What does Trinity mean? Church holiday. The Trinity holiday has an interesting history and is of great importance in the life of Orthodox Christians
The spring holidays in 2018 will end with Trinity. In Russia it is celebrated on May 27th. In another way, this celebration is called Pentecost.
The holiday received this name because it occurs on the fiftieth day after Easter.
The celebration of Trinity is one of the most beautiful holidays in Orthodoxy. It falls between spring and summer - it is a holiday that symbolizes the birth of everything new, a new life. After Trinity, all plants begin to bloom rapidly - trees and flowers, everything around comes into renewal and spiritual uplift.
Trinity: what it means and why we celebrate it
Trinity refers to one of greatest holidays in Orthodoxy. It is celebrated among the people and is also recognized in the church. In terms of importance, it comes in second place right after Easter. It is traditionally appointed after fifty days from Bright Sunday. The Bible says that it was on this day that the Holy Spirit came from heaven to earth. Father and Son arrived with him. They were met by twenty apostles. Thus the unity of God was proven.
Fact. God gave his blessing to build a church for the apostles. Also, such a day is considered to be the foundation of Orthodoxy.
During Pentecost, flowers and trees often bloom. It is customary to decorate your house or apartment with branches and leaves. They must smell pleasant and thereby remind you of the holiday.
On Saturday before Trinity, people who... certain reasons passed away. The clergy have a special festive outfit for this occasion. Visitors can take the grass from the temple, and then dry it and use it as a talisman.
Trinity among the Slavs
The Slavic people did not immediately come to Christianity. Many centuries on the territory modern Russia there was paganism. For this reason, most surviving traditions and religions have a rather Slavic basis.
Before the arrival of religion in Russian territories, there was a period when spring left and summer came. On this day, people tried to sing and have fun, and danced in circles. Houses were often decorated with greenery, which symbolized the warmer seasons. There was a belief that it was at this time that Mavkas and mermaids came to earth.
Before Rus' went through the rite of baptism, Triglav was celebrated. It was the Slavic Trinity. The teaching said that there were three Deities. They ruled humanity (Perun, Svarog and Svyatovit).
Traditions and customs
In Russia, it is customary to start such a holiday with cleaning your living space. A few days before the solemn event, housewives began to throw out garbage, wipe off dust, and get rid of unnecessary things. It was important to welcome summer, to show him your clean and cozy home. Such actions lift your spirits and charge you with positive energy. It is also important to decorate objects and walls with plants with pleasant scents. It is a symbol of prosperity and wealth.
From the very morning on Trinity Day it is pleasant to visit the temple with the whole family. In it time is running festive service in churches. Afterwards everyone goes home and has a festive dinner. Previously, our ancestors used to visit each other. So they had fun, tried to give gifts and communicate.
A week before Pentecost, swimming in lakes and rivers is prohibited. Ancestors believed that mermaids were encountered in the water these days. They usually lured you to themselves and might not let you go free again. For this reason, it was dangerous to swim. Today it remains more of a tradition.
As soon as evening came and it got a little dark, people immediately went to the festivities. They danced in circles and sang songs, got to know each other, and performed ritual actions.
A few days before the start of the holiday, residents of Rus' could organize fairs. On them they sold things needed for the home, herbs and products. Often it was at such events that future couples met.
Traditions and customs
Our ancestors, the Slavs, during pagan times, celebrated the holiday of Green Week, which was celebrated between the end of spring and the beginning of summer, and many customs and rituals came to modern life since those times. Houses, temples and monasteries on Trinity were covered with herbs, wildflowers and tree branches. Icons were decorated with flowering branches, and those plants that were in the rooms on Trinity were then dried, and amulets, medicinal tinctures and decoctions were made from them. For example, dried wormwood, sewn into a fabric bag, could serve as protection for the house from the penetration of evil forces. Before the holiday itself, housewives thoroughly cleaned the house, prepared many delicious, festive treats, then brought herbs and green branches. These plants will represent the fertility and productivity of the year. From the very morning the whole family went to church service, then upon returning, the festive meal and treating the guests began. On Trinity, any work around the house or in the garden or field was prohibited, and it was on this day that swimming in reservoirs was not allowed. 
