Ended Lent, the main days of everything have arrived church year — Holy Week. Holy days - the last days before Easter are the path of suffering, the death of the Savior on the cross and his Bright Resurrection.
Correspondents of the Orthodoxy and World portal asked famous priests about how to properly spend Holy Week, how to live it to the fullest.
Archpriest Valerian Krechetov, confessor of the Moscow diocese:
Empathize with the Savior
The time of fasting, which was given to a person to achieve repentance, ends on Friday of the sixth week. The whole point of the penitential feat performed during Great Lent, as the holy fathers say, is to cleanse the heart.
Both John the Baptist and the Lord Himself began their sermon with the words: “ Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" And when, as it is said in the canon of Andrew of Crete, “the prophets are already exhausted,” the Church prepares the feast of the Resurrection of Christ, showing the last days of His life, when the Lord suffered for our sins. As God, He knew everything that would happen, but as a man, He asked for compassion: “ And he said to them: My soul is sorrowful unto death; stay here and stay awake"(Matthew 26:34).
Holy Week prepares us for the Easter holiday and shows that there is no other way to resurrection than through the cross and suffering. That’s why the common people said: “The Lord endured and commanded us.”
The services of Holy Week call on a person to empathize and have compassion for the Savior.
For the first three days, you are supposed to re-read all four Evangelists as a reminder of what the Lord created, and we crucify Him with our sins. And although this is addressed, as it were, to the Jews of that time, it applies to every person who crucifies Christ with their sins.
During Holy Week, if possible, it is advisable to visit church more often, especially on Maundy Thursday, and on Wednesday evening the day before. In the morning, believers are present at the Last Supper and receive communion, and in the evening the Gospels of the Passion of the Lord are read. Next comes Great Heel - the crucifixion of the Savior, burial and the already beginning joy of Bright Saturday.
The angels were the first to know about the resurrection of Christ, as well as about His birth, which is why the Church sings: “ The angels sing in heaven about Your Resurrection, Christ our Savior. And grant us on earth the honor to glorify You with a pure heart" Why is it said “with a pure heart”? Because it is believed that by fasting a person has cleansed his heart as much as possible for this bright day.
Holy Week- this is precious time
The services of Holy Week are the best services of the entire church year. I think that people have not created anything better than the Holy Office. This is the most beautiful, the deepest, the most talented, the most God-inspired of everything born of human genius.
If these services are performed reverently, if a person tries to participate in them meaningfully, then they will transport him to the reality that appeared on earth two thousand years ago, will help him along with the saints, together with Mother of God and the apostles, to walk the path of Christ’s suffering and meet the Bright Resurrection of Christ.
If a person tries to delve into them, he will be able to overcome space and time and become a participant in the events of the Gospel. If you sincerely, with faith and love participate in these church services, you will definitely feel the whole Gospel in a new way, and realize yourself as a Christian in a new way.
In addition, these services, like any work of art, act not only in a rational way - on the human consciousness, they act directly, figuratively speaking, on the human heart. By participating in them, a person realizes something, but even more, he feels that his faith is revealing that spiritual reality that exists outside of time and space. The sacrifice of Christ, His suffering and death, His victory over the forces of evil, over death, the triumph of His resurrection - all this belongs to the spiritual world, which is outside of time and space. And through church services we can join this reality.
So much is a mystery that we cannot understand rationally. This is natural, because spiritual, Divine world above us, it is not completely revealed to our mind, it is not subject to it. And he opens his heart. If this happens, it becomes a great achievement in our life. We will understand later, not immediately, that there was nothing higher in our lives. And there can be nothing higher than life with Christ, than the opportunity to find Christ and be with Him. Therefore, Holy Week is a precious time.
Of course, you can always be with Christ, and you must always be. But this is very difficult for fallen man. Our heart is not capable of this, it seems to be exhausted, it cannot cleanse itself, it cannot prepare itself to always be with God. And here the Lord Himself takes our heart in His hands, leads His with a powerful hand and does the work that we should have done ourselves, but have become incapable of doing. The Church leads us into a powerful procession to Christ, into life with Christ, so at a service it is much easier to come closer to Christ, to feel together with Him than alone.
