Hello dear viewers! I congratulate everyone on the beginning of the Dormition Lent. Today, on August 14, the Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of the Origin of the Honorable Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, as well as the feast of the All-Merciful Savior and the Most Holy Theotokos.
The Feast of the Passing of the Honorable Cross was established on August 1 according to the old style in Greece by Patriarch Luke of Constantinople under Tsar Manuel, and in Russia - by Metropolitan Constantine and Nestor of Kiev, Bishop of Rostov, under Grand Duke Andrei Yurievich. The reason for its establishment was as follows.
Tsar Manuel and Prince Andrew, who were in peace and brotherly love among themselves, happened on the same day to go to war: the first from Constantinople against the Saracens, and the second from Rostov against the Bulgarians. ( Grand Duke lived at that time in Rostov: the pagans who lived on the lower reaches of the Volga were called Bulgarians, hence they got their name.) The Lord God granted them complete victory over the enemies: the Greek king defeated the Saracens, and Prince Andrey Bogolyubsky defeated the Volga Bulgarians and conquered them to himself ...
In the Greek Book of Hours of 1897, the origin of this holiday is explained as follows: “Due to illnesses that very often occurred in August, the custom of wearing the Honorable Tree of the Cross on the roads and streets for the consecration of places and in the aversion of illnesses was established in Constantinople from ancient times. On the eve (July 31), having worn it out from the royal treasury, they laid it at a holy meal Great church(in honor of Hagia Sophia - the Wisdom of God). From now on until the Assumption Holy Mother of God making lithias throughout the city, they offered it to the people later for worship. This is the presentation of the Honorable Cross. "
In the Russian Church, this festival was combined with the commemoration of the Baptism of Rus on August 1, 988. In the "Legend of the effective ranks of the holy catholic and apostolic great church of the Assumption", compiled in 1627 by order of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Filaret, the following explanation of the holiday on August 1 is given: human, in all hail and weight ".
According to the order now accepted in the Russian Church, the small consecration of water on August 1 is performed before or after the liturgy. Together with the consecration of the water, the consecration of honey takes place.
On today's holiday, the Honorable and Life-giving Cross of the Lord is carried out as a reminder that the Lord was crucified for us and by this he will save and have already saved us from eternal condemnation, if only we ourselves would assimilate His redemptive merits by our faith, hope and love for Him, each bearing with patience your cross.
So, let us bow to the Life-giving Cross of the Lord for our reinforcement and with love and patience let us bear each of our cross for our salvation during the forthcoming field of fasting, as well as throughout our whole life!
Dear brothers and sisters, today the memory of the saints is also celebrated:
seven martyrs Maccabees: Abim, Antonin, Guria, Eleazar, Eusebone, Alim, Markel, their mother Solomon and their teacher Eleazar;
St. Sophia of Suzdal (recovery of relics);
mchch. in Perga Pamphilia;
sshmch. Demetrius Pavskiy presbyter.
All who bear these holy names, I cordially and warmly congratulate you on your namesake day! I wish you from the Lord peace of mind, bodily health and all-powerful help in all good deeds and good undertakings through your prayers heavenly patrons... Be protected by God! Many good years to you!
First Savior - Honey Savior
He fed us abundantly.
Worn out for review
The Life-giving Cross of the Trees.
Let's celebrate the Assumption Fast,
By showing spiritual growth.
Hieromonk Dimitry (Samoilov)
Spasi (abbreviated form from the word Savior, Jesus Christ) are called three summer holiday dedicated to Christ: Savior of Honey, Apple Savior and Third Savior.
Honey Savior - August 14 (1). On this day, the Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of the All-Merciful Savior and the Most Holy Theotokos. The Dormition Fast also begins - the shortest, but strict, almost like Great post... Fasting precedes the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God. And its first day is the Origin (or Depreciation: the word Origin means a procession of the cross) of the Honorable Trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord. The Cross is brought to the center of the church at Matins: until Saturday evening service, all believers can bow to it.
History
The Feast of the Origin of the Honorable Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord was established in the 9th century in Constantinople: every year a part of the Life-Giving Cross, which was kept in the house church of the Greek emperors, was brought to the Church of St. Sophia and blessed with water to heal diseases. The first day of August was chosen precisely because in this hottest month diseases were especially widespread, while people kissed the Cross on which Christ was crucified, drank the water consecrated by him andreceived long-awaited health .
The feast of the All-Merciful Savior and the Most Holy Theotokos was established on the occasion of signs from the icons of the Savior, the Most Holy Theotokos and Of the Honorable Cross during the battles of the holy noble prince Andrei Bogolyubsky (1157-1174) with the Volga Bulgarians.
