home Medicines from A to Z Where did the feast of the Annunciation come from? Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh

Where did the feast of the Annunciation come from? Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh

Celebration of the Annunciation Holy Mother of God consists of visiting church on this day and listening to the Liturgy. After the end of the Liturgy, according to ancient Russian custom, believers release the birds into the wild. This ritual symbolizes that the birds are not locked in a cage, but are free, in search of the Divine Church.

Celebration of the Annunciation in the Orthodox Church

Church in the East different time considered the Annunciation both the Mother of God and the Lord's holiday. Currently, it is one of the twelve great holidays and usually refers to the feasts of the Mother of God, which is why blue liturgical vestments are assigned to it.

In the Jerusalem Rule, currently adopted in the Greek and Russian Churches, the Annunciation has one day of forefeast and one day of afterfeast, on which the Council of the Archangel Gabriel is celebrated. The forefeast and afterfeast are postponed if the Annunciation occurs on Holy or Bright Week.

The date of the holiday falls between Thursday of the 3rd week of Great Lent and Wednesday of Bright Week inclusive, that is, during the period of singing the Lenten or Colored Triodion.

A number of liturgical features for the period of singing the Lenten Triodion bring it closer to the holidays of the Nativity of Christ and the Epiphany. So, if the Feast of the Annunciation occurs on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday of any week of Pentecost (part of Lent until Friday of the sixth week, the eve of Lazarus Saturday), as well as on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday of Holy Week, then the all-night vigil begins Great Compline, and not Vespers, as usual; if the holiday falls on Week (Sunday) or Monday of Pentecost or any day of Bright Week, then the all-night vigil is performed in the usual manner, that is, Great Vespers begins; The all-night vigil begins with Matins, if the Annunciation is on Great Friday (Friday of Holy Week) or Great Saturday. At Matins, the Great Doxology is sung when the holiday falls on Saturday or the Week of Fasting; on other days it is read; on Bright Week it is not relied upon at all.

When the Annunciation occurs on Easter, there is no polyeleos, but the canon of the Annunciation is combined with the Paschal canon and after the sixth song of the canon the Gospel readings of the Annunciation are read (at Matins, Luke 1:39-49, at the liturgy, Luke 1:24-38).

The special significance of the Feast of the Annunciation is emphasized by the fact that the 52nd rule of the Sixth Ecumenical Council It has been established that on the day of the Annunciation, despite Lent, the full liturgy must be celebrated. According to the Typikon, according to general rule they serve the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and if the holiday falls on Lenten Sunday (Sunday), as well as Thursday or Saturday of Holy Week, then the Liturgy of Basil the Great. If the Annunciation occurs in Good Friday, then - as the only exception for a given day - the liturgy must be celebrated (according to the Typikon, the liturgy of John Chrysostom is served).

On the Annunciation (if it does not fall during Holy Week), along with the Feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, the charter allows the consumption of fish, wine and oil. According to the Greek Typicon, the celebration of the Annunciation, if it falls on Good Friday or Saturday, is transferred to the first day of Easter.

Liturgical texts, in addition to describing the very event of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, also speak of the incomprehensibility of the Nativity of the Savior from the Mother of God, and Mary herself is compared to the “bush” and “ladder” from the vision of Jacob. Through festive chants, the church conveys to believers the following dogmatic provisions: thanks to the birth of the Savior from the Mother of God, heaven is again united with earth, Adam is renewed, Eve is freed, and all people become involved in the Divine. The canon of the holiday glorifies the greatness of the Most Holy Theotokos, who received God into herself, and also contains indications of the Old Testament prophecies about the incarnation of the Son of God.

In ancient times, the feast of the Annunciation was given different names: Conception of Christ, Annunciation of Christ, Beginning of Redemption, Annunciation of the Angel to Mary. Nothing is known about where and how the Feast of the Annunciation first appeared. It is only known that in 560 Emperor Justinian indicated the date for the celebration of the Annunciation - March 25 (April 7, new style).

The name of the holiday - Annunciation - conveys the main meaning of the event associated with it: the announcement to the Virgin Mary of the good news about the conception and birth of the Divine Infant Christ. This holiday belongs to the twelve permanent holidays and is celebrated every year on the same April day.
The main icon of the holiday can be considered the masterpiece of Andrei Rublev: an angel descends to the Virgin to announce the “Good News” to her. Archangel Gabriel brought the greatest news to the Virgin Mary - the Son of God becomes the Son of Man. The prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, the Mother of God responds with consent to the angel’s message: “Let it be done to me according to your word.” Without this voluntary consent, God could not have become a man. He could not be incarnate, since God does not act by force, does not force us to do anything. Man is given complete freedom to respond to God with consent and love.

Church Tradition says that at the moment when the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary, she was reading the book of the prophet Isaiah, precisely those words about the birth of the Messiah. “I am ready to become the last maidservant of the one who will be honored to give birth to the Messiah,” she thought.

Some ancient customs are associated with the Annunciation among the people. They say that on the Annunciation “a bird does not build a nest, a maiden does not braid her hair,” that is, any work is considered a sin.

