Is it possible to brush your teeth before Communion or Confession?

The meaning of the sacrament

The first step in preparing for communion will be to understand the meaning of communion, so many go to church because it is fashionable and one could say that you took communion and confessed, but in fact such communion is a sin.
When preparing for communion, you need to understand that you go to church to see the priest, first of all, to draw closer to the Lord God and repent of your sins, and not to arrange a holiday and an extra reason to drink and eat. At the same time, going to receive communion just because you were forced is not good; you must go to this sacrament at will, cleansing your soul of sins. So, anyone who wants to worthily partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ must prayerfully prepare himself for this in two or three days: pray at home in the morning and evening, attend church services. Before the day of communion, you must be at the evening service. To the home evening prayers is added (from the prayer book) the rule for Holy Communion.

The main thing is the living faith of the heart and the warmth of repentance for sins.

Prayer is combined with abstinence from fast food - meat, eggs, milk and dairy products, during strict fasting and from fish. The rest of your food should be kept in moderation.

Those who wish to receive communion must, preferably the day before, before or after the evening service, bring sincere repentance of their sins to the priest, sincerely revealing their soul and not hiding a single sin. Before confession, you must certainly reconcile both with your offenders and with those whom you have offended. During confession, it is better not to wait for the priest’s questions, but to tell him everything that is on your conscience, without justifying yourself in anything and without shifting the blame to others. Under no circumstances should you condemn someone or talk about the sins of others during confession. If it is not possible to confess in the evening, you need to do this before the start of the liturgy, or, in extreme cases, before the Cherubic Song. Without confession, no one except infants under seven years of age can be admitted to Holy Communion. After midnight, it is forbidden to eat or drink; you must come to Communion strictly on an empty stomach. Children should also be taught to abstain from food and drink before Holy Communion.

Is it possible to brush your teeth before Communion? (video)

Since today certain rules are changing and even priests have begun to be more loyal to the various life circumstances of modern man, it is advisable to clarify certain nuances with the clergyman who conducts Confession, the Eucharist and other Sacraments from church life.

What to eat and hygiene before communion

The first thing a person preparing for communion should understand is that visiting a temple is a kind of holiday, which means that before visiting it you should definitely wash your face, put on clean clothes and put yourself in order. Do not be afraid if a small amount of water gets into your stomach when brushing your teeth - this is not considered a meal.

Attention! The consumption of alcoholic beverages, as well as kvass and coffee, which affect the human nervous system and, accordingly, serve as an obstacle to prayer, is especially prohibited.

As for nutrition, the beginning of strict fasting is considered to be after midnight on Saturday; during this period and until the end of the morning service and communion, you cannot drink or eat.

Lent is a time of prayer and reflection on the sacrifice of Christ

There are also certain rules governing the list of foods that can be eaten on the eve of communion. Meat and dairy products are absolutely prohibited, but fish, cereals, nuts and fruits are allowed.

The meaning of Communion and Confession in the life of a Christian

A churched person must constantly begin to receive Communion. In a general sense, churching is the level of knowledge about the Sacraments and teachings of the Church, regular attendance at divine services, fairly frequent participation in Confession and Communion, and performing the prayer rule daily. With these external signs, a person can be called a church-going, pious, Orthodox person.

Let us note that you can come to Confession without preparing for Communion. That is, Confession is necessary before Communion, but you can come to Confession separately. Preparing for confession is basically reflecting on your life and repenting, that is, admitting that certain things you have done are sins.

How to prepare for Communion

A person who regularly attends a temple and takes part in the rite of communion knows that preparation for it includes refusing breakfast, and even taking pills. However, there is no official ban on brushing your teeth in any church, although discussions about this ban occur regularly among parishioners.

While preparing for communion, Christians try to reconsider their lives

The whole point is that you should take the sacrament on an empty stomach, excluding even water. However, someone brushing their teeth may inadvertently swallow water while rinsing, which is not something terrible, but, indirectly, can be considered an inadequacy in preparation for communion.

Preparation for communion includes several points:

a two- or three-day fast, which consists not only of abstaining from animal food (does not apply to pregnant, lactating women, or people with stomach diseases), but also prayer and repentance;
reading spiritual literature;
refusal of entertainment, noisy companies;
reconciliation with those with whom there were conflicts or rather large quarrels.

In addition, a couple of days before the Sunday service, when the rite of the Eucharist will take place, you should read the canon of repentance to Jesus Christ, the canon to the Mother of God and your Guardian Angel. It will not be superfluous to read the rules for Communion, which are in any prayer book.

On the eve of communion, on Saturday, it is recommended to attend an evening service, where you can also go to confession, which is a kind of admission to communion, but confession can also be taken during the Sunday morning service. In the Orthodox Church it is considered a great sin to come to communion without going to confession.

Priests recommend taking communion every Sunday if possible

It happens that due to the large number of parishioners, the priest cannot remember whether all the people admitted to communion have been to confession with him.

However, here we are not talking about the memory of the holy father and his attention, but rather about the conscience and worship of each parishioner.

The only exception when a priest can administer communion is when children or people near death come to receive communion.

