Holy week before Easter. Rites. Conspiracies. Prohibitions

Holy Week

This week is called Passion Week in honor of the sufferings of Christ. Every day of this week is called Great. Fasting these days should be especially strict. It should be remembered that the main thing in fasting is not abstaining from food and sweets, but repentance, prayers and awareness of one's sinfulness.

What do you need to know about Easter?

The last week before Easter obliges to observe a particularly strict fast. The Thursday before Easter is considered Maundy Thursday. On this day, all the money should be counted three times, so that the money is “carried” all year. Everyone in the family should take a handful of salt and pour it into one bag. This salt is removed and stored, and it is called "Thursday salt", that is, the salt of Great Thursday. With it you can treat yourself, as well as your family and friends. This salt is used to make amulets for the family, livestock, garden, home, etc.

On Maundy Thursday they clean and wash. Starting from Thursday, nothing is returned from home until Easter. For good luck in business, harmless stealing is done, that is, a thing taken without permission is hidden in their things until Palm Day. But they do not take sharp things: a needle, a pin, a razor. On Friday they sweep the corners with a rag, this rag will help get rid of lower back pain if you tie yourself with it. The same rag is used to wipe the feet in the bath after washing, so that the feet do not hurt. Ash, taken on Friday before Easter, will help to recover from alcoholism, black shaking, from the evil eye and from mortal anguish.

On Friday, they look out the window, noting who they will see first of all: if a man, then to well-being for three months. If a person falls ill at this time, he will quickly recover. Any problem is easily solved.

If you see an old woman, then there will be a series of three months of failure and illness, and a young woman - you will live these three months without problems. Family, you will see - to peace in the family, to the reconciliation of those who are in a quarrel. A dog - to longing, a cat - to profit, birds - to a new acquaintance and good news, a disabled person - to the death of a loved one.

Of course, all prepared work: cooking, painting eggs must be completed before Bright Sunday. On Easter morning, they wash themselves with water left from Maundy Thursday. It is good to put a silver little thing or a spoon in it, you can use a coin. Wash for beauty and wealth.

Everyone, without exception, begins Easter in the family with the words “Christ is risen” and answers “Truly he is risen.”

My dear parents, show patience and perseverance, you need to explain to everyone in the family that this is necessary. You can't be embarrassed or laugh at it. The Lord will turn away.

If a girl cannot get married, she needs to give the towel with which she dried herself on Maundy Thursday to people for Easter, those who beg for alms, along with krashenka and Easter cake. After that, they soon get married.

If you don’t buy Easter cakes, but cook yourself, then they usually make a guess for every Easter that they put in the oven, and for each family member; the sign is this: for whom Easter failed - to a serious illness, and even to death. If the Easter is neat, not burnt - to well-being and health.

This week will be a good time for rituals. Don't miss out. Who can remove the heavy curse. To whom - money for the family. To whom - to add health. Be careful.

On Holy Week, you can speak a child from seizures. To do this, take holy water in the church, read the conspiracy words over it and sprinkle the child with it.

Childish body, angelic soul,

Innocent before the Savior

And innocent in suffering

Cleanse and strengthen. Amen.

. On Holy Week, white incense is purchased, which is necessary for some rituals. For example, to see a person who has killed an innocent soul (a murderer).
Great Wednesday

Amulet for the approach of a vampire. They read on the water on the last Wednesday before Easter, on the eve of Maundy Thursday. Then they pour this water over themselves from head to toe.

Lord, Almighty God;

Created everything from nothing!

Bless and cleanse my body,

Strengthen and save me from enemies.

Bless, Lord, my amulet.

For eternity.

Now, forever and forever and ever. Amen.

Maundy Thursday (Maundy Thursday)

Maundy Thursday is the day of purity. Whoever has dirt in his house on this day, the whole year will be in dirt and quarrel.

Small children are sheared for the first time on Maundy Thursday (if they already have six months, or better, a year). On this day, a little bit of wool is cut off from all livestock for their well-being.

On Maundy Thursday, they clean up in the morning, wash everything, otherwise they will be in mud, quarrels and illnesses all year long. From that day until Easter, nothing is given away from home.

Everyone in the family takes a handful of salt and pour it into one bag - this will be called "Thursday salt." They clean it and store it in case you need to treat someone, make a talisman for the family, home, garden, etc. If they often quarrel in the family, then they put it in dishes with a slander: “Salt, salt, sprinkle, happiness and peace I return to the house. Amen". For the purpose of prevention and in minor cases, they use this conspiracy and ordinary salt.

You can remove the damage on purpose today at once. Wash before dawn, saying: “I wash off what they let on me, what my soul and body toils with, everything is removed on a clean Thursday. Amen".

