Fasting is over or not. Who is not allowed to fast? What is "fast food"

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Meatless food

Fish, hot food with vegetable oil

Hot food with vegetable oil

Hot food without vegetable oil

Cold food without vegetable oil, unheated drink

Abstaining from food

Big Holidays

Multi-day fasting in 2018

One-day fasts in 2018

Continuous weeks in 2018

Great Church Holidays 2018

Great Lent
(in 2018 falls from February 19 to April 7)

Great Lent is determined for the repentance and humility of Christians before the festive day of Easter, on which the Bright Resurrection of Christ from the dead is celebrated. This is the most significant of all Christian holidays.

The start and end times of Lent depend on the date of the celebration of Easter, which does not have a fixed calendar date. The duration of Lent is 7 weeks. It consists of 2 posts - the Lent and Holy Week.

The forty-day period lasts 40 days in memory of the forty-day fast of Jesus Christ in the wilderness. Thus, fasting is called the Lent. The last seventh week of Great Lent - Holy Week is determined in memory of last days earthly life, suffering and death of Christ.

During the period of Lent, it is allowed to take food only once a day, in the evening. During the entire fast, including weekends, it is forbidden to eat meat, milk, cheese and eggs. Fasting should be observed with particular rigor in the first and last weeks. On the feast of the Annunciation Holy Mother of God, April 7, it is allowed to relax the fast and add vegetable oil and fish to the diet. In addition to abstinence in food during Great Lent, one must diligently pray that the Lord God would give repentance, regret for sins and love for the Almighty.

Apostolic Fast - Petrov Fast
(in 2018 falls from June 4 to July 11)

This post has no specific date. The apostolic fast is dedicated to the memory of the apostles Peter and Paul. Its beginning depends on the day of Easter and the Holy Trinity, which falls on the current year. Fasting occurs exactly seven days after the feast of the Trinity, which is also called Pentecost, since it is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter. The week before fasting is called All Saints' Week.

The duration of the Apostolic Fast can be from 8 days to 6 weeks (depending on the day of the celebration of Easter). The Apostolic Fast ends on July 12, the day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. From this the post got its name. It is also called the fast of the Holy Apostles or Peter's fast.

Apostolic fasting is not very strict. Dry food is allowed on Wednesday and Friday, hot food without oil is allowed on Monday, mushrooms, vegetable food with vegetable oil and a little wine are allowed on Tuesday and Thursday, and fish is also allowed on Saturday and Sunday.

Fish is still allowed on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, if on these days they fall on a holiday with great praise. On Wednesdays and Fridays, fish is allowed to be eaten only when these days fall on a vigil or a temple feast.

Assumption Fast
(in 2018 falls from August 14 to August 27)

The Dormition Fast begins exactly one month after the end of the Apostolic Fast on August 14 and lasts 2 weeks, until August 27. This fast prepares for the feast of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos, which is celebrated on 28 August. Through the Assumption Fast, we follow the example of the Mother of God, who was continuously in fasting and prayer.

According to its severity, the Dormition Fast is close to Great Lent. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, dry food is allowed, Tuesday and Thursday - hot food without oil, on Saturday and Sunday, vegetable food with vegetable oil is allowed. On the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord (August 19), it is allowed to eat fish, as well as oil and wine.

On the day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 28), if the devil falls on Wednesday or Friday, only fish is allowed. Meat, milk and eggs are prohibited. On other days, the fast is canceled.

There is also a rule not to eat fruits until August 19. As a result, the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord is also called the Apple Savior, since at this time garden fruits (in particular, apples) are brought to the church, consecrated and given away.

Christmas post
(from November 28 to January 6)

The Nativity Fast period lasts from November 28 to January 6. If the first day of fasting falls on Sunday, the fast is softened, but not canceled. The Nativity Fast precedes the Nativity of Christ, January 7 (December 25), on which the birth of the Savior is celebrated. Fasting begins 40 days before the celebration and therefore is also called the Forty-day. The people call the Nativity Fast Filippov, because it comes right after the day of commemoration of the Apostle Philip - November 27. Conventionally, the Nativity Fast shows the state of the world before the coming of the Rescuer. By abstinence in food, Christians express reverence for the feast of the Birth of Christ. According to the rules of abstinence, the Nativity Fast is similar to the Apostolic Fast until the day of St. Nicholas - December 19. From December 20, until Christmas, fasting is observed with particular rigor.

According to the charter, it is allowed to eat fish on the feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Bogorditsa, and a week until December 20.

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays of the Nativity Fast, it is common to eat dry food.

If on these days there is a temple holiday or vigil, it is allowed to eat fish; if the day of the great saint falls, the use of wine and vegetable oil is allowed.

After the feast day of St. Nicholas and before Christmas, fish is allowed on Saturday and Sunday. You cannot eat fish during the pre-feast. If these days fall on Saturday or Sunday, eating with butter is allowed.

On Christmas Eve, January 6, on the eve of Christmas, food is not allowed until the first star appears. This rule taken in memory of the star that shone at the moment of the birth of the Rescuer. After the appearance of the first star (it is customary to eat juicy wheat seeds boiled in honey or dried fruits softened in water, and kutya - boiled cereal with raisins. The Christmas period lasts from January 7 to 13. From the morning of January 7, all restrictions on food are lifted. Fasting is canceled for 11 days.

One-day fasts

There are many one-day fasts. According to the strictness of observance, they are different and in no way associated with a specific date. The most frequent of these are the posts on Wednesdays and Fridays of any week. Also, the most famous one-day fasting is on the day of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, on the day before the Baptism of the Lord, on the day of the Beheading of John the Baptist.

There are also one-day fasts connected with the dates of commemoration of famous saints.

These posts are not considered strict if they do not fall on Wednesday and Friday. During these one-day fasts, it is forbidden to eat fish, but it is permissible to eat with vegetable oil.

Separate fasts can be accepted in the event of some kind of misfortune or social misfortune - an epidemic, war, terrorist act, etc. One-day fasts precede the sacrament of communion.

