How to write a note with sins and what to say to the priest? Confession is the most important religious Sacrament, which is present not only in Orthodoxy and Christianity, but also in other religions, such as Islam and Judaism. Is key point spiritual life of the believer in these spiritual traditions.

A story in the presence of a witness - a clergyman - about sins committed before God cleanses from them, God, through the priest, forgives sins, and atonement for sins occurs. After repentance, the burden is removed from the soul, life becomes easier. Usually confession takes place before, but it is possible separately.

Sacrament of Repentance (Confession) The Orthodox Catechism gives the following definition of this Sacrament: Repentance there is a Sacrament in which one who confesses his sins, with a visible expression of forgiveness from the priest, is invisibly absolved from sins by Jesus Christ Himself.

This Sacrament is called the second Baptism. In the modern Church, as a rule, it precedes the Sacrament of Communion of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, since it prepares the souls of the repentant to participate in this Great Table. Need for Sacrament of Penance is connected with the fact that a person who has become a Christian in the Sacrament of Baptism, which washed away all his sins, continues to sin due to the weakness of human nature.

These sins separate man from God and put a serious barrier between them. Can a person overcome this painful gap on his own? No. If it weren't for Repentance, a person would not be able to be saved, would not be able to preserve the unity with Christ acquired in the Sacrament of Baptism. Repentance- this is spiritual work, the effort of a sinned person aimed at restoring a connection with God in order to be a partaker of His Kingdom.

Repentance implies such spiritual activity of a Christian, as a result of which the sin committed becomes hateful to him. A person’s repentant effort is accepted by the Lord as the most big sacrifice, the most significant thing he does every day.

Preparing for confession note

Preparing for confession note

In Holy Scripture Repentance is a necessary condition for salvation: “Unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way” (Luke 13:3). And it is joyfully accepted by the Lord and pleasing to Him: “So there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent” (Luke 15: 7).

In a continuous struggle with sin, which continues throughout earthly life a person, there are defeats and sometimes serious falls. But after them, a Christian must get up again and again, repent and, without giving in to despondency, continue on his way, because God’s mercy is endless.

The fruit of repentance is reconciliation with God and people and spiritual joy from the revealed participation in the life of God. Forgiveness of sins is given to a person through prayer and the sacrament of a priest, who is given the grace by God in the Sacrament of the Priesthood to forgive sins on earth.

The repentant sinner receives justification and sanctification in the Sacrament, and the confessed sin is completely erased from a person’s life and ceases to destroy his soul. The visible side Sacraments of Penance consists in the confession of sins brought to God by the repentant in the presence of a priest, and in the resolution of sins performed by God through the clergy.

It happens like this:
1. The priest reads preliminary prayers from the service Sacraments of Penance, prompting confessors to sincere repentance.

2. The penitent, standing in front of the cross and the Gospel, lying on a lectern, as if before the Lord Himself, verbally confesses all his sins, without hiding anything and without making excuses.
3. The priest, having accepted this confession, covers the penitent’s head with an epitrachelion and reads a prayer of absolution, through which in the name of Jesus Christ he absolves the penitent from all the sins of which he confessed.

The invisible effect of God's grace consists in the fact that the repentant, with visible evidence of forgiveness from the priest, is invisibly absolved from sins by Jesus Christ Himself. As a result of this, the confessor is reconciled with God, the Church and his own conscience and is freed from punishment for confessed sins in eternity.

confession and communion for the first time

Establishment of the Sacrament of Penance

Confession How the most important part Sacraments of Penance, has been performed since the time of the apostles: “Many of those who believed came, confessing and revealing their deeds (Acts 19; 18)”. The ritual forms of the celebration of the Sacrament in the apostolic age were not developed in detail, but the main components of the liturgical and liturgical structure inherent in modern rites already existed.

They were next.
1. Oral confession of sins to a priest.
2. The pastor’s teaching on repentance is in accordance with the internal structure of the recipient of the Sacrament.
3. Intercessory prayers of the shepherd and repentant prayers of the penitent.

4. Resolution from sins. If the sins confessed by the penitent were grave, then serious church punishments could be imposed - temporary deprivation of the right to participate in the Sacrament of the Eucharist; prohibition from attending community meetings. For mortal sins - murder or adultery - those who did not repent of them were publicly expelled from the community.

Sinners subjected to such severe punishment could change their situation only on condition of sincere repentance. In the ancient Church there were four classes of penitents, differing in the degree of severity of the penances imposed on them:

1. Crying. They had no right to enter the temple and had to remain at the porch in any weather, with tears asking for prayers from those going to the service.
2. Listeners. They had the right to stand in the vestibule and were blessed by the bishop along with those preparing for Baptism. Those who listen to the words “The Announcement, come forth!” are with them! were removed from the temple.

3. Appearing. They had the right to stand at the back of the temple and participate with the faithful in prayers for the penitents. At the end of these prayers, they received the bishop's blessing and left the temple.

4. Worth purchasing. They had the right to stand with the faithful until the end of the Liturgy, but could not partake of the Holy Mysteries. Repentance in the early Christian Church could be performed both publicly and secretly. Public Confession was a kind of exception to the rule, since it was appointed only in cases where a member of the Christian community committed grave sins, which in themselves were quite rare.

Sins spoken in confession

sins spoken in confession

Confession of grave carnal sins was made publicly if it was known for certain that the person had committed them. This happened only when the secret Confession and the assigned penance did not lead to the correction of the penitent

The attitude towards such mortal sins as idolatry, murder and adultery in the ancient Church was very strict. The perpetrators were excommunicated from church communion for long years, and sometimes for life, and only near death could be the reason that penance was lifted and Communion was taught to the sinner.

Public Repentance practiced in the Church until the end of the 4th century. Its abolition is associated with the name of the Patriarch of Constantinople Nektarios († 398), who abolished the position of presbyter-spiritual priest in charge of public affairs. Repentance.

Following this, the degrees gradually disappeared Repentance, and by the end of the 9th century public Confession finally left the life of the Church. This happened due to the impoverishment of piety. Such a powerful tool as public Repentance, it was appropriate when strict morals and zeal for God were universal and even “natural.” But later, many sinners began to avoid public Repentance because of the shame associated with it.

Another reason for the disappearance of this form of the Sacrament was that sins revealed publicly could serve as a temptation for Christians who were not sufficiently established in the faith. Thus, secret Confession, also known from the first centuries of Christianity, became the only form Repentance. Basically, the changes described above occurred already in the 5th century.

Currently, with a large gathering of confessors in some churches, the so-called “general” Confession. This innovation, which became possible due to the lack of churches and for other, less significant reasons, is unlawful from the point of view of liturgical theology and church piety. It should be remembered that the general Confession- is by no means a norm, but an assumption due to circumstances.

Therefore, even if, with a large crowd of penitents, the priest conducts a general Confession, he must, before reading the prayer of permission, give each confessor the opportunity to express the sins that most burden his soul and conscience. Depriving the parishioner of even such a brief personal Confessions under the pretext of lack of time, the priest violates his pastoral duty and humiliates the dignity of this great Sacrament.

Example of what to say in confession to a priest

Preparation for Confession
Preparation for Confession is not so much about remembering your sins as fully as possible, but rather about achieving a state of concentration and prayer in which the sins will become obvious to the confessor. The penitent, figuratively speaking, must bring Confession not a list of sins, but a repentant feeling and a contrite heart.

