The liturgy for Pentecost is unusually picturesque: the floors in the church are lined with field herbs, birch branches, and there are flowers in vases. The fragrance of freshly cut greenery, the green vestments of clergy...
Day of the Holy Trinity
Trinity Day is one of the twelve twelfth holidays in the church calendar
Other names for the holiday: Trinity, Pentecost, Descent of the Holy Spirit.
On this day we remember the event that happened fifty days after the Resurrection of Christ - the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles, and they went to preach the Risen Christ to all peoples in all lands.
No wonder this day is called birthday of the Church.
Trinity Day always falls on Sunday.
The best way to spend this holiday is in the temple, among brothers and sisters in Christ.
The liturgy for Pentecost is unusually picturesque: the floors in the church are lined with field herbs, birch branches, and there are flowers in vases. The fragrance of freshly cut greenery, the green vestments of clergy, kneeling prayers - everything tells believers about the great plan of God, about the victory of Christ over death, about the Kingdom of God.
Do's and Don'ts for Trinity
Trinity – what kind of holiday is this and what not to do?
Trinity is a great Christian holiday, which is one of the twelve - the most important of the year. It takes place on the fiftieth day after Easter, which is why it is also called Pentecost.
On this day, Orthodox Christians remember the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, after which the Lord’s disciples became able to speak different languages and dispersed throughout the world to preach the teachings of Christ.
The Feast of the Holy Trinity always falls on a Sunday. Believers always try to attend the service on this day and take communion.
The Trinity service itself is especially solemn - the inside of the churches is decorated with greenery, plant branches and flowers. After the Liturgy, Vespers is served with the reading of kneeling prayers, during which, turning to the Lord, we ask Him for help and intercession.
There are a lot of folk customs associated with the holiday: - you can’t do this, you can’t do that... But most of them have purely pagan, folk roots. And often such customs contradict the very essence of the Christian faith.
Therefore, when studying the Russian traditions of the Trinity holiday, one must clearly distinguish what is consonant with Orthodoxy in them and what is not.
In the Church there are no everyday rules about what is not allowed and what can be done on certain holidays. The main thing that can and should be done is to be in church and pray.
What can't you do on Trinity?
On Trinity, you cannot follow common signs and superstitions, many of which give advice on what you supposedly “cannot” do on Trinity (swimming, going to the forest and field, working, etc.).
But you need to live this day in a Christian way - go to church, pray, take communion, try to be kind and attentive to your loved ones, spend free time with them.
For a Christian there are no prohibitions on certain types of activities on an ordinary or holiday day, if they do not harm his soul. Neither swimming, nor walking, nor work will interfere with a believer if he remembers God.
On Trinity Sunday, every believer tries to be in church, where on this day after the Liturgy special kneeling prayers are read for the forgiveness of sins, the mercy of God and the bestowal of the grace of the Holy Spirit.
Is it possible to work for Trinity?
It is possible to work for Trinity if the circumstances are so.
The holiday of Trinity (Pentecost) always falls on Sunday, and for most believers this is a day off, which is dedicated to going to church and praying.
But in the modern world there are many jobs that must be done daily, without breaks or weekends, and believers are also involved in them.
If a Christian working on this day fails to change and go to church for Trinity, this should not be a reason for despondency.
You can find time for prayer at your workplace, but you will have to go to church on another day.
The Monday following Trinity, Spiritual Day, is considered a continuation of the Feast of Pentecost. And the giving of the Trinity takes place almost a week later, on next Saturday.
Is it possible to work on the second day of Trinity?
The Feast of the Holy Trinity is divided into two days.
- The first day is dedicated to the glorification of the Trinity and the remembrance of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, which is why it is called Trinity Day.
- The second day glorifies the All-Holy Life-Giving Spirit and in honor of this is called the Spiritual Day.
Orthodox believers, realizing the holiness of the holiday, always try to attend church services on these days, put aside all vain matters and devote time to prayer.
Since the first day of Trinity always falls on a Sunday, there is usually no problem for a Christian to attend services on that day.
