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What to do after communion. About communion

What is Communion? How should one fast properly before this day? You will find answers to these and other questions in the article.

All believing Orthodox Christians must go to church for Communion. The Holy Eucharist is a special procedure that is a remembrance of Christ.

On the eve of his terrible death, Christ told his disciples that in his memory people would drink wine and eat bread. These are symbols of his blood and body.
Therefore, throughout the existence of the Orthodox faith, people go to the liturgy, partake of wine and eat bread, and the priests read prayers with the words “Let us pray to the Lord for the Honest Gifts offered.”
How should one properly prepare for Communion? What can you do the day before and what can’t you do? What are church rules allowed to do after Communion? Read about this in the article.

Is it possible to brush your teeth, bathe, wash your face, or take a shower before Communion in church?

Previously, even during the persecution of the church, grandmothers still visited churches and took their children and then grandchildren to the liturgy. But, if we talk about Orthodox literacy, there was almost none. Everyone acted as they saw fit, because people were afraid not only to ask, but also to have any conversations about God or the church.

Now these children and grandchildren have grown up, but they all continue to visit the temple. They often have a question: is it possible to brush your teeth, wash your face, wash your face, take a shower before Communion in church, because grandmothers taught one rules, but the canons of the church mean something completely different.

Visiting a temple is a special event, because we meet God, becoming partakers of the Holy Eucharist, we accept the true Body and Blood of Christ in bread and wine.
A person must realize that this is a holiday. Therefore, you need to brush your teeth, wash, wash your face and take a shower NECESSARILY. The rules of the church state that if a person brushes his teeth and swallows a little water or toothpaste, it is not considered that he drank water or ate. We need to look at the situation realistically, using the wisdom and intelligence that God has given us.
It is also necessary to wear clean and beautiful clothes. The Divine Liturgy is a celebration, a meeting with God, life in prayer. You need to remember this, and then questions will not arise about whether you can wash yourself or how you should dress.

The temple should occupy a special place in the life of every Christian. This is the house of God, where we should come without sorrow and despondency.

How many hours before Communion can you not eat?

Strict fasting begins before Communion begins after 12 am the previous day. This means that you cannot eat or drink anything. The liturgy usually begins at 8 am, communion begins after 1.5-2 hours. Therefore, it turns out that 9-10 hours before Communion you cannot eat or drink.

Is it possible to eat fish on the eve of Communion?

3 days before Communion you need to fast. All meat and dairy products are prohibited, but you can eat cereals, vegetables, and nuts. Is it possible to eat fish on the eve of Communion? Fish is allowed, but, like other dishes, before the start of strict fasting before the Eucharist, that is, until 12 o'clock at night.

Important: Limit sweets for three days before communion. Only dried fruits are allowed. Don't eat to your heart's content. Observe a fast in which it is not human needs that are important, but prayer.

Is it possible to drink, consume kvass, water, coffee before Communion?

During a three-day fast before Communion, it is important to read prayers: the canon of repentance to the Savior, the canon of prayer to the Mother of God, the canon to the Guardian Angel, following to Holy Communion. These kontakia and chants will help you prepare correctly if you want to receive the Holy Gifts correctly.

During fasting before Communion, it is forbidden to drink alcoholic beverages, drink kvass, or drink coffee. During these three days, the human body is a temple of the soul, where it should be calm, and coffee, kvass with yeast and alcoholic drinks cannot properly tune in to prayers. You can drink water, but before the start of strict fasting - until 12 o'clock at night.

Is it possible to feed a child before Communion?

It is difficult for a small child to survive for a long time without food, and the Eucharist usually begins no earlier than 10-00 o’clock. Therefore, many parents ask the question: is it possible to feed a child before Communion?

Children under 3 years old can be fed 2 hours before receiving the Holy Gifts.
Particular attention should be paid to feeding infants. If you feed an infant and then bring it to Communion, he may burp, and this is unacceptable. Therefore, a small child under one year old also needs to go without food for at least 2 hours before the start of the Eucharist.

Important: The best solution in this case would be to attend the early liturgy, which is usually celebrated in large churches. At 8 o'clock in these churches there is already Communion.

Is it possible for sick people and pregnant women to eat before Communion?

A person needs fasting to curb the body, and when it is weak, it does not need it. A sick body needs help to heal and get well. This is written in the church rules. Therefore, before Communion, sick people can eat, but you need to try to do this as early as possible, so as not before the process of receiving the Holy Gifts itself.

