What is more important: going to church or being a good person? The path to God: how to start going to church.

Don't put off what needs to be done...

Any church, even in a small village, always amazes with its beauty and grandeur. The ringing of bells, the domes, the golden robes of the clergy - all this already inspires awe of the place where we are about to enter. And in the lives of each of us there are moments when we need to get to church. Therefore, before visiting an Orthodox church, be sure to read the rules of conduct there. The main thing we must remember is that we enter the church to pray, but this will not bring us truth and benefit if we enter the church without humility.

Before going to church, an Orthodox Christian should learn several rules. People go to church on an empty stomach, i.e. Eating is prohibited, even drinking water is undesirable. Before going to church, a woman should try not to forget to take with her a headscarf, which must be used to cover her head in church. Also, before visiting the temple, it is worth remembering that the church is an official institution, and not a masquerade ball or a dating house. Therefore, the body should be as closed as possible: this statement applies to both women and men. No cleavage, bare arms, T-shirts, short skirts or shorts. Since in church it is customary to kiss the priest’s hand or touch healing icons with lips and foreheads, it is best for women not to wear makeup at all; at least, there should definitely be no lipstick. Able to come to church alcohol intoxication or with strong odor tobacco is strictly prohibited: this is the house of God - have respect for God and other parishioners.

Before going to church, it is advisable to read the prayer “Going to Temple” in order to safely go to the service and return from it.

Prayer of one going to the temple

We rejoiced because they said to me: Let us go to the house of the Lord. But by the multitude of Thy mercy, O Lord, I will enter into Thy house, I will bow to Thy holy temple in Thy passion. Lord, guide me in Thy righteousness; for the sake of my enemy, straighten my path before Thee; that without stumbling I will glorify the One Divinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

In general, if we talk specifically about strict adherence to Christian rules, an Orthodox Christian must read prayers every morning and every evening, the list and contents of which can be found in any prayer book. So morning and evening prayers charge a person with energy, protect him in difficult life situations from rash actions and decisions.

The morning service in the church usually begins at 8 o'clock and lasts, depending on whether it is a thanksgiving service or a Sunday service with communion, until 9-12 o'clock in the afternoon. The evening service begins at 15:00, and also lasts differently - until 17-19:00 in the evening. On Saturday evenings during services, the priest places crosses on the foreheads of parishioners with oil (oil) so that they can be cleansed and healed. Churches are usually closed on Monday.

Beggars often sit at the gates of temples asking for alms. If you have a dear person who has died, give them alms and ask them to remember the deceased servant of God such and such. The Lord God will forgive the deceased’s sins and grant the Kingdom of Heaven. Women are accepted on church grounds, i.e. immediately outside her gate, be with your head covered. Therefore, when entering the gate, put a scarf on your head if you are a woman. A man, on the contrary, must remove his cap or hat. Upon entering the temple grounds, look at the church crosses and cross yourself.

It’s okay if you don’t know how to be baptized: it’s easy to learn. Fold the big one, the second one and forefinger hands together, in a slide, and ring finger and press your little finger to your hand. Bring your hand to your forehead and touch it, then touch your hand to your stomach, after your right and left shoulder. You all already know how to be baptized. Before entering the temple, especially if the service has already begun, look into the gatehouse where they sell candles and buy a few. IN separate room or in the temple itself you can also order using notes or a memorial book (a book with notes about ancestors) “On the health” and “For the repose” of our relatives, dear people. In special cases, you can order sorokaust for the health of sick or difficult relatives and for the repose of deceased ancestors and loved ones. When ordering a prayer service “For health” and “For repose,” you need to attach one candle to the lists.

Before entering the temple and immediately after you enter it, you must cross yourself. Upon entering the temple, without fuss, find a place for yourself and make three bows. If there is a service, the men stand on right side, women are on the left. It is advisable not to talk in church. If you really can’t bear to talk, then you can talk, but only if absolutely necessary. There is a belief that people talking in the temple suffer from various diseases and ailments. If there is no service, you can go up to the icon standing in the center of the temple, cross yourself twice and put your lips to the bottom of the icon. After this you need to cross yourself a third time.