The second day of Trinity - Spiritual Day - falls at the beginning of the work week. It is clear that on Monday it is difficult for a modern person to put aside his affairs and work. But if possible, it is better to start performing it after attending the morning service in order to pay tribute to the holiday.
Is it possible to work in the garden on Trinity Sunday?
The Feast of the Holy Trinity always falls on a Sunday, so believers always try to attend the festive service in the church, partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, refrain from doing any work and devote time to prayer.
By working on Trinity Day, we seem to show God our disrespect. It is not for nothing that people have always tried to put off all external, vain affairs on the days of great holidays - this is displeasing to the Lord.
The work, as a rule, was in vain and did not bring a positive result.
Of course, there are particularly important matters that cannot be postponed to another time. It is better to begin to implement them only after attending a service and praying.
But if possible, on major holidays, such as Trinity, it is better to postpone all matters, including work in the garden.
Is it possible to remember those who committed suicide on Trinity Sunday?
The Feast of the Holy Trinity is preceded by Trinity Parents' Saturday - the day of universal remembrance of the dead.
On Trinity Saturday, funeral services are held in churches, during which the Church commemorates all deceased Orthodox Christians.
As for commemorating suicides at a memorial service, the Church does not bless this - neither on Trinity, nor on any other day.
Taking the life of another person is a great sin, but a murderer can always sincerely repent of his sin and the Lord will forgive him.
A person who commits suicide does not have the opportunity to repent of his action. The soul of a suicide is left to God's will.
However, this does not mean that it is completely impossible to pray for such people. On the contrary, their souls especially need the prayers of loved ones, which can be done at home.
Why can't you kneel before Trinity?
Hieromonk Constantine (Simon) answers:
We do not kneel during the period from Easter to Pentecost because it is a time of joy.
We kneel in prayer very often during Lent, as it is a time of repentance.
But the period after Easter is a joyful time, we should not be sad.
Of course, we should always ask the Lord for forgiveness of our sins. But Easter is a special time, it is the time of the triumph of Jesus Christ over death.
These days we live in a special, special way, we live by Easter grace. And this grace does not allow us to kneel.
And on the day of the Holy Trinity, at Great Vespers, we kneel for the first time since Easter.
Kneeling prayers are read on it, during which we can again ask God for the forgiveness of our sins, we can repent.
The moment of repentance is clearly reflected in the texts of these prayers.
It is also worth noting that Great Vespers refers to Monday, the second day of the Holy Trinity - Spiritual Day, since according to the rules of the Council of Nicaea, Orthodox Christians should not kneel on Sundays.
Is it possible to swim on Trinity Sunday?
You can swim on Trinity Sunday.
There is often a statement that you cannot swim for three days on Trinity Sunday.
This is explained by a certain belief that it is during this period that “mermaids walk” and can “lure the swimmer to the bottom.”
At the same time, some “well-wishers” extend the ban on swimming on Trinity not only to seas, rivers and lakes, but also to swimming pools and home showers.
It is clear that not only from the point of view of the Church, but also from the point of view of any sane person, there is and cannot be any reason not to allow swimming on Trinity Sunday.
Another thing is that you should not replace going to church and prayer with a beach holiday, but you can go to nature to a pond after the service.
Moreover, Trinity always falls at the end of May or June, is always celebrated on Sunday, and the weather on this day is hot.
Is it possible to go to the cemetery on Trinity Sunday?
You should not visit the cemetery on Trinity Sunday. On this important day for Christians, you need to visit the temple, pray and, if possible, take communion.
On Trinity Sunday, believers remember how, after His Ascension into heaven, the Lord sent the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to all who believe in Him.
This holiday is considered the birthday of the Church, since it was after this event that Christ’s disciples began preaching the Gospel throughout the world.
This event is so significant and so joyful that it is on Trinity Day that it is not customary to particularly remember the dead.
But the Church does not turn away and does not forget about them: The day before Trinity is reserved for commemoration and visiting the cemetery - Trinity Parents' Saturday.
Moreover, in the kneeling prayers heard at Vespers, which is served on Trinity Sunday immediately after the Liturgy, there is a separate prayer for the departed.
Of course, there are different situations in life, and sometimes it is impossible to refuse to go to the cemetery, even on a completely unintended day.
