Holy Trinity Day. Day of the Holy Trinity
At the end of spring (or at the beginning of summer), Christians around the world celebrate one of the most important holidays - the Day of the Holy Trinity. In this detailed article, you will learn the date of Trinity Day, its essence, meaning and connection with other important religious events. Get acquainted with the traditions and rituals that have long accompanied this holiday. And of course, we will pay attention to cooking, recipes that can be served on the festive table.
For convenience and saving time, you can immediately select the desired menu item of the article.
What date is Trinity in 2020
The feast of the Holy Trinity is celebrated by both Western Christians (Catholics, etc.) and Eastern (Orthodox). It is also worth noting here that, like many other important religious dates, holidays, the date of the Trinity is floating.
- In Russia, the Orthodox Trinity in 2019 will be June 16 (Sunday).
- The Catholic Trinity will be on June 9th.
- Parental Saturday before Trinity - June 15th.
As you can see, this year the two branches of Christianity celebrate the holiday on the same day. But this doesn't always happen. For Catholics, this holiday is usually set a week later.
By the way, this holiday has another name - Pentecost. Why Pentecost? Here is an allusion to 50 days, the fiftieth day after. By tradition, Trinity Day is usually celebrated 50 days after the most important Christian holiday, and on Sunday. And since Easter itself does not have a fixed date, the Trinity also comes on different days and months.
The meaning of the holiday
What is the essence, meaning, symbolism of the feast of the Holy Trinity? What is the history of this event? We will briefly answer all questions.
According to the Bible, after his amazing and miraculous resurrection, Jesus was with his disciples for some time, namely 40 days. All this time, he strengthened their faith in God, talked about the Truth, in general, prepared them to carry the Word of God.
On the fortieth day, Thursday, Jesus gathered his apostles in Jerusalem and told them that in a few days the Holy Spirit would descend upon them. And right after that, Jesus ascended into heaven.
This great event later became known as the "Ascension of the Lord." Jesus lost his physical shell, ascended to heaven, promising his second coming. By the way, the Ascension of the Lord in 2018 is celebrated on June 6.
Exactly 10 days later, the Holy Spirit descended to the Apostles praying at that moment in the Zion Room. After his descent, the apostles suddenly felt in themselves some changes, talents, abilities. They learned to heal, predict the future, and also speak different languages. It is clear that all this knowledge was given for a reason. Apostles must carry the Word of God, they must praise the Lord.
Faith in them strengthened even more, and in honor of this event, the disciples of Christ decided to establish, perpetuate the feast of the Trinity.
By the way, the official, legislative consolidation of this holiday occurred during the second Ecumenical Council in Constantinople, in 381. They formulated the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, established the dogmas that all Divine persons are equal and have the same essence.
- God the Father is not born from anyone and does not come from anyone;
- God the Son is eternally born of God the Father;
- God the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from God the Father;
Traditions and structure of the holiday
Like many other Orthodox holidays, Trinity Day has a touch of paganism. Not even the day itself, but the weeks before and after the holiday. Take the same, like she's marked according to Orthodox traditions, but at the same time retained parts of the ancient Slavic paganism. Therefore, such holidays are often also called folk-Christian.
Trinity Day is one of the 12 main Orthodox holidays. Therefore, this event is never complete without church service in the temple, which also includes Divine Liturgy and Great Vespers.
The temples themselves, icons and all internal paraphernalia are decorated with fresh greenery: birch branches, freshly cut grass lies on the floor, wild flowers, etc. This feels a certain moment of birth, renewal, youth, freshness. The end of spring, summer comes, full of colors, light and warmth. By the way, the priests also dress in clothes with shades of green.
In the Slavic tradition, the main attribute of the holiday, the main symbol, the main plant is birch. Birch branches with young green leaves symbolize the Holy Spirit, purity, health and well-being. Birch also scares away all evil spirits, removes witchcraft, prevents damage, reduces luck, etc. That is why even priests adorn temples with it.
Great importance still has the Sabbath before the Trinity - this parent saturday. On this day, one should commemorate the deceased relatives and loved ones, pray for them, since prayers on this day have much greater power.
