Questions for Father
Hello! Two days ago I confessed and received communion with my daughter and sister. The next day, the three of us had a temperature of 38-39 all day, aching bones, vomiting and diarrhea. Today, none of them are showing any signs of ill health. Could this health situation be somehow related to our going to church? Thank you ...
Asked by: Elena, Bryansk, religion: Orthodoxy
Hello, father. It is very important to know your opinion. Now in the modern world, and in particular in modern psychology, there is and even prevails the opinion that “black and white thinking” is bad. That is, it is believed that there is neither absolute good nor absolute evil. Everything is relative. Probably many have heard this phrase. For one...
Asked by: Yuri, St. Petersburg, religion: Orthodoxy
Hello, father. I stopped loving football, what can I do to fall in love with football again? Answer please.
Asked by: Ivan, Rostov-on-Don
Hello, father. How to get rid of anger? What is the difference between self-criticism and repentance? How to repent correctly if you can only get to confession in a few days? I have the sin of anger, which I can’t get rid of, periodically I fall into it and it’s very difficult to stop, despite the fact that I understand how...
Asks: Ekaterina, Moscow, religion: Orthodoxy
Hello. Lately, I have been very afraid that when our family is in a difficult financial situation, my mother will force me to sleep with someone for money. I do not want it. Could God want this for me?
Asked by: Maria
Hello, please advise what is my problem. Every time I take a new job, I try to maintain peace even with those who do not welcome me and judge me. But it always turns out that I belittle myself because I’m afraid of offending someone. I try to treat kindly even those whom my superiors don’t like, and as a result...
Asked by: Nadezhda
Hello, father. When a person loses consciousness, he seems to fall out of life, does not feel or understand anything. But how does a person get to heaven or hell if with death he loses his breath and consciousness, or does a person still have consciousness when he dies?
Asked by: Photinia
Hello, father! My child is 1.5 years old. I don’t always manage to read morning prayers and bedtime prayers for the future. Is this a sin or is it permissible not to read them in this case? Thank you for your reply.
Asked by: Anna, Kyiv
Hello, father, In the book of Archpriest Valentin Biryukov “We are just learning to live on earth,” one of the stories says that a lot of sick people go to church and everyone is given advice - to confess, take communion and read the 90th 40 times every day psalm. This psalm is a very powerful prayer, and has special power to protect...
Asks: Tatyana, Rezh, religion: Orthodoxy
Hello! My boyfriend began to be tormented by some incomprehensible feeling of guilt, he began to tell me that our whole life comes down only to physical intimacy, love is leaving. I’m trying to explain to him that carnal love is an expression of spiritual love, and there’s absolutely nothing special about it, we’re young, he’s 24, I’m 23. He became close to...
Asked by: Varvara
Father, bless! I’ve been going to church for 10 years, but lately something has been happening to me. When I’m at a service or just visiting holy places, I feel some kind of anxiety, my heart is pounding, and it seems to me that I’m going to run away from the church or something is going to happen to me. We were in Sergiev Posad and stood at the relics of the saint...
Asked by: Alexandra, Voronezh, religion: Orthodoxy
Hello, father! I'm unlucky in life, I'm talking about external, financial, everyday things. Only in the second half of my life did I have my own home (inheritance). The desire to equip and ennoble it always faces some obstacles - no money, the husband’s absolute reluctance to do anything. I try to support myself somehow...
Asked by: Olga Pavlovna, Smolensk, religion: Orthodoxy
01/08/18 Mon 23:25 - Russian wanderer
The Russian Wanderer answers
Dear Gregory! Merry Christmas!
It’s even strange that in 6 years you have not come across the knowledge of the Church about the Invoking Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was She who acted in you for a whole year, She filled you and worked miracles.
And you don’t know about the next period of a Christian's life- as if "Forsakenness", about the period of impoverishment of faith. This is how it happens that God hides His help for a while and tests a person’s DETERMINATION to follow His path already in the conditions of ordinary human life. Where is waiting for those good seeds that were sown by His Grace to germinate and grow.
The saint of the 20th century, the Monk Joseph the Hesychast, knew all this well and is talking about exactly this.
Father Anatoly Garmaev has an excellent large book “WAYS AND MISTAKES OF NOVICES ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS (CONVERSATIONS ON A PILGRIMAGE VOYAGE)”
(http://zavet.ru/garmaev/ways.htm#01), describing in detail all the main periods of Christian life IN ORTHODOXY.
People also have a different format of religious life - only human, without the wonderful period of action of the Invoking Grace of the Holy Spirit. There are quite a few such people and they do not understand how it is to LIVE in the GRACE of Jesus Christ.
You, thank God, know! Therefore, read the book of Father Anatoly, and calmly, without despondency, continue your path to God.
01/29/18 Mon 23:23 - Archpriest Anatoly Garmaev
Answered by the priest of the Russian Orthodox Church MP Archpriest Anatoly (Garmaev)
Peace to you. Archpriest Anatoly Garmaev
10.01.18 Wed 20:35 - Anonymous
Anything is possible, I don't dispute it
Anything is possible, I don't dispute it. Maybe a visit, maybe an admission.
I miss the state, but I don’t strive and I understand that we live not by feelings, but by faith.
I just want to be pleasing to God, but without God I can’t do anything, that’s why I have sorrow.
Because of this, Seraphim of Sarov knelt on a stone for a thousand days and nights. Silouan of Athos writes about something similar. After I turned to God with repentance, I changed dramatically. If I stopped drinking, smoking, swearing, removed all dirty (at that time in my opinion) music, threw out everything related to horoscopes, gave up dishonest earnings, began to read only Christian literature (Isaac the Syrian, Theophan the Recluse, Paisius the Svyatogorets, Ignatius Brianchaninov, Philokalia...).
Was it really not from God? Is there really nothing but beauty all around?
Moreover, I see not angels, but my sins.
Sorry, I didn't want to disturb anyone, it was necessity. But the fact of the matter is that in the first 2-3 years, Grace is so strong that it drives away all inclinations to sin.
“Wasn’t it really from God? Is there really nothing but beauty all around? Moreover, I see not angels, but my sins.”
- Go to Father Anatoly’s community (in Volgograd), live there for a little while, at least a month.
And everything will become clear what happened - maybe a visit.
Here is a wonderful ascetic, Elder Sophrony (Sakharov), was for two whole years the confessor of the Athonite Greek monastery of St. Paul of Xiropotamia. He lived in a cave 3-4 km from the monastery. When it rained, there was water in the cave, flowing from everywhere, he hung a sheet of tin above him in the cave so as not to be completely wet. And that’s where the Greek monks went to him for confession. They respected him very much, seeing his holy life and the gifts of the Holy Spirit on him. And in those days (1930s) on the Holy Mountain there were many simpleton monks, overshadowed by the Grace of the Holy Spirit, and often seeing the uncreated light. But in their simplicity, they did not know this, which protected them from pride and vanity.
So, Elder Sophrony (Sakharov) shares this spiritual technique:
- If God does not reveal (with accuracy) what happened to the spiritual child: visitation or permission. So I say this: “Repent, this was not permission from God.”
And if the monk immediately repented in simplicity and tried to forget and discard this memory, then this is a GOOD SIGN. For those who are seduced usually firmly stand their ground, saying that there was a visitation from God!
So since they responded and were not indignant, and quite calmly, then there is a good chance that there was a visit. But it’s better to undergo an “offline diagnosis”, plunging into the life of the community. In the closed space of the community, everything secret will come out quite soon.
And, of course, it is important to find out what happened and what is now. Treatment varies significantly...
Sorry!
11.01.18 Thu 22:41 - Anonymous
Insanity - I didn’t have such thoughts (in the primitive sense), sorry!
By the way, maybe you don’t know, a very good book was published in 2015 "Birds of the Sky" Simeon of Athos, 2 volumes. This is the diary of Monk Simon, and a very wonderful diary. You can also buy or download it online.
01/12/18 Fri 23:33 - Anonymous
Simeon of Athos.
Thank you, I will definitely find this book. Silouan of Athos has another interesting book, “Why We Are Not Gods.” And about mental disorders, I turned to Fr. Anatoly. But that's not the point. Once upon a time God showed me His love and now without this love I am nobody and nothing. I seek God as He is my life. It’s like you’re thirsty and there’s water in front of you, and you see it, but it’s still drawn in the picture. Well, something like this. So I pester everyone, what if someone shares their experience that was not depicted. Thank you for everything, you are a kind person. May God bless you and your ministry.
02/12/18 Mon 12:50 - Priest Sergius
Sorry, I'm interfering.
From the correspondence we managed to understand only one thing - they are trying to explain to the person that what happened to him was wonderful. And the person is trying to prove that it was a real miracle. Did I understand correctly?
If I understand correctly, I will not agree with either the person who defends his point of view, or with those who are trying to prove the opposite. Visits, no matter who they come from, are real, and a person experiences this state quite realistically. Another person does not see this reality that a person has experienced, so he tries to explain it as he understands. Often this is not what actually happened. The difference is in the little things, but it's not the same. Therefore, a person tries to prove his point. Both are wrong, because in proving something, both are moving away from reality, because they need to come up with an argument to justify their point of view.
I also had a “visit”, after which I became so insignificant that I don’t know what to do now. There was no awareness of the forgiveness of sins, but there was an awareness of my unworthiness so much that my life seemed to continue only by the grace of God. It feels like they crushed you, but left you to live. There was another experience that I was embarrassed to express out loud, but St. Silouan of Athos revealed it to me when I read his life and his sayings. “When a person is in the Holy Spirit, he loves everyone, he has no enemies,” I experienced this love, of course, as much as I could perceive it. I know her now, and that has kept me going over the years. Now more than 20 years have passed since that event, but it still warms me and does not allow me to weaken.
So, my advice to you is, don’t ask anyone what it was? Nobody will tell you this. Continue to stubbornly seek God the Father, but do not expect His visit, otherwise He may come. I hope you understand who. You must look for Him in your heart, when your heart is open to help those near and far. Try not to be alone, even when you are alone, at this moment be with God, or at least before Him, thinking, for example, about the Gospel stories. Do not forget about cleansing your heart at Confession so that there is no doubt, envy, anger, etc. in it. And do not forget about the fulfillment of the New Testament. Then you will understand everything yourself.
04/16/18 Mon 21:58 - Anonymous
Invoking Grace
Hello! I read Father Anatoly Garmaev’s answer to your cry from the heart, and I was very upset, that’s why I’m writing. I just can't remain silent. I will not give examples of quotes from St. Feofana, I’ll just say that I understand you very much, I myself experienced the touch of God, being an absolutely unbelieving person at the age of 19. And for almost 20 years after that I was in the state that you describe (despondency, hardship, etc.) And always, no matter how difficult it was, I remembered WHAT the Lord once gave in my heart. And this gave me strength to go and go...
You know, I (unfortunately) also had to go through communication with the “young age”... Its main feature is categorical judgments. I won't stop here either. And you know, when after 20 years of “ordeal” the Lord returned everything to me in EXCESS, then, having crushed my whole being into “I am dust and ashes,” I regretted only one thing: LACK OF FAITH and doubt in the promises of God during these years of trials. I felt so SHAMEFUL, impossibly ashamed before the Merciful God, that there were moments of despondency, doubt, trust in the one who said: “This is all from the evil one”... That this trust in a clergyman outweighed my faith in God for several years, who called me, sinful, from simple non-existence, from dirt, from petrified life... And if I knew what the Lord was preparing for me, if I firmly believed in Him, then it would have happened earlier - now I know this for sure.
I don’t know your name (I even started praying for you when I read the correspondence), but I have one piece of advice for you. Always remember the phrase that Fr. John (Krestyankin) repeated, as if blessing his mother: “God will not do anything bad.”
Second: pray to your Guardian Angel (pray every day, read the akathist to him every day!). He is responsible for you before God. You can’t imagine how qualitatively everything will change when you start constantly calling on him! It will change immediately, believe me.
And lastly: remember that priests are people too, and they can make mistakes, just simple mistakes. Go to church, confess, take communion more often.
And always keep in your heart this touch of God, this Invoking Grace. You will not forget it, it is impossible to forget.
And the fact that you have been allowed a painful, seemingly graceless state is a test of your FAITH. As they say, as much grief as a person can endure, there is only so much happiness he can contain... Christ is Risen!!!
04/17/18 Tue 22:45 - Anonymous
Hello
Truly Risen! Thank you very much for your message and concern. During this time, I never found a reason why everything happened this way. He burned so much, loved so much, everything was Christian, and then suddenly there was emptiness. I didn’t think, I didn’t ask, nothing.
And today I remembered an incident after your letter, although I also thought about this before, because... tried everything possible. I didn’t do biometrics, but I contacted the bank. I wanted to get a bank card for the convenience of money transfers. Before entering the bank, I turn to God, whether I need it or not. When I opened the door to the bank, my phone rang. This was my brother. He said he fell off a stool and broke his arm. I didn't get to the bank that day. The fracture was very bad, I had to put a plate in my arm, my brother still walks with it.
But a week or a month passed and I silently went and applied for a Privatbank card. They also gave me a credit card.
A few years later I closed these cards and broke up with the bank, but not for long, about two years.
Recently I again applied for services from the bank and I regret it, I want to pay off the credit card and not even think about it anymore. I don’t know what’s next, I miss God, but it’s as if He hid His face from me. I had communication with God, I knew that He was nearby.
Thank you for everything. Sorry if something is wrong. Christ is risen!
04/18/18 Wed 10:38 - Anonymous
Truly Christ is Risen!
Grigory, yes, there is nothing good in cards and banks, I agree. As a family, we abandoned them, and we don’t need any worldly convenience - such inner freedom has arrived..
Now to your letter. There is one point I will note. I would venture to guess: you go to Orthodox church infrequently, receive communion less than once every three weeks, do not know the annual cycle of church holidays (not with the knowledge of your mind, but with your little legs) go to church for services every Sunday, all twelfth holidays and great ones, if possible . So? Do you know why this assumption is made? A church person, in any case, one who has been going to church without fail for six years after his conversion to God, will not respond the way you responded to the Easter greeting. And he answers in Church Slavonic: Truly He is Risen!!! This goes without saying, naturally. And you speak like a secular person: Christ is Risen.
Gregory, look for God in an Orthodox church (while you can still go to churches, while there are Orthodox churches left where they serve according to the canons and there are no modernist changes, until our churches are Catholicized), appreciate the opportunity every Saturday evening and Sunday at the Liturgy to be at the greatest land of the Last Supper, which our Lord Jesus Christ celebrates! Do not lose the opportunity to take communion; this must be done at least once every three weeks. According to the canons of the Church, a person who has not received communion on more than three Sundays in a row excludes himself from the Body of the Church. And we also need to repent of this - that we have not received communion for more than three Sunday Liturgies in a row. You are looking for God, but He Himself is waiting for you every Sunday at Communion!
If you, having sincerely confessed, take communion regularly, then HOW can you not feel God? We must work now, work with all our might. Grace was given to you in advance seven years ago, just like that. Not by business, but by Love. It was given so that you would now seek God, seek Him where He put it on your heart - in the temple.
“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been in need, and the needy has caught it up” (Gospel of Matthew, 11, 12). And He will answer - answer in the heart.
Not on the Internet, not in philosophical conversations, but in those places where He is present - in the temple, in the hospital, in prison, where people suffer hardships and are waiting for help. Help the homeless, feed the hungry... Especially now, before the Ascension - when the Lord literally walks the earth, when through any person He can Himself test us for our mercy, our faith. I speak from experience - by helping our neighbor who is suffering hardship (no matter who he is - a Muslim, an atheist, or anyone) - we heal the wounds of the Evangelical poor man who has fallen into the hands of robbers. And the Lord literally “washes” our heart with His Grace. While you are alive, you have the opportunity to do this.
You yearn for God - this means your soul is alive - now DO AND BELIEVE. Have you heard the audio “The Vision-Dream of a Woman in 1994 (Revelation N)” in five parts? If you haven't heard, here's a short summary.
"In 1994, one woman, a Muscovite (who decided not to name herself), was shown a dream-vision in which she lived her future life in one night. In one night she became a believer, Orthodox. She was shown by the Lord what was likely to await us all in the near future. In particular, about the third world war, about an asteroid on America, about climate change in the world, about the real Resurrection of Elder Seraphim of Sarov, about the flood in St. Petersburg, about the flooding of the metro in Moscow, and about much more. Her vision coincides with the prophecy of many saints who lived in the past.
The recording was made public at the beginning of 2013, with the blessing of Archimandrite Seraphim (Stoyanov)".
Listen to the 4th part - about the Last Judgment. This woman was shown the Last Judgment - how all earthly generations stood in childbirth at the last Judgment. Why exactly this is what I recommend listening to - it is clearly conveyed to us to the point of piercingness - WHAT our deeds will intercede for us before God at the last Judgment, when we will no longer be able to do ANYTHING - neither justify ourselves, nor escape from this...
My letter is big, but it’s so easy on my heart)). CHRIST IS RISEN!!!
Hello, father! I would like to know: from the Sermon on the Mount we know, “let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing!” (Matthew 6:3), the elders also said: “... do not share the secret of your charity. A good deed is a rarity in this world, and that is why it must be cherished like the apple of one’s eye. Don't praise yourself for doing good things. Pride will immediately see and take away all the good that came as a result of this charity...”
And if you need help distributing a repost and time is pressing, why not use social networks for practically good purposes? Is it possible to repost about financial assistance to those in need on social networks?
Best regards, Larisa
Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko answers:
Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko
Hello, Larisa!
Yes, of course, you can repost. And there is no contradiction here: after all, a repost is simply posting a request for help, and not a story about how you personally helped in this or that case, not a boast about how much you yourself donated; that is, you don’t talk about your personal participation in helping, don’t boast about it, don’t be proud. Of course, reposting is also a help, but it requires such minimal effort from the person personally that it is unlikely that anyone expects special praise or rewards for the repost, right?
