Easter is celebrated. Easter: the history and traditions of the holiday

Easter is an annual holiday in Russia, but its date is movable and changes on the calendar every year. Today it is already clear what date Easter will be in 2019.

As is known, Easter is the most important Orthodox holiday at Christians. The appearance of the holiday goes far into the past, and there is no clear date for Easter. The thing is that this holiday is celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon passes, which follows the day of the spring equinox.

To celebrate Easter, they even make special tables - Easter. In Paschalia, the last week is defined, which is called passionate(dedicated to the passions or, as they most often say, the sufferings of Jesus Christ).

Easter is always celebrated in a solemn atmosphere with procession. The houses that did not go to church that day create the atmosphere of the holiday on their own: they bake Easter cakes, paint eggs, buy Easter symbols in the form of rabbits or lambs. It is during the celebration of Easter that spring conquers and awakens nature.

According to the calendar, Easter will be celebrated in 2019 April 28th. Ends on this date great post, which will last from 03/11/2019 to 04/27/2019. During such a fast, people try to cleanse themselves of sins by limiting themselves to “harmful” food and rethinking their spiritual life.

Traditionally, everyone goes to visit each other and christen. To do this is quite simple, you just need to say the phrase: "Christ is risen!", and get in response: "Truly Risen!" A fairly simple ritual that brings so much joy to both children and adults. In many regions of Russia, on this day, children even go from house to house, knock on doors, and, having said the cherished phrase, receive an answer and a treat. As a rule, these are Easter cakes, colored eggs, sweets or even money.

Bright holiday of Easter waiting impatiently in every home and spend it in the family circle.

What is the date of Easter in 2019 for the Orthodox

The bright celebration is celebrated immediately after the period of observance of Great Lent has passed.

Few people know what date Easter will be in 2019. This is April 28 - for Orthodox believers - and the 21st of the same month - for Catholics.

About Easter

Easter is a celebration of victory over death. The word "Passover" comes from the Hebrew "Pesach", which means "to step over" or "to pass", "to pass by". The houses of the Jews before their exodus from Egypt were bypassed by a great calamity - the death of the firstborn. The doorposts in their house were stained with the blood of lambs. Families of slaves, Jews, were not affected.

Before the exodus from Egypt, the Jews had a farewell meal and went to the Promised Land, the land that God had promised them. They crossed the swamps, quicksands of the Red Sea coast and ended up in the desert. Pharaoh's chariots, on which the Egyptians tried to catch up with the slaves, drowned in the sea. Since then, in memory of this event, Jews have been preparing a lamb with bitter herbs in honor of the Passover holiday, writes.

Christians say - "our Easter - Christ." Why? Jesus Christ was the Son of God. Did you know that Jesus also celebrated Easter? On the eve of how He was seized, on the eve of the ordeals that we remember on Holy Week, and the execution on Golgotha, He gathered His disciples in Jerusalem and celebrated with them the “Legitimate Passover” according to all the laws of that time.

But on this day, important and new words for future Christians were heard:

“Take, eat, this is my body, which is broken for you. Accept and drink, this cup is the New Testament in My blood for you and for many, poured out for the remission of sins. Do this whenever you drink, in remembrance of Me.”

So the Old Testament between God and people remained in the past. Not because Jesus abolished it, “did not abolish it, but fulfilled it.” God concluded a new “contract” with people, according to which people accepted the Savior's Cross sacrifice.

We rejoice in the liberation from "spiritual Egypt", the kingdom of death and sin, and the transition to another life. Jesus Christ opened the doors of hell. Saved mankind from eternal torment for our sins.

By partaking of the Body and Blood of the Savior, we partake of His sorrows and sufferings, of His death, but at the same time, we partake of the “transition”. It was a transition to immortal life, to victory over hell and death, which Christ gave us. The disciples of Christ and the women faithful to Him buried the body of the Lord in a cave, but he… is Risen! He moved the heavy stone of the tomb and stepped out of it. Easter has conquered death. Easter is the main component of the Christian faith, the hope for Eternal life.

"Christ is Risen!" “Truly Risen!”

These words express the most important thing in Christianity. After all, if Jesus is not Risen, then our faith is in vain.

Fra Beato Angelico. Resurrection (fresco from the monastery of San Marco, Florence, middle of the 15th century)

Easter is a moving holiday. Why?

Some Orthodox holidays fall on different days of the calendar each year. Such holidays are called transitional. This means that their date is specified according to the lunar calendar. In the Orthodox calendar, these are all the holidays associated with Easter. For example, the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. Shrovetide, the beginning of Lent, the day of the Myrrh-bearing Women, the Ascension of the Lord, the Trinity - all these dates depend on what day of the church year Easter is celebrated.

The Easter holiday for Christians has certain rules: we cannot celebrate Easter before the Jewish holiday of Pesach. Jesus was crucified on a full moon, the Gospel says that when He was crucified, the sun went dark, so Easter is celebrated on a full moon. Also, Easter must fall on a Sunday. All these factors make Easter dependent on the lunar calendar and a moving holiday.

Easter 2019: how the date of the holiday is calculated

Surely many are interested in the question: why is Easter celebrated at different times and what determines what date Easter is in 2019? The Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord falls on different dates every year. For example, Easter in 2018 was celebrated much earlier, on April 8, and in 2020 it will be celebrated on April 19.

