The doors of the temple are always open for every Orthodox Christian; he has the right to come there to communicate with God when he feels the need for it. But probably everyone who has visited church before has noticed that sometimes you can get to certain services, or in other words, services, liturgies.
About the author About the book
How can you get there in time for the beginning or even, knowing the exact time of services in the church, include them in your daily schedule? In this article, you will learn all about the different types of services, as well as when and for how long they are performed.
What is worship
The main task of the church is to revive the church life of the country and increase the spirituality of the population. It is for carrying out such work that churches were created in which church services are held. Every day in churches and cathedrals they conduct:
morning, afternoon and evening services.
Believers often ask the question: what time does church service begin? Each parish can set its own time for this event. But in most cases, the following time frames can be taken as a basis:
evening - from 9 pm, vespers and compline, morning - from midnight, matins and 1st hour, daytime - from the 3rd, 6th hour and the Divine Liturgy.
From this it follows that 9 services are performed per day.
Evening service
This service includes the 9th hour, Compline and Vespers. The 9th hour is, as already mentioned, the mortal torment of Christ and His death. Therefore, at this time it is very important to pray; this was mentioned in the Apostolic Decrees. It is not without reason that the 9th hour can be added to both mass and vespers. As a rule, it is performed before Vespers, but it is customary to carry it out with the services of the previous day.
Compline is an evening service performed after the evening meal. It is not always performed, but only during the days of Lent, at Christmas and Epiphany. On other days, they get by with Small Compline, including the “Our Father,” psalms, the Great Doxology, and the canon (but not always).
The evening service in the church can be all-day (held on weekdays), small (performed before all-night vigils) and great (one that takes place on holidays or on Sunday). Great Vespers is the most extensive, it includes many prayers, psalms, poems and other things. Small Vespers is a shortened version of the daily Vespers. It is this, together with Great Vespers, Matins and the first hour, that is called the All-Night Vigil.
Types of services
Regardless of who holds it and in what place, all services are divided into daily, annual and weekly. Full services are held in monasteries, and it is the monks who follow all the canons of the church. The monks fully comply with the rules of church services, but in small churches they are held depending on the schedule created by the ministers.
Each day of the week is celebrated in the church and dedicated to certain moments:
Sunday is Little Easter, on this day the resurrection of Christ is remembered. You can pray to the angels on Monday. John the Baptist hears prayers on Tuesday. On Wednesday they remember the betrayal of Judas and the memory of the Cross. Thursday is considered an apostolic day and is dedicated to St. Nicholas. On Friday, services are held dedicated to prayer for the suffering of Christ. Saturday is dedicated to the Mother of God.
Therefore, if you do not have the opportunity to go to church regularly, then you can read prayers every day, depending on who they will be intended for.
Lent in 2021, what is most important
Lent is a time that in Christianity is called “spiritual spring.” This is a period when we are called to come to our senses and try to return home to the Heavenly Father.
The most important thing for a Christian during Lent is to spend these days very carefully. This is a period of intense work on your internal state. Both abstinence in food and prayer are only the conditions under which our goal - cleansing the soul - is achieved. If possible, you need to come to the temple to pray. It is especially good to listen to the canon of St. Andrew of Crete, which with the depth of repentant thoughts has a very strong effect on the heart and mind. If this is not possible, then there is no need to despair.
It is good to avoid external manifestations of your feat, not to make a downcast face during fasting, etc. Be friendly and calm. At the same time, try to be meek so that no negativity comes from you. One of the signs of incorrect fasting is irritability and anger. And it often manifests itself, especially when there is a struggle between the old and the new man. Therefore, attention (sobriety) is the core around which the entire life of a spiritual person is built. And during fasting, it is imperative to closely observe ourselves: what we say, what we listen to, where we look, what our heart’s thoughts are about. It is most important. It is necessary to understand that Lent is not just some segment of our life’s journey, but an image of our entire life - this is what the holy fathers taught.
