On the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. History of the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and traditions

Every year on April 7 Orthodox people celebrate one of the most important holidays in the history of the Bible - Annunciation Holy Mother of God. It is traditionally considered the twelfth, the number never changes. In 2018, the Annunciation coincided with Holy Saturday, which falls on the last day before Easter.

This big holiday, which has been celebrated since the 3rd century.

The history of the holiday

Gospel literally means “good news” in Greek. April 7 was dedicated to the prophecy that announces the birth of the Son of God. U of this holiday three symbols - a ray of light with which the Holy Spirit descended to earth, a spinning wheel - Mary was sitting next to her when she heard the news that she would become pregnant immaculately, palm leaves - symbolize feelings and thoughts related to the sublime and not intersecting with worldly life.

The Virgin Mary was destined to become the mother of Jesus, because until the age of 14 she was in the temple in Jerusalem. Since after this age all Jewish girls were required to get married, Mary refused and promised that she would remain a virgin all her life. To comply with all the rules, the girl was engaged to the 80-year-old righteous Joseph.

Mary did not just receive information that she would become the mother of Jesus. She had the right to decide whether she was ready for this or not. Already from the 5th century, paintings by artists depicting this scene from the biblical tale began to appear in world painting.

Traditions and rituals on the Annunciation

A lot of traditions are associated with this day - it is strictly forbidden to work, sew, knit, slaughter cattle, or have loud and noisy fun. On April 7, prosphora baked by the mistress of the house is blessed in churches. There were so many people in the family that needed to be baked.

After they were eaten on an empty stomach, the crumbs and leftovers were collected and then added to livestock feed so that they would not get sick for the next year and would produce normal weight gain or offspring. Prosphora was given the same importance as holy water. In order for spring to come faster, domestic animals were released into the street with the symbolic purpose of “listening to spring.” Girls came to the church and performed the so-called “crooked dance” around it.

All this happened so that spring would come faster. Another traditional action was “releasing the birds.” To perform the action, birds were caught, mainly pigeons or tits, which were put in a cage. It was believed that if a bird was released from its cage on April 7, it would fly to the Lord himself and convey all the messages that people addressed to him.

Relaxations and changes on Holy Saturday

Since in 2018 the Annunciation is celebrated during Lent, there should be no meat or milk on the table. You can diversify the menu with fish and a glass of red wine. On holiday, it is not recommended to give something away or borrow money, because along with material things you can lose part of your health. It is also not recommended to wear new clothes; it is believed that they deteriorate faster.

Work in the garden is prohibited on this day, but you can take plant seeds with you to church. It is believed that they will bear more fruit. Combing and cutting hair is prohibited, because you can confuse your fate. Since this year the Annunciation falls on Holy Saturday, it is recommended to spend the holiday with your family, avoid visiting noisy places, and devote free time thoughts about the life of Jesus Christ before his crucifixion.

Among the considerable number of church holidays, the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is considered special. In importance, it is second perhaps only to Christmas, which is celebrated by all Christians, regardless of denomination. Even before the day of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the schedule of services in churches is posted on the websites and entrance doors so that every believer can find time in his busy schedule for the joy of visiting church. Moreover, on this holiday a visit to the temple cannot be missed. Such an act is considered an unforgivable mistake that will bring trouble and misfortune to the house. The Annunciation has a number of rules and restrictions, but many believers are not familiar with them. That’s why they make annoying mistakes in preparing for the holiday, which in the old days in Rus' even children could not make. We will tell readers in as much detail as possible about this joyful day for the heart of every Christian: when the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated, where the tradition of celebrating the holiday came from, what is the history of its origin and many other interesting things. But let's talk about everything in order.

Brief historical background

The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary has a clearly defined date of celebration. It and Christmas are separated by nine months, despite the fact that the Annunciation took root in church traditions much later than Christmas. It is known that Catholics and Orthodox Christians use different types calendars. It is not surprising that the dates of their holidays vary. Catholic Church In honor of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, services in the church begin on the morning of March twenty-fifth. And the Orthodox celebrate the holiday on the seventh of April.

Many believers among the twelve major holidays christian church This is considered literally the beginning of the formation of religion. After all, its essence lies in the good news that Mary received from the angels. Some theologians, even in ancient times, argued that it was during this conversation that the immaculate conception of a young girl took place. That's why for a long time The holiday had a lot of names that characterize this particular side of it.

