Orthodox faith - bows-alf. Bowing down how to do it right in Orthodoxy? When prostrations are not made

Bows are symbolic actions that express feelings of reverence for the Supreme Being - God. They have been used in the Christian Church since ancient times. Bows should be performed slowly, in accordance with the specific words of the prayer. There are great (earthly) and small (waist) bows. When bowing to the ground, a person should prostrate himself and touch the floor with his knees and forehead, and with waist bows - tilt his head and touch the floor with his fingers.

That is, bowing is a symbolic action, adoration of the head and body, expressing humility and reverence for God. There are great bows, also called earthly, - when the praying one kneels down and touches the head of the earth, and small, or waist, bows of the head and body.

The statute does not allow prostrations to earth on Sundays (canons 20 of the 1st and 90th canons of the 6th Ecumenical Councils) and great holidays, in the days from the Nativity of Christ to Epiphany, from Easter to Pentecost, also to the communicants on the day of communion

The custom of bowing to the ground dates back to ancient biblical times. So Solomon prayed during the consecration of the Jerusalem temple (see: 1 Kings 8: 54), Daniel in captivity in Babylon (see: Dan. 6: 10) and other Old Testament righteous. This custom was sanctified by our Lord Jesus Christ (see: Luke 22:41) and entered the practice of the Christian Church (see: Acts 12: 60; Eph. 3:14).

Most often, kneeling is done during Great Lent. Kneeling and rebellion, according to the explanation of St. Basil the Great, marks the fall of man through sin and his rebellion out of the love of God.

Small bows are performed during all temple and home prayers. At a service, when the priest blesses with his hand, a small bow is done without the sign of the cross.

Great fasting obeisances - threefold bows to the ground, accompanied by the sign of the cross and the reading of the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian, divided into three verses.

The Church Charter strictly requires that we bow down in the temple of God earnestly, decorously, unhurriedly and in a timely manner. Bows, kneeling should be performed at the end of each short petition of litany or prayer, and not during its reading or singing. It is unacceptable to bow down at the same time as the sign of the cross.

ON WORSHIP IN THE SERVICE

The following signs of the cross without bows, the signs of the cross with bows in the waist and the signs of the cross with bows of the earth should be done:

- at the initial exclamation of each service - 3 bows in the bow;
- on every Trisvyat; "Come, let us bow ..."; "Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, God" - 3 bows;

exceptions: a) in the first part of Matins, before the Six Psalms, only the signs of the cross are relied upon without bowing; b) on Alleluia (three times), during the kathisma on Sunday and holidays, bows are left;

- on "Our Father ..." (at the beginning) - bow;
- at the end of "It is worthy to eat ..." (or Zadoinik) - bow;
- when singing, reading troparion, kontakion, stichera, when words express worship, bow must be done;
- at each petition for all litanies - bow;
- at each priest's exclamation - bow.

ON WORSHIP DURING THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL

At the beginning of the six psalms, with the threefold "Glory to God in the highest" - 3 signs of the cross (no bows!);

- in the middle of the six psalms, with the triple "Alleluia" - 3 signs of the cross (no bows!);
- during polyeleos, at the first and last magnificence (which are sung by the clergy in the middle of the church) - bowing to the earth;
- on "Glory to Thee, Lord ..." before reading the Gospel and after reading - bowing;
- before kissing the holy Gospel or holy icon - 2 bows;
- after kissing - 1 bow;
- on the canon, with all the refrains of all nine songs - bow;
- on "My soul magnifies the Lord", at the end of each "Honest" - bow;
- on "Glory to Thee, who showed us the light" before the great doxology - bow;
- after the great doxology on Trisvyat - 3 bows.

