Church calendar for February. Fasting on the Day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

February 2018, according to the calendar of church (or “divine”) holidays of the Orthodox Church, in addition to the traditional celebration of the Presentation of the Lord, will also be marked by the beginning of Great Lent, as well as the Cheese Week preceding it, and the world called Maslenitsa. What Orthodox holidays are celebrated in February 2018, the date of the beginning of Lent, what is remarkable about the calendar of church holidays for this month.

The Presentation of the Lord in 2018 - what date is celebrated, what is the meaning of the holiday

The Presentation of the Lord is one of the twelve non-transitory holidays. This means that every year its date does not change, and in 2018, as in any year of our century The Presentation of the Lord is celebrated on February 15 according to the Gregorian calendar, or February 2 according to the Julian.

It is no coincidence that the Candlemas has a fixed date. It is celebrated on the 40th day after Christmas - it was then, at the age of 40 days, that the baby Jesus was brought to the Jerusalem temple, where the elder Simeon the God-bearer met the born Savior.

Even according to the laws of Moses, each firstborn of the family (that is, the eldest son) should have been brought to the temple on the fortieth day after the day of his birth to be dedicated to God.

As people obedient to the law, Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the temple, where the Meeting took place, that is, the Meeting. The meeting of humanity in the person of the elder Simeon and God in the person of his earthly incarnation, Jesus.

As the legend says, Simeon lived for almost 300 years, and he was chosen as a person who would one day meet the born Savior. God promised Simeon that this would happen, and he kept the promise.

The Feast of the Candlemas teaches us that God is always true to his words and promises. In addition, he always goes to meet those who yearn and seek the truth, and also makes the truth with his actions, like the elder Simeon.

Pancake week and the beginning of Lent in February 2018

In 2018, Easter is quite early - it is April 8th. That is why it starts early. great post, as well as the previous Cheese Week, known as Maslenitsa.

We wrote in more detail about both her traditions and about.

Recall that Shrovetide week, celebrated by the church as cheese week, in 2018 falls on a week from 12 to 18 February. Consequently, already on February 18, on the final and main day of folk festivals, Russia will see off the Russian winter.

Saturday before Maslenitsa February 10 2018 is universal parent saturday . This is the name of one of the days of remembrance, when the church commemorates absolutely all the dead, from Adam and Eve to our day. On this day, it is not only permissible, but also necessary to remember deceased relatives and friends, to honor the memory of other deceased, you can visit the cemetery for this.

Calendar of Orthodox holidays for February 2018

If we talk about the detailed calendar of church, or “divine” holidays and days of memory in February 2018, then the church daily honors the memory of certain saints or celebrates this or that holiday:

• 01.02 - the memory of St. Mark Eugeniks, Archbishop of Ephesus;
• 02.02 - the memory of St. Euthymius the Great;
• 03.02 - the memory of St. Maximus the Greek;
• 04.02 - the memory of the apostle from 70 Timothy, Bishop of Ephesus;
• 05.02 - Cathedral of the Kostroma Saints;
• 06.02 - the memory of the martyr John of Kazan;
• 07.02 - celebration in honor of the icon of the Mother of God, called "Satisfy My Sorrows";
• 08.02 - transfer of the relics of St. Theodore, hegumen of Studium;
• 09.02 - transfer of the relics of St. John Chrysostom;
• February 10 - celebration in honor of the Sumorin-Totemskaya Icon of the Mother of God;
• 11.02 - Cathedral of Yekaterinburg Saints, Cathedral of Komi Saints;
• 12.02 - the memory of the faithful Peter, Tsar of Bulgaria;
• February 13 - the memory of the unmercenary martyrs of Alexandria: Cyrus and John and with them the martyrs of Canopia: Athanasia and her daughters Theodotia, Theoktista and Eudoxia;
• February 14 - memory of Tryphon, Bishop of Rostov;
• February 15 - Meeting of the Lord;
• February 16 - the memory of the prophet Azariah;
• 17.02 - the memory of the right-believing Grand Duke George (Yuri) Vsevolodovich of Vladimir, the founder of Nizhny Novgorod;
• February 18 - the memory of St. Theodosius, Archbishop of Chernigov;
• February 19 - the memory of the martyrs Martha, Mary and their brother, the martyr Likarion lad;
• February 20 - the memory of the virgin of Mastridia;
• February 21 - the memory of the prophet Zechariah the Sickle-seer from 12;
• February 22 - Uncovering the relics of St. Innocent (Kulchitsky), Bishop of Irkutsk;
• February 23 - the memory of the icon of the Mother of God "Fiery";
• February 24 - the memory of the great martyr Theodore Tyron;
• February 25 - celebration in honor of the Cypriot (Stromynskaya) Icon of the Mother of God;
• February 26 - the memory of the Monk Martinian;
• February 27 - memory of 12 Greeks, builders of the Cathedral of the Assumption Church of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra;
• February 28 - the memory of the apostle from the 70 Onesimus.

February 5 - Cathedral of the Kostroma Saints. Cathedral of New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia. Commemoration of all the dead who suffered in the time of persecution for the faith of Christ.

Holy Blessed Xenia of Petersburg

Born in the first half of the 18th century in a family of pious and noble parents.

Having reached the age of majority, Xenia married a court chorister and lived with her husband in St. Petersburg. However, the marriage was short-lived - her husband died, leaving the 26-year-old girl a widow.

The death of her husband was such a bitter loss for Ksenia, it hit her so hard that all the joys of life lost their meaning for her. The girl gave away all the property she and her husband had acquired to the poor, and gave the house to a needy friend.

Freed from all earthly cares, Saint Xenia chose for herself the difficult path of foolishness for Christ's sake. Dressed in the costume of her deceased husband, Xenia wandered around the Petersburg side for days on end, and at night, no matter what time of year and weather, she went to the field and stood there in kneeling prayer until the morning.

On another occasion, workers erecting a stone church at the Smolensk cemetery noticed that every night someone was dragging masonry bricks onto the top of the church under construction. For a long time they could not find out who this tireless assistant was. It turned out that it was the servant of God, blessed Xenia.

For her humility and deeds in the name of the faith of Christ, the Lord granted her the ability to see the hearts and the future.

Blessed Xenia died at the age of 71 and was buried at the Smolensk cemetery. And many miracles began to take place at her grave. The suffering were healed, broken peace was established in families, the needy received what they needed.

