Introduction.

At present, the Russian Orthodox Church still occupies a leading place in our country in terms of the number of adherents of the religion, although since 1917 it has been separated from the state. The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) is an independent church. It is headed by a patriarch, who is elected by the local council for life.

An Orthodox Christian during his life is supposed to perform a fairly large circle of various kinds of worship, that is, duties in accordance with the canons and customs of his faith. In recent years, a growing number of people are being baptized, celebrating their marriage with a church wedding, seeing off their loved ones on their last journey in accordance with Orthodox customs.

Along with this, the composition of worship is increasing, it is becoming more complex and diverse. How should one fulfill one's Christian duty, properly prepare for communion with the Holy Mysteries, what is their ritual and spiritual side?

The basis of Orthodox dogma is the Niceotsargrad Creed, approved at the first two Ecumenical Councils of 325 and 381. These are ideas about the trinity of God, the incarnation, redemption, resurrection from the dead, baptism, the afterlife, etc. All the main provisions of faith are declared epiphany and eternal.

Mysteries of Christianity.

Sacraments - cult actions, during which “the invisible grace of God is communicated to believers”, that is, the religious consciousness is revived by recalling the content and meaning of the main provisions of the dogma.

The Orthodox and Catholic Church recognizes seven sacraments: baptism, communion, repentance (confession), chrismation, marriage, unction, priesthood.

Initially, there were only two sacraments in Christianity - baptism and communion. All seven were officially recognized only in 1279 at the cathedral in Lyon. All the sacraments are borrowed from pre-Christian cults, having received some specific features in Christianity.

Baptism is one of the main sacraments and symbolizes the acceptance of a person into the Christian church. In many pagan religions, the rite of washing with water was practiced as a cleansing from evil spirits. Christianity interprets baptism as death to a sinful life and rebirth to a spiritual, holy life. In the Orthodox Church, the baby is dipped into water three times, in the Catholic Church they are simply poured with water. Orthodox tradition says that water should be free of impurities. Heating is also considered an impurity, so if baptism takes place in winter, according to the strict requirements of the canon, the water must be at natural (street) temperature. At baptism, naming takes place. Usually the name was chosen by the priest based on the names of the saints to whom this or that calendar day is dedicated. An unscrupulous priest could give the baby a name that has already gone out of use or sounds strange to contemporaries.

communion , or the holy Eucharist (“sacrificing sacrifice”), occupies an important place in the Christian cult. According to legend, this rite was established by Christ himself at the Last Supper. In memory of this event, believers partake of the sacrament - bread and wine, believing that they have tasted the body and blood of Christ. The origins of this rite lie in ancient beliefs and are based on sympathetic magic (by eating part of the object, give yourself the qualities of this object). For the first time, the rite of eating bread and wine as a way of communion with divine powers arose in ancient Greece. The early Christians did not know this rite. It was not until 787 that the Council of Nicaea formalized this sacrament in the Christian cult.

Repentance is imputed to Orthodox and Catholics as a mandatory regular action. Confession is the strongest way to control the believer's thoughts and behavior. As a result of confession and repentance, forgiveness of sins should follow. Absolution of sins is the prerogative of a priest who imposes punishment or offers a way to correct sins (excommunication from the church - complete or temporary, an order to fast, pray for a certain time). In early Christianity, confession was public - the whole community judged the extent of the believer's misconduct. Only since the 12th century is a secret confession introduced, in which the believer repents of his sins to one priest. The secrecy of confession is guaranteed. The procedure for confession is different for Orthodox and Catholics. Catholics confess in closed booths, while they do not see the priest, and the priest does not see the person confessing. Thus, the priest speaks to the "soul" of a person, not paying attention to his appearance, which can cause different feelings. An Orthodox believer confesses in the porch of the church. The priest covers his head with a veil and lays his hands on it. The identity of the confessor is not a secret for him, as well as for others present.

The problem of observance of the secrecy of confession has always been difficult to solve. Violation of the secrecy of confession in order to “prevent a greater evil” was allowed in cases where information about anti-government actions was revealed at confession. In 1722, Peter the Great issued a decree according to which all priests were obliged to report to the authorities about each identified case of rebellious moods, plans against the sovereign, and other things of the kind. The clergy readily carried out this decree. On the other hand, the church has arrogated to itself the right to decide questions about forgiveness for anti-social acts - murder, theft, etc.

Following baptism in the Orthodox Church, chrismation . The body of a person is lubricated with aromatic oil (myrrh), with the help of which the grace of God is allegedly transmitted. The ancient magical origin of this rite is beyond doubt. Anointing as initiation was already practiced in ancient Egypt and among the Jews. There is not a word about chrismation in the New Testament, but it was introduced into the Christian cult, apparently taking into account its psychological impact.

Marriage as a sacrament was established only in the XIV century. This rite in Christian churches is one of the most beautiful and solemn actions, designed to have a deep emotional impact. A lot of unbelieving people go to perform this ceremony because of its beauty and solemnity.

Unction performed on a sick person and consists in lubricating him with wooden oil - oil, which is supposedly sacred. The Orthodox Church believes that with the help of this rite, healing from diseases is performed. Catholics spend it as a blessing to the dying. The connection with ancient magical rites can be traced in the ceremony of unction - seven apostolic letters are read, seven ektenias (forgiveness) are pronounced, seven anointings of the sick person with oil are performed.

sacrament of the priesthood occurs when a person enters the spiritual order. The bishop conveys "grace" to the new priest by laying his hands on his head. In a remote form, this rite resembles initiation rites in ancient times. Such actions have been and are being carried out by various closed societies (knightly orders, masons). The solemnity of the ceremony is intended to emphasize the role of priests in fulfilling the mission of the church. The initiate takes an oath of selfless service and receives appropriate vestments.

Christian rites.

