Bowing down how to do it. Prayer with an earthly bow

Our article will acquaint you with interesting information about holy water. You will learn how to sanctify, preserve and receive it correctly.

Our ancestors considered holy water a gift from God and treated it very carefully. After it was consecrated, they collected it in a clean dish and stored it in a red coal.

With her help, they cured various diseases, restored their state of mind and protected their homes and households from the evil eye. Modern man is less superstitious, but still continues to believe in the miraculous properties of holy water.

Why is water called holy?

Water becomes holy the moment the Spirit of God enters it. Consequently, it turns into healing when the priest begins to read a certain prayer over it, or on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

It is believed that on this day the water in all rivers, lakes and wells changes its usual structure, becoming life-giving. Most believers believe that it does not lose its properties for quite a long time, so for Baptism they try to stock up on it for the whole next year.

The great power of holy water, healing and beneficial properties: a scientific explanation

Modern scientists are also interested in the phenomenon of Epiphany water, so they decided to investigate it as thoroughly as possible. Studies have shown that its properties are very different from the liquid taken before the holiday. Since the night of Christmas Eve, the amount of positive energy in it sharply increases, it becomes cleaner and, most importantly, substances useful to the human body appear in it.

Scientists believe that this is why holy water has a great positive effect on the body. By consuming it, people simply enrich their bodies with natural minerals that help eliminate toxins and toxins from the body. This leads to the fact that a person begins to feel stronger and more cheerful.

Why doesn't holy water get spoiled?

We all know that the healing properties of water appear after the ritual of consecration. The priests charge it with positive energy, thereby preventing its particles from being destroyed. In addition, church water is disinfected with silver ions, and all this together allows it to remain clean and tasty for a fairly long period of time.

How to get holy water in a church?

In principle, you can collect holy water in any temple and on any day. For this, it is not necessary to wait for the Baptism of the Lord. You can quite easily go to church at a time convenient for you and ask the priest to consecrate it for you. After he reads a prayer over it, you can collect it in a clean glass container and take it home.

Believe me, such water will have the same qualities as Epiphany water. If you accept it with strong faith in God, then it can also heal your body and soul.

How to make holy water at home?

If you do not have the opportunity to go to the church for water, then try to consecrate it at home. To do this, first pray sincerely to God and ask for his blessings. Then take a clean container and go to collect water. If possible, try to find a well or spring. After bringing it home, pray to God again and only then begin the process of consecration.

To do this, place a container of water in front of you, bend over slightly over it and read a special prayer. After that, cross the jar and cover it with a lid. If you do all this with faith in God's blessing, then the water will absorb positive energy and become holy.

Can you drink holy water and how to drink it properly at home?

You can and should drink holy water. This healing liquid will help you improve your internal state, relieve you of diseases and even rejuvenate your body. And although it is believed that you can drink it only in the morning and on an empty stomach, there are times when you have to resort to its help at other times of the day.

Therefore, if you need to get rid of, for example, a headache that suddenly appears, then take it in the evening. The only thing that you should always remember is that it is advisable to drink the healing liquid on an empty stomach and always take three sips.

Can you drink holy water just like that every day?

Holy water is a shrine, therefore, it is necessary to treat it accordingly. And this means that it is absolutely impossible to replace ordinary drinking water with it. Priests consider this a very great sin and warn their parishioners against such actions. Therefore, it will be better if you use it only in case of urgent need.

For example, if you need to ease the course of an illness or protect yourself from negative energy. In all other cases, use ordinary tap water or from a natural source.

Can pregnant women drink holy water?

Pregnant girls and women can drink holy water quite calmly. Be that as it may, it will definitely not harm them. Of course, like everyone else, it is not necessary to quench her thirst, but it is permissible to drink to restore moral and physical strength. If the pregnancy is very difficult, the expectant mother can in this way help her body to cope with the load.

In order for the pregnancy to survive, one intake of holy water per day will be enough. It will be necessary to drink it in those periods when a threat to mother's life or her baby will appear.

Can holy water be given to a newborn and unbaptized baby?

A small child needs God's protection even more than an adult. Therefore, if you see that the baby has become restless and does not sleep well, then give him a little holy water. She will cleanse his body and soul of the negativity that adults have rewarded him with and will restore the child's peace of mind. As for unbaptized children, they simply need holy water.

An unbaptized child does not have a Guardian Angel, which means that you must do everything so that bad energy does not affect him. Therefore, until you baptize the baby, be sure to give him a little holy water every day. She will act as a barrier between the baby's soul and the negative of the world around him.

