Next Forgiveness Sunday. Orthodoxy: Forgiveness Sunday (description, meaning, traditions)
Forgiveness Sunday is the last day before Lent, completing the long preparation for the period of abstinence. This day is known in Christian world as one of the most significant, because forgiveness of offenders and reconciliation with enemies is considered an indispensable condition for unity with God. On Forgiveness Sunday, verses from the New Testament are read at church services in which Jesus Christ, during the Sermon on the Mount, speaks of fasting and the forgiveness of sins: “For if you forgive people their sins, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive people their trespasses, your Father will not forgive you your trespasses.” Traditionally, there are rules of conduct on this day, the observance of which provides Christians with a worthy and joyful start to fasting.
Another name for Forgiveness Sunday is Cheesefare Week, which means that Christians leave all fast food. This day completes the preparation for Lent, which lasted four weeks. Maslenitsa, or Cheese Week - the last days for eating fish, butter, milk, eggs, which will be banned until the Resurrection of Christ. However, on the final day of the pancake week, meat and meat products are no longer eaten. The remains of non-fast food are removed from the table in the evening. The custom of eating up all the modest foods on the eve of fasting is called a conspiracy.
Forgiveness Sunday - what can not be done on this day?
Despite the well-known custom of celebrating the end of Maslenitsa with loud songs and dances, the Orthodox Church does not approve of this. Joyful burning of an effigy, accompanied by jumping over a fire, is also unacceptable. This is due to the misplaced revival of pagan customs that interfere with proper preparation for fasting.
According to the charter of the Orthodox Church, the entire Cheesy Week (Maslenitsa) is a special time when a Christian gradually leaves earthly joys, calms the soul to fight passions in the next seven weeks. This is a time of silence, peace and mutual forgiveness of offenses, since it is strictly not recommended to enter great post in a restless state of mind. Everything possible must be done to reconcile with the warring.
Since ancient times, on Forgiveness Sunday, the clergy perform the rite of forgiveness in churches. The clergy of the church, after prayers, leaves the altar in order to ask for forgiveness from all Christians. The parishioners do the same. Moreover, this happens not just as a nominal observance of the customs of the church, but with sincere humility and the hope of releasing insults and receiving forgiveness.
But since forgiveness is not a one-time process, it is a long time to heal spiritual wounds and scars from resentment, then Orthodox Church and set a whole week to prepare for reconciliation. Forgiveness Sunday is a powerful incentive for breaking down barriers between enemies; on this day, it is absolutely impossible to leave requests for forgiveness and postpone reconciliation until later. Because it is impossible to be at peace with God during Great Lent when there is no peace between people.
To err is human, and Forgiveness Sunday is everyone's chance to receive forgiveness for all the misdeeds and sins committed unwittingly or knowingly over the past year.
And in order to celebrate the bright feast of the Resurrection of Christ with a pure soul, you need to sincerely repent on Forgiveness Sunday, and forgive, and free yourself from the burden of insults before the start of Great Lent.
On Forgiveness Sunday in all Orthodox churches, after the evening service, it is customary to perform a special rite of forgiveness, during which the clergy and parishioners ask each other for forgiveness for all conscious and unconscious offenses that may have been caused over the past year.
Forgiveness Sunday
One of the most ancient traditions - to ask for forgiveness before the start of Lent, appeared in Palestine or in Egypt.
The monks, according to legend, before the start of Lent, went one by one into the desert, where, following the example of Jesus Christ, they spent 40 days practically without food and water.
The day before parting, they reconciled with each other - they asked for forgiveness for everything, realizing that they could die from thirst, hunger, heat or wild animals and the desert could become their last refuge. Hence the name Forgiveness Sunday.
Forgiveness Sunday, as the clergy explain, is a time when we ask for forgiveness from other people, but in order to receive the forgiveness we need, we need to learn to forgive ourselves. And the measure of how we treat others may be the measure of how the Lord will treat us.
And the beginning of this ancient church tradition put by Jesus Christ with the words about the need to forgive insults to your neighbor, which he uttered during the Sermon on the Mount.