But there is another important point here. Very often, social networks are used by scammers. Therefore, it is important to repost not all requests in a row, but either from people you personally know, or advertisements for help from those sites that specialize in charitable activities and carefully check each request before posting information (for example, the Orthodoxy and Peace charity foundation ", website "Miloserdie.ru", etc.).
About how to identify scammers hiding behind charitable activities.
Sincerely, Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko
2. Is it possible to bet on sports in bookmakers?
Good evening! Tell me, please, is it possible to bet on sports in bookmakers? After all, the Church blesses athletes to compete in the Olympic Games, and athletes receive money for their play and victories, which they can then donate to the temple. For example, Svetlana Kuznetsova, a tennis player, donated almost one million dollars from her tournament winnings to the temple several years ago.
Priest Antony Skrynnikov answers:
Hello, Alexey!
I am sure that it is not proper for Christians to do this. However, the comparison between a person who plays sports and bets on sports is not justified. Holy Scripture tells us about the need to work to earn our living. Betting on sports can hardly be called necessary and useful work, which, moreover, is associated with the passion of gambling.
Sincerely, priest Antony Skrynnikov
3. Is it possible to put an icon on the phone screensaver?
Is it possible to put an icon on the screensaver of your phone? Svetlana.
Hello Svetlana!
I think you shouldn't do this. A screensaver is a regular background image, a pleasant picture or photograph that pleases the eye when you turn on the phone. It would be inappropriate to place an icon there. You shouldn’t turn your phone into a red corner, everything has its place.
4. How does Orthodoxy relate to e-sports and computer games in general, if they devote little time to them?
How does Orthodoxy relate to e-sports and computer games in general, if a little time is devoted to them, it does not harm a person’s family relationships and he knows how to separate the real from the virtual? Georgy.
Priest Igor Dudko answers:
Hello, Georgy!
“A little time” is a relative concept. For some this means an hour a day, but for others even 3 hours is not enough. In this situation, a person must have for himself a measure of whether he is spiritually, intellectually and physically perfect enough to devote his free time to computer games. The decision is up to you.
Sincerely, priest Igor Dudko
5. What prayer should I read for my friend to quit smoking?
Priest Dionysius Svechnikov answers:
Hello, Nadezhda!
Why do you think that prayer is a magic wand, with the wave of which a friend will quit smoking? Prayer is an appeal to God, a request for help. If your friend wants to quit smoking and makes efforts to do so, then you should pray for God’s help. To her about herself first of all. You can use your own words.
Sincerely, priest Dionisy Svechnikov
6. I would like to know the position of the Russian Orthodox Church regarding the names of the planets of the solar system, since they are non-Christian
Good afternoon I would like to know the position of the Russian Orthodox Church regarding the names of the planets of the solar system, since they are non-Christian. How does the Church propose to name the planets? Does the Church have names for the planets instead of those that are known to most? Thank you. Svyatoslav.
Priest Anthony Lynov
Hello, Svyatoslav!
The Russian Orthodox Church did not consider the issue of the names of the planets. They have already firmly entered into scientific use, centuries ago, and no alternative names have been introduced. On the other hand, the Church, which relies on the Holy Scriptures, has always, in polemics with pagan ideas, recalled the lines from the book of Genesis:
- And God said: Let there be lights in the expanse of the heaven to separate the day from the night, and for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years;
- and let them be lamps in the firmament of the heaven to give light on the earth. And so it became.
- And God created two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night, and the stars;
- and God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light on the earth,
- and to rule the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
(Genesis 1:14-18)
That is, as one theologian accurately said, the luminaries are not the habitat of some gods and not their embodiment, but simply lighting and warning systems created by God the Creator for people. And Christians pray to God the Creator, Who contains the entire Universe with His power. And the remaining Roman names do not carry anything dangerous, but simply remind us of the pagan errors of the past at a certain stage in the historical path of mankind.
7. Is it possible to obtain a biometric passport?
She got married and took her husband’s last name, but didn’t take into account that for some time now they don’t issue regular passports, only biometric ones. What should we do now? The old passport has a stamp that I have to change within a month, but I’m afraid to take a biometric one with a chip, since there is a lot of information that this is already on the path to renouncing Christ. Victoria.
Priest Dionysius Svechnikov answers:
Priest Dionisy Svechnikov
Hello, Victoria!
The official position of the Church is that there is nothing terrible in the new passports, no renunciation of Christ. And think for yourself - is it possible that when receiving this passport someone is asking to renounce Christ? Renunciation is a conscious action when a person expresses his will orally, in writing or by some symbolic action.
Renunciation cannot be veiled; it is obvious and undisguised. For example, during baptism, the priest asks a person - do you deny Satan, all his works, all his angels and all his ministry? To which a person, showing his will, responds - I deny. Renunciation with confirmation is pronounced three times. Then three times, with confirmation and confession of the Orthodox faith, a person is called to pronounce words of combination with Christ, in response to the priest’s question, “Are you combined with Christ?” Therefore, I believe that obtaining a passport has nothing to do with a real renunciation of Christ, which is what so frightens opponents of biometric passports and Taxpayer Identification Numbers.
Sincerely, priest Dionisy Svechnikov
8. What should a real Christian be like?
Hello! I kindly ask you to help me understand one issue. The fact is that before joining the church, I was very sociable, bright and attracting everyone’s attention. When I began to become a church member, I began to feel the need for more silence and loneliness. There was a feeling that all my former brightness and pomposity was just a false mask.
On the one hand, I feel that I need to be more modest, but on the other hand, when I am quiet and silent in a company, I seem downtrodden to myself. It's like I'm suppressing myself... I'm 24. I'm not married and I'm not dating anyone at the moment. And I am scared that if I am quiet and silent, the man who is destined by God will not notice me.
What should a real Christian be like? I beg you to resolve my doubts and finally calm my restless soul. Sorry if the questions seem very strange. Eve.
Hello, Eva!
First of all, do not rack your brains over what “a real Christian woman should be,” because this “real Christian woman” can only exist in your imagination, but not in reality. :) But in reality, God allows us to be different, with different characters and abilities, some more sociable, cheerful, sociable, others more solitary and reserved.
The main thing is to be yourself and find yourself, know yourself! This can only be achieved with complete trust in God and openness to Him and His will. “The man destined by God” will find you in any case, if he is exactly what he is destined for. The main thing is, again, to be yourself and not pretend to be an imaginary Christian, not to fit yourself into any given model. God will be able to do something with us and help us precisely when we behave naturally, and do not play some roles and do not try on other people’s clothes.
9. Why did computers used to be considered sedition, but now you can even pray via the Internet for a fee?
About 15 years ago, during a Sunday sermon, the priest denounced computers and the Internet. And this sermon impressed me so much. Time has passed, now Orthodox websites have appeared, even notes about health and repose can be submitted via the Internet. Pay the money and you don't have to go to church. Why did computers used to be considered sedition, but now you can even pray via the Internet for a fee? Galina.
Priest Philip Parfenov answers:
Dear Galina!
Everything is explained simply - that priest spoke about the Internet and computers solely out of his ignorance and stupidity. 15 years ago there were already quite a lot of Internet users, including the same Orthodox websites, and the previous Patriarch Alexy raised the issue of church presence on the Internet back in the late 1990s.
Unfortunately, our Orthodox environment is often “sick” with ignorance and incompetence, and even different priests undertake to judge what they do not understand at all and about which they have no idea. But as for “praying for a fee” via the Internet, there really is reason to be skeptical about this.
Firstly, these sites may not be related to church parishes at all - any programmer can create such a site for fraudulent purposes. Secondly, it makes sense to submit notes primarily when the clergy and other parishioners know you and know for whom they will pray, and this prayer will be more or less meaningful, and not just a mechanical reading of names on pieces of paper.
Sincerely, priest Philip Parfenov
10. Are humility and defending your rights compatible?
Hello! I am interested in your opinion regarding the concept of “humility”. After all, to be a real man, you need to be decisive, proactive, and firm. Turning a blind eye to someone's lawlessness, lack of culture or disrespect only breeds impunity. It is clear that there are exceptions when you need to show leniency - family members, children, elderly people, inexperienced people who accidentally made a mistake. But otherwise, humility is of little use in achieving goals.
I believe that you need to act calmly without emotions, calling on God’s help, but firmly and decisively. It’s just that the Gospel basically talks about “...blessed are you when they revile you...”, “blessed are the meek...”. Yes, Christ drove the merchants out of the temple. But in many ways, the preaching of the Gospel, as well as the tradition of the holy fathers, focuses precisely on the position of non-resistance and isolated salvation of one’s soul.
And I am sure that a real man should: serve in the army - and, if necessary, fight, defending the Motherland. In civilian life, be ready to protect if you see violence against a defenseless person. Have an active civic position - protest and fight against the spread of abominations: blasphemous films, same-sex marriage, abortion, juvenile justice, etc. Go to rallies and pickets. To be responsible for the behavior of your family members and to instruct - the wife and children are a reflection of the head of the family.
To the best of our ability, stop incivility - bark at a smoker in the entrance or in the middle of a crowded bus stop, make a remark to a female colleague whose hemispheres are falling out of her mini-shorts, discourage young people from wanting to play music loudly in the middle of the yard at night, teach neighbors how This means not littering in the entrance.
Always and everywhere demand that you be treated with appropriate respect, demand the proper quality of the goods and services for which you pay. The staff will follow suit; when a demanding person is on the horizon, they “use their heads.” Be legally savvy and be able to defend your rights with administrative structures - housing and communal services, district governments, inspections, etc. Then there will be light in the yard, and savings, and there will be no need to pay unfair fines. Peter.
Priest Philip Parfenov answers:
Hello, Peter!
Humility, first of all, is not to consider oneself superior to others and not to have a high opinion of oneself. Do not pray, for example, and do not treat others as the Pharisee did: “God, I thank You that I am not like other people, robbers, offenders, adulterers” and further in the text (Luke 18: 9-14). In general, do not consider yourself better than others, but rather consider others higher than yourself. But this does not at all exclude what you wrote next!
In all such situations, the Apostle Paul calls for honoring the existing authorities, since it is for these purposes that they were established: “for the ruler is God's servant, for your good. If you do evil, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain: he is God's servant, an avenger to punish those who do evil."(Rom. 13:4). For these purposes, the army, the police, the courts, and other institutions exist.If the government itself does not fulfill its purpose well, naturally, we have to unite from below and defend our rights, there is no escape.
The tradition of the holy fathers is very diverse, but each era, including each of us, can choose from this diversity what is closer to him and what he likes best, thereby unwittingly distorting the overall picture. Individualism currently dominates, unfortunately, including among believers, which is why they like to focus on the “isolated salvation of their soul.” Although no one can be saved alone without fulfilling the commandment to love one’s neighbors.
Sincerely, priest Philip Parfenov
11. Is it permissible for an Orthodox Christian to work as a realtor?
Good evening! I'm going to try myself as a realtor. Until yesterday I was very serious and confident in myself, but suddenly I started thinking. My attitude towards banks and debt collectors is clear: I will never work for them. But here are the realtors!
For example, I helped sell someone’s apartment for a certain amount and from this amount I will receive my percentage as a reward. Isn't this immoral? Something about all of this constantly gnaws at me. Otherwise, a bank employee who gives loans can be justified by the fact that he does not force anyone to take them. It’s the same with a realtor: people themselves sign an agreement, agreeing to pay you a percentage of the deal if you do your job for them. Dmitriy.
Priest Philip Parfenov answers:
Hello Dmitry!
Many professions have their own risks and pitfalls, not only real estate. Here, by the way, respectable people are especially needed, it seems to me. Therefore, do not quit, but simply do this work conscientiously and professionally, without chasing the “long ruble”, and God will help you, I am sure of it!
Sincerely, priest Philip Parfenov
12. Is it possible to eat using an app on your phone during fasting?
Is it possible to eat using an app on your phone while fasting? Last Lent, I ate according to the 10Levels app, since it included a fasting plan. But a friend, she is also a believer, says that this is a sin, since the application is for weight loss, and therefore for vanity, and fasting is about something completely different. What should I do? Marina.
Priest Philip Parfenov answers:
Dear Marina!
Of course, fasting is not a diet or fasting. The dietary side is only one of many in fasting, and not the most important. I have never used the application on my phone and I don’t know what is offered there. Whether it is possible or not is not the question in this case, there may be different opinions, and get used to the fact that there will be different points of view on many secondary issues.
Try to abstain, first of all, from those types of food to which you have a special attachment and dependence (besides, of course, meat and dairy in general). For some, for example, it is more beneficial to limit yourself from sweets, others from flour, etc.
Sincerely, priest Philip Parfenov
13. Is it possible to survive during the Apocalypse if you are in a bunker?
Please tell me, is it possible to survive during the Apocalypse if you are in a bunker? Marina.
Priest Philip Parfenov answers:
Apocalypse, dear Marina, simply means “revelation” in Greek. This is the name of the last book of the New Testament - “The Revelation of John the Theologian.” And in this book, in symbolic images, which, by the way, cannot be understood outside the entire Old Testament and the prophetic books, it tells about what awaits the Church of Christ and the whole world, but this does not refer to some definite or indefinite future, but to all Christian history!
That is, the Apocalypse has been happening for a long time, almost all of 2000 years. What Jesus warned about in the Gospel (“You will be sorrowful in the world, but take heart – I have overcome the world” - John 16:33), Christians experience one way or another in all eras, and this is also written about in this book, and the end By the way, she is optimistic, precisely because victory will be with Jesus. Therefore, there is no need to hide in any bunkers! :)
Sincerely, priest Philip Parfenov
14. Why is there no mention of dinosaurs in the Bible?
Hello, scientists are finding various remains of dinosaurs and other large lizards. But the Bible and other sources do not talk about these creatures. Why is there no mention of this anywhere? And even when God created the world, there wasn’t a single line about them? Denis.
Priest Philip Parfenov answers :
Priest Philip Parfenov
Dear Denis,
The fact is that the Bible is not at all a chronicle of events that took place long ago, and certainly not a textbook on archeology or paleontology. It is written in “iconographic” and a kind of mythological language, including elements of poetry, so its texts must be taken accordingly and not always literally.
However, some biblical scholars believe that there is still an indirect reference to dinosaurs and other animals from this range. When we read in the Russian Synodal translation: “And God created great fish and every living thing that moves” (Gen. 1:21), then the expression of the Hebrew original “et ha-taninim ha-gdolim” should be translated rather as “great serpents.”
In the new Russian translation of RBO 2011, this verse was translated as “and God created huge sea monsters.” These “monsters” could well include the leviathan mentioned in various places in the Bible (it is possible that a plesiosaur from the scientific point of view - see Ps. 103:26, Job 40:20), as well as other fossil species that have not reached us .
Sincerely, priest Philip Parfenov
15. Is it true that people descended from monkeys?
Good afternoon. Please tell me, is it true that people descended from monkeys? Somehow I don’t believe it, but they do find remains. And if so, when did these metamorphoses take place: before or after the flood? Galina.
Priest Anthony Lynov answers:
Hello, Galina!
People, of course, were created by God the Creator, and therefore man is the image of God. But the mechanism of the creation process in Revelation is written very figuratively. There is still no consensus on what is considered the “day of creation” - 24 hours or millions of years. Or how exactly man was created, because man is the unity of soul and body.
Saint Theophan the Recluse wrote in one of his letters: “When we transfer the characteristics of a person into the spirit, then Darwin’s entire theory falls by itself. For in the origin of man it is necessary to explain not just how his animal life occurs, but even more so how he came into being as a spiritual person in an animal body with his animal life and soul.”
Presence of evolutionhuman bodydoes not deny the Divine act of creating the spiritual principle in man. The same saint wrote about the creation of man: “The body is especially created from dust. It was not a dead body, but a living one with an animal soul. A spirit will be breathed into this soul - God's spirit, destined to know God, to honor God, to seek and taste God. This spirit, uniting with the soul of an animal, raised it above the soul of animals by a whole stage, and we see in man that, to a certain extent, everything goes with him, like with animals, to the point of intelligence.”
So the All-Wise Creator could make evolution His instrument for the creation of man.
Peace and joy to you in Christ Jesus!
Sincerely, priest Anthony Lynov
16. Why did the Lord send a Son to earth and not a Daughter?
Hello. Why did the Lord send the Son to earth, and not the Daughter, in male guise? Alexander.
Priest Philip Parfenov answers:
Hello, Alexander!
Let's assume on the contrary: if everything had been initially according to your assumption, then you could just as easily ask: “Why did the Lord send the Daughter, and not the Son, in a female form?” Probably, mainly because Adam, a man, was created first, and woman was second, and her position was more subordinate (although you understand, here you can ask again: why exactly the man was the first, and not the woman, etc.). Christ, therefore, is the New Adam, or the second, in contrast to the first, the old. If it were the other way around, then your version would most likely be fulfilled.
Sincerely, priest Philip Parfenov
Saint-Petersburg Theological Academy/flickr.com
17. Can God change the past?
Do you think God can change the past? Julia.
Priest Philip Parfenov answers:
Dear Julia, the word “God” is always written with a capital letter, it is a proper name when talking about the one true God. Literally God cannot change and does not change the past, naturally. What happened has already happened one way or another. But in some figurative sense, God can, of course, change the past - in the repentance of the one who turns to Him and asks for forgiveness of his sins, and in conversion, in changing his life. Then past sins no longer exist for that person.
Sincerely, priest Philip Parfenov
18. Is it a sin to pray for a cat’s health?
Hello! I have two questions (don’t think it’s stupid, they are very important to me). I have a cat, whom I love very much, and every night, when I pray for loved ones and relatives, I ask God for health for her too. Is this considered a great sin? Cats were also created by the Lord, which means He loves them too? Am I committing a serious sin, and if so, how can I ask to give health to God’s creation? Thank you. Julia.
