When is the evening service for baptism? What time does the morning, evening, Saturday, Sunday and night service in church on weekdays and holidays, Christmas, Epiphany, Candlemas, Annunciation, Palm Sunday, Easter, Radonitsa begin and end?

The first Epiphany service (Epiphany Eve) takes place on the morning of January 18th. IN different temples it starts at 8 or 9 am. In the Church of the Holy Martyr Elizabeth in Pokrovsky-Streshnevo, the beginning of the service is 8.30. This is a large service, during which the Royal Hours are read, vespers is performed with the reading of Proverbs (texts of the Old and New Testaments) and the liturgy. After this, the icon of the holiday - the Baptism of the Lord - and a candle for the worship of believers are brought into the temple from the altar, the Troparion and Kontakion of the holiday are sung.

Iconostasis of the Church of the Holy Martyr Elizabeth

The service ends at approximately 11 o'clock in the afternoon and the first Great Blessing of Water (or Great Blessing of Water) begins immediately. Then the proverbs, the Apostle, and a special prayer for the consecration of water are read again with the invocation of the Holy Spirit. Moreover, believers pray for the consecration of not only the water that is located directly in the temple, but also all the waters on earth, the entire world ocean, which is why this prayer is called the Great Blessing of Water.

The second Epiphany service - the all-night vigil - takes place on the evening of January 18: starts at 17 - 18:00, ends at 19 - 20:00; at St. Elizabeth's Church the service will be held at 5:00 p.m. In some churches and monasteries, this service is held at night in the likeness of Christmas, which returns to the beginning of the history of the holiday, when Christmas and Epiphany were celebrated together.

Around midnight it is customary to leave the temple to open springs. Epiphany fonts - ice holes in the shape of a cross - are organized on ponds and rivers. The priests perform the prayer of the Great Blessing of Water for the second time.

Finally, the third Great Blessing of Water takes place after the morning liturgy on January 19, the day of Epiphany (Baptism). In the Church of the Holy Martyr Elizabeth in Pokrovsky-Streshnevo, the service will begin at 8:30.

There is a popular belief that water blessed on Epiphany Eve and Epiphany has different properties, however, the clergy assure that this is a delusion: it is absolutely equivalent.

Saint John Chrysostom wrote in the 4th century that water, if taken with faith, retains its properties for a whole year - until the next Great Blessing of Water.

2. Epiphany Christmas Eve, or hungry day

A long Epiphany fast, similar to Christmas or Great Lent, does not exist as such. Before Epiphany, it is customary to fast only one day - on Epiphany Christmas Eve. It is also popularly called “hunger day.”

This is due to the fact that after the morning liturgies on January 18 and 19, believers usually take communion. Therefore, before the morning service on January 18, they do not eat anything, and after its end they satisfy their hunger with sochiv - lean dishes made from boiled wheat grains, which are sometimes replaced with rice or lentils. And after the morning liturgy on January 19, you can already set the festive family table.

3. Immersion in the ice hole and sprinkling the house with Epiphany water

For many parishioners, the main tradition associated with Epiphany is immersion in an ice hole on the night of January 18-19, which takes place after the Great Blessing of Water at open sources.

In Moscow, for example, there are many reservoirs on which baptismal fonts are created. This year, a special mobile font will be brought even to the center of the capital - to Revolution Square.

For a long time, it has been customary on January 18 and 19, after the services during which the Great Blessing of Water takes place, to bring Epiphany water home and sprinkle it throughout the home, including utility rooms.

This water has extraordinary power - it heals, cleanses and drives away evil. Its miraculous properties have been proven even by scientists - in the light and under room temperature she for a long time does not change taste, color or smell. The most important thing is to take Epiphany water with faith - this is the secret of its healing effect on soul and body.

History of the Feast of Epiphany

Only 12 days pass from Christmas to Epiphany, and these two holidays are inextricably linked by tradition. The fact is that for almost four centuries, starting from the 3rd century, they were celebrated on one day - January 7, and this holiday was called Epiphany.

On the day of Epiphany, they remembered two main events associated with the coming of Christ into the world: Christmas is the beginning of his earthly life, Baptism is the Savior’s entrance into public service. Having received Baptism in the waters of the Jordan, Christ retired to the desert for 40 days, and then returned to the people and began to preach.

