You have found on the grave of a deceased relative something that looks like a magical lining: coins, candles, parcels, bags, a bottle, a handkerchief on a fence, or something else. What does this mean and how should we respond?
The lining on the grave is a fairly common thing. Alarming letters are constantly written to me about some finds found on the graves of deceased relatives. Here is a standard example: "Hello, Vladimir Petrovich! We were at the cemetery, and on a birch tree next to the grave of the father-in-law, they found a white cotton scarf tied in a knot (grandmothers like to wear such). Tell me, please, is this a cause for concern?"
There is no reason for the author of the letter to worry. If the appearance of this scarf on the grave was of witchcraft origin (and, for sure, it is), the grave was simply chosen, suitable for a number of signs (gender, name, age of the deceased, etc.). For example, in some magical ritual it could be said that after certain manipulations, a scarf tied to a knot should be left on the grave of a man with a name that matches the name of the object of witchcraft. Your father-in-law's grave met those criteria, that's all.
The vast majority of strange finds on the graves have just such an origin. With the help of cemetery magic, they induce and remove damage, make love spells and lapels, provoke or treat ailments, solve the problem of alcoholism, etc. But, in any case, such things usually have nothing to do with the relatives of the deceased, on whose grave a magical lining was found. The grave was simply chosen, suitable for some conditions of the ritual. For example, sometimes you need to do something on a grave located on the edge; on the grave where a man of such and such age is buried; on the grave where a woman with such and such a name is buried, etc. etc. In order for my readers to better understand the essence of such phenomena, I will give specific examples.
One of the methods of causing damage to epilepsy is as follows: the attacker takes a certain number of chicken eggs to the grave, where a person is buried who had the same name as the victim of damage. A special conspiracy is pronounced, then the eggs remain on the grave for a certain time. Subject to special rules, eggs are taken from the grave and later given as food to a person destined for spoilage. Soon the first epileptic seizure occurs with the unfortunate. When the disease enters the chronic phase, the attacks intensify precisely by the day of the month when the described cemetery manipulations were performed. At the same time, the attacker, of course, is not at all interested in the relatives of the person buried in that very grave.
One of the love rituals is performed in a somewhat similar way. A photograph of a beloved person refers to the grave where a person of close age who had the same name is buried. A series of manipulations are performed, special conspiracies are pronounced, and the victim of the love spell begins to experience mortal anguish without the object of his passion. If the relatives of the deceased "at the wrong time" visit his grave, they, of course, will find an extraneous photograph, remove it from the grave and, thus, this time frustrate the intruder's plan, but they themselves will not suffer.
It should be noted that rituals of various directions are performed in cemeteries, black magic knowledgeable people are not limited. Graves can be used in the treatment of various diseases (including the same epilepsy), to rid a person of alcohol addiction, to relieve love languor, etc. If you, having visited the grave of some of your relatives, suddenly find a bottle of vodka on it, this may mean that someone is being spoiled for alcoholism, or, conversely, they are trying to save someone from drunkenness.
Thus, if you find any foreign objects (coins, chicken eggs, photographs, etc.) on the grave where your relative was buried, you should not panic. Most likely, this witchcraft has nothing to do with you. Why do I write "probably"? The fact is that sometimes some kind of witchcraft pads on the graves are still addressed specifically to the relatives of the deceased. Such linings are usually found not at any arbitrary time, but on the eve of memorial day, celebrated a week after Easter (the so-called "Red Hill"). Or on some anniversary of death. That is, exactly when it is reasonable to expect relatives to visit the cemetery for cleaning or commemoration. For example, you can find chicken eggs, coins, or anything else that quantitatively matches the number of members of your family.
What should be done with such finds? Without touching the thing with bare hands (use gloves, a bag, paper), you just need to remove it from the grave. But remember that direct contact with these things is highly undesirable, so do not pick them up or step on them. If, nevertheless, you have the feeling that you "hooked on something", or you reasonably assume that the lining was addressed specifically to you and your family members, click on the button below and write me a letter.
If you need to contact me personally for any clarifications, consultations or in connection with the need to solve certain problems, click on the button and write me a letter:
Easter for Russians is one of the most beloved holidays, second only to the New Year in its popularity. On the Bright Sunday of Christ, almost everyone breaks the fast, takes Christ and eats Easter cakes - regardless of how strictly a person observed all the Orthodox canons preceding this day, and whether they observed them at all. According to Secretary of the Kursk Diocesan Administration Father Oleg Chebanov, the reason for such popular love lies in the fact that "there are things that we understand with the mind, but there are those that we reach with the heart." “It is no coincidence that Easter is called the Feast of Feasts and the Triumph of Triumphs. In spirit, we always strive upward - to God, therefore, in the soul, any person feels that Easter is the most main holiday, evidence of the victory of life over death,” said the priest.
True, opinions on how to properly celebrate this holiday differ greatly. Some, for example, argue that on this day you should never go to the cemetery, while others - every year, despite all these conversations, they go there. Someone believes that only those who fasted can break the fast on Easter morning. Others, not observing fasting, nevertheless arrange real feasts. So what can and cannot be done on Easter? Father Oleg Chebanov told about this.
Is it necessary to visit the cemetery on Easter?
Here it is necessary to turn to history. For almost a millennium, our country has lived in complete harmony between the Church and the state, and the Church has always had Orthodox person special meaning. After the October Revolution, these ties, unfortunately, were destroyed. They tried to roll up the church in asphalt, at Christmas, Easter, entire police cordons were put up to prevent people from getting into the church. But the point is that any Orthodox Christian, praying for health, prays for the repose of the dead. Since ancient times, there has been a tradition in Russia: when coming to a cemetery, where there was always a cemetery church, a person turned to a priest who came to the grave and served lithium.
But in Soviet years people went to the cemetery on Holy Sunday of Christ, knowing full well that if they were forbidden to go to the temple and perform divine services there, then no one could forbid them to go to the cemetery. Therefore, a huge number of people went to the cemetery that day. This tradition is wrong, although it is not worth condemning people who follow it. You just need to remember that the Easter holiday is the triumph of life over death, so the whole Easter week should be rejoicing, not mourning. In the temples these days there are no funeral services and requiem services at all. This period, in its emotional mood, corresponds to life and joy about life, rather than sadness about the death of a loved one.