ON WORSHIP DURING THE DIVINE LITURGY

For all litanies at all petitions - bow down; exception: on petitions intended for the prayer of the catechumens, such as: "Pray, to the catechumens, bow to the Lord" and "to the announcements, bow your heads to the Lord," you should not bow down;
- on all priestly exclamations - bowing;
- after the small entrance, while singing "Come, let us bow" - bow;
- on the exclamation "Like Thou art holy, our God" - the sign of the cross without bowing;
- to "Lord, save the godly" - bow;
- to the exclamation of the deacon "And forever and ever" - bow without the sign of the cross;
- on Trisvyat - 3 bows;
- on "Glory to Thee, Lord ..." before and after the reading of the Gospel - bowing;
- at the Great Entrance, when the priest proclaims "You and all Orthodox Christians" - bow without the sign of the cross;
- at the end of the Cherubic song, while singing "Alleluia" - 3 bows;
- at the beginning of the Symbol of Faith - the sign of the cross without bowing;
- at the end of the Symbol of Faith, on "... tea of ​​the resurrection of the dead ..." - bow;
- at the "Grace of the world", at each exclamation of a deacon or priest - a bow in the waist;
- on the exclamation "We thank the Lord", while singing "It is worthy and righteous to worship ..." - an earthly bow;
- with the Lord's words: "Take, eat ..." and "Drink from her all ..." - by deep bow in the waist;
- after the consecration of the Holy Gifts (that is, before the singing "It is worthy to eat" or Zadostinik) - bow to the earth;
- after "It is worthy to eat" or Zadoinik - bow;
- on "Our Father", at the beginning - an earthly bow;
- on "Our Father" at the end (with the words "... deliver us from the evil one") - bow;
- on the exclamation "Holy to the saints" - 3 bows or bow to the ground;
- at the first appearance of the Holy Gifts, on the exclamation "With the fear of God ..." - bow to the earth;
- after reading the prayer for the Sacrament "I believe, Lord, and I confess ...", all the partakers, before approaching the Holy Chalice, bow down to the ground, and those who do not partake - with a waist bow;
- at the second appearance of the Holy Gifts, at the exclamation "Always, now and ever ..." all those who did not partake - bow down to the ground, and those who received communion - bow down;
- while reading the prayer outside the ambo, stand with your head bowed.

In addition to these bows, there are also the following:

When the exclamations "Peace be to all" or "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ ...", when the priest blesses the people, - bow your head, without the sign of the cross;

- upon release without the Cross - bow your head, without the sign of the cross;

- while reading the Gospel - stand with bowed head;

- when censing - to answer the clerk with a bow, without the sign of the cross;

- with the exclamation "bow your head to the Lord" - bow your head;

- upon dismissal with the Cross - bow with the sign of the cross;

- when praying with the Cross, the Gospel, an icon or the Chalice - bow with the sign of the Cross;

- when praying with candles or with a hand - bow without the sign of the cross.

Man is a spiritual and physical being at the same time, therefore, both spirit and body participate in prayer.

Prayer of the body is the posture and movement that accompanies the reading of the text of the prayer:

• prayer pose
• kneeling
• raising hands
• bows
• sign of the cross

In Orthodoxy, there is a charter on how to do it correctly and at what moments.

The Importance of the Body's Involvement in Prayer

For correct prayer the posture in which they pray is important... Not because God will punish for inaccuracy, but because position of the body affects the state of mind, determines the emotional state.

A relaxed posture leads to mental relaxation, absent-mindedness. Prayer without the participation of the body is incomplete, not intense enough. The body at rest distracts from prayer, provokes the desire to stretch and move.

Labor in prayer

Prayer is not without labor for the body. By forcing the body to make efforts (to stand, bow, kneel), the Christian restrains his flesh and does not give freedom to passions.

The Holy Fathers considered difficult prayer, exhausting the body, the first step to true prayer.

Ascent to God is impossible without bodily fatigue!

Orthodox prayer accompanied by the sign of the cross and bows.

The prone position is practiced only once a year - during the recitation of prayers at Vespers.

How to read prayers at home - standing or sitting?

In the Russian Orthodox Church, prayers both in the temple and at home it is customary to read while standing... If it is difficult to stand (for example, with severe fatigue or illness), then sitting prayer is allowed. Even if you are lying at home and cannot get out of bed and sit down, this is not an obstacle to prayer.

The main condition for performing prayer is reverence and concentration.

Standing prayer

During prayer, you need to remember that you are standing before God. Frivolity is inappropriate in this situation. You need to stand in prayer

• directly,
• reverently,
• without shifting from foot to foot,
• without making fussy movements.

