When Orthodox Easter is celebrated in 2020, what date it will be - many of us are already interested in advance.

Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter this year April 19, 2020. And exactly one week before it, on April 12, all Orthodox will traditionally celebrate. On the same day, April 12, 2020, there will be.

The tradition of celebrating Easter does not originate at all from the Resurrection of Christ - it existed before that. The Jewish holiday Passover was and is celebrated to commemorate the release of the Israeli people from Egyptian captivity under the leadership of Moshe (Moses).

It just so happened that the Savior rose from the dead on this very day. As you know, such coincidences may seem random only at first glance. The liberation of the Jewish people from Egyptian captivity is a story that is generally seen as the liberation of all mankind from the power of sin and death.

The miraculous resurrection of Christ means the greatest victory of good over evil, a visible symbol of the fact that love and faith are much stronger than hatred and fear.

And just as the Jewish people sacrifice the Passover lamb, so the Lord himself brought his son to the slaughter. And in this event, the boundless love of God for man was manifested.

And even if a person is neutral about the Easter holiday, this does not deprive him of the right to join the jubilant humanity, which will certainly utter the cherished words:

"Christ is risen!"

"Truly risen!"

WHERE THE WORD "EASTER" COME FROM

Interestingly, in translation from Hebrew, the word "Pesach" means "passed by" or "passed by." This means that one day God passed by the Jewish houses and destroyed only the dwellings of their oppressors - the Egyptians.

In our time, the symbolism of history is also obvious: good will certainly triumph over evil. The Lord removes oppression and frees man from sin. Accepting the sacrifice of Christ, absolutely any of us can count on forgiveness and understanding.

Why does the date of Easter keep changing?

The question of what date Easter will be in 2020 is often associated with another one. Why does the date of this holiday change all the time, unlike, for example, Christmas (January 7) or Epiphany (January 19)? Indeed, Easter refers to the so-called moving holidays - celebrations that do not have a clearly defined day.

The fact is that in Orthodoxy the celebration of Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first spring full moon. And how to determine exactly the first full moon?

It is believed that spring comes after March 21 - i.e. day of the spring equinox. Then the day for the first time becomes equal to the night in duration (in hours). It turns out that as soon as March 21 has passed, you need to wait for the full moon, and the next Sunday will be Easter.

When is Orthodox Easter celebrated?

Therefore, the main Christian holiday among the Orthodox is always celebrated in the period from April 7 to 8 May:

• Orthodox Easter 2019 - April 28.
• Orthodox Easter 2020 - April 19.
• Orthodox Easter 2021 - May 2.
• Orthodox Easter 2022 - April 24th.
• Orthodox Easter 2023 - April 16.

We present the clergyman's commentary on this matter:

Everything about the symbols of the holiday - painted eggs and Easter cake

Of course, the immutable symbols of the holiday are painted eggs and Easter cake. And it seems that everything is known about these two traditions. But this simplicity lies only on the surface, and in general one should not forget that the amazing is nearby.

Why are eggs painted for Easter?

Indeed, why will we paint eggs again at Easter in 2020?

The most common legend says that when Mary Magdalene learned that Christ had risen from the dead, she hurried to tell the whole neighborhood about it. And of course, she went to the Roman emperor Tiberius, who in those years ruled the occupied territories of Israel.

Of course, her message about the resurrection was not taken seriously. Therefore, when Mary told Tiberius: “Christ is risen!”, He took an ordinary chicken egg and answered: “The dead do not rise, just as the eggs do not turn red.” And at the same moment, the egg in his hand turned bright red, which probably left the ruler speechless for a while. However, he did not deny the obvious and said: “He has truly risen!”

Interestingly, this story also has its own symbolism. In fact, it shows the attitude of society towards miracles. Some are ready with all their heart to believe that they happen. And even without evidence. Other people, who are often called rational, pragmatic (and more recently they were more often called materialists), require an objective basis for any statement.

It is noteworthy that neither Mary Magdalene nor Tiberius enter into the discussion. And the higher power itself shows the incredulous emperor that miracles do happen.

And even if we know everything about life and a little more, this does not mean that we can do without faith. After all, it is she who is a kind of prototype of a positive future, striving forward, some project of our destiny. By the way, the word project itself is translated as “aspiring forward”.

NOTE

Since the egg was painted in bright red shades, it is necessary that this color be one of the predominant ones on the Easter table. Of course, the harmony of the palette and the taste preferences of the owners are observed, but red eggs must certainly be present as a symbol of the holiday.

Why Easter must have dyed eggs

Along with the story of Marina Magdalene and the emperor Tiberius, there are several more suggestions why colored eggs must be present at Easter:

1. First of all, the egg is considered a symbol of the universe, a symbol of life itself. This is one of the cultural archetypes along with the image of water, fire and other iconic symbols. The egg seems to stand above all religions, nationalities and cultures. And this privileged position is recognized by almost everyone. If you think about it, the egg is not what gives life. This is life itself. This small prototype of an organism contains everything necessary for the emergence of a new living being. In appearance, it is no different from a pebble or other inanimate object. But under the shell, various processes are intensively going on, thanks to which the continuation of the genus occurs. Using the achievements of modern science, we can see everything with our own eyes, as if the shell does not exist. But the people of antiquity had to comprehend the world for the most part with their faith. That did not prevent them from living, rejoicing and loving.
2. The image of the egg was considered sacred by the Egyptians, Persians and Romans. Interestingly, the Romans ate a baked egg before any festive meal. It was believed that this is a good symbol of a successful undertaking of any business. By the way, these peoples always celebrated the coming of spring. And boiled eggs were always present on the table as an image of the revival of nature and good changes.
3. Interestingly, on the birthday of another Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius, which happened 2 centuries after the resurrection of Christ, a chicken laid an egg with red specks, and this was considered a lucky sign. Since then, it was customary for the Romans to send colored eggs to each other on the occasion of any holiday.
4. And another version is particularly original. It is believed that the stone that blocked the entrance to the Holy Sepulcher resembled precisely the shape of an egg.