Pregnant women are also allowed to relax their fast. But you need to discuss everything with the priest during evening confession. He will advise you on how to act correctly according to the Laws of God.

Important: Be sure to ask for blessings from the priest regarding any doubts you have regarding any church activities or even life situations.

Is it possible to take medicine before Communion?

There are diseases when medications need to be taken constantly at intervals of 2-3 hours (asthma, diabetes, various inflammations, and so on). People with such diseases wonder: is it possible to take medicine before Communion?

If the medicine is vital, then it must be taken without fail.
If you can refrain from taking medications, then it is better to do so.
If you have doubts about this, you need to contact the priest, who will decide whether to admit you to the Sacrament of the Eucharist or not. Ask the priest for his blessing.

So that you have no doubts, discuss this issue with the priest in advance. Then you will be able to prepare for confession and Communion with a calm soul.

Is it possible to donate blood for sugar before Communion?

For people with diabetes, knowing your blood glucose levels is vital. Therefore, before communion, you can donate blood for sugar and take the necessary medications.

Is it possible to watch TV before Communion?

In church practice, preparation for Communion is called fasting. It lasts three days until the Eucharist, and concerns both the physical and spiritual life of a person. The body abstains from eating meat and dairy foods, and the mind should not be distracted by everyday trifles and have fun. Therefore, before Communion, it is unacceptable to watch TV or go to noisy companies. You need to spend time at home - in silence and prayer.

After Communion: when and what can you eat, can you eat meat?

Fasting is established only before Communion, as a feat of abstinence from earthly goods. This is necessary so that a person acquires a reverent disposition to receive the Holy Gifts. After Communion, you can eat everything, including dairy products and meat. But if there is no fasting on this day. If the church prescribes fasting on the occasion of some holiday or commemoration of a Saint, then it is necessary to refrain from eating meat, dairy products and fish.

Important: Often during Lent, on some church holidays, you can eat fish. On this day, the person receiving communion can also eat it, but it is advisable that the fish be without bones, so as not to spit them out.

Is it possible to drink alcohol and wine after Communion and on the day of Communion?

On the day of the Holy Eucharist and after it, there are no canonical obstacles to drinking alcoholic beverages. You can celebrate and drink wine after Communion and on this day itself, but in moderation, and not turn the feast into drunkenness and unification. It is important that you do not feel sick on this day. Therefore, it is better to give up vodka and drink some good wine.

When can you brush your teeth, wash your face, bathe, or wash your hair after Communion?

On the day of Communion, it is better not to spit anything, so you should refrain from brushing your teeth. There are no canonical prohibitions regarding washing the body and head after the Holy Eucharist. If you are concerned that you will wash your face, bathe, or wash your hair after Communion and involuntarily spit out the water, then refrain from these procedures for one day.

Is it possible to sleep after Communion?

After Communion, many people want to come home and go to bed. After all, on this day people usually wake up early in order to have time to get ready for the liturgy and read all the necessary prayers. So is it possible to sleep after Communion? It is not advisable to do this, since only wakefulness will help preserve the grace received. On this day after church, it is better to read the Bible and think about the Lord in order to maintain a bright feeling of joy in your soul longer.

Is it possible to make love after Communion?

Church rules prescribe on the day of the Holy Eucharist to maintain the bodily frequency and occupy your mind only with thoughts of God and prayers. Therefore, there is no need to make love after Communion.

Is it possible to go to work after Communion?

If you need to go to work after Communion, then there are no obstacles to this in the church. But, if it is possible to postpone work, then do it, and spend at least half a day reading prayers and in peace of mind.

Many people argue that after Communion you cannot kiss icons, the cross, the priest’s hand, a child or other relatives. But any priest will say that this is superstition. According to church canons, on Sunday only prostrations are not made. If you venerate the chalice after receiving the Holy Gifts, this should in no way affect the further visible manifestation of your piety. Immediately after Communion, you need to take warmth (warm water mixed with wine) and then you can venerate the icons, the cross and the blessing hand of the priest.

Is it possible to kneel after Communion?

As mentioned above, there is no need to bow to the ground after the Holy Eucharist. But, if everyone in the church knelt during the service and prayer, then you can do it too. But this is unlikely to happen, since after the end of Communion, prayers of thanksgiving to God are read and the service ends with a short sermon by the priest.

