Holy Week 2020: how to spend the last week of Lent

Holy Week is the last six days before Easter - the Resurrection of Christ. What date is Holy Week in 2020? Holy Week begins on Monday, April 25 and ends on April 30. The first day after Holy Week (as these days are also called) is a bright holiday of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Every day in Holy Week is called Great.

Holy Week 2020: what date does Holy Week begin?

Holy Week 2020 begins on April 25. Why does the last week before Easter have such a name - Passion? The word “passion” in the Old Church Slavonic language means “suffering.” Holy Week is dedicated to the suffering of Christ, the days in which he was betrayed, suffered, crucified and was in the tomb. On Wednesday, Judas Iscariot, a disciple of Jesus Christ, betrayed him. On Thursday, Christ spent the evening with his disciples, among whom was the traitor. It was on Thursday that bread was first broken as the “body” of Christ and wine was drunk as the New Testament in the “blood” of the Savior. On the night from Thursday to Friday, after the Last Supper of Jesus with his apostles (the holiday of the Old Testament Passover), Christ was taken by the guards. On Friday, around noon, Christ was crucified on the cross, where he died three hours later, bleeding, from the blow of a guard's spear. Good Friday in Christianity is considered the most mournful day: even in churches there are no divine liturgies. Holy Saturday is the day of rest. On this day Christ was in the tomb, so it is also a time of sorrow. In addition, on Saturday of Holy Week, Christians remember how God created the earth by resting on the Sabbath. Sixth day.

What not to do during Lent

Even among Orthodox believers, there are people who do not know what date the Great Lent 2021 begins and what its true essence is. Therefore, many consider this period to be a long and strict diet. But Christians fast in order to take the path of humility, strengthen their faith in the Lord and find a spiritual path.

You must not only limit yourself to eating meat, but also unquestioningly follow the prohibitions of the church and other significant instructions. They operate from the very beginning until the end of Lent.

At this time there are prohibitions on:

• alcohol and tobacco. In some cases, a little wine diluted with water is allowed;
• big celebrations. You cannot have noisy celebrations, go to bars or parties. Only family tea parties with the closest people are allowed;
• wedding. Priests always refuse to perform such ceremonies during Lent;
• bad thoughts. It is necessary to eradicate all negativity, envy, anger and other aggression from the soul, as well as avoid conflicts and try to maintain a good mood;
• animal products. During the entire fast, it is prohibited to place any dairy products, meat, lard, seafood and eggs on the table;
• watching entertainment programs. The Church recommends refraining from watching films that contain scenes of violence or intimacy, as well as various entertainment shows.

To make it easier to cope with all the prohibitions of Lent, the church advises working more - this helps you fight your passions and laziness.

On a note! During Lent, you are allowed to eat some fish only on these two days - the Annunciation and Palm Sunday.

What can and cannot be eaten by Christians during Holy Week?

Holy Week ends Great Lent, which lasts 40 days. All these days, believers avoid animal food and wine, only occasionally consuming lean milk and boiled fish. During Holy Week, fasting is especially strict. You can't just eat meat and drink wine. The ban is imposed on all dairy products, eggs and fish. Wanderers, the sick, pregnant women and young children may not limit themselves in food, however, with greater moderation in the consumption of these products. Believers can eat Lenten food cooked in vegetable oil during Holy Week. There is no ban on either vegetables or fruits. However, restrictions on the quality of food taken should not affect its quantity: overeating during Lent, especially during Holy Week, is sinful.

Holy Week: What to eat and what not to eat

Good Friday ends Lent. For believers who have recently turned to the church, they are concerned about the question of what they can eat, what they can do, and what they cannot do. What you can do is pray and devote all your time to communion with the Lord. Give up all earthly joys.

What not to eat

Meat and fish products and alcohol are strictly prohibited.

What can you eat

1. Fruits.
2. Vegetables.
3. Bread, flour products.

During Holy Week 2020, the church requires people to abstain from food altogether after Good Friday and until Easter Sunday.

Holy Week 2016: what should Christians not do?

In addition to observing strict fasting during Holy Week 2020, you should also do other things related to restrictions. You can’t use foul language or have happy festive parties; no weddings or celebrations were held in Rus' these days. It is forbidden to baptize children, get married, or commemorate the dead during Holy Week. You can't wash on Good Friday.

