Message about holidays in the religions of the world. Twelfth Moving Holidays

Holidays in various religions perform a special function for both believers and secular people. For a religious person, such a day is special, as it reminds of some significant event. As for those who prefer to believe in the Almighty in their souls, holidays are also important for such people. After all, they help to escape from everyday worries and take a break from the stress of work for a while.

Traditions of Christmas in Orthodoxy

At all times, religious holidays played a special role. One of the most important special days for representatives different religions is Christmas.

In Orthodoxy, this bright day is celebrated on January 7th. The day when intensive preparation for the holiday takes place is Christmas Eve. According to the strict rules of the Orthodox Church, believers must refuse food until the first star appears. Christmas is preceded by Lent.

Which religious holiday is the most important? It is difficult to answer this question. Each of these days has a special mood. As for Christmas, according to popular beliefs, on the night before Christmas two forces fight - good and evil. One invites people to carol and celebrate the birth of the Savior, and the second invites people to a witches' Sabbath. Once upon a time this evening, carols were walking around the courtyards - young people dressed up in animal masks. They called the owners of the house without sparing beautiful words. Of course, such traditions had nothing in common with church traditions.

Traditions for Holy Eve

In different countries this religious holiday is celebrated in its own way. For example, in Ukraine the celebration begins on Holy Evening, Christmas Eve. Before this, the church also prescribes fasting. One of the distinctive traditions is a dish called “kutya”. This is wheat or rice porridge, to which dried fruits, honey, poppy seeds, and raisins are added. In total, 12 different Lenten dishes should be served on Holy Evening. On Christmas itself, people hardly visited. Only adult married children (with daughters-in-law or sons-in-law) could visit their elderly parents and take “grandfather dinner.”

Do Muslims have Christmas?

What about Christmas celebrations in Muslim countries? For many, this question is very interesting. Of course, none of the Muslim theologians calls for celebrating this religious holiday. Moreover, Muslims have their own “analog” of Christmas - the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. It is celebrated on the 12th day of the third month according to the Muslim calendar, and every year it falls on different holidays. However, since Jesus Christ is also considered a prophet within the framework of this religion, Muslims congratulate their neighbors and close Christians on this holiday.

Main Muslim holiday

One of the most important religious holidays of the year for all Muslims is Eid al-Adha. It begins 70 days after the end of Ramadan fasting, and lasts 3-4 days. Main tradition This holiday is the sacrifice of a lamb. takes place on each day of celebration. Ceremonial dishes are prepared from the meat of the animal, which are eaten at meals or distributed to the poor.

Christmas in the Catholic Church

In many countries, Christmas is both a national and religious holiday. IN Catholic tradition Christmas is celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar, from January 25 to January 1. This bright day is preceded by the period of Advent - fasting, during which believers confess in churches. On the eve of Christmas, a special Mass is celebrated in Catholic churches, which begins exactly at midnight. During Christmas, houses are supposed to have fir trees installed and decorated. This tradition first originated among the Germanic peoples, who considered the spruce a symbol of wealth and fertility.

Easter customs

One of the most ancient religious holidays in Russia is Easter. It is one of the most important and celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is believed that almost all the traditions of this holiday first appeared in worship. And even folk festivities are always associated with one of the main traditions - breaking the fast after Lent.

One of the main traditions for Easter involves special greetings. Among Orthodox believers, it is customary to christen - to express greetings with the words “Christ is Risen!”, “Truly He is Risen!”. The words are accompanied by a three-time kiss. This tradition dates back to the time of the apostles.

Main rituals for Easter

During Holy Saturday and immediately after the Easter service, the consecration of Easter cakes, eggs, and all the food that was prepared for the festive table takes place. Easter eggs symbolize the birth of the Savior. There is a legend according to which Mary Magdalene brought an egg as a gift to the Roman Emperor Tiberius, symbolizing the resurrection of Christ. The emperor doubted the history of the resurrection of Christ. He said that just as eggs cannot turn from white to red, so the dead cannot be resurrected. At the same moment the egg turned red. Despite the fact that today eggs are colored different colors, the predominant shade is traditionally red, symbolizing life and rebirth.

One of the traditions in the pre-Easter week is the preparation of the so-called Thursday salt, which has excellent healing properties. To do this, it is necessary on Maundy Thursday ( last Thursday before the celebration Great Easter) place regular salt in the oven or oven for 10 minutes. Then she is blessed in the church. According to popular belief, salt can not only heal illnesses, but also maintain peace in the family and get rid of the evil eye.

Nativity of the Virgin Mary - September 21

One of the major religious holidays for Orthodox believers is the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This holiday is celebrated on September 21, and it was established by the church back in the 4th century. On this day, the days become shorter and the nights become longer. Depending on the weather on the day of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, people determined what autumn would be like and made assumptions about the coming winter. For example, it was believed that if birds rose high into the sky on this day, then winter would be cold. If the weather was clear, it was believed that it would last until the end of October.

On this religious holiday, quarreling was not allowed. It was believed that quarrels with the Mother of God especially anger the Lord because they upset the Virgin Mary. Drinking wine is not allowed on this day. Anyone who drinks on this day will suffer whole year. On September 21, it is also customary to treat all women with respect, remembering the original spark of God in every person.

There were also special traditions on this Orthodox religious holiday. Usually, newlyweds were visited on the Mother of God and taught them to avoid life’s mistakes. The hostess baked a festive cake and treated the guests.

The newlyweds also visited their parents on this day. They dressed in beautiful clothes, took the baked pie with them and set off around the village. The young wife attached a ribbon with the letters “R” and “B” (“Nativity of the Virgin Mary”) to her hair, which was supposed to protect her and her family from the evil eye. If the ribbon was untied, it was believed that someone was jealous of the young people and did not wish well.

One of the most important religious holidays of the year is Epiphany. It is celebrated on January 19th. The main tradition on this day is the blessing of water in temples. There was once an opinion that any tap water on this date became holy. However, the clergy emphasize that in any case the water must be blessed in the church. This water can treat wounds and illnesses. It is placed in a corner of the home so that there is order and peace in the house all year round. It is also necessary to remember that your beneficial features Holy water can be lost if, while collecting it or using it, a person quarrels with someone.

Religious holidays in Christian Russia they have centuries-old traditions.

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State Educational Institution Pedagogical Academy

Scientific and Educational Center for Pedagogical Support

postgraduate education

Independent work No. 2

The main religious holidays and shrines of world religions.

