The Nativity of Christ: how the Orthodox celebrate. Rituals, ceremonies and conspiracies for Christmas

– This is water that is ordinary in composition and original origin (well, spring, lake, river, tap), miraculously acquiring sanctifying (graceful) and healing properties after performing a special prayer service called water blessing. People often call it the blessing of water.

Why does the Church sanctify water and bread?

– It is difficult to find something that would be so necessary for people in their earthly life and constitute such an urgent need as bread and water. Bread is the simplest and natural food for humans, supporting and strengthening their strength. A person uses water to quench thirst and prepare food, and washes the body and things it uses with it.

These two essential substances for a person in his physical life turn out to be integral elements for him in his spiritual life. Bread, consisting of many grains, personifies the Church - One with the plurality of its members. Bread serves the greatest sacrament- Holy Communion.

By consecrating water, the Church returns water element primitive purity and holiness, by the power of prayer and the Word of God, brings down the blessing of the Lord onto the water. Blessed water is an image of God's grace: it cleanses believers from spiritual impurities, sanctifies and strengthens them for the feat of salvation in God, extinguishes the flames of passions, and drives away evil spirits.

Therefore, holy water is necessarily present during the consecration of temples and all objects used in worship, during the consecration residential buildings, buildings, any household item. Believers are sprinkled with holy water in religious processions, during prayer services.

What is agiasma?

– Translated from Greek “agiasma” means shrine. This is the name given to water consecrated according to a special great rite on the feast of the Epiphany.

How does Epiphany water differ from Epiphany water?

– There is a misconception that these are different waters: the water that is blessed on January 18 is Epiphany water, and the one that is blessed on January 19 is Epiphany water. On both the 18th and 19th of January, the water is blessed with the same great rite. This blessing of water is called great, both in comparison with the other, smaller one, performed on August 1/14 on the Feast of the Origin (removal) of the Venerable Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, and on other days, and because of the special solemnity of the rite, imbued with the memory of the Baptism of the Savior by John in the river Jordan.

The blessing of water performed on the eve of Epiphany on January 18 serves as a monument to the fact that in ancient times on the eve of Epiphany the blessing of water was performed for the baptism of the catechumens, and therefore it is performed in churches where the catechumens were baptized.

After the Liturgy on January 19, the blessing of water is performed in remembrance of the Baptism of the Lord, so there is a solemn procession with a cross, the Gospel, lamps and banners, with bells ringing and the singing of a troparion to water sources.

This holiday is called Epiphany because at the Baptism of the Lord the Divine Holy Trinity appeared: God the Father spoke from heaven about the Son, the Son of God was baptized by John and witnessed by God the Father, and the Holy Spirit descended on the Son in the form of a dove. Since ancient times, this holiday has also been called the day of enlightenment and the holiday of lights, because God is Light and appeared to enlighten “those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death” (Matthew 4:16).

How to use Epiphany water?

– Epiphany water is a shrine that should be in every home Orthodox Christian. It is carefully kept in the holy corner near the icons. Holy water remains incorruptible for many years and has the property of not deteriorating.

Out of reverence for the shrine they usually take Epiphany water on an empty stomach. However, in case of illness or attack by evil forces, you can drink it at any time. You can also anoint sore spots with holy water and sprinkle your home.

What to do if holy water has spoiled?

- Spoiled holy water is poured into a stream or river - where there is a current, into the so-called living, static (flowing) water.

What is artos? When is it distributed?

– Artos (translated from Greek as “bread”) is leavened bread, a special prosphora consecrated in Easter night. Calling for artos God's blessing, in a special prayer, the priest asks the Lord to heal every ailment and disease, to give health to everyone who tastes it.

Throughout Bright Week, the artos remains on the lectern opposite the Royal Doors of the altar and is worn daily for Easter religious processions. On Bright Saturday, it is crushed with special prayer and distributed to believers. Artos is a symbol of the Risen Christ and reminds of His stay on earth.

What is antidor? When and to whom can it be taken?

– Antidor (translated from Greek as “instead of a gift”) are particles of the main prosphora used for the Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is distributed to those present at the Liturgy for the blessing and sanctification of soul and body - so that those who have not partaken of the Holy Mysteries may taste the consecrated bread.

Antidor is a shrine that became it through the prayer of the priest and the remembrance of the Savior’s suffering on the cross. Therefore, it is established to use antidor only on an empty stomach with attention and caution so as not to spill crumbs on the floor. It is best to eat this sacred bread in the temple, but you can also take it home. Antidor should not be given to unbaptized people.

What is prosphora and what does it symbolize?

– Prosphora in the present Church is a small round loaf of bread used during worship. It is prepared only from leavened wheat dough. The prosphora is two-part (has an upper and lower part) - as a reminder of the unity of the two natures of the Lord Jesus Christ: divine and human.

The upper part of the prosphora is imprinted with a seal depicting a four-pointed cross with the words “IC.XC.NIKA”, meaning “Jesus Christ the Victorious”. There are prosphoras with images Mother of God and the holy saints of God. A prosphora consecrated in the altar, from which a piece is taken out, is a shrine.

What does the word “prosphora” mean?

– Translated from Greek, the word “prosphora” means “offering”, since in ancient times the best bread was brought to the temple. Part of it was intended for the celebration of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, the other part was eaten at a fraternal meal.

How to handle prosphora?

– Since consecrated church bread is sacred, it is customary to eat it on an empty stomach, not allowing the crumbs to fall to the floor. Eating prosphora reverently and with faith brings mental and physical health.

It is advisable to burn the paper in which the church bread was wrapped, as crumbs may remain in it. It is better to use special bags for storing prosphora, which are sold in church shops. Blessed bread must be stored with appropriate care, in a certain place (in the holy corner next to the icons), avoiding mold. If, as a result of careless storage, the consecrated bread nevertheless spoils, then it must be burned.

Is it possible for unbaptized people to drink holy water and prosphora?

It is possible, but with reasoning. Of course, there will be no harm, but will there be any benefit?

If a person does not reject external signs of churchliness, has at least a little faith, then eating prosphora will be for him closer to the church, will lead him to what is more essential in our faith - to worship God in spirit and truth.

If the prosphora is perceived as something magical, a kind of amulet, “church medicine,” and the person does not at all strive to become a church member, then he does not need the prosphora.

Is it possible to eat prosphora at the cemetery?

– Prosphora is not eaten “for the dead” or “for the living.” This shrine serves to sanctify only those who partake of it. There is no need to eat prosphora at the cemetery, but rather eat it at home, having first read the prayer “For the use of prosphora and holy water,” which is in Orthodox prayer books.

Is it possible to crumble prosphora at a grave?

- Since prosphora is a sacred thing, it is not good to crumble it. The deceased do not need bodily food, they only need prayers for them.

What kind of bread is distributed at the all-night vigil?

– This is also consecrated bread. Previously, services lasted quite a long time (and the all-night vigil lasted all night), and Christians ate bread to strengthen their strength. Although the duration of the services has now been reduced, this custom has been preserved.

