This year, the Orthodox Church celebrates Trinity on May 27. The life of believers is one of significant holidays in the calendar, when it is worth going to church, turn to the Almighty in prayer, reconsider your actions and repent. The history and essence of the Trinity must be understood by each Orthodox family to pass this knowledge on to their descendants.

Trinity holiday which means, essence, history, meaning in Orthodoxy: the history of the holiday

The Day of the Holy Trinity is one of the most important holidays in Christianity. It falls on the fiftieth day after Easter. Consequently, each year, like the Bright Resurrection, the date of the celebration of the Trinity differs from the previous one.

As you know, every believer from Holy Scripture on the 40th day after the miraculous Resurrection, the ascension of the spirit of Jesus Christ to heaven took place, and on the tenth day after this event, the Holy Spirit descended on his apostles. The Feast of the Holy Trinity takes place exactly seven weeks after Easter.

Holy Scripture tells about a miracle that happened to the apostles of Jesus Christ. On that day, all the disciples of the Savior, together with the Mother of God, gathered in one house in Jerusalem. There were many representatives of the Jewish people from different countries who gathered on the occasion of the feast of Pentecost, which is dedicated to the day when the Torah was given to the Jews on Mount Sinai during the exodus from Egypt.

Suddenly, the apostles heard a loud noise, reminiscent of the wind and coming straight from heaven. Flames appeared in the room and froze over each of Christ's faithful disciples. The apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and acquired a previously unknown knowledge of the languages ​​of the world in order to glorify the name and deeds of the Savior for different nations.

According to the Jewish reckoning of time, this miracle happened at three o'clock in the afternoon, for the believers of our country it was ten in the morning.

When the guests of the city heard an extraordinary noise, they gathered with curiosity at the house with the apostles. Many Jews from other countries were amazed to hear the speech in their native language... Someone in the crowd suggested that the disciples of Jesus who had left the house were not sober. Then the Apostle Peter told the audience that the prophet Joel's prediction had come true and the Holy Spirit descended on them to carry the word of God and glorify Jesus Christ.

The words of the sermons of the enlightened apostles on different languages the world so moved the listeners that many accepted the faith and were baptized. About three thousand people that day became part of the Church of Christ.

Trinity holiday which means, essence, history, meaning in Orthodoxy: the meaning of this day for believers

When the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles, this confirmed to them the trinity of God, about which Jesus Christ preached to his disciples during his lifetime. The essence of the Trinity lies in the concept that God is one in his three manifestations: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Every believer knows that all prayers end with the words "In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

The flames that sanctified the faithful followers of Jesus' teachings carry their own special meaning. According to John Chrysostom, "fire is a sign of abundance and strength." The power of fire is capable of scorching sinful deeds, purifying thoughts and consciousness, warming and sanctifying the souls of people who have come to faith.

Tongues of flame and fire can be interpreted as a source of light and heat, the destruction of all bad and cleansing a place for a new one.

The day of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles is considered the beginning of the formation of the New Testament Apostolic Church.

Trinity holiday which means, essence, history, meaning in Orthodoxy: display in icon painting

The familiar plot on the icon, which is known to believers as the Trinity, reflects a different story from Scripture. The 18th chapter of the book of Genesis describes the meeting of the forefather Abraham with three angels, who were invited into the house and told him and his wife Sarah at the table about the miraculous birth of Isaac's son and that from Abraham "a great and strong people" would come.

Three angels, who, according to many Christians, are the prototype of the most holy and consubstantial Trinity, are depicted at a meal at a table in the house of Abraham.

The icon, which conveys the essence of the upcoming holiday, has a different plot. The icon painters depict the apostles, and in the upper part of the icon there are rays of light and flame that fall on the heads of the Savior's disciples. The icon with such symbols is called "The Descent of the Holy Spirit."

