Holy Week, what not to do on each day of Holy Week. Is there anything I can do on Good Friday?
Holy Week for Christian believers is special period, not only the hardest for the body, but also the brightest for the soul. Translated from Church Slavonic language“passions” mean “trials and sufferings.” Holy Week is dedicated to the events in the dying days of Christ's earthly life: the Last Supper, betrayal, suffering, crucifixion, burial and resurrection. More Holy Week Before Easter, people call it Red and Clean Week.
Days of Holy Week
Each day of Holy Week begins with the name “Great” and has its own greatness and meaning.
Maundy Monday reminds us of the Old Testament patriarch Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his brothers, as a prototype of the suffering of Jesus Christ. We also recall the curse of the barren fig tree, symbolically showing the soul of a person without the fruits of faith, repentance and works of mercy.
On Maundy Tuesday, one reads about the denunciation of the Pharisees and scribes, the parables spoken by Jesus in the Jerusalem Temple.
On Holy Wednesday, the church remembers the betrayal of Jesus by his disciple Judas for 30 pieces of silver. Even on this day, the story is read about the sinner who prepared Jesus for burial, washing him with her tears and precious ointment.
IN Maundy Thursday in churches they read a passage from the Bible about the Last Supper, how the Savior washed the feet of the apostles.
Good Friday speaks of torment and death on the cross Christ.
On Holy Saturday, the service speaks of Christ’s presence in the tomb, and the consecration of Easter food takes place. On Saturday, an amazing and inexplicable phenomenon occurs in Jerusalem - the descent of the Holy Fire.
Benefits of fasting
Compliance with Orthodox fasting gives great benefit for the human body. Some people perceive it as a diet and assume that it is only useful for overweight people. This is wrong. The post is useful to everyone. mainly consists of cereals, fruits and vegetables containing a lot of fiber. Such food, like a universal cleaner, rids the body of waste and toxins, normalizes weight and makes the body healthier. And they strengthen the body well. Reducing the volume of the stomach during fasting reduces the need for food, especially since lean food very healthy and nutritious. Fasting is useful for sick and healthy, thin and fat. There is an opinion that Orthodox posts difficult to comply with, many expect hunger pangs. This is wrong. Those who try fasting are often surprised by how full they feel without eating. meat products. No pill can help cleanse and heal the body as much as fasting. Nowadays, you can easily make your Lenten meals varied thanks to many recipes. Therefore, the question of what to eat during Holy Week does not pose a problem.
Features of fasting days during Holy Week
Particularly strict fasting days occur before Easter. After a long forty-day fast, they are a great test. But sweeter holiday those who were able to control their womb. Holy Week before Easter encourages us to adhere to the second degree of fasting - dry eating. In this case, the usual rules include: refusal of meat and vegetable oil, cooking without any heat treatment (boiling or frying) is added, and on Friday and Saturday complete abstinence from any food is prescribed. However, this is a requirement of strict monastic order. Orthodox Christians take a blessing for this from a priest. Fast days should be carried out according to strength and health conditions. This process can be of different degrees:
- refusal of meat;
- plus giving up dairy products, including cheeses and butter;
- plus giving up eggs and all dishes containing them;
- plus giving up fish, etc.
In addition, during Lent it is necessary to reduce the volume of dishes, and especially during Holy Week.
Menu for Holy Week
The modern church charter is based on the rules for monks. For fasting laymen there is their own charter - the Old Russian Typik, used since the 12th century. It spells out what to eat during Holy Week, that the laity need to act “according to their strength” - in accordance with different life situations. There are concessions for the elderly, the sick, pregnant and lactating women, children, etc.
You should aim to eat one meal a day. The food should consist of raw vegetables with bread and water. Even with such strict rules When Holy Week takes place, the menu can be quite varied.
On Holy Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, dry eating is prescribed - cold food without vegetable oil, unheated drink.
Breakfast: vegetable or fruit salads, for example, cabbage-prunes or apple-cabbage with orange sauce, or topped with coconut-orange ambrosia.
Lunch: beet or carrot salad, potatoes with mushrooms or grated carrots with oranges.
Dinner: spicy carrots, pickled cucumbers, carrot and nut salad.
If you prepare the dishes suggested, or prepare something of your own, keep in mind that if the recipe contains oil, simply exclude it.
On Maundy Thursday you are allowed to eat boiled vegetables with butter and a small amount guilt.
Breakfast: apple and apricot soup, with apple or jam.
Lunch: “Motley salad”, vegetable or dried fruit soups, sweet pie with berries.
Dinner: vegetable soup or stew with vegetables and rice,
On Friday we try to abstain from food altogether. Only at three o'clock in the morning are you allowed to take some bread and water.
