Annunciation Holy Mother of God is considered one of the main church holidays. The Orthodox know that it was on this day that the Archangel Gabriel appeared before the Virgin Mary and told Her that the life of the Savior of the human race would be born in Her.

This holiday has always been greatly revered in Rus', with special trepidation offering up prayers to the Mother of God, who has nurtured in the souls faith in eternal life and the hope of salvation.

Icon of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The icon dedicated to the bright feast of the Annunciation is very interesting for its content.

On it we see the Virgin Mary, who communicates with the Archangel Gabriel, who brought Her joyful news that it was She who was to become the parent of the Son of God. Based on the plot of one of the chapters of the Gospel of Luke.

There is a story that is indisputable fact about the help of the Intercessor. During the reign of Ivan the Terrible, one governor was locked in the Kremlin tower. The unfortunate man was accused of a crime he did not commit.

Through the sincere prayers of the man, the icon of the Annunciation appeared on the structure. The temple, unfortunately, did not survive to the present, there was nothing left of the chapel, but today the tower is called Blagoveshchenskaya, reminding us of the events of that time.

Description of the church holiday

The Annunciation is traditionally celebrated on April 7th. According to Orthodox canons, a person is born at the moment of conception, so the Annunciation begins to be celebrated in advance - nine months before the birth of the Savior. The Annunciation in a different way sounds like the Gospel - “good news”.

On a holiday, Orthodox believers come to the temple to be in the service, to offer a prayer to the Lord Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. At the Liturgy, Orthodox Christians confess, partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, submit notes about the health and repose of their loved ones, and pray.

History of the Annunciation

Mentions of the Annunciation can be found in ancient chronicles of the 2nd century AD. This day was considered the first holiday in the calendar: the long-awaited equinox came, when nature came to life and delighted with its awakening.

The joyful news of the Archangel Gabriel announced about others important events- Christmas and Holy Sunday. It all started with the Annunciation, so the holiday is especially revered and they try to keep all the important traditions.

Who brought the good news to the Virgin Mary

The Virgin Mary was barely fourteen years old when She was betrothed to the carpenter Joseph, who at that time was 80 years old. Before her marriage, Mary was an orphan, was at the Temple, worked, observing fasting and prayer. After the betrothal, the family had to move to Nazareth, where Mary led the same decent Christian life, prayed fervently, and her "desktop" book was the prophecy of Isaiah "Behold, the Virgin in the womb shall receive and give birth to a son ...".

Once, the Archangel Gabriel descended to her, who discouraged the Virgin, saying that she would soon give birth to God's Savior. With these words, the Angel held out snow-white lilies - a symbol of everything pure and immaculate. Having made a virgin vow, Mary humbly accepted the prophecy of Gabriel. At the same moment a miracle happened - the immaculate birth of the Son of God.

Over time, the appearance of Mary underwent changes, and Joseph decided that she was cheating on him. But in a dream the carpenter saw an angel who told him about the immaculate conception. From that time on, Joseph was very careful about the woman who carried in her womb the future Savior of the human race.

How to talk about the Annunciation to children

In order for the children to understand the feast of the Annunciation, they need to speak in a language they understand. The image of the Virgin Mary is easier to imagine if you tell the kids that the Mother of God was a little girl like them, lived next to the temple, loved the Lord very much and prayed a lot.

The children should understand why Mary was chosen by God to be born immaculate. And in order for them to understand the meaning of the holiday, it is necessary to go to church more often, teach simple prayers, talk about the life of the saints, confess and take communion.

When kids see that love and respect reign in the house, and adults get up and lie down with a prayer in their mouths, they themselves join this way of life.

It is worth noting: important to be good example for their children, and then it will not be necessary to train them for a long time Orthodox traditions- they absorb them with mother's milk.

Customs and traditions on the Annunciation

In old times great importance attached to various customs, although some of them are echoes of paganism. People believed that on the Annunciation even sinners were temporarily freed from torment. On this day, there was much that could not be done.

So, there was a taboo on work, and any undertaking was in vain, or even did harm. They didn’t even light candles in the evenings - they were afraid of heavenly punishment.

The Annunciation is a symbol of the awakening of spring. At this time, birds that wintered in distant lands returned to their native places, and in order to appease nature, it was customary to release pigeons into the sky. This good tradition lives on today.

On the holiday day, they also tried to destroy the old unnecessary rubbish. It was burned in bonfires, between which cattle were usually driven to rid them of disease and spoilage.

On the Annunciation they took salt and burned it in furnaces. Salt was added to baked goods, which was then used to treat sick animals.

In the morning they baked prosphora, which were then consecrated at the service in the church. Prosphora could be stored all year round: when someone got sick, they gave him a piece of pastry soaked in water, and the ailment receded. The crumbs were mixed into livestock feed, added to the seeds before sowing, so that the harvest was notable, fed with honey to the bees and waited for the combs to be full.

This custom is a relic of the pagan faith, but from it we see that people wanted to sanctify their whole lives with the light of Christ's faith. The holiday gave people a feeling of joy and hope.

What helps the icon of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Standing before the icon of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, they pray for the remission of sins. Next to the image, people who are not able to get rid of addictions on their own, leave sects and abandon magic find solace.

