The origin of the honest trees of the life-giving cross. The origin of the honest trees of the life-giving cross of the Lord. Brothers and sisters
Icon of the Origin of the Honorable Trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord.
In the calendar of the Orthodox Church, August 1 (14) is called the holiday "The Origin of the Honorable Trees of the Cross of the Lord." What does the Holy Church prayerfully remember on this day? Already in the very name of the holiday, we can see the essence of the event. The word "origin", or rather translated from Greek, then "pre-descent", that is, "carrying in front", implies the procession taking place on that day with a part of the original Tree of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord. This custom has existed since ancient times in the capital. Byzantine Empire- in the city of St. Constantine. Already in the Rite of the Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus (912-959) there are detailed rules demolition of the Honorable Tree from the reliquary, performed before August 1st. The Greek Book of Hours of 1897 explains this tradition as follows: “Because of illnesses, which very often occurred in August, it has long been established in Constantinople to carry the Honorable Tree of the Cross to roads and streets to consecrate places and avert illnesses. On the eve, July 31, after wearing it out of the royal treasury, they put it on St. meal of the Great Church (Sofia). From now on, until the Dormition of the Theotokos, litias were performed throughout the city and the cross was offered to the people for worship. This is the pre-origin (προοδοσ) Of the Honorable Cross».
The origin of the Cross of the Lord. Troparion and kontakion to the holiday
The Bible does not say that Satan was an angel of light and then fell. They exist in evangelical circles, teachings that have been passed on for a long time, repeated by generations of masters, received in a tradition that have never been considered with the necessary caution in the light of Scripture.
Tradition has replaced sacred text in many doctrines. Teachers, fearful of exposure, and repeat what the other big knitting needle, in the realm of "the argument from the authorities." And what is the argument from the authorities? It is as follows: if a person has essential in your church or have done some top-level courses, everything he says is considered true by many, especially if you wrote a book. This question is usually always asked: "Do you still believe in the Bible or the teachings of their denomination."
In the month of the Russian Church until the end of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th centuries, when the Studian Rule prevailed, neither July 31, nor August 1 there was any service to the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, which appears in the domestic liturgical tradition with the introduction of the Jerusalem Rite. But in 1168 in Russia, under Metropolitan Constantine of Kiev, a celebration of the All-Merciful Savior, Christ our God, and the Most Holy Theotokos Mary, His Mother, was established on this day. The so-called "First Savior" in popular use. The reason for the establishment of this celebration in Russia was the victory won under Grand Duke Andrei Bogolyubsky by Russian troops over the Volga Bulgarians on August 1, and in Greece - the victory on the same day of the Greek emperor Manuel over the Mohammedans-Arabs or Saracens in 1164.
Brothers and sisters!
Let's consider a belief that came from paganism, immortalized in literature and art, but did not teach the Word of God. The traditional teaching that Satan was a good angel who lived in heaven, had the category of an archangel, was the ruler of the heavenly choir, but one day, through envy, full of passion, full of vanity, decided to rebel against the divine power, moved the rebellion against God, seduced a large number of angels and was expelled from paradise.
At this time, the catastrophe was so great that the lands that were created by God, so beautifully, became "formless and empty." In addition, it is taught that he was in Eden and was perfect until wickedness was found in him. It is because of this that the very archangel Michael, the commander of the warriors of the Lord's angels, showed respect for the position of the other, Satan, because he understands his role and mission. The Apostle Jude criticized people who “slander the authorities,” and then immediately speaks.
Tsar Manuel and Prince Andrew, who were in peace and brotherly love among themselves, happened to go to war on the same day: the first from Constantinople against the Saracens, and the second from Rostov against the Volga Bulgarians. The Lord God gave them complete victory over their enemies. Prince Andrew had a pious custom, marching to battle, to take an icon with him Holy Mother of God holding in her arms the Eternal Child, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the image of the honest Cross of Christ, which was carried among the army by two priests. Just before the performance, he lifted up fervent tearful prayers to Christ and the Mother of God and communed with the Divine Mysteries of Christ. With this invincible weapon, he armed himself more than swords and spears, and hoped for the help of the Most High than for the courage and strength of his army, knowing well the saying of David: He does not look at the strength of a horse, does not favor the speed of human feet; The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who trust in His mercy (Psalm 146: 10-11). The prince also encouraged his soldiers to pray by the example of his own reverent prayers, and by direct command, and everyone, having fallen on their knees, prayed with tears before the icon of the Most Pure Theotokos and the honest Cross of Christ.