If the cashier grandmother, who usually takes orders for prayers “For health” and “For peace,” has written down the names of those who need to be mentioned in her notebook, then all you have to do is attach a candle to the order and pay for the service. But you can write down on a piece of paper yourself who should be remembered for their health, and on a separate piece of paper - who should be remembered for their repose. Such leaflets, or memorial notes, should be given to church employees, who are usually located at some distance in front of the altar. They will hand over lists of people and memorials to the priests for mention during the service.

Having bought candles, they must be placed in front of the holy images of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, St. Nicholas the Pleasant and other saints. Please note that if not a single candle is burning on the candlestick in front of the icon, then it is strictly forbidden to light a candle from an icon lamp!

How to light a candle correctly? Bring the candle wick to the fire of an already burning candle so that the fire lights up on your candle. Immediately after this, bring the bottom of your candle to the fire of a burning candle so that it warms up and melts. After this, quickly place the candle in a free candlestick and secure it there so that it stands level. After you light the candle, cross yourself and pray to the saint to whom you light it.
If you bought a large, thick candle, then most likely you will not be able to install it in a candlestick so easily: its end must be planed with a knife, which is usually kept by grandmothers who take care of candlesticks. You can simply put a thick candle on a candlestick so that the attendants can then plan it and place it themselves, or you can simply ask your grandmother to prepare the candle and place it yourself.

During the service, one must be baptized at any mention of the words “Lord God”, “Mother of God”, “Holy Father”, “Son” and “Holy Spirit”, “Jesus Christ”, as well as at the mention of the names of saints. It can be difficult to navigate at first, so watch what the priests and other parishioners are doing and repeat after them. During the service, it is advisable to understand what is being said. If the essence of the service is not at all clear to you, read aloud, but in a whisper, “Our Father” and other prayers that you know.

During some prayers it is necessary to bow from the waist. Whether to kneel on the floor, as many believers do, is up to you to decide. In general, for a true believer there is no overkill with expressions of love to God - he can calmly kneel down, kiss the priest’s hand, kiss icons. Everyone sets the boundaries of acceptable and possible behavior for themselves. What seems stupid nonsense to you today may become an integral part of life tomorrow. Don't give up.

If during the Burden of Service you suddenly feel sick or nauseous, try to silently go outside to catch your breath. Sit on the bench until you come to your senses. And then return to the temple to listen to the end of the service or say the most important prayers, ask God for help and sign yourself with the sign of the cross when leaving the temple.

After the service, you can eat prosphora - a symbol of the body of Jesus Christ, which is sold right in the church. You can also usually buy bottled holy water from your grandmother-cashier or bring your own empty bottle to have holy water poured into it.

So, in order for a trip to church to be beneficial, you need to bring your appearance in accordance with the church charter, do not eat, take a scarf and memorial with you, cross yourself correctly, light candles and pray, do not talk in church for no reason, do not run around and do not disturb order and peace at all. Knowing these basic truths will help you avoid unpleasant situations in church and save you from some problems in life.

Only the clergyman and the male person whom he blesses can enter the altar.You need to light candles for the health of your family and friends in front of the icons of saints. In order to light candles for the repose of the souls of the dead, there is a funeral canon in the church. There is a small crucifix on it.

• You need to be baptized and bow your head when they overshadow:

Cross;
- the Holy Gospel;
- way;
- holy cup.

• You only need to bow your head without crossing yourself when:

Overshadow with candles;
- bless with hand;
- cense.

You can light a candle with either hand. But only the right one needs to be baptized.The blessing is received from a priest or bishop (but not from a deacon). To do this, you need to approach the shepherd, fold your palms crosswise (the right one is on top), and after the blessing, kiss the right hand (right hand) of the person blessing.If you want to ask anything, contact the priest.

What can't you do in church?

To talk loudly.

Keep your hands in your pockets.

Chew chewing gum.

Move from one side of the church to the other in front of the reading readers or priests.

Shake hands with friends.

