How will we relax this year in Belarus? Public holidays in Belarus

There will be 253 working days, and with a six-day working week - 304 working days (12 calendar months are taken into account).

The average monthly number of working days in 2017 will be 21.1 days for a five-day working week, and 25.3 days for a six-day working week.

When determining the number of working days, weekends according to the calendar of a five-day (Saturday and Sunday) or six-day (Sunday) working week, as well as public holidays and public holidays that are declared non-working days are excluded from the number of calendar days.

Non-working holidays in 2017:

1st of January- New Year (in 2017, the non-working holiday January 1 falls on Sunday);

The duration of work on the working day immediately preceding a public holiday or public holiday is reduced by one hour. In 2017, the pre-holiday days will be shortened: January 6, March 7, April 24, May 8 and November 6.

!This rule applies to all employees of the organization, regardless of the length of their working hours. This rule does not contain exceptions for any categories of workers, including those working part-time, for workers who have reduced working hours or part-time work.

However, taking into account the characteristics of part-time work, if necessary, the duration of work on a pre-holiday day for the specified category of workers, taking into account the needs of production, can be specified in the local regulatory legal acts of the employer.

To provide employers with the opportunity to use working time more rationally and establish work schedules (shifts) in advance, Resolution of the Council of Ministers of November 9, 2016 No. 912 announced the transfer of working days in 2017:

• working day is postponed from January 2(Monday) on Saturday January 21, with the days of rest being December 31, 2016, January 1 (New Year) and January 2, 2017;
• working day is postponed from April 24(Monday) on Saturday, April 29, with days of rest being April 22, 23, 24, 25 (Radunitsa);
• working day is postponed from May 8(Monday) on Saturday, May 6, rest days will be three days in a row - May 7, 8, 9 (Victory Day);
• working day is postponed from November 6(Monday) on Saturday, November 4, the days of rest will again be three days in a row - November 5, 6, 7 (October Revolution Day).

!Transfers apply only to employees of organizations that have a five-day working week with days off on Saturday and Sunday, and also for which the transferred day is a working day, and do not apply to employees of organizations that have a summarized recording of working time, as well as workers on a six-day work week.

Production calendar for 2017

1. For a five-day work week

2. For a six-day work week

The Council of Ministers of Belarus adopted a document that approved the schedule for postponing working days in 2017.

Belarusians will rest for three days on New Year, four days on Radunitsa, with an extra day off for Victory Day and the November holidays. The document also notes that organizations are given the right, taking into account the specifics of production (work), to carry out the transfer of working days in a different manner in accordance with the law. It is worth adding that Easter coincides for Catholics and Orthodox Christians in 2017 and falls on April 16.

According to the document, working days in 2017 are moved from Monday, January 2 to Saturday, January 21; from Monday 24 April to Saturday 29 April; from Monday 8 May to Saturday 6 May; from Monday 6 November to Saturday 4 November. Organizations are given the right, taking into account the specifics of production (work), to carry out the transfer of working days in a different manner in accordance with the law. The resolution was adopted in accordance with Part 6 of Article 136 of the Labor Code of the Republic of Belarus.

With a full standard working time (40 hours per week), the estimated standard working time for 2017 will be for a five-day working week with days off on Saturday and Sunday - 2019 hours; for a six-day work week with a day off on Sunday - 2021 hours. The established estimated standard working time is used by the employer to determine the number of employees, the duration of working time during which the employee is required to be at the workplace, drawing up work schedules (shifts), as well as for the purpose of monitoring compliance with the working time standards established by the Labor Code of the Republic of Belarus .

There are 365 calendar days in 2017. Of this number of days, with a five-day working week there will be 253 working days, and with a six-day working week - 304 working days (12 calendar months are taken into account). The average monthly number of working days in 2017 will be 21.1 days for a five-day working week, and 25.3 days for a six-day working week.

When determining the number of working days, weekends according to the calendar of a five-day (Saturday and Sunday) or six-day (Sunday) working week, as well as public holidays and public holidays that are declared non-working days are excluded from the number of calendar days. In 2017, non-working holidays will be January 1 - New Year; January 7 - Nativity of Christ (Orthodox Christmas); March 8 - Women's Day; April 25 - Radunitsa (according to the calendar of the Orthodox denomination); May 1 - Labor Day; May 9 - Victory Day; July 3 - Independence Day of the Republic of Belarus (Republic Day); November 7 - October Revolution Day; December 25 - Nativity of Christ (Catholic Christmas).

The duration of work on the working day immediately preceding a public holiday or public holiday (hereinafter referred to as pre-holiday days), declared non-working days by Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus of March 26, 1998 No. 157 “On public holidays, public holidays and memorable dates in the Republic of Belarus” reduced by one hour.

Both with a five-day working week and with a six-day working week, the pre-holiday days in 2017 will be: January 6, March 7, April 24, May 8 and November 6.

This rule applies to all employees, regardless of the length of their working hours.

This rule does not contain exceptions for any categories of workers, including those working part-time, for workers who have reduced working hours or part-time work. Thus, this rule applies to all employees of the organization.

Taking into account certain features of part-time work, if necessary, the duration of work on a pre-holiday day for the specified category of workers, taking into account the needs of production, can be specified in the local regulatory legal acts of the employer.

A state holiday is a holiday established in the Republic of Belarus to commemorate an event that has special historical or socio-political significance for the Republic of Belarus, which had a significant impact on the development of the Belarusian state and society.

Public holidays in Belarus are established in accordance with Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus dated March 26, 1998 No. 157 “On public holidays, public holidays and memorable dates in the Republic of Belarus”

The following public holidays are celebrated in the Republic of Belarus:

Holidays celebrated:

all-republican

religious

Declared non-working days:

The decision to establish public holidays and public holidays, to grant the corresponding event the status of a public holiday, is made by the President of the Republic of Belarus.

A draft of such a decision is submitted in accordance with the general procedure established for the submission of draft acts of the President of the Republic of Belarus for consideration by the President of the Republic of Belarus. The draft is accompanied by a reasoned justification for the need for its adoption.
On public holidays and national holidays, in accordance with the law, the State Flag of the Republic of Belarus is raised.

Conducting official celebrations, military parades, artillery salutes and fireworks on the occasion of public holidays and public holidays is carried out in accordance with the law.

Days dedicated to outstanding events, traditional dates, honoring workers of a certain profession, sector of the economy or field of activity, etc., are holidays if established by the President of the Republic of Belarus.

Dates that do not have the characteristics of public holidays or public holidays, but are associated with certain historical events in the life of the state and society or are traditionally celebrated by certain categories of citizens, are memorable dates.

In the Republic of Belarus, holidays established by acts of international organizations and other international legal documents may be celebrated.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Belarus has “made up” the production calendar for 2017.

With a full standard working time (40 hours per week), the estimated standard working time for 2017 will be for a five-day working week with days off on Saturday and Sunday - 2019 hours; for a six-day work week with a day off on Sunday - 2021 hours.

The established estimated standard working time is used by the employer to determine the number of employees, the duration of working time during which the employee is required to be at the workplace, drawing up work schedules (shifts), as well as for the purpose of monitoring compliance with the working time standards established by the Labor Code.

There are 365 calendar days in 2017. Of this number of days, with a five-day working week there will be 253 working days, and with a six-day working week - 304 working days (12 calendar months are taken into account).

The average monthly number of working days in 2017 will be 21.1 days for a five-day working week, and 25.3 days for a six-day working week.

When determining the number of working days, weekends according to the calendar of a five-day (Saturday and Sunday) or six-day (Sunday) working week, as well as public holidays and public holidays that are declared non-working days are excluded from the number of calendar days.

