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Orthodox holidays. All Church Holidays - Calendar, History, Statutes, Rules

Orthodox worship and holidays

The soul is like a traveler crossing a wobbly bridge. A helping hand is stretched out to her from the other side, but in order to receive this help, the traveler must extend his hand himself. Such a hand, stretched out towards the forces of Light, is every good choice, every right deed and every bright movement of the soul, including prayer. This is the kernel of the answer to the question: why prayer? And why worship? "Prayer" (see) is a solitary conversation of the soul with God or with the forces of Light that have created Him; it is also a state of affection, reverence and spiritual delight that envelops the heart when contemplating the Beautiful, the High or the Great; it is also that catharsis through which inspiring works of art lift the human soul; this is her participation in the purifying and uplifting actions of the temple.
What is a rite?
This is a sacred act, established on the basis of a person's inner experience, for the sake of gaining help from supersensible light forces or for the sake of preventing hostile influences on him from the supersensible dark forces.
What is a sacrament?
This is such a sacred act, during the performance of which the superconscious roots of human will receive divine grace, that is, they are filled with strength to move towards harmony between the individual and the universe, spirit and flesh, man and the Divine.
Therefore, the indifference of consciousness or the lack of faith on the part of the person over whom the sacrament is performed do not deprive the sacrament of its effectiveness. Hence - the possibility of performing the sacraments over unbelievers, seriously ill and children. But the participation of reason and personal faith facilitates and accelerates the flow of currents of grace from the superconscious roots of the will into the realm of daytime consciousness.

The sacraments of the Christian church:
; ; ; ; - the sacrament of endowing a clergyman with divine grace through episcopal ordination - the blessing of the Lord; (wedding) - blessing by the church before God, consecration of marital ties; ...

Historically established worship includes:
1.Daily circle;
2. the sevenfold circle;
3. a fixed annual circle;
4. a movable annual circle formed around the Easter holiday.

The most important public service in Orthodoxy is the Divine Liturgy (in Russia also called "Mass"), during which the sacrament of the Eucharist is celebrated - the most important sacrament of the Church according to Baptism, which is its essence and without which it is inconceivable.

The liturgical year begins with Easter Week, which occupies a very special and exclusive position among the holidays.
(Easter) - April 28, 2019.

The twentieth holidays... In the divine service of the Orthodox Church there are twelve great feasts of the annual liturgical circle (except for the feast of Easter). They are divided into Lord's, dedicated to Jesus Christ, and Theotokos, dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos. By the time of the celebration, the twelve holidays are divided into fixed (non-transient) and mobile (transferable). The former are constantly celebrated on the same days of the month, the latter fall on different dates every year, depending on the date of the celebration of Easter.

Orthodox holidays

Twelve non-rolling holidays 2019
STATE holidays:
Jan. 7 - .
January 19 -
February, 15 -
August 19 -
September 27 -

MOTHER HOLIDAYS:
April 7 -
August 28 -
September 21st -
December 4 -

Twelve rolling holidays 2019:
The 21st of April -
June 6 -
June 16 -

GREAT HOLIDAYS:
January 14 - Circumcision of the Lord;
July 7 -;
July 12 - the Holy Primate Apostles and;

October 14 -

Church one-day fasts:
Wednesday and Friday of the whole year, with the exception of continuous weeks and Christmastide;
January 18 - Epiphany Eve (Eve of the Epiphany);
September 11 - Beheading of John the Baptist;
September 27 - Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord.

Days of special commemoration of the departed:
March 2, 2019 - Saturday meat-passing (;
March 23, 2019 - Saturday of the 2nd week of Great Lent;
March 30, 2019 - Saturday of the 3rd week of Great Lent;
April 6, 2019 - Saturday of the 4th week of Great Lent;
May 7, 2019 -;
May 9 - Commemoration of the deceased soldiers;
June 15, 2019 - Saturday Troitskaya;
November 2, 2019 - Saturday Dimitrievskaya.

Continuous weeks:
A continuous week or Omnivorous is a week (that is, a week in the church calendar) in which there are no fasts, that is, the church allows the use of meager food throughout the week, even on Wednesday and Friday - traditionally fast days.
January 7 - 17 - Christmastide;
February 17-23, 2019 - Publican and Pharisee;
March 4-10, 2019 - Cheese ();
April 29 - May 4, 2019 - Easter (Light);
June 16-22, 2019 - Troitskaya.

Orthodox holidays and days of remembrance in January 2019:
January 1st -
January 2 -
January 2 -
January 2 - Hieromartyr Ignatius the Theologian
January 2 - Saint Ignatius, Archimandrite of Pechersk
January 3 - Nativity Fast. Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ.
January 3 - Martyrs Juliana and with her 500 husbands and 130 wives, victims of Nicomedia
January 4 - Nativity Fast. Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ.
January 4 - Great Martyr Anastasia the Patterner
January 5 - Nativity Fast. Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ.
January 5 - Schmch. Basil the presbyter and prmchch. Macarius and John
January 6 - Fast. The Eve of the Nativity of Christ (Christmas Eve)
Jan. 7 -
January 7 - Adoration of Sts. Magi: Melchior, Gaspar and Belshazzar
January 8 - (no post)
January 8 - Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos
January 9 - Apostle
January 10 - Mtch. 20,000, in Nicomedia in the church of the burned and in the same place outside the church of the victims
January 11 - 14,000 babies, slaughtered by Herod in Bethlehem
January 12 - St. Macarius, Met. Moscow
January 13 - Celebration of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ
January 14 - Circumcision of the Lord (Great Feast)
January 14 - Saint Basil the Great
January 14 - St. Emilia, mother of St. Basil the Great
January 15 - Forefeast of the Epiphany.
January 15 - Repose and the second uncovering of the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov
January 16 - Prophet. Malachi
January 17 - Council of 70 Apostles
January 18 - Epiphany Eve (Epiphany Christmas Eve)
January 18 - Schmch. Theopempta, bishop Nicomedia, and mch. Theons of the sorcerer
January 19 - (Epiphany)
January 20 - Epiphany
January 20 - Cathedral of the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John
January 21 - Venerable Gregory, the wonderworker of Pechersk, in the Near Caves
January 22 - St. Philip, Met. Moscow and All Russia, miracle worker
January 23 -
January 24 - Venerable Theodosius the Great, General Lives of the Chief
January 24 -
January 25 - Martyrs of Tatiana
January 25 - Icons of the Mother of God, called "Akathist" and "Mammal"
January 26 - Mtch. Ermila and Stratonika
January 27 - Leaving the feast of the Epiphany
January 27 -, educators of Georgia
January 28 - St. Paul of Thebes and John Kuschnik
January 29 - Adoration of the honest chains of the Apostle Peter
January 29 - Blaz. Maxim, Priest of Totemsky
January 30 - Venerable Anthony the Great
January 31 - St. Cyril and Mary, parents of St. Sergius of Radonezh

Orthodox holidays in February 2019:
1st of February -
February 2 - Venerable Efimia the Great
February 3 - Venerable Maxim the Greek
February 4 - Ap. Timothy
February 4 - Commemoration of all the dead who suffered in the time of persecution for the faith of Christ
February 4 - Cathedral of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia
February 5 - Cathedral of Kostroma Saints
February 5 -, and martyr. Agafangela
February 6 -
February 6 - Venerable Xenia of the Romans
February 7 - St. Gregory the Theologian
February 7 - Venerable Anatoly (senior) Optinsky
February 7 -
February 8 - Prpp. Xenophon, his wife Mary and their sons Arcadius and John
February 8 - Cathedral of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia
February 9 - Transfer of the relics of St. John Chrysostom
February 10 -
February 11 - Transfer of the relics of the schmch. Ignatius the God-bearer
February 11 - St. Lawrence, the hermit of Pechersky, bishop. Turovsky
February 12 - Council of Ecumenical Teachers and Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom
February 13 - St. Nikita, the hermit of Pechersky, bishop. Novgorod
February 14 - Forefeast of the Presentation of the Lord
February, 15 -
February 15 - Schmch. Basil presbyter, mch. Michael
February 16 - Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
February 16 - Right. Simeon the God-Receiver and Anna the Prophetess
February 17 - Week of the Publican and the Pharisee
February 17 - Venerable Isidore of Pelusiotsky
February 17 - Right. Kirill Novoyezersky
February 18 - Icons of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost"
February 18 - Mt. Agathia
February 19 - St. Barsanuphius the Great and John the Prophet
February 20 - Mtch. 1003 Nicomedian
February 21 - Prophet Zechariah the Sickle-Seer from 12 minor prophets
February 21 - Vmch. Theodora Stratilates
February 22 - Mt. Nicephorus, from Syrian Antioch
February 22 - Uncovering of the relics of St. Innocent, bishop Irkutsk
February 23 - Cathedral of Novgorod saints
February 23 - Icons of the Mother of God "Fiery"
February 24 - Week
February 24 - Schmch. Blasia, bishop Sevastiysk (about 316)
February 24 - Venerable Dmitry Prilutsky
February 25 - Met. Moscow and All Russia, miracle worker
25 February -
25 February -
February 26 - Sshmchch. Basil and Gabriel Presbyters
February 27 - Venerable Auxentia
February 27 - Ravnoap. Cyril, teacher of Slovenian
February 28 - Ap. from 70 Onisim

