What are the traditions of Orthodox culture in the family. Traditions of an Orthodox family or how to create an Orthodox family

God bless the family - the crown of creation.

The holy trinity of the earth is the Child. Mother. Father.

E. Yevtushenko.

Modern society is divided into people of believers and atheists, into true Christians who live according to the laws of the church and honor God and people who are far from the Faith and vegetate in the vanity of the world. Family spiritual values ​​are passed on from generation to generation, but many families are just starting their Orthodox path from the very beginning, having lost continuity due to almost a century of persecution of the Church. How to create Orthodox family V modern society and preserve the traditions of the Orthodox family, this question is asked by many true believers Christians who strive to create a Small Church out of the family.

Orthodox traditions that have developed since the Baptism of Rus', designed to make families friendly and strong, created an atmosphere of comfort and mutual understanding. For many centuries they have been the basis of family life in our country.

After the revolution of 1917 the autocracy was overthrown in Russian Empire and the abolition of Orthodoxy. Atheism has become government policy the new Soviet government, whose task was to destroy the value system of an Orthodox person. And this is natural, because a person without moral and spiritual values ​​is the best instrument of labor in the hands of godless authorities.

As a result, many of our Orthodox traditions, (for example, observing fasts, regularly attending church on Sundays and holidays, pre-dinner prayers, etc.) either disappeared into oblivion or changed greatly and lost their deep meaning.

Family traditions are the usual family norms, behavior patterns, customs and views that are passed on from generation to generation. They distribute roles in all areas family life, establish rules for intrafamily communication, including ways to resolve conflicts and overcome emerging problems.

In Orthodox culture, there is a clear hierarchy in the family, based on obedience to God and spiritual love. According to Christian doctrine, the family is an organism created in the image of the Church. The head of the family is the husband, and this is natural, because he is older than the wife according to Creation. Children are a gift from God, and both spouses must take care of their child, reveal his strengths and talents, and set an example of virtuous behavior. Christian life.

The holy fathers and shepherds of the Church write about this:

Saint Theophan the Recluse: “The father and mother disappear into the child and, as they say, dote on the soul. And if their spirit is imbued with piety, then it cannot be that it will not have an effect on the child’s soul in its own way.”

Priest Alexander Elchaninov: “For raising children, the most important thing is that they see their parents living a great inner life.”

If a father does not listen to Christ and does not live according to God’s commandments, then he is a disobedient person. If a wife does not honor her husband, she also lacks obedience. How can such people raise an obedient child? The conclusion suggests itself.

According to historical evidence, when raising children, parents always combined severity with love. When discussing the actions of their children, parents always pointed to eternal life: a virtuous and God-obedient person goes to Heaven, and a sinner goes to Hell.

In order to instill in their children the skills of Christian life, parents constantly took them with them to worship services, visited the sick and prisoners in prison with them, observed fasts, and prayed.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' emphasizes that “Without a family one cannot create human society, in the family, children receive the first inoculation of spiritual life, receive the first basics of upbringing and education. And how important it is for the family to become a warm, peaceful, joyful place, charging children with enormous energy, which would be enough for a lifetime, so that just the memory of childhood and family gives a joyful feeling and strength to overcome difficult life circumstances.

And if parents must help their children learn the basics of faith, then the children also have a huge responsibility: they must pray to the Lord for their dads and moms, for their grandparents, because the Lord hears the prayers of children like no one else. That is why He said: “Do not hinder the children from coming to Me, for to such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14).

An Orthodox family often has many children and every child is loved. Raising children in an Orthodox family is based on love and trust in each other. The elders help the parents raise the younger ones, while gaining experience for their future family life, and the younger ones take their example from them. Children who are baptized at an older age have a harder time accepting the Church than children baptized in infancy. Kids live and grow up with a sense of Faith instilled in them by their parents. Joint prayers support the traditions of the Russian Orthodox family, unite it and allow children to get used to the fact that it is impossible to live without talking with God. Children in an Orthodox family for the first time in their lives are faced with submission to the authority of their father and mother, and this experience is the most important on the difficult path of life, softened by love for the person who rules and demands obedience. By following the instructions of the parents and observing the prohibitions, the child gains inner freedom, realizing that the authority of an older person is not intended to break his character, humiliate or enslave. By accepting punishment not as punishment, but as an instruction, the child learns to live correctly. In an Orthodox family, parents must learn to restrain and suppress their anger, not get irritated, and be able to punish with love. After all, according to the words of the Apostle Paul: “Love endures long, is kind, love does not envy, love does not boast, is not proud, does not act rudely, does not seek its own, is not irritated, does not think evil, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love will never cease, although prophecy will cease, and tongues will be silent, and knowledge will be abolished.”

Seeing how his parents love him in a Christian way, the child adopts experience that will be useful to him in the future in the matter of how to create an Orthodox family, create in her an atmosphere of striving for God, i.e. affirm the statement “family is the Small Church.”

The Russian Orthodox family implies a union of a baptized man and woman, blessed by the Church, and living according to the laws of the Orthodox faith. The bride and groom, who are in love with each other, gradually come to mutual love in Christ. One of the most important goals of an Orthodox family is the goal of maintaining an honest, immaculate marriage, which is to avoid lust, carnal pleasures and adultery. The undeniable wisdom of a Christian marriage is that the husband and wife do not exert pressure and do not limit each other’s freedom of action, that is, such a marriage is built on the absolute trust of the husband and wife. And this trust and confidence in each other is secured by God’s blessing on marriage.

