Orthodoxy customs and traditions. Customs and rituals of the Russian Orthodox Church

IN ancient Rus' there was a close connection and interaction between the church and home life our ancestors. Orthodox people paid great attention not only to What cooked for lunch, but also How preparing. They did this with constant prayer, in a peaceful state of mind and with good thoughts. And they also paid special attention church calendar- looked at what day it was - fasting or fasting.

The rules were observed especially strictly in monasteries.

The ancient Russian monasteries owned vast estates and lands, had the most comfortable farms, which gave them the means to make extensive food supplies, which in turn gave them abundant means for the wide hospitality bequeathed to the inhabitants by their holy founders.

But the matter of receiving strangers in monasteries was subordinated to both the general church and private statutes of each monastery, that is, one food was offered to the brethren, servants, wanderers and beggars on holidays and feeding days (commemorated for depositors and benefactors) days, another on weekdays; one - on fast days, the other - on fast days and on fasts: Great, Nativity, Assumption and Petrovka - all this was strictly determined by the statutes, which were also distinguished by place and means.

These days, not all regulations church charter, aimed primarily at monasteries and clergy, can be applied in Everyday life. However, an Orthodox person needs to learn some rules, which we have already mentioned above.

First of all, before you start preparing food, you must pray to God.

What does it mean to pray to God?
To pray to God means to glorify, thank and ask Him for the forgiveness of your sins and your needs. Prayer is the reverent striving of the human soul towards God.

Why do you need to pray to God?
God is our Creator and Father. He cares about us all more than any child-loving father and gives us all the blessings in life. By him we live, move and have our being; that is why we must pray to Him.

How do we pray?
We sometimes pray internally - with our mind and heart; but since each of us consists of soul and body, then for the most part we say the prayer out loud and also accompany it with some visible signs and bodily actions: the sign of the cross, a bow to the waist, and for the strongest expression of our reverent feelings for God and deep humility before Him, we kneel and bow to the ground.

When should you pray?
You should pray at all times, without ceasing.

When is it especially appropriate to pray?
In the morning, upon awakening from sleep, to thank God for keeping us through the night and asking for His blessings on the coming day.
When starting a business - to ask for God's help.
At the end of the case - to thank God for help and success in the case.
Before lunch - so that God will bless us with food for health.
After lunch - to thank God who feeds us.
In the evening, before going to bed, to thank God for the day and ask Him for forgiveness of our sins, for a peaceful and serene sleep.
For all cases, special prayers are prescribed by the Orthodox Church.

Prayer before lunch and dinner

Our Father... or:
The eyes of all trust in You, Lord, and You give them food in good season, You open Your generous hand and fulfill all animal blessings.

Na Cha- at you. They hope- addressed with hope. In good time- in my time. You open- you open it. Animal - Living being, everything living. Favor- good disposition towards someone, mercy.

What do we ask of God in this prayer?
In this prayer we ask that God bless us with food and drink for health.

What is meant by by the hand of the Lord?
The hand of the Lord is of course here giving us good things.

What do the words mean? having performed every kind of good pleasure on animals?
These words mean that the Lord cares not only about people, but also about animals, birds, fish, and in general about all living things.

Prayer after lunch and dinner

We thank Thee, Christ our God, for Thou hast filled us with Thy earthly blessings; Do not deprive us of Your Heavenly Kingdom, but as You came among Your disciples, Savior, give them peace, come to us and save us. Amen.

Creature comforts- everything necessary for earthly life, for example, food and drink.

What are we praying for in this prayer?
In this prayer, we thank God for satisfying us with food and drink, and we ask that He not deprive us of His Heavenly Kingdom.

If several people are sitting at the table, the oldest person reads the prayer out loud.

What can be said about someone who crosses himself incorrectly and carelessly during prayer or is ashamed to cross himself?

Such a person does not want to confess his faith in God; Jesus Christ Himself will be ashamed of this at His Last Judgment (Mark 8:38).

How should one be baptized?
To make the sign of the cross, we put the first three fingers of the right hand - thumb, index and middle - together; We bend the last two fingers - the ring and little fingers - to the palm.
We place the fingers folded in this way on the forehead, on the stomach, on the right and left shoulder.

What do we express by folding our fingers like this?
By putting the first three fingers together we express the belief that God is One in Essence, but threefold in Persons.
The two bent fingers show our faith that in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, there are two natures: Divine and human.
By depicting a cross on ourselves with folded fingers, we show that we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ crucified on the Cross.

Why do we sign the cross on our forehead, stomach and shoulders?
To enlighten the mind, heart and strengthen strength.

May be, to modern man It will seem strange or even fantastic to say that the taste of dinner can depend on prayer or mood. However, in the lives of the saints there is a very convincing story on this topic.

One day, Prince Izyaslav of Kiev came to the monastery to visit Saint Theodisius of Pechersk (who reposed in 1074) and stayed to dine. On the table there was only black bread, water and vegetables, but these simple dishes seemed sweeter to the prince than overseas dishes.

Izyaslav asked Theodosius why the monastery meal seemed so tasty. To which the monk replied:

“Prince, our brethren, when they cook food or bake bread, first they take a blessing from the abbot, then they make three bows in front of the altar, light a candle from a lamp in front of the icon of the Savior, and with this candle they light a fire in the kitchen and bakery.
When it is necessary to pour water into the cauldron, the minister also asks the elder for a blessing for this.
Thus, everything is done with blessing.
Your servants begin every task with grumbling and annoyance at each other. And where there is sin, there can be no pleasure. In addition, your courtyard managers often beat the servants for the slightest offense, and the tears of the offended add bitterness to the food, no matter how expensive they are.”

The Church does not give any special recommendations regarding food intake, but you cannot eat before the morning service, and even more so before communion. This prohibition exists so that the body, burdened with food, does not distract the soul from prayer and communion.

What is the sacrament of communion?
The fact is that a Christian accepts the true Body of Christ under the guise of bread, and the true Blood of Christ under the guise of wine for union with the Lord Jesus Christ and for eternal blissful life with Him (John 6:54-56).

How should one prepare for Holy Communion?
Anyone who wishes to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ must first fast, i.e. fast, pray more in church and at home, make peace with everyone and then confess.

Should you take communion often?
One should receive communion as often as possible, at least once a month and necessarily during all fasts (Great, Nativity, Assumption and Petrov); otherwise it is unfair to be called an Orthodox Christian.

At what church service is the sacrament of communion celebrated?
During the Divine Liturgy, or mass, which is why this service is considered more important than other church services, for example, Vespers, Matins and others.

In liturgical practice, the Russian Orthodox Church uses the Typikon. Typicon, or Charter- a liturgical book containing detailed instructions: on what days and hours, at what divine services and in what order the prayers contained in the Service Book, Book of Hours, Octoechos and other liturgical books should be read or sung.

The Typikon also pays great attention to the food eaten by believers. However, a secular person should not literally follow all the instructions contained in the Charter, for it is aimed primarily at the monastic brethren.

Introduction.

Currently, the Russian Orthodox Church still occupies a leading place in our country in terms of the number of religious supporters, although since 1917 it has been separated from the state. The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) is an independent church. It is headed by a patriarch, elected by the local council for life.

An Orthodox Christian is supposed to send enough big circle various kinds of worship, that is, duties in accordance with the canons and customs of their faith. IN last years the number of people receiving baptism, consummating their marriage with a church wedding, and seeing off in last way their loved ones in accordance with Orthodox customs.

Along with this, the composition of worship is increasing, it is becoming more complex and diverse. How should one fulfill one’s Christian duty and properly prepare for communion with the Holy Sacraments, what is their ritual and spiritual side?

The basis of Orthodox dogma is the Niceno-Tsargrad Creed, approved at the first two Ecumenical Councils of 325 and 381. These are ideas about the trinity of God, the incarnation, atonement, resurrection from the dead, baptism, the afterlife, etc. All the main provisions of the faith are declared to be revealed and eternal.

