Thus, He clearly pointed out the need for the Sacrament of Baptism for a person who wants to enter the Kingdom of Heaven and abide there in eternal joy with God, and in confirmation of His words, in fulfillment of the prophecies spoken about Him. He himself received Baptism from John the Baptist in the waters of the Jordan. During the performance of the Sacrament of Baptism, after reading special prayers and anointing the person who came to be baptized with consecrated oil, the priest "baptizes" (washes - Church Slavonic) him with consecrated water through triple immersion or dousing with the pronunciation of the words: "The servant of God (name) is baptized in the name of the Father, Amen, and the Son, Amen, and the Holy Spirit, Amen."
At this moment, the Grace of the Holy Spirit, as it were, "irradiates" the whole person, and under the influence of Grace, his physical and spiritual being changes: the person, as it were, is born again in a new quality (which is why Baptism is called the second birth).
In addition, in the Sacrament of Baptism, a person is given a name; he acquires a heavenly patron in the person of the saint, whose name they called him; all the sins committed by him before Baptism are forgiven by God, a mentor and guardian of the soul, the Angel of God, is assigned to the newly enlightened Christian; and the Grace received in the Sacrament of Baptism, the Christian carries in himself until the end of his life, either multiplying it in himself with a righteous life, or losing it through the fall.
God revealed to us through St. Seraphim of Sarov, the great Russian ascetic, that the goal Christian life is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit. Just as people of this world strive to acquire earthly riches, a true Christian strives to acquire the Grace of the Holy Spirit. There are many ways to acquire this imperishable wealth: this is "intelligent prayer", and the creation of works of mercy, and service to others, and many others.
Each Christian individually, under the guidance of his "confessor", follows one or another path of serving God and acquiring Grace.
But one way, common to all Christians, is perhaps more frequent visits to the temple, participation in common prayer, confession and communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
What is the meaning of the Sacrament of Chrismation?
The Sacrament of Confirmation joins the Sacrament of Baptism, together They constitute a single rite. It is performed through the anointing of certain parts of the body of the person being baptized (forehead, nostrils, ears, mouth, chest, arms, legs) with a specially consecrated composition - Peace. The meaning of this Sacrament is revealed in the words of the priest, pronounced by him during the chrismation: "The Seal of the Gift of the Holy Spirit." The seal is a sign of the one to whom we belong. The Holy Spirit in this Sacrament is given to the baptized as a Gift of God, a Gift that completes the sanctification of a Christian when he enters the Church. The apostles who were sent to preach the Gospel during the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ were endowed by Him with separate gifts of the Holy Spirit, namely: healing the sick, casting out unclean spirits, resurrecting the dead. Appearing to the disciples shortly after His Resurrection, Christ granted them the ability to forgive sins by blowing and saying: "Receive the Holy Spirit. To whom you forgive sins, they will be forgiven; on whom you leave, they will remain." (John 20:22-23)
And only on the day of Pentecost, having sent down on the disciples the Holy Spirit in the form of "fiery tongues", the Lord endowed them with the fullness of the gifts of Grace necessary for the life of the Church.
Similarly, a Christian who has received in the Sacrament of Baptism cleansing from sins, renewal of life, birth into Eternal Life, in the Sacrament of Confirmation acquires the fullness of Grace as a Gift of the Holy Spirit.
What are the Holy Mysteries of Christ?
The Church calls the Holy Mysteries of Christ the Body and Blood of Christ, into which bread and wine are "transubstantiated" (that is, they change their being, turn) during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy by the priest in the temple. Our Lord Jesus Christ said: "Those who eat my flesh (eat - there is Church-Abyansk.) and drink my blood have eternal life." (John 6:54)
On the night before He was taken to the Cross, while at the Last Supper with His disciples, Christ celebrated the Sacrament of the Eucharist for the first time, i.e. By the grace of the Holy Spirit, he changed the essence of bread and wine into the essence of His Body and Blood. Then, having given Them to eat and drink to His disciples, He commanded: "Do this in remembrance of Me" (Luke 22.19).
Thus, Christ established the celebration of the Sacrament of Communion, i.e. uniting with Him in the closest way, for when we take into ourselves the Body and Blood of Christ, They become our body and blood, and we are deified as far as it is possible for a person.
Christ Himself said, "He who walks in My Flesh and drinks in My Blood abides in Me, and I in him." (John 6:56)
Satan, in his pride wanting to become equal to God, was cast out of Heaven. Adam and Eve, having accepted from the devil the proud idea of becoming "like gods, knowing Good and Evil", were expelled from Paradise. Christ, who humbled Himself to a terrible death on the Cross, defeated Satan with his pride, freed man from the slavery of sin and gave man the possibility of true deification in union with Himself through the communion of His Body and Blood.
How often does a Christian need to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, and how should one prepare for Communion?
You need to take communion at least four times a year, during all major fasts: Veliky, Petrov, Uspensky and Rozhdestvensky. In general, the frequency of a Christian's participation in the Sacrament of Communion is set individually, with the blessing of the confessor. Some Christians commune extremely rarely, citing their unworthiness.
It is not right. No matter how much a person tries to purify himself before God, he will still not be worthy of accepting such a great Shrine as the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
God gave us the Holy Mysteries of Christ not according to our dignity, but according to His great Grace and Love for His fallen creation. And a Christian should accept the Holy Gifts not as a reward for his spiritual exploits, but as a Gift from the Loving Heavenly Father, as an advance payment that still needs to be "worked off", as a saving means of sanctification of the soul and body.
"The servant of God partakes ... of the Honest and Holy Body and Blood of the Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ, for the remission of his sins and for eternal life."
