We worship Your Cross, Master, and we glorify Your Holy Resurrection.
In our cathedral there is a particle of the true Cross of the Lord, but very small. This particle comes from the Holy City of Jerusalem, precisely from the ark where the rest of the Cross is kept there. The ark with part of the Cross of the Lord was captured when Jerusalem was captured by the Persians in 614. In 624, the Byzantine emperor Heraclius defeated the Persians and returned this shrine to Jerusalem, where it has been uninterrupted ever since. In 2002, Archbishop Mark received from the Jerusalem Patriarchate this small particle of the Cross of the Lord, which broke off during the cleaning of the ark. The particle is immersed in wax under glass in the center of the carved cross (see photo). Church holidays with the removal of the Cross
The origin of the honest trees of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord.
Feast of the All-Merciful Savior and the Most Holy Theotokos.
August 1 (and according to the new style 08.14.) Strict Assumption fast begins. On the first day of the Dormition Fast, the Orthodox Church celebrates the pronouncement, or the so-called "Origin of the Honest Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord." The Russian name of the holiday "origin" means a solemn ceremony, a religious procession, or briefly - "wearing out" (according to the exact meaning of the Greek word). Since the time when the Son of God consecrated the Cross with His sufferings, an extraordinary miraculous power has been granted to the Cross. The history of the holiday testifies to its manifestation.
The cross began to be carried around in Constantinople during an epidemic of illness, and then, in memory of the healing, from year to year on August 1, the life-giving cross of the Lord was carried out from the royal chambers to the church of St. Sofia. The blessing of water was performed there, and then, for two weeks (coinciding with the time of the Dormition fast), the holy Cross was carried around the city. On August 14, and according to the new style on August 27, the Life-Giving Tree of the Cross returned to the royal chambers. Following the example of the Church of Constantinople, this celebration was introduced in Russia. It is here combined with the remembrance of the Baptism of Russia on August 1, 988.
According to the rite now accepted in the Russian Church, on this day in the morning after the great doxology, the solemn pronunciation (descent) of the Holy Cross is performed in the middle of the temple for kissing and veneration is performed according to the rite of the Holy Cross Week, and after the liturgy - the rite of the small blessing of water. Along with the consecration of water, according to custom, the consecration of honey of a new collection is performed (see: Menaia-August, Part 1, pp. 21–31). The people call August 14 the Honey Savior, and the Transfiguration - the Apple Savior. The consecration of honey and fruits has nothing to do with the theological meaning of the holidays, but these are our centuries-old folk traditions, and the Church has blessed them. It is good to consecrate the first honey, and the first fruits. If only this did not close the main, spiritual essence of holidays and fasts - repentance and mercy. From the very beginning of Christianity in Russia, Russian people knew the power of ardent prayers, sincere repentance and feats of piety, as well as the commandment of mercy, which the believing people tried to make their law of life. Let us follow this bright path, and may the merciful Heavenly Father grant us victory over passions and eternal bliss, through the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos, the All-Merciful Savior and the power of the Honorable Life-Giving Cross.
Week 3 of Great Lent, Holy Cross 03/31/2019.
In the middle of Fortecost on Saturday evening, at the All-Night Vigil, the Cross is solemnly carried out and laid in the middle of the church in order to inspire and strengthen the fasting to continue with a reminder of the suffering and death of the Lord. The worship of the Cross continues on the fourth week of Lent - until Friday, because the entire fourth week is called the Adoration of the Cross and liturgical texts are determined by the theme of the Cross. This week marks the middle of the Lenten field.
The meaning of the holiday is that Orthodox Christians, making a spiritual journey to Heavenly Jerusalem - to the Passover of the Lord, find the “Tree of the Cross” in the middle of the path in order to gain strength under its canopy for the further path. And the Cross of the Lord precedes Christ's victory over death - the Bright Resurrection. For the purpose of inspiring us more to be patient in exploits, St. The Church on this day consolingly reminds us of the approaching Pasxe, singing the sufferings of the Savior together with His joyful Resurrection: “We worship Thy Cross, O Master, and glorify Thy Holy Resurrection.”
worship Week of the Adoration of the Cross (3rd Week of Great Lent) is similar to the service on the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross and the Origin (wearing) of the precious trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord (August 14). According to tradition, it is customary to wear purple vestments on this day in temples. An all-night vigil is performed the night before. According to the charter, this all-night vigil should include small vespers. At Small Vespers, the Cross is transferred from the altar to the throne. However, now the celebration of small vespers can be found only in rare monasteries. For this reason, in parish churches, the Cross is placed on the throne before the service begins (the Gospel is placed behind the antimension). In the morning, the Gospel is read in the altar, after reading the Gospel, "The Resurrection of Christ who saw" is sung, regardless of the day of the week. Kissing the Gospel and anointing with oil after reading the Gospel are not performed. Before the Great Doxology, the rector puts on full vestments. During the Great Doxology, while singing the Trisagion, the clergyman censes three times around the throne with a cross placed on it, after which, holding the Cross on his head, preceded by a deacon with a candle, constantly censing the Cross, he carries out the Cross through the northern door. Stopping on the pulpit, the clergyman says “Wisdom, forgive me,” then, while singing the troparion “Save, Lord, Thy people and bless Thy heritage, giving victory to the Orthodox Christian against the opposition, and keeping Thy residence by Your Cross,” he transfers the Cross to the middle of the temple and puts it on the lectern. During the general veneration of the Cross, another troparion is sung: “We bow to Thy Cross, Master, and glorify Thy Holy Resurrection,” during which prostrations are made three times and special stichera are sung, during which the priest anoints with oil. This is followed by a special litany and the usual end of the all-night vigil with the first hour.
The Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord - September 14/27, the celebration of the holiday - September 21 / October 4.
At the end of the All-Night Vigil on September 26 (NS) on this day, the rite of the Exaltation of the Cross is performed. just as it happened in those distant times in Jerusalem, when by the zeal of St. Queen Helena received the Cross of Christ. With a huge gathering of people, it was not possible for everyone to come up and venerate the Cross. Therefore, Patriarch Macarius raised the Cross so that everyone could see it (i.e., he raised it - glory.) The people worshiped the Cross and prayed: “Lord have mercy!”.
When the Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine the Great (306 - 337), the first of the Roman emperors to recognize the Christian religion, entered the kingdom, he, together with his pious mother, Queen Elena, decided to renew the city of Jerusalem and re-consecrate the places associated with the memory of the Savior. Blessed Empress Elena went to Jerusalem. Arriving in the Holy City, the holy Empress Helen destroyed the temples of idols and cleansed the city of pagan idols. The buried Tomb of the Lord and the Execution Ground were discovered. During the excavations at Golgotha, three crosses were found, and thanks to a miracle, the Cross of the Savior was recognized and identified through touching the True Tree...
Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord - sermon of Bishop Agapit in the Cathedral in Munich"... (Queen Elena) - where did she get the confidence that she could find such a shrine of Christ? This is a mystery that will remain forever and ever - how can such a person be courageous, so that against the backdrop of pagans, a pagan state where pagans prevailed , where for three hundred years pagans oppressed Christians, tried to keep them lower in social conditions all the time - then suddenly a woman is in power, who in Rome did not have the honor that she would later receive in Byzantine times, a woman stands and guessing only, not knowing with certainty whether she will find, whether she will find this Cross. And the Lord did not shame her hopes and the Life-Giving Cross was found ... "
In the greatest joy, the Blessed Empress Elena and Patriarch Macarius raised the Life-Giving Cross high and showed it to all the standing people. Immediately after the most historic event, the finding of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord by the pious Empress Elena, the Rite of the Exaltation was determined by the ancient Church and has since been an integral part of the service of the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.
After finding St. Cross Emperor Constantine began the construction of a number of temples, where divine services were to be performed with the solemnity appropriate to the Holy City. Ten years later, the Church of the Resurrection of Christ on Golgotha was completed. Hierarchs of the Christian Church from many countries took part in the consecration of the temple on September 13, 335. On the same day, the whole city of Jerusalem was consecrated. The choice of September 13 and 14 as the date of the Feast of the Renewal (i.e., consecration) could be due both to the very fact of consecration on these days, and to a conscious choice. According to a number of researchers, the Feast of Renewal has become the Christian analogue of the Old Testament Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), one of the 3 main holidays of Old Testament worship (Lev 34:33-36), especially since the consecration of Solomon's temple also took place during Tabernacles. The Day of the Renewal of the Martyrium, as well as the Rotunda of the Resurrection (Holy Sepulcher) and other buildings at the site of the crucifixion and resurrection of the Savior began to be celebrated annually with great solemnity, and on September 14, the remembrance of the acquisition of the Holy Cross, which was found here, with the ceremony of raising the Cross for viewing by all those who pray , entered the festive celebration in honor of the consecration of the Church of Christ's Resurrection. In the ancient calendars, this holiday was called "The Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord." The temple was consecrated on September 13, 335. The next day, September 14 (according to the old style), it was established to celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross. At the same time, a miraculous chant, connecting the Cross and the Resurrection, arose: "We worship Your Cross, Master, and we glorify Your holy Resurrection."
Initially, the Exaltation was established as an additional holiday accompanying the main celebration in honor of the Renewal, but later the feast of the Renewal of the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection, although it has been preserved in the liturgical books up to the present, has become a pre-holiday day before the Exaltation, and the Exaltation has become the main holiday. Especially after the victory of Emperor Heraclius over the Persians and the solemn return of St. Cross from captivity in March 631, the holiday became widespread in the East. This event is also associated with the establishment of calendar commemorations of the Cross on March 6 and on the week of Great Lent.