While working on yourself, you need to figure out what torments your conscience more, what interferes with your life, what we want to get rid of. And try to make every effort to achieve this through fasting, repentance and prayer.
On the other hand, of course, the duration of fasting resembles a kind of tithe of the year, which we give to God, that is, it is a sacrifice to God. This is where you need to sacrifice.
Service Features
In Orthodox services, much is borrowed from Old Testament times. For example, the beginning of a new day is considered to be not midnight, but 6 pm, which is the reason for holding vespers - the first service of the daily cycle. It recalls the main events of the Sacred History of the Old Testament; we are talking about the creation of the world, the fall of our first parents, the ministry of the prophets and the Mosaic legislation, and Christians give thanks to the Lord for a new day lived.
After this, according to the Church Charter, it is necessary to serve Compline - public prayers for the coming sleep, which speak of the descent of Christ into hell and the liberation of the righteous from it.
At midnight, the 3rd service is supposed to be performed - the midnight service. This service is held with the purpose of reminding of the Last Judgment and the Second Coming of the Savior.
The morning service in the Orthodox Church (Matins) is one of the longest services. It is dedicated to the events and circumstances of the Savior’s earthly life and consists of many prayers of repentance and gratitude.
The first hour is performed around 7 o'clock in the morning. This is a short service about Jesus' presence at the trial of the high priest Caiaphas.
The third hour takes place at 9 am. At this time, the events that took place in the Upper Room of Zion are remembered, when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles, and in Pilate’s praetorium the Savior received a death sentence.
The sixth hour is held at noon. This service is about the time of the Lord's crucifixion. The ninth hour should not be confused with it - the service of His death on the cross, which takes place at three o'clock in the afternoon.
The main divine service and the peculiar center of this daily circle is considered to be the Divine Liturgy or mass, the distinctive feature of which from other services is the opportunity, in addition to memories of God and the earthly life of our Savior, to unite with Him in reality, participating in the sacrament of Communion. The time of this liturgy is from 6 to 9 o’clock until noon before lunch, which is why it was given its second name.
Vespers and Removal of the Shroud
Then, most often at the third hour of the day, at the hour of Christ’s death, in remembrance of the removal of the body of Christ from the cross, Vespers and the removal of the Shroud are performed.
Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Beginning at 14:00 — Assumption Cathedral, Refectory Church
Meaning
In the first centuries of Christianity, Holy and Great Friday was called Easter of the Crucifixion or Easter of the Cross, according to the words of the Apostle Paul: “Our Easter is Christ sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7). Only from the 2nd century did the Easter of the Resurrection, the Easter of common triumph and joy, begin to separate from this Easter.
Good Friday has always been a day of the strictest fasting and sadness, “a day of sorrow on which we fast.” The Apostolic Epistles command those who are able to spend this day in perfect fasting without food. Therefore, on Good Friday, after hours, as a sign of sadness, the Liturgy is not served, but solemn Vespers is celebrated. The beginning of Vespers is timed between 12 and 3 o'clock in the afternoon (that is, between 6 and 9 o'clock, when the crucifixion and death of the Lord Jesus Christ took place). In the middle of the church there is a cross - a crucifix, to which those praying come to venerate. The very first hymns of Vespers take us to the great and terrible moments that took place at Golgotha. What the succession of the Passion was leading to on Friday night is now being fulfilled: “We see a terrible and extraordinary mystery now happening: the Intangible is held; He who freed Adam from the curse is contacted; He who examines (sees through) the hearts and wombs (innermost thoughts) is subjected to an unrighteous test (interrogation); He who closed the abyss shuts himself in prison; Pilate faces the One Who stands before the Heavenly powers with trembling; by the hand of creation the Creator receives a slap in the face; He who judges the living and the dead is condemned to the tree (to death on the cross); in the tomb lies the Destroyer (Conqueror) of hell” (the last stichera on the Lord I cried).