In 1164, Andrei Bogolyubsky undertook a campaign against the Volga Bulgarians, who were pushing the oppressed inhabitants of the Rostov and Suzdal lands. Hoping for the help of the Heavenly Queen, the prince took Her with him miraculous icon, which was brought by him from Kiev and subsequently received the name Vladimirskaya. Two priests in vestments carried the holy icon and the Honorable Cross of Christ before the army. Before the battle, the pious prince, having joined the holy Mysteries, turned with a fervent prayer to the Mother of God: "Everyone who trusts in Thee, Lady, will not perish, and I am a sinner, I have a wall and a covering in You." Following the prince, before the icon, commanders and soldiers fell to their knees and, kissing the image, went against the enemy.
The Bulgarians were defeated and put to flight. According to legend, on the same day, the Greek emperor Manuel won a victory over the Saracens. Immutable proof of the miraculousness of both these victories was the huge fiery rays coming out from the icons of the Savior, the Mother of God and the Holy Cross that were in the army. These rays covered the shelves of the faithful rulers of Greece and Russia and were visible to all who fought. In memory of these miraculous victories, with the mutual consent of Prince Andrew and Emperor Manuel and with the blessing of representatives of the highest ecclesiastical authorities, a holiday was established for the All-Merciful Savior and the Most Holy Theotokos.
In the Russian Church, simultaneously with the celebration of the All-Merciful Savior, the remembrance of the Baptism of Rus that took place on August 1, 988 is combined, in remembrance of which it is established to perform a small consecration of water on this day. Therefore, the people sometimes call this holiday "Wet Spas".
Finally, the third holiday of the day is the memory of the holy Old Testament martyrs of Maccabees, who by the power of faith overcame the temptation of apostasy and, having endured a short-term torment, were vouchsafed salvation and eternal blessed life in the Kingdom of God.
The seven holy martyrs of the Maccabees: Abim, Antoninus, Guri, Eleazar, Eusebon, Adim and Markelles, as well as their mother Solomonia and teacher Eleazar, suffered in 166 BC. NS. from the Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanes. Antiochus Epiphanes, pursuing a policy of Hellenization of the population, introduced Greek pagan customs in Jerusalem and throughout Judea. He desecrated the Jerusalem temple, placing in it a statue of Olympian Zeus, to whom he forced the Jews to worship.
The ninety-year-old elder - the teacher of the law Eleazar, who was judged for adherence to the Mosaic law, went to torment with firmness and died in Jerusalem. The same courage was shown by the disciples of Saint Eleazar: the seven brothers of the Maccabees and their mother Solomonia. They, fearlessly recognizing themselves as followers of the True God, refused to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods.
The eldest of the boys, who was the first to answer the king on behalf of all seven brothers, was subjected to terrible tortures in front of the rest of the brothers and their mother; the other five brothers, one by one, endured the same torment. The seventh brother, the youngest, remained. Antiochus proposed to Saint Solomonia to persuade him to renounce, so that at least the last son would remain for her, but the courageous mother strengthened him in the confession of the True God. The boy endured the torment as hard as his older brothers.
After the death of all the children, Saint Solomonia, standing over their bodies, raised her hands with a prayer of gratitude to God and died.
The feat of the holy seven brothers Maccabees inspired the priest Mattathia and his sons, who raised a rebellion against Antiochus Epiphanes, which lasted from 166 to 160 BC. NS. and, having won the victory, they cleansed the Jerusalem temple of idols.
Meaning
The very name "Savior" "indicates that all the events mentioned are in one way or another connected with the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ and remind us of the need to believe in Him and hope in His mercy. But the Lord can be called the Savior only by one who realizes his position as dangerous, disastrous. And if we forget this our true position, then we are helped to comprehend dramatic events and circumstances that exceed our strength and threaten us with many hardships and even the very death.
The destruction of the Honorable Trees for us is not only a rite of worship of the life-giving Cross, not only a manifestation of reverence, but also an occasion to confess our weakness before the greatness and complexity of this world, in which a person without God's help is like a speck of dust in a hurricane whirlwind.
We remember the One by whose power the instrument of execution became the tree of life for the believer. And then even fires, drought, heat - can become for us a source of life, repentant comprehension of the vanity of this world, awareness of the higher vocation of the soul, can become for us the beginning of a real conversion to God.
