Plan for imposing bonds of silence and “obedience” on the monks of Russia

The Lord commands us not to remain silent when faith is in danger...
St. Theodore the Studite

Commission of the Inter-Council Presence on the Organization of the Life of Monasteries and Monasticism, chaired by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill in July, according to Russian press reports, was solving problems related to monastics of the Russian Church.

The Commission was tasked with countering the process of secularization and secularization that is observed in some monasteries due to the construction of luxury apartments, etc.

At the same time, the Commission is attempting to impose a complete restriction on the freedom of monks. It is worth noting that one of the goals of the Commission, which includes many bishops, is to introduce humiliating measures and impose complete obedience on the monks to the local bishops and the patriarch. In this regard, one of the publications reports that “monks do not have the right to comment on the opinions of the Patriarch, the ruling metropolitan, or their abbot,” and otherwise canonical measures must be applied to them in all their severity.....

It is clear that there is a well-organized plan in Russia to silence active monks, who will certainly resist the philopapist aspirations that one observes in Lately in the actions of the hierarchy of the Russian Church. New Patriarch Kirill and Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, as it turns out, have moved away from the previous anti-papal line of the Russian Church, which it followed until recently, and are opening the door to large-scale ecumenism and philopapism. Moreover, who can forget about the visit of Metropolitan Hilarion to the Vatican more recently, in the month of May, and his numerous meetings there with all the main representatives of the papacy and the pope himself?

Can we not remain silent and criticize the opinion of the hierarchy?

We will not evaluate the foreign policy activities of Metropolitan Hilarion, since his position as chairman of the Synodal Department for External Church Relations inevitably involves some kind of meetings with representatives of the heterodox world, and even the Pope. We will only dwell on one, in our opinion, the most important issue, which was raised in the article informing about the meeting of the Commission of the Inter-Council Presence on Monastic Affairs. This is a question about the supposed inadmissibility of monks commenting on and criticizing the opinions of church authorities: the ruling metropolitan, the patriarch, and even the abbot.
Let us say right away that such a position fundamentally contradicts the understanding of the Church as a God-human organism, its conciliar structure, in which each of its members, clerics, laymen, and monks, have freedom in Christ, and, therefore, have every right to express their opinion. The Church is not only the clergy (clerocracy), and not only the people (laocracy). The Church is both clergy and laity. “Therefore,” as emphasized by the modern Greek famous theologian and pastor, professor at the University of Thessaloniki, Protopresbyter Theodore Zisis, “we are all responsible for the Church, and not just the bishops alone, for the Church is not someone’s private property. The bishop, together with the clergy, as well as the laity, as a single body with the head - Christ, bear responsibility for it, each in their own measure.”

According to St. John Chrysostom “before the Archpastor Christ, you are all sheep.” But the people need to show obedience to the shepherds of the Church, since they watch over their souls and will give an account of them to God.

But obedience to the clergy, pastors and archpastors of the Church is shown only if they really follow the Gospel and Sacred Tradition Orthodox Church. At the present time, when we are experiencing the enormous influence of the communist worldview, and now the globalization that copies it, the understanding of obedience as slavish unconditional obedience according to the principle “the party ordered - it is done” is deeply imprinted in our consciousness. The period of communist dominance has obliterated the desire in people to defend their rights and freedoms in civil matters.

This same ideology also gave rise to an abnormal attitude towards power as something unconditional. Unfortunately, all these distorted ideas and understandings of power have spread to the hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church. It is for this reason that a completely false opinion is being actively propagated about the Church not as the totality of all Orthodox Christians, but as exclusively about the hierarchy. And in our time of active secularization and secularization in the church environment, due to indifference to the dogmas of the Orthodox faith, the weakening and even loss of dogmatic consciousness among the people and the hierarchy, the idea of ​​the bishop as the bearer of absolute power and truth is persistently promoted. Therefore, instead of the spiritual understanding of obedience to the bishop as the father and shepherd of the Church, an element of strict administrative subordination to the bishop as a certain director and head of production, a commercial structure, alien to the church spirit, is introduced.

But if such a distorted understanding of the relationship to the bishop, the idea of ​​obedience, had prevailed in the Church, in its historical past, “then heresy would still reign in it, for the saints would have to remain in obedience to heretical patriarchs and hierarchs; then Nicolaism, coupled with homosexuality, would be forever established in it...,” emphasizes Protopresbyter Theodore Zisis.

But what is obedience to the Church? “Obedience to the Church is obedience not at all to some specific individuals (for people, as we know, tend to err), but to the immutable truth of the Church, as it is revealed in the Gospel and the enduring centuries-old patristic Tradition.”

The basis for obedience to the pastors of the Church is their personal example of piety and firm standing in the truth of the Orthodox faith. Only in this case does the ministry of shepherds have a saving character for our souls, according to the words of the Apostle Paul: obey your leaders and be submissive. For they watch vigilantly for your souls, as those who are obliged to give an account. (Heb. 13, 17)

“Is it conceivable to obey clergy who do not preach the truth of the Gospel and who, by the example of their lives, lead their flock into the abyss of destruction or justify the heresy of heresies - ecumenism?” - asks Fr. Theodore Zisis. And then he answers: “holy disobedience is absolutely necessary when heresy and moral corruption assume colossal proportions, when the Church in the person of the clergy falls into error, as is happening today in relation to the archheresy of ecumenism... Heresy defiles and infects the entire body of the Church.” .

It is also important for us to recognize the patriarchs of the Eastern Orthodox Church themselves, who in their district message, realizing numerous historical lessons, treating their highest service in the Church of Christ with humility and responsibility, considered it necessary to admit: “Further: we have neither patriarchs nor councils ever could not introduce anything new, because our guardian of piety is the body of the Church, i.e. the people themselves, who always want to keep their faith unchanged and consistent with the faith of their fathers...”

As for the attitude of monastics to bishops and the patriarch, the sacred canons command to honor archpastors as their spiritual fathers. But the history of the Church also testifies that it was precisely during times of church unrest that arose due to the acceptance of heresies by hierarchs and their crimes sacred canons to please the emperors, it was monasticism that was the first to defend faith and piety. And this is because, according to the thought of St. Theodore the Studite, monasticism is the “nerves of the Church.”
Yes in days church world monasticism is silent because its “main occupation is prayer and sobriety. Monks do not teach faith, but they profess it, testify to it with their lives, and thereby teach the laity to profess the Orthodox faith. But in those times when there was a threat to faith, when there was a danger of deviating from the Orthodox faith, the monks were obliged to fight for the faith with reasoning, humility and in the spirit of church consciousness and church ethnos, in order to invariably remain in the faith “once handed down to the saints” (Jude. 3) in other words, “a time to be silent and a time to speak.” (Eccl. 3:7) “For this reason, concludes the prominent Greek shepherd and authoritative abbot of the Holy Mountain monastery, St. Gregory, Archimandrite George, “the undoubted duty of the monks is to fight with innovations in faith."

Regarding the absolute obedience of the monks to the abbot, and the ban on any criticism, that is, reckless obedience, St. Simeon the New Theologian said: “And in everything that does not contradict the commandment of God, the apostolic decrees and rules, you must obey him in every possible way and obey him as the Lord. But in everything that threatens the Gospel and the laws of the Church, you should not obey either his instructions and commands, or even an angel, if he suddenly came down from heaven, preaching to you a gospel different from what the self-seers of the Word preached.”

That is, the Commission for Monastic Affairs, setting as its agenda and task the resolution of the issue of the ban on commentary and criticism of opinions of the monastic leadership that are incorrect and inconsistent with the teachings of the Church and patristic tradition, thereby depriving monasticism of true freedom in Christ, going against the tradition of the Church and its cathedral device.
As for the truly dangerous trends in the line of building very close ties between our hierarchy and the Roman Throne, we once again emphasize that the Roman Catholic Church, regardless of the worldview of the modern hierarchy, has always been perceived by the Orthodox Church as not a church, but a heresy.

On this occasion, Protopresbyter Theodore Zisis writes: “So, Catholicism is a heresy - this is the unanimous assessment of the holy fathers and teachers of the Church since the time of St. Photia. Therefore, the continuation and immutability of this unanimous patristic position - the so-called consent of the fathers (consensus Patrum) - is caused great damage and brings considerable harm by those current hierarchs (and the most prominent ones), who claim that Catholicism is not a heresy at all, but itself Catholic Church not just a church, but also a “sister”... By this they destroy the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, for the indisputable fact is called into question that only she (i.e., the Orthodox) is the Church of Christ, in which the salvation of believers is possible, and the eternal limits that our fathers set are abolished.”

d) be at least 40 years old.

Chapter V. Holy Synod

1 . The Holy Synod, headed by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' (Locum Tenens), is the governing body of the Russian Orthodox Church in the period between Councils of Bishops.

2 . The Holy Synod is responsible to the Council of Bishops and, through the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', submits to it a report on its activities during the inter-Council period.

3 . The Holy Synod consists of a chairman - the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' (Locum Tenens), nine permanent and five temporary members - diocesan bishops.

4 . The permanent members are: in the department - metropolitans of Kiev and all Ukraine; St. Petersburg and Ladoga; Krutitsky and Kolomensky; Minsky and Slutsky, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus; Chisinau and all Moldova; Astana and Kazakhstan, head of the Metropolitan District in the Republic of Kazakhstan; Tashkent and Uzbekistan, head of the Central Asian Metropolitan District; by position - chairman of the Department for External Church Relations and manager of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate.

5 . Temporary members are called to attend one session, according to the seniority of the episcopal consecration, one from each group into which the dioceses are divided. A bishop cannot be summoned to the Holy Synod until the expiration of his two-year term of administration of a given diocese.

6 . The synodal year is divided into two sessions: summer (March-August) and winter (September-February).

7 . Diocesan bishops, heads of synodal institutions and rectors of theological academies may be present in the Holy Synod with the right of an advisory vote when considering cases concerning the dioceses, institutions, academies they govern or their exercise of church-wide obedience.

8 . The participation of permanent and temporary members of the Holy Synod in its meetings is their canonical duty. Members of the Synod who are absent without good reason are subject to fraternal admonition.

9 . In exceptional cases, the quorum of the Holy Synod consists of 2/3 of its members.

10 . Meetings of the Holy Synod are convened by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' (Locum Tenens). In the event of the death of the Patriarch, no later than on the third day, the Patriarchal Vicar - Metropolitan of Krutitsky and Kolomna - convenes a meeting of the Holy Synod to elect a Locum Tenens.

11 . As a rule, meetings of the Holy Synod are closed. Members of the Holy Synod are seated according to the protocol adopted in the Russian Orthodox Church.

12 . The Holy Synod works on the basis of an agenda presented by the chairman and approved by the Holy Synod at the beginning of the first meeting. Questions requiring preliminary study are sent by the chairman to the members of the Holy Synod in advance. Members of the Holy Synod may make proposals on the agenda and raise issues with prior notification of the chairman.

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14 . In the event that the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', for any reason, is temporarily unable to exercise chairmanship duties in the Holy Synod, the duties of the chairman are performed by the oldest permanent member of the Holy Synod by episcopal consecration. The Temporary Chairman of the Holy Synod is not a canonical Locum Tenens.

15 . The secretary of the Holy Synod is the manager of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate. The secretary is responsible for preparing the materials necessary for the Holy Synod and compiling the journals of the meetings.

16 . Matters in the Holy Synod are decided by the general consent of all members participating in the meeting or by a majority vote. In case of equality of votes, the vote of the chairman is decisive.

17 . No one present in the Holy Synod may abstain from voting.

18 . Each of the members of the Holy Synod, in case of disagreement with the decision made, may submit a separate opinion, which must be stated at the same meeting outlining its reasons and submitted in writing no later than three days from the date of the meeting. Individual opinions are attached to the case without stopping its decision.

19 . The chairman does not have the right, by his own authority, to remove matters proposed on the agenda from discussion, to prevent their resolution or to suspend the implementation of such decisions.

20 . In those cases when the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' recognizes that the decision made will not bring benefit and benefit to the Church, he protests. The protest must be made at the same meeting and then put in writing within seven days. After this period, the case is again considered by the Holy Synod. If the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' does not find it possible to agree with the new decision of the case, then it is suspended and referred to the Council of Bishops for consideration. If it is impossible to postpone the matter and a decision must be made immediately, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' acts at his own discretion. The decision made in this way is submitted for consideration to an extraordinary Council of Bishops, on which the final resolution of the issue depends.

21 . When the Holy Synod is considering a case of a complaint against members of the Holy Synod, the interested person may be present at the meeting and give explanations, but when the case is decided, the accused member of the Holy Synod is obliged to leave the meeting room. When considering a complaint against the chairman, he transfers the chairmanship to the oldest hierarch according to episcopal consecration from among the permanent members of the Holy Synod.

22 . All journals and resolutions of the Holy Synod are signed first by the chairman, then by all members present at the meeting, at least some of them did not agree with the decision made and submitted a separate opinion on it.

23 . The determinations of the Holy Synod come into force after they are signed and are not subject to revision, except in cases where new data are presented that change the essence of the matter.

24 . The Chairman of the Holy Synod exercises supreme supervision over the exact implementation of the adopted resolutions.

25 . The duties of the Holy Synod include:

a) care for intact storage and interpretation Orthodox faith, norms of Christian morality and piety;

b) serving the internal unity of the Russian Orthodox Church;

c) maintaining unity with other Orthodox Churches;

d) organizing the internal and external activities of the Church and resolving issues of general church significance arising in connection with this;

e) interpretation of canonical decrees and resolution of difficulties associated with their application;

f) regulation of liturgical issues;

g) issuing disciplinary decisions concerning clergy, monastics and church workers;

h) assessment major events in the field of interchurch, interfaith and interreligious relations;

i) maintaining interfaith and interreligious ties, both on the canonical territory of the Moscow Patriarchate and beyond its borders;

j) coordination of the actions of the entire Russian Orthodox Church in its efforts to achieve peace and justice;

k) expression of pastoral concern for social problems;

l) addressing special messages to all children of the Russian Orthodox Church;

m) maintaining proper relations between and the state in accordance with this Charter and current legislation;

o) approval of the statutes of Self-Governing Churches, Exarchates and Metropolitan Districts;

o) adoption of civil statutes of the Russian Orthodox Church and its canonical divisions, as well as introducing changes and additions to them;

p) consideration of the journals of the Synods of the Exarchates and Metropolitan Districts;

c) resolving issues related to the establishment or abolition of canonical divisions of the Russian Orthodox Church accountable to the Holy Synod with subsequent approval at the Council of Bishops;

r) establishing the procedure for ownership, use and disposal of buildings and property of the Russian Orthodox Church;

s) approval of decisions of the General Church Court in cases provided for by the Regulations on the Church Court.

26 . Holy Synod:

a) elects, appoints, in exceptional cases moves bishops and dismisses them;

b) calls bishops to attend the Holy Synod;

c) if necessary, on the proposal of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', considers the reports of bishops on the state of the dioceses and makes decisions on them;

d) through its members, inspects the activities of bishops whenever it deems it necessary;

e) determines the content of bishops.