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Annunciation is one of the twelve religious holidays, associated with the Christian legend about the Archangel Gabriel, who announced the future birth of Jesus Christ by the Virgin Mary. Celebrated by believers on March 25 according to the new style (April 7).
The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary became an independent holiday in the middle of the 7th century, and served as a constant subject for religious painting.
The Annunciation is always a holiday in the singular, that is, it is established according to the Orthodox calendar on a strictly defined day. On this day, Archangel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary the immaculate conception and the birth of her son Jesus Christ - the Son of God and the Savior of the world.
Until the age of 14, the Blessed Virgin was raised in the temple, and then, according to the law, she had to leave the temple as having reached adulthood and either return to her parents or get married. The priests wanted to marry Her off, but Mary announced to them her promise to God - to remain a Virgin forever. Then the priests betrothed Her to a distant relative, the eighty-year-old elder Joseph, so that he would take care of Her and protect Her virginity. Living in the Galilean city of Nazareth, in the house of Joseph, the Blessed Virgin Mary led the same modest and solitary life as at the temple.
When the time came for the Son of God to become a man, in the whole world there was no one more holy and worthy than the Virgin Mary. Shortly before the Annunciation, according to legend, about four months, Mary was betrothed to Joseph and lived in Nazareth in his house. Archangel Gabriel was sent to this house; he told her the secret of God’s incarnation from her. Gabriel told her the words that the Church repeats daily in prayer:
“Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you! Blessed are You among wives! - said St. The Archangel appeared to the Virgin in Nazareth, in the house of Joseph, to whom she was betrothed to guard her virginity. -You have found grace from God. And you will conceive and give birth to a Son and call His name Jesus (Savior). He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.” Mary, remembering Her vow not to marry, said to the archangel: “How will this be when I am not married?” The Archangel answered: “The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the power of the Most High will overshadow You; Therefore, the one born of You will be holy and will be called the Son of God.” “I am the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word!” - Mary answered the archangel then. And the archangel left her.
Having learned that Mary was expecting a child, Joseph wanted to 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 that which is born in Her is of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you will call His name Jesus; for He will save His people from their sins.”
No word of the Lord remains powerless, and Mary soon gave birth to the Baby Jesus. Gospel Luke 1:26-35

It was a day like a day, completely ordinary:
There was bustle all around,
But with an inaudible gait
An angel entered Mary's house.
He exclaimed: “Hail Mary!
The Lord has blessed you! —
And about the birth of the Messiah
The Messenger of God announced:
“He will be called the Son of God
And he will reign forever.
He who believes will be saved.
May man be happy!”

The Annunciation is the conception of Jesus Christ. Through the action of God's grace a new beginning began in the womb of Mary. human life. Christians know the laws of biology, that’s why they talk about Miracles. The miracle consists not so much in the fact that the Virgin, who did not know her husband, began to bear a child, but that God Himself identified Himself with this child and with everything that would happen in His life. God doesn't just inhabit the Virgin. Through the Archangel Gabriel, the Almighty, the Master and the Lord asks for Mary's consent. And only after her consent, the Word becomes flesh.
At the Annunciation, the Most Pure Virgin Mary is glorified, thanks are said to the Lord God and veneration is paid to his messenger Archangel Gabriel, who served the sacrament of salvation.
The Feast of the Annunciation glorifies the inseparable and unmerged union of two natures in Jesus Christ - Divinity with humanity.
King Solomon, who received from God all the light of wisdom to explore the secrets of nature, after surveying everything that is in heaven and on earth - past, present and future - decided that there is nothing new in the world under the sun. But in the Annunciation to the grace-filled Virgin Mary, God created a completely new thing, which has never happened in past centuries and will never happen in future ones.
Humanity has been waiting for this day for more than five thousand years. The divine and prophetic books spoke about the coming of the Savior to the world. And the long-awaited hour has come. This happened in March, at the same time when the creation of the world took place. By the will of heaven, the good news of the birth of the Son of God came not to the learned nobility, but to the modest town of Nazareth, to the poor house of the carpenter Joseph. The priests entrusted this worthy man with the fatherly protection of the Virgin Mary, who had been brought up in the temple, and who had vowed to preserve her virginity. Both of them belonged to an impoverished royal family.
According to legend, Mary once thought about the prediction of the ancient prophet Isaiah that the Savior should be miraculously born from an Immaculate Virgin who did not know a husband. As if in response to thoughts Holy Virgin, Archangel Gabriel quietly appeared before her and said: “Rejoice, full of grace!

IMPORTANCE AND MEANING OF THE HOLIDAY

“Annunciation” means good, joyful, good news. In essence, this is the same as the “Gospel”, because given word translated from Greek as “good news.”

The Feast of the Annunciation is dedicated to the remembrance of the day when, as the Bible says, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and announced the coming birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who would take upon himself the sins of the whole world.
From April 7 (March 25, old style) to January 7 (December 25, old style), i.e. before the birth of Christ - exactly nine months.
The event about which we're talking about, happened, according to Scripture, four months after Mary’s betrothal to a distant relative, the eighty-year-old elder Joseph (Mary, who announced her desire to remain a Virgin and devote herself to God, was entrusted to his care).
Mary lived in Joseph's house in the city of Nazareth, leading a modest and pious life there, just as at the temple where she had been raised before. And then one day, when the Virgin was reading Holy Bible, an angel appeared to her and addressed her with the following words: “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you; Blessed are You among women." Archangel Gabriel announced to her that she had found the greatest grace - to become the mother of the Son of God. Maria was embarrassed by these words and asked how a son could be born to someone who did not know her husband. Gabriel answered: “The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the power of the Most High will overshadow You; therefore the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”

It is noteworthy that, having learned the will of God, the Virgin Mary showed deep faith and humility, answering: “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:28-38).
The Church believes that on this day begins Gospel story: together with the good news, the beginning of the salvation of the human race was laid.
The Church began to celebrate the Annunciation no later than the 4th century. Initially, the holiday had different names (“Conception of Christ”, “Beginning of Redemption”, “Annunciation of the Angel to Mary”), in the 7th century it was given the name “Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary”.

