Blessing from the priest in the church. Blessing from the priest

Many people think that blessing is a "good word." But if you look deeper, the blessing is rather a "word of grace." I think that everyone knows that grace is some kind of energy (divine) that gives strength, energy and good luck in good deeds. Blessing is a powerful spiritual action taught in prayer and verbal form (often with ritual actions with the hands) that gives grace, help and protection from God. One who asks for a blessing from God or His intermediary thereby reveals his humility, hope and hope for God's help and need for it.

Now, there are "several kinds" of blessings.

1. A blessing for some business.
   Take a blessing from the priest for this or that action. In ancient times, people did not begin any good deed without receiving a blessing from a priest. From conception of a child to death, all stages of a person's life were accompanied by a priestly blessing. For example: Dmitry Donskoy followed the Blessing to Sergei Radonezhsky before the Battle of Kulikovo, many travelers take a blessing on the road, lay people take a blessing for building a house, etc. In Orthodox Christian practice, each person should take a blessing for almost any business that does not negatively affect on spiritual life: for a long journey, for a prayer rule, for work, for construction / renovation of housing, an operation in a hospital, for a wedding, for conceiving a child ... ie. at all important life events.

Why take a blessing for this or that business?
Answer: so that the grace given from God through the priest would drive away failures and help in a good deed. But remember that according to your faith it will be for you. Taking a blessing is not some kind of amulet ritual, but help and strengthening the strength of a believer. That is, if a person does not believe in God, then. Automatically, and does not believe in the Blessing - in this case, it makes little sense to take the blessing (although, there are cases that through the Blessing and success in business a person gained / strengthened faith).
How to get a blessing from a priest?
Come to the church and in the candle shop ask how and when you can find the priest. When you meet with the priest, say so, “Father, I want to take a blessing for“ such a tricky business ”." Briefly tell the essence of the matter (keep in mind that taking a blessing for a bad deed is a sin that leads to failure), say "Father, bless" and, bowing your head, fold your right palms onto your left, palm up.
The priest will read a short prayer, cross you and either give a hand (you need to kiss it) or just touch your head. It is believed that with the blessing of God, the Holy Spirit descends on a person, who does a certain work, depending on what we ask for the blessing.
By the way, a priest can bless a person at any time, regardless of whether a priest is in the church or not, while the vesting of a priest or bishop in spiritual clothes also does not apply to the act of blessing.

1. Receive a blessing at the sight of a priest, without voicing your cause.
   You have probably seen that when the priest enters the church, some of the parishioners come up to him with the words "bless the priest." Father says: "In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!"
   In this case, parishioners take a general blessing to strengthen their spiritual strength, which helps to fight temptations and lead an Orthodox lifestyle. Of course, this blessing also helps in good deeds, that is, in this case, too, you receive a particle of grace for your humility.
   You can also ask "Father, bless the child," that is, give grace from the Lord to the child.

Having received a blessing from the priest, we kiss the hand that blesses us. Thus, we kiss the invisible hand of Christ the Savior Himself. St. John Chrysostom: “ It is not man who blesses, but God with his hand and mouth "... Therefore, you can hear from the priest “ God bless!».

Conclusion on 1,2,3 points. The power of the Blessing descends on the one asking for the blessing through words, and sometimes through the laying on of the hands of the one who blesses. The priest makes the sign of the cross to the person asking for a blessing, after which he puts his hand in the palm of the believer. The Christian must accept this blessing as from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Therefore, the Orthodox believer kisses the hand of the priest (as if he is kissing the hand of the Savior). Some priests do not allow kissing their hand, but after the blessing they place it on the head of the person asking.

1. God bless.
   We resort to these words before starting any business or making a decision, when we could not or for some other reason did not ask the priest's blessing. In this case, "according to your faith be it unto you." As you believe in God, you will receive such an increase in strength and good luck through the blessing. I still recommend going to the priest's church for a blessing.
   You can also ask God for blessing with the words “Lord, bless” before less important things, such as eating.

Conclusion: To ask for a blessing is to ask for grace!

If you meet a priest on the street, do you need to ask him for a blessing? And what if this person is unfamiliar to you, and it is not clear if he is a priest?

