March 22 (March 9 to the Julian calendar), the Orthodox Church celebrates a special festival dedicated to the memory of the martyrs of Sebaste.Day Saints 40 - a holiday for all Orthodox Christians.It belongs to one of the most respected and beloved by all the faithful.On this day, a solemn liturgy of the Presanctified.Saints 40 - a holiday, which usually falls at the time of strict fasting, when allowed xerophagy (bread, fruit and vegetables).
history holiday
In 313, Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman emperor, came to power, immediately issued a decree that all Christians are given the opportunity of free worship.This meant that their rights are balanced equally with pagans.Thus the Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity.And anyway, he became strongly contribute to its prosperity and widening.But his co-ruler, whose name was Licinius, was an inveterate heathen, in its part of the Roman Empire, on the contrary, he tried every possible way to eradicate Christianity, because it was a special scale extended to his lands.Therefore Licinius out of fear of betrayal began to prepare for war and began to clean his troops from Christians.
40 Saints - Orthodox Christian holiday
courageous detachment of 40 soldiers was from Cappadocia (modern. Turkey), it was part of the Roman army, which was in the city of Sebaste.Once a pagan warlord Agrikolay ordered these brave Roman soldier to renounce Christ and offer sacrifice to the pagan gods.But they refused to do it, and then they were put into prison, where they began to pray.And then the soldiers heard the voice of God: "He who endures to the end, the same shall be saved."In the morning they again forced to renounce the Christian faith, but this time do not obey, and again they were thrown into prison.
tortured for the Christian faith
week later arrived at Sebaste important dignitary Fox, who decided to make a judgment on the strong spirit warriors.He commanded to stone them, but somehow the stones flew past the soldiers.Then Fox he threw a stone and hit in the face Agrikolayu.It was then that the torturers realized that some invisible force protects fearless warriors.
continuously praying in prison martyrs again heard the voice of the Lord, who comforted them and spoke: "He that believeth in me, though he die, yet shall he live.Be bold and do not be afraid, and get crowns imperishable ".The interrogations every day is repeated again and again, and always the servants of the Christian faith were adamant.
the street was the dead of winter, and then prepare for the new martyrs tortured.They first stripped and then driven into an icy lake for an entire night, and close to the shore melted bath, so as to break the will of the martyrs.After midnight, one of the soldiers still gave up and ran to bask in the bath, but it crossed the threshold, he immediately fell dead.
Fortieth warrior
By three o'clock in the morning the Lord sent the martyrs heat circle brightened, the ice melted and the water became warm.At this time, all the guards were asleep, except for one - Aglaia.Seeing that over the head of each martyr's crown of light appeared and counted 39, he decided that the crown was not an escaped soldier, and he decided to join the holy martyrs.
roused the guards, he told them that he was a Christian.But the torture did not end there.Then steadfast soldiers killed knees.When they died, their bodies were loaded onto carts and taken to be burned.But one of the soldiers called Meliton was still alive, and the guards left him, but his mother took her son's body, dragged to the cart, and then put it next to the other martyrs.The bodies of the holy martyrs then burned, and the remains of bones thrown into the water, so no one can collect them.After three days, night bishop of Sebaste, blessed Peter, were holy martyrs and ordered to collect their remains and bring them to burial.The Bishop, together with his assistants night collected the remains and buried them with full honors and prayers.
40 saints feast marks.What not to do
this day is lazy, but rather a well-prepared to meet the spring and placate her with his cooking pastries.On the feast of Saints 40 marks quite interesting and original.It is believed that this festival ends with the winter and spring comes.Very often, this day coincides with the day of the equinox.It is also called Sorochyntsi, magpies, larks, because after a winter sojourn in the south fly Us migratory birds and brings the spring.If we talk about the signs, in this day gardeners can get an answer on when you can start planting seedlings.
In celebration of 40 saints signs are mainly related to the weather.Thus, it is possible to judge day forecast for the next 40 days.If freezing, then the weather will continue for another 40 days.If the birds, it is to early heat.But if from the Presentation to forty without spilling a rain, then the summer will be dry.
40 saints - a holiday, which is celebrated as before: it was decided that day furnace 40 muffins and cookies as a lark with spread wings.By tradition, they handed the children to them so with joy and rhymes touted spring.This is also to ensure that the bird in the household was healthy.On this day, girls who dream of marriage, forty-boiled dumplings and treat them guys.
Generally, loves festivals and fun in this day Orthodox people.Saints 40 - a holiday that once again reminds us of how important faith is for each person and what flour ready to suffer for her true Christians.
