May 2016 will be rich in church (Orthodox) holidays. Perhaps this is the second month after January, which adults and children are looking forward to with such impatience. After all, the main event in May 2016 is the onset of the bright Easter of Christ, and hence the end. It is May 1 - the first day of the last spring month this wonderful and long-awaited holiday will come.

Church Orthodox holidays in May 2016

From May 2 to May 8, according to the church calendar, the Bright Easter Week follows, otherwise called solid week. It should be noted that marriage ceremonies are not performed during this week.

May 8 (Sunday) is the day of memory of the apostle and evangelist Mark. Otherwise, he was called John-Mark as a sign of his connection with Rome. The symbol of this day is the winged lion. Apostle Mark devoted his whole life to serving Christianity, but he died at the hands of the pagans.

May 22 - the entire Orthodox world will celebrate the feast of summer Nicholas (Nikola the Prophet). On this day, the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker took place. On this day, one should pray to the great saint with requests to protect the crop, livestock and household from adversity. This day is one of the most fun holidays of the spring-summer cycle (see).

Other church holidays that will be celebrated this month, you can find in the calendar of Orthodox holidays and fasts, which is made in the form of a table.

Calendar of Orthodox holidays and fasts for May 2016

Orthodox fasts in May 2016

In addition to the holidays, May is also expected to one-day church posts on Wednesday and Friday. They happen not only in May, but last weekly throughout the year. The Wednesday fast is observed because of the betrayal of the Savior by Judas, and the Friday fast is in honor of the deathly torment on the cross that Jesus Christ had to experience. These days, you should refrain from eating meat and milk. However, everyone who is engaged in hard physical labor is allowed to relax the fast so that after a hard day there will be strength for repentance and prayer. Orthodox fasts are also allowed to be observed by not so strictly sick people and children.

Summing up the results of May 2016, we can say that there will be several one-day church fasts (May 11, 13, 18, 20, 25 and 27). There will be no multi-day posts.

See also: we choose the name of the child according to the holy calendar.

We offer you a church calendar of Orthodox holidays in May 2016, the exact and correct date (number) of all religious holidays. What church holidays are celebrated in May, when will Orthodox Easter, the exact date of the holiday when the Parents' Day of Remembrance of the Dead Radonitsa will be.

1st of May
Easter. Easter is a great bright Christian holiday, established in honor of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. “Holidays is a feast and the Celebration of Celebrations,” as the Orthodox call it. Easter is considered the most important event of the church year. The Easter holiday is preceded by Great Lent, which will begin on March 14 and will last 40 days, until the Resurrection of Christ. On Easter, it is customary to consecrate and treat each other with Easter cakes and red-colored eggs, which symbolize the blood of Christ.
Maksimovskaya icon Mother of God

May 2
Memorial Day of the Holy Blessed Old Woman Matrona of Moscow
Day of Remembrance Reverend John Old Cave in the church calendar
May 2-9 - Bright Week - the week following Easter. Bright Sunday is preceded by Great Lent, after which Bright Week comes. It lasts seven days, starting from Easter and ending with St. Thomas' week. At this time, fasting on Friday and Wednesday has already been canceled. And the evening and morning prayers are replaced by the singing of the Easter hours. For all seven days, it is customary to ring the bells every day, usually celebratory crusades are made. All days of the week are called bright, it is supposed to hold services according to the Paschal rite.

the 6th of May
Icons of the Mother of God " Life-Giving Source"In the 5th century, there was a grove near Constantinople, dedicated, according to legend, to the Most Holy Theotokos. In this grove there was a spring, glorified by miracles for a long time, but gradually overgrown with shrubs and mud. In 450, the warrior Leo Markell, the future emperor, met in this place of the lost blind man, helped him to get out onto the path and settle in the shade.In search of water for the exhausted traveler, he heard the voice of the Virgin, commanding to find an overgrown source and anoint the eyes of the blind man with mud.When Leo fulfilled the command, the blind man immediately regained his sight.The Mother of God also predicted Leo that he would become emperor, and seven years later this prediction was fulfilled.
Memorial Day of the Great Martyr George the Victorious

May 8
Week 2 after Pascha, Antipascha or St. Thomas.
Memorial Day of the Apostle and Evangelist Mark church holidays

9th May
Memorial Day of St. Stephen, ep. Great Perm
Commemoration of the dead warriors

May 10
Radonitsa, Parent's day To understand what date is the parent's day, you need to know the date of Easter. The deceased are commemorated on the 9th day after it. The second designation of the parental day is Radonitsa. The name is derived from Radunitsa. So they called one of the pagan gods. He kept the souls of those who had gone to another world. In order to provide peace to their ancestors, the Slavs implored the spirit with sacrificial gifts. Radunitsa was transformed into Radonitsa so that the words “genus” and “joy” could be read in the name of the holiday. By the way, historically, Russians called relatives not only blood relatives, but in general all ancestors. Therefore, it is not contrary to tradition to bring Easter gifts to the graves of strangers.
Memorial Day of the Apostle and Hieromartyr Simeon, ep. of Jerusalem, the kinsman of the Lord

May 11
Memorial Day of St. Cyril, Bishop of Turov

12 May
Memorial Day of St. Memnon the Wonderworker. The Monk Memnon the Wonderworker from his youth labored in the Egyptian desert. Through heavy fasting labors, he achieved the victory of the spirit over the flesh. Having become abbot of one of the Egyptian monasteries, he wisely and carefully led the brethren. Helping them with prayer and advice, the monk did not stop his exploits in the fight against temptations. Through unceasing prayer and labor, he received the gift of clairvoyance: through his prayer, a source of water opened in the desert, and the locust that destroyed the crops perished; those who were shipwrecked, calling for his help, were saved. After the death of the saint, the mere invocation of his name drove away the locusts and destroyed any intrigues of the spirits of malice.