It is interesting that the texts of the Gospels almost do not describe the thirty-year period of the Savior’s life, which followed from Christmas to Baptism. Only one episode is mentioned, when at the age of 12 he preached in the temple.

In the 6th century, the holidays were divided: Christmas began to be celebrated on December 25, and Epiphany on January 7. Currently, they are celebrated by Orthodox Christians in the new style - January 7 and 19.

The church services of Christmas and Epiphany, due to the fact that they were once a single holiday, are very similar. Only Epiphany, January 19, is now called the Feast of Epiphany. Now these are synonyms.

On January 19, Orthodox Christians will celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany or Epiphany, which will be preceded by Christmas Eve on January 18. Archpriest Maxim Pervozvansky told “Foma” what Epiphany Eve is and what place it occupies in the Church.

What is Christmas Eve?

Epiphany Christmas Eve (Nochevnik) is popular name day before the feast of the Epiphany, coming from the word “sochivo” - a Lenten dish that believers eat on this day. Sochivo is boiled wheat grains seasoned with honey, dried fruits and other sweets. In church tradition, this time is called the Eve of Epiphany or the Eve of Epiphany.

Christmas Eve service

Traditionally, the Hours and Vespers are celebrated in the church on this day with the reading of proverbs (excerpts from books Holy Scripture) and the Liturgy of Basil the Great, that is, this is a very large service, similar to those performed on Christmas Eve and Holy Saturday. All liturgical texts of this day are dedicated to the Baptism of the Lord and the Epiphany. The Liturgy on this day begins with Vespers, that is, unusual look Liturgy, which is celebrated only a few times a year - Christmas Eve, Epiphany Eve, Maundy Thursday and Holy Saturday.

Epiphany water and bathing

Photo by Vladimir Eshtokina

At Epiphany, the water is blessed twice: the first time on Christmas Eve, and the second, in fact, on the holiday. The most important folk tradition at Epiphany is, of course, swimming in ponds and ice holes. There are different attitudes to this in the Church, but I think that if everything is done correctly and consistently, then it is quite acceptable. I believe that it is important for the Church not to limit itself to the walls of the church, but to spread the joy of the holiday as much as possible even to people far from the Church. Moreover, such days in church calendar not so much. The only thing I would recommend to believers who want to swim for Epiphany is to do it at noon on January 19, because at night swimming, where many non-church people come, the atmosphere may not be very pious. Although, according to by and large, the fundamental difference here

Fasting on Christmas Eve

On Epiphany Eve there is strict fasting and, in principle, one is not supposed to eat anything until the water is blessed, that is, until approximately noon on January 18th. According to tradition, believers eat richly. In fact, Epiphany Eve is the first day of fasting after Christmas, since before that the Church celebrates Christmastide, when there is no fasting. However, the day itself on the feast of the Epiphany is not fast.

How to spend your time

There is no special riotous fun on Epiphany Eve. If a person has the opportunity to be in church at this time, then it would be good to be there. Moreover, all the services of this cycle - Christmas - Christmas Eve - Epiphany - are special and very beautiful. This, by the way, is recognized by people who go to church for the first time on Christmas Eve.

When to swim on Epiphany - January 18 or 19- this question is asked very often on the days of Epiphany and Epiphany.

The most important thing you need to know about the Baptism of the Lord is not when to swim (it is not at all necessary to plunge into an ice hole on this day), but that on this day the Lord Jesus Christ himself was baptized. Therefore, on January 18 in the evening and January 19 in the morning, it is important to be in church for the service, confess, take communion and take holy water, the great agiasma.

They bathe, according to tradition, after the evening service on January 18 and on the night of January 18-19. Access to the fonts is usually open on January 19 throughout the day.

Common questions about bathing at Epiphany

Is it necessary to swim in an ice hole at Epiphany?

Is it necessary to swim at Epiphany? And if there is no frost, will bathing be Epiphany?

In any church holiday, it is necessary to distinguish between its meaning and the traditions that have developed around it. The main thing in the feast of the Epiphany is the Epiphany, the Baptism of Christ by John the Baptist, the voice of God the Father from heaven “This is my beloved Son” and the Holy Spirit descending on Christ. The main thing for a Christian on this day is to be present at church service, confession and Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, communion Epiphany water.

The established traditions of swimming in cold ice holes are not directly related to the Feast of the Epiphany itself, are not mandatory and, most importantly, do not cleanse a person of sins, which, unfortunately, is discussed a lot in the media.