Moreover, the Saturdays of the second, third and fourth weeks of Lent are the so-called parental Saturdays, when the dead are commemorated. If a person lives according to the church charter, he knows all these things, and therefore does everything right - in parent Saturday commemorates the dead, on Easter - rejoices in life.
Do I need to carry food to the cemetery - eggs, Easter cake, etc.?
This is completely redundant. We still commemorate the deceased with prayer, and the place of remembrance should not be a cemetery, but a house where relatives and friends of the deceased gather. Going to the cemetery and arranging various riotous feasts there is a pagan tradition and it has been preserved mainly in the villages, there is practically no such thing in the city. Moreover, after an egg or Easter cake is crushed on the grave, it becomes a haven for flocks of crows, often dogs. It's completely useless.
Should everyone break the fast at Easter?
Still, the one who started talking should still talk. In a spiritual sense, what is fasting? This is the preparation of the soul for the experience of the passions of Christ and the preparation for the meeting of the risen Christ. How do we prepare to welcome some precious guest? We try to put things in order in the house, prepare a magnificent, solemn meal, put ourselves in order, But it turns out that if I didn’t talk too much and didn’t keep the fast, then a great, precious guest comes to me, and I have a dirty rag under the threshold, the remains of food where - something in the kitchen, the bed is not made. And then what is the point of meeting this guest and how then to break the fast if we did not observe this fast. How family tradition- breaking the fast of those who do not fast takes place, but in the spiritual sense it is pure profanity. Without fasting, there is no point in breaking the fast.
How and at what time should you break the fast?
You can break the fast on Sunday, only after the end of the festive service. It usually ends at 3-4 am. But Easter is an unusual day, so getting up at 7 in the morning is not necessary at all. When all family members wake up, put themselves in order - you can sit down for festive table. And it's not scary if this happens, for example, at 11 o'clock in the morning.
As for how this should be done, the Church does not prescribe a clear sequence of actions.
What products for Easter can be consecrated in the church?
In general, what we started talking about in a post, so we should break our fast. Therefore, in the church it is possible to illuminate “thickened milk”, that is, cottage cheese, cheese, meat products, fat, eggs. Sometimes parishioners bring salt for lighting - but the Bible does not say anything about this. And of course, the obligatory product is Easter cake.
Does Easter cake have to be prepared according to some special recipe?
Kulich is a festive Easter bread, it should be more solemn, magnificent, expensive compared to the bread that we usually eat. However, the recipe can be very different - as they say, for an amateur. At the same time, one should not focus too much on the recipe: food should not distract from the most important thing - prayer.
Easter egg does it have to be red?
The tradition of red Easter eggs is associated with the legend of Mary Magdalene. According to legend, when Mary came to the emperor Tiberius and announced the Resurrection of Christ, the emperor said that it was as impossible as egg was red. And after these words, the chicken egg that he was holding turned red.
Of course, in more the red color should prevail, because on the one hand, it is the color of triumph (even the vestments of the priests during the Easter service are red), and on the other hand, it is the color of the martyrdom of Christ. However, today people have a huge choice - you can paint an egg in almost any color you like. The Church does not allow it.
Another issue is the various stickers that are now also offered as decorations for Easter eggs. If they depict, for example, a chicken, flowers, even the letters "ХВ" - this is allowed, but if the face of Christ, the Virgin, other saints - this is already unacceptable. After all, after we clean the egg, these stickers with faces, along with the shell, will go to the trash can.
Shouldn't the leftovers of consecrated Easter food be thrown away?
It is better, of course, not to do this - after all, drops of holy water fall on the products. You can, for example, collect leftover food - shells, sausage skins, etc. - and bury them somewhere at the end of the week.
At Easter, everyone must greet each other with the phrase “Christ is Risen!” and exchange eggs?
Christening is a ritual in the church Easter service and the congratulation of believers to each other on the Easter holiday, in which one says "Christ is risen", and the other answers - "Truly risen". According to church tradition, the custom of such a greeting goes back to the apostles, who, when they met, told each other the good news.
Easter greetings were by no means limited to christening in church. The words "Christ is Risen!" and the answer to them with kisses and the mutual gifting of colored eggs was the usual greeting to each guest throughout the entire Easter week. However, kissing should only be with people of the same sex.
There is a tradition - to beat Easter eggs against each other. Is this not sacrilege?
No. In order to eat an egg, it must be broken in any case. So break, eat and rejoice in the resurrection of the Savior! The Church does not allow it.
Central Federal District, Kursk (Kursk region)
Search line: Easter cakeRecords found: 19
Hello, father! I am addressing you with a question that, I think, many have already addressed more than once: 1. Is it possible to eat consecrated Easter cake and eggs not on an empty stomach? Is it possible to throw egg shells and crumbs from consecrated Easter cake and eggs into ordinary garbage? Forgive me, I just want to sort it out once and for all. Save you Lord!
Alexei
Alexey, consecrated Easter cakes and eggs can be eaten at any time, it is not at all necessary to do this on an empty stomach. Leftovers from these products can be thrown into the regular trash.
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
Bless, father. I have this question. My work colleague is Muslim. When I said that I was going to the Epiphany service and for holy water, she asked me to bring water to her as well. I asked her: "What are you going to do with her?" She says, "Drink." I tell her it's not mineral water to drink just like that. Such water must be drunk with faith, crossed. Because she won't do that. She said, "So what. God is one." I, of course, brought her water. But it torments me that I dared to prove something to her. Maybe you should have just given her water without getting into a discussion? Or was it not necessary to give water at all? Understand me, please.
Love
Hello Love. You did everything right. And on Easter treat her with Easter cake. Just remember that all conversations in such cases should be friendly. And if that doesn't work, then keep quiet.
Priest Alexander Beloslyudov
Hello, father! Tell me, please, what to do if the Easter consecrated Easter cake is moldy?
Elena
Elena, usually in such cases they bury the Easter cake in the ground, in a place that is not trampled down (where people do not go), or you can throw this Easter cake into the river.
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
CHRIST IS RISEN! I don't know if I did the right thing. My neighbor asked me to take her Easter cakes to the consecration, she is reluctant to stand, she says, I can’t stand it, her legs hurt. Drinks often. And I told her that it was better than herself, and that what I would consecrate to her is like a dead poultice, only to calm her conscience, and not to save her. I would take it, of course, if she was really weak and sick. And then I thought, maybe I refused in vain, what do you think?