The last dying cry of the Son of God, dying on the cross, pierces our hearts with unbearable pain: My God, be aware of Me, the one you have forsaken Me. The betrayal of Judas, the denial of Peter, the humiliation before Caiaphas, the trial by Pilate and the abandonment of the disciples did not end the suffering of the Son of God. Nailed to the cross, crucified and dying a painful death, He was abandoned by His Heavenly Father. No human word can express this thought: the abandonment of the Only Begotten of the Father by the Son of God. “Without being separated from humanity, the Divine was so hidden in the soul of the Crucified God-Man that His humanity was given over to all the horrors of helpless sorrow” (Archbishop Innocent). True, remaining omnipresent, He was in the grave carnally (flesh), in hell with the soul like God, in paradise with the thief and on the Throne you were, Christ, with the Father and the Spirit, filling everything (filling everything) Indescribable (Unlimited, Ubiquitous). But, despite His omnipresence, His abandonment by God is full of great tragedy, for He, the One of the Holy Trinity, was given the opportunity to experience to the end the entire depth of the underworld and the severity of hellish torment.
The day is approaching evening, and the earthly life of the God-Man is approaching sunset. The entrance is made with the Gospel and somehow the quiet evening song of the Quiet Light (lit. from Greek - pleasant, joyful) is heard in these moments in a particularly comforting way. This Quiet Light, which illuminated the world during Its short earthly life, is now setting. This Quiet Light is the same ineffable light of the Divine that the prophet Moses was privileged to see at Sinai; that unbearable light, after which he had to put a veil over his face, for it shone with rays of glory because God spoke to him. The reading of Exodus speaks of this vision of glory, and the reading of Job that follows again shows the image of Christ in the long-suffering Job, glorified by the Lord for his patience. In the 3rd proverb, the prophet Isaiah prophesies about Christ and gives an image of Him as “a Youth who had neither form nor greatness. His appearance is diminished more than all the sons of men. This one bears our sins and suffers for us. He was wounded for our sins and tortured for our iniquities, the punishment for (the whole) our world was upon Him, and through His suffering we were healed. He is brought to the slaughter like a sheep and like a silent lamb before the shearer, so He does not open His mouth.” Moses and Isaiah enter, as it were, into a spiritual debate, contrasting one with the unspeakable glory, the other with the unspeakable humiliation of the Lord. Both of these extremes are lost in the immensity of the infinite being of God, for the limited human mind is equally incomprehensible as the state of the Lord’s humiliation and His glory.
The Apostle's Prokeimenon proclaims David's prophecy about the death of the Lord and the abandonment of Him by the Father: I have laid Me in the pit of the grave, in the dark places and the shadow of death. And the message of the Apostle Paul is read, resolving the mysterious bewilderment of both prophets and reconciling the glory and dishonor of the Lord with his word about the cross, which is foolishness for those who are perishing, but for... those who are being saved, it is the power of God... because the foolish things of God are wiser than men, and the weak things of God are stronger than men .
Before reading the Gospel, candles are lit and remain lit until the end of the service. The Gospel tells us about the death and burial of the Savior, and the stichera that follows tells about Joseph of Arimathea, who came to wrap a shroud around His most pure Body. And immediately after this, as if news brought from the heavenly world, the verse is heard: The Lord reigns, clothed in beauty. The Lord reigns, although he dies; The Lord reigns, although he descends into hell; The Lord reigns and all-mocking hell (mocking everything) (the next stichera) is horrified at the sight of Him: its shutters are broken, its gates are broken, the tombs are opened and the dead rise, rejoicing. The 2nd and 3rd stichera are dedicated to this mysterious descent of the Lord into hell and His glorification. The last stichera from the highest heights and from the hellish underworld leads us again to the tomb of our Savior. Joseph took him down from the tree with Nicodemus, dressed in light like a robe, and, seeing the dead naked woman unburied, we will accept the compassionate cry, sobbing with the words: Alas for me, sweetest Jesus, Whom the sun, seeing hanging on the cross, was covered with darkness, and the earth shook with fear, and the veil of the church was torn. And now I see You, willingly accepting death for my sake. How will I bury You, my God, and with what shroud will I wrap my arms? With what hands will I touch Your incorruptible body, what songs will I sing to Your exodus, O Generous One? I magnify Your Passion, I will sing songs and Your burial with the Resurrection, crying out: Lord, glory to You; After this song, the clergyman, accompanied by the laity (depicting Joseph with Nicodemus), lifts the Shroud from the Throne and carries it to the middle of the church. During the carrying out of the Shroud, the choir sings the troparion: The noble Joseph took down Your Most Pure Body from the tree, entwining the Shroud with a clean one; and cover the coffin with stinks. At the end of this chant, the Shroud is kissed, around which the breath of angelic wings can already be seen: an Angel appeared to the myrrh-bearing women standing at the tomb, warning them about the incorruption of the Most Pure Body of Christ.
