Are akathists read in Peter's post. Is it possible to read akathists in Great Lent

Why in Orthodoxy are there so many restrictions on pleasures, food, sexual relations? This, it seems, does not cause harm to others, does not violate the commandment to love one's neighbor. Why is it necessary to "kill your body", your desires? Why such lack of freedom?

Our body is not killed by restrictions on food and other pleasures, but by excess in them. And besides, even if we do not harm others and do not violate the commandment to love our neighbor, we still need to love God. This is where certain restrictions on pleasure come from, because love, when it exists, is manifested in action, in our actions. For example, it's easy to say, "I don't love myself," but our deeds show that we love ourselves exactly as we should love God. And you can say with the same ease: "I love God," but nothing is easier than words - love is known from deeds. And if we at least want to love God, we will limit ourselves to what separates us from God. There is no such goal - neither in worldly life, nor in spiritual life, for the sake of which we would not sacrifice something else. Those who do not want to sacrifice anything are left with nothing - they do not acquire anything worthwhile, and at the same time they lose what they had. Priest Mikhail Nemnonov.

What about fasting for children? Should we limit them in food as well as ourselves, or can growing organisms be given a weak spot?

We have determined the following restrictions for our children - no sweets and cartoons. In all other respects, limiting children at 5 and 3 years of age seems unreasonable to me. Although there are tough parents, but these are their children. These restrictions on this moment it is enough for them to understand that everything is not just like that. Priest Dimitry Karpenko.

What is Great Lent and how to spend it?

Today, many people who are drawn to faith decide to enter the Christian life by starting fasting and especially Great Lent. At the same time, they do not go to the temple and do not read prayers, and from such a fast one continuous diet is obtained, from which, perhaps, there is a benefit, but only for the stomach, and even then it is very relative. And fasting makes sense as abstinence for Christ's sake - both in bodily pleasures and in spiritual entertainment. And the essence of fasting is not in abstinence itself as such, but in the fact that we do it for the sake of obedience to the Church and fidelity to Christ. We not only do not eat meat and dairy and fish products in great post but, cultivating our will in small things, we show fidelity to God and readiness for trials that can befall us in big things. At the same time, of course, if a person fasts, he must remember that the forces released from him (since less time is spent at the dinner table or watching TV) is very important to use for spiritual life and for the benefit of other people. Indeed, even if he does not watch TV, but simply idly basks on the couch, then there will be no benefit from such abstinence. So everyone entering Great Lent should think about what he wants to achieve and how he can limit himself for the sake of Christ, for the sake of his neighbors, and at the end of Lent, give yourself a sober account - what has been accomplished from this? Archpriest Maxim Kozlov.

How is fasting time different from regular time? I already try to lead a strict spiritual life… how and what can I change with fasting? Kseniya.

Hello Xenia! Fasting is a special time of knowing one's own weakness and overcoming one's own "I". Why does the Church single out special periods of fasting? In order for a person to be able to consolidate what has been achieved at this special time in everyday realities: the situation of fasting mobilizes us, we are aware of something, we embark on the path of struggle with certain inclinations - we bring this awareness and struggle from fasting to everyday life. The next post brings something of its own. That is why the Fathers say that fasting is a ladder that leads us to Heaven. If you have a feeling that fasting is easy for you, then consult with your confessor or with the priest with whom you constantly confess: they will help you understand what exactly is wrong, what is the reason for this relaxing ease. It happens that the pious exercises of fasting are given to us easily due to natural inclinations - there are, for example, people who do not like meat or entertainment. But each of us has something that can become the subject of special care during fasting days - imperfection is not outside, it is inside us, and fasting helps to see it. Sincerely, Priest Alexy Kolosov.

Is it possible to eat soy products in fasting? Elena.

Hello, Elena! The use of soy products in the post is quite acceptable. However, here, too, a certain caution should be observed: with what feelings, with what mood do we eat them? We refrain from fasting not because it is "bad" or "bad", but for the sake of acquiring the habit of obedience to the Church and self-control - therefore, with regard to soy products, abstinence must be observed, both in terms of quantity and quality, avoiding delicacy or self-pleasing . Sincerely, Priest Alexy Kolosov.

Is it possible to fast only the first and last week of fasting?

If a we are talking about a person who is seriously ill, suffering diabetes, tuberculosis in the third degree, dystonia, anemia, then, of course, for such, the Church knows the mitigation of the discipline of fasting. But from others who recognize themselves as Orthodox Christians, he expects the fulfillment of the fast, not selectively, but whenever it is prescribed by the Church Statutes. Archpriest Maxim Kozlov.

How to fast if a seriously ill person is strongly advised by doctors to eat well?

