Часть III. Из указов и распоряжений святителя Иоанна

“The Lamb of God will be carried away by us in the sacred and luminous night of the Resurrection” (Meat Week, stichera on the stichera of the evening). We pray for this, just starting to prepare for fasting and then repeatedly during Great Lent: that the Lord will grant us the privilege of communion on the night of Holy Pascha. Then the grace of God especially acts on the hearts of people. We then partake of the Risen Christ, we become participants in His Resurrection. Of course, you need to say the fast earlier and, having already received communion during Great Lent, partake of the Holy Mysteries again. There is no time to confess in detail before the Easter liturgy; this must be done earlier. And on the luminous night, having received general permission, proceed to the Divine Lamb, the guarantee of our Resurrection. Let no one leave the church prematurely, in a hurry to taste the meat of animals, instead of tasting the Most Pure Body and Blood of Christ. Possible participation of the clergy in public life Having the main goal of their ministry is the revival of human souls and leading them to the eternal Kingdom of God, those who have received the gift of the priesthood should not be distracted from the work of the apostle and waste time on worldly affairs. What a priest gives to people cannot be given by anyone else, and nothing can compare with the eternal good to which he leads people. Therefore, the clergyman does not dare to be distracted from his direct duties, to engage even in useful worldly affairs, remembering that he is the guardian of human souls and will give an answer at the Last Judgment of God for every sheep that died due to his negligence. An example was set by the apostles when disputes arose among their disciples about the distribution of benefits, saying: It is not good for us, who have forsaken the word of God, to serve meals (Acts 6:2). Church canons strictly prohibit clergy from engaging in worldly duties and taking on public positions. However, this does not mean that clergy can completely withdraw from all worldly affairs. People consist of soul and body, and it is impossible, while caring for the soul, to completely forget about the needs of the body. The Lord commanded us to show love for our neighbors in acts of mercy, which He will ask about at the Last Judgment. Many saints and saints were active participants in the events that took place in their times, sometimes even heading states. But that happened when it was caused by persistent necessity. When it is necessary to save people in disasters, when the participation of a shepherd is necessary to guide them on the right path, the shepherd does not dare to remain indifferent. He not only can, but must come to their aid. This applies to both private and general matters. Encouraging people to charity and, if necessary, becoming the head of charitable institutions, giving direction to public affairs in accordance with the spirit of Christ’s teaching is the duty of a shepherd. But at the same time he must always remain a clergyman and a shepherd. It is unacceptable to join any party and submit to its discipline. It is also inappropriate for a pastor to immerse himself in the purely everyday side of public affairs. Everything that the laity can do must be left to them, trying to concentrate on spiritual matters, which are the work of shepherds. The priesthood is the light of the world, and its participation in public life should consist in sanctifying the path of personal, social and state life. The duty of a clergyman is to indicate the moral foundations on which the life of society should be organized, and to inspire its activities, imbuing it with the spirit of Christ’s teaching. Without descending into the midst of everyday vanity, the shepherd must hover over his flock and, vigilantly observing it, descend when it is necessary to support the weak in spirit or body, to stop and expose evil, to encourage them to do good deeds and deeds, and to strengthen them in doing good. The highest and most important gift of a priest to society is the calling upon him and the bringing down of the blessing and grace of God, for which the pastor must be especially diligent in prayer and, remembering that first of all he is a servant of God, be a faithful example, in word, life, love, spirit, faith, purity (1 Tim. 4:12), leading them [the flock] to the Kingdom of God by prayer, example and instruction. Resolution regarding the distribution of eggs on Easter night ...for a request... for permission... to distribute red eggs to those praying in the memorial church after Easter Matins, “since a large number of lonely, elderly, infirm and poor pilgrims cannot remain until the end of the Divine Liturgy and then return to their place of residence in damp, cold weather,” the following resolution was put forward by His Eminence, the Most Reverend Archbishop John: The main thing on the Bright Day of Easter is our communion with the Risen Christ, which is especially manifested in communion in the Bright Service, for which we repeatedly offer prayers in the services of Great Lent. Leaving the Easter service before the end of the liturgy is a sin or misunderstanding of the church service. If an irresistible necessity forces one to do something, then the egg, which is only a symbol of the Resurrection, cannot replace the actual tasting of the Resurrection in the Divine Liturgy, and distributing eggs before the Liturgy would be contempt for the Divine Sacrament and a deception of the faithful. Church rules strictly