During divine services in the temple, at some times it is allowed to sit. This is possible while reading kathisma (passages from the Psalter) and paremias (passages from the Old Testament) at the evening service.

It is not customary to sit at the Liturgy, but an exception is made for people who are physically unable to stand for a long time.

However, at the service everyone needs to stand during

• reading the gospel
• in the interval between the singing of the Creed and "Our Father"
• during the exclamations of the priest "Blessed is the kingdom ..."

Prayer on your knees at home

Kneeling prayer is performed at home, according to the special zeal of the believer. She expresses special humility and respect.

On your knees at home you can pray at any time,

except Sunday and the period from Easter to Pentecost.

You cannot kneel down on the day after Holy Communion.

The person who has tasted is sanctified, he should not perform signs of repentance and thereby humiliate the Holy Gifts he has received.

Kneeling at the liturgy in Orthodoxy

In an Orthodox church prolonged kneeling during the service, only

• on the feast of Pentecost,
• at the great Vespers, which is served immediately after the Liturgy.

At this time, the priest reads several long prayers and himself, along with all the people, kneels.

The rest of the time, at church services, prostrations can be performed.

No kneeling at the Liturgy In Orthodox churches in Belarus, Ukraine and Lithuania, under the influence of the Catholic Church, a local tradition arose to perform kneeling prayers. In fact, these are prostrations to the ground, for the fulfillment of which believers kneel.

Bows while praying. What does it mean to bow down to the ground in Orthodoxy?

During prayers, it is customary to bow down to the ground and in the waist. it a sign of reverence for God.

Usually, a bow is performed after the sign of the cross when pronouncing especially significant, important words of the prayer.

The prayer book always indicates when to bow.

What is the right way to bow to the ground?

Bowing down is a bow during which the believer kneels down, touches the floor with his forehead and immediately rises.

In the Orthodox Church, bows to earth must be done by applying to the shrines (icons, relics, sacred relics):

• two bows to the ground before applying and
• one bow to the ground after attachment.

Some days the church cancels obeisances to the ground because they do not correspond to the meaning of the revered event. In these cases, bows to the ground are replaced by belt.

These are Sundays and polyeleos, and prostrations are especially strictly prohibited between Easter and the Day of the Holy Spirit (Monday after Pentecost).

During the Sunday Liturgy in Orthodoxy, prostrations to earth, according to the rule of Basil the Great, should not be done. Sometimes this rule is violated, and with the exclamation of the chorus "One is Holy, One is Lord Jesus Christ ..." one bow is made.

What is the correct way to do a bow bow?

The waist bow is bow to the belt when the believer seeks reach the floor with your hand without bending your knees.

• Usually done right away after the sign of the cross
• Waist bow must be performed before entering the temple.

Prayer gestures

The main prayer gesture in Orthodoxy, as in all Christianity, is sign of the cross.

Besides him, in church services priests use a gesture of blessing.

On the sign of the cross in Orthodoxy: power, meaning and essence

In the Church, since apostolic times, it has been customary to sign the sign of the cross, or, as they say, be baptized.

The sign of the cross is reminder of the cross on which he was crucified. By putting on such a symbolic cross, we invoke the grace of the Holy Spirit.

The Church teaches that the sign of the cross protects the Christian, because the power of the Cross of Christ overcomes all evil.

How to make the sign of the cross?

The sign of the cross is performed leisurely and always with the right hand.

At first fold fingers:

• the thumb, forefinger and middle finger are folded together,
• the ring and little fingers remain bent.

Folded this way fingers need to touch

• first forehead, sanctifying your thoughts,
• then the belly - to the sanctification of the heart and feelings,
• then right shoulder
• and, finally, the left shoulder - for the consecration of bodily health and deeds.

After that should follow a head tilt or bow.

You can't bow before you finish the sign of the cross.

Fingers: two-fingered and three-fingered in Orthodoxy

For the sign of the cross three fingers are used in modern Orthodoxy.

For this gesture

• put the thumb, index and middle fingers of the right hand together,
• the little finger and the ring finger are pressed to the palm.

Folded three fingers symbolize the Holy Trinity-, the nameless and the little finger remind of the double nature of our Lord Jesus Christ - divine and human.

