Where you can't go in churches. How is an Orthodox church structured?

And also for listening to the Word of God. Those who attend services regularly know the rules of conduct in an Orthodox church.

Those who come only for the holidays are often lost, because they do not know that there are recommendations and rules that should be followed. This is necessary so that the visit to church goes correctly and the person does not disturb anyone.

How to behave correctly in the temple

Rules of conduct in an Orthodox church are a set of recommendations, knowledge of which and implementation will help to defend the service correctly, without disturbing anyone and receiving from it maximum benefit. This does not mean that for failure to comply with someone’s point, a person will be expelled from the church without the right to return, but following these recommendations will allow you to spend this time in reverence and reverence before the Lord.

Communion in an Orthodox church

Communion is performed after confession and the priest's prayer of permission, with the exception of children under 7 years old - they can receive communion just like that. The process of taking communion is as follows:

1. After the announcement of Communion, one must slowly, without haste, approach Holy Communion.
2. While waiting for your turn, there is no need to push or wave your arms - this is a holy sacrament.
3. Having received communion, you must kiss the Chalice and leave.
4. Have a drink, standing nearby on the table.
5. Venerate the priest's Cross and make the sign of the cross.

Advice! You need to go to church every Sunday, as well as on holidays. Children should be taught to attend church regularly.

During Divine Liturgy You can give the priest notes about the health of loved ones and the repose of the dead. You can serve them in the same place where you can buy candles before the service.

General rules

Appearance important for everyone. Church service obliges a person to look neat and dignified, without leading anyone into seduction and temptation. You must come to church in clothes that are considered appropriate for the person’s gender: men in trousers, women in skirts.

How should a woman dress in church?

Unacceptable for the church:

• swimsuit;
• sportswear;
• clothes that are too revealing, bright and shiny for going to a disco or other provocative things.

Immodest clothing causes condemnation and temptation from others. A person comes to the temple to communicate and worship the Lord, and not for a fashion show. Strict clothing obliges a person to conduct himself with dignity and respect.

There is no need to pour a bottle of perfume on yourself during the service - the room is usually stuffy and someone may feel ill from the perfume. You need to give up cloying and pungent odors and limit yourself to taking a shower and applying deodorant.

Makeup should be invisible, and clothing with non-Christian symbols is also unacceptable.

Sign of the Cross

You need to be baptized slowly, together with everyone.

Making the sign of the cross is simple:

• connect the thumb, index and middle fingers of your right hand together;
• fold the remaining two and press them to the palm of your hand;
• right hand successively touch the forehead, center of the abdomen, right and left shoulder.

They make the sign of the cross during the reading of the Gospel, blessing by the priest, glorification of the Trinity and Christ, proclamations, communion and veneration of icons, as well as during incense.

Sign of the Cross

For women

There are more rules for women in the temple:

When going to church, you need to realize why go there at all? Apply war paint and look for suitors or communicate and worship the Lord who sees the soul. Provocative clothing and makeup are a sign of immodesty.

Appearance of a woman in church

For men

For men, the rules are simpler, but they also exist:

• do not wear a hat in the church building - it must be removed before entering;
• have a neat and decent appearance;
• refuse sports or work clothes;
• to be shaved;
• refuse jeans, open T-shirts or transparent clothes (mesh T-shirts);
• do not smoke or drink before visiting the temple for 5-6 hours;
• It is best to wear a classic suit or trousers with a shirt;
• behave modestly and respectfully;
• stop on the right side of the building.

Attention! Men come up to communion first, women can come after them, and only then children. Their task is to treat the clergy with respect and respect, not to whisper or discuss the women around them.

The rules for visiting a temple are important because it is not just a meeting of a community or commune, but a meeting of believers. People who do not attend services usually closely watch how Orthodox Christians go to church and how they behave during services.

However, the most big problem there remains condemnation of young people who come to church for the first time. Regardless of their appearance and behavior, you need to show leniency towards them and not speak rudely or lecture - gently correct them and help with advice, this will be right.