It is interesting that all events related to this topic were described by only one apostle. Luke in his Gospel spoke in great detail about what happened on this great day. To this day, all Christians refer to this written source when telling the story of the Virgin Mary and the conception of Christ.

History of the holiday

The story about the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary must begin with brief description life of the Virgin Mary.

Not everyone knows that from birth the girl who became the Mother of God was promised to the temple. Her life was supposed to be serving the Lord, which is what the baby was prepared for. She spent her childhood in the Jerusalem Temple and was raised by its abbots. But by the age of fourteen, young Mary, according to Jewish law, had to get married. This greatly confused the holy fathers, who prayed day and night to find the best solution to determine the girl's fate. After vain prayers, insight descended on one of the elders, and he began to search for a husband for Mary, who could protect her throughout her life, but nevertheless not lay claim to her, as a husband does to his wife. The search was short-lived, and soon Mary became the wife of Joseph, who was already eighty years old at the time of the wedding. The betrothed husband was known as a true righteous man and spent his entire life in work and prayer. Before meeting Mary, Joseph had never been married.

One day, the Archangel Gabriel appeared before the embarrassed girl. According to the Gospel of Luke, he announced to Mary the good news that she had been chosen as the mother of the Son of God. However, it was important not only to tell the girl what awaited her, but also to obtain her consent. Without him, the Lord could not carry out his will.

Hearing such news, Mary doubted the possibility of the immaculate conception. However, Gabriel shamed her, reminding her of how her relative conceived, carried and gave birth to a baby, who considered herself infertile until old age. This angel wanted to prove limitless possibilities Gentlemen and calm Mary down. Being obedient and righteous, the girl agreed with God's will and conceived a child.

Interestingly, when Joseph learned of his wife’s pregnancy, he thought about her infidelity. He decided that the girl had broken her vow of innocence, and invited her to leave him secretly, under the cover of darkness. However, an angel appeared to him in a dream, telling him the whole truth about the conception of the Son of God, and commanded the man to protect his wife and take care of her.

The importance of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos also lies in the fact that until this moment humanity had not received good news from the Lord. Adam and Eve were the last to hear the will of the Creator, but subsequent generations were deprived of this goodness.

The formation of the holiday

Christians began to celebrate the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in churches in the fifth and sixth centuries, but even earlier there were references to this day in various sources.

Historians and archaeologists have found images of the events of the Annunciation in caves where the first Christians hid from their persecutors. Not only individual caves were painted with similar paintings, but also the catacombs, in which the exiles stayed for weeks and months, conducting services and preaching. Such paintings date back to the second and third centuries.

In the fourth century, Saint Helena made her invaluable contribution to the development of the holiday. She walked through the places of Christ’s life and everywhere tried to leave a mark in the form of a basilica, temple, church or cathedral. She was also one of the first to talk about the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a significant event. The saint found the place where the appearance of the Archangel to the Virgin took place and erected a basilica there.

Already by the fifth century, icon painters began to pay great attention to this biblical story. They began to depict the events of the Immaculate Conception of Jesus in icons and paintings in churches. About a hundred years later, services for the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary were held in most churches. It is believed that Saint Cyril of Jerusalem finally established its canons and traditions. Literally a century later, the holiday received the status of the main one in Byzantium and spread to the West.

By the way, in Rus' the Mother of God was very revered. Therefore, the Annunciation was celebrated very solemnly and necessarily with the whole family. The well-being of all its members and abundance in the house depended on this, according to our ancestors.

In the eighth century, festive canons were compiled, which are sung during services in honor of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in churches. Their authors are considered to be the Metropolitan of Nicea and two holy elders - Theophan and John of Damascus.

Let's talk about traditions

Each holiday has its own traditions, especially when we talk about church holidays. The rules for celebrating the Annunciation were formed in Ancient centuries and today are strictly observed by all Christians.

The day before the holiday, women began baking bread. This word was used to describe unleavened bread in the form of small buns. Its number was always equal to the number of household members. On the morning of the holiday, the prosvira had to be taken to the service and blessed. Only after this could family members begin the festive meal, at which bread was eaten. This was done with great care so as not to let a single crumb slip past the mouth. If this happened, then all the remains of the prosvira were collected and given to the cattle. This was believed to help maintain her health and fertility. However, it was necessary to eat the consecrated bread on an empty stomach. This was an indispensable condition for a rich harvest and family well-being.

