The Sacrament of the Eucharist.

3.1. The concept of the sacrament of the Eucharist

The Eucharist is a sacrament in which
a) bread and wine are transformed by the Holy Spirit into the true Body and true Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ;
6) believers partake of them for the closest union with Christ and eternal life.

The rite of the sacrament of the Eucharist - Divine Liturgy, which is a single and inseparable sacred rite. Special meaning in the rite of the Liturgy there is a Eucharistic canon, and in it the central place is occupied by epiclesis - the invocation of the Holy Spirit on the Church, that is, on the Eucharistic meeting, and on the offered Gifts.

3.2. Establishment of the Sacrament of the Eucharist

The sacrament of the Eucharist was established by the Lord Jesus Christ at the Last Supper.
“And while they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat: this is My body. And taking the Cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them and said: drink from it, all of you; for this is My Blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:26-28). The Holy Evangelist Luke complements the narrative of the Evangelist Matthew. Teaching the Holy Bread to the disciples, the Lord told them: “Do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19).

3.3. Offering of bread and wine in the sacrament of the Eucharist

Orthodox theology, unlike Latin, does not consider it possible to rationally explain the essence of this sacrament. Latin theological thought to explain the change occurring with Sts. Gifts in the sacrament of the Eucharist, uses the term “transubstantiation” (lat. transubstantiatio), which literally means “change in essence”:
“Through the blessing of bread and wine, the essence of the bread is completely transformed into the essence of the Flesh of Christ, and the essence of the wine into the essence of His Blood.” At the same time, the sensory properties of bread and wine remain unchanged only in appearance, remaining only as external random signs (accidents).

Although Orthodox theologians also used the term “transubstantiation,” the Orthodox Church believes that this word “does not explain the image by which bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of the Lord, for this cannot be comprehended by anyone except God; but it only shows that truly, truly and essentially the bread is the truest Body of the Lord, and the wine the very Blood of the Lord.”

For St. Fathers' teaching on the Eucharist is alien to rational schemes; they never sought to express the essence of the greatest Christian sacrament through scholastic definitions. Most Sts. the fathers were taught about the transposition of the Holy Gifts as their reception into the Hypostasis of the Son of God by the action of the Holy Spirit, as a result of which the Eucharistic bread and wine are placed in the same relation to God the Word as His glorified humanity, inseparably and inextricably uniting with the Divinity of Christ and His humanity.

At the same time, the Church Fathers believed that the essence of bread and wine in the sacrament of the Eucharist is preserved, bread and wine do not change their natural qualities, just as in Christ the fullness of the Divinity does not in the least detract from the fullness and truth of humanity. “Just as before, when bread is consecrated, we call it bread, but when Divine grace sanctifies it through the mediation of a priest, it is already freed from the name bread, but has become worthy of the name of the body of the Lord, although the nature of bread remains in it.”

To bring this mystery closer to our perception of St. the fathers tried through images. Thus, many of them used the image of a red-hot saber: iron, when heated, becomes one with fire so that one can burn with iron and cut with fire. However, neither fire nor iron loses their essential properties. At least until the 10th century, neither in the East nor in the West, no one taught about the illusory nature of the Eucharistic species.

The Latin doctrine of transubstantiation deforms the believers' perception of the sacrament of the Eucharist, turning the sacrament of the Church into a kind of supernatural, essentially magical action. Unlike Western scholastics, St. the Fathers never contrasted the Eucharistic Gifts and the glorified humanity of the Savior as two external entities, the unity of which must be rationally justified. The Fathers of the Church saw their unity not on the natural, but on the hypostatic level, in the participation of the saints. The gifts and humanity of Christ are a single way of existence in the Hypostasis of God the Word.

Miracle of the Transfiguration of St. Gifts like the descent of the Holy Spirit on Holy Virgin Maria; in other words, in the sacrament of the Eucharist the very nature of people and things (bread and wine) does not change, but the way of existence of their nature is transformed.

3.4. The necessity and salvific value of communion of the Holy Mysteries

About the need for salvation to receive Holy Communion. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself says:
“Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. He who walks on My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day...” (John 6:53-54)

Saving fruits or actions of Holy Communion. Secrets are the essence

a) the closest union with the Lord (John 6:55~56);
b) growth in spiritual life and acquisition of true life (John 6:57);
c) the guarantee of the future Resurrection and eternal life (John 6:58).
However, these actions of communion apply only to those who approach communion worthily. Communion brings greater condemnation to those who partake unworthily: “For whoever eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks condemnation for himself, not considering the Body of the Lord” (1 Cor. 11:29).