Prayer . The church requires constant prayer, turning to God or the saints for help. It is affirmed that everyone's prayer will be heard and fulfilled according to his faith. The roots of prayer are in magic spells, with which an ancient person called on spirits to help or conjured to leave him. Some Christian prayers are simply borrowed from earlier religions - from the ancient Greeks, Romans, Jews. The necessity of daily prayer appeal to God with the corresponding canonical text is aggravated by the fact that God understands only a certain language used by the church. For Catholics it is Latin, for Orthodox it is Church Slavonic. Therefore, usually after the obligatory prayer start, the believer turns to God already in his native language and talks with him “without protocol”.

Icons. Orthodox and Catholic Church attach great importance the cult of icons . In early Christianity, there were fierce disputes about icons, which were regarded as remnants of paganism and idolatry. Indeed, remnants of fetishism persist in the cult of icons. This is manifested in the rules that regulate the care of the icon and stipulate the cases of its destruction. It is impossible to burn or destroy the icon in any other way. If she has fallen into disrepair and because of this leads more into temptation than gives holiness, she must be let into the river water in the early morning - God himself will decide her fate. This is exactly what they did with the idol of the god Perun in Kyiv, when Prince Vladimir and his retinue baptized their subjects for the first time. Fetish idols were supposed to work miracles, the same is required from icons - they “cry”, become covered with “bloody sweat”, brighten or darken “by themselves” and so on. In Catholicism, there are more sculptural images of deities and saints, and in Orthodoxy, icon painting is the leading religious art. Therefore, there are more wonderful stories associated with icons in Orthodoxy.

Cross. Adoration of the cross is the most varied rite. Temples, clothes of priests are crowned with a cross. It is worn on the body by believers, without it any rite can not do. According to the church, the cross is revered as a symbol of the martyrdom of Christ crucified on the cross. Before Christians, the cross was revered as a sacred symbol in ancient Egypt and Babylon, India and Iran, New Zealand and South America. The ancient Aryan tribes revered a rotating cross - a swastika (a symbol of Khors, the god of the sun). But the early Christians did not honor the cross, they considered it a pagan symbol. Only since the 4th century, the image of the cross has been affirmed in Christianity. So it is still not completely clear why the Catholics have a four-pointed cross, and the Orthodox have a six-pointed one. Eight-pointed, eleven- and eighteen-pointed crosses are also revered.

To the Glory of the True Orthodox Lord!
Chapter:
Russian Orthodox cuisine
Traditions, prayers, recipes
23rd page

Orthodox
Customs and traditions

In ancient Russia, there was a close connection and interaction between the church and home life of our ancestors.
Orthodox people paid great attention not only to what cook for dinner, but as are preparing. They did this with unfailing prayer, in a peaceful state of mind and with good thoughts.
And they paid special attention to the church calendar - they looked at what day it was - Lenten or fast.

The rules were observed especially strictly in the monasteries.

The ancient Russian monasteries owned vast estates and lands, had the most comfortable farms, which gave them the means to make vast food supplies, which in turn gave them abundant funds for the wide hospitality bequeathed to the inhabitants by their holy founders.

But the business of hospitality in the monasteries was subject to both the general church and private charters of each monastery, that is, one food was offered to the brethren, servants, wanderers and the poor on holidays and fodder (commemorated by contributors and benefactors) days, another on weekdays; one - on fasting days, the other - on fasting days and fasts: Veliky, Rozhdestvensky, Assumption and Petrovka - all this was strictly determined by charters, which also differed in place and means.

Today, far from all the provisions of the Church Charter, which were oriented primarily to monasteries and clergy, can be applied in everyday life. However, an Orthodox person needs to learn some rules, which we have already mentioned above.

First of all, before you start cooking, you must definitely pray to God.

What does it mean to pray to God?
To pray to God means to glorify, give thanks and ask Him for the forgiveness of your sins and your needs. Prayer is the reverent aspiration of the human soul to God.

Why should you pray to God?
God is our Creator and Father. He takes care of all of us more than any child-loving father and gives us all the blessings in life. By it we live, move and have our being; therefore we must pray to Him.

How do we pray?
We sometimes pray inwardly - with the mind and heart; but since each of us consists of a soul and a body, for the most part we say a prayer aloud, and also accompany it with some visible signs and bodily actions: the sign of the cross, a bow to the waist, and for the strongest expression of our reverent feelings for God and deep humility before Him we kneel and bow to the ground.

When should you pray?
Pray at all times, without ceasing.

When is the right time to pray?
In the morning, upon awakening from sleep, to thank God for keeping us in the night and ask for His blessing on the coming day.
At the beginning of the case - to ask God's help.
At the end of the case - to thank God for help and success in business.
Before dinner - so that God blesses our food for health.
After dinner - to give thanks to God who feeds us.
In the evening, before going to bed, to thank God for the day spent and ask Him for the forgiveness of our sins, for a peaceful and serene sleep.
For all occasions, special prayers are prescribed by the Orthodox Church.

Prayer before lunch and dinner

Our Father... or:
The eyes of all in Thee, O Lord, trust, and You give them food in good time, You open Your generous hand and fulfill every animal good will.

Na Cha- at you. Hope- Treat with hope. in good time- in my time. open- you open. Animal- a living being, everything living. favor- a good disposition towards someone, mercy.

What are we asking God for in this prayer?
In this prayer, we ask God to bless our food and drink for health.

What is meant by by the hand of the Lord?
Under the hand of the Lord is understood here the giving of good things to us.

What do the words mean fulfilling every kind of animal goodwill?
These words mean that the Lord cares not only about people, but also about animals, birds, fish and, in general, about all living things.

Prayer after lunch and dinner

We thank Thee, Christ our God, for Thou hast satisfied us with Thy earthly blessings; do not deprive us of Your Heavenly Kingdom, but as if in the midst of Your disciples, Thou hast come, Savior, give them peace, come to us and save us. Amen.

Creature comforts- everything you need for earthly life, for example, food and drink.

What are we praying for in this prayer?
In this prayer, we thank God that He has satisfied us with food and drink, and we ask that He not deprive us of His Kingdom of Heaven.

If several people are sitting at the table, the older person reads the prayer aloud.

What can be said about someone who incorrectly and carelessly baptizes during prayer or is ashamed to be baptized?