It can be seen that neither version contradicts the other. Therefore, they all equally have the right to exist. Moreover, different assumptions only complement each other.

It is quite natural to imagine that the people of ancient times also exchanged their cultural experience, as well as modern society. And although, for obvious reasons, traditions then spread more slowly, they still survived and even survived to this day.

Thus, the custom of painting eggs has been around for as long as Christianity has existed. Eras passed, entire states and peoples disappeared, but the memory of the bright resurrection lived and lives among a huge number of people.

It turns out that everyone who paints eggs comes into contact with an ancient history that goes back at least 20 centuries. If you just think about it for a second, you can immediately feel the atmosphere of a real holiday. And these bright thoughts will certainly tune in a positive wave to anyone who wishes to feel the spirit of Easter.

What does the Orthodox cake symbolize?

When we are interested in what date Easter will be in 2020, we will certainly remember not only the date of the bright holiday itself, but also the Easter cake. Delicious, fragrant pastries, a symbol of the holiday, which, if the correct recipe is followed, can stand in the house for at least the entire bright week (a week after Easter Sunday).

There are several dozen varieties of this festive dish. Traditionally, it is baked from dough based on milk, butter and chicken eggs.

It is customary to decorate Easter cake with sprinkles, pieces of fruit or berries, icing - in a word, in this creative business, every culinary specialist can give complete freedom to his imagination.

And why did the tradition of baking Easter cake come from? Unlike eggs, there is no exact answer to this question.

However, the fact that this tradition is ancient is known for certain. She lives from time immemorial. As you know, Christ himself broke bread and poured wine during the Last Supper exactly three days before his resurrection.

Any variety of bread has a sacred meaning for all peoples of the earth. Even today, when hunger in many countries has been finally defeated, it is considered bad form to play with pieces of bread, throw them away or speak unflatteringly about this, without exaggeration, a truly national product.

In this sense, Easter cake can be regarded as a symbol of fertility, satiety, prosperity in the house. And given the tradition of the breaking of bread, which was founded during the Last Supper, we can say that bread is a symbol of the body of Christ.

Therefore, baking and eating Easter cake is another opportunity to get in touch with the holiday and feel the magical atmosphere that has reigned on the entire planet every year for 2 thousand years.

But the information, as they say, firsthand. Hieromonk Job Gumerov answers the question of why the tradition of making Easter cake appeared.

What to do for Easter: traditions and modernity

So, on a holiday, or rather, on the eve of the bright Resurrection, almost everyone paints eggs and gets Easter cakes. Of course, you can bake muffins on your own - after all, preparation for the holiday is also the holiday itself.

What else do they do for Easter? Whatever date this Sunday falls, people will come into contact with many ancient traditions. Here are the most famous of them.

Egg and Easter cake lighting

Of course, on such a day, believers strive to get into the church and endure the all-night service, which is performed on the night from Saturday to Sunday. And even if this was not possible, they come to the temple in order to.

The tradition of consecration allows a person to tune in to the bright waves of the holiday. It is no secret that a special atmosphere develops in the assembly of believers, which can hardly be felt at home or even while watching the broadcast of the service on TV.

That is why visiting the temple on such a day is definitely worth it. And it will not be superfluous to do mercy by treating the needy with eggs and Easter cakes.

Christening

Well, at home the holiday continues - moreover, here it is in full swing. In the morning, you need to try to get up early, because the Savior was resurrected in the morning. And the rising sun in itself symbolizes the beginning of the celebration.

By tradition, all those celebrating take Easter eggs and christen - i.e. push the eggs against each other and break the shell from either end - sharp or blunt. After that, you need to kiss three times on the cheeks and say the well-known words:

"Christ is risen!"

"Truly Risen!"

If you follow the church canon, the phrase will sound a little different, which does not change its meaning at all:

Traditionally, they go to visit, treat relatives, friends, neighbors and just everyone who is dear to the heart with Easter dishes. In this sense, it is very good that Easter is always celebrated on Sunday. We have the opportunity to remember and visit everyone who, perhaps, has been waiting for our attention for a long time.

Other folk customs for Easter

Easter cake and eggs are the main symbols of the holiday, so Easter traditions are mainly associated with them:

1. After visiting the church, you can buy a few candles and decorate Easter cake with them. Traditionally, one candle is placed in one bead, after which a fire is lit so that it pleases everyone in the house.
2. You can arrange a pleasant holiday for everyone at home - and of course, do not forget about the children. For example, let them look for colored eggs that will be previously hidden in different places in the house. Arrange a fun search together.
3. And you can also organize “pokatushki” - whose egg will roll farther than others.
4. Traditionally, the house is decorated with greenery, emerging tree branches. In general, it is allowed to use all symbols that represent rebirth and good changes.

Festive table for Easter

Along with the question of when Easter will be in 2020, they are often interested in what dishes will be put on the table correctly. After all, the festive menu serves as a kind of culinary portrait of the celebration and allows you to enjoy the moment to the fullest.

In addition, with the onset of the holiday, Lent ends, which imposes the most stringent requirements on the restriction of food and drinks. And after such a long ordeal, the joy of the holiday only intensifies.

Traditionally, along with Easter cake, there are other pastries and meat dishes on the table:

• boiled pork;
• baked veal;
• wild duck stewed in sour cream;
• all kinds of pies, kulebyaki, sweet muffins.

As for the festive drink, red wine is rightfully considered to be it. It is preferable to prepare in advance and purchase a church Cahors. And even more interesting if you make red wine yourself. It can be harvested in almost a year, but the expectation only enhances the pleasure.