This prayer is said by the priest, giving the Holy Gifts to the Christian who takes communion, and if the Christian diligently prepares for this great Sacrament, then the Grace given to him through Communion accomplishes a miraculous transformation of the whole nature of a person and makes him worthy of Eternal Life.
In order to properly prepare for the Sacrament of Communion, a Christian needs to "pray", that is, fast for several days and read the prayer rule laid down by the Church - "Adherence to Holy Communion." More details about how the canons and prayers are read before Communion are written in the "Orthodox Prayer Book".
The main thing during the period of "rest" is to review your life for the period that has passed since the last confession, to realize and repent of your sins, to forgive all those who offended you, the offenses inflicted on you, to ask for forgiveness from those whom you offended, immediately before taking communion, go to confession to the priest and even then, reconciled with God, neighbors and one's conscience, with the fear of God and reverence, partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
Remember that if a person comes to Communion with an unclean heart, hiding envy, resentment and other spiritual impurity in it, then Communion will serve him not for salvation, but for judgment and condemnation to eternal torment as having offended the Holy Body and Blood of the Son of God.
What is the Sacrament of Penance?
The Sacrament of Penance is a sacrament in which the priest, given to him by the Power of the Holy Spirit, "allows" (unties, frees Church Slavonic) from the sins of a penitent Christian.
In order to understand the meaning of Repentance, it is necessary to analyze the concept of "sin" in more detail.
Sin is a violation of the Commandment of God, a crime against God's Law, in a sense, suicide. Sin is terrible, first of all, because it destroys the soul of the person who commits this sin, because, committing a sin, a person loses the Grace of the Holy Spirit, loses the Gracious protection and becomes open to the destructive forces of evil, unclean spirits, which do not slow down to immediately use the opportunity destructive actions in the soul of the sinner. And since the human body and soul are bound together in this earthly life, spiritual wounds become a source of bodily ailments; and both body and soul suffer as a result.
It is also important to understand that the Commandments of God, His Law are given to us as a Gift of His Divine Love for us, His foolish children. God in His Commandments commands to do something and not to do another, not because He "just wants to." Everything that God commanded to do is useful to us, and what He forbade is harmful.
Even an ordinary person who loves his child teaches him: "drink carrot juice - it is healthy, do not eat a lot of sweets - it is harmful." And the child does not like carrot juice, and he does not understand why it is harmful to eat a lot of sweets: after all, sweets are sweet, but carrot juice is not. Therefore, he resists the word of his father, pushes away a glass of juice and throws a tantrum, demanding more sweets.
Also, we, adult "children", are more inclined towards what gives us pleasure, and we reject what does not correspond to our whims. And, rejecting the Word of the Heavenly Father, we commit SIN.
God, knowing the human nature that is weak and prone to sin and not wanting the perishing of His creation, among other Gifts of Grace, gave us the Sacrament of Penance as a means of cleansing from sins, liberation from their destructive consequences for man.
Having given his disciples - the Apostles - the power to forgive or not forgive human sins, Christ, through the Apostles, gave this power to the apostolic successors - the bishops and priests of the Church of Christ. And now every Orthodox bishop or priest has this power in its entirety.
Any Christian who recognizes his sins and wants to be cleansed of them can come to church for confession and receive "permission" (liberation in Church Slavonic) from them.
It is important to understand that the Church Sacrament of Penance is not just an opportunity to speak out and thus "lighten one's soul", as is customary in the world, but in essence this Sacrament is an action of Grace, and, like every action of the Holy Spirit, produces real beneficial changes.
Repentance is also called the "second baptism", since in this Sacrament, like Baptism, cleansing from sins takes place, and the soul regains the blissful state of purity and righteousness.
Those who come to this saving Sacrament, seeking healing of mental illnesses, need to know that the Sacrament of Penance consists, as it were, of four parts or stages:
1. A Christian preparing for the Sacrament of Penance must REASONABLY his sins, analyze his life, understand in what and how he violated the Commandments of God, offended Divine Love towards us.
2. Having realized his sins, a Christian should REPENT them with his HEART, mourn his unworthiness, ask God for help in order not to defile himself with them in the future.
3. A penitent who has come to the temple must come to confession and CONFESS WITH THE MOUTH (to confess - openly recognize Church Slavonic), that is, open his sins to the priest, asking God for forgiveness and making a promise, in the future, with all the strength of the soul, to fight against the temptations that lead into sin and eternal death.
4. Having confessed your sins to the priest, get PERMISSION from him through reading a special prayer and overshadowing with the Sign of the Cross.
Only in the presence of all these components the Sacrament of Repentance is performed, and the Christian receives the grace-filled healing of the soul from the sinful illness.
It should also be noted that confession must be strictly individual, "face to face", the so-called "general confession", when the priest reads prayers to everyone at once, and then one by one they come up for "permission", is not authorized.
What is the Sacrament of Marriage?
The Sacrament of Marriage, like all other Sacraments, is an act of Grace. The union of a man and a woman is originally blessed by God. The Holy Scripture says: "And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. And God blessed them, and God said to them: be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it..." (Genesis 1.27.28.).
It also says in the Bible: "... a man shall leave his father and his mother, and cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh." (Genesis 2.24.)
Our Lord Jesus Christ, speaking of the marriage union, unequivocally affirmed: "... that which God has joined together, let no man separate." (Matt. 19.6) It is this combination by God of man and woman into one flesh that takes place in the Sacrament of Marriage. The grace of the Holy Spirit invisibly unites two separate human beings into a single spiritual whole, just as two separate substances, such as sand and cement, when combined with water, become a qualitatively new, inseparable substance. And, just as water, in this example, is a binding force, so the Grace of the Holy Spirit is in the Sacrament of Marriage a force that binds a man and a woman into a qualitatively new, spiritual union - the Christian family. Moreover, the purpose of this union is not only in procreation and mutual help in everyday life, but mainly in joint spiritual improvement, in the multiplication of Grace, because the Christian family is the Little Church of Christ, Christian marriage is one of the forms of serving God.