Such traditions should not be treated as magical rites- The holiday of Epiphany is celebrated by Orthodox Christians in hot Africa, America, and Australia. After all, the palm branches of the feast of the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem were replaced by willows in Russia, and the consecration grape vines on the Transfiguration of the Lord - with the blessing of the apple harvest. Also, on the day of the Epiphany of the Lord, all waters will be sanctified, regardless of their temperature.

Archpriest Igor Pchelintsev

Probably, we should start not with swimming in the Epiphany frosts, but with the very blessed holiday Epiphanies. By the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ, all water, in all its forms, is sanctified, because for two thousand years the water of the Jordan River, which touched the blessed body of Christ, rose to the heavens millions of times, floated in the clouds and returned again as raindrops to the earth. What is it in - in trees, lakes, rivers, grass? Pieces of her are everywhere. And now the feast of Epiphany is approaching, when the Lord gives us an abundance of consecrated water. Concern awakens in every person: what about me? After all, this is my chance to cleanse myself! Don't miss it! And so people, without hesitation, even with some kind of despair, rush to the ice hole and, having plunged, then talk about their “feat” for a whole year. Did they partake of the grace of our Lord or did they gratify their pride?

Orthodox man walking calm from one church holiday to another, observing fasts, confessing and receiving communion. And he prepares slowly for Epiphany, deciding within the family circle who will be honored, after confession and communion, to plunge into the Jordan, according to the ancient Russian tradition, and who, due to being a child or indisposed, will wash their face with holy water, or take a bath at a holy spring, or simply take holy water with prayer as a spiritual medicine. Thank God, we have plenty to choose from, and we don’t need to take risks thoughtlessly if a person is weakened by illness. The Jordan is not a Pool of Sheep (see John 5:1-4), and must be approached with caution. An experienced priest will not bless everyone for a bath. He will take care of choosing a place, strengthening the ice, a gangway, a warm place to undress and dress, and the presence of one of the Orthodox medical workers. Here, mass baptism will be appropriate and beneficial.

Another thing is the mass of desperate people who decided, without a blessing or just basic thought, to swim “for company” in ice water. Here we're talking about not about the strength of the spirit, but about the strength of the body. A strong spasm of skin vessels in response to the action of cold water leads to the fact that a mass of blood rushes into internal organs- heart, lungs, brain, stomach, liver, and for people with poor health this can end badly.

The danger especially increases for those who were preparing for “purification” in the ice hole by smoking and alcohol. Blood flow to the lungs will only increase chronic inflammation bronchi, which always accompanies smoking, can cause swelling of the bronchial wall and pneumonia. Long-term use of alcohol or acute intoxication and warm water constantly lead to misfortunes, let alone swimming in an ice hole. The arterial vessels of an alcoholic or a domestic drunkard, even if he is relatively young, are not able to respond correctly to massive cold exposure; in these cases, paradoxical reactions can be expected, including cardiac and respiratory arrest. With such bad habits and in such a state it is better not to approach the ice hole.

Archpriest Sergius Vogulkin, rector of the temple in the name of the icon Mother of God“Vsetsaritsa” of the city of Yekaterinburg, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor:

– Explain, after all, why an Orthodox person needs to bathe in ice water on Epiphany when it’s thirty degrees below zero outside?

Priest Svyatoslav Shevchenko:- We need to differentiate folk customs and church liturgical practice. The Church does not call believers to climb into icy water - everyone decides for themselves individually. But today the custom of plunging into a frosty hole has become something newfangled for non-church people. It is clear that on major Orthodox holidays there is a religious surge among the Russian people - and there is nothing wrong with that. But what is not very good is that people limit themselves to this superficial ablution. Moreover, some seriously believe that by bathing in the Epiphany Jordan, they will wash away all the sins that have accumulated over the year. These are pagan superstitions, and they have nothing in common with church teaching. Sins are absolved by the priest in the sacrament of Penance. In addition, in search of thrills we miss the main point feast of the Epiphany.

Where did the tradition of diving into an ice hole at Epiphany come from? Is it necessary for every Orthodox Christian to do this? Do priests bathe in ice water? What is the place of this tradition in Christian hierarchy values?