Priest Alexander Petrov answers:
Hello Julia!
Animals constitute the part of the created world closest to humans. God protects people and leads them to salvation. But the dumb creature does not leave without care. The Bible says that animals are under the protection of the Creator: “Your righteousness is like the mountains of God, and Your destinies are like a great abyss! You protect men and animals, O Lord!”(Ps. 35:7). Even the smallest bird is not forgotten by the Lord (Luke 12:6). God feeds them: “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap, nor gather into barns; and your Father in heaven feeds them. Aren't you much better than them?(Matt. 6:26).
The law that God gave to Israel also protected animals and provided for the Sabbath rest for them: “For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its produce, and in the seventh year you shall leave it alone, so that the poor of your people may feed, and the beasts of the field may feed on their remains.<…>Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your servant and the stranger may rest.”(Ex. 23:10-12).
Holy Scripture says: “The righteous also cares for the life of his livestock, but the heart of the wicked is hard.”(Prov. 12:10). The care of some saints for animals is known from their lives: Gerasim of Jordan about the lion, Sergius of Radonezh and Seraphim of Sarov about bears, etc.
Animals do not have the image of God, so we cannot pray for mercy and salvation for them. But we can ask God for them (primarily for those who are our helpers in the household). There is a “Prayer for the blessing of the flock”: “Sovereign Lord our God, who has power over all creatures, we pray to You, and we ask You, as You blessed and multiplied the flock of the patriarch Jacob, bless the herd of these cattle of Your servant (name) and multiply and strengthen , and create in thousands, and deliver from the violence of the devil, and from foreigners, and from every slander of enemies, and the air of death, and destructive illness: protect your holy angels from all weakness, all envy, and temptation, sorcery and magic, from the action of the devil, driving away from it: for Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen" (Complete collection of prayers, St. Petersburg, 1914).
But our attention to animals and care for them should not for a moment distract our moral consciousness from the most important commandment: "Love your neighbor as yourself"(Matthew 22:39). It happens that a person gets irritated with people, hurts them, but always treats his dog or cat kindly. This speaks of a false structure of spiritual and moral life. “Penetrate, beloved, into the intelligent essence of the soul; and don’t delve into it lightly. The immortal soul is a precious vessel. Look how great heaven and earth are, and God was not pleased about them, but only about you. Look at your dignity and nobility, because he did not send angels, but the Lord himself came to intercede for you, to call upon the lost, wounded, to return to you the original image of pure Adam” (Venerable Macarius the Great. Spiritual conversations. Conversation 26.1).
Sincerely, priest Alexander Petrov
19. Is it necessary to baptize a child who was conceived immaculately?
Hello, I recently became the godmother of a teenager, and after the sacrament I was left with my father’s words that the child’s original sin is, as it were, removed by baptism. The question is this: I myself had a child born as a result of IVF, i.e. in fact, he was conceived immaculately and, therefore, there is no original sin on him, if I correctly understand the very interpretation of this term as the absence of intimacy between the parents of the child at his conception. Question: Is it necessary to baptize a child who is immaculately conceived? Tatiana.
Priest Philip Parfenov answers:
Hello Tatiana!
What does “immaculately conceived” even mean? “Immaculate” in the theological sense means “without seed.” In this sense, only one Jesus Christ was conceived in this way - from the Holy Spirit and without the participation of a man, as we read in the Gospels. In your case, ordinary fertilization occurred from a man’s seed, only without direct contact with the husband.
As for original sin, the question is very dark and not clarified, in my opinion. Yes, there is such a widespread theological opinion that in baptism this original sin is removed (although the main consequence of original sin - death and the general tendency to sin - is not removed at all after baptism, otherwise everyone would be sinless and immortal), but I would emphasize before all that in baptism everyone is born to life in Christ and becomes a member of the Body of Christ, that is, His Church. Are you going to introduce your child to faith and church life? Then, naturally, this presupposes baptism.
Sincerely, priest Philip Parfenov
20. My husband’s parents plan to dig potatoes on the Feast of the Transfiguration. I’m worried, but I couldn’t dissuade them. What to do?
Hello. Please tell me that August 19 is a big holiday. But my husband’s parents planned to dig potatoes. I tried to dissuade them, but they couldn’t do it another time. They are working. I am very worried, I know that this is a great sin. But I can't do anything. What to do in such a situation?
Priest Rodion Ivanov answers:
Hello Maria!
If you can, go to the church service yourself and pray for them there. No - then while digging potatoes, try to be in silence and prayer, and the Lord will bless your work. And from your harvest, bring a donation to the temple as gratitude to God. And go to church on Sunday - the 20th - the Feast of the Transfiguration lasts several days.
Sincerely, priest Rodion Ivanov
Is it possible to wear things of a deceased relative? Julia.
Hello Julia!
Of course you can, don’t doubt it and don’t believe superstitions. And pray for the repose of the soul of the deceased.
If I understood the Old Testament correctly, then eating pork is prohibited. Can an Orthodox person eat pork? Alexei.
Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko answers:
Hello, Alexey!
In the New Testament, pagan Christians, that is, us, are asked to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, blood, and also from food damaged by wild beasts. There are no other restrictions. Therefore, an Orthodox person can eat pork.
Tell me please!!! How does the Church relate to the theater? I know that, for example, M. D. Mikhailov, protodeacon, left the church and went to the opera house (this is a sin), and now there are such protodeacons who serve in the church and at the same time work in the opera house (Metropolitan Hilarion, for example, has a protodeacon, in Chelyabinsk, Deacon Pimen, etc.), and the priest, actor, Father John Okhlobystin, is prohibited from serving. There are cases where actors left the theater for a monastery (Olga Gobzeva, for example), although there are deacons who serve in the church and work in the theater. Maybe I'm mistaken, but it seems to me that a priest or deacon cannot be a performer. And the Church’s attitude towards theater used to be negative, but now it turns out it’s positive? There are a lot of disputes on this topic, but what is the unanimous opinion of the Church regarding the theater? Is it permissible for a person in the priesthood to be a performer, to combine serving God with work in the theater or cinema? Andrey.
Hello Andrei!
Unfortunately, there is no single church-wide attitude towards theater now. Ancient prohibitions regarding the acting profession are now extremely difficult to observe, taking into account the existence of Orthodox theaters, good Orthodox cinema, etc. In my opinion, each case of such a combination must be considered individually. Thus, Maxim Dormidontovich Mikhailov left the Church under pressure from Soviet power, Fr. John Okhlobystin himself asked His Holiness the Patriarch to ban him from the priesthood at least for a while. Only the Lord can judge clergy who combine theater and church. It is better for us to heed our sins.
Why are women not allowed to enter the altar? Irina.
Archpriest Mikhail Samokhin answers:
Hello Irina!
The prohibition for a woman to enter the altar is based on Old Testament regulations, according to which only men can be altar servers (Ex. 29:4).
The specific ban on women entering the altar is formulated by Canon 44 of the Council of Laodicea: “It is not proper for a woman to enter the altar.” An even stricter rule regarding the altar was adopted by the 6th Ecumenical Council. Rule 69 of the Council generally allows only clergy to enter the altar. Interpreters of the rule make exceptions from it for monks, lighting lamps and royalty.
Good afternoon. Please tell me why in Orthodoxy a cat is allowed into the temple, but a dog is not? Thanks in advance for your answer. Eugene.
Archpriest Mikhail Samokhin answers:
Hello, Evgeniy! According to Rule 88 of the Sixth Ecumenical Council, the introduction of any animal into the temple is possible only in case of mortal danger threatening it. For centuries, cats in the church were the only way to preserve the shrines of the temple from desecration by mice and rats.
Why are disabled children born to healthy parents or become disabled at an early age? Alexander.
Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko answers:
Hello, Alexander!
This is one of many complex questions to which no definite and clear answer can be given. Why don’t some spouses have children, even though they really want it? Why do children get sick and die? Why are young people dying? We cannot find the answer to all questions. We only believe that the Lord in our lives places us in those circumstances that are most favorable for the possibility of our salvation. The question we need to ask is not “why”, but “why”. Why, why did the Lord put me in certain circumstances? How should I react to these circumstances? What to learn? And if this situation did not affect me personally, then how can I help people who find themselves in such a situation? Do I even see those sufferings that do not seem to directly concern me? Do I respond to them in any way? We need to learn to live as the Lord expects us to, despite those circumstances that seem unbearable and insurmountable. Learn humility, patience, love, and indifference to the pain of others. So we can become what the Lord wants us to be, we can learn to pray, thank the Lord for everything, we can be with Him both in this life and in the future. But this is the purpose of our earthly life.
From an early age, my grandmothers told me that you can’t work on holidays and Sundays (including sewing and embroidery). Please tell me, is it possible to sew and embroider or not? Thank you very much in advance. Anna.
Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko answers:
Hello Anna!
Sundays and holidays should begin with a visit to church, prayer, and communion. After this, you can devote time to needlework.
I became godmother to my sister's son. Can she now become my son's godmother? Natalia.
Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko answers:
Hello, Natalia!
Yes, your sister can become your son's godmother.
What do dreams mean in our life? Can they bring bad news? Catherine.
Hello, Ekaterina!
Dreams in your life will mean exactly as much significance as you give them. I don't attach any importance to them at all. The Church calls not to interpret dreams, because... In our sleep we are most vulnerable to evil spirits.
Hello. Tell me how to find a confessor? What is the correct way to ask the priest about this?
Hello, Elena!
A confessor can only be found in the process of live communication with different priests, when you can choose from among them for periodic confession or advice the one who is closer to you. If you choose one of them for constant communication and confession, he will actually be your confessor. It is not even necessary to specifically ask the priest about this.
Bless. Please help us understand the meaning of the words of the Lord’s Prayer “... and lead us not into temptation.” Can the Lord tempt us? Thank you. Svetlana.
Priest Philip Parfenov answers:
Hello Svetlana!
You are absolutely right. In the epistle of the Apostle James it is written about this: “When tempted, no one should say: “God is tempting me”; because God is not tempted by evil and does not tempt anyone Himself, but everyone is tempted by being carried away and enticed by his own lust” (James 1:13-14).
What kind of temptation then is meant in this prayer?
Obviously, that which comes from this world, where, according to the Apostle John, “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16) reigns. These temptations must be resisted, but you don’t always have the strength to do so. Therefore, we ask God for help, to protect us from such temptations, to give us strength to resist them.
At the same time, there is another meaning of the word “temptation” in Scripture - as a test of faith. Various trials certainly befall every Christian at some point in his life. For example, the Apostle Peter writes: “Beloved! Do not shy away from the fiery temptation sent to you to test it as a strange adventure for you, but as you participate in Christ’s suffering, rejoice, and at the revelation of His glory you will rejoice and triumph. If they slander you because of the name of Christ, then you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory, the Spirit of God, rests on you. By these He is blasphemed, but by you He is glorified" (1 Peter 4:12-14).
I am interested in Feng Shui, but I am a believer, how does the Church relate to this teaching? Thank you in advance. Veronica.
Priest Dionysius Svechnikov answers:
Hello, Veronica!
Feng Shui is not an Orthodox tradition and is completely alien to it. This is a pagan teaching, borrowed from Chinese philosophical teaching. Followers of this teaching firmly believe that by rearranging household items in your home in a certain way, you can achieve not only positive emotions, but also happiness, health and well-being. Upon closer examination, you can notice certain signs of magic in Feng Shui. Rearranging objects in the house is of the same nature as magic spells and conspiracies. Unlike religion, which assumes the existence of a Living God, Feng Shui awards divine attributes to household items or the house itself. In Orthodoxy, the reaction to a person’s prayer depends only on the will of the Creator. In magic, everything is the other way around - with the help of spells, a person tries to force the “higher mind” to obey him and fulfill all his, sometimes senseless and insane, demands. So Feng Shui is trying to subjugate this “external force” with the help of certain rituals. In a word, there are all the signs of religiosity and, as a derivative, magicism, which has nothing to do with faith in the Living God.
Hello, father. Please tell me where in Holy Scripture it speaks about healing from holy relics. Sorry. Best regards, R. B. Vladimir.
Archpriest Mikhail Samokhin answers:
Hello, Vladimir!
We know about healing from holy relics from the Old Testament:
“And it came to pass that when they were burying one man, when they saw this horde, [those who buried] threw that man into the tomb of Elisha; and when he fell, he touched the bones of Elisha, and came to life, and rose to his feet” (2 Kings 13:21).
In the New Testament Church, the veneration of holy relics was confirmed by the 94th rule of the Council of Carthage.
Hello, father! We all know that a tenth of our income, which God sends us, must be donated to the Church of Christ. Please tell me what exactly is included in this donation: 1. Requirements in the church and monasteries? 2. Shopping in churches or monasteries for Orthodox literature, CDs, oils, incense, icons, etc. Are they donating to this temple because the receipt says, “Thank you for your donation”? 3. Alms to the poor and needy? 4. Separate monetary donations to a temple or monastery? 5. Requests for financial assistance to large families? After all, it is said that whatever we do for those in need, we actually do for Jesus. If possible, tell us which items are included and which are not. Save me, God. Marina.
Priest Alexy Kolosov answers:
In principle, the tithe rule will be fulfilled if you, at your own discretion, spend part of your income (not necessarily 10%) on charity - donate it to good deeds, even if these funds do not go through the church treasury, but are spent By you at your own discretion.
Good afternoon. Please tell me what to do if suddenly you become a victim of witchcraft? Who should I contact and who will help? Elena.
Priest Dionysius Svechnikov answers:
Hello, Elena!
You need to turn to God, He helps everyone. Live according to God's commandments, regularly visit church for confession and communion, pray, keep fasts, then the Lord will protect you from all evil. In the meantime, start small - go to the temple and talk to the priest in person.
Please tell me what a priest should do if during confession he was told about a serious crime, for example murder? Should he report this to the relevant police authorities or keep the confession secret? Thank you in advance. Evgenia.
Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko answers:
Hello, Evgeniya! The priest takes an oath not to reveal the secret of confession under any circumstances. If a person comes to confession who has committed a serious crime, for example, murder, the priest’s task is to thoroughly understand the motives and circumstances of the case, ensure that the person brings repentance corresponding to the gravity of the sin, impose penance and, if necessary for the salvation of the soul, convince him to turn himself in.
I am a homosexual, but my wife does not know about my preferences. Tell me, is this pleasing to the Lord God? Paul.
Priest Philip Parfenov answers:
Dear Pavel!
“Is it acceptable” - what? That you put your preferences into practice and lie with one of the men instead of your wife? If so, then this is absolutely not pleasing to God; Scripture says it is an “abomination.” If you do not give free rein to your inclination, but your wife does not yet know about it, then it is better for her not to know, but on the condition that you remain faithful to her. If you have already violated fidelity to her, then repent and do not return to the old way under any circumstances, and let your wife also not know about it (for now, at least)
What is the difference between reproof and condemnation?
Reproof is when we express our dissatisfaction directly, with the goal of correcting a person’s behavior. Condemnation, on the contrary, is always done behind one’s back and most often has the goal of showing oneself in a more favorable light against the background of “this sinner.” If from condemnation everything seems more or less clear to us, then with reproof it is worth understanding in more detail.
In real life, we have very few opportunities to denounce anyone. The thing is that there are not many such situations, and the very moral character of the accuser must be almost ideal. God's prophets denounced the people of Israel for their sins, but they were holy people and the Lord himself sent them to do this. As for us sinners, we should not try on the mission of the prophets; something completely different is required of us. We must learn to talk with a person in a friendly, compassionate way about what bothers us in his behavior. Too often we lack the courage or wisdom for a simple human conversation and then we endure, withdraw into ourselves and at one point break off all relations with the person. This is wrong, you need to learn to reach out to your neighbor.
Let's say your young niece often lies. Instead of whispering behind her back or proudly denouncing her, tell her from the position of a loving relative: “Perhaps you don’t know that deception is striking and looks very ugly?” Hug her and let her know that you are not her enemy at all. Whether she understands or not is no longer your concern. The main thing is that you tried to help and did it like a human being.
What is humility? Is it always necessary to remain silent and endure?
Humility is a special quality opposite to pride; it gives us the strength to be with everyone in peace and to be grateful to God for all the good things that we have. In our daily lives, humility is most similar to modesty and benevolence. In a conflict situation, such a person will not shout about how right he is, will not humiliate his offender, but will not remain silent like a dumb animal. The Lord Himself, turning to the servant of the high priest who hit Him, said: “If I said something bad, show me what is bad, and if it’s good, why are you beating Me?” Of course, there are no rules for all occasions and each situation is special in its own way; it happens that even the most unexpected action is ultimately correct. Therefore, pray, reason and may the Lord help you!
Tell me how to deal with the sin of envy?
The day of many of us begins with the fact that we go to work in the morning, simultaneously noticing the rays of the rising sun, the bright colors of autumn nature and listening to the chirping of birds. Through our vanity we must see this beauty and perceive it as an invaluable gift from God. If
we love our Creator and are truly grateful to Him, then it will be quite natural to include psalms of praise and gratitude in our prayer rule, at the end of the rule to thank God in our own words for this world, for our family and friends, for all the good and good things that we have. Gratitude is the beginning of spiritual nobility and the first cure for envy. Without filling the soul with gratitude, a person will never experience a feeling of satisfaction, since any success of his neighbor will hurt his petty heart.
The second cure for envy is love for your neighbors. Christians are called by the Lord Jesus Christ himself to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Loving our neighbors means noticing those who live next to us, wishing everyone well and, if possible, performing acts of mercy. If we didn’t have a heart-to-heart talk with anyone, didn’t support anyone, didn’t help anyone financially, then where was our love? Having lost love and sympathy, our neighbors no longer become neighbors for us, but rivals; we look at them without mercy, and begin to choke in our insane envy.