Advice! After a person has confessed and repented of his sins before the priest and the Lord, you can ask the priest to bless you, using the following words: “Please bless me for communion, I was preparing (preparing).”

Participle. Can people brush their teeth?

Priests find this question very interesting, since people immediately ask whether it is possible to wash and shower? Water will still be able to get into your mouth. Almost all clergy unanimously affirm: “it is possible and necessary!” A person must always monitor the cleanliness of his body, and therefore no canonical obstacles are put forward in this regard.

If we talk about fasting before the rite of Communion, this means a ban specifically on eating, and not on brushing your teeth. Since this procedure has nothing to do with the meal, brushing your teeth is not at all forbidden.

If you are a newcomer or have not visited the Temple for a long time, you should approach the clergyman and confess. This sacrament helps resolve most spiritual issues.

Most believers of the Orthodox Church are wondering: is it possible to brush your teeth before communion? Today you can get the answer to it in the church from the priest or by turning to the Internet.

However, this is not the only thing that interests beginners. Newly churched people have many incomprehensible situations that need to be dealt with.

Since many rumors and misconceptions revolve around church customs, it is worth understanding the essence of the sacrament more deeply.

Communion: what is it?

What does the Gospel say about this event? Before his terrible death, Christ gathered his disciples for the last meal, consisting of wine and bread. Jesus told the apostles that in His memory people would then eat bread and drink wine, symbolizing His flesh and blood.

Nowadays, the tradition of communion using wine and bread continues in churches. Together with the parishioners of the temple, the priests pray, saying: “Let us pray to the Lord for the honest gifts offered.”

There are several versions of how sacred Communion is prepared and what is hidden from human sight. One day a man entered the Temple when the Royal Doors were open.

All the priests were at the Altar, and suddenly he saw one of the priests piercing a baby with a spear. The man shouted to the entire temple: “Why are you killing the baby?” All the parishioners turned around, not understanding what they were talking about.

In fact, the priest was holding the prosphora in his hands.

Even the apostles did not know how Communion should take place correctly. And we, of course, are not allowed to know this, so to this day the ritual remains a Divine secret. We must accept this without doubt, and therefore it is important to read all the necessary prayers before Communion.

The priest can answer any questions you may have.

: What does “Amen” mean at the end of a prayer and in Orthodoxy (video)

Liturgy

The most powerful prayer is any commemoration and presence at the Liturgy. During the Sacrament of the Eucharist (Communion), the whole Church prays for a person.

Preparing bread and wine, which during the Sacrament will become the Body and Blood of Christ, the priest takes prosphora (small round unleavened bread with the seal of the Cross), cuts out a piece in it and says: “Remember, Lord, Thy servants (names) ....” The names are taken from the notes, and all those praying during the Liturgy and all the communicants are remembered in separate prosphoras. All parts of the prosphora become the Body of Christ in the Chalice of Communion. This is how people receive great power and grace from God.

That is why every person needs to sometimes attend the Liturgy - submit a note for themselves and loved ones, and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ - the Body and Blood of the Lord. This is especially important to do in difficult life moments, despite the lack of time.

Christ said that in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, bread and wine will constantly be miraculously transformed into His Body and Blood, and the people who eat (taste) them will be united with Himself. The Church blesses us to receive communion at least once a year: preferably about once a month.

Source: https://svjatyni.ru/duhovnaya-zhizn/mozhno-li-chistit-zuby-pered-prichastiem.html

How to prepare for communion?

The days of fasting usually last a week, in extreme cases - three days. Fasting is prescribed on these days. Meal food is excluded from the diet - meat, dairy products, eggs, and on days of strict fasting - fish. Spouses refrain from physical intimacy. The family refuses entertainment and watching television. If circumstances permit, you should attend church services on these days. The morning and evening prayer rules are followed more diligently, with the addition of the reading of the Penitential Canon.

Regardless of when the Sacrament of Confession is celebrated in the church - in the evening or in the morning, it is necessary to attend the evening service on the eve of communion. In the evening, before reading prayers for bedtime, three canons are read: Repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ, Mother of God, Guardian Angel. You can read each canon separately, or use prayer books where these three canons are combined. Then the canon for Holy Communion is read before the prayers for Holy Communion, which are read in the morning. For those who find it difficult to perform such a prayer rule in one day, take the priest’s blessing to read three canons in advance during the days of fasting.

It is quite difficult for children to follow all the prayer rules for preparing for communion. Parents, together with their confessor, need to choose the optimal number of prayers that the child can handle, then gradually increase the number of necessary prayers needed to prepare for communion, up to the full prayer rule for Holy Communion.

For some, it is very difficult to read the necessary canons and prayers. For this reason, others do not confess or receive communion for years. Many people confuse preparation for confession (which does not require such a large volume of prayers read) and preparation for communion. Such people can be recommended to begin the Sacraments of Confession and Communion in stages. First, you need to properly prepare for confession and, when confessing your sins, ask your confessor for advice. We need to pray to the Lord to help us overcome difficulties and give us strength to adequately prepare for the Sacrament of Communion.

Since it is customary to begin the Sacrament of Communion on an empty stomach, from twelve o’clock at night they no longer eat or drink (smokers do not smoke). The exception is infants (children under seven years of age). But children from a certain age (starting from 5–6 years, and if possible earlier) must be taught to the existing rule.