All those who find it difficult in this matter are explained by Archpriest John Goria, rector of the church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow", Odessa.

Taking a blessing is never superfluous. If you meet a priest whom you know, then it makes sense to go up to him and say: "Father, bless!" In addition, this meeting can be used to resolve a spiritual issue that was not resolved yesterday or the day before yesterday. You can ask the priest if such an opportunity happened - but without delaying him for a whole hour, but in a few minutes. And if we don’t know the one we meet, but in his image we guess that he is a priest, then we can, passing by, simply bow the head out of respect for his dignity.

“It happens that a parishioner sees a priest in secular clothes and runs across to the other side of the street”

Before the revolution, priests walked the streets in cassocks and with crosses, and everyone knew that this was a priest. You could take a blessing from him, get to know a priest from another parish, etc. Today, if you need to go on personal business, priests, as a rule, wear civilian clothes. You won't go to shops and bazaars in a cassock, arousing people's interest in what Father buys!

It happens that a parishioner sees a priest in secular clothes and runs across the street. On the one hand, he wants to take the blessing, on the other, he does not know how to behave.

It is actually happiness to see a priest on the road! A kind of mercy of God. In Soviet times, a priest could usually be seen on the street only when he was driving a deceased to a funeral service. There is a stereotype that if a priest goes somewhere, it is very scary and unpleasant. In the minds of many people, the priest has a certain stigma and is avoided. We need to get rid of this stereotype.

So, if you see a familiar priest, boldly say "Father, bless!" - and in front of a stranger, you can simply bow your head. That's all the rule.

"It is necessary to determine which of the priests is the eldest"

Often lay people do not know what to do when there are many priests present. If there are three or four of them, then it makes sense to take the blessing from everyone. And if there are ten or fifteen priests, then you need to determine who is the eldest, and take the blessing from him, and the rest just bow and greet them. It would be wrong to take a blessing only from your friend, a young priest, and not to take from the rest.

For example, if among the priests with crosses one with panagia is a bishop, and the blessing should be taken from him. If you cannot single out the elder, you need to say: "Good afternoon, priests, bless!" And the senior priest will answer: "God bless!"

So if you see a familiar priest, boldly say "Father, bless!" That's all the rule.

Recorded by Marina Bogdanova

Believers often ask for a blessing from the priest. Why is this done? What is the meaning of such an event? Yes, and how to ask for blessing from the priest, what to say at the same time? Let's talk in detail. It will simply not be possible to figure it out, since the matter is too important for the soul of the believer. In religion there are no technical issues that can be straightened out casually, without pondering and speculating over the essence. Finding out how to properly ask for blessing from the priest, it is necessary to understand the meaning of this action, why such a rule arose. It still does not hurt to understand how following it affects the believer. This is what we will do.

What is a blessing?

It is necessary to start from the philosophical side, understandable to any believer. We come to the temple to gain constant connection with the Lord. It appears at the level of the heart. A person feels it as a union with the Holy Spirit. Every act of the believer is directed towards mercy. In this sense, it is beneficial to associate with someone who serves the Lord. Blessing is a special prayer. The father pronounces it for the one asking. The text, as a rule, depends on the appeal of the person himself. That is why it is advisable to understand how to ask for blessing from the priest. After all, you can express your need for a general phrase, or concretize it. The father is responsible for his prayer. This means that he needs to understand the person speaking. People often don't think about this side of the issue. Here pride manifests itself, that is, confidence in one's own wisdom and righteousness. But real religiosity lies in trusting the Lord. It also manifests itself when a parishioner asks for a blessing from the priest. Let's take a closer look at these points.

The meaning of tradition

Trying to figure out how to properly ask for blessing from the priest, you need to look into your soul. Why do you want the priest to pray for you? How can you describe the intention? This is not an easy matter. After all, some need support, others need confidence in their abilities, and still others want the help of the Lord. And these are two different things. The believer always directs his labors towards the acquisition of the Holy Spirit. As Seraphim Sarovsky taught, this must be done constantly. After all, the Holy Spirit is like earthly riches, only it is not material, therefore it is eternal. By accumulating, we create for ourselves "heavenly capital", more valuable than which there is nothing in the world. When we ask the priest for a blessing, we thereby express the intention to direct our work towards the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, that is, we designate the true goal of our activity. For example, many are interested in how to ask the priest's blessing for a trip or a new job. Below we describe the technique of the process. It's not about her. To come to the idea of ​​turning to a clergyman, you need to realize a simple thing. What we are going to undertake is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, that is, it is done for the sake of gaining grace. The goal of any activity of a believer is to get closer to the Lord, to take one more step along this road. And he devotes any business to God. Probably, this is how the spiritual part of the answer to the question of how to ask for blessing from the priest should be formulated. Without deep reflection, the tradition itself loses its meaning. But there is another side to the problem.

