Liturgy for the Feast of the Holy Trinity. Trinity holiday traditions

Holy Trinity Day - when in 2018, the content and meaning of the holiday, features of worship in the Russian Orthodox Church, troparion, iconography and prayer to the Most Holy Trinity.

Trinity is a moving holiday, falls on the 50th Sunday after seven weeks after Easter. In 2018, Trinity Sunday falls on May 27th. The Feast of the HOLY TRINITY is one of the 12 main Orthodox holidays and belongs to the twelve. Another name for the holiday is PENTECOST or the DAY OF THE Descent of the HOLY SPIRIT.

On this day, the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles is remembered - an event described in the Gospel. After seven weeks had passed since the Savior was resurrected, the apostles gathered in the very upper room where the events of the Last Supper took place. Suddenly a loud noise arose and tongues like flames appeared and “rested one on each of” the apostles. As a result of what happened, everyone present was “filled with the Holy Spirit” and began to preach in different languages.

After this wonderful event, the disciples had the opportunity to convey the word about the Risen Christ to everyone, no matter what language they spoke. It is this day, when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles and their preaching began in many languages, that is considered the birthday of the Church of Christ - the community of people faithful to Christ, who are united into the One Body of Christ by church sacraments.

Another name for the holiday of Trinity - Pentecost, not only speaks of the event that occurred on the 50th day after Easter, but also has Old Testament roots.

In ancient Israel, the harvest festival was celebrated on Pentecost; on this day, the Jews sacrificed the first fruits to God. Over time, they began to attach a different meaning to this holiday - on the day of the Old Testament Pentecost, they remembered the time of the conclusion of the Covenant of God with Moses, since there was a Tradition, this happened approximately on the 50th day after the Jews left Egypt (Events of the Old Testament Passover). This happened long before the birth of Christ.

The new Pentecost became not only the birthday of the Church, but also the remembrance of the new Covenant of the Lord with people, thereby denoting the continuity of church history.

The dispersion of nations, which occurred after the attempt to build the Tower of Babel, is overcome precisely on the day of Pentecost. The Lord once again unites people who love Him and who work for their salvation for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.

On the Feast of the Holy Trinity, one of the most beautiful services of the year is performed. Orthodox churches are full of summer greenery - they are decorated inside and outside with birch trees, freshly cut grass lies on the floor, and paths of flowers are often laid out. The color of the vestments of the clergy and the decoration of the temple is green.

The Trinity service is long, since after the liturgy Vespers is served immediately with three kneeling prayers. Believers pray for the Church, for the salvation of all those who pray and for the repose of the souls of all the departed, including those “held in hell.” These prayers, performed by everyone on their knees, complete the festive seven-week cycle after Easter, when no kneeling or prostration is performed, and a new period of the church year opens, “After Pentecost.”

The icon of Pentecost depicts the Upper Room of Zion at the moment of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles in the form of tongues of flame. Below is an old man called Cosmos, he personifies the entire world created by God, all earthly wisdom.

Sometimes the icon of Pentecost depicts the Mother of God as the cause of all these events.

In Rus', a special reverent attitude towards this holiday has developed. The type of Trinity icon called “Hospitality of Abraham” has become widespread. The most complete symbolism of this event - the appearance of the Holy Trinity in the form of angels to the forefather Abraham - was developed by Andrei Rublev in the icon, which he painted at the request of St. Sergius of Radonezh. Numerous copies of this icon are known. This image is often called the Old Testament Trinity.

We read about the origin of the holiday in the book “ACTS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES”:
“Until the day on which He ascended, giving commands by the Holy Spirit to the Apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He revealed Himself alive after His suffering with many true proofs, appearing to them for forty days and speaking about the Kingdom of God; And, having gathered them, He commanded them: do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for what was promised from the Father, which you have heard from Me: For John baptized with water, and a few days after this you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

And further:
“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as from a rushing strong wind, filling the whole house where they were sitting; And cloven tongues, as if of fire, appeared to them, and one rested on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
The celebration of the Day of the Holy Trinity is noticeably different from the celebration of other twelve holidays. Even on the eve of the holiday, the church is decorated with birch branches; the priest conducts the evening service on the eve of the holiday in the green vestments of the Feast of the Holy Trinity. And the course of the morning service itself changes significantly. The Divine Liturgy is followed by Vespers, during which special kneeling prayers are performed, which are read only on this holiday

On the day of the Feast of the Holy Trinity, long before the start of the morning service, the temple is filled with parishioners. Just like the day before at the all-night vigil, many are holding bouquets of flowers framed by birch branches or simply birch branches. This custom has existed since ancient times. On this day we bring to the Lord the firstfruits of a renewed and blossoming nature, as a gift of thanksgiving to the life-giving Spirit of God for a gracious spring. These flowers and branches in the most fertile spring remind us of the Paradise of God, planted by God Himself for our forefathers.

In large city churches, many people flock to the holidays and it is often difficult to find a place and concentrate on the course of the service. Village and town churches are also crowded on holidays, but each parishioner stands in his own, long-loved place, so during services in a rural church one can feel the dean’s prayerful concentration.

As at the all-night vigil the night before, there are many children among the parishioners. For many children today is a special day, because they are going to receive communion. And we must not forget about candles for the holiday. It doesn’t matter that it is still difficult to reach the candlestick, the main thing is that there is a need to participate in worship on an equal basis with adults.

The morning holiday service begins with the liturgy. The priest performs it in green festive vestments. After the proskomedia, the royal doors are opened and the censing begins, first of the throne, then of the altar, and then of the entire temple. The first exclamation of the priest at the liturgy, “Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” emphasizes that God exists in Three Persons..

At the liturgy, Father Andrei delivered a sermon. In his sermon, he recalled the miracle of the descent of the gifts of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, promised by the Savior. The miracle revealed to people made it possible to comprehend the triune essence of God - the blessed Kingdom of the Holy Trinity

The parishioners listened with great interest to Father Andrei's memorable sermon. Everyone heard something new for themselves. Much attention in the sermon was paid to the spiritual meaning of the holiday. As if anticipating the subsequent service, Father Andrei said that on the day of such a holiday, when the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit were revealed to people, the church especially earnestly prays for the sending down of the gifts of the Holy Spirit to all Orthodox Christians.

After the sermon, the liturgy continues. The Great Entrance with the Holy Gifts symbolizes the Sacrifice to God made by the Savior for the sins of mankind. The gifts are transferred to the throne for the celebration of the sacrament of the Eucharist.

Since the time of the first Christians, the rite of the liturgy has included the Creed, which is sung by all those praying. The Creed very concisely formulates the basic truths of the faith that guide all Orthodox Christians in their spiritual life. By singing the Creed, those praying in the temple testify to their loyalty to the teachings of the Church.
Also, all those praying sing the Lord’s Prayer “Our Father” at the liturgy.

After performing the sacrament of transmuting bread and wine into the Body and Blood of the Savior at the altar, the priest takes the Holy Chalice out of the altar. The participants repeat the words of the prayer after the priest: I believe, Lord, and confess that You are truly the Christ, the Son of the Living God... and ask to be accepted as partakers.

The first communicants of the Holy Mysteries of Christ have already lined up near the pulpit. According to established tradition, these are children.

Older children approach the Holy Chalice on their own.

Children receive communion in the arms of their parents. Often in Orthodox families there are several children and then children of different ages approach communion

It’s surprising that most babies perceive communion completely calmly; there is almost no fear or crying of babies. This means that children often attend church services.

After the end of the liturgy, Vespers begins immediately. On the day of the Holy Trinity, three kneeling prayers are read at Vespers. The book of Scripture rests on a bench decorated with green branches. The priest reads prayers while kneeling and holding a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

Parishioners also pray on their knees. Although there are many parishioners in the temple, there is a place for everyone to kneel in prayer.

During the kneeling prayers, the choir sings a jubilant chant: Who is the Great God, like our God? You are God, work miracles. Create, create, create miracles.

On dismissal, parishioners venerate the cross. It is clear that the young parishioners are in a festive mood.

Adult parishioners approach the cross with bouquets of flowers, which the priest sprinkles with blessed water.

The real guardians of church tradition are older parishioners. It is worth watching and learning how sedately and decorously they perform the substitution of the cross, how reverently they receive communion and approach the cross. This is a good school for young people taking their first steps on the path to becoming a church member.

On vacation, Father Andrei always congratulates the communicants and communicants on their reception of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

Surprisingly, this little girl never cried during the entire service. Apparently, the holiday mood is transmitted even to these kids.

After the end of the service, a prayer service is held in the church. The parishioners are seated in a semicircle at the table on which the water is blessed. The parishioners are also joined by the choir, which is usually located on the choir and is not visible during other services.

With the singing of “Save, O Lord, thy people and bless thy inheritance,” the consecration of the water begins.

Parishioners who regularly visit the temple over the past years note that the sound of the choir is improving from year to year. New chants are being learned, and the consistency of performance is noticeably improving, making it possible to include increasingly complex works in liturgical chants.

