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The most important church holidays. Major Christian holidays

These holidays fall into two categories:

Fixed (non-movable) holidays: they always fall on a strictly defined day of the month, regardless of the day of the week, which changes annually. These include nine twelfth church holidays:

Twelfth fixed holidays

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary	September 21
†Exaltation of the Holy Cross (40 days from the Transfiguration)	September 27
Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary	December 4
†Nativity	Jan. 7
	January 19
†The Presentation of the Lord (40 days AD)	February, 15
Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos (9 months BC)	April 7
†Transfiguration	August 19
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary	August 28

Movable (movable) holidays. The movable part of the church calendar moves along with the date of celebration, which changes from year to year. All "mobile" holidays are counted from Easter and move in the space of the "secular" calendar along with it.

The Twelfth Passing Holidays:

The twelfth feasts each have one fore-feast day, with the exception of the Nativity of Christ, which has 5 days of fore-feast, and Theophany, which has 4 pre-feast days.

The number of afterfeast days is not the same - from 1 to 8 days, depending on the greater or lesser proximity of some holidays to others or to the days of fasting.
Some of the Lord's feasts, moreover, are preceded and concluded by special Saturdays and weeks (Sundays).

The services of the twelfth feasts of the fixed circle are in menstruation. Services of the twelfth holidays of the moving circle are located in Lenten and Colored.

In Russia, until 1925, the Twelfth Holidays were both church and civil.

Great non-twelfth holidays:

At the feasts of the Nativity and the Beheading of John the Baptist, the Circumcision of the Lord, the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Holy Primate Apostles Peter and Paul, there is no fore-feast, after-feast and no giving.

Bishop Alexander Mileant
Y. Ruban
Holidays of the Christmas cycle Y. Ruban
Twelfth holidays arch. Alexander Men
Troparion of the Twelfth Feasts

Christian holidays

Christian holidays- certain days of the church calendar, celebrated with divine services that have an individual liturgical character. This is fixed in the names of the holidays and "penitent times", the dates and order of their celebration, as well as in the content of the texts performed during the service. Their purpose and meaning is the remembrance, glorification and theological interpretation of the key stages in the history of Salvation, which is embodied mainly in the events of the earthly life of Jesus Christ (the Savior), and the Virgin Mary, the real accomplice of this divine-human process. Hence - an exceptional place in the calendar of holidays dedicated to Them.

The holidays are distributed within two overlapping annual cycles - (menaion) and (triode, or Easter-Pentecost). Celebrations and memorable events of the first cycle are strictly fixed only by the days of the month (for the dates of the Julian calendar in relation to the modern civil one, an amendment is necessary: n - 13 days, - for the XX-XXI centuries). The holidays of the second are fixed only by the days of the week, being rigidly correlated with Easter, which is the starting point for the entire moving annual cycle. The date of the latter moves within 35 days (“Easter limits”): from April 4 (March 22, O.S.) to May 8 (April 25, O.S.).

The most important holidays of the modern Orthodox calendar are called "twelfth", or "twelve" (from the Slavic twelfth - "twelve") (see). , as "holidays holiday", is outside this classification.

The second step in the festive hierarchical ladder is occupied by holidays, which are called “great” in liturgical word usage. These include: the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos (October 1/14), the Circumcision of the Lord and the memory of St. Basil the Great (January 1/14), the Nativity of John the Baptist (June 24/July 7), the memory of the supreme app. Peter and Paul (June 29 / July 12), the Beheading of John the Baptist (August 29 / September 11), and also, according to some old calendars, the repose (death) of St. John the Theologian (September 26/October 9), commemoration of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Mir of Lycia (December 6/19) and the transfer of his relics from Mir to the Italian city of Bari (May 9/22).

All other numerous holidays are dedicated to incorporeal forces (the common holiday is the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael, November 8/21), Old Testament and Christian saints, commemoration of significant events in Sacred Biblical and Christian history, the appearance of miraculous icons, the discovery of relics.
The constant canonization of new saints means the continuous replenishment of the Christian calendar.

