The Ininsky rock garden is located in the Barguzin Valley. It was as if someone had deliberately scattered the huge stones or placed them deliberately. And in places where megaliths are located, something mysterious always happens.

One of the attractions of Buryatia is the Ininsky rock garden in the Barguzin Valley. It makes an amazing impression - huge stones scattered in disorder on a completely flat surface. It was as if someone had either scattered them on purpose, or had placed them with intent. And in places where megaliths are located, something mysterious always happens.

Power of nature

In general, “rock garden” is the Japanese name for an artificial landscape in which stones arranged according to strict rules play a key role. “Karesansui” (dry landscape) has been cultivated in Japan since the 14th century, and it appeared for a reason. It was believed that gods lived in places with a large accumulation of stones, and as a result, the stones themselves began to be given divine significance. Of course, now the Japanese use rock gardens as a place for meditation, where it is convenient to indulge in philosophical reflection.

And this is what philosophy has to do with it. The seemingly chaotic arrangement of stones is, in fact, strictly subject to certain laws. Firstly, the asymmetry and difference in the sizes of the stones must be observed. There are certain observation points in the garden, depending on the time when you are going to contemplate the structure of your microcosm. And the main trick is that from any observation point there should always be one stone that... is not visible.

The most famous rock garden in Japan is located in Kyoto, the ancient capital of the country of samurai, in the Ryoanji Temple. This is the refuge of Buddhist monks. And here in Buryatia, the “rock garden” appeared without human effort - its author is Nature itself.

In the southwestern part of the Barguzin Valley, 15 kilometers from the village of Suvo, where the Ina River emerges from the Ikat Range, this place is located with an area of ​​more than 10 square kilometers. Significantly more than any Japanese rock garden - in the same proportion as a Japanese bonsai is smaller than a Buryat cedar. Here, large blocks of stone reaching 4-5 meters in diameter protrude from the flat ground, and these boulders go up to 10 meters deep!

The distance of these megaliths from the mountain range reaches 5 kilometers or more. What kind of force could scatter these huge stones over such distances? The fact that this was not done by a person became clear from recent history: a 3-kilometer canal was dug here for irrigation purposes. And here and there in the channel bed there are huge boulders that go down to a depth of 10 meters. They fought with them, of course, but to no avail. As a result, all work on the canal was stopped.

Scientists have put forward different versions origin of the Ininsky rock garden. Many people consider these blocks to be moraine boulders, that is, glacial deposits. Scientists call their ages different (E.I. Muravsky believes that they are 40-50 thousand years old, and V.V. Lamakin - more than 100 thousand years!), depending on which glaciation they are counting.

According to geologists, in ancient times the Barguzin depression was a freshwater shallow lake, which was separated from Lake Baikal by a narrow and low mountain bridge connecting the Barguzin and Ikat ridges. As the water level rose, a runoff formed, turning into a river bed that cut deeper and deeper into the hard crystalline rocks. Known as storm water flows in spring or after heavy rain They erode steep slopes, leaving deep furrows in gullies and ravines. Over time, the water level dropped, and the area of ​​the lake decreased due to the abundance of suspended material brought into it by rivers. As a result, the lake disappeared, and in its place there remained a wide valley with boulders, which were later classified as natural monuments.

But recently, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences G.F. Ufimtsev suggested very original idea, which has nothing to do with glaciations. In his opinion, the Ininsky rock garden was formed as a result of a relatively recent, catastrophic, gigantic ejection of large blocky material.

According to his observations, glacial activity on the Ikat ridge appeared only at small area in the upper reaches of the Turokchi and Bogunda rivers, in the middle part of these rivers there are no traces of glaciation. Thus, according to the scientist, the dam of the dammed lake along the Ina River and its tributaries broke. As a result of a breakthrough from the upper reaches of the Ina, a large volume of blocky material was thrown into the Barguzin Valley by a mudflow or a ground avalanche. This version is supported by the fact of severe destruction of the bedrock sides of the Ina River valley at the confluence with Turokcha, which may indicate the removal of a large volume of rock by the mudflow.

In the same section of the Ina River, Ufimtsev noted two large “amphitheatres” (resembling a huge funnel) measuring 2.0 by 1.3 kilometers and 1.2 by 0.8 kilometers, which could probably be the bed of large dammed lakes. The dam’s breakthrough and the release of water, according to Ufimtsev, could have occurred as a result of seismic processes, since both slope “amphitheaters” are confined to the zone of a young fault with thermal water outlets.

