Holy Week. what can and should be done and what cannot

Holy Week in 2018 began on April 2 and will last until Easter. Read what you can not do these days, what you can eat, the signs and traditions of Holy Week.

Holy Week is the last few days before Easter. The Orthodox also call it Holy Week. She completes great post. In 2018 Holy Week runs from Monday 2 April to Saturday 7 April. Each of these days has a special meaning and rules of conduct. You need to know what you can do during Holy Week and what you can’t.

During Holy Week, day after day, we remember the last days of the earthly life of Jesus Christ, we have the opportunity to be witnesses of these Gospel events, to follow Christ.

During Holy Week, believers remember the suffering and martyrdom of Jesus Christ. Each of the six days of this time has its own meaning.

Holy Week - 2018: what not to do, signs and traditions

Holy Week, although formally, does not refer to Great Lent. But these days amusements, even the most innocent ones, are out of place. It is undesirable for believers to celebrate birthdays and weddings on next week. AT Holy Week you need to show humility and purity of thoughts.

Many folk traditions of Holy Week have little in common with the Orthodox canons, but rather folk customs. But they are also interesting.

Great Monday. Usually on this day they put things in order in the house: something can be tinted, something can be repaired. It was believed that the bright sun on this day would bring a good, fruitful summer. People in Russia washed themselves with water, in which they put gold and silver jewelry. This helped, according to beliefs, to preserve youth and financial well-being.

Maundy Tuesday. Festive clothes for the Bright Sunday of Christ were prepared on Maundy Tuesday. On the same day, they continued to put the house in order, they could organize laundry.

Great Wednesday. General cleaning was started on Great Wednesday and could continue on Clean Thursday.

Clean Thursday. On Thursday of Holy Week, a passionate candle was brought from the church, which helped in the treatment of diseases. On the same day, you can cook the so-called thursday salt, which has healing properties for both the person and the relationship. To do this, ordinary salt is placed in the oven or oven for 10 minutes, and then consecrated. Also on Maundy Thursday, housewives painted and painted eggs and prepared curd Easter.

Good Friday. On Good Friday, candles were bought in the church and burned throughout the day in all rooms of the dwelling. Easter cakes are baked on the same day. Before cooking, you need to read "Our Father".

Holy Saturday. On Great Saturday, all believers mourn for the Savior. This day you should especially refrain from fun, intimate relationships, alcohol. The consecration of Easter cakes and Easter is performed in churches. Finally, on Saturday night, everyone gathers in the temple for Easter procession, Easter service and Liturgy.

If it is not possible to defend the Vespers, then it is still better not to go to bed. It is believed that this can bring good luck.

• See also: 3

Holy week 2018: what you can eat by day

All fasting restrictions apply to Holy Week 2018. Moreover, during Holy Week, the Orthodox try to fast more strictly than they fasted throughout Great Lent. For example, on Good Friday adults healthy people do not eat at all until the evening service.

Naturally, during the whole week you can not eat food of animal origin: meat, milk and dairy products, eggs and dishes from these components. Alcohol is strictly prohibited. Chocolate is undesirable - it may contain animal products. Baking - only lean and without the use of vegetable oil.

April 2, 2018, Holy Monday - Monastic charter: dry eating (bread, vegetables, fruits);

April 3, 2018, Holy Tuesday - Monastic charter: dry eating (bread, vegetables, fruits);

April 4, 2018, Great Wednesday - Monastic charter: dry eating (bread, vegetables, fruits);

April 5, 2018, Great Thursday. Remembrance of the Last Supper - Monastery charter: dry eating (bread, vegetables, fruits);

April 6, 2018, Great Heel. Commemoration of the Holy Saving Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ - According to the monastery charter - complete abstinence from food;

April 7, 2018, Great Saturday. Annunciation Holy Mother of God. – Wine is allowed at the meal (fish and oil are not allowed);

And yet fasting all sorts of restrictions on Holy Week is not an end in itself. Orthodox priests say that all this is done in order to try to feel and understand that Christ is somewhere very close. That His suffering and resurrection is something quite modern and relevant. It's not about ancient history, this is about us. When you manage to feel it at least a little bit, then all questions about what can and cannot be done during Holy Week disappear.