Why are white doves released at the Annunciation?

Since ancient times, the white dove has symbolized peace and good news. In addition, the dove is a symbol of the gracious action of the Holy Spirit, and snow-white wings are at the same time a symbol of the purity of the Virgin Mary herself. According to tradition, the Church brings defenseless birds “as a gift” to the Mother of God.
In the post-Soviet history of the Russian Orthodox Church, this custom was revived in 1995, and today in many churches white doves are released into the sky after the Liturgy.
It is interesting that before the 1917 revolution, the birds that the Patriarch released into the sky above the Annunciation Cathedral of the Kremlin were bought at Okhotny Ryad. Today, the pigeons that the Patriarch launches are raised by the Federation of Sports Pigeon Breeding. After these pigeons soar into the sky, after some time they gather in groups and then return to their nurseries in the capital and Moscow region.

Lenten indulgences

Please note that the church charter allows those fasting on the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to eat fish.

Materials from the sites Patriarchia.ru, Pravmir.ru were used.

For Orthodox Christians, April 7th is the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Bake figurines of larks

The Annunciation is a good day when the Archangel Gabriel brought the good news to the Virgin Mary about the upcoming birth of the Son of God Jesus Christ and that She was chosen to become the mother of the Son of God.

The Most Holy Virgin Mary was given to her elderly parents, the righteous Joachim and Anna (September 9) for their unceasing and tearful prayers. Upon reaching the age of 14, when, according to Jewish law, Her stay in the temple should have ended, Holy Mary was betrothed to the righteous eighty-year-old elder Joseph, a poor carpenter from the family of David, who was entrusted with guarding Her virginity.

Archangel Gabriel, sent by God, appeared to her and greeted her with the words: “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you; Blessed are You among women." (Luke 1:28)

And the Angel said to Her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for You have found favor with God; and behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a Son, and you will call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High...and His Kingdom will have no end. - Mary told the Angel; How will this happen when I don’t know my husband? The Angel answered Her: The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the Power of the Most High will overshadow You; therefore the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God... Then Mary said: Behold, the Servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word. And the Angel departed from Her” (Luke 1:28-38).

Thus, in the bowels of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Blessed Fruit arose - the God-Man Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who took upon Himself the sins of the whole world.
If speak about folk traditions, then on the feast of the Annunciation it was customary to release birds from their cages into the wild. In this regard, the bird markets were crowded before the holiday. Parents went there with their children to buy birds and on holiday, after Divine Liturgy, release them.

For this day, figurines of larks were baked from Lenten dough, paper figurines of angels were cut out and glued in honor of the Archangel Gabriel.

Let us remind you that on April 28, the Orthodox people call the entry of the Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem “Palm Sunday”, Great Easter This year it is celebrated on May 5th.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE HOLY VIRGIN

(Material from Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia)

"The Annunciation", Fra Beato Angelico, 1430-1432, Prado. In the background, Archangel Michael expels Adam and Eve from paradise after the Fall (from the consequences of which Jesus, who was conceived at that moment, will save humanity). Mary is interpreted as the "new Eve"

Annunciation (Church Glav. Annunciation; tracing Greek. Εὐαγγελισμός [τῆς Θεοτόκου]; lat. Annuntiatio - announcement) - gospel event and a Christian holiday dedicated to him; Archangel Gabriel's announcement to the Virgin Mary of the future birth according to the flesh of Jesus Christ from her.
Celebrated on March 25th. The Russian Orthodox Church and other churches using the Julian calendar celebrate the Annunciation on April 7th. Gregorian calendar(in the XX-XXI centuries). In Orthodoxy it is one of the twelve holidays.

ACCORDING TO THE CANONICAL GOSELIES

The events of the Annunciation are described by the only evangelist - the Apostle Luke. In his Gospel, he reports that in the sixth month after the conception of Saint John the Baptist by righteous Elizabeth, Gabriel was sent by God to Nazareth to the Virgin Mary with the news of the impending birth from her of the Savior of the world:
The angel, coming to Her, said: Rejoice, full of grace! The Lord is with You; Blessed are You among women. She, seeing him, was embarrassed by his words and wondered what kind of greeting this would be. And the Angel said to Her: Do not be afraid, Mary, for You have found favor with God; and behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a Son, and you will call His name Jesus. 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.
(Luke 1:28-33)

According to a number of theologians, the words of the Archangel Gabriel - “Rejoice, full of grace” - became the first “good” news for humanity after its fall. Theophylact of Bulgaria, in his interpretation of the Gospel of Luke, writes: “Since the Lord said to Eve: “In illness you will give birth to children” (Gen. 3:16), now this illness is resolved by the joy that the Angel brings to the Virgin, saying: Rejoice, full of grace! Because Eve was cursed, Mary now hears: Blessed are you.”
Doubting (according to Gregory of Neocaesarea, fearing a violation of her virginity), Mary asked the angel the question: “How will this be when I don’t know my husband?” To which the angel promised a seedless, mysterious conception - “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you,” and then, in confirmation, “that no word of God will remain powerless,” he gave the example of her relative Elizabeth.
Mary, seeing the will of God in the words of the angel, utters very significant words: “Behold, the Servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” It is believed that at the moment the Virgin Mary uttered these words, her immaculate conception of Jesus Christ occurred. Nikolai Kavasila comments on these words:
The Incarnation was not only the work of the Father, His Power and His Spirit, but also the work of the will and faith of the Blessed Virgin. Without the consent of the Immaculate One, without the assistance of Her faith, this plan would have remained unfulfilled, just as without the action of the three Persons of the Divine Trinity Themselves. Only after God has instructed and convinced the Holy Virgin does He accept Her as a Mother and borrow from Her flesh, which She joyfully provides to Him. Just as He became incarnate voluntarily, so He also wanted His Mother to give birth to Him freely and of Her own free will.
With her submission and consent, according to Athanasius the Great, Mary expressed her confession of faith. He compares it to a tablet, “on which the Scribe writes whatever pleases Him. Let the Lord of all write and do what He will.”