The ideal Orthodox family, representing a small Church, helps each of its members achieve the Kingdom of Heaven. Saint John Chrysostom spoke about this: “Where husband, wife and children are united by bonds of virtue, harmony and love, there is Christ among them.” It is appropriate to quote here the words of St. Theophan the Recluse: “Whoever lives in a family receives salvation from family virtues”; “Perfection can be achieved even in family life. We just need to extinguish and eradicate passions.”

However, family life brings not only joy, it is also associated with inevitable difficulties of both an internal (relationships between family members) and external (material support for the existence of the family) nature. The saints of the Russian Orthodox Church spoke about this side in the following way: “The family is a life’s cross for the head! “Be patient, submitting to the Lord, and doing everything on your part, surrendering everything to the will of God.” “Family hardships must be endured as our voluntarily chosen fate. Second thoughts here are more harmful than useful. The only saving thing is to pray to God for ourselves and for our family, that He may do good for us according to His holy will.”

One of the temptations of a family man is to forget about God while worrying about his relatives and to lose faith in the faith. Saint Nicholas of Serbia warns about this: “If a person devotes all his thoughts and all his zeal to his family and does not want to know anything except his family, then his family is a deity for him. And then this is a disease of the soul” and a violation of the commandment “thou shalt not make for yourself an idol.”

Family grows out of marriage. By Orthodox understanding, “marriage is a sacrament in which, with a free, before the priest and the Church, promise by the bride and groom to their mutual marital fidelity their marital union is blessed in the image of the spiritual union of Christ with the Church and they are asked for the grace of pure unanimity for the blessed birth and Christian upbringing of children.”

The sacrament of marriage has existed in the Church since apostolic times, as evidenced, in particular, by the words of the disciple of the apostles, Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer, who wrote to Christians at the very beginning of the 2nd century: “Those who marry and are given in marriage must enter into a union with the consent of the bishop, so that the marriage was about the Lord, and not according to lust.”

St. John Chrysostom writes about the need for this sacrament for Orthodox Christians: “It is necessary to call upon the priests and, through prayers and blessings, confirm the spouses in life together“So that the love of the groom intensifies, and the chastity of the bride is strengthened, so that everything contributes to the establishment of virtue in their home, and the devil’s machinations are dispelled, and the spouses spend their lives in joy, united by the help of God.”

Wedding is one of the seven church Orthodox sacraments, to which believers can begin. Otherwise, a wedding is called a church marriage, in which the newlyweds testify their love before God.

Historically, the Sacrament of Wedding appeared quite late - in the form in which we know it. The early Christians did not have any special rite for blessing marriage: the Church recognized as legal the marriage that took place within the framework of the tradition that existed in that era. In the first Christian communities, the blessing of the newlyweds was performed by the very fact of the presence of a priest or bishop, the head of the church community, at the wedding feast.

The Orthodox Church gives special spiritual meaning The sacrament of the wedding. Not all are already established married couples and only those who are going to register the marriage decide to undergo the wedding ceremony. In former times, the wedding ceremony had legal force and was mandatory. Now the priest performs a wedding only if the marriage is registered in government institutions. On the one hand, we can conclude that the Sacrament of Wedding has lost its meaning, on the other hand, couples who decide to get married take this step quite consciously, trusting each other and understanding the spiritual power and significance of the ceremony. The sacrament of wedding means God's blessing on marriage, the birth and raising of children in the Christian faith.

It is deeply incorrect and dangerous to believe that an unmarried marriage is synonymous with fornication. A legal marriage - that is, not a secret one, announced to society and legally registered in a certain way - is fully recognized by the Church. And this is clearly stated in Social concept Russian Orthodox Church.

If an ordinary marriage cannot be considered wrong before God, then why is a wedding ceremony needed? The fact is that, without a church blessing, it will not be easy for Christians to build their marital relationships so that they become for them a ladder to the Kingdom of Heaven. More precisely, to build the Kingdom of Heaven in marriage now. And this is why the Sacrament exists.

The sacrament lies in the fact that Divine grace is called upon to transform the natural relationship between a man and a woman into a spiritual relationship. This desire transforms the natural attraction of the sexes towards each other into a step towards Christ - that's what happens. This is beautifully shown figuratively in the Gospel story about the miracle that Christ performs in Cana of Galilee: turning water into wine at a wedding. Any marriage is destined for such a transformation: the “water” of natural human relationships, by the power and action of the grace of the Holy Spirit, must become “wine” and acquire a completely different quality!

A wedding is not only a very beautiful and solemn service. This is not just one of the many rites of the Church. A wedding is called a sacrament, which means that during the ceremony a certain divine grace descends on people, which helps a person throughout his life.

The sacrament of wedding has a deep meaning. That is why church marriage must be approached consciously, and not out of motives of contemplating beautiful singing or other reasons not related to the essence of the sacrament. At the wedding, believers cement their marriage before God and receive a blessing from the Lord for a joint family life, the birth and raising of children. It is also necessary to remember that a wedding takes place for eternity. Believing, pious spouses can be together even after death.

During a wedding, Orthodox people make a vow to God to love, respect, and tolerate their spouse. These bonds should hold people together until death, because what is united by God should not be torn apart by man.

It turns out that the main meaning of the sacrament of wedding is the desire to create your own small Church - a family, and to testify to your love before God, as well as to make a promise to strive to fulfill the commandments, asking for blessings for family life together.

