Sacraments of the Christian Church briefly. Seven Sacraments of the Orthodox Church. Brief information for the temple stand. Communion or Euchrastia. Meaning of the rite of Communion

The article introduces the reader to the 7 sacraments of the Orthodox faith. Each sacrament, its meaning and purpose is described.

The Christian sacraments are the most important component of the life of any believing Orthodox person. According to the canons of the Orthodox Church, the sacraments were established by Jesus Christ. They are designed to change the inner life of a person, to influence his soul.

According to the teachings of the Christian Church, during the sacrament, the grace of God descends on a person. Sacraments are sometimes called rites. But, this is not entirely true. The rites are created by church leaders, and the sacraments are actions that are pleasing to God himself.

7 Sacraments of the Orthodox Church

According to the rules of the church, any of the sacraments must have two components in order to be considered valid. The first is the conduct of the sacrament by a canonical priest, according to all the rules of the rite. The second is the inner mood of the believer himself, the purity of his thoughts and sincere desire to receive the sacrament. There are 7 types of sacraments in the Orthodox Church:

• Baptism
• Chrismation
• Repentance or Holy Confession
• Participle
• Wedding
• Priesthood
• Unction, or Unction

Mystery of Baptism. The Meaning of the Baptism of Infants

1. The sacrament of baptism is the first serious church rite in a person's life. Before this rite, a person does not have the right to take part in any other sacraments and rites
2. According to the rules, the sacrament of baptism can be performed at any age. But, in modern practice, it is customary to baptize a child in infancy.
3. This, according to believers, protects him from all kinds of diseases. And, in case of misfortune, the child will go to Paradise, and not to Purgatory
4. In the Orthodox Church, the infant is immersed in water three times. It symbolizes the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
5. The godparents of the child take part in the sacrament of baptism. Godparents are people who undertake to introduce the child to the Orthodox faith, to provide all kinds of assistance in education.

Godparents cannot be:

• monks
• Children's own parents
• A couple who is married
• People of other religions

You can baptize a child at any age. But, the Orthodox Church recommends baptizing children starting from the 8th day of life. On account of this, there are constant disputes in the church environment.

Firstly, in early Christianity, baptism was practiced only by conscious people who understood the essence of the sacrament and voluntarily agreed to baptism.

Secondly, the baptism of a very small child is fraught with psychological trauma, because a baby most spends time in a dream, he will be frightened by a new environment, people and a sudden immersion in water.

Sacrament of Baptism

Sacrament of Chrismation

Confirmation takes place immediately after the rite of baptism. It can only be performed by the canonical Orthodox priest. Chrismation symbolizes the condescension of the Holy Spirit on the believer. After this sacrament, a person fully joins the Orthodox Church. The process of the sacrament involves the anointing of the believer's ears, eyes, nose, hands, and feet with holy chrism. The sacrament of chrismation is also performed at the coronation of the kingdom, and for non-Christians who accept Orthodoxy.

Sacrament of Chrismation

• According to the dogmas of Christianity, a person can repent only voluntarily. Repentance, or the sacrament of holy confession, usually precedes the sacrament of communion. Confession is carried out individually with a priest
• At first, he reads prayers, setting the believer in the right mood. Further, a person can express everything that has accumulated in his soul, confess to a priest his sins
• After confession, the priest covers the confessor's head with an epitrachelion and makes the sign of the cross. Further, the person kisses the Cross and the Gospel. The Sacrament of Holy Confession is completely confidential. Confession - milestone on the way to spiritual life, to the peace of your soul

Sacrament of Holy Confession. Rite of Penance

Communion or Euchrastia. Meaning of the rite of Communion

• Communion, or Euchrastia, is the main rite of Christian worship. Communion takes place when parishioners partake of bread and wine from the hands of a priest, which symbolize the Body and Blood of Christ.
• The sacrament of communion is necessary as a reminder to believers of self-sacrifice, love for neighbors. In this sacrament, an important role is assigned to the accompanying prayers, prostrations and hymns. Communion is accompanied by a sermon from the priest
• Regular communion, according to the Orthodox Church, can bring a person closer to God. After such a ceremony, illnesses, troubles, quarrels in the family can recede. A believer should take communion at least once a month

Communion occurs only after the sacrament of repentance.