Holy Week is the final seven days of Lent. At the end of this week, believers celebrate the bright holiday of Easter. Holy Week is a mournful time, telling us about suffering and last days life of Jesus Christ. The week starts from Monday. The rules of conduct on these seven days remain the same from year to year.

Many are wondering what restrictions there are at this time, what is allowed to do. By folk omens you can’t knit, chop wood, sew, you must try to comply with the rules of fasting as much as possible and abandon festive festivities and amusements.

Since ancient times, it has been distributed in Russia every day what can be done around the house on the eve of the holiday, when to go to church. Most of prohibitions apply to food.

Monday

After Palm Sunday comes the first day of Passion Week - Great Monday. On this day, you should try to refuse to eat before sunset. Food restrictions are very strict, but at the same time, this is a sign that Easter is very close.

On Monday, you need to start cleaning the house in order to have time to complete all the preparations for the holiday before Friday. On Great Monday, prayers are held in churches, in which the rite of chrismation begins. Resins, herbs and olive oil are used to prepare a special mixture (miro). Miro is further used for chrismation, which completes the sacrament of baptism. Miro is prepared only once a year, from Monday to Wednesday of Holy Week. It is consecrated on Maundy Thursday.

Tuesday

Strict fasting continues. On this day, the cleaning of the house continues, in without fail on Tuesday, all matters related to work with threads, needles and fabrics must be completed.

By Easter, from Tuesday, you can buy all the necessary products. On Tuesday, believers remember what Jesus taught the people in Jerusalem, all his instructions and commandments.

Wednesday

On Wednesday, preparations for Easter continue, the house is cleaned and tidy, you can start painting eggs and kneading dough for Easter cakes. Do not forget that on Friday you can no longer do any household chores and food preparations, then you are allowed to continue preparing only on Saturday, so you can redo some of the work on Wednesday to make your pre-holiday days easier.

Holy Wednesday is considered the day of confession. It was on this day that Judas decided to betray Jesus Christ.

Thursday

Maundy Thursday in a different way is called Clean by the people. This day is full of different traditions and rituals. On Thursday, the entire spring-cleaning, washed windows, washed all textiles. Cleaning, which is held on Thursday, according to legend, helps to find long-lost things.

According to folk signs, on Maundy Thursday it is worth conducting money rituals. To attract money to the family, you need to throw a handful of coins into the water, and then clean the house with this water. When you finish cleaning the house, do not forget to swim yourself on this day. Church traditions on this day are associated with the memory of the Last Vespers, at which Jesus told his disciples that one of them would betray him, and he would then be crucified. But then he will rise again so that the whole world will know that there is eternal life.

Friday

A very sad and sad day, because it was at this time that Jesus was crucified on the cross. On Good Friday, you should not eat anything until the service itself, you can only drink water. A must-attend evening service is required.

Any household work is prohibited. You should not clean or cook, you should give up entertainment and celebrations.

Saturday

This day will turn out to be the most troublesome for housewives, because today it is necessary to bake Easter cakes, paint eggs. On Saturday they are illuminated. Finish cooking for festive table. On Saturday evening, believers go to church, where they meet the onset of Easter during the night service.

The Orthodox Christians. How should one fast in the last week before Easter, and who should not severely limit their diet?

Rules of Holy Week

Lenten Holy Week- the time when believers practice not only the rejection of certain types of products, but also from bad habits, excessive fun, sinful thoughts and passions. The purpose of this abstinence is to bring the body and soul under the control of the holy spirit. And manifestations of anger and despondency these days are also unacceptable, like drinking alcohol and eating meat.

What to eat on Holy Week

According to tradition, bread, mushrooms, pickled, dried and fresh vegetables and fruits can be eaten. Only cold teas, infusions and water are allowed as drinks. Dairy products, eggs, fish are also banned, and only honey is allowed from sweet foods. The number of meals is reduced to once a day - in the evening.