Women ask the Mother of God for happy marriage and the birth of healthy children. The weak with fervent prayer are healed, the afflicted find comfort in sorrows.

Everyone who approaches the image with faith receives help, begins to look at life from a new perspective, learns to love and forgive, and will definitely receive the “good news”.

The Annunciation is the brightest holiday. It should be spent in prayer and gratitude. It contains both a bright renewal of nature, and the hope of salvation, and the expectation of the "good news" that will surely come to the house where faith and love live.

Among a considerable number of church holidays, the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is considered special. In importance, it is second, perhaps only to Christmas, which is celebrated by all Christians, regardless of denomination. Even before the day of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, the schedule of services in churches is posted on websites and entrance doors so that every believer can find time in his busy schedule for the joy of attending church. Moreover, on this holiday, a visit to the temple is impossible to miss. Such an act is considered an unforgivable mistake that will bring trouble and trouble to the house. The Annunciation has a number of rules and restrictions, but many believers are not familiar with them. Therefore, they make unfortunate miscalculations in preparation for the holiday, which in the old days in Rus' even children could not make. We will tell readers in as much detail as possible about this joyful day for the heart of every Christian: when the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated, where the tradition of celebrating the holiday came from, what is the history of its occurrence and many other interesting things. But let's talk about everything in order.

Brief historical background

The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary has a clearly defined date of celebration. It and Christmas are separated by nine months, despite the fact that the Annunciation took root in church traditions much later than Christmas. Catholics and Orthodox are known to use different types calendars. Not surprisingly, the dates of the holidays they differ. Catholic Church in honor of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, services in the temple begin on the morning of the twenty-fifth of March. And at Orthodox holiday celebrated on the seventh of April.

Many believers among the twelve major holidays christian church this is considered literally the beginning of the formation of religion. After all, its essence lies in the good news that Mary received from the angels. Some theologians in old times they claimed that it was during this conversation that the virgin birth of a young girl took place. That's why for a long time The holiday had a lot of names that characterize this side of it.

It is interesting that all the events concerning this topic were described by only one apostle. Luke in his Gospel spoke in great detail about what happened on this great day. To this day, all Christians refer to this written source, telling the story of the Virgin Mary and the conception of Christ.

history of the holiday

The story about the feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos must begin with short description life of the Virgin Mary.

Not everyone knows that from birth the girl who became the Mother of God was promised to the temple. Her life was to be serving the Lord, for which the little girl was being prepared. She spent her childhood in the Jerusalem temple and was brought up by its abbots. But by the age of fourteen, young Mary, according to Jewish law, had to get married. This greatly embarrassed the holy fathers, who prayed day and night for the discovery of best solution to determine the girl's fate. After vain prayers, an insight descended on one of the elders, and he began to search for a husband for Mary, who could protect her throughout her life, but nevertheless not lay claim to her rights, as a husband does to his wife. The search was short-lived, and soon Mary became the wife of Joseph, who by the time of the marriage was already eighty years old. The betrothed husband was known as a real righteous man and spent his whole life in labors and prayers. Before meeting Mary, Joseph had never been married.

One day, the archangel Gabriel appeared before the embarrassed girl. According to the Gospel of Luke, he announced to Mary the good news that she was chosen as the mother of the Son of God. However, it was important not only to tell the girl what awaits her, but also to get her consent. Without it, the Lord could not fulfill his will.

Upon hearing such news, Mary doubted the possibility of a virgin birth. However, Gabriel shamed her, reminding her of how her relative conceived, endured and gave birth to a baby, considering herself barren until old age. This angel wanted to prove endless possibilities Lord and reassure Mary. Being obedient and righteous, the girl agreed with God's will and conceived a child.

Interestingly, when Joseph found out about his wife's pregnancy, he thought about her infidelity. He decided that the girl had violated the vow of innocence, and invited her to leave him secretly, under the cover of night. However, in a dream, an angel appeared to him, telling the whole truth about the conception of the Son of God, and ordered the man to protect his wife and take care of her.

The importance of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos also lies in the fact that until this moment mankind had not received good news from the Lord. Adam and Eve were the last to hear the will of the Creator, but subsequent generations were deprived of this goodness.

The formation of the holiday

Christians began to celebrate the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in churches in the fifth or sixth centuries, but even earlier there were references to this day in various sources.

Historians and archaeologists have found images of the events of the Annunciation in the caves where the first Christians hid from their persecutors. Such paintings were painted not only in individual caves, but also in the catacombs, in which the exiles spent weeks and months, leading services and preaching. Such murals date back to the second or third centuries.

In the fourth century, Saint Helena made her invaluable contribution to the formation of the holiday. She went through the places of Christ's life and everywhere she tried to leave a mark in the form of a basilica, temple, church or cathedral. She was also one of the first to speak about the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos as a significant event. The saint found the place where the appearance of the archangel to the Virgin took place, and set up a basilica there.

Already by the fifth century, icon painters began to pay great attention to this biblical story. They began to depict the events of the immaculate conception of Jesus on icons and murals in churches. Approximately one hundred years later, services on the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos were held in most churches. It is believed that St. Cyril of Jerusalem finally established its canons and traditions. Literally a century later, the holiday received the status of the main one in Byzantium and spread to the West.