Svetlana
Svetlana, if you had not refused, you would have done a very good deed, and this is very useful and good for the soul. Do not refuse good deeds, they ennoble the soul. And your neighbor over time, perhaps, will gather strength and go to the service herself, but this moment You could make sure that she was not deprived of grace on the feast day.
hegumen Nikon (Golovko)
Hello, father! Tell me, please, when can I bake Easter on Thursday? I heard that in Good Friday you can’t bake, but on Thursday and Saturday you can. Is it so? Tell me please. Thank you.
Nataliya
Natalia, the entire Passion Week is preparing us for the Great Feast of Easter. We prepare not only spiritually, but also physically. Easter cakes can be baked from Monday of Passion Week. After all, for example, in monasteries and in production there are large volumes of baking, and in two or three days they will not have time to provide everyone. At home - yes, they start baking from Thursday, because the volumes are small, and therefore there is no need to bake earlier, and eggs are also dyed closer to Easter, starting from Thursday. You don’t particularly focus on this, start baking as you like, you can from Great Monday.
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
Hello! Please advise me: since last Easter, the shells from consecrated eggs, crumbs from Easter cakes and molds in what they were baked remained in my house, as far as I know, you can’t throw it away, but I don’t know what to do, can you tell me? Thank you in advance,
Kristina
Christina, we always burn or bury consecrated objects or things that have become unusable, or bury them in the ground. If you have a dacha, then in the dacha in the stove you can burn it all or bury it under a tree. Also, spoiled consecrated products can be thrown into the river.
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
Hello! How should Easter be celebrated if dad died 5 months ago? Is it possible to bake Easter and paint eggs? How and when to go to the cemetery? Thank you.
Elena
Hello, Elena! It is possible and necessary to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, bake Easter cakes and paint eggs. After all, Easter is a Feast of feasts for both the living and the dead. And it will be possible to pray for the pope at the funeral service and go to the cemetery on Radonitsa, May 14.
Priest Vladimir Shlykov
Hello, father! My birthday is May 4, falls on Good Saturday, they say that you can’t celebrate! What do i do?
Catherine
Ekaterina, why should you celebrate your birthday in Great Saturday, this is strict post when you can not eat almost anything, only strictly fast food. On this day, the church sings "Let all human flesh be silent," that is, one cannot celebrate a birthday on this day. This is the day of preparation for the Great Feast of Holy Pascha. We consecrate Easter cakes, eggs. The best thing is to celebrate your birthday on Easter, May 5th. You will have a doubly holiday, and do not sin before God. On Easter, you can have any products, and have fun, and celebrate in the restaurant.
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
Is it permissible for an Orthodox to eat something sweet or tasty, such as ordering pizza or buying ice cream, or is it sensuality?
Anna
Hello Anna.
As you know, the most delicious food is cooked in Orthodox monasteries. Bread prepared with prayer even in fasting resembles Easter cake. So there is nothing wrong with a hungry person refreshing himself with delicious, skillfully prepared food.
However, without feeling hungry, you should not get carried away taste sensations otherwise you may fall into the sin of gluttony.
Help God.
Priest Sergiy Osipov
Bless, father. I came to God in adulthood, although I was baptized as a child. I well remember my first conscious visit to the temple for a service, and not to light a candle or dedicate Easter cakes. I didn't last half an hour. When I realized that I would just faint, I left the temple. He sat down, caught his breath, and went again. And... went out again. And so three times. Thank God that after that first experience I did not give up, but decided to force myself, no matter what it cost me. And so, step by step, overcoming reluctance, physical discomfort, laziness, I, with God's help, overcame this difficult period of churching. My teenage son is going through the same thing right now. I did not force or drag him to the temple. I decided that the best sermon for him would be the way of life that I chose, and not my exhortations. You can imagine my joy when he himself wanted to go to the temple. And here it is. I understand that he needs to go through this period, especially since he has not yet gone to confession and received communion. He says he's not ready yet. I do not rush and do not insist, I am afraid to destroy this sprout that has sprouted in his soul. I gave him all the necessary literature, I help with advice and pray for him. But even then, in my case, and with him now, my question remained unanswered. Why do new believers experience such discomfort during the period of churching, why does a healthy, physically strong guy who goes in for sports leave the church after fifteen minutes of being in the service, because he is simply in a semi-conscious state, that this is the enemy’s work or the impact of the grace of God, which (as says in a prayer before reading the Gospel) burns, cleanses, sanctifies the whole person? And how to help him not to fall away during this period, not to give up on everything, but to endure and go through this path? Save you Lord.
Oleg
Oleg, unfortunately, after our era of Soviet atheism, the fact that our compatriots fall into a semi-conscious state in the temple has become a sad norm. This is in its purest form a demonic influence, or rather, "retribution" for our turning to God. Tell him that this is not scary, let him not be afraid. And let him fight - after all, he is a fighter, like any man. The demon will not survive this fight and will run away.
A friend of mine also experienced similar temptations and constantly left the temple. But one day he set himself up like this: "Why am I going to run like this? Let it be, what will be, but I will not leave my place in the temple!" And so he stood and prayed. Yes, the demon did not leave him, and he experienced an attack of faintness, and even almost fainted, but did not leave his seat, and - this was the last time, he won.
hegumen Nikon (Golovko)
Hello! Tell me, please, what to do with the shell of the consecrated eggs and the paper that covered the cake?
Nina
AT countryside you can just burn the shell and paper. And in city churches there are special boxes for this. It is better for you to clarify in your temple how it is customary to deal with shells, paper, candle ends specifically at your parish.