Monday- not thermally processed fruits and vegetables, bread, water (dry food).

Tuesday and Wednesday- the same diet.

Thursday- a slight indulgence in the form of two warm meals a day, seasoned with vegetable oil. A small amount of wine is allowed.

Friday(passionate) - a day of remembrance of the painful death of the Savior on the Cross. This is the strictest day of Great Lent, when believers do not eat anything until the second half of the day (before the removal of the shroud - a symbol of the removal from the Cross of Jesus) and drink only water. In the afternoon, you can eat some bread.

Saturday- according to the canon, it is forbidden to eat any food, and you can only drink water.

Food Calendar for Holy Week 2017

Do's and Don'ts during Holy Week

Every day of this week, special services are held in all churches. During this period, it is not recommended to have fun noisily, sing and dance. Time before bright holiday Easter should be devoted to repentance, spiritual cleansing, prayers and reflections.

• Great Monday- the day of completion of all work in the house related to repairs, painting or other major matters.
• Maundy Tuesday- the day of completion of all work related to putting clothes in order (washing, ironing, darning, etc.) and other household items.
• Great Wednesday- the day when the last garbage is taken out of the living quarters, everything necessary for coloring the eggs is prepared.
• Clean Thursday- it is believed that on this day before sunrise, water has healing powers, and bathing on this day helps to quickly get rid of the disease and gain strength for the sick and weakened, and makes all other people even healthier. On this day, they put their housing in order, and also start cooking. Easter cakes. In order for the baking to turn out successful, before kneading the dough, you should cleanse the soul and the space around by reading a prayer.
• Good Friday- on this day, all household chores are stopped until the onset of Saturday. At the same time, one should refrain from attending entertainment events, spend the day in prayers and reflections.
• Holy Saturday- a day of preparing dishes for a festive feast and painting Easter eggs.
• - the day the end of fasting and the beginning of the celebration of Easter.

How useful is the post?

The system of alternating meat-eaters and fasting has existed for many centuries and has an important meaning: it is believed that the transition from meat to lean food, as well as vice versa, can stimulate the cleansing of the body from decay products, which in turn increases its defenses.

Every year, the environmental conditions of human habitation on the whole planet change not in better side. Heavy metals, toxic gases and other foreign substances in the air, products, household items and everything that surrounds us - a consequence of the development of technological progress. All this accumulates and gradually poisons our body.

In addition, a monotonous, excessive and unhealthy diet, a sedentary lifestyle, and many bad habits make their contribution. All these factors lead to failure gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular and other systems of the body, its immunity decreases, making us more vulnerable to various diseases.

Inclusion in your diet during fasting lean and plant foods, rich in vitamins, useful trace elements and natural fiber allows you to:

gently and painlessly cleanse the body of a significant proportion harmful substances,

remove excess moisture

reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels,

maintain normal body weight

improve health,

improve your physical and psychological condition,

increase the body's resistance.

It is no secret that in the last decade there have been more young people suffering from impaired glucose utilization in the body. The consequences of this are an increase in body weight (obesity), the development of health problems such as diabetes, hypertension (increased blood pressure), infertility and many other troubles.

Go to proper nutrition and observance of fasts are in perfect ways avoid such formidable complications, improve your well-being and even prolong life.

If you think you can't stand the strict requirements of abstaining from normal eating, you can start to restrict gradually. For example, in one of the fasts, refuse to eat meat products, continuing to eat fish and dairy foods. Then eliminate fish and eggs from the diet, and next time also dairy products. At the same time, you will see that it is quite within your power, as well as what positive result can be obtained by observing the post.

Who should not fast?

During fasting, the composition of the blood improves, the work of all internal organs improves, this has a beneficial effect on well-being and, in general, on human health. That is why the healing power of fasting has been known since ancient times. However, strict abstinence in nutrition, as recommended by church canons, is not suitable for everyone.

A certain group of people should be aware of precautionary measures so that instead of healing, they do not harm their health and do not provoke exacerbations of existing diseases.

