St. Theophan the Recluse speaks about this, that one should stand in a string, facing the altar or the ground, or look at the icon[8]. Is it proper for women during the service, being in the front part of the church, to make prostrations to the ground or to kneel so that the back of the body is higher than the head?

In general, it is advised not to stand out among the worshippers, otherwise it will be ostentatious. If the Royal Doors are open, and the priest is at the back of the church (for example, at the litiya), should we turn to face him or stand facing the altar? In general, it is sinful to stand with one's back to the altar unnecessarily. St. Gregory the Theologian spoke about this in his time.

I've noticed that some people come to church wearing headscarves with playing cards or cigarette ads on them, or something like that. Isn't it a sin? I also very often see people in churches with plastic bags, on which there are godless images. Is it necessary to pay attention to this or is it not important? Images that evoke sinful feelings and evil thoughts should not be in a Christian's mind, and this is undoubtedly a sin, a temptation for others.

And the Lord says to the seducers: "Woe to you." Bags with images of saints, the Savior and the Mother of God should be used for food, and in general earthly things are no less sinful. Now there are many such sinful nets. Spiritual cassettes and plates with icons, calendars with icons, and sacred images in general are perplexing – how can one pray to the calendar?

There were even locks with an appendage on which there was an image of St. Trinity. In our church, every Saturday during the Liturgy, they walk past each worshipper with cups and trays, collecting money for the construction of the church. Is it permissible? What can be said about the abbot? This is the tradition of many churches, and you should not be bothered by this, since the rector of the church is responsible for this.

Such questions should be asked to him without hesitation. What should you do and what not to do on Sunday? St. Cosmas taught Christians: on Sundays not to trade, not to go to the market, not to do work, and also not to go for berries, mushrooms, hunting, fishing, but to go to church and listen there to the holy service and the word of God[9].

Is it possible to sell candles, books and icons in church during the service, especially when one part is taking communion, and the other is "free"? What should I do? This is decided by the rector, who is responsible for this. Traditionally, it has always been like this. How can an Orthodox properly pass a candle to the icons if he is late for the service and there are many people in the church?

And how to correctly accept such a candle from another, or can it no longer be transferred? You need to give candles before the start of the service, trying not to say unnecessary words and not to fuss. It is necessary to refrain from passing candles during the Eucharistic canon, the reading of the Gospel. Is it necessary to go to church on Sundays? The commandment does not say that it is necessary to go to church.

You see, although my husband is baptized, he is against me going every Sunday. From time to time, he allows. I wanted to know if I had to go to church anyway or not. I myself really want to go to church more often. God's commandment tells us to "do our works six days, and dedicate the seventh to the Lord our God."

If possible on your part, then you need to go to church as often as possible. One of the Fathers of the Church said: "To whom the Church is not a mother, to him God is not a Father."1 If there are scandals about going to church, you need to avoid them, but if you are forced to stay at home, you need to try to find ways to be as close to God as possible on this day. Pray more, read the Holy Scriptures. Just to meditate on the Lord.

Do not listen to an unbelieving husband in matters of faith. I came to the church, stood there; before and during the service I see a beautiful, golden glow of icons, gates, etc. Any visions in the church or outside of it are not useful to us, sinners. We must pray to God that the Lord deliver us from them, otherwise it can lead to self-deception and "delusion," that is, to the state when a person begins to think of himself as something lofty and considers himself worthy of such visions.

And this is a fertile ground for the influence of dark forces. What contributes to attention during divine services? "It is useful to repeat a short prayer in the heart during divine services," says St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, "since it contributes to careful attention, keeping the mind from being distracted. With the unhurried reading of prayers, attention is possible, but with hasty reading, there is no place for attention."

Is it possible in church, while on the kliros, to make aloud remarks if someone happens to make a mistake in reading or singing? To make a remark aloud, to stop what has begun, and especially not to laugh, so as not to bring embarrassment to others. What if, for example, it happens to say the wrong prokeimenon or to read not so many verses in the canon as it is supposed to?

This, of course, should be lightly recalled, and explained after the end of the service is good; This is not the crime that something is read by mistake, but that although it is read, it is not considered to be disagreeable. Is it possible to talk in church? "Do not speak in church" (St. Anthony the Great) [10].