Sokolovskaya Inna Vladislavovna, teacher - librarian, teacher of the Foundations of Orthodox Culture MBOU Tatsinskaya secondary school № 3, teacher of the Sunday School of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Rostov region
Material description: I offer you the Orthodox quiz "The Family as the Heir and Keeper of Spiritual and Moral Traditions." The material for the compilation of the Orthodox quiz was Orthodox literature and magazines. The material can be used in a wide variety of forms, both in the lessons of the Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture and in the lessons in Sunday schools.
Target:
1. Expansion of historical and cultural education and spiritual and moral education by means of religious and cognitive content;
2. Acquaintance of students with the Sacred history of the creation of the world and existence on Earth;
3. Using the example of the life of the saints to show the essence of life, its values, moral and spiritual;
4 .. Teach to be kind, patient, hardy, courageous;
5. Develop students' interest in history; develop the aesthetic taste of students; develop thinking, speech, memory;
6. To cultivate hard work, patience.
Tasks:
Educational: Study of the Orthodox religious tradition; study of the history of Christianity. Acquaintance with the peculiarities of church art; study of the dispensation of an Orthodox church.
Acquaintance with the main types of Orthodox worship; the formation of a holistic perception of the world. Fostering respect for the inner world of each person. Formation of a culture of communication. Spiritual and moral education through familiarizing with the traditional values ​​of national culture. Revival of the Orthodox foundations of the family. Awakening interest and the formation of motivation to study Russian culture and history. Creative development of a child based on knowledge of national culture and history. To educate the student's need for creative participation in the life of Russia, in the preservation of nature and the creation of the culture of the Fatherland
Educational: to instill in students an interest and respect for the Orthodox tradition, which is the core of the national cultures of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus; to attach to the highest values: courage, mutual respect, tolerance.
Developing: to develop in students integral, corresponding to the current state of science, ideas about Orthodoxy in the history of Russia, in the formation and development of its spirituality and culture.
Equipment: Exhibition of Orthodox books

Happy is the house where peace is ... where a brother loves a brother, parents take care of their children, children honor their parents! The grace of the Lord is there ...
Saint John Chrysostom

Orthodox quiz "Family as heir and keeper of spiritual and moral traditions"

1. What Orthodox holidays were celebrated in Russia in September. Give their dates in the new style.
- A) The Great Feast of the Beheading of the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John (September 11)
B) The beginning of the indictment, church new year (September 14)
C) The Great Twelveth Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (September 21)
D) Exaltation of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord (September 27).
E) Memorial Day of the holy martyrs of the young women Faith, Hope and Love and their mother Sophia (September 30)
2. The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is an unusual holiday. There is no simple fun in it, but there is the joy of achievement. Why do Orthodox Christians call this holiday ascetic?
- He honors the Savior Crucified on the Cross, Who brought the Atoning Sacrifice for people. Christians lived with a joyful hope for eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven. To be rewarded with this joy, it was necessary to prepare - in earthly life - to bear your cross. For Christians, the path to joy went through the Cross of Christ. Exaltation speaks about it.
3. Tell me, how do you understand Christian asceticism?
- Christian asceticism is following the commandments of God in life.
4. Tell us, what customs and traditions of the Feast of the Exaltation developed in Russia?
- In Russia, household affairs were also timed to coincide with the Orthodox calendar in a Christian family. Gradually, customs and rituals took shape, which were reflected in folk life. In the old days in Russia, Orthodox people erected chapels for the Exaltation, churches - according to a promise in honor of the holiday. This was considered especially pleasing to God. They put up roadside crosses. Religious processions were performed on this holiday around villages, cities, to protect themselves from disaster, they walked around the fields with a prayer for the future harvest. They spoke among the people, firmly remembering the grandfather's covenant that "righteousness is strong in faith, and faith in righteousness," and that one is dead without the other.
5. Tell us what is a "vowed cross"?
- In Russia, vowed crosses were placed along the roads and called roadside vowed crosses. They put them in gratitude for getting rid of evil - misfortune.
6. Archangel Michael is revered by Christians as the commander of the Forces of Heaven. The Orthodox Church has established a special day for the general veneration of Angels - servants of God and guardians of the human race from the evil spirits of darkness. - Cathedral of the Heavenly Angelic Host, headed by Archangel Michael. What is the name of this holiday? When was it installed? When is the celebration taking place?
- The holiday is called the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael and the ethereal Heavenly Forces. It was installed at the beginning of the fourth century. The celebration takes place on November 21.
7. According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, there are a lot of Angels. Sacred Tradition reveals to us the names of the seven Archangels, who are depicted on the icons. What are their names? Tell me what they mean.
- These are the names: Michael; Gabriel - his name means "the power of God" (he is depicted on icons with a lily in his hands and a scepter or scroll in which the words of God are written); Raphael - "God healed" (depicted with a staff in his hands and a flask of water thrown over his shoulder); Uriel - "the light of God" (depicted with a book, scroll or torch in his hand); Salafiel - "prayer to God" (he is depicted with a censer in his hands); Jeremiel - "the height of God"; Barachiel - “Blessing of God; Jehudiel - "the praise of God." They are depicted on the icon of the Mother of God "The Burning Bush" (in its eight petals).
8. In the iconostasis of the Orthodox church, you can see two Archangels. What are their names? Tell us where they are.
- Archangel Michael and Gabriel. Archangel Michael is to the right of the Savior, next to the Mother of God, and Gabriel is to the left, next to John the Baptist.
9. How many days in the Orthodox calendar are there from the Feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos to St. Michael's Day?
- Thirty-eight days.
10. But with a crimson hand
Dawn from the morning valleys
Leads with the sun behind him
A merry name day.
This is how the festive day of name day in Russian literature was described by A.S. Pushkin in the poem "Eugene Onegin". Tell us when the tradition of celebrating the name day was established. What does name day mean?
- The tradition of celebrating name days has been known in Russia since the seventeenth century. Name day is the day of remembrance of the saint whose name the Christian bears.
11. When was it customary in an Orthodox family to baptize a child?
- In an Orthodox family, it was customary to baptize a child on the eighth day after birth. The name day is therefore associated, first of all, with the Sacrament of Baptism and with the saint, whose name the newborn was named after. In the old days, the patron saints were sometimes called the angels of their earthly namesakes. However, the patron saint is not a Guardian Angel. Traditionally, Christians look at whose memory is celebrated on the birthday of their child and determine the day of his Baptism.
12. What day in Russia is considered the first day of winter?
- Day of Michael the Archangel is considered the first day of winter in Russia. The rivers are covered with ice. The people said: "Since Mikhailov's day, winter has been standing, the earth is freezing", "Mikhailo is paving bridges."
13. Orthodox Russia built all daily affairs according to the days of the church calendar. What began with the Feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos?
- In the old days, the Feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos was the beginning of the winter bargaining. The merchants called buyers with jokes:
Here are the sleds - scooters,
Decorated - rich
Decorated - gilded
With morocco edged!
Introduce bargaining at the yard,
It's time to go sled
The sleigh rolls on its own
The sledges want to go!
The introduction has come
Brought winter into the hut,
The horses are harnessed to the sleigh,
On the way - led the path,
The ice on the river has swept away,
Tied to the shore,
Chained to the ground
The snow is frozen
Small guys
Red girls
I sat on a sled
On the ice, it rolled down the mountain….
14. What date does the Nativity Fast begin? As it is also called. How many days does it last?
- The Nativity Fast begins on November 28. This time was established by the Church for special spiritual labors. And since the memory of the holy Apostle Philip was celebrated on this day, it is also called the Philip fast. Fasting lasts forty days - until the birth of Christ, celebrated on November 7.
15. What is the Royal Hours? Why was it called the Tsar's clock?
- Tsar's hours - divine service before the holidays of Christmas, baptism, as well as on Good Friday. They were called royal in Constantinople, since the king came to them and they solemnly proclaimed many years to him.
16. In the Orthodox calendar is the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. What did this feast tell Christians?
- That the Love of God that came into the world illuminated the hearts of people, Christ was baptized and showed everyone the way to salvation. Following Christ, accepting Baptism, a person could be reborn to spiritual life - life with God. In the Baptism of Jesus Christ, God revealed Himself to people as the Holy Trinity - One God in Three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Therefore, the feast of Epiphany is also called the Epiphany.
17. When is the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord celebrated in the Orthodox calendar? What is the name of the day before?
- The feast of the Baptism of the Lord in the Orthodox calendar is celebrated on the nineteenth of January. The day before is called, like before Christmas, Christmas Eve. On this day, Christians observe fasting. After the festive service on Epiphany Christmas Eve, the Great Blessing of Water is performed in all churches in Russia, in memory of how the waters of the Jordan were blessed when Jesus Christ was baptized in them.