27 . The Holy Synod appoints:

a) heads of synodal institutions and, on their recommendation, their deputies;

b) rectors of theological academies and seminaries, abbots (abbesses) and governors of monasteries;

c) bishops, clergy and laity to undergo responsible obedience in distant countries;

d) on the proposal of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', members of the Supreme Church Council from among the heads of synodal or other church-wide institutions, divisions of the Moscow Patriarchate;

e) on the proposal of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', members of the Inter-Council Presence.

28 . The Holy Synod may create commissions or other working bodies to care for:

a) on solving important theological problems related to the internal and external activities of the Church;

Chapter XI. Self-Governing Churches

1 . Self-governing Churches that are part of the Moscow Patriarchate carry out their activities on the basis and within the limits provided by the Patriarchal Tomos, issued in accordance with the decisions of the Local or Bishops' Council.

2 . The decision on the formation or abolition of the Self-Governing Church, as well as the determination of its territorial boundaries, is made by the Local Council.

3 . The bodies of ecclesiastical power and administration of the Self-Governing Church are the Council and the Synod, headed by the Primate of the Self-Governing Church in the rank of metropolitan or archbishop.

4 . The Primate of the Self-Governing Church is elected by the Council from among candidates approved by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' and the Holy Synod.

5 . The Primate takes office after approval by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

6 . The Primate is the diocesan bishop of his diocese and heads the Self-Governing Church on the basis of the canons, the present Charter and the Charter of the Self-Governing Church.

7 . The name of the Primate is commemorated in all churches of the Self-Governing Church after the name of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

8 . Decisions on the formation or abolition of dioceses included in the Self-Governing Church and on the determination of their territorial boundaries are made by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' and the Holy Synod on the proposal of the Synod of the Self-Governing Church with subsequent approval by the Council of Bishops.

9 . The bishops of the Self-Governing Church are elected by the Synod from candidates approved by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' and the Holy Synod.

10 . The bishops of the Self-Governing Church are members of the Local and Bishops' Councils and participate in their work in accordance with Sections II and III of this Charter and in meetings of the Holy Synod.

11 . The decisions of the Local and Bishops' Councils and the Holy Synod are binding on the Self-Governing Church.

12 . The General Church Court and the Court of the Council of Bishops are the highest ecclesiastical courts for the Self-Governing Church.

13 . The Council of the Self-Governing Church adopts the Charter regulating the management of this Church on the basis and within the limits provided by the Patriarchal Tomos. The Charter is subject to approval by the Holy Synod and approval by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

14 . The Council and Synod of the Self-Governing Church operate within the boundaries determined by the Patriarchal Tomos, the present Charter and the Charter regulating the management of the Self-Governing Church.

17 . The self-governing part of the Russian Orthodox Church is the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad in the historically established totality of its dioceses, parishes and other church institutions.

The norms of this Charter are applied therein taking into account the Act on Canonical Communion of May 17, 2007, as well as the Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad with amendments and additions made by the Council of Bishops of the Russian Church Abroad on May 13, 2008.

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In her life and work, she is guided by the Tomos of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' of 1990 and the Charter of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is approved by its Primate and approved by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

Chapter XII. Exarchates

1 . The dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church can be united into Exarchates. The basis of such a unification is the national-regional principle.

2 . Decisions on the creation or dissolution of Exarchates, as well as on their name and territorial boundaries, are made by the Holy Synod with subsequent approval by the Council of Bishops.

3 . The decisions of the Local and Bishops' Councils and the Holy Synod are binding on the Exarchates.

4 . The General Church Court and the Court of the Council of Bishops are the highest ecclesiastical courts for the Exarchate.

5 . The highest ecclesiastical authority in the Exarchate belongs to the Synod of the Exarchate, chaired by the Exarch.

6 . The Synod of the Exarchate adopts the Charter regulating the management of the Exarchate. The Charter is subject to the approval of the Holy Synod and approval by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

7 . The Synod of the Exarchate acts on the basis of the canons, this Charter and the Charter regulating the management of the Exarchate.

8 . The journals of the Synod of the Exarchate are presented to the Holy Synod and approved by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

9 . The Exarch is elected by the Holy Synod and appointed by Patriarchal Decree.

10 . The Exarch is the diocesan bishop of his diocese and heads the management of the Exarchate on the basis of the canons, this Charter and the Charter regulating the management of the Exarchate.

11 . The name of the Exarch is exalted in all churches of the Exarchate after the name of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

12 . Diocesan and suffragan bishops of the Exarchate are elected and appointed by the Holy Synod on the proposal of the Synod of the Exarchate.

13 . Decisions on the formation or abolition of dioceses included in the Exarchate and on the determination of their territorial boundaries are made by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' and the Holy Synod on the proposal of the Synod of the Exarchate with subsequent approval by the Council of Bishops.

14 . The Exarchate receives the Holy Chrism from the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

15 . The Russian Orthodox Church currently has a Belarusian Exarchate, located on the territory of the Republic of Belarus. “Belarusian Orthodox” is another official name of the Belarusian Exarchate.

Chapter XIII. Metropolitan districts

1 . The dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church can be united into Metropolitan districts.

2 . Decisions on the creation or abolition of Metropolitan districts, as well as on their names and territorial boundaries, are made by the Holy Synod with subsequent approval by the Council of Bishops.

3 . The decisions of the Local and Bishops' Councils and the Holy Synod are binding for the Metropolitan districts.

4 . The General Church Court and the Court of the Council of Bishops are the highest ecclesiastical courts for the Metropolitan District.

5 . The highest ecclesiastical authority in the Metropolitan District belongs to the Synod of the Metropolitan District, chaired by the head of the Metropolitan District. The Synod of the Metropolitan District consists of diocesan and suffragan bishops of the dioceses of the Metropolitan District.

6 . The Synod of the Metropolitan District submits, at the discretion of the Holy Synod and the approval of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', the draft Charter of the Metropolitan District, and, if necessary, the draft internal regulations on the Metropolitan District, as well as draft subsequent amendments to these documents.

7 . The Synod of the District submits, at the discretion of the Holy Synod and the approval of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', draft Statutes of the dioceses of the Metropolitan District, parishes, monasteries, theological schools and other canonical units, as well as changes (additions) to them.

8 . The District Synod operates on the basis of the canons, this Charter, the Charter regulating the management of the Metropolitan District, and (or) the internal regulations of the Metropolitan District.

9 . The journals of the Synod of the Metropolitan District are submitted to the Holy Synod and approved by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

10 . The bishop heading the Metropolitan District is elected by the Holy Synod and appointed by Patriarchal Decree.

11 . The bishop heading the Metropolitan District is the diocesan bishop of his diocese and heads the administration of the Metropolitan District on the basis of the canons, this Charter and the Charter regulating the management of the Metropolitan District.

12 . The name of the bishop heading the Metropolitan District is exalted in all churches of the Metropolitan District after the name of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

13 . The diocesan and suffragan bishops of the Metropolitan District are elected and appointed by the Holy Synod.

14 . Decisions on the formation or abolition of dioceses included in the Metropolitan District and on the determination of their territorial boundaries are made by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' and the Holy Synod, followed by approval by the Council of Bishops.

15 The Metropolitan District receives the Holy Chrism from the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

16 . The Russian Orthodox Church currently has:

· Metropolitan district in the Republic of Kazakhstan;

· Central Asian Metropolitan District.

Chapter XIV. Metropolises

1 . Two or more dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church can be united into metropolitanates.

2 . Metropolises are formed for the purpose of coordinating the liturgical, pastoral, missionary, spiritual and educational, educational, youth, social, charitable, publishing, information activities of dioceses, as well as their interaction with society and government authorities.

3 . Decisions on the creation or abolition of metropolises, on their name, borders, and on the composition of their dioceses are made by the Holy Synod with subsequent approval by the Council of Bishops.

4 . The dioceses that are part of the metropolises are under the direct canonical subordination of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', the Holy Synod, the Bishops' Council and the Local Council.

5 . The highest authority for the diocesan church courts of the dioceses that are part of the metropolises is the General Church Court.

6 . As needed, but at least twice a year, the metropolitan bishops’ council is convened in the metropolis, consisting of all diocesan and vicar bishops of the metropolis, as well as the secretary of the bishops’ council appointed by the head of the metropolis.

The powers of the bishops' council, as well as the procedure for its activities, are determined by the Regulations on Metropolises, approved by the Holy Synod.

7 . Vicar bishops of the metropolitan dioceses participate in the bishops' council with the right to a decisive vote.

8 . The head of the metropolitanate (metropolitan) is the diocesan bishop of one of the dioceses that are part of the metropolitanate, and is appointed by the Holy Synod, receiving a decree from the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

9 . The name of the head of the metropolitanate (metropolitan) is exalted in all churches of the metropolitanate after the name of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus':

· within the boundaries of his diocese with the wording “Our Lord, Most Reverend (name), Metropolitan (title)” (in short form: “Our Lord, Most Reverend, Metropolitan (name)”);

· within other dioceses with the wording “Mr. Most Reverend (name), Metropolitan (title)” (in short form: “Mr. Most Reverend Metropolitan (name)”).

10 . The affairs of the metropolitanate are carried out by the diocesan administration of the diocese, headed by the metropolitan.

11 . The powers of the head of the metropolitanate (metropolitan) are determined by the Regulations on Metropolises.

Chapter XV. Dioceses

1 . The Russian Orthodox Church is divided into dioceses - local Churches, headed by a bishop and uniting diocesan institutions, deaneries, parishes, monasteries, metochions, monastic hermitages, spiritual educational institutions, brotherhood, sisterhood, mission.

2 . Dioceses are established by decision of the Holy Synod, with subsequent approval by the Council of Bishops.

3 . The boundaries of dioceses are determined by the Holy Synod.

4 . In each diocese there are diocesan governing bodies that operate within the limits determined by the canons and this Charter.

5 . To satisfy church needs, the necessary institutions can be created in dioceses, the activities of which are regulated by regulations (statutes) approved by the Holy Synod.

1. Diocesan bishop

6 . The diocesan bishop, by succession of power from the holy apostles, is the head of the local Church - the diocese, canonically governing it with the conciliar assistance of the clergy and laity.

7 . The diocesan bishop is elected by the Holy Synod, receiving a decree from the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

8 . Whenever necessary, the Holy Synod appoints vicar bishops to assist the diocesan bishop with a range of responsibilities determined by the Regulations on Diocesan Vicariates, or at the discretion of the diocesan bishop.

9 . Bishops bear a title that includes the name of the cathedral city. Bishop's titles are determined by the Holy Synod.

10 . Candidates for bishops are elected at least 30 years of age from among monastics or unmarried white clergy with mandatory tonsure as a monk. The candidate to be elected must meet high rank bishop in moral qualities and have a theological education.

11 . Bishops enjoy all the fullness of hierarchical power in matters of religious doctrine, sacred rites and shepherding.

12 . The diocesan bishop ordains and appoints clergy to their place of service, appoints all employees of diocesan institutions and blesses monastic tonsures.

13 . The diocesan bishop has the right to accept into the clergy of his diocese clergy from other dioceses in the presence of letters of leave, as well as to release clergy to other dioceses, providing, at the request of the bishops, their personal files and letters of leave.

14 . Without the consent of the diocesan bishop, not a single decision of the diocesan government bodies can be implemented.

15 . The diocesan bishop can address archpastoral messages to the clergy and laity within his diocese.

16 . The duty of the diocesan bishop is to submit to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' an annual report in the prescribed form on the religious, administrative and financial-economic state of the diocese and on his activities.

17 . The diocesan bishop is the authorized representative of the Russian Orthodox Church before the relevant state authorities and local governments on issues related to the activities of the diocese.

18 . In administering the diocese, the bishop:

a) takes care of maintaining faith, Christian morality and piety;

b) oversees the correct performance of divine services and the observance of church splendor;

c) bears responsibility for the implementation of the provisions of this Charter, resolutions of the Councils and the Holy Synod;

d) convenes the diocesan meeting and the diocesan council and presides over them;

e) if necessary, exercises the right of veto on decisions of the diocesan meeting with subsequent transfer of the relevant issue for consideration by the Holy Synod;

f) approves the civil charters of parishes, monasteries, farmsteads and other canonical units included in the diocese;

g) in accordance with the canons, visits the parishes of his diocese and exercises control over their activities directly or through his authorized representatives;

h) has senior management supervision over diocesan institutions and monasteries included in his diocese;

i) oversees the activities of the diocesan clergy;

j) appoints (dismisses) abbots to office, parish priests and other clergy;

k) submits for approval by the Holy Synod candidates for the positions of rectors of religious educational institutions, abbots (abbesses) and governors of monasteries of diocesan subordination and, based on the decision of the Holy Synod, issues decrees on the appointment of these officials;

l) approves the composition of parish meetings;

m) partially or completely changes the composition of the parish meeting if members of the parish meeting deviate from the canonical rules and regulations of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as if they violate the parish charter;

n) decides to convene a parish meeting;

o) approves (dismisses) from office the chairmen of audit commissions and treasurers of parishes elected by the parish assembly;

p) removes from parish councils members of parish councils who violate canonical norms and parish statutes;

c) approves financial and other reports of parish councils and parish audit commissions;

r) has the right to appoint (dismiss) the chairman of the parish council, assistant rector (church warden) with their inclusion in (removal from) the parish meeting and the parish council;

s) approves the minutes of parish meetings;

t) provides vacations to the clergy;

x) takes care of improving the spiritual and moral state of the clergy and raising their educational level;

c) takes care of the training of clergy and clergy, in connection with which it sends worthy candidates for admission to religious educational institutions;

h) monitors the state of church preaching;

w) petitions the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' to reward worthy clergy and laity with appropriate awards and, in accordance with the established procedure, awards them himself;

y) gives a blessing for the establishment of new parishes;

e) gives blessings for the construction and repair of temples, houses of worship and chapels and takes care that they appearance And interior decoration corresponded to the Orthodox church tradition;

j) consecrates temples;

i) has care of the estate church singing, icon painting and applied church arts;

z1) petitions government and administrative bodies for the return of churches and other buildings and structures intended for church purposes to the diocese;

z2) resolves issues related to the ownership, use and disposal of diocese property;

z3) manages the financial resources of the diocese, concludes contracts on its behalf, issues powers of attorney, opens accounts in banking institutions, has the right of first signature of financial and other documents;

z4) exercises control over the religious, administrative and financial activities of parishes, monasteries, educational institutions and other divisions of the diocese;

z5) issues its own executive and administrative acts on all issues of the life and activities of the diocese;

z6) confirms that all parishes, monasteries and other canonical divisions of the diocese located on its territory belong to the headed diocese;

z7) takes care directly or through the relevant diocesan institutions:

· about acts of mercy and charity;

· on providing parishes with everything necessary for performing divine services;

· about meeting other church needs.

19 . Supervising canonical order and church discipline, the diocesan bishop:

a) has the right of paternal influence and punishment in relation to clergy, including punishment by reprimand, removal from office and temporary prohibition in the priesthood;

b) admonishes the laity, if necessary, in accordance with the canons, imposes bans on them or temporarily excommunicates them from church communion. Serious offenses are referred to the ecclesiastical court;

c) approves the penalties of the church court and has the right to mitigate them;

d) in accordance with the canons, resolves issues arising during the conclusion church marriages and divorces.