But even when you are forced to visit the cemetery on Trinity, it would be good to try not to forget about the meaning and significance of this day in church history.
What can you do on Saturday before Trinity?
The Saturday before Trinity is also called Trinity Parental Saturday; on this day a special commemoration of all the departed is performed in churches. Believers come to the morning service, after which a memorial service is held.
In addition, on the Saturday before Trinity, as well as on the eve of other great holidays, newlyweds are not married.
The Church does not introduce any other special restrictions on this day.
Is it possible to work on Wednesdays until Trinity?
On the Wednesday before Trinity Sunday you can work. This day is indicated in the church calendar as a day of non-strict fasting - believers abstain from meat, but there are no other special restrictions.
Is it possible to get married before Trinity?
The Church does not perform weddings directly on the eve of great holidays, as well as on fasting days of the week: Wednesday and Friday.
As for the remaining days in the week before Trinity, on these days, as a rule, you can get married.
Of course, a particular church may have special circumstances related to its work and worship schedule. Therefore, it is worth agreeing in advance on the time and place of the wedding.
The week after Trinity: what not to do?
The first day of the week after Trinity is called Spiritual Day.
It is also a major church holiday, on which pious Christians try to come to church again.
But there are no additional restrictions in the week after Trinity in the church tradition (with the exception of fasting on Wednesday and Friday).
Since ancient times, pagan beliefs have been preserved that in the week after the Christian holiday of Trinity, one should supposedly stay away from water, or even not leave the villages at all: the most superstitious peasants feared attacks by mermaids, believing that the week after Trinity - special time for evil spirits.
However, such mythology never had anything to do with Christianity, and over time, belief in mermaids remained only a part of rural folklore.
Is it possible to make wishes for Trinity and what kind?
Secular people often ask this question to their church-going friends, and sometimes just to random sites on the Internet.
But if the sites may answer differently, then believers, like the entire Church, will tell you one thing: signs associated with making wishes have nothing to do with Orthodox doctrine and are pure superstition.
Christians believe that you can always turn to God with a request, but “deceiving” him by making a wish at some special moment in time will not work. This also applies to making wishes for Trinity.
How many days can you not work on Trinity Sunday?
Another popular question from people who are just immersing themselves in church tradition. The answer will disappoint some and please others: There are no restrictions on work on the eve of Trinity.
So workaholics can calmly enjoy their work, but lazy people, alas, will not have a new reason to relax.
Is it possible to baptize on Trinity?
You can baptize on Trinity, but you need to take into account that on major holidays there are many believers in churches, the services are longer, the priests are very busy, and therefore you will most likely be asked to postpone the baptism to another day.
On Trinity Day, Christians remember the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles.
This miraculous phenomenon, which occurred almost two thousand years ago, attracted a lot of people, many believed and were baptized, and therefore Trinity is also called the birthday of the Church.
Of course, it is symbolic to be baptized or have a child baptized on this particular holiday.
But in fact, there are no more or less suitable days for baptism, and the grace of the Holy Spirit, which a person receives through the Sacrament of Confirmation when joining the Church, is the same both on Trinity and on any other day of the year.
Is it possible to get married/get married on Trinity Sunday?
It is impossible to get married on Trinity, since the Sacrament of marriage is not celebrated by the Church on the days of the twelve (that is, the twelve main holidays after Easter).
On Trinity Sunday, Christians remember one of the most important events in church history - the descent of the Holy Spirit of the Comforter, whose coming to earth Christ promised as He ascended to heaven.
On this day, immediately after the Liturgy, Vespers is served, at which believers kneel and turn to the Trinity in all its fullness: God the Father, the Holy Spirit and the Son of God.
The meaning of this holiday is so great that it is hardly possible, without missing anything, to take into your heart on this day also the experience of a great personal event - the Sacrament of Marriage.
As for registering a marriage, in this sense it will most likely not be possible to get married on Trinity. Trinity is always celebrated on Sunday, and registry offices are usually closed on Sunday.
Is it possible to have a wedding before Trinity?
