A person comes to the temple to thank the higher powers, repent of his sins, be morally reborn, and sincere prayers will certainly be heard by the Lord. However, today a common hindrance to attending church is simply ignorance of the rules of conduct in the temple of God.
As the clergy themselves say, there is nothing wrong with this, one cannot condemn a person who does not quite know the order of actions in the temple, because there are no ideal people. You can simply ask a clergyman about this or read special literature.
Orthodox church
The church is a special place. The norms of behavior in the temple went through a very long way of becoming. The general norms of behavior in all temples are only the following: do not smoke, do not drink alcohol, do not make noise and behave with respect for the place where God is present. All other rules are very different.
Believers know exactly how to behave in the temple, but many churches are open to the public huge amount tourists, and just people who, out of the need of the soul or out of curiosity, decided to go to the temple. In order not to make a mistake, not to hurt the feelings of believers and not disturb the peace of the temple, before visiting the church, you should familiarize yourself with the rules of conduct in it.
The whole church building is divided into the altar, the temple itself and the vestibule. The altar is fenced off from the temple itself by an iconostasis, which in most cases reaches the ceiling. In the altar are the throne and the altar. The Royal Doors (central), as well as the northern and southern gates lead to the altar.
Women are forbidden to enter the altar. Men can enter the altar only with the permission of the priests, and then only through the north or south gates. Only the clergy enter the altar through the Royal Doors.
Directly adjacent to the iconostasis is the salt - an elevated platform along the entire altar.
Opposite the royal doors is the pulpit - the central part of the salt. Without the permission of the clergy, it is also not allowed to ascend the pulpit and salt.
Since ancient times, it has been established to celebrate divine services three times a day: in the evening, in the morning and in the afternoon - the liturgy. You should know that the church day does not begin at 0000 hours of the calendar day, but at 1800 hours of the previous day.
The entrance to the temple from the street is usually arranged in the form of a porch - a platform in front of the entrance doors, to which several steps lead. Approaching the temple, you need to make sign of the cross and a bow. Climbing up to the porch, before entering the door, you again need to make the sign of the cross and bow. One should not, standing on the street, pray for a long time and for show.
Entering the temple, one should stop near the door and make three bows with prayers: - "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." - Bow. "God, cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me." - Bow. “Creating me, Lord, forgive me.” - Bow.
It is supposed to be baptized slowly, connecting together the first three fingers of the right hand, and the other two - folding and bending to the palm of your hand. With the right hand folded in this way, one should successively touch the forehead, abdomen, right and left shoulders.
You should arrive at the temple 10-15 minutes before the start of the service. During this time, you can submit notes, put a donation on the eve, buy candles, put them on and venerate the icons. If you are late, you must behave in such a way as not to interfere with the prayer of others. If it is not possible to freely approach the icons and put candles, ask them to pass the candles through other people.
During the service, men should stand on the right side of the temple, women on the left, leaving free passage from the main doors to the Royal Doors. It is forbidden to sit in an Orthodox church, the only exception can be ill health or severe fatigue of the parishioner.
During worship, one should not look around, it is indecent to show curiosity and examine the worshipers, ask them about something, chew chewing gum, keep their hands in their pockets, shake hands with friends, talk on the phone.
It is better to turn off the phone altogether or at least put it on silent mode. Leaving mobile phones on in the temple becomes an obstacle to attentive prayer, while worship, on the contrary, enriches and pleases the human soul.
It is unacceptable to condemn and ridicule the involuntary mistakes of employees or those present in the temple. It is forbidden to talk during worship. You should not condemn and rebuke a newcomer who does not know the rules of the church. It is better to help him with polite and kind advice. Candles need to be bought exactly in the temple to which you came. If possible, you should not leave the church before the end of the service.
Photo and video filming is prohibited in temples. They are allowed only after the blessing of the clergy in special cases related to church sacraments.
When visiting temples, it is customary to dress in such a way that most of the body is covered. It is not customary to go to the temple in shorts and sportswear. T-shirts and shirts with short sleeves should also be avoided by men and women whenever possible. The woman's head must be covered.
Men are required to remove their hats before entering the temple.
You should not ask for blessings from deacons and ordinary monks, since they have no right to do this. Bless priests and bishops, as well as abbesses of monasteries in the rank of abbess. When accepting the blessing, you should fold your palms crosswise (the right palm over the left) and kiss the right, blessing hand of the clergyman, you do not need to be baptized before this.
How to be baptized?
On the right hand, we fold the thumb, middle and index fingers so that they touch with pads (the symbol of the Trinity is God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit), we press the remaining two to the palm (the symbol of the dual nature of Jesus Christ - God and Man). Next, we bring our hand to the forehead (in the Name of the Father), on the stomach (and the Son), to the right shoulder (and the Holy Spirit), to the left shoulder (Amen) and bow.
Where to put candles for health?
Candles for health are placed on any candlestick, except for the eve (table at the Crucifixion) - candles are placed there with a prayer for the dead. Which saint? As your heart desires, to whom the heart will indicate. Your prayer is to the Lord. And the saints are our intercessors before Him and intercessors. You can also put candles, for example, for the icons of the Mother of God or the Feast, which are especially revered by you and your family.
Types of notes:
- about health: proskomedia, litany, prayer service.
- about repose: proskomidia, litany, requiem.
For both the living and the dead, you can also order a magpie, an annual commemoration
Proskomedia: performed before the Liturgy: particles are removed from the prosphora and placed in the Chalice, the liturgical prosphora is being prepared - the Lamb. Names are read from notes submitted for proskomedia. And the particles are taken out for these people. Already during the Liturgy, after the Transubstantiation of the Gifts, the removed particles are immersed in the Holy Chalice with a prayer to Christ to wash away the sins of those who are commemorated.
Litany: names are read during the Augmented Litany after the reading of the Gospel at the Liturgy
Moleben: a separate service is ordered (more precisely, this is called a treba). In a note for a prayer service, you can indicate to whom: for example, a prayer service to any icon of the Mother of God, a saint ..
