What tomorrow is a church holiday on August 2. The second of August is one of the most revered holidays - Ilyin's Day

Flag of the Airborne Forces of the Russian Armed Forces

Every year on August 2, a glorious date is celebrated in our country - Day of the Airborne Forces (Day of the Airborne Forces), established by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 549 of May 31, 2006 "On the establishment of professional holidays and memorable days in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation" as a memorable day designed to promote the revival and development of domestic military traditions, increase the prestige of military service and established in recognition of the merits of the military specialists in solving problems of ensuring the defense and security of the state.

The airborne troops - "winged infantry", "blue berets" - with whatever epithets they awarded the guards-paratroopers, but always, at all times and under any circumstances, the strength, courage and reliability of people living by the principle: "No one, except us!". And today, more than a million Russians who once wore blue berets, as well as those currently serving in the Airborne Forces, will celebrate their holiday - Airborne Forces Day.

The history of the Airborne Forces (VDV) dates back to August 2, 1930 - then, at the exercises of the Air Force of the Moscow Military District near Voronezh, a unit of paratroopers consisting of 12 people was parachuted for the first time to perform a tactical task. This experiment allowed military theorists to see the prospect of the advantage of parachute units, their enormous capabilities associated with the rapid coverage of the enemy through the air.

The formation of airborne units, which marked the beginning of the mass deployment of this type of troops, began in 1932. Already at the beginning of 1933, special-purpose aviation battalions were formed in the Belorussian, Ukrainian, Moscow and Volga military districts. By the summer of 1941, the staffing of five airborne corps of 10 thousand people each had ended. The paratroopers have always been at the forefront in the battles of the Great Patriotic War and have repeatedly shown mass heroism.

The Airborne Forces are the elite of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (Photo: mil.ru)

Since February 1988, Russian paratroopers have taken part in operations in "hot spots" both in the country and abroad. One of the heaviest losses in the history of modern airborne forces was the death of the 6th company of the 104th regiment of the 76th Pskov airborne division in March 2000, when the unit prevented a breakthrough of 2.5 thousand militants, destroying over 700 bandits.

Today, the Airborne Troops (VDV) is a branch of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, which is a means of the Supreme High Command of the Armed Forces and is designed to cover the enemy by air and perform tasks in his rear to disrupt command and control, capture and destroy ground elements of high-precision weapons, disrupt the advancement and deployment reserves, disrupting the operation of the rear and communications, as well as covering (defending) certain directions, areas, open flanks, blocking and destroying airborne assault forces, enemy groupings that have broken through, and performing other tasks.

They wrote many bright pages in the history of the Russian army. From the first day of its existence, the Airborne Forces have become "front line" troops capable of performing any task, no matter how impossible it would be considered. Their valor and courage, selfless devotion to the Motherland are forever covered with unfading glory.

The Airborne Forces are the reserve of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (Photo: mil.ru)

They are where it is most dangerous, where high combat skills and excellent physical training, self-sacrifice and courage are needed. "Blue Berets" are always at the forefront - be it a peacekeeping mission or participation in an anti-terrorist operation. In peacetime, the Airborne Forces perform the main tasks of maintaining combat and mobilization readiness at a level that ensures their successful use for their intended purpose. And today, paratroopers inspire respect and admiration, both among veterans and young people who are preparing to serve in the army.

Traditionally, on this day, commemorative and festive events are held everywhere, demonstration performances of paratroopers and paratroopers, a demonstration of military equipment that is in service with the Airborne Forces, meetings with veterans of the Airborne Forces, charity events and folk festivals are organized.

Perun's thoughts are fast,
Whatever he wants - so now.
Throws sparks, throws sparks
From the pupils of sparkling eyes.
K. Balmont

On this day, it was accepted that all men present at the beginning were required to have weapons with them (knife, ax, and if there was permission, then something more suitable). During the conception, the warriors make a solemn procession with a song. After glorifying Perun, the warriors proceed to the consecration of weapons: swords, axes, spears, knives, maces and other edged weapons are placed on the shields placed in front of the temple.

A bull is sacrificed, and in the absence of it, a rooster (should be of the same color, not motley, red is best). A weapon is spoken on the sacrificial blood, the priest smears the forehead of each warrior with blood, after which they put red bandages on their heads. Military amulets are consecrated over the sacrificial fire.

After the beginning, the ritual battle of "Perun" with "Veles" begins, dedicated to the victory of Perun over Veles (Perun defeats Veles and returns the herd of heavenly cows). At the end of the battle, the warriors carry a boat with gifts and put it on steal. The elder, having undressed, sets fire to the steal. After the fire burns out, the warriors pour a grave over the ashes and begin the funeral feast (ritual battles on the grave).

Then the Strava is performed, on which all the fallen Slavic soldiers are commemorated. Ritual food: beef, game, chicken, cereals. From drinks: honey, red wine, beer, kvass. Games begin with the capture of the "town".

On this day, military pleasures are preferred, but love affairs are not forgotten. The Magi advise to spend the night after the holiday with a woman. That warrior is bad who wins victories only over the enemy.

The ritual of making rain was also associated with Perun. It consisted in making a sacrifice - pouring water on a specially selected woman.

With the advent of Christianity, the functions of Perun were transferred to the Christian saint Ilya the Prophet, in whose image the features of Perun clearly appeared - the god of thunder, who rode the sky in a rumbling chariot, and who, in fact, simply changed his name, remaining the same revered deity.

As in Russia, annually on August 2, a valiant holiday is celebrated in Belarus - Day of paratroopers and special operations forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, approved by Presidential Decree No. 397 of July 30, 2010. It also leads its history from Soviet times.

The history of the Airborne Forces begins on August 2, 1930: on this day, during the exercises of the Air Force of the Moscow Military District near Voronezh, a unit of 12 people was parachuted.