Communion or Euchrastia

At the conclusion of marriage, believing Christians are reunited by the sacrament of the wedding. People who agree to this ceremony must sincerely believe in the eternity of marriage on earth and in heaven. When performing the ceremony, the Holy Spirit descends on the couple, and by an invisible force fastens their bonds. In order for the sacrament of the wedding to take place correctly, it is necessary to follow the rules:

• People who have a marriage certificate are allowed to get married
• A woman and a man should sincerely love each other, a man should play a leading role in the family
• The couple and their witnesses must be baptized Orthodox
• You can only get married three times in your life
• The wedding has an age limit. Men must be over 18, women over 16
• You can hold a wedding throughout the year, except for the days of Great Lent and important holidays (Easter, Christmas, Trinity and others). Wedding days of the week - Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
• The best time for a wedding is considered to be the wedding anniversary or the time after the birth of children.

You can get married in the church:

If both newlyweds are members of the church, for if you are believers of different religions, the Church simply will not marry you. So you must be baptized and wear a pectoral cross.

Before you get married, you have to sign in the registry office, because you will have to provide evidence to the clergyman.
This is explained simply - if you were signed by the registry office, then there is confidence that any of you is not signed with someone else.
Also, the registry office does not register the insane and does not recognize closely related ties, just like the Church.

You cannot get married in the Church if:

1. L people who at one time accepted the spiritual San
2. Nuns and monks
3. The perpetrators of the dissolution of a previous marriage (for example, due to infidelity)
4. People who have already been married more than 3 times
5. They went beyond age limits. For men it is 70 years, and for women it is 60.
6. No parental consent. Children of Orthodox parents cannot get married without the consent of their parents.

Mystery of marriage. wedding ceremony rules

Priesthood

The priesthood is a sacrament in which a person receives a holy order, has the right to conduct Orthodox rites and sacraments. According to Orthodoxy, there are 3 degrees of priesthood:

1. Deacon. This rank allows a clergyman to assist a more experienced priest in administering the sacraments.
2. Presbyter (priest). A minister of this rank may perform the sacraments, but only on behalf of the bishop
3. Bishop (bishop). The highest rank in Orthodoxy. Only a bishop can administer the ordinance of the priesthood and ordain others to perform the ordinances

The sacrament of the priesthood is preceded by a sermon, a confession by the one accepting the dignity, and a sacred oath. Only after these actions, the bishop says whether the person is worthy to receive the dignity.

Priesthood

Unction is the oldest sacrament of the Christian Church. Its main mission is the healing of bodily and mental ailments. Unction operates on the principle of repentance, but frees a person even from those sins that he could forget about. Unction is held with the help of holy oil. That is why there is a second name for this rite - the consecration of the oil. The rite is usually performed by several priests.

Unction can be held at any age, starting from the age of seven. According to the rules, for seriously ill believers, it is allowed to conduct the ceremony at home. Such a sacrament is performed no more than once a year. It is carried out on sick people who want to be healed, as well as on household members. Unction may also take place in a church.

Sacrament of Unction or Unction

All seven sacraments carry a sacred meaning, which is available only to true believers. A sacrament should not be performed if it is not an act of good will, or if there is no understanding of its purpose.

Video: The Basics of Faith: 7 Sacraments in Orthodoxy

In the Church, every Christian saint lives as one soul with all Christian brethren. All Christians are members of the one body of the Church. Church, society, parish cannot be indifferent to the spiritual needs of everyone. In every sacrament performed over a Christian, the whole church participates in prayer through the mediation of those Christians who can be present at the celebration of the holy service. On the Sacrament of Marriage or Unction gather not in order to watch, but in order to participate in what is happening the sacrament of the priesthood.

Sending the disciples to preach, Jesus Christ said to them:

Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you (Matthew 28:19-20).

The speech here, as the Holy Church teaches, is about the sacraments established by the Lord. sacrament called a sacred action in which through some external sign, mysteriously and invisibly, by faith, the grace of the Holy Spirit, the saving power of God, is given to a person.

Directly The gospel mentions three sacraments: Baptism, Communion and Repentance. We find indications of the divine origin of other sacraments in the book of Acts, in the Apostolic Epistles, as well as in the works of apostolic men and teachers of the Church of the first centuries of Christianity (St. Justin Martyr, St. Irenaeus of Lyon, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Tertullian, St. Cyprian and other).

