The Bloodless Sacrifice is offered to the Divine Liturgy for us, for our sins, so it is the duty of the faithful children of the Church to reverently be present at this Great Mystery and prayerfully participate in it, and in the course of spiritual growth, it becomes necessary for a believer to participate, if not all, then at least Sunday and feast church services.

It must also be remembered that according to Canon 80 of the Sixth Ecumenical Council, a Christian who misses three Sunday services in a church in a row is excommunicated from unity with the Church of Christ.

But what should an Orthodox person do if he lives far from the church? How can one honor Sunday when one is sick, infirm, when a person is physically unable to reach church? How to pray for a disabled person who has not left the house for years? How are those who are in bonds, those who are imprisoned and have come there to the saving faith? How to pray on a Sunday feast day for a community of believers in a church that is being restored, where there is no priest yet? What to do if you are on a long trip or a business trip abroad?

Our book, in no way replacing church services, will help an Orthodox person who finds himself in such

difficult circumstances, to honor Sunday with dignity. Unfortunately, many, not knowing how to pray at home, either read the entire sequence of the service, including priestly exclamations and litanies on what is not supposed to be done, or read something at their own discretion (for example, akathists), or are left without prayer at all. But a faithful child of the Church must be obedient in everything. Therefore, according to the words of the Holy Confessor Athanasius

(Sakharov), an Orthodox person both in church and at home should "pray not only as everyone wants, but for holy obedience, with love and humility fulfill the Ustav of the Church." Our book will help you with this.

Our pious ancestors, the Russian Orthodox people, knew well not only how to perform their cell rule at home, but also how a layman, if necessary, if there is no opportunity to be in church, can read church services at home. Until recently, many elderly parishioners knew what a liturgy was. Now this is less and less common. And "Obednitsa" is another name for a part of the liturgy of the catechumens - pictorial. "To rule the obednitsa" is a very ancient tradition of hermits, monastic sketes, where there was no priest.

Under the atheistic regime, which closed churches and destroyed the priesthood, many Orthodox people returned to this tradition. The recently deceased oldest parishioner of the Danilov Monastery, Schema-nun Daniel (in the world Praskovya Emelyanovna Machkina), who survived all these terrible persecutions, and in her old age due to infirmity did not have the opportunity to attend services in the church, read at home every day, and not only the Obednitsa, but also all the services. And now there are many parishioners who love to pray and strive to learn true prayer, and the knowledge of how to pray correctly according to the Statute of the Church should not be interrupted.

In our book, we give the Sunday service in its entirety - that is, the entire daily cycle of the Sunday service. According to the Ustav, Vespers and Compline are to be read on Saturday evening, and Midnight Office, Matins, and the Hours with the Pictorial Hours on Sunday morning. Beginners and those who, due to infirmity, find it difficult to read the entire service, can, with the blessing of their spiritual father, read for some time what is within their power.

Our publication will help all Orthodox people, including those who constantly go to church, to familiarize themselves with the Sunday service in more detail and attentively. For a deeper understanding of the divine services, the text provides the necessary explanations. Those who live far from the church will also be helped to become churched

prepare to participate in church worship.

GREAT VESPERS1

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

Glory to Thee, O our God, glory to Thee.