On Trinity Sunday, the girls wondered about the future, wove wreaths and sent them downstream to find out which side the groom would be on. If the wreath was washed back to the shore, it means that marriage was not planned that year. There was also an ancient, peculiar ritual of sacrifice, from pagan times. The ritual consisted of going out into the forest and decorating a young birch tree, weaving ribbons and flowers into its branches. Then the tree was cut down, and the decorated birch was carried around the village, thus asking for a harvest and prosperity. After this, the ribbons and flowers were removed and buried in the ground, and the birch tree was drowned in water.
Matchmaking on Trinity Sunday was also considered a good custom, after which the wedding could be scheduled on Pokrov. Compliance with these rules promised the young a long and happy marriage in prosperity.
Signs
There was a belief according to which one should not schedule a wedding on Trinity Sunday. It was believed that nothing good would come from such a celebration. However, it was allowed to get married and get acquainted. It was good sign. If a couple was formed during such a period, their union was often long and happy.
Important. There is no need to allow bad thoughts, no need to envy or be angry with anyone. Such a sign cannot lead to anything good.
There is a sign according to which rain on Trinity means tears for dead people. Second meaning natural phenomenon- this year there will be an abundance of mushrooms and berries, the harvest will be successful.
The holiday of Trinity is of great importance in the Christian tradition. It is celebrated on the fiftieth day after the celebration Happy Easter. In 2017, Trinity will be celebrated on June 4. And many are probably interested in: “What does the holiday of Trinity mean?” This twelfth holiday is inextricably linked with three main hypostases - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. This is what the Holy Trinity is. This is where the holiday got its name.
Trinity: the history of the holiday
IN church tradition It is customary to celebrate the day of the descent of the Holy Spirit from heaven onto the apostles on Pentecost. The celebration of the Holy Trinity falls on the following Sunday. Currently, Christian teachings tell us that God the Father is our creator, the creator of heaven and earth, he created everything from nothing, created the world from emptiness, then sent his Son Jesus Christ to earth, and then the Holy Spirit. That is why in churches and in the hearts of believers God is glorified in his three forms. The Bible says that the grace that the Holy Spirit gave to the apostles came to them on this very day. The history of the origin of the Trinity holiday goes back several thousand years and has already lost its traditions.
How is Trinity celebrated?
Trinity is celebrated for three days with traditional rituals. In all churches, the floors of churches are decorated with freshly cut grass, icons and temple utensils are decorated with birch branches. This is a symbol of the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit. Green in Orthodoxy means renewal. White and gold are also equated to this color. This day is also called Green Sunday. On Trinity Sunday, relatives are commemorated. The day after Trinity comes Flew Monday. Held morning liturgy, after which prayers are read for a fruitful year, asking the Lord God for help. On Tuesday, God's Day begins. At this time in Rus' it was consecrated well water, which was cleansed of evil forces. Folk festivities were held on the streets with various treats, round dances, competitions and games.
In modern traditions before the celebration of Trinity, as well as before Great Easter, clean houses, prepare various treats for the table. Homes and courtyards are decorated with cut grass, birch branches and flowers. Special attention are given to icons, as well as doors and windows, the grass protects against evil spirits entering the house. Unfortunately, the celebration of Trinity in modern society lost, traditions lost, but the holiday for believers remains one of the most significant of the year.
Now you know what the Holy Trinity means, what kind of holiday it is. You can read more about signs and rituals
Many centuries ago I decided Christian holiday, meaning the birth of the Church of Christ, called Trinity. What does this holiday mean, where did it come from, and what are its origins?
Tongues of flame then appeared in the upper room, where at that time she was with the disciples and myrrh-bearing wives. mother of God. This flame was like holy fire that on Easter in Jerusalem emanates to all believers - not burning, soft and inspiring. Immediately a miracle happened to everyone in the upper room - they began to speak in hitherto unfamiliar languages, which they had never learned or known. They also felt a great surge of strength, and joyfully began to exclaim and share their impressions.
On this day, many Jews flocked to Jerusalem from everywhere to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. It was an old holiday, it coincided with the beginning of the harvest, and signified the deliverance of the Jews from Egyptian slavery. Seeing fire descending from heaven, the Jews began to gather around the Sinai upper room.
The apostles, feeling enormous strength within themselves and seeing a crowd of people, climbed onto the roof, and the Apostle Peter began his first sermon. He told everyone what had happened, and they were very surprised and thanked God. But the assembled people, many of whom spoke different languages, were surprised to discover that the apostles, mostly uneducated men who did not know other languages except the Galilean dialect, suddenly began to address each of them in their own language. This truly was a miracle that made everyone believe in the divine will of what had happened.