Is it possible to clean the house on the day of Communion?

The day of Communion should be devoted to spiritual activities, and it is better to do secular affairs later. You should not clean the house on the day of Communion out of a sense of gratitude before the Holy Sacrament, and also in order to preserve this grace within yourself.

It should be remembered that a quarrel with a loved one is even worse than doing housework. Therefore, on the day of the Holy Eucharist, you need to think about good things, try not to talk to anyone, and read prayers. But if you need to do housework to help your neighbor, then this can be done, but with special spiritual caution.

Why can’t you work in the ground after Communion?

Communion is a holiday that should be spent with joy in the soul, enjoying every minute of the grace given from above. It is believed that after receiving the Holy Gifts one should not work in the ground so as not to lose grace. Someone says that the demon can steal this grace. But this is superstition. If you want to do something or need to do it after Communion, then consult with the priest. Most likely, he will answer that this day should be dedicated to God, read prayers and be at home in peace.

Is it possible to spit or spit out the seeds from the berries after Communion?

As mentioned above, you cannot spit after the Sacrament of Communion, much less spit out the seeds from the berries. Avoid such food after receiving God's grace.

What else can’t you do on the day of communion?

The life experience of many people suggests that it is easier to receive than to keep. The same can be said about spiritual experience - it is important to be able to use the gift - this is the hardest thing that awaits the recipient. What else can’t you do on the day of communion? Here are some tips:

Sin, become irritated and become despondent.
Kiss animals, as well as cuddle and talk to them.
You can cough and blow your nose, but into a tissue, and not spit on the ground.
Chew chewing gum.

There is a legend that after Communion the expelled evil spirits wander through the forests and fields, and those who have not found shelter think: “Shouldn’t we go back to the house?” She returns again to a person who is spiritually pure after Communion and calls 7 more spirits with her. Therefore, it often happens that after Communion a person begins to sin even more. It is important to preserve the state and grace given during the reception of the Holy Gifts. There is no need to get hung up on superstition; you need to read prayers and canons and live according to the commandments of the Lord.

Is it possible to become infected with anything during Communion in church?

When we cross the threshold of the church, we find ourselves in God's house - this is Heaven, not earth, and all worldly problems and thoughts must remain beyond the threshold. Is it possible to become infected with anything during Communion in church? Near the chalice people accept the Body and Blood of Christ. There is only Cleanliness and Sterility here. Believers should not even think about contagious diseases. Besides this, an Orthodox Christian should not think about it at all. Father goes to give communion to sick people in hospitals, but no one has become infected yet.

Communion is one of the Great Sacraments. A person must accept the Holy Gifts in order to purify the soul. It is important that a person does not lose reverence, but feels with all his nature the benefits of the Sacrament of Communion. Only true believers feed their souls throughout their lives with a unique contrast: between the melancholy of a slave who kneels and prays (during confession), and the free flight of an eagle with its wings spread wide (after Communion).

Video: Where did the ban on food before Communion come from?