In church practice, there is an opinion that married couples during the Last Judgment will answer about their lives before God not separately, but together. At the same time, the husband, as the head of the family, will be responsible for family sins.

Keeping Orthodox family traditions, we become a part of the body of the Church and pass it on from generation to generation national characteristics Russian Orthodox Church. The behavior of each member of an Orthodox family in everyday life, at feasts, and on holidays should be of a religious nature while preserving spiritual values. It is difficult to imagine a Christian family without traditions and customs passed down by their great-grandfathers. The culture of patriotic loyalty and national feeling was brought up in the family, based on a special attitude towards the veneration of ancestors and paternal graves. The main goal of the Orthodox family today, as at all times, remains the preservation and transmission from generation to generation of spiritual and religious values.

As practice shows, families have a positive impact pilgrimage trips to the holy places of our Motherland. These excursions provide new knowledge in the field of history and theology, architecture, art and simply Orthodox culture. And most importantly, they unite religious people, give them the opportunity to communicate and share life experiences.

Spiritual and religious traditions aim to awaken the child’s personality, to form feelings based on traditional primordial ideas about good and evil, the basic Christian commandments. They instill in children a sense of reverence for shrines, teach them to respect the world around them - the great creation.

Despite the events that took place in the twentieth century, generations living in beginning of XXI centuries, still retained faith in God and passed on the Orthodox traditions of our ancestors to the new generation. This is the undoubted merit of the Russian Orthodox Church.

But the traditions and knowledge about Orthodoxy that have been preserved are superficial. They have not yet entered our lives so firmly. And this must be promoted through education and enlightenment of people. Remember, the destruction of traditions occurred through the propaganda of atheism. The Soviet government pointed out the advantages of the socialist regime and turned to culture and science. This is how the current younger generation needs to act.

It is necessary to show people why it is so important to return the traditional Christian way of life to the family. To interest young people, for example, through the media. There are now a lot of programs about Orthodox culture, but they are lost in the flow of information. Perhaps this issue needs to be covered even more in cinema and in print media. For a person to see the difference in relationships religious family and their own, where perhaps there is a tense situation, there is no cohesion and unity, and they will want to change something in their lives.

After all, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' repeatedly reminds us that “the only direct path to the revival of our people is creation strong family, spiritual and moral upbringing and education, return to historical roots, to genuine culture. It's time to raise in public consciousness the value of family small Church and the Church as a big family.”

Official information resources:
mon.gov.ru- website of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation
www.patriarchia.ru- official website of the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church www.pravoslavie.ru- information and educational Orthodox portal

Orthodox libraries:
kraevs.ru, eleon.orthodox.ru (Orthodox Christian library, books; audio library; video library)
ni-ka.com.ua
www.manna-lib.com(library of spiritual poetry)
dimulik2009.narod2.ru (Apologetics; Dogmatics; Rhetoric; Holy Scripture; Comparative theology; Lives of the Saints)
svn.wen.ru, www.slavoslovie.ru(library of Christian texts)
e-c-r.pravoverie.ru (collection of recordings of radio broadcasts on Orthodoxy)
www.obibl.com, skrigal.orthodox.ru (Orthodox Christian library)

Orthodox upbringing of children is practiced in many families where there are believing parents. It is very difficult to determine the norms and rules of such upbringing that will suit everyone exclusively. Certain instructions no, but there is a clear and precise concept that spiritual development and direction along the path of faith. We will talk in more detail about this sensitive topic in this article. Take a few minutes to read, even if you do not consider yourself a deeply religious person.. Surely you will learn something important from this material.

How are Christian parents different from others?

In any family with healthy family relations Parents strive to give their children the best that is available to them. This concerns material goods and necessary things, as well as moral principles and life principles. It is important for parents that the child is well and warmly dressed, fed, receives a good education, and subsequently decent job, would have found family happiness. This is what ordinary parents who do not strictly adhere to faith want. Christian parents want the same things for their children, not primarily, but as an addition. The main goal of their upbringing is to “depict Christ” in the child’s soul, so that the child gains unshakable faith in the Church and lives according to its canons. Modern life has many temptations and is full of customs that are unusual for Christianity. Therefore, a Christian parent must help the child fight these temptations and teach him to live in parallel with them, following his own path, the path of faith.

Orthodox upbringing of children - upbringing in strictness?

Many of those who are not close to the faith perceive Orthodox upbringing of children as a system strict prohibitions and eternal restrictions. But is the life of faith really that strict? Long services, constant prayers, eternal prohibitions. This all seems complicated and unfair to children, but a real Christian would argue with you. You should never force or threaten a child to pray in an attempt to cultivate humility in him. This is fraught with the fact that the baby will grow up and abandon his faith, and possibly his connection with his parents. It is important for a true Christian to create such an environment so that the child feels boundless love, the presence of God, feels his influence, and gains true faith within himself. If this happens, then prayers and any daily rituals will not be a burden. For this to happen, the child must see an example in the family. That is, mom and dad must read the prayers correctly and stand until the end of the service.
Of course, you can’t do without rigor. Many people know the famous biblical quote, which says that a parent who spares the rod hates his son, and the one who loves him will punish him from childhood. It is incorrect to perceive this phrase in literally. If a child does not obey and does something life-threatening, for example, plays with a socket, then a calm tone will not always help; more serious measures are needed. Remember that parents must always have a certain authority over their children, their word must be “legal”, and the child must rely on it. Orthodox upbringing can be considered strict, but no more strict than any other “healthy” upbringing.