Before Confession you need to ask forgiveness from everyone to whom you consider yourself guilty. Start preparing for Confessions(fasting) must be done a week or at least three days before the Sacrament itself. This preparation should consist of a certain abstinence in words, thoughts and actions, in food and entertainment, and in general in the renunciation of everything that interferes with inner concentration.

The most important component of such preparation should be concentrated, in-depth prayer, promoting awareness of one’s sins and aversion to them. In rank Repentance to remind those who came to Confessions their sins, the priest reads a list of the most significant sins and passionate movements inherent in man.

The confessor must listen to him carefully and once again note to himself what his conscience accuses him of. Approaching the priest after this “general” Confession, the penitent must confess the sins that he has committed.
Sins previously confessed and absolved by the priest are repeated on Confessions should not be because after Repentance they become “as if they were not.”

But if since the previous Confessions they were repeated, then it is necessary to repent again. It is also necessary to confess those sins that were forgotten earlier, if they are suddenly remembered now. When repenting, one should not name accomplices or those who voluntarily or unwittingly provoked the sin. In any case, a person himself is responsible for his iniquities, committed by him out of weakness or negligence.

Sins in Orthodoxy confession

Sins in Orthodoxy confession

Attempts to shift the blame onto others only lead to the confessor aggravating his sin by self-justification and condemnation of his neighbor. Under no circumstances should one indulge in long stories about the circumstances that led to the confessor being “forced” to commit a sin.

We must learn to confess in such a way that Repentance do not replace your sins with everyday conversations, in which the main place is occupied by praising yourself and your noble deeds, condemning loved ones and complaining about the difficulties of life. Self-justification is associated with downplaying sins, especially with reference to their ubiquity, as if “everyone lives like this.” But it is obvious that the mass nature of sin does not in any way justify the sinner.

Some confessors in order not to forget from excitement or lack of composure sins committed, come to Confession with a written list of them. This custom is good if the confessor sincerely repents of his sins, and does not formally list the iniquities recorded but not mourned. A note with sins immediately after Confessions needs to be destroyed.

Under no circumstances should you try to do Confession comfortable and go through it without straining your spiritual powers, saying general phrases such as “sinful in everything” or obscuring the ugliness of sin with general expressions, for example, “sinned against the 7th commandment.” You cannot be distracted by trifles and remain silent about what really weighs on your conscience.

Provoking such behavior Confessions False shame in front of a confessor is destructive for spiritual life. Having become accustomed to lying before God Himself, you can lose hope of salvation. A cowardly fear of seriously beginning to understand the “quagmire” of one’s life can sever any connection with Christ.

This arrangement of the confessor also becomes the reason for him to downplay his sins, which is by no means harmless, since it leads to a distorted view of himself and his relationship with God and his neighbors. We must carefully reconsider our entire life and free it from sins that have become habitual.

How to properly prepare for confession

How to properly prepare for confession

Scripture directly names the consequences of covering up sins and self-justification: “Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wicked people, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6; 9, 10).”

One should not think that killing an unborn fetus (abortion) is also a “minor sin.” According to the rules of the ancient Church, those who did this were punished in the same way as the murderers of a person. You cannot hide out of false shame or shyness Confessions some shameful sins, otherwise this concealment will make the remission of other sins incomplete.

Consequently, the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ after such Confessions will be in “trial and condemnation.” The very common division of sins into “heavy” and “light” is very arbitrary. Such habitual “light” sins as everyday lies, dirty, blasphemous and lustful thoughts, anger, verbosity, constant jokes, rudeness and inattention to people, if repeated many times, paralyze the soul.

It's easier to give up grave sin and repent of it sincerely, rather than realizing the harmfulness of “petty” sins that lead to the enslavement of a person. A well-known patristic parable demonstrates that removing a pile of small stones is much more difficult than moving a large stone of equal weight. When confessing, you should not expect “leading” questions from the priest; you must remember that the initiative is in Confessions must belong to the penitent.

It is he who must make a spiritual effort on himself, freeing himself in the Sacrament from all his iniquities. Recommended when preparing for Confessions, remember what other people, acquaintances and even strangers, and especially close and family members usually accuse the confessor of, since very often their claims are fair.

If it seems that this is not so, then here too it is simply necessary to accept their attacks without bitterness. After a person’s churching reaches a certain “point,” he has problems of a different order associated with Confession.

That habit of the Sacrament, which arises as a result of repeated appeal to it, gives rise, for example, to formalization Confessions when they confess because “it’s necessary.” While dryly listing true and imaginary sins, such a confessor does not have the main thing - a repentant attitude.

Confession and Communion rules

Confession and Communion rules

This happens if there seems to be nothing to confess (that is, a person simply does not see his sins), but it is necessary (after all, “it is necessary to take communion”, “holiday”, “haven’t confessed for a long time”, etc.). This attitude reveals a person’s inattention to the inner life of the soul, lack of understanding of his sins (even if only mental ones) and passionate movements. Formalization Confessions leads to the fact that a person resorts to the Sacrament “in court and in condemnation.”

A very common problem is substitution Confessions their real, serious sins, imaginary or unimportant sins. A person often does not understand that his formal fulfillment of “the duties of a Christian (reading the rule, not fasting on a fast day, going to church) are not a goal, but a means to achieving what Christ himself defined in the words: “By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

Therefore, if a Christian does not eat animal products during fasting, but “bites and devours” his relatives, then this is a serious reason to doubt his correct understanding of the essence of Orthodoxy. Getting used to Confessions, as with any shrine, leads to dire consequences. A person ceases to be afraid of offending God with his sin, because “there is always Confession and you can repent.”

Such manipulations with the Sacrament always end very badly. God does not punish a person for such a mood of the soul, he simply turns away from him for the time being, since no one (not even the Lord) experiences joy from communicating with a double-minded person who is not honest either with God or with his conscience.

A person who has become a Christian needs to understand that the struggle with his sins will continue throughout his life. Therefore, one must humbly, turning for help to the One who can ease this struggle and make him a winner, and persistently continue this grace-filled path.

Conditions under which a confessor receives absolution Repentance- this is not just a verbal confession of sins to a priest. This is the spiritual work of the penitent, aimed at receiving Divine forgiveness, destroying sin and its consequences.

List of sins for confession for women and men

This is possible provided that the confessor
1) laments his sins;
2) is determined to improve his life;
3) has undoubted hope in the mercy of Christ. Contrition for sins.

IN certain moment his spiritual development a person begins to feel the severity of sin, its unnaturalness and harmfulness to the soul. The reaction to this is grief of the heart and contrition for one’s sins. But this contrition of the penitent should stem not so much from fear of punishment for sins, but from love for God, whom he offended with his ingratitude.

The intention to improve your life. A firm determination to correct one's life is a necessary condition for receiving the forgiveness of sins. Repentance only in words, without an inner desire to correct one’s life, leads to even greater condemnation.

Saint Basil the Great discusses this as follows: “It is not he who confesses his sin who said: I have sinned, and then remains in sin; but the one who, in the words of the psalm, “found his sin and hated it.” What benefit will a doctor's care bring to a sick person when the person suffering from illness clings tightly to something that is destructive to life?

So there is no benefit from forgiving someone who commits injustice, and from apologizing for debauchery to someone who continues to live dissolutely.”.

