How long does the service last in the morning? About the order of church services

Every believer Orthodox Christian, who plans to visit the temple on the eve of Easter, and especially the night service, has a very good and correct message. If you don’t know what time the Easter service begins and how it goes, then useful information in an accessible form, look in our material.

During the long period of Lent, forty days plus more Holy Week, people prepared themselves spiritually, weakening their bodies, for the holiday of the Resurrection of Christ. Holy Saturday has already arrived - this is the last day of fasting, but a very important and special one. It is important to know what time the Easter service begins and ends today in order to become part of the annual Resurrection and bring joy, good news home about the onset of the holiday already from the temple on the night from Saturday to Sunday.

The Easter service is a very important event throughout the year; in 2019 it will take place on April 27.

Read interesting materials on this topic:

If you are going to a church service, then aim for somewhere around midnight from Saturday to Sunday. At this time, the festive midnight service begins. The service begins with the priest and deacon heading to the shroud, which was placed in the center of the temple in Good Friday and here she will lie until the Resurrection of Christ.

The Shroud is a symbol of the shroud with which the body of Christ was wrapped when he was taken down from the cross on Friday. On her in full height depicts the Savior crucified on the cross. It symbolizes the time the Lord spent in the cave where he was buried and the shroud is located in the center of the temple until the moment when Christ is Risen, that is, already three hours after the start of the Easter service it will be taken back to the altar for the whole year.

Quiet hymns about the resurrection of Christ begin to be sung around midnight. Please note that at this time the Royal Doors of the altar will still be closed inside the temple and the priests will come out of the side gates. Then the stichera is sung and the royal doors are opened, the voice of the priest and choir becomes louder and more confident.

Procession for Easter

The Easter service continues with a procession around the church of priests and the entire congregation. This action is called a religious procession and is carried out to the sound of bells. At the beginning of the procession they carry a lantern, then an altar cross and an image of the Mother of God, followed by deacons holding candles and a censer in their hands. The procession is completed by a priest who carries the Gospel in his hands, and second next to him is the icon of the Resurrection.

The procession of the cross goes around the temple three times, with the congregation following the priests with all the necessary paraphernalia. Everyone stops every time in front of the closed gate on the western side of the entrance to the temple. For the last time, the ringing of the bells subsides and in this silence every believer can hear the most important words that she has been waiting for so long: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and giving life (that is, life) to those in the tombs.”

How long does the service last?

So, the Easter night service begins around midnight and lasts on average several hours, ending around three in the morning. Decide for yourself whether to take children to church; after all, there will be a lot of people there and it is quite difficult to hold a religious procession for such a long time.

At this point the festive service ended and the Divine Liturgy immediately began. Many no longer stay for it - they hurry home to tell their family and relatives the good news that Christ is Risen, that fasting and sorrow are over and the long-awaited holiday has finally arrived, which will last not only on Sunday, but throughout holiday week (popularly called Fomina week).

On behavior in church during the Easter service and more:

• When entering the church at any time, you must cross yourself three times and bow at the door. Orthodox Christians cross themselves with three fingers of their right hand.
• Take off your gloves, for men it is necessary to remove your headdress, and for women - put on a scarf.
• When addressing a priest personally, you need to start with the words “Father, bless.” At the same time, the person should fold his palms crosswise and kiss the hand of the clergyman with which he blessed. Then you can ask your questions.
• On Easter night, the temple is the place where a special and very important sacrament is performed. Due to the large number of people this can be difficult, but still try not to stand with your back to the altar.
• If you decide to take children to the temple with you, you need to explain to them in advance how to behave there: do not make noise, do not run or be capricious, you are not allowed to talk loudly in the temple.
  Of course, you will need to turn off the phone, it is best to at least put it on silent mode.

The Easter service begins at midnight on the day of transition from Holy Saturday, that is, April 27, 2019, the day of the Resurrection of Christ. The service begins at 00.00 and lasts about three hours. After the religious procession, the morning Divine Liturgy begins.

Orthodox worship is unusual! Some of it distinctive features noticeable as soon as you cross the threshold of the temple, and can lead to confusion. Its other features become obvious over time. I'll give some background information, which can help you feel more confident at an Orthodox service: twelve facts you need to know when you find yourself in an Orthodox church for the first time.

1. What kind of mess is this?

At the very beginning of the service, you may get the impression that there is confusion in the church: people go to the front of the church, pray in front of the iconostasis (a row of icons standing in front of the altar), kiss various objects, light candles, despite the fact that the service is already in progress. In general, when you entered, the service was already in progress, although it was clearly written on the door: “The Divine Liturgy begins at 9:30.” You were clearly embarrassed that you were late, but these people arrived even later and are now moving around the temple. What's going on here?

On Sundays in the Orthodox Church there is one Eucharistic service* - the Divine Liturgy, preceded by Matins [in the Greek and Slavic Churches the liturgy is served after Matins - ed.]. There is no break between these services; as soon as one ends, another begins, so the start time of the service is indicated tentatively. In total, during a Sunday service, the clergyman spends more than three hours in the altar, “being in the light,” as one priest put it.