Since the Annunciation is very important holiday, then working on this day is strictly prohibited. Our ancestors would never have slaughtered livestock, sewed, cleaned the house or done other things. However, it was also forbidden to start excessively noisy fun. People had to realize the sacredness of this day and be imbued with it.

I would like to note that in Rus' this church holiday was also considered the day when it was customary to call for spring. It was believed that after the Annunciation, winter finally recedes and a new round of life in nature begins. In order to get rid of illness, our ancestors made fires. Round dances were performed around them, songs were sung and barkers sang. Particularly brave ones even jumped over the fire, thereby cleansing themselves of all diseases and unclean thoughts.

Especially beautiful tradition On Annunciation there was a release of birds. Before the holiday, feathered songbirds were caught on the streets and in forests and put in cages. After visiting church service young people gathered in the courtyards of temples and opened the cages. Birds soaring into the sky were a symbol of the good news once brought to humanity.

On Annunciation, cattle were often driven out into the streets. He had to walk to the sound of beaters and bells. This, as our ancestors thought, protected livestock from illnesses and predators.

Assortment holiday dishes The traditions of the Annunciation do not limit it in any way. It all depends on what day the date falls on. For example, this year it was Good Friday. Therefore, believers could not afford to eat even fish. Although usually, if a holiday coincides with fasting, the Orthodox have some concessions. These also include seafood.

Holiday symbols

Few Christians are aware that the Annunciation has its own symbolism. It is a kind of graphic story about the essence of the holiday. The first symbol is depicted as a ray of light. It represents the ephemeral road along which the Holy Spirit descended on the Virgin Mary. This is how the story of the good news as told in the Gospel began.

The second symbol is a spinning wheel. According to written sources, the Virgin Mary spent a lot of time with this instrument. Archangel Gabriel, who descended from heaven, found her spinning and at that moment informed her about the mission that the girl would need to complete.

The third symbol was a palm branch. Since ancient times, it has meant spiritual sublimity. Some theologians interpreted the symbol as the unity of the subordination of thoughts and feelings to divine providence.

Features of the church service: day and evening before the holiday

In addition to the general traditions of celebrating the Annunciation, which we have already talked about, there are certain nuances of conducting church services. Believers usually learn about them already at the service, but they may overlook some things. We will tell readers about all the features of celebrating the holiday according to church canons.

On the day before the holiday, believers attend Vespers. During it, the clergy read stichera and excerpts from the Holy Scriptures dedicated to the suffering of Christ, the good news brought to the Virgin Mary by the archangel, prophecies about the Son of God, as well as texts about his acceptance of torment for the salvation of human souls. At the final stage of the service, the troparion of the Annunciation and the canon “On the Crucifixion of the Lord and the Lamentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary” are sung. After this, the service ends and the believers disperse for a while.

In the evening of the same day, Matins is celebrated. It is necessary for all Orthodox Christians who want to fully experience the holiness of the moment to attend. The service begins with hymns, turning into six psalms and troparia:

"Noble Joseph"
“When you descended to death”;
"To the Myrrh-Bearing Wives."

The service then continues with reading excerpts from the Gospel and holiday canons. Can't imagine this service without the canons of the Annunciation and Holy Saturday. They are considered special because they are read only on major holidays and have an unusual structure. The Canon of the Annunciation is written in the form of a conversation between the Virgin Mary and the Archangel. But the second canon is actually philosophical reasoning on the topic of the processes occurring from the crucifixion to the resurrection of Christ.

Morning holiday service

From the very morning the service bears little resemblance to a holiday. It takes place during ordinary hours, but after the end it immediately continues with the Vespers Liturgy. The clergy sing Sunday stichera and paremias. Usually after this, a list of those who wish to be baptized on this holiday is announced.

Matins continues with the reading of the Gospel. Much attention is paid to texts about the deeds of Christ and his torment on the cross. The final stage of the service is the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great.