On Saturday you should also abstain from food if possible. If this is difficult for you, you can create a menu like this:
Breakfast: oatmeal soup with quince or cold soups with dried fruits, bread.
Lunch: potato soup, cabbage rolls with prunes and rice.
Dinner: bean soup with sweet pepper or mushroom solyanka.
When considering soup recipes, vegetable oil It can easily be eliminated if you do not fry the recommended products on it, but simmer it in water or immediately add it to the soup without additional heat treatment.
What not to do during Holy Week
By tradition Orthodox Church Christians spent this week in prayer, observed the strictest fasting, and tried to attend church every day. There was a ban even on loud conversations, laughter, singing songs and having fun. These days Lent, and especially strict rules Holy Week, few observe; even fewer attend church. The Church teaches that refusing to eat certain foods means little without spiritual fasting. It consists of prayers, doing good deeds, good thoughts, etc. If you have a desire to fast, and you are thinking about what to eat during Holy Week, remember the words of Theophan the Recluse: “Fasting seems gloomy until one enters into the field of it...”.
Spiritual fasting has its own “menu”: with it, a person “... avoids anger, rage, malice and revenge, avoids idle talk, foul language, idle talk, slander, condemnation, flattery, lies and all slander... a true faster is one who flees from all evil...", commands the Holy Church.
During Lent, and especially during Holy Week, it is prohibited and sex life. Kisses between husband and wife are allowed only in dark time days. What you cannot do during Holy Week is to sing, have fun, dance, laugh, attend any entertainment and entertainment events, holidays, birthdays and weddings, and give up extraneous thoughts. According to the monastic charter, it is forbidden to sit down at the table more than once a day; this is allowed only after sunset. IN Good Friday It is also not recommended to do housework and bathe.
Therefore, when taking part in preparations for the most important Christian holiday, think not only about what to eat during Holy Week, but also how to fast spiritually.
Traditions of Easter week
This week is full of traditions and rituals for every day; it is customary to start putting things in order not only in the soul, but also in the house. During Holy Week, a thorough general cleaning of the house was carried out - ceilings were whitewashed, walls were painted, rugs were washed, curtains were starched. The most beautiful tablecloths and napkins came from chests and chests of drawers.
Eat beautiful tradition On the Annunciation, release birds into the wild. In 2015, this holiday fell on Maundy Tuesday. Nowadays, the clergy symbolically releases tame pigeons. Animal rights activists recommend not buying wild birds from hunters and poachers, who are trying to profit from the suffering and death of birds, since birds often die after the stress of captivity.
This holiday will begin on April 10. It is believed that the holiday is dedicated to the last days of the life of Jesus Christ. Each day has its own permitted and prohibited foods, this must be taken into account, otherwise Holy Week will not be observed.
Description of the church holiday
There are many ways to celebrate Holy Week; this article will discuss the main activities of a believer during this period. Of course, one cannot talk about the church charter in such a dry manner - after all, Holy Week is a predecessor Happy Easter, which foreshadows a new round of your life, you cannot treat it so dryly.
Good Monday, for example, requires adherence to the principle of “dry food”, which neglects various fruits, and one cannot eat processed foods. But you can also play sports and carry out your usual activities, of course, remembering that a believer needs to observe huge amount rules
You need to eat exclusively as predicted. That is, you cannot determine your diet at your own will, you are a believer! You need to understand and be aware of your place in this ever-changing society. Otherwise, you can lose yourself in this way, drive yourself into depression. completely forget how to live correctly. And this is very bad, because everyone needs God in their heart, but you cannot anger him - you can send a terrible curse on yourself.
Yes, by not observing Holy Week according to all the rules, you can also incur the wrath of Jesus, and you may then very, very many times regret your rash decision, which is detrimental not only to physical but also to moral health, which cost you such punishment, You should not be too confident in yourself regarding this decision, otherwise you may completely forget about your situation. A believer must be aware of his place.
Until April 16, you will be able to enjoy this holiday, which brings the highest enlightenment to all believing families, does not bring anything bad and is one of the holiest weeks in the whole world.
Description by day of the week
You only need to drink water; for Great Monday, water is the most important thing. Together with the moisture, you must pull out all the violence from yourself, it is used very well in various places, but you may not notice how everything was resolved immediately - you need to understand that you cannot sin on Holy Monday either. You need to understand everything that exists in the world.
- On Wednesday you don’t have to bother at all - just eat what you already had. The environment is not different at all, that is, the “hunger strike” has not yet set in here. You do not need to atone for your sins, you are literally sanctified by God himself, if, of course, you understand your faith.