In 2017, non-working holidays will be:

The duration of work on the working day immediately preceding a public holiday or public holiday is reduced by one hour. Both with a five-day working week and with a six-day working week, the pre-holiday days in 2017 will be January 6, March 7, April 24, May 8 and November 6. This rule applies to all employees, regardless of the length of their working hours. This rule does not contain exceptions for any categories of workers, including those working part-time, for workers who have reduced working hours or part-time work. Therefore, it applies to all employees of the organization.

However, taking into account certain features of part-time work, if necessary, the duration of work on a pre-holiday day for the specified category of workers, taking into account the needs of production, can be specified in the local regulatory legal acts of the employer.

According to Article 136 of the Labor Code, in order to rationally use working time, days off, public holidays and public holidays, the Government of Belarus, in agreement with the President, may transfer certain working days to weekends falling on Saturdays. The right to postpone working days is granted only to the government, but not to the employer, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection noted.

To provide employers with the opportunity to use working time more rationally and establish work schedules (shifts) in advance, Resolution of the Council of Ministers of November 9, 2016 No. 912 announced the transfer of working days in 2017.

The working day is postponed from January 2(Monday) on Saturday January 21, with the days of rest being December 31, 2016, January 1 (New Year) and January 2, 2017.

The working day is postponed from April 24(Monday) on Saturday, April 29, while the days of rest will be April 22, 23, 24, 25 (Radunitsa).

Working day from May 8(Monday) is moved to Saturday, May 6, the days of rest will be three days in a row - May 7, 8, 9 (Victory Day).

Working day from November 6(Monday) is moved to Saturday, November 4, the days of rest will again be three days in a row - November 5, 6, 7 (October Revolution Day).

Transfers apply only to employees of organizations that have a five-day working week with days off on Saturday and Sunday, and also for which the transferred day is a working day, and do not apply to employees of organizations that have summarized working time recording, as well as those working on six-day work week.

The postponement of working days allows employees to use the holiday period in their own interests (to visit relatives, friends, on a tourist trip, etc.).

Production calendar for 2017

1. For a five-day work week

2. For a six-day work week

Main dates, holidays and events in Belarus in 2017. Working and non-working days, Catholic and Orthodox calendars for 2017. Fasting, great days.

Holidays

In accordance with paragraph 3 of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus dated March 26, 1998 No. 157 “On public holidays, public holidays and memorable dates in the Republic of Belarus.”

In the first quarter of 2017, holidays:

For both a five-day and a six-day work week, January 6 and March 7 are the working days immediately preceding the holiday. The duration of work on the working day immediately preceding a holiday is reduced by 1 hour (Article 116 of the Labor Code).

For part-time workers, including those working part-time, the day immediately preceding a holiday is also reduced by 1 hour. It is advisable to enshrine this rule in the local regulatory legal act of the organization.

Work is not performed on holidays established and declared non-working days by the President of the Republic of Belarus (Article 147 of the Labor Code).

However, on holidays the following are allowed:

Works the suspension of which is impossible due to production and technological conditions (continuously operating organizations);

Work caused by the need for continuous service to the population and organizations;

Urgent repair and loading and unloading operations.

Moreover, such work is planned in advance in the work schedule (shift) at the expense of the monthly working time standard.

If work on public holidays and public holidays (part one of Article 147 of the Labor Code) was performed in excess of the monthly working hours, the employee, at his request, in addition to the additional payment, is given another unpaid day of rest (part four of Article 69 of the Labor Code).

Transfer of working days in 2017 in Belarus

(Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus No. 912 dated November 9, 2016)

• from January 2, 2017 (Monday) - to January 21, 2017 (Saturday)
• from April 24, 2017 (Monday) - to April 29, 2017 (Saturday)
• from May 8, 2017 (Monday) - to May 6, 2017 (Saturday)
• from November 6, 2017 (Monday) to November 4, 2017 (Saturday).

Based on subclause 7.1.1 of clause 7 of the Regulations on the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus, approved by Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated October 31, 2001 No. 1589 “Issues of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus”, Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus DECIDES:

1. Set the calculated standard working hours for 2017 at the full norm, its duration is no more than:

for a five-day work week with days off on Saturday and Sunday - 2019 hours;

for a six-day work week with a day off on Sunday - 2021 hours.

Weekends in Belarus in 2017

Public holidays in 2017:
March 15th- Constitution day
April 2— Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia
9th May— Victory Day (non-working day)
May 14(second Sunday of May) - Day of the State Emblem and State Flag of the Republic of Belarus
3 July— Independence Day of the Republic of Belarus (Republic Day) (non-working day)

National holidays in 2017:
1st of January— New Year (non-working day)
February 23
March 8— Women's Day (non-working day)
1st of May— Labor Day (non-working day)
November 7— October Revolution Day (non-working day)

Religious holidays in 2017:
Jan. 7— Nativity of Christ (Orthodox Christmas) (non-working day)
April 16, 2017- Catholic Easter
April 16, 2017- Orthodox Easter
April 25, 2017— Radunitsa (according to the calendar of the Orthodox denomination) (non-working day)
November 2- Day of Remembrance
December 25— Nativity of Christ (Catholic Christmas) (non-working day)

Memorable dates in 2017:
February, 15— Day of Remembrance of Soldiers - Internationalists
26 April
22nd of June

Belarus holiday calendar for each month of 2017

January 2017:

January 1, 2017- New Year
January 7, 2017— Nativity of Christ (Orthodox Christmas)
January 1, 2017— Day of Banking and Financial Workers (first Sunday of January)
January 5, 2017— Social Security Workers Day – January 5
January 19, 2017— Rescuer Day
January 21, 2017— Engineering Troops Day
January 29, 2017— Day of Belarusian Science (last Sunday of January)

February 2017:

February 15, 2017— Day of Remembrance of Soldiers-Internationalists
February 21, 2017— Day of workers of land management and cartographic and geodetic services
February 23, 2017— Day of Defenders of the Fatherland and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus

March 2017:

March 4, 2017— Police Day
March 8, 2017- Women's Day
March 15, 2017— Constitution Day of the Republic of Belarus (public holiday)
March 15, 2017— Consumer Day
March 18, 2017— Internal Troops Day
March 23, 2017— Day of Hydrometeorological Service Workers
March 26, 2017— Day of Workers of Consumer Services and Housing and Communal Services
(fourth Sunday in March)

April 2017:

April 2, 2017— Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia (public holiday)
April 2, 2017— Geologist’s Day (first Sunday in April)
April 9, 2017— Air Defense Forces Day (second Sunday in April)
April 16, 2017- Catholic Easter
April 16, 2017- Orthodox Easter
April 26, 2017— Day of the Chernobyl tragedy
April 25, 2017— Radunitsa (according to the calendar of the Orthodox denomination)

May 2017:

May 1, 2017— Labor Day
May 5, 2017— Printing Day
May 7, 2017— Day of Radio, Television and Communications Workers
May 9, 2017- Victory Day
May 14, 2017— Day of the State Emblem and State Flag of the Republic of Belarus (second Sunday of May)
May 15, 2017- Family day
May 19, 2017— Day of Physical Culture and Sports Workers (third Saturday of May)
May 28, 2017— Border Guard Day
May 28, 2017— Chemist’s Day (last Sunday in May)

June 2017:

June 4, 2017— Land Reclamation Day (first Sunday in June)
June 11, 2017— Day of Light Industry Workers (second Sunday in June)
June 18, 2017— Medical Workers Day (third Sunday in June)
June 22, 2017— Day of National Remembrance of the Victims of the Great Patriotic War
June 24, 2017— Inventor and Innovator Day (last Saturday in June)
June 26, 2017— Day of Prosecutor's Office Workers
June 30, 2017— Economist Day

July 2017:

July 1, 2017— Cooperation Day (first Saturday in July)
July 2, 2017— Day of Water Transport Workers (first Sunday in July)
July 3, 2017— Independence Day of the Republic of Belarus (Republic Day)
July 9, 2017— Tax Workers Day (second Sunday in July)
July 16, 2017— Metallurgist Day (third Sunday in July)
July 25, 2017— Fire Service Day
July 30, 2017— Trade Workers Day (last Sunday in July)

August 2017:

August 2, 2017— Day of Paratroopers and Special Operations Forces
August 6, 2017— Railway Troops Day
August 6, 2017— Railwayman's Day (first Sunday in August)
August 13, 2017— Builder's Day (second Sunday in August)
August 20, 2017— Air Force Day (third Sunday in August)
August 23, 2017— Day of State Statistics Workers
August 27, 2017— Miner’s Day (last Sunday in August)

September 2017:

September 1, 2017— Day of Knowledge
September 3, 2017— Day of Oil, Gas and Fuel Industry Workers (first Sunday in September)
September 3, 2017— Day of Belarusian Literature (first Sunday in September)
September 10, 2017— Tanker Day (second Sunday in September)
September 15, 2017— Library Day
September 17, 2017— Forest Workers Day (third Sunday of September)
September 19, 2017— Peace Day (third Tuesday of September)
September 20, 2017— Customs Day
September 24, 2017— Mechanical Engineer’s Day (last Sunday of September)

October 2017:

October 1, 2017— Older People's Day
October 1, 2017— Teacher's Day (first Sunday in October)
October 6, 2017— Archivist Day
October 8, 2017— Cultural Workers Day (second Sunday in October)
October 14, 2017- Mothers Day
October 14, 2017— Standardization Day
October 15, 2017— Day of Pharmaceutical and Microbiological Industry Workers
October 29, 2017— Motorist and Road Worker Day (last Sunday in October)

November 2017:

November 5, 2017— Civil Aviation Workers Day (first Sunday in November)
November 7, 2017— Day of the October Revolution
November 19, 2017— Day of Agricultural and Processing Industry Workers
agro-industrial complex (third Sunday in November)
November 19, 2017— Day of Missile Forces and Artillery

December 2017:

December 2, 2017— Insurance Workers Day (first Saturday of December)
December 3, 2017— Day of Persons with Disabilities of the Republic of Belarus
December 3, 2017— Lawyer’s Day (first Sunday in December)
December 20, 2017— State Security Officer Day
December 22, 2017- An energy worker's day
December 25, 2017— Nativity of Christ (Catholic Christmas)

Catholic calendar for 2017

Catholic celebrations

Permanent celebrations with a constant date:

• 1st of January – Blessed Virgin Mary. Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. World Peace Day (Worldwide Prayer Day for Peace). In the 19th century, in Catholic countries, large bonfires were burned and torchlight processions were organized on New Year's Eve. World Peace Day is a holiday of the Roman Catholic Church, celebrated annually on January 1, the Solemnity of Our Lady Mary.
• 5 January — Christmas Eve- eve (evening) of the Feast of Epiphany. Christmas Eves occur on the eve of the holidays of Epiphany and the Nativity of Christ, respectively. Sometimes Christmas Eves are also mentioned on the Annunciation and Saturday of the first week of Great Lent - in memory of the miracle of Theodore Tiron.
• 6th January – Epiphany(Three Kings Day). Epiphany, Theophany (Epiphany, Theophany) In the Western Church, the holiday was called Epiphany (Greek Epiphany, Theophany), since during the Baptism of Jesus Christ there was a special appearance of all three persons of the Divine: God the Father from heaven testified about the baptized Son and the Holy Spirit in the form a dove descended on Jesus, thus confirming the Word of the Father. Three events in the life of Jesus are celebrated simultaneously: the adoration of the Magi, the baptism and the miracle at Cana of Galilee. The Feast of the Epiphany, or Epiphany, along with the Feast of Easter, is the oldest Christian holiday. It is dedicated to the baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. Also, the content of the holiday is the Gospel story about the worship of the baby Jesus by the kings (in another tradition - the Magi) - Caspar, Melchior and Belshazzar, who came with gifts to Bethlehem. In memory of the appearance of Christ to the pagans and the worship of the three kings, Holy Masses are celebrated in churches. According to the Gospel tradition, the offerings of the Magi are interpreted as offerings to Christ the King - gold, to Christ the God - incense, to Christ the Man - myrrh.
• March 19 – Saint Joseph's Day, betrothed to the Virgin Mary.
• March 25 – Annunciation of the Virgin Mary.
• June 24 – Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. The holiday was established in remembrance of the events associated with the birth of John the Baptist, which are described in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:24-25, 57-68, 76, 80). According to the teachings of Judaism, before the coming of the Messiah, his predecessor must appear - the forerunner, who, in accordance with the prophecy of Malachi (Mal. 4:5), is considered to be the prophet Elijah. In Christianity, the doctrine of the herald of the Messiah - Jesus Christ - is associated with the image of the prophet John the Baptist, who resumed and continued the ministry of Elijah. As the Gospel narrates, Jesus himself called John “Elijah, who must come” (Matthew 11:14). A distinctive feature of St. John's Day is lights, bonfires, fireworks, lit not only in villages, but also in the squares of large cities. Believers carry torches and attend general prayer services in nearby chapels. The celebration of St. John's Day continues for several days until St. Peter and Paul's Day (June 29). In France, the cult of St. John is especially widespread: more than a thousand church parishes consider him their patron.
• June 29 – Day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. The Apostles Peter and Paul are especially revered as disciples of Jesus Christ, who after the death and resurrection of Christ began to preach and spread the teaching of the Gospel throughout the world.
• August 15 – Dormition and Ascension of the Virgin Mary. The holiday is based on the truth that Mary, who died a natural death and was buried in Gethsemane, ascended to heaven: after her coffin was opened, a bouquet of roses was found instead of her remains. In 1950, Pope Pius XII, by a special decree, adopted the Dogma of the bodily ascension of the Mother of God into heaven. There is a tradition on this day to bring the first fruits of the new harvest as a gift to Mary. The holiday is accompanied by a solemn service and a church procession.
• Nov. 1 – All Saints' Day. Parents day. All Souls' Day. The first two days of November in the Catholic Church are dedicated to the memory of the departed: November 1, All Saints' Day and November 2, All Souls' Day follow one after the other. The Feast of All Saints was introduced at the beginning of the 7th century by Pope Boniface IV, and later, at the beginning of the 11th century All Souls' Day was established, and over time they merged into one day - the Day of Remembrance of Saints and Dead. The Catholic Church considers observance of the rites of remembrance an important duty of all believers. People should remember those who have passed away, but may be in Purgatory, where God cleanses them, the saved, from the consequences of sin. Good deeds and prayers, and the repentance of those living can shorten the period of stay in Purgatory. Catholics spend the first day in churches, participating in Holy Masses, and on the second day, from the very morning, they go to the cemetery, often with prayers and chants in a common procession. They pray there, tidy up the graves and leave burning candles. The Feast of Christ the King ends the liturgical year of the Roman Catholic Church.
• December 8 – Day of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. According to Catholic doctrine, the chosen one of the Heavenly Father was pure from the consequences of original sin from birth.
• December 25 – Nativity. The Church teaches that the birth of Christ opened the possibility of soul salvation and eternal life for every believer. In all Catholic countries, the custom of making original mangers-nativity scenes is widespread. This custom is of ecclesiastical origin, attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi. Since the 13th century, small niches have been built in Catholic churches in which scenes from the legend of the birth of Christ are depicted using figurines made of wood, porcelain, and painted clay. Christmas is a family holiday. On the eve of the holiday, on Christmas Eve, the traditional family meal consists of Lenten dishes. These are fish, vegetables and fruits, sweets. After the appearance of the first star, solemn services begin in churches, the presence of which is mandatory for Catholics. On the first day of Christmas, festive food is served - meat dishes: pork, turkey, goose, ham. Abundance on the festive table is considered the key to prosperity in the new year. Everywhere accept giving each other gifts