You can get married before Trinity during the period from Antipascha (the Sunday following Easter, also called St. Thomas) until Friday on the eve of Trinity, when weddings take place in churches for the last time before Lent of Peter the Great.
You can enter into a church marriage on the days designated for this (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, which do not fall on the eve or the twelfth day or church patronal feast day).
Before going to church, you need to register your marriage with government agencies.
And the newlyweds can celebrate the wedding, that is, celebrate the birth of a new family, on any convenient day, but For a feast and fun, you should choose a day when there is no fasting.
Having a wedding right before Trinity is not entirely appropriate and not very convenient. The Saturday before is the day of remembrance of the dead and preparation for the holiday itself, in which most believers try to take communion, which means they try to devote the days before Trinity to fasting and prayer.
Is it possible to sign for Trinity?
It is unlikely that you will be able to sign for Trinity, since this most important church holiday is always celebrated on Sunday, and in the registry offices Sunday is usually a day off.
The Church defines days when weddings do not take place, but does not in any way regulate the choice of the day of the week for registering a marriage.
But if the question arises because it seems to the future spouses that a marriage concluded, for example, on the holiday of Trinity, will be strong and happy, then the opinion of the Church is unequivocal.
Neither a wedding date nor an attempt to observe any wedding signs will make your family life happy. There will be peace and love in the family if the spouses themselves try every day to preserve and increase them, asking the Lord for help in this.
Trinity: traditions and rituals of the holiday
The Slavs called Trinity, or Pentecost, Trinity Day. And also - Trinity-Virgin Mary, Wreaths, Venoshnik, Birch Day.
Birches in the temple
On Trinity Sunday, churches were traditionally decorated with birch branches and grass. This custom has several explanations.
Firstly, birch trees can be reminiscent of the oak grove of Mamvre, where there was an oak tree, under which the Lord, the Holy Trinity, appeared to Abraham in the form of three angels. She is depicted on the icons of the Trinity.
Secondly, on the day when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles, the Jews celebrated the Feast of Pentecost, which was associated with the history of the giving of the Law of God to them. On the fiftieth day after leaving the land of Egypt, the Jews approached Mount Sinai, where the Lord gave Moses the Ten Commandments.
It was spring time, and the entire Mount Sinai was covered with flowering trees.
Probably from here, in the ancient Church there was a custom on the day of Pentecost to decorate their temples and houses with greenery, as if to find themselves again on Mount Sinai with Moses.
Trinity Parents' Saturday and Trinity Day
Often the entire time period from Semik to Spiritual Day, that is, the Day of the Holy Spirit, which the Church celebrates on the Monday after Trinity, was called “Trinity.”
Trinity festivities marked the transition from spring to summer. By Trinity, as a rule, all spring agricultural work was completed.
For the holiday, housewives traditionally washed and cleaned the house and yard, fathers of families and sons mowed the grass in the fields.
They baked pies and loaves, made wreaths of birch and flowers, and went to visit.
Guys and girls walked in the forests and meadows, and the girls specially sewed outfits for the holiday.
The heads were decorated with wreaths of flowers or headdresses embroidered with gold threads.
In the Belgorod region, a special dress was required for each day of the Trinity cycle: on Trinity Saturday, parents wore red shirts, on Sunday - white shirts from grandmothers' chests, on Monday, Spiritual Day - sewn from factory fabric. published .
Elizaveta Kiktenko
If you have any questions, please ask
P.S. And remember, just by changing your consciousness, we are changing the world together! © econet
One of the main Christian holidays - Trinity Day in 2017 is celebrated on June 4 - the Orthodox Church on this day remembers the gospel event - the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, which is described in one of the books of the New Testament
The holiday does not have a specific date in the church calendar, as it is tied to the day of Easter - it is celebrated on the 50th day after the Holy Resurrection of Christ.
Do's and Don'ts
According to folk traditions and superstitions, on the Feast of the Holy Trinity, as on any other Orthodox holiday, you cannot perform various types of work - sewing, washing, washing, cleaning, etc. All housework and household work must be completed before the holiday. It is especially strictly forbidden to work on the land on the holiday, including digging, planting and mowing grass.