At the end of the blessing of water, the priest sprinkles the parishioners with newly blessed water.

At the end of the prayer service, notes submitted by parishioners are read. The priest separately reads notes about the health and repose of relatives and friends of the parishioners. Such remembrance at the prayer service complements the festive mood of the parishioners.

The holiday of the Holy Trinity has long been considered the name day of the land in Russia. Here is how the Orthodox writer I. S. Shmelev writes about it: Tomorrow the whole earth will celebrate its birthday. Because the Lord will visit her. Yours is Ivan the Theologian, an angel, and mine is Michael the Archangel. Everyone has their own. And Mother Earth has the Lord God himself, in the Holy Trinity... Trinity Day.

In Orthodoxy it is celebrated on the 51st day after Easter, that is, the day after Pentecost (always on Monday).

History of establishment

The descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles on the day of Pentecost is described in the New Testament in the book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles: on the fiftieth day after the Resurrection of Christ (tenth day after the Ascension) the apostles were in Jerusalem when

... suddenly a sound came from the sky, as if from a rushing strong wind, and filled the whole house where they were. And cloven tongues as of fire appeared to them, and one rested on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance

Acts 2:1-18

The holiday was established for the sake of the greatness of the Most Holy and Life-Giving Spirit, as one is (from) the Holy and Life-Giving Trinity, in opposition to the anti-Trinitarian heresy, which rejected the divine nature of the Holy Spirit and His consubstantiality with God the Father and the Son of God.

unknown, Public Domain

Divine service

In worship, the holiday in honor of the Holy Spirit begins with Great Vespers. It is a common custom in parishes to serve the ninth hour and Great Vespers immediately after the liturgy on Sunday.

Vespers itself begins with the singing of the prayer to the Holy Spirit: “To the Heavenly King,” the prayer “To the Heavenly King” is sung again as a stichera on “The Lord has cried.” The entrance is made with a censer, and then the deacon or priest pronounces the great prokeimenon of the seventh tone: “Who is the great God, like our God? “You are God, you work wonders” (Ps. 76). During Vespers, those praying three times, led by a priest, genuflect - they kneel, and the priest reads 7 prayers compiled by St. Basil the Great, (the first and second time of kneeling the priest reads two prayers, and the third time - three prayers) These prayers are for the Church, for the salvation of all those who pray and for the repose of the souls of all the departed (including “ in hell held"). This is the first genuflection, according to the Typikon, that worshipers perform after Lent. In the evening, Little Compline is celebrated in churches, at which the canon to the Holy Spirit, written by Theophan, is sung. The line of the canon: “I sing to the Spirit who created all creation.” Matins on Spiritual Day is a repetition of Matins on the Day of the Holy Trinity, the differences being that in this case the polyeleos are not sung and, according to the Rule, the Gospel is not read; the canon is sung on 14 (on Trinity on 16); Katavasia is the irmos of only the first canon (for Trinity - both canons); praise stichera for 4 (for Trinity for 6) and another dispensation.

Troparion, kontakion and honor on Spiritual Day.

	In Greek	In Church Slavonic (transliteration)	In Russian
Troparion of the holiday, tone 8 (Ἦχος πλ. δ")	Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ πανσόφους τοὺς ἁλιεῖς ἀναδείξας, καταπέμψας αὐτοῖς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, καὶ δι" αὐτῶν τὴν οἰκουμένην σαγηνεύσας, φιλάνθρωπε, δόξα σοι.	Blessed art thou, O Christ our God, who are wise fishers of things, having sent down upon them the Holy Spirit, and thereby catch the universe: Lover of mankind, glory to Thee	Blessed are You, Christ our God, who made the fishermen wise, sent down the Holy Spirit to them, and through them captured the universe. Lover of humanity, glory to You!
Kontakion of the holiday, tone 8 (Ἦχος πλ. δ")	Ὅτε καταβὰς τὰς γλώσσας συνέχεε, διεμέριζεν ἔθνη ὁ Ὕψιστος· ὅτε τοῦ πυρὸς τὰς γλώσσας διένειμεν, εἰς ἑνότητα πάντας ἐκάλεσε, καὶ συμφώνως δοξάζομεν τὸ πανάγιον Πνεῦμα.	Whenever the languages ​​of the Most High descended, dividing the tongues, and when the fiery tongues were distributed, we all called into unity, and we glorified the All-Holy Spirit in agreement.	When the Most High came down and confused languages, He divided the nations; when he distributed tongues of fire, He called everyone to unity, and we, in agreement, glorify the All-Holy Spirit.
Honorer of the holiday, voice 4 (Ἦχος δ")	«Χαίροις Ἄνασσα, μητροπάρθενον κλέος. Ἄπαν γὰρ εὐδίνητον εὔλαλον στόμα. Ῥητρεῦον, οὐ σθένει σε μέλπειν ἀξίως. Ἰλιγγιᾷ δὲ νοῦς ἅπας σου τὸν τόκον Νοεῖν ὅθεν σε συμφώνως δοξάζομεν»	Rejoice, Queen, mother-maiden glory, for every kindly, benevolent mouth cannot flow, It is worthy to sing to You, but every mind is amazed to understand Your Christmas. Moreover, we glorify Thee in agreement.	Rejoice, Queen, glory to mothers and virgins! For no moving eloquent lips, speaking, can praise You worthily; Every mind also becomes weak, striving to comprehend the birth of Christ from You; therefore we glorify You accordingly.

MATTNS

WITH lava is in the highest to God, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (3 times).

G Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise. (2 times).

Psalm 3

Lord, why have you multiplied the cold? Many people rise up against me, many people say to my soul: there is no salvation for him in his God. But You, Lord, are my Protector, my glory, and lift up my head. With my voice I cried to the Lord, and He heard me from His holy mountain. I fell asleep and fell asleep, and arose, as if the Lord would intercede for me. I will not be afraid of the people around me who attack me. Arise, Lord, save me, my God, for you have struck down all those who are at enmity with me in vain: you have crushed the teeth of sinners. Salvation is the Lord's, and Your blessing is upon Your people.

I fell asleep and fell asleep, and arose, as if the Lord would intercede for me.

Psalm 37

Lord, do not reprove me with Your wrath; do not punish me with Your wrath. As Thy arrows have struck me, and Thou hast strengthened Thy hand upon me. There is no healing in my flesh from the face of Your wrath, there is no peace in my bones from the face of my sin. For my iniquities have exceeded my head, for a heavy burden is heavy upon me. My wounds have grown stale and rotten because of my madness. I suffered and sloshed to the end, walking around complaining all day. For my body is filled with reproach, and there is no healing in my flesh. I would become embittered and humbled to death, roaring from the sighing of my heart. Lord, before You all my desire and my sighing are not hidden from You. My heart is confused, my strength has left me, and the light of my eyes has left me, and that one is not with me. My friends and my sincere ones have come close to me and stasha, and my neighbors are far away from me, stasha and needy, seeking my soul, and seeking evil to me, vain words and flattering ones all day long. As if I were deaf and did not hear, and because I was dumb and did not open my mouth. And as a man he would not hear, nor would he have reproach in his mouth. For in You, O Lord, I have trusted; You will hear, O Lord my God. As if he said: “Let my enemies never make me happy; and never can my feet move, but you speak against me.” As if I am ready for wounds, and my illness is before me. For I will proclaim my iniquity and take care of my sin. My enemies live and have become stronger than me, and those who hate me without truth have multiplied. Those who reward me with evil, repaying the slander of me, persecute the goodness. Do not forsake me, O Lord my God, do not depart from me. Come to my help, O Lord of my salvation.

Do not forsake me, O Lord my God, do not depart from me. Come to my help, O Lord of my salvation.

Psalm 62

God, my God, I have come to You in the morning; my soul has thirsted for You, since my flesh is a multitude of You, in a land that is empty and impenetrable and without water. Thus I appeared to You in the Holy One, to see Your power and Your glory. For Thy mercy is better than belly, praise Thee with my lips. Thus I will bless You in my belly, I will lift up my hands in Your name. For my soul may be filled with fatness and ointment, and my lips will praise You with joy. When I remembered Ty on my bed, I learned from Ty in the morning. For Thou art my Helper, and in the shelter of Thy wing I will rejoice. My soul clings to You, but I am accepted by Your right hand. Having sought my soul in vain, they will enter the underworld, surrender into the hands of weapons, and become part of the fox. The king will rejoice in God, everyone who swears by Him will boast, for the mouths of those who speak unrighteously have been stopped.

We studied in the morning in Tya. For Thou art my Helper, and in the shelter of Thy wing I will rejoice. My soul clings to You, but I am accepted by Your right hand.

Glory: and Now:

(3 times).

Lord have mercy (3 times).

Glory: and Now:

After reading the three psalms, the priest, leaving the altar and bowing in front of the closed royal doors, with his head uncovered, wearing an epitrachelion, recalling the heavenly Intercessor for us before God, reads to himself (secretly) 12 morning prayers for himself and all those who believe in the Lord.

