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Exaltation is one of the great church events. To avoid troubles and failures, follow the traditions and signs of the holiday.
Every year on September 27, the Orthodox Church remembers an event that happened many years ago in Jerusalem - the miraculous discovery of the Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified.
In addition to the Exaltation of the Cross, this day is also celebrated folk holiday- the end of Indian summer, or the Third Autumn. Therefore, many traditions and signs of the holiday are not only religious, but also folk in nature.
Traditions of the Exaltation of the Cross
Like any other church holiday, main tradition on the Exaltation is visiting temples and churches, listening to divine liturgies. It takes place in many cities religious procession. On this day they prayed for the healing of loved ones, for a rich harvest in next year, asked for deliverance from sins.
The cross is a special Orthodox relic symbolizing suffering. Therefore, strict fasting should be observed on this day. Previously, it was believed that God punishes the one who neglects this tradition with seven sins, and removes seven sins from the one who did not taste the humble food.
It was believed that prayers on this day have special power. If you sincerely pray or ask for something on this day, it will definitely be fulfilled.
It was forbidden to serve any meat dishes on the table on this holiday. It was believed that a person who tasted the meat of a killed animal on this day killed all the prayers he said.
According to folk traditions, On September 27 it was forbidden to go into the forest. It was believed that on this day the Leshy walks through the forest and counts all the forest inhabitants, and if a person gets in his way, the traveler will not find the way back from the forest.
The cross symbolizes divine protection. In ancient times, those who wanted to protect their home and their loved ones painted a cross on the door of their home on September 27th. This tradition still exists today.
For peasants, this day was considered the final end of Indian summer and the onset of autumn. By this time, all matters related to agriculture should be completed.
Signs for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Signs were very important on this day both for believers and for those who are far from religion. And many random things acquired sacred meaning.
September 27 is the last day of Indian summer. It was believed that autumn was beginning to move towards winter.
In Rus', on this day they celebrated a national holiday - cabbage. Women who served cabbage pies were considered good housewives. Young girls and boys gathered on this day for festivities, the girls set the table, and the boys chose their brides.
On September 27, many signs foreshadowed the onset of cold weather: birds flew south, bears lay down in a den, and snakes hid in a hole.
Believers always attach spiritual meaning to Orthodox holidays. The Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord is equal to Easter and the Nativity of Christ for Christians special meaning. If you also honor this great event, do not forget to observe the traditions and signs of the holiday, and then happiness will not bypass you. Peace to you and your home, and don't forget to press the buttons and
25.09.2017 07:19
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Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord
A holiday that the Orthodox Church celebrates on September 27. On this day, believers remember how in 326 the Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified was miraculously found in Jerusalem. We will talk about the events, meaning and traditions of the Exaltation of the Cross.
What is the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
The full name of the holiday is the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-giving Cross The Lord's. On this day, Orthodox Christians remember two events.
As he says Sacred Tradition, The Cross was found in 326 in Jerusalem. This happened near Mount Golgotha, where the Savior was crucified.
And the second event is the return of the Life-Giving Cross from Persia, where it was in captivity. In the 7th century, it was returned to Jerusalem by the Greek Emperor Heraclius.
Both events were united by the fact that the Cross was erected in front of the people, that is, raised. At the same time, they turned it to all directions of the world in turn, so that people could bow to it and share with each other the joy of finding a shrine.
The Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord is the twelfth holiday. The twelfth holidays are dogmatically closely connected with the events of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Mother of God and are divided into the Lord's (dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ) and the Theotokos (dedicated to Mother of God). The Exaltation of the Cross is the Lord's holiday.
When is the Exaltation of the Holy Cross celebrated?
The Russian Orthodox Church remembers the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 27 according to the new style (September 14 according to the old style).
This holiday has one day of pre-feast and seven days of post-feast. Forefeast - one or several days before a major holiday, the services of which already include prayers dedicated to the upcoming celebrated event. Accordingly, after-feasts are the same days after the holiday.
The holiday is celebrated on October 4th. The celebration of the holiday is the last day of some important Orthodox holidays, celebrated with a special service, more solemn than on ordinary days of post-feast.
What can you eat on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross?
On this day, Orthodox Christians observe strict fasting. You cannot eat meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. Food can only be seasoned with vegetable oil.