The Feast of the Trinity is very much revered by the church and true believers. On this day, houses are decorated with green branches of trees and flowers, as a symbol of life and flowering fruits of virtues, as well as in memory in the grove where Abraham met three angels. In the church, after the Sunday liturgy, Vespers is traditionally celebrated with the recitation of kneeling prayers for the granting of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom, the Spirit of reason and the fear of God to believers.

The Day of the Holy Trinity is one of the most important holidays for every Orthodox believer. It is filled with deep sacred meaning: the events of the Gospel history, remembered on this day, played an important role in the formation of the Christian religion.

Trinity is a rolling holiday: it is celebrated annually on the fiftieth day after the Bright Christ's Resurrection, which is why this event is also called Pentecost. At this time, the prophecy of Christ, which he gave to his disciples before Ascension to heaven, was fulfilled.

The history and meaning of the feast of the Holy Trinity

According to the New Testament, before ascending to Heaven, Christ repeatedly appeared to the apostles, instructing them in order to prepare for the descent of the Holy Spirit on them. This happened ten days after the Ascension. The apostles, who are in the room where their last meal with the Savior - the Last Supper, was being held - suddenly heard an inexplicable noise from heaven, like the sound of the wind. The sound filled the whole room, and then fire was revealed to them: it split into separate tongues of flame, and each of the apostles perceived it. From that moment on, the Savior's disciples were able to speak in all the languages ​​of the world in order to carry the light of Christian teaching to all nations. For this reason, the day of the Holy Trinity is also revered as the day of the foundation of the church.

In honor of the descent of the Holy Spirit, the holiday received such a name: this event marked the trinity of God. The three hypostases of the Holy Trinity - God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit - exist in unity, creating the world and sanctifying it with Divine grace.

The holiday was established at the end of the fourth century after the adoption of the doctrine of the Divine Trinity. In Russia, the celebration was approved three centuries after Epiphany. Over time, the Day of the Holy Trinity has become one of the most beloved and revered holidays among the people: in addition to church regulations, many folk traditions and customs have appeared, which have become an integral part of this day.

Celebration of the Trinity

On the day of the Holy Trinity, a solemn festive divine service is held in churches, which is distinguished by its extraordinary splendor and beauty. According to the canon, priests conduct services in green robes: this shade symbolizes the life-giving, creative power of the Holy Trinity. For the same reason, birch branches are considered one of the main symbols of the holiday - they are traditionally decorated with temples and houses - and freshly cut grass, which is used to line the floor in churches. It was believed that a bunch of branches used as church decoration could become an excellent talisman and protect a house from adversity, so they were often taken with them and kept throughout the year.

It was believed that herbs on the day of the Holy Trinity are endowed with special power, therefore they were engaged in the collection of medicinal plants at that time. There was even a custom to drop tears on a bunch of grass, lighting a candle in honor of the holiday - so that summer does not bring drought, and the soil is fertile and pleases with its gifts.

On the day of the Holy Trinity, it is customary to pray for the forgiveness of sins, as well as for the salvation of the souls of all the departed, including those who have died an unnatural death. Prayers are read during the church service, and the believers accompany them with bows to the ground, which are again permitted after the end of the series of Easter services. If it is not possible to visit the temple, you can pray at home in front of the icon: on the day of the Holy Trinity, any sincere words will certainly be heard.

Having correctly met this important holiday for all Christians, you can change your life for the better. May your every day be filled with joy. We wish you well-being and strong faith, and do not forget to press the buttons and

31.05.2017 06:10

The Life-Giving Trinity is a masterpiece of icon painting, which was and remains the most recognizable work of one of ...

Seven weeks after the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ, a new, incomparable joy awaited His disciples - the descent of the Holy Spirit of the Comforter upon them. This was the fulfillment of the promise given to him by the Teacher before His ascension into Heaven. Henceforth, filled with God's Grace, they became the foundation of a new catholic and apostolic church, which straightened the gates of hell and opened the way to eternal life.