In ancient times, they used two fingers: the sign of the cross was made with the forefinger and middle finger extended, while the thumb, ring and little fingers were folded together.

The index and middle fingers symbolized the two natures of Christ, the thumb, the ring and the little finger - the three Faces of the Holy Trinity.

After the reforms of Patriarch Nikon, three fingers began to be used in Orthodoxy. Because of this, the Old Believers split. It was only in the 19th century that the Church again allowed people to be baptized with two fingers and use other elements of the old rite, and some Old Believers were able to reunite with the Church. Their communities are called co-religion.

Nominative sign

There is one more prayer gesture - the word-word sign.

It used by a priest to bless believers during and outside the service.

Nominative sign means the initials of the name of the Lord our Jesus Christ ICXC:

• the index finger is extended,
• the middle is slightly bent, forming the letter C,
• thumb and ring fingers crossed with the letter X,
• the little finger is also bent into a C shape.

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

Information site about icons, prayers, Orthodox traditions.

How to bow to the ground in Orthodoxy

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

What is bow, varieties

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

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

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

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

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

When you can't do prostrations

You cannot do great obeisances:

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

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

How to bow down properly

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

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

When can you do

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer with an earthly bow

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

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

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

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

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

Be baptized no bows follows:

Optinskoe in the courtyard in St. Petersburg

About bows and the sign of the cross

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So Canon 20 of the First Ecumenical Council reads:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Several sacred persons can be depicted on the icon, but with a gathering of worshipers, kissing the icon is supposed to once so as not to detain others and thus not to violate the deanery in the temple. Before the image of the Savior, you can say the Jesus Prayer to yourself: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner (sinner)", or: "Without the number of those who have sinned, Lord, have mercy on me."

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

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

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

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

Bowing down - how to do it?

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

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

Kneeling

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

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

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

The experience of Bishop Afanasy Sakharov

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

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

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

Bows and bows to the ground

So, at any service it is necessary:

Church charter

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

Special bowing rules

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

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

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

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

Is it possible to do earthly obeisances at the Liturgy

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

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

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

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

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

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

Conclusion

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

Search line: bows

Records found: 50

Hello, less than a year ago I sinned, for which I am very sorry. I went to church and confessed, my father accepted my confession and forgave my sins. After that, I myself did prostrations for 40 days with prayer in the morning and evening. But time passes, and I have not forgiven myself. Can I be forgiven, forget what I did? What do i do?

Natasha

Hello Natasha. Don't look for tranquility and forgetfulness, it is impossible. You can only get relief and strength for later life. Judge for yourself - sin damages our very nature, like a bodily wound that leaves a mark, a scar, and sometimes like the loss of an arm, leg, or eye. It is naive to expect that the new hand will grow back. Christianity gives us crutches and prostheses instead of lost limbs, and the hope of returning them again, if not in this life, then at least in eternity. Keep a small penitential rule, so that it is not visible to anyone, but always reminds you not of the sin itself, but the severity of its consequences. This rule will teach you humility. While the desire to get rid of remorse at all costs is aimed at acquiring a completely different property that is not useful to us. God help you.

Priest Alexander Beloslyudov

Hello. It so happened that I took Communion, and then after the service I wanted to stay and help in the Temple of God. My help was in cleaning the candlesticks and washing the floors. I did it with pleasure. But later I learned that on this day you can't even bow down to the Lord, spit out saliva, and also wash in the shower, take a bath ... Not like cleaning the floors! I was a little upset and would like to know if in fact all this cannot be done after Communion? Or is it all prejudice? Thank you for your reply. God save you.

r.b. Tatiana

Hello Tatiana! The Day of Communion is a special day for the Christian soul, when it unites with Christ in a special, mysterious way. As for the reception of the most honored guests, we clean and tidy up the whole house, and leave all the usual affairs, so the day of Communion should be celebrated as great feasts, dedicating them, as far as possible, to solitude, prayer, concentration and spiritual reading. Do not be embarrassed that you helped in the church on this day: it is still a good thing, but henceforth try to spend the day of the sacrament in silence and silence. As for the custom of not bowing to the ground after Communion and not kissing the priest's hands, non-observance is not a sin. Scheme-abbot Parthenius points out: “It is worth mentioning here the exaggerated caution of some after Communion. They try not only not to spit all day after communion, which, of course, is commendable, but also food waste, if it has been in the mouth, is considered sacred, and therefore they even try to swallow inedible, and what cannot be swallowed (fish bones, etc.) try to burn on fire. We do not find such extreme severity anywhere in the Church Rite. You just need to drink it after communion and, after rinsing it down, swallow it so that any small grain does not remain in your mouth - and that's all! The "superstructures" invented on this issue have absolutely no echo in the Church Statutes. "