February 12 - Cheese week. Beginning of Maslenitsa. Cathedral of 3 Saints (Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom).

Great Meeting of the Lord

On this day, the Church remembers the events described in the Gospel of Luke - the meeting with the elder Simeon of the baby Jesus in the Jerusalem temple on the fortieth day after Christmas.

On that day, the Virgin Mary and the righteous Joseph the Betrothed brought the baby Jesus to the temple to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God for the firstborn.

As soon as the Virgin Mary crossed the threshold of the temple with a baby in her arms, the ancient elder Simeon came out to meet her, who had been waiting for this meeting for many years of his righteous and pious life. According to tradition, he was one of 72 Jewish scribes who translated the Bible from Hebrew into Greek language at the behest of King Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285 - 247 BC). When Simeon was translating the words of the prophet Isaiah, "Behold a Virgin with child shall bear a Son..." he thought it was a mistake and wanted to correct the word "Virgin" to "Wife" (woman). At that moment an angel appeared and held his hand. Simeon was promised that he would not die until the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy.

The prophecy has been fulfilled. Simeon took the baby in his arms and exclaimed: “Now you release Your servant, Lord, according to Your word, in peace, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel.”

Simeon the God-bearer died, according to legend, at the 360th year of his life. He was not afraid of death, because the promise given to him and to all people was fulfilled. Simeon held the Messiah in his arms! And now he was going to tell all the righteous Old Testament that the Lord became incarnate, came to earth to save mankind from sin and death.

The Church named him Simeon the God-Receiver and glorified him as a saint.

The Presentation of the Lord is one of the twelfth, that is, the main holidays church year. This is a non-transferable holiday - it is always celebrated on February 15th.

February 19 - Beginning of Lent. Clean Monday. Venerable Barsanuphius the Great and John the Prophet.

Great Lent (Fourteen)

One of major events Christendom. This is a rite of long-term preparation of a believing Christian for the celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord.

Lent in 2018 will be held from February 19 to April 7. This is the longest abstinence from food and drink in Christianity. It lasts seven weeks and must be accompanied by spiritual practice so that a person can purify his body, mind and soul.

The second name of the fast "Fourteen" more accurately indicates its duration - 40 days. This is the period that in everyday life we ​​consider the time that the soul of a deceased person needs to leave this world. In religious practice, this is the time that the body of the deceased Jesus Christ spent on earth, and after which he resurrected. These seven weeks are necessary so that the believer can understand and feel what the Savior experienced, suffering for us on the cross and experiencing hardships in his worldly life, often experiencing hunger and thirst, wandering with his disciples. Thus, abstaining from excesses in food helps to feel gratitude to the Lord for the disasters experienced by Him for us.

Photo preview: from the VK Press archive.

In Orthodoxy, almost every day they celebrate the memory of some event or an important spiritual person. February will be full religious holidays which are worth remembering.

To always be aware of what holidays await you or when the next fast will be, follow the church calendar, which will help you prepare in advance for any religious event. It's already February, so it's time to remember the approach of Great Lent.

February 4

Week of the Prodigal Son. A week earlier they called Sundays, so on February 4, on Sunday, at divine services in all churches, the parable of the prodigal son will be remembered. This is an important day to prepare for the upcoming post. It is important on this day to remember that we are all in some sense - prodigal sons who either sin or pray.

February 5th

This day is celebrated Holy Martyr Clement of Ancyra who lived in the 3rd century. It was a terrible time, because many were killed and tortured for their faith and for their attempts to spread it. Clement was imprisoned for many years, after which he was killed. He has a huge following.

Also celebrated on this day Cathedral of the Saints of the Kostroma Land. Among these are Abraham of Rostov, Abraham of Galich, Prince Dmitry Donskoy, Dionysius of Suzdal, Pakhomiy Nerekhtsky, Barnabas Vetluzhsky, Prince Dmitry Krasny and many others.

February 6

Memorial Day of Blessed Xenia of Petersburg. Xenia is one of the most beloved and revered saints among the people. She is traditionally prayed for love, marriage and family well-being.

February 9th

This day is celebrated Transfer of the relics of John Chrysostom to Constantinople in the first half of the 5th century. John is a great teacher who tried to spread the doctrine of Christ throughout his life. When his coffin was opened during the transfer of the relics, the saint did not seem to die - his body was so well preserved after death.

February 11

This will be a very important day as February 11 is celebrated Transfer of the relics of Saint Ignatius the God-bearer. This great martyr is known for being publicly torn to pieces by lions as a punishment for refusing to renounce Christ.

February 11 also week about the Last Judgment . This is the penultimate Sunday before Lent. I recall the prophecy that in the future, when the second coming of the Messiah takes place, there will be a Judgment, at which everyone will answer for their sins.

12th of February

February 22

This day is celebrated acquisition of the relics of St. Innocent, Bishop of Irkutsk. This man during his lifetime did a lot for the Orthodox people, being engaged in enlightenment, building churches.

February 23

Celebrated The cathedral Novgorod saints . There are twelve in total: cover periods of life Novgorod bishops a long period of time - from 992 to 1653.

25 February

The first Sunday or, as they say, the "week" of Great Lent. She is named as "Triumph of Orthodoxy". This event can be considered a full-fledged holiday, because the first Sunday of Great Lent is dedicated to the victory over the opponents of faith in Christ. Persecution was eased in the 9th century. It was then that the church decided to celebrate this great and bright event, when people could no longer be afraid to believe in Jesus Christ and the word of God.

February 26

Start second week of Lent. It is dedicated to prayers for grace, illumination and the granting of forgiveness to all who fast, and also cannot do so due to poor health. This week encourages Christians to finally tune in to fasting and abstaining from everything superfluous.

These will be the most important dates in February, which will turn out to be very eventful. Lent in 2018 will begin early, so you will need to prepare for it in advance, have time to take communion and confess. Do not forget about visiting the church on the day of the Candlemas. Good luck and don't forget to press the buttons and

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Designation of calendar background colors No post Food without meat Fish, hot food with vegetable oil Hot food with vegetable oil Hot food without vegetable oil Cold food without vegetable oil, unheated drink Refraining from food Big holidays

Multi-day posts in 2018

One day posts in 2018

Solid weeks in 2018

Great church holidays in 2018

Great Lent
(in 2018 falls from February 19 to April 7)

Great Lent is determined for the repentance and humility of Christians before the feast day of Easter, on which the Bright Resurrection of Christ from the dead is celebrated. This is the most significant of all Christian holidays.