About humility

Let's think about why we should ask the priest's blessing. Some say that this is the way they are in their parish, while others are trying to explain how this will help in the implementation of the planned business. However, the essence of the tradition is much deeper. The same Seraphim of Sarov often drew the attention of believers to such a sin as pride. We need to understand that all our abilities and talents are from God. Probably, we develop skills and experience ourselves, but only with his blessing. When we take on a new occupation, we try to rely on the existing qualities. And this is not entirely correct, or rather, they should not be put at the forefront. Our first hope is the Lord. He will allow - the person will cope with his task, will be against - will fail everything, no matter how talented he may be. The clergy develop this topic during sermons, the saints talked about it. Forgetting the Lord, relying only on your skills and abilities is to show pride. It is inappropriate for a believer to do this. Jesus talked about humility. The Lord has measured out his own path to each, it should be accepted and passed. That is why they ask the priest's blessing, it is a kind of demonstration of spiritual humility. But one should only distinguish this feeling from devotion or respect for the clergyman himself. They have nothing in common. Through the prayer of the priest comes grace from the Lord. He is only a mediator in these difficult relationships. And even accepting his help means showing sincere humility.

About responsibility

In church literature, it is written that blessing is a gift and an expression of divine love. There are two participants in the process itself. Think for yourself why you need to ask the priest for a blessing, what is its meaning, if you do not talk about your business? You need to understand: the one who gives the gift has a great responsibility before the Lord. Father, on the other hand, acts on His behalf. And how can he think if the parishioner does not name the reason for the request, how to bless for God knows what? The priest is also responsible for his prayer and before the one asking. He gives him the go-ahead for some kind of activity, opens the way to the goal. The clergy themselves describe their responsibility in different ways. Some say that it is not necessary to designate a goal. This is practiced when the priest knows a member of the flock well. He is sure that he will not think of anything bad. If you have not yet established a trusting relationship with the clergyman, it is better to indicate the reason, at the same time you will understand for what things you can ask the priest's blessing. Although the last question can be called empty. Father will not refuse to talk, he will try to help figure out the plans. But he does not always bless.

Practical issues

With philosophy, we figured it out a bit. But this is still not quite an answer to the question of how to ask for blessing from the priest. People are interested in practice, that is, when to approach, what to say, and the like. We will analyze this too. The first thing to remember is that you don't need to take the priest away from his labors. Wait for the person to be free. On the one hand, politeness is necessary in this, as in any other, communication, on the other hand, this is a serious event, although it takes a little time. We saw that the father is free, then calmly head towards him. Take your time, give him time to notice you. And while you go, think again whether it is possible to ask for the blessing of the priest in your situation. If you are not sure, just ask the clergyman a question on this topic. For example, there is no doubt that a new job, travel, marriage, matchmaking, childbirth, study are good deeds. The priest, as a rule, does not refuse their blessing. But is it worth asking to pray for a party, for example? Does it make sense for the priest to bless you for entertainment? The last two sentences are not statements, they are questions. People have different situations. They need to be pondered. Another example: let's say you don't want to have an operation for which there are all medical indications, how can you ask the priest's blessing to refuse? Will he give it? After all, the responsibility is very great! In each specific case, it is necessary to understand in detail, it is better with the confessor himself.

What to do and say?