The Church Charter (Typicon) provides for the gradation of all holidays into five categories according to the degree of solemnity of their worship, which is fixed by special signs (the sixth category has no sign). The patronal feast of any church (whose name it bears) is equated for it in the liturgical aspect with the Twelve Feasts. The same degree of solemnity can be inherent in "locally honored" holidays, even those that have a modest liturgical status at the general church level.

Holidays common to all Christians are, first of all, Easter and Christmas (the latter, as a special calendar celebration, does not have the Armenian and other Monophysite churches). The most important annual holidays are mostly the same for Orthodox and Catholics (because they are based on the same events of sacred history), but differ in dates, often in names and semantic nuances, as well as in the nature of the celebration.
Many saints of the one Church are equally revered: eastern ones in the West, western ones in the East (Basil the Great - Ambrose of Milan, etc.). But the saints of one Church who lived after the division of the Churches (1054) can be venerated in another Church mainly at the local level, with the permission of the church authorities. The official Catholic calendar, for example, includes the names of Sts. Cyril of Turov (May 11), Anthony of Pechersk (July 24), Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga and Vladimir (July 27 and 28), Boris and Gleb (August 5), Sergius of Radonezh (October 8); the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is also commemorated (September 7).
Protestants, rejecting the veneration of the Mother of God, saints, relics and icons, do not have their respective holidays in their calendars.

The study of holidays in the context of the general process of the formation of the church calendar is engaged in (lit. "holiday studies") - an auxiliary historical discipline, one of the sections of academic liturgy.

Liturgical texts are contained in the Service Book, in 12 volumes (for fixed feasts), Lenten and Colored (for movable feasts), the Festive Menaia, as well as in numerous editions of services for individual feasts, often containing historical references, commentaries, notations, and other appendices.

“How to celebrate the holiday? We celebrate an event (to delve into the greatness of the event, its purpose, its fruit for believers) or a person, such as: the Lord, the Mother of God, Angels and Saints (to delve into the attitude of that person towards God and humanity, into his beneficial influence on the Church of God , at all). It is necessary to delve into the history of an event or person, to approach the event or person, otherwise the holiday will be imperfect, unpleasing. Holidays should have an impact on our lives, should enliven, kindle our faith (hearts) in future blessings and nourish pious, good morals.

Major Christian holidays and fasts

Easter- the main Christian holiday, established in honor of the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ crucified on the cross, as narrated in the Gospels. It is celebrated on the first Sunday after the spring equinox and full moon. To calculate the dates of the celebration, tables (paschalia) are compiled. In Orthodox churches, Easter falls between March 22 and April 23 according to the Julian calendar.

Nativity- one of the main Christian holidays, established, according to church doctrine, in honor of the birth of Jesus Christ. Celebrated on December 25th. The temporary discrepancy between the celebration of the Nativity of Christ by various churches is due to the fact that a number of churches (Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian and other Orthodox churches) use the Julian calendar, December 25 of which corresponds to January 7 of the Gregorian calendar.

Trinity- a holiday in honor of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, which is interpreted by the church as the beginning of the widespread spread of Christianity. It is celebrated on the 50th day from Easter and usually falls on the last days of May or the beginning of June.

Meeting of the Lord- a holiday in honor of the meeting (Meeting) by the righteous Simeon of the messiah - the child-Christ, whom his parents brought to the temple for dedication to God. It is celebrated on February 2 (15).

Baptism of the Lord (Theophany)- a holiday in memory of the baptism of Jesus Christ by the prophet John the Baptist in the Jordan River. The ceremony of consecrating water is celebrated on January 6 (19) (Jordan).

Transfiguration- a holiday in honor of the transfiguration of Jesus Christ, who revealed his divine nature to the disciples shortly before the Calvary suffering. Celebrated on August 6 (19).

Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday)- a holiday in memory of the entry of Christ into Jerusalem, whose inhabitants welcomed the Son of God, throwing palm branches in front of him on the road. In folk life, the holiday was called Palm Sunday, because in the Slavic countries in its ritual, the role of palm branches was played by willow branches that had blossomed by this time. Celebrated on the last Sunday before Easter.

Ascension- a holiday in honor of the ascension of Christ to heaven. It is celebrated on the 40th day after Easter.