The circumstances of our lives are such that they prevent us from participating in all services. At the Church of St. Nicholas in Kuznetsy, we try to serve two services a day: double the greatest services so that all family members can replace each other and participate in these, not even services, but events.
Each day of Holy Week, as well as the story of these days in the Gospel, is a path to suffering, which took place on Calvary. Our very journey through the days of Holy Week is similar to the path of passion that the Lord Himself walked.
Here we see how the Lord came to Jerusalem, then left and came again, speaking His last teachings to the people and disciples. Services make us companions of Christ, His listeners. I remember Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Most Blessed Saturday... It seems to me that comments here are unnecessary and even impossible. This is so beyond words that, as the service says, “it amazes every mind.” It’s better to come to the temple and participate yourself.
It is very important that these services are performed slowly, so that everything is clear, so that they reach the heart, so that participation in suffering with Christ unites the entire community, people and clergy, so that this is a common procession with Christ.
Archpriest Vladimir Shaforostov, rector of the Znamensky Church in Krasnogorsk:
Don't let yourself relax during this time.
Holy Week is a special time. These days cannot be lived relaxed, lived as if Christ had not been crucified for our salvation.
Unfortunately, many people strive to take everything from life, forgetting about the main thing. By rejecting Christ, not responding to the Divine love of the cross, people deprive themselves of the grace-filled joy and meaning of life. Let me remind readers of the portal “Orthodoxy and the World” about the so-called Pascal’s wager: a person who believes in Christ wins eternal life if he is right, and loses nothing if he is wrong; a non-believer gains nothing if he is right and loses eternal life if he is mistaken.
Saint John Chrysostom correctly noted that: “It is not so much the sins we have committed that grieve God as our unwillingness to change.”
During the days of Holy Week, everyone who wants to be a faithful disciple of Christ must do everything possible to renounce sinful desires and place prayerful communication with God above all else.
Do not demand love for yourself, do not cause pain to your neighbor, but it is better to endure for the sake of Christ and try to live these Great days in such a way that the content of our life becomes true service to God and our neighbor.
It is important not just to “defend” the service and remember the suffering of the Savior, but to prayerfully sympathize and be crucified with Christ. May God give us all the strength to preserve and increase all the bright things that have been given to us by grace, and to overcome the sin that removes us from Christ the Savior.
Archpriest Igor Fomin, cleric of the Kazan Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow:
Feast on the Spirit of Worship
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In order for Easter to become a real holiday, it is advisable to spend Holy Week in church and be saturated with the spirit that the Church gives to believers precisely in worship.
We must definitely step back from time, from our 21st century, at least mentally transport ourselves to those days, to feel what the Lord experienced for us. Every day of this scary week is dedicated to any day of the week before the resurrection of Christ, before our salvation, and is very important. So if we spend these days in church, with attention and trepidation, then Easter for us will be the logical conclusion of Holy Week.
If it is not possible to stay in the temple these days, I could recommend a synopsis for believers. The Orthodox synopsis contains Gospel readings for each day of Holy Week.
These days we need to pay special attention to those who are close to us. It is imperative to do good deeds that would be a confirmation of our faith in Christ, crucified for us.
Archpriest Kirill Kaleda, rector of the Church of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia in Butovo:
Daily Gospel Reading
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We must prepare for Holy Week. Preparation for Holy Week is Lent.
It is probably impossible to experience Holy Week without this preparation. Each day of this week is dedicated to reliving the events that happened almost 2000 years ago. And therefore, it is necessary to read the Gospel every day in order to experience these events together with the Church.
Of course, prayer is necessary, because we do not just remember a certain historical event, we prayerfully participate in it. Therefore, it is impossible to spend Holy Week without prayer. Especially without church prayer, because it is in church prayer that we experience these days, which are so important for our salvation, in a special way.
