Many people today flock to churches. However, not everyone knows how to behave correctly in church, especially for those who have recently joined Orthodoxy. Those who cross the threshold of God’s house for the first time need to pay some attention not only to their internal state, but also in appearance. These tips will help you avoid awkwardness and feel more confident.

You should start preparing to attend services early in the morning. Having woken up and washed, you need to light the lamp. Pray sincerely and thank the Lord for good night and a quiet start to the day. Slowly read the Gospel (one of your favorite chapters).

The prepared clothing should be simple and modest, although festive. It is advisable that it is not flashy and too lush. For women - closed dresses and long skirts, there should be no bare areas of the body. The head is also covered with a scarf, headscarf or headscarf. An abundance of cosmetics on the face is not welcome. The perfume should be light and not harsh.

Men wear trousers, no breeches or shorts, all kinds of T-shirts with large necklines and wrestling shorts. Upon entry, the headdress is removed. All visitors should wear comfortable shoes so that they can stand for a long time without fatigue.

Religious rules require visiting the Orthodox Church on an empty stomach. No need to get enough. However, if a person is sick or a woman is pregnant, then eating is not prohibited.

Sometimes you have to carry some things with you that you cannot leave at the entrance (bags, packages). You can take them with you, but it is advisable to do without them, as they will interfere with baptism and bowing.

How to enter the church?

Believers always enter with a bow, and they bow three times. Each bow has its own words.
You can read the special prayer shown in the photo below.

At the same time, one must see the image of the Savior. When entering, especially for the first time, it is worth looking around, paying attention to the behavior of other people.

Behavior during service

If you decide to go to the service, then you must defend it to the end. After all, it is considered a sacrifice to the Lord. Only the weak are allowed to sit during it. Young and healthy are standing.

Place the cross when there is a glorification of the Holy Trinity and Christ. When the priest censes the temple, you must give way to him.
There are moments during the service that oblige you to bow your head. This is done when opening and closing the royal doors.

You cannot walk around the church and talk while the Gospel is being read, venerate icons, have telephone conversations, chew something, rummage in a bag or pocket, or buy candles.

Rules for visitors to an Orthodox church with children

Parents should monitor the behavior of their children. Don't let them make noise, run, jump or laugh loudly.

• If the child bursts into tears or plays out, it is better to go out into the yard.
• During communion, an equally restless baby is brought in towards the end of the service.
• You cannot leave during service without reason.
• Notes about health or repose are served in the shop.

Important tips on how to behave correctly in the Orthodox Church

• Men are bareheaded, and women are wearing headscarves. Girls and young girls may also not cover their heads.
• Listen to the words of the priest, participate in prayer with all your soul.
• Kissing the faces of icons is wrong. The relics of a saint are allowed in the forehead.
• The mobile phone turns off.
• Use photo and video equipment only with the blessing of the abbot.
• You cannot go to church in an inappropriate state (drunk, on drugs). Smoking is also a sin.
• The space between the altar and the solea should not be crossed. During the service you only need to stand facing the iconostasis.
• No quarrels or comments about others.
• Pets are not allowed in the church.
• When submitting church records, the names of the baptized are entered there and those of other faiths, suicides, and the unbaptized are not included. If the name is not Christian, then it is worth finding out what was given at baptism and entering it. There is no need to write anything extra besides. An exception is if this is a clergyman, then the rank is added for short.
• Usually women are located on the left side of the room.
• When blessing, the head should be bowed.
• It is better to give alms in food and clothing.

What to talk about during Repentance

By confessing, a person is responsible only for his own sins. He shouldn't talk about anyone else's. Not all are listed, but only those that are conscious and evoke a desire to change.

Old sins that have already been told about and that have not been repeated are no longer mentioned at the Sacrament of Confession. Do not linger long at the lectern; you must remember about others who want to confess.

How to take Communion

When approaching the Holy Chalice, the name given at baptism is called. Hands folded in a cross, mouth open. The Communion is swallowed, the edge of the Chalice is kissed. Then the Orthodox man leaves. Only after drinking the icons can you kiss them.

Giving Communion to Children

So that during the sacrament, the child, being frightened, does not push his hand or the cup, he must be held. When bringing it to the Bowl, you should try to ensure that the arms and legs do not dangle freely.