And yet it is the same with these dreamers who defile the flesh, reject principalities, and slander virtues. Michael the Archangel, when arguing about the body of Moses, did not dare against him offensive condemnation; but he said: may the Lord forbid you. Let's now see another text that is used by impatient interpreters: Isaiah 14, verses 4 on purpose Also contrived text, heavy, full of symbols. You must read it carefully, with particular emphasis on all contexts. How can you cut down to the ground, who trampled the nations!
The origin of the Holy Cross. Icons
And yet he will be taken to hell, to the depths of the underworld. Those who see you will see you, you will take it, and say whether it is the man who made the earth tremble, what made the kingdom shake; This made the world into the wilderness and destroyed its cities; What their captives do not unlock released into their homes? "But you are thrown out of your tomb, like a despicable branch, like a dead dress pierced by a sword that is lowered into stone ditches, and they trampled on a corpse."
After fervent prayer, everyone kissed the holy icon and honest cross and fearlessly went to the enemies. The Lord helped them with the power of the cross, and the Most Pure Theotokos helped them, interceding for them before God.
Constantly adhering to this custom before each battle, the Grand Duke did not betray him before the battle against the Bulgarians: he went out, having, like Tsar Constantine the Great in ancient times, the Lord's Cross in front of the army. Having entered the field, the Russian army put the Bulgarians to flight and, pursuing them, captured five cities, including the city of Bryakhimov on the Kama River. When they returned to their camp after the battle with the unbelievers, they saw that from the icon of the Mother of God with the Christ-Child, light rays, similar to fiery ones, emanate, illuminating the entire army; it was on the first day of August. The wondrous sight even more aroused in the Grand Duke the spirit of courage and hope, and he again, turning his regiments in pursuit of the Bulgarians, pursued the enemy and burned most of their cities, placing tribute on the surviving ones.
To begin with, the text contains references to death, burial of a person, etc. conditions that never apply to Satan. Let's look at an important context that has always gone unnoticed by many biblical analysts. Who says all these words just quoted? The character to whom the text refers has certain characteristics, which are listed below.
Ascended to the Cross by the will, grant your generosity to your new habitation, Christ God, make us glad with your power, giving us victories to adversaries, an aid to those who have your weapon of peace an invincible victory
Great strength; He fell from a certain level; He is accused of suffering from rage; By their fall, they said that the earth is at rest; They say that Sheol, or the grave, or hell, as it is called kingdom of the dead v Old Testament, alarmed him to meet him at his arrival; The dead woke up because of him at his arrival; He has awakened princes or principalities; He rose from the thrones of all the kings of the nations; He was accused of falling from heaven; He was called the "morning star"; He was accused of ascending to heaven, being like the Most High; He died; He was buried; Although he is buried, he left his grave supernaturally. We ask again: to whom do these texts relate?
The Greek emperor Manuel, who went out with his army against the Saracens, on the same day saw a similar miracle - the departure from the icon of the Most Pure Mother of God with the Savior, who was with the honest Cross among the army, overshadowing the entire regiment, and on that day he defeated the Saracen.
Prince Andrey Bogolyubsky soon learned about the miraculous event in Greece, and the Greek emperor Manuel - about a miracle similar in grace in Russia. Both of them glorified God for simultaneously manifesting over them both of His miraculous providence, and then, after consulting with their bishops and dignitaries, they decided to establish on August 1 a feast for the Lord and His Most Pure Mother.
Just the king of Babylon? Why did the kings of nations accuse him so much and say that he too was sick like them? And why do these kings of the nations hurt? Isn't this a reference to the spiritual rulers of nations, principalities and powers who dominate countries, as we find in Daniel and other references? Is this character called the "morning star" and "son of the morning" someone as horrible and disgusting as Satan? Why don't we understand that these kings of nations were angry with a person who was very different from Satan? Yes, why do we not understand that this text refers exactly to the opposite: the Lord Jesus Christ!