Believers should perceive this holiday, of course, not only as a memory of the greatest historical event that took place more than one and a half thousand years ago. The holiday has the deepest meaning in the destinies of the whole world. The cross is directly related to the second coming of the Savior, for according to the true word of the Savior, the Last Judgment will be preceded by the appearance of a sign - this will be the second exaltation of the Cross of the Lord.
Just when we clearly see the sea of evil and all the cruelty of this world, it should be clear to us that Christ on the Cross takes this attack of evil on Himself at the very center, in the very essence, and with His presence reveals a completely new meaning in what is happening. Here is the victory of love, which seeks to absorb us into itself with the fullness of transfigured life - infinite goodness. To this we are also called in perfect freedom: To listen to such an unheard-of event. Silence reveals this depth.
Order of the Exaltation of the Cross
In the modern practice of the Russian Orthodox Church, fasting is observed on the day of the Exaltation. The rite of the Exaltation of the Cross is performed at the All-Night Vigil (i.e., September 26) only in cathedrals, but in parish churches on the day of the Exaltation of the Cross, the cross is brought to the middle of the church, and there it relies on analogies, then the veneration of the Cross follows, since on the Sunday of the Cross ( 3rd Sunday of Great Lent). In the Jerusalem Typicon, starting from the earliest editions and ending with modern editions, the rite of the Exaltation of the Cross retains the features known from the Studio monuments: it is performed after the great doxology and singing of the troparion of the Cross, consists of a 5-fold overshadowing of the Cross and its elevation to the four cardinal points. Before raising the Cross, the bishop must bow to the ground so that his head is a span away from the ground. A change in the Russian Orthodox Church in comparison with the Studium monuments is the addition of 5 deacon petitions to the rank. After each petition, the repeated “Lord, have mercy” is sung. The bishop, while singing "Lord have mercy", raises the Cross to the east, to the west, to the south, to the north, and for the last time again to the east. The cross again relies on the lectern and all the worshipers kiss the Cross, decorated with fresh flowers and fragrant herbs, and the clergyman anoints with holy oil. The cross lies on the lectern until October 4 - the day the Exaltation is given. At the end of the liturgy, after the prayer behind the ambo, while singing the troparion and kontakion to the Cross, the Cross is taken by the priest to the altar through the Royal Doors.
Limburg Staurotheque
In memory of the finding of the Cross of the Lord, St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Empress Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, in the temples, at the end of the all-night vigil, the Cross is carried out into the middle. Bows are placed in front of him while singing: “We bow to Thy Cross, Master, and glorify Thy holy Resurrection!”
In Germany, the Byzantine staurotheque (gr. stauros - cross) is kept in the city of Limburg on the Lahn River, which contains two large pieces of the Savior's Cross (see photo). Around these two cruciformly nested parts are arranged small doors above the compartments for various relics. The Stavrotek was taken away by the crusaders, who in 1204 ravaged Constantinople and captured a large number of shrines. The Staurotheque is exhibited in the Diocesan Museum of Limburg Cathedral. Film about the Limburg Staurothek with details and commentary in German.
Every Wednesday and Friday the Cross is sung in the Church at Divine services.
Troparion to the Cross: Save the Lord, Thy people, and bless Thy heritage, granting victory to the Orthodox Christian against the opposition, and Thy keeping Thy Cross living.
Kontakion to the Cross: Ascended to the Cross by your will, to your namesake new residence, grant Your bounty, Christ God; rejoice us in Your strength, giving us victories for adversaries, Your help to those who have Yours, the weapon of the world, an invincible victory.
Greatness:
We magnify Thee, Life-Giver Christ, and honor Your Holy Cross,
whom thou hast saved us from the work of the enemy.
Involved - Cross: The light of Thy countenance haunts us, O Lord
World Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord- one of the master's (from the Slavic " twelve ten"- twelve), that is, the largest, installed in remembrance of how the Equal-to-the-Apostles queen Elena mother of the emperor Constantine, found the cross on which our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. This event, according to church tradition, took place in the year 326 in Jerusalem near Mount Golgotha - the place of the crucifixion of Christ. Celebration Exaltation of the Holy Cross is non-transitive, always noted September 27(September 14, old style). It has one day of pre-feast (September 26) and seven days of after-feast (September 28 to October 4). Giving a holiday - The 4th of October. In addition, the Feast of the Exaltation is preceded by a Saturday and a Week (Sunday), called Saturday and the Week before the Exaltation.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross. History and event of the holiday
Day Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord- one of the oldest Orthodox holidays. It is performed in memory of two events from the history of the Cross of the Lord: in memory of its acquisition in the 4th century and in memory of its return from the Persians in the 7th century. The Holy Cross of the Lord, shortly after the removal of the Savior from it, was buried in the ground by the Jews, along with the crosses of two robbers. This place was subsequently built up with a pagan temple. The acquisition of the Cross took place in 325 or 326. According to church historians of the 4th century, the mother of the emperor Constantine, equal to the apostles Elena, went to Jerusalem to find places associated with the events of the earthly life of Christ, as well as the holy Cross. According to legend, Saint Helen tried to find out the place where the Cross was buried from the Jews of Jerusalem. She was pointed to the place where the pagan temple of Venus was located. The building was demolished and excavations began. Finally, they found three crosses, a sign with the inscription " Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews and nails. To find out on which of the three crosses the Lord was crucified, they were applied in turn to a seriously ill woman. When she was healed after touching one of the crosses, all those gathered glorified God, who pointed to the greatest shrine of the true Cross of the Lord, which was raised by the bishop for all to see. Tradition also speaks of the miracle of the resurrection of the dead, who was carried to burial, through touching the Cross.
Sts. Konstantin and Elena. Theophanes of Crete. Fresco. Meteora (Nikolai Anapafsa). 1527 When the reverent worship of the Cross and kissing it began, due to the crowd, many could not only kiss the holy Cross, but even see it, therefore the Patriarch of Jerusalem Macarius showed the newfound Cross to the people. To do this, he stood on a dais and raised (" erected") Cross. People worshiped the Cross and prayed: Lord have mercy!» The acquisition of the Cross took place around , so the initial honoring of the Cross took place on the second day of Easter. After finding the Holy Cross, Emperor Constantine began the construction of temples on Golgotha. A large basilica was built directly near Golgotha and the cave of the Holy Sepulcher martyrium and rotunda Sunday(Holy Sepulcher). The consecration took place on September 13, 335. Interestingly, the consecration of the temple also influenced the date of the holiday. The bishops who were present at these celebrations decided to celebrate the finding and exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 14, and not on May 3, as was the case in previous years. So, from the biography of the saint John Chrysostom it can be seen that in his time in Constantinople the celebration of the exaltation of the Cross took place on September 14th. In 614, under the Persian king Khozroe, the Persians took possession of Jerusalem and, together with other treasures of the temple, stole the holy Cross of the Lord. The shrine remained in the hands of the pagans for 14 years, and only in 628, under the Greek emperor Heraclius, The cross was returned to Jerusalem. Since the 7th century, the celebration Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord became especially solemn.
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Exaltation of the Holy Cross. worship
This holiday is both solemn and sad, it reminds not only of the greatness and triumph of the Lord's victory over death, but also of His suffering on the Cross. The main feature of the service on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is removal at the end of the evening service of the Cross from the altar for reverent worship. After a great doxology, the priest lays the Cross on his head and in the presentation of lamps, incense and singing " Holy God”takes him out of the altar through the northern doors. Then, at the end of the singing, he proclaims: forgive wisdom". The singers sing: Save, O Lord, your people". The priest places the Holy Cross on the lectern prepared in the middle of the temple and performs incense before it. After this, there is a worship of the Cross when the clergy sing:
We worship Your Cross, Master, and we glorify Your holy Resurrection.
Vestments of the clergy on a holiday Exaltation of the Cross it is dark, mourning, and women put on dark scarves. In memory of the sufferings of the Lord on the Cross, fasting is established on this day - food is supplied only with vegetable oil. The verses of the feast reveal the doctrine of the meaning of the sufferings of Christ. The sufferings of Jesus Christ put to death the one who killed us, i.e. the devil, and revived people mortified by sin; the poison of the ancient serpent was washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ. The verses and the canon of the Exaltation were compiled by well-known creators of church hymns - Feofan, Cosma and others. They showed the connection of the New Testament events with the Old Testament events, pointing out the types of the Cross of the Lord. So, in one of the verses on lithium we hear:
For example, krt your xrte, patriarch i3y1kov, vnykwm blessing of the gift, on the heads of the change, create the hand.
The stichera, which are sung during the veneration of the Cross at the end of the evening service, are filled with a high spiritual mood:
When you come, faithfully, bow to the life-giving tree, let us spread the glory of the king of glory, lift us up to the first bliss. Come, people, glorious chyu6to see krta sila bow down. Bring on the creatures, and 3 glory, on which it is nailed, and 3 in 8 the ribs are pierced. bile and 3 nets 8 eats, the sweetness of tsrk0 vnaz. ... and 3 hangs with a roaring hand, and with the same hand creating a bang. Even if there are not touchable beings, it happens to me. i3 suffers from the art, freedom from mz t strtє1y.
In proverbs for the holiday Exaltations contains such thoughts: in the first proverb (Ex. XV, 22-27; XVI, 1) it is told how Moses, during the wandering of the Jews in the wilderness, healed a spring with bitter water by investing a tree. This tree, which sweetened the bitter water, represented the power of the Cross of the Lord. In the second proverb (Prov. III, 11-18) a man is pleased who cares about acquiring the tree of wisdom, which is “ tree of life”For those who acquire it, our wisdom and our tree of life is the Cross of Christ. The third proverb (Isaiah LX, 11-16) contains Isaiah's prophecy about the greatness and glory of the city of the Lord, holy Jerusalem, which the Lord will clothe with greatness forever and joy for generations.
