Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary - what can and cannot be done on a holy day. Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary September 21 Church holiday Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos

The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos Our Lady Mary is celebrated annually on September 21 (New Style) and has 1 day of pre-celebration and 4 days after the celebration. Knowing and remembering this date, the named holiday is important for every Orthodox Christian who believes with his heart, respects traditions and pays due tribute to the history of Christianity. One of the central holidays of Christianity is celebrated all over the world and has its own characteristic history and traditions.

History of the Bright Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary

From year to year, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated exactly on September 21, this date is fixed, and 2018 was no exception. Therefore, everyone has the opportunity to prepare in advance for the holiday and going to church. Letting go of offenses, repenting of evil thoughts, opening your heart and soul to spiritual cleansing and filling with Divine joy and peace - this is what every believer in the truth should try to do.

The history of the holiday begins its course from the time when the Virgin Mary was born. According to legend, the parents of the Virgin Mary were Anna and Joachim, who lived at that time in Nazareth. Anna and Joachim were people of rare kindness, endowed with a deep awareness of the need for a sense of mercy and humility, sincere desires to help others with their deed or word.

Despite the countless deeds of Anna and Joachim, they increasingly became objects of condemnation and, to some extent, gloating, because the Lord did not give Anna and Joachim a child. At that time, it was believed that in this case, Anna and Joachim would not be granted the kingdom of heaven. For a long time they prayed for the mercy of God, asked for a child, but continued to do good deeds, helping those who needed it.

At a fairly advanced age, Joachim wanted to indulge in sacrifice, but the priest opposed this, pointing to the retreat of the child. Then, grieved, Joachim withdrew into the wilderness. There he constantly prayed, repented of sins, and asked God to send down a child. His wife Anna also indulged in constant prayers and requests for mercy on her soul and the gift of a child. After a long period of time, the angels descended from heaven brought the news of the imminent birth of the firstborn. Then Joachim, peaceful and filled with happiness, returned home.

In prayers to God, Joachim promised to give the born child to the service of the heavenly father. Joachim kept his word, little one in early age was given to serve in the temple. The name of the girl was chosen by the angels - Mary from Hebrew is translated as "savior".

The girl grew unusually fast and soon blossomed into a meek girl, modest and humble. Mary loved to embroider and pray to God for the salvation of her soul and the granting of the kingdom of heaven, which she was taught in the temple.

It is noteworthy that the exact date of the birth of the Virgin Mary remained a mystery that has not been solved to this day. September 21 was chosen as the date when the night is equal to the day.

Having become a young girl, Maria was faced with a choice - to get married or remain single. She chose the second, but Mary was never lonely, she was with God. She made a vow to her heavenly father to preserve her innocence. Therefore, after a while, her husband was an elderly man who believed in God and kept Mary from earthly misfortunes. And later, the Lord chose Mary to become the mother of the son of God, Jesus Christ.

The date of September 21 is fixed according to the new style. Since 1245, the date remains unchanged. However, Catholics celebrate the holiday on September 8th.

The meaning of the holy day of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Holy Virgin Mary is revered as the founder of the Christian faith and a symbol of the salvation of the whole world. The scriptures describe Mary as a very modest, merciful and compassionate girl, therefore the observance of customs and rituals is especially important on the day of Mary's birth.

The feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on September 21, 2018 will surely bring joy and harmony to the heart of every believer. On this day, cherished desires can come true, which are akin to a miracle for us. But on this day, everyone can wait for the fulfillment of this miracle, just as Joachim and Anna once waited for their miracle.

On this day, Orthodox believers pray to the Holy Mother of God and give thanks for everything that happened to them, good and bad over the past year, pray for the forgiveness of sins and the granting of the opportunity to live in the image and likeness of the Mother of God. On this day, a person can really experience a spiritual rebirth. To do this, you need to prepare for the holiday - let go of all insults, repent of sins, evil thoughts, ask the Lord to cleanse the soul and heart of all filth and open the spiritual beginning for rebirth.

Rituals for the Day of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Going to church on September 21, you need to put a candle to the Virgin in thanksgiving for her good deeds and the salvation of your soul, after which you need to read prayers for loved ones and relatives. A candle can also be lit at home, which will signify the appearance of joy and happiness.

Many go to the cemetery on this day, then you should take something with you for all those in need. Thus commanded the Lord our heavenly father - not sparing himself to help all those who suffer, then in return God will help. It was believed that good people always had a better harvest, but today, probably, those who sincerely help those in need are better off in any business. It is especially important to help poor women, so as not to remain barren. But in the latter, it is not the fact of help itself that is more important, but rather a sincere and kind intention.

On the festive table on September 21, 2018, you need to prepare oatmeal cookies. You can also cook pies with mushroom or fish filling. This day falls on a fast, but it is allowed to eat fish. It is recommended to refrain from fatty, dairy and protein foods, preferring simple, modest meals.

During the holiday, you can go to visit, taking treats with you. Together with loved ones and relatives, the prayer of the Holy Virgin Mary will have an even greater impact.

Before the holiday comes, it is necessary to put things in order in the house. Perform general cleaning, wash and iron all linen. So that your home by Christmas is also cleansed of all the negativity accumulated over the year. On the day of the holiday, you can put shoes on autumn flowers at home.

In ancient times, people baked special bread, which on the day of the Holiday would be enough for the whole family. Certainly part of the loaves had to be given to those in need. And one piece had to be put under the icon of the Holy Mother of God until the next Christmas.

Folk signs on the day of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

On this day, September 21, young girls got up earlier to catch the calculation close to the water, which was supposed to speed up marriage. And already married women also washed themselves with water from the river in the early morning, which, according to custom, could prolong their beauty.

On that day, birds were usually observed, and if the latter hovered low above the ground, then the winters promised to be harsh and cold. But if it is high, then vice versa - the whole year will be warm.

