Easter for Russians is one of the most beloved holidays, second only to the New Year in its popularity. On the Bright Sunday of Christ, almost everyone breaks the fast, takes Christ and eats Easter cakes - regardless of how strictly a person observed all the Orthodox canons preceding this day, and whether they observed them at all. According to Secretary of the Kursk Diocesan Administration Father Oleg Chebanov, the reason for such popular love lies in the fact that "there are things that we understand with the mind, but there are those that we reach with the heart." “It is no coincidence that Easter is called the Feast of Feasts and the Triumph of Triumphs. In spirit, we always strive upward - to God, therefore, in the soul, any person feels that Easter is the most important holiday, evidence of the victory of life over death, ”said the priest.
True, opinions on how to properly celebrate this holiday differ greatly. Some, for example, argue that on this day in no case should you go to the cemetery, while others - every year, despite all these conversations, they go there. Someone believes that only those who fasted can break the fast on Easter morning. Others, not observing fasting, nevertheless arrange real feasts. So what can and cannot be done on Easter? Father Oleg Chebanov told about this.
Is it necessary to visit the cemetery on Easter?
Here it is necessary to turn to history. For almost a millennium, our country has lived in complete harmony between the Church and the state, and the Church has always had a special meaning for an Orthodox person. After the October Revolution, these ties, unfortunately, were destroyed. They tried to roll up the church in asphalt, at Christmas, Easter, entire police cordons were put up to prevent people from getting into the church. But the fact is that any Orthodox Christian, praying for health, also prays for the repose of the dead. Since ancient times, there has been a tradition in Russia: when coming to a cemetery, where there was always a cemetery church, a person turned to a priest who came to the grave and served lithium.
But in the Soviet years, people went to the cemetery on Holy Sunday of Christ, knowing full well that if they were forbidden to go to the temple and perform divine services there, then no one could forbid them to go to the cemetery. Therefore, a huge number of people went to the cemetery that day. This tradition is wrong, although it is not worth condemning people who follow it. You just need to remember that the Easter holiday is the triumph of life over death, so the whole Easter week should be rejoicing, not mourning. In the temples these days there are no funeral services and requiem services at all. This period, in its emotional mood, corresponds to life and joy about life, rather than sadness about the death of a loved one.
Moreover, the Saturdays of the second, third and fourth weeks of Lent are the so-called parental Saturdays, when the dead are commemorated. If a person lives according to the church charter, he knows all these things, and therefore he does everything right - on parental Saturday he commemorates the dead, on Easter he rejoices in life.
Do I need to carry food to the cemetery - eggs, Easter cake, etc.?
This is completely redundant. We still commemorate the deceased with prayer, and the place of remembrance should not be a cemetery, but a house where relatives and friends of the deceased gather. Going to the cemetery and arranging various reckless feasts there is a pagan tradition and it has been preserved mainly in the villages, there is practically no such thing in the city. Moreover, after an egg or Easter cake is crushed on the grave, it becomes a haven for flocks of crows, often dogs. It's completely useless.
Should everyone break the fast at Easter?
Still, the one who started talking should still talk. In a spiritual sense, what is fasting? This is the preparation of the soul for the experience of the passions of Christ and the preparation for the meeting of the risen Christ. How do we prepare to welcome some precious guest? We try to put things in order in the house, prepare a magnificent, solemn meal, put ourselves in order, But it turns out that if I didn’t talk too much and didn’t keep the fast, then a great, precious guest comes to me, and I have a dirty rag under the threshold, the remains of food where - something in the kitchen, the bed is not made. And then what is the point of meeting this guest and how then to break the fast if we did not observe this fast. As a family tradition, there is a place to break the fast for those who do not fast, but in a spiritual sense, this is pure profanity. Without fasting, there is no point in breaking the fast.
How and at what time should you break the fast?
You can break the fast on Sunday, only after the end of the festive service. It usually ends at 3-4 am. But Easter is an unusual day, so getting up at 7 in the morning is not necessary at all. When all family members wake up, put themselves in order - you can sit down at the festive table. And it's not scary if this happens, for example, at 11 o'clock in the morning.
As for how this should be done, the Church does not prescribe a clear sequence of actions.
What products for Easter can be consecrated in the church?
In general, what we started talking about in a post, so we should break our fast. Therefore, in the church it is possible to illuminate “thickened milk”, that is, cottage cheese, cheese, meat products, lard, eggs. Sometimes parishioners bring salt for lighting - but the Bible does not say anything about this. And of course, the obligatory product is Easter cake.
Does Easter cake have to be prepared according to some special recipe?
Kulich is a festive Easter bread, it should be more solemn, magnificent, expensive compared to the bread that we usually eat. However, the recipe can be very different - as they say, for an amateur. At the same time, one should not focus too much on the recipe: food should not distract from the most important thing - prayer.
Does an Easter egg have to be red?
The tradition of red Easter eggs is associated with the legend of Mary Magdalene. According to legend, when Mary came to the emperor Tiberius and announced the Resurrection of Christ, the emperor said that it was as impossible as a chicken egg being red. And after these words, the chicken egg that he was holding turned red.