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The canon depicts the power of the Cross, which was revealed in the Old Testament prototypes of the cross (Moses, who raised his hands crosswise during the battle and thereby begged for victory; the tree that sweetened the waters of Merra, etc.), and in the New Testament miracles - through the very Cross of the Lord. The Apostle says (I Cor., I, 18-24) that the Cross, i.e. the sufferings of Jesus Christ represent God's power and God's Wisdom. The Gospel (John XIX, 6-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30-35) contains the history of the suffering of Christ the Savior.
Troparion and Kontakion for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross
Troparion to the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Church Slavonic text:
With the help of 22 gD and people svoS, and 3 bless2 dignified svoE, victory to the power of the Russians on resistance, grant, and 3 svoS save krt0m people.
Russian text:
Save, Lord, your people and bless us, Your property, giving our country victory over the opponents, the enemies of His kingdom, and preserving our people by the power of Your Cross.
Kontakion holiday. Church Slavonic text:
In ozneshisz on whom I pour, the namesake 1 of that new residence of yours2. your generosity, grant xrte b9e. rejoice2 with the strength of your country, our country, victories and the 4th on the commensurate, help and support your arms, the world's invincible victory.
Russian text:
Ascended to the Cross voluntarily, to the people named after You, grant Your mercy, Christ God; exalt our country with your strength, giving it victory over enemies, may it have help from you, a weapon of peace, an invincible victory.
Order of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
In Russia rite of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross It has been known since the 13th century and is an integral part of the Liturgy of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. It has a long history. The earliest record of this rank is preserved in the so-called Jerusalem canonar, dating back to 634-644 by the time of its origin. In different monuments we find diversity in the descriptions of this rite: some describe how the rite is performed during the service of the Patriarch with a host of clergy, others - only a priest with a deacon. Saint Cyprian of Moscow in his letter of 1395 to the Novgorod clergy, he wrote that on the day of the Exaltation of the Cross, the Cross should be erected in every church, even if there is only one priest. In the old printed Moscow Typikon of 1641, an indication appeared that the Cross was erected only in cathedral churches and monasteries, and in ordinary parish churches, only worship of the Cross took place on the Exaltation of the Cross, according to the rite of the Week of the Cross. This custom continues to this day: rite of the Exaltation of the Cross is performed only in cathedral churches where a metropolitan or bishop serves.
The bishop, taking the Cross and standing to the east (towards the altar), begins the first exaltation - raising the Cross up. In front of the Cross, at some distance, the deacon stands, holding a candle in his left hand, and a censer in his right, and proclaims: “ Have mercy on us God". The singers sing a hundred times: Lord have mercy". At the start of the chant Lord have mercy"The bishop three times overshadows the Cross to the east and, while singing the first half of the centurion, slowly bows his head with the Cross as low as possible," a span from the ground". When singing the second half of the centurion, it slowly rises. While singing for the 97th time " Lord have mercy The bishop straightens up and, standing straight, again overshadows the Cross three times to the east. The second exaltation is performed by the bishop, turning to the west, the third - to the south, the fourth - to the north, the fifth - again to the east. The singers also sing at this time: Lord have mercy! Then the worship of the Cross begins, during which the singers sing the usual stichera.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Icons
In Byzantine art, the basis of the iconography of the holiday Exaltation of the Holy Cross originally, it was not a real historical episode of finding the Cross, but an image of the rite of the Exaltation of the Cross, which was performed annually in the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. Therefore, the Cross on the icons was often depicted as an altar. The first such images belong to the end of the 9th - the beginning of the 11th century. This iconographic variant was also used by Russian icon painters.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross The most common plot Icons of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross developed in Russian icon painting in the 15th-16th centuries. The Cross of Christ is depicted already monumental. In the center, on a high stepped elevation, stands the Patriarch with the Cross raised above his head. The deacons support him by the arms. Sometimes the Cross is decorated with plant branches. Behind you can see a large single-domed temple. Often kneeling prayers and a large number of people who came to bow to the shrine were depicted in the foreground. The figures of Tsar Constantine and Empress Elena are on either side of the Patriarch, with outstretched hands in prayer, or on the right.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Folk traditions and beliefs in Russia
holiday in Russia Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord combined church and folk traditions. From ancient times there was a custom on the day of the Exaltation to erect chapels and small churches, as well as to erect crosses on temples under construction. Roadside votive crosses were also placed on the Feast of the Exaltation in gratitude for deliverance from misfortune and pestilence. On this day, icons were also raised to go around the fields, with a prayer for the future harvest.
September 27 was also called third Osenins or Stavrov day. It was the final day of Indian summer, the third and last meeting of autumn. In Russia, the Exaltation was also called By moving or shift- words denoting movement, change of state. It was believed, for example, that on this day the grain “moved” from the field to the threshing floor, since by mid-September the harvesting of bread usually ended and threshing began. They also said that the Exaltation move the zipun, pull the fur coat", or that on the Exaltation" caftan with a fur coat moved and the hat moved down».
The Feast of the Exaltation was Lenten. It was believed that " whoever fasts on Exaltation, seven sins will be forgiven". Most often, cabbage and dishes from it were eaten on this day. " On Vozdvizhenye, a good fellow has cabbage at the porch" or " Dare, woman, about cabbage - Exaltation has come", - said the people. Throughout Russia, the peasants believed that the day of the Exaltation was one of those on which no important and significant work should be started, since everything started on this day would either end in complete failure, or be unsuccessful and useless.
However, judging by some popular beliefs, the peasants did not know at all what the true meaning and significance of the church holiday of the Exaltation of the honest and life-giving cross of the Lord was. The people firmly believed that on the day of the Exaltation, under no circumstances should one go to the forest, since the evil spirits can beat, or simply send the peasant to the next world. According to the peasants, on the day of the Exaltation, all reptiles "shift", that is, crawl into one place, underground, to their mother, where they spend the whole winter, right up to the first spring thunder. On the Feast of the Exaltation, the peasants for the whole day carefully locked the gates, doors and gates, out of fear that reptiles would mistakenly crawl into their yard and hide there under manure, in straw and bunks. However, the peasants believed that from September 27, that is, from the Exaltation, snakes do not bite, since every reptile that stings a person at that time will be severely punished: all autumn, until the first snow and even through the snow, it will crawl in vain, not finding a place for herself until the frost kills her, or the man's pitchfork is pierced.
Temples of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Russia. Romanov-Borisoglebsk
For a long time in Russia, churches were built in honor of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. So, according to the testimony of the Suponevskaya chronicle, around 1283, a cathedral Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the city of Romanov-Borisoglebsk (now Tutaev) on the left bank of the river, " opposite Borisoglebskaya Sloboda».
Holy Cross Cathedral, Tutaev (Romanov-Borisoglebsk) According to legend, the first builder of the Kremlin was the prince of Uglich, Roman Vladimirovich Saint(1261–1285). Detinets has suffered many attacks in its history. The last siege of the Romanov Kremlin took place during the events of the War of 1612. In battles and epidemics, one third of the townspeople died, but the spirit of the people remained alive. In Soviet times, the building of the temple housed a museum of local lore, later - a warehouse. In 1992, the cathedral was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church, and since 2000 it has been an active temple.
Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on Chisty Vrazhek
The temple was founded in 1640 at the beginning of a deep ravine on the left bank of the Moskva River. It took 18 years to build a stone temple on the site of a wooden one. The main altar was consecrated in 1658. Over the course of two centuries, the temple was constantly rebuilt; it acquired its current appearance in 1894-1895.
Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on Chisty Vrazhek. Moscow In 1918, the temple began to be looted. The authorities took out more than 400 pounds of silver utensils from here. In 1930, the temple was closed, the dome and the bell tower were broken, and a hostel was made in the temple premises. The wall painting was painted over, and when it began to show through the whitewash, it was knocked down. But 70% of the painting survived. By the end of 2000, after the return of the church of the Russian Orthodox Church and a long restoration, the building again took on its former architectural appearance.
Holy Cross Monastery in Moscow
Holy Cross Monastery it was first mentioned in chronicles in 1547. It was located in Moscow, in the White City, on Vozdvizhenka Street (the street between Mokhovaya and Arbat Gate Square). original name - Monastery of the Exaltation of the Holy Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, on the Island.
Orthodox church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the Vozdvizhensky Monastery. 1882 During the invasion of Napoleon, the monastery was plundered by the invaders. In 1814, it was abolished, and the cathedral church was turned into a parish church. The Holy Cross Church was closed after 1929, and in 1934 it was demolished. The Metrostroy mine was built on the site of the church.
Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Kolomna near the Pyatnitsky Gates
Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the city of Kolomna at the Pyatnitsky Gates of the Kolomna Kremlin arose in the 15th century. In 1764, on the site of a wooden building, a stone two-tier church with a bell tower was erected.
Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Kolomna Kremlin In 1832–1837 the church was radically rebuilt at the expense of the Sharapov sisters. The holiday is also patronal for the male Manuilovsky Belokrinitsky monastery (Romania) and the temple of the village and the city of Sverdlovsk region.
Chapel of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Nevyansk Also today is the patronal feast for the Moscow Transfiguration community (Fedoseevsky consent). Like the Rogozhskaya community, the Preobrazhenskaya community arose in 1771 in connection with the plague epidemic, when a cemetery was founded behind the Kamer-Kollezhsky Val and Catherine II received permission to build churches. Here the merchant played a special role. Ilya Kovylin who organized the almshouse and sponsored large-scale construction. And since Kovylin was a Fedoseyevite, the Preobrazhensky community became the center of this denomination.
