Communion and confession carry with them the cleansing of the soul of man, the forgiveness of his sins. Sincerity, truthfulness, the desire to improve make these Sacraments so simple and complex at the same time.
Simplicity lies in simple actions that most people can do. The difficulty is in avoiding a formal approach, in recognizing one's sins, in the desire to receive forgiveness. This is a difficult inner work.
Prayer, canon before Communion called to set up a person to spiritual work. The ability to forgive, understand and accept your mistakes, shame for them, the desire to change is not an easy way, at the end of which Grace will descend to the soul. And no longer wants to lie, be angry, angry, envy. Gradual purification of the soul will entail a change in life. There will be inner calm, peace, a desire to understand and forgive other people.
What is canon
The canon translated from Greek means "norm, rule." It has 2 meanings.
The first one. Canon is a set of rules of the Orthodox Church.
The second one. Canon - a kind of poem, a hymn, which is pronounced in the glory of a holiday or saint. He replaced the kondaku in the VIII century. Contains 9 songs.
Canons are big and small. Dedicated to the prophets, saints, great martyrs. In addition, there is a canon before Communion, canon for the sick, for the dead.
There is a book entitled The Right Canons. It was written for the monks of the Old Believer monasteries in 1908. It contains notes to help you read canons correctly at home. The tips indicate in which canon which song to read, with which chorus and how many times to alternate when bowing.
How the canon works
Canon consists of 9 songs. The very first verse of each song is called irmos. All of the following are called troparia. Before each of them a chorus is read corresponding to the canon. Depending on the gender of the reader, you should change the endings (for example, sinful - sinful).
Each canon contains from 4 to 7 troparia. The second song is usually absent. It is pronounced only on certain holidays. At certain points in the reading, one should lay down earthly, waist-length bows or throwing. The latter means that you should cross yourself and touch the floor with your right hand.
Depending on the day of the week, the presence or absence of a church holiday, the supplements to the canon have their own notes. So, waist bows can be replaced by throwing. In the church calendar you can find the Charter of bows for every day.
The Sacrament of Communion
Communion is communion with God, the most important Sacrament in the life of a Christian. This ritual can be performed once a year or more often. What matters here is not the number of sacraments performed, but their sincerity.
There are several rules for the laity before accepting the sacrament.
- Observe the post.
- Read prayers and canons before the sacrament.
- Receive confession absolution.
- Refrain from carnal relationships.
- To do works of mercy.
The whole preparatory process takes 7 days. You should know that the same should be said. If the state of health does not allow fasting during the week, then it can be limited to 3-5 days. In rare cases, speaking is allowed for a day.
Canon before Communion read every night. After him - prayers. In the days of beef, you should go to church services.
Who is not allowed in the sacrament
- Women during menstruation.
- Excommunicated from the Holy Mysteries.
- Not going to confession.
- Spouses who had sex on the eve of Communion.
- Dead, insane, unconscious.
Children under 7 years old are admitted to Communion without confession and fasting. In this case, another, more simplified preparation is required. The behavior of parents is reflected in children. The child reproduces his attitude to church, prayers, and bad and good behavior in himself. Therefore, each family individually finds an approach in preparing for Communion.
Preparing for the Communion
Before the sacrament of Communion, it is necessary to pass repentance. Confessing your sins, recognizing them, receiving forgiveness is the first step to cleansing the soul. Be sure to ask for forgiveness from relatives before confession, we know each other. Mentally recall everyone who was offended.
Before confession, you can read the penitential canon. Prayer preparation will set a person to repentance. This is the ability to see, realize, acknowledge one's sins and imperfections. Repentance cleanses a person from sins and filth. It is necessary sincere repentance of man in all his unseemly deeds. And then deliverance from these sins, their prevention in their lives, the fight against them.
Canons before Confession and Communion carry with them only a temporary cleansing of the soul. All the rest of the work a person must conduct himself. Honesty before oneself, understanding of the slightest movements of the soul, recognition of mistakes, shame for them - these are the true essence of repentance.
Sacrament of Confession
Confession is not a lengthy discourse on one's sins. It does not lead to self-justification. This is sincere repentance of their unworthy thoughts, feelings, actions. Therefore, before Communion, confession is obligatory. She prepares the soul with prayers, awareness of sinfulness, the need for forgiveness.
The canon before the sacrament should also be read before confession. This is not a mechanical scoring of the text, but a purposeful preparation of the soul. That confession did not become a formal ritual, but carried purification and forgiveness.
The priest should not hide his sins. Only truth should sound in confession. Then the torment of conscience, repentance, shame will lead to full awareness and the desire to fight their sins, to eradicate them.
Prayer preparation for confession will help to reconcile with relatives and friends. Eradicate callousness, narcissism. A person will want to change, become kinder.
The path to God can be long. One confession, one Communion will not make an indifferent person immediately attentive and positive. Most likely, it will be necessary to go through these Sacraments many times before an understanding of the essence of Orthodox rituals comes.
Canons before the sacrament
Communion is a personal matter of a person, his relationship with the Lord. Therefore, to read or not to read home prayers, canons - everyone decides independently. First of all, there should be a cleansing of the soul from sinful thoughts. Manifestations of anger or aggression should not be allowed. Learn calm, patience, understanding.
During the prayer preparation for Communion, three canons can be read. They reflect the whole essence of the rite. This is the preparation of the body and soul for the acceptance of the Holy Mysteries. Therefore, you should cleanse the body with fasting. Soul - with prayers.
- The penitential canon before the sacrament to our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Prayer canon for the Blessed Virgin Mary.
- Canon to the Guardian Angel before Communion.
The practice of reading canons before the sacrament is optional. Therefore, you should consult your confessor.