The beginning of the Dormition Lent is timed to the day when we remember and honor the aforementioned events. This fast, two weeks and strict, prepares us for the celebration of the Assumption of the Most Pure Lady of the Theotokos on August 28 (15).
The life of the Most Pure Lady was full of hardships and hardships, she was destined to endure the torment of a mother who sees the torment of the crucified Son, and not only the Son, but the eternal God, who suffers innocently for the sins of the whole world by his sinless human nature.
Of course, this pain, this suffering of the Golgotha coming was the main sorrow of the Most Pure Lady in her earthly life. And the memories of this event again lead us to a quivering contemplation of the incomprehensible mystery of the redemptiveGodmother of the Savior's Sacrifice The sacrifice that transformed the instrument of death into the life-giving victorious Tree of the Cross of the Lord. ItselfDormition of the Most Holy Theotokos understood by Christians asresolution holiday from the arduous bonds of earthly life, the holiday of the complete reunification of the Most Pure Mother with Her Beloved Son.
But the period preceding this celebration was full of everyday sorrows, the more sorrows the greater the righteousness of the Most Holy Theotokos. This fast was established as a reminder of the grief of the Most Pure Mother, of the need for a temperate and strict life.
Sermon by Archbishop Theophan of Chelyabinsk and Zlatoust at the beginning of the Dormition Lent
Traditions
Why is this holiday popularly called the Savior of Honey? By this time it is ripe honey new collection and this, of course, is a gift of God, which is why it is customary to bring the collection for consecration to the temple, thanks to God and no longer just as a delicacy, but as a clear, tangible embodiment of God's grace, mercy to us, worthy of "all condemnation and torment." On the same day, according to an old tradition, a small consecration of water is performed, medicinal herbs and poppy.
After the consecration of honey on this day, everyone who wished was treated to it and first of all distributed honey to the poor. In the old days, they even said that "the first one saved and the beggar will try the honey."
However, it must be remembered that the consecration of honey on this day is just a pious tradition. Traditions like these (like, for example, the consecration of apples on the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord) are quite natural for consciousness an orthodox person... The earth and everything living on it produce fruits by the providence of God, and the person who takes part in the production of these fruits, as a token of thanksgiving to God for helping in this matter, brought the first grown fruits to the temple.
Therefore, the tradition of blessing honey on this day itself is in no way connected with the holiday of the All-Merciful Savior. And, of course, this pious tradition should not overshadow the holiday celebrated by the Orthodox Church on this day.
Recipes
Like good hosts, covering festive table, they are waiting for the arrival of guests, so the faithful are waiting for the church blessing to eat honey, especially since honey is one of the most delicious and healthylean foods ... It is very beneficial for health: it normalizes the functioning of many internal organs, improves blood composition, and enhances immunity.
Before we consecrate honey, let's make sure of its proper quality. Experts talk about two ways to determine the quality of honey.
The first is transfusion. You need to scoop up the honey with a spoon and pour it into another container, holding the spoon higher. If honey is poured in a thin, even, uninterrupted "thread" or ribbon, then it is well cooked. You can also flip the spoon over several times: good honey does not flow off the spoon, but "wraps" around it.
The second way is to dip a simple soft ("M" or "2M") pencil in a drop of honey. If the graphite darkens, then the honey is not of high quality.
Real honey is easily rubbed between the fingers and absorbed into the skin, which cannot be said about a fake, which, when rubbed, leaves lumps on the skin.
When honey is selected and consecrated, you can start cooking lean foods for the joy of the family.
Lenten honey gingerbread:
1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 0.5 teaspoon baking powder, 2 tablespoons cocoa or coffee, 0.5 cups raisins, 0.5 cups chopped nuts, 0.5 cups vegetable oil, 1.5-2 cups of flour, a pinch of cinnamon and coriander.
Pour sugar into a bowl, pour water and vegetable oil, heat a little, add honey. Stir to dissolve the sugar and honey. Mix soda, cocoa or coffee, spices in a separate bowl, then add this to the mixture of oil, water and honey and knead thoroughly so that there are no lumps.
Add nuts, raisins, and baking powder. You need so much flour so that the dough resembles thick sour cream. Bake in a dish lined with baking paper or oiled and sprinkled with flour, 30-35 minutes at 200 degrees.
The rug can be eaten like this or cut across and layered with any jam or preserves.
Meringue honey
Mix the wheat flour well with powdered sugar, add the grated zest of 1 lemon, crushed cinnamon and cloves to taste, a little soda and honey (enough so that the dough is not very steep, but also not runny).
