5. On How One Ought to Conduct Oneself in Church

Since not everyone conducts themselves properly in church—and some stand there neither praying nor attending to what is being sung and read, others laugh and talk in church, and some even by their words and behavior draw others away from meditation and prayer, imitating the devil the tempter—we have therefore considered it our moral duty to offer both such people and all in general a homily from one of God’s holy saints and from Holy Church on how Christians ought to conduct themselves in church and how to relate to the divine service.

What will God’s saint and Holy Church say to us about this?

This is what.

The venerable Seraphim of Sarov says: “There are many who say: ‘we were at the liturgy, or at matins, or at vespers,’ and flatter themselves with the hope that they really were there—but in fact, where did their mind wander all the while? They were only bodily present in God’s temple. Christians must above all attend to themselves and strive to remember that before us is the Lord, the Knower of hearts, and that we stand in the temple according to the word of the prophet: ’I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken’ (Ps. 15:8). Whoever keeps in mind that one must serve the Lord with fear and rejoice before Him with trembling will attend to everything that is sung or read during the service, especially what is read from the Holy Gospel, which is a shepherd’s staff for every wound of sin.”

So the venerable Seraphim of Sarov teaches how one ought to conduct oneself in church. Let us now hear what Holy Church will say to us on the same subject.

In one of the church homilies in the Prologue it is written: “Beloved children and brothers, when you come to church, with great fear and reverence attend to what is sung during the divine liturgy, and do not talk about worldly matters in God’s church. Even before an earthly king one stands with fear, so as not to provoke his anger, and in an earthly king’s presence people are afraid to glance at one another lest they be punished for it. How much more, then, must one take care not only to avoid conversation with one another while standing before God in church, but to keep the mind constantly absorbed in the singing and in prayer? Do not disrupt the church service with talk, laughter, or drowsiness, but listen and attend to how it is sung: let us lay aside all earthly care, that we may receive the King of all… And those among you who wish to obtain salvation must take special care for the purity of soul in the hour of prayer, and must not be seduced by the devil’s schemes or give themselves over to idle talk” (Prologue, June 6).

As you see, both God’s saint and Holy Church teach us that in God’s temple we should above all be attentive to ourselves, remember that before us is the Lord the Knower of hearts, stand with fear, listen earnestly to what is sung and read during the services, not disrupt the church service with talk, laughter, or drowsiness, not give ourselves to idle talk, not be seduced by the devil’s schemes, and take care for the purity of soul in the hour of prayer. What obligation does this teaching lay upon us? Evidently, to follow it and to conduct ourselves in church as it directs. And so it must indeed be, for otherwise our presence in the temple will become displeasing to God and consequently of no benefit to us. Listen to what the Lord says about those who come to the temple not for the temple’s sake: This people draws near to Me with their lips, and honors Me with their mouths; but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me (Matt. 15:7–9). It is clear, then, that even the prayer of such people is not pleasing to God, and their attendance at the temple brings them no benefit. To avoid this, we must, we repeat, follow—in respect to behavior in the temple—the teaching of both God’s saint and Holy Church. How? We must enter the temple with reverence, having laid aside every worldly care at its threshold; we must stand in it with fear, as befits those who stand before the face of the heavenly King; and we must, finally, pray as is fitting for repentant sinners to pray. Then beyond all doubt our prayer will become pleasing to God, and our attendance at God’s temple will bring us great benefit. Amen.