On Trinity Saturday, you can not work at home. It is better to devote this day to prayers, commemoration. It is advisable to visit the graves of relatives, put things in order there, leave some treats. Most often these are sweets, cookies and various pastries.
Trinity week
In general, the holiday begins to some extent already a week before Trinity Sunday. Green Christmas time, Semitskaya week, Semikom - Christianity and paganism are intertwined in all this.
These days, folk festivals, dances, fist fights, matchmaking, weaving wreaths, round dances (around birch trees or fires), fortune-telling, symbolic cleaning around the house and household, as well as commemoration of the dead take place. All this in a complex is done to attract good luck for the whole summer, as well as to scare away various evil spirits.
Semik is the seventh Thursday after Easter, celebrated two days before Trinity itself. They decorate houses with greenery, birch branches, usually this is entrusted to little girls (up to 12 years old).
Then the people go to the forest, curl the birch with ribbons, dance around them and sing songs. In the same place, a certain feast takes place in the clearing, they cover the clearing with a tablecloth, lay out the dishes that they brought with them. There should be a lot of pies, especially with greens, eggs, there should be kvass and kozuli - special gingerbread.
Parental Saturday before the Trinity is prayers, commemoration of the departed.
The Day of the Holy Trinity itself is also accompanied by songs, festivities and round dances around the birches. It is also worth noting that on this day the activity of matchmaking and other wedding-related rituals increases. This is done in order to have time to play a wedding during the Intercession.
What to bring to the table
As in any major religious holiday any food is allowed on Trinity. It can be tasty, satisfying, refined. All fast foods are allowed. In general, what you love most, then cook for health! Of course, since it's summer, there should be a lot of greens and seasonal vegetables.
But among the variety of standard snacks, salads, meat dishes with side dishes, there must also be pastries! Ideally, there should be a loaf. In addition to bread, a variety of pies should also complement the festive table. Baking can be both sweet and not sweet, the main thing is that it be.
Since this site is dedicated to flour dishes, I recommend that you pay attention to the following collections of recipes.
- Very beautiful and satisfying;
- Here is a selection;
- Here already go;
- Be sure to bake;
- Notice the and ;
- You can also put on;
- And here are familiar, but at the same time universal;
Please note that the above suggested is the smallest that can be prepared for Trinity. I recommend that you use the site menu (at the very top) to choose the dish you need, which is the most suitable for both convenience and taste preferences.
Congratulations on the Trinity
As in any other Orthodox holiday it is possible and even necessary to congratulate loved ones on the Great Trinity. By doing this, you not only carry the Word of God, but also spread positive emotions, positive energy throughout the universe. And when everyone has positive emotions, good mood, then life around becomes better!
There are congratulations in the form of short poems and prose. You can rewrite them and send them by e-mail, in the form of SMS or in social network. You can even read them out loud over the phone.
The Day of the Holy Trinity is one of the twelve most important holidays in Orthodoxy after Easter, dedicated to the events of the earthly life of Jesus Christ and the Mother of God. The holiday is dedicated to the glorification of the Holy Trinity, liturgical readings and sermons on this day reveal the Christian doctrine of the trinity of God.
Trinity 2018: when they celebrate
Holy Trinity Day or Pentecost is celebrated on the 50th day after Easter. In 2018, the Orthodox celebrate the Trinity on May 27.
In Ukraine, Holy Trinity Day is considered an important church holiday, so this day is declared a public holiday. Since the holiday falls on Sunday, Monday, May 28, the one following it will also be a day off. That is, at the end of May, Ukrainians will have: May 26, 27 and 28, 2018.
In the Catholic tradition, Pentecost and Trinity are separate. The feast of the Trinity is celebrated on the 7th day after Pentecost (57th after Easter). However, in 2018, the Holy Trinity Day coincides with Catholics and Orthodox.
