In church this year? The traditional list of products in the Easter basket, as a rule, is repeated from year to year. Everyone knows that Easter eggs, Easter cakes, homemade sausage, Cahors and other exclusively Easter goodies are lit in the church on Easter.

Many housewives admit that they bring to church for Easter and such delicacies that are not directly related to the holiday: sweets, waffles and cookies, fruits and vegetables.

What can be sanctified in the church on Easter 2019, in fact, and what is the meaning of each product in the Easter basket?

The church consecration of products is a symbol of the official end of the fast, and the blessing of the church to return to ordinary, quick meals. Therefore, they bring to the church to consecrate on Easter and eggs, and meat, and rich cakes, and wine - everything that was banned for a long 40 days of fasting.

On the eve of the Easter holiday, many people have a question about whether.

There is no prohibition for pregnant women, pregnancy is God's blessing. But a woman must understand that the Easter service needs to stand on her feet for several hours, most likely in tightness and stuffiness under the smell of burning wax candles and a censer, which is unlikely to have a good effect on well-being.

The products that are put in the basket at Easter are not just symbols of the holiday. Each of them has more deep meaning than traditional Easter food.

kulich

The image of Easter bread, which Christ broke on the eve of the execution, and distributed to his disciples.

This is a symbol of the Kingdom of Heaven and the Resurrection for all who believe in Christ God. Therefore, Easter cakes are one of the most important products in the Easter basket that they bring to church on Easter.

colored eggs

If you ask a person who is unfamiliar with, even he will answer the question of what products they bring to church for Easter - painted eggs, first of all.

In church tradition we are talking about eggs dyed red. But for a long time they have been accompanied by the most different colors, drawings and ornaments. They represent the rebirth to a new life.

Meat dishes

Ham, smoked meats are also among what needs to be holy in the church for Easter.

They symbolize the sacrificial lamb and refer us to the Old Testament story of the exodus of the Jews from Egyptian slavery. The blood of the lamb was used to make marks on the doorframes of the Jewish houses to save them from the punishment destined for the Egyptians.

Horseradish and salt

You can also consecrate horseradish and salt in the church on Easter. First, they symbolize a strong, unshakable faith, and deep connection between man and God.

Secondly, a plentiful meat table is indispensable without them, and they help digestion cope with heavy food. You can season dishes with consecrated salt, or leave it for future use to perform various rituals.

In the Ukrainian tradition, for many centuries, their views have been formed on what. The traditional set is complemented by onions, bacon, millet, poppy seeds, holiday pastries.

The church, in turn, every time on the eve of the holiday reminds that it is impossible to bring alcohol to church on Easter and bless it. An indulgence is made only for church wine Cahors.

Now you know what products to put in the Easter basket, and what can be dedicated to Easter in the church.

The Easter basket is an indispensable attribute of one of the most important Christian holidays. What you need to put in it, what products can and cannot be blessed in the church for Easter - read also.

What to bless for Easter

Modern believers are much easier to fill the Easter basket than our ancestors. Some do not hesitate to consecrate huge pieces of meat or bottled wine. However, everyone can decide for themselves what to bring to church. The main thing is to take the most important.

What you need to consecrate for Easter - a list of products

What products should be put in the Easter basket:

- Easter- a symbol of the Resurrection and the Kingdom of Heaven. Pasta baking - milestone preparations for the holiday. Most housewives have their own recipe. It is necessary to prepare the dough for pasca in peace, only with good thoughts, because under other circumstances it may not work out .;
- eggs- this is an obligatory symbol of the Easter paschal, which symbolizes new life and revival. Eggs can be decorated with natural and food coloring, cloth, paper and even rhinestones. But it is advised to do this in the family circle;
- meat- Usually cold meat appetizers are served on Easter, because they are prepared the day before, even during Great Lent. Therefore, put a piece of meat and homemade sausage in the Easter basket. The main thing is that the meat dish should be without blood;
- cheese and dairy products- since dairy products were not consumed during fasting, they are also placed in the Easter basket. It is especially good to cook curd pasta or make hard cheese with your own hands. Cheese and butter are symbols of the tenderness and sacrifice of God - these products are placed in small vessels, and a cross is drawn on top.

In addition to the above products, they put in the Easter basket for consecration horseradish, as a symbol of strength and fortitude, as well as salt and wine. The church does not approve of alcohol in the Easter basket, but allows Cahors.

What can not be holy on Easter

Not everything is worth putting in an Easter basket for consecration, there are foods and things that are strictly forbidden to bring to church.

What not to put in the Easter basket:

Jewelry, documents, money and other material things;
- vodka, cognac, moonshine and other alcohol (except Cahors);
- Blood drops and other products made from the blood of animals;
- it is also not advised to put fruits and vegetables, since they could be consumed during fasting;
- knife - there are opinions that consecrated products should be cut with a consecrated knife. This is fiction and prejudice.

