How the Trinity Service is conducted. Pentecost. Vespers of kneeling. Divination on the Trinity

June 19, 2005 - the day of the Holy Trinity, Pentecost.
An all-night vigil is served in the church the night before. This type of worship took shape during the time of the first Christians. Then the service lasted all night, which is why it got its name. In our time, the service is, of course, shorter, but its spiritual meaning has remained the same - to adequately prepare a believer for the Divine Liturgy.
The All-Night Vigil includes Vespers and Matins.
Let's see how this service is going on in the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky in Verbilki

In the afternoon on the eve of the feast of the Holy Trinity, the temple was transformed. The entrance to the temple and the icons in the vestibule are decorated with birch twigs.

The service has not started yet, there are no parishioners yet, but everything is ready for the beginning of the service. The iconostasis of the temple is decorated with birch twigs. Changed to green and the color of the veil behind the royal gates

Before the beginning of the service, the candles have not yet been lighted, only a faint glow of the lamps on the icons decorated with birch branches. The Feast of the Trinity always falls on the shortest nights of the year, therefore, during the evening service, the temple is illuminated by the rays of the setting sun, and tree branches that are full of greenery come up to the windows of the temple. So it seems that birches from the street entered the temple and all the icons were placed in their branches.

The scent of fresh birch branches, lamp oil and wax candles create an amazing aroma, especially perceptible in the wooden building of the temple.

Gradually, the temple is filled with believers. On the feast of the Holy Trinity, many parishioners try to add something green to their clothes.

Another city dweller, seeing for the first time the belfry of the church, will think: "Is it possible to ring the bells on such bells?"
But, really, it is worth once hearing all the bells ringing when Anatoly Vasilyevich rings, in order to feel how deceiving the first impression can be. A friendly and harmonious ringing of a high tone and beautiful timbre is heard far from the temple. The bell ringer will finish his work, and the sound of the bells is heard for a long time, as if the bells are competing, whose sound will last longer in the thickening evening air.

The all-night vigil of the great Vespers begins. The royal gates are opened, the censing of the altar is carried out, then the iconostasis and the entire temple. Vespers is filled with deep spiritual meaning, it symbolizes the Divine grace that filled Paradise in Old Testament times.
The curing of the entire temple marks the Holy Spirit, Who, as the Bible tells us, “hovered over the water” at the creation of the world. By censing honor is given to icons and to all saints, the grace of God is invoked on the people ahead.

Before the start of the all-night vigil, parishioners kiss the icons and light the candles.

There are always many children at the services in the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky, who come to the service with their parents. Children, like adults, kiss icons and light candles.

Older children, especially Sunday school students, are already familiar with the church statutes and participate in divine services with understanding. Young children do not yet understand the full meaning of what is happening and show a direct child's interest in what their parents are doing.

An important celebration of Vespers is the entrance with a censer. It symbolizes the descent of the Son of God to earth to save people. The entrance itself symbolizes the Incarnation, and the candle-bearers with candles symbolize the light of the teachings of Christ.

During Vespers, bread, wheat, wine and oil are blessed. Before the beginning of the consecration, special prayers are read - litii, in which the church asks for intercession before God from all the saints. In lithium prayers, the church asks for forgiveness of sins, deliverance from natural disasters, wars, civil strife. These prayers are intensified by repeated chanting "Lord, have mercy."

In remembrance of the five gospel loaves, with which the Lord fed five thousand people, five loaves are consecrated, as well as wheat, wine and oil (oil). The priest prays for the multiplication of these God's gifts and blesses them.

During the consecration, the censing of God's gifts is carried out.

The consecration of loaves, wheat, wine and oil concludes Vespers. The chant "Blessed be the Name of the Lord from now to everlasting" serves as a transition to the Matins service.

In the temple all candles are extinguished and the reading of the Six Psalms - six selected psalms - begins. The Six Psalms, as it were, replaces the entire Psalter, which was read in full at all-night vigils in the days of the first Christians. The Six Psalms symbolizes the state of mind of people after the expulsion from Paradise and the search by people for the path of spiritual salvation. By His coming into the world, the Lord Jesus Christ opened this path. ...

At the end of the reading of the Psalter, the most solemn and brightest part of Matins begins - the polyeleos. Translated from Greek, polyeleos means "an abundance of oil" - a symbol of God's mercy and gifts of grace. At this time, all the lamps are lit in the temple. This part of the all-night vigil symbolizes the uncreated Light of Christ, manifested in His Incarnation and Resurrection from the dead. The parishioners light candles at the beginning of the polyeleos.

Those of the parishioners who did not have time to approach the icons before the start of the service, kiss and light the candles at the beginning of the polyeleos.

An abundance of light and a multitude of burning candles - symbols of the Light of Christ - are characteristic features of this part of Matins. The royal gates are opened and the priest burns the entire church, symbolizing the myrrh-bearers and the apostles, who, having learned from the angels about the Resurrection of Christ, proclaimed this joy to all believers.

In the final part of Matins, the priest anoints the parishioners with consecrated oil (oil).

Before the anointing, parishioners apply to the icons. Simultaneously with the anointing with oil, the priest sprinkles birch branches with blessed water and bouquets of flowers that the parishioners bring with them, because tomorrow is the day of the Holy Trinity and many are striving to decorate their homes with consecrated birch branches

After the anointing with oil, parishioners receive particles of bread moistened with wine, which were consecrated during Vespers.
"It will be known that the blessed bread is helping from all evils, if it is accepted with faith."

At the very end of the all-night vigil begins, perhaps the most intimate and important part of the service for parishioners - confession. In the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky, the rule is strictly observed, according to which everyone who wants to take communion at the Divine Liturgy must attend the evening service the day before and confess.