May 14
The Icon of the Mother of God "Unexpected Joy" is an icon of the Mother of God revered miraculous in the Russian Orthodox Church. The iconography of the image arose under the influence of the story of the miraculous vision of a sinner, described by Dimitry of Rostov in his essay Irrigated Fleece (1683). The story recorded by the saint tells that a certain person used to pray every day before the icon of the Mother of God, and then go to the evil deed he had planned. But one day during a prayer, he “sees the image moving and the living Mother of God with her Son. He looks, the sores of the Infant have opened on the arms and legs, and in the side, and blood flows from them in streams, as on the Cross. In fear, the man asked the Virgin Mary about the ulcers and wounds of the Divine Infant and received the answer that sinners again and again crucify Jesus Christ and make her grieve from their deeds. The sinner insistently asked the Mother of God to have mercy on him and pray for this to her son. The Mother of God agreed, but twice Jesus rejected her prayer for the forgiveness of the sinner.

Saint Athanasius the Great, Archbishop Alexandria
Transfer of relics blgvv. kn. Boris and Gleb according to the church calendar
Putivl Icon of the Mother of God

May 17
Old Russian Icon of the Mother of God. The Old Russian Icon of the Mother of God is an icon of the Mother of God revered in the Orthodox Church. For believers, the icon is revered as miraculous, its celebrations take place on May 4 (17) - the day a copy of the icon is brought to Staraya Russa. The largest portable icon in the world (278 cm high, 202 cm wide).

May 18
Icons of the Mother of God "Inexhaustible Chalice"

May 19
Memorial Day of the Righteous Job the Long-Suffering - the day of memory of two saints: the righteous Job and the Tsar-Passion-bearer Nicholas II, born on this day. The fates of the saints have much in common. The long-suffering Job, having humbly endured the most difficult trials, was rewarded with the blessing of God. Royal martyr Nicholas II with his family he was also doomed to terrible trials, but on earth he did not receive a reward, accepting a martyr's death with the hope of Eternal Life.

May 20
Commemoration of the appearance in heaven of the Cross of the Lord in Jerusalem
Zhirovichi Icon of the Mother of God Orthodox holiday

May 21st
Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian. The Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian occupies a special place among the chosen disciples of Christ the Savior. Often in iconography, the Apostle John is depicted as a meek, majestic and spirit-bearing old man, with features of virgin tenderness, with a seal of complete calmness on his forehead and a deep look of a contemplator of inexpressible revelations. Another main feature of the spiritual image of the apostle is revealed through his teaching on love, for which he was predominantly given the title of Apostle of love.

Transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from the World of Lycia to Bar

May 24
Equal-to-the-Apostles Methodius and Cyril, teachers of Slovene - brothers from the city of Thessalonica (Thessaloniki), creators of the Old Slavonic alphabet and language, Christian preachers. They are canonized and revered as saints both in the East and in the West. In Slavic Orthodoxy, "Slovenian teachers" are revered as saints Equal-to-the-Apostles. The accepted order of mention: in scientific and popular science texts - first Cyril, and then Methodius; in ecclesiastical liturgical use reverse order(probably because Methodius had a higher rank than his younger brother).

May 28
Memorial Day of St. Pachomius the Great. The founder of the monastic community - the Monk Pachomius the Great - was born in the 3rd century in Thebaid, in Upper Egypt. Pachomius was baptized and retired to the Egyptian desert, where he began to lead a harsh ascetic life. Hearing one day a voice commanding him to build a monastery, the monk founded a monastery in the desert. Soon, in the form of a schema-monk, an Angel of God appeared to him and handed him the charter of monastic life. Pachomius taught the monks of his monastery to place their hope only in the help and mercy of God.

Transfer of the relics of St. Ephraim of Perekomi, Wonderworker of Novgorod, Orthodox holidays
Saint Theodore the Sanctified

May 30
Memorial Day of St. Euphrosyne, in the world of Evdokia, led. book. Moscow church holidays

May 31
Memorial Day of the Holy Fathers of the Seven Ecumenical Councils. The Seven Ecumenical Councils are the formation of the Church, its dogmas, the definition of the foundations of Christian doctrine. Therefore, it is very important that in the most secret, dogmatic, legislative issues, the Church has never taken the opinion of one person as the highest authority. It was determined, and remains so to this day, that the conciliar mind of the Church is considered the authority in the Church.

At its core, the Orthodox Church Paschal calendar consists of two parts - fixed and movable.
The fixed part of the church calendar is the Julian calendar, which is 13 days apart from the Gregorian. These holidays fall every year on the same date of the same month.

The movable part of the church calendar moves along with the date of Easter, which changes from year to year. The very date of the celebration of Easter is determined according to lunar calendar and a number of additional dogmatic factors (do not celebrate Easter with the Jews, celebrate Easter only after spring equinox, celebrate Easter only after the first spring full moon). All holidays with variable dates are counted from Easter and move in the time of the "secular" calendar along with it.

Thus, both parts of the Easter calendar (movable and fixed) together determine the calendar of Orthodox holidays.

The following are the most significant events for an Orthodox Christian - the so-called Twelfth Feasts and Great Feasts. Although the Orthodox Church celebrates holidays according to the "old style", which differs by 13 days, the dates in the Calendar for convenience are indicated according to the generally accepted secular calendar of the new style.