So that well done people love and do not ignore, they say this when washing: “As clean Thursday is bright and red, so I will be a beautiful slave (name) for everyone. Amen".

On Friday night they do not sleep, but pray.

It is necessary to make a charm from the sorcerer, in case he could not hang his or someone else's illness on you.

Knead the dough and make as many cakes as there are people in your family. Before baking them, draw crosses on them and say: “I renounce the sign of the cross, bread given by God, from the deeds and illnesses of sorcerers of all stripes, from all volosts. As soon as this cake is digested in me, it turns into shit, so no matter what the sorcerer starts against my family, it turns into shit for him. The cakes are eaten by family members.

Leave water for washing at Easter (in the morning, with silver).

A conspiracy to cleanse with water on Maundy Thursday.

It is used to remove damage, evil eye, love spells. It works best on Maundy Thursday, at Epiphany. Stand in the shower, or pouring rain .... and ... read this plot in multiples of three:

"The rain fell on the ashes. The ashes turned into mud, I was a servant. God stained and splashed. Wash me with clean water, leave no trace of the dirt, Mud with water leaves, grace descends on me. Yes, it remains with me. Protects, protects, protects from dirt. Holy saints, be my intercessors. AMEN. "
Ritual for money on Maundy Thursday.

Wash your face on a clean Thursday with water, to which you say:

“Maundy Thursday praises Easter, all Orthodox people praise Easter, so people would praise me, both young and old, so that in honor with the authorities, and the servant of God (name) would go so that my business would bring me profit. Gold sticks to my hands , clings. Coins in the purse jingle. Key. Lock. Tongue. Amen."

Good Friday

Under no circumstances will they be erased.

On Good Friday (the last Friday before Easter) people who suffer from depression are told off. To do this, three consecrated colored eggs are dipped into water, with which the patient must then wash. At this time, you need to read a special conspiracy:

Strengthen my faithful words, Lord,

Strengthen, Christ, the servant of God (name).

How do people rejoice on a bright Easter,

So may the servant of God (name) be happy with life.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Holy Saturday

Today is the last day of Lent.

They bake pies, Easter cakes and Easter cakes.
. A conspiracy for a rich life is read before Easter at seven in the evening over a coin that is sewn up in the cemetery in the lining of the clothes that you most often wear. The spoken words are:

The merchant carries gold

And like this merchant of wealth and fortune, matchmaker and brother,

So am I, the servant of God (name), not in shit, but in gold and silver. Amen.

Ritual for a coin on the Saturday before Easter.

Before Easter, on Saturday, before sunset, take 5 kopecks. and speak to them:

"In the name of the father and son and the holy spirit. Money to money, penny to penny. As people are waiting for Happy Easter, as they go to the temple of God, so the money would flow to me, the servant of God (name). All the saints, all with me. Amen"

Carry the coin all year in your wallet .

The Orthodox have begun Holy Week, what can be done and what cannot be described in this article. The most important thing is that it is customary to keep a particularly strict fast this week.

To prepare for Easter, you should pray during Holy Week. Through prayer, we thank the Savior. This week, it is desirable to set aside at least one day to go to church. And of course, these days you should definitely bring good to all the people around.

Holy Week Do's and Don'ts

In the week before Easter, a strict fast cannot be ignored. It is worth giving up meat products, fish, dairy and eggs. In Holy Week, in no case should you spend time in entertainment places, so give up singing and dancing. It is forbidden to lead a dissolute lifestyle, sin, insult, gluttony, lie. You can’t be in a fuss, it’s better to renounce some things that prevent you from concentrating on the upcoming holiday.

In Holy Week, one should get rid of envy, soullessness and anxiety in the heart. Friday before Easter is considered the strictest day of fasting: you can not eat until the evening and clean the house. Also at this time it is not advisable to laugh, rejoice and have fun - this is the day of great sorrow. You must not sleep until Saturday morning, otherwise misfortune will overtake you.

Holy Week 2019: signs before Easter

On Maundy Thursday, they clean, wash, wash everything in the house. Starting from Thursday, nothing is given or taken out of the house until Easter. On Friday sweep the corners with a rag. According to the signs, this rag helped to get rid of lower back pain, if you tie yourself with it. With the same rag they wiped their feet in the bath after washing, so that their feet would not hurt. The ash taken from the oven on the Friday before Easter helped to cure alcoholism, black shaking, the evil eye and death anguish.

On Friday, they look out the window, noting who they will see first of all: if a man, then to well-being for three months. If a person falls ill at this time, he will quickly recover. Any problem is easily solved.

If you see an old woman, then there will be a series of three months of failure and illness. And if you see a young woman first, you will live these three months without problems. If you are lucky, and the family will appear first before your eyes - this is to peace in your family, to the reconciliation of those who are in a quarrel.