prohibit bringing to the altar anything other than bread and wine made by the Body and Blood of Christ, and oil for lamps and incense, and a clergyman who violates this, according to the 3rd rule of saints, the apostle, is expelled from the sacred order. I urge everyone to take an intimate part in the Divine feast of the Risen Christ - the holy liturgy, and after it is over, proclaim the Resurrection of Christ and greet each other with the symbol of the Resurrection. Decree on the order of worship In order to avoid confusion or misunderstandings during the concelebration of clergy, the order of seniority of consecrations must be observed: archimandrites are ranked according to the seniority of their elevation to archimandrite, archpriests by the seniority of their elevation to protopresbyter, the rest of the priests according to the seniority of their ordination to the priesthood. The same order is observed by deacons, subdeacons and readers, although it is not forbidden on any occasion to voluntarily confer the honor of primacy on one's brother. Clergymen who are late for the beginning of the service stand at the end of the line of clergymen, so as not to cause confusion during the service, for the grace of God rests on them equally, no matter where they stand before the Lord God. Decree on the inadmissibility of participation in entertainment on the eve of Sundays and holidays The sacred rules dictate that the eves of holy days should be spent by Christians in prayer and reverence, preparing them for participation or presence in the Divine Liturgy. If all Orthodox Christians are called to this, then even more so it applies to those directly taking part in church services. Their participation in entertainment on the eve of holidays is especially sinful. In view of this, those who were at a ball or similar entertainment and amusements on the eve of a resurrection or holiday cannot the next day participate in the choir, serve, enter the altar or stand on the choir. Decree to the clergy and church choristers One must always remember and realize that church singing is prayer and that the singing of prayers should be done reverently, in order to excite those standing in the church to prayer. Tunes and chants that merely delight the ear, but in content or execution are not conducive to prayer, and also do not correspond to the given service, event celebrated by the Church, day and church regulations, are unacceptable. At the same time, the behavior of those singing should be reverent and consistent with the high rank of church singers, uniting their voices with the voices of Angels. Supervision of this lies with the responsibility of the leaders of the singing and the clergyman performing the service, whose instructions must be followed unquestioningly. Decree on the correct naming of the church In view of the abbreviated name of the cathedral of the Holy Sorrow, which has come into use, it is explained that the said cathedral in the name of the Most Holy Theotokos has in its church icon the image not of the Sorrowful Mother of God, depicting Her sorrow, but the image of All Who Sorrow Joy, depicting the Joy of all those nourished and consoled by Her. Therefore, as personifying joy, and not sorrow, this image, (like) the cathedral bearing his name, should be called, in the case of shortening its name, Sorrowful-Joyful or Joyful-Sorrowful, as it should henceforth be called when shortening its name. Decree on postponing holidays The clergy and flock are reminded that even in the Old Testament, by God’s command, holiday days were established - “whom God has chosen and sanctified,” as well as days of fasting and mourning. The Lord Jesus Christ, having taught a true understanding of the meaning of the holiday, did not abolish, but approved the observance of holidays, and the New Testament Church of Christ from the beginning of its days observed sacred days. Establishing the annual cycle of worship, the Church defined holidays, especially highlighting those on which great manifestations of God's Providence took place and on which God's grace is now poured out. In addition to them, we are commanded to honor other days on which significant events in the life of the Savior and the Mother of God, signs of God’s mercy and the memory of God’s saints are remembered. The Church has precisely established the meaning and order of their celebration, as well as the days on which they are celebrated, as well as the transfer to other days in certain cases. Whenever possible, the simultaneous remembrance of sacred events and saints is observed, so that Orthodox Christians are united with a single thought and common feelings, unanimously offering prayers and praises, which does not, however, exclude special local celebrations of events or saints, known or especially revered only in a particular area. Among the great days for each church is its patronal holiday, that is, the day of celebration of sacred events or the saint to whom it is dedicated. Church holidays are equated by the church charter with the great feasts of the Lord and the Mother of God in their meaning and are celebrated with an appropriate service intended specifically for this day, which is a solemn and blessed day for those praying in the church and its church community. Therefore, it is unacceptable to arbitrarily postpone a church holiday for worldly reasons. Both the clergy and the laity must clearly realize that transferring the celebration to another day does not make that day a church holiday, just as an uncelebrated church holiday is not diminished by this in its spiritual