Events of the Exaltation of the Cross
We find a description of the events of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, which occurred in the 4th century, in some Christian historians, for example, Eusebius and Theodoret.
In 326, Emperor Constantine the Great decided to find the lost shrine - the Cross of the Lord - at any cost. Together with his mother, Queen Helena, he went on a campaign to the Holy Land.
It was decided to carry out the excavations near Golgotha, since the Jews had a custom of burying the instruments of execution near the place where it was carried out. And, indeed, in the ground they found three crosses, nails and a board that was nailed above the head of the crucified Savior. As Tradition says, a sick man touched one of the crosses and was healed. This is how Emperor Constantine and Queen Helen found out which of the crosses was the one. They bowed to the shrine, and then Patriarch Macarius of Jerusalem began to show it to the people. To do this, he stood on a dais and raised (“erected”) the Cross. People worshiped the Cross and prayed: “Lord, have mercy!”
In the 7th century, the memory of the discovery of the Holy Cross was combined with another memory - the return of the Tree of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord from Persian captivity.
In 614, the Persian king conquered Jerusalem and plundered it. Among other treasures, he took to Persia the Tree of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. The shrine remained with foreigners for fourteen years. Only in 628 did Emperor Heraclius defeat the Persians, make peace with them and return the Cross to Jerusalem.
How it developed further fate shrines, historians do not know for sure. Some say that the Cross was in Jerusalem until 1245. Someone who was divided into pieces and carried around the world.
Now part of the Holy Cross rests in a reliquary in the altar of the Greek Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem.
History of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
As Tradition says, the Cross of the Lord was found before the holiday of Easter, Easter Christ's Resurrection. Therefore, the Exaltation of the Cross was first celebrated on the second day of Easter.
In 335, the Church of the Resurrection of Christ was consecrated in Jerusalem. This happened on September 13th. In honor of this, the Feast of the Exaltation was moved to September 14 (old style; new style - September 27). The bishops who came to the consecration from all over the Roman Empire told about the new holiday to the entire Christian world.
Worship of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
On the day of the Exaltation of the Cross it is necessary to perform All-night vigil and Liturgy. But now they rarely serve all night long, so the central point is the festive divine service on the eve of the holiday - a vigil.
The Exaltation is the Twelfth Feast of the Lord (dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ). Therefore, its service does not connect to any other service. For example, the memory of John Chrysostom is postponed to another day.
It is interesting that during Matins for the Exaltation of the Cross the Gospel is read not in the middle of the church, but in the altar.
The climax of the holiday is when the leading priest or bishop, dressed in purple vestments, carries out the Cross. All those praying in the temple kiss the shrine, and the primate anoints them with holy oil. During the general veneration of the Cross, the troparion is sung: “We worship Your Cross, O Master, and holy resurrection We praise yours."
The cross lies on the lectern until October 4 - the day of the Exaltation. At the offering, the priest takes the cross to the altar.
Prayers for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Troparion of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Save, Lord, Your people and bless Your inheritance, victories Orthodox Christian granting to the resistance and preserving Your residence through Your Cross.
Translation:
Save, O Lord, Your people and bless Your inheritance, granting victories to the faithful over their enemies and preserving Your people through Your Cross.
Kontakion of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Having ascended to the Cross by will, grant Thy bounty to Thy new residence, O Christ our God, Thy faithful people rejoice in Thy power, giving us victories as counterparts, aid to those who have Thy weapon of peace, invincible victory.
Translation:
Ascended to the Cross voluntarily, grant Thy mercy to the new people named after You, O Christ God; Make your faithful people glad with Your power, giving us victories over our enemies, who have from You the weapon of peace, an invincible victory.
The Greatness of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
We magnify You, Life-Giving Christ, and honor Your Holy Cross, through which You saved us from the work of the enemy.
Prayers to the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord
First prayer
Be the Honest Cross, guardian of soul and body: in your image, casting down demons, driving away enemies, exercising passions and giving us reverence, life, and strength, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit and the honest prayers of the Most Pure Mother of God. Amen.