Strict observance of fasting will only benefit those who do not have serious health problems. Unfortunately, there are not many such people. In order not to harm your body, allow yourself small indulgences. After all, fanatical adherence to strict church rules can sometimes cause even more damage to health than when a person does not fast at all.

That is why pregnant and lactating women, sick and weakened people, children under the age of seven, as well as those who often travel or whose work is associated with heavy physical exertion, can fast less strictly than other people.

For example, you can increase the number of meals by keeping the diet predominantly plant foods. And for people suffering from chronic diseases, it is better to first consult with your doctor, who knows all the details from your history.

Dietary restrictions during illness

As already mentioned, excessive zeal in fasting is not shown to everyone, especially when there are any ailments. Consider what is not advised to do with some of them.

Anemia of a different nature. With this problem, you should not give up meat, which is useful product for such people. But it is better to cook it in such a way as to preserve all its useful properties as much as possible.

Infectious diseases. Those whose body is weakened by any of infectious diseases, fasting can only bring harm. Continue to eat well until full recovery of strength, taking into account the recommendations of your doctor.

With a lack of enzymes in the process of digestion (pancreatitis, cholecystitis, biliary dyskinesia), switching to lean food can cause a lot of discomfort. Especially do not adhere to fasting during periods of exacerbation of such diseases. Before you start fasting, consult your doctor, who will give appropriate recommendations.

For example:

1. If your disease is chronic, then in the morning you should drink a glass of boiling water in small sips with the addition of one teaspoon of lemon juice. This simple drink will help relax the bile ducts, helping to release the amount of bile necessary for normal digestion.

2. If lemon juice does not suit you for any reason, then it can be replaced with olive oil. Simply roll a teaspoon of oil in your mouth with your tongue for five minutes, after which you can spit it out. This stimulates the reflex opening of the bile ducts, after which the liver is activated.

3. More good way- Chew 5 lightly salted olives with pits. It also stimulates the ejection a large number stagnant bile, which will help better digestion of food.

Chronic pancreatitis- the use of such heavily digested foods as mushrooms requires special care in this disease.

People who, by profession or other reasons, are forced to spend a lot of time in a stationary state often suffer from constipation during the beginning of the fast. To avoid discomfort, calcine wheat bran in the oven and add them a tablespoon to the first and second course. You can also sprinkle them on a sandwich or as a side dish. This will give your body required amount B vitamins and natural fiber, which stimulates the intestines.

For such people, only meat products are excluded from the diet during fasting. As for cottage cheese, cheese and other dairy products, as well as fish, their presence in the diet is necessary. In diabetes, strict fasting is strictly prohibited.

Lack of calcium in the body. With diagnosed osteoporosis, healing of fractures, pregnancy, cottage cheese, hard cheeses and other dairy products are excellent suppliers of calcium. Therefore, they should not be excluded from the diet during fasting.

Dysbacteriosis. After taking antibacterial drugs, the intestinal flora needs to be replenished with lactic acid bacteria. Therefore, doctors do not recommend excluding dairy products from the diet.

Immediately after the end of Palm Sunday, the last week before Easter begins, which is called Passion. Each day of this week is called the Great - since it was on these days that events took place that were of particular importance in Orthodox Christianity: The Last Supper, the betrayal of Judas, the crucifixion of Christ - and then - his Resurrection. Therefore, every day has its own, special, and even mystical meaning.

Let's take a look at what can and cannot be done these days before Easter, and what signs and traditions exist.

Do's and Don'ts during Holy Week

Great Monday. Finished everything repair work around the house, removed construction debris, took out old, unnecessary things.

Great Tuesday. Finished repairing clothes, sewing, cutting, darning, ironing and the like. The melt water collected this year was used to wash livestock to protect them from diseases.

Great Wednesday. At night, from Tuesday to Wednesday, they took water from a river or well into a large jug or mug, and made the sign of the cross three times. At two o'clock in the morning they watered themselves with this water, leaving a little at the bottom, signing themselves with a cross three times. Clean clothes were put on a wet body, and the rest of the water was poured under a tree or bush. This meant the birth of a washed body and, according to signs, protected from diseases for the whole year.