Orthodox calendar for 2016:

Permanent Holidays:

07.01 - Christmas (twelfth)
14.01 - Circumcision of the Lord (great)
19.01 - The baptism of the Lord (twelfth)
02.15 - Meeting of the Lord (twelfth)
07.04 - Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (twelfth)
May 21 - Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian
May 22 - St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra of Lycia, Wonderworker
07.07 - Nativity of John the Baptist (great)
12.07 - Holy First. Apostles Peter and Paul (great)
19.08 - Transfiguration of the Lord (twelfth)
28.08 - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (twelfth)
11.09 - Beheading of John the Baptist (great)
21.09 - Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (twelfth)
September 27 - Exaltation of the Holy Cross (twelfth)
09.10 - Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian
14.10 - Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos (great)
04.12 - Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos (twelfth)
December 19 - St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra of Lycia, miracle worker

Days of Special Remembrance for the Dead

05.03 - Universal parent saturday(Saturday before the week of the Last Judgment)
March 26 - Ecumenical parental Saturday of the 2nd week of Great Lent
04/02 - Ecumenical parental Saturday of the 3rd week of Great Lent
04.09 - Ecumenical parental Saturday of the 4th week of Great Lent
May 10 - Radonitsa (Tuesday of the 2nd week of Easter)
09.05 - Commemoration of the deceased soldiers
18.06 - Trinity parental Saturday (Saturday before Trinity)
05.11 - Dmitriev parental Saturday (Saturday before November 8)

ABOUT ORTHODOX HOLIDAYS:

TWENTH HOLIDAYS

In worship Orthodox Church twelve great feasts of the annual liturgical cycle (except for the feast of Pascha). Subdivided into Lord's, dedicated to Jesus Christ, and Theotokos, dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos.

According to the time of celebration, the Twelfth Feasts divided into motionless(non-passing) and mobile(passing). The former are constantly celebrated on the same dates of the month, the latter fall on different numbers every year, depending on the date of the celebration. Easter.

ABOUT MEAL ON HOLIDAYS:

According to the church charter on holidays Christmas And Epiphany that happened on Wednesday and Friday, there is no post.

IN Christmas And Epiphany Christmas Eve and on holidays Exaltation of the Holy Cross And The Beheading of John the Baptist food with vegetable oil is allowed.

On the feasts of the Presentation, the Transfiguration of the Lord, the Assumption, the Nativity and Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Nativity of John the Baptist, the Apostles Peter and Paul, John the Theologian, which happened on Wednesday and Friday, as well as in the period from Easter before Trinity fish is allowed on Wednesday and Friday.

ABOUT LOSTS IN ORTHODOXY:

Fast- a form of religious asceticism, an exercise of the spirit, soul and body on the path to salvation within the framework of a religious outlook; voluntary self-restraint in food, entertainment, communication with the world. bodily fasting - restriction in food; spiritual post- restriction of external impressions and pleasures (solitude, silence, prayerful concentration); spiritual post- the struggle with their "corporal lusts", a period of especially intense prayer.

Most importantly, you need to be aware that bodily fasting without spiritual fasting brings nothing to save the soul. On the contrary, it can be spiritually harmful if a person, abstaining from food, becomes imbued with the consciousness of his own superiority and righteousness. “The one who thinks that fasting is only abstaining from food is mistaken. true post, - teaches St. John Chrysostom, - there is a removal from evil, curbing the tongue, putting off anger, taming lusts, ending slander, lies and perjury. Fast- not a goal, but a means to distract from the pleasure of your body, to concentrate and think about your soul; without all this, it becomes just a diet.

Great Lent, Holy Forty Day(Greek Tessarakoste; Lat. Quadragesima) - the period of the liturgical year preceding Holy Week And Easter, the most important of multi-day posts. Due to Easter may fall into different calendar numbers, great post also each year starts on a different date. It includes 6 weeks, or 40 days, therefore it is also called St. Forty-cost.

Fast for an Orthodox person is a set of good deeds, sincere prayer, abstinence in everything, including food. A bodily fast is necessary to perform a spiritual and spiritual fast, all of them in their union form post true, contributing to the spiritual reunion of fasting with God. IN days of fasting(days of fasting) the Church Charter prohibits modest food - meat and dairy products; fish is allowed only on some fast days. IN days of strict fasting not only fish is not allowed, but any hot food and food cooked in vegetable oil, only cold food without oil and unheated drink (sometimes called dry eating). The Russian Orthodox Church has four multi-day fasts, three one-day fasts, and, in addition, a fast on Wednesday and Friday (excluding special weeks) throughout the year.

Wednesday and Friday established as a sign that on Wednesday Christ was betrayed by Judas, and on Friday he was crucified. Saint Athanasius the Great said: "Allowing me to eat fast food on Wednesday and Friday, this person crucifies the Lord." In the summer and autumn meat-eaters (periods between the Petrov and Assumption fasts and between the Assumption and Rozhdestvensky fasts), Wednesday and Friday are days of strict fasting. In winter and spring meat-eaters (from Christmas to Great Lent and from Easter to Trinity), the Charter allows fish on Wednesday and Friday. Fish on Wednesday and Friday is also allowed when the feasts of the Meeting of the Lord, the Transfiguration of the Lord, the Nativity of the Virgin, the Entrance of the Virgin into the Temple, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Nativity of John the Baptist, the Apostles Peter and Paul, the Apostle John the Theologian. If the holidays of the Nativity of Christ and the Baptism of the Lord fall on Wednesday and Friday, then fasting on these days is canceled. On the eve (eve, Christmas Eve) of the Nativity of Christ (usually the day of strict fasting), which happened on Saturday or Sunday, food with vegetable oil is allowed.

Solid weeks(in Church Slavonic a week is called a week - the days from Monday to Sunday) mean the absence of fasting on Wednesday and Friday. They were established by the Church as an indulgence before a multi-day fast or as a rest after it. Solid weeks are as follows:
1. Christmas time - from January 7 to 18 (11 days), from Christmas to Epiphany.
2. Publican and Pharisee - two weeks before Lent.
3. Cheese - a week before Lent (allowed the whole week of eggs, fish and dairy, but without meat).
4. Easter (Bright) - a week after Easter.
5. Trinity - a week after the Trinity (week before Peter's fast).

