SEVEN SACRAMENTS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH

The Holy Mysteries were established by Jesus Christ himself: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). With these words the Lord clearly indicated We know that in addition to the Sacrament of Baptism, He also established the other Sacraments of the Church, numbering seven: the Sacrament of Baptism, Confirmation, Repentance, Communion, Marriage, Priesthood and Anointing.
The sacraments are visible actions through which the grace of the Holy Spirit, the saving power of God, invisibly descends on a person. All the Sacraments are closely related to the Sacrament of Communion.
Baptism and Confirmation introduce us to the Church: we become Christians and can begin to receive Communion. In the Sacrament of Repentance, our sins are forgiven.
By accepting Communion, we unite with Christ and become here on earth participants in Eternal Life.
The Sacrament of the Priesthood gives the protege the opportunity to perform all the Sacraments. In the Sacrament of Marriage, a blessing is taught for married family life. In the Sacrament of Anointing (Unction), the Church prays for the forgiveness of sins and the return of the sick to health.

1. THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY BAPTISM and CONFIRMATION

The Sacrament of Baptism was established by the Lord Jesus Christ: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). By being baptized we become Christians, we are born for a new spiritual life, we acquire the title of disciples of Christ.
The condition for receiving Baptism is sincere faith and repentance.
Both an infant, according to the faith of his godparents, and an adult can begin Baptism. The “parents” of the newly baptized person are called godparents, or godfather and mother. Only Christian believers who regularly attend the Church Sacraments can be godparents.
Without accepting the Sacrament of Baptism, salvation for a person is not possible.
If an adult or teenager is baptized, then before baptism he is announced. The word “announce” or “announce” means to make public, to notify, to announce before God the name of the person who is preparing for baptism. During his preparation, he studies the basics of the Christian faith. When the time of Holy Baptism comes, the priest prays to the Lord to expel from this person every evil and unclean spirit hidden and nesting in his heart, and to make him a member of the Church and heir to eternal bliss; the baptized person renounces the devil, makes a promise to serve not him, but Christ, and by reading the Creed confirms his faith in Christ as King and God.
The catechumen for the baby is accepted by his godfathers (godparents), who take responsibility for the spiritual upbringing of the child. From now on, godparents pray for their godson (or goddaughter), teach him prayer, tell him about the Kingdom of Heaven and its laws, and serve as a model of Christian life for him.
How is the Sacrament of Baptism performed?
First, the priest sanctifies the water and at this time prays that the holy water will wash the person being baptized from previous sins and that through this consecration he will unite with Christ. The priest then anoints the person being baptized with blessed oil (olive oil).
Oil is an image of mercy, peace and joy. With the words “in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” the priest anoints the forehead with a cross (imprinting the name of God in the mind), chest (“for the healing of soul and body”), ears (“for the hearing of faith”), hands (to do deeds, pleasing to God), feet (to walk in the paths of God’s commandments). After this, a three-time immersion in holy water is performed with the words: “The servant of God (name) is baptized in the name of the Father. Amen. And the Son. Amen. And the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
In this case, the person who is baptized receives the name of saint or saint. From now on, this saint or saint becomes not only a prayer book, intercessor and defender of the baptized, but also an example, a model of life in God and with God. This is the patron saint of the baptized, and the day of his memory becomes a holiday for the baptized - name day.
Immersion in water symbolizes death with Christ, and exit from it symbolizes new life with Him and the coming resurrection.
Then the priest, with the prayer “Give me a robe of light, dress yourself in light like a robe, O most merciful Christ our God,” puts white (new) clothes (shirt) on the newly baptized person. Translated from Slavic, this prayer sounds like this: “Give me clean, bright, unspotted clothes, You Himself clothed in light, O Most Merciful Christ our God.” The Lord is our Light. But what kind of clothes are we asking for? That all our feelings, thoughts, intentions, actions - everything would be born in the light of Truth and Love, everything would be renewed, like our baptismal robe.
After this, the priest places a pectoral (pectoral) cross on the neck of the newly baptized person for constant wear - as a reminder of the words of Christ: “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24).

Sacrament of Confirmation.

Just as life follows birth, so Baptism, the Sacrament of new birth, is usually immediately followed by Confirmation, the Sacrament of new life.
In the Sacrament of Confirmation, the newly baptized person receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. He is given “power from above” for a new life. The sacrament is performed through anointing with the Holy Myrrh. The Holy Myrrh was prepared and consecrated by the apostles of Christ, and then by the bishops of the ancient Church. From them the priests received Myrrh when performing the sacrament of the Holy Spirit, since then called Confirmation.
The Holy Chrism is prepared and consecrated once every few years. Now the place of preparation of the Holy Myrrh is the Small Cathedral of the Donskoy Monastery of the God-saved city of Moscow, where a special oven was built for this purpose. And the consecration of the World of Steel takes place in the Patriarchal Epiphany Cathedral in Yelokhov.
The priest anoints the baptized person with holy oil, making the sign of the cross on different parts of the body with the words “seal (i.e., sign) of the gift of the Holy Spirit.” At this time, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are invisibly given to the baptized person, with the help of which he grows and strengthens in spiritual life. The forehead, or forehead, is anointed with holy oil to sanctify the mind; eyes, nostrils, lips, ears - to sanctify the senses; chest - to sanctify the heart; hands and feet - for the sanctification of deeds and all behavior. After this, the newly baptized and their successors, with lighted candles in their hands, walk three times in a circle, following the priest, around the font and lectern (A lectern is an inclined table on which the Gospel, Cross or icon is usually placed), on which the Cross and Gospel lie. The image of a circle is an image of eternity, because a circle has neither beginning nor end. At this time, the verse is sung: “Those who were baptized into Christ, put on Christ,” which means: “Those who were baptized into Christ, put on Christ.”
This is a call to bring the Good News of Christ everywhere and everywhere, testifying to Him in word, deed, and with your whole life. Since baptism is a spiritual birth, and a person will be born once, the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation are performed on a person once in a lifetime. “One Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph. 4:4).

2. THE SACRAMENT OF REPENTANCE

The Sacrament of Repentance was established by the Lord Jesus Christ so that we, confessing our bad deeds - sins - and striving to change our lives, could receive forgiveness from Him: “Receive the Holy Spirit: whose sins you forgive, their sins will be forgiven; on whomever you leave it, it will remain on him” (Inn 20, 22-23).
Christ Himself forgave sins: “Your sins are forgiven you” (Luke 7:48). He called us to maintain purity so that we would avoid evil: “Go and sin no more” (John 5:14). In the Sacrament of Repentance, our confessed sins are forgiven and forgiven through the priest by God Himself.
What is needed for confession?
To receive forgiveness (resolution) of sins, the repentant is required: reconciliation with all his neighbors, sincere contrition for sins and verbal confession of them. And also a firm intention to correct your life, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and hope in His mercy.
You should prepare for confession in advance; it is best to re-read God’s Commandments and thus check what your conscience convicts you of. We must remember that forgotten, unconfessed sins weigh on the soul, causing mental and physical illness. Deliberately hidden sins, deception of the priest - out of false shame or fear - make Repentance invalid. Sin gradually destroys a person and prevents him from growing spiritually. The more thorough the confession and examination of conscience, the more the soul is cleansed of sins, the closer it is to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Confession in the Orthodox Church is performed at the lectern - a high table with an inclined tabletop, on which the cross and the Gospel lie as a sign of the presence of Christ, invisible, but hearing everything and knowing how deep our repentance is and whether we have hidden something out of false shame or specially. If the priest sees sincere repentance, he covers the bowed head of the confessor with the end of the stole and reads a prayer of permission, forgiving sins in the name of Jesus Christ. Then the confessor kisses the cross and the Gospel as a sign of gratitude and fidelity to Christ.