Your help to the site and parish

GREAT POST (MATERIALS SELECTION)

Calendar - archive of entries

Site search

Site headings

Select a heading 3D excursions and panoramas (6) Uncategorized (11) To help parishioners (3 688) Audio recordings, audio lectures and conversations (309) Booklets, memos and leaflets (133) Videos, video lectures and conversations (969) Questions to the priest (413) ) Images (259) Icons (542) Icons of the Mother of God (105) Sermons (1,022) Articles (1,787) Trebi (31) Confession (15) Sacrament of Wedding (11) Sacrament of Baptism (18) St. George's Readings (17) Baptism of Rus (22) Liturgy (154) Love, Marriage, Family (76) Sunday School Materials (413) Audio (24) Videos (111) Quizzes, Questions & Riddles (43) Didactic Materials (73) Games (28) Images (43) ) Crosswords (24) Teaching materials (47) Crafts (25) Coloring pages (12) Scripts (10) Texts (98) Stories and stories (30) Fairy tales (11) Articles (18) Verses (29) Textbooks (17) Prayer ( 511) Wise thoughts, quotes, aphorisms (385) News (280) News of the Kinel diocese (105) News of the parish (52) News of the Samara Metropolitanate (13) General Church Ovny news (80) Fundamentals of Orthodoxy (3 779) Bible (785) The Law of God (798) Missionary work and catechesis (1 390) Sects (7) Orthodox Library (482) Dictionaries, reference books (51) Saints and ascetics of piety (1 769) Blessed Matrona of Moscow (4) John of Kronstadt (2) Symbol of Faith (98) Temple (160) Church Singing (32) Church Notes (9) Church Candles (10) Church Etiquette (11) Church Calendar (2464) Antipascha (6) Week 3 after Easter, holy myrrh-bearing women (14) Week 3 after Pentecost (1) Week 4 after Easter, about the paralytic (7) Week 5 after Easter about the Samaritan (8) Week 6 Easter, about the blind (4) Fasting (455) Radonitsa (8) Parental Saturday (32) Holy Week (28) Church Feasts (692) Annunciation (10) Introduction to the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos (10) Exaltation of the Holy Cross (14) Ascension The Lord's (17) The Lord's Entry into Jerusalem (16) The Day of the Holy Spirit (9) The Day of the Holy Trinity (35) The Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" (1) The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God (15) The Circumcision of the Lord (4) Easter (129) The Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos (20) The Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord (44) The Feast of the Renewal of the Church of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ (1) The Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord (1) The Transfiguration of the Lord (15 ) The origin (wear) of the Honorable Trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord (1) Christmas (118) The Nativity of John the Baptist (9) The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos (23) The Presentation of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos (3) The Presentation of the Lord (17) The Beheading of the Head of the Baptist of the Lord John (5) Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos (27) Church and Sacraments (148) Sanctification of Oil (8) Confession (32) Chrismation (5) Communion (23) Priesthood (6) Sacrament of Wedding (14) Sacrament of Baptism (19) Fundamentals of Orthodox culture (34) Pilgrimage ( 241) Athos (1) The main shrines of Montenegro (1) Shrines of Russia (16) Proverbs and sayings (9) Orthodox newspaper (35) Orthodox radio (66) Orthodox magazine (34) Orthodox music archive ( 170) Bells ringing (11) Orthodox film (95) Proverbs (102) Schedule of services (60) Recipes for Orthodox cuisine (15) Holy sources (5) Legends about the Russian land (94) Word of the Patriarch (111) Mass media about the parish (23) Superstitions (37) TV channel (373) Tests (2) Photos (25) Churches of Russia (245) Churches of the Kinel diocese (11) Churches of the Northern Kinel deanery (7) Churches of the Samara region (69) Fiction of preaching and public content and meaning (126 ) Prose (19) Poems (42) Signs and Miracles (60)

