Church calendar consists of passing and which do not go holidays.Major holidays in Orthodoxy twelve.They are called: Twelve Great Feasts.Most of them are associated with the Gospel events, but there are those that are based on important events described in the legend.
Year begins with the birth of Christ.Everyone knows that it is January 7, but since the Orthodox Church uses the old style, for her it is not at the beginning and at the end of the year: December 25 in the Julian calendar.
second holiday of the year is the Epiphany or Theophany.The holiday is so called, because here was the first time the whole Trinity: the Son (baptized), the Holy Spirit (Dove) and the Father (voice).It is on 19 January.The Christian holidays of Christmas and Epiphany in the calendar are close to each other and the days between them are called Christmastide.It's festive time canceled the usual post on Friday and Wednesday, and in the temples heard the joyful chants.But the evangelical history, these two events are separated from each other for thirty years, and logically should be for Christmas Presentation of the Lord when the Mother of God brought to the Church of her Son.Candlemas is celebrated on February 15.All of this Christian holiday, which is celebrated annually in the same number.
But the main Christian holiday - it's certainly Easter.Its date depends on the moon, the Jewish Passover, and some other factors.The Christian holidays associated with Easter - the entrance into Jerusalem and the Ascension and Trinity.Specify the exact number is impossible, every time it is necessary to count on a certain number of days of Easter.Entry into Jerusalem, for example, the week before Easter, Ascension Day - after forty days, and Trinity - fifty.Christian festivals in 2013 and 2014 in the new better look at Paschal.So-called special holiday calendar and other church events related to Easter.
April 7, exactly 9 months before Christmas, celebrated the Annunciation, when the angel appeared to the Virgin Mary and told her the glad tidings.That same day, conceived the baby Jesus.
All other Christian holidays of April and May carryover, so the next day, it may be noted Peter and Paul, Apostles tenths.It's the end of the fasting Petrova.The time from the beginning of the Great Lent (usually late February - early March) before fasting Petrova (end of May - June) is regulated by Easter, and after the feast of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all are the same again every year.
August 28 is celebrated the Assumption of Our Lady of Sorrows, 21 September - The Nativity of Our Lady, September 27 - Krestovozdvizhene.Krestovozdvizhenie and Cover (14 October) do not seem to have the basics of the Gospel, it is events that occurred much later.But they are important to every Christian, so these twelve great holidays.
last holiday of the year - in the Temple of Our Lady.Historically, this event took place before the rest of the Christian holidays, even in the days of childhood, Mother of God.
To find out what a Christian holiday today, just look at the Orthodox calendar.There, except for big anniversaries marked by memorial days of saints that are celebrated daily.