The holiday established in honor of this event - the Orthodox Trinity - is often referred to as Holy Pentecost. There are several explanations for this name. In addition to the fact that the descent of the Holy Spirit took place exactly on the fiftieth day after Easter, which served as the basis for its name, it was also the day of the Jewish holiday, also called Pentecost. It was established in memory of the gift of the Law to the Jews, inscribed on the tablets and received by them from the hands of the prophet Moses on the fiftieth day after their release from Egyptian slavery - the Jewish Passover.

We learn about him from the works of many ancient authors. One of them, Josephus Flavius, talking about this holiday, which is also associated with the beginning of the wheat harvest, calls it Pentecost. A similar name is found in the writings of Greek and Byzantine historians that have come down to us.

Type of the New Testament

Thus, Old Testament, concluded by the Lord with the Jews on the fiftieth day after the Jewish Passover and called Sinai, became a prototype of the New Testament concluded in the Upper Room of Zion by the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles. This expresses the inextricable link between the New Testament and the Old. Of all the holidays established by the holy church, only the Passover of Christ and Pentecost have Old Testament roots.

New Testament explanation of the holiday

To fully understand what the holiday of the Trinity means, one should turn to the texts of the New Testament. It follows from them that death ruled over people from the time of original sin, but Jesus Christ, through his sufferings on the cross and subsequent resurrection from the dead, revealed eternal life to people. The gate to it was the Christian Church, born on the day of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles.

The second chapter of the book of Acts of the Apostles describes how the disciples of Christ during the ten days following his miraculous ascension, stayed in Jerusalem and together with Holy Mother of God they met daily in the upper room, which was called the Zion room. All their time was filled with prayers and divine contemplation. On the tenth day, as is evident from Holy Scripture, suddenly a noise was heard, similar to that which is born from gusts of wind. After him, flames appeared over the heads of the apostles, which, having described a circle in the air, rested on each of them.

Gifts of the Holy Spirit

This immaterial fire was the visual image of the Holy Spirit. Filled with Him, the apostles were reborn to a new life. From now on, their minds were opened to comprehend the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven. But, in addition, by the grace of God they were given the strength and abilities necessary to preach the true doctrine among the most diverse nations. Their mouths henceforth spoke in languages ​​previously foreign and unknown to them. Such a miracle caused confusion among the witnesses of their first sermons. With the greatest amazement, the foreigners recognized the sounds of their native language in their speeches.

From that time on, apostolic succession was established. Each subsequent generation of priests, through the sacrament of ordination, acquired the grace that enabled them to perform the sacraments themselves, without which the path to eternal life is impossible. That is why this joyous holiday - the Orthodox Trinity - is rightfully considered the birthday of the Church of Christ.

Features of divine service on Trinity

The celebration of the Trinity is accompanied by one of the most beautiful and memorable church services the entire Orthodox annual cycle. On Great Vespers solemn stichera are performed, praising the Holy Spirit and its descent upon the apostles, and upon their completion the priest reads special holiday prayers, asking God for the blessing of His holy Church, the salvation of all her children and the repose of the souls of the departed. The Trinity service also includes a special petition for those whose souls are in hell before the Last Judgment. During the reading of these prayers, all those present in the temple stand on their knees and listen to the words of the priest.

The traditions of the feast of the Trinity are unusually rich and poetic. Since ancient times, floors in temples and residential buildings to cover it with fresh grass, and in the church premises to put birches specially cut down for the holiday. The icons are usually decorated with a dress of birch branches, and during the service the entire clergy is ordered to wear green vestments, which symbolizes the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit. Interior view temples on this day takes on the appearance of a spring grove, where everything glorifies the Creator in His ineffable wisdom.

Folk traditions and rituals

The folk traditions of the holiday of the Trinity have their roots in pre-Christian times. It so happened that often in the deep consciousness of the people, Christian and pagan coexist side by side. This is especially evident in ancient customs. Trinity Day is no exception. The traditions of this holiday, one of the most important in Eastern Slavs, include the so-called Semitsko-Trinity cycle. It includes Thursday and Saturday in the week preceding the holiday, as well as Trinity Day itself. In general, it is popularly called "Green Christmastide".