If it is not possible to attend services this week, then daily reading of the Gospel is necessary. We can read the Gospel at home, in transport, and at work, if this does not interfere with work.
Priest Andrey Lorgus, Dean of the Faculty of Psychology of the Russian Orthodox University named after the Apostle John the Theologian:
Feel the atmosphere of holy days
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The best thing you could do during Holy Week is to attend all the services. To be at the last Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, and then at everyone - that is, on Thursday morning and evening, and at the removal of the shroud and burial, on Great Saturday, and at Easter Matins and Liturgy, and most importantly - at Easter Vespers.
In order for Holy Week to bring maximum benefit, for the beauty and meaning of church services to be revealed, one must attend all services. It would be nice to add to this all possible participation in home cooking. Prepare gifts, paint eggs and much more.
If it is not possible to go to services, then you need to read the Gospel, the corresponding chapters, read the study Bible to figure it out.
Much can be done to get into the atmosphere of those days. There is everything for this now: books, cinema, radio, and television. Of course, if a person has the time and strength, he can take part in some charitable activities, and go somewhere to social institutions, and visit your own friends and family, relatives in need of help, help with something for Easter, buy something.
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You can do a lot, but it’s still better to devote this week to yourself, your soul. Devote to repentance and insight into the meaning of what is happening. If a person is just becoming a church member, that is, just starting his church path, then, of course, he has to study, study and study. And slowly master the tradition. If a person already knows all this, then he can somehow devote himself to visiting those in need and doing something good.
During Holy Week, it is better to concentrate and not to be scattered among a hundred things. It is better to postpone what can be done at another time. Don’t plan fuss, help yourself to maximum concentration, promote internal composure.
So that everyday life does not swallow being
Holy Week is the time when everything reaches its maximum. Therefore, the subtlety is not that you need to specially come up with something special for it, but you just need to try to do what is important to do in ordinary life here to the degree of maximum development.
On the one hand, we will be required, firstly, to have the deepest and most responsible awareness of our participation in the services of these days, which, of course, we really don’t want to miss. It is clear that people who study or work will not have the opportunity to be in all services. But still, most of us have the opportunity at home or on the road, in transport, to read excerpts from the Triodion of the Lenten Service of Holy Week, which have been published many times.
Secondly, everyone has the opportunity to read the Gospel about every day of Holy Week. Maybe it’s good to start the day by reading the Gospel about one or another Passion Day.
Of course, there are days when you need to make every effort to get to services. Think in advance, reschedule the test, negotiate with your boss, take a day off. This is the Divine Service of Maundy Thursday, when everything calls us to take communion. Great Friday services, followed by the Passion of Christ, with the removal of the shroud.
People often miss the Holy Saturday service. They say that by this time there is no strength left, but in fact there is not enough internal understanding that one needs to be in this service. This is the service with which Easter actually begins. Which is such an amazing transition from the peace of death to the peace of the Resurrection of Christ.
Of course, on Passion Day, everyone who does not have any absolute obstacles should try to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
Attending religious services to the maximum extent possible should not become something soothing. Our services are amazingly beautiful. But we must try not to bring this into sentimental feelings about. It's more co-presence.
It is very important these days not to forget the people who are around us. It is known that by the end of Lent we all get tired. But we know that this happens and, accordingly, we must be prepared for the fact that we can more easily break down and deprive each other of the opportunity to approach Easter in peace. This is something that needs to be approached very, very carefully.
If you are asked to help clean the house for Easter, then, of course, you need to help. But it will be very good if this “helping to clean up” is not instead of service, but together with service, say, instead of our own sleep and anything else that we allow ourselves. We must try to expand our personal activities as much as possible from these days. But of course, in every family there must be compromises, especially if there are small children. Some will go to one service, and some to another. Somehow we need to take turns, agree on how to let each other go.