What is the Sacrament of Unction and why is it also called Unction?
We find the basis for the appearance of this Sacrament in the Church in the Gospel, in the Catholic Epistle of the Apostle James: "Is any of you sick, let him call the presbyters (priests of O.A.) of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil (oil - oil Greek) in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven." (James 5:14,15.)
In these words of the Apostle the meaning of the Mystery of the Unction is revealed. First of all, the very name of this Sacrament indicates that the Action in It of the Grace of the Holy Spirit is carried out through the consecrated vegetable oil- oil (in Rus', sunflower oil is usually used for consecration).
According to the words of the Apostle, through the prayer of the priests and the anointing with consecrated oil, two acts of grace are performed: the healing of ailments and the forgiveness of sins. But, you will say, is there the Sacrament of Penance for the forgiveness of sins? Right. Only in the Sacrament of Penance are forgiven those sins that a Christian remembered, repented of and revealed in confession. Forgotten, unconfessed sins continue to burden the human soul, destroying it and becoming a source of mental and bodily ailments.
The Sacrament of Unction, cleansing the soul from these forgotten, unconfessed sins, eliminates the root cause of illnesses and, by faith, grants the Christian perfect healing.
And since all of us, sick or feeling physically healthy, have sins forgotten or committed in ignorance, we should not neglect the opportunity to be cleansed of them in the Mystery of the Unction.
According to the tradition existing in the Russian Orthodox Church, all Christians, even healthy ones, once a year, usually during Great Lent, come to the temple to perform the Sacrament of Unction over them.
The sick, all the more so, should immediately invite a priest to perform this Sacrament, as soon as the disease makes itself felt.
Medicine fights only with the consequences of the disease, without eliminating its root cause, which lies in the field of human spiritual life.
The Sacrament of the Unction, eliminating this root cause, enables medicine to successfully overcome the consequences of ailments.
The Unction is called the Sacrament of Unction because, if possible, it is performed by a council (meeting) of seven priests, each of whom reads one of the Gospel passages included in this Sacrament with prayers attached to it and once anoints the sick with consecrated oil.
However, even one priest, who bears the fullness of the priestly Grace, can perform this Sacrament. In this case, he alone reads all seven passages from the Gospel with prayers, and himself, after each reading, anoints the sick person, a total of seven times.
What is the Sacrament of the Priesthood?
Actually, it was already told about Him when we spoke about the Grace of the Holy Spirit and about giving It by the Lord Jesus Christ to the Apostles, and by them through the laying on of hands, "ordination", to their successors - the bishops and priests of the Church. It is only necessary to add that the first six Sacraments we have described can be performed by both bishops and priests; The Sacrament of the Priesthood, that is, the endowment of a person through the laying on of hands and the reading of a special prayer of priestly Grace, necessary for the performance of sacred actions, can be performed only by the bishops of Christ's Church.
Hieromonk Aristarkh (Lokhanov)
Trifono-Pechenga Monastery
The content of the article
ORTHODOX MYSTERIES, sacred rites established by divine providence, manifested in Orthodox church rites, through which invisible divine grace is communicated to believers. In Orthodoxy, seven sacraments are accepted, seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: baptism, chrismation, Eucharist (communion), repentance, the sacrament of the priesthood, the sacrament of marriage and the anointing of the unction. Baptism, repentance and the Eucharist were instituted by Jesus Christ himself, as reported in the New Testament. Church tradition testifies to the divine origin of other sacraments.
Sacraments and rituals.
External signs of the celebration of the sacraments, i.e. church rituals are necessary for a person, since human imperfect nature needs visible symbolic actions that help to feel the action of the invisible power of God. In addition to the sacraments, other liturgical rites are accepted in the Orthodox Church, which, unlike the sacraments, are not of divine, but of ecclesiastical origin. The sacraments communicate grace to the entire psychophysical nature of man and produce a profound effect on his inner, spiritual life. The rites call for blessing only on the outer side of earthly human life ( cm. SACRAMENTALS). The celebration of each sacrament brings with it a special gift of grace. In baptism, grace is given that cleanses from sin; in chrismation - grace, strengthening a person in spiritual life; unction - a gift that heals ailments; in repentance, forgiveness of sins is given.
The validity of the sacraments.
According to the teaching of the Orthodox Church, the sacraments acquire effective force only when two conditions are combined. It is necessary that they be performed correctly by a legitimate hierarchically placed person and that the inner mood and disposition of a Christian to receive grace is necessary. In the absence of faith and a sincere desire to accept the sacrament, its performance leads to condemnation. On Catholic and Protestant Doctrine of the Sacraments cm. MYSTERY.
Seven Sacraments of the Orthodox Church
designed to meet the seven most essential needs of the spiritual life of man. The sacraments of baptism, chrismation, communion, repentance and unction are considered obligatory for all Christians. The sacrament of marriage and the sacrament of the priesthood provide for freedom of choice. Sacraments are also divided into those that are repeated and those that are not repeated during a person's life. Only once in a lifetime is the sacrament of baptism and chrismation performed, as well as the sacrament of priesthood. The rest of the sacraments are repetitive.