In the New Testament, the term sacrament (other Greek Μυστήριον) originally denotes a deep, hidden thought, thing or action (1 Cor. 13:2, 1 Tim. 3:9) and is not used in relation to the sacred service. The Fathers of the Church named a different number of sacraments, and this number also included some sacred actions, for example, tonsure into monasticism and burial.

Historically the delimitation of the sacramental rites did not always correspond to the current, and sacraments included such as the Great Blessing of the Water and the Blessing of the Church. In particular, doctrine of the six sacraments recorded at the turn of the 5th and 6th centuries by an author who signed the name of Dionysius, the so-called Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite. The teaching is expounded in the Areopagitica corpus, in the treatise On the Church Hierarchy, which lists the following sacred rites.

• Baptism (ch. II);
• Sacrament of Assembly (Eucharist) (ch. III);
• Sanctification of the world (ch. IV);
• Ordination (Sacrament of Priesthood) (ch. V);
• Monastic tonsure, (ch. VI);
• Burial (Chapter VII).

Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite is the first early Christian writer who indicated the number of sacraments - six; before him, the number of sacraments was not determined by early Christian authors.

Reverend Theodore Studite(759-826) in the ninth century speaks of the six sacraments:

• Enlightenment (Baptism);
• Assembly (Eucharist);
• Chrismation;
• Priesthood;
• monastic vows;
• Burial.

First doctrine of the seven sacraments found in the XII century in the Roman Catholic West, as a consequence of the scholastic principle of schematization and formalization of the entire church doctrine. Numerous references to the Holy Scriptures were used to substantiate the septenary nature of the sacraments, including references to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (Is. 11:2-3), seven loaves that miraculously fed several thousand people (Matt. 15:36-38), seven golden candlesticks , seven stars, seven seals, seven trumpets (Rev. 1, 12, 13, 16; 5, 1; 8, 1, 2), etc. The first well-known source that speaks of the seven sacraments - Baptism, Communion, Priesthood, Repentance, Chrismation, Marriage, Unction - and the division of church rites into "sacraments" and "rites", is the so-called testament of Bishop Otto of Bamberg (d. 1139) to the inhabitants of Pomerania.

In the Orthodox East, the number seven in relation to the most important sacred rites is first known in one of the epistles of the Byzantine monk Job (d. 1270), which, however, did not fully follow the Roman Catholic model: 1) baptism, 2) anointing, 3) acceptance of the shrines of the life-giving Body and Blood of Christ, 4) priesthood, 5) marriage, 6) holy schema, 7) consecration or repentance.

In the 14th and 15th centuries, such great Orthodox theologians as Sts. Gregory Palamas (1296-1359) and Simeon of Thessalonica (end of the 14th century - 1429), as well as Nikola Cabasilas (1322) were engaged in explaining the most important sacred rites of the Church. –1397/1398). None of them followed the sevenfold scholastic formula: St. Gregory attached special importance only to Baptism and the Eucharist; Nicola Cabasilas, in his book Seven Words on Life in Christ, dwells on Baptism, Chrismation and the Eucharist; and St. Simeon, enumerating the seven well-known sacraments, points to the sacramental character of monastic tonsure as well. Another list of church sacraments, compiled by Metropolitan Joasaph of Ephesus, dates back to the 15th century, in which ten sacred rites are named, including monasticism, burial and consecration of the temple.

Meanwhile, the Roman Catholic Church formally approved the seven sacraments at the Council of Trent 1545-1563. With the growing influence of Western teachings in the Orthodox environment, this formula is gradually becoming generally accepted in Orthodox Church by the end of the 16th - beginning of the 17th centuries, having got into the Pilot Book. The sevenfold number of sacraments was also established among the Nestorians and Monophysites. At the same time, the mention of the sacrament of monasticism is found in Greek sources up to the 18th century, for example, in Patriarch Jeremiah II (1530–1595).

