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

Great Lent is a time of repentance and spiritual cleansing, and it is wrong to enter it, holding a grudge against someone. On Forgiveness Sunday, forgive all your offenders and ask for forgiveness from those whom you offended, 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 their sins, then your Heavenly Father will forgive you; but if you do not forgive people their trespasses, then your Father will not forgive you your trespasses.”

How and from whom to ask for forgiveness on Forgiveness Sunday

Forgiveness Sunday is an occasion to forgive our offenders, to let go of insults, even the most terrible ones, to relieve anxiety and mental suffering, and also to clear our conscience and soul before those whom we have ever intentionally or accidentally offended.

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 your deeds and wholeheartedly try to forgive your offenders, having cleansed your soul.

You need to ask for forgiveness from people in front of whom you feel your appearance, whom you offended, with whom you quarreled, and it doesn’t matter at all who started the quarrel first. According to the rules, forgiveness must be asked out loud and in person, but in the absence of such an opportunity, you can simply call the person on the phone.

When asking for forgiveness from a person, you must definitely say: “God will forgive, forgive me,” and when forgiveness is asked from you - “God will forgive, and I forgive.”

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

To forgive an offense does not mean at all to forget the pain that was caused to you, but it indicates your readiness not to hold on to the fact that you were offended by evil, not to wish him retribution.

Often grievances cause a very strong injury 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 brushing it off, but sincerely, which means that the person feels some kind of guilt and wants to get forgiveness from you.

What not to do on Forgiveness Sunday-2019

This is the last day of Maslenitsa, 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 work physically on this day, unless in the kitchen the hostesses prepared various dishes from permitted products in order to start talking before a 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 the deceased relatives, pray for their souls. According to legend, on this day, the ancestors can hear your sincere words of repentance and forgive the wrongs done.

Congratulations on Forgiveness Sunday

Ask for forgiveness from your loved ones in poetry or prose:

Please forgive my mistakes

And phrases thrown in the heat of the moment.

Resentment instead of a friendly smile,

And the fact that I sometimes chop off my shoulder.

Forgive unjustified quarrels,

Misunderstanding in difficult times.

For all unnecessary words and disputes

I want to ask your forgiveness.

Forgive everyone I offended.

Maybe I don't know about it.

Maybe I didn't see my fault

But you forgive, and I forgive everyone!

Let your heart be warm, calm.

Down with all quarrels over nonsense!

Let evil, aggression and war perish!

And may God forgive us for all our sins!

***
I congratulate you on Forgiveness Sunday! Forgive me if I unwittingly offended you or hurt you. I want not a single dark thought or hidden resentment to overshadow our relationship! And I forgive you from the bottom of my heart and say that I do not hold a grudge against you for anything!

March 10 - Forgiveness Sunday 2019: video

To err is human, and Forgiveness Sunday is everyone's chance to receive forgiveness for all the misdeeds and sins committed unwittingly or knowingly over the past year.

And to meet with a pure soul Holy holiday Resurrection of Christ, you need to Forgiveness Sunday sincerely repent, and forgive, and be freed from the burden of insults before the start of Lent.

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

Forgiveness Sunday

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

The monks, according to legend, before the start of Lent, went one by one into the desert, where, following the example of Jesus Christ, they spent 40 days practically without food and water.

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

Forgiveness Sunday, as the clergy explain, is a 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 may be the measure of how the Lord will treat us.

And the beginning of this ancient church tradition put by Jesus Christ with the words about the need to forgive insults to your neighbor, which he uttered during the Sermon on the Mount.

“For if you forgive people their trespasses, then your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive people their trespasses, then your Father will not forgive you your trespasses,” 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 condescension, mercy, sympathy and love towards them, 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 the forgiveness of offenses.

On this day, they also remember the expulsion of Adam from Paradise, thus showing that a person, having voluntarily moved away from the church, like Adam, loses touch with the spiritual world.

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

According to tradition, 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 the temple, confess, repent of sins and take communion.

According to custom, people, asking mutual forgiveness, kissed three times. Hence the second name of the Forgiveness Sunday - "the kisser".

On this important day for every believer, according to tradition, it was the elders who first asked 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 king traveled around the troops, visited monasteries and asked for forgiveness from everyone, including soldiers and brethren.