Can Muslims Drink Holy Water?

In principle, church rules do not prohibit Muslims from drinking holy water. It is believed that if a person is ready to accept God's gift into his body, then he will not do any harm to him.

Therefore, if you feel an irresistible desire to drink a healing liquid, then be sure to do it. Just drink it with an open heart and pure thoughts.

Can you drink holy water on an empty stomach?

Some people argue that you can only drink the healing water on an empty stomach. But if you ask any clergyman about this, you will find out that there are no strict rules or restrictions on the intake of this liquid.

They believe that it is possible to drink holy water both before and after eating, the main thing is that at the moment of drinking a person's heart is open to God. Therefore, if you need to drink it after you have eaten, then do it boldly and do not be afraid that by such actions you will commit a great sin.

Can you drink holy water with a spell?

If the conspiracy was made by Christian prayer, then you can quite safely combine both liquids in one reception. But still, in this case, there is one caveat. If you started talking water from drunkenness, alcoholism or drug addiction, it will be better if you do not combine the spell and holy water together.

Since the first will still carry a negative, it will destroy the healing effect of holy water. In view of this, it will be better if you give the addict first a spell, and only then, to consolidate the result, holy liquid.

Can you drink holy water before communion?

The sacrament is a great ordinance that is performed according to certain church rules. And if this is not the first time you do this, then you probably know what to drink and eat before this ceremony is strictly prohibited. An exception is made only for children and sick people. All others should refrain from drinking water until the end of the service.

If you understand that you cannot do without drinking, then be sure to talk about it with your priest and ask him for a blessing. If he realizes that at the moment you just need life-giving moisture, then it is likely that he will allow you to take a couple of sips of water before communion.

Can you baptize with holy water?

Baptism is performed exclusively with holy water. In order for her to become such, the priest first leads a church ceremony over her and only after that the baby is dipped into her. It is believed that if ordinary water is drawn into the font, then it will not be able to bring the little person closer to God and, most importantly, will not be able to give him the proper protection.

Can a cross be consecrated with holy water?

Of course, it would be better if the cross was baptized by a priest in the temple. But if for some reason you cannot get into it, and you need God's protection immediately, then you can consecrate it yourself. To carry out this ceremony, you only need holy water and Orthodox prayer.

So, stand in front of the images, pray to God, and then sprinkle the cross with holy water in a cross. After that, pray again in front of the icons, deviate low to them and you can put on protection for yourself.

Can I take tablets with holy water?

People who believe in the power of this life-giving liquid claim that it enhances the effect of drugs very well. For this reason, a fairly large number of people are trying to speed up their recovery in this way and begin to drink pills with holy water.

What do the priests think about this? They do not prohibit, but do not advise doing this either. Of course, this is not considered a great sin, but nevertheless, each person must decide for himself whether it is possible to combine the shrine and the creation of human hands.

Can holy water be diluted with plain water?

You can dilute holy water with ordinary water, the main thing is to do it right. If you notice that you have very little life-giving liquid left, then take water from a natural source, read a prayer (it may even be our Father), and then combine both liquids together. It is believed that when mixed, ordinary water absorbs the properties of a saint and also becomes healing.

Can holy water be added to tea or food?

As mentioned a little above, holy water is a church shrine, so it should be used only to get rid of physical or spiritual problems. In view of this, it is not necessary to make another component of a dish out of it. Some priests, in general, consider this not just disrespect for Christian traditions, but a great sin that requires repentance.

Is it possible to boil holy water, cook food on it?

There is no need to boil holy water, as during the consecration it loses all negative energy and completely changes its structure. This allows her to retain her useful qualities and not deteriorate for years. Therefore, no matter how much it stands with you, you do not need to boil it. It is also impossible to use this healing liquid for cooking.

For these purposes, ordinary water is suitable, but not as a shrine. Since it is needed exclusively for protection and healing, it can only be used for these purposes.

Can I wash my face with holy water, add to the bath?

You cannot use holy water for everyday hygiene procedures. Usually, after washing or taking a bath, we drain the water down the drain, but this cannot be done with church liquid. Such treatment of a shrine is considered a rather great sin, so it will be better if you still use ordinary water for ablution. The only thing you can afford in this case is to slightly moisten your hands with the healing liquid and thus wash your face.

Holy water from the evil eye and spoilage: application

If you suspect that someone has jinxed you, then pour a small amount of holy water into a glass, read a prayer over it and then wash it, and drink the rest. This procedure must be repeated three times.