Second prayer
O Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! In ancient times you were a shameful instrument of execution, but now you are a sign of our salvation, ever revered and glorified! How worthily can I, the unworthy, sing to You and how dare I bend the knees of my heart before my Redeemer, confessing my sins! But the mercy and ineffable love for mankind of the humble Boldness crucified upon you gives me, so that I may open my mouth to glorify You; For this reason I cry to Ti: Rejoice, Cross, the Church of Christ is the beauty and foundation, the whole universe is the affirmation, all Christians are the hope, kings are the power, the faithful are refuge, Angels are glory and praise, demons are fear, destruction and driving away, the wicked and infidels - shame, the righteous - pleasure, those burdened - weakness, those overwhelmed - refuge, those who are lost - a mentor, those possessed by passions - repentance, the poor - enrichment, those floating - a pilot, the weak - strength, in battle - victory and conquest, the orphans - faithful protection, widows - intercessor, virgins - protection of chastity, hopeless - hope, sick - a doctor and the dead - resurrection! You, typified by the miraculous rod of Moses, are a life-giving source, watering those thirsty for spiritual life and delighting our sorrows; You are the bed on which the Risen Conqueror of Hell rested royally for three days. For this reason, morning, evening, and noon, I glorify Thee, blessed Tree, and I pray by the will of the One who has been crucified on Thee, may He enlighten and strengthen my mind with Thee, may He open in my heart a source of more perfect love and may all my deeds and paths be overshadowed by Thee May I take out and magnify Him who is Nailed to You, for my sin, the Lord my Savior. Amen.
Icon of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
The most common plot of the icon of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross developed in Russian icon painting in the 15th-16th centuries. The icon painter depicts a large crowd of people against the backdrop of a single-domed temple. In the center on the pulpit stands the Patriarch with the Cross raised above his head. The deacons support him by the arms. The cross is decorated with plant branches. In the foreground are the saints and everyone who came to worship the shrine. On the right are the figures of Tsar Constantine and Queen Helena.
Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh. Sermon on the Day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Today we worship the cross of the Lord with awe and gratitude. Just like two thousand years ago, the Cross of the Lord remains a temptation for some, and madness for others, but for us, who believe and are saved by the Cross of the Lord, it is power, it is the glory of the Lord.
The Cross of the Lord is trembling: it is an instrument of cruel, painful death. The very horror that grips us when we look at its instrument should teach us the measure of the Lord’s love. The Lord loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son to save the world. And this world, after the incarnation of the Word of God, after the life of Christ on earth, after He proclaimed the Divine teaching in the hearing of all nations, and after He confirmed and proved the preaching of love by death without malice, a death in which no one was mixed one moment of resistance, revenge, bitterness - after all this our world is no longer the same. His fate does not pass tragically, horribly and painfully before God's judgment, because God Himself entered into this destiny of the world, because this destiny of ours today has bound God and man together.
And the Cross tells us how dear man is to God and how expensive this love is. Love can only be answered with love; love cannot be repaid with anything else.
And now we are faced with a question, a question of conscience for now, which in due time will become a question that the Lord Last Judgment He will set before us when He stands before us not only in His glory, but He stands before us wounded for our sins. For the Judge who will stand before us is the same Lord who gave His life for each of us. What will we answer? Do we really have to answer the Lord that His death was in vain, that His Cross was not needed, that when we saw how much the Lord loves us, we did not have enough love in return, and we answered Him that we prefer to walk in darkness, that we prefer be guided by our passions, our lusts, which is dearer to us wide road peace than the narrow path of the Lord?.. While we live on earth, we can deceive ourselves that there is still time. But this is not true - time is terribly short. Our life can be cut short in an instant, and then our standing before the judgment of the Lord will begin, then it will be too late. And now there is time: there is time only if we turn every moment of our life into love; only if we turn every moment of life into love for God and love for every person, whether we like him or not, whether he is close to us or not, only then will our soul have time to mature to meet the Lord.
Let's look at the Cross. If someone close to us died for us and because of us, wouldn’t our soul be shaken to its very depths? Wouldn't we change? And so: the Lord has died - will we really remain indifferent? Let us bow to the Cross, but let us bow not only for a moment: let us bow down, bow under this Cross, take, to the best of our ability, this Cross on our shoulders, and let us follow Christ, Who gave us an example, as He Himself says, for us to follow Him . And then we will unite with Him in love, then we will come to life by the terrible Cross of the Lord, and then He will not stand in front of us, condemning us, but saving us and leading us into endless, triumphant, victorious joy eternal life. Amen.
Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Altufyevo
Temple address: Moscow, Altufevskoe highway, building 147.
The old church was built at the expense of I.I. Velyaminov in 1760-1763, because the previously existing stone church in the name of Sophia and her daughters Vera, Nadezhda and Lyubov, which previously existed on this place, “... and from this dilapidation everything was dispersed...”. New Temple was with a bell tower. IN late XVIII century it was rebuilt.
The temple was closed only for a short time during the Great Patriotic War. Shrines - especially revered icons: a copy of the Kazan image of the Mother of God and the Venerable Macarius of Zheltovodsk (she miraculously appeared at the well of a preserved spring on the border of the villages of Altufyeva, Bibireva and Medvedkova).
Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on Chisty Vrazhek
Temple address: Moscow. 1st Truzhenikov lane, house 8, building 3.
The temple was founded in 1640 at the beginning of a deep ravine on the left bank of the Moscow River.
It took 18 years to build a stone temple on the site of a wooden one. The main altar was consecrated in 1658.
In 1701, the stone temple was rebuilt for the first time. The composition of the church continued the traditions of townsman construction in the 17th century. The volume of the building may have preserved parts of the walls of the previous brick church, built in 1658, when the territory between Plyushchikha Street and the river was occupied by settlements that belonged to the Rostov bishop's house.
Over the course of two centuries, the temple was constantly rebuilt; it acquired its current appearance in 1894-1895. Most of the parishioners of the temple on what was then the outskirts of the city were domestic servants, artisans, and soldiers. However, representatives of the famous noble families of the Musins-Pushkins, Sheremetevs, and Dolgorukis also belonged to the parish. On May 25, 1901, A.P. Chekhov got married here.
In 1918, the temple began to be plundered. The authorities removed more than 400 pounds of silver utensils from here.
In the 1920s, I performed in the temple more than once. Divine Liturgy Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow. He also served here and was shot in December 1937 at the Butovo training ground.
In 1930, the temple was closed, and the rector, Archpriest Nikolai Saryevsky, was exiled. The dome and bell tower were broken, the almshouse and the clergy house were demolished, and a dormitory was built in the church premises. The wall painting was painted over, and when it began to show through the whitewash, it was knocked down. But 70% of the painting survived. By the end of 2000, after the return of the Church and a long restoration, the building again took on its former architectural appearance.
Vozdvizhenka - street in Moscow
Vozdvizhenka is a street between Mokhovaya and Arbat Gate Square. At the end of the 13th - beginning of the 14th centuries, the road to Volokolamsk and Novgorod ran along it. In the middle of the 14th century, Vozdvizhenka was part of the trade road to Smolensk. In the 15th - first half of the 17th centuries, the street was called Orbata (probably from the Arabic “rabad” - suburb).
In 1493, the beginning of the street near the Kremlin wall was cleared for 110 fathoms; in the 16th century, the St. Nicholas Church in Sapozhka (demolished in 1838) and small private courtyards already stood in the cleared place. First mentioned in 1547 Holy Cross Monastery. It was he who gave the street a new name. In 1812, the monastery was destroyed by Napoleonic army. In 1814, the monastery was abolished, and its cathedral church was turned into a parish church.
In 1935, Vozdvizhenka was renamed Comintern Street, and in 1946 - Kalinin Street. In 1963-90 it became part of Kalinin Avenue. Now the street has returned its historical name.
Holy Cross Monastery
The Holy Cross Monastery was located in Moscow, in the White City, on Vozdvizhenka Street. The original name was the Monastery of the Exaltation of the Honest Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, which is on the Island. It was built no later than 1547.
During Napoleon's invasion, the monastery was plundered by invaders. In 1814 it was abolished, and the cathedral church was turned into a parish church. The Church of the Exaltation of the Cross was closed after 1929, and in 1934 it was demolished. A Metrostroy mine was built on the site of the church. The priest of this temple, Alexander Sidorov, was arrested in 1931. He died in a concentration camp in Kemi.
Folk traditions of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross
In Rus', the holiday of the Exaltation of the Honest Life-Giving Cross of the Lord combined church and folk traditions.