When is Christmas water blessed and given?

– There is no special blessing of water on Christmas Day.

What happens if you add Epiphany water to ordinary water?

- Epiphany water will sanctify ordinary water, and all of it will become sanctified.

Is it possible to make soup from the remaining holy water?

– Holy water can be added to food to sanctify it; it can be sprinkled on food.

What is the benefit of taking prosphora and holy water?

– If a person uses prosphora and holy water with faith and reverence, then the unclean spirit does not approach him, his soul and body are sanctified, his thoughts are illuminated to please God, and he is more disposed to fasting, prayer and all virtues.

Not only Church Tradition convinces us of the miraculous power of holy water, but also personal experience believers. Descending onto the water at the prayers of the priest God's grace grants her the power to heal diseases (whether headache or insomnia, irritation or what is called a “stressful state”), quench passions and weaken emerging sinful inclinations, free from all evil, cleanse from defilement. Any item used by an Orthodox Christian is sanctified with holy water.

- one of the main Christian holidays, established in honor of the birth of the baby Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. Despite the fact that Catholics celebrate it on December 25, and Orthodox on January 7, this is the same holiday, but according to different calendar styles - old and new. It should be noted that for Orthodox Christians, Christmas is the second most important holiday after Easter, but Catholics venerate it even higher than Easter. This is explained by the different meaning that representatives of these faiths attach to the concept of “Christmas”: the Orthodox more reverence the spiritual rebirth, that is, the resurrection of Christ after death and His ascension to heaven, while the Western religious movements They put above the possibility of salvation, which came into the world with the birth of little Jesus, that is, his physical birth.

The history of the holiday is interesting, but not too clear. The fact is that nowhere in the Bible is the exact date of birth of the baby Jesus mentioned. None of the four Gospels say that Christ was born on December 25 (or January 7 according to the new style). The Old Testament only mentions that Christ was born in 5508 from the creation of the world.

With the Nativity of Christ, a new era began, and the holiday began to be celebrated already in the first centuries. The date of Christmas - December 25th - has been accepted by the Church since the 4th century..

In the 4th century, Constantine, the Roman emperor, abandoned the pagan faith and accepted Christian teaching himself and legalized it on the territory of his country. Obeying the will of the emperor, new church immediately began an active struggle against pagan cults. But it was not so easy to destroy the usual foundations, so in some issues the priests had to make concessions to fans of ancient cults. One of these concessions was the giving special significance day of December 25th. Before the introduction of Christianity, people worshiped the Sun, so the period of the winter solstice, that is, the last days of December, was especially revered. During this period, the Sun approached the Earth, daylight hours became longer and brighter, and this was perceived as a symbol of the victory of the forces of light over the forces of darkness. Christian priests saw this as a good sign and agreed to set the feast of the Nativity of Christ at the end of December, for the birth of the son of God is nothing more than the birth of the true Sun. In other words, the early Christians wisely decided that it was easier to imbue traditional pagan beliefs with new meaning than to eradicate them “with fire and sword.”

In 337, Pope Julius I approved the date of December 25 as the date of the Nativity of Christ. Since then, the entire Christian world celebrates Christmas on December 25th. The Russian Orthodox Church also celebrates Christmas on December 25, but December 25, according to the Julian calendar of the Church, which did not accept the reform of Pope Gregory XIII, comes on January 7 - according to the new, Gregorian style.

God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into this sinful world to save humanity from sins and eternal destruction. With His birth a new era began on earth. Even our chronology begins with the Nativity of Jesus Christ. The story of the birth of Jesus is amazing. Just think, He, the Son of the Creator of the world and the universe, had to be born in an animal stable. But let's start from the beginning.

Annunciation of the Conception of Jesus

IN small town Nazareth, in the “north of Israel, there lived a girl named Mary. She loved the Lord and had pure heart. One day, Angel Gabriel, sent by the Lord, appeared to her and said: “ Rejoice, O Blessed One! The Lord is with You; blessed are you among wives" Mary, seeing Him, was embarrassed. But the Angel told her: “ Fear not, Mary, for you have found favor with the Lord; and behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a Son, and you will call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.».

Mary was not married at the time, but was betrothed to a godly believer named Joseph. She asked Angel: “ How will this happen when I don’t know my husband?"The angel answered her: " The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the power of the Most High will overshadow You; therefore the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God" Maria replied: “ Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to Your word" And the angel departed from her.

Having learned that Mary was expecting a child, Joseph wanted to let her go, but the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said: “ Joseph, son of David! Do not be afraid to accept Mary your wife; for that which is born in Her is of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you will call His name Jesus; for He will save His people from their sins».

Birth of Jesus Christ

Detailed story The birth of Jesus Christ is given only by the Evangelist Luke:

« Joseph also went from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, called Bethlehem, because he was from the house and family of David, to enroll with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for Her to give birth; and she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."(Luke 2:4-7)

The reason why Mary and Joseph, then living in Nazareth, went to Bethlehem was the census. According to the decree of Emperor Augustus, every resident of the Roman Empire had to come “to his own city” to facilitate the census. Since Joseph was a descendant of David, he headed to Bethlehem. The road was long and difficult, they walked through mountainous terrain, and when they reached Bethlehem and began to look for a place to stay for the night, it turned out that all the inns were full.

There was no free space for them in the hotels. And they had to settle in a cave (nativity scene), where the shepherds drove their cattle during bad weather.

That same night, Maria felt that it was time to give birth. It was there, in the cave, that Mary gave birth to her son, swaddled him and put him in a manger. The fact of the birth of the holy baby was announced by a light in the sky. Star of Bethlehem.

After the birth of Jesus, the first of the people to come to worship him were the shepherds, notified of this event by the appearance of an angel. And a shining angel descended from heaven to them: “ Fear not, I bring you good news of great joy that will come to all people, for today a Savior has been born in the city of David, who is Christ the Lord, and this is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." When the angel disappeared, the shepherds decided to go into the cave and see for themselves what was said - and they actually saw a baby sleeping in a cattle feeder.

According to the Evangelist Matthew, a miraculous star appeared in the sky, which led three wise men (wise men) to the baby Jesus: Gaspar, Melchior and Belshazzar. According to Eastern prophecies, the fact of the appearance of the star meant the time of the coming into the world of the Son of God - the Messiah, whom the Jewish people were waiting for. The Magi headed to Jerusalem to ask where the Savior of the world should be looked for. Hearing about this, King Herod, who ruled Judea at that time, became agitated and called the Magi to him. Having found out from them the time of the appearance of the star, and therefore the possible age of the King of the Jews, whom he feared as a rival to his reign, Herod asked the wise men: “ Go and carefully investigate the Child and, when you find it, notify me so that I too can go and worship Him."(Matthew 2:8). Following the guiding star, the Magi reached Bethlehem, where they worshiped the newborn Savior, bringing Him gifts from the treasures of the East: gold, incense and myrrh. Then, having received a revelation from God not to return to Jerusalem, they departed to their own country another way.