Seven Sacraments are accepted in the Russian Orthodox Church:

• Baptism. This sacred action, in which the believer in Christ, through threefold immersion of the body in water, with the invocation of the name of the Holy Trinity - the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, is washed from original sin, as well as from all the sins committed by him before Baptism, is reborn by the grace of the Holy Spirit into a new spiritual life.
• Chrismation. In the Sacrament of Confirmation, the believer is given the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which from now on will strengthen him in the Christian life. Initially, the apostles of Christ called on the Holy Spirit to descend on those who turned to God through the laying on of hands. But already at the end of the First Sacrament, the Sacrament began to be performed through the anointing with chrism, since the apostles simply did not have the opportunity to lay hands on all those who joined the Church in different, often remote places.
• Eucharist (Communion)- a mystery in which Orthodox Christian under the guise of bread and wine, he eats the very Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and through this mysteriously unites with Him, becoming a partaker of eternal life.
• Repentance (Confession)- the sacrament in which the believer confesses his sins to God in the presence of a priest and receives through the priest the forgiveness of his sins from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
• Unction (Unction)- a sacrament in which, when the patient is anointed with consecrated oil (oil), the grace of God is called upon him to heal from bodily and mental ailments and forgive him for sins forgotten without malicious intent.
• Marriage- a sacrament in which, with a free (before the priest and the church) promise by the bride and groom of mutual fidelity to each other, their marital union is blessed and the grace of God is asked for mutual help and the blessed birth and Christian upbringing of children.
• Priesthood- ordination of an Orthodox Christian by a bishop to a sacred degree.

Old Believers recognize seven Sacraments that existed before the schism in the Old Russian Church. Note that in the Ancient Church there was no such Sacrament of Marriage. Hieromartyr Ignatius of Antioch (d. 107) speaks for the first time about the church blessing of marriage. In the ancient Church, the form of the sacrament was reduced to the joint communion of those entering into marriage, and the service of the sacrament of marriage takes shape in the 10th century.

Priesthood, Unction.

A believing person who has received the first Sacrament of St. Baptism is given the right to be a full member of this Church and to use for the benefit of others St. Sacraments and rituals.

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

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

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

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

This holy Sacrament, like others, was established by Christ Himself, when at the Last Supper - the last meal, on the eve of his suffering and death on the Cross, "... he took bread and, blessing, broke it, and distributing it to the disciples, he said: take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and having given thanks, gave it to them, and said, Drink ye all of it: for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:28).

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

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

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

By receiving Holy Communion with due reverence, an Orthodox Christian is worthy to be a partaker of eternal life. St. Demetrius of Rostov speaks of the great Mystery of Communion in this way: “A person is like iron, and the Body of Christ is a consuming fire, and when a person is united in the Holy Mystery of Communion with Christ, he becomes fiery. And just as a sick person cannot look at the sun with his eyes, so demons cannot look at one who worthily received the Body of Christ."

And St. John Chrysostom, confirming the saving power of Communion, says that if a person worthily takes communion and dies on that day, then he does not go through terrible ordeals in the afterlife, and the angels directly carry his soul to the abode of paradise, of course, not for the sake of his merits and exploits , but for the sake of the Holy thing, which he received on that day.

Doesn't all this convince us of the great significance of Holy Communion in our lives.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Some may object: are there no cases of divorce of those couples who have consecrated their marriage in the Church? Yes, there is, but this is an exception to the rule. Basically, people who came to the Temple of God of their own free will to perform the Sacrament of Marriage were aware of what they were doing. Yes, and the performer of the Sacrament - the priest is obliged to explain to the newlyweds in advance what they are starting to do, so that it is not a tribute to today's fashion, that this is not just a beautiful ceremony, but the Holy Sacrament, a marriage union that God the Creator Himself established in paradise when He created the first people - a man and a woman. St. Clement of Alexandria, emphasizing the holiness of Marriage, says: "God Himself unites those who are sanctified by the Sacrament and is present in their midst." The Lord Himself, through His servant - the priest, blesses such a union of two hearts, the union of their souls and bodies in mutual love for each other, in the image of the love of Christ and the Church.

Yes, Christian marriage is the secret of love - love not only human, but also divine. That is why the Apostle Paul confirms in his epistle that "this mystery is great..." (Eph. 5.32). For a husband's love for his wife is a likeness of Christ's love for the Church, for which He accepted the crucifixion on the Cross, and the wife's lovingly humble obedience to her husband is a likeness of the attitude of the Church towards Christ, which finds in him the joy of being and its endless happiness. Yes, the secret of the happiness of Christian spouses lies in the joint fulfillment of the will of God, which unites their souls among themselves and with Christ.

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

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

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

Husband and wife, conscious of being members of the Church, must be obedient to her in all things. And she, through the mouth of the Apostle Paul, says: “A wife has no power over her body, but a husband; likewise, a husband has no power over his body, but a wife. be together again, lest Satan tempt you with your intemperance" (1 Cor. 7:4-5).

