Infant Communion
Infant Communion
According to the custom of the Church, after their baptism, infants up to the age of seven can receive communion very often, not only every week, but every day, moreover, without prior confession and fasting.
Starting from 5-6 years old, and if possible, from an earlier age, it is useful to teach children to take communion on an empty stomach. You should come to church with babies not for the communion itself, but in advance, calculating the time so as not to be late for communion, but at the same time so that the child can attend the liturgy to the best of his ability and age. Of course, everyone has their own measure here, but children must be taught to pray in the Church. This should be done gradually so as not to tire the baby and not cause disturbance to those praying in the temple. Children 6–7 years old, if they have been properly accustomed to the service, can be present at almost the entire liturgy. Until a child is seven years old, he can receive communion without confession or fasting. From the age of three to four, infants are usually given communion on an empty stomach. From about the age of three, children together with their parents on the eve of communion can read two or three prayers known to them. Of course, a lot depends on what kind of life the parents themselves live, whether for them the temple is the home of a longed-for meeting with God, and whether prayer is a second wind. Many parents bring their children to the beginning of the service, pray with them, receive communion themselves and bring their children to the Cup of Life, and do not face the question of when to bring their child to communion. If the situation in the family is somewhat different, then you can bring small children to the beginning of the Eucharistic canon or directly to the very moment of communion.
But it is necessary to accustom your child to a gracious church atmosphere, then there will be fewer problems with the child’s behavior at the Holy Chalice. The decision on what to do if a child cries and does not want to receive communion should be made by the priest who at that moment himself sees the child’s behavior. The child must also be prepared for communion. Read a canon, an akathist, a passage from Holy Scripture over his crib. All this will contribute to the spiritual growth of your child.
When approaching the holy chalice, infants should be held horizontally, with their head on their right hand. The handles should be held so that the child does not accidentally push the bowl or grab the spoon. Infants should not be fed tightly before the liturgy, so that after communion they do not vomit.
Parents, when giving communion to their children, should also try to begin the holy mysteries, thereby setting an example for their children. A family is a small church where people go to God together, are saved together and partake of the same cup.
Young children are usually given communion under one form (only the blood of Christ). But if the baby receives communion often and behaves calmly at the chalice, the priest can give the child (not the infant) a small particle.
At the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, infants who do not receive a particle are not given communion, because at this liturgy the body of Christ, watered with blood, is in the chalice, and wine is poured, which has not been transformed into the blood of the Savior.
Some parents, due to their foolishness and lack of faith, are afraid to give communion to their children, thereby depriving them of saving and strengthening grace. They explain this by saying that a child, taking communion from the same spoon and cup with everyone else, can become infected with some kind of disease.
This fear is a lack of faith in the saving power of the sacrament. As a rule, non-church people and people with little church, who know nothing about the life of the Church, reason this way. The Eucharist is the greatest miracle on earth, performed constantly, and another proof of the truth of this miracle is that the liturgy was not interrupted even during terrible epidemics of plague, cholera and other contagious fatal diseases.
What is Communion
Communion (Eucharist) is the main Sacrament in Orthodoxy, during which a person, through partaking of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, is united with God. “Body and Blood” is not a figurative expression.
“Eucharistic bread is the medicine of immortality, the guarantee of non-dying in eternal life in Jesus Christ” (Eph. 20).
According to the dogmas of the Orthodox faith, bread and wine are in an incomprehensible way to the human mind into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. For a Christian, spiritual life without the Eucharist is unthinkable. Therefore, every Orthodox parent tries to unite their children with Christ through Communion.
For a person far from the teachings of the Church, this seems incomprehensible and impossible. However, this is not a matter of rational knowledge and factual evidence. This is a matter of faith, it is through the eyes of faith that this Great Sacrament is revealed. The Sacrament of Communion was established by Jesus Christ himself at the Last Supper. The Lord took the bread, blessed it and, distributing it to the apostles, said: “Take, eat: this is My Body.” Then he took a cup of wine and, giving it to the apostles, said: “Drink from it, all of you, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
Communion of a child
A family, even in the most difficult times, is a “small Church” if at least a spark of desire for good, for truth, for peace and love remains in it, in other words, for God; if it has at least one witness of the faith, its confessor. There have been cases in the history of the Church when only one single saint defended the truth of Christian teaching. And in family life there are periods when only one person remains a witness and confessor of the Christian faith, a Christian attitude to life. The times are gone when one could hope that church life and the traditions of folk life could instill faith and piety in children. It is not within our power to recreate the general church way of life. But it is now that we, believing parents, have the responsibility to educate our children in a personal, independent faith.