Because everyone is constantly on the move, there is never a moment when everyone is sitting in the pews, meekly waiting for the opening verse to begin and watching the hands of the clock approach 9:30. Orthodox believers can arrive at different times of Matins or the beginning of the Liturgy, that is, somewhere within the hour. Whenever they arrive, the service is probably already underway, but this does not prevent them from performing the personal prayers required upon arrival at the temple.

This is distracting for newcomers and can even be perceived as disrespectful, but you soon begin to understand that this is not just a formality, but a deeply personal expression of faith. Of course, this does not justify those who are late, but, unfortunately, punctuality is often absent from the list of virtues of many Orthodox believers.

2. Stand for Christ!

IN Orthodox tradition Believers stand through almost the entire service. Indeed. In some Orthodox churches There are not even chairs, apart from a few standing around the edges of the room, for those who need them.

In any case, if you find it too difficult to stand all the time, you can sit down. No one will object, and hardly anyone will pay attention to it. Over time, you will get used to standing for long periods of time.

3. Sim win

It is no exaggeration to say that we are often baptized. We make the sign of the cross at the mention of the Holy Trinity, when we venerate the cross or an icon, and many more times during the Divine Liturgy.

But this does not mean that everyone should behave the same.

Some cross themselves three times in a row, others, having crossed themselves, touch right hand land. Upon entering the temple, some believers can approach the icon and perform “throwing” - cross themselves, touch the floor with their right hand, and, having done this twice, kiss the icon, and then repeat “throwing” again.

Over time it won't be difficult, but at first it seems like it's only for the initiated and you're afraid of doing something wrong. Rest assured, you don't have to follow their lead immediately.

We cross ourselves with our right hand from right to left, unlike Catholics and Protestants - High Church Anglicans. We fold our fingers in a special way: thumb and the next two are joined together, and the remaining two fingers are pressed against the palm.

As with all our actions, Orthodoxy encourages us to confess our faith. Try to guess what symbol is behind this? (Three fingers folded together symbolize the Trinity, two fingers lowered to the palm - the two natures of Christ, as well as His descent to earth).

This also requires training. But if at first you do not put your fingers together accurately, no one will accuse you of heresy.

4. Kneeling

As a rule, we do not pray on our knees. Sometimes we fall on our faces. But not like the Catholics who fall prostrate on the floor. We kneel, place our hands on the floor and touch our foreheads to it.

It looks like in photographs from some Central Asian worship service, and to representatives of Western culture it seems unprecedented. At first you feel awkward, falling on your face, but everyone else does it naturally and eventually the awkwardness goes away. Women notice that it is more convenient to bow to earth in wide skirts, and it is more comfortable to stand in shoes without heels.

Sometimes we bow to the ground and immediately rise, as during the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian, which is often recited during Lent. It happens that we worship and linger for a while, as they do in some communities in some places of the Eucharistic Prayer.

Not everyone prostrates. Some believers kneel, others stand with their heads bowed, and those seated may lean forward and sit hunched over. Standing timidly is also not forbidden. Nobody will pay attention if you don't fall on your face. For Orthodoxy, various forms of expressing personal religiosity are more characteristic than the feeling that you are being watched and may be offended if you do something wrong.

One of the former priests of the Anglican Church in America admitted that his decision to become Orthodox was most influenced by the sight of people falling in bows to the ground believers. He thought then that this is how he should stand before God.

5. I love you and kiss you.

We kiss the shrines.

When we enter a church, we kiss the icons (it is customary for Jesus to kiss the feet, and for saints the right hand). You soon notice that some kiss the Holy Chalice, some kiss the hem of the priest's vestments when he comes by, the clerics kiss his hand when they hand him the censer, at the end of the service we all queue up to kiss the cross.

When we say that we “kissed” something, it means that we made the sign of the cross and kissed this object.

Before communion we kiss each other (“Greet one another with the kiss of love (1 Peter 5:14) (today in Russia the kiss of peace is preserved among the clergy - editor’s note). When Catholics and Protestants of the High Church perform the “teaching of peace", they hugging, shaking hands, or lightly touching each other's cheeks - this is a common greeting for representatives of Western culture. The Orthodox have a different culture: Greeks and Arabs kiss on both cheeks, Slavs - three times. Give in to the initiative of those nearby, and try not to bump noses.

To a typical appeal: “Christ is in our midst,” they answer: “He is and will be.” Don't be afraid if you forget what to answer. Here they do not say the usual Protestant greeting: “The peace of the Lord be with you,” and it would also be inappropriate to say something like: “What a wonderful church you have.” Kissing peace is a liturgical action, a sign of mystical unity. Leave conversations and communication for later.

6. Blessed and sacrificial bread

Only Orthodox Christians can take communion, but everyone can eat particles of the consecrated bread.

It happens like this: one of the parishioners bakes round bread for communion and an imprint is made on it with a seal. During the preparatory service before the liturgy, the priest cuts out a segment from the seal and sets it aside. It's called "Lamb". The remaining portion of the bread is cut into pieces, placed in a large basket and blessed by the priest.

During the Eucharistic Prayer, the Lamb is transformed into the Body of Christ, and the wine in the Chalice is transformed into His Blood. And then something amazing happens: the priest lowers the Lamb into the Chalice of Wine. When we receive communion, we approach the priest one after another, opening our mouths wide, and he gives us a piece of bread soaked in wine from a golden spoon. He also reads a prayer over us, calling our name or the name of the saint that we received at baptism or confirmation (the sacrament of acceptance into the Church through anointing with sacred oil).