Completed by: O.A. Postavneva

Primary school teacher

MBOU Lyceum No. 11

Khimki

Checked: With V. Laine

Moscow 2012

The clergy in Russia has always had a special place in the history of the country and has always had significant political power, although this influence cannot always be attributed to the direct activities of the church.
Religious holidays in Christian Russia have centuries-old traditions.

NativityChristmas is the day when Jesus Christ entered the world with love. This is the day of forgiveness, bright feelings, the day when love triumphsEpiphanyEpiphany is one of the most ancient and revered holidays among Christians. Jesus came to John the Baptist and asked to baptize him. But John disagreed, saying that “you must baptize me.” To which Jesus replied that this is the Will of God. After the baptism ceremony, the heavens opened, and God said that Jesus was his son, and a dove flew from heaven as confirmation. After this, 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 received communion had to preach the Word of God throughout the countries and villages

Palm SundayOn the last Sunday before Easter, Christians celebrate the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. The inhabitants of Jerusalem greeted 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 onto the path of suffering, but in return bringing the Kingdom of Heaven and liberating man from slavery to sin

EasterChrist is Risen! Truly He is Risen! Thus, with joy in their hearts and with a bright soul, Orthodox Christians greet each other on the greatest Christian holiday- Easter. Easter – Light Christ's resurrection! Easter is the hope of all Orthodox Christians for the resurrection and the eternal Kingdom of Heaven. Before Easter, Christians observe the longest - almost 50 days - and strict Lent. The meaning of Lent is the physical and spiritual cleansing of a Christian before Easter.
For Easter, the date of celebration varies from year to year. General rule The date calculation for Easter states: "Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring"
Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin MaryThe 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 Child of God. Having given 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

Honey savedAugust 14 - the first Savior, the Honey Savior, the 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: because summer heat in August, Constantinople suffered from the spread of various diseases; Therefore, from ancient times, the custom was established to remove from the Church of St. Sophia a piece of the cross on which Jesus was crucified to consecrate the city and prevent epidemics. Apparently, initially the holiday was called not “origin”, but “pre-origin”, that is, removal.
The first Spas was also called the honey one. It was believed that from this day on, bees stopped carrying honey from flowers.
In addition, on August 14, religious processions to the water were held everywhere.

Forgiveness SundayForgiveness Sunday is the last day of Maslenitsa. Co next day Lent begins. Orthodox Christians in Forgiveness Sunday repent of sins, ask for forgiveness for insults to each other. This ritual is necessary in order to hold Lent with a pure soul, and then meet Holy holiday Resurrection of Christ - Easter.

RadonitsaRadonitsa falls on the 9th day from Easter. It is also called parent's day. Radonitsa refers to special days remembrance of the dead. It is on this day that you need to visit cemeteries where your parents or relatives are buried. And under no circumstances should you visit cemeteries on Easter, as many people do after listening to the stories of “educated” grandmothers. Easter is the joy of the resurrection of Christ, and Radonitsa is sadness for the departed, and at the same time the joy that they have acquired eternal life. The main thing in the ritual of visiting a cemetery is prayer for the souls of the departed. And there is no need to leave food or, especially, alcohol on the graves. Prayer is what you need to do in the cemetery

TrinityTrinity Day is celebrated on the 50th day from Easter. Therefore, it has a second name - Pentecost.
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

Maundy ThursdayOn Maundy or Maundy Thursday during 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, thereby showing an example of humility and piety.

Good FridayFriday Holy Week the saddest day for believers. On this day Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross and died. Thus, he atoned for human sins. On this day, believers remember the suffering of Christ and hold long services. All 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 strict fasting on this day.

Maslenitsa- This fun party, lasting a whole week. After Maslenitsa, Lent begins, which ends only on Easter. Maslenitsa began depending on the date of Easter, from February 3 to March 14. Although we inherited Maslenitsa from paganism, it fits well into the Orthodox religious calendar. There is nothing wrong with having fun and overeating before the strict period of 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 ever warmer. Therefore, the second meaning of Maslenitsa is saying goodbye to winter and welcoming spring. The symbol of farewell to winter was the burning of an effigy of Winter.

It must be remembered that there are no exact datesholding Muslim religiousholidays according to the Gregorian calendar. This is due to the fact that Islam lives according to its own chronology - from the Hegira, and adheres to the lunar calendar, and therefore every year Muslim holidays are “shifted” by 11 days. Moreover, the offensive Muslim holidays may differ from country to country, i.e. in Egypt, for example, Ramadan may begin a day earlier or a day later than in United Arab Emirates, which is associated with different conditions observations ( weather, terrain) behind the celestial bodies.

Ramadan (Arabic رمضان‎‎, Abjadiya 1091) or Ramadan (Turkish Ramazan) - the ninth month of the Muslim (lunar) calendar. Fasting is also called “Ramadan”, as is the name of the month. Duration of fasting is one moon month. From sunrise to sunset, Muslims abstain from food, drink, smoking, and other worldly pleasures and devote themselves entirely to prayers and good deeds. Representatives of other faiths must respect the religious feelings of Muslims and refrain from eating in public, smoking, noisy entertainment - everything that can disturb the peace of mind of a believer and offend him. Flagrant non-compliance with these elementary rules may result in administrative or even criminal penalties. For a month, it is advisable to adhere to a conservative style of clothing: without bright colors, non-fitting and fairly closed dress. During Ramadan, restaurants and cafes are open where non-Muslims can daytime calmly quench your hunger and thirst, smoke without attracting the attention of others. This is a sign of respect for guests of the city and all those whose religious views differ from their beliefs local residents. This is a tactful call for mutual respect.

Eid Al Fitr The month-long fast ends with a three-day holiday of breaking the fast, ID AL FITR, better known in our country as “KURBAN BAYRAM”. This time folk festivals, visiting relatives and cemeteries, distributing gifts to loved ones and donating to the poor.

EID AL ADHA - one of the most important Muslim holidays. Its celebration is associated with the Old Testament story, when the Prophet Ibrahim was ready to sacrifice his son Ismail to prove his devotion to the Almighty. God showed the father a lamb instead of a son, and since then it has been customary to sacrifice a pet as confirmation that the believer is readysacrifice everything in the name of God.

Laylat Al Qadr (Night of Predestination) is celebrated on one of the nights 10 days before the end of Ramadan. According to legend, on one of these nights the first revelations of the Holy Quran were sent down to the Prophet Mohammed from above. Muslims believe that on this night the person praying can achieve positive changes in his destiny. At other times, the Almighty can only be disturbed with requests for peace, health and peace of mind. The holiday is not official and is not celebrated in any special way.

