The history of determining the number of sacraments in the church is brief. Seven Sacraments of the Orthodox Church

For many people, church life is limited to rare trips to church in cases where things are not going as successfully as we would like. We usually light a couple of candles and can leave a donation. After this, we wait for some relief or serious positive changes in life, sincerely believing that we received some kind of grace at the time of visiting church. But in fact, spiritual nourishment cannot be limited to superficial and often thoughtless actions. If you really want to feel the grace of the Holy Spirit, then you need special rituals - church sacraments. Our article will be dedicated to them.

Church sacraments: definition and general characteristics

Every person who has at least sometimes encountered the Christian religion has probably heard such a phrase as “church sacrament.” It is understood as a certain sacred act that should bestow grace on a person from the Holy Spirit.

It is necessary to clearly understand the differences between ordinary church services and rituals and the sacraments. The fact is that most rituals were invented by people and only over time became mandatory for those who lead a spiritual life. But the secret of the church sacraments is that they were established by Jesus Christ himself. Therefore, they have a special divine origin and act on a person at the psychophysical level.

Why is it necessary to take part in the sacraments?

This is a special action that guarantees a person grace from higher powers. Quite often, to ask for healing or well-being for our loved ones, we come to the temple and take part in the service. It is also quite common in Orthodoxy to hand over notes with names to clergy who pray for the people indicated on the paper. But all this may be effective, or it may not. Everything depends on the will of God and his plans for you.

But church sacraments in Orthodoxy make it possible to receive grace as a gift. If the sacrament itself is carried out correctly and a person is determined to receive a blessing from God, then he falls under the influence of the grace of the Holy Spirit, and it is up to him how to use this gift.

Number of church sacraments

Now Orthodoxy has seven church sacraments, and initially there were only two. They are mentioned in Christian texts, but over time five more sacraments are added to them, which together form the ritual basis of the Christian religion. Every clergyman can easily list the seven church sacraments:

• Baptism.
• Confirmation.
• Eucharist (comunion).
• Repentance.
• Blessing of Unction.
• Sacrament of Marriage.
• Sacrament of the Priesthood.

Theologians claim that Jesus Christ himself established baptism, confirmation and communion. These sacraments were mandatory for any believer.

Classification of sacraments

Church sacraments in Orthodoxy have their own classification, every Christian who takes the first steps on the path to God should know about this. Sacraments can be:

• mandatory;
• optional.

• baptism;
• anointing;
• participle;
• repentance;
• Blessing of oil.

The Sacrament of Marriage and Priesthood are the free will of a person and belong to the second category. But it is worth keeping in mind that Christianity recognizes only that marriage that is sanctified by the church.

Also, all sacraments can be divided into:

• one-time;
• repeatable.

A one-time church sacrament can only be performed once in a lifetime. The following fit this category:

• baptism;
• anointing;
• sacrament of the Priesthood.

The remaining rituals can be repeated many times depending on the spiritual needs of the person. Some theologians also consider the Sacrament of Marriage to be a one-time rite, since a wedding in a church can be performed once in a lifetime. Despite the fact that many are now talking about such a rite as debunking, the official position of the Church on this issue has not changed for many years - a marriage concluded before God cannot be canceled.

Where are church sacraments studied?

If you do not plan to connect your life with serving God, then it is enough for you to have a general idea of ​​what the seven sacraments of the Orthodox Church are. But otherwise, you will need to carefully study each ritual that occurs during your studies at the theological seminary.

Ten years ago, the book “Orthodox Teaching on the Church Sacraments” was published as a textbook for seminarians. It reveals all the secrets of the rituals, and also includes materials from various theological conferences. By the way, this information will be useful to anyone who is interested in religion and wants to deeply penetrate into the essence of Christianity in general and Orthodoxy in particular.

Sacraments for children and adults: is there a separation?

Of course, there are no special church sacraments for children, because they have equal rights and responsibilities with adult members of the Christian community before God. Children take part in baptism, confirmation, communion and blessing of oil. But repentance causes certain difficulties for some theologians when we talk about a child. On the one hand, children are born practically sinless (with the exception of original sin) and do not have actions behind them for which they need to repent. But, on the other hand, even a small childish sin is a sin before God, and therefore needs awareness and repentance. You should not wait for a series of minor offenses to lead to the formation of a sinful consciousness.

Naturally, the Sacraments of Marriage and Priesthood are inaccessible to children. Participation in such rituals can be taken by a person who, according to the laws of the country, is recognized as an adult.

Baptism

The Church Sacraments of Baptism literally become the gate through which a person enters the Church and becomes its member. To perform the sacrament, water is always necessary, because Jesus Christ himself was baptized in the Jordan in order to set an example for all his followers and show them the shortest path to the atonement of sins.

Baptism is performed by a clergyman and requires some preparation. If we are talking about a church sacrament for an adult who has consciously come to God, then he needs to read the Gospel and also receive instructions from a clergyman. Sometimes before baptism, people attend special classes, during which they receive basic knowledge about the Christian religion, church rituals and God.

Baptism is carried out in a church (when it comes to a seriously ill person, the ceremony can be performed at home or in a hospital) by a priest. A person faces the east and listens to cleansing prayers, and then, turning to the west, renounces sin, Satan and his former life. Then he plunges into the font three times under the prayers of the priest. After this, the baptized person is considered born in God and, as confirmation of his belonging to Christianity, receives a cross, which must be worn constantly. It is customary to keep a baptismal shirt all your life; it is a kind of amulet for a person.

When the sacrament is performed on a baby, the parents and godparents (godparents) answer all questions for him. In some churches, one godfather is allowed to participate in the ceremony, but he must be of the same gender as the godson. Keep in mind that becoming a godfather is a very responsible mission. After all, from this moment you are responsible before God for the soul of the child. It is the godparents who must lead him along the path of Christianity, instruct and admonish him. We can say that recipients are spiritual teachers for a new member of the Christian community. Fulfilling these duties improperly is a grave sin.

Confirmation

This sacrament is performed immediately after baptism; it is the next stage in a person’s churching. If baptism washes away all his sins from a person, then confirmation gives him the grace of God and strength to live as a Christian, fulfilling all the commandments. Confirmation occurs only once in a lifetime.

For the ritual, the priest uses myrrh - a special consecrated oil. During the sacrament, myrrh is applied in the shape of a cross to the forehead, eyes, nostrils, ears, lips, hands and feet of a person. The clergy call this the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. From this moment a person becomes a real member and is ready for life in Christ.

Repentance

The Sacrament of Repentance is not a simple recognition of one’s sins before a clergyman, but an awareness of the unrighteousness of one’s path. Theologians say that repentance is not words, but deeds. If you come to the realization that you will do something sinful, then stop and change your life. And in order to strengthen one’s decision, one needs repentance, which cleanses one from all committed unrighteous acts. After this sacrament, many people feel renewed and enlightened, it is easier for them to avoid temptations and adhere to certain rules.

Only a bishop or priest can receive confession, since it is they who received this right through the Sacrament of the Priesthood. During repentance, a person kneels and lists all his sins to the clergyman. He, in turn, reads cleansing prayers and makes the sign of the cross over the confessor. In some cases, when a person repents of some serious sins, penance is imposed on him - a special punishment.

Please note that if you have undergone repentance and are committing the same sin again, then think about the meaning of your actions. Perhaps you are not strong enough in your faith, and you need the help of a priest.

What is a communion?

The church sacrament, which is considered one of the most important, is called “communion.” This ritual connects a person with God on an energetic level; it cleanses and heals a Christian spiritually and materially.

The church service at which the Sacrament of Communion is celebrated takes place on certain days. In addition, not all Christians are allowed to attend, but only those who have undergone special training. You must first talk with the clergyman and declare your desire to receive the sacrament. Usually the minister of the church appoints a fast, after which it is necessary to undergo repentance. Only those who have fulfilled all the conditions have access to the church service at which the Sacrament of Communion is performed.