Of course, to a greater extent, the red color should prevail, because on the one hand, it is the color of triumph (even the vestments of the priests during the Easter service are red), and on the other hand, it is the color of the martyrdom of Christ. However, today people have a huge choice - you can paint an egg in almost any color you like. The Church does not allow it.
Another issue is the various stickers that are now also offered as decorations for Easter eggs. If they depict, for example, a chicken, flowers, even the letters "ХВ" - this is allowed, but if the face of Christ, the Virgin, other saints - this is already unacceptable. After all, after we clean the egg, these stickers with faces, along with the shell, will go to the trash can.
Shouldn't the leftovers of consecrated Easter food be thrown away?
It is better, of course, not to do this - after all, drops of holy water fall on the products. You can, for example, collect leftover food - shells, sausage skins, etc. - and bury them somewhere at the end of the week.
At Easter, everyone must greet each other with the phrase “Christ is Risen!” and exchange eggs?
Christening is a ritual in the church Easter service and the congratulation of believers to each other on the Easter holiday, in which one says "Christ is risen", and the other answers - "Truly risen". According to church tradition, the custom of such a greeting goes back to the apostles, who, when they met, told each other the good news.
Easter greetings were by no means limited to christening in church. The words "Christ is Risen!" and the answer to them with kisses and the mutual gifting of colored eggs was the usual greeting to each guest throughout the entire Easter week. However, kissing should only be with people of the same sex.
There is a tradition - to beat Easter eggs against each other. Is this not sacrilege?
No. In order to eat an egg, it must be broken in any case. So break, eat and rejoice in the resurrection of the Savior! The Church does not allow it.
Central Federal District, Kursk (Kursk region)
Easter is the most important holiday of the Christian church, because the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the basis of all Christianity. The Apostle Paul said: “If Christ had not risen, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is also in vain.” This holiday is celebrated by all Christians - Orthodox, Catholics, and Protestants.
The days before Easter, starting from Lazarus Saturday (the Saturday before Palm Sunday) are special. It is better to finish everyday affairs - cleaning, cooking Easter cakes and others - before Thursday, and spend the remaining days in the temple, and not in the pre-holiday fuss. It is prayer that will give understanding of this holiday.
This year the Annunciation falls on Great Saturday (April 7). When this holiday is celebrated during Lent, fish is allowed to be eaten. But Holy Saturday is the day when Christians observe the strictest fast, so this year you can’t eat fish for the Annunciation.
What needs to be sanctified
The consecration of food for Easter is permission to eat food after Lent. It does not give the food supernatural power. Products that need to be consecrated on Easter: meat, cheese, cottage cheese and eggs - are mentioned in two prayers read at the consecration of Easter food. Nothing is said about bread, salt, vegetables and other products in these prayers. Yes, and it would be illogical to consecrate them, because there is no ban on eating them during Great Lent.
Why are eggs painted?
The main attributes of Easter are colored eggs and Easter cakes. Easter cakes and cottage cheese Easter symbolize the tomb of Christ, from which life shone. And with eggs, which symbolize life, there is a story from church tradition: Mary Magdalene reached Rome with a sermon about Christ and got an appointment with Emperor Tiberius. Mary offered him a hen's egg and said, "Christ is risen." Tiberius replied: “I would rather believe that a chicken egg will turn red before my eyes than believe your words.” And then the egg in the hand of Mary Magdalene turned red. In memory of this miracle, which confirmed the events of the Resurrection, Christians paint eggs.
Now people paint eggs in different colors. More appropriate, of course, is red, but other colors are allowed. By the way, it is not necessary to peel eggs during consecration: God's grace is omnipresent and can pass through the shell.
What can not be consecrated
It is inappropriate to consecrate money in the church, because this will not increase wealth. No need to put crosses and icons in the food basket. It is not necessary to consecrate honey, apples and water on Easter, because the church has separate days for this.
Is it worth going to the cemetery on Easter
Paschal joy must be brought to the dead when the Bright Week ends - on Radonitsa. Visiting the dead on Easter is inappropriate, since these days should be spent in the temple and praying. You should not bring painted eggs and Easter cakes to the dead, feasts in the cemetery are a relic of paganism. The last funeral services before Easter are celebrated on Maundy Thursday. All Holy Week (until the Sunday after Pascha) there are no panikhidas. But it is possible and necessary to submit notes about the repose of the dead, because it would be dishonest not to pray for them these days. You can submit notes throughout Holy Week, except for Good Friday, when the liturgy is not held.
Why you can’t go to the cemetery on Easter, the priest’s answer to this important question amazes many believers. Oddly enough, but many do not even know that on Easter, from the point of view of the Orthodox religion, it is completely wrong to go to the cemetery.