Raz Al Sana - Islamic New Year. Celebrated on the first day of the month of Muharram. On this day, the Prophet Mohammed left Mecca for Medina and marked the beginning of the Islamic calendar.

Eid al Adha - This is the holiday of the end of fasting. It falls at the beginning of the month following Ramadan, i.e. On the first of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Muslim lunar calendar, the holiday of Fitr is called. From the name of this holiday it follows that a devout Muslim, after the end of fasting, is obliged to make a fitr to a representative of the clergy - that is, an offering in kind or cash. Part of this offering is later distributed among the poor members of the community. The holiday lasts three days and is accompanied by visiting and refreshments.
Eid al-Adha - the day of sacrifice, celebrated seventy days after the end of the fast. It is associated with the biblical legend about the prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), who wanted to sacrifice his son Ismail (Isaac) to God. At the last minute, God took pity on the unfortunate man and sent the Archangel Gabriel (Gabriel) with the lamb and saved Ibrahim’s son. In memory of this day, every Muslim is obliged to make a sacrifice (kurban), that is, to slaughter a sheep, cow, camel, horse while reading the appropriate prayer.
Mavlyud - Muhammad's birthday. This holiday is celebrated on the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal. It is accompanied by the reading of prayers and sermons in mosques and houses of believers, treats and offerings to the clergy.
Fridays a - a day of rest for Muslims, has the same meaning for them as Sunday for Christians and Saturday for Jews. On Friday, large solemn midday services are held, people wear festive clothes.
In addition to these main holidays, each people in each region of the traditional spread of Islam has its own specific rites and rituals that are passed on from generation to generation..

JEWISH HOLIDAYS IN ISRAEL

Jewish holidays, which have their roots in ancient times, are widely celebrated in modern Israel in both traditional and modernized forms. They leave a serious imprint on all aspects of national and state life, their influence is felt everywhere: in the family, at school, in the army, in the synagogue. The holidays represent the time markers by which the people of Israel measure the cycles of the year.

Shabbat - a weekly Saturday day of rest, when the whole family gets together and the majority of the Israeli population spends their leisure time communicating with family and friends. Public transport does not work on this day, all enterprises and institutions are closed, the activities of the public service sector are limited only to vital important functions, and a significant part of the soldiers are on leave. Many families use Saturday to relax on the seaside, walk in nature, and tour around the country. Religious citizens spend the Sabbath with their families and in the synagogue. They refrain from traveling or even walking outside their city or town, do not do any work and do not turn on (or turn off, if it was turned on) electricity.

Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish New Year, as a religious holiday consecrating the beginning of the year, is repentance on the eve of the approaching Day of Judgment and prayers for the coming year to be prosperous and fertile. The most solemn moment of the holiday is the blowing of the horn (shofar) during the synagogue service. According to established custom, special dishes are prepared for the New Year's meal. The Rosh Hashanah liturgy includes prayers of repentance. On government correspondence, newspapers and radio broadcasts" Jewish date" is indicated first. New Year's greetings in Israel they also send it before Rosh Hashanah, and not in the last days of December, as is customary in Western countries.

Yom Kippur , which occurs 8 days after Rosh Hashanah, is the day of atonement for sins, Divine judgment and self-purification. This is the only day on which the Bible instructs a person to do nothing other than reflect on his misdeeds and sins. The entire people of Israel pray for forgiveness, long for reconciliation between man and God, and declare their desire to correct the bad deeds committed for the sake of peace and harmony between people. All activity and all movement in the country freezes for 25 hours; places of entertainment are closed; Neither television nor radio works - even news is not transmitted; all highways and roads are empty. All this involuntarily brings to mind the Yom Kippur War of 1973, when Egypt and Syria unexpectedly attacked Israel on Yom Kippur.

Five days later the holiday arrives Sukkot , known in the Bible as the Feast of Tabernacles. Sukkot is one of the three festivals of the ascension: until the year 70 AD. e. There was a Jerusalem Temple, and all the people climbed to it three times a year. The Bible orders Sukkot to commemorate the time when the Jews who came out of Egypt (in the 13th century BC) lived in huts (tabernacles) in the desert. Sukkot is also a time when people thank God for the bountiful harvest.

Hanukkah begins on the 25th of the month of Kislev, which usually coincides with December. This holiday recalls the joy of the Jews in 164. BC. who defeated the powerful Greek army under the leadership of the Macabees, but most importantly - about the triumph of the Jewish spirit over the idolatrous Hellenes.

Makha Pucha - one of the main holidays celebrated in memory of the event from life of buddha , when 1250 followers of his teachings from different parts of the world - arahant (enlightened) monks, without agreement or being invited, simultaneously came to the Veluwat temple in India to listen to the instructions of the Buddha. On this day, people especially try to do good deeds, help those in need, donate vestments, money and necessary items to monasteries.

Visakha Pucha (Vesak)- Buddha's birthday. Formally, the date of Buddha’s birthday was established at the World Buddhist Conference only in 1950. Therefore, according to tradition, not only the birth of Buddha, but also his enlightenment and departure to nirvana are associated with this holiday. During the celebration ceremony, the 8 commandments of Buddhism are especially remembered: do not kill, do not steal, do not commit adultery, do not indulge in dirty speech, do not take harm into yourself (alcohol, dope), refrain from excessive gluttony, refrain from sensual temptations, refrain from excessive luxury. It is considered a special virtue on this day to bring joy to the unfortunate. Therefore, in addition to helping those in need and giving them gifts, an indispensable part of the ceremonies is the release of birds and animals from their cages.

Asalkha Pucha (Asankha)- celebrated in memory of the Buddha's preaching and the acquisition of the sacred Sangha (text of rules).

Pavarana – celebrated to mark the end of the rainy season in Southeast Asia. Tradition says that on this day Buddha taught the monks the art of silence and they all remained silent for three months. On this day, it is customary to ask for forgiveness from everyone who has been wronged and wronged during the long period of the wassa season (the rainy season, but not according to the real weather calendar, but according to the Buddhist calendar).

Anapanasati is the last major Buddhist holiday of the year, commemorating how the Buddha encouraged his disciples to follow solitude and meditation.

Songkran . This holiday falls in mid-April and lasts 3-5 days. The holiday symbolizes the celebration of water as a pure element. According to tradition, people gather on the banks of rivers or on sea beaches and pour water on each other. These days, monks are presented with gifts with an indispensable gift - eau de toilette. The holiday atmosphere is characterized by unusual fun. Also, the central ceremony of the holiday is the release of fish into reservoirs for breeding.

