A child’s first communion is a big event in the life of not only the baby himself, but also his parents. And, of course, this is a reason for questions, doubts and, in a sense, anxiety. After all, it is a well-known fact that people take communion in church with red wine.
Of course, many parents feel nervous about this, because few people would want to give alcohol, even in small quantities, to their own child. Particularly strong doubts plague those who plan to baptize an infant and, accordingly, take part in the sacrament of communion.
Parents are often plagued by questions related to the hygiene of the procedure. The sacrament of communion does not imply the use of individual utensils, even for the smallest ones. No less often, questions arise about whether it is necessary for children to participate in the Eucharist after the baptismal rite? Are these sacraments inextricably linked?
What is baptism? Is it possible to give communion to unbaptized children?
Baptism is the very first, main and main rite in the life of a Christian. Only after its completion do other sacraments become available for participation and, first of all, of course, the Eucharist. Accordingly, the answer to the question of whether it is possible to give communion to a baby without baptism will be negative. Of course, adults who have not gone through this ritual are not allowed to take communion. This rule is very categorical and there are no exceptions to it.
Questions about whether it is possible to give communion to unbaptized infants often arise among people who know little about Christian traditions, but who try to visit churches. They are usually justified by the thesis that children are sinless, and accordingly, they can be admitted to church sacraments. However, it is not. For a person who has not gone through the rite of baptism, regardless of his age, there is not the slightest sense in communion. In other words, for a baby who has not been baptized, the Eucharist will become just a swallowed spoonful of wine.
The meaning of the ritual is not only that a person considers himself a Christian, but also in his spiritual rebirth. During this sacrament, all previously committed sins are washed away with water. It is as if a person dies to his former existence and is reborn by the Holy Spirit for a new, righteous life.
In this regard, modern parents, who, as a rule, were not raised in Christian traditions, often have questions about the advisability of baptizing newborns. In the Orthodox tradition, there are no age restrictions for performing this ritual. There is a special meaning attached to the baptism of infants - it is a sign that the parents will raise and raise the child in the Christian tradition.
Can a child eat before communion?
Before the sacrament, you must attend the evening service. With prayer, one must also abstain from food of animal origin - meat and fish, eggs, milk and dairy products.
Are children fed before communion? Of course, there is no need to starve your baby. Before communion, children can eat boiled and raw vegetables, porridge without oil, pasta, bread, decoctions and juices, as well as fruits themselves, which can be used as the main dessert.
It is advisable to confess before or after the evening service; as a last resort, at the morning Liturgy before the Cherubic Song. In confession, express everything according to your conscience, without making excuses or blaming others. It must be borne in mind that without confession (except for children under 7 years old) no one is allowed to receive communion.
In the period between confession and communion, an Orthodox person must completely abstain from food and water. This is not a categorical prescription, but after midnight the day before, these prohibitions become mandatory. And in the morning you just need to brush your teeth and rinse your mouth and go to the temple on an empty stomach.
What is the sacrament?
The Eucharist or communion is one of the most important Christian sacraments. It consists of eating pre-blessed bread and drinking wine. Accordingly, the bread symbolizes the body of the Lord, and the wine symbolizes the blood of Jesus.
The meaning of this sacred rite is that those who participate in it are united with God in Christ. Communion is necessary for a Christian to save his soul and gain eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.
This sacrament was established not by the clergy, but by Jesus himself during the Last Supper. This is described in all the Gospels, which, as we know, were written by Christ’s disciples, the apostles. The background to the establishment of this sacrament, according to the Gospel written by John, was the miracle of the multiplication of loaves.
In theology, the Eucharist is given the following meaning: man was expelled from Paradise and became mortal through food, and by participating in the sacrament, he atones for this original sin. In other words, through the sacrament a Christian receives eternal life.
Communion occupies a central place among the sacraments of the Church because it expresses union with God and allows believers to share in the great sacrifice of Jesus.