Exaltation- a holiday in memory of the so-called exaltation in the IV century. in Jerusalem, over a crowd of believers, the cross on which, according to legend, Christ was crucified. Celebrated on September 14 (27).

Nativity of the Virgin- a holiday in honor of the birth of the Virgin Mary - the mother of Christ. Celebrated on 8 (21) September.

Introduction to the Church of the Virgin- a holiday in memory of the solemn entry of the three-year-old Mary (the future mother of Jesus) into the Jerusalem temple, where she was given by her parents to be raised. Celebrated on November 21 (December 4).

Annunciation- a holiday associated with the Christian tradition of how the archangel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary the good news about the impending birth of her divine baby. Celebrated on March 25 (April 7).

Assumption of the Virgin- a holiday in memory of the death of the Virgin Mary - the mother of Christ. It is celebrated on August 15 (28).

Protection of the Holy Mother of God- a holiday in memory of the appearance around 910 in the Blachernae Church in Constantinople of the Virgin, stretching her cover over all believers. It is celebrated on October 1 (14).

Posts- abstinence for a certain period from taking any food or its individual types (especially meat). Fasts take about 200 days in the Orthodox Church calendar. Every believer should fast on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year, on Epiphany Christmas Eve, on the day of the beheading of John the Baptist, on the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord. In addition, there are four multi-day fasts:

spring (Great)- starts on the Monday after the cheese week (Maslenitsa) and lasts about 7 weeks until Easter;

summer (Petrov)- begins on the first Monday after Spiritual Day and ends on June 29, on the day of Saints Peter and Paul; autumn (Uspensky)- 15 days before the feast of the Assumption; winter (Christmas, or Filippov)- 40 days before Christmas.

From the book Encyclopedic Dictionary (P) author Brockhaus F. A.

Fasting Fasting is a Christian institution. church, which aims to promote the dominance of spiritual and moral aspirations over sensual aspirations in a Christian. P. existed in the Old Testament. In Christianity, its institution is contemporary with the church itself: it is based on example 1.

From the book What is incomprehensible among the classics, or Encyclopedia of Russian life of the XIX century author Fedosyuk Yuri Alexandrovich

Holidays and fasts There are twelve main Christian holidays in a year, in Church Slavonic - twelve or twelve. From here, each of them was called the TWENTIETH (twelfth). The Twelve Feasts include: The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem,

From the book Great Soviet Encyclopedia (XP) of the author TSB

From the book of 100 great prophets and creeds author Ryzhov Konstantin Vladislavovich

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From the book How to Travel author Shanin Valery

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From the book Handbook of an Orthodox Man. Part 4. Orthodox fasts and holidays author Ponomarev Vyacheslav

Christian monasteries The first Christian monasteries appeared in the first centuries of our era in Cappadocia, in what is now Turkey. Christians hid in them from people, fled away from the hypocritical society that adopted Christian paraphernalia, but, as in pagan

Easter is called the holiday of holidays by Christians. At the heart of this main church is the legend of the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ, crucified on the cross by the verdict of the Jewish Sanhedrin court. The idea of resurrection is central, therefore, a special role is assigned to the holiday in honor of this event.

Among the great twelfth Orthodox holidays, the day of the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ (January 7th) stands out. The significance of the birth of the Savior of the world still cannot be overestimated, because, according to the teachings of the Church, it was through the Incarnation that man was saved and the latter was reconciled with God. Historically, in Rus', the celebration of the Nativity of Christ found its reflection in certain folk festivals called Christmas time. People went to visit each other and sang songs glorifying the born baby Christ. The emerging practice of dressing up a spruce for this holiday and crowning the top of the tree with a star testified to the gospel story about how the star led the wise men from the East to the birthplace of the Savior. Later, in Soviet times, spruce became an attribute of the secular New Year, and the star symbolized not the Star of Bethlehem, but a symbol of Soviet power.

Another significant holiday of the Orthodox calendar is the day of the Baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan (January 19th). On this day, water is consecrated in Orthodox churches, for which millions of believers come every year. The historical significance of this celebration for the people's consciousness is also reflected in the practice of dipping into the Epiphany hole. In many cities of Russia, special fonts (Jordans) are being prepared, in which, after the consecration of water, people reverently plunge, asking God for the health of soul and body.

