Wednesday night at Orthodox churches a special service is performed - "Mary's Standing". In this service the only time the whole year is read, which sounded in parts from Monday to Thursday of the first week of Great Lent and the canon. For this feature, the morning Divine Service of the Fourth is called the St. Andrew's standing and the standing of Mary of Egypt. The canon contains and expounds all the motives for fasting and repentance - and the Holy Church repeats it now in full complement to breathe new strength into us to successfully end the fast. For the same purpose - the excitement of both the strength and the attention of the penitent - reading also serves.
The Monk Mary was an Egyptian ascetic. This is how she herself opened her life to Saint Zosima, who, shortly before her death, met her in the wilderness. “At the age of 12, I left my parents' home for Alexandria, where I began to lead a vicious life. Once, with a crowd of people, I went to Jerusalem for the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord. While sailing, I seduced many travelers. Arriving in Jerusalem, I wanted to go with the people to church, but some invisible force held me back. I began to ponder why I cannot enter the church when others enter. Then the light of God illuminated my heart, and I realized that my sins did not let me into the temple of God. I cried for a long time and suddenly, looking up, I saw the image of the Most Holy Theotokos on the wall. I began to beg Holy Mother of God forgive me and admit me to church to worship the Cross of Christ. And what? After the prayer, I freely entered the church, bowed to the Holy Cross and, returning to the icon, began to ask the Mother of God to guide me on the path of salvation. Then I heard a voice: "Go beyond the Jordan, and there you will find peace for your soul!" I listened to the voice and three days later I reached the monastery of St. John the Baptist, near the Jordan River. Having bathed in the holy river, I entered the church, received the Holy Mysteries and then, crossing the river, settled in the local desert. I lived here for 40 years, ate roots, suffered a terrible hunger. Sometimes I was tormented by remembering the sweet food that I always had in Egypt. Sometimes there was not even plain water, but I wanted those expensive wines that I had drunk before without measure. Against my will, my tongue set itself up to repeat those crazy songs that had previously consoled me. I fought terribly with my evil skills. It happened that she fell to the ground from exhaustion. My dress has decayed from time to time, my body now suffered from the cold, now burned with heat. But after 17 years the time of rest has come. " Having told her life, Saint Mary asked Zosima that next year, on Great Thursday, he would bring the Holy Gifts from the monastery and commune her on the very day on which the Lord communed His disciples. Saint Zosima, arriving in the wilderness, prayed for a long time and waited for the holy ascetic. Finally, I saw that she came to the river and, crossing her, walked on the water. The elder was amazed and wanted to bow to Mary at her feet, but she said: “What are you doing? Are you a priest and have the Holy Gifts in your hands? " Having communed, the holy ascetic asked once more to come to her in the wilderness; Zosima appeared a year later and found her already dead. On the sand beside her were inscribed the words: “Father Zosima! Bury the body of the humble Mary, who died on April 1st, here. " It was April 1, 524, the very day of her communion. The memory of St. Mary, except for April 1 (April 14 in the new style), is honored on Sunday and Thursday of the 5th week of Great Lent. Honored at this time in order to show in it repentant sinners high example repentance. The relics of St. Mary are in parts different cities Europe.
Mary's Standing is a special service, the Great Canon of Penitence of Andrew of Crete is fully read when it is served in 2018.
The Mary's Standing was established by the Russian Orthodox Church in memory of the penitential deed of St. Mary of Egypt, in 2018 it is served in the evening service on March 21, on Wednesday of the fifth week of Great Lent. During this service, her life is read as an example of deep repentance and correction. own life and full text The great penitential canon Andrew of Crete.
This divine service began to be performed in memory of the exploit of the Monk Mary of Egypt. This saint was born in the middle of the 5th century in Egypt. At the age of 12, she left the family and went to Alexandria, where she began to earn a living by trading herself. She could not change her life in any way, but one day a miraculous incident happened, because of which everything changed.