The folk traditions of the Trinity Feast are closely related to the rituals of commemoration of the dead, especially the drowned. In addition, they reflect the ancient cult of plants and everything that is associated with girlish fortune-telling, festivities and all kinds of initiations. If we add here the farewell to spring and the welcome of summer, accepted among the Slavs, it will be clear how diverse this holiday is in its semantic shades.

The week before the holiday

The whole week before the holiday was perceived as its joyous eve. These days, young girls of 8-12 years old went for birch branches to decorate houses with them. On Thursday, it was customary to treat themselves to scrambled eggs, symbolizing the summer sun. In the forest, children performed a special ritual - they curled a birch. She was previously decorated with ribbons, beads and flowers, and then her branches were woven into braids, tying them in pairs. Round dances were made around the birch decorated in this way, as is done around a Christmas tree.

Saturday before Trinity was the day of remembrance of the dead. It has long been called Parent's Saturday. So it is called today. The Orthodox Church included it in the number of days special commemoration... In addition to prayerful remembrance in church and at home, on Parental Saturday, it is customary to visit cemeteries, care for graves and just a heartfelt prayer for those who have passed away, but remained close and dear to us. The Holy Church teaches that God has no dead, therefore for those who have gone to eternal life, our remembrances will be like congratulations on the Holy Trinity.

Holiday traditions

The Saturday before Trinity, with its quiet sadness for those who passed away, was replaced by a joyful day of the holiday. After the solemn service in the church, the youth went to the forest, to those birches that were curled during the Trinity (Semytsk) week. Now it was supposed to develop them, otherwise the birches could be "offended". Round dances were again held, songs were sung, congratulations on the Holy Trinity were received. Everything ended with a festive meal. The birches themselves were cut down. They were carried around the village with songs, and, finally, they were allowed to float along the river. It was believed that their vitality will move on to the first shoots of the new crop.

The traditions of the holiday of the Trinity assigned a special role to rivers and lakes. On this day, it was customary for the girls to wonder how their personal life would turn out in the near future. To find out these secrets exciting young hearts, wreaths of spring flowers were woven and lowered into river streams. If the wreath was sinking, this meant that the girl would have to be patient and wait for her betrothed until next spring. If he kept on the water, and especially if he swam against the current, then it was possible to prepare a wedding dress with confidence - the groom was somewhere nearby.

Restrictions prescribed on holiday days

But, according to ancient beliefs, all reservoirs on the days when the Trinity was celebrated were fraught with a special danger. It was noticed that on Trinity day the mermaids left their usual pools and emerged from the water. Hiding in the foliage of coastal willows, they lured unwary passers-by with laughter and auk and, tickling them to death, carried them away into the depths of water. For this reason, swimming on the feast of the Trinity was considered complete madness.

In general, this holiday was accompanied by many restrictions. In addition to swimming, it was not recommended to walk alone in the forest, since nothing good could be expected from the goblin either. Throughout Trinity Week it was impossible to knit birch brooms, which is quite understandable, given the sacred role assigned to birch on the day of the holiday. It was also believed that those who will build a fence or repair harrows in the Semytsk week will have an ugly offspring of cattle. It is difficult to say what kind of connection there is, but if it is impossible, then it is impossible, it is better not to risk it. And, of course, as on every holiday, it was impossible to work.

Feast of the Trinity yesterday and today

Among researchers there is an opinion that only in times Saint Sergius Of Radonezh, the feast of the Holy Trinity began to be fully celebrated in Russia. Traditions and customs, inherent in the Semytsk week before, gradually passed to the Trinity, which is generally not uncommon in historical practice. A vivid illustration of this is an Orthodox xmas Christ, traditionally accompanied by numerous rituals that have come down to us from pagan times.