If the child is noisy, you should calm him down. You are allowed to step aside or leave.

In any case, when something is not clear, you can ask the question to the temple servants or more experienced people.

It often happens that, having decided to go to church, we are worried and feel insecure, because we have a very vague idea of ​​how to behave there.
I learned everything about the rules of behavior in an Orthodox church by contacting the Department of External Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.

It is customary for girls and women in Russia to cover their heads in church.

Appearance

The main requirement for those who come to the temple is to appear modest and pious. First of all, clothes should be clean and tidy. Women should wear a skirt or dress with sleeves at least to the elbow and skirt lengths to the knee or below. In Russia, it is customary that all girls and women cover their heads - and it does not matter whether it is a scarf, a hat, a cap or a beret. It would be correct to refrain from deep cutouts and transparent fabrics.

The use of cosmetics is not prohibited within reasonable limits, but it is better not to paint your lips so that when kissing icons and the cross you do not leave marks on them.

In principle, the same requirements are imposed on men - it is indecent to go to church in a T-shirt and shorts, even in very hot weather. When entering the temple, men must remove their headdress.

How to behave during service

Entering the church, you must cross yourself three times with bows from the waist (three fingers and only right hand, even if you are left-handed). You need to be baptized while taking off your gloves or mittens.

During the service, you cannot talk loudly, use a mobile phone or push aside those praying at the icons - when the service is over, you can pray and light candles at the icons, as well as submit notes about health and repose. Out of reverence, it is not customary to kiss the faces of saints depicted on icons.

You cannot stand with your back to the altar. All women and men who have not received the blessing are prohibited from entering the altar.

If you take children with you to the service, explain to them that they are not allowed to run around, play pranks or laugh in church. If a child cries, try to calm him down so as not to disturb the general prayer, or leave the temple.

When the priest, during the reading, overshadows you with the cross, the Gospel and the image, you must bow. One must be baptized with the words “Lord, have mercy”, “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”, “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” and other exclamations.

If you have any questions

If you want to ask a priest something, first turn to him with the words: “Father, bless!”, and then ask a question. When accepting a blessing, fold your palms crosswise (palms up, right over left) and kiss the clergyman’s right hand, which is blessing you.

Candle box (church box) is a place, usually at the entrance to a temple, where believers are offered candles, icons, books, crosses and other objects of external expression of faith. Behind the candle box you can order masses, prayer services, memorial services, christenings, funeral services, weddings, commemorations of health and repose and other services.

If the priest is not in the temple at the moment when you need to talk to him, then you can find out when the priest will be - go to the candle box and ask a question to the one who will be standing behind it.

If you have a question regarding a wedding, baptism or funeral service, you can ask about it there.

Special situations

There is a myth that females in critical days It is strictly forbidden to attend church - this is not so. On these days you can go to church, light candles and give notes, you can kiss icons, but it is better to refrain from participating in the sacraments (communion, baptism, wedding, etc.), however, this is not a strict rule. If a spicy physiological moment gets into your plans, just consult a priest - it’s an everyday matter, there’s nothing wrong with that.

You can't stand with your back to the altar in church

You need to place candles for the repose and for health in different places: for the health of the living - in front of the icons of saints, for the repose of the dead - on the funeral table (a square candlestick with a crucifix), which is called the “eve”. Notes about health and repose are given to the servers on a candle box, after which they are handed over to the priest at the altar. The names of people of other faiths, suicides and unbaptized people are not recorded in these commemorations.

When leaving the temple, cross yourself three times, make three bows from the waist when leaving the temple and when leaving the church gate, turning your face to the temple.

If you decide to visit the monastery, then you must remember that this is a special place where people devote their entire lives to God, therefore, when entering the gates of the monastery, you must cross yourself and bow, and when leaving, do the same. On the territory of monasteries, you can talk out loud and talk on a mobile phone, but you cannot laugh loudly or use foul language, so as not to disturb the reverent silence.

As a rule, at the entrance to the monastery there are baskets with scarves and aprons for women in case you forgot to cover your head or are wearing trousers, but want to enter the monastery. They don’t charge you any money for this; when you leave, you simply return what you took back to your cart.