Thus, only gratitude to God and a merciful attitude towards our neighbors can save us from this insidious passion.
If you missed a day or two for any reason, then it will be enough to extend your reading for that day or two.
Should the deceased be commemorated often, or is it better on parental days?
According to church tradition, special memorial days are established. You can and should also remember your dead, if possible, at every liturgy. You must not forget to remember your deceased relatives every day at the end of morning prayers, thus you are always in close prayerful communication with them. At the same time, do not forget about prayers for the living, prayer for every good deed and about good human relations with others in ordinary everyday life.
An Orthodox man believes that a woman should be silent and humble, but he should not. Is it correct?
Answer from Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov:
The men identified in the question cannot be called not only Orthodox, but also men. A woman doesn't owe a man anything. It is the man who must conquer the woman so that she agrees to be everything for him; so that, loving him, she is ready to die - for him, and for his cause, and for his children, and so on. A man must conquer a woman. If a man thinks that a woman owes him something, then such a man is not a man at all, but some other fruit.
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness” (Is. 40.3) - what do these words of the prophet Isaiah mean?
John the Baptist applies these words of the prophet Isaiah to himself. To the question of the Sanhedrin: who is he? John answered like this: “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said” (John 1:23). The holy evangelists also attributed this prophecy to John the Baptist (see: Matt. 3.3; Mark 1.3; Luke 3.4-6). With his preaching, John prepared people to accept the Messiah, who was coming to save people from sin and eternal destruction. In order to accept the given salvation, it was necessary to “level” the path to one’s hearts for the Lord, that is, to cleanse them of passions and all sin. John called the Jewish people to such a feat of purification with his sermon: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near” (Matthew 3:2).
Who does the Savior mean when he speaks of the queen of the south, who “will rise up in judgment with this generation and condemn it” (Matthew 12:42)?
We are talking about the queen of the south or Sheba, who came to listen to King Solomon (see: 3 Kings 10). Sheba was a city located in Arabia, south of Judea. According to Abyssinian tradition, the queen's name was Makeda, and it is assumed that she accepted the true faith after visiting Jerusalem. She “will condemn this generation” because she came from afar to listen to the wise Solomon, and the Jews did not want to listen to divine wisdom, that is, our Lord Jesus Christ himself, who is “greater than Solomon.”
How should we understand the following words of the Apostle Peter: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light” (1 Pet. 2:9)?
Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria interprets these words as follows: Having not approved of the bad behavior of unbelievers, saying that they themselves became guilty of their unbelief, the apostle now moves on to approving those who acted correctly and says: “you” who acted correctly are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood". He seems to say this: those, by their cruelty and tenacity,
they stumbled over the “cornerstone” and did not join the building with it; But through your obedience you have become part of the “royal priesthood”, as a “chosen race” and “holy nation”.
However, so as not to weaken them with unnecessary praise and so that they do not think that they became a “holy nation” by inheritance, that they were awarded such honor because they descend from Abraham and never stumbled, the apostle, in order to keep them from such (thoughts, adds says: Do not think much about the race; you were not chosen to the royal priesthood because of Abraham, for those who came from him had a priesthood separate from the kingdom; you are a “holy people” and a “chosen race” and were appointed to the “royal priesthood” not for Abraham’s sake, but for the sake of Christ, who is called both “a priest according to the order of Melchizedek” (Ps. 109.4), and “a meek, righteous and saving King” (Zech. 9.9).
So, from Him, who had both (both the priesthood and the kingdom), you, reborn through holy baptism, are rightly called both a “chosen generation” and a “royal priesthood.” You have this by His grace, “who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light,” therefore, by the works of light, “proclaim His perfections” to other people. This, he says, you have because of His love for mankind. So, “proclaim His perfections” with your virtue. How can they proclaim them? The Lord himself teaches this when he says: “let your light shine before people, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:6).
“People taken as inheritance,” i.e. people taken into possession or inheritance. For God’s creation is everything, and God’s inheritance is only those who have been awarded this for their virtue.
Please explain how an Orthodox Christian should approach urine therapy.
The devil could not come up with a greater mockery of a person than to force him to smear and sprinkle himself with his own secretions and drink them. The lips of a person, cleansed in the sacrament of anointing, are intended for communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, Holy water, so that nothing bad enters them. When a person drinks urine, he insults the Creator who created him and madly despises His mercies in the form of gracious help. The Lord gave us Holy water and oil for internal consumption during illnesses, and not urine and feces. A Christian who has previously, out of ignorance, resorted to urine therapy must confess this sin and a special prayer is then read over him from the breviary, as over a person who has “eaten bad things.”
The use of urine therapy leads to: physical defilement associated with the ingestion of sewage into the body; to moral defilement, for the Creator instilled a feeling of disgust towards impurities; to spiritual defilement, for they sought urine instead of the Lord.
Why is calamus (sycamore) consecrated in the temple? They say that demons are very afraid of it, so it must be brought into the house.
To be honest, this is the first time I’ve heard about the fact that demons are afraid of calamus. Of course, these are fictions and superstitions. On the Feast of the Holy Trinity, it is customary to decorate the temple and home with greenery as a symbol of life and resurrection. There is absolutely no connection to calamus; you can bring any fragrant herbs.
It is customary to bring fire from the Good Friday service to walk around the house, barn, and garden with it. I don't understand this; Isn't it enough to simply sprinkle your home with holy water?
How to find out the will of God? How do we know that the choice we make is the right one?
As a rule, we long to know the will of God at the moment when we stand at a crossroads - before a choice. Or when we prefer one option for the development of events over another, less attractive to us. Firstly, you need to try to set yourself up equally in relation to any path or development of events, that is, internally prepare for any outcome, and not become attached to any of the options. Secondly, sincerely and fervently pray that the Lord will arrange everything according to His good will and do everything in a way that will be useful for us in terms of our salvation in eternity. And then, as the holy fathers claim, His Providence for us will be revealed.
Explain what "Excessive Reliance on God" means.
Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov defines this sin as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, citing as an example a person who deliberately continues to sin seriously, while not wanting to correct himself, because he hopes for the mercy of God. It is a sin when a person does not want to change anything in his life, pretending that everything is in the hands of God.
1 Epistle of John ch. 5:16 “If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin that does not lead to death, let him pray, and God will give him life, that is, he who sins a sin that does not lead to death. There is a sin leading to death: I do not mean that he should pray.” How to understand the words of the apostle?
We must pray for sinning brothers if they commit a “sin not leading to death,” that is, if they have not completely fallen away from faith and love, if they have not deliberately removed themselves from the influence of grace-filled means on them. But besides “sin that does not lead to death,” there is also “sin leading to death” - the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit mentioned in the Gospel (Matt. 12 :31-32), a decisive, conscious and deliberate falling away from the faith - especially from faith in the incarnation of the Son of God (James 4 :3), and from love for one's neighbor (1 Jn. 3 :10): the apostle directly calls hatred of a brother murder (1 Jn. 3 :15); The Apostle Paul also speaks about the gravity of the sin of denying the incarnate Son of God (Heb. 6 :4-6, 10:26). Presenting prayer for those who sin as an immortal and indispensable duty of a Christian believer (cf. James 5 :16). The Apostle does not give such instructions about prayer for those who sin mortal sins, although he does not directly prohibit them: the success of prayer in the latter case is counteracted by unbelief, perseverance, bitterness and inertia in sins. But sins of the first kind, immortal, require careful cleansing and must be avoided, since “all unrighteousness is sin.”
Matthew 12:32. “If anyone speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; But if anyone speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the next.” Why?
The Evangelist says the following here: every other sin has at least a small justification, for example, fornication, theft. For in such cases we refer to human weakness and are deserving of apology. But when someone sees miracles performed by the Spirit and slanderes them as if they were the power of a demon, what justification can he have? Clearly, he knows that they come from the Holy Spirit, but he deliberately acts badly. How can one receive an apology? So, when the Jews saw that the Lord eats, drinks, treats publicans and harlots and does everything else like the Son of Man, and then they blamed Him as a poisoner and a wine drinker, then for this they are worthy of an apology, and repentance will not be required from them this, since it seemed to them that they were being tempted for a sufficient reason. But if they, seeing that He performed miracles, nevertheless slandered and blasphemed the Holy Spirit, saying that this was a demonic work, then how can they admit that this sin will be forgiven them if they do not repent? So, know that whoever reviles the Son of Man, seeing that He lives like a man, and calling Him a friend of fornicators, a food drinker and a drinker of wine because Christ did this, such a person, if he does not repent, will not give an answer: he deserves an apology because he did not think that God was hidden in Jesus Christ. But whoever blasphemes the Holy Spirit or the spiritual works of Christ and calls them demonic, unless he repents, will not be forgiven, for he did not have sufficient reason for slander, like the one who slandered Christ, seeing Him among the fornicators and tax collectors. So, he will not be forgiven either here or there, but he will be punished both here and there. For many are punished here, but not there at all, like poor Lazarus; others both here and there, like the Sodomites and those who blaspheme the Holy Spirit; the third is neither here nor there, like the apostles and the Forerunner. They apparently suffered punishment when they were persecuted, however, it was not punishment for sins, but trials and crowns (Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria)
Briefly, the definition of the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit can be said this way: conscious resistance to the truth.
Is it possible to go to church in uncleanness and drink holy water?
During periods of female impurity, you can visit the temple. Previously, this ban was in effect in connection with certain feminine hygiene problems. One should not touch or accept a shrine unless there is an urgent need for it.
What to do if the feeling of remission of sins does not come after confession?
This means either the confession was incomplete, and you unknowingly concealed some sin, or there is no firm decision to leave these sins, there is only grief over what you have done, but there is no firm decision to leave the sin, so the soul suffers.
Our whole family is Orthodox, but my grandmother is Baptist. She still wants to persuade us to her faith. He asks: “How can you, Orthodox Christians, worship the saints? These are the people who died. How can you pray to a person who has died? And icons in general. The Bible says: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.” How should I answer her?
Orthodox Christians do not venerate icons, but venerate them, just as you can treat photographs of your ancestors with respect, or you can spit on them. If I kiss a photo of my mother in her absence, am I showing my love for her or not? Do you think that when she learns about this, will she be upset or will her heart light up with joyful emotion, knowing that I love her so much? Orthodox Christians do not worship the icons themselves (wood and paint), but worship the One who is depicted on the icon. Also, praying before the icon of the saint, we ask for his intercession before God, the giver of all good things. In response, you can hear - why ask God through someone, if you can directly... Of course, it is possible and necessary, but your request, supported by the intercession of a person who has already been awarded the Kingdom of Heaven, has a better chance of being fulfilled. And regarding the fact that they died, the Holy Scripture says: “God is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living, for with Him all are alive” (Luke 20:38.)
I heard that after anointing at the all-night vigil you cannot wash yourself. Is it possible or not? Many of us have a bath day on Saturday.
There are no instructions in the statutes of the Holy Orthodox Church that you cannot wash yourself after receiving any Sacrament (you cannot wash away grace). There is a spiritual and practical meaning here. Many priests do not advise visiting a bathhouse or washing in the bathroom on the eve of communion for the reason that the sight of even your naked body can lead to unnecessary temptation.
Is it true that a candle is pleasing to God if we put it on, lighting it with our own hands, and not put it down or put it just like that without lighting it?
The candle is your feasible sacrifice, a symbol of burning to the Lord. If you place it yourself, without disturbing anyone or pushing other candles, please. If, during a major holiday, the candlestick in the temple is filled with candles, and in order to put your candle, you remove the others or, out of ignorance, place it in such a way that after you, another person will have to move your candle, and you will immediately fly at him with angry shouts : “Don’t touch my grace!”... I don’t think such a sacrifice will please God. The best sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit, a contrite heart for one’s sins, and God will not humiliate the humble. Place your candle nearby, the grandmother-candlemaker will light it at the right time and your humble sacrifice will be accepted.
What to do with the remains of blessed products?
There is a fairly stable tradition among church people to agonize over the problem of what to do with the “holy” shells from Easter eggs and the “holy” apple cores after the Feast of the Transfiguration. People carefully collect garbage after a meal and take it to the temple to be burned or, even worse, throw everything into the river, littering the already not clean water bodies. Have you been to the blessing of Easter cakes and eggs? The priest reads a prayer for the blessing of not only eggs and “thickened milk”, but also “thick meat” (and on the Transfiguration - not apples specifically, but fruits and vegetables in general), and sprinkles water on everything that comes his way. If we assume that everything that has been touched by holy water has been “sanctified,” then we will have to worry not only about shells, but also about candy wrappers, bottles of wine, etc. Moreover, holy water gets on baskets, clothes, shoes, hair, face... Following the “pious” logic, you will need to not only bury or burn all leftover food, but also your own clothes, and washing is generally prohibited. In fact, everything is much simpler. The priest does not “sanctify” the products, does not make them “holy,” he reads a prayer for blessing. The priest calls on God's grace to eat this food, so that it (eating) will benefit the soul and body. And every day we bless “the food and drink of Thy servant” when we pray before breakfast, lunch, dinner, sign the cross over the food, but in this case we do not worry about waste.
Tell us about the Angels of the week. What is the Angel of Monday, Angel of Tuesday, etc. Should they pray and how?
There is no such thing as the Angel of the Week in Orthodoxy. This is an invention of neo-Gnostics and other new heretics. I advise you to read spiritual literature with the obligatory stamp “The book was published with a blessing - then the bishop who gave the blessing for the publication of this book is indicated.” If you use the Internet, I advise you to visit sites that were created with the blessing of the bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church. If there is no indication, pay attention to the creator of the site, for example: “Portal “Pravoslavie.Ru” Sretensky Monastery PO Box No. 87” Everything is clear and clear, but if it is not clear and understandable, what kind of organization and by what blessing is this site run , go away and don’t fill your head with information garbage. There are more and more such “interpreters” every day, and their phantasmagoric ideas are getting stronger.
Tell us about the image of the Mother of God “Three Joys”
During the time of Peter I, one painter was sent to study in Italy. Returning to Russia, he brought with him a copy of the Italian icon “Holy Family” by Raphael and left it with his relative, the rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity on Gryazekh. After the artist’s death, the priest placed the icon on the porch of the Temple.
About forty years have passed. One pious woman’s husband was slandered and sent into exile. As a consequence of this, the estate was taken into the treasury. To top it all off, her only son was captured by the enemy.
The poor woman cried out to the Most Holy Theotokos for a long time asking for help in these troubles. And then one day, during prayer, she heard a voice: “Find the icon of the Holy Family and pray in front of it!..” The sufferer found the icon on the porch of the Church of the Holy Trinity on Gryazekh and prayed in front of it. And very soon she received three good news: her husband was acquitted, her estate was returned, and her beloved son returned from enemy captivity. It was after this that the icon received its name “Three Joys”.
The icon fell in love with the Russian people; it was especially revered in the Don and Kuban. It was believed that praying in front of her would help return home the Cossacks who had gone on a spree.
Over time, lists of this image appeared, made in the Russian icon painting tradition. At the same time, John the Baptist and the righteous Joseph the Betrothed were depicted, as a rule, on opposite sides of the Most Holy Theotokos.
When the temple was rebuilt in 1861, the central chapel was consecrated in honor of this icon.
The fate of the icon after the closure of the Temple is unknown.
How to understand the words: “Jesus, mystery of the most unknown silence, make me above every feeling and thought”?
According to St. Maximus the Confessor, God the Father is surrounded by a certain silence and an unknown mystery of his economy. The Only Begotten Son of God reveals this economy to us through his incarnation and redemption. We read about this in the Bible (see: Dan. 2 27-28; Col. 2. 9). Accordingly, the request: “make me above every feeling and thought” shows us the desire of the one praying to die for everything earthly and to unite his life with Christ in God (see: Col. 3. 3). Contrasting the “sacrament of silence” and our “thoughts and feelings,” the author shows us the enormous distance between the Creator and the creature. He also shows us that great thirst with which every believing soul must be filled. The very words of this wonderful prayer are taken from the book of Metropolitan. Hierothea (Vlachos) - “One night in the desert of the Holy Mountain.” We will recommend it to our God-loving readers.
I heard that King Solomon was not canonized by the Church. However, we read his books in the Old Testament, and we often see his image with a halo. Tell me, is he a saint or not?
The holiness of a person is determined by the Church, but this did not always happen the way we are used to it. The first martyrs were revered immediately after their death, for their life and confession took place before the eyes of so many. The evangelists and apostles testified to their holiness not only with their lives, but also with their works, which were included in the canon of the New Testament. We most often honor the righteous people of the Old Testament as the forefathers of God’s chosen people and our Lord Jesus Christ himself. As we know, the Bible is holy only because the Holy Spirit himself spoke through its authors. Therefore, the inclusion of the works of biblical writers in the Holy Scriptures is the main confirmation of their holiness. In our time, the writing of prayers used today in the Church can speak in favor of holiness. To these we can include the akathist of St. Tryphon - “Glory to God for everything” or the repentant prayer of Seraphim (Chichagov). Certain difficult episodes in the lives of the Old Testament righteous or modern saints only confirm the proverb that every saint had his own past and every sinner has a future.
New Year's liturgy - why and for whom? There are two New Year holidays: church and civil. In the Orthodox Church, the new year begins on September 1 (14 according to the new style), and the civil year, starting in 1700, on January 1 according to the new style. The civil New Year is celebrated by all of Russia, including the majority of people who consider themselves Orthodox believers, and this holiday falls on the Nativity Fast in order to direct this holiday in the right direction by celebrating the new year not over a glass of vodka but in prayer. The Patriarch and bishops introduce this pious custom of serving Liturgy on New Year's Eve.