If it rains on September 21, then the wet weather will continue for a long time. And the appearance of morning dew portends a cold snap. After the holiday, the weather becomes consistently cloudy and cold.

Today, to some extent, popular beliefs are losing relevance, since modernity prefers weather forecasters from Google. But still, September 21, 2018 is approaching and all the signs can be checked.

Starting from the evening of September 20, 2018, services dedicated to the Mother of God will begin in the churches and continue all the next day on September 21. To receive the protection and protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, you need to follow the commandments of God, be pure in soul and kind in heart, show mercy and compassion. Every year according to the church calendar begins with Christmas and ends with the Dormition. September 21, 2018 is the time to start a new spiritual life.

Nativity of the Virgin 2017, an amazing holiday that the entire Orthodox world will celebrate on September 21, and Catholics a little earlier - on the 8th of the same month, is dedicated to the greatest event - the birth of the Savior's mother. On this day, divine services are held in the temples; millions of Christians come to pray, rejoicing at the birthday of the Most Holy Theotokos. Believers congratulate their loved ones on the great holiday and give them pictures depicting the birth of the mother of God. They dedicate good verses imbued with faith in the Lord to their relatives. At the meeting, the Orthodox exchange sincere congratulations in prose, wishing everyone peace and love in their hearts. Many rituals and signs are associated with this day among the people (including marriage). For example, they say that on the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary you can’t work and clean up.

What date is the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017

The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos is a particularly revered day, one of the twelve feasts. It is not in vain that the Church attaches special, most important significance to this celebration. The mother of Christ was born already to elderly parents, becoming their joy in old age and comfort in troubles. Later, Mary gave the world a Savior who had risen from the dead to protect the world from evil, and soon she herself was lifted up to the Son in heaven to help people in everything from above. In 2017, as in other years, the Orthodox celebrate the holiday on September 21, while the Catholic Church announces the event two weeks earlier, on September 8.

What date do Catholics and Orthodox celebrate the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017

The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos is the most important holiday that lives in the heart of every Christian. On this day, celebrated by Catholics on September 8, and by Orthodox on September 21, believers rejoice at the birth of Mother Mary, the Blessed Virgin, who gave the world the Savior of mankind. The Mother of God, the mother of Christ, was known as a woman who gave God every minute of her life. She had no doubt that her son Jesus was dying for other people. Even she did not perceive her departure from this world as a terrible phenomenon called "death". Mary rejoiced at the soon meeting with her Son in heaven. From birth, she gave people joy, help and support. After her Assumption, the Mother of God supports the needy, consoles the mourners, takes women and mothers under special protection.

Congratulations in pictures Merry Christmas of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017

The parents of the future Mother of God could not have children for a long time. They fervently prayed to God for a child, promising the Almighty that in the event of the birth of a son or daughter, their child would devote his whole life to the Lord. God heard the prayers of Joachim and Anna and gave them a daughter named Mary, which in translation sounds like “desired”, “beloved”. Everyone perceived the birth of a baby as a miracle of God - the father and mother were already elderly people. For the sake of the faith of the righteous, God violated the natural laws of nature. As a little girl, Mary pleased and comforted her father and mother, and later, becoming the mother of Jesus and a deeply religious person, she unconditionally submitted to the will of the Lord and supported those in need in every possible way. Of course, like centuries ago, in 2017 the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is perceived as the greatest holiday - an incredible woman, the mother of Christ, was presented to the world. On this great day, Christians give each other beautiful pictures of congratulations and wish their loved ones peace.

Examples of congratulation pictures for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017

On September 21, 2017, the Orthodox will congratulate relatives and friends with beautiful, Christian pictures depicting the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The birth of a girl to elderly parents was perceived by other people as an incredible miracle, however, Mary's parents firmly believed that this event was destined to happen. Anna and Joachim, being deeply religious people, knew for sure - the Lord is merciful, and will not leave their request, giving an amazing child. Indeed, the Most Holy Theotokos lives invisibly in the hearts of millions of believers.

Congratulations in verse on the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017

On the day of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017, millions of believers will congratulate each other on an amazing event celebrated annually as the birthday of the mother of Jesus Christ. Thousands are dedicated to this holiday. the most beautiful verses, including the works of great Russian poets.

Examples of congratulatory verses for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017, celebrated by the Orthodox world on September 21, and by Catholics on September 8, is a quiet, solemn holiday. Please your loved ones on this day with spiritual poetry - congratulate them by giving your loved ones Christian verses.

Congratulations on the Nativity of the Virgin,
Rejoice children, mothers, fathers,
Happy birthday to the great mistress,
The chains of sin at least for a while slept.
This event is not random at all.
After all, she was assigned a very important role,
And let despair come for a moment,
And a terrible pain will seize the heart,
Pray to heaven, crying out with all your soul,
And the Virgin Mary will help us all,
She will not betray, Holy Mary,
You are and you will be, thank heavens.

Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Old Testament forefathers foretold.
In the name of salvation, Mary appeared,
On this earth, on the most holy day was born.
The virgin revealed Jesus Christ to the world,
And sheltered the sinful people in heaven,
We all celebrate the birth of a virgin
I wish we never get sick.
We will be happy, we will raise children,
And we will not betray our faith.

Happy Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
Happy holidays to you Christian people,
From the holidays of Christ, the Holy Mother of God,
May this day bring us love.
People! - goodness can not be put off until tomorrow,
Bring happiness and joy to others
Do not hold envy and anger, do not,
The soul, having cleansed, will increase strength.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017 - Congratulations in prose

The very birth (Nativity) of the Most Holy Theotokos is a miraculous event, because the child appeared already in a rather elderly couple. Even more wonderful were the deeds of the Virgin Mary. From birth, the girl devoted her life to the Lord, reuniting with him, her Son, in heaven after her dormition. The troparion of this holiday tells about the great significance of the event. The meaning of the lines of the troparion is the joyful birth of a virgin who gives Christ, who abolished death and gave people eternal spiritual life. On September 21, 2017, congratulate all relatives with beautiful lines of prose on the holiday.

