Is it possible to shop on Maundy Thursday? Church candles on Maundy Thursday

Maundy (Maundy) Thursday falls on the seventh week of Lent and is celebrated three days before Happy Easter. In 2018 the holiday falls on April 5th

According to biblical tradition, three days before the crucifixion, Jesus gathered his 12 apostles to last supper. In his teachings, Christ constantly argued that one must lead a humble life and love one's neighbor. So that evening the Savior washed the feet of those gathered and shared bread and wine with them.

Moreover, the Bible says that it was at that meeting that Jesus told the disciples that one of them would soon betray the teacher. The Lord foresaw the sin of Judas, but chose not to name him. Unfortunately, this is what happened. On the night from Thursday to Friday, Judas sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

Maundy Thursday 2018: dos and don'ts

To ensure that well-being and prosperity do not bypass your home/apartment, on Maundy Thursday you need to do general cleaning.

In addition to cleaning your house/apartment, go through the things in your wardrobe and throw away any items that have become unusable. Thanks to this, you will open up space for something new.

If you have grievances, it is on Maundy Thursday that it is important to let them go. Talk to the person with whom you have some disagreements so that you don’t continue to carry the accumulated problems with you.

What not to do on Maundy Thursday 2018

Never leave your house dirty. If you ignore cleaning on Maundy Thursday, then there will be no harmony and peace in the family for the entire next year.

From Maundy Thursday to Good Friday, under no circumstances leave dishes or soaked but not washed laundry unwashed.

On Maundy Thursday and until Easter, do not give away anything valuable from home, and also do not borrow money: along with valuables, you can “give away” well-being.

Clean Thursday 2018 when to swim after 12 or before

On Maundy Thursday, try to get up before sunrise and rinse your body clean water. At this moment, you will wash away all the negativity that has accumulated over the past last year. After swimming, try not to think about bad things all day.

Maundy Thursday - what to do on this day to get married

According to popular beliefs, a lonely girl should clearly imagine the image of the desired man (perhaps this is a specific or imaginary person). Having tuned in and believing in the fulfillment of your dreams, you can reinforce your desire and perform the following rites and rituals:

They take ordinary soap and, calling the name of their loved one, say: “(Name) sticks to me like soap.”

After cleaning the house is finished, it is better to put your wardrobe in perfect order. And be sure to leave room... for men's clothing. This symbolic gesture allows you to imagine those days when your loved one will be nearby: the girl invites him into her life.

You can take the seed of any plant and plant it in a flower pot. A folk superstition says that if someone is imprisoned Maundy Thursday the flower will sprout quite quickly, then you won’t have long to wait until marriage.

But if a girl has been looking for her happiness for a long time, but has not yet met her betrothed, she must paint the eggs herself, bake Easter eggs and distribute them to everyone who needs them.

When to count money on Maundy Thursday

Many signs on Maundy Thursday are related to the financial well-being of the home. It is believed that when starting cleaning, windows and doors should be washed with water containing a handful of small items. This will attract money to the house. In addition, it was believed that general cleaning

Maundy Thursday will help you find things that were once lost, but expensive things. The water remaining after general cleaning should be poured away, imagining that all the troubles will go away with it.

If you count money on Maundy Thursday, 2018 could be a year of financial prosperity. Money must be counted three times on this day, at dawn, at midday sun and at sunset. You need to count all the money that is in the house and make sure that nothing distracts you during the counting. This process must be purposeful, with an understanding of the importance of tradition. Don't be distracted by telephone conversations, it will destroy all the strength of tradition. And there is no need to be late - the counting of money must be completed before sunset so that the money does not begin to decrease.

Maundy Thursday is considered the most suitable day for baking Easter cakes and for dyeing easter eggs. This tradition was also observed in Rus'. Housewives on Thursday baked Easter cakes from pre-prepared dough, cooked cottage cheese Easter(as people say - paski or pasochki) and other holiday treats, including those made from meat.

Also on Thursday, eggs were traditionally painted; this was considered an activity in which the whole family, especially children, had to be involved.