Archpriest Vladimir Vigilyansky, rector of the Church of the Martyr Tatiana at Moscow State University:

Faith is not tested by swimming

- at Epiphany - a relatively new tradition. Neither in historical literature about Ancient Rus', nor in the memories of pre-revolutionary Russia I haven’t read that somewhere on Epiphany they cut through the ice and swim. But there is nothing wrong with this tradition itself, you just need to understand that the Church does not force anyone to swim in cold water.

The consecration of water is a reminder that the Lord is everywhere, sanctifying the entire nature of the earth, and the earth was created for man, for life. Without understanding that God is with us everywhere, without spiritual understanding of the feast of Epiphany, Epiphany bathing turns into a sport, a love of extreme sports. It is important to feel the presence of the Trinity, which permeates all natural nature, and to join precisely this presence. And the rest, including bathing in a consecrated spring, is just a relatively new tradition.

I serve in the center of Moscow, far from the water, so swimming is not practiced in our parish. But, for example, I know that in the Trinity Church in Ostankino, which is located near the Ostankino ponds, they consecrate water and wash themselves with it. Those who have been swimming for more than a year should continue to swim. And if a person wants to join this tradition for the first time, I would advise him to think about whether his health allows him, whether he tolerates the cold well. Faith is not tested by bathing.

Archpriest Konstantin Ostrovsky, rector of the Assumption Church in Krasnogorsk, dean of churches in the Krasnogorsk district:

The spiritual meaning is in the blessing of water, not in bathing

- Today the Church does not prohibit swimming in reservoirs, but before the revolution it had a negative attitude towards it. Father Sergius Bulgakov in his “Handbook for a Clergyman” writes the following:

“...In some places there is a custom of bathing in rivers on this day (especially those who dressed up, told fortunes, etc., bathed during Christmas time, superstitiously attributing to this bath a cleansing power from these sins). Such a custom cannot be justified by the desire to imitate the example of the Savior’s immersion in water, as well as the example of Palestinian pilgrims who bathe in the Jordan River at all times. In the east it is safe for pilgrims, because there is no such cold and such frosts as ours.

The belief in the healing and purifying power of water, consecrated by the Church on the very day of the Savior’s baptism, cannot speak in favor of such a custom, because swimming in winter means demanding a miracle from God or completely neglecting one’s life and health.”

(S.V. Bulgakov, “Handbook for priests and church ministers”, Publishing department of the Moscow Patriarchate, 1993, reprint of the 1913 edition, p. 24, footnote 2)

In my opinion, if you do not associate bathing with pagan beliefs, there is nothing wrong with it. Those who are healthy enough can take a dip, but don’t look for any spiritual meaning in it. Epiphany water has spiritual significance, but you can drink a drop of it, or sprinkle it on yourself, and it is absurd to think that the one who has bathed will necessarily receive more grace than the one who drank a sip. Receiving grace does not depend on this.

Not far from one of the churches of our deanery, in Opalikha, there is clean pond, I know that the clergy of the temple sanctify the water there. Why not? The Typikon allows this. Of course, at the end of the liturgy or, when Christmas Eve falls on Saturday or Sunday, at the end of Great Vespers. The consecration of water by the Great Rite at other times is permissible in exceptional cases.

For example, it happens that one priest is the rector of three rural churches at once. He cannot serve two liturgies a day. And so the priest serves and blesses the water in one temple, and travels to two others, sometimes tens of kilometers away, to bless the water especially for local residents. Then, of course, let's assume the Great Order. Or in a nursing home, if it is impossible to perform the Epiphany liturgy there, you can also perform the Great Blessing of Water.

If, for example, a pious rich man wants to sanctify the water in his pond, there is nothing wrong with this, but in this case it is necessary to sanctify it with the Lesser Rite.

Well, when, as in Opalikha, after the prayer behind the pulpit there is a procession of the cross, the water in the pond is blessed, and then everyone returns to the temple and finishes the liturgy, church rite is not violated. And whether the priests and parishioners will then plunge into the ice hole is everyone’s personal matter. You just need to approach this wisely.

One of our parishioners is an experienced walrus, she even goes to walrus competitions. Naturally, she enjoys bathing at Epiphany too. But people become walruses by gradually tempering them. If a person is not frost-resistant and often catches colds, it would be unreasonable on his part to climb into an ice hole without preparation. If in this way he wants to be convinced of the power of God, then let him consider whether he is not tempting the Lord by this.