HOW TO BEHAVIOR DURING AND AFTER COMMUNION When approaching the holy chalice, the communicant must fold his arms crosswise on his chest, clearly pronounce his name and open his lips wide. A small particle of the Holy Gifts, as advised by the Monk Ambrose of Optina, must be swallowed whole. If the particle is large, it can be carefully crushed with your teeth. After the deacon or clergyman wipes his mouth with the cloth, he must kiss the bottom edge of the cup. You should not cross yourself or bow near the chalice. After communion, it is customary to drink “warmth” - warm water mixed with wine. You need to rinse your mouth with this “warmth” so that no particles of the Body of Christ remain there, and then swallow it. When leaving the bowl and heading towards the table with “warmth”, you should not venerate the icons. Also, there is no need to kneel or prostrate on the day of communion. Prostrations to the ground are an expression of repentant sorrow for sins, while the communicant must remain in spiritual joy and glorification of God. After receiving the Holy Mysteries, you must thank the Lord and listen in church or read prayers for Holy Communion at home. The Lord loves mankind, but we should not and cannot offend Him with impunity with our neglect, not even considering it necessary to thank Him for the ineffable mercy towards us. Of course, we can, from the abundance of our hearts, thank the Lord for His mercy towards us sinners with our own prayers. However, at the same time, we must not forget to read the prayer rule determined for us by the Church. “From the moment of communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ,” instructed St. Nikon of Optina, “until you drink it, you must be careful not to spit. Out of reverence they try to beware of spitting all this day, although there is no indication of this anywhere and there is no sin in it.” Elder Hieroschemamonk Sampson spoke more strictly on this issue. Once he was asked: “Sometimes on the day of communion you accidentally spit.” It is a sin? “You can’t,” answered Elder Sampson. - We definitely need to collect it. And if you spit on a handkerchief, you need to wash it separately. Through the communicant, all objects are consecrated, including clothing, and even the cell. - Where to put the fish bones after lunch on the day of communion? - Collect it in a piece of paper and then burn it, but don’t put it on a plate, because it might be taken to the trash. On the day of communion, do not eat meat under any circumstances, and do not drink wine, and do not visit guests, and do not receive guests. Name days are celebrated very modestly. And then it happens like this: I took communion, and in the evening there is a banquet, a feast for the whole world. There is laughter, and all sorts of stupidity, and disgrace! Regarding eating food after communion, the words of Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) are instructive: “By the way, a very remarkable and characteristic observation was noticed: after communion, you don’t want to eat “fatty” foods, but something more “subtle”, fasting. And vice versa, when a person eats fatty foods or generally overeats after communion, he can immediately observe how that light, subtle, spiritual thing perishes in him, which only before that he clearly felt. Dissimilar elements cannot exist together. The soul and body of a person who has received the Body and Blood of the Lord are filled with Divine grace, which must be carefully preserved. This grace sanctifies not only the communicant himself, but also the space around him. Sometimes, by God's providence, people are privileged to feel the grace emanating from a communicant with their bodily senses. After communion, we must take special care to ensure that the Lord, who has entered our hearts, is not upset by any sin. This day is best spent in silence and prayer or in reading the Holy Scriptures and the teachings of the holy fathers, because at this time the soul is especially receptive to goodness and the wondrous words of the Gospel will sink into the depths of the heart. It should be noted that many Athonite ascetics spend time after communion in prayerful vigil. One day, at the end of the service, the novices suggested that Elder Gabriel the Hermit lie down to rest. The elder said in response: “It is not right for us to sleep after the Divine Liturgy and Divine Communion, for we have received into ourselves the Most Pure Mysteries of Christ and the universal enemy, the devil, should not find us sleeping in order to tempt us, defile our body and soul and infuse us with unclean things.” thoughts and harmful lusts, from which the grace of God that enters us with Divine Communion disappears. “It has been noted,” wrote Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov), “that if a communicant goes to bed soon after communion (especially after a hearty dinner), then when he wakes up, he no longer feels grace. GENERALIZATION: 1. We must remain in thought about what a terrible gift we have received in its greatness. We need to thank the Lord for this and be spiritually sober, so as not to offend in any way the Divine grace that we were honored to receive in the sacrament of the Eucharist. 2. Having the Lord Himself within us, we must use the time after communion to deepen our spiritual life, acquire virtues, and fight passions and sinful habits. 3. The Lord who dwells in us immeasurably strengthens our spiritual powers. Therefore, the period of time following the acceptance of the Holy Gifts is priceless. It must be treasured and used wisely.

Misconception: on the day after communion, do not brush your teeth, do not kiss anyone, and fast.

Some believers think that on the day after communion you cannot: brush your teeth, spit out the bones of berries and fish, kiss loved ones, icons, relics, the priest’s hand (only a cross is allowed), eat meat, drink wine.

After communion, in order to prevent a particle of the Holy Gifts from remaining in the mouth and accidentally flying out, for example, when sneezing, there is a tradition to immediately wash down the communion with warmth - wine diluted with a large amount of water - and after that eat a piece of prosphora - consecrated bread. In the church they always distribute warmth and prosphora after communion.

If a piece of the Holy Gift remains in the mouth (for example, stuck in a tooth hole), you should really take care that it is swallowed and not spat out.

If you have washed down the sacrament and there is nothing left in your mouth, then on this day you can brush your teeth in the evening, spit out bones, kiss loved ones, kiss icons, the priest’s hand, the cross. It is impossible to spit out a piece of the Gifts.

You can also eat meat and drink wine in moderation on the day after communion. Before communion, fasting is established as a feat of abstinence in order to prepare oneself reverently before accepting the greatest shrine. After communion, if there is no fasting at this time, you can eat any food.

What to do?

Wrong:(

Fast on the day after communion.