At Compline on Good Friday, which immediately follows Vespers and the Removal of the Shroud, the canon for the Lamentation of the Virgin Mary is read or sung. In it, the Church illuminates the hidden, inner meaning of what the people expressed in the famous folk tale “The Virgin’s Walk through Torment.” In wondrous words, the Church reveals to us that the abandonment of the Son of God by the Father and His descent into hell was shared with Him by His Most Pure Mother. And if history was silent about this and people passed by the Lamb of God, who was ripening the slaughter of Her Lamb, then church poetry today brings to the One whose heart was now pierced by a sharp weapon, the wondrous gift of her songs, a pearl necklace of tears. Troparion of Song 7 says, as if on behalf of the Mother of God: “Take Me now with You, My Son and My God, so that I too may go with You into hell, Master, do not leave Me alone.” “Joy will never touch Me from now on” (troparia of the 9th canto), the Immaculate One said sobbingly. “My light and my joy went into the grave; but not
I’ll leave Him alone, I’ll die here and be buried with Him.” “Heal my spiritual ulcer now, My Child,” the Most Pure One cried with tears. “Resurrect and quench My sorrow - you can do whatever you want, Lord, and do, although you were buried voluntarily.” The Mother of God, who was present with her Son at the wedding in Cana of Galilee and begged Him to turn water into wine, even then believed that Her Divine could create everything
Son, for she said to the servants: “Whatever He tells you, do it.” And now, seeing Him already dead, She knew about the Resurrection of the One about Whom the Archangel Gabriel announced to Her on the day of the Bright Annunciation. And in response to Her faith, “The Lord secretly said to the Mother: “Desiring to save My creation, I wanted to die, but I will rise again and glorify You as the God of heaven and earth.” The canon ends with this mysterious conversation between the Son and Mother.
What time does the festive service in the church begin and end: schedule
You can find approximate times for morning and evening services at the beginning of the article.
Each temple draws up its own schedule of public services, including holiday ones. There is no general schedule for all temples!
As a rule, the Charter prescribes the so-called “all-night vigil” to be served on holidays - a particularly solemn service, which in modern interpretation has retained the division into Vespers and Matins.
In addition, on the days of the twelfths and other major holidays, the Liturgy necessarily takes place, during which believers receive communion.
At the same time, each holiday service has accompanying texts and rituals unique to it, which cannot but affect the duration of the service.
Schedule of liturgies
Churches open early in the morning every day . On major holidays, morning and evening liturgies are required, and on some, like Easter and Epiphany, services take place even at night.
Work as a courier at Yandex.Eda (up to 3,400 rubles per shift) leave a request →
For a more precise answer to the question of what time this or that service begins, you can check with the clergy of the temple you are going to visit, since each church has an individual order and duration of liturgies.
The need to visit the temple
Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who came to earth for our sake, founded the Church, where everything necessary for eternal life is present to this day and invisibly. Where “the invisible Heavenly Powers serve for us,” they say in Orthodox chants, “Where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am among them,” is written in the Gospel (chapter 18, verse 20, Gospel of Matthew), - this is what the Lord said to the apostles and everyone who believes in Him, therefore people lose the invisible presence of Christ during services in the temple if they do not come there.
