Confession (or in other words repentance) is one of the sacraments of Christianity. Its main meaning is to repent of sins while the priest says a prayer. Then sins will be forgiven. Communion is a sacrament that allows the human soul to find unity with the Lord. This ritual is very important, it requires an attentive and serious attitude, and a special attitude. The prayer of John of Damascus and other saints helps prepare for it.
The Story of John of Damascus
Saint's Day: December 17
John of Damascus was a Christian philosopher and theologian. Being the son of a Syrian treasure keeper, he himself chose the path of a monk. He wrote many works in favor of icon veneration. An amazing incident is connected with John of Damascus. One day he was slandered, and the emperor ordered his hand to be cut off, but the prayer of John of Damascus to the Lord helped, and the next day he was healed.
Saint John of Damascus owns numerous philosophical and ascetic treatises and liturgical poems.
What prayers to read before confession and communion
Confession in its essence is repentance for committed voluntary or involuntary sins. The purpose of this ritual is to obtain remission of one's sins in order to gain eternal life after death in the Kingdom of God. The Holy Fathers consider confession to be the second baptism. This is due to the fact that during the baptismal ritual the child is cleansed of original sin, and in the process of confession, a believer is given the opportunity to be cleansed of the sins he has committed along the path of life.
In order for confession to be accepted and have a positive result, you must be aware of your sins and have a sincere desire to sincerely repent of them and not repeat your sins in the future. There must be a sincere faith in the mercy of God in the soul. You also need to believe that even the most serious sins will be forgiven by the Great Heavenly Lover of Mankind - Jesus Christ.
When a person prepares for confession or communion, he must strictly follow the morning and evening rules. The obligatory prayers included in it must be read in full. Preparation for Communion includes confession itself and fasting. Generally, the church requires that preparation be carried out over a period of 3-7 days.
Moreover, every day, in addition to morning and evening prayers, it is required to read one canon, among which must be:
- Canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ;
- Canon of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos;
- Canon to the Guardian Angel.
During the period of preparation for confession and communion, attention should be paid to spiritual abstinence. You cannot attend any entertainment or social events during this period.
It is important to spend as much time alone as possible. It should be devoted to reading the Holy Letter and thinking about your life
Before confession and Communion, it is necessary to strictly control one’s own actions and thoughts. For cleansing to be successful, you need to avoid quarrels and conflicts with people from your inner circle. And if you are in a quarrel with someone, then you need to make peace with this person as quickly as possible. At the same time, it is very important to remember that this should be done out of sincere motives, and not for show.
Immediately before the communion ritual, “Proceeding to Holy Communion” is read. It is also necessary to attend a church service on this day.
How do prayers before communion help?
Prayer is an obligatory part of both confession and communion. It consists of three canons. At home, on the eve of communion, a person also needs to read a prayer. This could be the prayer of St. John of Damascus or St. John Chrysostom. Prayer before communion helps a person’s soul to calm down and be freed from sins.
How to prepare:
- a person must realize the seriousness and solemnity of the moment;
- one must approach the sacrament in a state of mental peace, without anger or envy;
- before performing the sacrament, absolution of sins is obligatory;
- it is necessary to observe liturgical fasting - do not eat anything for 24 hours the night before the sacrament.
Prayers before confession - how to read them: words
Perhaps confession is an important, exciting sacrament in the fate of any Christian. When a person admits his sinful mistakes and talks about them, then his heart becomes lighter
The only thing is that before this you should cleanse yourself in advance and read prayers before confession.
Confession - prayer
With the word confession, the image appears that this is communication with a clergyman, during which a person repents of acquired sins. However, the action actually takes place in this way, but the parishioner communicates through the priest with the Almighty. Thanks to which the soul is cleansed, the repentant is forgiven even for the most serious sins, if he has admitted his mistakes and sincerely wants to get rid of hardships. After what you have done, you can build a new destiny.
It is a pity that many are mistaken and think that confession should be conducted according to the strictest rules. And with all this, they forget that it is performed to cleanse burdens from the soul. After all, without repentance it is impossible to heal the heart and stop suffering from various negative facts that happen in life.
A penitent before Repentance must turn to the Lord in prayer. As the Bible says, without God there is no deep repentance in the heart
It is also important to do the following:
The person asking must admit that he was wrong and sincerely regret what happened. It is necessary to ask the Almighty to give His grace
It is she who will help you repent, and determination will help you cope with changing your fate. It doesn't matter how you read the prayer book. You can pronounce it in your own words
Or you can read it from a piece of paper. It is not necessary to read exactly the prayers presented below for confession; you can also turn to the Almighty with other prayers, the main thing is that their words are reflected in your soul.