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In a fit of emotion, we very often say to children things that we would not say in our normal state. Words are of great importance in communicating with children. For...

What is the Orthodox upbringing of children: factors of spiritual growth

Orthodox upbringing of children in the family consists of upbringing them in constant responsibility, love and dedication. Orthodoxy cannot be considered a system or try to create it yourself. And in order to help a child “find Christ,” it is important for parents to adhere to the following factors of spiritual growth.

1. Sacraments. The first time a child should be brought to Christ is on the eighth day after birth. On this day the Sacrament of Baptism is performed. It is believed that the Lord washes the child from original sin. The curse that weighs on the human race is removed through the process of baptism. The next Sacrament is Confirmation. It signifies the adoption of a child by the Lord. The Lord gives the baby grace, puts him on a par with the chosen race, the holy people. According to the Old Testament, anointing was previously performed only on prophets and royalty. But according to the New Testament, this rite was granted to every Christian. Believers believe that the process of communion of the “Blood and Body of the Lord” heals, improves health, and helps spiritual cleansing. Therefore, Christian parents allow their children to receive communion often; there are no obstacles to this. When performing the Sacraments, children, if possible and depending on their age, should understand the meaning of what is happening. This is exactly how communication with the Lord Himself occurs.
2. Prayer. Prayer is considered the breath of spiritual life. Christians believe that just as physical life stops with the cessation of breathing, so spiritual life stops, just as prayer stops. The concept of God is instilled in a child from the very beginning. early age. It is believed that consciousness awakens at the age of 2 years. From this same time, training in prayer should begin. Christians believe that it exists in three forms: following household rules for prayer, offering short prayers during the day, and visiting Church. The first prayer for a child can be “Our Father”, “I Believe” and an appeal to the Mother of God. Later he is taught to pray not only for himself, but also for his loved ones. It is worth adding new prayers gradually, as it may be difficult for a child to read for more than 20 minutes at a time. It is important that he understands what is said, and not just pronounce the text from a written piece of paper. When introducing a prayer to a child, talk to him about the meaning of this prayer. Ask how he understands her and tell him how you understand her. If you have difficulties with understanding, do not hesitate to ask the priest in the Church, do not be afraid to show your “ignorance”. Parents should tell their children what they can and cannot pray about. Prayers can work miracles, such as helping with learning or healing. After worship in the Church at home, you can ask the child what he understood from the chants, and what remained incomprehensible to him.
3. Bows. From the age of 7 years, that is, from adolescence, the child must be taught to bow. These should be bows from the waist and to the ground. Christians believe that bowing compensates for absent-mindedness in the process of prayer, complements weakness of attention and helps prayer reach the heart. This custom was established by the Lord Himself. In the Garden of Gethsemane He “fell to the ground and prayed.”
4. Fast. Orthodox families are required to fast not only on the fasts established by the Church, but also on Wednesdays and Fridays. According to Christian teachings, babies need not fast only as long as they are fed with their mother’s milk. This applies to physically healthy children. In addition, the child must be raised so that he knows that carnality, oversaturation, and immoderation do not have a beneficial effect on him. The child should not be fed “just anywhere” as soon as he cries and asks for it. In a Christian family there should always be a set order for eating.
5. Spiritual reading. According to the Lord, man will live not by bread alone, but also by the word that comes from God’s lips. It is believed that the Mother of God loved to read the Holy Scriptures. Christians believe that spiritual nutrition shapes the child's soul, so it is more important than physical food. Children love to read literature on biblical topics, retell it with pleasure, and add something of themselves to the stories. In Ancient Rus', for example, they learned to read from the Psalms. In addition to books on biblical topics, children should also study youth literature from which they can draw examples of living in God. Shared reading has a unifying power when the whole family gathers in one room and one person reads aloud. Afterwards, everyone discusses what they read, shares their impressions, and adults explain the meaning of what they read to the kids.
6. Blessing of the environment. Environment influences people. Christians treat the organization of space at home with trepidation. Sacred objects, crosses, icons, paintings Sacred History- all this has a beneficial effect on children and repels any “damage”.

When raising children according to Christ, believers themselves adhere to the above factors and teach their children this from childhood.

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Traditions of Orthodox upbringing of children in the family

The traditions of spiritual education are familiar to every Christian. They have evolved over centuries and still form the basis of Christian life. Many traditions are observed in our country and in those families in which it is not customary to pray every day and attend Church on Sundays. But people gather as families for Easter, bake Easter cakes, celebrate the Nativity of Christ, many observe Lent. Of course, the life of a Christian is not limited only to these actions and involves observing certain traditions every day. Let's take a closer look at some of them.
Traditions of Orthodox upbringing of children in the family:

• According to the customs of the Church, from the age of 4 before communion, a child should not drink or eat from the moment he wakes up.
• In order for a child’s confession to be more meaningful, integral and productive, from the age of 7 parents should teach him to write down his own sins.
• From the age of 2, a child must be taught that in the morning, as soon as he wakes up, he must cross himself, say words of praise to the Creator and take communion. After waking up, you can give the child some prosphora and a spoonful of holy water.
• An old tradition is to read morning and evening prayers with the whole family. The head of the family reads loudly, and everyone in the family repeats quietly for them. It is important to adhere to this tradition in modern times. If you can’t get everyone together twice a day, then you can do it once, for example, before bed.
• Grown-up children, together with their parents, need to attend night services when they are supposed to. For example, on Easter, on Holy Week, before the Nativity of Christ.
• A child should be taught to observe fasts from a very early age. But it is impossible not to allow certain foods to be eaten by prohibitions; it is important that the child himself learns to refuse it.
• From a very early age, spiritual literature is read with children. At first, these could be children's books on biblical themes, presented in clear language, perhaps with pictures. Over time, it is important to teach a child to read Holy Scripture, biographies of great saints every day.