One more thing to remember: look at yourself in the mirror when you go to the temple. Dress modestly. This does not mean the absence of cosmetics or jewelry, if you are used to both. Clothing should show your state of humility and modesty, that is, be decent, not defiant. A rule that is now considered unnecessary ... However, the internal state is always reflected outside, including in outfits. Approaching the priest, bow, stretch out your folded hands to him, palms up. At the same time, it is necessary to say this: "Father, bless on ...". That is all that is required of the believer. The priest will appreciate your request. No matter how quickly he reacts, this person never forgets from responsibility. If the request seems normal to him, he will cross his hands, folding his fingers in a special way. His answer sounds like this: "God bless." This is a short prayer for just such an occasion. Sometimes the priest calls on God: "In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit." The prayer may be different according to your case. Listen carefully and humbly.

What to do next?

Traditional communication doesn't end there. The father blesses the person with prayer and hand (baptizes). Further, it is supposed to show him gratitude. It is customary to take his hand in yours and kiss. For people who rarely attend the temple, this behavior can be disheartening. Be sure to listen to your feelings. If there is discontent inside that you need to kiss your hand, it means that pride speaks louder than conscience. One conclusion follows from this: one must pray for humility. Looks like you are not yet ready to receive the blessing of the Lord. In fact, this is a rather serious point. Monks, for example, ask for blessings for almost every work. These people decided to work with their souls, to go to the Lord with all their might. From them it is necessary to take an example. When you talk to the priest, you should see in him the messenger of the Lord, and not an ordinary person. He also gives you the highest value that we can receive on earth - the gift of Divine love. By the way, sometimes the priest asks about the details of the case for which you are asking for a blessing. You need to tell. He is not interested in curiosity - as has already been said, he has a great responsibility.

How to ask for blessing from the father for childbirth?

There are women who are desperately afraid of the upcoming mystery of the appearance of a baby. Funny, is not it? Where will the baby go if his mother does not let him out? Being nervous in such a situation is not only unproductive, but also dangerous. That is why women go to church, asking for blessing from the priest. It calms you down and sets you up in a constructive way. Everything must be done as described above. Just remember about the modesty and sincerity of faith. Fearing childbirth means showing unbelief, denying the Lord. He has already blessed you to conceive, even if you didn’t ask. Nothing happens in this world without His will. When you turn to the priest, he answers with a special prayer for a favorable permission. It turns out that a woman is no longer alone in her care, but together with the Lord. It helps a lot. It's good to put candles for health, for your own and for your baby. And nothing that he is not baptized yet. The Lord will still support His child. And when the father blessed him, we must throw away the fears. Prayer helps believers. Women are advised to see how much time and energy they spend on experiences, and to devote it to addressing the Lord or the Theotokos. All the same, you are not doing anything productive, so it is better to pray, throwing away pride. It will become easier this way, and the child inside will stop worrying, feeling mom's fears.

Why dream of asking for a blessing from the priest?

A person's soul is always directed towards the Lord, even if his ego resists. Sometimes she gives some signs in a dream, pushing for thought. If you were not going to church, then the plot with the priest hints at the need to consult your conscience. It's no secret that sometimes we do not the most moral actions, they harm others. Someone is offended, another is angry, the third is angry, as a result we try to break out on relatives or colleagues. A pure soul in dreams suggests that you don't need to do this. When you harm another, you yourself worry. The father in the night vision is a sign of a fearful suffering conscience. She does not whisper in this way, but shouts that it is time to reevaluate her behavior, to change her attitude towards a problem or a person. Who or what exactly is it about - you have to figure it out on your own. But such a dream cannot be missed. Be sure to reflect on its meaning. Sometimes it has a different purpose. The Lord, through sleep, tells you what to do in the near future. Remember what you wanted to receive the blessing for. Make this your main concern.

You know, sometimes it is so difficult to understand yourself, to understand what is important and what needs to be abandoned ... This is the most common state for a person. But to remain at a loss for a lifetime is to spend it in vain. This is probably the very case when a blessing is needed like air. After all, our first task is to understand why the world appeared in the world, how to make it better in the name of the Lord. What do you think? You have never asked for blessing from the priest, here is a reason for you to get the first experience. It is all the more useful for those who strive to go to the Lord, to acquire the Holy Spirit. Believe me, not on the Internet you need to look for information about how and what to do, but with talk about it. And do not think that the priest will not understand or will refuse to listen. The flock is his most important concern on earth. He will definitely listen and help, prompt, advise.