Mysteries of Christianity.

Sacraments - cult actions, during which “the invisible grace of God is communicated to believers,” that is, the revival of religious consciousness occurs by reminding the content and meaning of the basic provisions of the doctrine.

Orthodox and Catholic Church recognizes seven sacraments: baptism, communion, repentance (confession), confirmation, marriage, consecration of oil, priesthood.

Initially, Christianity had only two sacraments - baptism and communion. All seven were officially recognized only in 1279 at the Council of Lyon. All sacraments are borrowed from pre-Christian cults, which received some specific features in Christianity.

Baptism is one of the main sacraments and symbolizes the acceptance of a person into the Christian church. Many pagan religions practiced the ritual of washing with water as a means of cleansing from evil spirits. Christianity interprets baptism as death for a sinful life and rebirth for a spiritual, holy life. In the Orthodox Church, the baby is dipped into water three times; in the Catholic Church, the baby is simply doused with water. Orthodox tradition says that water should be free of impurities. Heating is also considered an admixture, so if baptism occurs in winter, according to the strict requirements of the canon, the water must be at natural (outdoor) temperature. At baptism, naming occurs. Usually the name was chosen by the priest based on the names of the saints to whom a particular calendar day is dedicated. An unscrupulous priest could give the baby a name that has already gone out of use or sounds strange to contemporaries.

Communion , or the Holy Eucharist (“the blessed sacrifice”), occupies important place in the Christian cult. According to legend, this ritual was established by Christ himself at the Last Supper. In memory of this event, believers partake of the sacrament - bread and wine, believing that they have tasted the body and blood of Christ. The origins of this ritual lie in ancient beliefs and are based on sympathetic magic (by eating part of an object to give oneself the qualities of that object). For the first time, the ritual of eating bread and wine as a way of communion with divine powers arose in Ancient Greece. The early Christians did not know this ritual. Only in 787 did the Council of Nicea officially enshrine this sacrament in the Christian cult.

Repentance is charged to Orthodox and Catholics as a mandatory regular action. Confession is the strongest way to control the thoughts and behavior of a believer. As a result of confession and repentance, forgiveness of sins should follow. Absolution is the prerogative of the priest, who imposes punishment or suggests a way to correct sins (excommunication from the church - complete or temporary, orders to fast and pray for a certain time). In early Christianity, confession was public - the entire community judged the degree of the believer’s misconduct. Only from the 12th century was secret confession introduced, in which the believer repents of his sins to one priest. The secret of confession is guaranteed. The procedure for confession is different for Orthodox and Catholics. Catholics confess in closed booths, where they do not see the priest, and the priest does not see the confessor. Thus, the priest speaks to the “soul” of a person, without paying attention to his appearance, which can evoke different feelings. An Orthodox believer confesses in the vestibule of the church. The priest covers his head with a veil and places his hands on it. The identity of the person confessing is not a secret for him, as for others present.

The problem of maintaining the secret of confession has always been difficult to solve. Violation of the secrecy of confession to “prevent greater evil” was allowed in cases where information about anti-government actions was revealed during confession. In 1722, Peter the Great issued a decree according to which all priests were obliged to report to the authorities every identified case of rebellious sentiments, plans against the sovereign, and the like. The clergy readily carried out this decree. On the other hand, the church has arrogated to itself the right to decide issues of forgiveness for antisocial acts - murder, theft, etc.

Following baptism in the Orthodox Church, anointing . The human body is lubricated with aromatic oil (myrrh), with the help of which the grace of God is supposedly transmitted. The ancient magical origin of this ritual is beyond doubt. Anointing as a consecration was already practiced in Ancient Egypt and among the Jews. There is not a word about anointing in the New Testament, but it was introduced into the Christian cult, apparently taking into account its psychological effect.

Marriage as a sacrament was established only in the 14th century. This ritual is Christian churches refers to the most beautiful and solemn actions designed to have a deep emotional impact. Many non-believers go to perform this ritual because of its beauty and solemnity.

Blessing of Unction It is performed on a sick person and consists of anointing him with wooden oil - oil, which is supposedly sacred. The Orthodox Church believes that with the help of this ritual healing from illnesses is accomplished. Catholics perform it as a blessing for the dying. The connection with ancient magical rites can be traced in the ceremony of consecration of oil - seven apostolic epistles are read, seven ectenias (forgiveness) are pronounced, and seven anointings of the sick person with oil are performed.

Sacrament of the Priesthood occurs when a person enters ordination. The bishop conveys “grace” to the new priest by placing his hands on his head. In a distant way, this rite is reminiscent of initiation rites in ancient times. Similar actions have been and are being carried out by various closed societies ( knightly orders, Masons). The solemnity of the ceremony is intended to emphasize the role of priests in fulfilling the mission of the church. The initiate takes an oath of selfless service and receives the appropriate vestments.

Christian rituals.

Prayer . The Church requires constant prayer, turning to God or the saints for help. It is stated that everyone’s prayer will be heard and fulfilled according to his faith. The roots of prayer are in magical spells that ancient man called upon the spirits to help or conjured to leave him. Some Christian prayers are simply borrowed from earlier religions - from the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Jews. The necessity of daily prayerful appeal to God with the corresponding canonical text is aggravated by the fact that God understands only a certain language used by the church. For Catholics it is Latin, for Orthodox Christians it is Church Slavonic. Therefore, usually, after the obligatory beginning of prayer, the believer turns to God in his native language and talks with him “without protocol.”

Icons. The Orthodox and Catholic churches give great importance cult of icons . In early Christianity there were fierce debates about icons, which were regarded as relics of paganism and idolatry. Indeed, remnants of fetishism remain in the cult of icons. This is manifested in the rules that regulate the care of the icon and stipulate cases of its destruction. You cannot burn or otherwise destroy an icon. If it has fallen into disrepair and because of this it leads into temptation more than it imparts holiness, it must be floated on river water early in the morning - God himself will decide its fate. This is exactly what they did with the idol of the god Perun in Kyiv, when Prince Vladimir and his retinue baptized their subjects for the first time. Fetish idols were supposed to work miracles, this is also required of icons - they “cry”, become covered in “bloody sweat”, “lighten or darken” “by themselves”, etc. In Catholicism there are more sculptural images of deities and saints, and in Orthodoxy it is icon painting that is the leading religious art. Therefore, there are more miraculous stories associated with icons in Orthodoxy.

Cross. Worship of the cross is the most varied rite. Temples and priests' robes are crowned with a cross. Believers wear it on their bodies; no ritual is complete without it. According to the church, the cross is revered as a symbol of the martyrdom of Christ crucified on the cross. Before Christians, the cross was revered as sacred symbol in Ancient Egypt and Babylon, in India and Iran, in New Zealand and South America. The ancient Aryan tribes revered a rotating cross - the swastika (symbol of Khors, the sun god). But the early Christians did not honor the cross; they considered it a pagan symbol. Only since the 4th century has the image of the cross been established in Christianity. So it is still not completely clear why Catholics have a four-pointed cross, while Orthodox Christians have a six-pointed one. Eight-pointed, eleven- and eighteen-pointed crosses are also venerated.

Trinity is one of the most significant and revered holidays by all Christians. It traditionally falls in the summer, in the month of June. Celebrated on Sunday, the fiftieth day from Easter. Therefore, another name for the holiday is Holy Pentecost. It is accompanied by various, very interesting rituals and traditions.

history of the holiday

Trinity has several other names. Firstly, this is the birthday of the Church of Christ. It is said that it was created not by the human mind, but by the grace of the Lord himself. And since the Divine essence is presented in three forms - Father, Son and Spirit - then this holiday is the Trinity. Pentecost is also famous for the fact that on this day the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles, disciples of Christ, and all the holiness and grandeur of divine plans were revealed to people. And finally, the third name: people have long considered the day as the Green Saint. By the way, there is also a fourth thing: maiden Christmastide.