Examples of congratulations in prose for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017 is the greatest holiday for every Christian. Honoring, as the Bible teaches, his father and mother, he cannot but honor the memory of the mother of the Savior. At the behest of the heart, believers congratulate each other on this day with lines of sincere prose.

Today is a bright holiday - the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I sincerely congratulate you and wish you lightness and a holiday in your soul, family happiness, love and trust, right life decisions, honesty, good nature and mercy.

Congratulations on the feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos to all Christians! May love, happiness, goodness and joy descend on you. May the Virgin Mary help in all endeavors, and may our hearts be filled with pure faith.

Congratulations on the Great Holiday, Merry Christmas of the Most Holy Theotokos! I wish you to always remember about faith, about God, about moral values ​​that define the human essence and support a person. May life be prosperous, and life be in peace. And may the Lord help us all, and our souls will be transformed!

Signs and rituals of the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

A large number of rituals for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary have long been dedicated to the protection of women, girls and mothers. With the help of certain rituals, one could attract love and become more beautiful. Part of the rituals performed on September 21 are closely related to water. Many sincerely believe that washing your face in the morning before sunrise will make your face more beautiful and younger. Signs of the day are mainly associated with natural phenomena. For example, if the leaves fall from the trees before the Nativity of the Virgin, in winter you should expect strong colds and winds.

What are the most famous rites and signs for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary?

Ironically, getting your hands dirty, especially in black paint, is considered the most famous good omen on the Nativity of the Virgin. Such a sign promises quick cash profit and prosperity. Most of the rites of the day are associated with women, motherhood, fertility. For example, it was believed that a girl who cannot get pregnant should go out into the field or meadow on the morning of September 21 and ask the land and the Mother of God for offspring. With the help of rowan branches, houses were protected from the "evil eye".

Protection from damage and evil eye

Rowan is the first assistant and amulet to protect against the evil eye, damage, hatred and envy. It is necessary on September 21 to pick rowan twigs, be sure to ask the tree for forgiveness for this and bring them home, arrange them in this way:

A branch near each window;

A small bouquet near the front door.

As long as the rowan branches are in these places, your house will be protected from evil spirits and uninvited, bad guests.

Ritual for the fulfillment of a wish

Since the rites for the Nativity of the Mother of God were dedicated to girls and women, most of them are aimed at fulfilling cherished desires, finding love, attracting a loved one.

For this ceremony you will need:

Take one twig from three different willows;

One branch from three different apple trees;

One branch from a hazel;

Green ribbon;

Container with clean spring water.

Gather all the twigs together and wrap with green tape so that it covers more than half of the entire composition. Now make your wish and dip the branches in spring water, think about your dream.

Such a bouquet should be taken to the most secluded corner of the garden and buried under an apple tree and your wish will soon come true. In the Slavic tradition, it is the apple tree that is a symbol of good luck, the birth of a miracle and new life.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin - Folk signs for marriage

The Most Holy Theotokos was born thanks to a miracle granted by God. On her Christmas day, girls can perform special marriage ceremonies. According to signs, it was believed that matchmakers would come to the house of that young lady who had time to wash by the river before sunrise. On the morning of September 21, the girls visited temples, where candles and paper flowers with wishes written on them were left near the image of the Virgin Mary.

How to achieve an early marriage with the help of the rite on the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

September 21, the Nativity of the Virgin, is also the day of the autumnal equinox. This is the most energetic time. Perhaps this is also why it is believed that by performing special ceremonies, a girl can speed up her marriage. In addition, the sign of the holiday says that morning washing by the river or lake will definitely give the future bride a good groom.

Ritual for early marriage

You need to take a few dry hazel twigs and tie them in a circle, tying them with a red thread. Now take a round dish, put this circle in its center and set it on fire with the words: “How quickly the fire goes in a circle, so quickly I will go down the aisle.” When the twigs are completely burned and the ashes remain, it is swept into a clean piece of cloth, it can be in gauze and taken out into the street, where it is let into the wind. According to legend, this wedding ceremony helps to get married within a year.

What not to do on the day of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

On the day of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, one cannot quarrel with people and scold children. In addition, cleaning the house and any hard physical work is prohibited. Neither alcohol nor fatty, fried foods should be on the table. You need to eat everything lean, trying to share food with others.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin - What can not be done?

The Nativity of the Virgin is a bright holiday, often associated with femininity, fertility, kindness, and children. On this day, you can not swear and overeat, drink alcohol and work. It is welcome to treat other people with baked pies and fish.

The Nativity of the Virgin 2017, which falls on the 21st of September, is an amazing event. On this day, believers congratulate their acquaintances with beautiful pictures signed with Christian verses and prose. On the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, you can neither work nor swear. Many signs and rituals of the holiday are dedicated to women and marriage.

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a great holiday for believers all over the world, which is one of the Twelve, that is, the most important after Easter. It is connected with the biblical story of two righteous people, Joachim and Anna - they led a pious life, but had no children, and constantly prayed to the Lord that he would give them the firstborn. After some time, their daughter Mary was born, who was destined to become the mother of Jesus. It is important to know how the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated, as well as signs and customs, what can and cannot be done on this day.

When and how is the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary celebrated?

The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos falls on September 21, and among the people it is called the second Most Pure. In Russia, before this date, farmers tried to harvest (there is a saying about this: “The Most Pure One will come, and it will be clean.”), and beekeepers began to prepare bees for wintering. It was imperative to dig up potatoes and sow the land with rye in order to be in time before the cold snap and celebrate the second Most Pure One, without being distracted by pressing worries. The duration of the celebration depended on the harvest - if it was rich, the celebration lasted two weeks, and if it was meager, then only three days.

The feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos is also called "Little Most Pure", "Aspos Day"

The holiday among believers is considered bright and joyful, therefore it is widely celebrated by all Christians and Catholics. Solemn services are held in the temples, and after visiting the church, the parishioners go home (they should give to the poor at the exit so that there is prosperity in the house), set the table and invite guests.

They say that if the treat is rich and varied, the next harvest will be a success.

On the table, you must definitely put grain dishes and a basket with autumn fruits - apples, plums, grapes and pears as a thank you to nature for its gifts, as well as grain dishes.

Once upon a time, housewives baked special bread for this holiday with the letters “R” and “B” (Nativity of the Virgin) “engraved” on it and treated them to everyone who came into the house. A piece of such bread was always placed behind the icon, after which it acquired healing properties- if one of the family members fell ill, treats were given as a medicine.

Before the feast, it is imperative to read a prayer, and conversations can only be conducted on good and positive topics. On this day, the old people passed on their accumulated experience to the younger generation, and young people, especially newlyweds, went to their older relatives and carefully listened to their advice.

What do we have to do

The people believe that on the day of the Nativity of the Virgin, the heavens lean close to the earth, so the Lord can be asked to fulfill any desire. Especially the Virgin Mary favors unmarried girls and childless couples - if you sincerely pray for a family or a child, prayers will certainly be answered. In addition, you can ask for health and well-being for loved ones in an interesting way - write a request on a piece of paper, attach it to a church candle and light it. If the candle burns out completely, then everything written will come true.

In some churches, after the Divine Liturgy, they make a procession

On the feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, girls of marriageable age tried to get up early and immediately went to the source of water.

It was believed that if you have time to wash yourself before dawn, turning your face to the east, then female beauty will not fade until the end of her life, and matchmakers will definitely come to an unmarried beauty.

In order to improve health and not get sick the whole next year, on September 21, it was customary to burn worn-out clothes and shoes, and the children were taken out onto the porch and poured with water. And in case of an unexpected illness, the ancestors prepared viburnum and drank decoctions and infusions prepared from it - "if you drink viburnum on the Most Pure, you will be clean from any ailment."

If something unusual happened to a person on the birthday of the Virgin Mary, you should immediately grab a broom, put it on the floor and stand on it for several minutes - this promises income and career success. Any incident can be safely attributed to the unexpected.

What is forbidden to do on September 21

Whether it is a fast day or eating fast food is allowed, it is necessary to find out taking into account the day of the week

• On the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, you need to give up hard work and household chores: mopping, cleaning and burning garbage, chopping firewood, etc.
• Women should not pick up a needle and scissors, sew, embroider and cut, and the ban even applies to bread.
• You can’t conflict with others, raise your voice, wish someone evil and even allow negative thoughts - all thoughts must be pure and bright.
• During the celebration of the second Most Pure, it was not recommended to eat meat (they prepared lenten dishes) and alcohol was strictly prohibited. In modern Orthodox culture, if the day does not fall on Lenten Wednesday and Friday, then there are no restrictions.

Since September 21, 2018 falls on Friday, the day is considered fasting, however, the Orthodox calendar notifies that in the event of such a big holiday, fish and seafood dishes are allowed.

• On this day, you can’t shake off crumbs from the table, and even more so throw away bread - everything must be carefully collected and given to pets or birds.

Signs

September 21 is considered the day when autumn becomes a full-fledged hostess, and according to the weather, you can make a forecast for the future:

• if the day turned out to be sunny, then the sun will shine outside the window until the end of October, and if the sky is covered with clouds, you can expect autumn colds with rains;
• if it rains in the morning, the next 40 days will be rainy;
• if the grass is covered with morning dew, then exactly in a month frost will take its place and the first frosts will come, and if the sun rises early and dries up the dew, the winter will be snowless.

All agricultural work was completed by this time, the onion week was coming - the period of onion harvesting

There are other signs on the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary that are not related to the weather.

It is believed that all babies born on September 21 will be healthy and happy, since the Virgin Mary herself will protect them from enemies, illnesses and misfortunes.

Rites and rituals

The birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a “strong” day that is suitable for all kinds of ritual actions. The only condition is that all rituals should be aimed exclusively at good - it is impossible to cause damage or otherwise harm others, otherwise the Virgin Mary may become angry.

Charm for the whole family

On the birthday of the Virgin Mary, you can make a powerful amulet that will protect the house from enemies, the evil eye and troubles. Ancestors used for its manufacture a zhinkovy (last) sheaf, but you can just go to the field and pick a few spikelets. Together with them, you need to prepare a sprig of mountain ash, viburnum, pine or spruce, a church candle, a red thread and a piece of natural fabric. Tearing branches from trees, be sure to ask them for forgiveness. From all the selected materials, assemble a beautiful bouquet so that there is a candle in the center, wrap it with a cloth, tie it with a thread and sprinkle with holy water.

Above the finished amulet, you should read the prayer "Our Father" and sprinkle it three times with holy water

The resulting composition should be hung near the front door.

Ritual for the fulfillment of a wish

The apple tree in Orthodoxy is considered a symbol of good luck, the birth of miracles and new life.

Another ceremony that can be performed on September 21 is aimed at realizing a cherished desire. Take three branches from three different trees: apple, hazel and birch, as well as a green ribbon and a container with clean spring water. Gather all the twigs together, tie them with a green ribbon, then make a wish and dip them in water, thinking about your dream. Next, the composition must be buried under the apple tree and the wish will soon come true.

Ritual for marriage

Girls who wanted to get married as soon as possible performed a ritual with hazel branches. They need to be tied in a circle with a red thread, put on a large round plate and lit, saying a conspiracy: “How quickly the fire goes in a circle, so quickly I will go down the aisle.” When the branches are completely burned out and only ash remains, it must be swept into a piece of cloth, taken out into the street and let into the wind. The girl who performed this ritual must meet her fate within a year.

Ritual for pregnancy

The following rite is for women who dream of a child. It is necessary to draw clean spring water into a container and wash it, after which the liquid was consecrated in the church. If you drink this water in a sip for 40 days, the long-awaited pregnancy will not take long.

