A priest I knew told me an unusual incident from his pastoral practice. He was accepting confession and wanted to clarify something or say something to the person confessing, but received a firm rebuff: “Father, I’m not talking to you, but I’m confessing to God, you are only a witness, as you just said in prayer, so I ask you not to interfere with me.” Also, some are surprised when a priest refuses to perform the Sacraments of Baptism and Marriage without preparation, comparing a church to a store - “I came to receive a “service” and am ready to pay for it, on what grounds am I being prevented from doing this? Moreover, I came to God.” Questions arise: what is the role of the priest in the temple and on what basis can he prevent people from accepting divine grace? On the other hand, is a consumer attitude appropriate to spiritual life, in which other laws and rules apply?

God Himself chose priests - His mediators: “ Whose sins you forgive, they will be forgiven; Whoever you leave it on, they will stay on it" (). The power of the clergy in the Church stems from its Founder - the God-man Jesus Christ and is bestowed by Him upon (ordination to the priesthood). A priest can only be ordained by a bishop; thus observed is the family tree of initiations, at the root of each of which is one of the 12 apostles.

The mission of the priesthood is to minister, teach, and govern. The refusal of a clergyman to the Sacraments of the Church is carried out either on the basis of the canons and rules of Church Councils, or on the basis of tradition and practice, which are built not on an empty whim, but on the basis of the spiritual experience of the Church.

This article does not claim to be unique, but only shows on the basis of what canons, rules and traditions a clergyman can refuse the Sacrament.

Can a priest refuse baptism?

The uniqueness of Baptism

Correctly performed Baptism involves leaving an indelible stamp on the person who receives it (Epistle of the Eastern Patriarchs, part 16), and therefore can never be repeated, even if the baptized person renounced Christianity, and then repented and again wished to return to Christianity. The basis of this rule is contained in the dogmatic truth that Baptism is a spiritual birth that cannot be repeated, and that it is performed in the image of the Death on the Cross and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (), which followed only once. A priest who baptizes anyone again is subject to defrocking (47th Apostolic Canon).

However, in case of unknown whether baptism was performed on any person (for example, on an abandoned baby), church rules, in view of the absolute necessity of this Sacrament for salvation, command that this person be baptized without any doubt with a special rite (84th rule Council of Trulla; 83rd rule of the Council of Carthage).

Lack of desire to attend catechumens or in any other way become involved in the life and teaching of the Church (78th canon of the Trullo Council; 46th canon of the Laodicean Council).

The convictions of the catechumen are incompatible with basic Christian dogmas .

A person cannot be baptized if he consciously clings to “non-church” mythologies and does not recognize at least one of the dogmas of the Creed:

Those who do not have true and sacred faith, and so proceed to baptism, (God) does not accept such people. Such was Simon, who, although baptized, was not awarded grace when... he did not have the perfection of faith .

Those who are baptized accept vain labor if they have doubts about the resurrection, since by baptism and immersion in the water of the font and ascent from it they proclaim death and resurrection, and in their words show disbelief in it .

If, even after receiving Baptism, a Christian shares the teachings of sects and movements incompatible with Christianity (paganism, Gnostic cults, astrology, theosophical and spiritualist societies, reformed Eastern religions, occultism, etc.), and even more so contributes to their spread, then thereby he will excommunicate himself from the Orthodox Church. Therefore, such a person cannot be allowed to enter.

Lack of desire to participate in church life.

Baptism is a sign of a revolution that has already taken place in a person’s life, and at the same time it is a gracious guarantee of further following Christ.

A person who knows that after baptism he will have little to do with the Church, and who is baptized “just in case,” cannot be admitted to Baptism.

Reluctance to give up sinful habits or committing acts incompatible with the high title of a Christian.

Repentance as a condition for admission to the Church manifests itself not only in the awareness of one’s sinfulness, but also as a real renunciation of a previous sinful life, “ so that the order of the previous life would be stopped"(St.)

It would be wrong to understand Baptism as a sure way to enroll in the ranks of Christ’s soldiers without a real desire to go to war with one’s own sin and temptations:

The font provides remission of sins committed, not sins committed(not those that still dominate the soul).

If the person being baptized has no intention of living like a Christian, that is, forcing himself to fulfill the commandments of the Gospel - "water remains water"(St.), since the Holy Spirit does not save if there is no human will to do so.

- all forms of occultism: wearing amulets, witchcraft, seeking help from fortune tellers, "grandmothers", healers, psychics and astrologers, belief in reincarnation (transmigration of souls), karma and omens .

Before accepting Baptism, the catechumen is obliged to repent and express a desire to fight his passions:

One must approach baptism by first renouncing one’s sins and condemning them. .

He who has not corrected his moral shortcomings and has not prepared himself for virtues should not be baptized. For this font can forgive past sins; but the fear is not small and the danger is significant, lest we return to them again, and the medicine becomes an ulcer for us. After all, the greater the grace, the more severe the punishment will be for those who subsequently sin .

If a person repents and wants to change his lifestyle, then no degree of his previous moral decline is an obstacle to his acceptance of Baptism:

There is no sin that could surpass the generosity of the Master. But even if someone is a fornicator, an adulterer, an arm-fornicator, a homosexual, a libertine, a robber, a covetous person, a drunkard, an idolater, so great is the power of the gift and the Lord’s love for mankind that He erases all this and makes the one who showed only good intentions brighter than the rays of the sun themselves .

However, if the catechumen commits a grave sin during the catechumen, his Baptism must be postponed for the period of correction and bearing the fruits of repentance.

Wrong motives.

A person striving for Baptism with the wrong motives will take on obligations that he does not think to fulfill, but for which he will have to answer. Such people must be warned against this kind of action, because feigned Baptism is unlikely to bring them closer to God:

To firmly believers the Holy Spirit is given immediately upon baptism, but to the unfaithful and evil-believing it is not given after baptism.(Reverend).

Therefore, without repentance, but only with a complacent impulse “toward something sublime, heavenly and beautiful,” one cannot be baptized:

Be careful not to come to those baptizing(to the priests) , like Simon, is hypocritical, while your heart does not seek the truth... for the Holy Spirit tests the soul, and does not cast pearls before swine, if you are a hypocrite, then people will baptize you now, but the Spirit will not baptize .