Paratroopers also made a great contribution to the victory over the enemy during the Great Patriotic War. For military merit, all airborne formations were awarded the rank of guards. Thousands of soldiers, sergeants and officers of the Airborne Forces were awarded orders and medals.

A special page in the history of the Belarusian Airborne Forces is the participation of the 103rd Vitebsk Airborne Division and the 334th Separate Special Forces Detachment (formed on the basis of the 5th Special Forces Brigade) in combat operations in the Republic of Afghanistan. Hundreds of paratroopers were awarded orders and medals, seven were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

In the 90s of the last century, mobile forces were created as part of the Armed Forces of Belarus. And in 2007, by decree of the President of the country, a new branch of the armed forces was formed - the special operations forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, which became the successor of the Airborne Forces.

Today, special operations forces are considered by the country's leadership as one of the most reliable links in the national security system of the Republic of Belarus. They act as the main element of strategic deterrence and serve as a school of military skill for thousands of citizens of the country. The paratroopers fulfill their military duty with honor, continue the glorious traditions of their grandfathers and fathers, and remain true patriots of the Fatherland.

And every year on August 2, celebrations in honor of the holiday are held throughout the country. In the cities of Belarus - Minsk, Brest, Vitebsk - it is marked by many events: solemn formations, rallies with the participation of veterans, representatives of various public organizations are held. Paratroopers demonstrate their skills in parachute jumps, demonstration performances, demonstrations of military equipment and weapons of mobile troops. Meetings with veterans of the Great Patriotic War and the Airborne Forces are held in the garrisons, military bands, reconnaissance and airborne companies, and paratroopers perform.

On August 2, 3 Orthodox church holidays are celebrated. The list of events informs about church holidays, fasts, days of honoring the memory of saints. The list will help you find out the date of a significant religious event for Orthodox Christians.

Church Orthodox holidays August 2

Prophet Elijah

Dedicated to one of the greatest prophets - Saint Elijah (IX century BC). It is believed that he was taken to Heaven in a fiery chariot alive. They pray to him during a drought for the gift of rain. In Russia, he is considered the patron saint of the Airborne Forces and the Air Force. In the people this holiday is called Ilyin's day.

Who does not know the prophet Elijah? I think everyone knows it, even atheists. However, the Old Testament refers it to such a distant past that it becomes completely inaccessible to us. In the memory of most people, the associative series associated with this most unique person turns out to be either semi-fabulous: if thunder rumbles, it is “Ilya the prophet rides a chariot through the sky”, or completely everyday: “Ilya the prophet - mowing time”. That, in fact, is all.
So who is he really, the prophet Elijah? He is a saint. But a saint who could take a sword and kill 450 false prophets. He is "like in Heaven", but he did not die. He is an Old Testament righteous man, but he reveals an amazing new truth about God.

The feat of Elijah can be better understood if we think about it in modern terms. He lived almost three thousand years ago. He lived in a society where the majority of people broke away from their native faith. By name they called themselves Israelites, by way of life they were rude pagans. Vices, witchcraft, godlessness, cynicism and injustice. Isn't it very reminiscent of our modern times?

And now imagine that a not quite adequately dressed person walks along our paved streets and denounces all citizens of sins and godlessness. Let us assume that in some surprising way he was not admitted to a psychiatric hospital, like the Monk Amphilochius of Pochaev. They didn’t put him in jail because they are afraid ... and respected. Of course, he's crazy, but it's better not to touch him.

When iniquity became universal, God punished the Israelites with drought. The tribulation lasted three and a half years, and all this time the Lord waited for repentance from His people. But he wasn't. There was no rain either.

The prophet who announced the wrath of God suffered from the drought just like everyone else. At first he lived by the stream, and the raven brought him food. But the stream dried up, and the Lord sent Elijah to Sarepta of Sidon, in another state, to a certain pious widow.

“There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when heaven was shut up for three years and six months, so that there was a great famine throughout the whole earth, and Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to a widow in Zarephath of Sidon” (Lk 4:25–26), Christ said to the Pharisees, emphasizing the constant weakness of the faith of the Jewish people.

That is, there was not found in all God's chosen people a pious enough person to send a prophet to him. And not only in Israel, but also in neighboring faithful Judea, God did not find a place of rest for his servant. But God is not partial, and the humble faith of a foreigner, even whose name the Bible does not preserve, turned out to be more precious in the eyes of God than the arrogance of the "sons of Abraham."

How do we know about the humility of the poor widow? In her first words:

“As the Lord your God lives! I have nothing baked, but only a handful of flour in a tub and a little oil in a jug; and behold, I will gather two logs of firewood, and I will go and prepare it for myself and for my son; let us eat it and die” (1 Kings 17:12).

Look, "As the Lord your God lives." A woman believes in the true God and recognizes Him as the Lord, the Creator of Heaven and earth. He knows the face of the prophet, because he does not even ask him who he is. And at the same time, she humbly places herself outside the "legitimate" worshipers of God, outside the Jewish people, emphasizing this with the word "your." And further, when Elijah assures her in the name of God that for the sake of him, the prophet, the flour and oil in her house will not end until the famine subsides, the widow does not reread, does not doubt, but immediately fulfills what was said to her. Truly, she is the Old Testament “Samaritan woman” and deserves all respect.

Meanwhile, the drought has been going on for four years now. There is such a famine in the country that even the king has nothing to feed and water his cattle. And so the Israeli king - the wicked idolater Ahab - decided to look for new pastures and water for his horses. And then he was told that the prophet Elijah wanted to see him. And, as the Bible says, "Ahab went to meet Elijah" (1 Kings 18:16). How stingy the chronicler is with words! However, in many places the biblical language is extremely restrained.

Behind this brief statement of fact, I see much more. How can a king "go"? How does the king "come out" and "go" in general? And from other biblical texts, and from our lives, we know that the ruler does not walk alone - he is surrounded by retinue, armor-bearers, guards. And the use of the singular verb in this case is a mere metaphor. It is logical to assume that here, too, Ahab "went" to meet Elijah not alone, but surrounded by his retinue. So, let's try to imagine it, but to make it easier and more convenient for us to understand the completeness of the picture, let's imagine how it would look now.

A motorcade with flashing lights is moving at high speed, police motorcycles are in front and behind, and an armored limousine with tinted windows is in the center. In the middle of the road, the lonely silhouette of Elijah grows. And the procession stops! Which of the modern spiritual authorities can stop the presidential procession by their appearance? I do not mean church hierarchs. I mean the authority of the spirit. Unfortunately, I don't know of any. Stepping out of the limousine... Ahab.

"Are you the one who confuses Israel?" (1 Kings 18:17) - says Ahab, and his bodyguards in jackets and ties look at the prophet embittered and fearful. “It is not I who confuse Israel, but you and your father's house, because you despised the commandments of the Lord and follow the Baals” (1 Kings 18:18), the prophet answers.

To which of the present rulers of the world can these words not be applied? Unfortunately, I don't know of any. It seems to me that when the prophet uttered these words, his eyes burned with fire, and his face was bright, like the face of Moses, for Divine jealousy kindled his heart.

The saint offered the king a test: he, Elijah, would meet with the servants of Baal on Mount Carmel, so that each side would make a sacrifice from itself. Whose sacrifice the Lord accepts with fire, he confesses the true God. And now 450 people - enemies of God, false prophets - gathered to confront Saint Elijah. 450 Wang, Blavatsky, Globe, Malach and Copperfield. From morning to evening, the prophets of Baal prayed to their gods, recited mantras, and in their frenzy stabbed themselves with knives. Surely, among them were real sorcerers (not all swindlers!), Having demons under their command. Probably, at other times they could perform various “signs” and “miracles”, but now, in the presence of the obvious power of God, all demonic power has drooped, weakened and abolished. The demons went away and nothing happened. St. Elijah stood aside and made fun of the prophets of Baal, galloping around the altar:

When it was his turn to pray, Saint Elijah built an altar of stones, spread out the firewood, prepared the calf, dug a ditch, and ordered that water be poured over everything three times, so that the miracle of God would be revealed even more clearly. And the Lord heard his laconic fiery prayer and descended with fire, burned the calf, and the altar, and the water around it. And all the assembled people fell on their faces, exclaiming, "The Lord is God!"

Oh, weak in the faith of the Jewish people! How many times have you exclaimed like this, and already in a moment betrayed your Lord. So it was at Mount Sinai, when Moses slowed down on the top, and people did not hesitate to make themselves a cast idol. So it was after the division of the Jewish kingdom into Judah and Israel, when the Israeli king Jeroboam set up two golden calves to distract his subjects from the Jerusalem temple. And the people were not indignant that they were being distracted from God Almighty to demons, they did not arrange either an uprising or a revolution, but quite calmly changed the object of worship. How much they didn't care! But they had a reliable teaching about angels and demons and knew the whole truth about the "gods of silver and gold." Only little was believed in this teaching... So it was later, in the time of Christ the Savior. So it was with Elijah.

As soon as everyone saw first the miracle of God in the descent of heavenly fire, then the miraculous rain according to the word of the prophet, how on the same day the godless queen Jezebel threatens to deal with Elijah in revenge for the murder of her false prophets. And no one stands up for him: neither King Ahab, who wept after these miracles (1 Kings 18:45), nor the people who saw the holiness of the prophet.

Heavenly fire descends on the sacrifice of the prophet! It is enough to watch at least a video recording of the descent of the Holy Fire on the Holy Sepulcher on Holy Saturday to try to understand what was happening then on Mount Carmel. It is easy to imagine the general enthusiasm, the fear of God and trembling. The prophet himself, imbued with this inspiration and zeal for God, ran before the king's chariot from Mount Carmel to the city of Jezreel, where Ahab's residence was, and this is more than 30 kilometers (1 Kings 18:46). But the wife of Ahab, the idolater Jezebel, was not enlightened by the miracle, and, fleeing from her wrath, Elijah hid in neighboring Judea, in the city of Bathsheba.

Reverend Abraham of Galich, Chukhloma, hegumen

Honoring the memory of Saint Abraham (XIV century), enlightener of the Galich country. Founder of 4 monasteries dedicated to the Blessed Virgin.

The Monk Abraham of Galich, Chukhloma, lived and labored in the fourteenth century in the monastery of St. Sergius of Radonezh. After many years of probation, he was awarded the holy order. Striving for perfect silence, he asked for the blessing of St. Sergius and retired in 1350 to the Galich country, inhabited by Chud tribes. Having settled in a deserted place, the Monk Abraham, by revelation, moved to the mountain, where he found the icon of the Mother of God shining with inexpressible light. The Galich prince Dimitri became aware of the appearance of the holy icon, and he asked the monk to bring it to the city.

The Monk Abraham came with the icon to Galich, where he was met by the prince and a host of clergy. Numerous healings took place from the icon of the Mother of God. Prince Dimitri gave the Reverend funds for the construction of a temple and a monastery near Lake Chukhloma, at the site of the appearance of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. The temple was built and consecrated in honor of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The newly built monastery of St. Abraham became a source of spiritual enlightenment for the local Chud population.

When the monastery was fortified, he appointed his disciple Porfiry as rector instead of himself, and he himself retired 30 miles in search of a secluded place, but his disciples found him there too. Thus, another monastery arose with a temple in honor of the Position of the Robe of the Mother of God, called "the great wilderness of Abraham." The Monk Abraham twice withdrew to remote places, after the silent ones again gathered to him. Thus, two more monasteries were founded - one in honor of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos, the rector of which the Monk Abraham appointed hegumen Paphnutius, and the other in honor of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos.

In the Intercession Monastery, the Monk Abraham ended his earthly life. He reposed in 1375, having transferred the rectorship to his disciple Innokenty a year before his blessed death. The Monk Abraham appeared as an illuminator of the Galician country, founding in it four monasteries dedicated to the Mother of God, who revealed Her icon to him at the beginning of his deeds of prayer.

Uncovering the relics of the Monk Martyr Athanasius of Brest, hegumen

The Monk Martyr Athanasius was born around 1595-1600 into a poor Orthodox family, probably an impoverished gentry (judging by the fact that the future hegumen served as a teacher at the court of a magnate). Perhaps he was from the family of an urban artisan - as he himself points out in his memoirs, calling himself "a non-nendzy Man, a simple, garbarchik, a miserable Kaluger." As is often the case, we have no information either about the place of birth or about the secular name of the saint; it is also unknown what the name "Filippovich" is - a surname or patronymic.

Probably, Athanasius received his initial knowledge in one of the fraternal schools, where, taught the Greek and Church Slavonic languages, the word of God and patristic creations, highly educated people were trained who could resist Uniate violence and Catholic proselytism. But the education received at the fraternal school did not fully satisfy the inquisitive young man, and he was trained at the Vilna Jesuit College, where young people of all Christian denominations were admitted.

The young scientist began his service as a home tutor in the homes of the Orthodox and Catholic gentry, but in 1620 his life fell into a different direction: Filippovich, who positively proved himself with rich knowledge, good manners and undeniable pedagogical talent, was invited by Hetman Lev Sapega, Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania . The hetman entrusted him with the upbringing of a certain "Dmitrovich" introduced to Athanasius by the Russian Tsarevich John - allegedly the nephew of Theodore Ioannovich, who died in 1598, the grandson of John IV the Terrible from his younger son Dimitri, under whose name several impostors acted in 1604-1612. One of these “applicants” was the father of the disciple Athanasius, whom the Poles were preparing for the Russian throne: Dimitry-Mikhail Luba, who was killed in Moscow during a rebellion against the militia of False Dmitry I. Mikhail Luba’s wife Maria died in prison, and a certain Wojciech took his young son Belinsky, who brought the child to Poland and passed off as the son of Dimitry and Marina Mnishek, who was actually hanged. All this was announced at the Diet before the king, who entrusted the education of Ivan Dimitrievich to Lev Sapega. He appointed the maintenance of the “prince” at six thousand zlotys a year from the income of Brest and the Brest district.

For seven years Athanasius served as the “inspector” of the false prince, gradually coming to the conclusion that this “certain Tsarevich of Moscow”, “certain Luba”, “who does not even know what he is”, is another impostor. This confidence increased over time, especially when Luba's allowance decreased to hundreds of zlotys a year, and Hetman Sapieha himself somehow escaped: "Who knows who he is!"

Having become an unwitting accomplice in political intrigue against the Moscow sovereign, the famous defender of Orthodoxy Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, the son of the Russian Patriarch Filaret, Filippovich left the court of the chancellor in 1627 and retired to the cell of the Vilna Holy Spirit Monastery, where he soon received tonsure from the vicar Joseph Bobrikovich. Soon, with his blessing, Athanasius passed his obedience at the Kuteinsky Monastery near Orsha, recently founded in 1623 by Bogdan Stetkevich and his wife Elena Solomeretskaya (V. Zverinsky. Materials for historical and topographical research. St. Petersburg. 1892 P. 172), and then - in the Mezhyhirya monastery near Kiev, at the hegumen of the Commentary (mentioned under 1627) and the brother of the Kiev Metropolitan Job Boretsky - Samuel. However, already in 1632 the Mezhyhirya abbot released Athanasius to Vilna, where he was ordained a hieromonk.

The following year, Athanasius again left the monastery of the Holy Spirit and went as a viceroy of hegumen Leonty Shitik to the Duboinsky monastery near Pinsk, also subordinate to the Vilna monastic monastery, where he spent three years caring for the brethren, fasting and praying.

In 1636 Albrecht Radziwill, an ardent supporter of Catholic proselytism, violating the “Articles of Calm” published by King Vladislav IV, forcibly expelled Orthodox inhabitants from the Duboina Monastery in order to transfer the monastery to the Jesuits, who shortly before that, through the efforts of the same Albrecht, settled in Pinsk. Athanasius, unable to resist the magnate and keep the monastery, made a complaint with a story about the lawlessness committed, but this written protest, signed by many Orthodox, did not bring positive results.

Expelled from the holy monastery, Afanasy Filippovich came to the Kupyatitsky monastery to the hegumen Illarion Denisovich. This monastery was founded in 1628 by the widow of the Brest castellan Gregory Voina Apollonia and her son Vasily Koptem with a miraculous icon of the Mother of God, written inside the cross, once burned by the Tatars, and then miraculously appeared in the middle of the flame. Here, under the holy cover of the “small in size, but great in miracles” icon, blessed Athanasius lived in cordial friendship with monk Makariy Tokarevsky.

In 1637, this Macarius brought a station wagon from Metropolitan Peter Mohyla, allowing the collection of "yalmuzhna" - alms for the restoration of the Kupyatitsky monastery church. And so, on the advice of the brethren of the monastery and the blessing of the abbot, in November 1637 Afanasy Filippovich went to collect donations. To do this, he decided on rather bold actions: he went to Moscow in order to collect donations and seek the protection of Orthodoxy from the Moscow Tsar.

Shortly before the road, he had a vision, which the abbot of the monastery was also honored with: King Sigismund, papal nuncio and hetman Sapieha were burning in a flaming furnace. Athanasius considered this vision a good omen of the imminent triumph of Orthodoxy. Immediately before leaving for Muscovy, Athanasius, praying in the church vestibule, saw through the window the icon of the Mother of God and heard some noise and a voice from the icon “I am going with you too! ”, and then noticed Deacon Nehemiah, who had died a few years before, who said: “I also go with my Lady!” Thus, having secured the promise of the miraculous patronage of the Most Holy Theotokos, saying goodbye to the brethren and receiving the blessing of the hegumen, Athanasius set off on his journey.