Faith in Christ and hope in His mercy

An example of undoubted faith and hope for God's endless mercy is the forgiveness of Peter after his three-fold denial of Christ. From the Sacred History of the New Testament it is known, for example, that for sincere faith and hope the Lord had mercy on Mary, the sister of Lazarus, who washed the Savior’s feet with tears, anointed them with myrrh and wiped them with her hair (See: Luke 7; 36-50).

What sins to talk about in confession

The publican Zacchaeus was also pardoned, having distributed half of his property to the poor and returning to those whom he had offended four times more than what had been taken away (See: Luke 19; 1-10). The greatest saint of the Orthodox Church, the Venerable Mary of Egypt, having been a harlot for many years, through deep repentance changed her life so much that she could walk on water, saw the past and future as the present, and was awarded communion with angels in the desert.

Perfect sign Repentance is expressed in a feeling of lightness, purity and inexplicable joy, when the confessed sin seems simply impossible.

Penance

Penance (Greek epithymion - punishment under the law) - voluntary performance by the penitent - as a moral and corrective measure - of certain works of piety (prolonged prayer, alms, intensive fasting, pilgrimage, etc.).

Penance is prescribed by the confessor and does not have the meaning of punishment or punitive measure, without implying the deprivation of any rights of a member of the Church. Being only “spiritual medicine”, it is prescribed for the purpose of eradicating the habits of sin. This is a lesson, an exercise that accustoms one to spiritual achievement and gives rise to a desire for it.

Feats of prayer and good deeds, assigned as penance, must be in essence directly opposite to the sin for which they are assigned: for example, works of mercy are assigned to someone who is subject to the passion of love of money; an intemperate person is assigned a fast beyond what is prescribed for everyone; absent-minded and carried away by worldly pleasures - more frequent going to temple, reading Holy Scripture, enhanced home prayer and the like.

Preparing for confession list of sins

Possible types of penance:
1) bows during worship or reading a home prayer rule;
2) Jesus Prayer;
3) getting up for the midnight office;
4) spiritual reading (Akathists, Lives of Saints, etc.);
5) strict fasting; 6) abstinence from marital intercourse;
7) alms, etc.

Penance must be treated as the will of God expressed through the priest, accepting it for mandatory fulfillment. Penance should be limited to a precise time frame (usually 40 days) and, if possible, performed according to a strict schedule.

If the penitent, for one reason or another, cannot fulfill the penance, then he must seek a blessing on what to do in this case from the priest who imposed it. If the sin was committed against a neighbor, then necessary condition, which must be observed before performing penance, is reconciliation with those whom the penitent offended.

A special prayer of permission, called the prayer of permission from prohibition, must be read over the person who has fulfilled the penance given to him, by the priest who imposed it.

How to prepare for communion and confession

Children's Confession

According to the rules of the Orthodox Church, children should begin to confess at the age of seven, since by this time they are already able to answer before God for their actions and fight their sins. Depending on the degree of development of the child, he can be brought to Confessions both a little earlier and a little later than the specified period, after consulting with the priest on this topic.

The rite of Confession for children and adolescents is no different from the usual, but the priest, naturally, takes into account the age of those coming to the Sacrament and makes certain adjustments when communicating with such confessors. Communion of children and adolescents, like adults, should be done on an empty stomach.

But if, for health reasons, the child needs to eat in the morning, Communion, with the blessing of the priest, can be given to him. Parents should just not deliberately and unreasonably violate the rule about Communion on an empty stomach, since such actions can offend the holiness of this great Sacrament and it will be “in court and condemnation” (primarily for parents who condone lawlessness).

Teenagers are not allowed to come to Confessions very late. Such a violation is unacceptable and can lead to a refusal to give communion to a latecomer if this sin is repeated several times.

Confession children and adolescents should produce the same results as with Repentance adult: the repentant must no longer commit confessed sins, or at least try with all his might not to do so. In addition, the child should try to do good deeds, voluntarily helping parents and loved ones, caring for younger brothers and sisters.

Orthodoxy confession and communion

Parents must form a conscious attitude of the child towards Confessions, excluding, if possible, a chastising, consumerist attitude towards her and towards her Heavenly Father. The principle expressed by the simple formula: “You to me, I to you” is categorically unacceptable for a child’s relationship with God. A child should not be encouraged to “please” God in order to receive some benefits from Him.

We must awaken in a child’s soul its best feelings: sincere love for the One who is worthy of such love; devotion to Him; natural aversion to all uncleanness. Children are characterized by vicious tendencies that need to be eradicated.

These include such sins as mockery and ridicule (especially in the company of peers) of the weak and crippled; petty lies into which an ingrained habit of empty fantasies can develop; cruelty to animals; appropriation of other people's things, antics, laziness, rudeness and foul language. All this should be the subject of close attention of parents who are called to the daily painstaking work of raising a little Christian.

ConfessionAnd Communion seriously ill patient at home

At that moment when the life of an Orthodox Christian is approaching sunset and he lies on his deathbed, it is very important that his relatives, despite the difficult circumstances that often accompany this, are able to invite a priest to him to guide him into Eternal Life.

If the dying man can bring the last Repentance and the Lord will give him the opportunity to receive communion, then this mercy of God will greatly influence his posthumous fate. Relatives need to keep this in mind not only when the patient is a church person, but also if the dying person has been a person of little faith all his life.

The last illness greatly changes a person, and the Lord can touch his heart already on his deathbed. Sometimes in this way Christ calls even criminals and blasphemers! Therefore, at the slightest opportunity for this, relatives need to help the sick person take this step towards the calling Christ and repent of his sins.

Usually the priest is called to the house in advance, turning to the “candle box”, where they must write down the coordinates of the patient, immediately setting, if possible, the time for the future visit. The patient must be psychologically prepared for the priest’s arrival, set up to prepare for Confessions, as far as his physical condition allows.

Complete list of sins for confession

When the priest comes, the patient needs, if he has the strength to do so, to ask him for a blessing. The patient’s relatives can be at his bedside and take part in prayers until the start of the Confessions when they naturally have to leave.

But after reading the prayer of permission, they can re-enter and pray for the communicant. Chin Confessions patients at home differs from the usual and is placed in the 14th chapter of the Breviary entitled “The Rite, when it soon happens that the sick person will be given communion.”

If the patient knows the prayers for Communion by heart and is able to repeat them, then let him do this after the priest, who reads them in separate phrases. To receive the Holy Mysteries, the patient must be placed on the bed so that he does not choke, preferably reclining. After Participles the patient, if possible, reads prayers of gratitude himself. Then the priest pronounces the dismissal and gives the Cross to be kissed by the communicant and all those present.

If the patient’s relatives have a desire and if the condition of the communicant allows it, then they can invite the priest to the table and once again clarify in a conversation with him how to behave at the bedside of a seriously ill person, what is preferable to discuss with him, how to support him in this situation.

Passion as the root and cause of sin

Passion is defined as a strong, persistent, all-encompassing emotion that dominates a person’s other impulses and leads to concentration on the object of passion. Thanks to these properties, passion becomes the source and cause of sin in the human soul.

Orthodox asceticism has accumulated centuries of experience in observing and combating passions, which has made it possible to reduce them into clear patterns. The primary source of these classifications is the scheme St. John Cassian the Roman, followed by Evagrius, Nilus of Sinai, Ephraim the Syrian, John Climacus, Maximus the Confessor and Gregory Palamas.