The meaning of the feast of the Trinity
It is believed that the feast in honor of the Holy Trinity was decided by the apostles, who are also called the disciples of Jesus Christ. Thus, they wanted to fix in people's memory the event that occurred on the fiftieth day after the Ascension of the Lord. It was on this day that the Holy Spirit descended on the holy apostles, which symbolizes the trinity of God, that is, the existence of three Persons of one essentially God - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit descended on the apostles in the form of fiery tongues and gave them the ability to speak in different languages in order to carry the teachings of Christ to all nations. The fire is in this case symbolizes the power to burn sins and cleanse, sanctify and warm souls.
Pentecost is also considered the birthday of the Christian church.
Traditions of the Trinity holiday in Ukrin
On Holy Trinity Day in Orthodox churches one of the most solemn and beautiful services of the year is celebrated. After the liturgy is served great vespers, on which stichera are sung, glorifying the descent of the Holy Spirit.
For many centuries, the tradition has been preserved on Trinity to decorate churches and houses with freshly cut greenery, branches and flowers, which symbolize the renewal of the soul. For this reason, the people often call the holiday Green Sunday.
On the occasion of the holiday, it is customary to cook dishes from eggs, milk, fresh herbs, poultry and fish. They bake loaves, pies, pancakes. Close friends and relatives are invited to the festive dinner.
According to folk traditions, leaving the church, people tried to grab the grass from under their feet in order to mix it with hay, boil it with water and drink it as a healing one. From the leaves of the trees that stood in the church, some wreaths were made and used as amulets.
Among the people, the holiday of the Trinity has always been loved by young girls. On this day, it is customary to weave wreaths, lowering them into the river for divination. Then the girls went for a walk in the forest. A loaf baked on the occasion of the holiday was handed out in the forest unmarried girls. These pieces were dried and stored until the wedding, then kneading crackers into the dough for the wedding loaf. It was believed that they would bring prosperity and love to their new family.
The Saturday before Pentecost is considered a memorial day. People in temples light candles for the repose of deceased relatives and clean up cemeteries.
The Trinity is included in the list of the twelve most significant Orthodox celebrations, and in grandeur it is second only to Easter. 7 weeks are counted from it to determine when the Trinity is in 2018, what date to celebrate it. Christ's Resurrection It does not have a fixed date, like many church holidays. Today it fell on April 8, which means that believers will praise the Trinity on May 27.
The history of the holiday
The holiday appeared about two thousand years ago, in 30 AD. After the ascension of Christ, the disciples did not disperse to their native places, they returned to Jerusalem, fulfilling the command of Jesus. On the tenth day they heard a rumble, as if from an approaching hurricane or a strong wind. A terrible noise filled the house where the apostles and the Virgin Mary were at that time. Before they had time to be frightened, they noticed a bright flame above their heads. His individual flashes touched everyone present in the room. A miracle happened, the Holy Spirit descended from heaven. Suddenly the apostles began to speak in languages previously unfamiliar to them.
The disciples of Christ came out to meet the numerous pilgrims who flocked to the city from all over the vast Roman Empire, and began to explain to them the essence of the divine teaching, to preach. The apostles did not need translators, their words for each wanderer sounded in a language understandable from childhood. More than three thousand people repented and were baptized, since then the Trinity is considered a birthday Christian Church. By the way, by opening this link, you can see. And the word "church" is translated from Greek as "assembly". Around the Lord, who appeared in his third incarnation, the invisible Spirit. Hence the first name of the celebration - the Trinity. 
Priests often call it Pentecost because the Trinity comes on the fiftieth day after the Resurrection of Christ. And to the appeal of the parishioners: “What date is the Trinity in 2018 in Russia?” Usually they answer: “Remember when Easter was this year, and count.”
This is now the Trinity - one of the most popular Orthodox holidays among the people, and until the XIV century in Russia only the clergy knew about it. Until the modest and unknown monk Sergius cut down a wooden church in honor of the Holy Trinity in a deaf pine forest and founded a monastery, the prototype of the future Trinity-Sergius Lavra. The monk perceived the Holy Trinity as a heavenly sign for the Russian land. In its inseparability, he saw the need to unite the princely estates, and in not merging - liberation from the Mongol-Tatar yoke.