Loy Krathong. Symbolizes the worship of the sacred footprints of Buddha left on the banks of the Namada River in India. The festival is one of the most colorful in Thailand. In the evening, specially made wreaths of flowers, decorated with lit candles, float across the water. Also, fiery lanterns flying upward are released into the sky. People also associate this festival as a holiday for lovers - many, floating krathongs (wreaths) on the water, wish upon their beloved and ask Buddha to send mutual love and loyalty.

Ulambana. This festival is more typical of countries with the Mahayana tradition, but is also celebrated in Burma and Thailand. It is believed that on this day the gates of hell are open and demons have the power to come out and descend to earth to tempt the righteous. Believers go to cemeteries and remember their dead, leaving food, flowers and lighted candles and incense.

Sagaalgan, New Year. The Chinese, Tibetans, Mongols, Vietnamese, Buryats and Tuvans celebrate the arrival of the New Year on the first spring new moon according to the lunar calendar. Since the Lunar year is shorter than the Solar year by about a month, the onset of the New Year does not have a fixed date and can fluctuate within a month and a half (from the end of January to the first ten days of March). This date is calculated in advance using astrological tables.

Noah's Ark of Humanity

Israel, HaifaThis is the only place on Earth where the shrines of three world religions are located in close proximity to one another. And one of the few - where representatives of different cultures. It is here that you can see their “living life” with your own eyes, and not its reflection found in a museum exhibition.

To see it, you need to climb a modest mountain, from the top of which four thousand years of world history will be revealed to you at once. Will be revealed not in dead stone, but in the center of seething life Jerusalem holds a special place in the hearts of Jews, Muslims and Christians. Here are the mainshrines of Judaism- Western Wall and Temple Mount; Christianity - Church of the Holy Sepulcher; Islam - Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque.

In the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in the city of Turin, the center of the Italian province of Piermont (the city is also known for the FIAT plant and the Juventus football club). At the cathedral, the Chapel della Sacra Sindone - Chapel of the Holy Shroud - is open, and it is there that one of the most mysterious shrines of the Christian world is kept.

KAAB.
In the Al-Haram mosque in Mecca, in Saudi Arabia. The Kaaba - the main sanctuary of Islam - is now a cube of four stone walls (human height), into one of which is embedded an Eswad - “Black Stone” (16.5x20 cm), set in silver. There are lists inside the Kaaba

. SANTA'S ROCK (Holy Staircase)A stone's throw from the Roman Cathedral of San Giovanni in Laterano. A rather steep staircase of 28 steps is located in the preserved part of the Lateran Palace, it leads to the Sancta Sanctorum (Holy of Holies), the papal chapel built in 1278.

PERSONAL ITEMS OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMEDIn Istanbul, in the treasury of the Topkapi Palace, in the Pavilion of the Holy Intercession. In addition to the personal belongings of the prophet, some other Islamic shrines are kept there. The main shrine of Topkapi is the shroud (or cloak) of the prophet, which visitors can only see through open doors hallway - entry into the room is strictly prohibited. But two of Muhammad’s sabers, his tooth, a footprint and several hairs from his beard (!) can be seen from a closer distance.

EMERALD BUDDHAIn the monastery complex Wat Phra Kaew, located on the territory of the Royal Palace in Bangkok. The famous Emerald Buddha is small in size: its height is 66 cm, the distance between the knees is 48 cm. But the size does not matter here - anyway, this particular statue is considered the most sacred in Thailand. It is interesting that the Buddha is dressed up from season to season: in the summer he is dressed in a crown and jewelry, in the cold - in a golden cape, and in the rainy season - in a golden monastic cloak.

WALL OF TEARS In Jerusalem, in the area of ​​the Temple Mount. The Western Wall, also known as the Western Wall, also known as the Ma'aravi Kotel, is the main Jewish shrine, the only surviving wall of the Second Jewish Temple. A rather impressive section of the visible part of the wall is 57 m long and 19 m high.

ASHES OF BUDDHA In the Chinese Famen Temple, located literally some 117 kilometers from the ancient capital - Xi'an.
The ashes of the Famen Buddha are a small phalanx bone, 4.03 cm long and weighing 16 grams.

Christianity, like any religion, on certain days of the calendar honors saints or celebrates events in the life of the church. Christian holidays are rooted in ancient ritual traditions associated with specific stages, types economic activity, annual astronomical or calendar cycle. Conventionally, they are divided into pan-Christian (recognized by the Orthodox, Catholic, and most Protestant churches) and confessional (celebrated only by individual denominations). The most important of them relate to the twelve feasts - the twelve most important holidays after Easter, which the church celebrates with solemn services.

Nativity. This is one of the main holidays of Christianity associated with the birth of Jesus Christ. In Catholicism it is celebrated on December 25, in Orthodoxy (belongs to the twelve holidays) on January 7. Establishing itself in different countries, this holiday has absorbed the rituals and customs of other religions, national holidays, acquiring new features that corresponded to Christian dogmas.

The very tradition of Christmas has its origins in primitive cultic actions. The main role in its dogmatic sense the church assigns to the teaching about the birth of Jesus Christ, who appeared to atone for the sins of people, to show humanity the path to salvation. After all, in Ancient Egypt For example, on January 6 they celebrated the birthday of the god of water, vegetation, and owner of the afterlife, Osiris. IN Ancient Greece On the same day they celebrated the birth of Dionysus. In Iran, on December 25, they celebrated the birth of the god of the sun, purity and truth - Mithras.

In Kievan Rus, the holiday of the Nativity of Christ came along with Christianity in the 10th century. and merged with the winter ancient Slavic holiday- Christmastide (lasted for 12 days - from December 25 (January 7) to January 6 (19). The Orthodox Church tried in every possible way to replace them with the holiday of the Nativity of Christ, but the existing Eastern Slavs holidays and customs were so deeply rooted that she was forced to combine church holidays with folk holidays. Thus, the church combined carols with the gospel story about star of bethlehem which announced the birth of Christ. “Pagan” carols turned into the walking of Christoslavs with a star from house to house. Children were widely involved in glorifying Christ. The believers thanked them with gifts.

Since 1990. Christmas Day is an official holiday in Ukraine.

Baptism of the Lord (Vodokhrischa, Blessing of the Waters, Epiphany). It is one of the main holidays in Christianity. In Orthodoxy it belongs to the twelve holidays. Catholics celebrate on the 6th, Orthodox on January 19. It was introduced in memory of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. It is also called the Epiphany, because, according to the Gospel, during Jesus’ baptism, God the Holy Spirit descended from heaven in the form of a dove.

