When the annunciation is celebrated. How to celebrate the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos? Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh

The Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated by Orthodox Christians on April 7. Traditions, signs and customs of the holiday, what can and should not be done on this day, the correspondent of the agency "Minsk-Novosti" learned.

The origins of the holiday

The Annunciation is a non-passing holiday that always falls on April 7th, and is the third most important after Easter and Christmas. It belongs to the 12 most important Christian holidays. On this day, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and told the good news - she will become the mother of the Son of God and the Savior of the world. “Blessed are you in women and blessed is the fruit of your womb,” said the archangel Gabriel.

The Feast of the Annunciation is celebrated 9 months before the birth of Christ, and means that the Lord in the holy manifestation of the birth of God descended to man, and the earthly girl Mary, becoming the mother of Christ in the flesh, became like the angels.

The symbol of the holiday is considered to be a dove, as well as white lilies, with which believers adorn their homes.

What you need to do for the Annunciation

On the morning of April 7, they traditionally visit the temple, buy a prosphora, one for each family member, and order a prayer for the health of loved ones. Prosphora is eaten on an empty stomach with holy water, reading the prayer "To accept holy water and prosphora," and the crumbs are added to pet food.

Women on this day can pray in the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos and ask her for a happy fate, a successful marriage, the birth of children or the health of those already born.

On this day, Lent is slightly weakened - you can eat fish, but meat and dairy products remain prohibited.

The ancestors used to harvest salt that day. It was assumed that she could heal from any disease.

On this day, it is customary to release the symbol of the holiday - birds, not only pigeons, but also larks, tits and other birds. It is believed that birds are able to convey the news of the good deeds of people to the guardian angels.

The most correct way to spend this day is to be with your family, in prayer and with pure thoughts, visit relatives and not be distracted by worldly problems.

The key rule in the Annunciation: do not quarrel, do not get discouraged, do not gossip and do not gossip. However, this advice is useful on any day, not just on holidays.

What not to do on the Annunciation

According to the proverb, in the Annunciation "a bird does not build a nest, a maiden does not weave braids," so it is better to postpone the visit to the hairdresser to another day.

On the Annunciation, any physical labor, housework or handicrafts (knitting, embroidery, sewing, etc.) are prohibited. Even food is advised to prepare before the holiday.

Since on this day the Lord blesses everything that grows on the earth, it is not recommended to prune bushes and trees or work in the garden.

It is better not to borrow or take anything out of the house - this is a sign of failures and problems in the family, it was believed among the people.

You cannot put on new clothes - they will surely tear or wear down quickly.

Signs for the Annunciation

The Annunciation is considered the third Presentation, after which it is definitely warm.

On April 7, it was possible to guess by the birds: if a sparrow caught my eye - to appeasement, a crow - to despondency, pigeons - to grace, swallows - to success.

The fishermen believed that if it rains on the Annunciation, then the whole year will be a good catch.

The villagers believed that rain was a harbinger of a good harvest of rye and mushrooms. The thunderstorm on this day promised a large harvest of nuts. Snow on the Annunciation - for a lean summer.

It is believed that the weather for the Annunciation predicts the same weather for Easter. However, if it is already very warm on the Annunciation, then it will most likely be cool on Easter.

If on this day the sun rises in a clear sky, then spring will be early, unless there are clouds in the sky at noon - spring will be slightly late, but if only clear weather is established in the evening - spring is expected late.

Swallows in the sky foreshadowed a quick warm spring. If snow flies on the Annunciation, the summer is lean.

Even for thieves on this day, there was a belief. If you manage to steal something on the holiday, then the whole year will be successful and in abundance.

Every year on April 7, Orthodox people celebrate one of the most important holiday in the history of the Bible - the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. It is traditionally considered twelve, the number never changes. In 2018, the Annunciation coincided with Holy Saturday, which falls on the last day before Easter.

This is a great holiday that has been celebrated since the 3rd century.

The history of the holiday

The Greek Gospel literally means “Good News”. April 7 was dedicated to the prophecy, which informs about the birth of the Son of God. This holiday has three symbols - a ray of light with the help of which the Holy Spirit descended to the earth, a spinning wheel - Mary was sitting next to her when she heard the news that she would become immaculately pregnant, palm leaves - symbolize feelings and thoughts related to the sublime and do not intersect with worldly life ...