Orthodox calendar

Venerable Basil isp. (750). Schmch. Arseny, Met. Rostovsky (1772). Venerable Cassian the Roman (435) (memory postponed from February 29).

Blzh. Nicholas, Christ for the sake of the holy fool, Pskov (1576). Schmch. Proterius, Patriarch of Alexandria (457). Schmch. Nestor, Bp. Magiddian (250). Prpp. wives of Marina and Kira (about 450). Venerable John, named Barsanuphius, bishop. Damascus (V); mch. Theoktyrist (VIII) (commemorations carried over from February 29).

Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.

At the 6th hour: Is. II, 3-11. For the evening: Gen. I, 24 - II, 3. Prov. II, 1-22.

We congratulate the birthday people on Angel Day!

Icon of the day

Venerable Martyry Zelenetsky

Venerable Martyry Zelenetsky , in the world of Mina, came from the city of Velikiye Luki. His parents, Cosmas and Stephanides, died when he was not yet ten years old. He was brought up by his spiritual father, a priest of the city's Annunciation Church, and the boy more and more clenched his soul to God.

Widowed, his mentor accepted monasticism with the name Bogolep in Velikie Luki Trinity-Sergius Monastery. Mina often visited him at the monastery, and then he himself was tonsured there with the name Martyrius. For seven years the teacher and the disciple worked unremittingly for the Lord in one cell, competing with each other in the exploits of labor and prayer. Monk Martyrius bore the obedience of a cellar, treasurer and sexton.

At this time, the Mother of God for the first time showed Her special care for the Monk Martyria. At noon, he dozed off in the bell tower and saw on the pillar of fire the image of the Most Holy Theotokos Hodegetria. The monk kissed him with trepidation, hot from the pillar of fire, and waking up, he still felt this heat on his forehead.

On the spiritual advice of the Monk Martyrius, the seriously ill monk Abramy went to worship the miraculous Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God and was healed. The monk was imbued with fervent faith in the intercession of the Mother of God. He began to pray to the Heavenly Queen to point out where to hide for him to undergo the feat of perfect silence, to which his soul was striving. The monk secretly withdrew to a desolate place 60 versts from Velikiye Luki. As the monk himself writes in his notes, "in that desert I accepted great fears from demons, but I prayed to God, and the demons were put to shame." In a letter to the elder Bogolep, the monk asked for a blessing to live in the wilderness, but the confessor advised Martyrius to return to the hostel, where he was useful to the brethren. Not daring to disobey and not knowing what to do, Saint Martyrius set off for Smolensk to worship the miraculous icon of the Mother of God Hodegetria and the miracle worker Abraham (Comm. 21 August). In Smolensk, the monks Abraham and Ephraim appeared to the saint in a dream and reassured him with a proclamation that the Lord had appointed him to live in the wilderness, "where God will bless and the Most Holy Theotokos will instruct."

Then the monk went to the Tikhvin monastery, hoping that there the Mother of God would finally resolve his bewilderment. And indeed, the monk Abramiy, who, in gratitude to the Mother of God for his healing, remained forever in that monastery, told him about the hidden desert, over which he had a vision of the shining Cross of the Lord. This time, having received the blessing of the elder, the Monk Martyrius took with him two small icons of the same size - the Life-Giving Trinity and the Most Holy Theotokos of Tikhvin - and set off for the desert called Green, for it rose as a beautiful green island among the wooded swamps.

The life of the monk in this wilderness was cruel and painful, but neither cold, nor deprivation, nor wild animals, nor the intrigues of the enemy could shake his resolve to endure the trials to the end. He set up a chapel in glorification and thanksgiving to the Lord and the Most Pure Theotokos, in which he again deigned to see the image of the Mother of God in a dream, this time - floating on the sea. The Archangel Gabriel appeared to the right of the icon and invited the monk to venerate the image. After hesitation, the Monk Martyrius entered the water, but the image began to sink into the sea. Then the monk prayed, and immediately the wave carried him from the image to the shore.

The wilderness was sanctified by the life of a hermit, and many began to come to it, not only to be edified by the word and example of the monk, but also to settle with him. The multiplying brotherhood of his disciples prompted the monk to build a church in the Name of the Life-Giving Trinity, where he also placed his prayer icons. As a testimony to the grace of God, who rested at the monastery of the Monk Martyrius, the monk Guriy was honored to see the Cross shining in heaven above the church cross.

This was the beginning of the Trinity Zelenetsky Monastery - "Green Martyrieva Hermitage". The Lord blessed the labors of the monk, and the grace of God apparently shone on him. The fame of his clairvoyance and gift of healings spread far. Many eminent Novgorodians began to send offerings to the monastery. At the expense of the pious boyar Fyodor Syrkov, a warm church was built, consecrated in honor of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in memory of the first church in Velikiye Luki, from where he began his journey to God as a boy.