One day posts, except Wednesday and Friday (days of strict fasting, without fish, but food with vegetable oil is allowed):
1. Epiphany Christmas Eve (Eve of Theophany) January 18, the day before the feast of the Epiphany. On this day, believers prepare themselves for the acceptance of the great shrine - Agiasma - baptismal Holy water, for purification and consecration by it at the upcoming holiday.
2. The beheading of John the Baptist - September 11. On this day, a fast is established in memory of the abstemious life of the great prophet John and his lawless murder by Herod.
3. Exaltation of the Holy Cross - September 27. This day reminds us of the sad event on Golgotha, when the Savior of the human race suffered on the Cross "for our salvation". And therefore this day must be spent in prayer, fasting, contrition for sins, in a feeling of repentance.

MULTI-DAY POSTS:

1. Great Lent or Holy Forty Day.
It begins seven weeks before the feast of Holy Pascha and consists of Forty days (forty days) and Holy Week (the week leading up to Pascha). Forty days was established in honor of the forty-day fast of the Savior Himself, and Holy Week - in remembrance last days earthly life, suffering, death and burial of our Lord, Jesus Christ. The total continuation of Great Lent along with Holy Week is 48 days.
The days from the Nativity of Christ to Great Lent (until Shrovetide) are called the Christmas or winter meat-eater. This period contains three continuous weeks - Christmas time, Publican and Pharisee, Shrove Tuesday. After Christmas time on Wednesdays and Fridays, fish is allowed, up to a continuous week (when you can eat meat on all days of the week), coming after the "Week of the publican and the Pharisee" ("week" in Church Slavonic means "Sunday"). In the next, after a continuous week, fish is no longer allowed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but vegetable oil is still allowed. Monday - food with oil, Wednesday, Friday - cold without oil. This establishment has the goal of gradual preparation for Great Lent. The last time before fasting, meat is allowed on the "Meat Week" - the Sunday before Shrovetide.
In the next week - cheese (Shrovetide) eggs, fish, dairy products are allowed all week, but meat is no longer eaten. They head for Great Lent (the last time they eat fast, with the exception of meat, food) on the last day of Shrovetide - Forgiveness Sunday. This day is also called "Cheesefare Week".
It is accepted with special strictness to observe the first and Holy Weeks of Great Lent. On Monday of the first week of Lent ( Clean Monday) the highest degree of fasting is established - complete abstinence from food (pious lay people with ascetic experience abstain from food on Tuesday as well). On the remaining weeks of fasting: on Monday, Wednesday and Friday - cold food without oil, Tuesday, Thursday - hot food without oil (vegetable, cereal, mushroom), on Saturday and Sunday vegetable oil is allowed and, if necessary for health, a little pure grape wine (but in no case vodka). If a memory of a great saint happens (with an all-night vigil or a polyeleos service the day before), then on Tuesday and Thursday - food with vegetable oil, Monday, Wednesday, Friday - hot food without oil. You can inquire about the holidays in the Typicon or the Followed Psalter. Fish is allowed twice during the entire fast: on the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos (if the holiday did not fall on Holy Week) and on Palm Sunday, Lazarus Saturday (the Saturday before Palm Sunday) fish caviar is allowed. On Friday of Good Week, it is customary not to eat any food until the shroud is taken out (our ancestors did not eat at all on Good Friday).
Bright Week (the week after Easter) - solid - modest is allowed on all days of the week. Starting from next week after continuous up to Trinity (spring meat-eater) fish is allowed on Wednesdays and Fridays. The week between Trinity and Peter's Lent is continuous.

2. Petrov or Apostolic post.
Fasting begins a week after the feast of the Holy Trinity and ends on July 12, on the day of the celebration of the memory of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, established in honor of the holy apostles and in remembrance of the fact that the holy apostles, after the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them, dispersed to all countries with the good news, always abiding in the feat of fasting and prayer. The duration of this fast in different years is different and depends on the day of the celebration of Easter. The shortest post lasts 8 days, the longest - 6 weeks. Fish in this post is allowed, except Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Monday - hot food without oil, Wednesday and Friday - strict fast (cold food without oil). On other days - fish, cereals, mushroom dishes with vegetable oil. If the memory of a great saint happens on Monday, Wednesday or Friday - hot food with butter. On the feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist (July 7), according to the Charter, fish is allowed.
In the period from the end of the Petrov fast to the beginning of the Assumption fast (summer meat-eater), Wednesday and Friday are days of strict fasting. But if the holidays of a great saint fall on these days with an all-night vigil or a polyeleos service the day before, then food with vegetable oil is allowed. If temple holidays occur on Wednesday and Friday, then fish is also allowed.

3. Assumption fast (from August 14 to 27).
Established in honor of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Mother of God herself, preparing to depart into eternal life, constantly fasted and prayed. We, the spiritually weak and weak, all the more should resort to fasting as often as possible, turning to the Blessed Virgin for help in every need and sorrow. This fast lasts only two weeks, but in severity it is consistent with the Great. Fish is allowed only on the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord (August 19), and if the end of the fast (Assumption) falls on Wednesday or Friday, then this day is also fish. Monday, Wednesday, Friday - cold food without oil, Tuesday and Thursday - hot food without oil, Saturday and Sunday - food with vegetable oil. Wine is prohibited on all days. If the memory of a great saint happens, then on Tuesday and Thursday - hot food with butter, Monday, Wednesday, Friday - hot food without butter.
The charter about food on Wednesdays and Fridays in the period from the end of the Dormition Fast to the beginning of the Christmas (autumn meat-eater) is the same as in the summer meat-eater, that is, on Wednesdays and Fridays, fish is allowed only on the days of the Twelfth and Temple holidays. Food with vegetable oil on Wednesday and Friday is allowed only if these days fall in memory of the great saint with an all-night vigil or with a polyeleos service the day before.