Posts on Wednesday and Friday

On Wednesday, according to the Gospel, Judas betrayed Jesus Christ, and on Friday Jesus endured torment and death on the cross. In memory of these events in Orthodoxy, fasts were adopted on Wednesday and Friday of each week. There are exceptions only in continuous weeks, or weeks, during which there are no existing restrictions for these days. Such weeks are Christmastide (January 7–18), the Publican and the Pharisee, Cheese, Easter and Trinity (the first week after Trinity).

On Wednesdays and Fridays, it is forbidden to eat meat, dairy foods, and eggs. Some of the most pious Christians do not allow themselves to consume, including fish and vegetable oil, that is, they observe dry eating.

The easing of fast on Wednesday and Friday is possible only if that day coincides with the feast of a particularly revered saint, to whose memory a special church service is dedicated.

In the period between All Saints' Week and before the birth of Christ, it is necessary to give up fish and vegetable oil. If Wednesday or Friday coincides with the holiday of the saints, then it is allowed to use vegetable oil.

V big holidays- such as Pokrov - it is allowed to eat fish.

On the eve of the feast of the Epiphany

The Baptism of the Lord is on January 18th. According to the Gospel, Christ was baptized in the Jordan River, at that moment the Holy Spirit descended on Him in the guise of a dove, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. John was a witness that Christ is the Savior, that is, Jesus is the Lord's Messiah. During his baptism, he heard the voice of the Most High, proclaiming: "This is My beloved Son, in Him I am well pleased."

Before the Baptism of the Lord in churches, the evening is performed, at this moment the rite of consecration of holy water takes place. Fasting was adopted in connection with this holiday. At the time of this post, food is allowed once a day, and only juicy and kutia with honey. Therefore, among Orthodox believers, the eve of Epiphany is usually called Christmas Eve. If the evening is on Saturday or Sunday, the fast on that day is not canceled, but relaxed. In this case, you can eat twice a day - after the liturgy and after the ritual of blessing the water.

Fasting on the day of the Beheading of John the Baptist

The day of the Beheading of John the Baptist is commemorated on September 11th. He was introduced to the memory of the death of the prophet - John the Baptist, who was the Forerunner of the Messiah. According to the Gospel, John was thrown into prison by Herod Antipas because of his revelations in connection with Herodias - the wife of Philip, brother of Herod.

During the celebration of his birthday, the Tsar arranged a holiday, the daughter of Herodias - Salome, presented a skillful dance to Herod. He was delighted with the beauty of the dance, and promised the girl for him whatever she wanted. Herodias persuaded her daughter to beg for the head of John the Baptist. Herod fulfilled the girl's wish by sending a soldier to the prisoner to bring him the head of John.

In memory of John the Baptist and his pious life, during which he fasted continuously, a fast was established. On this day, it is forbidden to eat meat, dairy, eggs and fish. Vegetable foods and vegetable oil are acceptable.

Fasting on the Day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

This holiday falls on September 27. This day was established in memory of the discovery of the Cross of the Lord. This happened in the IV century. According to legend, the emperor of the Byzantine Empire, Constantine the Great, won many victories thanks to the Cross of the Lord and therefore was in awe of this symbol. Showing gratitude to the Almighty for the consent of the church at the First Ecumenical Council, he decided to erect a temple on Calvary. Helen, the mother of the emperor, went to Jerusalem in 326 to find the Cross of the Lord.

As was the custom at that time, crosses, as instruments of execution, were buried near the place of execution. Three crosses were found at Calvary. It was impossible to understand which of them was Christ, since the bar with the inscription "Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews" was found separately from all the crosses. Subsequently, the Cross of the Lord was installed according to the power, which was expressed in the healing of the sick and the resurrection of a person through touching this cross. Glory about amazing wonders The Cross of the Lord attracted a lot of people, and because of the pandemonium, many did not have the opportunity to see and bow to him. Then Patriarch Macarius raised the cross, showing it to everyone around in the distance. Thus, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross appeared.

The holiday was taken on the day of the consecration of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, September 26, 335, and began to be celebrated the next day, September 27. In 614, the Persian king Chozroi took possession of Jerusalem and took out the Cross. In 328, the heir of Chosroes, Siroes, returned the stolen Cross of the Lord to Jerusalem. This happened on September 27, so this day is considered a double holiday - the Exaltation and Finding of the Cross of the Lord. It is forbidden to eat cheese, eggs and fish on this day. In this way, Christian believers express their reverence for the Cross.

Bright Resurrection of Christ - Easter
(in 2018 falls on April 8)

The most important Christian holiday is Easter - the Bright Resurrection of Christ from the dead. Easter is considered the main one between the passing twelve holidays, since in Easter story everything on which Christian knowledge is based is contained. For all Christians, the Resurrection of Christ means salvation and trampling on death.

The suffering of Christ, torture on the cross and death, washed away the original sin, and therefore gave salvation to mankind. That is why Christians call Easter the Triumph of Celebrations and the Feast of Holidays.

The following story formed the basis of the Christian holiday. On the first day of the week, the myrrh-bearing women came to the tomb of Christ to anoint the body with incense. However, a large block that locked the entrance to the tomb was moved, an angel sat on the stone, who informed the women that the Savior had been resurrected. After some time, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene and sent her to the apostles to inform them that the prophecy had come true.

She ran to the apostles and told them the good news and told them the message of Christ that they would meet in Galilee. Before His death, Jesus told his disciples about future events, but the news of Mary threw them into confusion. Faith in the Kingdom of Heaven, promised by Jesus, revived in their hearts again. However, the Resurrection of Jesus did not bring joy to everyone: the chief priests and Pharisees spread a rumor about the disappearance of the body.

However, despite the lies and painful trials that fell on the first Christians, the New Testament Easter became the foundation of the Christian faith. The blood of Christ atoned for the sins of people and opened the way for them to salvation. From the first days of Christianity, the apostles established the celebration of Easter, which was preceded by Passion Week in memory of the Savior's suffering. Today they are preceded by Great Lent, which lasts forty days.

For a long time, discussions about the true date of the commemoration of the described events did not subside, while on I Ecumenical Council in Nicaea (325) they did not agree on the celebration of Easter on the 1st Sunday, coming after the first spring full moon and the spring equinox. In different years, Easter has the opportunity to be celebrated from March 21 to April 24 (old style).