From all that has been said, it becomes clear: in order to become an heir to heavenly bliss in the future eternal life, one must first here, on earth, streamline one's life, i.e. enclose it within the framework of Orthodox Christianity. Not in words, but in deeds, to be an Orthodox Christian. And for this you need to work hard and build your life as a solid and reliable building in which you want to live happily and peacefully and which will not be afraid of "neither wind, nor water, or anything else that can harm", because the foundation of this house will be True Faith, its walls will be cemented by Orthodoxy, and the roof will be the Love of God and His Blessing to the creator of this house.

For the construction of any building, a variety of materials are required: in addition to brick, cement, nails and wood, glass, paint, etc. are needed, without which the house will not be suitable for habitation.

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

Sending disciples to preach, Jesus Christ told them: “Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). The point here, as the Holy Church teaches, is about the Sacraments established by the Lord. A sacrament is a sacred action in which, through some external sign, the grace of the Holy Spirit is mysteriously and invisibly given to us, the saving power of God is given without fail. This is the difference between the Sacraments and other prayer actions. At prayer services or memorial services, we also ask for God's help, but whether we receive what we ask, or we will be given another mercy - everything is in the power of God. But in the Sacraments the promised grace is given to us without fail, so long as the Sacrament is performed correctly. Perhaps this gift will be our judgment or condemnation, but the mercy of God is taught to us!

The Lord was pleased to establish seven sacraments: baptism, chrismation, repentance, communion, marriage, priesthood, and unction.

Baptism

It is, as it were, the door to the Church of Christ, only those who have accepted it can use the other Sacraments. This is such a sacred act in which a believer in Christ, through threefold immersion of the body in water, with the invocation of the name of the Holy Trinity - the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, is washed from original sin, as well as from all the sins committed by him before Baptism, is reborn by grace the Holy Spirit into a new, spiritual life.

The Sacrament of Baptism was established by Jesus Christ Himself and sanctified by being baptized by John. And so, just as the Lord in the womb of the Holy Virgin put on human nature (except for sin), so the one who is baptized in the font becomes a partaker of the divine nature: “You were baptized into Christ, put on Christ” (Gal. 3, 27). Accordingly, Satan also loses power over a person: if before he ruled over him as over his slave, then after Baptism he can only act from the outside - by deception.

For an adult to be baptized, a conscious desire to become a Christian is required, based on strong faith and heartfelt repentance. The Orthodox Church baptizes infants according to the faith of their parents and recipients. For this, godfathers and mothers are needed to vouch for the faith of the baptized. When he grows up, the godparents are obliged to teach the child and make sure that the godson becomes a true Christian. If they neglect this sacred duty, they will seriously sin. So to prepare a beautiful cross and a white shirt for this day, to bring a towel and house slippers with you - does not mean to prepare for the Sacrament of Baptism, even if an unintelligent baby is going to be baptized. He still must have believing godparents, knowing the basics Christian doctrine and distinguished by piety. If an adult comes to the font, let him first read the New Testament, the Catechism and accept the teachings of Christ with all his heart and mind.

In the sacrament of chrismation, the believer is given the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which from now on will strengthen him in the Christian life. Initially, the Apostles of Christ prizes the Holy Spirit to descend upon those who turn to God through the laying on of hands. But already at the end of the First Sacrament, the Sacrament began to be performed through the anointing with chrism, since the apostles simply did not have the opportunity to lay hands on all those who joined the Church in different, often remote places.

Holy chrism is a specially prepared and consecrated composition of oil and fragrant substances. It was consecrated by the apostles and their successors, the bishops. And now only hierarchs can sanctify chrism. But the Sacrament itself can be performed by priests.

Usually chrismation follows immediately after Baptism. With the words: “The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen ”- the priest crosswise anoints the believer’s forehead - to sanctify his thoughts, eyes - so that we walk along the path of salvation under the rays of grace-filled light, ears - let a person be sensitive to hearing the word of God, lips - so that they are capable of broadcasting Divine truth, hands - for sanctification for deeds pleasing to God, feet - for walking in the footsteps of the commandments of the Lord, chest - so that, having put on the whole armor of the Holy Spirit, we could do everything about Jesus Christ strengthening us. Yes, through the anointing different parts body, the whole person is sanctified - his flesh and soul.