Morning prayers

Prayer 1

We thank Thee, Lord our God, who raised us up from our beds, and put into our mouths the word of praise, to worship and call upon Thy holy name, and we pray to Thy bounty, which Thou hast always used for our lives. And now send Your help to those who stand before the face of Your holy glory, and expect rich mercy from You, and grant them, who always serve You with fear and love, to praise Your inscrutable goodness.

For all glory, honor and worship is due to You, Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 2

From the night our spirit will be awakened to You, O our God, for the light of Your commandment is upon the earth. Let us practice righteousness and holiness in Thy passion: for we glorify Thee, our truly existing God. Incline Your ear and hear us, and remember, O Lord, those who exist and pray with us all by name, and save me by Your power, bless Your people and sanctify Your heritage. Grant peace to Your world, to Your churches, to the priests and to all Your people.

For blessed and glorified is your all-honorable and magnificent name, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 3

From the night our spirit will be awakened to You, O God, before the light of Your commandment. Teach us, O God, Thy righteousness, Thy commandments and Thy justification. Enlighten the eyes of our thoughts, lest we fall asleep in our sins and end in death. Drive away all darkness from our hearts. Grant us the sun of righteousness, and keep our life unscathed by the seal of Your Holy Spirit. Correct our feet to the path of peace. Let us see the morning and day in joy, and we send up our morning prayers to You.

For Yours is the power, and Yours is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory, of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 4

Master God, holy and incomprehensible, the river of light to shine out of darkness, resting us in our nightly sleep and raising us to the praise and prayer of Your goodness. We beseech You from Your mercy, accept us who now worship You and thank You with strength, and grant us all the petitions that lead to salvation. Show us sons of light and day and heirs of Your eternal blessings. Remember, O Lord, in the multitude of Your mercies, all Your people who exist and pray with us, and all our brethren, even on earth, on the sea, in every place of Your dominion, who require Your philanthropy and help, and grant to all Your great mercy. May our salvation always abiding in soul and body, we boldly glorify Your wonderful and blessed name - the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

For You are the God of mercy, generosity and love for mankind, and to You we send glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 5

Treasure of the good, ever-flowing source, Holy Father, wonderworker, omnipotent and Almighty, we all worship You and pray to You for Your mercy, and Your generosity calling for help and intercession of our humility. Remember, O Lord, Thy servants, accept all of us in the morning prayer, like incense before Thee, and let not one of us do something unskillful, but supply all of us with Thy bounties. Remember, O Lord, those who watch and sing in Thy glory, and Thy only begotten Son and our God, and Thy Holy Spirit; Be your helper and intercessor, accept their prayers into Your heavenly and mental altar.

Prayer 6

We thank You, Lord God of our salvation, for you do everything for the benefit of our lives, so that we always look to You as the Savior and benefactor of our souls. For Thou hast given us rest in the night that has passed, and Thou hast raised us up from our beds, and Thou hast placed us in the worship of Thy honorable name. In the same way, we pray to You, Lord, grant us grace and strength, so that we may be worthy of singing to You wisely and praying unceasingly, in fear and trembling, making our salvation through the intercession of Your Christ. Remember, Lord, and in the night those who cry to You, hear and have mercy, and crush under their nose the invisible and fighting enemies.

For You are the King of the world, and the Savior of our souls, and to You we send glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 7

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who raised us from our beds and gathered us in the hour of prayer, give us grace at the opening of our lips, and accept our thanksgiving according to the power, and teach us by Your justification: before we pray, as we should, we do not know, if not You, Lord, guide us with Your Holy Spirit. In the same way, we pray to You, if we have sinned even before this hour, in word, or in deed, or in thought, willingly or unwillingly, relax, forgive, forgive; If you see iniquity, O Lord, O Lord, who will stand, for You have deliverance. You are the only saint, the sovereign helper, the protector of our life, and it is about You that we always sing.

May the power of Your Kingdom be blessed and glorified, Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 8

Lord our God, driving away sleepy despondency from us and calling us with a holy calling, even in the night to raise our hands and confess to You about the destinies of Your righteousness. Accept our prayers, prayers, confessions, nightly services, and grant us, God, unashamed faith, known hope, unfeigned love, bless our entrances and exits, deeds, deeds, words, thoughts, and let us comprehend the beginning of the day, those who praise, singing, blessing Your ineffable goodness.

For blessed be Thy all-holy name, and glorified Thy Kingdom, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 9, [before reading the Gospel]

Shine in our hearts, O Lord who loves mankind, Your imperishable light of God’s understanding, and open our mental eyes to the understanding of Your gospel preachings. Place fear in us and the blessed of Your commandments, so that all carnal lusts may be trampled, we will go through spiritual life, all of which is for Your good pleasure, both in thought and in action.

For You are the sanctification and enlightenment of our souls and bodies, O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, with Your beginningless Father and Your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 10, [after reading Psalm 50]

Lord our God, who has granted repentance to man, and in the image of us the knowledge of sins and confession, shown the prophet David repentance for forgiveness, Master Himself, in our many and great fallen sins, have mercy according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, cleanse our iniquities For we have sinned against You, O Lord, and the unknown and secret of the human heart is the leader, and the only one who has the power to forgive sins. Having created a pure heart in us, and strengthened us with the Master Spirit, and told us the joy of Thy salvation, do not cast us away from Thy face, but be pleased, as you are good and a lover of mankind, even until our last breath, to offer Thee the sacrifice of righteousness and the offering of praise in Thy saints. altars.

By the mercy, and generosity, and love of Thy only-begotten Son, with whom art Thou blessed, with Thy all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 11, [before Psalms of Praise]

God, our God, the intelligent and verbal force of Thy will, we pray to Thee and we do our best to Thee: accept our praise according to the power, with all Thy creatures, and reward the rich with Thy goodness. For every knee bows to You, in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and every breath and creature sings Your incomprehensible glory: for You are one, true and abundantly merciful God.

For all the Powers of Heaven praise You, and we send up glory to You, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 12, [before departure]

We praise, sing, bless and thank Thee, O God of our father, for Thou hast brought forth the shadow of the night, and shown us again the light of day. But we pray to Your goodness, cleanse our sins and accept our prayer with Your great compassion, as we resort to You, the merciful and omnipotent God. Shine in our hearts the true sun of Thy truth, enlighten our minds, and guard all our feelings, so that as we walk gracefully in the days of Thy commandments, we will reach eternal life, as You have the source of life, and in the pleasure of being we will be worthy of Thy unapproachable light.

For You are our God, and to You we send glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Psalm 87

O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried in the days and in the nights before You. Let my prayer come before You: incline Your ear to my prayer, for my soul is filled with evil, and my belly is drawing near to hell. He was used with those descending into the pit, like a man without help, in the dead there was freedom, like ulcers sleeping in the tomb, whom You did not remember, and they were rejected from Your hand. Placing me in the pit of hell, in the dark places and shadows of death. Thy wrath was established upon me, and all Thy waves were brought upon me. You removed those who knew me from me, making me an abomination to yourself: I was betrayed and never left. My eyes are exhausted from poverty, I have cried out to You, O Lord, all day long, I have lifted up my hands to You. Eating dead people work wonders? Or will the doctors resurrect and confess to You? Who is the story of Thy mercy in the grave, and Thy truth in destruction? Will Thy wonders be known in darkness, and Thy righteousness in forgotten lands? And I cried to You, Lord, and my morning prayer will precede You. Why, O Lord, dost thou take away my soul, and turn thy face away from me? I am poor and in labor from my youth; He was lifted up, humbled, and faint. Thy wrath came upon me, Thy intimidation troubled me, washed over me like water, and overpowered me all day long. You removed from me a friend and a sincere one, and those who knew me from passions.

O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried in the days and in the nights before You. Let my prayer come before You: incline Your ear to my prayer.

Psalm 102

Bless, my soul, the Lord, and all that is within me, His holy name. Bless the Lord, my soul, and do not forget all His rewards, who cleanses all your iniquities, heals all your ailments, delivers your belly from corruption, crowns you with mercy and bounty, fulfills your desire for good: your youth will be renewed like an eagle. The Lord grant alms and destiny to all those who are offended. Moses told His way to the sons of Israel His desires: The Lord is generous and merciful, long-suffering and abundantly merciful. He is not completely angry, he is at enmity forever, he did not create food for us because of our iniquity, but he repaid us with food because of our sin. As the height of heaven from the earth, the Lord established His mercy on those who fear Him. The east is far removed from the west, and our iniquities have been removed from us. As a father gives generously to his sons, the Lord will provide for those who fear Him. As He knew our creation, I will remember, as the dust of Esma. Man, like the grass of his days, like the flower of the field, will bloom like the spirit that has passed through him, and he will not be, and no one will know his place. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness is on the sons of sons, who keep His covenant and remember His commandments to do. The Lord has prepared His Throne in Heaven, and His Kingdom possesses everyone. Bless the Lord, all His angels, mighty in strength, who do His word, to hear the voice of His words. Bless the Lord, all His Powers, His servants who do His will. Bless the Lord, all His works, in every place of His dominion, bless the Lord, my soul.