Having passed the priest, we approach the altar boy, who is holding a basket of consecrated bread. People take pieces for themselves or their non-Orthodox friends. If someone treats you with a piece of consecrated bread, do not be alarmed - this is not communion. This is a symbol of brotherhood.

Casual visitors are sometimes offended that they are not allowed to take communion. In Orthodoxy, it is believed that Communion is broader than a personal relationship with Christ. It certifies belief in historical Orthodox doctrine, submission to a particular Orthodox bishop, and allegiance to a particular Orthodox community. There are no privileges here, becoming faithful Orthodox Church everyone can. But the Eucharist is the treasure of the Church, and it is reserved for those who have connected themselves with the Church. It's like procrastination marital relations before marriage.

Another reason why we protect the Eucharist from public access is that we take it more seriously than many others. Christian denominations. We believe that this is truly the Body and Blood of Christ. We do not begin communion without confessing our sins to the priest and making peace with other members of the Church. We abstain from food and drink, even our morning cup of coffee, from midnight before communion.

So, we come to the topic of the post. When newcomers learn about this Orthodox tradition, they usually have a hard time believing it. We abstain from meat, fish, dairy, wine and vegetable oil every Wednesday and Friday, as well as during four periods of the year, longest during Lent before Easter. In total it takes about six months.

Here, as elsewhere, variations are possible. After consulting with the priest, people decide to what extent they can maintain these fasts, both from a physical and spiritual point of view - excessive strictness can soon lead to frustration and depression. Fasting is a personal matter for each person. As St. said John Chrysostom in his Easter sermon, this is a holiday for everyone who fasted and who did not: “temperate and careless, honor this day alike; you who have fasted and those who have not fasted, rejoice now!”

It is important to note that fasting is not a strict rule, breaking which puts you in terrible danger, and it is not a punishment for sins. Fasting is an exercise for our growth and strengthening, a medicine for the soul.

After consulting with a priest, as a spiritual doctor, you can develop a measure of fasting that will keep you in good shape, but will not break you. Perhaps next year you will be able to handle more. Over time, after experiencing fraternal fasting with a loving community, many people find that they begin to enjoy fasting.

7. Why is there no general confession?

We believe that we do not have the same sins, they are all individual. There is no separate prayer of confession during the liturgy. Orthodox Christians must regularly confess to a priest in person.

The role of the priest, more than in other faiths, resembles the role of a spiritual father. He is not addressed simply by his name, but is pronounced “father” before the name. His wife has hers too specific role mother of the parish, and she is also called by a special name, depending on the culture: in Arabic “Khouria”, in Greek “Presbytera”, both mean the priest’s wife, and in Russian “matushka”, which means “mother” .

Another feature is the Creed, which is recited or sung, depending on the parish. If you say out of habit or intentionally, “And from the Son who proceedeth,” no one will support you. The Filioque appeared in the Creed six centuries after its composition, and we adhere to the original version. Visitors from High Church communities note that we do not bow or kneel at the words “and he who became incarnate.”

We also do not stop exclaiming “Hallelujah” during Great Lent, as the nuns of the Anglican Communion do; moreover, Lenten Matins are especially replete with this exclamation.

8. Music.

About seventy-five percent of the service is occupied by parishioners singing. Orthodox don't use musical instruments during the service. The singing is usually led by a small a cappella choir, and the degree to which parishioners participate in the singing varies from parish to parish. The musical style also varies, ranging from single-voice singing in the eastern traditions of the Arab Church to the European sound of four-part harmony in the Russian Church, with many variations in between.

This continuous singing is overwhelming at first, it seems as if you are stepping onto a rapidly moving escalator, and you are carried for an hour and a half until you get off it. Someone rightly noted that the liturgy is one continuous song.

Almost the same thing is sung every week, and this prevents fatigue. Each subsequent Sunday the service changes very slightly, the main prayers and chants are in the same order, and soon you will already know them by heart. Then you will begin to feel the presence of God, which is almost impossible to do at that stage when you switch, now to reading the prayer book, now to the text of the liturgy, now to studying the parish leaflet.

9. Editors are powerless

Isn't it possible to say this more briefly? Why these extra epithets? Is it possible to once again condense this text, even if it is quite accurate and apt? But then it will no longer be an Orthodox service. Orthodox Christians will always try to express themselves as broadly as possible. In the Orthodox faith, there is never too much prayer, and this also applies to its other aspects. When a priest or deacon exclaims: “Let us fulfill our ** prayer to the Lord...”, be sure that you will have to stand for another fifteen minutes.

Initially, the liturgy lasted more than five hours, this shows that people in those days were on fire with their hearts for the Lord. St. Basil the Great, in his edition of the liturgy, reduced its duration to two and a half hours, and later (about 400) St. John Chrysostom further reduced this time to one and a half hours. Usually on Sundays the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, but on some days (Sundays of Great Lent, Epiphany Eve), we serve a longer liturgy of St. Basil the Great.