Traditions and customs

Many in Rus' (meaning historical, ancient Slavic Rus') were and are celebrated today on those days on which ancient pagan days also fall. Thus, there was an overlap of two egregors: a young one, associated with a new religion, and an ancient one, already “prayed.” This was especially important in the first centuries of Christianity. And even now it has not lost its relevance. Echoes of pagan rituals are clearly visible in many traditions. For example, on the day of the Holy Trinity, it is customary to decorate houses and churches with herbs, birch and lilac branches. The girls wove wreaths for themselves and their betrotheds and organized games. Families gathered in meadows and forests for meals. One of the obligatory dishes was scrambled eggs.

Ancient rituals

Trinity Day has always been celebrated outdoors. The main holiday tree was considered to be the birch. The girls threw wreaths of birch branches into the river, hoping to learn from them their future fate. From early morning, the sweet spirit of fresh loaves of bread flowed through the villages, to which friends and neighbors were invited. Then the real fun began. Tablecloths were laid under the birch trees, treats and the same morning loaves, which were also decorated with wildflowers, were placed on them. The girls sang, danced around, showed off new outfits, flirted with the guys, and they were looking for someone to marry. It is worth noting that the bread, wreaths and tablecloths that were used on this holiday - the day of the Holy Trinity - had a special meaning and played a special role in a girl’s life. The loaf was dried, and when the girl got married, its crumbs were poured into the wedding bread, which was supposed to provide the newlyweds with a friendly, happy life in abundance and joy. According to the ritual, the Trinity tablecloth was spread on the table when the parents of the future groom came to the bride’s house for the bride’s viewing. The magical energy of Trinity Day was supposed to envelop the girl in an invisible flair and present her in the most favorable light. And they gave wreaths to their beloved as a sign of fidelity, confirming the sanctity of their vows. The herbs collected for the Green Holy Day were dried and fed to the sick. They were believed to have special great healing powers.

Girl's fortune telling

Trinity Day 2013 fell on June 23. Of course, now it’s the 21st century, the century of nanotechnology and general computerization. And two centuries ago, when they heard the cuckoo, the girls asked it how long they would have to trample on the threshold of their father’s house. And they counted with bated breath, because each “peek-a-boo” meant a year of unmarried life. And throwing wreaths into the river, they noticed: he was swimming steadily, calmly - life would be like that too, without shocks and problems. The waves throw him from side to side, whirlpools spin - the future does not promise anything good. And if the wreath drowns, expect trouble; the girl will not live to see the next Trinity Day.

A lot of mysterious, unusual, interesting things happened on this day. Based on the weather, they noted what summer and autumn would be like. They appeased and commemorated the spirits of deceased relatives. We went to churches and defended services. The special bright energy of the holiday is felt to this day.

Traditions and customs Orthodox holidays.

Object of study: traditions and customs of Orthodox holidays.

Purpose of the study: to learn as much as possible about the traditions and customs of Orthodox holidays: Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Trinity.

Research objectives:

· promote the formation of a respectful attitude towards the traditions and customs of their people;

· develop cognitive motivation, the desire to know as much as possible historical information about the traditions of celebration national holidays;

· get acquainted with the history of the main Orthodox holidays and their customs;

· conduct a survey among school students in order to identify their attitude towards these holidays.

Research methods:

Search (information collection);

Questionnaire;

Generalization.

Introduction.

We celebrate a huge number of holidays: personal, state, church. At the same time, we perform certain actions, for example, going to a rally or swimming in an ice hole. But why do we do this? Many will say that this is the way it is, everyone does it. But behind every action, even a generally accepted one, there is a certain meaning. To our modern life Many foreign holidays have entered: Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, City Day - behind all this diversity, the original Russian culture, our Orthodox holidays and customs are lost.

In 988 Rus' was baptized, baptized into Orthodoxy. And from that moment on, no matter what happened in our country, faith always saved the Russian people. And this was because our ancestors honored their roots, knew Orthodox holidays and observed traditions.

The Orthodox Church has established 12 main holidays. They are called the Twelves.

1. Christmas Holy Mother of God- September 21 .

2. Exaltation of the Holy Cross - September 27.

3. Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the temple - December 4.

12. Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary - August 28.

The main holiday is Easter.

In our project we will focus on the four most revered Orthodox holidays, as well as the patronal feast of the village of Kopyl, the day of remembrance of Archangel Michael.

Nativity.

The Christmas holiday is celebrated on January 7th. Before this holiday there is a 40-day Nativity or Filippov fast. The Virgin Mary and her husband Joseph traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem. That year, Emperor Augustus conducted a population census. Every Jew had to register in the place where he was born and where his ancestors lived. And since Mary and Joseph were natives of Bethlehem, they went to this city. The journey took 40 days, which is why the fast lasts that long. Maria was expecting a child, so they wanted to quickly find shelter for the night. But since the city was overcrowded, they found a place only in the stable. The day before Christmas is called Christmas Eve. This day of strict fasting, only after sunset it is allowed to eat juices: boiled rice with honey and fruit, honey “pancakes” and lean pies.

According to an ancient legend, on the eve of Christmas, at midnight, the gates of heaven open, and the Son of God descends to earth from the heights beyond the clouds. During this solemn appearance, the “Blessed Paradise” reveals to the eyes of righteous people all its invaluable treasures, all its inexplicable secrets. All the waters in heavenly rivers come to life and move; the springs are transformed into wine and endowed with miraculous powers on this great night; in the gardens of paradise, flowers bloom on the trees and golden apples pour in. If anyone prays for anything at midnight, asks for anything, everything will come true, as it is written, says the people.

When Christ was born, the sky lit up bright Star. That's why they put up a spruce tree as a symbol at Christmas. eternal life and crown it with a star - a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem. At Christmas it is customary to give gifts, and this ritual is also not accidental. The Magi Melchior, Gaspar, and Belshazzar came to greet the newborn Christ with gifts. They brought gold, frankincense and myrrh. We also gift each other on this day with wishes of health and longevity. The Church and people rejoice over the event that took place on this day - the union of man and God, which became the beginning of the salvation of mankind from slavery to sin and death.

Celebration of the Nativity of Christ in the royal chambers of the 16th-17th centuries. It started the day before, early in the morning. The king made a secret exit. First, he visited the Great Prison Yard. He listened to the complaints of convicts - he freed some according to his royal mercy and speedy judgment, eased the bonds of others, gave others a ruble and a half for the holiday. All prison inmates, by order of the sovereign, were given a festive meal on great days.

Then the sovereign gave money from his hands to every poor person he met. Returning to the chambers, the king went to his chambers to rest. Having rested and changed clothes, he went to church.

Thus, the sovereigns of Moscow and “all Rus'” loved to commemorate all great holidays with deeds of charity.

Baptism.

Epiphany - January 19. At the time when John the Baptist preached on the banks of the Jordan River and baptized people, Jesus turned 30 years old. He also came to the Jordan River to receive baptism from John. After baptism, when Jesus Christ came out of the water, the heavens suddenly opened above him, and John saw the spirit of God descending on Christ in the form of a dove. And they all heard a voice from heaven: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” When the Son of God was immersed in the river, the water changed, acquired living force, and became holy. She healed the souls and bodies of people immersed in the river. Since then, every year priests illuminate the sources: rivers, lakes, wells and wells. At the same time, they say special prayers and immerse the cross in water. One drop of consecrated water is enough for all water to become holy. For three days, baptism water is distributed to the laity in churches, which is stored all year. In Rus' there were Epiphany baths at Epiphany. It was believed that on this day one should plunge into an ice hole to cleanse the soul and body. The hole was made in the form of a cross, and was called “Jordan”.

On Epiphany Christmas Eve, Orthodox people put chalk signs of the cross on all doors and window frames to protect their homes from evil spirits.