On the day after communion, be afraid to brush your teeth, spit out bones, or kiss icons or loved ones.

Right:)

Make sure that the Holy Gifts are completely swallowed, and fear nothing else.

On the day after communion, especially try to treat the people around you with love.

On the day after communion, especially try to eat in moderation and not get drunk.

E If, having escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they again become entangled in them and are overcome by them, then the latter is worse for them than the first.

(2 Peter 2:20-22).

At Communion, one must show correction, testify to love for God and neighbor, thanksgiving, and diligent care for a new, holy and immaculate life.

Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk (1724-1783).

After Communion, one must ask the Lord to preserve the gift with dignity and that the Lord will give help not to return back, that is, to previous sins.

When you join, don’t rinse your mouth or spit for just one day.

Venerable Ambrose of Optina(1812-1891).

Always remember that after mass and Communion you should always dine slowly and moderately. The same goes for the night.

Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt(1829-1908).

Every time the Lord vouchsafes you to partake of the Holy and Life-giving MysteriesChrist, think thus: what happiness I have today, the Lord entered the house of my heart, and did not abhor me, a sinner and unclean one! What kindness of God is to me, what joy to me, because today I am not alone, but Christ Himself, my Lord and Savior, is my guest!

Hieromartyr Arseny (Zhadanovsky), Bishop of Serpukhov (1874-1937 ) .

Often after fervent prayer, demons attack us with great force, as if wanting to take revenge on us. Moreover, even after communion, with the greatest bitterness they try to instill in us unclean thoughts and desires in order to take revenge on us for resistance and victory over them and to reduce our faith, trying, as it were, to prove that there is no benefit for us from Holy Communion and, on the contrary, fighting is even worse. But one should not be discouraged by this, understanding the cunning of the enemy, and defeat him with faith and perseverance in the fight against him.

Hieromartyr Seraphim (Zvezdinsky) Bishop. Dmitrovsky (1883-approx. 1937).

Now every sin we commit will be an insult to the Lord; every evil action is a clear offense to the Sweetest Redeemer. Every abuse of our body will be the spitting, choking and beating that He suffered from His enemies. Now we are no longer alone, but the Lord is with us and in us. We must not give up good deeds, deeds of piety.And most importantly, the communicants must be complacent and generous in all circumstances of life.

Archpriest Valentin Amfitheatrov(1836-1908).

Having partaken of the Mysteries of Christ, we must realize What and Who we carry within ourselves. And from the moment of Communion, without pause, without interruption, our preparation for the next Communion must begin. And we should not think that if we received communion today, then we can prepare for the next Eucharist a day or three days before it, and the rest of the time we can live as if Christ is not present in us.

Bishop Hilarion (Alfeev)(XX-XXIcc.).

It has been noted that if a communicant goes to bed soon after Communion (especially after a hearty dinner), then when he wakes up, he no longer feels grace. The holiday seemed to be over for him already. And this is understandable: devotion to sleep testifies to inattention to the Heavenly Guest, the Lord and Master of the world; and grace departs from the careless participant in the Royal Supper. It is better to spend this time reading, thinking, even taking a mindful walk. So I had to observe this among the monks. And in the world you can visit a sick person, do something good for someone, or enjoy pious fellowship with brothers or go to a cemetery to visit the dead.

Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) (1880-1961).

In order for us to better preserve ourselves after confession from repeating sins, we strive, especially at first, while we are not yet morally strengthened, to avoid encounters with sin: to move away from those persons and those places that can give us a reason to fall.

Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov) (XX XXcenturies).

How best to prepare for receiving the Holy Mysteries of Christ?

Only Orthodox Christians approach the Sacrament of Holy Communion, those who constantly go to church, strictly observe all fasts, are married, pray, live in peace with everyone, repent of sins - such people, with the permission of their confessor, begin the Chalice.

It is necessary to prepare both soul and body in advance in order to unite with the Lord. Fast for 3-4 days, do not eat light food, abstain from dinner the day before, replace it with the rule: read two akathists - to the Savior and the Mother of God, four canons - to the Savior, the Mother of God, the Guardian Angel and the canon for Holy Communion. Those who do not have such an opportunity - 500 Jesus prayers and 150 times “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice...” But even after reading this rule, even if we had been preparing for a thousand years, we cannot think that we are worthy to receive the Body of Christ. We must rely only on the mercy of God and His great love for mankind.