The time of the beginning and end of Great Lent depends on the date of the celebration of Easter, which does not have a fixed calendar date. The duration of Lent is 7 weeks. It consists of 2 fasts - Lent and Holy Week.

Forty days lasts 40 days in memory of the forty-day fast of Jesus Christ in the wilderness. Thus, fasting is called the Forty Day. The last seventh week of Great Lent - Holy Week is defined in memory of the last days of earthly life, the suffering and death of Christ.

During Lent, it is allowed to take food only once a day, in the evening. During the entire fast, including weekends, it is forbidden to eat meat, milk, cheese and eggs. With special strictness it is necessary to adhere to fasting in the first and last weeks. On the Feast of the Annunciation Holy Mother of God, April 7, it is allowed to loosen fasting and add vegetable oil and fish to the diet. In addition to abstinence in food during Great Lent, one must diligently pray that the Lord God would give repentance, regret for sins and love for the Almighty.

Apostolic Fast - Petrov Post
(in 2018 falls from June 4 to July 11)

This post does not have a specific date. The apostolic fast is dedicated to the memory of the apostles Peter and Paul. Its beginning depends on the day of the feast of Easter and the Holy Trinity, which falls on the current year. Lent comes exactly seven days after the feast of the Trinity, which is also called Pentecost, since it is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter. The week before fasting is called All Saints Week.

The duration of the Apostolic Fast can be from 8 days to 6 weeks (depending on the day of the celebration of Easter). The Apostolic Fast ends on July 12, the day of the holy apostles Peter and Paul. From this post and got its name. It is also called the fast of the Holy Apostles or Peter's fast.

Apostolic fasting is not very strict. Dry food is allowed on Wednesday and Friday, hot food without oil is allowed on Monday, mushrooms, vegetable food with vegetable oil and a little wine are allowed on Tuesday and Thursday, and fish is also allowed on Saturday and Sunday.

Fish is still allowed on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, if these days fall on a holiday with great doxology. On Wednesday and Friday, it is allowed to eat fish only when these days fall on a feast with a vigil or a temple feast.

Assumption post
(in 2018 falls from August 14 to August 27)

The Assumption Fast begins exactly one month after the end of the Apostolic Fast on August 14 and lasts 2 weeks, until August 27. This post prepares for the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is celebrated on August 28. Through the Dormition Fast, we follow the example of the Mother of God, who was constantly in fasting and prayer.

According to the severity, the Assumption Lent is close to Great Lent. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, dry food is supposed, Tuesday and Thursday - hot food without oil, on Saturday and Sunday, vegetable food with vegetable oil is allowed. On the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord (August 19), it is allowed to eat fish, as well as oil and wine.

On the day of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos (August 28), if the devil falls on Wednesday or Friday, only fish is allowed. Meat, milk and eggs are prohibited. On other days, fasting is cancelled.

There is also a rule until August 19 not to eat fruit. As a result of this, the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord is also called the Apple Savior, since at this time garden fruits (in particular, apples) are brought to the church, consecrated and given away.

Christmas post
(from November 28 to January 6)

The Advent period lasts from November 28 to January 6. If the first day of the fast falls on a Sunday, the fast is softened, but not cancelled. The Nativity Fast precedes the Nativity of Christ, January 7 (December 25), which celebrates the birth of the Savior. Fasting begins 40 days before the celebration and therefore is also called the Forty Day. The people call the Nativity Fast Filippov, because it comes immediately after the day of memory of the Apostle Philip - November 27th. Conventionally, the Nativity Fast shows the state of the world before the advent of the Savior. By abstinence in food, Christians express reverence for the feast of the birth of Christ. According to the rules of abstinence, the Nativity Fast is similar to the Apostolic Fast until the day of St. Nicholas - December 19th. From December 20 until Christmas, fasting is observed with particular strictness.

According to the charter, it is allowed to eat fish on the feast of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos, and the week until December 20th.

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays of the Nativity Fast, dry food is taken.

If there is a temple holiday or a vigil on these days, it is allowed to eat fish; if the day of a great saint falls, the use of wine and vegetable oil is allowed.

After the day of memory of St. Nicholas and before Christmas, fish is allowed on Saturday and Sunday. Fish is not to be eaten on the eve. If these days fall on Saturday or Sunday, meals with butter are allowed.

On Christmas Eve, January 6, on the eve of Christmas, it is not allowed to take food until the appearance of the first star. This rule was adopted in memory of the star that shone at the time of the birth of the Savior. After the appearance of the first star (it is customary to eat sochivo - wheat seeds boiled in honey or dried fruits softened in water, and kutya - boiled cereal with raisins. The Christmas period lasts from January 7 to 13. From the morning of January 7, all food restrictions are removed. Fasting is canceled for 11 days.

One day posts

There are many one-day posts. According to the strictness of compliance, they are different and in no way associated with a specific date. The most frequent of them are posts on Wednesdays and Fridays of any week. Also the most famous one day posts- on the day of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, on the day before the Baptism of the Lord, on the day of the Beheading of John the Baptist.

There are also one-day fasts connected with the dates of commemoration of famous saints.

These posts are not considered strict if they do not fall on Wednesday and Friday. It is forbidden to eat fish during these one-day fasts, but food with vegetable oil is permissible.

Separate fasts can be accepted in case of some kind of misfortune or social misfortune - an epidemic, war, terrorist action, etc. One-day fasts precede the sacrament of communion.

Posts on Wednesday and Friday

On Wednesday, according to the gospel, Judas betrayed Jesus Christ, and on Friday Jesus suffered torment and death on the cross. In memory of these events, Orthodoxy adopted fasts on Wednesday and Friday of each week. Exceptions are only in continuous weeks, or weeks, during which there are no existing restrictions for these days. Such weeks are Christmas time (January 7-18), Publican and Pharisee, Cheese, Easter and Trinity (the first week after the Trinity).

On Wednesday and Friday it is forbidden to eat meat, dairy food, and eggs. Some of the most pious Christians do not allow themselves to consume, including fish and vegetable oil, that is, they observe a dry diet.

