In the seven weeks before Easter Lent begins, the most important of the many days of posts Orthodox Church, which prepares Christians for a worthy meeting the main holiday – the Resurrection of Christ.
Due to the fact that Easter can fall on different numbers calendar, Lent as each year begins on different days.
In 2015, Lent begins February 23 and will continue to 11 April (new style).
Of the four multi-day Great posts post is basic, the longest and strict. It includes six weeks, or 40 days, so also called Chetyredesjatnica of St.
It is believed that the duration of Lent – 40 days – goes back to the Old Testament, Moses fasted on Mount Sinai for forty days. The apostles established post in memory of forty-day fast of Jesus Christ after his baptism when he retired to the desert where he was tempted by the devil.
The fact that Lent – the establishment of the Holy Apostles, testifies 69th Apostolic Canon , commanding fast in St. Lent.
In the early Church observed forty days of Lent are not one and the same time that depended on unequal calculus days of fasting, in which he was appointed, but in the IV century in the Eastern Church was established and hitherto existing order observance of Lent: Monday (after Week Cheesefare) until Holy Saturday.
Thus, Lent consists of 40 days of fasting Lent and Holy Week Lent – in memory of the last days of the earthly life of Jesus Christ and his suffering . General continuation of Lent with Passion Week – 48 days.
Post or Lenten Retreat – this time of penance, reflection and fervent prayer, refusing not only from certain foods, but from all the bad habits and amusements.
The spiritual practice of fasting consists of prayer, spiritual reading, and removal of all sin and distraction from God. Bodily preparation consists of refraining from skoromnoy (not lean) food.
During the whole of Lent Orthodox Church urges the faithful to abstain from eating meat, milk, eggs and fish, including in the various dishes . Fish is allowed only during the holidays of the Annunciation and the Entry into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday). And in the Lazarus Saturday you can eat caviar fasting.
With special rigor adopted to comply with the first and the Holy Week of Lent. Exempt from fasting seriously ill people, pregnant women, nursing mothers, soldiers, workers engaged in heavy physical labor, as well as people who were in the way.
In the first week of Lent Monday through Thursday in the temples in the evening worship read Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete (VII-VIII century). This canon contains deep prayers of repentance and draws analogies between the penitent and the biblical hero who also sinned and repented.
On Friday, the first week of Lent after the Liturgy sanctification “kolyva” – boiled wheat with honey in memory Holy Great Martyr Theodore of Tyrone, had a beneficial help Christians to save the post. In 362, he was the bishop of Antioch Eudoxia and commanded him to tell Christians that they did not buy food sacrificed to idols defiled with blood emperor Julian the Apostate, but is used to kolivo.
On the first Sunday of Lent takes place the so-called “Triumph of Orthodoxy “installed at the queen Theodora in 842 to commemorate the restoration of veneration of holy icons. During this holiday in the middle of the church in a semicircle on the lectern (high tables icons) exhibited church icons. At the end of the Liturgy the clergy perform a moleben in the middle of the temple before the icons of the Savior and the Mother of God, pray to the Lord of approval in the faith of Orthodox Christians and address on the right path all have transgressed against the church.
On the second Sunday of Lent the commemoration of St. Gregory Palamas, who lived in the XIV century and uncover the doctrine of the power of fasting and prayer.
On the third Sunday of Lent Vespers for Holy Cross imposed. All believers worship the Cross, at this time is sung: “We worship Thy Cross, O Lord, and glorify Thy holy Resurrection”.
Cross Church exposes to a reminder of the suffering and death of the Lord strengthen fasting to continue fasting feat . Holy Cross is to worship during the week until Friday. Therefore, the third Sunday and fourth Week of Lent is called Holy Cross.
On the fourth Sunday reminded of the great ascetic of VI century – St. John of the Ladder, which is from 17 to 60 years lived on Mount Sinai and his creation “The Ladder of Paradise” painted a gradual ascent of man to spiritual perfection, as the stairs.
On Thursday in the fifth week takes place the so-called “state of St. Mary of Egypt.” St. Mary’s life – a great sinner, that could genuinely repent of sins committed and spent many years in the wilderness to repent – is to convince all the great mercy of God.
On Saturday, the fifth week of the Blessed Virgin Mary is committed Praise: great read Akathist to the Mother of God. This service is installed in Greece in gratitude to the Virgin for repeated deliverance She Constantinople (Constantinople) from enemies.
In the fifth Sunday of Lent committed following of St. Mary of Egypt.
On Saturday at the sixth week Matins and Liturgy remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ Lazarus.
The Sixth Sunday of Lent – the great feast of the Entry into Jerusalem. This holiday is also called Palm Sunday, a week Wai or floral. At the All-Night Vigil sanctified by sprinkling holy water blooming willow branch (Vaillant) or other plants. Sanctified branches distributed worshipers who stand with lit candles before the end of the service, which marks the victory of life over death (resurrection).
Palm Sunday and ends Lent begins Holy Week.
Three Saturdays – second, third and fourth weeks of Lent are set for Souls: Lenten parental Saturday.
Last week before Easter is called Holy Week. It is dedicated to the memory of the last days of earthly life of the Savior. According to the greatness of the events commemorated all the days of Holy Week called great.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week dedicated to the remembrance of the past, the Lord Jesus Christ with the people and students.
Service of Holy Thursday is dedicated to the memory of Jesus Christ washing the feet disciples, the Lord’s Supper (the last meal Jesus Christ with the twelve disciples), prayer of Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane and the betrayal of Judas His.
Good Friday service is dedicated to the remembrance of the Savior’s suffering on the Cross, His death and burial. In the morning (which is served in the evening on Holy Thursday) in the middle of the church read the Gospels twelve chosen from all the four evangelists, the sufferings of the Saviour, since his last conversation with his disciples at the Last Supper and ending with his burial. During the reading of the Gospel believers stand with candles. On Good Friday liturgy does not happen, and committed Royal Hours. At Vespers priests raise the shroud (the image of Christ lying in the coffin) to the throne, as it were, from Calvary, and carry it out of the altar in the middle of the church.
The Shroud relies on specially prepared table (tomb). Then the priests and all the congregation worshiped in front of the shroud and are applied to it. The Shroud is in the middle of the temple during the three (incomplete) days, recalling that the three-day presence of Jesus Christ in the tomb.
The service of Holy Saturday is dedicated to the memory of Jesus Christ of stay “in the grave bodily … and on the throne with the Father and the Spirit” and finally, the resurrection of the Savior from the tomb.
At the morning of Holy Saturday, after the Great Doxology, the shroud rises above the heads, shall be made by priests of the temple, with the participation of the people and carried around the temple. Then, the introduction of the Shroud in the temple, it is brought to the Holy Doors open and put into place in the middle of the church.
The black robes of the throne and the clergy are replaced on light. Deacon in the bright vestments goes to the middle of the temple and linen before reading the Gospel proclaims the people of Christ’s Resurrection. At the end of the liturgy is the blessing of the bread and wine.
After this, the reading of the book of Acts of the Apostles, which continues until the beginning of midnight. In the twelfth hour of the night Midnight done, which is sung canon of Holy Saturday. At the end of the Midnight priests silently carry the shroud from the middle of the temple altar in front of the Holy Doors and put her on the throne, where it remains until the feast of the Ascension. After that believers reverently await midnight, which begins bright Easter holiday joy of the Resurrection.
The material is based on open sources of information
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