20 . The dowager diocese is temporarily governed by a bishop appointed by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. During the period of widowhood of the bishop's see, no business is undertaken regarding the reorganization of diocesan life, and no changes are made in the work begun during the period of administration of the previous bishop.

21 . In the event of widowhood of the diocese, transfer of the ruling bishop or his retirement, the diocesan council creates a commission that begins to audit the diocesan property and draws up an appropriate act for the transfer of the diocese to the newly appointed bishop.

22 . Church property, which the bishop possessed by virtue of his position and position and which is located in the official bishop's residence, after his death is entered into the inventory book of the diocese and passes to it. The personal property of a deceased bishop is inherited in accordance with current laws.

23 . A diocese cannot be widowed for more than forty days, except special occasions when there are sufficient grounds for extending widowhood.

24 . Diocesan bishops are given the right to absent themselves from their dioceses for valid reasons for a period of no more than 14 days, without first seeking permission from the highest ecclesiastical authorities; for a longer period, bishops request such permission in the prescribed manner.

25 . The content of diocesan bishops is determined by the Holy Synod. Upon leaving service, they are assigned a bishop's pension, the amount of which is determined by the Holy Synod.

26 . Upon reaching the age of 75, the bishop submits a request for retirement to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. The question of when to satisfy such a petition is decided by the Holy Synod.

2. Diocesan vicariates

27 . A diocesan vicariate is a canonical division of a diocese, uniting one or more deaneries of the diocese.

28 . The diocesan bishop has the highest authority over the administration of the vicariate.

29 . A vicar bishop is appointed to a position (removed from office) upon the recommendation of the diocesan bishop by determination of the Holy Synod.

The vicar bishop assists the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese. The powers of the vicar bishop managing the vicariate are determined by the Regulations on diocesan vicariates, approved by the Holy Synod, as well as written or oral instructions of the diocesan bishop.

To assist the diocesan bishop, suffragan bishops who do not administer vicariates may also be appointed. Their powers are determined by written and oral instructions of the diocesan bishop.

30 . The vicar bishop is ex-officio a member of the diocesan council and the diocesan assembly of the diocese with the right of casting vote.

31 . To carry out his activities, the vicar bishop:

a) convenes a meeting of the clergy of the vicariate;

b) creates a council and records management service for the vicariate.

The meeting of clergy of the vicariate and the council of the vicariate are advisory bodies under the vicar bishop.

32 . The assembly of clergy of the vicariate consists of clergy from all canonical divisions of the vicariate.

The powers, as well as the procedure for the activities of the meeting of clergy of the vicariate, are determined by the Regulations on diocesan vicariates.

The decisions of the meeting of clergy of the vicariate come into force after their approval by the diocesan bishop.

33 . The Vicariate Council includes:

a) suffragan bishop;

b) deans of the districts that are part of the vicariate;

c) confessor of the vicariate;

d) one clergyman elected for a term of three years by the meeting of clergy of the vicariate from each deanery that is part of the vicariate;

e) no more than three clergy at the discretion of the diocesan bishop.

The chairman of the vicariate council is the vicar bishop. The secretary of the vicariate council is a member of the vicariate council, appointed to this position by order of the vicar bishop.

The composition of the vicariate council is approved by the diocesan bishop.

The powers, as well as the procedure for the activities of the vicariate council, are determined by the Regulations on diocesan vicariates.

The decisions of the vicariate council come into force after their approval by the diocesan bishop.

34 . A secretariat may function under the vicariate, the employees of which are appointed by order of the vicar bishop.

35 . The head of the secretariat of the vicariate reports to the vicar bishop and is appointed by him to the position.

3. Diocesan Assembly

36 . The diocesan assembly, headed by the diocesan bishop, is the governing body of the diocese and consists of clergy, monastics and laity living in the territory of the diocese and representing the canonical units that make up the diocese.

37 . The diocesan meeting is convened by the diocesan bishop at his discretion, but at least once a year, as well as by decision of the diocesan council or at the request of at least 1/3 of the members of the previous diocesan meeting.

The procedure for convening members of the diocesan assembly is established by the diocesan council.

Vicar bishops are ex-officio members of the diocesan assembly with voting rights.

38 . Diocesan Assembly:

a) elects delegates to Local Council;

b) elects members of the diocesan council and diocesan court;

c) creates the necessary diocesan institutions and takes care of their financial support;

d) develops general diocesan rules and regulations in accordance with conciliar decrees and decisions of the Holy Synod;

e) observes the course of diocesan life;

f) hears reports on the state of the diocese, on the work of diocesan institutions, on the life of monasteries and other canonical units that are part of the diocese, and makes decisions on them;

g) considers annual reports on the activities of the diocesan council.

39 . The chairman of the diocesan meeting is the diocesan bishop. The diocesan meeting elects a deputy chairman and a secretary. The vice-chairman may preside over the meeting at the direction of the chairperson. The secretary is responsible for preparing the journals of the meetings of the diocesan assembly.

40 . The quorum of the meeting is a majority (more than half) of the members. Decisions are made by majority vote. In case of equality of votes, the vote of the chairman is decisive

41 . The diocesan meeting operates in accordance with the adopted regulations.

42 . The journals of the meetings of the diocesan meeting are signed by the chairman, his deputy, the secretary and two members of the meeting elected for this purpose.

43 . The Diocesan Council, headed by the diocesan bishop, is the governing body of the diocese.

The diocesan council is formed with the blessing of the diocesan bishop and consists of at least four persons in the priestly rank, half of whom are appointed by the bishop, and the rest are elected by the diocesan assembly for three years.

Vicar bishops are ex-officio members of the diocesan council with voting rights.

44 . If members of the diocesan council violate the doctrinal, canonical or moral norms of the Orthodox Church, as well as if they are under ecclesiastical court or investigation, they are removed from their positions by decision of the diocesan bishop.

45 . The chairman of the diocesan council is the diocesan bishop.

46 . The Diocesan Council meets regularly, but at least once every six months.

47 . The quorum of the diocesan council is a majority of its members.

48 . The Diocesan Council works on the basis of an agenda presented by the chairman.

49 . The chairman presides over the meeting in accordance with the adopted rules.

50 . The bishop appoints the secretary of the diocesan council from among its members. The secretary is responsible for preparing materials necessary for the council and compiling minutes of meetings.

51 . If disagreements arise during the consideration of a case, the case is resolved by a majority vote; In case of equality of votes, the vote of the chairman is decisive.

52 . The journals of the meetings of the diocesan council are signed by all its members.

53 . The Diocesan Council, in accordance with the instructions of the diocesan bishop:

a) carries out the decisions of the diocesan meeting that fall under the jurisdiction of the council, reports to it on the work done;

b) establishes the procedure for electing members of the diocesan assembly;

c) prepares meetings of the diocesan meeting, including proposals for the agenda;

d) submits its annual reports to the diocesan meeting;

e) considers issues related to the opening of parishes, deaneries, monasteries, production and economic activities, governing bodies and other divisions of the diocese;

f) takes care of finding funds to satisfy the material needs of the diocese, and, if necessary, parishes;

g) determines the boundaries of deaneries and parishes;

h) considers the reports of deans and makes appropriate decisions on them;

i) monitors the activities of parish councils;

j) considers plans for the construction, major repairs and restoration of churches;

k) keeps records and takes measures to preserve the property of the canonical divisions of the diocese, including buildings of churches, houses of worship, chapels, monasteries, and religious educational institutions;

l) within the limits of its competence, resolve issues related to the ownership, use and disposal of the property of parishes, monasteries and other canonical units of the diocese; real estate of canonical units included in the diocese, namely buildings, structures, land plots, can be alienated only on the basis of a decision of the diocesan council;

m) carries out an audit of diocesan institutions;

o) takes care of provision for casual clergy and church workers;

o) discusses preparatory activities for anniversaries, general diocesan celebrations and other important events;

p) resolves any other matters that the diocesan bishop sends to the diocesan council for their resolution or for study in order to provide it with the necessary recommendations;

c) considers issues of liturgical practice and church discipline.

5. Diocesan administrations and other diocesan institutions

54 . The diocesan administration is the executive body of the diocese, under the direct supervision of the diocesan bishop and called upon, together with other diocesan institutions, to assist the bishop in the exercise of his executive power.

55 . The bishop carries out senior management supervision over the work of the diocesan administration and all diocesan institutions and appoints their employees in accordance with the staffing table.

56 . The activities of diocesan administrations, like other diocesan institutions, are regulated by regulations (statutes) approved by the Holy Synod and by bishop's orders.

57 . Each diocesan department must have an office, accounting, archive and the required number of other departments that provide missionary, publishing, social and charitable, educational, restoration and construction, economic and other types of diocesan activities.

58 . The secretary of the diocesan administration is responsible for the records management of the diocese and, within the limits determined by the diocesan bishop, assists him in the management of the diocese and in the management of the diocesan administration.

6. Deanery

59 . The diocese is divided into dean districts headed by deans appointed by the diocesan bishop.

60 . The boundaries of deaneries and their names are determined by the diocesan council.

61 . The responsibilities of the dean include:

a) concern for the purity of the Orthodox faith and the worthy church and moral education of believers;

b) monitoring the correct and regular performance of divine services, the splendor and decorum in churches, and the state of church preaching;

c) concern for the implementation of decrees and instructions of the diocesan authorities;

d) care for the timely receipt of parish contributions to the diocese;

e) giving advice to clergy both regarding the performance of their duties and regarding their personal lives;

f) eliminating misunderstandings between the clergy, as well as between the clergy and the laity, without formal legal proceedings and with a report on the most significant incidents to the ruling bishop;

g) preliminary investigation of church offenses at the direction of the diocesan bishop;

h) petition to the bishop for awards to clergy and laity deserving of encouragement;

i) making proposals to the ruling bishop to fill the vacant positions of priests, deacons, psalm-readers and regents;

j) taking care of satisfying the religious needs of believers in parishes that temporarily do not have clergy;

k) monitoring the construction and repair of church buildings within the deanery;

l) taking care of the presence at the temples of everything necessary for correct execution divine services and normal parish office work;

m) fulfillment of other duties assigned to him by the bishop.

62 . Carrying out his duties, the dean, at least once a year, visits all the parishes of his district, checking the liturgical life, the internal and external condition of churches and other church buildings, as well as the correct conduct of parish affairs and the church archive, getting acquainted with the religious and moral state believers.

63 . At the direction of the diocesan bishop, at the request of the rector, the parish council or the parish meeting, the dean may hold meetings of the parish meeting.

64 . With the blessing of the diocesan bishop, the dean can convene priests for fraternal conferences to consider the church needs common to the deanery.

65 . Every year the dean submits to the diocesan bishop a report on the state of the deanery and on his work in the prescribed form.

66 . Under the dean there may be an office, the employees of which are appointed by the dean with the knowledge of the diocesan bishop.

67 . The activities of the dean are financed from the funds of the parish he heads, and, if necessary, from general diocesan funds.

Chapter XVI. Parishes

1 . A parish is a community of Orthodox Christians, consisting of clergy and laity, united at the church.

The parish is a canonical division of the Russian Orthodox Church and is under the supervision of its diocesan bishop and under the leadership of the priest-rector appointed by him.

2 . The parish is formed by the voluntary consent of believing citizens of the Orthodox faith who have reached the age of majority, with the blessing of the diocesan bishop. To obtain the status of a legal entity, the parish is registered by state authorities in the manner determined by the legislation of the country where the parish is located. Parish boundaries are set by the diocesan council.

3 . The parish begins its activities after the blessing of the diocesan bishop.

4 . The parish in its civil legal activities is obliged to comply with canonical rules, internal regulations of the Russian Orthodox Church and the legislation of the country of location.

5 . Arrival in mandatory allocates funds through the diocese for general church needs in the amount established by the Holy Synod, and for diocesan needs in the manner and amount established by the diocesan authorities.

6 . The parish in its religious, administrative, financial and economic activities is subordinate and accountable to the diocesan bishop. The parish carries out the decisions of the diocesan meeting and the diocesan council and the orders of the diocesan bishop.

7 . In the event of the separation of any part or the withdrawal of all members of the parish assembly from the parish, they cannot claim any rights to the parish property and funds.

8 . If the parish meeting makes a decision to withdraw from the hierarchical structure and jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church, the parish is deprived of confirmation of belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church, which entails the cessation of the parish’s activities as a religious organization of the Russian Orthodox Church and deprives it of the right to property that belonged to the parish as a right property, use or on any other legal basis, as well as the right to use the name and symbols of the Russian Orthodox Church in the name.

9 . Parish churches, houses of worship and chapels are established with the blessing of the diocesan authorities and in compliance with the procedure established by law.

10 . The administration of the parish is carried out by the diocesan bishop, the rector, the parish assembly, the parish council, and the chairman of the parish council.

The diocesan bishop has the highest management of the parish.

The audit commission is the body monitoring the activities of the parish.

11 . Brotherhoods and sisterhoods are created by parishioners only with the consent of the rector and with the blessing of the diocesan bishop. Brotherhoods and sisterhoods have the goal of attracting parishioners to participate in the care and work of maintaining churches in proper condition, in charity, mercy, religious and moral education and upbringing. Brotherhoods and sisterhoods at parishes are under the supervision of the rector. In exceptional cases, the charter of a brotherhood or sisterhood, approved by the diocesan bishop, may be submitted for state registration.

12 . Brotherhoods and sisterhoods begin their activities after the blessing of the diocesan bishop.

13 . In carrying out their activities, brotherhoods and sisterhoods are guided by this Charter, decisions of Local and Bishops' Councils, decisions of the Holy Synod, decrees of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', decisions of the diocesan bishop and rector of the parish, as well as the civil statutes of the Russian Orthodox Church, diocese, parish under which they created, and by their own charter, if the fraternities and sororities are registered as a legal entity.

14 . Brotherhoods and sisterhoods allocate funds through parishes for general church needs in the amounts established by the Holy Synod, for diocesan and parish needs in the manner and amount established by diocesan authorities and parish rectors.

15 . Brotherhoods and sisterhoods in their religious, administrative, financial and economic activities, through the rectors of parishes, are subordinate and accountable to the diocesan bishops. Brotherhoods and sisterhoods carry out the decisions of the diocesan authorities and parish rectors.

16 . In the event of the separation of any part or the withdrawal of all members of the brotherhood and sisterhood from their composition, they cannot claim any rights to the brotherhood and sisterhood property and funds.

17 . If the general meeting of the brotherhood and sisterhood makes a decision to withdraw from the hierarchical structure and jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church, the brotherhood and sisterhood are deprived of confirmation of belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church, which entails the cessation of the activities of the brotherhood and sisterhood as a religious organization of the Russian Orthodox Church and deprives them of the right to property that belonged to the brotherhood or sisterhood on the basis of ownership, use or other rights legally, as well as the right to use the name and symbols of the Russian Orthodox Church in the name.

1. Abbot

18 . At the head of each parish is the rector of the church, appointed by the diocesan bishop for the spiritual guidance of the believers and the management of the clergy and parish. In his activities, the rector is accountable to the diocesan bishop.