In Christianity it was introduced in the 2nd half of the 2nd century, and was first celebrated together with the Nativity of Christ. In Art. IV This day began to be celebrated separately. The Church views it as a “holiday of enlightenment” of peoples, since, according to teaching, it was with baptism that Jesus began to enlighten them with the light of the gospel truth.

This holiday has always been celebrated very solemnly. Its main rite is the blessing of water in the church and in the ice hole. A procession of the cross went to the ice hole, and solemn prayers were held. The blessing of water in churches continues to this day.

Sprinkling with water existed in many pre-Christian religions. By spiritualizing natural phenomena, people also spiritualized water as an important source of life. Christianity on early stages In its development, it did not know the rite of baptism; it borrowed it somewhat later from ancient cults, which assigned an important role to the rite of “cleansing” a person from any “filth” or “evil spirits” with the help of water. According to ancient beliefs, water cleansed people from " evil spirits", "demons". Therefore, ancient peoples had a custom of sprinkling water on newborns.

Candlemas. It is celebrated as one of the twelve holidays on February 15 on the occasion of the meeting (presentation) of the righteous Simeon with the baby Jesus, whom his parents brought to the Jerusalem Temple on the fortieth day after birth to present to God. It was then that Simeon predicted to Jesus his messenger mission as the Savior of people. This is stated in the Gospel according to. Luke. By introducing the holiday, the church cared not only about spreading the ideas of Christianity, but also about “truth to facts” in the biography of Christ, emphasizing the obligation of believers to bring babies to church within 40 days after birth. In addition, the church tried to protect Christians from ancient cults, since the Romans in February served “purification”, repentance, and fasted, believing that before the start of spring field work it was necessary to “cleanse themselves from sins” and “evil spirits” by making sacrifices to spirits and gods. The main cleansing ritual took place on February 15, when people with torches in their hands drove out evil spirits winter cold and diseases.

Supporters of Orthodoxy did not recognize Candlemas for a long time. Later they gave it the meaning of a holiday of purification. This is exactly how it appeared in Rus', having established itself mainly as religious holiday. In the popular consciousness, Candlemas marked the end of winter and the beginning of spring household chores, as evidenced by the popular belief: “At Candlemas, winter meets summer.”

Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. This twelfth holiday is celebrated on the last Sunday before Easter. Its everyday name is Palm Sunday, before the day of Holy Week, dedicated to the “mention of the suffering of Christ.”

According to the calendar, it is directly adjacent to Easter and does not have a fixed date. It was introduced in Art. IV. as an important stage in preparation for Easter. At the core biblical legend about the entry of Jesus Christ with the apostles into Jerusalem, accompanied by the performance of miracles. The people joyfully greeted the Son of God with palm branches.

In Rus', the ritual significance of palm branches is transferred to willow branches, which bloom at this time and, according to popular belief, protect against evil spirits. The celebration of the Lord's entry into Jerusalem is intended to encourage believers to open their hearts to Christ's teachings about the resurrection and eternal salvation, as did the inhabitants of Ancient Jerusalem.

Ascension of the Lord. It is celebrated on the fortieth day after Easter. And the very moment of the ascension to heaven of Christ, resurrected after his execution, completes his earthly biography. It is very common in everyday life and remains strictly ecclesiastical. Its content generates in believers the idea of ​​the frailty of earthly life and directs them towards Christian asceticism in order to achieve the “eternal.”

Christian theology claims that the ascension of Christ opens the way for the righteous to heaven, to resurrection after death. This idea existed long before the advent of Christianity. Beliefs in the ascension to heaven of people, heroes and gods were common among the Phoenicians, Jews and other peoples.

Trinity (Pentecost). A holiday established in honor of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Christ on the fiftieth day after his resurrection, as a result of which they spoke in different languages ​​that they did not know before. It is called upon to focus the attention of believers on the voice of the church, which carries “God’s word”, to attract them to preach Christianity to other “languages,” that is, to other nations. Celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter. In Orthodoxy it belongs to the twelve holidays.

The concept of the divine trinity existed long before Christianity. In the process of the formation of the Christian religion, the need arose to connect it with the stories of the Old Testament. Therefore, in the New Testament books, Christ is presented as the son of the Hebrew god Yahweh, as a hypostasis of the one God, which was evidenced by the step of Christianity from polytheism to monotheism. Accordingly, Christianity borrowed many Jewish holidays, including the Feast of Pentecost. Among the ancient Jews, it arose with their transition to agriculture and was associated with the completion of the harvest, which lasted “seven weeks,” that is, seven weeks, accompanied by the offering of bread from the new harvest to local field spirits and deities. Christianity gave him a new justification.

In most Eastern Slavs, the holiday of the Trinity merged with the local holiday of Semik (another name is “Trinity”), borrowing its everyday meaning. The ancient Slavs associated semik with the completion of spring work, trying to appease the spirits of vegetation during the period of flowering and harvest. An important element Orthodox holiday Trinity is the commemoration of the spirits of deceased relatives (funeral Saturday). In Ukraine since 1990. Trinity Sunday is an official holiday.

Saved. This is one of three holidays dedicated to the Savior Jesus Christ. It is based on the Gospel story of the transfiguration of Christ, who at the end of his earthly life led his disciples (Peter, James, John) to the mountain and during prayer completely changed: his face shone, his clothes became white, shiny, and a voice from heaven confirmed his divine origin. Christian teaching claims that Jesus wanted to strengthen the faith of his disciples and prove to them that he was truly the Son of God.

It is with this event that the Feast of the Transfiguration (“Apple Savior”), which is celebrated on August 19, is associated. On this day, they not only glorify Jesus Christ, but also sanctify apples and other fruits (according to popular custom, they can be consumed since then).

An important feature of the Savior, like many other holidays, is the combination of Christian pathos with calendar rituals and customs of cleansing from evil spirits. For example, during the “honey” celebration (“makovei”), which takes place on August 14, fresh honey is blessed in the church. Established in 1164 in honor of the Byzantine victory over the Muslims. This day is especially revered in Russian Orthodoxy, since it is believed that it was on August 14 that the Grand Duke of Kiev Vladimir was baptized. The third - "grain" saving - is celebrated on August 29, coinciding with the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter sowing. Christianity connects it with the honoring of the miraculous image of Christ, imprinted on a towel and handed over to Abgar, the king of Edessa.

In many parishes, the Feast of the Savior is also patronal (temple).