Repentance ()

Repentance is a Sacrament in which the believer confesses his sins to God in the presence of a priest and receives through the priest the forgiveness of his sins from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The Savior gave St. to the apostles, and through them to the priests, the power to absolve sins: “Receive the Holy Spirit. To whom you forgive sins, they will be forgiven; upon whom you leave, they will remain on him” (John 20:22-23).

To receive the forgiveness of sins, the confessor requires: reconciliation with all his neighbors, sincere contrition for sins and true confession of them, a firm intention to correct his life, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and hope for his mercy. The importance of the latter is evident from the example of Jude. He repented of a terrible sin - the betrayal of the Lord, but in despair he strangled himself, because he did not have faith and hope. But Christ took upon Himself all our sins and destroyed them by His Death on the Cross!

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In the Sacrament of Communion, an Orthodox Christian, under the guise of bread and wine, partakes of the very Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and through this is mysteriously united with Him, becoming a partaker of eternal life.

The Sacrament of Holy Communion was established by Christ Himself during the Last Supper, on the eve of His suffering and death: taking bread and giving thanks (to God the Father for all His mercies), he broke it and gave it to the disciples, saying: take and eat, this is My Body, which for betrays you. He also took the cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying: Drink all of you from it, for this is My Blood, for you and for many, pouring out the remission of sins (Mt. 26:26-28; Mk. 14:22-24; Lk. 22 , 19-24; Cor. I, 23-25). Having established the Sacrament of Communion, Jesus Christ commanded the disciples to celebrate it always: "Do this in remembrance of Me."

Shortly before that, in a conversation with the people, the Savior said: “Unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you will not have life in you. Whoever eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My Flesh is truly food, and My Blood is truly drink. Whoever walks in My Flesh and drinks My Blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:53-56).

The Sacrament of Communion will be performed in the Church of Christ until the end of the age during the Divine service called the Liturgy, during which bread and wine, by the power and action of the Holy Spirit, are transubstantiated into the true Body and into the true Blood of Christ. In Greek this Sacrament is called "Eucharist", which means "thanksgiving". The first Christians took communion every Sunday, but now not everyone has such a purity of life. However, the Holy Church commands us to take communion every fast, and in no way less than once a year.

How to Prepare for Holy Communion

It is necessary to prepare oneself for the Sacrament of Holy Communion by fasting - prayer, fasting, humility and repentance. Without confession, no one can be admitted to Communion, except in cases of mortal danger.

Those who wish to receive communion worthily should begin preparing for this at least a week in advance: pray more and more fervently at home, attend Church regularly. In any case, you must be at the evening service on the eve of the day of communion. Fasting is combined with prayer - abstinence from fast food - meat, milk, butter, eggs, and generally moderation in eating and drinking.

Those who are preparing for Holy Communion must become imbued with the consciousness of their sinfulness and protect themselves from malice, condemnation and obscene thoughts and conversations, and refuse to visit places of entertainment. The best time to spend is reading spiritual books. Before confession, one must certainly reconcile both with the offenders and with the offended, humbly asking everyone for forgiveness. Those who wish to take communion must come to the priest, who is making confession at the lectern, on which the Cross and the Gospel lie, and offer sincere repentance for the sins committed, without concealing any of them. Seeing sincere repentance, the priest places the end of the stole on the bowed head of the confessor and reads a prayer of permissiveness, forgiving him his sins on behalf of Jesus Christ Himself. It is more correct to confess the day before in the evening, so that the morning can be devoted to prayerful preparation for Holy Communion. In extreme cases, you can confess in the morning, but before the start of the Divine Liturgy.

Having confessed, it is necessary to make a firm decision not to repeat former sins. There is a good custom - after confession and before Holy Communion, do not eat, drink or smoke. It is definitely forbidden after midnight. Children should also be taught to abstain from food and drink from an early age.

After singing "Our Father" you need to approach the steps of the altar and wait for the removal of the Holy Gifts. At the same time, skip forward the children who receive communion first. Approaching the Chalice, one must bow to the ground in advance, fold his arms crosswise on his chest and do not cross himself in front of the Chalice, so as not to accidentally push it. Pronounce your Christian name clearly, open your mouth wide, reverently accept the Body and Blood of Christ, and immediately swallow it. Having received the Holy Mysteries, without being baptized, kiss the bottom of the Chalice and immediately go to the table with warmth to drink Communion. Until the end of the Divine service, do not leave the church, be sure to listen to prayers of thanksgiving.