significance and remains such regardless of the attitude of the clergy and parishioners towards it. The clergy and parishioners should try in every possible way to celebrate their church holiday with dignity by taking part in the divine service of that day as diligently as possible, gathering in it (the church). Those who do not have the opportunity to visit the church even for a short time - transfer your mind and heart to it, at least receiving into yourself the rays of grace poured out in it. Decree to the clergy of the Western European Diocese Having observed parts of the diocese, both in the south and in other places in France, I consider it necessary to give the clergy the following instructions and reminders: 1) It is necessary to carefully observe the reserve Gifts, in case of noticeable dampening, dry them, according to the “Teacher's News”, remembering that a clergyman is mortally sinning, through whose negligence the Holy Gifts will be subject to decay. 2) When preparing the reserve Gifts, it is necessary to water the entire particle of the Body of Christ with the Most Pure Blood, so that when crushing them there will be no particles not filled with Blood, the communion of which would be the communion of the laity under one type, contrary to the rules of the Holy Orthodox Church, which has always used Communion under two types, making an exception only for infants. 3) At the end of the liturgy, those celebrating the liturgy must carefully collect all the particles from the antimins, also checking the handkerchief, and put everything into the holy. I drink the cup before consuming the Holy Gifts. We must remember that those particles are the Most Pure Body of Christ or taken out during commemoration; just as negligence towards the Body of Christ is a mortal sin, so the failure to omit particles taken out for the living or dead leaves unfulfilled that for which the particles are taken out, that is, for the mysterious washing of the sins of those for whom they were taken out, for which a prayer is said and for the sake of which believers submit for commemoration. Therefore, everything from the antimension, down to the smallest particle, must be lowered into the Chalice. 4) When consuming the Holy Gifts, the vessels must be washed with hot water so that not the slightest trace of the Blood of Christ or the wine sometimes poured in during consumption remains, and the vessels must always be immaculately clean. 5) Clergymen are obliged to study the rules relating to the performance of divine services and constantly develop their knowledge. Almost complete ignorance of the most ordinary church services shows a disregard for one's primary duties. 6) When performing a bishop's or conciliar service, during mutual kissing, the one who approaches says: “Christ is in the midst of us,” and the one standing responds. 7) It should not be allowed to put on the surplice for those who do not have the right to be in the clergy, as well as (wearing) orarions for uninitiated servants; of those initiated into reading, only those who have special certificates for this purpose. Decree No. 37, September 20, 1951 Decree on the commemoration of non-Orthodox The clergy are reminded that during the Divine Liturgy only persons belonging to the Orthodox Church are commemorated, since such commemoration makes the person commemorated a participant in the service, in which only Orthodox Christians can participate. Also, conscious suicides cannot be remembered as those who willfully left the Church. The same should be said about funeral services, memorial services and other services intended to be performed for Orthodox believers, as is clear from the very expressions used in them. As an exception, in relation to persons who during their lifetime showed their affection for the Orthodox faith and the Church and took an active part in its life, a funeral prayer may be performed, consisting of singing or reading the 17th kathisma (Psalm 118) with the addition of a short litany for the repose of the deceased and [singing] “Eternal Memory.” In their private prayers, Orthodox Christians can pray to God for everyone, trusting in God’s mercy. Decree No. 39, September 23, 1951 Decree on entertainment on the eve of holidays In pursuance of the Decree of the Synod of Bishops of November 4, 1951. for No. 878 on the need to combat the appointment of entertainment meetings and dances on the eves of Sundays and holidays, the fathers of parishes and all clergy are instructed to convince believers to avoid such untimely entertainment, explain to them the harmful significance of such and ensure that, in any case, they are not hosted on such days by the parishes themselves and church institutions, for which pastors bear special responsibility; point out that the use of fees from such entertainment for charitable purposes cannot justify either their organization, or the organizers and participants, because for a true Christian the rule: “the end justifies the means” is unacceptable. It must be realized that church holidays begin on their eve, that Vespers and Matins prepare Christians for prayerful participation in the Divine Liturgy, which is, as it were, their continuation and completion. Presence in the church during the performance of the Bloodless Sacrifice requires such preparation from all Christians, while entertainment and dancing on the previous night interfere with the creation of that reverent mood that is formed when the content of instructive chants and readings of Vespers and Matins, explaining the meaning and significance of the celebrated event, is introduced