Such a person does not want to confess his faith in God; Jesus Christ Himself will be ashamed of this at His Last Judgment (Mark 8:38).

How should you be baptized?
To make the sign of the cross, the first three fingers of the right hand - thumb, index and middle - are added together; the last two fingers - the ring and little fingers - are bent to the palm of your hand.
We put the fingers folded in this way on the forehead, on the stomach, on the right and left shoulder.

What do we express by folding our fingers like this?
By putting together the first three fingers, we express the belief that God is One in Essence, but three in Persons.
Two bent fingers show our faith that in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, there are two natures: Divine and human.
By depicting the cross on ourselves with folded fingers, we show that we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ crucified on the Cross.

Why do we cross the forehead, stomach and shoulders?
To enlighten the mind, heart and to strengthen the forces.

It may seem strange or even fantastic to a modern person to say that the taste of dinner can depend on prayer or mood. However, in the lives of the saints there is a very convincing story on this subject.

Once, the prince of Kyiv Izyaslav came to the holy reverend Theodisy of the Caves (reposed in 1074) and stayed to dine. There were only black bread, water and vegetables on the table, but these simple dishes seemed to the prince sweeter than overseas dishes.

Izyaslav asked Theodosius why the monastery meal seemed so tasty. To which the reverend replied:

“Prince, our brethren, when they cook food or bake bread, first they take a blessing from the rector, then they make three bows in front of the altar, light a candle from the lamp in front of the icon of the Savior and make a fire with this candle in the kitchen and bakery.
When it is necessary to pour water into the cauldron, the minister also asks the elder for this blessing.
Thus, everything is done with blessing.
Your servants begin every business with grumbling and annoyance at each other. And where there is sin, there can be no pleasure. In addition, your yard managers often beat the servants for the slightest offense, and the tears of the offended add bitterness to the food, no matter how expensive they are.

Regarding food intake, the Church does not give special recommendations, however, it is impossible to eat before the morning service, and even more so before communion. This prohibition exists so that the body burdened with food does not distract the soul from prayer and communion.

What is the sacrament of communion?
In the fact that a Christian accepts under the guise of bread the true Body of Christ, and under the guise of wine the true Blood of Christ for union with the Lord Jesus Christ and for eternal blessed life with Him (John 6:54-56).

How should one prepare for Holy Communion?
Those who wish to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ must first fast, i.e. fast, pray more in church and at home, reconcile with everyone and then confess.

How often should you take communion?
One should take communion as often as possible, at least once a month, and always during all fasts (Great, Christmas, Assumption and Petrov); otherwise it is unfair to be called an Orthodox Christian.

At what church service is the sacrament of communion performed?
At the Divine Liturgy, or Mass, which is why this service is considered more important than other church services, such as Vespers, Matins, and others.

In liturgical practice, the Russian Orthodox Church uses the Typicon. Typicon, or Charter- a liturgical book containing a detailed indication: on what days and hours, at what divine services and in what order should the prayers contained in the Missal, Horologion, Octoechos and other liturgical books be read or sung.

The Typicon also pays great attention to the food eaten by believers. However, a secular person should not literally follow all the instructions contained in the Charter, for he is primarily focused on the monastic brethren.

What an Orthodox Christian Should Know:

134. How to relate to the disease? - never use the services of scientific medicine and medicines:
For a believer's appeal to doctors, taking medicines is satanic disbelief in the power of holy prayers and in the infinite mercy of God.
This is a direct rejection of Christ!
- all bodily ailments are healed only by fasting and prayers,
And they strengthen their holy prayers with generous gifts for the needs of the temples of God.
- diligently revere any superiors,
- love the holy fasts of God and are able to eat grass,
- firmly believe in the world greatness of Russia,
- regularly pay all taxes, tariffs, fines and other patriotic payments,
- do not express low servile discontent,
- vote correctly in popular elections,
- strictly observe the appointments appointed by Putin The establishment of Russian patriotism ,
- vigilantly report to the competent authorities about all the enemies of Russia noticed,
- diligently fasten,
- firmly believe in holy excellences,
- generously donate to holy needs,
- fully support all the Establishments of the ruling masters,
- eat plentifully every day,
- always ready to give their sinful lives for the glory of the Leader and Fatherland!

44 Orthodox video lectures
about the traditions of holy Russian Orthodoxy
Lecturer:
Russian Orthodox publicist Alexander Nevzorov,
having an Orthodox spiritual education

01. Everyday atheism...
02. Church and science...
03. Draining confession...
04. Answers to questions from the audience
05. Two questions for believers
06. How to talk with believers
07. How to keep children from learning the CMO
08. Comments on the sensational prayer service
09. Let's talk about fasting
10. Advice to Believers
11. How to build and restore the so-called. temples
12. About blasphemy...
13. The myth of the persecution of the church...
14. Insulting the feelings of believers
15. About the lessons of religious studies in elementary school
16. The future of the ROC
17. Answers to the Slavic Internet radio "Voices of Midgard"
18. Answers to the questions of the "underground atheistic circle"
19. About protection from Christian values
20. About the radiance of the "Silver galosh"
21. Abortion and the secret knowledge of the priests
22. Once again about Pussy Riot, purity, love and pranks
23. Media myths of the Russian Orthodox Church
24. Orthodoxy at school - what to say to children
25. What is a believer
26. End of the world in detail
27. Russian Orthodox Church recalls a batch of saints who turned out to be defective
28. Classic. Yegorushka
29. The misfortune of Mr. Duraev
30. On the origin of the law for the protection of the feelings of believers
31. I believe in one Luntik
32. Entropy Kundyaev
Chapter 33
34. About experiment and laboratory material. Added
35. Christian malice
36. Science and church. part 2
37. Pedophilia and pedophilia
38. Rod of patriotism
39. Blue gave the Russian Orthodox Church
40. Answer to Anthropogenesis
41. Anthropogenesis. Rublev. Floor lamp
42. How it all ends
43. Priest's sadness
44. Priest's lexicon

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The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) is annually celebrated by the Orthodox Church and all believers in the world. The holiday is associated with the future death of Christ on Golgotha ​​and is accompanied by the custom of consecrating the willow. It is the buds of this tree that bloom first, which symbolizes the revival of nature and the beginning of a new life.