And in order to prevent damage to you again, clean the house with church candles, and then sprinkle all walls, windows and doors with life-giving liquid. Be sure to accompany all your actions with church prayers.

How to properly wash a child with holy water from the evil eye?

Pour a little water into a small bowl, cross yourself and cross the baby, and then begin to crosswise wipe the face of the Maladenets with the church shrine. Do everything carefully so as not to scare the baby.

Repeat this manipulation two more times, remembering to pray to God all the time. Try to make the baby fall asleep after the ceremony. Yes, and in no case, do not dry the water with a towel. Carry the crumb on your hands and wait until it dries by itself.

Can you drink the holy water of your period?

As practice shows, the priests do not have an unambiguous answer to this question. Some believe that drinking holy water during menstruation is strictly prohibited for a woman, while others are quite loyal to this. Those who are opponents refer to a chapter in the Bible, which indicates that during menstruation, a woman cannot enter the church, pray and touch icons as during this period she is considered unclean.

Opponents of this opinion point out that this prohibition appeared due to the fact that in ancient times women did not use sanitary napkins, therefore they very often stained the benches and floors in the temple with menstrual blood. For this reason, they believe that a woman can quite calmly drink holy water during her period and are not afraid that by her actions she will desecrate the church shrine.

Where to put the old holy water from last year, where can it be poured?

If it so happens that you did not use the water that you collected in the previous Baptism of the Lord, then in no case pour it out into the street. If you do this, you are committing a rather serious sin. Since water is a shrine, it is unacceptable for people or animals to stomp on it.

In view of this, it will be better if you use it for watering indoor plants or pour it into a pond with running water. So she will have the opportunity to cleanse herself and start helping people again.

Can holy water be poured into the sink?

It is strictly forbidden to pour the life-giving liquid into the sink. By doing this, you will defile the shrine and earn yourself a terrible sin. The priests say that it can only be poured into clean places, such as rivers or lakes. If you do not have the opportunity to get to them, then pour it out where a person's foot will not step. Water the lilac bush or any garden tree.

Why did sediment appear in the holy water?

If you notice a colorless sediment in the water, then it is quite likely that it was simply stored incorrectly or collected in a non-sterile container. But such water can be drunk and used for healing and protection. If the sediment worries you a lot, then just try to use the liquid as quickly as possible, sprinkle it on the house or just drink it.

Why did the holy water go bad, rotten, turn green

But if the liquid collected for Baptism turned green or rotten, then this is a reason to be on your guard. This usually happens for several reasons. Regular scandals in the house or damage caused by an evil person can have such an effect on the shrine.

All these reasons destroy the life-giving properties of water, turning it into an ordinary liquid. Therefore, if this happened in your home, then immediately invite a priest and ask him to consecrate your home.

Can holy water be put on the floor and why not?

Unfortunately, for God, we are all sinners, therefore it is strictly forbidden to put water on the floor defiled by human feet. If, for some reason, you did not have enough time to rearrange it to the icons, then it is better to find a place for it in the kitchen cabinet or, at worst, on the table.

But remember that she cannot stand in such places for a long time, therefore, as soon as you free yourself, immediately transfer her to the so-called corner of faith.

Is it possible to give holy water from home, give to other people, share holy water with friends?

Basically, there is nothing wrong with pouring holy water to your mom, sister, or best friend. But whether it is possible to give it to strangers is a completely different question. Of course, if you are sure that they need it for a good cause, then you can give.

If you suspect that it is being used, for example, for a love spell, then in no case give it. For God, you will be an accomplice in a bad deed, which means you will earn sin for yourself.

Can animals give holy water to a dog, a cat?

If you are familiar with the Holy Scripture, then for sure you know all the commandments of the Almighty. And he said that in no case should animals be allowed to touch the shrines. Therefore, if you are a true Christian and sacredly honor all the commandments of God, then under no circumstances give your cat or dog to drink holy water.

Is it possible to wash floors with holy water, water flowers?

You cannot wash the floors with holy water in the same way as after cleaning you will walk on them and thereby desecrate the church shrine. It can only be sprinkled on the floor covering, and then only if the atmosphere in the house is not quite normal.

But you can quite easily water the flowers with this life-giving liquid. Moreover, this is how you can use last year's water that you did not have time to drink.

Video: HOLY WATER (film "The Great Secret of Water")

Christians are accustomed to believe that the water consecrated on January 18 and 19 differs in properties. Supposedly typed at midnight - and at all the most "powerful". However, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church assures that all this is just an invention of the people themselves. On, and on the previous Christmas Eve, the water is consecrated in the same way, so there is no difference and cannot be, reports gorlovka-eparhia.com.ua.