This is even considered a great sin, because, a bright holiday, the first, in a series of subsequent forty holidays, you need to spend among your family and in the circle of close relatives who are still alive. Easter is, first of all, the feast of the living. What not to do in
Where did the ban come from
It must be said that the tradition of going to the cemetery on Easter appeared among believers in Soviet times. Then, as you know, religion was banned, traditions were not passed down from generation to generation, and often there was simply no one to turn to for advice on what and when to do the right thing. Consequently, during this period, people who believed in God tried to somehow preserve traditions: as best they could.
In order to somehow celebrate Easter, people strove to visit the cemetery on this day, so that they could calmly share their joy there with already deceased relatives. At least they won't hand over the KGB and write a complaint. But, now, when religion is again held in high esteem and every person who reaches out to God has the opportunity to learn about everything, ask questions, and observe rituals correctly, one should remember that Easter is a bright holiday, it is a holiday of living people.
On Easter Day, the fact that Jesus Christ rose from the dead is celebrated and on this day it is necessary
think only about something good, rejoice. Rejoice in the fact that Jesus Christ has risen and thereby proved that there is no death, there is only a transition to eternal life, to the Kingdom of God. Easter is precisely the celebration of life, but not of death. Over the next few weeks, there will be a special day for this when you need to go to the cemetery with the good news. But this is not done on Easter itself.
When to go to the cemetery in honor of Easter
Why you can’t go to the cemetery on Easter, the priest’s answer has already been received. Now let's look at exactly what day is specially allocated in the church calendar in order to go to Easter with the bright news of the Resurrection of Christ. Here we are talking about Tuesday, the second Tuesday after the holiday. That is, not on Easter week, but immediately after it. This is a big memorial day during the Orthodox year, it even has its own special name - Radonitsa or Radunitsa. In some countries, this day is an official holiday. options, .
We must also understand that for us the people who lie in the cemetery are dead, but for Christ every soul, regardless of whether the body lives or not, is alive. So, there is no big difference for the Lord with what a person wants to be christened: with a living relative or a dead one, in principle, does not exist.
About church canons
It should be noted about why you can’t go to the cemetery on Easter, the priest’s answer is that, of course, there are no strict prohibitions according to church canons. If a person wants to think about the dead people and commemorate them on Easter, then no one will forbid it. But here it should be remembered that, if possible, it is better to postpone the commemoration until a day specially allocated for this.
In some sources today you can find information that the custom of going to the cemetery on Easter appeared long before the October Revolution. In tsarist Russia, many ancestors lived in the countryside, the roads there were bad. The temple, as a rule, was built next to the cemetery. So, in order not to go far to the same place twice, many immediately after the Easter service went to the graves of their ancestors to lay a painted egg there and congratulate the deceased relatives on the feast of Easter. Many believe that the tradition of visiting the cemetery on Easter has developed in this way.
All the same, if you read modern church literature or talk with a priest, it will be noted there that on Easter itself you should not go to the cemetery. This holiday is not a day of sorrow, you need to rejoice and have fun on Easter. Moreover, now, after a long Great Lent, this can finally be done. It is worth remembering that already on the second Tuesday after Easter, there will be Radonitsa Day. It is on this day that you need to go to the cemetery to inform the deceased relatives, friends and relatives that Christ is Risen from the dead. Excellent way.
Why you can’t go to the cemetery on Easter, the priest’s answer suggests that it’s best to postpone this trip until a special memorial day. I would like to remind you that, according to the Orthodox tradition, it is not necessary to carry food to the cemetery: dead people, in whom only the soul is alive, do not need human food. However, you can take a painted egg with you to the cemetery as a symbol of Easter and eternal life after death.
For some reason, many people have a question, is it possible to leave consecrated eggs in the cemetery on Parents' Day? To find the answer to this question, it is worth looking at it from three angles: tradition, religion and law. The same applies to Easter cakes, sweets, wine and other food.
Radonitsa is the day of commemoration of all the dead, this year it is celebrated on April 17th. On this day, people go to the cemetery to share the joy of the Resurrection of Christ with their deceased loved ones. However, in many cases, such a commemoration turns into a drinking bout (and even shish kebabs on the graves), a lot of garbage remains in the cemetery, so the attitude towards the tradition is ambiguous.
Can eggs be left on graves? Or maybe it’s better to give treats to poor people or take them to some nursing home, the disabled, to orphanages, and not leave food, especially sanctified on earth?
Tradition. Yes, indeed, in the post-Soviet countries there is such a tradition that on parental day people come to the cemetery to commemorate their deceased relatives. They bring various food with them, including the one that was consecrated at Easter. They eat it themselves, treat passers-by, and leave something on the graves.
Our citizens believe that by placing food near the burial place, they somehow treat the deceased as well. Strange tradition, isn't it?
Religion. What does the church say about this? Priests are against people leaving food on the grave, they consider this to be the remnants of paganism. The soul has left the body - it no longer needs an egg, Easter cake, and even more so, a glass of vodka covered with bread.
And it’s good if a cake or an egg is eaten by a beggar or a beggar. But often consecrated food goes to stray dogs, rats, insects, turns into garbage. Is this not blasphemy?