Arriving in Slutsk, he met with unexpected difficulties: Archimandrite Samuil Shitik took away the metropolitan universal from him for the reason that Filippovich did not have the right to collect fees in a territory that did not belong to the Lutsk diocese. When the conflict was resolved at the end of January 1638, Athanasius and his companion Volkovitsky went to Kuteino to ask hegumen Ioil Trutsevich, who was connected with the most famous representatives of the Russian clergy, to assist in crossing the border to Muscovy (supervision was strengthened over the border due to the fact that Cossacks, fearing reprisals after a recent riot, fled from the Commonwealth to Russia).

Having taken letters of recommendation from Abbot Joel, "cards, information about himself," Filippovich went to Kopys, Mogilev, Shklov and again returned to the Kuteinsky Monastery, where the governor Joseph Surta recommended making his way to the Moscow kingdom through Trubchevsk. Having lost their way and almost drowned in the Dnieper, robbed and beaten in one of the inns, the travelers finally reached Trubchevsk. But here, too, failure awaited them; Prince Trubetskoy categorically refused to give them a pass, suspecting them to be scouts.

Forced to return, Athanasius visited the Chovsky Monastery on the way, where one of the elders advised him to make an attempt to cross the border in the region of Novgorod-Seversky with the assistance of the local voivode Peter Pesechinsky. The pilgrim gratefully accepted the good advice and crossed the border near the village of Shepelevo.

However, Athanasius's difficulties did not end there: on the way to Moscow, he had a quarrel with the novice Onesimus, who had lost hope of achieving his goal.

Finally, the walkers came to the gates of the capital. In Moscow, they stopped in Zamoskvorechye, on Ordynka, where in March 1638 Athanasius wrote a note to the tsar, outlining his mission and travel history in the form of a diary. In this note, Athanasius showed the plight of the Orthodox Church in the Commonwealth, expanding the picture of violence and abuse of Orthodoxy, begged the Russian sovereign to intercede for the Russian faith. He also advised the tsar to make an image of the Kupyatitskaya Mother of God on military banners, with the help of which it was possible to make such a difficult and unsafe journey. This note, together with the image of the miraculous image, was handed over to the king. As a result, Athanasius was received in the Embassy hut, where, apparently, he spoke about the upcoming impostor. The very next year, a commission headed by the boyar Ivan Plakidin was sent to Poland to identify impostors; the report of the head of the commission confirmed the information of Athanasius (Monuments of Russian antiquity. St. Petersburg. 1885. Vol. 8).

On the flower-bearing Palm Sunday, Athanasius left Moscow with generous donations for the Kupyatitsky church, arrived in Vilna on June 16, and in July reached the limits of his native monastery.

In 1640, the brethren of the Brest Simeonov Monastery, having lost their hegumen, sent a petition to Kupyatitsy to bless Afanasy Filippovich or Makariy Tokarevsky as hegumen. The choice fell on Athanasius, who went to Brest. Here he found himself in the very center of the struggle of Orthodoxy with the union, for Brest was the city in which "Greek Catholicism" was born and spread like nowhere else. Even earlier, all 10 Orthodox churches in the city were turned into Uniate ones, and only in 1632 did the Orthodox brotherhood manage to return the temple in the name of Simeon the Stylite with the monastery attached to it, and in 1633 - the church in honor of the Nativity of the Virgin.

The Uniates, however, did not stop their encroachments, and soon Abbot Athanasius had to look for "foundations" on Orthodox churches: six documents of the 15th century were found and entered in the city books of Magdeburg, relating to the Brest Nikolsky brotherhood, which united the monasteries of the Nativity of the Virgin and Simeon the Stylite . The documents found by the abbot gave grounds for the legal registration of the rights of the Nativity of the Mother of God brotherhood, and the Brest ascetic went to Warsaw in September 1641 to the Sejm, where he received royal privileges on October 13, confirming the rights of the brothers and allowing them to purchase a place in Brest to build a brotherly house.

But this privilege had to be ratified by the chancellor Albrecht Radziwill and the sub-chancellor Trizna, who refused, even for 30 thalers that the abbot could offer them, to certify the privileges with their seals, referring to the fact that “under an oath it is forbidden to them from the holy father of papezh, so that more the Greek faith did not multiply here.” Nor could the Orthodox bishops gathered at the Sejm help the hegumen of Brest, fearing that more could be lost in the struggle for less, causing a wave of new persecution from the authorities. Hegumen Athanasius, however, strengthened in the rightness of his cause by the blessing of the miraculous icon, again made an attempt to assure this privilege, and again unsuccessfully. Then he appeared at the Sejm and turned directly to the king with an official complaint - "suplika" - demanding "that the true Greek faith be thoroughly calmed, and the accursed union destroyed and turned into nothing", threatening the monarch with God's punishment if he did not curb the dictates Church.

This denunciation, uttered on March 10, 1643, brought the king and the diet into the strongest annoyance. Abbot Athanasius was arrested and imprisoned together with his colleague Deacon Leonty in the house of the royal gatekeeper Jan Zhelezovsky for several weeks - until the Diet departure. Deprived of the opportunity to explain the reasons for his speech, the hegumen of Brest took upon himself the feat of voluntary foolishness, and on March 25, on the celebration of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, he escaped from custody and, standing on the street in captura and paramante, beating himself with a staff in the chest, publicly pronounced a curse union.