Eight days later the baby was given the name Jesus, which means “The Lord is Salvation.” Subsequently, he was also called “Christ,” which means “anointed one.” This “prefix” in ancient Israel was previously used only in relation to kings and high priests, since elevation to high rank was accomplished through anointing. By giving the epithet “Christ” to the son of God, the prophets emphasized that he is the true King of the world, who at the same time brings the light of faith to people.

Having learned about the birth of Christ, and finding that the wise men did not listen to him, the angry King of Judea Herod ordered the death of all male infants under the age of 2 years. The Gospel tells that Joseph, having received a warning about danger in a dream, fled with the Mother of God and the Child to Egypt, where the Holy Family remained until the death of King Herod.

The story about the details of the birth of Jesus Christ is also present in two apocryphal sources: the Proto-Gospel of James and the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew. According to these sources, due to the lack of space in the inn, Joseph and Mary were forced to spend the night in a cave, which was used as a stable to shelter livestock from the weather. When Mary felt the onset of labor, Joseph went to look for the midwife, but when he returned with her to the cave, the birth had already occurred, and such a light shone in the cave that they could not bear it, and a little later the light disappeared and a baby appeared and came out and took the breast of his mother Mary. The birth of Christ occurred before Joseph brought the midwife. At the same time, Salome is called an old woman and relative of Mary, that is, coming from the family of King David. Mentioned in the apocrypha, Salome the midwife witnessed the miracle of preserving the virginity of the Virgin Mary.

Christmas Eve

The Nativity of Christ ends the 40-day Nativity Fast (November 28 - January 6). Christ not only advised to cleanse the spirit and flesh with the help of fasting, but he himself set an example of abstinence. Just remember His 40-day fast in the desert and his answer to the devil-tempter: “... Man will not live by bread alone, but by the word coming from the mouth of God alone.». Orthodox Church looks at fasting as an opportunity to cleanse oneself from worldly defilement: through the cleansing of the body, the cleansing of the spirit and thoughts is achieved.

Christmas Eve is called Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve, the day before Christmas, strict fasting is observed. Traditionally, kutia made from wheat or rice with honey is eaten. But it is allowed to start the meal no earlier than the first star appears in the sky - this symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem, which announced the birth of the baby Jesus.

On the feast of the Nativity of Christ, Orthodox Christians greet each other with the words: “ Christ is born!", answering them - " We praise Him!».

LET'S CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS TOGETHER...

Troparion, tone 4
Thy Nativity, Christ our God, risen up and the world's light of reason: in it, for those who serve the stars, learn from the stars, I bow to You, the Sun of Truth, and I lead You from the heights of the East: Lord, glory to You.

Kontakion, tone 3:
Today the Virgin gives birth to the Most Essential, and the earth brings a den to the Unapproachable: the angels with the shepherds praise, and the wolves travel with the star: for for our sake, the Young Child, the Eternal God, was born.

Episode from the series The Law of God - The Feast of the Nativity of Christ

Nowadays the name " Christmas"(without the letter "d"). In old printed books the beginning of the holiday troparion reads like this:

Your joy is ours

At the same time, in the modern Russian language and the post-schism (Nikonian) church the sound was added d and the name “ Christmas" Here are the comments of Old Believer priests on this issue:

The priest, rector of the Old Believer church in Rostov-on-Don explains:

Christmas- Church Slavonic tradition of writing this word. Among the Old Believers there is a certain tendency to preserve just such a transcription. Although it is optional. United, alternating, double consonants at the root of a word are the influence of the Western Slavic tradition.

Commented by the priest, rector of the Old Believer church in Kaluga :

Word " Christmas" is written under the title, like other sacred words (God, Lord, Mother of God, etc.). At divine services we pronounce it as it is written in books and as is customary in the ancient Russian tradition, without the “d”. At the same time, we pronounce “d” in many other cases: “Virgin today of the Most Essential rage d ah...", "Jesus makes a face d I am hanging out in Bethlehem Judaism...", "From the Virgin d seems..." etc.

It is interesting that “d” in Church Slavonic is sometimes pronounced where it is not pronounced in modern Russian. In the canon of the Annunciation we read the words put into the mouth of the Mother of God: “What a birth! d son's?". In addition to “Christmas”, you can give examples of other words with the combination of letters “zhd” (affirmation, hope, before, condemnation). In liturgical books you can find them written in different ways: both with and without the letter “d”. We read as it is written in the book. So, we can safely congratulate people on Rozh d the essence of Christ, and during prayer say “Rozhestvo” according to the ancient Russian tradition. The New Believers completely abandoned this archaic phonetic form, as well as changed the pronunciation of many other words (Forerunner instead of Forerunner, Nikolai instead of Nikola, etc.).”

In this and other articles on our site we will adhere to the name generally accepted in modern Russian language “ Christmas”, because otherwise, unfortunately, our article will simply fall out of search engines and will not be able to be found by readers for the corresponding request.

Nativity. Holiday event

Christ is born - praise! Detailed story about birth of Jesus Christ is given only by the evangelists Luke and Matthew. All the righteous Old Testament they lived in faith and hope that the Messiah would come, who would correct the consequences of Adam’s fall, reconcile humanity with God and save man who was perishing from sin. All books of the Old Testament contain prophecies about Christ. And then the time came when they were all fulfilled. At that time, Judea was under Roman rule. Emperor Augustus (Octavius) announced a nationwide, or rather, worldwide census. According to the custom of the Jews, which the Roman authorities took into account, everyone had to register in the city where his family came from. Joseph the Betrothed And Holy Mother of God were descendants of the king Davyda, and therefore they went to Bethlehem, the city of David. All the hotels and houses in Bethlehem were full. Joseph the Betrothed and the Most Holy Theotokos, who was expecting the imminent birth of a Child, were forced to stop for the night outside the city, in a cave (den), where shepherds herded cattle in inclement weather.

The time has come for the birth of Christ. The Savior of the World, the King of Kings, for whom the world had been waiting for thousands of years, was born in a wretched cave, devoid of even modest amenities. He was born late at night. The Most Holy Theotokos wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and placed Him in a manger - a feeding trough for livestock. The centuries-old prophecy about the coming of the Savior was fulfilled, but the world was sleeping. Only the shepherds guarding the flocks learned the wondrous news - an Angel appeared to them with joyful words about the birth of Christ. Then the shepherds heard angels singing:

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!

The first to worship the Lord were simple shepherds. And behind them came the Babylonian sages - the Magi. Since the time of the Babylonian captivity, when Nebuchadnezzar led the Jews into slavery, the Persian pagans learned prophecies about Christ: “ A star rises from Jacob and a rod rises from Israel"(Numbers 24:17). Seeing something unusual in the sky bright star, the Magi realized that the prophecy had come true, and went to worship the Born. Arriving in Jerusalem, they asked:

Where is the born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and came to worship Him (Matthew 2:1).