And one last thing. The life of a church person in the Church is rich and varied. In addition to being, there is life in it. There will be pre-Easter preparations in the lives of each of us. For some this is concern for gifts, for others it is preliminary concern for Easter dishes, which we will all be looking forward to to one degree or another. But if only it didn’t become a priority. Well, Easter like cottage cheese shouldn't be more important than Easter like Christ's Resurrection. Let him be in some hierarchically correct place in life.
Archpriest Maxim Pervozvansky, confessor of the Orthodox movement “Young Rus'”, editor-in-chief of the magazine “Heir”:
Be in church during Holy Week
Since Holy Week is the culmination of the entire church year, and the period when churches remember all the events that took place in the last days of the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, I would strongly advise you to spend as much time as possible staying in the church.
All services of Holy Week are structured in such a way that we do not miss a single one of them.
At the Sunday evening service, usually the Monday morning service is already served with the hymn “Behold the bridegroom comes at midnight” and the Gospel is read.
Matins the next day is dedicated to the Lord's stay in Jerusalem during the period between his entry into Jerusalem and the passion.
Maundy Thursday services are held on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.
On Thursday evening - Matins of Holy Heel and reading of the Holy Gospels.
On Friday, three services are served in churches - these are the royal hours, vespers with the removal of the shroud, and matins with burial.
Then, of course, the Divine Liturgy and Holy Saturday services.
It should also be noted that people make the mistake of trying again during Holy Week to confess in particular detail, to think again about their sins. There is no need to do this. Previously, churches sometimes even posted notices that one should try to confess before the celebration of the Lord’s Entry into Jerusalem, and, starting from this holiday, for those who confessed during Great Lent, they can receive communion without confession.
Therefore, my main advice is to attend as many services as possible and take communion at least on Maundy Thursday and Easter.
Holy Week is the most important time of the year for any Christian. Since Holy Monday, all Orthodox Christians remember the events that happened two thousand years ago and pray to the Savior, who voluntarily ascended the Cross for the sake of humanity.
Maundy Monday is a particularly important day, because it is at this time that all prayers addressed to the Lord have special power. People pray for a change in their fate and forgiveness of sins, and at a service dedicated to the justice of God, the curse of the barren fig tree and the lesson associated with it are remembered.
According to legend, on the day of the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem, Jesus retired to the outskirts of the city and spent the whole night in prayer. On the way back, He was overcome by hunger, and the Savior approached a fertile fig tree, but did not find a single fruit on it.
In anger the Lord said: “Let there not be a single fig tree on you from now on!”- and the tree immediately dried up. This parable explains the justice of God towards all people who have natural talents, but do not bear fruit or benefit.
Christians pray to the Lord and the saints at the beginning of Holy Week so that their talents and destiny will develop and bear fruitful fruits.
Prayers to the Savior
“Lord, my God, Savior, who hid all the people of Israel from evil! Do not leave me, Your faithful servant, and show me the path to true faith. Amen".
This prayer is able to remind every Orthodox Christian about the true faith and suffering of Christ, who went to death for the salvation of mankind:
“Lord, Your path is terrible, and You are true, not afraid of death and pain. Lord, with Your tears my soul will be cleansed, and I will appear before You bright and humble. Lord, I will not be afraid of the torments of hell, for You are the protector and patron of those who suffer and believe in You. Do not leave me and show me the way to the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen".
“Lord, have mercy on me, Your unworthy servant, for I am weak, my soul and my spirit are weak. Lord, will I fear You, there is no way for me to enter the Kingdom of Heaven? Lord, illuminate me with Your eternal light, pierce the darkness that surrounds me. My Father, do not leave me to be torn to pieces by the devil, illuminate my soul and calm my mind. Amen".
This short prayer intended to be read before meals on Holy Monday:
“Lord, have mercy on me! I will fear the curse of the barren fig tree, I will fall at Your feet and with tears I beg You: Lord my God, heal my soul and send Your blessing on any food that I eat. May she strengthen my body, and may I glorify my Lord and God Jesus Christ. Amen".
On Holy Monday you can completely change your Destiny with the help of faith and prayers. We wish you peace in your soul and inner humility before the Lord. Be happy and don't forget to press the buttons and
10.04.2017 05:05
Holy Week is the last week of Lent before the onset of Easter. During this period...