The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem - history

In the thirties of our era, rumors spread in Jerusalem about Jesus healing the sick and bringing the dead back to life. Thanks to him, the blind began to see, and lepers got rid of a terrible skin disease. Followers followed him, spreading good renown. Ordinary people waited in the hope of a Savior who would deliver them from the hated tyranny. Roman proteges...

Among the people, the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord is Apple Spas. It was installed by the disciples of Christ in memory of the fact that he was transfigured before them on Mount Tabor. The Church sings of the union of the Divine and the entire population in the image of Christ the Savior. It has its own traditions, which are advised to follow.

history of the holiday

The history of the holiday of the Transfiguration of the Lord comes from the depths of centuries. The tradition of celebrating dates back to the 4th century. This is due to the fact that it was during this period that Empress Elena ordered the construction of a temple on this mountain. Nowadays, there are two monasteries on it.

Many pilgrims try to make a procession to all the holy places. If …

The day of the holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul is a holiday that appeared in Christianity as a tribute to the memory of two great holy apostles, faithful followers of Jesus Christ, who left a huge mark in the history of Orthodoxy, laying their lives on the altar, being completely devoted to faith.

Traditionally, July 12 is the feast of Peter and Paul according to the Orthodox calendar. And it is on this day that Peter's fast ends (provided that it does not fall on the calendar on Wednesday or Friday).

History of the Feast of Peter and Paul

Peter (at the birth of Simon) was born into the family of a fisherman and, like his father, dreamed of devoting his whole life to this craft. But everything changed in...

The birth of the Virgin Mary was a reward for the large number of prayers uttered by her parents to the Lord. In gratitude for this, they made a promise that she would serve God. It was the beginning of this path that was marked by the feast of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos.

History of the celebration

The birth of a girl was a real miracle, since her parents were already quite advanced in age. This is the only long-awaited child in the family and therefore it is difficult to even imagine how difficult it was to part with her. But the parents did not back down. They prepared themselves and prepared the girl from an early age. She was told about who the Lord was and what were His...

The Orthodox Church celebrates the day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 27. The holiday was established in the fourth century, and the event is dedicated to the discovery and return of the shrine.

History of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Roman proteges in Jerusalem tried to destroy any information that was associated with Jesus Christ. Emperor Andrian ordered to raze the place of burial and execution Golgotha ​​to the ground. Then they created a hill on which they placed the sanctuary of the goddess Venus with a sculpture of Jupiter, where the pagans worshiped their gods. Three hundred years later, Christians found the tomb and the crucifix.

According to legend, Emperor Constantine the Great, who stopped the persecution of the Orthodox, saw in the sky the inscription "This will win" and the cross. Then he sent his mother Elena...

The Jewish people of those times had their own specific traditions. Some of them have survived to this day and are observed by believers. It is to them that this holiday is timed. The circumcision of the Lord and the memory of St. Basil the Great are of great importance for believers. The combination of two great holidays together once again indicates the importance of these events.

History of the celebration

The history of the feast of the Circumcision of the Lord in Orthodoxy is quite interesting. The pagans said that the first day of the new year makes it clear what the rest of the year will be like. Thus, this date was customarily celebrated with festivities and fun. They dressed up, arranging carnivals. Women were men and vice versa. What happened on...

The feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist takes place according to tradition on September 11th. This is the observance of the severity of fasting as a tribute to the memory of his painful death. The fate of any saint was tragic, but the death of a prophet was a brutal outrage against human flesh.

History of the Beheading of John the Baptist

After the baptism of Jesus, the saint continued to preach to people, calling for repentance for sins and faith in the Savior. In those days, the governor of Galilee was Herod, who, with his legal wife Aretha, lived in sin with Herodias, the wife of his own brother. The prophet John openly denounced adultery, for which Herod ordered him to be imprisoned. Some sources testify that Herod acted in such a way to please Herodias, ...

There are not many celebrations that glorify John the Baptist. But the prophet Forerunner is considered the second in importance and reverence after the Mother of God. Therefore, an appeal to him will certainly be crowned with success.

history of the holiday

The history of the feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist is connected with the occurrence of a miracle, which was granted for prayers to the Lord. A child was born to the elderly Zacharias and Elizabeth. They began to call him a forerunner because he came to earth before Christ and predicted His appearance. Later he became His baptist.

His conception was considered a real miracle, which was a gift from the Lord. During the divine service in the Jerusalem temple, an angel arrived to Zechariah and presented the good news. Trust this man...

The Feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in Russia was inherited from the Byzantine Church and was established in the middle of the twelfth century by Prince Bogolyubsky. It has become one of the biggest Christian events celebrated by Orthodoxy. The history of origin is rooted in the distant past and is closely intertwined with the traditions of Slavic culture.

Historical event and signs

According to legend, the history of the feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos and signs is connected with an event that happened on October 14, 910 in the Byzantine capital. The city was besieged by the Saracens, an all-night service was going on in the church. This is known from the Greek chronicle, which tells about the life of Andrei the Holy Fool.

Historians are of the opinion that it was a battle of the Greeks with ...

Strict fasting in Orthodoxy is the days when people are cleansed physically and spiritually. It brings the joy of communion and the liberation of the soul from the sins that have accumulated over the year. This is an important part of the life of any Christian.

Strict fasting rules

According to the Orthodox calendar, there are several types of fasting: before Easter, Christmas, Apostolic, Assumption. In addition, one-day abstinence days are also provided. You must fast for three days before taking communion. Of these, which post is the most strict - before the bright holiday of Easter.

For a person who consciously came to faith and decided to fast, it is necessary to know important things:

1. Fasting is not a goal for women to lose extra pounds or a means of combating

…

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Christianity. Traditions in everyday life

Completed:

Bavtrikov M.A.