The Virgin Mary was destined to become the mother of Jesus, because until the age of 14 she was in the temple on the territory of Jerusalem. Since after this age all Jewish girls had to marry without fail, Mary refused and promised that she would keep her virginity all her life. To comply with all the rules, the girl was betrothed to the 80-year-old righteous man Joseph.

Mary didn’t just receive the information that she would become the mother of Jesus. She had the right to decide whether she was ready for it or not. Already from the 5th century, paintings by artists depicting this scene from the biblical legend began to appear in world painting.

Traditions and rituals in the Annunciation

There are a lot of traditions associated with this day - it is strictly forbidden to work, sew, knit, slaughter cattle, have loud and noisy fun. On April 7, prosphora baked by the hostess are consecrated in the churches. How many people were in the family, so many had to be baked.

After they were eaten on an empty stomach, the crumbs and leftovers were collected, and then added to the feed for livestock so that they did not get sick for the next year, and gave a normal weight gain or offspring. Prosphora was given the same importance as holy water. In order for spring to come faster, pets were released into the street with the symbolic purpose of “listening to spring”. Girls came to the church, performed the so-called "crooked dance" around it.

All this happened so that spring would come faster. Another traditional activity was “releasing the birds”. To perform the action, birds were caught, mainly pigeons or tits, which were put in a cage. It was believed that if a bird was released from the cage on April 7, it would fly to the Lord himself, and convey all the messages that people addressed to him.

Reliefs and changes on Holy Saturday

Since in 2018 the Annunciation is celebrated during the period of Great Lent, there should not be meat and milk on the table. You can diversify the menu with fish and a glass of red wine. On a holiday, it is not recommended to give something away, to borrow money, because along with material things, you can lose part of your health. It is also not recommended to wear new clothes, it is believed that they deteriorate faster.

Work in the garden on this day is prohibited, but you can take plant seeds with you to church. It is believed that they will bear more fruit. It is forbidden to comb and cut your hair, because you can confuse your fate. Since this year the Annunciation falls on Holy Saturday, it is recommended to spend the holiday with your family, not to visit noisy places, to devote your free time to thinking about the life of Jesus Christ before his crucifixion.

The Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos is an Orthodox holiday that has one day of the forefeast and one day of the afterfeast, on which the Cathedral of the Holy Archangel Gabriel is celebrated.

The events of the Annunciation are described in the Gospel by the Apostle Luke - on this day they remember how the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary announced the good news of the conception and birth of Her Infant God - Jesus Christ.

The divine story is familiar to almost everyone, but on the eve of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, he invites you to remember it again, as well as to get acquainted with the history, traditions and signs of the holiday.

Annunciation to the Most Holy Theotokos

The Virgin Mary, who was given to the Creator since birth, is undoubtedly the most chaste in the entire Universe - she lived and was brought up until the age of 14 in the Jerusalem temple.

Mary, when the time came to leave the temple, was found in the husbands of the elderly pious carpenter Joseph, who was supposed to protect Her purity and innocence.

Therefore, the Virgin Mary, when the Archangel Gabriel announced to her that She had found the greatest grace with God - to be the Matter of the Son of God, embarrassed, she asked the Angel how this conception would happen.

As an example, the Archangel cited the sterile relative of Mary — Saint Elizabeth, who conceived a child at an advanced age six months ago, and thus to understand that there is no limit to the possibilities of the Lord.

Having heard the all-merciful will in the speeches of the Archangel, Mary said: "Behold, the Servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word." The holy conception took place, as it is believed today, at the moment the Virgin Mary uttered this phrase.

Icon "Our Lady of Vladimir" (1652. Front side of a double-sided icon. Simon Ushakov)

Joseph, learning that Mary was carrying a child, wanted to secretly let her go, but the Angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to him and said: "Joseph, the Son of David! Do not be afraid to accept Mary, your wife; for she who was born in Her is of the Holy Spirit, she will give birth to a Son. , and you will call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins ... "

Joseph did as the Angel told him - he took his wife. Everything, as predicted, happened so - they had a son, and he was named Jesus.

history of the holiday

It is believed that the holiday was established by the apostles, since the images of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, dating from the II-III centuries, are found in the paintings of the catacombs, where the first Christians gathered for prayer.

