When the church holiday is the nativity of the blessed virgin Mary. Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary: a holiday, signs, when they celebrate

And according to the church calendar, and according to the chronology of events described in the Gospel, the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos is the first twelve feast day. What are the features of this celebration and what date is it celebrated?

The history and meaning of the holiday

The Church received information about the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos not from Scripture, but from Tradition. The parents of the Queen of Heaven, the righteous Joachim and Anna, survived to old age, but remained childless. The father of the Mother of God came from a royal family, and her mother was the daughter of the high priest. In those days, among the people, their sterility was considered a sign of a terrible sin and, as a result, God's punishment. Childless couples were reprimanded in society and grieved a lot that they could not become parents.

The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos is the first twelveth feast

Once Joachim came to the temple, but the high priest did not allow him to make the sacrifice due to Joachim's absence of posterity. Finding no comfort, he went into the wilderness, where he fasted and prayed. Anna was at home, but she also fasted and prayed to the Lord. During their joint fervent prayer, they were visited by an Angel of God, who announced that their prayers had been heard, they would conceive and give birth, and they would talk about their offspring all over the world. Having received the good news from the Angel, the couple rushed to meet each other and met at the city gates.

Indeed, despite her advanced age, Anna conceived and nine months later gave birth to a daughter, Maria. For God, nothing is impossible: "God wants wherever, nature is defeated: he creates more wants." The righteous parents promised to consecrate the child to God, and when the girl was three years old, she was sent to the Temple.

The feast in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos appeared around the 5th century. The first mentions of this event were found in the records of Patriarch Proclus and in the missal belonging to Pope Gelasius.

Such teachers of the Church as John Chrysostom, Epiphanes and Augustine wrote about this holiday. A legend has survived in Palestine that the Equal-to-the-Apostles Empress Helena erected a temple in Jerusalem in honor of the Birth of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Video "Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary"

This video presents the history of the holiday and its meaning.

Celebration date

The holiday is intransient, therefore it is always celebrated on September 21, nine months after the feast of the conception of St. Anna (December 22). In 2019, this day fell on Saturday. If the holiday falls on Wednesday or Friday (fast days), then fish is allowed at the meal.

On September 20, the forefeast is performed, and within four days after the holiday, until September 25, the afterfeast.

Divine service of the Nativity of the Virgin

In the evening of September 20, the evening service is held, and in the morning on the holiday - the Divine Liturgy. The evening service paremias contain passages from the Old Testament that tell of the following events:

the vision of Jacob - a ladder connecting earth and heaven, which became the prototype of the Mother of God;
the prophecy of Ezekiel, in which the prophet calls the Mother of the Lord the gates through which the Holy Elder and the Holy House-builder pass;
a parable telling about the House that the Hypostatic Wisdom has prepared for Itself - about the Most Holy Theotokos.

On the evening of September 20, the evening service is held

The festive service contains the creations of such Church Fathers as:

the Monk John of Damascus;
Saint Andrew of Crete;
Patriarch Herman of Constantinople;
Bishop Anatoly of Thessalonies;
Saint Stephen and Sergiy Svyatogradtsev.

Folk traditions and customs

As in any church holiday, every Orthodox person on this day should attend the Divine Liturgy, prepare for the celebration of repentance, and, if possible, begin Holy Communion. On this day, any physical work is prohibited, except for the most necessary, for example, covering and removing from the table, chopping wood for the stove for this particular day, and not in reserve. Although this time falls on harvesting the land, and many are busy working in the garden, on this holiday all land work stops.

On this day, it is better to refuse mass festivities.

Previously, there was a popular belief that on this day you need to pray with special zeal for the successful marriage of daughters and the well-being of children in general. Unmarried girls prayed for the gift of a good groom. In addition, people went to visit each other, gave gifts, brought treats.

In the villages, festivities were held, the scope of which depended on the harvest. With a good harvest, people could celebrate for about a week. When convening guests on this day, special attention was paid to matchmakers and sons-in-law, since it was important to establish good relations with new relatives.

The farmers thanked the Queen of Heaven and the earth for the given harvest. Here you can clearly see the mixture of pagan customs of turning to the earth and Orthodox prayers to the Mother of God. In fact, paganism is unacceptable in any form, since it is a veiled service to demons. In some parts of the world there is a custom to commemorate the departed on this day, as on Parents' Saturday.

Icons and churches in honor of the Nativity of the Virgin

The first icons depicting the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos date back to the 6th century. They were widespread in the art of Russia and Byzantium at the beginning of the second millennium. Key features of iconography:

Saint Anna, dressed in a red maforium, is on a high couch.
A maid stands beside Saint Anne.
In the lower part of the icon, the ablution of a baby is depicted.
The virgins come up to the mother with gifts.
Saint Joachim is not nearby, but looks out of the tower window or is at the door, since men were not always allowed to enter the female part of the house.