The gods were naughty here

This amazing place has long been of interest to local residents. And for the “rock garden” people came up with a legend that goes back to ancient times. The beginning is simple. Once two rivers, Ina and Barguzin, argued which of them would be the first to reach Lake Baikal. Barguzin cheated and set off on the road that evening, and in the morning the angry Ina rushed after him, angrily throwing huge boulders out of her way. So they still lie on both banks of the river. Isn't it true that this is just a poetic description of the powerful mudflow proposed to be explained by Dr. Ufimtsev?

The stones still keep the secret of their formation. They are not only different sizes and colors, they are generally from different breeds. That is, they were broken out from more than one place. And the depth of occurrence speaks of many thousands of years, during which meters of soil have grown around the boulders.

For those who have seen the movie Avatar, on a foggy morning the Ina stones will resemble hanging mountains with winged dragons flying around them. The peaks of the mountains protrude from the clouds of fog, like individual fortresses or the heads of giants in helmets. The impressions from contemplating a rock garden are amazing, and it was not by chance that people endowed the stones with magical power: it is believed that if you touch boulders with your hands, they will take away negative energy, giving positive gifts in return.

In these amazing places there is another place where the gods played pranks. This place was nicknamed “Suva Saxon Castle”. This natural formation is located near the group of salty Alga lakes near the village of Suvo, on the steppe slopes of the hill at the foot of the Ikat ridge. The picturesque rocks are very reminiscent of the ruins of an ancient castle. These places served as a particularly revered and sacred place for Evenki shamans. In the Evenki language, “suvoya” or “suvo” means “whirlwind”.

It was believed that this is where spirits live - the masters of local winds. The main and most famous of which was the legendary wind of Baikal “Barguzin”. According to legend, an evil ruler lived in these places. He was distinguished by a ferocious disposition, he took pleasure in bringing misfortune to the poor and disadvantaged people.

He had his only and beloved son, who was bewitched by spirits as punishment for his cruel father. After realizing his cruel and unfair attitude towards people, the ruler fell to his knees, began to beg and tearfully ask to restore his son’s health and make him happy. And he distributed all his wealth to people.

And the spirits freed the ruler’s son from the power of illness! It is believed that for this reason the rocks are divided into several parts. Among the Buryats there is a belief that the owners of Suvo, Tumurzhi-Noyon and his wife Tutuzhig-Khatan, live in the rocks. Burkhans were erected in honor of the Suva rulers. IN special days Entire rituals are performed in these places.

December 4, 2018 is important date church calendar. After all, this is the day of celebration of such a significant event as the Entry into the Temple Holy Mother of God. There are many historical calculations, traditions and folk signs associated with it.

history of the holiday

This day is the twelfth Christian holiday. What does "twelfth" mean? This is the name of Christian holidays directly related to the Mother of God (theotokos) and the life on earth of Jesus Christ (the Lord's).

According to their number, the name is twelfths (“twelves” - twelve). This big celebration for believers - December 4, Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

On the day when the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the temple took place, December 4, there was a Divine revelation to the high priest. Zechariah led Mary to the most sacred place of the temple, where only he himself was allowed to enter once a year. This surprised everyone again.

From the moment of entering the temple, Mary, the only one of all the girls, Zechariah, at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, allowed her to pray not between the church and the altar, but in the inner altar. The Mother of God remained to be raised in the temple, and her parents returned to their home. This is how the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple took place on December 4, and her long, earthly, glorious journey began.

What not to do

Today you should not do hard work, washing, sewing, cleaning and other household chores. And it’s better not to lend on this day. You can go visit or invite friends over.

Christian meaning holiday

But why exactly did this event, not reflected in the Gospel, become so beloved among the Orthodox people, and among icon painters who dedicated thousands of masterpieces to the Introduction, and among temple builders and founders of monasteries? Of course, not only because “The Introduction has come and brought winter to Rus',” but because of its deep meaning. A meaning that is significant for every Christian and very aptly expressed in the sermon His Holiness Patriarch Moscow and All Rus' Kirill, pronounced on this holiday in 2012:

Remembering the solemn and symbolic event - the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the temple - we must renew our own attitude towards the temple of God. We must realize the importance of visiting the temple, praying in the temple, and contacting Divine grace. Today no one is destroying temples, today we are building temples. And how important it is that they are filled with people, how important it is that people feel God’s presence in them...