Relaxation of fasting on Wednesday and Friday is possible only if this day coincides with the feast of a particularly revered saint, to whose memory a special church service is dedicated.

In the period between the Week of All Saints and before the Nativity of Christ, it is necessary to abandon fish and vegetable oil. If Wednesday or Friday coincides with the feast of the saints, then vegetable oil is allowed.

On major holidays, such as Pokrov, it is allowed to eat fish.

On the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany

The Baptism of the Lord is on January 18th. According to the Gospel, Christ was baptized in the Jordan River, at that moment the Holy Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. John was a witness that Christ is the Savior, that is, Jesus is the Messiah of the Lord. During baptism, he heard the voice of the Most High, proclaiming: "This is My beloved Son, on Him I am well pleased."

Before the Baptism of the Lord in the temples, the eve is performed, at this moment the rite of consecration of holy water takes place. In connection with this holiday, a post was adopted. At the time of this post, food is allowed once a day and only juicy and kutya with honey. Therefore, among Orthodox believers, the eve of Epiphany is usually called Christmas Eve. If the evening falls on Saturday or Sunday, fasting on that day is not canceled, but relaxed. In this case, you can eat twice a day - after the liturgy and after the rite of consecration of water.

Fasting on the Day of the Beheading of John the Baptist

The day of the Beheading of John the Baptist is commemorated on September 11th. It was introduced in memory of the death of the prophet - John the Baptist, who was the Forerunner of the Messiah. According to the Gospel, John was thrown into prison by Herod Antipas because of his exposure in connection with Herodias, the wife of Philip, Herod's brother.

During the celebration of his birthday, the King arranged a holiday, the daughter of Herodias - Salome, presented a skillful dance to Herod. He was delighted with the beauty of the dance, and promised the girl everything she wanted for him. Herodias persuaded her daughter to beg for the head of John the Baptist. Herod fulfilled the girl's wish by sending a warrior to the prisoner to bring him the head of John.

In memory of John the Baptist and his pious life, during which he continuously fasted, fasting was defined. On this day, it is forbidden to eat meat, dairy, eggs and fish. Vegetable foods and vegetable oil are acceptable.

Fasting on the Day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

This holiday falls on September 27th. This day was established in memory of the acquisition of the Cross of the Lord. This happened in the 4th century. According to legend, the emperor of the Byzantine Empire, Constantine the Great, won many victories thanks to the Cross of the Lord and therefore revered this symbol. Showing gratitude to the Almighty for the consent of the church at the First Ecumenical Council, he decided to erect a temple on Golgotha. Elena, the mother of the emperor, went to Jerusalem in 326 to find the Cross of the Lord.

According to the custom then, crosses, as instruments of execution, were buried near the place of execution. Three crosses were found on Golgotha. It was impossible to understand which of them was Christ, since the plank with the inscription "Jesus the Nazarene King of the Jews" was found separately from all the crosses. Subsequently, the Cross of the Lord was established by the power, which was expressed in the healing of the sick and the resurrection of a person through touching this cross. The fame of the amazing miracles of the Cross of the Lord attracted a lot of people, and because of the pandemonium, many did not have the opportunity to see and bow to him. Then Patriarch Macarius raised the cross, revealing it to everyone around him in the distance. Thus, the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord appeared.

The holiday was adopted on the day of the consecration of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, September 26, 335, and began to be celebrated the next day, September 27. In 614, the Persian king Khosra took possession of Jerusalem and took out the Cross. In 328, the heir of Khozroy, Syroes, returned the stolen Cross of the Lord to Jerusalem. It happened on September 27, so this day is considered a double holiday - the Exaltation and the Finding of the Cross of the Lord. On this day, it is forbidden to eat cheese, eggs and fish. Thus, believing Christians express their reverence for the Cross.

Holy Resurrection of Christ - Easter
(in 2018 falls on April 8)

The most important Christian holiday is Easter - bright resurrection Christ from the dead. Easter is considered the main one between the passing twelfth holidays, since the Easter story contains everything on which Christian knowledge is based. For all Christians, the Resurrection of Christ means salvation and the trampling of death.

Christ's suffering, suffering on the cross and death washed away original sin, and consequently, gave salvation to mankind. That is why Christians call Easter the Triumph of Triumphs and the Feast of Holidays.

The following story formed the basis of the Christian holiday. On the first day of the week, the myrrh-bearing women came to the tomb of Christ to anoint the body with incense. However, a large block that blocked the entrance to the tomb was moved, an angel sat on the stone, who told the women that the Savior had risen. After some time, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene and sent her to the apostles to inform them that the prophecy had come true.

She ran to the apostles, and told them the joyful news and told them the message of Christ that they would meet in Galilee. Before His death, Jesus told the disciples about the coming events, but the news of Mary plunged them into confusion. Faith in the Kingdom of Heaven promised by Jesus revived in their hearts again. However, the Resurrection of Jesus did not bring joy to everyone: the chief priests and Pharisees started a rumor about the loss of the body.

However, despite the lies and painful trials that fell on the first Christians, the New Testament Easter became the basis Christian faith. The blood of Christ atoned for the sins of people and opened the way to salvation for them. From the first days of Christianity, the apostles established the celebration of Easter, which, in memory of the sufferings of the Savior, was preceded by Holy Week. Today they are preceded by Great Lent, which lasts forty days.

For a long time, discussions about the true date of the celebration of the memory of the events described did not subside, while on I Ecumenical Council in Nicaea (325) they did not agree on the celebration of Easter on the 1st Sunday following the first spring full moon and spring equinox. In different years, Easter has the opportunity to be celebrated from March 21 to April 24 (old style).

On the eve of the Easter holiday, the service begins at eleven o'clock in the evening. Midnight Office First Great Saturday, then the blagovest sounds and the procession takes place, which is led by the clergy, the believers leave the church with lit candles, and the blagovest is replaced by a festive chime of bells. When the procession returns to the closed doors of the church, which symbolize the tomb of Christ, the ringing is interrupted. A festive prayer sounds, and the door of the church opens. At this time, the priest proclaims: “Christ is risen!”, And the believers together answer: “Truly He is risen!”. This is how Easter comes.

At the time of the Paschal liturgy, as usual, the Gospel of John is read. At the end of the Paschal liturgy, the artos is consecrated - large prosphora, similar to Easter cake. During the Easter week, artos is located near royal doors. After the liturgy, on the following Saturday, a special rite of crushing the artos is served, and pieces of it are distributed to the faithful.