How to celebrate the Trinity
The Holy Trinity is preceded by the Ecumenical Parental Saturday, when deceased relatives are commemorated everywhere. The celebration of Pentecost continues on Monday, the Day of Spirits, dedicated to the third face of the Lord. 
Churches and houses on Trinity are traditionally decorated with birch branches and flowers. At the service in the temple, parishioners hold small bouquets in their hands. At home, prayer herbs (mint, thyme, lovage) are dried, stored behind the icon, as a talisman and a wonderful remedy for ailments, bodily and mental. They say that if you stand to the left of the altar at the liturgy, shed a few tears on the bouquet, you will get rid of all sins, and the herbs will gain magical power. If you constantly carry them with you in your pocket or bag, you will cherished desire, good luck will accompany. 
For the first time after Easter, believers kneel at the service on the Holy Trinity, a new cycle begins Orthodox services. Until Pentecost, the dates of church events depended on when Easter was celebrated that year. After the church weeks are counted from the Trinity. For example, in order to determine the onset of Petrovsky Lent, you need to estimate what date the Trinity will be in Russia in 2018, and add a week. On Monday of the second week, fasting will begin.
It is customary to visit Trinity and host guests, treat them with pancakes and pies. Can cook
Orthodox Christians are preparing to celebrate one of the most important holidays - Holy Trinity Day (Trinity, Pentecost), and after him - Whit Monday.
When is Trinity celebrated in 2018
In 2018 Day of the Holy Trinity celebrated Sunday, May 27. Trinity is celebrated on the 50th day after Easter, hence the second name - Pentecost. In Orthodoxy, the Trinity is one of the twelfth (twelve most important besides Easter) holidays.
Trinity precedes Trinity parent Saturday- the day when it is customary for the Orthodox to go to the cemetery to commemorate the deceased loved ones, and in the temples they commemorate all the dead Christians. In 2018, Trinity Saturday falls on May 26.
History of the Trinity holiday
This Christian holiday, as the name implies, glorifies the Holy Trinity - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The name Pentecost goes back to the gospel parable about the descent of the holy spirit on the apostles on the fiftieth day from the Resurrection of Christ. The holiday has biblical roots - on the 50th day after the Jewish Passover (Pesach), God through Moses (Moshe) gave the Jews on Mount Sinai the Ten Commandments. Thus, the Christian Trinity embodies the connection between the Old and New Testaments.
Trinity: folk traditions and signs
In the Slavic tradition, the Trinity is a holiday associated with the final farewell to spring and the beginning of summer, which means - with greenery, herbs, trees, primarily with the main Russian tree - birch. It is with young birch trees and birch branches that it is customary to decorate dwellings, temples and graves of loved ones on Trinity.
The days before and after the end of the Trinity in Russia were called the "green" or "mermaid" week.
On Trinity it was accepted go to cemeteries and leave food and even clothing for the dead. It was believed that this rite drives away death.
It was considered a good omen for the Trinity decorate your home with birch branches- they were put in vases, placed behind icons, even scattered on the floor. It was believed that birch "lures" good luck and a good harvest.
Also on the Trinity it was accepted woo. The people said:
It was believed that courtship for the Trinity was the key to a long and happy life future family.
Also on the Trinity it was customary to arrange folk festivities with treats, it was considered a great way to appease the land for the future harvest.
Rain was considered a good omen for the Trinity: it promised a lot of mushrooms and berries, the absence of drought and frost, which means a rich harvest.
Divination for the Trinity
It was pleasant to guess at the Trinity, girls were mainly engaged in this - they thought about the future fate and marriage.
Guessing, the girls on the eve of the Trinity "curled" in the forest or in a birch grove - weaved braids from birch branches. The “perm” preserved until the Trinity was considered a sign of imminent marriage.
The girls also guessed at wreaths - they wove them from field herbs and flowers and let them float on the water. Best of all, if the wreath itself fell into the water from a bowed girl's head. Where he swam - from there the matchmakers will come. There was a wreath by the shore - to sit in the girls for a year, well, and if you drowned - expect trouble.