Among the confessing there are both adults and children. Some confess from memory, but many bring notes. It looks especially touching from the outside when children confess with notes. How can one fail to recall the benefits of spiritual enlightenment in Sunday schools.

There are many who wish to take communion on the great church holiday - the day of the Holy Trinity. The main services of the all-night vigil have already been completed, almost all the candles have burned out and the priest in the altar has already taken off his festive vestments, and the line of parishioners for confession is not over yet. The reception of the Holy Mysteries of Christ at the Liturgy must be worthy, the participants will come to the Liturgy with a clear conscience after confession.

Tomorrow is the day of the Holy Trinity, Pentecost.

On June 19, the entire Orthodox world celebrates one of the twelve twelve holidays - the Day of the Holy Trinity.

In our church, the all-night vigil will begin on Saturday, June 18 at 16.00. On Sunday at 8.30 am - the beginning of confession and at 9.00 am - Divine Liturgy and Great Vespers with the recitation of kneeling prayers.

Trinity - what is this holiday and what cannot be done?

Trinity is a great Christian holiday, which is one of the twelve, the most important of the year. It takes place on the fiftieth day after Easter, therefore it is also called Pentecost. On this day, Orthodox Christians remember the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, after which the Lord's disciples became able to speak in different languages ​​and dispersed throughout the world to preach the teachings of Christ.

The Feast of the Holy Trinity always falls on Sunday. Believers always try to be present at the service on this day, to receive Holy Communion. The service on Trinity itself is especially solemn - inside the temples are decorated with greenery, branches of plants and flowers. After the Liturgy, Great Vespers is served with the recitation of kneeling prayers, during which, turning to the Lord, we ask Him for help and intercession.

There are a lot of folk customs associated with the holiday: - you can't do that, you can't do that ... But most of them have purely pagan, folk roots. And often such customs contradict the very essence of the Christian faith. Therefore, when studying the Russian traditions of the holiday of the Trinity, one must clearly distinguish between what is consonant in them with Orthodoxy and what is not.

In the Church there are no everyday rules of what is forbidden and what can be done on the days of certain holidays. The main thing that can and should be is to be in church and pray.

If you still have any doubts about how you should spend the day of the feast of Trinity (Pentecost), you can find below a selection of the most common questions and answers about what can and cannot be done on Trinity.

What cannot be done on Trinity?

As a rule, the answers to this question are quite superstitious. The church charter does not provide clearly regulated instructions in this sense. If you are a believer, then you understand that the Trinity is one of the most important, most revered holidays, that on this day you need to be in church at the service, refrain from external vain affairs, devote yourself to prayer. When there is no veneration of the holiday, inner reverence for this day, then why outwardly fulfill some prescriptions, if they do not carry any spiritual meaning?

Can you work for Trinity?

Trinity is one of the most important Christian holidays, which takes place on the fiftieth day after Easter. On this day, the Church commemorates the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. After this event, the Lord's disciples became able to speak in different languages ​​and dispersed throughout the world to proclaim the Risen Savior to people.

The feast of the Holy Trinity always falls on Sunday. Orthodox Christians try to dedicate this day to God by their presence in the church at the divine service, zealous and sincere prayer, participation in Church Sacraments. If possible, on such a big holiday, it is better to refrain from work, postpone all vain affairs and devote time to the Lord, devoting yourself to prayer and good deeds.

Can you work on the second day of Trinity?

The feast of the Holy Trinity is divided into two days. The first day is dedicated to the glorification of the Trinity and the remembrance of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, therefore it is called Trinity Day. The second day glorifies the All-Holy Life-giving Spirit and in honor of this is named Spiritual Day.

Orthodox believers, realizing the holiness of the holiday, are sure to try these days to be present in the church at the divine service, to postpone all vain affairs and devote time to prayer. Since the first day of Trinity always falls on Sunday, a Christian usually has no problem attending services on that day. The second day of the Trinity - the Day of Spirits - falls at the beginning of the working week. It is clear that on Monday it is difficult for a modern person to postpone his affairs and work. But if possible, it is better to start performing it after attending the morning worship service in order to pay tribute to the holiday.

Is it possible to work in the garden for Trinity?

The feast of the Holy Trinity always falls on a Sunday, so believers always try to attend the festive service in the church, partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, refrain from doing any work and devote time to prayer.

By working on the day of Trinity, we seem to show our disrespect to God. No wonder people have always tried to postpone all external, vain affairs on the days of great holidays - this is not pleasing to the Lord. The work, as a rule, turned out in vain and did not bring positive results. Of course, there are especially important things that cannot be postponed to another time. It is better to start their implementation only after attending the service and prayer. But if possible, on the days of big holidays, such as Trinity, it is better to postpone all business, including work in the garden.

Is it possible to commemorate the suicides on Trinity?

The feast of the Holy Trinity is preceded by Trinity parental Saturday- day of universal remembrance of the dead. On Trinity Saturday, a funeral service is served in churches, during which the Church commemorates all early Orthodox Christians.

As for the commemoration of suicides at the funeral service, the Church does not bless us to do this - neither on Trinity, nor on any other day. Taking the life of another person is a great sin, but the killer can always sincerely repent of his sin and the Lord will forgive him. A person who has committed suicide does not have the opportunity to repent of his deed. The soul of the suicide is left to God's will. However, this does not mean that you cannot pray for such people at all. On the contrary, their souls especially need the prayers of loved ones, which can be performed at home.

Why can't you kneel down to Trinity?