After the Baptism of Rus, the construction of churches and monasteries began. The Most Holy Theotokos is especially revered by the Russian people as the Mother of God and as the intercessor and defender of Russia from enemies. Many monasteries and temples were built in Her honor. Some of the first include:

The temple in the Kremlin, erected by Princess Euphrosyne in 1392.
Cathedral in the Bobrenev Monastery.
Bogolyubsky monastery in the Vladimir region.
Ferapontov Monastery.
Theotokos-Rozhdestvensky monastery in Moscow.

Theotokos-Nativity monastery in Moscow Bogolyubsky monastery in the Vladimir region Bobrenev monastery

The Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary belongs to the main twelve holidays of the Church. Many temples and monasteries have been consecrated in his honor. There are a number of customs among the people associated with this event. This is the first twelveth holiday after the onset of the church new year.

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The Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is in the Orthodox Church, a very important event. This holiday was celebrated throughout the week. They prepared a variety of dishes, cleaned the house, waiting for the arrival of dear guests. The works on the land plots were completed, so one could afford to have a good rest.

Nativity of the blessed virgin

The Holy Scriptures do not mention the birth and life of the Virgin Mary. We learn about her life path from the words of believers, which were passed down from generation to generation. It is from the sacred records that we discover the secrets of the birth into the world of a woman who went through many torments, devotedly served God and gave all of herself for the birth and education of the son of God and the savior of all mankind.

The parents of the Virgin Mary were deeply religious, humble and merciful people. Father - Joachim was of royal origin, and mother - Anna, was brought up in the family of a clergyman, deeply honored all religious traditions, customs and rituals. Parents strictly adhered to the basic commandments of God and often brought gifts to the church.

Despite this, for a long time, they could not have children, which at that time was considered a huge sin, carrying mortally their heavy cross of life to their venerable age, not getting tired of asking God for mercy on their sinful souls.

The father, once again, having come to the temple of God, and having offered the sacrifice, was expelled by the priest as a childless person. He felt peace and a sincere desire to turn to God with a sincere prayer for the desired, long-awaited child.

Having retired, he tirelessly appealed to the Creator of the World, his prayers were so pure and secret that they were immediately heard, and as a reward for devotional service, he became the chosen one of all people living on Earth, to give birth to a daughter who will save the whole world.

Joachim and Anna promised to fulfill the will of the Creator and raise the child, in all the severity of religious rituals, knowing about her mission and destiny on Earth - to become the Mother of the Savior of mankind.

The Orthodox Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos marked the beginning of a new period in the life of all people on Earth.

Icon "Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary"

The life of the Mother of God was not easy, she went through a lot of grief, suffering and torment, seeing how the only, beloved son crucified on Christ dies, into whom she put all her knowledge, soul and heart. Not many can withstand this.

Having passed all life's trials with dignity, she never for a minute regretted that she had dedicated her whole life to God. She treated all people with love and always prayed for the remission of their sins and the gift of God's mercy and forgiveness. With her righteousness, life aspirations and wisdom, as well as her unshakable desire to devote all herself to serving God, this woman became the protector of all people living on Earth.

One of the basic life truths of all mankind is the birth of healthy, happy children - the successors of the family. But not every young family is given to have children, so many turn to the icon of the Birth of the Most Holy Theotokos with prayers for the birth of a new life. After all, conception itself is a miracle that happened to the mother of the Virgin Mary.

The main thing is not to lose hope and believe in the miracles of the Lord. It is on this Great holiday that young girls pray for the creation of a new family and the opportunity to have healthy children, mothers - for the health of their children, for the healing of relatives and friends from ailments and diseases.

The Icon of the Birth of the Most Holy Theotokos depicts the moment of the birth of the future mother of Jesus Christ. All those who pray in front of this icon for the salvation of a sinful soul and repentance for breaking the Commandments of God are granted forgiveness.

In Orthodoxy, in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, the following icons were created:

The Glinsk icon of the Birth of the Mother of God is known for its miraculous properties, healed many lost souls. She helps women to recover from gynecological diseases and infertility;
Isaac's icon of the Birth of the Mother of God - was seen by people between the branches of a weeping willow, on the banks of the river. Residents of a nearby village took her to the temple, and over time, in the place where she was found, they built a new temple, which still exists in our time. She was the protector of babies and young children;
Lukianovskaya icon of the Birth of the Virgin - so named in honor of the monk Lucian, who first saw it, built a new church on this site and created a monastery. It is famous for its miraculous, healing qualities and protects against infantile ailments.

We provide the text of the prayer:

“To her, our Abiding Tsarina, our indestructible Hope and invincible Intercessor! Turn not Thy face away from us, for the multitude of our sins; but stretch out to us the hand of Thy motherly mercy, and create with us a sign for good. Show us Thy rich help and success in every good deed; turn us away from every sinful undertaking and the craft of the evil one. "

Service of the Nativity of the Virgin

September 21 The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos is a great Orthodox holiday for all believers. They prepare for it very carefully, adhering to all church rites and canons.