Trinity 2018: what not to do
On Trinity, the land was considered a birthday girl, so any work in the field, garden and house was prohibited, with the exception of cooking and caring for cattle.
Women were also forbidden to do all women's needlework, especially with the use of sharp metal devices: it was impossible to sew, knit, spin, cut fabric, etc.
Men were also forbidden to work with iron implements: it was forbidden to dig the ground, harrow, mow, chop wood, etc.
It was also forbidden to disturb the earth by planting plants in it or, conversely, by digging them up.
In addition, the prohibitions concerned water - at that time there was a “mermaid” week, and the villagers were afraid of the pranks of the water evil spirits that were walking on the ground at that time.
So, it was forbidden to wash, rinse clothes in ponds, swim and even wash. Especially strict prohibitions were regarding bathing - it was believed that a mermaid awakened by mermaids could drag a disobedient to the bottom.
Spirits day 2018
Monday immediately after Trinity is called Whit Monday. In 2018 Spirit Day falls on May 28. On Spirits Day, the earth is also considered a birthday girl; it is impossible to work on it, like on the Trinity. There are also bans on bathing, washing and washing.
On Spirits Day, it was customary to “feed” the earth - to arrange something like modern picnics, spreading tablecloths on the ground. At the same time, women, in order to “feed” the earth, put part of the treat directly on the ground. It was believed that this makes the land fertile.
In addition, on Spirits Day, people "listened to the earth." To do this, it was necessary to put your ear to the ground in the predawn hour somewhere in an open field. It was believed that for those who know how to listen, the earth can tell its secrets and even reveal where it hides treasures.
The feast of the Holy Trinity is one of the most interesting and, perhaps, the most unusual church celebrations. He, like Easter, is also always celebrated on Sunday - namely, 50 days after this day (the Most Holy Trinity is also called Pentecost).
At the same time, for the most part, we know much more about the Bright Resurrection or about Christmas than about the day of the Most Holy Trinity. That is why it will be interesting to understand what kind of holiday it is, why it has several names, and what is the sacred meaning of this date. And most importantly - how to properly celebrate the Great Trinity?
Trinity holiday in Orthodoxy: meaning and names
First of all, let's deal with the names. There are simple cases where everything is clear: Christmas is Christmas and Easter is Easter (or bright resurrection Christ). But with the Trinity, the situation is a little different - the holiday has several names at once:
- Trinity Day (Holy or Most Holy Trinity Day, Trinity Day) - i.e. holiday in honor of the triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- Pentecost - this word has exactly the same meaning. It simply reminds us that the descent of the Spirit took place on the 50th day after Easter. Therefore, the celebration always also falls on Sunday: May 27, 2018, June 16, 2019, etc.
- Spirits day, or the day of the Holy Spirit - this name emphasizes the key event in honor of which the holiday is celebrated.
All these names of the Trinity holiday can be found in various sources - for example, on Wikipedia, Orthodox magazines and others. By the way, Spirit Day falls on Monday, and Pentecost itself falls on Sunday.
But what do the three days of the Trinity mean? They symbolize the same holiday, it is simply celebrated for three days.
Holy Trinity: what kind of holiday
So, what is the meaning of this interesting holiday? Why is it considered one of the great Christian celebrations along with Easter, Christmas, Epiphany and other significant dates? Answers to these questions can be obtained if you learn something about those events two thousand years ago, which laid a good tradition to celebrate this date.
The history of the Trinity holiday goes back to the times last days life of Jesus on earth. Shortly before his death, he promised that exactly 50 days after that, God would send the Comforter, who would invisibly help all his followers.
And indeed, after 40 days, the Savior ascended to heaven, and a decade later, the disciples of Christ gathered together in one of the houses of Jerusalem. And at that moment, a very strong noise was heard in the sky, as if a hurricane wind swept over the city.
It turned out that these were not air currents, but a miraculous event: at the same moment, flames lit up over the heads of the apostle disciples. People began to speak all the languages and dialects that were used in those days by the local peoples. Then the holy apostles-followers of Christ began to teach people, preaching to them salvation and God's love.