Baptism
- the very first of the Christian sacraments, it marks the entry of the believer into the church of Christ. Its establishment was preceded, according to the gospels, by the baptism (cleansing immersion in water) of Jesus himself in the Jordan, performed by John the Baptist. The beginning of Christian baptism as a sacrament was laid by the words of Jesus addressed to the apostles before his ascension to heaven: “... go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19; Mk 16:16). Methods of baptism ancient church described in Teachings of the Twelve Apostles(1st - early 2nd centuries): “Baptize alive [i.e. running] water in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. If there is no living water, baptize in other water; if you can not in the cold, then in the warm. And if there is neither one nor the other, then lie on your head three times. Water, as a cosmic and sacred element, plays an important role in the performance of the sacrament: baptism is performed through three immersion in water with the pronunciation of the formula "In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." The divine grace acting through the water element frees a person from any sin: babies from the firstborn, adults both from the firstborn and from those committed during life. The apostle Paul called baptism the bath of rebirth.
In post-apostolic times, infant baptism was already accepted. Adults prepared to receive the sacrament through the catechesis. The catechumens usually lasted two years, during which the most important part of the Christian doctrine was communicated to the catechumens. Before Easter, they entered their names on the list of those who were baptized. Solemn baptism a large number believers were made by the bishop. During the time of persecution of Christians, natural reservoirs, rivers and streams served as the place of baptism. From the time of Constantine the Great, baptism took place in baptistries, specially arranged pools at churches ( cm. BAPTISTERY). Immediately after the immersion, the presbyter anointed the forehead (forehead) of the person being baptized with oil ( olive oil), after which he was clothed in white clothes, a symbol of his purity and righteousness. After baptism in the temple, they communed the Holy Mysteries. Seriously ill and imprisoned people were baptized through dousing or sprinkling.
The traditions of the ancient church are preserved in Orthodoxy today. Baptism takes place in the temple (in special cases, it is allowed to perform the ceremony in the house). Adults are baptized after instruction in the faith (announcement). The announcement is also made at the baptism of infants, and the sponsors for their faith are the sponsors. The priest who is being baptized faces the east and says prayers that drive away the devil. Turning to the west, the catechumen renounces Satan and all his deeds. After the renunciation, he again becomes facing the east and three times expresses the desire to be united to Christ, after which he kneels. The priest censes the font with three lighted candles, hands the candles to the recipients and blesses the water. After the consecration of the water, the oil is consecrated. The sign of the cross with oil is created over the water, as a symbol of reconciliation with God. Then the priest depicts the sign of the cross on the forehead, ears, arms, legs, chest and shoulders of the person being baptized and plunges him into the font three times. After the font, the person being baptized puts on white clothes, which are customary to keep throughout life as a relic. When mortal danger the ceremony is performed according to an abbreviated rank. If there is a danger of the death of an infant, baptism is allowed to be performed by a lay person. In this case, it consists in immersing the baby three times in water with the words "The servant of God is baptized in the name of the Father, Amen, and the Son, Amen, and the Holy Spirit, Amen." The name of the baby is left to choose his parents, and adults choose it for themselves. If such a right is granted to a priest, he is obliged to choose the name of the saint closest in time to the celebration after the birthday of the person being baptized. Cm. BAPTISM.
Chrismation.
According to the canons (rules) of the Orthodox Church, immediately after baptism, a Christian receives the sacrament of chrismation. In this sacrament, believers receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit, giving them the strength to be firm in Orthodox faith and keeping the soul pure. The right to perform Chrismation belongs only to bishops and priests. Separately from baptism, it is performed during the anointing of kings to the kingdom, as well as in cases when non-Christians join Orthodoxy, who were baptized according to the rite corresponding to the rules of the Orthodox Church, but were not chrismated. Confirmation after baptism occurs as follows. After putting on the baptized in white clothes, the priest says a prayer in which he asks God to grant the new member of the church the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit, and puts the signs of the cross with the world on his forehead, eyes, nostrils, ears, chest, arms and legs. Then the presbyter and the newly baptized together three times go around the font with candles in their hands while singing the verse: “They were baptized into Christ, put on Christ.” This ritual symbolizes the entry of the baptized person into eternal union with Christ. It is followed by the reading of the Apostle and the Gospel, after which the so-called. ablution. Having soaked his lip in warm water, the priest wipes off the places that were anointed with the world, with the words: “Thou hast been baptized, thou hast been enlightened, thou hast been anointed ...” The anointing performed at the wedding of kings to the kingdom is neither a special sacrament, nor a repetition of the previous perfect. The sacred anointing of the sovereign means only a higher degree of communication of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, necessary for him to fulfill the ministry to which he is called by God. The ritual of coronation and chrismation of the king is a solemn act, culminating in the introduction of the sovereign to the altar, where he takes communion at the throne as God's anointed, patron and defender of the church. Cm. CONFIRMATION.
Repentance.
This sacrament cleanses the believer from the sins he committed after baptism and gives strength to continue the feat of earthly Christian life. Confessing his sins before a priest, a Christian receives forgiveness from him and is mysteriously resolved from sins by God himself. Only a bishop or priest can receive confession, since they receive the right to forgive sins through the sacrament of the priesthood from Jesus Christ himself. The priest is obliged to keep the secret of confession; for the publicity of the sins confessed to him, he is deprived of his dignity. The gospel teaching understands repentance not just as repentance for the deed, but as a rebirth, renewal of the human soul. The sacrament of repentance is performed as follows. In front of the icon of Jesus Christ or in front of the Holy Cross, the priest reads prayers for the penitents for all those who come to the temple for confession. The very confession of sins to the priest takes place alone with him. The penitent enumerates his sins, and when he finishes, makes a prostration. The priest, placing an epitrachelion on the head of the confessor, reads a prayer in which he asks for forgiveness, makes the sign of the cross over his head, and then lets him kiss the cross. In special cases, the priest has the right to impose penance, i.e. a certain kind of punishment according to the gravity of the sin. In the Orthodox Church, there is a rule that every Christian must go to confession at least once a year. REPENTANCE.