In the Russian Church, this festival was also combined with the remembrance of the Baptism of Rus on August 1, 988. The news about the day of the Baptism of Rus was preserved in the chronographs of the 16th century: " great Vladimir Kiev and all Russia August 1. ". In Constantinople there has long been a custom to consecrate water on the first day of each month (except September and January) according to the Charter set forth under Patriarch Photius of Constantinople. , the consecration of water took place, and "after the consecration of water comes the protopresbyter, and in the footsteps of his archdeacon and protopsalt, if there is one, or another who is of equal rank, the archdeacon, carrying the Cross, and the latter - a vessel with holy water. The Emperor goes to meet him. The protopresbyter, taking the Cross from the archdeacon, brings it to the lips of the emperor and says a prayer. The Emperor kisses the Cross, and those around him sing for many years. " Orthodox Russia and laid the foundation for the consecration of water on August 1, possibly with this tradition the choice of the day of baptism for the people of Kiev was connected.
They were the ones who came to say about the body of Jesus in the same serious words: "The little animals under you will spread, and the animals will cover you." In the grave, these worms could do nothing but stay above and under the sacred body of Jesus, but they could not touch him because it was written. "You will not leave my soul in hell and do not tolerate Your Holy One to see corruption." "In this prediction, he said about the resurrection of Christ: that his soul did not remain in Hades, and his flesh did not see corruption."
Jesus died, like any person, but his body did not go through decay. Let's look at another important detail: who really calls the Bible “ Morning star"? According to the story of the apostle Peter, this refers to the Lord Jesus himself. Another invention is to call Satan "Lucifer" or "Lusbel." Lucifer means "bearer of light" and Lusbel means "lord of light." Since when is Satan the bearer of the light or the ruler of the light? Is it a fantasy about someone's head or not? Over the years, Satan has received praise from his Christians that he lacks — to be a good angel one day.
In the "Legend of the effective ranks of the holy catholic and apostolic great church of the Assumption", compiled in 1627 by order of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Filaret, such an instruction is given regarding the feast of the Holy Cross on August 1: water and enlightenment for the sake of human, in all hail and weight ". And according to this, on this day, according to the established tradition, a small consecration of water is performed in all churches, after which the honey of a new honey collection is consecrated. According to the pious way of life, which has been taking shape for centuries in Russia, a Russian person began any action with a prayer, asking for God's blessing for his work, and ended with a prayer of thanks. On this day, beekeepers in the first cut-out honeycombs wore honey to consecrate to the church, timed to coincide with the festive consecration of water, which was traditionally performed on the feast of the Origin of the Honorable Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. ... Part of the consecrated honey ("priest's share") remained in the church, then the clergy, orphans and beggars were treated to: "On the First Savior, the beggar will try honey!" Therefore, the First Savior was called "honey".
Of course he did something in the sky, an uprising. He seduced a third of the heavenly angels, turning them into his followers, into demons. However, we dare to say that it was all in God's plans. God allowed all of this to happen so that His glory could be more fully manifested. Beloved brother or sister, learn to read the Bible more carefully and, best of all, with more reverence. Give up high human tradition and submission to human authority and achieve a new vision and dimension of biblical knowledge.
If their fall came only in Eden, how does it teach that the great catastrophe that destroyed the shape of the Earth changed at the beginning, when he fell? And if he had fallen there at the beginning of creation, how was he still perfect in Eden? Another thing: can Satan sin without temptation? Is it more logical, more consistent, more honest, believe what the Bible says, accepting the sovereignty of God and submitting to His will? Are you, the reader, willing to believe more in the Bible, even if what it says is different from the teaching of the elders of the Church?