In every place of His dominion, bless the Lord, my soul.

Psalm 142

Lord, hear my prayer, inspire my prayer in Thy truth, hear me in Thy righteousness, and do not enter into judgment with Thy servant, for no one living will be justified before You. As if the enemy drove my soul, he humbled my belly to eat, he planted me to eat in dark, like dead centuries. And my spirit is depressed within me, my heart is troubled within me. I have remembered the days of old, I have learned in all Your works, I have learned Your hand in all creation. My hands have lifted up to You, my soul, like a waterless land to You. Hear me soon, Lord, my spirit has disappeared, do not turn Your face away from me, and I will become like those who go down into the pit. I hear Thy mercy upon me in the morning, for I trust in Thee. Tell me, Lord, I will go the other way, because I have taken my soul to You. Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, I have fled to You. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. Your Good Spirit will guide me to the right land. For Thy name's sake, O Lord, live me, by Thy righteousness remove my soul from sorrow. And by Thy mercy consume my enemies and destroy all my cold souls, for I am Thy servant.

Hear me, O Lord, in Thy righteousness, and do not enter into judgment with Thy servant. Hear me, O Lord, in Thy righteousness, and do not enter into judgment with Thy servant. Your Good Spirit will guide me to the right land.

At the end of the Six Psalms and prayers, the priest and deacon bow before the holy gates and bow to each other.

Glory: and Now:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, thank you God. (3 times).

Great Litany

Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord in peace.

Chorus: Lord have mercy. (For every request)

ABOUT For peace from above and the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.

ABOUT For the peace of the whole world, the prosperity of God's holy churches and the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.

ABOUT this holy temple and with faith, reverence and fear of God who enter it, let us pray to the Lord.

ABOUT Great Lord and our Father, His Holiness Patriarch (name), and about our lord, the most reverend metropolitan (or archbishop, or bishop) (name), honorable presbytery, diaconate in Christ, for all the clergy and people, let us pray to the Lord.

ABOUT To our God-protected country, its authorities and its army, let us pray to the Lord.

ABOUT this city (or about this village, or about this holy monastery), in every city, country, and by faith living in them, let us pray to the Lord.

ABOUT Let us pray to the Lord for the goodness of the air, for the abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for times of peace.

ABOUT floating, traveling, sick, suffering, captives and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

ABOUT Let us pray to the Lord to free us from all sorrow, anger and need.

Z

P

Chorus: To you, Lord.

Priest: For all glory, honor and worship is due to You, Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

"God is Lord"to the voice of the troparion of the day

Chorus: God is the Lord and He has appeared to us, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. (And further, for each verse)

Verse 1: Confess to the Lord that He is good, for His mercy endures forever.

Verse 2: They cheated me and resisted them in the name of the Lord.

Verse 3: I will not die, but I will live and carry on the work of the Lord.

Verse 4: The stone that was built carelessly, This was at the head of the corner, this was from the Lord. This is marvelous in our minds.

Troparion of the day (twice)

Theotokos

Kathismas are read

Small litany after the first kathisma

Deacon:

Chorus: Lord have mercy. (For every request)

Z Step, save, have mercy and preserve us, O God, by Your grace.

P Having remembered our re-holy, most pure, most blessed, glorious Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary with all the saints, we will commend ourselves and each other, and our whole life to Christ our God.

Chorus: To you, Lord.

Priest: For Thine is the dominion and Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

The small litany after the second kathisma is the same as after the first kathisma

Priest: For God is good and a lover of mankind, and to You we send glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Sedalny.

Polyeleos.

If it is Sunday, the Lord's, or the Feast of the Theotokos, or the feast of a saint with great doxology:

Psalm 134

X Praise the name of the Lord, praise, servant of the Lord.

A lilluia. (3 times after each verse)

B Blessed be the Lord from Zion, who liveth in Jerusalem.

Psalm 135

AND Confess to the Lord that He is Good, that His mercy endures forever.

AND Confess to the Heavenly God, for His mercy endures forever.

[On the week of the Prodigal Son, or the Meat Eating Week, or the Cheese Eating Week, the third psalm is sung:

Psalm 136

N and the rivers of Babylon, where the riders and mourners, will never remember Zion to us.

A lilluia. (after each verse)

N and in the middle of them both are our organs.

I there they asked us, captivating us about the words of the songs and leading us about singing.

IN sing to us from the songs of Zion.

TO How shall we sing the song of the Lord in foreign lands?

A I will forget you, O Jerusalem; my right hand may be forgotten.

P Rip my tongue into my throat, lest I remember you, lest I offer Jerusalem, as at the beginning of my joy.

P Commemorate, O Lord, the children of Edom, in the day of Jerusalem, saying: Destroy, exhaust it to its foundations.

D Babylon's cabbage soup, accursed. Blessed is he who will reward you with your reward, which you have rewarded us.

B whoever is well-made, will dash your babies against a stone. ]

If the feast of the Lord, or the feast of the Mother of God, or the feast of a saint, greatness is sung. It is sung repeatedly until the censing of the entire temple is completed, and is interspersed with verses from the “chosen psalm.”

Sunday troparia “for the immaculate”, tone 5

On each troparion:

Chorus: B

A The angelic council was surprised, in vain it was imputed to You as the dead, but the mortal, Savior, destroyed the fortress, and raised Adam with Himself, and freed all from hell.

B blessed art thou, O Lord, teach me by thy justification.

P What do you dissolve the world with merciful tears, O disciples? The angel shining in the tomb spoke to the myrrh-bearing women: you see the tomb and understand, for the Savior is risen from the tomb.

B blessed art thou, O Lord, teach me by thy justification.

Z Early the myrrh-bearing women went to Thy tomb, weeping, but an Angel appeared to them and said: weeping is the time of the end, do not weep, but cry out the resurrection of the apostle.

B blessed art thou, O Lord, teach me by thy justification.

M Iron-bearing women from the world came to Your tomb, O Savior, weeping, and the Angel spoke to them, saying: Why do you think with the living of the dead? For God has risen from the grave.

Glory:

P Let us bow down to the Father and His Sons, and the Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity in one being, calling from the Seraphim: Holy, Holy, Holy art thou, Lord.

And now:

AND Having given birth to sin, the Virgin, Thou didst deliver Adam, and Thou didst give joy to Eve in sorrow; and having fallen from life to this, Thou didst direct from Thee the incarnate God and Man.

A Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. (3 times).

Deacon: Again and again, let us pray to the Lord in peace.

Chorus: Lord have mercy. (For every request)

Z Step, save, have mercy and preserve us, O God, by Your grace.

P Having remembered our re-holy, most pure, most blessed, glorious Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary with all the saints, we will commend ourselves and each other, and our whole life to Christ our God.

Chorus: To you, Lord.

Priest: For blessed be Thy name and glorified Thy Kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Ipakoi and sedalny.

Antiphon of the 4th tone

Chorus: Since my youth, many passions have fought me, but stand up for me and save me, my Savior.

Glory:

You who hate Zion, be put to shame by the Lord, for you will be cut up by fire.

And now:

By the Holy Spirit every soul is alive, and is elevated by purity, illuminated by the Trinity Unity of sacred mystery.

Deacon: Let's remember.

Priest: Peace to all.

Chorus: And to your spirit.

Deacon: Wisdom! Prokeimenon...

Sunday prokimny

Voice 1 Now I will rise, says the Lord, I will rely on Salvation, I will not complain about it.

Poem: The word of the Lord, the word is pure.

Voice 2 Arise, O Lord my God, by the commandment which Thou hast commanded, and a multitude of people will surround Thee.

Poem: Lord my God, I trust in You, save me.

Voice 3 Cry among the nations, for the Lord reigns, for he will correct the universe, even if it does not move.

Poem: Sing a new song to the Lord, sing to the Lord, all the earth.

Voice 4 Arise, Lord, help us and deliver us for Your name's sake.

Poem: God, our ears were made to hear, and our fathers told us.

Voice 5 Arise, O Lord my God, may Your hand be exalted, for You reign forever.

Poem:

Voice 6 Lord, raise up Your power and come to save us.

Poem: Thou who shepherd Israel, teach as Joseph the sheep.

Voice 7

Poem: Let us confess to You, O Lord, with all my heart, and tell of all Your wonders.

Voice 8 The Lord shall reign forever, thy God in Zion, to generation and generation.

Poem: Praise the Lord in my soul; I will praise the Lord in my life.

Psalm 145:10, 1B–2A

Deacon: Let's pray to the Lord.

Chorus: Lord have mercy.

Priest: For Thou art holy, O our God, and restest among the saints, and to Thee we send glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Deacon: second prokeimenon:

IN Let every breath praise the Lord.

Poem: Praise God in His saints, praise Him in strengthening His power.

Deacon: And we pray that we may be worthy to hear the Holy Gospel of the Lord God.