In folk Rus', the holiday of Epiphany is associated with many beliefs related to the fate of a person, for example, if someone is baptized on this day, then according to the word folk wisdom, be him the happiest person on the ground. It is considered a good omen if they get married on this day.

Folk signs associated with the holiday of Epiphany.

ü When the snow blows up on Epiphany, bread will arrive.

ü Snow will pile up right up to the fences - bad summer. There is a gap - fruitful.

ü If in the evening before Epiphany a scattering of stars shines brightly in the sky, it’s good that the sheep will lamb this year.

ü If a blizzard sweeps up on Epiphany, it will snow almost all the way to the Holy Place.

ü If dogs bark a lot on Epiphany, there will be plenty of all kinds of animals and game.

ü Snow flakes - for a harvest, clear - for a shortage of crops.

ü On Epiphany noon, blue clouds mean a fruitful year.

ü On Epiphany the day is warm - the bread will be dark.

Easter is the holiday of all holidays.

Holy Resurrection of Christ - Easter. Passover translated from the ancient Jewish language means “salvation.” But the ancient Jews were saved from the Egyptian yoke, and we, Orthodox, on this day celebrate the salvation of the human soul. The holiday of Great Easter was established in the city of Nicaea in 325. ad. Easter is celebrated only on Sunday and never happens on the same date.

Easter Sunday is preceded by a period of fasting, when people eat fasting foods. This fast lasts 40 days, it begins on the Monday after Forgiveness Sunday and ends on the Saturday before the great Sunday holiday. This post serves as a reminder that Jesus Christ prayed and fasted for 40 days in the desert.

On Easter the bell rings especially solemnly. Throughout Bright Week, anyone can climb the bell tower and ring in honor of the holiday.

On this day we eat Easter cakes, which symbolize Golgotha, the mountain on which Christ was crucified.

We greet each other differently. We say: “Christ is Risen!” and to this we hear the answer “Truly He is Risen!”

We paint eggs. The red egg is a symbol of miracle. There is a parable that Mary Magdalene came to the Emperor of Rome with the goal of glorifying Christ. But it was necessary to come to the emperor with gifts, and she had nothing except a chicken egg, which she presented to him. Having finished the sermon, Mary was about to leave. But the emperor said: “This egg would rather turn red than I would believe everything you said!” And a miracle happened - the egg turned red.

Since then, it has been customary to give colored eggs for Easter.

The tsar, boyars, and rich people gave out generous alms on this day: they presented prisoners, the sick, and the poor with money, new things, and painted Easter eggs.

In addition to painted natural eggs, they also prepared souvenir eggs. The eggs were carved from wood and painted on gold with bright herbal patterns. Jewelry artists glorified the Faberge company for their imagination in making Easter souvenirs from gold and silver with enamels and precious stones. The icon painters of Palekh and Mstera made amazing red and blue lacquer eggs from papier-mâché. They decorated them with miniatures with Christian subjects. Some wooden eggs were covered with oil or enamel paint and painted with bright colored patterns, images of saints, or simply the letters “X” and “B” - Christ is Risen. Such eggs were called differently in different places: “painted eggs”, “pysanka”, “mazanka”.

In the 18th-19th centuries, in addition to bone and wooden ones, they began to make eggs from glass and crystal with carvings; from precious metals and stones; made of porcelain, and even embroidered with beads and silk.

In Russian cities, starting from the end of the 19th century. and until the beginning of the 20th century, the custom of giving Easter eggs became mandatory for everyone.

Customs dedicated to the Easter egg.

1. Easter eggs can be stored for a year, until next Easter. The remains of Easter eggs were buried in the ground.

2. In the old days, Easter eggs were buried in a tub of grain that was being prepared for sowing. This could suggest that the owners were in for a rich harvest.

3. People who built their houses embedded a painted egg in the foundation of the house. This egg served as a talisman against evil forces and against the destruction of the house.

4. If you went to the field and took a colored egg with you, then they threw it up so that the bread would be high.

5. And today, eggshells from colored eggs are collected and scattered across the fields for a better harvest.

6. When cattle were first driven out into the field, they rolled a colored egg along the animal’s backbone so that it would become well-fed and round like an egg.

7. Eggs were used to treat human diseases. For example, a fragment of eggshell was strung on a woolen thread and worn on the body against colds and fever.

8. Easter egg is used to remember the dead. It was believed that if you come to the graves of the dead with an Easter egg, which was given to you first on Easter Sunday, you would be able to communicate with your deceased relatives through the egg.

9. It is customary to give painted eggs to each other for happiness and health. This is a symbol of people's goodwill towards each other.

10. Previously, painted eggs were given by brides to their grooms, and grooms to their brides as a sign of love and fidelity.

Did you know that...

─ the most ancient pattern of Easter eggs is geometric;

─ a pattern in the form of oak leaves is often found on Easter eggs. The oak leaf is a symbol of harmony of beauty and strength.

─ Easter egg paintings most often contain red, yellow, green, blue, blue, Brown color A.

o Red color is a sign of happiness, light;

o yellow color – sign of the sun;

o green color– sign of life;

o blue color – a sign of the sky;

o blue color – the color of night and sacrament;

o brown is the color of earth.

─ often in the painting of Easter eggs there are triangles that denote the unity of spirit, mind and body, the unity of the present, past and future, the unity of the family - mother, father, child, the unity of earthly elements - earth, water, fire.

─ Carl Faberge is a master jeweler who, for the first time in 1895, By order of Emperor Alexander III, he made a golden Easter egg, which was made of white enamel in a gold crown with rubies.

─ Most of Carl Faberge's Easter eggs included some kind of surprise. For example, in an egg that was made in 1891. A model of the cruiser “Memory of Azov” is hidden.

─ a total of 56 pieces of jewelry in the form of Easter eggs were made by Cala Faberge.

─ in Russia you can admire the collection of jewelry Easter eggs in the exhibition of the Armory Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin.

Trinity.

Trinity - Pentecost. Celebrated on the 50th day after Easter on the first Sunday of summer. In Rus', this holiday was similar to celebrating the New Year, only for the New Year they decorated a Christmas tree, and for Trinity - a birch tree.

Trinity was considered a girls' holiday. The girls took treats with them - pies, cheesecakes - and went into the forest, where they found an elegant birch tree. They tied bows on its branches and asked for their wishes to be fulfilled. On Trinity Day, it was customary to weave wreaths of flowers, make wishes and throw wreaths into the water. If the wreath floats, then the wish will come true.

Quarrels were not allowed on Trinity Sunday. And if a quarrel broke out between someone, such people were immediately ordered to kiss through a wreath. It was believed that in this way people became relatives-godfathers, and godfathers should not quarrel among themselves, but could only give each other gifts. But these were pagan rituals.

On this day, under the domes of the temple, as if under a gracious sky, not only man, but also all nature: herbs, flowers, trees glorify the Holy Trinity.

On this day, everyone decorates both temples and their homes with birch branches and bright flowers in honor of the Spirit of God. And in the villages they cover the floors with fresh grass - and how wonderful it smells in every hut!

OUR RESEARCH.

Traditions and customs of holidays in the village of Kopyl.

The people of our village inherited many traditions from their ancestors, some of which have survived to this day:

· at Christmas they glorified Christ, mummers walked around, whoever entered the house first was seated at the threshold on a fur coat and they said: “You goats, you calves, you hens” with the goal of keeping housekeeping in this house. The people of Christolavo received candy, pancakes, gingerbread, and sometimes money - 1 kopeck, rarely 10 kopecks. On holiday, they gave secret alms: they would bring some thing or food, put it on the doorstep, knock on the window, and then leave.

· Easter was considered the greatest and long-awaited holiday. They prepared for it for a long time. They cleaned the house and prepared various dishes. They fasted for 40 days. On Easter they rolled colored eggs, exchanged them, rang bells, and did not work in the fields the entire Easter week. They had to bake the Easter cakes themselves; no one ate anything before mass. They shared food with the poor and sick and fed them. If a beggar came to the holiday, she was seated at the table; it was believed that the Lord himself visited this house.