Exaltation of the Holy Cross. One of the twelve holidays dedicated to the cult of the Cross as a symbol of the Christian faith. The church connects several events with the cross. According to legend, the Roman Emperor Constantine, before one of his largest battles, had a vision: a cross illuminated in the sky with the inscription “With this conquer!” That same night, Jesus Christ himself appeared to the emperor in a dream and advised him to take into battle a banner with the image of a cross. Constantine did so, in addition, he ordered his legionaries to paint the sign of the cross on their shields. Constantine won the battle and since then believed in miraculous power cross though historical facts evidence that, to commemorate the victory, Constantine ordered the minting of coins with the image of pagan gods, which he believed helped him in the battle with his enemies.

The Church established this holiday in memory of the receipt by the mother of the Roman Emperor Helen in the 4th century. the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. So that the people could see it, the cross was raised (erected) on Mount Golgotha, where Christ was executed, and in the place where the cross was found, a temple was built, the consecration of which took place on September 13, 335.

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross is solemnly celebrated on September 27. It is accompanied by magnificent rituals. During the service, a cross decorated with flowers is brought out and placed in the middle of the temple. The ceremony is accompanied by ringing and church chants.

Believers revere the cross as a symbol of Christianity as a symbol of redemption, suffering and salvation, believing that every person, like Christ, must overcome his own “way of the cross.”

Mother of God holidays. They cover the holiday in honor of the Virgin Mary - the mother of Jesus Christ (Theotokos). These are the Nativity of the Theotokos, the Entry into the Temple of the Theotokos, the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Feast of the Dormition, the Intercession (the first four belong to the Twelves) and many holidays in honor of the “miraculous” icons of the Theotokos.

In the honoring of Mary the Mother of God, there are traces of veneration by the ancient peoples of the goddess of the earth, who gave birth to the savior, God's son - the god of vegetation. The creation of the image of the Christian Mother of God was influenced by the ideas of the ancient Egyptians about the goddess Izidu. Christianity depicts the Mother of God as the “queen of heaven,” a winged celestial being “shrouded in the sun.” On her head is a wreath of twelve stars. The ancient Egyptian goddess Isis was also depicted as the queen of heaven, believing that she gave birth to a divine son, the savior Horus. The Christian Mother of God has common features with the goddess of the Syrians and Phoenicians, Astarte.

Ancient peoples worshiped these goddesses, considering them deities of the fertility of the earth and livestock, and intercessors of agriculture.

The church also borrowed the idea of ​​the virgin birth from pre-Christian religions. According to the myths of peoples Ancient East Mithra, Buddha, Zarathushtra were born from immaculate mothers. It was these myths that served to create the Christian legend of the “immaculate conception” of the Virgin Mary.

Nativity of the Virgin Mary (Malaya Prechistaya). The church associates it with the ancient agricultural autumn holidays, timed to mark the end of the harvest. On this day, it is emphasized that the Mother of God is a great righteous woman, a helper and intercessor of people, the patroness of agriculture, who with the “birth of Christ” took the first step towards their “eternal salvation.” Celebrated on September 21st.

Introduction to the Temple of the Virgin Mary. Connected with the tradition of three-year-old Mary being brought up in the Jerusalem Temple. By establishing this holiday, the church pursued, first of all, the goal of convincing parents of the need to bring their child to church on early age. Celebrated on December 4th.

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is celebrated on the occasion of Mary receiving news from the Archangel Gabriel that she will give birth to a child from the Holy Spirit. In Rus', the church associated this holiday with the beginning of spring field work ("blessing" of seeds, etc.) and signs of the future harvest. Celebrated on April 7th.

First Most Pure One. The Church celebrates it as a day of remembrance Mother of God. The church interpretation of this holiday is much reminiscent of ancient Syrian legends about the death of Cybele, the goddess of fertility. In Rus', the holiday of the Assumption merged with the ancient Slavic pagan holiday of harvesting and sacrificing bread and fruits to the spirits. Celebrated on August 28th.

Intercession of the Virgin Mary. This holiday is associated with a vision of the Virgin Mary, which allegedly appeared in 910 in the Blachernae Church of the Virgin Mary in Constantinople. During the night service, the holy fool Andrew, who was canonized, and his disciple Epiphanius allegedly saw the Mother of God, surrounded by angels and saints, appearing above them, praying for the salvation of the world from troubles and suffering, with a white veil spread over everyone.

The holiday came to Rus' along with Orthodoxy, the church used it to displace autumn pagan holidays, which were arranged at the end of field work. It is celebrated on October 14.

In Ukraine, the holiday of the Intercession is very respected; it has absorbed the traditional veneration of women, mothers, and the feminine principle in general, personified in the image of the mother earth. The Ukrainian Cossacks had a special attitude towards this holiday.

Easter (Easter). This is one of the most significant Christian religious holidays. It was established by the first Christians in memory of the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Historically, the holiday comes from the custom of some ancient peoples of the Middle East (Babylonians, Egyptians, Jews), who were engaged in cattle breeding, to sacrifice lambs and calves from the first litter to the spirits during the spring holiday. They believed that this would appease evil spirits, and they would no longer destroy livestock and send diseases to them. With the transition to agriculture, bread, cakes, fruits, etc., baked from the grain of the new harvest, were offered as an atonement sacrifice to the spirits. These agricultural holidays merged with cattle Easter and adopted its name. they were united by the hope of the miraculous good power of deities who die and are resurrected.

Christianity borrowed this tradition, embodying it in the doctrine of the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. But the main idea - God's self-sacrifice for people - has been preserved. The religious essence of the ritual remained the same as thousands of years ago: by making a sacrifice to cleanse people from evil, illness, misfortune and tragedy.

The idea of ​​salvation, at least after death, became widespread, especially among the common people. The image of Christ, who voluntarily accepted martyrdom, seems to call for enduring earthly suffering. As Christian teaching established itself and developed, it developed the ceremony of celebrating Easter, and from the 2nd century. this holiday has become one of the main ones.

The week before Easter is called Great, or Passionate, because its days are associated with the Passion of the Lord. Particularly important days begin on Thursday, which is called “clean”. It is associated with the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the apostles.

The material embodiment of the resurrection is Easter eggs(in Ukraine - krashenki, pysanky) a symbol of life, spring, sun, in Christianity a symbol of the atonement of human sin.