Requiem: a separate service for the dead. Done often. There are also Parental Saturdays, before which Parastas is served - a special memorial service. Notes filed on Parents' Saturday, are read the day before, on Friday, at the Parastasos, and on Saturday at the Liturgy at the litany, and after the Liturgy at the memorial service
Sorokoust: prayer during the reading of the Psalter in the monastery for 40 days;
annual commemoration - respectively, according to the same principle.
Notes should be served in the candlestick of the temple. There are samples everywhere. If the sample is not posted, you can ask the temple candlestick about the design - they will explain everything to you.
Only the names of baptized people are written in the notes. If a person is sick - sick (go) "name". If the note is about the dead, then you can’t write suicides, unbaptized babies (they are prayed for at home).
What is confession?
Confession implies an open heart to God, a sincere desire to become better and part with bad thoughts and actions, get rid of the desire to do bad deeds (both in relation to others and to oneself). And repentance for the bad things that have already been done. What is sinful? There is enough sensible literature on this subject, which you can buy in a church shop, for example, “To Help the Penitent” by Ignaty Brianchaninov.
How to prepare for confession?
There is no universal recipe here. And you won’t ask anyone in particular: how do you prepare for confession? Because it's a very personal matter. Some generally write everything on a piece of paper the day before. The main thing to do is to tune in to reflect on your actions and thoughts.
How is the confession going?
Find out in the temple about the hours of confession. It can be evening (after or even during the service) and morning (before the Liturgy). If you know any priest (you saw him at the service, talked and were filled with confidence), find out in the candle-room when he confesses. It is better (especially for the first time) to go to confession to someone who disposes you to himself. Despite the fact that you confess to God, and not to the priest, the personal factor influences here, and at first we cannot do anything about it. Although it may not matter to some.
You must come to confession on a first-come, first-served basis. As you approach, bow your head. Start with "sinned" and list the sins. After you have said everything, finish the confession "Forgive me, Merciful Lord." After you have finished confession, the priest covers your head with an epitrachelion (an accessory of liturgical vestments is a long ribbon that goes around your neck and descends to your chest with both ends) and reads a prayer. He will first ask for your name (do not forget that if your name is Rosa, and you are baptized with Hope, you must say “Hope”). After the prayer, you are baptized, kiss the Gospel lying in front of you, and the Cross (ibid.), and move away from the lectern.
The main thing is that you cannot take communion without confession, but you can confess without subsequent communion. Preparation for communion is much more difficult and longer than for confession.
How to prepare for Communion?
Three days before Communion it is necessary to fast (do not eat meat, dairy products, eggs, and fasting - and fish). Fasting also includes quitting smoking, drinking and abstinence. It is necessary during the preparation to read the rule for Communion (it is in any Orthodox prayer book). On the day of Communion itself, after 12 o'clock at night (that is, from the beginning of a new day), it is not supposed to eat and drink until the end of the Liturgy. Previously, people dressed in bright clothes for communion - there was such an Orthodox tradition. Before the service or the day before, confession is prescribed.
During the Liturgy, towards the end of the service, having heard the singing: “One is Holy, One is the Lord Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father. Amen. ”, start slowly moving to the right side of the temple. It is from there that they approach the Chalice. After the priest’s words “Come with the fear of God and faith” (he takes out the Cup) and singing “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, God the Lord and appear to us” - the prayer “I believe, Lord, and I confess ...” is read (you will already recognize it after home preparation for Communion). Her father reads himself, but the whole church silently (sometimes, out loud) repeats. After the prayer to the singing of “Take the body of Christ…” those who take communion approach the Chalice. Hands are folded crosswise on the chest - right to left.
Approaching the Cup, say your name in baptism, open your mouth and receive the Body and Blood of the Lord. After that, kiss the edge of the Chalice and move further to the left side of the temple. Take a piece of prosphora there and drink it down. It is not necessary to be baptized and bow at the Chalice itself, so as not to hurt it. Also, before you drink, you should not say anything. After communion, you should not immediately leave the temple. Wait until the end of the service, kiss the Cross, which the priest will give after the sermon, and only after that leave the church refreshed. Do not forget to read the prayers after Communion at home. Or listen to them in the temple at the end of the service.
Upon leaving the temple
Blessing
One must distinguish between worship before a shrine and before people, even if they are sacred. Accepting the blessing of a priest or bishop, Christians fold their palms crosswise, placing the right on the left, and kiss the right hand of the blessing, but do not cross themselves before that. This custom recalls that this hand held the Holy Chalice of the Eucharist.
General
Leaving their temple, make three waist bows with the sign of the cross.
The care of the Holy Church for us continues after the service, so that we do not lose the grace-filled mood, which, by the grace of God, we were honored in the temple. The Church commands us to disperse after the service in reverent silence, with thanksgiving to God, with a prayer that the Lord grant us to always visit His holy monastery until the end of our lives.
Smokers are forbidden to smoke even on the street within the church fence.
But it is absolutely necessary to delve into everything that happens for church service to feed on them. Only then will each one warm his heart, excite his conscience, revive his withered soul, and enlighten his mind.
Rules of conduct in the Orthodox Church
1. Enter the holy temple with spiritual joy. Remember that the Savior Himself promised to comfort you in sorrow: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Gospel of Matthew, chapter 11, verse 28).
2. Always enter here with humility and meekness, so that you can leave the temple justified, as the humble gospel publican came out.
3. When you enter the temple and see the holy icons, think that the Lord Himself and all the saints are looking at you; be especially reverent at this time and have the fear of God.
4. Entering St. temple, create - on weekdays three earthly, and on holidays three bows from the waist, praying: - "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." - Bow. "God, cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me." - Bow. “Creating me, Lord, forgive me.” - Bow.
5. Orthodox Christians serve during the Divine Liturgy - the main Christian service - notes on the health of their living relatives (baptized, Orthodox) and, separately, on the repose of the dead. They are formatted as follows:
Names are written neatly, legibly - complete, in the genitive case: about the health (or repose) of whom? - Tamara, John, Nikifor, etc. The number of names does not matter, but the priest usually reads a not very long note more carefully and more prayerfully. But it is precisely such notes that are served when a person often comes to the temple! Notes are served before the start of the service, usually in the same place where candles are bought. In order not to be embarrassed, you should remember that the difference in the price of the notes reflects only the difference in the amount of your donation to the temple needs. The same can be said about the price of candles.