Roll out cakes from the dough 5 mm thick, cut out circles and bake on a greased baking sheet. When the cookies have cooled, sprinkle with white icing sugar.
Honey kvass
800g. honey, 2 lemon, 25g. yeast, 5 l. water.
Put honey in boiling water and stir well.
When the liquid has cooled to 20 ° C, introduce yeast, lemon juice or citric acid and leave to stand for 10-12 hours.
Cool, pour into bottles and seal them.
Honey salad
2 carrots:
2 apples;
8 - 10 walnuts;
0.5 lemon juice,
2 tablespoons of honey.
Grate carrots and apples, add chopped nuts and season with honey and lemon juice.
Monastic honey
1 kg. honey, Evil. water, 2 teaspoons of hops.
Stir honey with water and simmer over low heat for 3 hours. Put hops in cheesecloth, a small pebble, and tying it in a knot, put it in a saucepan with honey (a pebble is necessary so that the hops do not float). Boil honey with hops for 1 hour, periodically, as it boils, adding hot water.
Remove honey from heat and while still warm, strain through cheesecloth into glass or wooden dishes... In this case, the container should be filled no more than 4/5 of its volume. Leave the dishes in a warm place (near the stove, radiator) for honey fermentation. Typically, it starts a day or two after the honey is boiled.
When the honey wanders (stops hissing), pour half a glass of well-brewed tea into it (1 teaspoon of tea leaves for 1 cup of boiling water). Then, without interfering, strain the honey through the flannel (preferably several times).
The strained honey is ready for consumption. However, it will acquire excellent taste after a year of storage in a cool place.
Holiday "Wearing out (or origin) of the honest trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord" celebrated in the Orthodox Church on August 14 in a new style.
The history and meaning of the holiday
The feast of the bearing of the trees of the Cross of the Lord originated in the Greek Church in the 9th century. The word "wear" (or "origin") is not quite a correct translation Greek word, meaning a solemn procession or religious procession.
The life-giving Cross of the Lord was acquired during the reign of the holy Empress Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great, around 326. In honor of this great event, the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord was established, and since then the greatest shrine of the entire Christian world has been in Byzantine Empire... Over time, a tradition arose to carry the Life-giving Cross of the Lord from the main church of the country, the temple in honor of St. Sophia the Wisdom of God, where it was kept, and to carry it around the streets of Constantinople. The reason for this was the many epidemics that often occurred in August, and thus, passing with the procession through the city, the believers prayed for their deliverance from diseases and the consecration of the entire city with a great shrine. At first, the Day of the Wearing of the Trees of the Cross of the Lord was a local holiday, but by XIII century the tradition of celebrating this event has been established in many Orthodox Local Churches... In Russia, this holiday appeared only in the second half of the XIV century, when the Russian Church adopted the liturgical Jerusalem charter. However, in the Russian Orthodox Church, the holiday acquired a new meaning, as it began to serve as a memory of the Baptism of Rus. Although the exact date of the beginning of the Baptism of Rus is unknown, it is generally accepted that this great event began in August 988. By order of the Patriarch of All Russia Filaret, starting in 1627, on the day of the destruction of the trees of the Cross of the Lord, processions of the cross were performed throughout the country, and the consecration of water took place.
In the Russian Orthodox Church, along with this holiday, the feast of the All-Merciful Savior is also celebrated, in memory of the victory that Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky won over the Volga Bulgars in the second half of the 12th century. Through prayers before the Cross and Vladimir icon Of the Mother of God, the Russian army was provided wonderful help and the enemy was defeated.
The feast of the bearing of the venerable trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord once again reminds of the atoning sacrifice made by Christ for the salvation of all mankind. Being the main symbol of Christianity, testifying to the triumph over death, the cross also reminds that the path to the Kingdom of Heaven is fraught with great hardships. Remembering the suffering of the Savior on the cross, every believer should remember that he is called to bear his life's cross, without which salvation is impossible.
Liturgical features of the holiday
According to its characteristics, the service of the feast of the carrying of the venerable trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord resembles the divine services of the Holy Cross Week of Great Lent, as well as the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord. This day is not one of the great holidays, therefore the celebration takes place only one day. At divine services, priests wear vestments purple... Before or after the liturgy, water is blessed, as well as honey, that is why in the folk tradition this holiday is called the "Savior of Honey". Unfortunately, for many people, the consecration of honey, fruit or water is the main goal. holiday, which obscures the meaning of the celebrated event. When bringing food to the temple for consecration, it should be remembered that by doing so, believers express their gratitude to God, who provides everyone with food.