Priest Vladimir Shlykov

Christ is Risen! Please tell me, in the period from Easter to Trinity, earthly obeisances are not made, and when you read prayers, after reading the kathisma in the Psalter, there is a prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, how to read it during this period?

Love

Love, Truly Risen! Prayer of St. We read Ephraim the Syrian only during the period of Great Lent, and now it does not need to be read. They do not bow down from Easter to the Holy Trinity. Usually, we do not bow down to the ground in church, but at home, so as not to embarrass anyone, if there is a desire, then you can bow down to the ground after reading the Kathisma, as long as you want.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Is it necessary to bow to the ground when taking out the Holy Communion Cup on Sundays and Easter holidays?

Svetlana

Svetlana, there is not only repentance, but also thanksgiving. We bow to the earth before the Chalice, even if we do not receive communion. On Easter, they do not bow down to the ground, until the feast of the Holy Trinity, but before the Chalice, you can bow down gratefully. Although a tradition has developed not to bow to the ground at all on Easter days, even before the Holy Gifts. I think you do not need to highlight yourself, as you can mislead others. If you really want to - make an earthly bow mentally, the Lord will see you anyway.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Christ is Risen! Please tell me from what date you can bow down?

Vlad

Vlad, Truly Risen! On the feast of the Holy Trinity, three large prayers are recited on their knees. From this moment, prostrations to the ground begin. But I want to tell you that at home you can still do prostrations to the ground, if the soul asks, there is nothing terrible in this.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Hello Father Victorine! Thank you very much for your answer. I would also like to ask you about the Psalter. When is it necessary to bow down while reading the Psalter? Are they performed when reading prayers after "Glory"? Explain to me, please, in more detail. Many thanks. God bless you.

Valentine

Valentine's Day, prostrations are not performed while reading the Psalter. They can be done after the end of the reading of all the kathismas of that day, that is, you, for example, today read one or two kathismas, and at the end of the entire reading, you can bow down to the ground, as much as you want, as much as you can. It is best to determine a measure for yourself for every day, not very much, but not too little, in order to do the same number of bows every day. I think you can assign yourself 5-10 bows daily, but no more.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Hello! 1. Tell me, in the morning and evening rule, how many bows should be given, and after each prayer, or after certain ones? 2. Is it possible to read the Psalter and drink holy water with prosphora at home on the days of female uncleanness, or is it impossible to do this?

Photinia

Photinia, bows can be done at home at will, as much as you want, but practice shows that it is better to do no more than 10 a day to start with. Better to do a little, but regularly. In the morning, do no more than 10, and in the evening, at night, 3 bows are enough. During female impurity, you can pray, read the Psalter, but you do not need to drink Holy water and eat prosphora - this is a Shrine, and you need to treat it reverently.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Good afternoon, priests, tell me, please, during the liturgy, when are prostrations done? The holy gifts are brought out two times, the first time they show and take away, and the second time for communion. I watched the parishioners and still did not understand anything. As I understand it, if I myself receive communion, then I bow to the ground, and if not, then I bow down?

Natalia

Natalia, it is good to do prostrations to the ground, but they must be timely. The first time the Chalice is brought out at the Liturgy during the Great Entrance - the bow to the earth is not done, it can be done in a belt. The second time they bring out the cup, already consecrated, before Communion, and Christ Himself is present in the cup, and of course, it is necessary to bow down to Christ Himself, even if we do not take Communion.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

You are completely right, thank you very much, this is what I needed to hear. I've got one more question. I heard that you can't bow down on Sunday and Saturday evenings. Is it so? And why? Thank you in advance.