In fact, the date of Easter depends on the state of the heavenly bodies, namely the Moon and the Sun. Easter was celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon, which comes after the spring equinox. It follows from this that Easter 2019, like in other years, is a moving church holiday and is not tied to the traditional calendar, and therefore is celebrated at different times. And the range of celebration of the Resurrection of Christ in different years can be from April 4 to May 8.

From what date the Orthodox Easter in 2019, all other passing church holidays in the year depend:

1. Lazarus Saturday,
2. Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem
3. Ascension of the Lord
4. Pentecost.

After all, they are calculated depending on the date of Easter 2019. Therefore, in order to better navigate the dates, not to miss important days and great events, it is advisable to have an Orthodox church calendar at hand.

Easter symbols

The brightest spring family holiday, of course, is Easter. Cute chickens and hens with painted eggs in baskets decorate the tables on this day, along with traditional dishes and pastries.

In our minds, Easter is strongly associated with Easter cakes and colored eggs (krashenka). But it turns out that this bright celebration has other integral symbols!

Fragrant elegant Easter cakes, snow-white pastries, bright multi-colored eggs, lambs made from dough - all these are dishes served during the Easter celebration, which we have known since childhood. True, we do not always think about it. that the listed traditional goodies are articles of faith. As significant as the light of the Holy Fire or an Easter candle, patterned Easter eggs and delicate spring flowers - hyacinths, daffodils and primroses.

Easter egg

The egg is one of the most ancient symbols of the nascent and ever-renewing life, as well as the resurrection of Christ. According to tradition, the first Easter egg was given by Mary Magdalene to the Roman Emperor Tiberius. The disciple of the Savior came to the palace to tell the good news.

According to the custom of those times, mere mortals certainly had to make some kind of gift to the powers that be. Mary Magdalene, once rich and noble, now had nothing, and she brought only one testicle to the palace, handing it to Liberius with the words: “Christ is risen!”

The emperor did not believe the woman: “How can anyone rise from the dead?! It's impossible, just like that. that a white egg can turn red. It was then that a miracle happened: the egg really turned red, like the blood of Jesus shed on the cross.

In Ukraine, not only Easter eggs are prepared for Easter, but also Easter eggs, on which sacred patterns are applied. Such a painted egg becomes a talisman and a talisman of the family.

Lamb of God

In many countries around the world, Easter is associated with the image of the lamb. In Western Europe, it is often depicted on Easter cards: a lamb, a cross and an inscription in Latin - Agnus Dei (Lamb of God). The lamb symbolizes the great sacrifice of Christ: for the sake of our life, he accepted death. In Ukraine, a figurine of a lamb is baked from dough and decorated with a festive table.

Easter and Easter cakes

Fragrant airy Easter cake, or delicious Easter, is another important symbol of the holiday. It is believed that artos became its prototype - bread, which is consecrated and placed on the lectern in the church on the first day of the great celebration. And the Easter cake, flaunting on our table. - not only a tradition, but also a special sign: in this house the doors are always open for the Savior, He is remembered and waited for here.

By the way, in Ukraine, Easter cakes are often called pasochki. In fact, Easter is a special dish made from cottage cheese. It is prepared in the form of a truncated pyramid, symbolizing the Holy Sepulcher, and Easter cakes are baked from yeast dough.

Holy Fire

On the eve of Easter, people hold their breath waiting for a miracle - the appearance of the Holy Fire. Surprisingly, it has been happening for thousands of years. The church ceremony of the Holy Fire begins about a day before the Orthodox Easter.

In the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, pilgrims gather who want to see the descent of the Holy Fire with their own eyes. All. what carries the fire is taken out of the temple. In the middle of the bed of the Life-Giving Sepulcher, a lamp is placed, filled with oil, but without fire. Pieces of cotton wool are scattered throughout the bed, and a tape is laid along the edges. So prepared, after examining the Turkish guards, and now the Jewish police. Edicule (chapel over the Holy Sepulcher) is closed and sealed by a Muslim keykeeper.

A procession enters the temple - the hierarchs of the confessions celebrating Easter. The people inside are patiently waiting for the patriarch to come out with fire in his hands. Prayer and ritual continue until the expected miracle happens.

I must say that in different years the waiting lasted from five minutes to several hours. Before the descent, the temple begins to be illuminated by bright flashes of the Blessed Light, small lightning flashes here and there. From the hole in the dome of the temple, a column of light descends from heaven onto the coffin: Christ is risen!

Within 3-10 minutes, the ignited fire has properties - it does not burn at all. You can see how the parishioners literally wash themselves with this fire: they drive it over their faces, hands, scoop it up in handfuls - and it does absolutely no harm and does not even scorch their hair.

And soon, from the blessed fire, lamps are lit throughout Jerusalem. Fire is transported by special flights to Cyprus and Greece, and from there all over the world.

Easter tree

One of the symbols of the bright holiday of the Resurrection of Christ has long been an Easter tree, personifying the Tree of Life standing in paradise, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

In our country, the Easter tree was made from willow branches, which were decorated with colorful ribbons, Easter eggs and bird feathers. By the way, until the 17th century, during the procession of the Russian patriarch, an Easter tree decorated with artificial flowers and fruits was always carried on firewood. - "royal willow."

Want to decorate your home for the holidays? Put a few branches of willow or fruit trees in a vase and dress them up as your fantasy tells you.