The main idea of ​​the Christian religion is the salvation of man from what gives rise to misfortunes, suffering, illness, war, death, all the evil in the world. Christianity claims that salvation was revealed by Jesus Christ, who, being the Son of God, became incarnate and became a Man, through voluntary suffering on the Cross, killing the sinfulness of human nature and resurrecting it for eternal life. Salvation is in faith in him. This general Christian position is interpreted differently in different Christian denominations: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism.

Orthodox churches preserve the early Christian traditions of polycentrism, i.e. belong to several churches. At present, there are 15 autocephalous (independent) Orthodox churches: Constantinople, Alexandria, Russian, Georgian, Serbian, Bulgarian, American and others.

The basis of the Orthodox dogma is the Nicene-Tsargrad creed. These are 12 paragraphs containing dogmatic formulations of the main provisions of the dogma about God as the creator, about his attitude to the world and man, about the trinity of God, the incarnation, redemption, resurrection from the dead, and the saving role of the church.

Orthodox believe in one God who created the whole world, including man. God is triune: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit;

in the original sin that the first people Adam and Eve committed;

at the second coming of Jesus Christ - the Son of God, who voluntarily sacrificed himself for the sins of mankind, and he will come a second time in power and glory to judge the living and the dead and establish his eternal kingdom on earth as well as in heaven.

Orthodox believe in the immortality of the soul. They believe that in the afterlife the souls of people, depending on how a person lived his earthly life, go to heaven or hell, where the souls of the dead stay until the Last Judgment.

In Orthodoxy, the system of cult actions is closely connected with doctrine. The foundations are seven main rites - sacraments: baptism, communion, repentance, chrismation, marriage, unction, priesthood.

1. The sacrament of baptism is performed on all who become Christians. The person being baptized is immersed three times in holy water. (In exceptional cases, baptism is allowed not by immersion, but by dousing with water.) In the Orthodox Church, the sacrament of baptism is traditionally performed on infants, but baptism of adults is not prohibited. orthodoxy christian rite

2. The sacrament of chrismation is performed after baptism. Aromatic oil (peace) is smeared on the forehead, eyes, ears and other parts of the body.

3. The sacrament of repentance is performed in the form of a confession - a detailed story about the sins committed.

4. The sacrament of communion is the central event during the liturgy, during which the faithful partake of the body and blood of Jesus Christ (under the guise of bread and wine).

5. The sacrament of marriage was instituted for the sanctification of family life and the blessing of the marital union by the Church. It takes place during the wedding ceremony.

6. The sacrament of unction is performed on the sick so that healing grace descends on them. During the unction (unction), prayers are read and consecrated oil (oil) is smeared on the forehead, cheeks, lips, arms and chest of the patient.

7. The sacrament of the priesthood is associated with the elevation of a believer to the rank of clergyman. In addition to performing the sacraments, the Orthodox cult system includes prayers, worship of the cross, icons, relics, relics and saints, as well as the observance of all fasts and holidays.

Orthodox holidays celebrated in Russia today:

Nativity

Day of the Holy Trinity

Epiphany

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Assumption of the Virgin

Easter (Resurrection of Christ) is the main holiday of the Orthodox calendar, established in memory of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter does not have a fixed date, but is calculated according to the lunar calendar. The celebration begins on the first Sunday after the full moon following the spring equinox. The holiday usually falls between March 22/April 4 and April 25/May 8.

In folk tradition, Easter was celebrated as a holiday of renewal and rebirth of life. This was due not only to the Christian idea of ​​the Resurrection of Christ and the prospect of eternal life associated with it, but also to the widespread existence among the people of pagan ideas about the spring awakening of nature after a winter sleep-death, about the death of the old and the beginning of a new time. According to widespread beliefs, each person had to meet Easter spiritually and physically renewed, prepared for it during the long Great Lent. Before Easter, it was considered necessary to put things in order in the house and on the street: wash the floors, ceilings, walls, benches, whitewash the stoves, renew the icon case, repair the fences, put the wells in order, remove the garbage left after the winter. In addition, it was supposed to make new clothes for all family members and wash in the bath. On Easter, a person had to discard all bad, impure thoughts, forget evil and resentment, not sin, not enter into marital relations, which were perceived as a sin.

Nativity.

Merry Christmas is one of the main Christian holidays, established in honor of the birth in the flesh (incarnation) of Jesus Christ.

Most Churches celebrate Christmas on December 25th. The Roman Catholic Church and most Protestant churches celebrate Christmas according to the Gregorian calendar . In the Armenian Church, Christmas, as in the ancient Church, is celebrated on the same day as the Epiphany of the Lord - January 6th. Since 1991, in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, January 7 is an official public holiday.

Church services are held everywhere on Christmas Eve. All the candlesticks are burning, the chandelier is burning, the choir performs the doxology. And in the old days, when the clock struck midnight, everyone exchanged gifts, congratulated each other, made wishes. It was believed that at Christmas the sky opens up to the earth, and the forces of heaven fulfill everything planned, while the wishes must be necessarily good.

Day of the Holy Trinity.

The basis of the Orthodox holiday of the Trinity is the biblical story of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles. It tells about an event that took place in Jerusalem ten days after the Ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven. From the day when the Spirit of God rested on the apostles in the form of fiery tongues, He has always been in the Church, therefore Pentecost is the birthday of the Church. After the descent of the Holy Spirit, the apostles annually celebrated the Day of Pentecost and commanded all Christians to remember it.

After the Divine Liturgy on the feast of the Trinity, a special vespers is performed in the churches with the reading of kneeling prayers: the priest reads the prayers, kneeling in the Royal Doors, facing the faithful, while the parishioners also kneel, for the first time after Easter. On this day, temples are decorated with greenery, usually birch branches, and flowers brought by believers as a symbol of life and renewal.

Epiphany.

The Baptism of the Lord is a Christian holiday celebrated in honor of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. During baptism, according to the Gospels, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. The holiday is also set to commemorate the presentation of Jesus Christ to the people as the Son of God.

In Orthodoxy, the ancient feast of Theophany gradually began to be celebrated exclusively in remembrance of the Baptism of Christ, and therefore in Orthodoxy, Theophany and Baptism are different names for the same holiday.