A few words about the meal and vestments of priests

It is interesting that the services of the Annunciation require special vestments for the clergy. Usually the color of clothing on all holidays dedicated to Mother of God, is blue. However, on the Annunciation it turns purple. By the way, this is the only day when church ministers wear clothes of this shade.

As for the meal, it is always accompanied by wine. Depending on the coincidence with other holidays, priests set a number of restrictions regarding dishes on the table of believers. However, in any case, Orthodox Christians receive a blessing for red wine.

Temples in honor of the Virgin Mary

In Russia, the Mother of God was especially revered, and the number of churches in her honor is difficult to count. Many of them were forgotten and abandoned Soviet times, but for recent years they became active again and fully recovered. We will tell our readers about some of them.

The Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Vasilyevsky Island in St. Petersburg has long history associated with the names of many famous figures Russian science and culture.

The temple was founded in the mid-eighteenth century and was built over the course of thirteen years. As a result, believers were able to see the beautiful seven-throne temple complex. It was consecrated even before the builders left the church territory. The lighting procedure was carried out by Tikhon Zadonsky himself.

In the thirty-sixth year of the last century, the temple was closed and resumed services only twenty-six years ago. Today it is open to everyone in need from nine in the morning to seven in the evening. On weekends, the church waits for believers until eight o'clock in the evening.

By main church holidays, which includes the Annunciation, the Liturgy is held twice a day: at seven and ten o’clock in the morning. Half an hour before the service you can confess.

Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Fedosino

This temple is located in Moscow and was founded at the beginning of the fifteenth century. Subsequently, it was rebuilt more than once. The final version dates from the first half of the nineteenth century.

The village of Fedosyevo belonged to the Ascension Monastery, which supported its residents in difficult times. The temple, built within the monastery, amazes with its beauty and strict forms. It was active until the thirties of the last century, when there was a campaign for the mass closure of churches. It is noteworthy that the villagers did not allow the church to be closed. They tried to defend their faith as a united front, but still the temple was used for many decades Soviet power not for the intended purpose.

Today believers can learn a lot of interesting and important information on the website dedicated to the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The schedule of services, for example, is updated here once a month. Usually the doors of the temple are open for believers until five o'clock in the evening. Services begin at half past eight in the morning.

Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Petrovsky Park

There are at least five temple complexes in honor of the Mother of God in Moscow. All of them, even in the most difficult times for Christianity, were not empty. Believers have always come here in the hope of finding consolation. And the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Petrovsky Park was very important for the Orthodox of this area.

Princess Naryshkina became the initiator and sponsor of the construction of the church. At her request, architect Richter created a unique project that should not contradict the ensemble of the Petrovsky Palace. And he managed to realize it.

The first stone in the foundation of the temple was laid in the forty-fourth year of the nineteenth century. Initially he was supposed to have four thrones. The first was consecrated three years after the start of construction.

The rector of the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Petrovsky posts the schedule of services on the website. The resource is maintained by him and some members of the flock. IN temple complex Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Petrovsky Park, the schedule of services of which is of interest to all believers; morning services usually begin at eight o’clock. Evening services started at five o'clock. Almost every day Orthodox Christians have the opportunity to confess. This is done before the morning Liturgy.

Hello. The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a great holiday for all believers. In the bustle of days, many have forgotten about the traditions of celebrating the Annunciation. Let's try to remember them so that we never forget and pass them on to our children.

What date is the Annunciation celebrated?

The Annunciation is the day of remembrance of how the Mother of God learned that she would give birth to Christ, and that this would happen in a miraculous way - through the descent of the Holy Spirit on Her.

In 2018, the Annunciation fell on Holy Saturday. Holy Saturday is a day of remembrance scary moment when the Body of Christ was in the Tomb. This day is also called the day of silence. Everything is already behind us - betrayal, crucifixion, Death on the Cross.

Search mystical meaning There is no point in the fact that the Annunciation fell on Holy Saturday. Light Christ's Resurrection can fall on any day of the year between April 4 and May 8.

With early Easter, the Annunciation can fall on both Holy and Bright Week, and this only means that the service on this day will have its own characteristics associated with the double meaning of this day.

What can you eat if the Annunciation falls on Holy Saturday?

If the Annunciation falls on Holy Saturday, then you can eat vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, cereals, bread, but you cannot eat fish. The monastic charter presupposes abstinence from food on this day. vegetable oil, but from modern man Strict adherence to the rules of fasting established for monks in past centuries is not required. On Holy Saturday, Orthodox Christians usually adhere to their usual Lenten diet.