Holy Week- the time is very strict, but in folk tradition various rituals and beliefs associated with Maundy Thursday are still preserved.

So, on this day it is still customary to prepare the so-called Thursday salt. In Rus', the whole family participated in this ritual - household members took turns taking a pinch of salt and putting it in a common bag. Then the salt was poured onto a baking sheet and calcined, and then poured back. Thursday salt was considered a cure for all diseases; it was also added to water when washing floors to ensure a healthy spirit in the home.

Maundy Thursday signs customs conspiracies prayers

There are also many rituals associated with Maundy Thursday, the purpose of which is to improve the well-being of the family and protect oneself and loved ones from unnecessary expenses. There is still a tradition on Maundy Thursday to count money three times so that it is always in your pockets and in the house. You need to count money in the morning, afternoon and evening. After this, it is not customary to lend money before Easter, otherwise wealth will leave the house. It is also undesirable to give or throw away something at this time, for the same reasons - so that the house does not become impoverished.

To attract wealth, coins were sometimes thrown into the water intended for cleaning, saying: “Money, move - don’t transfer!”

The Maundy Thursday conspiracies also concerned Easter cake: if the main dish turned out well, then it was believed that the year would be nourishing and prosperous. Well, if the housewife made a mistake, then the spoiled Easter cake had to be thrown away as soon as possible, baked a new one and not tell anyone about the failure - this made it possible to avoid trouble. The same applied to other Easter dishes.

Today we will look at signs for Easter. Maundy Thursday precedes this holiday. According to tradition, it is on this day that it is customary to put the physical and spiritual body, as well as one’s own home, in order. Signs for Maundy Thursday before Easter are usually associated with the health and well-being of a person and his family. Also on this day, various rituals are often performed. For example, to attract love, financial stability and business prosperity.

Maundy Thursday precedes a great holiday, which means it carries a powerful energy flow. Possessing certain knowledge, you can use the strong charge that this day is endowed with in your favor. To do this, you should find out in more detail what you need to do on Maundy Thursday. Signs are mostly rooted in popular beliefs and are not directly related to religion.

Healing

The most famous and widespread custom associated with Maundy Thursday is washing before the sun rises. You should have time to complete the procedure at dawn. By popular belief, water can heal and cleanse the soul from sins, and the body from illnesses on this very day, especially before sunrise.

On this day it is customary to get a haircut. It is believed that hair cut on Maundy Thursday takes away illness and weakness. And the new one grows strong, giving its owner new strength and correct thoughts. Hair grows really quickly, so by following this sign, you can finally become the owner of a long braid.

For a child

If there is a baby growing in the house, approximately one year old, then it is best to cut his hair on this day. Previously, it was considered sinful to cut children's hair during the first 12 months of life. And now this tradition is observed by many.

Filling with positive energy

Signs for Maundy Thursday before Easter include putting your home in order. This applies specifically to general cleaning of the house, thanks to which the room is filled with new positive energy. Thus, grace descends on the home. In addition to purity, according to legend, a person finds things and objects that were once lost. Whether it’s a miracle or just the result of high-quality cleaning, everyone decides for themselves. However, there are really a lot of benefits from this. After all, it won’t be possible to clean up until next week, including weekends.

It is also customary to do a lot of laundry on this day. All textiles in the house should be cleaned. According to popular belief, on Maundy Thursday, the owners of the house laid straw on the floor and slept that way. Because at this time the laundry was drying after washing.

Welfare

Depending on what signs a person believes in on Maundy Thursday, he devotes highest value. Those who care about well-being and financial success should wash their windows with coins on this day. To carry out this ritual, you will need a bowl of water into which you need to throw change. After washing all the glass in the house, the liquid must first be poured under the young growth. The second part of it is closed in a jar and placed in the far corner. According to the sign, similar action will attract wealth to the house.

In order for a person to be overtaken by a wave of financial luck during the year, he should take all the money that is in the house, first add it up, and then count it sequentially. This must be done in private and repeated three times - in the morning, at lunch and after. By observing the signs of Maundy Thursday for money, it is possible to attract financial security and success into your life.