Holy Week 2020: What not to do

From April 25 to April 30, in the Orthodox tradition, Holy Week is celebrated in 2020; what cannot be done at this time is discussed quite strictly. But not everyone knows this, and often violates the spoken and unspoken rules. To prevent this from happening, we will tell you exactly what you should not do during these seven days. What not to do during Holy Week 2020? During Holy Week, all believers adhere to dry eating. This means that other than animal food, any cooked food is prohibited. All food should be consumed fresh and raw, pickled or salted. Of the ready-made types, only baked bread is allowed. You cannot sit at the dinner table more than once a day; the meal may be in the evening, when the sun has set. You can eat this way from Monday to Thursday. On Friday you need to completely abstain from any food. On Saturday you can already eat ready-made meals, but many believers also try to fast on this day. Read about what else you can eat during Holy Week here. It is logical that it is forbidden to do anything that brings joy during Holy Week: singing, dancing, visiting any entertainment establishments, celebrating holidays, birthdays and weddings. It is also better to refuse marital intimacy at this time. In addition, it is believed that at this time you should not refuse people when they turn to you for help. Of course, as long as they are not asking for something immoral, illegal, or something that could harm others. What can and should be done during Holy Week? Monday: We start cleaning the house. We throw away large garbage and old broken things. Tuesday: On this day you need to finish work related to clothes: wash everything, iron it. We buy food for the holiday table. Wednesday: Mopping the floors, knocking out the carpet. We take out the last of the trash from the house. We prepare eggs and everything necessary for coloring them Thursday: Clean Thursday got its name from an ancient folk custom - on this day they swam in various bodies of water, cleansing themselves not only spiritually, but also physically. On this day, they put things in order in the house and do general cleaning. If you have a baby at home, you can schedule your first haircut to coincide with this day. Water on this day has healing powers - you need to take a swim. On Maundy Thursday we begin to prepare the festive table and paint eggs. In the morning we bake Easter cakes, in the evening we prepare Easter. Friday: Do not do household chores or bathe. It is forbidden to have fun or listen to music. You cannot eat anything, remembering Christ’s suffering. Saturday: If you didn't have time during the week, you can finish cleaning and coloring the eggs. On this day we prepare a festive table. Traditionally, on Saturday, colored eggs, Easter eggs and Easter pastries are brought to church to be blessed. Before leaving for work, holiday treats were placed on the table so that when they came home they could break their fast. https://namenu.ru/

What date is Maundy Thursday in 2020: traditions, signs, conspiracies

What date is Maundy Thursday in 2020: traditions, signs, conspiracies, what can and cannot be done.

Holy Week continues in full swing , which in 2020 will end on the night of May 1, when the main Christian holiday - Easter of Christ - will be celebrated.
Holy Week is the last and most strict week of Lent, when believers not only observe full fasting, but also prepare to celebrate Easter. It is important to remember traditions and customs, as well as comply with all current rules. Maundy Thursday 2020: traditions, conspiracies, what to do on this day.

A lot of traditions are associated with Maundy Thursday, which is also called Maundy Thursday. On this day, according to biblical tradition, Christians remember the Last Supper and Jesus Christ established the sacrament of the Eucharist (communion). Also on Maundy Thursday, they remember Christ’s washing of the disciples’ feet, his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane and the betrayal of Judas.

On Maundy Thursday, the liturgy of St. Basil the Great is served in churches, and the newly-consecrated myrrh is also consecrated, and the patriarch symbolically washes the feet of 12 priests at once.

On Maundy Thursday, everything related to cleaning, washing, and water and bathing in general has a symbolic meaning. According to ancient traditions, on this day, which in 2020 fell on April 28, the villagers woke up before sunrise, after which they washed and swam in open reservoirs. This was especially true in cases where Easter was late and the weather was good. It is believed that bathing on Maundy Thursday is akin to Epiphany - a person, as it were, washes away all sins and illnesses, and also stores up health for the whole year.

Maundy Thursday is associated with a large number of folk signs, conspiracies and customs that are rooted in the ancient past. The fact is that Passover is a Christian analogue of much more ancient celebrations associated with spring awakening, for which one should thoroughly prepare, having cleansed itself of winter dirt not only in the physical sense, but also in the spiritual manifestation.

There are several conspiracies that operate on Maundy Thursday . One of them is related to money. It is believed that on this day you need to count your money three times - in the morning before dawn, at lunch and at sunset. After this ritual, financial well-being should be restored in the house.