Rotating Celebrations (each year with a new, moving date):

• April 16 (Sunday)– Catholic Easter On the evening of Holy Saturday, the celebration of the great Triumph begins in all churches. After sunset, the first Paschal Liturgy (Mass) of Easter is served - Paschal candles are lit. The center of the Easter Celebration is the risen Christ. On the morning of Easter Sunday, after the solemn morning Mass, children and youth go around houses with songs and congratulations, similar to Christmas carols. Among Easter entertainments, the most popular are games with colored eggs: they are thrown at each other, rolled on an inclined plane, broken, scattering the shells. Relatives and friends exchange colored eggs, godparents give them to their children-godsons, girls give them to their lovers in exchange for palm branches. At dawn the Myrrh-Bearing Woman hurried to the tomb of Jesus. In front of them, an Angel descends to the tomb and rolls away the stone, an earthquake occurs, and the guards are thrown into fear. The angel tells the wives that Christ has risen and will precede them to Galilee. The day on which Christ rose in the early morning was approaching evening. His disciples remained in sad bewilderment and hesitation, despite the story of the myrrh-bearers. Then the Lord did not hesitate in the evening of the same day to appear Himself first to two of them, who “went to a village sixty furlongs from Jerusalem, called Emmaus; and talked among themselves about all these events.” The word “Easter” came to us from the Greek language and means “passing”, “deliverance”. On this day we celebrate the deliverance through Christ the Savior of all mankind from slavery to the devil and the granting of life and eternal bliss to us. Just as our redemption was accomplished by Christ’s death on the cross, so by His Resurrection we were given eternal life.
• May 25 (Thursday) – Ascension of the Lord(40th day after Easter). After Christ was Risen, Christ's disciples felt a holiday. Throughout the 40 days, He sometimes appeared to them, sometimes to one person, sometimes to all of them together. The disciples saw how Christ rose above the earth, which was a symbol of the fact that when the end of the world comes, He will return to earth in the same way as He went to the Father. At his Ascension, Christ promised his disciples that on the tenth day he would descend to them as the Comforter from God the Father in the form of the Holy Spirit. There will be a single appearance of the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).
• June 4 (Sunday) – Pentecost(Descent of the Holy Spirit), (7th Sunday after Easter - 50th day after Easter). Ten days after the Ascension of the Lord, the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ came true, and the Holy Spirit descended from God the Father to his disciples-apostles in the form of tongues of fire. Thus, the students were able to master all the languages ​​of the world and were able to teach Christianity throughout the Earth.
• June 11 (Sunday) – Day of the Holy Trinity(Sunday, 7th day after Pentecost). Since the 14th century, the feast of Trinity in the Catholic Church began to be called the first Sunday after Pentecost. The Trinity in Christian ideas is God, whose essence is one, but His existence is a personal relationship of three hypostases: the Father - the beginningless Origin, the Son - the absolute Meaning embodied in Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit - the life-giving Origin. According to Catholic doctrine, the Third Hypostasis comes from the First and Second (according to Orthodox doctrine - from the first).
• June 15 (Thursday) – Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ(Thursday, 11th day after Pentecost). This is a relatively new Catholic holiday, officially established in memory of the establishment of the sacrament of communion (Eucharist) by Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church views the Eucharist as a sacred gift left by Christ to His Church.
• June 23 (Friday) – Sacred Heart of Jesus(Friday, 19th day after Pentecost). The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated on Friday, the 19th day after Pentecost and, accordingly, the eighth day after the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ. The theme of the holiday is the love of God, revealed to us in His heart, gratitude for it and the salvation given. It is Jesus who is the source of redeeming and redeeming merciful and healing love, which helps us ourselves to grow in love for Christ, and through him in love for all our neighbors.
• April 17 (Monday) – Easter Monday. celebrated in memory of the first day after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Bible tells that, having risen, Christ appeared unrecognized to two of his saddened disciples. He shared with them the journey to the village of Emmaus, not far from Jerusalem, and dinner. “...He took the bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him. But He became invisible to them. And they said to each other: Did not our heart burn within us when He spoke to us on the road and when He explained the Scripture to us? And, rising at that same hour, they returned to Jerusalem and found together the eleven Apostles and those who were with them, who said that the Lord had truly risen and appeared to Simon. And they told about what had happened on the way, and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of bread. While they were talking about this, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

Catholic holidays

Impermanent Holidays with a constant date:

• February 2 – Presentation of the Lord. In memory of the words of the righteous Simeon, who called Jesus “a light to enlighten the pagans,” on the feast of the Presentation from the 11th century. In churches, a ceremony is performed to consecrate candles, which are then lit during the service. Believers carefully keep Candlemas candles throughout the year and light them when they turn to Christ in prayer in difficult moments: during illness, family troubles and other everyday difficulties. The holiday was established in memory of a significant event for Christians - the meeting (Slavic meeting) in the Jerusalem Temple of the Infant Jesus with the righteous elder Simeon. Candlemas in the Roman Catholic Church is the feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary, dedicated to the remembrance of the bringing of the baby Jesus into the temple and the cleansing rite performed by his mother on the fortieth day after the birth of her first child. As a rite of purification, candles were blessed in churches, and whole processions with burning candles walked around the streets and fields.
• April, 4 – Saint Isidore's Day. Catholic Saint Isidore of Seville (c. 560 - April 4, 636), Bishop of Seville, gained fame not only for his piety, but also for his love of science. He is the author of one of the first books on etymology, the first to introduce the works of Aristotle in Spain, and was a reformer and broad-minded man. Saint Isidore is considered one of the last ancient Christian philosophers, as well as the last of the fathers of the great Latin Church. He is considered to be the patron of the Internet.
• May 30 – Saint Joan of Arc Day.
• May 31 – Visit of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth. Meeting of Mary and Elizabeth, Visit of Mary - meeting of the Virgin Mary and righteous Elizabeth, which took place a few days after the Annunciation; described in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:39-56). According to the Gospel of Luke, having learned from the Archangel Gabriel at the Annunciation that her middle-aged, childless cousin Elizabeth was finally pregnant, the Virgin Mary immediately went from Nazareth to visit her in the “city of Judah.” When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and cried out with a loud voice, and said: “Blessed are You among women, and blessed is the fruit of Your womb!”
• June 11 – Saint Barnabas Day. The Holy Apostle Barnabas belongs to the ranks of the holy seventy apostles.
• June 13 – St. Anthony's Day. St. Anthony of Padua is undoubtedly one of the most beloved and widely revered saints of the Catholic Church.
• August 6 – Transfiguration. At the end of the path of earthly life, the Lord Jesus Christ revealed to His disciples that He had to suffer for people, die on the Cross and be resurrected. After this, He led the three apostles - Peter, James and John - to Mount Tabor and was transformed before them: His face shone, and His clothes became dazzling white. Two prophets of the Old Testament - Moses and Elijah - appeared to the Lord on the mountain and talked with Him, and the voice of God the Father from the bright cloud that overshadowed the mountain testified to the Divinity of Christ. By the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, the Lord Jesus Christ showed the disciples the Glory of His Divinity so that during His future suffering and death on the Cross they would not waver in their faith in Him, the Only Begotten Son of God.
• 8 September– . The Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God the Virgin Mary is dedicated to the remembrance of the birth of the Mother of Jesus Christ - the Blessed Virgin Mary.
• September 14 – Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The holiday was established in memory of the finding of the Lord's Cross, which occurred, according to church tradition, in 326 in Jerusalem near Golgotha ​​- the site of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Since the 7th century, the memory of the return of the Life-Giving Cross from Persia by the Greek Emperor Heraclius began to be associated with this day.
• December 24 – Catholic Christmas Eve. Strict fasting on Christmas Eve is not mandatory, but is accepted as a pious tradition in many Catholic countries. The meal is religious in nature and very solemn. Just before the start of the feast, they read a passage from the Gospel of St. Luke about the Nativity of Christ and read a common family prayer. The entire ritual of the Christmas Eve meal is led by the father of the family. In Eastern European countries, there is a custom of breaking wafers (Christmas bread) at this meal. After finishing the family meal, believers head to church for the Christmas Eve service. Those who fast on Christmas Eve refuse food until the first star, when the fast ends. The very tradition of fasting “until the first star” is connected with the legend about the appearance of the Star of Bethlehem, which announced the birth of Christ, but it is not written down in the church charter. It is customary to break the fast with sochivo (kutya) - grains of soaked wheat with honey and fruit - in accordance with the custom when those preparing to receive baptism, intending to perform it on the Nativity of Christ, prepared for the sacrament by fasting, and after baptism they ate honey - a symbol of the sweetness of spiritual gifts.
• December 28th – Day of the Holy Innocents of Bethlehem. Day of remembrance of the destruction, by order of King Herod, of all infants who, by age, could be Christ.