Another important holiday of the Orthodox Church is the Day of the Holy Trinity (Pentecost). This holiday is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter. In the people, this celebration is otherwise called "Green Easter". This naming was the result of a folk tradition to decorate temples with greenery on the feast of the Holy Trinity. Sometimes the Orthodox practice of commemorating the departed is mistakenly associated with this day, however, historically, according to church instructions, the departed are commemorated on the eve of Pentecost - on Trinity, and the feast of the Holy Trinity itself is not the day of the departed, but the triumph of the living.

Among the common traditions of Russian culture associated with Orthodox holidays, one can note the consecration of willow and willow branches on the twelfth celebration of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem. The Gospel testifies that before the entrance of the Savior into Jerusalem, directly to perform the feat of the Cross, people met Christ with palm branches. Such honors were offered to ancient rulers. The miracles of Jesus and his preaching aroused special love and reverence for Christ among the ordinary Jewish people. In Russia, willow and willow branches are consecrated in memory of this historical event (for lack of palm trees in most cases).

The feasts of the Theotokos occupy a special place in the church calendar. For example, the day of the Nativity of the Mother of God, the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Assumption of the Mother of God. A special reverence for these days was expressed in putting aside all worldly fuss and striving to dedicate the day to God. It is no coincidence that in Russian culture there is an expression: "On the day of the Annunciation, the bird does not nest, and the maiden does not weave braids."

Many great Orthodox holidays are reflected not only in folk traditions, but also in architecture. So, in Rus', many churches were erected, which are historical monuments, consecrated in honor of the great Christian holidays. There are many Russian Assumption Cathedrals (in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God), Churches of the Nativity of Christ, Holy Entry Churches, Intercession Churches and many others.

Nativity

Christmas is the day when Jesus Christ entered the world with love. This is the day of forgiveness, bright feelings, the day when love triumphs. May the cannons fall silent on this holiday and not a single rocket rise into the air, except for fireworks! May God give peace and rest to the soldiers! And let love for near and far enter our hearts! Merry Christmas!
In this category you will find not only about how Jesus came to our world, but also Christmas greetings in prose and verse, for all people close and dear to you.

Eve of the Epiphany

Epiphany Christmas Eve is preparation for the celebration of the Epiphany of the Lord. According to the evangelists, Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, and John the Baptist baptized him, after the baptism of Christ, he received the name of John the Baptist.
On Christmas Eve, Christians observe a strict fast. On this day, you can eat only porridge, or sochivo, as Orthodox Christians call it. From the name of this porridge came the name of the holiday. Sochivo was usually made with honey, raisins and rice or barley. But in different regions of Russia, sochivo is cooked differently.
In addition, this evening there is a blessing of water. The consecration of water takes place the next day - on the day of the Epiphany of the Lord. Since the procedure for consecrating water is the same, the water itself is considered holy, regardless of what day the consecration took place - on Christmas Eve or on the Epiphany of the Lord

Epiphany

The Baptism of the Lord is one of the most ancient and revered holidays among Christians. Jesus came to John the Baptist and asked to be baptized. But John disagreed, saying that it was "you must baptize me." To which Jesus replied that this was the will of God. After the rite of baptism, the heavens opened up, and God said that Jesus was his son, and as confirmation, a dove flew from heaven.
After that, it is believed that Jesus himself and his disciples went to preach the word of God in different cities and countries. And the rite of Baptism itself became not so much a rite of purification, but a rite of communion with the sacrament of the Holy Trinity, and everyone who took communion had to preach the Word of God in countries and villages

The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a special holiday. The Word of God came true and the Son of God became a man in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Archangel Gabriel, who brought the good news to the Virgin Mary, first asked her consent to give birth to the Divine Infant. By giving her consent, the Virgin Mary became the savior of the world. That is why the veneration of the Most Holy Theotokos is so great.
The Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated on April 7