By the way, in Rus' the Mother of God was very revered. Therefore, the Annunciation was celebrated very solemnly and without fail by the whole family. From this, according to our ancestors, the well-being of all its members and abundance in the house depended.

In the eighth century, festive canons were compiled, which are sung during the service in honor of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in churches. Their authors are considered to be the Metropolitan of Nicaea and two holy elders - Theophanes and John of Damascus.

Let's talk about traditions

Each holiday has its own traditions, especially since this statement is relevant when we talk about church holidays. The rules for celebrating the Annunciation were formed in ancient times and today are strictly observed by all Christians.

The day before the holiday, women started baking prosvir. This word was called unleavened bread in the form of small buns. Its number has always been equated to the number of household members. On the morning of the feast of the prosvir, it was required to take it to the service and consecrate it. Only after that, family members could start the festive meal, during which bread was eaten. This was done with great care so as not to drop a single crumb past the mouth. If this happened, then all the remnants of prosvir were collected and given to cattle. It was believed that this contributes to the preservation of her health and fertility. However, it was necessary to eat the consecrated bread on an empty stomach. This was an indispensable condition for a rich harvest and family well-being.

Since the Annunciation is a very important holiday, it is strictly forbidden to work on this day. Our ancestors would never have slaughtered cattle, sewed, cleaned the house, and done other things. However, it was also forbidden to start unnecessarily noisy fun. People had to realize the sanctity of this day and be imbued with it.

I would like to note that in Rus' this church holiday was considered at the same time the day when it was customary to call spring. It was believed that after the Annunciation, winter finally recedes and begins new round life in nature. In order to get rid of the disease, our ancestors made fires. They danced around them, sang songs and "barkers". The especially brave ones even jumped over the fire, thus being cleansed of all diseases and unclean thoughts.

A particularly beautiful tradition on the Annunciation was the release of birds. Before the holiday, feathered songbirds were caught on the streets and in the forests, which were put in cages. After attending the church service, the youth gathered in the courtyards of the temples and opened the cages. The birds soaring into the sky were a symbol of the good news once brought to mankind.

On the Annunciation, cattle were often driven out into the streets. He had to pass to the sound of mallets and bells. This, as our ancestors thought, protected cattle from diseases and predators.

Range festive dishes the traditions of the Annunciation are not limited in any way. It all depends on what day the given date falls on. For example, this year it was Good Friday. Therefore, believers could not afford to eat even fish. Although usually, if the holiday coincides with fasting, the Orthodox have some indulgences. Seafood is one of them.

Holiday symbols

Few Christians are aware that the Annunciation has its own symbolism. It is a kind of graphic story about the essence of the holiday. The first character is depicted as a beam of light. It represents an ephemeral road along which the Holy Spirit descended on the Virgin Mary. This is how the gospel story of the good news began.

The second character is a spinning wheel. According to written sources, the Virgin Mary spent a lot of time with this instrument. The archangel Gabriel, who descended from heaven, found her spinning and at that moment announced the mission that the girl would need to complete.

The third symbol was the palm branch. Since ancient times, it has meant spiritual elevation. Some theologians interpreted the symbol as the unity of the subordination of thoughts and feelings to divine providence.

Features of the church service: day and evening on the eve of the holiday

In addition to the general traditions of celebrating the Annunciation, which we have already talked about, there are certain nuances of holding church services. Believers usually learn about them already at the service, but they may let something out of their attention. We will tell readers about all the features of meeting the holiday in accordance with church canons.

On the day before the feast, believers attend vespers. During it, the clergy read stichera and excerpts from the Holy Scriptures dedicated to the sufferings of Christ, the good news brought to the Virgin Mary by the archangel, prophecies about the Son of God, as well as texts about his acceptance of torment for the sake of saving people's souls. At the final stage of the service, the troparion of the Annunciation and the canon "On the crucifixion of the Lord and on the cry of the Most Holy Theotokos" are sung. After that, the service ends and the believers disperse for a while.

In the evening of the same day, Matins is served. It must be attended by all Orthodox who wish to be fully imbued with the holiness of the moment. The service begins with hymns, turning into six psalms and troparia:

  • "Noble Joseph";
  • “When you descended to death”;
  • "Myrrh-bearing women".

Further, the service continues with reading excerpts from the Gospel and holiday canons. It is impossible to imagine this service without the canons of the Annunciation and Holy Saturday. They are considered special because they are read only on major holidays and have an unusual structure. The Canon of the Annunciation is written in the form of a conversation between the Virgin Mary and the archangel. But the second canon is actually philosophical reasoning on the topic of processes occurring from the crucifixion to the resurrection of Christ.

Morning holiday service

From the very morning, the service bears little resemblance to a festive one. It is performed at the usual hours, but after the end it immediately continues with the Vespers Liturgy. The clergy sing Sunday stichera and proverbs. Usually, after this, a list of those who wish to be baptized on this holiday is announced.

Matins continues with the reading of the Gospel. great attention is given to texts about the deeds of Christ and his torment on the cross. The final stage of the service is the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great.