6. Reverently treat the church candle: this is a symbol of our prayerful burning before the Lord, His Most Pure Mother, the saints of God. Candles are lit one from the other, burning, and, having melted the bottom of it, they put it in the nest of the candlestick. The candle should stand strictly straight. If, on the day of a great feast, a servant extinguishes your candle in order to light the candle of another, do not be indignant in spirit: your sacrifice has already been accepted by the All-Seeing and All-Knowing Lord.
7. It is good if there is a place in the temple where you are used to standing. Pass to him quietly and modestly, and passing by the Royal Doors, stop and reverently cross yourself and bow. If there is no such place yet, do not be embarrassed. Without disturbing others, try to stand up so that singing and reading can be heard. If this is not possible, stand in a free place and carefully perform the inner prayer.
8. In St. Temple always come to the beginning of Divine service. If you are still late, be careful not to interfere with the prayer of others. Entering the temple during the reading of the Six Psalms, the Gospel, or after the Cherubic Liturgy (when the transubstantiation of the Holy Gifts is performed), stay at the entrance doors until the end of these important parts of the Service.
9. During the service, try not to walk around the temple even to light candles. It is also necessary to venerate the icons before the start of the Divine service and after it, or at the appointed time - for example, at the all-night service for anointing with oil. Some moments of the service, as already mentioned, require special concentration: reading the Gospel; Song of the Theotokos and Great Doxology at Vespers; the prayer “Only Begotten Son…” and the entire Liturgy, beginning with “Who are the Cherubim…”.
10. In the temple, with a silent bow, greet your acquaintances, even with especially close ones, do not shake hands and do not ask about anything - be truly modest. Do not be curious and do not peer at those around you, but pray with sincere feeling, delving into the order and content of the services.
11. One must stand in the temple, and only in cases of illness is it allowed to sit down and rest. However, the Metropolitan of Moscow Filaret (Drozdov) said well about the infirmity of the body: “It is better to think about God while sitting than standing about your feet.” But during the reading of the Gospel and in especially important places of the Liturgy, one must stand.
12. When a clergyman burns the temple, one should step aside so as not to interfere with him, and bow the head slightly when burning the people. You should not be baptized at this time. It is also customary to bow the head when the Royal Doors are opened or closed, when the priest proclaims "Peace to all" or blesses the people with the Gospel. During the consecration of the Holy Gifts (prayer “We sing to you”), if the temple is not very crowded, you need to bow to the ground. On holidays and Sundays, prostrations are not required, and they are not performed even after Communion. On these days, make bows from the waist, touching the floor with your hand.
13. In the temple, pray as one participating in Divine services, and not only present, so that the prayers and hymns that are read and sung come from your heart; follow the service carefully so that you pray for exactly what the whole Church prays for. Place the sign of the cross on yourself and make obeisances at the same time as everyone else. For example, during Divine services, it is customary to be baptized during the doxology of the Holy Trinity and Jesus Christ, during litanies - to any exclamation of “Lord, have mercy” and “Give, Lord”, as well as at the beginning and end of any prayer. You need to cross and bow before approaching the icon or putting a candle, and leaving the temple. It is impossible to hastily, inattentively make the sign of the cross over ourselves, because in doing so we appeal to the Lord's love and grace.
14. If you come with children, make sure that they behave modestly and do not make noise, accustom them to prayer. If the children need to leave, tell them to cross themselves and leave quietly, or take them out yourself.
15. Never allow a child to eat in a holy temple, except when the priests distribute the blessed bread.
16. If a small child bursts into tears in the temple, immediately take him out or carry him out.
17. Do not condemn the involuntary mistakes of employees or those present in the temple - it is more useful to delve into your own shortcomings and ask the Lord to forgive your sins. It happens that during the Divine service, in front of your eyes, someone prevents the parishioners from praying with concentration. Don't get angry, don't bully anyone. Try not to pay attention, and if, due to weakness, you cannot cope with the temptation, it is better to move quietly to another place.
18. When you go to the temple of God, still at home prepare money for candles, prosphora and church fees: it is inconvenient to change them when buying candles, because this interferes both with Divine services and those who pray.
19. Until the end of the Divine Service, never, unless absolutely necessary, leave the temple, for this is a sin before God. If this happens, tell the priest in confession.
20. According to our old customs, men should stand on the right side of the temple, and women on the left. No one should occupy the passage from the main doors to the Royal Doors.
21. Women should enter the temple modestly dressed and with their heads covered. It is unacceptable to partake of the Holy Mysteries and venerate shrines with painted lips.
22. The main thing is mutual love parishioners and understanding of the content of the Service. If we enter the temple of God with reverence, if, standing in the Church, we think that we are in heaven, then the Lord will fulfill all our petitions.
23. After the end of the service, when leaving the temple, one should cross and bow three times and then head home, trying to preserve the grace acquired by temple prayer
Now we answer frequently asked questions:
- a box with money (near the lectern or somewhere else in the temple) is a voluntary sacrifice, and not a payment for the sacraments. Decide according to your ability and conscience.
- the fact that Communion is given with one spoon, don't bother you either. No one has yet been infected by the Chalice.
- after the first confession (especially if you have repented of serious sins) you may not be allowed to take Communion. Rarely, but such cases do happen. Go quietly home, do what the priest said, and get ready for the next confession. It is impossible to approach the Chalice without blessing.
— if you have a need to tell a priest about something, arrange an individual appointment with him. During confession, long conversations are inappropriate - most likely, there are many more people behind you.
Rules of conduct in the church
How to behave in the temple for children
Children's program from the cycle "Kind Word", TV channel "My Joy"
During the period of trials, a person strives for God. His soul begs for Holy place- in church. To find answers to your questions, to find peace. Both secular and church places have their own basic rules and dress code. Be sure to follow them. Otherwise, parishioners will reprimand you, because. wrong behavior will hurt their feelings. Yes, and your mood will deteriorate. During the tsarist reign, people were taught how to behave correctly in the church, now you have to find out the information yourself.