“For if you forgive people their trespasses, then your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive people their trespasses, then your Father will not forgive you your trespasses,” Jesus Christ taught.
The meaning of the words is that it is necessary to forgive insults to our neighbors, because, by forgiving the sins of the people around us, we show condescension, mercy, sympathy and love towards them, as the Heavenly Father shows His love for us.
Traditions and customs
On Forgiveness Sunday, the Gospel is read in Orthodox churches with a section on the Sermon on the Mount, which speaks of the forgiveness of offenses.
On this day, they also remember the expulsion of Adam from Paradise, thus showing that a person, having voluntarily moved away from the church, like Adam, loses touch with the spiritual world.
A special rite of forgiveness is performed after the end of the evening service, during which the rector with bow to the ground asks for forgiveness from his clergy and parishioners, they bow in response, and then ask the rector to forgive them too. And then the ministers of the church and the laity mutually ask for forgiveness from each other.
According to tradition, people on Forgiveness Sunday visited the graves of their relatives, brought gifts to them and asked for forgiveness, and also prayed to protect the living from troubles and misfortunes.
Before you start asking for forgiveness, you must first go to the temple, confess, repent of sins and take communion.
According to custom, people, asking mutual forgiveness, kissed three times. Hence the second name of the Forgiveness Sunday - "the kisser".
On this important day for every believer, according to tradition, it was the elders who first asked for forgiveness from those who were younger.
In Russia, there was a custom according to which the sovereign asked for forgiveness from his subjects. For this, the king traveled around the troops, visited monasteries and asked for forgiveness from everyone, including soldiers and brethren.
After words of forgiveness and repentance have been spoken to all relatives and friends, Orthodox Christians gather in the church to listen to the evening service timed to coincide with Forgiveness Sunday.
According to tradition, all relatives gather at the festive table and treat themselves to delicious pancakes. After finishing the meal, many still go to the bathhouse to symbolically wash away their sins and begin the Great Lent preceding Easter, cleansed spiritually and physically.
Signs
Not forgiving someone or swearing on Forgiveness Sunday was considered a great sin and could bring a lot of trouble, so people must find the strength in themselves to forgive those who offended them.
They ate on Forgiveness Sunday seven times (so many weeks are included in Great Lent), and after the last meal, leftover food was left on the table until the next day. Such a rite, according to people, provided the whole next year prosperity and well-being in the house.
Pancakes baked on Forgiveness Sunday had to be eaten with everything that allowed the family to unite and increase in numbers.
© photo: Sputnik / Evgenina Novozhenina
According to the weather on Forgiveness Sunday, they could predict what autumn would be like - clear and sunny weather foreshadowed a warm autumn and a rich harvest.
By Holy Scripture, the Lord God will forgive all sins, if on Forgiveness Sunday ask for forgiveness and forgive yourself. At the same time, you need to pronounce the following words: "I forgive you, forgive me, Lord, and me, a sinner."
Material prepared on the basis of open sources
Before the start of Lent, Forgiveness Sunday is celebrated. On this holiday, it is customary to ask for forgiveness and forgive each other for various misconduct and sins. From our article you will learn what you can and cannot do on this day.
The history of the origin of the holiday
Few people know that the origins of this interesting festival must be sought in the Palestinian and Egyptian cultures. It was here that more than 2000 years ago the family of Jesus Christ found refuge, the Blessed Virgin and Joseph the Betrothed, who were forced to hide from King Herod, famous for his cruelty.
Over time, Christian monasteries began to appear and be equipped. Before the beginning of Lent, the monks who lived on the territory of the monasteries left the walls of their cloisters and went to the desert for 40 days. Being alone, they prayed and prepared to meet Jesus Christ on the day of His resurrection.
The tradition of asking for forgiveness was introduced by monks who went to the desert for 40 days.
However, as you know, it is very difficult to survive in the desert. Danger surrounds from all sides: lack of water and food, hungry wild animals and poisonous spiders, cold nights and hot days. Many understood that they might not return. Saying goodbye to loved ones, the monks began to ask for forgiveness for everything. This is how the feast of Forgiveness (Forgiveness) Sunday arose.