Annunciation is one of two days of Lent when fish is allowed at meals. But if it coincides with the days of Holy Week, the meal on this day is not festive and they do not eat fish.

According to the rules, on Holy Saturday the monks were allowed to drink a little wine. But such a relaxation was given not for fun and entertainment, but to strengthen strength after a long prayer: the service of Holy Saturday is long, it is preceded by very eventful days of liturgical events Holy Week, and ahead is the night Easter Matins.

The meaning and essence of the Annunciation holiday

The essence of the holiday is contained in the name itself. “Annunciation” means that good news is coming. If you look more closely, you will notice that the whole point Christian holidays is that a person is given two paths:

the path of salvation is the righteous path,
the path of evil, envy and darkness.

Even the young Virgin Mary was asked by an Angel if she agreed that the Son of God, the Savior of the whole world, would be incarnate from her womb. Mary responded, “Let it be done to me according to your word,” meekly accepting God’s word.

The icon dedicated to the Annunciation can be recognized by the Archangel Gabriel holding a flower. What does the flower mean? The flower is a symbol of good news. It was Gabriel who God gave to bring the Good News to people.

But he brought the most joyful news in the world 2000 years ago to the Virgin Mary, who took a vow of virginity and gave her life to serving God. From this day the history of the holiday begins.

In ancient Judea, people who reached the age of 14 were considered adults. So the 14-year-old Virgin Mary, who until that time had been raised in the temple, had to return to home, or get married. But the vow of eternal virginity closed the way for Her to create ordinary family. Then the priests of the temple found very the right decision. They betrothed the Virgin Mary to the 80-year-old elder Joseph. Thus, Mary did not break the vow she made to the Lord.

So Saint Joseph became the guardian of the virgin purity of the future Mother of God. The Blessed Virgin lived for four months in Joseph’s house, devoting all of Her time to reading the Holy Books and tireless prayers.

An Angel caught her in this godly activity, saying to Her: “Rejoice, O Blessed One!” Archangel Gabriel announced to Her about that greatest grace: to become the Matter of the Messiah.

The holiday really began to be celebrated in the 6th century during the reign of Justinian. He issued a decree setting the date for the celebration of the Annunciation - March 25 for Catholics, and for Orthodox Christians on Julian calendar- April 7.

The Annunciation is the arrival of spring!

How is this holiday celebrated? On this day, one of the most merciful traditions has existed since ancient times: releasing birds from cages.

Today this is done by church ministers, and before the 1917 revolution, many believers, observing traditions, brought cages with birds to worship, which were released into the wild after the service.

This action symbolized the human soul, languishing in the shackles of sin, but through the birth of the Savior, who took the sins of people upon himself, receives hope for freedom. The service in the temple even today ends with the release of white doves into the sky so that they convey news to the angels about everyone good deeds.

Signs for the Annunciation

With the arrival of spring, people pinned their aspirations for a good harvest. Therefore, there are many signs for April 7:

If it is cold on Annunciation, there is fog or the day is marked by frost, then the year will be fruitful.
If the swallows have not yet arrived, then spring will be late and cold.
A clear day in Annunciation means fires.
If April 7th is a rainy day, then expect a dry summer.
The same day (weather) for the Annunciation, the same for Easter.

Other signs for the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

On Annunciation, you cannot give or borrow anything, so as not to give away your health and luck.
On Annunciation, you cannot work, get a haircut, or even comb your hair, so as not to “confuse” your destiny.
What day of the week does April 7 fall on, on that day you should not start new business for a whole year.
On this holiday, you need to bless salt, water, and bring prosphora from the church. This will all help in case of illness.
Can't be worn new clothes.
So that the husband does not go anywhere, on this day he must be called “beloved” 40 times.

Many rituals attract money to the house, for example, you need to give alms early in the morning, before that you don’t need to wash or have breakfast.

You need to collect grass from the church and store it behind the icons for good luck and health.