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People did not understand what to do now. The apostles explained that if they accept the Christian faith and repent, then their sins will be forgiven and they will be filled with the Holy Spirit. Then many began to repent of their sins before everyone and were baptized. On the same day, from 120 people, the number of Christians increased to 3,000 people. Having received the Holy Spirit, they began to lead a righteous life, understanding the words of Peter that they are now the temple of the Holy Spirit, and must behave accordingly so as not to alienate Him from themselves with their bad deeds.
Then Christians began to gather together in a community, share their wealth with the poor, and they had everything in common, and they had no poor people. They prayed, tried to lead decent life, follow the instructions of the apostles. They were loved for their righteous and honest life, and many joined their community, seeing how good, fair and blissful it was.
And the apostles, feeling within themselves great power and courage, having correctly understood their task, which was to preach the Gospel throughout the world, they went to different parts of the world to bring the light of Christianity to lost pagan souls. This day became the birth of the Church of Christ, which every day gathered more and more new adherents, and after some time spread throughout the world.
The apostles preached not only in the Roman Empire, they went through a difficult path and many trials in all corners of the world, preached everywhere, endured persecution and frequent humiliation, persecution, but, led and strengthened by the Holy Spirit, they firmly carried out their work, knowing that it was according to the will of Lord's.
The Feast of the Holy Trinity is one of the most interesting and, perhaps, the most unusual church celebrations. It, like Easter, is also always celebrated on Sunday - namely, 50 days after this day (the Holy Trinity is also called Pentecost).
At the same time, for the most part, we know much more about Bright Resurrection or Christmas than about the day Holy Trinity. That’s why it will be interesting to figure out what kind of holiday this is, why it has several names, and what the sacred meaning of this date is. And most importantly, how to properly celebrate the Great Trinity?
Holiday of Trinity in Orthodoxy: meaning and names
First of all, let's look at the names. Eat simple cases, when everything is clear: Christmas is Christmas, and Easter is Easter (or the Holy Resurrection of Christ). But with Trinity, things are a little different - the holiday has several names:
- Trinity Day (Holy or Most Holy Trinity Day, Trinity Day) – i.e. a holiday in honor of the triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- Pentecost - this word has exactly the same meaning. It simply reminds us that the descent of the Spirit took place on the 50th day after Easter. Therefore, the celebration always falls on a Sunday: May 27, 2018, June 16, 2019, etc.
- Spirits Day, or the Day of the Holy Spirit - this name emphasizes key event, in whose honor the holiday is celebrated.
All these names for the Trinity holiday can be found in various sources– for example, in Wikipedia, Orthodox magazines and others. By the way, Spiritual Day falls on Monday, and Pentecost itself falls on Sunday. But what do the three days of Trinity mean? They symbolize the same holiday, it is simply celebrated for three days.
Holy Trinity: what a holiday
So, what is the meaning of this interesting holiday? Why is it considered one of the great Christian celebrations along with Easter, Christmas, Epiphany and others significant dates? Answers to these questions can be obtained if you learn something about those events two thousand years ago, which laid the foundation for the good tradition of celebrating this date.
The history of the Trinity Day dates back to the times last days life of Jesus on earth. Shortly before his death, he promised that exactly 50 days after this, God would send a Comforter who would invisibly help all his followers.
And indeed, after 40 days, the Savior ascended to heaven, and a decade later, the disciples of Christ gathered together in one of the houses of Jerusalem. And at that moment a very loud noise was heard in the sky, as if hurricane wind swept over the city.
It turned out that these were not streams of air, but a miraculous event: at the same moment, flames lit up above the heads of the disciple-apostles. People began to speak all the languages and dialects that were used by local peoples at that time. Then the holy apostles-followers of Christ began to teach people, preaching to them salvation and God's love.
However, what does the holiday of Trinity mean for us - people living in modern times, 2000 years later? It turns out that the relevance of those events has been preserved in its original form, because the descent of the Holy Spirit has a direct bearing on all inhabitants of the planet.
His coming to earth means the coming of a time of grace when we have a direct connection with heavenly powers. Every person today can simply pray, ask for forgiveness and receive it.
And in the old days, complex rituals were performed for this, sacrifices were made, and fires were lit. In a word, forgiveness was purchased at a very high price. Now the connection with the Almighty has been established in such a way that any of us can turn to Him.