What Not to Do on Bright Sunday

• You should not sort things out, start important business conversations on such a day.
• It is better to refrain from unpleasant memories and everything that literally overshadows the Resurrection of Christ. It is important to understand that Easter is a day of joy, not sorrow. Believers do not remember the deceased, but the resurrected Savior.
• Do not indulge in gluttony and get drunk. Of course, no one refuses to eat, and a couple of glasses of pleasant red wine will not hurt. It must be remembered what the main food on such a day is spiritual, not earthly.
• It is undesirable to tidy up, do repairs, visit beauty salons, wash windows, etc. That is, all actions that distract from a pleasant celebration are undesirable. At the same time, there are no direct prohibitions on this. Everyone can act according to their own conscience. In addition, sometimes a person may be at work even on Christ's Resurrection. And of course, he must do his duty.
• You should not visit on such a day and, to honor the dead, you should choose another time. Easter is the triumph of life over death, truth over sin. It is better not to forget about this when there will be a meeting of bright Easter.

Representatives of the Orthodox Church also express the corresponding opinion.

On a beautiful spring day of the Holy Resurrection of Christ, everyone can feel like a part of something wonderful and eternal. After all, celebrating Easter is a great honor. It means getting in touch with holy history - perhaps the main event in the history of mankind.

Easter is the fundamental holiday of the Christian religion. He is awaited with trepidation in the heart and faith in the soul. True, in order to realize the whole essence of the festival, it is necessary to turn to its origins.

Easter is the most beloved and awaited holiday in the Christian world. Preparation for it begins with a harsh forty-day Great Lent. They prepare very thoroughly for the celebration of Easter: they clean houses, paint eggs, make up a festive menu, bake Easter cakes. A lot of traditions, customs and beliefs are connected with the Resurrection of Christ. But in order to understand the meaning of the great festival, and to comprehend the whole essence, it is important to pay attention to the history of its occurrence.

History of Easter

The history of the festival originates from the Old Testament times and is intertwined with the Easter of the New Testament. Literally, the word "Easter" means "to pass by." It got its name from the Jewish holiday "Pesach", about which many legends have been written.

If you turn to the legends of the Old Testament, you can understand that the Lord decided to save the Jewish people from the terrible oppression of the Egyptians, who kept the Israelites in slavery for many years. The Almighty ordered that on the night of the fourteenth day of the first spring month, each Jewish family in which the firstborn was born should sacrifice an immaculate lamb. It was necessary to lubricate the front door with his blood. The Lord wanted to strike the Egyptians with a terrible punishment, depriving them of their first-born babies, but to protect the Jews.

On that terrible night, a punishing angel descended to earth, who entered every house and took the first-born with him, but passed by those houses whose doors were anointed with the blood of a lamb. It was after this terrible night that the holiday called Easter was established. Its essence is deliverance from suffering and the acquisition of the promised land.

The Old Testament Easter is just a prototype of the New Testament Easter. The prophecy spoke of the Son of God, who was destined to become a sacrifice for the salvation of all mankind. The sacrificial offering of the lamb and the anointing of the doors with blood is a kind of symbolic image of the future sufferings of the Messiah, who grants salvation to all through the shedding of his blood.

Easter traditions

The great and expected holiday has its own unique traditions and customs that have passed through the centuries and have not lost their relevance to this day. Over time, new traditions and beliefs appeared, which were timed to coincide with the Holy Week preceding Easter. For example, before Easter, it is customary to bake Easter cakes and paint eggs. This is a fascinating creative activity, which is not devoid of sacred meaning. You can find out why such a tradition appeared on our website.

Christening, the descent of the Holy Fire, solemn church services, the consecration of water, candles and food for the festive table, an Easter dinner with relatives and friends are old traditions that have been preserved not only in Orthodoxy, but also in the Catholic faith. But there are also differences. For example, the Slavs introduced egg fights at the festive table, or, as they are popularly called, "choking" eggs.

In European countries and America, on the contrary, nothing was heard about egg fights. Their popular tradition is "egg hunting". This is a children's game, the meaning of which is to hide, find and roll chocolate eggs on a sloping hill.

The main pre-Easter tradition is the preparation of sweet pastries. In Russia, these are Easter cakes and Easter, in Ukraine - grandmas and poppy rolls, in Europe - muffins and sugar buns, in Australia - a meringue cake decorated with fruits.

The history of the Easter festival is a journey through the ages. Leafing through the pages of history, each time we find something new for ourselves, because the emergence of a great holiday is an intricacies of traditions, different beliefs and dissimilar customs of ancient peoples. We wish you a Happy Easter. be happyand don't forget to press the buttons and

03.04.2018 04:54

The feast of Holy Easter is saturated with customs that help to get closer to God. Following traditions will help make your...

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Easter is one of the most important church holidays. In 2019, the Orthodox celebrated the Bright Resurrection of Christ on April 28.

Easter falls annually in the spring - the date of the celebration is calculated according to a special church calendar. Usually, Orthodox and Catholics celebrate the Holy Resurrection of Christ at different times - this year, Catholic Easter was celebrated on April 21. Celebration dates sometimes coincide - Catholics and Orthodox Christians last celebrated Easter together in 2017.

The essence and meaning of Easter

After the Sabbath, at night, on the third day after His suffering and death, the Lord Jesus Christ, by the power of His Divinity, came to life, that is, rose from the dead. His human body was transformed. He emerged from the tomb without breaking the stone, without breaking the Sanhedrin seal, and invisible to the guards. From that moment on, the soldiers, without knowing it, guarded the empty coffin.