into the consciousness and feeling. Entertainment on the eves of Sundays and holidays deeply contradicts the entire church liturgical order, and is therefore very harmful for the souls of their participants, some of whom are even usually late, due to fatigue, for the liturgy or misses it, while those who came are under the impression of the previous night. Decree No. 69, November 8, 1951 Decree on the procedure for starting the small entrance The clergy fathers are reminded of the order of the beginning of the small entrance during bishop's services with the full complement of serving clergy. First, the senior clergyman and the first deacon stand at the throne, make three bows to the throne, kissing it, bow to the bishop, the priest gives the Gospel to the deacon, who goes to a high place facing the throne; then the senior priest with all the priests make two bows from the waist, kiss the throne, [make] a third bow, a bow to the bishop, and begin to walk around the throne, and those standing on the left side do not walk around the throne, but from their place join those walking on the right when it is their turn. Decree No. 90, November 21, 1951 Decree on inviting parishioners to participate in worship services For a more active and effective participation of believers in divine services, the rectors of churches and all clergy are called upon to involve the laity in as many possible numbers as possible in reading and singing in the choir, and children and young men also to serve at the divine service. At the same time, it is prescribed to introduce, whenever possible, singing of individual parts of the service or even of the whole service by all believers, imitating in this way the ancient Church. Of course, common singing on all Sundays and holidays should be performed: during the liturgy, “I Believe” and “Our Father,” and during the All-Night Vigil, when it is due, “Having seen the Resurrection of Christ.” To accomplish this, it is useful to send some of the singers to the middle of the church, and let the deacon or the director of the choir lead the singing. Decree No. 70, November 8, 1951 Decree on the lamp on the eve of the Nativity of Christ It is explained and reminded to the clergy and flock that placing a lamp in the middle of the church on the eve of the feasts of the Nativity of Christ and the Epiphany after Vespers, usually connected with the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, means the coming to earth and the establishment among people of the True Light, the Sun of Truth, announced by the Star, whose Light illuminated people (see the troparion of the Nativity and the kontakion of the Cross). In view of this, the lamp itself, mysteriously depicting that Invisible Light hidden under the flesh of the God-Man, is, as it were, an icon, and then there is no need to place it in front of the icon, but should place it in the middle of the church and glorify Christ in front of it. Decree No. 105, December 24, 1952 Decree on the Veneration of the Ancient Saints of the West Being in dispersion in countries where the holy saints, honored by the Orthodox Church of Christ since ancient times, labored in ancient times and were glorified by their sufferings or other deeds, it behooves us to worthily honor them and resort to them, without at the same time growing cold towards the holy saints of God, to whom we have previously resorted in prayers. In various places of ancient Gaul, now France, and other countries of Western Europe, the sacred remains of martyrs of the first centuries and subsequent ones, who were confessors of the Orthodox faith, have been preserved to this day. We call on the clergy fathers to remember at divine services - at litias and in other prayers - the saints of God, who are the patrons of the place or country where the service takes place, and who are especially revered, also on vacation. In particular, within the boundaries of Paris one should commemorate the holy martyr Dionysius, the Venerable Genovethes, also the Venerable Clothwald, in Lyon - the Hieromartyr Irenaeus, in Marseilles - the Martyr Victor and the Venerable Cassian, within the boundaries of Toulouse - the Hieromartyr Saturninus, Bishop of Toulouse, in Tours - Saint Martin. In cases of ambiguity or confusion, contact us for clarification and guidance. The flock is called upon to honor these saints. Decree No. 223, April 23, 1953 Decree on the participation of clergy in public institutions, The consecrated clergy is confirmed and reminded that the clergy, being the shepherds of the flock of Christ, have as their task leading it through the sea of ​​life to the haven of the Heavenly Church. Therefore, pastors are above divisions caused by everyday circumstances, and cannot be bound by participation in any public institutions, societies or unions other than church ones. Being appointed or, with the blessing of the bishop's authority, invited to lead any organizations, they appear there as spiritual leaders and shepherds, illuminating the paths of them and their individual members with the light of the Gospel and indicating the resolution of emerging issues in the spirit of Orthodoxy, as well as performing the necessary services, submitting only to church rules and authorities. Decree No. 284, September 17, 1953 Decree on the possibility of a clergyman to testify as a witness In cases where the authorities approach with a proposal to testify as a witness, the clergyman should be guided by the following. If it is proposed to testify to any event or incident that the priest saw as a casual observer or knows along with