An even greater sin is committed by parents who do not care about their children serving the Lord. Let us remember the words of our Savior from Scripture: “Let your children go and do not hinder them from coming to Me, for for them is the Kingdom of Heaven.” The Lord also tells us: “Man shall not live by bread, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (chapter 4, verse 4 and chapter 19, verse 14, the same Gospel of Matthew).
Spiritual food is also necessary for the human soul, just like bodily food to maintain strength. And where will a person hear God’s word, if not in the temple? After all, there, among those who believe in him, the Lord himself dwells. After all, it is there that the teaching of the apostles and prophets is preached, who spoke and predicted at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, there is the teaching of Christ Himself, who is the true Life, Wisdom, Way and Light, who enlightens every parishioner coming into the world. The temple is heaven on our earth.
The services that take place there, according to the Lord, are the works of angels. By undergoing teaching in a church, temple or cathedral, Christians receive God's blessing, which contributes to success in good deeds and endeavors.
“You will hear the church bell ringing, calling for prayer, and your conscience will tell you that you need to go to the house of the Lord. Go and, if you can, put all your affairs aside and hurry to God’s Church,” advises Theophan the Recluse, a saint of Orthodoxy, “Know that your Guardian Angel is calling you under the roof of the House of the Lord; it is he, your celestial being, who reminds you of earthly Heaven, so that there you can sanctify your soul with the grace of Christ and delight your heart with heavenly consolation; and, who knows what will happen? “Perhaps he is also calling you there in order to ward off temptation from you, which cannot be avoided in any way, because if you stay at home, there will be no shelter for you under the canopy of the Lord’s house from the great danger...”
A Christian in church learns the Heavenly wisdom that the Son of God brings to earth. He learns the details of the life of his Savior, and becomes acquainted with the teachings and lives of the saints of God, and takes part in church prayer. And congregational prayer is a great power! And there are examples of this in history. When the apostles were awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit, they were in unanimous prayer. Therefore, in the church, in the depths of our souls, we expect that the Holy Spirit will come to us. This happens, but only if we do not create obstacles for this. For example, insufficient openness of heart can prevent parishioners from uniting believers when reading prayers.
In our time, unfortunately, this happens quite often, since believers behave incorrectly, including in church, and the reason for this is ignorance of the truth of the Lord. The Lord knows our thoughts and feelings. He will not abandon someone who sincerely believes in him, as well as a person in need of communion and repentance, so the doors of God’s house are always open to parishioners.
Liturgy and Communion - what is the difference?
Liturgy is the name of a church service, and communion is the reception (with proper preparation) of the holy gifts. Communion is like a fresh new shirt - you can’t put it on a dirty body. Communion is given as a reward for fasting and intensive reading of prayers.
1. How to prepare correctly for the church service on Sunday (for the Liturgy) if you want to receive communion?
If you decide to visit the temple on Sunday “in full”, then you should prepare in advance. The Sunday morning “strongest” service in the church is called Liturgy (when they receive communion, that is, the priest gives “the blood and body of Christ” = a piece of bread in wine). We can talk a lot about the benefits of communion, but here we will talk about how to prepare for it:
- You need to prepare a couple of days in advance.
— You must fast at least Friday and Saturday: do not eat animal food, do not sin: do not drink alcohol, do not engage in “marital intimacy,” try not to swear, do not offend or be offended. - on Saturday, read 3 canons at night (it will take about 40 minutes) (the canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ, the canon of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos, the canon to the Guardian Angel) + another 35 minutes “Following to Holy Communion.” - in the evening you should also read prayers for the coming sleep (about 20 minutes) - after midnight, do not eat, drink or smoke, that is, go to bed until 00-00.
2.When should I come to church before the Sunday morning service (Liturgy)? When does Sunday morning service start?