Suddenly there was a great earthquake; An angel of the Lord descended from heaven. He, approaching, rolled away the stone from the door of the tomb of the Lord and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were as white as snow. The warriors who stood guard at the tomb trembled and became like the dead, and then, waking up from fear, fled.

On the third day after the burial of Christ, in the early morning, several women carried the incense they had bought to anoint the body of Jesus. Going to the place of burial, they mourned: “Who will roll away the stone from the tomb for us?” - because, as the evangelist explains, the stone was great. But the stone had already been rolled away, and the tomb was empty. This was seen by Mary Magdalene, who was the first to come to the tomb, and Peter and John, who were called by her, and the myrrh-bearing women, to whom the young man sitting at the tomb in light-bearing clothes announced the Resurrection of Christ. The four Gospels describe this morning in the words of various witnesses who came to the tomb one after another.

For Christians, the holiday means the transition from death to eternal life with Christ - from earth to heaven, which is also proclaimed by Easter hymns: “Easter, Easter of the Lord! From death to life, and from earth to heaven, Christ God has led us, singing victoriously.

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ revealed the glory of His Divinity, hidden until then under the cover of humiliation: a shameful and terrible death on the cross next to the crucified criminals and thieves.

With His Resurrection, Jesus Christ blessed and confirmed the resurrection for all people.

In Orthodoxy, the status of Easter as the main holiday is reflected in the words "holidays, a holiday and a celebration of celebrations." The church celebration of Easter lasts 40 days.

history of the holiday

The history of the Easter holiday has its roots in the depths of centuries. And in order to better understand and study it, we will have to turn to the Bible, namely to its part called "Exodus". It tells that the Jewish people, who were in slavery to the Egyptians, suffered great torment and oppression from their masters. But, despite this, they trusted in the mercy of God and remembered the covenant given to them and the promised land. Among the Jews there was one man named Moses, whom God chose to be his prophet. Having given his brother Aaron to help Moses, the Lord worked miracles through them and sent various plagues on the Egyptians in the number of 10.

The Egyptian pharaoh for a long time did not want to release his slaves to freedom. Then God commanded the Israelites in the evening to slaughter for each family one year-old male lamb without blemish. And with his blood to anoint the crossbars of the doors of his dwelling. The lamb had to be eaten overnight without breaking its bones. At night, an angel of God passed through Egypt and killed all the Egyptian firstborn, from cattle to man, but did not touch the Jewish dwellings. In fear, Pharaoh drove the Israelites out of the country. But when they approached the shores of the Red Sea, he came to his senses and chased after his slaves. However, God opened the waters of the sea and led the Jews through the sea as if over dry land, and Pharaoh was drowned. In honor of this event, from then to this day, Jews celebrate Easter (Pesach), as a liberation from Egyptian captivity.

Photo: italia-facile.ru

But the history of the origin and origin of the Easter holiday does not end there. Many centuries after the Exodus, Jesus Christ was born in Israel. When he was 30 years old, he went out to preach, teaching people the commandments of God. Three years later he was crucified on the cross, on Mount Golgotha. It happened after the Jewish Passover on Friday. And on Thursday there was the Last Supper, where Christ established the sacrament of the Eucharist, presenting bread and wine as his body and blood. Like the lamb in the Old Testament, Christ was sacrificed for the sins of the world, and his bones were not broken either.

In apostolic times, Easter united two memories: the sufferings and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The days preceding the Resurrection were called the Passover of Suffering. Days after the Resurrection - Easter of the Cross or Easter of the Resurrection.

In the early centuries of Christianity, different communities celebrated Easter at different times. In the East, in Asia Minor, it was celebrated on the 14th day of the month of Nisan (March-April), no matter what day of the week this number falls on. The Western Church celebrated Easter on the first Sunday after the spring full moon.

At the First Ecumenical Council in 325, it was decided to celebrate Easter everywhere at the same time on the Alexandrian Paschalia. This continued until the 16th century, when the unity of Western and Eastern Christians in celebrating Easter and other holidays was broken by the calendar reform of Pope Gregory XIII.

The Orthodox Church determines the date of the celebration of Easter according to the Alexandrian Paschalia: the holiday must be on the Sunday after the Jewish Passover, after the full moon and after the spring equinox.

Traditions

The main attributes of Easter are rich cakes, which symbolize the church; colored eggs (a symbol of eternal life and the miracle of the Resurrection); Holy fire and procession.

It is customary to illuminate Easter cakes and eggs in the church in. The Easter procession begins at midnight on Sunday. Before this, the bells ring, then the royal doors open in the temples and the procession begins, after which the troparion is sung: “Christ is risen from the dead!”

On Easter and forty days after it, the Orthodox adopted a greeting: “Christ is risen” - “Truly risen” with a triple kiss. According to tradition, this custom comes from the apostles.

Easter is celebrated for seven days, that is, the whole week, and therefore this week is called Bright Easter Week. Each day of the week is also called bright; Bright Monday, Bright Tuesday, etc., and the last day, Bright Saturday. Services are held daily. The Royal Doors are open all week.

The custom of painting eggs was common among the Eastern Slavs even before the birth of Christianity and is associated with spring pagan cults. Christian tradition has put a new meaning into this: the Easter egg is a symbol of life, and the red color of the shell is the blood of Christ shed for the salvation of people. Eggs dyed in one color (“krasnki”) and painted with patterns (“pysanky”) are usually given as gifts to relatives and guests.

The tradition of consecrating eggs at Easter is often associated with the parable of St. Mary Magdalene. Arriving in Rome, she presented the emperor Tiberius with a simple chicken egg. When asked what this gift means, Mary replied that it symbolizes the resurrection of Christ and the rebirth of mankind for eternal life. The emperor replied that he would believe in resurrection only if the white egg turned red. And right there, in front of those present, it changed color.