According to the above-mentioned ascetic teachers, there are eight sinful passions inherent in the human soul:

1. Pride.
2. Vanity.
3. Gluttony.
4. Fornication.
5. Love of money.
6. Anger.
7. Sadness.
8. Dejection.

Stages of gradual formation of passion:

1. Prediction or attack (glory: hit - collide with something) - sinful impressions or ideas that arise in the mind against the will of a person. Addictions are not considered a sin and are not charged against a person if the person does not respond to them with sympathy.

2. A thought becomes a thought that first meets interest in a person’s soul, and then compassion for oneself. This is the first stage of passion development. A thought is born in a person when his attention becomes favorable to the pretext. At this stage, the thought evokes a feeling of anticipation of future pleasure. The Holy Fathers call this a combination or conversation with a thought.

what sins to list in confession

3. Inclination towards a thought (intention) occurs when a thought completely takes possession of a person’s consciousness and his attention is focused only on it. If a person, through an effort of will, cannot free himself from a sinful thought, replacing it with something good and pleasing to God, then the next stage begins when the will itself is carried away by the sinful thought and strives for its implementation.

This means that the sin in intention has already been committed and all that remains is to practically satisfy the sinful desire.

4. The fourth stage of the development of passion is called captivity, when passionate attraction begins to dominate the will, constantly dragging the soul towards the realization of sin. A mature and deep-rooted passion is an idol, which a person subject to it, often without knowing it, serves and worships.

The path to liberation from the tyranny of passion is sincere repentance and determination to correct your life. A sign of passions formed in a person’s soul is the repetition of the same sins at almost every Confession. If this happens, it means that in the soul of a person who has become close to his passion, a process of imitation of the struggle with it is taking place. Abba Dorotheos distinguishes three states in a person in relation to his struggle with passion:

1. When he acts according to passion (bringing it to fulfillment).
2. When a person resists it (not acting out of passion, but not cutting it off, having it in himself).
3. When he eradicates it (by struggling and doing the opposite of passion). Freeing himself from passions, a person must acquire virtues that are opposite to them, otherwise the passions that had left the person will definitely return.

Sins

Sin is a violation of the Christian moral law - its content is reflected in the Epistle of the Apostle John: “Whoever commits sin also commits iniquity”(1 John 3; 4).
The most serious sins, which, if unrepentant, lead to the death of a person, are called mortal. There are seven of them:

1. Pride.
2. Gluttony.
3. Fornication.
4. Anger.
5. Love of money.
6. Sadness.
7. Dejection.

Sin is the realization of passion in thoughts, words and deeds. Therefore, it must be considered in a dialectical connection with the passion that has formed or is being formed in the human soul. Everything said in the chapter devoted to the passions has direct relation to human sins, as if revealing the fact of the presence of passion in the soul of the sinning person. Sins are divided into three categories, depending on who they are committed against.

How confession happens video

How confession happens on video

1. Sins against God.
2. Sins against one's neighbor.
3. Sins against oneself.

Below is an approximate, far from complete list of these sins. It should be noted that very widespread in Lately tendency to see a goal Repentance in the most detailed verbal enumeration of sins, it contradicts the spirit of the Sacrament and profanes it.

Therefore, it is not worth engaging in scolding, expressed in the weekly “confession” of countless sins and transgressions. “A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; You will not despise a broken and humble heart, O God” (Ps. 50:19)- says the inspired prophet David about the meaning of Repentance.

Paying attention to the movements of your soul and noting your wrongdoing before the Lord in specific circumstances of life, you must always remember that to acquire in the Sacrament of Repentance you need a “contrite heart”, and not a “much-verbal” tongue.

Sins against God

Pride: breaking God's commandments; unbelief, lack of faith and superstition; lack of hope in God's mercy; excessive reliance on God's mercy; hypocritical veneration of God, formal worship of him; blasphemy; lack of love and fear of God; ingratitude to God for all His blessings, as well as for sorrows and illnesses; blasphemy and murmuring against the Lord; failure to fulfill promises made to Him; calling on the Name of God in vain (unnecessarily); pronouncing oaths invoking His name; falling into delusion.

Disrespect for icons, relics, saints, Holy Scripture and any other shrine; reading heretical books, keeping them in the house; irreverent attitude towards the Cross, the sign of the cross, the pectoral cross; fear of professing the Orthodox faith; failure to comply with prayer rules: morning and evening prayers; omission of reading the Psalter, Holy Scripture, and other Divine books; absences without good reason from Sunday and holiday services; neglect of church services; prayer without zeal and diligence, absent-minded and formal.

Conversations, laughter, walking around the temple during church services; inattention to reading and singing; being late for services and leaving church early; going to the temple and touching its shrines in physical uncleanness.

What to say before confession video

Lack of zeal in repentance, rare Confession and deliberate concealment of sins; Communion without heartfelt contrition and without proper preparation, without reconciliation with neighbors, at enmity with them. Disobedience to one's own spiritual father; condemnation of clergy and monastics; grumbling and resentment towards them; disrespect for the feasts of God; bustle on big days church holidays; violation of fasts and constant fasting days - Wednesdays and Fridays - throughout the year.

Watching heretical TV shows; listening to non-Orthodox preachers, heretics and sectarians; passion for Eastern religions and creeds; turning to psychics, astrologers, fortune tellers, fortune tellers, “grandmothers”, sorcerers; practicing “black and white” magic, witchcraft, fortune telling, spiritualism; superstitions: belief in dreams and omens; wearing “amulets” and talismans. Suicidal thoughts and attempts to commit suicide.

Sins against one's neighbor

Lack of love for your neighbors and your enemies; unforgiveness of their sins; hatred and malice; responding evil to evil; disrespect towards parents; disrespect for elders and superiors; killing babies in the womb (abortion), advising your friends to have abortions; attempt on someone else's life and health; causing bodily harm; robbery; extortion; appropriation of someone else's property (including non-repayment of debts).

Refusal to help the weak, oppressed, and in trouble; laziness towards work and household responsibilities; disrespect for other people's work; unmercifulness; stinginess; inattention to the sick and to those in difficult life circumstances; omission of prayers for neighbors and enemies; cruelty to flora and fauna, consumerism towards them; contradiction and intransigence to neighbors; disputes; a deliberate lie for the “eloquent word”; condemnation; slander, gossip and gossip; disclosure of other people's sins; eavesdropping on other people's conversations.

What to do before confession and communion

Infliction of insults and insults; enmity with neighbors and scandals; cursing others, including one’s own children; insolence and arrogance in relations with neighbors; bad upbringing of children, lack of effort to plant the saving truths of the Christian faith in their hearts; hypocrisy, using others for personal gain; anger; suspicion of neighbors of unseemly acts; deception and perjury.

Seductive behavior at home and in public; the desire to seduce and please others; jealousy and envy; foul language, retelling of indecent stories, obscene jokes; intentional and unintentional (as an example to follow) corruption of others by one’s actions; the desire to gain self-interest from friendship or other close relationships; treason; magical actions with the aim of harming a neighbor and his family.