Before Communion, you must repent sincerely in the presence of a priest. You must have a cross on your chest. Under no circumstances should you approach the Chalice if your confessor forbids it or if you are concealing a sin. In bodily and monthly uncleanness, you also cannot begin the Sacrament of Communion. Before and after Communion, one must abstain from marital relations.

We must remember that before or after Communion there will certainly be temptation. After Communion, no prostrations are made until the morning, lips are not rinsed, and nothing should be spit out. We must protect ourselves from idle talk, especially from condemnation, read the Gospel, the Jesus Prayer, akathists, and Divine books.

How often should you take communion? How do you know that you have received communion worthily and not to condemnation?

If a person is married, observes fasts, Wednesdays, Fridays, reads morning and evening prayers, lives in peace with everyone, if he reads all the rules before Communion and considers himself unworthy, approaching Communion with faith and fear, then he partakes of the Mysteries of Christ worthily . The soul will not immediately, suddenly feel worthy of receiving communion. Maybe the next day or the third the soul will feel peace and joy. Everything depends on our preparation. If we pray intensely, try to let every word of prayer penetrate our hearts, fast and consider ourselves sinful and unworthy, then we can immediately feel the presence of the Lord in us. After Communion we will have peace and joy. Temptation may come immediately. You must be prepared for it, having met it, not be tempted and not sin. This means the devil knows that we are prepared. But the most important thing is to consider yourself sinful and unworthy. Of course, if we live in such a way that we are forcibly forced to read the canons, morning and evening rules, and we do it carelessly, this feeling of sinfulness will not be born in our souls. We have enough time to chat, run around, see what is where, who is doing what. We have enough energy for this. Or we’ll hold out, beat the clock: “Oh, three minutes left until midnight! We need to go eat!” This is not an Orthodox spirit. This is the spirit of Satan. It should not be. An Orthodox person must do everything with reverence and fear of God. The soul of an Orthodox Christian feels God both after communion and between communions. The Lord is nearby, standing at the door of our hearts and knocking: what if they open it and hear His knock? The Holy Fathers honored reverence and fear in their souls and supported this grace with prayer. They, feeling that their prayer was weakening, confessed and approached the Chalice, and the Lord strengthened them! Again the soul was on fire. Communion is the only sacrament of the Church where a person’s soul can ignite with the flame of divine love; because in Communion we take into ourselves the Living Fire, the very Creator of the universe.

Is the infection transmitted through a cross, a communion spoon, or an icon?

In the church we are already dealing with Heaven. Here we are no longer on earth. The Church is a small piece of Heaven on earth. When we step over the threshold of the temple, we must forget about everything earthly, including disgust (disgust is usually lascivious, say the Holy Fathers). The infection is transmitted only through sinful means. Many people work in infectious diseases departments, in tuberculosis hospitals, but do not suffer from these diseases. The priests also come there and give communion. And no one has ever become infected. People become infected only through sin.

When they approach the Chalice, they accept from one small spoon - a liar - the Creator of the Universe, the Living Christ, the Body and Blood of Christ. Here there is Sami Cleanliness and Sterility. Everything here is so clean that believers don’t even think about infection. Through the hands of the priest, Christ Himself enters into man. Not a part of His Flesh and Blood, but as a whole, the Lord enters into each communicant. The angels are in trembling, present in fear. And what can we say about some kind of infection. There was a time, in 62-63, atheists came to church and taught that after each communicant a spoon should be dipped into a special solution. Well, this is for them... They don’t understand anything. And the fact that their soul has already become a vessel of Satan is normal, no big deal!

When Righteous John of Kronstadt served in the cathedral, two young people came to him. They gathered to take communion. One read the rule, but the second, very tired, could not. And both came to church. The one who read it calmly approached Communion, and the righteous John of Kronstadt did not allow him. And the other with a contrite heart said to himself: “Lord, I so want to receive You; but I didn’t read the rule, I’m so vile, so disgusting...” Condemning himself, he approached the Chalice, and Righteous John of Kronstadt gave him communion. The most important thing for the Lord is our contrite heart, the awareness of our unworthiness. St. John Chrysostom says: “If we prepare for a thousand years, we will never be worthy - we must hope for the mercy of God. If the Lord does not help, we will not be able to receive communion worthily.”