- On Maundy Thursday, plant foods are needed, this is where people’s “weight loss” begins. You need to use vegetable oil in your food so as not to gain much weight, but also to feel that you, too, can live in the same free way as you lived before.
- Friday is the most mournful day; on this day you can’t even drink Cahors. It’s absolutely impossible, you could anger God, who is already displeased with the fact that Friday is coming during this Holy Week. What to do? Definitely give up Cahors, so that you don’t have to do such a thing, you need to come to this on your own, not just “Anyhow,” but to do what needs to be done.
- Saturday is the great day on which begins complete cleansing souls, victory over evil. You should not neglect this, since it is victory over evil that can give you a new, divine appearance. It’s not like Friday, on Friday you may not have any insight at all, but if you can normally sacrifice yourself to Christ, then you too will have divine repentance, don’t forget about the rituals!
- You should forget about gambling and from various kinds of events there will only be problems, otherwise the holiday will be extremely useless for you, you will forget about your divine affiliation and will become only unnecessary sinners in the person of divine powers who will be disappointed in you and will no longer patronize your endeavors, and this is extremely terrible, you should not neglect this matter.
Immediately upon completion Palm Sunday The last week before Easter begins, which is called Passion. Each day of this week is called the Great Day - since it was on these days that events took place that had special meaning V Orthodox Christianity: last supper, the betrayal of Judas, the crucifixion of Christ - and then his Resurrection. That’s why every day has its own special and even mystical meaning.
Let's look at what you can and cannot do these days before Easter, and what signs and traditions exist.
Do's and Don'ts during Holy Week
Great Monday. Finished everything renovation work around the house, removing construction waste, taking out old, unnecessary things.
Great Tuesday. They finished repairing clothes, sewing, cutting, darning, ironing and the like. Melt water collected this year was used to wash livestock to protect him from illness.
Great Wednesday. At night, from Tuesday to Wednesday, they took water from a river or well into a large jug or mug, and overshadowed it three times sign of the cross. At two o'clock in the morning they poured this water on themselves, leaving a little at the bottom, crossing themselves three times. Clean clothes were put on the wet body, and the remaining water was poured under a tree or bush. This meant the birth of a washed body and, according to signs, protected from illness for the whole year.
Maundy Thursday - or Maundy Thursday. Maundy Thursday falls on April 13th in 2017. Maundy Thursday or Maundy Thursday is the fourth day of Holy Week, the most strict week Great Lent.
Swimming on Maundy Thursday has a symbolic meaning; on this day you need to wake up before sunrise and have time to swim. It is believed that in this way, as in Epiphany bathing, a person washes away all his sins, and all illnesses and illnesses will bypass him.
On Maundy Thursday you need to go to church for confession and communion. On this day, according to customs, it is customary to do things at home before Easter. general cleaning. It is after going to church on Maundy Thursday that you need to clean the house.
You need to clean very thoroughly, not superficially - you should wash all objects in the house, including the ceilings. There is a sign that if you clean your house well on Maundy Thursday, then the house will be clean for the entire next year. Again, cleanliness in the house will reflect the inner purity of the soul of a Christian believer.
In addition, it is necessary to wash all textiles and prepare traditional Easter food: Easter cakes and colored eggs.
Customs and signs for Maundy Thursday
1. Preparation Thursday salt. Each family member should take a handful of salt with clean hands and pour all the salt into a common pot. Every time the house is cleaned, salt should be added to the water for washing floors. It is believed that this custom helps improve the environment in the home.
After the grandiose cleaning carried out on Maundy Thursday, houses are not swept or cleaned according to custom until Easter.
2. The most famous sign on Maundy Thursday is to count the money three times - in the morning before dawn, at lunchtime and at sunset. It is believed that money will not be transferred in this way in the house.
3. Another one of the signs of Maundy Thursday is associated with Easter baking - if the treat turns out to be heavy and doughy, it means that the believer will have to wait the same year.
4.On Maundy Thursday, children’s hair and the ends of women’s hair are also cut - it is believed that this will make them grow better and be voluminous.
5.Women who are unhappy in their personal lives are instructed to go waist-deep into the river on Thursday night. Previously, it was believed that such a woman would soon meet her betrothed and her personal life will get better.
6.On Maundy Thursday you can carry out a conspiracy on good income. To do this, you need to throw a handful of coins into the water you are going to wash your apartment while saying: “Money, keep going - don’t transfer, grow, multiply, don’t get it to the enemy!”
On this day, they completed cleaning the house - they washed everything clean.
Holy Week is the last days before Easter. These days, believers remember the path of suffering and death on the cross of the Savior, so that later they can joyfully celebrate His Bright Resurrection. What you can and cannot do during Holy Week - read on.