4. Sacrament of repentance.

“Repentance is a Sacrament in which he who confesses his sins, with a visible expression of forgiveness from the priest, is invisibly absolved of his sins by Jesus Christ Himself.”

The sacrament of repentance was undoubtedly established by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The Savior promised the apostles to give them the power to forgive sins when he said: “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven” (Matthew 18:18).
After His Resurrection, the Lord actually granted them this power, saying: “Receive the Holy Spirit: whose sins you forgive, their sins will be forgiven; on whomever you leave it, it will remain on him” (John 20:22-23).

Those approaching the sacrament of repentance are required to:
a) faith in Christ, for “... everyone who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sin through His name” - (Acts 43).
b) contrition for sins, because “sorrow for God’s sake produces unchangeable repentance leading to salvation” (2 Cor. 7:10).
c) the intention to correct his life, because after “the wicked man turned from his iniquity and began to do justice and righteousness, for this he will live” (Ezek. 33, 19).
Fasting and prayer are auxiliary and preparatory means for repentance.

5. The sacrament of the priesthood.

“The priesthood is a sacrament in which the Holy Spirit appoints the rightly chosen one through the laying on of hierarchs to perform the Sacraments and shepherd the flock of Christ.”

Shortly before His Ascension, the Lord said to the disciples: “Go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Thus, the priestly ministry includes teaching (“teach”), sacrament (“baptizing”) and the ministry of government (“teaching to observe them”).
This triple ministry - teaching, priesthood and administration - has the general name of shepherding. Priests are appointed to “shepherd the Church” (Acts 20:28).

The institution of the priesthood in the Church is not a human invention, but a Divine institution. The Lord Himself “gave some apostles, ... others shepherds and teachers, for the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry...” (Eph. 4:11 - 12).

Election to priestly service is also not a human matter, but presupposes election from above: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you...” (John 15:16).
“And no one accepts this honor of his own accord, but he who is called by God, like Aaron” (Eph. 5:4).

Ordination, the elevation of a person to a hierarchical degree, is not only a visible sign of placement into ministry, as Protestants believe, who believe that there is no fundamental difference between a layman and a clergyman.
Holy Scripture leaves no doubt that in the sacrament of the priesthood special grace-filled gifts are taught that distinguish the clergy from the layman.
Ap. Paul wrote to his disciple Timothy: “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the priesthood” (1 Tim. 4:14). “... I remind you to kindle the gift of God, which is in you through my ordination” (2 Tim. 1, 6).

In the Orthodox Church there are three necessary degrees of priesthood: bishop, presbyter and deacon.

“The deacon serves at the Sacraments; The Presbyter performs the Sacraments, depending on the Bishop; The bishop not only performs the Sacraments, but also has the power to teach others, through ordination, the gift of grace to perform them.”

In addition, only the bishop has the right to consecrate the temple, antimension and St. peace.

For the normal functioning of the church body, all three hierarchical degrees are necessary. Since ancient times, this has been considered a necessary condition for the life of the Church. Sschmch. Ignatius the God-Bearer wrote: “Everyone, honor the deacons as the commandments of Jesus Christ, the bishops as Jesus Christ, the Son of God the Father, and the elders as the assembly of God, as the host of the apostles - without them there is no Church.”

6. The sacrament of marriage.

Marriage is a Sacrament in which, with the bride and groom freely promising their mutual marital fidelity, their marital union is blessed, in the image of the spiritual union of Christ with the Church, and the grace of pure unanimity is asked for them, for the blessed birth and Christian upbringing of children.

The fact that marriage is truly a Sacrament is evidenced by St. Paul: “... a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is great...” (Eph. 5:31-32)

In the Christian understanding, marriage is not a means to achieve certain goals, for example, the continuation of the human race, but an end in itself.
Marriage in Christianity also has a special religious dimension. By the will of the Creator human nature divided into two sexes, two halves, neither of which individually possesses complete perfection. In marriage, spouses mutually enrich each other with the properties and qualities inherent in their sex, and thus both parties to the marriage union, becoming “one flesh” (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:5-6), that is, one spiritual-physical being, achieve perfection.

The Christian family is called the “little Church,” and this is not just a metaphor, but an expression of the very essence of things, for in marriage the same type of unity of people takes place as in the Church, “ big family“, - unity in love in the image of the Persons of the Holy Trinity.