On the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, Mary joined a group of pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. While in the Holy City, she tried to enter the temple, but something prevented her. The harlot stood up for prayer in front of the icon Mother of God, which was in the narthex of the temple. After prayer, Mary was able to enter the temple and worship the Cross. After leaving the temple, she heard the voice of the Mother of God: "If you cross the Jordan, you will find blissful peace."
Great post 2018 - "Mary's Standing", canon of Andrew of Crete, when served
Mary lived in the wilderness for 47 years, spending time in fasting and prayer, and attained holiness. The only person who communicated with Mary after she left for the desert was Hieromonk Zosima. It was to him that she told her story. The legend about Mary of Egypt was passed from mouth to mouth until in the 7th century Sophronius of Jerusalem wrote it down.
In remembrance of the pious hermitage of Mary of Egypt on March 21, at the evening service on Wednesday in the fifth week of Great Lent, the Great Canon of Penitence of Andrew of Crete is read. It consists of 250 troparia (songs), each of which has a conclusion - the Psalm chorus “FORGIVE ME, GOD. Pardon me. "
On Wednesday, the 5th week of Great Lent, the clergy of our parish: Archpriest Andrei Amelin, Archpriest Peter Zavatsky, Priest Alexy Bychkov and Priest Igor Stepov performed Matins with the reading of the Great Canon of Penitence of St. Andrew of Crete and the life of St. Mary of Egypt.
The service on Thursday of the 5th week of Great Lent, dedicated to the remembrance of the spiritual feat of the Monk Mary of Egypt, who after her sinful youth spent 47 years in the wilderness in repentance, was called "The Standing of the Monk Mary of Egypt" or "Mary's Standing". On the eve, on Wednesday, during the statutory Great Lent Matins, the Great Canon of Penitence of St. Andrew of Crete is read in full, with the addition of the troparions from the canon of St. Mary. The repentant images of the Great Canon again, as in the first week of Lent, call on Orthodox Christians to test their conscience, and the life of the Monk Mary reminds of how sincere and deep, overcoming all sins, repentance can and should be, regenerating the soul and changing the life of a person.
Reading the canon of St. Andrew and the Life of Mary of Egypt on the fifth week of the Holy Forty-days was established by the Fathers of Trull Cathedral, which was a continuation of VI Of the Ecumenical Council... It was then, in 692, that the life, compiled by Patriarch Sophronius of Jerusalem, and the canon were presented to Christians. This text is able to give hope to those who think that they are in a desperate situation and those who do not believe that they are able to worthily complete the fast and meet the Resurrection of Christ. Mary's standing is a service that comforts the suffering and at the same time encourages believers to continue the podvig of fasting and repentance.
This special service calls on us during the remaining days of Great Lent to once again remember our sins, the need for repentance in order to cleanse our souls for happy meeting with Christ on the feast of His glorious Resurrection.
Mary was born in a small Egyptian village. When she was twelve years old, she left her parental home. Obsessed with carnal passion, she went to Alexandria and became a harlot. For more than 17 years she knew no bounds in her debauchery. Once, seeing many Libyan pilgrims who were going to Jerusalem to worship the Cross of the Lord, Mary decided to join them.
The woman did not experience any pious intentions, on the contrary, she hoped that there would be no shortage of clients, and in Jerusalem there would always be someone to “have fun” with. With her body, she paid for food, for a stay, for transportation on a ship.
But when, on the day of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, Mary suddenly wanted to enter the Church of the Resurrection of Christ with a crowd of pilgrims, she could not do this. Not only the crowd of believers pushed her away from the entrance, but some incomprehensible force did not let her in, did not allow her to cross the threshold of the temple. She tried to enter one, second, third time, but when something prevented her from being in the temple for the fourth time, the woman retreated. She realized that the Lord would not allow her to enter the holy place because of her uncleanness.
Maria suddenly burst into tears. Standing in the narthex of the church, weeping over her sins, she saw in front of her the icon of the Mother of God. Mary turned to the Mother of God, begging to intercede before Christ, who never disdained sinners. In her prayer, Mary promised "not to defile herself with more fleshly impurity and to renounce the world." After that, she immediately felt enlightenment in her soul and entered the temple without hindrance. Shedding abundant tears at the Holy Sepulcher, she asks the question: “How to live on? How to beg forgiveness? " Also, unexpectedly, she heard a voice: "Go beyond the Jordan, there you will find blissful peace."