According to Orthodox canons, Easter is not supposed to go to the cemetery and perform requiem services, since this day is considered a rebirth holiday. The church advises visiting the graves of loved ones on the first Tuesday after Easter week, which is called Radonitsa.

All week after Easter in Rus' it was customary to relax, have fun, visit relatives and friends, receive guests and, of course, eat and drink whatever your heart desires. In the Easter week, fasting days are canceled on Wednesdays and Fridays.

There are no special prohibitions for Easter, except for boredom and sitting at home. This was considered a bad omen, and people who avoided Easter visits and entertainment aroused suspicion.

However, the church and doctors remind: when leaving the fast, moderation is needed, gluttony and passion for alcohol are not only dangerous for health, but also contradict the spiritual meaning of the holiday.

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Many traditions and customs for Easter are associated with colored eggs. It is customary for them to “fight”: the winner is the one whose egg is broken last. Since ancient times, the egg symbolizes the renewal of life, and the red color symbolizes the blood shed by Jesus on the cross. Some people believe that by breaking a colored egg, we help break the shackles of the red shell, that is, life defeats death.

According to another version, the tradition of breaking eggs at Easter is connected with the fact that the tomb in which Jesus was buried after death was covered with stones, the shape of which resembled an egg. Therefore, breaking eggs at Easter is a symbolic opening of the tomb and the Resurrection of the Savior.

In Rus', children and adults on Easter rolled eggs from a hillock - the winner was the one whose egg rolled further.

It was believed that an Easter egg in a pocket was a talisman against diseases, the evil eye, and also from a fire. In general, colored eggs on a holiday were very much appreciated: whoever has more, that luck and good luck.

From folk traditions, there was also a custom, after taking a steam bath at Easter, to leave a broom "for the dead."

Signs

After the consecration in the church, each owner tried to bring the Easter cake home as soon as possible. This custom is based on popular belief: whoever comes home first with Easter will have the best harvest and that owner will be the first to finish the field work.

In connection with this custom, there were some other Easter beliefs:

• Bread will grow as fast as the owner runs with Easter.
• Whoever overtakes everyone will have the strongest horse and will overtake others in work for a whole year.

Weather signs for Easter were of great importance for our ancestors, because it was from them that one could find out how fruitful and successful the whole next year would be.

• If a thunderstorm breaks out on this day, it means that autumn will come late and will be dry. Rain without a thunderstorm portends a rainy spring.
• If it is cloudy, then the summer will be cold and cloudy.
• Frost on Easter predicts a good harvest.
• Cold, but not minus weather - to dry summer. All the snow melts completely by the harvest year.
• If the weather is clear on Tuesday after Easter, it will rain all summer.
• And if it is warm and clear on Sunday, then the summer will be sunny and fruitful.
• A starry, clear night for Easter promises frosts and cooling.

Prepared on the basis of information from free sources

Easter is an annual holiday in Russia, but its date is movable and changes on the calendar every year. Today it is already clear what date Easter will be in 2019.

As is known, Easter is the most important Orthodox holiday at Christians. The appearance of the holiday goes far into the past, and there is no clear date for Easter. The thing is that this holiday is celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon passes, which follows the day of the spring equinox.

To celebrate Easter, they even make special tables - Easter. In Paschalia, the last week is defined, which is called passionate(dedicated to the passions or, as they most often say, the sufferings of Jesus Christ).

Easter is always celebrated in a solemn atmosphere with procession. The houses that did not go to church that day create the atmosphere of the holiday on their own: they bake Easter cakes, paint eggs, buy Easter symbols in the form of rabbits or lambs. It is during the celebration of Easter that spring conquers and awakens nature.

According to the calendar, Easter will be celebrated in 2019 April 28th. Ends on this date great post, which will last from 03/11/2019 to 04/27/2019. During such a fast, people try to cleanse themselves of sins by limiting themselves to “harmful” food and rethinking their spiritual life.

Traditionally, everyone goes to visit each other and christen. To do this is quite simple, you just need to say the phrase: "Christ is risen!", and get in response: "Truly Risen!" A fairly simple ritual that brings so much joy to both children and adults. In many regions of Russia, on this day, children even go from house to house, knock on doors, and, having said the cherished phrase, receive an answer and a treat. As a rule, these are Easter cakes, colored eggs, sweets or even money.

Bright holiday of Easter waiting impatiently in every home and spend it in the family circle.

What is the date of Easter in 2019 for the Orthodox

The bright celebration is celebrated immediately after the period of observance of Great Lent has passed.

Few people know what date Easter will be in 2019. This is April 28 - for Orthodox believers - and the 21st of the same month - for Catholics.

About Easter

Easter is a celebration of victory over death. The word "Passover" comes from the Hebrew "Pesach", which means "to step over" or "to pass", "to pass by". The houses of the Jews before their exodus from Egypt were bypassed by a great calamity - the death of the firstborn. The doorposts in their house were stained with the blood of lambs. Families of slaves, Jews, were not affected.

Before the exodus from Egypt, the Jews had a farewell meal and went to the Promised Land, the land that God had promised them. They crossed the swamps, quicksands of the Red Sea coast and ended up in the desert. Pharaoh's chariots, on which the Egyptians tried to catch up with the slaves, drowned in the sea. Since then, in memory of this event, Jews have been preparing a lamb with bitter herbs in honor of the Passover holiday, writes.

Christians say - "our Easter - Christ." Why? Jesus Christ was the Son of God. Did you know that Jesus also celebrated Easter? On the eve of how He was seized, on the eve of the ordeals that we remember on Holy Week, and the execution on Golgotha, He gathered His disciples in Jerusalem and celebrated with them the “Legitimate Passover” according to all the laws of that time.