Moving Holidays (each year with a new, moving date):

• March 1 (Wednesday) — Ash Wednesday, the day of the beginning of the Catholic Lent. Celebrated 45 calendar days before Easter. On this day, strict fasting is prescribed. Corresponds to Orthodox Clean Monday.
• April 9 (Sunday) – Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem(Palm Sunday). Last Sunday before Easter.
• December 31 (Sunday) – Holy family. Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus Christ and her husband Joseph the Betrothed. Catholic holiday celebrated on the following Sunday after the Nativity of Christ.

Catholic memorial days

Impermanent Memorable days with a constant date:

• 26 July – Saints Joachim and Anna, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
• October 7th – Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary.
• November 2 – All Souls' Day.
• November 21 – Presentation of the Virgin Mary into the Temple. A Christian holiday based on the Holy Tradition that the parents of the Mother of God, Saint Joachim and Saint Anna, fulfilling their vow to dedicate their child to God, at the age of three brought their daughter Mary to the Jerusalem Temple, where she lived until her betrothal to the righteous Joseph.

Moving Memorial Days (each year with a new, moving date):

• June 24 (Saturday)– Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary(20th day after Pentecost)

Fasting and fasting days

• Lent — from March 1 (Wednesday) to April 15 (Saturday)
  Lent in the Roman Catholic Church begins on Ash Wednesday (in Ambrosian - on Monday, and Ash Wednesday is not allocated in the calendar at all), 46 calendar days before Easter, although the last three days before Easter in the liturgical calendar are allocated as a separate period: Sacred Easter Triduum. Before the liturgical reform of 1969, there were also three preparatory weeks before the beginning of Lent, the first of which was called Septuagesima, the subsequent ones, respectively, Sexagesima and Quinquagesima (60 and 50). Fasting consists of spiritual and physical abstinence from excesses (in food and in business). The main element of fasting is the resolution that every believer gives himself before starting it. The resolution may concern restrictions on food, entertainment, efforts to perform acts of mercy, etc. All days except Sundays - fasting (without abstinence) is recommended. The last week of Lent - "Holy" or "Holy" week - is liturgically connected with Easter. At this time, services are held in memory of the suffering and death of Christ, the theme of which is the earthly life of Jesus Christ, starting from his entry into Jerusalem. Each day of Holy Week is revered as “Great”. The first of them is the holiday of Palm (Palm) Sunday, which precedes Easter. On this day, it is customary to bless palm, olive, laurel, boxwood, and willow branches in the church. Large branches are decorated with sweets, fruits, ribbons and presented to children. Blessed branches are attached to the head of the bed, at crucifixes, fireplace hearths, and in stalls. From Maundy Thursday until noon on Saturday, church organs and bells are silent. This is the period of the Easter Triduum (Triduum Paschalis) - Thursday, Friday and Saturday. On the evening of Holy Saturday, the celebration of the great Triumph begins in all churches. After sunset, the first Paschal Liturgy (Mass) of Easter is served - Paschal candles are lit. Important days during Lent: Forgiveness Sunday is the first Sunday of Lent. Clean Monday is the first Monday of Lent.
• Advent advent - November 26(Sunday) Advent- waiting time for the Nativity of Christ. 4 Sundays before Christmas: a period of concentration, reflection on the upcoming coming of Christ (both in the Christmas holiday and in the Second Coming), etc. Believers prepare for the second coming of Christ, remember the prediction of the prophets and John the Baptist about the coming of the Savior. The Catholic Church considers Advent a time of general repentance.
• December 3 (Sunday)— Second Sunday of Advent.
• December 10 (Sunday)- Rejoice. Third Sunday of Advent - in the liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church and a number of Protestant churches, the third Sunday of Advent. This day - a kind of break in Advent - symbolizes the joy of the upcoming holiday. This is the only day of Advent when priests have the right to serve not in purple vestments, symbolizing repentance, but in pink ones, symbolizing joy. On this day, it is allowed to decorate the temple with pink flowers and decorations. A similar day exists during Lent - this is Laetare, the fourth Sunday of Lent.
• December 17(Sunday)
• Fridays throughout the year (with some exceptions) are Friday.
• Abstaining from food before receiving Communion is a Eucharistic (liturgical) fast.

Orthodox calendar for 2017

• April 16 (Sunday) - Holy Resurrection of Christ (Easter) Easter — Bright Resurrection of Christ The holiday of the Bright Resurrection of Christ, Easter, is the main event of the year for Orthodox Christians and the largest Orthodox holiday. Festive services continue for 40 days, until the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord (June 9). All this time, believers greet each other with the words “Christ is risen!” - “Truly risen!” “At dawn the Myrrh-Bearing Women hurried to the tomb of Jesus. In front of them, an Angel descends to the tomb and rolls away the stone, an earthquake occurs, and the guards are thrown into fear. The angel tells the wives that Christ has risen and will precede them to Galilee... The day in the early morning of which Christ was resurrected was approaching evening. His disciples remained in sad bewilderment and hesitation, despite the story of the myrrh-bearers. Then the Lord did not hesitate in the evening of the same day to appear Himself first to two of them, who “went to a village sixty furlongs from Jerusalem, called Emmaus; and talked among themselves about all these events.” The word “Easter” came to us from the Greek language and means “passing”, “deliverance”. On this day we celebrate the deliverance through Christ the Savior of all mankind from slavery to the devil and the granting of life and eternal bliss to us. Just as our redemption was accomplished by Christ’s death on the cross, so by His Resurrection we were given eternal life.