On the day of Epiphany, after the liturgy, a procession was sent to the ice-hole, accompanied by all the villagers. The priest held a prayer service, at the end of which he lowered the cross into the hole three times, asking for God's blessing on the water. After that, all those present collected water from the hole, which was considered holy, poured it over each other, and some guys and men, in order to cleanse themselves of Christmas sins, bathed in ice water. In a number of villages, before a prayer service, when the lid was removed from the hole, those present pulled out pegs from it in order to find happiness for the whole year.

Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos.

The Annunciation is a holiday of the Orthodox calendar, established on March 25 / April 7. “The Annunciation is the biggest holiday with God, even sinners are not tortured in hell,” the peasants said. The greatness of the holiday was also emphasized by the stories that on the morning of the Annunciation the sun plays in the sky, i.e. shimmers with different colors. On this day, it was considered a great sin to do any, even the simplest work. It was said that I am the Annunciation, even "the girl does not weave braids, and the bird does not build nests." People who violate the ban are believed to be punished by God. Married women on this day told their younger sisters and daughters a story about the punishment of a disobedient girl who sat down to spin on the Annunciation: God turned her into a cuckoo and even forbade her to have her own nest.

The Annunciation, which fell on the day of the vernal equinox, was perceived by the people's consciousness as the establishment of the spring-summer period: "On the Annunciation, spring overcame winter." It was believed that on this day God blesses the earth “for sowing”, and nature awakens from its winter sleep: the earth “opens”. Many pagan customs and rituals were associated with these ideas.

On this day, they “hooted spring”, that is, hurried its arrival, “treated” with pies, which were left overnight on an elevated place, lit fires outside the village to “warm the earth”. There were many rituals of a protective and cleansing nature: they threw old straw from beds, old bast shoes, torn clothes into a burning fire, fumigated clothes with smoke, removing the evil eye, jumped over the fire, hoping to get rid of damage and gain health. On this day, pigeons were chased and birds released from their cages “so that they sang to the glory of God.”

Assumption of the Virgin.

The Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos is a holiday of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. It is celebrated on August 15 (August 28, New Style). Dedicated to the Assumption - the righteous death of the Mother of God. According to legend, on this day the apostles miraculously gathered from the places where they preached in order to say goodbye to the Most Holy Theotokos and to bury Her most pure body.

In Orthodoxy, the feast of the Assumption has one day of forefeast and 9 days of afterfeast. The holiday is preceded by a two-week (Assumption) fast from 1 to 14 August. In some places, for the sake of a special celebration of the holiday, a special Service is performed for the burial of the Mother of God (especially solemnly - in Jerusalem, in Gethsemane).

Conclusion

I believe that even in our modern times, faith and traditions occupy an important place in the life of every individual, family. Faith can make our society kinder, more tolerant of each other, which is very important at this time, when there is so much indifference and anger in human hearts. In our fast-paced age, people have forgotten about love, mercy and faith. Faith in the Miracle, like on Christmas night, purification and renewal of the heart, like on Easter, can make the life of every person complete, joyful and not indifferent to others!

Bibliography

1. Works by A. S. Khomyakov (vol. II, Theological Works, Moscow, 1876);

2. "Historical and critical experiments" prof. N. I. Barsova (St. Petersburg, 1879; article "New Method");

3. Overbeck's article on the meaning of Orthodoxy in relation to the app. religions ("Christian Reading", 1868, II, 1882, 1883, 1 - 4, etc.) and "Orthodox Review", (1869, 1, 1870, 1 - 8);

4. Gette, "Basic Principles of Orthodoxy" ("Faith and Reason", 1884, 1, 1886, 1);

5. Archim. Fedor, "On Orthodoxy in Relation to Modernity" (St. Petersburg, 1861);

6. prot. P. A. Smirnov, “On Orthodoxy in general and in particular in relation to the Slavic peoples” (St. Petersburg, 1893);

7. "Collection of spiritual and literary works" prot. I. Yakhontova (vol. II, St. Petersburg, 1890, article "On the Orthodoxy of the Russian Church");

8. N. I. Barsov, “The question of the religiosity of the Russian people” (St. Petersburg, 1881).

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In the so-called "Christian" countries there are many strange customs and habits, born of false religion and its inherent energy of ignorance. These customs and habits, from the point of view of common sense, are simply stupid, and "Christians" should think about whether it is worth continuing to do all this.

What do we mean by strange customs? For example, every year for "Christmas" and "New Year" hundreds of millions of firs are cut down in "Christian" countries. These trees decorate the houses of "Christians", and after the end of the Christmas holidays, they are all thrown away. And this happens every year! This is done by "Christians" to celebrate the "birthday" of Jesus Christ! Why are millions of lives destroyed every year to celebrate the “birthday” of the Savior? Personally, this is not clear to me. Do you understand this?

Well, think for yourself, dear reader: do Jesus Christ and His Heavenly Father approve of this strange ritual - cutting down trees not for household needs, but just for fun? The explanation for this among “Christian” pastors is something like this: “The Nativity of Christ is the birthday of the Messiah, who gave us eternal life. The Christmas tree, like an evergreen plant, symbolizes this eternal life. Therefore, we install this tree in our home on the feast of the Nativity of Christ.” But even if the Christmas tree symbolizes eternal life in the minds of "Christians", why then kill this symbol of eternal life? Maybe let it turn green for itself and symbolize eternal life somewhere in the forest? How can you celebrate eternal life by destroying millions of lives of defenseless trees?

Another mass attack on the trees occurs among the "Christians" on the so-called "Palm Sunday", when the solemn entry of Christ into Jerusalem before His crucifixion is celebrated. As is known from the Gospel (Matt. 21: 8), along the path of Christ, when He rode on donkeys1 into Jerusalem, people spread their clothes, while others cut the branches of trees and spread them along the path of Jesus. But this entry of Christ into Jerusalem took place only once in this Creation, and once people cut branches to honor the Messiah, who performed many miracles. But "Christians" to celebrate this event break tree branches every year for many centuries! Can you imagine how many trees are destroyed and damaged by "Christians" during these two holidays - "Christmas" and "Palm Sunday"?