They say conspiracies work well. On April 8th, Archangel Gabriel fulfills your deepest desires. Early in the morning, make a wish, put on a cross, go outside, turn your face to the east, cross yourself three times, say the spell:

“Archangel Gabriel, servant of our Lord, hear the prayer of God’s servant (name) and fulfill my request (say your desire). In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen"

Icons of the Annunciation

The Annunciation depicts the meeting of the Virgin Mary and the Archangel Gabriel. The most common iconographic canon of the Holiday: the Annunciator stands on the left and extends his hand to the Most Pure One, who is on the right, blessing Her.

The Mother of God is often depicted either reading the Holy Scriptures or holding a spindle and red thread in her hands. The Gospel does not say what the Mother of God was doing when the Archangel appeared to her, but according to apocryphal sources, She was spinning the curtain for the Jerusalem Temple, which was torn in two at the moment of Christ’s death on the Cross.

Archangel Gabriel in the icons of the Annunciation is depicted with his hand extended towards the Mother of God with folded in a certain way fingers. This is an ancient oratorical gesture meaning direct speech. In the same way, the response gesture of the Mother of God in this context is interpreted as Her acceptance of the gospel:

Another detail often present on icons of the Annunciation is a ray descending from Heaven onto the Virgin Mary. Otherwise, the descent of the Holy Spirit on Her is depicted on the icon in the form of a dove. On many icons, the Heavenly Ray and the Dove are combined.

The icon of the Annunciation may contain the Divine Infant in the womb of the Mother.

- the twelfth holiday. What are the features of the iconography of the holiday, why are birds released on the Annunciation, what do this holiday and the Gospel have in common - read the answers to these questions in the material of the Thomas magazine.

Fomaposter. Download for free

Event:

The Archangel Gabriel was sent by God to Nazareth to announce to the Virgin Mary that she was to conceive from the Holy Spirit and give birth to a child: He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end. Mary answered the angel: Behold, the Servant of the Lord; Let it be done to me according to Your word (Luke 1:26-38).

Icon of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Icon from the monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai. End of the 12th century

The icon of the Annunciation depicts the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, whose visible surprise is shown in conjunction with the deepest humility before the omnipotence of God. Above the archangel and Mary there is a special form of halo - a mandorla, which symbolizes the Divine appearance and the conception of Christ. The red thread in Mary’s hands is the yarn that, according to church tradition, she was engaged in on this great day for the entire Church.

The essence of the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Annunciation is celebrated exactly 9 months before the Nativity of Christ. According to the teachings of the Church, a person is born at the moment of conception in the womb, and not at the moment of his birth.

According to the teachings of the Church, God in His greatness descended and humbled Himself to man, and the Virgin Mary, having become the mother of God incarnate, surpassed the entire human and angelic world. To explain the mystery of the Incarnation, the church fathers used the Greek word “kenosis,” meaning “humiliation” or “exhaustion.”

Apparitions of angels Divine messengers have been known for thousands of years and have not only been admired, but also awe-inspiring for their greatness. The man of the Old Testament understood his unworthiness before the bright beings of another world. But Christ, becoming one of the people, made man the most worthy of created beings.

“Virgin Mother of God, rejoice, full of grace Mary, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, for you have given birth to the Savior of our souls,”

The words of this one of the most famous and beloved prayers of the Church, addressed to the Most Holy Theotokos, almost literally repeat the promise to the Virgin Mary pronounced by the Archangel Gabriel.

The Annunciation marked the beginning of the fulfillment of the Divine promise to fallen humanity in the person of Adam and Eve that their descendant, literally, “the seed of the woman” (Gen. 3:15), will destroy the serpent (devil) who deceived them. “The seed of the woman” is an image of the manless conception of Christ, born of the Virgin Mary.

Behold, the Virgin will be with child and give birth to a Son, and they will call his name Immanuel,- lines of the most important Old Testament prophecy about the birth of the Savior from the immaculate Virgin (Isaiah 7:14). The name Emmanuel literally means “God with us,” which is why it is sometimes found on icons above the image of the Christ child.

Archangel Gabriel on icons he is often depicted with a cane as a traveler and messenger, with a candle or mirror - as a messenger of secrets, or with a lily - a symbol of blessing; he is mentioned several times in Old Testament, revered in Judaism and Islam.