Forgiveness Sunday is the last day before Lent. All believers will ask each other...
Holy Week is dedicated to the remembrance of the last days of the Savior’s earthly life, His suffering on the Cross, death and burial. Due to the greatness and importance of the events that took place, every day of this week is called holy and great. These sacred days are perceived by believers as a Divine holiday, illuminated by the joyful consciousness of salvation received through the suffering and death of the Savior. Therefore, on these holy days, neither the memory of saints, nor the remembrance of the dead, nor prayer singing are performed. As on all major holidays, the Church even on these days calls on believers to take spiritual part in the services performed and to become partakers of sacred memories.
Since apostolic times, the days of Holy Week have been deeply revered by Christians. Believers spent Holy Week in the strictest abstinence, fervent prayer, and deeds of virtue and mercy.
All the services of Holy Week, distinguished by the depth of pious experiences, contemplations, special touchingness and duration, are arranged in such a way that they vividly and gradually reproduce the history of the Savior’s suffering and His last Divine instructions. Each day of the week is given a special remembrance, expressed in chants and Gospel readings of Matins and Liturgy.
Participating in the sufferings of the Savior, “conformed to His death” (Phil. 3:10), the Holy Church this week takes on a sad image: sacred objects in churches (throne, altar, etc.) and the clergy themselves are clothed in dark clothes and the service takes on predominantly the character of sad-touching contrition, compassion for the Passion of Christ. In modern liturgical practice, Lenten services are usually performed in black vestments, changing them to light ones on Holy Saturday. In some monasteries and churches on Pentecost, the service is performed, in accordance with more ancient practice, in purple vestments, and on Holy Week - in crimson - burgundy, the color of blood - in remembrance of the Blood of the Savior shed on the Cross for the salvation of the world.
In the first three days of Holy Week, the Church prepares believers for dignified contemplation and heartfelt participation in the Savior’s suffering on the Cross. Already at Vespers on the Week of Vai, she invites the faithful to flock from the highest and sacred Divine holiday of Vai to the Divine holiday of the honest, saving and mysterious remembrance of the Passion of Christ, to see the Lord who accepts voluntary suffering and death for us. In the hymns of the Triodion for these days, the Church encourages believers to follow the Lord, to be crucified with Him and with Him to be worthy to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. In the services of the first three days of Holy Week, a general penitential character is still maintained.
On Holy Monday, the Church in its hymns invites you to celebrate the beginning of the Passion of Christ. Monday's service remembers the Old Testament patriarch Joseph the Beautiful, who out of envy was sold by his brothers to Egypt, a prototype of the suffering of the Savior. In addition, on this day we remember the withering by the Lord of a fig tree covered with rich foliage, but barren, serving as an image of the hypocritical scribes and Pharisees, among whom, despite their outward piety, the Lord did not find the good fruits of faith and piety, but only a hypocritical shadow of the Law. Every soul is like a barren, withered fig tree that does not bear spiritual fruits - true repentance, faith, prayer and good deeds.
On Great Tuesday, we remember the Lord’s denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees, His conversations and parables spoken by Him on this day in the Temple of Jerusalem: about tribute to Caesar, about resurrection of the dead, Last Judgment, about ten virgins and talents.
On Great Wednesday, a sinner wife is remembered who washed with tears and anointed the feet of the Savior with precious ointment when He was at the supper in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, and thereby prepared Christ for burial. Here Judas, through imaginary concern for the poor, revealed his love of money, and in the evening he decided to betray Christ to the Jewish elders for 30 pieces of silver (an amount sufficient at the prices of that time to purchase a small plot of land even in the vicinity of Jerusalem).
On Great Wednesday at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, according to the prayer behind the pulpit, in last time The prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is said with three great bows.