3. MYSTERY OF ST. COMMUNIONS – EUCHARIST

The Sacrament of the Sacraments - the Eucharist - was established by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper, in the presence of His disciples (Matt 26:26-28). “Jesus took the bread and, having blessed it, broke it and gave it to the disciples, saying: “Take, eat: this is My Body.” And taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them and 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” (see also Mk 14:22-26, Lk 22:15-20).
In Communion, we eat, under the guise of bread and wine, the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and so God becomes part of us, and we become part of Him, one with Him, closer than our closest people, and through Him - one body and one family with by all members of the Church, now our brothers and sisters. Christ said: “He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:56).
How to prepare for Communion?
Christians prepare in advance for Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. This preparation includes intense prayer, attending divine services, fasting, good deeds, reconciliation with everyone, and then confession, that is, cleansing one’s conscience in the Sacrament of Repentance. You can ask your priest for more details about preparing for the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
What should be noted about Communion in relation to Christian worship is that this Sacrament constitutes the main and essential part of Christian worship. According to the commandment of Christ, this sacrament is constantly performed in the Church of Christ and will be performed until the end of the century during the divine service called the Divine Liturgy, during which bread and wine, by the power and action of the Holy Spirit, are transformed, or transubstantiated, into the true Body and true Blood of Christ .
4. THE SACRAMENT OF WEDDING. MARRIAGE - MARRIAGE
Wedding or marriage is a Sacrament in which, with the free (before the priest and the Church) promise by the bride and groom of mutual fidelity to each other, their marital union is blessed, in the image of the spiritual union of Christ with the Church, and the grace of God is asked and given for mutual help and unanimity, and for the blessed birth and Christian upbringing of children.
Marriage was established by God Himself in heaven. After the creation of Adam and Eve, “God blessed them and God said to them: be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen. 1:28). In the Sacrament of Marriage, two become one soul and one flesh in Christ.
The Rite of the Sacrament of Marriage consists of betrothal and wedding.
First, the ceremony of betrothal of the bride and groom is performed, during which the priest, with prayers, puts on their wedding rings (in the word “betrothal” it is easy to distinguish the roots of the words “hoop,” that is, a ring, and “hand”). A ring that has neither beginning nor end is a sign of infinity, a sign of union in boundless and selfless love.
When performing the Wedding, the priest solemnly places crowns - one on the head of the groom, the other on the head of the bride, while saying: “The servant of God (name of the groom) is married to the servant of God (name of the bride) in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.” And - “The servant of God (name of the bride) is married to the servant of God (name of the groom) in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.” Crowns are a symbol of the special dignity of those getting married and their voluntary acceptance of martyrdom in the name of Christ. After this, blessing the newlyweds, the priest exclaims three times: “Lord our God, crown them with glory and honor.” “Crown” means: “unite them into one flesh,” that is, create from these two, who until now lived separately, into a new unity that carries within itself (like God the Trinity) loyalty and love for each other in any trials, illnesses and sorrows.
Before performing the Sacrament, the bride and groom must confess and have a special conversation with the priest about the meaning and goals of Christian marriage. And then - live a full-blooded Christian life, regularly receiving the Sacraments of the Holy Church.

5. PRIESTHOOD

The priesthood is a Sacrament in which a properly chosen person receives the grace of the Holy Spirit for the sacred service of the Church of Christ. Ordination to the priesthood is called ordination, or consecration. In the Orthodox Church there are three degrees of priesthood: deacon, then presbyter (priest, priest) and the highest - bishop (bishop).
Anyone ordained as a deacon receives the grace to serve (help) during the performance of the Sacraments.
He who is ordained a bishop (bishop) receives from God the grace not only to perform the Sacraments, but also to consecrate others to perform the Sacraments. The bishop is the heir of the grace of the Apostles of Christ.
The ordination of a priest and a deacon can only be performed by a bishop. The Sacrament of the Priesthood is performed during the Divine Liturgy. The protege (i.e., the one receiving the rank) is led around the Throne three times, and then the bishop, placing his hands and omophorion on his head (Omophorion is a sign of the episcopal rank in the form of a wide strip of fabric on the shoulders), which means the laying on of the hands of Christ, reads a special prayer. In the invisible presence of the Lord, the bishop prays for the election of this person as a priest - an assistant to the bishop.
Handing over to the ordained the objects necessary for his service, the bishop exclaims: “Axios!” (Greek “worthy”), to which the choir and all the people also respond with three times “Axios!” Thus, the church assembly testifies to its consent to the ordination of a worthy member.
From now on, having become a priest, the ordained one assumes the responsibility to serve God and people, as the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and His apostles served in His earthly life. He preaches the Gospel and performs the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, in the name of the Lord forgives the sins of repentant sinners, celebrates the Eucharist and communion, and also performs the Sacraments of Marriage and Unction. After all, it is through the Sacraments that the Lord continues His ministry in our world - leading us to Salvation: Eternal Life in the Kingdom of God.

6. COLLECTION

The Sacrament of Unction, or Blessing of Unction, as it is called in liturgical books, is a Sacrament in which, when anointing a sick person with consecrated oil (olive oil), the grace of God is invoked on the sick person to heal him from physical and mental illnesses. It is called unction because several (seven) priests gather to perform it, although one priest can perform it if necessary.
The sacrament of the consecration of oil goes back to the apostles, who, having received from Jesus Christ “the power to heal diseases,” “they anointed many sick people with oil and healed them” (Mark 6.13). The essence of this sacrament is most fully revealed by the Apostle James in his Council Epistle: “Is any of you 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 one, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they will forgive him" (James 5:14-15).
How does unction take place?
A lectern with the Gospel is placed in the center of the temple. Nearby there is a table on which there is a vessel with oil and wine on a dish with wheat. Seven lighted candles and seven anointing tassels are placed in the wheat - according to the number of passages from the Holy Scriptures read. All the congregation hold lit candles in their hands. This is our testimony that Christ is the light of our lives.
Chants sound, these are prayers addressed to the Lord and the saints who became famous for their miraculous healings. This is followed by the reading of seven passages from the epistles of the apostles and the Gospels. After each Gospel reading, the priests anoint the forehead, nostrils, cheeks, lips, chest and hands on both sides with consecrated oil. This is done as a sign of cleansing all our five senses, thoughts, hearts and the works of our hands - everything that we could have sinned with. The Blessing of Anointing of the congregation ends with the placing of the Gospel on their heads. And the priest prays over them. Unction is not performed on infants, because an infant cannot consciously commit sins. Physically healthy people cannot resort to this sacrament without the blessing of a priest. In case of serious illness, you can call a priest to perform the Sacrament at home or in the hospital.

Orthodox Sacraments are sacred rites revealed in Orthodox church rites, through which the invisible Divine grace or the saving power of God is communicated to believers.

There are seven Sacraments accepted in Orthodoxy: baptism, confirmation, Eucharist (comunion), repentance, the sacrament of the priesthood, the sacrament of marriage and the consecration of oil. The performer of the Sacraments is God, who performs them through the hands of the clergy.

7 Sacraments of the Orthodox Church

Sacrament of Baptism

The sacrament of Baptism is such a sacred act in which a believer in Christ, through three times immersion of the body in water, with the invocation of the name of the Most Holy Trinity - the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, is washed from original sin, as well as from all the sins committed by him before Baptism , is reborn by the grace of the Holy Spirit into a new spiritual life (spiritually born) and becomes a member of the Church, i.e. blessed Kingdom of Christ.

The Sacrament of Baptism was established by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He sanctified Baptism by His own example, being baptized by John the Baptist. Then, after His Resurrection, He gave the apostles the command: “Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

Baptism is necessary for everyone who wishes to be a member of the Church of Christ.

Faith and repentance are required to receive Baptism.

The Orthodox Church baptizes infants according to the faith of their parents and adopters. This is why there are recipients at Baptism, in order to vouch before the Church for the faith of the person being baptized. They are obliged to teach him faith and make sure that their godson becomes a true Christian.

This is the sacred duty of the recipients, and they sin gravely if they neglect this duty.

Since Baptism is a spiritual birth, and a person will be born one day, then the Sacrament of Baptism over a person is performed once: “One Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph. 4:4).

Sacrament of Confirmation

Confirmation is a Sacrament in which the believer is given the gifts of the Holy Spirit, strengthening him in the spiritual Christian life.

Jesus Christ Himself said about the gracious gifts of the Holy Spirit: “Whoever believes in Me, out of his belly will flow rivers of living water.”

The gracious gifts of the Holy Spirit are necessary for every believer in Christ. Initially, the holy apostles performed the Sacrament of Confirmation through the laying on of hands (Acts 8:14-17; 19:2-6). And at the end of the first century, the Sacrament of Confirmation began to be performed through anointing with holy myrrh - a specially prepared and consecrated composition of fragrant substances and oil.

The myrrh was certainly consecrated by the apostles themselves and their successors - bishops (bishops). And now only bishops can bless the chrism. Through the anointing of the holy world consecrated by the bishops, on behalf of the bishops, the Sacrament of Confirmation can also be performed by presbyters (priests).

When performing the Sacrament, the following parts of the body of the believer are anointed with the holy world in a cross shape: forehead, eyes, ears, mouth, chest, arms and legs - with the words “Seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Amen".

Sacrament of Penance

Repentance is a Sacrament in which the believer confesses his sins to God in the presence of a priest and through the priest receives forgiveness of sins from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

Jesus Christ gave the holy apostles, and through them, all the priests the power to forgive (forgive) sins: “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive, they will be forgiven; on whomever you leave it, it will remain on him” (John 20:22-23).

The holy apostles, having received authority to do this from the Lord, performed the Sacrament of Repentance, and many of those who believed came, confessing and revealing their deeds (Acts 19:18).

To receive forgiveness (resolution) of sins from the confessor (repentant) the following is required: reconciliation with all neighbors, sincere contrition for sins and verbal confession of them before the priest, a firm intention to correct one’s life, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and hope in His mercy.

In special cases, penance is imposed on the penitent (the Greek word is “prohibition”), which prescribes certain deprivations aimed at overcoming sinful habits and the performance of certain pious deeds.

Sacrament of Communion

Communion is a Sacrament in which a believer, under the guise of bread and wine, receives (tastes) the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and through this is mysteriously united with Christ and becomes a partaker of eternal life.

The Sacrament of Holy Communion was established by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself during the Last Last Supper, on the eve of His suffering and death. He Himself performed this Sacrament: taking bread and thanking (God the Father for all His mercies to the human race), He broke it and gave it to the disciples, saying: “Take, eat: this is My Body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Also, taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, saying: “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins. Do this in remembrance of Me” (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-24; 1 Cor. 11:23-25).