The word "beat" means 100-600 bows, we do not say that now, and in such a number of them now rarely do anyone. Imagine that you will do so many bows every day, as Christians did before us - I think, in this case, Saturday and Sunday will seem like a real weekend to you! Such a charter was precisely connected with this. Weekdays are days of repentance, days of labor, and Sunday and Saturday are days of holidays, when indulgences are given both physically and spiritually, therefore bows will be canceled on these days. But since we do not observe these rules, it is not a sin to do a dozen of prostrations at home even on holidays and Sundays. In addition, there are obeisances of repentance, and there are obeisances of gratitude. If you wish, you can make no more than a dozen bows as an expression of gratitude.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Hello. I have a question. I want to get married, do I have to marry the priest to whom I confessed? And one more question. I have a terrible sin, I went to confession for the first time, I told in tears, avidly, I am very receptive, and the priest did not press me very much with my act. I understand that he is right. But after confession, he imposed a penance on me: read a prayer and do obeisances for a month, I have not been able to do it for 3 months already, my work does not allow me to do obeisances every day, even at night, since the schedule is like this. What to do? And yet, after confession, I could not come to my senses for a long time, I was depressed for a long time. I'm afraid to go again, although I have to after the penance. I'm afraid of this emotional decline. I am waiting for answers to your questions. Thank you in advance.

Anna

No, Anna, any priest can marry you. And about penance, you need to meet again with that priest and ask for mitigation of it, you really have difficult circumstances.

Abbot Nikon (Golovko)

Hello! Tell me, please, at the Liturgy, when the priest says that the catechumens bow their heads and that they pray, what should the baptized do at this moment? Do I need to bow my head (of course, I want to do this, but it seems that it is proposed to make it public)? And I don’t understand when is it necessary to bow down? They say that they are not done on Sundays, and they are not done after Lent. In a word, I got confused, because in the church who is kneeling during the Eucharistic Canon, who is standing upright, who bows to the ground at the words "Holy to Holies", who is not ... Tell me how to do the right thing? With best regards!

Andrey

At the litany of the catechumens, the baptized do not need to bow their heads. In the period from Easter to Trinity and on Sundays, it is really not necessary to bow down to the ground, they are replaced by bowing bows.

deacon Elijah Kokin

Hello, father. If you can, please clarify this question. Is the communion of Christ's Holy Mysteries a reward or is it a medicine and help for a Christian? For me, even the morning and evening rules are incredibly hard work, let alone the most difficult preparation for Communion, it is very difficult to pray with attention, and if this does not work out, irritation, indignation, murmurings and all prayer goes to waste, so I have to leave so that it is not defiled. I understand that prayer is important and that it is the root of everything, but prayer does not work, and this is a big frustration. And my conscience does not allow me to read the text coldly and detachedly, and it is clear that this will not be a prayer. As a result, it turns out that prayer is like a drill or hard labor, and if you still overcome this, then Communion is like a reward. But maybe, after all, this is not a reward, but on the contrary, the Body and Blood of Christ were given to us to help us overcome difficulties, but then there is a contradiction, in order to receive this saving help, a person needs to perform hard work without any help, so that only then receive it when the labor has already been overcome. What then comes first, work for the sake of the Sacrament or the Sacrament for the sake of help in work? Tell me how to think about it, what will come to your heart on this issue? Save me, God!

Alexey

Dear Alexey, you are lost in three pines, because you have the wrong idea about the sacrament, because it is not a medicine or a reward. The root of this word is "part", and we all members of the church are separate parts of one whole, that is, the Body of Christ, and He is the head of the Church. Thus, through the communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, we unite with God and with the fullness of the Church. Most importantly, the Sacrament is the foundation of our future life and therefore cannot be regarded as a medicine or a reward. In ancient times, people were mostly illiterate and did not have books, but nevertheless, they prepared for the sacrament by making simple prayers and obeisances. Tell your confessor about your problem and define with him your prayer rule that you are able to do.