Orthodox holidays in March 2019:
March 1 - St. Macarius Met. Moscow and Kolomenskoye
March 2 - Schmch. Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, miracle worker
March 2 - Saturday meat-passing (.
March 3 - Meat Week. .
March 3 - St. Leo, Pope
March, 3rd -
March 4 - Cheese Heart (), Continuous week, no meat
March 4 - App. from 70 Archippus and Philemon and mts. equalap. Apphii (I)
5th of March -
March 5 - Blgv. book
March, 6 -
March 7 -
March 8 - Schmch. Polycarp, bishop Smirnsky
March 8 - Venerable Polycarp of Bryansk
March 9 - All the reverend fathers who shone forth in exploit (rolling celebration)
March 9 - First (IY) and Second (452)
March 10 - Cheeseweed Week. Remembrance of Adam's exile
10th of March - . Conception for Great Lent.
March 10 - Sv. Tarasia, archbishop. Constantinople
March 10 - Schmch. Alexander Presbyter, prmts. Mstislav
March 11 - Beginning of Great Lent. Clean monday
March 11 - Sv. Porfiry, Archbishop Gazsky
March 11 - Venerable Sevastian Poshekhonsky
March 12 - Venerable Procopius Decapolite, isp.
March 13 - Venerable Basil isp.
March 14th -
March 14 - Mtch. Nestor and Trivimia
March 15th -
March 15th -
March 16 - (rolling celebration on Saturday of the 1st week of Great Lent)
March 16 -
March 17 - 1st Week of Great Lent. Triumph of Orthodoxy
March 17 - Parent's Saturday. Commemoration of the departed
March 1 - Icons of the Mother of God of Cyprus (rolling celebration on the 1st Week of Great Lent)
March 17 - Blessed
March 18 - 2nd week of Great Lent
18th of March -
March 19 - Queen Helena in Jerusalem
March 19 - Icons of the Mother of God "Czestochowa" and "Blessed Sky"
March 20 - Icons of the Mother of God "The Assistant of Sinners"
March 21 - Venerable Theophilact isp., Bishop Nicomedian
March 22 - Saints
March 23 - Ecumenical parental Saturday of the 2nd week of Great Lent. March 23 - Mtch. Quadratus of Nicomedia, Satorinus, Rufinus and others (III).
March 24 - 2nd week of Great Lent
March 4 - St. Eugene and Macarius Confessors, Presbyters of Antioch
March 24 - St. Euphemia, Archbishop. Novgorod, wonderworker
March 25 - 3rd week of Great Lent
March 25 - Lidda, miraculous (on a pillar) icons of the Mother of God
March 26 - Transfer of the relics of St. Nikifor, patr. Constantinople
March 27 -
March 28 - Schmch. Alexia Presbyter
March 29 - Venerable Christodulus of Patmos the miracle worker.
March 30 - Ecumenical parental Saturday of the 3rd week of Great Lent
March 30 - Venerable Alexis, the man of God
March 31 - St. Cyril, archbishop. Jerusalem
March 31 - 3rd week of Great Lent. Cross-worship

Orthodox holidays in April 2019:
April 1 - 4th week of Great Lent, Holy Cross
April 1 - Right. Sofia, book. Slutskaya
April 1 - Icons of the Mother of God
April 2 - Venerable Euphrosynus of Sinozersky, Novgorodsky
April 3 - St. Thomas, patr. Constantinople
April 4 - Izborsk Icon of the Mother of God
April 5 - Prmch. Nikon bishop and 199 of his students
April 6 - Forefeast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos
April 6 - Ecumenical parental Saturday of the 4th week of Great Lent
April 7 - 4th week of Great Lent. Venerable John Climacus
April 7 -
April 7 - Icons of the Annunciation of the Mother of God - Moscow (XVI) and Kiev.
April 8 - 5th week of Great Lent
April 8 - Cathedral of the Archangel Gabriel
April 9 - Mc. Matrona of Thessaloniki
April 10 - Venerable Stephen the Wonderworker, isp., Abbot of Triglisky
April 11 - St. Eustathia isp., Bishop Bithinian
April 12 - Venerable John Climacus, Abbot of Sinai
April 13 - (rolling celebration)
April 13 -
14th of April - 5th week of Great Lent
April 14 - Venerable Mary of Egypt
April 15 - 6th week of Great Lent (wai)
April 15 - Venerable Titus the wonderworker
April 16 -
April 17 - Icons of the Mother of God called
April 17 - Icons of the Mother of God called.
April 18 - Transfer of the relics of St. Job, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
April 19 - St. Equal to the Apostles Methodius, Archbishop. Moravian, the first teacher of the Slavs
April 20 - Byzantine Icon of the Mother of God.
20 April -
April 21 - The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. Week of Vai, 6th Great Lent. ...
April 22 - Holy Week.
April 22 - Mt. Eupsychia
April 23 - Mtch. Terenty, Pompius, African, Maxima, Zinona, Alexandra, Theodora
April 23 - Holy Week.
April 24 - Schmch. Antipas, Bp. Pergamon of Asia
April 24 - Holy Week.
25th of April -
25th of April -
April 25 - Transfer of the venerable belt of the Mother of God to Constantinople
April 25 - Holy Week. ... Remembrance of the Last Supper.
April 26 - Schmch. Artemon, presbyter of Laodicea
April 26 - Holy Week. Remembrance of the Passion of the Lord.
April 27 -
April 27 -
April 27 -. Descent into hell.
April 28 - App. from 70 Aristarchus, Puda and Trofim
April 28 - Schmch. Sergius Presbyter
April 28 - EASTER. END OF THE GREAT LENT.
April 29 - May 4 - Fasting is canceled.
April 29 -.
April 29 -

April 30 - (rolling Tuesday celebration of Bright Week)
April 30 - Uncovering of the relics of St. Alexander Svirsky (1641)

Orthodox holidays in May 2019:
The 1 of May -
May 1 - (rolling celebration on Wednesday of Bright Week)
May 2 -
May 2 - Venerable John the Old Cave
May 3 - Mt. baby Gabriel Slutsky (Belostoksky)
May 3 - Icons of the Mother of God "Pochaevskaya" (rolling celebration on Friday of Bright Week)
May 3 - Easter consecration of water in churches. Commemoration of the renewal (consecration) of the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos at the Life-Giving Spring in Constantinople.
May 4 - Schmch. John Presbyter
May 5 - Venerable Theodora Sikeot, bishop Anastasiopolsky
5 May - Week 2 after Easter, Antipascha or ap. Thomas.
May 5 - Icons of the Mother of God called "Sweet kiss" (celebration on Anti-Easter Week)
the 6th of May -
May 7 -
May 7 -
May 8 -
May 9 - St. Stephen, Bishop Velikopermsky
May 9 - Commemoration of the departed warriors
May 10 - Ap. and sshmch. Simeon, bishop Jerusalem, a relative of the Lord
May 11 - St. Cyril, Bishop of Turov
May 12 - Venerable Memnon the Wonderworker
May 12 - Blgv. Tamara, Queen of Georgia (rolling celebration in the Week of Myrrh-Bearing Women)
12 May - Week 3 after Easter,
May 12 - St. myrrh-bearing wives, right. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus
May 13 - brother
may 13 -
May 14 -
May 15 - St. Athanasius the Great, archbishop. Alexandria
May 15 - Transfer of the relics of the Blgvv. book and
May 15 -
May 16 - Mt. Paul Vilnius
May 17 - Old Russian Icon of the Mother of God
May 18 -
May 19 - Right. Job the Long-Suffering
May 19 - Week 4 after Easter, about the relaxed
May 20 - Remembrance of the appearance in heaven of the Cross of the Lord in Jerusalem
May 20 -
May 21st -
May 22 - Transfer of the relics from the Lycian World to Bar
May, 23rd -
May 24 - Equal. Methodius and Cyril, Slovenian teachers
May 25 - Schmch. Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, miracle worker
May 26 - Week 5 after Easter, about the Samaritans
May 26 - Mc. Glyceria of the virgin and with her martyr. Laodicea, guardian of the dungeon
May 27 - Mt. Isidora
May 28 - Venerable Pachomy the Great
May 29 - Transfer of the relics of St. Ephraim of Perekomsky, Novgorod wonderworker
May 29 - Venerable Theodore the Sanctified
May 30 - Venerable Euphrosyne, in the world of Evdokia, led. book Moscow
May 31 - Commemoration of the holy fathers of the seven Ecumenical Councils.