Soon he was captured and again taken into custody, and after the end of the Diet, he was brought to the church court. The court, to appease the authorities, temporarily deprived him of his priestly and abbot ranks and sent him to Kyiv for the final trial of the consistory. In anticipation of the final decision of the court, the Monk Athanasius prepared an explanatory note in Latin, for the arrival of a government prosecutor was expected. Far from the irritated Warsaw and the supreme authorities, the court, chaired by the rector of the Kiev-Mohyla Collegium Innokenty Gizel, ruled that Athanasius had already atoned for his “sin” by imprisonment, and therefore he was granted freedom and the priesthood returned. Metropolitan Peter Mohyla confirmed this decision and on June 20 sent the monk to the monastery of Simeon the Stylite with a message in which he was ordered to be more careful and restrained in church affairs.

So the Monk Athanasius returned to Brest, where he lived "for a considerable time in peace." This peace was very relative, for the continuous attacks on the monastery by Jesuit students and Uniate priests did not stop, insulting and even beating Orthodox monks.

Expecting to receive support from the Novogorodsk voivode Nikolai Sapega, who was considered the patron of the Simeonov Monastery, and in the hope that he would help secure a safe-conduct for the Orthodox Beresteyans, the Monk Athanasius went to Krakow, simultaneously collecting donations for his monastery. Unfortunately, the support of the noble governor could not be found, and the monk went to the Moscow ambassador, Prince Lvov, who at that time lived in Krakow and was investigating impostors. Having met with him, Athanasius told about his trip to Moscow, and also told a lot of facts about Jan-Favstin Luba, presenting one of his last messages, certain fragments of which gave reason to initiate a judicial investigation against the impostor.

Summoned from Krakow to Warsaw by a letter from the Warsaw jurist Zychevsky, who reported on May 3, 1644, that through his efforts the charter entrusted by Athanasius to be certified by the chancellor had already been provided with the necessary seals, and demanded the redemption of privileges for six thousand zlotys, the Monk Athanasius immediately set off for the capital. But when, upon verification, it turned out that the privileges were not included in the royal metric and, therefore, had no legal force, the abbot refused to redeem the fictitious document.

Returning to Brest from Warsaw, the Monk Athanasius ordered a copy of the Kupyatitsky icon from the Bernardine monastery and placed it in his cell; inspired by this image, he proceeded to compose a new public complaint, with which he expected to speak at the Diet of 1645. For this, he prepared several dozen copies of the handwritten "History of a Journey to Moscow" depicting the Kupyatitsky Icon of the Mother of God.

On Thursday, August 2, the Orthodox honor the prophet Elijah - a very important and special holiday, because it has acquired a mass of folk beliefs and traditions. On this day, believers are waiting for the thunder from the middle of a clear sky, because Ilya flies through the heavens, punishing sinners and urging everyone to take the path of faith.

There are many beliefs and superstitions associated with the holiday, many prohibitions and special rules - we will talk about them in our material.

Ilyin Day - an excursion into history

Elijah lived in the ninth century BC and firmly believed in one God. the boy spent all his childhood in the desert, but an angel told him to return to the city of Thissba to guide the king and his subjects on the right path. For many days, Ilya worked miracles in the city - resurrected the dead and healed the sick in order to make everyone believe in God. He said that if faith does not enter the hearts of people, then they will be in trouble.

The king did not believe, so a terrible drought began, which led to crop loss and drought. No one believed that it was God who punished people. People made sacrifices to idols, but they did not spoil them with their mercy. Ilya publicly created an altar - he laid firewood on it and knelt down to pray. Lightning struck - it burned the altar with firewood, and the sky turned into heavy rain. The miracle made people believe in the One God.

Thunderstorms, rain and hail now always accompany the holiday on August 2 - believers believe that in this way Ilya is angry with sinners, because it is he who is considered the lord of thunder and lightning. Ilya himself, by the way. He was called to heaven alive - the Lord sent a chariot for him, engulfed in flames.

What to do on the feast of Elijah

The Old Believers sacredly honor the tradition of waiting on Ilyin's day of a thunderstorm - Ilya thus punishes sinners who have committed inappropriate acts, and warns of the possible punishment of heaven.

Those who lead a righteous lifestyle believe that Ilya is not an angry character at all. He blesses families for a long and happy life, helps children cope with illnesses, and spouses with quarrels and misunderstandings.

On Ilyin's day, it is considered obligatory to start the morning with washing with spring or holy water. also on this day it is worth reconciling with loved ones in case of conflict. Spend the day quietly and peacefully, avoiding long walks, because heavy rain and a thunderstorm dangerous to human health may begin.

What not to do on Ilyin's day - signs and superstitions

There are many signs and superstitions associated with the holiday, although these are not welcomed by the church. It is believed that you can’t swim on Ilyin’s day - evil spirits go hunting in reservoirs. At the same time, water can be cold and dangerous, because during the ascent to heaven, the horse of Elijah's chariot lost a horseshoe and dropped it exactly into a pond.

It is impossible to swear and swear on this day, it is better to avoid working in the field or garden. don't go fishing.

Also, you can not stand under the trees - it can kill with lightning. For the same reason, pets are not allowed out of the house.

Signs on Ilyin's day:

• Before Ilya, the peasant bathes, and from Ilya he says goodbye to the water.
• Peter and Paul subtracted an hour, and Elijah the prophet dragged away two.
• Ilya's summer is ending, his life is dying.
• You can’t work on Ilyin’s day in the field - it will burn with heavenly fire
• On Ilya before lunch - summer, after lunch - autumn.
• Before Ilya, the priest will not beg for rain, after Ilya's day, the woman will catch up with an apron.
• On the prophet Elijah, a ram's head on the table.
• Whoever got caught in the rain on this day, then stock up on health for the whole year.

The feast of Elijah falls on August 2. Elijah's Day is considered both a national and a church holiday. We all heard about it at least once in our lives. We also heard that from August 2 you can’t swim, fish in reservoirs and a large number of different traditions that must be observed.

