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Every day of Holy Week – the last day before Easter – is endowed with a special meaning. At this time, they remember the last days of the earthly life of Jesus Christ, his suffering, crucifixion, death and subsequent resurrection. The Church especially honors these days, and believers strive to spend them in spiritual reflections and prayers, without quarrels, offenses and bad deeds.
What are the dates of Holy Week in 2023
In 2023, Easter is celebrated on April 16, respectively, Holy Week precedes this date. On April 9, believers will celebrate the feast of the Lord’s Entry into Jerusalem, or Palm Sunday, and from Monday, April 10, until Holy Saturday, April 15, Holy Week will last.
What do the days of Holy Week mean?
Every day of Holy Week is called the Great Day. Special services are held in churches – the most majestic and solemn in the entire church year. At the same time, on Holy Week they do not celebrate the days of the saints, do not commemorate the dead, do not hold weddings and baptisms – all the rites are dedicated to preparing for Christ’s Resurrection, Easter.
Let’s talk about Easter days in more detail.
Great Monday
On this day, at church services, they recall a story from the Old Testament – about Patriarch Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his own brothers, as well as about the curse by Christ of a barren fig tree, which symbolizes an unrepentant soul.
The patriarch begins the rite of consecration. This ritual takes place once a year and is the production of a special consecrated aromatic oil (myro) used for anointing after baptism. Myro is boiled for three days. It contains a mixture of 50 different oils, herbs and fragrant resins. In Our Country, this process takes place in only one place – the small cathedral of the Donskoy Monastery in Moscow. The finished chrism is consecrated on Maundy Thursday, and then sent to the dioceses and deaneries of the Orthodox Church.
Great Tuesday
The services tell how Christ spoke to people in the Jerusalem temple, about his parables to his disciples: about the talents, the resurrection of the dead and the Last Judgment.
Great environment
According to the Bible, Judas Iscariot on this day decided to betray Christ for 30 pieces of silver. They remember the sinner who washed Jesus’ feet and anointed them with myrrh. In the temple, for the last time on Holy Week, a prayer with bows is read. It is believed that the Lord atoned for the sins of people, and after Great Wednesday, bows during the liturgy are canceled until the Trinity. On this day, believers try to confess.
Maundy Thursday
In the evening, one of the longest services of the year begins, “The Twelve Gospels” (12 parts of four Gospels), which commemorates the sufferings of Christ. Those who came to the temple stand on it with lighted candles, which, according to tradition, they try not to extinguish until they return home. On this day, believers need to take communion.
In addition, on Maundy Thursday they prepare the house for Easter – they paint eggs, bake Easter cakes, tidy up and wash clothes. Therefore, this day received a second name – Maundy Thursday.
Good Friday
Day of Mourning: It was on Friday that Christ was judged and crucified. The service is dedicated to the memory of the suffering of the Savior on the cross. A shroud is taken out of the altar: an image of Christ lying in a tomb, and the faithful bow to it.
Great Saturday
At the solemn divine service, they talk about the burial of Christ and his stay in the tomb. At the same time, priests already on this day put on bright festive vestments, consecrate Easter cakes brought by people to the temple, painted eggs and Easter.
The main service begins on Saturday evening. In Jerusalem, in the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, the Holy Fire descends. Believers celebrate Easter.
Do’s and Don’ts during Holy Week
It is important to remember that Great Lent leading up to Easter is not a diet. First of all, we are talking about inner repentance for sins, bad deeds and thoughts. Dietary restrictions are intended only to help Christians on the eve of Easter focus not on the physical, but on the spiritual, and do not serve as an end in itself. Believers try to pay attention to prayer, and not to entertainment and fuss, to help their neighbors more. At the same time, the measure of your fast should be agreed with the priest, and sometimes with the doctor. There are categories of people to whom the Church allows not to fast: these are sick or elderly people, as well as children under seven years old.
Nutrition rules depend on the specific day of Holy Week.
The strictest fast of the year begins on Maundy Monday. On this day, only bread, fruits and vegetables, honey and nuts are allowed. On Tuesday and Wednesday, you can also eat raw food without oil. On Thursday – a slight indulgence, hot food of plant origin with vegetable oil is allowed. On Good Friday, believers abstain from food until the shroud is taken out at the service. On Saturday, hot food without oil is allowed.