Deposit at the cash register membership fee and conduct other monetary transactions (except for purchasing candles) during the service.

What and where is it located?

Altar. Here are located the icons of the most revered Orthodox saints and apostles. For example, Sergius of Radonezh, Seraphim of Sarov, Andrew the First-Called, the apostles Peter and Paul. There are always icons of the saints whose name the temple bears, as well as the Holy Trinity.

A lectern is a high stand on which icons and church books are placed (the Gospel at the evening service). The icon on the lectern changes depending on the holiday.

Where to put candles?

To your health. Candles for health are placed in special candlesticks, of which there may be several in the temple. Candlesticks are placed in front of the icons of saints - St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (Nicholas the Wonderworker), Saints Cyril and Methodius, Xenia of St. Petersburg, Mary of Egypt, etc. in almost all seaside churches there is an icon of the Port Arthur Mother of God (lists). You need to place candles depending on the needs of the person praying in front of the icon of the desired saint.

For repose (right). There is only one funeral canon in a church. You can recognize him by square shape and a small crucifix installed on it. However, candles for repose are not lit on Easter Sunday.

How to confess correctly?

Remember all the sins you committed, voluntarily or unwittingly. Especially those who have not yet been confessed.Confess your sins openly, since God already knows them and is only waiting for your confession. Don't be ashamed to talk about your sins to the priest. Tell him about your sins, as you would tell a doctor in a hospital about your bodily illnesses, and receive mental healing.

Confess each sin separately and in detail.Don't complain about anyone during confession. Judging others is also a sin.It is not good to talk about your sins in cold blood. Thus, you are not cleansed of sins, but increase them.Do not confess if you do not believe in Christ and do not hope for his mercy.

Modern society has provided people with enough freedom, including the choice of religion. Because of general atheism, people are increasingly turning to the church. But knowledge about the church way of life during Soviet times was knocked very hard out of people, so now many people have questions - when to go to church, what should you wear, how to behave in church? Priests answer these questions unequivocally: you must come to church with all your heart, and you will learn the rest of the rules over time.

What days do you go to church?

It is generally accepted that you can go to church on Saturdays and Sundays, when there are large services. A completely wrong opinion. The church is open to people any day. Churchmen say that turning to God happens better in common prayer when the choir sings it and the parishioner sings along. Another reason for this lies in the fact that the majority of parishioners are busy with work on weekdays, and go to church free time, on the weekend. Therefore, almost all major holidays fall on weekends, so going and joining the general prayer on this day is not difficult.

When not to go to church

The question of when not to go to church interests mainly women. There is an opinion that during menstruation, a woman should not cross the threshold of the temple. Church ministers confirm this rule. And, they explain it, in accordance with the teachings of Christ. According to church canons, when receiving communion, a person tastes the flesh and blood of Christ, and becomes sacred at the moment of union with shrines. And, in a woman, this holy blood immediately flows out, the priests consider this unacceptable. Therefore, it is forbidden for a woman to receive communion during her period. And, at the same time, it is not recommended to come to the temple.

Another question that interests women is when can they go to church during pregnancy. The Church considers pregnancy and the child inside the mother to be blessed by God, a sacred miracle, and does not impose any ban on prayers or presence in church. On the contrary, he calls on pregnant women to pray to the Mother of God, and to the saints who protect mother and child.

What time should I come to church?

In the church, there are absolutely no restrictions on the time of visiting temples. The church is open from the morning, from the moment the matins begin, until the evening. At night, visiting the temple is not encouraged, because the temple is an institution like any other. You need to understand the difference between communication with God, which you can have constantly, and visiting a temple, where there are certain hours for visiting. At night, temples are open at holidays, for example, at Christmas, at Epiphany. At any time when you can go to church, you will come for prayer, and do everything that is necessary. And at night, church ministers sleep, just like any other person.

Answer from Angelina[guru]
Yes, you can at any time. If the doors are open

Answer from KC[guru]
If you are Russian, then there is nothing to do there...

Answer from Iyplakova Anna[guru]
Yes, you can.