Priest Alexander Babushkin

Good evening. God save you. 1. A year in the church, I confess, I receive communion. There is a desire and need for a spiritual father, how can one find (choose) him? 2. Severely ill son since childhood, in the group. He is 21 years old, how can he be taught about faith? You can't drive with a stick, can you? 3. Why don't churches get paid 10? 4. Attitude of Orthodoxy to biometric passports? 5. After the stroke, the father completely lost his memory. How can I help as much as possible? 6. In addition to confession, how can and how correctly pray for sin for those killed in the womb? Very grateful.

Nikolay.

Nikolay, about the choice of a spiritual father has been repeatedly and even extensively written on our website, just be curious. The main point is that you need to feel the response and understanding from that priest, as well as his gift of consolation in relation to yourself.
With regard to the son - or you can drive with a stick. You are the father, use your authority, superiority, willpower and convictions. You can be more confident with your son.
The third question is about tithing, as I understand it? Well, why, there are people now, and there are many of them, who give a tenth of their income to the temple.
Biometric passports and other electronic means of accounting, according to the church's understanding of the problem, do not in themselves carry any mystical content. But they bring us closer to total control, which plays into the hands of any world dictator, and, naturally, the dictator of the dictators - the Antichrist.
On the fifth question, you need to contact the doctors, as far as I know, in modern medicine there are effective methods for restoring memory, but they require constant training and exercise.
And in the sins, including those mentioned by you, you must first of all repent. However, nothing prevents one from taking upon oneself, with the blessing of the priest, some small feat - prayers or bows, or fasting - in memory of these sins, like penance, so that they will never be forgotten.

Abbot Nikon (Golovko)

I live in the world. I pray with a rosary. And as I abstain, the demon of prodigal passion overcomes. What prayers to read against this demon?

Sergius

Hello Sergiy! To pray with a rosary, you need a priest's blessing. If you have one, then during prayer, prostrate to the ground. And also in the fight against this passion it is necessary to confess. Here is one of the prayers against prodigal passion (prayer of Macarius Optinsky): "O Mother of the Lord, my Creator, You are the root of virginity and the unfading color of purity. O Mother of God! You help me, a weak carnal passion and a painful being, one is Thy and Thy with You. I have the intercession of the Son and God. Amen. "
God help you!

Priest Vladimir Shlykov

At the weekend I went to Verkhoturye, to the St. Nicholas Monastery, where I received Holy Communion. And then we stopped at the Holy Protection Monastery, where they bowed to the wonderful icon of the Mother of God "Tenderness" and the relics of Kosma of Verkhotursky. And only later I remembered that after communion one should not do prostrations to the ground. How to be?

Hope

Hello Nadezhda! I advise you to bring repentance in confession.

Priest Vladimir Shlykov

Hello, I am 13 years old, already 2, or maybe less, years I repent very much in front of the icon, the fact is that I have VERY VERY VERY bad thoughts come, you can't even imagine, and all the time when these thoughts come, I run to the icon and kiss it, and touch it with my hand, and I pray that the Lord will forgive me for everything because I say this about Him and others (about myself, in my mind) and call everyone names, and so on for 5 minutes -10, I even do this at school, only not in front of the icon, but just looking at the ceiling or forward, and some have already begun to suspect me of this. Please help, even when I go to the bus stop, and then I pray 3 times, I can no longer, I'm tired, I even wanted to give up Christianity so that I don't hurt anyone, but I'm afraid the Lord will get angry and take my parents and family, help , what should I do? Thank you in advance.

The Russian Orthodox Church is fraught with many symbolic deeds, which a true believer knows and strictly observes. So, one of these actions is prostration.

It would seem that it could be simpler, but in fact there are rules for performing this action, without knowing which, you can get into an awkward and ridiculous situation, and even offend the feelings of nearby believers.

To prevent this from happening, it is highly desirable to study the rules of conduct in the church, one of which teaches how to properly give earthly and kneeling bows and knees.

What does bowing down mean?

The bow itself expresses reverence, respect, gratitude. It is not for nothing that the artists bow after the concert, expressing gratitude to the audience, and they bowed to the princes and kings, demonstrating respect and complete submission.

Bows in Orthodoxy, although they have something in common with theatrical and secular ones, have a much deeper meaning - expressions of obedience to the good and perfect will of the Lord, a sign of the highest respect and worship for Him.

With a bow, the believer seems to say - I trust you, I am open before you, I submit to your will, I am your child.