Chorus: Lord have mercy. (3 times)

Deacon: Wisdom, forgive me, let us hear the Holy Gospel.

Priest: Peace to all.

Chorus: And to your spirit.

Priest: From (name) reading of the Holy Gospel.

Chorus:

Deacon: Let's remember.

Reading the Gospel

Chorus: Glory to Thee, Lord, glory to Thee.

Sunday hymn after the Gospel:

Chorus: Having seen the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the Holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless one. We worship Your Cross, O Christ, and we sing and glorify Your holy Resurrection: for You are our God, do we know no other to You, we call Your name. Come, all faithful, let us worship the Holy Resurrection of Christ: behold, joy has come to the whole world through the cross. Always blessing the Lord, we sing His Resurrection: having endured the crucifixion, destroy death by death.

Psalm 50 (Usually not recited in parish churches)

Reader: Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, cleanse my iniquity. Above all, wash me from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin; for I know my iniquity, and I will take away my sin before me. I have sinned against You alone and have done evil before You, so that You may be justified in Your words and triumph over the judgment of You. Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother gave birth to me in sins. Behold, you have loved the truth; You have revealed to me the unknown and secret wisdom of Yours. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. My hearing brings joy and joy; humble bones will rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins and cleanse all my iniquities. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me. Reward me with the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with the Lord’s Spirit. I will teach the wicked Your way, and the wicked will turn to You. Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, God of my salvation; My tongue will rejoice in Your righteousness. Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise. As if you had desired sacrifices, you would have given them: you do not favor burnt offerings. The sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; God will not despise a broken and humble heart. Bless Zion, O Lord, with Your favor, and may the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then favor the sacrifice of righteousness, the offering and the burnt offering; Then they will place the bullock on Your altar.

On Sunday

Glory:

M Through the prayers of the Apostles, O Merciful One, cleanse the multitude of our sins.

And now:

M With the prayers of the Mother of God, O Most Merciful, cleanse our many sins.

P have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy and according to the multitude of Your mercies, cleanse my iniquity.

IN Jesus was resurrected from the grave, as He prophesied, to give us eternal life and great mercy.

On Saints' Days

Glory:

P about the prayers of (Apostle, martyr, saint: his name), Merciful One, blot out the multitude of our sins.

And now:

P about the prayers of the Mother of God: and have mercy on me, O God:

And the stichera of the holiday, or Sunday.

[From the week of the Publican and the Pharisee until the fifth week of Great Lent, on Sundays, instead "Through the prayers of the apostles..." and other penitential troparia are sung:

Glory:

P Open the doors of repentance for me, O Life-Giver, for my spirit will awaken to Your holy temple, the temple I wear is completely defiled: but as you are generous, cleanse me with Your gracious mercy.

And now:

Theotokos: Instruct me in the path of salvation, O Mother of God, because my soul has been frozen with sins, and my entire life has been spent in laziness: but through Your prayers, deliver me from all uncleanness.

P have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, cleanse my iniquity.

M Thinking of the evil things I have done, I am wretched, I tremble at the terrible day of judgment: but trusting in the mercy of Your mercy, like David, I cry to You: have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy. ]

After kissing the gospel

Deacon: Save, O God, Thy people and bless Thy inheritance, visit Thy world with mercy and bounty, raise up the horn of Orthodox Christians and send down upon us Thy rich mercies, through the prayers of our all-pure Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, by the power of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross, the intercession of the honest, disembodied Heavenly Powers , the honest, glorious prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, the glorious and all-praised Apostle saints, like our holy father and the great ecumenical teachers and saints, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom, like our holy father Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra, wonderworker, Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Methodius and Cyril, Slovenian teachers, Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir and Grand Duchess Olga, like our holy fathers of all Russia, wonderworkers, Michael, Peter, Alexy, Jonah, Philip and Hermogenes, holy, glorious and victorious martyrs, reverend and God-bearing the father of our saints and righteous godfathers Joachim and Anna (and the holy name, whose temple is and whose day is), and all the saints. We pray to You, most merciful Lord, hear us sinners praying to You, and have mercy on us.

Chorus: Lord have mercy. (12 times).

Priest: By the mercy and generosity and love of Thy only-begotten Son, with Him art Thou blessed, with Thy most holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

The canon is read.

According to the 3rd song - small litany, kontakion, ikos, sedalen.

According to the 6th song of the litany. Kontakion and Ikos. And reading in the Synaxarium.

According to the 8th song of the canon, the deacon: Let us exalt the Mother of God and Mother of Light in song.

Song of the Blessed Virgin Mary

1. B My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

After each verse:

2. I to look upon the humility of His servant, behold, from now on all kin will bless Me.

3. I May the Mighty One do greatness to Me, and holy is His name, and His mercy throughout all generations of those who fear Him.

4. C Open the power with Your arm, scatter the proud thoughts of their hearts.

5. N set down the mighty from the throne, and lift up the humble, fill the hungry with good things, and let go of the rich.

6. B Israel will receive His servant, remembering the mercies that were spoken to our fathers, Abraham, and his seed, even unto the ages.

According to the 9th song, on Sunday there is a small litany.

Deacon: Let us pray again and again in peace to the Lord.

Chorus: Lord have mercy. (for each request)

Z Step, save, have mercy and preserve us, O God, by Your grace.

P Having commemorated our re-holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed, Glorious Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary with all the saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and our whole life to Christ our God.

Chorus: To you, Lord.

Priest: For You are our God, and to You we send glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

If not resurrection “Worthy to eat...”.

Deacon: Holy is the Lord our God.

Chorus: Holy is the Lord our God. (For every exclamation)

I Holy is the Lord our God.

N Hell to all people is our God.

Svetilen (Exapostilary) of the day or holiday.

WITH O disciples, let us ascend to the mountain of Galilee, by the faith of Christ we see the spoken word, the power of receiving the high and the low, let us learn, as he teaches, to baptize, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, all tongues, and abide in the secret places as promised, until the end of the age.

Psalms of Praise (148 – 150)

Chorus: Let every breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from heaven, praise Him in the highest. A song to God is due to you.

X Lay down Him, all His Angels; praise Him, all His Powers. A song to God is due to you.

Reader: Psalm 148: Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all stars and light. Praise Him The heavens of heavens and the waters that are above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord: as He spoke, and was, He commanded, and was created. If I put it in the age and in the age of the century, I lay down the command, and it will not go unnoticed. Praise the Lord from the earth, the serpents and all the deeps: fire, hail, snow, bareness, the stormy spirit that does His word, the mountains and all the hills, the fruitful trees and all the cedars, the beasts and all the cattle, the reptiles and the birds. Let the kings of the earth and all the people, the princes and all the judges of the earth, young men and maidens, elders and young men, praise the name of the Lord, for the name of the One has been exalted, His confession on earth and in heaven. And the horn of His people will exalt a song to all His saints, the sons of Israel, to the people who draw near to Him.

Reader: Psalm 149: Sing a new song to the Lord, His praise in the church of the saints. Let Israel rejoice in Him who made them, and let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King. Let them praise His name in person, in the tympanum, and in the psalms, and sing to Him. For the Lord delights in His people, and will lift up the meek to salvation. The saints will be praised in glory and will rejoice on their beds. The heaps of God are in their throats, and two sharp swords are in their hands: to bring vengeance on the nations, reproof on the people, to bind their kings with shackles, and their glorious hands with iron shackles.

Reader: Create a judgment written in them.

Chorus: This glory will be to all His saints.

1 voice

We sing Your saving passion, O Christ, and glorify Your Resurrection.

2 voice

Every breath and every creature glorifies You, Lord, for You have abolished death by the Cross, and show people Your Resurrection from the dead, as the only Lover of mankind.

3 voice

Come, all pagans, understand the terrible mysteries of power: Christ our Savior, the Word in the beginning, was crucified for our sake, and by the will of being buried and resurrected from the dead, who can save all things, let us worship Him.

4th voice

Having endured the cross and death and risen from the dead, Almighty Lord, we glorify Your Resurrection.

5 voice

Lord, the tomb is sealed from the wicked, you came from the tomb, just as you were born from the Mother of God. I cannot understand how You were incarnated, Thy angels without flesh; You didn’t feel when You rose again, the warriors who guarded You. Both were imprinted on those who experienced them, and miracles appeared to those who worshiped the sacrament with faith, and to those who chanted, grant us joy and great mercy.

6th voice

Thy Cross, O Lord, is life and resurrection for Thy people, and gives hope. To you, our Risen God, we sing: have mercy on us.

7th voice

Christ is risen from the dead, destroy the bonds of death; good news, earth, great joy, sing, heaven, God's glory.

8th voice

Lord, even though you appeared before the court, judged by Pilate, you did not retreat from the Throne with the Father, and rose from the dead, you freed the world from the work of strangers, as you are Generous and Lover of Mankind.

Chorus: Thy Cross, O Lord, is life and resurrection for Thy people, and trusting in Thee, our Risen God, we sing: have mercy on us.

Reader: (psalm 150): Praise God among His saints!