The Church, of course, establishes bodily fasting as a measure of abstinence for healthy people, or at least relatively healthy people, meaning that it is a means, first of all, educating us spiritually, and, secondly, in some way humbles our bodily passions. A person who is seriously ill to a large extent is already humble by the infirmities of his nature, therefore, of course, in the case of a severe or chronic or sudden illness, the measure of bodily fasting by the Church and church canons has always been softened and softened. Therefore, we can recommend not to refuse at least one or another type of food recommended by doctors, but instead to aggravate your spiritual fast. Or, suppose we refuse those types of food that are not medically necessary, but to which there is an addiction. Archpriest Maxim Kozlov.

Is it allowed to play sports and watch sports broadcasts during fasting? Dimitri.

Dear Dimitri! I think that on the first, on the Cross and on the Holy Week of Great Lent, you should not go in for sports. I would not recommend you to watch sports programs during Lent. I would advise you to think more about the soul and not about the body. No matter how sports competitions end, whoever wins - Spartak, CSKA or Dynamo - it doesn’t matter to save the soul. But how our spiritual competition, spiritual struggle will end is very, very important, our eternal fate depends on it. I would advise you to talk with the priest at confession about your passion for sports, about the extent and extent to which this is permissible for you. God bless you! With love in Christ, Archpriest Arkady Shatov

Mom is against the fact that I fast, I depend on her, what should I do? She is a believer, but she does not go to church, she believes that it is enough just to be a good person. Anastasia.

Dear Anastasia! The first thing that comes to mind is to cook for yourself and your loved ones: by doing this you will serve your family, gain experience in housekeeping, which is so useful in family life, and avoid reasons for quarrels. If for some reason this is impossible, think about the fact that your mother is prompted to such reproaches by sincere concern and concern for you - being a non-church person, she still cannot understand the true motives for your actions and this irritates her: console her with love, signs of attention, a kind word. Be a good daughter, as befits an Orthodox Christian. Tell her that "everything is permissible, but not everything is useful" - explain to her the real meaning of fasting, as strengthening the will in small things in order to be worthy of the Lord in big things. Most of all, take care of meekness - remember the commandment to honor your parents: although we do not choose them, we are obliged to honor them! Peace to you and God's blessing! Priest Alexy Kolosov

Hello! Be so kind as to tell me what should be fasting for pregnant and lactating women? Reading Orthodox literature, I came across a rather large variety of "instructions", but they all end with the phrase that all changes and indulgences should be made "in agreement with the confessor." Elena.

It is necessary to consult with the confessor in order to avoid arbitrariness in determining the measure of fasting. Self-made can lead to two dangerous extremes: neglect of fasting due to voluptuousness and intemperance, or to immoderate fasting due to pride, vanity and foolishness.

In Moscow, experienced confessors, on the advice of Orthodox doctors, often allow pregnant and lactating women to eat everything except meat during fasting. This applies to both one-day and multi-day fasts. It is more strictly advised to fast during the first week of Lent and during the Passion Week. On Wednesday and Friday, during many days of fasting, some confessors advise avoiding dairy foods as much as possible.

In individual and exceptional cases, when pregnancy is complicated by some diseases, on the recommendation of Orthodox doctors, it is possible to partake in fasting and meat food, which is taken not as food, but as a medicine. I write "Orthodox doctors" because non-Orthodox doctors, who do not recognize the benefits of fasting, very often quite unreasonably insist on its abolition.

Illness, inconvenience and labor associated with pregnancy are a substitute for fasting. For nursing mothers, if there is an excess of milk, fasting in full is possible. Unfortunately, in our time, most women cannot boast of excellent health, and therefore softening the fast is most often necessary.

With regard to hobbies (TV, cinema, other secular amusements), fasting may not be softened, but toughened. Frequent communion of the Holy Mysteries, fervent prayer, reading of the Holy Scriptures and soulful books, of course, during fasting should be mandatory for pregnant and lactating women. Probably, it is permissible not to stand the whole vigil or to come with the baby not to the beginning of the Liturgy, part of the rule to read at home while sitting. On the other hand, a woman preparing for the birth of a child, or a mother who has begun raising a baby, should pray harder, live a cleaner life, be more zealous in fulfilling the commandments, treat herself more demandingly, eradicate passions, because the Lord has placed great responsibility on her, called to high service. Therefore, the internal fast, with the admissibility of external indulgence, should be more strict. With love in Christ, Archpriest Arkady Shatov.

During Great Lent, an akathist to the Mother of God is read in the church (on the fifth Saturday of Lent), and also during the celebration of the Passion, an akathist to the Passion of Christ. This does not allow us to say that akathists are not read at all during Lent. But, according to tradition, their reading of Great Lent is significantly diminished in comparison with other times of the church year. Priest Mikhail Nemnonov.

Is it possible to celebrate the father's anniversary with unbelieving family members during fasting? Natalia.

Your refusal to participate in a family celebration will upset your loved ones. In my opinion, you need to support this holiday, from the bottom of your heart to congratulate a person close to you. In order not to break the fast, try to eat lean meals. Sincerely, Priest Alexander Ilyashenko

My birthday falls on Holy Week this year. Naturally, there can be no talk of any feast and fun, but at work we have a tradition that on this day the birthday boy brings some kind of treat, usually cakes or fruits. What should I do better: it is unlikely that I will be able to ignore this event, and it is somehow inconvenient in front of the team. And yet, what should I do if people from another city who do not observe the fast come to me specially for my birthday? Marina.