But on this day, important and new words for future Christians were heard:

“Take, eat, this is my body, which is broken for you. Accept and drink, this cup is the New Testament in My blood for you and for many, poured out for the remission of sins. Do this whenever you drink, in remembrance of Me.”

So the Old Testament between God and people remained in the past. Not because Jesus abolished it, “did not abolish it, but fulfilled it.” God concluded a new “contract” with people, according to which people accepted the Savior's Cross sacrifice.

We rejoice in the liberation from "spiritual Egypt", the kingdom of death and sin, and the transition to another life. Jesus Christ opened the doors of hell. Saved mankind from eternal torment for our sins.

By partaking of the Body and Blood of the Savior, we partake of His sorrows and sufferings, of His death, but at the same time, we partake of the “transition”. It was a transition to immortal life, to victory over hell and death, which Christ gave us. The disciples of Christ and the women faithful to Him buried the body of the Lord in a cave, but he… is Risen! He moved the heavy stone of the tomb and stepped out of it. Easter has conquered death. Easter is the main component of the Christian faith, the hope for Eternal life.

"Christ is Risen!" “Truly Risen!”

These words express the most important thing in Christianity. After all, if Jesus is not Risen, then our faith is in vain.

Fra Beato Angelico. Resurrection (fresco from the monastery of San Marco, Florence, middle of the 15th century)

Easter is a moving holiday. Why?

Some Orthodox holidays fall on different days of the calendar each year. Such holidays are called transitional. This means that their date is specified according to the lunar calendar. In the Orthodox calendar, these are all the holidays associated with Easter. For example, the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. Shrovetide, the beginning of Lent, the day of the Myrrh-bearing Women, the Ascension of the Lord, the Trinity - all these dates depend on what day of the church year Easter is celebrated.

The Easter holiday for Christians has certain rules: we cannot celebrate Easter before the Jewish holiday of Pesach. Jesus was crucified on a full moon, the Gospel says that when He was crucified, the sun went dark, so Easter is celebrated on a full moon. Also, Easter must fall on a Sunday. All these factors make Easter dependent on the lunar calendar and a moving holiday.

Easter 2019: how the date of the holiday is calculated

Surely many are interested in the question: why is Easter celebrated at different times and what determines what date Easter is in 2019? The Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord falls on different dates every year. For example, Easter in 2018 was celebrated much earlier, on April 8, and in 2020 it will be celebrated on April 19.

In fact, the date of Easter depends on the state of the heavenly bodies, namely the Moon and the Sun. Easter was celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon, which comes after the spring equinox. It follows from this that Easter 2019, like in other years, is a moving church holiday and is not tied to the traditional calendar, and therefore is celebrated at different times. And the range of celebration of the Resurrection of Christ in different years can be from April 4 to May 8.

From what date the Orthodox Easter in 2019, all other passing church holidays in the year depend:

1. Lazarus Saturday,
2. Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem
3. Ascension of the Lord
4. Pentecost.

After all, they are calculated depending on the date of Easter 2019. Therefore, in order to better navigate the dates, not to miss important days and great events, it is advisable to have an Orthodox church calendar at hand.

Easter symbols

The brightest spring family holiday, of course, is Easter. Cute chickens and hens with painted eggs in baskets decorate the tables on this day, along with traditional dishes and pastries.

In our minds, Easter is strongly associated with Easter cakes and colored eggs (krashenka). But it turns out that this bright celebration has other integral symbols!

Fragrant elegant Easter cakes, snow-white pastries, bright multi-colored eggs, lambs made from dough - all these are dishes served during the Easter celebration, which we have known since childhood. True, we do not always think about it. that the listed traditional goodies are articles of faith. As significant as the light of the Holy Fire or an Easter candle, patterned Easter eggs and delicate spring flowers - hyacinths, daffodils and primroses.

Easter egg

The egg is one of the most ancient symbols of the nascent and ever-renewing life, as well as the resurrection of Christ. According to tradition, the first Easter egg was given by Mary Magdalene to the Roman Emperor Tiberius. The disciple of the Savior came to the palace to tell the good news.

According to the custom of those times, mere mortals certainly had to make some kind of gift to the powers that be. Mary Magdalene, once rich and noble, now had nothing, and she brought only one testicle to the palace, handing it to Liberius with the words: “Christ is risen!”

The emperor did not believe the woman: “How can anyone rise from the dead?! It's impossible, just like that. that a white egg can turn red. It was then that a miracle happened: the egg really turned red, like the blood of Jesus shed on the cross.

In Ukraine, not only Easter eggs are prepared for Easter, but also Easter eggs, on which sacred patterns are applied. Such a painted egg becomes a talisman and a talisman of the family.

Lamb of God

In many countries around the world, Easter is associated with the image of the lamb. In Western Europe, it is often depicted on Easter cards: a lamb, a cross and an inscription in Latin - Agnus Dei (Lamb of God). The lamb symbolizes the great sacrifice of Christ: for the sake of our life, he accepted death. In Ukraine, a figurine of a lamb is baked from dough and decorated with a festive table.

Easter and Easter cakes

Fragrant airy Easter cake, or delicious Easter, is another important symbol of the holiday. It is believed that artos became its prototype - bread, which is consecrated and placed on the lectern in the church on the first day of the great celebration. And the Easter cake, flaunting on our table. - not only a tradition, but also a special sign: in this house the doors are always open for the Savior, He is remembered and waited for here.

By the way, in Ukraine, Easter cakes are often called pasochki. In fact, Easter is a special dish made from cottage cheese. It is prepared in the form of a truncated pyramid, symbolizing the Holy Sepulcher, and Easter cakes are baked from yeast dough.

Holy Fire

On the eve of Easter, people hold their breath waiting for a miracle - the appearance of the Holy Fire. Surprisingly, it has been happening for thousands of years. The church ceremony of the Holy Fire begins about a day before the Orthodox Easter.