· On Trinity, the house was decorated with tree branches and the floors were covered with grass. We went to the cemetery with branches. They dyed the eggs green with grass.

· on Epiphany we swam in an ice hole. Epiphany water was sprinkled throughout the house, yard, and clothes. The food was eaten after sprinkling with water. They drew crosses on the doors with chalk.

· Michael's Day was considered the patronal holiday in Kopyl. On this day the village coped greatest number weddings Church hitching posts were overflowing with horses with dressed teams. There was no end to the wedding couples. Kopyl was famous for its cheerful weddings with viscous old songs, vociferous accordions, and lively dances. On this patronal holiday, Kopyl was bursting with guests who came to every house from other villages. For the throne day, the owners prepared a treat in advance: they cooked meat, grated noodles and crumpets, and baked pancakes. For tea, gludki (sugar loaves) were crushed with special tongs. A huge samovar was placed on the table and after the refreshment the teas were “drinking” for a long, long time.

Questioning.

We conducted a survey among students at our school:

· - Which Orthodox holiday is your family’s favorite?

· - What does it mean to you? What feelings does it awaken in your soul?

· - How do you prepare for this holiday?

We found out that children give the greatest preference to the holidays of Easter and Christmas. With the onset of these holidays, your soul becomes pleasant, light, joyful, seeing smiles on the faces of passers-by and hearing congratulations, you feel good. Preparations are underway for each holiday: delicious treats are prepared, the house is cleaned. For the Easter holiday, Easter cakes are illuminated, eggs are painted, at Christmas they glorify Christ and receive gifts, money, and gifts for this. During holidays, lamps are lit in front of the icons in the house.

Generalization.

Familiarity with the customs of Orthodox holidays and the research made it possible to conclude that some traditions in our village of Kopyl are respected and observed.

Orthodox traditions

In ancient Rus' there was a close connection and interaction between the church and home life of our ancestors. Orthodox people pay great attention not only to what they prepare for lunch, but also to how they prepare it. They always do this with prayer, in a peaceful state of mind and with good thoughts. And further Special attention They pay attention to the church calendar - they look at what day it is - fasting or fasting. These rules are observed especially strictly in monasteries. An Orthodox person must pray to God before starting to prepare food. Prayer is the reverent striving of the human soul towards the Creator. God is our Creator and Father. He cares about all of us more than any loving father and gives us all the good things in life. By him we live, move and have our being; In this regard, we must pray to Him. We sometimes pray internally - with our mind and heart, but since each of us consists of soul and body, for the most part we say the prayer out loud, and also accompany it with some visible signs and bodily actions, such as the sign of the cross, bowing to the waist , and for the strongest expression of our reverent feelings for God and deep humility before Him, we kneel and bow to the ground (bows to the ground). You should pray at all times, without ceasing. Church tradition prescribes praying in the morning, upon awakening from sleep, to thank God for keeping us through the night and asking for His blessing on the coming day. When starting a business - to ask for God's help. At the end of the matter - to thank God for help and success in the matter. Before lunch - so that God will bless us with food for health. After lunch - to thank God who feeds us. In the evening, before going to bed, to thank God for the day and ask Him for forgiveness of our sins, for a peaceful and serene sleep. The Orthodox Church provides special prayers for all cases. Prayer before lunch and dinner - “Our Father” or “The eyes of all trust in You, O Lord, and You give them food in good season, You open Your generous hand and fulfill every animal’s good pleasure.” In this prayer we ask that God bless us with food and drink for health. By the hand of the Lord we mean here the giving of blessings to us, as well as the fulfillment of all living good will, that is, the Lord cares not only about people, but also about animals, birds, fish, and in general about all living things. Prayer after lunch and dinner: “We thank You, Christ our God, for You have satisfied us with Your earthly blessings; Do not deprive us of Your Heavenly Kingdom, but as You came among Your disciples, Savior, give them peace, come to us and save us. Amen. In this prayer, we thank God for satisfying us with food and drink, and we ask that He not deprive us of His Heavenly Kingdom. These prayers should be read standing, facing the icon, which must certainly be in the kitchen or dining room, out loud or silently, making the sign of the cross at the beginning and end of the prayer. If several people are sitting at the table, the oldest person reads the prayer out loud. It is important to note that to make the sign of the cross, the first three fingers of the right hand - thumb, index and middle - are folded together, the last two fingers - the ring and little fingers - are bent to the palm. The fingers folded in this way are placed on the forehead, on the stomach, and then on the right and left shoulders. By putting the first three fingers together we express the belief that God is One in Essence, but threefold in Persons. The two bent fingers show our faith that in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, there are two natures: Divine and human. By depicting a cross on ourselves with folded fingers, we show that we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ crucified on the Cross. We place the cross on the forehead, stomach and shoulders to enlighten the mind, heart and strengthen strength. The taste of dinner can depend on prayer or mood. The Lives of the Saints have a very convincing story on this topic. One day, Prince Izyaslav of Kiev came to the monastery to visit Saint Theodosius of Pechersk (who reposed in 1074) and stayed to dine. On the table there was only black bread, water and vegetables, but these simple dishes seemed sweeter to the prince than overseas dishes. Izyaslav asked Theodosius why the monastery meal seemed so tasty to him. To which the monk answered: “Prince, our brethren, when they cook food or bake bread, first they take a blessing from the abbot, then they make three bows in front of the altar, light a candle from a lamp in front of the icon of the Savior, and with this candle they light a fire in the kitchen and bakery. When it is necessary to pour water into the cauldron, the minister also asks the elder for a blessing for this. However, with us everything is done with a blessing. Your servants begin every task with grumbling and annoyance at each other. And where there is sin, there should be no pleasure. At the same time, your courtyard managers often beat the servants for the slightest offense, and the tears of the offended add bitterness to the food, no matter how expensive they are.

The Church does not give any special recommendations regarding food intake, but you cannot eat before the morning service, and even more so before communion. This prohibition exists so that the body, burdened with food, does not distract the soul from prayer and communion.

People who consider themselves believers try to live all aspects of life in accordance with their religious tradition. In the Biblical tradition of the Mediterranean culture, which includes Christianity in general, and Orthodoxy in particular, the question of a person’s name has always been very important. The names of the heroes of the faith - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - were repeated many times over generations, first among the Old Testament Jews, and then among Christians. It was believed that giving a child the name of a righteous man made him, the child, a participant in the holiness and glory that the original bearer of the name had already received from God. Here, the main motive for naming the baby was the desire to delegate to him, even if only by name for now, part of the merits before God with their prototypes.

The era of early Christianity, especially its pronounced Hellenistic period, did not regulate the special process of choosing a name for a child. Many names were specifically pagan in nature, as evidenced by their Greek translation into Russian. Actually, people who became saints gave their names a sacred character and made them Christian names. We must understand that the effect of precedent is very precious to any believer. In case one day religious life if something turned out exactly like this, then in the future it is worth repeating the same path to achieve success in the most important thing - saving your own soul. In part, this approach resembles the Old Testament tradition, but only in part, since in the Old Testament there is no understanding that the dead saints are active characters, especially in the lives of the people who bear their names. There it is precisely more of a tradition than mysticism.

In Christianity, with its feeling that “everyone is alive with God,” the saint whose name a person bears is a real active character in the fate of his ward. This patronage was expressed in the concept of “heavenly patron”. It is interesting that often the “heavenly patrons” themselves did not have any heavenly patrons at one time, therefore, they were able to realize their holiness without an additional mystical element in their lives, without additional help. At the same time, there is no such thing as too much help, and the tradition of giving names in honor of saints - and receiving prayer books and patrons in their person - has been strengthened over the first few centuries of Christianity. In Rus', this tradition appeared along with the adoption of Orthodoxy as an integral part of it. The Baptist of Rus', Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, himself received the Christian name Vasily in his baptism.