Twelfth Immovable Holidays

• January 6 Christmas Eve (Nomad Eve) - The Eve of the Nativity of Christ (eve, Christmas Eve) Christmas Eve is also celebrated on January 18 on the eve of the Epiphany. Sometimes Christmas Eves are also mentioned on the Annunciation and Saturday of the first week of Great Lent - in memory of the miracle of Theodore Tiron. The name comes from the word “sochivo” (originally wheat grains soaked with juice from seeds). According to tradition, on Christmas Eve it is customary to refuse food until the first star, when the fast ends. The very tradition of fasting “until the first star” is connected with the legend about the appearance of the Star of Bethlehem, which announced the birth of Christ, but it is not written down in the church charter. It is customary to break the fast with sochivo (kutya) - grains of soaked wheat with honey and fruit - in accordance with the custom when those preparing to receive baptism, intending to perform it on the Nativity of Christ, prepared for the sacrament by fasting, and after baptism they ate honey - a symbol of the sweetness of spiritual gifts.
• Jan. 7 — Nativity.Based on the Gospel testimony, the Church Feast of the Nativity of Christ is close to the winter solstice and is celebrated throughout Europe on December 25th. In Russia, the holiday has lost its astronomical correspondence with the solstice. The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the Old Style holiday on January 7th.
• January 19 — Epiphany (Epiphany). A holiday celebrated in honor of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. During baptism, according to the Gospels, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. At the same time, a Voice from Heaven declared: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The appearance of God (Epiphany) took place in the fullness of the Trinity (God the Son was baptized, God the Father spoke from heaven, God the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove). On the feast of Epiphany or Epiphany, water is blessed. Sometimes the consecration is carried out directly on reservoirs in specially made ice holes, which are called “Jordan”, in memory of the baptism of Christ in the Jordan. There is also a tradition of swimming in these ice holes. If someone is baptized on this day, he should be the happiest person for the rest of his life. It is also considered a good omen if they agree on a future wedding on this day. “Epiphany handshake means a happy family,” people said.
• The 25th of January — Tatyana's Day. Memorial Day of the Great Martyr Tatiana. On January 12, 1755, on the day of memory of the Great Martyr Tatiana, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna signed a decree on the founding of Moscow University “for the common glory of the Fatherland.” Count Ivan Ivanovich Shuvalov, the future curator of the university, deliberately submitted this petition to her on the name day of his mother, Tatyana Shuvalova. Thus was born the famous holiday of Moscow, and then of all Russian students - Tatyana's Day.
• February, 15 — Presentation of the Lord. The Slavic word “sretenie” is translated into modern Russian as “meeting”. Meeting is a meeting of humanity in the person of Elder Simeon with God. Candlemas symbolizes the meeting of the Old and New Testaments.
• April 7 — Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Annunciation conveys the main meaning of the event associated with it: the announcement to the Virgin Mary of the good news of the conception and birth of the Divine Infant Christ.
• August 19– : Second Savior of August - according to the Church Charter, fish is allowed at the meal. One day, the Gospel says, Jesus went up the mountain with three disciples - Peter, John and James. This mountain was located in Galilee. At its top, Jesus began to pray, and during prayer his face suddenly transformed, becoming like the sun, and his clothes became white like light. At that same moment, a bright cloud appeared, from it came two great prophets of antiquity - Moses and Elijah, and a voice was heard: “Behold, this is My beloved Son; Listen to him."
• August 28 – Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• September 21 – Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• September 27
• December 4 — Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple. A Christian holiday based on the Holy Tradition that the parents of the Mother of God, Saint Joachim and Saint Anna, fulfilling their vow to dedicate their child to God, at the age of three brought their daughter Mary to the Jerusalem Temple, where she lived until her betrothal to the righteous Joseph. On this day, according to popular legend, Winter herself rides across the earth in a snow-white fur coat and with her icy breath brings snow patterns to the window panes.

Twelfth Moving Holidays

• April 9 (Sunday) — Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. Palm Sunday - (the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem on a donkey, when the people greeted him by throwing palm branches on the road - replaced by willow in Rus') - the last Sunday before Easter. Fish is allowed at meals.
• May 25 (Thursday) — Ascension of the Lord . (the ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven in the presence of disciples - the 12 apostles) - 40th day after Easter. After Christ was Risen, Christ's disciples felt a holiday. Throughout the 40 days, He sometimes appeared to them, sometimes to one person, sometimes to all of them together. The disciples saw how Christ rose above the earth, which was a symbol of the fact that when the end of the world comes, He will return to earth in the same way as He went to the Father. At his Ascension, Christ promised his disciples that on the tenth day he would descend to them as the Comforter from God the Father in the form of the Holy Spirit. There will be a single appearance of the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). The holiday of Trinity among the Eastern Slavs had a whole cycle of holidays that begin after the seventh Thursday after Easter. This Thursday falls just before Trinity and is called Semik. On this day, people have long commemorated the dead who did not die a natural death. First of all, drowned people, suicides, as well as children who died unbaptized. Then came Parents' Saturday, which was also called "Trinity Grandfathers." This day was considered one of the main days for remembrance. Then came the day of Trinity, which was often called Rusal, or Green. And then Trinity, or Green Week. There are two special days on Green Week - on Monday Spiritual Day, and on Thursday - Nava Trinity or “Rusalkin Great Day”. Ukrainians and Belarusians call these days Green Christmastide. All these days were called Green days precisely because on these days the cult of vegetation has special significance. On Trinity days, Trinity greens were harvested - cut down young birches, branches of birch, maple, oak, linden, rowan, hazel, etc., as well as herbs and flowers; then they wove wreaths from it, wore them on their heads on Trinity and other holidays, decorated houses with greenery outside and inside, plugged them into all outbuildings, gates, wells; they put wreaths on the horns of cows and threw branches into the garden. On Spiritual Day, part of the Trinity greenery was collected, dried and used as a talisman against evil forces, lightning, fire, or for fortune telling, healing magic, etc. At the final stage of the festive cycle, all the remaining greenery was destroyed - burned, thrown into remote places and ravines , floated on the water, threw into trees. The obligatory destruction of Trinity greenery at the end of the festive period was motivated by the need to get rid of mermaids, whose period of permitted stay on earth was ending. Trinity, Green Christmastide - a cycle of interconnected holidays: Semik Trinity Ecumenical Parental Saturday Trinity (Pentecost) - Trinity Sunday Spiritual Day Nava Trinity
• June 3 (Saturday) – Trinity Saturday or “Trinity Grandfathers”, “Suffocating.” Trinity Ecumenical Parent Saturday. All Souls' Day. Currently, there is an incorrect custom to consider the holiday of the Trinity itself as a parent's day. On parenting days, Orthodox Christians visit churches where funeral services are performed. On these days, it is customary to bring sacrifices to the funeral table (eve) - various products (with the exception of meat).
• June 4 (Sunday) — Day of the Holy Trinity. Pentecost. “Rusal”, or “Green” - the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles in the form of tongues of flame on the 50th day after Easter. Ten days after the Ascension of the Lord, the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ came true, and the Holy Spirit descended from God the Father to his disciples-apostles in the form of tongues of fire. Thus, the students were able to master all the languages ​​of the world and were able to teach Christianity throughout the Earth. The Holy Trinity is one of the most beautiful Orthodox holidays. On this day, it is customary to decorate the house with birch, linden or maple branches, as well as wildflowers. Hence the second name of this Holy holiday - Green Sunday. Following Trinity Sunday, Trinity Week (or “Russian”, “Wired”) began.

