Holy Week for Christian believers is a special period, not only the most difficult for the body, but also the light for the soul.Translated from the Church Slavonic language "passion" has a value of "trials and tribulations".Holy Week is devoted to the events in the dying days of the earthly life of Christ, the Last Supper, betrayal, suffering, crucifixion, burial and resurrection.Another Holy Week before Easter, the people have a name and Pure Red Week.
days of Holy Week
Each day of Holy Week begins with the title "The Great" has its own greatness and importance.
Great Monday reminds us of an Old Testament patriarch Joseph, brother sold into slavery as a prototype of the suffering of Jesus Christ.Also, remember the curse of the barren fig tree, symbolically showing the human soul without the fruit of faith, repentance, and works of mercy.
In Great Tuesday read about the denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees, spoken by Jesus in the parable of the Temple of Jerusalem.
In Great environment Church recalls Jesus' betrayal by his disciple Judas 30 pieces of silver for.Back in the day to read the story of the sinful woman, Jesus had prepared for burial by washing it with her tears and precious world.
on Holy Thursday in the churches read a passage from the Bible about the Last Supper, the Savior washed the feet of the apostles.
Good Friday talks about suffering and death on the cross of Christ.
in the service of Holy Saturday is said about the stay of Christ in the tomb, is the consecration of the Easter eatables.On Saturday in Jerusalem comes a surprising and inexplicable phenomenon - Holy Fire.
Benefits post
Compliance Orthodox fasting gives great benefit to the human body.Some see it as a diet and suggest that it is useful only for people with excess weight.This is not true.Fasting is useful to all.Lean food consists mainly of cereals, fruits and vegetables contain a lot of fiber.Such foods like universal cleaner, rids the body of toxins and normalizes weight and makes the body more healthy.And good day fasting strengthen the body.The reduction in the stomach during fasting reduces the need for food, especially since the lean food is very healthy and nutritious.Post useful to the sick and the healthy, lean and full.It is believed that the Orthodox positions difficult to comply with, many expect the hungry pangs.This is not true.Those who try to fast, are often surprised by the feeling of satiety and without meat products.No pills will not help because the body cleanse and heal as fast.Nowadays you can easily make a Lenten meal varied thanks to many recipes.Therefore, the question of what is in the Holy Week, does not cause problems.
Features fast days during Holy Week
particularly strict fasting days pass before Easter.After a long forty days of fasting, they are a great test.But the sweeter holiday for those who could rein in her womb.Holy Week before Easter calls us to adhere to the post of the second degree - xerophagy.In doing so, the usual rules apply: the rejection of meat and milk, fish and vegetable oil, add the cooking without any heat treatment (cooking or frying), and on Friday and Saturday, prescribed complete abstinence from any food.However, this requirement of strict monastic order.Orthodox Christians take this blessing from the priest.Fasting days should be carried out by forces and for health reasons.This process can be different degrees:
- giving up meat;
- plus waiver of dairy products, including cheese and butter;
- plus the abandonment of eggs and all the dishes with their participation;
- plus waiver of fish, etc.
In addition, fasting is necessary to reduce the amount of food, especially during Holy Week.
Menu Holy Week
modern church rule meatless days based on the rules for monks.For fasting the laity has its own charter - Tipik old Russian who use the XII century.It spelled out what is in the Holy Week, Otomi that the laity need to act "forces" - according to different situations.There are exemptions for the elderly, the sick, pregnant or nursing, children, etc.
We must strive to take food once a day.Food should consist of raw vegetables with bread and water.Even with these strict rules, under which passes Holy Week, the menu can be quite varied.
in Great Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday prescribed xerophagy - Holon foods without oil, unheated drinking.
Breakfast: fruit salad or vegetable, such as cabbage-chernoslivny or apple-cabbage with orange sauce or drizzled with coconut and orange ambrosia.
Lunch: beetroot or carrot salad, potatoes with mushrooms and grated carrots and oranges.
Dinner: spicy carrots, pickles, carrot and walnut salad.
If you cook the proposed dishes or cook something different, consider that if there is oil in the recipe - just eliminate it.
On Holy Thursday allowed to take vegetables cooked with butter and a small amount of wine.
Breakfast: apple apricot soup, meatless muffin or apple jam.
Lunch "Motley salad", soups, vegetables and dried fruits, sweet cake with berries.
Dinner: vegetable soup, or Sol with vegetables and rice, mushroom soup.
Friday tried to abstain from food at all.Only at three o'clock in the morning allows us to take a little bread and water.
Saturday also possible to abstain from food.If this is hard for you, you can create a menu:
- Breakfast: oatmeal soup with quince or cold soups with dried fruit, bread.
- Lunch: potato soup, stuffed with prunes and rice.
- Dinner: bean soup with sweet pepper or mushroom halophyte.
When considering the recipes of soups, vegetable oil is easily eliminated, if not fry it recommended products, and put out in the water or just add to the soup without additional heat treatment.
What not to do during Holy Week
By tradition, the Orthodox Church, this week Christians in prayer, observe the strictest fasting, tried to go to church every day.There was even a ban on loud conversations, laughter, singing songs and fun.Today, Lent, and especially strict rules of Holy Week, observe few attend church less.The Church teaches that abstinence from certain foods does not mean much without the spiritual fasting.It is in prayer, doing good cases, good thoughts, etc.If you want fast, and you think about what is in the Holy Week, remember the words of Theophan the Recluse: "Fasting appears gloomy until you come into his field ...".
the spiritual fasting has its "menu": people with him "... shy away from anger, rage, malice and revenge, avoids idle, profanity, idle talk, slander, condemnation, flattery, lies and slander of every ... the real fastingwho flees from evil ... "- The Holy Church commands.
During Lent, especially during Holy Week, fall under the ban, and sexual life. Kisses are permitted only between husband and wife in the dark. What can not be inHoly Week, so it sing, have fun, dance, laugh, come on all entertainment and leisure activities, holidays, birthdays and weddings, to abandon extraneous thoughts. For a table of the monastic statute prohibited to land more than once a day, allowed it only aftersunset. The Good Friday is not recommended to do business at home and wash.
Therefore, taking part in preparing for the most important Christian holiday, think not only about what is in the Holy Week, but also how to fast spiritually.
Tradition Easter Week
This week is full of traditions and rituals every day, we decided to do things in order, not only in the soul, but also in the home.During Holy Week conducted a thorough house-cleaning - belilis ceilings, painted walls, wash rugs, curtains starches.The most beautiful tablecloths and napkins to get out of chests and dressers.
There is a beautiful tradition in the Annunciation to release into the wild birds.In 2015, the holiday fell in the Great Tuesday.Today the clergy symbolically affranchise hand pigeons.Zoozaschitniki recommend not to buy wild bird hunters and poachers who try thus to profit on the suffering and death of birds, because the birds after the stress of captivity often die.