Archpriest Andrey Efanov
Hello, the servant of God Anastasia writes to you, this month I turn 24 years old. I myself am from Ukraine, but I have been living in Spain for 12 years. I am writing to you because I no longer know who to turn to and from whom to receive useful advice or just kind words. Last year I visited the Intercession Monastery in Moscow for the first time, I was at the holy relics of the Blessed Matronushka. I knew about her before, in my childhood my grandmother gave me a pamphlet about her life and about great power her prayers. When I went with my godmother to the monastery, she told me that if you pray sincerely to Matronushka, she helps in many ways. At that time, my mother was in a severe depression, she was treated with pills. I thought that it was probably worth asking for my mother and, in general, for my family, for my loved ones. But I also had a personal request to Matronushka, I really liked one guy. His name is Maxim, he himself is a pediatrician from Moscow, but he happens to be in Spain, his mother lives here, his sister and our mutual friends . So, through mutual friends, I met him. In general, I asked Matronushka to pray for us, so that everything would work out with him. It was in April. We corresponded a lot on the Internet, and in August he finally arrived. We spent a lot of time together, I was in seventh heaven with happiness. Soon he nevertheless told me that he liked me, and everything worked out for us, although we stayed together for only a week, then he left for Moscow. I was very grateful to Matronushka that she heard me and helped in all requests, my mother also no longer complained about her health. Months passed, we communicated with Maxim via the Internet, called back and kept in touch in every possible way. But already in December, I felt that he did not miss me, did not write the same way as I did to him. We never told each other that we love. But I already felt it in my heart. I always asked him about his family and friends, he told me about his problems. I became very related to him. And when I felt this cold from him, I thought that now, he will come, and everything will fall into place. Because communication on the Internet is, of course, not at all the same as in reality. At the end of January, our communication completely came to naught, I knew practically nothing about him. I even tried to attract his attention, inventing various problems for myself, so that he would listen to me and worry about me. In February, on Valentine's Day, of course, I wrote him a congratulatory letter, he did not answer me. Of course, I was offended, and then he told me that we need to meet. He was already in Spain, and we met, I already felt at that moment that things were going to part. He told me that he wanted to clarify our relationship and expressed everything, said that the distance tormented him and he did not like it. But I understood that, probably, someone appeared with him, and I asked him about it. He answered me honestly and admitted that he had another girlfriend. At that moment, when we were talking, everything was like a blur for me, I probably didn’t even understand that it was real. I thought it was all a dream and I was about to wake up. In this incomprehensible state to me, I even told him that all this was logical, that we had no feelings. I guess I just wanted the breakup to be easy for him so he wouldn't think I was in love. At the end of our meeting, we even laughed and talked about the next meeting. In general, from this conversation I also learned that he was seriously ill. Suffering from epilepsy. I felt terribly sorry for him. I have seen all the horrors of this disease in my life. When I came home, when I realized that all this had really happened to me, that I was no longer with him, I felt so bad in my soul as it had never been before. I didn’t even have anyone to talk to at that time, because my parents were on trips. In the morning I talked with my loved ones, told about everything. My aunt even told me that, probably, it was God who took me away from such a person, such a patient. At that moment, I even thought that she was right. But after a while, I realized that I, as a believer, can never think like that, and I realized that I love him even with such a serious illness. I sincerely began to pray for him, for his family and his healing. On Forgiveness Sunday, he wrote to me and asked for forgiveness for everything he had done to me. I forgave him. But all the pain I still did not go away, I suffered a lot. Then I thought that, probably, God is punishing me in this way for something, and I began to prepare for Easter. I have read many articles about communion and confession. I wanted to confess and take communion, to repent for all my sins. She kept fasting and tried to remember all her sins, not to hide anything from the Lord. For Easter, I went to our Orthodox Church of the Archangel Michael, here in Spain. Before the service, she prayed for all her loved ones, lit candles for everyone who asked and for whom she wanted. I prayed at the icon of Matronushka. After confession before the service. She defended the entire service, consecrated Easter cakes. In fact, it became easier for me after visiting the temple, we even began to communicate with him again, but all my grief for him did not go away. And for a month now I continue to pray for him to God, I pray for him and for his entire family, even for his current girlfriend. I ask the Lord and the saints for help, I ask for his healing and return to me, if that is the Will of God. I read prayers every day and every night. When memories begin to oppress me, I say prayers, but nothing helps me. I understand that I love him very much, that my love is sincere and real. For all my pain, I have never wished him harm and even called him a bad word. Many months have passed, and this heartache and loss does not let go of me. There is still hope in my heart that I can be with him. Now I'm already asking God to help me forget about him, to send me another person. I read the girl's prayers for marriage every day. I understand that it is bad to write to you about this, but thoughts of death already visit me. It just seems to me that this is the only way I can get rid of these mental anguish. I just can't live like this anymore. I have exams for entering the University very soon, and I can’t even concentrate on anything. I read a lot of books and literature, including the lives of the saints, in order to somehow facilitate my existence, so as not to think about it. I cry every day, and I don’t even know how to stop and calm down. In any place, such sadness finds me that I am simply torn in hysterics. My health on all this ground was also shaken, I lost a lot of weight and, due to a lack of vitamins, my teeth began to deteriorate. They said it was all due to stress. Can you please tell me if I'm doing something wrong? Maybe I don’t pray like that, or I ask God too much? Maybe I'm bothering him with my petitions? I no longer know what to think about ... I know that God does not do everything so quickly, which does not help immediately, and you need to be constant in your prayers. But I no longer have the strength. What should I do? What is the right way to ask? Should I hope and believe that I will still be fine with him? I want to go to St. Petersburg this summer, I read that Saint Xenia also helps in such cases. Help me as much as you can, I beg you. Thank you.
Anastasia
It is difficult to say, dear Anastasia, why it all turned out this way. The reasons may be different, but you need to forget your lover. The Lord will certainly help you, if only you do not interfere with Him by constant thoughts about what has not come true. You are young and have not yet experienced many difficulties in life, and the first hardships knocked you down. Strive to visit the temple more often, remember that the Lord cares about you and that all difficulties will soon pass. You are already at the perfect age, and you are still learning. Isn't it time to work, to benefit people? This, of course, does not exclude further education, but still it is time not only to receive, but also to give. And it is useful to visit the relics of Blessed Xenia, but at the same time you should not leave daily prayers. Help you Lord!