King Herod immediately became aware of this. By origin he was from Idumea, i.e. was a foreigner. Herod received the crown from the hands of the Romans. Extremely suspicious and suspicious, unloved by the people, he was very afraid of losing power. He even killed his own children and wife, suspecting them of conspiracy. Having learned that the eastern sages were looking for the newborn King of the Jews, Herod immediately called them to him and began to ask what King they were talking about? Where is he located? But the Magi themselves did not know where to go to worship the Child. Then Herod gathered scribes - people who knew well Holy Bible, and asked where Christ should be born? They replied that the book of the prophet Micah speaks of Bethlehem of Judea:

And you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, are you small among the thousands of Judah? From you will come to me one who is to be ruler in Israel, and whose origin was from the beginning, from the days of eternity (Micah 5:2).

Herod sent the wise men to Bethlehem, asking them about the time of the appearance of the star. He asked the Magi on the way back to return to him and tell him about the Child, so that he himself could go and worship Him. In fact, Herod wanted to get rid of the pretender to his throne. The Magi came to Bethlehem and found a house where by that time the holy family was located. They bowed to the Lord and presented their gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. These were not just precious gifts, but symbols: gold signified the royal dignity of the Baby, incense used for worship meant the Divinity, and myrrh symbolized His future burial - the dead in those days were anointed with oil mixed with fragrant myrrh.

The Magi did not return to Jerusalem - an Angel appeared to them and told them about Herod’s evil plan. The sages returned to their country by a different route. Tradition says that the Magi were called Melchior, Gaspard and Belshazzar. It is believed that they became Christians by being baptized by the Apostle Thomas. Herod, without waiting for the Magi, ordered the killing of all infants under two years of age in Bethlehem and its environs. Thus another ancient prophecy was fulfilled:

Rachel cries for her children and does not want to be comforted, for they are not (Jer. 31:15).

Joseph the Betrothed was warned in advance by an angel who appeared about the impending murder of infants and took the Mother of God and the Child to Egypt. Soon Herod died, and the holy family returned to Nazareth, where the Savior spent his childhood.

History of the celebration of the Nativity of Christ

The exact day when Christ was born is unknown. The beginning of the celebration dates back to the 1st century, but until the 4th century, the Nativity of Christ and His Baptism were celebrated simultaneously, on January 6. This holiday was called Epiphany. Separate feast of the Nativity of Christ was first installed in the Roman Church at the beginning of the 4th century. Perhaps the date December 25 was chosen because on this day the pagan festival of the Sun God was celebrated, in honor of the winter solstice. The pagan holiday was contrasted with the Nativity of Christ - the Sun of Truth.

IN Eastern Church the custom of a separate celebration of the Nativity of Christ on December 25 was established somewhat later, towards the end of the 4th century. According to church historians, the separate celebration of Christmas and Epiphany in Constantinople dates back to the year 377 and is associated with Emperor Arcadius. But even in the 5th–6th centuries, in some Churches of the East, the Nativity of Christ continued to be celebrated together with the Epiphany. Gradually, a separate holiday of Christmas spread everywhere, but until now the service of the Nativity of Christ and the Baptism of the Lord is performed according to the same model. Both holidays are preceded by Christmas Eve- a day of strict fasting, when the Rules stipulate that the Royal Hours be celebrated, and the evening service for the holiday begins with the Great Vespers, called “ Nefimon", during which the song of the prophet Isaiah is sung " God is with us! Isaiah, who lived 700 years before Christ, prophesied about Christ. His words clearly testify to the Divinity of the One who will come to save the world from sin and death.

God is with us, understand the pagans and repent, as God is with us! For a Son was born to us, and given to us, as God is with us!

In Russia since 1991 feast of the Nativity of Christ is a public holiday, a non-working day.

Nativity. Charter and Divine Service

The Church prepares believers for a worthy celebration Nativity of Christ forty days of fasting. Orthodox Christians spend the eve or eve of the Nativity of Christ in special strict fasting. By church charter on this day one is supposed to eat juicy, boiled wheat with honey, hence this day is called nomad or Christmas Eve. On the eve of the Nativity of Christ they are performed separately from the liturgy " Royal watch" The royal clock differs from ordinary clocks in that special proverbs, the Apostle and the Gospel corresponding to the holiday are read on them, and special stichera are sung. After noon, the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great with Vespers. At this Vespers, stichera are sung on “ Lord I cried", in which, on the one hand, the meaning of the incarnation of the Son of God is revealed, on the other hand, the very event of the Nativity of Christ is depicted: the praise of the angels, the confusion of Herod and the unification of all people under the rule of the Roman emperors, which ended with the triumph of Christianity and the destruction of polytheism.

Eight proverbs speak: in the 1st (Gen. I, 1-13) about God’s creation of man; the 2nd proverb (Num. XXIV, 2–9, 17–18) contains a prophecy about a star from Jacob and the birth of a Man to whom all people will submit; in the 3rd proverb (prophecy of Micah IV, 6–7, 2–4) - about the birth of Jesus Christ in the city of Bethlehem; in the 4th (prophecy of Isaiah IX, 1–10) - about the rod, i.e. the ruler from the root of Jesse (i.e. about Jesus Christ); in the 5th proverb (prophecy Baruch III, 36–38; IV, 1–4) - about the appearance of the Servant of God on earth, about His life on earth; in the 6th proverb (prophecy of Daniel II, 31–36, 44–45) - about God’s restoration of the kingdom of heaven; in the 7th (Isa. IX, 6–7) - about the birth of the Child, who will be called the name of the mighty God and the prince of peace; in the 8th - about the birth of Emmanuel from the Virgin.

In itself feast of the Nativity of Christ The solemn all-night vigil begins with the Great Vespers (instead of Vespers) with the singing of Old Testament verses “ God is with us", containing a prophecy about Jesus Christ, and the inclusion of lithium. After which the all-night vigil is celebrated as usual. In lithium and verse stichera, thoughts are expressed about the triumph of heaven and earth, angels and people rejoicing at the descent of God to earth, and about the moral revolution in sinful humanity through the birth of Christ. The Apostle (Gal. IV, 4-7) sets forth the teaching that through the incarnation of Jesus Christ we became children of the Heavenly Father. The Gospel (Matt.II, 1-12) tells of the worship of the Magi to the born Lord.

Chants sung during festive service, were compiled at different times. Thus, the troparion and kontakion were composed Roman Sladkopevets in the 6th century. Reverend John of Damascus(VIII century) wrote the canon and stichera, the second canon was written by the venerable Kozma Maiumsky(VIII century). Festive poems were written Anatoly, Patriarch of Constantinople (5th century), Sophrony And Andrey Jerusalem (VII century), Hermann, Patriarch of Constantinople (8th century).