At the end of the Easter liturgy, fasting ends and the Orthodox can treat themselves to a piece of consecrated Easter cake or Easter, a painted egg, a meat pie, etc. On the first week of Easter ( bright week) is supposed to give food to the hungry and help the needy. Christians go to visit relatives, exchange exclamations: “Christ is risen!” “Truly Risen!” Easter is supposed to give colored eggs. This tradition is adopted in memory of the visit of Mary Magdalene to the emperor of Rome, Tiberius. According to legend, Mary was the first to tell Tiberius the news of the Resurrection of the Savior and brought him an egg as a gift - as a symbol of life. But Tiberius did not believe in the news of the Resurrection and said that he would believe it if the brought egg turned red. And at that moment the egg turned red. In memory of what happened, believers began to paint eggs, which became a symbol of Easter.

Palm Sunday. Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.
(in 2018 falls on April 1)

Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, or simply Palm Sunday, is one of the most key twelfth holidays celebrated by the Orthodox. The first mention of this holiday is found in manuscripts of the 3rd century. This event has great importance for Christians, since the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, whose authorities were hostile to Him, means that Christ voluntarily accepted the suffering on the cross. The entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is described by all four evangelists, which also testifies to the significance of this day.

The date of Palm Sunday depends on the date of Easter: the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is celebrated a week before Easter. To confirm the people in the belief that Jesus Christ is the Messiah predicted by the prophets, a week before the Resurrection, the Savior went to the city with the apostles. On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus sent John and Peter to the village, indicating the place where they would find the colt. The apostles drove to the Teacher a colt, on which He sat down and went to Jerusalem.

At the entrance to the city, some people spread their own clothes, the rest accompanied Him with cut branches of palm trees, and greeted the Savior with the words: “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” because they believed that Jesus was the Messiah and the King of the people of Israel.

When Jesus entered the temple in Jerusalem, he drove the merchants out of it with the words: My house will be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves” (Matthew 21:13). People listened with admiration to the teaching of Christ. The sick began to come to Him, He healed them, and the children at that moment sang His praise. Then Christ left the temple and went with the disciples to Bethany.

With vayami, or palm branches, in ancient times it was customary to meet the winners, from this came another name for the holiday: Vay Week. In Russia, where palm trees do not grow, the holiday got its third name - Palm Sunday - in honor of the only plant that blooms during this harsh time. Palm Sunday ends Lent and begins Holy Week.

As for the festive table, on Palm Sunday, fish and vegetable dishes with vegetable oil are allowed. And the day before, on Lazarus Saturday, after Vespers, you can taste some fish caviar.

Ascension of the Lord
(in 2018 falls on May 17)

The Ascension of the Lord is celebrated on the fortieth day after Easter. Traditionally, this holiday falls on Thursday of the sixth week of Easter. The events associated with the Ascension signify the end of the Savior's earthly sojourn and the beginning of His life in the bosom of the Church. After the Resurrection, the Teacher came to his disciples for forty days, teaching them the true faith and the way of salvation. The Savior instructed the apostles what to do after His Ascension.

Then Christ promised the disciples to descend upon them the Holy Spirit, which they should wait for in Jerusalem. Christ said, “And I will send the promise of my Father upon you; but remain in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Then, together with the apostles, they went outside the city, where He blessed the disciples and began to ascend into heaven. The apostles bowed to Him and returned to Jerusalem.

As for fasting, on the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, it is allowed to eat any food, both lean and fast.

Holy Trinity - Pentecost
(in 2018 falls on May 27)

On the Day of the Holy Trinity, we commemorate the story that tells of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Christ. The Holy Spirit appeared to the apostles of the Savior in the form of tongues of flame on the day of Pentecost, that is, on the fiftieth day after Pascha, hence the name of this holiday. The second, most famous name of the day is timed to coincide with the acquisition by the apostles of the third hypostasis of the Holy Trinity - the Holy Spirit, after which the Christian concept of the Triune Godhead received a perfect interpretation.

On the day of the Holy Trinity, the apostles intended to meet in the dwelling in order to pray together. Suddenly they heard a roar, and then fiery tongues began to appear in the air, which, separating, descended on the disciples of Christ.

After the flame descended on the apostles, the prophecy "...were filled...with the Holy Spirit..." (Acts 2:4) came true, and they offered up a prayer. With the descent of the Holy Spirit, the disciples of Christ had the gift of speaking different languages in order to carry the Word of the Lord throughout the world.

The noise coming from the house gathered a large crowd of curious people. The assembled people were amazed that the apostles could speak in different languages. Among the people there were also people from other nations, they heard how the apostles offered up a prayer in their native language. Most of the people were surprised and were filled with reverent awe, at the same time, among those gathered there were also people who skeptically spoke about what had happened, “drank sweet wine” (Acts 2, 13).

On this day, the Apostle Peter delivered his first sermon, which told that the event that happened on that day was predicted by the prophets and marks the last mission of the Savior in the earthly world. The sermon of the Apostle Peter was short and simple, but the Holy Spirit spoke through him, then his speech reached the souls of many people. At the end of Peter's speech, many accepted the faith and were baptized. “So those who willingly received his word were baptized, and that day about three thousand souls were added” (Acts 2:41). Since ancient times, Holy Trinity Day has been revered as a birthday Christian Church created by sacred grace.

On the Day of the Holy Trinity, it is customary to decorate houses and temples with flowers and grass. Regarding the festive table, on this day it is allowed to eat any food. There is no post on this day.

The Twelfth Everlasting Holidays

Christmas (January 7)

According to legend, the Lord God, even in Paradise, promised the sinner Adam the coming of the Savior. Many prophets foreshadowed the coming of the Savior - Christ, in particular the prophet Isaiah, prophesied about the birth of the Messiah to the Jews, who forgot the Lord and worshiped pagan idols. Shortly before the birth of Jesus, the ruler Herod proclaimed a decree on the census, for this the Jews had to come to the cities in which they were born. Joseph and the Virgin Mary also went to the cities where they were born.