However, the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos began to be celebrated especially - much later. This was facilitated by the discovery of the Holy Places of the Savior's earthly life at the beginning of the 4th century by Saint Helena Equal to the Apostles and the construction of temples in these places, including the basilica in Nazareth, on the site of the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin.

The ancient Christians called the holiday differently - the Annunciation of Christ, the Conception of Christ, the Annunciation of the Angel to Mary, the Beginning of Atonement, and only in the 7th century it was named the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, both in the West and in the East.

The Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, according to some information, was established by Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, and by the end of the 7th century in Byzantium it was one of the most important. It spread to the Western Church at about the same time.

The date of the Annunciation in both the East and the West is March 25 (April 7 in the old style). A day was dedicated to the Annunciation, nine months ahead of Christmas, since the feast of the Nativity of Christ was historically established much earlier.

This number is also consistent with the ideas of ancient church historians that the Annunciation and Easter took place on the same day of the year, as historical events.

Traditions

Since ancient times, the feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos has been especially revered in Russia. On this day, according to an ancient tradition, people released birds from their nets and cages. This custom was revived in 1995 and is now performed in many temples.

The peasants, on the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, according to tradition, according to the number of household members, baked prosphora in the family - unleavened church bread, which was then lit in the church.

Image of the Mother of God. Fragment of the icon "Annunciation (Ustyug)"

They ate lighted bread at home on an empty stomach, and crumbs, according to tradition, were added to seeds and pet food. The people believed that the harvest would be rich due to this, and the livestock - healthy and fertile.

The people perceived the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos as a holiday of spring - the beginning of a new agricultural year. Grain, according to tradition, people consecrated before sowing, placing the Annunciation icon next to the grain.

On this day in the old days "they called for spring" - they made a fire and jumped over the fire, danced in circles, sang "Vesnyanka". People considered the Annunciation bonfire the best protection against disease, damage and the evil eye.

People beat beaters, rang a bell, copper dishes to protect the cattle from wolves. There was a common belief among the people that wolves would keep at the distance over which the sound would spread.

Signs

The feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos among the people was surrounded by many signs. The main omen is that all land work and housework are prohibited. In the old days, people said that even a bird does not nest on this day, because it is a sin.

According to legend, the cuckoo did not obey the rules of this day and built a nest, as a punishment she can no longer build nests, and is forced to lay her eggs in the nests of other birds.

In many houses, according to tradition, on the eve and on the day of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, they tried not to light a fire, but in order to attract good luck in the oven, according to signs, a few pinches of salt had to be burned.

On the feast of the Annunciation, people believed that angels rejoice in heaven, and even in hell they stop tormenting sinners. From the winter sleep the earth awakens and opens up to meet the spring. And all evil spirits awaken together with the inhabitants of the earth.

Therefore, in the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, ceremonies were performed that protected from illness and evil. It was a good omen to wash with melt water, fumigate winter clothes with smoke, and so on.

Fire was considered the best protection against snakes, so it was customary to burn the garbage accumulated over the winter. According to signs, you cannot drop a single crumb on the Annunciation, otherwise there will be no salvation from insects.

At the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, it was customary to guess for luck - they baked small money in the church prosphora and whoever gets it, that happiness will smile all year long.

The Annunciation consecrated water was placed under the icons, since they believed that it would raise the sick person to his feet, and they also soldered the cattle with it.

In the old days, it was believed that the consecrated water does not deteriorate for a whole year, unless a sorcerer or a person with dark thoughts touches it.

At the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, it is a bad omen to pour grain from bag to bag and lend, therefore, it was strictly forbidden to do this.

On this day, the hostess drove the chickens from the roost with a broomstick so that they would rush to Easter.

Icon "Annunciation" of the late 16th century

It has a lot to do with the harvest and the weather. So, according to omen, chickens will run badly if the sky is dark without stars the night before. The sign of the wheat harvest is a sunny day on the Annunciation.