4. Christmas (Filippov) fast (from November 28 to January 6).
This fast is set for the day of the Nativity of Christ, so that we purify ourselves at this time by repentance, prayer and fasting and with a pure heart meet the Savior who has appeared in the world. Sometimes this fast is called Filippov, as a sign that it begins after the day of celebration of the memory of the Apostle Philip (November 27). The charter on food during this fast coincides with the charter of Peter's fast until the day of St. Nicholas (December 19). If the feasts of the Entrance into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos (December 4) and St. Nicholas fall on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday, then fish is allowed. From the day of memory of St. Nicholas to the pre-feast of Christmas, which begins on January 2, fish is allowed only on Saturday and Sunday. On the feast of the Nativity of Christ, fasting is observed in the same way as on the days of Great Lent: fish is forbidden on all days, food with butter is allowed only on Saturday and Sunday. On Christmas Eve (Christmas Eve), January 6, a pious custom requires not to eat food until the first evening star appears, after which it is customary to eat kolivo or sochivo - wheat grains boiled in honey or boiled rice with raisins, in some areas boiled dry fruits with sugar. From the word "sochivo" comes the name of this day - Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve is also before the feast of the Epiphany. On this day (January 18) it is also customary not to eat food until the adoption of Agiasma - baptismal holy water, which they begin to consecrate on the very day of Christmas Eve.

There is no divine service more bright and joyful than Orthodox Easter. It is said that Easter night is the most silent and quiet night of the year. The Easter service begins with a procession around the church, with lit candles in the hands of all those gathered and with singing: “Thy Resurrection, Christ the Savior, the angels sing in heaven: and on earth grant us (worthy) glorify Thee with a pure heart.” This procession is reminiscent of the procession of myrrh-bearing women in the early morning to the Sepulcher of the Savior to anoint His most pure Body. Having bypassed the temple, the procession stops in front of the closed main doors, and the priest begins matins with an exclamation: "Glory to the Saints, consubstantial, life-giving and indivisible Trinity." Then, like the Angel who announced to the myrrh-bearing women about the Resurrection of Christ, he sings three times, together with other clergymen, the Easter troparion "Christ is Risen from the dead." Everyone enters the open doors of the temple and after the joyful words of the priest “Christ is Risen!”, rejoicing, they answer “Truly Risen!”. On this night, in the Paschal kiss and greetings, people's hearts are opened to the joy of love.
On the same day - memory mch. John the New

MAY 2 - Bright Week is solid. Monday of Holy Week. The solemn celebration of Easter lasts the whole week (week), it is called Easter or bright.
On the same day - memory blzh. Matrona of Moscow

MAY 3 - Tuesday of Bright Week. Iberian Icon of the Mother of God.
On this day, they also remember those who converted to Orthodoxy Ahmed. A Muslim Turk by origin, he lived in Istanbul, held a significant government post, and by the time of his conversion was already quite mature in years. He had a Russian slave concubine. Apparently, distinguished by religious tolerance, Ahmed allowed her to freely attend a Christian church. Over time, Ahmed noticed special blessed changes in her that occurred every time she came back from worship. Interested in this, he expressed to the priest a desire to attend the liturgy during the service of the patriarch, and received such an opportunity. As a distinguished guest, a special place was prepared for him. And so, during the liturgy, this Muslim official suddenly saw that from the trikirion and the fingers of the patriarch, who was blessing the people, rays emanated and passed on to the heads of all Christians, and only his own head was left deprived. Amazed at such a miracle, Ahmed expressed a desire to be baptized immediately, which was secretly performed on him, probably by the patriarch himself. The name "Ahmed" at baptism was replaced by a Christian name.
For some time the future martyr remains a secret Christian. There were a lot of secret Christians both among Muslim dignitaries (including even mullahs) and among the common population. For many years they came to the "Al-Sufi Mosque" and secretly performed daily Christian prayers. Secret Christians exist in the countries of the Muslim world even now. Just as there are obvious Christians, including converts, sometimes for years bearing the feat of confession.
So, for a while, St. Ahmed remains a secret Christian. This went on until one day, at a meeting, the nobles began to argue about what was above all. When the turn came to Ahmed, and asked his opinion, he unexpectedly announced loudly to everyone: "Above all, the Christian faith." And he professed to be a Christian. St. Ahmed went to the end and was martyred on May 3, 1682

THE 6TH OF MAY - Friday of Bright Week. Honoring Icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring". The icon was painted in memory of the discovery by Emperor Leo in 450 near Constantinople of a miraculous water source that brought healing to the afflicted. On this day, prayers for the blessing of water, processions to water sources are performed in churches: the Church glorifies the Mother of God as our Intercessor and Intercessor, through whose intercession many wondrous miracles of grace are performed in the world.
Memory of St. vmch. George the Victorious, the patron saint of the army and the city of Moscow. The valiant commander withstood the most severe torture from the persecutor of Christians, Emperor Diocletian, with his courage led to faith, among many others. St. mch. Queen Alexandra- the wife of his tormentor. Vmch. Defenders of the Fatherland, Christ-loving warriors pray to George the Victorious.

MAY 7 - Saturday of Bright Week. Distribution of Artos. The word "artos" is translated from Greek as "leavened bread". The use of artos begins from the very beginning of Christianity. Imitating the apostles, the first pastors of the Church established on the feast of the Resurrection of Christ to put bread in the temple as a visible expression of the fact that the Savior who suffered for us has become for us the true bread of life.
The artos is consecrated on the first day of Holy Pascha at the Liturgy after the ambo prayer. The lectern with the artos is placed on the salt in front of the image of the Savior for the entire Bright Week. At the end of the Liturgies, religious processions around the temple are solemnly performed with him. On Saturday of Bright Week, the artos is broken up and at the end of the Liturgy (when kissing the cross) is distributed to the people.
Particles of consecrated bread received in the temple are reverently kept by believers as a spiritual cure for illnesses and infirmities.
Artos is used in special cases, for example in illness, and always with the words “Christ is risen!
Memory mch. Savva Stratilat..