This is how the Origin of the Honest Trees of the Lord's Cross was celebrated in Moscow under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich: on the eve of the holiday, that is, on the eve of the Savior's conspiracy, on the evening of July 31, "from Evdokimov's day to the Origin", the sovereign went to the Simonov Monastery, where he listened to Vespers, and the holiday was matins. Opposite the Simonov Monastery, on the Moskva River, the Jordan was set up, as on the day of the Epiphany. A canopy was built over the water on four pillars with a cornice, which was painted and crowned with a golden cross. In the corners of the Jordan, the holy evangelists were depicted, inside it were the apostles and saints. The Jordan canopy was decorated with flowers, leaves, images of birds, and two places were arranged around it - for the sovereign, in the form of a round five-domed temple, and for the patriarch, which were painted and decorated with carvings, fenced off with a gilded lattice; the platform around them was covered with scarlet cloth. At the appointed time, under bell ringing the sovereign went out into the water, surrounded by boyars and servicemen, for the solemn consecration of the water.
Satan could not stand the truth. Not an hour, not a minute, or a second, Satan was really established. So he's the devil from the start. God made for this purpose, in opposition to his cosmic plan, eternal, provide opportunities for created beings to make a choice between good and evil. Good and evil of God's creation on the metaphysical plane. If in the epistemological, pragmatic plane, or, more simply, the earthly reality, we see a huge opposition between good and evil, on the metaphysical plane and converge on the fulfillment of God's eternal plan.
Folk traditions of the holiday of the Origin of the Holy Cross
God goes beyond good and evil. He is supreme, transcends this area. It doesn't depend on our actions or decisions. Isaiah says God is the creator of evil. Some theologians, afraid to admit something is so great and terrible, they say that this text does not refer to ontological evil, but pragmatic evil, evil, persecuting the earth. If God would say so the following: "I create evil." The first epistle of John confirms and further clarifies what Jesus said. In order not to lose your privileged position in the church, would you rather teach a lie or just hide the truth?
After reading the prayers and immersing the Cross in the water, the sovereign with the boyars descended into the Jordan, placing the holy Crosses with relics - gold, humiliated precious stones... One of the Crosses belonged to the first Moscow Metropolitan - Saint Peter, others were blessed by Tsar Alexei by his grandmother, nun Martha Ivanovna. Having changed under the "shade" in a dry dress, the tsar applied to the Cross and received the patriarchal blessing. The clergy sprinkled the troops and banners with the blessed "Jordanian" water, and holy water was poured out to those who wished. Two silver vessels with this water were sent to the royal palace.
Prefers to be silent and be "Mary is coming from the other side," agreeing with a mistake because he is not going to "burn"? Is there some magic of the interpreter who is able to distort these two texts, to look for some other explanation to begin with? If it was at the beginning of creation, or at the very beginning of his life, or at the beginning of a person's life, or whatever, it is an indisputable fact that when Satan came into existence, he began to sin, because he had already done a sinful nature, to fulfill the goal.
Such a goal is established, embedded and hidden in the divine economy. We do not have an access password for this purpose. Are you a question to the Creator because of this? Wouldn't it be better to accept the fact that God made hell with a specific mission to ravage the earth, tempting man, accusing him of fulfilling divine anger against people, families and nations? Also refer to the quote that Jesus, about Satan, fell from heaven. When Jesus sent seventy to carry out the original work of evangelism, they returned excited and even more excited when they saw the result of the work done.
After the rite of consecration of water, festivities were organized. In Moscow, people gathered for a walk near the Simonov Monastery, and in Novgorod, the Spasskaya "holiday" was timed to coincide with the holiday - festivities, which took place on an island near the fortress "Proishozhdensky", or water gates, which got their name from the fact that a procession of the cross to the Volkhov River passed through these gates.
This is what Luke says: “And the seventy returned with joy, saying: Lord, your name and demons obey us. " Until that time, the demon had never been ruled out. This was the beginning of something completely new. We see, for example, cases like Saul that evil spirit from the Lord came to torment him and David, playing the harp with relief, but not speaking here about casting out demons. Since the spiritual battle on earth began to destroy the works of the devil, Satan, the prince of the forces of the air, seeing that his empire was crumbling, he decided to go down to the level of the earth.
There is no concept in this phrase of Jesus that Satan was good and then became evil. Let's now look at some important details of Ezekiel 28, the text is most used by impatient exegetes to try to prove that Satan was once good and then became evil. Ezekiel's prophecy is eclectic, mystical, and hermetic. A prophecy against the king of Tyr, but at the same time there are expressions that clearly refer to another character. Who will this other character be? You found out that it was Satan. but really?