The monk continued to receive blessed reinforcements from the Most Pure Theotokos. Once, in a subtle dream, the Mother of God herself appeared to him in his cell, on a bench, in a large corner where the icons stood. "I looked, without looking up, at Her holy face, at eyes filled with tears ready to fall on Her pure face. I got up from sleep and was terrified. I lit a candle from the lamp to see if the Most Pure Virgin was sitting still, where I saw Her in a dream. I approached the image of Hodegetria and was convinced that the Mother of God appeared to me in the image that She was depicted on my icon, "the monk recalled.

Soon after this (about 1570) the Monk Martyrius received the priesthood in Novgorod from the archbishop (Alexander or Leonidas). It is known that in 1582 he was already abbot.

Later, the Lord gave the Green Desert an even richer benefactor. In 1595, in Tver, Saint Martyrius healed the dying son of the former Tsar of Kasimov, Simeon Bekbulagovich, praying before his icons of the Life-Giving Trinity and the Tikhvin Mother of God and placing the image of the Most Holy Theotokos on the patient's chest. With donations from the grateful Simeon, churches were built in honor of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God and St. John Chrysostom - the Heavenly patron saint of the healed Tsarevich John.

In 1595, Tsar Theodore Ioannovich gave the monastery a letter of gratitude, approving the monastery founded by the monk.

Reaching a ripe old age and preparing for death, the Monk Martyrius dug his own grave, placed in it a coffin made with his own hands, and wept there a lot. Feeling an imminent departure, the monk summoned the brethren and begged his children in the Lord to have unshakable hope in the Most Holy Life-Giving Trinity and to place their trust entirely in the Mother of God, as he always trusted in Her. Having partaken of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, he gave the brethren a blessing and with the words: "Peace to all Orthodox," - in spiritual joy he rested in the Lord on March 1, 1603.

The monk was buried in a grave he himself had dug near the Church of Our Lady, and then his holy relics were buried under a berth in the Church of the Most Holy Trinity, under the basement church in honor of St. John the Theologian. The former monk of the Zelenetsky monastery, Metropolitan Korniliy of Kazan and Novgorod (+ 1698), compiled a service and wrote the life of the Monk Martyrius, using personal notes and the will of the monk.

Troparion to the Monk Martyry Zelenetsky

From youth, God-beloved, having loved Christ, / the fatherland left him / and, having deviated from all worldly rebellions, / into the quietly honorable inhabited God-founding, delighted, found he dwelt in it, / gathered the monstrous ones, / and took these by your teachings, as a ladder ascending to Heaven, / diligently tried to erect to God, / I prayed to Him, God-beloved Martyr.

Translation: From your youth, blissful in God, having loved Christ, you left your Fatherland and retired from all the bustle of the world, in the quiet refuge of the venerable monastery of the Mother of God, you found yourself, from there, seeing an impassable desert, indicated by a cruciform dawn, found it suitable, and settling in it, gathered the monastics and Through their teaching, like a ladder ascending to Heaven, in tireless work you tried to lead to God, but pray to Him, God-wise Martyrius, to grant our souls great mercy.

Kontakion to the Monk Martyry Zelenetsky

Fatherland, venerable, and all the worldly rebellion, you have longed to deviate, / and, having entered the desert, / thats in the blessedness of silence, cruel life showed you / even pray, God-blessed, for us, your own chadeh, and you gathered together, / and for all the faithful, so we call you: // rejoice, father Martyrie, the silence of the desert lover.

Translation: Fatherland, reverend, and all worldly vanity you wished to leave and settled in the wilderness, there, in blissful silence, you showed a difficult life and brought up children of obedience and humility [monks] in it. Because of this, I have acquired the boldness [courage, decisive aspiration] to pray to the Holy Trinity for us, your children, whom you have gathered, and for all believers, we urge you: Rejoice, Father Martyrius, lover of the wilderness of silence.

Prayer to the Monk Martyr Zelenetsky

Oh, good pastor, our master, reverend father Martyrie! Hear the prayer that we are bringing to you now. We are bo, as in the spirit you abide with us. You, reverend, as having boldness towards the Sovereign, Jesus Christ, our God, and to the Most Honorable God of God, be a walk and a warm prayer for the dwellers, who have rewarded her slaves, have not rewarded and the chief, to your God-chosen brotherhood, an assistant and intercessor, since by your representation and prayers we will remain unharmed in this place; but from demons and wicked people we are not inspired, and from all troubles and misfortunes we will be saved. But to all who come to your holy abode from everywhere and who pray to you with faith and worship your race, please your prayers for him to be relieved of all sorrows, sickness and happiness; and for all of us a warm representative to the Lord and a helper to our souls will be, he also will be released to our sins and your prayers, holy, reward us with much torment and mercy to the mercy of all the sacredness to the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Reading the Gospel with the Church

Hello dear brothers and sisters.

In the last program, it was about the gospel of Zechariah in the Jerusalem temple about the birth of John the Baptist.

Today we will consider the text of the same Evangelist Luke, which tells about the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary.

1.26. In the sixth month the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to the city of Galilee, called Nazareth,

1.27. to the Virgin, betrothed to a husband named Joseph, from the house of David; the name of the Virgin: Mary.

1.28. The Angel, coming in to Her, said: Hail, Blessed One! The Lord is with You; blessed are you between wives.

1.29. She, seeing him, was embarrassed by his words and wondered what kind of greeting it would be.

1.30. And the angel said to her: do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God;

1.31. and behold, you will conceive in your womb, and you will bear a Son, and you will call His name Jesus.

1.32. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;

1.33. and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and his kingdom will have no end.

1.34. Mary said to the Angel: How will it be when I do not know my husband?

1.35. The Angel answered Her: The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the power of the Most High will overshadow You; therefore, the Holy One being born will be called the Son of God.

1.36. Here is also Elisabeth, your relative, who is called barren, and she conceived a son in her old age, and she is already six months old.

1.37. for with God no word will remain powerless.

1.38. Then Mary said: behold, the Servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word. And the Angel departed from Her.

