On Pentecost you cannot walk alone in nature or swim. Any body of water is a high-risk zone, as our ancestors believed! Today we’ll talk about the most ancient prohibitions on the Trinity, and also try to understand the essence of the greatest church holiday.
Very soon a wonderful Christian holiday will come feast of the Holy Trinity, which in 2019 falls on June 16. This is the 50th day after Easter, falling, as in other years, on Sunday. That is why the Trinity is also called Pentecost.
I really like this bright and joyful summer holiday, and I always look forward to it with special trepidation. I love this day for the special atmosphere, for the wonderful service in the church, for the beauty when Orthodox churches are decorated with greenery (freshly cut grass is usually placed on the floor, icons are decorated with flowers and young tree branches), and for the harmonious state that I feel on Trinity.
However, the Trinity is shrouded in an incredible amount of traditions, rituals and beliefs, which can sometimes be difficult to understand and understand what is true and what is not. Therefore, I turned to my friend Anna for advice on this matter.
Anya’s husband is Father Alexey, whose services my whole family loves to attend, and Anya herself is a very bright and wonderful person. She happily told me how to properly celebrate the day of the Holy Trinity-Pentecost, as well as about what absolutely cannot be done on this day.
What date is Trinity this year?
According to the Gospel, on the 50th day after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles, who together with the Mother of God gathered for prayer in a house on Mount Zion. This phenomenon took the form of tongues of flame that enveloped the apostles, but they did not burn, but gave joy and peace.
Suddenly they spoke in every possible language to bring the Word of God to the masses. Next, the apostles baptized almost three thousand people, which means the process began the birth of the Christian church.
Traditionally, on Pentecost, the Holy Trinity is remembered: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Church literature says that in the evening before Trinity, the Holy Spirit descends to earth. It sanctifies and blesses everything around, it fills a person’s soul with goodness, love, faith, and patience.
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Traditions and prohibitions for Trinity
- The main prohibition on the Trinity is connected specifically with the earth: under no circumstances should you carry out any earthwork: digging, digging, plowing, harrowing, sticking stakes, mowing grass and even planting plants!
© DepositPhotos - On this day, as well as on all other Orthodox holidays, you cannot sew, wash, or clean.
© DepositPhotos - Trees also require careful handling on this day. Young green birches, rowan trees, willows - they are often used in Trinity rituals. On Trinity, you cannot cut down or saw trees, break branches, or chop firewood; usually birch branches are harvested the day before the holiday.
How can we explain this craving of ancient believers for decorating the temple with birch branches? Perhaps the branches of birches and other trees remind deeply believers of the oak grove of Mamre, where there was an oak tree, under which the Lord appeared to Abraham in the form of three angels of the Holy Trinity. This oak grove appears on Trinity icons.
There is another version. The branches can symbolize the flowering Mount Sinai, on which the Lord gave Moses the 10 Commandments. The desire to recreate the atmosphere of these bright moments is natural for every believer.
- Weddings are not allowed on Trinity Sunday, but matchmaking, on the contrary, is encouraged - this is considered a good omen, and the life together will be long and happy.
© DepositPhotos - I would also like to mention beliefs. According to folk tradition, on Trinity It is not recommended to swim in ponds. In ancient times, this was explained by the fact that during this period “mermaids were walking” and could drag a person into their kingdom.
During the holiday, people refrained from swimming in the house - they tried not to go close to the water, even just to wash themselves. The ban on washing and bathing in ancient times was also due to the fact that previously people needed to make a lot of physical effort in order to perform ablution (for example, to light a bathhouse). But the church prohibits physical work on the days of great holidays!
© DepositPhotosHowever, church ministers claim that there is and cannot be any reason not to allow swimming on Trinity Sunday. You just shouldn’t replace going to church and prayer with a beach holiday, which will certainly be a sin.
© DepositPhotos - On Trinity, it is customary to wish your family and friends health and family well-being. On the day before the holiday, on Parents' Saturday, deceased relatives are remembered. It is necessary to visit the burial sites and clean them up.
© DepositPhotos - Well, and most importantly, on this day you cannot keep negative thoughts and wish bad things. You need to forgive your family and friends all the insults, step over them and leave them in the past.