It turns out that the Holy Spirit is a kind of communication channel between man and God. Moreover, he is God himself, his third person. That's why Orthodox holiday The Trinity symbolizes the Triune Lord, who is revealed in all his fullness.
WHY IS THE HOLY SPIRIT A COMFORTER?
Let's rewind the events 20 centuries ago and imagine this picture. The Lord died, but rose again. The joy of believers knows no bounds - after all, even today the echoes of this event reverberate with a joyful wave in the hearts of billions of believers when they say: “Christ is risen! Truly risen!” And what happened after?
The Savior went to heaven, as expected, on the 40th day. Probably, many people have a feeling in their hearts that they have become orphans or have lost their right wing. But now, only 10 days have passed, and the Holy Spirit descended to earth.
It turns out that from then until today, God himself has been invisibly next to us, and at any moment we can turn to him for help. It was for this purpose that the Comforter was sent to our planet.
How Orthodox Christians Celebrate the Holy Trinity
Among church holidays, Trinity Day is perhaps the most beautiful event of the year. The priests dress in green clothes, churches and icons of the Holy Trinity are decorated with birch branches, wildflowers, and leaves. The floor of the temples is covered with fresh grass.
The green tone serves as a symbol of life-giving faith, the rebirth of nature after long winter, but most importantly - liberation human soul from sin.
That is why on this day it is customary to consecrate birch branches (the birch tree is a real symbol of Russia) and bring them into the house. Legend has it that this unique bouquet will bring good luck for the whole year if it is preserved until the next Trinity Sunday.
Green branches of other plants - oak, linden, maple and rowan - are also used to decorate the home on Trinity. They are called upon to protect the house from evil spirits. From meadow herbs they take cornflowers, lovage, thyme, fern, mint, lemon balm, burdock, weave wreaths from them and hang them on the door, make bouquets that are placed on the table or near icons.
On the eve of Holy Trinity Saturday it is celebrated all-night vigil. On the day of the Feast of the Holy Trinity, the Gospel of John is read and the festive liturgy is celebrated.
The third day of Trinity is called the day of the Holy Spirit. On this day, it is customary for churches to bless water. People take the grass and branches that were used to decorate the temples and bring them home. They are dried and stored all year - they protect the house from diseases and troubles. Healers recommend collecting herbs on this day - it is believed that nature endows them with special miraculous properties.
Priests do not recommend these days holidays do heavy lifting physical work, visit the cemetery, plan some global affairs (for example, cleaning the house, working in the country, large purchases, etc.). It is best to find time for festive services - go to church for a service, attend the liturgy in honor of the Most Holy Trinity, get imbued with the spirit of the Holy Ones, and tune in to the festive wave.
And you can spend the rest of the day with your loved ones, help your family, and visit old friends. There is no fasting on the Feast of Holy Pentecost, so the festive table is supposed to be rich and plentiful, with a variety of meat dishes, pies, and fresh herbs.
Also, after the festive dinner, traditional folk festivities are held - people head out into nature, where they perform ritual dances, sing songs, and light bonfires. And on such a holiday you can make your most cherished wish - if you tune in to making your dream come true, it will certainly come true.
So, what is this - the holiday of the Great Trinity? This is the day of the descent of the Holy Spirit, when God manifested himself in all three persons and revealed himself as the triune Almighty.
This is also the day of rebirth of the human soul, when it can receive the priceless gift of salvation by simply repenting of its sins and entrusting all experiences to the Lord. This is what it is – the bright Holy Trinity.
Trinity is one of the 12 main Orthodox holidays. It is celebrated annually on Sunday, the 50th day after Easter. In 2019, Trinity Sunday falls on June 16th. Official church name holiday - Trinity Day. Pentecost. It was established in honor of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and the Virgin Mary on the 50th day after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The holiday symbolizes the unity of the Holy Spirit, God the Father and God the Son.
history of the holiday
The holiday is dedicated to the events that occurred on the 50th day after Easter - the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and the Virgin Mary. At this time, the disciples of Jesus Christ and the Mother of God were in the Zion Upper Room in Jerusalem. At three o'clock in the afternoon they heard a loud noise, and the blessed fire descended on them. After this, the apostles received the gift of speaking in different languages in order to preach the teachings of Christ to the nations of the world. This event is described in the Acts of the Holy Apostles.
Traditions and rituals of the holiday
Trinity has well-established church and folk traditions of celebration.