Indeed, each of us, coming to the festive service on the day of the Entry, must remember the essence of this holiday, expressed in the purpose and meaning of all our Christian life- salvation of the soul, which is possible only in unity with the Church of Christ. And for this unity, each of us, like the Mother of God herself, needs to one day enter the temple for the first time.

On December 4, 2 Orthodox church holidays are celebrated. We will tell you in detail about church holidays, fasts, and days of honoring the memory of saints. The list will help you find out the date of a significant religious event for Orthodox Christians.

Mainstream Orthodox religious holiday today is December 4, 2018 - Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the temple.

Also, today Orthodox Christians celebrate St. Barbara's Day.

We must not forget that the Nativity Fast continues today. But first things first.

What church holiday is today December 4, 2018: Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The latest twelfth immovable holiday. Dedicated to the introduction of Mary by her parents into the Temple of Jerusalem at the age of 3 for the purpose of dedication to God.

On December 4, Orthodox Christians celebrate the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On this day, Christians remember how Saints Joachim and Anna brought the three-year-old Virgin Mary to the Jerusalem Temple. Thus, the parents of the Mother of God fulfilled their vow - the promise to dedicate their long-awaited daughter to God. The Virgin Mary lived and served at the Temple until the moment when she was betrothed to the righteous Joseph.

The Entry into the Temple of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary (this is the full name of the holiday) is one of the twelve, that is, the largest Orthodox holidays. This is an impermanent holiday, its date is unchanged.

On the day of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the temple, the festive service consists of small vespers, all-night vigil (with litia), hours and liturgy. The charter of the service is practically no different from the charter of the other twelve celebrations of the Mother of God (Nativity of the Virgin Mary and Assumption). Only holiday songs are sung. The clergy wear white and/or blue vestments.

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Exist folk signs associated with this holiday. In the old days they often said: “Introduction breaks the ice” (thaw) or “Introduction is thick ice” (frost). If deep winter falls from the Introduction, prepare the bins: there will be a rich harvest of grain. If the weather is cloudy at the Introduction, then next year there will be a harvest, but if it is clear, don’t expect a harvest.

Why did my parents give the Virgin Mary to the temple?

According to church traditions, December 4 is the day when the parents of the Virgin Mary, the righteous saints Joachim and Anna, brought their little three-year-old daughter to the Jerusalem Temple. They brought her to leave her there to live, because they made a vow that if God hears their prayers and gives them a child, then they will devote this child to serving the Lord.

In our modern tradition It's hard to imagine this. What is it like to give someone your only child with your own hands, to voluntarily part with him? However, according to Rector of St. Philaret Orthodox Christian Institute, priest Georgy Kochetkov, this is exactly how in those Old Testament times the whole society justified family and childbearing. "IN Old Testament great meaning childbearing consisted precisely in the fact that it was necessary to give birth to a child who could serve God entirely and completely, says the priest. – We see this when the Virgin Mary herself becomes the mother of the Messiah-Christ. For the sake of serving God, families were created and the human race continued, and not by itself and not for itself, as is often thought now. Today, a person usually wants to continue himself in his children, which, of course, is a completely pagan, egoistic idea of ​​​​the essence of childbirth.”

According to legend, when Joachim and Anna placed their three-year-old baby on the bottom step of the temple, she herself resolutely set off on a journey to the very top of the steps, where the high priest Zechariah was waiting for her. When the little Virgin Mary climbed the steps of the Jerusalem Temple, no one knew that she herself was also the future Temple of God, the place where God dwells!

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How did it happen that a little girl was brought into the Holy of Holies

The tradition that the church uses when celebrating the twelfth feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary goes back to the ancient Christian apocrypha of the mid-2nd century - the Proto-Gospel of James. It speaks of things that are completely unrealistic from the point of view of historical science: a little girl is brought to the Temple, and even taken into the Holy of Holies, where no one except the high priest - and then once a year - could enter.

“To understand the meaning of this plot, which may seem fantastic to some, we need to remember that for us the Mother of God personifies the Church, that is, God’s people,” says priest Georgy Kochetkov. – The new people of Christ, the firstfruits of which is the Virgin Mary, are introduced into the Holy of Holies, where the Shekinah dwelt - this term denoted in Judaism the uncreated Divine Glory, known to people since Old Testament times. God wants to share life with his people, who personify the image of the young Virgin Mary. With it, he, as it were, introduces all of us into the Temple - both those who came before us and those who are today, regardless of where they live, who they are by status or nationality, and those who will after us on earth belong to the people of God.”