The main goal of a person’s life is to hear God’s call addressed to him and respond to it. But in order to answer this call, a person must commit an act of self-denial, reject his selfishness, and learn to live for the sake of others. This goal is served by Christian marriage, in which spouses overcome their sinfulness and natural limitations “so that life can be realized as love and self-giving.”

Therefore, Christian marriage does not remove a person from God, but brings him closer to Him. Marriage in Christianity is seen as a joint journey of spouses into the Kingdom of God.

But Christianity, which highly values ​​marriage, at the same time frees a person from the need for married life.
In Christianity, there is an alternative path to the Kingdom of God - virginity, which is a rejection of natural self-denial in love, which is marriage, and the choice of a more radical path through obedience and asceticism, in which the call of God addressed to a person becomes for him the only source of existence.

“Virginity is better than marriage if anyone can keep it pure.”
However, the path of virginity is not available to everyone, because it requires special selection:
“...not everyone can receive this word, but to whom it is given... He who can receive it, let him receive it” (Matthew 19:11-12).
At the same time, virginity and marriage in Christianity are not morally opposed. Virginity is superior to marriage not because marriage as such contains something sinful, but due to the fact that in the existing conditions of human life, the path of virginity opens up great opportunities for completely surrendering oneself to God: “An unmarried person cares about the Lord’s things, how to please the Lord; but a married man cares about the things of this world, how to please his wife” (1 Cor. 7:32-33).

Church canons (rules 1, 4, 13 of the Gangra Council, 4th century) impose strict punishments against those who abhor marriage, that is, refuse married life not for the sake of heroism, but because they consider marriage unworthy of a Christian. In Christianity, both virginity and marriage are equally recognized and revered as two paths leading to one goal.

7. Blessing of Oil.

“The Blessing of Oil is a Sacrament in which, when the body is anointed with oil, the grace of God is invoked on the sick person, healing mental and physical infirmities.”

This sacrament originates from the apostles, who, having received authority from Jesus Christ,
“They anointed many sick people with oil and healed them” (Mark 6:13).
Ap. James testifies that this sacrament was performed in the Church already in the apostolic period of its history: “Is any of you sick? let him call the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will heal the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him” (James 5:14-15).

In the sacrament of the Blessing of Anointing, the sick person also receives forgiveness of forgotten sins. This is “the replenishment of the remission of sins in the sacrament of repentance, - the replenishment not because of the insufficiency of repentance itself to resolve all sins, but because of the weakness of the sick to take advantage of this saving medicine in all its fullness and salvific value.”

The word “sacrament” has several meanings in Holy Scripture:

1. A deep, intimate thought, thing or action.

2. The divine economy of salvation of the human race, which is depicted as a mystery, incomprehensible to anyone, even to angels.

3. The special action of God's providence in relation to believers, by virtue of which the invisible grace of God is communicated to them in the visible.

In relation to church rites, the word “sacrament” includes the first, second, and third concepts.

In a broad sense, everything performed in the Church is a sacrament.

This applies not only to the services performed by priests, but also to the lives of parishioners - believers who make up the Church as the body of Christ. A person’s appeal to God, prayer, and the divine answer that everyone who prays with all his heart necessarily receives is an incomprehensible mystery. But the life of believers is filled with this mystery, they are immersed in it again and again, and come out of this experience different - comforted in suffering, filled with spiritual strength and joy. Throughout his life, a person learns to understand what God tells him - in signs or symbols, in random encounters, in the words of church hymns, in books and films, in the events of the surrounding life.

Even the fact that someone suddenly thought about faith, stopped, and looked into the church by chance, is undoubtedly God’s providence for this person. The entire chain of circumstances due to which a person finds himself on the threshold of the temple takes into his own inner world something unknown, completely unusual - is nothing other than the action of God in an individual human life.

The apostles write about this, the first Christians understood this very well, in the works of Christian Saints - teachers of the Church and saints of God, the idea is conveyed with particular strength and clarity that the whole life of a person in following Christ is an unthinkable and great mystery.

IN ancient Church there was no special term for the sacraments as separate category church activities. The concept misterion was used first in the broader and more general sense of “the mystery of salvation,” and only in a second, additional meaning was it used to designate private actions that bestow grace, that is, the sacraments themselves. Thus, by the word sacrament, the Holy Fathers understood everything that relates to the Divine economy of our salvation.