According to signs, rain on a holiday - for mushroom autumn, for good fishing. A thunderstorm on a holiday indicates a warm summer and a good harvest of nuts. If a thunderstorm thunders on a holiday, you can wait for a warm summer and an excellent harvest of nuts.

According to signs, frost on the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos indicated a good harvest of spring crops and cucumbers.

What they pray for

They pray in front of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos of the Annunciation about receiving relief and healing of their ailments, about release from captivity, and in general - to receive the "good" news about something.

Prayer

Accept, O All-Powerful, Most Pure Lady, the Lady of the Mother of God, these honest gifts, to You alone applied from us, unworthy of Your servants, chosen from all generations, who appeared above all the creatures of heaven and earth. For thee, for the sake of you, the Lord of forces was with us, and by thee of the Son of God in the knowledge, and let us be made worthy of His Holy Body and His Most Pure Blood. The same blessed art thou in the birth of generations, God-blessed, the most luminous cherubim and the most honest being of the Seraphim. And now, All-chanting Most Holy Theotokos, do not cease praying for us, unworthy of Thy servants, hedgehog to rid us of every advice of the evil one and from every situation, and keep us intact from every poisonous admonition of the devil. But even to the end, by Thy prayers, not condemned, observe us, as through Thy intercession and help we save glory, praise, thanksgiving and worship for everything in the Trinity to the One God and all to the Creator, now and forever and forever. Amen.

Material prepared on the basis of open sources

The Feast of the Annunciation throughout all of Russia was great, highly revered by the people as a day of perfect freedom and peace. The Annunciation was a holiday of beautiful traditions, the blessing of all reasonable and good deeds, and not riotous feasts. Believing Christians who adhere to the many-day Great Lent, April 7 - on the Annunciation, have a relaxation. Fish and wine are added to the meager lean food, calm amusements are not prohibited for the soul. This once again underlines the greatness of this great holiday.

History of the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The history of the Annunciation is familiar to everyone who is strong in the Bible, as well as to those who have watched children's cartoons based on the artistic film adaptation of the Gospel.

What names were given to the Annunciation in ancient times. He was called the Conception of Christ, and the Annunciation of Christ, and the Beginning of Redemption, and the Annunciation of the angel Mary. But ethnographers and clergymen did not manage, in spite of a long search, to determine where, when, how the feast of the Annunciation first appeared. Only one thing is known: the indication of the Emperor Justinian, dated 560, about the celebration of the Annunciation in March on the 25th (according to the new style, April 7).

Three good news

The good news on April 7 gave rise to two others - on January 7 and on the day. In absolutely the entire chronicle of the human race, there are, most likely, three magnificent gospel: about the moment that the Son of God was born and also about the fact that Jesus was resurrected. However, initially the Archangel Gabriel delivered the good (good) news to the Virgin Mary about the forthcoming creation of the Savior of the world. This is what people call such a day - the Annunciation.

It is unknown what exactly the Virgin Mary was doing at the moment when the Archangel Gabriel, the messenger of the Most High, delivered her wonderful news. According to some assumptions, she then spun pink and purple yarn for the curtains in the Temple. In the opinion of others, she approached the well for water, in accordance with the third reasoning, she read the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.

Be that as it may, today it is unimportant. The most important thing is what the Archangel said to her. The Apostle Luke tells that the Angel, descending to Mary, claimed that she, the Blessed One, should triumph, for she was chosen, to give birth to a son from the Creator himself. HE will become great and will be called Jesus - the Son of the Most High.

The Virgin Mary, undoubtedly, starting from her birth, was given to the Creator, and Her husband, old man Joseph, took the obligation to protect Her innocence and purity. And as a result of this, She, embarrassed, inquired from the Angel how this generation would take place. Gabriel compared Mary's cousin Saint Elizabeth, who conceived an unborn child for several months before the Annunciation. Moreover, she was at such an old age in which it could not give the opportunity to conceive and give birth to a child, sometimes innovative medical science. The Lord has no limit to his possibilities. Righteous Elizabeth, as well as her husband, the priest Zechariah, had a son, who was given the name John and who later became nothing other than John the Baptist.