Troparion, voice 1:
Save, Lord, Thy people and bless Thy heritage, victories Orthodox Christians to resist by giving and Thy keeping with Thy Cross the residence.
Kontakion, voice 4:
Ascended to the Cross by the will, / the same name of your new residence / grant your bounty, Christ God, / make us glad with your power, / giving us victories for adversaries, / assistance to those who have your weapon of peace // invincible victory.
Magnification:
We magnify Thee, the Life-Giving Christ, and we honor Thy Holy Cross, and you saved us from the work of the enemy.
Prayer:
May God rise again, and scatter Him, and let those who hate Him flee from His presence. Yako smoke disappears, yes disappear; as the wax melts from the face of fire, so let the demons perish from the face of those who love God and are signified sign of the cross, and in the joy of those who say: Rejoice, Most Honorable and Life-giving Cross of the Lord, drive away the demons by the power of the prophesied Lord Jesus Christ on you, the devil who has come down to hell and who has corrected the power of the devil, and who gave us His Honorable Cross to drive out every adversary. Oh, Most Honorable and Life-giving Cross of the Lord! Help me with the Holy Lady the Virgin Mary and with all the saints forever. Amen.
In contact with
According to the Charter, it refers to small holidays "with praise", but has one day of the forefeast.
The Russian name for the holiday "origin" is not a completely accurate translation of the Greek word, which means a solemn ceremony. Therefore, the word "wear" has been added to the name of the holiday.
Stroganov School, Public DomainOn this day, the memory of the holy martyrs of the Maccabees is also honored.
The history of the establishment of the holiday
The holiday was established in Constantinople in the 9th century, initially as a local one. In the XII-XIII centuries, he was established in all Orthodox churches. It appeared in Russia with the spread of the Jerusalem charter at the end of the XIV century.
The Greek Book of Hours of 1897 reports the following about the history of the establishment of the holiday:
“Due to illnesses, which very often occurred in August, the custom of wearing the Honorable Tree of the Cross on roads and streets for the consecration of places and for the aversion of illnesses was established in Constantinople from ancient times. On the eve, having worn it out from the royal treasury, they laid it at the holy meal of the Great Church. From now on until the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, they made litias throughout the city and offered it to the people for worship. This is the origin of the Honorable Cross. "
"The Legend of the effective ranks of the Holy Cathedral and Apostolic Church of the Assumption" of 1627, compiled by order of the Patriarch of Moscow Filaret (Romanov):
"And to the origin on the day of the honest cross there is a course, consecration for the sake of water and enlightenment for the sake of man, in all cities and towns."
On the church calendar
August 1 in the Russian Orthodox Church also takes place Feast of the All-Merciful Savior and the Most Holy Theotokos in memory of the victory won by Andrey Bogolyubsky over the Volga Bulgars in 1164. The noble prince took on a campaign the miraculous icon of the Vladimir Mother of God and the Honorable Cross of Christ, before the battle he prayed fervently, asking for the protection and patronage of the Lady.
On the same day, thanks to the help from above, the Roman emperor Manuel won a victory over the Saracens. Therefore, the holiday could have been established for them.
unknown, Public Domain Divine service
The features of the service are similar to those of the service of the Week of the Cross (3rd week of Great Lent) and the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14).
In the modern liturgical practice of the Russian Orthodox Church, on the eve (that is, July 31), and (small Vespers, which should be served, according to the Divine Service Rule, before Vespers, is not celebrated in modern parish practice (and in most monasteries)). Before evening, in this case, the transfer of the Cross from the altar to the throne takes place according to the order established for the Week of the Cross. If Matins is sent in the morning, then the Cross is transferred to the throne after the release is in the dark.
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Seven Martyrs Maccabees
These holy martyrs lived in the II century before the Nativity of Christ. During these times, the king of Syria Antiochus Epiphanes enslaved the Jewish people and wanted to force the sons of Israel to accept pagan customs, reject the customs and rules bequeathed to them from their fathers. To this end, he ordered everyone to eat pork - the meat of an unclean animal prohibited by the Law (cf. Lev. 11: 7-8).
At first, they decided to force the scribe Eleazar to do this by opening his mouth by force. But the holy elder spat out the food with contempt and rejected the advice to pretend to be subdued in order to save life.
Honey Savior
(About folk rituals)
Honey Savior (also Poppy Savior, First Savior) - folk and Orthodox holiday on the first day of the Assumption Lent on August 1 (14). In Russia, a small consecration of water was performed, the collection of honey and its consecration began.