Exaltation of the Cross Church of the Fedoseev Accord at the Preobrazhenskoye Cemetery At the beginning of the 19th century, the community was divided into two parts - the men's and women's courtyards. Each half was separated by a jagged stone wall with hipped towers. In fact, two monasteries appeared here. In 1811, a church was built in the women's courtyard in the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, in which the Fedoseyevites still pray. This temple does not have an altar apse, since the Liturgy is not currently served by the Old Believers of non-priestly agreements.
After the event of finding the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, the custom was soon established annually in memory of this event, as well as in memory of the consecration (“renovation”) of the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection of Christ (Church of the Holy Sepulcher) to perform the rite of the Exaltation of the Cross.
Already in the Jerusalem Lectionary of the 5th century, preserved in Armenian translation, the ceremony of raising the Cross for viewing by all those who pray is mentioned. In the Georgian translation of the Jerusalem Lectionary, which reflects the practice of the 5th-7th centuries, the rite of the Exaltation is described in detail. It took place on September 14, at the third hour after dawn, and began with the fact that the clergy entered the deacon, dressed, decorated the Cross or even 3 Crosses and placed them on St. throne. The rite itself included 3 exaltations (raises) of the Cross, each of which was preceded by a group of prayers and chants and was accompanied by 50 Lord have mercy. After the third exaltation, the Cross was washed with fragrant water, which was distributed to the people after the liturgy, and everyone was applied to the Cross; then the Cross was again placed on St. altar and began the Divine Liturgy.
At least by the VI century. the rite of the Exaltation was already known and was performed not only in Jerusalem, but also in other places of the Christian world: Evagrius Scholasticus (Church History 4. 26) reports on the sacred ceremony of raising the Cross and enclosing it around the temple, which took place in Apamea Syrian; the compiler of the “Easter Chronicle” of the 7th century, noting the celebration of the Exaltation of the Cross in Constantinople in 644, speaks of the “third exaltation” (PG. 92. Col. 988), which indicates the existence of a complex rite of the Exaltation already by that time in Constantinople.
According to the post-iconoclastic Typicon of the Great Church, in the church of St. Sophia, the rite of the Exaltation of the Cross was performed after entering at matins, following the troparia in honor of the Cross. The rite itself is briefly described: the Patriarch, standing on the pulpit (which was a turret in the middle of the temple, to which steps were led from two sides), raised the Cross, holding it in his hands, and the people proclaimed: Lord have mercy; this was repeated three times. The image of the saint standing on the pulpit and raising the Cross has become part of the traditional iconography of the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.
On the Dresden List and on the Paris List. Gr. 1590, 1063, by the Typicon of the Great Church, the Constantinople rite of the Exaltation is described in much more detail: after the morning entrance (which took place at the end of the great doxology), the Patriarch with the Cross went to the pulpit, accompanied by a skevophylax or hartularius and singers (the singers sang the same troparia in honor of the Cross). On the pulpit, the Patriarch placed the Cross on the table, made three bows to the earth, and the sacred ceremony began, which consisted of three cycles of five exaltations. First, the Patriarch went to the eastern side of the pulpit, where he erected the Cross, gradually raising his hands. During this, the deacons and all the people proclaimed a hundredfold Lord have mercy. While singing the last three Lord have mercy The Patriarch three times overshadowed the Cross to the east. In the same way, the Cross was raised to the south, west, north, and again to the east. Then, after a short rest (during which the singers sang the troparion Today the prophetic word is fulfilled...), the Patriarch began the second cycle of exaltations - again with the fivefold elevation of the Cross and singing Lord have mercy eighty times, - and rested again (the singers sang the troparion Tokmo hoist the Tree, Christ, of Your Cross ...). Finally, the Patriarch performed the third cycle of exaltations according to the same order, but with singing Lord have mercy sixty times. After the completion of the exaltations they sang Ascended to the Cross by will... and the Divine Liturgy began.
The described Constantinople cathedral rank of the Exaltation is also found in Slavic manuscripts - for example, in the Novgorod Brebnik of the National Library of Russia. Soph. 1056, XIV century, in the Bulgarian Eninsky Apostle of the XI century, with the difference that the Cross is prescribed to be erected to the east, west, south, north and again to the east (that is, the sides do not change in a circle, but are symbolically overshadowed by the sign of the cross) .
In the Typicons of the Studio tradition, the rank of the Exaltation is based on the Constantinople cathedral rank, but is simplified in comparison with it. Chin is included in the Matins, in its final part; instead of three cycles of five exaltations, only one is performed (also consisting of five exaltations: twice to the east and once to the other cardinal points).
According to the Studian-Aleksievsky Typikon, close to the original edition of the Studian statute and adopted in Russia until the end. XIV century, the rite was performed at the end of Matins, after the Trisagion, troparion Cross your... and veneration of the Cross with the singing of festive stichera. The Rite of the Exaltation began with the singing of three troparions (the same as in the Typicon of the Great Church); The cross was erected by the abbot in the altar, from different sides of St. throne (to the east, north, west, south and again to the east). After the rite, the Litany of Matins was proclaimed, and the first hour followed.
According to the Evergetid Typikon, which represents the Asia Minor edition of the Studian Rule, the rite of the Exaltation was performed not in the altar, but in the temple. After the troparion Save, O Lord, your people... the priest three times overshadowed the Cross to the east with loud singing Lord have mercy(thrice) and then slowly raised the Cross while singing the remaining ninety-seven Lord have mercy; then the ritual was repeated with an appeal to the south, west, north and again to the east. In a similar way, the rank is described in the Studio Typikons of the South Italian editions.
In the Typicon, St. George Mtatsmindeli, representing the Athos edition of the Studian Rule and adopted in Georgia before the 15th century, describes two variants of the rite of the Exaltation. The first corresponds to that given in the Evergetid Typicon (but the order of the cardinal points: east, north, west, south and east again). The second rite of the Exaltation of the Cross speaks of the fulfillment of the rite by the Patriarch, the features of the rite (for example, a large number of hymns after the entrance in the doxology) indicate an emphasized connection with the practice of the Great Church.
In the Jerusalem charter, adopted during the XII-XV centuries. throughout the Orthodox Church, starting from its earliest editions and ending with the printed Typicons, the rite of the Exaltation of the Cross retains the characteristic features known from Studium monuments: it is performed at matins after the great doxology and singing of the troparion Save, O Lord, your people..., consists of a five-fold overshadowing of the Cross and its elevation to the cardinal points (to the east, south, west, north and again to the east). An important change, compared with the Studium monuments, is the addition of five deacon's petitions to the rite (corresponding to the five autumns of the Cross), after each of which a hundred times Lord have mercy. In addition, according to the Jerusalem Rule, before raising the Cross, the primate must bow to the ground so that his head is a span away from the ground (Greek. spithame, about 20 cm). During the correction of liturgical books in the Russian Church in the 2nd half. 17th century the order of the fall of the cardinal points during the rank was changed: the Cross is erected to the east, west, south, north and again to the east. This order has been maintained to this day.
The rite of the Exaltation of the Cross is an integral part of the service of the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. This is evidenced, in particular, by the diversity in the descriptions of the rite in various monuments: some describe how the rite is performed during the service of the Patriarch with a host of clergy, others - only a priest with a deacon. In particular, in response to a question from Bishop Theognost of Sarai, the fathers of the Council of Constantinople in 1301, referring to the rules of St. Theodore the Studite, they were allowed to lead this rank not only to the bishop, but also to the abbot, and St. Cyprian of Moscow, in his letter of 1395 to the Novgorod clergy, wrote that on the day of the Exaltation of the Cross, the Cross should be erected in every church, even if there is only one priest. On the other hand, in the monastic manuscript Typikon of the State Historical Museum. Syn. No. 335, early XVII century, it is noted that the rite of the Exaltation of the Cross in cathedral churches occurs annually, and in others - only in those years when the Exaltation of the Cross falls on Saturday or Sunday.
In the old printed Moscow Typicon of 1641, an indication appeared that the Cross was erected only in cathedral churches and monasteries, and in ordinary parish churches for the Exaltation of the Cross there was only worship of the Cross, according to the order of the Holy Week (L. 153). This indication was also transferred to the corrected Typicon of 1682 and since then has been printed in all editions of the Russian Typikon. In the modern practice of the Russian Church, the rite of the Exaltation of the Cross is performed in cathedrals, and in monasteries and parishes - with the blessing of the ruling bishop. In the modern practice of the Greek Churches, on the contrary, the rite of the Exaltation can be performed in all churches without exception.
According to some monuments, when performing the rite of the Exaltation, the special litany of Matins is canceled - for the reason that petitions similar to it are part of the rite. On the Cross during the Exaltation, as in Jerusalem in ancient times, it is customary to pour fragrant water.
Based on the materials of the article by deacon Mikhail Zheltov and A.A. Lukashevich
"The Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord" from the 9th volume of the "Orthodox Encyclopedia"
See also: , Today, brethren, the Most Holy Cross is raised...(Teaching on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross from the Service Prologue)
The service of the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross has a lot of features. The main points will be given here, but a sufficient number of them are acquired.