Orthodox holidays in June 2019:
June 1st - .
June 2 - Mtch. Falalea, Alexandra and Asteria
may 13 -
June 3 - Celebration
June 3 - Equal. Tsar Constantine and his mother Queen Helena
June 4 - Commemoration of the II Ecumenical Council
June 4 - the Pskov-Pechersk Icon of the Mother of God, called the "Guarantor of Sinners"
June 5 - Venerable Euphrosyne, princess and abbess of Polotsk
June 6 - Saint Simeon the Stylite
June 6 -
June 6 -
June 7 -
June 8 - Mtch. Averky and Elena
June 9 - Righteous John of Russia
May 20 - Week 7 after Easter, Fathers I Sun. Cathedral
June 10 - Venerable Elena Diveevskaya
June 11 -
June 12 - Mt. Natalia
June 13 - Mt. Hermia Komansky
June 14 -
June 15 - Kiev-Bratsk Icon of the Mother of God
June 15 - Trinity parental Saturday
June 16 -. Pentecost.
June 16 - Transfer of the relics of the Blgv. Tsarevich Dimitri from Uglich to Moscow
June 17 - St. Mitrofan, 1st Patriarch of Constantinople
June 17 - Day of the Holy Spirit. Continuous week. The post is canceled.
June 18 - Blgv. book Theodore Yaroslavich (brother of St. Alexander Nevsky), Novgorod
June 19 - Pimenov Icon of the Mother of God
June 20 - Schmch. Theodotus of Ankir
June 20 -
June 21 - Vmch. Theodora Stratilates
June 22 - Venerable Cyril, abbot of Beloezersky
June 23 - Cathedral of the Ryazan Saints. Cathedral of Siberian Saints
June 23 - 1st week after Pentecost. All saints. Zagovanie on Petrov post (meat-plant)
June 24 - The beginning of the Petrov Lent
June 24 - Icons of the Mother of God "It is worthy" ("Merciful")
June 25 - Venerable Onuphrius the Great
June 26 - Mc. Akilins
June 27 - Cathedral of the Diveyevo Saints
June 28 - Saint Jonah, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia, miracle worker
June 29 - Venerable Tikhon Lukhovsky, Kostroma wonderworker
June 29 - St. Tikhon, bishop Amaphunt
June 30 - Mtch. Manuel, Savel and Ismail Persian

Orthodox holidays in July 2019:
July 1 -
July 2 - Apostle Jude, brother of the Lord
July 2 - St. Job, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
July 3 - Saint Mina, Bishop of Polotsk
July 3 - Schmch. Methodius, bishop Patarsky
July 4 - Mt. Julian of Tarsus
July 5 - Schmch. Eusebius, bishop Samosatsky
July 6 -. ...
July 7 - 3rd Week after Pentecost. Cathedral of Belarusian Saints
July 7 -
July 8 - Blgvv.
July 8 -
July 9 - Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God
July 10 - Venerable Martin Turovsky
July 10 -
July 11 - St. Sergius and Herman, the Wonderworkers of Valaam
July 12 - End of Petrov Lent
July 12 - Glorious and all-praised first supreme apostles and
July, 12 -
July 13 -
July 14 - 4th week after Pentecost... Cathedral of the Venerable Fathers of Pskov-Pechersk
July 14 - Unmercenaries of Cosmas and Damian, victims in Rome
July 15 - Position of the venerable robe of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Blachernae
July 16 - Transfer of the relics of St. Philip, Met. Moscow and All Russia wonderworker
July 17 - Commemoration of Sts. Royal Martyrs: Tsar - Martyr Nicholas II
July 18 - Finding of relics
July 19 -
July 19 - Finding the relics of rights. virgins of Juliana, book. Olshanskaya
July 20 - Venerable Thomas, Maleina
July 21 - Apparition
21 July -
July 22 - Schmch. Pankratia, Bishop Tavromeni
July 23 - Position of the vestment of the Lord Jesus Christ in Moscow
July 24 - Ravnoap. Olga, led. book Russian, in the holy Baptism of Helena
July 24 - Rudny Icon of the Mother of God.
July 25 -
July 26 - Cathedral of the Archangel Gabriel
July 27 -
July 28 - Ravnoap. ... ...
July 29 - Cathedral of Russian Wonderworkers
July 29 - Blzh. isp. Matrona (Belyakova), Anemnyasevskaya, isp.
June 10 - 2nd Week after Pentecost. All Russian saints
July 30 - Vmts. Marina (Margaritas)
July 31 -.

Orthodox holidays and days of remembrance in August 2019:
August 1 - Uncovering of the relics of St. miracle worker.
August 2 - .
August 2 - Uncovering of the relics of the prmch. Afanasy of Brest
August 3 - Schmch. Peter Presbyter
August 4 -
5th of August -
August 6 - Mc. Christina. Mchch. blgvv. book and
August 7 - Dormition, mother of the Most Holy Theotokos
August 8 - Sshmchch. Ermolai, Ermippus and Ermokrat, priests of Nicomedia
August 9 - Great Martyr. and the healer Panteleimon
August 10 - Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, called "Hodegetria" (Guide)
August 11 - Mt. Kallinika
August 12 - Venerable Anatoly Otptinsky
August 13 - Right. Evdokim the Cappadocian
August 14 - The beginning of the Assumption Lent
August 14 -
August 14 - Feast of the All-Merciful Savior. ...
August 15 - .
August 16 - St. Isaac, Dalmata and Fausta
August 17 - Seven Youths of Ephesus
August 18 - Pre-Transfiguration of the Lord
August 19 -
August 20 - Celebration of the Transfiguration
August 20 - Finding relics
August 21 - St. Emilian the Confessor, Bishop Kizichesky
August 22 - Apostle Matthias. Cathedral of the Solovetsky Saints.
August 23 - Blzh. Lawrence, Christ for the sake of the holy fool, Kaluga
August 24 - Mt. Archdeacon Euplus
August 25 - Mtch. Photius and Anikita and many with them
August 26 - Celebration of the feast of the Transfiguration.
August 26 - Repose, the second uncovering of the relics of St. Tikhon, bishop Voronezh, Zadonsk miracle worker.
August 26 - Icons of the Mother of God Minsk, Seven-shot, Passionate.
August 27 - Forefeast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos.
August 27 - Transfer of the relics of St. Theodosius of Pechersky.
August 28 - End of the Dormition Fast.
August 28 -
August 29 - Afterfeast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
August 29 -
August 29 - Transfer from Edessa to Constantinople of the Image of Jesus Christ Not Made by Hands.
August 30 - Mt. Myron the presbyter
August 31 -

Orthodox holidays and days of remembrance in September 2019:
September 1 - and with him 2593 martyrs
September 1 - Donskoy Icon of the Mother of God
September 2 - Prophet Samuel
September 3 - Venerable Abramia, miracle. Smolensk
September 4 - Day of Remembrance of the Georgian Icon of the Mother of God
September 5 - Leaving the feast of the Assumption
September 6 - Schmch. Eutychius, a disciple of St. John the Evangelist
September 7 - Transfer of the relics of ap. Bartholomew
8 September -
September 9 - Venerable Pimen the Great
September 10 - Venerable Moses Murin
11 September - .
12-th of September - .
September 13 - Position of the venerable belt of the Most Holy Theotokos.
September 14 - The beginning of the indictment - the Church New Year. Venerable Simeon the Stylite and his mother Martha
September 15th -
September 16 - John Vlasaty, the wonderworker of Rostov
September 17 -
September 18 - Prophet. Zechariah and rights. Elizabeth, parents of St. John the Baptist
September 18 - Prmch. Afanasy of Brest
September 19 - Remembrance of the miracle of the Archangel Michael in Khonekh
September 20 - Forefeast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
September 21st -
September 21 - Icons of Sophia, the Wisdom of God (Kiev)
September 22nd -
September 23 - Mtsts. Minodora, Metrodora and Nymphodora
September 24 - the Kaplunov Icon of the Mother of God.
September 26 - Forefeast of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord.
September 26 - Commemoration of the renewal (consecration) of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem (Word of the Resurrection)
September 27 - .
September 27 - Lesninskaya Icon of the Mother of God
September 28 - Novonikitskaya Icon of the Mother of God
September 29 -
September 30 - Мцц. Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia

Orthodox holidays and days of remembrance in October 2019:
October 1 - Icon of the Mother of God Molchenskaya ("Healer"), Old Russian
October 2 - Mtch. Trofim, Savvaty and Dorimedont
October 3 - Vmch. Eustathius Placis, his wife Theopistia and their children
October 4 - Uncovering of the relics of St. Demetrius of Rostov
October 5 - Cathedral of Tula Saints
October 6 - Conception of the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John
October 7 - Pervomts. equalap. Thekla
October 8 - Repose of St. Sergius, abbot of Radonezh
October 9 - The repose of the ap. and the evangelist John the Evangelist
October 10 - Venerable Savvaty Solovetsky
October 11 - Venerable Khariton the Confessor
October 12 - Venerable Cyriacus the hermit
October 13 - Schmch. Gregory Bishop, Enlightener of Great Armenia
October 14 -
October 14 - Venerable Roman the Sweet Songwriter
October 15 - Sshmch. Cyprian and mts. Justin
October 16 - Sshmchch. Dionysius the Areopagite, bishop Athenian, Rustic presbyter and Eleutherius the deacon
October 17 - Schmch. Hierothea, bishop Athenian
October 18 - Mc. Haritins
October 19 - St. Thomas
October 20 - Pskov-Pechersk Icon of the Mother of God "Tenderness"
October 21 - Day of Remembrance of the Monk Pelagia
October 22 - Ap. Jacob Alfeev. Korsun Icon of the Mother of God
October 23 - Venerable Ambrose Optinsky. Cathedral of Volyn saints
October 24 - Commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the VII Ecumenical Council. Cathedral of the Optina Elders.
October 25 - Transfer from Malta to Gatchina of a part of the Tree of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, the Filerma Icon of the Mother of God and the right hand of John the Baptist.
October 26 - Iberian Icon of the Mother of God.
October 27 - Mtch. Nazaria, Gervasia, Protasia, Kelsia
October 28 - Cathedral of 23 Belarusian New Martyrs
28 of October -
October 29 - Mt. Longinus centurion, like at the Cross of the Lord
October 30 - Mtch. unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian of Arabia. Icons of the Mother of God "Before Christmas and after Christmas Virgin" and "Deliverer"
October 31 -

Orthodox holidays and days of remembrance in November 2019:
Nov. 1 -
November 2 - Vmch. Artemia
November 3 - Sshmch. Pavlina, archbishop. Mogilev
November 4 -
November 5 - Brother of the Lord. Venerable Elisei Lavrishevsky.
November 6 - Icons of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow"
November 7 - Dimitrievskaya parental Saturday. Commemoration of the departed.
November 7 - Right. Tabitha
November 8 -
November 9 - Venerable Nestor the Chronicler
November 10 - Venerable Job, Abbot of Pochaevsky. St. Demetrius, Met. Rostovsky.
November 11 - Prmts. Anastasia the Romans
November 12 -
November 13 - Mt. Epimachus of Alexandria
November 14 - The unmercenaries and wonderworkers of Cosmas and Damian of Asia and their mothers
15th of November -
November 16 - Memorial Day of St. Princess Anna Vsevolodovna
November 17 - Venerable John the Great
November 18 - Memorial Day of St. Jonah, Archbishop of Novgorod
November 19 - St. Paul, Archbishop of Constantinople
November 20 - Icons of the Mother of God "Vygranie"
November 21 - Cathedral of the Archangel Michael and other Ethereal Heavenly Forces
November 22 -
November 22 - the birthday of Matrona of Moscow
November 23 - Prmch. Nifont and martyr. Alexandra
November 24 - Vmch. Mines. Venerable Theodore the Studite.
November 25 - Icons of the Mother of God "Merciful"
November 26 - Memorial Day of St. John Chrysostom
November 27 -. A spell on the Christmas (Filippov) post
November 28 - Martyrs and Confessors Guria, Samon and Aviv
November 28 - The beginning of the Nativity Fast
29th of November -
November 30 - St. Gregory the Wonderworker, Bishop Neo-Caesarean

Orthodox holidays and days of remembrance in December 2019:
December 1 - Memorial Day of the Holy Martyr Plato
December 2 - Icons of the Mother of God "Consolation in Sorrows and Sorrows"
December 3 - Feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos
December 4 -
December 5 - Day of Remembrance of the Holy Blessed Prince Mikhail of Tverskoy
December 6 - Memorial Day Blgv. led. book Alexander Nevsky
December 7 - Vmts. Catherine
December 8 - Commemoration of the Feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos.
December 9 - St. Innocent, bishop Irkutsk
December 10 - Icons of the Mother of God "The Sign"
December 11 - Holy Monk Martyr and Confessor Stephen the New
December 12 - Mt. Paramona and with him 370 martyrs
December 13 - Apostle Andrew the First-Called
December 14 - Right. Philaret the Merciful
December 15 - Prophet. Habakkuk
December 16 - Venerable Savva Storozhevsky
December 17 - Vmts. Barbarians. Venerable John Damascene
December 18 - Venerable Sava the Sanctified
December 19 - Saint Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, miracle worker
December 20 - Venerable Nil Stolobensky
December 21 - Venerable Patapia
December 22 - Conception of Rights. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos
December 23 - St. Joasaph, bishop Belgorodsky
December 24 - Venerable Daniel the Stylite
December 25 - St. Spiridon, bishop Trimifuntsky, miracle worker
December 26 - Mtch. Eustratia, Auxentia, Eugene, Mardaria and Orest
December 27 - Mtch. Firsa, Leukia and Kallinikos
December 28 - Day of Remembrance of the Monk Paul Latriansky
December 29 - Day of Remembrance of the Prophet Haggai
December 30 - Prophet. Daniel and the three youths: Ananias, Azariah and Misail.
December 31 - Praise of Rights. Simeon Verkhotursky.

All Orthodox holidays are special dates for all Christians. On these days, they devote themselves to the Lord, completely leave the vanity inherent in everything worldly, reading prayers and performing the prescribed rituals. The most important church dates are the most important. These include the well-known Christmas and Easter.

History of church holidays

The main Orthodox church holidays and fasts trace their history back to ancient times, from the Old Testament period. The traditions established in the New Testament are also explained by ancient rituals associated with certain saints. And nowadays they try to adhere to them unswervingly, because they have come down to us practically unchanged since ancient times.

The modern church has left behind each of these holidays a special status, which also has a special spiritual atmosphere so revered by believers. These days, a special mode of life is often prescribed for ordinary people - you need to completely free yourself from everyday worries, setting aside time for serving God.

Ever since the 4th century, when the church was completely under the leadership of the Byzantine authorities, there were strict prohibitions on violating church order. Equally unacceptable was not only fun, but also work. Later, during the reign of Constantine, an additional ban was imposed on the conduct of trade on Sundays.

In the modern world, Orthodox church holidays have changed somewhat, but even so, the traditions have remained unchanged. Moreover, some of the major dates have moved into the category of public holidays. This is enshrined in legislation in almost every country whose inhabitants profess the Christian religion.

Church calendars

While some Orthodox holidays have fixed dates, others have them floating from year to year. Church calendars were developed to keep track of them.

The history of the main non-moving dates dates back to the Julian calendar, which differs from the current Gregorian by almost 2 weeks. Each of the established non-moving holidays has a clearly specified date, which does not depend on the day of the week or other factors.

The peculiarity of the group of rolling Orthodox holidays is that these dates are shifted in the calendar from year to year. The countdown is relative to Easter. Its date is calculated based on the lunar calendar.

Not everyone knows that it is categorically unacceptable to celebrate Easter:

  • before the onset of the vernal equinox;
  • together with the church of the Jews;
  • earlier than the first full moon in spring.

In total, the halves of such a calendar of the main dates of the Orthodox Church form a complete cycle.

Year through the eyes of an Orthodox Christian

To take into account all Orthodox holidays of the summer or any season of the year, as well as the fasts falling on these periods, specialized calendars are drawn up. In addition to the main dates, they always contain a detailed description and features of holidays and Orthodox fasts. Along with the above information, good calendars record the most important moments of modern church life and days designated as memorials.