During the process of the sacrament, a person receives bread and wine, which are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ. This makes it possible for a Christian to connect with divine energy and cleanse himself of everything sinful. Church ministers claim that communion heals a person at the deepest level. He is reborn spiritually, which always has a beneficial effect on human health.

Church sacrament: unction

This sacrament is often called the consecration of oil, since during the ritual, oil is applied to the human body (olive oil is most often used). The sacrament got its name from the word “cathedral,” meaning that the ritual should be performed by several clergy. Ideally there should be seven.

The Sacrament of Anointing is performed on seriously ill people who need healing. First of all, the ritual is aimed at healing the soul, which directly affects our bodily shell. During the sacrament, the clergy read seven texts from various sacred sources. The oil is then applied to the person's face, eyes, ears, lips, chest and limbs. At the conclusion of the ritual, the Gospel is placed on the head of the Christian, and the priest begins to pray for the remission of sins.

It is believed that it is best to perform this sacrament after repentance, and then receive communion.

Sacrament of Marriage

Many newlyweds think about getting married, but few of them realize the seriousness of this step. The Sacrament of Marriage is a very responsible one that forever unites two people before God. It is believed that from this moment on there are always three of them. Invisibly, Christ accompanies them everywhere, supporting them in difficult moments.

It is important to have information that there are some obstacles to performing the sacrament. These include the following reasons:

• fourth and subsequent marriages;
• lack of faith in God of one of the spouses;
• refusal of baptism by one or both spouses;
• the spouses are related to the fourth degree.

Keep in mind that a wedding requires a lot of preparation and a very thorough approach.

Sacrament of Priesthood

The sacrament of ordination to the priesthood gives the priest the right to conduct services and independently perform church rites. This is a rather complicated procedure that we will not describe. But its essence is that through certain manipulations the grace of the Holy Spirit descends on the minister of the church, which gives him special power. Moreover, according to church canons, the higher the church rank, the greater the power descends on the clergyman.

We hope that our article has given you some idea of ​​the church sacraments, without which a Christian’s life in God is impossible.

A sacrament is a sacred act through which the Grace of God acts on a person. The sacraments were established by Christ or His apostles and are designed to change the inner life of a person.

1 Baptism

The essence of the Sacrament: Joining the Church, being born in Christ.

Main ritual: Immersion in water three times with the words pronounced: “The servant of God (name) is baptized in the name of the Father. Amen. And the Son. Amen.
And the Holy Spirit. Amen".

2 Confirmation

The essence of the Sacrament: Sanctification of the whole person, imparting to him the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Main ritual: Cross-shaped anointing by the priest of the forehead, eyes, nostrils, ears, chest, hands and feet of the newly baptized with the consecrated chrism with the words “Seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen".

3 Communion

The essence of the Sacrament: The union of the believer with Christ.

Main ritual: At the Liturgy in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, bread and wine are transformed (transubstantiated) into the true Body and Blood of Christ, which the believers eat. The central point of the Liturgy is the recitation of the Anaphora prayer with the blessing of bread and wine. From this prayer, believers in the temple hear only the words spoken by Christ at the establishment of the Eucharist at the Last Supper: “Take, eat, this is My Body, broken for you for the remission of sins! Amen. Drink from it, all of you, this is My blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins! Amen” (see Matthew 26:26-28).

4 Blessing of Anointing

The essence of the Sacrament: Healing by the grace of God spiritual and physical ailments.

Main ritual: Reading seven passages from the Apostolic Epistles and the Gospel. After each reading, the priest says a prayer for the sick person and anoints his forehead, cheeks, chest and hands with consecrated oil. At the end of the last reading, the priest places the opened Gospel on the head of the uncanthified person and prays for the forgiveness of his sins.

5 Repentance

The essence of the Sacrament: Confessing your sins to God and receiving forgiveness.

Main ritual: After openly confessing one’s sins to God, the priest, who is present at the celebration of the Sacrament and is a witness of repentance, says two prayers. The first contains the words “reconcile and unite him with Your Holy Church.” The second is called “permissive”: “May our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, by the grace and generosity of His love for mankind forgive your child (name) for all your sins, and I, an unworthy priest, forgive you by the authority given to me and absolve you from all your sins, in the Name Father and Son and Holy Spirit. Amen".

6 Priesthood

The essence of the Sacrament: Through the laying on of hands by the bishop, the believer is given grace to perform the Sacraments.

Main ritual: Ordination takes place during the Liturgy. The rank and order of appointment to different degrees of priesthood (deacon, priest, bishop) are different. At the end of the rite, the protege is dressed in vestments corresponding to his new rank, while the bishop (or council of bishops) performing the Sacrament proclaims “Axios!”
(Greek - “worthy”), to which the priests and choir respond with three times “Axios!” - “worthy!”

7 Marriage

The essence of the Sacrament: The blessing of marriage as a joint path to God.

Main ritual: During the Sacrament of Wedding, the priest places crowns on the heads of the bride and groom, saying three times the petition: “Lord our God, crown (them) with glory and honor.”

Everyone understands that they are often unable to influence their circumstances: to get out of poverty on their own, to change their life, to find a soul mate. That is why at all times, in sorrows and troubles, people called to God and were convinced of His existence and His mercy. The Church has left us many prayers so that we can ask God and the saints for mercy in words that have been proven over the centuries.
The most important thing is to remember that “the power of God is made perfect in weakness,” as the Apostle Paul says in his letter to the Corinthians. Human weakness is expressed in the fact that he gives himself into the hands of God, becoming flexible, allowing God to act and helping Him with human strength, but not being proud and hoping for God’s help. A humble person acts, but does not complain in the face of difficulties, prays and waits for God's will for himself.

7 Sacraments of the Church

The Orthodox Church has seven blessed Sacraments. All of them were established by the Lord and are based on His words preserved in the Gospel. The sacrament of the Church is a sacred act where, with the help of external signs and rituals, the grace of the Holy Spirit is given to people invisibly, that is, mysteriously, hence the name. The saving power of God is true, in contrast to the “energy” and magic of the spirits of darkness, which only promise help, but in fact destroy souls.

In addition, the Tradition of the Church says that in the Sacraments, unlike home prayers, molebens or memorial services, grace is promised by God Himself and enlightenment is given to a person who has prepared for the Sacraments correctly, who comes with sincere faith and repentance, an understanding of his sinfulness before our Sinless Savior.

The Lord blessed the apostles to perform seven Sacraments, which are usually named in order from birth to death of a person: Baptism, Confirmation, Repentance (confession), Communion, Wedding (marriage), Priesthood, Blessing of Anointing (Unction).

Baptism and Confirmation today take place in a row, one after the other. That is, a person who comes to be baptized or a child brought will be anointed with the Holy Myrrh - a special mixture of oils, which is created in large quantities once a year, in the presence of the Patriarch.

Communion follows only after Confession. You need to repent at least of those sins that you still see in yourself - at confession, the priest, if possible, will ask you about other sins and help you confess.

Before being ordained to the priesthood, a priest must marry or become a monk (it is interesting that tonsure is not a Sacrament; a person himself makes vows to God and then asks Him to help in fulfilling them). In the Sacrament of Wedding, God gives His grace, uniting people into one whole. Only then can a person, as if in the integrity of his nature, accept the Sacrament of the Priesthood.

The Sacrament of Unction should not be confused with the Anointing of Oil, which is performed during the All-Night Vigil (an evening service held every Saturday and before church holidays) and is a symbolic blessing of the Church. The congregation is held for everyone, even those who are healthy, usually during Lent, and for those who are seriously ill throughout the year - if necessary, even at home. This is the Sacrament of healing soul and body. It is aimed at cleansing from unconfessed sins (this is especially important to do before death) and healing the disease.

