What do you mean I can't? If you are chained to your deathbed and cannot walk, then you, of course, without going to church, but praying a lot, can consider yourself Orthodox. If your parents are such that they lock you at home during the service and do not let you into church, and you, striving with all your soul to go to church and pray at home, for this reason cannot come to the service without being offended by your parents, pray before the icon, pray for them, so that the Lord would soften their souls, then you, of course, are a believing Orthodox person. And if on Sunday, instead of going to church, you go to have fun, then think for yourself, are you a deeply religious person?

39. Why does everyone go to church on Sunday?

Because it is impossible to remain outside of the Pascha of Christ, it is impossible not to come and rejoice with the Church that Christ has risen, that the myrrh-bearing women came to the Lord's tomb and found the stone and rolled it away, and everything else that the Church remembers on this day, to be without this and outside of all this means to greatly impoverish one's life and make one's faith poor. Who will choose it voluntarily? Therefore, of course, everyone will go to church on Sundays.

40. Why do I want to go to church but can't?

Oh, how frightening! There were such terrible sinners who wanted to enter, but their invisible forces did not allow them, as, for example, Mary of Egypt, who later became a saint, wanted to venerate the Cross of the Lord, but her power restrained her to some extent, because she had a grave sin in her soul. I know from priestly experience that there are people who, as it were, are drawn to the church, as if their souls are already in it, but sin does not allow it; he will come to church once, twice, to the Liturgy, he will come dozens of times, he will walk in circles like some kind of Odysseus, or like a Jew in the desert, he will wander for forty years until he reaches the Promised Land. I don't think, my dear, that you have sinned or sinned so much that the Lord would not let you in. Maybe there is only one thing you need to do: show determination and cross the threshold. And if you can't do it yourself, ask someone: take me by the hand and lead me into the church. They will introduce it once, and then it will be easier.

41. Why does my sister think that I cannot go to church at this age (10 years old)?

Because she herself, apparently, is not used to going to church. And you can do only one thing: without irritation, very politely and unobtrusively, ask her to accompany you to the church, since it is too early for you to travel around the big city alone at this age. If the sister does not want to enter the church, then let her at least stand at the door or come in – not to pray, of course, but only to listen and wait for you. Maybe she will agree.

42. Is it permissible to leave the church during the service?

It is possible, if it is necessary in order to get an unconscious old woman out of the church or for some extraordinary circumstances, for example, suddenly there was no bread for the priest's meal, and the head came up and said: "Van, you have such fast legs, and obedience is above prayer, run away, buy some bread so that the priest, who, of course, will be tired after the service, can sit down to a meal." Well, if I just want to go out and take a walk during the service, this, of course, is not befitting an Orthodox Christian.

43. Как каяться мирянам?

Как каяться? Искренне каяться. И священникам, и мирянам, и монахам; то есть, когда мы идем к Кресту и Евангелию, ничего не утаить и не слукавить, не оставить какие-то грехи про запас, на следующую исповедь, или до другого батюшки; бывает такое, человек думает: вот, своему батюшке я о нем не скажу, а скажу про этот грех вот тому-то, а то что мой батюшка про меня подумает. Вот с такой мыслью нужно идти и, конечно, с твердым намерением, к этому греху больше не возвращаться. Может, не всегда это получится, но хотеть, искренне хотеть и бороться со своими грехами православный христианин обязан.

44. Можно ли верующему не посещать церковь?

Лучше уж тогда сказать, что вы просто неверующий человек, и посещать храм тогда не нужно. А для верующего человека, для кого Господь – не отвлеченная абстракция, не "высший разум", не "жизненный принцип", а Христос-Спаситель, то как же это я вдруг не пойду? Это значит, я говорю: "Нет, Господи, до Тебя мне никакого дела нет, и до жертвы Твоей искупительной дела нет, и до Воскресения Твоего, основы веры нашей, тоже никакого дела нет. Вот мне дело есть на диване лежать и журналы листать. Ну, думается, после этого сам решай – верующий ты или неверующий.

45. Почему нельзя работать в воскресенье?