It is believed that material benefits can only come to a person who is in complete harmony with himself and the outside world. Therefore, many signs for Maundy Thursday touch on aspects of health, love and relationships. At all times, people have paid great attention physical condition body. As they say, if you have health, everything else can be bought. This is what most popular beliefs are based on.

Love

Signs for Maundy Thursday unmarried girls They mainly contain advice on how to attract a soul mate into your life. This can be done when counting money, because it is believed that its energy is close to the vibrations associated with love. That is why, when performing a ritual to attract finance, you should ask out loud for a meeting with your betrothed. It is believed that this not only helps to find a soul mate, but also to organize your life. Similar action It is suggested to perform during morning ablution. While collecting water in your palms, you should say a request over it to meet your man, then you should wash your face with it. Next, fill your hands a second time, say the words again and pour it onto your chest. It is believed that this will help align the mind and heart to the desired energy frequency. This is what helps to attract love into life. These and other rituals are recommended to be carried out on the eve of the great holiday. All manipulations should be carried out in good mood, with hope in your soul and positive thoughts. Such a positive charge will help make your wish come true before the next Easter holiday.

For marriage

To get married within a year, a girl needs to dry herself with a bath towel when bathing on Thursday, and then on Easter and colored eggs give it in a basket to the poor near the church. Some sources recommend that you first sanctify this alms and only then give the donation.

What other ones exist? folk signs on Maundy Thursday? There are beliefs associated with rituals about damage and other magical effects. To do this, you need to prepare special water. It is necessary to fill the container, it will be good if you can place it on the windowsill under the moonlight on Thursday night. However, this point is not mandatory. Then any silver object should be immersed in water and allowed to brew. After this, you need to wash your face with it in the morning. If there are children in the family, then you need to sprinkle their faces with this water and moisten the curl on the crown.

Amulet

There are other signs for Easter. Clean Thursday has powerful energy, so it has a good counteraction to magical rituals performed with malicious intent. For example, the floors in the house should be washed with water infused with silver, over which the words are spoken: “Have a good home with me, and drive away the evil eye.” It is advisable to go through all the places, including under. Then the house will find reliable protection, and trouble and unkind glances will bypass him.

Signs with Easter cake

The following signs for Maundy Thursday testify to the grace that descends on the home along with the Holy Spirit. After all, on this day it is customary to bake Easter cake. It is believed that if the dough has risen well, and the product turns out to be rosy and of good quality, then love, prosperity and well-being will reign in the house all year.

If Easter is burnt from below, then the family will face losses and difficulties. If the bottom turns completely black, but the dough is not baked in the middle, this indicates a serious illness or death in the environment.

If the Easter cake does not rise, expect a loss of strength and loss of health this year. It should be remembered that the quality of the product, especially from yeast dough, has always influenced state of mind and the mood of the hostess who prepared it. You can't get down to business with heavy thoughts. In this case, the Easter cake will not rise, time will be wasted, and the food will be thrown away.

Conclusion

Whatever signs on Maundy Thursday exist in beliefs, they were all invented by the people and have rather pagan roots. Previously, people were less educated. They could only believe what those a little more enlightened said. This is exactly how signs for Maundy Thursday, beliefs and rituals were born. TO Orthodox faith they are generally unrelated. Is it worth giving signs great value- a matter that concerns everyone individually. However, cleaning up your home, actions and thoughts will not hurt anyone.

In 2018, Maundy Thursday will be celebrated on April 5, and many people are wondering whether it is possible to clean on this day or whether it is better to postpone everything until another time. The detailed answer to this question is given below.

Cleaning on Maundy Thursday - is it possible?

Definitely yes, and even necessary! It is believed that if in the house complete order, then the year will be successful, because all household members will feel a wave of freshness, cleanliness and order.

Here we are faced with a fairly common case when Orthodox and folk traditions are harmoniously combined with each other.

Thursday on Holy Week called clean because it was on this day that Christ washed the feet of all his 12 disciples (including Judas, who betrayed him a few hours later).