Answer from Yoid[guru]
No, towards evening everyone turns into vampires and bites you in the neck! So then you’ll have to go to church in the evenings and bite others!

Answer from Alexey Subochev[guru]
People usually go to churches when they are open and when there is a service going on.
It all depends on the purpose for which you are going there.
If you just want to light a candle and stand, you can come during outside service hours, usually between services when the church is open, but if you want to go to the service, take the trouble to study the schedule of services.
IN big cities There is large temples, cathedrals, monasteries where services are held daily, both morning and evening.
In small churches they often do not have services every day, and if you come on a day for which there is no evening service - evenings at 6-7-8 pm - you will not get into the temple, it will be closed.
If something is not clear - write, I’ll tell you in more detail where and how.
Sincerely, Alexey Arefiev [email protected] link

Answer from Yergey Bodrov[guru]
every Sunday at 11-00 for sacrament meeting, and if you need to pray, you can do it without leaving your home, minibus, or bus. Anywhere, anytime, out loud or in your thoughts. I don’t light candles for anyone, this silence won’t help anyone (my opinion may not coincide with the opinions of others), I don’t pray or kiss icons, I believe in the Lord and not in the images of “good people”, and God will hear prayer no matter where we are we pray. Determine the purpose of your visit... my purpose for visiting is communion, Sunday school (lessons, teaching), serving others, etc.

Priests quite often hear from people: they say, father, I want to come to church, but I feel awkward because I don’t know how to be baptized correctly, how to light a candle correctly, submit a note about health or death, order a prayer service or memorial service etc.
First of all, every Christian needs to understand and remember that he came to the Temple not to hastily light a candle, but in order to turn to God with his thoughts and feelings and glorify Him, that is, to pray. For the Lord Himself said: “My house will be called a house of prayer.” And the Church is the house of the Lord.
There are people who say that they believe in God, accept Christ, but do not want or do not like going to Church. They don’t like Divine Services either. The fact is that the souls of these people are not ready for such love, they have not cultivated it in themselves due to worldly passions and do not know the meaning of the Church, its spirit, purpose. Go to Church, listen with deep attention to the Divine service, chants, canons, readings - and you will get used to the Church, love it, see how many inclinations of life, peace, consolation it contains, how much light, strength, sacredness, truth. By comprehending the meaning and significance of church rites, we will approach the sacraments, the Church, and receive the grace of the Holy Spirit with great zeal and faith. For example, one who understands that the Holy Eucharist partakes of the Body and Blood of Christ Himself is unlikely to begin to carelessly prepare for this sacrament. Knowledge of divine services eliminates harmful superstitions and misconceptions. Thus, some people unfairly believe that the sacrament of consecration of oil (unction) should be received only before death. But unction is performed on those who are sick in soul and body at any age for the sake of their healing. By comprehending the meaning of worship, a Christian can teach others spiritual edification, saving both himself and the listener.
There are no sinless people. But the Lord, loving people created in His image and likeness, tirelessly calls us to His spiritual hospital - the Church. In the temple of God, the soul of a Christian is filled with living faith, strong, reliable and inexhaustible love for God, for the Temple is a place of penetration of prayers and deep spiritual experiences. Man's path to God lies through the Temple and its shrines. All other buildings on earth are built for people, but the Temple is built for the honor and glory of God. Therefore, there is a custom, when approaching the Temple, to read the prayer: “I will go into Your house, I will bow to Your holy temple in Your passion...”. You can read such prayers and psalms as « Worthy to eat », Psalms 50, 90, etc.

Before entering the Temple, you should make the sign of the cross and bow three times.