Hieromonk Konstantin (Simon) answers:

We do not kneel between Easter and Pentecost because this is a time of joy. We very often kneel in prayer during Great Lent, as this is a time of repentance. But the period after Easter is a joyful time, we should not be sad. Of course, we must always ask the Lord for the forgiveness of our sins. But Easter is a special time, this is the time of the triumph of Jesus Christ over death. These days we live in a special, special way, we live by Easter grace. And this grace does not allow us to kneel.
And on the day of the Holy Trinity, at Great Vespers, we kneel down for the first time after Easter. On it, kneeling prayers are read, during which we can again ask God for the forgiveness of our sins, we can repent. The moment of repentance is clearly reflected in the texts of these prayers.
It is also worth noting that the Great Evening refers to Monday, to the second day of the Holy Trinity - Spiritual Day, since according to the rules of the Nicene Council, Orthodox Christians should not kneel on Sundays.

Is it possible to swim on Trinity?

Trinity usually falls in late spring or early summer. Usually the weather improves by this time and people try to spend weekends with their families in nature, near a reservoir - there is nothing reprehensible in this. Of course, the church charter does not prohibit swimming on Trinity (as it has ever done before). However, for an Orthodox person, it is important to correctly prioritize so that it does not happen that instead of attending a service on a holiday, he goes to the beach.

Is it possible to go to Trinity to the cemetery?

Hieromonk Konstantin (Simon) answers:

Why does this question arise? I think because the holiday of the Trinity is closely related to the prayer for the departed. This is especially true of the Saturday before Trinity - the memorial Saturday. And, in my opinion, it is better to visit the cemetery just on Saturday, and not on Sunday, because it is on Saturday that a memorial service is served in churches, a special service with prayers for the dead.
On Sunday, on the day of the feast of Trinity, kneeling prayers are recited. They conclude the evening service before the Spiritual Day. During these prayers, we also pray for the souls of the departed. We pray even for those in hell, we ask the Lord to soften their lot. All this happens through the action of the Holy Trinity and especially through the action of the Holy Spirit, which revives both the dead and the living. In general, the living and the dead are very close on this day, since the Holy Spirit unites the heavenly Church - the one in paradise, the suffering Church - the one in hell, and the Church that is on earth.

What can you do on the Saturday before Trinity?

The Saturday before Trinity is also called Trinity parental Saturday; on this day, a special commemoration of all the departed is performed in churches. Believers come to the morning service, after which a requiem is performed. In addition, on the Saturday before Trinity, as on the eve of other great holidays, newlyweds are not crowned. Also on Saturday before Trinity it is recommended to attend the evening service and confess at it, in order to come to church on Sunday morning for the Liturgy and take communion. The Church does not introduce any other special restrictions on this day.

Can you marry before Trinity?

The church does not get crowned directly on the eve of the great holidays, as well as on fast days of the week: Wednesday and Friday. As for the rest of the days of the week before Trinity, then these days, as a rule, you can get married. Of course, in any particular church there may be special circumstances related to the schedule of its work and services. Therefore, it is worth agreeing in advance about the time and place of the wedding.

How many days is it forbidden to work on Trinity?

Another popular question from people who are just immersed in church tradition. The answer will disappoint someone, but will please someone: there are no restrictions on work on the eve of the Trinity. So workaholics can calmly enjoy work, but unfortunately lazy people will not have a new reason to relax.

Can you baptize on the Trinity?

The sacrament of Baptism can be performed absolutely at any time - on fasting days, on ordinary days or on holidays. But it should be understood that there are some limiting factors. So, for example, on Trinity the morning service is greatly lengthened, since after the Liturgy, the Great Vespers is immediately served with special prayers-petitions. After such a long service, not every church will be able to perform the Sacrament of Baptism. In addition, each parish may have its own schedule for the performance of services and ordinances, which must be learned on the spot.

Can I get married / get married / get married / play a wedding on Trinity?

No weddings take place on Trinity. Since the wedding on the days of the twelve holidays is not prohibited, but undesirable. Since the day of the great church great holiday, we strive first of all to relive the events of the holiday, without overshadowing the church joy with our personal joy. If it is necessary to get married on these days, special agreement with the priest is required.

Birches in the temple

On Trinity, temples were traditionally decorated with birch branches and grass. This custom has several explanations. First, birches can remind of the oak grove of Mamvre, where there was an oak tree, under which the Lord, the Holy Trinity, appeared to Abraham in the form of three angels. She is depicted in the icons of the Trinity.

Secondly, on the day when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles, the Jews celebrated the feast of Pentecost, which was associated with the history of the granting of the Law of God to them. ... On the fiftieth day after the exodus from the Egyptian land, the Jews approached Mount Sinai, where the Lord gave Moses the ten commandments.
It was springtime, and the whole of Mount Sinai was covered with flowering trees. Probably from here in the ancient Church there was a custom on the day of Pentecost to decorate their temples and houses with greenery, in order, as it were, to find ourselves on Mount Sinai with Moses again.

9.1. What is worship? The divine service of the Orthodox Church is service to God by readings of prayers, hymns, sermons and sacred acts performed in accordance with the Charter of the Church. 9.2. What are the services for? Worship as the outer side of religion serves as a means for Christians to express their inner religious faith and reverent feelings for God, as a means of mysterious communication with God. 9.3. What is the purpose of worship? The purpose of the divine service established by the Orthodox Church is to give Christians the best way to express petitions, thanksgiving and praise to the Lord; to teach and educate believers in the truths of the Orthodox faith and the rules of Christian piety; to lead believers into mysterious communion with the Lord and impart to them the grace-filled gifts of the Holy Spirit.

9.4. What does Orthodox worship by name mean?

(common cause, public service) - this is the main divine service, during which the Communion (Communion) of believers takes place. The remaining eight services are preparatory prayers for the Liturgy.

Vespers- service performed at the end of the day, in the evening.