So it turned out that for several centuries in Rus' and other countries people have been trying to take a thorough swim on this day. And also to restore complete order in their homes - they removed cobwebs, swept away all the garbage, washed the windows and tinted the fences. This is understandable: Good Friday and Saturday are ahead. And then Easter is the main one Christian holiday, which today, without exaggeration, is celebrated by billions of people on our planet.

Interestingly, many housewives still try not to pour dirty water left after cleaning into the toilet or other place in the house on Maundy Thursday. It would be better to take it out and pour it somewhere outside the apartment - on a rocky path or in a ditch, so as not to disturb plants and other living creatures.

PLEASE NOTE

In fact, the question of whether it is possible to clean on Maundy Thursday can be reduced to a more general one: is it even possible to work on this day, or do any household or official chores?

Of course you can - life goes on in its own way. And each person acts not only according to his own desire, but also in accordance with the actual circumstances.

Is it possible to clean on Friday after Maundy Thursday?

If a person does not have time to complete all his affairs, he can swim and clean the house both before and after Thursday, Wordyou reports. So, often circumstances are such that it is possible to tidy up, wash, etc. only on Wednesday evening. You can also do these things on Friday and Saturday - there are no strict prohibitions here.

This point of view is shared by representatives of the Orthodox Church.

However, it is important to make one caveat here. The fact is that Friday and Saturday in Holy Week (week) are the times when the Savior was executed and crucified, and his spirit left his lifeless body. It is clear that these are the most difficult, dramatic days for all believers, when even fasting involves the most serious restrictions.

Therefore, at such moments it will be better to focus on reading the Bible, prayers and virtues. The bustle of the house can simply distract from the holiday and the days preceding it - therefore, if possible, it is better to finish bathing, washing and general cleaning of the house on Thursday.

What else can you do on Maundy Thursday?

Here’s what else they do on Maundy Thursday before Easter according to folk traditions:

1. IN modern conditions Not everyone can go to the bathhouse. But a silver spoon or other utensils made of this noble metal should probably be found in many homes. If you fill a silver bowl with water and wash your face with it in the morning (again, better before sunrise), you will receive a charge of vigor and health for the whole year. You can just put silver spoon into a vessel with water and wash.
2. You need to try to cleanse not only your body, but the whole house. On Maundy Thursday they try to get rid of all the trash, old things that have not been used for a long time.
3. Housewives are not forbidden to sew, wash and do other household chores on Maundy Thursday, and it is better to do them before the evening.
4. You also need to boil the eggs in the evening of Maundy Thursday, paint them, knead the dough, and then bake the Easter cakes. The pasochki will not go stale if you prepare them using the correct technology. An interesting nuance - on this day it is prohibited to take samples from Easter cake, eggs and other holiday dishes. Certainly, similar rule applies more to churchgoers who observe Lent. However, those who have not fasted can also heed the advice.
5. Even on Maundy Thursday, the so-called Thursday salt is prepared. It is prepared on the basis of ordinary salt - the crystals are mixed with the soggy crumb rye bread or with the grounds that remained after the kvass settled. It is believed that it will serve as an excellent amulet for the whole family, and will last for a whole year.
6. On Maundy Thursday they also make peculiar conspiracies for money and for the betrothed. For example, you could put a silver coin in water overnight and then hide it in your wallet for a whole year. Or take a piece of soap and say the name of your loved one, saying: “(Name) sticks to me like soap.” Of course, these traditions are more likely to be folk than church traditions. However, there is nothing wrong with a person’s very desire to find love and live in abundance.

Maundy Thursday (Maundy Thursday)

. H Maundy Thursday is a day of cleanliness. Whoever has dirt in his house on this day will be in dirt and quarrel all year.

. Small children get their hair cut for the first time on Maundy Thursday (if they are already six months old, or better yet, a year old). On this day, a little wool is cut off from all livestock for its well-being.

. IN Clean Thursday they clean up in the morning, wash everything, otherwise they will be surrounded by dirt, quarrels and illnesses all year. From this day until Easter, nothing is given away from home.