19 . The rector is called upon to bear responsibility for the proper performance of divine services, in accordance with the Church Charter, for church preaching, the religious and moral state and appropriate education of the members of the parish. He must conscientiously perform all liturgical, pastoral and administrative duties determined by his position, in accordance with the provisions of the canons and this Charter.

20 . The duties of the rector, in particular, include:

a) leadership of the clergy in the performance of its liturgical and pastoral duties;

b) monitoring the condition of the temple, its decoration and the availability of everything necessary for performing divine services in accordance with the requirements of the liturgical Charter and the instructions of the clergy;

c) concern for correct and reverent reading and singing in church;

d) concern for the exact fulfillment of the instructions of the diocesan bishop;

e) organization of catechetical, charitable, church-public, educational and educational activities of the parish;

f) convening and presiding at meetings of the parish meeting;

g) if there are grounds for this, suspension of the execution of decisions of the parish meeting and parish council on issues of a doctrinal, canonical, liturgical or administrative-economic nature, with the subsequent transfer of this issue to the diocesan bishop for consideration;

h) monitoring the implementation of decisions of the parish meeting and the work of the parish council;

i) representing the interests of the parish in state and local government bodies;

j) submitting directly to the diocesan bishop or through the dean annual reports on the state of the parish, on the activities carried out in the parish and on one’s own work;

k) carrying out official church correspondence;

l) maintaining a liturgical journal and storing the parish archive;

m) issuance of baptism and marriage certificates.

21 . The rector may receive leave and temporarily leave his parish solely with the permission of the diocesan authorities, obtained in the prescribed manner.

2. Pritch

22 . The clergy of the parish is determined as follows: priest, deacon and psalm-reader. The number of members of the clergy can be increased or reduced by the diocesan authority at the request of the parish and in accordance with its needs; in any case, the clergy must consist of at least two persons - a priest and a psalm-reader.

Note: the position of psalm-reader can be filled by a person in holy orders.

23 . The election and appointment of clergy and clergy belongs to the diocesan bishop.

24 . To be ordained as a deacon or priest you must:

a) be a member of the Russian Orthodox Church;

b) be an adult;

c) have the necessary moral qualities;

d) have sufficient theological training;

e) have a confessor’s certificate confirming the absence of canonical obstacles to ordination;

f) not be subject to ecclesiastical or civil court;

g) take the church oath.

25 . Members of the clergy may be moved and dismissed from their places by the diocesan bishop upon personal request, by ecclesiastical court, or by ecclesiastical expediency.

26 . The duties of the members of the clergy are determined by the canons and orders of the diocesan bishop or rector.

27 . The parish clergyman is responsible for the spiritual and moral state of the parish and for the fulfillment of his liturgical and pastoral duties.

28 . Members of the clergy cannot leave the parish without permission from the church authorities, obtained in the prescribed manner.

29 . A clergyman may take part in a divine service in another parish with the consent of the diocesan bishop of the diocese in which the parish is located, or with the consent of the dean or rector, if he has a certificate confirming his canonical legal capacity.

30 . In accordance with the 13th rule of the IV Ecumenical Council, clergy can be accepted into another diocese only if they have a letter of release from the diocesan bishop.

3. Parishioners

31 . Parishioners are persons of the Orthodox confession who maintain live connection with your arrival.

32 . Each parishioner has the duty to participate in divine services, regularly confess and receive communion, observe the canons and church regulations, perform works of faith, strive for religious and moral improvement and contribute to the well-being of the parish.

33 . The responsibility of parishioners is to take care of the material maintenance of the clergy and the temple.

4. Parish meeting

34 . The governing body of the parish is the parish meeting, headed by the parish rector, who is ex officio the chairman of the parish meeting.

The parish assembly includes the clergy of the parish, as well as parishioners who regularly participate in the liturgical life of the parish, worthy in their adherence to Orthodoxy, moral character and life experience to participate in solving parish affairs, having reached the age of 18 and not being prohibited, as well as not being brought to justice by an ecclesiastical or secular court.

35 . Admission as a member of the parish meeting and withdrawal from it is carried out on the basis of a petition (application) by decision of the parish meeting. If a member of the parish assembly is recognized as not corresponding to the position he occupies, he may be removed from the parish assembly by decision of the latter.

If the members of the parish assembly deviate from the canons, this Charter and other regulations of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as if they violate the parish charter, the composition of the parish assembly by decision of the diocesan bishop may be changed in whole or in part.

36 . The parish meeting is convened by the rector or, by order of the diocesan bishop, the dean, or another authorized representative of the diocesan bishop at least once a year.

Parish meetings dedicated to the election and re-election of members of the parish council are held with the participation of the dean or another representative of the diocesan bishop.

37 . The meeting is held in accordance with the agenda presented by the chairman.

38 . The chairman presides over the meetings in accordance with the adopted rules.

39 . The parish meeting has the authority to make decisions with the participation of at least half of the members. Resolutions of the parish meeting are adopted by simple majority vote; in the event of a tie, the vote of the chairman is decisive.

40 . The parish meeting elects a secretary from among its members who is responsible for drawing up the minutes of the meeting.

41 . The minutes of the parish meeting are signed by the chairman, secretary and five elected members of the parish meeting. The minutes of the parish meeting are approved by the diocesan bishop, after which the decisions taken come into force.

42 . The decisions of the parish meeting can be announced to parishioners in the church.

43 . The responsibilities of the parish meeting include:

a) maintaining the internal unity of the parish and promoting its spiritual and moral growth;

b) adoption of the civil Charter of the parish, amendments and additions to it, which are approved by the diocesan bishop and come into force from the moment of state registration;

c) admission and exclusion of members of the parish meeting;

d) election of the parish council and audit commission;

e) planning the financial and economic activities of the parish;

f) ensuring the safety of church property and taking care of its increase;

g) adoption of spending plans, including the amount of contributions for charity and religious and educational purposes, and submitting them for approval by the diocesan bishop;

h) approval of plans and consideration of design estimates for the construction and repair of church buildings;

i) review and submission for approval to the diocesan bishop of financial and other reports of the parish council and reports of the audit commission;

j) approval of the staffing table and determination of content for members of the clergy and parish council;

k) determining the procedure for disposing of the property of the parish on the terms determined by this Charter, the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church (civil), the charter of the diocese, the charter of the parish, as well as current legislation;

l) concern for the availability of everything necessary for the canonical performance of worship;

n) concern for the state of church singing;

o) initiating parish petitions before the diocesan bishop and civil authorities;

o) consideration of complaints against members of the parish council, audit commission and submission of them to the diocesan administration.

44 . The parish council is the executive body of the parish and is accountable to the parish meeting.

45 . The parish council consists of a chairman, an assistant rector and a treasurer.

46 . Parish Council:

a) implements the decisions of the parish meeting;

b) submit plans of economic activity, annual expenditure plans and financial reports for consideration and approval by the parish meeting;

c) is responsible for the safety and maintenance in proper order of church buildings, other structures, structures, premises and adjacent territories, land plots belonging to the parish and all property owned or used by the parish, and keeps records of it;

d) acquires property needed for the parish and maintains inventory books;

e) resolves current economic issues;

f) provides the parish with the necessary property;

g) provides housing to members of the parish clergy in cases where they need it;

h) takes care of the protection and splendor of the temple, maintaining decorum and order during services and religious processions;

i) takes care of providing the temple with everything necessary for the splendid performance of divine services.

47 . Members of the parish council may be removed from the parish council by a decision of the parish meeting or by order of the diocesan bishop if there are due grounds.

48 . The chairman of the parish council, without a power of attorney, exercises the following powers on behalf of the parish:

· issues orders (orders) on the hiring (dismissal) of parish employees; concludes labor and civil contracts with parish employees, as well as contracts on financial liability (the chairman of the parish council, who is not a rector, exercises these powers in agreement with the rector);

· disposes of the property and funds of the parish, including concluding relevant agreements on behalf of the parish and making other transactions in the manner prescribed by this Charter;

· represents the parish in court;

· has the right to issue powers of attorney to exercise on behalf of the parish the powers provided for in this article of the Charter, as well as to carry out contacts with state bodies, local governments, citizens and organizations in connection with the exercise of these powers.

49 . The rector is the chairman of the parish council.

The diocesan bishop has the right, by his sole decision:

a) relieve the rector from the post of chairman of the parish council at his own discretion;

b) appoint an assistant rector (church warden) or another person, including a parish clergyman, to the post of chairman of the parish council (for a period of three years with the right to appoint for a new term without limiting the number of such appointments), with his inclusion in the parish assembly and the parish advice.

The diocesan bishop has the right to remove from work a member of the parish council if he violates the canons, provisions of this Charter or the civil charter of the parish.

50 . All documents officially emanating from the parish are signed by the rector and (or) the chairman of the parish council within the limits of their competence.

51 . Banking and other financial documents are signed by the chairman of the parish council and the treasurer. In civil legal relations, the treasurer performs the duties of the chief accountant. The treasurer records and stores funds, donations and other receipts, and prepares an annual financial report. The parish maintains accounting records.

52 . In the event of re-election by the parish meeting or a change in the composition of the parish council by the diocesan bishop, as well as in the event of re-election, removal by the diocesan bishop or death of the chairman of the parish council, the parish meeting forms a commission of three members, which draws up an act on the availability of property and funds. The parish council accepts material assets on the basis of this act.

53 . The duties of the assistant chairman of the parish council are determined by the parish meeting.

54 . The responsibilities of the treasurer include recording and storing money and other donations, maintaining receipts and expenditure books, carrying out financial transactions within the budget as directed by the chairman of the parish council and drawing up an annual financial report.

6. Audit Commission

55 . The parish meeting, from among its members, elects a parish audit committee, consisting of a chairman and two members, for a period of three years. The Audit Committee is accountable to the parish meeting. The Audit Commission checks the financial and economic activities of the parish, the safety and accounting of property, its use for its intended purpose, conducts an annual inventory, audits the entry of donations and receipts and the expenditure of funds. The audit commission presents the results of the audits and corresponding proposals for consideration by the parish meeting.

If abuse is detected, the audit commission immediately informs the diocesan authorities. The Audit Commission has the right to send an inspection report directly to the diocesan bishop.

56 . The right to audit the financial and economic activities of the parish and parish institutions also belongs to the diocesan bishop.

57 . Members of the parish council and the audit commission cannot be closely related.

58 . The responsibilities of the audit commission include:

a) regular audit, including checking the availability of funds, the legality and correctness of expenses incurred and the maintenance of expense books by the parish;

b) carrying out, as necessary, an inspection of the financial and economic activities of the parish, the safety and accounting of property belonging to the parish;

c) annual inventory of parish property;

d) control over the removal of mugs and donations.

59 . The Audit Commission draws up reports on the inspections carried out and submits them to the regular or emergency meeting of the parish meeting. If there are abuses, shortages of property or funds, as well as if errors are detected in the conduct and execution of financial transactions, the parish meeting makes an appropriate decision. It has the right to bring a claim in court, having previously received the consent of the diocesan bishop.

Chapter XVII. Monasteries

1 . A monastery is a church institution in which men or women live and carry out their activities. women's community, consisting of Orthodox Christians who voluntarily chose the monastic way of life for spiritual and moral improvement and joint confession of the Orthodox faith.

2 . The decision on the opening (abolition) of monasteries belongs to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' and the Holy Synod on the proposal of the diocesan bishop.

In accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of the relevant country, the monastery can be registered as a legal entity.

3 . Stavropegic monasteries are proclaimed by the decision of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' and the Holy Synod in compliance with the canonical procedure.

4 . Stavropegic monasteries are under the superior supervision and canonical management of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' or those synodal institutions to which the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' blesses such supervision and management.

5 . Diocesan monasteries are under the supervision and canonical administration of diocesan bishops.

6 . If one, several or all inhabitants of the monastery leave its composition, they do not have the right and cannot make any claims to the property and funds of the monastery.

7 . Enrollment in the monastery and dismissal from the monastery are carried out by orders of the diocesan bishop upon the proposal of the abbot (abbess) or viceroy.

8 . Monasteries are governed and live in accordance with the provisions of this Charter, the Civil Charter, the Regulations on Monasteries and Monastics and their own charter, which must be approved by the diocesan bishop.

9 . Monasteries may have courtyards. A metochion is a community of Orthodox Christians within the monastery and located outside it. The activities of the monastery are regulated by the charter of the monastery to which the monastery belongs, and by its own civil charter. The metochion is under the jurisdiction of the same bishop as the monastery. If the metochion is located on the territory of another diocese, then during the service in the church of the metochion both the name of the diocesan bishop and the name of the bishop on the territory of whose diocese the metochion is located are exalted.

10 . If the monastery decides to leave the hierarchical structure and jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church, the monastery is deprived of confirmation of belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church, which entails the cessation of the monastery’s activities as a religious organization of the Russian Orthodox Church and deprives it of the right to property that belonged to the monastery as a property. , use or on other legal grounds, as well as the right to use the name and symbols of the Russian Orthodox Church in the name.

Chapter XVIII. Theological educational institutions

1 . Theological educational institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church are higher and secondary specialized educational institutions that prepare clergy and clergy, theologians and church workers.

2 . Theological educational institutions are under the supervision of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', carried out through the Educational Committee.

3 . Canonically, religious educational institutions are subject to the jurisdiction of the diocesan bishop in whose diocese they are located.

4 . Theological educational institutions are established by a decision of the Holy Synod on the proposal of the diocesan bishop, supported by the Educational Committee.

5 . The theological educational institution is governed and operates on the basis of this Charter, civil and internal charters approved by the Holy Synod and approved by the diocesan bishop.

6 . If a religious educational institution makes a decision to leave the hierarchical structure and jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church, the religious educational institution is deprived of confirmation of belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church, which entails the termination of the activities of the religious educational institution as a religious organization of the Russian Orthodox Church and deprives it of the right to property, which belonged to the religious educational institution on the basis of ownership, use or other legal grounds, as well as the right to use the name and symbols of the Russian Orthodox Church in the name.

Chapter XIX. Church institutions in foreign countries

1 . Church institutions in the far abroad (hereinafter referred to as “foreign institutions”) are dioceses, deaneries, parishes, stauropegial and diocesan monasteries, as well as missions, representative offices and metochions of the Russian Orthodox Church located outside the CIS and Baltic countries.

2 . The highest ecclesiastical authority exercises its jurisdiction over these institutions in the manner determined by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' and the Holy Synod.

3 . Foreign institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church in their administration and activities are guided by this charter and their own charters, which must be approved by the Holy Synod while respecting the laws existing in each country.

4 . Foreign institutions are created and abolished by decision of the Holy Synod. Representative offices and farmsteads located abroad are stauropegians.

5 . Foreign institutions carry out their ministry in accordance with the goals and objectives of the external activities of the Russian Orthodox Church.

6 . Heads and responsible employees of foreign institutions are appointed by the Holy Synod.