The issue of choosing a name in Christian families has always been decided by the parents. In Russia, during the Synodal period, a custom formed among the peasantry to delegate this right to the priest who performs baptism. It is clear that the parish clergyman, not really bothering himself with the question of finding out the lives of his or not his parishioners, preferred to use the calendar. Saints - a list of saints with the dates of their death, distributed according to the calendar. In the Christian tradition, the date of earthly death has always been considered the beginning of eternal life, and even more so among saints. Consequently, special holidays in honor of saints were celebrated, as a rule, not when their birth was remembered, but when the day of their departure to God was remembered. During centuries-old history The church calendar was constantly replenished. For this reason, now every day the Church celebrates the memory of many saints, therefore, you can choose the name that is most suitable according to its euphony and tolerance to the tastes of relatives. At the same time, as the most authoritative books on Orthodox ritual, “The New Tablet” and “Interpretation of Orthodox Liturgy” by Blessed Simeon of Thessaloniki, say, the name of the baby is given by the parents. The priest, while reading the naming prayer, only records the parental choice.

Parents, if they do not have a clear plan for the child’s name, can use the calendar. The principle here is simple: you need to look at the names of the saints on or after the baby’s birthday, or on the day of baptism.

In the old days, people were baptized, if there were no emergency cases, on the fortieth day after birth, on which, according to Old Testament belief, the woman-mother was cleared of the consequences of pregnancy and could herself attend the baptism of the baby. But the name was given and included in the category of the so-called catechumens on the eighth day. Here, too, not everything is so arbitrary and random. On the one hand, on the eighth day, the Jews had the ritual of circumcising the baby, that is, dedicating him to God and becoming one of the chosen people. This has been the case since the time of Abraham.

Since Christian baptism replaced circumcision, it was logical that the baby’s entry into the ranks of the “holy people,” that is, Christians, also occurred on the eighth day. At the same time, there was also the actual Gospel interpretation of this tradition. Symbolically, the eighth day was associated with the advent of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Apostle Paul writes about this in his Epistle to the Hebrews: in seven days God created this world and took care of it, and now believers are waiting for “that day,” the eighth, when Jesus Christ comes. By the way, the eighth day of the week in the Orthodox week coincides with the first, and this is Sunday, when Easter is remembered. Consequently, the symbolic meaning of the naming ceremony on the eighth day after the Birthday is also “inscribing the name of the newborn in the book of life of the Kingdom of Heaven.”

But this, of course, is ideal; in practice, now the prayer of naming is performed on the same day when the child is baptized, and is not separated into a separate liturgical action. In this prayer, the priest invokes the grace of the Holy Spirit on the newly baptized person and makes the sign of the cross over him, sanctifying all his thoughts, feelings and actions, calling him for the first time by his chosen Christian name. And from now on this name will be used throughout a person’s life as his church name, according to which he will ultimately be called to the Judgment of the future Kingdom.

At the same time, the most widespread tradition has always been the custom of naming a child in honor of a saint revered by the family. This practice is based on the fact that truly believers make personal prayer contact with one or another saint. If this is the case, then usually in the family of previous generations there are already people bearing the names of the revered saint. Hence, there is a kind of tradition of continuity, which for outsiders can create the illusion of only tribal respect, for example, naming children in honor of grandfathers, grandmothers, mothers or fathers, and so on. Yes, for a person with little religion this is the case; moreover, this is a worthwhile motive in non-religious families, at least it is not reprehensible and very human. Moreover, initially the main reason was precisely the veneration of a particular saint by entire generations. Sometimes it happens that a real miracle associated with one or another saint breaks into the ordinary course of life, then grateful parents can give his name to their child in order to perpetuate their relationship to the heavenly patron in their son or daughter.

Now the Baptism Certificate, as a rule, indicates the “heavenly patron” and the day of the year when a person celebrates Angel Day, or name day. If a child is baptized by Alexander, this does not mean that he celebrates his name day every time he sees the day of remembrance of St. Alexander on the calendar, since there are several saints with that name. Name day is the day of remembrance of a very specific person - for example, the holy righteous prince Alexander Nevsky. Actually, the name Angel Day is the popular name for the day of remembrance of the saint whose name a person bears. The fact is that the Guardian Angel is also given to a person at baptism, as a companion and assistant in spiritual life. At the same time, the saint in whose honor the person is named figuratively is also called an Angel, or a messenger, conveying the will of God to man. More precisely, of course, to say not Angel Day, but name day, or namesake day, that is, the date of memory when the Church remembers the achievement of the saints of the Heavenly Kingdom.

Moreover, if the life of a saint is known in detail, in addition, after his death some unusual miracle occurred, for example, the discovery of his remains (the discovery of relics), then there should be several days of memory of such a saint per year. Accordingly, there are also several name days - both as reasons for intense religious life and as family holidays. The most a large number of name day of the year for people named in honor of John the Baptist.

The main responsibilities in relation to his heavenly patron for any person are the following: knowledge of his life story, prayer to him, possible imitation of his holiness. Any believer strives to have in his home not only an icon, that is, an image of the saint in whose honor he is named, but also his Life, as well as special prayers for him - an akathist and a canon.

What does the word holiday itself mean in the Christian calendar? The root ʼʼholidayʼʼ means ʼʼemptyʼʼ or ʼʼemptyʼʼ. And all because earlier the border between holiday and rest was rigid, and in connection with this it was so difficult and with great difficulty to evaluate this social phenomenon itself, which was actually called a holiday.

Holidays in Christian traditions were developed from Jewish holidays, which greatly influenced the Christian tradition itself. Thus, a kind of sacred calendar was formed, in which such a cultural and religious phenomenon of the holiday as worship took shape. But every holiday differs from the other in that they have different type worship services.

An equally important and interesting question is the original meaning of the Christian holiday. It essentially consists of singing, reading, bowing on a given day... These Orthodox traditions also include folk traditions, which include baking pies, rolls, Easter cakes and many other delicacies, and dyeing eggs.

Many Christian traditions are borrowed from the worship of the Jewish community. Our holidays sometimes overlapped with Jewish holidays, drawing from them something important and special, but at the same time adding their own customs and traditions, and even adding their own meaning regarding the life, death, birth and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The science that directly deals with the study of the holiday is usually called eortology (from eortho – ʼʼholidayʼʼ).

The national traditions associated with the sacrament of marriage are interesting. Wedding is one of the seven Sacraments of the Holy Church, through it a special grace is given, which is sanctifying. This is a sacred rite, a Sacrament, in which, with the free (before the priest and the Church) promise by the bride and groom of mutual fidelity to each other, their marital union is blessed, in the image of the spiritual union of Christ with the Church, and the grace of God is asked and given for mutual help and unanimity, and for blessed birth and Christian upbringing of children. Grace in the sacrament is united with the visible side. Such methods of giving grace were established by the Lord himself and are carried out by priests or bishops appointed by persons of the church hierarchy. The church in our country is separated from the state; therefore, today a wedding takes place only when the marriage is registered in the registry office. First of all, there must be mutual consent of the bride and groom. There should be no forced marriage. If during the marriage the priest sees that the bride is refuting this decision with her behavior (crying, etc.), then the priest must find out what the reason is. There must be a blessing for the marriage of the parents. No matter what age the spouses are, they marry with their permission or with the permission of their guardians or trustees.

Parents have more spiritual experience and responsibility for their children before God. It happens that young people get married out of the frivolity of youth, out of a passing infatuation, and in connection with this they enter into their family life disturbances both moral and human. It often happens that marriages do not last long because there was no blessing from the parents, no comprehension and no preparation for the marriage. life path, there was no deep awareness of the great responsibility not only for oneself, but also for one’s family, for one’s half. The Gospel says that the flesh is united into one. Wife and husband are one flesh. Happiness, joy and sorrow in half. Young people cannot fully realize this, and when they get married frivolously, everyday life disappoints them, and divorce comes.