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a bright and positive holiday that needs to be spent with pure thoughts and intentions, and then the Virgin Mary will definitely give you her blessing and protect you from troubles throughout the year.

September 21 Orthodox Christians remember Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This event - the birth of the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ from the righteous parents of Joachim and - is described in Church Tradition. We will talk about the history, meaning and folk traditions associated with the holiday.

What is the Nativity of the Virgin

The Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is the full name of the holiday that the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates on September 21 according to the new style (September 8 according to the old style). This is one of . The Twelfth Feasts are dogmatically closely connected with the events of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Mother of God, and are divided into the Lord's (dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ) and the Theotokos (dedicated to the Mother of God). Nativity of the Virgin - Mother of God holiday.

The event we celebrate on this day is not described in the New Testament. Knowledge about it came to us from Church Tradition, one of the sources of our dogma, along with the Holy Scriptures.

The legend that tells about the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, namely the Protoevangelium of James, was written in the 2nd century. And they began to celebrate the holiday as a separate significant day by the second half of the 5th century. For example, we read about this in the Patriarch of Constantinople Proclus (439-446) and in the breviary (liturgical book) of Pope Gelasius (492-426).

When is the Nativity of the Virgin

Orthodox Christians celebrate the Nativity of the Virgin Mary on September 21 according to the new style (September 8 according to the old style). This is a non-transferable holiday, that is, its date remains the same every year.

The holiday according to the Orthodox tradition lasts 6 days, from September 20 to 25. This period includes prefeast and afterfeast. Prefeast - one or several days before a big holiday, the divine services of which already include prayers dedicated to the upcoming celebrated event. Accordingly, the afterfeast is the same days after the holiday.

What can you eat on the Nativity of the Virgin

In 2018, the holiday falls on Friday, a fast day, in honor of the holiday, believers are allowed to eat fish.

Events of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

In the New Testament we will not find practically anything about the earthly life of the Mother of God. The Gospels do not provide information about who the parents of the Virgin Mary were and under what circumstances she was born.

The Feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos is based on Church Tradition. There is the so-called Protoevangelium of James, written in the 2nd century. In it we read that Mary was born of pious parents, Joachim and Anna. Joachim was a descendant of the royal family, and Anna was the daughter of the high priest. They lived to a ripe old age and were childless. This was a source of grief for the couple and caused public censure.

Once, when Joachim came to the Temple, the high priest did not allow him to offer a sacrifice to God, saying: "You did not create offspring for Israel." After that, the inconsolable Joachim retired to the desert to pray, while Anna remained at home and also prayed. At this time, an angel appeared to both of them and announced to each: “The Lord has heeded your prayer, you will conceive and give birth, and your offspring will be talked about all over the world.”

Upon learning the good news, the couple met at the Golden Gate of Jerusalem.

After that, Anna conceived. As the Protoevangelium of James writes, “the months allotted to her passed, and Anna gave birth in the ninth month.” The righteous made a vow to dedicate their child to God and gave their daughter Mary to the Temple in Jerusalem, where she served until she came of age.

The history of the celebration of the Nativity of the Virgin

Christians began to celebrate the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin only by the 5th century. We read the first mention of him in the Patriarch of Constantinople Proclus (439-446) and in the breviary (liturgical book) of Pope Gelasius (492-426). Saints John Chrysostom, Epiphanes and Augustine also write about the holiday. And in Palestine, there is a legend that the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Empress Helena built a temple in Jerusalem in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Icon of the Nativity of the Virgin

We meet the most ancient images of the events of the Nativity of the Mother of God by the X-XI centuries. These are icons and frescoes. For example, the painting of the Georgian temple of the 7th century in Ateni. This entire temple is dedicated to the Mother of God (the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin).

There are other ancient images of the holiday: frescoes in the Kiev St. Sophia Cathedral (first half of the 11th century) and in the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Mirozh Monastery (XII century), a composition in the Church of Joachim and Anna of the Serbian Studenica Monastery (1304).

Traditionally, on early icons and frescoes, icon painters depicted the righteous Anna, the mother of the Virgin Mary, in the center of the composition. The woman in labor is reclining on a high couch, in front of her are women with gifts, a midwife and maids who wash the Virgin in a font.

With each century, this icon-painting plot was enriched with more and more new details. For example, they began to depict a table with brought gifts and treats, a pond, birds. Now the icon of the Nativity of the Virgin is often made hagiographic, that is, they supplement the main plot with separate compositions (stigmas) - plots from the history of the event. Lamentation of Joachim in the wilderness, the gospel to Joachim and the gospel to Anna, the meeting of the spouses at the Golden Gate of the Jerusalem Temple, and so on.

The painting of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Mother of God of the Ferapontov Monastery, which in 1502 was made by the great icon painter Dionysius, has survived to this day. This is a fresco above the main entrance, which depicts St. Anne on a couch; font; those who come to bow to the Born of wives and virgins with vessels in their hands; Joachim and Anna with the Virgin Mary in their arms.

Divine Liturgy of the Nativity of the Virgin

In the 6th century, the Monk Roman the Melodist wrote a kontakion to the Nativity of the Virgin, but his text has not survived to this day. The most ancient hymn of the holiday is the troparion "Your Nativity, Virgin Mother of God." Most likely, it was compiled in the 5th-7th centuries. In addition, the modern holiday service includes, for example, hymns of St. Andrew of Crete (VII century), St. John of Damascus VIII century), Patriarch Herman of Constantinople (VIII century).

Troparion of the Nativity of the Virgin

Tone 4:

Thy Nativity Virgin Mary, joy to proclaim to the whole universe: from Thee, the Sun of Truth, Christ our God, has risen, and breaking the oath, giving a blessing, and abolishing death, giving us eternal life.