Text and photo: Alexandra Borisova

There are moments in every person’s life when he needs to go to church. There may be different reasons for this: you may go to a large, famous temple out of curiosity, or you only attend church on major holidays (Easter, Christmas), or perhaps you sincerely wanted to be a church member, that is, to become a full-fledged and equal member of the church. There may be many options, but in any case, in the church it is necessary to follow certain rules so as not to offend other worshipers with your behavior. I often see such people in church: from their confused look you can immediately understand that they are here for the first time, they light a candle at the wrong time, forget about the handkerchief - and the all-knowing grandmothers (no doubt, they are in any church) swoop down on them with condemnation. You watch how they, poor people, embarrassed, leave the temple, and sadly you understand that they will not return here again. The impulse of the soul or even the need to communicate with God is severely interrupted due to some trousers instead of a skirt or the absence of a skirt. Therefore, before visiting an Orthodox church, be sure to read the rules of conduct there.

How is an Orthodox church structured?

An Orthodox church, any one, even in a small village, always amazes with its beauty and grandeur. Bell ringing, domes, golden robes of the clergy - all this already inspires reverence for the place where we are about to enter.
The temple is usually divided into 3 main parts: the altar, the vestibule and the temple itself. The narthex may contain shelves with church literature, candles, icons and other church utensils for sale. There may also be hangers for parishioners' clothes. Passing the vestibule, we find ourselves in the temple itself, where worshipers stand during the service. The altar is the most sacred place in the temple; it is fenced off by an iconostasis, which often reaches the ceiling. Women are prohibited from entering there, and male parishioners can enter there only on special occasions and with the permission of the priest (for example, during baptism). There are 3 doors leading out of the altar: the Royal Doors (the most important), as well as the northern and southern doors. No one is allowed to walk through the Royal Doors except the priest. Adjacent to the iconostasis is an elevated platform, a soleya; it is also forbidden to step on it except on special occasions (for example, Communion).
Thus, we can summarize that we, ordinary parishioners, can only be in the vestibule and the temple itself, and as soon as the elevated platform (soleia) begins, we are not allowed to go further.

Rules of conduct in the Orthodox Church

If you are going to visit the temple, then prepare for this in advance. First of all, this concerns clothing. It is customary for women to be in the temple with a covering (this can be a headscarf, scarf or just an outer headdress), a skirt below the knees and a long-sleeved jacket. You should not use cosmetics. When entering the temple, men must take off their headdress; shorts and T-shirts are also unacceptable - only clothing that hides the body as much as possible.
When approaching the temple, cross yourself three times and bow; Upon entering the temple, stop near the door and once again cross yourself 3 times and bow. I would like to draw the attention of MirSovetov readers to the fact that it is necessary to cross yourself with three fingers gathered into a handful, the ring and little fingers must be pressed to the palm. Touch first your forehead, then your stomach, your right shoulder, then your left and bow.
It is customary to perform divine services in the temple 3 times. If you get to church at a time when there is no service, then you can stand quietly and pray, light candles (we will discuss them below). If you decide to attend the liturgy (daytime service), then remember that you need to arrive in advance, about 10-15 minutes before the start. In different churches, worship begins at different time, so inquire in advance. During worship there are many people praying in the church, and there is no need to disturb them. Try to find a place that is convenient for you, where you can clearly see and hear everything. As a child, I always stood in the very first rows so that I could clearly see what was happening. And this is not without common sense: a simple person will not immediately understand what is happening at all, he will not even understand what is being said and sung (because the service takes place in the Old Church Slavonic language), so it makes sense to at least see what is happening.
During the service, you cannot talk, look at others, or shift from foot to foot. Cellular telephone needs to be turned off. After all, we come to church to pray; it’s better to leave everyday matters at home. On average, the service lasts 2-3 hours; if you are not used to it, it is difficult to spend so much time on your feet, so if you are tired, you can sit on a bench that is located in the vestibule or in the church itself. It is impossible to sit with the Royal Doors open; even if frail, sick old women stand up, what can we say about young and strong people like us. You also cannot turn your back to the altar; of course, this does not oblige you to back away like a lob when leaving, but you should not demonstratively turn your back to the altar during the service. If for some reason you cannot stay in the church until the end of the service, then you need to quietly leave, crossing yourself at the exit and in front of the church itself.
Arriving early before the service, believers also perform several actions: light candles, give notes, and venerate icons. All this must be done in advance so as not to interfere with prayer during the service.
Arriving at the temple, you must venerate the main icon, which is located opposite the Royal Doors in front of the solea. To do this, you need to cross yourself three times, and then kiss the corner of the icon or the edge of the clothes of the person depicted, cross yourself again and quietly move away without disturbing others. Women are not allowed to kiss icons with painted lips. Personally, I even wash my hygienic lipstick before doing this. During the service, many people will venerate the icon, so what will it look like at the end of the service if women smack it with their painted lips? It should also be remembered that when we kiss an icon, we do not kiss the board with paint on it, but through a kiss we address our love and respect to the one who is depicted on it.
Before the start of the service, you can also light several candles for health or repose. Repose candles are placed on a specific candlestick, which is easily recognized by its square shape and small crucifix. Candles for health can be placed on the remaining candlesticks. It doesn’t matter with which hand you do this, you just need to do it with sincere prayer for the one for whom you light this candle. A candle is a sacrifice to God, and it burns without a trace only for His sake.
If you come to the temple with children, then carefully monitor them so that they do not make noise or run around the temple. If the child starts crying, you need to quickly take him out and calm him down so that he does not disturb the others.
And finally, probably the most main advice: During service, do what everyone else is doing. If believers are baptized, be baptized with them; if they bow, bow too. Each bow or sign of the cross is made in response to some words or actions of the clergy. And believe me, most of those present in the temple do not know why they cross themselves and bow at this particular moment and not at another. But behind every action there is a deep tradition that has developed over centuries. And you should not violate them, trying to show your liberality or independence from the rules. After all, we enter the church to pray, but this will not bring us truth and benefit if we enter the temple without humility.