The church refuses to perform a wedding if, for example, a person is mentally or mentally ill. Marriage is not allowed for persons who are closely related, and, of course, a church marriage is impossible if one of the people getting married is an atheist or a representative of a Muslim or pagan, non-Christian religion. Laymen are allowed to get married three times, but a fourth wedding is not allowed. Such marriages are declared invalid. You shouldn't come to the wedding drunk. The question of pregnancy is often asked; it is not an obstacle to marriage. Now the betrothal and the Sacrament of wedding itself are performed together, on the same day. It is extremely important for young people to properly prepare for holy marriage: to confess their sins, repent, take communion, and spiritually cleanse themselves for a new period of their life.

Usually the wedding takes place after the liturgy, in the middle of the day, but not in the evening. It must be Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Sunday. In Orthodox churches, weddings do not take place in next days: on the eve of Wednesday, Friday and Sunday (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) throughout the year; on the eve of the twelve and great holidays; in continuation of the multi-day fasts: the Great, Petrov, Uspensky and Rozhdestvensky; in the continuation of Christmastide, as well as the continuous weeks of Cheese (Maslenitsa) and Easter (Light); September 10, 11, 26 and 27 (in connection with strict fasting for the Beheading of John the Baptist and the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord), on the eve of temple holidays (each temple has its own).

White dress– everything bright in the church is a symbol of holiness and purity. For the Sacrament you need to wear your most beautiful clothes. The white foot towels on which the bride and groom stand also symbolize the purity of the marriage. The bride must definitely have a headdress - a veil or scarf; cosmetics and jewelry – either absent or in minimal quantities. Pectoral crosses are required for both spouses. Previously, two icons were taken from home - the Savior and the Mother of God, but now not everyone has them and they are purchased in churches on the eve of the wedding. The flame of candles in the hands of the newlyweds symbolizes the burning of their souls with faith and love for God, as well as the fiery and pure love of the spouses for each other. According to Russian tradition, it is advisable to keep the candles and towel for life.

Still needed wedding rings- a sign of the eternity and indissolubility of the marriage union. In the old days, one of the rings had to be gold and the other silver. Golden ring symbolized by its brilliance the sun, the light of which the husband in a marriage is likened to, silver - the likeness of the moon, a lesser luminary, shining in the reflected sunlight. Now, as a rule, gold rings are bought for both spouses. The rings are placed on the throne before the betrothal, and then they are put on the fingers of the spouses, and the betrothal with rings is performed.

During a wedding, it is advisable to have witnesses. They must hold the crowns on the heads of those getting married. Crowns are a sign of victory over passions and a reminder of the duty to maintain purity. Being a symbol of royal power, they are also a symbol of the unity of husband and wife.

Previously, in the first century of Christianity, it was the custom to wear these crowns for another eight days without taking them off. Parents must also be present. They pray to God, because in the Sacrament not only the priests turn to God in their prayers, but also everyone present in the temple. Those getting married are usually congratulated by their parents. They bless with the icon that has been preserved from their wedding, then they pass it on to the newlyweds when they go to get married. If the parents did not get married, they purchase icons in the church. These icons are brought to the temple, placed near the iconostasis, and after the wedding the priest blesses them with these icons. Usually these are icons of the Savior and the Mother of God.

There are many patrons of Holy Matrimony in Orthodoxy. Childbirth and marriage were considered sacred even in Old Testament times, as they awaited the coming of the Messiah, the Savior of the world, and childless families were considered punished by God. Large families, on the contrary, were considered blessed by God. Sometimes the Lord tests people, and after prayers sends them a child. For example, Zechariah and Elizabeth, the parents of Saint John the Prophet and Forerunner, the Baptist of the Lord, did not have children for a long time. Joachim and Anna, the parents of the Most Holy Theotokos, gave birth in old age. For this reason, it is customary to pray to them as the patrons of marriage. Those getting married, turning to the priest for a blessing, confess and spend their further married life with the blessing of the Church, trying to live according to the commandments of God. If any questions arise, they come to the priest for advice. There are second and third marriages. If the bride and groom have already been married, then it is less solemn. But if one of them gets married for the first time, then it is celebrated as usual, for the first time.

According to church canons, neither divorce nor second marriage is allowed. Divorce is carried out according to Orthodox law. In the documents of the local council of 1917–1918 there is a certificate in which it is accepted that the dissolution of a marriage, sanctified by the Church, occurs in cases where a person changes his faith; commits adultery or has unnatural vices; inability to cohabitate in marriage, occurring before marriage or resulting from intentional self-mutilation; disease of leprosy, syphilis. When, without the knowledge of the spouse, a person leaves the family and lives separately. Conviction by sentence. An attack on the life of a spouse or children, pimping, one party entering into a new marriage, or an incurable, severe mental illness. Unfortunately, this happens quite often. The Church does not issue papers for divorce and no ceremony is performed for this purpose. If a person wants to enter into a new marriage and get married again, in this case he turns to the diocesan bishop with a written application and indicating the reason why the previous marriage was dissolved. The Bishop considers the request and gives him permission. The Sacrament of Marriage and faith in the Lord do not accord with fashion or popularity. This is a deeply personal matter for each person.

Since ancient times in Rus', every young couple getting married was married in a church. Thus, it was believed that from now on the spouses became responsible before God and the Church. They swore an oath not to violate the alliance sent from above. IN modern society young people have the right to choose for themselves whether they should get married in a church. This depends on their immediate perception of the world and understanding of the importance of the upcoming event. After all, the Church says that a Christian marriage should be the only one in the lives of two people.

Typically, registration for the ceremony is carried out 2-3 weeks before the event. You should ask the rector of the temple where the wedding is supposed to happen how everything should happen, and also get permission for photo and video filming. According to church traditions, before getting married, the newlyweds should observe several regulations, namely, fast for several days and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. It is important to note that to perform the sacrament of Marriage, icons of the Savior and the Mother of God are needed, with which the bride and groom are blessed. There should also be wedding rings, wedding candles and a white towel, which will symbolize the purity of the newlyweds' intentions.

The wedding ceremony lasts about 40 minutes, which must be taken into account when inviting relatives and friends to the temple. You should also think about who will play the role of witnesses, since they will have to hold the crowns over the heads of the wedding party at all times. Under no circumstances should they be lowered; you can only change the hand with which the crown is held. Witnesses must be baptized and wear a cross. At the temple, you must first present a certificate of civil marriage.

A wedding in a church is performed as follows. Through the Royal Doors the priest goes out to the bride and groom. Holding the cross and the Gospel, he blesses the young three times. During the betrothal, the priest gives the newlyweds lighted candles and places the rings on the altar table. After reading the prayers, the rings are put on. It is important to note that to perform the Sacrament of Wedding, the newlyweds go to the center of the church and stand on a white towel (foot) in front of the lectern on which the Cross, Gospel and crowns lie. The priest asks about the consent of the young people to unite their hearts before the Church. Decorated crowns (crowns) rise above the heads of the newlyweds. Cups of wine are brought to the newlyweds, and the newlyweds drink from them three times. At the end of the wedding, the priest takes the hands of the bride and groom and leads them around the lectern three times in a circle. Approaching wedding icons at the Royal Doors, the newlyweds kiss them. The wedding ends with a chaste kiss from the bride and groom. Having gone through this solemn moment together, the newlyweds become even more closer friend to friend.

Over the entire history of the development of ancient Rus', many wedding traditions have accumulated. The territory of the state was a huge space with different cultures and nationalities. For this reason, it is not surprising that each nation tried to follow the customs and traditions that took root in their land.

It was customary for young people in Rus' to marry at an early age, starting from the age of 12. At the same time, it was in the order of things that the bride and groom did not know each other well enough before their wedding, and often had never seen each other at all. Decision for young man was accepted by his parents, and he was only informed of “his fate” shortly before the wedding. In some areas of the country, a guy who had his eye on a bride had to, first of all, tell his father about it. If he received approval from him, then two matchmakers with bread were sent to the girl’s house.