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It’s interesting that one of the holiday sticheras was written by the only female hymnographer! This nun Cassia, who lived in Constantinople in the 9th century. She was born into a noble family. Raised in piety, the girl was known for her beauty and intelligence, received a good education. In 821, Theophilus, the son of Emperor Michael II, chose a bride. The most famous and beautiful girls The Byzantines were invited to the palace, including Cassia. Approaching her, the future emperor handed her a golden apple with the words: “ Did the evil happen through the wife??,” hinting at Eve’s sin. Cassia replied: " But salvation came through his wife", referring to the Mother of God. The prince did not like the too smart girl, and he chose another bride, and Cassia built a monastery with her own funds and took monastic vows there. She composed many liturgical hymns, including the stichera for the holiday Nativity of Christ:

Ѓ in the thick of є3 the reign of the earth2, the many-principal people of the world. and3 to you the humaneness is pure, plentiful and 4dolom ўholidays. under the 8 є3di1nem tsrtvom worldly, gradi bhsha. and3 in є3di11no the quality of life, the people of your faith. We wrote to the people, by the command of Caesar, we wrote to the faithful and 4change of life, to you we became human. Your blessing is yours, and glory to you.

Russian translation:

When Augustus became the sole ruler of the entire earth, human multiplicity ceased. And when You, Lord, took on human flesh from Pure Mother of God, pagan, idolatrous polytheism ceased. Just as all people were under the rule of one kingdom, so all peoples believed in One God. All people were described by order of Caesar (census), and we, the faithful, were written in the name of the Divine, You, our God made man. Great is Your mercy, Lord, glory to You!

Troparion for the holiday. Church Slavonic text

Your life is ours, the light of the world is reasonable. In 8 there are more and more ŕvezdam employees, ŕvezda teach. I bow to you to the righteous saint. and 3 you are led by these above east, where glory is to you.

Russian text

Your birth, Christ our God, illuminated the world with the light of understanding: because then the people who served the stars, through the star, learned to worship You, the Sun of truth, and to know You, the East, from above; Lord, glory to You.

Kontakion for the holiday. Church Slavonic text

Yes, today, the aggressor gives birth, and brings the earth to the untouchable. They praised the shepherds. the wolves travel with the stars. For our sake, for the sake of our birth, we are young and eternal.

Russian text

Today the Virgin gives birth to the One who is above all that exists, and the earth brings a cave to the Unapproachable; The angels praise the shepherds, while the wise men travel behind the star, because for our sake the Child, the Eternal God, was born.

More useful reading:
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Library of Russian Faith
A lesson for Christmas. Great Menaion of Cheti →

Celebrating the Nativity of Christ. Folk traditions and customs

Christmas Eve was observed everywhere by peasants in the strictest fast. They ate only after the first star, and the food itself on this day was accompanied by special symbolic rituals, for which they prepared in advance. Usually, before sunset, the owner and all the household members stood for prayer, then they lit a wax candle and stuck it to one of the loaves lying on the table. Then they brought a bundle of straw or hay from the yard, covered the front corner and the counter with it, covered it with a clean tablecloth or towel, and in the prepared place, right under the icons, they placed an unthreshed sheaf of rye and kutya. When everything was prepared, the family stood again for prayer, and then the meal began.

Straw and unthreshed sheaves were an indispensable part of the holiday. They mark the awakening and revitalization of the creative forces of nature, which awaken with the turn of the sun from winter to summer. Kutia, or porridge diluted with honey, also has a symbolic meaning. It symbolizes fertility and is consumed not only on Christmas Eve, but also at funerals and even at births and christenings (in the latter two cases it is served with butter).

The meal itself on Christmas Eve was taken in the midst of reverent silence and an almost prayerful mood, which, however, did not stop the peasants right there, during the meal, from guessing about the future harvest, pulling out straws from a sheaf, and forcing the children to climb under the table and “chicken” there with a chicken. so that the chickens breed well. At the end of the evening, part of the remaining kutya was carried by the children to the homes of the poor, in order to give them the opportunity to celebrate the “rich kutya,” and then in the villages they began carols. Kolyada is that guys, girls and boys gather in groups and, moving from one yard to another, sing songs under the windows, and sometimes in huts, either in honor of the holiday, or as a congratulation to the owners, or simply for fun and entertainment . For this they are given kopecks, bread, and sometimes treated to vodka. The customs of carols varied greatly among different provinces of Rus'.

Christmas Day, as one of the greatest holidays, the peasants began in the most pious way - they would celebrate the liturgy, break their fast, and only then the reckless festivities would begin. And at this time the village children, boys and girls, walk around the courtyards and glorify Christ. Slavists usually sing troparia and kontakia for the holiday and only at the end insert so-called sayings. Here is one example of such sayings:

Blessed Virgin Mary
gave birth to Jesus Christ,
She put it in a manger.
The star shone clearly
Showed the way to three kings -
Three kings came
They brought gifts to God,
They fell to their knees,
Christ was magnified.

The peasants received the Christoslavs very kindly and cordially. The youngest of them was usually seated on a fur coat, placed in the front corner with the fur side up (this was done so that the hens would sit quietly on the nests and hatch more chickens), and everyone else was given small money, pies, flour and bagels. With the proceeds, the guys usually rented a hut for conversations, where, in addition to girls and boys, young women, widows, soldiers and elderly people who did not drink went. It was also common among girls Christmas fortune telling.

Icons of the Nativity of Christ

Early images Nativity of Christ were made by the first Christians in the Roman catacombs. Gradually Byzantine art developed the iconography of the Nativity of Christ, which then came to Rus'. The central image on icon of the Nativity of Christ are the figures of the Mother of God and the Infant God: Jesus Christ lies in a manger - a feeding trough for livestock, in the cave where, according to the Gospel, He was born.

The Magi, who came at the call, bow before the Lord Star of Bethlehem bow to the Messiah and offer Him your gifts. In the upper right corner of the icon, according to tradition, images of angels are written, glorifying the birth of Christ. In the lower right corner of the icon the scene of the washing of the Infant Christ after childbirth is depicted.

Churches of the Nativity in Rus'

In honor of the Nativity of Christ, the church on the Red Field in Veliky Novgorod was consecrated. According to chronicles, the church was built in 1381 under Archbishop Alexy. Previously, it was the main temple of the monastery of the same name. The name of Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy is mentioned as its founder in the synod of the church. A special feature of the Nativity Monastery was the existence of a monastery for the burial of those who died from epidemics. The Church of the Nativity in its main features has retained its original appearance and is currently a monument-museum of the Novgorod Museum-Reserve.

The first documentary mention of the Church of the Nativity of Christ in the city of Galich, Kostroma region, dates back to 1550. At the same time, some researchers date the construction to the end of the 14th - beginning of the 15th centuries.

The construction of the oldest architectural monument - the Nativity of Christ Cathedral (1552-1562) in the city of Kargopol - dates back to the reign of Ivan IV. Initially, the cathedral was two-story, but over four centuries it has grown significantly into the ground, so that the windows ground floor are almost at ground level - this disrupted the proportions of the building and enhanced the impression of heaviness and massiveness. The cathedral has been restored inside. Six powerful pillars support the vaults.