Thus, Jesus Christ, having established the Sacrament of Communion, commanded his disciples to always perform it.

In a conversation with the people, Jesus Christ said: “Unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you will not have life in you. He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My Flesh is truly food, and My Blood is truly drink. He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:53-56).

According to the commandment of Christ, the Sacrament of Communion is constantly celebrated in the Church of Christ and will be celebrated until the end of the century during a divine service called the Liturgy, during which bread and wine are transformed into the true body and true blood of Christ.

The bread for Communion is used alone, since all believers in Christ constitute one His body, the head of which is Christ Himself.

The Holy Church commands us to take communion every fast and no less than once a year. According to the canons of the Church, a person who, without a good reason, misses three Sundays in a row without participating in the Eucharist, i.e. without Communion, thereby placing himself outside the Church (21st canon of the Elvira, 12th canon of the Sardician and 80th canon of the Trullo Councils).

Christians must prepare themselves for the Sacrament of Holy Communion by fasting, which consists of fasting, prayer, reconciliation with everyone, and then confession, i.e. cleansing your conscience in the Sacrament of Repentance.

The Sacrament of Holy Communion in Greek is called Eucharist, which means “thanksgiving.”

Sacrament of Marriage

Marriage is a Sacrament in which, with the free (before the priest and the Church) promise by the bride and groom of mutual fidelity to each other, their marital union is blessed, in the image of the spiritual union of Christ with the Church, and the grace of God is asked and given for mutual help and unanimity and for a blessed birth and Christian education of children.

Marriage was established by God Himself in heaven. After the creation of Adam and Eve, God blessed them, and God said to them: be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it (Gen. 1:28).

Jesus Christ sanctified Marriage with His presence at the wedding in Cana of Galilee and confirmed its divine institution, saying: “He who created (God) in the beginning created man and woman (Gen. 1:27). And he said: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and cleave.” to his wife, and the two will become one flesh (Gen. 2:24), so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man separate (Matt. 19:6).

The union of Jesus Christ with the Church is based on the love of Christ for the Church and on the complete devotion of the Church to the will of Christ. Hence, the husband is obliged to selflessly love his wife, and the wife is obliged to lovingly obey her husband. The family is the foundation of the Church of Christ.

Being in Marriage is not necessary for everyone, but persons who voluntarily remain celibate are obliged to lead a pure, immaculate and virgin life, which, according to the teaching of the Word of God, is one of the greatest feats.

Sacrament of Priesthood

The priesthood is a Sacrament in which, through episcopal ordination, an elected person (as a bishop, or presbyter, or deacon) receives the grace of the Holy Spirit for the sacred service of the Church of Christ.

This Sacrament is performed only on persons elected and ordained clergy. There are three degrees of priesthood: deacon, presbyter (priest) and bishop (bishop).

Anyone ordained as a deacon receives the grace to serve in the celebration of the sacraments. Anyone ordained as a priest (presbyter) receives the grace to perform the sacraments. He who is ordained as a bishop (bishop) receives the grace not only to perform the sacraments, but also to consecrate others to perform the sacraments.

The Sacrament of the Priesthood is a divine institution. The Holy Apostle Paul testifies that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself appointed some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as shepherds and teachers, for the perfection of the saints, for the work of service, for the building up of the Body of Christ (Eph. 4:11-12).

The Apostles, according to the instructions of the Holy Spirit, performing this Sacrament, through the laying on of hands, elevated them to deacons, presbyters and bishops.

The election and ordination of the first deacons by the holy apostles themselves is spoken of in the book of the Acts of the Apostles: they were placed before the apostles, and these (the apostles), having prayed, laid their hands on them (Acts 6:6).

About the ordination of elders it is said: having ordained elders for each church, they (the apostles Paul and Barnabas) prayed with fasting and commended them to the Lord in whom they believed (Acts 14:23).

Sacrament of Anointing

Blessing of oil is a Sacrament in which, when anointing a sick person with consecrated oil (oil), the grace of God is invoked on the sick person to heal him from bodily and mental illnesses (in all weeks, except the first and last, of Great Lent, and for everyone who wants to cleanse the soul from sin ).

The Sacrament of Anointing is also called Unction, because several priests gather to perform it, although, if necessary, one priest can perform it.

This Sacrament originates from the apostles. Having received from the Lord Jesus Christ the power to heal all illness and disease during preaching, they anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

“Is any of you 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 forgive him, says the Apostle James.

The Blessing of Unction is not performed on infants, because an infant cannot consciously commit sins.

Bishop Alexander (Mileant)

Sacraments of the Church

Introduction

Sacrament of Penance

Sacrament of Communion

Sacrament of Marriage

Sacrament of Priesthood

Sacrament of Anointing

Conclusion

Introduction

INBy the will of God, all living things in nature are called to grow and develop. In the plant and animal world, this is carried out with the help of those elements, elements and means with which the Lord has enriched nature. Man, as a bearer of the image of God, must also grow, develop and improve - but not so much externally as internally, spiritually. And he also does this not on his own, but with the help of the special life-giving power of God, called By grace.

Everything that God has given to the Church is a conductor of His grace - His word in the Holy Scriptures, prayers, services, church singing, church art, the instructions of the holy saints of God... A special place among these grace-filled conductors is occupied by the so-called. sacraments. They were established either directly by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, or by His apostles. There are seven in total: baptism, confirmation, repentance, communion-Eucharist, marriage, priesthood and consecration of oil. Sacraments are a kind of heights in a long chain of hills of other services and prayers. Just as in a person the spiritual essence is hidden behind his physical shell, so in the sacraments, behind the visible and tangible sacred action, the gracious power of God acts invisibly and mysteriously. Words of blessing, accompanied by external sacred actions, are, as it were, spiritual vessels through which the grace of the Holy Spirit is drawn and given to members of the Church.

In this work we will briefly talk about the essence of each sacrament, how it was established, what is important in it and how it is performed.

Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation

WITHAmong the sacraments of the Church, the sacrament of Baptism comes first. It, as it were, serves as a door that introduces a person into the grace-filled Kingdom of Christ - the Church, which gives him access to all its spiritual treasures. Even before the establishment of Baptism, the Lord Jesus Christ, in His conversation with Nicodemus, pointed out its unconditional necessity, saying: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God: That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”(John 3:5-6). In other words, in his usual state a person is incapable of spiritual life - for this he needs to be born spiritually.

IN sacrament of Baptism, a believer in Christ, through three times immersion in water with the invocation of the name of the Most Holy Trinity - the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit - is washed from all his sins, is born with grace for the spiritual Christian life and becomes a member of the Kingdom of God.

Baptism was established by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who sanctified Him by His own example, having received Baptism from John on the Jordan River. Before His ascension to Heaven, the Lord commanded the apostles to baptize all who believed in Him: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”(Matt. 28:19).

To accept Baptism, faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, repentance of all sins and a firm intention to live according to the commandments of God are necessary.

The Orthodox Church allows the baptism of infants according to the faith of their parents and adoptees, with the condition that both of them undertake to raise the baptized person in the Orthodox faith and guide him in a truly Christian life. The gospel stories clearly testify to the fact that gifts of grace are given through the faith of others, for example: through the faith of a Roman centurion, the Lord healed his servant. When healing a paralytic, it is narrated how “Jesus, seeing their faith (who brought the sick man), said to the paralytic: child, your sins are forgiven you.”(Mark 2:5). According to the faith of the Canaanite mother, the Lord healed her daughter; etc. Therefore, adoptees and parents who neglect the sacred duty of raising a child in the Christian faith deprive him of the opportunity to know God from childhood and leave him defenseless in the face of all the temptations that await him in adulthood.

Sectarians condemn Orthodox Christians for performing sacraments on infants. But the basis for infant baptism is that baptism replaced the Old Testament circumcision, which was performed on eight-day-old infants. The Apostle Paul calls Christian baptism " circumcision made without hands"(Colossians 2:11-12).

Since at baptism a person receives, instead of his previous old existence, new life, becomes a child of God and an heir of eternal life, it is quite obvious that baptism is necessary for everyone, including infants, so that, while developing physically, they at the same time grew in spirit in Christ. The Lord Himself said: “Suffer the children to come to Me and do not forbid them, for to such is the kingdom of God.”(Luke 18:16). After all, infants, like adults, are involved in original sin and, therefore, have a need to be cleansed from it. The apostolic writings repeatedly mention the baptism of entire families (the house of Lydia, the house of the jailer, the house of Stephen (1 Cor. 1:16), and nowhere is it mentioned about the exclusion of infants in general baptism. The Fathers of the Church in their teachings insist on the baptism of children. St. Gregory the Theologian, addressing Christian mothers, says: “Do you have a baby? - Do not let the damage intensify over time; let him be sanctified in infancy and dedicated to the Spirit from youth. Are you afraid of the seal due to the weakness of human nature, like a cowardly and little-faithful mother? But Anna, even before his birth, promised Samuel to God, and after his birth, she soon dedicated and raised him for the sacred robe, not fearing human weakness, but believing in God."

Since baptism is a spiritual birth, and a person is born only once, then the sacrament of baptism is performed on a person only once: "One Lord, one faith, one baptism"(Eph. 4:4).