In subsequent centuries, the Christian tradition, which developed in theological schools by the 15th century, distinguishes from the many grace-filled church rites the seven sacraments themselves: Confirmation, Communion, Repentance, Priesthood, Marriage, Blessing of Anointing.

The sacraments are characterized by the following mandatory properties:

1. The sacraments are instituted by God

2. In the sacrament, the power of God descends on a person - invisible grace

3. The sacrament is performed through visible and understandable sacred rites

External actions (“visible image”) do not have meaning in themselves; they are intended for the person approaching the sacrament. This is explained by the fact that by nature man needs visible means to perceive the invisible power of God.

Three sacraments are mentioned directly in the Gospel - Communion and Repentance. Indications of the Divine origin of other sacraments are found in Acts and Apostolic Epistles, as well as in the works of the teachers of the Church of the first centuries of Christianity (St. Justin Martyr, St. Clement of Alexandria, St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Origen, Tertullian, St. Cyprian, etc.)

In each sacrament, the believer is given a specific gift of grace:

1. Grace is given to a person, freeing him from his previous sins and sanctifying him.

2. B Sacrament of Confirmation the believer, when parts of the body are anointed with Holy Myrrh, is given grace, putting him on the path of spiritual life.

3. B Sacrament of Penance he who confesses his sins, with a visible expression of forgiveness from the priest, receives grace that frees him from his sins.

4. B The Sacrament of Communion (Eucharist) the believer receives the grace of deification through union with Christ.

5. B The Sacrament of Anointing when anointing the body with oil (oil), the sick person is given the grace of God, healing mental and physical infirmities.

6. B Sacrament of Marriage spouses are given grace that sanctifies their union (in the image of the spiritual union of Christ with the Church), as well as the birth and Christian upbringing of children.

7. B Sacrament of Priesthood Through hierarchical ordination (ordination), the rightly chosen one from among the believers is given the grace to perform the Sacraments and shepherd the flock of Christ.

The sacraments of the Orthodox Church are divided into those obligatory for all Christians:

Baptism, Confirmation, Repentance, Communion and Blessing of Unction, and the optional ones are the sacraments of Marriage and Priesthood. In addition, there are repeated sacraments - Repentance, Communion, Blessing of Unction, and under certain conditions - Marriage; and non-repeatable, these include Baptism, Confirmation and Priesthood.

Gospel- good news.
Gospel- biography of Jesus Christ; books revered as sacred in Christianity that teach the divinity of Jesus Christ, his birth, life, miracles, death, resurrection and ascension.

57. Apostles –12 disciples and followers of Jesus Christ, chosen to bring his Teaching to the peoples.

Evangelists(bringing good news) - A) apostles, authors of the four canonical Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. B) followers of the Evangelical Church - an association of Protestant churches that arose on the basis of Lutheranism.

58. Cult in Christianity, as the Christian church became established, it gradually became more complex, borrowing many elements from ancient cults, reworking them, adapting them to the Christian doctrine. Thus, Christianity included elements of the Jewish cult and ritual actions of the Greco-Roman religions, which received new content and new understanding.

Subsequently, throughout the history of Christianity, the cult changed, appearing in different forms in different Christian directions. In the Catholic and Orthodox cults, a significant role is played by richly decorated churches, the entire furnishings of which should have an emotional impact on believers, long services, religious sacraments, rituals, fasts, holidays, the cult of the cross, “saints” and relics. Each of these elements has its own special purpose and performs its own service role.

The most important components of the Christian cult these are 7 sacraments.

59.Sacraments – main Christian rituals, during which, under visible actions, a person invisibly gains divine grace.

7 Christian sacraments:

1. Baptism - a person becomes a Christian, washes away his original sin and other sins.

2. Confirmation - sanctification of a person by anointing him with an aromatic mixture (mirror), which is applied in a cross shape (“Seal of the Holy Spirit”)

3. Eucharist / communion / communion - under the guise of bread and wine, a person receives the flesh and blood of Christ, during which believers, according to Christian doctrine, join Christ.

4. Confession/repentance - the believers revealing their sins to God in the presence of a priest and receiving “absolution of sins” in the name of Christ

5.Marriage/wedding – the union of the souls of a man and a woman for friendship and the birth of children.

6.Priesthood/ordination - initiation into the clergy.

7. Blessing of oil - anointing a seriously ill or dying person to improve health or guide the soul and in order to forgive sins.

60.Easter in Judaism (passover): celebrated in honor of the “exodus” of the Jews from Egypt, marks the beginning of the existence of the Jews as a nation.