Chorus: Praise Him in confirming His power!

P Thy burial, O Master, has opened paradise to the human race: and having been delivered from corruption, to Thee, our Risen God, we sing: have mercy on us!

Reader: Praise Him with the strength of Ero!

Chorus: Praise Him according to the abundance of His majesty!

WITH O Father and Spirit of Christ, let us sing of the Risen One from the dead and cry out to Him: You are our life and resurrection: have mercy on us!

Reader: Praise Him with a trumpet voice.

Chorus: Praise Him with strings and organ!

T Thou hast risen from the grave, O Christ, even as it is written, having raised up our forefather. In the same way, the human race glorifies You and glorifies Your resurrection.

X knock Him down in the tympanum and face, praise Him in the strings and organ.

X bring down Him with the cymbals of good will, praise Him with the cymbals of shouting. Let every breath praise the Lord.

Poems for Sunday stichera.

Poem: Arise, O Lord my God, may Thy hand be lifted up, do not forget Thy poor ones to the end.

Poem: Let us confess to You, O Lord, with all my heart, and tell of all Your wonders.

Glory:

Gospel stichera.

And now:

Theotokos, tone 2:

Chorus: Blessed are you, O Virgin Mother of God, Who incarnated you, fearing that hell was captivated from you, Adam cried out, took an oath, Eve was freed, death was slain, and we are revived. Thus we cry hymnically: blessed is Christ God, who is so well-willed, glory to Thee.

Priest: Glory to You, who showed us the light.

Great Doxology

Chorus: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we bow to Thee, we glorify Thee, we thank Thee great for the sake of Thy glory. Lord, Heavenly King, God, Father Almighty, Lord, Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us. Take away the sins of the world, accept our prayer. Sit at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For You are the only Holy One; You are one Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father, amen.

I will bless You every day and praise Your name forever and ever. Grant, Lord, that on this day we may be preserved without sin. Blessed are you, O Lord God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is your name forever, amen.

May Thy mercy be upon us, O Lord, as we trust in Thee.

Blessed art thou, O Lord, teach me by thy justification. (3 times)

Lord, you have been our refuge throughout all generations. Az said: Lord, have mercy on me, heal my soul for those who have sinned against You. Lord, I have come to You, teach me to do Your will, for You are my God, for You are the source of life, in Your light we will see light. Show Your mercy to those who lead You.

WITH Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3 times)

WITH Lava to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen.

WITH Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us.

Also in the highest voice: Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.

Troparion of the holiday.

Glory: and now:

Theotokos.

Troparions on Sunday

Voice 1, 3, 5, 7

Today salvation has come to the world, we sing to Him who rose from the grave, and to the Author of our life: having destroyed death through death, He has given us victory and great mercy.

Voice 2, 4, 6, 8

You rose from the grave and tore apart the bonds of hell, you destroyed the condemnation of death, O Lord, you delivered everyone from the snares of the enemy; Having revealed yourself as Thy apostle, Thou didst send me to preach, and with those Thy peace Thou didst bestow upon the universe, the One who is most merciful.

Litany

Deacon: Have mercy on us, O God, according to Your great mercy, we pray to You, hear and have mercy.

Chorus: Lord have mercy. (3 times for each request).

E We continue to pray for the Great Lord and our Father, His Holiness the Patriarch (name), and about our Lord, His Eminence Metropolitan (or archbishop, or bishop) (name), and about all our brethren in Christ.

E We also pray for our God-protected country, its authorities and army, so that we may live a quiet and silent life in all piety and purity.

E We continue to pray for the blessed and ever-memorable creators of this holy temple , and about all the departed fathers and brothers who lie here and are Orthodox everywhere.

E We also pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, visitation, forgiveness and forgiveness of sins of the servants of God, the brethren of this holy temple (if in a monastery: this holy monastery).

E We continue to pray for those who are fruitful and virtuous in this holy and all-honorable temple, for those who work, sing and stand before us, expecting great and rich mercy from You.

Priest: For You are a merciful and loving God, and we send glory to You, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Litany of petition

Deacon: Let us fulfill our morning prayer to the Lord.

Chorus: Lord have mercy. (For every request)

Z Step, save, have mercy and preserve us, O God, by Your grace.

D not everything is perfect, holy, peaceful and sinless, we ask the Lord.

Chorus: Give it, Lord. (For every request)

A Angela is a peaceful, faithful mentor, guardian of our souls and bodies, we ask the Lord.

P We ask the Lord for forgiveness and forgiveness of our sins and transgressions.

D We ask the Lord for good and useful things for our souls, and peace in the world.

P We ask the Lord to end our life in peace and repentance.

X We ask for the Christian death of our belly, painless, shameless, peaceful and a good answer at the terrible judgment of Christ.

P Having remembered our re-holy, most pure, most blessed, glorious Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary with all the saints, we will commend ourselves and each other, and our whole life to Christ our God.

Chorus: To you, Lord.

Priest: For You are the God of mercy, generosity and love for mankind, and to You we send glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Priest: Peace to all.

Chorus: And to your spirit.

Deacon: Let us bow our heads to the Lord.

Chorus: To you, Lord.

Priest: Prayer of Adoration (Readed secretly):

Holy Lord, living in the highest, and looking upon the humble, and looking upon all creation with Thy all-seeing eye, I bow my heart and body to Thee, and we pray to Thee: stretch forth Thy invisible hand from Thy holy habitation, and bless us all. And if we have sinned, whether willingly or unwillingly, for God is good and a lover of mankind, forgive us, granting us Your peaceful and transcendent goodness.

Priest: For it is Thine to have mercy and to save us, O our God, and to Thee we send glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Deacon: Wisdom.

Chorus: Bless.

Priest: Blessed be Christ our God, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen. Establish, O God, the holy Orthodox faith, Orthodox Christians forever and ever.

Priest: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Chorus: The most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who without corruption gave birth to God the Word, the real Mother of God, we magnify You.

Priest: Glory to Thee, Christ God, our hope, glory to Thee.

Chorus: Glory, and now: Lord, have mercy, three times. Bless.

9.1. What is worship? The divine service of the Orthodox Church is serving God through readings of prayers, chants, sermons and sacred rites performed according to the Charter of the Church. 9.2. Why are services held? Worship, as the external side of religion, serves as a means for Christians to express their religious inner faith and reverent feelings for God, a means of mysterious communication with God. 9.3. What is the purpose of worship? The purpose of the divine service established by the Orthodox Church is to give Christians the best way to express petitions, thanksgivings and praises addressed to the Lord; teach and educate believers in the truths of the Orthodox faith and the rules of Christian piety; to introduce believers into mysterious communion with the Lord and impart to them the grace-filled gifts of the Holy Spirit.

9.4. What do Orthodox services mean by their names?

(common cause, public service) is the main service during which Communion (Communion) of believers takes place. The remaining eight services are preparatory prayers for the Liturgy.

Vespers- a service performed at the end of the day, in the evening.

Compline– service after supper (dinner) .

Midnight Office – a service intended to take place at midnight.

Matins – a service performed in the morning, before sunrise.

Clock services – recollection of the events (by the hour) of Good Friday (suffering and death of the Savior), His Resurrection and the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles.

On the eve of major holidays and Sundays, an evening service is performed, which is called the all-night vigil, because among the ancient Christians it lasted all night. The word "vigil" means "to be awake." The All-Night Vigil consists of Vespers, Matins and the first hour. In modern churches, the all-night vigil is most often celebrated in the evening before Sundays and holidays.

9.5. What services are performed in the Church daily?

– In the name of the Most Holy Trinity, the Orthodox Church performs evening, morning and afternoon services in churches every day. In turn, each of these three services is composed of three parts:

Evening service - from the ninth hour, Vespers, Compline.

Morning- from Midnight Office, Matins, first hour.

Daytime- from the third hour, sixth hour, Divine Liturgy.

Thus, nine services are formed from the evening, morning and afternoon church services.

Due to the weakness of modern Christians, such statutory services are performed only in some monasteries (for example, in the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Valaam Monastery). In most parish churches, services are held only in the morning and evening, with some reductions.

9.6. What is depicted in the Liturgy?

– In the Liturgy, under external rites, the entire earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ is depicted: His birth, teaching, deeds, suffering, death, burial, Resurrection and Ascension to heaven.

9.7. What is called mass?

– People call the Liturgy mass. The name “mass” comes from the custom of ancient Christians, after the end of the Liturgy, to consume the remains of the brought bread and wine at a common meal (or public lunch), which took place in one of the parts of the church.

9.8. What is called a lunch lady?

– Sequence of figurative (obednitsa) – this is the name of a short service that is performed instead of the Liturgy, when the Liturgy is not supposed to be served (for example, during Lent) or when it is impossible to serve it (there is no priest, antimension, prosphora). The Obednik serves as some image or likeness of the Liturgy, its composition is similar to the Liturgy of the Catechumens and its main parts correspond to the parts of the Liturgy, with the exception of the celebration of the Sacraments. There is no communion during mass.