Prepare in advance for going to church:- Pick the right clothes. Women wear long-sleeved sweaters, skirts below the knee, preferably to the floor. The head is necessarily covered with a scarf, stole. The main thing is to hide the hair. Be as natural as possible. Don't wear make-up, even say "No" to lip balm. Men similarly choose clothes that cover the body as much as possible. It is not recommended to wear shorts, even in hot weather. Stop your choice on clothes of a free cut.
- If you plan to go to a service, find out in advance the time of the beginning of the service. Usually the schedule hangs on a board in the porch - a place located on the street territory of the temple. Buy candles there. The church is hostile to candles bought in ordinary stores. Come to the service in advance, 15-20 minutes in advance. If you are still late, do not come in, because you will prevent people from praying. Just wait until the end of the service and light a candle for health or peace.
- 1 time on the street in front of the entrance to the church;
- 1 time in front of the doors to the church;
- 3 times on the threshold of the church;
- 3 times at the main icon in the center, then touch it with your lips;
- 3 times at the exit from the church;
- 1 time near the icon.
- Place candles in front of the icon. Light the wick from any burning candle, and then lightly melt the bottom tip of your candle. To stand up straight and steady.
- If someone else's candle goes out, it is allowed to light it again. You can’t extinguish other people’s candles, your own is permissible.
- Place a candle for the repose on a candlestick specially designated for this. It has a square shape and a small crucifix.
It is important to behave properly in church. This is a manifestation of respect for others, the observance of traditions.
Instruction
As you prepare to go to the temple, think about what you want to say to God, what to pray for, what to repent of.
For service, dress modestly, cleanly and neatly. Women are encouraged to wear long skirt with a blouse or dress that hides the shoulders, chest and legs above the knees, and cover the head with a scarf. Make-up should be minimal, and lips should not be painted. Men need to be dressed in trousers and a shirt, shorts and T-shirts are not allowed, and a hat is supposed to be removed at the entrance to the temple.
To light candles, submit notes, pray at the images of saints, come to church in advance, 15-20 minutes before the start of the service. At the entrance to the temple, cross yourself three times with your right hand and bow. Turn off your mobile phone, get rid of extraneous thoughts.
Upon entering the church, submit notes about the health and repose of relatives, friends, acquaintances. Place candles: for the repose - on the eve with a small crucifix, which differs from others in a rectangular shape, and for health - on any candlestick. Attach to the images of the saints, touching the lower part of the icon with your lips.
Try to take a place where you can see and hear everything. If it is hard to stand throughout the service, sit down on the bench for a while, but be sure to get up when the royal doors open and during the reading of the Gospel. Don't turn your back on the altar.
During the service, do not look around, do not look at the parishioners, do not talk, do not be distracted from prayers and chants. You can not walk around the temple, pass the candles. If you come to the temple with children, tell them to be quiet, not make noise, or run around.
When the clergy overshadow with a cross, the Gospel, a holy chalice or an image, cross yourself and bow your head, and when overshadowing with the sign of the cross, censer or candles, you only need to bow. When glorifying the Holy Trinity or Jesus, at the beginning and end of each prayer, as well as at the words “Lord, have mercy” and “Give, Lord,” one should be baptized.
You can remember the whole order of worship with experience, and if you don’t have one, then just do the same as the rest: be baptized, make bows or bows to the ground, bow your head, sing, etc.
It is advisable to defend the entire service, perceiving it not as a duty, but as a sacrifice to God. If for some reason you need to leave before it ends, try to do it in such a way as not to disturb other parishioners.
Sources:
- How to behave in the Temple
There is a place where we come to be alone with, understand ourselves and ask for help from the Creator of everything that is on earth - God's temple. We open to God all our thoughts, troubles, aspirations and ask him for forgiveness for our actions, let them into our souls and sincerely talk with him. But there are situations when people in the temple simply interfere with each other with their inability to behave in a holy place. But there are special rules that are the same for all parishioners.
Instruction
Related videos
Orthodoxy is a Christian denomination that is widespread on the territory of Russia, but often a person, for psychological reasons, cannot start going to church, praying, observing fasts and performing rituals, although he wants to. Various factors influence the decision to become a church member. If you would like to come to Orthodoxy- all in your hands.
You will need
- - get baptized
- - bible,
- - visit the temple at least once a week,
- - conversations with the confessor,
- - the opportunity to go on pilgrimage trips or see local shrines,
- - textbooks on theology.
Instruction
Get baptized. If you were not baptized as a child, you can do so at any age. For baptism, you need to go to the church where the sacrament will take place, talk with the priest before or after the service, sign up for one of the proposed dates. For baptism, a person needs godparents (ideally, both: father and mother,). You may be asked to learn a few basic prayers, to confess. The main thing is not to be afraid to do something wrong, just listen to the priest and perform the ritual as he says.
Visit the temple and try to observe rituals, fasts, celebrate. An Orthodox Christian must come to church at least once a week, confess as often as possible, observe fasts and celebrate (12 main ones). During the festive services, parishioners are united by a common sense of belonging to a miracle, perhaps these feelings of joint joy and grace will be the impetus for your first step into.
Go on pilgrimages. Travel companies and the temples and monasteries themselves organize pilgrimage trips to holy places: saints, to healing springs and myrrh-streaming icons. You can go on one of the trips without setting global goals. It will be enough that you spend the day thinking about the eternal, pray and light candles for relatives and friends.
Study the Bible and Orthodox literature, read history books. The Bible is by no means the only source of knowledge, but it is the main book of all Christians. Definitely a must read. Begin with the four gospels, descriptions of the life of Jesus Christ. You will be surprised that the same story is told several times in a new way. Churches sell books that answer many questions from Orthodoxy: they cover the problems of family and marriage, faith and doubt, life and death. It would be useful to study the literature on the history of Orthodoxy: you will see that for many centuries people suffered, doubted, and again and again came to church.
Related videos
note
If you have any doubts about baptism, you can talk with the priest in the temple, work on the construction of a church or in a monastery.
