In addition to Easter as the dominant Christian holiday, in our culture there are 12 more great Orthodox holidays, called the twenties. What are these holidays and how are they traditionally celebrated? You will learn about this from this article.
Hierarchy of holidays in orthodox Christianity
Easter - a sign of the eternal victory of life over death - is in this hierarchy of holidays one step higher than the rest. This is the most important holiday of the Christian tradition. Further down the hierarchy are the great and twelve great Orthodox holidays. In total, 17 holidays fall into the category of great ones. The following dates are considered to be undaunted greats:
- The Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a holiday that occurs in the Orthodox world on October 14th. Connected with the vision of St. Andrew the Holy One of Constantinople. At the time when Constantinople was under siege, the Mother of God appeared to Andrew, spreading a blanket over the city from her head, the city was saved.
- Circumcision of the Lord - while we celebrate the last New Year holidays on January 14, a service is being held in the church in memory of this event, as well as in honor of Basil the Great, one of the so-called Church Fathers.
- The Orthodox Church celebrates the birth of John the Baptist (Forerunner) on July 7, the day we know as Ivan Kupala. It is associated with the wonderful birth of John the Baptist six months before Jesus.
- The Day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, which is popularly known simply as Peter the Day, is celebrated on July 12. Officially, on the Day of Peter and Paul, the memory of the acceptance of martyrdom by the apostles is honored, and for the common people this day symbolizes a complete transition to summer.
- The truncation of the head of John the Baptist in the Russian tradition is celebrated on September 11. On this day, they remember the martyrdom of John the Baptist, and also remember the soldiers who fell in the battle for the fatherland.
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin
In the orthodox tradition, the birth of the Virgin Mother is celebrated on September 21. Her parents, Joachim and Anna, have already come to terms with the idea of not leaving offspring - it is believed that both were already over 70 when Mary was born. Her birth is associated with the stay of Joachim in the desert, where he retired to ask the Lord for procreation. In a dream, an angel appeared to him and announced that he would soon have a daughter. And the truth is - having returned to the city, Joachim met Anna, hurrying to meet him with joyful news.
This holiday is called to glorify the Virgin as the protector and intercessor of all people before God. In the national calendar, he is associated with the advent of autumn, harvesting and the end of all summer work.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross
This holiday is associated with one of the main Christian symbols - the cross on which the Son of God passed the test of death. And the Byzantine Empress Helen contributed to his appearance in the middle of the 4th century. Already at a fairly advanced age (according to historians, she was about 80 years old), the mother of Emperor Constantine decides to go to Jerusalem in search of lost Christian relics. As a result of excavations on Mount Golgotha, they found not only the cross, but also the cave in which Christ was buried.
The date of the celebration was set in September 335, after the temple of the Resurrection of Christ was consecrated in Jerusalem. The orthodox world celebrates on September 27, observing strict fasting and not doing hard work. The people also believe that from this day the birds begin to fly south, and the snakes crawl away into the holes for the winter.
Introduction to the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Orthodox feast of the Entry into the temple is celebrated on December 4th. It is dedicated to an episode from the life of the Virgin Mary - at the age of three, pious parents brought her to the Jerusalem temple to fulfill God's covenant - to devote the life of her daughter to God. In all interpretations of this story they say that little Mary entered the temple unusually confidently, as if already knowing that she would play a great role in this religion. Maria did not return home to her parents - she lived in the church until she was 12 years old, until the angel Gabriel brought her the news of the extraordinary fate that was bestowed on her.
In folk tradition, this holiday is called the Introduction. He was associated with the arrival of winter - it was from this day that winter festivities and sleigh rides began. It was also worth forgetting about field work until spring - the peasants believed that it was better not to disturb the land after the Introduction.
Nativity
Of all twelve, the great Orthodox holiday of Christmas is considered the most significant. In the western tradition it is customary to celebrate it on December 25, and in our country on January 7.
The birth of Jesus took place in the city of Bethlehem, Joseph's hometown. He arrived here with a pregnant Maria, but there was no place for them in the hotel. Travelers had to settle in a cave. When Mary felt the approach of childbirth, Joseph hastened in search of a midwife. He managed to find a woman named Salome, together they went back to the cave. The first thing they saw in the cave was the bright light that flooded the whole space. Gradually, the light faded - and Mary appeared with a baby sitting in her arms. At this time, a star of extraordinary brightness rose over Bethlehem, notifying the world of the arrival of the Son of God.
It is believed that every great Orthodox holiday gives kindness in the heart, but Christmas especially. On Christmas Eve, it is customary for the whole family to gather at the festive table - in the folk tradition, it should have twelve dishes.
Historians believe that it is not known exactly what time of year Jesus was born. It is believed that the date of the great Orthodox holiday of Christmas is associated with more ancient holidays dedicated to the winter solstice (December 21 or 22). This holiday is preceded by a forty-day fast beginning on November 27th.
Epiphany
The second largest holiday of the Orthodox Church after Christmas is the Baptism of the Lord. It is celebrated on January 19th - we all know about the folk tradition of swimming in the ice hole that day. However, the church and historians unanimously argue that this tradition is not as ancient and primordial as it seems, but acquired a mass character only in the 80s - as a symbol of the country's return to religion.
This festival is associated with an episode from the life of Christ, which is traditionally considered the beginning of his ministry. At the age of 30, Jesus went through the sacrament of baptism in the Jordan River. The person who baptized the Son of God was John the Baptist. When Christ came ashore, the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the guise of a dove, and from heaven came the voice of God the father, announcing the appearance of God the son. Thus, the Lord manifested himself in his trinity. Therefore, Baptism among the great holidays of the Orthodox Church is also known as the Epiphany. In the Catholic tradition, the Epiphany is associated with Christmas and the offering of the Magi.