According to signs, a dog - to longing, a cat - to profit, birds - to a new acquaintance and good news, a disabled person - to the death of a loved one.

Of course, all preparatory work: cooking, painting eggs, must be completed before Bright Sunday. On Easter morning, they wash themselves with water left from Maundy Thursday. It is good to put a silver little thing or a spoon in it, you can use a coin. Such washing will bring beauty and wealth.

If a girl cannot get married in any way, then you need to give the towel with which she wiped herself on Maundy Thursday, along with krashenka and Easter cake, to those who beg. Then the desired marriage should take place quickly.

What to do on Holy Week

On Holy Week, it is desirable to renounce the human fuss and plunge into the expectation of a great holiday. These days there is the most strict fast, which is customary to observe. It is necessary to put the house and soul in order, to finish all the work that has been started. If you have repairs, then try to deal with it before Thursday.

Cleaning, painting and reciting prayers are activities best done on a Monday.
On Tuesday, it is best to put things in order: wash, iron, disassemble.
In the middle of the week, it is advisable to visit the church and prepare everything for the festive table.
On Thursday preparations for Easter begin. Water on this day brings cleansing from sins, so you should wash yourself. Therefore, this Thursday is called "Clean". You can light a candle brought from the temple: it will protect the house from troubles and misfortunes.
On Friday, you need to devote a day to remembering the passions of Christ and pray hard.
On Saturday, it is advisable to get up early and prepare treats for Easter.
Sunday is the day of the service, which begins at midnight. Orthodox believers go to church for worship.

Signs and traditions of the last week before Easter

Preceded by Palm Sunday, Holy Week - the last week of Lent - was marked by the observance of special rites. From Monday on Holy - or, as the people used to say, Terrible - week, everyone began to put themselves and their homes in order, preparing for Easter.

Herself week before Easter- the week of the Week is dedicated to the last days of the life of Jesus Christ. So, for example, Palm Sunday commemorates the entry of Christ on a donkey into Jerusalem. The people meet him, laying their clothes and palm branches. At present, it is supposed to bring willow branches into the house, it has become an obligatory tradition to whip each other with them in order to expel illness, failure, bad thoughts from the body and recharge the spirit with health, driving away thinness and troubles for the next year.
Monday.
From this day begins the diligent preparation for Easter. Each family member is supposed to decorate their willow bouquets with ribbons, beads, bright threads, and flowers. It was also customary on this day to clean the house, wash, wash. Yes, it is on this day, and not as we are used to, believing that clean Thursday is named so that it is on this alleged day that you need to get out.
Tuesday.
This is the last day when it was allowed to sew seven new clothes for Easter, and on this day it was supposed to put up with everyone with whom he was in a quarrel. Today you can simply put all your clothes in order for the great Easter holiday.
Wednesday.
The busiest day is the middle of Holy Week, it was on Wednesday that the main symbol of Easter was created - the "pearling" from hollow branches of straw and thread, which was supposed to personify the fragility of the world. They hung this decoration in the middle of the main room and began the general cleaning. Before midnight it was necessary to wash. On this day, a parallel was drawn between the repentant and forgiven sinner and the traitor Judas. According to other sources, on Great Wednesday, on the contrary, it was necessary to finish all the cleaning around the house and be prepared for the next great day.
Thursday.
There is a misconception that in Maundy Thursday need to clean the house and put things in order. On this day, it was strictly forbidden to do anything about the housework, so as not to bring trouble to your home. In the morning, women collected dew, with which they washed all their relatives, rewarding them with good health, those who washed themselves from silver dishes called wealth into the house. It was on Thursday that people cleansed their souls: they took communion, stood a service, during which the Thursday fire was lit. It was supposed to be brought to your house in order to protect everyone from diseases and fill the house with happiness. The most important Gospel events belong to this day (the Last Supper, the Lord washing the feet of his disciples, prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane of the Savior and the betrayal of Judas). Also on this day, it is necessary to knead the dough for Easter cakes, but do not bake.
Friday.
The strictest day of fasting, on which it was forbidden to eat. This is the day of the crucifixion of Christ, his death and subsequent burial. To distract from temptation, which is why the day is called Passionate, people decorated their houses with willow, heather, embroidered towels and other decorations.
Saturday.
From the very morning on this day, the hostesses baked Easter cakes, painted eggs, in order to consecrate holiday delicacies at the evening service. All believers on this day tried to attend the all-night service, after which they congratulated each other with the joyful news “Christ is Risen” and received in response a triple kiss with the words of joy “Truly Risen”. After three in the morning it was possible to break the fast.
Sunday.
On this day, all believers celebrate Easter, exchange eggs, treat each other at the festive table, go to visit, sing solemn prayers and rejoice in the new day, listening to the chimes.
If we follow long-standing traditions, then this is how last week before Easter every believing family.