Great Holidays

• January 14 — Circumcision of the Lord.New Year according to the old style. Evidence of the celebration of the Circumcision of the Lord in the Eastern Church dates back to the 4th century. On the eighth day after his Nativity, Jesus Christ, according to the Old Testament law, accepted circumcision, established for all male infants as a sign of the Covenant of God with the forefather Abraham and his descendants. In Russia, the date of the Circumcision of the Lord is widely known in a secular context as the “Old New Year”, since until 1918 it coincided with the beginning of the new year (the so-called civil new year).
• July 7 — Nativity of John the Baptist. Based on the Gospel testimony about the 6-month age difference between John and Christ, the church holiday of the Nativity of John turned out to be close to the summer solstice (and the Nativity of Christ - to the winter). Thus, under the sign of Christ the sun begins to increase, and under the sign of John it begins to decrease (according to the words of John himself, “he must increase, but I must decrease” - lat. Illum oportet crescere, me autem minui). The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the Old Style holiday on July 7th.
• July 8 — Peter and Fevronia Day The Day of Family, Love and Fidelity (the day of marital love and family happiness) is a folk Orthodox holiday, which is often contrasted with the Catholic Valentine's Day (February 14 - celebrated mainly among young people in Russia). Peter and Fevronia are Orthodox patrons of family and marriage, whose marital union is considered a model of Christian marriage. According to legend, several years before his reign, Peter killed a fiery serpent, but became stained with its blood and fell ill with leprosy, from which no one could cure him. The legend says that in a dream it was revealed to the prince that he could be healed by the daughter of a “tree-dweller” (beekeeper) who extracted wild honey, Fevronia, a peasant woman from the village of Laskovoy in the Ryazan land. Fevronia cured Peter, and he married her. In their old age, having taken monastic vows, they prayed to God that they would die on the same day, and bequeathed their bodies to be placed in one coffin, having previously prepared a tomb of one stone, with a thin partition. They died on the same day and hour. Considering burial in the same coffin incompatible with the monastic rank, their bodies were placed in different monasteries, but the next day they found themselves together. The day patronized family and love. First mowing. On this day, the last mermaids leave the shores into the depths of the reservoirs, so it was already safe to swim. After the Kupala games, betrothed couples were determined, and this day patronized family and love. In the old days, weddings were held from this day until Michaelmas (November 21).
• July, 12 — Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. The first mention of the holiday dates back to the 4th century. According to Tradition, the holiday was first celebrated in Rome, whose bishops trace their succession to the Apostle Peter. On June 29 (Julian calendar), 258, the transfer of the relics of the apostles Peter and Paul took place in Rome. Over time, the content of this event was lost, and the day of June 29 (July 12) began to be considered as the day of the common martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul
• August 2 – Elijah's day. Memory of the Prophet Elijah (IX century BC) Among the many names filling the Christian Monthly Books, the name of the Prophet Elijah, who lived almost three thousand years ago, occupies a special place. Few saints enjoy such veneration among the Orthodox people. In the biblical tradition, Elijah is one of the two Old Testament saints who did not see death on earth, but were awarded heaven before the coming of Jesus Christ. Therefore, on some icons of the Resurrection you can see Elijah and Enoch at the gates of heaven, meeting the ancient righteous, led out by Christ through the broken gates of hell. The second appearance on earth of Elijah occurs before the coming of the Messiah, and Christ himself points to John the Baptist as a prophet who appeared before Him “in the spirit and power of Elijah,” but remained tragically unrecognized (Malachi 4:5; Matthew 11:14; 17:10 -13). Together with Moses, he also appears on Mount Tabor during the significant scene of the transfiguration of Jesus Christ. From ancient times, our ancestors revered this saint of God. In the semi-pagan Slavic tradition, Elijah is a powerful and formidable manager of the most terrible and beneficial forces of nature. He sends lightning to the earth, thunders across the sky, riding in his chariot, punishes the dark forces of hell, brings down rain to the fields and gives them fertility. From Ilya's day, according to popular belief, bad weather began, and it was also forbidden to swim. Swimming was forbidden due to the fact that from this day all evil spirits return to the water: devils, mermaids, hair - from Midsummer's Day (July 7) and until now they were on land, where Elijah the Prophet shot them with lightning. Therefore, swimming becomes fraught with the appearance of abscesses and boils on the body, and in some cases, even drowning by evil spirits.
• August 14 – Honey Spas (Spas on Water): First Savior of August This is the first of three August holidays dedicated to the Savior, Jesus Christ. The full church name of the first Savior is ‘The Origin of the Honest Trees of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord’. The First Savior is popularly called the “wet Savior” in honor of the small blessing of water, the “honey Savior”, the “poppy Savior”. It was believed that from this day bees stopped producing honey. From this day on, the consecration of honey blesses the consumption of honey from the first harvest. In addition, on August 14, religious processions to the water were held everywhere - after all, this Savior was ‘on the waters’! On August 14, it was customary to distribute free honey to all the poor and crippled, as well as treat everyone with it. And before the onset of the Honey Savior, it was impossible to eat fresh honey. You could only eat last year's honey. Honey Savior is also called Maccabee, named after the great martyrs who laid down their violent heads for their homeland. Therefore, the main symbols of the Honey Savior are not only bee honey, but also the poppy, which must be consecrated in the church.
• August 19 – Transfiguration. Apple Spas: Second Savior of August - according to the Church Charter, fish is allowed at the meal. One day, the Gospel says, Jesus went up the mountain with three disciples - Peter, John and James. This mountain was located in Galilee. At its top, Jesus began to pray, and during prayer his face suddenly transformed, becoming like the sun, and his clothes became white like light. At that same moment, a bright cloud appeared, from it came two great prophets of antiquity - Moses and Elijah, and a voice was heard: “Behold, this is My beloved Son; Listen to him." By this time the apples are ripe. “On the second Savior, even a beggar will eat an apple” - on the Transfiguration, the custom of giving apples to the poor was obligatory. And before this time, even wealthy peasants did not eat apples. There was a belief that in the next world, the Mother of God gives ripe fruit to children whose parents do not eat apples before the Second Savior, but does not give them to those whose parents could not resist trying it earlier. Therefore, eating an apple before August 19 was considered a great sin.
• August 28 – Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A holiday of the Orthodox and Catholic churches dedicated to the memory of the death (dormition) of the Mother of God. According to church tradition, on this day the apostles, who had preached in various countries, miraculously gathered in Jerusalem to say goodbye and bury the Virgin Mary.
• August 29 – Nut Spas(canvas Spas): the third Spas of August Nut - because folk naturalists mark the final ripening of nuts on this day. With “canvas” the situation is a little more complicated. On August 29, the Orthodox Church celebrates the transfer in 944 from Edessa to Constantinople of the miraculous image of the Savior - a piece of fabric on which, according to the Gospel story, the face of Jesus Christ was imprinted. In rural life, this holiday was celebrated by trading in linens and canvases. “First Savior - they stand on the water; the second Savior - they eat apples; the third Savior - they sell canvases on the green mountains.”
• September 21 – Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Birth of the Virgin Mary in the family of the righteous Joachim and Anna. From the point of view of the doctrine of the Church, the birth of the Most Holy Theotokos - the Mother of Jesus Christ - was not an accidental and ordinary event, for She was assigned an important role in the implementation of the Divine plan for the salvation of mankind.
• October 14 — Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary In the Russian Church it is considered one of the great holidays. The holiday is based on the legend of the appearance of the Mother of God in the Blachernae Church in Constantinople in 910. In 910, under Emperor Leo the Wise and Patriarch Macarius, the Byzantine Empire was at war with the Muslim Saracens, and Constantinople was in danger. On Sunday, October 1, during the all-night vigil, when the Blachernae Church was filled with worshipers, Saint Andrew at four o'clock in the morning, raising his eyes to heaven, saw the Most Holy Theotokos walking through the air, illuminated by heavenly light and surrounded by angels and a host of saints. The Mother of God prayed for a long time for the coming people. At the end of the prayer, she took off the veil and spread it over all the standing people. While the Most Holy Theotokos was in the temple, apparently there was a veil. After Her departure, it also became invisible. But taking him with her, She left grace for those who were there. In Rus', Intercession Day is the first truly autumn holiday. From this day on, girls' evening gatherings and the autumn wedding season began. In folk tradition, this day marked the meeting of Autumn and Winter.