When is Forgiveness Sunday celebrated? This festival has no fixed date. The day of the celebration of Forgiveness Sunday depends on the date on which the Resurrection of Christ falls.
Video "Forgiveness Sunday: the essence of the festival"
This video presents the meaning of the holiday and describes the common traditions and customs of this day.
The Story of the Publican and the Pharisee
Why ask for forgiveness? This is the question that many unchurched people or those who consider themselves sinless ask themselves. In response, let's cite the parable of the publican and the Pharisee, which is mentioned in the Gospel of Luke.
The Pharisee and the publican came to the temple to pray to the Lord God. Turning to the Almighty, the Pharisee put himself one step higher. In all his speeches there was a comparison with others and exaltation of himself. The publican, on the contrary, was afraid even to raise his eyes, feeling guilty. The tax collector said: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." It was he who was forgiven by the Lord, since "everyone who exalts himself will be humiliated, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Pharisee and publican ask the Lord God for forgiveness How to ask for forgiveness and forgive
The main meaning of this holiday is mutual forgiveness. You need to subdue your pride and find the strength in yourself to ask for forgiveness and forgive each other. All thoughts and words must be pure and sincere. You can't apologize just by following tradition.
Be sure to ask for forgiveness from those who have been harmed and offended. One must be able to recognize not only what has been said, but even unkind thoughts. It is also worth asking for forgiveness from all mankind. Often our hearts are filled with anger, indifference, alienation and misunderstanding of each other.
You also need to forgive sincerely, even if sometimes it hurts a lot. Resentment and heartache live long. But, having forgiven a person of his sins and unkind deeds, you give yourself a chance for purification and better life. The spoken phrase "God will forgive, and I forgive!" says that if the Lord forgives any sins and misconduct, then a person should follow his example.
On Forgiveness Sunday, they say the phrase "God will forgive, and I forgive!" Forgiveness Sunday Traditions
Any religious holiday accompanied by certain traditions and rituals. By the way, Forgiveness Sunday is celebrated only by the Orthodox and Greek Catholic churches. Also, this festival is typical for some pagan religions.
Russian customs
Forgiveness Sunday is celebrated on the eve of Lent. Therefore, meals on this day can be very diverse. It is allowed to eat milk, sour cream, cheese, butter and eggs. But meat products are forbidden to eat. Alcoholic beverages are also not recommended.
The number of meals is the same as the number of days of the week. That is, they eat 7 times that day. In the evening, when the last meal is over, the remaining dishes are distributed to the destitute or given to animals. You can leave only one plate of delicious sweet porridge, which is intended for deceased relatives.
It is necessary to go to church, confess all sins and take communion. However, before visiting the temple of God, it is necessary to go to the bathhouse, wash well and change into clean clothes.
On this day you need to go to church In Russia, there was a tradition with mutual forgiveness to kiss each other three times. And so the popular name of the holiday appeared - the kisser. Also in ancient times it was customary for the father of the family to sit on a chair at the head of the table, and family members would come up to him in turn and ask for forgiveness. At the end of such a ritual, the head of the family himself asked his relatives to forgive all his sins and unkind deeds.
Many signs and beliefs are associated with Forgiveness Sunday. For example, what kind of weather is on this day, this is worth waiting for on the feast of the Resurrection of Christ. If you manage to fall asleep before midnight, then the whole year there will be no problems with sleep.
pagan customs
In addition to church and folk traditions, many pagan rites are associated with the feast of Forgiveness Sunday.
Initially, Maslenitsa - the day of farewell to winter - was celebrated on the Orthodox Cheese Week. After the Baptism of Russia, these two festivities were united. This is where the tradition of baking pancakes and burning an effigy of Maslenitsa came from. All these rituals were accompanied by mass folk festivals, dances and songs. The last Sunday before the start of Lent turned into a national holiday.
Round butter pancakes, which were the main symbol of the holiday, resembled a warm spring sun. It was believed that if all the pancakes were eaten, then the family would have a successful and prosperous year. Moreover, the first portion of baking was necessarily taken to the cemetery in order to honor the dead.