Maslenitsa

Maslenitsa is a fun holiday that lasts a whole week. After Maslenitsa, Great Lent begins, which will end only on Easter. Maslenitsa began depending on the date of Easter, from February 3 to March 14. Although Maslenitsa was inherited by us from paganism, it fit well into the Orthodox religious calendar. There is nothing shameful in having fun and overeating before a strict Great Lent.
The most common food on Maslenitsa is pancakes. Round, ruddy, they symbolized the Sun, which appeared more and more often in the sky and shone warmer and warmer. Therefore, the second meaning of Maslenitsa is the farewell to winter and the meeting of spring. The symbol of seeing off winter was the burning of an effigy of Winter

Forgiveness Sunday

Forgiveness Sunday is the last day of Maslenitsa. The next day, Great Lent begins. Orthodox Christians on Forgiveness Sunday repent of sins, ask for forgiveness for insults to each other. This ceremony is necessary in order to hold Great Lent with a pure soul, and then celebrate the Bright Feast of the Resurrection of Christ - Easter.
Do not forget to forgive and ask for forgiveness on this day, because this is such a great opportunity to make peace!

Palm Sunday

On the last Sunday before Easter, Christians celebrate the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. The inhabitants of Jerusalem met Jesus as the King of heaven in human form. They greeted him with songs and palm branches. But since there are no palm trees in Russia, they were replaced with willow branches, which begin to bloom at this time.
According to the evangelists - John, Luke, Matthew, Mark - the entry of the Lord into Jerusalem symbolizes the entry of Jesus on the path of suffering, but in return bringing the kingdom of heaven and delivering man from slavery to sin

Maundy Thursday

On Pure or Maundy Thursday in Holy Week, Christians remember the Last Supper, at which all the apostles gathered, led by Jesus Christ. At the Last Supper, Christ, having washed the feet of his apostles, established the sacrament of the Eucharist or Holy Communion, thus showing an example of humility and piety.
It is on this day that all believers clean up their homes and wash themselves, since this will no longer be possible before Easter. And in order to understand how, what and why, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with small articles from this category, as well as with verses for this day - Maundy Thursday.

Good Friday

Friday of Holy Week is the saddest day for believers. On this day, Jesus Christ was crucified and died. Thus, he atoned for human sins. On this day, believers remember the sufferings of Christ and hold long services. All divine services are held in front of the Shroud in which the Savior was wrapped when he was taken down from the cross.
Believers, praying and believing in the miraculous resurrection of Christ, observe a strict fast on this day.

Easter

Christ is Risen! Truly Risen! So, with joy in their hearts and with a bright soul, Orthodox Christians greet each other on the greatest Christian holiday - Easter. Easter - the Bright Resurrection of Christ! Easter is the hope of all Orthodox Christians for the resurrection and the eternal kingdom of heaven.
Before Easter, Christians keep the longest - almost 50 days, and strict Great Lent. The meaning of Great Lent lies in the bodily and spiritual cleansing of a Christian before Easter.
At Easter, the date of celebration changes from year to year. The general rule for calculating the date for Easter is: "Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring."
Christ is Risen! Truly Risen!

Radonitsa

Radonitsa falls on the 9th day from Easter. It is also called Parents' Day. Radonitsa refers to special days of commemoration of the dead. It is on this day that you need to visit the cemeteries where your parents or relatives are buried. And in no case should you visit cemeteries on Easter, as many people do after hearing the stories of "educated" grandmothers. Easter is the joy of the resurrection of Christ, and Radonitsa is sorrow for the dead, and at the same time the joy that they have gained eternal life. The main thing in the ritual of visiting the cemetery is a prayer for the souls of the departed. And do not leave food or, especially, alcohol on the graves. Prayer - that's what to do in the cemetery

Trinity

Holy Trinity Day is celebrated on the 50th day from Easter. In most cases, the holiday is called briefly, simply Trinity. Because of the 50 days from the day of Easter, the Trinity also has a second name - Pentecost (Greek).
On this day, Orthodox Christians remember the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, who gathered at that time in the Zion Upper Room in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit blessed the apostles for the priesthood and the building of the Church on earth. In addition, the Holy Spirit gave them strength and intelligence to preach the Word of God.