. To make money, you need to count all the money three times, shoot a gun (if you have one), and rearrange the furniture.

. IN Everyone in the family take a handful of salt and pour it into one bag - this will be called “Thursday salt.” It is removed and stored in case it is necessary to treat someone, make a talisman for the family, home, garden, etc. If there are often quarrels in the family, then they put it in the food with the curse: “Salt, salt, sprinkle, happiness and peace I'm returning it to the house. Amen". For the purpose of prevention and in minor cases, use this spell and ordinary salt.

. You can remove deliberate damage today. Wash before dawn, saying: “I wash away what they put on me, what my soul and body are tossing around with, everything is removed on Clean Thursday. Amen".

.H So that the fellows are loved and not ignored, they say this when washing: “Just as Maundy Thursday is bright and red, so I will be a beautiful slave (name) for everyone. Amen".

. On Friday night they do not sleep, but pray.

. N You should make a talisman against the sorcerer, in case he cannot pin his or someone else’s illness on you. Knead the dough and make as many flat cakes as there are people in your family. Before baking them, draw crosses on them and say: “I renounce sign of the cross, God-given bread, from the deeds and illnesses of sorcerers of all stripes, from all volosts. Once this cake is digested in me, it will turn into shit, so whatever the sorcerer started against my family will turn into shit for him.” The flatbreads are eaten by family members.

The week before Easter is a special time. Therefore, people are often interested in what needs to be done on each day of Holy Week, including Maundy Thursday. For example, is it possible to clean, how to wash properly, and in general what does this day before Easter mean - Maundy Thursday? Folk traditions and them modern understanding, comments from church representatives - all this can be found in our article.

In 2018, this day falls on April 5, and Easter Sunday, i.e. Easter itself is on April 8. Maundy Thursday is also called: Holy Thursday; Maundy Thursday. The thing is that this is the 4th day of the so-called Holy (Red, Great) week - the last time of Christ’s earthly life. After all, on Friday he will be unjustly accused and executed, and on Easter he will be resurrected. This will become the main event of Christianity, which has been solemnly celebrated by all believers for 2 millennia. Therefore, if we talk about what Maundy Thursday before Easter means, we can say that it is rather not a holiday, but the last day of the Savior’s earthly life.

And it is called clean because it was on this evening that Christ washed the feet of all his 12 disciples during supper. That is, he literally took a vessel with water, a towel and washed everyone’s feet. The Lord never performed such an action in his earthly life. And it is clear that there is some unique, even touching moment in this episode. By washing his feet, Christ wanted to show that he came into the world precisely to serve. Yes, believers still worship him to this day as the Son of God. But at the same time, the Lord himself wanted to be known as a servant who came to the aid of sinful humanity.

There is also a very delicate, elegant detail in this story. After all, as you know, the East is a delicate matter. In the countries of this region, from ancient times, washing the feet was considered normal occurrence, a peculiar custom. When a distant guest came to the house, the owner, as a sign of his goodwill, poured water, took a towel and performed this pleasant, relaxing procedure. Thus, Christ showed his affection for the disciples. And he clearly demonstrated the idea of ​​serving people, giving an example to all of humanity.

What to do on Maundy Thursday before Easter: 5 traditions
That is why people have been customary for several centuries (if not millennia) on Maundy Thursday before Easter to go to the bathhouse with the whole family and bathe, keeping their body perfectly clean. True, there is also a interesting detail: water treatments should be done before sunrise.

It is believed that it is at this time that the water acquires the greatest healing power, just as it happens on the night of Epiphany. And in general, the anticipation of a holiday is sometimes the holiday itself. Therefore, they try to go to the baths on the night from Wednesday to Thursday.

It is believed that before bathing, even if it is purely symbolic, you must certainly say a prayer of gratitude, at least mentally. There is some truth in this: a positive perception of life really helps a person tune in to a pleasant wave and start his day, getting up, as they say, on the right foot.