"Substances of the Sacrament." What is communion given in church?
For many modern parents who were not raised in Christian traditions, the question of what they give their babies communion with is extremely relevant. The composition of what is in the communion cup worries many of them much more than the spiritual meaning of the sacrament being performed.
Traditionally, bread and wine are used for the sacrament, as Jesus himself established during the Last Supper. In Orthodox Orthodox churches, special bread – leavened bread – is used as a symbolic body of the Lord. It is called "prosphora".
Wine, symbolizing the blood of the Lord, is diluted with hot or warm water in Orthodox churches. But this is not done everywhere. For example, in Armenian churches wine is not diluted with water.
Everything is gradual, and so are prayers.
Regarding all the points regarding prayer preparation, I will emphasize: the child needs to be accustomed to evening services, but if it is still difficult, you can first skip it, then come halfway, then stand completely. On the evening before Communion, just like adults, children do not need to watch cartoons, but need to read books about God and his Saints.
Next it is time for the question of prayers. I am convinced that a child should be introduced into prayer gradually. First, I think, it is permissible to read three prayers from the evening prayers, then after the “Canon to the Guardian Angel” read one prayer, after the “Canon to the Mother of God” read one prayer, after the “Canon to the Savior” read 1 prayer and then read 4 prayers from the “Canon to Holy Communion." I think this will be enough, but it is important to read them clearly, with attention, praying from the heart, but without developing a formal attitude to the matter of prayer. Gradually, the number of prayers needs to be increased. Look at the link to the prayer book published by the Moscow Patriarchate, everything is prepared there for children’s prayer.
This material is collected from the Patristic literature, which is freely available on the Internet, both separately (in excerpts) and in entire electronic books, the volumes of which are very large for the modern reader, who, as a rule, is accustomed to grasping only the superficial essence. The author of this project has systematized and selected the material as much as possible, highlighting the most important things, focusing on his point of view.
The creator of this project does not claim authorship of the presented materials and strongly recommends that interested readers purchase the full versions of the Patristic works in printed form. The sources used are listed in a special section of our website “Recommended Literature and Sources”; in addition, we accompanied each book with a short review, useful for all concerned readers.
What wine is used when performing the sacrament?
Often, when parents ask questions about how babies are given communion in church, there is an interest in the type of wine. This is really important, since this drink, even when diluted, can cause an allergic reaction in a newborn.
As a rule, in most Russian churches, fortified dessert wines made from red grape varieties, for example, Cahors, are used to celebrate the sacrament of communion. However, the use of just such wines is not at all an unshakable rule.
Each locality has its own traditions of what wine will symbolize the blood of the Lord during the sacred rite. For example, in Greek churches they often give communion to parishioners with white wines or a mixture of them with red ones, while in Georgia “Zedashe” is traditionally used.
Accordingly, those parents who, for some personal reason, need to know what communion is given to babies in church should talk with the priest serving in the church where they plan to share the sacrament with their baby. There is no need to be shy about asking questions to clergy, especially if they are dictated not by idle curiosity, but by fears or doubts.
How soon after baptism do children receive communion?
In Orthodoxy, there are no rules prescribing when and how infants receive communion after baptism. There is not even a single tradition accepted among the people. In Rus', christenings were held both on the 8th day after birth and on the 40th. The baby could have been baptized on any other day.
After completing the rite of baptism, a person, regardless of his age, is allowed to participate in the sacrament of the Eucharist. There is no schedule regulating the number of participles or the intervals between them. Accordingly, if adults are guided by the dictates of the soul or the instructions of the priests before participating in the Eucharist, then in matters of when and how infants receive communion, the final word remains with their parents.
Communion after the baptismal ritual
The Orthodox Church recommends giving communion to newborn children or children of other ages as soon as possible after baptism. Some priests perform this rite directly on the day of the baptismal ritual. In other cases, communion takes place 2-3 days after the previous sacrament.