Those who do not follow old customs and violate prohibitions, according to beliefs, can suffer significant damage. So, for example, for those who plow, their livestock may die, for those who sow, hail will destroy their crops. And for those who spin wool, their sheep will get lost and so on.
These days you can prepare food for the holiday table and feed and water livestock and pets. On the holiday, the whole family decorates the house with branches of various trees, flowers and greenery, illuminated in the church. The Feast of the Holy Trinity always falls on Sunday - on this day, believers try to attend the festive service in the church in the morning, partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ and devote time to prayer.
Is it possible to work for Trinity?
In the old days, on the days of great holidays, people always tried to put off all their work, believing that this was displeasing to the Lord, since work, as a rule, was not carried out and did not bring a positive result.
The priests explain that by working on Trinity Day, we seem to show God our disrespect, therefore, if possible, on the days of major holidays, such as Trinity, it is better to postpone all matters, including work in the garden.
Of course, there are especially important tasks that cannot be postponed to another day, but it is better to start doing them only after attending the service and praying.
In addition, in the modern world there are many jobs that must be done daily, without breaks or weekends, so if a believer cannot visit the temple, he can pray at home or at work.
Is it possible to swim on Trinity Sunday?
During the holiday, people also refrained from swimming in the house - they tried not to go close to the water, even just to wash themselves.
Church officials claim that there is and cannot be any reason not to allow swimming on Trinity Sunday. You just shouldn’t replace going to church and prayer with a beach holiday, which will certainly be a sin.
You can go into nature after the service, especially since Trinity always falls at the end of May or beginning of June, when the weather is hot.
What else can't be done
It was forbidden to hold weddings and celebrate weddings on Trinity Sunday, but matchmaking on this holiday was considered a favorable omen - life together would be long and happy. On the holiday of Trinity, it is forbidden to think about bad things, quarrel with loved ones, be offended by others and wish bad things on someone.
It was also forbidden to go to the forest on Holy Trinity. In the old days, they believed that goblins and mavkas (evil forest spirits) watched over people there, lured them deep into the forest and tickled them to death. But the girls who wanted to know their future, breaking the ban, still ran through the forest to tell fortunes for their betrothed.
Customs and signs The week before Trinity is called Green - during the week, girls weave wreaths for all family members and bring them home. If the wreath has not withered by Trinity, it means that the person will live happily ever after. On Trinity, it was customary to decorate rooms with flowers, young grass and green branches, which symbolizes prosperity and continuation of life. For this they used branches of birch, rowan, maple, mint, lemon balm - people believed that the more greenery there was in the house on Trinity, the happier the house would be. In the church, during the service, herbs and bouquets of wild flowers were blessed, which were dried and stored for a whole year as a talisman against the evil eye. After the festive morning service, the site and the house were blessed with holy water in order to ward off otherworldly forces.
Since ancient times, a cheerful feast was organized - close people and relatives were invited to a festive dinner, who were treated to the Trinity loaf, egg dishes, pancakes, pies, and jelly. They gave each other funny gifts.
Rusks from the Trinity loaf were kept to be added to the wedding cake of the newlyweds as a sign of happiness and love. On Trinity, it is useful to walk barefoot on the grass, collect and dry medicinal plants (thyme, mint, lemon balm), which are subsequently used as medicine. Since ancient times, people believed that on this day earth and greenery have special healing powers. On Trinity and the following days they always wore their cross as a talisman that would protect them from otherworldly creatures. Among girls, floating a woven wreath was considered an important custom. If the wreath floated far, then you can prepare for the wedding; if it drowns, then there will be trouble, and if it lands on the shore, then she will have to wait a long time for marriage. And in order to see your betrothed in a dream, you had to put birch branches under your pillow. The Church recommends that on Trinity you should not follow common signs and superstitions, many of which give advice on what you supposedly “cannot” do on Trinity (swimming, going to the forest and field, working, etc.). First of all, you need to live this day as a Christian - go to church, pray, take communion, try to be kind and attentive to your loved ones, spend free time with them. 
For a Christian there are no prohibitions on certain types of activities on an ordinary or holiday day, if they do not harm his soul. Neither swimming, nor walking, nor work will interfere with a believer if he remembers God.