There was a case when an elderly hieromonk - I knew him - decided to pour ten buckets of Epiphany water on himself. During such a dousing, he died - his heart could not stand it. Like any bathing in cold water, Epiphany bathing requires preliminary preparation. Then it can be beneficial to health, but without preparation it can be harmful.

I'm talking about physical health, perhaps mental health - it invigorates cold water, - but not about the spiritual. Spiritual meaning is in the very sacrament of consecration of water, and not in bathing. It is not so important whether a person bathes in the Epiphany ice hole; it is much more important whether he comes to the festive liturgy or the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

Naturally, like Orthodox priest, I wish everyone not only to come on this day for Epiphany water, but to pray during the service and, if possible, receive communion. But all of us, Orthodox Christians, must treat people who come with love and understanding, with condescension towards human weakness. If someone comes only for water, it is wrong to tell him that he is this and that and will not receive grace. It’s not for us to judge this.

In my life story, I read how he advised one spiritual daughter, whose husband was an unbeliever, that she should give him prosphora. “Father, he eats it with soup,” she soon complained. "So what? Let it be with soup,” answered Father Alexy. And in the end, that man turned to God.

From this, of course, it does not follow that it is necessary to distribute prosphora to all non-believing relatives, but the example given shows that God's grace often acts in ways that are incomprehensible to us. Same with water. The man came only for water, but perhaps, through these external actions, without realizing it, he is drawn to God and will eventually come to Him. For now, let us rejoice that he remembers the feast of Epiphany and came to church in the first place.

Archpriest Theodore Borodin, rector of the Church of the Holy Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian on Maroseyka:

Swimming is just the beginning

The tradition of bathing at Epiphany is a late one. And one should treat it depending on why a person bathes. Let me make an analogy with Easter. Everyone knows that on Holy Saturday tens or even hundreds of thousands of people go to church to bless Easter cakes.

If they really don’t know that this is only a tiny part of the joy that Easter is for a believer, they come to church with reverence and sincerely pray, for them it is still a meeting with the Lord.

If, from year to year, they hear that this is not the most important thing, and the priest, blessing the Easter cakes, each time invites them to come to the night service, to share with everyone the joy of the Risen Lord, explains the meaning of the service, and their communication with the Church still comes down to the blessing of Easter cakes, which is, of course, sad.

The same goes for swimming. If a person, completely unfamiliar with church life, plunges into the water with reverence, turning to the Lord in the way he knows how, sincerely desiring to receive grace, the Lord, of course, will give grace, and this person will have a meeting with God.

I think that when a person sincerely seeks God, sooner or later he will understand that bathing is just the beginning, and it is much more important to be at the all-night vigil and liturgy. If Epiphany bathing serves as a stepping stone to beginning to celebrate this holiday in a truly Christian way, at least in a few years, such bathing can only be welcomed.

Unfortunately, many people treat it simply as one of the extreme sports. Often the bathing of non-church people involves obscene jokes and excessive drinking. Just like the once popular wall-to-wall fights, such fun does not bring a person one step closer to the Lord.

But many of those who do not allow themselves any indecency do not come to the service - they usually swim at night and consider that they have already joined the holiday, sleep off, satisfied with themselves - they have proven that they are strong in body and their faith is strong. They proved it to themselves, but this is self-deception.

Of course, it is not necessary to swim at night, you can after the service. Our church is located in the center, there is nowhere to swim nearby, but some parishioners travel to other areas or to the Moscow region. Sometimes they consult with me, I never object if I see that a person is really doing this for the sake of the Lord. But one priest I know, a very good one, plunged into an ice hole for several years in a row and fell ill every time after that. This means that his bathing was displeasing to the Lord, and the Lord admonished him through his illness - now he does not bathe.

I've never swam either. It’s quite a long way for me to travel to the nearest consecrated reservoirs; if I spend half the night on the road and swimming, I won’t be able to confess to the parishioners and serve the liturgy as I should. But sometimes my mother, my children and I doused ourselves with Epiphany water on the street, in the snow. I live outside the city, and after returning from the all-night vigil, the whole family doused themselves. But it’s possible outside the city; in Moscow you won’t be able to do that.

Archpriest Alexy Uminsky, rector of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Khokhly, confessor of the St. Vladimir Orthodox Gymnasium:

And what does Baptism have to do with it?