Not only in cities, but also in the villages of Russia, there was a solemn passing of the Cross, a procession was made to reservoirs (rivers, lakes, ponds) and water sources (wells), where prayers and consecration of water took place, from here popular name holiday: "Savior on the Water", or Spas Vodny (Wet). After the consecration of water, it was customary to swim: "To bathe at the Savior - unrequited sins will be forgiven." In addition to people, horses were bathed downstream, and shepherds brought livestock from pastures and drove them into the river in order to protect animals from infectious diseases.
In the Zaraisk district, teenage boys drove horses from neighboring parishes to a meadow near the Osetr River. The horses were lined up in two or three lines, leaving a passage between them, and were waiting for the arrival religious procession with banners and icons. At the end of the prayer service and the consecration of the water, the priest, accompanied by the clerk, walked along the rows of horses and sprinkled them with holy water from the candea. In some places, the horses were not sprinkled with water, but were driven by swimming across the river, in which the water was previously consecrated.
From all of the above, we see that the celebration in the Russian Church of the day "The Origin of the Trees of the Honorable and Life-giving Cross of the Lord" has a special, unique character, since in the Russian tradition this festival combined several traditions of different times and firmly entered the way of life of our people who always cherished his pious life.
Troparion, voice 1
Save, Lord, Thy people / and bless Thy inheritance, / giving victories to the resistance / and Thy keeping with Thy Cross the residence.
Celebration The origin of the Honest and Life-giving Cross of the Lord occurs August 14(August 1, Old Style). On the same day we celebrate the All-Merciful Savior.
The origin of the Honest and Life-giving Cross of the Lord. history of the holiday
According to legend, in Constantinople from ancient times (no later than the 8th century) there was a custom to carry the honest Tree of the Cross on the roads and streets to consecrate places and to drive away diseases. From August 1 (Old Style) and until the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, performing litias throughout the city, they offered the Cross to the people for worship. In the Russian Orthodox Church, this holiday was combined with the remembrance of the Baptism of Rus on August 14, 988. The news about this has been preserved in the chronograph of the 16th century: “ Baptized Grand Duke Vladimir of Kiev and All Russia August 1". In the charter of the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, drawn up in 1627 at the direction of Patriarch Filaret, the following explanation of this holiday is given:
And on the Origin on the day of the Honorable Cross, there is a course of consecration for the sake of water and enlightenment for the sake of humanity, in all cities and towns.
The celebration of the All-Merciful Savior and the Most Holy Theotokos was established on the occasion of signs from the icons of the Savior, the Most Pure Virgin Mary and the Holy Cross during the battle of the holy noble Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky (1157-1174) with the Volga Bulgarians (1164), in which the enemies were defeated. At the same time, the Greek emperor Manuel defeated the Saracens in battle, and his troops also had signs from the holy icons. This is the first of the three feasts of the All-Merciful Savior, celebrated in August (the second is, and the third is the Transfer of the Image of Our Lord Jesus Christ not made by hands from Edessa to Constantinople).
The holiday was established in Constantinople in the 9th century, initially as a local one. In the XII-XIV centuries, he was established in all Orthodox churches... It appeared in Russia with the spread of the Jerusalem charter at the end of the XIV century.
The origin of the Cross of the Lord. Troparion and kontakion to the holiday
Troparion, voice 8
Seeking the lofty, accepting the poor, look upon the Savior, and visit us with embittered sins, Master All-Merciful, with the prayers of the Mother of God, grant our souls great mercy.
Kontakion, voice 4
All filthiness of the All-Merciful and Savior, I am a doer, and the moat will sink into despair. But I groan from my heart, and cry out to You, the Word, hurry up the generous ones, and reach out for our help, like the Merciful.