(Luke 1, 26-38)

Both stories about the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel are built according to the same scheme: the appearance of an angel, his prediction about the miraculous birth of a child, a story about the coming greatness, the name he should be named; doubt of the interlocutor of the angel and the granting of a sign confirming the words of the messenger of Heaven. But still, there are also many differences in these narratives.

If Zechariah meets the messenger of God at the most magnificent moment of his life and this happens in the house of God, in Jerusalem, during the divine service, then the scene of the appearance of the same angel to a young girl is emphatically simple and devoid of any external solemnity. It takes place in Nazareth, a run-down provincial town in the Galilee.

And if the righteousness of Zechariah and Elizabeth was emphasized from the very beginning and the news of the birth of a son was given in response to intensified prayers, then practically nothing is said about young Mary: neither about her moral qualities, nor about any kind of religious zeal.

However, all human stereotypes are overturned, for the one whose birth was announced in the clubs of incense will be just a forerunner, herald of the coming of the One about whom it was told so modestly.

The Evangelist Luke points out that Elizabeth was six months pregnant when the angel appeared in Nazareth with the good news to the Virgin Mary. In Elisabeth's case, the barriers to birth were her infertility and old age; for Mary, her virginity.

We know that Mary was betrothed to Joseph. According to Jewish marriage law, girls were betrothed to future husbands very early, usually at the age of twelve or thirteen. The engagement lasted for about a year, but the bride and groom were considered husband and wife from the moment of the engagement. This year the bride stayed in the home of her parents or guardians. In fact, the girl became a wife when her husband took her to his house.

Joseph, as we remember, came from the family of King David, which was extremely important, because through Joseph and Jesus he became legally a descendant of David. Indeed, in ancient times, legal relationship was considered more important than blood.

Greetings: Rejoice, Blessed One! The Lord is with You(Luke 1, 28), - the angel addresses the Virgin Mary. The author writes in Greek. It is quite possible that the Greek word "haire" ("rejoice") in Hebrew could have sounded like "shalom", that is, a wish for peace.

Like Zechariah, Mary is confused and full of confusion caused by the appearance of the angel and his words. The messenger tries to explain to Mary and calm her down with the words: do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God(Luke 1:30). He then explains what is about to happen. And he does it through three basic verbs: conceive, give birth, name.

Usually the father gave the name to the child as a sign that he recognizes him as his own, but here this honor belongs to the mother. Jesus is the Hellenized form of the Hebrew name Yeshua, which is most likely translated as "Yahweh - salvation."

Hearing from an angel how great her Son will be, Mary asks a natural question: how will it be when I don't know my husband?(Luke 1:34).

This question, dear brothers and sisters, is both simple and difficult to understand. Mary cannot understand the words of the angel, since she is not yet married (in the actual sense, although in the legal sense she already had a husband). But Mary will soon enter into conjugal intercourse, why is she so surprised?

There are several attempts to explain this issue, and they are built on the words “I don’t know my husband”. Thus, some people believe that the verb “know” must be understood in the past tense, that is, “I have not yet known my husband”. From which it follows that Mary understood the angel's words as a proclamation to her of her actual state of pregnancy.

According to another point of view, the verb "know" comes from the word "know", that is, to enter into conjugal communication. The patristic tradition indicates to us that the Virgin Mary took a vow of eternal virginity and her words should be understood only as "I will not know my husband." But some scholars argue that this was impossible, since in the Jewish tradition of that time, marriage and childbearing were not only honorable, but also obligatory. And if there were communities where people led a virgin life, then they were mostly men. And such statements seem logical. But let's not forget that God does not act according to human logic - He is above everything and can put a virtuous thought on the heart of a pure person and strengthen even a young girl in her godly desire to preserve her integrity.

A clear confirmation that God does not act within the framework of the physical laws of nature is the answer of the angel Mary: The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the power of the Most High will overshadow You; therefore, the Holy One who is born will be called the Son of God(Luke 1:35). One often hears a distorted understanding of this moment in the gospel story. People try to explain the Virgin Mary's immaculate conception of the Son of God as a literary device taken from Greek myths, where the gods descended from Olympus and entered into relationships with women, from whom the so-called "sons of God" were born. But in this text we see nothing of the kind. Yes, and in the Holy Spirit there is no masculine principle, which is even emphasized by the grammatical gender: the Hebrew Ruach (spirit) is feminine, and the Greek pneuma is neuter.

The Jewish Talmud also tries to challenge the integrity of the Savior's conception, arguing that Jesus was the illegitimate son of an escaped soldier named Panther, hence the Talmudic name for Christ - Ben-Panther. But some scholars believe that "panther" is a distorted Greek word "parthenos", which translates as "virgin", which means that the Talmudic expression should be understood as "Son of the Virgin."

The Annunciation scene ends with Mary's response to Gabriel's message: behold, the Servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word(Luke 1:38).

These words contain the great humility of a young girl who is ready to fulfill any will of God. There is no slavish fear, but only a sincere readiness to serve the Lord. No one has ever succeeded, and it is unlikely that they will be able to express their faith the way the Virgin Mary did. But this is what we, dear brothers and sisters, need to strive for.

Help us in this, the Lord.

Hieromonk Pimen (Shevchenko),
inhabitant of the Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra

Multicalender

Orthodox educational courses

OLD BUT NOT LONELY WITH CHRIST: A Word at the Meeting of the Lord

WITH imeon and Anna - two old people - did not see themselves alone, because they lived by God and for God. We do not know what kind of life sorrows and old age ailments they had, but for a person who loves God, who is grateful to God, such trials and temptations will never replace the most important thing - the joy of the Meeting of Christ ...

Download
(MP3 file. Duration 9:07 min. Size 8.34 Mb)

Hieromonk Nikon (Parimanchuk)

Preparation for the sacrament of Holy Baptism

V section " Preparing for Baptism"site "Sunday school: on-line courses " Archpriest Andrei Fedosov, the head of the department of education and catechesis of the Kinelsk Diocese, has collected information that will be useful to those who are going to be baptized themselves, or who want to baptize their child or become a godparent.