The first distinguishing feature of the holiday is the event itself, which formed its basis. Unlike other holidays, it happened much later than those sacred events that are described in the Gospel and are connected with the economy of our salvation, i.e. all the works that the Lord has done for us and for our salvation. The reason for the establishment of this holiday was the acquisition by Queen Elena of the tree of the very Cross on which Christ was crucified. The event is certainly memorable, it is reflected in the title. However, the content of the texts does not dwell much on the fact of finding the Cross, but rather turn their mental gaze to Easter - to the suffering on the Cross, death and the three-day resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, some of the chants are very reminiscent of the chants of the services of the Great Heel. Another feature of the content of the festive service is the large number of Old Testament types of the Cross, the death on the cross and the resurrection of the Savior, and put together they better than any textbook explain and show the direction of the Old Testament to Christ, its representative value.
As on any great church holiday, the All-Night Vigil and Liturgy are laid on the day of the Exaltation. The vigil is supposed to be all-night vigil, that is, all night. But now, for many reasons, such a service is performed far from everywhere, and only in some churches and monasteries they perform it, which is more in line with the requirements of the Charter than the usual festive Divine service on the eve of the holiday, which is traditionally called “vigil”.
Small Vespers, as a necessary part of all-night services, is practically not celebrated, except for those churches where such a service still exists, and those where, for the sake of decorating the festive Divine service, Small Vespers is additionally celebrated (I was told about such a practice of one monastery, but it was for a long time, perhaps now real all-night vigils are also served there). Meanwhile, after Small Vespers, the Cross is transferred to the throne, which during the vigil will be brought out for general worship and kissing. The action is small, but is performed with a full beginning, i.e. the blessing of the priest, the Trisagion according to the Our Father, with the singing of the troparion and kontakion of the feast, with censing, at the end a dismissal is pronounced. Since there is no Small Vespers in most churches, the transfer of the Cross to the throne takes place immediately before the festive evening service. Unfortunately, this cannot be seen - everything is done in the altar by the clergy, you can only hear if you come to the temple before the service in advance.
The Exaltation refers to the so-called Lord's Twelve Feasts. This means that the service of this holiday is not connected with any other service, even Sunday, if the holiday happens on Sunday. So, on this day the great saint John Chrysostom died in exile, but his memory is not celebrated for the sake of the holiday, but is postponed to another day.
Great Vespers is usually celebrated. Stichera for the evening psalms "Lord, cry out ..." of the 6th tone, indirect to the 2nd, the final stichera is written in this voice, in Glory, and now. This verse “Come, all tongues, let us worship the blessed Tree” in brief words reveals the church dogma about redemption: “forefather Adam, deceived by the tree, is seduced by the Cross” ... “It is better to heal the tree with the tree, and the passion of the Passionate, even on the Tree, resolve the passions of the condemned” . After litia and reading from the writings of St. Fathers (where there is such a reading) Matins is performed.
The first essential feature of Matins is that the Gospel is not read in the middle of the church, as is usual on holidays, but in the altar. On Sundays, after reading another passage from the Gospel about the resurrection of Christ, the Gospel is kissed, and usually there is an anointing with oil. On the feast of the Exaltation, the Cross is worshiped and kissed, so the Gospel is not endured. There is another reason for reading the Gospel at the altar: this is done for the sake of the peculiarity of the holiday. Only special sacred rites are performed in the altar, therefore, in order to emphasize the special solemnity of the holiday, the Gospel is read in the altar. After this, the Sunday hymn “Seeing the Resurrection of Christ ...” is sung, no matter what day the holiday occurs, because on this holiday the death of the cross and the resurrection of Christ are remembered.
The canon of the holiday was written by St. Cosmas, Bishop of Maium. This canon has an interesting feature - it contains two 9th cantos. Tradition says that one day St. Cosmas was in another city on the Feast of the Exaltation and heard that his canon was not performed the way he wrote it. He pointed out that the canon should be sung differently, but his remarks were ignored. When he said that he was the author of this canon, he was asked to prove it. Then Rev. Kosma immediately wrote the second 9th canto, similar to the first. Personally, this version seems to me more likely than the opinion of some researchers who consider the second 9th canto to be a remnant of some ancient canon, although this is also possible. As is usually the case on the so-called Twelfth Feasts, on the 9th ode the song of the Theotokos “My soul magnifies the Lord ...” with the refrain “Most honorable cherub ...” is not sung, but the refrains of the holiday are sung. Since there are two 9th songs, there are also two choruses.
The main feature of the service of the holiday is the removal of the Cross and the worship of it. As the Charter says, “to the singing of the doxology”, that is, during the singing of the great doxology by the choir, beginning with the exclamation “Glory to Thee, who showed us the light”, the primate (the leading priest or bishop) brings the Holy Cross in front of the Royal Doors and waits for the end of the doxology. At the same time, he is in full vestments, as during the celebration of the Liturgy - for the sake of the special solemnity of the service and special veneration of the Cross. Where the rite of exaltation is performed, approximately the same thing happens as happened in those distant times in the vicinity of Jerusalem: with a huge gathering of people, it was not possible for everyone to come up and venerate the Cross, so Patriarch Macarius raised the Cross so that everyone could see it (t .e. made his exaltation - in Slavic), the people worshiped the Cross and prayed: "Lord have mercy!" And according to the order, the primate 5 times, while singing “Lord have mercy” (100 times), raises the cross to 4 cardinal points: to the east, to the west, to the south, to the north, and for the last time to the east. Then all the worshipers kiss the Cross and are anointed with holy oil according to custom. During the general veneration of the Cross, a special troparion is sung: “We bow to Thy Cross, Master, and glorify Thy holy Resurrection.” This troparion once again emphasizes the inseparable connection between the suffering on the Cross and the resurrection of the Savior.
The rite of exaltation does not occur in all churches, but for the most part only in cathedral ones. Where the exaltation is not performed, there is only the removal of the Cross during the doxology, its position on the analogion in the middle of the temple with the singing of the troparion of the feast three times, then, omitting the rite of exaltation, immediately worship, and stichera are sung for kissing the Cross.
At the Liturgy on the day of the feast, before reading an excerpt from the Apostolic Epistles, not the Trisagion is sung, as usual, but the troparion “We bow to Thy Cross, Master ...” However, this does not mean at all that everyone should bow to the ground at this moment. The easiest and best way is to look at what the clergy are doing at this moment in the altar (the Royal Doors are open at this moment): if they perform earthly worship, then everyone should do the same, if they don’t, then it’s probably not worth violating the general order , but to make the usual half-length bows laid down at this moment of the Liturgy. At the end of the Liturgy, on the contrary, usually all the clergy go to the middle of the temple, and with the singing of the troparion bow three times to the ground. All those who pray together with them make prostrations. This is the only case when prostrations are due on the Lord's Twelfth Feast or Sunday, and even after the Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
Such a rite of veneration of the Cross (without exaltation) happens two more times a year: on the Week of the Adoration of the Cross of Great Lent, and on the feast of the Exaltation of the precious woods of the Cross of the Lord, which happens on the first day of the Dormition Fast.
The cross is located in the middle of the temple until the holiday is given away, so that everyone can venerate it at any time. On the day the feast is celebrated, after the Liturgy, the holy Cross is brought back into the altar and reposed in its place.
For the sake of remembering the sufferings of the Savior on the Cross, a fast is established on this day: it is not customary to eat meat, milk, eggs, fish on the day of the Exaltation, but only vegetables and other plant products.
This rite is performed in cathedrals and parish churches, with the blessing of the diocesan bishop.
After bringing the Cross to the middle of the temple and censing it three times, the rector makes three bows to the earth in front of the holy Cross. Then, taking the head of the Honest Cross with fresh flowers, he stands on the place prepared for this purpose (pulpit) facing the east and begins the first erection.
Before the Cross, at some distance, the deacon stands (holding a candle in his left hand, and a censer in his right) and loudly proclaims:
“Have mercy on us, O God, according to Thy great mercy, we pray to Thee, hear us, O Lord, and have mercy on us all.”
The choir sings: “Lord, have mercy (100 times).
At the beginning of the singing of “Lord, have mercy,” the rector overshadows the Cross three times to the east, and while singing the first half of the “hundred”, he slowly bows his head with the Cross, as low as possible, “a span to the ground.” As the Cross descends, the sound of the choir decreases, subsides. When singing the second half of the centurion, the abbot slowly rises. With the same gradualness, the choir moves to higher and stronger sounds and ends with a loud and solemn “Lord, have mercy!”. When singing "Lord, have mercy" for the 97th time, the rector straightens up and again three times overshadows the Cross to the east. During the conciliar service, two co-serving priests support the rector under the arms, making it easier for him to worship, and the other two clergymen pour fragrant oil on the Cross, symbolizing the grace of the Holy Spirit.
After that, the abbot with the Cross turns his face to the west. The deacon crosses over to the opposite side, and standing in front of the Cross, proclaims:
“We also pray for the forgiveness of the sins of our Great Lord and Father Alexy II, His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, and our Lord (the name of the rivers) Bishop ... and all of our brotherhood in Christ, for health and salvation, by all means.”
The abbot performs the second exaltation, as well as the first.
The third exaltation is facing south. The deacon says:
“We also pray for our country, its authorities and its army. Rcem everything."
Chorus - "Lord, have mercy" (100 times).
The fourth exaltation is facing north. The deacon proclaims: “We also pray for every Christian soul, who is grieving and embittered (being in trouble and oppression), demanding health, salvation and remission of sins, all in the world.”
The fifth exaltation is again facing east. The deacon proclaims: “We also pray for all those who serve and served in this holy monastery (or this temple), our father and brothers, for health, and for salvation, and for the remission of sins by all of them.”
After the fifth exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, “Glory, and now” and a kontakion are sung: “Ascended to the Cross by your will, bestow Your bounty on the namesake of Your new residence, Christ God: rejoice us with Your power, giving us victories for comparisons, help to those who have Your weapons of peace, invincible victory."