A few words about the meal and the vestments of the priests

Interestingly, the services on the Annunciation require special vestments for the clergy. Usually the color of the vestments on all holidays dedicated to the Mother of God is blue. However, in the Annunciation it turns into purple. By the way, this is the only day when church ministers wear clothes of this shade.

As for the meal, it is always accompanied by wine. Depending on the coincidence with other holidays, priests set a number of restrictions regarding dishes on the table of believers. However, in any case, the Orthodox receive a blessing for red wine.

Temples in honor of the Virgin

In Russia, the Mother of God was especially revered, and the number of churches in her honor is difficult to calculate. Many of them have been forgotten and abandoned in Soviet times, but for last years they became active again and fully recovered. We will tell readers about some of them.

Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Vasilyevsky Island in St. Petersburg long history associated with the names of many famous figures Russian science and culture.

The temple was founded in the middle of the eighteenth century and was built over thirteen years. As a result, believers were able to see the most beautiful seven-altar temple complex. It was consecrated even before the builders left the territory of the church. The lighting procedure was carried out by Tikhon Zadonsky himself.

In the thirty-sixth year of the last century, the temple was closed and resumed worship only twenty-six years ago. Today it is open to all those in need from nine in the morning until seven in the evening. On weekends, the church waits for believers until eight o'clock in the evening.

Main church holidays, which include the Annunciation, the Liturgy is held twice a day: at seven and ten in the morning. You can confess half an hour before the service.

Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Fedosino

This temple is located in Moscow and was founded at the beginning of the fifteenth century. In the future, he was rebuilt more than once. The final version dates from the first half of the nineteenth century.

The village of Fedosyevo belonged to the Ascension Monastery, which supported its inhabitants in difficult times. The temple, built within the monastery, strikes with its beauty and strict forms. It was active until the thirties of the last century, when there was a campaign for the mass closing of churches. It is noteworthy that the villagers did not allow the church to be closed. They tried to defend their faith as a united front, but for many decades the temple was used by the Soviet authorities for other purposes.

Today, believers can find out a lot of interesting and important information on the site dedicated to the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The schedule of services, for example, is updated here once a month. Usually in the temple the doors for believers are open until five o'clock in the evening. Divine services begin at half past eight in the morning.

Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin in Petrovsky Park

There are at least five temple complexes in honor of the Mother of God in Moscow. All of them, even in the most difficult times for Christianity, were not empty. Believers have always come here in the hope of finding solace. And the Church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in Petrovsky Park had a very importance for the Orthodox of this area.

The initiator and sponsor of the construction of the church was Princess Naryshkina. At her request, the architect Richter created a unique project that was not supposed to contradict the ensemble of the Petrovsky Palace. And he managed to make it happen.

The foundation stone of the temple was laid in the forty-fourth year of the nineteenth century. It was originally supposed to have four thrones. The first one was consecrated three years after the start of construction.

The rector of the Church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in Petrovsky posts the schedule of services on the website. The resource is maintained by him and some members of the flock. In the temple complex of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in Petrovsky Park, the schedule of services of which is of interest to all believers, morning services usually begin at eight o'clock. Evening services are held from five o'clock. Orthodox Christians have the opportunity to confess almost every day. This is done before the morning Liturgy.

Every year on April 7, Orthodox people celebrate one of the most important holidays in the history of the Bible - the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. It is traditionally considered the twelfth, the number never changes. In 2018, the Annunciation coincided with Holy Saturday, which falls on the last day before Easter.

This is a big holiday that has been celebrated since the 3rd century.

The history of the holiday

gospel with Greek literally means "good news". April 7 was dedicated to the prophecy, which reports the birth of the Son of God. This holiday has three symbols - a light beam, with the help of which the Holy Spirit descended to earth, a spinning wheel - Mary sat next to her when she heard the news that she would become pregnant immaculately, palm leaves - symbolize feelings and thoughts related to the sublime and not intersecting with worldly life .

The Virgin Mary was destined to become the mother of Jesus, because until the age of 14 she was in the temple on the territory of Jerusalem. Since after this age all Jewish girls were to without fail to marry, Mary refused, and promised that she would keep her virginity all her life. To comply with all the rules, the girl was betrothed to the 80-year-old righteous Joseph.

Mary didn't just get the information that she was going to be the mother of Jesus. She had the right to decide whether she was ready for it or not. Already from the 5th century, paintings by artists depicting this scene from the biblical legend began to appear in world art.

Traditions and rituals in the Annunciation

A lot of traditions are associated with this day - it is strictly forbidden to work, sew, knit, slaughter cattle, have fun loudly and noisily. On April 7, prosphora baked by the mistress of the house are consecrated in churches. How many people were in the family, so many had to be baked.

After they were eaten on an empty stomach, the crumbs and leftovers were collected and then added to livestock feed so that they would not get sick for the next year and give a normal weight gain or offspring. Prosphora was given the same importance as holy water. In order for spring to come faster, domestic animals were released into the street with a symbolic purpose of “listening to spring”. The girls came to the church, performed the so-called "crooked dance" around it.

