Great Lent (Pentecost) - a central post in all historical churches and many Protestant denominations, the purpose of which is to prepare a Christian for the celebration of Easter; also the corresponding period of the liturgical year, marked in the service by prayers of repentance and remembrance of the death on the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Installed in memory of the fact that Christ fasted in the desert for forty days. The duration of Lent is in one way or another connected with the number 40, but its actual duration depends on the calculation rules adopted in a given denomination.
Dates of Lent:
2016 - from March 14 to May 1 (Easter) 2017 - from February 27 to April 16 (Easter)2018 - from February 19 to April 8 (Easter) 2019 - from March 11 to April 28 (Easter) 2020 - from March 2 to April 19 (Easter)Preparation
Preparation for Lent begins four weeks before it begins, which serves the purpose of spiritually preparing a Christian for the main and only meaning of fasting - repentance. Each of the weeks (Sundays) and weeks preceding Lent has its own name
Week of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10)
In the first week of preparation for Lent, the Church calls on Christians, following the example of Zacchaeus, to show free will in order to draw closer to God. The short Zacchaeus is sinful and limited, but his desire surpasses and conquers all this. He effortlessly attracts the attention of Jesus Christ and brings Him into his home.
Week of the Publican and the Pharisee (Luke 18:10-14)
Three weeks before Great Lent, the Church remembers the Gospel parable of the publican and the Pharisee. From this day onwards the singing of the Lenten Triodion begins. At Matins, after reading the 50th Psalm, special penitential troparia “Open the doors of repentance...” are read, which are sung in all subsequent Weeks up to and including the fifth Week of the Holy Pentecost.
The Church calls the faithful to reflect on true and demonstrative repentance, when the one who condemns himself (the tax collector) was justified by God, and the one who exalts himself (the Pharisee) was condemned.
To commemorate the fact that blind adherence to the letter of the law (statute) brings spiritual harm, fasting is canceled on the following Wednesday and Friday. The next week is therefore called “continuous”, since on all its days, including Wednesday and Friday, according to the rules, it is allowed to eat fast food. The Typikon (Chapter 49) speaks about the abolition of fasting during this period: “It is appropriate to edify: for in this week the wise keep the fast, which is said by the Arciburians. We monks eat cheese and eggs every day, on Wednesdays and Fridays, at the 9th hour. The laity eat meat, corrupting them with the command of a little heresy.”
Week of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)
At Matins, to the usual polyeleos psalms, Psalm 136 is added, “On the rivers of Babylon...” with “red alleluia” (this psalm, in addition to the Week of the Prodigal Son, is also sung on the Week of the Last Judgment and the Week of the Cheese).
During the Meat Week that follows, it is still allowed to consume meat products, except on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Week of the Last Judgment
The penultimate Sunday preceding Lent, the Fall and the expulsion of Adam and Eve (Matthew 25:31-46), is dedicated to the coming Last Judgment - this is the last day when eating meat is allowed (“fasting” for meat).
The week following it is called Meat Empty, in folk tradition known as Maslenitsa: throughout the week, including Wednesday and Friday, it is allowed to eat fish, eggs, cheese, and dairy products; however, on Wednesday and Friday, according to the Typikon, there is only one meal in the evening and the services on these two days are similar to Lenten: the Divine Liturgy is not allowed, the repentant prayer of Ephraim the Syrian is read with bows, etc.
The last Sunday before Great Lent is Forgiveness Sunday, also called “Cheese Week”: after Vespers, on this day the rite of mutual forgiveness is performed, after which the field of the Holy Pentecost begins.
Lent lasts six weeks + Holy Week, starting no earlier than February 2 (15) and ending no later than April 24 (May 7), inclusive, depending on the date of Easter. Moreover, the period from March 8 (21) to March 12 (March 25) always falls during Lent.
Each of the six weeks of Pentecost (ends on Friday of the sixth week, on the eve of Lazarus Saturday) in the Monthly Word is named by a serial number: 1st week of Great Lent, 2nd week of Great Lent, etc. - and ends with a Week (Sunday). From Holy Week, the counting of days in weeks begins with Week (Sunday).
Divine service
The service throughout the Pentecost period differs from the usual mainly in that:
on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays there is no liturgy (unless there is a holiday), but the hours and pictures are read and sung;
on Wednesdays and Fridays the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is celebrated;
on Saturdays and Palm Sunday- the usual liturgy of John Chrysostom;
on Sundays (except Palm Sunday) - the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great;
Each of the six Sundays is dedicated to a special memory.
The 1st week of Great Lent is popularly called “Fedorov’s Week.” At church services on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at Great Compline, the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is read in parts, and on Friday, after the prayer behind the pulpit, the prayer canon to the Great Martyr Theodore Tiron (hence the name of the first week) and the blessing of the kolivo (Kutia) is performed ). Monday is popularly called “Clean Monday”.
First week Lent - Triumph of Orthodoxy: in the modern practice of the Russian Orthodox Church, “eternal memory” is proclaimed to all deceased defenders of the Orthodox faith, and “many years” to the living faithful. Until 1919, heresies were also anathematized, and even earlier in Russia - state criminals. Currently, the anathematization of heresies is carried out in cathedral churches.
Second Week During Great Lent - the Russian Orthodox Church remembers one of the great theologians - St. Gregory Palamas.
Third Week Great Lent - Veneration of the Cross: after the Great Doxology at Matins, the Holy Cross is carried from the altar and offered for veneration to the faithful. The 4th week of Great Lent following the Week is called the Worship of the Cross; its environment is Midnight of the Holy Pentecost (colloquially called Sredokrestye); from this day until Great Wednesday, at all liturgies of the Presanctified Gifts, the litany “On those preparing for holy enlightenment” (baptism) is added.
Fourth Week- transitory memory of St. John Climacus. On Thursday of the 5th week at Matins the entire great penitential canon of Andrew of Crete is read, as well as the life of St. Mary of Egypt - “Standing of St. Andrew” or “Standing of Mary of Egypt.” Another name for this week has become widespread - “Laudation” from Saturday Akathist or Praise to the Most Holy Theotokos: on Saturday morning the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos is solemnly read. The celebration was established in memory of the rescue of Constantinople from foreign invasion in 626 under Emperor Heraclius.
Fifth Week- memory of St. Mary of Egypt, a model of true repentance. The sixth week is the Vai week, on the heel of which the Holy Pentecost ends; Saturday - The Resurrection of the Righteous Lazarus (Lazarus Saturday).
Sixth Week- Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem or Palm Sunday, the twelfth feast.
Holy Week:
Maundy Monday, Holy Monday- Monday of Holy Week. On this day, the Old Testament Patriarch Joseph, sold by his brothers to Egypt, is remembered as a prototype of the suffering Jesus Christ, as well as the Gospel story about Jesus’ curse of the barren fig tree, symbolizing a soul that does not bear spiritual fruit - true repentance, faith, prayer and good deeds.
Maundy Tuesday- Tuesday of Holy Week, on which the sermon of Jesus Christ in the Jerusalem Temple is remembered.
Great Wednesday, Holy Wednesday- Wednesday of Holy Week, which commemorates the betrayal of Jesus Christ by Judas and his anointing with chrism.