The origin of the Holy Cross. Icons
The composition consists of two parts: at the top is the worship of the Savior in the form of Deesis, and below it is a miraculous source with the sick receiving healing. The icon from the Intercession Monastery above the source depicts angels, and behind them is a cross topped with a wreath. It reminded of main theme holiday - worship of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord. As for Deesis, his image on Russian icons corresponded, apparently, to the traditional Russian dedication of the holiday of August 14, not only to the Cross, but also to the Savior and the Mother of God. The icon from the Intercession Monastery is one of the earliest surviving icons on this subject. According to a later legend, she was invested in a monastery. Basil III in 1515. Painting techniques do not contradict this date and, moreover, allow us to confidently assume that the icon was executed by the followers of Dionysius. It is possible that Dionysius was directly associated with the iconography of the "Origin of the Trees": it is known that in the 1480s he painted the Church of the Savior in Chigasy, located opposite the Kremlin, beyond the Yauza, and died in a fire in 1547. The dedication of the church in Chigasy to the All-Merciful Savior directly indicates the holiday of August 14, and the temple icon performed by Dionysius could serve as a model for later works.
On the Solvychegodskaya (?) Icon in the center of the composition there is a cruciform well - a source to which people with an icon and a Cross approach from both sides. At the head of the procession are the saints. An angel hovering over the spring lowers the Cross into the font. The intricate architectural curtains in the background above indicate that the action takes place outside the city walls. The patrons and intercessors of the inhabitants of the city, who pray to Christ for mercy to them and the bestowal of blessings, are the Theotokos and John the Baptist, as evidenced by the image of the three-figure Deesis raised above the “city landscape”. From the source down the mountain flows a wide stream of water, to which people fall, recovering from various ailments. The scene of the healing of the sick occupies a significant part of the icon's composition.
Folk traditions of the holiday of the Origin of the Holy Cross
The people called the holiday of the Origin of the Holy Cross of the Lord the "honey" Savior, and in some places even the "wet" one. These names originated from the fact that to the first Savior, i.e. honey, the bees cut the hives with honey for the second time and, having chosen the best linden honeycomb, carried them to the church "for the commemoration of the parents." On the same day, they brewed "copper" kvass and treated everyone who came to visit. The first Savior was called "Wet" because, according to the establishment of the church, on that day there was a procession of the cross to the rivers and springs for the consecration of water. And since the peasants not only bathed themselves after the procession, but used to bathe in the rivers and all the cattle, which seemed to be healthy after that, it is not surprising that the holiday itself was called "wet". The First Savior was especially revered in the southern part of Great Russia, where bread and fruits were ripening earlier and where the role and significance of the Second Savior was attributed to this holiday, since the consecration of bread and vegetables in the south was very often carried out before the Transfiguration of the Lord, precisely on August 14.
August 14 is the day of remembrance of the seven Old Testament martyrs Maccabees, who died in 166 BC. NS. Folk etymology rethought the name of the holiday in connection with the poppy, which ripens by this time. On this day, Makan people were baked, macaques were baked - lean pies, rolls, buns, gingerbread cookies with poppy seeds and honey. The meal often began with pancakes with poppy seeds. Poppy milk was prepared for pancakes - a poppy-honey mass in which pancakes were dipped. Poppy milk was prepared in a special dish, which in Russia was called makalnik, in Ukraine - makitra, in Belarus - makater. Poppy is mentioned in many proverbs, sayings, choral songs and riddles: "Machok with honey - you will lick your mustache", "Cheren poppy, but boyars eat", "I am glad Jacob that pie with poppy seeds", "Remember poppy, do not be angry and so" , "There is a town on a stamen, there are seven hundred governors in it." On Maccabee day, the youth danced round dances with the song "Oh, Poppy on Mount Poppy", with playful round dance flirtations, the girls showered the guy with poppy seeds, pinched him, tickled him, singing: "Poppies, poppies, poppies, golden heads!".
In some Serbian villages, water and young basil were blessed on Medovy Spas. From that day on, they stopped swimming in reservoirs. It was believed that whoever works that day could get sick incurable disease... In Macedonia, the weather during the Maccabees (6 or 12 days of Maccabees) served to predict the weather for the next 6 months or for the entire next year(the weather for August 1 predicted the weather for January next year, etc.). Bulgarians from 1 to 12 August watched the sun, wind and precipitation and thus wondered about the weather for the next 12 months, that is, the next year, which earlier began on 1 September. In northwestern Bulgaria, the sons-in-law went to visit their wife's parents, where they were greeted with bread from the new harvest and wine, in connection with which the day was called “Zetovden”.