Ivan Kupala

The holiday of Ivan Kupala is associated with the birthday of John the Baptist. Although etymologically the name Kupala is associated with bathing, nevertheless, the deeper, original meaning has the meaning of baptism, because in Greek baptism means “washing”, “immersion”. Therefore, Ivan Kupala is the Orthodox name of John the Baptist.
On this holiday, even non-believers often arrange a kind of orgies of bathing and dousing. However, anyone who got into such situations does not need to explain anything, as it happens ...

Ilyin's day

Ilyin's Day is celebrated in the last month of summer, in August. This holiday carries several emotional notes at once. Firstly, sad, because after this holiday you can no longer swim in warm water, at least it is commonly believed. Although it depends more on what region you live in. Secondly, they are positive, since the harvest festivals begin in August. Apple Spas, Bread Spas, Honey Spas, that is, we will have the opportunity to taste the fruits of summer labor, which you will agree is not so bad! And now about all this and congratulations on Ilyin's day in our category ...

Honey Spas

August 14 - First Savior, Savior honey, Savior on the water. This is the first of three August holidays dedicated to the Savior, Jesus Christ, and the beginning of the Dormition Fast. The full church name of the first Savior is "The origin of the honest trees of the honest and life-giving Cross of the Lord." The emergence of this holiday is explained by the church as follows: due to the summer heat in August, Constantinople suffered from the spread of various diseases; therefore, from ancient times it was customary to take out of the church of Hagia Sophia to consecrate the city and prevent epidemics, a particle of the cross on which Jesus was crucified. Apparently, initially the holiday was called not "origin", but "predescent", that is, removal.
The first Spas was also called Medov. It was believed that from that day on, bees stop carrying honey from flowers and begin to close the combs. This is where the name of this holiday comes from.
In addition, on August 14, religious processions to the water were made everywhere.
We can say that this holiday has a great history, which means it is celebrated by many and sometimes on a grand scale. In order not to be left out of our lot, and also not to disappoint our visitors, we have prepared for you a category with congratulations for this holiday. It is here that you will find congratulations in verse, for friends, colleagues, comic and funny with the Honey Savior.

Apple Spas

August 19 is the date when Orthodox Christians celebrate one of the most important holidays, the Transfiguration of the Lord. According to legend, on this day Jesus revealed his divine nature to his disciples. He revealed to the three apostles the mystery of his origin and predicted that he would have to suffer for the people, die on the cross and be resurrected. This holiday symbolizes the spiritual transformation of each of us. Among the people, the Transfiguration is known as the Apple Savior.

Khlebny Spas

The third saved, and it is also called Bread or Nut Spas, akin to Apple and Honey Spas. In fact, the Third Savior (Bread or Nut Savior) is marked by the collection of the next “fruits of autumn”, which allowed the layman in Rus' not to live in poverty during the long cold winters. The well-being of the majority depended on the extent to which each of the Spasovs were successful and, accordingly, “full-weighted”. That is why each of these holidays was marked not so much by the collection as by the joyful event that something was nevertheless collected. So the third saved, according to its name, was dedicated to the harvesting of bread, that is, cereals and to the collection of nuts, if any, in the region.
The celebration was celebrated with worship services in churches and festivities among the townsfolk.

Protection of the Holy Mother of God

In the 10th century, on October 1, in the Blachernae Church, where hundreds of worshipers gathered, a miraculous phenomenon happened. In this church, the robe of the Mother of God, Her head cover and part of the belt were kept. During the night vigil, the Mother of God herself appeared above the prayers and began to pray with all those present. Then the Mother of God removed the cover from her head and covered them with all those in the church, protecting them from present and future misfortunes. The Mother of God asked Jesus to accept all the prayers of the people in the temple and fulfill them. After the Mother of God melted into the air, her blessing and grace from her presence remained with the people.