The year through the eyes of an Orthodox Christian is very eventful. It consists of many posts that are set to prepare for certain holidays, one-day posts. Such a large number of actions can be explained simply - people should not have too much time for activities that are not pleasing to God.

Orthodox holidays and their features

Actually, the dates of the celebration are understood as celebrations of a general church nature. Within the framework of each such day, a sacred event is honored or simply remembered.

Each of these holidays is included in the weekly liturgical circle or in the annual one, in effect for each Orthodox Church.

All Orthodox holidays in the year are tied to honoring the memory of saints or events that happened earlier.

One way or another, the duty of any Orthodox Christian is to strictly observe and honor the most important dates and fasts. As a preparation for most of them, it is recommended to read prayers, perform the rite of communion, observe the prescribed fasts and other godly actions, including helping those in need.

The church calendar reflects the alternation of weekdays with Orthodox holidays. Here are all the dates that are recorded in church books. Special attention is paid to each of the Sundays, which are called nothing other than Little Easter.

12 major Orthodox dates

Within the Orthodox culture, there are a total of twelve most important holidays. Each of them corresponds to some significant event within the Old and New Testaments. The most important holiday among them is, of course, Easter.

Carrying Twelve Holidays

Those dates that are festive in modern Christianity, but are not constant in the calendar from year to year, are called rolling twelve. Easter belongs to this category, as it is celebrated on different days every year.

Based on the date on which Easter falls, Orthodox holidays are determined in September and in other months, including:

  1. Palm Sunday, that is, the entrance to Jerusalem. It is celebrated exactly 7 days before Easter.
  2. Ascension. This Orthodox holiday falls on the 40th day after Easter. It's always Thursday. This date corresponds to the appearance of Jesus to the Lord.
  3. The holiday falls on the 50th day after Easter, symbolizes the coming of the Holy Spirit to the apostles.

Easter holiday

This is the main celebration in the Orthodox calendar. It symbolizes the victory over death. The day is tied to those events of the past, on which the very doctrine of Christianity as such is built.

The shed blood at the crucifixion of the Savior then washed away the original sin. It is a full-fledged celebration of life over death. It is not surprising that this is the most important among other holidays.

Entry to Jerusalem

This holiday is better known here as Palm Sunday. This is an equally significant event within the framework of Christian teaching as such. It refers to the coming of the Savior to the city and denotes the voluntariness of the sufferings accepted by Christ.

This date is determined annually on the basis of Easter, more precisely, exactly one week before it.

Pentecost

Not everyone knows which Orthodox holiday is called Pentecost. Popularly called the Day of the Holy Trinity.

He is associated with the coming of the Holy Spirit to the apostles. In addition, it is this date that is associated with the discovery of its third hypostasis in the Trinity, after which the triune beginning of God was perpetuated within the framework of Christianity.

Permanent Twelve Feasts

Most of the main dates in the Orthodox calendar are constant, for each of them a certain day in the year is determined, and they in no way depend on Easter. This category includes:

  1. The Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos is the date of her ascension, falls on August 28. It is preceded by a large and important Dormition Fast. This is due to the fact that the Mother of God herself adhered to abstinence and prayed incessantly until the end of her days.
  2. Introduction of the Most Holy Theotokos. This event falls on December 4th. The date corresponds to when the parents of her fully dedicated the child to God.
  3. Baptism. Celebrated on January 19. The date corresponds to the moment when John the Baptist washed the Savior in the Jordan. Then he told about his great mission, but for this message he was later killed. The feast of the Epiphany is also celebrated.
  4. Annunciation. Annually falls on the date correlates with the arrival of Gabriel to the Theotokos, who informed about her special child and his destiny.
  5. Birth of the Virgin. The date falls on September 21, it was on this day that the mother of the Savior was born. The modern church considers this to be no less significant event in teaching than everyone else. After all, her parents did not have their own children for many years. The Virgin Mary became a gift from above for them. It is generally accepted that conception had a blessing from above.
  6. Exaltation of the Cross. On September 27, the discovery of the life-giving cross took place. As early as the 4th century, Queen Helena, who led Palestine at that time, began the search for it. Of the three crosses, the only Lord was identified, it was he who brought healing to a terminally ill person.
  7. The Nativity of Christ is celebrated on January 7th. This date is known to every person, even if he does not belong to the category of believing Christians. On this day, the earthly birth of Jesus took place, who appeared in the flesh from the Mother of God.
  8. The meeting falls on February 15th. This is the date when the newborn baby was first brought into the temple. The word translated from the Old Slavonic language sounds like "meeting".
  9. The transformation is celebrated every year on 19 August. On this day, Jesus prayed with his disciples when the prophets told about his impending death, accompanied by many torments and subsequent resurrection after a few days. Then Jesus himself learned about his great mission, so the date became one of the main twelve feasts.

Each of these dates is of great importance in modern Christian teaching. For every believer, these are special days when it is important to attend church and pray, and in some cases also perform certain rituals.

Orthodox calendars

To know exactly what Orthodox holiday is today, you need to look at the church calendar. It contains absolutely all holidays, combination days, all long and short posts, and other information.

A special place in such calendars is occupied by days for the veneration of saints. It will contain prayer for each of them.

Features of the main Orthodox holidays

Church celebrations are characterized by:

  1. The dressing of the ministers in light-colored clothing, which symbolizes the Kingdom of God and its greatness.
  2. Liturgy and hymns for the holiday.
  3. Compulsory church attendance for parishioners. Today, there are no hard and fast rules regarding this requirement, but all believers strive to give up any occupation and set aside time for attending church.

Another feature of church holidays is that their number is quite large. Therefore, it sometimes happens that there are several significant dates on one day.

Here are some facts regarding religious observance of the holidays:

  1. Today, Orthodox holidays from the category of twelve presuppose not only the celebration itself, but also the pre-celebration along with the giving.
  2. All-night vigils are held on every great date.
  3. Before a number of dates, it is necessary to observe fasting by all believing Christians, so many, knowing what Orthodox holiday is coming soon, think over their food.
  4. Usually, the pre-celebration takes three days, with the exception of the Epiphany (four days) along with Christmas (five days).

Today, everyone sacredly honors all the established holidays and observes fasts, as prescribed by the doctrine. The Orthodox calendar acts as a helper and hint for them.

Orthodox church holidays are divided into great, medium and small. The great ones include Easter, twelve and non-twelve. On these days, services in churches are held with special solemnity.

Easter

Easter (the full church name is the Bright Resurrection of Christ) is the most important and brightest event in the Christian church calendar. The date of the holiday is unique for each year, it is determined by the solar-lunar calendar and falls in the period from April 4 to May 8. Easter is dedicated to the resurrection of Jesus Christ after the crucifixion. On this day, it is customary to attend divine services, consecrate Easter cakes and colored eggs in churches, set a festive table, and arrange festivities. People greet each other with the words: "Christ is risen!"

The twentieth holidays

Twelve holidays are 12 most important holidays of the Orthodox calendar, dedicated to the events of the earthly life of Jesus Christ and the Mother of God. They are divided into two categories: non-transient and transient.

Twelve non-passing holidays

The twelve non-passing holidays have a fixed date, each year falling on the same date.

Nativity of Christ - January 7
The holiday is established in honor of the birth of Jesus Christ. On this day, it is customary to attend services, set the festive table, go home and sing carols. People greet each other with the words: "Christ was born!" The holiday is preceded by a 40-day Nativity Fast.

Baptism of the Lord (Holy Epiphany) - January 19
The holiday is established in honor of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. On this day, it is customary to consecrate water in churches, to swim in an ice-hole.

Presentation of the Lord - February 15
The holiday is established in memory of the meeting in the Jerusalem temple of Simeon the God-receiver with little Jesus during the rite of dedication to God. The meeting took place on the 40th day after the birth of Jesus. On this day, it is customary to pray, go to church, and consecrate candles.

Annunciation to the Most Holy Theotokos - April 7
The holiday is dedicated to the announcement by the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary of the conception and future birth of the Son of God. On this day, it is customary to attend divine services, consecrate broths in churches, give alms, and do charity work.

Transfiguration of the Lord - August 19
The holiday is dedicated to the remembrance of the Divine Transfiguration of Jesus before the disciples during prayer on Mount Tabor. On this day, it is customary to consecrate apples, pears, grapes in the church, to honor the memory of deceased relatives.

Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos - August 28
The holiday is dedicated to the memory of the Assumption (death) of the Mother of God. On this day, believers go to church, pray to the Most Holy Theotokos, consecrate bread, give alms. The holiday is preceded by the Assumption Fast.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary - September 21
The holiday is established in honor of the birth of the Virgin Mary - the mother of Jesus Christ. On this day, it is customary to visit church, pray to the Most Holy Theotokos, and do charity work.

Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord - September 27
The full name of the holiday is the Exaltation of the Honorable and Life-giving Cross of the Lord. It was erected in honor of the finding in Jerusalem near the Mount of Calvary of the Cross, on which Jesus was crucified. On this day, it is customary to observe a strict fast, to pray for your health and the health of loved ones.

Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos - December 4
The holiday is dedicated to the introduction of little Mary - the mother of Jesus Christ - to the Jerusalem temple for dedication to God. On this day, a solemn service is held in churches, parishioners pray to the Virgin Mary.

Twelve rolling holidays

The twelve rolling holidays have a unique date for each year, which depends on the date of the celebration of Easter and moves with it.

Palm Sunday (Lord's Entry into Jerusalem)
The holiday is celebrated a week before Easter. Dedicated to the solemn appearance of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem on the eve of His martyrdom and death. On this day, it is customary to consecrate a pussy willow in the church, whip branches of family members, saying at the same time: "I am not hitting, the pussy willow is hitting!" or "Whipping pussy willow, beat to tears!"

Ascension of the Lord
The full name of the holiday is the Ascension of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ. Celebrated on the 40th day after Easter. The holiday is dedicated to the ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven. On this day, it is customary to attend services in churches, pray, and give alms.

Holy Trinity Day (Pentecost)
Celebrated on the 50th day after Easter. The holiday is established in honor of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and the Virgin Mary. On Trinity, it is customary to attend a solemn service in the church, decorate temples and houses with tree branches, cover the floor with fresh grass, arrange a festive dinner, organize festivities and fairs.

Non-twelve holidays

Non-twelve holidays - 5 great holidays of the Orthodox Church, dedicated to the birth and death of John the Baptist - the Baptist of Jesus Christ, the apostles Peter and Paul, the appearance of the Mother of God, the circumcision of the Lord.

Circumcision of the Lord - January 14
The holiday is established in remembrance of the performance of the Jewish rite of circumcision over the infant Jesus. On this day, festive services are held in churches, people go from door to door, sing sowing songs and wish the owners well and prosperity.

Nativity of John the Baptist - July 7
The full name of the holiday is the Nativity of the honest glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John. Dedicated to the birth of John the Baptist - the baptist of Jesus Christ. On this day, people attend services, consecrate water, herbs and flowers in the church.

Saints Peter and Paul - July 12
The holiday is dedicated to the remembrance of the transfer of the relics of the holy apostles Peter and Paul. On this day, fishermen pray for successful fishing, fairs and festivities are organized.

Beheading of John the Baptist - September 11
The holiday is dedicated to the remembrance of the martyrdom of John the Baptist - the baptist of Jesus Christ. On this day, it is customary to attend services and observe strict fasting.

Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos - October 14
The holiday is established in honor of the appearance of the Virgin Mary to St. Andrew the Fool. On this day, it is customary to visit churches, to pray to the Most Holy Theotokos for health, intercession, and a happy family life.

Medium and small Orthodox holidays are distinguished by less solemnity of worship.

Everyday are not inherently holidays. These are the days of remembrance of the saints.

Orthodox posts- periods of abstinence from food of animal origin.
By their duration, posts are divided into multi-day and one-day posts. There are 4 multi-day and 3 one-day fasts a year. Also, fast days are every Wednesday and Friday (there is no fast on these days). Fasts vary in severity, up to complete abstinence from food.

Continuous weeks- weeks in which there is no fasting on Wednesday and Friday. There are 5 such weeks in a year.

Days of remembrance of the departed- days of universal commemoration of dead Christians. There are 8 such days in a year.

The twentieth holidays- these are twelve holidays dedicated to the events of the earthly life of Jesus Christ and the Mother of God. All twelve holidays are included in the number of holidays, but are inferior to " holiday of holidays and celebration of celebrations» - .

By theme, all twelve holidays are divided into Master's and Mother of God, and according to the time of the celebration - into transitional (mobile) and non-transitional (motionless). There are nine holidays that do not pass, and three that pass. Services twelve festivals of the fixed circle are located in the Menses, where services are located for saints and holidays for each day of the year. Services twelfth holidays rolling circle are located in the Lenten and Color Triodes, where all the services of the Easter cycle are recorded. All twelve celebrations have forefeast, afterfeast and giving.

The significance of twelve holidays in Orthodoxy

Twelve feasts are important for every believer who regularly attends and observes all fasts. This importance was predetermined by our distant ancestors, from the time of the existence of the Theotokos and Jesus Christ. In most modern states, cultural, folk and religious traditions are intertwined rather closely. Even in spite of the functionality of the electronic age, we still cannot abandon the historical heritage that keeps multiple wonders, secrets and secrets. In Russia, until 1925, all Twelve holidays were also state holidays. The solemnity and observance of the significance of such holidays have not lost their relevance in our time. Some of them are officially celebrated in most countries of the world when citizens are exempted from labor and work. The approval at the legislative level of interaction between the State and the Church once again confirms this theory.

Twelve non-passing holidays

Intransitive, that is, fixed holidays from year to year, for many centuries, have a constant date. It is worth noting that in almost all Orthodox calendars, holidays are celebrated in the new and the old style (written in brackets). Nativity of the Blessed Virgin accepted to read September 21st... Why do we mention this holiday in the first place? Just because old-style calculus church calendar starts exactly from September 1. This is what the legend says, because the approval of this holiday took place back in the distant fourth century. The Most Holy Theotokos, she is the Virgin Mary, was born into a family of poor and rather elderly, but from this no less happy spouses, on September 8 (according to the old style), that is, on September 21 in a new way, in distant Nazareth. The maiden became the mother of Jesus Christ as a result of the Immaculate Conception, and therefore could not be otherwise than her canonization of the Saints.

Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord celebrated September 27... Dedication in a certain sense to the cross, as a symbol of eternal and heavenly life, is known not only in Christianity, but also in many other religions. The cross marks the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ, as the atonement for the sins of all mankind.

The next hierarchical level is occupied by a holiday Introduction to the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, 4 december... On this day, for the first time and especially solemnly, three-year-old Mary was introduced into the temple in the city of Jerusalem.

Nativity, the brightest, kindest and from this no less solemn holiday, it is customary to celebrate Jan. 7... The supernatural birth of the Divine Infant from the Immaculate Virgin Mary makes him especially gracious and unusual.

Holiday Baptism of the Lord, or Epiphany, noted January 19. On this day, the miracle of the appearance of the Faces of the Holy Trinity takes place. Jesus Christ was baptized in the waters of the Jordan River. God the Father, with a voice from heaven, in the presence of many people, blesses him. At the same time, the Holy Spirit descends to Jesus in the form of a white dove.

The Orthodox Church, according to the gospel story, approved February, 15(new style) as a holiday Presentation of the Lord... To Elder Simeon, God himself, having announced himself in the form of the Holy Spirit, promised life on Earth until he sees Jesus Christ.

The unexpected and miraculous Good News, according to the tradition of the Church, is received by the Virgin Mary on a day 7 april... She was informed by the Holy Spirit of the Immaculate Conception and the birth of the Infant Christ. Many traditions and customs are associated with this day. This day is celebrated Annunciation.

Transfiguration(August 19) is associated with another significant event in the history of the Birth and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. On this day, he appeared to his disciples in a shining form, like the sun, in white robes, thereby confirming that there is an end to every suffering, and eternal life awaits everyone who believes in it.

Fasting before Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos (August 28). It is customary to remember the sorrowful day with plaintive prayers, with the aim of consoling and edifying for all Christians.

Twelve rolling holidays

One week before the celebration of Easter, it is customary to celebrate a rolling holiday. Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, that is Palm Sunday... On this day, Jesus Christ was accepted as Savior and Messiah, welcoming and recognizing him as a type of God. Clothes were laid in front of him, expecting blessings and salvation from worldly suffering.

Ascension of the Lord celebrated on the 40th day after Easter. According to legend, Jesus Christ ascends to heaven, to God the Father, thereby completing the ministry of earthly life. The holiday always falls on Thursday and reflects the sacredness of the Son's entry into the heavenly temple to His father.

The Holy Trinity falls on Sunday, the 50th day after Easter. Before this day, it is customary to celebrate Trinity Parents' Saturday and commemorate the dead.