Is it possible to approach a priest on the street to bless a woman without a headdress?
Orthodox etiquette prescribes greeting the priest by taking a blessing, even if the priest is in civilian clothes. I believe that a woman, even if she meets a priest without a headdress, should still come up for blessing.
Is it possible to thank God for what I don’t have? Isn't this pride? You can and should thank God always, everywhere and at all times. What do I have that God wouldn’t give me? Thought tells me that if I believe that I have something that I would not receive from God, then it is from selfishness, the source of which is pride. May God give us mortal memory that you are the earth and you have returned to the earth, that is, I have nothing of my own, but everything is from You, Lord, except for the sin I have committed. Help you, Lord.
How do Christians benefit from remembering death?
There are two concepts of death: spiritual death and physical death. Spiritual death is the separation of the soul from God, the Source of eternal joyful existence. This death is the most terrible consequence of the Fall of man. A person is delivered from spiritual death through baptism. Although physical death after baptism remains in a person, it takes on a different meaning. From punishment, it becomes the door to heaven (for those who in baptism lived godly, in the fear of God) and it is already called “dormition.” It follows that, remembering death, we, on the one hand, are filled with gratitude to the Lord, on the other hand, we reverently fear losing faith because of our sins and inattention in spiritual life. For physical death is terrible only with spiritual death.
I heard that if a priest reads a confession from a note, he must tear it up. Is this true, does it matter?
The Sacrament of Repentance (confession) is performed with the indispensable repentance of a person and the intention not to commit the confessed sin again. The Sacrament itself is considered completed when the priest reads a prayer of permission over the head of the repentant sinner. If the priest did not tear up your note, this does not mean that your sin was not forgiven and the Sacrament was not performed. If this bothers you, then ask him to tear up your note.
What should you ask God most of all?
I think that first of all, ask for patience and humility and that not your will be done, but God’s.
Can another person's curse affect me?
A curse primarily harms the one who curses. Although the holy fathers teach that if by your bad deed you forced your opponent, who initially did not want you harm, to curse you, then, of course, God’s justice will not leave you unpunished.
Tell me, is fear of illness a sign of weak faith? How to deal with it?
“He who suffers only ceases to sin, so that the rest of the time in the flesh he may no longer live according to human lusts, but according to the will of God” (1 Pet. 4:1-2). Illness is a visit from God, sometimes for the atonement of sins, awareness of a vicious lifestyle, and in special cases for exercise in faith (in cases of illness among the holy saints of God). Of course, fear in illness most often arises from a lack of understanding of the reasons and, possibly, weak faith. But it is precisely fear that is driven out by faith. Ask God and it will be given to you! To heal from an illness, you need to confess, take communion, order prayers for health and magpies, you can receive unction and go to a medical institution for a course of treatment. God bless you!
On the 12th day of November, we remember the life of John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria, where we read that he often celebrated the Divine Liturgy for the dead, saying that they bring great benefit to the deceased. Are such liturgies served in our time?
The afterlife fate depends on how the short earthly life was lived. But much depends on prayer for the deceased, especially the offering of a bloodless sacrifice for him - the liturgy. The lives of the saints testify to how, through the prayer of the righteous, the posthumous fate of sinners was eased - right up to their complete justification. That is why liturgies, memorial services, masses and magpies are served for the departed. In St. Vladimir's Church there is also a practice of performing funeral liturgies at the request of believers; to do this, you need to go to the candle shop and explain that you want to serve a separate funeral liturgy for your deceased relative.
How to wear a belt consecrated with prayers - over clothes or under clothes?
A consecrated belt with prayers is worn under clothing, hidden from prying eyes: “Agree your prayers to the Lord in secret and He will reward you openly.”
Where did the expression “The road to hell is paved with good intentions” come from? And what does it mean? I cannot understand why, by doing good deeds, a person can end up in hell instead of heaven.
This expression is now a proverb. Its closest source is James Boswell’s two-volume memoir-biographical book “The Life of Samuel Johnson,” published in 1791. The author claims that S. Johnson said in 1775: “Hell is paved with good intentions.” The only difference is that the proverb talks about the road to hell, and S. Johnson talks about hell itself. Apparently, the author of the aphorism relied on a saying made earlier by the Anglican priest and metaphysical poet George Herbert in the book “Witticisms of the Wise”: “Hell is full of good meanings and wishes.”
All three statements are united by the common idea that desires and intentions alone are not enough for salvation. This is entirely consistent with patristic teaching. First of all, you must have faith: “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6). According to St. Ephraim the Syrian, “without oil the lamp will not burn; and without faith no one acquires a good thought.” There were so many utopias, radical movements, revolutionary programs, etc., in the world, the leaders and participants of which, without God and against God, relying on their fallen minds, wanted to bring “happiness” to humanity. History keeps a sad and tragic memory of this. Likewise, an individual person who is in the blindness of unbelief, wanting to fulfill his intentions, which seem good to him, often causes evil and pain to others.
Question: Why can’t you eat after praying for bedtime?
Answer:
There is no strict prohibition, you can do it out of necessity if circumstances require it. In other cases, the holy fathers do not advise eating after prayer. From the name of the prayers we see that they are read not in the evening, but before bedtime “Prayers for sleep future", i.e. exactly when you decided to go to bed. If at such a late time after prayers you still decide to eat, then this will only harm your physical health and, even more so, your spiritual health, there is a high probability of defilement in a dream, etc. The Holy Fathers give advice based on their life experience.
Question: Explain the phrase from the Gospel (Matt. XVI:18): “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”
Answer:
The name Peter is the nickname of the Apostle Simon, given to him by the Savior. It means "precious stone". Why does the Lord point specifically to this precious stone? Although, as we know from the Gospel, Peter denied Christ three times. After all, there were other apostles who did not betray him. There was also a beloved disciple, John the Theologian. But the Lord is not pointing to them.
The basis of the Church of Christ is repentance, awareness of one’s weakness and sinfulness, since even the brightest angel, who did not have a single vice in himself, could become proud and become Satan, the enemy of God. At the same time, Peter, who had once renounced Christ out of cowardice, subsequently repented and was faithful to him until death, which he also accepted on the cross.
The word “Church” means the entire multitude of true believers on earth. By the name of the gates of hell, the Savior meant, firstly, Satan who fell from heaven with all his angels; secondly, the followers of Satan - idolaters, heretics and all those apostates who fight against the Holy Church, wanting to overthrow, overcome and completely destroy, but as we see over all the centuries of persecution, they cannot do this.
Question: Why, of all the apostles, only Peter and Paul are called supreme?
Answer:
Endowed with equal power from above and the same power to forgive sins, all the apostles will sit on twelve thrones next to the Son of Man (Matthew 19:28). But since the Acts of the Apostles mainly narrates the works of the apostles Peter and Paul, the Church and the holy fathers, reverent at the name of each of the apostles, call these two supreme. The Church glorifies the Apostle Peter as the one who began from among the apostles to confess Jesus Christ as the Son of the living God; Paul, as if he labored more than others and was numbered among the highest of the apostles by the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. II, 5); one - for firmness, the other - for bright wisdom.
Question: Why does a person need to accept Orthodoxy?
Answer: Orthodoxy, with its teaching about the immortality of the human person, answers one of the most exciting questions: “ A vain gift, a random gift, Life, why were you given to me?” and reveals the rational meaning of life and all human activities. It says that life without faith in immortality not only cannot be a value for a person, but often turns out to be a grave tragedy, leading to suicide. Belief in the eternal death of the individual completely makes this life meaningless. The tragedy of death is especially terrible for those who live by such faith, when they part forever with their loved ones, with wealth, fame, and power. But earthly life becomes valuable and acquires a truly real meaning when it is considered as that important stage of a person’s existence, during which he can determine his future, his eternity, since here a person makes a free choice between good and evil, his attitude to conscience is determined, to holiness, to truth. And this determines the nature of all human activity. F. Dostoevsky said this beautifully: “... Only with faith in his immortality does a person comprehend his entire rational goal on earth». “Without faith in one’s soul and in its immortality, human existence is unnatural, unthinkable and unbearable.” But why exactly Orthodoxy is the right path to God and a healing balm for a person is a separate big question. Now we can only say one thing: a tree is recognized by its fruits, and in every religion these fruits are its saints, since it is they who show the ideal to which it calls a person. Therefore the words are true: such are the saints, such is the religion. And one has only to look at our saints: Kiev-Pechersk, Radonezh, Sarov, Optina, etc., to see what beauty of the human soul, not to mention their countless miracles and signs, Orthodoxy reveals! Is this really not enough? Do we really need to look for someone else somewhere?!
Question:
Gospel of Matthew 28:16-17: “The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus commanded them, and when they saw Him, they worshiped Him, but others doubted.” Who doubted or what does this word mean here?
Answer: The second appearance of the Lord in Galilee was to a large congregation of believers led by the eleven apostles, whereas before that time only the myrrh-bearing women and His closest disciples had seen the Risen One. The place of the present solemn appearance was the mountain chosen by the Lord Himself (Matthew 28:16); here, by the time He indicated, more than five hundred brethren had gathered (1 Cor 15:6), and there is no doubt that the majority of them consisted of Galileans who followed the Lord during His preaching in their homeland, listened to His teaching, witnessed His miracles and, - there is nothing incredible - those who have experienced the goodness of the merciful Healer. When the Lord appeared, some of those gathered on the mountain “worshiped Him, while others doubted” (Matt. 28:17); Of course, among the latter there were no apostles who had already been confirmed in faith by the previous appearances of the Lord: doubt could arise only in those followers of Christ who were privileged to see the Risen One for the first time. But this doubt was temporary and gave way to firm faith, so that subsequently the holy Apostle Paul, listing the witnesses to the appearances of the Risen Lord, mentions “more than five hundred brethren,” many of whom were still alive.
Question: Apocalypse, chapters 2-3: “Of the 7 Churches, only the Smyrna Church turned out to be impeccable in the eyes of the Savior.” Why didn’t the Lord say a single accusatory word to the Angel of the Smyrna Church?
Answer:“I know your deeds,” says Christ to the angel of the Smyrna church, “both sorrow and poverty, but you are rich.” The church at Smyrna was the church of the poor. None of the rich merchants of the city of Smyrna were its members. But Christ saw her rich because she was rich in her Lord. She was poor, but she enriched many; she had nothing, but possessed everything (2 Cor. 6:10). Over the church in Smyrna the words of James 2:5 came true: “Has God not chosen the poor of the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He has promised to those who love Him.” Christ predicts the path of great suffering for the Smyrna church. He says to the angel of the Smyrna church: “Do not be afraid of anything that you will have to endure. Behold, the devil will cast you from among you into prison to tempt you, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life.” Let us note that all these great trials must fall to the lot of the church in which Christ does not note anything negative. What is the meaning of these great trials? Christ Himself gives the answer to this question: “To tempt you,” that is, to test you.
Suffering for Christ is not a punishment, but a test of our devotion and fidelity to Christ. Christ says that whoever remains faithful and devoted to Him through trials until the end, until death, will receive the “crown of life.” The crown of life is eternal life with Christ. Can you imagine a greater reward than the crown of life, than eternal life with Christ?
Question:
Please tell us about the holy prince Roman of Ryazan, whose image is depicted on the wall of our church.
Answer: The holy noble prince Roman Olegovich Ryazansky was from a family of princes who, during the Tatar yoke, became famous as defenders of the Christian faith and the Fatherland. Both of his grandfathers died for the Fatherland in the battle with Batu. Brought up in love for the holy faith (the prince lived in tears and prayers) and his homeland, the prince did his best to take care of his ruined and oppressed subjects, defending them from the violence and robberies of the khan's baskaks (tax collectors). The Baskaks hated the saint and slandered him before the Tatar Khan Mengu-Timur. Roman Olegovich was summoned to the Horde, where Khan Mengu-Timur announced that he must choose one of two: either martyrdom or the Tatar faith. The noble prince replied that a Christian cannot change his true faith to a false one. For his firmness in confessing his faith, he was subjected to cruel torture: his tongue was cut out, his eyes were gouged out, his ears and lips were cut off, his arms and legs were cut off, the skin was torn off from his head and, having cut off his head, they impaled it on a spear. This happened in 1270.
In Apocalypse 7 ch. v. 10 we read: “And they shouted with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the lamb!” In Matthew 21.9 and Mark 11.9 the people cried out: “Hosanna (salvation) to the Son of David!” How to understand these exclamations?
The pilgrims who came to Jerusalem greeted Jesus Christ with the cry: “Hosanna.” Translated from Hebrew, this means “Save us!” This is exactly how kings were greeted in those days. “The Coming One” is not just a word here, but one of the messianic titles. Taken together, the greeting expressed faith in Christ as king and mission. In Revelation, the word “salvation” refers to victory, good, and blessing. The translation is made from the Greek, and the greeting expresses the joy of the host of martyrs who have received heavenly glory: “They are now before the throne of God and serve Him day and night” (Rev. 7:15).
In the evening prayer of St. John of Damascus has the words: “And as you will, arrange a thing for me.” Like this?
In Russian, this phrase can be translated as follows: “Direct, Lord, the affairs and events of my life according to Your will.” To read prayers meaningfully, you need to read them at least several times in an interpretable translation.
- The Epistle of Peter, chapter 3, verse 5: “Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and reverence.” Who does the Apostle mean by the word everyone?
The sentence is found in that part of the letter where the apostle instructs Christians on proper behavior in times of persecution. As we see, even in this situation, believers are recommended to testify to their belonging to Christianity. A believer of our time must also be able to competently and reverently testify to his faith. By every questioner we must understand people who are sincerely interested in Orthodoxy and not enter into empty debates with sectarians if we do not have sufficient preparation for this.
- How to understand the words: “Jesus, mystery of the unknown silence, make me above every feeling and thought.”
These are words from the wonderful book of Metropolitan. Hierothea (Vlachos) - “One night in the desert of the Holy Mountain.” Here is a short excerpt from this book: “It’s long past midnight. Soon the voices of the monks sounded from the cells, full of tears of repentance and insight:
- Jesus, life-giving and sweetest warmth, warm me when I’m cold!
- Jesus, my beginning, middle and end, cleanse my heart so that I may appear before You!
- Jesus, in You is the secret of ineffable silence, help me rise above thoughts and feelings!
- Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me!
The Holy Mountain is burning at these hours, the devil is roaring. Monks truly connect with God.”
The prayers quoted by the author are very similar to the words from the akathist “To the Sweetest Jesus.” If you read them in Russian, then a lot becomes clear. The main theme of the prayers is the desire to be cleansed from sin, to be warmed by grace and to unite with one’s Creator in a spiritual impulse.
- Explain the words of kathisma 8 Psalm 63: “The infant was arrowed by their plagues, and their nations were crushed. All who saw them were confused.”
The psalm tells the story of the rebellion of Absalom and his supporters against King David. " The infant’s arrows caused their wounds, and the heathen fell upon her, and,” Having used many tricks, they did not achieve their goal. Just as arrows shot by small children do not cause any harm to those they hit, so tongues did not cause any harm to those struck by them, but the harm was directed to those who struck them. “All who saw them were troubled,” and Those who saw that the rebels had been deceived in their undertakings were filled with confusion and fear and marveled at God’s providence.
- The Holy Fathers teach us to help and take care of our neighbors. How to help them if they are not familiar with their teaching, take everything from you for granted and “sit on your neck”?
Our acts of mercy should not push our neighbors to even greater idleness or disrespect for us personally. Nobody forbids you to talk some sense into the lazy people or think about how to encourage them to fulfill the commandment to work.
How can you bear the weakness of your neighbor if he is your husband or son and abuses alcohol?
“Bearing your weaknesses” is necessary without complaint when it comes to the elderly, the disabled or small children. The husband or son must be encouraged in all possible ways to “come to their senses”, and secondarily, help them.
How to greet the priest correctly outside of church, when meeting on the street?
Just like in the temple: you need to come up and take the blessing. Even if the priest is without vestments, the grace of the priesthood is not on the priestly vestments, but on the priest himself. Of course, you need to observe prudence, for example, if you saw a priest at a distance, it is enough to wish him health as well as a layman.
We know that the Holy Trinity is indivisible. And in the Gospel of Matthew 27:46 we read the words of Jesus: “My God, My God! Why have you forsaken me? Or is this talking only about the human nature of the Savior?
Being one in Divine nature with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God the Word, otherwise called Jesus Christ, could not in any way be “forsaken by God.” Some Christians will say: “But there are two natures in Jesus: divine and human! Probably, Divine grace abandoned His human nature on the cross and that is why the Lord spoke about His “forsakenness of God.” This opinion is erroneous, for from the very moment of the Incarnation, two natures, divine and human, are combined in Christ “unfused, unchangeable, inseparable and inseparable,” therefore Divine grace could in no way abandon Him, either in Divinity or in humanity. How, then, can we explain the words of the Savior? Very simple. Exclaiming: “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?”, Christ on our behalf - that is, on behalf of humanity fallen in sin - quotes the words of prayer from the twenty-first psalm: “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me? (Psalm 21:2). This psalm begins with the cry of a suffering person, and ends with the triumph of God’s help. Which generally symbolizes fallen humanity, which, in the end, was saved by the loving Trinity God. In Orthodoxy, such statements of the Savior, spoken by Him on behalf of all people, are considered examples of “relative assimilation.” As St. John of Damascus writes: “The words: My God, my God, you have forsaken me in all things (Matthew 27:46), Christ spoke as if He had taken our face to Himself. For the Father could not be called His God, nor was Christ ever forsaken by his own Godhead, but we were forsaken and neglected. Therefore He prayed in this way, as if He had taken our face to Himself.” An example of such “relative assimilation” can be the statement of a mother who comes to the doctor with a sick child and says: “Doctor, we are sick.” Those. in fact, the baby’s mother is not sick, but is just putting herself along with her child. So Christ, exclaiming on the cross, was not abandoned either by the Father or by His Divinity, but quoted the twenty-first psalm, quoted as putting Himself along with us, which He can do by right, because... by His human nature is similar to us in everything except sin
What to do if you work in a sinful job?
