Many people know that at the end of Shrovetide begins the post, which continues until Easter.Christians both directions (Catholics and Orthodox) hold it until the day of Christ's Resurrection.However, the Catholics and the Orthodox Lent begins on different days, and has its own name.
That this day dedicated to the work of Thomas Eliot, written in verse in 1930.To understand what is described under the name of "Ash Wednesday" Eliot, it is important to know the essence of the day.
value holiday
Catholics beginning of Lent falls on Wednesday.Why is this happening, we learn later, but to start analyze why so-called Ash Wednesday.At the beginning of Lent in the church the priest puts on his forehead parishioners cross consecrated ashes.It reminds people of the fact that their body is just dust.The priest conducts the procedure with the words: "Remember, O man, you are dust and to dust you return."
used ash is not simple, it must be made of palm branches, which have been preserved from the last holiday of Palm Sunday (Entry into Jerusalem).In Europe used willow branch.The people often called seals.Many parishioners believe that the blessed ashes contributes to a good harvest.
There are other names that day:
- disgraceful Wednesday.
- Black Wednesday.
- Adamov day.
- curve Wednesday.
- Mad Wednesday.
All of these names refer to the same day and begin the post, which should last 46 days.
history
custom himself first suggested sprinkling ashes on their heads, but with time, in some countries has changed.It has an ancient biblical origin.Even in the Old Testament such action meant repentance and humble man.
already known that Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent.This tradition originated in the 4th century.And the first of its duration was 40 days, and to the 8th century it was decided to add a few more days.Since that time held the post began Wednesday.
Easter has no fixed date, which is repeated from year to year.It is celebrated every year at different times, so Ash Wednesday begins differently.For example, in 2015 it was held on 18 February.
Why did Adam's day begins 46 days before Easter
The answer lies in the fact that Ash Wednesday - the beginning of this post, and it lasts 40 days, that is 6 weeks.But Catholics do not adhere to it on Sundays, so these days fall.That is why they begin it early, that is, in the medium and not on Monday.
The Orthodox position is continuous and all of 40 consecutive days.Therefore, it takes its beginning from Monday, which is called Clean.
Interestingly, Catholics last day before Lent called Fat Tuesday.The Orthodox also know him as the Forgiveness Sunday.
Days Mad protection until 2020
due date calculated by the algorithm developed by the Catholic denomination.In the following years at the Catholic Ash Wednesday will be held:
- 2016 - February 10;
- 2017 - March 1;
- 2018 - February 14;
- 2019 - 6 March;
- 2020 - February 26th.
Ash Wednesday in the Slavic tradition
Ordinary people are always very difficult to resist any restrictions, so the post may not all adhere to.If today the priests speak more about the spiritual side, not abstinence from food, then in the last century it was a strict observance of Christian dogma.
In Europe, it was decided these days to wear dark clothes, was allowed to eat only a specific list of products and avoid the use of alcohol.However, the last point was severe enough for the male half of the population, so many find justification for our weaknesses.In general, Ash Wednesday Catholics held the same everywhere, although some countries have their own rites.
For example, men in the Czech Republic after serving in the curve on Wednesday believed that a shot of alcohol drunk in the day, will save them in the summer against mosquito bites and other insects.In some areas, he said: "Drink the ashes."
Since the Ash Wednesday divided the lives of people at festivals and long-term abstinence, she was treated in a special way.So, it was believed that on this day you can not spin the yarn.Failure to comply with the ban could lead to a poor harvest of flax and hemp, and the one who will get such clothing, fall unhappiness.
In Slovakia, it is impossible at this time to enclose the eggs under hens that they are not hatched curves.Also, women prepared long noodles to took after high ears and large baked cakes to pigs grew fat.
Poland was tradition that on this day people would steal from the house owner any thing, and then sell it back to the tavern owner.
Tradition with soot
addition strewing ashes and the anointing of the church, the Slavs conducted their rites.For example, in Slovakia, the boys tried soot anoint young girls, women and smeared themselves with it.Poles hitched over the entrance to the house of the sieve with the ashes to all members of the House were showered them.
Many Catholics Slavs Meatfare collected ash from the furnace to sprinkle them seeds, homes, fields.This was to protect against fires, pests and natural disasters.
Ash Wednesday, which presented photos of celebration in the article has a lot of tradition, supplementing it.Most often, people think out their own, so in different countries and even regions may differ.
reasons for mismatches Easter for Catholics and Orthodox
It just so happened that the Christian celebration of Easter in the Orthodox and Catholics is not the same.This happened not because of the split and not specifically.The fact that the celebration is calculated by studying the phases of the moon.More specifically, it should be a 14 day phase after the vernal equinox.Calculation of the day in many countries had their own ancient, so in Gaul, Italy, Egypt, the date of Easter had his back in the 4th century.
Another contradiction served calendar split that occurred in the 16th century.The Gregorian calendar was introduced, and the world was divided into those who lived in the New and Old Style.The Orthodox Church has left in ceremonies Julian calendar, so all the holidays continue to celebrate old style.
Most often the difference between Easter is one to five weeks.But it can not be two or three weeks.All these calculations are carried out by a special algorithm.At this time in several years Easter both denominations may coincide.For example, in 2014 it was.The next match will be in 2017.The main condition is that the Christian Easter did not coincide with the Jewish.