All this happened so that spring would come faster. Another traditional action was the "release of birds". To perform the action, birds were caught, mainly pigeons or tits, which were put in a cage. It was believed that if a bird was released from the cage on April 7, it would fly to the Lord himself, and convey all the messages that people addressed to him.

Relaxation and changes on Holy Saturday

Since in 2018 the Annunciation is celebrated during Great Lent, there should be no meat and milk on the table. You can diversify the menu with fish and a glass of red wine. On a holiday, it is not recommended to give something, borrow money, because along with material things you can lose part of your health. new clothes it is also not recommended to wear, it is believed that it deteriorates faster.

Work in the garden is prohibited on this day, but you can take plant seeds with you to church. It is believed that they will bear fruit more. Combing and cutting hair is prohibited, because you can confuse your fate. Since this year the Annunciation falls on Holy Saturday, it is recommended to spend the holiday with your family, do not visit noisy places, dedicate free time thoughts about the life of Jesus Christ before his crucifixion.

April 7 the Church celebrates the day Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary- one of the 12 main (twelfth) holidays in the Orthodox calendar.

Annunciation means "good" or "good" news. On this day, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and announced to Her the coming birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Savior of the world.

Up to 14 years old Holy Virgin was brought up in the temple, and then, according to the law, had to leave the temple, as having reached the age of majority, and either return to her parents or get married. The priests wanted to marry her, but Mary announced to them her promise to God - to remain forever a Virgin. Then the priests betrothed her distant relative, the eighty-year-old elder Joseph, so that he would take care of Her and protect Her virginity. Living in the Galilean city of Nazareth, in the house of Joseph, the Blessed Virgin Mary led the same modest and secluded life as in the temple.

Four months after the betrothal, an angel appeared to Mary when she was reading Holy Bible and, going in to her, he said: “Hail, Blessed One! (that is, filled with the grace of God - the gifts of the Holy Spirit). The Lord is with you! Blessed are You among women." Archangel Gabriel announced to Her that She had found the greatest grace from God - to be the Mother of the Son of God.

Mary, perplexed, asked the Angel how a son could be born to one who does not know her husband. And then the Archangel revealed to Her the truth that he brought from Almighty God: “The Holy Spirit will find on You, and the power of the Most High will overshadow You; Therefore, the Holy One who is being born will be called the Son of God. Having comprehended the will of God and completely surrendering herself to it, the Most Holy Virgin answered: “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word."

“That event, which is called the Annunciation, means the conception of Jesus Christ,” recalls the professor of theology, deacon Andrei Kuraev. – By the action of the grace of God in the bosom of Mary, the development of a new human life. Mary did not conceive from God the Father, not from the Archangel Gabriel, and not from her betrothed husband Joseph. Cynical "physiological" arguments are best left to yourself - Christians know the laws of biology as well as skeptics, and therefore they talk about the Miracle. And the miracle consists not so much in the fact that the Virgin, who did not know her husband, began to bear a child, but that God Himself identified Himself with this child and with everything that will happen in His life. God doesn't just inhabit Virgo. Through the archangel Gabriel, He (the Almighty, Lord and Lord) humbly asks the consent of the maiden. And only when He hears human consent. May it be to me according to Thy word,” only then the Word becomes flesh.

This is how it starts gospel story. Ahead - Christmas and flight to Egypt, temptations in the desert and healing of the possessed, the Last Supper and arrest, the Crucifixion and Resurrection ... ".

The Annunciation is the day of the good news that a Virgin has been found throughout the human world, so believing in God, so deeply capable of obedience and trust, that the Son of God can be born from Her. The incarnation of the Son of God, on the one hand, is the work of God's love - the cross, affectionate, saving - and God's power; but at the same time, the incarnation of the Son of God is a matter of human freedom. Saint Gregory Palamas says that the Incarnation would also be impossible without the free human consent Mother of God how it would be impossible without the creative will of God. And on this day of the Annunciation, we contemplate the Virgin in the Mother of God, Who, with all her heart, with all her mind, with all her soul, with all her strength, managed to trust God to the end.

And the good news was truly terrible: the appearance of an angel, this greeting: "Blessed are you in women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb" could not but cause not only amazement, not only awe, but also fear in the soul of a virgin who did not know her husband - how is this could be?..

And here we catch the difference between the vacillating - albeit deep - faith of Zechariah, the father of the Forerunner, and the faith of the Mother of God. Zechariah is also told that his wife will have a son - naturally, in spite of her advanced age; and his answer to this message of God: How can this be? This can't happen! How can you prove it? What assurance can You give me?.. The Mother of God puts the question only this way: How can this happen to me - I'm a virgin? Her words: Behold, the Servant of the Lord; wake me according to your word...

The word "slave" in our present usage speaks of enslavement; in the Slavic language, a person who gave his life, his will to another called himself a slave. And She really gave Her life, Her will, Her destiny to God, accepting by faith — that is, incomprehensible trust — the news that She would be the Mother of the incarnate Son of God. Of her, the righteous Elizabeth says: Blessed is she who believed, for what shall be spoken to her from the Lord shall come to her...