Baptism is not only a symbol of cleansing, it is the very beginning and source of all subsequent divine gifts, cleansing and destroying all sinful defilements and imparting new life. All sins, original and personal, are forgiven; the way is open for a new life; the opportunity to receive God's gifts is open. Further spiritual growth is based on the free aspiration of a person. But since the tempting principle often finds sympathy for itself in human nature, which has a tendency towards sin, moral improvement does not happen without struggle. A person receives grace-filled help in this struggle through the anointing of holy chrism.

Sacrament of Confirmation It is usually performed immediately after the sacrament of baptism, constituting one liturgical rite with it. In it, the newly baptized is given the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which strengthen him in the Christian life. About the gracious gifts of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ said: “Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, from his belly (from the inner center, the heart) will flow rivers of living water. This He said about the Spirit, which those who believed in Him were about to receive, for the Holy Spirit was not yet on them, because Jesus had not yet been glorified"(John 7:38-39). In the sacrament of confirmation, every believer participates in the miracle of Pentecost, when the apostles and other believers received the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul, meaning that believers receive gifts of grace precisely through anointing, writes: “Now He who established you and me in Christ and anointed us is God, who sealed us and gave a deposit of the Spirit into our hearts.”(2 Car. 1:21-22).

The gracious gifts of the Holy Spirit are necessary for every believer in Christ to successfully combat his weaknesses and the numerous temptations with which he is surrounded on all sides. In addition to the general gifts necessary for every Christian, there are also the so-called. extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are communicated to people who carry out special ministries in the Church, such as priests, preachers, prophets, apostles, and all well-intentioned rulers.

Initially, the apostles performed the sacrament of confirmation through the laying on of hands (Acts 8:14-17; 19:2-6). However, already in the middle of the first century this sacrament began to be performed through anointing with holy oil - peace. The motivation for this was the fact that with the spread of Christianity in many countries, the apostles and their successors were physically unable to lay their hands on each newly baptized person. There are many examples of the teaching of grace-filled gifts precisely through anointing with oil in the Old Testament sacred History (Ex. 29:7; Lev. 8:12; 1 Kings 10:1; 2 Kings 9:3; Ps. 133:2). Hence the very name “Messiah” or “Christ,” which in Greek means “anointed.”

Saints peace(previously it was written through “Izhitsa” - “ mvro") is a specially prepared and consecrated composition of fragrant substances and oil. The myrrh was consecrated first by the apostles, and then by their successors - bishops, as bearers of apostolic grace. The very anointing of believers is performed by presbyters (priests).

That the anointing is sanctified mvrom goes back to the apostles, as can be seen from the words of the Apostle Paul, who wrote: “Now He who established you and me in Christ and anointed us is God, who both sealed us and gave a deposit of the Spirit into our hearts.”(2 Cor. 1:21-22). The very perfect words of the sacrament Seal of the gift Holy Spirit closely related to this saying of the apostle, who writes: “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”(Eph. 4:30). The “day of deliverance” in the Holy Scriptures is called baptism; by “the sign of the Holy Spirit,” undoubtedly, we mean “the seal of the Holy Spirit,” which followed immediately after baptism.

When performing the sacrament, the following parts of the body of the believer are anointed with the holy orb in a cross shape: forehead, eyes, ears, mouth, chest, arms and legs - with the words pronounced: " Seal of the Gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen."

Notes:

Before the sacrament of Baptism is performed, the newborn is given a name (given) Name; usually in honor of one of God's holy saints. At the same time, the priest makes the sign of the cross over him three times and prays to the Lord to be merciful to this person and, upon joining the Holy Church through baptism, to make him a participant in eternal bliss.

When approaching Baptism, the priest prays to the Lord to expel from the person being baptized every evil and unclean spirit hidden and nesting in his heart, and to make him a member of the Church and heir to eternal bliss. The baptized person, for his part, renounces the devil and promises henceforth to serve only Christ alone. By reading the Creed, he confirms his faith in Jesus Christ as the only begotten Son of God and his Savior. When an infant is baptized, the renunciation of the devil and the reading of the Creed are pronounced on his behalf by the godparents, who are the guarantors for his faith. Then the priest prays to the Lord to consecrate the water in the font and, having driven away the devil from it, to make it a source of new and holy life for the person being baptized, while three times he makes the sign of the cross in the water, first with his hand, and then with consecrated oil, with which he also anoints the person being baptized as a sign God's mercy to him. After this, the priest immerses him in water three times, saying:

"God's servant being baptized(Name)in the name of the Father, amen, and the Son, amen, and the Holy Spirit, amen."

It is placed on the baptized white clothes And pectoral cross. The white robe serves as a sign of the purity of the soul after baptism and reminds him to continue to maintain this purity, and the cross serves as a sign that he has become a Christian.

Immediately after Baptism, the sacrament of Confirmation is performed. The priest anoints the baptized saint. peace, making the sign of the cross on different parts of the body and saying the words: " Seal (sign) of the gift of the Holy Spirit"At this time, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are invisibly given to the baptized person, with the help of which he grows and strengthens in spiritual life. The forehead, or forehead, is anointed with myrrh to sanctify the mind; eyes, ears, nostrils, lips - for the sanctification of feelings; chest - for sanctification of the heart; hands and feet - for the sanctification of deeds and behavior. Then walking around the font three times symbolizes “walking” in the commandments of Christ, by which the newly baptized person becomes like Him. The lit candles in their hands serve as a sign of spiritual enlightenment, and the cross-shaped cutting of the hair on the head of the baptized person is done. a sign of his dedication to the Lord.

Infant Baptism .

As has already been mentioned, all people, having descended from one person, inherited from him a nature damaged by original sin. This spiritual and moral damage, like a defective gene, is hereditarily transmitted from parents to their children. It is this sinful corruption that keeps all the unbaptized, on the one hand, in a state of spiritual inertia, and, on the other hand, makes them susceptible to any sin. The Apostle Paul wrote in great detail on this topic in his letter to the Romans. That is why, in principle, not only adults, but also children need spiritual treatment, which is given to people in the sacrament of Baptism. In this sacrament a double miracle is performed: a person is cleansed of all sins, including the original, and is born for a spiritual and moral life. Therefore, the earlier one is baptized, the better for a person. The fact that children are not yet able to consciously appreciate the presence of grace in themselves is another question. However, it cannot be denied that their childlike and innocent hearts are very receptive to everything Divine. No wonder the Lord said: “Suffer the children to come to Me and do not hinder them, for to such is the kingdom of heaven.” And “Unless you are converted and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”. In the light of these clear words of Christ, all objections to the baptism of children should fall away of themselves, and all reasoning on this subject should switch to the search for ways to do so that the grace of Baptism is most effectively entrenched in them.

Speaking about enrichment with spiritual treasures, it should be taken into account that the human soul is capable of perceiving not only what it is aware of and understands, but also what eludes its consciousness. Psychologists have long established the fact that a person accumulates most of his impressions and concepts in early childhood. This process of unconscious and semi-conscious perceptions continues throughout life.

When we stand in church, not all prayers and chants reach our consciousness. However, this does not mean that they pass without a trace. On the contrary, bypassing consciousness, they penetrate deeper into the heart, leaving their beneficial mark on it. The very spiritual atmosphere of the temple penetrates deeply into the heart, apart from our active participation. That is why, for example, foreigners, when they come to our services, feel spiritual uplift and enlightenment in the temple. Similarly, in relation to children, it should be said that the time will come when their unconsciously perceived sensations during home or temple prayer, accumulating somewhere deep in the soul, will bear their good fruit.

When Jesus Christ laid His hands on the children and blessed them, He not only expressed His affection for them, but His sanctifying Divine power actually descended into their pure souls. And not only from the Savior, but also from many others, such a good influence comes - from a serving priest, from a beautifully singing choir, from parents showing their children their love and affection - from everyone who carries sparks of His Light.

To what has been said, it should be added that in addition to consciously or unconsciously perceived impressions, in the sacrament of Baptism, as in all the services of the Church, the all-pervading grace of God invisibly acts. It is she who, more than our conscious effort, consolidates certain beneficial changes in the person being baptized.

Does something similar happen in everyday life? Do we consciously perceive the beneficial effects of solar warmth and light when we bask in the lap of nature? Don't sun and mud baths arranged for the sick and elderly have a healing effect on them, regardless of their consciousness? If we look closely at our lives, we will see that we receive a significant part of our spiritual content in addition to our active efforts. Moreover, the grace of God exerts its beneficial influence on us every time we come into contact with it - whether we realize it or not. This is why the baptism of newborns and children in general is beneficial and saving for them.

Only improper upbringing can weaken and, as it were, annul the benefit that children received in their Baptism. That is why it is so important to bring to the consciousness of both parents and recipients the need for Christian upbringing of children.

So, the whole atmosphere of Baptism, prayer, and sacred rites are always effective. To one degree or another, their beneficial effects penetrate the soul of the person being baptized and leave their mark there. The grace of God, received by a baby like a grain thrown into the ground, does not remain dead in him, but will sprout in due time and bear fruit.