When you take communion, you feel light in your soul, but after a while (on the same day) this state passes, and your soul is heavy again. You feel the absence of God. The same passions arise again. What do we have to do?

You need to prepare yourself the day before. You need to fast well - “this kind of demons is driven out only by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21), so you need to pray well the day before, warm up your soul, fast - the passions will subside. After Communion, we must try to remain in prayer and maintain peace of mind. Those who like to be arbitrary and rebel do not value Communion. They took communion - and immediately there was resentment, hysteria, and rebellion. This is because everything happens not according to their will. We need to deal with them, break everything completely, all relationships. There are still many such people, they are called bottlers. They don't value anything, they don't value anything. The most important thing is that everything is according to their wishes. And if (God forbid) something is against them, everyone around them becomes enemies, and there will never be peace in the soul, until death. This is the most terrible state of the human soul. A person lives according to his own will and no one has the right to say anything to him. And everything is fine with them, just don’t touch them - they’ll sting...

Why then, when you receive communion, do the Holy Mysteries sometimes taste like bread, and sometimes like Flesh? Does this mean that at some time you partake of eternal life, and at another time - into condemnation?

If a person feels that he accepts the Flesh, then the Lord gives it to strengthen faith. But it’s right to feel the taste of bread. The Lord Himself says: “I am the bread of Life” (John 6:35).

Many people told me about this. Just recently, one woman called from Kyiv and said: “Father, my faith is weak. When I went to Communion today, I was poorly prepared. Father gave me a small particle, and at the Chalice I thought: “What kind of Flesh can there be here? When I can’t even feel with my tongue that he put something in my mouth?" He gave me a little, a tiny bit. And I just couldn’t eat that piece. It stayed in my mouth like that. I came home - my mouth was full of meat. No way. I can swallow it. I cried for several hours, asked the Lord - it’s a pity to throw it away, but I just can’t swallow it! Then the Lord freed me - I swallowed it and now I’m calling. What, have I sinned terribly?” “Repent for doubting this,” I tell her.

We know that the Lord performed the first miracle when he transformed wine from water. It costs him nothing to transform His Blood from wine, or His Flesh from bread. A person does not receive part of the flesh, but the Living Christ enters entirely into each person who receives communion.

We know the word of the Apostle Paul about receiving the Holy Gifts “without reasoning.” I would like to know whether it is possible to give such recommendations to a person who does not believe in God?

Only believers can approach the Chalice and receive communion; those who believe in the crucified Jesus Christ as the Son of God and sincerely confess their sins. And to the “raw material” who doesn’t go to church, doesn’t pray to God, doesn’t keep fasts and strives to take communion “just in case,” we usually say: “It’s too early for you to take communion. You need to get ready.” Some defend such “parishioners” and say: “If they are not allowed in, then who should be allowed in?” God does not need quantity, God needs quality. It is better for one person to receive communion worthily than twenty unworthily. Saint Gregory the Theologian says: “I would rather give my body to be torn to pieces by dogs than the Body of Christ to the unworthy.”

You need to have reasoning. We know from experience: everyone who came to church to be baptized and did not prepare remains outside the Church. Therefore, we ask you to seriously prepare your soul for this Sacrament, go to church services, and pray. When such a prepared person is baptized, he will become a faithful member of the Church and will constantly be in the temple. These are the real Orthodox Christians. On the Day of the Last Judgment, on the left side of our Judge there will be a lot of baptized, “Orthodox” people. They will prove that they are believers, but the Lord will say: “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).

After communion I almost got hit by a car. I escaped with a bruise... I want to understand why this happened?

There may be various reasons for this. The Holy Fathers say that before or after communion, the enemy will certainly create a temptation: he will try to prevent communion, or after communion he will take revenge. He strives with all his demonic machinations to create an obstacle so that a person cannot receive communion worthily. A Christian prepares, prays, reads the rule for Holy Communion and suddenly... someone meets him on the way, scolds him, or his neighbors start a scandal at home, all so that the person sins and loses heart. These are obstacles from the devil.

It happens differently. The man is in enmity, has not reconciled, has not asked for forgiveness and goes to the Chalice. Or He has secret unrepentant sins in his soul.

If a person went through formal confession, did not repent of anything and approached the Chalice more than once, he received communion unworthily, to his own condemnation. About such the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthians says that “... many of them are dying” (1 Cor. 11:30).