Translation:

Your Nativity, Virgin Mother of God, announced joy to the whole universe: for the Sun of righteousness shone from You - Christ our God, and, breaking the curse, gave a blessing, and, destroying death, gave us eternal life.

Kontakion of the Nativity of the Virgin

Tone 4:

Joachim and Anna reproaches of childlessness, and Adam and Eve are free from mortal aphids, Most Pure, in Thy holy birth. That is what Your people celebrate, having got rid of the guilt of sins, sometimes call Thee: the Mother of God and the nurturer of our life gives birth to barren fruits.

Translation:

Joachim and Anna were freed from reproach for childlessness, and Adam and Eve were freed from mortal death by Your holy Birth, Most Pure One. It is also celebrated by Your people, who have got rid of the burden of sin, exclaiming loudly to You: the barren woman gives birth to the Mother of God and the nourisher of our Life.

Magnification of the Nativity of the Virgin:

We magnify Thee, Blessed Virgin, and honor Your holy parents, and all-glorious glorify Your Nativity.

Translation:

We magnify You, Most Pure Virgin, and we honor Your holy parents, and gloriously glorify Your Nativity.

The first prayer for the Nativity of the Virgin

Oh, Blessed Lady, Christ our Savior, God-chosen Mother, asked of God by holy prayers, dedicated to God and beloved by God! Who will not please you or who will not sing, Your glorious Christmas. For Thy Nativity was the beginning of the salvation of men, and we, sitting in the darkness of sins, see Thee, dwelling place of the Unapproachable Light. For this sake, the ornate tongue cannot hymn thee according to the property. More than the seraphim, thou art exalted, Most Pure. Both accept the present praise from the unworthy Thy servants and do not reject our prayers. We confess your greatness, we bow down to you in tenderness and boldly ask the child-loving and merciful Mother in intercession: implore your Son and our God to grant us, who sin a lot, sincere repentance and a pious life, so that we can do everything pleasing to God and useful to our souls. Let us hate all evil, strengthen by Divine grace in our good will. You are our shameless hope at the hour of death, grant us a Christian death, a comfortable march on the terrible ordeals of the air and a legacy of the eternal and ineffable blessings of the Kingdom of Heaven, and with all the saints we silently confess Your intercession for us and may we glorify the one True God, worshiped in the Holy Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Second Prayer for the Nativity of the Virgin

Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of heaven and earth, falling down to Your miraculous image, tenderly saying: look graciously on Your servants and by Your omnipotent intercession, send down to anyone who needs it. Save all the faithful children of the Holy Church, turn the unfaithful, guide those who have gone astray on the right path, support old age and weakness of strength, grow young in the faith of the saint, increase courage for good, lead sinners to repentance and hear all Christian prayers, heal the sick, quench sorrows, travelers travel. You weigh, All-Merciful, as if weak, as sinners, as if embittered and unworthy of God's forgiveness, both be of help to us, but we will anger God with no sin of self-love, temptation and devilish seduction: You are the Imams of the Intercessor, Even the Lord will not reject. If you rejoice, you can bestow everything on us like a gracious source, who faithfully sing to You and exalt Your glorious Christmas. Deliver, Mistress, the falls and troubles of all who piously call on Your holy name and bow down to Your honest image. You cleanse our tuna with the prayers of iniquity, the same we fall down and cry out to you again: cast away from us every enemy and adversary, every misfortune and destructive unbelief; with your prayers, giving rains in time and abundant fruitfulness to the earth, put in our hearts the fear of God for the fulfillment of the commandments of the Lord, so that we all live quietly and peacefully for the salvation of our souls, for the good of our neighbors and for the glory of the Lord, for Him, as the Creator, Provider and Savior glory, honor and worship befits ours, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.

Third Prayer for the Nativity of the Virgin

Oh, Most Pure and Blessed Virgin, the Lady of the Mother of God, born from barrenness according to the promise and purity for the sake of your soul and body, being worthy to be the Mother of the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, with Him now in heaven and imash great boldness to the Most Holy Trinity, from Neyazhe, like a Queen, you are crowned with a crown of eternal reign. Meanwhile, we humbly resort to You and ask: intercede for us from the All-Merciful Lord God forgiveness of all our sins, voluntary and involuntary; to the suffering fatherland of our salvation, peace, silence and piety restoration, times are peaceful and serene, sedition of the evil is not involved; to the abundance of the fruits of the earth, the air of well-being, the rains are peaceful and well-timed. And everything that is necessary for our life and salvation, ask us of Your Son, Christ our God. Most of all, hurry up for us to be adorned with good morals and good deeds, yes, very powerfully, we will be imitators of Your holy life, which from youth on earth was adorned, pleasing the Lord; for this sake, the most honest Cherubim and the most glorious Seraphim appeared. To her, Lady of the Most Holy One, be to us in everything an ambulance Helper and a wise mentor for salvation, let us follow You and help You, let us be the heir of the Kingdom of Heaven, the sufferings of Your Son, the outgoing, the fulfillers of the holy commandments of His promised. Thou art Thou, Madam, our only hope and hope according to God, and we betray our whole life to You, hoping for Your sake of intercession and intercession, we will not be put to shame at the hour of our departure from this life, and at the Last Judgment of Your Son, Christ our God, His right hand to be worthy of standing, and there to rejoice forever with all those who have pleased Him from the ages and silently glorify, praise, thank and bless Him with the Father and the Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

Sermon by Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh on the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Every feast of the Mother of God is pure joy. This joy is not only about God's love for us, but also about the fact that the earth - our simple, dear, ordinary earth - can respond to the love of the Lord in this way. This is a special joy for us.

When we receive mercy from God, our heart rejoices; but sometimes it becomes melancholy: how, how can I repay love for love, where can I find that holiness, that caress, that ability to respond with all my nature to the mercy of God? And then, although we know that each of us is weak and weak in love, we can think about the Mother of God. She answered for all of us with perfect faith, never wavering hope and love so wide that she was able to embrace heaven and earth with this love, open herself with love so that the Son of God became incarnate, and open herself with love for people so that all, the most sinful, can come to her and receive mercy. This is the answer of the whole earth, this is the answer of the whole universe to the love of the Lord.