Communion or Eucharist
The sacrament of the priesthood.
All the sacraments, with the exception of baptism, can only be performed legally (i.e., in accordance with the canons of the Orthodox Church) by an ordained priest, since upon ordination he receives this right through the sacrament of the priesthood. The sacrament of priesthood consists in the fact that through hierarchal ordination (consecration) the Holy Spirit descends on the person ordained to a hierarchical degree. The grace of the Holy Spirit endows the initiate with special spiritual authority in relation to believers, gives him the right to lead the flock, instruct them in faith and improve their spiritual life, and also perform church sacraments for it. The degrees of priesthood are as follows: deacon, priest (presbyter), and bishop. Other persons of the clergy, the so-called. clergy, are consecrated not through ordination, but only with the blessing of the bishop. The higher degrees of the hierarchy are initiated only after successive passage through the lower ones. The method of placing one or another degree of priesthood is indicated in the instructions of the apostles, in the testimonies of the church fathers and in the rules of the ecumenical councils. Each degree of grace is given not in equal measure: in a lesser degree to a deacon, in a greater degree to a presbyter, and in the greatest degree to a bishop. In accordance with this grace, the deacon performs the role of a co-servant of the bishop and presbyter in the celebration of the sacraments and divine services. The presbyter, through ordination from the bishop, receives the right to perform all the sacraments, except for the sacrament of the priesthood, and all divine services in his parish. The bishop is the main teacher and the first clergyman, the main manager of the affairs of the church in his diocese. Only a council of bishops of at least two may ordain bishops. The Sacrament of Priesthood is performed at the liturgy at the altar of the church, so that the newly ordained person can take part with the entire clergy in the consecration of the Holy Gifts. At the liturgy, ordination is performed only over one bishop, one presbyter and one deacon. The ordained deacon is brought to the royal doors, where he is met by the deacons, who lead him into the altar. In the altar, he bows to the throne, walks around it three times and kisses the corners of the throne, as if taking an oath to reverently honor the sanctity of the altar and the throne. As a sign of humility before the bishop who consecrates him, after each round he kisses the hand and knee of the bishop, then he bows three times to the throne and kneels on one right knee, since an incomplete priestly service is entrusted to the deacon. To signify that he devotes all the strength of his soul to the service of the throne, he lays his hands on the throne and kisses it with his forehead. Consecration is preceded by a certification that not only the initiate, but all members of his family are Orthodox Christians. The Orthodox Church adheres to the rule not to repeat the ordination if it was performed correctly, even in non-Orthodox societies. BISHOP; CHURCH HIERARCHY; CLERGY; PRESBYTER; PRIEST.
Sacrament of marriage
- a sacrament performed over the bride and groom, believers who have chosen the path of married life, during which they give a free promise to be faithful to each other before the priest and the church, and the priest blesses their union and asks them for the grace of pure unanimity for the birth and Christian upbringing of children. Marriage is in the image of the union of Christ and the church. Before proceeding with the celebration of the sacrament of marriage in the church, after the liturgy, an announcement takes place, that is, the clergy informs the parishioners of the names of the bride and groom and asks if they know of any obstacles to concluding this marriage. After the announcement, the marriage itself takes place. The sacrament of marriage always takes place in the temple in the presence of witnesses. The ceremony is performed by a priest. The rite of marriage consists of two parts: betrothal and wedding. For the betrothal, the priest leaves the altar and places a cross and the Gospel, symbols of the invisible presence of Christ himself, on a lectern in the middle of the temple. He blesses the bride and groom and gives them lighted candles, which signify their purity. After reading certain prayers, the rings consecrated on the throne are brought, and those entering into marriage, as a sign of mutual consent, put rings on each other. During the wedding, the marriage union is blessed and divine grace is requested to descend on it. At the end of the prayers, the priest takes the crowns and places them on the head of the bride and groom. The crowns signify a reward for their chaste life before marriage. A marriage after the death of one of the spouses may be performed for the second and third time. The celebration of the sacrament of a second or third marriage is not so solemn. Two and three marriages are not given candles and crowns are not placed on their heads. Remarriages are allowed by the church after the pronouncement of penance.
Unction, or unction.
In this sacrament, when anointed with oil, grace is given to the sick, healing the infirmities of the soul and body. The anointing is performed only on the sick. It is forbidden to perform it on the healthy, as well as on the dead. Before the consecration of the oil, the patient confesses, and after (or before) he takes communion. The performance of the sacrament provides for a "gathering of believers", although it can take place both in church and at home. A council of seven presbyters is also desirable, according to the number of gifts of the Holy Spirit, but the presence of two or three priests is also allowed. In extreme cases, one priest is allowed to act, but to say prayers on behalf of the cathedral. To perform the sacrament, a table is placed, and on it is a dish of wheat. Wheat grains serve as a symbol of rebirth to a new life. A vessel with oil is placed on top of the wheat, visible sign grace. Wine is poured into it: the combination of oil with wine is done in memory of the fact that this is exactly what the Gospel good Samaritan did to treat the sick. Brushes are placed nearby for anointing and seven candles are lit. The service of the sacrament consists of three parts. The first part is prayer. The second part is the consecration. The first priest reads a prayer for the consecration of the oil, the rest repeat it quietly, then sing the troparia to the Mother of God, Christ and the holy healers. The third part consists of seven readings of the Apostle, seven readings of the Gospel and seven anointings. Those parts of the body are anointed through which sin enters a person: the forehead, nostrils, cheeks, mouth and both sides of the hands. After the seventh anointing, the priest places the opened Gospel on the head of the sick person, which means the hand of the Savior himself, who heals the sick.