The most powerful prayer is any commemoration and presence at the Liturgy. During the Sacrament of the Eucharist (Communion), the whole Church prays for a person. Every person needs to sometimes attend the Liturgy - submit a note for themselves and loved ones, partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ - the Body and Blood of the Lord. This is especially important to do in difficult life moments, despite the lack of time.

Classification of the Sacraments of the Church

The Holy Sacraments of the Church are divided into

• Mandatory for every Orthodox Christian: Baptism, Confirmation, Communion, Confession (Repentance).
• Optional: Sacraments of Marriage (Wedding), Priesthood and Unction (Anointing). They are free will. Unction is performed on sick people, but a person may not participate in Unction during his life.
• One-time: Baptism, Confirmation, Priesthood.
• Repeatable: all others.

The classification and complete history of the formation of the sequence of performing each Sacrament is in the book “Orthodox Teaching on the Church Sacraments.”

The Sacrament of Baptism, features of the Baptism of a child and godparents

The protection of the Lord and His saints is especially important for children. Orthodox Christians try to baptize children as soon as possible, after about forty days from birth. On this day, the mother must visit the temple so that the priest will read a prayer of permission over her after childbirth. You can baptize a child on any day, even a holiday or fast. It is better to arrange Baptism in the church in advance or find out the usual schedule of Baptisms - then several children will be baptized.

Epiphany Day is the day of new birth in Christ. Therefore, on this day, a particularly appropriate gift for the newly baptized would be a gift with the image of the namesake patron saint. The icon will also be a wonderful christening gift from godparents.

At Baptism, it is not necessary to have both godparents; you can only have one - of the same gender as the child. This person must be a church member and a believer, and during the Sacrament of Baptism wear an Orthodox cross on his chest. During Baptism, the godmother should not wear a short skirt or trousers or wear heavy makeup. Godparents can be relatives, for example, a grandmother or sister. People who profess another faith or belong to another Christian denomination (Catholics, Protestants, sectarians) cannot be godparents.

Baptism is a person’s entry into the Church. It is accomplished by immersion or dousing with holy water - after all, the Lord Himself received Baptism from John the Baptist in the Jordan River.

An adult who has decided to be baptized consciously must

• Talk to the priest
• Learn the “Our Father” and the “Creed” - a confession of your faith,
• Know and sincerely believe in the teachings of Christ - Orthodoxy, Gospel,
• If you wish, attend catechesis courses to learn more about the Orthodox faith.

Parents and godparents need to do the same if they are baptizing a baby.

Baptism is performed in church, and if a person is sick, the priest can perform the Sacrament at home or in a hospital room. Before Baptism, a person is put on a baptismal shirt. A person stands up (lies when sick) facing east and listens to prayers, and at a certain moment, at the direction of the priest, turning to the west, he spits in that direction as a sign of renunciation of sins and the power of Satan.

Then the priest immerses the child in the font three times with prayer. For adults, the Sacrament is carried out, if possible, in the temple by immersion in a small pool (it is called a baptistery in Greek, from the word baptistis - I dip) or by pouring from above. The water will be heated, so don't be afraid of catching a cold.

After pouring water or dipping, a person is baptized with water and invisibly with the Holy Spirit; a pre-prepared cross is put on him (for a child - on a short string, this is safer). It is customary to keep the baptismal shirt - it is worn during serious illnesses as a shrine.

Cross- the greatest shrine of an Orthodox person, a symbol of his faith in Christ and his protection. Choose a chain or leather cord that is long enough so that the cross can be hidden under clothing. In the Orthodox tradition, in Slavic lands, it is not customary to wear a cross on a short chain so that it is noticeable. Only Orthodox priests wear crosses over their clothes - but these are not body crosses, but pectoral (that is, “breast”, translated from Church Slavonic) crosses, which are given upon ordination to the priesthood.

It is important to remember that if you purchase a cross outside the church, you need to consecrate it by bringing it to church and asking the priest to consecrate it. It's free, or you can thank for the consecration with any amount.

All Christians wear crosses of various shapes and from various materials. Particles of the Life-giving Cross, on which Christ Himself was crucified, are today in many churches around the world. Perhaps in your city there is a piece of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, and you can venerate this great shrine. The cross is called Life-giving - creating and giving life, that is, having great power.

It does not matter what the cross is made of, different traditions have existed in different centuries, and today a cross can be made
- Made of metal or wood;
— From threads or beads;
- Be enamel or glass;
— Most often they choose one that is comfortable to wear and durable - usually silver or gold crosses;
— You can choose blackened silver crosses - they do not bear any special signs.

If necessary, a seriously ill newborn child is baptized right in the maternity hospital, while a dying child who has expressed a desire to be baptized is baptized on the spot. This can be done even by a non-priest - just take out some water and pour it on the person, saying: “The servant of God (servant of God) (name) is baptized in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
If a person recovers or feels somewhat better, invite a priest to complement the Sacrament of Baptism with Confirmation.

The Sacrament of Confirmation and the Sacrament of Baptism

Confirmation, as it were, completes the Sacrament of Baptism, being performed together with it and symbolizing the next stage of a person’s churching.

While Baptism cleanses a person from sins, he is born again, Confirmation gives the grace of God, visibly placing the seal of the Holy Spirit on his body, giving him strength for a righteous Christian life.

In Confirmation, the priest, repeating: “The Seal of the Gift of the Holy Spirit,” anoints the person’s forehead, eyes, nostrils, ears, lips, hands and feet with a cross. It is for this purpose that the person being baptized is dressed in a baptismal shirt, which reveals these places.

Confirmation occurs only once in a lifetime - anointing with oil at evening services and at Unction is not Confirmation.

The Holy Myrrh is consecrated once a year - on Maundy Thursday of Holy Week on the eve of Easter. In the ancient Church, this rite was established because the Baptism of new Christians was usually carried out on Holy Saturday and Easter. Today it is carried out according to custom. In the Russian Orthodox Church, Its head, His Holiness the Patriarch, sanctifies olive oil with a mixture of precious aromas as peace. It is brewed during the first weekdays of Holy Week according to a special ancient method, and after consecration it is sent to all parishes of the Church. Without peace, the Sacrament of Baptism, combined with the Sacrament of Confirmation, remains incomplete - through the chrism, the newly baptized person receives the gifts of the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Sacrament of Confession

Confession, as we said, precedes Communion, so we will tell you about the Sacrament of Confession at the beginning.

During Confession, a person names his sins to the priest - but, as it is said in the prayer before confession, which the priest will read, this is a confession to Christ Himself, and the priest is only a servant of God who visibly gives His grace. We receive forgiveness from the Lord: His words are preserved in the Gospel, with which Christ gives to the apostles, and through them to the priests, their successors, the power to forgive sins: “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive, they will be forgiven; on whomever you leave it, it will remain on him.”

In Confession we receive forgiveness of all the sins that we have named and those that we have forgotten. Under no circumstances should you hide your sins! If you are ashamed, name the sins, among others, briefly.

Confession, despite the fact that many Orthodox people confess once a week or two, that is, quite often, is called second baptism. During Baptism, a person is cleansed from original sin by the grace of Christ, Who accepted the Crucifixion for the sake of delivering all people from sins. And during repentance in confession, we get rid of new sins that we have committed throughout our life’s journey.

How to prepare for Confession - rules

You can come to Confession without preparing for Communion. That is, Confession is necessary before Communion, but you can come to Confession separately. Preparing for confession is basically reflecting on your life and repenting, that is, admitting that certain things you have done are sins. Before Confession you need:

If you have never confessed, start remembering your life from the age of seven (it is at this time that a child growing up in an Orthodox family, according to church tradition, comes to his first confession, that is, he can clearly answer for his actions). Realize what transgressions cause you remorse, because conscience, according to the word of the Holy Fathers, is the voice of God in man. Think about what you can call these actions, for example: taking candy saved for a holiday without asking, getting angry and yelling at a friend, leaving a friend in trouble - this is theft, malice and anger, betrayal.