After the three canons before communion will be voiced, you should read the Follow up to Holy Communion. All this is read on the eve of the rite, after attending the evening worship. Prayers for Holy Communion can be rescheduled in the morning. Read them immediately before the ritual.
Prayer rule before the sacrament
The number of prayers, canons, akathists has no clear limits. Different cities, churches, monasteries have their own rules. Therefore, you should turn to your confessor for guidance. Reading the penitential canon and the Sacrament of the Sacrament is obligatory.
Prayer rule is not a violent decision. Each person individually decides what to read at home and how many times to attend church service. However, a Christian should have a daily prayer rule. It can be changed in accordance with health, state of affairs, internal mood.
Before the sacrament, one should get rid of temptation and read canons and prayers every day. This should be a tradition, but not a formal template. Personal prayer preparation remains on the conscience of the person. You should not overwork yourself with countless repetitions of canons. They bring enlightenment to the soul when they are read sincerely, consciously. Monotonous repetition leads to a scholastic understanding of church rules.
The ability to understand the essence of the sacraments will allow you to consciously relate to your transformation. If a person understands that he should change in himself what to work on, then repentance and Communion will not become for him an empty phrase and a standard ritual.
Seeking utility for soul and body is what the prayer rule serves. Canons are easy to memorize. Therefore, they can be read on the way to the temple, standing in traffic jams. The main thing is that they go from the heart.
What time should the canons be read
There are no exact laws when to read canons and prayers. At home, a person himself determines what time should be devoted to prayers, and what time - to worldly affairs.
Canons before the sacrament You can read every evening, or you can limit yourself to prayers. If a Christian sincerely wishes to repent of his sins, then his preparation will be appropriate.
Canon before the sacrament, text it creates a certain state of mind. Makes a person more focused, collected. The canon concentrates on the inner, spiritual work. Pronounced words fill the heart with glee, and the mind with sorrow for all human imperfections.
Canons and subsequent prayers are best read before bedtime. This will allow you to configure the mind and soul to communicate with God. When all worldly affairs are completed, you should devote some time before going to bed to prayers, summarizing the day. For some - ask for God's forgiveness, for others - to thank.
The penitential canon before the sacrament will allow you to comprehend your thoughts, feelings, deeds for the whole day. Only in conditions of concentration on the desire to be purified, to join the Holy Mysteries is it possible to receive the Highest Grace.
Combined canons before the sacrament
On days of beef, prayers should be more diligently read than on ordinary days. This is the preparation of the soul for the meeting with the Holy Mysteries.
Canons are allowed to be read one at a time. Such prayer preparation should be included in the ritual of every Christian. On the eve of Communion, before midnight, it is recommended that the necessary three canons be voiced. They can be read one after another. And you can combine it.
3 canons unite before communion in this way:
- irmos 1 song of the penitential canon;
- troparia of the penitential canon;
- troparia 1 song of the canon of the Theotokos, without irmos;
- troparia of the canon to the Guardian Angel, without irmos.
You can read all the subsequent songs, but in this case, you should omit the troparia before the canons of the Theotokos and the Guardian Angel and the stichera after the canon of the Theotokos. In the Orthodox prayer book you can find more detailed information on how to combine canons.
How to read canons
During beef it is necessary to say morning and evening prayers, canons. They create a calming mood. After reading the holy texts, negative emotions are pacified. Man is attuned to fellowship with God.
The correct canons before the sacrament read in a specific pattern. It can be found in the Charter on reading the correct canons. Daily humility, prayer preparation prepares the Christian for the acceptance of the Sacrament, when the Lord penetrates the human body in the form of wine and bread. It is necessary to prepare for the arrival of such a dear guest. The body and soul must be cleansed of sinful thoughts and earthly excesses.
The canons read before the sacrament are not a formal prescription. Therefore, they should be read in a certain emotional mood. Without anger and irritation, without extraneous thoughts and conversations. Only concentration, solitude and understanding of the text of prayers, canons will allow us to correctly prepare for the Communion.
Behavior before Communion
Before Communion should pacify greed, envy, abandon excesses, bad habits. Forget evil thoughts, greed, anger, rage. Try to forgive those who offended. Do not remember and do not keep negative manifestations in you. Ask for forgiveness from friends and relatives. Feel humility within yourself, readiness to repent.
More often to stay in solitude. Focus on prayers, fellowship with the Lord. Communion heals the souls of people. Hot-tempered and irritable become kind and calm. The obstinate and indifferent are made complaisant and attentive. Rude - polite. Lazy - hardworking. People stop being offended, swear. Passes apathy and depression. The soul is filled with kindness and joy.
Be sure to thank the Lord, Mother of God, Guardian Angel after the sacrament. Ask to save the gift of Communion. This is done so that the pacification of the soul does not leave. After leaving the church do not talk to anyone, go straight home. Before going to bed, say thanks again . Try not to quarrel with anyone, not swear, keep silent anymore, or watch TV.
Canon value
The canons before confession and the Sacrament are a request to the Lord and the Mother of God to give health and the opportunity to confess, to give strength to go to the Sacrament and to cleanse our souls, so that the Guardian Angel guards all the way to the church, does not allow temptations.
It happens that a person forgets about confession and Communion. Or he will get tired and refuse to join the Sacraments. The canon before the sacrament will help to adjust the mind, soul and heart to fellowship with the Lord. It will give strength and health to go to confession, cleanse oneself from sins, and fight them. In no case should you justify yourself, give indulgences or blame other people for your problems. The experience and shame of one's deeds must be sincere.
Soul health will give strength and physical body to a person. Anger and anger will pass. No longer want to swear and quarrel. There will be a good mood and a desire to share it with people. There are known facts when, after confession and Communion, people got rid of deadly diseases and abandoned their bad habits. Peace and tranquility appear in the soul after an honest and sincere appeal to God.