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

According to tradition, all relatives gather for festive table and enjoy 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 swearing on Forgiveness Sunday was considered a great sin and could bring a lot of trouble, so people must find the strength in themselves to forgive those who offended them.

They ate on Forgiveness Sunday seven times (so many weeks are included in Great Lent), and after the last meal, leftover food was left on the table until the next day. Such a rite, according to people, provided the whole next year prosperity and well-being in the house.

Pancakes baked on Forgiveness Sunday had to be eaten with everything that allowed the family to unite and increase in numbers.

© photo: Sputnik / Evgenina Novozhenina

According to the weather on Forgiveness Sunday, they could predict what 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 on Forgiveness Sunday ask for forgiveness and forgive yourself. At the same time, you need to pronounce 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, Sergey Stefanov. Orthodox Christians call the last day before Lent Forgiveness Sunday. Since ancient times, on this day in Russia, believers ask each other for forgiveness and prepare to enter the “holy and great Forty Days” - the most strict 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 "cheesy Sunday". This word means "I omit the cheese" ("I leave"): Forgiveness Sunday is the last day of Maslenitsa, when it is allowed to eat fast food - eggs and dairy products.

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

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

“With the advent of Great Lent, we must begin another life, the time has come to mourn the sins we have committed. We repeated the path of Adam in the fall, but we still have 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, at the word "repentance" some people get the idea that these are "solid negative emotions" and the exact 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 commandment of God that 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 again go through fasting. True, now this abstinence is much more strict.

"I'm sorry!.."

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 to enter a fast, without which even complete abstinence from food will be considered, in legal terms, invalid: God will not accept it.

"In order to experience forgiveness, we must learn to forgive ourselves. It is precisely because we need forgiveness that we must learn to forgive other people. And the measure of how we treat others can be the 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.

Embodiing this call to forgiveness, vespers are served in churches and monasteries with a special "rite of forgiveness." 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 Passion Week, the week following it). Then, according to tradition, the clergy ask for forgiveness from everyone gathered in the church, and the laity - from the clergy and from each other.

"Forgive me" and "I forgive" believers say throughout the day to all their household members and acquaintances who have been annoyed with something or on 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, "free 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 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 did not return back: someone died of old age, someone could suffer misfortunes in the harsh deserted desert,” says Hieromonk Iriney (Pikovsky), a resident of the Sretensky Monastery. “Therefore, dispersing, the hermits, as before death, asked forgiveness from each other 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 reconcile 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 about the 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" - who did not show their neighbor any mercy.

However, as archpriest Vyacheslav Kharinov, teacher and confessor of the St. Petersburg Orthodox Theological Academy, explains, "the week of the Last Judgment" can inspire a person to become overly carried away by 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 Forgiveness puts everything in its place.

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

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

There are many examples of this in the lives of saints. One of the ancient church fathers, Anthony the Great, considered it indecent to do something good for himself before he did it to his neighbor. And the famous ascetic of the 20th century, Elder Silouan of Athos, 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 the farewell to Shrove Tuesday in the park of the Koltsovo science city in the Novosibirsk Region.

2 of 17

Maslenitsa symbolizes the turn of winter and spring, the last surge of a well-fed, cheerful life on the eve of a long Lenten abstinence. This year, Maslenitsa Week runs from February 12 to 18.
In the photo: participants in the festivities dedicated to the farewell to Shrove Tuesday in the park of the Koltsovo science city in the Novosibirsk Region.

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

3 out of 17

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

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

4 out of 17

In the old days, they believed that those who do not have fun 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 the artist Nikolai Polissky at the Maslenitsa celebration in the Nikola-Lenivets art park in the Kaluga region.

5 out of 17

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

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

7 out of 17

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

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In the photo: participants in the Maslenitsa celebrations in the park of the Koltsovo science city in the Novosibirsk Region.

8 out of 17

AT Western Europe the week before Lent was traditionally the time for carnivals. Eastern Christians did not have a carnival tradition as such, but it was believed that this is the time when a person, within reasonable limits, allows himself to relax.
In the photo: participants in the Maslenitsa celebrations 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 the farewell to the Wide Maslenitsa.