On Maundy Thursday they used to try not to take anything out of the house in anticipation of Easter. Along with this, there is another popular conspiracy that brings good income and family well-being. To do this, the guest threw coins into the water intended for washing the floor, and also said: “Money, keep going, don’t run out - grow and multiply, don’t get it from the enemy!”

Source: n4k.ru

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What do we do on Maundy Thursday?

The entire Holy Week (six days before Easter) is devoted to preparation for the Great Day itself. Clean Thursday washes away all the filth that has accumulated over the year in souls and homes. All household members. Including children, they clean the home, shake out carpets, wash windows, wipe dust on all surfaces, and clean out closets. On this day, most families collect old things and clothes and take them out of the house. Items that are unfit for further use are simply thrown away, and still-preserved but no longer needed clothing, toys, household items, and furniture are put out on the street. Poor people can take their clothes and belongings. Dying Easter eggs is another of the most common customs of Holy Week. Eggs are painted on Thursday, and according to tradition, this pleasant work is performed by children.

• What can you do on this day?
  All work related to cleaning, washing, clearing the house of debris and preparing the Easter meal is done on Thursday, three days before Easter. On Maundy Thursday you need to remove unnecessary things from the house, thus making room for everything new and clean.
• What can't you do 3 days before Easter?
  Lent continues, so celebrations, festivities and fun are excluded on this day.

When is Holy Week in 2020, you can find out here

What believers need to know about Maundy Thursday

But first things first. The further Holy Week goes, the more we are immersed in the events of the last days of Christ's earthly life. On Maundy Thursday the Church returns us to the Last Supper. An event that occurred before Christ was taken into custody. The Last Supper is the last supper, the meal of Christ with His disciples on the eve of His suffering on the cross. During the Divine Liturgy, four gospel events that occurred on Thursday are remembered. The first is Christ’s washing of the feet of His disciples before the Last Supper. This washing was a sign of Christ's deepest humility and His love for His disciples. During this same supper, as the Gospel says, “the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot” the idea of ​​betraying Christ. And Jesus, seeing the heart of the traitor, spoke about this at the evening, as if giving Judas the opportunity to stop. This gospel episode is also remembered at the liturgy of Maundy Thursday.

The third event is extremely important for every believer. The fact is that it was during the Last Supper that Christ established the Sacrament of the Eucharist. The Greek word "eucharist" means "thanksgiving." In Christianity, the Eucharist is the Sacrament of communion of the Body and Blood of Christ, the Sacrament of grace-filled (that is, perfect through the influence of grace), unity of the believer with God. Established by Christ during the Last Supper, the Sacrament is still performed in every church during every Divine Liturgy. Many believers try to receive communion during the liturgy of Maundy Thursday.

And finally, the fourth gospel event that is remembered during the liturgy on Maundy Thursday is the prayer of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus knew what was ahead of Him, “His soul was grieved to death,” and, as the Gospel says, He prayed “until he sweated blood.” This prayer of Christ is often called “the prayer of the cup,” because, calling on God the Father, Christ asked that, if possible, “this fate would pass from Him”: “Abba Father! All things are possible for You; pass this cup past Me,” but then he added words of complete humility before the future fate and the will of God the Father: “however, not as I want, but as You want.”

These four most important gospel events are remembered in churches on Maundy Thursday of Holy Week during the Divine Liturgy. And in honor of the fact that before the Last Supper Jesus washed the feet of His 12 disciples, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' performs the rite of washing the feet of 12 clergy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. On the evening of Maundy Thursday, twelve Gospel passages are read in churches, telling about the suffering of Christ's death on the cross, and the words of Christ on the cross, His crucifixion and burial are remembered.

According to a long-standing Orthodox tradition, during the reading of the twelve Gospels, believers stand in the temple with lit candles. And then, after the service, this light is brought home, and a cross smokes on the window frames and door jambs. This custom dates back to the Old Testament Passover. Believers who come to the temple on the evening of Maundy Thursday prepare in advance to bring the candle home unextinguished, placing it in a special lamp for this purpose.

It is no coincidence that Maundy Thursday is called Clean Thursday. On the one hand, this is a day of spiritual cleansing - it is on this day that everyone tries to confess and take communion, but on the other hand, this refers to the everyday side of our lives. It is on Maundy Thursday, between or after church services, that believers clean their houses, prepare Easter cakes and Easter cakes, and paint eggs for the Easter holiday.