The Orthodox holiday Trinity (three holy faces) is a special day for believers. Its second name is Pentecost. It is explained by the fact that the Trinity is celebrated on the fiftieth day after the Bright Resurrection. Only Holy Pascha is ahead of the Trinity in importance. Even Christmas is given lesser importance. The Trinity is one of the top ten Orthodox holidays. Therefore, it is very important to know what the feast of the Trinity means in Orthodoxy and for believers.

Celebrating the Trinity holiday, the Orthodox honor the day when they learned about the most important dogma of their religion - about the trinity of God, as his true essence. Prior to this, believers thought that there was a separate God the Father and God the Son. And they did not know about their Spirit at all. But grace, which descended on the fiftieth day after the Great Pascha, revealed to them the true knowledge, namely:

  • God the Father was not born by anyone and cannot come from anyone;
  • God the Son is born from God the Father eternally;
  • God the Holy Spirit also proceeds eternally from God the Father.

These three faces are inseparable from each other. God in Orthodoxy is one. He is the creator of the world. He provides for all things (living and inanimate), sanctifying it. Orthodox believers praise God in all His incarnations.

Long before the advent of Christianity, the Slavic peoples celebrated the Green Week. It marked the end of spring and the beginning of summer. Some pagan rites and divination, which are held on the feast of the Trinity, have survived to this day. The customs of ancient times are based on the renewal of life - this is the time when the first leaves appear on the trees, flowers bloom. And for the feast of the Trinity of the church, the houses were decorated with greenery - a symbol of the growth and renewal of the Christian faith.

Trinity or Pentecost?

The feast of the Trinity is one of the most beautiful holidays in Orthodoxy. It always falls at a time when the first leaves on the trees begin to bloom. Therefore, people decorate houses and churches on this holiday with green branches of birch, maple, mountain ash.

Trinity does not have a fixed date for celebration. It is appointed on the fiftieth day after Easter. The Bible says that it was on this day that the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles. The disciples were given the ability to preach the word of Christ. Therefore, this holiday is otherwise called Pentecost or the Descent of the Holy Spirit.

Only in the XIV century did they begin to celebrate the feast of the Trinity in Rus'. Customs and traditions on this day have been observed since ancient times. The founder of the holiday was St. Sergius of Radonezh.

Old Testament holiday

Pentecost is a Jewish holiday, which is celebrated on the 50th day after. According to legend, on this day the people of Israel found the Sinai law. Traditionally, in honor of the celebration, entertainment for the people, mass celebrations, and sacrifices are organized.

He gave his people the Law of God. This happened on the fiftieth day after the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. Since then, Pentecost (or Shavuot) has been celebrated every year. In Israel, on the same day, the feast of the first harvest and fruits is celebrated.

When did the Trinity appear in Christianity? The customs and traditions of the celebration originate from the Old Testament Pentecost.

Orthodox holiday

The apostles retired to celebrate the Jewish Pentecost. The Savior, before his martyrdom, promised them a miracle - the coming of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, every day they gathered in one of the Zion upper rooms.

On the 50th day after the Resurrection, they heard a noise that filled the small space of the house. Flames appeared, and the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles. He showed them three hypostases - God the Father (Divine Mind), God the Son (Divine Word), God the Spirit (Holy Spirit). This trinity is the basis of Christianity, on which the Christian faith stands firmly.

People who were not far from the upper room heard a strange noise - the apostles spoke different languages. The disciples of Jesus received amazing abilities - to heal, prophesy and preach in different dialects, which allowed them to carry the word of God to all corners of the world. The apostles visited the Middle East, India, Asia Minor. We visited the Crimea and Kyiv. All the disciples, except for John, were martyred - they were executed by opponents of Christianity.

The only God is the customs of the church holiday began in the morning. The whole family went to church for worship. After that, people returned home. They arranged a gala dinner, went to visit, congratulated acquaintances on a bright holiday, gave gifts.

Slavic holiday

In our country, the feast of the Trinity began to be celebrated only 300 years after the baptism of Rus'. Prior to this, the Slavs were pagans. But even today there are rituals, signs that originated in those days.

Before Trinity, this day was considered the border between spring and summer. Its name is Semik (Green Week), or Triglav. According to pagan religion, three deities ruled over all mankind - Perun, Svarog, Svyatovit. The latter is the keeper of light and human energy. Perun is the defender of truth and warriors. Svarog is the creator of the universe.