Maundy Thursday- Christ establishes the Sacrament of the Eucharist in the Upper Room of Zion in Jerusalem. The Synoptic Gospels describe this day as the day of unleavened bread, that is, the Jewish Passover (Passover). The Gospel of John and subsequent events in the other Gospels show that the Jews of Jerusalem celebrated Easter after the day of Christ's execution, that is, two days later. One explanation, also taking into account the Qumran finds, suggests that the Galilean calendar was two days behind the Jerusalem calendar. Thus, at the Last Supper, the Old Testament Passover - lamb, wine and unleavened bread is mystically associated with the New Testament Passover - Christ, His Body and Blood;
Good Friday- according to tradition, before the holiday of Passover, Pontius Pilate wanted to release one prisoner, in the hope that the people would ask for Jesus. However, incited by the high priests, the people demand the release of Barabbas. John emphasizes that the crucifixion occurs on the day of Easter, since the slaughter of the Paschal sacrificial lamb on the Old Testament Passover (Passover) is a prototype of the New Testament Passover - the slaughter of Christ as the Lamb of God for the sins of the world. Just as the bones of the Passover lamb (firstborn and without blemish) should not be broken, so Christ’s legs are not broken, unlike others executed. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, having asked Pilate to bury the body of Jesus, wrap it in a shroud soaked in incense and place it in the nearest tomb - a cave until the Sabbath rest. Mary Magdalene and the “other Mary” are present at the burial;
Holy Saturday- the high priests, remembering that Christ spoke about his resurrection on the third day, despite the current holiday and Saturday, turn to Pilate to set a guard for three days so that the disciples do not steal the body, thereby depicting the resurrection of the teacher from the dead;
Enamel miniature “The Resurrection of Christ” (scapular of Andrei Bogolyubsky, ca. 1170-1180s)
Easter - Holy Resurrection of Christ:
Resurrection of Christ (the first day after Saturday) - after the Saturday rest, the Myrrh-Bearing Women go to the tomb. In front of them, an Angel descends to the tomb and rolls away the stone, an earthquake occurs, and the guards are thrown into fear. The angel tells the wives that Christ has risen and will precede them to Galilee. The appearance of Christ to the disciples;
Meals during Lent
Regarding meals, the Church Charter prescribes the following rules:
in the first and last (Holy Week) weeks - especially strict fasting;
“meat” products are not allowed;
on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays - cold food without oil once a day (in the evening);
on Tuesdays and Thursdays - hot food without oil once a day (in the evening);
on Saturdays and Sundays it is allowed to consume vegetable oil and grape wine (except Saturday of Holy Week) twice a day (in the daytime and in the evening);
There is no food allowed on Good Friday;
on Holy Saturday, many believers also refuse food until Easter, while the Charter allows a single meal of raw food with wine in the evening of this day;
fish is allowed only on the holidays of the Annunciation (if it does not coincide with Holy Week) and on Palm Sunday (Vaiy); On Lazarus Saturday, fish is not allowed, but caviar can be eaten.
On the days of remembrance of the most revered saints, if they fall during Lent, it is also permitted:
- on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday - eat hot food with vegetable oil;
- on Wednesday and Friday - hot food without oil, but with wine.
Lent falls in the spring, so the main products of this Lent are pickles and boiled vegetables and fruits, as well as carrots, onions, cabbage, beets, canned green pea and other legumes, apples, oranges, dried fruits and nuts. There are many different dishes that can be prepared using these and other products.
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Designation of calendar background colors No post
Fish, hot food with vegetable oil Hot food with vegetable oil Hot food without vegetable oil Cold food without vegetable oil, unheated drinks Abstinence from food Big holidays |
Great Church holidays in 2017
| January 14 | |
| January 19 | |
| February, 15 | |
| April 7 | |
| April 9 | |
| May 25 | |
| July 7 | |
| July, 12 | |
| August 19 | |
| August 28 | |
| September 21 | |
| September 27 | |
| October 14 | |
| December 4 |
Lent
(in 2017 falls on February 27 - April 15)
Lent is designated for the repentance and humility of Christians before the holiday of Easter, on which the Holy Resurrection of Christ from the dead is celebrated. This is the most significant of all Christian holidays.
The start and end times of Lent depend on the date of Easter, which does not have a fixed calendar date. The duration of Lent is 7 weeks. It consists of 2 fasts - Lent and Holy Week.
Lent lasts 40 days in memory of the forty-day fast of Jesus Christ in the desert. Thus, the fast is called Lent. The last seventh week of Great Lent - Holy Week is designated in memory of last days earthly life, suffering and death of Christ.
During Lent, you are allowed to eat only once a day, in the evening. During the entire fast, including weekends, it is prohibited to consume meat, milk, cheese and eggs. Fasting must be observed with particular strictness in the first and last weeks. On the Feast of the Annunciation Holy Mother of God, April 7, it is allowed to relax the fast and add vegetable oil and fish to the diet. In addition to abstaining from food during Lent, one must diligently pray that the Lord God will grant repentance, regret for sins and love for the Almighty.
Apostolic Fast - Petrov Fast
(in 2017 falls on June 12 - July 11)
This post does not have a specific date. The apostolic fast is dedicated to the memory of the apostles Peter and Paul. Its beginning depends on the day of Easter and the Holy Trinity, which falls on the current year. Lent begins exactly seven days after the feast of Trinity, which is also called Pentecost, because it is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter. The week before Lent is called All Saints' Week.
The duration of the Apostolic Fast can be from 8 days to 6 weeks (depending on the day of Easter celebration). The Apostolic Fast ends on July 12, the day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. This is where the post got its name. It is also called the Fast of the Holy Apostles or the Fast of Peter.
The apostolic fast is not very strict. On Wednesday and Friday, dry eating is allowed, on Monday the consumption of hot food without oil is allowed, on Tuesday and Thursday mushrooms, vegetable foods with vegetable oil and a little wine are allowed, and on Saturday and Sunday fish is also allowed.
Fish is still allowed on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, if these days fall on a holiday with great praise. It is permissible to eat fish on Wednesday and Friday only when these days fall on a vigil holiday or a temple festival.
Dormition post
(in 2017 falls from August 14 to August 27)
The Dormition Fast begins exactly one month after the end of the Apostolic Fast on August 14 and lasts 2 weeks, until August 27. This post prepares for the Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is celebrated on August 28. Through the Dormition Fast we follow the example of the Mother of God, who was constantly in fasting and prayer.
According to the severity, the Assumption Fast is close to Great Lent. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday there is dry food, Tuesday and Thursday - hot food without oil, on Saturday and Sunday vegetable food with vegetable oil is allowed. On the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord (August 19), it is allowed to consume fish, as well as oil and wine.
On the day of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 28), if the devil falls on Wednesday or Friday, only fish is allowed. Meat, milk and eggs are prohibited. On other days, fasting is canceled.
There is also a rule not to eat fruit until August 19th. As a result, the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord is also called the Apple Savior, because at this time garden fruits (in particular, apples) are brought to the church, blessed and given away.
Christmas post
(from November 28 to January 6)
The period of Advent Lent lasts from November 28 to January 6. If the first day of fasting falls on Sunday, the fast is softened, but not canceled. The Nativity Fast precedes the Nativity of Christ, January 7 (December 25), on which the birth of the Savior is celebrated. Fasting begins 40 days before the celebration and is therefore also called Lent. People call the Nativity Fast Filippov, because it begins immediately after the day of remembrance of the Apostle Philip - November 27. Conventionally, the Nativity Fast shows the state of the world before the coming of the Savior. By abstinence in food, Christians express respect for the holiday of the Birth of Christ. In accordance with the rules of abstinence, the Nativity Fast is similar to the Apostolic Fast until the day of St. Nicholas - December 19. From December 20 until Christmas, fasting is observed with particular strictness.
According to the charter, it is allowed to eat fish on the feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the week before December 20.
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays of the Nativity Fast, dry eating is accepted.
If there is a temple holiday or vigil on these days, it is allowed to eat fish; If the day of a great saint falls, the consumption of wine and vegetable oil is allowed.
After St. Nicholas Memorial Day and before Christmas, fish is allowed on Saturday and Sunday. You cannot eat fish on the eve of the holiday. If these days fall on Saturday or Sunday, meals with butter are allowed.