Of course, dear Marina, I think there will be no sin if you traditionally treat your colleagues to fruit on Holy Week Monday. If this confuses you, you can postpone the celebration of your birthday to Bright Week, explaining the reason in advance. If guests come to you unexpectedly, they, of course, need to be received and hospitable, and if their arrival is known in advance, then you can invite them to your place one of the days bright week. Happy 30th birthday! Many years! With love in Christ, Archpriest Arkady Shatov.

When you go to visit during a fast or a fast day, what should you do if there are almost no Lenten dishes on the table? The hostess may be offended that we do not eat anything. Larisa.

Hello Larisa! In order not to offend the hostess who tried and cooked for you, either eat those dishes that are lenten, or simply refrain from visiting these people during fasting, visit them at another time. Sincerely, Priest Alexander Ilyashenko.

Please tell me, if you receive guests during fasting, should the food for them be lenten? (Guests do not observe the post).

It is advisable to treat guests with lean food. But in any case, we ourselves, receiving such guests, must keep the post. Priest Mikhail Nemnonov

Is it possible to refrain from fasting a 15-year-old boy, because the school is preparing for exams, and this requires a lot of activity? Denis.

Hello Denis. Fasting is a time of repentance and intense prayer to fight sin and the manifestation of original sin in human nature by passions, and abstinence in food is only one of the means of our approach to God, the return of the prodigal son to the Father. The Church in one of her hymns sings: "From my youth many passions have been wrestling me." At the age of 15, a person should be ready to fight passions, so fasting must be observed.

And how to fast in your circumstances should be established by the confessor. The degree of fasting depends on many reasons. It is not necessary to be on a dry diet, but it is imperative to pray more and more often than usual, and most importantly, limit yourself to entertainment (do not watch TV, do not take part in noisy entertainment, limit yourself to sweets), do not condemn your neighbor, confess and take communion. Help me Lord Priest Dimitry Lin.

My daughter is one and a half years old, I breastfeed her. I tried to keep the post, but my teeth began to deteriorate, and now I don’t keep the post, am I right? Evgenia.

Hello Evgenia! Fast, established by the Church, no one has the right to cancel, even the priest, even the patriarch. But we must not forget that fasting is not only about food. Therefore, with regard to food, the priests most often allow everything that is required for pregnant and lactating women, because the purpose of fasting is not to damage health, but to conquer passions. In such cases, fasting may be to listen to less music, watch less TV, and limit other entertainment. But, if possible, read something spiritual more, say a prayer to yourself, keep bad emotions in yourself and carry out other accessible feats. So eat dairy, it is required not by gluttony, but by motherhood. You can ask your parish priest for more details. Help you Lord! Priest Pavel Ilyinsky.

I try to exclude viewing in the post entertainment programs on TV. Can you see the post educational programs, for example, BBC films about nature, culture and civilizations, about history?

My children and I watch such films in Lent, and I think that they can really be watched in Lent (excluding Holy Week). Sincerely, Priest Mikhail Nemnonov.

How should you set the table at the wake, after the cemetery? What to feed? Does it matter on fasting days? Nowhere to read it. A lot of people are interested.

There is only one obligatory requirement for a memorial meal - that they do not get drunk after it, and that people go home, standing firmly on their feet and in a clear mind. Fasting for the sake of commemoration is not canceled - if they happen on a fast day, then the table should be fast. What exactly will be on the table is not so important. This does not affect the soul of the deceased in any way, and we will proceed from our capabilities and from what we know how to cook. Sincerely, Priest Mikhail Nemnonov.

In what cases can you classify yourself as a traveler, to whom fasting is eased?

According to church rules, fasting for travelers is softened. But, of course, it is softened in those cases and when it is really impossible or extremely difficult for the traveler to follow the instructions of the post. For example, you cannot go on a special trip without fasting. If we are traveling by train to St. Petersburg, and there they put us a dry dinner with sausage, and we imagined that it would be so, then we will take a cucumber sandwich with us, for example, in advance. Then there will be no need to break the fast. Therefore, where it is insurmountable, fasting is softened; and where it can be fulfilled, one must be patient and fulfill it. Archpriest Maxim Kozlov.

Can you tell me how to properly prepare for communion? Is fasting always necessary both before communion and directly on the day of communion? I heard that you can’t even drink water in the morning and brush your teeth. And if, due to weakness, it is not possible to endure a strict fast before communion, is it possible to proceed to it? And what is the greater sin - a long absence of communion due to non-observance of fasting or communion without proper preparation? Thank you! Sincerely, Elena.