On the eve of Easter, the service begins at eleven o'clock in the evening. First, the midnight office of Great Saturday is served, then the gospel sounds and the procession of the cross, which is led by the clergy, the believers leave the church with lit candles, and the gospel is replaced by the festive ringing of bells. When the procession returns to closed doors churches, which, symbolizing the tomb of Christ, ringing is interrupted. Eid prayer sounds and the door of the church is opened. At this time, the priest proclaims: "Christ is risen!", And the believers together answer: "Indeed he is risen!" This is how Easter Matins comes.

At the time of the Easter Liturgy, the Gospel of John is read as usual. At the end of the Easter Liturgy, artos are consecrated - large prosphora similar to Easter cake. During Easter week artos is located close to the royal gates. After the liturgy on the following Saturday, a special rite of crushing the artos is served, and pieces of it are distributed to the faithful.

At the end of the Easter Liturgy, the fast ends and the Orthodox can treat themselves to a piece of consecrated Easter cake or Easter, a colored egg, meat pie, etc. In the first week of Easter ( Bright week) is supposed to give food to the hungry and help those in need. Christians visit their relatives, exchange exclamations: "Christ is Risen!" - "Indeed he is risen!" On Easter it is supposed to give colored eggs. This tradition was adopted in memory of the visit of Mary Magdalene to the emperor of Rome Tiberius. According to legend, Mary was the first to tell Tiberius the news of the Resurrection of the Savior and as a gift brought him an egg - as a symbol of life. But Tiberius did not believe in the message of the Resurrection and said that he would believe it if the egg he had brought turned red. And at that moment, the egg turned red. In memory of the incident, believers began to paint eggs, which became a symbol of Easter.

Palm Sunday. Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.
(in 2018 falls on April 1)

The Lord's Entry into Jerusalem, or simply Palm Sunday, - one of the most key twelve holidays celebrated by Orthodox Christians. The first mentions of this holiday are found in the manuscripts of the 3rd century. This event is of great importance for Christians, since the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, whose authorities were hostile to Him, means that Christ voluntarily accepted the sufferings of the Cross. The entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is described by all four evangelists, which also testifies to the significance of this day.

The date of Palm Sunday depends on the date of Easter: The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is celebrated a week before Easter. To confirm the people in the faith that Jesus Christ is the Messiah predicted by the prophets, a week before the Resurrection, the Savior went to the city with the apostles. On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus sent John and Peter to the village, indicating the place where they would find the colt. The apostles drove a colt for the Teacher, on which He sat down and went to Jerusalem.

At the entrance to the city, some people laid their own clothes, the rest accompanied Him with cut branches of palm trees, and greeted the Savior with the words: “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is the One Coming in the name of the Lord! ”, Because they believed that Jesus was the Messiah and the King of the people of Israel.

When Jesus entered the Jerusalem temple, he drove the merchants out of it with the words: My house will be called the house of prayer, and you have made it a den of robbers ”(Matthew 21:13). People listened with admiration to the teachings of Christ. The sick began to come to Him, He healed them, and the children at that moment sang His praises. Then Christ left the temple and went with the disciples to Bethany.

In ancient times, it was customary to meet winners with fronds, or palm branches, from this came another name for the holiday: Week of fringes. In Russia, where palm trees do not grow, the holiday got its third name - Palm Sunday - in honor of the only plant that blooms during this harsh time. Palm Sunday ends Lent and Holy Week begins.

As for the festive table, Palm Sunday fish and vegetable dishes with vegetable oil are allowed. And on the eve, on Lazarev Saturday, after Vespers, you can taste some fish caviar.

Ascension of the Lord
(in 2018 falls on May 17)

The Ascension of the Lord is celebrated on the fortieth day after Easter. Traditionally, this holiday falls on Thursday of the sixth week of Easter. The events associated with the Ascension mean the end of the earthly sojourn of the Savior and the beginning of His life in the bosom of the Church. After the Resurrection, the Teacher came to his disciples for forty days, teaching them the truth of faith and the ways of salvation. The Savior instructed the apostles on what to do after His Ascension.

Then Christ promised the disciples to release the Holy Spirit on them, for which they should wait in Jerusalem. Christ said: “And I will send the promise of My Father upon you; but you remain in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high ”(Luke 24, 49). Then, together with the apostles, they went out of the city, where He blessed the disciples and began to ascend into heaven. The apostles worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem.

As for fasting, on the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, it is allowed to eat any food, both lean and meager.

Holy Trinity Day - Pentecost
(in 2018 falls on May 27)

On the Day of the Holy Trinity, we remember the story that tells about the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Christ. And the Holy Spirit appeared to the apostles of the Savior in the guise of tongues of flame on the day of Pentecost, that is, on the fiftieth day after Easter, hence the name of this holiday. The second, most famous name of the day is timed to coincide with the acquisition by the apostles of the third hypostasis of the Holy Trinity - the Holy Spirit, after which the Christian concept of the Triune Deity received a perfect interpretation.

On the day of the Holy Trinity, the apostles intended to meet at the dwelling in order to pray together. Suddenly they heard a roar, and then tongues of fire began to appear in the air, which, dividing, descended on the disciples of Christ.

After the flame descended on the apostles, the prophecy "... were fulfilled ... of the Holy Spirit ..." (Acts 2, 4) came true and they offered up a prayer. With the descent of the Holy Spirit, Christ's disciples acquired the gift of speaking in different languages in order to carry the Word of the Lord throughout the world.

The noise coming from the house attracted a large crowd of curious people. The assembled people were amazed that the apostles could speak different languages. Among the people there were also people from other nations, they heard how the apostles offered prayer to their native language... Most of the people were surprised and filled with awe, at the same time, among the audience there were people who were skeptical about what had happened, “they drank sweet wine” (Acts 2:13).

On this day, the apostle Peter gave his first sermon, which told that the event that happened on that day was predicted by the prophets and marks the last mission of the Savior in earthly world... The preaching of the Apostle Peter was short and simple, but the Holy Spirit spoke through him, then his speech reached the souls of many people. At the conclusion of Peter's speech, many accepted the faith and were baptized. “So they that willingly received his word were baptized, and on that day about three thousand souls were added” (Acts 2:41). Since ancient times, the Day of the Holy Trinity has been revered as a birthday Christian Church created by Sacred Grace.