According to the clergy, on this day it is better to come to the temple and pray for the soul of the deceased, light a candle. And leave flowers on the grave, clean it up. As for food, it is better to eat it at home at the memorial table. Or treat the poor, take it to orphans or the same prisoners. It will be a good deed that will benefit the deceased.
Ideally, you need to order a prayer service in the church, and already at home or in a cafe make a dinner, to which you invite those people who knew the deceased and already in such an environment commemorate him with a kind word and pray for his soul.
Sometimes it is allowed (for example, in the absence of time or other circumstances) to briefly commemorate your relatives right at the cemetery at a very modest short meal (without turning it into a drinking bout or empty chatter). For example, eat an egg or a candy, drink tea from a thermos or a small glass of wine.
And the last aspect in this matter is the law. So, he does not prohibit leaving any food in the cemetery: consecrated or ordinary. There is no article that does not allow this. But if the booze goes beyond all limits, there is a lot of rubbish left, then they can rivet anything, up to hooliganism and desecration of graves.
Therefore, if you really want to leave the consecrated eggs in the cemetery, then you can safely do it without excesses, and be not afraid of anything.
The question is, why commit an act that does not bring anything good from either side? And the main thing to ask yourself is: what does it look like from the point of view of common sense?
Whether it is possible to leave consecrated eggs in the cemetery or not is up to you, but it is better to give them to the starving and distribute alms.
Search line: Easter cakeRecords found: 19
Hello, father! I am addressing you with a question, which, I think, many have already addressed more than once: 1. Is it possible to eat consecrated Easter cake and eggs not on an empty stomach? Is it possible to throw egg shells and crumbs from consecrated Easter cake and eggs into ordinary garbage? Forgive me, I just want to sort it out once and for all. Save you Lord!
Alexei
Alexey, consecrated Easter cakes and eggs can be eaten at any time, it is not at all necessary to do this on an empty stomach. Leftovers from these products can be thrown into the regular trash.
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
Bless, father. I have a question. My work colleague is Muslim. When I said that I was going to the Epiphany service and for holy water, she asked me to bring water to her as well. I asked her: "What are you going to do with her?" She says, "Drink." I tell her that this is not mineral water to drink just like that. Such water must be drunk with faith, crossed. Because she won't do that. She said, "So what. God is one." I, of course, brought her water. But it torments me that I dared to prove something to her. Maybe you should have just given her water without getting into a discussion? Or was it not necessary to give water at all? Understand me, please.
Love
Hello Love. You did everything right. And on Easter treat her with Easter cake. Just remember that all conversations in such cases should be friendly. And if that doesn't work, then keep quiet.
Priest Alexander Beloslyudov
Hello, father! Tell me, please, what to do if the Easter consecrated Easter cake is moldy?
Elena
Elena, usually in such cases they bury the Easter cake in the ground, in a place that is not trampled down (where people do not go), or you can throw this Easter cake into the river.
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
CHRIST IS RISEN! I don't know if I did the right thing. My neighbor asked me to take her Easter cakes to the consecration, she is reluctant to stand, she says, I can’t stand it, her legs hurt. Drinks often. And I told her that it was better for herself, and that what I would consecrate to her is like a dead poultice, only to calm her conscience, and not to save her. I would take it, of course, if she was really weak and sick. And then I thought, maybe I refused in vain, what do you think?
Svetlana
Svetlana, if you had not refused, you would have done a very good deed, and this is very useful and good for the soul. Do not refuse good deeds, they ennoble the soul. And your neighbor in time, perhaps, will gather her strength and go to the service herself, but at the moment you could make sure that she was not deprived of grace on the feast.
hegumen Nikon (Golovko)
Hello, father! Tell me, please, when can I bake Easter on Thursday? I heard that you can't bake on Good Friday, but you can on Thursday and Saturday. Is it so? Tell me please. Thank you.
Natalia
Natalia, the entire Passion Week is preparing us for the Great Feast of Easter. We prepare not only spiritually, but also physically. Easter cakes can be baked from Monday of Passion Week. After all, for example, in monasteries and in production there are large volumes of baking, and in two or three days they will not have time to provide everyone. At home - yes, they start baking from Thursday, because the volumes are small, and therefore there is no need to bake earlier, and eggs are also dyed closer to Easter, starting from Thursday. You don’t particularly focus on this, start baking as you like, you can from Great Monday.
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
Hello! Please advise me: since last Easter, the shells from consecrated eggs, crumbs from Easter cakes and molds in what they were baked remained in my house, as far as I know, you can’t throw it away, but I don’t know what to do, can you tell me? Thank you in advance,
Christina
Christina, we always burn or bury consecrated objects or things that have become unusable, or bury them in the ground. If you have a dacha, then in the dacha in the stove you can burn it all or drip it under a tree. Also, spoiled consecrated products can be thrown into the river.
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
Hello! How should Easter be celebrated if dad died 5 months ago? Is it possible to bake Easter and paint eggs? How and when to go to the cemetery? Thank you.