Write down all the sins that you remember, with the awareness of your untruth and a promise to God not to repeat these mistakes.

Continue thinking as an adult. In confession, you cannot and should not talk about the history of each sin; its name is enough. Remember that many things encouraged by the modern world are sins: an affair or relationship with a married woman - adultery, sex outside marriage - fornication, a clever deal where you received a benefit and gave someone else a low-quality item - deception and theft. All this also needs to be written down and promised to God not to sin again.

Read Orthodox literature about Confession. An example of such a book is “The Experience of Constructing Confession” by Archimandrite John Krestyankin, a contemporary elder who died in 2006. He knew the sins and sorrows of modern people.

A good habit is to analyze your day every day. The same advice is usually given by psychologists in order to form an adequate self-esteem of a person. Remember, or better yet, write down your sins, whether done by accident or intentionally (mentally ask God to forgive them and promise not to commit them again), and your successes - thank God and His help for them.

There is a Canon of Repentance to the Lord, which you can read while standing in front of the icon on the eve of confession. It is also included in the number of prayers that are preparatory to Communion. There are also several Orthodox prayers with a list of sins and words of repentance. With the help of such prayers and the Canon of Repentance, you will prepare for confession faster, because it will be easy for you to understand what actions are called sins and what you need to repent of.

You shouldn’t look for any special emotional uplift or strong emotions before and during Confession.
Repentance is:

Reconciliation with loved ones and acquaintances if you have seriously offended or deceived someone;

Understanding that a number of actions you have done out of intent or carelessness and the constant preservation of certain feelings are unrighteous and are sins;

A firm intention not to sin again, not to repeat sins, for example, to legalize fornication, stop adultery, recover from drunkenness and drug addiction;

Faith in the Lord, His mercy and His gracious help;

Faith that the Sacrament of Confession by Christ's grace and the power of His death on the Cross will destroy all your sins.

How does confession work in church?

Confession usually takes place half an hour before the start of each Liturgy (you need to find out its time from the schedule) in any Orthodox church.

In the temple you need to wear appropriate clothing: men in trousers and shirts with at least short sleeves (not shorts and T-shirts), without hats; women in a skirt below the knee and a headscarf (kerchief, scarf) - by the way, skirts and headscarves can be borrowed for free during your stay in the temple.

For confession, you only need to take a piece of paper with your sins written down (it is needed so as not to forget to name the sins).

The priest will go to the place of confession - usually a group of confessors gathers there, it is located to the left or right of the altar - and will read the prayers that begin the Sacrament. Then, in some churches, according to tradition, a list of sins is read out - in case you have forgotten some sins - the priest calls for repentance of them (those that you have committed) and to give your name. This is called general confession.

Then, in order of priority, you approach the confessional table. The priest may (this depends on practice) take the sheet of sins from your hands to read for himself, or then you yourself read aloud. If you want to tell the situation and repent of it in more detail, or you have a question about this situation, about spiritual life in general, ask it after listing the sins, before absolution.
After you have completed the dialogue with the priest: simply listed your sins and said: “I repent,” or asked a question, received an answer and thanked you, state your name. Then the priest performs absolution: you bend down a little lower (some people kneel), place an epitrachelion on your head (a piece of embroidered fabric with a slit for the neck, signifying the priest’s shepherding), read a short prayer and cross your head over the stole.

When the priest removes the stole from your head, you must immediately cross yourself, kiss first the Cross, then the Gospel, which lie in front of you on the confessional lectern (high table).

If you are going to Communion, take a blessing from the priest: cup your palms in front of him, right over left, say: “Bless me to take communion, I was preparing (preparing).” In many churches, priests simply bless everyone after confession: therefore, after kissing the Gospel, look at the priest - is he calling the next confessor or is he waiting for you to finish kissing and take the blessing.

Sacrament of Communion

You need to prepare yourself for the Sacrament of Holy Communion; this is called “fasting”. Preparation includes reading special prayers according to the prayer book, fasting and repentance:

Prepare to fast for 2-3 days. You need to be moderate in food, give up meat, ideally meat, milk, eggs, if you are not sick or pregnant.

During these days, try to read the morning and evening prayer rules with attention and diligence. Read spiritual literature, especially necessary for preparing for Confession.

Avoid entertainment and visiting noisy vacation spots.

In a few days (you can do it in one evening, but you will get tired), read the prayer book or online canon of repentance to the Lord Jesus Christ, the canons of the Mother of God and the Guardian Angel (find the text where they are connected), as well as the Rule for Communion (it also includes yourself a small canon, several psalms and prayers).

Make peace with people with whom you have serious quarrels.

It is better to attend an evening service - the All-Night Vigil. You can confess during it, if Confession will be carried out in the temple, or come to the temple for morning Confession.

Before the morning Liturgy, do not eat or drink anything after midnight and in the morning.

Confession before Communion is a necessary part of preparation for it. No one is allowed to receive Communion without Confession, except people in mortal danger and children under seven years of age. There are a number of testimonies of people who came to Communion without Confession - because priests, due to the crowds, sometimes cannot track this. Such an act is a great sin. The Lord punished them for their insolence with difficulties, illnesses and sorrows.

Women are not allowed to receive Communion during their period and immediately after childbirth: young mothers are allowed to receive Communion only after the priest has read a prayer for cleansing over them.

After singing the Lord’s Prayer and closing the Royal Doors, you need to go to the altar (or stand in line that gathers at the altar). Let children and parents with babies pass first - they receive communion at the beginning; In some churches, men are also allowed to go ahead.

When the priest brings out the Chalice and reads two prayers (sometimes they are read by the whole church), cross yourself, fold your hands crosswise to your shoulders - right to left - and walk, without lowering your hands, until you receive communion.

Do not cross yourself at the Chalice, so as not to accidentally push it. Say your name in Baptism, open your mouth wide. The priest himself will put a spoon with the Body and Blood in your mouth. Try to swallow them right away. Kiss the bottom of the Chalice, move away and only then cross yourself. Go to the table with “warmth” to wash it down and eat Communion with a piece of prosphora. It should not remain in your mouth so that you do not accidentally spit it out.

Do not leave the church until the end of the service. You can listen to prayers of thanksgiving after Communion in church or read them at home.

On the day of Communion, it is better not to spit (particles of Communion could remain in the mouth), try not to have a lot of fun right away and behave with piety. It is better to spend the day in joy, communicating with loved ones, reading spiritual books, and relaxing walks.

Is it possible to begin the Sacraments during menstruation?

This question is often asked by Orthodox girls and women. Yes, you can.
According to one of the strict traditions, it is forbidden to venerate icons at this time. But the modern Church softens its demands on people.
During menstruation, they light candles, venerate icons, and even begin all the Sacraments: Baptism, Wedding, Confirmation, Confession, except Communion. But even in this case, the priest can give Communion to a seriously ill woman who is in danger.
We also note that different priests have different attitudes towards the Sacraments that women receive during women's days. Therefore, before approaching the Sacraments, it is worth warning the priest. In any case, you can ask a priest for a blessing in any condition.

Sacrament of Marriage

An Orthodox family begins with a wedding. This is the Sacrament of the Church, which seals the marital union with the blessing of God. This is the right start for a long and happy family life, a blessing for childbearing. Remember that the Wedding, although it is an unusually beautiful external and even fashionable ceremony, is, first of all, a sacred rite. You take responsibility for each other before God.

If you have planned a wedding date and submitted an application to the registry office, but it turns out that the wedding is not taking place on this day, get engaged. This is not traditional, but the Sacrament of Wedding today consists of two parts, historically separated: betrothal, when the newlyweds stand not at the altar itself, but closer to the middle or doors of the temple and exchange rings. Priests rarely agree to this, but they may agree.