10. Chosen Voivode

An unchanging feature of Orthodox worship is the veneration of the Virgin Mary, the “Invincible Leader” of all Christians. We also call her the Mother of God or Mother of God. She contributed to our salvation by making the incarnation of God into man physically possible. But, despite Her veneration, as it is said in the Gospel: “Behold, from now on all generations will bless Me” (Luke 1:48), this does not mean that we believe in the magical powers of Her or other saints or consider them demigods. When we sing " Holy Mother of God, save us,” we do not expect that She will grant us salvation in eternity, but we ask Her prayers for our intercession and growth in faith.

We ask for the prayers of the Virgin Mary and other saints just as we ask for the prayers of each other. They didn’t die, they simply went to another world. We surround ourselves with icons to remind us that all saints participate invisibly in our prayer.

11. Three gates.

In every Orthodox church there is an iconostasis in front of the altar. Iconostasis means “stand for icons” and it can simply represent a large icon of Christ on the right and an icon of the Virgin and Child on the left. In a more well-equipped church, the altar may be a partition decorated with icons. Some types of iconostases block the altar from view, except for those moments when the central gate is open.

In the very simple version The iconostasis with two large icons has three entrances. The central one, directly in front of the altar, is called the Holy or Royal Doors, because during the Eucharist the King of Glory himself comes out to the worshipers through them. The Holy Gates are used only by a priest or deacon with the Chalice in his hands.

On both sides of the icons, if this is a simplified iconostasis, there are doors with angels depicted on them; they are called the Deacon's Gate. They are used by altar servers and other ministers, but it is not allowed to enter or leave the altar unless absolutely necessary. Altar servers - priests, deacons, and altar servers - can only be male. Women can participate in all other areas of church life. Women's contributions have been valued on an equal basis with men's since the time of the first martyrs; looking towards the altar, you can always see the Mother of God and other holy women. In many Orthodox churches, women work equally with men: they direct the choir, paint icons, teach lessons, read the Apostle and participate in the parish council.

12. Where should an American go?

Flipping through the Yellow Pages of any metropolis, you can find a large number of Orthodox churches: Greek, Romanian, Russian, Antiochian, Serbian and many others. Is Orthodoxy really that nationally oriented? Are these divisions evidence of theological divisions and schisms? Not at all. All these Orthodox churches are one Church. Nationality indicates under whose jurisdiction the parish falls and to which bishop it reports.

With 6 million Orthodox Christians in North America and 250 million worldwide, the Orthodox community is the second largest of all Christians.

Despite such national diversity, it is striking that Orthodoxy is united on theological and moral issues. Orthodox Christians throughout the world unanimously adhere to the fundamental Christian principles preached by the apostles, which are passed down from generation to generation by bishops - the apostolic successors. In addition, they are faithful to the apostolic principles of morality: abortion and sexual relations outside the family are also considered sins from the Orthodox point of view.

Some might explain this unity as a historical accident. However, we attribute this to the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Why then such a variety of national churches? This nationality clearly reflects geographical features. North America also represents a geographical unity, someday we will also have one national church: the American Orthodox Church. This should have been the case initially, but due to complex historical background That did not happen. Instead, every Orthodox Christian who emigrated to the United States ethnic group produced its own church structure. This diversity of Orthodox jurisdictions is nothing more than a temporary misunderstanding; intense prayers and a lot of work are being done to overcome these unnecessary barriers.

Currently, the largest jurisdictions in America are the Greek Orthodox Metropolis, the Orthodox Church in America (Russian origin) and the Antiochian Metropolis (Arab origin). The liturgies in all of them are basically the same, perhaps with some differences in language and music.

At first, Orthodoxy strikes you with its unusualness, but over time this feeling passes. More and more you begin to feel at home in it, and gradually it will lead you to your true home - to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Translated from English specifically for the portal “Orthodoxy and Peace” by Marina Leontyeva

Perhaps all people want to be happy and joyful, get rid of laziness and sadness, and protect their loved ones from adversity. All this can be achieved by participating in the life of the Orthodox Church. Faith in the heart alone is not enough for Orthodox Christians - one must regularly attend Divine Services and participate in the Sacraments of Repentance and the Eucharist. And then, no matter what the external conditions of life are, in any situation a person will be able to maintain a joyful and calm state of mind. And you can begin the path to such a worldview by attending Divine services.

Daily services, schedule

The daily cycle of services of the Orthodox Church consists of nine services.

In ancient times, in monastic and hermit life, they were performed each separately, strictly according to time. But over time, they were combined into evening, morning and afternoon services to make it more convenient for believers to attend services. Just as in the Bible the Lord began the creation of the world in the evening, also approximately from the time the sun set over the horizon, the day begins in the Orthodox Church.

Evening service:

• Ninth hour (3 p.m.)
• Vespers
• Compline

Morning worship:

• Midnight Office (midnight)
• Matins
• First hour (7 am)

Afternoon service:

• Third hour (9 am)
• Sixth hour (12 days)
• Liturgy

Scheme of the daily cycle of Orthodox worship

According to the Byzantine calculation of time, a day consists of 12 day and 12 night hours, which are grouped into 8 watches, also day and night. Since in the summer the night hours are shorter than the day hours, and in the winter - vice versa, the schedule shown in the diagram is correct only during the spring and autumn equinoxes.