Speaking about what the holiday of the Trinity means today and what it meant for our ancestors, we need to highlight the main thing - both then and now it is the triumph of life, given to us by the Savior. Today we are approaching it more meaningfully. Thanks to the opportunities that the age of technological progress has opened before us, the works of the holy fathers and popular theological articles have become available to everyone. Much of what the long-gone generations of Slavs believed in has become for us only poetic folklore. But on the other hand, the greatest humanism of Christ's teaching has opened up for our understanding in all its power and beauty.

The Holy Trinity is one of the most important Christian holidays. It marks not only the miracle of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, but also the appearance christian church, as such. In Russia, the Trinity is especially revered; it falls on the fiftieth day after Easter, just at the time when nature enters its summer cycle and everything rejoices in renewal and new life.

Church. Start

On one of the hot days, after the Ascension of Christ, the apostles gathered in one of the upper rooms of Jerusalem. That day became significant not only for them, but also for all subsequent Christian culture and tradition. On this day the apostles were initiated by the Holy Spirit “Suddenly there was a noise from heaven, as if from a rushing strong wind, and filled the whole house where they were. And divided tongues appeared to them, as it were, of fire, and rested, one on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance ”(Acts of the Holy Apostles 2: 2-4). Thus, on this day in the upper room of Zion, the triune God appeared in his third hypostasis - the Holy Spirit, hence the name - the Feast of the Holy Trinity.

Pentecost in the Old Testament

Why is the second name of the holiday Pentecost? The thing is that it was on the 50th day after Easter that the apostles gathered in the very house on Mount Zion where the last supper... It was no coincidence that they gathered there. There was Pentecost, only not yet Christian, but Old Testament. This day was the 50th day of the exit of the Jews from Egypt, when Moses received the tablets with the commandments. Most of the apostles were in Jerusalem, as they say, not local, but according to the covenant of Christ they could not leave the city. The fact that the rite of initiation of Christ's apostles took place on this very day is deeply symbolic. This is how the trinity of Father-Son-Spirit was formed, which became the very Holy Trinity for any Christian.

Non-working Monday

Before the Revolution of the Spirits, the day following the Trinity, which fell on Sunday, was a non-working day. The patriarchal peasantry believed that on the Day of Spirits the earth is sanctified, and therefore it is not particularly necessary to dig it up, it is better to work on the earth tomorrow, on the 3rd day of Trinity. Instead, they went to the temple, since there they could experience the manifestation of the grace of the Holy Spirit. Thus, it was a non-working Monday, which in our time seems to be an oxymoron, and this could not but arouse additional respect of the working population for the Christian holiday.

Flowers and colors

Trinity is an incredibly beautiful holiday. On this day, churches are decorated in a special way. Parishioners come to the temple with flowers. Interestingly, bouquets of flowers also carry the symbolism of the Trinity: White color as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, red is a symbol of the blood of Christ, blue as a symbol of the Heavenly Father. Green color, which is dominant on the Trinity, symbolizes life and prosperity.

Trinity and Seven

In Russia, the feast of the Holy Trinity merged with the Slavic folk festival of seven, absorbing many pagan rituals associated mainly with the veneration of the spirits of herbs, trees and flowers. Therefore, on Trinity, it was customary to decorate houses with greenery, to lead round dances around a birch tree.
On Thursday before Trinity, they baked pies, flat cakes, chicken eggs, scrambled eggs, noodle dishes, and cooked poultry stew. Then they went to the forest with these dishes, spread tablecloths under the trees, ate and drank beer. Choosing a branchy birch, the youth divided into pairs and curled wreaths without breaking off the branches from the tree. On Trinity day they again went to the forest to develop wreaths. Each couple, finding their wreath, judged their future happiness, which depended on whether the wreath was withered or not, faded or still green. The overlapping of the traditions of paganism and Christianity makes the Trinity a special holiday.