Mary - the most chaste, as well as the holiest of all living in the Universe, nevertheless, in no way considered herself to be one that deserved special mercy from the Lord. However, having experienced the All-Merciful Will in the words of the Archangel, She said: “Behold, the Servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word. " Today it is believed that at the moment the Virgin Mary uttered such a phrase, the holy conception took place. It is unrealistic and difficult to assume what could have happened to the planet, provided that at that moment in time the Virgin Mary said something else.

It is logical that the righteous John Chrysostom called the Annunciation the source of celebrations, the basis of all Christian festivals without exception.

One of the most beautiful and also the most famous songs in the world community - Ave Maria - is dedicated to the Annunciation, this is nothing more than the prayer of the Mother of God "Virgin, rejoice!" In general, it arose even before the division of the Orthodox religion into Western and Eastern began. In honor of the celebration of the Annunciation, numerous churches and cathedrals have been erected or renamed in Russia. Especially recognized and popular by all is the Cathedral of the Annunciation in the Moscow Kremlin.

The presentation of the Annunciation is the very first mention of the Mother of God in the Gospel. And in spite of everything, even the fact that the "Gospel" is translated into Russian from Greek is also the Good News ", only the Apostle Luke spelled out the event of the Annunciation. And he rightfully refers not only to the first icon painters, but also to the creators of the 1st icon of the Virgin Mary. The original, obviously, did not remain, but its most patriarchal painting - according to ethnographers - is the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. The most revered image of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Russia.

Annunciation - beautiful traditions

Callouts

The eve of the Annunciation and the holiday itself is permeated with ancient beautiful traditions, which are still actively observed in many villages. Traditionally, they call out the spring: they light fires, dance around them, singing beautiful spring flowers, bake flour sculptures of waders, larks, and swallows. Young girls climb with them on the roof of low buildings, stand on an elevated place, the kids climb the trees and chant long, sadly and melodiously addresses to the birds, urging them to fly faster, and bring Beauty Spring on their wings! They are begged to bring from overseas a lot of health, green grass, odorous cakes, a pot of porridge and even a bag full of money. The birds are lured with pies, koloboks, pretzels.

Prosphora

So that all days of the year are calm and successful, the whole family has strong health and a prosperous life, according to the Christian tradition, which eventually grew into a folk custom, it was obligatory to eat a piece of prosphora (church bread). It was baked (now bought) for each member of the family, consecrated in the church, then crumbled and eaten. Often its crumbs were mixed into sowing seeds, to feed. According to centuries-old observations, it was established that this gave an excellent harvest, good offspring in livestock and birds, health for all living creatures. They even mixed crumbs of Church bread into honey and fed them to the bees.

A tradition full of deep meaning - "Freedom for the birds!"

In 1995, in honor of the Annunciation, an ancient Russian beautiful tradition was revived - to give the birds free rein. On this day, in the Annunciation Cathedral, after the chants, the clergy and children were released birds. This custom was supported in almost all churches. People like him too. Residents of megalopolises bought forced birds at bird markets and joyfully granted them freedom.

Signs for the Annunciation

According to the weather for the Annunciation, they predicted the future harvest, and what the summer months will be. The masses will take it together.

A windy day with morning fog and frost promised a fruitful summer. The Annunciation rain went to an abundance of mushrooms and bread.

To a good collection of spring crops, cucumbers, milk mushrooms, there was frost; to warm summer days and to the abundance of nuts - a thunderstorm.

There are no swallows on the day of the Annunciation - by the cold, prolonged spring.

The Blagoveshchensk sky is dark, starless - chickens will lay few eggs.

The Annunciation snow on the roofs will not melt until May 6 (Egoria), and a bitter frost by forty frosty matinees.

Among the considerable number of church holidays, the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos is considered special. In terms of importance, it is second, perhaps, only to Christmas, which is celebrated by all Christians, regardless of denomination. Even before the day of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, the schedule of services in churches is posted on the sites and entrance doors, so that every believer can find time in his busy schedule for the joy of attending church. Moreover, it is impossible to miss a visit to the temple on this holiday. Such an act is considered an unforgivable mistake that will bring troubles and troubles into the house. The Annunciation has a number of rules and restrictions, but many believers are not familiar with them. Therefore, in preparation for the holiday, they admit annoying miscalculations, which in the old days in Russia even children could not make. We will tell readers in as much detail as possible about this joyful day for the heart of every Christian: when the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated, where did the tradition of celebrating the holiday come from, what is the history of its origin and many other interesting things. But let's talk about everything in order.