Chapter XX. Property and funds

1 . The funds of the Russian Orthodox Church and its canonical divisions are formed from:

a) donations when performing divine services, Sacraments, services and rituals;

b) voluntary donations from individuals and legal entities, state, public and other enterprises, institutions, organizations and funds;

c) donations for the distribution of Orthodox religious items and Orthodox religious literature(books, magazines, newspapers, audio-video recordings, etc.), as well as from the sale of such items;

d) income received from the activities of institutions and enterprises of the Russian Orthodox Church, directed to the statutory purposes of the Russian Orthodox Church;

e) deductions from synodal institutions, dioceses, diocesan institutions, missions, metochions, representative offices, as well as parishes, monasteries, brotherhoods, sisterhoods, their institutions, organizations, etc.;

f) deductions from the profits of enterprises established by canonical divisions of the Russian Orthodox Church independently or jointly with other legal entities or individuals;

g) other income not prohibited by law, including income from securities and deposits placed in deposit accounts.

2 . The church-wide spending plan is formed from funds allocated by dioceses, stauropegial monasteries, parishes of the city of Moscow, as well as those received for designated purposes from the sources mentioned in Article 1 of this chapter.

3 . The manager of church-wide financial resources is the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' and the Holy Synod.

4 . The Russian Orthodox Church may own buildings, land plots, industrial, social, charitable, cultural, educational and other purposes, religious items, funds and other property necessary to ensure the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church, including those classified as historical monuments and culture, or receive it for use on other legal grounds from state, municipal, public and other organizations and citizens in accordance with the legislation of the country where this property is located.

1 . The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is self-governing with broad autonomy rights.

2 . The Ukrainian Orthodox Church was granted independence and independence in its governance in accordance with the Determination of the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church on October 25–27, 1990 “On the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.”

3 . In its life and activities, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is guided by the Definition of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church of 1990 “On the Ukrainian Orthodox Church”, the Charter of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' of 1990 and the Charter of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is approved by its Primate and approved by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

4 . The bodies of ecclesiastical power and administration of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are its Council and Synod, headed by its Primate, who bears the title “His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine.” The control center of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is located in the city of Kyiv.

5 . The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is elected by the episcopate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and is blessed by His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

6 . The name of the Primate is commemorated in all churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church after the name of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

7 . The bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are elected by its Synod.

8 . The decision on the formation or abolition of dioceses included in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and on the determination of their territorial boundaries are made by its Synod with subsequent approval by the Council of Bishops.

9 . The bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are members of the Local and Bishops' Councils and participate in their work in accordance with Sections II and III of this Charter and in meetings of the Holy Synod.

10 . The decisions of the Local and Bishops' Councils are binding on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

11 . The decisions of the Holy Synod are valid in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, taking into account the characteristics determined by the independent nature of its governance.

12 . The Ukrainian Orthodox Church has its own highest ecclesiastical judicial authority. At the same time, the court of the Council of Bishops is the ecclesiastical court of the highest instance for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Within the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, such canonical punishments as lifelong ban from the priesthood, defrocking, excommunication from the Church are imposed by the diocesan bishop with subsequent approval by the Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine and the Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

13 . The Ukrainian Orthodox Church receives holy chrism from the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.”

2 . Remove Article 18 from Chapter XI of the Charter.

3 . State paragraph e) of Article 5 of Chapter III (“The Council of Bishops”) of the Charter in the following wording: “e) canonization of saints and church-wide glorification of locally revered saints”;

4 . Introduce into Article 25 of Chapter V of the Charter (“Holy Synod”) the following paragraph: “f) canonization of locally venerated saints and submitting the issue of their church-wide glorification to the Council of Bishops for consideration”;

5 . State paragraph c) of Article 15 of Chapter IV of the Charter in the following wording: “c) The Locum Tenens performs the duties of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' as they are set out in Article 7 of Chapter IV of this Charter, except for paragraphs c, h and e.”

6 . Supplement Article 4 of Chapter IX (“Church Court”), stating it as follows:

“Court in the Russian Orthodox Church is carried out by church courts of the following instances:

a) diocesan courts having jurisdiction within their dioceses;

b) the highest ecclesiastical judicial authorities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Autonomous and Self-Governing Churches, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Exarchates and Metropolitan Districts (if there are higher ecclesiastical judicial authorities in the indicated parts of the Russian Orthodox Church) - with jurisdiction within the relevant parts of the Russian Orthodox Church ;

c) the highest church-wide court, with jurisdiction within the Russian Orthodox Church with the exception of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church;

d) the court of the Council of Bishops, with jurisdiction within the entire Russian Orthodox Church."

7 . In all articles of the Charter where the “Common Church Court” is mentioned, change its name to the “Highest Church Court”.

8 . State Article 9 of Chapter XVII (“Monasteries”) of the Charter in the following wording:

“Monasteries can have courtyards. A metochion is a community of Orthodox Christians within the monastery and located outside it. The activities of the monastery are regulated by the charter of the monastery to which the monastery belongs, and by its own civil charter. The metochion in the church-hierarchical (canonical) order is subordinated to the diocesan bishop of the diocese on whose territory it is located, and in the economic order - to the same bishop as the monastery. If the metochion is located on the territory of another diocese, then at the service in the church of the metochion both the name of the diocesan bishop and the name of the bishop in whose diocese the metochion is located are exalted.”

II. Make the following changes to the Regulations on the ecclesiastical court of the Russian Orthodox Church:

1 . In all articles of the Regulations on the Church Court, where the “General Church Court” is mentioned, change its name to the “Highest Church Court”.

2 . Add the third paragraph of paragraph 2 of Article 1 of the Regulations on the Church Court, stating it as follows:

"2. The judicial system of the Russian Orthodox Church includes the following church courts:

· diocesan courts with jurisdiction within their respective dioceses;

· the highest ecclesiastical judicial authorities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Autonomous and Self-Governing Churches, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Exarchates and Metropolitan Districts (if there are higher ecclesiastical judicial authorities in the indicated parts of the Russian Orthodox Church) - with jurisdiction within the corresponding parts of the Russian Orthodox Church;

· The Supreme Church Court – with jurisdiction within the Russian Orthodox Church, with the exception of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church;

· Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church - with jurisdiction within the entire Russian Orthodox Church."

3 . Add paragraph 2 of Article 31 of the Regulations on the Church Court, stating it as follows:

"2. The Council of Bishops considers cases against bishops as an ecclesiastical court of second instance:

· considered by the General Church Court of First Instance and sent by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' or the Holy Synod for consideration by the Council of Bishops to make a final decision;

· on appeals of bishops against decisions of the Supreme Church Court of First Instance and the highest church judicial authorities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Autonomous and Self-Governing Churches that have entered into legal force.

The Holy Synod or the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' has the right to refer for consideration to the Council of Bishops other cases within the jurisdiction of lower church courts, if these cases require an authoritative judicial council decision.”

4 . State paragraph 2 of Article 28 of the Regulations on the Church Court in the following wording:

“The Supreme Church Court considers as an appellate instance, in the manner prescribed by Chapter 6 of these Regulations, the following cases:

· considered by diocesan courts and sent by diocesan bishops to the Supreme Church Court for final resolution;

· on appeals of the parties against decisions of diocesan courts;

· considered by the highest ecclesiastical judicial authorities of the Autonomous and Self-Governing Churches, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Exarchates and Metropolitan Districts (if there are higher ecclesiastical judicial authorities in the indicated parts of the Russian Orthodox Church) and transferred by the primates of the corresponding parts of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Supreme Church Court;

· on appeals of the parties against decisions of the highest ecclesiastical judicial authorities of the Autonomous and Self-Governing Churches, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Exarchates and Metropolitan Districts (if there are higher ecclesiastical judicial authorities in the indicated parts of the Russian Orthodox Church).

This article does not apply to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church."

5 . Delete paragraph 6 of Article 50 of the Regulations on the Church Court.

6 . Add Chapter 6 of the Regulations on the Church Court with a new article with the following content, shifting the numbering of subsequent articles:

“Consideration of cases in individual higher ecclesiastical judicial authorities.

1 . Appeals against decisions of diocesan courts of the dioceses of the Autonomous and Self-Governing Churches, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Exarchates and Metropolitan Districts are sent to the highest ecclesiastical judicial authorities of the indicated parts of the Russian Orthodox Church (if there are higher ecclesiastical judicial authorities in them).

2 . The Supreme Church Court considers appeals against decisions made both in the first consideration and on appeal by the highest ecclesiastical judicial authorities of the Autonomous and Self-Governing Churches, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, the Exarchates and Metropolitan Districts.

3 . This article does not apply to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church."

III. State paragraph 15 of Article 2 of the Regulations on the composition of the Local Council in the following wording:

“Two delegates each - one cleric and one layman:

· from Patriarchal parishes in USA,

· from the Patriarchal parishes in Canada,

· from the Patriarchal parishes in Italy,

· from the Patriarchal parishes in Finland,

· from the Patriarchal parishes in Turkmenistan,

· from the Patriarchal parishes in the Republic of Armenia,

· from the Patriarchal parishes in the Kingdom of Thailand and the parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Southeast and East Asia.

The elected delegates are confirmed by the Patriarch (during the period of locum tenens - by the Holy Synod).

Church institutions in non-CIS countries that are not part of the dioceses or parish associations listed in this article are represented at the Local Council by the head of the Office for Foreign Institutions.”

History of creation

Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church

In 2000, at the Council of Bishops in Moscow, a new "Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church", presented to the Council by Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, who at that time was the chairman of the Synodal Commission for amending the Charter on the governance of the Russian Orthodox Church. The former “Charter on the governance of the Russian Orthodox Church” was declared invalid.

This Charter is still in force, with amendments made in 2008 and 2011.

Notes

Links

• Russian Orthodox Church // Official website of the Moscow Patriarchate

Literature

• Archpriest Vladislav Tsypin. Canon law. "The Local Council of 1988 and the Charter adopted by it on the governance of the Russian Orthodox Church."
• Tsypin V.A., archpriest. "Church Law: A Course of Lectures." M.: Round table on religious education in Rus. Orthodox churches, 1994.

Wikimedia Foundation.

2010.

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The Holy Fathers, Ecumenical and Local Councils constantly took care of the observance of church and liturgical discipline. Bearing in mind the gospel example of the Savior, who expelled the merchants from the temple, as well as the apostle’s instruction “Cast out the corrupt from among you” (1 Cor. 5:13), they were guided by them in imposing punishment on clergy and laity for violating the Church Charter and especially liturgical discipline.

Everything in the Church must be based on precepts church canons and the liturgical Rule: everything must be done “decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40).

Pastors and laity must zealously follow the canons and the Charter, so as not to stray from the path of grace-filled obedience to the path of self-will and self-interest.

Having created in different parts peace to the Church of Christ on the principles bequeathed by the Savior, the holy apostles demanded from pastors and all Christians unquestioning obedience to their instructions and instructions, but always imbued with the spirit of Christian love and paternal care, as evidenced by the epistles of the Supreme Apostle Paul.

The primates and archpastors of the Russian Orthodox Church strictly monitored the observance of liturgical discipline. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy (1877-1970) said in one of his speeches to students of theological schools: “A shepherd has two sacred duties - prayer and feat... Prayer and feat are like two wings that lift the shepherd from earth to heaven areas. He accompanies each of his sacred acts in the temple with prayer; through prayer he prepares at home for the performance of the Divine service. And the more profound this solitary prayer is, the more earnestly the shepherd performs his cell rule, the more accurately he fulfills the requirements established by the Church, the more effective the power of his sacred rites is... Russian Orthodox man knows well whether the shepherd prays, performing this or that prayer, or only externally fulfills what is written in the books.”

An Orthodox Christian needs a prayer pastor. The sincerity of a shepherd's prayer is always gratefully received by those praying.

To perform divine services, to converse with the Lord God Himself, whom even the angels stand before with fear and trembling, must be done with great reverence and zeal, since service is performed to God. The whole thought of a priest when performing a divine service should be directed towards the Master and Lord, Whom he stands before and serves and whose image he carries within himself. Therefore, clergy should read prayers with all attention and reverence, without omitting or adding anything, and read from the book so that there are no stutters.

The heart of a shepherd, when he prays for the living and the dead, must be given to prayer, ardently and sincerely benevolent to those for whom prayers are offered. And what more He asks people for blessings from the Lord, and the higher these blessings, the stronger the enemy of salvation opposes him. The shepherd must fight temptations by patiently remaining in prayer, defeating the bodiless enemy by the power of God.

All movements of clergy during worship should be sedate, their gait free and leisurely. Incense should be performed smoothly, slowly, but also without delay. According to church decree, when prayer requests the clergyman must earnestly perform the sign of the cross, as well as bows to the ground and bows to the ground.

The pastor should pay special attention to his behavior at the altar. Uninitiated people should not be allowed into the altar, and deacons or psalm-readers should be entrusted with cleaning it. According to canonical rules, only bishops and presbyters can sit in the altar during the readings of parimia and the Apostle. Walking along the altar, as well as exits from the altar that are not prescribed by the Charter, are prohibited. After communion, the clergy should open the holy gates and wear out the Holy Gifts for the communion of the faithful. Only words can sound in the altar Holy Scripture and church liturgical books.

The shepherd is called upon to know the ancient liturgical traditions, observe them, and instruct his flock to behave reverently in church. It should not be allowed during services or to apply to shrines. The priest must explain that during the evening entrance with the censer, the six psalms, the polyeleos, the akathist, the singing of “The Most Honest,” the great doxology and the Eucharistic canon of the liturgy, walking around the church is not permissible.

The sincerity of worship, its external and internal spiritual beauty, primarily depend on the clergy themselves. The simplicity and rigor of worship are the best decorations that contribute to its full comprehension. Everything should be simple, but with a warm feeling and reverence.

The devout performance of worship places the shepherd highly in the eyes of believers and brings him their love. “The flock will forgive another pastor for some, perhaps, dryness and severity... they will forgive him even for his weaknesses, but a Russian Orthodox person will never forgive a priest for unbelief and irreverent, careless, outwardly formal performance of his pastoral duties.”

Abbreviations in worship are unacceptable: the beauty of the Orthodox service is fully revealed only if its structure, imbued with deep spiritual meaning, is observed. You cannot make unauthorized changes in the words of prayers, litanies and exclamations. There is no need to introduce non-church chants into use during non-liturgical times, for our church chants were created by St. John of Damascus (VII-VIII centuries), St. Andrew of Crete (VII-VIII centuries) and many other church hymn writers.

Commemoration during the great entrance, especially in Holy Saturday, when “all human flesh is silent, contemplating nothing earthly in itself” at the sight of their Lord and Savior in the tomb, the clergy are supposed to pronounce quietly, reverently, “to hear very clearly one another.” There cannot and should not be a division of divine services into solemn and simple: every Orthodox service, as the service of God, by its very idea is inherent in solemnity, behind every Orthodox service the venerable name of our God is solemnly glorified, so that everyday services should be performed according to the Rules, without contractions and leisurely.

The furnishings of the temple should promote the prayerful mood of the believer: “The Holy Fathers, who established not only the liturgical order in churches, but also their appearance and internal organization, everything was thought out, everything was provided for and arranged to create a special mood in those praying, so that nothing in the temple would offend either the ears or the eyes, and so that nothing would distract from the aspiration to heaven, to God, to the heavenly world, the reflection of which should be the temple of God . If in a hospital for physical ailments everything is provided to create for the patient the conditions necessary for his health, then how should everything be provided in a spiritual hospital, in the temple of God,” wrote His Holiness Patriarch Alexy.