Maundy Thursday - or Maundy Thursday. Clean Thursday in 2017 falls on April 13th. Maundy Thursday or Maundy Thursday is the fourth day of Holy Week, the strictest week of Great Lent.

Bathing is of symbolic importance on Maundy Thursday, on this day you need to wake up before sunrise and have time to swim. It is believed that in this way, as in Epiphany bathing, a person washes away all sins from himself, and all ailments and illnesses will bypass him.

On Clean Thursday, you need to go to church for confession and communion. On this day, according to customs, it is customary to do a general cleaning at home before Easter. It is after going to church on a clean Thursday that you need to clean the house.

You need to clean up very carefully, not superficially - you should wash all the objects in the house, including the ceilings. There is a sign that if it is good to clean the house on a clean Thursday, then the whole next year the house will be clean. Again, cleanliness in the home will reflect the inner purity of the soul of a believing Christian.

In addition, it is necessary to wash all textiles and prepare traditional Easter food: Easter cakes and colored eggs.

Customs and signs for Clean Thursday

1. Preparation of Thursday salt. Each family member should take a handful of salt with clean hands and pour all the salt into a common pot. Every time the house is cleaned, salt should be added to the water to wash the floors. It is believed that this custom helps to improve the atmosphere in the house.

After the grand cleaning carried out on Maundy Thursday, houses are not swept and cleaned according to customs until Easter itself.

2. The most famous sign on Maundy Thursday is to count money three times - in the morning before dawn, at lunchtime and at sunset. It is believed that in this way money will not be transferred in the house.

3. Another one of the signs of Pure Thursday is associated with Easter baking - if the treat turns out to be heavy and loose, then the believer will have to wait for the same year.

4. On Maundy Thursday, children's hair and women's hair ends are also cut - it is believed that from this they will grow better and be lush.

5. Women who are unhappy in their personal lives are ordered to go waist-deep into the river on Thursday night. It used to be that such a woman would soon meet her betrothed and her personal life would improve.

6. On Clean Thursday, you can plot for a good income. To do this, you need to throw a handful of coins into the water that you are going to wash the apartment while saying: “Money, get drunk - don’t transfer, grow, multiply, don’t get the enemy!”

On this day, they completed the cleaning in the house - they washed everything clean.

There are quite a few prohibitions associated with Good Friday, so you can often hear the question: is it possible to work on this day? A detailed answer to it, as well as the comments of the clergyman, are given in the article.

Good, or Good, Friday is the day when Christ was judged, after which the Savior was crucified and died on the cross. It is believed that on the same day the body of Jesus was removed from the cross and buried.

The death of Christ was a very tragic event. The Bible says that as soon as he died, the stones next to the cross split, and during the day it became dark as night. The crowd of people shuddered, and many of them sincerely believed that Jesus really was the Son of God, and not a common fraud, as his accusers believed.

However, the tragedy of history lies not so much in these upheavals, but in the fact that, in fact, so many people betrayed the Savior. Not even a week had passed before the crowd enthusiastically welcomed his entry into Jerusalem on a donkey (today Palm Sunday is celebrated in honor of this). And on Friday, during the trial of Pontius Pilate, many of them shouted in a fit of rage: “Crucify him!”

The story is detailed in all four gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Here short description events of that day, which happened about 2000 years ago: the judgment of the Lord and his execution.

Is it possible to work and do household chores

If possible, on such a day, one should refrain from both work and any habitual activities that take up a lot of time. For example, these are all kinds of household chores - general cleaning, washing, sewing, ironing, feasts, visiting and receiving guests, etc. It is obvious that each business gradually absorbs a person, because of which it is very difficult for him to concentrate on spiritual reflections and honoring the memory of Christ.

However, we can't always afford to devote the whole day to God. And in many cases, it's not the fault of the person. If Good Friday falls on a normal working day (and it usually does), we simply have to accept this situation and go to work. However, you should definitely visit the temple, offer a prayer and read the relevant places in the Bible.