On Christmas Eve, January 6, on the eve of Christmas, food is not allowed until the appearance of the first star. This rule was adopted in memory of the star that shone at the moment of the birth of the Rescuer. After the appearance of the first star (it is customary to eat sochivo - wheat seeds boiled in honey or dried fruits softened in water, and kutya - boiled cereal with raisins. The Christmas period lasts from January 7 to January 13. From the morning of January 7, all food restrictions are lifted. Fasting is canceled for 11 days.
One-day posts
There are many one-day posts. According to the strictness of observance, they vary and are in no way associated with a specific date. The most common of them are posts on Wednesdays and Fridays of any week. Also, the most famous one-day fasts are on the day of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, on the day before the Baptism of the Lord, on the day of the Beheading of John the Baptist.
There are also one-day fasts associated with the dates of commemoration of famous saints.
These fasts are not considered strict if they do not fall on Wednesday and Friday. During these one-day fasts, it is prohibited to eat fish, but food with vegetable oil is acceptable.
Individual fasts can be taken in the event of some kind of misfortune or social misfortune - an epidemic, war, terrorist attack, etc. One-day fasts precede the sacrament of communion.
Posts on Wednesday and Friday
On Wednesday, according to the Gospel, Judas betrayed Jesus Christ, and on Friday Jesus suffered on the cross and died. In memory of these events, Orthodoxy has adopted fasts on Wednesday and Friday of each week. Exceptions occur only in continuous weeks or weeks, during which there are no existing restrictions for these days. Such weeks are considered to be Christmastide (January 7–18), Publican and Pharisee, Cheese, Easter and Trinity (the first week after Trinity).
On Wednesday and Friday it is forbidden to eat meat, dairy foods, and eggs. Some of the most pious Christians do not allow themselves to consume, including fish and vegetable oil, that is, they observe dry eating.
Relaxation of fasting on Wednesday and Friday is possible only if this day coincides with the feast of a particularly revered saint, to whose memory a special church service is dedicated.
In the period between All Saints' Week and before the Nativity of Christ, it is necessary to give up fish and vegetable oil. If Wednesday or Friday coincides with the feast of the saints, then it is allowed to use vegetable oil.
On major holidays, such as Intercession, it is allowed to eat fish.
On the eve of the feast of the Epiphany
The Epiphany of the Lord takes place on January 18th. According to the Gospel, Christ was baptized in the Jordan River, at that moment the Holy Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. John was a witness that Christ is the Savior, that is, Jesus is the Messiah of the Lord. During baptism, he heard the voice of the Most High, proclaiming: “This is My beloved Son, with Him I am well pleased.”
Before the Epiphany of the Lord, a vigil is celebrated in churches, at which point the ceremony of consecrating holy water takes place. In connection with this holiday, fasting has been adopted. At the time of this fast, food intake is allowed once a day and only juice and kutya with honey. Therefore, among Orthodox believers, the eve of Epiphany is usually called Christmas Eve. If the evening meal falls on Saturday or Sunday, the fast on that day is not canceled, but is relaxed. In this case, you can eat food twice a day - after the liturgy and after the rite of blessing of water.
Fasting on the Day of the Beheading of John the Baptist
The day of the Beheading of John the Baptist is commemorated on September 11. It was introduced in memory of the death of the prophet - John the Baptist, who was the Forerunner of the Messiah. According to the Gospel, John was thrown into prison by Herod Antipas because of his exposure in connection with Herodias, the wife of Philip, Herod’s brother.
During the celebration of his birthday, the King organized a holiday, the daughter of Herodias, Salome, presented a skillful dance to Herod. He was delighted with the beauty of the dance, and promised the girl everything she wanted for it. Herodias persuaded her daughter to beg for the head of John the Baptist. Herod fulfilled the girl’s wish by sending a warrior to the prisoner to bring him John’s head.
In memory of John the Baptist and his pious life, during which he continuously fasted, a fast was established. On this day it is forbidden to consume meat, dairy, eggs and fish. Vegetable foods and vegetable oil are acceptable.
Fasting on the Day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
This holiday falls on September 27th. This day was established in memory of the discovery of the Lord's Cross. This happened in the 4th century. According to legend, the emperor Byzantine Empire Constantine the Great won many victories thanks to the Cross of the Lord and therefore revered this symbol. Showing gratitude to the Almighty for the consent of the church at the First Ecumenical Council, he decided to erect a temple on Calvary. Helen, the emperor's mother, went to Jerusalem in 326 to find the Cross of the Lord.
According to the then custom, crosses, as instruments of execution, were buried next to the place of execution. Three crosses were found on Calvary. It was impossible to understand which one was Christ, since the bar with the inscription “Jesus the Nazarene King of the Jews” was discovered separately from all the crosses. Subsequently, the Cross of the Lord was installed according to its power, which was expressed in the healing of the sick and the resurrection of a person through touching this cross. Glory about amazing wonders The Cross of the Lord attracted a lot of people, and because of the crowds, many did not have the opportunity to see and bow to it. Then Patriarch Macarius raised the cross, showing it to everyone around him in the distance. Thus, the holiday of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross appeared.
The holiday was adopted on the day of the consecration of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, September 26, 335, and began to be celebrated the next day, September 27. In 614, the Persian king Khozroes took possession of Jerusalem and took out the Cross. In 328, Chozroes' heir, Syroes, returned the stolen Cross of the Lord to Jerusalem. This happened on September 27, so this day is considered a double holiday - the Exaltation and the Finding of the Cross of the Lord. On this day it is forbidden to eat cheese, eggs and fish. In this way, Christian believers express their reverence for the Cross.
Holy Resurrection of Christ - Easter
(in 2017 falls on April 16)
The most key Christian holiday is Easter - the Holy Resurrection of Christ from the dead. Easter is considered the main one between the transitory twelve holidays, since the Easter story contains everything on which Christian knowledge is based. For all Christians, the Resurrection of Christ means salvation and trampling on death.
The suffering of Christ, torture on the cross and death, washed away original sin, and therefore gave salvation to humanity. That is why Christians call Easter the Solemnity of Solemnities and the Feast of Feasts.
The Christian holiday is based on next story. On the first day of the week, the myrrh-bearing women came to the tomb of Christ to anoint the body with incense. However, the large block that blocked the entrance to the tomb was moved, and an angel sat on the stone, who told the women that the Savior had risen. Some time later, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene and sent her to the apostles to inform them that the prophecy had come true.
She ran to the apostles and told them the good news and told them the message of Christ that they would meet in Galilee. Before His death, Jesus told the disciples about future events, but Mary's news plunged them into confusion. Faith in the Kingdom of Heaven, promised by Jesus, came to life again in their hearts. However, not everyone was happy about the Resurrection of Jesus: the high priests and Pharisees started rumors about the disappearance of the body.
However, despite the lies and painful trials that fell on the first Christians, the New Testament Easter became the foundation of the Christian faith. The blood of Christ atoned for the sins of people and opened the way to salvation for them. From the first days of Christianity, the apostles established the celebration of Easter, which was preceded by Holy Week in memory of the suffering of the Savior. Today they are preceded by Lent, which lasts forty days.
For a long time, discussions continued about the true date of the celebration of the memory of the events described, until at the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea (325) they agreed to celebrate Easter on the 1st Sunday following the first spring full moon and the vernal equinox. IN various years Easter can be celebrated from March 21 to April 24 (old style).
On the eve of Easter, the service begins at eleven o'clock in the evening. First they serve the Midnight Office Holy Saturday, then the bell sounds and a procession of the cross takes place, which is led by the clergy; believers leave the church with lighted candles, and the bell is replaced by the festive ringing of bells. When the procession returns to closed doors churches, which symbolize the tomb of Christ, the ringing is interrupted. Sounds holiday prayer, and the church door opens. At this time, the priest exclaims: “Christ is Risen!”, and the believers together answer: “Truly He is Risen!” This is how Easter Matins begins.