In honor of the Nativity of Christ, a church in Moscow, in Palashakh, was consecrated. The temple was founded at the beginning of the 16th century and rebuilt in 1573. Stone Church consecrated in February 1692. In 1935, the temple began to be destroyed, and a school building was built in its place. In 1980-1990 it housed secondary school No. 122 of the Frunzensky district and the Moscow chapel of boys of the All-Russian choral society, then the Museum of the Revolution.

In the name of the Nativity of Christ, the refectory church of the Pafnutiev Borovsky Monastery was consecrated. The church was built in 1511. The single-pillar refectory chamber, the church and the cellar room were enclosed in a common rectangle of external walls.

In the village of Yurkino, Istra district, Moscow region, on the estate of boyar Ya. Golokhvastov, at the very beginning of the 16th century, a church in the name of the Nativity of Christ was erected and consecrated. The decor of the facades of the Church of the Nativity is unusual, and especially the ceramic frieze that encircles the walls of the building under their three-lobed ends. Its details are reminiscent of the decor of Italian Renaissance churches. During Soviet times, the temple was closed and destroyed.

After the victory in the Battle of Kulikovo, Prince Dimitry Donskoy ordered to build a wooden church in honor of the Nativity of Christ at the site of the “conversation” (now a village in the Leninsky district of the Moscow region). The stone church in honor of the Nativity of Christ was built in Besedy in 1598-1599. Godunov. The temple is similar to the Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye. Its brick hipped roof, decorated with towers and barrels, is crowned with a small dome and an eight-pointed gilded cross on a crescent. White stone for construction it was delivered from the nearby Myachkovskaya quarry. Initially, the base of the temple building was surrounded by a stone open porch with one rear entrance, above which a hipped belfry rose. In the 1930s the temple was closed and its lower room, where the church and the vast area adjacent to it were located, was turned into a vegetable storehouse. In 1943, the Church of the Nativity of Christ was transferred to the use of believers and restored.

In the city of Vereya, Moscow region, in 1552 it was founded cathedral church Nativity of Christ. The church was built by personal decree of Tsar Ivan IV in honor of the capture of Kazan, as well as as a sign of honor for the Verei warriors under the leadership of Prince. Staritsky during the storming of the city. In 1730 and 1802-1812. the temple was significantly reconstructed, which completely changed its appearance: a refectory and a bell tower were added, the cathedral iconostases were restored, the walls were decorated with paintings Venetian style. In 1924 the temple was closed. In 1999, the temple was returned to believers and restored.

In the name of the Nativity of Christ, the temple of the Transfiguration Monastery in the city of Staraya Russa, Novgorod region, was consecrated. The temple is distinguished by a wide porch. The simplicity and rationality of its structure give reason to assume that the stone church repeated the composition of the wooden church, probably its predecessor from 1620.

In the village of Maly Pechora district, Pskov region, the Church of the Nativity of Christ was built in 1490. According to legend, there was once an ancient town of the same name in this place monastery, under which many monks lived, but which was destroyed during the Lithuanian raids on the Pskov lands.

The Nativity Church in Yaroslavl was built at the expense of the Guryev-Nazarev merchant dynasty. The time of foundation of the wooden church is unknown, but in 1609 it existed. The stone church was built, like most Yaroslavl posad churches of the 17th century, on the site of a wooden one. The names of the donors are preserved in the temple chronicle on a tiled frieze under the arches of the zakomari: “ In the summer of 7152 (1644) this church was erected in the name of the Nativity of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ under the rule of the sovereign Tsar and Grand Duke Mikhail Fedorovich of All Russia, the autocrat and under Metropolitan Varlaam of Rostov and Yaroslavl, and this church was erected by Ankindin, nicknamed Druzhina and Gurey, the Nazarene children according to their souls and for their parents, and this church was completed after their father Gurya Nazarev, his children Mikhailo and Andrey and Ivan, according to their souls and parents, in remembrance of eternal blessings, and this church was completed and the eighth thousand were consecrated in the 152nd year of the month of August on the 28th day in memory Moisey Murin».

In 1546, in the name of the Nativity of Christ, the chapel of the Church of the Myrrh-Bearing Women on Zavelichye in Pskov was consecrated. The temple stands on a low hill in the middle of the flat Zavelichye and is surrounded by a cemetery. The church was erected at the expense of the famous Moscow (formerly Novgorod) Metropolitan Macarius. In the 1st Pskov Chronicle you can find information about the customers of the temple: “ ...the church placed the clerk of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women Bogdan Kovyrin and Grigorei Ivanov Titov Kirill in the church, and placed the name of St. Cyril in it, and also set up the daily service of priests and deacons, and compiled a general life...» With the founding of a stone church, a communal monastery was established here, and the church was made a cathedral. The Myronositsky Monastery was abolished in 1764, and the church was converted into a parish and cemetery, which operated until the 1930s, then the Rosbakaley warehouse was located here. Now the temple has been transferred to the Pskov diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church.

There are also churches consecrated in honor of the Nativity of Christ in Ukraine (Ternopil, church built in 1602), Bulgaria (Arbanasi village, church founded in 1550), Georgia (Tbilisi, built in 1500; village. Matskhvarishi, built in 1000; Martvili, built in 900) and Israel (built between 327 and 535).

Old Believer Churches of the Nativity of Christ

In ancient times, on all great holidays, services were performed especially solemnly, throughout the night, i.e. all-night vigil. Currently, in most Old Believer parishes they pray all night only on Easter, and on other holidays they perform the service prescribed by the Charter with a break - the night before and in the morning. But in some communities they are beginning to revive the tradition of praying at night and the service of the Nativity of Christ, for example, in Yekaterinburg the Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Nativity of Christ of the Rogozhsky community. Moscow

Temples of the Russian Ancient Orthodox Church, consecrated in the name of the Nativity of Christ, are located in the city of Ulan-Ude (Buryatia) and (Ukraine, Poltava region).

It was consecrated in the name of the Nativity of Christ. The temple had two floors. On the ground floor there was a locker room and a meeting room for the Community Council. The entire second floor was occupied by the temple premises in the form of a large long hall without columns or partitions seven arshins high. The iconostasis had three tiers. The outside of the temple was decorated with one dome with a cross. The building was demolished in the 1970s.

Useful on the topic:

• ? Sermon by Priest Konstantin Litvyakov on Christmas Day;
• : Orthodox traditions holiday (" Christ is born glorify", text);
• . Holiday traditions

In ancient times, the word “prosphora” (translated from Greek as “offered”) was the name given to offerings primarily of bread and wine, with which believers came to church for the Liturgy. Part of these offerings was intended for the celebration of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, the other part was eaten at a fraternal meal.

What is prosphora and what does it symbolize?

Prosphora in the present Church is a small round loaf of bread used during worship. It is prepared only from leavened wheat dough. The prosphora is two-part (has an upper and lower part) - as a reminder of the unity of the two natures of the Lord Jesus Christ: divine and human.

The upper part of the prosphora is imprinted with a seal depicting a four-pointed cross with the words “IC.XC.NIKA”, meaning “Jesus Christ the Victorious”. There are prosphoras with images of the Mother of God and saints of God. A prosphora consecrated in the altar, from which a piece is taken out, is a shrine.