The creators of religions and authors of sacred texts tend to be very strict about sex and reproductive function in general. Islam tries to hide a woman from a man (purdah), Judaism puts restrictions on a woman's life during her period, and the Vatican shudders to this day at the words "contraception" and "masturbation."
Perhaps this comes from those ancient times when a person's life had to be regulated by divine laws so that he would not slide into an animal state. Perhaps this is just an attempt by the strong (that is, the man) to assert his power over the weak (the woman). A new study provides another answer: by such arrangements, men guarantee their paternity.
Obviously, the evolutionary interests of men and women do not coincide. It is difficult for them to agree on a number of issues. Here are just a few of them.
When can you start sexual life? How often is it permissible to have sex? How many children should be born? How close will they be to each other? Should birth control be exercised? When is an abortion allowed? Is domestic violence included? What about poverty? What should spouses do if one of them loses sexual desire? Or fall in love with another / another? What to do if one of the spouses suspects a partner of treason? Who will take care of the children after the divorce?
In an ideal world, these issues would be discussed with respect for the rights of both parties, and sometimes partners would admit without hysterics that there is no solution that satisfies everyone. In reality, negotiations lead to scandals, beatings, humiliation and broken hearts.
But not all religious prohibitions were invented by men in order to gain power over women. For example, Christianity abandoned polygamy, despite a number of obvious benefits polygamy for male reproductive success. Australian Cardinal George Pell once recalled Augustine's words that the sacrament of monogamous marriage was instituted to force men to take care of their children.
At the same time, Christianity believes that the husband should "preside" over his wife, with corresponding consequences for the social order, which, in fact, nullify all the gains of monogamy. By the way, Mr. Pell said the above, complaining about the invention birth control pills. In his opinion, because of them, women and society as a whole have deteriorated greatly. A typical male complaint.
There is no doubt that families and society benefit if the father takes care of the children on an equal basis with the mother. In this case, the parties often come to a compromise in order for the children to be as good as possible. The price of this cooperation is the rejection of an important evolutionary acquisition - jealousy, which helped our ancestors (and us too) be sure that they would not have to raise children alone or raise someone else's offspring.
For many people, church life is limited to occasional trips to the temple in those cases when things are not going as well as we would like. We usually light a couple of candles and leave a donation. After that, we wait for some relief or serious positive changes in life, sincerely believing that we received some grace at the moment of attending church. But in fact, spiritual nourishment cannot be limited to superficial and often thoughtless actions. If you really want to feel the grace of the Holy Spirit, then you need special rituals - church sacraments. Our article will be devoted to them.
Church sacraments: definition and general characteristics
Every person who at least occasionally encountered the Christian religion must have heard such a phrase as "church sacrament". It is understood as a kind of sacred action, which should give a person grace from the Holy Spirit.
It is necessary to clearly understand the differences between ordinary church services and rites from the sacraments. The fact is that most of the rites were invented by people and only over time became mandatory for those who lead a spiritual life. But the mystery of the sacraments of the Church lies in the fact that they were established by Jesus Christ himself. Therefore, they have a special divine origin and act on a person at the psychophysical level.
Why is it necessary to participate in the sacraments?
This is a special act that guarantees a person grace from higher powers. Quite often, to ask for healing or well-being for our loved ones, we come to the temple and take part in the service. It is also quite common in Orthodoxy to transfer notes with names for clergy who pray for the people indicated in the paper. But all this may or may not work. Everything depends on the will of God and his plans for you.
But the sacraments of the Church in Orthodoxy make it possible to receive grace as a gift. If the sacrament itself is carried out correctly and a person is set to receive a blessing from God, then he falls under the influence of the grace of the Holy Spirit, and it depends on him how to use this gift.
The number of church sacraments
Now Orthodoxy has seven church sacraments, and initially there were only two. It is they who are mentioned in Christian texts, but over time, five more sacraments are added to them, which together formed the ritual basis of the Christian religion. Every clergyman can easily list the seven sacraments of the Church:
- Baptism.
- Chrismation.
- Eucharist (communion).
- Repentance.
- Unction.
- Mystery of Marriage.
- Sacrament of the Priesthood.
Theologians claim that Jesus Christ himself instituted baptism, chrismation, and communion. These sacraments were obligatory for any believer.
Classification of the sacraments
Church sacraments in Orthodoxy have their own classification, every Christian who takes the first steps on the path to God should know about this. Sacraments can be:
- mandatory;
- optional.
- baptism;
- chrismation;
- participle;
- repentance;
- unction.
The Sacrament of Marriage and the Priesthood are the free will of man and belong to the second category. But it should be borne in mind that in Christianity only the marriage that is consecrated by the church is recognized.
Also, all the sacraments can be divided into:
- single;
- repeatable.
A one-time church sacrament can be performed only once in a lifetime. This category fits:
- baptism;
- chrismation;
- sacrament of the priesthood.
The rest of the rituals can be repeated many times depending on the spiritual needs of the person. Some theologians also rank the Sacrament of Marriage as one-time rites, because a wedding in a church can be done once in a lifetime. Despite the fact that many are now talking about such a ceremony as dethronement, the official position of the Church on this issue has not changed for many years - a marriage entered into before God cannot be canceled.
Where are the sacraments of the Church taught?
If you do not plan to connect your life with the service of God, then it is enough for you to have a general idea of what the seven sacraments of the Church are. Orthodox Church. But otherwise, you will need to carefully study each rite that takes place during training in the seminary.