other people, then he can and must give testimony. If the authorities offer to testify to something known to him from his pastoral position or activity, then the priest should not be a witness on such issues, for everyone can come to the priest as a spiritual father and should not fear that anything will become known to outsiders. If the authorities need to cover any event in public or church life and invite the priest to give evidence about this, then the latter must declare that he is not authorized to do so and offer to contact the church authorities, who will always give appropriate explanations. Decree No. 424, December 29, 1954 Decree on conciliar services It has been noticed that some clergy avoid conciliar services or, when performing such services, consider it obligatory that the number of those serving with the eldest must be even. In view of this, there are cases that some clergy are left without the opportunity to take part in worship. According to church rules, all clergy must take part in divine services, at least on Sundays and great holidays. According to the 8th canon of saints, the apostle, a clergyman present at the liturgy and not receiving communion, must indicate the reason for the latter and only if it is respected is not subject to penance. Although in some places in Russia it was observed that during ceremonial services there was an even number of priests, it happened [there] where there were many churches and the clergy could be distributed among them, taking part in the service in one of them. Observing the external side of the divine service in violation of the essence of the priestly service, which consists in interceding before God for the flock in mutual brotherly love and communication in prayer, is absurd and sinful, in view of this, all clergy who do not have obstacles to serving must take part in the liturgy and other festive services, regardless of their number. Decree No. 493, October 11, 1955 Decree to the clergy on commemoration of suicides The clergy fathers are reminded for strict and strict observance that church canons prohibit the commemoration of suicides during the Divine Liturgy, as well as the performance of their funeral services and the service of memorial services [for them]. If that person has previously been in a home for the mentally ill, or in other exceptional cases, he must present it to the bishop for consideration and, without his permission, not dare to perform a sacred act without permission. Decree No. 489, October 8, 1955 Decree on the impossibility of non-Orthodox beings as successors Since the recipients of baptism are guarantors that the baptized will remain in the Orthodox faith, and accept the obligation to confirm their godchildren in such, it would be nonsense to allow a non-recipient to be a recipient, which can only be an Orthodox person. The registration of non-Orthodox persons as recipients is invalid, and the one who allows it is subject to liability. Decree No. 490, October 8, 1955 Decree on the singing of psalms at the liturgy Observing the rules established by the holy fathers and the rites of the Church, one must do this especially carefully when serving the Divine Liturgy, both as a serving priest and in the choir. In particular, this applies to the singing of the prescribed psalms, the great significance of which is spoken at length by St. Basil the Great, St. John Chrysostom and other holy fathers. During the liturgy, on days when there are no special antiphons, Psalms 102, “Bless the Lord, O my soul,” and Psalm 145, “Praise the Lord, O my soul,” should always be sung, and at the end of it, the 33rd Psalm, “I will bless the Lord,” should be read or sung. If it is sometimes permissible to sing the first of them in abbreviated form, due to its vastness, then the other two must be performed in full. Neglect of this is an indicator of the lack of zeal for their duty and frivolous attitude towards sacred statutes among clergy and singers. Decree No. 507, January 1, 1956 Decree on singing the irmos of the Canon of the Presentation at the end of the all-night vigil During the years of persecution of the Church in Russia, in churches that resisted temptation and remained faithful to Patriarch Tikhon, after the dismissal, it was established to sing the irmos of the 3rd canon of the Canon of the Presentation of the Lord: “Confirmation of those who trust in You, establish, O Lord, the Church...” This custom has now been transferred to some foreign churches by priests who arrived from there after the last war, which was recognized by the high priest as quite appropriate. Fully sharing this, I urge you to introduce the singing of the said chant after the holiday, at least on holidays. Decree No. 315, February 2, 1954 Decree on the implementation of the parish charter Parish rectors are instructed to strictly monitor the implementation of the rule of the parish Charter, which deprives the right to participate in the parish meeting of persons who evade confession and Holy Communion, who have committed and have not yet made amends for serious crimes and who are in cohabitation without a church marriage. Moreover, it is unacceptable for them to occupy any positions at the church or in parish institutions. If at the present time there are persons belonging to the indicated categories anywhere, they are obliged to immediately remove themselves or be removed by the superior from their position until the circumstances discrediting their lives are corrected. Decree No. 61, October 16, 1951 Decree on marriages with non-Orthodox people The clergy and flock are reminded