One of the Twelve Great Orthodox Christians church holidays- Assumption Holy Mother of God- celebrated on Monday, August 28.

On this day, the Church remembers the righteous death (Assumption) of the Mother of God - an event colored at the same time with sadness, because this is the day of the end life path Mother of God, and joy, because this is the day of her union with her son. The holiday is preceded by a two-week Assumption Fast from August 14 to 27.

History of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Bible says nothing about the Dormition of the Mother of God, but the story of this event is preserved in the tradition of the Church and is expressed in the icon of the holiday and the church service.

The Feast of the Assumption dates back to the first centuries of Christianity. He is mentioned in the writings of Blessed Jerome, Augustine and Gregory, Bishop of Tours.

In the 4th century it was already celebrated everywhere in Byzantium. The general celebration of this date was established under the Byzantine Emperor Mauritius in the 6th century; it was celebrated in honor of the victory won by Mauritius over the Persians on this day.

Reproduction of the icon "Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary"

Shortly before her death, the Mother of God returned to Jerusalem. Here she often stayed in those places with which she was associated major events in the life of her Divine son: Bethlehem, Calvary, Holy Sepulcher, Gethsemane, Olivet. There she prayed earnestly. Once, during a prayer on Olivet, Archangel Gabriel announced to the Mother of God about her impending death in three days and presented a luminous branch of paradise - a symbol of victory over death and decay. The Most Holy Theotokos told the Apostle John the Theologian about what had happened, and he informed the Apostle James, the brother of the Lord, and through him the entire Church of Jerusalem, in which the tradition of the Dormition of the Mother of God was preserved. Before her death, the Mother of God bequeathed her meager property to the widows who served her and ordered to bury herself in Gethsemane, next to the graves of her righteous parents and the righteous Joseph the Betrothed.

On the day of the Dormition of the Mother of God, miraculously in Jerusalem, almost all the apostles who had previously dispersed were gathered to bid farewell to her. different countries with the mission of preaching the Word of God. The Apostle Paul arrived later than everyone else. Only Apostle Thomas was absent.

Icon "Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary"

Suddenly an indescribable light shone, eclipsing the lamps; The roof of the upper room opened, and Christ descended with many angels. The Most Holy Theotokos turned to the Lord with thanksgiving prayer and asked to bless all those who honor her memory. She also prayed to her son to protect her from the dark satanic force, from airy ordeals. Then the Mother of God joyfully surrendered her soul into the hands of the Lord, and immediately angelic singing was heard.

How to celebrate the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary

In honor of this event on August 27th evening worship in all churches the Shroud with the image of the Mother of God is taken out of the altar and placed in the middle of the temple. The Holy Shroud is located in the middle of the temple until the burial ceremony. With the procession of the Cross, the Shroud is carried around the temple, and then all believers enter the temple, passing under it. In some places, for the sake of special honoring of the holiday, a special service is performed for the burial of the Mother of God (especially solemnly - in Jerusalem, in Gethsemane in the tomb of the Mother of God).

Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Sviyazhsk

Many cathedrals in Moscow, Kiev, Vladimir and other ancient cities are dedicated to the Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. The veneration of the Virgin Mary in the early Christian era is evidenced by an inscription in one of the Nazareth churches of the 2nd century, as well as frescoes in the catacombs.

In the 5th century, Anatoly of Constantinople, in the 8th century, St. John of Damascus and Cosmas of Maium, in IX Theophan of Nicea wrote canons for the day of the Assumption, which the Church now sings on this day. In the songs of the canon on the day of the Assumption it is called famous, solemn and Divine holiday. In addition, the Dormition of the Mother of God in the Orthodox Church is praised with a special akathist in honor of this event.

Assumption Day was widely celebrated in Rus'. Orthodox Christians address the Mother of God as the Lady, the Lady, hence the folk traditions of glorifying this day: “Mistress”, “Mistress”. By the Assumption, they tried to complete the harvest and sow winter crops. The last sheaf - the “dozhinka” - was dressed up in a sundress, carried to the village with songs and placed under the icons.