Ten years ago as study guide a book was published for seminarians " Orthodox teaching about church sacraments". It reveals all the secrets of rituals, and also includes materials from various theological conferences. By the way, this information will be useful to anyone who is interested in religion and wants to penetrate deeply into the essence of Christianity in general and Orthodoxy in particular.
Sacraments for children and adults: is there a separation
Of course, there are no special church sacraments for children, because they have equal rights and obligations with adult members of the Christian community before God. Children take part in baptism, chrismation, communion and unction. But repentance causes certain difficulties for some theologians when we talk about a child. On the one hand, children are born practically sinless (with the exception of original sin) and have no deeds behind their backs for which they need to repent. But, on the other hand, even a small children's sin is a sin before God, therefore, it needs awareness and repentance. It is not worth waiting for a series of minor offenses to lead to the formation of a sinful consciousness.
Naturally, the Sacrament of Marriage and the Priesthood are inaccessible to children. Participation in such ceremonies can be taken by a person who, according to the laws of the country, is recognized as an adult.
Baptism
The Church Sacraments of Baptism literally become the gate through which a person enters the Church and becomes a member of it. To perform the sacrament, water is always needed, because Jesus Christ himself was baptized in the Jordan to set an example for all his followers and show them the shortest path to the atonement of sins.
Baptism is performed by a clergyman and requires some preparation. If we are talking about the sacrament of the Church for an adult who consciously came to God, then he needs to read the Gospel, as well as receive instructions from the clergyman. Sometimes, before baptism, people attend special classes during which they receive basic knowledge about the Christian religion, church rites, and God.
Baptism is performed in the temple (when it comes to a seriously ill person, the ceremony can be performed at home or in a hospital) by a priest. A person is placed facing east and listens to cleansing prayers, and then, turning to the west, renounces sin, Satan and his former life. Then he plunges into the font three times to the prayers of the priest. After that, the baptized person is considered born in God and, as a confirmation of his belonging to Christianity, receives a cross, which must be worn constantly. It is customary to keep a baptismal shirt for a lifetime; it is a kind of amulet for a person.
When the sacrament is performed over the baby, then all questions are answered by the parents and godparents. In some churches, participation in the rite of one godfather is allowed, but he must be of the same sex as the godson. Keep in mind that becoming a godfather is a very responsible mission. After all, from this moment you are responsible before God for the soul of the child. It is the godparents who should lead him along the path of Christianity, instruct and admonish. We can say that the recipients are spiritual teachers for a new member of the Christian community. Doing these duties improperly is a grave sin.
Chrismation
This sacrament is performed immediately after baptism, it is the next stage in the churching of a person. If baptism washes away all his sins from a person, then chrismation gives him the grace of God and the strength to live as a Christian, fulfilling all the commandments. Confirmation occurs only once in a lifetime.
For the ceremony, the priest uses myrrh - a special consecrated oil. In the process of the sacrament, myrrh is applied in the form of a cross on the forehead, eyes, nostrils, ears, lips, hands and feet of a person. The clergy call it the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. From that moment on, a person becomes a real member and is ready for life in Christ.
Repentance
The Sacrament of Repentance is not a simple confession of one's sins before a clergyman, but an awareness of the unrighteousness of one's path. Theologians argue that repentance is not words, but an act. If you come to the realization that you will do something sinful, then stop and change your life. And in order to be strengthened in your decision, you need repentance, which cleanses from all committed unrighteous deeds. After this sacrament, many people feel renewed and enlightened, it is easier for them to avoid temptations and adhere to certain rules.
Only a bishop or priest can receive confession, since it was they who received this right through the Sacrament of the Priesthood. During repentance, a person kneels and lists to the clergyman all his sins. He, in turn, reads cleansing prayers and overshadows the confessor with the banner of the cross. In some cases, when a person repents of any serious sins, penance is imposed on him - a special punishment.
Consider, if you have gone through repentance and are again committing the same sin, then think about the meaning of your actions. Perhaps you are not strong enough in the faith, and you need the help of a priest.
What is a sacrament?
The sacrament of the Church, which is considered one of the most important, is called "communion". This rite connects a person with God on an energetic level, it cleanses and heals a Christian spiritually and materially.
The church service at which the Sacrament of Communion is performed takes place on certain days. In addition, not all Christians are admitted to it, but only those who have undergone special training. You must first speak with the clergyman and declare your desire to take the sacrament. Usually a church minister appoints a post, after which it is necessary to undergo repentance. Only to those who have fulfilled all the conditions, the church service becomes available, at which the Sacrament of Communion is performed.
In the process of the sacrament, a person receives bread and wine, which are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ. This enables the Christian to partake of divine energy and be cleansed of everything sinful. Church officials claim that the sacrament heals a person at the deepest level. He is reborn spiritually, which always has a positive effect on human health.
Church Sacrament: Unction
This sacrament is also often called the consecration of oil, since in the process of the ceremony, oil is applied to the human body - oil (olive oil is most often used). The sacrament got its name from the word "cathedral", meaning that the ceremony should be carried out by several clergymen. Ideally, there should be seven.
The Sacrament of Unction is performed on seriously ill people who need healing. First of all, the rite is aimed at healing the soul, which directly affects our bodily shell. During the sacrament, the clergy read seven texts from various sacred sources. The oil is then applied to the person's face, eyes, ears, lips, chest and limbs. At the end of the ceremony, the gospel is placed on the head of the Christian, and the priest begins to pray for the remission of sins.
It is believed that it is best to conduct this sacrament after repentance, and then go through communion.
Sacrament of Marriage
Many newlyweds think about the wedding, but few of them realize the seriousness of this step. The Sacrament of Marriage is a very responsible one that unites two people forever before God. It is believed that from now on there are always three of them. Invisibly, Christ accompanies them everywhere, supporting them in difficult moments.