© DepositPhotos
For a long time, on this day, for the first time after Easter, the prayer “To the Heavenly King” is read. According to the clergy, from this day on, morning and evening prayers begin with the reading of the Trisagion. In addition, read
The Orthodox church calendar is the schedule according to which the Church lives, services are performed, and fasting begins. There are twelve main holidays in the Church, which are called the Twelves. And - one of them. Easter is considered the main thing; it is not even one of the twelve. Easter is a “holiday holiday” - an event that determines church life for a good third of the year. Moreover, the date of several twelve holidays, including Trinity, can be determined precisely by Easter.
Easter is a moving holiday, that is, it happens at different times every year. The date of Easter is difficult to calculate, and the timing of a number of other important events depends on it.
Before Easter, Christians all over the world fast. For the Orthodox, this is Great Lent, which begins seven weeks before the Holy Resurrection of Christ. Before Lent there are several special weeks for preparation: a week about Zacchaeus, a week with reading about the Publican and the Pharisee, a week dedicated to the Prodigal Son, a week about the Last Judgment (also known as Maslenitsa).
That is, preparation for Easter begins 13 weeks in advance. After Easter there is a series of holidays that are associated with it. This is St. Thomas week, and the week of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, Ascension, Trinity. What date is Trinity in a particular year depends on what date Easter falls on.
Trinity Sunday occurs on the fiftieth day after Easter, which is why it is also called Pentecost.
What date is Trinity is easy to calculate, knowing the date of Easter or the beginning of Lent. 50 days must be added to the date of Easter, and 14 weeks to the day of the beginning of Great Lent. Orthodox publishing houses often print small Easter calendars, which indicate what day Easter will be and what date Trinity will be for a decade in advance.
One week after the Feast of Pentecost it begins and always ends on July 12, the day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.
Easter and, therefore, Trinity can be early and late, and the beginning of Peter's Lent can also be early and late. Since this fast always ends on July 12, its duration depends on what date the Trinity holiday is. Petrovka, that is, not strict, but its duration is different each time: from two weeks to six.
Any fast imposes significant restrictions on everyone who observes it. Great Lent involves not only giving up, but also limiting entertainment and frequent attendance at religious services. Some people don’t watch TV during Lent, don’t go to the theater or visit people. Life changes dramatically during Lent, so Orthodox Christians will find out with great interest the date of Easter for next year or what date Trinity is. For example, what date is Trinity 2013? We need to open Easter and find out that Easter in 2013 is very late, and Trinity falls on June 23. This means that Lent will begin late this year, and indeed, the beginning of Lent fell on March 15th. Everyone celebrated March 8th calmly and without worries, and Easter fell on which was also very convenient. Petrov's fast was short, only two weeks.
Some are surprised that the Orthodox use such an indefinite, different calendar every time. But besides theological justifications, there are other positive aspects to such “instability.” Every year is different, each year is different, and that’s not a bad thing.
Orthodox Christians are preparing to celebrate one of the most important holidays - Holy Trinity Day (Trinity, Pentecost), and after him - Whit Monday.
When is Trinity celebrated in 2018?
In 2018 Day of the Holy Trinity noted on Sunday, May 27. Trinity is celebrated on the 50th day after Easter, hence the second name - Pentecost. In Orthodoxy, Trinity is one of the twelve (twelve most important besides Easter) holidays.
Trinity precedes Trinity Parents' Saturday- the day when it is customary for Orthodox Christians to go to the cemetery to remember their deceased loved ones, and in churches they commemorate all dead Christians. In 2018, Trinity Saturday falls on May 26.
History of the holiday Trinity
This Christian holiday, as the name suggests, glorifies the Holy Trinity - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The name Pentecost goes back to the Gospel parable about the descent of the holy spirit on the apostles on the fiftieth day from the Resurrection of Christ. The holiday has biblical roots - on the 50th day after the Jewish Passover (Passover) God through Moses (Moshe) gave the Ten Commandments to the Jews on Mount Sinai. Thus, the Christian Trinity embodies the connection between the Old and New Testaments.
Trinity: folk traditions and signs
In the Slavic tradition, Trinity is a holiday associated with the final farewell of spring and the beginning of summer, and therefore with greenery, herbs, trees, primarily with the main Russian tree - the birch. It is with young birch trees and birch branches that it is customary to decorate homes, churches and graves of loved ones on Trinity Sunday.
The days before and after the end of Trinity in Rus' were called “green” or “mermaid” week.
It was accepted on Trinity go to cemeteries and leave food and even clothing for the dead. This ritual was believed to ward off death.
It was considered a good omen for Trinity decorate your home with birch branches- they were placed in vases, placed behind icons, even scattered on the floor. It was believed that the birch tree “attracts” good luck and a good harvest.