At the time of the Easter liturgy, the Gospel of John is read as usual. At the end of the Easter liturgy, artos - large prosphora similar to Easter cakes - are blessed. During Easter week artos is located close to the royal doors. After the liturgy, on the following Saturday, a special rite of breaking the artos is served, and pieces of it are distributed to the believers.
At the end of the Easter liturgy, the fast ends and the Orthodox can treat themselves to a piece of blessed Easter cake or Easter cake, a colored egg, a meat pie, etc. In the first week of Easter (Bright Week) it is supposed to give food to the hungry and help the needy. Christians go to visit their relatives and exchange exclamations: “Christ is risen!” - “Truly he is risen!” On Easter, people are supposed to give colored eggs. This tradition was adopted in memory of the visit of Mary Magdalene to the Emperor of Rome Tiberius. According to legend, Mary was the first to tell Tiberius the news of the Resurrection of the Savior and brought him an egg as a gift - as a symbol of life. But Tiberius did not believe the news of the Resurrection and said that he would believe it if the egg he brought turned red. And at that moment the egg turned red. In memory of what happened, believers began to paint eggs, which became a symbol of Easter.
Palm Sunday. Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.
(in 2017 falls on April 9)
The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, or simply Palm Sunday, is one of the most key twelve holidays celebrated by the Orthodox. The first mentions of this holiday are found in manuscripts of the 3rd century. This event has great importance for Christians, since the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, whose authorities were hostile to Him, means that Christ voluntarily accepted the suffering of the cross. The entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is described by all four evangelists, which also testifies to the significance of this day.
The date of Palm Sunday depends on the date of Easter: The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is celebrated a week before Easter. In order to confirm the people in the belief that Jesus Christ is the Messiah predicted by the prophets, a week before the Resurrection, the Savior and the apostles went to the city. On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus sent John and Peter to a village, indicating the place where they would find the colt. The apostles brought a colt to the Teacher, on which He sat and went to Jerusalem.
At the entrance to the city, some people laid out their own clothes, the rest accompanied Him with cut palm branches, and greeted the Savior with the words: “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” because they believed that Jesus was the Messiah and King of the people of Israel.
When Jesus entered the Jerusalem temple, he drove out the merchants with the words: “My house will be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves” (Matthew 21:13). People listened with admiration to the teachings of Christ. The sick began to come to Him, He healed them, and at that moment the children sang His praises. Then Christ left the temple and went with his disciples to Bethany.
In ancient times, it was customary to greet winners with fronds, or palm branches; this is where another name for the holiday came from: Vaiya Week. In Russia, where palm trees do not grow, the holiday received its third name - Palm Sunday - in honor of the only plant that blooms during this harsh time. Palm Sunday ends Lent and begins Holy Week.
Concerning festive table, then Palm Sunday allows fish and vegetable dishes with vegetable oil. And the day before, on Lazarus Saturday, after Vespers, you can taste a little fish caviar.
Ascension of the Lord
(in 2017 it falls on May 25)
The Ascension of the Lord is celebrated on the fortieth day after Easter. Traditionally, this holiday falls on Thursday of the sixth week of Easter. The events associated with the Ascension signify the end of the Savior’s earthly sojourn and the beginning of His life in the bosom of the Church. After the Resurrection, the Teacher came to his disciples for forty days, teaching them the true faith and the way of salvation. The Savior instructed the apostles what to do after His Ascension.
Then Christ promised the disciples to release the Holy Spirit on them, which they should wait for in Jerusalem. Christ said: “And I will send the promise of My Father upon you; But you remain in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Then, together with the apostles, they went outside the city, where He blessed the disciples and began to ascend into heaven. The apostles bowed to Him and returned to Jerusalem.
As for fasting, on the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord it is allowed to eat any food, both fasting and fasting.
Trinity Day - Pentecost
(in 2017 falls on June 4)
On the Day of the Holy Trinity, we commemorate the story that tells about the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Christ. The Holy Spirit appeared to the Apostles of the Savior in the form of tongues of flame on the day of Pentecost, that is, on the fiftieth day after Easter, hence the name of this holiday. Second, most famous name day is timed to coincide with the acquisition by the apostles of the third hypostasis of the Holy Trinity - the Holy Spirit, after which the Christian concept of the Triune Godhead received a perfect interpretation.
On the day of the Holy Trinity, the apostles intended to meet in their home in order to pray together. Suddenly they heard a roar, and then tongues of fire began to appear in the air, which, dividing, descended on Christ’s disciples.
After the flame descended on the apostles, the prophecy “...were filled... with the Holy Spirit...” (Acts 2:4) came true and they offered a prayer. With the descent of the Holy Spirit, Christ's disciples acquired the gift of speaking different languages in order to carry the Word of the Lord throughout the world.
The noise coming from the house attracted a large crowd of curious people. The assembled people were amazed that the apostles could speak different languages. Among the people there were people from other nations, they heard the apostles offering prayer to their native language. Most people were surprised and filled with awe, at the same time, among those gathered there were also people who were skeptical about what had happened, “they got drunk on sweet wine” (Acts 2:13).
On this day, the Apostle Peter preached his first sermon, which said that the event that happened on this day was predicted by the prophets and marks the last mission of the Savior in the earthly world. The Apostle Peter's sermon was short and simple, but the Holy Spirit spoke through him, and his speech reached the souls of many people. At the end of Peter's speech, many accepted the faith and were baptized. “So those who gladly received his word were baptized, and that day about three thousand souls were added” (Acts 2:41). Since ancient times, Trinity Day has been revered as a birthday. Christian Church created by Sacred grace.
On Trinity Day, it is customary to decorate houses and churches with flowers and grass. Regarding the festive table, on this day it is allowed to eat any food. There is no fasting on this day.
Twelfth Enduring Holidays
Christmas (January 7)
According to legend, the Lord God promised sinner Adam the coming of the Savior back in paradise. Many prophets foreshadowed the coming of the Savior - Christ, in particular the prophet Isaiah, prophesied about the birth of the Messiah to the Jews who had forgotten the Lord and worshiped pagan idols. Shortly before the birth of Jesus, the ruler Herod proclaimed a decree on a population census, for this the Jews had to appear in the cities in which they were born. Joseph and the Virgin Mary also went to the cities where they were born.
They did not get to Bethlehem quickly: the Virgin Mary was pregnant, and when they arrived in the city, it was time to give birth. But in Bethlehem, due to the crowd of people, all the places were occupied, and Joseph and Mary had to stay in a stable. At night, Mary gave birth to a boy, named Him Jesus, swaddled him and put him in a manger - a feeding trough for livestock. Not far from their overnight stay, there were shepherds grazing cattle, an angel appeared to them, who told them: ... I bring you great joy that will be to all people: for today a Savior has been born to you in the city of David, who is Christ the Lord; and here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger” (Luke 2:10-12). When the angel disappeared, the shepherds went to Bethlehem, where they found the Holy Family, worshiped Jesus, and told about the appearance of the angel and his sign, after which they went back to their flocks.
In these same days, wise men came to Jerusalem and asked people about the born king of the Jews, since a new bright star was shining in the heavens. Having learned about the Magi, King Herod called them to him in order to find out the place where the Messiah was born. He ordered the wise men to find out the place where the new king of the Jews was born.
The Magi followed the star, which led them to the stable where the Savior was born. Entering the stable, the wise men bowed to Jesus and presented him with gifts: incense, gold and myrrh. “And having received a revelation in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another route” (Matthew 2:12). That same night, Joseph received a sign: an angel appeared in his dream and said: “Get up, take the Child and His Mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod wants to look for the Child in order to destroy Him” (Matt. 2, 13). Joseph, Mary and Jesus went to Egypt, where they stayed until the death of Herod.
For the first time, the holiday of the Nativity of Christ began to be celebrated in the 4th century in Constantinople. The holiday is preceded by a forty-day fast and Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve, it is customary to drink only water, and when the first star appears in the sky, they break their fast with sochi - boiled wheat or rice with honey and dried fruits. After Christmas and before Epiphany, Christmastide is celebrated, during which all fasts are canceled.