It is important to be aware that there are some obstacles to performing the sacrament. These include the following reasons:
- fourth and subsequent marriages;
- unbelief in God of one of the spouses;
- refusal of baptism by one or both spouses;
- the presence of spouses in kinship up to the fourth knee.
Keep in mind that it takes a long time to prepare for the wedding and approach it very thoroughly.
Sacrament of the Priesthood
The Sacrament Ordination to a church rank gives the priest the right to conduct services and independently perform church rites. This is a rather complicated procedure, which we will not describe. But its essence lies in the fact that through certain manipulations, the grace of the Holy Spirit descends on the minister of the church, which gives him special power. Moreover, according to church canons, the higher the rank of the church, the greater the power descends on the clergyman.
We hope that our article has given you some idea of the sacraments of the Church, without which the life of a Christian in God is impossible.
1. THE MYSTERY OF BAPTISM there is such a sacred act. in which the believer in Christ, through triple immersion in water, with the invocation of the name of the Holy Trinity - Father and Son and Holy Spirit, washed from original sin, as well as from all the sins committed by him before baptism, revived the grace of the Holy Spirit into a new spiritual life (spiritually born) and becomes a member of the Church, i.e. blessed Kingdom of Christ. Baptism is necessary for everyone who wants to be a member of the Church of Christ. "If one is not born from water and Spirit cannot enter into the Kingdom of God,” said the Lord Himself (John 3 , 5)
2. THE MYSTERY OF ANOINTING- a sacrament in which the believer is given the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which strengthen him in the spiritual Christian life. The apostle Paul says: “He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed we have a God who captured us, and gave the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts" (2 Cor. 1
, 21-22)
The Sacrament of Confirmation is the Pentecost (descent of the Holy Spirit) of every Christian.
3. THE MYSTERY OF REPENTANCE (Confession)- a sacrament in which a believer confesses (orally reveals) his sins to God in the presence of a priest and receives forgiveness of sins from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself through the priest. Jesus Christ gave the saints apostles, and through them priests the power to allow (forgive) sins: “Receive the Holy Spirit. To whom you forgive sins, they will be forgiven; on whom you leave, on that they will remain "(John. 20 , 22-23).
4. THE MYSTERY OF COMMUNICATION (Eucharist)- the sacrament in which the believer ( Orthodox Christian), under the guise of bread and wine, accepts (tastes) the very Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and through this mysteriously unites with Christ and becomes a partaker eternal life. Our Lord Christ Himself instituted the sacrament of Holy Communion during the last Last Supper, on the eve of His suffering and death. He Himself performed this sacrament: “taking bread and giving thanks (to God the Father for all His mercies to the human race, he broke it and gave it to the disciples, saying: take, eat: this is my body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me. Likewise He took the cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink all of it, for this is My Blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins. Do this in remembrance of me."
In a conversation with the people, Jesus Christ said: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you will not have life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is truly food, and my blood is truly drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him” (John 6:53-56)
5. MARRIAGE (Wedding) there is a sacrament in which, with a free (before the priest and the Church) promise by the bride and groom of mutual fidelity to each other, their marital union is blessed, in the image of the spiritual union of Christ with the Church, and the grace of God is requested and given for mutual assistance and unanimity, and for the blessed birth and Christian upbringing of children.
Marriage was established by God Himself in Paradise. After the creation of Adam and Eve, “God blessed them and God said to them: be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen. 1, 28).
Jesus Christ sanctified marriage by His presence at the wedding in Cana of Galilee and confirmed its divine institution, saying: “He who created (God) in the beginning male and female created them (Gen. 1, 27). And he said: Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh (Gen. 2:24), so that they are no longer living, but one flesh. And so that which God has joined together, let no man separate” (Matt. 19:4-6).
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself up for her.<…>he who loves his wife loves himself” (Eph. 5:25-28)
“Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church, and He is the Savior of the body” (Eph. 5, 22-23)
The family is the foundation of the Church of Christ. The sacrament of marriage is not obligatory for everyone, but persons who voluntarily remain celibate are obliged to lead a pure, immaculate and virgin life, which, according to the teaching of the Word of God, is higher than married life, and is one of the greatest feats (Mt. 19, 11-12; 1 Cor 7, 8-9, 26, 32, 34, 37, 40, etc.).
6. PRIESTHOOD there is a sacrament in which a properly elected person (to the bishop, presbyter or jeacon), through the laying on of bishops, receives the grace of the Holy Spirit for the sacred service of the Church of Christ.
This sacrament is performed only on persons who are elected and ordained as priests.
The sacrament of the priesthood is a divine institution. The Holy Apostle Paul testifies that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself "appointed some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as shepherds and teachers, for the perfection of the saints, for the work of service, for the building up of the Body of Christ." (Ephesians 4:11-12).
There are three levels of priesthood:
1. The ordained deacon receives the grace to serve in the performance of the sacraments.
2. The ordained priest (presbyter) receives the grace to perform the sacraments.
3. The consecrated bishop (hierarch) receives the grace not only to perform the sacraments, but also to consecrate others to perform the sacraments.
7. SANITATION (Unction) there is a sacrament in which, when the sick person is anointed with consecrated oil (oil), the grace of God is called upon the sick person to heal him from bodily and spiritual illnesses.
The Sacrament of Unction is also called unction, because several priests gather to perform it, although, if necessary, one priest can perform it.
This sacrament originates from the apostles. Having received from the Lord Jesus Christ the power to heal every disease during the sermon, they “anointed many sick people with oil, and healed” (Mark 6:13).
The apostle James speaks in particular detail about this sacrament: “Is anyone among you sick, let him receive the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him” (James 5:14-15).