Maria fulfilled her promise to change her life. From Jerusalem, she retired to the harsh and deserted Jordanian desert, and there she spent almost half a century in complete solitude, in fasting and prayer. Thus, by severe deeds, Mary of Egypt completely eradicated all sinful desires in herself and made her heart a pure temple of the Holy Spirit.
Elder Zosima, who lived in the Jordanian monastery of St. John the Forerunner, by the providence of God, was meritorious to meet in the wilderness with the Monk Mary, when she was already a deep old woman. He was amazed at her holiness and the gift of clairvoyance. Once he saw her during prayer, as it were, raised above the earth, and another time - walking across the Jordan River, as if overland.
Parting with Zosima, the Monk Mary asked him to come back to the wilderness a year later in order to commune her. The elder returned at the appointed time and communed the Monk Mary of the Holy Mysteries. Then, having come to the desert a year later, hoping to see the saint, he no longer found her alive. The elder buried the remains of St. Mary there in the wilderness, in which he was helped by the lion, who dug a hole with his claws to bury the body of the righteous woman. This was around 521.
Thus, from a great sinner, the Monk Mary became, with God's help, the greatest saint and left such a vivid example of repentance.
Memory book
An important feature of the liturgical life of our parish is the unceasing prayer commemoration of the civil and military sailors who died in Peaceful time in the performance of their duties. In this regard, a memorial service is performed every week, during which a fervent prayer is offered for all the deceased toilers of the sea, whose names are kept in the "Book of Remembrance" of our church.
The naming of the Lenten service "Mary's standing" is more popular than the statutory one. This name reflects the pious attitude of Christians to the great deed of repentance of Saint Mary of Egypt, an ascetic of piety who lived in the 5th-6th centuries.
When the divine service is performed for Mary's standing
The Orthodox charter presupposes the administration of a special Lenten service on the Thursday of the Holy Forty Day. On this day, the memory of Mary of Egypt is celebrated in the Church. According to the established tradition, the service begins on the eve of the evening of the celebrated event, and continues on the very day in the morning. Thus, in 2016, the Mariino standing goes on Wednesday evening April 13th and Thursday 14th day of the month. In 2017, this service is celebrated on March 29th and 30th.
Some features of the divine service of the Mary's standing
Every believer orthodox person tries to attend the service on Wednesday evening of the fifth week of Great Lent. It is on this day that the Matins service is sent to the church, during which the great penitential canon of Saint Andrew of Crete is read. If in the first week of Lent this reposed liturgical work is divided into four parts, then on Thursday Matins of the 5th week of Lent, the repentant troparia of the entire great liturgical creation sound in churches, to which are added the troparia of St. Mary of Egypt, St. Andrew of Crete, and special Great Triangles. It is the reading of the penitential canon that is main feature divine services of the Mary's standing.
In addition, in many churches on Wednesday evenings, the life of the Monk Mary is read, which is divided into several parts, inserted into the sequence of Matins. The remembrance of the great feat of the ascetic of piety in conjunction with the great canon gives a special prayer and penitential mood to the believer.
The service of Matins on Thursday of the fifth week of fasting also indicates the possibility of every person to hope for the mercy of God, because there is not a single sin that, with sincere repentance, would not be forgiven by the Lord. Holy Mary of Egypt was an example of a real blessed transformation human life and personality. The saint was a great sinner and a dissolute harlot until the moment of her conversion to Christ. Realizing the sinfulness of her life, the righteous woman spent all the remaining time on repentance and the great feat of hermitage in the wilderness (where she spent several decades alone). The result of the sincere repentance of the righteous woman was the acquisition of the last great grace of God and holiness.
The life of the saint shows that for absolutely every person the path to salvation and holiness is open, it is only necessary to turn your heart, mind and thoughts to the awareness of your life and sincere repentance, followed by a change in your sinful existence towards the struggle with passions and vices.