Meeting of the Lord
From the Old Slavonic language, the Meeting can be interpreted as the word “meeting” - the church believes that it was on this day that humanity met with Jesus Christ. This great Orthodox holiday is celebrated on February 15, forty days after Christmas. On this day, Mary and Joseph first brought little Jesus to the temple, where he was received by Saint Simeon the God-Receiver. There is a separate legend about Simeon - he was one of seventy scholars who translated Holy Scripture from Hebrew to Greek. The record of the Virgin, which is supposed to conceive and give birth to a son, embarrassed Simeon, he decided to correct the mistake of an unknown scribe: this is the Wife should give birth, not Virgo. But at that moment an angel appeared in the room and said that such a thing would really happen one day. The Lord will not let the old man die until he personally sees this miracle. When the day finally came to meet the baby Jesus, Simeon was already about 360 years old — a righteous old man had been waiting all his life for a meeting with the human incarnation of God.
Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Feast of the Annunciation is a symbol of hope and expectation. On this day, April 7, the appearance of Mary the archangel Gabriel, who brought her the good news with the words: “Rejoice, Grace! The Lord is with you; blessed are you between wives, ”- this line subsequently entered into many prayers dedicated to the Virgin. As a passing holiday, the Annunciation often wedges itself into the number of Orthodox holidays during Lent. In this case, the fasting people are incredibly lucky - in honor of the holiday a slight relaxation is allowed in the form of animal food (not just meat, but fish).
Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem
There is still a week before Easter, and the world is already beginning to celebrate and honor the memory of the acts of Christ this week. Popularly, this date is known as Palm Sunday - the great Orthodox holiday. On this day, Jesus solemnly entered Jerusalem, choosing a donkey as a riding animal - as a sign that he had arrived in peace. The people greeted him as the Messiah, laying palm branches on the road - later they became the main symbols of this holiday. Since palm trees do not grow in our latitudes, the branches were replaced by willow ones.
Many folk traditions are associated with this day. It was customary to keep branches in the church and then store them in the house all year, so that success and prosperity did not leave it. Also, the willow gently hit each other, saying: "I do not hit - the willow hits." Since this Orthodox holiday in Lent is modestly celebrated, the main meal of the feast could be fish, but not meat.
Ascension of the Lord
When Easter is over and another forty days have passed, Orthodox Christians celebrate Ascension. This day is one of the great twelve feasts of the Orthodox Church. The image of Christ ascended into heaven recalls the prevalence of the ideal divine nature over the imperfect human. Until this day, all Orthodox can be congratulated on the feast of the Great Easter with the words "Christ is Risen!", But after the Ascension Day ends, the church already forbids Christ.
Having risen, Jesus Christ preached for another forty days, and then gathered his disciples-apostles and ascended to heaven, bequeathing that he would appear for the second time (this is considered the promise of the second coming) and that the Holy Spirit would also descend on the apostles - this happened ten days later.
Day of the Holy Trinity
Another ten days after the Ascension and fifty after Easter, when the Orthodox world celebrates the next great Orthodox holiday. In a simple way, it is also called the Trinity, Pentecost. The event that led to this holiday is condescension to the apostles of the Holy Spirit. When all twelve were assembled, a gust of wind suddenly flashed and enveloped the apostles in flames. The Holy Spirit so vividly declared itself. From that day on, the disciples of Jesus gained the ability to understand hitherto unknown languages and dialects, and most importantly, to speak them. This blessing was given to them in order to spread the word of God throughout the world, so that the apostles went to preach among the countries.
In the folk tradition, the Trinity completed a series of spring holidays - after it the summer season already began. They thoroughly prepared for this holiday - a few days before it, the housewives cleaned the house, trying to get rid of unnecessary things, and the garden and vegetable garden were cleaned of weeds. They tried to decorate their home with bunches of herbs and flowers, as well as tree branches - it was believed that this would bring good luck and prosperity to all its inhabitants. In the morning we went to church to serve, and in the evening festivities began. Young people were ordered to be careful these days - after all, mermaids and mawks came out of forests and fields in order to lure guys into their nets.
Transfiguration
The Feast of the Transfiguration is associated with a small episode in the life of Christ. Taking with him three disciples — James, John, and Peter — Jesus climbed Mount Tabor for conversation and prayer. But as soon as they climbed to the top, a miracle happened - Jesus ascended above the earth, his clothes became white, and his face shone like the sun. Next to him appeared the images of the Old Testament prophets Moses and Elijah, and from heaven came the voice of God announcing his son.
Transfiguration is celebrated on August 19. This great Orthodox holiday in the folk tradition is called Apple Savior (the second after Honey). It was believed that from this day on, autumn begins to take over. Many of the customs of this day are associated with the collection of apples and fruits in general - before the Savior, the fruits were considered immature. Ideally, the crop should have been blessed in the church. Then apples could be consumed without restrictions.
Assumption of the Virgin
The celebration of the Assumption of the Virgin is associated with the end of the earthly life of the Virgin Mary and the ascension of her soul and body to heaven. The word “assumption” can be interpreted more as “dream” than “death” - in this regard, the name of the holiday reflects the attitude of Christianity to death as a transition to another world and testifies to the divine nature of Mary herself.
This great Orthodox holiday is celebrated on August 28, although it is not known for certain in which year and on what day the Virgin Mary departed to another world. In folk tradition, this day is called Roasting - it is associated with the end of the harvest.