In the Mother of God we find an amazing ability to trust God to the end; but this ability is not natural, not natural: such faith can be dug out in oneself by a feat of love for God. A feat, for the fathers say: Shed blood, and you will receive the spirit ... One of the Western writers says that the incarnation became possible when the Virgin of Israel was found, Who, with all her thought, with all her heart, with all her life, was able to pronounce the Name of God so that It became flesh in Her.

From this feast, "the main thing of our salvation," that spring of "living water" begins, which later turns into wide river and, finally, into the boundless sea of ​​New Testament miracles, sacraments, and the Grace of the Holy Spirit, with which the Lord, “who gives the Spirit without measure,” so generously gave those who thirst for truth to drink! The Annunciation is the feast of the Marriage of Heaven and Earth, when blue sky descends to the earth and combines with it. Annunciation - a "blue" holiday! In the eyes of a believer, everything turns blue on this day, everything becomes cleaner and more transparent. The sky is getting bluer, deeper. Blue air and water reflecting clear sky; the first flowers are blue - snowdrops and violets; At night, the stars are blue. Human souls also become blue, becoming able to perceive the heavenly music of this wondrous holiday.

The proverb, which claims that even a bird does not make a nest on the Annunciation, allegorically calls us on this day to put aside everyday fuss and direct our thoughts to Heaven, to joyful communion with God.

According to a long tradition, on the Annunciation in many churches, announcing one of the greatest Christian holidays - the Annunciation, after the Liturgy, from the steps Orthodox churches flocks of doves will fly into the sky, reminiscent of the mysterious grace-filled action of the Holy Spirit. Snow-white wings are at the same time a symbol of the purity of the Most Holy Theotokos. That is why the earth “brings to Her as a gift” tender, defenseless birds, personifying peace and good news since ancient times. It has been noticed that Annunciation pigeons reluctantly leave the church fence and circle over the holy place for a long time.

Nazareth: City of the Good News

Nazareth is located among the low (up to 500 m) mountains of Galilee. It is located in a hollow between two mountain ranges, below the level mediterranean sea so the climate is warm. Its population is mainly Arab. Jews have their own quarter on one of the mountain peaks (the so-called Upper Nazareth) ... more

The history of the establishment of the holiday

The bright feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos has been celebrated by the church, presumably since the 4th century. Perhaps it originally originated in Asia Minor or Constantinople, and then spread throughout the Christian world. The establishment of the holiday was facilitated by the discovery of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Elena at the beginning of the 4th century of the holy places of the Savior's earthly life and the construction of churches in these places, including the basilica in Nazareth, on the site of the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin. The definition of the time of the celebration depended on the day of the Nativity of the Savior - exactly nine months pass between March 25 and December 25, the prescribed period for gestation in the womb of a baby.


The source near which the Annunciation took place

Among the ancient Christians, this holiday had a different name: the Conception of Christ, the Annunciation of Christ, the Beginning of Redemption, the Annunciation of the Angel of Mary, and only in the 7th century it was given the name Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in the East and West.

This holiday has been established since ancient times. Its celebration is known already in the III century (see the words of St. Gregory the Wonderworker on this day). In his conversations, St. John Chrysostom and Blessed. Augustine mentions this feast as an ancient and common church celebration. During the 5th-8th centuries, due to heresies that humiliated the Face of the Mother of God, the holiday was especially exalted in the Church. In the 8th century, St. John of Damascus and Theophanes, Metropolitan of Nicaea, composed the feast canons, which are now sung by the Church.


Video story by Ivan Dyachenko:

The meaning of the holiday

Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh:“The Annunciation is the day of the good news that a Virgin has been found throughout the human world, so believing in God, so deeply capable of obedience and trust, that the Son of God can be born from Her. The incarnation of the Son of God, on the one hand, is the work of God's love - the cross, affectionate, saving - and God's power; but at the same time, the incarnation of the Son of God is a matter of human freedom. St. Gregory Palamas says that the Incarnation would have been just as impossible without the free human consent of the Mother of God, as it would have been impossible without the creative will of God. And on this day of the Annunciation, we contemplate the Virgin in the Mother of God, Who, with all her heart, with all her mind, with all her soul, with all her strength, managed to trust God to the end.

And the good news was truly terrible: the appearance of an angel, this greeting: Blessed are you in women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, they could not help but cause not only amazement, not only trembling, but also fear in the soul of a virgin who did not know a husband - how is this could be?..

And here we catch the difference between the wavering - albeit deep - faith of Zechariah, the father of the Forerunner, and the faith of the Mother of God. Zechariah is also told that his wife will have a son - naturally, in spite of her advanced age; and his answer to this message of God: How can this be? This can't happen! How can you prove it? What assurance can You give me?.. The Mother of God puts the question only this way: How can this happen to me - I'm a virgin? Her words: Behold, the Servant of the Lord; wake me according to your word...

The word "slave" in our present usage speaks of enslavement; in the Slavic language, a man who gave his life, his will to another called himself a slave. And She really gave Her life, Her will, Her destiny to God, accepting by faith – that is, incomprehensible trust – the news that She would be the Mother of the incarnate Son of God. Of her, the righteous Elizabeth says: Blessed is she who believed, for what shall be spoken to her from the Lord shall come to her...