On the example of these two "Christian" holidays and their inherent customs, we can again see some inverted thinking of pseudo-Christians. Marking certain dates in the life of the Savior, who promised them eternal life, “Christians”, as they say, “sow” death around. I would like to call on "Christians" to think about this and stop the senseless destruction and mockery of trees. If you really love God, then you must love all living things. Is it the Holy Spirit that makes you cut down trees and break branches? Many will say: “But I didn’t cut it myself, I bought a Christmas tree.” But after all, when you buy, you create demand, which gives rise to supply. Thus, buying a Christmas tree this year, you place an order for further felling of fir trees for the next year. If you want to serve God and win His mercy, give up the Christmas tree! You will see: your holiday will not become less joyful from this. In the end, at first, if this Christmas tree has already become a habit, you can replace it with a plastic one. And you can enjoy the smell of pine needles in the forest, moreover, you can enjoy the smell of needles not dead, but a living Christmas tree ...

Another phenomenon of the perverted thinking of the so-called "Christians" is the worship of the suffering, bleeding and dying Jesus Christ on the cross. This is expressed in numerous sermons on this topic, in composing songs about the bloody Jesus, in wearing pectoral crosses with the image of a dying Christ, in depicting the scene of the crucifixion on paintings, in sculptural statues, in placing the cross with the crucified Lord in dwellings, etc. In "Orthodox" churches, for example, in addition to the altar cross, you can often see a whole sculptural composition depicting the scene of the crucifixion.

This cultivation of the image of the crucified Messiah is either monstrous hypocrisy, or a mental deviation close to mental illness. If the so-called "Christians" wear crosses with the image of the suffering and dying Christ and depict this scene in numerous paintings, graphic and sculptural works, then they like His suffering, don't they? The question arises: how do so-called "Christians" relate to Jesus Christ? Who is he for them: friend or foe? Can a normal person enjoy the suffering of a friend? Of course not! If you love somebody's suffering, then that is your enemy. If you revel in Christ's death on the cross, then you hate Him. Thus, the pseudo-Christians, who have changed the laws of God, testify against themselves: by cultivating the image of the crucified Christ and carefully "procrastinating" this topic, they behave like His enemies.

Carrying or displaying the "death certificate" of an enemy was the custom of the North American Indians and is still preserved in some savage tribes. The scalps of the slain enemies were decorated with dwellings, clothes and weapons. The skull of the enemy, decorated with cassowary feathers, is an object of worship for the cannibals of Papua New Guinea. Some people may enjoy the suffering of the enemy. But a normal person, although, perhaps, will be satisfied with the death of his enemy, because. it saves him from danger, will not think about it all the time. Only a person with a demonic nature, cruel, sadistic, mentally ill can constantly revel in all the vicissitudes of the painful death of his enemy. By cultivating the worship of not the living, not the miraculous, not preaching, not resurrected, but the Savior crucified on the cross, "Christians" behave not like friends, but like mentally ill enemies of Jesus Christ.

If these pseudo-Christians were friends of Jesus, they would not cultivate images of the scene of His crucifixion. If “Christians” like the scene of Christ's suffering and death so much, then they are His enemies. "Orthodox" and "Catholics" with their religion plant the idea that God's Messenger has canceled the law of God who sent Him. This is a slander against Christ and God, and by this slander, as well as by the cultivation of the image of the crucified Christ, pseudo-Christians testify that they are the enemies of God and His Messenger.

Death on a cross was considered a shameful death in the ancient world. For true Christians, it would probably be more natural to cultivate the image of the living or resurrected Jesus as a symbol of the victory of the true faith over death. But pseudo-Christians are obsessed with the idea of ​​putting on public display exactly the crucified, tortured or dead Jesus Christ.

In the eyes of representatives of other religions, the so-called "Christianity" really looks either ridiculous or very strange: "Christians", looking "from the outside", are people who worship a crucified, suffering and dying deity. What can such a deity give them, which itself needs help? The so-called "death" of Christ is a fleeting illusion, which is written even in the Koran, but the so-called "Christians" are trying to perpetuate the "death" of Christ, presenting it as the main evangelical event.

Those who have lost a friend or relative know how unpleasant it is to remember, and even more so, to talk about his death. They usually recall scenes from the life of a friend, and not the circumstances of his death. But "Orthodox" and "Catholics" behave differently - as if they are rejoicing at the death of Christ: they wear crucifixes on their chests, pray before them and kiss them. In addition, “Christians” compose songs and poems about the crucified and bleeding Christ. I have heard at least two cassettes dominated by songs on this topic: a dull and dreary album by some “Orthodox” monk and a simply “bleeding Christ” album by some Seventh-day Adventist. And there are a lot of such "works". All this is either monstrous hypocrisy, or a clear mental deviation, which is one of the fruits of false religion.

The very veneration of the cross, the kissing of the cross, accepted, for example, by the "Orthodox", is, in fact, the worship of the instrument of torture and murder of the Lord. With the help of the cross, the instrument of painful death, the Romans, at the request of the Pharisees, killed Jesus Christ, and pseudo-Christians now worship this instrument of torture. Isn't that strange? In addition to being strange, the worship of material objects or symbols and the belief in their miraculous power is fetishism, or idolatry. Pseudo-Christians consider the cross to be a holy symbol. But what are the centuries-old fruits of this worship of the cross? How many atrocities, thefts and murders have been committed by people with crosses around their necks? How many wars were unleashed by the rulers of states with crosses on banners and emblems? Has not enough blood been shed by armies with crosses on their shields and armor? It is obvious that the attribution of special holiness to a geometric figure is obvious paganism and does not indicate a great mind.

Another perversion, even more incomprehensible, is accepted mainly among “Catholics”: a large “crucifix”2 is hung over the marriage bed. This strange custom is reflected in many feature films, and you can’t call it otherwise than blasphemy. It looks something like this: "You, Lord, continue to suffer and die in agony on the cross for our sins, and we'll have sex for now." Of course, there is nothing wrong with sex, for the Lord said: “be fruitful and multiply” (Gen. 1: 22), but why, in the place where you usually do it, hang an image of a crucified, bleeding and dying Messenger of God? What is the connection between the crucified Jesus and sex? You should probably ask the "Catholics" about this.