When singing the kontakion, the rector places the Cross on the lectern. Then “To Your Cross ...” is sung (three times with prostrations), stichera for the worship of the Cross, and then everything in order.
If the rite of the Exaltation was performed, then the special litany is omitted and the supplicant is pronounced immediately: “Let us fulfill our morning prayer.” If the rite of the Exaltation was not performed, then after the worship of the Cross and the stichera of the Cross, both litanies are pronounced - a special and a supplication.
At the liturgy - the antiphons of the feast.
Entrance verse: "Exalt the Lord our God and worship at the footstool of His, as it is holy."
Immediately after the entrance verse is the troparion and kontakion of the feast.
Instead of the Trisagion - “We worship Your Cross, Vladyka ...” (sung only on the day of the holiday).
Prokeimenon, tone 7: "Exalt the Lord God...".
Apostle (Corinthians, beginning 125), Gospel of John, beginning 60.
Honorer: refrain: “Magnify, my soul, the most precious Cross of the Lord” and irmos: “Thou art mysteries, Mother of God, paradise ...”.
Communion: “The light of Thy countenance, O Lord, is resounding upon us.”
The Feast of the Exaltation is the only Lord's holiday that does not have a special holiday in the Missal. The dismissal at the end of the all-night vigil and the liturgy of the feast is the same as the weekly on Wednesday and Friday, only without mentioning the celebrated saints of the Menaion. In practice, it is customary to pronounce as in the Sunday leave: “Christ is risen from the dead ...”, since the service is dedicated not only to the Cross, but also to the remembrance of the resurrection of Christ (singing the troparion: “Seeing the Resurrection of Christ ...” at Matins, etc.) .
On the day of the Feast of the Exaltation, a fast is established, similar to what happens on Wednesday and Friday (fish is not allowed). It was installed in remembrance of the sufferings of the Lord, who suffered death on the Cross, and to suggest that the veneration of the Cross is connected with the mortification of the flesh (see: Typikon, follow-up on September 14 and chapter 33).
In the afterfeast, at the liturgy after the entrance, it is sung: “Come, let us worship ...” with a festive ending: “Save us, Son of God, crucified in the flesh singing Ty: Alleluia.”
The Life-Giving Cross, taken out on the Feast of the Exaltation, lies in the temple on the lectern until the celebration is over. On the day of the giving of the Exaltation, after the dismissal of the liturgy, the priest performs incense around the lectern with the Cross (three times) and, while singing the troparion and kontakion, brings in the Cross and the altar, laying it on the holy throne (see: Typikon, after 2 August).
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Concept, subject of study, task of liturgy
Liturgy is the science of worship in the Christian Orthodox Church. This science got its name from the word "liturgy", which is translated from gr.
Twelfth Holidays. General concept of them
Church services are annual, i.e. performed once a year, are always dedicated to special memories. They are divided into festive and Lenten. In festive services, the Holy Church remembers
Other holidays honored by the Holy Church
1. St. Sergius of Radonezh (July 5/18 and September 25/October 8). 2. Apostle John the Theologian (May 8/21 and September 26/October 9). 3. Cathedral of the Archangel Michael (8/21 November
The Twelfth Immovable Lord's and Mother of God Feasts. Their differences and features
The service on the very days of the great twelfth feasts is dedicated exclusively to the event being celebrated, which is expressed in the variable parts of the service (readings, prayers, hymns).
Holidays in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Since ancient times, the Holy Church has glorified the Mother of God, magnifies Her as the highest, without comparing all angels and saints, and gives Her a special honor. Her glory was foretold by the prophets
Features of the all-night vigil of the holiday
The exclamation: “Glory to the Saints...”, the initial psalm, “Blessed is the husband...” On “Lord, I have called” 8 stichera, tone 6th. "Glory, and now" - the stichera of the holiday instead of the dogmatist. Entrance. Prokeimenon of the day.
Service of the Nativity of the Mother of God on Sunday
Small evening. On "Lord, I have called" stichera for 4. "Glory, and now" - a holiday. On the verse, there is one Sunday stichera and the feast of the verse of the Great Vespers with the refrains of the holiday,
Giving a feast on a weekday
The whole service is performed only on a holiday. The stichera for “Lord, I have called” - for 6, “Glory, and now” - for the holiday, but if the giving is on Friday, then “Glory” is the stichera for the holiday, “And now” - the dogmatic voice
Holiday celebration on Sunday
The beginning is the usual, Sunday. Stichera on “Lord, I have called”: Sundays - 4 and feasts (which were sung on the feast itself) - 6. “Glory” - the feast, “And now” - Theotokos of the current voice - (dogmati
history of the holiday
The celebrated event is known from ancient church tradition, which is reflected in church hymns. On the Entrance of the Blessed Virgin into the Temple upon Her Three Years of Age
Great Vespers. "Blessed is the husband" - 1st antiphon. On "Lord, I have called" - stichera for 8. "Glory, and now" - the stichera of the holiday. Then - the prokeimenon of the day and three proverbs are read. In the first proverb (Ex.
Holiday service on Sunday
At a small supper. On "Lord, I have called" - Sunday stichera, tone 4, "Glory, and now" - a holiday. On the verse there is a Sunday stichera (one), also on the feast of the verse of Great Vespers with verses, “From
The Order of Service on the Weekly Day in Commemoration of the Feast
After the 9th hour, Vespers begins in the usual way. On "Lord, I have called" - the stichera of the feast 3, sung on the feast itself, and St. Clement - 3. "Glory, and now" - the feast. There is no entrance and paremia.
Giving a feast with a service to a saint who has a vigil, or a temple
At small vespers: at “Lord, I cried” - the stichera of the saint, “Glory” - of the saint, “And others like that” - of the holiday. On the verse - the stichera of the saint, the verse of the feast of the Great Vespers with their own poems, "Glory" - St.
history of the holiday
The feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos is dedicated to the remembrance and glorification of the event described in the Gospel of Luke (1:26-38). Among the ancient Christians, this holiday had a different name.
Prefeast and afterfeast
If the Annunciation falls on Lazarus Saturday, then it has no afterfeast; and if it falls on the Week of Vay or the Holy or Bright Week, then it has neither a prefeast nor an afterfeast, but a feast
The practical administration of the holiday service
It should be noted that the service of Vespers, which is located in the Typicon under March 25, is celebrated not on the very day of the holiday, but on the 24th with the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts (and Wednesday and Friday) or without
history of the holiday
The Feast of the Presentation has been known in the East since the 4th century, and in the West since the 5th century under Pope Gelasius (494). In 543, under the emperor Justinian, by revelation to one saint of God, the right
Features of worship
The Feast of the Presentation, according to its peculiarities of worship, is ranked among the Twelve, but not the master's, but the Mother of God holidays. Therefore, if it falls on a Sunday, then the Sunday service is not canceled.
history of the holiday
The feast of the Assumption of the Mother of God has been established by the Church since ancient times. He is mentioned in the writings of Blessed Jerome, Augustine and Gregory, Bishop of Tours. In the IV century, he already celebrated everywhere
Features of worship
The feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of the twelve feasts. For a worthy celebration, its believers are preparing for a two-week fast, which is called the Assumption,
The rite of the burial of the Mother of God in the ancient church service
In some places, in the form of a special celebration of the feast of the Assumption, a separate service of the burial of the Mother of God is performed. It is performed especially solemnly in Jerusalem, in Gethsemane (on the alleged
The burial of the Mother of God in modern church practice
Burial in the temple of the Moscow Theological Academy, with the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch, takes place on the same day in the evening, but according to the Charter, it is supposed to be on the third day. Worship begins with a vigil. Vn
Sunday All-Night Vigil in conjunction with the rite of burial of the Mother of God in the church of the Moscow Theological Academy
On "Lord, I have called" - 3 Sunday stichera, one - Anatolian and 6 stichera of the feast of the Assumption (from the Jerusalem following). “Glory” is the stichera of the holiday, “And now” is the dogmatist of the voice. Prokimen "Mr.