GOOD FRIDAY IS A OFF?

Interestingly, in some countries, in connection with Easter, not one, but 4 days off are established at once: from Friday to Monday, residents of 15 countries have a rest:

• Germany;
• Italy;
• Lithuania;
• Latvia;
• Slovakia;
• Spain;
• Austria;
• Portugal;
• Great Britain;
• Australia;
• Switzerland;
• Slovenia;
• Croatia;
• Finland;
• Sweden.

Is it possible to work on the Friday before Easter - the priest's answer

So, there is no strict ban on work on this day. On the other hand, it is clear that in mournful hours a believer should concentrate as much as possible on the memory of Christ and his sufferings (passions). That's why you should do your best to at least visit the church.

The corresponding commentary is given by the rector of the church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

NOTE

Of course, Good Friday in our country does not apply to days off. Therefore, it is definitely necessary to go to work: this is the duty of every person, from which it is impossible to get rid of.

And even Christ once said: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." This means that we cannot withdraw from earthly affairs, and even more so we must not oppose the social order.

That is why the answer to the question of whether it is possible to work on Good Friday is unequivocal: if you must do it, then so be it.

What to do if there is no time to visit the temple

Unfortunately, life very often puts before us such requirements, the failure to comply with which is fraught with serious consequences. How to be a person who, for example, works hard shift schedule and goes to his usual service for the whole day? What to do if it is on Good Friday that you need to sit with a sick child, take him to the doctor?

Of course, each of us can act according to his own conscience and taking into account the real circumstances. This means that we ourselves are able to determine whether we can go to the temple today or objectively there is no such possibility.

Of course, it is important to do everything possible to attend a church service. You can, for example, change in advance or even take a day off or vacation. But if it’s completely impossible to visit the church, a believer can read the canons from the service, as well as those places in the Bible that describe the story of the crucifixion of Christ (below is the answer of the rector Vsevolod Chaplin again).

What to read on Good Friday at home

So, if you didn’t have the opportunity to visit the temple and attend the service, you can read at home those canons that are read in the temple on Good Friday:

What to do on Good Friday

So, there is no specific prohibition on whether it is possible to work on the last Friday before Easter. Of course, it is preferable to pay attention to God all day, reading the Bible. And at least - it is important to visit the temple.

However, even if there is no time at all, it is useful to know what you should categorically refuse on Good Friday:

1. Obviously, on Good Friday, Great Saturday and Bright Sunday itself, you should not get annoyed, swear, which means you don’t need to start a showdown. There are other days for this - why then darken the memory of Christ and the feast of Easter?
2. You should not take alcohol, arrange and participate in feasts, parties. If a birthday falls on this day, it is better to postpone it or celebrate it as modestly as possible.
3. Spouses are advised to give up mutual pleasures. There is no strict ban on intimacy, but it is intuitively clear that the remembrance of Christ, participation in his suffering does not imply any carnal pleasures.
4. Of course, it is worth excluding any idle talk, gossip, lengthy reasoning, jokes. Good Friday is a day of remembrance and mourning. And any lively communication can simply dispel the atmosphere of sacred veneration of the deceased Savior.

What to eat on Good Friday

Finally, those who observe Great Lent know that on Good Friday it is prescribed not to eat any food until the shroud is taken out of the church (this happens at about 3 pm, that is, after dinner). And then you can eat only bread all day long (any, but not sweet pastries) and drink water. Such a ban lasts until Sunday night, when, after the service, believers joyfully exclaim: “Christ is risen! He has truly risen!" Of course, such a strict ban does not apply to people with poor health, children, the elderly, as well as those who work physically and can simply lose strength from starvation.

Thus, there is no strict prohibition on whether it is possible to work in good friday to do housework and other daily chores. Of course, life does not end on this day. However, it should be borne in mind that Good Friday is a special time. And we must do our best to share the suffering of Christ and pay tribute to the Savior.