How Easter is celebrated in Russia (briefly)

The celebration of Easter begins with the Easter service, which takes place on the night from Saturday to Sunday. It is very special, different from ordinary church services, very “light” and joyful. In Orthodox churches, as a rule, the Easter service begins exactly at midnight, but it is better to come to the church in advance so as not to be beyond its threshold - most churches are overcrowded on Easter night.

At the Easter service, believers take Easter cakes, colored eggs and other food with them to consecrate them during the Easter service. Some believers also take strong liquor for consecration, but this is not welcomed by the church.

At the Paschal liturgy, all believers make sure to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ. And after the service ends, the believers "Christen" - they greet each other with a kiss and the words "Christ is risen!".

After the Easter service, the breaking of the fast began after a long Great Lent. The Easter meal is usually held in a narrow family circle, since it is not customary to visit guests on the first day of Easter. The whole family will certainly gather at the table, even small children, who are specially woken up “to talk”.

You need to start the Easter meal with consecrated painted eggs and Easter cake, then you can try other dishes. When taking food, you need to christen: with the words “Christ is risen!” kiss and exchange eggs; at the same time, children with their parents are christened three times.

Easter is celebrated for 40 days - in memory of the forty-day sojourn of Christ on earth after the resurrection. On the fortieth day, Jesus Christ ascended to God the Father. The most solemnly celebrated is the first week after Easter, popularly called Bright Week.

These days in the churches “all-day ringing is heard” - as a sign of Christ's victory over death and hell; and worship in temples is performed at the open royal doors - "as a sign that the resurrection of Jesus Christ has opened access to heaven for everyone."

During the Easter week in all churches, as a rule, anyone is allowed to ring the bells. During the forty days of Easter, and especially on the first, Bright Week, they visit each other, give painted eggs and Easter cakes.

Easter traditions and customs in Russia

On this day, it is customary to praise the Son of God and carry the good news of his resurrection to everyone. There is a traditional greeting: "Christ is Risen!". In response, you should kiss the person who brought the good news three times, and answer: “Truly Risen!”.

Not a single divine service takes place without the blessed fire, which is lit in memory of the resurrection of Jesus. It symbolizes the light of God, from which power comes. All parishioners light candles from him and bring them into the house, trying to keep the divine fire until the next year.

Believers give each other consecrated eggs, which symbolize the resurrection. According to legend, the origins of this action date back to the time of the Roman Empire. When Mary Magdalene brought an egg as a gift with the joyful news of the Savior's resurrection, the Roman ruler doubted, saying: "A white egg will not make a red one, and a dead one will not make a living one." At the same instant, the egg changed its color to red.

Before the holiday there is an Easter procession. All people gather in the evening near the temple, from where at midnight the procession begins with the singing of prayers. After that, everyone returns to the doors of the church and the festive service begins.

Throughout Holy Week, the bells are silent, and only on a holy holiday do people hear their solemn ringing. Anyone can ring the bells in honor of the Resurrection of Christ.

On Easter, you need to forgive all people, help the poor, the weak and the poor. There is a custom to distribute on this holiday the leftover food, which was consecrated in the church. After Holy Week, you can finally rejoice and arrange lively festivities with songs, dances and fun.

Water on this day has healing properties and is able to cleanse from all diseases and protect from adversity. The fire, which is lit on Easter, is able to keep the heat in the house and help get rid of problems faster. As you know, the fire symbolizes the burning of Judas, therefore, in contact with fire, we say goodbye to betrayal, get rid of lies and hatred.

Many rituals are associated with the egg: they write prayers, conspiracies that can give the person who asks for well-being, health and prosperity. Also, colored eggs should be given to loved ones to prolong and protect love for many years.

There is a wonderful custom to break eggs against each other: belief says that if the egg withstands the blow, then you will not crack this year from problems, the spirit will be strong. And rolling eggs on the table will help bring prosperity to the family.

There is an Easter ritual with a candle, which is performed after the procession. It is believed that if you stay in the church after the service and look into the flame, you can see the dead loved ones and even find out how their life goes in that other world.

What not to do on Easter

1. You can’t do housework on Easter - clean, sew, knit. Direct all your attention to God and your family.
2. On the day of Easter and during the Easter week, one should not be sad and cry.
3. It is forbidden to have sex - throughout the week you need to forget about worldly affairs and think about the spiritual.
4. You can’t go to the cemetery on Easter; Memorial week is intended for this.

Folk omens for Easter

The celebration of Easter in our country is associated with many folk traditions and will take:

• In order for the house to be in harmony, and for success in business, get a charm or talisman.
• Husband and wife must hit each other with colored eggs at breakfast on Easter Sunday, whoever does not break a testicle will be the “head” of the family all year.
• Whoever of the neighbors will be the first to return from the Easter service will be the luckiest.
• If you want to be beautiful, on Easter morning, after breaking the fast, pour water into the basin, dip the consecrated krashenka into it, roll it around the bowl, and then wash your face with this water and roll the krashenka over your face - this will bring beauty, getting rid of skin diseases.
• And if you want wealth for yourself, dip gold and silver jewelry and coins into the water to the egg.
• They roll an egg over the faces of children - it is believed that this will protect them from the evil eye.
• If an unmarried girl really wants to get married, during the festive matins she needs to whisper softly: “The Resurrection of Christ! Send me a single fiancé!”
• It has long been customary to leave the house with an egg on Easter and, meeting with friends, fight with eggs. Whose after the blow remains intact, he will be healthy and happy all year.
• On Easter you can not do any homework, otherwise happiness will go away with troubles. The exception is teaching children and caring for animals.
• And the main belief: on Easter, God hears all our prayers and helps us to fulfill our desires! We wish ourselves and loved ones peace, health and love!
• There was a belief that the water collected in the spring on Easter night or during matins has a special power comparable to the power of holy water. Only it was necessary to bring her home without saying a word on the way. To gain happiness and well-being, houses and barns were sprinkled with this "silent" water.
• Husband and wife should not be christened on Easter, so as not to be separated, as the popular sign for Easter says.
• There are also signs for Easter for girls associated with Easter. Lips itch during Easter week - a kiss is inevitable; bruised my elbow - my dear remembered; a fly fell into the cabbage soup - there will be a date; eyebrows itch - to meet your loved one.
• There is a sign for Easter to get pregnant. In the morning, go to church, dedicate eggs and Easter cakes. And then ask God to fulfill your desire.
• If you are experiencing constant difficulties with money, be sure to give a beggar a coin on Easter - you will not know the need for the whole year.
• And in order for the family to have peace, harmony and no one quarreled among themselves, the Easter meal must be started by the whole family and everyone must first of all eat a piece of Easter cake and eggs that were consecrated in the church.
• The first Easter egg is usually divided into several parts according to the number of family members. Such a joint eating of one egg, according to legend, strengthens the family, preserves friendly relations and love for each other in it.
• In many places, it was believed that if you go to a spring on Easter night or during matins, draw water there and silently bring it home, without uttering a single word along the way, then the water will acquire a special power, almost equal to the power of holy water. Houses and barns were sprinkled with such "silent" water for happiness and well-being, they washed themselves with it for health, etc.

What time will the Closing Ceremony of the Universiade 2019 start, where to watch:

Start of the Closing Ceremony of the Universiade 2019 - 20:00 local time, or 16:00 Moscow time .

Live show will show federal TV channel "Match!" . The start of the live television broadcast is 15:55 Moscow time.

Also live broadcast will be available on the channel "Match! Country".

On the Internet, a live online broadcast of the event can be launched on the Sportbox portal.

International Women's Day on March 8 is a memorable date for the UN, and the organization includes 193 states. Commemorative dates announced by the General Assembly are designed to encourage UN members to show increased interest in these events. However, at the moment, not all member states of the United Nations have approved the celebration of Women's Day in their territories on this date.

Below is a list of countries that celebrate International Women's Day. Countries are grouped into groups: in a number of states, the holiday is an official non-working day (day off) for all citizens, somewhere on March 8, only women have a rest, and there are states where they work on March 8.

In which countries is March 8 a public holiday (for everyone):

* In Russia- March 8 is one of the most beloved holidays, when men congratulate all women without exception.

* In Ukraine- International Women's Day continues to be an additional holiday, despite regular proposals to exclude the event from the number of non-working days and replace it, for example, with Shevchenko's Day, which will be celebrated on March 9.
* In Abkhazia.
* in Azerbaijan.
* In Algeria.
* In Angola.
* In Armenia.
* In Afghanistan.
* In Belarus.
* To Burkina Faso.
* in Vietnam.
* In Guinea-Bissau.
* In Georgia.
* In Zambia.
* In Kazakhstan.
* In Cambodia.
* In Kenya.
* In Kyrgyzstan.
* In North Korea.
* In Cuba.
* In Laos.
* In Latvia.
* In Madagascar.
* In Moldova.
* In Mongolia.
* In Nepal.
* In Tajikistan Since 2009, the holiday has been renamed Mother's Day.
* In Turkmenistan.
* In Uganda.
* In Uzbekistan.
* In Eritrea.
* In South Ossetia.

Countries where March 8 is a day off for women only:

There are countries in which only women are released from work on International Women's Day. This rule has been approved:

* In China.
* In Madagascar.

Which countries celebrate March 8, but it's a working day:

In some countries, International Women's Day is widely celebrated, but is a working day. This is:

* Austria.
* Bulgaria.
* Bosnia and Herzegovina.
* Germany- in Berlin since 2019, March 8 is a day off, in the whole country it is a working day.
* Denmark.
* Italy.
* Cameroon.
* Romania.
* Croatia.
* Chile.
* Switzerland.

Which countries do NOT celebrate March 8:

* In Brazil - most of the inhabitants of which have not even heard of the "international" holiday on March 8. The main event of late February - early March for Brazilians and Brazilians is not Women's Day at all, but the world's largest Brazilian festival, also called the carnival in Rio de Janeiro, according to the Guinness Book of Records. In honor of the festival, Brazilians rest for several days in a row, from Friday to noon on the Catholic Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent (which for Catholics has a movable date and begins 40 days before Catholic Easter).

* In the USA, the holiday is not an official holiday. In 1994, an attempt by activists to get the celebration approved in Congress was unsuccessful.

* In the Czech Republic (Czech Republic) - most of the country's population considers the holiday as a relic of the communist past and the main symbol of the old regime.

Traditions and customs of Maslenitsa:

The essence of the Maslenitsa holiday in the Christian sense is as follows:

Forgiveness of offenders, restoration of good relations with neighbors, sincere and friendly communication with relatives and friends, as well as charity- that's what is the main thing in this Cheese week.

It is no longer possible to eat meat dishes on Maslenitsa, and this is also the first step towards fasting. But pancakes are baked and eaten with great pleasure. They are baked fresh and leavened, with eggs and milk, served with caviar, sour cream, butter or honey.