On the inadmissibility of Baptism for a person who has lost his mind or is in an unconscious state

It is unacceptable to perform the Sacrament of Baptism on a person who has lost his mind or is unconscious, who has not previously expressed a firm desire to receive Baptism:

If even to draw up wills, according to human law, it is necessary to be in full consciousness, so that wills begin with the words: “I, while alive, being in full and sound mind, make an order about my property,” then is it possible for someone who Lost consciousness and can't say a word?

After all, when the one who is about to be enlightened no longer recognizes his neighbors, does not hear the voice, cannot answer the words with which this blessed agreement is concluded with the Lord common to us all, but lies no different from a dead man, what benefit will there be from accepting the sacrament? in such an unconscious state? .

Baptism can be performed on a person who has lost his mind or is in an unconscious state (for example, in a coma) only if such a person has unconditionally firmly expressed his intention to be baptized in the near future and to believe in God as the Orthodox Church believes in Him. Not in halftones (“maybe I’m being baptized,” “it would be nice to be baptized...”), but with certainty.

During the Baptism of catechumens in an unconscious state, recipients vouch for them, taking responsibility for this and pronouncing vows and the Creed for them.

Decision not to admit to Baptism can be declared a priest only after he has exhausted all possible ways of overcoming certain errors, pagan prejudices or the sins of the catechumen. Such a decision must be patiently and lovingly conveyed to the unbaptized person, explaining the reason for the impossibility of his participation in the Sacrament of Baptism at the present moment, as well as offering further assistance in preparing for Baptism.

Special cases

Baptism of the seriously ill

Persons whose illness poses a danger to their life are allowed to be baptized immediately (without announcement), but with an exhortation to continue studying Christian teaching after their recovery. But at the same time, the priest must be convinced that the patient is of sound mind and full memory.

Cases of possession

Those possessed by demons or possessed by an evil spirit (and, therefore, those who turn away from the shrine and blaspheme it, albeit unconsciously) cannot be baptized until they recover, except in a situation of mortal danger.

Baptism of pregnant women

The 26th rule of the Neocaesarea Council prescribes “ who is in her womb to baptize if she wants».

About those who are in female uncleanness

During Women's Day, women cannot proceed to the baptismal font (except in exceptional cases of mortal danger).

Baptism of persons who, at their request, have had their gender changed

The “Fundamentals of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church” contains instructions on how a priest should act in such cases:

If a “change of sex” occurred to a person before Baptism, he can be admitted to this Sacrament, like any sinner, but the Church baptizes him as belonging to the sex in which he was born.

On the baptism of “strange looking” newborns

If a woman gives birth to “someone of a strange appearance and alien nature” (that is, if the person born cannot be called a human), and if he does not have a human image, let him not be baptized. If there is any doubt about this, let him be baptized with the following reservation:

If it is a man, the servant of God is baptized(Name) in the name of the Father...

Can a priest refuse confession and absolution?

The sacrament of confession cannot be performed on unbaptized people, because only members of the Church can participate in church sacraments (except Baptism). It is also impossible to make a confession if a person is not aware of his actions (for example, he is unconscious, or if the person’s mind is clouded, or he is in a state of alcoholic or drug intoxication, etc.). During confession, the priest may not read the prayer of permission if the person who comes to confession does not repent of his sins and does not have the intention to stop serious, mortal sins.

Can a priest refuse Communion? (in details ).

Requirements for preparation for Holy Communion:

1. Practice of preparatory fasting.(Fasting in the form of abstinence from fast food and withdrawal from entertainment, accompanied by fervent prayer and repentance. The duration and measure of fasting before holy communion may vary depending on the internal state of the Christian, as well as the objective conditions of his life). In the established tradition of the R.P.C. fasting is 3 days for the faithful.

2. Eucharistic fast- complete abstinence from food and drink from midnight until Holy Communion. This fast is canonically obligatory (41st rule of the Council of Carthage). At the same time, the requirement of Eucharistic fasting does not apply to infants, as well as to persons suffering from severe acute or chronic diseases that require the incessant intake of medicines or food (as, for example, with diabetes), and to the dying. In addition, this requirement, at the discretion of the confessor, can be relaxed in relation to pregnant and lactating women.

3. To abstain from marital intercourse during the period of preparation for Holy Communion(The 5th rule of Timothy of Alexandria speaks of abstinence on the eve of communion), can change and depends on the spiritual dispensation of the person preparing for communion, as well as the objective conditions of his life.

4. Stop smoking, those who do not yet have the strength for this should abstain from smoking from midnight, and, if possible, from the evening on the eve of communion, can change and depends on the spiritual structure of the person preparing for communion, as well as the objective conditions of his life.

5. In accordance with the resolution of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of November 28, 1968, “When celebrating the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts in the evening hours, abstinence for those receiving communion from eating and drinking should be no less than 6 hours, however, abstinence before communion from midnight from the beginning of the given day is very commendable and can be adhered to by those who are physically strong.”.One should also be guided by a minimum six-hour norm of abstinence when preparing for communion at the Divine Liturgy performed at night (for example, on the holidays of Holy Easter and the Nativity of Christ).

6. Preparation for communion consists not only in refusing certain foods, but also in more frequent attendance at church services, as well as in performing prayer rule.(The prayer rule usually includes canons for the Savior, the Mother of God, the Guardian Angel and other prayers (see “The rule for those preparing to serve and those who want to partake of the Holy Divine Sacraments, the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ” in the Following Psalter). The prayer rule may change and depends on the spiritual dispensation of the person preparing for communion, as well as the objective conditions of his life.

7. Participation in the Divine Liturgy, presence in the services preceding it - first of all, Vespers and Matins (or all-night vigil) - is an important part of the preparation for receiving the Holy Body and Blood of Christ. (If the communicant did not fully participate in the Divine service or does not fulfill the full prayer rule, the clergyman must encourage him to do this and raise the question of exclusion from the Sacrament).

8. Neglect of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ is being late for the Divine Liturgy, especially when believers arrive at the temple after reading the apostle and the Gospel. In the event of such a delay, the confessing or communing priest may decide not to allow the person to enter the Holy Chalice. An exception must be made for people with disabilities, nursing mothers, infants and accompanying adults.

