About church rituals
Orthodoxy has become firmly established in the life of Russians since those ancient times when the ambassadors of Vladimir Krasno Solnyshko captivated the prince with narratives about the beauty of rituals and about the sense of enlightenment they experienced while attending the service in the Orthodox church of distant Byzantium. After the Baptism of Rus in the X century. God, the Most Holy Theotokos and numerous saints became reliable defenders of Orthodox Christians. Praying is done in the church, at home in front of the icon or mentally inwardly.
Recently, many began to visit churches and temples, but do not always behave with dignity. This happens often from ignorance of the simplest rules, Orthodox etiquette and rituals.
To visit the church you need to choose the right clothes. In the women's clothes are not allowed mini, sleeveless clothing, decollete, because modesty is considered one of the main virtues in Christianity( however, as in other religions).Pants and jeans are inappropriate, since the church does not recognize the mixing of the sexes. Women should cover their hair with a scarf, scarf or kerchief. They are categorically forbidden to attend church on critical days.
There are a lot of holy and revered icons in Orthodoxy, therefore, almost every weekend( and usually on Sundays, people usually work on the service) church holidays fall out. In addition, the very Sunday( the resurrection of the God-Man Jesus Christ) is for the believer a blessed person. Information about church holidays is in a special Orthodox calendar.
It is desirable to know at least one Orthodox prayer. You can learn the most common - "Our Father".It sounds like this: "Our Father, Who art in heaven!"Hallowed be Thy name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, as in heaven and earth. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Thine is the kingdom and power and glory, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen".If you find it difficult to remember the classical reading of the prayer, learn its modern version: Our heavenly Father! Let thy name be glorified. Let your kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth, as in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sinned against us. And do not let us be tempted, but deliver us from the evil spirit. Because You belong to the Kingdom, Power and Glory to the Father and to the Son and the Holy Spirit, now, always and forever and ever. Amen".
Before entering the church, tune to the "high" wave: coming to the door, you should cross( when you leave the temple again do this), and after going inside, quietly and calmly get into the free space. In the church you can not make noise, speak loudly, litter, often move from place to place.
Ignorance of the course of service for a beginner - it does not matter. We need to look around and try to do everything, as the majority does. So you can find out in which places you need to accompany the prayer with a cross and where to kneel. If for some reason you do not or can not do this, your will, and no one will force you. Stay standing.
During the service you need to listen attentively to the words of a priest who preaches about eternal universal truths: love of neighbor, prohibition of anti-humanity - murder, theft, theft, adultery.