Sources:
- Orthodox "ABC of Faith"
Believing parents often come to the temple with their children. This is understandable, because they want to accustom the younger generation to the Christian faith. But the difficulty lies in the fact that, due to his age, it is difficult for a child to understand many prayers, rituals and, in general, the meaning of what is happening. Therefore, sometimes you can see a baby languishing from boredom or even worse - running, screaming or chewing a baby who interferes with the parishioners and the priest. Fortunately, this doesn't happen often. So how do you teach your child to behave properly? churches?
Instruction
In, as in life in general, when raising a child, personal parents are of decisive importance. So pay attention to your own behavior in the temple. Coming to church, renounce worldly worries. Leave your cell phone at home if possible. Seeing acquaintances, do not talk loudly and, moreover, do not try to discuss other people or any events. Do not push in line for candles and do not force your way forward when there is a service. If someone else does it, do not grumble, hiss and swear - do not forget that you came to communicate with God, and not with your own kind.
Also pay attention to your clothes. Men should not enter the temple in T-shirts and shorts, but in trousers and without a headdress (shawl). In the temple you should not dress up, pull on your feet high heels and paint.
Correct behavior in the temple of the child must be taught at home. Explain that you should not interfere with other people. Tell us what needs to be done and how. And in churches you can quietly suggest what actions need to be performed during the service. Do not talk loudly to your child and do not try to teach him during the service.
Before bringing or bringing a child to the temple, consider what he is able to understand and do. remember, that children up to a year are usually brought to church for Communion. If the child bursts into tears, they immediately take it out.
Children under three years old, as a rule, can safely stay in the temple for about half an hour, and even then if they are considering something. It makes sense to bring them on the most solemn occasions, in those parts of the service that are filled with action - when priests come out, bells ring, songs are sung, etc. After the anointing with oil, it is already possible to take the child home. Also a convenient time to attend a service with a small child is a quarter of an hour before the Liturgy. During a pause, it is convenient to come up and put candles, kiss the icons, and then, after standing for a while in the service, you can go home. Try not to stand in front of the worshipers in the temple, because if the child is capricious, it will be difficult to take him out of the temple.
An older child can be brought to the service for a longer period, up to an hour. So that he is not bored, you can entrust him with some business, for example, fix candles on candlesticks, sing along during chants. Sometimes you can go outside with him, because what matters is not how long he is in the temple, but what moral lessons he will learn from there. With a seven-year-old child, it is already possible to stand in the middle or in front so that he can see the service well.
Try to make sure that the child goes to the temple, as if on a holiday. He should not be forced to attend services and, moreover, in no case should he be allowed to perceive going to church as a punishment. If he misbehaves, it is better to take him out of the temple and make it clear that not being allowed to serve is the punishment.
Sources:
- How to behave in the temple
For an Orthodox Christian who comes to the cathedral, ( main church or a temple in a city) there is a code of conduct. About how to behave in the temple of God, says church etiquette generally accepted on the territory of all Christian states.
Instruction
Cross yourself and bow before entering the temple. You can read a short prayer to yourself: “I will enter into Your house, I will bow to Your temple in Your fear.” Having gone inside, on the threshold three times overshadow yourself (with three fingers folded with a pinch, from the forehead to the stomach and from the right shoulder to). At the same time, say to yourself or quietly aloud: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner."
Follow the requirements for the appearance of parishioners: women are supposed to cover their hair with a scarf (you can wear a hat). Men, on the contrary, need a headdress. According to a centuries-old tradition, entering the temple, they stand on the right side, and on the left. However, in our time, such strict rules do not apply everywhere.
Make prostrations after each prayer of the priest. Before the start of the service, parishioners are supposed to make three bows from the waist, before reading the Gospel and after it - one bow each. Bow your head and cross yourself when the priest overshadows you with a cross.
Do not stand with your back to the altar, even when leaving the temple. During the gospel priest, do not move around the temple, do not pass or light candles. Try to venerate the icons before the service begins. It is also better to put candles in advance. If there are a lot of people around, do not try to reach the altar, rather, in a whisper, ask the parishioners standing in front to light your candle.
Approaching the icon, bow twice to the waist, and then put your lips to the hand of the Virgin Mary or Jesus Christ or to their attire. Do not kiss an icon or a crucifix if you have made up lips. After kissing, bow again from the waist. Remember that traditionally men are the first to approach the icon, after them - women.
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- Behavior in the temple and at home in 2019
The temple is a special holy place where you can’t come just like that. Before you go to church, you need to remember some rules of conduct. This mainly concerns parishioners who rarely visit the temple.
Instruction
A woman must have her head covered and wear a skirt or dress that covers her knees. Elbows should also be closed. Bright clothes and make-up are not appropriate in the temple. You can not come to church on the days of menstruation.
A man at the entrance to the temple is required to remove his hat. It is better not to attend church while intoxicated.
In the church, men stand on the right side of it, and women on the left.
At the entrance to the temple, bow three times and cross yourself the same number of times.
If you entered the temple when the service is not going on, you can calmly stand, pray, put candles for the repose and health of your loved ones and yourself, as well as the icons of saints whom you would like to ask for help.
If you want to get to the service, come to the church 15 minutes before the start of the service. Usually at this time there are a lot of people in the temple, do not rush to push forward to the altar, find a comfortable place for yourself. When meeting acquaintances, slightly nod to them, indicating in such a way that you have noticed them. During worship, do not walk, listen to prayers while standing. In case of fatigue, you can sit on a bench.
Light candles from other candles. For health, put with the words: "Holy servant of God (name), pray to God for (name) a sinner." After that, bow, cross yourself twice, venerate the icon and cross yourself again.
If you kiss the icon of the Savior, kiss the foot, and if the Savior is depicted to the waist, then kiss the hand. When kissing the icon of the Mother of God, kiss your hand.
Listen to the prayers read by the priest. If you know their text, read along with it. Nothing can be eaten in the temple except the blessed bread, which is distributed in the church.