The service in the church begins before sunrise, all the women light candles and write requests, placing them near the icon. During the service, they sincerely pray and ask for health to children and loved ones, harmony in family relationships, well-being in the family, cure for many ailments and the gift of the opportunity to give birth to a healthy child.

It was considered for their due, on this day, to help the unprotected segments of the population by distributing food (bread and pastries baked in advance, various types of cereals, vegetables and fruits grown by one's own hands).

There are many signs that are passed down from generation to generation:

Before this holiday, practically on all land plots, they tried to harvest the entire grown crop, thus ending the agricultural season;
Our ancestors noticed that if a woman has time to bathe before the first rays of the sun, then beauty will not leave her until old age;
On the day of the Nativity of the Virgin , the girls prepared for weddings, read prayers for a future happy family life, for the birth of healthy first-borns and glorified the Most Holy Theotokos;
The newlyweds met their relatives: the young wife tried to show her best culinary dishes, and her husband showed the animals raised throughout the year.

The Lord is always with you!

Nativity of the Virgin- an important church holiday related to the twelve. The Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is celebrated on September 21 (New Style or September 8 according to Old Style). The Nativity of the Virgin on September 21 is celebrated in addition to the Russian Orthodox Church, also the Jerusalem, Georgian and Serbian; September 8 is celebrated by the Catholic Church, the Greek Church and a number of other local Orthodox churches. The Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin was established by the Church in the 4th century.

History of the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

In the city of Nazareth lived a righteous and pious married couple - Joachim and Anna. Their whole life was imbued with love for God and for people. Joachim and Anna lived to a ripe old age, but had no children, which made them very sad. Despite their old age, Joachim and Anna did not stop asking God to send them a child. At the same time, they made a vow - to dedicate the baby to the service of God.

Every Jew at that time hoped that through his offspring he could become a participant in the kingdom of Christ the Savior. Therefore, every Jew who does not have children was scorned by others, since this was considered a great punishment from God for sins.

Once Joachim brought gifts to the Lord God to the Jerusalem temple, but the high priest did not want to accept these gifts, since Joachim was childless. At this time, Anna, who was at home, also heard that the high priest in the temple refused to accept their gifts. Anna also learned that her husband Joachim, grieving and weeping, had gone into the wilderness, and she herself wept.

After that, Anna went to her garden, and sat down under a laurel tree, sighed and, looking at the sky with eyes full of tears. At the top of the tree was a nest in which little chicks squeaked. Anna thought: "Even birds have children, and we do not have such consolation in old age." Suddenly the Archangel Gabriel appeared before her, saying: “You will conceive and give birth to a Blessed Daughter above all. Through her, the blessing of God and all the peoples of the earth will receive. Through Her, Salvation will be given to all people. Her name will be Mary. "

At the same time, the angel appeared in the wilderness to Joachim. He said: “Joachim! God has heard your prayer, and He is pleased to give you His grace. Your wife Anna will conceive and give birth to you a Daughter who will be joy for the whole world. Here is a sign for you that I am telling you the truth: go to the temple in Jerusalem, and there, at the Golden Gate, you will find your wife Anna, to whom I said the same thing. "

Shaken, Joachim hurried to Jerusalem to the temple. There Joachim saw Anna praying to God at the Golden Gate and told her about the angel. Anna also told Joachim about what she had seen and heard about the birth of her Daughter - Mary. After praying to God, the couple returned to their home.

For patience, great faith and love for God and for each other, the Lord sent Joachim and Anna great joy. After 9 months, Anna gave birth to a daughter - Maria. Heaven and earth rejoiced about the Nativity of the Mother of God. On the occasion of the birth of Mary, Joachim brought great gifts and sacrifices to God, received the blessing of the high priest, priests and all people for being rewarded with the blessing of God. Then Joachim made a big feast in his house, where everyone was merry and praising God. The Holy Church calls Joachim and Anna the Godfathers, because the Savior, Jesus Christ, was born from their Blessed daughter Mary.

Glorifying the Nativity of the Most Pure Mother of God, which has resolved her parents from the infertility of her parents, we must strive for resolution from the infertility of our souls, so that we not only praise the glorious Nativity of the Mother of God with our lips, but in fact try not in ourselves, but in God to grow rich, bearing the fruit of holiness and eternal life. We must pray to the Mother of God to help us get rid of spiritual infertility, from the daily sowing of spiritual death, and as She herself constantly wrote the words (Luke 2:19) of life in her heart, so she would plant the seeds of the word of God in our hearts, which, growing, gave fruit, if not a hundred, sixty, thirty times (Matt. 13: 8), then at least enough to get rid of hunger and spiritual thirst, which will torment and burn us like the flame of hell (Lk . 16:24).

