The last day of Lent before Easter, Holy Saturday, falls on April 15 in 2017.
Holy Saturday is the sixth day of Holy Week, which ends the 48-day period of Lent. Holy Saturday is the Saturday of Holy Week, dedicated to the remembrance of the burial and stay in the tomb of the body of Jesus Christ and the descent of Christ into hell (according to the beliefs of most Christian denominations), it is also a preparation for Easter - the Resurrection of Christ, which is celebrated on the night from Saturday to Sunday.
The services of Holy Saturday retained a number of characteristic features of early Christian worship, and a number of liturgical features of this day can be traced already in the monuments of the 4th century (“Pilgrimage of Egeria”). These features include the following:
- Great Saturday is a fasting Saturday and at the same time the eve of Bright Resurrection. In this regard, both mournful and festive Sunday features can be traced in the service of Holy Saturday.
- According to the custom of the most important fast days, the liturgy is celebrated after Vespers (as on Maundy Thursday, the eve of the Nativity of Christ and Epiphany).
- On this day, the baptism of the catechumens took place, and therefore the service includes numerous Old Testament readings.
- When pronouncing the litanies and at the small and great entrance to the Liturgy, the clergy does not stand on the pulpit (as usual), but in front of the shroud in the middle of the temple.
Good Saturday 2017what not to do on this day
Regarding restrictions, Holy Saturday is one of the strictest days of Lent. Prohibitions on this day apply to both food and human actions.
The main prohibitions of Holy Saturday (Holy Saturday, what not to do):
- You cannot break your fast from three o'clock on Saturday morning until Sunday morning;
- You should not eat food prepared by heat treatment;
- You should not drink alcohol (those who observed strict fasting on Good Friday and only had bread and water can drink a little red wine to maintain strength);
- You can't laugh, dance or sing;
- It is necessary to refrain from intimacy with your spouse;
- You cannot go fishing or hunting;
- It is also forbidden to clean the house, iron or wash things;
- You can't wash yourself;
- Garden work is prohibited;
- There is also a ban on handicrafts;
- It is worth refraining from construction work and other physical work;
Good Saturday 2017: traditions, customs and signs (what you can do)
Based on the weather on Holy Saturday, you can determine the weather for the summer:
- A clear and warm day promises a warm and sunny summer. If it is cloudy on this day, then summer will be cold and rainy.
If you don't sleep on the night from Saturday to Sunday, you can attract happiness for the whole year. It is believed that it is on this night that happiness flows among people, and it is important not to oversleep it.
If a blessed egg is thrown into water on this day and washed with it, it will make a person healthy and prolong youth.
The last day of fasting is still considered a mournful day. On this day you cannot laugh and have fun. It is believed that a person who spends Holy Saturday in fun and laughter will cry all year.
You cannot take anything out of the house on Holy Saturday, much less give it from home. It is believed that you can give away your well-being and wealth.
Everyone knows that the memorial day is the first Sunday after Easter, but on Holy Saturday it is allowed to clean the graves.
It is also forbidden to fish or hunt on this significant day, because during fasting it is forbidden to consume products from killed animals. Therefore, you should not do this, so as not to incur misfortune on yourself.
It is on Holy Saturday that services begin in Orthodox churches. Every Orthodox person waits for this day to test himself and commit himself to the all-night prayer. It will not be easy for an unprepared person to do this, but if you try, then at the end of the Easter service you will be visited by indescribable grace, and the whole year will be happy and full of health for you.
Housewives always painted eggs and baked Easter cakes on Holy Saturday. The most common color for dyeing eggs is red. You can also give free rein to your imagination and paint the eggs by hand. Every woman has her own proven recipe for Easter cakes, and every housewife turns them out in her own way. The general rule for preparing Easter cakes is that there should be an appropriate environment in the house. In the room where the dough will rise, you need to walk quietly and exclude swearing and foul language from the conversation, so that your Easter cakes are prepared in peace and love.
Holy Saturday is a day of peace and kindness. Therefore, ask forgiveness from your family and friends. Maybe you offended someone with a word or deed. Do not drag the weight of grievances with you on this bright holiday.
Also, on the Saturday before Easter, you must give alms to all the needy people you meet on your way. Well, your relatives and people close to you should not be left without Easter gifts. As throughout Holy Week, on Holy Saturday you cannot celebrate weddings, birthdays, various celebrations, or generally have fun.
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If we turn to Orthodox traditions, then one of the commandments requires observing the rule: work six days, and devote one to the thoughts and deeds of God. There are also church holidays when work is considered a sinful activity. So, on what Orthodox holidays can you not work?
What is commandment number four
This commandment commands one to work for 6 days, and on the seventh to take a break from everyday problems, devote time to enlightening the mind and cleansing the soul, helping the poor and sick people, and doing other merciful deeds. The Old Testament recognized this day as the Sabbath, and in the New Testament it is Sunday.
A weekly escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life allows you to collect your thoughts, feel the beauty of life, get to know yourself, and reconsider your beliefs and views. Those who work the seventh day and those who do not work at all are breaking the fourth commandment.