On the Day of the Holy Trinity, it is customary to decorate houses and churches with flowers and grass. Regarding the festive table, any food is allowed on this day. There is no fasting on this day.

Twelfth Eternal Holidays

Nativity of Christ (January 7)

According to legend, the Lord God, while still in paradise, promised the sinning Adam the coming of the Savior. Many prophets foreshadowed the coming of the Savior - Christ, in particular the prophet Isaiah, prophesied about the birth of the Messiah to the Jews, who forgot the Lord and worshiped pagan idols. Shortly before the birth of Jesus, the ruler Herod announced a decree on the census of the population, for this the Jews had to appear in the cities in which they were born. Joseph and the Virgin Mary also went to the cities where they were born.

They did not get to Bethlehem quickly: the Virgin Mary was in a position, and when they came to the city, it was time to give birth. But in Bethlehem, due to the multitude of people, all the seats were taken, and Joseph and Mary had to stay in the stable. At night, Mary gave birth to a boy, named Him Jesus, wrapped him in swaddling clothes and put him in a manger - a cattle feeder. Not far from their lodging for the night, there were shepherds grazing cattle, an angel appeared to them, who told them: ... I proclaim to you a great joy that will be to all people: for now a Savior was born to you in the city of David, who is Christ the Lord; and here is a sign for you: you will find a baby in swaddling clothes lying in a manger ”(Luke 2, 10-12). When the angel disappeared, the shepherds went to Bethlehem, where they found the Holy Family, worshiped Jesus, and told about the angel's appearance and his sign, after which they went back to their flocks.

On the same days, the wise men came to Jerusalem, who asked people about the born Jewish king, since a new bright star was shining in the heavens. Having learned about the wise men, King Herod called them to him in order to find out the place where the Messiah was born. He told the Magi to find out the place where the new Jewish king was born.

The Magi followed the star, which led them to the stable where the Savior was born. Entering the stable, the wise men bowed to Jesus and presented him gifts: incense, gold and myrrh. “And having received the revelation in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way” (Matthew 2:12). That same night Joseph received a sign: an angel appeared to him in a dream and said: "Get up, take the Baby and His Mother and run to Egypt, and be there until I tell you, for Herod wants to look for the baby in order to destroy Him" (Matt. 2, 13). Joseph and Mary and Jesus went to Egypt, where they stayed until the death of Herod.

For the first time, the feast of Christmas began to be celebrated in the 4th century in Constantinople. The holiday is preceded by a forty-day fast and Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve, it is customary to use only water, and with the appearance of the first star in the firmament, they break the fast with boiled wheat or rice with honey and dried fruits. After Christmas and before Epiphany, Christmastide is celebrated, during which all fasts are canceled.

Baptism of the Lord - Epiphany (January 19)

Christ began ministry to people at the age of thirty. John the Baptist was supposed to anticipate the coming of the Messiah, who prophesied the coming of the Messiah and baptized people in Jordan for the cleansing of sins. When the Savior appeared to John for baptism, John recognized Him as the Messiah and told Him that he himself must be baptized by the Savior. But Christ answered: "... leave it now, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15), that is, to carry out what the prophets said.

Christians call the feast of the Baptism of the Lord the Epiphany, at the baptism of Christ, three hypostases of the Trinity first appeared to people: the Lord Son, Jesus himself, the Holy Spirit, descended in the form of a dove on Christ, and the Lord Father, who said: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased "(Matthew 3:17).

The disciples of Christ were the first to celebrate the feast of the Epiphany, as evidenced by the set of apostolic rules. The day before the Epiphany holiday, Christmas Eve begins. On this day, as well as on Christmas Eve, the Orthodox eat oozing, and only after the consecration of the water. Epiphany water it is considered healing, it is sprinkled at home, it is drunk on an empty stomach for various diseases.

On the feast of the Epiphany itself, the rite of the great hagiasma is also served. On this day, the tradition has been preserved to make a procession with the cross to reservoirs with the Gospel, banners and lamps. Procession accompanied by bell ringing and singing of the troparion of the holiday.

Presentation of the Lord (February 15)

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord describes the events that happened in the Jerusalem temple at the meeting of the Infant Jesus with the Elder Simeon. According to the law, on the fortieth day after the birth, the Virgin Mary brought Jesus to the Jerusalem temple. According to legend, Elder Simeon lived at the temple where he translated Holy Bible into Greek. In one of the prophecies of Isaiah, which tells about the coming of the Savior, in the place where His birth is described, it is said that the Messiah will be born not from a woman, but from a Virgin. The elder suggested that there was a mistake in the original text, at the same moment an angel appeared to him and said that Simeon would not die until he saw the Most Holy Virgin and Her Son with his own eyes.

When the Virgin Mary entered the temple with Jesus in her arms, Simeon immediately saw Them and recognized the Child as the Messiah. He took Him in his arms and uttered the following words: "Now let go of Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word in peace, as I have seen Thy salvation in front of all people, light for the revelation of tongues and the glory of Thy people Israel" (Lk . 2, 29). From now on, the elder could die in peace, because he had just seen with his own eyes both the Mother Virgin and Her Son-Savior.

Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos (April 7)

Since ancient times, the Annunciation of the Theotokos has been called both the Beginning of Redemption and the Conception of Christ. This lasted for the 7th century until it acquired the name it is currently under. In terms of its significance for Christians, the feast of the Annunciation is comparable only to the Nativity of Christ. Therefore, among the people to this day there is a proverb that on a given day "a bird does not build a nest, a maiden does not weave a braid."

The history of the holiday is as follows. When the Virgin Mary reached the age of fifteen, She had to leave the walls of the Jerusalem temple: in accordance with the laws that were in those times, only men had the opportunity to serve the Almighty for a lifetime. However, by this time, Mary's parents had already died, and the priests decided to betrothal Mary to Joseph of Nazareth.