It was also accepted on Trinity woo. People said:
It was believed that matchmaking on Trinity Sunday is the key to a long and happy life for a future family.
It was also customary to organize folk festivals on Trinity festivities with a treat, this was considered an excellent way to appease the land for the sake of the future harvest.
Rain was considered a good omen for Trinity: it promised a lot of mushrooms and berries, the absence of drought and frost, which means a rich harvest.
Fortune telling for Trinity
It was nice to make fortunes on Trinity, mostly girls did this - they made wishes for their future fate and marriage.
Fortune telling, girls on the eve of Trinity “curled” birch trees in the forest or grove - they wove braids from birch branches. The “perm” that survived until Trinity was considered a sign of imminent marriage.
The girls also told fortunes about wreaths - they wove them from field herbs and flowers and floated them on water. It is best if the wreath itself fell into the water from the bowed girl’s head. Wherever he sailed, the matchmakers will come from there. There was a wreath left by the shore - to sit in girls for a year, but if you drowned, expect trouble.
Trinity 2018: what not to do
On Trinity Sunday, the land was considered the birthday girl, so any work in the field, garden and house was prohibited, with the exception of cooking and caring for livestock.
Women were also prohibited from all female handicrafts, especially those involving the use of sharp metal devices: sewing, knitting, spinning, cutting fabric, etc. was prohibited.
Men were also prohibited from working with iron tools: they were not allowed to dig, harrow, mow, chop wood, etc.
It was also forbidden to disturb the earth by planting plants in it or, conversely, digging them up.
In addition, the prohibitions concerned water - at this time it was the “mermaid” week, and the villagers were afraid of the pranks of the water evil spirits walking the earth at that time.
Thus, it was forbidden to wash, rinse clothes in ponds, swim and even wash. There were especially strict prohibitions regarding bathing - it was believed that a merman awakened by mermaids could drag the disobedient person to the bottom.
Spirits Day 2018
Monday immediately after Trinity is called Whit Monday. In 2018, Spiritual Day falls on May 28. On Spiritual Day, the earth is also considered a birthday girl; like on Trinity, you cannot work on it. Bans on bathing, laundry and bathing also remain in effect.
On Spiritual Day, it was customary to “feed” the earth - to arrange something like modern picnics, laying tablecloths on the ground. At the same time, women, in order to “feed” the earth, placed part of the food directly on the ground. It was believed that this makes the land fertile.
In addition, on Spiritual Day people “listened to the earth.” To do this, it was necessary to put your ear to the ground somewhere in an open field in the pre-dawn hour. It was believed that those who know how to listen, the earth can tell its secrets and even reveal where it hides treasures.
Trinity Day does not have a fixed date: it is celebrated on the 50th day after Easter. In 2018, Orthodox Christians will celebrate Trinity on May 27. the site tells you what the essence of the Holy Trinity Day is and why it is considered one of the most important Orthodox holidays.
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What is the day of the Holy Trinity and Pentecost?
These are two different names for the same holiday. According to the Holy Scriptures, on the 50th day after Easter, the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles in the form of tongues of flame. They felt inspired and began to speak other languages that they did not know before.
On this day there was a holiday in the city. The crowd gathered around the apostles. People were amazed to hear seemingly uneducated simple people speaking their dialects. The Apostle Peter, a former fisherman, preached his first sermon, and many people believed in the risen Jesus Christ. Trinity Day is considered the birthday of the Christian Church.
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What does Trinity Day mean?
Pentecost is called the Day of the Holy Trinity in memory of the appearance of the Holy Spirit. With this event, the mystery of the unity of the Holy Trinity was revealed.
What is the Trinity in Christianity?
Belief in the Trinity distinguishes Christianity from other monotheistic religions - Judaism and Islam, writes pravmir.ru. The dogma of the Trinity comes down to three main points:
- God is trinitarian, that is, he has three persons (hypostases): Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
- Each person of the Trinity is God. But these are not three Gods, but one Divine being.
- All three hypostases differ in personal properties.
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How is Trinity celebrated?
On the Feast of the Holy Trinity, Orthodox churches hold one of the most beautiful services of the year. Churches are decorated with greenery - herbs, birch branches, flowers. The floor of the temple is covered with freshly cut grass. Priests wear green vestments on Trinity Sunday.