Liturgy and Communion
We arrive at church around 7-20 (but better check the schedule). Until this time you need to: - be strictly on an empty stomach, incl. no smoking. You can only brush your teeth, and then try not to swallow anything. – read the morning rule (min 15-20)
In the church itself? when the Liturgy and Communion take place:
— we write notes for health and peace (simple ones are possible) — we come up and kiss the central icon. — we put candles on whoever we want (I usually put 3 candles: on the main candlestick, on the saint’s wish and for the repose).
There is no need to light candles during the service itself, as this distracts everyone.
— We take our place in line for confession. It usually starts at 7:30 (again, check the schedule of services in your church). Let's confess. — we take a place: men on the right side of the temple, women on the left. — The liturgy lasts about 2 hours. All this time we listen to prayers, think “about life, what we did wrong where” and all the time we repeat “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.”
Time usually passes quickly during Liturgy and Communion.
Liturgy takeaway
-When everyone began to read the “Creed”, it means that soon there will be communion itself. — When everyone began to read the “Our Father,” it means that communion will be held very soon. — When the priest brings out 2 large bowls for the first time, we simply bow our heads. — When the priest brings out the small cup (it contains communion), we bow and kneel. — They can carry alms trays around the church. Donate as much money as you like there.
3.What to do during the communion itself?
- Communion: first, small children receive communion, then men, then women. Only those who have prepared correctly have the right to receive communion. Don't anger God. — When approaching communion, we cross our arms over our chests (right at the top). We approach the bowl as close as possible. We do not cross ourselves, so as not to touch the thicket. We say the name, open our mouth, eat Communion from a spoon, let ourselves be wiped, kiss the cup and go eat and drink. — On a special table we take a small cup of water and a piece of prosphora. They eat and drink so that the pieces of Communion get completely inside and do not accidentally fly out with saliva or something else. It’s better to drink it first and then eat the prosphora. — We wait until the end of the service to kiss the cross. The priest can say “Participants, listen to the words of the prayer of thanksgiving” - then let’s go listen to the prayer. If this does not happen, then at home we read “Prayers of Thanksgiving for Holy Communion.”
4.What to do after receiving Holy Communion?
- we no longer kneel anywhere: neither in front of the icons, nor in the rest of the service - we wait for the end of the service and kiss the priest’s cross. - we read prayers of thanksgiving for Holy Communion - we can go home. Immediately after communion, do not immediately smoke or drink alcohol (at least eat normally first). Do not desecrate the Sacrament.
Why is worship in a temple necessary?
There are many places in the Bible that mention that a believer should attend Divine services. This is necessary not so much for God as for man himself. God needs nothing; He gives life and breath. The main purpose of the church is to fulfill the great plan of the Creator, that is, to fill everything around with the knowledge of the glory of God. And only if all believers unite, this plan can be realized. In return, Christians receive support, joy, and encouragement—both from God and from each other. Worship services bring people together, they are strengthened by faith in each other. Briefly, the goals of attending Divine services can be called:
- Communication. Moreover, this is a rather specific communication, when all the people present feel like brothers and sisters.
- Prayer, especially communal prayer, is very productive and has enormous power.
- Sermons read in the temple. This is an inexhaustible source of spiritual food for man.
- Singing prayers and psalms, again, is especially common. This is a kind of cleansing.
How is a church service held?
The main service of the day is the Divine Liturgy. During it, they remember not only the worldly life of Christ, but also offer to unite with him during the Sacrament of Communion. In terms of time, it must be done between the 6th and 9th hour before noon. It is also called mass.
The Sunday service in the church is mainly held once and is called the Eucharistic. The morning ceremony is held before her. There is no pause between them, one follows the other.
There are certain changes that have occurred in church life. The main adjustments took place in the Charter. Compline in parish churches is held only during Lent, and the Midnight Office is held only once a year before Easter. Very rarely, a service is also held, which is called the 9th hour. The other 6 services are combined into two groups of three.