However, what does the holiday of the Trinity mean for us - people living in modern times, 2000 years later? It turns out that the relevance of those events has been preserved in its original form, because the descent of the Holy Spirit is directly related to all the inhabitants of the planet.
His coming to earth means the onset of a grace-filled time when we have a direct connection with heavenly powers. Every person today can just pray, ask for forgiveness and receive it.
And in the old days, complex rituals were performed for this, sacrifices were made, bonfires were kindled. In a word, forgiveness was purchased at a very high price. Now the connection with the Almighty has been established so that any of us can turn to him.
It turns out that the Holy Spirit is a kind of communication channel between man and God. Moreover, he is God himself, his third person. Therefore, the Orthodox feast of the Trinity symbolizes the Triune Lord, who has revealed himself in all his fullness.
WHY IS THE HOLY SPIRIT THE COMFORTER?
Let's rewind the events 20 centuries ago and present such a picture. The Lord died but rose again. There is no limit to the joy of believers - after all, even today, the echoes of this event resound with a joyful wave in the hearts of billions of believers when they say: “Christ is risen! He has truly risen!" What happened after?
The Savior went to heaven, as expected, on the 40th day. Probably, many people had such a feeling in their hearts that they seemed to be orphaned or lost their right wing. But now - only 10 days have passed, and the Holy Spirit descended on the earth.
It turns out that since then and until today, God himself is invisibly next to us, and at any moment we can ask for his help. It was for this purpose that the Comforter was sent to our planet.
How Orthodox Christians Celebrate the Holy Trinity
Among church holidays Holy Trinity Day is perhaps the most beautiful event of the year. Priests dress in green clothes, temples and icons of the Holy Trinity are decorated with birch branches, wildflowers, and leaves. The floor in the temples is covered with fresh grass.
The green tone is a symbol of life-giving faith, the rebirth of nature after a long winter, but most importantly, liberation. human soul from sin.
That is why on this day it is customary to consecrate birch branches (after all, a birch is a real symbol of Russia) and bring them into the house. It is believed that this kind of bouquet will bring good luck for the whole year, if you save it until the next Trinity.
Green branches of other plants - oak, linden, maple and mountain ash are also used to decorate the home on the Trinity. They are designed to protect the house from evil spirits. Cornflowers, lovage, thyme, fern, mint, lemon balm, burdock are taken from meadow herbs, wreaths are woven from them and hung on the door, bouquets are made that are placed on the table or near the icons.
On the eve of Great Trinity Saturday is served all-night vigil. On the day of the feast of the Holy Trinity, the Gospel of John is read, and a festive liturgy is performed.
The third day of Trinity is called the day of the Holy Spirit. On this day, it is customary to bless water in churches. People take the grass and branches that decorated the temples and bring them home. They dry them and store them all year round - they protect the house from diseases and troubles. Healers recommend collecting herbs on this day - it is believed that nature endows them with special miraculous properties.
Priests do not recommend these holidays do hard physical work, visit a cemetery, plan some global affairs (for example, cleaning the house, working in the country, large purchases, etc.). It is best to find time for festive services - go to church for a service, attend a liturgy in honor of the Holy Trinity, feel the spirit of the bright, tune in to the festive wave.
And the rest of the day you can spend with your loved ones, help your family, visit old friends. There is no fasting on the feast of Holy Pentecost, so the festive table is supposed to be rich and plentiful, with a variety of meat dishes, pies, and fresh herbs.
Also, after the festive dinner, traditional folk festivities are arranged - people tend to nature, where they perform ritual dances, sing songs, kindle bonfires. And you can also make your most cherished wish on such a holiday - if you tune in to the fulfillment of a dream, it will certainly come true.
So what is a holiday? Great Trinity? This is the day of the descent of the Holy Spirit, when God manifested himself in all three persons and revealed himself as the triune Supreme.
And it is also the day of the rebirth of the human soul, when it can receive the priceless gift of salvation, simply by repenting of its sins and entrusting all experiences to the Lord. Such is it - the bright Holy Trinity.