According to apocryphal sources

The story of the Annunciation is also reflected in apocryphal texts. It is described in the following apocrypha of the 2nd century: “The Proto-Gospel of James” and “The Book of the Nativity of the Blessed Mary and the Childhood of the Savior” (also known as the “Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew”). The apocryphal texts do not change the general story of the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel to Mary with the news of the birth of the Savior from her, but they add to this story a number of details that formed the iconography of this holiday.
According to the apocrypha, it fell to Mary by lot to weave a new curtain of purple for the Temple of Jerusalem. Having gone to fetch water, she heard a voice at the well saying to her: “Rejoice, full of grace! The Lord is with You; Blessed are You among women." Not seeing anyone nearby, she returned home, frightened (this plot is sometimes also called “preannunciation” - that is, preparatory stage to the Annunciation itself.) Sitting down at the spinning wheel, Mary saw an angel who reposed her with the words: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God and will conceive for His glory.” (The prototype of the scene at the well is considered to be the story of the Old Testament Rebekah, who gave Eliezer a drink, sent by her future groom Isaac).
The apocrypha also emphasizes the mysterious form of conception, and to Mary’s question “Shall I conceive from the living God and give birth as any woman gives birth?” The angel replies: “Not so, Mary, but the power of the Most High will overshadow You.” After the angel left, Mary finished spinning the wool and took it to the high priest, who blessed her, saying: “God has magnified your name, and You will be blessed among all nations on earth."
Also, church tradition says that the Virgin Mary, at the moment of the appearance of an angel to her, read an excerpt from the book of the prophet Isaiah with his prophetic words: “Behold, the Virgin will be with child and give birth to a Son.” For this reason, in the Annunciation scene, the Virgin Mary is sometimes depicted with an open book.
The Annunciation is also mentioned in the Koran (3:45-51, 19:16-26), where this plot does not have such significance, since in Islam Jesus is not God, but a prophet.
[edit] Related stories

Meeting of Mary and Elizabeth

The episode of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary by the Archangel Gabriel, according to the Gospel of Luke, was preceded by Gabriel's visit to the barren Zechariah, married to Mary's relative Elizabeth, during which the messenger promised the elderly couple the birth of the future John the Baptist. And after the Annunciation, the Mother of God went to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who was preparing to leave household chores due to her pregnancy. There was a meeting between Mary and Elizabeth, during which Elizabeth became the second, after the angel, and the first of the people, to tell Mary about the future share of her baby and uttered the words that became part of many prayers: “Blessed are You among women, and blessed is the fruit of Your womb! » (see Ave Maria, Song of the Blessed Virgin Mary).

Joseph the Betrothed:

According to the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 1:19-24), the Archangel Gabriel appeared in a dream to Joseph the Betrothed, the husband of the Virgin Mary, who learned that before their betrothal she became pregnant and wanted to “secretly let Her go.” Gabriel reassured Joseph, saying: “Do not be afraid to accept Mary your wife, for what is born in Her is from the Holy Spirit; She will give birth to a Son, and you will call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” After this, as the evangelist narrates, “Joseph took his wife, and did not know her.”

Symbolic meaning

Beginning at least in the 2nd century, the Annunciation was seen as the first act in Christian history redemption, in which the obedience of the Virgin Mary balances the disobedience of Eve (interpretation of Irenaeus of Lyons). Mary becomes the "new Eve". The text of the famous hymn Ave maris stella (9th century) says that the name Eva is an anagram of the word Ave, with which Gabriel addressed the “new Eve”. In other words, to mention Eve was to also mention Mary. Jerome derived a concise formula: “death through Eve, life through Mary.” Augustine wrote: “through a woman there is death, and through a woman there is life.”
It is believed that God sent the archangel with the good news on the same day, March 25, on which the Creation of the world took place (see more about the date below) - thus, humanity was given a second chance.
The mysterious conception of the Virgin Mary, according to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, refers to the great mystery of piety: in it, humanity brought as a gift to God its purest creation - the Virgin, capable of becoming the mother of the Son of God, and God, having accepted the gift, responded to it with the gift of grace of the Holy Spirit.