R The section consists of five catechumens, in which the content of the Orthodox doctrine within the Symbol of Faith is revealed, the sequence and meaning of the rituals performed at Baptism are explained and answers to common questions related to this Sacrament are given. Each conversation is accompanied by additional materials, links to sources, recommended literature and Internet resources.

O Course openings are presented in the form of texts, audio files and videos.

Course Topics:

• Conversation number 1 Preliminary concepts
• Conversation No. 2 Sacred Bible Story
• Conversation number 3 Church of Christ
• Conversation number 4 Christian morality
• Conversation No. 5 The Sacrament of Holy Baptism

Applications:

• FAQ
• Orthodox saints

Reading the lives of the saints Dmitry of Rostov for every day

Recent Entries

Radio "Vera"

Radio "VERA" is a new radio station that talks about the eternal truths of the Orthodox faith.

Class hour

The Baptism of the Lord is a Christian holiday.

Target: to acquaint students with the holiday of Epiphany; contribute to the formation of a respectful attitude towards the traditions and customs of their people; develop cognitive motivation, the desire to know as much historical information as possible about the traditions of celebrating folk holidays; foster pride and responsibility for preserving the cultural traditions of their country.

The course of the class hour.

The Baptism of the Lord is a Christian holiday celebrated in honor of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by John the Baptist on January 6 (19).

According to the Gospel story, Jesus Christ (at the age of 30) came to John the Baptist, who was at the Jordan River in Bethavar, with the goal of being baptized.

John, who preached a lot about the imminent coming of the Messiah, when he saw Jesus, was surprised and said: “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”. To this Jesus replied that “we must fulfill all righteousness,” and was baptized by John. During baptism, according to the Gospels, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. At the same time, a Voice from Heaven proclaimed: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Lord came humbly
Wash off people's sins.
With the head bowed
He stands by the river.

And asks meekly Pure
Baptize Him like everyone else
Although He is purer than the pure ones,
Even though He is holier than all!

On the feast of the Epiphany, the greatest evangelical event is remembered, when at the Baptism of the Lord the Most Holy Trinity appeared to the world (Matthew 3, 13 - 17; Mark 1, 9 - 11; Luke 3, 21 - 22).

Therefore, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord is also called the feast of the Epiphany, because during Baptism, God showed that He is the Most Holy Trinity: God the Father spoke from heaven, the incarnate Son of God was baptized, and the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove.

And also at baptism for the first time people could see that not only man, but also God appeared in the person of Jesus Christ.

According to the gospel story, after his baptism, Jesus Christ, led by the Spirit, withdrew into the wilderness to prepare in solitude, prayer and fasting for the fulfillment of the mission with which he came to earth. For forty days Jesus “was tempted by the devil and did not eat anything during those days, but after them he was hungry for the last” (Luke 4: 2). Then the devil approached him and with three deceptions tried to tempt him to sin, like any other person.

The Sacrament of Baptism today belongs to one of the Sacraments of the Orthodox Church. Baptism can be called the spiritual birth of a person, his birth for the Church. Through Baptism, he becomes a member. Only after Baptism does a person gain access to all church sacraments, first of all, to Holy Communion, in which a person is united with God. During the Sacrament, a person is either immersed in water three times, or the person being baptized is doused with the priest pronouncing prayers.

The Sacrament of Baptism can be performed on both a child and an adult. A consecrated pectoral cross is put on a “newborn” Christian - his protection and a sign of belonging to the Church of Christ.

Baptism(Greek word - immersion) - 3 times a person immerses in water, as a sign that for 3 days the grace of the Resurrection was performed for us. Immediately after Baptism, a person is dressed in everything new and white.

Souls are purified
Under the banner of the cross

Be dumb and obedient
On the day of the baptism of Christ.

Vitaly Sivyakov

The meaning of Baptism is that a new person emerges from the font, who wants to live according to new Christian laws. There are 10 of them in total. Let's name the most understandable to you:

1. Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days on earth may be prolonged.

2. Don't kill.

3. Don't steal.

4. Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.

5. Love your neighbor as yourself, etc.

Epiphany traditions.

An early mention of the special veneration of the water collected on the day of the Baptism of the Lord, and of its miraculous properties (primarily the ability not to deteriorate for a long time) is contained in one of the Antioch sermons of St. John Chrysostom (387): “On this holiday, everyone, drawing water, brings it home and keeps it throughout the year, since today the waters are blessed; and a clear sign occurs: this water in its essence does not deteriorate over time, but, gleaned today, it remains intact and fresh for a whole year, and often two and three years. "

On the eve or on the day of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, many believers go to water bodies or ice holes cut in advance in churches. Artificial ice holes are most often in the form of a cross. Such places of baptismal consecration of water are called Jordanes - in memory of the baptisms performed by Saint John the Baptist on the banks of the Jordan. The priest performs the rite of lighting the water: he says prayers and submerges the cross in water three times. Everyone who wishes can plunge into the water three times with a prayer: “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” and this action sanctifies the soul and body of a person. In churches on this day, a special prayer service is served on the rite of the great consecration of water, and each parishioner can take with him a bottle of Epiphany water, which will serve him to strengthen the spiritual, mental and physical.

"Repent and be baptized
As a sign of repentance, you -
Thus spoke the Baptist,
Talking to people -

I baptize you with water,
Washing away your sins.
The Messiah is following me
Savior of human souls.

He will baptize in the Spirit
To the saints given by God ... "

Orthodox Christians annually celebrate Epiphany on January 19, and on January 18 - Epiphany Eve, the eve of Epiphany. This is the main day of Christmas divination.