How to behave correctly in an Orthodox church

There are moments in every person's life when he needs to go to church. That may be why different reasons: you can go to a large, famous temple out of curiosity, or you visit church only on major holidays (Easter, Christmas), or perhaps you sincerely wanted to be a church member, that is, to become a full and equal member of the church. There may be many options, but in any case, in the church it is necessary to follow certain rules so as not to offend other worshipers with your behavior. I often see such people in church: from their confused look you can immediately understand that they are here for the first time, they light a candle at the wrong time, they forget about the handkerchief - and the all-knowing grandmothers (no doubt, they are in any church) swoop down on them with condemnation. You watch how they, poor people, embarrassed, leave the temple, and sadly you understand that they will not return here again. The impulse of the soul or even the need to communicate with God is severely interrupted due to some trousers instead of a skirt or lack of clothing. Therefore, before visiting an Orthodox church, be sure to read the rules of conduct there.

How is an Orthodox church structured?

An Orthodox church, any one, even in a small village, always amazes with its beauty and grandeur. The ringing of bells, the domes, the golden robes of the clergy - all this already inspires awe of the place where we are about to enter.
The temple is usually divided into 3 main parts: the altar, the vestibule and the temple itself. The narthex may contain shelves with church literature, candles, icons and other church utensils for sale. There may also be hangers for parishioners' clothes. Passing the vestibule, we find ourselves in the temple itself, where worshipers stand during the service. The altar is the most sacred place in the temple; it is fenced off by an iconostasis, which often reaches the ceiling. Women are prohibited from entering there, and male parishioners can enter there only on special occasions and with the permission of the priest (for example, during baptism). There are 3 doors leading out of the altar: the Royal Doors (the most important), as well as the northern and southern doors. No one is allowed to walk through the Royal Doors except the priest. Adjacent to the iconostasis is an elevated platform, a soleya; it is also forbidden to step on it except on special occasions (for example, Communion).
Thus, we can summarize that we, ordinary parishioners, can only be in the vestibule and the temple itself, and as soon as the elevated platform (soleia) begins, we are not allowed to go further.

Rules of conduct in the Orthodox Church

If you are going to visit the temple, then prepare for this in advance. First of all, this concerns clothing. It is customary for women to be in the temple with a covering ready (this can be a scarf, a scarf or just an outer headdress), in a skirt below the knees and in a jacket with long sleeves. You should not use cosmetics. When entering the temple, men must take off their headdress; shorts and T-shirts are also unacceptable - only clothing that hides the body as much as possible.
When approaching the temple, cross yourself three times and bow; Upon entering the temple, stop near the door and once again cross yourself 3 times and bow. I would like to draw the attention of MirSovetov readers to the fact that it is necessary to cross yourself with three fingers gathered into a handful, the ring and little fingers must be pressed to the palm. Touch first your forehead, then your stomach, your right shoulder, then your left and bow.
It is customary to perform divine services in the temple 3 times. If you get to church at a time when there is no service, then you can stand quietly and pray, light candles (they will be discussed below). If you decide to attend the liturgy (daytime service), then remember that you need to arrive in advance, about 10-15 minutes before the start. In different churches, worship begins at different time, so inquire in advance. During worship there are many people praying in the church, and there is no need to disturb them. Try to find a place that is convenient for you, where you can clearly see and hear everything. As a child, I always stood in the very first rows so that I could clearly see what was happening. And this is not without common sense: a simple person will not immediately understand what is happening in general, he will not even understand what is being said and sung (because the service takes place in the Old Church Slavonic language), so it makes sense to at least see what is happening.
During the service, you cannot talk, look at others, or shift from foot to foot. Cellular telephone needs to be turned off. After all, we come to church to pray; it’s better to leave everyday matters at home. On average, the service lasts 2-3 hours; if you are not used to it, it is difficult to spend so much time on your feet, so if you are tired, you can sit on a bench that is located in the vestibule or in the church itself. It is impossible to sit with the Royal Doors open; even if frail, sick old women stand up, what can we say about young and strong people like us. You also cannot turn your back to the altar; of course, this does not oblige you to back away like a lob when leaving, but you should not demonstratively turn your back to the altar during the service. If for some reason you cannot stay in the church until the end of the service, then you need to quietly leave, crossing yourself at the exit and in front of the church itself.
Arriving early before the service, believers also perform several actions: light candles, give notes, and venerate icons. All this must be done in advance so as not to interfere with prayer during the service.
Arriving at the temple, you must venerate the main icon, which is located opposite the Royal Doors in front of the solea. To do this, you need to cross yourself three times, and then kiss the corner of the icon or the edge of the clothes of the person depicted, cross yourself again and quietly move away without disturbing others. Women are not allowed to kiss icons with painted lips. Personally, I even wash my hygienic lipstick before doing this. During the service, many people will venerate the icon, so what will it look like at the end of the service if women smack it with their painted lips? It should also be remembered that when kissing an icon, we are not kissing the board with paint on it, but through a kiss we are addressing our love and respect to the one depicted on it.
Before the start of the service, you can also light several candles for health or repose. Repose candles are placed on a specific candlestick, which is easily recognized by square shape and the small crucifix. Candles for health can be placed on the remaining candlesticks. It doesn’t matter with which hand you do this, you just need to do it with sincere prayer for the one for whom you light this candle. A candle is a sacrifice to God, and it burns without a trace only for His sake.
If you come to the temple with children, then carefully monitor them so that they do not make noise or run around the temple. If the child starts crying, you need to quickly take him out and calm him down so that he does not disturb the others.
And finally, probably the most main advice: During service, do what everyone else is doing. If believers are baptized, be baptized with them; if they bow, bow too. Every bow or sign of the cross committed in response to some words or actions of clergy. And believe me, most of those present in the temple do not know why they cross themselves and bow at this particular moment and not at another. But behind every action there is a deep tradition that has developed over centuries. And you should not violate them, trying to show your liberality or independence from the rules. After all, we enter the church to pray, but this will not bring us truth and benefit if we enter the temple without humility.