The ceremony is very touching, because you already promise each other to be together. It is during the betrothal that the priest asks people if among those gathered there are those who are against the bride and groom uniting forever in marriage.

You can get married if you have lived in a civil marriage for several years (this is what a marriage registered in the registry office is called). If you simply lived together before the Wedding and the wedding, you should repent of this sin in the Sacrament of Confession - sex before marriage is called fornication - and not commit it again until the Wedding.

To perform this Sacrament you will need
— Marriage certificate — only registered spouses are married;
— Wedding candles (sold in any temple);
— Rushnik (towel).

A wedding is God’s blessing on marriage; newlyweds must understand that this is both God’s help and responsibility before Him. Please note that you must sign up for the Sacrament in advance.

The most important joint responsibility of the spouses, the purpose of marriage is joint spiritual development, improvement of oneself and the other in marriage, the realization of one’s talents and assistance in the realization of the spouse’s talents. And, of course, the husband and wife share joys and sorrows together, that is, leaving one’s spouse in danger, in serious illness, in poverty is unjustified.

According to the Apostle Paul, wives should submit to their husbands, and husbands should take care of their wives. This means that the wife should trust her husband to make important decisions, and the husband should try to create mental and material comfort for his wife. Spouses must listen and hear each other and be able to find compromises.

Loyalty to each other is also the natural duty of husband and wife in an Orthodox family. Let us note that there is a procedure for church divorce (not “debunking”). Treason is one of the cases when the Church allows a person who has been cheated on to get a divorce and even enter into another church marriage. Other reasons include alcoholism, drug addiction, mental illness, and domestic violence.

Sacrament of Priesthood

One of the establishments of the Church is the hierarchy of clergy: from the reader to the Patriarch. In the structure of the Church, everything is subject to order, which is comparable to the army.

In fact, the word “priest” is a short name for all clergy. They are also called by the words: clergy, clerics, clergy (you can specify - temple, parish, diocese).

The clergy is divided into white and black:

• married clergy, priests who have not taken monastic vows;
• black - monks, and only they can occupy the highest church positions.

There are three degrees of spiritual orders into which people are consecrated by performing the Sacrament of ordination on people - the Sacraments of the Priesthood.

• Deacons - they can be either married people or monks (then they are called hierodeacons).
• Priests - also, a monastic priest is called a hieromonk (a combination of the words “priest” and “monk”).
• Bishops - bishops, metropolitans, Exarchs (governors of Local small Churches subordinate to the Patriarchate, for example, the Belarusian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate), Patriarchs (this is the highest rank in the Church, but this person is also called “bishop” or “Primate of the Church”).

The priesthood of the Church has its foundation in the Old Testament. They go in ascending order and cannot be skipped, that is, the bishop must first be a deacon, then a priest. All degrees of the priesthood are ordained (in other words, consecrated) by the bishop.

The lowest level of the priesthood includes deacons. Through ordination as a deacon, a person receives the grace necessary to participate in the Liturgy and other services. The deacon cannot conduct the Sacraments and divine services alone; he is only an assistant to the priest. People who serve well in the rank of deacon for a long time receive the following titles:

• white priesthood - protodeacons,
• black priesthood - archdeacons, who most often accompany the bishop.

Often in poor, rural parishes there is no deacon, and his functions are performed by a priest. Also, if necessary, the duties of a deacon can be performed by a bishop.

A person in the clergy of a priest is also called a presbyter, a priest, and in monasticism - a hieromonk. Priests perform all the Sacraments of the Church, except for ordination (ordination), the consecration of the world (it is performed by the Patriarch - the oil is necessary for the completeness of the Sacrament of Baptism for every person) and the antimension (a scarf with a sewn-in piece of holy relics, which is placed on the altar of each church). The priest who leads the life of the parish is called the rector, and his subordinates, ordinary priests, are full-time clergy. In a village or town the priest usually presides, and in the city there is an archpriest.

The abbots of churches and monasteries report directly to the bishop.

The title of archpriest is usually an incentive for long service and good service. The hieromonk is usually awarded the rank of abbot. Also, the rank of hegumen is often given to the abbot of the monastery (hierogumen). The abbot of the Lavra (a large, ancient monastery, of which there are not many in the world) receives an archimandrite. Most often, this award is followed by the rank of bishop.

Bishop, translated from Greek - chief of priests. They perform all the Sacraments without exception. Bishops ordain people as deacons and priests, but only the Patriarch, concelebrated by several bishops, can ordain bishops.

Bishops who have distinguished themselves in ministry and served for a long time are called archbishops. Also, for even greater merits, they elevate them to the rank of metropolitans. They have a higher rank for their services to the Church; also, only metropolitans can govern metropolitan areas - large dioceses, which include several small ones. An analogy can be drawn: a diocese is a region, a metropolis is a city with a region (St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region) or the entire Federal District.

Often, other bishops are appointed to help the metropolitan or archbishop, who are called suffragan bishops or, in short, vicars.

The highest spiritual rank in the Orthodox Church is the Patriarch. This rank is elective, and is chosen by the Council of Bishops (a meeting of bishops of the entire regional Church). Most often, he leads the Church together with the Holy Synod (Kinod, in different transcriptions, in different Churches) leads the Church. The rank of Primate (head) of the Church is for life, however, if serious sins are committed, the Bishops' Court can remove the Patriarch from ministry. Also, upon request, the Patriarch can be retired due to illness or old age. Until the convening of the Council of Bishops, a Locum Tenens (temporarily acting as the head of the Church) is appointed.

Unction

The Sacrament of Unction or Blessing of Anointing should not be confused with the Anointing of Oil, which is performed during the All-Night Vigil (an evening service held every Saturday and before church holidays) and is a symbolic blessing of the Church. The congregation is held for everyone, even those who are healthy, usually during Lent, and for those who are seriously ill throughout the year - if necessary, even at home. This is the Sacrament of healing soul and body. It is aimed at cleansing from unconfessed sins (this is especially important to do before death) and healing the disease.

The Sacrament received its name “Unction” from the word “cathedral”, a meeting, because it is usually carried out by several clergy - according to the Charter, seven.

During the celebration of the Sacrament, the priests read seven texts from the New Testament. After each reading, the oil is applied to the person’s face, eyes, ears, lips, chest and hands. Tradition believes that this way a person will get rid of all forgotten sins. After Unction, you need to proceed to the Sacrament of Communion, as well as Confession - before or after Unction.

May the Lord protect you with His grace through the prayers of the Holy Church!

Baptism. Confirmation. Communion (Eucharist). Repentance (confession). Church marriage. Blessing of Anointing (unction). Priesthood.

Christian sacraments

Sacraments in Christianity are called cult actions, with the help of which, according to clergy, “the invisible grace of God is communicated to believers in a visible way.” The Orthodox and Catholic churches recognize seven sacraments: baptism, communion, repentance (confession), confirmation, marriage, consecration of oil, priesthood.

Church ministers are trying to claim that all seven sacraments are a specifically Christian phenomenon, that all of them are somehow connected with various events of “sacred” history. In fact, all these sacraments are borrowed from pre-Christian cults, which received some specific features in Christianity. Moreover, initially the Christian church borrowed and introduced into its cult only two sacraments - baptism and communion. Only later do the other five sacraments appear among Christian rituals. The seven sacraments were officially recognized by the Catholic Church at the Council of Lyon in 1279, and some time later they were established in the Orthodox cult.

Baptism

This is one of the main sacraments, symbolizing the acceptance of a person into the bosom of the Christian church. The clergy themselves call baptism a solemn act, as a result of which a person “dies to a carnal, sinful life and is reborn into a spiritual, holy life.”

Long before Christianity, many pagan religions had rituals of ritual washing with water, which symbolized cleansing from evil spirits, demons, and all evil spirits. It is from ancient religions that the Christian sacrament of baptism takes its origins.