It is good to observe traditions and teach this to your children, but true Christian must not just blindly do what is prescribed, but must also understand the essence. If you don’t understand the meaning of a tradition or you doubt whether you should teach it to your child, then talk to the priest. Ask, attend sermons, then you will have no questions left, but understanding and faith will come.

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IN ancient Rus' there was a close connection and interaction between the church and home life of our ancestors. Orthodox people paid great attention not only to What cooked for lunch, but also How preparing. They did this with constant prayer, in a peaceful state of mind and with good thoughts. And they also paid special attention church calendar- looked at what day it was - fasting or fasting.

The rules were observed especially strictly in monasteries.

The ancient Russian monasteries owned vast estates and lands, had the most comfortable farms, which gave them the means to make extensive food supplies, which in turn gave them abundant means for the wide hospitality bequeathed to the inhabitants by their holy founders.

But the matter of receiving strangers in monasteries was subordinated to both the general church and private statutes of each monastery, that is, one food was offered to the brethren, servants, wanderers and beggars on holidays and feeding days (commemorated for depositors and benefactors) days, another on weekdays; one - on fast days, the other - on fast days and on fasts: Great, Nativity, Assumption and Petrovka - all this was strictly determined by the statutes, which were also distinguished by place and means.

Nowadays, not all the provisions of the church charter, which were oriented primarily at monasteries and clergy, can be applied in Everyday life. However Orthodox person you need to learn some rules that we have already mentioned above.

First of all, before you start preparing food, you must pray to God.

What does it mean to pray to God?
To pray to God means to glorify, thank and ask Him for the forgiveness of your sins and your needs. Prayer is the reverent striving of the human soul towards God.

Why do you need to pray to God?
God is our Creator and Father. He cares about us all more than any child-loving father and gives us all the blessings in life. By him we live, move and have our being; that is why we must pray to Him.

How do we pray?
We sometimes pray internally - with our mind and heart; but since each of us consists of soul and body, then for the most part we say the prayer out loud and also accompany it with some visible signs and bodily actions: the sign of the cross, a bow to the waist, and for the strongest expression of our reverent feelings for God and deep humility before Him, we kneel and bow to the ground.

When should you pray?
You should pray at all times, without ceasing.

When is it especially appropriate to pray?
In the morning, upon awakening from sleep, to thank God for keeping us through the night and asking for His blessings on the coming day.
When starting a business - to ask God's help.
At the end of the case - to thank God for help and success in the case.
Before lunch - so that God will bless us with food for health.
After lunch - to thank God who feeds us.
In the evening, before going to bed, to thank God for the day and ask Him for forgiveness of our sins, for a peaceful and serene sleep.
For all cases, special prayers are prescribed by the Orthodox Church.

Prayer before lunch and dinner

Our Father... or:
The eyes of all trust in You, Lord, and You give them food in good season, You open Your generous hand and fulfill all animal blessings.

Na Tya- at you. They hope- addressed with hope. In good time- in my time. You open- you open it. Animal - Living being, everything living. Favor- good disposition towards someone, mercy.

What do we ask of God in this prayer?
In this prayer we ask that God bless us with food and drink for health.

What is meant by by the hand of the Lord?
The hand of the Lord is of course here giving us good things.

What do the words mean? having performed every kind of good pleasure on animals?
These words mean that the Lord cares not only about people, but also about animals, birds, fish, and in general about all living things.

Prayer after lunch and dinner

We thank Thee, Christ our God, for Thou hast filled us with Thy earthly blessings; Do not deprive us of Your Heavenly Kingdom, but as You came among Your disciples, Savior, give them peace, come to us and save us. Amen.

Creature comforts- everything necessary for earthly life, for example, food and drink.

What are we praying for in this prayer?
In this prayer, we thank God for satisfying us with food and drink, and we ask that He not deprive us of His Heavenly Kingdom.

If several people are sitting at the table, the oldest person reads the prayer out loud.

What can be said about someone who crosses himself incorrectly and carelessly during prayer or is ashamed to cross himself?

Such a person does not want to confess his faith in God; Jesus Christ Himself will be ashamed of him Last Judgment His own (Mark 8:38).

How should one be baptized?
To commit sign of the cross first three fingers right hand- thumb, index and middle - put together; We bend the last two fingers - the ring and little fingers - to the palm.
We place the fingers folded in this way on the forehead, on the stomach, on the right and left shoulder.

What do we express by folding our fingers like this?
By putting the first three fingers together we express the belief that God is One in Essence, but threefold in Persons.
The two bent fingers show our faith that in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, there are two natures: Divine and human.
By depicting a cross on ourselves with folded fingers, we show that we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ crucified on the Cross.

Why do we sign the cross on our forehead, stomach and shoulders?
To enlighten the mind, heart and strengthen strength.

May be, to modern man It will seem strange or even fantastic to say that the taste of dinner can depend on prayer or mood. However, in the lives of the saints there is a very convincing story on this topic.

One day, Prince Izyaslav of Kiev came to the monastery to visit Saint Theodisius of Pechersk (who reposed in 1074) and stayed to dine. On the table there was only black bread, water and vegetables, but these simple dishes seemed sweeter to the prince than overseas dishes.