Somehow I’m not particularly puzzled by the issue of night Epiphany diving. If a person wants to, let him dive; if he doesn’t want to, let him not dive. Just what does diving in an ice hole have to do with the feast of the Epiphany?

For me, these dips are just fun, extreme. Our people love something so unusual. Lately it has become fashionable and popular to dive into an ice hole at Epiphany, then drink vodka, and then tell everyone about your such Russian piety.

This is a Russian tradition, like fist fights on Maslenitsa. It has exactly the same relation to the celebration of Epiphany as fist fights have to the celebration of Forgiveness Resurrection.

Schedule of public services in churches.

What time does the early and late morning service in church begin and end?

Important: each temple creates its own schedule of public services! There is no general schedule for all temples!

Two liturgies, early and late, are served at large Christian holidays and Sundays in churches with large parishes.

The early service is held at 6-7 a.m., the late service at 9-10 a.m. In some churches, the time is shifted to 7-8 a.m. for early services and 10-11 a.m. for late ones.

The duration of public worship is 1.5-2 hours. In some cases, the duration of the morning liturgy can be 3 hours.

What time does the evening and night service in the church begin and end?

Evening public worship is served no earlier than 16:00 and no later than 18:00. Each temple has its own schedule.

The duration of the service is 2-4 hours and depends on the significance of the upcoming holiday. According to the Rule, Vespers can be daily, small and great.

Every day happens in weekdays, unless a holiday with polyeleos or vigil falls on them.

Small is part All-night vigil. The Great Service is served on major holidays and can be performed separately or combined with Matins.

The world is changing, and these changes affect, among other things, church charter. Night or all-night vigils rarely last from three to six hours (for monasteries). In ordinary churches, the duration of the night service is 2-4 hours.

The night service begins at 17:00-18:00 depending on the parish Charter.

What time does church service begin and end today: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday?

The daily cycle of church services consists of nine different services. This includes:

• Vespers - from 18:00 - the beginning of the circle,
• Compline,
• Midnight Office - from 00:00,
• Matins,
• 1st hour - from 7:00,
• 3rd hour - from 9:00,
• 6th hour - from 12:00,
• 9th hour - from 15:00,
• Divine Liturgy - from 6:00-9:00 until 12:00 - is not included in the daily cycle of services.

Ideally, in every operating temple these services should be held daily, however, in practice, the daily cycle is performed only in large temples, cathedrals or monasteries. In small parishes it is impossible to ensure constant worship in such a rhythm. Therefore, each parish determines its own pace, coordinating it with its real capabilities.

It follows from this that you need to find out the exact schedule of services in the temple you are going to visit.

Approximate times for morning and evening services are given at the beginning of the article.

What time does Saturday church service begin and end?

Having carefully read the previous part of the article, you most likely noticed the fact that the beginning of the liturgical day corresponds not to 00:00 (as is customary in secular life), but to 18:00 (the previous calendar day).

What does it mean?

This means that the first Saturday service begins on Friday after 18:00, and the last one ends on Saturday before 18:00. The most important Sabbath service is the full Divine Liturgy.

As a rule, Saturday services are dedicated to the venerable fathers and mothers, as well as to all the saints, to whom they turn with appropriate prayers. On the same day, the commemoration of all the dead takes place.

What time does church service start and end on Sunday?

The first Sunday service begins on Saturday after 18:00, and the last service ends on Sunday before 18:00. Sunday services are filled with the theme of the Resurrection of the Lord. That is why Sunday services, especially the Divine Liturgy, are the most significant in the weekly cycle of services.

Check with the temple you are planning to visit for the exact schedule of services.

What time does the festive service in the church begin and end: schedule

You can find approximate times for morning and evening services at the beginning of the article.

Each temple draws up its own schedule of public services, including holiday ones. There is no general schedule for all temples!

As a rule, the Charter prescribes serving in holidays the so-called “all-night vigil” is a particularly solemn service, which in modern interpretation has retained the division into Vespers and Matins.

In addition, on the days of the twelfths and other major holidays, the Liturgy necessarily takes place, during which believers receive communion.

At the same time, each holiday service has accompanying texts and rituals unique to it alone, which cannot but affect the duration of the service.

What time does the Christmas service in church start and end?