There are days in the life of every believer when he attends church and comes to spiritual cleansing... Orthodox people quite often conduct conversations with God through their thoughts or through a priest. It is the priest who is the guide to God and to the truth for every believer. But have you ever thought about whether you need ask the priest's blessing for this or that demand.

Imagine for a moment, if a priest is a guide to God, and you want to ask God's approval for doing a special deed, then accordingly you need to turn to the priest in order for him to give you this approval - God's grace on behalf of the priest. Then, of course, you will think about the question of how and under what circumstances this should be done. This article will just be useful for everyone. Orthodox and believers who came early or later to this question.

What is a blessing and how to ask for a blessing from the priest

- these are the actions of the priest aimed at wishing well to the person who came to him with a request for a blessing. In other words, this is a special prayer, the words of which depend on the person's conversion. And also this is considered the approval of God, any deed in the person of the priest.

Many parishioners of the church meeting the priest on his way want to ask him for a blessing. But they often do it wrong. Of course, there are no obligatory canons on how to ask for a blessing from a priest, but still, in order to answer the question of how to get a blessing from a priest, you need to know certain rules. First of all, all those who ask should know what to ask for what really exists. It is impossible to ask for God's grace for marriage, for example, if you do not have a bride or groom yet. Consider an example of getting the priest's approval to marry:

1. Before you get approval, you need to get a groom (bride), agree on everything, and then come to the priest and ask for parting words so that everything is fine in this matter.
2. You will be asked whether your chosen one belongs to another faith and whether this is done with the consent of both.
3. Then he will approve and say: "God bless."

The ceremony itself also takes place in a certain way. In order to receive a blessing, you need to go to the priest, put your right hand on your left, while your palms should be directed towards the sky. Then say: "Bless, father!" Then the sign of the cross will follow.

The priest conducts this ceremony with his hand, folding his fingers so that they represent IC XC - Jesus Christ. Thus, the Lord himself blesses us, through the priest. After that, it is imperative to kiss the priest's hand, this will mean that we are, as it were, kissing the invisible hand of God.

When to ask for a blessing from the priest

Before, none the believer did not go far and did not perform any important deeds without the blessing of the priest. It was believed that it is prayer and God's grace that protect a person from troubles and sins. Now they have stopped taking it so seriously. So, when do you get a blessing from a priest? Recently, believers have turned for a blessing:

• On the road.
• Good passing exams.
• To get the job done.
• On the correct upbringing of children.
• To make a purchase, and so on.

If you are going or are just planning to go on a long journey, then it is best to get a parting word from the priest. All this is done in order to keep the road calm, without incident and brought only joy.

When preparing for exams or completing work, you can take approval so that everything you plan works out and nothing gets in your way.

In order not to doubt the correctness of your methods of raising children, a priest will also help you. He will prompt, show and bless. After that, there is only a small chance that you can do something wrong.

God's grace can and should be asked for and without reason. For those who are regular visitors to the temple, instead of saying “Hello” and “Goodbye,” the priest blesses you. By the way, it is also impossible to greet the priest with a handshake, only individuals have the right to do so.

In order for your purchase to be of use to you and not to have any problems with it, you also apply to the church. There are no restrictions on what kind of issues and deeds to ask for God's grace. It is important to remember that you do not need to be baptized before and after the ceremony.

The priest has the right to bless while not only in the Temple and in the sacred robe, but also outside the church in civilian clothes, but only in specific cases. Ask and you will be heard and your words and actions will be blessed. Don't forget about responsibility. As the saying goes: "Trust in God, but do not make a mistake yourself."

Do I need to be blessed for fasting?

Fasting in Orthodoxy is a time of abstinence. If possible, permission or blessing for fasting must be taken. But if for some reason you do not have the opportunity to go to church and do this, then, of course, you can keep the fast on your own. A blessing for Great Lent, for example, is the day of Forgiveness Sunday. On this day, all Orthodox Christians gather in church and ask forgiveness both from each other and from the priesthood about voluntary and involuntary offenses. Fasting is our sacrifice to God. And the Great One carries the meaning of Jesus' forty-day fast in the wilderness.

Although all believers do not have to keep church fasts, it is important to ask for a blessing in order to refuse fasting for one reason or another, for example, due to illness.