Brief historical background

The Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos has a clearly defined celebration date. He and Christmas are nine months apart, despite the fact that the Annunciation took root in church traditions much later than Christmas. It is known that Catholics and Orthodox Christians use different types of calendars. It is not surprising that the dates of the holidays are different for them. The Catholic Church in honor of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary begins services in the temple on the morning of March 25th. And the Orthodox holiday is celebrated on April 7th.

Among the twelve main holidays of the Christian church, many believers consider this literally the beginning of the formation of religion. After all, its essence lies in the good news that Mary received from the angels. Some theologians in ancient times argued that it was during this conversation that the immaculate conception of a young girl took place. Therefore, for a long time, the holiday bore a lot of names that characterize this particular side of it.

Interestingly, all events related to this topic were described by only one apostle. Luke, in his Gospel, spoke in great detail about what happened on that great day. To this day, all Christians refer precisely to this written source, telling the story of the Virgin Mary and the conception of Christ.

history of the holiday

The story about the feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos must begin with a brief description of the life of the Virgin Mary.

Not everyone knows that from birth the girl who became the Mother of God was promised to the temple. Serving the Lord was to become her life, for which the baby was being prepared. She spent her childhood in the Jerusalem temple and was brought up by its abbots. But by the age of fourteen, young Mary, according to Jewish laws, had to get married. This greatly embarrassed the holy fathers, who prayed day and night for the best solution to determine the fate of the girl. After vain prayers, illumination descended on one of the elders, and he began to search for a husband for Mary who could protect her throughout her life, but nevertheless not lay claim to her, as a husband does to his wife. The search was short-lived, and soon Mary became the wife of Joseph, who by the time of the wedding was already eighty years old. The named husband was known as a real righteous man and spent his entire life in work and prayer. Before meeting with Mary, Joseph was never married.

One day the archangel Gabriel appeared in front of the embarrassed girl. According to the Gospel of Luke, he announced to Mary the good news that she was chosen as a mother to the Son of God. However, it was important not only to tell the girl about what awaited her, but also to get her consent. Without him, the Lord would not have been able to fulfill his will.

Hearing such news, Mary doubted the possibilities of an immaculate conception. However, Gabriel shamed her by recalling how her relative conceived, carried and gave birth to a baby, who considered herself barren to old age. By this, the angel wanted to prove the limitless possibilities of the Lord and to calm Mary. Obedient and righteous, the girl agreed with God's will and conceived a child.

Interestingly, upon learning about his wife's pregnancy, Joseph thought about her infidelity. He decided that the girl had broken her vow of innocence, and invited her to leave him secretly, under cover of night. However, in a dream, an angel appeared to him, telling the whole truth about the conception of the Son of God, and ordered the man to protect his wife and take care of her.

The importance of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos lies in the fact that until that moment mankind had not received good news from the Lord. Adam and Eve were the last to hear the will of the Creator, but subsequent generations were deprived of this goodness.

Becoming a holiday

Christians began to celebrate the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in churches in the fifth-sixth centuries, but even earlier there were references to this day in different sources.

Historians and archaeologists have found images of the events of the Annunciation in caves where the early Christians hid from their pursuers. Similar paintings were painted not only in individual caves, but also in the catacombs, in which the exiles were for weeks and months, conducting services and preaching. Such murals date back to the second or third centuries.

In the fourth century, Saint Helena made her invaluable contribution to the development of the holiday. She walked through the places of Christ's life and everywhere tried to leave a mark in the form of a basilica, temple, church or cathedral. She was also one of the first to speak about the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos as a significant event. The saint found the place where the apparition of the archangel to the Virgin took place, and erected a basilica there.

By the fifth century, icon painters began to pay great attention to this biblical subject. They began to depict the events of the Immaculate Conception of Jesus on icons and murals in temples. About a hundred years later, services for the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos were held in most churches. It is believed that St. Cyril of Jerusalem finally established its canons and traditions. Literally a century later, the holiday received the status of the main one in Byzantium and spread to the West.

