He who attends church only infrequently sorely  deprives himself.  Those parents who do not see to it that their children go to church commit a terrible sin.  Remember the words of the Saviour: Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them (Matt. 18:20).

Here on our sinful earth the holy church is a place where one can take refuge from the storms of life. The church is an image of heaven on earth, where the Master of heaven and earth Himself, our Lord Jesus Christ, is mystically and inscrutably present.  In church, as it says in one of the hymns, “the powers of heaven serve invisibly.”

A church may rightly be called a school of faith and piety.  St. John of Kronstadt wrote in his diary,  “In the church, in its design and its various parts, in the Divine services-with the reading of the Scriptures, the singing, the rituals-the entire Old and New Testament histories, the entire history of the Church, the whole economy of man’s salvation is vividly sketched out, as on a map, in its particulars and its general features.”

What does a Christian learn in church?  Heavenly wisdom, which the Son of God, Jesus Christ, brought to earth.  Here he will learn the details of the Saviour’s earthly life, he will become acquainted with the lives and teachings of the saints-those who pleased God; he will participate in the Church’s prayer. And the communal prayer of the faithful is a great power! How to Behave in Church

Enter the church with spiritual joy.  Remember that the Saviour Himself promised to comfort you in your sorrows: Come to Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I shall give you rest (Matt. 11:28).

Always enter with humility and meekness, that you might leave the church justified, like the humble publican of the Gospel.

When you enter the church and see the holy icons, reflect upon the fact that the Lord Himself and all the saints are looking at you; this should inspire in you a feeling of profound reverence and fear of God.

Upon entering the church make three bows (on weekdays, three prostrations) with the sign of the Cross, praying, “O God, cleanse me a sinner and have mercy on me.”

At the Divine Liturgy the faithful submit names of relatives and friends for commemoration, for the health of those living and, on a separate slip, for the repose of those departed (baptized Orthodox Christians only).  The names should be written legibly and as they were given at holy baptism, i.e., no nicknames.  Any number of names can be submitted, although a priest will tend to read a shorter list with greater attention-and more prayerfully.  It is therefore preferable, when possible,  to rotate shorter lists than to leave a long list to be commemorated each Sunday. Church candles should be treated reverently: they are a symbol of our burning prayer before the Lord, before His Mother and the saints. It is good if you have an accustomed place to stand in church.  Take your place quietly.  As you cross in front of the royal doors, pause and bow your head, making the sign of the cross.  If your place is occupied, don’t make an issue of it and find another spot to stand this time. Come to church in time for the beginning of the service.  If it happens that you are late, take care not to disturb those already at prayer. Should you come during the reading of the Six Psalms or the Gospel, or during the Eucharistic Canon (from “A mercy of peace…” through “We praise Thee…”), stand at the entrance doors until these important parts of the service are concluded.

During the service try not to walk about the church, even to put up a candle.  One should likewise venerate icons before the beginning of the service or afterwards, or at designated times such as during the anointing at vigil services.  All movement should be avoided during those parts of the service which call for special concentration in prayer, as for example at the Entrances, during the reading of the Gospel and the Cherubic Hymn, the bringing out of the chalice with the Holy Gifts, and, at the vigil service, during the Magnificat and the Great Doxo-logy.

In church, do not talk; pray.  Don’t look around at others; direct all your thoughts to God and to the Divine Service. If someone greets you in church, acknowledge this with a silent bow of the head; don’t shake hands, even with a close acquaintance, and don’t enter into any conversation.

In the Orthodox Church the practice is to stand during services; only persons who are ill or feeble are permitted to sit down, although during especially important parts of the service-the reading of the Gospel, for example-they, too, should stand.

When the priest or deacon is censing the church, one should move out of the way and, as he passes by, bow the head (without making the sign of the cross).  One should likewise bow when the priest says, “Peace unto all,” and when he blesses the faithful with the Gospel. At the consecration of the Holy Gifts (at the prayer “We praise Thee…”), after the hymn “It is meet…”, after the Lord’s Prayer, and at the bringing out of the chalice one should make a full prostration.  On Sundays and feastdays of the Lord, when prostrations are not appointed (and should NOT be made), they are replaced at these times by bows from the waist.

In church pray as a participant in the services, and not simply as someone in attendance, in such a manner that the prayers and hymns which are read and sung come from your heart.  Follow the service attentively, joining in the prayers of the Church. Make the sign of the cross and bow together with everyone else.  It is proper to cross oneself at the doxology of the Holy Trinity and Jesus Christ, during the petitions-at every ‘Lord, have mercy” and “Grant this, O Lord;” and likewise at the beginning and end of every prayer.  One should make the sign of the cross and bow as one enters the church, in venerating an icon or placing a candle, and as one leaves the church.  The cross should be made consciously and deliberately, without haste, for in doing so we appeal to the Lord’s mercy and grace.

If you come to church with children, see to it that they behave themselves; accustom them to prayer and reverence.  If children need to leave in the middle of the service, tell them to cross themselves and go out quietly, or take them out yourself. If a young child starts crying, take him outside or into the foyer.  Never allow a child to eat in church, except for the antidoron (at Liturgy) and blessed bread (at vigil) distributed by the priest.  The faithful should be condescending towards children, recalling how the Lord enjoined parents to bring their children to Him.  Take care not to speak sharply to them or act unkindly lest you drive them away from church.

Do not judge the inadvertent mistakes of those who are serving or in attendance; it is more beneficial to attend to one’s own shortcomings and ask the Lord to forgive one’s sins.  If you see something that bothers your concentration, don’t get upset, but if you find you cannot dismiss the temptation, it’s better to move quietly to another place.

Before coming into the church, have your money for candles and the collection plate already prepared.

Never leave the church before the end of the service unless it is absolutely necessary; this is a sin before God. If it does happen, repent of it in con-fession.

According to a long-established practice, men should stand at the right of the church, and women at the left.  The center aisle from the main entrance to the Royal Doors should be unoccupied.

In coming to church one should dress appropriately: clothing should be clean and unobtrusive. Tight pants, short dresses and lowcut bodices are not permitted.   Women should have their heads covered.  When venerating icons and receiving the Holy Mysteries, they should not wear lipstick.

Avoid standing bodily in church while wandering outside the church in mind, and standing bodily before God while wandering about in spirit in worldly affairs, lest that saying be applied to you: This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoreth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me (Matt. 15:8).         – St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

Above all, parishioners should have mutual love among themselves, a striving for spiritual life and an understanding of the contents of the services. If we come to God’s temple with reverence, if we are humble in our relations with the clergy and with one another, and if, while standing in church, we recognize that we are in heaven, then the Lord will fulfill all our requests and we will come close to Him.

Translated from Perviye Shagi v Pravoslavnom Khrame (First Steps in the Orthodox Church), Deacon Vladimir Sidorov, Moscow, 1991, as edited in Blagovestnik, San Francisco, CA, June 1993.