The festival of the harvest was timed to coincide with the Dormition of the Virgin Mary.

Folk traditions and signs

With the Assumption, summer finally turned to autumn. On this day, farewell to summer and welcoming of autumn took place - the first autumn. It was believed that “from the Assumption the sun falls asleep,” i.e. It rises late, so on this day the sunset was celebrated in the field with songs. Since the Assumption was considered the last day of summer, the holiday ended with the fact that on this evening the fires were “blown up” in the huts for the first time, i.e. they lit a torch, lamp or candle and sat down to dinner in the light. On Assumption Day, the preparation of various supplies for the winter began.

The Dormition of the Virgin Mary is considered the beginning of Indian summer - hot days last until September 11. During this week, one could understand what the second Indian summer would be like. Which begins a few days after the first - September 14 and lasts almost until the end of the month - September 28. According to signs, if frosts begin in the week after the Assumption Day, then the autumn will be long and the winter cold will not come soon.

It is customary among housewives to preserve cucumbers and pickle cabbage on Assumption.

On the Assumption, you cannot cut bread with a knife, you cannot pick up other cutting objects. Food cannot be cooked on this day. You should wear comfortable shoes when you go to sleep, so that there are fewer difficulties in life. Rubbed calluses will mean future problems. But on this day you can and even need to work. If they ask for help, it is better to definitely agree and help.

Material compiled from open sources

Every Orthodox people knows that the Dormition Fast is a multi-day fast that was established in honor of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary back in the days of early Christianity. The first mentions of him date back to 450, and they can be found in St. Leo the Great. Every year, including 2017, The Assumption Fast begins on August 14 and ends on the 27th. The first day is the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord, and the last day is the feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Despite the fact that he is not as popular as the Great, people close to the church try to observe all his canons. Don’t think that fasting is something difficult to accomplish. Quite the opposite. Every year, more and more people prefer to take such short breaks in their lives, abstaining from certain dishes and products.

It is believed that during such food “respites” a person merges even more with nature, tunes in to a harmonious existence and gets closer to God. Bad thoughts, sins and actions fade into the background, and a happy life begins to appear on the horizon.

During any fast, you should devote less time to preparing various dishes, let go of gluttony and indulge in pure thoughts. Eating modest food for several weeks can be a real test for the housewife. But even these sufferings will be rewarded with spiritual purity and peace.

Although the Assumption Fast is considered strict, in reality it is not so terrible. The end of summer is a pleasant period when you always have fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs at home. Therefore, you can combine business with pleasure, significantly expand your diet with delicious lean dishes and saturate your body with vitamins.

People often associate the Assumption Fast with Honey, Bread and Apple Spas, because it is at this time that they are celebrated.

Nutrition calendar by day

This fast is as severe as Lent, so it has certain rules that must be followed.

Based on the monastic charters:

• on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays - dry eating;
• on Tuesdays and Thursdays – boiled food (meat excluded);
• on Saturdays and Sundays – wine and vegetable oil are allowed;
• On the first day of Lent, the Feast of the Origin of the Honest Trees is celebrated. Life-giving Cross The Lord's. This day is popularly known as the Honey Savior. It is allowed to eat honey gingerbreads, pancakes with poppy seeds and honey, rolls, buns and pies.
• August 19 – Transfiguration of the Lord or Apple saved. Those who are fasting can eat fruits and vegetables that are ripe for this time, as well as fish products.
• The Dormition Fast ends with the Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 28) and it is necessary to try to break the fast smoothly. If this day falls on Wednesday and Friday, then the breaking of the fast will only take place on the next day. And if on any other day, then for the holiday you can treat yourself to fish dishes.

You should not get carried away with permitted foods, because fasting is, first of all, humility (even about food) and repentance. Due to the fact that the Assumption Fast takes place at the end of summer, many farmers harvest their crops, so it is very easily tolerated. Even those people who do not own land can please themselves with ripe fruits and vegetables bought in the store, because they are all on store shelves in pleasant abundance.