In Kievan Rus, the celebration of Easter was introduced in the 10th century. Here it merged with local Slavic spring holidays. In the spring, before the start of agricultural work, the ancient Slavs held a festival of the sun, which “resurrects”. In those days, they made sacrifices to the spirits and deities of vegetation, and sought to satisfy the spirits of deceased ancestors. Christian Easter absorbed many of the ancient Slavic religious rituals, including public family meals in which bread, cheese, eggs, smoked meat and the like were prepared.

Since in early Christianity the celebration of the resurrection of Christ coincided with the Jewish Passover; at the Councils of Nicaea (325) and Constantinople (381) it was decided to celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after the full moon, which occurred on or on the day spring equinox(March 21), or after it. But it was obligatory to celebrate Passover on a different day than the Jews. According to the lunar calendar, the spring full moon falls on the same date, after the solar one on different numbers and even in different days weeks. Therefore, Easter does not have a precisely established calendar. It is celebrated within 35 days.

For more precise definition The dates of Easter celebrations for each year were made according to calculations, which are called Easter. In Orthodoxy they have remained unchanged to this day. In Catholicism, the formula for these calculations has undergone some changes, so both churches do not always celebrate Easter on the same day.

There are many different religions in the world and they all have a large number of their religious holidays. Each religion has its own rituals, traditions and ceremonies, accompanied by grandiose celebrations.

The festival of Ashura symbolizes among Shiite Muslims the torment of the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, Imam Hussein, who was killed in the battle of Karbala, Iraq, in 680 AD. This National holiday in countries such as Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon... In the photo: Afghan Shiites engage in self-flagellation with chains and blades during Ashura on December 27, 2009. (UPI/Hossein Fatemi)

Good Friday symbolizes the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death. Photo: Christians raise a crucifix with Salvador Zavala (center) as Jesus Christ during the "Way of the Cross" ritual in Chicago on April 2, 2010. The annual Good Friday ritual draws thousands of people to walk the 1.5-mile distance in the heart of Chicago's Pilsen Mexican-American community. (UPI/Brian Kersey)

Vaisakhi is a Sikh festival symbolizing the founding of the Khalsa order at Anandpur Sahib in 1699 by the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. Falling in mid-April Gregorian calendar Vaisakhi marks the beginning of the harvest season. Photo: One of the many moving floats at the Vaisakhi parade on April 14, 2007. (UPI Photo/Heinz Ruckemann)

Kumbh Mela Festival - takes place every three years in four different cities in India (thus, in each city once every 12 years). The festival lasts 42 days and attracts millions of people. People believe that by taking a dip in the sacred waters of the Ganges River, they will wash away their sins. Photo: Indian devotees bathe in the Ganges River during the Kumbh Mela festival in Haridwar on April 14, 2010.

Every Muslim (if he is physically able to do so) must perform the Hajj pilgrimage at least once in his life. The annual Hajj pilgrimage is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world, with up to two million Muslims participating. Photo: Saudi officer Ghassan looks at Muslims who pray at the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad at the Great Mosque in Mecca on December 4, 2008. (UPI Photo/Mohammad Kheirkhah)

Purim is a holiday in honor of the liberation of the Jewish people from the oppression of the Persian Empire. On Purim, it is customary to publicly read the book of Esther, give food and drink, and give alms to the poor. Photo: Little ultra-Orthodox men in costumes celebrate Purim in the Mea Shearim neighborhood of Jerusalem on March 5, 2007. (UPI Photo/Debbie Hilll)

Holi is a spring festival of Hindus and Sikhs, which is celebrated in countries such as India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Indians throw colored powder at each other at the Banke Bihari Temple in Mathura on March 10, 2009. (UPI Photo/Mohammad Kheirkhah)

An Indian boy wears paint after celebrating the Festival of Colors in New Delhi on March 11, 2009. (UPI Photo/Mohammad Kheirkhah)

Epiphany is a Christian holiday that marks the transition of the Lord into human form in the body of Jesus Christ. In the photo: Orthodox Christians plunge into water from the Jordan River on January 18, 2010. Hundreds of Orthodox Christians gathered for a religious holiday near the city of Jericho, where, according to legend, John the Theologian baptized Jesus Christ. (UPI/Debbie Hill)

The ancient ritual of Kaparot is always performed before the Jewish day of atonement, Yom Kippur. Photo: An ultra-Orthodox Jew carries a chicken over the head of a child during prayers in Jerusalem on October 7, 2008. (UPI Photo/Debbie Hill)

Eid al-Fitr symbolizes the end of Ramadan. Photo: Senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh addresses an audience at a mass prayer in Gaza on September 30, 2008. (UPI Photo/Ismael Mohamad)

Iranian women in traditional costumes gathered around a bonfire at the Sadeh religious ceremony west of the capital Tehran on January 30, 2010. Sadeh means "hundred" in Persian, which refers to the hundred days and nights remaining until the beginning of the new Persian year, which is celebrated on the first day of spring. (UPI/Maryam Rahmanian)

Christmas. A Palestinian boy lights a candle in the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, where, according to legend, Jesus Christ was born, in Bethlehem on December 20, 2009. (UPI/Debbie Hill)

Palm Sunday is a Christian holiday that always falls on the Sunday before Easter. Believers celebrate Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. Photo: Christians carry palm and olive branches during a Palm Sunday procession in Jerusalem on March 28, 2010. (UPI/Debbie Hill)

Rosh Hashanah is considered the eve of the Jewish New Year and falls on the seventh month of the Jewish calendar. Photo: Ultra-Orthodox Christians pray at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem on September 22, 2006. (UPI Photo/Debbie Hill)

Easter is a Christian holiday symbolizing the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the photo: Russian Orthodox priest illuminates Easter cakes and eggs in the Peter and Paul Church in Moscow on April 3, 2010. (UPI Photo/Alex Natin)

World Youth Day is a Catholic Church event aimed at young people, organized by Pope John Paul II in 1986. Photo: Pope John Paul II waves to a crowd from a car in a Toronto plaza on July 25, 2002. Up to 300,000 pilgrims attended the event. (cc/cc/Christine Chew UPI)

The clergy in Russia has always had a special place in the history of the country and has always had significant political power, although this influence cannot always be attributed to the direct activities of the church.
Religious holidays in Christian Russia have centuries-old traditions; you can learn more about the most popular religious holidays from this section of our website. For each of the holidays, detailed information will be provided about when it is celebrated in the year, how, and here you can also find congratulations and cards for a specific religious holiday.
Before moving on to specific holidays, here's pivot table, which presents the most important dates, the so-called great religious holidays.

Nativity

Christmas is the day when Jesus Christ entered the world with love. This is a day of forgiveness, bright feelings, a day when love triumphs. May the guns fall silent on this holiday and not a single rocket rise into the air except 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 into our world, but also Christmas greetings in prose and poetry for all the people near and dear to you.