9. Anyone preparing for Holy Communion makes a test of his conscience, which involves sincere repentance for committed sins and revealing them to the priest in the Sacrament of Repentance .

Reasons for refusal:

A) It is unacceptable to receive communion in a state of embitterment, anger, in the presence of severe unconfessed sins or unforgiven grievances. Those who dare to approach the Eucharistic Gifts in such a state of soul expose themselves to the judgment of God, according to the words of the Apostle: “Whoever eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks condemnation for himself, without considering the Body of the Lord. That is why many of you are weak and many are dying.” ().

B) When serious sins are committed, the application of the canons regarding excommunication from communion for long periods (more than one year) can only be carried out with the blessing of the diocesan bishop. If a priest abuses the right to impose reprimands, the issue may be referred to a church court.

C) The canons prohibit communion in a state of female uncleanness(2nd canon of the saint, 7th canon of Timothy of Alexandria). An exception may be made in case of mortal danger, as well as when bleeding continues for a long time due to a chronic or acute disease.

D) Mandatory civil marriage and necessity of church marriage .

According to the instructions of the Trebnik (Canon 13 of the First Ecumenical Council), a dying person can be given communion at any time, even if he is under penance, i.e. excommunicated from church communion (7th Rule of the Carthage Council, 2nd and 5th Rules), according to a reduced rite, while there is no need to comply with all the conditions that are established for the communion of healthy persons. However, by the very nature of the Sacrament of Communion, it cannot be awarded to a person who is unconscious, or to a stubborn sinner who does not want to be reconciled with the Church. Finally, it is completely unacceptable and insane to imitate the Sacrament of Communion with the remains of those who have already given up the ghost and gone to the judgment of the Heavenly Judge. As Canon 83 of the Trullo Council states, “Let no one give the Eucharist to the bodies of the dead. For it is written: take, eat. But they can neither accept nor eat the bodies of the dead.”

The Eucharist is the central Sacrament of the Church. Regular communion is necessary for a person to be saved, in accordance with the words of the Lord Jesus Christ: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” ().

Can a priest refuse to perform a wedding?

“Marriage is the union of a man and a woman, a communion of life, a participation in divine and human right.” Modestine (III century, Roman lawyer).

The obstacles can be absolute, precluding a certain person from marrying anyone, or conditional, making it impossible for a certain person to marry because of their family relationship. In addition, there are different obstacles due to which a marriage is considered invalid from the moment of its conclusion and therefore subject to dissolution. There may also be some obstacles, the discovery of which does not entail the dissolution of the marriage, but subjects both the newlyweds and the priest who married them to canonical reprimands.

1. Absolute obstacles:

A) A person who is married cannot enter into a new one, because a Christian marriage is unconditionally monogamous, i.e. monogamous;

B) As for the priesthood, the 26th Apostolic Canon allows only readers and singers to marry after being ordained to church service. According to the 6th canon of the Trullo Council, marriage is prohibited not only for clergy, but also for subdeacons;

IN) According to the 16th canon of the Council of Chalcedon, the 44th canon of the Trullo Council, the 5th canon of the Double Council of Constantinople, the 18th and 19th canons of the saint, monks and nuns are prohibited from marrying after taking their vows;

G) An incompletely dissolved or non-annulled marriage, as well as in accordance with church law, widowhood after a third marriage is considered an absolute obstacle to a new marriage. According to the “Tomos of Unity” (920), published by the Patriarchal Synod under Patriarch Nicholas of Constantinople (901-907; 912-925), “no one should dare to enter into a 4th marriage.” And if such a marriage is concluded, then it should be considered non-existent;

D) An obstacle to marriage is guilt in the dissolution of a previous marriage. A person guilty of adultery due to which his first marriage was dissolved cannot enter into a new marriage. This position follows from the evangelical moral teaching and practice of the Ancient Church. This norm is also reflected in church legislation (“Nomocanon” 11, 1, 13, 5; Helmsman, Chapter 48; Prochiron, Chapter 49. The same norm is repeated in Article 253 of the Charter of Spiritual Consistories).

E) An obstacle to marriage is also physical and spiritual incapacity for it (idiocy, mental illness, depriving a person of the opportunity to freely express his will). Charter of Spiritual Consistories (Articles 205, 208);

Yo) There are certain age limits for marriage. Since then, two ages of majority for marriage have been established in Russia: civil - 18 and 16 years old and church - 15 and 13 years old. The Holy Synod, on the basis of instructions given by Patriarch Adrian († 1700), prohibited persons over the age of 80 from entering into marriage. Persons between the ages of 60 and 80 must seek permission from the bishop to get married.

2) Conditional:

A) The absence of a close blood relationship between the bride and groom is a necessary condition for marriage;

B) Relationships of property serve as an obstacle to marriage; they arise from the rapprochement of two clans through the marriage of their members. Property is equated to blood relationship, for husband and wife are one flesh. The in-laws are: father-in-law and son-in-law, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, stepfather and stepdaughter, brother-in-law and son-in-law (Trull. Sob. Right. 54; Helmsman ch. 54);

IN) An obstacle to marriage is also the presence of spiritual kinship. Spiritual kinship arises as a result of the newly baptized person’s perception of the baptismal font. The decree of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of January 19, 1810 denies the relationship of spiritual kinship between the children of the recipient and the recipient and between the recipient and the recipient. The Synod finds an obstacle to marriage only in the relationship between the recipient and the recipient, as well as the parents of the latter;

G) The obstacle to marriage arises from the relationship of so-called civil kinship - adoption;

D) Mutual consent of those entering into marriage is an indispensable condition for the legality and validity of the marriage;

E) An important condition for recognition of the validity of marriage is unity of religion:

“With regard to mixed marriages of Orthodox Christians with non-Orthodox or non-Christians, a decision was made:

a) the marriage of Orthodox Christians with non-Orthodox Christians is prohibited by canonical acrivia and is not celebrated (72nd rule of the Trullo Council). He can be blessed through condescension and love for mankind, provided that the children from this marriage are baptized and raised in the Orthodox Church.

b) marriage between Orthodox Christians and non-Christians is categorically prohibited according to the canonical law" .

Christians also marry through a church blessing and through marriage registration accepted in the state.

