Orthodox Christians on Sunday, April 7, will celebrate the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This holiday was established in honor of the gospel event – the announcement by the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary of the future birth of Jesus Christ. Traditions and prohibitions associated with this day are in the information from RIA Tomsk.
The Annunciation is one of the main immutable holidays and is celebrated on the same day every year. In Orthodoxy this is April 7 (March 25, old style).
History
In ancient times, the Feast of the Annunciation was called differently: the Conception of Christ, the Annunciation of Christ, the Beginning of Redemption, the Annunciation of the Angel to Mary.
It is unknown where and how the holiday originated. The date March 25 appears for the first time in the writings of Western authors of the 3rd century. And in 560, the Byzantine emperor Justinian indicated the date for the celebration of the Annunciation – March 25 (April 7, new style).
Since the 2nd century, the Annunciation has been seen as the first act in Christian history of redemption in which the obedience of the Virgin Mary balances the disobedience of Eve. Mary becomes the “new Eve”. It is believed that God sent the archangel with the good news on the same day, March 25, on which the creation of the world took place – thus, humanity was given a second chance.
Traditions and customs
In Rus’, the holiday was revered as a day of perfect freedom and peace. However, it was a day of beautiful traditions, reasonable and good deeds, and not riotous feasts.
On the night of April 7, an all-night vigil is held in Orthodox churches. The special significance of the holiday is emphasized by the fact that on the day of the Annunciation, despite Lent, a full liturgy must be performed, services are held in the morning. Many churches have an old custom – after the liturgy, they release birds, most often white doves, into the sky.
Believing Christians who adhere to Lent have relief for the Annunciation. On this day you can eat fish and drink wine, and quiet entertainment is not prohibited.
In the Slavic folk tradition, on the Annunciation even “the bird does not build a nest,” that is, any work is considered a sin.
At the Annunciation, spring overcame winter. For the third and last time spring calls. In some places, on the night of this day, fires were lit on the ground – “burned the winter” and “warmed the spring.” Straw, garbage, rags, old shoes, horse and cow dung were burned in the fire. They danced around the fires, sang songs, and jumped over the fire.
It was believed that on the Annunciation the sky opens, and you can “beg glory from God. And if you have glory, you will definitely become rich and happy.” Therefore, in the evening of this day, people went out into the street to look at the sky in search of a big star.
Signs
The weather on Annunciation was used to judge the future harvest and the weather in the summer months.
If the day is windy, with morning fog, summer will be fruitful. Annunciation rain – to an abundance of mushrooms and bread.
Frost – for a good harvest of spring crops, cucumbers, and milk mushrooms; thunderstorm – for warm summer days and an abundance of nuts.
There are no swallows on the day of the Annunciation – a sign of a cold, prolonged spring.
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In Tomsk, the day of the Annunciation of the Mother of God was the patronal feast of the Annunciation Cathedral, which for a long time was the Cathedral. The cathedral was located on Blagoveshchenskaya Square, which is now known to Tomsk residents as Batenkov Square.
The temple was founded in 1785 and consecrated in 1806. In 1934, at the height of the persecution of the church, the cathedral was closed under the pretext of its disrepair and demolished. Believers have preserved the icon of the Annunciation of the Mother of God, painted in 1907 by the famous Tomsk icon painter Joseph Pankryshev. Now it is kept in the museum of the Tomsk Theological Seminary.
The information is based on materials from open sources