On Trinity, every believer tries to visit the church, where on this day after the Liturgy special kneeling prayers are read for the forgiveness of sins, the mercy of God and the bestowal of the grace of the Holy Spirit. But a Christian can only preserve and increase this grace in his life by following the Gospel and not superstitious rules. And most importantly, not only on the Holy Trinity, but also on any other day, you cannot keep negative thoughts in yourself, do not wish bad things on anyone, forgive your family and friends all the insults, get over them and leave them in the past, so that you can find peace mentally and physically.
Every Orthodox family observes holiday customs. To do this, it is not necessary to collect special herbs in the field or count the stars. There are quite ordinary things that should be done on Trinity.
For example, on Parents' Day you need to go to the graves of deceased relatives and light candles in the church for the repose of their souls. You can remember the departed only in a positive context and without sadness.
On the evening before Trinity, parishioners collect large bouquets of birch branches, freshly cut grass and wildflowers, and then go with them to the temple. They are considered endowed with healing properties, so they are kept in the house for a whole year. It is recommended to make decoctions from such bouquets for illness.
The Sunday service is held with a prayer to God for the gift of the Holy Spirit to the dead.
Monday after the holiday is a symbol of victory over evil. After the service, believers leave the church and treat those in need with sweets and distribute money to them. It is believed that this helps protect against misfortunes in the future.
There are special signs associated with the Trinity. For example, the harvest and temperature in the coming winter depend on the weather on the holiday. Our ancestors thought that on this day the Earth revealed its secrets to people, so they searched for treasures.
Here are some more popular signs:
- if it rains on a holiday, there will be a fruitful mushroom season;
- plants collected on Pentecost will help cure any disease;
- no frosts since Monday – the next days will be warm
Village residents weave bath wreaths on the eve of Trinity. To do this, carefully pluck the side shoots from the trees, but in no case the top branches.
Festive table
Bread and other baked goods are prepared immediately before the celebration. According to popular superstitions, only the closest people gather at the Trinity table. You cannot invite unwanted guests, the atmosphere should be clean and joyful.
Traditionally, the table is set with a festive green tablecloth. Our ancestors kept it to attract betrothed. It was believed that the more different pastries on the table, the more joy expected in the future.
The newlyweds should pay special attention to the feast. Baking bread and loaves on the Saturday before the holiday is a wonderful family tradition.
An indispensable attribute of the Trinity table is chicken eggs. There should also be fish, meat, vegetables and fruits, and sweets.
What can’t be done on Trinity and at what time?
Some things are absolutely forbidden to do during the holiday. According to ancient belief, the souls of the dead who wander among the living can become angry. On this day, any work is prohibited, including handicrafts and housework. You also cannot dig a garden or plant vegetables and fruits.
Swimming is strictly prohibited on this day. There is a belief about a mermaid, which personifies the soul of a little girl who died before baptism. According to him, an unmarried girl, having bathed in the river, can stay there forever.
It is forbidden to ignore going to the cemetery to visit loved ones. It is believed that they can get angry and take one of the living people to themselves.
Under no circumstances should you show anger or aggression or commit sins.
What can you do on Trinity?
On the eve of the celebration, the housewives clean the house to clear it of unnecessary objects and dirt.
It is customary to decorate the house with branches of rowan and birch, which symbolize new life. On this day, believers line the floor with mowed grass.
The most common custom is to take with you several branches from the church, which will become a good protection for your home from evil forces.
On Trinity you can pray for suicides and those who are missing. The clergy conduct a service for the repose of the souls of all the dead.
According to religious canons, fortune telling is a prohibited activity, but this law has not been enforced for centuries, since girls have always told fortunes about their grooms on this holiday.
Signs for unmarried and unmarried people
Children are introduced to Orthodox traditions from an early age. They observe the rituals of adults and over time begin to participate in them themselves.
Young girls weave wreaths, throw them on the water and watch what happens:
- Floats - life will be happy.
- Wash ashore - a lover will appear.
- Does not move - there will be no changes this year.
- If he drowns, expect trouble.
It is believed that the tablecloth that older women use to set the festive table helps attract suitors.