In the evening, they spend one after another, first the evening, then the morning and the 1st hour. On the eve of holidays and Sundays, all these services are combined into one and served together, which is called the all-night vigil. In parish churches such services last from 2 to 4 hours, and in monasteries – 3-6 hours.
Must read: Is it possible for Orthodox godfathers to marry?
In the morning, the 3rd, 6th hours and the Divine Liturgy take place alternately. If there are a large number of parishioners in the church, then two liturgies may be held: early and late. Both last about an hour.
On those days when liturgy is prohibited, an image is served. This is the name for a service that includes several chants. But they are not considered to be independent services.
According to church rules, divine services also include:
reading akathists in church, conducting all rituals and sacraments, reading morning and evening prayers, stipulating the rules of preparation for Holy Communion.
In addition to holding morning or evening services, as well as hours, special services can be held according to the needs of believers. They are called requirements. This could be: Baptism, Unction, Wedding, Funeral service.
Typically, services are held in churches and only by clergy. Believers take part in them only by reading prayers and singing.
Whether to go to church for services or not is an individual decision for everyone. Many people say that it is better to go to church on weekdays. Fewer people and the priest will be able to devote more time to the parishioners. But for services on Saturday in church, Sunday or a holiday, the number of people increases and does not provide such an opportunity for privacy.
The Lord is always with you!
When does the Easter service begin in Moscow and St. Petersburg?
The Easter service in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior will begin at 23:00 Moscow time. As for the Northern capital, in St. Petersburg the most important one will be the Easter service in St. Isaac's Cathedral.
The Easter service is a very important stage not only for parishioners, but also for the church ministers themselves. After all, the event that gave rise to this holiday changed the course of history and gave direction to the Orthodox faith for thousands of years to come. And it is in the temple that you can feel the importance of the fact that Jesus Christ has risen. As soon as midnight comes and the necessary preparations are made, hundreds of candles are lit in churches, and at this time a miracle occurs in Jerusalem - the Holy Fire descends on the believers.
Usually services end around three or four o'clock in the morning. And after that, to the sound of bells, the believers loudly shout to each other that Christ is Risen, kiss, exchange colored eggs, distribute them to the poor, and then go home to eat the blessed eggs, meat and Easter cakes. After this, believers can go to bed and eat consecrated food again the next morning. Easter is celebrated for seven days, so even then, in the week after the holiday, each person can come to the beautifully decorated temple to rejoice and pray again.
Comments
Church services on weekdays
Believers visit the temple not only on Saturday or Sunday, but also on weekdays. You can go to church when it is convenient for the believer. At the same time, a Christian parish should always be open. The daily cycle of services is divided into 9 different parts, and includes :
The circle starts at 18:00. Compline is the reading of prayers in the evening. From 12:00 at night there is a midnight office. Matins is divided into the following: the first hour - from 7:00, the third hour - from 9:00, the sixth hour - from 12:00, the ninth hour from 15:00.
Liturgy held from 6:00, 9:00 and until 12:00 is not included in the daily circle of church services. Speaking of ideal worship, every temple should be open at this time, and all of the listed services should be held.
The specifics of their implementation depend solely on the chief priest of the church. In villages, early and late readings of prayers occur only in large churches.
About Sunday service
Become a courier of the Yandex.Food service right now (up to 3,400 rubles per shift) leave a request →
As already mentioned, on Sunday we remember the resurrection of Christ. Matins lasts longer than on a weekday - about three hours. Immediately after it comes the Eucharistic service or Communion - the reunification of the spiritual and physical body with the Lord. The evening service lasts longer and is called great . On this day there are also a large number of parishioners in churches.
How to behave during communion
In order not to miss the start of the church service on Sunday, you need to come to the church early, around 7.30. Until this time, you should not eat or smoke. There is a certain procedure for visiting .
