Forgiveness Sunday Orthodoxy. Forgiveness Sunday. How to ask for forgiveness

Great Lent is a time of repentance and spiritual purification, and it is wrong to enter it, harboring a grudge against someone. On Forgiveness Sunday, forgive all your offenders and ask for forgiveness from those whom you have wronged, this will cleanse your soul. This is not just a folk tradition, but a church tradition, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus Christ said: “If you forgive people of their sins, then your Heavenly Father will forgive you too; and if you will not forgive people their sins, then your Father will not forgive you your sins. "

How and from whom to ask for forgiveness on Forgiveness Sunday

Forgiveness Sunday is a reason to forgive our offenders, let go of grievances, even the most terrible ones, soothe anxiety and mental suffering, and also clear our conscience and soul in front of those whom we have ever intentionally or accidentally hurt.

Forgiveness Sunday is not a funny tradition, but a very important and ancient spiritual custom, you need to approach this matter very responsibly, sincerely repent of what you have done and from the bottom of your heart try to forgive your offenders, purifying your soul.

You need to ask for forgiveness from people in front of whom you feel your kind, whom you offended, with whom you quarreled and it does not matter who first started the quarrel. According to the rules, forgiveness must be asked out loud and at a personal meeting, but in the absence of such an opportunity, you can simply call the person by phone.

When asking for forgiveness from a person, you must definitely say: "God will forgive me, forgive me", and when they ask you for forgiveness, "God will forgive, and I forgive."

According to tradition, on Forgiveness Sunday, the one who is older should be the first to ask for fasting: parents with children, bosses with subordinates, and so on.

Forgiving an insult does not at all mean forgetting the pain that they caused you, but it speaks of your readiness not to hold onto the fact that you have offended evil, not to wish him retribution.

Often, offenses cause a very strong trauma to a person and it is impossible to forgive in one minute, but you need to make efforts on your part to forgive the offender so that negative emotions do not poison your soul.

Forgive those who read your forgiveness and not just brush it off, but sincerely, which means the person feels some kind of guilt and wants to receive forgiveness from you.

What not to do on Forgiveness Sunday 2019

This is the last day of Shrovetide, which completes the preparations for Lent, so this is the last day before Easter when you can eat milk, butter, eggs and fish.

It is forbidden to physically work on this day, unless in the kitchen the hostesses prepared various dishes from permitted products in order to start talking before the long Lent.

Also on Forgiveness Sunday 2019, it is forbidden to indulge in despondency and bad thoughts, swear, complain, get angry and even raise your voice at loved ones.

On Forgiveness Sunday, according to tradition, they go to the cemetery and commemorate deceased relatives, pray for their souls. According to legend, on this day, ancestors can hear your sincere words of repentance and forgive the wrongs.

Congratulations on Forgiveness Sunday

Ask your loved ones forgiveness in poetry or prose:

Please forgive me for my mistakes

And phrases thrown in the heat of the moment.

Resentment instead of a friendly smile

And the fact that I sometimes hack off my shoulder.

Forgive unjustified quarrels,

Misunderstanding during difficult hours.

For all unnecessary words and arguments

I want to ask your forgiveness.

Forgive everyone whom I have offended.

Perhaps I do not know about this.

Maybe I didn't see my guilt

But you will forgive, and I forgive everyone!

Let your soul be warm, calm.

Down with all the quarrels over nonsense!

Let evil, aggression and wars perish!

And may God forgive us for all our sins!

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I congratulate you on Forgiveness Sunday! Forgive me if I have inadvertently offended you or hurt you. I want no dark thought or hidden grudge to darken our relationship! And I forgive you from the bottom of my heart and say that I do not hold any grudge against you!

March 10 - Forgiveness Sunday 2019: video

People tend to make mistakes, and Forgiveness Sunday is everyone's chance to receive forgiveness for all the misdeeds and sins committed involuntarily or knowingly over the past year.

And in order to meet the bright holiday of the Resurrection of Christ with a pure soul, you need Forgiveness resurrection sincerely repent, and forgive, and free yourself from the burden of offenses before the beginning of Great Lent.

On Forgiveness Sunday in all Orthodox churches, after the evening service, it is customary to perform a special rite of forgiveness, during which the clergy and parishioners ask each other for forgiveness for all conscious and unconscious offenses, possibly caused over the past year.

Forgiveness resurrection

One of the most ancient traditions - to ask for forgiveness before the beginning of Lent, appeared in Palestine or Egypt.

According to legend, before the beginning of Lent, the monks went one by one to the desert, where, following the example of Jesus Christ, they spent 40 days practically without food or water.

The day before parting, they reconciled with each other - they asked for forgiveness for everything, realizing that they could die of thirst, hunger, heat or wild animals and the desert could become their last refuge. Hence the name Forgiveness Sunday came.

Forgiveness Sunday, as the clergy explain, is the time when we ask for forgiveness from other people, but in order to receive the forgiveness we need, we need to learn to forgive ourselves. And the measure of how we treat others can be a measure of how the Lord treats us.