What church holiday is today December 4, 2018: St. Barbara's Day

In the Middle Ages, the Great Martyr Barbara was revered Catholic Church as one of the 14 holy helpers of the Lord and as the heavenly mediator of the “happy” hour of death, delivering sudden death without repentance.

According to church tradition, Saint Barbara lived in the 3rd century in Iliopolis, Phoenician. Her father is an aristocrat, close to the co-ruler of Emperor Diocletian Maximian, who, being by nature a tough man, when the Great Persecution of Christians began in the areas under his control, was inclined to take Diocletian’s measures to the extreme limits, and there were many martyrs there. Having learned that he own daughter- a Christian, Varvara’s father tortured her himself, and beheaded her himself.

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In the 4th century, the relics of the great martyr were transferred to Constantinople. Then they got to Kyiv. According to legend, in 1108, the daughter of Emperor Alexy Komnenos Varvara, betrothed to the Grand Duke Svyatpolk Izyaslavich, asked her father to give them as a gift to the Kyiv prince. However, historians dispute this version, since Emperor Alexy Komnenos did not have a daughter named Varvara, and Svyatopolk’s wife was most likely the daughter of a Czech prince.

However, there were definitely particles of the relics of St. Barbara in Rus' - in 1644, one of them was given as a gift to the Chancellor of the Kingdom of Poland, George Osolinsky. In 1650, the great hetman of Lithuania, Janusz Radzwill, took Kyiv by storm and received two parts of her relics. And in 1656, Metropolitan Sylvester of Kiev transferred part of the relics of Saint Barbara to Patriarch Macarius of Antioch.

Most of the relics were kept in the Golden-Domed St. Michael's Monastery in Kyiv. In the 1930s, the monastery was destroyed and the relics were transferred to the museum. Now they are kept in the Kiev Vladimir Cathedral.

According to the Orthodox calendar, the holiday is December 4, 2018: Nativity Fast

Day 7: Multi-day fast. Its goal is the spiritual cleansing of a person and preparation for the holiday of the Nativity of Christ. The duration of the fast is 40 days.

Any food refusal ritual for true Christian- This is a stage of serious preparation for an Orthodox event. The Nativity Fast is observed to meet the day, revered as the Birth of the Savior, with a pure soul and thoughts.

The history of the custom goes back to early Christianity and is noted in sources from the 4th century. Then it lasted only seven days and was observed from the last day of December and the first seven days of January according to the new style.

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The clergy of the Church of Constantinople, represented by Patriarch Luke Chrysovergos, considered that 7 days of fasting before an Orthodox event is not enough for complete cleansing from sins, bad thoughts and actions. In 1166 they decided to increase the number fast days up to 40. The time period for its observance is from November 28 to January 6. According to the Julian calendar from November 14 to December 24.

This period of the church calendar is also called Philip's Fast, or Filippovka, because the day before the fast, or fast, falls on the date of veneration in the church of St. Philip's Day (November 27). He was a great expert Holy Scripture and waited for the coming of the Messiah. I followed Christ at the beginning of his journey and helped in many ways.

If during the Easter Fast the period of abstinence from food shifts every year, then the Nativity Fast always has one interval, which is easy to determine if you count back 40 days of fasting from January 7 (Christmas holiday).

The meaning of the Nativity Fast in Orthodoxy

In order to accept the birthday of Jesus Christ with due reverence and awareness, you need to cleanse yourself physically and spiritually of any filth.

The Nativity of Christ is revered as one of the significant events of Orthodoxy. It cannot be celebrated as an ordinary holiday, but only according to a special custom. Preparation is needed, comparable to cleaning the house for the arrival of the most important guests. Just as you want to remove dirt from the corners of your home, you should also prepare spiritually and physically to receive the Savior.

The parishioner must limit the intake of prohibited foods, refuse entertainment, bad thoughts, actions, pray to cleanse the soul. Only with an integrated approach can one achieve a state where a person is ready to accept faith and Christ.

Many deeply religious Christians strive to attend ceremonial services, as well as less significant ones. All Orthodox holidays celebrated in December can be found in church calendar. On these days, solemn services are held in the church. On great days, which include Easter and the Twelfth Feasts, the most significant services are performed. Many celebrations are celebrated throughout the year. In the article we will look in more detail at what Orthodox holidays exist in December. Less solemn services are held on days of remembrance of saints, but this in no way detracts from their importance for believers.

