In the Church Slavonic language, the word “week” fully corresponds to the usual “week” option. But there is one caveat: our ancestors did not call the word “week” all seven days, but only one of them — the one we now call Sunday. A seven-day countdown began with him, and on that day it was fitting to rest. The word "week" and came from "do not", that is, to rest. The week was called the whole cycle of seven days. In addition to regular weeks, there are special ones in the Orthodox calendar. Let's talk about them.
Weekly one-day posts
First of all, we learn about what constitutes a continuous week. What is the week, we found out, but what is the meaning of the word "solid"? To understand this, we will make a small digression, referring to the church charter. The fact is that during the week (week) he prescribes the observance of two one-day posts.
The first of them is on Wednesday. This is the day when Judas Iscariot appeared to the high priests and invited them to betray Jesus Christ for a fee. In memory of the sad day, Orthodox Christians fast on Wednesday.
A second one-day fast is scheduled for Friday. It is set in memory of the greatest event - on this day Jesus Christ was crucified. So, throughout the year, all Orthodox people observe fasting two days a week. The week in this case is normal.
Five solid weeks
There are weeks in which you can eat the fast-food all seven days in a row. This is what is called a “solid week”. What is Christmas, probably everyone knows. This is the time from the Nativity of Christ to the Epiphany. It was during this period that the first solid week of the year was included. There are five of them. Two weeks before the beginning of Lent, a continuous week was established, which is called the week of the publican and the Pharisee. Before the beginning of Lent - cheese seven days. They are popularly called Shrovetide. This is also a solid week, but on these days meat is excluded from the diet.
After the joyful spring holiday of Easter, another comes - Easter, or bright week. After completing the long weeks of fasting, the church gives us the opportunity to replenish our strength. And, finally, the last solid week of the year - Troitskaya. She follows immediately after the festival of the Trinity. And this is no coincidence. It is in order to highlight the day on which God first revealed his trinity at the baptism of Jesus Christ in Jordan, and a complete week was established.
What is Holy Week?
Forty days of Lent, commemorating the time spent by our Lord in the wilderness, are ending. There is a week left until the bright Sunday of Christ. These are the last 7 days of the Savior's earthly life. The events that filled it are so important and dramatic that the whole week is called the Great Week. She is also called Passionate, that is, filled with suffering. This refers to the atoning torment suffered by the Savior during these days.
Days of the Great Week
The names of the six days of this week begin with the word "great." On Great Monday, the church recalls the miracle of draining a barren fig tree. In doing so, she gives an example of the faith and power of prayer, as well as the doom of all and all who do not bear the fruits of Christ's teachings. On Great Tuesday, Christ, having come to the temple, teaches a lot, instructs the congregation. The high priests and elders want to seize Him, but do not dare. On Great Wednesday, I recall the liberation of a certain woman on the head of Christ of the precious world, as well as the collusion of Judah with the high priests.
Maundy Thursday is eventful. This is the Last Supper, and the washing by Christ of the feet of his disciples, and the dramatic events in the Garden of Gethsemane, and all that followed. Good Friday is the day of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, His great atoning sacrifice. The next Great Saturday is the day when the Savior brought all the Old Testament righteous from the depths of hell, destroying it and opening all the way to eternal life.
In this article, we examined what a solid week is, what is a Holy Week, what is the meaning of the church in them. These are very important concepts, without which it is impossible to fully perform the annual circle of services.