Particles from the prosphora are taken out by the priest during the proskomedia (preparatory part of the Liturgy) and at this time notes about health and repose are read, which are submitted to the candle box for the proskomedia. After reading each name indicated in the note, the clergyman takes out a particle from the prosphora, saying: “Remember, Lord, the health and salvation of your servants...” (and the names from the health notes are pronounced); then - “Remember and rest, Lord, the souls of your departed servants...” (and the names from the notes of repose are pronounced).

At the end of the Divine Liturgy and Communion of the laity, the priest places into the chalice the particles taken out in remembrance of the living and the dead with the words: “Wash away, Lord, the sins of those who were remembered here by Thy Honest Blood, by the prayers of Thy saints.”

This is done so that the living and the deceased, for whose names particles were taken from the prosphora according to notes, having washed themselves in the Most Pure Blood of the Son of God, receive remission of sins and eternal life.

How to handle prosphora?

Prosphora is consecrated church bread; it must be treated with reverence as a shrine. It is good to divide the prosphora into parts, dry it and store it in a special cloth bag in the holy corner next to the icons. It is customary to eat prosphora on an empty stomach after the morning meal. prayer rule, reading the prayer “For the use of prosphora and holy water”, not allowing the crumbs to fall to the floor.

The paper in which the prosphora was wrapped is burned, as crumbs may remain on it. If, as a result of careless storage, the consecrated bread has deteriorated, then it must be burned, and in the future, care should be taken to more carefully store the shrine.

Prosphora should not be given to animals.

What could be the benefit of taking prosphora and holy water?

The prayer for accepting prosphora and holy water contains the following words: “Lord my God, may Your holy gift and Your holy water be for the remission of my sins, for the enlightenment of my mind, for the strengthening of my mental and physical strength, for the health of my soul and body , in the subjugation of my passions and infirmities according to Thy boundless mercy through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother and all Thy saints. Amen". If a person uses prosphora and holy water with faith and reverence, then he receives what he asks for in this prayer.

Not only Church Tradition, but also the personal experience of believers convinces of the miraculous power of holy water. The grace of God descending on the water through the prayers of the priest gives it the power to heal illnesses, quench passions and weaken emerging sinful attractions, free from all evil, and cleanse from defilement.

Is it possible to give prosphora to the unbaptized?

Giving prosphora to the unbaptized does not make much sense. Unbaptized person, as a rule, either does not have faith, or doubts, and therefore does not have the right attitude towards the shrine, therefore, using it most likely will not bring him spiritual benefit. It is known from the Gospel that the Lord did not perform miracles where people did not have faith (Matthew 13:58).

Is it possible to eat prosphora at the cemetery?

Prosphora is not eaten “for the dead” or “for the living.” This shrine serves to sanctify only those who partake of it. There is no need to eat prosphora at the cemetery, but rather eat it at home, having first read the prayer “For the use of prosphora and holy water,” which is in Orthodox prayer books.

Is it possible to crumble prosphora at a grave?

Since the prosphora is a shrine, there is no need to crumble it at the grave. The deceased do not need bodily food, they only need prayers for them.

What is antidor? When and to whom can it be taken?

Antidor (translated from Greek as “instead of a gift”) are the cut-off parts of the main prosphora that are not used for the Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is taught instead of the Holy Gifts for the blessing and sanctification of the soul and body of those who were present at the Liturgy but did not receive communion.

Antidor is a shrine that became it through the prayer of the priest and the remembrance of the Savior’s suffering on the cross. Therefore, it is established to use antidor on an empty stomach with attention and caution, so as not to spill crumbs on the floor. It is best to eat this consecrated bread in church, but you can also take it home. Antidor is not supposed to be given to unbaptized people.

What kind of bread is distributed at the all-night vigil?

This is also consecrated bread. In ancient times, when the all-night vigil lasted all night, Christians ate bread and wine to strengthen their strength. Although the duration of the services has now been reduced, this custom has been preserved. Consecrated on all-night vigil The bread can be eaten immediately after receiving it in the temple, not on an empty stomach.

What is artos? When is it distributed?

Artos (translated from Greek as “leavened bread”) is a special prosphora blessed on Easter night. Invoking God's blessing on the artos, in a special prayer the priest asks the Lord to heal every ailment and illness, and to grant health to all who partake of it.

Throughout Bright Week, the artos remains on the lectern opposite the Royal Doors of the altar and is worn daily for Easter religious processions. On Saturday on Bright Week It is crushed with special prayer and distributed to believers. Artos is a symbol of the Risen Christ and reminds of His stay on earth.

Particles of artosa are kept by believers in a holy corner and are consumed on an empty stomach with reverence, prayer and with the words “Christ is risen!”

What is "holy water"?

This is water that is ordinary in composition and original origin (well, spring, lake, river, tap), miraculously acquiring sanctifying, grace-filled properties after performing a special prayer service called the water sanctification.

What to do if holy water has spoiled?

Spoiled holy water is poured into a stream or river - where there is a current, into the so-called living, running water.

What happens if you add Epiphany water to ordinary water?

Epiphany water will sanctify ordinary water, and all of it will become sanctified.

When is Christmas water blessed and given?

There is no special rite for the blessing of water on Christmas Day.

Is it possible to make soup from the remaining holy water?

Holy water can be added to food to sanctify it; it can be sprinkled on food.

What is agiasma?

Agiasma (translated from Greek as “shrine”) is the name given to water consecrated according to a special great rite on the feast of the Epiphany or on Epiphany Eve.

How to use Epiphany water?

Epiphany water is a shrine that should be in every home of an Orthodox Christian. It is carefully stored. Holy water has the property of not spoiling for many years.

Out of reverence for the shrine, they usually drink Epiphany water on an empty stomach. However, if you are sick, you can drink it at any time. You can also anoint sore spots with holy water and sprinkle your home. You can sprinkle holy water on unbaptized people and animals.

Is it possible to drink holy water of minor consecration during the day or is this only allowed on an empty stomach?

You can drink the water of minor consecration throughout the day, after praying and with reverence.

How does Epiphany water differ from Epiphany water?

No different. On both the 18th and 19th of January, the water is blessed with the same Great Rite. This consecration of water is called Great in comparison with the other, smaller one, performed on August 1/14 on the Feast of the Origin (removal) of the Venerable Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, and on other days, due to the special solemnity of the rite, imbued with the memory of the Baptism of the Savior by John in the Jordan River. Epiphany and Epiphany are two names for one holiday. The opinion that these are different waters: the water that is blessed on January 18 is Epiphany water, and the one that is blessed on January 19 is Epiphany water, is erroneous.

The blessing of water performed on the eve of Epiphany on January 18 serves as a reminder that in ancient times, on the eve of Epiphany, the blessing of water was performed for the baptism of catechumens, and then it is performed in churches where the catechumens were baptized.

After the Liturgy on January 19, the blessing of water is performed in remembrance of the Baptism of the Lord, so there is a solemn procession with a cross, the Gospel, lamps and banners, with bells ringing and the singing of a troparion to water sources.