The daily cycle of worship - its meaning and content

The ninth hour is a memory of the most important event- Death on the Cross of the Savior.
Vespers is gratitude to the Lord for almost the past day.

At Compline, believers ask God for forgiveness of sins, protection from the devil’s wiles, and the granting of peace to soul and body during sleep.
The Midnight Office is the believers' remembrance of Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. The symbolism of the service calls on everyone to always be ready for the onset of the Last Judgment.
Matins is gratitude to the Lord for the past night and prayer for the coming one.
The first hour is prayers for the day that has already begun.
The third hour is a remembrance of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles.
The sixth hour is a memory of the Savior’s crucifixion.

Liturgy is the most important service, a remembrance of the entire period of Jesus Christ’s stay on earth. It is at the Liturgy that Communion is celebrated - the Sacrament established at the Last Supper by Jesus Christ himself.

Annual weekly and daily cycle of worship

The order of services of the Orthodox Church throughout the year is called the annual circle of worship. All days, without exception, are dedicated to the memory of one of the Saints, fasts or holidays.
Among all the holidays, the greatest is Holy Easter.

There are also 12 great (twelfth) holidays in honor of the Savior and the Mother of God, as well as celebrations in honor of saints and angels. The great ones are always accompanied by a special service - the All-Night Vigil.
Holidays can be fixed or moving (calculated from the day of Easter).
Weekly circle - the order of church services during the week. All days are dedicated to particularly revered saints or biblical events.
Resurrection - a memory of the Resurrection of the Savior.
Monday is dedicated to angels.
Tuesday is a remembrance of John the Baptist and other prophets.
Wednesday and Friday are fast days; they remember the Savior's Passion on the Cross.
Wednesday is also dedicated to the Mother of God.
Thursday is the day of remembrance of the apostles and saints.
On Saturday, the apostles are also remembered, as well as martyrs, forefathers, prophets, the righteous, the saints and all the saints. All deceased Orthodox Christians are also commemorated.
The daily circle is nine consecutive Divine Services. This includes Vespers and Matins, Compline and Midnight Office, the hours (first, third, sixth, ninth), as well as the Liturgy.

Is the Liturgy included in the daily cycle of worship?

The Divine Liturgy ends the daily cycle of worship.

Church service Liturgy, brief essence with explanations

The main thing that happens at the Liturgy is the transformation of ordinary bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, as well as the Eucharist - the Communion of the faithful.
The service begins with the preparation of the items necessary for the Sacrament of Communion, then preparation for the Sacrament and Communion itself take place. Conditionally Divine Liturgy has three parts:

1. Proskomedia. It requires five prosphoras (this is special bread for the liturgy). They symbolize the five loaves with which Jesus fed 5 thousand people. Symbolic particles are taken out of each, and the priest asks the Lord to bless them.

Also, wine mixed with water is poured into the cup as a symbol of the fact that blood and water poured out from the wounds of Jesus Christ.

2. Liturgy of the Catechumens. Baptized believers, as well as only those undergoing the process of preparation for this rite, can pray on it. First, the deacon asks for a blessing at the beginning of the service. Then, after the priest glorifies the Holy Trinity, he pronounces the Great Litany. This hour ends with the phrase of mass with the phrase “Catechism, go forth.”
3. The Liturgy of the Faithful is served only for baptized Orthodox Christians. The gifts are transferred to the throne from the altar and consecrated. There is Communion of the faithful, thanksgiving for the Eucharist and dismissal.

What is liturgy in simple words?

This is the most important divine service in the Orthodox Church, at which God is glorified and believers who partake of Communion are united with Jesus Christ.

Liturgy with video explanations

Types of Liturgy in Orthodoxy

There are three types of Divine Liturgy:

1. Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. On it, believers partake of the Holy Gifts, consecrated earlier. This mass is celebrated during part of the days of Great Lent. On it, believers partake of the Holy Gifts, consecrated earlier, at other types of Liturgies.

2. Liturgy of Basil the Great. This type of mass is celebrated on some Lenten days, on the eve or on the days of the Nativity of Christ, as well as Epiphany. It is also served on the day of remembrance of St. Basil the Great.
3. Liturgy of John Chrysostom. It takes place on all other days of the year.

When is the Liturgy celebrated?

The second name of the Liturgy is mass. This service bears this name because it must be performed before lunch, before noon, between the sixth and ninth hour. Sometimes the liturgy drags on until lunchtime - for example, on Lent and holidays, when one begins to receive Communion great amount of people.

How long does the Liturgy last?

On average, the Liturgy lasts up to 4 hours, but can be limited to two hours. The duration increases if, for example, many parishioners confess and receive communion, if the rite of introducing babies and mothers into the church after childbirth is performed, if the service is minimally shortened (usually in monastic churches it lasts much longer than in ordinary churches). Much depends on the choir and directly on the regent, on the chosen chants. The length of the sermon is also important. As a rule, on holidays, Sundays and Lenten days, the service lasts longer.