Compline- service after evening (supper) .

Midnight Office – a service intended to be performed at midnight.

Matins – the service performed in the morning before sunrise.

Clock service – remembrance of the events (by the hour) of Good Friday (the suffering and death of the Savior), His Resurrection and the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles.

On the eve of major holidays and Sundays, an evening service is performed, which is called an all-night vigil, because among the ancient Christians it lasted all night. The word "vigilance" means "vigilance." The All-Night Vigil consists of Vespers, Matins and the First Hour. In modern churches, all-night vigil is most often performed in the evening on the eve of Sundays and holidays.

9.5. What services are held in the Church every day?

- In the name of the Holy Trinity, the Orthodox Church celebrates evening, morning and afternoon services in churches every day. In turn, each of these three services is composed of three parts:

Evening worship - from the ninth hour, Vespers, Compline.

Morning- from midnight office, matins, first hour.

Daytime- from the third hour, the sixth hour, Divine Liturgy.

Thus, nine services are formed from the evening, morning and afternoon church services.

Due to the weakness of modern Christians, such statutory services are performed only in some monasteries (for example, in the Valaam Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior). In most parish churches, services are held only in the morning and in the evening, with some reductions.

9.6. What is depicted in the Liturgy?

- In the Liturgy, under the external rites, the entire earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ is depicted: His birth, teaching, deeds, suffering, death, burial, Resurrection and Ascension to heaven.

9.7. What is called a mass?

- The people call the Liturgy Liturgy. The name "Mass" comes from the custom of the ancient Christians, after the end of the Liturgy, to use the remnants of the brought bread and wine at a common meal (or public dinner), which took place in one of the parts of the church.

9.8. What is called a bank?

- The succession of pictorial (Lent) - this is the name of a short service, which is performed instead of the Liturgy, when the Liturgy is not supposed to be served (for example, on Great Lent) or when it is impossible to serve it (there is no priest, antimension, prosphora). The obednitsa serves as some image or a semblance of the Liturgy, in composition it is similar to the Liturgy of the catechumens and its main parts correspond to the parts of the Liturgy, with the exception of the celebration of the Sacraments. There is no communion during the Mass.

9.9. Where can you find out about the schedule of services in the temple?

- The schedule of services is usually posted on the doors of the temple.

9.10. Why is the censing of the temple not at every service?

- The curing of the church and the worshipers happens at every service. Liturgical censing is complete when it covers the entire church, and small when the altar, the iconostasis and the people coming from the pulpit are censed.

9.11. Why is censing in the temple?

- Incense lifts the mind to the throne of God, where it goes with the prayers of believers. In all ages and among all peoples, the burning of incense was considered the best, purest material sacrifice to God, and of all types of material sacrifice accepted in natural religions, the Christian Church retained only this and a few more (oil, wine, bread). And in appearance, nothing resembles the graceful breath of the Holy Spirit so much as the smoke of incense. Filled with such high symbolism, the incense greatly contributes to the prayer mood of believers and its purely bodily impact on a person. Incense has an enhancing, stimulating effect on the mood. For this purpose, the charter, for example, before the Passover vigil, prescribes not just censing, but the extraordinary filling of the temple with the smell from the installed vessels with incense.

9.12. Why do priests serve in different colored vestments?

- The groups have learned a certain color of the vestments of the clergy. Each of the seven colors of the liturgical vestments corresponds to the spiritual meaning of the event in honor of which the service is performed. There are no developed dogmatic precepts in this area, but there is an unwritten tradition in the Church that assimilates certain symbols for the various colors used in worship.

9.13. What do the different colors of the priestly vestments represent?

On holidays dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as on the days of remembrance of His special anointed ones (prophets, apostles and saints) the color of the royal vestments is golden.

In golden robes serve on Sundays - the days of the Lord, the King of Glory.

On holidays in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos and angelic forces, as well as on the days of commemoration of holy virgins and virgins the color of the vestment is blue or white, symbolizing special purity and purity.

Purple adopted on the feasts of the Cross of the Lord. It combines red (symbolizing the color of the blood of Christ and the Resurrection) and blue, reminding that the Cross opened the way to heaven.

Dark red - the color of blood. Services are held in red vestments in honor of the holy martyrs who shed blood for the faith of Christ.

In green vestments the day of the Holy Trinity, the day of the Holy Spirit and the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) are celebrated, since green is a symbol of life. Divine services in honor of the saints are also performed in green vestments: monastic deed revives a person by union with Christ, renews his entire nature and leads to eternal life.

In black vestments usually serve on weekdays. Black color is a symbol of renunciation of worldly vanity, crying and repentance.

White color as a symbol of the Divine uncreated light, it was adopted on the holidays of the Nativity of Christ, Epiphany (Baptism), Ascension and Transfiguration of the Lord. In white vestments, Easter Matins also begins - as a sign of the Divine light that shone from the Tomb of the Risen Savior. White vestments are also used for baptisms and burials.

From Easter to the Feast of the Ascension, all services are performed in red vestments, symbolizing the ineffable fiery love of God for the human race, the victory of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ.

9.14. What do candlesticks with two or three candles mean?

- These are dikiri and triciri. Savage - a candlestick with two candles, signifying two natures in Jesus Christ: the Divine and the human. Trikiriy is a candlestick with three candles, signifying faith in the Holy Trinity.

9.15. Why is there a Cross decorated with flowers in the center of the church on a lectern instead of an icon?

- It happens in the week of the Cross of the Great Lent. The cross is carried out and rests on a lectern in the center of the temple, in order to remind of the suffering and death of the Lord to inspire and strengthen those who are fasting to continue the feat of fasting.