Adults should remember: postponing the rite of communion after the baptism of a child until a later date is undesirable. This is only permissible if the family has serious obstacles.
The child's first communion after baptism should under no circumstances be his last. In the future, the child’s blood or godparents should partake of the holy mysteries of Christ as often as possible. It is recommended to do this once a week (on Sundays) or monthly.
All family members should participate in the great sacrament together with the baby, thus becoming one in God. Many Christian saints taught that one can receive communion an unlimited number of times: there is absolutely no harm to a person in this, since the soul receives an invaluable opportunity for purification and unity with its Creator.
Is it necessary to give communion to children? At what age should this be done?
There is a very widespread misconception that baptized babies must be given communion. This is not true at all. The sacrament of baptism does not impose an obligation on the parents of the child to bring him to the Eucharist. There are no regulations or decrees regulating the age at which infants receive communion in church. The decision on the participation of a newborn in the sacrament is made by the parents of the child. The priest can only explain to them the meaning of the rite of communion and tell them why they need to participate in it. A clergyman cannot force a person to take the Eucharist.
In pre-revolutionary times, when religion was an integral part of the life of every Russian, questions about when and how infants received communion after baptism and whether this should be done were not relevant. People came to church services, of course, young mothers had children in their arms. At the end of the prayers, all parishioners lined up for communion. Accordingly, the priest gave communion to both the child and his mother, as well as other people present in the temple.
That is, questions about the age at which infants receive communion did not arise, because the Eucharist was a traditional, integral and natural part of life. Newborn children who had been baptized received communion together with their mothers. Of course, there was no schedule for the frequency of participles either. At least once a week, on Sundays, newborns participated in the Eucharist, of course, if their parents attended the service.
In modern conditions, not all parents can afford to attend Sunday services every week. Not everyone understands why infants should receive communion. Church ministers do not oblige parents of newborns to participate in the sacrament. Even if the baby is in the arms of his father or mother, only adults can receive communion. Moreover, you don’t have to get up for communion at all. But when refusing to participate in the Eucharist with a child, we should not forget that a person’s habits are formed in his earliest childhood, when he is just beginning to learn about the world.
About the Communion of Infants.
I will supplement our thread with answers to frequently asked questions.
“Son of God, accept me as a partaker.” The servant of God, a baby, takes communion...
So, it's done! It’s impossible to immediately realize, but nine months of waiting, anxiety and worry are behind me - I have a small, touching bundle in my hands. My daughter... The most beautiful, the best, the best. I promise you that I will do everything possible and impossible to make you happy...
I think all normal parents have experienced similar feelings; they would like to see their children healthy and joyful. We try to give our child everything he needs: food, clothing, education, it would seem that we think through everything down to the smallest detail. But sometimes we forget about the most important thing in raising a child – his soul.
Spiritual life is impossible without the Church. An adult usually comes to this conclusion himself sooner or later. But the child cannot understand this, and the parent, realizing the full measure of responsibility to the creature most dear to him, is simply obliged to make the right choice for him.
Churching is hard but necessary work, and you need to make every effort to make it as easy as possible for your child. You have to start with yourself. Children do not accept lies. If a child sees a striking difference between what happens in church and what he observes at home, he will never be able to become a full-fledged member of the Church. And vice versa, if he sees that his family is a “small church,” then he will naturally and easily enter into the life of the Church as such. Moreover, childhood is the most fertile time; everything learned by a child at this time will be retained for the rest of his life, and he will not have to painfully search for the Truth.
I probably won’t be mistaken if I call the center of church life primarily two Sacraments: Confession and Communion. In the Sacrament of Repentance, a person receives forgiveness from the Lord. By partaking of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, one gains strength for a grace-filled life in Christ. In the Sacrament of Communion, the most real, authentic union with Christ occurs, since what the Lord said in the Gospel is fulfilled: He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood abides in Me, and I in him (John 6:56).