Some people will wonder when to work if there are only celebrations on the calendar. But that's not true. There are only 12 main holidays.
Orthodox holidays when you can’t work:
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- in January, the 7th is the birthday of Christ and the 19th is Epiphany;
- February, 15 - ;
- April 7 - Annunciation;
- Palm Sunday before Easter;
- Easter is a transitory number according to the solar calendar;
- on the 40th day after Easter - the Ascension of Christ;
- Trinity is fifty days from Easter;
- in August there are two holidays: on the 19th - Transfiguration and on the 28th -;
- in September there are also two holidays: on the 21st - the Nativity of the Virgin Mary and on the 14th - the Exaltation;
- December 4 - entry into the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
What not to do
The sacred ministers give the following explanation: if a person must work according to a schedule or has urgent matters, then this is not considered a sinful activity. You can devote your thoughts to the Lord at any time and anywhere. Is it possible to work on Orthodox holidays? It all depends on the current situation. This custom has been preserved and reached our times.
Even during the times of Kievan Rus, it was forbidden to carry out household work. The state authorities observed and honored church celebrations. Markets and baths were not open so that people could attend church services. What should not be done on holidays:
- Older people do not recommend cleaning the premises. It is advisable to do this on regular days, and rest on the weekend.
- It is also not recommended to wash. Previously, washing women's clothes took a lot of time, almost the whole day. It turned out that women had no time to pray.
- You also cannot sew, embroider or sew on anything. This is especially true for pregnant women. It is believed that she can sew up the baby's eyes or mouth. No work is allowed on the Annunciation and the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael.
- Not using swear words is one of the tenets of Orthodox belief on a holiday and an ordinary day.
Signs and beliefs
The biggest holiday, Christmas, has many restrictions:
- Hunting and fishing are not allowed.
- Do not clean the room or do laundry.
- Do not allow the first woman to enter the home, because all the women in the family will get sick.
- On Candlemas it is not advised to leave home for a long time, because the trip will be unsuccessful.
- Seven days before Easter and on the holiday, you should refrain from any homework.
- Ascension is a great celebration. It is not allowed to work in the field, and it should be plowed after the holiday.
- On Trinity, any land and household work is not recommended.
Why you can’t work on Orthodox holidays: It is usually said that those who do not observe the holidays will face failure, poverty and poor health. Traditions come and change. Only one person can decide what to do.
The Lord is always with you!
Maundy Thursday April 13, 2017: what is not allowed and what can and should be done on this day. There are many things that should definitely be done on Maundy Thursday, but there are also things that are strictly not recommended to be done on this day.
Candles purchased during the service must be brought home. They need to burn out in the red corner. It is believed that this ritual protects the home and its owners from bad energy and negativity.
Clean Thursday April 13, 2017: what you can eat. This question is of great importance, since the holiday falls during Lent, which is strictly observed by the Orthodox. Although the church allows cooking food on Thursday without using vegetable oil, many believers prefer dry eating on this day, as on Friday and Saturday, up to.
On Maundy Thursday, a believer will definitely go to church, celebrate the liturgy there, and then certainly take communion. And, as you know, you can neither eat nor drink before communion. Here is the answer to the question of what cannot, and what can and should be done on Maundy Thursday, April 13, 2017.
Maundy Thursday April 13, 2017: what is not allowed can and should be done on this day.
You cannot leave a mess in the house on Maundy Thursday. That is, you must definitely tidy up, wash the floors, windows, wash all the linen, and wash the dishes.
If the house is dirty on Maundy Thursday, then there will be quarrels in the family all year long. If you leave dirty laundry, there will be trouble. If during cleaning you find some old unnecessary thing, you should definitely throw it away. This way you will get rid of bad energy.
On Maundy Thursday, April 13, 2017, you should never lend money. or any things, objects. It is believed that so you can give your health, happiness, love.
On the eve of Easter, believers observe strict fasting, abstain from entertainment and follow many other instructions. We will tell you what you should not do on Holy Saturday, which falls on April 18 in 2020. This is a period of mourning and turning to prayer, cleansing the soul and pacifying the flesh.
What should you do on Holy Saturday?
On Sunday night you should stay awake. If you did not go to the all-night service in the temple, light a candle in front of the icon at home and devote time to prayers.
According to signs, staying awake on this night promotes good health, will help girls be happy in marriage, and will help boys become successful hunters.
What should you not do on Holy Saturday?
Visit restaurants and cafes, theaters, cinemas, watch entertainment programs on TV. Celebrating a birthday, wedding or anniversary should be postponed to another time.
On this day you cannot break the silence - sing, dance and listen to loud music. You also cannot swear, quarrel, or argue with people. There is a belief: whoever laughs on Holy Saturday of Holy Week will cry all next year.
What can you eat on Holy Saturday?
Many believers completely refuse food before the removal of the shroud during a church service. However, lay people can adhere to dry eating, that is, eating thermally unprocessed food.