Other names
First Savior, Wet Savior, Savior on the water, Gourmet, Honey holiday, Medolom, Bee holiday, Seeing off the summer, Spasovka, "Zelnaya Makavey" (Belarusian), "Makoviya" (Ukrainian), Maccabee.
Customs of the Eastern Slavs
Spas or Spas begin - popular name the first half of August according to the old style, when the three Spas and Obzhinka are celebrated. It is believed that the names were given in honor of Jesus Christ the Savior (Savior). According to folk etymology, the meaning of the word "saved" comes from "to be saved", that is, to save oneself, to survive by eating something, namely: honey, apples, bread.
According to tradition, on this day, a small consecration of water, as well as a new collection of honey, is blessed, its use for food is blessed - they bake honey gingerbread, pancakes with poppy seeds and honey, pies, buns, buns with poppy seeds. Sowing of winter rye began in most regions.
Farewell to the summer begins with Spas. They say: "The Savior has everything in store: rain, bountiful, and gray weather." Roses fade, the first swallows and swifts fly away. According to the weather of this day, they judge what the third (nutty) Savior will be like.
On the First Savior, "woman's sins" are forgiven: women are forgiven all their unforgiving sins.
Name
The First Spas is called Honey, because the honeycombs in the hives by this time are usually filled to capacity, and the beekeepers begin to collect. It was believed that if the bee does not break the honeycomb, then the neighboring bees will pull out all the honey. According to tradition, it was allowed to eat honey consecrated by the church from that very day.
"On the first Savior and the beggar will try honey!" In the morning, beekeepers diligently looked out for the sign of the cross, hives, choosing among them the richest in honey stock. Having chosen the beehive, they "broke" the honeycombs out of it and, putting some of them in a new, unused wooden vessel, they carried it to the church. After Mass, the priest blessed the “new nova” from the summer labors of the bee, “God's worker,” and began to sanctify the honey brought in honeycombs. The clerk was collecting the “priest’s share”. Part of the consecrated honey was immediately passed on to the “beggar brethren” who congratulated the beekeepers on the Savior of Honey. And then more than half of this holiday took place in the apiary. In the evening, a crowd of children and adolescents surrounded each bee, with rags or a leaf of burdock in their hands. They received a "childish share", after which they sang:
"Give, Lord, to the owner of many years,
Many years - long years!
And he will live for a long time - the Savior will not be angry,
Not to anger the Savior, to lead God's bees,
To lead God's bees, to drown an ardent wax -
To God for a candle, to the owner for profit,
House for increment,
Small children for consolation.
Give, Lord, the owner of the mother-father to feed,
Father-mother to feed, to raise small children,
Teach mind-mind!
Give, Lord, to the owner with his mistress
Sweet to eat, sweet to drink
And even that is sweeter in this world to live!
Give, Lord, to the owner of many years! "
A. Corinth. People's Russia
Eat honey with bread or various dishes, drunken honey was drunk at feasts, and many soft drinks, honey cakes and nuts were made on its basis. In ancient sources, honey is described as "the juice from the night dew, the one that bees collect from the flowers of fragrance." The villagers knew that honey has a special power and is suitable for the treatment of many diseases.
Sayings and signs
- On the first Savior, holy wells, bathe horses in the river, pinch peas, prepare a threshing floor, plow them for winter.
- On the first, he saved the holy wells, holy bread wreaths (southern).
- On the first save, horses (all livestock) are bathed.
- Plow for winter, this winter.
- First Savior - first sowing!
- Before Petrov, look up days, to fence Ilyin, to sow on the Savior!
- Spasov Day will show whose horse will jump (i.e. who will clean up the field earlier than other neighbors).
- Poppy is harvested on Maccabees.
- Rain on Maccabee - Few fires happen.
- Roses are blooming, good dew is falling.
- From the first spas and dew is good.
- On the first, the deer moistened the hoof (the water is cold).
- The bee stops carrying honey bribe.
- Break (trim) the honeycomb.
- In what Maccabees, in that and breaking the fast.
- The first Savior - to stand on the water, the second Savior - they eat apples, the third Savior - to sell canvases on the green mountains
The Feast of the Origin of the Honorable Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord is celebrated by the Orthodox Church on August 1st according to the old style and on August 14th according to the new style. This day has a special meaning as it is dedicated to one of the greatest shrines of Christianity.