• 1st hour service. Time - from 7:00. Stichera are read about the fulfillment of the prophecy about the birth of the Messiah.
• 3rd hour service. Time - from 9:00. The stichera about the Incarnation are read.
• 6th hour service. Time - from 12:00. The stichera with the call to meet Christ are read, and the Gospel is read.
• 9 o'clock service. Time - from 15:00. The stichera are read. At the end they read figuratively.

• Depending on the day on which Christmas Eve falls, one of the evening Liturgies is celebrated: St. Basil the Great or St. John Chrysostom. Time: depending on the temple from 17:00.
• Celebration of the Great Vespers of the Nativity of Christ.
• Celebration of the All-Night Vigil of the Nativity of Christ. Time: depending on the temple - from 17:00 to 23:00.

There is no strict sequence in conducting the festive service. In large churches and monasteries, Christmas services (evening, the most solemn part) last 6-8 hours, in small ones - 1.5-2 hours.

Find out about the exact time of the service at the temple you are going to visit.

ABOUT folk traditions Christmas celebrations can be read.

What time does the service in the church on Epiphany Eve begin and end?

Services on Epiphany Eve are very similar to Christmas services.

On this day, the hours are read in the morning, and in the evening the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is celebrated. After the Liturgy, as a rule, the first blessing of water occurs.

Depending on the day on which Epiphany falls, the order of services may differ.

On January 19, morning and evening services are held with the obligatory subsequent blessing of water.

The exact time of the services will be told to you directly in the temple.

What time does the festive service in the church for Candlemas begin and end?

Meeting completes the Christmas circle Orthodox holidays. The date of celebration is February 15.

After the solemn morning liturgy, the rite of consecration of water and candles is performed.

Be sure to check the time of the liturgy in the church.

What time does the festive service in the church for the Annunciation begin and end?

The Annunciation is celebrated on April 7. However, believers should attend the evening service on April 6. Some churches hold all-night vigils from April 6 to 7.

On April 7, early and/or late liturgies are served with mandatory confession and communion for the laity.

What time does the festive service in church on Palm Sunday begin and end?

The date of Palm Sunday celebration depends on the date of Easter celebration and is determined according to the lunisolar calendar.

Festive services begin with the evening service and subsequent all-night vigils on Lazarus Saturday. Lazarus Saturday is the day before Palm Sunday. During the evening service, palm branches are necessarily blessed.

On Palm Sunday, early and/or late liturgies are performed, followed by the consecration of the willow tree.

The time of services depends on the internal regulations of the temple.

What time does the festive service in church on Easter begin and end?

Everything depends on the internal regulations of the temple. Be sure to check the time of services!

As a rule, holiday services begin on Saturday with an evening service (16:00-18:00). In some churches, after the evening service, a blessing of Easter cakes is held.

Then all-night vigils begin with obligatory procession at 24:00.

After vigils and matins, the Divine Liturgy is served, followed by the blessing of Easter cakes. As a rule, the blessing occurs at the first rays of the sun.

Evening in Svetloye Christ's Resurrection The evening service is also corrected. However, Easter cakes are no longer blessed.

Beautiful Easter greetings can be found.

What time does the festive service in the church on Radonitsa begin and end?

Radonitsa - special holiday, which connects the past and the future. On this day it is customary to remember deceased relatives and friends.

Radonitsa is celebrated on the ninth day after Easter Sunday.

The evening before, an evening service is held, and in the morning there is an early and/or late liturgy. A full memorial service is served either after the evening service or after the morning services - it all depends on the internal rules of the temple.

In addition, the charters of many churches require that Easter funeral services be held in city cemeteries.

More information about Radonitsa.

What time does the festive service in the church for Trinity begin and end?

The date of the celebration of Trinity or Pentecost depends on the date of Bright Resurrection.

Important: on the eve of the holiday of Trinity, Trinity Parents' Saturday is always held, the peculiarity of which is a special funeral service. This is a special Funeral Liturgy, after which you can and should visit the cemetery and remember the deceased.

Evening Parents' Saturday marked by a festive All-Night Vigil.

On Sunday, early and/or late holiday liturgies are celebrated. In many temples, bouquets of twigs and medicinal herbs are blessed.

Be sure to check the time of services directly with the temple you want to visit!

Tips on how to talk to children about the Trinity.

Goda will help you not to miss significant services.

Video: How to behave in the Temple?