If the priest began to overshadow the parishioners with an image, the Gospel, a cup or a cross, be baptized and bow. If the priest blesses with his hand, make a bow from the waist without making the sign of the cross.
If you are a rare guest in the church and do not know the rituals, pay attention to the old women and repeat all the actions after them. Remember that in the church a person must show humility and humility.
In the temple, regardless of what denomination it belongs to, there are certain ethical standards. Some rules of behavior in a Catholic church are well known to both Orthodox and atheists. But there are also some specific points that must be observed even if you did not come to the service, but, say, to an organ concert, which are quite common in churches.
Instruction
Follow the same rules that apply in any temple. As in the Orthodox Church, smoking and drinking alcohol are not allowed in the church. In addition, it is not customary to make noise in the church. Remember that people come to the temple for various reasons. Someone wants to think, feel the presence of God, confess and repent. Someone has grief, he prays for the deceased or the sick. Treat them with respect.
Pay attention to the fact that the church is arranged a little differently than the Orthodox church. For example, there is no iconostasis, but there is an altar barrier. Outsiders are not allowed to enter. In large churches there are also side chapels dedicated to saints especially revered in this place. Worship takes place in the central part, which is Catholic tradition called the presbytery. In the same part there is a tabernacle, next to which a lamp is always lit. The choir is located in a separate room. There is also a sacristy in the church. It is not customary to enter these premises without permission.
Even deeply believing Catholics do not have particularly serious restrictions on clothing. Clothing should not be too revealing, that's all. Too deep neckline, very short skirt or shorts are undesirable. In some Catholic churches, revealing outfits are prohibited. A woman can enter the church in trousers. It is not necessary to cover your head. The man must take off his hat.
See how believing Catholics behave. Once in the church, they approach the stoup, put the fingers of their right hand there, after which they are baptized. Someone may greet you, in which case you should know what to say. The following greetings and responses are accepted:
- Glory to Jesus Christ!
- Forever and ever, amen.
Bless the Lord!
- Thank God.
Save me, God!
- To the glory of God.
Bless the Lord!
- Thank God.
If you do not want to get into a mess, follow exactly these speech formulas.
Note also that Catholics kneel before the tabernacle every time they pass by. If for some reason a person cannot kneel, he simply bows his head. This is also recommended for those who entered the church as a guest. If you don't want to kneel, just stay at the entrance, there is a bench there too. Please note that Catholics are baptized a little differently than Orthodox Christians. However, for the fact that you are baptized differently than others, no one will expel you from the temple.
You can sit on any prayer bench - they usually stand on either side of the aisle. In some churches, where the service is conducted in two languages, there is a division. On one side of the aisle, parishioners of one nationality sit down, on the other - the second. But in principle there are no restrictions. There are small benches in front of the benches. They are needed so that believers kneel during worship.
It is not customary in the church to interrupt someone's prayer, even if you came to meet this particular person. Wait for him to finish. Moreover, it is not customary to interrupt a priest who is talking with one of the parishioners. You should not even approach them, because this can be a purely personal conversation that in no way concerns you. If you happen to be near a confessional and voices are heard from there, move away.
If you need to talk to a Catholic priest, it's helpful to know how to contact him. In a personal conversation, the address "father" is acceptable. Regardless of whether you are talking during the service or at other times, your communication with a person of the clergy must comply with the rules of good manners. Do not allow rudeness, ambiguity, frivolous jokes. Just follow the rules that correspond to the most common culture of communication.
Priests, many lay people who began their acquaintance with the Bible with old testament, so they "stuck" on it. This is due to the complexity of the language of the book.
The next step is prayer. Prayer must be learned. In this, a prayer book will become an assistant, which can be purchased at any church shop. First, define small prayers for yourself, the main thing is to try to pray with concentration, carefully reading the meaning of what is written. For example, you can start accustoming yourself to prayers with morning and evening rules that do not have large volumes. Gradually quantity recited prayers should be increased.
To the church - without fear
Then you need to go to the service in the temple. For starters, you can defend not the entire service, which lasts about 4 hours, but an hour or an hour and a half. The main thing is to sincerely pray and be attentive to what is happening in. Be prepared that, at first, you may not understand much of what you hear from the priest, because the service is conducted on Church Slavonic. It will be useful if you read the relevant literature before attending the service in order to know its order.
- How to dress a woman in church?
Often in a person's life there is a need to visit the church. The reasons for this can be completely different: for example, you can visit a famous temple that is a landmark, attend church on holidays such as Christmas or Easter, or maybe you have a desire to become a church member - a full member of the Orthodox Church. In any of these cases, you will have to follow a number of specific rules so as not to offend the behavior of other parishioners. Today we propose to talk about how to behave in church so that the need for communication with higher powers and the sincere impulse of the soul were not severely interrupted due to the lack of a scarf on the head or non-observance of church etiquette.
The device of the Orthodox Church
Before we move on to the rules of conduct, we propose to talk about how the Orthodox Church works. It is worth noting that any temple located even in a small village is striking in its grandeur and beauty. Golden domes shining in the sun, bell ringing, and, of course, the church choir - all this inspires awe in this place.
The temple can be divided into three main parts - this is the altar, the vestibule and the temple. In the porch there are usually shelves with religious literature, various icons and candles that are for sale. There are also hangers for parishioners' clothes. Having passed the narthex, a person enters the temple, where worshipers stand during worship. However, the most sacred place in the church is the altar. Usually it is fenced with an iconostasis, reaching to the very ceiling. It should be said that women are not allowed to enter there, and male parishioners can enter the altar only in special cases and, of course, with the consent of the priest. A small elevated platform adjoins the church iconostasis, it is also impossible to step on it. Actually, this is the first rule that speaks of how to behave correctly in the church: parishioners can only be in the porch and in the temple.
Appearance
Believers say that an Orthodox church is a place of special presence of God's grace, which means that one should stay in this place with special reverence and love. When a person is going to visit, he tries to look decent, in the same way one should come to church. People who monitor the state of their soul note that behavior, thoughts and desires often depend on clothing. For example, strict clothing requires a lot. So what clothes to choose for visiting the temple?