Epiphany - Epiphany (January 19)
Christ began serving people at the age of thirty. John the Baptist was supposed to anticipate the coming of the Messiah, who prophesied the coming of the Messiah and baptized people in the Jordan for the cleansing of sins. When the Savior appeared to John for baptism, John recognized the Messiah in Him and told Him that he himself must be baptized by the Savior. But Christ answered: “...leave it now, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15), that is, to fulfill what the prophets said.
Christians call the feast of the Baptism of the Lord the Epiphany; at the baptism of Christ, three hypostases of the Trinity appeared to people for the first time: the Lord Son, Jesus himself, the Holy Spirit, who descended in the form of a dove on Christ, and the Lord Father, who said: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” "(Matthew 3:17).
The first to celebrate the feast of Epiphany were the disciples of Christ, as evidenced by the set of apostolic rules. One day before holiday Epiphany begins on Christmas Eve. On this day, as on Christmas Eve, Orthodox Christians eat sochiv, and only after the blessing of the water. Epiphany water is considered healing, it is sprinkled at home, and it is drunk on an empty stomach for various diseases.
On the feast of Epiphany itself, the rite of the great hagiasma is also served. On this day, the tradition of making a religious procession to reservoirs with the Gospel, banners and lamps has been preserved. Procession accompanied by the ringing of bells and the singing of the troparion of the holiday.
Presentation of the Lord (February 15)
The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord describes the events that happened in the Jerusalem Temple during the meeting of the Infant Jesus with the elder Simeon. According to the law, on the fortieth day after her birth, the Virgin Mary brought Jesus to the Temple of Jerusalem. According to legend, Elder Simeon lived at the temple where he translated the Holy Scriptures into Greek language. In one of the prophecies of Isaiah, which describes the coming of the Savior, in the place where His birth is described, it is said that the Messiah will be born not from a woman, but from a Virgin. The elder suggested that there was an error in the original text, at that same moment an angel appeared to him and said that Simeon would not die until he saw the Blessed Virgin and Her Son with his own eyes.
When the Virgin Mary entered the temple with Jesus in her arms, Simeon immediately saw Them and recognized the Messiah in the Baby. He took Him in his arms and uttered the following words: “Now You are releasing Your servant, O Master, according to Your word in peace, because My eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all people, a light for the revelation of tongues and the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2, 29). From now on, the old man could die peacefully, because he had just seen with his own eyes both the Virgin Mother and Her Son-Savior.
Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (April 7)
Since ancient times, the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary has been called both the Beginning of Redemption and the Conception of Christ. This lasted for the 7th century until it acquired the name it currently has. In terms of its significance for Christians, the Feast of the Annunciation is comparable only to the Nativity of Christ. That is why there is a proverb among people to this day that on a given day “the bird does not build a nest, the maiden does not braid her hair.”
The history of the holiday is as follows. When the Virgin Mary reached the age of fifteen, She had to leave the walls of the Jerusalem Temple: in accordance with the laws that existed in those times, only men had the opportunity to serve the Almighty throughout their lives. However, by this time Mary's parents had already died, and the priests decided to betroth Mary to Joseph of Nazareth.
One day an angel appeared to the Virgin Mary, who was the Archangel Gabriel. He greeted Her with the following words: “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” Mary was confused because she did not know what the angel's words meant. The Archangel explained to Mary that She was the chosen one of the Lord for the birth of the Savior, about whom the prophets spoke: “... and you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a Son, and you will call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end” (Luke 1:31-33).
Having heard the revelation of the Archangel Gavria, the Virgin Mary asked: “... how will this happen if I don’t know my husband?” (Luke 1:34), to which the archangel replied that the Holy Spirit would descend on the Virgin, therefore the Child born from her would be holy. And Mary humbly answered: “...behold the handmaid of the Lord; Let it be done to me according to Your word” (Luke 1:37).
Transfiguration of the Lord (August 19)
The Savior often told the apostles that in order to save people, He would have to endure suffering and death. And in order to strengthen the faith of the disciples, he showed them His Divine glory, which awaits Him and the other righteous of Christ at the end of their earthly existence.
One day Christ took three disciples - Peter, James and John - to Mount Tabor to pray to the Almighty. But the apostles, tired during the day, fell asleep, and when they woke up, they saw how the Savior had been transformed: His clothes were snow-white, and His face shone like the sun.
Next to the Teacher were the prophets Moses and Elijah, with whom Christ spoke about his own sufferings that He would have to endure. At that same moment, the apostles were overwhelmed by such grace that Peter randomly suggested: “Mentor! It's good for us to be here; We will make three tabernacles: one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah, not knowing what he said” (Luke 9:33).
At that moment, everyone was enveloped in a cloud, from which the voice of God was heard: “This is My Beloved Son, listen to Him” (Luke 9:35). As soon as the words of the Most High were heard, the disciples again saw Christ alone in His ordinary appearance.
When Christ and the apostles were returning from Mount Tabor, He ordered them not to testify before the time of what they had seen.
In Rus', the Transfiguration of the Lord was popularly called the “Apple Savior”, since on this day honey and apples are blessed in churches.
Dormition of the Mother of God (August 28)
The Gospel of John says that before his death, Christ commanded the Apostle John to take care of his Mother (John 19:26–27). From that time on, the Virgin Mary lived with John in Jerusalem. Here the apostles recorded the stories of the Mother of God about the earthly existence of Jesus Christ. The Mother of God often went to Golgotha to venerate and pray, and on one of these visits, the Archangel Gabriel informed Her of Her imminent dormition.
By this time, the apostles of Christ began to come to the city for the last earthly service of the Virgin Mary. Before the death of the Mother of God, Christ and the angels appeared at Her bedside, causing those present to be gripped by fear. The Mother of God gave glory to God and, as if falling asleep, accepted a peaceful death.
The apostles took the bed on which the Mother of God was and carried it to the Garden of Gethsemane. The Jewish priests, who hated Christ and did not believe in His resurrection, learned about the death of the Mother of God. The high priest Athos overtook the funeral procession and grabbed the bed, trying to turn it over in order to desecrate the body. However, the moment he touched the stock, his hands were cut off by an invisible force. Only after this did Afonia repent and believe, and immediately found healing. The body of the Mother of God was placed in a coffin and covered with a large stone.
However, among those present in the procession was not one of Christ’s disciples, the Apostle Thomas. He arrived in Jerusalem only three days after the funeral and cried for a long time at the tomb of the Virgin Mary. Then the apostles decided to open the Tomb so that Thomas could venerate the body of the deceased.
When they rolled away the stone, they found only the funeral shrouds of the Mother of God inside; the body itself was not inside the tomb: Christ took the Mother of God to heaven in Her earthly nature.
A temple was subsequently built on that spot, where the funeral shrouds of the Mother of God were preserved until the 4th century. After this, the shrine was transported to Byzantium, to the Blachernae Church, and in 582, Emperor Mauritius issued a decree on the general celebration of the Dormition of the Mother of God.
This holiday among the Orthodox is considered one of the most revered, like other holidays dedicated to the memory of the Virgin Mary.
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (September 21)
The righteous parents of the Virgin Mary, Joachim and Anna, could not have children for a long time, and were very sad about their own childlessness, since among the Jews the absence of children was considered as God's punishment for secret sins. But Joachim and Anna did not lose faith in their child and prayed to God to send them a child. So they made an oath: if they have a child, they will give him to the service of the Almighty.
And God heard their requests, but before that, he subjected them to a test: when Joachim came to the temple to make a sacrifice, the priest did not take it, reproaching the old man for being childless. After this case Joachim went into the desert, where he fasted and begged for forgiveness from the Lord.