Archpriest Andrey Efanov
Christ is Risen! Everywhere the Bible is translated differently, so sometimes it happens that I don’t know how to understand. On Easter, when she went to sanctify Easter cake, they handed out postcards with the image of Christ, and on the back of the commandments of God. I read the second commandment, as for the first time, and a stupor sets in. Further, I found from N. Serbsky: "The second commandment" Do not make yourself an idol and no image; do not worship them and do not serve them. This means: do not deify the creation, do not revere it as the Creator. If you climbed a high mountain and met the Lord God there, why do you look back at the shallow marsh growth at the foot of the mountain? If a person wanted to see the tsar and, after long efforts, achieved a meeting with him, will he look around at this meeting and look at the tsar's servants and lackeys to the right and left? He can behave like this only in two cases: either he cannot bear the presence of the king and seeks support from those around him; or sees that the king is unable to help him, and is looking for a stronger patron. "I read a lot of explanations about the icons, but they are all ornate, unconvincing. Not a single one sounded like this:" yes, yes, no, no. "From some Since then it has become important for me to fall to the crucifixion in church, and hugging His legs, to be alone for a while. And now what to do? I am afraid to pray to the icons, so as not to belittle God, not to offend.
Tatiana
Truly, Christ is Risen! It is precisely in order not to fall into the sin of idolatry that the Church distinguishes between itself "worship", which only God is worthy of, and "reverence", which can also extend to the images of God. What is the difference? So, when you stand in front of the Crucifixion, you prayerfully turn not to the wood and paints, but to the One Who is depicted by paints on the tree. Thus you worship Christ Himself and honor His image. Paganism, against which this commandment is directed, pays divine honors to the image itself, which is a false manifestation of religiosity, and therefore a sin.
Deacon Elijah Kokin
Hello! Tell me, please, why didn't the priest sprinkle me with holy water when we went to church to bless Easter cakes and eggs before Easter? He sprinkled our Easter cakes, sprinkled my son, but not me.
Anna
Priests on Strastnaya and bright weeks serve in the mode of maximum return, and the priest could simply forget to sprinkle you with holy water due to fatigue. There is nothing terrible in this, because you came to consecrate the Easter meal, which was done. It is important to sanctify your soul with prayer, confession, communion, and you can sprinkle yourself with holy water.
Archpriest Andrey Efanov
Colleagues-Catholics on Holy Monday were treated to Easter cake and eggs at work. They already have a holiday, but we have Lent. I didn’t eat, then I fed it to the pigeons. What if they were consecrated? In the evening I read at home how to one of those who did not eat when everyone was at the meal, but they served him separately, the elder said that it would be better for him if he ate meat. On the one hand, I could not eat, on the other hand, for some reason, my soul was restless. What was the right thing to do in order not to allow blasphemy, not to violate the will of God, not to offend a person?
Olga
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It is not necessary to offend a person by refusing to share a quick meal with him, even if you are fasting at the moment. On the other hand, it’s hard for me to believe that a believing Catholic will be offended if you say to him: “You know, but we still have Holy Week and strict fasting. What can be wrong here? It seems to me that it would be more correct to politely refuse than to take food that you are not going to eat. It’s one thing for a monastery, where, contrary to the general charter, you take on your own post, and it’s a completely different thing when you, albeit in the circle of non-believers, keep the post established by the Church.
Priest Alexander Gumerov
Hello! Tell me, please, where can I put the shells from the consecrated eggs and the crumbs from the Easter cake?
Elena
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To an unassailable place - that is, to a clean place, closed from walking over it with feet - for example, throw it into a river or bury it in the ground in a forest or somewhere in nature.
Deacon Elijah Kokin
Hello! They say that if someone in the family died shortly before Easter, then you can’t bake Easter cakes and paint eggs on Easter? Is it true? Thank you in advance!
Olga
Of course it isn't! Easter is the celebration of the triumph of victory over death, realized in Christ, thanks to His Bright Resurrection. And, as said in Holy Scripture, "God is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living" (Mark 12:27). Therefore, the opinion that you cite is pagan superstition, and not Christianity. Christians, I repeat, on Easter celebrate victory over death, regardless of whether one of their loved ones died at that time or not.
Approaching Holy holiday EASTER. Several times, by the will of God, I happened to celebrate Easter in Ukraine (the churches of the Moscow Patriarchate). There, the order of the Easter service is approximately as follows: on Saturday, Easter eggs and Easter cakes are not consecrated in the church. At night, on Saturday, usually at 23:00, the all-night service begins. All-night services on Easter night end at different temples at different times, but usually at 3-4 in the morning. And at the end of the All-Night Vigil, the priests bless Easter and everything that was brought from home. After the vigil, early in the morning, everyone who spent that night (and morning!) in the church rush to their families with candles and consecrated food. Thus passes the sacred Easter night in Ukraine, during which people stay awake and rejoice in churches until the morning, and at dawn (about 5 am), returning home, they joyfully greet each other on Easter: “Christ is Risen!” Father, please answer the QUESTION: why in all Moscow churches (and the Moscow region) at about 2 o'clock in the morning the all-night service ends, the DOORS CLOSE, everything calms down until 9 in the morning ?! After all, this is wrong ... How is it possible to close churches until the morning and sleep on Easter ?! I note that the "standard answer": "because there are a lot of people" - is not correct. There are also many people in Kyiv, but the temples are open all night and all morning. Thank you.
Michael
There are also different practices in Moscow churches. Usually, they try to finish the service by 2 o'clock so that people can get home by metro. In our temple, parishioners are offered tea and cakes, and those who wish more for a long time remain in the church, and already at 7 in the morning an early Liturgy is served, then at 9.30 a late one. So in Moscow it happens in different ways and very often depends on the wishes of the parishioners of a particular church.
1. Why worship and pray to icons, when the Lord himself forbade any worship of the works of human hands, "for it is written: worship the Lord your God and serve Him alone." (Matthew 4:10) 2. Brothers, if you are brothers, what are you teaching here, what Forerunner? Why do you distort the Word of the Living God, the Bible is one, John the Baptist was because he baptized Jesus Christ, and he was also the son of Zechariah. Question: Why Forerunner? And where in the Bible does it say that Elizabeth's jubilation is prayer? (Luke 1:42) But in Luke 1:46-55 it looks more like a prayer. In general, Jesus commanded to pray like this - Matthew 6:9-13. Why are you leading people away from God? God - He is alive and he is not in the icons. Jesus is always with each of us, and He always loves us. Why have I never heard this in an Orthodox church that Jesus Christ died in my place, redeemed me, saved me, loves me and gave me eternal life. You called yourself Orthodox Chritians, so have this right to glorify Christ so that your glorification is pleasing to the Lord! After all, you know so much, and, for sure, you know what the Lord did with those who worshiped idols, why do you bring God's wrath on yourself and on people? And why do you have to bake paska and paint eggs on Easter? For some reason, the Bible doesn't say anything about it. So if the Lord didn't command to do it, why do it? And why does no one anticipate that later celebrations with beer and vodka will obviously not lead to anything good? In general, the Lord said that drunkards will not inherit the Kingdom of God. I wonder if anyone can answer me??? God bless you! 3. Honestly, it would be better if you just printed the Bible.