They did not get to Bethlehem quickly: the Virgin Mary was pregnant, and when they arrived in the city, it was time to give birth. But in Bethlehem, because of the multitude of people, all the places were occupied, and Joseph and Mary had to stop in the barn. At night, Mary gave birth to a boy, named him Jesus, swaddled him and put him in a manger - a feeder for cattle. Not far from their lodging for the night, there were shepherds grazing cattle, an angel appeared to them, who told them: ... I proclaim to you a great joy that will be for all people: for now a Savior has been born to you in the city of David, who is Christ the Lord; and here is a sign for you: you will find a baby in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger” (Luke 2:10-12). When the angel disappeared, the shepherds went to Bethlehem, where they found the Holy Family, bowed to Jesus, and told about the appearance of the angel and his sign, after which they went back to their flocks.

In the same days, the magi came to Jerusalem, who asked people about the born Jewish king, as a new one shone in the heavens. bright Star. Learning about the Magi, King Herod called them to him in order to find out the place where the Messiah was born. He ordered the magi to find out the place where the new Jewish king was born.

The Magi followed the star, which led them to the barn where the Savior was born. Entering the barn, the wise men bowed to Jesus and presented him with gifts: incense, gold and myrrh. “And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed by another way to their own country” (Matthew 2:12). That same night, Joseph received a sign: an angel appeared to him in a dream and said: “Get up, take the Baby and His Mother and run to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod wants to look for the baby in order to destroy Him” (Matt. 2, 13). Joseph, Mary, and Jesus went to Egypt, where they stayed until the death of Herod.

For the first time, the feast of the Nativity of Christ began to be celebrated in the 4th century in Constantinople. The holiday is preceded by a forty-day fast and Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve, it is customary to drink only water, and with the appearance of the first star in the sky, they break the fast with juicy - boiled wheat or rice with honey and dried fruits. After Christmas and before Epiphany, Christmas time is celebrated, during which all fasts are cancelled.

The Baptism of the Lord - Epiphany (January 19)

Christ began to minister to people at the age of thirty. John the Baptist had to anticipate the coming of the Messiah, prophesying the coming of the Messiah and baptizing people in the Jordan for the atonement of sins. When the Savior appeared to John for baptism, John recognized Him as the Messiah and told Him that he himself must be baptized by the Savior. But Christ answered: "...leave it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness" (Matt. 3:15), that is, to fulfill what the prophets said.

Christians call the feast of the Baptism of the Lord the Epiphany, at the baptism of Christ, three hypostases of the Trinity appeared to people for the first time: the Lord the Son, Jesus himself, the Holy Spirit, who descended in the form of a dove on Christ, and the Lord the Father, who said: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased » (Mt. 3, 17).

The disciples of Christ were the first to celebrate the feast of the Epiphany, as evidenced by the set of apostolic canons. One day before holiday Theophany begins on Christmas Eve. On this day, as on Christmas Eve, the Orthodox eat succulent, and only after the blessing of the water. Epiphany water It is considered healing, it is sprinkled at home, it is drunk on an empty stomach for various diseases.

On the feast of the Epiphany itself, the rite of the great hagiasma is also served. On this day, the tradition has been preserved to make a procession to the reservoirs with the Gospel, banners and lamps. Procession accompanies bell ringing and singing the troparion of the feast.

Meeting of the Lord (February 15)

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord describes the events that took place in the Jerusalem temple at the meeting of the Infant Jesus with the elder Simeon. According to the law, on the fortieth day after the birth, the Virgin Mary brought Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem. According to legend, the elder Simeon lived at the temple where he translated Holy Bible into Greek. In one of the prophecies of Isaiah, where the coming of the Savior is told, in the place where His birth is described, it is said that the Messiah will be born not from a woman, but from a Virgin. The elder suggested that there was a mistake in the original text, at the same moment an angel appeared to him and said that Simeon would not die until he saw the Most Holy Virgin and Her Son with his own eyes.

When the Virgin Mary entered the temple with Jesus in her arms, Simeon immediately saw them and recognized them as the Messiah. He took Him in his arms and spoke the following words: “Now let Your servant go, Master, according to Your word in peace, as if my eyes have seen Your salvation Thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light for the revelation of tongues and the glory of Your people Israel” (Lk .2, 29). From now on, the elder could die in peace, because he had just seen with his own eyes both the Virgin Mother and Her Savior Son.

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (April 7)

Since ancient times, the Annunciation of the Mother of God was called both the Beginning of Redemption and the Conception of Christ. This lasted for the 7th century, until it acquired the name under which it is at the moment. In its significance for Christians, the feast of the Annunciation is comparable only to the Nativity of Christ. Therefore, there is a proverb among the people to this day that on this day “a bird does not nest, a girl does not weave a braid.”

This is the history of the holiday. When the Virgin Mary reached the age of fifteen, She had to leave the walls of the Jerusalem temple: in accordance with the laws that were at that time, only men had the opportunity to serve the Almighty for a lifetime. However, by this time Mary's parents had already died, and the priests decided to betroth Mary to Joseph of Nazareth.

Once an angel appeared to the Virgin Mary, who was the archangel Gabriel. He greeted her with the following words: "Rejoice, gracious one, the Lord is with you!" Mary was confused because she didn't know what the angel's words meant. The archangel explained to Mary that she was the chosen one of the Lord for the birth of the Savior, about whom the prophets spoke: He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father; and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end” (Luke 1:31-33).

Having heard the revelation of Arlachangel Gavria, the Virgin Mary asked: “... how will it be if I don’t know my husband?” (Luke 1, 34), to which the archangel replied that the Holy Spirit would descend on the Virgin, and therefore the Infant born from her would be holy. And Mary humbly answered: “... behold the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to thy word” (Luke 1:37).

Transfiguration of the Lord (August 19)

The Savior often told the apostles that in order to save people, He would have to endure suffering and death. And in order to strengthen the faith of the disciples, he showed them His Divine glory, which awaits Him and the other righteous of Christ at the end of earthly existence.

Once Christ took three disciples - Peter, James and John - to Mount Tabor to pray to the Almighty. But the apostles, tired during the day, fell asleep, and when they woke up, they saw how the Savior was transformed: His clothes were snow-white, and His face shone like the sun.

Next to the Teacher were the prophets - Moses and Elijah, with whom Christ spoke about his own suffering, which He would have to endure. At that very moment, such grace seized the apostles that Peter inadvertently suggested: “Master! It's good for us to be here; Let us make three tabernacles: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah, not knowing what he said” (Luke 9:33).