and explained that marriages between Orthodox and non-Orthodox are contrary to church rules, as stated by the Sixth Ecumenical Council: “It is unworthy for an Orthodox husband to copulate with a heretical wife, nor for an Orthodox wife to marry a heretic husband” (canon 72), as well as in a number of other rules of the holy Councils. An exception is allowed in the case of a promise by a person of a different faith to convert to the Orthodox faith. Firm adherence to this order keeps the family and society whole and Orthodox, but violation of this destroys them. In days of real devastation, this manifests itself very clearly. The spiritual and even external unity of many families whose members married foreigners has been destroyed. With such marriages, alienation from their previous family often occurs for those who entered into such marriages and fall under the influence of other faiths, while in other very frequent cases, an internal chasm is soon discovered between those coupled, making their life together a moral torment. There are cases of direct deviation from Orthodoxy. Orthodox Christians must remember that apostasy from the faith and the Church for the sake of worldly well-being is apostasy from Christ, an unforgivable sin, for which an answer will be required at the Last Judgment (see: Matt. 16:25, 27; Mark 8:36), just as raising one’s children not in the true faith is a sin. Every Russian person should remember Saint Hermogenes, who resolutely refused to agree to bless the marriage of [False Dmitry] with Marina Mnishek until she accepted Orthodoxy, as well as other similar examples. An example in this case can be the firmness in this matter of the Catholic Church, which deviated from many things in the teachings and rules of the Church, but complied with the above rules, not only keeping its members from leaving it, but also acquiring new ones from among the weak in their faith. Therefore, clergy fathers are charged with the duty and obligation to explain to believers the harm of mixed marriages, especially warning young people against it both in general teachings and in private conversations, observing in order to, if possible, nip hobbies in the bud. If you apply for such marriages, try to persuade them to refuse until the foreign person converts or promises to convert to Orthodoxy. If convictions are not sufficient, demand at least a subscription from both parties to raise children in the Orthodox faith. Without such a promise, it is better not to take the blessing of such a marriage on your soul. Decree No. 400, October 13, 1954 Decree on books in church kiosks The sale of books or other printed publications in churches or kiosks at them is permitted only if the books and publications in question were printed with the blessing of the church authorities or approved by it. Parish publications must immediately after printing be submitted to the Diocesan Administration in two copies and distributed or sold in the church under the responsibility of the rector, without waiting for the approval of each sheet separately, if published with the approval of the bishop. However, all other books or sheets, regardless of language, can be sold only after receiving the approval of the diocesan authorities. Decree No. 515, March 22, 1956 Decree on substances for the Divine Liturgy The clergy fathers are reminded that church rules strictly prohibit bringing to the altar anything other than bread and wine that become the Body and Blood of Christ, as well as oil for lamps and incense, and that a clergyman who violates this, according to the 3rd rule of saints, is expelled from the priesthood. Therefore, the distribution of Easter eggs in the church before or during the liturgy cannot be allowed, no matter how justified; that would be contempt for the Divine Sacrament and misleading believers, who can consider participation in the Easter service and the tasting of real Easter to be valid and sufficient. Even if an irresistible necessity forces someone to leave the church before the end of the service, he should not think that the symbol of the Resurrection, which is the Easter egg, can replace eating the True Brash - the Body of Christ. Only after the complete completion of the Divine Liturgy and separately from it can one greet each other with the symbol of the Resurrection. Decree No. 134, April 4, 1952 Decree on the use of the word “people” in Church Slavonic It is explained that the word “people” in Church Slavonic has a slightly different meaning than in colloquial Russian, (and) primarily means a meeting of people, a crowd (see: Matt. 26:42; 27:20). The concept of nationality is usually expressed in Church Slavonic with the words “tongues - pagans”, when speaking about nationalities in general, and the word “people” to designate people faithful to God (the prayer of Simeon the God-Receiver). Therefore, when offering prayers at services for people of any country or nationality, one should say about “people”, for example, “people of this country”, “Russian people”, etc., avoiding the word “people”. Decree No. 156, June 29, 1952 Decree on the meaning of Matins on Holy Saturday It is explained to the clergy and flock that the burial of Christ is remembered at Vespers, why the Vespers of Great Heel is celebrated in the middle of the day, when, after Christ’s death on the cross, His body was taken down from the cross and buried by Joseph and Nicodemus, which is depicted by the removal of the shroud at the end of Vespers. The canon then read at Compline depicts the sorrow of the Mother of God at the tomb and the weeping of the