How to properly ask the priest for blessing for childbirth or surgery

In order for you to be calmer during childbirth or during an emergency operation, contact the priest. Order a prayer service before childbirth, let the priest bless you and your child for an easy birth. There is no set time to take a blessing for a future birth or surgery. You can contact the church with these at any time, both in a week or a few days.

Do not forget that you also need to receive the Holy Communion. Of course, the priesthood will ask you when your event will take place, as well as other details. Do not be afraid that you will not be blessed, the father will find time for you, listen and help you figure out your plans. You will not be left without God's grace. The rite of blessing itself will take place in the same way as in the above example with a blessing for marriage. Basically, though, all blessings are given in this way.

How to get a blessing from a priest

It is not customary to address a priest by his first name and patronymic, he is called his full name - as it sounds in Church Slavonic, with the addition of the word "father": "Father Alexy" or "Father John" (but not "Father Ivan"!) Or (as is customary among the majority of church people) "father". A deacon can also be addressed by his name, which must be preceded by the word "father", or "father is a deacon." But from the deacon, since he does not have the grace-filled power of ordination to the priesthood, it is not necessary to take a blessing.

The appeal "bless!" - this is not only a request to give a blessing, but also a form of greeting from a priest, with whom it is not customary to greet with worldly words like "hello." If at this moment you are next to the priest, then you need to, having made a bow, touching the floor with the fingers of your right hand, then stand in front of the priest, folding your hands, palms up - right over the left. Father, overshadowing you with the sign of the cross, says: "God bless" or: "In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit" - and puts his right, blessing hand on your palms. At this moment, the layman receiving the blessing kisses the priest's hand. It happens that kissing the hand confuses some beginners. We should not be embarrassed - we do not kiss the priest's hand, but Christ himself, who at this moment invisibly stands before us and blesses us ... And we touch with our lips the place where the wounds from the nails were on the hands of Christ ...

A man, accepting a blessing, can, after kissing the priest's hand, kiss his cheek, and then again his hand.

The priest can bless at a distance, as well as put the sign of the cross on the bowed head of a layman, then touching his head with his palm. One should not just before taking a blessing from a priest, sign oneself with the sign of the cross - that is, "be baptized into a priest." Before taking a blessing, usually, as we have already said, a bow is performed with the hand touching the ground.

If you approach several priests, the blessing must be taken according to seniority - first from the archpriests, then from the priests. And if there are many priests? You can take a blessing from everyone, but you can also, after making a general bow, say: "Bless, honest fathers." In the presence of the ruling bishop of the diocese - the bishop, archbishop or metropolitan - ordinary priests do not give a blessing; in this case, the blessing should only be taken from the bishop, naturally, not during the liturgy, but before or after it. The clerics, in the presence of the bishop, can, in response to your general bow to them with the greeting “bless”, respond with a bow.

The situation during the divine service looks tactless and dishonorable, when one of the priests goes from the altar to the place of confession or to perform baptism, and many parishioners at that moment rush to him for a blessing, crowding each other. There is another time for this - you can take a blessing from the priest even after the service. Moreover, at parting, the blessing of the priest is also requested.

Who is the first to come under the blessing, to kiss the cross at the end of the service? In a family, this is done first by the head of the family - the father, then the mother, and then the children by seniority. Among the parishioners, men come first, then women.

Do I need to take a blessing on the street, in a store, etc.? Of course, it is good to do this, even if the priest is in civilian clothes. But it is hardly appropriate to squeeze, say, to the priest at the other end of a bus full of people in order to take a blessing - in this or similar case, it is better to restrict ourselves to a slight bow.

How to address the priest - "you" or "you"? Of course, we turn to the Lord as "you" as the closest to us. Monks and priests usually communicate with each other in "you" and by name, but in front of strangers they will certainly say "Father Peter" or "Father George". For parishioners, however, it is still more appropriate to address the priest as "you." Even if you and your confessor have developed such a close and warm relationship that in personal communication you and him on "you", it is hardly worth doing so in front of strangers, within the walls of the temple such an appeal is inappropriate, it hurts the ear. Even some mothers, wives of priests, in the presence of parishioners try, out of delicacy, to address the priest with "you."