At that moment, everyone was enveloped in a cloud, from which the voice of God was heard: “This is My Beloved Son, listen to Him” (Luke 9, 35). As soon as the words of the Most High resounded, the disciples again saw Christ alone in His ordinary form.

When Christ with the apostles was returning from Mount Tabor, He ordered them not to testify until the time that they had seen.

In Russia, the Transfiguration of the Lord was popularly called the "Apple Savior", since on this day honey and apples are consecrated in churches.

Assumption of the Mother of God (August 28)

The Gospel of John says that before his death, Christ commanded the Apostle John to take care of the Mother (John 19:26-27). Since that time, the Virgin Mary lived with John in Jerusalem. Here the apostles wrote down the stories of the Mother of God about the earthly existence of Jesus Christ. The Mother of God often went to Golgotha ​​to worship and pray, and on one of these visits the Archangel Gabriel informed Her of Her imminent Assumption.

By this time, the apostles of Christ began to come to the city for the last earthly service of the Virgin Mary. Before the death of the Mother of God, Christ appeared to Her bed with angels, which caused fear to seize those present. The Mother of God gave glory to God and, as if falling asleep, accepted a peaceful death.

The apostles took the bed, on which the Mother of God was, and carried it to the Garden of Gethsemane. The Jewish priests, who hated Christ and did not believe in His resurrection, learned about the death of the Theotokos. The high priest Athos overtook the funeral procession, and grabbed the couch, trying to turn it over in order to desecrate the body. However, the moment he touched the bed, his hands were cut off by an invisible force. Only after this Athos repented and believed, and immediately found healing. The body of the Mother of God was placed in a coffin and covered with a large stone.

However, among those present in the procession was not one of the disciples of Christ - the Apostle Thomas. He arrived in Jerusalem only three days after the funeral and wept for a long time at the tomb of the Virgin. Then the apostles decided to open the Tomb so that Thomas could venerate the body of the deceased.

When they rolled away the stone, they found only the funeral shrouds of the Mother of God inside, the body itself was not inside the tomb: Christ took the Mother of God to heaven in Her earthly nature.

A temple was subsequently built on that site, where the burial shrouds of the Virgin Mary were preserved until the 4th century. After that, the shrine was transferred to Byzantium, to the Blachernae Church, and in 582 Emperor Mauritius issued a decree on the general celebration of the Assumption of the Mother of God.

This holiday among the Orthodox is considered one of the most revered, like other holidays dedicated to the memory of the Virgin.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin (September 21)

The righteous parents of the Virgin Mary, Joachim and Anna, could not have children for a long time, and were very sad about their own childlessness, since the Jews considered the absence of children as God's punishment for secret sins. But Joachim and Anna did not lose faith in the child and prayed to God to send them a child. So they took an oath: in the event that they have a child, they will give it to the service of the Almighty.

And God heard their requests, but before that, he put them to the test: when Joachim came to the temple to offer a sacrifice, the priest did not take it, reproaching the old man for childlessness. After this case Joachim went to the desert, where he fasted and begged forgiveness from the Lord.

At this time, Anna also underwent a test: she was reproached for childlessness by her own maid. After that, Anna went into the garden and, noticing a bird's nest with chicks on a tree, she began to think that even birds have children, and burst into tears. In the garden, an angel appeared before Anna and began to calm her down, promising that they would soon have a child. Before Joachim, an angel also appeared and said that the Lord had heard him.

After that, Joachim and Anna met and told each other about the good news that the angels told them, and a year later they had a girl, whom they named Mary.

Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord (September 27)

In 325, the mother of the emperor of Byzantium, Constantine the Great, Queen Lena went to Jerusalem to visit the holy places. She visited Calvary and the burial place of Christ, but most of all she wanted to find the Cross on which the Messiah was crucified. The search yielded a result: three crosses were found on Golgotha, and in order to find the one on which Christ accepted suffering, they decided to conduct tests. Each of them was applied to the deceased, and one of the crosses resurrected the deceased. This was the same Cross of the Lord.

When the people learned that they had found the Cross on which Christ was crucified, a very large crowd gathered on Golgotha. There were so many Christians gathered that most of them could not come to the Cross to bow to the shrine. Patriarch Macarius proposed to erect the Cross so that everyone could see it. So in honor of these events, the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross was laid.

Among Christians, the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord is considered the only holiday that is celebrated from the first day of its existence, that is, the day when the Cross was found.

The Exaltation gained general Christian significance after the war between Persia and Byzantium. In 614, Jerusalem was sacked by the Persians. At the same time, among the shrines they took away was the Cross of the Lord. And only in 628 the shrine was returned to the Church of the Resurrection, built on Golgotha ​​by Constantine the Great. Since that time, the Feast of the Exaltation has been celebrated by all Christians of the world.

Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos (December 4)

The Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated by Christians in memory of the consecration of the Virgin Mary to God. When Mary was three years old, Joachim and Anna fulfilled their oath: they brought their daughter to the Jerusalem temple and placed it on the stairs. To the amazement of her parents and other people, little Mary herself went up the stairs to meet the high priest, after which he led her into the altar. From that time on, the Most Holy Virgin Mary lived at the temple until the time came for Her betrothal to the righteous Joseph.

Great holidays

Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord (January 14)

Circumcision of the Lord as a holiday was approved in the IV century. On this day, they commemorate the event associated with the Covenant concluded with God on Mount Zion by the prophet Moses: according to which all boys on the eighth day after birth were to be circumcised as a symbol of unity with the Jewish patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Upon completion of this ritual, the Savior was called Jesus, as the archangel Gabriel commanded when he brought the good news to the Virgin Mary. According to the interpretation, the Lord accepted circumcision as a strict observance of the laws of God. But in the Christian Church there is no circumcision ritual, since according to the New Testament it has given way to the sacrament of baptism.

Nativity of John the Baptist, Forerunner of the Lord (July 7)

The celebration of the Nativity of John the Baptist, the prophet of the Lord, was established by the Church in the 4th century. Among all the most revered saints, John the Baptist occupies a special place, since he had to prepare the Jewish people to accept the preaching of the Messiah.

During the reign of Herod, the priest Zechariah lived in Jerusalem with his wife Elizabeth. They did everything with zeal, the Law of Moses pointed out, but God still did not give them a child. But one day, when Zechariah entered the altar for incense, he saw an angel who told the priest the good news that very soon his wife would give birth to a long-awaited child, who should be called John: “... and you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord; He will not drink wine and strong drink, and the Holy Spirit will be filled even from his mother's womb...” (Luke 1:14-15).