Once an angel appeared to the Virgin Mary, who was the archangel Gabriel. He greeted Her with the following words: "Gracious rejoice, the Lord is with you!" Mary was embarrassed because she did not know what the angel's words meant. The Archangel explained to Mary that She was the chosen one of the Lord for the birth of the Savior, about whom the prophets spoke: “... and now you will conceive in your womb, and you will give birth to a Son, and you will call his name: Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and his kingdom will have no end ”(Luke 1: 31-33).

Hearing the revelation of Arlachangel Gavria, the Virgin Mary asked: "... how will it be if I don't know my husband?" (Luke 1, 34), to which the archangel replied that the Holy Spirit will descend on the Virgin, therefore the Child born from her will be holy. And Mary obediently answered: “... behold the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word ”(Luke 1:37).

Transfiguration of the Lord (August 19)

The Savior often told the apostles that in order to save people, He had to endure suffering and death. And in order to strengthen the faith of the disciples, he showed them His Divine glory, which awaits Him and the other righteous men of Christ at the end of their earthly existence.

Once Christ took three disciples - Peter, James and John - to Mount Tabor to pray to the Most High. But the apostles, tired during the day, fell asleep, and when they woke up, they saw how the Savior was transformed: His clothes were snow-white, and His face shone like the sun.

Next to the Teacher were the prophets - Moses and Elijah, with whom Christ spoke about his own sufferings that He would endure. At the same moment, the apostles were seized by such grace that Peter inappropriately suggested: “Mentor! It's good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles: one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah, not knowing what he was saying ”(Luke 9, 33).

At that moment, everyone was enveloped in a cloud, from which the voice of God was heard: “This is My Beloved Son, listen to Him” (Luke 9, 35). As soon as the words of the Most High were heard, the disciples again saw Christ alone in His ordinary form.

When Christ with the apostles returned from Mount Tabor, He ordered them not to testify until the time of what they saw.

In Russia, the Transfiguration of the Lord among the people received the name " Apple Spas", Because honey and apples are consecrated in churches on this day.

Dormition of the Mother of God (28 August)

The Gospel of John says that before his death, Christ commanded the Apostle John to take care of the Mother (John 19: 26-27). Since that time, the Virgin Mary lived with John in Jerusalem. Here the apostles recorded the stories of the Mother of God about the earthly existence of Jesus Christ. The Mother of God often went to Golgotha for worship and prayer, and on one of these visits the archangel Gabriel informed Her about Her imminent dormition.

By this time, the apostles of Christ began to come to the city for the last earthly ministry of the Virgin Mary. Before the death of the Mother of God, Christ appeared to Her bed with the angels, which made those present seized with fear. The Mother of God gave glory to God and, as if falling asleep, accepted a calm end.

The apostles took the couch on which the Mother of God was and carried it to the Garden of Gethsemane. The Jewish priests, who hated Christ and did not believe in His resurrection, learned about the death of the Mother of God. The high priest Athonius overtook the funeral procession, and grabbed the bed, trying to turn it over in order to desecrate the body. However, the moment he touched the bed, his hands were cut off by an invisible force. Only after that, Aphonius repented and believed, and immediately received healing. The body of the Mother of God was placed in a coffin and covered with a large stone.

However, among those present in the procession was not one of Christ's disciples - the Apostle Thomas. He arrived in Jerusalem only three days after the funeral and wept for a long time at the tomb of the Virgin. Then the apostles decided to open the Tomb so that Thomas could also venerate the body of the deceased.

When they rolled away the stone, they found only the burial shroud of the Mother of God inside, the body itself was not inside the tomb: Christ took the Mother of God to heaven in Her earthly nature.

A temple was subsequently built on that site, where the funeral shrouds of the Virgin were preserved until the 4th century. After that, the shrine was transported to Byzantium, to the Blachernae Church, and in 582 the Emperor Mauritius issued a decree on the universal celebration of the Dormition of the Mother of God.

This holiday is considered one of the most revered among the Orthodox, like other holidays dedicated to the memory of the Mother of God.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (September 21)

The righteous parents of the Virgin Mary, Joachim and Anna, could not have children for a long time, and they grieved very much about their own mischief, since the Jews counted the absence of children as God's punishment for secret sins. But Joachim and Anna did not lose faith about the child and prayed to God to send them a child. So they took an oath: in the event that they have a child, they will give it to the service of the Almighty.

And God heard their requests, but before that, subjected them to a test: when Joachim came to the temple to offer a sacrifice, the priest did not take it, reproaching the old man for childlessness. After this incident, Joachim went into the wilderness, where he fasted and begged forgiveness from the Lord.

At this time, Anna was also tested: she was reproached for her childlessness by her own maid. After that, Anna went into the garden and, noticing a bird's nest with chicks on the tree, began to think that even birds have children, and burst into tears. An angel appeared in the garden in front of Anna and began to calm her, promising that they would soon have a child. Before Joachim, an angel also appeared and said that the Lord had heard him.

After that, Joachim and Anna met and told each other about the good news that the angels told them, and a year later they had a girl, whom they named Mary.

Exaltation of the Honorable and Life-giving Cross of the Lord (September 27)

In 325, the mother of the Byzantine emperor Constantine the Great, Queen Lena, went to Jerusalem to visit the holy places. She visited Calvary and the burial place of Christ, but most of all she wanted to find the Cross on which the Messiah was crucified. The search gave a result: they found three crosses on Golgotha, and in order to find the one on which Christ accepted suffering, they decided to conduct tests. Each of them was applied to the deceased, and one of the crosses resurrected the deceased. This was the very Cross of the Lord.

When the people learned that they had found the Cross on which Christ was crucified, a very large crowd gathered at Calvary. There were so many Christians gathered that most of them could not come up to the Cross to bow to the shrine. Patriarch Macarius proposed to erect the Cross so that everyone could see it. So in honor of these events, the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross was laid.

Among Christians, the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord is considered the only holiday that is celebrated from the first day of its existence, that is, the day when the Cross was found.

Exaltation received general Christian significance after the war between Persia and Byzantium. In 614, Jerusalem was sacked by the Persians. Moreover, among the shrines they took away was the Cross of the Lord. And only in 628 the shrine was returned to the Church of the Resurrection, built on Calvary by Constantine the Great. Since that time, all Christians of the world began to celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation.

Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos (December 4)

Christians celebrate the introduction into the temple of the Most Holy Theotokos in memory of the dedication of the Virgin Mary to God. When Mary was three years old, Joachim and Anna fulfilled their vow: they brought their daughter to the Jerusalem temple and put her on the stairs. To the amazement of parents and other people, little Mary went up the stairs herself to meet the high priest, after which he led Her into the altar. Since then Blessed virgin Mary lived at the temple until the time came for Her betrothal to the righteous Joseph.

Great holidays

Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord (January 14)

Circumcision of the Lord as a holiday was established in the 4th century. On this day, they commemorate the event associated with the Covenant concluded with God on Mount Zion by the prophet Moses: according to which all boys on the eighth day after birth were to accept circumcision as a symbol of unity with the Jewish patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

After completing this ritual, the Savior was named Jesus, as the Archangel Gabriel commanded when he brought to the Virgin Mary good news... According to the interpretation, the Lord accepted circumcision as a strict observance of the laws of God. But in the Christian Church there is no ritual of circumcision, since according to the New Testament it gave way to the sacrament of baptism.

Nativity of John the Baptist, Forerunner of the Lord (July 7)

The celebration of the Nativity of John the Baptist, the prophet of the Lord, was established by the Church in the 4th century. Among all the most revered saints, John the Baptist occupies a special place, since he was supposed to prepare the Jewish people to receive the message of the Messiah.

During the reign of Herod, the priest Zechariah lived in Jerusalem with his wife Elisabeth. They zealously did everything, the Law of Moses pointed out, but God still did not give them a child. But one day, when Zechariah entered the altar for incense, he saw an angel who told the priest the good news that very soon his wife would give birth to a long-awaited child, who should be called John: “... and you will have joy and joy, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord; he will not drink wine and strong liquor, and the Holy Spirit will be filled even from his mother's womb ... ”(Luke 1: 14-15).

However, in response to this revelation, Zechariah grinned mournfully: both he and his wife Elizabeth were in old age. When he told the angel about his own doubts, he introduced himself as the archangel Gabriel and imposed a ban as punishment for unbelief: because Zachariah did not believe the good news, he would not be able to talk until Elizabeth gave birth to a child.

Soon Elizabeth was pregnant, but she could not believe her own happiness, so she hid her position until five months. In the end, her son was born, and when the baby was brought to the temple on the eighth day, the priest was greatly surprised to learn that he was named John: there was no one in the family of Zechariah or in the family of Elizabeth with that name. But Zachariah, with a nod of his head, confirmed his wife's desire, after which he again managed to talk. And the first words that flew from his lips were the words of a heartfelt prayer of thanks.

Day of the Most High Apostles Peter and Paul (July 12)

On this day, the Orthodox Church commemorates the apostles Peter and Paul, who underwent a martyr's death in 67 for preaching the Gospel. This holiday is preceded by the many-day apostolic (Petrov) fast.

In ancient times, church rules were accepted by the Council of the Apostles, and Peter and Paul occupied the highest places in it. In other words, the life of these apostles was of great importance for the development of the Christian Church.

However, the first apostles went to faith in slightly different ways, that, realizing them, one can involuntarily think about the inscrutability of the ways of the Lord.

Apostle Peter

Before Peter began his apostolic ministry, he had a different name - Simon, which he received at birth. Simon was fishing on Lake Gennisaret, until his brother Andrew brought young man to Christ. The radical and strong Simon was immediately able to take a special place among the disciples of Jesus. For example, he was the first to know the Savior in Jesus and for this he acquired a new name from Christ - Cephas (Hebrew stone). In Greek, such a name sounds like Peter, and actually on this "flint" Jesus was going to erect the building of His own Church, which "the gates of hell will not overcome." However, weaknesses are inherent in man, and Peter's weakness was threefold denial of Christ. Nevertheless, Peter repented and was forgiven by Jesus, who three times confirmed his destiny.

After the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, Peter was the first to preach a sermon in the history of the Christian Church. After this sermon, more than three thousand Jews joined the true faith. In the Acts of the Apostles, in almost every chapter there is evidence of Peter's vigorous activity: he preached the Gospel in various towns and states on the shores of the Mediterranean. And it is believed that the Apostle Mark who accompanied Peter wrote the Gospel, taking Cephas as the basis for his sermon. Apart from this, there is a book in the New Testament personally written by the apostle.

In 67, the apostle went to Rome, but was caught by the authorities and accepted the sufferings of the cross, like Christ. But Peter considered that he was not worthy of exactly the same execution as the Teacher, so he asked the executioners to crucify him upside down on the cross.

Apostle Paul

Apostle Paul - was born in the city of Tarsus (Asia Minor). Like Peter, from birth he had a different name - Saul. He was a gifted young man and acquired a good education, but grew up and was brought up in pagan customs. In addition, Saul was a noble Roman citizen, and his position allowed the future apostle, without hiding, to admire the pagan Hellenistic culture.

With all this, Paul was a persecutor of Christianity both in Palestine and beyond. These opportunities were presented to him by the Pharisees, who hated Christian doctrine and waged a fierce struggle against it.

Once, when Saul was traveling to Damascus with permission for the local synagogues to arrest Christians, he was struck by a bright light. The future apostle fell to the ground and heard a voice saying: “Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting Me? He said: Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said: I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting. It is difficult for you to go against the prick "(Acts 9, 4-5). After that, Christ ordered Saul to go to Damascus and rely on providence.

When the blind Saul arrived in the city, where he found the priest Ananias. After a conversation with a Christian pastor, he believed in Christ and was baptized. During the rite of baptism, his sight returned to him. From that day on, Paul's work as an apostle began. Like the apostle Peter, Paul traveled a lot: he visited Arabia, Antioch, Cyprus, Asia Minor and Macedonia. In the places where Paul visited, it was as if Christian communities were formed by themselves, and the supreme apostle himself became famous for his letters to the heads of the churches founded with his help: among the New Testament books there are 14 letters of Paul. Thanks to these messages, Christian dogmas acquired a harmonious system and became understandable to every believer.