Easter in Christianity: the main holiday in honor of the resurrection of Jesus Christ

61. Schism of the Christian Church in 1054, also the Great Schism - a church schism, after which the final division of the Church took place: the Roman Catholic Church in the West and the Orthodox Church in the East, with its center in Constantinople.

During its formation in the 2nd-4th centuries, it was divided into a number of dioceses - church-administrative territories governed by bishops. The political, economic and national-cultural specifics of the regions caused inter-diocesan disputes. The situation was aggravated by the struggle of the clergy for power and the impossibility of accepting a single rite of worship. This schism had been brewing for several centuries. In 867, Pope Nicholas I and Patriarch Photius of Constantinople publicly cursed each other. And in the 11th century. enmity flared up with renewed vigor, and in 1054 a final split in Christianity occurred.

Protestantism as an ideology and international historical force took shape in the 16th century, when Martin Luther and Jean Calvin led a mass movement against the spiritual monopoly of Catholicism. Protestantism is one of the main trends in Christianity, which broke away from Catholicism during the Reformation (ideological confrontation within the church) in the 16th century. Unites many independent churches and sects (Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anglican Church, Baptists, Adventists, etc.).

Three main branches of Christianity : Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism.

The most important differences between the 3 branches of Christianity:

Orthodoxy	Catholicism	Protestantism
Difference in creed
Worship the Holy Trinity (God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit)		They do not recognize the Trinity; they worship Jesus Christ.
They believe in heaven and hell	They believe in heaven, hell and Purgatory - an intermediate place of temporary residence of the soul until the Last Judgment.	They believe in the coming heaven on earth, and hell is fiery Gehenna.
Only the Immaculate Conception of Jesus Christ is recognized; cult of the Virgin Mary.	Immaculate Conception of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary; cult of Mary as the Most Pure Virgin.	They do not recognize the Immaculate Conception; no worship of Mary.
Christ cannot have earthly substitutes	The Pope is Christ's vicar on earth.	They do not recognize the authority of the popes.
They recognize remission of sins solely as a result of repentance.	Because the church has an excess of holiness, it can give indulgences.	They do not recognize the absolution of sins by anyone, especially in the form of indulgences.
Differences in worship and worship.
Divine service (liturgy) - once a day in accordance with the strict canon.	The liturgy is conducted in accordance with the canon, can be served several times a day, and is accompanied by a sermon.	Instead of liturgy - a sermon.
During the service they stand	During worship they sit	Behavior is not regulated.
Cult images are only picturesque.	Cult images, sculptural and pictorial	Neither temples nor religious images are recognized.
Rich symbolism; the main symbol is the cross.		Symbols are not recognized.
Cult of saints		They do not recognize the cult of saints.
7 sacraments		2 sacraments: baptism and communion
The sacrament of repentance is an internal cleansing of the soul; the priest does not question, does not condemn, but only forgives sin.	The sacrament of repentance is an external investigation and judgment of the sinner; the priest examines the sin in detail and prescribes punishment - penance, and only after this the sin can be forgiven.
Make the sign of the cross with 3 fingers.	Make the sign of the cross with 5 fingers.	They don't get baptized.
Differences in Church Organization.
OK. 500 million followers	OK. 1.2 billion followers	OK. 500 million followers.
Consists of 15 autocephalous churches.	It is a centralized organization headed by the Pope.	Several dozen large churches and several hundred denominations and sects.
The clergy is divided into black (monastic) and white, who have the right to marry.	All clergy take a vow of celibacy.	No clergy; the congregation is led by an elected pastor.
Institute of Monasticism and Hermitage.	Institute of monasticism: several dozen orders (Jesuits, Franciscans, Dominicans)	They do not recognize the institution of monasticism.
A woman cannot become a clergyman, only a nun		In some denominations, a woman can become a pastor.

62. Vladimir carried out two religious reforms: reformation of paganism and conversion to Christianity. The first boiled down to the fact that Vladimir selected from a huge number of pagan gods several main ones, among which Perun was at the head, Stribog, Dazhbog, Makosh. Khors and Semargl were also included. This reform, however, turned out to be insufficient, since for the early feudal state, such as Kiev at that time, the establishment of a monotheistic religion was already required, which best sanctified the power of the Grand Duke. There were three such religions in Kyiv: Christianity, Islam, Judaism. Vladimir, like Princess Olga, had to decide the question of which Christianity to accept - Western or Eastern. He had to resolve this issue under conditions of strong diplomatic pressure, both from Rome and from Constantinople. For centuries, Kyiv communicated with Constantinople, ties with the west were weaker, so preference was given to Eastern Christianity.

