Lent sent us a Savior of the world for the purification of the soul, get rid of passions.Jesus fasted for forty days without taking food and water.Lent is very strict and the most important ones.It consists of forty days Lent and Holy Week (the week before Easter light).Lent was appointed in honor of Jesus Christ, our Savior, fasting in the wilderness.Holy Week is memories of the last days of Jesus' life on earth (the suffering, crucifixion and burial).
When Lent begins?Stages post
Lent begins seven weeks before Easter - a bright holiday of Christ's resurrection.A preparatory stage are the three preceding weeks.During this period, the Church begins a spiritual preparation.At each stage of the preparation has a name:
- «Week Publican and the Pharisee" (solid Week) - the first week of training. this week ruled out a post on the meal.The Church invites all to humility and repentance.
- «Sunday of the Prodigal Son" - the second week. this Lenten period are Wednesday and Friday.There is a call for the Church to repent to the lost, hope for the mercy of God.
- «Meatfare or cheese" (carnival) - the third preparatory stage for Lent. prohibited during this period to eat meat as food.Wednesday and Friday - Lenten not allowed to eat eggs, milk, fish, cheese, butter.Carnival is usually baked pancakes.This week the Church calls to repentance, to commit good deeds, as for their deeds will have to answer before God.We are married to abstain from sexual relations.
On the last Sunday before the main post last allowed to eat dairy products and eggs.This day is called - "syropust."It is to forget the wrongs done by others, also need to ask for forgiveness from those who were assaulted and caused resentment.Nobody will be able to receive forgiveness from God, if he does not forgive our neighbor.This day is called "Forgiveness Sunday."How long Lent, can be found in the Orthodox calendar.The total length of the main post equals forty-eight days, including Holy Week.Also from the Orthodox calendar, you can find out which days of fasting allowed to eat certain foods.In addition, the edition has all the necessary information for an Orthodox believer.From the calendar, you can tell when Lent begins.
Unction in Lent
During Lent is cleansed of the human soul, if properly observe it.The post is given to us to support the entire body.The Orthodox Church has developed a tradition to perform the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick - Unction.It is carried out with the aim of helping the sick and the infirm people.
clergy during the Sacrament of Extreme Unction is sanctified firs.This healing oil priest puts on different parts of the patient's body (palms, forehead), accompanying the action with prayers.Every person sent his faith God's help.
Orthodox Christian is obliged to know when Lent begins to adequately prepare for it and go, while fully respecting.Time of Lent - the most fertile period when you can overcome his passion, thanks to the abstention from food, conjugal intimacy.It is very important to understand the rule that the post without correcting himself a grueling diet.Therefore, it must be accompanied by compulsion to correct his life, doing good deeds, the struggle with the passions.However, this should not only remember when Lent begins, and followed all his life.Fulfilling the commandments of God - our path to salvation of the soul.