On Thursday of Holy Week, four most important gospel events that took place on this day are remembered in the divine service: the Last Supper, at which the Lord established the New Testament sacrament of Holy Communion (Eucharist), the Lord washing the feet of His disciples as a sign of deepest humility and love for them, the Savior’s prayer in the garden Gethsemane and the betrayal of Judas.
In remembrance of the events of this day after the prayer behind the pulpit at the liturgy in cathedrals During the bishop's service, a touching rite of washing the feet is performed, which resurrects in our memory the immeasurable condescension of the Savior, who washed the feet of His disciples before the Last Supper. The ritual takes place in the middle of the temple. When the protodeacon reads the corresponding passage from the Gospel, the bishop, having taken off his vestments, washes the feet of the 12 priests sitting on both sides of the place prepared in front of the pulpit, representing the disciples of the Lord gathered for supper, and wipes them with a lenti (long cloth).
In the Patriarchal Cathedral in Moscow, during the liturgy of Maundy Thursday, after the Translation of the Holy Gifts, the Holy Chrism is consecrated as needed by His Holiness the Patriarch. The sanctification of the world is preceded by its preparation (the rite of Chrismation), which begins on Holy Monday and is accompanied by the reading of the Holy Gospel, the prescribed prayers and chants.
Great Heel Day is dedicated to the remembrance of the condemnation to death, the suffering of the Cross and the death of the Savior. In the service of this day, the Church, as it were, places us at the foot of the Cross of Christ and before our reverent and trembling gaze depicts the saving suffering of the Lord. At Matins of Great Heel (usually served on Thursday evening), the 12 Gospels of the Testament of the Holy Passion are read.
At the end of Vespers on Good Friday, the rite of carrying out the Shroud of Christ is performed with a depiction of His position in the tomb, after which there is a reading of the canon about the crucifixion of the Lord and the lamentation of the Most Holy Theotokos, then the dismissal of the evening service follows and the application to the Shroud is performed (kissing the Shroud). About the removal of the Shroud to Good Friday the current Typikon says nothing. It is only said about wearing it on Holy Saturday after the great doxology. The Shroud is not mentioned in the Friday service and in the most ancient Greek, South Slavic and Old Russian charters. Presumably, the custom of wearing the Shroud at the Great Vespers of Good Friday began in our country in the 18th century, later than 1696, when under the Patriarchs of Moscow Joachim and Adrian the editing of the Typikon in our Church was completed.
On Holy Saturday, the Church remembers the burial of Jesus Christ, the presence of His body in the tomb, the descent of His soul into hell to proclaim there victory over death and the deliverance of souls who waited with faith for His coming, and the introduction of the prudent thief into heaven.
The services on this unparalleled and unforgettable Saturday in all centuries of human life begin in the early morning and continue until the end of the day, so that the last Saturday songs of the so-called Easter Midnight Office merge with the beginning of the solemn Easter hymns - at Easter Matins.
On Holy Saturday the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is celebrated, beginning with Vespers. After the small entrance with the Gospel (near the Shroud), 15 parimias are read before the Shroud, which contain the main prophecies and prototypes relating to Jesus Christ, as having redeemed us from sin and death by His death on the Cross and His Resurrection. After the 6th parimia (about the miraculous passage of the Jews across the Red Sea) it is sung: “Gloriously you have become famous.” The reading of the parimia concludes with the song of the three youths: “Sing to the Lord and exalt to all ages.” Instead of the Trisagion, “Those who were baptized into Christ” are sung and the Apostle is read about the mysterious power of Baptism. These singing and reading serve as a remembrance of the custom ancient Church baptize the catechumens on Holy Saturday. After the reading of the Apostle, instead of “Alleluia,” seven verses selected from the psalms containing prophecies about the Resurrection of the Lord are sung: “Arise, O God, judge the earth.”