At the end of 66, the Apostle Paul arrived in Rome, where a year later, as a citizen of the Roman Empire, he was executed by the sword.

Beheading of John the Baptist (September 11)

In 32 years from the birth of Jesus, King Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, imprisoned John the Baptist for telling about his close relationship with Herodias, the wife of his brother.

At the same time, the king was afraid to execute John, as this could cause the anger of his people, who loved and honored John.

One day, during the celebration of Herod's birthday, a feast was held. The daughter of Herodias - Salome gave the king an exquisite tanya. For this, Herod promised in front of everyone that he would fulfill any desire of the girl. Herodias persuaded her daughter to ask the king for the head of John the Baptist.

The girl's request embarrassed the king, since he was afraid of John's death, but at the same time he could not refuse the request, because he was afraid of the guests' ridicule because of the unfulfilled promise.

The king sent a soldier to prison, who, beheaded John, and brought his head on a platter of Salome. The girl accepted the terrible gift and gave it to her own mother. The apostles, having learned about the execution of John the Baptist, buried his headless body.

Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos (October 14)

The holiday was based on a story that happened in 910 in Constantinople. The city was besieged by an uncountable army of Saracens, and the townspeople hid in the Blachernae temple - in the place where the omophorion of the Mother of God was kept. Terrified residents prayed fervently Mother of God about protection. And then one day, during prayer, the holy fool Andrew noticed the Mother of God above those who were praying.

The Mother of God was accompanied by a host of angels, with John the Theologian and John the Baptist. She reverently stretching out her hands to the Son, at this time her omophorion covered the praying residents of the city, as if protecting people from future disasters. In addition to the holy fool Andrew, his disciple Epiphanius saw an amazing procession. The miraculous vision soon disappeared, but Her grace remained in the temple, and soon the army of the Saracens left Constantinople.

The Feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos came to Russia during the reign of Prince Andrew Bogolyubsky, in 1164. And a little later, in 1165, the first temple was consecrated on the Nerl river in honor of this holiday.

Every Believer Realizes The Importance Of The Most Important Orthodox fasting- Great. It is called so, because it prepares a person for the coming of the main festive event - the coming of Christ's Bright Sunday. The date of this event varies each year, so the beginning and end of Lent should also be specified separately. Today we will tell you about the most important aspects Lenten menu, how to fast and what date is Lent in 2018.

When the beginning of Lent in 2018

The first day of the onset of Great Lent is counted from the moment of the onset of Easter. Bright Sunday of Christ in 2018 will be celebrated on April 8, and Great Lent is all forty days until that moment. Thus, Lent in 2018 begins on February 19 (Monday) and will last until April 7 (Saturday) inclusive.

Great post 2018 - what date. Meals and meals

The main rule of fasting is not complete abstinence from food, but the pacification of one's desires. This can be manifested in full observance of the monastery menu, or maybe only in partial. It is worth knowing that in the modern world it is very rare to strictly fast, even in temples. Therefore, you should not exhaust yourself with insanely small portions and meager food. During the fast, it is forbidden to eat animal products - both meat and eggs, milk, all animal fats. You can replace them with nuts and mushrooms, soy.

Meals during Great Lent 2018

February 11 (Mon) - fasting.
Monday 26 February, 5, 12, 19, 26 March, 2 April - dry food. Food should not be diluted with oil or heated.
Tuesday 20, 27 February, 6, 13, 20, 27 March, 3 April - Food can be reheated, but oil is not allowed.
Wednesday 21, 28 February, 7, 14, 21, 28 March, 4 April - dry food, as on Monday.
Thursday 22 February, 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 March, 5 April - preheated food without oil.
Friday 23 February, 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 March, 6 April - dry food, as on Monday and Wednesday.
Saturday, Sunday February 24, 25, March 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25 and March 31 - food can be flavored with vegetable oil. It is allowed to warm up food and drink some red church wine.

Lent in 2018 - from February 19 to April 7

V Great Lent it is not recommended to eat food of animal origin - it is meat, eggs, milk. However, it is allowed to eat fish, but only on the holidays of Palm Sunday and the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. Eating seafood such as squid, shrimp, mussels is not prohibited during Lent.

But, do not forget that Great Lent is not an Orthodox diet, and the purpose of fasting is not so much to cleanse the stomach as to cleanse the human soul.

As for the meal, according to the Church Charter, there are some rules:

In the first and last week of Great Lent, a particularly strict fast is observed.
Meat and dairy products (butter, cheese, cottage cheese, milk), eggs are excluded. That is, all products of animal origin.
You can eat only once a day, in the evening, however, on Saturdays and Sundays, it is allowed to eat twice a day, at lunch and in the evening.
On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, eating food cold, without vegetable oil. Hot food without oil is allowed on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
On Saturdays and Sundays, it is allowed to add vegetable oil to food, it is also allowed to use grape wine (except for the Saturday of Holy Week).
V good friday(this is the last Friday of Great Lent) it is worth abstaining from food altogether.
On the Sabbath, many fasting people also abstain from food until the coming of Easter.

What foods are allowed during the fast?

If you approach your diet wisely during Lent, then, firstly, you will not have to starve, and secondly, even during the period of strict fasting, food can be quite varied and balanced.

So, the main foods allowed in the post are:

Black bread, cereal crispbread.
Groats (oat, buckwheat, rice, corn, wheat, barley)
Salted and pickled vegetables, berry and fruit jam.
Mushrooms of various preparation.
Legumes (beans, lentils, peas)
Dried fruits, nuts, honey.
Seasonal vegetables (potatoes, beets, carrots, onions, cabbage, radishes, etc.)
Seasonal fruits (apples, bananas, grant, oranges, etc.)
Fish is allowed to be consumed twice during the entire post. On the feast of the Annunciation (in 2016 it falls on April 7) and Palm Sunday (April 24, 2016)

Why Fasting?

The answer to this question will be the Holy Scriptures. The Bible says that for forty days the Savior was in the wilderness, where he practically did not eat or drink anything. He devoted this time to rethinking his life, attunement to a difficult fate and full awareness of what awaits him. People, refusing entertainment and animal food, pay tribute to the Son of God, who suffered and tormented for the salvation of our souls, went to this step prepared and in full agreement with his lot.