And so, let us rejoice and take away joy today from this temple - not only for one moment: we will keep it from day to day, we will be amazed at this joy, we will rejoice at this joy and we will begin to give this joy to people so that every heart rejoices and is comforted and it was enlightened by this joy that the earth can contain the sky, that man can answer God in such a way that God would become a man.

And now, from age to age, while the world stands, God is among us, the same Christ is among us, day by day. And when the glory of earth and heaven is revealed, the Lord Jesus Christ, true God, but also a true man, will abide among us as the Mother of God, Who gave Him flesh with Her love, faith, holiness, reverence.

Let us keep, cherish, grow this joy and live by it in the days of sorrow, in the dark days, in the days when it seems to us that we are not capable of anything, that the earth cannot respond to God's love with anything. The earth answered, and this Answer stands forever with uplifted hands, praying for all of us, for good and for evil, never standing in the way of salvation, forgiving everyone - and She has something to forgive: after all, the people of Her Son killed - and we come to Her we resort. Because if She forgives, then no one will judge us.

With what faith we come to the Mother of God, how deep it must be, so that each of us, who participates in the death of the Lord with our sins and unworthiness, could say: Mother, I have destroyed Your Son, but forgive me. And he intercedes for us, and has mercy, and saves, and grows to the full height of the love of the Lord.

Glory to God for this, glory to the Mother of God for this love of Hers. Amen.

Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt. Sermon on the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The righteous parents of the Ever-Virgin mourned for a long time about their infertility, long and fervently prayed to the Lord for the resolution of infertility, which was considered a punishment from God for sins; they did much alms in order to bow down to the mercy of the All-Merciful, and endured insults from their fellow tribesmen, and in this sorrow and unceasing prayer and good deeds they were gradually purified in spirit and inflamed more and more with love and devotion to God and thus were prepared by the Providence of God for the blessed birth of the Blessed Daughter chosen from all generations as the Mother of the incarnate Word.

By a narrow and sorrowful path, the Lord leads to the glory and bliss of His chosen ones, for it was also predicted by Simeon to the Mother of God herself according to the flesh that a weapon would go through Her soul and She would experience severe sorrows in her soul during the suffering life of Her Son, may many hearts of people's thoughts be opened ( Luke 2:34-35). So sorrowful and cramped is the path of all the chosen ones of God, for the world and the ruler of the world, that is, the enemy of God and men, utterly oppresses the people of God; and the Lord Himself permits them to follow the narrow path, as He helps them to aspire to God and place their hope in Him alone.

But let us turn our gaze from sorrow to joy. What joy does the Nativity of the Mother of God bring us? Let us explain in more detail the church hymn that explains the reasons for the festive joy. Through the Nativity of the Ever-Virgin, through Her only-begotten Son and God, cursed and outcast humanity was reconciled with God, immeasurably offended by their sins, for Christ became the Mediator of reconciliation (Rom. 5:10-11), freed from damnation and eternal death, and was rewarded with the blessing of the Heavenly Father; it united and merged with the Divine nature; elevated to its first property by this dissolution, according to the expression of the church song; the previously rejected man was worthy of adoption by the Heavenly Father, received the promise of a glorious resurrection and eternal life in heaven together with the angels.

All this has been and is being accomplished by the Son of God, incarnated from the Most Pure Virgin by the Holy Spirit, and through the intercession of His Most Pure Mother. How venerated and exalted is humanity through the Holy Virgin Theotokos, for She has been worthy of renewal and adoption by God; and by Her immeasurable humility and the greatest purity and holiness, She herself was honored to be the Mother of the God-man! She always remains the most powerful Intercessor and Representative of the Christian race before Her Son and God! She is our shameless Hope; She removes from us the clouds of God's righteous wrath, opens the ancient paradise to us with her mighty intercession; She upholds the thrones of kings and keeps them immovable forever. She has saved and is saving Russia a thousand times from the beginning to the present day; She exalted her, glorified her, affirmed and affirms her; She is the guarantor of sinners for salvation. Christians turn their countless prayers, petitions, praises, doxologies and thanksgivings to Her; She has performed and is performing countless miracles in the Church, beneficial in all parts of the world.

Let us all lightly celebrate the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, adorning ourselves with all sorts of Christian virtues. Amen.

House of Joachim and Anna

The house of Joachim and Anna is one of the Christian landmarks in Jerusalem. According to Church Tradition, the Virgin Mary was born in the house of her parents, the righteous Joachim and Anna. It was located in the north-eastern part of Jerusalem, now it is the territory of the Muslim quarter of the Old City, near the Lion Gate.

Orthodox and Catholics are still arguing about exactly where the house stood, and they built a monastery and a basilica at a distance of 70 meters from each other. The Orthodox monastery of St. Anna is a place of pilgrimage for many Christians of the world. On the first floor of the monastery there is a church in honor of the Nativity of the Mother of God, and under the building of the monastery there is an ancient cave. It is believed that this cave is part of the house of Joachim and Anna.

Church in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Vladykino

Temple in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Vladykino- the spiritual center of the Moscow region Otradnoye. Address: Altufevskoe shosse, 4.

Vladykino is one of the most ancient villages near Moscow. The first owner of the village was Prince Daniel of Moscow, the son of Saint Alexander Nevsky and a direct descendant of Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir and Princess Olga. In 1322, the village was granted to the patrimony of the thousandth Protasy Velyaminov, who arrived at the service of the Moscow prince. From his name the village got its first name - Velyaminovo.

Three centuries later, in 1619, Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich granted Velyaminovo to Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky, but soon the village passed to Prince Ivan Ivanovich Shuisky. It was under him that a village church was built here in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos (to replace the dilapidated church in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker).