On this day, peasants painted crosses on the doors of their houses and placed small wooden crosses in the manger for cows and horses. If there was no cross, it was replaced by crossed rowan branches.
September 27 was also called the third Osenin or Stavrov day. It was the final day of Indian summer, the third and last meeting of autumn. “It’s Exaltation in the yard, the last hay from the field is moving, the last cart is in a hurry to the threshing floor!” “On Vozdvizhenye, the fur coat follows the caftan!” “On Vozdvizhenye the coat and fur coat will move!” “For the Exaltation, he will take off his caftan and put on a fur coat!” “Exaltation - the last cart has moved from the field, and the bird has taken flight!”
The day was fast: “Whoever fasts on the Exaltation will have his seven sins forgiven,” “Even if the Exaltation happens on a Sunday, everything will be on it - Friday-Wednesday, Lenten food!”, “Whoever does not fast on the Exaltation - the Cross of Christ - will have seven sins will rise up!
The Feast of the Exaltation was also called "cabbage". “Be smart, woman, about cabbage - the Updating has come!”, “It’s cabbage uplift, it’s time to chop the cabbage!”, “Then chop the cabbage from the Updating!”, “A good man has pies with cabbage on the Updating Day!”, “On Vzdvizhenie, the first lady is cabbage!” They also said: “Neither Vozdvizhenskaya nor Annunciation cabbage is affected by frost!” Young people organized “Capusten evenings”; they lasted two weeks.
Sayings about the Exaltation of the Cross
All sayings and proverbs dedicated to the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross are devoted to the theme of the approaching autumn or strict fast on this day. For example: “Even if the Exaltation falls on Sunday, everything on it is Friday-Wednesday, Lenten food!”, “Whoever does not fast the Exaltation – the Cross of Christ – will be charged with seven sins!”, or: “Be aware, woman, about cabbage “The Exaltation has come!”, “At the Exaltation, the caftan and fur coat moved, and the hat pulled down.”
Signs which are also associated with this holiday, like any other superstitions, have nothing to do with church doctrine and are condemned by the Church.
: what you can’t, and what you can and definitely need to do on this holiday. The Exaltation of the Holy Cross is a great day in church calendar. It is always celebrated on September 27th. This holiday has its own history, traditions and customs. Moreover, like any church holiday, The Exaltation of the Holy Cross has some prohibitions. And there are also things that every Christian should do on this bright day.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 27, 2017: what can and definitely should be done on this holiday. It is quite obvious that the main thing that any believer needs to do on September 27 is to go to church.
The solemn liturgy begins at night and ends in the morning with the removal of the Cross. Every person who comes to the temple on this holiday certainly wants to worship the shrine.
On this day you need to spend as much time as possible in prayer. You can get together with your family for a family dinner. However, all dishes must be lean. Pray, congratulate each other, thank the Lord and wish everyone health.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 27, 2017: what not to do on this holiday.
On this day you cannot do household chores. Set aside all your daily chores to spend more time in prayer. You cannot have lavish feasts or consume meat or alcohol. You cannot participate in entertainment events, spend time idly, and also refuse to watch entertainment programs on television.
Spend this day in reflection, analyze your life, think about whether you are doing everything right.
Happy holiday to you!
IN lately The holiday of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is becoming increasingly popular, because it is considered one of the most important among the twelve main holidays Orthodox Church. It is celebrated on September 27. Ancient traditions are increasingly revered by the younger generation, so this article will examine not only the main signs of such a holiday, but also its history and significance. In any case, before celebrating anything, it’s worth understanding where it came from and how it was all treated in ancient times.
First memory of the holiday
According to legend, the Day of the Exaltation of the Lord's Cross arose precisely when queen equal to the apostles Helen found the Cross. It was on it that Jesus Christ was crucified. All this happened at the request of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Tsar Constantine, who planned to start building temples of God on various sacred Christian places in Palestine. The place was not chosen by chance, because it was here that the Lord Jesus Christ was born, suffered and rose again.
Search for the Cross of Christ
Finding the Cross for Queen Helen (she was the mother of Tsar Constantine) was not as easy as it might seem. First, she went to Jerusalem. Since the enemies of Christ buried the Cross in the ground, she put a lot of work into finding a person who could tell her where it was buried. I only did this old Jew Judas.
