What can not be done on church holidays?Where did the signs and prohibitions in Russian Orthodoxy come from? In this religion, there is a close connection with the pagan faith that existed in the minds and hearts of people before the implantation of Christianity. It is miraculously revealed in the dates of religious holidays, as well as in various signs and prohibitions, including those in force during their conduct. Let's consider what matters can not be done on church holidays, why and where exactly these prohibitions came from.
Orthodoxy and Paganism
Before Vladimir Krasno Solnyshko consecrated Russia, the principality was pagan. It was characterized by polytheism and not by self-isolation from the natural world.
An ardent pagan before, Vladimir suddenly saw the true faith in Christianity. He began to spread Orthodoxy throughout Russia.
But is it possible that paganism is completely rooted out of the Russian people? Of course not. It lives not only in the signs passed down from generation to generation, but also in the church itself.
Paganism gradually settled in a new culture.And to this day, grandmothers speak ill, and the mistresses coax the brownies at home to keep their family hearth and protect them from various dangers. What can not be done on church holidays often coincides with pre-Christian customs in Russia, and traditional rituals such as christening, funeral, funeral are held in the church, but contain many pagan rituals.
Signs in Orthodoxy and Paganism
It turns out that no matter what was planted from above, the peopleall the same it will change it in such a way that the new will fit into his life. Changes occur both in folk traditions and in church rules simultaneously. So, faith, Orthodox and pagan, intertwine and become one. Such a synthesis is called national Christianity, and on scientific, religious syncretism.
Thus, some pagan rites and customsinfiltrate into Orthodoxy, and the church accepts this. An example is Maslenitsa, celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox, before Lent, and lasting a week.
Holiday of Ivan Kupala, falling out on the day of summerEquinox, on the other hand, the church does not recognize and tries to uproot it with its holiday - the day of the memory of John the Baptist, who baptized Jesus. However, in the people he continues to be noted along with the Orthodox. Both holidays are connected with water. Girls throw wreaths in the river, and their loved ones try to catch. In Orthodoxy, on this day, John chose baptism by washing and immersion in water.
The day of the autumn equinox coincides with the largeholiday - the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin. And the Old Believers, and the Orthodox, equally honor this holiday. Women prayed on that day to the Mother of God in the hope of getting pregnant, and the New Year was celebrated among the people. Then the burning ray in the village was extinguished and lit a new one, believing that the extinguished will take with itself all the ills and misfortunes, and the new one will give a healthy life.
Sunday
Not only Orthodoxy is intertwined with pagan faith. A vivid example in this is the command of the Roman emperor Constantine in the fourth century.
A day of rest for Christians - Sunday - isat the same time a religious holiday. People then rest. What can not be done on church holidays? There is no specific list of prohibited cases. All that can be better postponed for another day.
With a rest on Sunday also connect the pagancult of the worship of the sun. For the first time in honor of veneration of the luminary, the Roman emperor Constantine in 321 introduced a day off. There is evidence that the cult of the Sun existed long before that, and he legitimized it, setting a day of rest. It is clear that such a law was issued to win the sympathies of Christians in the empire. Christians on this day go to church for service.
Initially, after the baptism of Rus Sundaywas celebrated once for the first day of Easter. Only from the sixteenth century the day of the week was called "Sunday" in memory of Christ. Its early name - a week - began to be used instead of the word "week". This confirms that this day did not work earlier, because the "week" when dividing the word means "not doing."
Christ is the foundation of faith for the Orthodox. It was recognized that on that day the Holy Spirit was poured out on the church. This explanation was given to Christians to pray to Christ on this day and not to work.
But was this not taken from paganism when the Sun was revered?
Main Orthodox holidays
In Christianity, there are more than ten major holidays in which exact or rolling dates are set.
- The Nativity of Christ is celebrated on the seventh of January.
- Epiphany - the nineteenth of January.
- The Lord's Birth is the fifteenth of February.
- Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary - April 7.