Electric lighting of the temple has no symbolic meaning. Electricity cannot replace lamps and candles in a church. Oil and wax have symbolic meaning in the Orthodox Church: according to the explanation of Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica (XIV-XV centuries), oil is an image of Divine mercy; wax, composed of many colors, as our all-perfect offering and sacrifice from all. Therefore, one should not replace candles and lamps in front of icons, on the throne and the altar with electric light bulbs, and do not use multi-colored light bulbs in chandeliers and candelabra. Chandeliers lit with artificial light are acceptable; but in no case should one place electric light bulbs in a seven-branched candlestick and illuminate revered icons with many lamps. Any kind of light, and especially electrical effects during services are unacceptable. Lamps must be well charged before the service.

According to the instructions of the Charter, at all Vespers “it is appropriate to burn a candle from the beginning” before the image of the Savior, Mother of God and the temple icon “in the right land” of the iconostasis, and at small and great vespers a candle is lit in front of the lectern on which the holiday icon is placed. In addition, on Great Vespers another candle is lit “before the image of the Savior on the tibla” - part of the iconostasis above the royal doors, where previously in front of the Deisis (the icon with the image of the Savior in the center, the Mother of God and John the Baptist on the sides) there was a candlestick that descended and rose with a cord.

In the altar, candles are lit at the altar, and “according to the 1st antiphon of kathisma,” at the beginning of “Lord, I have cried,” all other lamps are lit. At daily vespers, the lamps in front of the lectern, in the tibla and in the altar near the throne are lit “according to verse,” at the beginning of the singing “Lord, I have cried,” and at Great Vespers at this time “other candles must be lit.” The lamps are extinguished at Small Vespers, at Dismissal Vespers, and at other Vespers - according to the final Trisagion (Charter, chapters 24-25). At Compline, Midnight Office and the Hours, lamps are lit in front of the images of the Savior and the Mother of God. At the beginning of Matins, lamps are also lit in front of the temple icon.

When singing “God is the Lord,” the lamps are lit in front of the lectern and in the tibla, and at the beginning of the polyeleos, “all the candles” are lit, which burn “until the end of the 3rd song” of the canon, and then, since at the 3rd and 6th In the songs, statutory readings are given, they are extinguished, and on the 8th they are lit again and burn until the end of the great doxology.

In many churches, candles burn out at the beginning of the service, and during the most important parts of it, one or two candles flicker. The lighting of candles should be distributed so that there are enough of them for the polyeleos, the singing of the “Most Honest”, the great doxology - the most important parts of Matins after the all-night vigil, and necessarily for the Eucharistic canon after the liturgy. According to the instructions of the “Teacher's News” under the Service Book, at least two candles should burn on the altar behind the main services of the daily liturgical cycle - evening, matins and liturgy.

An integral element of the Orthodox liturgical service is the icon. Icons and murals in the church must be of ancient Orthodox writing and placed in accordance with the rules long accepted in the Orthodox Church. By the 11th century, Byzantium had established a certain order for the placement of iconographic images in the altar and church. This order in its main features was adopted in Rus', and in ancient temples it can be observed to this day. From the point of view of iconography and liturgics, this order is very important, because it reflects the idea of ​​the Church in its entirety in the forms of iconography. You should avoid decorating icons with artificial flowers, which offend the honor of the shrine: “They are reprehensible in church use - not because they are of little value, but because they contain lies,” said His Holiness Patriarch Alexy. Fresh flowers can be placed or placed near icons, but in moderation. You should not place pots or tubs with indoor plants in the altar and temple.

The Russian Orthodox Church tirelessly takes care of the preservation of churches. She carefully treats the heritage of her ancestors - the temples of ancient architecture. Any repair of the temple is carried out with the knowledge and permission of local authorities, and restoration work in temples - monuments of ancient architecture with the permission and under the supervision of state authorities for the protection of ancient monuments and the Society for the Protection of Monuments by specialist restorers.

The area of ​​church and liturgical discipline includes instructions on everyday appearance shepherd: a shepherd should always have a neat appearance, he should wear only clothes befitting his spiritual rank. Clothing made from expensive fabrics is not appropriate for clergy. According to ancient traditions, it is necessary to prefer dark-colored clothing.

During the service, one must ensure that vestments do not move from the shoulders or to the side and that trousers and boots are not visible from under the cassock and surplice. During divine services, subdeacons and readers should be dressed in surplices of the same color as the vestments of the clergy, and from the same, and not from worse, fabric. When choosing the color of vestments on holidays, it is necessary to comply with the traditions that have long been accepted in church practice.

If every divine service for a priest is a bold opening of the future Kingdom of Glory, then the Divine Liturgy, when the great sacrament of offering the Bloodless Sacrifice is performed, into which the holy angels only wish to penetrate, is for the priest the greatest opening of the future Kingdom. And what kind of holiness, innocence and purity of soul and body should a priest possess, standing before the holy throne, which signifies the Throne of God, and performing the bold offering of the Bloodless Sacrifice during the Divine Liturgy.

Therefore, before celebrating the Divine Liturgy, the priest must especially carefully observe the purity of his soul and body in order to appear before the Throne of God with a clear conscience and receive what he asks from the Lord. Otherwise, he must immediately clear his conscience in the sacrament of Penance. The Old Testament priest Uzzah was punished with death only for unworthily touching the Holy Icon (2 Kings 6, 6-7).

All clergy and clergy must appear for divine services fully prepared, sober, decently and neatly dressed and have a good appearance. Each of them bows with prayer before entering the temple, and upon entering - in front of the iconostasis, revered icons and other shrines. Before the start of the service, the psalmist must make sure that everything is ready for the service. The priest does the same. In order to avoid stops and confusion in the church service, the psalmist must not only know the Rule well, but also carefully prepare for each service: find the daily conception of the Apostle, kathismas, look through the stichera that he will sing, make all the notes and arrangements of the main stanzas. For help, he must turn to the abbot or another priest. After the prayer in front of the royal doors, the priest turns his face to the pilgrims and bows to them, then passes through the southern door into the altar, and the psalmist and deacon bow to him, and when he venerates the throne, they receive his blessing.

You should not open the doors and curtains of the altar and look at the people. You cannot lean on the throne and the altar. During the service, the priest should not give orders out loud to anyone, much less interrupt, even if some mistake was made in the choir. A remark or instruction must be made discreetly so that the mistake does not become a temptation for those praying. When censing a priest and a deacon around the altar, the table during the blessing of water, ecumenical memorial services and at the coffin of the deceased, incense should begin when the deacon with a candle stands on the opposite side. At the same time, both bows are done at the same time. Neither deacons, when standing on the pulpit, nor psalm-readers from the choir should turn around and look at those standing in the church. Psalm-readers and singers on the choir should read or sing without leaning on the lectern.

Church elders oversee the maintenance of order during worship, and in all their actions they are called upon to strictly observe decorum and decency.

According to the modern regulations on the structure and management of the Russian Orthodox Church, the church elder is the chairman of the executive body of the temple, which includes an assistant to the elder, if there is one, an accountant, the chairman of the audit commission and the treasurer. The executive body is responsible for conducting all financial and economic activities of the temple.

The pastor is obliged to accompany each church service with the preaching of the Word of God for spiritual guidance in the salvation of believers, and the administration of services must be preceded by a conversation with the shepherd, explaining the essence and meaning of the upcoming sacred rites and prayers.

It is important for an Orthodox pastor to maintain a reverent attitude towards the Church’s liturgical regulations.

Both the Jerusalem and Studian editions of the Orthodox liturgical Rule were created in monasteries: the first - in the Lavra of St. Sava the Consecrated, near Jerusalem, the second - in the Studian monastery, near Constantinople. In the Russian Orthodox Church, there has long been a high level of respect for the liturgical Rule, which is shrouded in holiness by its compilers.

The requirements of the Church Charter were strictly fulfilled for a long time. In order to bring the implementation of the Rule closer to the conditions of parish life, over time a special liturgical technique was used, known as polyphony - the simultaneous reading and singing of various successive parts of the service. But the very content of the Charter remained unchanged. The instructions of the Charter on the procedure for performing liturgical services and their number, as before, were respected and fulfilled.

At the end of the 17th century, polyphony was prohibited. Then a new method of bringing the Charter closer to practice arose, which differed significantly from polyphony: the list of requirements of the Charter began to be reduced. This did not happen right away. The tradition of punctual attitude towards the Charter was observed for a long time. But gradually the Charter began to be treated loosely and the high goals of the Charter began to be forgotten.

The liturgy of the Orthodox Church, in accordance with the dogmatic teaching about the connection between the triumphant Heavenly Church and the militant earthly one, gives special meaning so that the thoughts of believers are constantly aimed at strengthening this connection in religious consciousness. The content of divine services constantly mentions it as an immutable path to salvation. This is recalled in litanies, dismissals and other parts of the successions. The introduction of the prayer “Save, O God, Thy people and bless Thy inheritance” into the ritual of Matins at the all-night vigil is also aimed at the assimilation of this thought by believers, which is a euchological (German “evhi” - prayer, “logos” - word = prayer) disclosure of the dogma about the connection between the Heavenly and earthly Churches. The Heavenly Church, to whose intercession believers prayerfully turn, intercedes for them before God. The prayer contains the liturgical catalog of saints as an obligatory part. Without it, first of all, the dogmatic character of prayer is weakened. On the other hand, through this catalogue, the thematic connection of the prayer book with the subsequent content is preserved all-night vigil(canon), revealing the patristic thought that “it is dear to the angels and men of the memory of the saints” (St. Ephraim of Syria; † 373). All this determines the dogmatic and liturgical essence of prayer, although sometimes it is completely rejected by our liturgical practice. The catalog of saints is usually skipped, and the text of the prayer is sometimes shortened so much that only the opening and closing phrases remain.

Facts can be cited where departure from the instructions of the Charter does not shorten, but lengthens the duration of worship services. For example, the practice included singing the prayers “Grant, O Lord, this evening”, “Now you let go” and the verses before the Six Psalms “Glory in to God on high, and peace on earth" and "Lord, open my mouth." In the latter case, not only is the reading of the Six Psalms delayed, but also the vocal preludes are in complete contradiction with the intention of the compiler of the study to provide the psychological side of the reading of the Six Psalms - “the conversation of the human soul with God,” as the Church calls the Six Psalms - achieving deep concentration of those praying while listening to the reading of the Six Psalms. . The singing that we hear before the psalms has a certain element of entertainment. The basis of prayerful concentration is destroyed, and it cannot be restored until the very end of the reading.

Undoubtedly, difficulties in statutory worship exist, since the existing Charter, when it was drawn up, was intended for monasteries, and not for parish churches. But when solving them, one must remember that Orthodox worship has a great impact on the religious mood of those praying, and it is especially strong in the statutory service.

Orthodox worship attracts worshipers with words. The Monks Savva the Sanctified († 532) and Theodore the Studite († 829), together with the continuers of the work they began - drawing up the Rules - used the wealth of ancient Christian literature. What can compare with the canons of St. Andrew, Archbishop of Crete († 712), St. Cosmas, Bishop of Maium († c. 787), St. Theophan, Bishop of Nicaea († 850), who created a “crown” in honor of his brother St. Theodore Inscribed, by the confessor († c. 840), or with the stichera of the nun Cassia (IX century) and other hymn writers, with wondrous prayer texts included in the Orthodox liturgical sequences?! All this is the inexhaustible liturgical wealth of Orthodox theology, to which the Rule attracts those praying in the church.

And this moral side of Orthodox worship is especially clearly revealed during the persistent performance of divine services in accordance with the Charter.

The Charter of the Orthodox Church prescribes certain rules for the external expression of the prayerful state of a Christian during public worship and in private prayer. With this expression Christian prayer serve the commission sign of the cross, various bows and admirations of the shrine.

When praying individually, performed in private, every Christian, prompted to do so by personal religious feeling and state of soul in this moment, is free to use one or another external sign. But the behavior of the person praying, and especially the clergyman, during public worship is strictly determined by the Church Charter, which serves both as the law of performing the service and external behavior in the temple, and as the rule for instilling internal spiritual discipline Orthodox Christian. Here are the most important of his instructions in this regard.

An Orthodox Christian must enter a church quietly and reverently, as into the house of God, into the mysterious dwelling of the Heavenly King; noise, conversation, and especially laughter, when entering the church, insult the holiness of the house of God and the greatness of the God who dwells in it - “I will go into Your house, I will worship Your holy temple in Your passion” (Ps. 5:8).

Upon entering the temple, you need to stop, make three bows (at simple days- earthly, and on Saturday, Sunday and holidays- waist) with the prayer “God, cleanse me, a sinner,” and bow to the right and left to the people who entered the church before you.

Having stood in place, it is necessary to pray with reverence and the fear of God with the words: “God, cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me!”, “He who created me, Lord, have mercy on me!”, “I have sinned without number, Lord, forgive me!”, “We bow to Your Cross, Master, and glorify Your Holy Resurrection!”, “It is worthy that You are truly blessed, the Theotokos, Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and Mother of our God. Most honorable Cherub and most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption, we magnify the true Mother of God!”, “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen". "Lord have mercy!" (three times), “Bless.” “Through the prayers of our saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us” (prayer with bows).

The same prayers are said when leaving the temple.

The church service is performed with many great and small bows. The Holy Church requires bowing with inner reverence and outer decorum. Before making a bow, you need to sign yourself with the sign of the cross and then bow. The sign of the cross must be depicted correctly, with reverence and slowly. The church charter strictly requires us to do everything in the temple of God not only earnestly and orderly, but in a timely and leisurely manner, that is, where indicated.

In general, bows should be made at the end of each short petition; for example: “Lord, have mercy” or prayer, and not during its performance. “Not together with prayer,” as the Typikon says.

Before the start of any service, three bows must be made from the waist. Then, during all services, at every “Come, let us worship”, at “Holy God”, at “Glory to you, who showed us the light”, at the threefold “Alleluia” and at “Be the name of the Lord”, waist bows with the sign of the cross are relied on.

At all litanies, one must listen carefully to each petition, mentally lift up a prayer to God and, making the sign of the cross while shouting: “Lord, have mercy” or “Give, Lord,” put bow from the waist. When singing and reading stichera, verses and other prayers, bowing is due only when the words of the prayers encourage this, for example, with the words “let us fall,” “we bow down,” “we pray to You,” etc.

When reading the akathist, a bow from the waist is required at each kontakion and ikos.

On the polyeleos, after each magnification there is one bow.

Before reading the Gospel and after reading it, “Glory to Thee, Lord,” one bow from the waist is always required.

When starting to read or sing the Creed on the words “I believe,” “And in the One Lord Jesus Christ,” and “And in the Holy Spirit,” when pronouncing the words “By the power of the honest and life-giving cross", when starting to read the Apostle, Gospel and parimia, you need to sign yourself with the sign of the cross, without bowing.