If the work is truly based on sin, it must definitely be abandoned. I understand that these are difficult times, and finding a new job is very difficult, but this is a matter of your inner faith - how much you trust God. The Lord said: “Will a woman forget her suckling child, so as not to have compassion on the son of her womb? But even if she forgot, I will not forget you.” (Is.49:15) And again: “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns; and your Father in heaven feeds them. Aren't you much better than them? Of course, first of all you need to consult with a clergyman, to wisely consider the problem and ways to solve it. Perhaps everything will not be so categorical.
What should you do when faced with temptation?
There is a wonderful proverb: “If you see someone else’s sin, correct your own!” Any temptation can become a reason for us to think about our own imperfection. On the other hand, our own turning to God was most likely the result of the prayers of others. Therefore, it will be wiser to sympathize, pray and not judge.
How to avoid temptations before communion?
“If you begin to serve the Lord God, then prepare your soul for temptation” (Sir. 2.1). It may be worth avoiding situations in which conflicts and fussiness arise. You need to be patient and kind to everyone at home. Let us be wise, for we ourselves are not always a blessing to our neighbors. May the Lord strengthen you!
They say that you need to be able to tolerate yourself. How to achieve this?
Self-patience is the belief that we are all children of God! We need to try to see the world as the Lord who loves everyone sees it. At the same time, it is necessary to admit to your own human weaknesses and shortcomings. To admit and humbly accept ourselves as we are. We are all moving towards the finish line in broken cars! And although God can strengthen us and partially correct us, we still will not become angels until our death. Realizing this will protect us from despair and make us wiser. We can serve with the talents we have and do more if we remain in grace. Therefore, more faith in God's love and condescension towards ourselves and our neighbors.
How to understand the words of the Gospel: “O faithless and corrupt generation! How long will I be with you? How long will I tolerate you? (Matthew 17:17).
These words show us Jesus Christ as a true Man! As the true Son of God, Jesus as a man could become tired, angry, and experience normal human emotions. Further in the text, the Lord reproaches His disciples for their lack of faith, but an honest portrait of Jesus Christ is important to us, and the evangelist gives it to us. Read the Bible regularly!
Is it acceptable for a Christian father of a family to shift all responsibilities for raising children to his working wife?
The father of the family must always be a father! Let's look at righteous Abraham: neither family, nor flocks, nor servants - nothing escaped his attention. Tell your husband that he is also the patriarch of his family and therefore he is responsible for everything. And you be a loving wife and a good mother. God help you!
Explain how often you need to order masses for repose, for health, every month or not?
You can make such “orders” at your own expense and as needed. The main thing is that you continue to pray for yourself and your loved ones.
I often attend evening services and see how people approach the anointing with holy oil. Some fold their arms crosswise on their chest, others do not. Tell me how to approach correctly.
To answer your question, we need to look at the history of our worship. In the first centuries of Christianity, people received communion like this: they received the Body of Christ in the palm of their hand, the right hand lay on top of the left, and they drank the Holy Blood from the Chalice. The communion of clergy and laity took place in a similar way. Over time, the form of receiving the Holy Mysteries has changed. “Liar” came into use and ordinary lay people were no longer given the Sacrament under the guise of bread in their hands. But the gesture of folded palms itself remained. And then they began to recommend pressing your palms, folded crosswise, to your chest. This was the simplest way to transform this liturgical gesture. To answer your question, we can say that the gesture of crossed hands is appropriate only during Holy Communion; in all other cases it is optional.
And, of course, I would like to wish everyone a more attentive attitude to the history and meaning of our Orthodox worship!
From the life of St. Apostle John the Theologian “Having lived to the age of 100, the ap. John the Theologian, together with his disciples, left the city of Ephesus and ordered them to dig a cross-shaped grave for him and was buried alive in it.” Why was he buried alive?
If I want, let him remain, until I come, so that to you, you come for me. John chapters 21,22: These highly significant words of the Lord about the supernatural immortality of John the Theologian, spoken to the Apostle Peter, were an answer to his question regarding the apostle and evangelist John the Theologian: What is this? That is, if I am crucified and die on the cross according to Your prophecy for preaching and testifying about You before the pagans and Jews, then what kind of death will John die? And the Lord answers him as a righteous Judge, having the power of life and death: “If I want him to remain alive (until My second terrible coming to earth), what is that to you? You come for Me, that is, you die for Me on the cross, just as I died for you and for the human race, and John will live until the general resurrection and judgment” (Holy Right John of Kronstadt). Having such God's destiny for himself, John the Theologian gives the command to his disciples to bury him alive, knowing that the Lord will take him away. Not wanting this to be a visible image, like Moses the Seer of God, who left before his death so that the place of his burial would not become a place of worship, St. John did not want his disciples, having seen this, to idolize and worship him. So, John the Theologian reposed, but did not die, but “to this day he remains alive and does not retreat from the earth, and awaits the second terrible coming of the Lord to earth, although in heaven he stands before the throne of God and always intercedes for the Church of Christ.”
Is it possible to walk without a cross? I am baptized, but I don’t wear a cross. Is it really that important?
We must wear a cross so as not to deviate from the ancient Christian tradition. When the sacrament of baptism is performed on a person, the hand of the priest puts on the cross, and the worldly, unconsecrated hand does not dare to take it off. The cross accompanies us throughout our lives. We can only replace it if necessary. You can wear a consecrated wooden cross during an operation or in a bathhouse. The cross is material evidence of a person’s belonging to the Church of Christ. At the same time, it is a sharp weapon in spiritual warfare. A person who takes off his pectoral cross or does not wear it at all after baptism suffers from lack of faith and lack of true church consciousness. In Rus' they said about an immoral person: “There is no cross on him,” “Only the devil is poor, there is no cross on him.”
Is it possible to keep a dog at home?
Can. There are no prohibitions on keeping any animals at home in the Holy Scriptures.
— Is it possible for a pregnant woman to baptize a child and be the child’s godmother?
Of course you can! A good recipient must be a believer and, if possible, a friend of the family in which the child is being baptized. Your readiness for motherhood speaks of your mature position in life and is in no way a disadvantage.
— First Epistle to the Corinthians ch. 6.3. “Don’t you know that we will judge the angels...” To which angels do the words of St. Paul, who will be judged by the saints?
Saint John Chrysostom explains the words of the Apostle as follows: “The Apostle speaks here about evil spirits, about those angels about whom Christ speaks: “Depart from Me, you cursed, into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41) . When these disembodied forces turn out to be worse than us clothed with flesh, they will be subjected to the most severe punishment.”
“Glory to Jesus Christ!” - This is how Catholics greet each other, but how should Orthodox Christians speak? Is there a dogmatic point in this tradition?
On Easter days we all greet each other with the words: “Christ is risen”! On Christmas Day we say: “Christ is born”! But there is a church greeting for ordinary times. We must say: “Christ is in our midst”! Answer: “And it is, and it will be”! Currently, the everyday greeting is used only by clergy celebrating the Divine Liturgy. Having lost these words in everyday etiquette, we replace them with whatever we can. This is: “Bless”, and “God bless”, and anything else. It would be right to return to their Orthodox practice, then there would be no need to watch how Catholics do it.
In the Gospel we read the words of Jesus Christ: “I have revealed Your name to them, and I will reveal it” (John 17:6). What is this Name? Jesus or love, or maybe the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?
“Revealing the name,” Jesus speaks of the intimate connection between God the Father and Himself, and teaches about His own saving mission.
To reveal the saving plan of God, His love for people is in this sense the “revealed name.” Through Jesus Christ the love of God the Father was revealed to us and the grace of the Holy Spirit was given to us. Now we know that “God is love” (1 John 4:16).
Is it possible to wipe the face on icons with a cloth or do you just need to carefully blow off the dust from it? I was told that I couldn’t touch my face. This is true?
You can wipe the icons without touching (or kissing) the face, so as not to damage it, and not for sacramental reasons.
I recently came across this video testimony (...), and as a believer, it shocked me. I know that this cannot be trusted, but I still want to know if this evidence is true?
What confuses you? In Catholicism, the delirium of a sick imagination, demonic delusion and outright demonic possession have long been elevated to the rank of revelation. The content of such “revelations” is not a reflection of objective reality, but reflects only what was shown by demons. The girl caught on video is telling the truth, that’s what she saw, what she heard. I just mixed up the source. But she has no means of distinguishing a demon from an Angel. In Orthodoxy, this phenomenon has been known for a long time and has its own name - prelest. I advise you, for your personal spiritual safety, never, under any circumstances, watch, listen to or discuss anything related to supernatural phenomena and mystical experiences. The Lord gave man after the fall leather vestments to protect him from the direct influence of demons exiled to earth, into the same space as man. But we are curious... So we strive to dig a hole in these protective vestments. But what enters the gap is not the knowledge of the truth, but the knowledge of demons. The goal of these subjects is death.
Our son decided to marry a second time. Registration and wedding are due on April 23rd. They have been living together for three years and decided to formalize the relationship. When they got ready to get married, they didn’t ask for our blessing, but at the wedding they want us to bless them with icons. Tell me, is it possible to bless them and when - before registration or after?
If your son is in an adulterous relationship, let him formalize the relationship at any time. And if you are not against this marriage, you can bless them with icons. Before painting. Although, I must say frankly: the week before Holy Day is not the right time for a wedding. In general, it’s an absurd situation: people who don’t seem to care about church rules for some reason ask for blessings...
When I pray, I am “ashamed” to look at icons. I feel very guilty, but they seem to be alive. Is this normal?
This is unusual, but not abnormal. The grace of God sharpens spiritual vision, makes it possible to see one’s weaknesses and imperfections more clearly. And you are ashamed of him before the Face of God, before the face of the saints.
For some time now I have been very worried about the coldness and stony insensibility in confession. I repent, but formally list my sins. But the priest does not ask leading questions. Will the Lord accept such a confession?
Will accept. Leading questions in confession are a good thing, but they are not the only way to cope with spiritual coldness. No one is free from it or from what the holy fathers called petrified insensibility. And they had to overcome it as an inevitable temptation. Not at the beginning of the path to God, as a rule, when the Lord revealed Himself as a certain guarantee, but along the way, according to the strength and faith of each one. And in such a way that sometimes patience was the only thing required. And repentance itself, its authenticity is determined not by the details of confession, and not even by feelings, but by determination and a real change in life. In whom God will establish.
Lately I have been overcome by despondency, sadness, feelings of uselessness, hopelessness and loneliness. Tell me what to do?
You need to live, understanding that despondency, no matter what causes it, is a sinful state. A derivative of laziness, as a rule. And not so much the body, but the soul. The soul must work. Turning to God - the Source of meaning, joy, every good that can fill human life. But there are also things that happen against one’s will and choice: loss of loved ones, illness, loneliness. This is the dignity of a Christian, to accept them as a cross and bear them without complaining. Lord strengthen.
I work in a work environment where the appropriate response to rudeness from the standpoint of common sense is the same rudeness, that is, swearing and insulting. No matter how hard you try to avoid such an answer, any other answer in this environment seems weak, and swearing seems to be a sin. In our real life, we often have to choose not between greater and lesser good, but the lesser of two evils? That is, an Orthodox Christian feels as if defenseless against rudeness; he is not allowed to do much, but they are allowed to do everything. How to be?
A harsh answer can be without rudeness, and without swearing, which, by the way, is not only a curse, but also a blasphemy - against the mother, against the Mother of God. If you wish, you can not only not participate in collective bestiality yourself, but also not allow others to do so in your presence if you are afraid of appearing soft. And Christ at one time did not hesitate to drive the merchants out of the Jerusalem Temple. We will not invent a new gospel. Try to follow it to the best of your ability and ability. God help.
Question No. 1: Explain, father, is it possible to read prayers of thanksgiving for Holy Communion in the morning, before going to church? Or should they be read strictly after communion?
In prayers of thanksgiving for Holy Communion, we thank God for His Gift given to us in the sacrament of the Eucharist, therefore it is advisable to do them after receiving the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
Question No. 2: When can you shorten the prayer rule?
Prayer is necessary for the soul as breathing is for the body. “Through prayer the soul is spiritualized by the Holy Spirit. There is prayer - the Spirit lives; no prayer - no life in the spirit” (St. Theophan the Recluse). Therefore, you should not shorten the prayer rule without good reason. It is necessary to ensure that for the sake of “good reasons” layoffs do not become the norm for you. God help you!
No. 3 question: Ephesians 4, 26: “If you are angry, do not sin...” How can you not sin if anger is already a sin?
Anger and irritability are one of the most dangerous passions, but they can also be mastered and made to “work” for oneself, i.e. turn this ability of our soul to the very passion of anger. St. The Fathers call this “righteous anger.” “It is not only acceptable, but indeed salutary to be angry at one’s own sins and shortcomings.” (St. Demetrius of Rostov) “Whoever bears a grudge against demons does not hold a grudge against people” (St. Nilus of Sinai) “When you feel a strong influx of anger within yourself, try to remain silent...” (Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow). It is even necessary to argue without bitterness and without anger, since irritation is immediately transferred to the other, infecting him, but not convincing him of the rightness. Give us, Lord, the virtue of humility!
Question No. 4: What kind of prayer exists for evil thoughts?
There are prayers of petition, thanksgiving, and praise. Your question concerns petitionary prayers. To answer the question, you need to know what specific evil thought is tormenting you. In complete prayer books, such as “The Prayer Shield of an Orthodox Christian” or “Prayer Book for Every Need and Every Day”, etc. there are many prayers “In case of unclean thoughts”, “In lack of faith”, “In demonic misfortunes and temptations”, “In prodigal warfare”, etc. The shortest petitionary prayer “Lord have mercy.” God bless you!
Question No. 5: In the 3rd antiphon there are the words: “Blessed are the poor in spirit...”, and in the festive troparions they sing: “...those rich in poverty...”. Is this about those who gave everything to the Lord or should we understand it in some other way?
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,” those who consider themselves worse than any sinner, see their sins, the weakness of their minds, feel their helplessness, therefore they always and everywhere resort to God, therefore they feel grace-filled peace and joy in their hearts, because of this “poverty rich…". The poor in spirit can be both rich and poor. The rich serve the poor with their wealth, and the poor do not lose heart in their poverty, but both are in the grace of God and are always happy with everything. I wish all of us to have such poverty of spirit.
I often hear that you should not come to church with your own candles. What is the difference? Can you explain please!
We find the answer to your question already on the first pages of the Bible. When we read how God accepted Abel’s sacrifice and rejected Cain’s, we must think about the fact that not every sacrifice is pleasing to God. Abel was a cattle breeder and brought the best of his flocks to God. Cain was a farmer and brought a sheaf of wheat to the altar. According to the interpretation of the Church Fathers, Cain brought already threshed ears of corn, and therefore God rejected his sacrifice. Thus the greedy and ungrateful heart lost God's blessing. When we put even cheap candles in church, this is already our feasible sacrifice. And if we light candles purchased elsewhere, then this is only an imitation of a donation and our prayer becomes dishonest. Of course, there are days when it seems that we have absolutely nothing to bring to God. But even then we ourselves can stand like candles and burn with love and fervent prayer for ourselves and our loved ones.
Do we need to remember confessed sins? If you follow the words of the prayer: “Deliver me from many and cruel memories and enterprises,” then it seems that there is no need to remember, but what if they still come to mind?
In the sacrament of repentance, absolutely all sins are forgiven. When coming to confession, we need to confess the sins that we committed after the last confession. The words of the prayer you quote warn us not just from remembering the past, they warn us from sympathy for sin that is far behind us. A person can be weak, and sometimes, remembering past sins, we imperceptibly tend to think about the possibility of repeating them. It happens that something from our past torments us, and we want to tell our confessor about it. To do this, you can use not only confession, but also a private conversation with a priest. In general, we all often lack optimism, patience and the desire to thank God for everything we have.
God help you!
How to understand the words of the Gospel: “Pray that your flight does not happen in winter or on Saturday (Matthew 24:20)?
The entire chapter that you cite prophesies about the last times and at the same time about imminent disasters that were to befall the city of Jerusalem. Remembering the words of the Lord, many Christians left the city when they heard about the approach of Roman troops led by Titus (70th year).
The call of Jesus Christ for such prayer warned about the possible dangers of the upcoming flight. In winter it is not so easy to quickly move to a safe distance, and on Saturday loyalty to the Old Testament could prevent such an attempt. Thus, careful and thoughtful reading of the Gospel saved the lives of many Christians living in Judea in the first century.
Answered by Priest Alexander Kazakov
What participation should godparents take in raising their godson?
Godparents are responsible before God for the spiritual education and piety of their godchildren, and therefore must instruct them in the Orthodox faith and pious Christian life.
During the Liturgy of the Catechumens, when the priest exclaims: “Catechumens, bow your heads to the Lord,” everyone present in the temple bows their heads. But this only applies to the unbaptized. Tell me what to do?
You answered your own question. The bowing of the heads applies only to those preparing for baptism.
Is it true that when you approach the cross after communion, you cannot kiss the priest’s hand?
After communion, before drinking, you should refrain from kissing icons and the priest’s hand, but there is no such rule that the person receiving communion should not kiss icons and the priest’s hand on this day. It is important to keep your tongue, thoughts and heart from all evil.
At what age should a child fast before communion?
There is no specific rule for children; everything is decided individually with the priest. In a Christian family: parents fast, and children also fast if they are healthy.
According to tradition, men and women stand on opposite sides during services in the church. Should husband and wife stand side by side or also apart?
If you intend to observe traditions and they are observed in your temple, then stand apart.