Here’s what else they do on Maundy Thursday before Easter according to folk traditions:
Of course, not everyone can go to the bathhouse in modern conditions. But a silver spoon or other utensils made of this noble metal should probably be found in many homes. If you fill a silver bowl with water and wash your face with it in the morning (again, better before sunrise), you will receive a charge of vigor and health for the whole year. You can simply put a silver spoon in a vessel of water and wash your face.
You need to cleanse not only your body, but the whole house. On Maundy Thursday they try to get rid of all the trash, old things that have not been used for a long time. They remove garbage, wash the floor, sweep away small cobwebs. In a word, they restore perfect order. It is believed that it is no longer possible to clean the house until Easter, so it is better to try right away.

Housewives are not forbidden to sew, wash and do other household chores on Maundy Thursday, and it is better to do them before the evening.
And what else needs to be done on Maundy Thursday before Easter - boil eggs in the evening, color them, knead the dough, and then bake the Easter cakes. The pasochki will not go stale if you prepare them using the correct technology. But to do the cooking in Good Friday And Holy Saturday undesirable - these are the most intense, dramatic days of Holy Week. On Friday, as already mentioned, the crucifixion of Christ took place, and on Saturday night the lifeless body of the Savior was placed in the tomb.

Also on this day, the so-called Thursday salt is prepared. It is prepared on the basis of ordinary salt - the crystals are mixed with the soggy crumb of rye bread or with the grounds that remain after the kvass has settled. It is believed that it will serve as an excellent amulet for the whole family, and will last for a whole year. Therefore, such salt should be stored in a place of honor.

On Maundy Thursday they also make peculiar conspiracies for money and for the betrothed. For example, you can put a silver coin in water overnight and then hide it in your wallet for a whole year. Or take a piece of soap and say the name of your loved one, saying: “(Name) sticks to me like soap.” Of course, these traditions are more likely to be folk than church traditions. However, there is nothing wrong with a person’s very desire to find love and live in abundance.

What not to do on Maundy Thursday before Easter
Of course, just by the name of the holiday you can certainly say that on this day you should not forget about your hygiene. It is very important to carry out general cleaning, because if the house remains untidy, the owners will not be able to recharge with the positive energy of freshness, cleanliness and prepare for Easter.

Here are some other prohibitions:
When the apartment has been cleaned, it is best to dump the dirty water somewhere outside the house if possible. The best place is on a rocky surface where nothing grows. After all, with dirt comes negative energy, which must leave the house for a long time.
There is also an interesting belief about what people do on Thursday before Easter. It is believed that lending, as well as borrowing, is undesirable. And in general, if on this day you give away something valuable (for example, a souvenir or a book), then this bad sign– it’s better to choose any other day for gifts.

Of course, it is intuitively clear that since this day was the last in the earthly life of Christ, it is better not to arrange any lavish feasts, not to abuse alcohol and other earthly pleasures. After all, in a few hours Judas will betray the Savior, and then Jesus will be crucified. Therefore, it is better to wait until Easter if possible to have fun.

And here's another one interesting point– it is prohibited to take samples from Easter cakes, eggs and other holiday dishes. Of course, this rule applies to a greater extent to churchgoers who observe Lent. However, those who have not fasted can also heed the advice.

It is clear that Maundy Thursday is a pure, truly bright day, therefore there are no strict prohibitions as such. Each person can act in accordance with the circumstances and, of course, according to his own conscience.

What can you eat on Maundy Thursday?
From the point of view of fasting, Holy Week is considered the most strict - for example, on Friday and Saturday, eating food other than bread and water is generally prohibited. But on Thursday the requirements are a little softer. The so-called dry eating is allowed - you can take plant foods without any oil (including sunflower, olive, etc.). Another important point– hot dishes are prohibited.

That is, you can eat bread, unsweetened pastries, soaked fruits and vegetables, etc. And any meat, fish, or hot dishes are prohibited for fasting people.

At the same time, the church does not consider certain concessions for pregnant and lactating women, the elderly and children to be a sin. And also for everyone who suffers from illnesses digestive system. That is, again, fasting is a matter of conscience and the real capabilities of the human body.