In the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, pilgrims gather who want to see the descent of the Holy Fire with their own eyes. All. what carries the fire is taken out of the temple. In the middle of the bed of the Life-Giving Sepulcher, a lamp is placed, filled with oil, but without fire. Pieces of cotton wool are scattered throughout the bed, and a tape is laid along the edges. So prepared, after examining the Turkish guards, and now the Jewish police. Edicule (chapel over the Holy Sepulcher) is closed and sealed by a Muslim keykeeper.

A procession enters the temple - the hierarchs of the confessions celebrating Easter. The people inside are patiently waiting for the patriarch to come out with fire in his hands. Prayer and ritual continue until the expected miracle happens.

I must say that in different years the waiting lasted from five minutes to several hours. Before the descent, the temple begins to be illuminated by bright flashes of the Blessed Light, small lightning flashes here and there. From the hole in the dome of the temple, a column of light descends from heaven onto the coffin: Christ is risen!

Within 3-10 minutes, the ignited fire has properties - it does not burn at all. You can see how the parishioners literally wash themselves with this fire: they drive it over their faces, hands, scoop it up in handfuls - and it does absolutely no harm and does not even scorch their hair.

And soon, from the blessed fire, lamps are lit throughout Jerusalem. Fire is transported by special flights to Cyprus and Greece, and from there all over the world.

Easter tree

One of the symbols of the bright holiday of the Resurrection of Christ has long been an Easter tree, personifying the Tree of Life standing in paradise, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

In our country, the Easter tree was made from willow branches, which were decorated with colorful ribbons, Easter eggs and bird feathers. By the way, until the 17th century, during the procession of the Russian patriarch, an Easter tree decorated with artificial flowers and fruits was always carried on firewood. - "royal willow."

Want to decorate your home for the holidays? Put a few branches of willow or fruit trees in a vase and dress them up as your fantasy tells you.

How Easter is celebrated in Russia (briefly)

The celebration of Easter begins with the Easter service, which takes place on the night from Saturday to Sunday. It is very special, different from ordinary church services, very “light” and joyful. In Orthodox churches, as a rule, the Easter service begins exactly at midnight, but it is better to come to the church in advance so as not to be beyond its threshold - most churches are overcrowded on Easter night.

At the Easter service, believers take Easter cakes, colored eggs and other food with them to consecrate them during the Easter service. Some believers also take strong liquor for consecration, but this is not welcomed by the church.

At the Paschal liturgy, all believers make sure to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ. And after the service ends, the believers "Christen" - they greet each other with a kiss and the words "Christ is risen!".

After the Easter service, the breaking of the fast began after a long Great Lent. The Easter meal is usually held in a narrow family circle, since it is not customary to visit guests on the first day of Easter. The whole family will certainly gather at the table, even small children, who are specially woken up “to talk”.

You need to start the Easter meal with consecrated painted eggs and Easter cake, then you can try other dishes. When taking food, you need to christen: with the words “Christ is risen!” kiss and exchange eggs; at the same time, children with their parents are christened three times.

Easter is celebrated for 40 days - in memory of the forty-day sojourn of Christ on earth after the resurrection. On the fortieth day, Jesus Christ ascended to God the Father. The most solemnly celebrated is the first week after Easter, popularly called Bright Week.

These days in the churches “all-day ringing is heard” - as a sign of Christ's victory over death and hell; and worship in temples is performed at the open royal doors - "as a sign that the resurrection of Jesus Christ has opened access to heaven for everyone."

During the Easter week in all churches, as a rule, anyone is allowed to ring the bells. During the forty days of Easter, and especially on the first, Bright Week, they visit each other, give painted eggs and Easter cakes.

Easter traditions and customs in Russia

On this day, it is customary to praise the Son of God and carry the good news of his resurrection to everyone. There is a traditional greeting: "Christ is Risen!". In response, you should kiss the person who brought the good news three times, and answer: “Truly Risen!”.

Not a single divine service takes place without the blessed fire, which is lit in memory of the resurrection of Jesus. It symbolizes the light of God, from which power comes. All parishioners light candles from him and bring them into the house, trying to keep the divine fire until the next year.

Believers give each other consecrated eggs, which symbolize the resurrection. According to legend, the origins of this action date back to the time of the Roman Empire. When Mary Magdalene brought an egg as a gift with the joyful news of the Savior's resurrection, the Roman ruler doubted, saying: "A white egg will not turn red, and a dead one will not turn alive." At the same instant, the egg changed its color to red.

Before the holiday there is an Easter procession. All people gather in the evening near the temple, from where at midnight the procession begins with the singing of prayers. After that, everyone returns to the doors of the church and the festive service begins.

Throughout Holy Week, the bells are silent, and only on a holy holiday do people hear their solemn ringing. Anyone can ring the bells in honor of the Resurrection of Christ.

On Easter, you need to forgive all people, help the poor, the weak and the poor. There is a custom to distribute on this holiday the leftover food, which was consecrated in the church. After Holy Week, you can finally rejoice and arrange lively festivities with songs, dances and fun.

Water on this day has healing properties and is able to cleanse from all diseases and protect from adversity. The fire, which is lit on Easter, is able to keep the heat in the house and help get rid of problems faster. As you know, the fire symbolizes the burning of Judas, therefore, in contact with fire, we say goodbye to betrayal, get rid of lies and hatred.

Many rituals are associated with the egg: they write prayers, conspiracies that can give the person who asks for well-being, health and prosperity. Also, colored eggs should be given to loved ones to prolong and protect love for many years.

There is a wonderful custom to break eggs against each other: belief says that if the egg withstands the blow, then you will not crack this year from problems, the spirit will be strong. And rolling eggs on the table will help bring prosperity to the family.