By the way, the Mother of God was very revered in Russia. Therefore, the Annunciation was celebrated very solemnly and necessarily with the whole family. From this, according to our ancestors, the well-being of all its members and abundance in the house depended.

In the eighth century, festive canons were compiled, which are sung during the service in honor of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in churches. Their authors are considered to be the Metropolitan of Nicea and two holy elders - Theophanes and John Damascene.

Let's talk about traditions

Each holiday has its own traditions, the more this statement is relevant when we are talking about church holidays. The rules for celebrating the Annunciation were formed in ancient times and today are strictly observed by all Christians.

The day before the holiday, women started baking prosvir. This word was used for unleavened bread in the form of small rolls. Its number has always been equal to the number of household members. On the morning of the feast of the prosvira, it was required to take it to the service and consecrate it. Only after this could the family members begin the festive meal, at which bread was eaten. This was done with great care so as not to drop a single crumb past the mouth. If this happened, then all the remnants of the bread was collected and given to the cattle. It was believed that this helps to maintain her health and fertility. However, it was necessary to eat the consecrated bread on an empty stomach. This was a prerequisite for a rich harvest and family well-being.

Since the Annunciation is a very important holiday, it is strictly forbidden to work on this day. Our ancestors would never have slaughtered livestock, sewed, cleaned the house, or engaged in any other business. However, it was also forbidden to start too noisy fun. People had to realize the sacredness of this day and be imbued with it.

I would like to note that in Russia this church holiday was considered at the same time the day when it was customary to call spring. It was believed that after the Annunciation, winter finally recedes and a new round of life begins in nature. In order to get rid of ailments, our ancestors made fires. Round dances were performed around them, songs and "barkers" sang. The most courageous even jumped over the fire, thereby clearing themselves of all diseases and impure thoughts.

A particularly beautiful tradition in the Annunciation was the release of birds. Before the holiday, feathered songwriters were caught in the streets and in the forests, and they were put in cages. After attending church services, young people gathered in the courtyards of temples and opened their cells. Birds soaring into the sky were a symbol of the good news, once brought to humanity.

During the Annunciation, cattle were often driven out into the streets. He had to go to the sound of beaters and bells. This, as our ancestors thought, protected the cattle from ailments and predators.

The tradition of the Annunciation does not limit the range of festive dishes. It all depends on what day this date falls on. For example, this year it was Good Friday. Therefore, believers could not afford to eat even fish. Although usually, if the holiday coincides with fasting, the Orthodox have some indulgences. These include seafood.

Holiday symbols

Few Christians are aware that the Annunciation has its own symbolism. It is a kind of graphic story about the essence of the holiday. The first symbol is depicted as a ray of light. It represents an ephemeral road along which the Holy Spirit descended on the Virgin Mary. This is how the story of the good news in the Gospel began.

The second symbol is the spinning wheel. According to written sources, the Virgin Mary spent a lot of time with this instrument. Archangel Gabriel, descending from heaven, found her spinning and at that moment announced the mission that the girl would need to complete.

The third symbol is the palm branch. Since the earliest times, it has meant spiritual elevation. Some theologians interpreted the symbol as the unity of the subordination of thoughts and feelings to divine providence.

Features of the church service: day and evening on the eve of the holiday

In addition to the general traditions of celebrating the Annunciation, which we have already talked about, there are certain nuances of conducting church services. Believers usually find out about them already at the service, but they can let something out of their attention. We will tell our readers about all the features of celebrating the holiday according to church canons.

On the day before the holiday, believers attend Vespers. During it, the clergy read stichera and excerpts from Holy Scripture dedicated to the sufferings of Christ, the good news brought to the Virgin Mary by the archangel, prophecies about the Son of God, as well as texts about accepting torment for the salvation of human souls. At the final stage of the service, the troparion of the Annunciation and the canon "On the Crucifixion of the Lord and the Lamentation of the Most Holy Theotokos" are sung. After that, the service ends and the believers disperse for a while.

Matins takes place in the evening of the same day. It must be attended by all Orthodox Christians who wish to fully immerse themselves in the holiness of the moment. The service begins with chants, which turn into six psalms and troparia:

"Handsome Joseph";
“When thou art descended to death”;
"To the Myrrh-Bearing Wives."