On the feast days of the Exaltation of the Lord's Cross and the Origin (Wearing out) of the Honorable Trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, the Cross is also taken out in the center of the temple.

9.16. Why does the deacon stand with his back to the worshipers in the temple?

- He stands facing the altar, in which the Throne of God is located and the Lord Himself is invisibly present. The deacon, as it were, leads the worshipers and, on their behalf, pronounces prayer petitions to God.

9.17. Who are the catechumens who are encouraged to leave the temple during the service?

- These are people who are not baptized, but who are preparing to receive the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. They cannot participate in the Church Sacraments, therefore, before the beginning of the most important Church Sacrament - Communion - they are called to leave the church.

9.18. What date does Maslenitsa start?

- Shrovetide is the last week before the beginning of Lent. It ends with Forgiveness Sunday.

9.19. Until what time is the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian read?

- The prayer of Ephraim the Syrian is read until the Wednesday of Holy Week.

9.20. When is the Shroud taken away?

- The Shroud is taken to the altar before the beginning of the Easter service on Saturday evening.

9.21. When can you venerate the Shroud?

- You can venerate the Shroud from the middle of Good Friday until the beginning of the Easter service.

9.22. Does Communion happen on Good Friday?

- No. Since the Liturgy is not served on Good Friday, because on this day the Lord Himself sacrificed Himself.

9.23. Does Communion happen on Holy Saturday, Easter?

- On Great Saturday and Easter, the Liturgy is served, therefore, there is also Communion of the faithful.

9.24. How long does the Easter service last?

- In different churches, the end time of the Easter service is different, but most often it happens from 3 to 6 in the morning.

9.25. Why are the Royal Doors open during the Liturgy during the entire service on Easter Week?

- Some priests are awarded the right to serve the Liturgy with the Royal Doors open.

9.26. What days is the Liturgy of Basil the Great?

- The Liturgy of Basil the Great is celebrated only 10 times a year: on the eve of the holidays of the Nativity of Christ and the Baptism of the Lord (or on the days of these holidays, if they fall on Sunday or Monday), January 1/14 - on the feast day of St. Basil the Great, on five Sundays Great Lent (Palm Sunday is excluded), Great Thursday and Holy Saturday of Holy Week. The Liturgy of Basil the Great differs from the Liturgy of John Chrysostom in some prayers, their longer duration and more drawn-out singing of the choir, therefore it is served a little longer.

9.27. Why isn't the service translated into Russian to make it more understandable?

- The Slavic language is a blessed spiritualized language that the holy church people Cyril and Methodius created especially for divine services. People have become unaccustomed to the Church Slavonic language, and some simply do not want to understand it. But if you regularly go to the Church, and not enter from time to time, then the grace of God will touch the heart, and all the words of this pure spirit-bearing language will become understandable. The Church Slavonic language, due to its imagery, accuracy in the expression of thought, artistic brightness and beauty, is much more suitable for communication with God than the modern crippled spoken Russian language.

But the main reason for the incomprehensibility is still not in the Church Slavonic language, it is very close to Russian - in order to fully perceive it, you need to learn only a few dozen words. The fact is that even if the entire service were translated into Russian, people would still not understand anything about it. The fact that people do not accept worship is a linguistic problem to the least degree; in the first place - ignorance of the Bible. Most of the chants are highly poetic adaptations of biblical stories; without knowing the source, it is impossible to understand them, in whatever language they may be sung. Therefore, whoever wants to understand Orthodox worship must, first of all, begin with reading and studying Holy Scripture, which is quite accessible in Russian.

9.28. Why are lights and candles sometimes extinguished during church services?

- At Matins, while reading the Six Psalms, candles are extinguished in churches, except for a few. The Six Psalms is the cry of a repentant sinner before Christ the Savior, who came to earth. The lack of lighting, on the one hand, helps to reflect on what is being read, on the other hand, it reminds of the gloominess of the sinful state depicted in the psalms, and that the sinner does not suit the external lordship. By arranging this reading in this way, the Church wants to dispose believers to self-deepening, so that, having entered into themselves, they enter into an interview with the merciful Lord, who does not want the death of the sinner (Ezek. , To the Savior, a relationship broken by sin. The reading of the first half of the Six Psalms expresses the sorrow of the soul who has withdrawn from God and is seeking Him. Reading the second half of the Six Psalms reveals the state of a repentant soul reconciled with God.

9.29. What psalms are included in the six psalms, and why are these?

- The first part of Matins opens with a system of psalms known as the Six Psalms. The six psalms include: Psalm 3 “Lord, what you have multiplied”, psalm 37 “Lord, let not rage”, psalm 62 “God, my God, I will matins to You”, psalm 87 “Lord God of my salvation”, psalm 102 “Bless to my soul the Lord ", psalm 142" Lord, hear my prayer. " The Psalms must have been chosen not without intent from the different passages of the Psalms evenly; by this they represent it all. The Psalms are chosen of the homogeneous content and tone prevailing in the Psalms; namely, they all depict the persecution of the righteous by the enemies and his firm hope in God, only growing from the increase of persecution and finally reaching a triumphant repose in God (Psalm 102). All these psalms are inscribed with the name of David, excluding 87, who are the "sons of Korah", and were sung by him, of course, during the persecution by Saul (maybe Psalm 62) or Absalom (Psalms 3; 142), reflecting the spiritual growth of the singer in these disasters. Of the many psalms of similar content, these are selected here, and because in some places they mean night and morning (Ps. 3: 6: "I am sleepy and spah, vostakh"; Ps. 37: 7: "I walk all day mourning ", Article 14:" I will be flattering all day long "; Ps. 62: 1:" I will come to Thee, "Article 7:" I will remember Thee on my bed, in the morning, learn from Thee "; Ps.87: 2:“ in the days of crying and in the night before you ", v. 10:" all the day my hand lifted up to you ", v. 13, 14:" food will be known in thy miracles ... and I cried out to you, Lord, and morning prayer mine will precede Thy "; ps.102: 15:" his days are like a flower of oil "; ps.142: 8:" I hear Thy mercy do me in the morning "). Penitential psalms alternate with thanksgiving.