Hello, Elena! Preparation for Communion should be feasible, but its measure is established in a personal conversation with the priest. By general rule, fasting is required for 3 days before Communion (abstention in food from meat and dairy products, eggs; abstinence from entertainment - watching movies, TV shows, etc.). The days of preparation for communion are called fasting, and during this period one should increase prayer rule, and, if possible, attend church services. Before communion, it is necessary to read the penitential canon, the prayer canon Holy Mother of God, the canon of the Guardian Angel, as well as the following to Holy Communion. The reading of the canons can be divided into several days. You need to start Communion strictly on an empty stomach, you can brush your teeth. After communion, you do not need to fast (unless you take communion during a multi-day fast or on a fast day). For people who regularly take communion or who are sick, the fast before communion can be weakened or shortened with the blessing of the priest.

Communion should be regularly 1-2 times a month with reverence, awareness of one's unworthiness, fear of God, faith and love. Sincerely, Priest Alexander Ilyashenko.

In the Epistle to the Romans of the Apostle Paul there are words: "If your brother is grieved for food, then you no longer act out of love .... Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died." During posts and fast days at work in a secular team, it is customary to celebrate birthdays, other non-church holidays and treat colleagues. How, in such cases, not to violate Church discipline in relation to fasting and at the same time act out of love, and not out of human pleasing? Evgeniy.

Hello Eugene! If you carefully read the 14th chapter of Romans, you will see that most of this chapter is devoted to instructions about not condemning those who, for one reason or another, do not fast, and not about leaving the fast in order not to upset those who are not fasting. Yes, in the lives of saints, patericons, one can come across situations when the saints, out of love for their neighbor, broke the fast, but these were isolated cases, this was done with the deepest humility and love for the neighbor, and was of a single, not systematic nature. At work, it is quite possible to come to the holiday, spend a little time with the team, congratulate the hero of the occasion. But no one is forcing you to eat junk food!

Do not be ashamed to tell colleagues that you are fasting. Perhaps at first it will surprise them, but over time it will even cause respect for you. On a table that gathers in honor of the new year or other common holiday, you can always find something lean: fish, vegetables, fruits, olives, etc. food. Sincerely, Priest Alexander Ilyashenko.

Why can't you get married in Lent? Saturday and other days? Tatiana.

Hello, Tatyana! The wedding is not performed on those days when Orthodox Christians must refrain from marital intimacy (fasting, the eve of fast days - Wednesdays and Fridays, and Sundays). In addition, fasting is a time of special repentance for sins; a wedding celebration during this period is inappropriate. Sincerely, Priest Alexander Ilyashenko.

Answer please! I fast, but at work they don’t cook fast food for us, because. basically no one follows it. And so, for example, I eat soup without meat, but with meat broth. Question: Is it considered that I am breaking the fast? Can I refuse the first course? Elena.

Hello, Elena! Yes, you are breaking the fast, and if possible, it is better to refuse the first course. Sincerely, Priest Alexander Ilyashenko.

Hello! Tell me, please, what is the right thing to do in such a situation? My husband and I have been living for a month and a half. They got married, got married. But although he accepts my opinion about the fasts and life of a believer, he does not understand it. He wants a child. For a month now, I didn’t want to think like that at once: I want to, and I’m afraid. Now I wanted to. But the post has begun. I told him about my desire to have a child. So now he can't understand me. He thinks religion is too important for me. And what is not normal modern world. Believe, go to church, pray, but fasting... I don't want us to have quarrels. Family is very important. Then it will be complete. Thanks in advance. Catherine.

Hello Ekaterina! You are right - if the refusal of marital relations during fasting causes a negative reaction from the spouse and discord in the family, then there is no need to insist on this. According to the word of the Apostle Paul, it is not the wife who has power over her body, but the husband, and it is necessary to refrain from intimacy by mutual agreement. For the future, try to negotiate with your spouse about abstinence on the eve of Communion and on the most important days: for example, on Passion Week of Great Lent. Pray for your spouse, ask the Lord to grant him faith and bring him to the temple. Help you Lord! Sincerely, Priest Alexander Ilyashenko.

Hello! Please tell me, is it possible to baptize a child during fasting? Marina.

Hello Marina! Yes, you can baptize a child during fasting. Remember that it is important not only to baptize the baby, but also to educate him in Orthodoxy, to regularly partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Sincerely, Priest Alexander Ilyashenko.

Good day! Is it possible to get married (register a marriage) during Lent (Assumption Lent, the wedding is scheduled for August 24)? Anastasia.

Hello Anastasia! You can register a marriage in the post, but the wedding and the beginning family life in this case, it is better to coincide with the wedding, which can be performed after the end of the post (after August 28). You can read about the wedding and preparations for it here. God bless you to create a strong and happy family! Sincerely, Priest Alexander Ilyashenko.