The communion of infants, who cannot yet have any understanding of the Sacrament, is very closely related to the attitude towards infants, the example of which Christ gave us: “... children were brought to Him, so that He would lay His hands on them and pray; the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said: Let the little children come and do not hinder them from coming to Me, for to such is the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 19:13-14).
In other words, Jesus Christ showed that physical communication, physical closeness to Him is just as real as mental, intellectual communication, and that infants’ lack of understanding of the “truths about God” does not in any way hinder their real closeness “with God.” And for centuries, Orthodox mothers brought their babies to church and gave them communion, and no one was embarrassed when the squeaks and cries of babies were heard in the church.
There comes a time, around the age of two, when a child, especially if he is not used to receiving communion, must somehow be explained what Communion is and what they will do with him in church. It seems to me that there is no need to be clever here, but it is enough to say: “Father will give you communion...” And gradually, from the attitude of the adults towards the child who is a communicant, due to the fact that on this day they try to dress him in a festive way, the child begins to understand that communion is a joyful, solemn, holy event.
By the age of three or four, you can and should begin to clearly explain to children the meaning of the sacrament of Communion. You can tell children about Jesus Christ, about His Nativity, about how He healed the sick and fed the hungry. And so, when He knew that he would soon die, He wanted to gather with his disciple friends for the last time and have dinner with them. And when they were at the table, He took the bread, broke it and gave it to them, saying: “This bread is I myself, and when you eat this bread, I will be with you.” Then He took the cup of wine and said to them: “In this cup I give myself to you, and when you drink from it, I will be with you.” This is how Jesus Christ gave communion to people for the first time and said that all who love Him should also receive communion this way.
As children grow up, we need to explain to them not only the gospel events with which the sacrament of Communion is associated, but also what it means in our lives for us, now. What does it mean in the life of a Christian to partake of the Holy Mysteries? During the Liturgy we bring our gifts to God - bread and wine. Bread and wine are our food and drink. A person cannot live without food and drink, and our, so simple, gifts mean that we offer God our very life as a gift, in gratitude. When explaining to children the meaning of the sacrament of Holy Communion, you can tell how the priest prepares our gifts; cuts out particles from the brought prosphora bread, one particle - “Lamb” - for communion, another in honor of the Mother of God, particles in honor of all the saints and in memory of the dead and living, for whom he is asked to pray.
We all - both children and adults - are brought up in understanding the meaning of the Liturgy as we delve more and more into every exclamation, every action of the service, every chant. This is our best school, one that lasts our entire lives, and our task as parents is to develop in children an interest in the meaning of what they see and hear in church.
We have a responsibility to teach children how to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion. Of course, we must distinguish the most essential from the less essential. We, parents, must teach our children how to approach Communion: folding their hands on their chest, not crossing themselves when approaching the cup, so as not to accidentally push it. You need to tell the priest your name. All these are external rules, and they cannot be confused with the meaning and meaning of the Sacrament, but decent behavior in church is of great importance, and children especially love to feel in solemn moments that they “know how to behave” like big ones. “I give myself to Christ, and Christ comes into my life. His life lives in me,” this is the meaning of Holy Communion, and this is the meaning of our life, and the purpose of our life is revealed to us in this sense.
Based on the book by S.S. Kulomzina “Family is a small Church” prepared by Natalia Serova
Communion of children is the concern of parents
Communion of children is the most important part of spiritual life and raising a child as an Orthodox Christian.
Christ said: “Let the children come to Me and do not hinder them, for to such is the Kingdom of God. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it. And he embraced them, laid his hands on them and blessed them.” (Mark 10:14 – 16)
Orthodox parents try as often as possible to bring their child to the Savior through Communion. The participation of children in church sacraments also creates a strong moral foundation for the individual. In the future, this will serve as a strong support for the formation of moral values and spiritual development of children.