And the beginning of this ancient church tradition was laid by Jesus Christ with words about the need to forgive offenses to one's neighbors, which he pronounced during the Sermon on the Mount.

"For if you forgive people their sins, then your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, and if you do not forgive people their sins, then your Father will not forgive you for your sins," Jesus Christ taught.

The meaning of the words is that it is necessary to forgive insults to our neighbors, because by forgiving the sins of the people around us, we show them condescension, mercy, compassion and love, as the Heavenly Father shows His love for us.

Traditions and customs

On Forgiveness Sunday, the Gospel is read in Orthodox churches with a section on the Sermon on the Mount, which speaks of forgiving offenses.

On this day, they also remember the expulsion of Adam from Paradise, thereby showing that a person, having distanced himself arbitrarily from the church, like Adam, loses contact with the spiritual world.

A special rite of forgiveness is performed after the end of the evening service, during which the abbot with an earthly bow asks for forgiveness from his clergy and parishioners, they bow in return, and then ask the abbot to forgive them too. And then the ministers of the church and the laity mutually ask for forgiveness from each other.

Traditionally, people on Forgiveness Sunday visited the graves of their relatives, brought gifts to them and asked for forgiveness, and also prayed to protect the living from troubles and misfortunes.

Before you start asking for forgiveness, you must first go to church, confess, repent of your sins and take communion.

According to custom, people, asking for mutual forgiveness, kissed three times. Hence the second name of Forgiveness Resurrection - "kissing man".

On this important day for every believer, according to tradition, it was the elders who were the first to ask for forgiveness from those who were younger.

In Russia, there was a custom, according to which the sovereign asked for forgiveness from his subjects. For this, the tsar toured the troops, visited monasteries and asked forgiveness from everyone, including soldiers and brothers.

After the words of forgiveness and repentance have been spoken to all relatives and friends, Orthodox Christians gather in church to listen to the evening service timed to coincide with Forgiveness Sunday.

By tradition, all relatives gather for festive table and treats herself to delicious pancakes. After finishing the meal, many still go to the bathhouse to symbolically wash away their sins and begin the Great Lent, preceding Easter, cleansed spiritually and physically.

Signs

Not forgiving someone or using foul language on the Forgiveness Resurrection was considered a great sin and could bring many troubles, so people must find the strength to forgive those who offended them.

We ate on Forgiveness Sunday seven times (this is how many weeks are included in Great Lent), and after the last meal the leftovers were left on the table until the next day. Such a ceremony, in the opinion of people, provided prosperity and well-being in the house for the next year.

Pancakes baked on Forgiveness Sunday needed to eat everything that allowed the family to rally and increase in number.

© photo: Sputnik / Evgenina Novozhenina

According to the weather on Forgiveness Sunday, they could predict what the autumn would be like - clear and sunny weather foreshadowed a warm autumn and a rich harvest.

According to the Holy Scriptures, the Lord God will forgive all sins if you ask for forgiveness and forgive yourself on the Forgiveness Sunday. At the same time, you need to say the following words: "I forgive you, forgive me, Lord, and me, a sinner."

Material prepared on the basis of open sources

MOSCOW, 18 Feb- RIA Novosti, Sergei Stefanov. Orthodox Christians call the last day before Great Lent Forgiveness Sunday. Since ancient times, on this day in Russia, believers have asked each other for forgiveness and are preparing to enter the "holy and great Forty Day" - the strictest and longest fast. About why such a unique tradition has developed and what other meanings this holiday has - in the material of RIA Novosti.

Expulsion of Adam from Paradise

In the Church, Forgiveness Sunday is also called "cheese-free". This word means "I lower the cheese" ("I leave"): Forgiveness Sunday is the last day of Shrovetide, when it is allowed to eat fast food - eggs and dairy products.

On Forgiveness Sunday, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates "the remembrance of Adam's exile" during the services. According to the Bible, this event - the expulsion of the first people, Adam and Eve, from paradise for disobeying God - marked the beginning of earthly history. And as forefather Adam later repented of his misdeeds, so all believers entering Great Lent are called to the same.

The rector of the Church of St. Elizabeth in Pokrovsky-Streshnevo, Metropolitan Mark of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky, notes that not a single person in his life can avoid serious mistakes, which the Church calls a sin. And in this all people are "faithful" followers of their ancestor Adam.

"With the coming of Great Lent, we must start another life, the time has come to mourn the sins we have committed. We repeated the path of Adam in the fall, but we have yet to repeat his path in repentance. And the period of Great Lent that opens before us helps us in this," says bishop.

According to him, when the word "repentance" is used, some people get the idea that these are "continuous negative emotions" and the complete opposite of what is meant by a full life. However, in reality, only the first stage of repentance - repentance - can be associated with negative experiences. Full-fledged repentance fills the soul with joy and saves a person from internal conflicts that give rise to sin.

It is believed that the first God's commandment, which Adam and Eve violated, was precisely the prohibition to "eat" the fruit of one tree determined by God - "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." And in order to be reconciled with God, a person must go through fasting again. True, this abstinence is now much more strict.

"Forgive me!.."