While singing these verses, the clergy dress in light clothes, and then the Gospel of Matthew is read. 115. Instead of the Cherubic Song, the song “Let all human flesh be silent” is sung. The Great Entrance takes place near the Shroud. Instead of “He rejoices over you” - the irmos of the 9th song of the canon of Great Saturday “Do not cry for Mené, Mother.” Participated - “The Lord has risen, as if sleeping, and is risen, save us.” The Ambon Prayer is read behind the Shroud. Everything else happens according to the order of the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great. At the dismissal of the liturgy, the blessing of the bread and wine is performed directly. This ritual recalls the ancient pious custom of Christians to await the onset of Easter in church, listening to the reading of the Acts of the Apostles. In view of the strict fast, which was observed for the whole day until the onset of Easter, and the upcoming vigil, the Church strengthened the strength of the faithful with blessed bread and wine.
Holy Week is the last week of Lent before the onset of Easter. During this period, every person has the opportunity to cleanse the soul of sins and enlist the support of Higher powers.
Holy Week before Easter in 2017 lasts from April 10 to 16. During this period special attention It’s worth paying attention to your spiritual state and devoting time to prayer. True faith will help everyone’s soul to free itself from negativity and let the Lord into the heart.
Holy Monday Prayer
“Lord Jesus! Every sinner on this Earth is always with You in soul and heart. Let us pray to You, remembering Your sacrifice for the entire human race. By Your grace, may we find peace of mind and get rid of the demons that seduce us from the right path. Our sinful life, but controlled by You, will get rid of darkness and lack of enlightenment. Amen".
Holy Tuesday Prayer
“Source of our lives, Lord! Hear my prayers addressed to You. Cleanse me from sins, save me from unclean thoughts. I found the source of my life in prayers to You, Lord. I repentantly and humbly ask you to forgive me for my ungodly actions, I appeal to the Holy Trinity for protection and patronage over me. Amen".
Prayer on Great Wednesday
“I realize my laziness, I rejoice in every day I live in the cross. Great is my repentance. Grant, Lord, who accepted suffering for us, save us. May Your mercy spread over everyone’s brow, enter into souls, and subdue confusion and the cry of the devil. He will illuminate the path in the darkness with heavenly light, and lead us along a sinless path. Amen".
Prayer on Maundy Thursday
“Glory to You, Lord! Remember me, a sinner, in Your Kingdom. Do not allow the machinations of the unclean to reveal Your mysteries and secrets, lock my bold lips. Let us enjoy the light coming from Heaven, penetrate the wisdom of the centuries, and teach our sons and daughters to live in righteousness and sinlessness. Amen".
Good Friday Prayer
“I pray to You with righteous prayer and Christian humility, Lord. Bless me for sinless deeds, give me strength to fight negative manifestations, not to blame my offenders and to subject their punishment to Your Will. Righteous prayers I resurrect You daily, I pray for the entire human race, grant us forgiveness. Amen".
Prayer on Holy Saturday
“Glory to our Lord for the Cross, for the death of Christ, for the Holy Resurrection. There are no more barriers to the righteous soul, for death is only sleep and rest. Let us pray for our souls, for peace on the sinful Earth, against the wiles of the devil. May the Lord not leave us in our wanderings, may He show us with His hand the way through the darkness and to the light of God. Bless us, Lord. Amen".
Holy Week ends with Easter, the holiday of the Resurrection of Christ. On this day, Orthodox Christians rejoice at this event, glorify the Lord and greet each other with the words: “Jesus is Risen! Truly He is Risen!”
Praying and turning to Heaven every day gives us great strength to resist the negativity that surrounds us. With their help, we ask for forgiveness and blessings, protect ourselves from illness and timidity, and help our children. We wish you happiness, and do not forget to press the buttons and
11.04.2017 03:01
Easter - main holiday for all believers, but no less important has preparation for...
Holy Week has arrived - the last week before Easter. And it is dedicated to the memory of the last days of the Savior’s earthly life: His suffering, death on the Cross and burial (in Church Slavonic language The word "passion" means "suffering"). All days of Holy Week are called great.
Holy Week- this is no longer Pentecost and, in general, this is not even Great Lent anymore - this is a separate time. We can say this: Lent (the first 40 days) is the time when we move towards God. Holy Week is the time when the Lord comes to meet us. He goes through suffering, through arrest, the Last Supper, Golgotha, the descent into hell and, finally, to Easter. He overcomes the last barriers that separate us from God (Deacon Andrey Kuraev).