In order to correctly make the sign of the cross, the thumb, index and middle fingers right hand are connected in such a way that their ends are folded evenly - as a sign of equality of the Persons of the Holy Trinity, the other two fingers - the ring and little fingers - are bent to the palm. With three joined fingers we touch the forehead, stomach, right shoulder, then the left, drawing a cross on ourselves, and, lowering our hand, bow. The connection of three fingers means our faith in the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit; two fingers bent to the palm mean faith in the Son of God Jesus Christ and that He has two natures - God and man. We place the sign of the cross on our forehead to sanctify our mind and thoughts; on the stomach to sanctify the heart and feelings; on the shoulders to sanctify bodily strength.
The sign of the cross is usually performed with the words: “In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit” or any other beginning and end of the prayer. But just as it is not proper to call on God in vain, that is, unnecessarily and irreverently, so the sign of the cross should not be done often and hastily, much less carelessly, turning it into a meaningless movement of the hand.
You must enter the Temple quietly and reverently, as if you were entering the house of God, the mysterious dwelling of the Heavenly King. Noise, conversations, and even more so laughter will offend the holiness of the Temple of God and the greatness of the God who dwells in it.
In the Temple, men of any age remove their head coverings, while women pray with their heads covered. We know this from Holy Scripture: “Every woman who prays with her head uncovered disgraces her head.” Unfortunately, in our time this is not always observed.
When entering and leaving the Temple, you must cross yourself three times and bow at the waist towards the altar. By bowing we express our reverence for God and repentant feelings. We bow with the prayers “God, be merciful to me, a sinner,” “God, cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me,” and “Create me, Lord, forgive me!”
You should arrive early for the service in order to enter the Temple calmly and without fuss. You must approach the festive icon lying on a lectern in the middle of the church, cross yourself twice, bow and venerate, that is, kiss the Holy Icon, and cross yourself again. After this, go up to the icon and kiss it.
A church candle is a symbol of the prayer of a believer.
Those burning in the Temple are an expression of the reverence of those praying, their love and sacrifice to God, as well as the joy and spiritual triumph of the Church; with their burning they remind of the non-evening light, which in the Kingdom of Heaven rejoices the souls of the righteous who have pleased God.
A candle burning in front of the icon is a sign of our faith and hope for God’s gracious help, always abundantly sent to everyone who flows to the Lord and His saints with faith and prayer.
At the same time, according to the existing in Russian Orthodox Church Usually, during the sacrament of Repentance, those who come to confession bring an unlit candle as a sign of hope to receive forgiveness from the Lord for their sins and as a gift to Him. When approaching the priest, this candle can be placed on the lectern where the Gospel and the Cross lie.
In health or death notes, only names are written, and only of baptized people. The Church does not pray for the unbaptized. Names must be written in full genitive case(for example, Olga, not Olya) in neat handwriting. Non-Christian names (Eduard, Oktyabrina, etc.) are not written. More than 5-7 names cannot be written in one note.
You cannot remember holy saints for the repose, for example: Blessed Xenia, Patriarch Tikhon, St. Nicholas, etc. It is they who pray for us, and not we for them.
In the Temple we can pray for ourselves, for our family and friends, for their health and well-being. To do this, go to any icon located there. An icon (image) is an image of God Himself, Mother of God, angels, saints. This image is consecrated with holy water, through consecration the grace of the Holy Spirit is imparted to the icon, and the icon is revered by us as holy. There are miraculous icons, through which the grace of God abiding in them is manifested in miracles (for example, the healing of the sick). When praying in front of an icon, we must remember that the icon is not God himself or God’s saint, but only an image of God or His saint. Therefore, we should not pray to the icon, but to God or the saint who is depicted on it.
Icons can contain images of the Mother of God, holy angels, holy people or saints of God.
We pray to the Mother of God because She is closest to God and at the same time to us. For the sake of Her motherly love and Her prayers, the Lord Jesus Christ helps us a lot. She is the Great and Merciful Intercessor for all of us. There are many icons of the Mother of God, we honor them, but She is one, and we pray to save us Holy Mother of God, and not Her icon.
The icons also depict saints of God. They are called this because, while living on earth, they pleased God with their righteous lives. And now, being in heaven with God, they pray for us and help those living on earth. They are like intermediaries between God and people. It happens that we turn to God with prayer, but God does not hear it, because our sins are like a wall through which nothing can be heard. Then we turn to the saints with a prayer, so that they bring our prayer to God, ask for us, beg Him to forgive us and have mercy.