At this time, Anna also underwent a test: her maid reproached her for childlessness. After that, Anna went into the garden and, noticing a bird’s nest with chicks on a tree, began to think about the fact that even birds have children, and burst into tears. In the garden, an angel appeared before Anna and began to calm her down, promising that they would soon have a child. An angel also appeared before Joachim and said that the Lord had heard him.
After this, Joachim and Anna met and told each other about the good news that the angels told them, and a year later they had a girl, whom they named Mary.
Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord (September 27)
In 325, the mother of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine the Great, Queen Lena, went to Jerusalem to visit holy places. She visited Golgotha and the burial place of Christ, but most of all she wanted to find the Cross on which the Messiah was crucified. The search yielded results: three crosses were found on Calvary, and in order to find the one on which Christ suffered, they decided to conduct tests. Each of them was applied to the deceased, and one of the crosses resurrected the deceased. This was the same Cross of the Lord.
When the people learned that they had found the Cross on which Christ was crucified, a very large crowd gathered at Golgotha. There were so many Christians gathered that most of them could not approach the Cross to bow to the shrine. Patriarch Macarius proposed erecting the Cross so that everyone could see it. So, in honor of these events, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross was founded.
Among Christians, the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord is considered the only holiday that is celebrated from the first day of its existence, that is, the day when the Cross was found.
The Exaltation received general Christian significance after the war between Persia and Byzantium. In 614, Jerusalem was sacked by the Persians. Moreover, among the shrines they took away was the Cross of the Lord. And only in 628 the shrine was returned to the Church of the Resurrection, built on Calvary by Constantine the Great. Since then, the Feast of the Exaltation has been celebrated by all Christians in the world.
Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple (December 4)
Christians celebrate the presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the temple in memory of the dedication of the Virgin Mary to God. When Mary was three years old, Joachim and Anna fulfilled their vow: they brought their daughter to the Jerusalem Temple and placed her on the stairs. To the amazement of her parents and other people, little Mary walked up the stairs herself to meet the high priest, after which he led Her into the altar. From that time on, the Blessed Virgin Mary lived at the temple until the time came for her betrothal to righteous Joseph.
Great Holidays
Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord (January 14)
Circumcision of the Lord as a holiday was established in the 4th century. On this day, they commemorate an event associated with the Covenant made with God on Mount Zion by the prophet Moses: according to which all boys on the eighth day after birth were to accept circumcision as a symbol of unity with the Jewish patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
After completing this ritual, the Savior was named Jesus, as Archangel Gabriel commanded when he brought the good news to the Virgin Mary. According to the interpretation, the Lord accepted circumcision as a strict fulfillment of the laws of God. But in the Christian Church there is no ritual of circumcision, since according to the New Testament it gave way to the sacrament of baptism.
Nativity of John the Baptist, Forerunner of the Lord (July 7)
The celebration of the Nativity of John the Baptist, the prophet of the Lord, was established by the Church in the 4th century. Among all the most revered saints, John the Baptist occupies a special place, since he was supposed to prepare the Jewish people to accept the preaching of the Messiah.
During the reign of Herod, the priest Zechariah lived in Jerusalem with his wife Elizabeth. They did everything with zeal, as indicated by the Law of Moses, but God still did not give them a child. But one day, when Zechariah entered the altar for incense, he saw an angel who told the priest the good news that very soon his wife would give birth to a long-awaited child, who should be named John: “...and you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord; He will not drink wine or strong drink, and will be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb...” (Luke 1:14-15).
However, in response to this revelation, Zechariah smiled mournfully: both he himself and his wife Elizabeth were advanced in years. When he told the angel about his own doubts, he introduced himself as the Archangel Gabriel and, as punishment for disbelief, imposed a ban: because Zechariah did not believe the good news, he would not be able to talk until Elizabeth gave birth to a child.
Soon Elizabeth was pregnant, but she could not believe her own happiness, so she hid her situation for up to five months. In the end, she had a son, and when the baby was brought to the temple on the eighth day, the priest was greatly surprised to learn that he was named John: neither in the family of Zechariah nor in the family of Elizabeth was there anyone with that name. But Zacharias nodded his head and confirmed his wife’s wishes, after which he was able to talk again. And the first words that left his lips were the words of a heartfelt prayer of gratitude.
Day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (July 12)
On this day Orthodox Church commemorates the apostles Peter and Paul, who suffered martyrdom in 67 for preaching the Gospel. This holiday precedes the multi-day apostolic (Petrov) fast.
In ancient times, church rules were adopted by the Council of the Apostles, and Peter and Paul occupied the highest places in it. In other words, the lives of these apostles were of great importance for the development of the Christian Church.
However, the first apostles followed slightly different paths to faith, which, realizing them, one can involuntarily think about the inscrutability of the Lord’s ways.
Apostle Peter
Before Peter began his apostolic ministry, he bore a different name - Simon, which he received at birth. Simon lived as a fisherman on Lake Gennesaret until his brother Andrew brought him young man to Christ. The radical and strong Simon was immediately able to occupy a special place among the disciples of Jesus. For example, he was the first to recognize the Savior in Jesus and for this acquired a new name from Christ - Cephas (Hebrew stone). In Greek, this name sounds like Peter, and it was on this “flint” that Jesus was going to erect the building of his own Church, which “the gates of hell will not prevail.” However, weaknesses are inherent in man, and Peter’s weakness was his threefold denial of Christ. Nevertheless, Peter repented and was forgiven by Jesus, who confirmed his destiny three times over.
After the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, Peter was the first to preach a sermon in the history of the Christian Church. After this sermon, more than three thousand Jews joined the true faith. In the Acts of the Apostles, in almost every chapter there is evidence of Peter’s active work: he preached the Gospel in various towns and states located on the shores of the Mediterranean. And it is believed that the Apostle Mark, who accompanied Peter, wrote the Gospel, taking the sermons of Cephas as a basis. Apart from this, in the New Testament there is a book written personally by the apostle.
In 67, the apostle went to Rome, but was caught by the authorities and suffered on the cross, like Christ. But Peter considered that he was unworthy of exactly the same execution as the Teacher, so he asked the executioners to crucify him upside down on the cross.
Apostle Paul
Apostle Paul was born in the city of Tarsus (Asia Minor). Like Peter, he had a different name from birth - Saul. He was a gifted young man and acquired a good education, but grew up and was brought up in pagan customs. In addition, Saul was a noble Roman citizen, and his position allowed the future apostle to openly admire the pagan Hellenistic culture.
With all this, Paul was a persecutor of Christianity both in Palestine and beyond its borders. These opportunities were gifted to him by the Pharisees, who hated Christian teaching and waged a fierce struggle against it.
One day, when Saul was traveling to Damascus with permission for the local synagogues to arrest Christians, he was struck by a bright light. The future apostle fell to the ground and heard a voice saying: “Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting Me? He said: Who are you, Lord? The Lord said: I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is difficult for you to go against the pricks” (Acts 9:4-5). After this, Christ ordered Saul to go to Damascus and rely on providence.
When the blind Saul arrived in the city, where he found Ananias the priest. After a conversation with a Christian pastor, he believed in Christ and was baptized. During the baptismal ceremony, his sight returned again. From this day Paul's activity as an apostle began. Like the Apostle Peter, Paul traveled widely: he visited Arabia, Antioch, Cyprus, Asia Minor and Macedonia. In the places where Paul visited, Christian communities seemed to form on their own, and the supreme apostle himself became famous for his messages to the heads of the churches founded with his help: among the New Testament books there are 14 letters of Paul. Thanks to these messages, Christian dogmas acquired a coherent system and became understandable to every believer.
At the end of 66, the Apostle Paul arrived in Rome, where a year later, as a citizen of the Roman Empire, he was executed by the sword.
Beheading of John the Baptist (September 11)
In the 32nd year from the birth of Jesus, King Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee, imprisoned John the Baptist for talking about his close relationship with Herodias, his brother’s wife.