Lent does not have a definite start and end date, since it is directly related to the onset of Easter. Each year it starts no earlier than February 15th and ends no later than May 7th.

Great Lent begins on Maundy Monday, immediately after Forgiveness Sunday, seven weeks before Easter. Light Christ's Resurrection in 2019 will be celebrated on April 28.

Story

Great Lent was established in apostolic times. Initially, fasting lasted from 24 to 40 hours, during which Christians completely refused food.

In the middle of the 3rd century, a six-day fast appeared in some local Churches as a memory of the events Holy week... At the same time, some Christians considered such a feat excessive, and continued to fast for about forty hours.

At the beginning of the 5th century, all local Churches came to the idea of 40 days of Great Lent as tithes of the year. However, the reckoning of his days depended on the locality. Fasting traditions were also different.

Someone refused any food of animal origin, and someone ate fish, while others could eat poultry. Those who adhered to strict fasting excluded even eggs and fruits from the diet, the rest were generally content exclusively with bread and water.

The period of forty days also has its sacred meaning - Jesus Christ for forty days, tempted by the devil in the desert, did not eat or drink anything. It was by fasting that the Savior began the great work of saving people.

The essence of the post

Great Lent in honor of the Savior is a period for preparation for one of the main Orthodox holidays - Easter. Accordingly, this is the time of the most fervent prayers and reverence for God, as well as abstaining from certain foods.

Fasting has a special spiritual and moral meaning, and its main meaning is based on ideas about the purification of the human being, his soul, the spiritual ministers say.

The meaning of fasting is to perfect love for God and neighbors, because it is on love that all virtue is based. The Monk John Cassian the Roman said that we "do not place hope in one fast, but, while maintaining it, we want to achieve through it the purity of heart and apostolic love."
Therefore, fasting and asceticism are nothing, in the absence of love, because it is written: God is love, the ministers of the church say.

Preparing for fasting

Preparation for Great Lent begins four "weeks" or 21 calendar days. In the Church Slavonic language, the word "week" refers to Sunday - the day when you need to rest and devote time to God.

Accordingly, the first Sunday - "the week of the publican and the Pharisee" with which preparations for Great Lent 2019 began, fell on February 18. The name of the week is taken from the parable of the Gospel of the same name, which says that it is sinful for a person to boast and admire his deeds, since pride is the main obstacle on the path to repentance and spiritual cleansing.

The omnivorous week, during which it is allowed to eat everything, will end - "the week of the prodigal son." On this day, a parable is told in which a son, having inherited wealth from his father, skipped him in an idle life, but realizing his sin, he came to his father to ask for repentance. The parable shows that realizing in time that the chosen path is wrong and coming to God with repentance is the only true path leading to the salvation of the soul.

The next week is called Motley - this is the time of alternation fast days(Wednesday and Friday) with the usual. According to church scripture, this week is considered unfavorable for marriage and matchmaking.

The third Sunday is "Last Judgment Week". During the service, they recall the parable of the Last Judgment of the living and the dead, so that a person remembers that he will have to answer for the sinful acts committed during the Judgment.

The final week before Lent is called Cheese or Maslenitsa. It is no longer possible to eat meat these days, so people bake pancakes with and without different fillings and treat each other.

The Sunday before Lent is called Forgiveness Sunday or Cheese Week.

Forgiveness resurrection

On this day, it is customary to ask for forgiveness from relatives, friends, acquaintances, colleagues, and so on. The Church teaches that in this way a person purifies the soul before the coming fast.

The rite of forgiveness is also performed at evening services in churches. At the end of the service, the abbot with an earthly bow asks for forgiveness from his clergy and parishioners, they bow in return, and then ask the abbot to forgive them too.

The tradition of Forgiveness Sunday is usually counted from the first monastic communities, whose members went to distant places during fasting. Before leaving, the monks asked each other for forgiveness for all offenses, voluntarily or involuntarily, because they believed that they could not survive the dangers of solitude - wild animals and natural disasters.

On this day, the expulsion of Adam from Paradise is also remembered. Thus, it is shown that a person, having willfully distanced himself from the church, like Adam, loses his connection with the spiritual world.

Duration

The total duration of Great Lent, which is divided into two parts, is 48 days. The first part is "Holy Fourties", 40 days long. It was installed by the Orthodox in memory of the forty-day fast of Jesus Christ in the wilderness.

The second part is Holy Week, the last week before Easter, which is dedicated to the memories of the last days of earthly life and the death of Christ on the cross.

To fast strictly according to the church charter, the laity must receive the blessing of the spiritual father. Before entering fasting, Christians must prepare spiritually, undergo the sacrament of confession.

V Lately priests often remind those who are fasting should remember that fasting is not a diet, not just restricting the use of certain foods, but a time of humility, prayer and repentance. During fasting, the Orthodox should take care of the purification of the soul and thoughts, so that with a pure heart they joyfully meet the Resurrection of Christ.

And for this, it is necessary to pray daily and, if possible, visit church services during the period of Great Lent.

Traditions and memorable dates

Every Christian who is fasting is strongly discouraged from taking part in all kinds of entertainment on these days.

You cannot get married throughout Lent, much less get married. The celebration of solemn dates should also be postponed until better times.

By observing fasting and pushing all unnecessary things into the background, a person will be able to see that there are more interesting things in the world and, thus, draw closer to God, the ministers of the church say.

The first and last weeks of fasting are the strictest, and the prayers are longer. Some believers, at will, accept only water and bread on these days.

The seventh week that ends the fast is called Passion. This week it is necessary to repent of voluntary or involuntary sins, to receive communion and to be cleansed from all sinful things, because during this week Jesus endured cruel torments for the sake of people.

Each day of this week is Great, as it was accompanied by the most important biblical events - the Last Supper, the betrayal of Jesus, execution and the miraculous Resurrection.

This week, believers should protect themselves as much as possible from the bustle of the world - not watch television programs, not listen to music, and stay at home as much as possible.

The material was prepared on the basis of open sources.