In general, during Shrovetide week one should have fun and attend festive events (skating, skiing, snowtubes, slides, horseback riding). Also, it is necessary to devote time to the family - to have fun together with relatives and friends: go somewhere together, the "young" should visit their parents, and the parents, in turn, should come to visit the children.

Date of Maslenitsa (Orthodox and pagan):

In church tradition Maslenitsa is celebrated for 7 days (week) from Monday to Sunday, before the most important Orthodox fast, so the event is also called "Pancake Week".

The time of the Maslenitsa week depends on the beginning of Great Lent, which translates Easter, and every year it shifts in accordance with the Orthodox Church calendar.

So, in 2019, the Orthodox Maslenitsa takes place from March 4, 2019 to March 10, 2019, and in 2020 - from February 24, 2020 to March 1, 2020.

As for the pagan date of Maslenitsa, then d the ancient Slavs celebrated a holiday according to the solar calendar - at the time of the onset of astronomical spring, which occurs in . The Old Russian celebration lasted for 14 days: it began a week before the Spring Equinox, and ended a week later.

Description of Maslenitsa celebration:

The tradition of celebrating Maslenitsa with a merry festivity has survived to this day.

Most Russian cities host events called "Wide Shrovetide". In the capital of Russia, the city of Moscow, the central platform for festive festivities is traditionally the Vasilyevsky Spusk of Red Square. Also held abroad "Russian Maslenitsa" to promote Russian traditions.
It is customary, especially on the last Sunday, when workers and students can take a break, organize mass holidays like in the old days, with songs, games, seeing off and burning an effigy of Maslenitsa. Shrovetide towns organize scenes for performances, places for the sale of food (pancakes are required), and souvenirs, attractions for children. Masquerades with mummers and carnival processions are held.

What are the days of Pancake week, what are they called (name and description):

Each day of Maslenitsa has its own name and has its own traditions. Below is the name and description for each day.

Monday - Meeting. Since the first day is a working day, in the evening father-in-law and mother-in-law come to visit the parents of the daughter-in-law. The first pancakes are baked, which can be given to the poor in remembrance of the dead. On Monday, a straw effigy is dressed up and displayed on a hill in the place where the festivities are held. In dances and games, stylized fisticuffs "wall to wall" are held. The "first pancake" is baked and solemnly eaten as a reminder of the soul.

Tuesday - Gamble. The second day is traditionally the day of the young. Youth festivities, skiing from the mountains ("pokatushki"), matchmaking are signs of this day. It should be noted that the church forbids weddings on Maslenitsa, as well as in Lent. Therefore, on Maslenitsa Tuesday, the bride is married to play a wedding after Easter on Krasnaya Gorka.

Wednesday - Lakomka. On the third day, the son-in-law comes to mother-in-law for pancakes.

Thursday - Revelry, Revelry. On the fourth day, folk festivals become massive. Wide Maslenitsa- this is the name of the days from Thursday to the end of the week, and the day of generous treats itself is called "riotous quarter".

Friday - Mother-in-law evening. On the fifth day of Shrove Tuesday mother-in-law with friends or relatives comes to visit son-in-law for pancakes. Pancakes, of course, should be baked by her daughter, and her son-in-law should show hospitality. In addition to the mother-in-law, all relatives are invited to visit.

Saturday - Zolov's gatherings. On the sixth day husband's sisters come to visit(you can also invite other relatives of the husband). It is considered good form not only to feed the guests plentifully and tasty, but also to give gifts to the sister-in-law.

Sunday - Seeing off, Forgiveness Sunday. On the last (seventh) day, before Lent, one should repent and show mercy. All relatives and friends ask each other for forgiveness. In places of public celebrations, carnival processions are organized. The effigy of Maslenitsa is solemnly burned, thus turning into a beautiful Spring. With the onset of darkness, festive fireworks are launched.

In churches, also on Sunday, at the evening service, the rite of forgiveness is performed, when the priest asks for forgiveness from church servants and parishioners. All believers in turn ask for forgiveness and bow to each other. In response to a request for forgiveness, they say "God will forgive."

What happens at the end of the Maslenitsa celebration:

And at the end of the Maslenitsa holiday, Orthodox believers begin one of the most important fasts. We all remember the saying: Not everything is Shrovetide for the cat - there will be Great Lent".

Easter is called "the celebration of celebrations" - this is the main Christian holiday. For a believing Christian, Easter is endowed with great sacred meaning. This is evidence of the omnipotence of God, who has risen from the dead, it is also a reminder of the boundless love for man of God, who sent his son to death on the cross to save people. But the tradition of celebrating Easter is longer than the history of Christianity. It is rich in interesting details that differ in different countries and cultures.

The origin of the holiday dates back to the Old Testament times. about the day of liberation from Egyptian slavery. The very word "Easter" is translated as "pass by" or "pass".

According to the Bible, God punished the Egyptians with ten cruel executions for refusing to free the Jews. The last punishment was the killing of all the first-born in the state, with the exception of the Jews. The son of the ruler of Egypt also died, so the pharaoh, already exhausted by the misfortunes of Egypt, hastily released the Jews. Before the night of the execution of the firstborn, God commanded the Jews to mark the doors of their homes with a conventional sign - the blood of the sacrificial lamb. Through these doors the angel of death did not enter that night.

Since then and to this day there is a Jewish holiday in memory of those events - Pesach. Every year at this time, the Jews remember the events of the Old Testament, following their traditions.