What to do in church? When visiting the temple of God, we must remember that we are in the presence of the Lord God, Mother of God, Angels and saints. Be careful not to offend those praying and those shrines that surround us in the temple of God with your behavior. God is pleased that “the spirit is broken,” i.e. a humble awareness of your sinfulness that will illuminate all your desires and needs brighter than any candle.

It is customary to pray in the temple. And praying means asking for forgiveness and asking at the same time. That is, imagine that when entering the temple you are entering the house of a very strong and powerful person. But don’t forget that he is wiser than you and very fair (he will definitely reward you for a good deed, and he will definitely punish you for a bad deed).

What to do in the church when entering (the temple)?
When entering the temple, you need to stop and cross yourself three times with bows and prayers: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” (Bow.) “God, cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me.” (Bow.) “Lord, who created me, forgive me.” (Bow.) That is. when you come to the temple, stop at the door of the temple, cross yourself, realize where you have entered.

What's the first thing you do in church when you walk in?
...leave bulky bags and other obstructive items aside.
…once you enter the temple, if necessary, write and give notes and/or buy candles.
First of all, it is customary to venerate the “festive” icon lying on a lectern in the middle of the church (the main icon today), and then to everyone else. when approaching icons or holy relics, you must cross yourself and make two bows (to the ground or from the waist, depending on the period church year), and after kissing, move away, cross yourself and bow again.
…..other icons should be applied once. You can start with the words “holy “name of the Saint” and pray to God for the servant of God “name” (or “about me”)

When can it be served in the temple? When can you venerate icons in church? When can you perform in church?
.....you can venerate icons, light candles and give notes only outside of the service in the church - so as not to disturb either the priest or the people during the service. Those. if the service is not going on, then you can give notes, venerate the icons, light candles.
.....if you come to the temple during a service, you cannot buy and light candles, squeeze through the worshipers, place candles in front of icons, bother others with questions or requests to pass a candle during the service. By doing so, you interfere with the Divine Service and distract others. At the same time, you provoke those praying to condemn you. Considering that condemnation is a sin, you provoke a person to sin, and this is even worse than the sin itself.