In Semik, people arranged merry festivities, danced round dances. The houses were decorated with the first greenery, from which medicinal tinctures and decoctions were then prepared.

So out of pagan triumph arose religious holiday- Trinity. Customs, signs of those ancient times are still relevant among the people. For example, the greenery with which the church was decorated on Pentecost was taken home and dried. It was sewn up in canvas bags. Such a sachet served as a talisman at home.

Celebration traditions

How is the feast of the Trinity? The customs of most holidays begin with cleaning the house. Only after the room sparkled with cleanliness, women decorated the rooms with green branches and flowers. They are a symbol of fertility, wealth.

The hostesses cooked festive table- cooked pies and gingerbread, cooked jelly. There is no fasting on this day, so any food is allowed for the Orthodox. In churches on the Trinity is performed Divine Liturgy, and immediately after it - evening. During it, kneeling prayers are read. The clergy ask for the bestowal of grace on all those present, for the sending down of wisdom and reason to believers.

After the service, people sit down at the festive table, invite guests, give gifts and congratulate each other. According to tradition, it was customary to marry on this day. It was believed that if the matchmaking took place on the Trinity, and the wedding on the Pokrov, a happy life awaited the young family.

How is Trinity celebrated elsewhere in the world? Traditions, customs, rituals of different countries are united by festive worship. And in England, religious processions are even held on this day. In Italy, rose petals are scattered from under the ceiling of the temple. In France, during worship, trumpets are blown, which symbolizes the descent of the Holy Spirit.

Folk customs on Trinity

According to popular legend, mermaids wake up on Pentecost. In this regard, the villagers have several customs.

  • In the villages they made a stuffed mermaid, danced round dances around him during the festivities. Then it was torn into small pieces and scattered across the field.
  • Before going to bed, women ran through the village with a broom to protect themselves from mermaids.
  • One girl was dressed as a mermaid, taken out into the field and thrown into a rye. Then everyone fled to their homes.

What other folk practices is the Trinity famous for? Traditions, customs, rituals were to drive away evil spirits from the gates of the house. According to legend, on this day the water man woke up, and the villagers burned fires along the coast to ward off evil spirits.

Much attention was paid to the decoration of the house. Only branches of maple, birch, mountain ash, oak could protect people, give them strength and health.

Another custom was to irrigate with your tears the branches and flowers that were in the temple. Girls and women tried harder to cry so that drops of tears fell on the greenery. This method helped the ancestors to get rid of the summer drought and autumn crop failure.

First day

All festive events divided into 3 days. The first was called Green Sunday. On this day, the icons were decorated with birch branches, a special prayer was said for the Trinity.

Folk festivals were held in forests and fields. People danced, played, sang songs. The girls wove wreaths and lowered them down the river. Such fortune-telling helped to find out what fate awaits in the coming year.

People commemorated deceased relatives. At the cemetery, crosses and monuments were swept with a birch broom - to ward off evil spirits. They left treats for the dead on the graves. That night, according to folk tales, prophetic dreams were dreamed.

Second day

Klechalny Monday is the second day of the celebration of Pentecost. People have been rushing to church since morning. After the service, the priests walked through the fields with blessings. This was done in order to protect the crop from drought, rain and hail.

The third day

Bogodukhov day is celebrated most of all by girls. They arrange festivities, games, fortune-telling. By folk tradition, fun is being held - “Drive the Poplar”. most beautiful girl dressed up, decorated with greenery and wreaths - she played the role of Poplar. Then the youth took Topolya home, and each owner presented her with a delicious treat or a gift.

Holiday symbol

Until now, there is a rite of curling birch. During the process, the girls wished good health to their mother and other relatives. Or, during the curling of the birches, they thought about the young man they fell in love with - thus tying his thoughts and thoughts to themselves.

During the festivities, a small birch was decorated with ribbons, flowers flew into it. After round dance chants, they cut it down and began a triumphal procession through the village. An elegant birch was carried around the whole village, attracting good luck to its inhabitants.

In the evening, ribbons were removed from the tree and a traditional sacrifice was held. The branches were "buried" in the field, and the birch itself was drowned in a pond. So people asked for a plentiful harvest and protection from the spirits.

Early dew was collected on Trinity - it was considered a strong medicine against ailments and ailments. Such rituals existed among our ancestors. Some of them can be found even today. What can not be done on Trinity?

What is forbidden to do on Pentecost

On this holiday, it was strictly forbidden to work in the garden or around the house. Therefore, zealous housewives carried out a general cleaning before the Trinity. And on the holiday itself, they only decorated the house and prepared a plentiful treat.