Church multi-day fasts

• from November 28 to January 1 inclusive - non-strict and from January 2 to January 6 - strict. On Mondays, food without oil. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, food with butter. Fish is allowed on Saturdays and Sundays. On Wednesdays and Fridays, dry food: bread, raw vegetables and fruits. Next until January 5 2016 inclusive: on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays dry food (bread, vegetables, fruits), on Tuesdays and Thursdays food without oil, on Saturdays and Sundays food with oil. The Church Charter (Typikon) designates the following dates as holidays, when two meals, wine and oil are served: November 29, December 8 and December 13, and December 17, 18, 19, 22, 30 and January 2. These days are also accompanied by holidays in honor of Russian saints. With the beginning of the Forefeast of Christmas, i.e. From January 3, fishing permits are canceled even for Saturdays and Sundays.
• — Lent.
• June 12 (Monday) – July 11 — Petrov post. On Wednesdays and Fridays during the Petrov Fast there is dry eating: bread, raw vegetables and fruits - once a day, in the evening. On Mondays of Peter's Lent, according to information from some Orthodox sources - dry eating: bread, raw vegetables and fruits - once a day, in the evening; according to information from other Orthodox sources - boiled vegetable food without oil. If the memory of the great saint happens on Monday, Wednesday or Friday of Peter's Lent - hot food with butter. On Tuesdays and Thursdays during Peter's Lent, vegetable food with oil and wine (while fish is allowed on the days of remembrance of the great saint or on the days of the temple holiday), according to other Orthodox sources, on Tuesdays and Thursdays of Peter's Lent, fish is allowed. On Saturdays and Sundays during Peter's Fast, vegetable foods with oil, wine and fish are allowed. Twice a day. Regarding wine, Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov explained this live on Radio Radonezh: “Wine is allowed for those who fast with dry food.” According to other sources, fish is allowed on Saturday and Sunday. Strict fasting (dry eating) on ​​Wednesday and Friday. On Monday you can have hot food without oil. On other days - fish, mushrooms, cereals with vegetable oil.
• August 14 - 27 — Dormition Fast (strict).
• November 28, 2015 – January 6, 2016 — Christmas post.

Church one-day fasts

Wednesday and Friday of the whole year, with the exception of continuous weeks and Christmastide
• January 18 — Epiphany Christmas Eve (Epiphany Eve).The day before the feast of the Epiphany. On this day, believers prepare themselves to accept Agiasma - baptismal holy water for purification and sanctification at the upcoming holiday. On Christmas Eve, on the eve of the feast of Epiphany, one is supposed to fast before partaking of holy water; the meal is prescribed once, after the Divine Liturgy. According to the Church Charter, on Epiphany Christmas Eve, Orthodox Christians are instructed to eat juice. The evening of January 18th is the famous “Epiphany evening”. According to popular beliefs, this is a time of rampant evil spirits. She tries to sneak into the house as a werewolf - in any guise. To protect the home from evil spirits entering the house, they put the signs of the cross in chalk on all doors and window frames, which is considered a reliable protection against everything demonic. If you don’t put a cross on the door on Epiphany Eve, you’ll be in trouble, they thought in the old days.
• 11 September — Beheading of John the Baptist. Parents day. The Church commemorates Orthodox soldiers who were killed on the battlefield for the Faith and Fatherland. This commemoration was established in 1769 during the war with the Turks and Poles by decree of Empress Catherine II. Fast day: fasting should consist of “a meal of oil, vegetables, or whatever God provides from such.” According to Orthodox tradition, round vegetables are not eaten on this day. On parenting days, Orthodox Christians visit churches where funeral services are performed. On these days, it is customary to bring sacrifices to the funeral table (eve) - various products (with the exception of meat).
• September 27— Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The holiday was established in memory of the finding of the Lord's Cross, which occurred, according to church tradition, in 326 in Jerusalem near Golgotha ​​- the site of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Since the 7th century, the memory of the return of the Life-Giving Cross from Persia by the Greek Emperor Heraclius began to be associated with this day. Fast day: you are supposed to eat vegetables and vegetable oil.

Solid weeks

• from February 6(Monday) until February 12(Sunday) - The Week of the Publican and the Pharisee.
• from February 13(Monday) until February 19(Sunday) - Meat week. Week.
• from February 20(Monday) until February 26(Sunday) - Cheese (Maslenitsa).
• February 26(Sunday) - Forgiveness Sunday - the last day of the week of Maslenitsa and the last day before Lent, which begins on Clean Monday and continues until Easter.
• from April 16(Sunday) until April 22(Saturday) - Continuous Bright Easter Week - the week after Easter. no post
• from June 5(Monday) - June 11(Sunday) - Trinity Week- the week after Trinity (Green Week, - “Russian”, “wired” - the week before Peter’s Lent). This week there are two special days: “Spiritual Day” ( June 5(Monday)), “Nava Trinity” ( June 8(Thursday)) or “Rusalkin Great Day”

Days of special remembrance of the dead

• February 25 (Saturday) to April 15 (Saturday) Lent(strict) - The whole point of the penitential feat performed during Great Lent, as the holy fathers say, is to cleanse the heart.
• February 18 (Saturday) — Meat Saturday (Ecumenical Parental Saturday).
• March 11 (Saturday) — Saturday of the 2nd week of Lent.
• March 18 (Saturday) — Saturday of the 3rd week of Lent.
• March 25 (Saturday) — Saturday of the 4th week of Lent.
• April 15 (Saturday) — End of Great Lent. Holy Saturday.
• April 25 (Tuesday) — Radonitsa. Parents day . All Souls' Day (Tuesday of the 2nd week of Easter). This day is named Radonitsa to commemorate the joy of the living and the dead about the Resurrection of Christ. On parenting days, Orthodox Christians visit churches where funeral services are performed. On these days, it is customary to bring sacrifices to the funeral table (eve) - various products (with the exception of meat). Radonitsa (April 25 (Tuesday)) and Trinity Saturday (June 3 (Saturday)) are the main parenting days. These days, it is customary to visit the cemetery after church: to straighten the graves of deceased relatives and pray next to their buried bodies.
• 9th May — Commemoration of deceased warriors. Day of remembrance for all those who died and tragically died during the Great Patriotic War.
• June 3 (Saturday) — Saturday Trinity.
• Dimitrievskaya Saturday, which was originally the day of remembrance of Orthodox soldiers, was established by Grand Duke Dimitri Ioannovich Donskoy. Having won the famous victory on the Kulikovo field over Mamai, on September 8, 1380, Dimitri Ioannovich, upon returning from the battlefield, visited the Trinity-Sergius monastery.

Based on Wikipedia materials,