Weddings are prohibited during all four multi-day fasts; during Cheese Week (Maslenitsa); on Bright (Easter) Week; from the Nativity of Christ (January 7) to Epiphany (January 19); on the eve of the twelve holidays; on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays throughout the year; September 10, 11, 26 and 27 (in connection with strict fasting for the Beheading of John the Baptist and the Exaltation of the Holy Cross); on the eve of patronal church days (each church has its own). The days on which weddings are permitted are marked in the Orthodox calendar.

Can a priest refuse to perform unction?

Any baptized Orthodox Christian who has the blessing of a priest can take unction. Children under 7 years old, as a rule, are not given unction.

There is a misunderstanding of the essence of the Sacrament of Unction, which is expressed in the fact that it is allegedly required only by the dying and only for the remission of sins. This sacrament was established by the Holy Church according to the words of the holy Apostle James: “If any of you is sick, let him call the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will heal the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.”(). The prayers of the Rite of Anointing speak not of death, but of a return to life, but a renewed life, cleansed of sins.

Is it possible to administer unction to a sick person when he is unconscious??

– Participation in all Sacraments must be conscious and voluntary.

If a sick person who is in an unconscious state has previously participated in church sacraments and expressed a conscious desire to receive unction at a time when he could give an account of his actions, then the possibility of performing the Sacrament of Anointing on him should be consulted with a priest.

Is it possible to unction infants??

– For infants under seven years of age, the Sacrament of Anointing is not performed based on the words of the Apostle James: “let him call the elders... and if he has committed sins, they will forgive him”(), presuming in the sick person the strength of faith, the presence of spirit and the consciousness of his sins.

Can a priest refuse to perform a funeral service?

During the funeral service, the priest calls the deceased “My spiritual child.” As one priest remarked: what kind of child is this if I see him for the first time in my life, and then in a coffin...

The entire funeral service is aimed at seeing off a church member, a churchgoer, on his last journey.

The Church bids farewell to the dead, a funeral service is performed over them, and they are buried in a specially consecrated place. This place is called a cemetery. In ancient times, it was forbidden to bury the dead in churches, because the relics of martyrs were kept in them. It is forbidden to perform funeral services:

1. Non-believers;
2. Infidels;
3. Non-Orthodox;
4. Unrepentant sinners (people who were obvious atheists and did not bring peace in this);
5. Funeral services for suicides are prohibited in Church Tradition, but bearing in mind the 14th rule of Patriarch Timothy of Alexandria, that for persons who committed suicide in a state of mental disorder, a funeral service can be performed in absentia, if this disorder is confirmed by appropriate medical evidence .

But at the same time there is “The rite of prayerful consolation of relatives who died without permission”, which does not have a prayer intercession for the person who committed suicide, but is a rite that can be performed many times, whenever the relatives of the person who committed suicide turn to the priest for consolation in the grief that has befallen them.

If the relatives of a person who has committed suicide contact the priest with a request for remembrance, the priest can do so in his cell prayer in the words of the venerable one.

But with all these rules, ultimately, “The Church can, of course, perform funeral services only for those who belong to it,” following from the fact that deceased Christians remain members of the Church, and therefore the Church offers its prayers for them as well as for its living members , and commemoration of them is performed during the Divine Liturgy and requiem service.

Can a priest assign penance without the desire of the penitent? Who can remove penance?

“Penance [Greek] ἐπιτίμιον], church punishment (reproach) imposed on the laity.” The main purpose of penance is not to repay believers for criminal acts or to protect them from such, but to heal painful states of the soul of sinners. In the rules of the Holy Fathers, repentance is considered as “healing” (Vas. Vel. 3; Grig. Nis. 8; Trul. 102).

“The essence of church punishments... is that a transgressor of church canons is deprived of all or only some of the rights and benefits that are at the exclusive disposal of the church. Hence the common name for these church punishments: “excommunication” (ἀφορισμός, excommunicatio). It can be either complete, consisting in the complete exclusion of the criminal from among the members of the church (ἀνάθεμα, excommunicatiomajor), or incomplete, when the guilty person is deprived of only some rights and benefits at the disposal of the church.” .

Can a priest assign penance without the desire of the penitent?

At present, the ancient practice of penance is not applied in all severity, but the confessor still has the right to choose between a milder punishment and strict instructions, if this serves to heal the soul of the sinner.

Thus, “penance, as a rule, comes down to sanctions of an ascetic nature “A priest can impose penance only in the form of bows, distribution of alms, and especially fervent prayers of repentance.” and informal excommunication from communion for a short period. And such severe punishments as long-term excommunication from communion or anathematization are imposed only by decision of a church court and only for offenses of such a level as organizing a schism.” Albert BONDACH, teacher of the history of sources of church law at PSTGU.

At the same time, the very question of the right to impose penance and remove it must proceed from a correct understanding of the very spiritual life of the believer himself, but if the priest does not see this, then he must explain and convey to the understanding of the believer the norms of church life.

Who can remove penance?

There is no rule according to which only the priest who imposed it can dispense with penance.

Currently, the majority of parishioners are not connected to the church by community life, and therefore the very practice of church bans has lost its system and practice. At the present time, the main task of pastoral care is to show, as it is said in the clergy’s handbook, that penance should help the sinned Christian, firstly, to realize the extent of his sin and feel its seriousness, and secondly, to give him the strength to stand up again, to inspire him with hope for God's mercy, thirdly, gave him the opportunity to show determination in his repentance.

And the main thing that a person must understand is that penance is not a means of binding, but rather receiving the necessary recommendations on the path of spiritual life. Thus, in spiritual life, penance is “wings” and not “bridle”.

Interpretation of Balsamon on the 11th rule of the Council of Ippon, Rev. Homily 4. On baptism" (47th canon of the Council of Laodicea)

Does the sacrament of communion work on infants and does the sacrament of unction work on a person who is unconscious or in intensive care?

- I will say this: keep in mind that the grace of God is not a bird in a cage. What is a bird in a cage? She's either in the cage or she's not. If they did, they caught it, she was all there. If they didn’t catch her, she didn’t exist at all. Grace can act with different powers: maybe just a little, or maybe with such power as Seraphim of Sarov - he shone like the sun, so that it was impossible to watch.

So here it is, when it comes to the communion of children. We must understand the general rule. What do the holy fathers say? “God cannot save a person without the will of the person himself,” that is, without me to save me. “They got me married without me” - remember that? So it is in salvation: if it had been possible, then God would have saved Adam, that’s all. But it cannot, such is the will of man, such is his freedom.

What does the child have? Does he have any understanding when he is given communion? No. How to be? This is where a very serious question arises: a child, while still an infant, is, if you like, part of his parents. And since the child does not have this will, does not have freedom, who can replace it if they want to give the child communion? Who?! Parents! They must prepare. How? By the will of consciousness, as it should be for communion, and take communion. And the child will then receive communion, the child will then truly receive the fullness of grace with which his parents are vouchsafed.

Otherwise, when there is neither will nor understanding, then what? What will happen to the mouse that suddenly accidentally ate a piece of the Holy Gifts? Did she take communion? So, it turns out that those who want to give communion to children do not need to “just like that” - from the TV to the chalice, we need to prepare ourselves if we want the communion to really be useful. So that grace acts as much as possible on this child, and not “just like that.” That’s when they give communion “just like that” - look, almost every Sunday they rush around giving communion. And at thirteen or fourteen years old - where are they, these children who should already all be in Christ? As where? At the disco. Got it? Grace cannot be driven away, you know, by one act.

We must not forget what John Chrysostom writes: Judas took communion at the Last Supper, but with this communion it was not Christ who entered into him, but Satan. We don’t want to think about it at all; the main thing for us is to do it. It can be done, but what does Seraphim of Sarov write? “On earth you received communion, but in heaven you remained uncommuned.” Do we want this? We want our children to truly receive communion. To do this, dear parents, work hard on yourself. Of course, then you will not be able to give communion to the child every week, but do not worry - this child is holy. Nothing will happen to him because you cannot give him communion every week, but at least once a month, but prepare yourself and take communion with him. Then there will be a truly great benefit for him, both for you, parents, and for the child. Then the church will benefit. Otherwise they only carry children and give them communion, but the child still resists with all his might, and they forcefully give him communion. It feels like we are being forced into heaven. This is what we've come to.

Ksenia, not specified

Is it possible to perform unction in the intensive care unit?

Is it possible to administer unction in the intensive care unit of the hospital to my mother, who constantly went to church, confessed and received communion before emergency hospitalization? She is in a coma, unconscious. They say that such people cannot be given unction. She was going to receive unction in the next Lent. And if you unction it, then you won’t be able to wipe it with napkins for bedsores.

Answered by Fr. Vadim Korovin, Saratov

If your mother went to church and went to confession, you can receive unction in a comatose state while she is still alive. After all, she testified with her confessions and intention to receive unction in Lent that she wanted to receive this sacrament.

If someone has never gone to church, has not confessed and has not expressed such a desire, only in this case it is impossible to perform the sacraments on him without his will, in an unconscious state. And don’t worry about wiping the body, it can be done.

The oil must be removed from the body immediately after unction with wet wipes. Then burn the napkins. We also wash the myrrh out of need immediately after baptism. So it is here. This will not diminish the holiness of the sacrament.

No matter how unfortunate this event may be, I am inclined to perceive it in my experience as a kind of stop, a respite from work and home responsibilities, a time to think about my whole life, reassess priorities, rethink myself. A person who finds himself in a hospital bed is not only physically weak, but also feels weak spiritually. Often, without sufficient spiritual experience, he is unable to analyze the reasons that led him to illness, sometimes blaming God Himself.

– Why do I have cirrhosis of the liver?! - exclaims a person who did not always drink alcohol in doses recommended by St. John Chrysostom. - Why did the Lord punish me like this?

– Where do I get gastritis, nervous exhaustion and diabetes mellitus? - another asks the priest, whom he currently regards as God’s advocate.

And here, during the conversation, it becomes clear that it was not Christ who first persuaded people to abuse wine; and it was not He who insisted on the second’s violation of the diet and his disobedience before his superiors. Absent from the Sermon on the Mount is the commandment to defend one’s personal ambitions before one’s neighbors.

Everyone knows that poor hygiene, neglect of disease prevention, and generally an unhealthy lifestyle, at a minimum, do not bring anything good. Who, tell me, should I blame for the fact that, not having the habit of watching my step, I stepped on a banana peel, fell and was seriously hurt? Is it really the Lord Jesus?

This is when the sick person needs special grace-filled help, because it is precisely this that can lead a person to faith and reconcile him with God. And it is the job of the priest and his assistants - sisters of mercy - to provide just such help.

Not only patients and their relatives need spiritual support, but also doctors and all hospital medical staff, because they take responsibility for the physical health of patients. But it is impossible to help a person heal physically without spiritual recovery. The most important task for the priest and sisters of mercy in working with doctors should be to change the consciousness of doctors, to set their priorities differently.

Many of the doctors and health workers at various levels show themselves as true Christians, regularly visiting churches, receiving church Sacraments, observing fasts, trying not to violate God’s commandments, and in prayers asking God for forgiveness for themselves, their loved ones and friends. Many of them, fulfilling their medical duty, also pray for each patient, having once heard a sermon about this. You, father, have not yet had time to preach such a sermon? Hurry, because the fields are already white!

It is necessary to take into account that the celebration of the Sacraments does not coincide in time with hospital rounds

Moving on to practical recommendations (sorry), I would like to note that in hospital service as a sister of mercy, it is necessary to take into account that the celebration of the Sacraments does not coincide in time with hospital rounds. Imagine: the time has come for the doctor to personally talk with the patient, perform some medical manipulations or examination, and here in the room there is a priest with a sister of mercy. In such cases, conflicts may arise, and this should be avoided in every possible way for the benefit of the entire ministry of the Church in the hospital. The sister and priest also need to know the characteristics of diseases. There is plenty of popular science literature on this topic.

Particularly close attention should be paid to conducting theoretical and practical classes for sisters of mercy, since without well-trained personnel who are fully proficient in the skills of catechetical work, having the necessary level of spiritual knowledge and knowledge in the field of Orthodox psychology, hospital ministry is impossible. After all, if you begin to sow wheat along with thistles, do not expect a good harvest at harvest. Therefore, it is advisable for every sister to have a good knowledge of the Law of God, Sacred History, Church History, Catechism, Dogmatics and Liturgics.

Sisters of mercy must have a full working day. Dropping into the hospital for a couple of hours is not a good idea.

Sisters of mercy should preferably have a full working day. Dropping into the hospital for a couple of hours is not a good idea, believe me. After all, the main task of a sister of mercy is preparation for Baptism, Confession, Communion, conversations with relatives, patients, and doctors. All this takes a lot of time. Were the apostles in a hurry to tell the Law of Christ in five minutes? Of course not!

It is very useful to hold charity events with concerts in different departments of the hospital. In children's departments, you can distribute gifts using funds specially donated for this purpose, and arrange meetings with orphans. Try advertising in your church that you are collecting gifts for sick children to brighten up their stay away from their parents and friends. Many will respond!

Where can you get so many employees? - any priest will ask me. To some extent, I would recommend filling this gap with volunteers, although they will not go regularly and, as a rule, have an insufficient level of professionalism. They have no practice yet, and they work with a mentor who has to constantly monitor the volunteer, teach, and sometimes be responsible for his wrong actions and words. Most often, volunteers help patients read the prayer rule for Communion. However, volunteers often cannot stand working in the hospital, seeing the suffering of the dying. They begin to be frightened by the thought of going to the wards, as well as by false shame and fear. Therefore, most volunteers often begin to look for themselves in a different field. Not all of them are ready to stay in the hospital. But even from this small number, many will then have to be weeded out...

A catechist sister must not only be a person of deep faith, regularly go to confession and receive communion, but also be reasonable, prudent, mentally healthy (please pay special attention to this), balanced, cultured, ethical, attentive, kind, knowing the fundamentals of that teaching, in which she was instructed. She must speak and teach about faith correctly. Remember the parable of the tares.

Another way to replenish staff is the hospital patients themselves. Some former patients become so attached to one or another hospital priest or sister of mercy that over time, when they are established in the faith, they come to work in this field. The main thing is not to alienate every such person. A smart priest once said that the most important thing in a hospital is not to interfere with the patient’s coming to Christ.

Another problem in counseling is the requirement for the priesthood. Not everyone will be able to go to the hospital. If any priest is squeamish, or has a fear of blood (what if?), or has an impressionable disposition, then may he never cross the threshold of a hospital room with the Holy Sacraments forever!

But seriously, a hospital patient who wants to be baptized, confess, receive communion or receive unction may end up smelling bad (here you have pus, unwashed clothes, blood, sweat, diaper rash, etc.). He may look like a mummy, covered in bandages and burns dripping with ichor. He can lie with an enamel duck, he can have a colostomy bag or a urine bag. He may find himself completely naked, barely covered with a sheet, if this is intensive care. He may be missing a cranial plate, arms, legs, and a loop of intestine may fall out of a cut in the abdomen. After all, he tends to have increased irritability due to illness and stress. And the main thing here is not to answer the person in the same tone.

I knew one priest who couldn’t even enter the burn department without a scented mask. It was very difficult for him to provide spiritual care to hospitals. As soon as possible, he achieved a transfer to a regular parish.

It goes without saying that a hospital chaplain must be clean. His clothes, face, hands, and his whole body must always be immaculately clean. If you look like a car mechanic after a hard day at work, don’t complain that the “harmful” doctor doesn’t want to let you into the patient’s bedside. Remember: the doctor probably knows microbiology, even if he missed a couple of lectures for a glass of beer in the next bar.

The service of a priest in a hospital church differs from the service of an ordinary parish priest. In such a church, everything is focused on the sick and hospital patients; there are practically no permanent parishioners. People come here only for a short period of time and then leave. The overwhelming majority of those who turn to the Church for spiritual help have never gone to confession before and have no idea about spiritual life. They will all have to be taught from scratch. Everything in the church is done for them: they are greeted by the catechist sister, for their sake the Liturgy is served, for their sake an unusually long confession is performed. Forget forever the conciliar practice of confessing to 200 people in an hour and a half!

It is in this particular hospital that everything depends on how the shepherd and the sisters of mercy behave

And finally, the last problem is related to the different understanding between the physician and the priest of what the Church does in and what its place is there. Yes, the patient’s right to “admission to a clergyman” is spelled out today in the Fundamentals of the Legislation of the Russian Federation. Based on this law, various cooperation agreements are even drawn up. However, it should be remembered: in this particular hospital, everything depends on how the shepherd and the sisters of mercy behave. Good relations with doctors will always be to the benefit of the Church. Good pastoral work among doctors and nurses will necessarily lead to the fact that doctors will not look at church service in the hospital only as an allowance or condescension. Remember this, father, and never rush to get home early, because you need not only to sow the seed, like Paul, but also remember to tie the sprouts to sticks, like Apollos.

Let us return to the patient who is having a hard time experiencing his frail situation. A doctor does not always have time to pay enough attention to his patients and find out their internal suffering. And perhaps they are the cause of many diseases. A sister of mercy must be ready to listen to the patient, understand his family and life problems, answer pressing questions, and simply pray with the patient. You look - and the patient already finds the joy of life, understands the meaning of suffering, he has a desire to live. A terminally ill person learns that life is not limited to death, feels that he is not forgotten by everyone, feels care and attention, and this is the most important thing for him. Relatives of the sick at such a moment also need the support of the Church. We can’t forget about them either. Let the sister of mercy advise them to confess if they have not done so for a long time.

Any illness needs healing. The church is always considered by people as a doctor for the soul, and the work of a priest who forgives sins is compared with the work of a doctor, with the only difference being that the priest heals the soul of the patient, and the doctor heals his body. And our duty with you, my dear readers, is not to let down either people or Christ, Who expects us to preserve for Him everyone whom He has called to inherit the Kingdom of truth.

What is Unction? Why is it being done? How does it happen? You will find the answer to all these questions in the article below.

What is Unction?

Unction is one of the seven Sacraments of the Orthodox Church. Unction is performed to heal spiritual and physical ailments, and also grants remission of those sins that a person has forgotten. It is performed by anointing the believer’s forehead, nostrils, cheeks, lips, chest and hands with consecrated oil seven times in the shape of a cross, accompanied by the reading of prayers, the Apostle and the Gospel.