What other restrictions exist? What can not be done on Trinity? Everything repair work around the house is best left for another day. Can't sew. Do not wash, cut or dye your head.

On this day, you can not think about the bad or talk about someone in a negative way. It is forbidden to swim - otherwise, in the near future, the disobedient will die (according to one of the versions, mermaids will tickle him). And the one who remained alive after swimming on the Trinity was declared a sorcerer.

Do not be offended, swear on this day - the Trinity is a bright holiday. Signs and customs (what you can’t and what you can do) - it all comes down to prayer and kind words. Trinity is a celebration of the renewal of life, so only positive should surround yourself on this day.

parent saturday

The day before the Trinity began People went to the cemetery, commemorated the deceased relatives.

From ancient times in parent Saturday a memorial dinner was being prepared - cutlery was placed for the deceased. The deceased was invited to a meal.

On this day, the bath was heated. And after the whole family had washed, they left water and a broom for the deceased.

On Trinity parental Saturday, suicides are commemorated, they ask for repose for their souls. It is read on the Trinity. But the Holy Church claims that this is a delusion - suicides will not be able to find rest after death. Therefore, only in home prayer can you ask for them.

Signs for Pentecost

The Trinity is rich in beliefs and signs. The customs and traditions of the holiday carry many omens that have been proven over the centuries.

  1. Rain on Pentecost - to an abundance of mushrooms and close warmth.
  2. If the birch is fresh on the third day after the holiday - to a wet hayfield.
  3. They marry the Trinity, they marry Pokrov - to love and harmony in the family.
  4. To attract wealth to the house, you need to cover a few
  5. Heat on Trinity - to a dry summer.

The entire week of celebration was called Mermaid Week. Thursday was considered especially important - on this day the mermaids tried to lure people into the water. Therefore, in the evenings, people tried not to leave the house. It was forbidden to swim all week. And you should definitely carry wormwood with you - this grass scared away evil spirits.

Today, in nature, with songs and fun, the Trinity holiday is celebrated. Customs, signs of ancient times become irrelevant and gradually disappear. But until now, people decorate their homes with greenery so that peace, tranquility, happiness, health and prosperity reign in it. And the girls carry the wreaths to the reservoirs and, holding their breath, let them into the water: where the wreath floats, from there they will wait for the betrothed, and if it comes to the shore, it’s not destiny to get married this year ...

Holy Trinity Day, Pentecost, Descent of the Holy Spirit- one of the main Christian holidays, included in Orthodoxy among the twelfth holidays.

The holiday got its first name in honor of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, which Jesus Christ promised them before his ascension to heaven. The biblical legend says that after Christ's Resurrection, the Holy Spirit descended on His apostle disciples. On this day, the universal apostolic church. The Day of the Holy Trinity is celebrated by the Church on the fiftieth day after Easter, which is why it is also called Pentecost.

❧ “When the day of Pentecost came, all of them (that is, the apostles) were with one accord together. And suddenly there was a noise from the sky, as if from a rushing strong wind and filled the whole house where they were. And divided tongues appeared to them, as if of fire, and rested one on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

By the Holy Spirit, the apostles received the gift of speaking in different languages. The people with whom the apostles began to talk, when they left the Zion Upper Room, were amazed - where did yesterday's simple fishermen get such abilities. And everyone asked each other in surprise: “How can we each hear our own dialect in which we were born?”

Of course, this gift was given by the Lord to his disciples not by chance. The fact is that from now on they became God's messengers. They had to go to all ends of the earth to preach the Word of God, to establish the Church of God on earth, so that every person could be saved. “As the Father sent me, so I send you,” said the Lord. - To whom you forgive sins, they will be forgiven; on whom you leave, on that they will remain.

The apostles were instructed, as good shepherds (shepherds), to gather all the sheep of Christ - all God's people- in one herd. Everyone who aspires to the Truth could become a member of a single whole - Christ's Church. After all, the very word "church" means a cathedral, an assembly.

That is why Christians consider the day of Pentecost to be the birthday of our Holy Church. With this birthday of the Church, we all congratulate each other today!

Christ's apostles, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, became the first priests of the new church. They passed on the grace of the priesthood to their successors, those to theirs, and so for two thousand years before today. This means that the current clergy of the Orthodox Church are the successors of the first apostles, and the Holy Spirit rests on them, just as on the apostles.