This holiday is called Epiphany because at the Baptism of the Lord the Divine Holy Trinity appeared: God the Father spoke from heaven about the Son, the Son of God was baptized by John and witnessed by God the Father, and the Holy Spirit descended on the Son in the form of a dove. Since ancient times, this holiday has also been called the day of enlightenment and the holiday of lights, because God is Light and appeared to enlighten “those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death” (Matthew 4:16).

Why does the Church sanctify water and bread?

It is difficult to find something that would be so necessary for people in their earthly life and constitute such an urgent need as bread and water. Bread is the simplest and natural food for humans, supporting and strengthening their strength. A person uses water to quench thirst and prepare food, and washes the body and things it uses with it.

These two substances necessary for a person in his bodily life turn out to be integral elements for him in his spiritual life. Bread, consisting of many grains, personifies the Church - One with the plurality of its members. Bread serves the greatest Sacrament - Holy Communion.

By consecrating water, the Church returns primitive purity and holiness to the elements with water, and by the power of prayer and the Word of God, it brings down the blessing of the Lord onto the water. Blessed water is an image of God's grace: it cleanses believers from spiritual impurities, sanctifies and strengthens them for the feat of salvation in God, extinguishes the flames of passions, and drives away evil spirits.

Therefore, holy water is necessarily present during the consecration of churches and all objects used in worship, and during the consecration of residential buildings, buildings, and household items. Believers are sprinkled with holy water during religious processions and prayer services.

What is the “rite of Panagia”, how is it performed?

The word Panagia (translated from Greek as “Most Holy”) is the name given to the Mother of God. In this rite it is applied to the Mother of God prosphora, which symbolizes the Queen of Heaven. The vessel in which this prosphora is placed is called a panagiar.

This rite is performed in monasteries. After the Liturgy, the brethren leave the church in pairs for a meal, carrying ahead the liturgical prosphora in honor of the Mother of God. This procession is accompanied ringing bells and singing the 144th Psalm.

In the refectory, the prosphora is placed in the center of the table. At the end of the meal, the Panagia is raised in front of the icons with the glorification of the Holy Trinity and prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos. Then everyone eats the prosphora particles. The meaning of the rite is to represent the presence of God Himself and the Most Holy Theotokos at the meal. Such an announcement of the rank is also indicated by the legend about its origin.

According to ancient legend, the apostles, after the descent of the Holy Spirit on them, when gathering for a common meal, left an unoccupied place at the table for Jesus Christ, placing bread there. At the end of the meal and after thanksgiving prayer they raised this piece of bread with the words: “Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee. Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Great is the name of the Holy Trinity. Lord Jesus Christ, help us."

On the third day after the burial of the Mother of God, the apostles also sat together at a meal. During the offering of bread in memory of Christ, having uttered the words: “Great is the name...”, they saw in the air Holy Mother of God, surrounded by Angels. She promised to be with them always. The joyful disciples of Christ, out of surprise, exclaimed instead of “Lord Jesus Christ, help us” - “Most Holy Theotokos, help us.” Having then gone to the tomb of the Mother of God and opening it, the apostles did not find Her most pure body there and were convinced that She had been ascended to heaven to Her Divine Son.

All our lives there is a great shrine next to us - holy water (in Greek “agiasma” - “shrine”). Blessed water is an image of God's grace: it cleanses believers from spiritual impurities, sanctifies and strengthens them for the feat of salvation in God. We first plunge into it at Baptism, when, upon receiving this sacrament, we are immersed three times in a font filled with holy water. Holy water in the sacrament of Baptism washes away the sinful impurities of a person, renews and revives him in new life in Christ.

Holy water is necessarily present during the consecration of churches and all objects used in worship, during the consecration of residential buildings, buildings, and any household item. We are sprinkled with holy water at religious processions and prayer services.

On the day of Epiphany, every Orthodox Christian carries home a vessel with holy water, carefully preserves it as the greatest shrine, prayerfully communing with holy water in illnesses and all infirmities.

“Consecrated water,” as St. Demetrius of Kherson wrote, “has the power to sanctify the souls and bodies of all who use it.” She, accepted with faith and prayer, heals our bodily illnesses. Venerable Seraphim After confession of pilgrims, Sarovsky always gave them a cup of holy Epiphany water to drink from.

Reverend Ambrose Optinsky sent a bottle of holy water to a terminally ill patient - and the incurable disease, to the amazement of the doctors, went away. Elder Hieroschemamonk Seraphim Vyritsky always advised sprinkling food and the food itself with Jordanian (baptismal) water, which, in his words, “itself sanctifies everything.” When someone was very sick, Elder Seraphim gave his blessing to take a tablespoon of consecrated water every hour. The elder said that there is no stronger medicine than holy water and blessed oil.

The rite of water blessing, which is performed on the feast of Epiphany, is called great because of the special solemnity of the rite, imbued with the remembrance of the Baptism of the Lord, in which the Church sees not only the mysterious washing of sins, but also the actual sanctification of the very nature of water through the immersion of God in the flesh. The Great Blessing of Water is performed twice - on the very day of Epiphany, and also the day before, on the eve of Epiphany (Epiphany Eve). Some believers mistakenly believe that the water blessed these days is different. But in fact, on Christmas Eve and on the very day of the feast of Epiphany, one rite is used for the blessing of water.

St. John Chrysostom also said that the holy Epiphany water remains incorruptible for many years, is fresh, pure and pleasant, as if it had just been drawn from a living source just that minute. This is the miracle of God’s grace, which everyone sees now!

According to the belief of the Church, agiasma is not simple water of spiritual significance, but a new being, spiritual-physical being, the interconnectedness of Heaven and earth, grace and substance, and, moreover, a very close one. That is why the great agiasma, according to the canons of the Church, is considered as a kind of lower degree of Holy Communion: in those cases when, due to sins committed, penance and a ban on approaching the Holy Body and Blood of Christ are imposed on a member of the Church, the usual canon clause is made: “Let him drink the agiasma as he does.” .

Epiphany water is a shrine that should be in every home of an Orthodox Christian. It is carefully kept in the holy corner near the icons. In addition to Epiphany water, Orthodox Christians often use water blessed at prayer services (small blessing of water) performed throughout the year. The small consecration of water is necessarily performed by the Church on the day of the Origin (removal) of the Honest Trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord and on the day of Midsummer, when the words of the Savior, full of the deepest mystery, spoken by Him to the Samaritan woman are remembered: “Whoever drinks the water that I will give him will never thirst. ; but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life” (Gospel of John, chapter 4, verse 14).

It is customary to drink holy Epiphany water on an empty stomach along with prosphora after the morning prayer rule with special reverence as a shrine. “When a person consumes prosphora and holy water,” said the reclusive Georgy Zadonsky, “then the unclean spirit does not approach him, the soul and body are sanctified, thoughts are illuminated to please God, and the person is inclined to fasting, prayer and all virtues.”