When a person just begins his journey in the Church, many things raise questions and bewilderments in him. All the more questions arise for parents who enter church life with their young children. We will try to answer some of them, namely those related to the Communion of children, this time.
What role does Communion play in the lives of children? After all, we receive communion “for the remission of sins,” but what sins can children have?
– The nature of every person, regardless of his age, is affected by that terrible corruption, which we most often call original sin. Moreover, we are all weak and in need of God’s gracious help. And who is more defenseless than a child? He doesn't know how to pray himself. He is protected by the prayers of his parents and the prayers of the Church. By receiving communion, he becomes part of her, and her maternal cover extends over him. Until the age of 7, a child traditionally receives Communion without confession, since it is believed that until this age he is not yet able to truly understand the sinfulness or, conversely, the sinlessness of his actions, and after 7 years he will need to confess before Communion.
At what age can children receive communion? There is an opinion that a child should be baptized on the 40th day, and therefore given communion the next day.
You can baptize a child immediately after birth - as soon as he is physically ready for this. But in practice, baptism most often actually takes place on the fortieth day or later. Forty days is the period of the so-called “postpartum cleansing”, during which a woman should not cross the threshold of the temple. After this time, special prayers must be read over the mother and child (the so-called “fortieth day prayers”), after which the mother can again go to church and participate in the Church Sacraments. As a rule, they are read immediately before Epiphany. And, of course, when a child is baptized, then, starting from that time, he can already receive communion.
On what day can you bring children to Communion? When is the best time to come?
You can receive communion on any day when the Divine Liturgy is served. In large churches this is the morning of every day (except Monday, Tuesday and Thursday during Lent, when the liturgy is usually not served). In those churches where services are not held every day, it is better to find out about this from the priest in advance. It is not necessary to come to the beginning of the service with small children, since they will be very tired themselves, will cry, and this will tire those around them. But, of course, not directly to Communion, better a little earlier.
How often should children receive communion and should parents always receive communion at the same time as them?
Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ has a beneficial effect on the child. The more often this happens, the better. By and large, if there is such an opportunity, then nothing prevents them from giving communion every day. In any case, children should be given communion at least 2 times a month. Parents receive communion as often as the confessor blesses them, after confession.
How to prepare a child for Communion? Should children fast?
Communion is a Sacrament, so there must be appropriate preparation for it. There are certain rules for adults that they must strictly follow. Children, due to their age, are not able to complete everything fully. However, even in this case there are recommendations, mainly related to food intake. Thus, infants should be fed an hour and a half before Communion, children under three years old should be fed a little more, or at least reduce the amount of breakfast (replace it with lean cookies and water). Older children should be kept from eating at all. But in any case, you need to get used to this gradually, monitoring how the child feels.
It is equally important before Communion to explain to the child (if his age already allows this) the meaning of the Sacrament, tell him how he needs to behave: stand calmly, cross his arms on his chest, approach the Chalice, say his name received at baptism (secular names are often do not coincide with the church ones), and completely swallow the Holy Gifts, and then calmly approach the table with warmth and prosphora. If the child is not able to remember all this, then an adult should guide him, but this must be done quietly. Before the Cup, it is better to take the child in your arms.
It would also be good if the day before the child listened to the prayers from the Follow-up to Communion - as much as he can listen to with attention.
And, the simplest thing, but, unfortunately, often overlooked: the child must wear a cross.
Will an infant be able to partake of the Flesh and Blood of Christ?
Infants are given communion only with Blood, and only a little is given (therefore, during Great Lent, at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, when believers partake of pre-sanctified Gifts - a particle of the Body of Christ, saturated with Blood, small children are not given communion). Many express doubts about this, suggesting that the child “has not received communion enough.” This assumption is incorrect, since even in the smallest particle the whole Christ is present. When approaching the Chalice, there is no need to hold the baby vertically, since in this position it is difficult for him to accept the Holy Gifts. It is better to put it on your right hand, as when feeding.