According to Christian doctrine, in the sacrament of baptism “a person’s original sin is forgiven” (and if an adult is baptized, then all other sins committed before baptism). Thus, the purifying meaning of the rite, as in pre-Christian cults, is completely preserved, although the content of baptism in Christianity is significantly modified.

In different Christian movements, the rite of baptism is interpreted differently. In the Orthodox and Catholic churches, baptism is classified as a sacrament.

Protestant churches view baptism not as a sacrament through which a person joins the deity, but as one of the rites. Most Protestant Churches deny that through baptism people are freed from original sin. Adherents of Protestantism proceed from the fact that “there is no such rite by performing which a person would receive forgiveness of sins,” that “baptism without faith is useless.” In accordance with this understanding of the meaning of this rite, Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, and followers of some other Protestant churches and sects perform baptism on adults who have already completed the probationary period. After baptism, a person becomes a full member of the sect.

There are differences in the baptism ceremony itself when this rite is performed in different churches. So, in the Orthodox Church a baby is immersed in water three times, in the Catholic Church he is doused with water. In a number of Protestant churches, the person being baptized is sprinkled with water. In the Baptist and Seventh-day Adventist sects, baptism is performed, as a rule, in natural reservoirs.

Despite the peculiar understanding of the meaning of the rite of baptism by representatives of various Christian movements, despite some of the peculiarities of performing this rite in different churches, baptism everywhere pursues one goal - to introduce a person to the religious faith.

Baptism is the first link in the chain of Christian rites that entangle the entire life of a believer, keeping him in the religious faith. Like other rites, the sacrament of baptism serves the church to spiritually enslave people, to instill in them the idea of ​​weakness, powerlessness, and the insignificance of man before an omnipotent, all-seeing, all-knowing God.

Of course, among those who now baptize children in the church, not all are believers. There are those who do this under the influence, and often under pressure, of believing relatives. Some people are attracted to the solemnity of church ritual. And some baptize their children “just in case,” having heard enough talk that the child will not be happy without baptism.

In order to oust this unnecessary and harmful custom from everyday life, explanatory work alone is not enough. A large role in this is played by new civil rituals, in particular the ritual associated with naming a baby (it received different names in different regions of the country). Where it is held in a solemn, festive atmosphere, lively and relaxed, it invariably attracts the attention of young parents. And this leads to the fact that fewer and fewer people want to baptize their children in the church.

The civil rite of naming has a great atheistic charge also because in the course of it, religious ideas about the dependence of people on supernatural forces, the slave psychology instilled in them by the church are overcome, and a materialistic view of man, an active transformer of life, is affirmed. From the example of this ritual alone one can see what role the new civil ritual plays in atheistic education.

Communion

The sacrament of communion, or the Holy Eucharist (which means “thanksgiving sacrifice”), occupies an important place in the Christian cult. Adherents of most Protestant movements, who reject the Christian sacraments, nevertheless retain baptism and communion in their rituals as the most important Christian rites.

According to Christian doctrine, the rite of communion was established at the Last Supper by Jesus Christ himself, who thereby “gave praise to God and the Father, blessed and consecrated the bread and wine and, having communed with his disciples, ended the Last Supper with a prayer for all believers.” Supposedly keeping this in mind, the church performs the sacrament of communion, which consists in the fact that believers partake of the so-called communion, consisting of bread and wine, believing that they have tasted the body and blood of Christ and thereby, as it were, joined their deity. However, the origins of communion, like other rites of the Christian church, lie in ancient pagan cults. The performance of this ritual in ancient religions was based on the naive belief that the life force of a person or animal is located in some organ or in the blood of a living creature. This is where the beliefs arose among primitive peoples that by eating the meat of strong, agile, fast animals, one can acquire the qualities that these animals possess.

In primitive society there was a belief in a supernatural kinship between groups of people (tribes) and animals (totemism). These related animals were considered sacred. But in some cases, for example, during especially important periods of people’s lives, sacred animals were sacrificed, members of the clan ate their meat, drank their blood and thereby, according to ancient beliefs, joined these divine animals.

In ancient religions, sacrifices to the gods, the formidable rulers of nature, whom primitive people tried to appease, also arose for the first time. And in this case, by eating the meat of sacrificial animals, our distant ancestors believed that they, as it were, entered into a special supernatural connection with the deity.

Subsequently, instead of animals, various kinds of symbolic images were sacrificed to the gods. Thus, the Egyptians sacrificed hosts baked from bread to the god Serapis. The Chinese made images from paper, which were ceremonially burned during religious ceremonies.

In Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, the custom of eating bread and wine was first introduced, with the help of which it was supposedly possible to join the divine essence of the heavenly rulers.

There is no mention of this sacrament in early Christian writings. Some Christian theologians of the first centuries of our era were forced to admit that communion was performed in a number of pagan cults, in particular in the mysteries of the Persian god Mithras. Apparently, this is why the introduction of communion in Christianity was greeted very warily by many church leaders.

Only in the 7th century. Communion becomes a sacrament that is unconditionally accepted by all Christians. The Council of Nicaea in 787 formalized this sacrament in the Christian cult. The dogma of the transformation of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ was finally formulated at the Council of Trent.

The Church takes into account the role of communion in influencing believers. Therefore, communion occupies a central place in Christian worship - liturgy. The clergy requires believers to attend services and receive communion at least once a year. By this, the church strives to ensure its constant influence on its flock, its constant influence on people.

Repentance

Adherents of the Orthodox and Catholic faiths are required to periodically confess their sins to a priest, which is an indispensable condition for the “absolution of sins,” the forgiveness of the guilty by the church in the name of Jesus Christ. The ritual of confession and “absolution” of sins forms the basis of the sacrament of repentance. Repentance is the strongest means of ideological influence on believers, their spiritual enslavement. Using this sacrament, the clergy constantly instills in people the idea of ​​their sinfulness before God, of the need to atone for their sins, etc. that this can be achieved only with the help of humility, patience, uncomplainingly enduring all the hardships of life, suffering, and unquestioning fulfillment of all the instructions of the church.

Confession of sins came to Christianity from primitive religions, in which there was a belief that every human sin stems from evil spirits, from evil spirits. You can get rid of sin only by telling others about it, because words have a special, witchcraft power.

In the Christian religion, repentance received its specific justification and was introduced to the rank of a sacrament. Initially, confession was public. Believers who violated church regulations had to appear before the court of their fellow believers and clergy and publicly repent of their sins. The public church court determined the punishment for the sinner in the form of excommunication from the church, complete or temporary, in the form of an order to fast and constantly pray for a long time.

Only from the 13th century. “secret confession” is finally introduced in the Christian Church. The believer confesses his sins to his “confessor,” one priest. At the same time, the church guarantees the secret of confession.

Attaching great importance to confession, the Christian clergy claims that confession of sins spiritually cleanses a person, removes a heavy burden from him, and keeps the believer from all kinds of sins in the future. In reality, repentance does not keep people from misdeeds, from sinful, in the Christian view, acts, from crime. The existing principle of forgiveness, according to which any sin can be forgiven to a repentant person, essentially provides the opportunity for every believer to sin endlessly. The same principle served the churchmen as the basis for the most unscrupulous religious speculation, which took on especially large proportions in Catholicism. Catholic clergy in the 11th century. introduced “absolution of sins” for “good deeds”, and starting from the 12th century. began to “absolve sins” for money. Indulgences were born - letters of “remission of sins”. The Church launched a brisk sale of these letters, establishing special so-called fees - a kind of price list for various types of sins.

Using the sacrament of repentance, the church controls literally every step of a person, his behavior, his thoughts. Knowing how this or that believer lives, the clergy has the opportunity at any moment to suppress unwanted thoughts and doubts that arise in him. This gives clergy the opportunity to exert constant ideological influence on their flock.