- The Transfiguration of the Lord is on the nineteenth of August.
- The Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos is on the twenty-eighth of August.
- The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is on the twenty-first of September.
- The Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord is the twenty-seventh of September.
- The introduction to the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary - the fourth of December.
The dates of other holidays vary depending on the celebration of Easter. These days are:
- The entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem, celebrated one week before Easter.
- Easter.
- The Ascension of the Lord is on the 40th day after Easter.
- The day of the Holy Trinity or Pentecost is celebrated on the 50th day after Easter.
Solemn divine services in all these days are held in a special festive atmosphere. What can not be done on big church holidays?
Christmas - prohibitions
Both Sunday and Christmas, iflook, has its pagan roots, originating from the worship of the Sun. The ancients on this holiday aspired not to defile their soul and not to spoil their own destiny. But if it did, it was this day that served to purify and repent. And what can not the Orthodox do?
Christmas takes place during Lent, induring which Christians are not recommended to eat dairy products and meat, and eat mainly vegetables and fruits. Through the physical, a person undergoes spiritual purification.
It is also impossible to take water procedures on this day. It is thus possible to wash away sins, but it is necessary to purify oneself through prayers.
In addition, sewing, knitting, hunting and fishingare also prohibited. These are everyday duties, not holiday ones. But in paganism, such a ban was also, and spinning and any occupation with threads was dangerous because it could confuse your destiny.
Baptism - prohibitions
Scissors is the enemy number one for the Orthodox inthis day. You can not get a haircut, do a manicure, a pedicure and everything else related to them. This includes threads, classes with them and other similar cases.
On this day, in contrast to the previous holiday, it is customary to swim in a pond. In extreme cases, it is necessary to take a shower before sunrise.
Categorically you can not lie, swear and make a fuss. Otherwise, you can bring on the diseases of the oral cavity, as well as work and family problems.
From 18 to 19 January, you can not enter into an intimate relationship, as this can cause problems in dealing with your loved one.
It's amazing how these prohibitions remind people's signs.
Easter and related holidays - prohibitions
On Sunday it is forbidden to go to the cemetery and sing funeral services, but there is no categorical prohibition. It's just a day of fun and celebration, not sadness and sadness.
What can not be done on church holidays in April? What should be refrained from?
What work can not be done on church holidays in other months, the same is forbidden in this. It's about washing, cleaning and similar troubles.
People visit the temples and pray, and at Easter they sacredcolored eggs with Easter cake and other goodies. I wonder what it means to eat cakes and eggs in paganism. No matter how shocking some readers may be, it is a symbol of the male organ that the ancient Slavs praised, marking a special holiday - Pascht.
This month, other dates are celebrated. Among them is April 18, 2015, a church holiday. What can not be done for the week from April 13 to 19 and on the 18th, on the day of St. Job, the patriarch of Moscow?
The Most Holy Theotokos, the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord - prohibitions
These days it is forbidden to do things that can not be done on church holidays in general. Differences only concern people's perceptions. Here again, as always, integration of paganism into the church can be traced.
On the Annunciation you can not braid braids and do different hairstyles.
On the Assumption you can not walk barefoot, and then all diseases will be collected.
On the Holy Cross, one can not start new things,as there is a risk that they will fail; it is not good to go into the forest, because the leshy thinks that animals are on this day, and it is forbidden to see this person; be sure to close the door so that snakes do not climb into the house.
It remains only to guess what these pagan signs are related to and why they should be adhered to precisely these days.
The bottom line: what can not be done on church holidays and why
In Orthodoxy, strict prohibitions on these specialdays are gone. The ministers themselves say that if labor is necessary and at another time it is impossible to do it, then, of course, it is possible to realize this on a holiday. It is advisable, however, these days to rest. But do not just do nothing and watch TV, but go to God's house and pray.
So prescribes the church.
Folk traditions enrich the meager religious prohibitions, filling them with the wisdom and power of the Gentile ancestors.