9.9. Where can I find out about the schedule of services in the temple?

– The schedule of services is usually posted on the doors of the temple.

9.10. Why is there not censing of the church at every service?

– The presence of the temple and its worshipers occurs at every service. The liturgical censing can be full, when it covers the entire church, and small, when the altar, iconostasis and the people standing in the pulpit are censed.

9.11. Why is there censing in the temple?

– Incense lifts the mind to the throne of God, where it goes with the prayers of believers. In all centuries and among all peoples, the burning of incense was considered the best, purest material sacrifice to God, and of all the types of material sacrifice accepted in natural religions, the Christian Church retained only this and a few more (oil, wine, bread). And in appearance, nothing resembles the gracious breath of the Holy Spirit more than the smoke of incense. Filled with such high symbolism, incense greatly contributes to the prayerful mood of believers and with its purely bodily effect on a person. Incense has an elevating, stimulating effect on the mood. For this purpose, the charter, for example, before the Easter vigil prescribes not just incense, but an extraordinary filling of the temple with the smell from the placed vessels with incense.

9.12. Why do priests serve in vestments of different colors?

– The groups are assigned a certain color of clergy vestments. Each of the seven colors of liturgical vestments corresponds to the spiritual significance of the event in honor of which the service is being performed. There are no developed dogmatic institutions in this area, but the Church has an unwritten tradition that assigns a certain symbolism to the various colors used in worship.

9.13. What do the different colors of priestly vestments represent?

On holidays dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as on the days of remembrance of His special anointed ones (prophets, apostles and saints) the color of the royal vestment is gold.

In golden robes They serve on Sundays - the days of the Lord, the King of Glory.

On holidays in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos and angelic powers, as well as on the days of remembrance of holy virgins and virgins robe color blue or white, symbolizing special purity and purity.

Purple adopted on the Feasts of the Holy Cross. It combines red (symbolizing the color of the blood of Christ and the Resurrection) and blue, reminiscent of how the Cross opened the way to heaven.

Dark red color - the color of blood. Services in red vestments are held in honor of the holy martyrs who shed their blood for the faith of Christ.

In green vestments The day of the Holy Trinity, the day of the Holy Spirit and the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) are celebrated, since green is a symbol of life. Divine services in honor of the saints are also performed in green vestments: the monastic feat revives a person by union with Christ, renews his entire nature and leads to eternal life.

In black robes usually served on weekdays. Black color is a symbol of renunciation of worldly vanity, crying and repentance.

White color as a symbol of Divine uncreated light, it was adopted on the holidays of the Nativity of Christ, Epiphany (Baptism), Ascension and Transfiguration of the Lord. Easter Matins also begins in white vestments - as a sign of the Divine light shining from the Tomb of the Risen Savior. White vestments are also used for Baptisms and burials.

From Easter to the Feast of the Ascension, all services are performed in red vestments, symbolizing the inexpressible fiery love of God for the human race, the victory of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ.

9.14. What do candlesticks with two or three candles mean?

- These are dikiriy and trikiriy. Dikiriy is a candlestick with two candles, symbolizing the two natures in Jesus Christ: Divine and human. Trikirium - a candlestick with three candles, symbolizing faith in the Holy Trinity.

9.15. Why is there sometimes a cross decorated with flowers on the lectern in the center of the temple instead of an icon?

– This happens during the Week of the Cross during Great Lent. The cross is taken out and placed on a lectern in the center of the temple, so that, with a reminder of the suffering and death of the Lord, to inspire and strengthen those who are fasting to continue the feat of fasting.

On the holidays of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord and the Origin (Demolition) of the Honest Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, the Cross is also brought to the center of the temple.

9.16. Why does the deacon stand with his back to the worshipers in the church?

– He stands facing the altar, in which is the Throne of God and the Lord Himself is invisibly present. The deacon, as it were, leads the worshipers and on their behalf pronounces prayer requests to God.

9.17. Who are the catechumens who are called to leave the temple during worship?

– These are people who are not baptized, but who are preparing to receive the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. They cannot participate in church Sacraments, therefore, before the start of the most important church Sacrament - Communion - they are called upon to leave the temple.

9.18. What date does Maslenitsa start from?

– Maslenitsa is the last week before the start of Lent. It ends with Forgiveness Sunday.

9.19. Until what time is the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian read?

– The prayer of Ephraim the Syrian is read until Wednesday of Holy Week.

9.20. When is the Shroud taken away?

– The Shroud is taken to the altar before the Easter service on Saturday evening.

9.21. When can you venerate the Shroud?

– You can venerate the Shroud from the middle of Good Friday until the start of the Easter service.

9.22. Does Communion happen on Good Friday?

- No. Since the Liturgy is not served on Good Friday, because on this day the Lord Himself sacrificed Himself.

9.23. Does Communion happen on Holy Saturday or Easter?

– On Holy Saturday and Easter, the Liturgy is served, therefore, there is Communion of the faithful.

9.24. Until what hour does the Easter service last?

– In different churches the end time of the Easter service is different, but most often it happens from 3 to 6 o’clock in the morning.

9.25. Why aren’t the Royal Doors open throughout the entire service on Easter Week during the Liturgy?

– Some priests are awarded the right to serve the Liturgy with the Royal Doors open.

9.26. On what days does the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great take place?

– The Liturgy of Basil the Great is celebrated only 10 times a year: on the eve of the holidays of the Nativity of Christ and the Epiphany of the Lord (or on the days of these holidays if they fall on Sunday or Monday), January 1/14 - on the day of remembrance of St. Basil the Great, on five Sundays Lent (Palm Sunday is excluded), Maundy Thursday and Great Saturday of Holy Week. The Liturgy of Basil the Great differs from the Liturgy of John Chrysostom in some prayers, their longer duration and longer choir singing, which is why it is served a little longer.

9.27. Why don’t they translate the service into Russian to make it more understandable?

– The Slavic language is a blessed, spiritualized language that the holy church people Cyril and Methodius created specifically for worship. People have become unaccustomed to the Church Slavonic language, and some simply do not want to understand it. But if you go to Church regularly, and not just occasionally, then the grace of God will touch the heart, and all the words of this pure, spirit-bearing language will become understandable. The Church Slavonic language, due to its imagery, precision in the expression of thought, artistic brightness and beauty, is much more suitable for communication with God than the modern crippled spoken Russian language.

But the main reason for the incomprehensibility is not the Church Slavonic language, it is very close to Russian - in order to fully perceive it, you need to learn only a few dozen words. The fact is that even if the entire service were translated into Russian, people would still not understand anything about it. The fact that people do not perceive worship is a language problem to the least extent; in the first place is ignorance of the Bible. Most of the chants are highly poetic renditions of biblical stories; Without knowing the source, it is impossible to understand them, no matter what language they are sung in. Therefore, anyone who wants to understand Orthodox worship must, first of all, begin by reading and studying the Holy Scriptures, and it is quite accessible in Russian.

9.28. Why do the lights and candles sometimes go out in the church during services?

– At Matins, during the reading of the Six Psalms, candles in churches are extinguished, except for a few. The Six Psalms is the cry of a repentant sinner before Christ the Savior who came to earth. The lack of illumination, on the one hand, helps to think about what is being read, on the other hand, it reminds us of the gloom of the sinful state depicted by the psalms, and of the fact that external light does not suit a sinner. By arranging this reading in this way, the Church wants to incite believers to deepen themselves, so that, having entered into themselves, they enter into a conversation with the merciful Lord, who does not want the death of a sinner (Ezek. 33:11), about the most necessary matter - the salvation of the soul through bringing it into line with Him. , Savior, relationships broken by sin. The reading of the first half of the Six Psalms expresses the sorrow of a soul that has moved away from God and is seeking Him. Reading the second half of the Six Psalms reveals the state of a repentant soul reconciled with God.

9.29. What psalms are included in the Six Psalms and why these particular ones?

– The first part of Matins opens with a system of psalms known as six psalms. The sixth psalm includes: Psalm 3 “Lord, who has multiplied all this,” Psalm 37 “Lord, let me not be angry,” Psalm 62 “O God, my God, I come to You in the morning,” Psalm 87 “O Lord God of my salvation,” Psalm 102 “Bless my soul the Lord,” Psalm 142 “Lord, hear my prayer.” The psalms were chosen, probably not without intention, from different places in the Psalter evenly; this is how they represent it all. The psalms were chosen to be of the same content and tone that prevails in the Psalter; namely, they all depict the persecution of the righteous by enemies and his firm hope in God, only growing from the increase of persecution and in the end reaching jubilant peace in God (Psalm 103). All these psalms are inscribed with the name of David, excluding 87, which is the “sons of Korah,” and were sung by him, of course, during persecution by Saul (maybe Psalm 62) or Absalom (Psalms 3; 142), reflecting the spiritual growth of the singer in these disasters. Of the many psalms of similar content, these are chosen here because in some places they refer to night and morning (Ps. 3:6: “I fell asleep and arose, I arose”; Ps. 37:7: “I walked lamenting all day long”) ", v. 14: "I have taught the flattering all day long"; ps. 62:1: "I will teach You in the morning", v. 7: "I have commemorated Thee on my bed; in the morning I have learned from Thee"; I cried out to You in the days and in the night,” v. 10: “All day long I lifted up my hands to You,” v. 13, 14: “Thy wonders will be known in the dark... and I have cried out to You, O Lord, and morning prayer mine will precede Thee"; Ps. 102:15: "His days are like the flower of the field"; Ps. 142:8: "I hear Thy mercy upon me in the morning"). Psalms of repentance alternate with thanksgiving.