Schedule of Liturgies in the temple

Being late for the liturgy is a sin. Therefore, in order to arrive on time, parishioners should familiarize themselves with the schedule of liturgies. It is usually published on the notice board and/or on the temple website. In churches with a small number of parishioners, Liturgies are often served only on Sundays and holidays, as well as daily during Holy Week before Easter. In large churches, in cathedrals with a large number of parishioners and in monasteries, the Liturgy is served daily. On holidays and Sundays in such churches (especially if several churches are located on one site) there are 2-4 Liturgies.
An example of a schedule of liturgies in a monastery:
6.30 Liturgy in the Holy Protection Church.
8.00 Liturgy in the Church of St. Nicholas.
9.30 Liturgy in the Holy Protection Church.

Liturgy on Parents' Saturday

Parents' Saturdays are days of special commemoration of deceased Orthodox Christians. They differ primarily in funeral services - lithiums, memorial services, parastases. The main prayers for deceased Christians are offered on the Friday before. However, according to the read troparions, canons and stichera of the liturgy parent's Saturdays are also different. These days, most parishioners try to submit notes and light candles for repose, pray for deceased relatives and all previously deceased Orthodox Christians.

Liturgy during the days of Great Lent

On Lenten days, mass often lasts much longer than in other periods, because a huge number of believers want to confess and receive communion. Special sermons, extraordinary services on Palm Sunday and during Holy Week - all this encourages many even unchurched people to attend church.

What does it mean to order the Liturgy?

In the Orthodox Church, some services can be ordered everywhere - for example, a memorial service for the deceased or a funeral litany. In some churches today you can “order a liturgy.” It is served separately from the general one specifically for the person who ordered it and, for example, his relatives and is often associated with the commemoration of the deceased. Sometimes the phrase “Custom liturgy” means a special requirement. For each name indicated in the note, a particle is taken from the Holy Bread (prosphora), which at the end of the Liturgy is placed into a chalice with the Blood of Christ; They are also commemorated during the special litany.

Communion at the Liturgy

Communion is the culmination of the Liturgy, its main action is the partaking of the Holy Mysteries by believers. Participants in this Sacrament merge with God, receive healing from physical and spiritual illnesses, strength for self-improvement, and struggle with their own shortcomings and passions. Of all the numerous church services, communion occurs only at the Divine Liturgy, which greatly enhances its meaning.

Christians prepare for Communion at the Liturgy by fasting, reading special prayers and participating in the Sacrament of Confession. As for small children, they receive communion without any special preparation; As it increases, it is possible to introduce a minimum measure of fasting.

Confession at the Liturgy

Confession, unlike Communion, can occur not only during the liturgy, but also before it, and during the evening service. Since repentance cleanses the soul and prepares it to receive the Holy Gifts, confession at the liturgy is often chosen by those parishioners who are afraid of sinning in the time period before Communion.

To confess at the Liturgy, before this service, believers carefully analyze their behavior in the past, and then mentally or in writing make a list of their sins. The priest reads a prayer of repentance over the confessors, and then the Sacrament itself begins. During Confession, Orthodox Christians take turns approaching the lectern (special table) and tell the priest their sins, after which the priest reads a prayer of absolution over each one. Some penitents may not be allowed to receive Communion. The rest of the parishioners receive the blessing to receive communion.

Festive Liturgy, briefly with explanations

The liturgy on the holiday is distinguished by a special selection of prayers and chants. For example, the Liturgy on the day of remembrance of St. Nicholas is distinguished by the remembrance of this saint and the reading of special prayers addressed to him.

What time does the Liturgy begin?

The Liturgy is always served in the morning until noon, but it is different in all churches and cathedrals. Most often it starts at 8.00 or 9.00, but it can also start at other times (for example, at 5.30 or 9.30). Before informing parishioners, each church has a Schedule of Services, most often updated weekly.

What time does church service start on Sunday?

The Liturgy is always served in the morning until noon, but in all churches and cathedrals at different times. Most often it starts at 8.00 or 9.00, but sometimes at other times (for example, 5.30 or 9.30). To inform parishioners, each church has a Schedule of Services, most often updated weekly.

One or more services may be served on Sunday. In all churches on this day, at least one Liturgy is served in the morning, more often - two, early and late. In addition to it, there may be Vespers, Matins and the Hours, in monastery churches - Compline and Midnight Office. The sacraments of Marriage and Baptism, for example, are also among the services. They are often scheduled for a time after the liturgy.

To find out the start time of services, you need to look at the schedule of services in the church, ask the priest, or visit the church website.

What time does church service start today, on weekdays?

In many churches, evening and morning services are held on weekdays. Their start time is indicated in the Schedule of Services, most often posted on the notice board near the temple. You can find out about the start time of baptisms, weddings and other services (private services) directly from the priest.

What time does church service start on holidays?

As a rule, the largest number of parishioners attend church on holidays. There are often more services these days than usual. The start time of services in each church is different, and it is best to find out the schedule directly on the spot.

What time does church service start on Saturday?

It is on Saturday evening that the church serves Sunday Matins with anointing of oil. This ritual of depicting a cross on the forehead of believers symbolizes the outpouring of God's mercy on the anointed one. Therefore, such services are especially crowded, often parents bring small children. This service usually begins in the evening, for example, at 17.00, 18.00 or another time established in the temple. The Saturday Liturgy is served in the morning until noon, usually at the same time as on weekdays.

How long does the church service last?

The service can last for several hours or several tens of minutes - it all depends on the type of service. For example, the Liturgy can last from early morning until almost lunch, and the Memorial Service after it can be relatively short.