Feast of the Annunciation

The modern name of the holiday - Εὐαγγελισμός ("Annunciation") - began to be used no earlier than the 7th century. Ancient church called him differently:
in Greek: ἡμέρα ἀσπασμοῦ (day of greeting), ἀγγελισμός (announcement), ἡμέρα / ἑορτή τοῦ εὐαγγελισμο ῦ (day/feast of the Annunciation), χαιρετισμός (from the beginning of the angelic greeting χαῖρε, κέχαριτωμένη - “Hail, full of grace” (Luke 1:28) );
in Latin: annuntiatio angeli ad beatam Mariam Virginem (Annunciation of the Angel to the Blessed Virgin Mary), Mariae salutatio (Greeting to Mary), annuntiatio sanctae Mariae de conceptione (Annunciation of the Conception of St. Mary), annuntiatio Christi (Annunciation of Christ), conceptio Christi ( Conception of Christ), initium redemptionis (Beginning of redemption), festum incarnationis (feast of the Incarnation).
The full name of the Feast of the Annunciation in the Russian Orthodox Church is defined in the Menaion: “Annunciation of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos, and Ever-Virgin Mary.” It should be noted that in Greek and Church Slavonic the word “Annunciation” requires the genitive case after itself, but when translated into Russian, both the genitive and dative cases are possible, that is, “The Annunciation to our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.” Usually in modern publications the first version is used, obviously not without the influence of the Church Slavonic language, but the use of the second is also known.
The modern official name of this holiday in the Roman Catholic Church - Annuntiatio Domini Iesu Christi ("Annunciation of the Lord Jesus Christ") - was adopted after the Second Vatican Council. Before this, the variant was used: Annuntiatio beatae Mariae Virginis (“Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary”

Determination of the date and history of the establishment of the holiday

For the first time, the date March 25 appears in the writings of Western authors of the 3rd century - Tertullian and the martyr Hippolytus of Rome as the day of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ according to the Roman calendar. This circumstance formed the basis of the Alexandrian and later Byzantine chronological systems, identifying the dates of the Annunciation and Easter.
There are two approaches to determining the date of the Annunciation:
Connection with the date of the Nativity of Christ: March 25 is exactly 9 months away from December 25, which no later than the 4th century was universally accepted as the date of the Nativity of Christ.
Connection with the date of the creation of man: a number of church authors (Athanasius the Great, Anastasius of Antioch) believe that the Annunciation and the conception of Jesus Christ occurred on March 25, since on this day, according to one group of legends, God created man, and man, burdened with original sin, must be recreated at the time in which he was created (that is, redemption began).

The establishment of this holiday in Constantinople dates back to approximately the middle of the 6th century as a consequence of the process of “historicization” of evangelical celebrations in the liturgical calendar, but there is no certainty on this issue. Thus, Gregory of Neocaesarea (III century) has a “Conversation on the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos” and John Chrysostom in his writings calls the Annunciation the “first holiday” and the “root of the holidays”; it can be assumed that the Church was already celebrating the Annunciation at this time. The celebration of the Annunciation is evidenced by the construction of the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, on the site where the Annunciation is believed to have happened, by Empress Helen Equal to the Apostles at the beginning of the 4th century. At the same time, at the beginning of the 8th century, the Armenian author Grigor Arsharuni wrote that the holiday was established by St. Cyril I, Bishop of Jerusalem in the middle of the 4th century. However, Bishop Abraham of Ephesus (between 530 and 553) testifies that not a single sermon dedicated to the Annunciation had been written before him. In the 7th century, the Annunciation began to be celebrated in Rome and Spain; Gaul adopted it only in the 8th century.
In the 6th century, Roman the Sweet Singer wrote a kontakion (in the early understanding of the term) of the Annunciation. The hymnography of the holiday was supplemented in the 8th century by the works of John of Damascus and Theophan, Metropolitan of Nicea, who compiled the canon of the holiday in the form of a dialogue between the Virgin Mary and the Archangel Gabriel.

Other dates for celebrating the Annunciation

The celebration of the Annunciation on March 25 is common, but not generally accepted. There are several liturgical rituals in which this holiday, which in its meaning precedes the Nativity of Christ, refers to the pre-Christmas period:
In the Ambrosian rite, the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary is celebrated on the last (sixth) Sunday of Advent, that is, on the Sunday between December 18 and 24.
In the Spanish-Mozarabic rite, according to some sources, the Annunciation is prescribed to be celebrated twice - in addition to March 25, a holiday with the same name (Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary) is also indicated for December 18, that is, exactly a week before the Nativity of Christ. This date is the main one; the celebration on this day was officially confirmed in 656 by the Tenth Council of Toledo, since the traditional date for the Christian world, March 25, fell during Lent or the Easter period. The celebration of the Annunciation on March 25 is not indicated in any of the known handwritten Mozarabic sources, however, in the Liber Ordinum Episcopal de Santo Domingo de Silos (XI century) it is prescribed to commemorate the Conception of the Lord on this day. In the first printed missal of Cardinal Jimenez (1500), the celebration of the “Annunciation of Blessed Mary” is indicated for both December 18 and March 25, which was probably influenced by the Roman rite. In the new (reformed) Spanish missal, the date March 25 is not commemorated, and December 18 is set for the celebration of “St. Mary.” In its content, this holiday is a kind of pre-celebration of the Nativity of Christ, the theme of the annunciation of the angel of St. Virgo is not developed, and the main theme of prayers and hymns on this day is the Incarnation.
In the East Syrian rite there is an entire six-week period of the Annunciation, including four Sundays before and two after the Nativity of Christ. The second of the pre-Christmas Sundays is dedicated to the Annunciation itself.