Elena
Hello, Elena! It is possible and necessary to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, bake Easter cakes and paint eggs. After all, Easter is a Feast of feasts for both the living and the dead. And it will be possible to pray for the pope at the funeral service and go to the cemetery on Radonitsa, May 14.
Priest Vladimir Shlykov
Hello, father! My birthday is May 4, falls on Good Saturday, they say that you can’t celebrate! What do i do?
Ekaterina
Ekaterina, why should you celebrate your birthday on Holy Saturday, this is a strict fast, when you can’t eat almost anything, only strictly fast food. On this day, the church sings "Let all human flesh be silent," that is, one cannot celebrate a birthday on this day. This is the day of preparation for the Great Feast of Holy Pascha. We consecrate Easter cakes, eggs. The best thing is to celebrate your birthday on Easter, May 5th. You will have a doubly holiday, and do not sin before God. On Easter, you can have any products, and have fun, and celebrate in the restaurant.
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
Is it permissible for an Orthodox to eat something sweet or tasty, such as ordering pizza or buying ice cream, or is it sensuality?
Anna
Hello Anna.
As you know, the most delicious food is prepared in Orthodox monasteries. Bread prepared with prayer even in fasting resembles Easter cake. So there is nothing wrong with a hungry person refreshing himself with delicious, skillfully prepared food.
However, without feeling hungry, you should not get carried away with taste sensations, otherwise you can fall into the sin of gluttony.
Help God.
Priest Sergiy Osipov
Bless, father. I came to God in adulthood, although I was baptized as a child. I well remember my first conscious visit to the temple for a service, and not to light a candle or dedicate Easter cakes. I didn't last half an hour. When I realized that I would just faint, I left the temple. He sat down, caught his breath, and went again. And... went out again. And so three times. Thank God that after that first experience I did not give up, but decided to force myself, no matter what it cost me. And so, step by step, overcoming reluctance, physical discomfort, laziness, I, with God's help, overcame this difficult period of churching. My teenage son is going through the same thing right now. I did not force or drag him to the temple. I decided that the best sermon for him would be the way of life that I chose, and not my exhortations. You can imagine my joy when he himself wanted to go to the temple. And here it is. I understand that he needs to go through this period, especially since he has not yet gone to confession and received communion. He says he's not ready yet. I do not rush and do not insist, I am afraid to destroy this sprout that has sprouted in his soul. I gave him all the necessary literature, I help with advice and pray for him. But even then, in my case, and with him now, my question remained unanswered. Why do new believers experience such discomfort during the period of churching, why does a healthy, physically strong guy who goes in for sports leave the church after fifteen minutes of being in the service, because he is simply in a semi-conscious state, that this is the enemy’s work or the impact of the grace of God, which (as says in a prayer before reading the Gospel) burns, cleanses, sanctifies the whole person? And how to help him not to fall away during this period, not to give up on everything, but to endure and go through this path? Save you Lord.
Oleg
Oleg, unfortunately, after our era of Soviet atheism, the fact that our compatriots fall into a semi-conscious state in the temple has become a sad norm. This is in its purest form a demonic influence, or rather, "retribution" for our turning to God. Tell him that this is not scary, let him not be afraid. And let him fight - after all, he is a fighter, like any man. The demon will not survive this fight and will run away.
A friend of mine also experienced similar temptations and constantly left the temple. But one day he set himself up like this: "Why am I going to run like this? Let it be, what will be, but I will not leave my place in the temple!" And so he stood and prayed. Yes, the demon did not leave him, and he experienced an attack of faintness, and even almost fainted, but did not leave his seat, and - this was the last time, he won.
hegumen Nikon (Golovko)
Hello! Tell me, please, what to do with the shell of the consecrated eggs and the paper that covered the cake?
Nina
In rural areas, you can simply burn the shells and paper. And in city churches there are special boxes for this. It is better for you to clarify in your temple how it is customary to deal with shells, paper, candle ends specifically at your parish.
