Confession and communion are the most important Christian sacraments, originally established by Jesus Christ. This is an opportunity to repent of your sins, correct your life and continue it in purity. How to prepare for confession and communion for a person going to perform this sacrament for the first time is a very serious question.
First of all, there is nothing to be afraid of. Many parishioners do not go to confession for many years out of a sense of false shame when they are afraid to state their sins aloud to the priest. They do not understand that the Lord already sees and knows everything, and He needs only our repentance and desire to change our lives, to make it better. This can be done only by clearing the burden of the past.
Suppose a person decides to repent and be cleansed of sins, but does it for the first time and does not know how to prepare. Confession and communion must be approached with a pure body and soul. You need to prepare for this in advance, at least a week in advance. First of all, put your thoughts and feelings in order. Morning and evening prayers are very helpful in this, to which it will be useful to adddaily reading of the Penitential Canon, which is in the prayer book, throughout this week.
If you are confessing for the first time, you need to remember all the offenses and sins from the age of seven. This is serious work, and it would be better to write everything down on a piece of paper so as not to miss anything. At this point, you are already on the path to repentance.
Everyday prayers before confession and communion should be imbued with special attention and humility. In everyday life, also watch your speech, do not swear, do without condemnation, gossip and slander. Try to give up entertainment, theater, cinema, TV. A calm and focused inner life during the week will help you tune in.
How to prepare physically for confession and communion? Fast this week or at least the last three days, refusing any animal food (meat, fish, milk and dairy products, eggs, butter). Eat in moderation. Refuse marital intimacy.
They go to confession before communion either at the evening service or in the morning, immediately before the sacrament. Regardless of when you go to confession, you must be at the evening service. Now about turning to God. Prayer before confession and communion is special. In addition to the evening rule, it is recommended
read the Penitential canon, the prayer canon to the Most Holy Theotokos, as well as to the Guardian Angel. On the evening before Communion after twelve and before receiving the sacramentit is necessary to give up food and drink, and smokers - from tobacco. In the morning, after reading the morning prayers, the Adherence to Holy Communion is read. All canons are in the Orthodox prayer book.
After confessing and taking communion, keep the joy of this day in yourself for as long as possible - spend it calmly and without fuss, foul language and gossip. Upon returning home from the temple, read the Prayers of Thanksgiving after communion.
How to prepare for confession and communion is now clear. Many are wondering how often should these ordinances be performed? Opinions are different. One of the priests answered this question as follows: “And how often do you go to the bathhouse, cleansing the body? Doesn't our soul deserve even more reverent attitude towards itself? How often you need to cleanse the soul, everyone decides for himself.