Izyaslav asked Theodosius why the monastery meal seemed so tasty. To which the monk replied:

“Prince, our brethren, when they cook food or bake bread, first they take a blessing from the abbot, then they make three bows in front of the altar, light a candle from a lamp in front of the icon of the Savior, and with this candle they light a fire in the kitchen and bakery.
When it is necessary to pour water into the cauldron, the minister also asks the elder for a blessing for this.
Thus, everything is done with blessing.
Your servants begin every task with grumbling and annoyance at each other. And where there is sin, there can be no pleasure. In addition, your courtyard managers often beat the servants for the slightest offense, and the tears of the offended add bitterness to the food, no matter how expensive they are.”

The Church does not give any special recommendations regarding food intake, but you cannot eat before the morning service and especially before communion. This prohibition exists so that the body, burdened with food, does not distract the soul from prayer and communion.

What is the sacrament of communion?
The fact is that a Christian accepts the true Body of Christ under the guise of bread, and the true Blood of Christ under the guise of wine for union with the Lord Jesus Christ and for eternal blissful life with Him (John 6:54-56).

How should one prepare for Holy Communion?
Anyone who wishes to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ must first fast, i.e. fast, pray more in church and at home, make peace with everyone and then confess.

Should you take communion often?
One should receive communion as often as possible, at least once a month and necessarily during all fasts (Great, Nativity, Assumption and Petrov); otherwise it is unfair to be called an Orthodox Christian.

At what church service is the sacrament of communion celebrated?
During the Divine Liturgy, or mass, which is why this service is considered more important than other church services, for example, Vespers, Matins and others.

In liturgical practice, the Russian Orthodox Church uses the Typikon. Typicon, or Charter- a liturgical book containing detailed instructions: on what days and hours, at what divine services and in what order the prayers contained in the Service Book, Book of Hours, Octoechos and others should be read or sung liturgical books.

The Typikon also pays great attention to the food eaten by believers. However to a socialite You should not literally follow all the instructions contained in the Charter, for it is aimed primarily at the monastic brethren.

Christianity, like any other religion, is rich in various rituals, traditions and celebrations. Learning about these customs and traditions is incredibly exciting and interesting. And it’s even more interesting to be involved in all this action. So, what customs and rituals are inherent in Christianity? We will learn about this in this article.

Prayer for a Christian

Every Christian is obliged to pray every day. Believers turn to God and saints through prayer - they ask for something, complain. They do this in the hope that the saints will help them solve their problems, because the church talks about the miraculous power of faith and prayer.

Cult of icons

Cult of icons

It must also be said that Christianity attaches a lot of importance to icons. It is worth noting that before icons sparked heated debate - some considered them an integral attribute, while others considered them a relic of pagan times. But in the end, the veneration of icons remained. People believe that the image of a deity will influence a person.

In Christianity, the main attribute is the cross. The cross can be seen on churches, in clothing and on many other elements. The cross is worn on the body. Not a single ritual of Christianity can take place without the cross. This symbol is a tribute to the death in agony of Jesus Christ, who was crucified on the cross. People “carry their cross” throughout life and acquire humility and obedience.

What are relics?

It is believed that the relics are the remains of the deceased, who, by the will of God, did not decay, and also have miraculous powers. This appeared a long time ago when people tried to explain the incorruptibility of bodies by saying that they had miraculous powers.

"Holy places

Holy places of Russia

Holy places are those that are associated with certain events. For example, a place where a miracle happened by the will of God. People flock to such places on pilgrimage. There are a sufficient number of such places around the world. A similar belief also came from ancient times, when people spiritualized mountains and waters, etc., and also believed that they could influence life and bring miracles.

Christian holidays and fasts

Holidays have a special place in Christianity. Almost every day of the year has some kind of event that is connected with God, saints, etc.

Easter holiday

One of the main holidays is Easter. This church holiday does not have a clear date, but it was created in honor of the resurrection of Jesus, who was crucified on the cross. On this day it is customary to bake Easter cakes, cook Easter eggs, and paint eggs. The tradition of giving eggs comes from ancient times, when Mary Magdalene presented a red egg when she spoke about the Resurrection of Jesus. Believers decided to support this initiative, and since then this tradition has only taken root and continues to this day. On the eve of the holiday, everyone paints eggs and bakes Easter cakes.

Advice

It is recommended to treat others and greet everyone with the words “Christ is Risen,” and one must also respond to such greetings in a special way, “Truly He is Risen.” At midnight there is a church service to which all believers flock. It was also customary to help the poor and needy. On this bright day, food was distributed to them, and they also took part in the bright festival.

At Christmas it is customary to carol. On the eve of the holiday, children dressed up and carried kutya home - this is a traditional dish Christmas. The owners were invited to try kutya, and at this time the mummers sang songs and read poetry. During the feast and entertainment, the owners had to treat the mummers or give them money.

Christmastide

Christmastide

Christmas is also the beginning of the holidays, when every day means something. Christmastide lasts until baptism (January 19). During Christmas time it is customary to tell fortunes. Girls do fortune telling - they try to find out the name of their betrothed when they get married, as well as find out answers to other questions that interest them. It is for this reason that most fortune tellings have a wedding theme.

For Christmas, everyone cleaned their houses, swam and went to the sauna, and put on clean clothes. On January 6, on the eve of Christmas, it was not allowed to eat anything, but only drink water. After the first star appeared, everyone sat down at the table, ate food and celebrated this great day. As a rule, on festive table one could find a variety of culinary options - jellied meat, pork dishes, suckling pig and much, much more. It is worth noting that fish and poultry were always baked whole, because... it was a symbol of family unity.