What to do with holy water

1) Alas, many act on the principle "the more, the better." This, of course, is very "our way", but not Christian. Such an attitude towards a shrine can lead to its devaluation.

2) Many people perceive bathing as a magical ritual. Often a person wants to get rid of sins, adversity or disease in one fell swoop. And plunging into an ice-hole is a very convenient thing for this.

3) If you look at most of the bathing photos - what does it look like? Men in shorts, women in open bathing suits jump into a cross-cut ice hole. Often after that, they warm up with vodka, have a snack. And where is piety? Epiphany bathing is just a tradition, like pancakes on Shrovetide. If you really want and your health allows you - take a dip. But if you don't, nothing bad will happen to you next year for this reason.

4) It is also worth remembering that water that is not drinkable, but is subject to consecration, does not have to be drinkable.

What not to do with holy water after Epiphany

1. Fortune-telling and use holy water for this;
2. Believe that on the night of January 18-19, all water in all springs and even taps becomes holy; that water drawn from a spring at 12 o'clock in the morning is the most "special" water;
3. Go to fetch water (to a church or to springs) at night;
4. Wait for the moment of "formation" of water (what it is - no one knows). Put water in a cup or deep plate at midnight and wait for it to "sway and tremble." If this, God forbid, happens - no need to go outside, look at the sky and make a wish. You need to go to church and tell the priest about your "exploits". He will tell you what to do next;
5. To believe that at midnight the water in the river stops even starts flowing in the other direction, and even more so - not everyone can see it, but only the worthy, chosen, righteous, etc .;
6. To heal from diseases, take baths with holy water;
7. If the holy water has deteriorated (turned green or a rancid smell has appeared), consider that: a) the priest did not pray well; b) troubles / illnesses await you; c) the water "was not sanctified"; d) it can be poured into the toilet.

Religious Reading: Prayer with an earthly bow to help our readers.

Information site about icons, prayers, Orthodox traditions.

How to bow to the ground in Orthodoxy

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In Orthodoxy, there are a large number of specific ceremonies, sacraments and rituals, the implementation of which carries a certain meaning. Among these, bows are distinguished. They carry some symbolic meaning and convey a certain message from the believer to God. There are certain rules for how to bow to the ground in Orthodoxy, as well as the appropriateness of its implementation. Knowing the intricacies of performing certain actions, we will always feel confident and avoid unpleasant situations.

What is bow, varieties

A bow is a symbolic act that is characterized by tilting the body and head, which show humility and submission before the Lord. There are several types of bows:

• Great or earthly. With them, the worshiper kneels down and touches the ground with his head.
• Small or waist. When performing it, only the head and body are tilted.

The custom of bowing has come to us since ancient biblical times.

There are certain cases where bows are not required. Many also confuse concepts such as bowing and the non-Orthodox practice of kneeling.

When we bow down to earth, we show our humility and reverence for the Creator of the universe. After bowing, we stand up, thereby showing that the Lord has given us everything we need to be saved.

When you can't do prostrations

You cannot do great obeisances:

• in the days from Christmas to Epiphany,
• on Sundays,
• on the days of great holidays,
• from Easter to Pentecost,
• on the holiday of the Transfiguration,
• it is forbidden for the communicants on the day of the first communion and subsequent ones.

There is also such a view as the great fast obeisances. These are called threefold prostrations to the earth, which are accompanied by the imposition of the Orthodox sign of the cross and the reading of the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian, which is divided into three verses.

How to bow down correctly

The priests say that the Church Rule speaks of unhurried, timely, orderly, unhurried and earnest fulfillment. Bows and knees should be performed after each repeated petition of litany or prayer. Do not do this while reading or singing. It is also not allowed to bow with the sign of the cross.

What is the right way to bow down? Before committing, you must impose the sign of the cross on yourself. After that, kneel down and bow with your hands and head touching the floor. Before you venerate the icon or crucifix, you must cross yourself twice again, bow, venerate, and then cross again and bow.

When can you do

It has already been said about when it is not necessary to bow, but many people do not know when it is necessary to do it. Even if, out of ignorance, you bow to the ground during the holiday, this will not be considered a mistake. Many clergymen also say that it is often necessary to look also at the traditions of the temple that you are visiting. It happens that there are certain local traditions.