Epiphany Christmas Eve is also called Hungry kutya, a hungry holy evening. On this day, they prepare the last kutya of the Christmas and New Year holidays. They called her hungry because from that time until the next day, until the water in the reservoirs was consecrated, people did not eat. The remains of the kutya were given to the chickens, and in a separate pot they put 3 spoons of dishes that were on the table on Epiphany Eve. From this pot the one who was the last to return home from the river to Epiphany ate. Therefore, everyone who went to bless the water tried to return home as soon as possible.

In ancient times, Epiphany frosts were very strong. Before dinner on Epiphany Christmas Eve, the owner of the house took spoons of kutya, went to the window and invited frost to eat kutya. And he said, since the frost does not go into the house, let it not go to the harvest. In addition, calling frost was a special fun for the children, who, falling to the windows, in every way invited him to supper. But after the Baptism of frosts, the weakening of frosts began.

From January 18 to January 19, at midnight, the water in taps, wells, rivers becomes holy. It can be recruited and it will last for years. The water collected on the feast of Epiphany is saved for washing, cleansing and from diseases. In addition, everyone who had innermost desires tried to pray for them on January 19 by the morning, when heaven opened, it was believed that everything that was asked for at that time would come true.

During all the holidays before Epiphany, women tried not to go to fetch water, it was a purely man's work. In addition, they did not rinse their linen in the river water, because they believed that devils were sitting there and could grab hold of them.

On the morning of January 19, the men walked to the river and made an ice-hole in the shape of a cross. Closer to lunchtime, the priest blessed the water, after which they took it up and drank it, and performed bathing. And women for Epiphany are obliged to have their cheeks ruddy, dipped viburnum or corals into a vessel with holy water and wash themselves.

Signs of the day:

A lot of snow - a lot of bread.

In the morning snow is a good harvest of buckwheat.

Blizzard - bees will swarm well.

Bright stars - there will be a good offspring of livestock, a lot of peas, berries.

Cloudy in the morning, warm, snow or frost is a grain-growing year.

Clear, cold - crop failure. Summers are dry.

A lot of dogs bark - a lot of animals, there will be game.

Quiz "Baptism of the Lord":

1. The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is called the Epiphany, because:

a) The Lord revealed Himself as the Most Holy Trinity

b) Christ showed His human and divine essence

c) Both answers are correct

2. “A voice crying in the wilderness” means:

3. The Lord Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist at the age of:

4. The Holy Spirit appeared during the Baptism of the Lord in the form:

a) Clouds

c) Dove

5. John the Baptist did not want to baptize the Lord because:

a) I thought I was unworthy

b) Jesus told him that this is not the time

c) He himself received baptism from the Lord

I congratulate you on the Baptism
So I want you soon
I wish everyone to get along with the world,
Live, keeping warm in your soul!
Be always the same kind
Be healthy! Be strong!
Let your soul be huge

Target: to acquaint with the Orthodox holiday “The Baptism of the Lord” and the traditions of the Russian people

Class hour

The Baptism of the Lord is a Christian holiday celebrated in honor of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by John the Baptist on January 6 (19).

According to the Gospel story, Jesus Christ (at the age of 30) came to John the Baptist, who was at the Jordan River in Bethavar, with the goal of being baptized.

Download:

Preview:

MKOU "Lopatinskaya OOSh"

Class hour

"Folk traditions. Baptism of the Lord"

Prepared and conducted by the primary school teacher Sergeeva G.N.

Lopatino, 2015

Target: to acquaint with the Orthodox holiday “The Baptism of the Lord” and the traditions of the Russian people

Class hour

The Baptism of the Lord is a Christian holiday celebrated in honor of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by John the Baptist on January 6 (19).

According to the Gospel story, Jesus Christ (at the age of 30) came to John the Baptist, who was at the Jordan River in Bethavar, with the goal of being baptized.

John, who preached a lot about the imminent coming of the Messiah, when he saw Jesus, was surprised and said: “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”. To this Jesus replied that “we must fulfill all righteousness,” and was baptized by John. During baptism, according to the Gospels, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. At the same time, a Voice from Heaven proclaimed: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

On the feast of the Epiphany, the greatest evangelical event is remembered, when at the Baptism of the Lord the Most Holy Trinity appeared to the world

Therefore, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord is also called the feast of the Epiphany, because during Baptism, God showed that He is the Most Holy Trinity: God the Father spoke from heaven, the incarnate Son of God was baptized, and the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove.

And also at baptism for the first time people could see that not only man, but also God appeared in the person of Jesus Christ.

According to the gospel story, after his baptism, Jesus Christ, led by the Spirit, withdrew into the wilderness to prepare in solitude, prayer and fasting for the fulfillment of the mission with which he came to earth. For forty days Jesus “was tempted by the devil and did not eat anything during those days, but after them he was hungry for the last” (Luke 4: 2). Then the devil approached him and with three deceptions tried to tempt him to sin, like any other person.

The Sacrament of Baptism today belongs to one of the Sacraments of the Orthodox Church. Baptism can be called the spiritual birth of a person, his birth for the Church. Through Baptism, he becomes a member. Only after Baptism does a person gain access to all church sacraments, first of all, to Holy Communion, in which a person is united with God. During the Sacrament, a person is either immersed in water three times, or the person being baptized is doused with the priest pronouncing prayers.

The Sacrament of Baptism can be performed on both a child and an adult. A consecrated pectoral cross is put on a “newborn” Christian - his protection and a sign of belonging to the Church of Christ.

Baptism (Greek word - immersion) - 3 times a person immerses in water, as a sign that for 3 days the grace of the Resurrection was performed for us. Immediately after Baptism, a person is dressed in everything new and white.

The meaning of Baptism is that a new person emerges from the font, who wants to live according to new Christian laws. There are 10 of them in total. Let's name the most understandable to you:

1. Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days on earth may be prolonged.

2. Don't kill.

3. Don't steal.

4. Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.