Women should be in church with their heads covered - a handkerchief, scarf or any headdress will do. The skirt should not be above the knee, and the hands should also be covered. Cosmetics in the temple is inappropriate, especially lipstick or lip gloss. Men are not allowed to enter the temple in T-shirts and shorts, sportswear or work clothes. You should not go to the service and in an untidy form. Headgear should be removed.
However, the clergy say: if a man or woman came to the temple in defiant clothes, the woman’s head is not covered, you should not leave the temple for this reason. The fact is that the Orthodox Church is a unique place where God and man can meet, and therefore clothing cannot prevent this. But for the future, it should be taken into account that in the society of believers it is customary to appear at services in strict closed clothes. And, of course, a Christian must always wear a pectoral cross.
How to Prepare for a Temple Visit
Speaking about how to behave in the Orthodox Church, special attention should be paid to preparing for visiting this place. On the way to the temple, you need to prepare yourself for prayer. It is important to put aside all your worries for a while, to internally reconcile with loved ones. It is recommended to read the following prayer:
I will enter Your house, I will bow to Your holy temple in Your fear.
Or the Jesus Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Before entering the temple, it is necessary to make three waist bows, without fail with the sign of the cross. Please note that the sign of the cross and bow towards the altar are obligatory both when entering the church and when leaving it.
It is best to come to the temple twenty minutes before the start of the service. During this time, will you have time to submit memorial notes, purchase candles, leave a donation, behave in the Orthodox Church if you meet your acquaintances? Greet them with a silent bow, do not start discussing any issues, and even more so do not move from place to place during worship.
It should not be forgotten that people often come to the temple who were wounded by rudeness or cynicism, saddened or rejoiced, who are in jubilation or grief. Try to refrain from remarks, this is only appropriate if there are signs of obvious hooliganism or blasphemous behavior. A person who violates the rules can be reprimanded. However, it should be as delicate as possible without arrogance and irritability.
Before the start of worship
How to behave in church before the service begins? Of course, you must turn off your mobile phone. You should not switch it to vibrate mode - this way it will only distract you. Loud conversations, fuss and quarrels are absolutely unacceptable. Believers go to the temple and stay in it in silence, with reverence, attention and readiness for prayer. What else to pay attention to when talking about how people behave in church? You should not show curiosity, ask parishioners about something, look at them. It is much more useful to concentrate on worship, to participate in common prayer.
During worship
There is an ancient tradition according to which men in the temple stand on the right side, and women, respectively, on the left. Of course, during worship, one should stand facing the altar. Often, in thinking about how to behave in church, people ask themselves the question - is it possible to sit during worship? The clergy say: you can sit only during the reading of kathismas and proverbs. However, an exception is made for people who have health problems and are especially tired.
Speaking about how to behave correctly in the church, order and traditions, it is worth noting that during censing you do not need to turn around after the priest, turn your back to the altar. It is recommended that you simply step aside to let the church minister who is burning incense pass. If one of the parishioners has not moved away, you should not push him away or pull him to the side, just prompting is enough. How to behave in a church service? In no case do not walk and do not talk! You need to come to the Liturgy on an empty stomach, even if you do not receive communion on that day.
Being late for the beginning of the service is a disrespect for the Sacrament. As, however, and leaving the temple before its completion. In extreme cases, you can leave, but not during the celebration of communion or during the reading of the Gospel.
Church attendance with children
How to behave in church, having decided to go there with children? First, it is important to set a personal example of prayer and conduct. Children should be supervised to prevent them from distracting other parishioners, laughing out loud, or being naughty. If the child bursts into tears, you need to try to calm him down or leave the church with him.
Candles
What does a person usually do when he crosses the threshold of a church? It's safe to say that nine times out of ten, he goes to the candle box. It is with a small wax candle that practical Christianity begins. According to the interpreter of the Liturgy, Blessed Simeon of Thessalonica, wax is a symbol of repentance, faith. The clergy say: it is formally impossible to light a candle, the heart of a person performing this action should not be cold. It is very important to put a candle with a prayer, even the simplest one.
In general, there are no strict rules on how to behave in the Orthodox Church with candles, how much to put them and where. People who visit the temple constantly usually put a few candles - to the festive icon, which lies on the lectern, to the images of the Virgin or the Savior - about the health of loved ones, to the Crucifix, located on a rectangular table, also called eve - about the repose of the dead.
Church notes
How to behave in church if you want to submit a memorial note to the altar? There are a number of specific rules:
- It is best to write such a note in block letters, mentioning no more than 10 names in one.
- The note should be titled - "On health" or "On repose."
- All names must be written in the genitive case, using the full form of the name (we recommend that you learn the church spelling of secular names).
- In the notes, children under 7 years old are usually called a baby, and from 7 to 15 - a lad or a damsel.
Worship of the shrines in the temple
Special attention deserves the worship of the Shrines. How do they behave in church when they venerate the Holy Gospel, icons and relics? You should not rush and crowd, before kissing you need to make two bows, after - one more. Kissing the faces of the saints (that is, their faces) is not accepted. When kissing the icons of the saints and the Mother of God, you should kiss the handle, to the icons of the Savior - the leg (or the handle with a half-length image).
Signs: believe or not?
Speaking about how to behave in the church, one cannot help but pay attention to the signs that you can often hear about. For example, there is an opinion that a candle can only be placed with the right hand, if it goes out, misfortune awaits you. Someone even believes that by asking someone in the temple what time it is, a person shortens his life! The ministers of the church say: all signs and superstitions around the church are meaningless, one should not believe in them.
Many standing on the threshold Orthodox church are hesitant to go inside. And there is only one reason for this - ignorance of the rules of conduct. There are really a lot of questions, for example, where to put candles and can women come in trousers? But in fact, everything is not as difficult as it seems at first glance.
Appearance
Before you go to church, you need to think about your appearance. The outfit should in no case be bright or too open. This rule applies to both women and men. A woman's head must be covered with a scarf, because it is a symbol of obedience. It doesn't matter if the woman is married or not. A scarf should be even on little girls.