Orthodox holiday of Elijah on August 2, what you need to know about him: Saint Elijah the prophet

Referring to the Bible, we can say with certainty that Elijah was a prophet. The story of Elijah began in ancient biblical days. He was born 900 years before the birth of Christ.

At the time of Elijah's birth, his father saw a vision, after which it was clear that his son was a future prophet. Despite this, the boy himself chose a way of life for himself, moving to the desert. He lived there all alone.

Once, Ilya came to the people and warned them not to sin, not to harbor anger at themselves and loved ones, otherwise hunger would overtake all people. Seeing Ilya in a terrible form, dirty, in tattered clothes, the people did not listen to him, which later paid the price. As the prophet warned, a terrible famine overtook all people, few survived then.

The Orthodox holiday of Elijah on August 2, what you need to know about it: why you can’t swim

We all know or have heard that on the day of Elijah and after it you can’t swim in the reservoirs, but not everyone knows why. Let's figure it out. There are several explanations for these restrictions.

According to legend, on this day, all evil spirits appear in the water. In this regard, it was not advisable to dive into the water, as this could adversely affect the crop or human health. But on the other hand, the beginning of August, the beginning of the last month of summer, respectively, autumn will soon replace summer.

As we know, in autumn the air and water are colder, and August is the month of which smoothly flows into autumn. After this holiday, the first signs of the next season of the year, autumn, are already felt, the air temperature and, accordingly, the water temperature is already falling. Because of this, in ancient times, people usually did not bathe after Elijah. But it's all formal, of course.

Also, if you have a choice to go to God's temple or go for a swim, then swimming in such a situation is not desirable, as for other cases, you can swim.

The Orthodox holiday of Elijah on August 2, what you need to know about it: signs, customs, traditions

As we know, basically all folk or Orthodox holidays, including Ilyin's Day, cannot do without their traditions. On this holiday, you can find a combination of pagan and church rituals. In comparison with other holidays, there are fewer of them in the holiday of Elijah, but they still exist, and there are still many different signs.

On this day, it is customary to ask for the right weather and a good harvest. If, for example, it had rained for a long time, Ilya was asked for good rain, if there was a lot of rain before the holiday, they asked for less rain and even drought in moderation.

Also, it is customary to pray to Ilya and ask for the health of loved ones or relatives if they are sick. Seeds are brought to churches to consecrate them for a good future harvest. They are also read at liturgy services.

What is not done on this holiday.
Fishermen do not fish, as they can become a victim of evil spirits. Travelers could not stand at the crossroads, as a huge amount of evil spirits is concentrated there. You can not swear or think bad thoughts. On the day of Elijah, you can’t wash, it is recommended to stay away from water.

Elijah the prophet belongs to the saints beloved and revered by the people. The prophet Elijah in the Slavic folk tradition is the lord of thunder and lightning, heavenly fire, rain, the patron of harvest and fertility. The Christian Ilya the prophet came to replace the pagan Perun the Thunderer.

August, according to the church calendar, is a holiday - the day of memory of the prophet of God Elijah - one of the most beloved and revered saints among our people and among many Slavs. As always, church and folk traditions are closely intertwined on Ilyin's day. Find out what signs exist on Elijah the prophet, what can and cannot be done on a holiday.

What church holiday is August 2 today: who is the prophet Elijah

Among the Russian people, Elijah enjoys special respect and honor, in Slavic culture he is considered the lord of thunder, heavenly fire, rain, harvest and fertility. So, in order to preserve the harvest and increase the fertility of livestock in Russia, they arranged a joint meal with a sacrifice. A ram or a bull acted as a victim. The peasants drove their cattle to the church, and the priest held a prayer service and sprinkled it with sacred water. After that, an animal bought with common money was sacrificed, and a feast was held, which usually lasted until morning.

As the Bible tells us, Elijah was an Old Testament prophet who worshiped the God Yahweh. The inhabitants of Israel abandoned their Lord and turned to the pagan cult of Baal, angry with their people, through Elijah God sends drought and famine to Israel. Later, worshipers of Yahweh and Baal met on Mount Carmel, where each side had to call on their God to confirm the truth, by casting fire from heaven. However, no sign followed from Baal, but fire was cast down on the altar of God Yahweh, and the Israelites fell with cries: "Yahweh is God." Immediately it began to rain, resurrecting the dried earth. And so the holiday called Ilyin's Day appeared.

As the Old Testament tells us, when God wanted to take Elijah to himself, a fiery chariot appeared in the sky, before which the waters of the Jordan River parted. Elijah placed himself in the chariot, and she disappeared from sight, watching this situation, Elisha, the disciple of Elijah.

What church holiday is August 2 today: traditions and signs of this day

Elijah, the lord of thunder and lightning, was depicted in folk writings galloping through the heavens on a fiery chariot drawn by four white horses. The sound of hooves is thunder. And Elijah himself is the messenger of the law of God, a formidable, but just and generous patron of agriculture and cattle breeding, who punishes the lazy and unrighteous with a lightning strike, and strikes the fields and crops with hail, and protects and takes the hardworking and righteous under his protection, watering crops with fertile rain.

Elijah was taken alive to heaven, ascended in a fiery chariot, so that before the second coming of Christ he would return to earth and go around the world three times, warning people about the Last Judgment.

Signs and traditions on Elijah the prophet

Believers on Elijah go to church and ask in prayers for well-being in the family, peace, health of loved ones, carry seeds for consecration for the next harvest.

Previously, it was customary to organize fairs on Elijah, as well as bratchina - communal dinners, at which they brought food and drinks from each house, treated themselves, treated travelers, wanderers, the poor, the needy. Such meals ended with festivities, games, round dances, songs.

People believed that on the day of Elijah, all evil spirits are saved from the fiery punishment of the saint and turn into various animals and fish, including pets. Therefore, people on Elijah did not let domestic dogs and cats out of the house, so that an evil spirit would not inhabit them.