Sins against yourself

Dejection and despair arising from the development of vanity and pride; arrogance, pride, self-confidence, arrogance; doing good deeds for show; thoughts of suicide; carnal excesses: gluttony, sweet eating, gluttony; abuse of bodily peace and comfort: excessive sleeping, laziness, lethargy, relaxation; addiction to a certain way of life, reluctance to change it for the sake of helping one’s neighbor.

Drunkenness, drawing non-drinkers, including minors and the sick, into this vicious passion; smoking, drug addiction, as a type of suicide; playing cards and other games of chance; lies, envy; love for the earthly and material more than for the heavenly and spiritual.

Idleness, wastefulness, attachment to things; wasting your time; using God-given talents not for good; addiction to comfort, acquisitiveness: saving for a rainy day food products, clothes, shoes, furniture, jewelry, etc.; passion for luxury; over-concern, vanity.

Desire for earthly honors and glory; “decorating” oneself with cosmetics, tattoos, piercings, etc. for the purpose of seducing. Sensual, lustful thoughts; commitment to seductive sights and conversations; incontinence of mental and physical feelings, pleasure and procrastination in unclean thoughts.

Sacrament of Confession and Communion video

Voluptuousness; immodest views of people of the opposite sex; recollection with delight of one’s former carnal sins; addiction to prolonged viewing of television programs; watching pornographic films, reading pornographic books and magazines; pimping and prostitution; singing obscene songs.

Indecent dancing; defilement in a dream; fornication (outside of marriage) and adultery ( adultery); free behavior with persons of the opposite sex; masturbation; immodest view of wives and young men; incontinence in married life (during fasting, on Saturdays and Sundays, church holidays).

Confession

Coming to Confessions, must know that the priest receiving it is not a simple interlocutor for the confessor, but is a witness to the mysterious conversation of the penitent with God.
The Sacrament occurs as follows: the penitent, approaching the lectern, bows to the ground before the cross and the Gospel lying on the lectern. If there are many confessors, this bow is done in advance. During the interview, the priest and confessor stand at the lectern; or the priest is sitting, and the penitent is kneeling.

Those waiting their turn should not come close to the place where Confession is being performed, so that the sins being confessed are not heard by them, and the secret is not broken. For the same purposes, the interview should be conducted in a low voice.
If the confessor is a novice, then Confession can be structured as reflected in the Breviary: the confessor asks the penitent questions according to the list.

Confession with video explanations

Confession with video explanations

In practice, however, the enumeration of sins is done in the first, general part. Confessions. The priest then pronounces the “Testament,” in which he urges the confessor not to repeat the sins he has confessed. However, the text of the “Testament” in the form in which it is printed in the Trebnik is rarely read; for the most part, the priest simply gives his instructions to the confessor.

After Confession finished, the priest reads the prayer “Lord God, the salvation of Thy servants...”, which precedes the secret prayer Sacraments of Penance.

After this, the confessor kneels, and the priest, covering his head with the stole, reads a prayer of permission, containing the secret formula: “Our Lord and God Jesus Christ, by the grace and generosity of His love for mankind, forgive you, child (name), all your sins, and I, an unworthy priest, by His power given to me, forgive and absolve you from all your sins, in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen".

Then the priest makes the sign of the cross over the head of the confessor. After this, the confessor rises from his knees and kisses the Holy Cross and the Gospel.

If the confessor considers it impossible to forgive confessed sins due to their severity or other reasons, then the prayer of absolution is not read and the confessor is not allowed to receive Communion. In this case, penance may be assigned for a certain period. Then the final prayers are read “Worthy to eat...”, "Glory, and now..." and the priest administers the dismissal.

Ends Confession instructions from the confessor to the penitent and assigning him to read the canon against his sins, if the priest finds this necessary.

The material uses chapters from the book (abbreviated) “Handbook of an Orthodox Person. Sacraments of the Orthodox Church" (Danilovsky Evangelist, Moscow, 2007

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The sacrament of confession is a test for the soul. It consists of a desire to repent, verbal confession, repentance for sins. When a person goes against the laws of God, he gradually destroys his spiritual and physical shell. Repentance helps to cleanse yourself. It reconciles a person with God. The soul is healed and receives strength to fight sin.

Confession allows you to talk about your wrongdoings and receive forgiveness. In excitement and fear, you can forget what you wanted to repent of. The list of sins for confession serves as a reminder, a hint. It can be read in full or used as an outline. The main thing is that the confession is sincere and truthful.

Sacrament

Confession is the main component of repentance. This is an opportunity to ask for forgiveness for your sins and to be cleansed of them. Confession gives spiritual strength to resist evil. Sin is a discrepancy in thoughts, words, and actions with God's permission.

Confession is a sincere awareness of wicked actions, a desire to get rid of them. No matter how difficult and unpleasant it may be to remember them, you should tell the clergyman in detail about your sins.

This sacrament requires a complete relationship between feelings and words, because the everyday listing of one’s sins will not bring true cleansing. Feelings without words are as ineffective as words without feelings.

There is a list of sins for confession. This is a large list of all obscene actions or words. It is based on the 7 deadly sins and 10 commandments. Human life is too diverse to be absolutely righteous. Therefore, confession is an opportunity to repent of sins and try to prevent them in the future.

How to prepare for confession?

Preparation for confession must take place several days in advance. A list of sins can be written on a piece of paper. You should read special literature about the sacraments of confession and communion.

One should not look for excuses for sins, one must recognize their wickedness. It is best to analyze your every day, analyzing what was good and what was bad. This daily habit will help you be more attentive to your thoughts and actions.

Before confession, you should make peace with everyone who was offended. Forgive those who offended. Before confession, it is necessary to strengthen the prayer rule. Add to the nightly reading the Canon of Repentance, the canons of the Theotokos.

One should separate personal repentance (when a person mentally repents of his actions) and the sacrament of confession (when a person talks about his sins in the desire to be cleansed of them).

The presence of a third party requires a moral effort to understand the depth of the offense and, through overcoming shame, will force you to look more deeply at the wrong actions. That is why a list of sins is so necessary for confession in Orthodoxy. It will help to identify what was forgotten or wanted to be hidden.

If you have difficulty compiling a list of sinful actions, you can purchase the book “Full Confession.” It is in every church shop. It's detailed there full list sins for confession, features of the sacrament. Samples of confession and materials for preparing for it have been published.

Rules

Is there a heaviness in your soul, do you want to speak out, ask for forgiveness? After confession it becomes much easier. This is an open, sincere recognition and repentance of the wrongdoings committed. You can go to confession up to 3 times a week. The desire to be cleansed of sins will help overcome the feeling of stiffness and awkwardness.

The less frequent the confession, the more difficult it is to remember all the events and thoughts. The best option for holding the sacrament is once a month. Help in confession - a list of sins - will prompt you with the necessary words. The main thing is that the priest understands the essence of the offense. Then the punishment for sin will be justified.

After confession, the priest imposes penance in difficult cases. This is punishment, excommunication from the holy sacraments and God's grace. Its duration is determined by the priest. In most cases, the penitent faces moral and correctional work. For example, fasting, reading prayers, canons, akathists.

Sometimes the priest reads out the list of sins for confession. You can independently write a list of what has been done. It is better to come to confession after the evening service or in the morning, before the liturgy.

How does the sacrament work?

In some situations, you should invite the priest to confession at home. This is done if the person is seriously ill or near death.