What can not be holy for Easter - a list of products

The Easter basket is collected only for the blessing of foods that can be consumed after the end of Lent. So, there should be little food.

When is Easter celebrated?

V different churches and temples, the time for the consecration of apiaries may differ. One church can consecrate the Easter basket already on the pre-holiday Saturday, and the other - directly on Sunday.

The Easter liturgy in the church lasts all night, and therefore is called "vespers." At around 4:00 am, the Easter procession takes place. Then the priests change from dark clothes into light ones and proclaim the words: "Christ is risen!". In response, believers say: "Truly Risen!" Only after that do they sanctify paska and the Easter basket.

In 2018, Easter is blessed on the night of April 8

For many years in a row, I have a tradition - I always go to church to bless Easter cakes and eggs. I don’t dare to stand all night, but in the morning I definitely come to the lighting. And let them say that you still need to participate in the entire service, so far I have not succeeded.

But it's not about that now. Once upon a time, back in my first visits, when I wore a couple of Easter cakes and two Easter eggs in the usual plastic bag, noticed that people drag with them to church, everything that is possible. And it would be fine if the matter was limited to Cahors (which is understandable), water, bread and lard, but even unusual objects were encountered, such as keys, wallets, and so on.

Once, a few years ago, when I worked as a journalist, I decided, shortly before the holiday, to make a small material about what can and what absolutely cannot be brought to church for consecration.

NOTE. On the way to church, be sure to cover the basket with a napkin or towel. When the rite of illumination begins, remove it. Light a candle. After the end of the ceremony, it is also recommended to cover the consecrated products. Leave some part of Easter cakes, eggs as an offering - not necessarily a lot, the main thing is sincerely and from the heart.

What should be required and what is welcome

Now I go to church with a basket specially purchased for this purpose. In it, according to the priest, must be Easter cakes and painted eggs. How much exactly you put them in a basket or purse is a private matter! You can carry all the household supplies, or you can limit yourself to a small amount.

NOTE! In no case should you throw away the remnants of consecrated food in the trash! This is a grave sin. If you have crumbs left, you can eat them. Or give to birds, pets (BUT ONLY CRUMPS!!!). Or throw it into the river. It is a river, and not in a pond with stagnant water.

Naturally, a bottle of Cahors should also be put in the basket. Of course, the bottle must be opened before consecration so that droplets of holy water get into the wine.

The priest advises to take some ordinary pastries, which after the consecration can be distributed either to the poor, who meet near the church on such days, or donate to the church, who themselves distribute such delicious donations to orphanages, low-income families, etc.

As mentioned above, you can take a bottle of Cahors, which is a kind of symbol of Christ's blood, but others alcoholic drinks in no case is it possible not only to sanctify, but even simply to bring into the church. Although, of course, the process takes place on the street, this does not mean that vodka, cognac and other alcoholic beverages should be taken. After all, drunkenness is one of the most serious sins.

Despite the fact that most of us carry in baskets or purses smoked sausages, lard and other meat products, the priest says that it is not recommended to bring them into the church itself. Meat in any form should not be brought into the church, so as not to desecrate it. Of course, during the service you can cover the basket, then no one will see that you brought the meat to the temple, but is it necessary to take on such responsibility?

STRONGLY IMPOSSIBLE. Carry blood sausage, any products with blood (the same steak), hematogen, etc. to the church. Because according to the Bible you can not eat blood, in whatever form it may be.

However, if you do not go to church, and one of your friends or relatives goes to buy candles, while you stand on the street with a basket waiting for lighting, then there will be nothing wrong with the presence of meat products.

NOTE. On Easter, during the rite of illumination, it is customary to light candles set in Easter cakes. After lighting, put out the candle and take it home. Let it be with you throughout the year. When there are difficult moments in life, light it up and pray. After prayer, extinguish again. A little candle can be thrown under any tree.

What is prohibited

Quite often people carry various items, believing that lighting will help them provide protection for their home, car, guarantees financial well-being. But remember, in no case should you carry with you:

• knives;
• keys;
• medicines;
• mirrors, etc.

As the priest noted, this can be perceived as occultism and magic, which is equated with mortal sin.

Also, amulets of various origins, pendants depicting zodiac signs and other similar products cannot be blessed. This already applies to divination, which the church not only does not welcome, but very, very strictly condemns.

Also, do not put Orthodox crosses in the basket - there is a separate rite for lighting.

In conclusion

As he sees, not everything is equated with mortal sin. However, it is still recommended to adhere to the above rules so as not to stain the soul. Of course, the majority of priests understand that not all people who come to church are believers, and far from all believers know the intricacies of rituals. The main thing is to go to church with sincerity, true faith in the bright and good, faith in Christ! And pay attention to your inner feelings - a person is simply obliged to feel something good, spiritual, joyful. This will not only allow you to imprint in your memory every visit to the temple on Bright Sunday, but will also help strengthen faith!