Father, what to do if it is difficult to fast, if by the end of the fast there is no appetite, although you want to eat? In our family, everyone fasts, but after fasting, problems with food begin. Everyone is too lazy to cook (me too), and it turns out that all the time pasta, potatoes with salad, and cookies with chocolate. At the beginning of the post, I feel normal and physically endure the post normally, but by the end I can barely stand it. When I fasted for the first time on the Nativity Fast, I got a stomach ache, so I broke the fast. How to eat in fasting if you get sick during fasting? Ulyana.

Hello Ulyana! Yes, if there are serious health problems, then fasting can be weakened (with the blessing of the priest), but you don’t need to bring yourself to such a state. After all, judging by your letter, your problems are not because of your health, but because you are too lazy to cook for Lent. Lenten table can be varied, tasty, and healthy. For a sick stomach, by the way, oatmeal boiled in water is very useful - what's non-lean here? On our site there are recipes for Lenten dishes, there are even special cookbooks, there would be a desire to cook! Sincerely, Priest Alexander Ilyashenko.

Hello. Help me please. My fiancé's parents are very negative about fasting and fasting food. Every day her parents put pressure on her and make her eat meat. I have already become involved in this, so they take care of our health. We are far from fat and are engaged in intellectual work. It got to the point where they said there would be no wedding if we continued our fasts. What to do: eat meat for them and keep the peace, or go into an ever-increasing confrontation and continue to fast according to the rule? Alexander.

Hello, Alexander! Unfortunately, your letter does not reflect the motives that prompt your fiancée's parents to protect her health so zealously. If this is an anti-religious prejudice, pray for them, commemorate them in church. For example, order a magpie about their health. For the time being, it is better to prefer a family world to a post. But at confession it is obligatory to repent of not keeping the fast, explaining its reasons. Perhaps at confession, the priest, having delved into the situation, will give you more specific and effective advice. Sincerely, priest Mikhail Samokhin. Sincerely, Priest Alexander Ilyashenko.

Photo - Ladder of spiritual ascent - illustration for the book of St. teacher John of the Ladder "Ladder" - Orthodox calendar with icons and lives -

“I have never fully observed the fasts. Tell me, how best to start fasting and from what post?

– It is better to start from the nearest post. For example, right from this one - Rozhdestvensky. As for the question of how to fast, ask your parish priest for guidance. He knows the rule of fasting and will advise you specifically, taking into account your infirmity, exactly how you should start fasting.

- Is it possible to drink alcohol, in particular wine, on Advent? If allowed, on what days and on what occasions: personal, corporate, national, New Year?

- Wine on Advent is allowed to be consumed in holidays- on the Introduction and the day of memory of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, as well as on Sundays until December 29 inclusive.

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko) answered

- Advent is approaching. Previous posts were given hard: there are health problems. How not to harm? How to choose the right measure of fasting so that it does not become an unbearable burden? And one more thing - I am the only one in the family who fasts. It turns out not to save, but quite the opposite. Is it correct? After all, the point of fasting is also to share the surplus with those in need. Judge me, a sinful one.

Answered by Priest Vladimir Shlykov

- I live in a student hostel. With a roommate, we always cook a meal for two. Previously, she also fasted, but this year she decided that she would not. I feel that tensions began to appear in our relationship due to the difference in the menu. How not to lose tolerance for each other in "food" disagreements?

Still, fasting must be observed. However, in no way should this be imposed on a neighbor living next to you. Show the utmost tolerance in relation to her reproaches and remarks, because the meaning of fasting is also to strive to develop in oneself the virtue of patience and non-judgment of one's neighbors. Let us thank God that through food restrictions He gives us a reason for a more serious exercise of the soul. Therefore, if a neighbor asks you to go to the store on the way and buy her sausages, then go in and buy it, nothing bad will happen. But keep the fast yourself - this shows our loyalty to Christ.

– My birthday coincides with Advent. How can I celebrate it so as not to offend relatives and friends?

“Perhaps a good option would be to prepare a fasting meal according to your faith, but be sincerely happy and put a cake on the table that the non-fasting guests will bring.

– I want to observe the Christmas fast according to all the rules and customs to purify my soul, but I have a question: when I cook food for my family, if I don’t taste it, then it is either oversalted or undersalted. What should I do and are there any relief during fasting?

- It will not be a sin to try when cooking, do not be embarrassed. And indulgence in fasting exists, for example, for nursing mothers, when traveling, with diseases that require a certain diet. It is better to personally ask the priest at confession about such special cases and do as he blesses. God help you.

Answered by Priest Sergiy Osipov

– I came to faith quite recently, I really want to live according to the commandments, Christmas fast is coming soon. My husband is baptized, but, one might say, an unbeliever. Tell me, father, how should I be, how to observe fasting and not offend my husband - I mean marital relations. I observed Great Lent, my soul cried inside, I felt constant guilt inside my soul. We have been living with my husband for 18 years, he agreed to get married. Thanks in advance for your reply.