Inna
Dear Inna (apparently, all three questions were asked by the same person), I am more than sure that your questions did not arise by themselves - you read the Bible from beginning to end, then went to an Orthodox church and began to be surprised at the inconsistency of one with the other - no. Most likely you belong to one of the so-called. "evangelical" churches, where these "inconsistencies" were pointed out to you, i.e. You are the bearer of a certain tradition, and this in itself excludes the objectivity of judgments. Any Christian tradition presupposes a certain method of interpreting the Bible, so why should one give preference to the interpretations of some modern American preacher and neglect the interpretations of the disciples of the holy apostles (St. Polycarp of Smyrna or Ignatius the God-bearer)? Now, in order: 1. Orthodox do not "worship" icons, but "venerate" them, worshiping the Archetype through the image. The icon is not an idol, because an idol is an image of a false deity, and an icon depicts True God. This turned out to be possible due to the fact that God became a man, so the Old Testament commandment is no longer applicable here. The icon is the space of a grace-filled meeting of a person with God and the saints, this meeting is also evidenced by personal prayer experience. Orthodox people, and numerous miracles performed from icons. 2. The word “Forerunner” is Church Slavonic, and in Church Slavonic “flow” also means “procession”, i.e. The forerunner is the forerunner of the Savior, because it is said about him: “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways” (Luke 1:76). 3. An excerpt from the Gospel of Luke (1:46-55) is indeed used in Orthodox worship - at Matins, but the words spoken by Elizabeth (Luke 1:42) were uttered by a person in a state of grace-filled rapture, so they were included in one of the most famous prayers addressed to the Mother of God - "Virgin Mary". 4. The custom of cooking Easter cakes and coloring eggs for Easter is not obligatory for believers, this is not a Sacrament. It's just folk tradition, consecrated by the Church, and it is a pity for those people who consider themselves Orthodox only because once a year they appear in the temple to consecrate Easter cakes. 5. The text of the Bible is posted on our website (thanks for the advice). 6. Now regarding the love of Christ and Orthodox preaching. The fact that you did not hear about this in an Orthodox church only indicates that you rarely appear there - this is indeed the central point of our faith. Moreover, a true disciple of Christ is distinguished by the fact that he not only speaks of love, but, above all, does deeds of love: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another; as I have loved you, [so] let you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). The Lord vouchsafed me to meet in the Church people who radiate this love of Christ. I don't know if you can say the same about your community, but to be honest, the tone of your letters is rather acrimonious, which devalues your argument. Help you Lord.
Elena asks:
Is it possible to carry illuminated products (Kulich, eggs, cottage cheese) to the cemetery?
Archpriest Andrei Korneev answers:
Hello, Elena.
It is impossible to wear consecrated products - Easter cake, eggs, cottage cheese, in the cemetery. This is done out of ignorance, like many other superstitions. We can say that this is a kind of "burp" of paganism - the dense faith of our distant ancestors, even worse. BUT worse so that then they simply wore food for their dead, and now they also wear consecrated ones, just some kind of blasphemy.
Christ is Risen!
Alexander asks:
Hello, please tell me why the Easter holiday is not tied to the church calendar? According to my thoughts, if the date of the birth of Christ is known, then the date of the resurrection should also be known?
Archpriest Andrei Korneev answers:
WHY EASTER IS A CARRYING HOLIDAY
The feast of Easter or the Bright Resurrection of Christ is a moving holiday church calendar. This feature of the holiday is determined by the fact that it is tied to the extremely complex solar-lunar calendar adopted by the Jews. The Resurrection of Christ took place in the days when the Jews celebrated their Jewish Passover, which they had a memory of the Exodus from Egypt. The Jewish holiday of Passover is not a movable holiday in the Jewish calendar. It was always celebrated from the 14th to the 21st day of the month of Nisan. Nisan 14 in the Jewish solar-lunar calendar, in the very meaning of this calendar, was the first full moon after the day of the vernal equinox. In the era of the earthly life of Jesus Christ, the day of the vernal equinox fell on March 21 according to the Julian (named after Julius Caesar) calendar. Therefore, the Jewish holiday Passover in the system julian calendar became transient; it fell on the first full moon after March 21, and Christian Easter was celebrated on the first Sunday after that day. (If March 21 coincided with the full moon and Sunday, then Christian Easter was celebrated a week later, on March 28.)
The first full moon after the vernal equinox may fall between March 21 and April 18. If the full moon on April 18 falls on a Sunday, then Christian Easter is celebrated a week later on Sunday April 25, since the sequence of events in biblical history requires that the Resurrection of Christ be celebrated later than the first day of Jewish Passover.
In this way, Orthodox holiday Easter can be celebrated on any day from April 4 to May 8 inclusive according to the new style.
However, the alternation of dates on which Orthodox Easter is celebrated, within this interval, is subject to difficult rules related to the complexity of coordinating the solar and lunar year. The minimum period of time in which the dates of the Easter holiday occupy all possible positions is 532 years. This huge period of time is called the Great Indiction. After the Great Indiction, the dates of Easter begin to alternate in the same order. Therefore, it is enough to have one calculated Paschal for a period of 532 years, after which everything will be repeated.
The period from April 4 to May 8 determines the Easter holiday in the Orthodox Church. The Roman Catholic Church and most Protestant denominations calculate Easter, focusing on the date of the vernal equinox on March 21 Gregorian calendar(new style). This starting point in Easter calculations gives completely different dates for the Easter holiday. Therefore, Easter for Roman Catholics and Protestants of the West occurs in the time interval from March 22 to April 25 according to the Gregorian calendar. In rare cases, it coincides with Orthodox Easter. Since the Jews, unlike Western Christians, have not changed their historical calendar, their Nisan 14 is still counted from the vernal equinox on March 21 in the Julian (April 3 in the Gregorian) calendar. In this way, Catholic Easter in some years it may coincide with the Jewish one and even precede it, which contradicts the sequence of events in the earthly life of Jesus Christ.