The traditional attribute of Easter is the Easter basket. For many, this is perhaps the most important stage of the celebration. Some people try to put as many products in the Easter basket as possible, and sometimes they even collect several baskets.

But do not forget that the consecration of products in the church is just a priest's blessing for the use of products that we refused during Great Lent. Therefore, only those foods that have been excluded from the diet over the past seven weeks should be holy.

Easter basket 2015: what products can be blessed in the church for Easter

In ancient times, it was customary to sanctify only rich bread (Kulich), eggs, meat, cheese and milk. These products could be afforded by both the poor and the rich. Today, the "composition" of the Easter basket depends more on the well-being of the family.

To understand what foods should be blessed in the church for Easter, you can read the texts of prayers that are read on Easter night. These are prayers-blessings for the consecration of bread (Kulich), the Paschal lamb (traditionally for Greece, but we have others meat products- sausage, ham, etc.), dairy products (cheese, butter, milk, eggs). This set of products has been unchanged for many centuries.

Easter basket 2015: what products can not be blessed in the church for Easter

It is not customary to sanctify in the church on Easter ready meals or flavorings (pepper, salt, etc.), as well as alcoholic beverages.

Priests insist: do not consecrate salt and pepper, since these products were not banned during fasting. Putting these products in the Easter basket is more folk tradition and not a church one. Also, do not bring fruits and vegetables to church.

Even if you have big family, you should not buy the largest basket and "stuff" it with food. Everything must be put in moderation, since consecrated foods should not be eaten, but only tasted while reading the prayer.

Feast of Holy Easter - main holiday at Christians. It has long been believed that this day has special properties and conspiracies read on the bright day of Easter have great power. On Easter, they asked for strength and health, drove out quarrels and troubles, removed the evil eye, attracted grooms, and even drove out cockroaches and bedbugs. Depending on the lunar calendar for a particular year, the holiday falls between April 4 and May 8.

After Bright Sunday, the celebrations continue for eight days - the last of which is called Fomin Monday. Services in churches continue throughout the week and services are practically no different from those that took place on Easter day. Preparation for Easter takes place during Holy Week and ends on Great Saturday with the preparation of festive food - Easter cakes, curd Easter and painted eggs. The food is carried to the church, where it is blessed during the service. Previously, festive food for Easter was given very great importance: it is no coincidence that the word "Easter" is known as the name of the food that was prepared for this holiday.

Holy Week: signs and customs

Monday

On Monday you need to put things in order in your house: touch up something, repair something.

In the old days, the peasants on this day went out early in the morning to the street and looked at what this day would be like. If the sky was clear, and the sun seemed to play in the sky, then the summer will be good, fruitful. All weddings that will be played this year will be happy. Leading people on this day always washed themselves with gold, silver, so that for a long time preserve youth and financial well-being.

Tuesday

holiday clothes To bright sunday It is customary to cook on Tuesday. On the same day, you can continue cleaning, you can organize laundry.

Products are purchased for Easter.

women cooking medicinal infusions. Men should not even touch herbs, tinctures, powders.

Wednesday

Carry out general cleaning in the house taken on Wednesday. This is the day of washing and all sorts of rubbing. On Wednesday, it is advisable to thoroughly wash, scrape the floors, knock out the carpets. And you can continue on Maundy Thursday. After all, it is not for nothing that the next day of the week is called Maundy Thursday. Whoever has mud in his house that day will live in mud all year.

Wednesday at Holy Week they remembered a special rite against any bodily infirmity. It was necessary to scoop up a mug of water from a well or from a barrel on the street or draw water from a river. Crossing themselves three times, they covered the mug with a clean or new towel, and at 2 o'clock in the morning, crossing themselves again three times, they poured this water on, leaving a little in the mug. After that, they put on clothes on a wet body, without wiping themselves, and the water that remained in the mug was poured up to 3 hours on a bush or flowers. It is said that a body washed in this way is reborn.

Thursday

On Maundy Thursday you need to bring a passionate candle from the church, which will help in the treatment of various diseases. On the same day, you can cook Thursday salt. To do this, ordinary salt in a canvas bag is placed in the oven or oven for 10 minutes, and then it is consecrated in the church.

Thursday salt has excellent healing properties. It is used throughout the year. With the help of this salt, you can then help to establish peace in the family, get rid of damage, make amulets to protect against evil spirits. Thursday salt clear the houses of negative energy, process items and gifts if there is a suspicion of the presence of negativity on them.

On this day, housewives prepare pysanky (or painted eggs), krashenka (painted eggs) and a dish of cottage cheese, which is called Easter. The appearance of cottage cheese Easter on the festive table is also not an accidental phenomenon. Since ancient times, milk (and dairy products), along with bread (Kulich), were considered sacral, sacred food. Our ancestors endowed milk with medicinal properties and perceived it as a product that gives strength and fertility.