Bowing to the ground on Sunday causes a lot of controversy. First of all, this consists in the fact that according to the Church Charter it is forbidden to bow down to the ground on Sundays and holidays. But many liturgists say that it is always necessary to bow down before the throne, regardless of the day of the week or holiday. In addition, there is a certain practice when prostrations to the ground are replaced by waist bows.

There is such a thing as Liturgy. Even John of Kronstadt spoke about bowing to the ground during the Liturgy. He said that obeisances must be performed regardless of the time of the Liturgy. It is worth doing three bows during it:

1. At the entrance to the throne.
2. In the position of the Gifts.
3. Just before communion.

But again, if you do not know when to bow to the ground at the Liturgy, you can consult with the clergy or simply observe their behavior. Since it is quite difficult to comprehend all the subtleties of performing all the rituals and ceremonies, you should not hesitate to ask for help, as well as consult with knowledgeable people. This will allow you to avoid unpleasant and awkward situations in the temple.

Remember that any action should not be done out of necessity or under duress. All actions should come from a pure heart and only with good intentions. After all, our appeal to the Lord will be heard and gifted with grace only if we have pure thoughts and sincere faith.

It all depends only on you, because with what desires we come to God, we will receive in return. It is necessary not only to ask, but also to thank. Prayers of thanksgiving are best suited for this. And be very careful that the proverb “Make the fool pray, he will break his forehead” could not be applied to you.

Prayer with an earthly bow

For the sign of the cross, we fold the fingers of our right hand like this: put the first three fingers (thumb, index and middle) together with their ends exactly, and bend the last two (ring and little fingers) to the palm.

The first three fingers folded together express our faith in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit as a consubstantial and indivisible Trinity, and two fingers bent to the palm mean that the Son of God after His incarnation, being God, became a man, that is, they mean His two natures are Divine and Human.

It is necessary to overshadow oneself with the sign of the cross without haste: put it on the forehead, on the stomach, on the right shoulder and then on the left. And only lowering the right hand, bowing in order to involuntarily prevent blasphemy, breaking the cross put on oneself.

About those who signify themselves with all fives, or bow before finishing the cross, or wave their hand in the air or across their chest, St. John Chrysostom said: "The demons rejoice at this frantic waving." On the contrary, the sign of the cross, performed correctly and slowly, with faith and reverence, frightens demons, calms sinful passions and attracts divine grace.

In the temple, you must observe the following rules regarding bows and the sign of the cross.

Be baptized no bows follows:

Optinskoe in the courtyard in St. Petersburg

About bows and the sign of the cross

Bows when praying, they are the external expression of the feelings of a repentant person. Bows help the person praying to tune in to prayer, they awaken the spirit of repentance, humility, spiritual contrition, self-reproach and obedience to the will of God, as good and perfect.

Bows are earthly when the worshiper kneels down and touches the ground with his head, and waist, bend over so that the head is at waist level.

Archbishop Averky (Taushev) writes about the types of bows:

“The Charter and primordial customs of our Eastern Orthodox Church do not know at all such 'kneeling' as they are now practiced in most cases in our country, but only bows, great and small, or otherwise - earthly and waist. Bowing to the ground is not kneeling with your head up, but “prostrating yourself” with your head touching the ground. Such obeisances to the ground are completely abolished by the canonical rules of our Holy Orthodox Church on Sundays, Lord's holidays, in the period between the Nativity of Christ and Epiphany and from the feast of Easter to Pentecost, and upon entering the temple and applying to the shrines, they are also abolished on all other holidays. when there is an all-night vigil, polyeleos, or at least one great doxology at Matins, on the days of the forefeast, and are replaced by belt ones.

Bowing to the ground at the Divine Liturgy, when they are allowed according to the ustav, are laid down: at the end of the singing "We sing to you" (at the moment of the transubstantiation of the Holy Gifts), at the end of the singing "It is worthy to eat", at the very beginning of the singing of "Our Father", during the appearance of St. Gifts with the exclamation “With the fear of God and with faith, approach” and during the second appearance of the Holy Gifts before they were carried to the altar with the exclamation “Always, now and forever, and forever and ever”.

There is also the custom (which is not accepted by everyone) to bow down to the ground at the beginning of the Eucharistic canon - immediately upon the exclamation “We thank the Lord” and upon the exclamation “Holy of Holies”.

Any other obeisances, and even more so unusual for the spirit of Holy Orthodoxy, kneeling during the Divine Liturgy is an arbitrariness that has no basis for itself in the tradition and sacred ordinances of our holy Church. "

Church service is performed with many great and small bows. Bows should be performed with inner reverence and with outer grace, slowly and without haste, and, if you are in church, at the same time as other worshipers. Before making a bow, you need to overshadow yourself with the sign of the cross, and then make a bow.