How to prepare a child for Communion
In Orthodoxy, a child under 7 years of age is considered an infant. The rules for Communion of infants have been significantly simplified. Very young children under 3 years of age can be brought directly to Communion, gradually increasing the time spent at the service. It is important that the child gets used to church singing and being in the temple of God, and is not afraid to begin the sacraments. The child may cry the first time before Communion. There's nothing wrong with that. The main thing is to participate with your child in the Sacrament as often as possible (preferably on Sundays). It’s even better if the parents take communion with the baby; for the baby this is the best example of the parents’ faith.
Do children need to be prepared for communion?
If a child who has undergone baptism is under seven years old, he does not need special preparation for the sacrament of communion. According to church concepts, such an age is considered infantile, not burdened with any serious sins. There is also no need for confession. For the reason already mentioned, only 7-year-old lay people can begin it.
Infants who receive communion after the baptismal rite do not have to be brought to the chalice with the blood of Christ on an empty stomach (it is recommended to feed babies 2 hours before the sacred action). The rule requiring temporary abstinence from eating (fasting) applies only to adults and lay people over seven years of age.
Older children preparing to receive communion after baptism must take part in the confessional ritual. This involves a conversation with a priest about your unseemly actions, sincere repentance for them and a promise before the face of the Lord not to commit similar acts in the future. Before communion, it is imperative to observe the morning and evening rules, to read, in addition to daily prayers, special prayer texts (the prayer of St. John of Damascus, the prayer of St. John Chrysostom). On the eve of communion, adults should attend church services with their child.
Preparation for Communion after 7 years
How to prepare a child for Communion after 7 years? The age of 7 is the starting point, after which parents must explain to the child what confession is, what sins exist, what repentance is, what the meaning of fasting is and help prepare for it. Do not forget that a child at this age must take responsibility for his actions, and should not prepare a list of sins instead.
It is important to note that each child is individual. If he is not ready to confess at the age of 7, you should not force him. The same applies to the rule of prayer and fasting. By forcing a child to mechanically follow the rules, there is a chance for a long time to discourage him from any desire to participate in the Sacraments and worship. A fragile young soul requires a softer and more tactful approach. Whether children can eat before Communion after reaching the age of 7 should be checked with the priest. There is no single rule for all cases in this matter.
The main thing that parents and the adults around him must do is set a worthy example of Christian life. If you regularly bring your child to Communion, then you yourself must lead a meaningful church and spiritual life, regularly participate in the Sacraments and, first of all, receive communion.
How does children receive communion in church? There is an unspoken rule that children receive communion without waiting in line. Parents carry babies to the Chalice in their arms. Older children, folding their arms crosswise across their chests, walk on their own. Parents should explain that in line before Communion, the child should try not to talk, not push, and approach the Sacrament with reverence.
Children about confession and communion
Hello , dear children and parents!
How can we please our Heavenly Father? There is nothing incomprehensible or impossible in this - life according to the commandments of God. That is, we need to do what the Lord teaches us and even demands, and not do things that upset Him,” answers priest Mikhail Shpolyansky. But it doesn’t always work out the way we want, the way we intended. It happens that you get carried away, or are afraid of something, or simply forget to pray and think, and then one day, you yourself didn’t notice how you violated some commandment: either you cheated, or you quarreled, or you were lazy, or you didn’t Did you listen to your parents (that means you showed disrespect for them)? What to do then? Don't be afraid, everything can be fixed if you want.
I'm sorry
From the beginning, of course, you need to overcome your fear, laziness, resentment - and admit to a lie, complete an assignment, make peace with a friend - and now half the job is done. Of course, I know how difficult it can sometimes be to overcome yourself and ask for forgiveness. But what a relief you then feel – it’s like a weight has been lifted from your shoulders! This has probably happened to you before, and you yourself know how great it is when you apologize and make peace. And this happens to everyone. Listen to how one good priest, priest Alexander Schmeman, told about such an incident from his life.
“When I was little, I had a friend with whom we played together almost every day. Our favorite game was toy soldiers. We had a whole army of tin soldiers, tents, cars, tanks, cannons. We spent hours setting them up, building bridges and roads, moving our troops.
One day I was given a small machine gun. It was a very special machine gun: it fit on the back of a small donkey and could be removed, installed for shooting, and then loaded onto the donkey again. I liked the machine gun so much that I showed it off to everyone and scratched a small cross on the donkey’s back, unnoticeable to anyone when the machine gun was in place.