On Forgiveness Sunday in all Orthodox churches an excerpt from the Gospel is read with the words of the Savior: "If you do not forgive people their sins, then your Heavenly Father will not forgive you your sins." This is a prerequisite for a person's entry into fasting, without which even complete abstinence from food will be considered, in legal language, invalid: God will not accept him.

"To experience forgiveness, we need to learn to forgive ourselves. It is precisely because we need forgiveness that we need to learn to forgive other people. And the measure of how we treat others can be a measure of how the Lord will treat us," - explains the cleric of the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist in Sokolniki, Archpriest Oleg Stenyaev.

Embodying this call to forgiveness, Vespers are served in churches and monasteries with a special "order of forgiveness." The priests read a prayer, asking God for blessings for everyone for the upcoming long fast (in addition to the 40-day Great Lent, this is also the next Passion Week, week). Then, according to tradition, the clergy asks for forgiveness from everyone gathered in the church, and the laity - from the clergy and from each other.

“Forgive me” and “I forgive” the believers say during the day to all their household members and acquaintances who have been annoyed with something or against whom they themselves hold a grudge. Of course, the words can be different, the main thing is the spirit of reconciliation. The patriarch will also apologize for his misdeeds, "voluntary or involuntary", to everyone after the evening service in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

The rite of forgiveness itself originates in the Palestinian and Egyptian monasteries of the 5th-6th centuries, when on the eve of Great Lent the monks went into the desert for 40 days to devote all their time to prayer and preparation for the Easter holiday.

“Some of them never came back: someone was dying of old age, someone could have suffered misfortune in the harsh deserted desert,” says Hieromonk Irenaeus (Pikovsky), a resident of the Sretensky Monastery. “Therefore, the hermits dispersed, as before death, asked each other has forgiveness for all voluntary or involuntary offenses. And of course, they themselves forgave everyone from the bottom of their hearts. Everyone understood that their farewell to each other on the eve of Great Lent could be the last. For this, the current rite of forgiveness appeared - to be reconciled with everyone people and, thanks to this, - with God. "

Not a "personal feat"

And a week before Forgiveness Sunday, the Orthodox Church recalled the gospel parable of Last Judgment, after which the Lord will introduce into the Kingdom of Heaven those who somehow helped other people in their needs, and into the "outer darkness" - those who did not show their neighbors any mercy.

However, as the teacher and confessor of the St. Petersburg Orthodox Theological Academy, Archpriest Vyacheslav Kharinov, explains, "a week about the Last Judgment" can induce a person to become overly carried away with various social projects, he may decide that his salvation depends precisely on whether he will be able to "feed the hungry , give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the sick, help the prisoner. " But the Forgiveness puts everything in its place.

Father Vyacheslav speaks of forgiveness and as "realizing Godlikeness in oneself": "Because God forgives - He is merciful and many-merciful. And we, doing the same, as if we try on this Godlikeness, as if imitate the Creator in this act."

"Our salvation begins with how we will relate to our neighbor. The meaning of Christian soteriology (doctrine of salvation. - Ed.) Is that if we do nothing to save our neighbor, we ourselves will not be saved. And in this Regarding, of course, fasting is an amazing time. One must be able to see in it not a personal heroic deed, not my personal affair, but a moment of some amazing service to others ... To see our own salvation in our neighbor, "the priest concludes.

There are many examples of this in the lives of the saints. One of the ancient church fathers, Anthony the Great, considered it indecent to do something good for oneself before doing it to one's neighbor. And the famous ascetic of the 20th century, the elder Silouan the Athonite, wrote that "blessed is the soul that loves its brother, for our brother is our life."

Maslenitsa celebration in Russia

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In the photo: participants in the festivities dedicated to seeing off the Wide Maslenitsa in the park of the Koltsovo science city in the Novosibirsk region.

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Shrovetide symbolizes the boundary between winter and spring, the last outburst of well-fed, cheerful life on the eve of a long fasting abstinence. This year, Maslenitsa week runs from 12 to 18 February.
In the photo: participants in the festivities dedicated to seeing off the Wide Maslenitsa in the park of the science city Koltsovo in the Novosibirsk region.

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In the photo: a participant of folk amusements during the Maslenitsa celebration on the central square of Vladivostok.

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Throughout the week, Orthodox Christians, according to the church charter, do not eat meat, but eat fish, eggs and dairy products. Maslenitsa week's traditions include mass celebrations and all kinds of contests and fun.
In the photo: a participant in folk amusements during the Maslenitsa celebration on the central square of Vladivostok.

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In the photo: a festive fair on the central square of Vladivostok.

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In the old days, it was believed that those who do not have fun on these days and do not see off the winter will live poor and empty all the coming year. But for those who celebrate the holiday properly, all affairs will argue, there will be abundance in the house, and all ailments will pass by.
In the photo: a festive fair on the central square of Vladivostok.

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In the photo: the burning of an art object by artist Nikolai Polissky at the Maslenitsa celebration in the Nikola-Lenivets art park, Kaluga Region.