It is better to swaddle the smallest children or hold them tightly so that they do not inadvertently touch the Cup and knock it over. Based on the same safety considerations, small children should not be placed near the Chalice. In general, the behavior of children of any age at this moment needs to be especially monitored. Even seemingly large children, who have already received communion more than once, can suddenly make a careless movement.
What to do with a child’s clothes if drops of the Blood of Christ accidentally fall on them?
Sometimes it happens that after Communion a child burps, or vomits, or simply drops the Holy Gifts from his mouth. Of course, you need to try to prevent this from happening (mom can notice under what circumstances such things happen). But if this does happen, and Blood ends up on your clothes, you need to take them off and give them away after the service for burning, no matter how expensive it may be. Therefore, it would be good to put a bib or a napkin on the child before Communion, which would not be a pity.
Is it possible to give communion to a child against his will?
It happens that a child refuses to approach the Chalice or, even while in the arms of his parents, breaks out and cries. There may be several explanations for this: the baby is tired, he is hungry, which means he is capricious, he does not understand what is happening and is afraid, etc. Each parent has a special approach to their child. You need to try to interest him by telling him at home about the Sacraments, the life of the Church, and retelling stories from life. Before going to church, create a festive atmosphere at home. In church, point out the children who are receiving communion so that the child is not afraid. A good example would be giving communion to parents or friends. After Communion, you can treat your baby to something tasty. If a child has received communion, you must definitely praise him. And over time, he will get used to it and will look forward to Communion.
Although it is necessary to draw the attention of parents to this very significant point: sometimes the reason for such a child’s behavior in front of the Cup is their own life. And therefore, when planning to give communion to their son or daughter, mom and dad should, of course, think about whether they themselves confessed and received communion too long ago.
When can you feed your baby after Communion?
You need to wait a little while feeding the baby so that the Communion is better “absorbed.” Older children can be fed immediately after Communion and eating the prosphora, before kissing the Cross (especially if the child has not eaten or drunk anything since the evening). But if the child is able to go without food until the end of the service, it is better not to feed him.
If a child has severe allergies, can he be given communion? And is there a risk of becoming infected with something during Communion?
Humanly, such anxiety is understandable, but if parents reason in this way, this indicates that they themselves are not aware of what happens during Communion. These fears are due to lack of faith. Of course, instead of warmth, you can give the child a drink you brought with you. But can anything harmful happen when receiving the Holy Mysteries of Christ? After all, the Chalice contains not bread and wine, but the Blood and Body of Christ, this is Life, and therefore health. There was no case where Communion caused an allergy attack or led to any other illness. If a person believes that bread and wine are really transformed into the Flesh and Blood of the Son of God, then can he really believe that during the Communion of everyone from one lie he is “infected” with something? And, on the contrary, if he is not able to believe that the Lord will protect him from all harm, then how will he believe in the incomprehensible miracle that takes place in this Sacrament?
Are there any differences between communion for children and adults?
Often parents believe that the way infants receive communion after baptism is not hygienic. It is better to take care of the baby and bring it to the Eucharist at an older age. Many are also confused by the fact that the blood of Christ symbolizes an alcoholic drink.
Indeed, no special conditions are provided for the participation in the sacrament of newborns, as well as older children. That is, the baby will be given communion with the same spoon and the same drink as other parishioners.
The only difference between participation in the Eucharist for adults and children is that children are not given the body of the Lord, since babies will not be able to eat the bread that symbolizes it. The prosphora is given to the mother or father of the baby, the child himself receives only a spoonful of the Lord’s blood.
Of course, the place in line for the body and blood of the Lord plays a big role in how infants are given communion in church. Parents with babies in their arms are always allowed to participate in the sacrament first.
Cautions
Until the age of 7, children receive communion without prior preparation: confession and abstinence from food. Although the food has its own characteristics: infants are not fed too heavily, so as not to cause trouble. The same applies to older children.