Saints have different names : prophets, apostles, martyrs, saints, saints, unmercenaries, blessed and righteous.
Prophets They call saints who, at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, predicted the future, mainly about the Savior. They lived before the birth of Christ.
Apostles- disciples of Jesus Christ, there were 12 of them, and then another 70. They distributed Christian faith. Saints who, like the apostles, spread the faith of Christ are called equal to the apostles(Prince Vladimir, Saint Nina, etc.).
Martyrs- those Christians who accepted cruel torment, and even death, for their faith in Jesus Christ. If after suffering they die peacefully, they are called confessors, if they died after especially severe (great) suffering - great martyrs. Confessors whose torturers wrote blasphemous words on their faces are called inscribed.
Saints- these are bishops or bishops who pleased God with their righteous lives (St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, St. Alexy, Metropolitan of Moscow, etc.). Saints who suffered torment for Christ are called holy martyrs. Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John
Chrysostom is called the Ecumenical Teachers, that is, teachers of the entire Christian Church.
Reverends- righteous people who retired from worldly life, remaining in virginity (that is, did not marry), fasting and prayer, living in deserts and monasteries, and pleased God (Sergius of Radonezh, Seraphim of Sarov). The monks who endured torment are called venerable martyrs.
Unmercenary They healed illnesses, both physical and mental, without any payment.
Righteous lived a righteous life pleasing to God, living in the world, were family people(Joachim and Anna, etc.). The ancestors of the human race: Adam, Noah, Abraham, etc. are called forefathers.
On icons and paintings around the head of the Savior, the Mother of God and the saints, a radiance is depicted - a halo. A halo is an image of the radiance of the light and glory of God, which transforms a person who unites with God. This radiance of God's light is sometimes visible to other people.
When placing a candle in front of the icon of this or that saint, you need to be able to turn to him with prayer, request, and gratitude. If you know that this is an icon, say, of St. Nicholas, then, approaching it, cross yourself, mentally gather yourself and say to yourself: “To St. Father Nicholas, pray to God for us.” Then light a candle, venerate the icon with the same words and, standing in front of the icon with a lit candle, say your fervent prayer. Who knows, maybe read the troparion. When lighting a candle for yourself or someone else, you can pray like this: “Holy saint of Christ and Father Nicholas, help me, a sinner, in my life, beg the Lord to grant me health and salvation and forgiveness of my sins, help my children...” and etc. Putting candles in front of different icons, especially during the service, try not to walk throughout the Temple, as this will distract other worshipers. If, when you approach the icon, you don’t know what it is called, take a closer look - perhaps there is an inscription on it, or ask those around you, but quietly.
There are holy saints to whom people turn for help in certain cases. In front of their icons, if they are in the Temple, you can put a candle, you can order a prayer service for them. If there are no such icons, light a candle and pray in front of the icon of the Savior, because all our prayers are addressed to Him and His saints pray for us. When calling or glorifying the holy saints of God, we must call or glorify them with all our hearts, with the fervor of our souls, in order to thus draw closer to them and, if possible, become like them, because they are with us and for us then they offer prayers to God when we call or we glorify them with a pure heart.
Who should we call to help in our troubles and sorrows? First of all, the Savior, the Most Holy Theotokos, your Guardian Angel, as well as the saints.

During the Renaissance Orthodox traditions a wide range of people show a desire to attend church. Parishioners have established habits of behavior that should not interfere in a holy place. A beginner should familiarize himself with simple tips about 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.

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 also has 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 clear skies, 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 refer only to details 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 from the space of earthly sin you are entering a small and clean house God's.

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 a 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 everyone 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 on to eternal life.

To remember the dead, every church has a special eve. funeral 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 main goal of his arrival at 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.

Do not 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 difficult 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 Orthodox Christian It is godly to visit the temple 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 from 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. Cell phones You don’t have to turn it off, but be sure to switch it 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 so desired a respectful reason. 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 holiness of the temple is determined not only by the age-old religion, but also miraculous icons saints to whom you can turn. Listening to the words of the priest during worship is useful for every person for the salvation of his eternal soul.