9 out of 17

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

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

10 out of 17

Thursday was called "revelry", or "breaking point". The middle of the Maslenitsa week was approaching, and on this day everyone danced, danced round dances, sang ditties, arranged fisticuffs.
In the photo: a participant in the Maslenitsa festivities in the park of the Koltsovo science city in the Novosibirsk Region.

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

11 out of 17

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

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

12 out of 17

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

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

14 out of 17

Fifth day of Maslenitsa - "Teschin's evening". There was a tradition according to which family people had to spend this day with their closest relatives. The main symbol of Maslenitsa 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 to Shrovetide in the park of the science city of Koltsovo in the Novosibirsk region.

15 out of 17

The sixth day of Shrovetide week was called "sister-in-law gatherings." Also on this day, an effigy of Maslenitsa was burned in the evening, saying goodbye to the holiday and preparing for Great Lent.
In the photo: the burning of an effigy during the festive festivities dedicated to the farewell to Shrovetide in the park of the science city of Koltsovo in the Novosibirsk region.

/ The seventh, final day of Shrovetide week - "seeing off", "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, having reconciled with everyone.
In the photo: visitors to the Shiroka Maslenitsa festive fair on the central square of Vladivostok.

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

Forgiveness Sunday. Worship and the "rite of forgiveness"

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

If you forgive people their sins, then your Heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive people their trespasses, then your Father will not forgive you your trespasses (Matthew 6:14-15)

This is the basis of the custom of Orthodox Christians on the last Sunday before fasting to ask for forgiveness from each other, which is why this very day is usually called by the people. forgiveness resurrection. It has long been customary on this day to ask for forgiveness, to put up and forgive the offenses inflicted, in order to proceed with a pure soul to the spiritual exploits of Great Lent, before the priest one's sins and take communion. For what is fasting, kneeling, and other bodily labors by which we subdue 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 is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, mercy, faith, meekness, temperance (Cor. 5:22-23).

But just as fruits cannot grow on their own, without a root and a tree that feed them, so the spiritual fruit is the result of many years of feat of abstinence and cutting off carnal lusts in order to purify the heart and soul and make them worthy of receiving God's grace.

Usually in Old Believer churches on Forgiveness Sunday, a service is performed in the evening - Vespers and Companion. After that, it takes place rite of mutual forgiveness when the parishioners earthly bow to the rector, asking for forgiveness and blessings for Great Lent. Likewise, believers bow to each other with the words:

Forgive me for 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 Maslenitsa, Russians visit each other, kiss, say goodbye, make peace if they offended one another in word or deed, meeting even on the street - at least they have never seen each other before - they kiss, saying: “Forgive me, please”, the other answers: “ God will forgive you, and you forgive me."

It is known that the “rite of forgiveness” of the Grand Dukes and Tsars of Moscow included visiting 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 king asked for forgiveness and blessings from the patriarch, said goodbye to his courtiers. It was also customary on this day to give freedom to prisoners.

The whole fortecost (the time from Monday of the first week of fasting to Friday of the sixth week inclusive) is the expectation of the day of Easter and preparation for it. Here is how it is said about this in the verse, which is sung on the evening of Forgiveness Sunday:

PThe 0st time is light, the beginning is 1m, in the advancement of the soul and the body. post1msz ћkozhe in the food, si1ce and 3 t vsskіz passions, nourishing virtues d¦a. in the future, let us remain in love2, but let us all2 see the all-honourable faith of hell bga, and 3 happy Easter, joyful.

Poetic and full of deep meaning, the Church Slavonic text of this stichera strengthens those who pray, teaches them that fasting is a joyful time. This prayer can be translated into Russian in the following words:

Let us begin the time of fasting lightly, joyfully, prompting ourselves to spiritual exploits, and purify our soul and body. Let us fast not only from food (refraining from food), but also from passions, feeding on the virtues of the Spirit. With love, let us perfect ourselves in virtues so that we can all be vouchsafed to see the Passion of Christ and celebrate Holy Pascha with spiritual joy.

Soulful teaching on Forgiveness Sunday

Love and forgiveness of mutual offenses are the main commandments in Christianity, without the fulfillment of which none of our good deeds can be pleasing before 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 (Mt. 5 , 24-25).

The venerable fathers call the fast of the Holy Lent spiritual tithe which we offer as a sacrifice to God, devoting this time to pure abstinence and prayer.