What time does the evening service start in church?

Evening services in parish churches usually consist of Vespers, as well as Matins and the first hour. Sometimes this includes, for example, Akathists. Usually the evening service starts at 17.00, 17.30 or 18.00, but it can also be at other times.

What time does church service end?

The daily cycle of services in some monasteries can be called continuous. But in many small churches there may be only a few services a day: in the morning - Divine Liturgy, later - Vespers and Matins. The liturgy ends approximately before noon - for example, at 10 or 12 o'clock. Evening worship most often ends at approximately 19-20 hours.

Does the church have a day off?

In large churches, services take place daily. IN small towns and villages it is not difficult to find churches that do not have services on weekdays. However, these days you can easily turn to a priest, say, with a request to help prepare for Baptism or to give advice in a difficult situation. life situation. Most likely, despite the absence of a service, the priest will make an appointment for the questioner to meet in the temple. Services (weddings, funeral services, etc.) in such churches can also be scheduled on a weekday. So we can say with confidence that the church has no days off.

On what days can the church be closed?

One of the conditions necessary for the celebration of the liturgy is the presence of parishioners. So if only the priest and choir members attend church on a weekday, the Liturgy in such churches is not daily. Both Matins and Vespers may not be served, so the church on weekdays, for example, in a small village may be closed. However, on Saturday evenings, as well as on Sunday mornings, services are held in all churches.

Church Schedule

If services are held in all 12 months of the year, weekly and daily, is an Orthodox Christian really obliged to attend all of them without exception? Of course this is not true. The Bible mentions that the main thing is to attend Sunday services, that is, those held on Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Also great importance has attendance at services on days Orthodox holidays, during Holy Week V Lent— it is advisable not to skip them without special reasons.

It is important to regularly sincerely confess and receive communion, and then, as a Christian becomes a member of the Church, he will have a desire to attend services more and more often. After all, an Orthodox Christian who tries to live according to God’s Commandments, pays special attention to prayer and participates in the Sacraments, feels special Divine Grace in church. It is she who calls on millions of believers to rush to church at every opportunity and pray without fatigue, with joy, during long services. So scheduling church attendance is a very individual, personal matter.

Of course, from the first days in the Orthodox Church, a believer will not be able to understand the features of numerous services, will not understand and will not remember all the subtleties. However, if a person makes an effort and does not retreat on the path of churching, following life's path under the guidance of a confessor - over time, the complex and confusing at first glance church life will become more and more understandable, and the Lord Himself will support and strengthen you along the way.

Liturgy and Communion - what is the difference?

Liturgy is the name of the church, and communion is the reception (with proper preparation) of the holy gifts. Communion is like a fresh new shirt - you can’t put it on a dirty body. Communion is given as a reward for intensive reading of prayers.

1. How to prepare correctly for the church service on Sunday (for the Liturgy) if you want to receive communion?

If you decide to visit the temple on Sunday “in full”, then you should prepare in advance. The Sunday morning “strongest” service in the church is called Liturgy (when they receive communion, that is, the priest gives “the blood and body of Christ” = a piece of bread in wine). We can talk a lot about the benefits of communion, but here we will talk about how to prepare for it:

-You need to prepare for a coupledays.

— You must fast at least Friday and Saturday: do not eat animal food, do not sin: do not drink alcohol, do not engage in “marital intimacy,” try not to swear, do not offend or be offended.
- on Saturday, read 3 canons at night (it will take about 40 minutes) (the canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ, the canon of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos, the canon to the Guardian Angel) + another 35 minutes “Following to Holy Communion.”
- in the evening you should also read prayers for the coming sleep (about 20 minutes)
- after midnight, do not eat, drink or smoke, that is, go to bed before 00-00.

2.When should I come to church before the Sunday morning service (Liturgy)? When does Sunday morning service start?

We arrive at church around 7-20 (but better check the schedule).
Until then you need to:
- be strictly on an empty stomach, incl. no smoking. You can only brush your teeth, and then try not to swallow anything.
– read morning rule(min 15-20)

In the church itself? when the Liturgy and Communion take place:

—writing notes for health and peace (simple ones are possible)
— we come up and kiss the central icon.
— light candles whoever we want (I usually put 3 candles: on the main candlestick, for the saint at will and for the repose).

There is no need to light candles during the service itself, as this distracts everyone.

— We take our place in line for confession. It usually starts at 7:30 (again, check the schedule of services in your church). Let's confess.
— take place: men in right side temple, women on the left.
— The liturgy lasts about 2 hours. All this time we listen to prayers, think “about life, what we did wrong where” and all the time we repeat “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.”

Time usually passesquickly when Liturgy and Communion are going on.

Liturgy takeaway

When everyone began to read the “Creed”, it means that the communion itself will soon take place.
— When everyone began to read the “Our Father,” it means that communion will be held very soon.
— When the priest brings out 2 large bowls for the first time, we simply bow our heads.
- When the priest brings out small cup (it contains the sacrament) - then we bow, kneeling down.
— They can carry alms trays around the church. Donate as much money as you like there.

3.What to do during the communion itself?