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On the first day of Shrovetide week, a scarecrow was erected from rags and straw, and then, attached to a large log, sledged and installed on the highest snow hill.
In the photo: the burning of an art object by artist Nikolai Polissky at the Maslenitsa celebration in the Nikola-Lenivets art park, Kaluga Region.

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In the photo: participants in the festivities in Suzdal watching goose fights.

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In places of folk festivities, noisy fairs and booths were unfolding for a week, platforms with various treats, tents selling nuts and gingerbread, hot sbiten and tea from samovars were everywhere.
In the photo: participants in the festivities in Suzdal watching goose fights.

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In the photo: participants in the festive Maslenitsa festivities in the park of the Koltsovo science city in the Novosibirsk region.

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In Western Europe, the week before Lent has traditionally been a time of carnivals. Eastern Christians, as such, did not have a carnival tradition, but it was believed that this is the time when a person, within reasonable limits, allows himself to rest.
In the photo: participants in the festive Maslenitsa festivities in the park of the Koltsovo science city in the Novosibirsk region.

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In the photo: participants in the festive festivities in Suzdal, dedicated to seeing off the Wide Maslenitsa.

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Each day of Maslenitsa week had its own name. So, Monday is "meeting", Tuesday is "flirting", Wednesday is "gourmet". On Wednesday, it was customary to visit each other and treat themselves to pancakes and pies.
In the photo: participants in the festive festivities in Suzdal, dedicated to seeing off the Wide Maslenitsa.

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In the photo: a participant in Maslenitsa festivities in the Koltsovo science city park in the Novosibirsk region.

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Thursday was called "revelry" or "turning point". It was the middle of the Maslenitsa week, and on that day everyone danced, danced in circles, sang ditties, and organized fistfights.
In the photo: a participant in Maslenitsa festivities in the Koltsovo science city park in the Novosibirsk region.

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In the photo: a mummer at the Maslenitsa celebration in the Nikola-Lenivets art park, Kaluga region.

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Another inalienable feature of Broad Thursday is the storming of a snow town; on this day, special ritual bonfires were lit everywhere, through which people jumped, symbolically purifying their souls.
In the photo: a mummer at the Maslenitsa celebration in the Nikola-Lenivets art park, Kaluga region.

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In the photo: youthful games during festive festivities in the park of the Koltsovo science city in the Novosibirsk region.

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The fourth day of Maslenitsa in Russia was so large-scale in terms of celebration that often during this period all work was canceled, and people walked from morning to night.
In the photo: youthful games during festive festivities in the park of the Koltsovo science city in the Novosibirsk region.

/ The fifth day of Maslenitsa - "mother-in-law of the evening". There was a tradition according to which family people had to spend this day with their closest relatives. The main symbol of Shrovetide is a ruddy pancake symbolizing the sun. Each hostess tried to adequately treat the guests who came to her.

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The fifth day of Maslenitsa - "mother-in-law of the evening". There was a tradition according to which family people had to spend this day with their closest relatives. The main symbol of Shrovetide is a ruddy pancake, symbolizing the sun. Each hostess tried to adequately treat the guests who came to her.

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In the photo: the burning of an effigy during the festive festivities dedicated to the farewell of the Wide Maslenitsa in the park of the Koltsovo science city in the Novosibirsk region.

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The sixth day of Maslenitsa week was called "sister-in-law's gatherings". Also on this day in the evening they burned a scarecrow of Maslenitsa, saying goodbye to the holiday and preparing for Great Lent.
In the photo: burning of a stuffed animal during festive festivities dedicated to seeing off the Wide Maslenitsa in the park of the Koltsovo science city in the Novosibirsk region.

/ The seventh, final day of the carnival week - "farewell", "Forgiveness Sunday", "kissing". On this day, according to ancient custom, it was customary to ask each other for forgiveness in order to enter Great Lent, reconciling with everyone.
In the photo: visitors to the Wide Maslenitsa festive fair on the central square of Vladivostok.

The last prep week (last day before) is called Cheese week... This day ends with the eating of milk, cheese and eggs. On this day, during the service, the fall of Adam and Eve is recalled: the first people were expelled from Paradise, because they transgressed, violated the commandment of God. We should remember our sins, because preparation for the great holiday begins with repentance, fasting and prayer.

Forgiveness Sunday. Worship and the "rite of forgiveness"

Forgiveness Sunday before Great Lent - the day of mutual repentance and pacification of all the misunderstandings and disagreements between us, when we say to each other: “ Sorry!", So that with a pure heart and a joyful soul, begin the upcoming feat. The Gospel reading of this day indicates that true fasting should begin with mutual forgiveness of offenses and insults:

If you forgive people their sins, then your Heavenly Father will forgive you too; and if you will not forgive people their sins, then your Father will not forgive you your sins (Matthew 6: 14-15)

This is the basis of the custom of Orthodox Christians on the last Sunday before Lent to ask for forgiveness from each other, which is why this very day is usually called among the people forgiven resurrection... It has long been customary on this day to ask for forgiveness, to put up with and forgive the wrongs inflicted in order to begin the spiritual exploits of Great Lent with a pure soul, before the priest, and take communion. For what is fasting, kneeling and other bodily labors with which we humble our carnal passions and lusts? This is only our weapon in spiritual warfare, the path to inner self-improvement and the acquisition of gospel virtues.

The fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, goodness, mercy, faith, meekness, temperance (Cor. 5: 22-23).

But just as fruits cannot grow by themselves, without a root and tree that nourish them, so spiritual fruit is the result of many years of feat of abstinence and cutting off carnal lusts in order to cleanse the heart and soul and make them worthy to receive God's grace.

Usually, in the Old Believer churches on Forgiveness Sunday in the evening, a service is performed - Vespers and Feast Parties. After this, rank of mutual forgivenesswhen parishioners bow down to the abbot earthly, asking for forgiveness and blessings for Great Lent. Likewise, believers bow to each other with the words:

Forgive Christ's sake!

- "God will forgive, and you forgive me for Christ's sake!"

This custom is ancient. Thus, the Frenchman Margeret, who was in Russia in military service at the beginning of the 17th century, writes in his essay "The State of the Russian State and the Grand Duchy of Moscow":

On Shrovetide, Russians visit each other, kiss, say goodbye, reconcile, if they have offended one another in word or deed, even meeting on the street - even if they have never seen each other before - kissing, saying: “forgive me, please,” the other replies: “ God will forgive you, and you forgive me. "

It is known that the "rite of forgiveness" of the great princes and kings of Moscow included visits to Moscow monasteries; sometimes the sovereign also went to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, saying goodbye to the brethren and asking for blessings. All this was done on, and on Sunday the rite of forgiveness was performed in the Assumption Cathedral. The tsar asked forgiveness and blessings from the patriarch, said goodbye to his courtiers. It was also customary to give freedom to prisoners on this day.

The entire four-month period (the time from Monday of the first week of fasting to Friday of the sixth week inclusive) is waiting for the day of Easter and preparing for it. This is how it is said about it in the stichera, which is sung on the evening of Forgiveness Sunday:

PThe 0th time is the light, the start is 1m, and the movement is moving forward, the day is keeping the soul and 3 is warm. post1msz ћkozhe in snöhъ, si1ce and3 t all the passions that feeds on virtues. in n1khzhe abidem in love2, so let us give all2 to see the honorable article of xrtA bGa, and3 with ™ yu pass, d¦0vnw rejoicing.

The poetic and full of deep meaning Church Slavonic text of this sticher strengthens the worshipers, teaches them that fasting is a joyful time. This prayer can be translated into Russian in the following words:

Let's start the time of fasting lightly, joyfully, encouraging ourselves to spiritual exploits, purify our soul and body. Let us fast not only from food (abstaining from food), but also from passions, feeding on the virtues of the Spirit. With love, let us perfect ourselves in virtues, so that we may all be able to see the Passion of Christ and celebrate Holy Pascha in spiritual joy.

Soulful Teaching on Forgiveness Sunday

Love and forgiveness of mutual grievances are the main commandments in Christianity, without which none of our good deeds can be pleasing to God.

So, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go, first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift (Matt. 5 , 24-25).

The fasting of the Holy Forty-days is called by the monastic fathers spiritual tithes, which we offer as a sacrifice to God, devoting this time to strict abstinence and prayer.

While we live on earth, our soul and body are inseparable from each other. If we are Christians, both must be dedicated to the service of God. There are commandments for the soul, there are also for the body. Following the example of the holy fathers and desiring eternal salvation, we cannot neglect or transgress even the slightest of them. The Ancient Patericon tells about a young monk who walked through the city to an inn and, in response to the admonitions of an experienced hermit elder who happened to be in the same place, said that God requires nothing but purity of heart. The elder exclaimed in grief:

I have lived in the desert for fifty years, and have not acquired purity of heart, and you want to acquire it in a tavern!

Soon, that negligent and arrogant monk fell into a grave sin, because we cannot overcome our passions and desires, if we do not move away from the cause that gives rise to them.

“Great deeds and labor are great in the beginning for those who approach God in silence and silence; and then - joy unspeakable. How those who want to kindle a fire first endure smoke and shed tears, and not otherwise achieve the desired goal; so those who wish to kindle the Divine fire in themselves must kindle it with tears and labors, with silence and silence ”(Miterikon).

When we undertake to weed our field in the summer, at first the work, as they say, "scares the eyes", but slowly, step by step, with difficulty and bowing, we pull out the harmful thorns that can drown out and destroy all our good fruits. So, with the help of God, having overcome the first difficulties, we begin to notice that it becomes easier further. We easily and joyfully turn back when we see our noble plantings recovered, refined. It is easy and joyful for us to collect the fruits at the end of long-term painstaking work. So is the fast time: before the beginning it seems painful and uncomfortable, but gradually, day after day, freeing our soul from sinful thorns, we noticeably notice some relief in the exploit. A special joy is the bright Easter day, which we meet with a sense of accomplishment for the sake of the good works and efforts we have endured.