There is an Easter ritual with a candle, which is performed after the procession. It is believed that if you stay in the church after the service and look into the flame, you can see the dead loved ones and even find out how their life goes in that other world.

What not to do on Easter

1. You can’t do housework on Easter - clean, sew, knit. Direct all your attention to God and your family.
2. On the day of Easter and during the Easter week, one should not be sad and cry.
3. It is forbidden to have sex - throughout the week you need to forget about worldly affairs and think about the spiritual.
4. You can’t go to the cemetery on Easter; Memorial week is intended for this.

Folk omens for Easter

The celebration of Easter in our country is associated with many folk traditions and will take:

• In order for the house to be in harmony, and for success in business, get a charm or talisman.
• Husband and wife must hit each other with colored eggs at breakfast on Easter Sunday, whoever does not break a testicle will be the “head” of the family all year.
• Whoever of the neighbors will be the first to return from the Easter service will be the luckiest.
• If you want to be beautiful, on Easter morning, after breaking the fast, pour water into the basin, dip the consecrated krashenka into it, roll it around the bowl, and then wash your face with this water and roll the krashenka over your face - this will bring beauty, getting rid of skin diseases.
• And if you want wealth for yourself, dip gold and silver jewelry and coins into the water to the egg.
• They roll an egg over the faces of children - it is believed that this will protect them from the evil eye.
• If an unmarried girl really wants to get married, during the festive matins she needs to whisper softly: “The Resurrection of Christ! Send me a single fiancé!”
• It has long been customary to leave the house with an egg on Easter and, meeting with friends, fight with eggs. Whose after the blow remains intact, he will be healthy and happy all year.
• On Easter you can not do any homework, otherwise happiness will go away with troubles. The exception is teaching children and caring for animals.
• And the main belief: on Easter, God hears all our prayers and helps us to fulfill our desires! We wish ourselves and loved ones peace, health and love!
• There was a belief that the water collected in the spring on Easter night or during matins has a special power comparable to the power of holy water. Only it was necessary to bring her home without saying a word on the way. To gain happiness and well-being, houses and barns were sprinkled with this "silent" water.
• Husband and wife should not be christened on Easter, so as not to be separated, as the folk sign for Easter says.
• There are also signs for Easter for girls associated with Easter. Lips itch during Easter week - a kiss is inevitable; bruised my elbow - my dear remembered; a fly fell into the cabbage soup - there will be a date; eyebrows itch - to meet your loved one.
• There is a sign for Easter to get pregnant. In the morning, go to church, dedicate eggs and Easter cakes. And then ask God to fulfill your desire.
• If you are experiencing constant difficulties with money, be sure to give a beggar a coin on Easter - you will not know the need for the whole year.
• And in order for the family to have peace, harmony and no one quarreled among themselves, the Easter meal must be started by the whole family and everyone must first of all eat a piece of Easter cake and eggs that were consecrated in the church.
• The first Easter egg is usually divided into several parts according to the number of family members. Such a joint eating of one egg, according to legend, strengthens the family, preserves friendly relations and love for each other in it.
• In many places, it was believed that if you go to a spring on Easter night or during matins, draw water there and silently bring it home, without uttering a single word along the way, then the water will acquire a special power, almost equal to the power of holy water. Houses and barns were sprinkled with such "silent" water for happiness and well-being, they washed themselves with it for health, etc.

The month of February in 2020 is especially rich in calendar dates on which you can make wishes with a high probability of their subsequent fulfillment.

A favorable period of time for the fulfillment of desires began on the mirror date of 02/02/2020 and continued on the date of the convergence of zeros and twos on 02/20/2020. And ends the "February period of desires" date of five deuces - 02/22/2020.

We tell what time to make a wish February 22, 2020 (5 points in time).

02/22/2020, although it is not a mirror number, this date is not simple. Besides that zeros and twos converge on this date, more five twos add up to 10 which is essentially fundamental. It is the basis of the current number system and symbolizes success (which is best expressed by the phrase "get into the top ten"). You can also remember: 10 commandments in the Bible, 10 sefirot in the cabalistic Tree of Life, 10 incarnations of the Supreme deity Vishnu in Hindu mythology, and, of course, 10 fingers and toes of a person. And so on!

The date of five twos on February 22, 2020 includes several points in time at which, using the power of the number "2", you can mentally pronounce your desires. This ( in hours:minutes format, local time): 00:20, 02:00, 02:02, 02:20, 02:22, 20:00 20:02, 20:20, 20:22, 22:00, 22:02, 22:20 and 22 :22.

Of the points in time listed above, five have the most power (those containing the maximum number of twos). This: 02:22, 20:22, 22:02, 22:20 and 22:22. All times are local.

That is, what time to make wishes on February 22, 2020 (5 points in time):
* at 2 hours 22 minutes (02:22).
* at 20:22 (20:22).
* at 22:02 (22:02).
* at 22:20 (22:20).
* at 22:22 (22:22).

Also this month, you can make a wish on the February new moon, which will come February 23, 2020 at 18.30.

Read more:
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In short, during the "five days" most Russians rest 3 days in a row starting on Saturday 22 February 2020. The exception is residents of the Republic of Buryatia, Zabaikalsky Krai and the Republic of Tuva, who will rest 1 day longer in honor of the celebration of the White Month "Sagaalgan" and Shagaa, respectively.

Today we will tell what day will be Friday 21 February 2020 before the public holidays - a shortened working day or not.

In general, according to Russian law, the working day immediately preceding the holiday becomes shorter. However, February 21, 2020 (Friday) is located before a regular weekend (Saturday 02/22/2020), and not before a holiday, and therefore remains a standard working day, NOT reduced.

That is, the Friday before the holiday weekend is a shortened working day or not:
* February 21, 2020 - full time.