Editing and selection of material Anna Ushatskaya
according to www.pravoslavie.ru
On my own behalf, I’ll add a sincere wish - to think less on your own, and more to seek out and read information on a particular topic from competent sources. The most important source is our Church, its teaching about salvation, the patristic heritage, and, of course, our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, our Divine Teacher. His disciples called him that - Rabbi, which in Aramaic means - Teacher. If we take on faith the doctrine taught to us in a general education school, when we are told that 2x2 will be 4 and not 5 and a half, we believe in the same way we believe in other theories communicated to us and do not doubt that this is exactly so, and not otherwise. But for some reason, in the "School of Salvation" of our souls - the Church of Christ, we are quite often overcome by doubts and manifestations of skepticism, why, or rather, from whom? All these are brothers from the evil one. The problem is that, due to our lack of spirituality, we are no longer able to distinguish between spirits, we are not able to reason where this or that thought came from. It seems to us that this is mine, it was born in my head, which means that this idea or thought is worthy of existence, because I am not a "pound of raisins", but a very worthy person. This is where we sometimes make mistakes, and take thoughts from the evil one for our own, dear ones. This is how doubts, lack of faith and unbelief are born, this is how all kinds of heresies and false teachings are born, Lord protect us from this.
God bless you, Christ is Risen!
Tatiana asks:
Christ is risen Father Andrei. And a consecrated egg is laid on the icons. God save you.
Archpriest Andrei Korneev answers:
Hello, Tatyana.
Consecrated eggs are not laid on icons, or on graves, or anywhere else. The only thing you can do with a consecrated egg is to peel it from a beautiful skin, put it in your mouth and eat it with pleasure.
Save you Lord. Truly, Christ is Risen!
Elena asks:
Hello Father! Can you please tell me what to do with worn-out gaitanchiks? Did they tell me in the temple that I should burn it?
Archpriest Andrei Korneev answers:
Hello, Elena.
Yes, indeed, you can burn it, or you can just throw it into a bucket of garbage, the gatanchik is not a sacred object, it's just a rope.
Save you Lord.
Tatiana asks:
Hello father Andrei. I read a lot of literature about going to the cemetery on Easter. But I didn’t find an answer anywhere whether it’s a sin to go there on this day. God save you.
Archpriest Andrei Korneev answers:
Hello, Tatyana.
Sin is that which is harmful to man, to his soul and body. Going to the cemetery on the day of Holy Pascha of the Lord is not a sin, it is rather the ignorance or ignorance of our contemporary people, who by some misunderstanding were baptized in childhood, but do not know Christ, do not want to know His Church. I can assume that this tradition was founded by rather pious people, sincerely believing and loving the Lord, our great-grandparents. At a time when almost all the churches were destroyed, and the rest were used for other purposes, where else could people pray for Easter? Of course, in the cemetery, at the Orthodox grave crosses. These pious prayer books have gone from earthly life into eternity, piety has gone with them, prayer has gone, and only tradition has remained. And now the strings of "Orthodox Christians" who have slept enough are going early in the morning to their native graveyards to meet, chat, "remember" to drink and eat, someone will not forget to splash on the grave. But it would be necessary to spend this Saving and Life-affirming Holidays not at the grave ashes, but in Orthodox church, it would be necessary not to bow to the earth, but to ascend to the Mountain, that is, to Heaven and glorify the risen Lord. The Church sings in the Paschal chant; “Now the whole world is filled with Light, Heaven and earth and the underworld, the whole World rejoices,” which means that everyone rejoices on this day, even those who have never met Christ in their earthly life, had nothing to do with His Church. And if now there, in the other world, on this day they experience joy about the resurrected Savior of the World, then relatives who come to visit their graves will hardly be able to tear them away from this happiness and draw their attention to themselves. It turns out that people go to the cemetery, and no one is waiting there at all. Of course, all this is some kind of allegory, and what is really there that our stupidity cannot comprehend in its entirety. Nevertheless, we can reason on the basis of the teachings of the Holy Fathers. According to the charter of the Church, the first visit to the cemetery can only be made on Radonitsa, on Tuesday of the week of St. Thomas, that's when they "wait" for us there and hear our prayers and share our joy for the resurrected Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Save you Lord.
Tatiana asks:
Hello father Andrei. Swim until dawn in Maundy Thursday this is a superstition. Do they carry willows and eggs in the cemetery. My grandmothers teach me everything here. God save you.
Archpriest Andrei Korneev answers:
Hello, Tatyana.
You are absolutely right, swimming before dawn on Maundy Thursday is a superstition and nothing more. Willow branches, Easter cakes, and also eggs cannot be carried to the cemetery, but actually for what and for whom? It is rather strange for a person who has free access to the World Wide Web to learn everything from "grandmothers". Discover here the teachings of the holy fathers of our Church. You know that here you can find any answer to any question. A special abundance of teachings on modern life issues can be "digged out" on the website of Father Dimitri Smirnov, as well as from Professor of the Moscow Academy of Sciences Alexei Ilyich Osipov.
Save you Lord.
Zoya asks:
Hello, father Andrey. What should be done with the cathedral oil of the deceased? And is it possible to give it to another person at all, I don’t mean from the deceased.
Archpriest Andrei Korneev answers:
Hello Zoya.
The oil from the Sacrament of Unction should be eaten by the one for whom it was consecrated, you can also anoint the sore spots of the body with it. If the person who received the Sacrament died, then consecrated oil is placed in the coffin with the deceased, and if it is even more correct, it is poured into the coffin in the cemetery before burial. Due to the negligence or ignorance of relatives who did not take care of this during the funeral, questions of this kind now arise. Now this oil must be burned in a clean place, soaking paper or rag with it. It is not worth giving it to anyone else, but it is worthwhile for this person to consult himself.
Save you Lord.
Ludmila asks:
Hello Father. Please tell me if the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is read after Palm Sunday?
Archpriest Andrei Korneev answers:
Hello Lyudmila.
The prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is read for the last time at the Liturgy Presanctified Gifts on Great Wednesday of Holy Week.
Save you Lord.
Ludmila asks:
Hello Father. My youngest daughter asks me why girls cannot enter the Altar. I cannot answer her intelligibly, please help me.
Archpriest Andrei Korneev answers:
Hello Lyudmila.
Please tell your youngest daughter that not only girls, but also boys cannot enter the holy Altar. Only the PRIEST can enter the Altar, and those who take part in the service, whom the priest has chosen and blessed. The altar is a holy place - the Holy of Holies, the most important service is performed in it - Divine Liturgy on which a bloodless sacrifice is offered - the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then with these Holy Gifts - Communion, the priest communes all those standing and praying in the temple. But it happens that some girls, when they grow up and become nuns in a monastery, then one of them is honored with such an obedience - an altar server, and, accordingly, the entrance to the Altar for her, with the blessing of the PRIEST, becomes possible.
Save you Lord.
Ludmila asks:
Hello Father. The feast of the Annunciation is approaching Holy Mother of God Can you eat fish? In my calendar, Blagoveshina fell on Monday, there is no fish there, you can have wine, but why? It’s just that I fast strictly according to the calendar, oil on Saturdays and Sundays. They say this only for monasteries. Why then are such calendars sold to the laity? I roughly know that you will answer not the main thing is what you eat, but your actions in fasting. But for each person individually, it means something. I want something more correct. Happy Lent! And all the best to you!
Archpriest Andrei Korneev answers:
Hello Lyudmila.
If you already know in advance what I will answer, then I can only add. Do not fast according to the calendar, there is a simple and error-free option. first and holy week fasting dry eating, on other days fasting food with vegetable oil. On the feasts of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos (any day of the week) and Palm Sunday fish is allowed, and in conclusion, my advice to you is - do not buy these calendars for the laity anymore, especially it is not known where and by whom they were printed. The letter kills, the spirit gives life.
Save you Lord.
Answer from 22 answers[guru]
Hello! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: Do I need to bring colored eggs to the cemetery?
Answer from Prosyanka[guru]
I'm not in the position of a clergyman. Bring what you need.
Answer from Soja Nasreddin[guru]
Actually, crumbling and leaving food on the graves is paganism. The dead must be remembered with a kind word and the grave removed.
Answer from Anna[guru]
Yes, my mother spoke. This is Easter for the dead, so on Parents' Day they always baked Easter cakes and dyed eggs. carried to the cemetery in order to celebrate Easter with the dead.
Answer from Neurologist[guru]
Only not on Easter, but on Wednesday, a week after Easter, on Radonitsa (it is called Easter for the dead).
Answer from Lu Mai[guru]
I do not think that the clergy will be against it. But, you just need to go to the cemetery in Radonitsa.
Answer from BerNata[guru]
This tradition has been going on since ancient times, when pilgrims or pilgrims went on a pilgrimage, food was left for them on graves and at roadside crosses so that they could refresh themselves and remember the dead in their prayers when they rest on the way.
And now it's pointless. Crows peck at consecrated food... is that good?
And the dead need our remembrances and alms, not food, vodka and cigarettes on the graves.
Answer from Template[guru]
just don't fry the eggs there
Answer from Vasily Terkin[expert]
For a long time it has been kept in Orthodox Church the pious custom of giving eggs on Easter. This custom originated from St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene, when, after the Ascension of the Lord, she came to Rome to preach the Gospel, she appeared before the emperor Tiberius and, offering him a red egg, said: "Christ is risen!" Thus starting her sermon. Following the example of Mary Magdalene Equal-to-the-Apostles, we now give red eggs on Easter, confessing the life-giving death and the Resurrection of the Lord - two events that Easter unites in itself. The Easter egg reminds us of one of the main tenets of our faith and serves visible sign blessed resurrection of the dead, the pledge of which we have in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ - the Conqueror of death and hell. Just as from an egg, from under its inanimate shell, life is born, so from the tomb, the dwelling place of the death of corruption, the Life-giver rose, and so all the dead will rise to eternal life.
THEREFORE, IT IS POSSIBLE AND NECESSARY!
Answer from [email protected] Three colors™[guru]
Of course they are required!! !
During the great celebration of Pascha, the ancient Christians gathered daily for public worship.
The ancient Christians sanctified the great feast of Easter with special deeds of piety, mercy and good works. Imitating the Lord, who by His Resurrection freed us from the bonds of sin and death, pious kings unlocked Easter days dungeons and forgave prisoners (but not criminals). Ordinary Christians these days helped the poor, the orphans and the poor. Brasno (that is, food), consecrated on Easter, was distributed to the poor and thus made them participants in joy on the Bright Holiday.
An ancient holy custom, preserved even today by pious laity, consists in not lowering one church service during the entire Bright Week.
In Russia, from Easter, cheerful festivities of youth always began: they swung on a swing, led round dances, sang stoneflies. On Easter, everyone christens - three times, in Russian they kiss on the lips with the words: "Christ is risen!" - "Truly risen! » They give colored eggs to each other and take them to the graves of the dead. On Easter Day, after a seven-week fast, Easter cakes, cottage cheese, meat, and colored eggs appear on the table. Easter cakes are baked from rich dough with the addition of nuts, raisins, and spices.
Easter is celebrated for seven days. On the first day, the housewives-wives stay at home, and the men they know go from house to house and congratulate their relatives and friends. Tables are set throughout the day. Everything is already modest (not lean) on the tables. Ordinary food: herring for a snack, then soup, chicken, roast, ham, potatoes, salads, vodka, wine, etc. For sweet cheese Easter, Easter cakes, cakes, compote, tea and coffee. They usually sit down at the table for half an hour and then say goodbye, and the guest goes to other acquaintances. Be sure to visit all relatives, then good friends, especially older and older ones. Usually gifts are not brought on this day. On the second day of Easter, it is supposed that wives go from house to house, and husbands stay at home, but this is not practiced. In our time, on these holy days, many come to an agreement and simply go to visit each other.
Since ancient times, Christians have had a custom on the night of the Resurrection of Christ, after the festive service, to break the fast (eat modest food) with Easter cake, Easter and eggs consecrated in the church.
Poor people bought birds from birders to release a defenseless creature into the wild
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