Bows in the temple should be performed then, when it is indicated by the Church Ordinance... Unauthorized and untimely obeisances in the temple expose our spiritual inexperience, hinder those who are praying near us, and serve our vanity. On the contrary, the bows we have done according to the rules wisely established by the Church, inspire our prayer.

Saint Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, on this occasion says:

“If standing in church, you do bows when the Church Rule orders it, then you try to restrain yourself from bowing when this is not prescribed by the Rule, so as not to attract the attention of those who are praying, or you restrain sighs that are ready to be rocked out of your heart, or tears , ready to pour out of your eyes, - in such an arrangement, and in the midst of a large gathering, you secretly stand before Your Heavenly Father, Who is in secret, fulfilling the commandment of the Savior (Matthew 6, 6) ”.

The Charter of the Church does not allow prostrations to earth on Sundays, on the days of the great Twelve Great Feasts, from the Nativity of Christ to Baptism, from Easter to Pentecost.

Archbishop Averky (Taushev) writes that Christians should observe the Rules of the Holy Church:

“Unfortunately, in our time, really few people know about the church rules regarding kneeling, as well as that on Sundays (as well as on the days of the great Lord's feasts and throughout Pentecost - from the feast of St. Easter to the day Holy Trinity) - kneeling is canceled. A whole series of canonical rules speaks of this abolition of kneeling. "

So Canon 20 of the First Ecumenical Council reads:

"There are still some who kneel on the day of the Lord (that is, the resurrection), and in the days of Pentecost, so that in all dioceses everything is the same, it will be pleasing to the Holy Council, and standing up to offer prayers to God."

Sixth Ecumenical Council in its 90th canon found it necessary to once again resolutely reaffirm this prohibition to kneel on Sundays, and he substantiated this prohibition by the fact that it is required by the “honor of the resurrection of Christ,” that is, that bows, as an expression of a feeling of repentant sorrow, are incompatible with a festive celebration in honor of such a joyful event as the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. This is the rule:

“From the God-bearing our Father is canonically devoted to us, do not kneel on Sundays, for the honor of the Resurrection of Christ. Therefore, let us not be in the dark as to how to observe this, we will clearly show the faithful, as if on Saturday, at the evening entry of the clergy into the altar, according to the accepted custom, no one kneels until the next Sunday night, in which, upon entering the lamp time, kneeling down on our knees, in this way we offer prayers to the Lord. For on Saturday night we received the forerunner of the Resurrection of our Savior, from now on we spiritually begin songs, and bring the holiday out of darkness into the light, so that from now on we celebrate the Resurrection all day and night. "

This rule is especially characteristic of the expression: "Let us not be in ignorance." Obviously, our holy God-bearing Fathers did not consider the issue of bowing or non-bowing to the knees on Sunday to be insignificant or unimportant, as many nowadays, unfortunately, think, ignoring this rule: they considered it necessary to specify a special canonical rule to indicate exactly from what moment of worship the worship is unacceptable. knees and from which it is allowed again. According to this rule, kneeling is canceled from the so-called "evening entrance" at Vespers on Saturday and until the evening entrance at Vespers on Sunday. That is why there is nothing surprising in the fact that at Vespers on the first day of the Holy Trinity, although it always happens on Sunday, three prayers of St. Basil the Great are recited with kneeling. These prayers are recited just after the evening entrance at Vespers, which is in full accord with the requirement of the above 90th Canon of the VI Ecumenical Council.

Saint Peter, Archbishop of Alexandria and the martyr who suffered for Christ in the year 311 (whose rules are included in the generally binding church canon for all believers and are contained in the Book of Rules, along with other rules of the Holy Fathers) in his 15th canon, explaining why Christians fast on Wednesday and heels, says:

"We are spending Sunday afternoon, like a day of joy, for the sake of the Risen One: on this day we have not accepted the knee."