Conclusion:

Christianity is rich in various celebrations, rituals and traditions. Holidays are a big part of this religion. Each holiday has its own rituals and traditions - they are all bright, solemn and bright. Over time, some rituals began to be forgotten, but some are still performed from generation to generation. Moreover, some rituals and traditions are gradually beginning to be revived.

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Smolensk Industrial College

Christianity. Traditions in everyday life

Completed:

Bavtrikov M.A.

The main idea of ​​the Christian religion is the salvation of man from that which gives rise to misfortune, suffering, illness, war, death, and all the evil in the world. Christianity claims that salvation was revealed by Jesus Christ, who, being the Son of God, became incarnate and became Man, through voluntary suffering on the Cross, killing the sinfulness of human nature and resurrecting it for eternal life. Salvation lies in faith in him. This general Christian position is interpreted differently in different Christian confessions: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism.

Orthodox churches retain early Christian traditions polycentrism, i.e. belong to several churches. Currently, there are 15 autocephalous (independent) Orthodox churches: Constantinople, Alexandria, Russian, Georgian, Serbian, Bulgarian, American and others.

The basis of Orthodox dogma is the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. These are 12 paragraphs containing dogmatic formulations of the main provisions of the doctrine of God as the creator, his relationship to the world and man, the trinity of God, the incarnation, atonement, the resurrection from the dead, and the saving role of the church.

Orthodox believe in one God, who created the whole world, including man. God is triune: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit;

into the original sin, which was committed by the first people Adam and Eve;

at the second coming of Jesus Christ - the Son of God, who voluntarily offered himself as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind, and he will come a second time in power and glory to judge the living and the dead and establish his eternal kingdom on earth as in heaven.

Orthodox believe in the immortality of the soul. They believe that in afterlife the souls of people depending on how a person lived earthly life, go to heaven or hell, where the souls of the dead remain until the Last Judgment.

In Orthodoxy, a system of cultic actions is closely connected with doctrine. The foundations are seven main rites - sacraments: baptism, communion, repentance, confirmation, marriage, consecration of oil, priesthood.

1. The sacrament of baptism is performed on everyone who becomes a Christian. The person being baptized is immersed three times in blessed water. (In exceptional cases, baptism is allowed not by immersion, but by pouring water.) In Orthodox Church The sacrament of baptism is traditionally performed on infants, but the baptism of adults is not prohibited. orthodoxy christian rite

2. The sacrament of confirmation is performed after baptism. Aromatic oil (myrrh) is applied to the forehead, eyes, ears and other parts of the body for the baptized person.

3. The sacrament of repentance is performed in the form of confession - detailed story about the sins committed.

4. The sacrament of communion is the central event during the liturgy, during which believers partake of the body and blood of Jesus Christ (under the guise of bread and wine).

5. The sacrament of marriage was established for the sanctification of family life and the blessing of the marital union by the Church. It is performed during the wedding ceremony.

6. The sacrament of consecration of oil is performed on the sick so that healing grace may descend upon them. During the consecration of oil (unction), prayers are read and the blessed oil (oil) is anointed with the forehead, cheeks, lips, hands and chest of the patient.

7. The sacrament of the priesthood is associated with the elevation of a believer to the rank of priest. In addition to performing the sacraments, the Orthodox cult system includes prayers, veneration of the cross, icons, relics, relics and saints, as well as the observance of all fasts and holidays.

Orthodox holidays celebrated in Russia today:

Nativity

Day of the Holy Trinity

Epiphany

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Dormition of the Virgin Mary

Easter (Resurrection of Christ) is the main holiday Orthodox calendar, established in memory of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter does not have a fixed date, but is calculated according to lunar calendar. The celebration begins on the first Sunday after the full moon following the spring equinox. Usually the holiday falls from March 22/April 4 to April 25/May 8.

IN folk tradition Easter was celebrated as a holiday of renewal and rebirth of life. This was due not only to the Christian idea of ​​the Resurrection of Christ and the associated prospect of eternal life, but also to the widespread existence among the people of pagan ideas about the spring awakening of nature after the winter sleep-death, about the death of the old and the beginning of a new time. According to widespread beliefs, every person was supposed to meet Easter renewed spiritually and physically, prepared for it during the long period of Lent. Before Easter, it was considered necessary to restore order in the house and on the street: wash the floors, ceilings, walls, benches, whitewash the stoves, update the icon case, repair the fences, put the wells in order, remove the garbage left after the winter. In addition, it was necessary to make new clothes for all family members and wash in the bathhouse. On Easter, a person had to discard all bad, unclean thoughts, forget evil and insults, not sin, not enter into marital relations that were perceived as sin

Nativity.

Merry Christmas is one of the main Christian holidays, established in honor of the birth according to the flesh (incarnation) of Jesus Christ.

Most Churches celebrate the Nativity of Christ on December 25th. The Roman Catholic Church and most Protestant churches celebrate Christmas according to the Gregorian calendar . IN Armenian Church Christmas, as in the ancient Church, is celebrated on the same day as the Epiphany of the Lord - January 6. Since 1991, in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, January 7 is an official public holiday.

Church services are held everywhere on Christmas night. All the candlesticks and chandeliers are lit, and the choir sings the doxology. And in old times When the clock struck midnight, everyone exchanged gifts, congratulated each other, and made wishes. It was believed that at Christmas the sky opens to the earth, and the heavenly forces fulfill all their plans; wishes must always be good.