Nativity of the Virgin - Video from the cycle "Summer of the Lord"

The Nativity of the Mother of God, akin to us, is celebrated now with light, and the whole world is called to this joy.

Temples of the Nativity of the Virgin in Kashin

In the city of Kashin, there were two churches in honor of the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin.

The first church of the Nativity of the Virgin was built in 1690, popularly called "in the swamp". The temple was single-domed; in the 19th century, it underwent minor changes. In 1872, the merchant Zyzykin ennobled the territory near the temple and opened a garden on the site of a swampy swamp. In 1929 the temple was destroyed, services were stopped in 1930, and in 1936 it was finally demolished.

The second church of the Nativity of the Virgin was built in 1785, popularly called "Chistye Prudy", which before the official renaming were called Pogany Ponds after the name of the former Pogany settlement located here (because of the production of whitewash). The church was one-story, had a wide southern side-chapel. In 1929, it was also ruined, and since 1935 the building has housed a boot-felting factory. In 2012, the building was transferred from an architectural status to a regular civilian structure and adapted for a 3D cinema.

Troparion of the holiday Nativity of the Virgin

Thy Christmas, Virgin Mary, joy to erect the whole universe: from Thee, the Sun of righteousness, Christ our God, has risen, and having broken the oath, gave a blessing, and abolishing death, gave us an eternal life.

Kontakion of the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin

Joachim and Anna of reproach of iniquity, / and Adam and Eve are free from mortal aphids, Most Pure One, in Thy holy birth. / That is celebrated by Thy people, the guilt of transgressions will be saved, / Always call Ti: / Not fertility gives birth to the Mother of God and the Nourishment of our life.

Sources:

Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh, Sermons;

Saint Thaddeus (Assumption), Word of the Shepherd for the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, 1928;

Seraphim Slobodskoy, God's Law.

"Kashin Orthodox", since 2010 A.D.

Every year Christians celebrate one of the greatest church holidays - the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. The Orthodox world invariably observes the traditions of this day, therefore, even in the modern mind, the holiday of the Nativity of the Mother of God appears to be significant and symbolic.

The tradition of the birth of the Virgin Mary

According to Tradition, the birth of the Mother of God took place in a small city located just north of Jerusalem - in Nazareth. Nazareth was located on the slope of one of the mountains and was so insignificant and invisible that no one could even think about the coming great miracle that would elevate this place. Meanwhile, it was in this city that a woman was born who gave the Savior to humanity.

The family of Joachim and Anna lived in Nazareth, distinguished by their pious behavior, righteousness and mercy to people. King David was the progenitor of Joachim, while Anna came from the family of a priest. The family was considered prosperous - Joachim had a large livestock - but material wealth did not affect the purity of the spouses' souls. The residents of the city loved and respected the elderly couple very much for their God-fearing behavior and willingness to help their neighbors. The only pain darkened the existence of Joachim and Anna: gray hair had already touched their hair, but the Lord did not send them a child, despite the righteous life and incessant prayers of the spouses. But childlessness at that time was considered a punishment from God. The turning point for Joachim was an event that occurred during the ceremony of offering gifts to God. The priest, seeing that Joachim wanted to present the gift, denied him this right, severely reproaching him that he was sterile, and therefore unworthy to participate in the rite. After that, the grieving Joachim withdrew into the wilderness, where he endured severe hardships, fasted and offered prayers to the Lord. Anna was left alone in great sorrow. Day and night she prayed fervently that God would send them a child.

The Lord heard the requests of the spouses. When they were apart, both had a vision of an Angel who announced that God would give the couple offspring, the glory of which would spread throughout the world. The daughter was ordered to be called Maria, which translates as "hope."
To prove the truth of these words, the Angel promised that the couple would see each other near the Golden Gate of Jerusalem. Indeed, the couple met, and joy reigned in their hearts. Anna conceived, and after 9 months the one who was destined to become the mother of Jesus Christ was born.

Traditions of celebrating the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

In Russia, the Mother of God is one of the most revered saints, because she acts as the intercessor of the human race before God. The Heavenly Queen protects mothers and babies, family hearth and fertility. No wonder the celebration of the Nativity of the Virgin coincides with the celebration of Osenin, dedicated to the harvest and family well-being.

On the day of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, it is customary to offer her gratitude for the gifts that the earth has brought. On the morning of September 21, women traditionally went to the banks of reservoirs with oat bread and jelly. The eldest of them turned to the Mother of God with gratitude for her mercy and a request to save families from misfortune and disease, to fill the houses with harmony, warmth and love.

Mothers on this day prayed to the Heavenly Queen, asking her for her protection and protection for the children. They prayed to the Mother of God to protect the babies from the evil eye, illness and everyday adversity. The childless turned to the Mother of God with a prayer to send them a child. According to an ancient custom, women who cannot conceive should set the table on this day and feed as many beggars as they can fit at this table, asking them to pray for her child. Mercy towards one's neighbor and prayers to the Blessed Virgin on this day will contribute to the fact that a woman will become a mother.