Upon entering the temple, you must line up for confession. During the entire sacrament, the cross and the Gospel lie on the lectern. This symbolizes the invisible presence of the Savior.

Before confession begins, the priest may start asking questions. For example, about how often prayers are said, whether church rules are followed.

Then the sacrament begins. It is best to prepare your list of sins for confession. A sample of it can always be purchased at the church. If the sins forgiven at the previous confession were repeated, then they should be mentioned again - this is considered a more serious offense. You should not hide anything from the priest or speak in hints. Should in simple words clearly explain the sins you repent of.

If the priest tore up the list of sins for confession, it means that the sacrament is over and absolution has been granted. The priest places an epitrachelion on the head of the penitent. This means the return of God's favor. After this, they kiss the cross and the Gospel, which symbolizes readiness to live according to the commandments.

Preparing for Confession: List of Sins

Confession is intended to comprehend your sin and desire to improve. It is difficult for a person far from the church to understand what actions should be considered wicked. That's why there are 10 commandments. They clearly state what not to do. It is better to prepare a list of sins for confession according to the commandments in advance. On the day of the sacrament, you can get excited and forget everything. Therefore, you should calmly, a few days before confession, re-read the commandments and write down your sins.

If it is the first confession, then it is not easy to figure out the seven deadly sins and the ten commandments on your own. Therefore, you should approach the priest in advance and tell him about your difficulties in a personal conversation.

A list of sins for confession with an explanation of the sins can be purchased at the church or found on the website of your temple. The transcript describes in detail all the alleged sins. From this general list what was done personally should be isolated. Then write down your list of offenses.

Sins committed against God

• Lack of faith in God, doubt, ingratitude.
• Lack of a cross on the body, unwillingness to defend the faith in front of detractors.
• Swearing in the name of God, pronouncing the name of the Lord in vain (not during prayer or conversations about God).
• Visiting sects, casting fortunes, treating with all kinds of magic, reading and spreading false teachings.
• Gambling, suicidal thoughts, swearing.
• Failure to attend church, lack of a daily prayer rule.
• Failure to observe fasts, reluctance to read Orthodox literature.
• Condemnation of clergy, thoughts about worldly things during worship.
• A waste of time on entertainment, watching TV, inactivity at the computer.
• Despair in difficult situations, excessive reliance on oneself or someone else’s help without faith in God’s providence.
• Concealing sins in confession.

Sins committed against neighbors

• Hot temper, anger, arrogance, pride, vanity.
• Lies, non-interference, ridicule, stinginess, extravagance.
• Raising children outside of faith.
• Non-repayment of debts, non-payment for work, refusal to help those who ask and need.
• Unwillingness to help parents, disrespect for them.
• Theft, condemnation, envy.
• Quarrels, drinking alcohol at funerals.
• Murder with words (slander, incitement to suicide or illness).
• Killing a child in the womb, inducing others to have an abortion.

Sins committed against oneself

• Foul language, pride, idle talk, gossip.
• Desire for profit, enrichment.
• Displaying good deeds.
• Envy, lies, drunkenness, gluttony, drug use.
• Fornication, adultery, incest, fornication.

List of sins for a woman to confess

This is a very sensitive list, and many women refuse to confess after reading it. You should not trust any information you read. Even if a brochure with a list of sins for a woman was purchased at a church store, be sure to pay attention to the stamp. There should be an inscription “recommended by the publishing council of the Russian Orthodox Church.”

The clergy do not divulge the secret of confession. Therefore, it is best to undergo the sacrament with a permanent confessor. The Church does not intrude into the sphere of intimate marital relationships. Issues of contraception, which is sometimes equated to abortion, are best discussed with a priest. There are drugs that do not have an abortifacient effect, but only prevent the birth of life. In any case, all controversial issues should be discussed with your spouse, doctor, or confessor.

Here is a list of sins for confession (brief):

1. She rarely prayed and did not attend church.
2. I thought more about worldly things during prayer.
3. Allowed sexual activity before marriage.
4. Abortion, inducing others to it.
5. Had unclean thoughts and desires.
6. I watched films, read books with pornographic content.
7. Gossip, lies, envy, laziness, resentment.
8. Excessive exposure of the body to attract attention.
9. Fear of old age, wrinkles, thoughts of suicide.
10. Addiction to sweets, alcohol, drugs.
11. Avoiding helping other people.
12. Seeking help from fortune tellers and fortune tellers.
13. Superstition.

List of sins for a man

There is debate about whether a list of sins should be prepared for confession. Some believe that such a list harms the sacrament and promotes the formal reading of offenses. The main thing in confession is to realize your sins, repent and prevent their repetition. Therefore, the list of sins may be a short reminder or absent altogether.

Formal confession is not considered valid, since there is no repentance in it. Returning after the sacrament to your former life will add hypocrisy. The balance of spiritual life lies in understanding the essence of repentance, where confession is only the beginning of awareness of one’s sinfulness. This is a long process consisting of several stages internal work. The creation of spiritual resources is a systematic adjustment of conscience, responsibility for one’s relationship with God.

Here is a list of sins for confession (brief) for a man:

1. Sacrilege, conversations in the temple.
2. Doubt about faith, the afterlife.
3. Blasphemy, mockery of the poor.
4. Cruelty, laziness, pride, vanity, greed.
5. Evasion from military service.
6. Avoiding unwanted work, shirking responsibilities.
7. Insults, hatred, fights.
8. Slander, disclosure of other people's weaknesses.
9. Temptation to sin (fornication, drunkenness, drugs, gambling).
10. Refusal to help parents and other people.
11. Theft, aimless collecting.
12. Tendency to boast, argue, and humiliate others.
13. Impudence, rudeness, contempt, familiarity, cowardice.

Confession for a child

For a child, the sacrament of confession can begin at the age of seven. Until this age, children are allowed to receive Communion without this. Parents must prepare the child for confession: explain the essence of the sacrament, tell why it is being performed, and remember with him possible sins.

The child must be made to understand that sincere repentance is preparation for confession. It is better for a child to write a list of sins himself. He must realize what actions were wrong and try not to repeat them in the future.

Older children make their own decisions about whether to confess or not. You should not limit the free will of a child or teenager. The personal example of parents is much more important than all conversations.

The child must remember his sins before confession. A list of them can be compiled after the child answers the questions:

• How often does he read prayers (in the morning, in the evening, before meals), which ones does he know by heart?
• Does he go to church, how does he behave during the service?
• Does he wear pectoral cross, is distracted or not during prayers and services?
• Have you ever deceived your parents or priest during confession?
• Weren't you proud of your successes and victories, weren't you arrogant?
• Does it fight or not with other children, does it offend children or animals?
• Does he snitch on other children to protect himself?
• Have you ever committed theft or been jealous of anyone?
• Have you laughed at other people's physical disabilities?
• Did you play cards (smoked, drank alcohol, tried drugs, used foul language)?
• Is he lazy or helps his parents around the house?
• Did you pretend to be sick to avoid your responsibilities?

1. A person himself determines whether to confess or not, how many times to attend the sacrament.
2. You should prepare a list of sins for confession. It is better to take a sample in the church where the sacrament will take place, or find it yourself in church literature.
3. It is optimal to go to confession with the same clergyman, who will become a mentor and will contribute to spiritual growth.
4. Confession is free of charge.