Six Psalms listen in mp3 format

9.30. What are polyeleos?

- The most solemn part of Matins is called Polyeleus - the divine service, which is performed in the morning or in the evening; polyeleos are served only on festive mornings. This is determined by the liturgical charter. On the eve of Sunday or the feast of Matins, it is part of the all-night vigil and is served in the evening.

After reading the Kathisma (Psalter), Polyeleus begins with the singing of praise verses from the Psalms: 134 - "Praise the name of the Lord" and 135 - "Confess the Lord" and ends with the reading of the Gospel. In ancient times, when the first words of this hymn "Praise the name of the Lord" sounded after the kathismas, numerous lamps (oil lamps) were lit in the temple. Therefore, this part of the all-night vigil is called "multi-layer" or, in Greek, - polyeleos ("poly" - a lot, "oil" - oil). The Royal Doors are opened, and the priest, preceded by the deacon holding a lighted candle, censes the throne and the entire altar, iconostasis, choir, worshipers and the entire temple. The opened Royal Doors symbolize the opening of the Holy Sepulcher, from where the kingdom of eternal life shone. After reading the Gospel, all those present at the service come up to the icon of the holiday and attach themselves to it. In memory of the fraternal meal of the ancient Christians, which was accompanied by anointing with fragrant oil, the priest inscribes the sign of the cross on the forehead of everyone who approaches the icon. This custom is called anointing. The anointing with oil serves as an external sign of participation in the grace and spiritual joy of the holiday, of communion with the Church. Anointing with blessed oil on polyeleos is not a Sacrament; it is a rite that only symbolizes the invocation of God's mercy and blessing.

9.31. What is lithium?

- Lithium in translation from Greek means fervent prayer. The current charter knows four types of litiya, which, according to the degree of solemnity, can be arranged in the following order: a) "litiya outside the monastery", laid on some twelve feasts and on Bright Week before the Liturgy; b) lithium at the Great Vespers, combined with the vigil; c) lithium at the end of the festive and Sunday Matins; d) lithium for repose after weekday Vespers and Matins. In terms of the content of prayers and rites, these types of lithium are very different from each other, but they have in common the procession from the temple. This origin in the first form (of the listed) lithium is complete, and in the rest it is incomplete. But here and there it is performed in order to express the prayer not only in words, but also in movement, to change its place to revive prayer attention; The further purpose of the litiya is to express - by removing from the temple - our unworthiness to pray in it: we pray, standing before the gates of the holy temple, as if before the gates of heaven, like Adam, the tax collector, the prodigal son. Hence the somewhat repentant and sorrowful character of the lithium prayers. Finally, in the litia, the Church proceeds from her blessed environment into the outside world or into the narthex, as a part of the temple, in contact with this world, open to all who have not been accepted into the Church or excluded from it, for the purpose of a prayer mission in this world. Hence the national and universal character (for the whole world) of lithium prayers.

9.32. What is a religious procession and when does it happen?

- A procession of the cross is a solemn procession of priests and lay believers with icons, banners and other shrines. Religious processions are performed on the annual, established for them, special days: on the Bright Resurrection of Christ - Easter Religious Procession; on the feast of the Epiphany for the great consecration of water in memory of the Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan, as well as in honor of shrines and great church or state events. There are also extraordinary religious processions established by the Church on especially important occasions.

9.33. What is the origin of the processions of the cross?

- Just like the holy icons, the Processions of the Cross got their beginning from the Old Testament. The ancient righteous often performed solemn and popular processions with singing, trumpeting and jubilation. The stories about this are set forth in the sacred books of the Old Testament: Exodus, Numbers, books of Kings, Psalms and others.

The first prototypes of the processions of the Cross were: the journey of the sons of Israel from Egypt to the promised land; the procession of all Israel after the ark of God, from which the miraculous separation of the Jordan River took place (Josh. 3: 14-17); solemn sevenfold circumnavigation of the Ark around the walls of Jericho, during which the miraculous fall of the impregnable walls of Jericho took place from the voice of the sacred trumpets and the exclamations of all the people (Josh. 6: 5-19); as well as the solemn nationwide transfer of the ark of the Lord by kings David and Solomon (2 Kings 6: 1-18; 3 Kings 8: 1-21).

9.34. What does the Easter Procession mean?

- The Bright Resurrection of Christ is celebrated with special solemnity. The Easter service begins on Holy Saturday, late in the evening. At Matins, after midnight office, the Paschal Procession of the Cross is performed - those praying, led by the clergy, leave the temple to make a solemn procession around the temple. Like the myrrh-bearers who met the resurrected Christ the Savior outside Jerusalem, Christians meet the news of the coming of the Bright Resurrection of Christ outside the walls of the temple - they seem to march towards the risen Savior.

The Easter Procession goes with candles, gonfalons, censers and the icon of the Resurrection of Christ accompanied by continuous ringing of bells. Before entering the temple, the solemn Easter procession stops at the door and enters the temple only after the triumphant message sounded three times: "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death and giving life to those in grave!" The procession of the cross enters the church, just as the women of the myrrh-bearer came to Jerusalem with the joyful news to Christ's disciples about the risen Lord.

9.35. How many times is there an Easter Procession?

- The first Easter Procession takes place on Easter night. Then, during the week (Bright Week), the Easter Procession is performed every day after the end of the Liturgy, and before the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, the same processions of the Cross are performed every Sunday.