However, we should try to give communion to children under three years of age on an empty stomach, but we should not force them to fast either. You can, for example, feed your child a light breakfast - sweet tea and a piece of bread.
A child should not be tortured; by the age of 6, conscious abstinence from food and drink may appear. Children are also different - some will endure it for three years, others will suffer even at seven. And here parents need to show special wisdom, kindness and affection. Then, when the goal is achieved, the child will gain inner firmness and understanding. And if he, of his own free will, refuses breakfast for the sake of communion, then he will act like a true Orthodox Christian.
An important point is that if a child takes part in church sacraments, this does not mean that he will become a real Christian.
Communion itself and the increasing severity of fasting are one of the main aspects of Christian life. And parents are faced with the task of raising their child in the spirit of Orthodoxy and explaining to him as much as possible all the subtleties of religious life, taking into account age and general development.
How often should you take communion?
There is no consensus on how often a baby should be given communion after baptism. The decision on how long the time intervals between Eucharists will be made by the child’s parents. Of course, clergy have recommendations regarding the participation of children and their parents in the sacrament.
On the question of how often a baby should be given communion, most priests agree that this should be done weekly. Adults are recommended to participate in the sacrament at least once a month. However, a person who has been baptized can participate in the Eucharist at any time, even after each church service he has attended, if he experiences such a spiritual need.
Of course, the most logical solution to the questions of how infants are given communion and how often it should be done would be for the child to simply follow his parents. This means that if the mother or father of the baby stands in line for the Holy Gifts, then you need to take the child in your arms and not exclude him from participation in the sacrament. This is how people behaved in the old days, it makes sense to follow the custom.
Visit to the temple
Some parents believe that until the age of seven their child does not sin, but this is a wrong idea. Children's pranks that are a manifestation of child cruelty and even a crime are well known. Sinfulness is inherent in us from birth. However, a child can act badly due to the fact that he cannot be fully responsible for his actions, and the limit of seven years is simply chosen arbitrarily. But at the same time, the child must by this time learn that he will have to answer both to people and to God for the bad deeds he has committed.
The child must be accustomed to visiting church with the same caution and gradually. First, bring him in or bring him in for at least 15 minutes before communion. And then the time can be increased and children can be accustomed to being present at the Liturgy all the time.
The baby must be somehow adjusted in advance so that he does not cry and does not disturb other parishioners with his screaming. Of course, this is not always achievable, but every effort must be made to achieve this. And the more often they receive communion, the faster they can get used to the church environment.
Do people receive communion during Lent? What is the time of fasting for a Christian?
The question of how babies are given communion during Lent arises among parents no less often than others. This is due to the reluctance of people to break any of the church rules, which they simply do not know about.
What is Lent? Without a doubt, everyone, even those far from religion, knows that this is a time of giving up certain types of food and abstaining from entertainment. However, the time of fasting is not at all a period of following a peculiar diet and not the so-called “fasting days”.
Restrictions in food and lifestyle practiced during this period have only one goal - to focus the Christian on spiritual needs and problems. This time should be devoted to thoughts about the eternal, about the needs of the soul, about what is not given enough attention in the everyday bustle and everyday worries. During Lent, believers pay especially much attention to prayer and, of course, visit churches more often. And, of course, the sacrament of communion is celebrated on these days.
How do infants receive communion during Lent? Traditionally this is done after Saturday and Sunday church services. In general, the sacrament can be taken not only on weekends, but also on Friday and Wednesday. The sacrament itself performed during this period has no differences from the Eucharist celebrated on other dates.
Fasting of an adult after christening
Retreat is a certain preparation for the Eucharist, consisting of reading certain prayers, fasting and repentance.
To speak correctly, you must follow the following rules:
- Healthy people and non-pregnant women should eat in moderation and fast, which involves excluding meat and dairy products and eggs from the diet.
- During fasting, read out the morning and evening prayer rules with attention and diligence.