More signs

On Holy Wednesday and Maundy Thursday it was customary to wash all domestic animals - from cows to chickens - with water melted from snow, and burn the salt in the oven, which, according to popular belief, acquired healing properties from this. In some villages, at midnight on Maundy Thursday, women were also instructed to douse themselves with water to protect themselves from disease. It was believed that at this midnight even "the raven bathes his children."

There was even a custom at midnight on Holy Thursday for girls to go waist-deep into the river (if the ice had already gone) and, standing in a tight circle, call for spring. If the ice had not yet broken, the girls washed themselves from the hole and rolled "to the east and west sides" on the ground.

If you wash before dawn on Great (Clean) Thursday, it is necessary to say at the same time: “I wash off what was let loose on me, what the soul and body toils with, everything is removed on Maundy Thursday.”

And so that young people pay attention, the girls, washing themselves, said: “As Pure Thursday is bright and red, so the slave (name) will be beautiful for everyone. Amen".

Wednesday of Holy Week they remembered a special rite against any bodily infirmity. It was necessary to scoop up a mug of water from a well or from a barrel on the street or draw water from a river. Crossing themselves three times, they covered the mug with a clean or new towel, and at 2 o'clock in the morning, crossing themselves again three times, they poured this water on, leaving a little in the mug. After that, they put on clothes on a wet body, without wiping themselves, and the water that remained in the mug was poured up to 3 hours on a bush or flowers. It is said that a body washed in this way is reborn.

On Maundy Thursday they advised cutting the hair of a one-year-old child for the first time (up to a year it was considered a sin to cut it), and for girls - the tips of the braids so that they grew longer and thicker. All livestock were also advised to cut a tuft of wool for health and well-being.

There was also a custom to burn crosses on doors and ceilings with a candle to protect the house from the invasion of evil spirits. Passionate candles were given into the hands of those who were seriously ill or suffering from difficult childbirth: it was believed that they had healing powers. From Maundy Thursday it was forbidden to sweep the floor in the house until Easter itself. Weather signs were also associated with it: if it rained, spring would be late and wet.

Good Friday- the day of the most strict fast - was especially revered by the people. He anticipated Great Saturday, when it was customary to conjure matinees (morning frosts).

Throughout Holy Week, according to pagan tradition, bonfires were lit on high hillocks in honor of the fire god Perun. Another pagan tradition was to protect the fields from the evil spirit. Guys and girls with lit torches in their hands, and some with brooms, whips, began to ride horses with wild cries from one end to the other in the village: it was believed that this should scare away evil spirits.

So, the last, seventh day of Holy Week came - Holy Christ's Resurrection. According to custom, on this day in the morning bonfires were lit in front of churches and along the hills, which is also associated with the pagan tradition of celebrating the victory of light over darkness and spring warmth over the winter cold. In the villages, on Holy Night before Easter Sunday, tar barrels are burned, and coals are collected from them and then these coals are placed under the roof: it is believed that this protects the house from a lightning strike.

As soon as in Easter Sunday bells began to ring, people crossed themselves and said three times: “Christ is risen, and my family will have health, my house of wealth, my field will harvest. Amen".

After singing in the churches: “Christ is risen,” it was customary to shoot blank shots from guns into the air, which also symbolized victory over darkness and death.

If on Easter night you scoop up water from a spring or river, then, according to popular belief, it will have special power.

If someone is near death in the house, then in the church on Easter Sunday it was necessary to try to take the Easter egg from the hands of the priest. Leaving the church, you need to go to the icon of the Mother of God and call her with you: “Mother Mother of God, come with me to my house. Spend the night with us, heal the slave (name of the patient). At home, it was necessary to feed at least part of the brought egg to the patient. Then, according to popular belief, he will not die this year.

There is another, no less interesting belief: if at the morning service on Easter Sunday you stand in the corner of the church, holding a silver coin in your left hand, and at the first greeting of the priest “Christ is Risen” instead of “Truly Risen” say: “Antmoz Mago”, the coin will receive miraculous power and will not only return to owner, but also bring him a lot of money.

More signs and conspiracies

On this day, money should be counted three times, so that the money is "carried" all year. Everyone in the family should take a handful of salt and pour it into one bag. This salt is removed and stored, and it is called "Thursday salt", i.e. Great Thursday. You can treat yourself with it, as well as your family and friends. This salt is used to make amulets for the family, livestock, garden, home, etc.

On Maundy Thursday remove, erase. Starting from Thursday, nothing is returned from home until Easter.