On this bright day, it is customary to arrange family feasts, visit loved ones and dear people. A special tradition is visiting newlyweds. Relatives come to visit in order to see how the newlyweds have arranged the family nest. The bride must certainly feed the guests a hearty dinner and show the decoration of the house, and the owner must lead the relatives around the yard, showing every nook and cranny. Guests are obliged to praise the young people and give them useful advice based on what they see.

The Mother of God certainly helps those who turn their prayers to her on this day. Honor traditions, take care of people dear to you and do not forget to press buttons and

21.09.2015 00:40

Assumption fast - two weeks of strict bodily and mental abstinence. Fasting begins on August 14 on the day of the Savior of Honey and continues ...

September 21 Orthodox Christians remember Nativity of the Blessed Virgin... This event is the birth of the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ from the righteous parents of Joachim and is described in the Church Tradition. We will tell you about the history, meaning and folk traditions associated with the holiday.

What is the Nativity of the Virgin

The Nativity of the Most Holy Lady Our Lady and Ever-Virgin Mary is the full name of the holiday that the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates on September 21 in the new style (September 8 in the old style). This is one of . The twelve feasts are dogmatically closely connected with the events of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Mother of God and are divided into Lord's (dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ) and Theotokos (dedicated to the Mother of God). The Nativity of the Theotokos is a feast of the Theotokos.

The event that we celebrate on this day is not described in the New Testament. Knowledge about him came to us from Church Tradition, one of the sources of our doctrine, together with Holy Scripture.

The legend about the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, namely the Proto Gospel of Jacob, was written in the 2nd century. And they began to celebrate the holiday as a separate significant day by the second half of the 5th century. For example, we read about this in the Patriarch of Constantinople Proclus (439-446) and in the missal (liturgical book) of Pope Gelasius (492-426).

When the Nativity of the Virgin is celebrated

Orthodox Christians celebrate the Nativity of the Virgin Mary on September 21 New Style (September 8 Old Style). This is a non-passing holiday, that is, its date remains the same every year.

According to the Orthodox tradition, the holiday lasts 6 days, from September 20 to 25. This period includes forefeast and afterfeast. Forefeast - one or several days before a big holiday, the services of which already include prayers dedicated to the upcoming celebrated event. Accordingly, afterfeast is the same days after the holiday.

What can you eat at the Nativity of the Virgin

In 2018, the holiday falls on Friday, fast day, in honor of the holiday, believers are allowed to eat fish.

Events of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin

In the New Testament, we will find practically nothing about the earthly life of the Mother of God. The Gospels do not provide information about who the parents of the Virgin Mary were and under what circumstances she was born.

The Feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos is based on the Church Tradition. There is the so-called Proto Gospel of Jacob, written in the 2nd century. In it we read that Mary was born of pious parents, Joachim and Anna. Joachim came from a royal family, and Anna was the daughter of the high priest. They lived to a ripe old age and were childless. This was a source of grief for the couple and caused public censure.

Once, when Joachim came to the Temple, the high priest did not allow him to offer sacrifice to God, saying: "You did not create offspring for Israel." After that, the inconsolable Joachim retired into the desert to pray, while Anna stayed at home and also prayed. At this time, an angel appeared to both of them and announced to each: "The Lord heeded your prayer, you will conceive and give birth, and they will talk about your offspring in the whole world."

Having learned the good news, the couple met at the Golden Gate of Jerusalem.

After that, Anna conceived. As the Proto Gospel of Jacob writes, "the months allotted to her passed, and Anna gave birth in the ninth month." The righteous took a vow to consecrate their child to God and gave their daughter Mary to the Jerusalem temple, where she served until she came of age.

History of the celebration of the Nativity of the Virgin

Christians began to celebrate the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin only by the 5th century. We read the first mentions of him in the Patriarch of Constantinople Proclus (439-446) and in the missal (liturgical book) of Pope Gelasius (492-426). Saints John Chrysostom, Epiphanes and Augustine also write about the holiday. And in Palestine, there is a legend that the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Empress Helen built a temple in Jerusalem in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Icon of the Nativity of the Virgin

We meet the most ancient images of the events of the Nativity of the Mother of God by the X-XI centuries. These are icons and frescoes. For example, the painting of a 7th century Georgian temple in Ateni. This entire temple is dedicated to the Mother of God (the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos).

There are other ancient images of the holiday: frescoes in the Kiev Sophia Cathedral (first half of the 11th century) and in the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Mirozh Monastery (XII century), a composition in the Church of Joachim and Anna of the Serbian monastery Studenica (1304).