Not all baptized people, even those who often go to church, have confessed at least once
This happens due to ignorance and misunderstanding of the importance of Repentance. And some simply do not understand the importance of this event, or are afraid
They are not ready to talk about their sins with a clergyman.
Prayer of Simeon the New Theologian before confession
From an early age, the Monk Simeon was provided for, thanks to his parents. They had a high position and served the emperor at court. But upon reaching the age of twenty-five, Simeon felt that he was destined for a different destiny. Therefore, he went to the monastery and accepted obedience from the famous Reverent Simeon.
The Theologian read prayers in the church, in a secluded place - the temple, which was located near the cemetery. Prayer - “Lord, have mercy!” illuminated his path, he achieved spiritual enlightenment thanks to the holy spirit in the form of a cloud. After Simeon, he was appointed abbot of the monastery, where he served for a quarter of a century.
Text of the prayer before the confession of Simeon the New Theologian
Prayer book of Simeon the New Theologian before confession
Prayer of Saint John of Damascus before Communion
One of the prayers on the eve of the sacrament is the prayer of St. John of Damascus before communion. The philosopher left behind great liturgical and dogmatic works, ascetic treatises and sermons.
Master Lord Jesus Christ, Our God, merciful and humane, who alone has the power to forgive the sins of people, despise (forget), forgive all my sins, conscious and unconscious, and grant me, without condemnation, to partake of Your divine, glorious, most pure and life-giving Mysteries not in punishment, not for the multiplication of sins, but for cleansing, sanctification, as a pledge of future life and kingdom, as a strong stronghold, for protection, and the defeat of enemies, for the destruction of many of my sins. For You are the God of mercy and generosity, and love for mankind, and we glorify You with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.
Sacrament of Communion
According to scripture, Jesus Christ himself gave a blessing to the prepared bread during the Last Supper. He divided it into parts and distributed it to all his disciples. Then he gave them wine to drink, calling it His Blood. He also said that it is necessary to perform such an action in order to cleanse the believers.
They recommend that every Orthodox Christian at least take communion. Everyone needs it for salvation. It is believed that wine is the Blood of Christ with which he atoned for our sins, and bread is his Body. And by using them, we will awaken within ourselves the strength to live and purify our soul.
What is the mystery:
- under the influence of the Holy Spirit, wine and bread are transformed into the real Blood and Body of Christ.
- these attributes are more spiritual food than physical
- By tasting them you can find the guarantee of eternal bliss.
Only bishops and presbyters are allowed to conduct the ceremony, since they are considered to be the successors of the apostles.
If you want to perform the Sacrament of Communion, then for this you need to read the sequence to Communion. To do this, the believer must:
- Spend more time in prayer
- Stick to fasting
- Conduct cleansing of conscience from sins through the Sacrament of Repentance.
But it is necessary to remember that performing certain preparation procedures does not mean blindly following rules or certain regulations. Our entire life should be based on the Evangelical commandments. The most important thing in this process is the sincere desire with all our souls to join the Lord.
In Orthodoxy, prayers are divided into two types:
- Home
- Church
It is often recommended to spend more time in fervent prayer and attend church services. Just before Communion, I recommend going to church for the evening service.
Second prayer
I am already standing before the doors of Your temple, and unclean thoughts do not leave me. But You, Christ God, Who justified the publican, who had mercy on the Canaanite woman and who opened (opened) the doors of paradise to the thief, open to me the doors of Your love for mankind and accept me, who comes and touches You, as a harlot and a bleeding woman. As soon as one touched the hem of Your garment, she immediately received healing; the other, grasping Your most pure feet, received remission of her sins. I am the accursed one, who dares to accept Your whole body, so that I will not be scorched (burned). But accept me like those two, and enlighten the feelings of my soul, burning away sinful inclinations, through the prayers of She who immaculately gave birth to You and through the prayers of the heavenly powers. For You are blessed forever and ever. Amen.
What is repentance
Many do not understand why go to confession at all - the Lord sees everything, why can’t it be done at home? But Orthodox Christians do this every day, reading the words of repentance that are on the list of daily prayers. The appearance in the temple is intended to demonstrate not so much sinfulness as the person’s determination to abandon his bad deeds. After all, to speak about them in front of a witness requires courage, repentance, and a certain detachment from your former self. These are all signs of spiritual work.
Prayers read before confession very well help to recognize among habitual actions those that are sinful. People are so used to them that they often don’t even notice them. Sins are divided into two main types:
- Against God. Didn't attend church, was late for services, didn't listen attentively. I missed home prayers and broke fasts. He hid his membership in the Church, was embarrassed to wear a cross or apply the sign of the cross to himself.