AT Friday sweep the corners with a rag, this rag will help get rid of lower back pain if you tie yourself with it. The same rag is used to wipe the feet in the bath after washing, so that the feet do not hurt. Ash, taken on Friday before Easter, will help to recover from alcoholism, black shaking, from the evil eye and from mortal anguish.

AT Friday they look out the window, noting who they will see first of all: if a man, then to well-being for three months. If a person falls ill at this time, he will quickly recover. Any problem is easily solved. If you see an old woman, then there will be a series of three months of failure and illness, and a young woman - you will live these three months without problems. You will see the family - to peace in the family, to the reconciliation of those who are in a quarrel. A dog - to longing, a cat - to profit, birds to a new acquaintance and good news, a disabled person - to the death of a loved one.

Of course, all prepared work: cooking, painting eggs must be completed before Bright Sunday.

Easter morning they wash themselves with water left from Maundy Thursday. It is good to put a silver little thing or a spoon in it, you can use a coin. Wash for beauty and wealth. If a girl cannot get married, she needs to give the towel with which she dried herself on Maundy Thursday to people for Easter, those who beg for alms, along with krashenka and Easter cake. After that, they soon get married.

Holy Week (Week) is the final part of Great Lent. In the 6 days that precede Easter, Christians remember the last days of the life of Jesus Christ.

In this thread:

In the churches at this time, special services are held, the main purpose of which is to bring those who pray closer to Christ, to prepare them for the spiritual perception of the sacrament of redemption. Zealous in the desire to purify the soul, Christians observe a particularly strict Lent. In addition, all the signs for Holy Week are observed, of which there are many.

Signs for Great Week

Each day of the Great Week is called together with the epithet Passion or Great. Since ancient times, there was an exclusive attitude to the Great Days. Folk traditions consisted in dry eating, the suspension of any legal proceedings, the refusal of entertainment and certain types of work associated with the use of sharp objects (axe, needles). In honor of the onset of the Great Week, prisoners were released into the wild.

All people attended the church every day, attending the services, they remembered the gospel stories. In addition to special services, the church also observes other traditions for Holy Week. During this period, they do not baptize, do not marry, do not commemorate. This week is not customary to honor the Saints. Signs in Holy Week vary by specific time.

Great Monday

It is officially proposed on Great Monday to read about Joseph from the Old Testament, whose fate echoes the fateful event of the life path of Jesus Christ - the betrayal of a loved one for the sake of enrichment. They also talk about a fig tree that does not bear fruit, about why Christ cursed it.

Women have many things to do at home, the fulfillment of which is required by customs. In residential premises, a large cleaning began, sometimes combined with cosmetic repairs. From early morning, they began to look for the usual signs about Holy Week:

• Sunny, which means that the weather will be great in the summer, and the harvest will delight in abundance.
• No rain - you can play a wedding this year. All their lives the young will live without tears.
• After waking up on Monday, you need to wash your face from silver, and even better from gold dishes, in order to enjoy wealth and health all year round.

Maundy Tuesday

The Church invites believers on Good Tuesday to remember the parables of Christ about the resurrection, about 9 virgins, about the end of the world, about the tribute to Caesar, the teachings of the Pharisees, scribes. At home, preparations for the holiday begin.

It is necessary to wash linen, clothes in order to appear at the festive service in all its splendor. Women still decided what products they would use to make Easter cakes, how to paint eggs. If something was missing on the farm, it was purchased on Tuesday.

Great Wednesday

The church service offers to remember the betrayal of Judas. Folk customs force to clean the house. The windows are washed, the curtains washed the day before are hung on them.

Order is being put in all corners, chests of drawers, drawers. This big deal will end tomorrow.

Maundy Thursday

Orthodox are obliged to remember the Last Supper and other important New Testament stories associated with the day preceding the crucifixion. On Holy Week, namely on its 4th day, you can get rid of sins that put pressure on you and do not allow you to live in peace.

• Many signs for Holy Week refer specifically to Maundy Thursday. Folk beliefs come down to the fact that families who have not managed to put their housing in order before the evening will live unsettled, in the mud all year. There are other important rules:
• Before dawn, everyone needs to wash, cleansed of the evil that has accumulated over the year. Bathed even the smallest. The special magic inherent in all the days of the Great Week cleansed a person from the evil eye and corruption.
• From the morning service, bring home a candle that will help any family member in moments of illness. It must be protected and lit only in case of a serious condition of the household.
• Ignite the salt in the oven (in a frying pan), pour the resulting black mixture into a bag. At the consecration of Easter cakes, it is placed in a common container so that it acquires special properties. Then this Thursday salt can be used for magical purposes as a talisman. Superstitions endow her with great power.
• Girls can cut their braids on this day. Children who are already a year old were sheared. It was impossible to cut the kids before the onset of Maundy Thursday.
• All cleaning was to be completed by noon. Cleaning is prohibited for the next 6 days. And since lunch, the housewives in the cleaned houses made krashenki, put the dough on Easter cakes, kneaded Easter curds.
• So that wealth does not leave the house, they count money and move furniture.
• Nothing can be taken out of the apartment before Easter.