The word “passion” translated from Old Church Slavonic means “torment”, “suffering”. Therefore Christians these days adhere to strict fasting, don't dance, don't sing. But many pray, often go to church and prepare for the Great Holiday.
Holy Week - what not to do on these days
Holy Week - what you can and cannot do during these days
The main thing these days is to pray more, sincerely repent, help loved ones, and leave entertainment and everyday hustle and bustle for later. This will help prepare the soul for the meeting Happy Easter and rejoice with pure thoughts and hearts.
During Holy Week, one must adhere to Lent, which ends on Easter. On Monday you can eat raw vegetables and fruits, as well as bread, honey and nuts. It is recommended to eat once a day - in the evening. On Tuesday, just like the previous day, raw fruits and vegetables, honey, nuts and bread are allowed. It is advisable to eat in the evening. On Wednesday you can eat bread, vegetables and fruits, cold raw food without oil. On Thursday you are allowed to eat hot vegetable food with butter twice a day. On Friday you need to abstain from eating altogether. On Saturday you can have one hot meal a day. plant food, but without oil. And on Sunday, April 8, Easter, all restrictions on food intake are lifted.
Holy Week - what you can eat these days
Every day of Holy Week is great and holy. All churches hold special services.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week are dedicated to the last conversations of Christ with his disciples and people. And on Thursday the reading of the Passion of Christ begins, so that people remember and honor His suffering.
IN Maundy Monday (April 2)– you need to finish all the housework: repair, paint, clean. IN Maundy Tuesday (April 3) you need to finish all the work related to clothes - washing, ironing and the like. IN Great Wednesday (April 4) The last of the trash is being taken out of the house. They also begin to prepare the eggs for painting, stocking up on everything necessary.
IN Maundy Thursday (April 5) It is customary to swim before sunrise. Churches light candles that need to be saved and brought home, since such a candle will protect the house from fire throughout the year. Also on this day they start baking Easter cakes.
Holy Week 2018 – what to do these days
IN (April 6) You can’t do anything around the house, or sing, dance, or even just listen to music. In memory of the torment of Christ, it is forbidden to eat until the Shroud is taken out in the church in the evening during services.
IN Holy Saturday (April 7) prepare everything for festive table, and also continue to paint eggs.
Holy Week ends with Big Resurrection - Easter. Lent ends on this day.
The last week before Easter is called Holy Week in memory of last days earthly life, death and burial of Jesus Christ. In 2019, it will last from April 22 to 27 and will end with the Easter holiday on the 28th.
What should you not do during Holy Week?
On these days, believers observe strict fasting. This is not only certain restrictions in the diet, but, first of all, cleansing the soul.
At this time, you need to avoid going to the theater, cinema, watching entertainment programs on TV, otherwise fasting will be meaningless.
What should you do during Holy Week? Believers should take a break from worldly, everyday affairs and devote themselves to spiritual concerns.
Spend more time in prayer, try to show more attention to friends and loved ones, help the poor and sick people.
What is prohibited during Holy Week? You should not be angry, quarrel, show impatience with people, use foul language, or judge people. Last week Lent should be calm, peaceful, spent in prayer and communication with the Lord.
Also these days you can’t guess about the future. As the priests say, people are not given to know what will happen to them in the future, but it is enough to know the past and live in the present. Believers must meet life circumstances With with an open heart and try to make a choice worthy of a Christian in any situation.
What can you do during Holy Week?
It is also called Clean or White Week, taking into account the observance of spiritual and bodily purity by believers. These days believers refuse intimacy married, and wedding ceremonies are not held in churches.
On Monday, you can start cleaning the house, remembering that cleaning and laundry should be completed on Thursday. All rituals of this day are aimed at cleansing the house of negativity that has accumulated over the winter and preparing for Easter.
On Maundy Thursday, also called Maundy Thursday, people do general cleaning in their houses, wash themselves.
However, starting from Good Friday, it is no longer possible to wash, get a haircut, clean, sew, wash, knit, etc. After Thursday, culinary preparations for Easter can only be continued on Saturday.
How is fasting observed during Holy Week by day?
On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (April 22, 23 and 24, 2019, respectively) you must refrain from cooked food, that is, limit raw vegetables and fruits.
On Maundy Thursday, April 25, 2019, you can eat hot food with vegetable oil and drink a little wine.
Saturday, April 27, 2019, before the appearance of the first star, is also considered a time of strict fasting, then dry eating is recommended for the rest of this day.
What should you not do during Lent during Holy Week? Consume products of animal origin and break your fast ahead of time, serving Easter cakes, Easter and painted eggs until Sunday.
We hope that our article about what is allowed and what is prohibited during Holy Week will help you spend these days following established traditions.