Despite the guarantee of the secrecy of confession, the church used the sacrament of repentance in the interests of the ruling classes, without a twinge of conscience, violating these guarantees. This even found theoretical justification in the works of some theologians, who admitted the possibility of violating the secret of confession “to prevent a great evil.” First of all, the “great evil” meant the revolutionary sentiments of the masses, popular unrest, etc.

Thus, it is known that in 1722 Peter I issued a decree according to which all clergy were obliged to report to the authorities about every case of rebellious sentiments revealed during confession, plans “against the sovereign or the state, or malicious intent on the honor or health of the sovereign and his surname.” Majesty." And the clergy readily carried out this sovereign instruction. The church continued to play the role of one of the branches of the royal secret police.

Importance is attached to repentance not only in the Catholic and Orthodox churches, but also in Protestant movements. However, as a rule, Protestants do not consider repentance as a sacrament. In many Protestant churches and sects there is no mandatory confession of sins by believers to an elder. But in numerous instructions from the leaders of Protestant organizations, believers are required to constantly repent of their sins and report their sins to their spiritual shepherds. Repentance, modified in form, thus retains its meaning in Protestantism.

Confirmation

Following baptism in the Orthodox Church, Chrismation is performed. In Orthodox publications its meaning is explained as follows: “In order to preserve the spiritual purity received in baptism, in order to grow and strengthen in spiritual life, we need the special help of God, which is given in the sacrament of anointing.” This sacrament consists in the fact that the human body is anointed with a special aromatic oil (myrrh), with the help of which divine grace is supposedly transmitted. Before anointing, the priest reads a prayer for the sending of the holy spirit on a person, and then smears a cross on his forehead, eyes, nostrils, ears, chest, arms and legs. At the same time, he repeats the words: “The seal of the holy spirit.” The ritual of the sacrament speaks eloquently about the true origin of confirmation, which came to Christianity from ancient religions. Our distant ancestors rubbed themselves with fat and various oily substances, believing that this could give them strength, protect them from evil spirits, etc. Ancient people believed that by smearing their body with the fat of one or another animal, they could acquire the properties of that animal. animal. So, in East Africa, among some tribes, warriors rubbed their bodies with lion fat to become as brave as lions.

Subsequently, these rituals acquired a different meaning. Anointing with oil began to be used during the initiation of priests. At the same time, it was argued that in this way people become, as it were, bearers of special “grace.” The ritual of anointing during the initiation of priests was used in Ancient Egypt. When ordained as a Jewish high priest, his head was anointed with oil. It is from these ancient rites that the Christian rite of anointing originates.

There is not a word about confirmation in the New Testament. However, Christian churchmen introduced it into their cult along with other sacraments. Like baptism, confirmation serves the church to instill in ignorant believers the idea of ​​the special power of religious ritual, which supposedly gives a person the “gifts of the holy spirit,” strengthens him spiritually, and introduces him to the deity.

Marriage

The Christian Church seeks to subjugate the entire life of a believer, from his first steps to the hour of death. Every more or less significant event in people’s lives must be celebrated according to church rites, with the participation of clergy, with the name of God on their lips.

Naturally, such an important event in people’s lives as marriage also turned out to be associated with religious rituals. Among the seven sacraments of the Christian Church is the sacrament of marriage. It established itself in Christianity later than others, only in the 14th century. Church marriage was declared the only valid form of marriage. Secular marriage, not sanctified by the church, was not recognized.

By performing the sacrament of marriage, ministers of the Christian cult convince believers that only a church marriage, during which the newlyweds are instructed to live together in the name of Jesus Christ, can be happy and lasting for many years - However, this is not so. It is known that the basis of a friendly family is mutual love, common interests, and equality of husband and wife. The Church does not attach any importance to this. Religious morality was formed in an exploitative society in which women were powerless and oppressed. And religion sanctified the subordinate position of women in the family.

All statements by churchmen about the benefits of Christian marriage have one goal: attracting people to the church. Christian rituals, with their solemnity, pomp, and rituals developed over centuries, sometimes attract people who strive to celebrate such a significant event as marriage as solemnly as possible. And the church, for its part, does everything possible to preserve the external beauty of the ritual, which has a great emotional impact on people.

The whole atmosphere in the church during the wedding ceremony gives special significance to the event. The priests greet the newlyweds in festive attire. The words of psalms are heard praising God, in whose name the marriage is sanctified. Prayers are read in which the clergyman asks God for blessings for the bride and groom, peace and harmony for the future family. Crowns are placed on the heads of those entering into marriage. They are offered to drink wine from the same cup. Then they are led around the lectern. And again prayers are offered to God, on whom the happiness of the newly created family supposedly depends.

From the first to the last minute, while those getting married are in church, they are instilled with the idea that their well-being depends primarily on the Almighty. A new family is born, and the church takes care that it is a Christian family, that the young spouses are faithful children of the church It is no coincidence that the Christian church refuses to sanctify marriages of Christians with dissidents, recognizing only the marriage union of people professing the Christian religion. It is the common faith, according to the Clergy, that is the main basis of a strong family.

By sanctifying the marriage union of people, the Christian Church, as it were, takes a new family under its protection. The meaning of this patronage comes down to the fact that the newly created family falls under the vigilant control of the clergy. The Church, with its instructions, regulates literally the entire life of those married. It should be said that in recent decades the number of people performing a religious ceremony upon marriage has decreased significantly. The percentage of people getting married in the church is now very small. To a large extent, the widespread introduction of the new civil marriage ceremony into everyday life played a role here. In cities, towns, and villages, this ritual is performed in specially designated premises, in Houses and Wedding Palaces, in Houses of Culture. Representatives of the public, labor veterans, and noble people take part in it. And this gives it the character of a universal celebration. The birth of a new family becomes an event not only for the newlyweds, but also for the team in which they work or study, and for everyone around them. And the solemn ritual is preserved in the memory of those entering into marriage for the rest of their lives.

Of course, the new civil marriage ceremony is not yet carried out everywhere with due solemnity and festivity. He sometimes lacks invention and improvisation. Sometimes it is still formal. But we have the right to say that experience has already been accumulated in conducting this ritual, which can serve as an example for all regions of the country. Such experience exists in Leningrad, Tallinn, the Zhitomir and Transcarpathian regions, the Moldavian SSR and other places. The only issue is its dissemination, greater attention to the establishment of new rituals.

Blessing of Unction (Unction)

An important role in the Christian cult is played by the consecration of oil (unction), which is classified by the Catholic and Orthodox churches as one of the seven sacraments. It is performed on a sick person and consists of anointing him with wooden oil - oil, which is supposedly “sacred”. According to clergy, during the consecration of oil, “divine grace” descends on a person. Moreover, the Orthodox Church teaches that with the help of the blessing of oil “human infirmities” are healed. Catholics view the sacrament as a kind of blessing for the dying.

When speaking about “human infirmities,” churchmen mean not only “physical” illnesses, but also “mental” illnesses. Defining this sacrament, they declare that in it “the sick person, through the anointing of the body with sacred oil, receives the grace of the holy spirit, healing him from illnesses of body and soul, that is, from sins.”

The Blessing of Anointing is accompanied by prayers in which the clergy ask God to grant the sick person recovery. Then the seven apostolic epistles are read, and seven ectenias (petitions) are pronounced for the sick person. The priest performs seven anointings of the sick person with consecrated oil. All this convincingly indicates a connection between the sacrament of anointing and ancient witchcraft rituals, in which magical powers were attributed to numbers. The sacrament of the consecration of oil, like other Christian rites, has its origins in ancient religions. Having borrowed this sacrament from ancient cults, the Christian church gave it a special meaning. It is as if a web entangles the church rituals of the believer from his birth to death. No matter what happens to a person, in all cases he must turn to the church for help. Only there, the clergy teaches; people can find help; only in religious faith lies a person’s path to true happiness. By preaching such ideas, clergy call for help with impressive rituals that have an emotional impact on believers, which are used by the church in indoctrinating people.