Trinity Day is one of the most revered Orthodox holidays. The beginning of summer - and it’s as if nature itself calls to enjoy life, to love everything that lives. People go to church - some to pray, some just to pay tribute to the Orthodox tradition, decorate their houses with fragrant plants, take a break from the labors of the righteous - after all, you cannot work on the Orthodox Trinity. This, perhaps, is all our knowledge about the great Christian holiday. But what is the essence of the Trinity, when and how was the holiday born, are we doing everything right these days? Estet-portal.com will tell you everything in detail.
What is the essence of the Trinity
The essence of the Orthodox holiday of Trinity is the glorification of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles. In another way, this day is also called Pentecost. This name is due to the fact that the descent took place on the fiftieth day after Easter - the Jewish day of Pentecost. The Orthodox are accustomed to calling this holiday Trinity. Where does this name come from? The fact is that on the day of Pentecost the Lord appeared before people in His Third Person - the Holy Spirit. Let us remind you: the Lord is triune, His essence is three persons: God the Father, God the Son, the Holy Spirit. It was after the descent of the Holy Spirit that the apostles learned about the trinity of the Lord God.
Thus, every year the Orthodox Trinity is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter. Note that in 2017 Trinity is celebrated on June 4.
The essence of the Trinity is the cleansing of the soul through prayer, gratitude to the Lord for the revival of life, the holy sacrament of baptism, for the fact that the Lord gives us strength and faith. Orthodox Christians express their gratitude through prayers, opening their hearts to love for everything that exists on earth. After all, prayer cleanses the soul, and this is the deep essence of the Trinity holiday.
Rituals and traditions of the Trinity: how to decorate your home
The most important ritual is decorating the house with bouquets of wild flowers and green branches, previously illuminated in the church. It symbolizes a soul awakened after winter sleep, touched by the Lord's grace. “Green Christmastide” is the popular name given to the festive Trinity Week. This is the kind of greenery used to decorate a house on Trinity Sunday:
- branches of birch (protect the house from evil), oak (the symbol of masculinity gives strength and strength to the household), rowan (a wonderful amulet), alder, maple, ash, poplar. But it is strictly forbidden to break the willow - for it it was already Palm Week;
- fragrant herbs: wormwood, thyme, lovage, fern, but most importantly - calamus, which is used to cover the floor. It is believed that it is on these days that calamus is endowed with magical properties to give health to household members, cleanse the home, and ward off evil spirits. It is customary to put mint and cornflowers behind icons.
The main greenery for the festive decoration of the house on Trinity is calamus, which is used to cover the floor. It is believed that it is on these days that calamus is endowed with magical properties to give health to household members, cleanse the home, and ward off evil spirits.
A week after the Trinity holiday, the branches can be burned, and the drying flowers should be preserved - after all, these bouquets, according to legend, have power. Our ancestors, for example, put them in the attic - to protect against fire, or in the beds - to save the harvest. The greenery illuminated in the church was dried, crushed and, if necessary, fumigated with it for a sick person for a speedy recovery.
Another custom is to bring a funeral feast to the graves of relatives on parental Saturday.
Green Christmastide is also called Rusal Week. It was believed that at this time mermaids could tickle to death an onlooker who listened to their songs. Therefore, it was impossible to swim in open reservoirs during Rusal Week. Pagan rituals also remain from ancient times: for example, fortune telling on wreaths thrown into the water: swam - to a quick marriage, drowned - there will be trouble, washed ashore - to sit in wenches.
What not to do on Orthodox Trinity
Any Orthodox holiday is a time of communication with God, a time of prayer, good beginnings, and thoughts. Therefore, it is unacceptable to engage in physical labor. The exception is small, necessary household chores, for example, cooking, feeding livestock. Here's what you absolutely can't do on Trinity Sunday:
- work on the land: dig, plant;
- do handicrafts: sew, knit, embroider;
- wash, iron, do cleaning, repairs (but BEFORE the holiday you must definitely clean the house!);
- work in the garden: chop, saw, whitewash trees, mow grass;
- get a haircut
In addition, there is no need to celebrate a wedding or get married. But you can get married. It’s not good, of course, to swear, use foul language, be offended, or wish bad things on others. Even bad thoughts need to be driven away.