So, for example, before the holiday, everything leavened in the house is destroyed: bread, cookies, pasta, soup mixtures, and only unleavened bread is used for food. This tradition serves as a reminder that during the exodus from Egypt, the dough did not have time to leaven.

The new meaning of the holiday in the New Testament

Since ancient times, worship on. This tradition was also started by the Israelites, remembering how they were awake on the night of deliverance from Egyptian slavery. The Last Supper, an event so revered by the Christian faith, took place precisely during the Easter dinner. This is indicated by many details in the story of the Last Supper.

In those days, in the Jewish environment, there was still a tradition to sacrifice a lamb on Easter. But there is no slaughtered lamb on the table tonight. Jesus Christ replaces the sacrifice with himself, thereby symbolically indicating that he is the very innocent sacrifice brought for the purification and salvation of mankind. Thus, the original received a new meaning.

The eating of bread and wine, symbolizing the body of Christ sacrificed, is called the Eucharist. Such a new semantic content of the Easter meal is indicated by Christ himself: "This is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many."

Passover date confirmation

After the departure of Christ, Easter became the main holiday of his followers - the early Christians. But serious disagreements arose in the Christian communities over the date of the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ. Some communities celebrated Easter every week. Many communities in Asia Minor celebrated Passover once a year on the same day as the Jews. In the West, where the influence of Judaism was much less pronounced, it was customary to celebrate a week later.

Attempts to agree on a common date for the holiday were unsuccessful. Pope Victor I even excommunicated the Christians of Asia Minor from the church when they did not agree to celebrate Easter according to the Roman custom. Later, as a result of disputes, he had to remove the excommunication.

The question of the date of the celebration of Easter was submitted to the First Ecumenical Council of the Church. And the council decided to determine the day of the holiday according to three factors: full moon, equinox, Sunday. Since then, the custom of celebrating Easter on the first Sunday after the full moon from the spring equinox has appeared.

However, paschalia has multiplied and continues to differ in different churches to this day. In the 16th century, Pope Gregory sent an embassy to the Eastern Patriarch with a proposal to adopt a new Paschal and a new, Gregorian calendar, but the proposal was rejected, and all followers of the new calendar were anathematized by the Eastern Church. Until now, many churches, even those that have adopted the Gregorian calendar, continue to celebrate Easter according to the old Paschalia. Of the Orthodox churches, only the Christian Church in Finland switched to the Gregorian Paschal.

The division of churches on this issue is connected with the transition to the New Julian calendar. Some churches switched to new dates, but some left existing traditions in order to avoid unrest among the people. Among them is the Russian Orthodox Church, which still uses the Julian calendar, which is considered sanctified by centuries of church practice.

Attempts to create a common, single date of celebration for the entire Christian world were unsuccessful.

The history of the tradition of dyeing eggs

The famous ritual symbol of the holiday - the Easter egg, also arose in antiquity. The egg is a symbol of the coffin and at the same time a symbol of resurrection. The interpretation explains: outwardly, the egg looks lifeless, but a new life is hidden inside it, which is preparing to come out of it. Likewise, Christ will rise from the tomb and show man the way to a new life.

Where the tradition of using Easter eggs came from is not known with certainty.

Version	Origin of tradition
Orthodox tradition tells the following story.	Mary Magdalene gave the egg to Emperor Tiberius and addressed him with the words: "Christ is Risen." When the emperor objected that just as a white egg cannot become red, so a dead one cannot become alive, the egg immediately turned red.
Another version of this legend.	Mary Magdalene came to the emperor, bringing an egg as a gift because of her poverty. To somehow decorate the gift, she painted it red.
A more scientific version is also offered.	According to her, the tradition of giving eggs came to Christianity from pagan mythology, where it symbolized the creative power of nature.

The history of the custom of giving eggs for Easter has been lost for centuries. But now this bright tradition is strongly associated with the Easter celebration.

Easter in Russia

Orthodoxy in Russia was inherited from Byzantium, from where the traditions of celebrating Christ's Easter were adopted. Every day of the so-called Holy Week until the Resurrection had its own sacred meaning.

Russia had some of its own celebration traditions. For example, a priest changed his vestments several times during the Easter service. This tradition originated in Moscow and is still sometimes found in some churches. This is due to the fact that in Russia, when someone from a wealthy family died, the relatives of the deceased bought beautiful and expensive brocade and turned to the priest with a request to serve Easter in their vestments. In order not to refuse any of the wealthy patrons of the temple who applied, the priests found a tricky way out - they began to change their clothes several times for the service.

Later, a symbolic explanation was given for this custom: since Easter is a holiday of holidays, then it must be served in different vestments. After all, each color in Christianity has its own symbolic meaning.

In Russia, many customs were timed to the days of Holy Week.

1. So, for example, on Thursday, the day of purification, it was customary to take not only spiritual purification, but also physical. From here came the custom to swim in the hole, river or lake, to clean the house.
2. The Easter table should be rich. The richness of the table symbolizes heavenly joy, because in the Bible the Kingdom of God is repeatedly likened to a feast.
3. Some Easter customs were associated with the harvest. One egg from those consecrated in the church was left before the start of sowing. To get a rich harvest for the whole year, he was taken to the field for the first planting.

To get a good harvest, the remains of Easter cakes and eggs consecrated in the church were buried in the field. For the same purpose, the egg was hidden in the grain prepared for sowing.