Sacrament of Penance

Prepentance is called the second baptism, because it washes away from a person the filth of sins committed after baptism. In this sacrament the believer confesses, i.e. openly admits his sins before God and receives, through the priest, as a witness of confession, forgiveness of sins from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Even John the Baptist, preparing people to accept the Savior, preached "Baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And everyone was baptized by it in the Jordan River, confessing their sins"(Mark 1:4-5). The power to forgive sins was given by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who said to the apostles, and through them, the continuers of their work, bishops and priests: “Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you forgive, they will be forgiven; those whose sins you retain, they will remain.”(John 20:22-23). Having received authority to do this from the Lord, the Apostles everywhere performed the sacrament of repentance, as we read about this in the book of Acts: “Many of those who believed came, confessing and revealing their deeds.”(Acts 19:18).

To receive forgiveness of sins from the repentant, the following is required: reconciliation with all neighbors, sincere contrition for sins and their verbal confession, i.e. saying them out loud, with the firm intention of improving your life.

In some cases, a “penance” (in Greek, prohibition) is imposed on the penitent, consisting of pious deeds and some deprivations aimed at overcoming sinful habits.

When approaching the sacrament of Repentance, one must understand that it is important not only to realize one’s sinfulness, but it is also necessary set up your will to improve, desire and firmly decide to fight your bad inclinations. Conscious of himself as a sinner, the repentant asks God to help him become better and give him spiritual strength to fight temptations. Such heartfelt and sincere repentance is necessary so that the effectiveness of this sacrament extends not only to the removal of sins, but so that it enters into the open soul. grace healing, helping the believer to grow spiritually and strengthen.

The very act of expressing aloud one’s spiritual illnesses and failures before one’s confessor—confessing one’s sins—has the meaning that one overcomes pride, the main source of sins, and the feeling of hopelessness of one’s correction. Bringing sin to light already brings one closer to throwing it out of oneself.

He who approaches the sacrament of repentance prepares himself for it by the so-called shit, i.e. prayerful feat, fasting and self-deepening, with the goal of realizing one’s sinfulness and the need to consider the path to correction.

In the Sacrament of Repentance, the mercy of God comes to meet the repentant, testifying through the mouth of the shepherd-spiritualist that the Heavenly Father does not reject those who come to Him, just as He did not reject the prodigal son and the repentant publican. This evidence lies in the special words of permission pronounced by the priest over the penitent.

Notes

It is advisable to make confession in the evening, the day before Communion, or before the start Divine Liturgy, during the reading of the Hours. At confession, you don’t need to wait for the priest’s questions, but rather list your sins yourself. To do this, you need to prepare for confession at home: retire, collect your thoughts and carefully monitor your life. You must feel pain in your soul for every sinful act, repent of it from the bottom of your heart before God and think about how to correct your life. It’s good to write down your sins on a piece of paper and read them to your confessor during confession, so as not to forget anything.

Approaching confession, the penitent bows in front of the lectern and kisses the cross and the gospel lying on the lectern. We must speak frankly, without obscuring the ugliness of sins with general expressions (for example, “I have sinned in everything” or “I have sinned against the 7th commandment”). When confessing, it is necessary to avoid self-justification and attempts to bring “mitigating circumstances,” such as, for example, references to third parties who allegedly led us into sin. All this comes from pride and false shame.

At the end of confession, the priest places the stole on the bowed head of the penitent and reads a prayer of permission, asking God to forgive all his sins. Having kissed the cross, the confessor moves away from the lectern, taking a blessing from the priest.

A sign of repentance accepted by God is the feelings of peace, lightness and joy that a person experiences after confession.

Sacrament of Communion

CThe goal of our life is spiritual renewal. It is carried out not only by our efforts, but, in particular, by our mysterious union with the God-man Jesus Christ - the source of life. The sacrament in which this connection is carried out is called Communion, and it occurs during the Divine Liturgy, where the bread and wine in the chalice become the true Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord revealed the need to unite believers with Himself in a conversation about the Grapevine: “Just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it is in the vine, so neither can you unless you are in Me. I am the Vine, and you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him brings forth much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing"(John 15:46). He revealed the need for communion even more clearly in His conversation about the Heavenly Bread: “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. For My flesh is truly food, and My blood He is truly a drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him."(John 6:53-56).

The very method of performing this sacrament was established by the Lord Jesus Christ Last Supper - on the eve of His suffering on the cross. For the first time personally performing it, the Lord took bread and, thanking God the Father for all His mercies to the human race, broke it and gave it to the disciples, saying: “Take and eat: this is My Body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Then, taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to the apostles, saying: “Drink ye of it, all of you; for this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins.”(Matt. 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-24; 1 Cor. 11:23-25).

Having given communion to the apostles, the Lord commanded them: "Do this in remembrance of Me," - those. do this constantly, remembering Me and all that I have done to save people. According to this command, the sacrament of Communion is constantly celebrated in the Church and will be celebrated until the end of time during the divine service called Liturgy, during which bread and wine by the power and action of the Holy Spirit are transformed, or transubstantiated, into the true Body and true Blood of Christ. The sacrament of communion is also called Eucharist, which means "thanksgiving" in Greek, because thanksgiving God is the main content of the prayers of this service.

The first Christians received communion every Sunday, which was then called “the Lord's Day.” However, over time, the zeal of Christians began to decline, and now the majority receive communion once or several times a year, which, of course, is very sad, because union with the Lord is a powerful source spiritual renewal And internal forces for the believer.

However, more frequent communion should not be a reason for losing reverence for this greatest Sacrament. It should always be approached with appropriate preparation: cleansing the conscience from sins, prayer and spiritual composure.

Note

The bread for Communion is used alone, since all believers in Christ constitute one His body, the head of which is Christ Himself. “There is one bread, and we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of one bread,” - says the Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 10:17). The very name of bread in the Gospel is artos- says that this is not unleavened bread(matza), namely bread prepared with yeast. The wine for Communion should be dark red, reminiscent of blood.

In apostolic times, Christians received communion every sunday. Over time, such zeal began to weaken, so that in modern practice, believers receive communion much less often. In principle, you should take communion more often. It is good to take communion five times a year: on the day of remembrance of your saint and once during each of the four fasts. Some confessors advise taking communion on the twelve feasts, days of great saints, and patronal feasts. Under the guidance and blessing of a spiritual mentor, the laity can receive communion even more often. But, in this case, we must try not to lose that feeling of reverence and fear of God, which we should always experience when approaching the Chalice.

Preparation for Communion usually lasts several days and concerns both the physical and spiritual life of a person. During periods of fasting, which usually occur during multi-day fasts (Great, Nativity, Apostolic and Assumption), one should refrain from modest food (meat and dairy products), from physical pleasures and all sorts of excesses, trying to remain in prayerful communion with God. Whenever possible, we should try to attend temple services.

When fasting occurs outside the fasts established by the Church, the Christian must at least observe fasting days - Wednesdays and Fridays - and again, for several days, abstain from excesses and physical pleasures. A Christian must intensify his prayer, read books of spiritual content, reflect on God and try to remain in communion with Him. Before Communion, it is necessary to repent of your sins and confess to your confessor in order to prepare your soul for the worthy reception of the great Guest.

On the eve of Communion, in addition to evening prayers, you should read the canon for Holy Communion at home. The clergy and the most zealous of the laity also read the canon to the Savior, or the penitential canon, the canons of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Guardian Angel. After midnight, no eating or drinking is allowed (and, of course, no smoking). On the morning of Communion, after morning prayers, prayers for Holy Communion should be read. After communion you should read thanks prayers printed in the prayer book.

Sacrament of Marriage

WITHThe family is the main “cell” of human society. If families begin to break up, then the state breaks up with them. From the point of view of Christianity, each family is a “small church” in which members of the Church of Christ grow and are formed. Therefore, it is quite understandable how much attention the apostles and their successors always paid to the family and cared about its unity and strength.

To bless the new family, the Church established the sacrament of Marriage. At this sacrament, the bride and groom promise before God to remain mutually faithful and love each other. The priest, in special prayers, asks them for the grace of God for living together, for mutual help and unanimity, and for the blessed birth and Christian upbringing of children.

Marriage was established by God in heaven. After the creation of Adam and Eve, God blessed them and said : "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it"(Gen. 1:28). Jesus Christ sanctified marriage by His presence at the wedding in Cana of Galilee and confirmed its divine institution, saying: "He who created (God) in the beginning created man and woman them (Gen. 1:27). And he said, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”(Gen. 2:24) so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. And so what God has joined together, let no man put asunder."(Matt. 19:4-6).

The Apostle Paul, explaining the importance of the Divine institution of marriage, adds: "This mystery is great," and likens the relationship between husband and wife to the union between Christ and His Church (Eph. 5:31-32). This union is based on the love of Christ for the Church and on the complete devotion of the Church to the will of her Savior. Therefore, a husband must selflessly love his wife, and a wife must respect her husband and support him as the head and leader of the family.

"Husbands"- says the Apostle Paul, - “love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her... he who loves his wife loves himself... Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church, and He is the Savior of the body."(Eph. 5:22-23). Therefore, spouses are obliged to maintain mutual love and respect, mutual devotion and fidelity. A good Christian family life is a source of personal and social good. The family is the basis not only of society, but also of the Church of Christ. In a healthy family, future members of society and pious Christian believers are formed.