IN Orthodox Church it is celebrated for three days. The clergy dresses in green robes, which symbolizes eternal life and life-giving. Temples are decorated with tree branches and the floor is covered with fresh grass.
On the eve of Saturday an all-night vigil is served. On the day of the holiday, the Gospel of John is read, and the festive liturgy is performed. The third day of Trinity is called the day of the Holy Spirit. On this day, it is customary for churches to bless water. People take the grass and branches that were used to decorate the temples and bring them home. They are dried and stored all year - they protect the house from diseases and troubles.
On holidays, people attend services in churches. On the eve of Trinity, they remember the dead: they go to cemeteries and leave treats for the spirits.
By folk traditions On the eve of the celebration, housewives carry out general cleaning of houses and yards. They prepare holiday treats, bake bread or loaf, which symbolizes fertility and prosperity. Houses and icons are decorated with tree branches and herbs. On the day of the Holy Trinity after the service, it is customary to visit or invite close relatives and friends and give gifts. After the festive dinner, folk festivities are held. People go to nature, where they perform ritual dances, sing songs, and light fires.
Traditional healers collect herbs on this day. They believe that nature gives them special miraculous properties.
Fortune telling for Trinity
On the day of the Holy Trinity, young girls make fortunes about future events, marriage, love. When performing rituals, they use plants and water.
Fortune telling on a wreath. On the evening of the holiday, you need to make a wreath of birch branches and four types of grass: thyme, Ivan-da-Marya, burdock and bear's ear and leave it overnight in the yard. If it withers the next morning, then you can expect minor difficulties in the near future. A fresh wreath heralds a successful year.
Fortune telling by the river. The girl must weave a wreath, insert a lit candle into it and launch it down the river. If he drowns near the shore, then the relationship with the guy will be short and unsuccessful. If a wreath floats far down the river with a lit candle, then a fateful meeting awaits its owner. A wreath washed ashore marks this year's wedding.
Fortune telling for St. John's wort. In order to find out whether a young man has feelings for a girl, she must take a bunch of St. John's wort and twist it with such force that the juice flows out of it. If the juice is clear, then the love is unrequited, and if it is red, then the feelings are strong and mutual.
What can you eat on Trinity Sunday?
There is no fasting on this day, so you are allowed to eat any dishes and products.
How to decorate a house for Trinity
People use young branches of trees, meadow grasses and flowers to decorate their houses. The main symbol is the birch tree. Young green foliage symbolizes the cycle of life and youth. The white color of the branches represents the pure thoughts of believers. Branches of oak, linden, maple and rowan are designed to protect the house from evil spirits.
Among meadow herbs, people use cornflowers, lovage, thyme, fern, mint, lemon balm, and burdock. They weave wreaths from them and hang them on the door, make bouquets that they place on the table or near the icons. Single girls put herbs under the pillow.
What not to do on Trinity
Trinity is a great Orthodox holiday. You can't do anything heavy on this day. physical labor and household chores. You should devote time to prayers and loved ones. You can’t quarrel and get angry with others. By folk beliefs, on this day it is prohibited to swim in natural reservoirs. People believe that on Trinity devilry takes on the appearance of mystical characters (mermaids, mermen) and is capable of causing harm.
Signs and beliefs for Trinity
- Rainy day - to good harvest mushrooms in autumn.
- You should not have a wedding on this holiday, otherwise the marriage will be unsuccessful.
- Arrange matchmaking for Trinity - good omen. The future marriage will be strong and happy.
- Pentecost is a good time to search for treasures. On this day, the earth is able to generously bestow wealth on a person.
- It is considered a good sign to shed tears during the service. Mourning the grass symbolizes a bountiful harvest and wealth.
Congratulations
Happy Trinity Day, I congratulate you,
I wish you prosperity, love, and earthly blessings.
On a sublime holiday, a holy holiday
Feel great joy in your soul!
Peace in the family, understanding, care,
New victories, achievements in work.
Blessings and a beautiful life,
Celebrate the Trinity holiday with your family!
I want to congratulate you on the Holy Trinity,
Look at the sky with your soul today.
Let the holiday fill your heart with warmth,
And let the sun shine inside you.
I also wish you good health,
And find peace of soul in fragrant herbs.
Let an angel always hover at your head,
And may he protect all your paths.
What date is Trinity in 2020, 2021, 2022
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| 7 June Sun | 20 June Sun | 12 June Sun |