Even unbelievers know: the church is a place where certain standards of behavior are respected. How to behave in a church? There are many rules, but there are general principles that will help you understand an unfamiliar situation: do not interfere with other parishioners, do not attract attention, listen carefully to the reader and the choir during chants. What are the rules of conduct in the Orthodox Church?
Holiday color
A believing woman needs to dress as closed as possible, that is, a skirt (and not trousers) should be long, sleeves are also desirable to the wrists. Of course, you need a scarf. Permanent parishioners wear scarves of a certain color: green on Trinity, blue on Mother of God holidays, black on Lent. The same blacks are replaced by red nights at Easter. You should come to church in beautiful clothes, this is a holiday, and not a “fair of humility,” mostly ostentatious. How to behave in the church to the stronger sex? Men also need to dress modestly, hats in front of the entrance must be removed. The cross is obligatory, without it you cannot participate in the rites.
On a way
On the way to the temple, it’s good to read to yourself the repentant psalm of David (the 50th) and Jesus' prayer. There is also a special prayer for a person who goes to church. But this is not for beginner parishioners, so limit yourself to the psalm and prayer of Jesus Christ. Both of these texts can be found in any prayer book, in particular, among the morning prayers. At the entrance to the church, it is customary to cross with the waist bow three times.
Make it all
You need to come to the temple 15 minutes before the service. You will calmly submit notes to the proskomedia or order a mass, pray before the faces of the saints. Which icon to approach in the church? There are no special rules. It is advisable to get around everything hanging available. First, you are baptized twice with a bow, then a third time you make a sign, kiss the icon and bow a third time. How to behave in the church if you have already accepted the Body and Blood? Communion is forbidden to make bow obeisances, but before the liturgy it is possible.
Special time
There are times when parishioners need a particularly attentive prayer (they say in the church “pure”). This refers to the time of reading the Gospel, Shestopsalmy, the so-called Cherubic song and the Eucharistic canon. How to behave in the church correctly? In these moments you can’t move, you need to be silent and listen. If you are late, do not enter the temple from the narthex at the time of reading such prayers. Wait for them to end. Unbaptized people traditionally cannot be at the "Liturgy of the Faithful", therefore, after the priest’s phrase, "Announced, come out!" They must leave the church, the service for them is over.
Difficulties of the rites
Signs of the Cross and obeisances during the liturgy are a complex matter. There are rules for every prayer that is read. If you are inexperienced, just do everything as others do. It is not customary in the church to kneel when you want it. But if everyone knelt, then you can join. At this moment, the Orthodox bow their heads.
When the service is over, the priest gives a cross for kissing, come up, overshadow yourself with a sign, and touch the shrine with your lips. Usually after that they kiss the priest's hand. At the exit from the temple, you should cross yourself three times, each time with a bow.