Going to the people

Trinity is a holiday that was celebrated by the whole world. Before the revolution, Trinity was the day of "the king's walk to the people." The sovereign walked in a tsar's attire: he was wearing a "tsarist charge" (porphyry), a tsar's "camp caftan", a crown, barmas, a pectoral crosspiece and a sling; in the hand - the royal rod; on the feet are shoes, cut with pearls and stones. The crowned pilgrim was supported by two stewards. They were surrounded by a brilliant retinue of boyars, dressed in golden queens. The procession entered the Assumption Cathedral. Ahead of the procession, the stewards carried a bunch of flowers ("broom") and a "leaf" (woody, without stems) on the carpet. The Tsar's exit was announced with a resounding ringing from Ivan the Great; the ringing stopped when the sovereign entered his royal place. The festive service began. The female part of the court at the Trinity week joined folk traditions. The princesses with the hawthorns were having fun in the palace with round dances. For the games, a special spacious canopy was set aside. There were also "fools-jokers" assigned to the princesses, bakhari, domrachei and goose-lovers with buffoons, everyone who was supposed to deliver "fun" and "merry ventures". The princesses were amused by hay girls, "playwrights", with whom - probably - the same songs were "played" that were heard at that time under the birch trees over the water throughout Russia.

Not about everyday life

By folk tradition on the Holy Trinity, you can not engage in any physical labor, with the exception of some maintenance work household... You can feed and water pets, livestock and poultry. However, it is impossible to clean, comb and tidy up, that is, to do "dirty" work.
Also, you can not sew, wash, cut, cut, clean the house, dig the ground, plant plants. In no case should you mow the grass or cut down trees. Trinity is a special holiday. In the days of Trinity week, our connection with the heavenly world is unusually subtle, this is evidenced by both Orthodoxy and the pre-Christian Slavic tradition... This is the time when we are given a chance. For Christians - a chance of the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Trinity, Trinity day - folk holiday among the Slavs. A day was celebrated, two from Sunday to Tuesday. But three were also celebrated. It was called in different ways - Prepolovenie (Feast of Living Water), Ascension, Semik, Green saints, Rusal Week. Even in Russia itself it was called by its own name: in Voronezh, for example, Venki, Gulino - in Kostroma, Birch Day - in Siberia, and so on. For Belarusians - Troitsa, in Galicia - Turitsa, for Bulgarians - for the Spirits of the Day, for Serbs - for Spirits, the names of different peoples can be continued. However, for all that, the Trinity signified the end of the spring cycle in nature and the beginning of the summer one. Perhaps this is one of the most colorful holidays of the year, when the gardens and flowers bloom in the front gardens, the air is filled with captivating aromas of the coming summer. People's clothes also change. Winter has long been in chests, in spring, still warm, it becomes hot, bright sundresses, silk dresses to the floor, multi-colored ribbons adorn light hats, and guys change into blouses, harem pants tucked into chrome boots, flaunt fashionable caps or even go without hats, and the spring wind playfully plays with their curly forelocks.

Trinity among the Jews

The people of Israel call it Pentecost. It is celebrated on the fiftieth day after the Jewish one. (In Christianity, she also does not have a constant date: it comes on the fiftieth day after the Bright Resurrection of Christ). According to popular Jewish belief, the people of Israel received the Law of Sinai on this day. In other words, the prophet Moses on Mount Sinai bestowed the Law of God on his people, and the greatest event took place on the fiftieth day after the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. Since then, the Trinity among the Jews is called Pentecost (Shavuot) and is celebrated annually. She is the festival of the first harvest. Israel is a southern country, and by this time its markets are full of greenery, freshly ripened vegetables, berries in the beds, cherries and cherries in the orchards. The Sinai law permits mass festivities, a wide variety of entertainments, and sacrifices on this significant day. It is also known that once upon a time the Apostles, who retired to celebrate the Jewish Pentecost, the Savior promised to manifest a miracle - the coming of the Holy Spirit. And it, this miracle, happened. On the fiftieth day after the Resurrection, the apostles heard an incredible noise, saw a bright flame. Then the Holy Spirit actually descended on them, and revealed three hypostases - God the Father (Almighty, Creator), God the Son (Divine Word) and God the Spirit (Holy Spirit). The Trinity is the basis of Christianity, and the Christian faith is firmly based on it. The Holy Trinity is the One God!