Do you have to stand during church services? Where to stand during services in the church temple?
….. it is more correct to try to listen to the divine service while standing, since this is feasible work for everyone, contributing to spiritual improvement.
service in church is an action to praise God and his saints; this process must be treated with extreme respect, at least not being late and not leaving early. Temple (church) is the house where God is. When you enter a temple, you come to visit God.
..... behave with appropriate respect, more than if you came to the house of the most respected and authoritative person
By ancient custom, men stand on the right side of the temple, women on the left, leaving a clear passage from the main doors to the Royal Doors.
during a service in the Orthodox Church pray standing and how can one sit in the presence of God, because in prayers we turn to the King of kings, to the Creator of the universe. Of course, it is permissible to sit if you are particularly weak and sick. However, you cannot sit with your legs crossed or your legs stretched out. Before you sit down, ask God to strengthen you physically. While reading the Gospel and especially important places Liturgy, even in weakness, try to stand up.
During each opening of the Royal Doors, you should bow to the waist.
the service must be defended from beginning to end. Most services in a church (temple) end with dismissal - this is when the priest comes out with a cross. The priest can give a sermon, and then everyone must kiss the cross and the hand (sometimes the wrist) of the priest. Sometimes after the liturgy after vacation everyone waits for them to finish reading Prayers of Thanksgiving about Holy Communion.

How can I pray during a service if I don’t know or understand the words?
If you do not understand the words of the hymn and the priest, then repeat to yourself the Jesus prayer “Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me a sinner” or “Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on us sinners” or “Lord Jesus Christ, son God, have mercy "the name of the one for whom you pray"

How to say hello if you see a friend in a temple? You should not shake hands with ... acquaintances, but greet him with a silent bow. Conversations are not permitted during the service. Do not engage in conversations, incl. discussion of news.
…..in the temple, do not be curious, do not look at those present. You should look towards the altar or at the icons and pray - which is why you actually came to the temple.

What to do in church if a child screams?
Parents, coming to church with their children, should observe their behavior and not allow them to distract the worshipers, play pranks, or laugh. You need to try to calm a crying child; if this fails, just leave the temple with the child for a while. If you are annoyed by the behavior of someone else's child, gather your strength, strengthen your prayer (including for this baby) and do not pay attention to the crying.

What to do in church when the Gospel is read?
During the Gospel, everyone must stand; you cannot talk or walk around the temple. While reading the Gospel, singing the Cherubic Song and the Eucharistic Canon, one should maintain reverent silence and fully concentrate on prayer. In many churches, at such moments, parishioners simply freeze; the slightest rustle in the church can be heard.

Who goes first in church for Confession or Communion?
For confession, Communion, Anointing, kissing the Cross, etc. first come people with small children, children, then the sick, then men, then women. But, if the line is “out of order”, you shouldn’t fanatically pull anyone back and “build it up”; you can carefully remind the person in a whisper of the sequence.

Where to look while censing?
During the censing of the temple, you must move away from the wall, giving passage to the clergyman, and, turning to him, bow to the censing, but you should not gradually turn around after the clergyman and stand with your back to the altar.

What should you not do in a temple (church)?
— Walk between the pulpit (a raised platform in front of the iconostasis) and the central lectern (stand under the central icon).
- without having to turn your back to the altar.
- V Orthodox Church You are supposed to pray standing, quietly and reverently, so it is not good to show your special prayer feelings outwardly in any way: bowing to the ground during the service, kneeling with your head to the floor, etc. (unless the service itself requires it, for example during the removal of the Chalice during the Liturgy). However, if the church is crowded, then it is better not to bow to the ground even at the appointed moments of the liturgy (when shouting “Holy to Holies” and when carrying out the Holy Gifts), so as not to push those around you.
— you cannot stop and teach if one of the parishioners, out of ignorance, does something wrong. If his actions interfere common prayer, then you should humbly prompt him.
- do not judge anyone in the temple, even if the priest himself is mistaken - it is better to pray for them (Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, instruct this person, I will help him do everything right)

When can you be baptized in church, and when can you not be baptized?
During the service, when the priest blesses those present with his hand or censes those praying from the pulpit, one should bow without the sign of the cross, but when the blessing is performed with a cross or the Chalice, one should cross and bow. Before the end of the service, you should not leave the temple, unless for a really important reason.

What should you do in church before leaving?
Before leaving the temple, you need to make three bows with the sign of the cross and prayer, thanking God and asking for His blessing. When you go outside, you should turn to the temple and bow again.

What should I do when I pass in front of a temple?
Whenever you pass by a temple, you should stop and bow in its direction with the sign of the cross.