Very soon, among the Orthodox believers, a joyful greeting “Christ is risen!” - and the answer is "Truly risen!". Despite the fact that this greeting is heard so often, people often associate the Easter holiday only with painted eggs and Easter cakes. In fact, the emergence of Easter has a long and interesting history, and the events of the establishment of the holiday are not a matter of one day, but of many centuries!

The history of Easter goes back in time...

The feast of Passover itself was first celebrated by the Jews, but it had a completely different meaning than we now understand. Passover, or rather Pesach, as it sounds in Hebrew, recalls the exodus of the Jews from Egypt, where they were slaves, under the leadership of the prophet Moses. This event took place around the XV-XIII centuries. BC.

The event was so significant for the history of the Jewish people that the celebrations lasted not one or two days, but ... a whole week! Even now, Jews annually begin to celebrate Easter on the 14th day of the month of Nisan - moreover, this day can fall on any day of the week, and not necessarily on Sunday. The ancient Jews called Nisan the period that covers part of March and the first half of April.

By the way, the Jews celebrated Easter not at all with eggs and Easter cakes, but with the use of lamb meat, matzah (unleavened bread cakes) and bitter herbs. The holiday was considered among the Jews one of the most important - after all, it was the day of liberation from slavery.

Since the events associated with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ fell just at the time of the celebration of Jewish Easter, and the first Christians were, as you know, immigrants from the Jewish people, the holiday very soon took root among Christians, but here it acquired a completely different meaning.

The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ began to occupy the central place in the celebration. By the way, it is precisely because of this event that the last day of the week is named, which, however, according to the church calendar, is not the last at all, but ... the first: i.e. Church week starts on Sunday.

Initially, Jewish and Christian Easter always coincided - this was the case in the 1st century BC. AD, later some groups of believers began to celebrate it at a different time. As Christianity spread, more and more questions arose about the exact day of the celebration of Easter - scientists insisted that it was necessary to establish a single day when all believers could celebrate at the same time. For the first time such a question was seriously raised in 325 AD. at the First Ecumenical Council, which was held in Nicea (modern Iznik, Turkey), where bishops from various countries gathered. It was decided that the closest Sunday after the vernal equinox should be chosen as the day of Easter.

What now?

Despite the fact that later, due to the difference in calendars, Easter in different denominations began to be celebrated at different times, all believers pay equal importance to the three days immediately before Easter Sunday. So,

• Maundy Thursday is considered the day of the establishment of the sacrament of the Eucharist (i.e. Communion). On this day, the Last Supper took place and Christ washed the feet of the apostles, which later became a popular theme for the works of artists, sculptors, writers and composers.
• Good Friday The day Christ was sentenced to death on the cross. The Gospel says that the Crucifixion happened (in terms of modern time calculation) at 15 o'clock in the afternoon.
• Holy Saturday- the day of Christ's stay in the tomb and descent into hell.

These days, Christians around the world observe strict fasting in preparation for the celebration.

Establishing the Easter holiday was a matter of life for many people, among whom were numerous theologians and even the rulers of entire states.

Easter in Russia, as in other countries, is a holiday of holidays, a celebration of celebrations. But today the world is changing rapidly, and most importantly, what remains unchanged is fading into the background. Rarely today, young people, especially in megacities, understand the meaning of the Easter holiday, go to confession and sincerely support centuries-old traditions. But Easter is the main Orthodox holiday, bringing light and joy to entire peoples, to the families and souls of every believer.

What is "Easter"?

Christians understand the word "Easter" as "transition from death to life, from earth to heaven." For forty days, believers observe the strictest fast and celebrate Easter in honor of Jesus' victory over death.

Pronounced "Pesach" (Hebrew word) and means "passed by, passed by." The roots of this word go back to the history of the liberation of the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery.

The New Testament says that the destroyer will pass over those who accept Jesus.

In some languages, the word is pronounced like this - "Pisha". This is an Aramaic name that has spread in some languages ​​​​of Europe and has survived to this day.

No matter how the word is pronounced, the essence of Easter does not change; for all believers, this is the most important celebration. A bright holiday that brings joy and hope to the hearts of believers all over the Earth.

The history of the holiday before the birth of Christ, or Old Testament Easter

The holiday originated long before the birth of Christ, but the significance of the Easter holiday in those days was very great for the Jewish people.

The story goes that the Jews were once held captive by the Egyptians. Slaves suffered from their masters a lot of bullying, troubles and oppression. But faith in God, hope for salvation and God's mercy always lived in their hearts.

One day a man named Moses came to them, who, with his brother, had been sent to their rescue. The Lord chose Moses to enlighten the Egyptian pharaoh and deliver the Jewish people from slavery.

But no matter how hard Moses tried to convince Pharaoh to let the people go, freedom was not granted to them. The Egyptian pharaoh and his people did not believe in God, worshiping only their deities and relying on the help of sorcerers. To prove the existence and power of the Lord, nine terrible plagues were brought down on the Egyptian people. No bloody rivers, no toads, no midges, no flies, no darkness, no thunder - none of this could have happened if the ruler had let the people go with their cattle.

The last, tenth plague, like the previous ones, punished the pharaoh and his people, but did not affect the Jews. Moses warned that every family should slaughter a one-year-old unblemished male lamb. To anoint the doors of their houses with the blood of an animal, bake a lamb and eat it with the whole family.

At night, all the first-born males were killed in houses among people and animals. Only the houses of the Jews, where there was a bloody mark, were not affected by the trouble. Since then, "Easter" means - passed by, passed by.