St. Nicolas day

In the Orthodox calendar, St. Nicholas Day is celebrated twice - on May 22 and December 19. Saint Nicholas is very revered in Rus'. Probably because he could forgive the deepest sinner if he sincerely repented of his deed. This is very close to the Russian soul. Saint Nicholas is considered a miracle worker. His prayers stopped the storms and calmed the winds. Perhaps that is why St. Nicholas is revered as the patron saint of travelers.
For his determination against injustice, for mercy and selflessness, for helping people, St. Nicholas was revered as a saint during his lifetime. Saint Nicholas died, having lived to a ripe old age, in 345, and was buried in the city of Bari, in the very south of Italy.

In Orthodoxy, there are twelve most significant holidays - this is a dozen especially important events of the church calendar, in addition to the dominant holiday - the great event of Easter. Find out which feasts are called the Twelve and are most solemnly celebrated by believers.

Twelfth rolling holidays

There are non-permanent holidays in the church calendar, which turn out to be different every year, like the date of Easter. It is with her that the transition of an important event to another number is connected.

Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. Orthodox most often call this event Palm Sunday and celebrate when there is a week left until Easter. It is connected with the coming of Jesus to the holy city.
Ascension of the Lord. Celebrated 40 days after Easter ends. It falls annually on the fourth day of the week. It is believed that at this moment Jesus in the flesh appeared to his heavenly Father, our Lord.

Day of the Holy Trinity. It falls on the 50th day after the end of Easter. After 50 days from the resurrection of the Savior, the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles.

Twelfth fixed holidays

Some of the most important days in the church calendar remain fixed and are celebrated at the same time every year. Regardless of Easter, these celebrations always fall on the same date.

Birth of the Virgin Mary, Mother of God. The holiday is celebrated on September 21 and is dedicated to the birth of the earthly mother of Jesus Christ. The Church is convinced that the birth of the Mother of God was not an accident, She was originally assigned a special mission to save human souls. The parents of the Heavenly Queen, Anna and Joachim, who could not conceive a child for a long time, were sent providence from Heaven, where the angels themselves blessed them to conceive.
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. Orthodox Christians celebrate the day of the ascension of the Virgin Mary into heaven on August 28. The Assumption Fast is timed to this event, which ends exactly on the 28th. Until her death, the Mother of God spent time in constant prayer and observed the strictest abstinence.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Christians celebrate this event, connected with the acquisition of the Life-Giving Cross, on September 27th. In the 4th century, the Palestinian queen Helena went in search of the Cross. Three crosses were dug near the tomb of the Lord. They truly determined the one on which the Savior was crucified, with the help of a sick woman who received healing from one of them.
Entrance to the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos, celebrated on December 4th. It was at this time that her parents made a vow to dedicate their child to God, so that when their daughter was three years old, they would take her to the Temple in Jerusalem, where she stayed until she was reunited with Joseph.
Nativity . Orthodox celebrate this charitable event on January 7th. The day is associated with the earthly birth of the Savior in the flesh, from his mother the Virgin Mary.

Epiphany. The event falls annually on January 19th. On that very day, John the Baptist bathed the Savior in the waters of the Jordan and pointed to the special mission that was destined for him. For which, in consequence, the righteous paid with his head. In another way, the holiday is called Epiphany.
Meeting of the Lord. The holiday takes place on February 15th. Then the parents of the future Savior brought the divine baby to the Jerusalem Temple. The child was received from the hands of the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph by the righteous Simeon the God-bearer. From the Old Slavonic language, the word "candlemas" is translated as "meeting".
Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. It is celebrated on April 7 and is timed to coincide with the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel to the Mother of God. It was he who announced to her the imminent birth of a son who would have to perform a great deed.
Transfiguration of the Lord. The day falls on August 19th. Jesus Christ read a prayer on Mount Tabor together with his closest disciples: Peter, Paul and James. At that moment, two prophets Elijah and Moses appeared to them and informed the Savior that he would have to accept martyrdom, but he would rise again after three days. And they heard the voice of God, which indicated that Jesus had been chosen for a great work. This twelfth Orthodox holiday is connected with such an event.

Each of the 12 holidays is an important event in Christian history and is especially revered among believers. These days it is worth turning to God and visiting the church. Take care of yourself and your loved ones and don't forget to press the buttons and

15.09.2015 00:30

There are quite a few holidays dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos in Orthodox Christianity. However, among them the main one is ...

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