Often in a person’s life there is a need to visit church. The reasons for this can be completely different: for example, you can visit a famous temple that is a landmark, attend church on holidays such as Christmas or Easter, or maybe you have a desire to become a churchgoer - a full member Orthodox Church. In any of the above cases, you will have to comply with a number of certain rules so as not to offend the behavior of other parishioners. Today we propose to talk about how to behave in church so that the need for communication with higher powers and the sincere impulse of the soul are not harshly interrupted due to the lack of a scarf on the head or non-compliance with church etiquette.

Construction of an Orthodox church

Before we move on to the rules of conduct, we suggest we talk about how the Orthodox Church is structured. It is worth noting that any temple, located even in a small village, amazes with its grandeur and beauty. Golden domes shining in the sun, ringing bells, and, of course, the church choir - all this inspires awe of this place.

The temple can be divided into three main parts - the altar, the vestibule and the temple. In the vestibule there are usually shelves with religious literature, various icons and candles that are for sale. There are also hangers for parishioners' clothes. Having passed the vestibule, a person enters the temple, where worshipers stand during services. However, the most sacred place in the church is the altar. Usually it is fenced with an iconostasis that reaches the very ceiling. It should be said that women are not allowed to enter there, and male parishioners can enter the altar only on special occasions and, of course, with the consent of the priest. There is a small elevated platform adjacent to the church iconostasis; you cannot step on it either. Actually, here is the first rule about how to behave correctly in church: parishioners can only be in the vestibule and in the temple.

Appearance

Believers say that Orthodox church is a place of special presence of God’s grace, which means one should stay in this place with special reverence and love. When a person is going to visit, he tries to look dignified, and in the same way he should come to church. People who monitor the state of their souls note that behavior, thoughts and desires often depend on clothing. For example, strict clothing obliges you to do a lot. So what clothes should you choose for visiting the temple?

Women should be in church with their heads covered - a headscarf, scarf or any headdress will do. The skirt should not be higher than the knee, and your arms should be covered. Cosmetics are inappropriate in the temple, especially lipstick or lip gloss. Men are not allowed to enter the temple wearing T-shirts and shorts, sportswear or work clothes. You should not go to work in an unkempt manner. The headdress should be removed.