Celebration

In the Orthodox Church

The Church in the East at different times considered the Annunciation as both the Mother of God and the Lord's feast. Currently, it is one of the twelve great holidays and usually refers to the feasts of the Mother of God, which is why blue liturgical vestments are assigned to it.
In the Jerusalem Rule, currently adopted in the Greek and Russian Churches, the Annunciation has one day of forefeast and one day of afterfeast, on which the Council of the Archangel Gabriel is celebrated. The forefeast and afterfeast are postponed if the Annunciation occurs on Holy or Bright Week.
The date of the holiday falls between Thursday of the 3rd week of Great Lent and Wednesday of Bright Week inclusive, that is, during the period of singing the Lenten or Colored Triodion.
A number of liturgical features for the period of singing the Lenten Triodion bring it closer to the holiday of the Nativity of Christ and the Epiphany of the Lord. So, if the Feast of the Annunciation occurs on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday of any week of Pentecost (part of Lent until Friday of the sixth week, the eve of Lazarus Saturday), as well as on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday of Holy Week, then the all-night vigil begins Great Compline, and not Vespers, as usual; if the holiday falls on Week (Sunday) or Monday of Pentecost or any day of Bright Week, then the all-night vigil is performed in the usual manner, that is, Great Vespers begins; The all-night vigil begins with Matins, if the Annunciation is on Great Friday (Friday of Holy Week) or Great Saturday. At Matins, the Great Doxology is sung when the holiday falls on Saturday or the Week of Fasting; on other days it is read; on Bright Week it is not relied upon at all.
When the Annunciation occurs on Easter, there is no polyeleos, but the canon of the Annunciation is combined with the Paschal canon and after the sixth song of the canon the Gospel readings of the Annunciation are read (at Matins Luke 1:39-49, at Liturgy Luke 1:24-38).
The special significance of the Feast of the Annunciation is emphasized by the fact that the 52nd rule of the Sixth Ecumenical Council established that on the day of the Annunciation, despite Lent, a full liturgy should be celebrated. According to the Typikon, as a general rule, the Liturgy of John Chrysostom is served, and if the holiday falls on Lenten Sunday (Sunday), as well as Thursday or Saturday of Holy Week, then the Liturgy of Basil the Great. If the Annunciation occurs on Good Friday, then - as the only exception for this day - the liturgy must be celebrated (according to the Typikon, the liturgy of John Chrysostom is served).
On the Annunciation (if it does not fall during Holy Week), along with the Feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, the charter allows the consumption of fish, wine and oil. According to the Greek typikon, the celebration of the Annunciation, if it falls on Good Friday or Saturday, is transferred to the first day of Easter.
Liturgical texts, in addition to describing the very event of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, also speak of the incomprehensibility of the Nativity of the Savior from the Mother of God, and Mary herself is compared to the “bush” and “ladder” from the vision of Jacob. Through festive chants, the church conveys to believers the following dogmatic provisions: thanks to the birth of the Savior from the Mother of God, heaven is again united with earth, Adam is renewed, Eve is freed, and all people become involved in the Divine. The canon of the holiday glorifies the greatness of the Most Holy Theotokos, who received God into herself, and also contains indications of the Old Testament prophecies about the incarnation of the Son of God.

Hymnography

Annunciation, 18th century, Patmos. Gabriel hands the Virgin Mary a scroll with words of greeting; God the Father and the Holy Spirit emanating from him in the form of a dove are visible above
The modern hymnographic formula for the services of the Feast of the Annunciation largely goes back to the Studite Charter and has in common with the service of Akathist Saturday (Saturday of the 5th week of Great Lent).
Greek original Modern Church Slavonic translation
Troparion of the holiday ? Γαβριὴλ τὴν χάριν εὐαγγελίζεται. Διὸ καὶ ἡμεῖς σὺν αὐτῷ, τῇ Θεοτόκῳ βοήσωμεν。 Κύριος μετὰ σοῦ. Today is the day of our salvation, and the mystery has been revealed since time immemorial; The Son of God appears, the Son of the Virgin, and Gabriel preaches the good news. At the same time, we will cry out to the Mother of God: Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you!
Kontakion of the holiday ὐχαριστήρια, ἀναγράφω σοι ἡ Πόλις σου, Θεοτόκε. Ἀλλ’ ὡς ἔχουσα τὸ κράτος ἀπροσμάχητον ἐκ παντοίων με κινδύνων ἐλ ευθέρωσον, ἵνα κράζω σοι· Χαῖρε, Νύμφη ἀνύμφευτε. To the chosen Voivode, victorious, as having got rid of the evil ones, let us sing thanksgiving to Thy servants, O Mother of God, but as having an invincible power, free us from all troubles, let us call Thee: Radu Hey, Bride Unbride!
The kontakion of the holiday is often attributed to Roman the Sweet Singer, but in reality the modern text is later (although it retains the original ending Χαῖρε, Νύμφη ἀνύμφευτε) and is the proimium (first kontakion) of the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos. By ancient custom The Russian Church, in churches of the Russian liturgical tradition, it is also customary to sing it at the First Hour with the prayer “Christ, the True Light,” although it is not in the statutory sequence.
The Gospel words of the Archangel Gabriel and the righteous Elizabeth formed a well-known prayer - the Song of the Most Holy Theotokos: “Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice, Most Gracious Mary, the Lord is with Thee; Blessed are You among women and blessed is the fruit of Your womb, for You have given birth to the Savior of our souls.” This prayer is part of the cell (home) prayers of believers, and is also a troparion for Sunday Vespers.

Every year, church holidays become more and more firmly integrated into the lives of Russians. However, many of our fellow citizens still have little knowledge of calendar dates and, most importantly, the meaning of many holidays.

Even if we move away from the religious component, the theme of the Annunciation has left a powerful mark on Russian and world culture, becoming a source of inspiration for many great artists and poets. What kind of holiday is this, when is it celebrated and what is the meaning of the folk signs and customs associated with it? We will try to answer these and other questions in more detail.

The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated Christian churches most denominations: Orthodox, Catholics and many Protestant churches. On this day, as Evangelist Luke narrates, an angel sent by the Lord appeared to the Virgin Mary, bringing her good (i.e., joyful) news: for her righteousness, she was chosen to become the Mother of God, having immaculately conceived from the Holy Spirit. The angel also informed the girl that the born Son should be named Jesus.