Good Friday

Now comes a special moment. Holy (Great) Week is approaching its logical finale. On Friday Christ was judged, crucified and killed. Vespers is accompanied by the removal of the Shroud. Until the rite of her symbolic burial has passed, Christians should not eat anything. This is an outward expression of grief caused by the sufferings of Christ on the Cross. Beliefs oblige the night before Friday not to sleep, but to pray. Housewives, however, spend a lot of time in the kitchen. They are required to make holiday cakes. This is a special job that cannot be done automatically by thinking about something extraneous. The preparation of a real Easter cake is in many ways reminiscent of rituals:

• Read "Our Father" three times.
• They say, "God bless you."
• Form an Easter cake, put it in the oven.
• The ash from the oven where the cake was baked is used as a talisman.

On Good Friday it is forbidden to use pitchforks, shovels. And here is once again cleanliness is useful. Indeed, in a day or two, dust may already accumulate. It is better to wipe the dust with a new cloth. After the dust is finally collected on Friday, the rag should not be rinsed or washed. They dry it, hide it in a secluded place. They take it out to get rid of lower back pain or aches in other joints. Usually it is wrapped around more painful places after washing in the bath. Some important notes are given below:

• Babies were weaned only on Good Friday. The prevailing beliefs convinced that such children would be healthy and strong.
• If you look out the window, you can find out the fate for 3 months. Happiness is for those who see a man first, and then women, children.
• On Friday, Holy Week comes to an end, so there are prohibitions that regulate people's lives. For example, from this day they do not wash themselves until the end of the Easter holidays.

Holy Saturday

This is the only day of the year when Christ is dead. Saturday is the time when the Savior was buried, and his loved ones were in great confusion. His soul made a descent into hellish places in order to announce in the darkness the accomplished victory over death. Christians mourn the death of Jesus Christ, so they deny themselves everything. It is forbidden to do any activities related to entertainment, including intimate relationships. Alcohol is strictly prohibited. Women during the day prepare a festive table for Sunday. In the evening, all business is left and people go to work.

Saturday is the optimal period in which various ceremonies are held. Effective is called a ritual on a coin. They take 5 kopecks, slander a text on them, and then put a coin in the same place as other money. The text is like this:

“In the name of the father and the son and the holy spirit. Money to money, penny to penny. As people are waiting for Easter, as they go to the temple of God, so money would flow to me as a servant of God (name). All saints, all with me. Amen".

There are other rituals as well. In the evening, a plot is read over a coin. The text is like this:

“The merchant carries gold, and as this merchant of wealth and fortune is a matchmaker and brother, so am I, the servant of God (name), not in shit, but in gold and silver. Amen".

Saturday - wakefulness, combined with inactivity. On this special week, it is customary to pray a lot, go to church. On Saturday, the service goes from morning until the next morning. Priests dress in bright clothes, this symbolizes that Holy Week is coming to an end, goodness wins.

If you manage not to fall asleep at this special time, do housework, stand up for Vespers, illnesses and sorrows will not bother you for a whole year, they will not prevail.

Conclusion

Holy Week is a special time. Traditions dictate what cannot be done on Holy Week, but what, on the contrary, must be diligently done. First, there are significant restrictions on food intake this week.

Secondly, entertainment, the use of alcoholic beverages are prohibited. This week they do not play weddings, do not celebrate birthdays, do not attend other entertainment events. Thirdly, Holy Week is the time when people are not denied anything except immoral requests.

Christians have the most important holiday Easter - the Resurrection of Christ. They begin to prepare for this day 7 weeks in advance, observing Great strict fasting. And now, when it comes to the very end, there is one week left before the bright holiday, a lot needs to be done in order to meet the important day, as it should be for Orthodox Christian believers.

Let's talk about what Easter signs and customs must be observed.

Great Holy Week

The most important last Holy Week of Great Lent has begun. Why is she called that? Because these were the last days of the earthly life of the son of God, filled with torment and suffering. All week we must remember the life of the Savior, his terrible martyrdom on the cross, burial.

In ancient times, starting from Holy Monday, in Russia they ate only dry food, stopped court cases, avoided all kinds of entertainment, released prisoners from prisons and stopped such types of work as chopping firewood, sewing, knitting, and embroidery.