Archpriest Andrey Efanov
Hello, the servant of God Anastasia writes to you, this month I turn 24 years old. I myself am from Ukraine, but I have been living in Spain for 12 years. I am writing to you because I no longer know who to turn to and from whom to get good advice or just kind words. Last year I visited the Intercession Monastery in Moscow for the first time, I was at the holy relics of the Blessed Matronushka. I knew about her before, as a child my grandmother gave me a pamphlet about her life and the great power of her prayer. When I went with my godmother to the monastery, she told me that if you sincerely pray to Matronushka, she helps in many ways. At that time, my mother was in a severe depression, she was treated with pills. I thought that it was probably worth asking for my mother and, in general, for my family, for my relatives. But I also had a personal request to Matronushka, I really liked one guy. His name is Maxim, he himself is a pediatrician from Moscow, but he happens to be in Spain, his mother, sister and our mutual friends live here. So, through mutual friends, I met him. In general, I asked Matronushka to pray for us, so that everything would work out with him. It was in April. We corresponded a lot on the Internet, and in August he finally arrived. We spent a lot of time together, I was in seventh heaven with happiness. Soon he nevertheless told me that he liked me, and everything worked out for us, although we stayed together for only a week, then he left for Moscow. I was very grateful to Matronushka that she heard me and helped in all requests, my mother also no longer complained about her health. Months passed, we communicated with Maxim via the Internet, called back and kept in touch in every possible way. But already in December, I felt that he did not miss me, did not write the same way as I did to him. We never told each other that we love. But I already felt it in my heart. I always asked him about his family and friends, he told me about his problems. I became very related to him. And when I felt this cold from him, I thought that now, he will come, and everything will fall into place. Because communication on the Internet is, of course, not at all the same as in reality. At the end of January, our communication completely came to naught, I knew practically nothing about him. I even tried to attract his attention, inventing various problems for myself, so that he would listen to me and worry about me. In February, on Valentine's Day, of course, I wrote him a congratulatory letter, he did not answer me. Of course, I was offended, and then he told me that we need to meet. He was already in Spain, and we met, I already felt at that moment that things were going to part. He told me that he wanted to clarify our relationship and expressed everything, said that the distance tormented him and he did not like it. But I understood that, probably, someone appeared with him, and I asked him about it. He answered me honestly and admitted that he had another girlfriend. At that moment, when we were talking, everything was like a blur for me, I probably didn’t even understand that it was real. I thought it was all a dream and I was about to wake up. In this incomprehensible state to me, I even told him that all this was logical, that we had no feelings. I guess I just wanted the breakup to be easy for him so he wouldn't think I was in love. At the end of our meeting, we even laughed and talked about the next meeting. In general, from this conversation I also learned that he was seriously ill. Suffering from epilepsy. I felt terribly sorry for him. I have seen all the horrors of this disease in my life. When I came home, when I realized that all this had really happened to me, that I was no longer with him, I felt so bad in my soul as it had never been before. I didn’t even have anyone to talk to at that time, because my parents were on trips. In the morning I talked with my loved ones, told about everything. My aunt even told me that, probably, it was God who took me away from such a person, such a patient. At that moment, I even thought that she was right. But after a while, I realized that I, as a believer, can never think like that, and I realized that I love him even with such a serious illness. I sincerely began to pray for him, for his family and his healing. On Forgiveness Sunday, he wrote to me and asked for forgiveness for everything he had done to me. I forgave him. But all the pain I still did not go away, I suffered a lot. Then I thought that, probably, God is punishing me in this way for something, and I began to prepare for Easter. I have read many articles about communion and confession. I wanted to confess and take communion, to repent for all my sins. She kept fasting and tried to remember all her sins, not to hide anything from the Lord. For Easter, I went to our Orthodox Church of the Archangel Michael, here in Spain. Before the service, she prayed for all her loved ones, lit candles for everyone who asked and for whom she wanted. I prayed at the icon of Matronushka. After confession before the service. She defended the entire service, consecrated Easter cakes. In fact, it became easier for me after visiting the temple, we even began to communicate with him again, but all my grief for him did not go away. And for a month now I continue to pray for him to God, I pray for him and for his entire family, even for his current girlfriend. I ask the Lord and the saints for help, I ask for his healing and return to me, if that is the Will of God. I read prayers every day and every night. When memories start to oppress me, I say prayers, but nothing helps me. I understand that I love him very much, that my love is sincere and real. For all my pain, I have never wished him harm and even called him a bad word. Many months have passed, and this heartache and loss does not let go of me. There is still hope in my heart that I can be with him. Now I'm already asking God to help me forget about him, to send me another person. I read the girl's prayers for marriage every day. I understand that it is bad to write to you about this, but thoughts of death already visit me. It just seems to me that this is the only way I can get rid of these mental anguish. I just can't live like this anymore. I have exams for entering the University very soon, and I can’t even concentrate on anything. I read a lot of books and literature, including the lives of the saints, in order to somehow facilitate my existence, so as not to think about it. I cry every day, and I don’t even know how to stop and calm down. In any place, such sadness finds me that I am simply torn in hysterics. My health on all this ground was also shaken, I lost a lot of weight and, due to a lack of vitamins, my teeth began to deteriorate. They said it was all due to stress. Can you please tell me if I'm doing something wrong? Maybe I don’t pray like that, or I ask God too much? Maybe I'm bothering him with my petitions? I no longer know what to think about ... I know that God does not do everything so quickly, which does not help immediately, and you need to be constant in your prayers. But I no longer have the strength. What should I do? What is the right way to ask? Should I hope and believe that I will still be fine with him? I want to go to St. Petersburg this summer, I read that Saint Xenia also helps in such cases. Help me as much as you can, I beg you. Thank you.
Anastasia
It is difficult to say, dear Anastasia, why everything turned out this way. The reasons may be different, but you need to forget your lover. The Lord will certainly help you, if only you do not interfere with Him by constant thoughts about what has not come true. You are young and have not yet experienced many difficulties in life, and the first hardships knocked you down. Strive to visit the temple more often, remember that the Lord cares about you and that all difficulties will soon pass. You are already at the perfect age, and you are still learning. Isn't it time to work, to benefit people? This, of course, does not exclude further education, but still it is time not only to receive, but also to give. And it is useful to visit the relics of Blessed Xenia, but you should not leave daily prayers. Help you Lord!