While we live on earth, our soul and body are inseparable from each other. If we are Christians, we must dedicate both 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 of a young monk who walked through the city to the tavern 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 old man exclaimed in sorrow:

I have been living 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 is the feat and labor at the beginning of those who approach God in silence and silence; and then - unspeakable joy. Just as those who want to kindle a fire first endure smoke and shed tears, and in no other way achieve the desired goal; so those who wish to kindle the Divine fire in themselves must kindle it with tears and labors, with stillness and silence” (Meterikon).

When we undertake to weed our field in the summer, at first the work, as they say, “frightens the eyes”, but slowly, step by step, with difficulty and bows, 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 later on. Easily and joyfully we turn back when we see our noble plantings perked up, cleansed. It is easy and joyful for us to collect the fruits at the end of long-term painstaking work. So is fasting time: before the beginning it seems painful and uncomfortable, but gradually, day after day, freeing our soul from sinful thorns, we already notice some relief in the feat. A special joy is the bright Easter day, which we meet with a sense of accomplishment for the sake of the good labors and efforts endured.

Reasonable and moderate fasting is called by the holy fathers the basis and affirmation for all virtues. On Forgiveness Sunday, we remember Adam's expulsion from Paradise of sweetness, which was the result of intemperance and violation of the commandment of fasting, established for primitive man. Therefore, just as we lost incorruption and purity through intemperance from forbidden food, we are regaining them in an equal way, restricting our bodily needs in order to strengthen and affirm the soul for prayer and contemplation.

“Do not be deceived, you cannot free yourself from the mental pharaoh, nor see the Easter Passover, if you do not always eat bitter potion and unleavened bread. Bitter potion is the compulsion and patience of fasting, and unleavened bread is unpuffed-up wisdom. May this word of the psalmist unite with your breath:<бесы>I am cold, put on sackcloth and humble my soul with fasting, and my prayer is in the bosom<души моей>will return (Ps. 34:13).

Fasting is the violence of nature, the rejection of everything that pleases the taste, the extinguishing of bodily kindling, the extermination of evil thoughts, the liberation from bad dreams, the purity of prayer, the luminary of the soul, the preservation of the mind, the extermination of insensitivity of the heart, the door of compunction, a humble sigh, joyful contrition, the retention of verbosity, the cause of silence, the guardian of obedience, the relief of sleep, the health of the body, the cause of dispassion, the resolution of sins, the gates of Paradise and heavenly pleasure ”(“ The Ladder ”, word 14).

Here we see the way and example first of all from our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He fasted for forty days in the wilderness, leaving an image for us to imitate Him without a doubt and walk in His footsteps. And the great saints and prophets of God, who were rewarded with special high revelations and grace - Moses, Elijah, Daniel, also went through a forty-day fasting field. 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, at the same time we preserve gentleness, prudence and other virtues, without which all our deeds cannot be saving and pleasing to God.

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

Our true spiritual treasure is to be partakers of the eternal Paschal joy that the Lord has prepared for those who love Him. A bodily fast also presupposes a spiritual fast, i.e. to take special care of your inner man, behind the movements of the heart and soul. The holy fathers compare a fasting and silent person who harbors in his heart remembrance and condemnation of his neighbors with a poisonous asp hiding in its hole. If we say “forgive,” but we ourselves do not forgive, if only for the sake of ostentatious vanity we bow to the brother who offended us, and, stepping aside, we are again darkened with anger, then in vain we watch and fast, for the devil himself never eats and never does not sleep, but does not cease from this to be the devil. The heart of an angry and angry person is the home and haven of crafty 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.

“Quick and strict judges of the sins of their neighbor are ill with this passion because they do not have a perfect and constant memory and care for their sins. For if a person saw his evil deeds exactly, without a veil of self-love, then he would no longer worry about anything else related to earthly life, thinking that he would not have enough time to mourn for himself, even if he were a hundred years old. He lived for years and at least saw a whole Jordan of tears flowing from his eyes. I watched the weeping of true repentance and did not find in it a trace of slander or condemnation” (“Ladder”, word 10).