Great universal teacher and Saint Basil, Archbishop of Caesarea of ​​Cappadocia, who lived in the IV century, whose rules in the number of 92 are also included in the "Book of Rules" and have always enjoyed special authority and respect, in 91st rule, borrowed from the 27th chapter of his book about the Holy Spirit, "To Amphilechius", very deeply and, one might say, exhaustively explains the whole meaning of the abolition of kneeling on the days when we celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Here is his fully instructive explanation of this ancient church custom:

“Standing prayers we do in one from Saturdays (that is, on Sunday), but we do not all know the reason for this. For it is not just that, as if resurrected to Christ and must seek the heavenly, standing during prayer, on the day of resurrection, we remind ourselves of the grace given to us, but also because we do this, as if this day seems to be in some way a long-awaited age. Why is it like the beginning of days, and Moses called him not the first, but the only one. And byst, speaks, the evening, and byst the morning, the day is one (Gen. 1, 5): as if the same day would revolve many times. And so the one, which is kupno and osmiy, means this essentially single and true eighth day, which the Psalmist also mentions in some writings of the psalms, will designate a future state for this century, an endless day, never-ending, endless, endless, this and ageless age ... So the Church thoroughly teaches her pets to pray in standing on that day, so that, with frequent reminders of endless life, we do not neglect the parting words to this end. But all of Pentecost is also a reminder of the Resurrection expected in the age to come. For the one and first day, being sevenfold usadimented, is the seventh weeks of Holy Pentecost. Pentecost, beginning on the first day of the week, ends with it. Turning fifty times through such intermediate days, with this likeness imitates the century, as if in a circular motion, starting from the same signs, and ending with the same ones. Church statutes teach us to prefer in these days an upright position of the body during prayer, a clear reminder, as it were, transferring our thought from the present to the future. With every kneeling and standing up, we show by action both that, as if by sin we fell to the earth, and that, as if by the philanthropy of the One who created us, the packs are called to heaven. But I will not have enough time to tell about the unwritten sacraments of the Church. "

When applying to the Holy Gospel, the Cross, venerable relics and icons, one should approach in the proper order, slowly and without crowding, make two bows before kissing and one after kissing the holy object, bows should be made every day - earthly or deep waist, touching the ground with your hand. Applying to the icons of the Savior, we kiss the foot, and with the half-length image - the hand, or the robe, to the icons of the Mother of God and the saints - the hand or robe; to the icon of the Savior not made by hands and to the icon of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist - we kiss the hair.

Before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, you can say the following prayer: "Holy Mother of God, save us"... A prayer is read before the Honest Life-giving Cross of Christ "We worship Thy Cross, O Lord, and we glorify Thy Holy Resurrection" followed by a bow.

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Bowing down how to do it right in Orthodoxy? When to prostrate at the liturgy? When is it forbidden to bow down? Is it possible to bow down to earth after the sacrament?

When a person enters the temple of God, he immediately feels that he has fallen into some special majestic and at the same time very peaceful environment - heaven, which, however, is on earth. Everything here carries harmony, deep meaning and great spiritual beauty. Each church paraphernalia and utensils observes its own rank and order. The sacred service and prayer in front of the altar are performed according to strict ancient canons. All this is quite logical and understandable, but there is also something that requires careful clarification.

For example, many clergymen are often faced with the following question: bowing down - how to do it? It is impossible to answer it simply and unambiguously, but it is not so difficult if you study it carefully.

Bowing down - how to do it?

It must be said right away that bowing is a symbolic action performed since the most ancient biblical times and expressing great reverence for the Creator of everything earthly and heavenly - the Lord God. Therefore, any bows should be done very slowly and with the words of prayer. To find out for yourself how to bow to the ground correctly, you need to decide what kind of bows are in general. It turns out that there are great bows to the ground, and there are small bows in the waist. And there is also a simple bowing of the head.

When bowing to the ground, you need to fall on your knees and touch the floor with your forehead. When bowing at the waist, the head is tilted down so that the fingers touch the floor. So Solomon prayed at the consecration of the Temple of the Lord, Daniel, when he was in captivity in Babylon, and other righteous people of the Old Testament. This custom was sanctified by Christ Himself and entered into the practice of the Holy Church of Christ.

Kneeling

Most of the kneeling is done during Lent. According to the explanation of St. Basil the Great, kneeling symbolizes the fall of a person in sin, and then an uprising - his forgiveness by the great mercy of the Lord.

And again the question arises: 40 bows to the ground - how to do it right? Bows are done at any time, except on special days, we will talk about them below. The rest of the time, you do not need to be lazy, but it is better to voluntarily plunge yourself into a bow, which means your own fall into the abyss of repentance in the hope that God will accept and bless these modest labors.

Nothing depends on the number of bows and fasting, if the heart and soul are not cleansed of bad thoughts and change for the better. And if a person sincerely repents even a little bit, then a loving Father will certainly extend His holy right hand to him.

The experience of Bishop Afanasy Sakharov

It is not always possible to find the correct answer to how to bow down to earth in Orthodoxy. But let's try to turn to the well-known zealot of the Church Rite - Confessor Afanasy (Sakharov).