First you need to ask on what days confessions are held in the church. You should dress appropriately. For men - a shirt or T-shirt with sleeves, trousers or jeans (not shorts). For women - a scarf on the head, no makeup (at least lipstick), a skirt no higher than the knees.

Sincerity of Confession

A priest as a psychologist can recognize how sincere a person is in his repentance. There are confessions that offend the sacrament and the Lord. If a person mechanically talks about sins, has several confessors, hides the truth - such actions do not lead to repentance.

Behavior, tone of speech, words with which confession is pronounced - it all matters. This is the only way the priest understands how sincere the penitent is. Pangs of conscience, embarrassment, worries, shame contribute to spiritual cleansing.

Sometimes the personality of the priest is important for the parishioner. This is not a reason to condemn and comment on the actions of clergy. You can go to another church or turn to another holy father for confession.

It can be difficult to voice your sins. The emotional experiences are so strong that it is more convenient to make a list of unrighteous actions. Father is attentive to every parishioner. If, due to shame, it is impossible to tell about everything and the repentance is deep, then the priest has the right to forgive the sins, a list of which was compiled before confession, without even reading them.

The meaning of confession

Having to talk about your sins in front of a stranger is embarrassing. Therefore, people refuse to go to confession, believing that God will forgive them anyway. This is the wrong approach. The priest acts only as an intermediary between man and God. His task is to determine the measure of repentance. The priest has no right to condemn anyone; he will not expel a repentant person from the church. During confession, people are very vulnerable, and clergy try not to cause unnecessary suffering.

It is important to see your sin, recognize and condemn it in your soul, and voice it before the priest. Have a desire not to repeat your misdeeds again, try to atone for the harm done through acts of mercy. Confession brings revival of the soul, re-education and access to a new spiritual level.

Sins (list), Orthodoxy, confession imply self-knowledge and the search for grace. All good deeds are done through strength. Only by overcoming yourself, doing works of mercy, and cultivating virtues in yourself, can you receive God's grace.

The meaning of confession lies in understanding the typology of sinners, the typology of sin. At the same time, an individual approach to each repentant is akin to pastoral psychoanalysis. The sacrament of confession is the pain of awareness of sin, recognition of it, the determination to voice and ask for forgiveness for it, cleansing of the soul, joy and peace.

A person must feel the need to repent. Love for God, love for oneself, love for one's neighbor cannot exist separately. The symbolism of the Christian cross - horizontal (love for God) and vertical (love for oneself and one's neighbor) - lies in the awareness of the integrity of spiritual life, its essence.

Every day of an ordinary or churchly, worldly person passes in sins. We sometimes don’t even notice these offenses or don’t attach any importance to them. Yes, we don’t do terrible and terrible things, but we hold grudges, are lazy, envy, watch a lot of TV or discuss and judge the neighbor’s girl - all these are sins.

In the modern world, when a person is surrounded by so many temptations, a stream of varied, contradictory information flows, it is difficult to control oneself and one’s mind. A person whose thoughts are burdened by worries about his own mistakes suffers, sometimes even gets sick. But an Orthodox Christian knows that you can repent of your sins, and then your soul will feel better, your spirit will strengthen, your body will become healthier, and life will sparkle with bright colors again.

Confession is a sacrament, in which the penitent tells his sins to the clergyman and gets rid of them. To prepare for confession and communion, you should write a note with the sins that a person wants to repent of. Usually this is a small piece of paper listing sinful acts and thoughts. Why a leaf with a list? Because during confession a person may become worried, confused (especially if it is the first confession in a person’s life) and not tell about something. And then, being at home in a calm environment, remember this and suffer again.

How to write a note correctly?

As stated above, you should prepare and write down your sins on a piece of paper. But before you sit down to write, it’s worth thinking and remembering all those actions that Orthodox world are considered displeasing to the Lord God. It is from the moment of awareness and recognition of the wrongdoing that the believer repents.

Important to remember that a note with sins is not a certificate with a given format - such and such a sin, sinned so many times. Is not legal document. This is a leaf with the repentance of your soul, your conscience. You need to understand that this small reminder is needed for the confessor, so that in a moment of excitement he does not forget to tell about everything that is bothering him.

In the note you should write down the mistakes that you have made, in your opinion, since your conscious age (about 6 years old). If you have already asked for forgiveness for something once, and have not committed this act again, then you do not need to go back and repent of it again. Once is enough. If you remember the same sin over and over again, then you have weak faith, which in turn is also considered a crime. Therefore, confess once and do not return to this topic again.

Example note:

She did not fast, wanted to earn more money, had an abortion, devoted little time to prayers and rarely visited church, did not baptize her child, became despondent, was lazy, complained about her situation, was jealous and angry, and wondered.

What should you write?

If repentance occurs for the first time, it is worth describing the most important offenses:

Sins against the Lord God. This includes:

1. disbelief in the existence, as well as denial of the existence of God;
2. atheism (it manifests itself among worldly people in the fact that they think they believe in God, but do not confirm this with their everyday actions);
3. creation and worship of some kind of idol. (Be it some person or money, any material assets).

List of sins against one's neighbor. This includes:

1. own pride and selfishness, as well as a disdainful attitude towards other people, inattention to the needs of the suffering;
2. discussing and judging other people;
3. prodigal sins - betrayal, cohabitation, the so-called civil marriage(however, it should be taken into account that an unmarried couple, but registered in the registry office, is not considered prodigal);
4. abortion (you should repent even if the abortion occurred for medical reasons or under pressure from another person);
5. misappropriation of someone else's property (theft, non-payment or delay in payment of wages);
6. lie.

You need to try to write down your sins in ordinary human language, without distorting them with church names. It is very important to describe all sins without hiding anything. You should not be afraid, embarrassed, or think that he will condemn you for doing something. On the contrary, he will be happy for you that you are correcting yourself, since you decided to confess on such an important issue for you. During the service, the priest listens very a large number of confessions, besides, they are usually of the same type, so trust him and tell him everything that worries you.

Important! When listing your misdeeds, do not try to justify yourself. Confession is needed to realize and accept one’s sins.

You should not fill out the note with phrases such as “I embroidered on holiday” or “I ate a cutlet during Lent.” Confession implies turning and returning oneself and one’s thoughts to God, forgiving one’s loved ones, and not listing worldly hardships in the form of failure to fast.

After writing, you should have a feeling of peace, which will intensify after you voice the contents of this note to the priest at the sacrament.

If you still succeeded very long list sins, you can agree on a personal conversation with a clergyman, so as not to delay other parishioners, but also to satisfy your need for a long and sincere conversation with a priest.

Remember: it is important not only to write a list of mistakes, but also to start correcting your life without waiting for the moment of confession.

Fasting is combined with prayer, that is, abstinence from modest food - meat, dairy products, butter, eggs, and in general moderation in food: you need to eat and drink less than usual.

Mood and behavior

Anyone preparing for Holy Communion must be imbued with a deep awareness of his sinfulness, his insignificance before God and lewdness; must make peace with everyone and protect himself from feelings of anger and irritation, refrain from condemnation and all kinds of obscene thoughts and conversations, refuse to visit places of entertainment and houses that could give rise to falling into sin. I must meditate on the greatness of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, spending as much time as possible in solitude, reading the word of God and books of spiritual content.