During the festival, numerous bonfires were lit. The fire was supposed to wake up spring and drive away winter. According to pagan traditions, jumping over fire was equated with a rite of purification. At the end of the festivities, the effigy of Maslenitsa was burned. The remaining ashes were collected and scattered in the fields and gardens. The ancient Slavs were of the opinion that in this way they call on the earth to give a big harvest.
Shrovetide is celebrated on this day. The festival is accompanied by mass festivities. At the end of the holiday, an effigy of Maslenitsa is burned.
What Not to Do
Since Forgiveness Sunday helps people get rid of mental suffering and cleanse themselves of sinful thoughts, on this day you can not use foul language, raise your voice, provoke conflicts and participate in them. It is also forbidden to be angry and offended by others. It is impossible to wish harm to anyone, as well as to refuse help and alms.
Ask for forgiveness and forgive sincerely. Lying is considered a major sin. Forgiveness Sunday is considered a day of goodness, peace and sincerity. On this day, you can come to the cemetery to commemorate the dead and ask them for forgiveness for all their sins.
The Feast of Forgiveness Sunday is filled with kindness and mercy. For this reason, on this day it is better to abandon hard and demanding labor.
ending Pancake week, which in Christianity is a preparatory period before Lent, designed to prepare Christians for the most important holiday - Easter. The last day of Maslenitsa is very important - it is Forgiveness Sunday.
This year Shrovetide, or meat-and-fat (cheese) week falls on the week from 12 to 18 February. Contrary to popular belief, this is not a time for revelry and gluttony, but for preparing for fasting. Meat is already banned for believers, but fish and dairy products can be consumed, including on traditionally "fast" days - Wednesday and Friday.
When is Forgiveness Sunday in 2018
Christian Meaning of Forgiveness Sunday
Forgiveness Sunday precedes the longest and strictest Lent in Orthodoxy, which lasts 49 days. On Forgiveness Sunday, Christians at the liturgy listen to the reading of the chapters of the Gospel, which speak of the forgiveness of sins and fasting.
Forgiveness Sunday - traditions
On this day, believers ask each other for forgiveness - in order to start fasting with a pure soul, focus on spiritual life, cleanse their hearts for Easter - a holiday Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
On this day, people ask each other to forgive them for voluntary and involuntary offenses and sins. To a request for forgiveness, it is customary to answer: "The Lord will forgive, and I forgive."
You can ask for forgiveness not only in person, but also by phone, through social networks and even with the help of SMS-messages - the church treats these modern trends positively.
Forgiveness Sunday is a great occasion to put an end to old quarrels and grievances, make peace with spouses and relatives, restore peace in the team, etc.
All this is necessary in order to meet Great Lent with a pure heart - a time of prayer and repentance.
On Forgiveness Sunday, the last time before Easter, fast food is allowed, but without meat.
Folk traditions and rituals
According to Slavic traditions dating back to pre-Christian times, Forgiveness Sunday is the culmination of the entire Maslenitsa week, the time for forgiveness of offenses and farewell to the souls of deceased relatives, who, it was believed, spent the whole Maslenitsa with their loved ones.
On this day, a conspiracy took place in the villages before the start of Lent. Everyone asked each other for forgiveness for the insults and troubles caused during the year.
On the evening of Forgiveness Sunday, it was customary for the Slavs to go to the cemetery to commemorate the dead and say goodbye to deceased relatives, who, it was believed, “feasted” with loved ones on Maslenitsa.
Also on this day, it was customary to go to the bathhouse to wash away all the sins, including those accumulated during the Maslenitsa festivities, sometimes accompanied by excesses.
The remains of the festive fast food were burned or given to cattle, the dishes were thoroughly washed, and the mouth was rinsed. At the end of the holiday, an effigy of Maslenitsa was solemnly burned, and the ashes were scattered over the fields.
After that, it was believed that it was possible to enter into a strict Great Lent, which you can read about in the materials Federal News Agency.