At the same time, the people who were near the upper room where the apostles were gathered also heard a noise. To their surprise, the apostles spoke in different languages. This gift was received by Jesus' disciples. And also the ability - to heal, preach, prophesy in the same different dialects, that is, they got the opportunity to carry the Word of God to all ends of the world. The apostles went to the Middle East, to Crimea, Kiev, Asia Minor, India. And all were executed by the opponents of Christianity, except for one disciple of Jesus - John. Nevertheless, the Trinity, or, as it is also called, Pentecost, has spread widely throughout the world.

It appeared only three hundred years later - after the Baptism of Rus. And before that, it was a pagan holiday, according to the canons of which humanity was ruled by three deities: Perun - the defender of truth and warrior: Svarog - the Creator of the Universe and Svyatovit - the keeper of light and human energy. The Trinity was born from a pagan holiday. Trinity Day was officially established in Russia. Orthodox Church in the nineteenth century. And it also meant the end of the spring cycle and the beginning of the long-awaited summer season. The holiday became widespread in the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, thanks to Sergei of Radonezh, a saint deeply revered by the people. Serving the Trinity, he considered the meaning of his whole life. And in 1337 he founded the monastery, which today bears the name of the Trinity-St. Sergeev Lavra. The idea of ​​uniting all Russian lands into one whole is expressed in the monastery.

Three Trinity days in Russia

First day called Green Resurrection. Special prayers were read. Icons and birches were decorated. People went for a walk in the fields, in forest glades, danced there. Naturally, everyone dressed up in the brightest festive clothes as an example of awakening nature. Girls threw wreaths into the river, ponds, and other bodies of water. Thus, they wondered what fate awaited them in the coming year. Commemoration of the dead was obligatory. They performed rituals that drove out evil spirits, all evil spirits... At night, according to legends, people came prophetic dreams.

Second day called Klechalny Monday, in the morning they walked together to church. After her - into the fields. The priests blessed the land plots. To protect the future harvest from bad weather - drought, excessive rainfall, hail.

Third day was Bogodukhov. And Happy Girls Day. The most beautiful was decorated with wreaths, dressed in greenery, and she played the role of Poplar. They took her home, gave her gifts, treats.

The birch was the symbol of the holiday. She was dressed up. They took round dances around. The first leaves were dried from the evil eye. The rite of curling birch exists in Russia to this day, especially in the outback - villages and villages. At the same time, they wished health to parents, friends and relatives. And the beautiful girls thought about their betrothed, passed on their secret thoughts to them. Then the birch was cut down. They surrounded a village or village with it, thereby attracting good luck. With the onset of evening, ribbons and other decorations from birch were burned - a kind of sacrifice. The branches were buried in the field for a rich harvest. The trunk itself was drowned in a river, pond or other body of water for protection from evil spirits. In the morning on Trinity, dew was collected, considering it the best medicine for any ailment. On Trinity, it was strictly forbidden to work around the house or in the garden. Everything was done before the holiday. And on the solemn day itself, it was not forbidden to decorate dwellings, prepare various delicacies for festive table... Swimming in reservoirs was strictly forbidden, they say, mermaids will be dragged to the bottom. And if someone escapes this fate, he will certainly become a sorcerer. On Trinity Day, it was impossible to sew, cut a hair, or dye your hair. They advised not to think about bad things. Moreover, to take offense at anyone or swear. There were other prohibitions as well. And on Trinity there were bridesmaids. Festivities of girls on the main streets in plain sight. Concerning church holiday, then it began in the morning. Dressed-up families went to church services. After him - home for a festive dinner on this occasion. We also went to visit. And they invited me to their place. Gave each other gifts.