How to diversify your menu in Lent

Very often people are mistaken, thinking that fasting is expensive and tasteless. It is much more expensive to buy sausage or sausages every day. Even Lenten dishes can be tasty, the main thing is to show a little imagination. It is for Lent that you need to prepare in advance, thinking through each dish, and the Assumption Lent never caused problems with the menu.

For example, you can prepare a nutritious and tasty dish - porridge. Cereals have always been considered a healthy product, you just need to know how to cook them. Using spices and seasonings, you can easily treat yourself to aromatic porridge with vegetables.

Due to the fact that during this period there is a lot of vegetables and herbs, any housewife can prepare an appetizing vegetable soup, and the abundance of seasonal vegetables will significantly diversify the diet of the whole family and eat a new dish every day. Don’t forget about mushrooms, because they are healthy and rich in protein and microelements.

Apples are the star of this post. You can bake them, make pies and bagels with apples, salads, compotes, jelly... In general, a skilled cook can prepare a tasty and lean dish from this fruit.

Fasting is a wonderful time that allows a person to forget about earthly joys for a few days and remember spiritual feelings. During such abstinence, many of us understand the true meaning of our life and try to convey this thought to loved ones.

Traditions of the Dormition Fast

1. Among the main traditions of the Dormition Fast one can highlight the blessing of honey. It is taken to church for the first Honey Savior and only after the Savior is over can this honey be eaten.
2. During the Assumption of the Savior, they also bring a fresh harvest of apples and grapes to the church and bless these gifts of nature.
3. Traditional dishes of Uspensky Spas are mushroom dishes. At this time, it was customary to go to the forest to pick mushrooms, and then cook healthy dishes from them.

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Orthodox Christians celebrate the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017 on August 28. This is one of the most important church holidays.

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017

In Orthodoxy it is one of the twelve. According to Church Tradition, the Most Holy Theotokos, after the Ascension of the Lord, remained in the care of the Apostle John the Theologian and lived in the house of his parents near the Mount of Olives. On the day of her dormition, the apostles who preached in various countries, miraculously gathered in Jerusalem to say goodbye and perform the burial of the Virgin Mary. After the burial, the body of the Virgin Mary suddenly disappeared.

The very word “dormition” means “sleep”, because after the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ there is no death, which awaited everyone, sorrow and fear of the unknown.

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017. Signs

On this holiday, it is customary to go to churches for the festive liturgy. The robes of clergy on this day should be blue. This is a symbol of the purity and innocence of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

You can’t walk barefoot today in order to protect your health.

It is forbidden to work around the house, only in case of assistance or completion of something already started.

On this holiday, unmarried girls read conspiracies to attract love and find a betrothed, as it was believed: “You won’t find a guy by the Assumption - you won’t get married by spring.”

The Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary is considered to be the beginning of Indian summer, which lasts two weeks. The weather on this day will be the same as all autumn. If the Indian summer is dry and warm, then heavy rainfall begins after it; if frosts occur after the holiday, then the autumn will be long.

On the Feast of the Assumption it is forbidden to get married. But the next day, August 29, you can have weddings.

Dormition Fast 2017

The Assumption Fast, which begins on August 14, ends on August 27, 2017. It begins and ends with the feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017. The Dormition Fast is almost as strict as Lent. For example, fish is allowed only on the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. It lasts only two weeks.

The days of the Assumption Fast are considered autumn, since they precede the new season - autumn, and also end church year. After all, on September 14, according to the new style, the church new year begins.

The Dormition Fast is dedicated to the Mother of God and begins two weeks before the Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Dormition post

- one of the twelve great (twelfth) holidays of the Russian Orthodox Church, which is celebrated on August 28 (August 15, old style).

On this day, the Orthodox Church remembers the death (Assumption) of the Mother of God - an event colored at the same time by sadness, because this is the day of the end of the life of the Mother of God, and the joy of her union with her son Jesus Christ.