Trinity is one of the 12 main Orthodox holidays. It is celebrated annually on Sunday, the 50th day after Easter. In 2020, Trinity Sunday falls on June 7th. The official church name of the holiday is Holy Trinity Day. Pentecost. It was established in honor of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and the Virgin Mary on the 50th day after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The holiday symbolizes the unity of the Holy Spirit, God the Father and God the Son.
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history of the holiday
The holiday is dedicated to the events that occurred on the 50th day after Easter - the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and the Virgin Mary. At this time, the disciples of Jesus Christ and the Mother of God were in the Zion Upper Room in Jerusalem. At three o'clock in the afternoon they heard a loud noise, and the blessed fire descended on them. After this, the apostles received the gift of speaking in different languages in order to preach the teachings of Christ to the nations of the world. This event is described in the Acts of the Holy Apostles.
Traditions and rituals of the holiday
Trinity has well-established church and folk traditions of celebration.
In the Orthodox Church it is celebrated for three days. The clergy dresses in green clothes, which symbolizes eternal life and life-giving. Temples are decorated with tree branches and the floor is covered with fresh grass.
On the eve of Saturday an all-night vigil is served. On the day of the holiday, the Gospel of John is read, and the festive liturgy is performed. The third day of Trinity is called the day of the Holy Spirit. On this day, it is customary for churches to bless water. People take the grass and branches that were used to decorate the temples and bring them home. They are dried and stored all year - they protect the house from diseases and troubles.
On holidays, people attend services in churches. On the eve of Trinity, they remember the dead: they go to cemeteries and leave treats for the spirits.
According to folk traditions, on the eve of the celebration, housewives carry out general cleaning of houses and courtyards. They prepare holiday treats, bake bread or loaf, which symbolizes fertility and prosperity. Houses and icons are decorated with tree branches and herbs. On the day of the Holy Trinity after the service, it is customary to visit or invite close relatives and friends and give gifts. After the festive dinner, folk festivities are held. People go to nature, where they perform ritual dances, sing songs, and light fires.
Traditional healers collect herbs on this day. They believe that nature gives them special miraculous properties.
Fortune telling for Trinity
On the day of the Holy Trinity, young girls make fortunes about future events, marriage, love. When performing rituals, they use plants and water.
Fortune telling on a wreath. On the evening of the holiday, you need to make a wreath of birch branches and four types of grass: thyme, Ivan-da-Marya, burdock and bear's ear and leave it overnight in the yard. If it withers the next morning, then you can expect minor difficulties in the near future. A fresh wreath heralds a successful year.
Fortune telling by the river. The girl must weave a wreath, insert a lit candle into it and launch it down the river. If he drowns near the shore, then the relationship with the guy will be short and unsuccessful. If a wreath floats far down the river with a lit candle, then a fateful meeting awaits its owner. A wreath washed ashore marks this year's wedding.
Fortune telling for St. John's wort. In order to find out whether a young man has feelings for a girl, she must take a bunch of St. John's wort and twist it with such force that the juice flows out of it. If the juice is clear, then the love is unrequited, and if it is red, then the feelings are strong and mutual.
What can you eat on Trinity Sunday?
There is no fasting on this day, so you are allowed to eat any dishes and products.
How to decorate a house for Trinity
People use young branches of trees, meadow grasses and flowers to decorate their houses. The main symbol is the birch tree. Young green foliage symbolizes the cycle of life and youth. The white color of the branches represents the pure thoughts of believers. Branches of oak, linden, maple and rowan are designed to protect the house from evil spirits.
Among meadow herbs, people use cornflowers, lovage, thyme, fern, mint, lemon balm, and burdock. They weave wreaths from them and hang them on the door, make bouquets that they place on the table or near the icons. Unmarried girls put herbs under their pillow.
What not to do on Trinity
Trinity is a great Orthodox holiday. On this day you should not engage in heavy physical labor or household chores. You should devote time to prayers and loved ones. You can’t quarrel and get angry with others. According to popular beliefs, on this day it is forbidden to swim in natural reservoirs. People believe that on Trinity, evil spirits take the form of mystical characters (mermaids, merman) and are capable of causing harm.
Signs and beliefs for Trinity
- A rainy day means a good harvest of mushrooms in the fall.
- You should not have a wedding on this holiday, otherwise the marriage will be unsuccessful.
- Arranging matchmaking on Trinity is a good omen. The future marriage will be strong and happy.
- Pentecost is a good time to search for treasures. On this day, the earth is able to generously bestow wealth on a person.
- It is considered a good sign to shed tears during the service. Mourning the grass symbolizes a bountiful harvest and wealth.