The custom of painting eggs has a long history and came to us from early Christian times. The Bible says that Jesus Christ had a disciple - Mary Magdalene. On the day of the resurrection of Jesus, Mary Magdalene came to the Roman emperor Tiberius to announce to him the resurrection of Christ.

Since it was impossible to appear before the emperor without gifts and offerings, Mary Magdalene, being poor, brought the emperor a simple chicken egg as an offering.

The purpose of Mary's coming to the emperor was to inform Tiberius about the resurrection of the Lord, which she did, saying: "Christ is risen!"

Tiberius did not believe that someone could be resurrected from the dead and exclaimed that it was impossible, just like the fact that a white egg turned red. To the surprise of everyone, the egg changed color to red, which confirmed the truth of the words of Mary Magdalene.

The people present at this miracle spread the good news everywhere. After that, as a sign significant event In honor of the Most Holy Easter, Christians have been dyeing eggs red and other colors for many centuries.
Over time, eggs began not only to be painted in different colors, but also to paint them with different patterns, which symbolized strength and fertility.

Friday

On Good Friday you need to buy as many candles as possible in the church and burn them in every room throughout the day. On this day, when Christ was crucified, suffered and died on the cross, they do not eat food.

Church traditions say that on Friday, when Christ was crucified, Christians should not eat food.

Easter cakes are baked on the same day. Before you get to work, you need to read "Our Father", and already, having said: "Lord, bless", - start baking Easter cakes.

The ash from the oven where Easter was baked, taken on the Friday before Easter, will help cure alcoholism, love spells, spoilage, and the evil eye.

On Good Friday, they sweep the corners with a rag, and if you tie this rag around, it will help with lower back pain.

From pain in the legs and joints with this rag after the bath, you can wipe your legs.

Saturday

Saturday- This is the day of sorrow, when all believers mourn for the Savior. It is contraindicated to have fun, drink alcohol, have an intimate relationship.

Last (quiet) tidy. You can also dye eggs. On this day, common festive dishes are prepared.

On Saturday, they brought painted eggs, Easter cakes, Easter cakes and other products to the church to consecrate. And before going to the service on Easter night, they left refreshments on the table so that later they could break the fast. True, they ate a little - only symbolically, after which they went to bed. But late Sunday morning, a real feast began, which lasted all week.

On Saturday evening, the Easter service begins in the church. If for some reason you are not able to defend the All-Night Service, then you still should not go to bed - this will bring good luck to the house.

Of course, everything preparatory work: cooking, painting eggs must be completed before Bright Sunday.

Sunday

The next day is Easter. The holiday is called the miraculous Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The morning starts with a break. The family stands in front of the icons and prays, then everyone sits down at the table, and the eldest man in the family breaks off a “bump” from the Easter cake and gives it to the hostess. Then the owner cuts the Easter cake into pieces and distributes it to all family members, inviting them to break their fast.

First they eat consecrated Easter cake, eggs, ham, then the turn comes to other dishes. It is impossible to get drunk drunk on this day: “If you get drunk drunk on breaking the fast, you will walk all year as if half asleep, so God will punish you.”

Having broken the fast, they went out into the street to guess: “What you see first is what will be for you. the best occupation in life, bringing good luck.

On Easter, you must definitely visit your parents and godparents if you have not seen them for a long time or live separately from them.

What lights up for Easter

As soon as the bells rang, they went to church in festive attire. In the hands - lighted candles and beautiful baskets. They contain Easter covered with the best towel, Easter eggs, and could also contain salt, vodka, lard, piglet, cheese, horseradish, fish, millet, poppy seeds, chalk, a knife, and even a bar on which a knife is sharpened.

The solemn ritual of entering the temple to the sound of bells began, and then the detour church service together with the choir around the temple singing "Christ is Risen". They say that during the tour of the church, the angels lead the Savior out of the tomb, and the saints come out of the icons and kiss - they are christened. The priest sanctifies Easter, eggs and everything that the hostess brought with her to church in a basket. They rush home with the consecrated (sometimes they even ran, overtaking each other). By popular belief, if you come from the church before your neighbor, then you will be lucky and you will live long. And it was also believed that whoever came running home first with Easter would have best harvest and that master will be the first to finish the field work.

In connection with this custom, there were some other Easter beliefs:
- Bread will grow as fast as the owner runs with Easter.
- Whoever overtakes everyone will have the strongest horse, and will overtake others in work for a whole year.

Easter table

In ancient times, wealthy owners served 48 dishes for Easter, according to the number of days of the expired fast. The remains of pies, eggs and other dishes consecrated in the church could not be thrown away, they were buried in the field so that the soil was fertile and gave a lot of harvest this year.

In Russia, as in many other countries (Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic), in addition to Easter, Easter cake and eggs, they certainly put a figure of a lamb made of dough or butter on the Easter table. A skillful hostess carved a lamb out of butter with a knife and fork without a shape.

Since Easter is a holiday of resurrection and rebirth, it is customary to put sprouted grain (wheat, barley or other) on the table.