Day of the Holy Trinity.

At the core Orthodox holiday Trinity lies biblical narrative about the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles. It tells about an event that took place in Jerusalem ten days after the Ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven. From the day when the Spirit of God rested on the apostles in the form of tongues of fire, He has invariably abided in the Church, therefore Pentecost is the birthday of the Church. After the descent of the Holy Spirit, the apostles annually celebrated the Day of Pentecost and commanded all Christians to remember it.

After Divine Liturgy On the feast of Trinity, a special vespers is held in churches with the reading of kneeling prayers: the priest reads the prayers, kneeling in the Royal Doors, facing the believers, while the parishioners also kneel, for the first time since Easter. On this day, temples are decorated with greenery, usually birch branches, and flowers brought by believers as a symbol of life and renewal.

Epiphany.

Epiphany is a Christian holiday celebrated in honor of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. During baptism, according to the Gospels, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. The holiday was also established in memory of the presentation of Jesus Christ to the people as the Son of God.

In Orthodoxy, the ancient holiday of Epiphany gradually began to be celebrated exclusively in remembrance of the Baptism of Christ, and therefore in Orthodoxy Epiphany and Baptism are different names one holiday.

On the day of Epiphany, after the liturgy, I went to the ice hole procession accompanied by everyone villagers. The priest held a prayer service, at the end of which he lowered the cross into the hole three times, asking for God's blessing on the water. After this, everyone present took water from the ice hole, which was considered holy, doused each other with it, and some boys and men, in order to cleanse themselves of Christmas sins, bathed in ice water. In a number of villages, before the prayer service, when the lid was removed from the ice hole, those present pulled out the pegs from it in order to find happiness for the whole year.

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Annunciation is a holiday in the Orthodox calendar, set on March 25/April 7. "The Annunciation is the most big celebration God doesn’t even torture sinners in hell,” the peasants said. The greatness of the holiday was also emphasized by the stories that on the morning of the Annunciation the sun plays in the sky, that is, it shimmers different colors. On this day it was considered a great sin to do anything, even the most simple work. They said that I am the Annunciation, even “a maiden does not braid her hair, and a bird does not build a nest.” According to legend, people who violate the ban will face God's punishment. Married women On this day, they told their younger sisters and daughters the story of the punishment of a naughty girl who sat down to spin on the Annunciation: God turned her into a cuckoo and even forbade her to have her own nest.

The Annunciation, which fell on the day of the vernal equinox, was perceived by the popular consciousness as the establishment of the spring-summer period: “On the Annunciation, spring overcame winter.” It was believed that on this day God blesses the earth “for sowing”, and nature awakens from winter sleep: the earth “opens”. Associated with these ideas were many pagan customs and rituals.

On this day, they “hooted spring,” that is, they hurried its arrival, “treated” them to pies, which they left overnight in an elevated place, and lit fires outside the village to “warm the earth.” There were many rituals of a protective and cleansing nature: they threw old straw from beds, old bast shoes, torn clothes into a burning fire, they fumigated clothes with smoke, removing the evil eye, they jumped over the fire, hoping to get rid of damage and gain health. On this day, they chased pigeons and released birds from their cages “so that they could sing to the glory of God.”

Dormition of the Virgin Mary.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a holiday of the Orthodox and Catholic churches. Celebrated on August 15 (August 28 new style). Dedicated to the Dormition - the righteous death Mother of God. According to legend, on this day the apostles miraculously gathered from the places where they preached to say goodbye to Holy Mother of God and perform the burial of Her most pure body.

In Orthodoxy, the Feast of the Assumption has one day of pre-celebration and 9 days of post-celebration. The holiday is preceded by a two-week (Assumption) fast from August 1 to 14. In some places, for the sake of special celebration of the holiday, special service burial of the Mother of God (especially solemnly - in Jerusalem, in Gethsemane).

Conclusion

I believe that even in our modern times, faith and tradition occupy important place in everyone's life individual, families. Faith can make our society kinder, more tolerant of each other, which is very important at this time, when there is so much indifference and bitterness in human hearts all around. In our fast-paced age, people have forgotten about love, mercy and faith. Faith in a Miracle, like on Christmas night, cleansing and renewal of the heart, like on Easter, can make the life of every person full, joyful and not indifferent to others!

Bibliography

1. Works" by A. S. Khomyakov (vol. II, "Theological Works", M., 1876);

2. “Historical. and critical experiments” prof. N. I. Barsova (St. Petersburg, 1879; article “New Method”);

3. Overbeck’s articles on the meaning of Orthodoxy in relation to the West. religions ("Christian Reading", 1868, II, 1882, 1883, 1 - 4, etc.) and "Orthodox Review", (1869, 1, 1870, 1 - 8);

4. Goette, “The Fundamental Principles of Orthodoxy” (“Faith and Reason”, 1884, 1, 1886, 1);

5. archim. Fedor, “On Orthodoxy in relation to modernity” (St. Petersburg, 1861);

6. prot. P. A. Smirnov, “On Orthodoxy in general and in particular in relation to Slavic peoples"(SPb., 1893);

7. “Collected spiritual and literary works” prot. I. Yakhontov (vol. II, St. Petersburg, 1890, article “On the Orthodoxy of the Russian Church”);

8. N. I. Barsov, “The Question of the Religiosity of the Russian People” (St. Petersburg, 1881).

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