Traditionally, on early icons and frescoes, icon painters depicted righteous Anna, the mother of the Virgin Mary, in the center of the composition. The woman in labor reclining on a high bed, before her are women with gifts, a midwife and maids who wash the Mother of God in the font.

With each century, this icon-painting plot has been enriched with more and more new details. For example, they began to depict a table with brought gifts and treats, a pond, birds. Now the icon of the Nativity of the Virgin is often made hagiographic, that is, the main plot is supplemented with separate compositions (stamps) - scenes from the history of the event. The lamentation of Joachim in the wilderness, the gospel to Joachim and the evangelism to Anna, the meeting of the spouses at the Golden Gate of the Jerusalem Temple, and so on.

The painting of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Ferapontov Monastery, which was completed in 1502 by the great icon painter Dionysius, has survived to this day. This is a fresco above the main entrance that depicts Saint Anne on a bed; font; wives and virgins who come to bow to the Born with vessels in their hands; Joachim and Anna with the Virgin Mary in their arms.

Divine service of the Nativity of the Virgin

In the 6th century, the Monk Roman the Sweet Songwriter wrote a kontakion for the Nativity of the Virgin, but its text has not survived to this day. The most ancient chant of the holiday is the troparion "Thy Nativity, Virgin Mary". Most likely, it was compiled in the 5th-7th centuries. In addition, the modern service of the holiday includes, for example, the hymns of St. Andrew of Crete (VII century), the Monk John Damascene VIII century), Patriarch Herman of Constantinople (VIII century).

Troparion of the Nativity of the Virgin

Voice 4:

Thy Nativity to the Virgin Mary, joy to erect the whole universe: from Thee, the Sun of righteousness, Christ our God, has risen from Thee, and having broken the oath, gave a blessing, and abolishing death, gave us an eternal life.

Translation:

Thy Nativity, Virgin Mary, announced joy to the whole universe: for out of You shone the Sun of righteousness - Christ our God, and, breaking the curse, gave a blessing, and, destroying death, gave us eternal life.

Kontakion of the Nativity of the Virgin

Voice 4:

Joachim and Anna of reproach of iniquity, and Adam and Eve are free from the aphids of death, Most Pure One, in Thy holy birth. Thy people also celebrate, the guilt of sins will be freed, always call Ti: the Mother of God and the nourisher of our life gives rise to fruitlessness.

Translation:

Joachim and Anna were freed from reproach for childlessness, and Adam and Eve were freed from death by Your holy birth, Most Pure One. It is also celebrated by Your people, who have freed themselves from the burden of sinfulness, exclaiming loudly to You: the barren gives birth to the Mother of God and the nourishment of our Life.

Magnification of the Nativity of the Virgin:

We magnify Thee, Most Holy Virgin, and honor Thy holy parents, and glorify Thy Christmas all-glorious.

Translation:

We magnify You, Most Pure Virgin, and honor Your holy parents, and glorify Your Christmas all-gloriously.

First prayer for the Nativity of the Virgin

Oh, Most Holy Lady, Christ our Savior, God-chosen Mother, asked by God by holy prayers, dedicated to God and beloved by God! Who will not please You or who will not sing, Your Glorious Christmas. Your Christmas is the beginning of the salvation of people, and we, sitting in the dark of sins, see Thee, the Unapproachable Light of the dwelling. For this reason, a flowing language cannot chant Ty in its possession. Moreover, Thou art exalted, the Most Pure One, the Seraphim. Receive from the unworthy Thy servants the present praise and do not reject our entreaties. We confess your greatness, we fall to You in affection, and we boldly ask the child-loving and benevolent Mother to intercede quickly: pray Thy Son and our God to grant us, who sin a lot, sincere repentance and a pious life, so that we can do everything that is pleasing to God and useful to our souls. Let us hate all evil, strengthened by Divine grace in our good will. Thou shameless hope of ours in the hour of death, grant us a Christian end, a comfortable procession in the terrible ordeals of the air, and the legacy of the eternal and ineffable blessings of the Kingdom of Heaven, but with all the saints we ceaselessly confess Thy intercession for us and glorify the one True God, in the Holy Trinity we bow down to Father and Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Second prayer for the Nativity of the Virgin

Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of heaven and earth, to Your miraculous image, falling down, tenderly with the verb: look mercifully on Your servants and by Your omnipotent intercession sent down something that is necessary. Save all the faithful children of the Holy Church, convert the unfaithful, instruct those who have gone astray on the right path, support old age and weakness of strength, grow the youth in the holy faith, direct courage to good, bring sinners to repentance, and hear all Christians prayers, heal the sick, relieve sorrows, travel take a trip. You weigh, All-merciful, as weak, as sinful, as embittered and unworthy of God's forgiveness, both wake us up to help us, but by no sin of self-love, temptation and devilish deception we anger God: You are the Imams, the Representative, The Lord will not reject the Lord. If you admire, all you can bestow upon us is like a blessed source, faithfully singing Ti and extolling Thy glorious Christmas. Deliver, Lady, the falls and misfortunes of all who piously invoke Your holy name and worship Your honest image. Thou shalt purify our tuna with the prayers of iniquity, the more we fall to Thee and cry out to Thee: drive away from us every enemy and adversary, every misfortune and destructive unbelief; By your prayers, giving rains are in good time and the earth abundant fruitfulness, put into our hearts the Divine fear of fulfilling the commandments of the Lord, so that we all quietly and peacefully live for the salvation of our souls, for the good of our neighbors and for the glory of the Lord, to Him, like the Creator, Provider and Savior All glory, honor and worship befits ours, now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.