- Study spiritual literature that is valuable for preparing for repentance.
- Refusal of entertainment and going to noisy places.
- It is more correct to read the canon of repentance to the Lord Jesus Christ, the canons to the Mother of God and the Guardian Angel, and the Rule for Communion during these 3 days.
- Reach agreement with the offended and offenders.
- It is necessary to confess in church at an evening service - All-Night Vigil or at morning Confession.
- Avoid eating and drinking after midnight and before the morning Liturgy.
Retreat is an integral part of the life of a Christian, necessarily preceding the sacrament of Communion.
How to prepare for communion?
In addition to questions about how many months a baby can be given communion and how the sacrament occurs, many parents are also concerned about how to prepare for participation in the Eucharist. In the Orthodox tradition, it is customary to pray, fast and confess before communion. Of course, this applies to adult Christians.
In the way infants are given communion, there can be no talk of any fasting, confession or preliminary prayers, because the child cannot help but eat, and he is not yet able to talk. But does this mean that there is no need to prepare for the sacrament? Not at all. Parents of a newborn prepare for communion, both for themselves and for the baby.
Quite a lot of questions arise in connection with the need for confession. Often parents of children do not understand why it is needed if they have not sinned. Indeed, those caring for newborn children have no time left for sins, but does this mean that they really did not happen? Sin is not only any action, but also thoughts and emotions. Irritation, anger, grumbling, despondency are sins. Confession is a way of repentance and cleansing of the soul. It is repentance that prepares the soul of a Christian to accept the grace that the sacrament of communion carries. Therefore, confession is a prerequisite for admission to the Eucharist.
As for immediate actions, for example, when to feed babies before the upcoming communion, neither the church nor the parents have a consensus on this matter. The process of preparing newborns for the sacrament is individual. The main thing is that the baby and his parents feel comfortable during the service and when receiving the Holy Gifts.
Often, young parents, focusing their attention on the questions of whether babies receive communion, when and how it is done, which is part of the process of preparing newborns to receive the sacrament, completely forget that there are other people in the church. If the baby is hot or cold, wants to eat or drink, needs to change the diaper, the child will start crying and screaming. The hysterical screams of children are not the best sound accompaniment for prayer; almost all believers present in the church hall are distracted by them. Therefore, it is extremely important before visiting the temple with a newborn in your arms to determine the optimal period of time between feedings, dress the baby in accordance with the temperature conditions and take a bottle of water and a pacifier with you.
Children traditionally begin to fast and confess at the age of seven. However, gradually accustoming children to restrictions should begin at an earlier age. If the family observes fasting and the parents themselves regularly receive communion, no special effort is needed.
How children receive communion in church
The first time the baby is brought to communion is 2 weeks after the baptism ceremony. Such mothers with babies are allowed to the sacrament first. If the baby is too capricious or is tormented by gas, it is permissible not to stand in the church throughout the liturgy, but to come directly to receive the bread and wine.
Children before they turn 7 years old receive communion without going through confession, from the age of 7 - only after a conversation with a priest, so that the sacrament does not turn into a formal procedure. Wine and bread are taken on an empty stomach, so children over 3 years old should exclude breakfast, but only if the baby is completely healthy. After the child reaches the age of 7 years, you can refuse dinner on the eve of communion.
As a rule, the sacrament occurs at liturgies, so parents need to know the schedule in advance so that the baby does not suffer for a long time waiting, since it is difficult for children with their energy to stand in one place for a long time. The communion itself in the temple occurs as follows:
- The priest brings out the Cup of wine and prays over it.
- The parishioners also say the same prayer, asking the Lord to bless the wine.
- Small children are held in their arms, older ones stand near their parents.
- The priest approaches each baby in turn and says the words: “The servant of God is receiving communion (the child or godparents say the baby’s name).
- Very young children are given holy water instead of Cahors, and older children - on the tip of a teaspoon of wine.