The sacrament of marriage is not necessary for everyone. However, persons who voluntarily remain celibate are required to pure and immaculate life, which, according to the teaching of the Word of God, is higher than marriage, and is one of the greatest feats (Matt. 19:11-12; 1 Cor. 7:8-40).

Notes

The marriage service begins with the so-called. engagement. The groom stands on the right side, and the bride stands on the left. The priest blesses them three times and places lighted candles in their hands as a sign of marital love blessed by the Lord. After praying to God to grant all blessings and graces to the betrothed and to preserve and unite them in peace and unanimity, the priest blesses them with wedding rings. The bride and groom wear rings as a sign of the inviolability of the marital union they want to enter into.

Betrothal follows wedding, which takes place in the middle of the church in front of the lectern on which the cross and the gospel lie. At the same time, the priest prays to the Lord to bless the marriage and send His heavenly grace to those entering into it. As a visible sign of this grace, he places crowns on them, and then blesses them three times, saying: " Lord our God, crown me with glory and honor!"(i.e., bless them). The read message of the Apostle Paul speaks about the importance of the sacrament of marriage and the mutual responsibilities of husband and wife, and in the gospel - about how the Lord Jesus Christ blessed the marriage with His presence in Cana of Galilee, It is their first miracle. Those married drink wine from the same cup as a sign that from now on they should live unanimously, sharing their joys and sorrows together. Their three-time walk around the lectern with the Gospel reminds them that their entire family life. must be built on the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ as set out in the Gospel.

Mixed marriage, i.e. the marriage of an Orthodox Christian with a non-Orthodox one (or vice versa) is permitted in cases where the other party belongs to one of the traditional Christian denominations that recognizes the basic Christian dogmas, for example, about the Holy Trinity, about the Divinity of Jesus Christ, etc. In the case of a mixed marriage, the non-Orthodox person makes a promise that the children born from this marriage will be baptized and raised in the Orthodox faith.

Indissolubility of marriage . The Church only in exceptional cases gives consent to the dissolution of a marriage, mainly when it has already been desecrated by adultery or destroyed by life circumstances (for example, the long-term unknown absence of one of the spouses). Entering into a second marriage, for example, after the death of a husband or wife, is permitted. However, prayers for second marriages are no longer so solemn and are of a penitential nature. The third marriage is tolerated only as a lesser evil in order to avoid a greater evil - debauchery (explanation of St. Basil Vel).

Sacrament of Priesthood

INIn the sacrament of the Priesthood, or ordination, recognized by the Church, a worthy candidate is ordained as a bishop, presbyter or deacon and receives the grace of the Holy Spirit for the sacred service of the Church of Christ.

Priestly service in the Church is especially blessed: since it involves standing before the Lord in prayer for the whole people; and offering to God at the Divine Liturgy a bloodless Sacrifice on behalf of all believers; and guidance of the souls of people on the path to the Kingdom of Heaven; and tending God's flock, following the example of the Lord Jesus Christ, who said: “I am the good shepherd, and I know Mine, and Mine know Me... The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep...” And if in every good deed we ask for God’s blessing and help, then, even more so, when entering a lifelong pastoral ministry, God’s grace should be invoked, blessing this feat, promoting and strengthening the future shepherd. The blessing is bestowed upon the one who begins to accept the gift of the priesthood, through ordination from the bishop, who himself bears, by succession, the grace of the priesthood, through the prayer of the council of clergy and all the people present at the service.

Holy Scripture gives direct and clear indications that ordination to the priesthood is a message special blessing gift, without which this service is impossible.

There are three degrees of priesthood: deacon, presbyter (priest) and bishop (bishop). Dedicated to deacon receives the grace of service during the performance of the sacraments, consecrated in priest receives the grace to perform the sacraments, and the one initiated into bishop, in addition, he receives the grace to dedicate others to perform the sacraments.

The sacrament of the priesthood is a divine institution, as the apostle testifies. Paul, when he says that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself “He appointed some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some shepherds and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ.”(Eph. 4:11-12).

On the election and ordination of St. the apostles of the first deacons says in the book of the Acts of the Apostles: “They [the men chosen by the people] were placed before the apostles, and these [the apostles] prayed and laid their hands on them.”(Acts 6:6). Regarding the ordination of elders it is said: “Having ordained elders for them in every church, they [the apostles Paul and Barnabas] prayed with fasting and commended them to the Lord in whom they believed.”(Acts 14:23).

In the epistles to Timothy and Titus, whom St. Paul appointed bishops, it says: “I remind you [Bishop Timothy] to warm up the Gift of God, which is in you through my ordination.”(1 Tim. 1:6). “For this reason I appointed you [Bishop Titus] in Crete, so that you would complete what was unfinished and install presbyters in all the cities, as I commanded you.”(Tit. 1:5). Instructing Bishop Timothy to be careful when elevating new candidates to the priesthood, he writes: “Do not lay your hands on anyone hastily, and do not become a participant in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.”(1 Tim. 5:22). On the moral qualities of candidates for the sacred degrees of ap. Pavel writes: "But the bishop must be blameless... Deacons must be honest..."(1 Tim. 3:2, 8).

From these and other passages of the New Testament Scripture it is clear that both the apostles and their successors, firstly, everywhere looked for candidates for various sacred degrees, and, secondly, that they performed the sacrament of the Priesthood by the laying on of hands.

Notes

The Sacrament of the Priesthood is celebrated at the altar, at the throne during the bishop's service of the Liturgy. Deacons and priests are ordained by one bishop, and bishops are consecrated by a council of bishops, at least two.

Dedication to deacons performed at the Liturgy after the consecration of the gifts, which shows that the deacon does not receive the right to perform the sacraments; V priests they consecrate at the “liturgy of the faithful” after the “great coming out,” so that the initiate, as having received the proper grace for this, takes part in the consecration of the gifts; V bishops they consecrate during the “Liturgy of the Catechumens” after the “Little Entrance,” which shows that the bishop is given the right to consecrate others to various sacred degrees.

The most important action during initiation is the bishop’s laying on of hands with the invocation of the grace of the Holy Spirit on the one being initiated, and therefore this initiation is called ordination, or in Greek, consecration.

Anyone ordained as a deacon or priest is introduced into the altar through the royal doors. After walking around the throne three times and kissing its corners, he bows before it. The bishop covers his head with the end of his omophorion, makes the sign of the cross three times and, placing his hand on it, proclaims out loud that this person “Divine grace... will ordain (that is, produce through ordination) a deacon (or presbyter) Let us therefore pray for him, that the grace of the All-Holy Spirit may come upon him." On the choir they sing in Greek: "TO And rie ate e Eason"("Lord, have mercy"). When placing on the ordained person the sacred vestments corresponding to his rank, the bishop exclaims: “Axios!” (Worthy"), and this “axios” is repeated by all the clergy and choristers. After vesting, the clergy of the degree to which the ordained one belongs kiss the newly ordained one as their brother, and he takes part with them in the further course of the Liturgy.

In almost the same way, consecration as a bishop occurs, with the only difference that the one being ordained, before the beginning of the Liturgy in the middle of the church, pronounces out loud the confession of the Orthodox faith and the promise to carry out his service properly according to the law, and after the “small entrance,” during the singing of the “trisagion,” is brought to the altar and kneels before the throne; when the bishop who takes precedence in the service then reads the prayer of dedication, then all the bishops, in addition to laying their hands on the dedicatee, also hold the open Gospel above his head with the letters facing down.

In modern practice, for a bishop celibacy necessarily, although in the first centuries of Christianity many bishops were married and had children. The custom of celibacy for bishops was strengthened after the 6th Ecumenical Council. As for priests and deacons, the Church decided not to place such a mandatory burden on them, but to follow the ancient rule, forbidding clergy to marry after receiving their ordination, but allowing persons already related by marriage to the sacrament of the priesthood, and even considering this as the norm . Those who are second-married, as well as those who have a wife in their second marriage, cannot be ordained. In the Roman Church in the 4th-6th centuries, celibacy also began to be introduced for priests and deacons. This innovation was rejected by the 6th Ecumenical Council, but the resolution of the Council was ignored by the popes.

Protestants rejected the sacrament of the Priesthood. Their pastors are elected and appointed by ordinary people, but they do not receive any special grace-filled consecration and, in this sense, are no different from the ordinary members of their communities. Historically, this is explained by the protest directed against the abuse of their rights by the Latin clergy at the end of the Middle Ages. Having rejected the priesthood, Protestants deprived themselves and the grace-filled sacraments of the Church, as a result of which, in their public prayers, only the Last Supper is remembered, but there is no real communion of the Body and Blood of Christ.

Sacrament of Anointing (Unction)

INAt the Blessing of Oil, when a sick person is anointed with consecrated oil, the grace of God is invoked upon him to heal him from physical and mental illnesses. This sacrament is also called unction, because several priests gather to perform it (a “council”), although, if necessary, one priest can perform it. This sacrament originates from the apostles. Having received from the Lord Jesus Christ the power to heal all sickness and disease during preaching, they "Many sick people were anointed with oil and healed"(Mark 6:13). The Apostle James speaks in particular detail about this sacrament: “Is any of you sick, let him call the elders of the Church, and let them pray for him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will heal the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they will forgive him.”(James 5:14-15).