—According to the words of the Apostle Paul, husband and wife refrain from each other “for the sake of prayer.” But your husband is still far from church life and will be further away if you severely limit your marital relationship. That is, instead of the desired churching, you will get the opposite effect. The intimate relations of spouses are not a sin, they are not something unclean if they are connected by marital love. stick simple rule– abstain for a few days before communion and on the eve of major holidays. You can also refuse them on the first week of Great Lent and Passion. I think this will be enough for you for now.

Answered by Archpriest Maxim Hizhiy

– What advice can you give to those who are faced with the problem of celebrating two Christmases? For example, in those families where one of the spouses is Orthodox and follows the Julian calendar, and the other is non-Orthodox, follows the Gregorian?

- If one of the spouses celebrates Christmas on Gregorian calendar, you need to show him or her your sincere love and respect and celebrate together. Of course, it is not necessary to break the fast; but a true holiday can be equally joyful without a piece of duck or ham. And if you show sincere respect for the traditions of your husband or wife, then he or she, in turn, will treat your traditions much more favorably. In any case, separation within the family must be avoided. "Every house divided against itself cannot stand." So if you want to have strong family, learn to respect each other, including respect for the choice of your husband or wife regarding the date of the celebration of Christmas.

Answered by father Sergiy Sveshnikov

– My sister was presented with a Christmas card-invitation by the ministers of the House of Prayer. Apparently, somewhere on the street. The postcard depicts Jesus in the cradle, the Virgin Mary and Joseph - as ordinary parents with a baby, and not canonically. Throwing out the postcard stopped me images of Jesus and the Mother of God - They are one with us. Tell me how to be?

- A questionable postcard can be burned either in the stove in the country, or at home on a plate, and the ashes can be thrown away. For the future, it is better not to take such items, so that later you do not suffer from the question of what to do with them.

Answered by Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)

- If the chronology starts from the Nativity of Christ, then why is Christmas and the New Year, including the Old, on different days?

- Christmas is the birthday of Christ. And the New Year is a very conditional date. You can take any point in time from three hundred and sixty-five days and say: here the year ends and the new year begins. But now, with the introduction of a new style, it seems that providentially the New Year turned out to be before Christmas. What use can this be? Such that now, when the New Year falls on Advent and Orthodox person it is definitely pointless to engage in firecrackers and other entertainment, we can celebrate the New Year, as befits a believer, that is, give an account to our conscience and God, how we spent these three hundred and sixty-five days of the year. And lead this repentant report to the Sacrament of Confession, then Christmas itself will be a joyful and uncomplicated holiday for us. So it's very good that the New Year was moved ahead of Christmas.

Answered by Archpriest Maxim Kozlov

“When you fast, do not be gloomy like the hypocrites, for they take on gloomy faces in order to appear to people who are fasting”
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"Always rejoice, pray without ceasing, give thanks in everything"
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"Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven"
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“Brethren, rejoice, be perfected, be comforted, be of one mind, peaceful, and the God of love and peace will be with you.”
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Reference: On the fifth Saturday of Great Lent, an akathist to the Mother of God is read at the divine service in the church, and also during the celebration of the Passion, the Akathist to the Divine Passion of Christ.

Usually, 2 arguments are put forward against reading akathists in a post:
- the exclamation "rejoice" does not correspond to the mood of the post;
- Akathists are usually not read in the temple during fasting.
However, both of these objections do not withstand thoughtful criticism. The Church Charter is just for Great Lent.
The question is being asked by parishioners about home reading, not about public temple worship.

There is an opinion that Akathists cannot be read in fasting. I think it's prejudice. We remember that it is during fasting that the service of the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos is performed. It is interesting that in our country this akathist is sung only once (on the fifth week), while the Greeks sing it weekly. That is, for example, among the Greeks, fasting is considered the most priority time for Akathists.

I see no logic in forbidding the reading and singing of Akathists. Okay, let's not sing in the temple, where mainly penitential chants are sung during the days of Lent, but I consider it possible to read Akathists at home.

Archpriest Vladimir Golovin, Bolgar

Is it possible to read an akathist in a post? “We have talked about this many times. Akathists is an area of ​​prayer that appeared in the history of the Church quite late, somewhere from the 9th–10th centuries, i.e. For 1000 years there was no form of such a prayer. Then this prayer appeared, but the statutory structure of worship had already taken shape - the temple one, and therefore the akathist is a private (home) prayer, not a temple one. But in the temple, during the divine service, the akathist is read - at the request of the faithful, at the request of the rector, and necessarily - only once a year, on the fifth Saturday of Great Lent. Here is the answer: he says that it is in the post that you should read it!

Archpriest Nikolai Agafonov:

- Some priests say that it is better not to read akathists during Lent, because it always sounds: “rejoice!” - and this throws us off the penitential fasting mood ... Others, on the contrary, believe that akathists do not interfere with fasting. What do you say?

- Akathist is not a statutory service. Nothing is said about akathists in fasting in the Charter. Reading akathists is just a pious custom. Some people think: since akathists are not read in the church during Great Lent, then it is impossible to read at home either. But it's not.