Unction is performed in case of serious illness throughout the year, and during Great Lent all believers try to receive unction.

After unction, believers try to confess (if they have not confessed before) and receive communion.

Unction: The Sacrament of Healing Soul and Body

The sacrament of healing the soul and body - these words can convey the essence of the sacrament, which is known among us as Unction, and in church books is more often called Blessing of Anointing. The name "unction" comes from the practice of performing this sacrament by several priests - a "council".

Sincerely, priest Anthony Skrynnikov.

Is it possible to pray during a general unction for a person who is not present there? The fact is that my son (he’s 2 years old) can’t stand the entire unction; we’ve already had to leave before. Thanks in advance for your answer. Best regards, Evgenia

Priest Mikhail Samokhin answers:

Hello, Evgenia!

The sacrament of unction, like all the sacraments of the Church, presupposes only the personal participation of a person. The sacrament of unction is not performed on children under 7 years old, so it is better to postpone your child’s participation in the sacrament until he reaches this age.
The best healing remedy for a baby is to give communion as often as possible.

Sincerely, priest Mikhail Samokhin.

Celebration of the Sacrament of Unction

The Blessing of Anointing is performed on Orthodox people over seven years of age. Usually it is performed in a temple, but for seriously ill people it can be taught at home. The sacrament can be repeated over the same person, but not during the same continuously ongoing illness. The Blessing of Anointing is not performed on patients who are in an unconscious state, as well as on violent mental patients. A priest cannot perform the Sacrament on himself.

The following of the Sacrament includes three parts: prayer singing; preparation of the substance for anointing and the anointing itself. The first part is a reduction of Matins, performed on days of fasting and repentance. After the usual initial morning prayers, Psalm 142, which is an abbreviation of the Six Psalms, and the litany that occurs at Matins, “Alleluia” is sung instead of “God the Lord,” as in the time of repentance. Next, the repentant troparia are sung, Psalm 50 is read, which at Matins is placed before the canon, and the Canon “Sea of ​​the Red Deep” is sung. After the canon, healing of the sick is asked in stichera from the Lord. Then the substance for the Sacrament is consecrated. The consecration of the oil is accomplished through a litany, which includes petitions for the blessing of the oil through the power, action and influx of the Holy Spirit, and a prayer read by all priests. During the reading of this prayer, troparions are sung: three to the Lord Jesus Christ, two to the Apostle James, one each to St. Nicholas, the myrrh-streamer Demetrius, the healer Panteleimon, the unmercenaries, the Apostle John the Theologian, and the final troparion to the Most Holy Theotokos. Next comes the third part - the performance of the Sacrament itself. Its order is as follows: the Apostle and the Gospel are read with the usual accessories; a special litany for the sick person and a prayer for him are pronounced and a cross-shaped anointing of the sick person with consecrated oil is performed on the forehead, nostrils, cheeks, lips, forearms and hands on both sides while reading a prayer for healing to God the Father with an invocation in the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos, the chosen and all saints

This order, according to the number of performers of the Sacrament, is repeated seven times, and each time the apostolic and gospel readings and the prayer adapted to them after the special litany change. In the apostolic and gospel readings, various circumstances related to the Sacrament are remembered. After the seventh anointing, the Gospel is placed on the head of the sick person, in writing downwards, as if by the hand of the Lord Himself. The gospel is supported by the priests, and the leader at that time reads the prayer of permission. Next, an abbreviated strict litany is pronounced, troparia to the unmercenary and to the Mother of God are sung, and there is a dismissal, at which the holy Apostle James is remembered. At the end of the rite, the one who has received the Sacrament asks for blessing and forgiveness from the priests. To perform the Sacrament, a table is provided, and on it a dish of wheat, a cross and the Gospel are placed. Grains of wheat symbolically point to new life - after recovery or after the general resurrection (see John 12:24; 1 Cor. 15:36 - 38), and the cross and the Gospel - to the presence of Jesus Christ Himself. An empty vessel (idle kandilo) is placed on the wheat, which is then filled with consecrated oil combined with wine, in imitation of the medicine used by the Samaritan mentioned in the Gospel parable (see Lk 10:34). Around the vessel, seven pods wrapped in paper (cotton) are placed in the wheat for anointing and the same number of lighted candles. The sacred rite opens with censing around the table, the entire temple or house, and those around the table. When unction is combined with confession and communion of the sick person, the “Sequence of Confession” is performed first, then the Blessing of Anointing and finally the Communion of the Holy Mysteries. In case of mortal danger, in order not to deprive the patient of his last Communion, immediately after confession the abbreviated rite of Communion is performed (Trebnik, Chapter 14) and then, if the patient has not yet lost consciousness, the Sacrament of Anointing is performed, which can begin with the litany “Let us pray to the Lord in peace... " The sacrament is considered completed if the priest, after consecrating the oil, manages to read the secret prayer over the sick person at least once and anoint the parts of the body indicated in the Breviary. The sacrament is not performed on patients who are in an unconscious state, as well as on violent mental patients. In addition, the priest is forbidden to perform the Blessing of Anointing on himself. The custom of pouring consecrated oil on the body of a person who died after Unction does not find confirmation in the practice of the ancient Church, for it serves to anoint the living, not the dead. Therefore, this custom should not be followed. In the absence of mortal danger for the patient, there is no reason to combine the Blessing of Anointing with Communion, however, preliminary confession and repentance are desirable.

Gifts sent to the Sacrament of Anointing

As can be seen from the words of the Apostle James (5, 14 - 15), in the Sacrament of the Blessing of Unction two Divine gifts are sent to people from above. The first gift is physical healing. During unction, the presbyter of the Church or priest prays for the sick person and anoints him with consecrated Oil, just as the apostles prayed and sometimes anointed them with oil when healing the sick. In addition, at the unction, the relatives and acquaintances of the patient gather, who, together with the presbyter, also pray for his health. Finally, the patient himself prays, as much as his strength allows. And the common prayer of faith saves the sick person, and the Lord heals him, because not one person is praying here, but many, and even the presbyter himself, who has been given the power to intercede before God for people. And the Lord Himself promised to fulfill the request if two or three asked Him for something. He said: “Truly I also tell you that if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven” (Matthew 18:19). Moreover, all those who pray, of course, must have proper faith and hope in God, which is why it is said: “The prayer of faith will heal the sick” (James 5:15).