However, the clergy say: if a man or woman came to the temple in provocative clothing, the woman’s head is not covered, one should not leave the temple for this reason. The fact is that the Orthodox Church is a unique place where God and man can meet, and therefore clothing cannot interfere with this. But for the future, it should be taken into account that in the society of believers it is customary to appear at services in strictly closed clothes. And, of course, a Christian should always wear a cross on his body.

How to prepare for visiting the temple

Speaking about how to behave correctly in the Orthodox Church, special attention should be paid to preparing for visiting this place. On the way to the temple, you need to prepare yourself for prayer. It is important to put aside all your worries for a while and internally reconcile with loved ones. It is recommended to read the following prayer:

I will enter Your house, I will bow to Your holy temple in Your fear.

Or the Jesus Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Before entering the temple, you must make three bows from the waist, always with the sign of the cross. Please note that the sign of the cross and bow towards the altar are mandatory both when entering and leaving the church.

It is best to come to the temple twenty minutes before the start of the service. During this time, will you have time to submit memorial notes, purchase candles, leave a donation, and behave in the Orthodox Church if you meet your friends? Greet them with a silent bow, do not start discussing any issues, and especially do not move from place to place during the service.

We should not forget that people often come to church who have been wounded by rudeness or cynicism, who are saddened or overjoyed, who are in jubilation or in grief. Try to refrain from making comments; this is only appropriate if there are signs of obvious hooliganism or blasphemous behavior. A person who violates the rules can be reprimanded. However, he should be as delicate as possible without arrogance and irritability.

Before the start of the service

How to behave correctly in church before the service begins? Of course you need to disable mobile phone. You should not put it in vibration alert mode - this will only distract you. Loud conversations, fuss and quarrels are absolutely unacceptable. Believers go to the temple and remain in it in silence, with reverence, attention and readiness for prayer. What else should you pay attention to when talking about how people behave in church? You should not show curiosity, ask parishioners about something, or look at them. It is much more useful to focus on worship and participate in common prayer.

During the service

There is an ancient tradition according to which men in the temple stand with right side, and women, respectively, with the left. Of course, during the service you should stand facing the altar. Often, when thinking about how to behave in church, people wonder: is it possible to sit during worship? The clergy say: you can only sit while reading kathismas and proverbs. However, an exception is made for people who have health problems and are especially tired.

Speaking about how to behave correctly in church, order and traditions, it is worth noting that during censing you do not need to turn around after the priest or turn your back to the altar. It is recommended to simply step aside to let the church minister who is censing pass. If one of the parishioners does not move away, you should not push him away or pull him to the side, just give him a hint. How to behave in church during a service? Do not walk or talk under any circumstances! One must come to the Liturgy on an empty stomach, even if one does not receive communion that day.

Being late for the start of the service is disrespect for the Sacrament. As, indeed, leaving the temple before its end. As a last resort, you can leave, but not during communion or while reading the Gospel.

Visiting church with children

How to behave in church if you decide to go there with your children? First, it is important to set a personal example of prayer and behavior. It is necessary to supervise children, preventing them from distracting other parishioners, laughing loudly or being naughty. If a child bursts into tears, you need to try to calm him down or leave the church with him.

Candles

What does a person usually do as soon as he crosses the threshold of a church? It's safe to say that nine times out of ten, he comes up to the candle box. It is with a small wax candle that practical Christianity begins. According to the interpreter of the Liturgy, Blessed Simeon of Thessalonica, wax is a symbol of repentance and faith. The clergy say: you cannot formally light a candle; the heart of the person performing this action should not be cold. It is very important to light a candle with a prayer, even the simplest one.

In general, there are no strict rules about how to behave in an Orthodox Church with candles, how many to put them and where. People who visit the temple regularly usually light several candles - to the festive icon, which lies on the analogue, to the images of the Mother of God or the Savior - about the health of loved ones, to the Crucifixion, located on a rectangular table, also called the eve - about the repose of the departed.

Church notes

How to behave in church if you want to present a memorial note to the altar? There are a number of specific rules:

1. It is best to write such a note in block letters, mentioning no more than 10 names in one.
2. The note should be titled - “On health” or “On repose”.
3. All names must be written in the genitive case, using the full form of the name (we recommend that you learn the church spelling of secular names).
4. In notes, children under 7 years old are usually called a baby, and from 7 to 15 - a youth or a young woman.