5. Love your neighbor as yourself, etc.

1. Epiphany traditions.

I will talk about the Christian customs of celebrating the Baptism of the Lord. This holiday begins with Epiphany Christmas Eve - this is the name of the day on the eve of Epiphany. With Epiphany Christmas Eve ends Christmastide, holidays after the Nativity of Christ. As a sign of the end of the Christmastide period, on the eve of Epiphany, all the symbols of the Christmas holidays were removed from the house - the Christmas tree, the Christmas tree decorations.

There is a strict fast on Christmas Eve, just like on Christmas Eve. According to the monastery charter, on this day, it is supposed to eat only boiled wheat (or rice) with honey - soy, hence the name of this day. Of course, no entertainment and festivities are allowed on the night before Epiphany.

It is also impossible to guess: according to the rules of the Church, any kind of fortune-telling "on Epiphany evening" and other days is a sin, a desecration of the holy day and yourself.

On Epiphany Eve, after the morning service, the first Great Blessing of Water takes place. The second time the water is consecrated already on the very feast of Epiphany, January 19. According to its healing properties, it is the same water, it is consecrated according to the same rite. Believers come to the temple, participate in the festive divine service, collect holy water to last for a whole year. At this time, one should not swear, behave insolently, and skip the line. It is better, when you expect, to put your thoughts in order, to divert bad thoughts from yourself. Epiphany water can be stored for a year. It does not deteriorate, so there is no need to put it in the refrigerator. If there is not enough water, you can add it to ordinary, unconsecrated water, then it will all be sanctified. Keep holy water in the red corner near the icons.

They drink baptismal water on an empty stomach, even if a person is prescribed medication on an empty stomach, first they take holy water, and then medications. But first you should pray, ask God for a blessing for the day. True, there are exceptions for the sick. Often, confessors recommend that they drink a spoonful of Epiphany water every hour. It can also wash the patient and sprinkle his bed. They drink Epiphany water a little at a time. Holy water helps to heal from mental and physical ailments, especially when taken with faith. She is also sprinkled on the dwelling.

How great was the significance of this holiday in Russia, accompanied by the consecration of water, is evident from the words of one foreigner, who wrote that the number of people who gathered on the day of the Epiphany on the Moscow River reached four hundred thousand people.

2. Pagan traditions of the holiday

Our pagan ancestors idolized the elements - the unknown forces of nature. One of these elements was water - the eternal nurse-mother and benefactor. This veneration of water was combined with the memory of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Palestinian Jordan River. Thus, our ancestors linked their pagan beliefs with the Christian religious event, calling the feast of the Baptism of the Lord Vodokrestiy, Vodokreshchami.

During Epiphany Christmas Eve, they expelled evil spirits in the villages - they put crosses on doors and windows with chalk, on the night of Epiphany, the guys on horses ran around the yards, beat them with brooms and whips in all dark corners and nooks with a spell, shouting and squealing.

In the villages of Belarus, on Epiphany night, the legs of the table were tied with a rope so that the horses would not get sick and were well fed during working hours.

On Epiphany Eve, the girls baked pies and went out with them on a frosty night to call their betrothed, threw in their boots, tried to find out their fate by the shining of the stars in the sky, by the weather, by how high the water rose in the arranged Jordan.

There were many signs associated with Epiphany snow.

So, for example, snow collected from stacks supposedly could whiten the entire canvas, the same snow thrown into a well gave help even in the driest summer, with the same snow various ailments were healed. In Belarus, in addition, they collected spruce branches, with which it was customary to decorate the Jordan, and kept them near the images, like a willow, in order to fumigate, to drive out evil spirits, their huts, threw them in barns from rats and mice and, having insisted on them water, watered the horses so that they would not overstrain in their work.

3. Folk omens and beliefs

I will tell you about folk signs associated with Epiphany Christmas Eve. We can say that this is a forecast for next year's harvest. Remember. If there is a blizzard, snow or drift on this day, there will be a harvest.

If the snow bends the branches on the trees, there will be a good harvest, the bees will swarm well.

There is little snow on the branches of the trees - in summer, do not look for mushrooms or berries.

On Epiphany the day is warm - the bread will be dark (that is, thick).

On Epiphany snow flakes - for the harvest; a clear day - to a crop failure.

On Epiphany at noon, blue clouds are for the harvest.

If the ice hole in Jordan is full of water, the spill will be big.

If the stars shine and burn on Epiphany evening, this is to the fertility of the lambs.

Sparrows chirped on Epiphany - to the thaw.

Starry Night on Epiphany - harvest for peas and berries.

These signs can be trusted, because this is not fortune-telling, but the result of thousands of years of national experience. Who does not believe in the correctness of these signs, remember what the weather will be on the night of Epiphany, and check whether the popular omen will come true

Today we got acquainted with the tradition of celebrating the ancient Christian holiday of Epiphany, recalled the events of biblical history, the customs of ancient Russia.

Do we, modern people need it? After all, our everyday life seems to be far from these events.

(Children speak up.)

For a thousand years our people have been Orthodox, believed in Christian truths, lived according to the Gospel commandments, built their holy Russia. The ideal for millions of people was the holiness to which everyone aspired. For many centuries this faith gave our people strength during the years of difficult trials, kept them from degeneration and savagery.

Now many people return to these ideals, study the traditions and faith of their fathers, seeing in this the salvation of Russia.

Quiz "Baptism of the Lord"

1. The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is called the Epiphany, because:

a) The Lord revealed Himself as the Most Holy Trinity

b) Christ showed His human and divine essence

c) Both answers are correct

2. “A voice crying in the wilderness” means:

3. The Lord Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist at the age of:

a) 30 years

b) 33 years old

c) 20 years

4. The Holy Spirit appeared during the Baptism of the Lord in the form:

a) Clouds

b) Eagle

c) Dove

5. John the Baptist did not want to baptize the Lord because:

a) I thought I was unworthy

b) Jesus told him that this is not the time

c) He himself received baptism from the Lord