The holy apostles did not preach anything on their own, but taught only what the Lord commanded them and inspired by the Holy Spirit. Ap. Pavel says: “I declare to you, brothers, that the gospel which I preached to you is not that of men, for I received it and learned it, not from men, but through the revelation of Jesus Christ.”(Gal. 1:11-12).

The visible side of the sacrament is that the clergy successively anoint the sick person with oil seven times. The anointing is accompanied by prayers and the reading of established passages from the Apostle and the Gospel. During the anointing itself, the prayer is said seven times: “Holy Father, physician of souls and bodies, having sent Your only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who heals every ailment and delivers from death, heal also Your servant (name of the rivers)..."

Notes

Before the beginning of the Unction, a small vessel with oil is placed in a dish with wheat, as a sign of God’s mercy, and red wine is added to the oil in imitation of the “merciful Samaritan” and as a reminder of the blood of Christ shed on the cross; Around the vessel, lighted wax candles are placed in wheat, and between them - seven sticks with cotton wool at the end for anointing the patient seven times. Lighted candles are distributed to all those present. After the prayer for the consecration of the oil and that, by the grace of God, it may serve the sick for the healing of mental and physical infirmities, seven selected passages from the apostolic books and seven gospel narratives are read. After reading each Gospel, the priest anoints the sick person’s forehead, cheeks, chest, and hands with a cross, saying at the same time a prayer to the Lord, so that He, as a doctor of souls and bodies, would heal His sick servant from bodily and mental infirmities. After the seventh anointing, the priest opens the Gospel and, holding it with the letters down, places it on the head of the sick person, reading a prayer for the forgiveness of sins. Here, for the sick, a host of His servants stand before the Lord and with the prayer of faith on behalf of the entire Church begs Him, the most merciful, to grant the weak remission of sins and cleanse him from all filth. It also means that a person who is exhausted in body and soul is not always able to make proper confession of his sins; this relief of conscience of the one receiving the sacrament of anointing opens the way for the grace-filled healing of him from any bodily ailment.

In some churches, with the participation of the bishop, a special rite of blessing of oil is sometimes performed over many persons at the same time. This is usually done towards the end of Lent.

Conclusion

ANDThus, each of the sacraments brings its own special gift to our soul. In the sacrament of Baptism, the seed of a holy life is laid in us, which we must grow in ourselves; in the sacrament of Confirmation we are given grace-filled help for spiritual growth and for fighting temptations; in the sacrament of Repentance we receive forgiveness and cleansing of sins committed after baptism; in the sacrament of Communion we receive Divine life into ourselves, partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ; in the sacrament of the Blessing of Anointing we receive healing from internal and external ailments, especially from poorly repented or forgotten sins; in the sacrament of Marriage, family life is sanctified, God’s blessing is brought down on the birth and Christian upbringing of children; in the sacrament of the Priesthood, the power is given to be a man of prayer for others, a performer of the sacraments, and a leader in spiritual life.

Anyone who approaches the sacraments with faith and reverence actually feels in his soul an influx of spiritual strength and a clear change produced by the touch of the grace of the Holy Spirit on it. A fire flares up in the soul, peace descends on it, confusion and disorder of feelings subsides. A person is determined to love God and neighbors and live for good.

Let us remember this mercy of God given to us in the sacraments of the Church, and let us approach them with strong faith, hope and gratitude to our Savior!

Gospel- good news.
Gospel- biography of Jesus Christ; books revered as sacred in Christianity that teach the divinity of Jesus Christ, his birth, life, miracles, death, resurrection and ascension.

57. Apostles –12 disciples and followers of Jesus Christ, chosen to bring his Teaching to the peoples.

Evangelists(bringing good news) - A) apostles, authors of the four canonical Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. B) followers of the Evangelical Church - an association of Protestant churches that arose on the basis of Lutheranism.

58. Cult in Christianity, as the Christian church became established, it gradually became more complex, borrowing many elements from ancient cults, reworking them, adapting them to the Christian doctrine. Thus, Christianity included elements of the Jewish cult and ritual actions of the Greco-Roman religions, which received new content and new understanding.

Subsequently, throughout the history of Christianity, the cult changed, appearing in different forms in different Christian directions. In the Catholic and Orthodox cults, a significant role is played by richly decorated churches, the entire furnishings of which should have an emotional impact on believers, long services, religious sacraments, rituals, fasts, holidays, the cult of the cross, “saints” and relics. Each of these elements has its own special purpose and performs its own service role.

The most important components of the Christian cult these are 7 sacraments.

59.Sacraments - the main Christian rituals, during which, through visible actions, a person invisibly acquires divine grace.

7 Christian sacraments:

1. Baptism - a person becomes a Christian, washes away his original sin and other sins.

2. Confirmation - sanctification of a person by anointing him with an aromatic mixture (mirror), which is applied in a cross shape (“Seal of the Holy Spirit”)

3. Eucharist / communion / communion - under the guise of bread and wine, a person receives the flesh and blood of Christ, during which believers, according to Christian doctrine, join Christ.

4. Confession/repentance - the believers revealing their sins to God in the presence of a priest and receiving “absolution of sins” in the name of Christ

5.Marriage/wedding – the union of the souls of a man and a woman for friendship and the birth of children.

6.Priesthood/ordination - initiation into the clergy.

7. Blessing of oil - anointing a seriously ill or dying person to improve health or guide the soul and in order to forgive sins.

60.Easter in Judaism (passover): celebrated in honor of the “exodus” of the Jews from Egypt, marks the beginning of the existence of the Jews as a nation.

Easter in Christianity: the main holiday in honor of the resurrection of Jesus Christ

61. Schism of the Christian Church in 1054, also the Great Schism - a church schism, after which the final division of the Church took place: the Roman Catholic Church in the West and the Orthodox Church in the East, with its center in Constantinople.

During its formation in the 2nd-4th centuries, it was divided into a number of dioceses - church-administrative territories governed by bishops. The political, economic and national-cultural specifics of the regions caused inter-diocesan disputes. The situation was aggravated by the struggle of the clergy for power and the impossibility of accepting a single rite of worship. This schism had been brewing for several centuries. In 867, Pope Nicholas I and Patriarch Photius of Constantinople publicly cursed each other. And in the 11th century. enmity flared up with renewed vigor, and in 1054 the final split in Christianity occurred.

Protestantism as an ideology and international historical force took shape in the 16th century, when Martin Luther and Jean Calvin led a mass movement against the spiritual monopoly of Catholicism. Protestantism is one of the main trends in Christianity, which broke away from Catholicism during the Reformation (ideological confrontation within the church) in the 16th century. Unites many independent churches and sects (Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anglican Church, Baptists, Adventists, etc.).

Three main branches of Christianity : Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism.

The most important differences between the 3 branches of Christianity:

Orthodoxy	Catholicism	Protestantism
Difference in creed
Worship the Holy Trinity (God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit)		They do not recognize the Trinity; they worship Jesus Christ.
They believe in heaven and hell	They believe in heaven, hell and Purgatory - an intermediate place of temporary residence of the soul until the Last Judgment.	They believe in the coming heaven on earth, and hell is fiery Gehenna.
Only the Immaculate Conception of Jesus Christ is recognized; cult of the Virgin Mary.	Immaculate Conception of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary; cult of Mary as the Most Pure Virgin.	They do not recognize the Immaculate Conception; no worship of Mary.
Christ cannot have earthly substitutes	The Pope is Christ's vicar on earth.	They do not recognize the authority of the popes.
They recognize remission of sins solely as a result of repentance.	Because the church has a surplus of holiness, it can give indulgences.	They do not recognize the absolution of sins by anyone, especially in the form of indulgences.
Differences in worship and worship.
Divine service (liturgy) - once a day in accordance with the strict canon.	The liturgy is conducted in accordance with the canon, can be served several times a day, and is accompanied by a sermon.	Instead of liturgy - a sermon.
During the service they stand	During worship they sit	Behavior is not regulated.
Cult images are only picturesque.	Cult images, sculptural and pictorial	Neither temples nor religious images are recognized.
Rich symbolism; the main symbol is the cross.		Symbols are not recognized.
Cult of saints		They do not recognize the cult of saints.
7 sacraments		2 sacraments: baptism and communion
The sacrament of repentance is an internal cleansing of the soul; the priest does not question, does not condemn, but only forgives sin.	The sacrament of repentance is an external investigation and judgment of the sinner; the priest examines the sin in detail and assigns punishment - penance, and only after this the sin can be forgiven.
Make the sign of the cross with 3 fingers.	Make the sign of the cross with 5 fingers.	They don't get baptized.
Differences in Church Organization.
OK. 500 million followers	OK. 1.2 billion followers	OK. 500 million followers.
Consists of 15 autocephalous churches.	It is a centralized organization headed by the Pope.	Several dozen large churches and several hundred denominations and sects.
The clergy is divided into black (monastic) and white, who have the right to marry.	All clergy take a vow of celibacy.	No clergy; the congregation is led by an elected pastor.
Institute of Monasticism and Hermitage.	Institute of monasticism: several dozen orders (Jesuits, Franciscans, Dominicans)	They do not recognize the institution of monasticism.
A woman cannot become a clergyman, only a nun		In some denominations, a woman can become a pastor.

