Orthodox Christians have one of the divine Sacraments - Communion. During the Communion, a person receives the Body and Blood of the Lord, under the guise of bread and wine.
According to the Holy Scriptures, believers will be able, through Communion, to unite with Christ, who gives them eternal life.
Communion of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ is a necessary and saving duty of a Christian, bringing comfort and grace to the soul.
How often to take part in the Sacrament of Communion, each person decides for himself, or listens to the words and recommendations of his spiritual mentor. But the Sacrament must be performed at least once a year.
The first communion, like all subsequent ones, requires preparation. So how to prepare for the sacrament correctly? First of all, a person must firmly decide that he is ready for the Sacrament. You can never act at the request of someone's order or because it is necessary. Such Communion cannot benefit the Christian.
One needs to prepare for the Eucharist in a week. Preparation is called beef, which includes fasting, repentance, and prayer.
Fasting before Communion is one of the conditions for admission to the Sacrament. During fasting, you can not eat meat, dairy products, eggs, as well as fish. On the eve of Communion, eating and drinking is prohibited after midnight.
You also need to know that having lost gastronomic pleasures, a person only partially fulfills the conditions of beef. During this period, you can not smoke, take alcohol, have fun, listen to music. In addition, it is necessary to drown out malice in oneself, to get rid of bad thoughts. Sexual relationships are also unacceptable.
It is necessary to make peace with enemies, and to ask forgiveness from the offended. Particular attention is paid to charity, the study of divine services, and behavior in the church.
The second condition of begging before Communion is prayer. She will prepare the soul for the acceptance of the Holy Mysteries, and will also help to realize the importance of the Sacrament itself. You need to pray daily in the morning and evening. On the eve of the Communion itself, the penitential canons from the Prayer Book are read.
Without confession how? Preparing for the sacrament without repentance is impossible. Man will simply not be allowed to receive the Blood and Flesh of Christ. During confession, one must sincerely repent of all sins. Concealment of sins or their understatement will only do harm. And instead of absolution, the Christian will earn even greater sin in his piggy bank.
Thus, the answer to the question of how to prepare for Communion is understandable in principle. Now we should dwell a little on the rite of the Eucharist itself. A Christian who desires to taste the Flesh and Blood of Christ is required to attend the evening service, after which one must confess.
The next morning, come to the Temple in advance, bow to the icons, put candles. During morning service, think only of prayers and purification of the soul.
At the end of the service, when the Holy Gifts will be delivered, you should approach the altar, arms crossed so that the right one is on top of the left, and approach the priest in turn.
Near the bowl, pronounce your name, receive the Body and Blood of Christ and go to the table with warmth and minting. You can leave the temple only after the end of the service.
The article describes only the most basic points regarding the Eucharist. For detailed information on how to prepare for the Sacrament, it is better to ask your spiritual mentor who will guide the Christian on the true path, tell you the necessary literature, necessary prayers, and also explain all the subtleties of the Great Sacrament.