The Easter table was always rich: in addition to the listed dishes, the hospitable hosts served a variety of vegetable snacks, stewed chicken offal, fish caviar and milk dishes, herring, jellied fish, jelly and jelly, beef kidney kali with pickles, omentum from the liver, stewed buckwheat porridge with lamb meat, roast with mushrooms harvested for the future in the summer, beef with turnips, boiled pork in hay dust with beer, duck or goose in honey or fried with juniper branches.

Drinks were also varied: beer, homemade liqueurs, liquors and wines, kissels and sbitni.

Easter is the oldest and most important Christian holiday, Resurrection of Christ. Easter traditions and cooking have always been closely linked. Initially, Easter was called a sacrificial lamb, which was baked whole and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

And now Easter is not only a solemn night service and the descent Holy Fire, but also the end of the 7-week Great Lent, breaking the fast and a special treat.

Believers prepare the Easter table on Maundy Thursday in order to dedicate Good Friday to an even more strict fast, and on Saturday to have time to bless the Easter treat in the church.

All Easter dishes are prepared only once a year, so it is very important to make them tasty, beautiful and memorable. To do this, you must definitely find a real village cottage cheese and butter, the freshest eggs with a bright yolk and genuine spices. Dry shop cottage cheese, butter of dubious origin and pale eggs are in no way suitable for Easter dishes.

Easter meal

Entering the house, with the consecrated Easter in their hands, stepping over the threshold, they say three times: "Holy Easter in the house, all the evil spirits out of the house." sit down for festive table. First they eat everything holy. Sometimes they started by cutting the holy pysanka into as many pieces as there were family members. Everyone silently ate their part, and then they dined on jelly, pork, sausage, finishing the meal with Easter.

The festive meal began with Easter. First of all, they cut off the top of it and gave it to the cow so that there was a lot of milk, or they kept it until the time when the cow would calve.

After dinner, it was supposed not to drink water for two hours - then even in the field during the harvest you would not want water.

The remains of the festive Easter meal were handled with great care. All the remains of Easter are collected and buried in a place where no one walks - so that they do not trample on the saint; thrown into the water (into the river) to go for water.

Our ancestors also believed in miraculous power shells of sacred eggs: shells from eggs or Easter eggs were kept on sticks in the garden so that worms would not start in the ground; when garlic was planted, the shell was attached to two sticks stuck into the ground, hoping that the garlic would be round like an egg.

With a holy knife they cut Easter and everything sacred. Then they hid him, and in the summer, when there was thunder and hail, they threw a shovel and a poker crosswise into the yard, and a knife was stuck between them. This knife has such power that you can immediately stab a boar with it.

There was a special attitude towards the towel in which Easter was sacred. He was pulled out when the woman went into labor to make it easier.

It is customary not to spend the entire Bright Week in food and wine. The tables in the house are always set the best dishes and people visit each other. After Lent, for many, this is the most “delicious” week, when any treats take on an incredible taste.

By tradition, the festive table should be covered with a beautiful white tablecloth, if possible with embroidery on an Easter theme. Always in the center of the table on a platter Easter cake, and around it - the most beautiful eggs. The rest of the eggs are laid out on separate plates for priority use; our ancestors necessarily covered these plates with oat and wheat sprouts.

If possible, on the table, in addition to numerous meat dishes, serve a young roasted lamb, which symbolizes the Lamb of God.

It is necessary to start each meal with consecrated foods, and then continue the feast with the rest of the dishes. Our ancestors in those days drank only wine, but now other, stronger drinks are possible.
After and in between meals, it is customary to exchange krashenka, have fun various games, dance and constantly congratulate each other. Previously, everyone was allowed to ring the bells these days, so the festive ringing could be heard from everywhere.

Holy holiday

Three days in the church holiday service. If anyone wants to learn a craft, he should go to church on the first day of Easter and, when the priest says for the first time: “Christ is risen!”, Quietly answer that he wants to learn how to sew - “needle in hand”, crafting - “ax in hand" and etc.

Any Homework. In the Easter week they go to visit each other, walk, sing.
Swings were arranged for the holiday. On the open space they dug two plows at a distance, made a crossbar at the top, threw a rope and got along at the bottom of the seat from the plank. During the swing of the girls, there was a lot of laughter and jokes.

They say that whoever dies on Easter, his soul goes straight to paradise: "On this day, God leads all the dead to paradise." Until three days the gates of paradise are open (open and royal doors in the iconostasis), and the soul will immediately fly to heaven, to paradise. Red Easter eggs are placed in the coffin of the deceased: Christ himself meets the dead on Easter, Christ shares with their souls.

In addition to entertainment, during the celebration of Easter, it was previously customary to perform the Green Christmastide ceremony. As well as at sowing, several people, singing Easter songs, go from house to house and congratulate the owners who treat them. In the evenings, violinists also walked around the yards and played Great Melodies.

During the Easter week, it is customary to help the poor and the weak - give alms, distribute consecrated food to the poor, help the sick.