In general, weddings lasted an average of 3 days. Sometimes they lasted for a week. But any wedding, of course, was preceded by the so-called “conspiracy” and “matchmaking”. There have been cases when it was the parents of the future bride who initiated the wedding. They sent a person close to them to the groom's house, and he acted as a matchmaker. If he received consent, then the future relatives began matchmaking in the usual manner. Sometimes the bride's parents resorted to a trick: if their daughter was not particularly beautiful or good, they replaced her with a maid for the duration of the bride's wedding. The groom did not have the right to see his bride before the wedding; therefore, when the deception was discovered, the marriage could be dissolved. However, this happened very rarely. They usually went to the bride's house to make a match together with relatives. The bride's parents were presented with various gifts in the form of wine, beer and various pies. According to tradition, the bride's father did not have to agree to give up his daughter at any time. But, following the results of the conspiracy, in the end he blessed her for the wedding. The agreement between the families went like this: before signing a paper on the details of the upcoming celebration, the parents sat opposite each other and were silent for a while. The contract also specified the dowry to be given along with the bride. Usually it consisted of the bride's things, various small things for the house and, if wealth allowed, then money, people and some real estate. In the event that the bride came from a poor family, the groom was obliged to transfer a certain amount of money to the bride’s parents to create the appearance of a dowry.

On the eve of the wedding, a bachelor party and a bachelorette party were held in the houses of the bride and groom, respectively. The father or brother of the groom invited numerous friends to the bachelor party. As “invitees,” they went from house to house with gifts and invited them to the bachelor party.

At the bachelorette party, the bride was preparing for upcoming wedding. Often the bride wailed when saying goodbye to family of origin and girlhood, fearing an unknown future in someone else’s family. Sometimes the bride's friends sang choral songs.

According to tradition, at the wedding feast, the newlyweds were supposed to eat and drink practically nothing. On the second day, the wedding moved to the groom's house. On the third day, the bride boasted of her cooking skills and treated the guests to her pies.

The day before or on the morning of the celebration, the bride's matchmaker went to the groom's house to prepare the marriage bed. This is roughly how an old Russian wedding took place. Some traditions have survived to this day and are successfully used in different variations to this day.

Wedding dresses will always be slightly different from wedding dresses. The fact is that the Orthodox Church adheres to certain rules regarding the clothes in which we enter the temple, and wedding dresses are no exception. The basic requirements for a bride’s wedding dress are the same in all churches - in general, the outfit should be quite modest.

The colors that are definitely suitable for a wedding dress are, of course, white and all possible light shades of warm or cold tones, from pearl gray to the color of baked milk. Pale pink, blue, cream, vanilla, beige will correspond to the spirit of the bright wedding holiday.

It is best to discuss all minor deviations from this rule with the priest in advance. The color of a wedding dress is not as important as the length and degree of openness of the top. The wedding dress should be below the knee, shoulders and arms up to the elbows should be covered, and the head should be covered with a cape. At the same time, it is better not to hide the face behind a veil: it is believed that the open face of the bride symbolizes her openness towards God and her husband.

Clothes for a wedding should not go beyond the rules about what you can wear to church. Hence the conclusion: even black dress for a bride it is more acceptable than a trouser suit, a low neckline or a short skirt. In the Orthodox wedding tradition, it is not customary for a boy and a girl to carry the train behind the bride in church, as happens in a Catholic wedding. Cannot be used before wedding lipstick, so as not to leave marks on the icons that will need to be kissed.

There are no prohibitions regarding the future fate of the wedding dress. A wedding dress can also be worn in everyday life. The belief that a wedding dress must be kept throughout one’s life is nothing more than a prejudice today. In the 19th century, in peasant society, this made sense, since only two events stood out against the background of everyday life - a wedding and a funeral. Usually, what they got married in was what they buried them in. The fact is that it was no longer possible to use a wedding dress - you can’t even go to church on Sunday in a wedding dress. Another option was possible - to pass on the wedding dress by inheritance.

Among other Orthodox rites, it is extremely important to note the burial rite. Its essence lies in the Church’s view of the body as a temple of the soul sanctified by grace, of present life as a time of preparation for the future life, and of death as a dream, upon awakening from which eternal life will begin.

Death is the last earthly destiny of every person; after death, the soul, having been separated from the body, appears at the Judgment of God. Believers in Christ do not want to die with unrepentant sins, because in the afterlife they will become a heavy, painful burden. Of the many questions you can ask yourself, perhaps the most important is how best to prepare for death. A priest must be invited to visit a seriously ill person, who will confess him, give him communion, and perform the Sacrament of Unction (Blessing of Unction) on him. At the very moment of death, a person experiences a painful feeling of fear and languor. When leaving the body, the soul meets not only the Guardian Angel given to it in Holy Baptism, but also demons, the terrible appearance of which makes it tremble. To pacify the restless soul, the relatives and friends of a person leaving this world can themselves read the prayer over him - in the Prayer Book, this collection of songs and prayers is usually called “The Canon of Prayer for the Separation of the Soul from the Body.” The canon ends with a prayer from the priest (priest), spoken (read) for the exodus of the soul, for its release from all bonds, liberation from all oaths, forgiveness of sins and repose in the abodes of saints. This prayer is supposed to be read only by a priest; therefore, if the canon was read by lay people, the prayer is omitted.

The touching rites performed by the Orthodox Church over a deceased Christian are not just solemn ceremonies, often invented by human vanity and saying nothing to either the mind or the heart, but on the contrary: they have a deep meaning and significance, since they are based on the revelations of the holy faith (that is, opened, bequeathed by the Lord Himself), known even from the apostles - disciples and followers of Jesus Christ. The funeral rites of the Orthodox Church bring consolation and serve as symbols that express the idea of ​​the general resurrection and future immortal life.

On the first day, the body of the deceased is washed immediately after death. Washing is performed as a sign of the spiritual purity and integrity of the life of the deceased and out of the desire for him to appear in purity before God after the resurrection of the dead. After washing, the deceased is dressed in new, clean clothes, which indicate a new robe of incorruption and immortality. If for some reason a person did not have a pectoral cross on before his death, then it must be worn. Next, the deceased is placed in a coffin, as if in an ark for preservation, which is first sprinkled with holy water - outside and inside. A pillow is placed under the shoulders and head. The arms are folded crosswise so that the right one is on top. IN left hand a cross is placed on the deceased, and an icon is placed on the chest (usually for men - the image of the Savior, for women - the image of the Mother of God). This is done as a sign that the deceased believed in Christ crucified on the cross for his salvation, and gave up his soul to Christ, that together with the saints he moves on to eternal contemplation - face to face - of his Creator, on Whom he placed everything during his life. hope. A paper whisk is placed on the forehead of the deceased. A deceased Christian is symbolically decorated with a crown, like a warrior who has won a victory on the battlefield. This means that the Christian’s exploits on earth in the fight against all the destructive passions, worldly temptations and other temptations that beset him have already ended, and now he expects a reward for them in the Kingdom of Heaven. On the corolla there is an image of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God and St. John the Baptist, the Baptist of the Lord, with the words of the Trisagion (Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us) - their own crown, which is given to everyone after completing a feat and observing the faith, the deceased hopes to receive by the mercy of the Triune God and by the intercession of the Mother of God and the Forerunner of the Lord.

The body of the deceased, when placed in the coffin, is covered with a special white cover (shroud) - as a sign that the deceased, as belonging to the Orthodox Church and united with Christ in her holy sacraments, is under the protection of Christ, under the patronage of the Church - she will pray until the end of time about his soul. The coffin is usually placed in the middle of the room in front of household icons. A lamp (or candle) is lit in the house, which

Orthodox traditions - concept and types. Classification and features of the category "Orthodox Traditions" 2017, 2018.