Why endlessly reproduce the scene of the crucifixion in thousands of copies, in pectoral crosses and altar crosses, in paintings, in songs and poems? The scene of the crucifixion is just an episode from the life of the Savior. And, although this great sacrifice was very important, the scenes of torture, crucifixion and death of Christ should cause bitterness in a true Christian, it should be unpleasant for someone who really loves the Lord. But "Orthodox" and "Catholics" behave as if it is pleasant for them to contemplate the suffering of Christ. They seem to be striving to prolong this scene, to capture and perpetuate it in their crosses and icons. This perversion is a consequence of the disdainful attitude of pseudo-Christians to the commandments of God. Concluding this topic, it should also be noted that in no other religion on Earth you will not see such an increased, simply pathological, interest in the moment of the death of its founder, as can be observed among the so-called "Christians".

There is also much else in "Orthodoxy" and "Catholicism" that a normal person cannot accept without wincing. For example, how can one relate to the kissing of icons, crosses and bones of the dead (the relics of "saints"), as adopted in "Orthodoxy", as well as to kissing the hands of a priest? Kissing icons, crosses and relics are the rules of primitive fetishism, worship of the dust of the earth. Kissing the priest's hand is just some kind of perversion.

The strange custom of kissing the priest's hand after confession or even at a meeting is accepted in the "Orthodox" church. Personally, this ritual causes a natural disgust in me, and, “from a purely human point of view,” it seems just some kind of perversion: well, “with what fright” should I kiss the hairy hand of some bearded man in a cassock? This is not only unpleasant, but also humiliating. Who is he, this priest, to so exalt himself above his "parishioners"? Should a person, especially a believer, be so humiliated in front of another person?

Licking his master's hand would be natural for a loyal dog, but when this happens between people, it is a humiliation of human dignity. There is simply no other way for a dog to express its devotion to a person, but a person has other ways to express devotion or gratitude. So why be like a dumb creature? A person who makes other people kiss his hand should be recognized as a demon. And we would like to ask "Orthodox Christians": do you really like this custom? I think that the natural aversion to this strange custom comes from God, for He is the Master of our feelings. The same expression of canine devotion to "dons" and "padres", expressed in the kissing of hands, is found among "Catholics".

God created man with a natural need to kiss women. The mechanism of physical attraction of the sexes was created by God for reproduction and the ability to express love for a person of the opposite sex. Any bodily intimacy with a person of the same sex is unnatural for a normal person. But "Orthodox" priests, who invented the ridiculous custom of kissing the priest's hand, force "Orthodox" men to act against the order established by God. This ridiculous rule turns "parishioners" into perverts and sinners, and also humiliates their dignity.

Lips, despite the fact that they are on a prominent part of the body, are a rather intimate part of the human body. With lips, a person touches what he loves: to his favorite food and drink, to the body of a loved one, of course - of the opposite sex. A kiss is an expression of love. It is natural for a man to kiss only a woman's body. But kissing the priest's body, as required by "Orthodox" canons, is a perversion for a man, and a sin for a woman. A man kissing the hand of a priest is forced to put himself in the position of a homosexual, and this, as you know, is condemned by the Bible (Lev. 20: 13; Rom. 1: 27). A woman who kisses the hand of a priest commits the sin of adultery, for she has the right to kiss only her husband, children and close relatives. A kiss by a man on a woman's hand is a natural expression of his attitude towards her as a representative of the fair sex. This kiss is a recognition of her beauty and an expression of a man's reverent attitude towards this divine beauty. The kissing of a man's hand by a woman, which can be observed in pseudo-Christian denominations, is a clear perversion.

Such veneration of priests contradicts the teaching of Christ, Who said: “Whoever wants to be great among you, let him be your servant” (Matt. 20:26); “yet you are brothers” (Matthew 23:8). Consequently, priests who allow such a servile attitude towards themselves are false prophets and antichrists, which has already been convincingly proven by Us in the previous chapters. People who call themselves Christians and allow others to slavishly kiss their hand are impudent hypocrites and demons who are in for severe punishment. The only salvation for them is to renounce that hypocritical false religion, with the help of which they have been deceiving naive "parishioners" all their lives, to repent and turn to the true faith.

To be honest, I don’t understand the “Orthodox” customs that require kissing icons, crosses, relics of “saints”, etc. If “Christians” want to express love with these kisses, then there is no commandment in the Bible that prescribes to love matter, or earthly dust, which are wooden boards, crosses and bones of dead people. It has nothing to do with true monotheism. All these are some absurd forms of paganism, idolatry.

The rite of the so-called “christening” seems to me just as ridiculous, when at Easter people say: “Christ is risen!” and kiss "with every counter and cross." Yes, Christ called us to love our neighbors, and even all living beings in general. But this does not mean that we should have intimate relations with everyone. Why love, as many “Christians” believe, must necessarily be expressed in kisses? Is it impossible to show love without it? Isn't it shown in the Gospel that a kiss means nothing? After all, Judas Iscariot also kissed Christ when he betrayed Him. Pseudo-Christians do the same thing: they hypocritically kiss the images of the dying Christ and in doing so do the exact opposite of what He taught.

Love must dwell in the heart and be expressed in good deeds. In addition to erotic, love can be parental, brotherly, cosmic, divine… Kisses are natural for erotic love. Some symbolic kisses can also be characteristic of relationships with parents, close relatives, close friends of the opposite sex (kisses "on the cheek" and kissing a woman's hand by a man). But "Christ-giving" and kissing the priest's hand seems abnormal to me, and yet I, too, "have the mind of Christ" if I believe in Him as the Messiah (1 Corinthians 2:16). And I believe.

So, the "Orthodox" and "Catholic" churches constantly incline their adherents to perversion and sin. A wise person, seeing all these oddities and mental deviations of pseudo-Christianity, having thought carefully, will simply leave these denominations.