Six Psalms listen in mp3 format

9.30. What is "polyeleos"?

- Polyeleos is the name given to the most solemn part of Matins - a divine service that takes place in the morning or evening; Polyeleos is served only at festive mornings. This is determined by the liturgical regulations. On the eve of Sunday or a holiday, Matins is part of the all-night vigil and is served in the evening.

Polyeleos begins after reading the kathisma (Psalter) with the singing of verses of praise from the psalms: 134 - “Praise the name of the Lord” and 135 - “Confess the Lord” and ends with the reading of the Gospel. In ancient times, when the first words of this hymn “Praise the name of the Lord” were heard after the kathismas, numerous lamps (unction lamps) were lit in the temple. Therefore, this part of the all-night vigil is called “many oils” or, in Greek, polyeleos (“poly” - many, “oil” - oil). The Royal Doors open, and the priest, preceded by a deacon holding a lighted candle, burns incense to the altar and the entire altar, iconostasis, choir, worshipers and the entire temple. The open Royal Doors symbolize the open Holy Sepulcher, from where the kingdom of eternal life shines. After reading the Gospel, everyone present at the service approaches the icon of the holiday and venerates it. In memory of the fraternal meal of ancient Christians, which was accompanied by anointing with fragrant oil, the priest draws the sign of the cross on the forehead of everyone approaching the icon. This custom is called anointing. Anointing with oil serves as an external sign of participation in the grace and spiritual joy of the holiday, participation in the Church. Anointing with consecrated oil on polyeleos is not a sacrament; it is a rite that only symbolizes the invocation of God's mercy and blessing.

9.31. What is "lithium"?

– Litiya translated from Greek means fervent prayer. The current charter recognizes four types of litia, which, according to the degree of solemnity, can be arranged in the following order: a) “lithia outside the monastery,” scheduled for some twelfth holidays and on Bright Week before the Liturgy; b) lithium at Great Vespers, connected with the vigil; c) litia at the end of the festive and Sunday matins; d) lithium for the repose after weekday Vespers and Matins. In terms of the content of the prayers and the rite, these types of litia are very different from each other, but what they have in common is the departure from the temple. In the first type (of those listed), this outflow is complete, and in the others it is incomplete. But here and here it is performed in order to express the prayer not only in words, but also in movement, to change its place to revive prayerful attention; The further purpose of the lithium is to express - by removing from the temple - our unworthiness to pray in it: we pray, standing before the gates of the holy temple, as if before the gates of heaven, like Adam, the publican, the prodigal son. Hence the somewhat repentant and mournful nature of lithium prayers. Finally, in litia, the Church emerges from its blessed environment into the outside world or into the vestibule, as a part of the temple in contact with this world, open to everyone not accepted into the Church or excluded from it, for the purpose of a prayer mission in this world. Hence the national and universal character (for the whole world) of lithium prayers.

9.32. What is the Procession of the Cross and when does it happen?

– A procession of the cross is a solemn procession of clergy and lay believers with icons, banners and other shrines. Processions of the cross are held on annual special days established for them: on the Holy Resurrection of Christ - the Easter Procession of the Cross; on the feast of Epiphany for the great consecration of water in memory of the Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan, as well as in honor of shrines and great church or state events. There are also extraordinary religious processions established by the Church on especially important occasions.

9.33. Where did the Processions of the Cross come from?

– Just like holy icons, religious processions got their origins from the Old Testament. The ancient righteous often performed solemn and popular processions with singing, trumpeting and rejoicing. Stories about this are set out in the sacred books of the Old Testament: Exodus, Numbers, the books of Kings, Psalms and others.

The first prototypes of the religious processions were: the journey of the sons of Israel from Egypt to the promised land; the procession of all Israel following the ark of God, from which the miraculous division of the Jordan River occurred (Joshua 3:14-17); the solemn seven-fold circumambulation of the ark around the walls of Jericho, during which the miraculous fall of the impregnable walls of Jericho took place from the voice of the sacred trumpets and the proclamations of the entire people (Joshua 6:5-19); as well as the solemn nationwide transfer of the ark of the Lord by kings David and Solomon (2 Kings 6:1-18; 3 Kings 8:1-21).

9.34. What does the Easter Procession mean?

– The Holy Resurrection of Christ is celebrated with special solemnity. The Easter service begins on Holy Saturday, late in the evening. At Matins, after the Midnight Office, the Easter Procession of the Cross takes place - worshipers, led by the clergy, leave the temple to make a solemn procession around the temple. Like the myrrh-bearing women who met the risen Christ the Savior outside Jerusalem, Christians meet the news of the coming of the Holy Resurrection of Christ outside the walls of the temple - they seem to be marching towards the risen Savior.

The Easter procession takes place with candles, banners, censers and the icon of the Resurrection of Christ under the continuous ringing of bells. Before entering the temple, the solemn Easter procession stops at the door and enters the temple only after the jubilant message has been sounded three times: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and giving life to those in the tombs!” The procession of the cross enters the temple, just as the myrrh-bearing women came to Jerusalem with joyful news to the disciples of Christ about the risen Lord.

9.35. How many times does the Easter Procession happen?

– The first Easter religious procession takes place on Easter night. Then, during the week (Bright Week), every day after the end of the Liturgy, the Easter Procession of the Cross is held, and before the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, the same Processions of the Cross are held every Sunday.

9.36. What does the Procession with the Shroud on Holy Week mean?

– This mournful and deplorable procession of the Cross takes place in remembrance of the burial of Jesus Christ, when His secret disciples Joseph and Nicodemus, accompanied by the Mother of God and the myrrh-bearing women, carried in their arms the deceased Jesus Christ on the cross. They walked from Mount Golgotha ​​to Joseph's vineyard, where there was a burial cave in which, according to Jewish custom, they laid the body of Christ. In remembrance of this sacred event - the burial of Jesus Christ - a Procession of the Cross is held with the Shroud, which represents the body of the deceased Jesus Christ, as it was taken down from the cross and laid in the tomb.

The Apostle says to the believers: "Remember my bonds"(Col.4:18). If the Apostle commands Christians to remember his sufferings in chains, then how much more strongly should they remember the sufferings of Christ. During the suffering and death on the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, modern Christians did not live and did not share sorrow with the apostles, therefore in the days of Holy Week they remember their sorrows and lamentations about the Redeemer.

Anyone called a Christian who celebrates the sorrowful moments of the Savior’s suffering and death cannot help but be a participant in the heavenly joy of His Resurrection, for, in the words of the Apostle: “We are joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.”(Rom.8:17).

9.37. On what emergency occasions are religious processions held?

– Extraordinary processions of the Cross are carried out with the permission of the diocesan church authorities on occasions that are especially vital for the parish, the diocese or the entire Orthodox people - during an invasion of foreigners, during the attack of a destructive disease, during famine, drought or other disasters.

9.38. What do the banners with which religious processions take place mean?

– The first prototype of banners was after the Flood. God, appearing to Noah during his sacrifice, showed a rainbow in the clouds and called it "a sign of an everlasting covenant" between God and people (Gen.9:13-16). Just as a rainbow in the sky reminds people of God’s covenant, so on banners the image of the Savior serves as a constant reminder of the deliverance of the human race at the Last Judgment from the spiritual fiery flood.

The second prototype of the banners was during Israel's exit from Egypt during the passage through the Red Sea. Then the Lord appeared in a pillar of cloud and covered all the army of Pharaoh with darkness from this cloud, and destroyed it in the sea, but saved Israel. So on the banners the image of the Savior is visible as a cloud that appeared from heaven to defeat the enemy - the spiritual Pharaoh - the devil with all his army. The Lord always wins and drives away the power of the enemy.

The third type of banners was the same cloud that covered the tabernacle and overshadowed Israel during the journey to the Promised Land. All Israel looked at the sacred cloud cover and with spiritual eyes understood in it the presence of God Himself.

Another prototype of the banner is the copper serpent, which was erected by Moses at the command of God in the desert. When looking at it, the Jews received healing from God, since the copper serpent represented the Cross of Christ (John 3:14,15). So, while carrying banners during the procession of the Cross, believers raise their bodily eyes to the images of the Savior, the Mother of God and the saints; with spiritual eyes they ascend to their prototypes existing in heaven and receive spiritual and physical healing from the sinful remorse of spiritual serpents - demons who tempt all people.

A practical guide to parish counseling. St. Petersburg 2009.