However, in response to this revelation, Zechariah smiled mournfully: both he and his wife Elisaveta were in advanced years. When he told the angel about his own doubts, he introduced himself as the archangel Gabriel and, as a punishment for unbelief, imposed a ban: because Zechariah did not believe the good news, he would not be able to talk until Elizabeth gave birth to a child.

Soon Elizabeth became pregnant, but she could not believe her own happiness, so she hid her position for up to five months. In the end, a son was born to her, and when the baby was brought to the temple on the eighth day, the priest was very surprised to learn that he was called John: neither in the family of Zacharias, nor in the family of Elizabeth there was anyone with that name. But Zakharia confirmed his wife's desire with a nod of his head, after which he again managed to talk. And the first words that escaped his lips were the words of a heartfelt thanksgiving prayer.

Day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (July 12)

On this day Orthodox Church commemorates the apostles Peter and Paul, who suffered martyrdom in the year 67 for preaching the Gospel. This feast is preceded by a multi-day apostolic (Petrov) fast.

In ancient times church rules hosted the Council of the Apostles, and Peter and Paul occupied the highest places in it. In other words, the life of these apostles was of great importance for the development of the Christian Church.

However, the first apostles went to faith in somewhat different ways, that, realizing them, one can involuntarily think about the inscrutable ways of the Lord.

Apostle Peter

Before Peter began the apostolic ministry, he had a different name - Simon, which he received at birth. Simon fished on Lake Gennesaret until his brother Andrew brought young man to Christ. The radical and strong Simon was immediately able to take a special place among the disciples of Jesus. For example, he was the first to recognize the Savior in Jesus and for this he acquired a new name from Christ - Cephas (Heb. stone). In Greek, such a name sounds like Peter, and actually on this “flint” Jesus was going to erect the building of His own Church, which “the gates of hell will not prevail against.” However, weaknesses are inherent in man, and Peter's weakness was the threefold denial of Christ. Nevertheless, Peter repented and was forgiven by Jesus, who confirmed his destiny three times.

After the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, Peter was the first to deliver a sermon in the history of the Christian Church. After this sermon, more than three thousand Jews joined the true faith. In the Acts of the Apostles, in almost every chapter, there is evidence of Peter's active work: he preached the Gospel in various towns and states located on the shores of the Mediterranean. And it is believed that the Apostle Mark, who accompanied Peter, wrote the Gospel, taking the sermons of Cephas as a basis. Apart from this, there is a book in the New Testament written personally by the apostle.

In the year 67, the apostle went to Rome, but was caught by the authorities and suffered on the cross, like Christ. But Peter considered that he was not worthy of exactly the same execution as the Teacher, so he asked the executioners to crucify him upside down on the cross.

Apostle Paul

The Apostle Paul was born in the city of Tarsus (Asia Minor). Like Peter, from birth he had a different name - Saul. He was a gifted young man and received a good education, but grew up and was brought up in pagan ways. In addition, Saul was a noble Roman citizen, and his position allowed the future apostle to freely admire the pagan Hellenistic culture.

With all this, Paul was the persecutor of Christianity both in Palestine and beyond. These opportunities were given to him by the Pharisees, who hated the Christian doctrine and waged a fierce struggle against it.

One day, when Saul was traveling to Damascus with permission for the local synagogues to arrest Christians, he was struck by a bright light. The future apostle fell to the ground and heard a voice saying: “Saul, Saul! Why are you chasing me? He said: who are you Lord? The Lord said: I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It's hard for you to go against the pricks” (Acts 9:4-5). After this, Christ instructed Saul to go to Damascus and rely on providence.

When the blind Saul arrived in the city, where he found the priest Ananias. After a conversation with a Christian pastor, he believed in Christ and was baptized. During the rite of baptism, his sight returned again. From that day began the work of Paul as an apostle. Like the apostle Peter, Paul traveled widely: he visited Arabia, Antioch, Cyprus, Asia Minor and Macedonia. In those places where Paul visited, Christian communities seemed to form by themselves, and the supreme apostle himself became famous for his epistles to the heads of the churches founded with his help: among the New Testament books there are 14 epistles of Paul. Thanks to these epistles, Christian dogmas acquired a coherent system and became understandable to every believer.

At the end of the year 66, the Apostle Paul arrived in Rome, where a year later, as a citizen of the Roman Empire, he was executed by the sword.

The Beheading of John the Baptist (September 11)

In the year 32 from the birth of Jesus, King Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, imprisoned John the Baptist for talking about his close relationship with Herodias, his brother's wife.

At the same time, the king was afraid to execute John, as this could cause the anger of his people, who loved and revered John.

One day, during the celebration of Herod's birthday, a feast was held. The daughter of Herodias - Salome presented the king with an exquisite tanya. For this, Herod promised to everyone that he would fulfill any desire of the girl. Herodias persuaded her daughter to ask the king for the head of John the Baptist.

The request of the girl embarrassed the king, as he was afraid of the death of John, but at the same time he could not refuse the request, because he was afraid of the ridicule of the guests because of the unfulfilled promise.

The king sent a soldier to prison, who beheaded John, and brought his head on a platter to Salome. The girl accepted the terrible gift and gave it to her own mother. The apostles, having learned about the execution of John the Baptist, buried his headless body.

Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos (October 14)

The basis of the holiday was a story that happened in 910 in Constantinople. The city was besieged by an uncountable army of Saracens, and the townspeople hid in the Blachernae Church - in the place where the omophorion of the Virgin was saved. Frightened residents prayed fervently Mother of God about protection. And then one day during a prayer, the holy fool Andrei noticed the Mother of God above those who were praying.

The Mother of God was accompanied by an army of angels, with John the Theologian and John the Baptist. She reverently stretched out her hands to the Son, at this time her omophorion covered the praying inhabitants of the city, as if protecting people from future disasters. In addition to the holy fool Andrei, his disciple Epiphanius saw an amazing procession. The miraculous vision soon disappeared, but Her grace remained in the temple, and soon the Saracen army left Constantinople.

The Feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos came to Russia under Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky in 1164. And a little later, in 1165, on the Nerl River, in honor of this holiday, the first church was consecrated.