For believers, Forgiveness Day is a special holiday. This is the day of purification of the soul from anger, resentment and other negativity. In Christianity, it plays an important role because it precedes Lent. It has a deep religious meaning. Since the Day of Forgiveness falls annually on a new date, when the holiday will be in 2019, not everyone knows.
When is it celebrated?
Forgiveness Day or Forgiveness Sunday does not have a fixed date. The holiday is celebrated before the onset of Lent. By the way, it is not without reason that it is associated with Great Lent, during which a person goes through various trials and is spiritually cleansed. A believer cannot worthily undergo purification if he is tormented by his conscience because he offended someone or harmed someone. In order for the soul to help prepare for the fast, a person must ask for forgiveness from relatives, friends and other people whom he intentionally or unknowingly offended.
The date of Forgiveness Sunday depends on the great Christian holiday - Easter. To independently calculate the date of this holiday, you need to count 48 days from Easter (this is how long Lent lasts). This is the last day of Maslenitsa.
history of the holiday
The exact origin of the holiday is unknown, since there are several versions. According to one version, it originated in ancient Greece. The priests performed a special ceremony to purify the soul and body. In order to protect themselves from possible zemstvo temptations, which may interfere with spiritual enrichment, they went to deserted harsh places. Not everyone survived in such conditions, therefore, before setting off on a campaign, the priests asked everyone for forgiveness so that the soul would not be burdened with insults before leaving for the world of the dead.
According to another version, the tradition of asking for forgiveness appeared in Egypt in ancient times. In this country, Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary hid from the persecution of King Herod, so the first monasteries appeared here. Their abbots kept a fast, according to which they had to limit themselves in food and other pleasures for 40 days. During the fast they went to the desert. There was a risk that they would not return, so they made sure to ask everyone's forgiveness.
Over time, the tradition took root in Christianity. Now it has become an integral part of the Orthodox religion. Now the tradition has begun to lose its spiritual meaning. People give it some kind of pathos, although among the believers there are those who tirelessly follow the Holy Letter.
Traditions and rituals
On Forgiveness Sunday, not only believers, but also ordinary people ask each other for forgiveness. First, they turn to relatives and close people. First of all, you need to ask for forgiveness from people who have offended or caused them mental pain. Be sure parents should turn to children, mentors to students, and leaders to subordinates. Nowadays, people often send e-cards with the appropriate words.
On this day, people reconcile with enemies, forgive insults and visit each other. Services are being held in churches and temples in the morning. This is a special service during which priests talk about the need to ask for forgiveness and forgive. The Holy Letter states that a person cannot be angry and offended at another person, since only the Lord can judge him. Forgiveness is the first step to cleansing the soul of anger and negativity.
On this day, even the dead are addressed if the burden of what is said or done is felt. On Forgiveness Sunday, you can order a prayer service in the church or go to the cemetery, taking gifts and pancakes with you. On the way, you can distribute sweets to children and adults in memory of the dead.
On the last day of Maslenitsa, housewives do not do hard work:
- do not erase;
- do not clean the house and the yard;
- do not sew and do other needlework;
- do not do any physical labor.
But women are allowed to cook. There may be pancakes and other goodies on the table.
Note! On Forgiveness Sunday, you can’t sort things out and swear. Good deeds must be done. Peace and tranquility should reign in the house.
How to ask for forgiveness and forgive?
Knowing what date is the day of Forgiveness in 2019, you will be able to turn to those who have intentionally or unknowingly offended. You need to contact your parents and children, husband or wife, sisters and brothers, other relatives, as well as friends, colleagues, neighbors and just acquaintances. The main thing is to do it sincerely, to repent of your deeds.
If you are asked for forgiveness, try to forgive. In response, you can answer: “I forgive you, go in peace!”. If the mental pain is very strong, then you can give the answer: "God will forgive you." It is believed that the Lord is able to forgive all the sins of people with sincere repentance. But this phrase should not be abused. It is important to remember blasphemy.
Cleanse your soul before Lent. Honor the memory of the dead on Forgiveness Sunday.
See video about the meaning of the holiday and its history:
