Can we take communion without confession? Is it possible to take communion without confession in Lent?

Many Orthodox Christians, especially those who have just recently churched, ask the priests and believers the question: "Is it possible to receive communion without confession?" It is impossible to answer unequivocally and categorically, but nevertheless, it will be more "no" than "yes". Why? So that there will be no temptation.

Why did they come up with a confession?

Usually, when answering such a question, clergymen begin with the citation of the Old Testament, where it is about Adam and Eve. Initially, our first parents lived without sin in Eden, communicated with each other and with God. But in the Garden of Eden lived the Serpent (devil), who tempted Eve, and then Adam sinned. Since that time man and God have separated from each other. To reconcile with God, people need to repent of their actions.

What is the meaning of this episode? Remember, God, having created a man and a woman, said something like this: "Live, use gifts, but do not eat from this tree of fruits." When Eve was next to the forbidden tree, the Serpent-tempter told her that she would learn much if she eats the fruit. She disobeyed God, but she agreed with the devil. After such a tragic event, a man was forever banished from paradise.

What is the Communion?

Let's see what this story has to do with the contemporary. Is it possible to take communion without confession and what is the Communion? After the Fall in Eden for thousands of years, the righteous knew God, but lived according to the other laws that Moses wrote. After a while, the Son of God came to earth - Jesus Christ - and established a new law - the Gospel (New Testament). On the eve of the day of the crucifixion, He gathered his disciples and said: "In memory of Me, you will eat bread and drink wine, for this is My body and blood." By these words, the Lord meant Communion.

Unfortunately, each of us (even saints) has sinned and sin. Only Jesus Christ was sinless. In order to reconcile with God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, one must sincerely repent of his actions, cleanse his soul of dirt.

On the Sacrament of the Eucharist

Simple people are not allowed to see how the preparation of the Sacrament takes place in the altar after the general singing of "Our Father". They do not see what is happening, even the priests themselves, only know what the mystery is, so they pray for the transformation of wine and bread into the body and blood of Christ. There is evidence that some holy people saw in the altar of the Child, many angels, the Mother of God. So, invisibly to the human eye, there is a real miracle, to which one must seriously prepare. After such stories, as a rule, people no longer ask the question: "Is it possible to receive communion without confession?" After all, every Christian in this case feels unworthy before the communion.

Lent and Christmas

There is such a rule of the church about the Great Lent: if fasted all the days, communed at least once, went to the temple regularly, then you can take Communion on Easter Night. On Holy Saturday, after the sacrament of confession, they are allowed to commune in the morning at the Liturgy. If a person has not sinned during the day, prayed, prepared for night service, then he can receive communion without confession again. The same rule applies on Christmas Eve.

And if he did not receive Communion before his death?

Often people are anxious to ask: "A close one has died, but he did not take communion. Where will his soul be?"

There is one story about a nun who succumbed to temptations and went into the world. There she lived with men and had fun. But the time has come, she came to her senses, understood what she had done, and decided to return. While she was going to her native monastery, she cried and repented, she came almost to the gate of the monastery, she died. As later learned by a miracle of the monastery's residents, their lost sister entered paradise, she was forgiven by God, because she cried for her sins, sincerely asked forgiveness from the Lord. This case will answer the question: "Is it possible to receive communion without confession?" But it must be remembered that this is allowed only in exceptional cases, for example, a soldier dies during a battle in the war, or a seriously ill patient, to which a priest can not come.

Sobor, Confession and Communion

During Lent, Christmas takes place . What is it? During this sacrament, the seven Gospels are read and anointed people who are crucified. What is this action? Priests pray for the health of the sobors. Many priests say that you need to be sick when you are sick.

"Is it possible to receive communion after sobor without confession, because all sins are removed from this mystery?" - often hear such a question of the priest. A competent priest will ask the counter: "Who told you that all your sins are washed away with sobor?" Actually, in the ranks of soborhood, almost nothing is said about the forgiveness of sins in general, there is only a prayer for health. Usually you can hear the answer before the sobot: "You can go to confession after the sobor, if you do not have time to do it." Here nothing is said about the sacrament.

So we sorted out the questions about whether it is possible to receive communion without confession in Lent, whether after the soboration one can proceed to the Eucharist. Any such questions should be discussed only with the priest, who confesses.