It is not for nothing that bowing is an open neck, an unprotected back and a bowed head - the most vulnerable parts of the body. Complete surrender of oneself to the mercy of God.

How and when to do prostrations correctly

Bowing down is also called great. It is performed by falling on his knees and touching the floor with his forehead (forehead).

Only now you shouldn't bow to the left and to the right. There is a whole set of rules and prohibitions regulated by the Church Charter.

The bows are given slowly, with reverence, completely immersed in the sacred action, and if in the temple, then they should be performed simultaneously with other worshipers. In this way, church-going people conform to the words of the prayer and induce in themselves the spirit of repentance and spiritual humility.

When to bow down

If you master the days of prohibition, then it will be easier to understand later when and at what rituals you need to bow to the earth.

When you can't bow down:

• on all Sundays;
• in the period from the Nativity of Christ to Epiphany;
• in the period from the Bright Easter of Christ to Pentecost;
• on days of great holidays;
• on the holiday of the Transfiguration;
• to the partakers on the day of communion;
• while reading litanies or singing hymns (only after their completion!);
• it is unacceptable to combine with the sign of the cross - these are two delimited actions.

But it is supposed to pay obeisances to the earth during the liturgy.

What is the Liturgy?

To make it clear what is at stake, we will give an explanation, the liturgy is the main service of the Orthodox Church. The prototype of the Divine Liturgy was the Last Supper celebrated by the Savior together with his disciples.

It is during the Liturgy that the sacrament of communion is performed. It is during the Liturgy that prostrations are performed.

When prostrations are made at the liturgy

Here it will be appropriate to clarify that all the prayers and chants described below, after which the prostration is performed, are performed with the sign of the cross - first you need to cross yourself, then bow down.

These two actions are not performed at the same time.

At the end of the following chants, one should again prostrate, bowing down to the earth:

• It is worthy to eat;
• Our Father;
• We sing to you;
• We magnify you.

Particular attention should be paid to the ceremony of carrying out the Holy Gifts, during which bows must be given twice. The signal will be the words:

• With the fear of God;
• And now and forever and forever and ever.

There are also exclamations at which the Charter allows bowing:

• Holy to Holy;
• And vouch for us, Vladyka

Great Lent

On the days of the 40-day Great Fast, which is before Easter, part of the bows in the bow are replaced by earthly ones and their number increases.

This is a time of repentance, humility, spiritual and bodily cleansing, therefore prayers are complemented by prostrations.

You need to focus on the following chants and prayers:

1. At the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts:
   • May my prayer be corrected
   • Now the Heavenly Forces
   • At the exclamation of Light “ Christ enlightens everyone "
2. At the Great Supper, with chants:
   • Most Holy Lady
   • Rejoice the Lady of the Virgin
3. When reading the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian
4. At the final chant " Remember us, Lord "
5. At the feast of the Holy Trinity, with an exclamation "Packs and packs, bow of the knee"

All of them are impossible to remember the first time, so you should focus on the behavior of other parishioners. (Just do not confuse parishioners with nuns, nuns have their own charter and their own rules of bowing, which often do not coincide with the bows of the laity).

The Rule of Bows and the Sign of the Cross

The sign of the Cross is another sacred act that all believers perform, and not only in the temple. At the same time, these two actions are never performed - first a sign, then a bow, but there are many cases when you need something one or the other bow.

Bows to the ground after communion

It is believed that those who have received the communion cannot do prostrations to the ground until supper.

Communion is the grace of God and it is recommended to rejoice in the Lord all day without committing sins.

But, as the clergy say, if a situation suddenly arises in which a person has sinned, then he is not forbidden to ask God for forgiveness and to bow down to the ground. True, then the grace after communion will also decrease.

Instead of a conclusion

Surely everyone has heard the saying - "make the fool pray to God, he will hurt his forehead." Initially, there was talk about the inept performance of bowing to the ground.

Observe, ask for advice is not a shame. But to think of oneself as knowledgeable and to do everything against the rules is a sign not only of spiritual inexperience, but also of some arrogance.

Therefore, if your soul has brought you to the Temple of God, then it is better to consult a priest or knowledgeable parishioners.