Just as wasps and flies swoop in on sweet things, so the evil spirit rushes against every virtue in order to mix something harmful with it and turn back the salvific undertaking. Lenten abstinence was established for us by the holy fathers so that with a lightened soul we would acquire love and humility, meekness and mercy towards our neighbors. On the contrary, crafty spirits try to puff up the heart of the fasting person with vanity and arrogance and teach him to despise his weakest brethren. A selfish person is always prone to harsh and harsh reproofs, but one who speaks to a brother in love will talk about the matter as if talking about his own weakness, and, no doubt, will achieve a better result. For it is known that a cruel and insulting word can confuse a good person and move him to anger, while a good word spoken with meekness is really powerful in correcting evil in any person and instructing him to virtue.

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

Whether we fast, whether we watch, whether we make many prostrations and otherwise humble our body, we must always remember that this is not an “end in itself”, but only a means to achieve the true goal: peace and purification of the soul. That even supernatural bodily asceticism will not bring us any benefit if we do not at the same time keep our first commandment about love for God and neighbor. When we live in a large family, we love all our household members, we endure and resign ourselves to their infirmities, endure the troubles and annoyances that they cause us, we always think how to support and comfort them. But we should have a similar 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 slander and insults, when, having endured humiliation from a neighbor, we ache with our souls not about ourselves, but about our offender, and sincerely want to help him and calm him down.

Creation of Adam and Eve. The first people stand before the Lord. Exile from Paradise. Lamentation for Paradise Lost. Fragment of the northern door of the iconostasis. Central Russia. First half of the 18th century

“Forgive” is a word of love and comfort, when, having reconciled with a brother, we hope for forgiveness of 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 hidden hatred in the heart has no reasonable justification for itself. And it destroys all our labors and deeds, forever separating us from God's grace, for “The Holy Spirit does not live where there is anger” (Nikon Chernogorets).

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

Two friends lived in the city of Antioch - the priest Saprikios and the layman Nikifor, who loved each other in the Lord. But the devil envied their unfeigned love and sowed enmity between them. And this enmity flared up so much that if they even met on the street, they fled in different directions, blinded by demonic malice. And so both of them - Saprikios and Nikifor, having forgotten about the law of Christ, rushed to eternal death.
But over time, the layman Nicephorus repented of his anger at Priest Saprikios and began to ask his forgiveness. Three times he sent his friends and neighbors to him, considering himself a sinner and unworthy to approach the offended priest, and three times Saprikiy refused to reconcile. Finally Nicephorus made up his mind and fell at the feet of his former friend with words:
- Forgive me, father, for God's sake forgive me!
But Saprikios again did not want to reconcile with the humble Nicephorus, for Satan took possession of his heart.
At that time there was a terrible persecution of Christians, and Saprikios was brought to the judgment seat. The ruler demanded that he make sacrifices to the idols, but Saprikiy courageously replied:
- O ruler! We are Christians. Our King is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the One, True God, the Creator of the earth and the sea. Your gods are demons. Let them die! 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 Saprikios, he was condemned to death. But when the executioner was already leading him to the place of execution, Nikephoros, hearing about this, ran and fell on his face before Saprikios, crying out with tears:
- Oh martyr of Christ! Forgive me, forgive me! I have sinned against you!
But Saprikios, blinded by malice, 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 Saprikios suddenly lost heart and renounced the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Oh, my beloved brother, - Nikifor exclaimed, - do not do this! Do not lose the crown of heaven, which you wove with many sufferings! Now the Heavenly Lord 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 abandoned by God, Saprikiy continued to renounce. Then, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, Nicephorus turned to the pagans and said:
- I'm a Christian! I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and will not sacrifice to idols. I will take the execution instead of Saprikios.
Then, by order of the ruler, the apostate was released, and Nicephorus was beheaded. With his jubilation, his pure soul flew away to the Lord and, with all the holy martyrs, appeared before the throne of God, to Him is power and glory, honor and worship forever. Amen.

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

If we do not dare to touch the shrine with unclean hands or come to the Divine service in unclean clothes, all the more so in impure 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 would 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 desires elevate a person to the former property, from which ancient Adam fell due to negligence. But which, by the grace of God, is again revealed to us, if only we vigilantly and diligently follow all the wise commandments of the Lord, leading us to eternal salvation.