Mother of God above him. At Matins of Great Saturday, Christ's stay in the body in the tomb and the descent of the soul into hell are glorified, which shook the foundations of hell and freed the souls languishing in it, waiting for Christ. Grief over the death of the Savior is combined with the triumph of His destruction of hell and the anticipation of victory over death. The procession of the cross at the end of Matins, after the Great Doxology, depicts precisely that victorious descent into hell and the elevation of liberated souls to the Kingdom of Heaven, where on the Throne Christ with the Father and the Spirit never ceased to be His Divinity, as a sign of which, after the shroud is carried around the church, it is brought to the royal doors with the exclamation “Wisdom, forgive,” and the procession ends. Having only some external resemblance to a burial, the said handling of the shroud, like the entire sequence of Matins on Great Saturday, is by no means such in its meaning. Vespers on Great Saturday, combined with the liturgy, is a reverent deepening into the mystery of Christ's deliverance of the human race from death and preparation for the glorification of the Resurrection of Christ from the dead, who rose again at the coming of the next day. Like the myrrh-bearers who waited for the dawn of the first day on Saturday in order to anoint the body of Christ, Christians are called to put aside worldly cares and spiritually prepare, instead of the world, to bring a song to the Master who has to rise from the tomb. The Midnight Office ends the sorrow, the singing over the tomb of Christ stops, for after midnight, at dawn of the first (Saturday) day, the news of the Resurrection of Christ was already revealed by an Angel. The exact hour of the Resurrection is unknown; the evangelists describe only the multiple arrivals of the myrrh-bearing women at the tomb of Christ; It is only known for sure that it happened in the dead of night before the dawn of the first day, as is clear from the comparison of the Gospel narratives and as it was accepted and maintained from the beginning by the Holy Church, as evidenced by the holy fathers of the first centuries. Therefore, the worldwide joy of the Resurrection of Christ begins with Bright Matins, which in different Local Churches begins at different hours, but not before midnight. Midnight, being the beginning of the next day, on the Bright Night separates joy from sorrow and begins that bright saving day when the light of the Resurrection illuminates the hearts and souls of all believers, and therefore the Matins performed at midnight or at dawn is a reflection of the Resurrection of Christ, and the Divine Liturgy of that greatest day closely connects with Christ, risen from the dead. Decree No. 208, March 21, 1952 Decree on the importance of performing magpie for the deceased I call on the clergy fathers to show every possible concern for the fourty-day commemoration of deceased Orthodox Christians, which brings (immeasurable) benefit to their souls. Due to the lack of sufficient awareness of the need, relatives often do not show concern, and many dying people do not have loved ones. Therefore, the pastors of the Church have a duty to take care of them. Since commemoration at the Divine Liturgy is especially important, and its daily service is rare in parish churches, the abbess and clergy of the Lesna convent expressed their readiness to perform the fourty-day commemoration of all those who died in the diocese in their monastery. I invite all clergy fathers to report to the Lesninsky monastery as soon as possible about the funeral service performed by them, as well as about those Orthodox people for whom they know that there is no one to remember them, through the Diocesan Administration or directly. At the same time, I remind you that according to the church charter, the commemoration during the liturgy of those who died during Lent, when there is no daily service of the liturgy, is performed from St. Thomas Week until Trinity, as well as those who did not graduate from the fortieth day before the onset of Lent, during which daily commemoration occurs at lithiums. Decree No. 219, April 14, 1953 Decree on the method of plate collections In order to maintain proper reverence for the altar and the Bloodless Sacrifice offered in it, and so as not to distract the attention of the clergyman standing before the throne, those making collections in churches in order to receive a blessing for this should not enter the altar, but stand at the pulpit when the primate turns his face, saying: “Peace to all” or “And let there be mercies...”, and accept the blessing with these words of the blessing clergyman. Collections, as well as the sale of candles, cannot be made during the reading of the Apostle and the Gospel, [while singing] the Cherubic song, starting from “I Believe” to the exclamation “And let there be mercies,” [while singing] “Our Father” and when wearing the Holy Gifts for communion. Prosphoras can be served before the Great Entrance. Decree No. 78, November 21, 1951 Decree on the inadmissibility of touching icons Clergy fathers are instructed to ensure that persons with painted lips do not touch the holy cross and other shrines, which often leaves a mark on sacred objects. It must be explained to parishioners that such desecration of holy things is extremely sinful and therefore they must thoroughly wash their lips when going to church, without which they cannot venerate any holy things and will by no means be allowed to receive Holy Communion. Decree No. 38, September 23, 1951 