First of all, let's figure out when it is impossible to bow down, and when it is possible. During the divine service, prostrations to the earth, as in principle, and in the waist, are not performed at all at will. They are made on weekdays and on fast days of repentance. On Sundays and, of course, on great holidays, according to the decree of the Holy Fathers, they are canceled.

In the period of Easter and before Trinity, as well as from Christmas to Baptism, prostration is also not due. Canon 90 of the 6th Ecumenical Council says that on Sundays one should not kneel for the honor of Christ's Resurrection. But small bows must be done at certain moments in accordance with the meaning of the prayers.

Bows and bows to the ground

So, at any service it is necessary:

Church charter

Bows at services (Vespers, Matins, All-night Vigil):

Special bowing rules

So, we are considering what is prostration. How to do it right? It is worth considering that sisters-nuns may be present at services. Many parishioners, not knowing the rules, begin to imitate them and, just like them, make obeisances. Or, conversely, they look at them and are embarrassed.

The point is that monks obey their own special charter, and parishioners must adhere to the charter of the Holy Fathers, intended for the entire Church, so that the whole meaning of the divine service is gradually revealed and cognized.

There is already a well-established tradition, when, during the censing of the rector of the church, parishioners are distracted from the service prayer, begin to move from one side to the other, riveting all their attention to the approaching priest, making noise, stand with their backs to the altar, which is unacceptable. During the censing, the parishioners should step aside and let the priest pass, after which they should quietly stand in place and return to prayer.

If the priest begins to incense people, then it is necessary to bow and return to the divine service, and not look through the eyes of the priest during all this sacred service. It may seem that this entire list is too complicated and tedious to memorize, but it can help every believer to get used to the actions of worship.

Is it possible to do earthly obeisances at the Liturgy

The Liturgy is a special service, which consists of three parts: the Proskomedia, the Liturgy of the Catechumens and the Liturgy of the Faithful. In the first two parts, obeisances are performed according to the charter of the above-described ordinary services, but we will describe the third part - the most important - in more detail. When and how are small and great obeisances performed? Let's figure out when to do prostrations at the Liturgy, and when to prostrate at the Liturgy.

The priest on the Great Procession goes to the pulpit in his hands holding the Chalice and the diskos, while the choir sings the "Cherubic Song" at this time:

• A small bow during the end of the first half of the "Cherubim", at this time the priest is on the pulpit.
• Stand with your head bowed during the commemoration of the priests.
• Three small bows with three Hallelujahs.
• A great bow throughout the day (if not on a holiday) with the exclamation of the priest "We thank the Lord."

When the Eucharistic Canon is celebrated, the Most Holy Sacrament must be observed in complete silence and the mind must be kept in mind.

• A small bow is made with the exclamations "Take, eat, drink everything from Her."
• A small bow in the day is performed at the end of "We sing to you" and "And we pray Yew, our God." This is a very important moment for a person who is praying.
• A small bow of the day is performed after "It is worthy to eat."
• Small bow at the words "And everyone and everything."
• A small bow every day at the beginning of the nationwide prayer "Our Father".
• A great bow (if not a holiday) at the exclamation of the priest "Holy to saints."
• A small bow on the day of the gifts endured before the sacrament with the words "With the fear of God and faith, approach."
• Bow down to the ground and fold your hands crosswise on your chest after the priest's prayer before communion. (Do not be baptized before the cup and do not bow, so as not to knock it over).
• Participants do not need to bow down to the ground until evening. Bow bow for the sacraments at the appearance of the Holy Gifts with the exclamation "Always, now and forever."
• The head bows when the prayer outside the ambo sounds, and the priest, finishing the liturgy, leaves the altar and stands in front of the pulpit.

Many believers are interested in the question of whether it is possible to do prostrations after the sacrament. The priests warn that it is not necessary to kneel after communion, this is done for the sake of the shrine, which is inside the person who took the Holy Communion, and so that he does not accidentally vomit.

Conclusion

I would very much like believers to understand that bows seem to be not the main thing in the life of an Orthodox Christian, but they help to strengthen the faith, to enlighten the heart, to tune in the correct spiritual harmony and understanding of the whole meaning of the service, being a participant in it. By starting small, you can achieve more. It was not out of idleness that the Holy Fathers created the Statutes. Perhaps now it has become at least a little clear what an earthly bow is. How to do it and when - is also described above quite clearly and in detail. But in order to better understand all these rules, you need to go to church more often.