After 1653, His Holiness Patriarch Nikon makes the village his fiefdom and gives it a new name - Vladykino. In Vladykino, a patriarchal travel palace and another temple are being built in honor of the Iberian Icon of the Mother of God.

The first stone church in Vladykino was built in 1770. The bell tower was erected by Count K. G. Razumovsky, the owner of the neighboring village of Petrovskoye. By the middle of the 19th century, the stone church had become very dilapidated. In 1854, on the site of the old one, a new one was built, this time a three-altar one, with side chapels of Archangel Michael and Archangel Gabriel. The main throne in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos was consecrated by St. Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna.

In the Soviet years, the temple was not closed, even during the most severe persecution of the Church. During the Great Patriotic War, not a single shell hit him, although the Germans were standing very close. In the 1970s, there were attempts to demolish the temple during the construction of an overpass at the beginning of the Altufevskoe Highway, but the parishioners were able to defend it.

history of the holiday

The holiday was established by the Church in the 4th century and is the first twelfth holiday of the church year, because according to the old style, the church year begins on September 1. Tradition told us about the circumstances connected with this event.

In the small Galilean city of Nazareth lived an elderly couple - Joachim and Anna. Both spouses were righteous and pious. The holy spouses Joachim and Anna were childless for a long time and wept that they had no children. Once, on a big feast, Joachim brought gifts to the Lord God in the Temple in Jerusalem. But the priest did not want to accept the gifts of Joachim, because he was childless, and children were considered a blessing from God.

Meanwhile, his wife, who was at home, also heard that the high priest in the temple refused to accept their gifts because of childlessness. She also learned that her husband, grieving and weeping, had gone into the desert, and she herself wept. Anna went into her garden, sat down under a laurel tree, sighed, and, looking at the sky with her eyes full of tears, noticed, up on the tree, a nest in which little chicks were squeaking. "Even birds have children, and we don't have that kind of comfort in old age," thought Anna.

Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to her. He said, “You will conceive and give birth to a Daughter, blessed above all. Through her, God's blessing will be received by all the peoples of the earth. Through Her, salvation will be given to all people. Her name will be Maria.

At the same time, an angel appeared in the wilderness to Joachim. He said: “Joachim! God has heard your prayer, and He is pleased to give you His grace. Your wife Anna will conceive and give birth to your Daughter, who will be the joy of the whole world. Here is a sign for you that I am telling you the truth: go to the temple in Jerusalem, and there, at the Golden Gate, you will find your wife Anna, to whom I said the same thing.

Surprised, Joachim, thanking God with all his heart, joyfully hurried to Jerusalem, to the temple. There, as the angel told him, he saw Anna praying to God at the Golden Gate, and told her about the angel. She also told her husband everything she had seen and heard about the birth of her Daughter. After praying to the Lord and worshiping Him in the temple, the couple returned home.

Nine months later, Anna had a Daughter, the purest and most blessed. Above all that has ever been created, the beginning of our salvation, our intercessor before God. Heaven and earth rejoiced at her birth. On the occasion of Her birth, Joachim brought great gifts and sacrifices to God, received the blessing of the high priest, the priests and all the people for being worthy of God's blessing. Then he arranged a great feast in his house, and everyone rejoiced and praised God.

The Holy Church rightly calls Joachim and Anna Fathers of God, because Jesus Christ was born from their Most Holy Daughter of the Virgin Mary.

Traditions: what to do on this day

Mother of God, Mother of God, mother of the virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ. She is considered a "prayer", an intercessor for women before God.

This holiday was called the Harvest Festival. The more people harvested, the longer the holiday lasted. It could last from three days to two weeks. These days, it was customary to visit each other, treat them with dishes that were prepared from what was collected. And the more hospitable the table is, the better the harvest will be next year. Thus, they tried to appease nature so that the next year would be no worse than this one.

On a visit to the young - to teach the mind to reason. When all the cleaning work was completed, weddings began to play among the people. So, if a wedding was recently played in the village, then on this day all the old people living in the village went to the newlyweds. Of course, their parents and grandparents also came to the young ones. The young mistress had to do her best that day, lay a rich table, greet relatives and guarded. People who lived a long life, treated themselves and taught the young how to live, what and how to do it right. By the way, it was at such gatherings that young people were given knowledge in the form of folk signs. And if the young did not shy away, but listened and shook their heads, then their life after that was just wonderful, both in family terms and in material terms.

In ancient times, women tried to go to the river early in the morning and meet this day by the water. It was believed that if a woman washed herself with water on this day before sunrise, then she would be beautiful until her old age. And if a girl washed her face before sunrise, she should be betrothed this year.

Renew the fire so that life is prosperous. There was such a sign that from this day on, human life begins a new circle, which will last one year. Such circles began every autumn on this day. Such is the original New Year. Usually, in the houses in the village, the so-called duty torch was sure to burn, which was never extinguished, but a new one was set on fire from it. There were no matches then. But on this day, it was customary to extinguish this torch and re-ignite it. It was believed that if you do this on this day, then all illnesses and troubles will remain in the past. And in New Year you will take only the best with you, and what you want to get rid of will remain in the old life.

The believer prays - the Mother of God smiles. On such a day, it was customary for the people to pray to the Most Holy Theotokos about everything that disturbed the soul. It was believed that not a single prayer uttered on this day would be left without attention. Although, it should be noted that no matter what day you turn to the Mother of God, she will always help if a person needs her help. But this sign is not about turning to the Blessed Virgin with requests. It means that the Mother of God will rejoice if the believers simply offer prayers of thanksgiving to her.

What not to do:

One of the important points is that on the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, one should not eat meat and non-fasting food, as well as alcohol. On this day, you need to fast, give up physical activity, housework, quarrels with loved ones, condemnation. Relatives, relatives, friends gather together for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

What they do on this day, we have already said. But I would like to add that Orthodox people should not only pray and fast, but also observe spiritual purity, do good deeds, help with the word and warmth of the soul.