Parent's Saturday

The day before Trinity, good Christians were supposed to visit the churchyards. To commemorate the dead. A memorial supper was also arranged. Cutlery was placed on the table for the deceased. They were invited to a memorial meal. It was customary to heat the bathhouse. And not only to take a steam bath and wash ourselves, but also to leave a broom and everything necessary for the dead. V parent's saturday commemorated suicides. They prayed for the repose of their souls. True, it was not allowed to do this in the temple: suicides would not find rest for ever. So they could only be remembered in home prayers.

Signs of the Trinity

Heat on Trinity - wait for a dry summer. To attract wealth to the house, place several graves in the cemetery. Rain on Pentecost - to close warmth and an abundance of mushrooms. If the birch is fresh on the third day of the holiday - to wet haymaking. There are still many accepts. They used to say: "The Trinity is being built for three days - from the Trinity to the Assumption." The red girls were especially happy about the holiday. They went to the bank of the river, let a wreath into it and said, "Swim, my wreath, to that bank. Whoever catches my wreath - waking up the bridegroom!" The girls left in the temples on the branches of birches, maples, with which they were removed, their tears - getting rid of drought and poor harvests.

The whole week is merry

Thursday is especially dangerous - mermaids just want to lure the careless into the water. Because in the evenings from home not a foot! And in general, you can not swim for the whole week. And it is best to carry grass with you - wormwood, the most best remedy from all evil spirits. To completely protect themselves from the mermaids, they made a stuffed animal, danced around it, and then tore it into small pieces. Before going to bed, they ran through the streets with a broomstick to protect themselves from the mermaids. At the same time, the water ones woke up. They were scared away from themselves, kindling fires along the banks of reservoirs. In modern life, views on rituals, omens, customs in the Trinity have changed somewhat. But some ancient traditions are still followed. Especially the fair sex. Mostly young people. Girls. Brightly woven wreaths are carried to the banks of rivers and other bodies of water. Start up on the water. Where the wreath sailed - from there to wait for the betrothed. Suddenly I landed on the shore - I won't see the groom for a year! And in Russia, the Trinity was called - Blessed virgin, Spirits day, Water - birthday girl, Grass - birthday girl. At the same time, we emphasize once again that Trinity or Pentecost is one of the most desirable, brightly decorated holidays, signifying the end of spring and the beginning of the long-awaited summer!

Trinity in poetry and cinema

The holiday was and is dearly beloved by all people. Poets were no exception. He was admired and admired, in particular, Ivan Bunin: "The altar is shining and decorated with flowers, the amber glitter of candles and the sun is illuminated!" Or the well-known Nekrasov lines from his poem, which is taught by heart at school: "Green noise is buzzing, Green noise is Spring noise!" Or the famous Pushkin's: "On Trinity Day, when the people, yawning, listening to a prayer service, they shed three tears on the wisp of dawn ..."

About the Trinity, Pentecost, feature films and documentaries were shot - "The Limit of an Angel", "Savior Under the Birches", which are still popular with the viewer. Among the documentaries, one can note " Holy Trinity", released in distribution in Russia in 1992. The announcement for the film emphasizes that the Day of the Holy Trinity is the birthday of the Church of Christ. On this day, over a thousand years ago, the Holy Spirit descended on Christ's disciples. And today, as then, the Lord preserves and builds its Church with the hands of priests through the sacraments of the Church. Earlier, in 1988, the Lennauchfilm film studio released a documentary film "Ascension to the Holy Trinity", which tells about the famous icon of the fifteenth century "Trinity", which was written by the great Russian artist Andrei Rublev. more about the world famous painter can be found in the feature film "Andrei Rublev" (1966), shot by the talented Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky, in which popular actors - Anatoly Solonitsyn, Ivan Lapikov, Nikolai Grinko, Mikhail Kononov, Irina Tarkovskaya and others were filmed. The film reflects the events in Russia of the fifteenth century far from us. The country is torn apart by princely strife. It is called from God. The film is dedicated to his life and work and, in particular, to the famous icon "Trinity". A talented film, both before and now, is watched with great interest both in Russia and far beyond its borders.