First Epistle to the Corinthians by St. ap. Paul chapter 12:3 “Therefore I tell you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will pronounce anathema against Jesus, and no one can call Jesus Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” Question: Why can no one call Jesus Lord except by the Holy Spirit?
“When the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will testify about Me.” (John 15:26)
Therefore, he who has the Holy Spirit confesses Jesus Christ as Lord, but he who does not, does not. Give us all, Lord, Your Holy Spirit! Amen.
Priest Igor Volikov answers
How to understand the words of the Gospel of Matthew ch. 24, 40-41: “Then there will be two on the field: one is taken, and the other is left; two grinding millstones: one is taken, and the other is left”?
- By those who are in the field are meant the rich, and by those who grind in the millstones are the poor, and it is learned that of both the rich and the poor, some are saved, and some perish. The rich are spoken of in the masculine gender, indicating their arrogance and strength, and the poor are spoken of in the feminine gender, thereby indicating their humiliation and powerlessness. All who honestly acquired wealth and generously endured poverty are taken to meet the Lord as His friends, and all those who behaved in a completely opposite way, as unworthy, are left below to await the Judge. Luke (17:34) speaks differently about this: “...there will be two on the bed together: one will eat, and the other will be left: you will be two together, grinding: one will be eaten, and the other will be left,” - denoting those who are on the bed who are living a quiet life , and those who grind - those who live among suffering. It is clear that this was expressed in different ways at one time and then at another: first what is said in Luke, and then what is said in Matthew. The world is called the field. The one who is saved is taken, and the one who is condemned is left. Let us know that both the poor and the rich, both servants and masters, are taken and left. Christ showed that not all the rich perish, and not all the poor are saved. That’s why he says right now: “Be on guard, for you do not know at what hour your Lord will come,” without specifying the day, but wanting us to always be ready for an answer.
How to pray to forget a loved one, so that the heart obeys the mind?
— Here it is necessary to clarify why a person wants to forget his loved one and whether this should be done. If he left for someone else or for some other reason you broke up, in this case, if you really truly love, then you should wish your beloved happiness, even if not with you, have the desire to keep him in all possible ways - upward of selfishness , so pray for your loved one, arrange your life yourself, over time the pain will subside. If we are talking about a broken family, then in such cases, unfortunately, or, more correctly, for edification, happiness is rarely found in a new family; as they say, you cannot build your own happiness on someone else’s misfortune. But even in this case, rejoicing at their failures and quarrels is unworthy of a Christian; one must pray to the Lord for admonition and softening of their hearts. If the question is about the death of a loved one, then why forget? Carry the memory of him until the end of your days, pray for him, souls unite in prayer. Carry love for him for the rest of your earthly life in your heart, and after death you will be with him. The pain of loss will pass over time; you must firmly remember that this separation is temporary.
What is the difference between a regular memorial service and a memorial service on the 40th day?
- A memorial service on the fortieth day in terms of the composition of the service is no different from an ordinary memorial service, but it is necessary, since according to church tradition we know that on the 40th day the afterlife fate of a person is decided until the Last Judgment, where he will stay - in hell or in heaven, therefore on this day it is necessary to pray as diligently as possible for the deceased in order to bend God’s judgment to mercy.
Priest Alexander Dombrovsky answers
I recently learned that before the liturgy you should abstain from food, even if you yourself do not receive communion. This is true?
We then fully participate in the liturgy when we receive communion. To prepare for communion, there are special prayers and the so-called Eucharistic fast. According to the decision of the American Orthodox Church, it is 6 hours; it is customary for us not to eat food from midnight. According to the decision of the synod of our Church, before communion it is quite possible to wash down the medicine with water, if necessary. The Eucharistic fast is not imposed on persons who do not approach the Sacrament of Holy Communion, but in the Orthodox Church there is a tradition of coming to the service on an empty stomach, since after the end of the liturgy all the faithful accept the shrine - antidor (gr.) - “instead of the gift” that is given to those who who could not receive communion on this day.
Is every world pleasing to God?
“If possible, be at peace with everyone,” says the Apostle Paul. But sometimes in political life war comes as an indulgence, a test or a punishment. Only God knows its true reasons. We need to seek peace with all our neighbors according to the word of Scripture!
Is it only necessary to repent of sins?
Strictly speaking, you need to repent of sins that violate specific commandments of God. You also need to repent of your passions, asking your confessor for advice in a given life situation. Excessive “digging” into oneself leads to suspiciousness, complexes and fears. Everything needs a golden mean! Answering your question, I would advise not only to repent, but also to thank the Lord for everything, and also strive for spiritual vigor. The Bible teaches us the need for spiritual growth - “from a child to a perfect man.” This means that we need to be able to repent, rejoice, and live a full life. God help!
Now they often sing the songs of Hieromonk Roman (Matyushin), they say he is from Trubchevsk. Tell us what you can.
Hieromonk Roman, in the world Alexander Ivanovich Matyushin. Born November 16, 1954 in the village of Ryabchevsk, Trubchevsky district, Bryansk region.
He graduated from the Faculty of Philology at the University of Elista and taught at school. Alexander began writing poetry in his youth; already his early poems are distinguished by poetic literacy. In 1983, he took monastic vows at the Pskov-Pechersk Monastery, then served in the parishes of the Pskov region, in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra after its opening. In 1985 he was ordained a hieromonk. His mother, Zoya Nikolaevna, also took monastic vows. In October 2003, Hieromonk Roman secluded himself from the world in the Vetrovo monastery, which can only be reached by water. Despite the seclusion, he continues to write poetry. Songs based on the poems of Hieromonk Roman are performed by Zhanna Bichevskaya, Oleg Pogudin, Sergei Bezrukov, Maxim Troshin, Elena Vaenga, the Kuban Cossack Choir and other performers.
Here is what Valentin Rasputin writes about Hieromonk Roman: “His songs, which sounded so unexpectedly and so necessary during the mournful time of our Golgotha, contain a response to the spiritual needs of our people. To say that this is a prayerful and ascetic voice means to indicate only one color of a wounded heart. They contain sorrow, pain, self-merciless repentance, the first movements of the awakening soul, and happy tears of its discovery.”
From the life of St. Paisius the Great, we learn that in adulthood he accepted monasticism in an Egyptian monastery, where he lived in complete solitude. For 3 years he did not see a human face, studied the Holy Scriptures, fasted, prayed and excelled in every virtue.
How can one excel in every virtue without communicating with people?
Only in the experience of silence and complete solitude is a true meeting with oneself and with God possible. Therefore, we find similar examples in the lives of many saints. In our personal spiritual work, moments of contemplation and complete solitude are also necessary.
Priest Igor Volikov answers
“And the lord praised the unfaithful steward for acting wisely; for the sons of this age are more perceptive in their generation than the sons of light.” Why did the master praise his steward? Chapter 16, verse 8 Gospel of Luke. And what does the words of verse 9 of the same chapter mean: “Make for yourselves friends with unrighteous wealth”
Let us turn to the explanation that Archpriest Timofey Butkevich gives for this “praise”, and together with the act of the housekeeper. According to his interpretation, the steward discounted the debtors only what he himself owed, since he had previously written in receipts both the amount for which he rented out the land to tenants in agreement with his master, and the amount that he intended to appropriate for himself personally. Since now he no longer had the opportunity to receive the amount he had negotiated for himself - he was leaving the service - he changed the receipts, without thereby decisively
no damage to his owner, because he still had to get his. Thus, indeed, the owner, as a decent person, had no incentive to insist that the debtors pay in his favor everything that was reprimanded from them by the housekeeper: he considered them to owe a much smaller amount. The housekeeper did not offend him - why should the owner not praise him? This approval of the expediency of the housekeeper’s action is where the instruction “Make friends with unrighteous wealth” is found here - the housekeeper, having thrown off part of the debt of the borrowers, thereby acquired friends in their person, who, in the event of the dismissal of the housekeeper, could accept him into their homes, although part of the written off debt and was unrighteous,
because she profited from the funds lent to him
Mr. All of the above can be expressed this way: Lord
calls on people who have acquired their wealth through unrighteous means to spend it on making friends who can introduce them to the House of God, that is, simply put, to spend it on good deeds and helping others, then, despite the fact that wealth, what was once acquired unrighteously can serve as salvation.
How to visit the temple so that walking is saving?
The apostolic rules say that a Christian should not miss more than two Sunday services without good reason, otherwise he will be excommunicated from the Church. If we talk about the spiritual component, then participation in all the Sacraments of the Church is mandatory, especially in confession and communion. Regularity should be discussed with the confessor; if he is not there, then with the parish priest. It is also very important to remember that you come to church to pray together. According to the teachings of the Holy Fathers, saying “Lord, have mercy!” once in church is the same as repeating this prayer a thousand times at home. Only in church does a Christian receive spiritual support and assistance, which he cannot find outside the church, no matter how hard and much he prays. Wandering gaze, looking
praying, mental condemnation of the behavior or clothing of parishioners is unacceptable, all thoughts and gaze must be directed to God. If it is not possible to observe the course of the Divine Service, lower your gaze to the ground. The elders have such a concept - keeping their gaze. A salutary state is when, at the end of the service, you leave the temple with a feeling of spiritual lightness and peace. If this does not happen, try to look for the reason, consulting with a priest.
What do they do in Sunday school?
Sunday school is one of the activities of the Church, which provides it with a strong connection with worldly life. After all, the organization of a Sunday school in a parish is an invaluable opportunity to introduce not only children, but also their parents, to church life. Classes at the Sunday school at the Church of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir in Kletnya are similar to any other educational activities for schoolchildren: for an hour and a half, children are busy reading, drawing, singing, and dancing. Only if the reading is from the Holy Scriptures, if the crafts are for an Orthodox holiday, if the singing and choreography are also of a Christian orientation. The lesson begins and ends with prayer, as well as a shared sweet meal. The beneficial benefits of such activities can hardly be overestimated. Children are surrounded by believers. They learn to perceive prayer, the Sacraments, and immersion in their own spiritual world not as some kind of exotic local history, but as a normal, full life, perhaps even more full than that of their peers deprived of this source of joy.
Answered by Priest Alexander Kazakov
Is it possible for parishioners to use the passage between the lectern on which the festive icon lies and the Royal Doors?
— During the service, movement around the temple should be limited, especially if you should not pass between the festive lectern and the pulpit. This passage is used when they come to Communion and kiss the Cross. You also need to remember the rule: you cannot pass between the priest and the Altar during the service.
The heavenly patron saint and the Guardian Angel are the same spiritual person or different?
Different. A guardian angel is given by God at baptism and everyone has their own, and the heavenly patron is the one whose name you bear.
Why are Easter cakes and Easter cakes usually blessed in church? Do they really lose their significance without this ritual?
In church we rejoice and partake of the Heavenly Bread - the Body and Blood of Christ, we accept Christ into our hearts and into our body. And on Easter we are not interested in the abundance of different delicacies on the table. Whether there are such or not is not important. The question is different. Bread is a symbol of life. But we receive bread from God. And Easter cake is not just bread for our nutrition, but the bread of the joy of the holiday, which we eat at home, during agape, a festive home meal. Why is it still necessary to consecrate Easter foods? So that God's blessing may rest on our food and on us.
If a person received communion on Easter night, how should he behave at the festive meal? Is it possible to break your fast with everyone and eat meat and wine?
Those who receive communion on Easter night can eat everything that will be offered at the festive meal.
Is it true that in the first seven days after Easter one should constantly partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ? Can you tell us more about this?
St. Nicodemus the Holy Mountain says: “Those who, although they fast before Easter, do not receive communion on Easter, such people do not celebrate Easter...” According to Rule 66 of the Trullo Council, the faithful must enjoy the Holy Mysteries throughout Bright Week. On these days, the faithful do not fast, but they read the Order of Holy Communion.
Please tell us about the icons on the iconostasis and their names.
— The modern iconostasis finally took shape in the 16th century.
In the first row there are double-leaf Royal Doors, as well as single-leaf deacon doors: northern and southern. On the Royal Doors there is an image of the Annunciation and four evangelists. To the right of them is the image of the Savior, and then the temple icon. To the left of the Royal Doors is the image of the Mother of God, and then a locally revered icon of a holiday or saint. They are placed on both sides depending on the size of the iconostasis. The deacon's gates usually depict the Archangels Michael and Gabriel or the Archdeacons Stephen and Lawrence. An image of the Last Supper is placed above the Royal Doors, which opens the second row of the iconostasis. On the right and left sides there are icons of the twelve holidays.
The third row of icons has as its center the image of Christ the Pantocrator, in royal vestments, seated on a throne. To the right of Him is the Mother of God, and to the left is John the Baptist. These three icons are called deisis (prayer). Next are the apostles. Their faces are depicted facing Christ. In the center of the 4th row the Mother of God is depicted with the Child of God, and on both sides are the Old Testament prophets. In the 5th row, the forefathers are depicted on one side, and the saints on the other. The iconostasis is crowned with a Cross.
Priest Alexander Dombrovsky answers
Father, explain: I’m saying that someone did the wrong thing, said the wrong thing, and so on. They tell me that this is a condemnation. But I'm just saying that, not judging. Is there some kind of boundary between “just said so” and “condemned”.
We all love to talk about other people. Moreover, if the conversation touches on the merits of our neighbors, we become silent or even sad. But as soon as you start talking about other people’s mistakes, your interlocutors seem to transform. A twinkle appears in the eyes and even people who are indifferent to each other become closer. What to say? We are all brought together by gossip, just as teenagers are brought together by the sin of smoking. It is useful to distinguish between habitual, but nevertheless sinful idle talk (“just saying”) and condemnation, but where to find this line? Let's look at the final result. When we heard the news about the inappropriate behavior of our acquaintances, how did we respond? “Help them, Lord!”, or “We are all sinners,” or maybe they just smiled meaningfully? Did we have sorrow for the sins of others or even a little sympathy for those people? If it wasn’t, then we condemned it. Of course, being one hundred percent vigilant in communication is very difficult. But let us remember that everyone speaks from the “abundance of his heart” and “To the pure, all is pure.” We must constantly learn to look at the world with kind eyes, have compassion for all people, and even see the image of God in hardened sinners!
TOWhat kind of treats can be blessed on Easter?
After the Easter service, the priest reads prayers for the blessing of eggs, Easter cakes and meat. Also, according to Orthodox tradition, Easter cottage cheese is blessed.
Why is the egg a symbol of Easter?
The egg looks very much like a stone, but we know that inside it lies new life. When the disciples buried the body of Jesus Christ, the situation was tragic, but outwardly it seemed quite natural. No one in those minutes thought about the coming Resurrection of the Teacher. But just as a chicken emerges from an egg, so True Life shines from the grave. Therefore, the egg is a very accurate symbol. There is also a legend about the gift of Mary Magdalene to Emperor Tiberius of an egg, which miraculously changed its color to red. This was proof of the Resurrection of the Savior preached by Mary.
In different Local Churches and among different nations, traditions associated with Easter may vary, but the main thing in all of them is unchanged - our faith and joy in the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Why don't people visit the cemetery on Easter?
The day of Holy Easter and the entire next week are considered especially joyful and festive, therefore, according to the Charter of the Holy Church, funeral services are not performed on these days. The first day to commemorate the dead is Tuesday of the following week. On this day, all accumulated notes about the deceased were collected and funeral services were performed in cemeteries.
Confirmation and Blessing of Unction: what is the difference?
The Sacrament of Confirmation occurs immediately after Baptism and imparts to the baptized the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Confirmation, like Baptism itself, occurs once in a lifetime and strengthens us in spiritual life.
Blessing of Anointing or Unction is a sacrament in which, when anointing the body with oil, the healing grace of God is invoked on the sick person. The sacrament is performed by one or more clergy. Throughout his life, a believer can resort to this sacrament more than once.
“Anti-Easter” - what is it, the opposite holiday of Easter?
Translated from Greek, “Antipascha” means “instead of Easter.” This is the name of the week following Bright Week.
On it, the Church remembers a person for whom, in a sense, Easter came a week later than the other apostles: this is the Apostle Thomas. He could not fully believe the news that the Teacher was alive: “Unless I see in His hands the marks of the nails, and put my finger into the marks of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe (John 20: 25)". And I saw - a week later, on that very Sunday that we today call Fomin.
Priest Igor Volikov answers 
— Is it possible to order a memorial service for the saints in our church or only at the shrine of the saints? If possible, when to order - on Memorial Day or when your heart demands it?
— In the Orthodox Church, memorial services for saints are not held, since funeral prayers ask for forgiveness of the sins of the deceased and the entry of his soul into the Kingdom of Heaven. A person recognized by the church as a saint is already in the Kingdom of God, therefore a funeral service for a saint is incorrect, it shows that you doubt his holiness or that the person is in the Kingdom of God. In some literature you may have read that people ordered memorial services for St. Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg or Blessed Matrona of Moscow, which could lead to confusion. This happened when they were not yet glorified as saints. Saints should order prayer services; this can be done in any church on any day.
—When is the curtain of the Royal Doors open and when closed during the Divine Service?
— The opening of the curtain during the service marks the revelation to the world of the mystery of Salvation, which has been hidden for centuries (Col. 1:26) and appeared to people during the incarnation of the Son of God, who opened the entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven for us. St. John Chrysostom says: “When you see the detachable curtains hanging at the gates of the altar, then think that the highest heavens are opening and angels are descending.”
According to its meaning, the curtain opens at those services in which the economy of the Salvation of the human race is most revealed and in which the greatest hope is given to receive the Kingdom of Heaven, namely at solemn and joyful services. These are the services: Vespers, Matins, Liturgy, the hours at which the Gospel is read, Compline, when the all-night vigil begins, prayer singing, since they are similar in composition to Matins and the Gospel is read at them, etc. But at services depicting our sinful state and the wrath of God for our sins, at services of repentance, sadness, the curtain does not open. Thus, it does not open at those services that the charter prescribes to be performed in the vestibule, namely: at the hours (if the Gospel is not read at them), at Little Vespers, at Compline and the Midnight Office.