“The feat of virtue was opened, those who want to suffer enter, girded with the good feat of fasting. Those who are legally suffering are legally married. And we will take up all the weapons of the cross, we will resist the enemy, like an indestructible wall holding faith, and like an armor of prayer. And a helmet of alms. Instead of a sword, fasting cuts off all malice from the heart. Do this, the true one will receive a crown, from all the King Christ, on the Day of Judgment. ( Triode Lenten ).

Forgiveness Sunday in folk traditions

Here is how it describes folk traditions"Forgiveness" Sunday writer and ethnographer of the XIX century. S.V. Maksimov.

The last day of Shrovetide is called "forgiven", and the peasants dedicate it with a charm. At 4 o’clock in the afternoon, a sad, Lenten Annunciation for Vespers is heard in the rural bell tower, and, having heard it, the peasants who have been spree earnestly cross themselves and try to shake off the merry Shrovetide mood: the crowded streets are emptying little by little, the festive conversation and noise subsides, fights, games stop, skating. In a word, the wide, drunken Maslenitsa abruptly stops and Great Lent comes to replace it. 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 stop and vespers depart, relatives and neighbors begin to walk around the huts, asking each other for forgiveness. The peasants bow down to the very ground and say: "Forgive me, for Christ's sake, in which 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 no longer exists, 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 visitor asks for forgiveness, kneels near the door and, turning to the hosts, 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, having kissed with them, offer them refreshments. And after some hour, the owners themselves go to say goodbye, and the whole ceremony, including the treat, is done from the beginning.

So, moving from hut to hut, they walk until the light, and, passing along the street, both men and women consider it a duty to shout with all their might: “Madame Shrove Tuesday, stretch!” or: “Wet-lipped carnival, stretch!”

As for the village youth, they either do not adhere to the custom of saying goodbye at all, or their parting takes on a playful character. Here is what our Oryol correspondent reports on this matter: the 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 which I have sinned before you." He (or she) answers: "God will forgive you and I will immediately." After that, they kiss each other three times. So the whole row passes by and stands to the side, the second goes to say goodbye to the first, etc. When parting, of course, it is not without jokes.

Some feature is parting in the family circle. This is how it happens in the Saratov province. The whole family sits down for dinner (and the last dish is necessarily served with scrambled eggs), and after dinner everyone prays earnestly, 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 youngest and does not ask for forgiveness from him), etc. The hostess bows last, and asks for forgiveness only from her husband, but the head of the family does not bow to anyone.

Although the custom of asking for forgiveness from relatives and neighbors, as has just been said, is noticeably falling into disuse, the custom of saying goodbye to the dead is extremely firmly held. 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 Shrove Tuesday is supported mainly by women. At four o'clock in the afternoon they go in groups of 10-12 with pancakes to the dead and try not to say anything along the way. At the cemetery, each one looks for her own grave, kneels down and bows three times, and with tears in her eyes, whispers: “Forgive me (name), forget everything that I have rude and harmed 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 lives in the next world not badly and that he does not remember evil and is not angry at the one who brought the treat.

It's no secret that Shrove Tuesday ends with Forgiveness Sunday. It is precisely the topic of Forgiveness Sunday: how to ask for forgiveness, congratulations, poems for this day that the editors of I WANT decided to devote their material.

Grade

***
Forgive us and God will forgive
Will cheer you up.
Let's get rid of resentment
On the day of forgiveness.

Let spring sing in my heart
And the joy only grows.
Let the bells ring
And the heart does not worry.

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

Everyone this Sunday
The Lord commanded to forgive
Do good and light
Light up our life.

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

***
On the day of forgiveness, on Sunday,
They ask for cleansing souls.
I ask you to forgive me
And do not accumulate resentment.

I heartily congratulate everyone,
I sincerely forgive everyone.
Let's meet this day with love
May it be pure and bright.

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

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

May our souls not suffer
Under the weight of petty insults,
Forgive me as 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 bow before you:
I'm sorry for the disappointments of the past days.
May the day bring Forgiven peace to hearts,
To make our soul brighter,

To become less evil and sadness in the world,
So that we can easily look ahead,
Let's let go of old grudges.
God calls us all to forgiveness today.

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

I ask for forgiveness today
Cause there's repentance in my heart
I hope this Sunday
Everyone will forgive my deeds!