For each Christian, this day is the beginning of the liberation of humanity from the power of sin and the inevitable death associated with it. This is one of the most important (twelfth) holidays in Orthodoxy, ranking alongside Easter, Christmas and Transfiguration.

The Church considers the event that occurred on the day of the Annunciation to be the first act of the atoning sacrifice subsequently made by Jesus.

Just as sin entered the world through Eve, so it was defeated by the meekness of the Virgin Mary, who answered the angel: “Let it be done to me according to Your word,” submitting to God’s will.

The Annunciation is a Christian holiday that does not depend on lunar calendar. It is celebrated annually on April 7 (March 25, old style), i.e. exactly 9 months before, which is celebrated on January 7 (December 25).

The date of the holiday was approved by the Church of Constantinople back in the sixth century. From Byzantium, the custom of celebrating the Annunciation spread to European countries, and after the adoption of Christianity it came to Rus'.

The celebration of the Annunciation is marked by one of the most beautiful traditions; On this day it is customary to release pigeons and other birds into the wild. If today this is done mainly by priests, then before the 1917 revolution, many of the believers who came to the festive service brought with them cages with small birds, which were released into the wild.

This action symbolizes the human soul, languishing in the cage of sin, but through the Good News received hope of freedom.

The custom brings particular joy to children, who like to think that a bird released from its cage will fly to its home. Sometimes this is used by lovers of easy money, who catch small birds especially for the holiday and sell them to believers with children.

If the pigeons released by the priest, as a rule, live in the nearest dovecote, where they return after gaining freedom, then the birds that are caught can live quite far from the place where they are released. They are often in poor condition, exhausted and frightened by being kept in a cage, so few of them are able to reach their habitat.

You should not encourage such earnings and buy birds for the Annunciation from random people.

The spring holiday of the Annunciation is accompanied by numerous folk signs. Thus, it is believed that Annunciation ash, which is raked out of the oven at the end of this day, has the property of increasing the harvest of vegetables.

Therefore, in houses with stove heating in villages, even today they store ash from lighting the stove on the day of the holiday in order to scatter it on the beds before planting vegetables. In addition, on this day beekeepers take hives with bees outside.

On the Annunciation, as on any other major church holiday, one should not engage in hard work or perform homework. On this day, believers attend a festive church service, after which they spend time with family. If possible, it is advisable not to leave home anywhere on this day, postponing the trip by at least one day. You should not go hunting and killing God's innocent creatures.

One of popular bans associated with women's hair: it is believed that on this day one should not braid or do complex hairstyles.

However, the church does not support this opinion: of course, you can comb your hair and braid your hair, you just shouldn’t put too much effort into caring about your appearance. It is better to take care of the purity of your soul and devote a little more time to prayer.

On April 7, believers celebrate one of the main and joyful holidays in Orthodox calendar- Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 2018, it falls during Lent and coincides with What does this holiday mean for believers and how to properly celebrate the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary?

Origin of the holiday

The name "Annunciation" (in Greek "Evangelismos") is translated as "good news" or "good news". In Orthodoxy, this day is fully called the Annunciation of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, which partially reveals the meaning of the holiday.

According to the description of the Apostle Luke, on this day the Archangel Gabriel announced to the young Virgin Mary about the future birth according to the flesh from her of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World. “The angel came to Her and said: Rejoice, full of grace! You have found grace from God and behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a Son, and you will call His name Jesus,” these events are described in the canonical Gospel.

Celebration date

The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is always celebrated on the same day - March 25 according to the Gregorian calendar and April 7 according to the Julian calendar. Unlike Easter, this day does not have a moving date and is counted exactly nine months after the feast of the Nativity of Christ.

On early Easter, that is, from April 4 to April 13, the Annunciation can fall either on the day a week before the celebration of Easter, or on the week after the Bright Resurrection of Christ.

Jerusalem, Serbian, Georgian countries are preparing to celebrate the joyful holiday of April 7 according to the Julian calendar orthodox churches, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church on the territory of Ukraine, as well as Old Believers. The Roman Catholic, Romanian, Bulgarian, Polish churches celebrate this day on March 25th.

What not to do on this day

They say about the Feast of the Annunciation that on this day “the maiden does not braid her hair, and the bird does not curl her nest.”

The Church classifies the holiday as one of the twelve, that is, the twelve most important holidays in Orthodoxy after Easter, along with Epiphany, Candlemas, Christmas, Ascension of the Lord, Dormition of the Virgin Mary and Trinity Day. Most of them also have a fixed date.

According to the tradition of theologians, on the day of the Annunciation, every believer must put aside all worldly affairs, and especially work, for the sake of prayer and presence in church.

In 2018, the celebration of the Annunciation coincides with Holy Saturday of Lent, which means: on this day you cannot eat fish and vegetable oil. According to the monastic charter, fish food is allowed twice during fasting - in Palm Sunday and the Annunciation, however, the significance of the days of Holy Week cancels such relaxations.

Traditions of the Annunciation

On this holiday, funeral prayers, services and weddings are not held. After the Liturgy, most churches release white birds into the sky. The symbol of this day is considered White dove, in whose image the Holy Spirit descended on the Lord during his baptism in sacred river Jordan.

In honor of this day, the day before, believers bake Lenten cookies in the shape of birds and treat each other with them after the morning liturgy and communion.