MAY 8 – Antipascha. Week 2 after Easter, Apostle Thomas. The 2nd week after Easter is called Antipascha, as the end of the celebration of Bright Week and meaning "instead of Easter", otherwise it is called the renewal of Easter. On this day, the appearance of Christ to the disciples is remembered, among whom was St. Thomas, who did not want to believe in the resurrection of the Lord until he himself saw the Risen One. Having given assurance to Thomas by the touch of His wounds, the Lord said: "Blessed are those who did not see and believed."
In the same day - memory of St. Apostle and Evangelist Mark, also called John Mark, an apostle from the 70s, a nephew of St. Barnabas, was born in Jerusalem. The house of his mother Mary adjoined the Garden of Gethsemane. On the night when the Lord Jesus Christ was being led to the high priest for trial, John-Mark followed the Savior wrapped in a cloak and fled from the soldiers who were trying to seize him. St. Mark was the closest associate of the apostles Peter, Paul and Barnabas. When together with app. Peter Mark was in Rome, the Christians asked him to write for them everything he heard about Christ from Peter. This is how the Gospel of Mark appeared. This apostle is traditionally depicted with a lion, because he begins his gospel with the sermon of St. John the Baptist, like the voice of a lion in the wilderness.

9TH MAY - Victory Day. In churches, after the Liturgy, a thanksgiving prayer service and litia for the departed soldiers are performed.
Memory ssmch. Basil, Bishop of Amasia and St. Stephen, Bishop of Great Perm.

MAY 10 - RADONITsa. Commemoration of the dead. Radonitsa is called the Easter commemoration of the dead, performed on Tuesday of the second week after Easter. The Church calls us, following the example of the Lord, to proclaim the joy of Christ's Bright Resurrection to all those who have departed from the ages. It is on Radonitsa that a memorial meal is served and part of what has been prepared is given to the poor brethren as a commemoration of the soul.
Today is a memory Apostle and Hieromartyr Simeon, relative of the Lord. St. Simeon was the son of Cleopas, the younger brother of St. Joseph the Betrothed. IN adulthood he believed in Christ and became one of His disciples, denounced idolatry. In 63 after the death of St. app. James, the first bishop of Jerusalem, in his place the Christians chose St. Simeon. The hundred-year-old elder Simeon was crucified by the pagans on the cross.

MAY 12 - Memory nine holy martyrs of Cyzic. Holy Christian martyrs were from different places. All of them, by the knowledge of God, ended up in the city of Cyzicus, located on the shore of the Dardanelles Strait. Christianity in this city spread even in the time of Apostle Paul, but the persecution of the pagans led to the fact that many of the believers fled the city. Nine Christians, united by love for the Lord, openly confessed Christ. For such daring they were seized and brought before the ruler of the city. They were tortured for several days and then beheaded with a sword. This happened at the end of the 3rd century. In 324, under Emperor Constantine the Great, the incorrupt bodies of the martyrs were taken out of the ground and placed in a church built in their honor.

MAY 13 - Memory St. Apostle James (Zavedeev). He was one of the 12 apostles, brother of John the Theologian, one of the closest disciples of Jesus Christ and witnessed the greatest miracles of the Savior during His earthly life. The holy apostle, after the ascension of Jesus Christ and the descent of the Holy Spirit, preached the Gospel in Judea and accepted a martyr's death in Jerusalem. He was beheaded in 44. Before his death, he prayed to the Lord for the forgiveness of his tormentors and the guidance of the foolish on the path of truth.
The Church honors today Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov, Bishop of the Caucasus and Black Sea (1867). In 1827 he was a novice at the Alexander-Svirsky Monastery in the Olonets province. The saint could see the state of mind of other people. He expounded the ascetic teaching of the holy fathers of the Church in relation to the needs and spiritual needs of the people of the modern world.

MAY 14 - Memory of Rev. Pafnutiy Borovsky(1478). He was hegumen of the Borovsky Monastery. The monk helped the poor, sick, needy people, during his lifetime he was a great miracle worker and seer.
Today is a holiday Icon of the Mother of God "Unexpected Joy" very revered in Rus'. In many temples near this icon, the sick were healed.

MAY 15 – 3rd week after Easter holy myrrh-bearing women. On this Sunday, the Church remembers the holy myrrh-bearing women, the faithful disciples of the Lord during His lifetime, who were the first to receive the news of the Holy Resurrection of Christ: Mary Magdalene, Susanna and others. Therefore, the Week of the Myrrh-Bearing Women is also called the Orthodox Women's Day.
Together with the holy myrrh-bearing women on this day we remember Righteous Joseph and Nicodemus who served at the burial of Christ, and later preached in their own country about the Risen Lord, having endured many persecutions from the Jews.
In the same day-Transfer of relics blgvv. Princes of Russia Boris and Gleb, in the holy baptism of Roman and David(1072 and 1115). The first Russian saints. The divine overcomes the human. The lives of the holy martyrs and passion-bearers Boris and Gleb tell us about this: the rarest case in the lives of saints when it is not the courageous joy of those going to death for Christ that is depicted, but weakness, struggle and tears. It is all the more obvious that, after all, the saints triumph not by their own, but by Christ's power.