When the clergyman says: “Peace to all” or proclaims: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all,” one should bow, but without the sign of the cross; the same bow is required during any blessing by the clergyman of all those praying, as well as during dismissal, if such is performed without the Cross. When dismissal is said by a clergyman with the Cross, with which he overshadows those praying, the bow should be made with the sign of the cross.

When proclaiming “Bow your head to the Lord,” you should bow your head.

One should venerate the Holy Gospel, the Cross, relics and icons as follows: approach in the proper order, without haste and without disturbing others, do not push or push anyone aside; make two bows before kissing and one after kissing the shrine. When kissing the icon of the Savior, one should kiss the feet; to the icon of the Mother of God and saints - a hand. As you venerate the Holy Gospel, you can silently say the prayers “With fear and love I come to You, Christ, and I believe in Your words,” “Christ God, help me and save me.”

When praying for the living and the dead and calling them by name, one should pronounce the names with love, for out of the duty of Christian love they require from us heartfelt sympathy and love.

You should pray for the departed like this: “Remember, Lord, the souls of your departed servants (names) and forgive them their sins, voluntary and involuntary, grant them the Kingdom and the communion of Your eternal blessings and Your endless and blissful life of pleasure.”

When the clergy censes the worshipers, respond to it by bowing your head.

While reading the Gospel, stand with your head bowed, as if listening to Jesus Christ Himself.

While singing the Cherubic Song, you should carefully read to yourself the repentant psalm “Have mercy on me, O God”; at the end of the first half of the Cherubic Song, a bow is required. During the great entrance, when commemorating His Holiness the Patriarch and other persons, you must stand reverently, with your head bowed, and at the end of the commemoration, with the words “All of you Orthodox Christians,” say: “May the Lord God remember your bishopric in His Kingdom” - during the service of the bishop; when serving other clergy, it is said: “May the Lord God remember your priesthood, or your priestly monasticism, or your priesthood in His Kingdom,” then with a deep feeling of repentance and a prayerful spirit one must say: “Remember me, Lord, when you come in Your Kingdom.”

During the celebration of the sacrament of the Eucharist itself, one should pray with special attention and, at the end of the song “We sing to You,” bow to the ground to the Body and Blood of Christ. The significance of this moment is so great that nothing in our lives can compare with it. In it lies our salvation and God’s love for the human race, for “God appeared in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16).

While singing “It is worthy to eat” or the worthy, the priest prays for the living and the dead and remembers them by name, and especially those for whom the liturgy is served; Those present in the temple should at this time remember their loved ones, living and dead.

After “It is worthy to eat” or the worthy person - a bow to the ground. With the words “And everyone and everything,” say to yourself, “Through the prayers of all Your saints, Lord, visit and have mercy on us.”

At the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer “Our Father” - make the sign of the cross and bow to the ground.

At the opening of the royal doors and the manifestation of the Holy Gifts, meaning the appearance of Jesus Christ after the Resurrection, at the exclamation “Come with the fear of God and faith!” - bow to the ground.

At the last appearance of the Holy Gifts (which depicts the ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven), with the words of the priest “Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages,” there is also a bow to the ground.

When starting to receive the Holy Mysteries - the body and Blood of Christ, you need to bow to the ground, fold your hands on your chest in a cross shape and, slowly, reverently and with the fear of God, approach the holy chalice, loudly calling your name. After receiving the Holy Mysteries, one should kiss the edge of the chalice, as if the very side of Christ, and then calmly walk away, without making the sign of the cross or bowing, but mentally thanking the Lord for His great mercy: “Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee!”

Prostrations to the ground on this day are not performed until the evening. The holy antidoron and blessed bread must be received reverently and the priest’s giving hand must be kissed. The antidoron is distributed to those present at the liturgy to bless and sanctify the soul and body, so that those who have not received the Holy Gifts may taste the consecrated bread.

From Holy Easter to the Day of the Holy Trinity and from the Nativity of Christ to the Epiphany of the Lord and on all the Lord's holidays in general, prostrations to the ground by the Holy Church are completely abolished.

When people in a church are overshadowed by the Cross, the Gospel, an icon or a chalice, everyone should be baptized, bowing their heads, and when people are overshadowed with candles, a hand, or incense, there is no need to be baptized, but only bow. Only on the Holy Week of Easter, when the priest censes with the Cross in his hand, everyone crosses themselves and, responding to his greeting “Christ is Risen!”, they say: “Truly He is Risen!”

When accepting the blessing of a priest or bishop, Christians kiss his right hand and do not cross themselves beforehand.

While in the temple of God, you need to remember that you are in the presence of the Lord God, and therefore stand as before His very Face, before His eyes, in the presence of the Mother of God, the Holy angels and all the saints, for it is said: “In the temple stands Your glory ΄, in heaven΄ stand imaginary” (Sequence of Matins).

Saving Power church prayers, chants, readings depends on their effect on our hearts, minds and feelings. Therefore, we need to understand everything that happens in church service, penetrate and feed on it. Doing everything gracefully and according to the church order, we must glorify our Lord and God in our bodies and souls.

The Holy Fathers, Ecumenical and Local Councils constantly took care of the observance of church and liturgical discipline. Bearing in mind the gospel example of the Savior, who expelled the merchants from the temple, as well as the apostle’s instruction “Cast out the corrupt from among you” (1 Cor. 5:13), they were guided by them in imposing punishment on clergy and laity for violating the Church Charter and especially liturgical discipline.

In the Church, everything must be based on the instructions of the church canons and the liturgical Rules: everything must be done “decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40).

Pastors and laity must zealously follow the canons and the Charter, so as not to stray from the path of grace-filled obedience to the path of self-will and self-interest.

Having created the Church of Christ in different parts of the world on the principles bequeathed by the Savior, the holy apostles demanded from pastors and all Christians unquestioning obedience to their instructions and instructions, but always imbued with the spirit of Christian love and paternal care, as evidenced by the epistles of the Supreme Apostle Paul.

The primates and archpastors of the Russian Orthodox Church strictly monitored the observance of liturgical discipline. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy (1877-1970) said in one of his speeches to students of theological schools: “A shepherd has two sacred duties - prayer and feat... Prayer and feat are like two wings that lift the shepherd from earth to heaven areas. He accompanies each of his sacred acts in the temple with prayer; through prayer he prepares at home for the performance of the Divine service. And the deeper this solitary prayer is, the more earnestly the shepherd fulfills his cell rule, the more accurately he fulfills the requirements established by the Church, the more effective the power of his sacred rites is... A Russian Orthodox person is well versed in whether the shepherd is praying when performing this or that prayer, or only outwardly fulfills what is written in books.”

An Orthodox Christian needs a prayer pastor. The sincerity of a shepherd's prayer is always gratefully received by those praying.

To perform divine services, to converse with the Lord God Himself, whom even the angels stand before with fear and trembling, must be done with great reverence and zeal, since service is performed to God. The whole thought of a priest when performing a divine service should be directed towards the Master and Lord, Whom he stands before and serves and whose image he carries within himself. Therefore, clergy should read prayers with all attention and reverence, without omitting or adding anything, and read from the book so that there are no stutters.

The heart of a shepherd, when he prays for the living and the dead, must be given to prayer, ardently and sincerely benevolent to those for whom prayers are offered. And the more people he asks for benefits from the Lord and the higher these benefits, the stronger the enemy of salvation opposes him. The shepherd must fight temptations by patiently remaining in prayer, defeating the bodiless enemy by the power of God.

All movements of clergy during worship should be sedate, their gait free and leisurely. Incense should be performed smoothly, slowly, but also without delay. According to church regulations, during prayer requests the clergyman must earnestly make the sign of the cross, as well as bowing to the ground and bowing to the ground.

The pastor should pay special attention to his behavior at the altar. Uninitiated people should not be allowed into the altar, and deacons or psalm-readers should be entrusted with cleaning it. According to canonical rules, only bishops and presbyters can sit in the altar during the readings of parimia and the Apostle. Walking along the altar, as well as exits from the altar that are not prescribed by the Charter, are prohibited. After communion, the clergy should open the holy gates and wear out the Holy Gifts for the communion of the faithful. Only the words of the Holy Scriptures and church liturgical books can be heard in the altar.

The shepherd is called upon to know the ancient liturgical traditions, observe them, and instruct his flock to behave reverently in church. It should not be allowed during services or to apply to shrines. The priest must explain that during the evening entrance with the censer, the six psalms, the polyeleos, the akathist, the singing of “The Most Honest,” the great doxology and the Eucharistic canon of the liturgy, walking around the church is not permissible.

The sincerity of worship, its external and internal spiritual beauty, primarily depend on the clergy themselves. The simplicity and rigor of worship are the best decorations that contribute to its full comprehension. Everything should be simple, but with a warm feeling and reverence.

The devout performance of worship places the shepherd highly in the eyes of believers and brings him their love. “The flock will forgive another pastor for some, perhaps, dryness and severity... they will forgive him even for his weaknesses, but a Russian Orthodox person will never forgive a priest for unbelief and irreverent, careless, outwardly formal performance of his pastoral duties.”

Abbreviations in worship are unacceptable: the beauty of the Orthodox service is fully revealed only if its structure, imbued with deep spiritual meaning, is observed. You cannot make unauthorized changes in the words of prayers, litanies and exclamations. There is no need to introduce non-church chants into use during non-liturgical times, for our church chants were created by St. John of Damascus (VII-VIII centuries), St. Andrew of Crete (VII-VIII centuries) and many other church hymn writers.

The commemoration during the Great Entrance, especially on Holy Saturday, when “all human flesh is silent, contemplating nothing earthly within itself” at the sight of their Lord and Savior in the tomb, the clergy are supposed to pronounce quietly, reverently, “to hear very closely one another.” There cannot and should not be a division of divine services into solemn and simple: every Orthodox service, as the service of God, by its very idea is inherent in solemnity, behind every Orthodox service the venerable name of our God is solemnly glorified, so that everyday services should be performed according to the Rules, without contractions and leisurely.

The furnishings of the temple should promote the prayerful mood of the believer: “The Holy Fathers, who established not only the liturgical rite in the temples, but also their appearance and internal structure, everything was thought out, everything was provided for and arranged to create a special mood in those praying, so that nothing in the temple would offend neither hearing nor sight, and so that nothing distracts from the aspiration to heaven, to God, to the heavenly world, the reflection of which should be the temple of God. If in a hospital for physical ailments everything is provided to create for the patient the conditions necessary for his health, then how should everything be provided in a spiritual hospital, in the temple of God,” wrote His Holiness Patriarch Alexy.

Electric lighting of the temple has no symbolic meaning. Electricity cannot replace lamps and candles in a church. Oil and wax have symbolic meaning in the Orthodox Church: according to the explanation of Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica (XIV-XV centuries), oil is an image of Divine mercy; wax, composed of many colors, as our all-perfect offering and sacrifice from all. Therefore, one should not replace candles and lamps in front of icons, on the throne and the altar with electric light bulbs, and do not use multi-colored light bulbs in chandeliers and candelabra. Chandeliers lit with artificial light are acceptable; but in no case should one place electric light bulbs in a seven-branched candlestick and illuminate revered icons with many lamps. Any kind of light, and especially electrical effects during services are unacceptable. Lamps must be well charged before the service.

According to the instructions of the Charter, at all vespers “it is appropriate to burn a candle from the beginning” in front of the image of the Savior, the Mother of God and the temple icon “in the right land” of the iconostasis, and at small and great vespers a candle is also lit in front of the lectern on which the holiday icon is placed. In addition, at Great Vespers, another candle is lit “before the image of the Savior on the tibla” - part of the iconostasis above the royal doors, where previously in front of the Deisis (the icon with the image of the Savior in the center, the Mother of God and John the Baptist on the sides) there was a candlestick that descended and rose with a cord.

In the altar, candles are lit at the altar, and “according to the 1st antiphon of kathisma,” at the beginning of “Lord, I have cried,” all other lamps are lit. At daily vespers, the lamps in front of the lectern, in the tibla and in the altar near the throne are lit “according to verse,” at the beginning of the singing “Lord, I have cried,” and at Great Vespers at this time “other candles must be lit.” The lamps are extinguished at Small Vespers, at Dismissal Vespers, and at other Vespers - according to the final Trisagion (Charter, chapters 24-25). At Compline, Midnight Office and the Hours, lamps are lit in front of the images of the Savior and the Mother of God. At the beginning of Matins, lamps are also lit in front of the temple icon.

When singing “God is the Lord,” the lamps are lit in front of the lectern and in the tibla, and at the beginning of the polyeleos, “all the candles” are lit, which burn “until the end of the 3rd song” of the canon, and then, since at the 3rd and 6th In the songs, statutory readings are given, they are extinguished, and on the 8th they are lit again and burn until the end of the great doxology.

In many churches, candles burn out at the beginning of the service, and during the most important parts of it, one or two candles flicker. The lighting of candles should be distributed so that there are enough of them for the polyeleos, the singing of the “Most Honest”, the great doxology - the most important parts of Matins after the all-night vigil, and necessarily for the Eucharistic canon after the liturgy. According to the instructions of the “Teacher's News” under the Service Book, at least two candles should burn on the altar behind the main services of the daily liturgical cycle - evening, matins and liturgy.

An integral element of the Orthodox liturgical service is the icon. Icons and murals in the church must be of ancient Orthodox writing and placed in accordance with the rules long accepted in the Orthodox Church. By the 11th century, Byzantium had established a certain order for the placement of iconographic images in the altar and church. This order in its main features was adopted in Rus', and in ancient temples it can be observed to this day. From the point of view of iconography and liturgics, this order is very important, because it reflects the idea of ​​the Church in its entirety in the forms of iconography. You should avoid decorating icons with artificial flowers, which offend the honor of the shrine: “They are reprehensible in church use - not because they are of little value, but because they contain lies,” said His Holiness Patriarch Alexy. Fresh flowers can be placed or placed near icons, but in moderation. You should not place pots or tubs with indoor plants in the altar and temple.

The Russian Orthodox Church tirelessly takes care of the preservation of churches. She carefully treats the heritage of her ancestors - the temples of ancient architecture. Any repair of the temple is carried out with the knowledge and permission of local authorities, and restoration work in temples - monuments of ancient architecture with the permission and under the supervision of state authorities for the protection of ancient monuments and the Society for the Protection of Monuments by specialist restorers.

The area of ​​church and liturgical discipline includes instructions on the daily appearance of a pastor: a pastor must always have a neat appearance, he must wear only clothing befitting his spiritual rank. Clothing made from expensive fabrics is not appropriate for clergy. According to ancient traditions, it is necessary to prefer dark-colored clothing.

During the service, one must ensure that vestments do not move from the shoulders or to the side and that trousers and boots are not visible from under the cassock and surplice. During divine services, subdeacons and readers should be dressed in surplices of the same color as the vestments of the clergy, and from the same, and not from worse, fabric. When choosing the color of vestments on holidays, it is necessary to comply with the traditions that have long been accepted in church practice.