My friend also really liked the new machine gun. We played together merrily, but when they began to remove our troops, there was no machine gun. I was very upset, I looked everywhere, asked everyone, but the machine gun disappeared.
When two days later we were playing together again, I suddenly saw a machine gun in my comrade’s army. I couldn't believe my eyes.
- This is my machine gun! - I said. “No, mine,” my friend answered. - They gave me one too.
I couldn't say anything. I saw the badge I had scratched on the donkey’s back. I knew it was my machine gun.
My friend was silent. He knew that I knew.
I also knew that he knew that I knew. We both suddenly felt bored. We didn't know how to play together.
The next day my friend did not come. He didn't come for another two or three days. Suddenly he came again. He looked me straight in the eyes and said:
- I'm sorry. It was I who took your machine gun. Take him! - I don’t need a machine gun! Let it be common! Let's play together! - I shouted.
I was so happy, I felt so good at heart. It was as if the cold, hard lump in my heart had melted. It became fun, like Easter. My comrade was just as happy: he repented, and it was as if a stone had been lifted from his soul. Joy and friendship have returned to us.”
Repentance before God
But, my friend, asking forgiveness from loved ones is not everything. We must ask God for forgiveness for the sin we have committed, we must immediately say: “Forgive me, Lord, I am guilty, I will try to improve, help me to be better.”
If you go to church and, due to your age, it is time for you to confess, then go to the priest and bring your repentance to God before him, like all adults. It's not scary or difficult at all.
You need to honestly name before God and before His servant the priest all the sins that were in your life after the previous confession. It's not easy to remember everything at once.
In order not to miss something, it’s good to think about it in advance, consult with your parents (or those with whom you go to church), remember everything well, and even better, write everything down on a piece of paper and read it all or give it at confession read to the priest.
It will be more true this way: after all, everything that you said, that you realized and for which you are ashamed, God will forgive everything, and it will be easy and good for you.
What is forgotten remains with you, like garbage in your pockets and dirt in your ears. But if you deliberately hid something or were embarrassed to tell the priest about something, or out of spite you don’t want to repent of some sin (So I beat him, that’s what he needs, a fool!) - then this is very, very bad, it is enmity against God, and it can end horribly.
However, I hope it won’t even occur to you to be disingenuous or to be harmful to God - you are not a fool, you are kind and smart, you won’t do such stupidity. You are really ashamed of all your bad deeds, and you wish with all your heart to become better - tell the Lord about it. He will definitely hear, take pity on you, forgive your repentant sins and help you become a better person.
But do not be surprised that it is not always possible to overcome all sins quickly. It happens that you feel ashamed, and you repent, and you promise not to sin again - and that’s how it is! – I didn’t notice how I stumbled and sinned again. Don't be discouraged, don't be too upset. God knows how difficult it can be to overcome sins and does not expect you to be able to correct everything right away. This is a long and difficult struggle, for life: after all, the devil in this world is still oh-so strong! Only, if God is with us, then who can be against us? We will win anyway and will be in heaven with our Heavenly Father - we just have to try.
Holy Communion
And so that we always have the strength to fight the devil, the Lord gave us His irresistible light power - grace - in the Sacrament of Communion of His Body and Blood. If you are baptized and believe in God, you have the right to partake of these Miraculous Gifts, like all members of the Church of Christ.
Your loved ones will tell you how to prepare for Communion, where to stand and how to approach the Chalice (however, you yourself should look carefully at this when you attend a service in church). But most importantly, know: only those who believe in God and love Him with all their hearts, who try to love all people, have made peace with everyone with whom they were in a quarrel, and have apologized to everyone, can receive communion.
Conversations with the priest. Confession and Communion
Why is Children Communion necessary?
Among baptized but unchurched parents there is a widespread belief that a child should be given communion “so that he doesn’t get sick,” “for healing,” “from the evil eye,” “so that everything is fine.” This is a deep misconception. Of course, God preserves and protects his beloved children, but Communion is a great Sacrament. By receiving communion, a child unites with God and is filled with joy, which in turn leads a person to true happiness. The sacrament can be seen as medicine and vital food. But medicine and food are not only for the body, but primarily for the soul. Communion is the unity of a person with God; it is vital for the spiritual healing of a person and the salvation of the soul.
“May the Lord forgive you your sins, just do not refuse to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ more often - this is the great help and mercy of God.” (Reverend Ambrose of Optina).