— How to understand the words of the Gospel: “And the Lord said: Simon! Simon! Behold, Satan has asked that he might sow you as wheat” (Luke 22:31) - and not tares
Just as the wheat in the sifter’s sieve beats and the one thrown in constantly turns over, so the prince of wickedness occupies all people with earthly affairs, sways, leads to confusion and anxiety, forces them to embrace vain thoughts, vile desires, earthly and worldly connections, constantly captivating, confusing, catching the entire sinful race of Adam. And the Lord predicted to the Apostles the future uprising of the evil one against them: “Satan asks you to sow like wheat: I prayed” to My Father, “so that your faith will not fail.” For this word and definition, clearly spoken by the Creator to Cain: “groaning and shaking,” “you will be on the earth in anxiety” (Gen. 4:12), secretly serves as an image and likeness for all sinners; because the race of Adam, having transgressed the commandment and become sinners, secretly took on this likeness. People are shaken by fickle thoughts of fear, fear, all kinds of embarrassment, desires, all kinds of pleasures. The prince of this world excites every soul that is not born of God, and like wheat constantly rotating in a sieve, he disturbs human thoughts in various ways, causing everyone to hesitate and entrap them in worldly seductions, carnal pleasures, fear, and confusion.
Answered by Priest Alexander Kazakov
Question: It happens that for some reason I can’t sleep. I start reading prayers and don’t notice how I fall asleep. Or I wake up from reading a prayer out loud. I want to remember where I know it from and immediately forget that I read it. Will this not be considered a sin to me? Or is it a temptation?
answer: “Pray with all prayer and supplication at all times in the Spirit, and be diligent about this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints...” Eph. g.6 art.18. And the fact that your spirit prays in your sleep is neither sin nor temptation.
question: On holidays, on Sunday during the Liturgy, I pray, kneeling. The parishioners make the remark: “Kneeling is not allowed on the holiday.” Explain why? And how should we generally respond to comments made in church?
answer: Bowing is a symbolic action that serves as an expression of a feeling of reverence for God. Kneeling symbolizes the fall of man through sin, and rebellion symbolizes salvation through the Lord’s love for mankind. We must remember that it is not a matter of words and bows, but of raising the mind and heart to God. On holidays and Sundays, kneeling is indeed cancelled, because... on these days we praise and thank God, and on ordinary days we perform prayers of a repentant nature. But there are moments in the Divine Service when bowing is required according to the rules, for example, during the administration of the Holy Gifts. The rule about bowing should be studied in the appendix to the Book of Hours or in some complete prayer books. And comments in the temple must be treated with humility.
question: On Christmas Eve and on the Epiphany of the Lord, water is blessed with the same solemn great rite. But why twice?, i.e. and January 18 and 19?
answer: The church day according to the charter begins in the evening. And on Epiphany Eve the Great Blessing of the Water begins after Vespers, which already belongs to the Feast itself, although it takes place on the 18th.
question: We rarely go to our church, but when we go to holy places, we say: “What grace!” Maybe we perceive our enthusiasm for the moment as grace? Then what is real grace?
answer: Grace is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, which is given to a believer by God according to His mercy. There are moments in a person’s life when he feels the presence of the Holy Spirit in his heart, such quiet joy and peace, a feeling of forgiveness and all-encompassing love. Usually, this happens after communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. But these moments do not happen as often as we would like. Enthusiasm is a mental feeling, and grace is a spiritual feeling. Traveling to holy places is not forbidden, but this should not be the goal of Christian life. The goal is to become like Christ and you need to learn this in your temple.
question: What to say and what to do if friends ask you to pray for them?
answer: You should always pray. If the one for whom they are asking is baptized in the Orthodox Church, then he must be remembered at church services (mass, prayer services, memorial services, etc.); if not baptized, then at home prayer.
question: When is it better to read the Akathist to the saints: in the morning or in the evening?
answer: Read at any time convenient for you.
question: Who should be unctioned? How long does the oil from unction remain useful?
answer: Any baptized Orthodox Christian who is physically or mentally ill can receive unction. If you use this oil with reverence and faith, then like any other consecrated substance (Holy water, prosphora), it does not lose its properties over time. Every use of “cathedral” oil serves us as a blessing from God.
question: Instead of a cross, I wear a pendant with an image of the Mother of God with the Baby in her arms. Is it correct?
answer: It is imperative to wear a pectoral cross, and with it an icon of the Mother of God and (or) your patron saint.
Priest Alexander Dombrovsky answers
- How should you greet people you don't like when the person is younger than you or may have spoken badly about you. What's the best way to proceed?
Of course, not all people are attractive to us and not all are positive. We know about ourselves that we are not ideal. Therefore, not every meeting is capable of making us happy, just as we ourselves are not always happy with those around us. But let's see how the Lord teaches us! Sending His disciples to preach, He tells them to greet everyone with the wish of peace: “Peace be with you!” Warning against possible bewilderment, the Savior says that if anyone is not worthy of this wish, then the world will return again to the apostles. That is, the good that we wish with all our hearts does not go to waste! In the letters of St. The apostles often greeted with a wish for health, which is similar to our modern practice. Therefore, if we show good manners and goodwill, then we will not lose anything, and there will be a little more good around us. In the end, the Lord Himself, Jesus Christ, teaches love not only for neighbors, but also for enemies. And then either the person we don’t like will thaw over time, or our world will return to us.
On most icons, the Most Holy Theotokos tenderly looks at the Child of God. But on one of the icons of the Nativity of Christ, She is facing the other way. Why?
The Church knows a huge number of revered icons of the Mother of God. Some of them are miraculous, and some are considered canonical and generally accepted. But there is also a huge number of works belonging to folk artists. Each icon carries its own theology, its basic idea, those feelings, the meaning that the master endowed it with. Consider the image of the Mother of God “Passionate”. We see on it the Infant God looking at the angels. In the hands of angels there is a cross, nails and a spear - signs of the upcoming atoning sacrifice. The Mother of God looks at us from the image and seems to ask: “How do we accept Her maternal love and the sacrifice of Her Son?” In general, gaze is the direction of our attention. If on the icon of the Nativity we see the Mother of God looking at the shepherds or wise men, this means that both the Lord and the Mother of God are paying attention to everyone who comes to them with faith and love on these holy days. May we be worthy of this holy attention!
How to understand the words of the Gospel: “And having finished all temptations, the devil departed from Him for a time” (Luke 4.13)?
You and I all know that the devil is the enemy of our salvation from the very beginning. He did not miss the opportunity to tempt the Son of Man, since the secret of the incarnation was hidden from him. The devil came so close and so clearly to the Savior only at the end of the forty-day fast preceding the public sermon. We read about the second case at the very end of the Gospel, when the Lord testifies that the enemy coming to him finds nothing in him. Throughout the rest of the Savior's life, we see how the enemy attacked and in every possible way interfered with the divine mission through sinful and erring people. But these were only external attacks; the devil directly dared to approach only twice. That is why it is said – “until the time comes.” Every person must be ready to fight temptations. This is especially true for beginners. “If you begin to serve the Lord God, then prepare your soul for temptation” (Sir.2.1).
Priest Igor Volikov answers
How to prepare for communion if I have sugar
diabetes?
All issues regarding illness and relaxation of fasting must be resolved individually with the parish priest. If the difficulty is that you need to eat a little in the morning after an insulin injection, then this should not bother you, but, again, this can be decided strictly individually in a personal conversation with the priest.
Is it possible to read holy books at home, perform morning and evening rule, pray without a scarf on head while sitting?
Sacred books are read, at a minimum, while sitting. Prayers are read while standing; if you have a leg disease or another reason that does not allow you to read prayers while standing, then in this case you need to get the blessing of a priest to read the prayer rule while sitting. A woman needs to pray in a headscarf (no matter where - in a temple or in any other place), thereby she shows her humility before the Lord.
Is it possible to attach photographs to holy relics?
There is no such tradition in the Orthodox Church. It is better to consecrate a handkerchief, cross or icon on the relics, and then give it to a loved one.
Where to put the candle after the prayer service?
There is no sacramental meaning here other than the symbol of your prayer, your burning for God, so act at your discretion, you can leave it in the temple, placing it on a candlestick for your health, you can take it home and there it will burn out during home prayer.
What are the most important moments during the liturgy?
Reading the Gospel, the Cherubic Hymn and the entire Eucharistic canon, to make it clearer, from the words “The grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all” - until the end of the sacrament. In general, according to the charter of the Orthodox Church, it is forbidden to leave the temple after the Cherubic Song, even for very important reasons. In the “Teaching News,” instructions for clergy, it is indicated that if it is necessary to give communion to a dying person, then before the Cherubic Song the priest can and must stop the service and go to give communion to the dying person, but if this happened according to the Cherubic Song, then he must rely on the will of God for the dying person , and only at the end of the liturgy perform communion.
—Why do I yawn when reading morning and evening prayers, and sometimes even tears flow from my eyes, especially when reading evening prayers?
-This happens to people who are new to the church, but it goes away pretty soon as soon as a person begins to lead an Orthodox lifestyle. If you are a churchgoer, observe all fasts, attend every Sunday service, regularly confess and partake of the Body and Blood of Christ, then you urgently need to contact a priest and tell about what is happening in confession, since something clearly bad is happening in your spiritual life .
—In our morning prayers we pray for our spiritual father (Save, Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father..name..) Is it possible to consider the current priest as my spiritual father without his notification and consent? If not, then what should we do when, within less than 3 years after the departure of Abbot Sergius, who served for almost 30 years in our church, 3 priests were replaced. Who to pray for?
Only the priest who has been leading your spiritual life for several years, to whom you entrust your spiritual sighs, fulfilling his advice and blessings, can be considered a spiritual father. Even if the priest has left the place of service, but is your confessor, you can maintain contact with him by telephone or letter, asking for advice in perplexed questions and asking for prayers. If you did not have such a close relationship with your parish priest, he was not your spiritual father, then in this case I would advise choosing from the current parish priests the one who is closer to you in spirit, to whom you could entrust your spiritual life. If the parish clergy do not meet your spiritual needs, you can turn to nearby monasteries for care. You can confess to any priest; they entrust (entrust) their spiritual life only to their confessor. If you do not yet have a spiritual father, it is appropriate to pray for your parish priest in your morning prayers.
-On what great holidays do you wear scarves of different colors on your head? Does this matter much?
-In the charter of the Orthodox Church for each of the great or twelfth holidays there are liturgical colors of the priest’s vestments. This has nothing to do with parishioners’ scarves. Of course, nothing bad will happen if you wear a blue scarf or handkerchief on the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but you shouldn’t get carried away with it. It will be enough if you wear a dark scarf during Lent, and a light one on any holiday. Be simpler and more modest.
Is it possible to ask God every day for mercy in health, or for some other matter, or simply rely on God’s Will?
-Prayer is a conversation with God, where we speak to him in words, and he responds with deeds. It’s okay if in this conversation you worry about your health or the health of your loved ones, but you must always remember the words of the Lord: “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and everything else will be added to you.”
-Is it possible to read akathists and ask for help from different saints on the same day?
-It is possible, good and useful, just as when going to a high boss it is reasonable to enlist the support of several people close to him, it is also good to ask for help from several saints who will be your intercessors before God.
-Is the mother responsible for the sins of adult children?
-In a direct sense, no, in an indirect sense, yes, if you have not instilled the proper spiritual and moral values. If the mother (parents) did everything in their power so that the child, upon becoming an adult, fully understands the harmfulness of certain actions, then in this case, if an adult child is inclined to sin, the parents do not bear indirect responsibility. The Lord created man free, and he makes choices consciously, knowing the consequences of this choice.
-When does the Lord especially bow to mercy?
-The Lord said: “I want mercy, not sacrifice.” You can pray a lot, give alms, fast, etc., but if there is no mercy, compassion and forgiveness in your heart, all this will be in vain. Only by gaining the strength to forgive and compassion can you be confident in God’s mercy towards yourself.
—John the Baptist killed, innocent death. why do we Christians celebrate this day?
-The day of the beheading of John the Baptist is the day of remembrance of his martyrdom, the day on which he appeared before the Lord. It is celebrated in Orthodoxy with strict fasting, but not with songs and dances. If the question is why this day is even called a holiday, then for a Christian there is no greater joy than the joy of meeting God. That's why it's a holiday.
Is it possible to pray for people of other faiths?
- You can pray for everyone, only Orthodox Christians are commemorated at the Divine Liturgy. Although everything requires reason - I would not advise praying for outright Satanists or sorcerers, this can end badly.
Is it possible to drink alcohol tinctures during fasting?
- I think there is nothing bad in this. This is the same medicine. The main thing is for the benefit.
Is it possible to drink water from a prayer service if you did not order it?
- A prayer service is a small service that is usually performed after the liturgy. There is a water-blessing prayer service, when the water is blessed, and after the service the believers take it apart for their needs. Depending on the needs of the believers, a prayer service is served: for health, for a safe release from pregnancy (childbirth), for a safe journey, and others. If a person does not have the financial opportunity to order the blessing of water himself, of course, he can take the blessed water, drink it and use it for his own needs, without doubting anything.
What does six psalms (the word itself) mean? When to read it, when to bow?
- The Six Psalms (six psalms) is one of the most important parts of the evening service of the Orthodox Church, consisting of six penitential psalms of the prophet David: 3, 37, 62, 87, 102 and 142. The importance of this part of the morning service is evidenced by the fact that the Six Psalms are performed at almost all times of the year is read without delay at every morning service, everyday, Saturday and Sunday (with the exception of Bright Easter Week).So that the attention of those listening is not distracted by anything during the reading of the Six Psalms, so that they can more conveniently delve into the meaning of what is being read, for this purpose, the charter of the Church, before the beginning of the reading, stipulates that almost all especially bright lamps should be extinguished and the worshipers should be left in twilight. The priest leaves the altar and stands in front of the royal doors to read secret prayers. He represents Adam, expelled from paradise, who cries before the doors of the lost paradise. Therefore, even the reader is not required by the charter to bow to “Alleluia,” so as not to be distracted from the words of repentance. After all, it is known that the Six Psalms symbolizes the Last Judgment. And the sign of the cross, even done without bowing, still causes some slight noise in the temple...
- The prayer books contain special prayers for despair and despondency, but I would advise, based on my own practice, to read the thanksgiving akathist “Glory to God for everything,” and also read one kathisma from the Psalter every day.
Is physical fasting useful without spiritual fasting?
- Fasting is not a goal, but a means. Refusal of fast food is the external side of the matter. And we must remember that we fast not for the sake of abstaining from food, but in order to reach heights on our spiritual path. The Monk Anatoly (Zertsalov) wrote: “Not eating bread and not drinking water or anything else is not yet fasting. For even demons do not eat or drink anything at all, but they are still evil...” And Elder Nikon aptly and briefly remarked: ““True fasting is the alienation of evil deeds” (as it is said in one Lenten stichera).” Physical fasting without spiritual is simple diet.
How to avoid temptations before communion?
- If before communion you have tempting thoughts, you should be guided by three rules:
a) firstly, you must separate unclean thoughts from your own consciousness, for they are not the creation of your soul, but the seeds of demonic malice, introduced from the outside into your mind;
b) secondly, counteract blasphemy with prayer to God, not allowing thoughts to take over your mind. Under no circumstances should you start reasoning with yourself about the thoughts that have arisen in your mind: this is all the demons want - in a dispute they will certainly defeat you, since they have a centuries-old practice of conducting such discussions;
c) thirdly, completely open your soul to your confessor in confession, tell him about the blasphemous thoughts that worry you. Frank confession destroys all demonic machinations.
I often judge, what should I do?
- To correct yourself and learn to love, you need to pray like this: “Lord, bless everyone whom I have condemned (names), and with their holy prayers, have mercy on me, the accursed.” - With this prayer there are 12 bows from the waist. When you cannot unlearn condemnation, you need to read “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary” 150 times, and the Mother of God will help you not to condemn anyone. It is also useful, if thoughts of condemnation do not lag behind, to remember your sins, condemning yourself and reproaching yourself more than that person.
Why can’t you sit cross-legged in church?
- In church, a person should be humble and listen to what is happening there, but when a person crosses his legs, he demonstrates his arrogance. It turns out that he does not tremble before the Lord, does not respect, does not love Him. In general, it is not customary to sit in the Orthodox Church; only sick people can afford to do so. It’s hard for me to imagine that a person with a bad back or bad legs can sit cross-legged.
How to deal with proud, arrogant, irritable people?
- Pride is a terrible mental illness that is very difficult to cure. There is no more vile sin before God than pride. But we should not forget that evil is always overcome by good, and that for a proud, irritable person you need to pray as for a sick person; it is good to read the akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos in front of the icon “Softening Evil Hearts.” If a person does not come to his senses, it is better to stop communicating with him, preferably without quarreling.
What is better to order for health: mass or prayer service?
- The Church makes the main prayer for the health of the living and the repose of deceased Orthodox Christians at the Divine Liturgy, offering a bloodless sacrifice to God for them. To do this, before the start of the liturgy (or the night before), you should submit notes to the church with their names (only baptized, Orthodox Christians can be entered). At the proskomedia, particles will be taken out of the prosphoras for their health or for their repose, and at the end of the liturgy they will be lowered into the holy chalice and washed with the Blood of the Son of God as a sign of Christ’s washing away human sins. Let us remember that commemoration at the Divine Liturgy is the greatest benefit for those who are dear to us. At the prayer service, you can turn to the holy saints, our intercessors and intercessors before God, asking for help in all your needs.