Orthodox calendar

The calendar in Russia was called a month. It covered and described absolutely the whole year of the life of the peasants, in it certain holidays or weekdays, folk signs, all kinds of weather phenomena corresponded to each day. The Orthodox calendar is divided into two parts according to the principle of its movable and fixed parts. The most significant days of celebrations and fasts for a Christian are determined by Easter. Taking into account all the factors of the lunisolar calendar, the Easter holiday is first calculated - the most important and main holiday in every sense. The calculation of the first spring full moon immediately follows the day of the vernal equinox. The exact date of Easter itself moves within 35 days, that is, from April 4 to May 8. Thus, the date of this holiday moves, but the day of the week, that is, Sunday, remains unchanged. Fasting periods and other traditionally religious days associated with the celebration of this unique holiday for believers are counted precisely based on this principle.

Christianity, like any religion, honors saints or celebrates events in the life of the church on certain days of the calendar. Christian holidays are rooted in ancient ritual traditions associated with specific stages, types of economic activities, annual astronomical or calendar cycle. Conventionally, they are divided into all Christians (recognized by the Orthodox, Catholic, most Protestant churches) and confessional (marked only by individual confessions). The most important of them relate to the twelve feasts - the twelve most important holidays after Easter, which the church celebrates with solemn divine services.

Nativity. This is one of the main holidays of Christianity associated with the birth of Jesus Christ. In Catholicism, it is celebrated on December 25, in Orthodoxy (refers to the twelve holidays) on January 7. Establishing itself in different countries, this holiday absorbed the rituals and customs of other religions, folk holidays, acquiring new features that corresponded to Christian dogmas.

The very tradition of Christmas reaches its sources in primitive cult actions. The church assigns the main role in its dogmatic sense to the teaching of the birth of Jesus Christ, who appeared to atone for the sins of people, to show mankind the way to salvation. Indeed, in Ancient Egypt, for example, on January 6, they celebrated the birthday of the god of water, vegetation, the owner of the afterlife, Osiris. In ancient Greece, the birth of Dionysus was celebrated on the same day. In Iran, on December 25, the birth of the god of the sun, purity and truth, Mithra, was celebrated.

In Kievan Rus, the feast of the Nativity of Christ came along with Christianity in the 10th century. and merged with the ancient Slavic winter holiday - Christmastide (lasted for 12 days - from December 25 (January 7) to January 6 (19)). The Orthodox Church tried in every possible way to replace them with the holiday of the Nativity of Christ, but the holidays and customs existing among the Eastern Slavs were so deeply rooted that it was forced to combine church holidays with folk ones. So, the church combined carols with the gospel story of the star of Bethlehem, which announced the birth of Christ. "Pagan" carols turned into a walk of Christians with a star to their homes. Children were widely involved in the glorification of Christ. The believers thanked them with gifts.

Since 1990. Christmas Day is an official holiday on the territory of Ukraine.

Baptism of the Lord (Vodokhrischa, Baptism of Water, Epiphany). It is one of the main holidays in Christianity. In Orthodoxy it belongs to the Twelve Great Feasts. Catholics celebrate January 6th, Orthodox Christians celebrate January 19th. It was introduced in memory of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. It is also called the Epiphany, because, according to the Gospel, during the baptism on Jesus, God the Holy Spirit descended from heaven in the form of a dove.

In Christianity, it was introduced in the 2nd half of the 2nd century, and was first celebrated together with the Nativity of Christ. In the IV Art. this day began to be celebrated separately. The Church regards it as a "holiday of enlightenment" of the nations, since, according to the teaching, it was with baptism that Jesus began to enlighten them with the light of the gospel truth.

This holiday has always been celebrated very solemnly. His main rite is the consecration of water in the church and in the ice hole. A procession was going to the ice hole, solemn prayers were heard. The consecration of water in churches is still taking place today.

Sprinkling with water existed in many pre-Christian religions. Spiritual phenomena of nature, people also spiritualized water as an important source of life. In the early stages of its development, Christianity did not know the rite of baptism; it borrowed it somewhat later from the ancient cults, which assigned an important role to the rite of “cleansing” a person from any “filth” or “evil” with the help of water. According to ancient beliefs, water cleansed people from "evil spirits", "demons". Therefore, among the ancient peoples there was a custom to sprinkle water on newborns.

Candlemas. It is celebrated as one of the twelve feasts on February 15, on the occasion of the meeting (meeting) of the righteous Simeon with the baby Jesus, whom his parents brought to the Jerusalem temple on the fortieth day after his birth to be presented to God. It was then that Simeon predicted to Jesus his messenger mission of the Savior of people. This is stated in the Gospel of. Luke. By introducing the holiday, the church was concerned not only with the dissemination of the ideas of Christianity, but also with the "truth to the facts" of the biography of Christ, emphasizing the obligation of believers to bring babies to the temple within 40 days after birth. In addition, the church tried to protect Christians from ancient cults, since the Romans served "cleansing", repentance, and fasting in February, believing that before the spring fieldwork began, it was necessary to "cleanse from sins" and "evil spirits" by sacrifices to spirits and gods. The main cleansing rite fell on February 15, when people with torches in their hands drove out the evil spirits of winter cold and disease.

For a long time, supporters of Orthodoxy did not recognize the Meeting. Later they gave it the meaning of a holiday of purification. This is how it appeared in Russia, having established itself, mainly, as a church holiday. In the popular consciousness, the Meeting marked the end of winter and the beginning of spring economic concerns, as evidenced by the popular belief: "On Meeting, winter meets summer."

Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. This twelve feast is celebrated on the last Sunday before Easter. Everyday its name is Palm Sunday, before the day of Holy Week, timed to "mention the sufferings of Christ."

According to the calendar, it is directly adjacent to Easter and does not have a fixed date. It was introduced in the IV Art. as an important stage in preparation for Easter. At the heart of the biblical legend about the entry of Jesus Christ with the apostles into Jerusalem, accompanied by the creation of miracles. The people joyfully greeted the Son of God with palm branches.

In Russia, the ritual meaning of palm branches was transferred to pussy willow branches, which bloom at this time, and, according to popular belief, protect from evil spirits. The celebration of the Lord's entry into Jerusalem is intended to induce believers to open their hearts to the teaching of Christ about the resurrection and eternal salvation, as did the inhabitants of Ancient Jerusalem.

Ascension of the Lord. It is celebrated on the fortieth day after Easter. And the very moment of the ascension to heaven of the resurrected after the execution of Christ completes his earthly biography. In everyday life, it is very common and remains purely churchly. Its content generates among believers the idea of ​​the frailty of earthly life and directs them to Christian asceticism for the sake of achieving the "eternal".

Christian theology claims that the ascension of Christ opens the way for the righteous to heaven, in the resurrection after death. This idea existed long before the rise of Christianity. Beliefs in the ascension of people, heroes and gods to heaven were common among the Phoenicians, Jews and other peoples.

Trinity (Pentecost). The holiday established in honor of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Christ on the fiftieth day after his resurrection, as a result of which they began to speak in different languages ​​that they did not know before. It is called to focus the attention of believers on the voice of the church, which carries the "Word of God", to attract them to the preaching of Christianity by other "languages", that is, to other nations. Celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter. In Orthodoxy it belongs to the Twelve Great Feasts.

The concept of the divine trinity existed long before Christianity. In the process of the formation of the Christian religion, it became necessary to link it with the legends of the Old Testament. Therefore, in the New Testament books, Christ is presented as the son of the Hebrew god Yahweh, as the hypostasis of one God, which is evidenced by the step of Christianity from polytheism to monotheism. Accordingly, Christianity has borrowed many Jewish holidays, including the Feast of Pentecost. Among the ancient Jews, it arose with their transition to agriculture and was associated with the completion of the harvest, which lasted "seven weeks", that is, seven weeks, accompanied by the offering of bread from the new harvest to local field spirits and deities. Christianity has given him a new foundation.

In the majority of Eastern Slavs, the Trinity holiday merged with the local holiday seven (another name is "trinity"), borrowing its everyday meaning. The ancient Slavs associated the seven with the completion of spring work, trying to appease the spirits of vegetation during the period of flowering and harvest. An important element of the Orthodox holiday of the Trinity is the commemoration of the spirits of deceased relatives (memorial Saturday). In Ukraine since 1990. Trinity is an official holiday.

Saved. This is one of three holidays dedicated to the Savior Jesus Christ. It is based on the gospel story of the transfiguration of Christ, who at the end of his earthly life brought his disciples (Peter, James, John) to the mountain and during prayer completely changed: his face shone, his clothes became white, shiny, and a voice from heaven confirmed his divine origin. Christian teaching claims that Jesus wanted to reinforce faith in his disciples and prove to them that he is truly the Son of God.