Divine service on Thursday 5th week of Lent
On Thursday morning in Orthodox churches there is a divine service of hours, a succession of pictorial, as well as Vespers, combined with the liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. The service of the liturgy on Thursday gives the opportunity for believers to confess the night before after the service and to receive communion the next day.
On Wednesday evening of the fifth week of Great Lent, a special Great Lent Service is celebrated in all Orthodox churches - Mary's Standing. The Great Canon of Penitence of the Monk Andrew of Crete is read in its entirety and the life of Mary of Egypt. The service is capable of giving hope to those who think that they are in a desperate situation and those who do not believe that they are able to worthily complete the fast and meet the Resurrection of Christ.
Mariino standing
On the fifth week of Great Lent, on Wednesday evening, Thursday Matins is celebrated in the temples, which is commonly called the Standing of Mary of Egypt, or Mary's Standing. This is a long service that only happens once a year. During it, the entire Great Canon of Andrew of Crete(in the first week of Great Lent, the canon was read in small portions from Monday to Thursday), which is combined with the canon of Mary of Egypt. Also in the temple on this day we hear the life of St. Mary of Egypt. This text, according to the thought of the holy fathers of the VI Ecumenical Council (692), - namely, then the service was compiled from the Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete and the Life of Mary of Egypt, - is able to give hope to those who think that they are in a desperate situation. and those who do not believe that they are able to worthily complete the fast and meet the Resurrection of Christ. Mary's standing is a service that comforts the suffering and at the same time encourages believers to continue the podvig of fasting and repentance.
The Life of Mary of Egypt
Mary was born in a small Egyptian village. When she was twelve years old, she left her parental home. Obsessed with carnal passion, she went to Alexandria and became a harlot. Maria indulged in debauchery unrestrained and insatiable, both for a bribe and voluntarily. For more than 17 years she knew no bounds in her debauchery. Once, seeing many Libyan pilgrims who were going to Jerusalem to worship the Cross of the Lord, Mary decided to join them.
The woman did not experience any pious intentions, on the contrary, she hoped that there would be no shortage of clients, and in Jerusalem there would always be someone to “have fun” with. With her body, she paid for food, for a stay, for transportation on a ship. But when, on the day of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, Mary suddenly wanted to enter the Church of the Resurrection of Christ with a crowd of pilgrims, she could not do this. Not only the crowd of believers pushed her away from the entrance, but some incomprehensible force did not let her in, did not allow her to cross the threshold of the temple. She tried to enter one, second, third time, but when something prevented her from being in the temple for the fourth time, the woman retreated. Exhausted, she stood in confusion at the entrance and wondered: “Why is that? I want to be there inside. " The answer was obvious. Realizing who she is, what she lives, what she strives for, realizing that her own sin does not allow her to touch To the life-giving cross Lord, Mary suddenly burst into tears. Standing in the narthex of the church, weeping over her sins, she saw in front of her the icon of the Mother of God. Mary turned to the Mother of God, begging to intercede before Christ, who never disdained sinners. In her prayer, Mary promised "not to defile herself with more fleshly impurity and to renounce the world." And now she feels that the prayer has been answered. The transfigured Mary at the Cross of the Lord. The face is flooded with tears. Tears in an endless stream flow down tired eyes, and in my head the question: “How to live on? How to beg forgiveness? " Also, unexpectedly, she heard a voice: "Go beyond the Jordan, there you will find blissful peace."
Venerable Mary of Egypt with her life. XIX century.
Across the Jordan, in the desert, completely alone, for forty-seven years experiencing terrible temptations, Mary prayed for forgiveness. For forty-seven years under the scorching sun, the saint cried over her sins, practically not remembering food and water.
Therefore, when the monk Zosima - an eyewitness to the life of Mary of Egypt, wishing to see the "holy man who surpassed him in sobriety and doing", came to the desert beyond Jordan, in the black shadow he did not recognize either a woman or even a man.