Many believers believe that on this day the power of medicinal plants doubles. Today, the Annunciation is also considered the day that announces spring and freedom to the world. By the way, in Rus', from ancient times, migratory birds caught in snares - lark, pigeons and tits - were released at this time. On the same day, it was customary to “call on spring,” that is, to gather together and ask nature’s favor and a good harvest in the future with “spring songs.”

The Orthodox Church annually celebrates the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary on April 7th. This is one of the 12 most important church holidays, which Christians celebrate nine months before the Nativity of Christ.

The Annunciation has one day of pre-celebration and one day of post-celebration, on which the Council of the Holy Archangel Gabriel is celebrated.

The events of the Annunciation, which are described in the Gospel by the Apostle Luke, are familiar to almost everyone, but on the eve of the holiday he invites you to remember this divine story once again.

Mother of God

The Virgin Mary, undoubtedly the most chaste in the entire Universe, was given to the Creator from birth. Until the age of 14, she lived and was raised in the Jerusalem Temple.

And when the time came for Mary to leave the temple, they found her the elderly carpenter Joseph, famous for his piety, as her husband, who was supposed to protect Her purity and innocence.

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

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

The Archangel cited the example of Mary’s barren relative, Saint Elizabeth, who, at an advanced age, conceived a child six months ago, thereby making it clear that the Lord has no limits to his capabilities.

Hearing the All-Merciful Will in the words of the Archangel, Mary said: “Behold, the Servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” Today it is believed that at the moment the Virgin Mary uttered such a phrase, the Holy Conception took place.

Having learned that Mary was carrying a child, Joseph 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 take Mary your wife; for whoever is born in her is of the Holy Spirit, she will give birth to a Son, and you will call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” their…"

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

Story

There is an opinion that the holiday was established by the apostles, due to the fact that in the paintings of the catacombs where the first Christians gathered for prayer, there are images of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, dating back to the 2nd-3rd centuries.

However, it began to be especially celebrated no earlier than the 4th century. This was facilitated by the discovery of St. Equal to the Apostles Helen at the beginning of the 4th century, the Holy places of the earthly life of the Savior and the construction of temples 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 Conception of Christ, the Annunciation of Christ, the Beginning of Redemption, the Annunciation of the Angel to Mary, and only in the 7th century was it given the name Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, both in the East and in the West.

The holiday, which, according to some information, was established by St. Cyril of Jerusalem, was already one of the most important in Byzantium by the end of the 7th century. Around the same time, it spread to the Western Church.

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

Painting by artist Vasily Polenov "The Source of the Virgin Mary in Nazareth"

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

Traditions

The Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been especially revered in Rus' since ancient times. By ancient tradition, on this day people released birds from cages and nets. This custom was revived in 1995 and is now performed in many temples.

At the Annunciation, peasants traditionally baked prosphora - unleavened church bread, according to the number of household members in the family. Bread was illuminated in the temple.

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

The Annunciation was popularly perceived as a spring holiday, the beginning of a new agricultural year. People blessed the grain before sowing, placing the Annunciation icon next to the grain.

In the old days, on this day they “called out spring” - they lit a fire and jumped over the fire, danced around in circles, sang “spring songs”. The Annunciation fire was considered better protection from diseases, damage and the evil eye.

To protect livestock from wolves, people beat mallets, copper utensils, and rang a bell. People believed that wolves would stay at the distance over which the sound would spread.

Signs

Among the people, the feast of the Annunciation was surrounded by many signs. The most important of them is that you can’t do anything around the house, everything is prohibited earthworks. Old people say that on this day even a bird does not build a nest, because it is a sin.

There is a legend that the cuckoo did not obey the rules of this day and made a nest. As punishment, the cuckoo can no longer build nests, and is now forced to place its eggs in the nests of other birds.

On the eve and on the day of the Annunciation, many houses tried not to light a fire. However, one should burn a few pinches of salt in the oven to attract good luck.

People believed that on this day angels in heaven rejoice, and even sinners in hell cease to be tormented. The earth awakens from its winter sleep and opens up to welcome spring. Together with the inhabitants of the earth, all evil spirits awaken.

Therefore, on this day, rituals were performed that helped protect against evil and cure diseases. For example, they fumigated winter clothes with smoke and washed themselves with melt water.

Icon of the Annunciation, late 16th century

Fire was considered the best protection against snakes. Therefore, it was customary to burn the garbage accumulated over the winter. On Annunciation Day, you also cannot drop a single crumb, otherwise there will be no salvation from insects.

At the Annunciation they told fortunes - they baked small money in a church prosphora and whoever got it would smile with happiness all year long.

Blagoveshchenskaya blessed water was placed under the icons. It was believed that it did not spoil for a whole year, unless it was touched by a sorcerer or a person with dark thoughts. They believed that this water would raise a sick person to his feet. It was also used to feed cattle.

On this day you cannot lend anything. You cannot pour grain from sack to sack. In order for the chickens to lay eggs for Easter, on the Annunciation the housewife used a broom to drive them off their roost.

Many signs are associated with the weather and the harvest. So, the night before, a dark sky without stars means poor egg laying by chickens. The sun on the Feast of the Annunciation means the wheat harvest.

Rain on a holiday - for good fishing, for mushroom autumn. If there is a thunderstorm on a holiday, you can wait warm summer and an excellent harvest of nuts. And the frost on this day could bring good forecasts for the harvest of cucumbers and spring crops.

What do they pray for?

In front of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos of the Annunciation, they pray 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 through Your intercession and help we are saved, we send glory, praise, thanksgiving and worship for everything in the Trinity to the One God and the Creator of all, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

The material was prepared on the basis of open sources.

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