16TH OF MAY - Rev. Theodosius, hegumen of the Kiev Caves(1074), who arranged in 1064 the life of the first cenobitic monastery in Rus' according to the strict charter of St. Theodora Studita: endless humility, tireless work, nothing to own. The Kiev-Pechersk Lavra became the glory of Holy Rus'. Saint Theodosius was very fond of Prince Izyaslav and often invited him to his palace for spiritual conversations. Many boyars were his spiritual children. Combining firmness with meekness, St. Theodosius was not afraid to denounce their vices and crimes.
Also celebrated on this day icon of the Mother of God of the Assumption of the Kiev Caves- one of the oldest revealed icons in the Russian Orthodox Church. Holy Mother of God handed it to 4 Byzantine architects, who in 1073 brought the icon of St. Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves. The icon has repeatedly defended the country from the invasion of enemies. The Mother of God blessed the Russian troops marching to the Battle of Poltava (1709).
Today is a celebration Icons of the Mother of God of Svenska. Chernigov Prince Roman Mikhailovich, while in Bryansk, lost his sight. Having heard about the miracles and healings that were from the miraculous image of the Mother of God of the Caves and from the great miracle workers Anthony and Theodosius of the Kiev Caves, the prince sent alms to the monastery with a request to bring the icon to Bryansk. The priests accompanying the icon were to spend one of the nights on the banks of the Svena River. Getting up in the morning, they went to pray in the boat to the icon, but they did not find it there, and were surprised to see it on the mountain opposite the river, standing on an oak tree between the branches. This miraculous phenomenon, from which the icon received the name Svenskaya, was announced to Prince Roman. He hurried to this place, where he fervently prayed for enlightenment and vowed to build a temple and a monastery on this holy place. At that very moment, he saw a path in front of him and ordered a cross to be erected here. A prayer service was served before the icon. The prince kept his word. At this place, a temple was soon built in honor of the Assumption of the Mother of God. miraculous icon he ordered to be overlaid with gold and silver. And then, in memory of the appearance of the Svenska icon on May 16 (May 3 according to the old style), a holiday was established. Already during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, at his command, the old salary was replaced by a new one, for which he donated gold, pearls and precious stones.
In 1812, when the hordes of the French rushed to Bryansk, the inhabitants of its city made a religious procession with the miraculous image of the revered Svenska Icon of the Mother of God. In gratitude for the deliverance of Bryansk from death, in 1815 the inhabitants arranged a golden riza with crowns on the icon of the Intercessor.
The icon of this saint was painted by St. Alipiy, who studied icon painting with Byzantine painters. On the icon in front of the golden throne, on which the Blessed Virgin sits majestically with the blessing Child, two holy men, the founders of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra - St. Anthony (left) and St. Theodosius (right).

MAY 18 - holiday Icon of the Mother of God "Inexhaustible Chalice". This icon became famous for its miracle work in 1878. The Tula peasant Stefan was obsessed with the disease of drunkenness; Once in a dream, an elder appeared to him and ordered him to go to the Serpukhov Monastery to the icon of the Mother of God "Inexhaustible Chalice" to receive healing. Stefan went to the monastery, where, after a long search, such an icon was found. After performing a prayer service before this image, Stefan returned home completely healthy and free from illness.
Soon the news of the miraculous image spread throughout Russia, and many began to offer prayers to this icon for their loved ones, obsessed with passion. wine drinking. This tradition continues to this day.

MAY 19 - on this day the Church commemorates Old Testament righteous Job the Long-suffering, and on the same day in 1868 the holy passion-bearer emperor was born Nicholas II, canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church. He acutely felt that his life was similar to Job's martyrdom. Truly prophetic was his knowledge of his fate. “I have more than a premonition,” he said, “that I am doomed to terrible trials and that I will not be rewarded for them in this world.”
Emperor Nicholas II and his family were the bearers of the ideals of Holy Rus', the ideals of Orthodoxy. Unlike many people of that era - Christians in name only - they took Orthodoxy seriously. They were God's chosen ones, and therefore people not of this world (John XV, 19); in the then high society they were strangers. True Christians, they were persecuted in the world; their mournful path was crowned with martyrdom. Now, in a host of other Russian saints, they stand before Christ in prayer for Russia.
This day is also celebrated memory of St. Martyr Barbara, warrior. There is so little information about this saint that even his real name is unknown. He was born at the end of the 8th century, and lived in the first half of the 9th. Was a Muslim. Having miraculously escaped death during the war, he was left alone in enemy territory and engaged in robbery. Moving from place to place, he robbed and killed lonely Christian travelers, terrorizing the entire district. One day the Barbarian entered the temple, intending to kill the priest. There was a liturgy. A priest named John served. The barbarian was waiting for the end of the service in order to accomplish his plan without witnesses. But a miracle happens, for a moment he sees Angels, in all the splendor of their greatness serving the priest of God, whom he intends to kill. In amazement and fear, the robber fell to his knees, and, waiting for the end of the service, offered repentance and asked to be vouchsafed the sacrament of Baptism. Father John fulfills his request. Having become a Christian, the saint secludes himself in the mountains, indulging in fasting and prayer and avoiding contact with the locals. Late one evening, the Nikopol hunters, who stopped for the night, mistakenly mistook the saint who was making his way in the tall grass from afar for an animal, and shot him with a bow. The saint meets death quite peacefully and calmly, forgiving his unintentional killers, who mourn their mistake.

