Many believers often wonder if it is possible to work during church holidays. The answer in this case cannot be unambiguous, since it depends on various factors.
Commandments of the Old
If you are guided by what is written in the Old Testament, then the fourth commandment states that the Sabbath day should be held holy and dedicated to the Lord. The remaining six days of the week must be devoted to work.
According to this commandment received by Moses from God on Mount Sinai, once a week there should be a day to relax from everyday troubles, when you need to devote your thoughts and deeds to the Lord, attend church and temple, study the Word of God.
What does the New Testament say?
New Testament texts call Sunday that day, which became a day for believers when it’s not worth working, but it’s better to visit a church and pray. But given the pace of modern life, few people manage to step aside from performing a variety of tasks, therefore, people continue to deal with current issues on the day off.
Why can’t you work on church holidays?
Nevertheless, there are periods when believers try to postpone all things - these are church holidays. It is believed by the people that working these days is a sin, since they are dedicated to saints and Bible events that should be read.
A person who violates the tradition and precepts of the New Testament will face punishment. Therefore, Christians try to refrain from working on the main (twelve) church holidays.
What church holidays can not work?
Particularly a great sin is considered to be work on big church holidays, among which
January 7: Christmas - the appearance of the Son of God in the light;
January 19: Epiphany (better known as the Baptism of the Lord);
February 15: The Meeting of the Lord - the meeting of Jesus Christ in the Jerusalem Temple with Simeon the God-Receiver;
April 7: Annunciation - on this day the archangel Gabriel informed the Blessed Virgin Mary of the imminent Birth of the future Savior of the World, the Son of God Jesus Christ;
Last Sunday before Easter: Palm Sunday or Palm Sunday - Jesus Christ enters Jerusalem on a donkey, where he is welcomed by locals;
Rolling date (depends on the lunar-solar calendar) - Easter: the most significant holiday of Christians, the day of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ;
Thursday, the 40th day after Easter: Ascension of the Lord - the ascension of Jesus to heaven in the flesh;
Fiftieth day after Easter: Holy Trinity (Pentecost) - Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and the Virgin Mary;
August 6: The Transfiguration of the Lord is a manifestation of the Divine Greatness of Jesus before his three closest disciples during prayer;
August 15: Assumption of the Virgin - the day of the burial of the virgin Mary and the day of remembrance of this event;
September 21: Birth of the Virgin Mary - the appearance in the family of Anna and Joachim of the future Mother of God;
September 14: Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord - a feast in memory of finding the Cross of the Lord;
December 4: Introduction to the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary - the day on which Anna and Joachim brought Mary to the Temple of Jerusalem to dedicate it to God.
What can not be done during the holidays?
To avoid unpleasant situations, nevertheless try to avoid work on big holidays, even if you are not a very religious person and do not attend church often.
What signs and beliefs exist?
At Christmas, you should not go hunting, fishing, hiking - in general, actively spend the day, as there is a high probability of an accident. This holiday is a family one, and it must be carried out in the circle of relatives and friends.
At Christmas, you also can’t do things related to productive work: sewing, knitting, weaving, spinning. A thread is considered a symbol of fate and life, and tying it or doing any other action is a bad omen.
Christmas is a holiday of family, peace and joy, so you can not do household chores that can be postponed: cleaning, washing. You can’t clean up until January 14th - on this day all the garbage is collected and burned on the street so that evil spirits do not disturb the house during the year.
Another sign related to Christmas: if you invited the guests and the representative of the weaker sex was the first to step on the threshold, then the women in the family will be sick all year.
On the Feast of the Meeting, you should not leave home, as the trip may not end as you expected, or will not return home soon.
On Annunciation and Palm Sunday, you cannot do housework until the evening. It is also not recommended to work on the ground, from which on this day, according to legend, snakes crawl out. There is even a saying: "The bird does not nest, the girl does not braid the braid."
On Easter and in general the whole preceding Easter week, it is also recommended to abstain from work. But if there are urgent matters, then the church perceives this circumstance loyally.
Church Feast of the Ascension. Is it possible to work? Ascension is considered one of the greatest holidays in the church. On this day, as well as on any other holidays, work is strictly prohibited. There is even a saying: "On Ascension, they don’t work in the field, but they smell it after Ascension."
Can I work in Trinity? This is the day when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles and promised them to return after their ascension to heaven. And so it happened. The event was a holiday for Christians around the world and is celebrated with special honor. Therefore, various works (on the ground, around the house) are not recommended. And the question about whether it is possible to work in the Trinity, the priest will tell you that this is not advisable.
It’s better to make sure that you are doing everything right, especially if you consider yourself deeply religious. Therefore, do not be afraid to ask the minister of the church once again whether it is possible to work during church holidays. The priest will tell you which works are permissible on this or that holiday, and which are strictly prohibited. Numerous signs and beliefs explain why you can’t work on church holidays: those who violate this ban will face punishment in the form of poverty, health problems and all kinds of failures.
What do the ministers say?
Church ministers say that if a person doesn’t pray on holidays or Sundays, doesn’t attend a church or temple, doesn’t read the Bible, but simply lounges, then this is very bad. The days off from work are given just in order to devote them to the service of the Lord, self-knowledge, service attendance and peace.
Is it a sin to work on church holidays? You will hear from the priest that if you have to go to work or start a shift according to your schedule, or there is no way to postpone business, then this will not be a sin. After all, you can devote thoughts to God not only at home or in the church, but anywhere, anytime. It all depends on the situation. The same goes for the question of whether it is possible to work in the garden during church holidays or not. If there is an urgent need, it is better to fulfill the plan and ask God for forgiveness in prayer.
What are the signs associated with church holidays?
Over the years, the people have accumulated a lot of knowledge that they have passed down from generation to generation. Including it is connected with various signs, especially concerning holidays. Therefore, in addition to the urgent question of whether it is possible to work during church holidays, religious people should also know about the observations associated with them.
So, it is believed that if it snows at Christmas, then the year will be successful and profitable. If the weather is sunny, then the spring will be cold. A pleasant tradition was baking coins in a pie. The one to whom she comes across, expects success and happiness in the new year.
On the feast of the Meeting, people believed in the magical power of water and in the fulfillment of desires. He was also a harbinger of spring: the weather on that day was an indicator of what the coming spring would be.
The Annunciation is also rich in various beliefs and signs. On this day you can’t borrow money and take something out of the house so as not to give up prosperity and luck. A observation related to hair is very interesting: it was not recommended to comb your hair, dye or get a haircut, since you can confuse your fate.
Easter omens
At Easter it was especially a lot. Among them are:
if a child is born on Easter Sunday, be lucky and famous for him;
if the baby is born on Easter week, he will be in good health;
if Easter cakes cracked, then there will be no happiness in the family for a whole year;
if you hear a cuckoo on Easter, it means that replenishment in the family is expected. If an unmarried girl hears the bird, she will soon get married;
a tradition that has survived to this day - the whole family should start the Easter meal with a piece of Easter cake and an egg consecrated in the church during the festive service.
Work or not work?
The traditions of the people, passed down from generation to generation, change or forget over time.
Is it possible to work during church holidays - it's up to you. Religious people still venerate such days and try to adhere to all the instructions of the church.