Worship of the Holy Places in the Temple

Worship of the Shrines deserves special attention. How do they behave in church when they venerate the Holy Gospel, icons and relics? You should not rush and crowd; before kissing you need to make two bows, and after - another one. It is not customary to kiss the faces of saints (that is, their faces). When kissing the icons of saints and the Mother of God, you should kiss the hand; when kissing the icons of the Savior, you should kiss the foot (or the hand in the case of a half-length image).

Signs: to believe or not?

When talking about how to behave in church, one cannot help but pay attention to the signs that one can often hear about. For example, there is an opinion that you can only light a candle with your right hand; if it goes out, misfortune awaits you. Some even believe that by asking someone in the temple what time it is, a person shortens his life! Church ministers say: all church-related signs and superstitions are meaningless, you should not believe in them.

In church you need to bow and be baptized on time.

What to do when you go to church

You need to come to the service in advance in order to have time to buy a candle, order a service for health or repose. You will also have additional time to ask questions of interest. You should not eat or drink water before the service unless you are sick.

How to enter the temple:

• when entering the church courtyard, stop outside the gate;
• alternately cross yourself three times and bow;
• go inside the temple;
• also cross yourself three times and bow;
• if you want, buy candles;
• take a seat at the back of the hall.

Women should come to the temple with their heads covered, without lipstick, and without heavy makeup. Wear a dress or skirt no higher than the knee, or tie a long scarf around your hips if you don’t have such clothes. Men must not wear a headdress.

What to do in church during services

Before going to church, turn off your mobile phone and take away your child’s toys. Women are supposed to stand on the left side, leaning more on left leg, and men on the right. You need to stand with your head slightly lowered, try not to talk.

Watch how other parishioners and the priest behave. Make bows and cross yourself after them

What not to do in church

Unbaptized people and menstruating women should remain in the church hallway. Touching icons, lighting candles and receiving communion is prohibited. Only weak and sick people can sit.

What is undesirable to do in church:

• talk loudly, laugh;
• chew gum;
• keep your hands in your pockets;
• cross your legs and arms;
• stand in the aisle.

There are no strict prohibitions on behavior in church, except for disturbing the order. It’s not scary to miss one bow, you don’t have to light candles, but it’s important to get into the spirit and sincerely pray, think about your actions and repent.

The Orthodox Church has always commanded the respect of the Russian people. A long period will pass, which has become a hard time for true Christians. The sacraments of baptism are again performed not only for infants, but also for adults, even the elderly. Some returned to the faith openly during the years of perestroika, and many discovered the faith for the first time.

To avoid getting into an awkward situation when visiting church, remember some rules of conduct for parishioners.

How to dress to visit a holy place

Clothes for visiting the temple should not be full of colors. You are not supposed to wear tank tops, T-shirts and, of course, shorts. Men should remove their hats before entering. The heads of the parishioners are covered with a modest scarf, and not with a bright, chic Panama hat or a fashionable hat. Pay attention to your shoes. High heels women's shoes and their loud clicking sound echoing throughout the temple are inappropriate.

Before the service

Parcel is a well-known word, often found in literary works, sometimes it can be heard in old songs. This is the platform in front of the entrance, to which steps lead. Approaching the church, parishioners cross themselves and bow. On the porch in front of the doors you need to make the sign of the cross again.

Come to church before the service begins. You should have enough time to buy candles without rushing. They need to be placed next to the images chosen, deliberately or on a whim, and venerated to the icons. What does it mean to “attach”? Surely you can guess that the word in this case does not mean getting bumps on your forehead.

Before applying it to the icon, you need to cross yourself twice, then kiss the image (without leaving any traces of lipstick on it, since your lips must be clean) and then make the sign of the cross again.

The candles you light should only be church candles and purchased in the place where you came to pray. It is prohibited to place candles purchased in other places near icons.