This event is associated with the holiday of the Transfiguration ("apple" Savior), which is celebrated on August 19. On this day, they not only glorify Jesus Christ, but also bless apples and other fruits (according to folk custom, since then they can be consumed).

An important feature of the Savior, like many other holidays, is the combination of Christian pathos with calendar rituals and customs of cleansing from evil spirits. For example, during the celebration of "honey" spas ("makoveya"), which takes place on August 14, fresh honey is consecrated in the church. Installed in 1164 in honor of the victory of the Byzantines over the Muslims. We especially honor this day in Russian Orthodoxy, since it is believed that it was on August 14 that the great Kiev prince Vladimir was baptized. The third - "bread" spas is celebrated on August 29, coinciding with the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter sowing. Christianity associates it with the celebration of the image of Christ not made by hands, imprinted on a towel and transferred to Abgar, the king of Edessa.

In many parishes there is also a feast for the Savior (temple).

Exaltation of the Holy Cross. One of the twelve great holidays dedicated to the cult of the Cross as a symbol of the Christian faith. The church connects several events with the cross. According to legend, the Roman emperor Constantine, before one of his largest battles, had a vision: in the sky, a shining cross with the inscription "By this, conquer!" That same night, Jesus Christ himself appeared to the emperor in a dream and advised him to take the banner with the image of the cross into battle. Constantine did so, in addition, ordered his legionnaires to draw the sign of the cross on their shields. In the battle, Constantine won a victory and since then believed in the miraculous power of the cross, although historical facts testify that in commemoration of victory, Constantine ordered the minting of coins depicting pagan gods, who, he believed, helped him in the battle with his enemies.

The church established this holiday in memory of the receipt by the mother of the Roman emperor Helen in the IV century. the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. To be seen by the people, the cross was raised (erected) on Mount Golgotha, where Christ was executed, and on the place where the cross was found, a temple was built, the consecration of which took place on September 13, 335.

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross is solemnly celebrated on September 27. It is accompanied by lavish rituals. During the service, a cross decorated with flowers is brought out and installed in the middle of the temple. The ceremony is accompanied by ringing and church chants.

Believers revere the cross as a symbol of Christianity as a symbol of redemption, suffering and salvation, believing that every person, like Christ, must overcome his own "way of the cross".

Theotokos holidays. They cover the feast in honor of the Virgin Mary - the mother of Jesus Christ (Mother of God). These are the Nativity of the Virgin, the Introduction to the Church of the Virgin, the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the feast of the Dormition, the Intercession (the first four are attributed to the twelve) and many holidays in honor of the "miraculous" icons of the Virgin.

In the celebration of Mary the Mother of God, there are traces of veneration by the ancient peoples of the goddess of the earth, who gave birth to a savior, a son of God - the god of vegetation. The creation of the image of the Christian Mother of God was influenced by the ideas of the ancient Egyptians about the goddess Izidu. Christianity depicts the Mother of God as "the queen of heaven", a winged celestial dweller, "enveloped in the sun." She has a wreath of twelve stars on her head. The ancient Egyptian goddess Izida was also depicted as the queen of heaven, believing that she gave birth to a divine son, the savior Horus. The Christian Mother of God has similarities with the goddess of the Syrians and the Phoenicians Astarte.

The ancient peoples worshiped these goddesses, considering them to be the deities of the fertility of the earth and livestock, the intercessors of agriculture.

From pre-Christian religions she borrowed the church and the idea of ​​the immaculate conception. According to the myths of the peoples of the Ancient East, Mitra, Buddha, Zarathushtra were born from immaculate mothers. It was these myths that served to create the Christian legend of the "Immaculate Conception" of the Virgin Mary.

Nativity of the Virgin (Malaya Prechistaya). The church connects it with the ancient agricultural autumn holidays, timed to coincide with the end of the harvest. On this day, it is emphasized that the Mother of God is a great righteous woman, helper and intercessor of people, the patroness of agriculture, who by the "birth of Christ" took the first step towards their "eternal salvation." Celebrated on September 21st.

Introduction to the Temple of the Virgin. It is connected with the tradition of three-year-old Mary to be raised in the Jerusalem Temple. Establishing this holiday, the church pursued primarily the goal of convincing parents of the need to bring a child to church at an early age. Celebrated on December 4th.

Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. They celebrate it on the occasion of Mary's receiving news from the archangel Gabriel that she will give birth to a child from the Holy Spirit. In Russia, the church associated this holiday with the beginning of spring field work ("consecration" of seeds, etc.) and signs of the future harvest. Celebrated on April 7th.

The First Pure One. The church celebrates it as the day of remembrance of the Mother of God. The ecclesiastical interpretation of this holiday in many ways resembles the old-world legends about the death of Cybele, the goddess of fertility. In Russia, the feast of the Assumption merged with the ancient Slavic pagan holiday of harvesting and offering bread and fruits as a sacrifice to spirits. Celebrated on 28 August.

Protection of the Virgin. This holiday is associated with the vision of the Virgin, which allegedly appeared in 910 in the Blachernae Church of the Virgin in Constantinople. During the night service, the holy fool Andrew was accepted as a saint, and his disciple Epiphanius allegedly saw how the Mother of God, surrounded by angels and saints, appeared over them, prayed for the salvation of the world from troubles and suffering, a white veil spread over everyone.

The holiday came to Russia along with Orthodoxy, the church used it to supplant the autumn pagan holidays, which were arranged at the end of field work. It is celebrated on October 14th.

In Ukraine, the holiday of the Intercession is very respected, it has absorbed the traditional veneration of women, mothers, and the feminine principle in general, personified in the image of the earth-mother. The attitude of the Ukrainian Cossacks to this holiday was special.

Easter (Easter). This is one of the most significant Christian religious holidays. It was established by the first Christians in memory of the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Historically, the holiday comes from the custom of some ancient peoples of the Middle East (Babylonians, Egyptians, Jews), who were engaged in cattle breeding, to sacrifice lambs and calves from their first offspring during the spring holiday. They believed that with this they appease evil spirits, and they will no longer destroy livestock and send diseases to her. With the transition to agriculture, bread, cakes, fruits, and the like, baked from the grain of the new harvest, were offered as an expiatory sacrifice to the spirits. These agricultural holidays merged with the Skotarsky Easter and adopted its name. they were united by the hope for the miraculous good power of the deities who die and are resurrected.

Christianity borrowed this tradition, embodying it in the doctrine of the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. But the main idea - the self-sacrifice of God for the sake of people - has survived. The religious essence of the ceremony remained the same as it was thousands of years ago: by making a sacrifice to cleanse people of evil, disease, misfortune and tragedy.

The idea of ​​salvation, at least after death, became widespread, especially among the common people. The image of Christ, who voluntarily accepted a martyr's death, as if calls to endure earthly suffering. Establishing and developing, Christian doctrine developed the ceremony of celebrating Easter, and from the II century. this holiday has become one of the main ones.

The week before Easter is called Great, or Passion, since its days are associated with the Passion of the Lord. Especially important days start from Thursday, which is called "clean". It is associated with the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the apostles.

The material embodiment of the resurrection is Easter eggs (in Ukraine - dyes, Easter eggs), a symbol of life, spring, the sun, in Christianity, a symbol of atonement for a person's sin.

In Kievan Rus, the celebration of Easter was introduced in the 10th century. Here it merged with the local Slavic spring holidays. The ancient Slavs in the spring, before the start of agricultural work, organized a holiday of the sun, which "resurrects". In those days, they made sacrifices to the spirits and deities of vegetation, sought to satisfy the spirits of their deceased ancestors. Christian Easter absorbed many of the ancient Slavic religious practices, including public family meals in which bread, cheese, eggs, smoked meat, and the like were prepared.

Since in early Christianity the celebration of the resurrection of Christ coincided with the Jewish Easter, it was decided at the Councils of Nicaea (325) and Constantinople (381) to celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after the full moon, which came either on the vernal equinox (March 21), or after him. But it was obligatory to celebrate Passover on a different day than that of the Jews. According to the lunar calendar, the spring full moon falls on the same day, after the solar one on different dates and even on different days of the week. Therefore, Easter has no fixed calendar. It is celebrated within 35 days.

For a more accurate determination of the date of the celebration of Easter for each year, corresponding calculations were made, which are called Easter. In Orthodoxy, they have remained unchanged to this day. In Catholicism, the formula for these calculations has undergone some changes, so not always both churches celebrate Easter on the same day.