This execution greatly frightened the pharaoh, and he released the slaves with all their herds. The Jews went to the sea, where the water broke open, and they calmly set off along its bottom. Pharaoh wanted to break his promise again and rushed after them, but the water swallowed him up.

The Jews began to celebrate the liberation from slavery and the passing of executions by their families, calling the holiday Easter. The history and significance of the Passover holiday are captured in the Bible book "Exodus".

Easter according to the New Testament

On Israeli soil, the virgin Mary was born Jesus Christ, who was destined to save human souls from the slavery of hell. At the age of thirty, Jesus began to preach, telling people about the laws of God. But three years later he was crucified along with other unwanted authorities on the cross, which was installed on Mount Calvary. It happened after the Jewish Passover, on Friday, which was later dubbed Passion. This event complements the meaning of the Easter holiday with new meaning, traditions and attributes.

Christ, like a lamb, was slain, but his bones remained intact, and this became His sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.

A little more history

On the eve of the crucifixion, on Thursday, Jesus presented the bread as his body and the wine as his blood. Since then, the meaning of the Easter holiday has not changed, but the Eucharist has become a new Easter meal.

At first, the holiday was weekly. Friday was a day of sorrow and Sunday was a day of joy.

In 325, at the First Ecumenical Council, the date of the celebration of Easter was determined - on the first Sunday after the spring full moon. The Russian Orthodox Church uses To calculate what day Easter falls in a certain year, you need to make a rather complicated calculation. But for ordinary laity, a calendar of dates for the holiday has been compiled for decades to come.

For a long time of the existence of the holiday, it has acquired traditions, which are still adhered to in families, and signs.

great post

Easter in Russia is one of the main holidays, even for those people who rarely go to church. Today, in the era of high technology and urbanization, among generations that prefer a computer to live communication, the church is slowly losing its power over the hearts and souls of people. But practically everyone, regardless of age and strength of faith, knows what Lent is.

Traditions are passed on by older generations in families. It is rare that anyone decides to adhere to the entire post, most often only in the last week people somehow follow the rules.

For 40 days, believers must eat without eating animal products (and on some days fasting is more strict), do not drink alcohol, pray, confess, take communion, do good, not slander.

Great Lent is coming to an end The Easter service is of particular importance and scope. In modern Russia, services are broadcast live on central channels. In every church, even in the smallest village, candles are lit all night and chants are sung. Millions of parishioners all over the country stay up all night, pray, attend services, light candles, bless food and water. And fasting ends on Sunday, after the completion of all church rites. Those who fast sit down at the table and celebrate Easter.

Easter greeting

From childhood, we teach children that when greeting a person on this holiday, you need to say: “Christ is Risen!” And to answer such words: “Truly Risen!” To learn more about what this is connected with, you need to turn to the Bible.

The essence of Easter is the passage of Jesus to his Father. The story goes that Jesus was crucified into a body taken down from the cross and buried. A coffin is a cave carved into the rock, closed by a huge stone. The bodies of the dead (there were still victims) were wrapped in fabrics and rubbed with incense. But they did not have time to perform the ceremony with the body of Jesus, since according to Jewish laws it is strictly forbidden to work on the Sabbath.

Women - followers of Christ - on Sunday morning went to his tomb to perform the ceremony themselves. An angel came down to them and told them that Christ had risen. Easter from now on will be the third day - the day of the resurrection of Christ.

Entering the tomb, the women were convinced of the words of the angel and brought this message to the apostles. And they communicated this joyful news to everyone. All believers and non-believers should have known that the impossible had happened, that what Jesus said had happened - Christ had risen.

Easter: traditions of different countries

In many countries of the world, believers paint eggs and bake Easter cakes. There are a lot of recipes for Easter cakes, and in different countries they also differ in shape. Of course, this is not the essence of Easter, but these are traditions that have accompanied the holiday for many centuries.

In Russia, Bulgaria and Ukraine they “fight” with colored eggs.

In Greece, on the Friday before Easter, it is considered a great sin to work with a hammer and nails. At midnight from Saturday to Sunday, after the solemn service, when the priest proclaims “Christ is Risen!”, the night sky is illuminated by grandiose fireworks.

In the Czech Republic, on the Monday following Easter Sunday, girls are whipped as a compliment. And they can pour water on a young man.

Australians make chocolate Easter eggs and figurines of various animals.

Ukrainian Easter eggs are called Easter eggs. Children are given clean white eggs as a symbol of their long and bright life path. And for the elderly - dark eggs with a complex pattern, as a sign that there were many difficulties in their lives.

Easter in Russia brings light and wonder to the homes of believers. Consecrated Easter eggs are often credited with miraculous powers. On Sunday morning, when washing, the consecrated egg is placed in a basin of water, and each member of the family should wash with it, rubbing his cheeks and forehead.

The red Easter egg has a special symbolism. In Greece, red is the color of mourning. The red eggs symbolize the tomb of Jesus, while the broken eggs symbolize the open tombs and the Resurrection.

Signs for Easter

Each nation has its own unique signs associated with this day. does not always believe in them, but it is interesting to know about it.

For some nations, it is considered a good omen to bathe in a spring on Easter night and bring this water into the house.

On the eve of Easter, houses are cleaned, cooked, baked, but in many countries it is considered a sin to work on Saturday. In Poland, signs for Easter prohibit housewives from working on Friday, otherwise the whole village will be left without a harvest.