In the morning, they also don’t eat or drink anything and, of course, don’t smoke, you can only brush your teeth. After reading the morning prayers, prayers for Holy Communion are read. If reading prayers for Holy Communion in the morning is difficult, then you need to take a blessing from the priest to read them the evening before. If confession is performed in the church in the morning, you must arrive on time, before confession begins. If confession was made the night before, then the person confessing comes to the beginning of the service and prays with everyone.

How to prepare for Communion

Preparation for communion includes several points:

a two- or three-day fast, which consists not only of abstaining from animal food (does not apply to pregnant, lactating women, or people with stomach diseases), but also prayer and repentance;
reading spiritual literature;
refusal of entertainment, noisy companies;
reconciliation with those with whom there were conflicts or rather large quarrels.

In addition, a couple of days before the Sunday service, when the rite of the Eucharist will take place, you should read the canon of repentance to Jesus Christ and the Mother of God, the canon to the Guardian Angel. You will also need to read the rule for Communion, which is in any prayer book.

It happens that due to the large number of parishioners, the priest cannot remember whether all the people admitted to communion have been to confession with him. However, here we are not talking about the memory of the priest and his attention, but rather about the conscience and worship of each parishioner. The only exception when a priest can administer communion is when children or people near death come to receive communion.

Fasting before confession

People who are resorting to Communion of the Holy Sacraments of Christ for the first time need to fast for a week, those who take communion less than twice a month, or do not observe Wednesday and Friday fasts, or often do not really observe multi-day fasts, fast for three days before communion. Do not eat animal food, do not drink alcohol. And don’t overeat yourself with lean food, but eat as much as necessary to fill yourself up and that’s all. But those who resort to the Sacraments every Sunday (as a good Christian should) can fast only Wednesday and Friday, as usual. Some also add - and at least on Saturday evening, or on Saturday - not to eat meat. Before communion, do not eat or drink anything for 24 hours. On the prescribed days of fasting, eat only plant-based foods.

Also, if a person goes to communion for the first time, you need to try to read the entire rule, read all the canons (you can buy a special book in the store, called “Rule for Holy Communion” or “Prayer book with the rule for communion”, everything is clear there). To make it not so difficult, you can do this by dividing the reading of this rule over several days.

Preparing for Confession

Before confession itself, which is a separate sacrament (it does not have to be followed by Communion, but it is desirable), you can not fast. A person can confess at any time when he feels in his heart that he needs to repent, confess his sins, and as quickly as possible so that his soul is not burdened. And if you are properly prepared, you can take communion later. Ideally, if possible, it would be good to attend the evening service, and especially before holidays or the day of your angel.

It is absolutely unacceptable to fast in food, but not change the course of your life in any way: continue to go to entertainment events, to the cinema for the next blockbuster, to visit, sit all day with computer toys, etc. The main thing in the days of preparation for Communion is to live They are different from other days of everyday life; you don’t have to work hard for the Lord. Talk to your soul, feel why it is spiritually bored. And do something that has been put off for a long time. Read the Gospel or spiritual book; visit people we love but have forgotten; ask for forgiveness from someone from whom we were ashamed to ask for it and we put it off until later; try these days to give up numerous attachments and bad habits. Simply put, these days you have to be bolder and be better than usual.

Communion in Church

The Sacrament of Communion itself takes place in the Church during a service called the liturgy

. As a rule, the liturgy is celebrated in the first half of the day; The exact start time of services and the days they take place should be found out directly in the temple you are going to go to. Services usually begin between seven and ten o'clock in the morning; The duration of the liturgy, depending on the nature of the service and partly on the number of communicants, is from one and a half to four to five hours. In cathedrals and monasteries, liturgies are served daily; in parish churches on Sundays and church holidays. It is advisable for those preparing for Communion to attend the service from the beginning (for this is a single spiritual action), and also to attend the evening service the day before, which is prayerful preparation for the Liturgy and the Eucharist.

During the liturgy, you need to stay in the church without going out, prayerfully participating in the service until the priest comes out of the altar with a cup and proclaims: “Approach with the fear of God and faith.” Then the communicants line up one after another in front of the pulpit (first children and the infirm, then men and then women). Hands should be folded crosswise on the chest; You are not supposed to be baptized in front of the cup. When your turn comes, you need to stand in front of the priest, say your name and open your mouth so that you can put in a spoon with a particle of the Body and Blood of Christ. The liar must be thoroughly licked with his lips, and after wiping his lips with the cloth, reverently kiss the edge of the bowl. Then, without venerating the icons or talking, you need to move away from the pulpit and take a drink - St. water with wine and a particle of prosphora (in this way, it is as if the oral cavity is washed, so that the smallest particles of the Gifts are not accidentally expelled from oneself, for example, when sneezing). After communion, you need to read (or listen in Church) prayers of thanksgiving and in the future carefully guard your soul from sins and passions.

What is Communion?

In Orthodoxy, there are several important rituals and sacred rites that must be performed at one time or another in one’s life. The most important of them are Baptism, Confirmation, Repentance (that is, Confession), Communion (or the Sacrament of the Eucharist), Wedding (marriage), Blessing of Anointing (otherwise Unction).

Communion is one of the main ones and is performed most often. It is believed that a person who is involved in church life, observes all rituals and fasts, must come to repentance and receive communion once a month. If you are too busy, then at least every year. Usually the Sacrament is held during the Liturgy, that is, on weekends and on great holidays.

In the process of this, the common person is introduced to the Holy Spirit and God. The believer receives grace and strength. But not everyone is allowed to participate in such a sacred rite. To do this, you need to prepare in a certain way, and also be sure to appear for Confession in order to completely cleanse your soul of sin and appear “pure” before the Lord.

The Sacrament of Communion was introduced by Jesus Christ himself in ancient times, the day before his death. On the day of Easter, he already knew about the betrayal of one of the apostles, the Pharisees were looking for him, and for the last time Jesus decided to arrange the Last Supper, at which he gave special instructions to his followers and disciples.

It was at this dinner that Christ said a prayer over the bread, divided it among the apostles and told them to eat his body. He did the same with wine and called it his Blood. It was established that this Sacrament should be carried out constantly, thereby introducing people to God. Since the Lord concluded a New Covenant with the Jews in those days, according to which it is no longer necessary to offer a sacrifice in the form of a lamb on Easter, since the Son of God himself became this Lamb. It is he who, once killed, will wash away all the sins of humanity with his blood.

Today, special bread (prosphora) is baked in the diocese, as well as in monasteries and parishes. It, together with wine, is specially prepared and consecrated in order to give communion to parishioners.

How to approach the Holy Chalice?

Each communicant needs to know well how to approach the Holy Chalice so that communion occurs orderly and without fuss.

Before approaching the Chalice, you must bow to the ground. If there are many communicants, then in order not to disturb others, you need to bow in advance. When the royal doors open, you must cross yourself and fold your hands crosswise on your chest, your right hand on top of your left, and with this folding of your hands you must receive communion; you need to move away from the Chalice without releasing your hands. You must approach from the right side of the temple, and leave the left free. The altar servers receive communion first, then the monks, the children, and only then everyone else. You need to give way to your neighbors, and under no circumstances push. Women need to wipe off their lipstick before communion. Women should approach communion with their heads covered.

Approaching the Chalice, you should loudly and clearly call your name, accept the Holy Gifts, chew them (if necessary) and immediately swallow them, and kiss the lower edge of the Chalice like the rib of Christ. You cannot touch the Chalice with your hands and kiss the priest’s hand. It is forbidden to be baptized at the Chalice! Raising your hand to make the sign of the cross, you can accidentally push the priest and spill the Holy Gifts. Having gone to the table with a drink, you need to eat antidor or prosphora and drink some warmth. Only after this can you venerate the icons.

If the Holy Gifts are given from several Chalice, they can only be received from one. You cannot receive communion twice a day. On the day of Communion, it is not customary to kneel, with the exception of bows during Great Lent when reading the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, bows before the Shroud of Christ on Holy Saturday and kneeling prayers on the day of the Holy Trinity. Arriving home, you should first of all read prayers of thanksgiving for Holy Communion; if they are read in church at the end of the service, you need to listen to the prayers there. After communion, you should also not spit out anything or rinse your mouth until the morning. Participants should try to protect themselves from idle talk, especially from condemnation, and to avoid idle talk, they must read the Gospel, the Jesus Prayer, akathists, and Holy Scripture.

Many questions arise for believers, weakly churched or not at all churched people who want to partake of the Holy Sacraments, what it should be like, what one can eat, and how to properly prepare. It is clear that preparation for confession and communion does not consist only of fasting; one also needs a spiritual state, repentance, prayers, etc. But the question about the post is relevant, many people ask about it, which means it needs to be disclosed. We turned to various sources and settled on the answers of priest Konstantin Parkhomenko, who expressed the opinion of the majority of the clergy on this question.

So, from the answers it is clear that people who are resorting to Communion of the Holy Sacraments of Christ for the first time need to fast for a week, those who receive communion less than twice a month, or do not observe Wednesday and Friday fasts, or often do not really observe multi-day fasts - three fasts the day before communion. Do not eat animal food, do not drink alcohol. and don’t overeat on lean food, but eat as much as necessary to fill up and nothing more. But those who resort to the Sacraments every Sunday (as a good Christian should) can fast only Wednesday and Friday, as usual. Some also add - and at least on Saturday evening, or on Saturday - not to eat meat. Before communion, do not eat or drink anything for 24 hours. On the prescribed days of fasting, eat only plant-based foods.

How to prepare

It is also very important these days to keep yourself from anger, envy, condemnation, empty talk and physical communication between spouses, as well as on the night after communion. Children under 7 years old do not need to fast or confess. Also, if a person goes to communion for the first time, you need to try to read the entire rule, read all the canons (you can buy a special book in the store, called “Rule for Holy Communion” or “Prayer book with the rule for communion”, everything is clear there). To make it not so difficult, you can do this by dividing the reading of this rule over several days.

Before confession

On pilgrimage trips

Konstantin Parkhomenko also says, answering a reader’s question, that if you are on a pilgrimage trip, or even just visiting other cities for tourist purposes, it would also be good to take communion while visiting holy places. You can also shorten the rules by reading, for example, one of the three canons, for example, to the Lord or the Mother of God, as well as the canon with prayers before communion.

More answers from the priest to questions of this kind.

Listen and watch: prayer rule - how to get started

, priest Konstantin Parkhomenko answers questions.

Discussion:

Answer

Fasting is not at all easy, especially for those who have never limited themselves in anything before. First, you need to fast one day at a time, for example, on Wednesday and Friday, and then prepare for a three-day fast.

Answer

What can you eat between confession and communion? And is it possible to drink sweet tea before communion? And is it possible to go to the liturgy without confession?

Answer

Masha, you can go to the liturgy, regardless of whether you have fasted or not, whether you will confess and receive communion or not, but, of course, it is advisable, when going to church for the liturgy, to confess and receive communion. Before communion, from 12 o'clock at night you cannot eat or drink anything, especially sweet tea (not even water). On the days when you fast, you can’t eat meat, dairy products, eggs), and on strictly fasting days, you can’t eat fish.
Answer

It is still important to be at the evening service (and not just “desirable” and “ideally”), since the evening service is, so to speak, the first part of the upcoming liturgy. Previously, the entire Liturgy was served in its entirety, but then, due to our weakness, it was divided into an evening service and a morning service—the Liturgy itself. And so it turns out that we come to the service not from the beginning, but, as if, considering its first part—the evening service—not important. It’s another matter if, due to some important circumstances (for example, due to work at an enterprise or significant life circumstances), a person cannot be at the evening service - I think it would be good to talk about this in confession.

Answer

I also know that fasting is mandatory before communion and confession. Let the soul remain in purity and good thoughts for at least a few days. Give God at least a little time.

Answer

By clicking the button, you agree to and.
The sacrament of Communion (Eucharist) is impossible before preliminary fasting, home prayer and confession. Fasting allows us to humble our bodily passions, renounce earthly pleasures, look deep into ourselves and come closer to the awareness of sins. Prayer serves as a “bridge” between the physical and spiritual nature of man; it is an additional strengthening for preparation for sincere repentance performed at confession. But it all starts with fasting.

In Orthodoxy, in one calendar year there are four multi-day fasts (Great, Petrov, Assumption and Nativity) and a large number of one-day fasts (Wednesday, Friday, Epiphany Eve, Beheading of John the Baptist, Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord). If you strictly observe a multi-day fast, there is no need to specifically fast before communion. The only exception is fish - it must be abandoned three days before the sacrament.

Believers who do not observe the fasts established by the Church must first talk to the priest to whom they plan to confess. Admission to communion is carried out after confession - accordingly, this conversation cannot be avoided. Usually, priests establish a strict (consumption of plant foods, fresh and boiled, seasoned with vegetable oil is allowed) three-day fast, but depending on the capabilities of the person and other factors known only to him, this period can be increased to seven days.

Believers who strictly observe both multi-day and one-day fasts, in turn, can count on some relaxations, but they must also agree on them with the priest at the beginning. The same applies to people suffering from certain diseases and pregnant women: if for health reasons they cannot refuse to take certain foods and medications, then first they must notify the priest about this and only then begin fasting.

Medicines should not be taken before communion, since communion itself is a medicine not only for the soul, but also for the body. Herbal teas, vitamin supplements and ointments are allowed during fasting. Prohibited drugs include only drugs ingested.

The minimum fast before communion lasts three days. It involves avoiding food of animal origin – meat and dairy products, eggs, butter, alcohol. People who smoke should give up cigarettes or at least try to do so. During fasting, it is advisable to abstain not only from “forbidden” food, but also from everything that gives a person pleasure in earthly life - sex, entertainment (discos, theaters, concerts, watching TV, etc.) and any kind of excesses, including including in lean food (fasting and gluttony are incompatible things!).

On the eve of communion, starting from twelve o'clock at night, the consumption of any food and water is prohibited. You should also not brush your teeth after midnight. If the sacrament takes place at night (Christmas, Easter), then strict fasting begins - at least eight hours before the sacrament (around five in the evening).

Many Orthodox Christians go to communion on Sundays. In this case, the fast before communion actually lasts not three, but four days: fasting Thursday, Friday and Saturday are almost always joined by fasting Wednesday, with the only difference being that fish is allowed during it. On continuous weeks (weeks when fasting Wednesdays and Fridays are abolished), Wednesday is not fasting, but fasting before communion must still be observed.

Children under seven years of age receive communion without fasting or confession, but the sooner their parents teach them to abstain and recognize their sins, the better. You can introduce your child to fasting by giving up your favorite sweets and cartoons.

Confession and communion for many people is a way to restore spiritual balance, cleanse themselves, and become closer to God.

There is no exact rule determining the need for communion or confession, so true believers try to take communion every Sunday.

In this regard, the question arises: what actions should a person take on the eve of this event.

Is it possible to brush your teeth before Communion or Confession?

Many inexperienced churchgoers are interested in whether it is possible to brush their teeth before Communion or Confession.
This question sometimes confuses those who have already performed all the Sacraments of the Church more than once. Since today certain rules are changing and even priests have begun to be more loyal to the various life circumstances of modern man, it is advisable to clarify certain nuances with the clergyman who conducts Confession, the Eucharist and other Sacraments from church life.

What is Communion?

The Sacrament of Communion was introduced by Jesus Christ himself in ancient times, the day before his death. On the day of Easter, he already knew about the betrayal of one of the apostles, the Pharisees were looking for him, and for the last time Jesus decided to arrange the Last Supper, at which he gave special instructions to his followers and disciples.

It was at this dinner that Christ said a prayer over the bread, divided it among the apostles and told them to eat his body. He did the same with wine and called it his Blood.

It was established that this Sacrament should be carried out constantly, thereby introducing people to God.

Since the Lord concluded a New Covenant with the Jews in those days, according to which it is no longer necessary to offer a sacrifice in the form of a lamb on Easter, since the Son of God himself became this Lamb. It is he who, once killed, will wash away all the sins of humanity with his blood.

Preparation

You can’t just go and come to Communion. It is not allowed without certain preparation. To do this, it is advisable to fast for at least 3 days in a row. If a person rarely visits temple, lives a sinful life and does not adhere to important rituals, but wants to take communion, then it is better to devote more time to this, at least a week.

Often such Sacraments are performed on great holidays - Easter, Christmas, etc. But it is not necessary to wait for such events in order to observe fasting and undergo the Sacrament of Communion. This can be done at any time when the Liturgy is held in the church. Much more important is reconciliation with God itself, the desire to stop sinning and start a new life, and not convenience or certain events.

Before Confession and Communion they fast. For this purpose, you need to follow the recommendations:

pray daily, read the canon of repentance to the Lord Jesus Christ, the canons to the Mother of God, the Guardian Angel and the Rules for Communion, psalms, do this in a calm home environment so that no one distracts you;
switch to lean food, for which they exclude eggs, milk, meat and any dishes with them from the diet for this period;
refuse alcoholic drinks and coffee;
avoid entertainment, small, vain affairs, try to read more biblical spiritual literature (the Holy Fathers, the Gospel);
it is important to make peace with those with whom you recently quarreled;
go to an evening service or an All-Night Vigil.

It is very important to go through Confession before Communion; without this stage a person will not be allowed to the Chalice. At the same time, you need to remember as honestly and sincerely as possible all your sins, from small to serious, that you committed during the period from the previous Confession, or throughout your entire life, if you have never done this before.

Of course, a priest is only a minister of the church and an earthly representative of God, but you are obliged to name your own sins, as before the Lord himself. Only then will you receive his forgiveness and blessing. It is believed that if you forget about something, it is not terrible, but when something is deliberately hidden, it only aggravates the situation and increases guilt in the eyes of God.

If you do not know what exactly is considered a sin and what is not, then you should carefully re-read about the seven deadly sins, as well as the Ten Commandments. Violation of each of them is condemned by the church and the Lord.

Who is not allowed?

A person does not always receive permission from the priest to come to Communion. If the priest notices that the parishioner has not undergone Confession, then he will not be allowed to the Chalice. Also important sins for which it is quite difficult to receive a blessing are:

abortions;
killing a person;
fortune telling and other similar activities related to spiritualism, etc.;
different faith;
drug addiction, alcoholism;
debauchery and sex life before marriage;
homosexuality, etc.

Also, women during menstruation are not allowed to participate in such Sacraments. Some priests are more loyal to this point, but the church itself and even the Bible consider it wrong for an “unclean” parishioner to have contact with any sacred attributes. And if sometimes it is allowed to come to Baptism, Wedding or Confirmation on such days, then Communion is most often excluded from this list.

The only difference can be if the woman is sick, in serious condition and needs to receive a blessing. Then the priest can give her communion, despite her special situation.

Sacrament of Communion

It is important not to eat or drink anything before performing the ritual. The ban is imposed not only in the morning hours after waking up, but also throughout the night, starting from 24:00. It is important that the first thing that gets inside is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Even if you need to take medications, it is advisable to postpone them on this day for a later period.

The Liturgy with Communion usually takes place quite early, at 7 or 9 am, so you don’t have to wait long with food and water. This also applies to those who need to treat some diseases. After all, our body and earthly life are only secondary and short-lived. It is much more important to pay attention to your spirituality and earn God's blessing.

But if we return to the question of whether it is possible to brush your teeth before Communion, then the answer from the clergy is often positive. After all, no one likes to breathe in the aroma from sloppy parishioners.

It's like respecting a priest who is in close contact with you. But during the hygiene procedure, it is important not to swallow the paste or water.

Although even on this score there is an opinion that if a believer accidentally swallows a little water during ablution, then this is not a sin or a problem.

Communion takes place at the morning Liturgy. It is better to come to church a little earlier, talk to the priest, and clarify with him the questions that concern you. Also set aside this time for prayer, mood, go to your favorite saints, light candles, and re-read the Rules for Communion again.

: Is it possible to brush your teeth before Communion?

At the end of the Liturgy, when the “Our Father” has been read for the last time and the Royal Doors have closed, you must approach the altar (sometimes a small queue of parishioners forms). The priest brings out the Chalice and reads prayers over it. After this, everyone crosses themselves and folds their hands in a special way - in the form of boats, placing them on opposite shoulders.

When approaching the altar, it is better not to cross yourself, as unnecessary body movements threaten to overturn the Chalice, and this is unacceptable. Say your Baptismal name out loud and open your mouth. The priest will put in a spoon with the Body and Blood of the Lord, which must be swallowed immediately. It is important not to sneeze or spit them out. It is better to swallow the whole piece. Then they go to another table with a drink, if necessary.

It is necessary to stand in the church until the end of the service without leaving the premises. After everything, prayers of gratitude are said, which it is advisable to repeat later at home in a calm environment. Then it is better to devote this day to quiet and good deeds. Try to avoid entertainment, visiting noisy places, companies. Pay attention to family, soul, prayers, spiritual books.

Source: https://infozuby.ru/mozhno-li-chistit-zuby-pered-prichastiem.html

Is it necessary to fast before confession and communion?

There are no precise instructions regarding preparation for communion or confession. There are certain customs that people follow before church activities.

The customs arose during the Eucharistic period and are considered relevant to the modern church.

In this regard, the following canons arose:

Confession is required before communion.
Communion is celebrated on an empty stomach; you cannot eat after midnight.
Observe marital abstinence for the day.

How to fast before confession and communion?

Fasting before communion causes a lot of controversy among believers. Before communion, you can not only eat for a certain time, but also smoke, drink, slander, argue, use the Internet, watch TV and read the press.

On the eve of confession and communion, it is necessary to read prayers.

And consume certain foods, as well as in moderation - without excesses:

Eat five times a day and stay hydrated.
Eat boiled and raw vegetables with minimal added salt.
The best side dishes are porridge without oil.
Fruits and fruit infusions should be the main dessert.

It is imperative to improve spiritually and emotionally during the days of fasting. While eating, enrich yourself with positive emotions and thoughts.

How many days should you fast?

Besides the fact that not everything can be eaten on the eve of confession and communion, such retention must continue for a certain time.

Each canon defines a different period of time, so it is better to consult with a spiritual mentor who will carry out the procedure.

Possible time frames:

Strict
unconditional fasting is observed for 24 hours before confession and communion.
Ideally,
you should observe a three-day fast before church procedures of this type.
The best
option would be to perform generally accepted fasts, which are indicated in the canons of the Orthodox Church.

Note!

In the process of fasting, you should not resort to extremes - an exhausted body and mind are not welcome.

People who rarely receive communion must observe a compulsory week-long fast with the accompanying reading of the main prayers. In addition, you should adhere to fasting in terms of entertainment, thoughts and statements.

What should you not eat during Lent before communion?

It is worth keeping the post wisely. It is also worth taking into account the generally accepted fast that believers should adhere to.

Attention!

Fish should not be eaten only on those days of abstinence when they coincide with the main Orthodox fast - during the rest of the period this product can be eaten.

Moderation should be observed not only in limiting foods, but also in portions. You need to eat as much as you need to satisfy the body's needs - you absolutely cannot overeat.

What to eat:

Products	What should the food be like?	Specific Recommendations
Vegetables	Vegetables can be boiled or fresh. It is better not to eat canned or pickled vegetables.	Boiled vegetables complement side dishes. Fresh vegetable salads can be a completely independent dish
Fruits	Canned fruits are excluded. Only fresh products are used for food	Fruits can serve as a snack or replace desserts for those with a sweet tooth. Walnuts will become more nutritious
Fish	Low-fat fish varieties are suitable. It is worth considering the spawning seasons. You should not eat fish with caviar.	The fish should be boiled or baked in the oven. Do not use spices and salt in large quantities
Beverages	You cannot use smoked dried fruits. Tea, coffee, cocoa are not included in the list of permitted drinks. The best option would be water	Compotes and decoctions should not be sweet, the natural taste of the ingredients should be preserved
Bakery products	The ideal option would be bread with the addition of oats and other grains.	Crackers from any bread can be used as a dessert and for a snack. Borodino bread croutons added to salad

Fasting for pregnant women and children

Fasting before confession and communion is not possible for everyone and not in all situations.

For pregnant women
Observance of food restrictions is completely excluded by the church.
It is better for expectant mothers to think about spiritual and emotional enrichment, which should be continued throughout pregnancy.
for children
under five years of age not to resort to food restrictions. It is worth having conversations with the child, talking about the sacraments of confession and communion, and introducing them to the traditions and rules of the ritual.
For people
who adhere to therapeutic diets or suffer from certain diseases, adherence to food restrictions is not necessary, and sometimes completely categorical.

If during the “fasting” signs of malaise or poor health appear, then you should return to your usual diet and take communion on an empty stomach.

Useful video

The sacrament of communion is widely known not only to believers, but also to people who do not consider themselves to be Christians. According to church canons, every layman must fast before the ceremony in order to prepare to receive the spirit of the Lord. It is widely known that the restriction applies to products of animal origin. But the question often arises about whether it is possible to eat fish before communion, because it is also often prohibited.

Is it possible to brush your teeth the day before?

How to behave correctly on the eve of the Eucharist? Before the sacrament is performed, one should fast. You should not drink alcoholic beverages, coffee or energy drinks, because the body should be as calm as the soul. It is prohibited to eat products of animal origin:

meat,
milk,
eggs and dishes containing them.

No less important than the purity of the body is the purity of the soul. On the eve of communion, it is forbidden to use swear words, swear, tell lies, or offend loved ones. You should put off worldly, vain affairs for later. You need to spend as much time as possible alone with yourself, with your thoughts, cleansing them of filth.

Is it possible to perform hygiene procedures on the day of the Sacrament? On the day of the Eucharist you cannot eat anything or even drink water. However, does this ban apply to mouthwash?

Orthodox Christians strictly state that brushing your teeth is prohibited. Most priests are not so categorical. They allow hygiene procedures to be performed.

How is the ceremony performed?

The sacrament of communion or the Eucharist became known to people from the moment the Lord Christ came to earth. It was the Savior who laid the foundation for this tradition, which is still regularly practiced during church services. Christ broke bread with his disciples and divided it among everyone, and also offered them wine, saying that this was the body and blood of the Lord.

The rite of communion is carried out exclusively under the arches of a church or Orthodox temple. And only wine and bread are used for it, over which special prayers were said by the servants of the Lord God. Therefore, the first drink you come across and an ordinary bun bought in a store are not suitable for communion.

Before the church service, the priest says special liturgical prayers over the bread and wine, and God’s grace descends on them. Therefore, by eating the Body and Blood of the Lord during communion, parishioners receive God's Blessing and touch the sacred sacrament.

Their thoughts and body are cleansed, and if the parishioner has previously undergone the sacrament of confession, the consequences of sin are removed from him. Some believers receive not only spiritual liberation, but are also healed from serious illnesses, if this is the will of God.

The sacrament that connects man with God

Communion (Eucharist) is the central Sacrament of the Church. Thanks to him, a person can already unite with Christ on earth. After all, when we approach the cup, we eat not bread and wine, but the Body and Blood of Christ, thus accepting the Savior into our hearts.

And this is not some symbolic action, but reality. So that people are not literally afraid when they see Flesh and Blood in the chalice, the Lord vouchsafes us to partake of the Holy Gifts under the guise of bread and wine. But in the history of Christianity you can find many cases when those who approached the cup with doubts were horrified at some point. They saw the bloody liquid with their own eyes and even felt the taste of flesh in their mouths. Anyone can familiarize themselves with such examples in Christian literature; many cases are described in the book of Archpriest Vyacheslav Tulupov “The Miracle of Holy Communion.”

But we would like to draw the reader’s attention to a slightly different topic - how to behave on the day of Communion - and talk about some myths.

We have already written about preparation for the Eucharist in the article “Communion for the first time - how to prepare?” Here you can learn in detail how to fast, what prayer rules to read and generally how to behave the day before.

Rules for the laity

To receive redemption and cleansing, you need to follow some rules that are familiar to believers. Before the sacrament of communion, fasting is required. This custom arose because the Apostle Paul, after the death and resurrection of Christ, considered it unacceptable to receive communion after a long feast or dinner.

In his opinion, believers who came to church after prolonged fun and gluttony are unable to concentrate on prayer and the sacrament of communion remains inaccessible to them. Such people are drawn to sleep or they want to continue their revelry, which is inappropriate under the arches of a church where other Christians have gathered.

It was from this moment that certain restrictions were introduced before communion, based on fasting. After all, liberated and disobedient believers cannot know the Grace of the Lord. The rules of preparation before communion are very simple.

A believer preparing for the ceremony must fast the day before attending Sunday service, not have dinner the night before Sunday, and not have sexual intercourse.

Thus, a believer did not stain himself with “ungodly thoughts and dreams,” but his body was cleansed and his thoughts remained clear and open to prayer and communion.

Later, the church established a rule that included seven days of fasting before confession and the sacrament of the Eucharist. But now priests have come to the conclusion that three days before communion are enough for preparation. During this period of time, believers must follow a certain diet in the consumption of foods, and also not engage in sexual intercourse, so as not to stain their body with “sin.”

Communion: what is it?

There are several versions of how sacred Communion is prepared and what is hidden from human sight. One day a man entered the Temple when the Royal Doors were open. All the priests were at the Altar, and suddenly he saw one of the priests piercing a baby with a spear. The man shouted to the entire temple: “Why are you killing the baby?” All the parishioners turned around, not understanding what they were talking about. In fact, the priest was holding the prosphora in his hands.

Constantly and invisibly, the Lord sacrifices himself for humanity - spiritually. Only people 2000 years ago saw the Crucifixion with their own eyes. And remembering the words of Christ at the Last Supper, we still cannot imagine what the Lord really meant. Even the apostles did not know how Communion should take place correctly. And we, of course, are not allowed to know this, so to this day the ritual remains a Divine secret. We must accept this without doubt, and therefore it is important to read all the necessary prayers before Communion. The priest can answer any questions you may have.

Participle. Can people brush their teeth?

If you are a newcomer or have not visited the Temple for a long time, you should approach the clergyman and confess. This sacrament helps resolve most spiritual issues.