Annunciation in Greek - Gospel, Good News. This is the name given to the first four books of the New Testament, the most important books of the Bible. The prophecy about the birth of the Savior of the world, the fulfillment of which was so eagerly awaited in Judea, came true like a light breath of wind, unnoticed by the whole world. Bowing before the power of Our Lady’s faith and her complete trust in God, Orthodox Church gives the Virgin Mary primacy of honor among all people ever born.

The Annunciation is the central event of all Sacred history, it is exactly halfway between the Old and New Testaments. The covenant with Abraham began with his doubt elderly wife Sarah in her ability to become the mother, the ancestor of God's chosen people. New Testament made possible thanks to pure faith Virgin Mary in the revelation of the supernatural birth of her future Son - the Messiah, the Savior of all mankind (Luke 1:26-38).

Traditions of the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The tradition of releasing white doves at the Annunciation goes back to folk tradition spring meeting. Like many others, this tradition became “churched.” From the Gospel we learn that the Holy Spirit descended on the Lord during his baptism in the Jordan River in the form of a dove. Immaculate Conception Archangel Gabriel also explains the Virgin Mary of Jesus Christ by the invasion of the Holy Spirit on her : The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you(Luke 1:35). From this merger folk custom, the baptismal image of the Holy Spirit and the words of the Gospel and a modern tradition appeared.

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Orthodox holiday, which has one day of pre-celebration and one day of post-celebration, on which the Council of the Holy Archangel Gabriel celebrates.

The events of the Annunciation are described in the Gospel by the Apostle Luke - on this day they remember how Archangel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary the good news of the conception and birth of the God-Child Jesus Christ.

Divine history is familiar to almost everyone, but on the eve of the Annunciation, the Most Holy Theotokos invites you to remember it again, as well as to become familiar with the history, traditions and signs of the holiday.

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Virgin Mary, who was given to the Creator from birth, is undoubtedly the most chaste in the entire Universe - she lived and was raised until she was 14 years old in the Jerusalem Temple.

When the time came for Mary to leave the temple, they found the elderly pious carpenter Joseph as her husband, who was supposed to protect Her purity and innocence.

Therefore, the Virgin Mary, when the Archangel Gabriel announced to her that She had acquired the greatest grace from God - to be the Matter of the Son of God, embarrassed, asked the Angel how this conception would happen.

As an example, the Archangel cited Mary’s barren relative, Saint Elizabeth, who at an advanced age conceived a child six months ago, and thereby made it clear that there are no limits to the Lord’s capabilities.

Having heard the all-merciful will in the speeches of the Archangel, Mary said: “Behold, the Servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to Your word.” Holy Conception happened, as is believed today, at the moment of the utterance of this phrase by the Virgin Mary.

Icon "Our Lady of Vladimir" (1652. Front side of the double-sided icon. Simon Ushakov)

Joseph, having learned that Mary was carrying a child, wanted to secretly let her go, but the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said: “Joseph, Son of David! Do not be afraid to accept Mary, your wife; for whoever is born in her is of the Holy Spirit, she will give birth to a Son.” and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins..."

Joseph did as the Angel told him - he accepted his wife. Everything happened as predicted - they had a son, and they named him Jesus.

History of the holiday

It is believed that the holiday was established by the apostles, since images of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, dating back to the 2nd-3rd centuries, are found in the paintings of the catacombs, where the first Christians gathered for prayer.

However, they began to celebrate the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in a special way, much later. This was facilitated by the discovery by Saint Helen of the Savior at the beginning of the 4th century of the Holy places of the earthly life of the Savior and the construction of churches in these places, including the basilica in Nazareth, on the site of the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin.

Ancient Christians called the holiday differently - the Annunciation of Christ, the Conception of Christ, the Annunciation of the Angel to Mary, the Beginning of Redemption, and only in the 7th century was it given the name Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, both in the West and in the East.

The Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, according to some information, was established by St. Cyril of Jerusalem, and by the end of the 7th century in Byzantium it was one of the most important. Around the same time, it spread to the Western Church.

The date of the Annunciation in both the East and the West is considered to be March 25 (April 7 in the old style). The Annunciation was dedicated to the day nine months preceding Christmas, since the holiday of the Nativity of Christ was historically established much earlier.

This number also agrees with the ideas of ancient church historians that the Annunciation and Easter occurred on the same day of the year, as historical events.