The Holy Tradition tells about the earthly life of the Most Holy Theotokos after the Death on the Cross and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Most Pure Virgin was in Jerusalem at that time; later she moved with the Apostle John the Theologian to Ephesus, where she visited righteous Lazarus in Cyprus and Mount Athos, which she blessed as her destiny. Shortly before her death, the Mother of God returned to Jerusalem, where she visited places with which the most important events in the life of her divine Son were connected: Bethlehem, Golgotha, the Holy Sepulcher, Gethsemane, Olivet. There she prayed earnestly.

On one of these visits to Golgotha, Archangel Gabriel appeared before her and announced her imminent transfer from this life to Heavenly life. The Archangel gave her a palm branch as collateral. With this news, the Mother of God returned to Bethlehem with three virgins who served her - Zipporah, Ebigea and Zoila. Then she called righteous Joseph from Arimathea and the disciples of Jesus Christ, to whom she announced her imminent death.

The Mother of God bequeathed her meager property to the widows who served her and ordered herself to be buried in Gethsemane, next to the graves of her righteous parents and the righteous Joseph the Betrothed.

On the day of the Dormition of the Mother of God, miraculously, almost all the apostles who had previously dispersed to different countries with the mission of preaching the Word of God were gathered in Jerusalem to bid farewell to her. The Apostle Paul arrived later than everyone else. Only Apostle Thomas was absent.

Suddenly a light shone, eclipsing the lamps, the roof of the upper room opened, and Jesus Christ descended with many angels. The Most Holy Theotokos addressed him with a prayer of gratitude and asked him to bless all those who honor her memory. Then the Mother of God joyfully surrendered her soul into the hands of Christ, and immediately angelic singing was heard.

With lighted lamps and singing psalms, the apostles buried the Mother of God, as she ordered, in the Garden of Gethsemane, in the cave where the bodies of her parents rested. After the funeral, the apostles remained at the cave for three more days and prayed.

On the third day, the Apostle Thomas, who was late for the burial, reached Jerusalem. Wanting to say goodbye to the Blessed Virgin, he entered the cave and found it empty. Bodies Holy Virgin was gone, only the burial shrouds remained. The amazed apostles returned to the house and prayed to God to let them know what had become of the body of the Mother of God. In the evening of the same day, the Mother of God herself appeared to the apostles gathered for dinner and said: “Rejoice! I am with you all the days.”

In honor of this event, on August 27, during the evening service in all churches, the Shroud with the image of the Mother of God is taken out of the altar and placed in the middle of the temple. The shroud is kept in the middle of the temple until the burial ceremony, when it is procession of the cross carried around the church.

The Orthodox Church calls the death of the Mother of God the Dormition, and not death, because death, as the return of her body to the earth and her spirit to God, did not touch her. She only fell asleep, only to awaken at the same moment to an ever-blessed life and, after three days, with an incorruptible body, to move into a heavenly, incorruptible dwelling.

A temple was built at the burial site of the Mother of God in Gethsemane in the 5th century. There is a legend that a basilica was built here earlier by the Holy Queen Helena. In 614, the temple was destroyed, but the tomb of the Mother of God was preserved. Much of the modern building dates back to Crusader times. This underground temple, into which 50 steps lead, with the chapels of Saints Joachim and Anna, parents of the Virgin Mary, and Joseph the Betrothed, located on the sides of the stairs. The temple has a cruciform shape: in the center is the tomb of the Virgin Mary with two entrances. It is here, according to tradition, before the Feast of the Dormition from Little Gethsemane near the Church of the Holy Sepulcher that the Orthodox carry the Shroud of the Most Holy Theotokos in a procession along the same path as the apostles once carried the body of the Mother of God to burial.

The veneration of the Virgin Mary in the early Christian era is evidenced by an inscription in one of the Nazarene churches of the 2nd century, as well as frescoes in the catacombs.

In the 5th century, Anatoly of Constantinople, in the 8th century, Saints John of Damascus and Cosmas of Maium, in the 9th century, Theophan of Nicea, wrote canons for the day of the Assumption, which the church now sings on this day. In the songs of the canon, the day of the Assumption is called a famous, solemn and Divine holiday. Besides this,

The Dormition of the Mother of God in the Orthodox Church is praised with a special akathist in honor of this event.