MAY 21ST - The memory of the apostle and evangelist John the Theologian, occupying a special place among the chosen disciples of Christ the Savior. The service of Love is the whole life path of the apostle, who is called the apostle of Love. On this day, every year his burial place is covered with the finest pink ashes, which are collected by believers as help from various diseases. In Petrozavodsk, in the city center on Krupskaya Street (behind the Schoolchildren's Palace of Creativity), a wooden church was erected in the name of the holy Apostle John the Theologian.
Today – memory of Arseny the Great. The saint was brought to monastic life by the miraculous destinies of God. He was the tutor of Arcadius and Honorius, sons of Theodosius the Great, Emperor of Byzantium. According to the state of the world, he belonged to the senators and enjoyed special honor among the courtiers. Living at court, Arseny, shining in appearance with luxury, spent the ascetic's residence, constantly thinking about the monastic life.
Once he considered it necessary to punish Arkady for a fault. Angry, the young man decided to kill his teacher. His intent became known to Arseny. He began to pray to God: “Lord! Teach me how to be saved? Was there a voice for him? “Arseny! Run away from people and you will be saved. At night, he took off the clothes of a courtier, put on the rags of a beggar and left the palace, boarded a ship that was leaving Constantinople for Alexandria. He went to the desert, where thousands of monks spent the most exalted living.
When Arseny, arriving at the skete, explained his intention to become a monk, he was taken to Elder John Kolov. The elder put him to the test. When they sat down to eat bread, the elder did not invite Arseny, but left him standing. He stood with his eyes fixed on the ground and thinking that he was standing in the presence of God before His Angels. The elder took the biscuit and threw it to Arseny. He explained the elder’s act as follows: The elder, like the Angel of God, knew that I was like a dog, even worse than a dog and therefore gave me bread like this. As a dog is served: I will eat bread the way dogs eat it. He got up on his hands and feet, took the bread with his mouth, took it to a corner and ate it there. The elder, seeing his humility, said: “He will become a skillful monk.”
Arseny achieved special spiritual progress and was numbered among the many holy ascetics, and became known as Arseny the Great. He spent 55 years in great deeds and rested at the age of 95. Rev. Arseny the Great taught: “Many times I repented of my words, but never in silence.”

22ND OF MAY - 4th week after Easter about being relaxed. Today the Church commemorates the miraculous healing by the Lord Jesus Christ of a man who had suffered from a serious illness for 38 years. This healing took place at the Sheep's font (bath) outside the wall of the Jerusalem temple. In the healing of the paralytic, the Church sees a way of renewing the life of all mankind through the Resurrection of Christ. The Church calls on believers to turn to the Lord for the healing of not only bodily illnesses, but also the soul, weakened by sins.
Transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from the World of Lycia to Bar (1087). Among the people, the celebration of the memory of St. Nicholas is called "May Nicholas". Almost a thousand years ago, the relics of the saint were transferred to the Italian city of Bari in the southern part of the country. At the same time, a crypt was built, in which they reverently rested.
In 1911, Archpriest John Vostorgov, the future New Martyr, laid the foundation stone for a Russian Orthodox church. The inspirer and the first donor was the Tsar-martyr Nicholas II, the chairman of the Construction Committee was the venerable martyr Grand Duchess Elisabeth, and the first ruling bishop was Metropolitan Veniamin of Petrograd, also canonized as holy martyrs. For more than 60 years, the nun Nikolai lived at the temple, who, even before the construction of the temple, received the blessing of the Optina Elders to live in Bari. Church of St. Nicholas in Bari is the only Orthodox Church in these parts, therefore its significance for Orthodoxy is invaluable. Many pilgrims from Russia, starting from the 90s, have the opportunity to visit the temple and pray at the relics of the great Wonderworker.

At the relics of St. Nicholas

MAY, 23RD - Apostle Simon the Zealot. The Apostle Simon came from Cana of Galilee and was the son of St. Joseph the Betrothed, brother of the Lord in the flesh and one of the 12 apostles. It was at his wedding feast that the Lord performed His first miracle, turning water into wine; amazed by this, Simon believed in Jesus Christ as True God and leaving everything, followed him.

MAY 24 - Week 7 after Pascha, Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council (325).
Memory Equal-to-the-Apostles Methodius and Cyril, teachers of Slovenia.

MAY 25 - Mid-Pentecost. In churches, after the liturgy, the blessing of water is performed.
Memory ssmch. Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, miracle worker.

MAY 26 - glorified St. George the Confessor who, together with his wife Irina was exiled to prison for icon veneration, and martyr Alexander- A 17-year-old warrior was tortured by Emperor Maximian when a young Christian rejected his persuasion to join the pagan idolaters.

MAY 28 - the memory of the faithful Tsarevich Demetrius of Uglich and Moscow (1591). The son of Ivan the Terrible, eight years old he was stabbed to death in Uglich, Yaroslavl province. Rumor attributed this murder to the supporters of Boris Godunov, who later became tsar. With the death of the prince, the family of Moscow sovereigns, the descendants of Rurik, died out. The holy relics of Demetrius were transferred to Moscow in 1606 and rest in the Archangel Cathedral of the Kremlin.

MAY 29 - 5th week after Passover, O Samaritan. In today's Gospel, during the Divine Liturgy, the words of the Lord are read about the source flowing into eternal life, about those who accept the Word of Christ. This makes it possible to realize that faith is not only one's own acquisition or the fruit of one's own work, but is always a gift from God. To be a believer means to be a worshiper of God, that is, to be able and willing to worship God.
Today is a memory Rev. Theodore the Sanctified. At the age of 14, the saint left his parental home and settled in one of the Egyptian monasteries. Hearing about the exploits of St. Pachomius the Great, he went to him. Rev. Pachomius left him in his monastery and instructed him to conduct spiritual conversations on the Holy Scriptures with the brethren of the monastery. Soon Rev. Pachomius blessed St. Theodora to be the abbot of the Tevinissky monastery, and he retired to a more secluded monastery. After the death of St. Pachomius the Great St. Theodore became the head of all the Thebaid monasteries.

MAY 30 - memory St. Stephen, Patriarch of Constantinople and Rev. Euphrosyne, in the world of Evdokia, Grand Duchess of Moscow (1407). Day memory of St. righteous Jonah of Odessa. When southerners came to Fr. John of Kronstadt, he said: “Why are you bothering to come to me? You have your own John of Kronstadt - Fr. And she". Between them, these two lamps, there was mutual love and reverence. Archpriest Jonah showed many different images of holiness in his life. He was a denouncer of schism and heresy, an excellent preacher, a zealous missionary and a feeder of the poor, an ascetic and a good shepherd.

MAY 31 - Angel Day Alexandra, Claudia, Faina, Julia, Peter, Christina, Andrey and Pavel in memory of the martyrs of the III-IV centuries.