- Against your neighbor. I envied my friend. Discussed someone behind his back. He condemned the actions of other people in his heart. Succumbed to sinful passions. Pride, rudeness - everything falls into this category. Careless attitude towards work.
Repentance should not be limited to just a declaration of one’s sinfulness. First of all, this is the right thing to do. Did you offend your wife? Come and apologize. Debt a neighbor? Bring money. Are you eating too much? Restrain yourself, impose a fast on yourself.
Rules and recommendations
Before accepting the secret priesthood, the parishioner reads a prayer, calls the name given at baptism, and goes to the place where the healing drink is located. Further actions: reading the texts of gratitude and staying in the temple until the end of the service.
We advise you to study Prayers for weight loss
How to prepare your soul and body for Communion
This is a very important event for a Christian, not an everyday event, so you should prepare carefully. Usually, after a conversation, a Christian goes to the evening service, where he reads special texts
The day before an important event, it is forbidden to eat and drink, with the exception of people who cannot fast for medical reasons. You should confess in advance or immediately before the Eucharist
Usually, after a conversation, a Christian goes to the evening service, where he reads special texts
The day before an important event, it is forbidden to eat and drink, with the exception of people who cannot fast for medical reasons. You should confess in advance or immediately before the Eucharist
Clothes are allowed to be modest, clean, and neat. There should be restraint in manners, but it is worth remembering that this is still a holiday.
Behavior and mood
The state of the communicant should be peaceful, balanced: without unnecessary emotions and fuss.
A special day is full of temptations: the evil one leads you astray from your chosen path - you need to resist him. It is unacceptable to indulge in passions; television and other means of mass communication are prohibited. You can be inspired by such examples of true service to God as: the Valaam monks and the servants of the Optina Pustyn monastery.
How a person prays is of great importance: whether he understands the words, whether he is restrained, whether he is modest in relation to others present.
Behavior near the Bowl is also important! Before approaching, you must bow correctly, approach, cross your arms over your chest (right over left) and accept the divine moisture. You should not fuss, cross yourself, bow near the shrine
Advice for those who are unable to endure a health ritual
It happens that an individual cannot maintain a strict food ban due to poor health, so there may be relaxations. In this case, you need to tell your priest about your problems - he will give his blessing for a possible weakening of the prohibitions
It is important to take care of your health, and also not to be lazy in cooking, because there are many delicious lean dishes
Recommendations for children
The child is given communion after the feast of baptism has passed.
There were cases when, after the ceremony, serious illnesses disappeared, the baby became more cheerful and calm. Growing up is also easier to navigate through conversations with a mentor. A child's soul, not defiled by temptations, is purer than an adult, and therefore is able to understand and accept more.
- Until the age of three, children have no food restrictions - after that, look at the child’s interest in Christian life.
- Until the age of seven, confession is not necessary.
The first visit to the sanctuary is like a holiday for a child. He can choose an interesting book, an icon he likes in the church shop, and light a candle. There is a chance to meet the same children and make friends with them. After the visit, you can go to your favorite cafe or park.
Explaining the meaning of Orthodoxy to a child is useful in the form of a game. As children grow up, they are brought to religious schools.
Preparation stages
Unfortunately, many baptized people rarely go to church
Therefore, the Orthodox Church has established certain rules that allow them to understand the importance of participation in the Eucharist. Preparation for it includes several stages:
- Fasting - the duration is determined individually, usually it is 3 days (for example, from Thursday to Sunday, i.e., when the service ends, the fast ends). To begin with, you can only give up meat and dairy products. Over time, a person learns all the subtleties; giving up some food is not the main thing in fasting. More important is its spiritual component. For sick, pregnant, and elderly people, fasting may be weakened.
- Prayer - you need to attend not only the Liturgy, but also the evening service the day before. In case of absence for a valid reason, the priest must be notified. After all, worship services are complementary. Home prayer should be intensified these days - be sure to read the prayers for Holy Communion.
- Behavior at home and at work - a believer should try to avoid conflicts, not judge others, refrain from gossip, smoking, and spending time idle. Show more attention to family, children, spouse. It is highly advisable to abstain from married life these days.
- Repentance - on the eve of the Liturgy, usually after the evening service. In order not to get confused in front of the priest, it is advisable to write down bad deeds on a piece of paper. You must take it with you. Experienced confessors make the task easier by asking questions.
The priest in this case acts as a witness of repentance, gives instructions, and answers questions. It is better to go to confession with the same confessor so that he can see your progress (or difficulties). Then it will be easier for him to help with advice.
All these aspects of preparation are equally important, because their goal is the transformation of the human soul, and this is not so simple.