Priest Stefan Domuschi:

Although there is indeed a certain embarrassment in the minds of the people about reading akathists during Lent, it is not really substantiated by anything. Reading an akathist during fasting, as at any other time, is regulated only by the desire of the person praying.

THE REPENTANCE OF KING MANASSEH Manasseh, the Old Testament king of the Jews, committed as many sins before God as hardly anyone else did. For fifty-two years, he forced the people to worship idols and demons, ordering the Jews to deny God. And he himself, and his children, and all his family renounced God. And those who did not want to worship idols and sacrifice to demons, he killed from the world in the most cruel torment. So this king committed so many sins that it is impossible to express it. But the Most Holy God, wanting to show the depth of His mercy and boundless pity for people, led Manasseh to repentance by His destinies. And how? This king, although he was very bad, but came from a good family. His father, Hezekiah, a king who pleased God, lived during the time of the prophet Isaiah (see 2 Kings 18-20). I think it was he who begged God to convert his son, who had been cut off from the Creator of heaven and earth. And how did God convert him? That's how. Seeing the malice and unbelief of Manasseh and such a clouding of his mind - that he not only departed from God himself, but also led the whole people to destruction, forcing them to renounce God - He, knowing how to lead everyone to repentance, put a bridle on him and tightened the reins, as it is said in the Psalter: “with the furrows and the bridle you will pull up their jaws that do not come near you” (Ps. 31:9). This is what happened to this king. For if God had left him like this, he would never have repented himself. But God sent the boyars of King Ashur from Babylon with a large army, and they captured Jerusalem, and King Manasseh was taken into slavery (see 2 Chronicles 33:11). They tied him up and threw him into a tiny cage, in which he could not even straighten up to his full height. And his head was chained to his feet with two copper chains. And they threw him into this cage, where he could not even raise his head, but all the time lay motionless, curled up. King Asura thought that he would last a week or less, and gave him food only twice a week - bran bread and water. And the king of Babylon kept asking his servants: - Hasn't King Manasseh died yet? - Not dead, Your Majesty. He is still alive and moving in his cage! What an unseen! And the king lived in this cage, bound in chains, not for a week or a month, or even ten months, but more than seven years. And it was a terrible miracle - to see a man chained head to toe, to give him a little water and bran bread a couple of times a week, and he still lives and lives. And from this king, from whom God did not wish to take away the spark of life, from such torments, sufferings and punishments that he endured there in such bitter sorrow, there was only skin and bones left. Imagine what it was like for him there. And then he remembered God and said to himself: “God brought this torment and punishment on me because I angered Him - and I myself turned away from Him, and God’s people forced them to sacrifice to idols!” And he thought in his heart: “If God has kept me alive until now, then what does He want from me? Of course He wants my salvation!” And then he cried out from the depths of his soul, began to shed tears and fervently pray to God: “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, God of heaven and earth! Lord God, if You have done mercy with me, for so many years not allowing me to die, but to suffer in these heavy chains, and without cutting off the thread of life in me, then, apparently, You are waiting for my appeal to You. I cannot, Lord my God, bow my knees, I cannot fall to the ground, for I am bound by these heavy chains of iron and copper, which have twisted me into a ring, head to feet, and pray to You. I cannot bow, I cannot crumble to dust, for I am shackled. But I beseech Thee, Lord God, and I bow the knees of my heart: remember, Lord, that if You show mercy to the righteous, it will not be surprising. You did not put repentance on Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and his righteous tribe, but appointed repentance on sinners. Therefore, Lord God, if You show mercy to me, if You look at my heart and turn me to repentance, if You forgive me with all my sins, which are more than the sand on the seashore, then it will be revealed, Lord, how indescribable Your mercy is and Thy goodness is unfathomable…” And when he prayed like this from the depths of his soul and shed streams of tears with great pain in such torments, the Most Holy God remembered him and suggested to that king, named Asur, to take off his chains and let him out of the cage , from this terrible prison of his. And when he was released, he, since he was chained for a very long time, began to tumble and roll like a wheel. His bones were rounded, and he could no longer straighten up. Imagine how pitiful it was to see a man curled up in a ball, one skin and bones! Think what a pity! And the pagans of Babylon wept, saying: “Does life still flicker in this man?” Is this a human being at all? Then they gave him freedom and began to feed a little, looked after him, and after a few months he got on his feet. And as soon as he got up and recovered, the king of Babylon said: - God, Whom he worships, forgave him because of his strong repentance! - and sent him back to Jerusalem to be king there again. And Manasseh reigned again and led all the people to worship God, doing all sorts of good deeds that he could, until the very end of his life, and wrote that great prayer that we read now at Great Compline and which is called the prayer of Manasseh, king of the Jews. In the Holy Scriptures, the prayer of King Manasseh is at the end of the 2nd book of Chronicles. Great Compline is celebrated in the evening on the first four days of Great Lent - on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, at which the Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete. Have you seen the wisdom of God? Have you heard what God does? The pagan king, whose sins outnumbered the stars of heaven and the sand of the sea, He turned into a holy king, because he repented from the depths of his soul, shed bitter tears and suffered for so many years in such fasting, torment and pain! Nevertheless, he did not lose hope in the mercy of God. Archimandrite Cleopas (Ilie)

Number of entries: 7

Hello, father. during the baptism of my son, when there was a procession, the candle went out. I am very worried about this and cannot calm down. is there any sign in this? Thanks.