The day of the prophet Elijah is one of the holidays revered by the people, however, no special significant rituals were performed on this day, despite the fact that many beliefs, mythological legends, calendar and household signs and prohibitions are associated with Elijah.

They prepared for the holiday in a few days - they protected their homes from evil spirits, evil spirits, baked special ritual cookies and bread - koloboks, stopped any work in the field and around the house.

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Every year, Orthodox Christians celebrate Elijah's Day. It falls on August 2nd. But Ilyin's Day 2019 is not only a holiday of believers, but also a transition from summer to autumn (on this day "Winter is fighting summer"). Daylight is decreasing, the behavior of animals and insects is changing, the weather is naughty.

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In ancient times, on this day, they asked Elijah for sun or rain. It all depended on what exactly was needed for the harvest. WANT.ua today will tell traditions and rituals for 2019.

The prophet Elijah was the executor of the will of God, therefore it is in his power to punish sinners, not to let evil spirits play tricks. To do this, he has arrows of lightning. Elijah is a wise and stern, but at the same time a fair prophet who is favorable to the righteous and honest people who do not conceal evil and resentment in themselves. Ilya helps pious peasants keep livestock and grow crops. Ilya is merciless to sinners - the fields of such people suffer from the invasion of insects, grass, wind, hail, rain, etc.

The history of the holiday of Elijah

In a long time ago, more precisely in the 9th century BC, 900 years before Jesus was born, a boy was born in one of the Jewish cities, who was prophesied a great future. He was destined to be a prophet. His name is Ilya. According to the legend, during the birth of a child, his father had a dream - the angels wrapped the boy in fiery swaddling clothes and fed him with a fiery flame.

Later it turned out that the dream was prophetic. Ilya grew up and went into the desert, where he kept all the sermons of God, strict fasting and prayed to the Gods daily. After the hermitage in the desert, Ilya continued to lead a righteous life, struggled with sins, resisted evil spirits and fought idols.

In addition to the righteous way of life, the saint performed various miracles, helped people (in particular, the Israeli king Ahab), prophesied, called for rain, the sun, thunderstorms and lightning, divided, resurrected the dead youth ... At the end of his life, Ilya was taken away on a fiery chariot drawn by four white horses. He rushed off on them alive to heaven, leaving his disciple, Elisha, on earth.

It was not very soon that they began to read Ilya - only from the 9th-10th centuries AD. In Byzantium, whole feasts and performances were held in his honor. A little later, Ilya pressed the guardian of heaven Perun, taking his characteristics and powers for himself. In Kyiv, they even erected a temple in honor of Elijah, which is now called St. Elijah's Church. Currently, the prophet Elijah is considered the patron saint of air warriors (pilots, aviators and paratroopers). Apparently, not in vain, the holiday of Ilyin's day and the day of the paratroopers is celebrated on August 2.

You can’t swim on Ilyin’s day: why

According to folk legends, it is believed that after August 2 it is worth finishing. This is due to the fact that summer ends on August 2, they say nature is preparing for the onset of autumn and the prophet Elijah peed in the water, cooling it down. According to another legend, Ilya rides across the sky in his white fiery chariot and drops a horseshoe into the water, which cools the water.

There is another option why you can’t swim after Ilyin’s day, because the water begins to bloom, which adversely affects. It is also believed that on the night of August 2, all unclean forces gather near the reservoirs (water, devils, sea kings and mermaids rule in the water). Having bathed after the holiday of Ilyin's day in an open reservoir, you can invite trouble on yourself or even drown (the mermaid will lure and drag you away).

Another option why you can’t swim on Ilyin’s day is due to the fact that you can easily meet wild animals near the reservoir. That is why they say: “On Ilyin’s day, the deer swam across the water, you shouldn’t swim,” hinting that during his swim, the deer peed into the water, cooling it down.

To protect their home from lightning when Ilyusha gets angry, people fumigated the house, cattle, and fields with incense before the holiday. To protect the harvest, treats were put out of the windows of the houses, which were lowered into the water in the evening. On this day, evil spirits hide in wild and domestic animals, so the people did not let any animals into their homes. The fishermen were afraid of the fish with red eyes, so they released it back into the water.

If there was a thunderstorm on August 2, rainwater was collected and stored in the house. It was believed that such water had healing powers and protected from evil spirits for a whole year. During rain and thunderstorms, it was forbidden to make noise, have fun, be in the water, stand under a tree (especially under a pine tree, which has two tops). During a thunderstorm, residents tightly closed doors and windows, and lamps and candles were lit in front of the icons (if possible, prayers were said).

Before Elijah's Day, a fast had to be observed for a whole week. On the eve of the holiday, it was definitely pointed. On the holiday itself, they washed themselves with rainwater and organized festivities for all the inhabitants of the village. Preparations for the celebration began long before Ilyin's Day - a lot of varied food was prepared, ritual bread was baked from the flour of the new crop.

The main drink was beer, and the dish -. Before serving the meat to the table, the animal was ritually sacrificed. It was also believed that Elijah the prophet could help not only with a fertile harvest, but also help to recover from a serious illness, punish the offender, find a treasure, save the young from an unhappy marriage, damage and the evil eye.

What can and cannot be done on Ilyin's day

Modern customs and traditions differ significantly from the ancient ones, but even in our conditions it is possible to observe the canons and celebrate Ilyin's day. The difference can also be seen in cases that are either possible or forbidden to be done on Ilyin's day 2019. For example, no one bothers you to wash yourself with rainwater if it rains (this tradition was not invented in vain, for sure, it helps to save yourself from the evil eye, and no one has canceled the power of thought). from seasonal vegetables and fruits, a bread basket, a meat dish, pies, mushrooms and beer. No one can forbid you to dance, sing songs and have fun either, just remember that August 2 - Ilyin's day in 2019 - is a working day, and the next day is also a working day, so do not overdo it.

Photo: open sources on the Web