When the "shadow" began to rapidly move away from him, he rushed to pursue her. Only after the feeble elder began to beg the hermit not to run away, the man, blackened by the sun, himself turned to the elder for help. Mary, unaware of the holiness she had achieved, turned to the monk by name, called him presbyter and asked Zosima for a cloak to cover her nakedness and come under the blessing.
For a long time they knelt in front of each other and repeated: "Bless." And then Zosima asked Mary to pray for the whole world and for him. Facing east, raising her hands to the sky, Mary whispered a prayer. Her body almost half a meter lifted from the ground and floated.
Monk Zosima was even more shocked when Mary told him about her life. An uneducated woman who never held a book in her hands, spent half a century alone in the desert, easily quoted Holy Bible and psalms. And most importantly, she bitterly mourned her sin.
A year later, on the Thursday of Holy Week, when the church recalls The last supper, the saint came to Jordan. In front of the elder's eyes, she crossed the water and crossed the river, as if on dry land, to receive Holy Communion. Elder Zosima grieved only that he did not know the name of the ascetic.
A year has passed. Zosima is back in the desert. He stands by a dried-up stream, where he first met the hermit. In front of him is her body with her arms folded crosswise on her chest. And in the heads on the sand there is a message: "Bury, Abba Zosima, in this place the body of humble Mary." So Zosima learned the name of the saint. He buried the ascetic, a lion who came from the desert helped to dig the grave. This happened in 522.
"The Golden Legend", or How Mary Magdalene became Mary of Egypt
Jose de Ribera. Mary of Egypt. 1651
In church art, thanks to the service that existed since the 7th century, Mary of Egypt, along with Andrew of Crete, began to be revered as a "mentor in repentance" and was depicted on icons with him.
V fiction and in folklore, painting, sculpture, the image of the saint is also reflected. Big role this was played by the "Golden Legend" (1255) by Jacob Voraginsky, which was inferior in popularity in medieval Europe only the Bible. One of the two hundred contained in the book of Lives is dedicated to Mary Magdalene. And although the myrrh-bearing Mary Magdalene is a saint who lived five centuries earlier than Mary of Egypt, the author (who did not know either Greek or Hebrew) borrows for his story some motives from the life of Mary of Egypt. He adapts them, ascribes to Mary Magdalene some of the features of Mary of Egypt. In the "Golden Legend" Mary Magdalene is depicted as a repentant harlot who, having come to Christ and realizing her sinfulness, asceticised in fasting and prayer in the wilderness. For thirty years, angels daily brought prosphora to the cave where she lived.
Giotto. Mary Magdalene receives clothes from the hands of Elder Zosima. 1307-1308
The Golden Legend inspired Renaissance sculptors and painters. That is why Mary Magdalene, both in the sculptor Donatello and in the painting by Titian, outwardly resembles Mary of Egypt. The Gospel says nothing about the fact that Mary Magdalene was a harlot or lived in the desert, but the popularity of the "Golden Legend" turned the character of the New Testament into a medieval ascetic.
Donatello. Mary Magdalene. 1454
The image of Mary of Egypt is reflected in the literature of the modern era. We meet the motives of her life in Brecht, and in Goethe, and in Dostoevsky, and in Zamyatin.
April 14 in the new style, as well as on Sunday of the fifth week of Great Lent Russian Orthodox Church honors the memory of the Monk Mary of Egypt. In 1912, the Silver Age poet, writer and composer Mikhail Kuzmin recounted the life of St. Mary of Egypt in poetic lines and presented it to his friend, Maria Zamyatina, on the day of the angel on April 1.
"After all, Mary the Egyptian
Of sinful life emptiness
I didn't let you touch
Life-giving cross.
And when I went to the desert
Fornication forgetting, simple soul,
Free songs sounded
Glory to the new Christ.
Zosima found her,
Dividing your mantle
To cover before death
Prepared flesh.
Not sins, but the power of the Savior,
Secret life purity
Let it make you easy
I wear a free cross.
And the care of a close life,
Invisible and simple
It will be read to you like a prayer,
At the Sunday Christ,
And Zosima will not find,
Dividing your mantle:
Christ Himself, having come, will cover
Prepared flesh. "
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