The Baptism of Rus' brought it into close contact not only with the family of Christians. Slavic states, but also in general into the system of Christian countries of Europe with their cultural achievements. Russian culture has been enriched by the achievements of the countries of the Middle East, which have deep historical traditions, and, of course, the cultural treasures of Byzantium. Rus' benefited from the alliance with Byzantium, but at the same time, Rus' continued to have to constantly resist the political and church claims of the Byzantine Empire, which sought to subordinate Rus' to its supremacy. Nevertheless, Vladimir, the baptist of Rus', felt his power was full-fledged among other Christian peoples of the world.

63. Autocephaly- the independent status of the Local Orthodox Church, headed by a bishop in the rank of patriarch, or archbishop, or metropolitan.

There are currently 15 autocephalous churches: Constantinople, Alexandria (Egypt and some African countries), Antioch (Syria and Lebanon), Jerusalem, Russian, Georgian, Serbian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Cypriot, Greek, Albanian, Polish, Czechoslovakian, American.

64.Split between the Russian and Ukrainian autocephalous churches: At the beginning of the 20th century. from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, Rev. part of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church broke away. Since there was a violation of the Church Charter, the UAOC was not recognized. With Ukraine gaining independence, the UAOC received full support from the authorities, and in 1992 it again declared its separation from the mother Church. In the same year, as a result of the unification of two church groups - part of the AUOC and part of the Orthodox who did not belong to it - the independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate was organized. There are currently three churches in Ukraine that call themselves Orthodox - the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. In addition, there is also the Greek Catholic Church.

65. Uniate (Greek Catholic) Church in Ukraine:Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), Uniate church organization. It arose as a result of the conclusion of the Brest Union (union) in 1596, and finally took shape in Lviv in 1700. The terms of the union provided that Orthodox believers and clergy preserve traditional rituals and the language of worship, but recognize the authority of the pope and papal dogma. To the west In the lands of Ukraine, including Transcarpathia, which for many years were under Catholic rule, the UGCC gradually took root and became traditional for most of the population. In 1945, the UGCC had over 4 thousand temple chapels, 1771 parishes, a Theological Academy and theological schools. The church was involved in charity work and paid a lot of attention to the preservation of Ukrainian culture. In 1946, the Lvov Council of the UGCC was convened, at which, under pressure from the state, a decision was made on the “self-liquidation” of the church and the transfer of believers to the Moscow Patriarchate. Until 1990, existing on the territory of the West. Ukrainian Greek Catholics - bishops, priests and monks - were in an illegal position. Greek Catholic believers (about 4 million people) either performed joint prayers in private houses and apartments, or were forced to visit churches of the Moscow Patriarchate.

In Feb. 1990UKHC acquired official status. Currently in the West. In Ukraine, the overwhelming majority of churches that belonged to the Moscow Patriarchate after 1946 returned to the UGCC, and the return of churches took place with numerous scandals; with the connivance of the authorities, churches were taken by force from the Orthodox. These events led to a serious complication in the relations of the Moscow Patriarchate with the Roman Catholic Church.

66. Heresy- dissent, false doctrine, opposing officially recognized canons and dogmas. Condemned by the Orthodox Church.

Heretic - adherent of ceresy.

In the Roman Catholic Churchcarried out the fight against heresy The Holy Inquisition.

67. Indulgence- a papal charter issued for money or special merits to the Catholic Church; certificate of remission of sins committed or not yet committed.

68.Vatican– a) since 1870, the official residence of the Popes – named after one of the 7 hills on which Rome is located. b) the only church state in the world, territorially located in the center of Rome, created in 1929 by an agreement between the government of Mussolini and Pope Pius 11.

69. Indulgence - in Catholicism, a papal letter of remission of committed and even uncommitted sins, issued for money or special merits to the church. The ideological confrontation within the Church itself was called the Reformation—that is, reformation, renewal from within. Beginning with the teachings of the English reformer John Wycliffe, the Reformation movement reached its peak with the work of Mattin Luther. In 1517, the Augustinian monk Martin Luther began to openly express views that did not coincide with the official point of view of the Church to which he belonged, just as the next spread of indulgences began. Then he posted “Theses” on the temple gates, in which he expressed his disagreement with the Catholic Church on 95 points. Of course the pope accused him of heresy. Luther's supporters protested, after which they began to be called Protestants.