The holy fathers call reasonable and moderate fasting the basis and affirmation of all virtues. On Forgiveness Sunday, we remember the Adam's expulsion from Paradise of sweetness, which was the result of intemperance and a violation of the commandment to fast, established for primordial man. Therefore, as we have lost incorruption and purity through intemperance from forbidden food, in an equal way we gain them again, oppressing our bodily needs in order to strengthen and establish the soul for prayer and contemplation.

“Do not be deceived, you cannot free yourself from the mental pharaoh, nor behold the heavenly Passover, if you do not always taste bitter potion and unleavened bread. Bitter potion is the compulsion and patience of fasting, and unleavened bread is an inadvertent trick. May this word of the psalmist unite with your breath: Az, always<бесы> I put on sackcloth and humility my soul with fasting, and my prayer in the bosom<души моей> will return (Ps. 34, 13).

Fasting is violence of nature, rejection of everything that delights taste, extinguishing bodily incitement, extermination of evil thoughts, liberation from bad dreams, purity of prayer, luminary of the soul, preservation of the mind, extermination of heartlessness, the door of affection, humble sighing, joyful contrition, retention of verbiage, the cause of silence, the guardian of obedience, the relief of sleep, the health of the body, the culprit of dispassion, the resolution of sins, the gates of Paradise and heavenly delight ”(“ Ladder ”, word 14).

The path and example here we see first of all from our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He fasted for forty days in the wilderness, leaving us an image so that we could imitate Him and walk in His footsteps. And the great God's saints and prophets, who were rewarded with special high revelations and grace - Moses, Elijah, Daniel, also went through the forty-day fasting career. Never and nowhere do the holy fathers praise those who work their womb. For the heart of a glutton is a receptacle for all impurity and bad desires, and the heart of a humble fasting ascetic is an abode for God's grace, if, of course, while maintaining gentleness, discretion and other virtues, without which all our deeds cannot be saving and pleasing to God.

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves dig and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not dig or steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be (Matt. 6: 19-21).

Our true spiritual treasure is to be partakers of the eternal Easter joy that the Lord has prepared for those who love Him. A bodily fast also presupposes a spiritual fast, i.e. to be especially sensitive to your inner person, to the movements of the heart and soul. The fasting and silent, nourishing in the heart the memory of malice and condemnation of neighbors, the holy fathers compare with a poisonous viper hiding in his hole. If we say “forgive me,” but we do not forgive ourselves, if only for the sake of ostentatious vanity we bow to our brother who offend us, and when we step aside, we become darkened with anger again, then it is in vain that we watch and fast, for the devil himself never eats and never does not sleep, but does not cease to be the devil from this. The heart of an angry and angry person is the home and refuge of wicked demons. Nothing strips us of God's grace more than rancor and condemnation, hatred and slander. Here you can see the road to the very depths of the underworld and the treasury of eternal torment.

“The swift and strict judges of the sins of their neighbors are therefore ill with this passion because they do not have a perfect and permanent memory and concern for their sins. For if a person had seen his evil deeds exactly, without a veil of pride, then he would not have worried about anything else related to earthly life, thinking that he would not have enough time to mourn himself, even if he was a hundred he lived for years and at least saw a whole Jordan of tears flowing out of his eyes. I watched the cry of true repentance and did not find a trace of backbiting or condemnation in it "(Ladder, word 10).

As wasps and flies swoop down on sweets, so the wicked spirit rushes against every virtue, in order to mix something harmful with it and turn back the saving initiative. Lenten abstinence was established for us by the holy fathers so that with a relieved soul we gain love and humility, meekness and mercy towards our neighbors. Evil spirits, on the other hand, try to puff up the heart of the fasting person with vanity and exaltation, and teach him to despise his weakest brethren. A proud person is always prone to harsh and harsh reproofs, the one who speaks to a brother for love will talk about the case as if talking about his own weakness, and, no doubt, will achieve the best result. For it is known that a cruel and insulting word can confuse a kind person and move him to anger, while a kind word, spoken with meekness, is really strong in correcting the evil in any person and instructing him to virtue.

He who eats, do not despise him who does not; and he who does not eat, do not judge him who eats: for God has received him. Who are you, condemning someone else's slave? Before his Lord he stands or falls; and he will be raised up, for the Lord is able to set him up (Rom. 14: 3,4).

Whether we fast, vigil, or make many obeisances and otherwise humble our body, we must always remember that this is not an “end in itself,” but only a means to achieving the true goal: peace and purification of the soul. That even supernatural bodily asceticism will not bring us any benefit if we do not preserve our first commandment of love for God and neighbor. When we live in a large family, we love all our household members, endure and put up with their weaknesses, endure the troubles and annoyances that they cause us, always think about how to support and comfort them. But we should have such and even greater love not only for our close relatives, but also for all the people around us. True love is known precisely in the forgiveness of backbiting and insults, then when, having endured humiliation from a neighbor, our souls are sick not about ourselves, but about our offender, and we sincerely want to help him and calm him down.