The origin of the Honorable Trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord. History
The cross was acquired three centuries after the crucifixion of the son of God. The story of how this sacred to all was found Orthodox people subject, entered into the content of the Akathist to the Origin of the Honorable Trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord. It tells how, during the terrible times, the Emperor Constantine appeared, who finally saved the believers from constant persecution and executions. Until that time, the Orthodox had to hide their religion and conduct church services in secret, often paying for their faith with freedom and even life.
Saints Constantine and Helena
It was at these times that the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine came to power, whose mother, who was also glorified later in the Face of Saints, went down in history as a man who led the search for the Life-giving Cross of the Lord. On the Origin of the Honest Trees, at the church service, these events are remembered. When Saint Helena undertook a trip to Jerusalem to search for the greatest shrine of Christianity and other relics, her son in every possible way contributed to this undertaking.
A warm welcome to the pious queen was given by the Jerusalem Patriarch Macarius, who became famous for having made the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord. When the sacred relic was discovered, then, according to the Eastern tradition established by that time, he raised the Cross and showed it to the people who were on the streets of Jerusalem.
Holidays of the Cross
He did this four times, addressing the four cardinal points. Archbishop Macarius is also famous for advising Elena on the way in which the true cross of the Lord was identified, out of the three found near Calvary. This is described in detail in the hymns of the service on the Feast of the Origin of the Honorable Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. The wise old man said that a real shrine should be possessed healing properties... Therefore, the Tree of the Cross was attached to the body of a terminally ill woman, who, as a result, was healed. According to another version, the deceased was resurrected, who was carried to the cemetery for burial.
Another great idea of Empress Helena was the construction of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in the Holy Land, on the site where the Cross of the Lord was discovered. But this undertaking of the saint was not destined to come true during her lifetime. After the Equal-to-the-Apostles died, the construction was continued by her son, Emperor Constantine. The Lord's Cross is a shrine to which two are dedicated church holiday, one of which is one of the twelve main holidays of the Orthodox Church, the other, which is called the Day of the Origin (Wearing out) of the Honorable Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, although it is not a twelve-year holiday, but, despite this, is dearly loved by the people.
Russian tradition
A huge number of people usually gather for services and the procession traditionally held on this day. The origin (wear) of the Honorable Trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord is also called honey Savior... This is one of the three famous Savior in Orthodoxy. Before and after the service, the consecration of water and honey usually takes place. A few words should be said about the meaning of the name of this holiday. The word "origin" in this context refers to the traditional procession that takes place after the liturgy.
Baptism of Russia
For Russian Orthodox people, this date also has another meaning. It was on the day of the Origin of the Honorable Trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord that the baptism of Russia by the holy Prince Vladimir, who was also called the Red Sun by the people, took place. Whether this particular holiday was specially chosen in order to hold this significant event, history is silent about this. However, it is entirely possible that the coincidence is not accidental. Although the word "origin" in the name of the celebration is usually interpreted in a less common sense, nevertheless, it is nevertheless necessary to say about the actual origin of the Cross of the Lord.
On the Origin of the Honest Trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord
According to the version that the Orthodox Church professes, this sacred object was made of three types wood. After the relic was discovered, the saint decided that the cross should be divided so that believers from several countries would have the opportunity to worship the sacred relic. In Russia, there is also one of the parts of the life-giving Cross of the Lord.
Goden's Cross
It was found in a swampy area near the city of Yaroslavl and is now in a monastery located in a small settlement called Godenovo. From this cross, which was made from found wood and placed in main church monastery, several copies were made. They are in churches in different parts of Russia and Ukraine. One of these shrines visited space orbit during the expedition of the Russian-American cosmonaut team.
Processions and icons
In the procession of the cross, which certainly takes place on the feast of the Origin of the Honorable Trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, the priests invariably go first, who carry wooden crosses ahead of you. In churches where there is a copy of the Gaudin Cross, shrines usually participate in the procession. During the service dedicated to this great day, the akathist to the Origin of the Honorable Trees of the life-giving Cross of the Lord and the troparion are read. There are also known icons that are dedicated to this church date. They are usually painted in the traditional Russian icon-painting manner by medieval masters.
But there are also some features that distinguish them. As a rule, the composition of these icons is much more complicated than on the older images. The image is divided into two planes - upper and lower. At the bottom of the icon are painted people praying and angels performing the rite of blessing water, and at the top - Christ and the Most Pure Virgin surrounded by saints. Representatives of the upper world stand on the rocks, which symbolizes, on the one hand, the difficult path of man to heaven, and on the other, the firmness and inviolability of faith.