Note: The Holy Spirit descended on the disciples of Christ in the form of fiery tongues. Why exactly? Why does the Third Person of the Trinity reveal Himself in the form of fire? Here's why. This is a symbol of the fire that should kindle in the soul of every believer - kindle with love for God. This is a sign that the whole person must be reborn, become new, become a real Christian.

The day after Trinity is dedicated to the Holy Spirit. That is why it is called the Spiritual Day. In prayers, the Holy Spirit is addressed as the Comforter. He appeared to the apostles and filled their hearts with joy.

On this day in Orthodox churches one of the most solemn and beautiful services of the year is celebrated. After the liturgy is served Great Vespers, on which stichera are sung, glorifying the descent of the Holy Spirit, and the priest reads three special prayers for the Church, for the salvation of all those who pray, and for the repose of the souls of all the dead (including those “held in hell”). During the reading of these prayers, everyone, including the clergy, is on their knees. This ends the post-Easter period, during which no kneeling or prostration is performed in churches.

According to Russian tradition, the floor of the temple (and the houses of believers) on this day is covered with freshly cut grass, the icons are decorated with birch branches, and the color of the vestments is green, depicting the life-giving and renewing power of the Holy Spirit. In others Orthodox churches vestments of white and gold colors are also used.

Why are birch branches used on this day to decorate houses and temples? This tree is considered blessed in Rus'. It is not for nothing that so many poems and songs are dedicated to him. The Trinity holiday without a birch is the same as Christmas without a Christmas tree. Yes, and nature itself on this day, on the eve of violent flowering, resembles a young girl on the threshold of adulthood.

But Russia is big country, with different climatic conditions, apparently, this can explain the fact that in some areas the festive trees were oak, maple, mountain ash.

Trinity passes noisily and cheerfully. In the morning everyone rushes to the festive service. And after it they arrange folk fun with round dances, games, songs. Be sure to cook loaves. They called guests to a festive dinner, made gifts to each other. Fairs were held in some areas.

With the revival of faith in Russia, the traditions of celebrating Orthodox holidays are also being revived. And already in our time, folk festivals with games, performances, songs are organized in the cities of the country.

How is Trinity celebrated in other countries

In Austria The symbols of the holiday are the dove, fire and water, which are associated with many ancient customs. For example, in some places in Austria, wells are still decorated with flowers and ribbons on Saturday before Trinity, and doves are released in churches during the festive Mass.

In Cyprus Orthodox Christians celebrate the Holy Trinity on the same day as in Russia. This day is also associated with the Water Festival - a memory of the Flood and the salvation of Noah, or, as the Cypriots call it, Kataklysmos.

In Germany this day is accompanied by weaving wreaths, divination, swinging and boating. Before the holiday, the house and garden are carefully tidy. Wildflowers are picked early in the morning, as well as blossoming green branches of trees, birch is especially valued.

From the history of the holiday

In Rus', the Trinity merged with the ancient Slavic holiday - Semik. It marked the end of spring and the beginning of summer and fell on Thursday (seven) of the seventh week after Easter. On this day, it was customary to dance round dances. Our ancestors believed that in a round dance they help the sun bring summer closer. In Semik, it was customary to curl birch branches into a wreath, wishing fate. They looked at the Trinity what happened to the wreath. If the branches have not developed, the one who was guessed at will have long life. Women and girls through a birch wreath "could" - kissed each other and became friends.



Many centuries ago, a Christian holiday was defined, which means the birth of the Church of Christ, called the Trinity. What does this holiday mean, where did it come from, and what are its origins?




Tongues of flame then appeared in the upper room, where at that time she was with the disciples and myrrh-bearing women mother of God. This flame was like a blessed fire that comes to all believers on Easter in Jerusalem - not burning, soft and inspiring. Immediately, a miracle happened to everyone in the upper room - they began to speak hitherto unfamiliar languages, which they had never learned and did not know. They also felt a great surge of strength, and joyfully began to exclaim and share their impressions.

On this day, many Jews flocked to Jerusalem from everywhere to celebrate the feast of Pentecost. It was an old holiday, it coincided with the beginning of the harvest, and meant the deliverance of the Jews from Egyptian slavery. Seeing the fire descending from the sky, the Jews began to gather around the Sinai upper room.