62. Vladimir carried out two religious reforms: reformation of paganism and conversion to Christianity. The first boiled down to the fact that Vladimir selected from a huge number of pagan gods several main ones, among which Perun was at the head, Stribog, Dazhbog, Makosh. Khors and Semargl were also included. This reform, however, turned out to be insufficient, since for the early feudal state, such as Kiev at that time, the establishment of a monotheistic religion was already required, which best sanctified the power of the Grand Duke. There were three such religions in Kyiv: Christianity, Islam, Judaism. Vladimir, like Princess Olga, had to decide the question of which Christianity to accept - Western or Eastern. He had to resolve this issue under conditions of strong diplomatic pressure, both from Rome and from Constantinople. For centuries, Kyiv communicated with Constantinople, ties with the West were weaker, so preference was given to Eastern Christianity.

The Baptism of Rus' closely introduced it not only into the family of Christian Slavic states, but also into the entire system of Christian countries of Europe with their cultural achievements. Russian culture has been enriched by the achievements of the countries of the Middle East, which have deep historical traditions, and, of course, the cultural treasures of Byzantium. Rus' benefited from the alliance with Byzantium, but at the same time, Rus' continued to have to constantly resist the political and church claims of the Byzantine Empire, which sought to subordinate Rus' to its supremacy. Nevertheless, Vladimir, the baptist of Rus', felt his power was full-fledged among other Christian peoples of the world.

63. Autocephaly- the independent status of the Local Orthodox Church, headed by a bishop in the rank of patriarch, or archbishop, or metropolitan.

There are currently 15 autocephalous churches: Constantinople, Alexandria (Egypt and some African countries), Antioch (Syria and Lebanon), Jerusalem, Russian, Georgian, Serbian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Cypriot, Greek, Albanian, Polish, Czechoslovakian, American.

64.Split between the Russian and Ukrainian autocephalous churches: At the beginning of the 20th century. from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, Rev. part of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church broke away. Since there was a violation of the Church Charter, the UAOC was not recognized. With Ukraine gaining independence, the UAOC received full support from the authorities, and in 1992 it again declared its separation from the mother Church. In the same year, as a result of the unification of two church groups - part of the AUOC and part of the Orthodox who did not belong to it - the independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate was organized. There are currently three churches in Ukraine that call themselves Orthodox - the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. In addition, there is also the Greek Catholic Church.

65. Uniate (Greek Catholic) Church in Ukraine:Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), Uniate church organization. It arose as a result of the conclusion of the Brest Union (union) in 1596, and finally took shape in Lviv in 1700. The terms of the union provided that Orthodox believers and clergy preserve traditional rituals and the language of worship, but recognize the authority of the pope and papal dogma. To the west In the lands of Ukraine, including Transcarpathia, which for many years were under Catholic rule, the UGCC gradually took root and became traditional for most of the population. In 1945, the UGCC had over 4 thousand temple chapels, 1771 parishes, a Theological Academy and theological schools. The church was involved in charity work and paid a lot of attention to the preservation of Ukrainian culture. In 1946, the Lviv Council of the UGCC was convened, at which, under pressure from the state, a decision was made on the “self-liquidation” of the church and the transfer of believers to the Moscow Patriarchate. Until 1990, existing on the territory of the West. Ukrainian Greek Catholics - bishops, priests and monks - were in an illegal position. Greek Catholic believers (about 4 million people) either performed joint prayers in private houses and apartments, or were forced to visit churches of the Moscow Patriarchate.

In Feb. 1990UKHC acquired official status. Currently in the West. In Ukraine, the overwhelming majority of churches that belonged to the Moscow Patriarchate after 1946 returned to the UGCC, and the return of churches took place with numerous scandals; with the connivance of the authorities, churches were taken by force from the Orthodox. These events led to a serious complication in the relations of the Moscow Patriarchate with the Roman Catholic Church.

66. Heresy- dissent, false doctrine, opposing officially recognized canons and dogmas. Condemned by the Orthodox Church.

Heretic - adherent of ceresy.

In the Roman Catholic Churchcarried out the fight against heresy Holy Inquisition.

67. Indulgence- a papal charter issued for money or special merits to the Catholic Church; certificate of remission of sins committed or not yet committed.

68.Vatican– a) since 1870, the official residence of the Popes – named after one of the 7 hills on which Rome is located. b) the only church state in the world, territorially located in the center of Rome, created in 1929 by an agreement between the government of Mussolini and Pope Pius 11.

69. Indulgence - in Catholicism, a papal letter of remission of committed and even uncommitted sins, issued for money or special merits to the church. The ideological confrontation within the Church itself was called the Reformation—that is, reformation, renewal from within. Beginning with the teachings of the English reformer John Wycliffe, the Reformation movement reached its peak with the work of Mattin Luther. In 1517, the Augustinian monk Martin Luther began to openly express views that did not coincide with the official point of view of the Church to which he belonged, just as the next spread of indulgences began. Then he posted “Theses” on the temple gates, in which he expressed his disagreement with the Catholic Church on 95 points. Of course the pope accused him of heresy. Luther's supporters protested, after which they began to be called Protestants.

The word “sacrament” has several meanings in Holy Scripture:

1. A deep, intimate thought, thing or action.

2. The divine economy of salvation of the human race, which is depicted as a mystery, incomprehensible to anyone, even to angels.

3. The special action of God's providence in relation to believers, by virtue of which the invisible grace of God is communicated to them in the visible.

In relation to church rites, the word “sacrament” includes the first, second, and third concepts.

In a broad sense, everything performed in the Church is a sacrament.

This applies not only to the services performed by priests, but also to the lives of parishioners - believers who make up the Church as the body of Christ. A person’s appeal to God, prayer, and the divine answer that everyone who prays with all his heart necessarily receives is an incomprehensible mystery. But the life of believers is filled with this mystery, they are immersed in it again and again, and come out of this experience different - comforted in suffering, filled with spiritual strength and joy. Throughout his life, a person learns to understand what God tells him - in signs or symbols, in random encounters, in the words of church hymns, in books and films, in the events of the surrounding life.

Even the fact that someone suddenly thought about faith, stopped, and looked into the church by chance, is undoubtedly God’s providence for this person. The entire chain of circumstances due to which a person finds himself on the threshold of a temple, accepts into his inner world something unknown, completely unusual - is nothing more than the action of God in an individual human life.

The apostles write about this, the first Christians understood this very well, in the works of Christian Saints - teachers of the Church and saints of God, the idea is conveyed with particular strength and clarity that the whole life of a person in following Christ is an unthinkable and great mystery.

In the ancient Church there was no special term for the sacraments as a separate category of ecclesiastical actions. The concept misterion was used first in the broader and more general sense of “the mystery of salvation,” and only in a second, additional meaning was it used to designate private actions that bestow grace, that is, the sacraments themselves. Thus, by the word sacrament, the Holy Fathers understood everything that relates to the Divine economy of our salvation.

In subsequent centuries, the Christian tradition, which developed in theological schools by the 15th century, distinguishes from the many grace-filled church rites the seven sacraments themselves: Confirmation, Communion, Repentance, Priesthood, Marriage, Blessing of Anointing.

The sacraments are characterized by the following mandatory properties:

1. The sacraments are instituted by God

2. In the sacrament, the power of God descends on a person - invisible grace

3. The sacrament is performed through visible and understandable sacred rites

External actions (“visible image”) do not have meaning in themselves; they are intended for the person approaching the sacrament. This is explained by the fact that by nature man needs visible means to perceive the invisible power of God.

Three sacraments are mentioned directly in the Gospel - Communion and Repentance. Indications about the Divine origin of other sacraments can be found in the Acts and Apostolic Epistles, as well as in the works of the teachers of the Church of the first centuries of Christianity (St. Justin Martyr, St. Clement of Alexandria, St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Origen, Tertullian, St. Cyprian, etc.)

In each sacrament, the believer is given a specific gift of grace:

1. Grace is given to a person, freeing him from his previous sins and sanctifying him.

2. B Sacrament of Confirmation the believer, when parts of the body are anointed with the Holy Myrrh, is given grace, putting him on the path of spiritual life.

3. B Sacrament of Penance he who confesses his sins, with a visible expression of forgiveness from the priest, receives grace that frees him from his sins.

4. B The Sacrament of Communion (Eucharist) the believer receives the grace of deification through union with Christ.

5. B The Sacrament of Anointing when anointing the body with oil (oil), the sick person is given the grace of God, healing mental and physical infirmities.

6. B Sacrament of Marriage spouses are given grace that sanctifies their union (in the image of the spiritual union of Christ with the Church), as well as the birth and Christian upbringing of children.

7. B Sacrament of Priesthood Through hierarchical ordination (ordination), the rightly chosen one from among the believers is given the grace to perform the Sacraments and shepherd the flock of Christ.

The sacraments of the Orthodox Church are divided into those obligatory for all Christians:

Baptism, Confirmation, Repentance, Communion and Blessing of Unction, and the optional ones are the sacraments of Marriage and Priesthood. In addition, there are repeated sacraments - Repentance, Communion, Blessing of Unction, and under certain conditions - Marriage; and non-repeatable, these include Baptism, Confirmation and Priesthood.