Read the rules that hang on the temple information board; they are intended for parishioners. Write notes about health and peace. Kiss the central icon. Light candles for those you care about and are close to (it is not recommended to do this during a service, as your actions may distract everyone). Take a place for communion and confession: men stand on the right side of the hall, and women on the left. Throughout the liturgy (it lasts about 2 hours), you need to listen to prayers, think about your wrong actions and repeat after the priest “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” When the communion begins, you need to cross your arms over your chest so that your right one is on top. When the priest brings out the two large bowls, bow your head, and when he brings out the small bowl, bow and kneel, say the name, open your mouth, eat what the priest gives you and wait until he wipes you, then kiss the bowl. When the alms trays are brought out, you can make a donation. Be sure to wait until the end of the service and the priest will allow you to kiss the cross.
After communion, do not under any circumstances rush to get what you want , that is, get high on a cigarette and so on, do not desecrate the communion. It is recommended to know moderation in everything and read grace-filled prayers for several days so as not to desecrate this service.
Behavior rules
When going to church in general and to Divine services in particular, you should remember that the temple is a special world with its own charter and rules. The norms of behavior there are quite strict, which can somewhat frighten people who have not previously visited this place or have done so very rarely.
- Before attending a service, it is better to refuse to eat, because every church sacrament is performed on an empty stomach.
- The most important thing even when simply visiting church, not to mention worship, is neatness in clothing. This concept should not be confused with high cost from a material point of view. All existing decorations should not attract outside attention. Accuracy and only this is important - this is a kind of tribute to the Lord. And this applies to both women and men. Clothes in light colors are most welcome, except, of course, for mournful events - in this case, only dark ones.
- It is advisable for men to avoid clothing that exposes their limbs - T-shirts and shorts; it is advisable for these parts to be covered. When visiting a temple, it is better for men to avoid bright colors, inscriptions, and holes in clothes. A man's head is always uncovered in church.
- Approximately the same rules apply to women. It is also important that the clothes are not too tight. The woman’s head, on the contrary, is covered - this is also considered a sign of respect for God.
- Before entering, a person must look at the cross located on the door and cross himself three times, accompanying this action with bows. In the vestibule, which is located behind the doors of the temple, you need to do this procedure again, and then you can enter the temple itself.
- You can choose any place for yourself with only one rule: women stand on the left, men on the right. In addition, the main passage should not be blocked. If there are benches, then you need to understand that they are created for those who cannot withstand the service - the disabled, children, the elderly. You need to sit on the bench modestly, not spread out and take up as little space as possible. You cannot stand or sit with your back to the altar. Mobile devices are not allowed, so this must be taken care of in advance.
- There is no need to keep your hands in your pockets, cross them on your chest or behind your back in church. You can’t jostle, talk loudly - in general it’s better to maintain complete silence.
- It is better to come to the service in advance; this time will be spent lighting candles, venerating icons, and submitting notes.
- If there is a small child in the church and the parents cannot get proper behavior from him, then it would be better to remove him so as not to violate the sacrament and not create problems for other parishioners.
- You should not leave the temple before the service ends. It’s not too easy to endure it all, because the evening service in church can take up to 3 hours, but it’s worth being patient. If there are compelling reasons to leave the church before the end of the service, then this should be done as discreetly as possible. The priest will tell you how long this or that sacrament lasts if you ask him in advance.
- Sometimes there is nowhere to place the candle. In this case, you can simply put the candle next to it; it will definitely be placed as soon as there is room in the candlestick.
A lot of questions arise about whether women can attend church on menstrual days. There is no prohibition; it is only recommended, if possible, to refuse to participate in the sacraments, and simply come to pray and light candles.
Not everyone knows where they put which candles, and this is very important. There is no doubt that they are placed before the faces of saints for their health. For candles for the repose there is a memorial table, which is a candlestick with a crucifix. Many people want to submit notes - they are handed over to the ministers, who, in turn, will forward them to the priest.
When leaving the temple, they also cross themselves 3 times, standing facing the facade. All these same rules must be followed when visiting monasteries.