In the Mother of God we find an amazing ability to trust God to the end; but this ability is not natural, not natural: such faith can be forged in oneself by the feat of purity of heart, the feat of love for God. A feat, for the fathers say: Shed blood, and you will receive the Spirit ... One of the Western writers says that the Incarnation became possible when the Virgin of Israel was found, Who, with all her thought, with all her heart, with all her life, was able to pronounce the Name of God so that It became flesh in Her.

Here is the gospel that we have just heard in the Gospel: the human race gave birth, brought to God as a gift the Virgin, Who was able in Her royal human freedom to become the Mother of the Son of God, who freely gave herself for the salvation of the world. Amen".

Prayer to the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Troparion to the pre-feast
Today, the beginnings of the pre-holiday sing of the joys of the world command: Behold, Gabriel comes, bearing the gospel to the Virgin, and cries out to Her: Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.

Today, the beginnings of world joy are ordered to sing hymns before the holiday, for behold, Gabriel brings the Virgin good news, and exclaims: Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you!

Troparion, tone 4
The day of our salvation is the main thing, and even from the age of the sacrament the manifestation, the Son of God, the Son of the Virgin happens, and Gabriel preaches the gospel, in the same way we cry with him to the Theotokos: Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.

Now is the beginning of our salvation and the discovery of the mystery that was presented before all ages: the Son of God - the Son of the Virgin happens, and Gabriel preaches the gospel. Therefore, we will exclaim to the Theotokos with him: Rejoice, O Gracious One, the Lord is with you!

Kontakion, tone 8
The chosen governor is victorious, as if having got rid of the evil ones, thankfully we will write down Thy servants, the Mother of God, but as if having an invincible power, free us from all troubles, let us call Ty: rejoice, Bride of the Bride.

To you, the supreme Commander, having got rid of troubles, we, Your unworthy servants, Mother of God, sing a song of victory and thanksgiving. You, as having invincible power, free us from all troubles, so that we cry out to You: rejoice, Bride who has not entered into marriage!

magnificence
The Archangelic voice crying out to Thee, Pure One: Rejoice, O Gracious One, the Lord is with Thee.

With the words of the Archangel, we cry out to You, Pure One: “Rejoice, O Gracious One, the Lord is with You

Choruses
Bless the earth, great joy; praise, heaven, the glory of God.

Earth, proclaim great joy, heavens, praise the glory of God!

Irmos of the 9th song
Like an animated God's kivot, / let the hand of the wicked never touch. / The mouth of the faithful, the Theotokos, silently, / the voice of an angel singing, / let them cry with joy: / rejoice, full of grace, / the Lord is with you.

Let the animate Ark of God / be by no means touched by the hand of the uninitiated, / but the lips of the faithful do not stop, / singing the exclamation of the Angel, / in joy to the Theotokos, let them cry: / Rejoice, Blessed One, / the Lord is with you!

Holy Fathers on the Annunciation

Saint Elijah Minyatiy. Word on the Annunciation of the Mother of God:

How different are God and man! But God, having become a man, did not leave the nature of the Divine in the perception of the flesh. And how different are the Virgin and the Mother! But the Virgin, having become the Mother, did not lose the glory of virginity in maternal womb. What a strange communion of two natures - Divine and human, inextricably united into one hypostasis! The divine nature assimilated the peculiarities of the human, and God became a perfect man; the human became involved in the properties of the Divine, and the same man became perfect God.

In the same way, what an extraordinary combination of virginal purity and maternal womb that in a strange way combined in one Zhenya! Virginity gave the Mother the purity that the Mother of God was supposed to have, all pure, all immaculate, beautiful like the sun, chosen like the moon, as the Holy Spirit calls Her (See Songs 6, 9). The gestation gave virginity the blessing that the Virgin should have had in accordance with the way the archangel greeted Her: Blessed are you in women(Luke 1:28).

There was born this wonderful union - the God-man; here another conjunction takes place, just as miraculous, the Virgin Mother. “Strange and wonderful, and in many ways departing from ordinary nature: the same Virgin and Mother, abiding in the sanctification of virginity and inheriting the blessing of childbearing,” declares the undeclared Basil. Such a Son, I repeat, must have such a Mother; the Son, Who was born a man and did not cease to be God, - the Mother, Who gave birth to the Son and did not cease to be a Virgin.

Saint Nicholas (Velimirovich):

“Never has any spring water been such a pure mirror of the sun as the Blessed Virgin Mary was a mirror of purity. (“O purity, which creates joy in the heart and transforms the soul into heaven! O purity, good acquisition, not defiled by beasts! O purity, which dwells in the souls of the meek and humble and creates these people of God! filling the whole temple with incense! Rev. Efrem Sirin. about cleanliness.)

AND dawn who gave birth to the sun, would be ashamed before the purity of the Virgin Mary, who gave birth to the Immortal Sun, Christ our Savior. Which knee will not bow before Her, which lips will not cry out: “Rejoice, Blessed One! Rejoice, Dawn of human salvation! Rejoice, Most Honorable Cherubim and Most Glorious Seraphim! Glory to Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Father and the Holy Spirit - the Trinity of Consubstantial and Indivisible, now and forever, at all times and forever and ever. Amen ».

Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt. "The Beginning of Salvation". (Word on the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos):

“The sacrament that has taken place on this day astonishes not only human, but also all angelic, lofty minds. They also wonder how God, without beginning, boundless, impregnable, descended to the form of a slave and became a man, without ceasing to be God and without in the least belittling the glory of the Divine? How could the Virgin contain the unbearable fire of the Divine in her most pure womb, and remain undamaged, and remain forever the Mother of God incarnate? So great, wonderful, such divine wisdom is this sacrament of the annunciation by the Archangel to the Blessed Virgin of the incarnation of the Son of God from Her! Rejoice, earthly ones, rejoice, especially faithful Christian souls, but rejoice with trembling before the greatness of the sacrament, as if you were surrounded by the filth of sin; rejoice, but immediately cleanse yourselves with the grace of God from the filth of sin with sincere and living, deep repentance.

Exalt with pure hearts and lips the Mother of God, exalted and exalted above all creatures, angels and men, exalted by God Himself, the Creator of all creatures, and remember that the sacrament of the incarnation and incarnation of the Son of God took place for our salvation from sin, the curse that was rightly pronounced on us in the beginning from God for sins, and from temporal and eternal death. With fear and joy, accept the Lord, who is coming to us to establish on earth, in our hearts and souls the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of truth, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, and hate God-hating sin, malice, impurity, intemperance, pride, hardness of heart, mercilessness, selfishness , carnality, every unrighteousness. Christ came down to earth to lead us to heaven.”

Hello. Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin - great holiday all believers. In the bustle of days, many have forgotten about the traditions of celebrating the Annunciation. We will try to remember them so that we never forget and pass them on to our children.

MEET THE HOLIDAY WITH A BRIGHT SOUL!

What date is the Annunciation celebrated? In Orthodoxy, a special day is allocated for the Annunciation - April 7th. In 2017, after such a significant holiday, that is, on April 8, Lazarus Saturday comes, and then, on April 9 - Palm Sunday. These days, especially revered by Christians, fall on Great Lent. As you know, many believers strictly observe this fast, not allowing themselves to eat meat. But on big holidays they can afford to eat fish and sip the church Cahors.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HOLIDAY

The essence of the holiday lies in the name itself. "Annunciation" means that the good news is coming. If you look more closely, you can see that the whole point of Christian holidays is that a person is given two ways:

  • the way of salvation is the righteous way,
  • the path of evil, envy and darkness.

Even the young Virgin Mary was asked by an angel if she agreed that the Son of God, the Savior of the whole world, would be incarnated from her womb. Mary answered, “Let it be done unto me according to thy word,” humbly accepting God's word.

The icon dedicated to the Annunciation can be recognized by the archangel Gabriel holding a flower. What does flower mean? The flower is a symbol of good news. It was Gabriel who was given by God to carry the Good News to the people.

But the most joyful news in the world, he brought 2000 years ago to the Virgin Mary, who took a vow of virginity and gave her life to serve God. From this day begins the history of the holiday.

In ancient Judea, people who reached the age of 14 were considered adults. So the 14-year-old Virgin Mary, who until that time had been brought up in the temple, had to return to her home, or get married. But the vow of eternal virginity closed the way for Her to create an ordinary family. Then the priests of the temple found a very correct solution. They betrothed the Virgin Mary to the 80-year-old elder Joseph. Thus, Mary did not break the vow she made to the Lord.

So Saint Joseph became the guardian of the virginal purity of the future Mother of God. For four months the Blessed Virgin lived in the house of Joseph, devoting all Her time to reading the Holy Books and tireless prayers.

Behind this charitable occupation, the Angel found her, saying to Her: “Hail, Gracious!”. Archangel Gabriel announced to Her about that greatest grace: to become the Mother of the Messiah.

ANNUNCIATION IS THE COMING OF SPRING!

How is this holiday celebrated? On this day, since ancient times, there has been one of the most merciful traditions: to release birds from cages.

Today, church ministers do this, and before the revolution of 1917, many believers, observing traditions, brought cages with birds to worship, which were released after the service.

This action symbolized the human soul, languishing in the fetters of sin, but through the birth of the Savior, who took the sins of people upon himself, he receives hope for freedom. The service in the temple ends today with the release of white doves into the sky so that they bring the news to the angels about all the good deeds.

SIGNS FOR THE ANNUNCIATION

With the advent of spring, the people associated their aspirations for a good harvest. Therefore, there are many signs for April 7:

  • If it is cold on the Annunciation, fog falls, or the day is marked by frost, then the year will be fruitful.
  • If the swallows have not arrived yet, then the spring will be late and cold.
  • A clear day on the Annunciation - to the fires.
  • If April 7 is a day with rain, then wait for a dry summer.
  • What day (weather) for the Annunciation, such for Easter.

OTHER SIGNS FOR THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD

  • On the Annunciation, you can’t give or borrow anything, so as not to give away your health and good luck.
  • On the Annunciation, you can’t work, get a haircut, even comb your hair, so as not to “confuse” your fate.
  • On which day of the week April 7 falls, on that day you should not start new business for the whole year.