Feast in Byzantium
The establishment of this holiday is also connected with that circumstance. In medieval Constantinople, every year at the end of summer, there were numerous epidemics of terrible diseases. The doctors of that time did not know how to cope with the misfortune, and therefore they could only hope for the mercy of the Lord God.
Prayers were offered up to the Creator during the processions of the cross, which paraded along the main streets of all Orthodox cities, singing the glory of Jesus Christ, and praying to the Lord for mercy and the gift of salvation to the people from all diseases.
Saving image
In Russia, the holiday began to be celebrated only 500 years after its establishment on the territory of the Byzantine Empire. In the Russian chronicles, the reason for its occurrence was explained as follows: processions of the cross are important for the enlightenment of the people and for the consecration of water.
Also on this day, the victory of the Russian army over the Volga Bulgars before the battle is remembered. The commander prayed before the icon Mother of God holding baby Jesus in her arms. During the battle, priests were present among the soldiers, who carried the image in the middle of the army. At the same time, the Constantinople ruler also waged a war with enemies and won. The two kings knew each other and knew about the military successes of each.
It must be said that both rulers not only prayed fervently themselves, but also showed by their example how the whole army should act. When both troops returned to their camps, all the soldiers saw that a wonderful glow emanated from the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The rulers informed each other of this, as well as the bishops of their states, and together, came to the conclusion that a holiday should be established in honor of this event on the first day of August.
Features of the holiday
Even in the Orthodox tradition, this date is associated with the beginning of one of the fasts of the year-round liturgical cycle, namely, with the first day of the Dormition Lent. Church service carried out like those that are usually arranged on the day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, as well as on Great Lent, that is, on its third week, when the discovery of the Lord's Cross and the events that happened at that time in the city of Jerusalem are remembered.
It is believed that prayer in front of the icon of the Origin of the Honorable Trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord helps in cleansing from sins when performed with proper reverence, repentance and attention. An akathist dedicated to this shrine, like any other example of a given church genre, can be performed not only within the walls of the temple, but also at home, and, moreover, a priest does not have to be present.
The forefeast of the Origin of the Honorable Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord lasts one day, that is, the eve of the celebration is also solemnly celebrated. It was then that the Cross was taken out of the altar and laid down for worship by all the people. It must be said that the tradition of blessing water on the first day of the month existed in ancient Byzantium, from where it was adopted by the Russian Orthodox tradition... In Constantinople, the current ruler of the country usually took part in these events.
Baptism of Russia
Therefore, it is easy to trace the connection of this event with the day of the Baptism of Rus, when Prince Vladimir converted several thousand of the Kiev people to Christianity at once. There is a legend that Vladimir Krasnoe Solnyshko, realizing the inconsistency of the pagan religion that existed in Russia, decided to accept new faith, and to select her, he sent his ambassadors to some countries, where the main religions were professed, so that they would draw a conclusion that what is the main thing in each. The most convincing was the story of the servants who visited Byzantium and told about the religion that was adopted in this state.
Nowadays, Prince Vladimir Krasnoe Solnyshko is glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church in the face of the saints as an equal to the apostles, that is, the person whose deeds were similar in meaning to the deeds of Christ's disciples who spread Christian teaching throughout the world.
Blessing of water
The consecration of water in Russia took place and is taking place at the present time before the divine service and a sermon on the Origin of the Honorable Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord or after the service, sometimes both before and after. In the old days, for example, under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, they settled on the river in the capital Russian state places for dipping. Such places are called Jordani. In addition to this holiday, they are also made for Epiphany.
After the blessing of the water, the blessing of honey takes place. In the old days, special importance was attached to this rank. After it, people were allowed to eat honey of the new harvest. First, the priests treated themselves, then honey was distributed to orphans and the poor. Only after that did all the other parishioners begin the meal. Here is what the chronicle says about the celebration of this day in Moscow under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov: "On the Moskva River, the Jordan was traditionally arranged, near it were equipped places for the autocrat and the patriarch. The ruler of Russia plunged into the water that day, dressed in a light a shirt, over which gold crosses with the relics of saints were necessarily put on. "
After the patriarch blessed the king, the rite of blessing the water took place. The priests sprinkled the troops stationed near the Kremlin, and all the people gathered. Water for the palace was poured into two specially prepared silver vessels. Processions of the cross and the rite of blessing of water were arranged not only in cities, but also in villages. Not only people were dipping there, but also animals. Shepherds drove large and small flocks to the river cattle as well as horses. But this happened in places located at a sufficient distance from the Jordan. For the reason that this day is closely associated with the consecration of water, it is also popularly called the wet Savior.