The third prayer for the Nativity of the Virgin

Oh, Most Pure and Most Blessed Virgin, the Lady of the Theotokos, born from barrenness according to the promise and for the sake of your soul and body, vowed to be the Mother of the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, with Nimzha now dwelling in heaven and imashi great boldness from the Most Holy Trinity, like the Queen, you are crowned with the crown of eternal reign. In the same way, we humbly resort to You and ask: seek us from the All-Merciful Lord God forgiveness of all our voluntary and involuntary sins; to our suffering fatherland of salvation, peace, silence and piety, restoration, times are peaceful and serene, sedition of the wicked are not involved; to an abundance of earthly fruits, an air of bliss, the rains are peaceful and in good time. And all that is necessary for our life and salvation, ask for us from Thy Son, Christ our God. Most of all, make good haste to us to be adorned with good morals and good deeds, yes, very powerfully, we will be imitators of Your holy life, since you adorned the earth from youth, pleasing the Lord; For this reason, Thou art the most honest Cherubim and the most glorious Seraphim. To her, Most Holy Lady, wake us in everything an ambulance and a wise Mentor for salvation, so that we will help You and help You, we will be honored to be the heir to the existence of the Heavenly Kingdom, by the sufferings of Your Son from the mysterious source, to the fulfillment of His promised holy commandments. Thou art, Lady, our hope and hope according to Bose is one, and we betray our whole belly to Thee, longing for Thy for the sake of intercession and intercession are not ashamed to be at the hour of our departure from this life, and at the Last Judgment of Thy Son, Christ of our God, His hand standing to be honored, and tamo to rejoice forever with everyone from time immemorial who have pleased Him and ceaselessly praise, praise, give thanks and bless Him with the Father and the Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

Sermon by Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh at the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos

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

Every holiday of the Mother of God is pure joy. It is a joy not only about God's love for us, but also about the joy that the earth - our simple, dear, ordinary land - can respond to the love of the Lord in this way. This is a special joy for us.

When we receive mercy from God, our heart rejoices; but sometimes it becomes melancholy: how, how can I return love for love, where can I find that holiness, that affection, that ability to respond with all nature to the mercy of God? And then, although we know that each of us is weak and weak in love, we can think about the Mother of God. She answered for all of us with perfect faith, never wavering with hope and love so wide that She managed to embrace heaven and earth with this love, open up with love so that the Son of God was incarnate, and so open up with love for people that all, the most sinful, they can come to Her and receive mercy. This is the answer of the whole earth, this is the answer of the whole universe to the love of God.

And so, let us rejoice and take away joy today from this church - not only for one moment: we will keep it from day to day, we will be amazed at this joy, we will rejoice with this joy and we will begin to give this joy to people, so that every heart will rejoice and be comforted and enlightened with this joy that the earth can contain heaven, that man can answer God in such a way that God would become man.

And now, from century to century, while the world stands, God is among us, Christ is the same among us, from day to day. And when the glory of earth and heaven is manifested, revealed, the Lord Jesus Christ, true God, but also a true man, will be the Mother of God among us, Who gave Him flesh with Her love, faith, holiness, and reverence.

Let us preserve, cherish, grow this joy and live by it in the days of sorrow, in the dark days, in the days when it seems to us that we are not capable of anything, that the earth cannot respond to the love of God with anything. The earth answered, and this Answer stands forever with raised hands, praying for all of us, good and evil, never standing across the path of salvation, forgiving everyone - but She has something to forgive: after all, the people of Her Son killed - and to Her we we resort. Because if She forgives, then no one will condemn us.

With what faith we come to the Mother of God, how deep it must be so that each of us, who by his sins and his unworthiness participates in the death of the Lord, could say: Mother, I have destroyed Your Son, but You forgive. And he intercedes for us, and has mercy, and saves, and grows to the full growth of the love of the Lord.

Glory to God for this, glory to the Mother of the Lord for this love of Her. Amen.

Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt. Sermon on the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos

The righteous parents of the Ever-Virgin grieved for a long time about their infertility, long and fervently prayed to the Lord for the resolution of infertility, which was considered a punishment from God for sins; they did much alms in order to bow to the mercy of the All-Merciful, and endured insults from their fellow tribesmen, and in this sorrow and unceasing prayer and beneficence they were gradually purified in spirit and inflamed more and more with love and devotion to God and thus were prepared by the Providence of God for the blessed birth of the Most Blessed Blessedness , chosen from all generations to the Mother of the incarnate Word.