Then the service continues with the reading of excerpts from the Gospel and the festive canons. It is impossible to imagine this service without the canons of the Annunciation and Great Saturday. They are considered special as they are read only on major holidays and have an unusual structure. The Canon of the Annunciation is written in the form of a conversation between the Virgin Mary and the archangel. But the second canon is actually philosophical reasoning on the topic of the processes occurring from the crucifixion to the resurrection of Christ.

Morning holiday service

From the very morning, the service is not much like a festive one. It is performed at regular hours, but after the end it immediately continues with the evening Liturgy. The priests sing the Sunday stichera and paremias. Usually, after that, a list of those who wish to be baptized on this holiday is announced.

Matins continues with the reading of the Gospel. Much attention is paid to texts about the deeds of Christ and his torment on the cross. The final stage of the service is the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great.

A few words about the meal and the vestments of priests

It is interesting that the services on the Annunciation presuppose a special vestment of the clergy. Usually the color of vestments on all holidays dedicated to the Mother of God is blue. However, in the Annunciation, it turns purple. By the way, this is the only day when the ministers of the church wear clothes of this color.

As for the meal, it is always accompanied by wine. Depending on the coincidence with other holidays, priests set a number of restrictions regarding the dishes on the table of believers. However, in any case, the Orthodox receive a blessing for red wine.

Temples in honor of the Virgin

In Russia, the Mother of God was especially venerated, and the number of churches in her honor is difficult to count. Many of them were forgotten and abandoned during Soviet times, but in recent years they have become operational again and have been fully restored. We will tell the readers about some of them.

The Church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos on Vasilievsky Island in St. Petersburg has a long history associated with the names of many famous figures of Russian science and culture.

The temple was founded in the middle of the eighteenth century and was built over a period of thirteen years. As a result, the believers were able to see the most beautiful seven-throne temple complex. It was consecrated even before the builders left the territory of the church. The lighting procedure was carried out by Tikhon Zadonsky himself.

In the thirty-sixth year of the last century, the temple was closed and resumed services only twenty-six years ago. Today it is open to everyone in need from nine in the morning until seven in the evening. On weekends, the church awaits believers until eight in the evening.

On the main church holidays, which include the Annunciation, the Liturgy is held twice a day: at seven and ten in the morning. You can confess half an hour before the service.

Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Fedosyne

This temple is located in Moscow and was founded at the beginning of the fifteenth century. In the future, it was rebuilt more than once. The final version dates from the first half of the nineteenth century.

The village of Fedosyevo belonged to the Ascension Monastery, which supported its inhabitants in difficult times. The temple built within the monastery amazes with its beauty and austere forms. It was active until the thirties of the last century, when there was a campaign for the mass closure of churches. It is noteworthy that the villagers did not allow the church to be closed. They tried to defend their faith with a united front, but nevertheless, for many decades, the temple was used by the Soviet government for other purposes.

Today believers can find out a lot of interesting and important information on the website dedicated to the Church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. The schedule of services, for example, is updated here once a month. Usually, in the temple, the doors for believers are open until five o'clock in the evening. Services begin at half past eight in the morning.

Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Petrovsky Park

There are at least five temple complexes in honor of the Mother of God in Moscow. All of them, even in the most difficult times for Christianity, were not empty. Believers have always come here hoping to find consolation. And the Church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in Petrovsky Park was very important for the Orthodox of this area.

Princess Naryshkina became the initiator and sponsor of the construction of the church. At her request, the architect Richter created a unique project that should not contradict the ensemble of the Petrovsky Palace. And he managed to realize it.

The foundation stone of the temple was laid in the forty-fourth year of the nineteenth century. It was originally supposed to have four thrones. The first was consecrated three years after the start of construction.

The rector of the Church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in Petrovsky publishes the schedule of services on the website. The resource is maintained by him and some members of the flock. In the temple complex of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in Petrovsky Park, the schedule of services of which all believers are interested, morning services usually begin at eight o'clock. Evening services are held from five o'clock. Orthodox Christians have the opportunity to confess almost every day. This is done before the morning Liturgy.