When should you cross yourself and bow in church?
...... usually those praying make the sign of the cross and bow if liturgical chants are heard, encouraging this and containing the words: “save us”, “glory to Thee, Lord”, “let us bow down”, “let us pray”, etc.
.....during the litanies, when petitions are heard, ending with the exclamation: “Lord, have mercy” or “Give, Lord,” after each of these petitions the sign of the cross and bow from the waist are traditionally performed.
.....in response to the call of the clergyman: “Bow your heads to the Lord,” you should bow your head without the sign of the cross and keep it bowed until the word “Amen” is heard, completing the exclamation.
…..when the clergyman says “Peace to all!” or another exclamation that has the character of a blessing, and overshadows the believers with a hand or candles, a bow from the waist should be made without the sign of the cross.
…..you should also only bow to the clergyman after he has pronounced the dismissal, with the exception of cases when the overshadowing of the believers with the cross follows.
……You should not be baptized on a priest who blesses you with his hand, or on a bishop who blesses you with a dikiriy or trikiriy (a candlestick with two or three candles). However, if a clergyman makes the sign of the cross, the Gospel, an icon, or the Chalice with the Holy Gifts over the people, then the believer makes the sign of the cross and makes a bow from the waist.
……the sign of the cross without bowing is performed three times during the reading of the Six Psalms (six selected psalms during the Matins service), when the reader pronounces the words “Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee God.”
…..it is also necessary to be baptized without bowing while pronouncing the words “By the Power of Honest and Life-giving Cross", at the beginning of the reading of the Creed, the Apostle, the Gospel. Sign of the Cross Without bowing, it is customary to make the sign of the blessing also when pronouncing the dismissal in the words: “Christ our true God...”.
…..on the days of great holidays, during the period from Light Christ's Resurrection until the day of the Holy Trinity, as well as from the Nativity of Christ until the Epiphany of the Lord, prostrations in the church are canceled.
…..When approaching icons or holy relics, you must cross yourself and make two bows (to the ground or from the waist, depending on the period of the church year), and after venerating, move away, cross yourself and bow again.

What to do in church if you meet a priest or communicate with a priest?
When meeting with a priest, one should (at the same time, the Christian puts right palm to the left crosswise) and then start the conversation. At subsequent meetings with him on this day, there is no need to take a blessing. Also, when saying goodbye to a priest after a long conversation with him or a common matter, it is customary to take a blessing (bless, father, we must go).
When contacting a priest by phone, you need to start the conversation by asking for a blessing with the words: “Father, bless” or “Father (name), bless.”

/————————————————————-
How can I make God love me?
…..If we love each other, then God abides in us, and he who does not love his brother whom he sees, how can he love God whom he does not see? That is, if you want God to love you, love life and people (don’t blame, don’t complain, and especially don’t insult), rejoice more and help.
…..God meets in the deep silence of the soul, and only in this deep silence those in the temple can become one with each other in Christ.

In church you need to bow and be baptized on time.

What to do when you go to church

You need to come to the service in advance in order to have time to buy a candle, order a service for health or repose. You will also have additional time to ask questions of interest. You should not eat or drink water before the service unless you are sick.

How to enter the temple:

• when entering the church courtyard, stop outside the gate;
• alternately cross yourself three times and bow;
• go inside the temple;
• also cross yourself three times and bow;
• if you want, buy candles;
• take a seat at the back of the hall.

Women should come to the temple with their heads covered, without lipstick, and without heavy makeup. Wear a dress or skirt no higher than the knee, or tie a long scarf around your hips if you don’t have such clothes. Men must not wear a headdress.

What to do in church during services

Before going to the temple, turn off mobile phone and take away the child’s toys. Women are supposed to stand on the left side, leaning more on their left leg, and men on the right. You need to stand with your head slightly lowered, try not to talk.

Watch how other parishioners and the priest behave. Make bows and cross yourself after them

What not to do in church

Unbaptized people and menstruating women should remain in the church hallway. Touching icons, lighting candles and receiving communion is prohibited. Only weak and sick people can sit.

What is undesirable to do in church:

• talk loudly, laugh;
• chew gum;
• keep your hands in your pockets;
• cross your legs and arms;
• stand in the aisle.

There are no strict prohibitions on behavior in church, except for disturbing the order. It’s not scary to miss one bow, you don’t have to light candles, but it’s important to get into the spirit and sincerely pray, think about your actions and repent.