Elena

Don't worry, Elena, just forget it. During the procession, the candles are constantly extinguished by the wind, there is nothing special about this - it is completely natural, a natural phenomenon. Give no importance. Especially since it doesn't mean anything at all.

Priest Konstantin Kravtsov

Victor

You can read any prayer, including praying in your own words. But one prayer, most likely, will not be enough - you need to live like a Christian and participate in church sacraments - confess, take communion. I would advise you to start with confession and communion. What to do: our life is suffering. And more than that: one Christian poet said that life is nothing if it is not suffering. This painful, agonizing experience that you are going through is just as valuable and important as any other experience. And the Lord always suffers with us, with each of us. Trust Him, open your heart, your pain to Him, and with what words it doesn’t matter, as long as it comes from the depths of your heart, from the core of the pain you are experiencing.

Priest Konstantin Kravtsov

Thank God, father. I have 2 questions. 1. Sorrows and our troubles (illnesses and hardships) are also an expression of God's love, no matter how strange it looks by our worldly standards? 2. After the death of spouses who have lived together all their lives in love for each other, if they were really Christians and by God's grace were awarded the Kingdom of Heaven, will they stay in the Kingdom of Heaven together as a family or will it be somehow different. Excuse me for maybe a strange question? Save me, God.

Alexander, Ukraine

On the 1st question. Sickness, suffering, and death are the result of man's falling away from God, that catastrophe known as the fall into sin. We can say that this is a consequence of our freedom of choice - a false choice made then. But the Lord turns all our troubles, and death itself into a way of salvation, in any case, into an opportunity for salvation, because. suffering can also be treated differently, an example of which are two thieves crucified to the left and right of Christ. A person is always free to choose - to be with God or withdraw into himself, in his "I". The latter is the original sin, the consequences of which are illness and death, dependence on them, and all the evil generated by this dependence.
On the 2nd question. Yes, loving spouses will inherit the kingdom as a family; stay in it together. But how and what life in a new resurrected body is in general - we will learn about this only there, but here we can only foresee that blissful state in the best blessed moments. According to the testimony of both the holy Apostle Paul and many saints, we cannot even imagine what the Lord has prepared for those who love Him. It exceeds all our expectations and assumptions.

Priest Konstantin Kravtsov

Bless, father! God bless you for your work! Please tell me how to read akathists correctly. Is it necessary to read some prayers before and after reading the akathist? How is the passage from the Gospel that is read during the akathist chosen? Is it possible to read akathists during fasting? Is there a rule that an akathist is read exactly 40 days in a row?

Olga

Dear Olga! Akathists, if allowed physical forces, it is customary to read standing. In principle, by its nature or genre, an akathist is a joyful solemn reading and singing dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, or any of the saints. If an akathist is read at a prayer service in a church or chapel led by a priest, then the gospel is chosen to be the one that is usually read at the service in honor of the one or the one to whom the akathist is dedicated. The use of some special prayers by the laity when reading an akathist in private, as a rule, is not expected, although it is not forbidden. There is no absolute ban on reading akathists during Lent, although on the weekdays of Great Lent, and even more so on Holy Week, this would not be entirely appropriate, based on the recollected events. During Great Lent, it is better to replace the reading of akathists with the reading of the psalter. Regarding the reading of an akathist for forty days, there are no firm canonical church rules - it is rather a folk custom.

Archpriest Andrei Spiridonov

Dear father, tell me, please, is it possible to knit during pregnancy? I have a period of 2 months and really want to knit. I'm afraid, is it possible? Thanks in advance for your reply.

Valeria

Why not? Does it adversely affect the development of the fetus? Will it harm you or your child in any way? I have never heard that knitting during pregnancy is harmful. Or is knitting a sin? I can not understand your question and the reason for this question.

Priest Konstantin Kravtsov

Hello, please help with advice, I have been living with a girl for about a year, I really want to get married and spend my life with her, but for last year, at the moments of the influence of alcohol intoxication, as well as I suppose demons, and naturally my own sinfulness - I cheated, a total of 3 times, the first two times I told everything as if in spirit, and she forgave me, now when I committed this act 3 times, I’m afraid of losing her, I won’t tell her for anything, she will leave my life, and there will be no family, no children ... in general, the meaning of the question is the following, I am extremely ashamed, I have no excuse, I want to forget everything and get rid of this terrible feeling, what to do, why this happens to me, if I sincerely love a person and I can’t stand this sin. Thank you so much.