Eve of the Epiphany

Epiphany Christmas Eve- This is preparation for the celebration of the Epiphany. According to the evangelists, Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, and he was baptized by John the Baptist, who after the baptism of Christ received the name John the Baptist.
On Christmas Eve Christians adhere to strict fasting. On this day you can only eat porridge, or sochivo, as Orthodox Christians call it. The name of the holiday comes from the name of this porridge. Usually sochivo was prepared from honey, raisins and rice or barley. But in different regions of Russia they prepare sochi in different ways.
In addition, this evening the blessing of water takes place. The blessing of water also occurs the next day - on the day of Epiphany. 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 Epiphany

Epiphany

Epiphany is one of the most ancient and revered holidays among Christians. Jesus came to John the Baptist and asked to baptize him. But John disagreed, saying that “you must baptize me.” To which Jesus replied that this is the Will of God. After the baptism ceremony, the heavens opened, and God said that Jesus was his son, and a dove flew from heaven as confirmation.
After this, 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 received communion had to preach the Word of God throughout the 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 Child of God. Having given 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, Lent begins, which ends only on Easter. Maslenitsa began depending on the date of Easter, from February 3 to March 14. Although we inherited Maslenitsa from paganism, it fits well into the Orthodox religious calendar. There is nothing wrong with having fun and overeating before the strict period of 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 ever warmer. Therefore, the second meaning of Maslenitsa is saying goodbye to winter and welcoming spring. The symbol of farewell to winter was the burning of an effigy of Winter.

Forgiveness Sunday

Forgiveness Sunday is the last day of Maslenitsa. Lent begins the next day. On Forgiveness Sunday, Orthodox Christians repent of their sins and ask for forgiveness for their offenses to each other. This ritual is necessary in order to hold Great Lent with a pure soul, and then celebrate the Bright Feast of the Resurrection of Christ - Easter.
Don’t 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 greeted 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 onto the path of suffering, but in return bringing the Kingdom of Heaven and liberating man from slavery to sin

Maundy Thursday

On Maundy or Maundy Thursday during 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, thereby showing an example of humility and piety.
It is on this day that all believers clean their houses and wash themselves, since before Easter this will no longer be possible. And in order to understand how, what and why, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with short articles from this category, as well as poems for this day - Maundy Thursday.

Good Friday

Friday of Holy Week is the saddest day for believers. On this day Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross and died. Thus, he atoned for human sins. On this day, believers remember the suffering of Christ and hold long services. All 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 strict fasting on this day.

Easter

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen! Thus, with joy in their hearts and with a bright soul, Orthodox Christians greet each other on the greatest Christian holiday - Easter. Easter - Holy Resurrection of Christ! Easter is the hope of all Orthodox Christians for the resurrection and the eternal Kingdom of Heaven.
Before Easter, Christians observe the longest - almost 50 days - and strict Lent. The meaning of Lent is the physical and spiritual cleansing of a Christian before Easter.
For Easter, the date of celebration varies 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 He is Risen!

Radonitsa

Radonitsa falls on the 9th day from Easter. It is also called parent's day. Radonitsa refers to special days of remembrance of the dead. It is on this day that you need to visit cemeteries where your parents or relatives are buried. And under no circumstances should you visit cemeteries on Easter, as many people do after listening to the stories of “educated” grandmothers. Easter is the joy of the resurrection of Christ, and Radonitsa is sadness for the departed, and at the same time the joy that they have acquired eternal life. The main thing in the ritual of visiting a cemetery is prayer for the souls of the departed. And there is no need to leave food or, especially, alcohol on the graves. Prayer is what you need to do in the cemetery

Trinity

Trinity Day is celebrated on the 50th day from Easter. In most cases, the holiday is called briefly, simply Trinity. Due to the 50th day from 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

Ivana 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 is the meaning of baptism, because in Greek baptism means “washing”, “immersion”. Therefore, Ivan Kupala is Orthodox name John the Baptist.
On this holiday, even non-believers often organize peculiar orgies of bathing and dousing. However, anyone who has found themselves in such situations does not need to explain anything, as it happens...

Elijah's day

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

Honey saved

August 14 - First Savior, Honey Savior, 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 origin 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, the custom was established to remove from the Church of St. Sophia a piece of the cross on which Jesus was crucified to consecrate the city and prevent epidemics. Apparently, initially the holiday was called not “origin”, but “pre-origin”, that is, removal.
The first Spas was also called Medov. It was believed that from this day on, bees stopped carrying honey from flowers and began to close the honeycombs. This is where the name of this holiday comes from - Spas.
In addition, on August 14, religious processions to the water were held everywhere.
We can say that this holiday is great history, which means it is celebrated by many and sometimes on a grand scale. In order not to be left out of luck, 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 Honey Savior.

Apple saved

August 19 is the date when Orthodox Christians celebrate one of the most important holidays, 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 suffer for people, die on the cross and be resurrected. This holiday symbolizes spiritual transformation each of us. The Transfiguration is popularly known as the Apple Savior.

Bread Saved

The third saved, and is also called Bread or Nut saved, akin to Apple and Honey salvage. The actual Third Spas (Bread or Nut Spas) is marked by the collection of the next “fruits of autumn”, which allowed the average person 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 Spases were successful and, accordingly, “full-fledged.” That is why each of these holidays was marked not so much by a gathering, but a joyful event that something has been collected after all. So the third save, by its name, was dedicated to the harvesting of grain, that is, cereals and to the collection of nuts, if there were any in the region.
The celebration was marked by services in churches and festivities among ordinary people.

Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary

In the 10th century, on October 1, a miraculous phenomenon occurred in the Blachernae church, where hundreds of worshipers gathered. The robe of the Mother of God, Her head covering and part of the belt were kept in this church. During the night vigil, the Mother of God herself appeared above the prayers and began to pray with everyone present. Then the Mother of God removed the veil from her head and covered everyone in the church with it, 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 people

St. Nicolas day

IN Orthodox calendar St. Nicholas Day is celebrated twice - on May 22 and December 19. Saint Nicholas is highly revered in Rus'. Probably because he could forgive the deepest sinner if he sincerely repented of his act. This is very close to the Russian soul. Saint Nicholas is considered a miracle worker. Through his prayers the storms stopped and the winds subsided. Perhaps this is why St. Nicholas is revered as the patron saint of travelers.
For his determination against injustice, for his mercy and selflessness, for helping people, Saint 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.