If every divine service for a priest is a bold opening of the future Kingdom of Glory, then the Divine Liturgy, when the great sacrament of offering the Bloodless Sacrifice is performed, into which the holy angels only wish to penetrate, is for the priest the greatest opening of the future Kingdom. And what kind of holiness, innocence and purity of soul and body should a priest possess, standing before the holy throne, which signifies the Throne of God, and performing the bold offering of the Bloodless Sacrifice during the Divine Liturgy.

Therefore, before celebrating the Divine Liturgy, the priest must especially carefully observe the purity of his soul and body in order to appear before the Throne of God with a clear conscience and receive what he asks from the Lord. Otherwise, he must immediately clear his conscience in the sacrament of Penance. The Old Testament priest Uzzah was punished with death only for unworthily touching the Holy Icon (2 Kings 6, 6-7).

All clergy and clergy must appear for divine services fully prepared, sober, decently and neatly dressed and have a good appearance. Each of them bows with prayer before entering the temple, and upon entering - in front of the iconostasis, revered icons and other shrines. Before the start of the service, the psalmist must make sure that everything is ready for the service. The priest does the same. In order to avoid stops and confusion in the church service, the psalmist must not only know the Rule well, but also carefully prepare for each service: find the daily conception of the Apostle, kathismas, look through the stichera that he will sing, make all the notes and arrangements of the main stanzas. For help, he must turn to the abbot or another priest. After the prayer in front of the royal doors, the priest turns his face to the pilgrims and bows to them, then passes through the southern door into the altar, and the psalmist and deacon bow to him, and when he venerates the throne, they receive his blessing.

You should not open the doors and curtains of the altar and look at the people. You cannot lean on the throne and the altar. During the service, the priest should not give orders out loud to anyone, much less interrupt, even if some mistake was made in the choir. A remark or instruction must be made discreetly so that the mistake does not become a temptation for those praying. When censing a priest and a deacon around the altar, the table during the blessing of water, ecumenical memorial services and at the coffin of the deceased, incense should begin when the deacon with a candle stands on the opposite side. At the same time, both bows are done at the same time. Neither deacons, when standing on the pulpit, nor psalm-readers from the choir should turn around and look at those standing in the church. Psalm-readers and singers on the choir should read or sing without leaning on the lectern.

Church elders oversee the maintenance of order during worship, and in all their actions they are called upon to strictly observe decorum and decency.

According to the modern regulations on the structure and management of the Russian Orthodox Church, the church elder is the chairman of the executive body of the temple, which includes an assistant to the elder, if there is one, an accountant, the chairman of the audit commission and the treasurer. The executive body is responsible for conducting all financial and economic activities of the temple.

The pastor is obliged to accompany each church service with the preaching of the Word of God for spiritual guidance in the salvation of believers, and the administration of services must be preceded by a conversation with the shepherd, explaining the essence and meaning of the upcoming sacred rites and prayers.

It is important for an Orthodox pastor to maintain a reverent attitude towards the Church’s liturgical regulations.

Both the Jerusalem and Studian editions of the Orthodox liturgical Rule were created in monasteries: the first - in the Lavra of St. Sava the Consecrated, near Jerusalem, the second - in the Studian monastery, near Constantinople. In the Russian Orthodox Church, there has long been a high level of respect for the liturgical Rule, which is shrouded in holiness by its compilers.

The requirements of the Church Charter were strictly fulfilled for a long time. In order to bring the implementation of the Rule closer to the conditions of parish life, over time a special liturgical technique was used, known as polyphony - the simultaneous reading and singing of various successive parts of the service. But the very content of the Charter remained unchanged. The instructions of the Charter on the procedure for performing liturgical services and their number, as before, were respected and fulfilled.

At the end of the 17th century, polyphony was prohibited. Then a new method of bringing the Charter closer to practice arose, which differed significantly from polyphony: the list of requirements of the Charter began to be reduced. This did not happen right away. The tradition of punctual attitude towards the Charter was observed for a long time. But gradually the Charter began to be treated loosely and the high goals of the Charter began to be forgotten.

The liturgy of the Orthodox Church, in accordance with the dogmatic teaching about the connection between the triumphant Heavenly Church and the militant earthly Church, attaches special importance to the fact that the thoughts of believers are constantly aimed at strengthening this connection in religious consciousness. The content of divine services constantly mentions it as an immutable path to salvation. This is recalled in litanies, dismissals and other parts of the successions. The introduction of the prayer “Save, O God, Thy people and bless Thy inheritance” into the ritual of Matins at the all-night vigil is also aimed at the assimilation of this thought by believers, which is a euchological (German “evhi” - prayer, “logos” - word = prayer) disclosure of the dogma about the connection between the Heavenly and earthly Churches. The Heavenly Church, to whose intercession believers prayerfully turn, intercedes for them before God. The prayer contains the liturgical catalog of saints as an obligatory part. Without it, first of all, the dogmatic character of prayer is weakened. On the other hand, through this catalogue, the thematic connection between the prayer book and the subsequent content of the all-night vigil (canon) is preserved, revealing the patristic thought that “it is dear to the angels and men of the memory of the saints” (St. Ephraim of Syria; † 373). All this determines the dogmatic and liturgical essence of prayer, although sometimes it is completely rejected by our liturgical practice. The catalog of saints is usually skipped, and the text of the prayer is sometimes shortened so much that only the opening and closing phrases remain.

Facts can be cited where departure from the instructions of the Charter does not shorten, but lengthens the duration of worship services. The practice, for example, included the singing of the prayers “Grant, O Lord, this evening”, “Now you let go” and the verses before the Six Psalms “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace” and “Lord, open my lips.” In the latter case, not only is the reading of the Six Psalms delayed, but also the vocal preludes are in complete contradiction with the intention of the compiler of the study to provide the psychological side of the reading of the Six Psalms - “the conversation of the human soul with God,” as the Church calls the Six Psalms - achieving deep concentration of those praying while listening to the reading of the Six Psalms. . The singing that we hear before the psalms has a certain element of entertainment. The basis of prayerful concentration is destroyed, and it cannot be restored until the very end of the reading.

Undoubtedly, difficulties in statutory worship exist, since the existing Charter, when it was drawn up, was intended for monasteries, and not for parish churches. But when solving them, one must remember that Orthodox worship has a great impact on the religious mood of those praying, and it is especially strong in the statutory service.

Orthodox worship attracts worshipers with words. The Monks Savva the Sanctified († 532) and Theodore the Studite († 829), together with the continuers of the work they began - drawing up the Rules - used the wealth of ancient Christian literature. What can compare with the canons of St. Andrew, Archbishop of Crete († 712), St. Cosmas, Bishop of Maium († c. 787), St. Theophan, Bishop of Nicaea († 850), who created a “crown” in honor of his brother St. Theodore the Inscribed, confessor († c. 840), or with the stichera of nun Cassia (IX century) and other hymn writers, with wondrous prayer texts included in Orthodox liturgical sequences?! All this is the inexhaustible liturgical wealth of Orthodox theology, to which the Rule attracts those praying in the church.

And this moral side of Orthodox worship is especially clearly revealed during the persistent performance of divine services in accordance with the Charter.

The Charter of the Orthodox Church prescribes certain rules for the external expression of the prayerful state of a Christian during public worship and in private prayer. This expression of Christian prayer is the making of the sign of the cross, various bows and admiration of the shrine.

When praying individually, performed in private, every Christian, prompted by his personal religious feeling and state of soul at the moment, is free to use one or another external sign. But the behavior of the person praying, and especially the clergyman, during public worship is strictly determined by the Church Charter, which serves both as the law of performing the service and external behavior in the church, and as the rule for instilling the internal spiritual discipline of an Orthodox Christian. Here are the most important of his instructions in this regard.

An Orthodox Christian must enter a church quietly and reverently, as into the house of God, into the mysterious dwelling of the Heavenly King; noise, conversation, and especially laughter, when entering the church, insult the holiness of the house of God and the greatness of the God who dwells in it - “I will go into Your house, I will worship Your holy temple in Your passion” (Ps. 5:8).

Upon entering the temple, you need to stop, make three bows (on ordinary days - earthly, and on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays - zone ones) with the prayer “God, cleanse me, a sinner” and bow to the right and left to the people who entered the church before you .

Having stood in place, it is necessary to pray with reverence and the fear of God with the words: “God, cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me!”, “He who created me, Lord, have mercy on me!”, “I have sinned without number, Lord, forgive me!”, “We bow to Your Cross, Master, and glorify Your Holy Resurrection!”, “It is worthy that You are truly blessed, the Theotokos, Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and Mother of our God. Most honorable Cherub and most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption, we magnify the true Mother of God!”, “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen". "Lord have mercy!" (three times), “Bless.” “Through the prayers of our saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us” (prayer with bows).

The same prayers are said when leaving the temple.

The church service is performed with many great and small bows. The Holy Church requires bowing with inner reverence and outer decorum. Before making a bow, you need to sign yourself with the sign of the cross and then bow. The sign of the cross must be depicted correctly, with reverence and slowly. The church charter strictly requires us to do everything in the temple of God not only earnestly and orderly, but in a timely and leisurely manner, that is, where indicated.

In general, bows should be made at the end of each short petition; for example: “Lord, have mercy” or prayer, and not during its performance. “Not together with prayer,” as the Typikon says.

Before the start of any service, three bows must be made from the waist. Then, during all services, at every “Come, let us worship”, at “Holy God”, at “Glory to you, who showed us the light”, at the threefold “Alleluia” and at “Be the name of the Lord”, waist bows with the sign of the cross are relied on.

At all litanies, one must listen carefully to each petition, mentally lift up a prayer to God and, making the sign of the cross while shouting: “Lord, have mercy” or “Give, Lord,” bow from the waist. When singing and reading stichera, verses and other prayers, bowing is due only when the words of the prayers encourage this, for example, with the words “let us fall,” “we bow down,” “we pray to You,” etc.

When reading the akathist, a bow from the waist is required at each kontakion and ikos.

On the polyeleos, after each magnification there is one bow.

Before reading the Gospel and after reading it, “Glory to Thee, Lord,” one bow from the waist is always required.

When starting to read or sing the Creed on the words “I Believe”, “And in the One Lord Jesus Christ”, and “And in the Holy Spirit”, when pronouncing the words “By the power of the honorable and life-giving Cross”, when starting to read the Apostle, the Gospel and parimies, you need make the sign of the cross without bowing.

When the clergyman says: “Peace to all” or proclaims: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all,” one should bow, but without the sign of the cross; the same bow is required during any blessing by the clergyman of all those praying, as well as during dismissal, if such is performed without the Cross. When dismissal is said by a clergyman with the Cross, with which he overshadows those praying, the bow should be made with the sign of the cross.

When proclaiming “Bow your head to the Lord,” you should bow your head.

One should venerate the Holy Gospel, the Cross, relics and icons as follows: approach in the proper order, without haste and without disturbing others, do not push or push anyone aside; make two bows before kissing and one after kissing the shrine. When kissing the icon of the Savior, one should kiss the feet; to the icon of the Mother of God and saints - a hand. As you venerate the Holy Gospel, you can silently say the prayers “With fear and love I come to You, Christ, and I believe in Your words,” “Christ God, help me and save me.”

When praying for the living and the dead and calling them by name, one should pronounce the names with love, for out of the duty of Christian love they require from us heartfelt sympathy and love.

You should pray for the departed like this: “Remember, Lord, the souls of your departed servants (names) and forgive them their sins, voluntary and involuntary, grant them the Kingdom and the communion of Your eternal blessings and Your endless and blissful life of pleasure.”

When the clergy censes the worshipers, respond to it by bowing your head.

While reading the Gospel, stand with your head bowed, as if listening to Jesus Christ Himself.

While singing the Cherubic Song, you should carefully read to yourself the repentant psalm “Have mercy on me, O God”; at the end of the first half of the Cherubic Song, a bow is required. During the great entrance, when commemorating His Holiness the Patriarch and other persons, you must stand reverently, with your head bowed, and at the end of the commemoration, with the words “All of you Orthodox Christians,” say: “May the Lord God remember your bishopric in His Kingdom” - during the service of the bishop; when serving other clergy, it is said: “May the Lord God remember your priesthood, or your priestly monasticism, or your priesthood in His Kingdom,” then with a deep feeling of repentance and a prayerful spirit one must say: “Remember me, Lord, when you come in Your Kingdom.”

During the celebration of the sacrament of the Eucharist itself, one should pray with special attention and, at the end of the song “We sing to You,” bow to the ground to the Body and Blood of Christ. The significance of this moment is so great that nothing in our lives can compare with it. In it lies our salvation and God’s love for the human race, for “God appeared in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16).

While singing “It is worthy to eat” or the worthy, the priest prays for the living and the dead and remembers them by name, and especially those for whom the liturgy is served; Those present in the temple should at this time remember their loved ones, living and dead.

After “It is worthy to eat” or the worthy person - a bow to the ground. With the words “And everyone and everything,” say to yourself, “Through the prayers of all Your saints, Lord, visit and have mercy on us.”

At the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer “Our Father” - make the sign of the cross and bow to the ground.

At the opening of the royal doors and the manifestation of the Holy Gifts, meaning the appearance of Jesus Christ after the Resurrection, at the exclamation “Come with the fear of God and faith!” - bow to the ground.

At the last appearance of the Holy Gifts (which depicts the ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven), with the words of the priest “Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages,” there is also a bow to the ground.

When starting to receive the Holy Mysteries - the body and Blood of Christ, you need to bow to the ground, fold your hands on your chest in a cross shape and, slowly, reverently and with the fear of God, approach the holy chalice, loudly calling your name. After receiving the Holy Mysteries, one should kiss the edge of the chalice, as if the very side of Christ, and then calmly walk away, without making the sign of the cross or bowing, but mentally thanking the Lord for His great mercy: “Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee!”

Prostrations to the ground on this day are not performed until the evening. The holy antidoron and blessed bread must be received reverently and the priest’s giving hand must be kissed. The antidoron is distributed to those present at the liturgy to bless and sanctify the soul and body, so that those who have not received the Holy Gifts may taste the consecrated bread.

From Holy Easter to the Day of the Holy Trinity and from the Nativity of Christ to the Epiphany of the Lord and on all the Lord's holidays in general, prostrations to the ground by the Holy Church are completely abolished.

When people in a church are overshadowed by the Cross, the Gospel, an icon or a chalice, everyone should be baptized, bowing their heads, and when people are overshadowed with candles, a hand, or incense, there is no need to be baptized, but only bow. Only on the Holy Week of Easter, when the priest censes with the Cross in his hand, everyone crosses themselves and, responding to his greeting “Christ is Risen!”, they say: “Truly He is Risen!”

When accepting the blessing of a priest or bishop, Christians kiss his right hand and do not cross themselves beforehand.

While in the temple of God, you need to remember that you are in the presence of the Lord God, and therefore stand as before His very Face, before His eyes, in the presence of the Mother of God, the Holy angels and all the saints, for it is said: “In the temple stands Your glory ΄, in heaven΄ stand imaginary” (Sequence of Matins).

The saving power of church prayers, chants, and readings depends on their effect on our hearts, minds and feelings. Therefore, we need to understand everything that happens in church services, to be imbued with and nourished by it. Doing everything gracefully and according to the church order, we must glorify our Lord and God in our bodies and souls.

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