“Forgive” is a word of love and consolation, when, having reconciled with our brother, we hope for forgiveness and our own sins. For all our righteousness is like the rags of an unclean woman before God. And if we can still count on indulgence, for the sake of our natural weakness, with a weak passage of bodily virtues, then the hidden hatred in the heart has no reasonable justification for itself. And it destroys all our labors and deeds, forever excommunicating from God's grace, for “The Holy Spirit does not live where there is anger” (Nikon the Montenegrin).

In the prologue from the Lives of the Saints (February 9th) there is one very touching story about the holy martyr Nicephorus (c. 257), who suffered during a time of severe pagan persecution.

Two friends lived in the city of Antioch - the priest Sapricius and the layman Nicephorus, who loved each other in the Lord. But the devil was jealous of their unfeigned love and sowed enmity between them. And this enmity flared up so that even if they met on the street, they fled in different directions, blinded by demonic malice. And so they both - Sapricius and Nicephorus, forgetting about the law of Christ, rushed to eternal destruction.
But over time, the layman Nikifor repented of his anger at Priest Sapricius and began to ask his forgiveness. Three times he sent his friends and neighbors to him, considering himself sinful and unworthy to approach the priest he had offended, and three times Sapriky refused to reconcile. Finally Nicephorus made up his mind and fell at the feet of his former friend with the words:
- Forgive me, father, for the Lord's sake forgive!
But Sapricius again did not want to be reconciled with the humble Nicephorus, for Satan possessed his heart.
At that time there was a terrible persecution against Christians, and Sapricius was brought to the trial. The ruler demanded that he make sacrifices to idols, but Sapricius courageously replied:
- O ruler! We are Christians. Our King is Lord Jesus Christ. He is the One, True God, the Creator of the earth and the sea. Your gods are demons. May they perish! Your gods are the creations of human hands!
They tortured him for a long time and cruelly, but Saprikiy, even in suffering, said to the chief:
- You have power over my body, but not over my soul. My Lord Jesus Christ, who created my soul, He alone has power over it.
Seeing the inflexibility of Sapricius, he was condemned to death. But when the executioner was already leading him to the place of execution, Nikifor, hearing about this, ran and fell on his face before Saprikiy, crying out with tears:
- O martyr of Christ! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I have sinned against you!
But Sapricius, blinded by rage, again renounced reconciliation.
Blessed Nicephorus begged him for a long time, but in vain. And then the power of God and grace departed from the insane priest, and Sapricius suddenly lost heart and denied the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Oh, my beloved brother, - exclaimed Nicephorus, - do not do this! Do not lose the crown of heaven, which you have woven with many sufferings! Already the Heavenly Master is preparing to appear to you and reward you with eternal joy for temporary suffering and death.
But having hated his neighbor and for this he was abandoned by God, Sapricius continued to renounce. Then, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, Nicephorus turned to the pagans and said:
- I'm a Christian! I believe in Lord Jesus Christ and will not sacrifice to idols. I will accept execution instead of Sapricius.
Then, by order of the ruler, the apostate was released, and Nicephorus was beheaded. With exultation, his pure soul flew to the Lord and with all the holy martyrs appeared to the throne of God, to Him power and glory, honor and worship forever. Amen.

If possible on your part, be at peace with all people (Romans 12, 18).

If we do not dare to touch the holy object with unclean hands or come to the Divine service in unclean clothes, all the more so in impurity of the heart, i.e. in unrepentant enmity and hatred against our brother - we cannot offer a spiritual sacrifice for God, so that instead of forgiveness of sins we do not incur even greater anger and condemnation. Tears and repentance are a bath for the soul. Love and forgiveness is the path of reconciliation with God, the beginning and end of the path of salvation and perfection. Internal and external abstinence from sinful passions and lusts elevate a person to his former heritage, from which ancient Adam fell through negligence. But which, by the grace of God, is revealed to us again, if only we will vigilantly and diligently follow all the wise commandments of the Lord that lead us to eternal salvation.

“You have opened your deed by virtue; if you want to suffer, enter, girding yourself with the good deed of fasting. Just like those who are legally suffering, they are legally married. And take all the weapons of the cross, we will resist the enemy, like an inviolable wall holding faith, and like an armor prayer. And the helmet is alms. Instead of a sword, fasting, which cuts off all malice from the heart. Do this, the true one will receive a crown from all King Christ, on the Day of Judgment. (Lenten Triode ).

Forgiveness Sunday in folk traditions

This is how the 19th century writer and ethnographer describes the folk traditions of the "Forgiven" Sunday. S.V. Maximov.

The last day of Shrovetide is called "forgiven", and the peasants dedicate it to the zeal. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, a sad, Lenten message for Vespers is heard in the village bell tower, and, having heard it, the peasants who have walked around earnestly cross themselves and try to shake off the cheerful Shrovetide mood: little by little the crowded streets are empty, festive talk and noise subside, fights and games stop, rolling. In a word, the wide, drunken carnival stops abruptly and is replaced by Great Lent. The approach of fasting is also reflected in the spiritual mood of the peasants, awakening in them the thought of repentance and complete reconciliation with their neighbors. As soon as the church bells subside and Vespers goes off, relatives and neighbors begin to walk around the huts, asking each other for forgiveness. Low, to the very ground, the peasants bow to each other and say: "Forgive me, for Christ's sake, in what I have sinned against you." - "Forgive me too," - the same request is heard in response.