After Fomin Monday, the church continues to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord for 32 days, but at this time there are no more magnificent feasts. According to legend, in these days the Savior, along with the apostles, walked around the world. It is believed that they still experience human qualities - they reward the good and not greedy people, and punish the evil and cruel.

Many traditions have not survived to this day, but the main thing remains: after Easter Sunday, you need to carry in your heart the joy of this bright holiday for at least another week.

Easter superstitions, signs, customs

Easter is an ancient and complex holiday that goes back to pagan times. For farmers, Easter symbolized the coming of the sun and the awakening of nature. Therefore, many rituals are connected with the main concerns of the peasants: the future harvest, family health and livestock. The Church assigned to this day such an outstanding event as the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Majority folk rituals took place on Maundy Thursday, which is also called "pure". The main ritual on Thursday is to put yourself in order. It is advisable to wash on this day in cold water. Water washes away diseases, gives beauty and health to the body. Previously, soap was taken outside at night to make the face especially clean. They washed and bathed until the first rays of the sun, silver and gold were lowered into the water. These metals symbolized wealth and strength. To make their hair thick and long, women cut the ends of their braids. One-year-old children were first sheared on “clean” Thursday. Also, this day is dedicated to cleaning the house, because. before the feast of Easter, the revenge of the floor was not accepted.

The people believed that on Easter night you can see your dead relatives. For this, after procession hide in the temple with a passionate candle so that no one notices. It was forbidden to talk with the dead; there is a cemetery for this.

According to the peasants, on Easter night, all the devils are unusually angry, so that at sunset, men and women were afraid to go out into the yard and into the street: in every black cat, in every dog ​​and pig, they saw a werewolf, a devil in the form of an animal. Even in their parish church, the peasants avoided going alone, just like leaving it.

To mock at evil spirit, country people went out with easter egg to the crossroads and rolled it along the road. It was believed that then the devils would certainly have to jump out and dance.

Yes, the one who see the sunrise first The sun at Easter, he will not know troubles all year.

It was considered bad luck to oversleep on Easter. morning service- it prophesied failure.

In addition, there was a belief that during the morning Easter service, you can easily identify sorcerers. It was enough for this to turn around and look at the people: all the sorcerers would stand with their backs to the altar.

After the morning service get home as soon as possible and take up the festive meal: the sooner this is done, the more successfully things will go.

Easter morning housewives watching the cattle. Which one lies quietly - the one to the yard, and if the animal tosses and turns - it has no place in the household. In the morning, the peasant women "shugal" the chickens from the perch so that they would not be lazy, but would get up early and lay more eggs.

One of the most interesting customs for Easter - expulsion from the hut of bedbugs and cockroaches. When the owner came home after mass, he was not supposed to immediately enter the hut, but first knocked. The hostess, without opening the door, asked: “Who is there?” “I, your master,” answered the husband, “my name is Ivan. Well, wife, how are we going to break the fast? “We will break the fast with meat, sour cream, milk, eggs.” “And what about bedbugs?” "And bedbugs are bedbugs." The peasants were sure that, having overheard this dialogue, the bugs would either get scared and run away from the hut, or pounce on each other and eat themselves.

To get out of trouble, bad luck and quarrels, you need to burn a cross on the door jamb with an Easter candle.

On Easter, as well as on the Annunciation, as a sign of spring freedom released to the birds. When releasing, they made a wish - it was believed that the bird is a heavenly creature, and it will pass it on to the Almighty.

Candles bought for Easter they kept them in the church for the whole year - they blessed the young with them, put them near the seriously ill, and with their help drove out evil spirits from their homes.

Remains of wax from Easter candles they kept it until the next Easter - according to folk signs, this served as a guardian for the house from fire, and for the family from curses.

Exists belief about the "playing" sun on the day of the Holy Resurrection of Christ. Since ancient times, many people went to "guard the sun." From different elevations (hills, bell towers), those who wished to watch the sunrise. Through a piece of smoked glass, it seemed that the sun was “dancing”.

If your the child is capricious and whiny, on Easter, parents must go to church to atone for their sins.

If the child was born on Easter Sunday then he becomes famous famous person. The one who was born in the Easter week will have good health. Great people who can even change the course of history are born not just on Easter Sunday, but also at noon and wearing a shirt.

A so that the baby grows strong and strong, on the morning of Easter Sunday, it must be put with its legs on an ax and say: “As steel is strong, so be you strong and healthy. Amen.

If your baby develops slowly on Easter walk him barefoot wooden floor. And the teeth will erupt faster, and the legs will soon walk on their own, and will speak earlier.

Willow, brought on palm week, they fanned the children's room, thereby driving out misfortunes and ailments.

Mothers protect their children as follows - starting from Easter and throughout the Easter week, the kids on an empty stomach were first given a piece of the consecrated Easter cake, and then they were only fed the rest of the food.