Priesthood

The Christian Church attributes a special meaning to the sacrament of the priesthood. It is performed upon initiation into the clergy. According to the clergy, during this rite the bishop performing it miraculously transfers to the initiate a special kind of grace, which from that moment on the new clergyman will have throughout his life.

Like other Christian sacraments, the priesthood has its roots in ancient pagan cults. This is especially clearly visible when performing one of the important rituals of initiation - ordination. The rite of laying on of hands has a long history. It existed in all ancient religions, since in the distant past people endowed their hands with witchcraft powers and believed that by raising their hands, a person could influence the forces of heaven. The same can be said about spells cast over the initiate. In ancient times, our distant ancestors attributed magical powers to words. It is from those distant days that the custom of casting spells during the sacrament of the priesthood dates back to our time.

The Christian Church did not immediately introduce this sacrament. It found its place in the Christian cult in the process of establishing the church, strengthening the role of the clergy - a special class that devoted itself to serving the church. Initially, bishops, i.e. overseers, in early Christian communities did not have any rights to lead the communities. They supervised the property, kept order during services, and maintained contact with local authorities. Only later, as the church and its organization strengthen, do they begin to occupy a dominant place in the communities. The clergy is separated from the laity. According to Christian theologians, the church has “an abundance of grace” necessary for “the sanctification of believers, for elevating man to spiritual perfection and his closest unity with God.” In order to wisely use these God-given funds" for the common good of the church, a special type of activity has been established - "ministry", called pastoral or priesthood. Shepherding is not entrusted to all believers, but only to some of them, "who in the sacrament of the priesthood are Called to this high and responsible service by God himself and receive special grace for its passage." This is how the ministers of the Christian church justify the need for the sacrament of the priesthood.

According to Christian teaching, there are three degrees of priesthood: the degrees of bishops, presbyters or priests, and deacons. The highest degree of priesthood is that of bishop. The Church views bishops as successors of the apostles and calls them “bearers of the highest grace of the priesthood.” From the bishops “all degrees of the priesthood receive both continuity and meaning.”

Presbyters, who constitute the second degree of the priesthood, “borrow their grace-filled powers from the bishop.” They are not vested with the power of ordination to holy orders.

The duty of deacons, who make up the lowest level of the church hierarchy, is to assist bishops and presbyters “in the ministry of the word, in sacred rites, especially in the sacraments, in administration and in general in church affairs.”

By placing great emphasis on the priesthood, the Church took care to transform this sacrament into a solemn act with great emotional impact. There is a festive atmosphere in the church. The ordination of bishops takes place before the start of the liturgy. The initiate takes an oath to observe the rules of church councils, follow the path of the apostles of Christ, obey the supreme authority, and selflessly serve the church. He kneels, placing his hand and head on the throne. The bishops present lay their hands on his head. Then prayers follow, after which the initiate dresses in episcopal robes.

This entire ceremony should convince believers that clergy are special people who, after initiation, become intermediaries between God and all members of the Church. This is precisely the main meaning of the sacrament of the priesthood.

1. THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM there is such a sacred action. in which the believer in Christ, through immersing the body in water three times, with invocation of the name of the Holy Trinity - Father and Son and Holy Spirit, washed from original sin, as well as from all sins committed by him before baptism, reborn by the grace of the Holy Spirit into a new spiritual life (spiritually born) and becomes a member of the Church, i.e. blessed Kingdom of Christ. Baptism is necessary for everyone who wishes to be a member of the Church of Christ. "If anyone is not born from water and Spirit, cannot enter the Kingdom of God,” said the Lord Himself (John 3 , 5)

2. THE SACREMENT OF CONFIRMATION- a sacrament in which the believer is given the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which strengthen him in the spiritual Christian life. The Apostle Paul says: “He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who captured us and gave a deposit of the Spirit into our hearts" (2 Cor. 1 , 21-22)
The Sacrament of Confirmation is the Pentecost (descent of the Holy Spirit) for every Christian.

3. SACRAMENT OF REPENTANCE (Confession)- a sacrament in which a believer confesses (orally reveals) his sins to God in the presence of a priest and through the priest receives forgiveness of sins from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus Christ gave to the saints to the apostles, and through them priests the power to permit (forgive) sins: “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive, they will be forgiven; on whomever you leave it, it will remain on him"(John 20 , 22-23).

4. THE SACRAMENT OF COMMUNION (Eucharist)- a sacrament in which a believer (Orthodox Christian), under the guise of bread and wine, receives (tastes) the very Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and through this is mysteriously united with Christ and becomes a partaker of eternal life. Our Lord Christ Himself established the sacrament of holy communion during the last Last Supper, on the eve of His suffering and death. He Himself performed this sacrament: “Taking bread and thanking God the Father for all His mercies to the human race, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, saying: Take, eat: this is my Body, which is given for you; do this in My remembrance. Likewise He took the cup and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My Blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you and for many for the remission of sins.”
In a conversation with the people, Jesus Christ said: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you will not have life in you. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is truly food, and my blood is truly drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me and I in him” (John 6:53-56)

5. MARRIAGE (Wedding) there is a sacrament in which, with the free (before the priest and the Church) promise by the bride and groom of mutual fidelity to each other, their marital union is blessed, in the image of the spiritual union of Christ with the Church, and the grace of God is asked and given for mutual help and unanimity, and for the blessed birth and Christian upbringing of children.
Marriage was established by God Himself in heaven. After the creation of Adam and Eve, “God blessed them and God said to them: be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen. 1:28).
Jesus Christ sanctified marriage by His presence at the wedding in Cana of Galilee and confirmed its divine institution, saying: “He who created (God) in the beginning created man and woman (Gen. 1:27). And he said: For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh (Gen. 2:24), so that they are no longer life, but one flesh. And what God has joined together, let no man put asunder” (Matthew 19:4-6).
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her<…>he who loves his wife loves himself” (Eph. 5:25,28)
“Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, for 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)
The family is the foundation of the Church of Christ. The sacrament of marriage is not obligatory for everyone, but persons who voluntarily remain celibate are obliged to lead a pure, immaculate and virgin life, which, according to the teaching of the Word of God, is higher than married life, and is one of the greatest feats (Matt. 19, 11-12; 1 Cor. 7, 8-9, 26, 32, 34, 37, 40, etc.).

6. PRIESTHOOD there is a sacrament in which a correctly elected person (to become a bishop, presbyter or jiacon), through episcopal ordination, receives the grace of the Holy Spirit for the sacred service of the Church of Christ.
This sacrament is performed only on persons elected and ordained clergy.
The sacrament of the priesthood is a divine institution. The Holy Apostle Paul testifies that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself “gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some shepherds and teachers, for the equipping of saints, for the work of service, for the edification of the Body of Christ.” (Eph. 4, 11-12).
There are three degrees of priesthood:
1. The one ordained as a deacon receives the grace to serve in the celebration of the sacraments.
2. Anyone ordained as a priest (presbyter) receives the grace to perform the sacraments.
3. He who is ordained a bishop (bishop) receives the grace not only to perform the sacraments, but also to consecrate others to perform the sacraments.

7. ANOINTING (Unction) there is a sacrament in which, when anointing a sick person with consecrated oil, the grace of God is called upon the sick person to heal him from physical and mental illnesses.
The sacrament of consecration of oil is also called unction, because several priests gather to perform it, although one priest can perform it if necessary.
This sacrament originates from the apostles. Having received from the Lord Jesus Christ the power to heal every disease during preaching, they “anointed many who were sick with oil and healed them” (Mark 6:13).
The Apostle James speaks in particular detail about this sacrament: “Is any of you sick, let him invite the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will restore him; and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him” (James 5:14-15).