Archpriest Andrey Efanov
Christ is Risen! Everywhere the Bible is translated differently, so sometimes it happens that I don’t know how to understand. On Easter, when she went to sanctify Easter cake, they handed out postcards with the image of Christ, and on the back of the commandments of God. I read the second commandment, as for the first time, and a stupor sets in. Further, I found from N. Serbsky: "The second commandment" Do not make yourself an idol and no image; do not worship them and do not serve them. This means: do not deify the creation, do not revere it as the Creator. If you climbed a high mountain and met the Lord God there, why do you look back at the shallow marsh growth at the foot of the mountain? If a person wanted to see the tsar and, after long efforts, achieved a meeting with him, will he look around at this meeting and look at the tsar's servants and lackeys to the right and left? He can behave like this only in two cases: either he cannot bear the presence of the king and seeks support from those around him; or sees that the king is unable to help him, and is looking for a stronger patron. "I read a lot of explanations about the icons, but they are all ornate, unconvincing. Not a single one sounded like this:" yes, yes, no, no. "From some Since then it has become important for me to fall to the crucifixion in church, and hugging His legs, to be alone for a while. And now what to do? I am afraid to pray to the icons, so as not to belittle God, not to offend.
Tatiana
Truly, Christ is Risen! It is precisely in order not to fall into the sin of idolatry that the Church distinguishes between itself "worship", which only God is worthy of, and "reverence", which can also extend to the images of God. What is the difference? So, when you stand in front of the Crucifixion, you prayerfully turn not to the wood and paints, but to the One Who is depicted by paints on the tree. Thus you worship Christ Himself and honor His image. Paganism, against which this commandment is directed, pays divine honors to the image itself, which is a false manifestation of religiosity, and therefore a sin.
Deacon Elijah Kokin
Hello! Tell me, please, why didn't the priest sprinkle me with holy water when we went to church to bless Easter cakes and eggs before Easter? He sprinkled our Easter cakes, sprinkled my son, but not me.
Anna
Priests during Holy and Bright Weeks serve in the mode of maximum return, and the priest could simply forget to sprinkle you with holy water due to fatigue. There is nothing terrible in this, because you came to consecrate the Easter meal, which was done. It is important to sanctify your soul with prayer, confession, communion, and you can sprinkle yourself with holy water.
Archpriest Andrey Efanov
Colleagues-Catholics on Holy Monday were treated to Easter cake and eggs at work. They already have a holiday, but we have Lent. I didn’t eat, then I fed it to the pigeons. What if they were consecrated? In the evening I read at home how to one of those who did not eat when everyone was at the meal, but they served him separately, the elder said that it would be better for him if he ate meat. On the one hand, I could not eat, on the other hand, for some reason, my soul was restless. What was the right thing to do in order not to allow blasphemy, not to violate the will of God, not to offend a person?
Olga
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It is not necessary to offend a person by refusing to share a quick meal with him, even if you are fasting at the moment. On the other hand, it’s hard for me to believe that a believing Catholic will be offended if you say to him: “You know, we still have Passion Week and a strict fast now.” What can be wrong here? It seems to me that it would be more correct to politely refuse than to take food that you are not going to eat. It is one thing for a monastery, where, contrary to the general charter, you take on your own post, and quite another thing when you, albeit in the circle of non-believers, keep the post established by the Church.
Priest Alexander Gumerov
Hello! Tell me, please, where can I put the shells from the consecrated eggs and the crumbs from the Easter cake?
Elena
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To an unassailable place - that is, to a clean place, closed from walking over it with feet - for example, throw it into a river or bury it in the ground in a forest or somewhere in nature.
Deacon Elijah Kokin
Hello! They say that if someone in the family died shortly before Easter, then you can’t bake Easter cakes and paint eggs on Easter? Is it true? Thank you in advance!
Olga
Of course it isn't! Easter is the celebration of the triumph of victory over death, realized in Christ, thanks to His Bright Resurrection. And, as it is said in Holy Scripture, "God is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living" (Mark 12:27). Therefore, the opinion that you cite is pagan superstition, and not Christianity. Christians, I repeat, on Easter celebrate victory over death, regardless of whether one of their loved ones died at that time or not.