- Participle: First, small children receive communion, then men, then women. Only those who have prepared correctly have the right to receive communion. Don't anger God.
— When approaching communion, we cross our arms over our chests (right at the top). We approach the bowl as close as possible. We do not cross ourselves, so as not to touch the thicket. We say the name, open our mouth, eat Communion from a spoon, let ourselves be wiped, kiss the cup and let's go eat and drink.
— On a special table we take a small cup of water and a piece of prosphora. They eat and drink so that the pieces of Communion get completely inside and do not accidentally fly out with saliva or something else. It’s better to drink it first and then eat the prosphora.
— We wait until the end of the service to kiss the cross. The priest can say “Participants, listen to the words of the prayer of thanksgiving” - then let’s go listen to the prayer. If this does not happen, then at home we read “Prayers of Thanksgiving for Holy Communion.”

4.What to do after receiving Holy Communion?

— we no longer kneel anywhere: neither in front of icons, nor during the rest of the service
— we wait for the end of the service and kiss the priest’s cross.
— read prayers of thanksgiving for Holy Communion
- you can go home. Immediately after communion, do not immediately smoke or drink alcohol (at least eat normally first). Do not desecrate the Sacrament.

For Orthodox man It would be good to start the day with prayer. It is especially useful to be present in church during worship services. The service begins at 8 or 9 am, in different churches it is different. In large churches there may even be two morning services on holidays. In such cases, the first liturgy is at 6-7 am and can be attended before work, and the second late one begins around 9 am. There are also evening services, they start at 5-6 pm. In terms of duration, regular morning services last 3 hours, usually up to 12, and evening services last 2 hours.

In some churches, the service begins differently. For example, morning work most often starts at 7 o’clock. Its duration is about two hours.

But it also happens that the service starts at 10 am, or there is a night service, for example on Christmas.



Evening service may begin at 16-17 hours.

It is impossible to give an exact answer to this question, since in each church the service begins according to its own schedule.

The service usually starts at 7:00 - 8:00. At this time, morning services begin in many churches. Some churches begin the first morning service at 8:00-9:00.

Somewhere they even start later: at 09:00..10:00.

As for the duration of the service, it usually lasts about an hour and a half (1 hour 15 minutes - 1 hour 40 minutes).

It depends on what service we are talking about. It can be morning, evening, holiday and all-night vigil. Each service has its own time frame, like this:

As a rule, the service lasts about two hours, maybe a little less (morning) or a little more (evening). At the same time, being late for service is not a terrible phenomenon; none of the church ministers will judge you.

Although there is a Church Charter, according to which churches adhere to the schedule of services, discrepancies and individual characteristics of churches are allowed.

I will answer this question in simple words, because I know how difficult it is to understand such issues.

Services in common days(not holidays) - these are morning and evening services. On Sunday there may be several morning services (liturgies).

Typical service duration is 1-2 hours. In ordinary churches it is less, in monasteries it is longer, since services are not shortened there. In any case, if you want to defend your service, get ready stand, pretty long. Of course, no one will forbid you to leave the temple if it becomes absolutely unbearable.

Unfortunately, there is no clear answer to the question: when does church service start, it won’t work, since each church has its own schedule of Services. You can find it out on the Internet (yes, yes!), by calling the phone (you can find it again on the Internet), or you can go to the church - the schedule of services for the week ahead is always posted for parishioners.

To confirm everything said above, I will give service schedule for this week in a small church:



And this is - schedule of services for the same week in a fairly large monastery:



Basically, in all churches in Russia, the first morning service begins at 8-9 am. On average, the service usually lasts 1-2 hours. When Lent passes (on all days of the week except Wednesday and Friday), Holy Week services can begin much earlier from 7 a.m. All churches usually conclude services by lunchtime.

But if we talk about the evening service, it usually starts at 18-19 pm and also lasts 1-2 hours.



Usually church services begin at eight in the morning. Sometimes they start later. On average, the service lasts two hours. In addition to morning services, there are also evening services. They start at about five o'clock in the evening and last two hours.

The service in each Temple may begin at a slightly different time. If we are talking about Sunday service, then it usually begins between eight and nine o’clock in the morning, depending on the priorities of a particular Church. And the service lasts on average about two hours. Holiday services usually last longer and start earlier.

This is information regarding morning services. But evening services in most of them begin at five o'clock in the evening and last the same.

Usually the morning service takes place on Sunday and Saturday, as well as the evening before. And services dedicated to a specific holiday are usually held in the morning on the day of the holiday and the evening before.

There are different services, some in the evening and some in the morning.

So the morning service usually starts at seven o’clock in the morning (but if you want to confess, you should come a little earlier to have time to do this), then the service takes place, usually it lasts a little over two hours, during which time they receive communion. If you want to give Holy Communion to a small child, you don’t have to stand at the service.

And the evening service begins differently, in one cathedral, for example, at three o'clock in the afternoon, and in another - at four, that is, each has its own schedule.

The duration is the same as the morning one.

If the service takes place on a holiday, it may last longer.

Unfortunately, there is no exact time, because every church, in every locality, begins the service in his own way.

But, usually, the service lasts about 1 - 2 hours. If the service is on Easter, then on average 4 - 5 hours.

If the service is on Sunday, then there may be several liturgies per day - in the morning, afternoon and evening.

The service starts differently, from 8 am, but in my church the service usually starts at 10 am - this is on Saturday and Sunday.