A so that there is peace in the family, harmony and no one quarreled among themselves, the Easter meal must be started with the whole family and everyone must first of all eat a piece of Easter cake and eggs that were consecrated in the church.

The woman who can't get pregnant, on Easter, she should put an extra plate next to her, put a piece of Easter there with the words: “Kulich for the kids!”. After the meal, this piece was crumbled to the birds.

There was a tradition for the elderly comb your hair, saying a wish so that they have as many grandchildren as there are hairs on their heads.

Death on Easter is a special sign. The person who died on this day is marked by God. His soul will immediately rush to heaven, to the saints. The deceased is buried with a red testicle in his right hand.

Christians believed that Easter dishes, consecrated by prayer, have huge force and can help in difficult moments. The hostesses hid all the food at night so that not a single mouse could get to it. There was a belief: if a mouse eats a consecrated piece, then wings will grow in it and it will turn into bat. And the bones from the Easter table were buried next to the arable land or thrown into the fire during a thunderstorm to avoid thunder. The head of the consecrated Easter cake was also preserved. Only during sowing the peasant took it to the field and ate it in the field. This was to ensure a bountiful harvest.

The Easter table should be decorated to glory then the heavens will rejoice for the feast of Easter.
You can’t eat an egg and throw (and even more so spit out) the shell out the window into the street. The peasants used to believe that throughout the whole bright week, Christ himself with the apostles in beggarly rags walks the earth and, by negligence, one can get into him with a shell.

Easter week girls washed with water red egg, to be ruddy, they stood on an ax to become strong. So that the hands do not sweat, on the days of Holy Pascha they did not take salt in their hands.
There are a number of girlish Easter signs:
- if you hurt your elbow during the Easter week - dear remembered;
- if a fly fell into the cabbage soup - wait for a date;
- if the lips itch - do not miss the kiss;
- if your eyebrows begin to itch, you will see your loved one.

If on Easter night draw water from a spring or river, then, according to popular belief, it will have special power.

lure the groom can be in the church on Easter during the service. When the priest says "Christ is Risen!" whisper quickly: “Sunday of Christ, send me a single guy as a suitor!” "Resurrection of Christ! Send me a single fiancé, in stockings and shorts!” or “God grant a good groom, in boots and with galoshes, not on a cow, but on a horse!”

To get younger and get rich, elderly women also washed themselves from dishes in which they put a painted egg and coins, that is, they washed themselves "from gold-silver and from a red egg."

So that no one could jinx the child for a whole year, it is necessary in Easter baptize him with an easter egg and say: “Just as no one ever turns this testicle, so (the name of the child) no one ever turns it.” It is necessary to give this testicle to the child to kiss.

If you are experiencing constant money problems a must for Easter give a beggar a coin- the whole year you will not know the need.

If during Easter week you saw a dead relative in a dream this means that next year no one in the family will become seriously ill or die.

Even criminals (thieves, dishonest card players, etc.) have created peculiar signs dedicated to Easter. Thieves made every effort to steal something from those praying in the church during Easter matins and, moreover, to do it in such a way that it would never occur to anyone to suspect them. If the enterprise was successful, they were sure that they could safely steal for a whole year and no one would catch them.

The players, going to church, put a coin in their boot under the heel with the firm hope that this measure would bring them a big win. But in order to become an invincible player and surely beat everyone and everyone, it was necessary, when going to listen to Easter matins, to grab cards to the church and commit the following sacrilege: when the priest appears from the altar in light robes and for the first time says “Christ is Risen”, who came with the cards should answer: "The cards are here." When the priest says “Christ is Risen” a second time, the godless gambler replies: "Whack here". Third time: "Aces are here." This blasphemy, according to the players, can bring incalculable gains, but only until the blasphemer repents.

On the feast of Easter and throughout the week behind it, the church did not marry the young - being distracted by worldly holidays was considered a great sin.

Couples in love were in awe of kissing for Easter. It was considered a bad omen to kiss on the threshold - it promised separation. Also, if during the kiss you hear the croaking of a raven, then the lovers could soon disperse. But if the kiss took place under a tree, then this promised a joyful life.

It's good for Easter (and the whole Easter week) to ride a swing. This fanning ritual. They say it blows away all sins.

“Christ is risen, and my family is healthy, my house is wealth, my field is harvest. Amen". Then the year will be successful.

If at the first strike of the church bell you say: “Christ is Risen, slave (name) health. Amen", this person, whose name was called, is recovering, even seriously ill. unmarried girls they can say this: “Christ is Risen, and I have a good groom. Amen".

It was believed that ringing bells a day Christ's resurrection truly endowed magical powers- hitting the bell, believers asked for a good harvest, peace and harmony in the family, and the girls for a handsome and rich groom. If a person spoke his request from a pure heart, then it certainly came true.