According to church traditions, the following rites were not performed during Holy Week:

• baptism of children;
• commemoration of the dead;
• wedding of the young;
• celebration of saints' days.

The Great Week is filled with special beliefs, Easter signs, customs and rituals. They used to say: "The Great Week has come, the women are up to their necks."

Great Monday

From that day on, they began to put things in order in the dwellings, washed everything and cleaned, tinted, greased, repaired.

On this Monday, they determine what summer is coming. Early in the morning you need to go outside and look at the heavens: if they are clear and the sun begins to flirt, then you can expect a good fruitful summer season. Such a clear morning is a harbinger of the fact that all the newlyweds, whose weddings will then be played this year, will have a happy life in abundance and love.

On the morning of Holy Monday, it was customary to wash yourself from gold or silver dishes, which promised health, youth and financial well-being.

Maundy Tuesday

On this day, the housewives begin to think over the Easter menu, decide how to cook Easter cakes for Easter, what other dishes will be at the festive feast, what products should be purchased.

Also on Maundy Tuesday, all clothes, bedding, towels and tablecloths, towels and curtains are washed in the house. Tuesday ends with the fact that people should prepare for themselves festive clothes, in which on Sunday they will go to the all-time Easter service and the illumination of Easter cake and eggs.

Great Wednesday

On this day, they begin to thoroughly clean the houses. They wash the windows, hang the curtains washed the day before,
clean kitchen utensils and dishes, carpets, wash floors, clean cabinets and mezzanines, shelves and drawers. Of course, you can’t do it in one day, so they continue cleaning on the next day of the Great Passion Week - Maundy Thursday.

Great Maundy Thursday

That is why it is called clean, because by the evening it is necessary to finish all the cleaning work in houses and apartments, so that everything shines and sparkles. There is even such a belief: whoever did not have time to clean up on Maundy Thursday, who has dirt left in their houses, will live in the dirt all next year.

On Maundy Thursday, it is customary to go to church for a service and bring a passionate candle home, then light it all year long, if one of the family members is seriously ill, it will help in healing.

Be sure to cook Thursday salt. It is necessary to take ordinary coarse salt and calcine it in the oven, in modern conditions this is done in the oven. During the consecration of Easter cakes, salt is also placed in a basket. And then after this rite, she gains a special healing power, can protect from any evil.

1. If a person is unwell, it is necessary to dissolve a little Thursday salt in water and give the patient a drink.
2. In order for peace, comfort, peace and happiness to always reign in the house and family, a pinch of such salt is thrown at the head of each bed.
3. To protect the house from grief and trouble, a little Thursday salt should be poured in each corner (they do this in the evening, when all the house cleaning work is completed).
4. If you feel that an unkind person with evil thoughts has come to your house, add a pinch of this salt to his food. And when he leaves, lightly sprinkle all his traces with it.
5. When the spouses begin to quarrel among themselves, it is necessary for them to put a small canvas bag with Thursday salt under the pillow.
6. In order for little children to grow up healthy and cheerful, kind and reasonable, while bathing them, you need to throw a little salt into the basin or bath.
7. If suddenly someone left home and does not return for a long time, it is necessary to throw a pinch of such salt into the fire.

prepare
more of this Thursday salt to last the whole year until the next Maundy Thursday. It can also be added to food for pets - cows, goats, pigs, sheep.

On this day, not only the dwelling is washed, and the owners also need to swim, wash off all sins, you can take a steam bath or plunge into the hole. Young girls on such a Thursday always cut their braids so that their hair became thicker and more beautiful. It is also customary on Pure Thursday to cut one-year-old children's hair for the first time, it was forbidden to cut them until that day.

Maundy Thursday is considered the most troublesome day for housewives, because after lunch, when they bathed themselves and put things in order in the houses, you should start making cottage cheese Easter, start coloring eggs and make dough for Easter cakes.

Great Good Friday

On this Friday, it is supposed to buy a lot of candles in the church and light them throughout the day in all the rooms of your house. This is a terrible and mournful day, the son of God was crucified, died on the cross in suffering and torment. If possible, on Good Friday, as a sign of grief, Orthodox Christians completely refuse to eat.

Good Friday is the day when the housewives prepare Easter cakes from the dough started the day before.

Before embarking on a responsible business, it is necessary to read the prayer “Our Father” three times, then say: “Lord, bless.” And get to work.

• If Easter cakes are baked in an old Russian stove, then after cooking, you need to take a little ash from it. It has healing power, it will help remove spoilage, evil eye and love spell, cure a person from alcoholism.
• On Good Friday, in all corners of the house, once again, you need to thoroughly wipe with a rag. Then they do not wash it, but carefully put it in a bag in a secluded place. If one of the family members has a severe lower back pain, then by tying such a rag, you can relieve the pain. If diseases of the legs or joints are suddenly overtaken, then after the bath procedures it is wrapped around sore spots.
• Never use pitchforks and shovels on such a Friday.