Ladies who have forgotten about this rule and came without a headdress are borrowed scarves in some temples. Most often they can be found near the entrance or in the church shop. The wearing of trousers by women in the church is not prohibited by any canons. Nevertheless, according to national tradition, a woman in church should be in skirts, and not above the knee. Therefore, it is not recommended to come in pants.
It is believed that a woman should not wear makeup while visiting church. There are no strict guidelines for this. But you need to understand that bright makeup in the temple is superfluous. Also, you can’t use lipstick, because according to the Orthodox tradition in the church, you must kiss the cross, icons, etc.
By the way, contrary to the popular belief that women should not go to church during critical days, this is not entirely true. During this period, you can come to the temple to light candles. But participation in various sacraments, for example, in a wedding or baptism, will have to be abandoned. When in doubt, you can ask the priest for advice.
There is no need to think that men are more fortunate in terms of appearance. For example, a hundred years ago they had special galoshes that were removed before entering the temple. And then they walked barefoot. It was also possible to come only in clean clothes. Modern men are not required to come barefoot, but appearance should be neat. Unlike women, an Orthodox man takes off his headdress in the temple.
Rules of behavior
It is necessary to come to the temple, gathering your thoughts. It should be a mindful visit. Entering the church, you need to cross yourself three times and say "Lord have mercy" or "God, be merciful to me a sinner." Many are embarrassed to do this, so you can just go to the temple. Don't forget to turn off your mobile phone first.
But some rules still have to be followed. Entering the church, right in front of you you can see the iconostasis - a structure consisting of a large number icons. The entrance to the altar will be located in the center of the iconostasis, and on the side there will be a place where candles, icons, etc. are offered to parishioners.
If this is the first visit to the church, then it is better to come 15–20 minutes before the start of the service and take a look around. At this time, it is recommended to pray and light candles. It is impossible to do this during the service, it is better to wait for it to end. Putting candles is very simple - on either side of the candlestick and with either hand. An important rule to remember is that candles “for peace” are placed on a candlestick in the form of a table (eve), and “for health” - to any icon.
Also, you do not need to light a candle from a lamp, it is better from other candles. From below, the candle should be melted a little, and then placed in the cell. If for some reason it does not light up, it's okay. You can also leave such a candle in the candlestick, the church workers will light it after. You can venerate the icon, but only before the start of the service. Having crossed yourself twice, it is necessary to kiss the lower part of the icon (if this is the icon of the Savior, they are always applied to the feet). Other icons kiss the upper part, that is, the hands.
The bells are always rung before the start of the service. This is a kind of signal that the service will begin now, and it is necessary to take places. As usual, men stand on the right side, and women on the left. For those who cannot defend the entire service, there are special benches and chairs near the back wall of the church. You also need to stand so as not to be with your back to the altar. But even the sick and the weak always get up when reading the Gospel.
During worship, you must be baptized and bow. For the first time, you can simply repeat the actions of other parishioners. But it is best to listen carefully to the priest and learn. They are usually baptized with important exclamations of the priest, for example, “In the name of the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit”, “Lord, have mercy”, etc. You need to bow when the priest blesses with his hand or cross.
In no case should you talk during the service, be distracted by looking at the temple or parishioners. The rules prescribe to behave in the temple, as in any other decent society. Before coming to worship with young children, they need to be explained how to behave.
If the child is capricious, but it is impossible to calm him down, it is better to leave the temple. You can return later. But this is the only reason why you can leave the church before the end of the service. It's best to wait until it's finished. Leaving the church, you must cross yourself three times and bow at the waist facing the altar.
Who to ask
Before the service begins, you can talk with other parishioners and the priest. They can clarify questions regarding behavior in the temple or worship. In order to turn to the priest, you must say "Father, bless!" and ask him your question. To accept the blessing, you should fold your hands with your palms up, placing your right hand on your left. You also need to kiss the right hand of the priest.
Peculiarities
Often, newcomers to the Orthodox Church are faced with various features and don't know how to behave.
- For example, it is known that during the service one cannot walk around the church and do one's own business, that is, put candles, etc. In general, this is the way it is. But every Sunday morning in the Orthodox Church there are two services in a row - matins and liturgy. And there is no break between them, so the parishioners, waiting for the liturgy, light candles and pray. Therefore, it seems that the temple is a mess.
- Many have difficulty with when it is necessary to be baptized and how to do it correctly. It is known that the Orthodox are baptized with their right hand from right to left. It is also necessary to fold the fingers correctly - the thumb, index and middle fingers are folded together, and the other two are pressed against the palm. This needs to be learned, but if at first it doesn’t work out, it’s not scary.
- Kneeling. Orthodox believers kneel differently than, for example, Catholics. They fall down, lean on their hands and touch their foreheads to the floor. Kneeling is not a prerequisite, but rather a personal manifestation of religiosity. Therefore, many only bow their heads or sit leaning forward. During the service, you can just stand timidly. No one will condemn and will not force you to fall to your knees. Perhaps the desire to appear over time.
- What and how to kiss in church. For starters, you need to kiss the icons. This is called an application. In this case, it is necessary to be baptized. It is also customary to kiss the Holy Chalice during communion, the priest's hand after blessing, etc.
- In Orthodoxy there is no one common confession. And there is no confessional prayer that is read during the liturgy. Each parishioner is obliged to personally confess to a priest.
- At first, people who came to the service for the first time were overwhelmed by the singing of the parishioners. Indeed, music takes up more than half of the worship. Most often it is sung by a small choir. At first, this almost continuous singing is distracting, especially when you consider that the text of the prayers practically does not change. But over time, it will become easier to feel the presence of God.
- Many parishioners feel that the liturgy is taking too long. Yes, you can truncate the text and express yourself more precisely. But then it would no longer be an Orthodox service. Prayers are so long for a reason. Moreover, the first Orthodox services rarely lasted less than 5 hours. And only after centuries this period gradually decreased.
hike in Orthodox Church This is an important step for every person. And it doesn't matter at what age it happens. As soon as there is a desire to attend the service, you must go to the temple. No need to be afraid and worry that something will go wrong. Visiting the temple is first of all communication with God and we should not forget about it.
Video: how to behave in the temple