9.36. What does the Procession with the Shroud on Holy Week mean?

- This mournful and deplorable procession of the Cross takes place in remembrance of the burial of Jesus Christ, when His secret disciples Joseph and Nicodemus, accompanied by the Mother of God and the myrrh-bearing wives, carried Jesus Christ, who died on the cross, in their arms. They walked from Mount Golgotha ​​to Joseph's vineyard, where there was a burial cave, in which, according to Jewish custom, they laid the body of Christ. In remembrance of this sacred event - the burial of Jesus Christ - the procession with the Shroud is performed, which represents the body of the deceased Jesus Christ, as it was taken down from the cross and laid in the grave.

The apostle says to believers: "Remember my bond"(Col. 4:18). If the apostle commands Christians to remember his sufferings in chains, then how much more strongly should they remember the sufferings of Christ. During the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, modern Christians did not live and did not share grief with the apostles, therefore, during the days of Passion Week, they remember their sorrows and lamentation for the Redeemer.

Anyone who is called a Christian and who celebrates the sorrowful moments of suffering and death of the Savior, cannot but be a participant in the heavenly joy of His Resurrection, for, according to the apostle: "But heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with Him, so that we may be glorified with Him."(Rom. 8:17).

9.37. For what extraordinary cases are religious processions performed?

- Extraordinary religious processions are performed with the permission of the diocesan church authorities on occasions that are especially vital for the parish, diocese or the entire Orthodox people - in the event of an invasion of foreigners, in the attack of a destructive disease, in famine, drought or other disasters.

9.38. What do the banners with which the processions of the cross are performed?

- The first prototype of the banners was after the great flood. God, appearing to Noah during his sacrifice, revealed a rainbow in the clouds and called it "A sign of the everlasting covenant" between God and people (Genesis 9: 13-16). Just as a rainbow in the sky reminds people of the covenant of God, so on the banners the image of the Savior serves as a constant reminder of the deliverance of the human race at the Last Judgment from the spiritual fiery flood.

The second prototype of the banners was at the exit of Israel from Egypt during the crossing of the Red Sea. Then the Lord appeared in a pillar of cloud and covered all Pharaoh's army with darkness from this cloud, and destroyed it in the sea, but He saved Israel. Likewise, on the banners, the image of the Savior is seen as a cloud that appeared from heaven to defeat the enemy - the spiritual Pharaoh - the devil with all his armies. The Lord always wins and drives away the power of the enemy.

The third type of gonfalons was the same cloud that covered the tabernacle and overshadowed Israel during the journey to the promised land. All Israel looked at the sacred cloud cover and with spiritual eyes understood in it the presence of God Himself.

Another prototype of the gonfalons is the brazen serpent, which was erected by Moses at the command of God in the wilderness. When looking at him, the Jews received healing from God, since the brazen serpent represented the Cross of Christ (John 3: 14,15). Carrying the banner during the procession, believers raise their bodily eyes to the images of the Savior, the Mother of God and the saints; with spiritual eyes they ascend to their prototypes that exist in heaven and receive spiritual and bodily healing from the sinful gnawing of spiritual serpents - demons that tempt all people.

A Practical Guide to Parish Counseling. St. Petersburg 2009.

The Day of the Holy Trinity is one of the most important holidays for every Orthodox believer. It is filled with deep sacred meaning: the events of the Gospel history, remembered on this day, played an important role in the formation of the Christian religion.

The Trinity is a passing holiday: it is celebrated annually on the fiftieth day after the Bright Resurrection of Christ, which is why this event is also called Pentecost. At this time, the prophecy of Christ, which he gave to his disciples before Ascension to heaven, was fulfilled.

The history and meaning of the feast of the Holy Trinity

According to the New Testament, before ascending to Heaven, Christ repeatedly appeared to the apostles, instructing them in order to prepare for the descent of the Holy Spirit on them. This happened ten days after the Ascension. The apostles, who were in the room where their last meal with the Savior, the Last Supper, was taking place, suddenly heard an inexplicable noise from heaven, like the sound of the wind. The sound filled the whole room, and then fire was revealed to them: it split into separate tongues of flame, and each of the apostles perceived it. From that moment on, the Savior's disciples were able to speak in all the languages ​​of the world in order to carry the light of Christian teaching to all nations. For this reason, the day of the Holy Trinity is also revered as the day of the foundation of the church.

In honor of the descent of the Holy Spirit, the holiday received such a name: this event marked the trinity of God. The three hypostases of the Holy Trinity - God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit - exist in unity, creating the world and sanctifying it with Divine grace.

The holiday was established at the end of the fourth century after the adoption of the doctrine of the Divine Trinity. In Russia, the celebration was approved three centuries after Epiphany. Over time, the Day of the Holy Trinity has become one of the most beloved and revered holidays among the people: in addition to church regulations, many folk traditions and customs have appeared, which have become an integral part of this day.

Celebration of the Trinity

On the day of the Holy Trinity, a solemn festive divine service is held in the churches, which is distinguished by its extraordinary splendor and beauty. According to the canon, priests conduct services in green robes: this shade symbolizes the life-giving, creative power of the Holy Trinity. For the same reason, birch branches are considered one of the main symbols of the holiday - they are traditionally decorated with temples and houses - and freshly cut grass, which is used to line the floor in churches. It was believed that a bunch of branches used as church decoration could become an excellent talisman and protect a house from adversity, so they were often taken with them and kept throughout the year.

It was believed that herbs on the day of the Holy Trinity are endowed with special power, therefore they were engaged in the collection of medicinal plants at that time. There was even a custom to drop tears on a bunch of grass, lighting a candle in honor of the holiday - so that summer would not bring drought, and the soil would be fertile and gladden with its gifts.