It turned out that the Cross was thrown into a cave, littered with various debris, and was built in that place pagan temple. Therefore, Helen ordered that this temple be destroyed and that she be given access to the cave.
After her order was carried out, it turned out that there were three crosses in the cave itself, and it was unknown which one was the one needed.
How was the real Cross discovered?
From the very beginning, after the Cross was discovered, it showed its miraculous power helping to heal serious illnesses, bites of deadly poisonous animals and neutralize the effects of poisons.
If you do not take into account the mysterious and mystical meaning The Cross for a true Christian, then it also has a purely moral meaning. When we look at the suffering of our Savior, our cross-bearing does not seem so difficult. That is, the Cross serves as support in difficult life situations, helping to show your courage and not be afraid of close proximity to death.
This Orthodox holiday(Exaltation of the Holy Cross) has great importance for Christians due to the fact that in their souls the ground for this had long been prepared. This celebration only multiplied people's love for the Cross, gradually becoming more and more solemn. It is the Cross that becomes a symbol that allows you to fight various invisible enemies and thus save your immortal soul.
Importance will be taken at the Exaltation
As you probably already guessed, there are many different interesting facts, which are directly related to the holiday of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Signs play in the celebration itself vital role. There are so many of them that some of them have never reached this day, and they have been forgotten forever. But there are also customs that even now continue to be performed and devote quite a lot of time and attention to it.
September 27 is considered the third Autumn, so in ancient times on this day everyone painted crosses on the doors of their houses, on matitsa or on the lintels. Matitsa is a thick beam in the form of a log, which was cut across the building itself. Crosses were drawn with garlic and charcoal, and chalk was also used for these purposes. More surprisingly, crosses were sometimes painted with the blood of animals that were sacrificed. Some simply carved a cross with a knife on a suitable surface.
Pet safety comes first
Many also tried to protect their cows or horses from various intrigues. To do this, they made special small wooden crosses and placed them in the manger. Those who did not have such an opportunity acted somewhat differently. They crossed rowan branches and put them in the manger. Since ancient times, rowan has been considered a symbol of bright light, which is capable of scaring away all evil spirits.
Such an Orthodox holiday (the Exaltation of the Holy Cross) is itself considered the final day of Indian summer. This is the third and most recent meeting of the fall.
Coming winter
It was on the day of this celebration that winter reminded everyone of itself. Autumn was becoming a full-fledged mistress, and therefore villagers more and more often they thought about the approaching cold, about the snowstorms and frosts that awaited them. That is why sayings of this type were so popular: “On Vozdvizhenye, the fur coat follows the caftan!” or “The Exaltation will take off his caftan and put on a fur coat!”
It was also necessary to remember that the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is a fast day, so it was important to observe all the necessary restrictions on food. Those who have completed everything correctly will have all seven sins forgiven.
It is surprising that even animals paid for their misdeeds on this day. For example, it was believed that if a snake bites someone, it will not be able to survive the winter. was based on the fact that everyone was sure of the existence of the mysterious place Iriy, where not only birds, but also snakes survived the winter. That is, the guilty snake will not be able to crawl there and will simply freeze soon.
Cabbage - what is it?
Exaltation Holy Cross The Lord's was previously even called "cabbage". This is precisely what is evidenced by many different once quite popular sayings that have not been forgotten to this day. In particular, this applies to such proverbs as “Exaltation is a cabbage plant, it’s time to chop the cabbage!” or the no less eloquent “A man won’t be full without bread, and cabbage soup can’t live without cabbage!” Such expressions indicate that cabbage was quite popular in terms of preparing various dishes from it.
Cabbages were also called fun parties, which were carried out not only in villages, but also in big cities. On this day, everyone dressed up in festive clothes and visited each other. Back then it was called “chopping cabbage.”
Features of carrying out cabbage
This series of large autumn parties was especially loved by young people, because they were expected no less than Maslenitsa, and the whole celebration lasted for about two weeks. When guests came to the house, they were always served beer, as well as sweet honey and all sorts of treats. What kind of snacks were offered to the guests was decided only in accordance with the income of the hosts.