The apostles, feeling in themselves huge forces, and seeing a multitude of people, they climbed onto the roof, and the apostle Peter began his first sermon. He told everyone what had happened, and they were very surprised and thanked God. But the assembled people, many of whom spoke different languages, were surprised to find that the apostles, mostly uneducated men who did not know other languages ​​than the dialect of Galilee, suddenly began to address each of them in their own language. This was truly a miracle that made everyone believe in the divine will of what had happened.
Read more: .




People didn't know what to do now. The apostles explained that if they accept the Christian faith, repent, then their sins will be forgiven and they will be filled with the Holy Spirit. Then many began to repent of their sins before everyone and were baptized. On the same day, out of 120 people, the number of Christians increased to 3,000 people. Having received the Holy Spirit, they began to lead a righteous life, understanding the words of Peter that they are now the temple of the Holy Spirit, and they must behave accordingly so as not to tear Him away from them with their bad deeds.

Then Christians began to gather together, in a community, to share their wealth with the poor, and they had everything in common, and they had no poor. They prayed, tried to lead a worthy life, follow the instructions of the apostles. For the righteous and honest life they were loved, and many joined their community, seeing how good, just and blessed it was.

And the apostles, feeling in themselves great power and courage, having correctly understood their task, which consisted in preaching the Gospel throughout the world, they went to different parts of the world to bring the light of Christianity to the lost pagan souls. This day was the birth of the Church of Christ, which every day gathered more and more new adherents, and after some time spread throughout the world.
The apostles preached not only in the Roman Empire, they went through a difficult path and many trials in all corners of the world, preached everywhere, endured persecution and frequent humiliation, persecution, but, led and strengthened by the Holy Spirit, they firmly did their work, knowing that it was by will. Lord's.

Trinity: signs, traditions and customs

On June 4, 2017, Orthodox Christians celebrate Holy Trinity Day. This day is very important, since the event that became the reason for the holiday gave a significant impetus to the development of Christianity. To understand how to behave on the Trinity, and what to do, you need to learn a little about the history of the holiday.

Feast of the Holy Trinity - what does it mean

If we turn to the holy books of Christians, we can find out that the Trinity is a holiday associated primarily with Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection. The fact is that after the Son of God was resurrected, he ascended to heaven. This happened forty days after Jesus came out of the cave where he was buried. And ten days after the Ascension of Christ, another miracle happened.
Jesus had followers - devoted disciples who often gathered to pray. So it happened this time. The disciples came to a house on Mount Zion. And as soon as they began to pray, loud sounds were heard in the room where they were, reminiscent of the hum of the wind. Immediately, the whole chamber was engulfed in flames, but the tongues of fire did not burn anyone from those present. And then the disciples of Jesus heard the voice of the Lord. He told them to go and preach Christianity throughout the world. And then all the apostles spoke in different languages.
People also ran to the noise, the crowd gathered in front of the house, and when the apostles reported what had happened, three thousand people decided to be baptized on the same day. Soon the first Christian church was built, and the apostles began to preach religion in different countries.

The holiday is called the Day of the Holy Trinity for the reason that the trinity of God (God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit) was revealed to the apostles. This day also has a second name - Pentecost. It indicates the time when believers celebrate the holiday. The apostles heard the voice 50 days after the Resurrection of Christ. That is, the Trinity is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter.

What kind of holiday is the Trinity: signs, traditions and customs

The importance of this day prompts people to have questions regarding what can and cannot be done on Trinity. Basically, all prohibitions are exactly the same as on other Christian holidays. On this day, you should not do physical work (wash floors, make repairs, sew, clean up). And besides this, earthworks are also prohibited, such as weeding the garden, mowing grass, planting flowers.
Previously, people believed that if these rules were violated, then some kind of misfortune would happen, for example, for those who sew or knit, sheep, the source of yarn, would stray or die, and for those who were engaged in crops, hail would destroy the entire crop.
It is also better not to cook for the Trinity. Mistresses used to prepare everything for the holiday in advance, for example, on Friday or Saturday. Food can be warmed up, but you should not spend all day at the stove. As a rule, pies are baked on Trinity. And you can also cook any meat and fish dishes using as many greens as possible. In some parts of the country, there is another tradition that refers to Easter - people dye eggs green.


The best thing to do is to start the day with a visit to the temple. Churches are very beautifully decorated for the holiday - everywhere there are fresh flowers, tree branches, green bedspreads and whole carpets of grass. Such decoration symbolizes the beginning of life. People can also decorate their houses, it used to be believed that such a ceremony protects the home from evil spirits, for example, from mermaids who could drag someone under water.