In a close and sorrowful way, the Lord leads to the glory and bliss of His chosen ones, for the Mother of God Herself in the flesh was predicted by Simeon that a weapon would pass through Her soul and She would experience grievous sorrows in her soul during the suffering life of Her Son, so that many people's hearts would open up ( Luke 2: 34-35). So mournful and cramped is the path of all God's chosen ones, for the world and the ruler of the world, that is, the enemy of God and men, extremely oppresses the people of God; and the Lord Himself allows them to walk the narrow path, since he helps them to strive to God and to place their trust in Him alone.

But let us look from sorrow to joy. What joy does the Nativity of the Mother of God give us? Let us explain in more detail the church song, which explains the reasons for the festive joy. Through the Nativity of the Ever-Virgin, through Her only-begotten Son and God, the cursed and rejected mankind was reconciled with God, immeasurably offended by their sins, for Christ became the Mediator of reconciliation (Rom. 5: 10-11), freed from curse and eternal death, was awarded the blessing of the Heavenly Father; it has united and merged with the Divine nature; raised into its first property by this dissolution, in the words of the church song; a previously rejected person was rewarded with adoption by the Heavenly Father, received the promise of a glorious resurrection and eternal life in heaven along with the angels.

All this has been accomplished and is being accomplished by the Son of God incarnate from the Most Pure Virgin from the Holy Spirit and by the intercession of His Most Pure Mother. How honored and exalted mankind through the holy Virgin Mary, for She was worthy of renewal and adoption by God; And She Herself was rewarded by Her immeasurable humility and the greatest purity and holiness to be the Mother of the God-man! She is always the most powerful Intercessor and Representative of the Christian clan before Her Son and God! She is our unashamed Hope; She removes from us the clouds of God's righteous anger, opens up to us the ancient paradise with Her mighty intercession; She upholds the thrones of kings and keeps them unshakable forever. She saved and is saving Russia a thousand times from the beginning to the present day; She exalted her, glorified her, confirmed and affirms her; She is the guarantor of sinners for salvation. To Her Christians turn their countless prayers, petitions, praises, praise and thanksgiving; She has performed and is performing in the Church countless miracles, beneficial in all parts of the world.

Let us all lightly celebrate the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, adorning ourselves with all sorts of Christian virtues. Amen.

House of Joachim and Anna

The House of Joachim and Anna is one of the Christian landmarks of Jerusalem. As Church Tradition says, the Virgin Mary was born in the house of her parents - the righteous Joachim and Anna. It was located in the northeastern part of Jerusalem, now it is the territory of the Muslim Quarter of the Old City, near the Lion Gate.

Orthodox and Catholics are still arguing about where exactly the house stood, and they built a monastery and a basilica at a distance of 70 meters from each other. The Orthodox monastery of St. Anna is a place of pilgrimage for many Christians around the world. On the first floor of the monastery there is a church in honor of the Nativity of the Mother of God, and under the building of the monastery there is an ancient cave. It is believed that this cave is part of the house of Joachim and Anna.

Church in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Vladykino

Church in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Vladykino- the spiritual center of the Moscow region Otradnoye. Address: Altufevskoe highway, building 4.

Vladykino is one of the most ancient villages near Moscow. The first owner of the village was the noble Prince Daniel of Moscow, the son of St. Alexander Nevsky and a direct descendant of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir and Princess Olga. In 1322, the village was granted to the patrimony of the thousand Protasius Velyaminov, who arrived at the service of the Moscow prince. From his name the village got its first name - Velyaminovo.

Three centuries later, in 1619, Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich granted Velyaminovo to Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky, but soon the village passed to Prince Ivan Ivanovich Shuisky. It was under him that a village church was built here in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos (instead of a dilapidated church in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker).

After 1653, His Holiness Patriarch Nikon made the village his fiefdom and gave it a new name - Vladykino. In Vladykino, a patriarchal traveling palace and another temple are being built in honor of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God.

The first stone church in Vladykino was built in 1770. The bell tower was erected by Count K. G. Razumovsky, the owner of the neighboring village of Petrovskoye. By the middle of the 19th century, the stone church was badly dilapidated. In 1854, on the site of the old one, a new, this time three-altar, temple was built with the side-chapels of the Archangel Michael and the Archangel Gabriel. The main altar in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos was consecrated by Saint Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna.

During the Soviet years, the church was not closed, even during the most severe persecutions against the Church. During the Great Patriotic War, not a single shell hit him, although the Germans were very close. In the 70s, there were attempts to demolish the temple during the construction of an overpass at the beginning of the Altufevskoe highway, but the parishioners were able to defend it.