The bright holiday of EASTER is approaching. Several times, by the will of God, I happened to celebrate Easter in Ukraine (the churches of the Moscow Patriarchate). There, the order of the Easter service is approximately as follows: on Saturday, Easter eggs and Easter cakes are not consecrated in the church. At night, on Saturday, usually at 23:00, the all-night service begins. All-night services on Easter night end in different churches at different times, but usually at 3-4 in the morning. And at the end of the All-Night Vigil, the priests bless Easter and everything that was brought from home. After the vigil, early in the morning, everyone who spent that night (and morning!) in the church rush to their families with candles and consecrated food. This is how the sacred Easter night passes in Ukraine, during which the people stay awake and rejoice in churches until the morning, and at dawn (about 5 am), returning home, they joyfully greet each other on Easter: “Christ is Risen”! Father, please answer the QUESTION: why in all Moscow churches (and the Moscow region) at about 2 o'clock in the morning the all-night service ends, the DOORS CLOSE, everything calms down until 9 in the morning ?! After all, this is wrong ... How is it possible to close churches until the morning and sleep on Easter ?! I note that the "standard answer": "because there are a lot of people" - is not correct. There are also many people in Kyiv, but the temples are open all night and all morning. Thank you.
Michael
There are also different practices in Moscow churches. Usually, they try to finish the service by 2 o'clock so that people can get home by metro. In our church, parishioners are offered tea and cakes, and those who wish to stay in the church for a long time, and already at 7 in the morning the early Liturgy is served, then at 9.30 late. So in Moscow it happens in different ways and very often depends on the wishes of the parishioners of a particular church.
1. Why worship and pray to icons, when the Lord himself forbade any worship of the works of human hands, "for it is written: worship the Lord your God and serve Him alone." (Matthew 4:10) 2. Brothers, if you are brothers, what are you teaching here, what Forerunner? Why do you distort the Word of the Living God, the Bible is one, John the Baptist was because he baptized Jesus Christ, and he was also the son of Zechariah. Question: Why Forerunner? And where in the Bible does it say that Elizabeth's jubilation is prayer? (Luke 1:42) But in Luke 1:46-55 it looks more like a prayer. In general, Jesus commanded to pray like this - Matthew 6:9-13. Why are you leading people away from God? God - He is alive and he is not in the icons. Jesus is always with each of us, and He always loves us. Why have I never heard this in an Orthodox church, that Jesus Christ died in my place, redeemed me, saved me, loves me and gave me eternal life. You called yourself Orthodox Chritians, so have this right to glorify Christ so that your glorification is pleasing to the Lord! After all, you know so much, and, for sure, you know what the Lord did with those who worshiped idols, why do you bring God's wrath on yourself and on people? And why do you have to bake paska and paint eggs on Easter? For some reason, the Bible doesn't say anything about it. So if the Lord didn't command to do it, why do it? And why does no one anticipate that later celebrations with beer and vodka will obviously not lead to anything good? In general, the Lord said that drunkards will not inherit the Kingdom of God. I wonder if anyone can answer me??? God bless you! 3. Honestly, it would be better if you just printed the Bible.
Inna
Dear Inna (apparently, all three questions were asked by the same person), I am more than sure that your questions did not arise by themselves - you read the Bible from beginning to end, then went to an Orthodox church and began to be surprised at the inconsistency of one with the other - no. Most likely you belong to one of the so-called. "evangelical" churches, where these "inconsistencies" were pointed out to you, i.e. You are the bearer of a certain tradition, and this in itself excludes the objectivity of judgments. Any Christian tradition presupposes a certain method of interpreting the Bible, so why should one give preference to the interpretations of some modern American preacher and neglect the interpretations of the disciples of the holy apostles (St. Polycarp of Smyrna or Ignatius the God-bearer)? Now, in order: 1. Orthodox do not "worship" icons, but "venerate" them, worshiping the Archetype through the image. The icon is not an idol, because an idol is an image of a false deity, and an icon depicts the True God. This turned out to be possible due to the fact that God became a man, so the Old Testament commandment is no longer applicable here. The icon is the space of a grace-filled meeting of a person with God and the saints, this meeting is evidenced by the personal prayer experience of Orthodox people, and the numerous miracles performed from icons. 2. The word “Forerunner” is Church Slavonic, and in Church Slavonic “flow” also means “procession”, i.e. The forerunner is the forerunner of the Savior, because it is said about him: “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways” (Luke 1:76). 3. An excerpt from the Gospel of Luke (1:46-55) is indeed used in Orthodox worship - at Matins, but the words spoken by Elizabeth (Luke 1:42) were uttered by a person in a state of grace-filled rapture, so they were included in one of the most famous prayers addressed to the Mother of God - "Virgin Mary". 4. The custom of cooking Easter cakes and painting eggs for Easter is not obligatory for believers, this is not a Sacrament. This is just a folk tradition consecrated by the Church, and it is a pity for those people who consider themselves Orthodox only because they appear in the church once a year to bless Easter cakes. 5. The text of the Bible is posted on our website (thanks for the advice). 6. Now regarding the love of Christ and Orthodox preaching. The fact that you did not hear about this in an Orthodox church only indicates that you rarely appear there - this is indeed the central point of our faith. Moreover, a true disciple of Christ is distinguished by the fact that he not only speaks of love, but, above all, does deeds of love: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another; as I have loved you, [so] let you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). The Lord vouchsafed me to meet in the Church people who radiate this love of Christ. I don't know if you can say the same about your community, but to be honest, the tone of your letters is rather acrimonious, which devalues your argument. Help you Lord.