However, this beautiful custom, full of Christian humility, began to die out little by little. According to our correspondents, in some central provinces it almost does not exist, but in the forest provinces of the north, where customs are generally stable and strong, "farewell" is observed very strictly and there is even a special ritual for it. The newcomer asks for forgiveness, kneels near the door and, addressing the owners, says: "Forgive me with all your family, in which I have been rude to you this year." The owners and everyone in the hut answer: "God will forgive you and we will be right there." After that, those who came to say goodbye get up and the owners, kissing them, offer them food. And after an hour, the owners themselves go to say goodbye, and the whole rite, including refreshments, is done first.

So, migrating from the hut to the hut, they walk to the light, and, passing along the street, both men and women consider it their duty to shout: "Madam Shrovetide, stretch yourself!" or: "Wet-lipped Shrovetide, stretch yourself!"

As for the village youth, they either do not adhere to the custom of saying goodbye at all, or their farewell takes on a joking character. Here is what our Oryol correspondent reports on this score: guys and girls stand in a row and one of the guys comes up to the extreme with right side and says to him: "Forgive me, dear Ivan (or dear Daria), in what I have sinned before you." He (or that) answer: "God will forgive you and I will right there." After that, they kiss each other three times. This is how the whole row of farewell passes and stands to the side, the second goes to say goodbye to the first, and so on. When parting, of course, it is not without jokes.

A certain feature is the farewell in the family circle. This is how it happens in the Saratov province. The whole family sits down to dinner (and the last dish is necessarily served with scrambled eggs), and after dinner everyone prays fervently and then the youngest begins to bow to everyone in turn and, having received forgiveness, goes to the side. Behind him, in order of seniority, the next oldest member of the family begins to bow (but does not bow to the younger and does not ask for forgiveness from him), etc. The hostess bows to the last, and asks for forgiveness only from her husband, the head of the family does not bow to anyone.

Although the custom of asking forgiveness from relatives and neighbors, as has just been said, is noticeably falling out of use, but the custom of saying goodbye to the dead is extremely firmly adhered to. At least our correspondents unanimously testify that this kind of farewell has been preserved everywhere. The custom of going to the cemetery on the last day of Shrovetide is supported mainly by women. At four o'clock in the afternoon, they are in groups, at 10-12 people, with pancakes to the dead and trying not to say anything on the way. At the cemetery, each one looks for her own grave, kneels down and beats three bows, and with tears in her eyes, whispers: "Forgive me (name), forget everything that I was rude to you and hurt you." After praying, the women put pancakes on the grave (and sometimes they also put vodka) and go home as silently as they came. At the same time, it is considered a good sign if on the third day there are no pancakes or vodka left on the grave: this means that the deceased does not live badly in the next world and that he does not remember evil and is not angry with the one who brought the treat.

It's no secret that the Shrovetide week ends on Forgiveness Sunday. It is the topic of Forgiveness Sunday: how to ask for forgiveness, congratulations, poems for this day, the editors WANT decided to devote their material.

Assessment

***
Forgive us and God will forgive
Cheer up.
Let's get rid of grudges
On the day of general forgiveness.

Let spring sing in my soul
And the joy only multiplies.
Let the bells ring
And the heart is not worried.

***
I'm not at all shy
Ask for forgiveness
After all, if there is no offense
It's easier to live in the world.

Everyone this resurrection
Lord commanded to forgive
Do good and light
Illuminate our lives.

And if you suddenly offend
Happened to me you
I will sincerely say:
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry"

***
Forgiveness day, Sunday
Souls are asking for cleansing.
I ask you to forgive me
And do not accumulate resentment.

I sincerely congratulate everyone
I sincerely forgive everyone.
We will meet this day with love
Let him be pure and bright.

***
I sincerely apologize
For all the insults that sometimes
In everyday life she applied
Having no evil behind the soul.

I sincerely apologize
For all intentional evil
For everything that hurt your heart
And the grief brought.

Let our souls not suffer
Under the weight of petty grievances
Forgive me how I forgive
And may the Lord forgive us all.

***
Everyone needs to be forgiven today
And let go of resentment
So that it is easy and with a pure heart
We could give love.

If there was anything bad
You need to forget about everything.
And in harmony and peace
Then we will all live.

Let it be filled with love
Your heart is over the edge,
Your life will be like
To a wonderful kind paradise.

***
I want to obey you:
Sorry for the sadness of the past.
May the Forgiven day bring peace to hearts,
So that it becomes brighter in our souls,

So that there is less evil and sadness in the world,
So that we can easily look ahead,
Let's let go of the old grievances.
God is calling all of us to forgiveness today.

May God forgive our sins
And he will save souls from filth,
From all bad thoughts,
To direct the right one on the path!

I apologize today
After all, there is repentance in my heart,
Hope this Sunday
Everyone will forgive me for my deeds!