Decree on substances for the Divine Liturgy In view of violations of church rules discovered in some places, it is recalled that when offering the Bloodless Sacrifice for proskomedia, prosphora made from pure wheat flour and wine made from grape juice without any admixtures are needed. When making prosphoras, in addition to flour, water and yeast, it is allowed to add only the smallest amount of salt, but this does not at all affect their taste. The addition of sugar or any other impurities is completely excluded. If such things are discovered, the priest is obliged to act according to the rules specified in the “Teaching Notice” and not to use substances unsuitable for liturgy, so as not to fall into grave sin. Warn those preparing the prosphora. Decree No. 504, December 17, 1955 Church minister's memo What is service in the Church? Serving in the Church is feasible sacrificial service to God in the church for persons who do not have the highest degrees of the priesthood. How does sacrifice and service to God manifest itself? Servants sacrifice to God: 1) time used for serving; 2) from one’s own will - a voluntary desire to fulfill during the divine service whatever is needed; 3) from your mind - attention during worship; 4) from my heart - love for the Church and worship; 5) from their physical strength - their tension when performing their duties; 6) from one’s spiritual qualities – humility and submission; 7) from your spirit - fervent prayer within yourself. Serving is service to God, since there is participation in God's service. Servants must remember that they do not serve a bishop or priest, but the Lord God Himself, Who accepts the service and praise of countless Angels and, nevertheless, out of His goodness, accepts our service from the heart, like two mites of a widow. Therefore, all positions and duties during worship are sacred and honorable. Servants must realize that they are receiving the greatest honor - to take part in the service of the King of kings, Whom the Angels serve with trepidation. Who do the altar servers represent during worship? Since our earthly worship is an image of heavenly worship, during it the bishop represents Christ Himself, the priests represent the apostles, the deacons represent the Seraphim and Cherubim, and the servants represent the Archangels and Angels who invisibly served Christ during His earthly life and eternally praise in heaven. Therefore, just as the Angels in heaven have a strict order and the subordination of the younger to the elder, the strictest order must be observed between servants. The younger ones must unquestioningly carry out the orders given to them by the elders, just as the Angels immediately carry out the orders they receive from the older Angels. At the same time, one should not seek seniority in serving, remembering the words of the Lord: Whoever wants to be great among you, let him be your servant; and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave (Matthew 20:26–27). One must willingly carry out every assigned task in order to hear from the Lord: Good, good and faithful servant: if you were faithful, I will put you over many; enter into the joy of your Lord (Matthew 25:21). Rules for altar servers drawn up by Archbishop John 1. To serve at the altar, you need to take a blessing from the priest, and in the case of a bishop’s service, from the bishop. 2. Come to church before the service begins. 3. Upon entering the altar, you need to cross yourself facing the Holy Altar and make three prostrations to the ground on weekdays, and on Sundays and the Lord's holidays - bow to the ground. 4. Non-serving persons are prohibited from entering the altar. 5. Only those who are going to serve can enter the altar. 6. When putting on a surplice, ties are removed. 7. After removal, the surplices should be neatly folded or hung in their places. 8. Do not talk at the altar, do not laugh or run around the church, and especially do not eat anything during the service. 9. All readers and servers must wear surplices. To remove the surplice, you must receive the blessing of the priest, and during a bishop’s service, from the bishop. 10. When communing the Holy Mysteries, servers remove their surplices, except for the readers. 11. To St. do not touch the throne and the altar. 12. Do not walk around the church during the reading of the Gospel, the Apostle and after the exclamation “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ...” before the exclamation “And may the mercies of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ be with you all.” 13. Before putting on the surplice, your hands must be clean. 14. There should be no things in the altar and the sacristy that are not related to the divine service. 15. Sitting in surplices is not allowed. 16. Before leaving with a candle and ripida, the servant must cross himself in front of the altarpiece and bow to the bishop or priest who stands in front of the saint. throne. Upon returning to the altar, the acolyte does as before leaving. 17. We must remember that the altar is the most holy place, and you need to stand in it especially reverently, and when passing the highest place in the altar, you need to cross yourself and carefully follow the service. 18. During “I Believe” and “Our Father,” all altar servers go to the pulpit for general singing. 19. During the communion of the clergy, all the acolytes stand reverently in the altar, and before the sermon everyone goes to the pulpit to listen. 20. Those who violated the “Church Rules for Servants” will stand on the left choir until the end of the service.