If we repented of everything, hid nothing, left nothing on our conscience, then we are under the special protection of God. Then, even if we are hit to death by a car, it’s not scary: on the day of communion all Orthodox Christians would like to die, because for the sake of the Holy Gifts the soul immediately admires the Angels in Heaven and it does not go through the ordeal. The soul will not go to hell on the day of communion.

And if such a nuisance happened, but the person “got away with fright” and remained alive, then this can be regarded as a reminder from God of the inevitable death that can come today or tomorrow. Life is short term. This means that we need to intensify our deeds and pay more attention to the spiritual side of our life. Any illness, any such case is news from the other world. The Lord constantly reminds us that our earthly refuge is temporary, that we do not live here forever and will go to another world.

No matter how well a person lives on earth, he will not build a kingdom here. Only once was he given the opportunity to live in paradise under the cover of God's grace. Man could not resist, fell into sin, and sin shortened the days of man’s life. Along with sin, death entered man's life. The devil has distorted consciousness so much that sin has become the norm, and virtue is trampled underfoot.

But we have hope of entering the Kingdom of Heaven through a righteous life in Christ and cleansing the soul through repentance. And in the Kingdom of Heaven there is no despondency, no illness, no despair, no sorrow. There is fullness of life, fullness of joy, and for this we must constantly prepare, remember every second: our whole life is only preparation for eternity. How many billions of people there were on earth, everyone moved into the world of the majority. And now we stand on the threshold into that world.

Is it possible for unmarried people to receive communion?

This issue is very complex, and it must be resolved with the confessor. An unmarried marriage is not blessed by God. For example, a woman lives in Moscow. She has an apartment. A man comes to her from the other end of Moscow and lives with her. Well, so how: can such people be allowed to receive communion?" Many will exclaim: "Father, this is fornication. They live illegally."

Fine. Then this man collects his things and moves over to her, thinking: “Why am I going to go back and forth.” He came, began to live, and registered with her. We registered with the registry office, in case of divorce, in order to divide the things we had acquired together. Did the marriage then become legal? Nothing of the kind, it is just as illegal. They just moved in together.

This marriage will be legal when they have strong faith, make a promise to God to maintain purity in marriage, that is, during fasting not to indulge infantry desires, not to commit adultery on the side, and get married. Then this marriage will be “registered” in Heaven. This marriage is blessed by God.

Now many people get married at the insistence of their parents. A mother says to her son or daughter: “You definitely need to get married!” And children, to please their parents, get married in church. The mother is calm, comforted. And they lived for two or three months, there was a scandal, and they fled. Soon they find another couple and begin to live as a new family. Thus they commit adultery and trample on the holy bonds of a married, God-blessed marriage.

By the law given by God, these people are bound by marriage as long as one of the spouses is alive. The husband dies, the wife can get married, and vice versa. But while both spouses are alive, none of them can live with another person. And no priest has the right to marry them.

What God has joined together, let no man separate. “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries one who is divorced from her husband commits adultery” (Luke 1b:18). “To those who are married, I do not command, but the Lord: a wife must not divorce her husband, and a husband must not leave his wife” (1 Cor. 7:10).

If it has become unbearable to live with your spouse and you separated, then you need to keep yourself pure; but it is better to reconcile with the one whom the Lord has given you.

We give communion to a baby, but for some reason he becomes irritable after communion.

Much depends on the parents. The child is sinless, holy, and the parents are often unrepentant, and this internal state is reflected in the child. It is mentioned in the life of Righteous John of Kronstadt: when babies were brought to him for communion, some of them did not want to accept the Holy Gifts - they waved their arms, spun, and twirled. And the righteous man prophetically said: “These are the future persecutors of the Church.” They were already opponents of God from birth.

A grandmother gives Holy Communion to a small child in secret from her parents; she is embarrassed by the fact that it is done in secret.

There's nothing wrong here. On the contrary, it is very good that someone in the family is doing a good deed for the soul of this child. A child must live a spiritual life. If he does not receive communion, his soul may die and the little man will grow up with a dead soul. Subsequently, he can be possessed by an evil force even to the point of mental illness, to the point of demonic possession. And if this, by the grace of God, does not happen, a person with an evil character will simply grow up.

A small planted flower requires care and attention. It needs watering, loosening and freeing from weeds. Likewise, a child must be given communion with the Holy Mysteries - the Blood and Body of Christ. Then his soul lives and develops. She falls under the special protection of the Lord's grace.