They say that babies who are weaned from their mother's breasts on Good Friday will definitely grow up healthy, strong and strong.

Holy Saturday

It is also a day of mourning, when all Orthodox Christians mourn for the dead Jesus Christ. Any kind of fun, intimate relationships, the use of alcoholic beverages are prohibited.

The hostesses are preparing for tomorrow's great day and are working in the kitchen, preparing dishes for the festive feast. In the evening, all work stops, the Easter service begins in the church.

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be sure to go for it. It is not easy to endure the All-night service, but believe me, when the church bells begin to ring, when they proclaim to the world that Christ is Risen, the feelings in the soul are indescribable. We become little witnesses of the Great Sacrament, we learn and believe that life has conquered death, and good has triumphed over evil.

If for some reason you cannot go to work that night, do not go to bed early. Go outside at midnight, turn your eyes to the sky, and you will feel how God's Grace descends, you will understand with some parts of your soul that are not subject to our consciousness that Jesus Christ is risen.

These are the happiest moments for true Orthodox people.

When the All-Night Service ends, the priest begins the consecration of the Easter cake, eggs and everything that you brought with you in your holiday basket.

Holy Sunday of Christ - Easter

Arriving from the church, the whole family sits down at the festive Easter table for breaking the fast.

If you didn’t manage to get to the All-night Easter service, then know that the consecration of Easter cakes starts at about 4-5 in the morning and then continues throughout the day, while the parishioners go to church, the priest is always waiting for even the slowest Christians.

But try to do it on time, because the church ministers, who have held such a long, most serious service of the year, need to rest and celebrate this great day.

And yet, when eggs are blessed for Easter, it is customary to put several eggs in the baskets of church servants, who go ahead of the priest, as gifts. You can also put sweets, pies and buns, small cakes, cookies.

Easter egg dyeing traditions

Perhaps some still do not know where the tradition came from, to paint eggs for Easter. The painted egg is the symbol of this holiday.

When Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalena came to Rome with a sermon, she presented Tiberius, who then ruled in the Roman Empire, with an egg as a gift and proclaimed that Christ had risen. The emperor doubted that dead people could be resurrected and said: "It is also impossible, as if your presented egg now turned red." And at that very moment a miracle happened, the egg turned red.

Christians believed in the resurrection of the Son of God and henceforth recognized the egg as a symbol of life. The eggshell symbolizes the tomb of the Lord, and the red color symbolizes the blood that Jesus Christ shed in the name of saving people. This is why Easter eggs are dyed red.

But today the custom of dyeing eggs means more than just red. The holiday is very light, bright and joyful. As a sign of this, Christians began to use any colors: green, yellow, orange, blue, pink.

The most traditional way is to use onion skins. It gives a rich burgundy hue. Various food colorings are also used for this purpose. If you doubt their naturalness, you can use natural substances that are always on hand in the kitchen of a good housewife:

To color eggshells with natural substances, pre-boiled eggs are simply placed overnight in the liquids listed above and in the morning they get just a riot of shades.

Now there are many ways to decorate Easter eggs: they are made marble, with the help of egg white they glue confetti, lace braid or thin satin ribbons, bright floss threads or patterns cut from napkins in the form of flowers, butterflies.

Children especially like painted Easter eggs, they love to knock them against each other, figuring out whose egg will be stronger. Be sure to explain to the children why eggs are painted for Easter, so that from an early age the child understands that this is not just fun or entertainment, but a symbol of a great bright holiday.

After the consecration of Easter eggs, try not to eat everything for the holidays, but leave a few pieces to take to the cemetery in a week to the graves of deceased relatives on the day of commemoration of all the dead - Krasnaya Gorka.

The shells from Easter eggs cannot be thrown away, there is a special place in the church where you can then bring all the shells and leave them.

If this is not possible, then, having collected all the shells, burn them, and bury the ashes.

Easter signs and rituals

Of course, the most important meaning of the Easter holiday is the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the victory of life over death. But also for farmers, it meant the real arrival of spring and the beginning of agricultural work. It is with this that such a multitude of rituals and signs are connected:

Many are interested in the question of when you can start working. The whole week after Easter is called bright. All seven days are allowed to celebrate, rejoice, have fun.

But no one has canceled household chores, so do them to the best of your ability. You won’t keep dirty dishes all week, you have to wash them. But it is better to do needlework, do general cleaning in houses, wash and iron on the fourth day after Easter.

Moreover, if you do everything right during the Great Holy Week, you will not have the need for special household chores.