history of the holiday
The establishment of the celebration of the Nativity of Christ dates back to the first centuries of Christianity. Until the 4th century, in the Eastern and Western Churches, the feast of the Nativity of Christ was celebrated on January 6, was known under the name
Preparatory period for the feast of the Nativity of Christ
1. The feast of the Nativity of Christ is one of the Twelve. None of the twelve feasts is celebrated by the Church with such triumph as the feast of the Nativity of Christ. Counting Christmas Hri
Prefeast of the Nativity of Christ
The Feast of the Nativity of Christ has five days of forefeast (December 20-24) and six days of afterfeast. The holiday is celebrated on December 31st. Differing in such duration,
The eve of the feast of the Nativity of Christ and its liturgical features
The eve of the holiday, December 24, is also called the eve of the holiday. The custom to celebrate the eve before the feast of the Nativity of Christ is undoubtedly ancient, and this is evident from the fact that already in the 4th century
Practical procedure for sending the great clock
The priest puts on a phelonion and puts on the handrails for pronouncing the holy Gospel, the deacon puts on the surplice. The lectern is supplied in advance in the middle of the church, opposite the royal gates. Priest in front
Statutory feature of the Christmas Vespers celebrated on the eve of the feast
On the eve (on the eve) of the feast of the Nativity of Christ, Christmas Vespers is celebrated in the afternoon separately from the matins of the feast in order to ensure its solemn fulfillment. For this purpose
The order of the administration of Vespers on Christmas Eve with the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great
If Christmas Eve falls on a week day, except for Saturday and Sunday, then on Christmas Eve the great hours are read, after which the pictorial hours go (the Creed and Psalm 33 are not read) and dismissed. W
The order of the administration of Vespers on Christmas Eve with the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
If Christmas Eve falls on Saturday or Sunday, then the royal hours in this case are transferred to Friday. There is no liturgy on this day. On Christmas Eve, at the usual time, the hours are made, and whether
The rite of "Glorification" of Christ on the eve of the Nativity of Christ
After the dismissal of vespers or liturgy, a candle is brought to the middle of the temple. In front of her, the clergy and singers ("clerics") sing "in a grand manner" - loudly and solemnly - the troparion and kontakion of the holiday. After
Great Compline
Great Compline consists of three parts. Each part of it is closed by a prayer. The parts of Compline are divided among themselves by an appeal to those who pray: "Come, let us worship ...". First part Vel
Liturgy for Christmas
Antiphons of the feast: "Let us confess to Thee, O Lord, with all our heart..." and so on. Entrance verse: “From the womb before the morning day, Thy kindred, the Lord swears and does not repent: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek
Afterfeast lasts 6 days, and the giving takes place on December 31st. On all the days after the feast, along with the stichera and the canon to St. Menaia, the stichera of the feast are sung and the canon of the feast is read first, and on
Saturday and Week after Christmas
On Saturday after the Nativity of Christ, the liturgy includes: a prokeimenon: “I will remember your name in everything ...”, a verse: “Hear, children ...”, a special Apostle (Tim. Conception 288) and the Gospel (Matt., conception 46). Involved: "Bowl
history of the holiday
As we pointed out in the section devoted to the history of the feast of the Nativity of Christ, the beginning of the celebration of the Epiphany dates back to apostolic times. He is also mentioned in the "Decrees of the Apostle
Eve of the Epiphany
The eve of the holiday, January 5/18, is called the eve of the Epiphany and also Christmas Eve. The service of the eve and the service of the feast itself are in many respects similar to the service of the feast of the Nativity.
Features of worship on the eve of the holiday
On all weekly days, except Saturday and Sunday, the service on the eve of the Epiphany consists of great hours, pictorial, vespers with the liturgy of St. Basil the Great, and after the liturgy, more precisely,
great clock
The construction scheme of the great clock and the pictorial clock and the order of their departure are the same as on the eve of the Nativity of Christ (see above about the feast of the Nativity of Christ). At the 1st hour, the 5th is left
Christmas Eve: Vespers and its peculiarity
Vespers: on the eve of the feast of the Epiphany, it is celebrated like the vespers that takes place on the eve of the Nativity of Christ: entrance with the Gospel, reading proverbs, the Apostle, the Gospel, etc. (see the rank of Christmas
Great consecration of water
The remembrance of the Jordanian event is aggravated by the Church with a special ceremony of the great consecration of water. On the eve of the feast, the water is consecrated immediately after the ambo prayer, if
Follow-up of the great consecration of water
The follow-up to the great consecration of water both on eve and on the feast itself is the same; in some parts it resembles the following of a small consecration of water and consists in the remembrance of the prophet
Great agiasma
Epiphany water, consecrated on the feast of Epiphany, is called in the Orthodox Church the Great Hagiasma - a great shrine. Christians have had great reverence for holy water since ancient times. On the
All-Night Vigil of the Feast of the Epiphany
The All-Night Vigil on the Feast of the Epiphany, no matter what day of the week it occurs, begins, like the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, with Great Compline, because on this day Vespers is served first,
Liturgy for the Epiphany
On the day of Theophany, as on the day of the Nativity of Christ, the liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is served if the feast of Theophany falls on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Lee
After-feast and celebration
The afterfeast of the Epiphany lasts 8 days, and the giving takes place on January 14th. On all the days of the after-feast, along with the stichera and the canon of Saint Menaia, the stichera of the feast are sung, and the canon of the feast is read first.
Saturday and Enlightenment Week
The Saturday and Sunday following the feast of the Epiphany are called the Saturday and Week of the Enlightenment. On these days, special Apostles and Gospels are read that are related to the holiday (see Typicon,
history of the holiday
The Feast of the Transfiguration already existed in the 4th century. This is evidenced by the teachings of St. Ephraim the Syrian and St. John Chrysostom. The existence of the holiday in the 4th century shows that its beginning before
Features of the all-night vigil
At Great Vespers, the prokimen of the day or the Great Prokeimenon is sung. The great prokimen "Our God in heaven and on earth..." is sung at Great Vespers, i.e. Friday evening, if the holiday coincides
The rite of consecration of fruits
After the prayer beyond the ambo, while singing the troparion and kontakion, the priest censes the fruit. Then the deacon proclaims: “Let us pray to the Lord,” and the priest reads a prayer for the consecration of the grapes: “Bless, Lord ..
history of the holiday
Initially, this holiday was established by the Church in remembrance of the acquisition of the Cross of the Lord in the 4th century. According to the description of ancient Christian historians (Eusebius, Theodoret, etc.), this event is represented
Prefeast and afterfeast
The feast of the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord is one of the twelve. It has one day of forefeast, September 13/26, and seven days of afterfeast. Day of surrender - September 21
Features of the worship of the holiday
Before the beginning of small vespers or before the beginning of the all-night vigil, if small vespers is not served, the priest wears the Holy Cross from the vault, places it on the altar and adorns it with a wreath of living
Taking out the cross
During the great doxology, the priest, in full vestments, performs incense (triads) with the deacon around the holy throne, on which lies the holy Cross. At the end of the great praise
The Feast of the Exaltation as the Edge of the Summer and Winter Periods of the Charter
The charter of reading kathismas and singing of the immaculate and polyeleos has several periods. The longest are 2 periods - summer and winter, separated by the Feast of the Exaltation. According to the polo charter
The order of ordinary reading of kathismas in the summer and winter periods
Note: Polyeleos - “Praise the name of the Lord ...” is sung on weekdays and Sundays, both in the summer and winter periods of the Charter, if the Lord’s, the Mother of God happens on these days
The antiquity of fasting and its significance
The Fast of the Holy Forty Day is called the Great Fast because of the special importance of its meaning. Ancient Christian writers unanimously testified that the fast of St.
The concept of Triodi Lean
The services of Great Lent, as well as the weeks preparatory to it (starting with the Week of the Publican and the Pharisee and ending with Great Saturday), i.e. a period of a total of 70 days are placed in theological
Preparatory Weeks for Lent
Forty weeks are preceded by four preparatory weeks, namely: 1. about the Publican and the Pharisee (without a week), 2. about the prodigal son (with a week), 3. meat-empty, 4. damp
General concept of preparatory weeks
Preparing the faithful for the Holy Forty Day, the Church in her services, in her own words, acts like a leader, encouraging her soldiers to fight with a wise and timely word. Therefore, in
Statutory features of the services of the Week of the Publican and the Pharisee
Beginning with the Week of the Publican and the Pharisee, and in all subsequent preparatory weeks of Great Lent, stichera and a canon from the Lenten Triodion join the hymns of the Octoechos. At Matins, starting from
Week and Week of the Prodigal Son
In this week, with the gospel parable (Luke 15:11,32), from which the week itself got its name, the Church shows us an example of God's inexhaustible mercy towards all sinners who sincerely
Worship Feature This Week
1) At Matins in the week of the prodigal son and then in the weeks of meat and cheese, after singing the polyeleos psalms (134 and 135) “Praise the name of the Lord” and “Confess to the Lord”, another psalm 136-
Week and week of meat-fat
The week after the week (Sunday) of the prodigal son and the week that concludes it (Sunday) are called meat-empty, for the reason that the eating of meat ends on this Week. Itself Sunday name
Features of the meat-fare Saturday service
1) At Vespers, instead of the prokeimenon, “Alleluia” is sung with funeral verses, tone 8. 1. “Blessed, I have chosen and received, Lord.” Verse 2: “Remember them for generation and generation.” Verse 3: "Their souls shall dwell in good
Week and week cheese
The last week (week) preparatory to the Holy Forty Days is called cheese week, and in common parlance butter, butter - from use in this
Statutory features of the cheese week
1. In the hymns of this entire week, the Holy Church invites us to special abstinence, reminding us of the fall of our forefathers, which came from intemperance. 2. All days of cheese week
Vespers
Vespers (after hours on Wednesday and Friday) is performed as usual, every day, but with the following features: 1. after the Quiet Light, a prokeimenon is sung, a proverb is read, and then the second prokeimenon;
General concept of Lenten worship
During the Lenten period, the Church lays aside all solemnity in worship. And above all, she does not celebrate the most solemn Christian service - the full liturgy on the seven days of the Great
Cheesefare Week Vespers
Holy Forty Day and its divine services begin with Vespers of Cheesefare Week (Sunday). Cheesy Sunday is also called Forgiveness Sunday. Evening
Order of forgiveness