Passion services are distinguished by a number of significant services that are performed only during this week. The temple these days alternately represents either the Upper Room of Zion, Gethsemane, or Golgotha.
But the realities modern life They do not allow everyone to attend church services every day. Therefore, a Christian himself can do something for his spiritual growth and, accordingly, for proper preparation to celebrate Holy Easter.
The Holy Church calls us this week to leave everything vain and worldly - and follow the Savior.
The first - to the extent of faith and health (and if the work is not related to serious physical activity) to intensify fasting during these passionate days.
According to the Charter: in the first four days of Holy Week - dry eating (not boiled food without oil). In parish practice during Holy Week - food without fish, meat and dairy products. Many people try to eat food without vegetable oil.
« A person cannot remain only a man: he must either rise above himself or fall into the abyss, grow into God or into a beast"- said Prince E. N. Trubetskoy. And fasting, a school of abstinence and cultivation of willpower, helps a person to rise above himself... All animals live solely by instinct. A person can try to take control of his mind and heart (for the sake of achieving higher goods) and themselves natural needs. If a person, for the sake of achieving the supernatural (i.e., domination of the image of God in himself), by force of will does not conquer his natural needs, then the enemy of our salvation (the devil) will impose on such a weak-willed person a beast-like life that is unnatural for a person (Rev. 15:2). And sometimes not only unnatural, but also unnatural (Rom. 1:21-32).
Here are a few more useful tips from Archpriest Alexander Ryabkov: “ Our fast this week should become stricter - not only in terms of food, but also, of course, in spiritual terms.
The time of fasting is a time of teaching the truths of God. We learn them, first of all, through reading. Holy Scripture– that’s why we need to read the Bible even more diligently during Holy Week.
It is advisable for us to completely stop watching TV and wandering aimlessly on the Internet - largely because such pastime leads to absent-mindedness - and we need to concentrate our minds on prayer. Let's eliminate from our lives everything that could prevent us from coming to Easter with a pure soul.
...And let us remember that when we turn fasting simply into a diet, this is definitely wrong. People often say: “Lent has come - now I will squeeze juices and eat carrots.” A post like this always ends in disaster. If it’s a physical collapse, well, the person will collapse, and then thank God! This, as surprising as it sounds, will be the best outcome. Because spiritual collapse - pride - is always more dangerous. After all, a person can fast in this way - in a purely physical way - for all forty days, but his fast will be like a corpse - a body not filled with spirit.”.
After all, fasting is not a goal, but a means. The means to achieve the main goal of a Christian's life is to become more like Christ in character.
And unceasing prayer can also help us with this. For example, the Jesus Prayer: “ Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner" This prayer is short, but contains everything important in Christianity. 1) In it we confess Jesus as our Lord, and it says: ...Whoever calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved (Rom. 10:13). 2) In it, a person recognizes himself as a sinner, namely, such a person always has the prospect of becoming better. After all, only those who see their shortcomings can fight against them and, relying not on themselves, but on God’s help, win. 3) In this prayer we acknowledge that we believe in the merciful, i.e. loving and forgiving God.
“The Jesus Prayer, according to the teaching of the holy fathers, is appropriate when a person walks, or sits, or lies, drinks, eats, talks or does some kind of handicraft; whoever can say the Jesus Prayer with humility during all this should not abandon it... »(Reverend Ambrose of Optina).
Also, knowing the will of God, His holy commandments from reading the Holy Scriptures (if possible, the entire New Testament, and at least the Gospel of John) will help us spend the time of Holy Week as usefully as possible. You can, for example, prayerfully read about 4 chapters of the Gospel of John in the morning and during the day, when it appears free time, spend it not in the smoking room with friends, not on the Internet or watching TV, but mentally return to what you read in the morning and, asking God for wisdom (James 1:5), reason: how can what I read change me personally?