On the day of communion, do not spit, do not eat too much, do not get drunk on alcohol, and generally behave decently in order to “honestly keep Christ accepted in yourself.” All this is mandatory for children from 7 years old. For prayerful preparation for Holy Communion, there is a special rule in more complete prayer books. It consists of reading three canons the night before - the Penitent to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Most Holy Theotokos, the Guardian Angel and prayers for the coming sleep, and in the morning - morning prayers, the canon and special prayers for Holy Communion.

Marriage

There is a Sacrament in which, with a free (before the priest and the church) promise by the bride and groom of mutual fidelity to each other, their marital union is blessed and the grace of God is asked for mutual help and the blessed birth and Christian upbringing of children.

Marriage was established by God Himself in Paradise. After the creation of Adam and Eve, he blessed them and said: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28). Jesus Christ sanctified the Sacrament by his presence at the marriage in Cana of Galilee and confirmed its divine institution: two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man separate” (Matt. 19:4-6).

“Husbands,” says St. Paul, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself up for her... Wives, obey your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church, and He is the Savior of the body” (Eph. 5 , 22-23, 25). The sacrament of marriage is not obligatory for everyone, but those who remain celibate are obliged to lead a virgin life, which, according to the teachings of Christ, is higher than marriage - one of the greatest feats.

What else do you need to know who wants to get married in the Church?

That the Sacrament of marriage is not performed during the fasts: Great (48 days before Easter), Assumption (August 14-28), Christmas (November 28 - January 7), Petrovsky (from Sunday after Trinity, until July 12), at Christmas time (between and Epiphany - from January 7 to January 19) and on the Bright (Easter) week, as well as on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and on some other days of the year.

That marriage is a great Sacrament, and not just a beautiful ceremony, and therefore it should be treated with the fear of God, so as not to scold the shrine by divorce. That civil marriage is recognized as the main thing in our state, why a marriage certificate issued by the registry office is desirable for the performance of the Church Sacrament. That one of the parts of the Sacrament is the betrothal of the bride and groom, for which they must have wedding rings.

In the sacrament of the priesthood correctly chosen person through episcopal ordination (in Greek - consecration) receives the grace of the Holy Spirit for the sanctified service of the Church of Christ.

There are three degrees of priesthood: deacon, presbyter (priest) and bishop (bishop). There are also titles that denote not a new degree, but only the highest honor: for example, a bishop can be elevated to the rank of archbishop, metropolitan and patriarch, a priest (priest) - to an archpriest, a deacon - to a protodeacon.

The one who is ordained a deacon receives the grace to serve during the celebration of the Sacraments, the one who is ordained a priest - to celebrate the Sacraments, the one who is ordained a bishop - not only to celebrate the Sacraments, but also to consecrate others to celebrate the Sacraments.

The sacrament of the priesthood is a divine institution. The Holy Apostle Paul testifies that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself "appointed... others as shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of service, for the building up of the Body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:1-12). The apostles, celebrating this Sacrament, through the laying on of hands were elevated to deacons, presbyters and bishops. In turn, the bishops appointed by them consecrated people destined for sacred service. So, like fire from candle to candle, a line of correctly ordained clergy has come down to us from apostolic times.

For people who have recently entered the Church, the whole problem is what to call them? Clergymen in the degree of deacon and presbyter are usually called "fathers" - by name: father Alexander, father Vladimir - or by position: father protodeacon, father housekeeper (in the monastery). There is also a special, affectionate address in Russian: father. Accordingly, the spouse is called “mother”. It is customary to address the bishop as follows: “Vladyka!” or “Your Eminence!”. The Patriarch is called “Your Holiness!”. Well, and the clergy, church workers are ordinary parishioners? It is customary to address them like this: “brother”, “sister”. However, if in front of you is a person much older than you, it will not be a sin to tell him: “father” or “mother”, they are also addressed to monastics.

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The sacrament of unction, in which, when the patient is anointed with consecrated oil (oil), the grace of God is called upon him to heal from bodily and mental illnesses and forgive him for sins forgotten without malicious intent.

The sacrament of unction is also called unction, because seven priests gather to perform it, although, if necessary, one priest can perform it. Unction originates from the Holy Apostles. Having received from the Lord Jesus Christ the power to heal every disease, they anointed the sick with oil and healed” (Mark 6:13). James: “Is any of you sick, let him call for the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And prayer will heal the sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him” (James 5:14-15). Babies are not unified, because they cannot have consciously committed sins.