After the dismissal of Vespers (on Cheesefare Sunday), the rite, or rite of forgiveness, is performed. On the lectern in front of the salt, on the right side, icons of the Savior and the Mother of God are placed
The general order of Lenten church services and their features
On the days of Lent, the following main types of services are performed: 1. Great Compline. 2. Matins. 3. Clock with a fine rank. 4. Vespers. 5. Litour
Lenten Matins
1. The beginning of Matins - up to and including the Six Psalms - is the same as the daily Matins. 2. Instead of “God is the Lord”, “Alleluia” (3) is sung according to the tone of Oktoech and the Trinity troparia of the voice, and to the first
Canon chant order
Song 1. According to the Followed Psalter or Hermology, verses are sung or read from “Let us sing to the Lord ...” to “Ogustesha ...” inclusive (conditional figure 14), then the irmos of the canon of the Menaion is sung. From here to st
General Features of Lenten Hours
1. Lenten hours are celebrated on Wednesday and Friday of Cheese Week (if these days do not coincide with the feast of the Presentation of the Lord or a temple holiday). Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
Reading Order of Lenten Hours
The 1st hour is read directly after the utterance by the priest at the end of Matins of the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian. Reader: “Come, let us worship...” (3) and the usual psalms: 5th, 89th, 100th, then Thu
th, 6th and 9th hours
The service of the 3rd hour begins as usual: at the exclamation of the priest: "Blessed is our God ..." the reader reads: "Amen." Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee,” and so on. The hours of the 6th and 9th begin on
pictorial
After the 9th hour (the veil from the royal doors is opened) the choir sings: “In Your Kingdom, remember us. Lord, when you come into your kingdom" and other verses of the "Blessed Ones", with the refrain at the end: "Remember us,
Vespers
The All-Day Vespers, served on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday of Holy Lent, does not have an initial exclamation. After the pictorial and prayers of St. Ephraim the Syrian, the reader reads: “
Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
The name of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is understood to mean the liturgy at which the faithful are offered the Holy Gifts, previously consecrated at the previous full Liturgy and preserving
Origin of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
The beginning of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts dates back to the first centuries of Christianity. Saint Simeon of Thessalonica says: "The Presanctified Liturgy originated from ancient times and from the apostolic successors." Mikhail Ker
Consecration of the Holy Gifts for the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
The Holy Gifts for the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts are prepared on Sunday, when the full Liturgy is celebrated. At the proskomedia, the priest pronounces all the proskomedia actions over the first Lamb,
Order of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is always preceded by the reading of the Hours, pictorial and vespers, with which it is directly connected, and consists of sacred rites and prayers: 1) vespers, t
First Week and Week (Sunday) of Great Lent
From Monday evening to Thursday of the first week of Great Lent, at Great Compline, the canon of St. Andrew of Crete is read. In the troparia of this canon, all the motives for fasting and repentance are set forth, with
Second week and week (Sunday) of Great Lent
On Saturday of the second week, as well as on Saturdays of the 3rd and 4th weeks of Lent, a funeral service is performed. The Orthodox teaching about fasting as a means to grace-filled illumination with special power
Third Week and Week (Sunday) of Great Lent
The third Sunday of Great Lent is called the Adoration of the Cross: in the service of this week, the Church glorifies the Holy Cross and the fruits of the Savior's death on the Cross. Feature b
Fourth Week and Week (Sunday) of Great Lent
In the divine service of this week (Sunday), the Church offers us a high example of fasting life in the person of the ascetic of the 6th century - the Monk John of the Ladder (Comm. 30 March
Fifth Week and Week (Sunday) of Great Lent
The fifth week and the week of Great Lent are characterized by the fact that on Thursday of this week at Matins the entire Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is read, which was read in parts
Liturgical Peculiarities of Reading the Great Canon
According to the Charter, on the evening of Wednesday of the 5th week, the service begins with two psalms. After the Six Psalms and the Great Litany, there is the Alleluia and the ternary current voice, then the kathisma (8th), the Octoechos sedalen, the Glory
Saturday Waiy
The service is similar in structure to the Sunday service, but without the polyeleos. "God is the Lord", troparion "Common Resurrection". At Matins, the 16th and 17th kathismas are chanted, after which Sunday tr
Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem
All four Evangelists speak of this event (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-44; John 12:12-19). This holiday is also called the Week of Vay (branches), or Blossom
Statutory features of worship
On the Week of Vaii - at Vespers and at Matins - two troparions are sung: the first - “Common Resurrection ...” (twice) and the second - “Breathed to Thee by baptism, Christ our God, immortal life is resurrected
Great Monday
On Great Monday, the Old Testament Patriarch Joseph is remembered, who out of envy was sold by his brothers to Egypt, suffered, and then became famous and thereby foreshadowed the suffering of Christ
Statutory Peculiarities of Divine Liturgy on the First Three Days of Holy Week
On the first three days of Passion Week, the Charter prescribes the reading of the entire Psalter, except for the 17th kathisma, which is read at Matins on Great Saturday. On the Week of Vay (Sunday), in the evening, the service begins
Maundy Thursday
On this day, four major events in the life of Christ the Savior are commemorated in the service: the Last Supper, at which the Lord established the New Testament sacrament of the Holy Eucharist; about
Features of worship
On the eve (Wednesday evening) there is a small compline with the triode of St. Andrew of Crete. At Matins, after the "Alleluia" and the verses of the usual guards, the troparion is sung (thrice) in a special chant:
Divine Services of Good Friday
There are three main services on Good Friday: Matins, Great Hours, and Great Vespers with Little Compline. Liturgy on this day is not performed due to deep contrition and special fasting.
Holy Saturday
On this day, the Church commemorates the burial of the Lord Jesus Christ, the stay of His body in the tomb, the descent of the soul into hell to proclaim victory over death there and deliverance of souls who were waiting for Him with faith.
EASTER. Holy Christ's Resurrection
Easter is a celebration of celebrations. Saint Epiphanius of Cyprus speaks of this in his discourse: “The feast of Pascha is more solemn than all holidays: it constitutes for the whole world the triumph of renewal and
history of the holiday
The feast of Easter was already established in the Apostolic Church and was celebrated in those days. The ancient Church, under the name of Easter, connected two weeks: preceding the day of the Resurrection and following it. For both
Features of the Easter service
The Paschal service is celebrated especially solemnly both on the first day of Pascha and throughout Bright Week. In the evening, the Acts of the Apostles are read in the temple, which constitute the immutable testimonies
Midnight Office
This service also belongs to the Lenten Triodion. It starts an hour or half an hour before Easter matins. Before this, the clergy perform entrance prayers and put on full vestments. H
Easter morning. Beginning of the Color Triodion
Paschal Matins is preceded by a solemn procession around the temple to meet Christ outside it, like the myrrh-bearing women who met the risen Lord outside Jerusalem. Before on
Easter clock
They are sung both on the first day of Easter and throughout Bright Week. On Bright Week, the 1st hour is sung after Matins, the 3rd and 6th hours before Liturgy, and the 9th hour before Vespers. 1st hour on Sun
Liturgy
The liturgy on the day of Holy Pascha is “wounded”, “work for the sake of vigil”. The beginning of the Liturgy is the same as that of Paschal Matins. Deacon: "Bless, master." Priest: "Bless
The rite of consecrating the artos
At the end of the liturgy on Easter day, after the prayer behind the ambo, the consecration of the artos (translated from Greek means "bread") is performed. Artos is a large prosphora with the image
Great Vespers on the First Day of Pascha
Vespers is preceded by the 9th hour, which is sung according to the Paschal rite. At this time, the priest (and during the conciliar service - the primate) puts on all the priestly clothes. Upon completion
Statutory features of worship during the Easter week
The whole week, called the Great, or Bright, is, as it were, one great bright feast of Easter. The Church Fathers and the Church Canons of the VI Ecumenical Council (Canon 66) command the faithful throughout
Statutory features in the Week of Antipascha
The divine service is devoted mainly to the remembrance of the appearances of Christ after the Resurrection to the apostles, including Thomas. According to the Charter, on the Sunday of Antipascha, Sunday hymns from Oktoech are not sung,
Features of the services from St. Thomas Week to the celebration of Easter
The composition of Sunday services from the week of St. Thomas to Pentecost includes the following hymns: 1) Paschal; 2) Sunday (according to the voice of the week); 3) Color Triodi.
Liturgical features of each Week from the feast of Holy Pascha to its celebration
There are only six weeks before Easter, and seven weeks before Pentecost. 1st week - Easter; 2nd - Fomina; 3rd - holy myrrh-bearing women; 4th - about the relaxed;
The fourth week is about the relaxed
This week the Church commemorates the miraculous healing of the paralytic by Jesus Christ in the second year of His gospel sermon, on the day of the Jewish Pentecost. Wednesday of the 4th week is celebrated
Sixth week - about the blind
This week we commemorate the gift of sight by Christ the Savior to the blind man in Jerusalem in the third year of His public ministry, on the feast of the renewal of the temple (Matt., conception 67th). giving away
history of the holiday
The celebration of the Ascension dates back to the deepest antiquity. So, already the Apostolic Decrees prescribe to perform it on the fortieth day after Pascha (book 5, chapter 18). Particularly important in this respect
Features of worship
The Feast of the Ascension of the Lord is one of the moving Lord's holidays. It has one day of fore-feast, coinciding with the celebration of Pascha, and eight days of after-feast. Giving away a holiday happens
Seventh Week after Pascha, Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council
This week the Holy Church celebrates the memory of the 318 Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, which was convened against Arius and began on the days of Pentecost, June 19, 325. Cathedral, as they say in Synax
history of the holiday
The feast of Pentecost was established by the apostles themselves. After the descent of the Holy Spirit, the apostles annually celebrated the day of Pentecost and commanded all Christians to remember it (1 Cor. 16:8; Acts 20:1
Statutory features of worship
At Great Vespers, among the verse stichera, for the first time after Great Saturday, the stichera is sung: “To the King of Heaven...” (it is also sung at Matins, according to the 50th psalm, and at praises, at “And now). According to "Now you let go
1st Sunday after Pentecost - All Saints
In the hymns of the Week of All Saints, the Church reminds us of imitating the deeds and virtues of the saints. The week (Sunday) of All Saints ends with the Colored Triodion and begins the daily
Petrov post
From Monday after the week (Sunday) of All Saints, Peter's fast begins, established in honor of the supreme apostles Peter and Paul, whose memory is celebrated on June 29