At the same time, the king was afraid to execute John, since this could cause the anger of his people, who loved and revered John.
One day, during the celebration of Herod's birthday, a feast was held. The daughter of Herodias, Salome, gave the king an exquisite tanya. For this, Herod promised in front of everyone that he would fulfill any desire of the girl. Herodias persuaded her daughter to ask the king for the head of John the Baptist.
The girl’s request embarrassed the king, as he was afraid of John’s death, but at the same time he could not refuse the request, since he was afraid of the ridicule of the guests because of the unfulfilled promise.
The king sent a warrior to prison, who beheaded John and brought his head to Salome on a platter. The girl accepted the terrible gift and gave it to her own mother. The apostles, having learned about the execution of John the Baptist, buried his headless body.
Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary (October 14)
The holiday was based on a story that happened in 910 in Constantinople. The city was besieged by a countless army of Saracens, and the townspeople hid in the Blachernae Temple - in the place where the omophorion of the Virgin Mary was kept. Frightened residents fervently prayed to the Mother of God for protection. And then one day during prayer, the holy fool Andrei noticed the Mother of God above those praying.
The Mother of God walked accompanied by an army of angels, with John the Theologian and John the Baptist. She reverently extended her hands to the Son, while her omophorion covered the praying inhabitants of the city, as if protecting people from future disasters. In addition to the holy fool Andrei, his disciple Epiphanius saw the amazing procession. The miraculous vision soon disappeared, but Her grace remained in the temple, and soon the Saracen army left Constantinople.
The Feast of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary came to Rus' under Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky in 1164. And a little later, in 1165, on the Nerl River, the first temple was consecrated in honor of this holiday.
Read @InformingRuThe tradition of following Great Lent, which begins before Easter and ends with its last day, originates from Ancient Rus'. This tradition has been preserved among Christians to this day. Orthodox believers adhere to the rules of Fasting to express respect for Heaven and to cleanse the body and soul of various sinful thoughts.
What date does Lent begin before Easter in 2017?
The beginning of Lent falls on Saturday, February 27th. The end of the strict restriction will occur before the onset of Easter, namely on April 15. The celebration of Great Easter itself will take place on April 16, 2017.
Let us remind you that Lent Christians have always considered it the most important, strict and long-term restriction in food. At the same time, it should be remembered that restrictions apply not only to food intake, but also impose bans on familiar areas of life. The purpose of this restriction is to prepare the physical body and inner spirit for the celebration of Easter.
Fasting involves complete renunciation of human passions, which often lead people to negative situations in life. Lent before Easter 2017 means the respect of believers for the feat of Christ, who in the name of the people starved and lived in the desert for 40 days.
Christ, by his example, showed all believers that within 40 days one can renounce the earthly blessings that are familiar to everyone, and thereby eliminate sinful thoughts and devilish tricks from the soul.
During these 40 days, believers must not only observe Lent, but must also read prayers and attend sacred services, thereby drawing closer to God.
Fasting before Easter in 2017 in Russia is scheduled for the period from February 27 to April 15. All this time, believers are supposed to follow strict and important rules Christian life.
It should be clarified that the duration of Strict abstinence is 48 days. This entire period is divided into 4 parts:
- initial 40 days - Pentecost;
- festive celebration - Lazarus Saturday (6th Saturday during the entire duration of Lent);
- the entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (better known as Palm Sunday) - the 6th Sunday during the entire period of Strict Lent;
- Holy Week.
Meals during Lent
Throughout Lent, it is strictly forbidden to eat food of animal origin: all dairy products, as well as fermented milk products, meat dishes, eggs, all types of animal fat and oil;
In the first week after the start, it is forbidden to eat any food or enjoy only raw vegetables;
The last week of Lent is similar initial period, she is also harsh and quite strict;
On all Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, believers are allowed to eat only once a day. In this case, the food must be raw, and vegetable oils cannot be added to prepared dishes;
On Tuesdays and Thursdays you are also allowed to eat once in a full day. It is best to eat in the evenings. However, these days the food can be hot, that is, cooked by thermal influence;
Weekend periods can be spent in a little relaxation. At such moments, it is allowed to eat food to which vegetable oil is added. You can also drink 2 glasses of red wine;
On the final Saturday before the end of Lent, it is not recommended to eat at all. Believers spend the entire day on water alone;
On the Friday before the end of Abstinence, food is also not recommended;
On holidays, which are observed throughout the duration of the Strict Restriction, you are allowed to enjoy boiled fish. Such holiday dates are the Annunciation and Palm Resurrection;
Last week of Lent
The beginning of Lent before Easter in 2017 is set for February 27. Believers must adhere to Christian standards. But the last week of Strict abstinence is considered the most responsible and important. It is filled with various Orthodox rites and traditions.
On Monday it is necessary to do a complete cleaning and get rid of unnecessary trash;
On Tuesday, Christians usually prepare festive clothes for the celebration, as well as prepare fresh bed linen;
Everything should be completed on Wednesday necessary work By own home. Believers prepare eggs for dyeing, stock up on paintings and paints;
Thursday is the time to devote to baking sacred cakes. The process of preparing Easter cakes is necessarily accompanied by prayers. On the same day, Christians wash and take a steam bath; it is very important to cleanse the surface of the body from all kinds of sins and other contaminants;
Friday is spent in complete restriction from everything. You cannot eat, have fun, sing songs, communicate in funny themes. This day is best devoted to reading prayers;
Saturday is the most troublesome day; at this moment it is necessary to prepare holiday dishes, paint eggs, and stock up on a festive mood.
The tradition of following Great Lent, which begins before Easter and ends with its last day, originates in Ancient Rus'. This tradition has been preserved by Christians to this day. Orthodox believers necessarily adhere to the rules of Fasting in order to express respect for Heaven and cleanse their body, as well as their soul, from various sinful thoughts. What date does Lent begin before Easter in 2019? The beginning of this significant date for Orthodox believers is set for March 11. The day of the week is Saturday. The end of the strict restriction will occur before the onset of Easter, namely, the date is April 28. The celebration of Great Easter itself is scheduled for the 16th in April. When determined by Christian calendar Easter in 2019, the beginning of Lent has important for Christians.
For a long time, Christians considered Lent to be the most important, strict and long-lasting restriction. At the same time, it is important to know that restrictions apply not only to eating familiar food, but characteristic prohibitions also apply to familiar areas of life. The main purpose of this restriction is to prepare the physical body and inner spirit for the celebration of Easter. As you know, in Orthodoxy and in some other faiths, Easter is the most important and festive day, because this day is associated with the sacred resurrection of the savior Jesus. As mentioned above, most people associate Strict Fasting with significant food restrictions. But such an opinion is deeply erroneous. Fasting implies complete renunciation of human passions, which often lead people to negative situations in life. Fasting before Easter 2019 also means respect among believers for the feat of Christ, when the latter, in the name of the people, starved and lived in the desert for 40 long days.
Any beginning of Lent in 2019 implies respect and veneration by believers for the feat of the Lord, when for the good of human destinies he went to the desert and spent there without food for 40 long days. The restriction brings believers into Holy Week, that is, the believers’ memories of the last days of Christ on earth, when he had to suffer and suffer.
Christ, by his example, showed all people who believe in him that over the course of a long 40 days one can renounce the earthly blessings familiar to everyone, and thereby eliminate sinful thoughts and devilish tricks from the soul. Not only restriction in diet and usual lifestyle helps to cleanse the body, but also the soul. During the duration of the Strict Restriction, believers must read prayers and attend sacred services, thereby drawing closer to God.
The fast before Easter in 2019 in Russia is scheduled for the period from March 11 to the end of April 28. All this time, believers are supposed to follow strict and important rules of Christian life.
The duration of Strict abstinence is 48 days. This entire period is divided into 4 parts:
- initial 40 days - Pentecost;
- festive celebration - Lazarus Saturday (6th Saturday during the entire duration of Lent);
- the Lord's entry into Jerusalem (better known as Palm Sunday) is the 6th Sunday during the entire period of Strict Lent;
- Holy Week.
Meals during Lent
The Christian calendar defines important principles that all believers must follow during the entire duration of the restriction:
- During the duration of the restriction, Christians are strictly prohibited from eating food that is of animal origin. This includes all dairy and fermented milk products, meat dishes, eggs, all types of animal fat and oil;
- The first week after the start of the restriction is especially strict. On most days, it is completely forbidden to eat any food or enjoy only raw vegetables;
- The last week of Lent is similar to the initial period; it is also harsh and quite strict;
- On all Mondays, as well as Wednesdays and all Fridays, believers are allowed to eat only once a day. Food must be raw and vegetable oils cannot be added to prepared dishes;
- On Tuesday, as well as every Thursday, you are also allowed to eat once in a full day. It is optimal to eat in the evenings. But on these days, food can be hot, that is, cooked by thermal influence;
- Weekend periods can be spent in a little relaxation. At such moments, it is allowed to eat food to which vegetable oil is added. You can also drink 2 glasses of red wine;
- On the final Saturday before the end of Lent, it is not recommended to eat at all. Believers spend the entire day on water alone;
- On the Friday before the end of Abstinence, food is also not recommended;
- On holidays, which are observed throughout the duration of the Strict Restriction, you are allowed to enjoy boiled fish. Such holiday dates are the Annunciation, as well as Palm Resurrection;
Last week of Lent
The beginning of Lent before Easter in 2019 is set for March 11 Believers must adhere to Christian standards. But the final week of Strict abstinence is considered the most responsible and important. It is filled with various Orthodox rituals and traditions.
- Monday - houses and apartments of believers are prepared for the coming of Easter. To do this, you need to do a complete cleaning and get rid of unnecessary trash;
- Tuesday - Christians prepare festive clothes for the celebration, and also prepare fresh bed linen;
- Wednesday - all necessary work on your own home is completed. Believers prepare eggs for dyeing, stock up on paintings and paints;
- Thursday is the time that needs to be devoted to baking sacred cakes. The process of preparing Easter cakes is necessarily accompanied by prayers. On the same day, Christians wash and take a steam bath; it is very important to cleanse the surface of the body from all kinds of sins and other contaminants;
- Friday - the date is spent in complete restriction from everything. You cannot eat, have fun, sing songs, or communicate on funny topics. You can devote this day to reading prayers;
- Saturday is the most troublesome day; at this moment it is necessary to prepare holiday dishes, paint eggs, and stock up on a festive mood.
Lent is the oldest of all multi-day fasts. It lasts forty days and reminds the laity that the Savior spent forty days in the desert. Lent brings us to Holy Week and then to Christ's Day. 2019 is a time of prayer and repentance through communion and confession.
Even according to the Old Testament, the inhabitants of Israel were commanded to give a tenth of everything they acquired every year, and only then were they blessed for all their deeds. The holy apostles, knowing this, decided to establish a tenth of the year, so that we would be blessed every year, cleansing ourselves from sins through prayers. Therefore, Holy Pentecost is designated as a tenth of the year (thirty-six working days) for thinking about the soul, and not about worldly life.
The ability to find out in advance what date the fast before Easter begins in 2019 allows you to properly prepare for this event.
Four preparatory weeks before Lent
The first is the week of the publican and the Pharisee. Which of them will beg and beg for the Lord’s mercy? A publican repenting of his sins and asking forgiveness from our Father, or a Pharisee declaring his good deeds, emphasizing your virtues?
The second week is called the Week of the Prodigal Son. This week at liturgies they pray for every sinner. To strive for the best, like those Jews who, dreaming of leaving Egypt that they hated, thought with tenderness about their homeland. This should remind us of our sinful captivity and the dream of the Kingdom of Heaven. The last psalm says that God will see the determination of everyone who knows how to gather their will into a fist and smash their bad thoughts against a stone. Even if they are just emerging.
The third preparatory week is Maslenitsa. It is called so because you can eat eggs, milk, and cottage cheese. Its second name is the Week of Last Judgment. With this, the church once again pushes the laity to repentance. The fourth week is called Cheese Week. This week, a Christian must ask for forgiveness from his neighbor and forgive all sins. Only by forgiving your enemies can you hope for mercy from the Lord. After this week, fasting begins.
The beginning of Lent in 2019 is March 11. During Lent, services are long and there are few chants. Prayers alternate with psalms, inciting the souls of the laity to repentance. Each week of Lent is dedicated to a person or event that inspires hope in God's mercy.
The first week is about Theodore Tyrone. Burnt for his faith in Christ, he appeared to the bishop in a dream and told him that the emperor had ordered the blood of animals to be sprinkled on all the products in the market. The believers did not buy anything for a whole week, but ate only kolivo (boiled wheat with honey). The second week of memory of Saint Palamas, who preached the power of fasting and prayer. In the third week, the Worship of the Cross, the Holy Cross is brought out as a reminder to believers of why Jesus died.
The fourth week is dedicated to Mary of Egypt, a former great sinner who earned forgiveness through repentance. The fifth week concludes the services about Mary of Egypt, using her example to reveal the great mercy of the Lord. The sixth week is about the passion of the Lord. This week is also called Palm week. Psalms are read in church in memory of Jesus, who entered Jerusalem, already knowing what suffering he would have to go through. Holy Week– memories of the suffering and physical death of Jesus.
Fasting before Easter in 2019 in Russia is observed especially strictly during the first week and Holy Week.
How often do people think that fasting means, first of all, abstaining from all sorts of goodies. You need to live on cereal, bread and water. And after suffering for forty days, you can receive remission of sins. Yes, abstinence is good. But if a person slandered his neighbors, swore, committed adultery, but ate only porridge, hoping for forgiveness of sins by the Lord, then he is deeply mistaken.
How to fast correctly and celebrate the Great Resurrection with the whole world?
- turn to the priest, preferably your confessor, confess and receive communion;
- try not to think about the bad, look for only the good in everything;
- Give to the one asking, don’t turn away. Help as much as you can;
— once upon a time, a young man died so that people would again have the opportunity to have a second life. Therefore, spend the days of fasting without entertainment;
- live without bad habits.
Having prepared himself morally and physically, a Christian no longer asks when the fast before Easter begins in 2019. He continues to live according to the canons of great Orthodox love for one’s neighbor every day.
There are many suffering people around. It often seems to us that a person is lazy, that’s why he doesn’t succeed and leads a miserable existence. Yes, there are many like that. But even more often there are people who are unlucky only because in the tenth generation a relative denied someone a piece of bread. And for the greed of the great-grandfather, his grandchildren suffer. They start doing something, but it doesn’t work out. Unlucky in love, do not find understanding in the family. Workaholics, and the management does not notice this, another person is appointed to the vacant higher position. What kind of a lazy person, a slacker, is he? Just a loser.
Therefore, do not turn away when you notice an outstretched hand. There are people who, being in an extremely difficult situation, will never ask for help themselves. There are hospices where seriously ill people live out their last days on earth. In orphanages, many children are looking forward to a miracle in the form of just a small gift from a person who has visited the child’s temporary shelter. In the next apartment, an old woman vegetates alone, completely forgotten by her adult children. They all need so little. Maybe not even material aid. Just a heartfelt word, sincere sympathy.
Lent ends on April 15 and Orthodox Christians celebrate Bright Sunday. Easter in 2019, the beginning of Lent and its end, an incentive to start living in a new way, adhering to the canons of Christian morality. Purification of the soul, inner world, rethinking of actions and actions is the goal of Lent. And you can lose weight without fasting by taking trendy pills or a diet. But this will only make your soul purer and freer.