Previously, the unction was performed at the bedside of the sick, now - more often - in the church, for many people at once. A small vessel with oil is placed in a dish with wheat (or other grain), as a sign of God's mercy, to which, in imitation of the Gospel merciful Samaritan and as a reminder of the Blood shed by Christ, red wine is added. Seven candles and seven sticks with cotton at the end are placed in wheat around the vessel. All those present hold lit candles in their hands. After special prayers, seven selected places from the epistles of the apostles and seven gospel narratives are read. After each of them, with the utterance of a prayer to the Lord - the Physician of our souls and bodies, the priest crosswise anoints the forehead, cheeks, chest, hands of the sick. After the seventh reading, he lays the opened Gospel, like the healing hand of the Savior Himself, on the head of the sick and prays to God for the forgiveness of all their sins.

Grace in any case acts through the consecrated oil, but this action is revealed, according to God's will, unequally: some are completely healed, others receive relief, in others, strength is awakened for the complacent transfer of the disease. Forgiveness of sins, forgotten or unconscious, is granted to the one who gathers.

Some of our fellow citizens have a rather strange attitude towards God. Many believe that they will be granted forgiveness and eternal life if they attend church regularly, give alms to the poor on major holidays and wear. At the same time, the fundamental rules of the behavior of a believer remain a secret behind seven seals for them, and they perceive Orthodox rites as theatrical performances, completely ignoring their deep meaning.

Meanwhile, this state of affairs is extremely unfair, because the sacrament of the rite is a secret thought that has considerable power and inexhaustible energy, which endows the believer with God's invisible grace. Therefore, if you are looking for your own path to the Truth, it will be quite useful to understand the basic Orthodox rites. After all, they are based on echoes of the centuries-old history of the Russian people.

One of the most important and most secret sacraments, symbolizing the acquisition of a spiritual connection between a newly born person and God. The image of John the Baptist, as a particularly revered saint, we can see on many. Unfortunately, Baptism has become very popular in ordinary secular life, which is why it is not taken seriously enough by many. Even more unacceptable is the situation when a person comes to the sacrament "for the company", not wanting to take what is happening with due seriousness.

Chrismation

Most often performed after Baptism, although in some cases it is allowed to independently conduct this ceremony. The Orthodox Church believes that without Chrismation a believer is not ready for Communion, being, even at a very mature age, a kind of “child”. By the way, according to the Great Ribbon, a person baptized in infancy, but then brought up outside the canons and rules of the Orthodox Faith, can come to the Truth in a similar way.

The rite, revered by believers, is the second most important after Baptism. Repentance is no small, self-giving work undertaken by a sinning person to restore connection with God. It is believed that the rite makes sense only if the Christian sincerely repented of the sins committed, which became hateful to him. This is accepted by God as the greatest sacrifice a believer is capable of. Repentance is a necessary condition for the salvation of the soul after death.

Communion (Eucharist)

One of the most intimate rituals that reminds believers of the suffering of Jesus Christ. After all, the bread and wine they eat is the Body and Blood of the Lord. It is customary to prepare for the ceremony in advance, for which one should pray earnestly, attend divine services, fast, do good deeds, reconcile with enemies and confess. Currently, it is believed that the ceremony should be performed at least once a month.

Priesthood

The sacrament, in which the Holy Spirit descends on the chosen one, opening before him the path of a shepherd and mentor of believers. It is carried out through hierarchal ordination, and the widespread opinion that the priesthood is one of the forms of appointment to office is fundamentally wrong. Believers themselves call it a grace-filled act, sending down to the righteous the gift of serving God.

Wedding

Many newlyweds do not understand that a stamp from the registry office for the Orthodox Church means absolutely nothing. A couple truly becomes a family if they receive God's Blessing. A wedding is an exceptionally powerful sacrament that bestows heavenly protection and patronage on the couple, but it must be taken with all possible seriousness. And it is not at all necessary to carry it out for the sake of pathos. Even a rite performed in a small church with true faith will become the guardian of the family hearth for life.

Unction (unction)

Many ignorant people are sure that this sacrament is performed exclusively on the dying, although, in fact, this is far from the case. The deep meaning of anointing with oil is spiritual and physical healing, the call of God's Grace and the purification of the thoughts of the afflicted. The sacrament requires from a person repentance and humility.