Traditions

Since ancient times, the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been especially revered in Rus'. On this day, by ancient tradition, people released birds from nets and cages. This custom was revived in 1995 and is now performed in many churches.

On the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, peasants, according to tradition, according to the number of household members, baked prosphora in the family - unleavened church bread, which was then illuminated in the church.

Image of the Mother of God. Fragment of the icon "Annunciation (Ustyug)"

They ate the illuminated bread at home on an empty stomach, and the crumbs, according to tradition, were added to seeds and pet food. The people believed that thanks to this the harvest would be rich, and the livestock would be healthy and fertile.

The people perceived the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a spring holiday - the beginning of a new agricultural year. According to tradition, people blessed grain before sowing, placing the Annunciation icon next to the grain.

On this day, in the old days, they “called out spring” - they lit a fire and jumped over the fire, danced in circles, sang “spring songs.” People considered the Annunciation fire to be the best protection against disease, damage and the evil eye.

People beat mallets, rang bells, and copper utensils to protect livestock from wolves. There was a popular belief that wolves would stay at the distance the sound would travel.

Signs

The Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary among the people was surrounded by many signs. The main sign is that all work on the ground and around the house is prohibited. In the old days, people said that even a bird does not build a nest on this day, because it is a sin.

According to legend, the cuckoo did not obey the rules of this day and made a nest; as punishment, it can no longer make nests, and is forced to place its eggs in the nests of other birds.

In many houses, according to tradition, on the eve and on the day of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, they tried not to light a fire, but in order to attract good luck in the oven, according to signs, one should burn a few pinches of salt.

On the Feast of the Annunciation, people believed that angels rejoiced in heaven, and even in hell they stopped torturing sinners. The earth awakens from its winter sleep and opens up to welcome spring. And along with the inhabitants of the earth, all evil spirits awaken.

Therefore, on the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, rituals were performed that protected from disease and evil. It was a good sign to wash your face with melt water, fumigate your winter clothes with smoke, and so on.

Fire was considered the best protection against snakes, so it was customary to burn the garbage accumulated over the winter. According to signs, not a single crumb can be dropped on the Annunciation, otherwise there will be no salvation from insects.

On the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it was customary to tell fortunes - they baked small money in a church prosphora and whoever gets it will smile with happiness all year long.

Blessed water of the Annunciation was placed under the icons, because they believed that it would raise the sick to their feet, and they also watered livestock with it.

In the old days it was believed that a whole year blessed water does not deteriorate unless a sorcerer or a person with dark thoughts touches it.

On the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary bad omen is pouring grain from sack to sack and lending, therefore it was strictly forbidden to do this.

On this day, the housewife used a broom to drive the chickens off their roost so that they would fly to Easter.

Icon of the Annunciation, late 16th century

There are many signs associated with the harvest and the weather. So, according to legend, hens will not lay eggs well if the night before the sky is dark without stars. A sign of a wheat harvest is a sunny day on Annunciation.

According to signs, rain on a holiday means mushroom autumn and good fishing. A thunderstorm on a holiday indicates a warm summer and a good harvest of nuts. If there is a thunderstorm on a holiday, you can wait warm summer and an excellent harvest of nuts.

According to signs, frost on the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary indicated a good harvest of spring crops and cucumbers.

What do they pray for?

They pray in front of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos of the Annunciation for relief and healing of their ailments, for liberation from imprisonment, and in general to receive “good” news about something.

Prayer

Accept, O All-merciful, Most Pure Lady Theotokos, these honorable gifts, the only one bestowed upon You from us, Thy unworthy servants, chosen from all generations, the highest appearing of all creatures of heaven and earth. Because for Your sake the Lord of hosts was with us, and through You we knew the Son of God, and became worthy of His Holy Body and His Most Pure Blood. Blessed are you, too, in the birth of births, God-blessed One, the brightest of the Cherubim and the most honest of the Seraphim. And now, All-Singing Most Holy Theotokos, do not cease praying for us, Thy unworthy servants, that we may be delivered from every evil advice and from every situation, and that we may be preserved unharmed from every poisonous pretext of the devil. But even to the end, through Your prayers, keep us uncondemned, as if by Your intercession and help we are saved, glory, praise, thanksgiving and worship for everything in the Trinity To the One God and we send all to the Creator, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

The material was prepared based on open sources