The second gift that is sent to the sick person in the Sacrament of Anointing is the remission of sins. For the Apostle said: “If he [the sick person] has committed sins, they will be forgiven him” (James 5:15). Of course, in this case a person must show heartfelt contrition for his iniquities. He must bring to mind his entire life, all his lies, all the insults he has done to anyone. Having remembered all this, he must repent of his untruths from the bottom of his heart and ask God to forgive them. At the same time, he himself must forgive his neighbors, which of them is guilty of what against him, who has offended him in some way. For he must firmly remember the words of Jesus Christ, with which He taught people to pray to the Almighty: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). The patient must certainly fulfill all this, for this is what he desires from people. God Himself.

Who recovers after the Sacrament of Anointing and why?

The recovery of people from illness after unction often takes place before our eyes. The person gradually becomes better and better, and he soon recovers completely. This is often invisible to us: we think that the patient got up on his own, recovered on his own; in fact, the healing power of prayer helped here. It is not for nothing that it is said: “And the prayer of faith will heal the sick and raise him up. Lord..." (James 5:15). The word of God is not in vain, “for with God no word will fail” (Luke 1:37). And if the Lord, through His Apostle, said that He would heal the sick person in the Blessing of Anointing, then when after the Blessing of Anointing the sick person recovers, it follows that he recovers not on his own, but because the Lord helped him.

True, not all those who were unctioned recover. Some of them die. But this still makes it impossible to say or think that unction does not help the patient.

The kind of relief in dying suffering that can follow the performance of this Sacrament is evidenced by the case described by the village priest Broyakovsky. One of his pious parishioners, Paraskeva, who was going to service early in the morning on the day of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara, was bitten by a mad dog a few steps from the temple, causing a large wound on her cheek. The bitten woman was immediately taken to a healer in a neighboring village. The priest, who learned about what had happened only a few days later, had the intention of sending the victim to a bacteriological station. But her family opposed this, reassured by the fact that the wound had healed and the patient was feeling well. And indeed, already on December 19, she was fasting in her church, although she looked too gloomy. And five days later, the victim’s son came to the priest and said that his mother felt bad and asked him to come immediately and “cheat” her. Early the next morning, the priest found the patient lying on the stove and muttering something incoherently. While waiting for the church warden, he learned that the patient undoubtedly had rabies or, in other words, hydrophobia. For four days she refused to eat food, and especially water, and was terribly afraid of the cold, as a result of which she was always on the stove. During the ceremony, the patient sat on a bench. Her gaze was wild and wandering, so that she could not concentrate on one subject and behaved extremely restlessly: she would either utter some indistinct words, or suddenly, quite consciously and clearly, pronounce the words of prayer, very often make the sign of the cross in particular excitement , impetuously and earnestly. At times she cast unfriendly glances at her relatives, and at this time a terrible gnashing of teeth was heard. Obviously, she was mentally damaged and greatly depressed by the awareness of her terrible situation. After reading the first Gospel, the patient, with terrible effort, gnashing her teeth, barely forced herself to kiss the holy book. Despite the fact that the husband and son were holding the hands of the tossing sick woman, the priest had great difficulty in anointing her body. And a new miracle of God’s mercy happened. At the end of the ritual, the patient completely calmed down. The grace of God, imparted by Him in the Sacrament of the Blessing of Unction, healed her spiritual infirmities. She stood up, bowed to the priest from the waist and said: Thank you, father, that you did not refuse to bring order to my soul. Some time after the unction with oil, Paraskeva asked for water, washed herself with it and drank. And in the evening, at six o’clock, she asked for food. At about 10-11 at night, the sick woman demanded the children to come to her, blessed them, and after that, shamelessly and peacefully, having been instructed by the Holy Mysteries, she went to the Lord.
The children, despite the heavy loss for them, tearfully thanked the Lord God that he did not allow the disease to develop to an extreme degree and granted the sufferer, who was a true Christian in life, a Christian death, but, being guided by the Holy Mysteries, she went to the Lord.

Without daring to unravel the secrets of God's Providence about human destinies, we can say the following about the death that occurred after the Sacrament of Unction.

Firstly, sometimes both the one who is about to receive unction and his relatives, who are preparing him for this Sacrament, do not do what is necessary for his recovery. Recovery requires faith in God's help and earnest petition either on the part of the patient himself or on the part of those interceding for him. For the healing Christ was, is and will be one and the same, and he demanded, demands and will demand the same thing from everyone during their healing. But what He requires often does not happen either to the patient himself or to those around him. The sick person often begins to receive unction because this is the custom among people, this is the custom. For the same reason, relatives and also acquaintances are often present at the unction of the sick: It’s not good not to be there, it’s a shame from people!” Consequently, none of those present at the unction had either sufficient faith or earnest petition. And without this, there is no recovery. For it is said that the prayer of faith, that is, faith combined with prayer, heals the sick.

Secondly, sometimes God does not send recovery to a person and for the benefit of the person himself. Perhaps, if a person recovered, he would become a great villain and sinner, and his soul would perish. God, knowing in advance what will happen next and how a person will live in the future, takes him to himself. After all, man cannot see this; the ways of God’s Providence are incomprehensible to him. You just need to firmly believe that God is good and does everything for the good of His creation! Thirdly, after unction, sometimes a person dies and because he needs it, it is time to die. God laid down an immutable law for every person to die someday: we see this ourselves. And if after unction a person always recovered, then he could never die, which is contrary to the will of God. Recovery from illness is a great gift, because every person wants to live longer. But an even greater gift is the remission of sins. This gift makes a person pure and opens the door to the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven is the most precious treasure, which a person must continually seek throughout his entire earthly life. Therefore, Orthodox Christians, do not be afraid to resort to the Sacrament of Anointing. When someone gets sick, let him receive unction without delay. And during the unction, let the sick person and his relatives pray with faith and hope for God’s mercy. By faith, God will fulfill their common desire. If the patient sees that the will of God is calling him to Himself, then he has nothing to grieve in the last minutes of his life: a blissful life is being prepared for him in the Kingdom of Heaven. Nevertheless, it must be said once again that unction very often brings a person recovery.