What can you do on Trinity Sunday?
The best thing you can do is go to church, pray, help those who need it, meet your loved ones, friends, treat them with something tasty, prepared with your own hands. It is believed that the earth on Trinity Day has miraculous powers, so it is recommended to walk barefoot. If you usually don’t wear a cross, then at least try to wear it during the Green Christmas season.
Any Orthodox holiday is a time of communication with God, a time of prayer, good beginnings, and thoughts. Therefore, you cannot engage in physical labor on the holiday of Trinity. The exception is small, necessary household chores.
Whether to follow traditions and the ban on physical labor on holidays is a personal matter for everyone. But is it really bad to rest, think about God, and clear your thoughts of negativity? And not only on Orthodox holidays.
The Orthodox summer holiday, the Day of the Holy Trinity, which is called “Pentecost,” is one of the most important church holidays. For believers, it is often unclear and raises the question whether it is possible to clean the house on Trinity Sunday, or even work at all.
How to properly celebrate a Christian holiday
In order to understand the rules of the Christian church, one should turn to the history of the origin of religion. The name of the holiday is "Pentecost". After the resurrection, Jesus Christ visited his disciples - the Apostles fifty days later, hence the name.
Is it possible to clean the house on Holy Trinity Day?
It is fair to note that the responsibility for observing religious canons lies with believers. If a true Christian asks whether it is possible to clean on Trinity Sunday, then he can only be told that he must be in church on Sunday. And even better, from Saturday evening, then in the morning on Sunday at the liturgy. Services on these two days in honor of the holiday are very long, so the question of household chores will disappear by itself.
Cleaning temples
Is it possible to go to church on Trinity Sunday, since you can’t go home? What about the house of God? With the blessing of the rector, parishioners or employees restore order, but only when necessary. At the same time, every believer must stand in prayer, communicate with God, the Mother of God and ask for help from the saints.
There is an erroneous opinion among those who consider themselves Christians, but do not want to understand God’s laws and obey them. Even convinced atheists and the unbaptized include themselves in this category. They believe that this is a great holiday for everyone, perceiving it more as a tradition. They give up worldly affairs, believing that doing anything on such days is prohibited due to their laziness. But they don’t go to church. If you ask them, why can't you do anything? They will definitely answer: “God will punish.” It is worth dispelling the myth: the Lord has already punished, or rather people punished themselves for not going to the Temple of God for the holiday in the morning. It is a sin not to attend church on the morning of a holiday.
Visiting cemeteries
Is it possible to go to the cemetery on Trinity Sunday? On the eve, all the departed are commemorated in the Orthodox Church. This day is called Trinity Parents' Saturday. In the first half of the day, in all churches and monasteries they pray for all dead Christians. You can also pray at home for loved ones who died as non-believers. Then, after the service, you are allowed to go to the cemetery, restore order, and pray for the repose of your loved ones. But in no case on Sunday, if a Christian does not want to upset the Lord. Indeed, specifically for the convenience of people, two days are provided - memorial Saturday for cleaning in the first half of the day, and evening and Sunday morning for glorifying the Holy Trinity.
Every priest will say that there are 5-6 days a week for cleaning the house and watering the garden. But on the seventh day (Sunday) you need to pray to the Lord together with other Christians. And Trinity Day is special.
Church services are always joyful, even if they last a very long time. To feel the real holiday, you need to listen to chants, prayers and participate in worship. There is definitely no need to think about cleaning at this time - you should keep the house clean every day, and prepare in advance before the holiday.
Is it possible to clean the house on Trinity Sunday after visiting the temple? If you need to feed your family, then... Don't leave everyone without lunch and dinner. On the one hand, church pastors recommend refraining from doing anything and spending the day with God: reading prayers (especially prayers of thanks for Holy Communion, if you have begun the Sacrament of the Eucharist), helping those in need, visiting the sick and lonely. But everyday life is meant for work, both at work and at home. And next Saturday will be free, you can do everything. For the sake of Christ, it is worth leaving one day without work and troubles.