Confession

Those who wish to receive communion should, best of all, confess before, before or after the evening service - bring sincere repentance of their sins to the priest, sincerely opening their soul and not hiding a single sin they have committed. Before confession, it is necessary to reconcile with the offenders and the offended, humbly asking everyone for forgiveness. Forgiveness is usually carried out in the following form: “Forgive me, a sinner, for sinning before you,” to which it is customary to respond: “God will forgive you, forgive me, a sinner.” During confession, it is better not to wait for the priest’s questions, but to express everything that weighs on your soul, without justifying yourself in anything and without shifting the blame onto others. To get rid of false modesty in confessing your sins, you can write them on a piece of paper and give them to the priest during confession.

It is more correct to confess the evening before, so that the morning can be devoted to prayerful preparation for Holy Communion. As a last resort, you can go to confession in the morning, but coming to confession when the Divine Liturgy has already begun is extreme disrespect for the great sacrament. Those who have not confessed are not allowed to receive Holy Communion, except in cases of mortal danger.

Having confessed, you must make a firm decision not to repeat your sins again. There is a good custom: after confession and before Holy Communion, do not eat or drink. This is definitely prohibited after midnight. Children should also be taught to abstain from food and drink before Holy Communion from a very early age.

Before and during Holy Communion

You must come to the church in advance, before the reading of the Hours begins. During the Divine Liturgy, before the opening of the royal doors and the removal of the Holy Gifts, shortly after singing “Our Father,” you need to approach the steps of the altar and wait for the removal of the Holy Gifts with the exclamation: “Come with the fear of God and faith.” The first to receive communion (and also to approach the cross and be anointed) are the brethren of the monastery, then the children, after the man and finally the woman. When approaching the Chalice, you need to bow to the ground in advance, from afar, and on Sundays and the Lord's holidays - bow from the waist, touching the floor with your hand, and fold your arms crosswise on your chest - right over left. In front of the Holy Chalice, do not cross yourself under any circumstances, so as not to accidentally push the Holy Chalice, clearly pronounce your full Christian name, open your mouth wide and reverently, with full awareness of the holiness of the great Sacrament, accept the Body and Blood of Christ and immediately swallow it.

After Holy Communion

Having accepted the Holy Mystery, without crossing yourself, kiss the edge of the Chalice and immediately approach the table with warmth to wash it down and taste a particle of the antidoron.

Do not leave the church until the end of the service, but be sure to listen to the prayers of thanks. On this day, the day of Holy Communion, do not eat too much, do not get drunk on alcoholic beverages, and generally behave reverently and decorously, in order to “honestly keep Christ received within you.”

All of the above is mandatory for children, starting from the age of seven, when children come to confession for the first time.

Who should not receive communion

You cannot approach Holy Communion: those who have enmity against their neighbor, those who have not been baptized, those who do not constantly wear a cross, those who have not been to the evening service the day before and have not confessed, those who have eaten in the morning, those who are late for the Divine Liturgy, those who have not fasted and have not read the Rules for Holy Communion, women who have a state of health and appearance inappropriate for the church, namely: during the period of monthly cleansing, with their heads uncovered, in trousers, with makeup on their face and especially painted lips. Also non-Orthodox who attend parishes of non-canonical, schismatic church associations (Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic churches, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchate, etc.) and sects. Such people must repent for the fact that they consciously or unconsciously remained in schism and thereby neglected the divine teaching about the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, while violating the decrees of the Ecumenical Councils.

Example short confession before the confessor

I confess, many sinners, to the Lord God Almighty, in the Holy Trinity, glorified and worshiped Father and Son and Holy Spirit, all my sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word, or deed, or thought. I sinned: by not keeping my vows, given by me at Baptism, but I lied about everything and proceeded, and made myself obscene before the face of God. Lack of faith, unbelief, doubt, hesitation in faith, everything from the enemy against God and the Holy Church, conceit, superstition, fortune-telling, arrogance, negligence, despair in one’s salvation, hope in oneself and in people more than in God . Forgetfulness of God’s justice and lack of sufficient devotion to the will of God, disobedience to the actions of God’s Providence, a persistent desire for everything to be my way, man-pleasing, partial love for creatures and things. Lack of diligence in knowledge of God, His will, faith in Him, reverence for Him, fear of Him, hope in Him, and zeal for His glory. Ingratitude to the Lord God for all His great blessings, poured out in abundance on me and in general on the entire human race and failure to remember them, murmuring against God, cowardice, despondency, hardness of one’s heart, lack of love or fear for Him and failure to fulfill the holy will His. Enslavement of oneself to passions: greed, pride, self-love, vanity, ambition, covetousness, gluttony, delicacy, secret eating, gluttony, drunkenness, addiction to games, shows and amusements (visiting theaters, cinemas, discos, etc.). God-bashing, failure to fulfill vows, forcing others to worship and swear, disrespect for sacred things, blasphemy against God, against saints, against every holy thing, blasphemy, sacrilege (theft of church things), calling on the name of God in vain, in evil deeds and desires. Disrespect for the feasts of God, failure to go to the temple of God out of laziness and negligence, irreverent standing in the temple of God, talking and laughing, inattention to reading and singing, absent-mindedness, wandering of thoughts, walking around the temple during Divine services, premature exits from the temple, in uncleanness came to the temple and touched its shrines. Negligence in prayer, abandonment of morning and evening prayers, failure to pay attention during prayer, abandonment of reading the Holy Gospel, Psalms and other Divine books. By concealing sins during confession, by self-justification in them, by repentance without heartfelt contrition, and by not diligently making proper preparations for Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, without being reconciled with his neighbors, he came to confession and in such a sinful state dared to begin Communion. Violation of fasts and fasting days: Wednesday and Friday, intemperance in food and drink, careless and irreverent depiction of the sign of the cross. Disobedience, self-righteousness, self-justification, laziness towards work and failure to perform assigned work and duties. Disrespect for one's parents and one's elders, insolence, disobedience. Lack of love for one's neighbor, impatience, resentment, irritability, anger, causing harm to one's neighbor, intransigence, enmity, retribution of evil for evil, unforgiveness of insults, rancor, jealousy, envy, ill-will, vindictiveness, slander, condemnation, extortion, lack of compassion for the unfortunate, unmercifulness towards the poor, stinginess, extravagance, greed, insincerity in dealing with them, suspicion, double-mindedness, witticisms, lies, hypocritical treatment of others and flattery. Oblivion about the future eternal life, failure to remember one’s death and the Last Judgment and an unreasonable partial attachment to earthly life and its pleasures. Intemperance of one's tongue, idle talk, idle talk, ridicule, disclosure of the sins and weaknesses of one's neighbor, seductive behavior, liberty. Incontinence of one's mental and physical feelings, voluptuousness, immodest views of persons of the other sex, free treatment of them, fornication and adultery, excessive panache, the desire to please and seduce others. Lack of straightforwardness, sincerity, simplicity, fidelity, truthfulness, respect, sedateness, caution in words, prudent silence, guarding and defending the honor of others, lack of abstinence, chastity, modesty in words and deeds, purity of heart, non-covetousness, mercy and humility. Dejection, sadness, sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch, lust, uncleanness and all my feelings, thoughts, words, desires, deeds (here it is necessary to name the sins that were not listed and burden the soul), and in my other sins, which I don't remember.

Having named the sins, you need to listen carefully to the answer of the priest, who at the end will read a prayer of permission.