Don't forget to put donations on the eve (this term means a special table) and submit notes, writing in advance the names of relatives or those people for whom you ask to pray. Notes are served in the icon shop located at the entrance. Please note that you cannot enter the names of unbaptized people, suicides and heretics!

It is forbidden to be late for a service, even if you charming girl and are accustomed to consider being late a cute whim and good manners (God is not a gentleman). And if due to unforeseen circumstances you are late, then try not to fuss. Do not interfere with parishioners' prayers. Do not push towards the selected icons, but quietly and clearly ask those standing to pass candles to the images. When they make way for you, not wanting to be distracted from the prayer, pass without hesitating, but try not to create noise and fuss. And there is no need to yelp loudly when you catch the sharp elbow of a fervently crossing old woman with your “solar plexus.”

What are the rules for placing church candles?

There are no written instructions on how many candles should be placed and for which images. Parishioners have long established an order for themselves and diligently follow it. As a rule, candles begin to be placed from an icon revered by the temple in which the service is taking place or from a holiday icon.

After this, believers approach the icons with the faces of those whose names they bear.

At the end they light candles for health and peace. For the health of people close and dear to you, place candles at the images. As you have already noticed, for this purpose there are candlesticks in front of the icons.

Many young people do not know how to light candles for the repose of the soul of a loved one without making mistakes. Return to the donation table mentioned above. Next to it you have already seen a special (main) table called a canon. You can also recognize him by his small crucifix and many candlesticks. After reading the appropriate short prayer, light a candle for the repose of the soul of the deceased person.

In any case, prayer should come from the whole heart, be sincere and sincere. And not like this: “...one, two...who else should I put it on? Have you forgotten anyone?

Often people who visit church for the first time experience difficulties because there is no empty candlestick near the image they have chosen; everyone is busy. Do not worry. Do not touch candles set by other people, even if they have only a short time left to burn. Just place your candle after reading the prayer next to the icon. Church employees will keep order and will not leave a single candle unattended. All of them will definitely be placed in the vacant places.

Where do the parishioners stand?

According to church etiquette, men stand in the right half of the church, and parishioners in the left. With this arrangement, there should be a fairly wide passage in the center. Very old people with limited mobility and people with disabilities are allowed to sit.

Who is allowed to enter the altar

There is no entry for women into the altar! Only men with the permission of the priest can enter through the southern or northern doors. The Royal Gate is accessible only to clergy. You need to remember: you cannot stand with your back to the altar.

Leaving a service

By leaving a worship service unless absolutely necessary, you are committing a sin. For this, Christians ask forgiveness first of all from the Lord, and then confess to the priest. Pay special attention to the Liturgy. Here, under no circumstances should you leave the church, especially before singing “Our Father.”

When leaving the church, bow three times from the waist, crossing yourself.

How to fast

Pay attention to the warning: even the strictest fast should not harm your body. It is better to navigate the choice of products and dishes taking into account your own well-being, and not following the orders of God-fearing and strict believers.

For many centuries, Christians avoided eating before noon, that is, until the end of the Liturgy. But the trends of the times began to make their own adjustments. People go to work in the morning, where they spend the whole long day and without proper nutrition they risk developing serious illnesses. In this case, it is advised to act according to circumstances and reason (it is difficult to imagine that the Lord needs your ruined health).

Your confessor can advise you on how to fast correctly if you work long and hard.

While fasting, do not focus on abstaining from food. Focus on its meaning. And the main meaning of strict fasting is the cleansing of the soul (and not a diet for weight loss). Move away from idleness, laziness, watching television and other entertainment programs and vain activities.

Even if you ask an unbaptized person what is allowed and what is forbidden to eat during strict fasting, he will probably answer: Christians eat foods of plant origin, but a ban is imposed on “animal” food. It should be added to this that Orthodox believers, as a rule, avoid drinking stimulating drinks (strong tea, coffee, etc.). A variety of spices and soy substitutes for some products help to more easily endure the hardships of strict fasting. But true Christians believe that all this distorts the meaning of fasting and therefore have a negative attitude towards such products.

Whatever the rules of behavior in holy places, strict or not, by visiting them we are doing a good deed.

About behavior in the temple - video