It happens that Holy Saturday coincides with the Annunciation, as happened in 2018. Despite the fact that in honor of this holiday it is usually allowed to eat fish, food with vegetable oil and wine, in the event of such a coincidence of dates, these relaxations of the rules of Lent are abolished.
True, sick and elderly people can only give up meat. However, to relax the diet during Lent, you need to take a blessing from the priest.
You cannot break your fast until 3 a.m. from Saturday to Sunday.
What is customary to do on Holy Saturday?
On this day or on Sunday morning, it is customary to bless Easter food in churches. Usually all food is placed in a basket, which is placed on the common table in the temple for consecration.
What is undesirable to do on Holy Saturday? It is believed that on this day it is also forbidden to wash, get a haircut, clean, sew, knit, wash, do work in the garden, do repairs, construction work, etc.
You should not remember the dead, although visiting cemeteries is not prohibited.
What else did you do on Holy Saturday? In Rus', on this day it was customary to “call out” frosts so that they would not destroy the future harvest.
The last day of Lent before Easter, Holy Saturday, falls on April 15 in 2017. about Christ’s stay in the tomb after the crucifixion, when His soul descended into hell to bring the righteous out of it, the site reports.
The fast lasted 48 days, and during this time believers had time to think about their lives, remember the deeds of Jesus Christ when he was on earth, and prepare for Easter.
If the preparations have not yet been completed, then Holy Saturday is the time to complete all the preparatory work.
For believers, Great Saturday before Easter is both a mournful and a joyful day: Christ still lies in the tomb, the Resurrection has not yet arrived, but everything is already filled with pre-Easter joy.
Great Saturday is popularly called Silent Saturday, since on this day it is not customary to have fun and have fun, and it is worth refraining from various quarrels. foul language and swearing, so you need to watch your language. Another name for Great Saturday - Dyeing Saturday - suggests that it is time to start preparing dyes for Easter.
But the food that is prepared for the festive table cannot yet be eaten. Those who adhere to Lent eat raw vegetables and fruits, bread and drink water. unless they baked them in advance.
Traditions
On Saturday evening, believers, leaving a “small” treat on the tables at home, gather in churches and cathedrals for the evening service; at 12 am the religious procession begins, after which the service continues. Arriving home, the believers eat paska and go to bed. And only late on Sunday morning does the true celebration begin.
It is customary to collect the Easter basket not on the day of the Resurrection, but on Holy Saturday. Each family in its own way selects the products that it considers necessary to consecrate, making sure to fill the basket with dyes and Easter cakes. Housewives often cover their Easter baskets with embroidered towels. On Holy Saturday, women also decorate the house with branches of young trees and fresh flowers, which symbolizes a new beginning and rebirth of life.
Every year on the Saturday before Easter, the descent of the Holy Fire takes place in Jerusalem. Many thousands of pilgrims gather on this day at the Church of the Resurrection of Christ to observe one of the main miracles of the Orthodox Church. Tradition claims that the year when the Holy Fire does not descend to earth will be the last before the Last Judgment.
What not to do on Holy Saturday:
- You cannot break your fast from three o'clock on Saturday morning until Sunday morning;
- You should not eat food prepared by heat treatment;
- You should not drink alcohol (those who observed strict fasting on Good Friday and only had bread and water can drink a little red wine to maintain strength);
- You can't dance or sing;
- It is necessary to refrain from intimacy with your spouse;
- You cannot go fishing or hunting;
- It is also forbidden to clean the house, iron or wash things;
- You can't wash yourself;
- Work in the garden and vegetable garden is prohibited;
- There is also a ban on handicrafts;
- You should refrain from construction work and other physical work.
- On this day you cannot refuse people’s requests.
Also, on Holy Saturday they do not remember the dead, which means that they do not go to the cemetery. Every believer on the eve of a big holiday should try to behave righteously, not quarrel with anyone, not swear, and refrain from sorting things out.
Holy Saturday is a day of kindness, reconciliation and forgiveness. Today, be sure to ask for forgiveness from everyone you may have offended. Make peace with everyone with whom you are in a quarrel - do not overshadow tomorrow's holiday with negative feelings and emotions.
If you missed Easter
JoinInfoMedia journalist Kristina Kovtun learned that on the Saturday before Easter you must give alms to all the needy people you meet along the way. Well, your relatives and people close to you should not be left without Easter gifts.
Signs on Holy Saturday
- On this day, it is considered a great sin to laugh and have fun. People say that whoever laughs on Holy Saturday will cry all next year.
- As on the previous two days, on the Saturday before Easter you cannot give anything from home, no matter who asks you for it. In this way you can give away your health, well-being, luck.
- On this day you can clean the graves in the cemetery, but you cannot commemorate them on Saturday.
- If the weather on Holy Saturday is warm and clear, then the summer will be hot and dry. And if it’s cold and rainy on this day, then the summer will be cool.
- Also, according to the sign, staying awake on the night of Easter promotes good health, a good harvest, will help girls be happy in marriage, and promises a successful hunt for boys.
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