In Russia, every year on the day of this great holiday in every home they put jugs of honey near the icons, which were called kanunchiki. The owners lit candles in them and commemorated relatives and friends who had left this world, so that they too could rejoice that Christ had risen. After the holiday, on Easter week, these jugs were taken to the cemetery and left on the graves of the dead. They also took three red Easter eggs with them to the cemetery and, having said “Christ is Risen” on the grave, they crumbled eggs for birds.

There were a lot of signs associated with the Easter egg. There was a belief that with the help of an Easter egg, the souls of the dead could receive relief in the next world. To do this, you just need to go to the cemetery, christenate with the dead three times, then break the egg, crumble it and feed it to the “free” bird, which, in gratitude for this, will remember the dead and ask God for them.

With the help of an Easter egg, the living receive relief from all diseases and misfortunes. If the egg received during Christening from the priest is kept in the sanctuary for three or even twelve years, then one has only to give such an egg to be eaten by seriously ill people - and all the ailment will be removed from them as if by hand.

If a dead person happens in the family on Easter, then this is very Bad sign. So, there will be a series of deaths in this family. To prevent this from happening, right hand The deceased is given a red Easter egg. There should be no more red eggs in the house, they should be distributed to people.

When the bells ring for Easter, you need to whisper three times: “Christ is risen, and my family is healthy, my house is wealth, my field is harvest. Amen." Then the year will be successful.

The peasants also believed that the egg also helps in extinguishing fires: if righteous man takes such an egg and runs around the burning building three times with the words “Christ is Risen”, then the fire will immediately subside, and then stop by itself. But if the egg fell into the hands of a person of a dubious lifestyle, then the fire will not stop. Then only one remedy remains: throw the egg in a direction opposite to the direction of the wind and free from buildings. It was believed that then the wind would subside, change direction, and the strength of the fire would weaken.

But most of all, the Easter egg helps in agricultural work: it is only necessary to bury it in grain during the Easter prayer service, and then leave for sowing with the same egg and grain, and a wonderful harvest is guaranteed.

Husband and wife must hit each other with colored eggs at breakfast on Easter Sunday, whoever does not break a testicle will be the “head” of the family all year.

Colored eggs were exchanged at a meeting, they were guessing about fate, breaking the shell in a certain way. The egg had to be rolled on the table. Good luck in games with eggs promised well-being in the family.

Finally, the egg helps even treasure hunters. After all, every treasure, as you know, is guarded by an unclean force specially assigned to it, and when they see a person approaching with an Easter egg, the devils will certainly get scared and rush in all directions, leaving the treasure without any protection and cover. Then it remains only to take a shovel and calmly dig out the cauldrons of gold.

V folk calendar Easter determined the upcoming weather.

Thunderstorm at Easter - by late and dry autumn.

If on the first day of Easter frost or thunder - to a good harvest.

If it rains on the first day of Easter - to a rainy spring and a good harvest of rye.

If it rains during the week, there will be a good harvest of wheat.

If the weather is cold on the second day of Easter, then the summer will be dry.

If the weather is clear on the second day after Easter, then the summer, on the contrary, will be rainy.

If it rains on Easter, then spring will also be rainy.

If Easter was warm and clear, then the summer will be sunny, and the harvest will be good.

Starry night for Easter - to frost.

By Easter, all the snow had gone - for a good harvest.

At Easter, the sky is gloomy - the summer will be cold and cloudy.

There is also such a sign: if a dog during Easter matins barks to the east - to the fire, to the west - unfortunately.

Other Easter signs:

On the first day of Easter to break something - to death this year.

If during the service the candle went out - unfortunately, and if after the service the person extinguished it himself - for good luck.

Sleeping through the morning service is a failure.

Feed free birds - for wealth and good luck.

When baking Easter bread was a success, then everything in the family will be safe.

A child born on Easter at noon has a great destiny.

To see the Easter dawn - to good luck in business.

Seeing a colorful sunset is good luck.

Hearing a cuckoo - this portends an addition to the family, and for young girls - an early marriage.

Hear the sound of a woodpecker - there will be your own home.

Even the hunters had their own Easter traditions, which boiled down to the main requirement: never shed blood in holidays. It was believed that animals also celebrate the Resurrection of Christ.

This night, lamps or candles are always lit in houses in the red corner. Candles are also lit on the graves of deceased relatives. Fire, candles, bonfires - indispensable attributes Orthodox Easter: the apostles warmed themselves by the fire in the Garden of Gethsemane, when it was the last night of Christ.

On Easter, they often visited the cemetery - they went to Christ with the dead, they left painted eggs, some bread and beer on the graves.

According to legend, from the first day of Easter until the Ascension, Christ and the apostle wander the earth in beggarly rags and experience human mercy. The good are rewarded and the bad are punished.

And of course, everyone around congratulated each other with the words on their lips: “Christ is Risen!”, And in response they heard: “Truly Risen!”, Kissed three times on the cheek and exchanged Easter gifts.

Spouses should be christened so that no one sees, otherwise it will be separation. Children should be kissed three times.