The month contains several important events of the year that are little known to people. Many Christians, hearing the gospel of bells ringing for worship, wondered which church holiday is celebrated on July 23, 2017? Indeed, in the church calendar there are great holidays, of which everyone knows, medium and small.
On July 23 ( Orthodox church holiday, 2017), the situation of the honest Robe of our Lord Jesus Christ in Moscow was celebrated, which happened in 1625. The solemn celebration of this event began in the 17th century and continues to this day.
What you need to know about the robes of Christ?
The Robe of Christ is one of the greatest shrines of Christianity. This is the robe of our Savior, His outer garment. The greatness of this shrine is incommensurable. The life-giving Body of the Savior touched her. Riza on the material level was an accomplice in all the bloody events of the last days of the Lord.
But it should be noted that there is a significant difference between the Honest Robe and the Chiton of the Lord. These are completely different items of clothing. Robe is the upper garment of Christ, and the tunic is the lower. The gospel clearly indicates these differences.
Mention of the Robe of the Lord
The first mention in the Gospel of the Robe of Christ is connected with a bleeding woman who suffered from her illness for 12 years and spent all her savings on treatment. She touched the robes of Christ and gained healing.
The second mention of Christ's outer garment is connected with the last tragic days of Jesus Christ, when the soldiers began to divide his Robe into 4 parts.
According to Georgian Tradition, part of the vestments of Jesus Christ was kept in Georgia. How did they get there? The warrior who guarded Christ was a Georgian, so he took his part of Riesa to Iveria (modern Georgia).
Mention of the Chiton of the Lord
Chiton was woven with her own hands by the Holy Virgin Mary - Mother of Jesus. This is part of the jesuit (woven) tunic of Jesus, which was removed from His guard during suffering. If he were torn, then he would be dismissed. Therefore, Heaton was not shared. Its future owner was determined by lot, and as a result he went to one of the guards.
In Georgia there is a Tradition according to which the lower garment of Christ was brought to Iberia by one pious Jew Eleoz from the Holy City. He saw the passion of Christ and was able to redeem Khiton from its owner and bring it to the Georgian capital Mtskheta. She was put in Svetitskhovelitsky temple. By the grace of God, even during Muslim raids and conquests, he was not touched or stolen.
Chiton of Christ the Holy Church commemorates annually on October 1. The location is celebrated on July 23 (the Orthodox holiday in 2017 was more beautiful than ever).
How did the shrine get to Moscow?
The Persian Shah revered Russian tsars from the Romanov dynasty and often sent gifts to them. In 1625, Shah Abbas 1 sent ambassadors led by Urusambek to Moscow Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich. Together with various precious gifts, a golden ark was presented with the holy Robe of Christ. Gemstones adorned this great gift.
All Muscovites, led by Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich himself and Patriarch Filaret, came out to meet the ambassadors from Persia . From the Persian Shah, they received a letter in which they said how it was in the hands of Muslims. This shrine was found in metropolitan peace during the attack on Iveria (Georgia). A particle of Riesa was tightly walled up in a cross. The Persians removed the shrine and transferred it to Russia.
Authenticity
Initially, Muscovites doubted the authenticity of this shrine. An investigation was instituted, the purpose of which was to find out whether the Persian ruler really presented the real Robe of the Lord. The metropolitan called all the Greek elders who lived in the territory of Russia and asked them to tell about what they know about this holy Riesa. They said that from her came a great many miracles and healings. In addition, the authenticity of the robe is easily proved by historical facts.
After this, the Metropolitan turned to God with fervent prayer, so that He would help dispel doubts about the authenticity of Riesa. Metropolitan Filaret declared a strict fast for the whole Orthodox people. In Holy Cross week, having prayed to God, Filaret ordered to lay the Lord’s robe on all the sick in the church. A great miracle happened - all sick people on whom this shrine was assigned received healing of their ailments. It was a confirmation from above, God Himself confirmed its authenticity.
Shrine worship
Having received an answer from God Himself, the patriarch, without hesitation, put this part of the garment of Christ in the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Moscow Kremlin. This event occurred during the week of worship of the Cross of the Lord during Lent. Since the calendar day of the Deposition was now to be held in strict office, it was decided to postpone the festival on the day of the accession to the throne of Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov. Since then, the Orthodox feast of the Church has been celebrated on July 23 - the Deposition of God.
Icon and Nail of the Lord
In memory of this event in 1627, a local icon painter painted an icon.
And in 1688 another Orthodox relic arrived to Russia - the Nail of Christ (it was they who nailed the hands or feet of the Savior to the Cross). Holy Nail also came to Moscow from Georgia. This event happened thanks to the Georgian tsar Archil Vakhtangovich, who moved to Moscow for permanent residence. The nail of Christ is in the altar of the Assumption Cathedral. It is known that when the Orthodox feast of the Orthodox Church is celebrated on July 23, the Holy Nail is also honored.
The fate of shrines today
On July 23, the Romanov dynasty established an Orthodox church holiday - the Deposition of the Lord. At first, the shrines were carefully guarded by the kings. But in godless revolutionary times, they were seized and transferred to the chambers of the Kremlin museum. And only in 2007 they were transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church by the President of Russia. Shrines with honors were placed in the casket of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
So, we answered the question, which church holiday is celebrated on July 23. You will already remember this. And yet, let's say this again. On July 23, the Orthodox holiday of the Deposition of the Lord is celebrated annually. Then the shrine triumphantly wears out from the altar of the Peter and Paul Cathedral. Believers offer their fervent prayers in front of her, and at the end of the service they bring her back to the altar. While there will be such great shrines in Russia, our country cannot be defeated, either spiritually or physically.