In Rus', the Assumption has long been one of the most beloved holidays: since the time of Saint Prince Vladimir, Assumption churches began to be built everywhere - the first cathedral Kiev church, the Tithe Church, was dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, and by the 14th century, Assumption churches were the main ones in Suzdal, Rostov, Yaroslavl, Zvenigorod and in Moscow, where the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin became the main temple of the Russian Orthodox Church, in which all Russian tsars and emperors were crowned kings, and during the patriarchate, patriarchs were enthroned.

In honor of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, many villages in Rus'. There is a village called Uspensky even near Karaganda in Kazakhstan.

Uspensky is one of the most common Russian surnames.

The festival of the harvest was timed to coincide with the day of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary in Rus'. On this day there was a farewell to summer - a meeting of autumn - the first autumn. Since the Assumption was considered the last day of summer, the holiday ended with the fact that on this evening in the huts for the first time they “blowed up the fire” - they lit a torch, a lamp or a candle and sat down to dinner in the light. With the Assumption, the preparation of various supplies for the winter began. As a sign of the death of the Mother of God, in some villages elderly women dressed in black clothes, thus commemorating the Mother of God.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

The Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of the 12 main Orthodox celebrations, Mother of God holiday. In 2020, it is celebrated on August 28. Complete church name holiday - Dormition Holy Lady our Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary. It is dedicated to the memory of the death of the Mother of God. The word “dormition” does not symbolize the death of an ordinary person, but the ascension of spirit and body to God.

Contents of the article

History of the holiday

After the Ascension of Jesus Christ into Heaven Holy Mary remained in the care of the Apostle John. When King Herod began the persecution of Christians, the Mother of God and John settled in Ephesus. There she prayed daily and asked the Lord to quickly take her to him. One day Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and informed her that after three days she earthly life will end.

Before her death, the Virgin Mary wished to see all the apostles who preached Christianity in different cities. Her wish came true. The apostles gathered at the bed of the Mother of God, where she humbly accepted death. The coffin with the body of the Mother of God was buried in a cave. The apostles remained at its foot for three more days and prayed. The Apostle Thomas was late for burial. He was allowed to open the entrance to the tomb and venerate the holy remains. There was no body in the cave. The apostles were convinced of the bodily ascension of the Mother of God into heaven.

Traditions and rituals of the holiday

The Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated in Orthodox Church with special solemnity. The holiday has 1 day of pre-celebration and 8 days of post-celebration. The clergy wear blue clothes.

On the eve of the holiday, the Shroud, on which the face of the Mother of God is depicted, is brought to the center of the temple. Then it is done all-night vigil, during which stichera and canons are sung, paremias are read, and the troparion to the Dormition of the Mother of God is performed. On the 2nd or 3rd day of the holiday, in many cathedral and parish churches the Rite of Burial of the Mother of God is performed. During Matins, during the Great Doxology, the clergy go to the Shroud of the Most Holy Theotokos located in the center of the church and burn incense on it. Then they carry it around the temple. After this, the clergy anoint the parishioners with blessed oil (oil).

The Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary is preceded by the strict Dormition Fast. On August 28, parishioners break their fast. Housewives prepare festive dishes that are served to families and those in need.

According to folk tradition, on August 28, people harvest vegetables and fruits and make preparations for the winter. In Rus', on this day, guys got married.

What not to do on the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary

On the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, you should not wear new or uncomfortable shoes, otherwise you will feel discomfort all year long.

You cannot swear, offend your neighbors, refuse to help those in need, be rude or be in a bad mood.

In Rus', people compared Mother of God with Mother Earth. On this holiday it was forbidden to walk barefoot and stick sharp objects into the soil. These actions harmed the land and led to crop failure.

Signs and beliefs on the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary

• Rainy weather on the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary foreshadows a dry autumn.
• If the holiday coincides with Indian summer, then the winter will be frosty and with little snow.
• A girl who does not find a boyfriend before the Assumption will be unmarried until spring.
• Finishing previously started tasks or helping a friend on this holiday is a good omen.
• If you rub or wound your leg on the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, then life difficulties and failures are expected ahead.

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