This is how the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was celebrated. Signs also said that during this celebration, young guys picked brides for themselves. By the way, parties for single guys were called “cabbage parties” and all the girls tried to get there, because they knew that their suitors would be waiting for them there. It was the brides who were also called “cabbage girls.” Already late in the evening, general festivities took place, which later often led to weddings on the Intercession. This is how the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross became the beginning of family life for some young people.
How to please the groom and much more - signs for Exaltation
The most important sign that absolutely all the girls used was that before the evenings they should definitely read a special spell seven times. This is the kind of spell that will make a girl as attractive as possible in the eyes of the guy she likes. Only if such a sign is fulfilled will she be able to achieve success at the celebration.
On the day of the celebration, you cannot go into the forest, because then the bear must arrange a den for himself, but the legendary goblin must inspect his kingdom, and you cannot interfere with them in this. Because the goblin counts animals, a person who accidentally catches his eye can also be counted. But after this he will never be able to leave the forest and return home.
It is on September 27 that the birds fly south, and whoever sees them will be able to make any wish, which will certainly come true later. Among other things, true housewives always cleaned the house for the holiday, because in this way they drove out all evil spirits and damage.
An interesting fact is also that you cannot start any new business on Vozdvizhenie, because they are already doomed to failure.
By the way, several superstitions also arose about cabbage. For example, this concerns the fact that before sowing it, you should definitely hold the seeds in your hands for a while so that instead of cabbage it will not turn into rutabaga. At the same time, it was believed that if you planted cabbage on Thursday, it would be completely eaten away by worms, and it would be unfit for consumption.
Weather signs for Vozdvizhenie
The flight of geese indicates a low or high flood. That is, if they fly low, then we will face a low flood, and if they fly high, a high one.
The signs of such a holiday as the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord also indicate that if you see cranes, then pay attention to their flight. If they fly slowly, at the same time high enough and coo, then we will have a warm autumn.
If the north wind blows on the day of the celebration, then next year there will be a warm summer. Western, on the other hand, indicates bad weather.
If you notice a peculiar circle near the moon that is red, then this is a sign of dry and clear weather.
As you have already noticed, the history of the holiday and its most important signs are quite interesting. Some of them can be observed even today, especially with regard to weather forecasts. In connection with the restoration of many ancient traditions of our ancestors, in many cities you can see such a structure as the Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Moscow region, Nizhny Novgorod and many others).
The Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord (Shift) is the great twelfth church holiday, which has its full name - the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord.
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross is celebrated on September 27. Over several centuries, traditions of this holiday have developed; many proverbs and sayings are known about it; many signs and beliefs are also associated with it. And then in detail what can and should not be done on the holiday - the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross: what needs to be done
On the day of the Exaltation of the Cross, according to tradition, it is necessary to celebrate the All-Night Vigil and Liturgy. But now they rarely serve all night long, so the central point is the festive divine service on the eve of the holiday - a vigil.
The Exaltation is the Twelfth Feast of the Lord (dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ). Therefore, its service does not connect to any other service. For example, the memory of John Chrysostom is postponed to another day.
It is interesting that during Matins for the Exaltation of the Cross the Gospel is read not in the middle of the church, but in the altar.
The climax of the holiday is when the leading priest or bishop, dressed in purple vestments, carries out the Cross. All those praying in the temple kiss the shrine, and the primate anoints them with holy oil. During the general veneration of the Cross, the troparion is sung: “We worship Thy Cross, O Master, and the holy Your resurrection glorify."
The cross lies on the lectern until October 4 - the day of the Exaltation. At the offering, the priest takes the cross to the altar.
Prohibitions, what not to do on the Exaltation of the Cross
For example, you can’t start new things - they won’t turn out well.
No one should go into the forest. It is believed that on this day the goblin counts the forest animals, but this cannot be seen. But this, of course, is pure superstition.
But closing all the doors in the house to prevent snakes looking for a place to hibernate from getting in is a completely reasonable warning.
On the day of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, you cannot eat dairy and meat products, observing strict fasting.
If we talk about Christian traditions, then we need to take three church candles, install them together. Then sprinkle all the corners in the house in a cross pattern, reading the prayer - “Our Father” or the ninetieth psalm. This way the house will be cleared of negativity.
The main thing to remember is that turning to the Lord must come from the heart. Then all requests and thanks will be heard, and grace will descend on you.