On the day of the Holy Trinity, it is customary to pray for the forgiveness of sins, as well as for the salvation of the souls of all the departed, including those who have died an unnatural death. Prayers are read during the church service, and the believers accompany them with bows to the ground, which are again permitted after the end of the series of Easter services. If it is not possible to visit the temple, you can pray at home in front of the icon: on the day of the Holy Trinity, any sincere words will certainly be heard.

Having correctly met this important holiday for all Christians, you can change your life for the better. May your every day be filled with joy. We wish you well-being and strong faith, and do not forget to press the buttons and

31.05.2017 06:10

Popular signs on Trinity are frightening in their content. According to some legends, if you do not visit the cemetery in ...

On the liturgical features of the feast of the Trinity–Archpriest Konstantin Pilipchuk, Secretary of the Kiev Diocese, Associate Professor of the KDA.

– What are the liturgical features of the feast of the Holy Trinity?

- The service on the Trinity, which is being performed at the present time, differs significantly from the service in the first centuries of Christianity. Then this holiday was not so widely known and, according to liturgists, was celebrated on a Sunday, in fact, no different from the usual Sunday service.

Over time, starting from the 3rd and especially from the 4th century, when the Church had already received a legitimate status, the divine service of the Trinity began to acquire new colors and new prayers.

– When did kneeling prayer begin?

- In the 4th century, kneeling prayers already appear, the authorship of which is attributed to the pen of Basil the Great. Also, the testimony of St. John Chrysostom that the temple was decorated with greenery and flowers on this holiday dates back to the 4th century. Since the 7th century, we have known the kontakion of the holiday, the authorship of which belongs to Roman the Sladkopevts. By the 8th century, the solemn canons of the Trinity were written by John of Damascus and Kosma Mayumsky.

And from the 9th-10th centuries in liturgical sources, a solemn stichera of the feast, which is now very beloved by the Orthodox people, appears: "Heavenly King ..." This sticheron so well illustrates the image of the third Hypostasis of the Holy Trinity - the Holy Spirit, whom the Lord Himself calls "the Comforter" in the Gospel, that since the XIV-XV centuries it has entered the so-called beginning of the usual of all rites of the Orthodox Church, all prayers, even the morning and evening rules ...

The full rite of solemn worship of Pentecost first appears in the charter of the Church of Constantinople in the tenth century.

–Are there any liturgical features of the Liturgy?

The main feature and special solemnity of the Liturgy was betrayed by the custom of the ancient Church to perform on this day the Baptism of the catechumens (preparing to accept Christianity). Hence the appearance of the solemn baptismal chant "Elitsy being baptized into Christ ..." instead of the "Trisagion". This feature contributed to the popularization of this holiday in antiquity and its spread. Moreover, this feature also coincides with the holiday of Holy Easter and Epiphany.

M. Nesterov. Old Testament Trinity

– Another chant that also relates to this holiday,–this is a wonderful stichera "Videhom the true light ..."

- Over time, she also entered the rite of the Liturgy. They began to chant it after Communion at every service. Moreover, in the period from Easter to Pentecost, 50 days, these prayers are not used, preparing a person so that he with special attention perceived the meaning of these hymns on the day of Holy Pentecost.

Also, from Easter to Pentecost, the Church abolishes kneeling. And the most striking feature of the Trinity service is the service of Great Vespers on the very day of the feast after the Divine Liturgy, with the recitation of kneeling prayers. It is from this day that we again begin to sing a prayer appeal to the Holy Spirit and again receive permission from the Church Rule to kneel.

Venerable Andrey Rublev. Trinity

– What does kneeling mean in religious terms?

- In the ancient Church, litanies, which were used in divine services and were not as numerous and not as meaningful as at present, were always accompanied by kneeling.

The very kneeling in religious terms is very important - a person through his physical, external manifestations demonstrates his attitude to God, his special reverence for Him. When a person stands before God in affection and reverence, he wants to bow his knees before Him.

In kneeling prayers to the Trinity, each of us turns to God, in the One Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, so that the Lord does not leave his creation, does not leave all of us without His personal attention, without His Grace, His love and care.

Trinity. Kneeling prayers

- Is it true that Pentecost is the crown of God's saving plan for man, the fulfillment of the entire earthly ministry of Jesus Christ?

- Quite right. The Lord, before His sufferings, told the Apostles that He must go to suffer, otherwise the Comforter will not come to them: “... For if I do not go, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you ... ”(John 16: 7)... Completing his earthly mission, the Lord sends us the Spirit-Comforter, Who gathers all of us together, into a special mystical Body of Christ - the Church, and gives us special gifts of grace, special help, without which we cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

It is especially important that from this moment, from the moment of the descent of the Holy Spirit, the Lord opens up the opportunity for us to be with Him, opens the Royal Doors to Paradise for us. But we must understand that for us this is only a potential opportunity.

We say that the Lord conquered death, the Lord conquered sin, but at the same time we are eyewitnesses to the fact that both death and sin are present in the earthly life of a person - in what sense should we perceive these words?

The Lord never violates the will of man. In His love, He wants each of us, of our own free will and without compulsion, to return to the bosom of our father, to the Edenic abodes. But by our own efforts, talents or gifts, we cannot do this, we cannot resist sin. Therefore, the Lord established the Church and teaches us the Divine Sacraments in It. The first Sacraments are Baptism and Confirmation, with which the Lord seals a person in the Holy Spirit, through the anointing with the world he gives us the promise that he will not leave us. And it already depends on us: to be with the Lord or not, to enter the Kingdom of God or not, to come to the Creator or not.