December 3

What Orthodox holiday is celebrated on December 3? This day is considered the pre-celebration of the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On December 3, the Venerable Gregory Decapolite is venerated, as well as Saint Proclus, Archbishop of Constantinople.

Venerable Gregory Dekapolite

The Monk Gregory was born and lived in the 8th century. He comes from Dekapolis of Isauria. From childhood I revered church services and the temple of God. The saint left his parents' house early because he wanted to avoid a marriage he did not like. He wandered around the world for a long time: he was in Rome, Constantinople, Thessaloniki, Corinth, and lived for some time in the caves of Olympus. At that time, heretics carried out a strong persecution of the Orthodox. Gregory preached the Word of God everywhere, denounced heresy and strengthened the strength and faith of Christians. Through his difficult life, prayers, and exploits, Gregory acquired the grace-filled gift of miracles and prophecy. His purity of heart allowed him to hear the singing of Angels in honor of the Holy Trinity. For a long time the Monk Gregory labored in the monastery of St. Mina. He left him and went to Constantinople to counter heresy. It was in this city that Saint Gregory died in 816, his strength undermined by a serious illness.

Saint Proclus - Archbishop of Constantinople

Another Orthodox holiday is celebrated on December 3 - the day of remembrance of St. Proclus. He lived in the 5th century. Young Proclus was at one time a student of St. John Chrysostom. He studied the Holy Scriptures all his life and devoted all his time to prayer. The teacher conveyed to Saint Proclus a deep knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and taught him to correctly express his thoughts. After the death of John Chrysostom, the Holy Patriarch of Constantinople ordained him to the rank of Bishop Kizyak. The evil heretics expelled the Saint, and he returned to the capital. After the death of Patriarch Sisinius Proclus was elevated to the rank of Archbishop of Constantinople.

For 12 years he ruled the church. Through his efforts, the relics of John Chrysostom were transferred to the city from Komar. Proclus gained universal respect by organizing deaneries. He passed away into another world at an advanced age, surrounded by the honor and love of his parishioners.

December 4

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the temple - December 4. Orthodox holiday This is celebrated by all Christians: both old and young.

The parents of the Virgin Mary, Joachim and Anna, prayed for a long time to the Lord to reward them with a child. When their prayers were heard and a girl was born into their family, they made a vow to God that they would give their child to the service of the church and the Lord. And so, when the girl turned three years old, the old people prepared to fulfill their vow. Maria was dressed in the best clothes, and all her relatives and peers were invited to the celebration. Chanting the Lord, the entire procession headed to the Jerusalem Temple to dedicate the Virgin Mary to God. They all walked, like Mary herself, with candles in their hands. Priests came out of the temple to meet them, led by the high priest.

All Orthodox holidays in December are honored by the church, but this day is considered the most significant.

A huge staircase leading to the temple appeared in front of the little girl. Parents put Virgo on the first step. According to the number of psalms (fifteen) that the priests sang at that time, there was also the number of steps. Three-year-old Maria climbed these high steps to the temple without any help. The high priest met the girl and blessed her, as was done with everyone who was dedicated to God. The High Priest was inspired by the Holy Spirit to introduce the Virgin Mary into the Holy of Holies. The entrance to this sacred place was opened only once a year exclusively for the high priest himself. The Holy Spirit said that Mary is the chosen one of God, she is destined to become the mother of the Savior, who will open the entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven to all people.

Life in the temple

Since then, Christians have celebrated the Orthodox holiday of the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary on December 4th. Having fulfilled their vow, Mary’s parents returned home, and the girl remained at the temple. She was brought up in strictness, prayed a lot, studied the Law of God, studied the Holy Scriptures, and strictly observed fasts. The Virgin Mary lived there for eleven years. She grew up to be a completely obedient, hardworking, modest, pious girl. She decided to devote her entire life to God and vowed to remain a virgin forever. The Holy Angels and the Spirit of God protected and protected the Virgin Mary throughout her life, even after she fulfilled her destiny and gave the world the Savior Jesus Christ.

The Church always reminds us that the miracle that the Son of God became incarnate became possible because the parents of the Most Pure Mother of God brought their daughter into the temple and dedicated her to God. Priests always encourage parents to raise their children from the very beginning. early age in faith and love for the Almighty.

December 4, Orthodox holiday: signs, proverbs

Folk omens connect the feast of the Entry of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple with the onset of winter. The winter mistress in a white fur coat drives through the streets and blows bizarre patterns onto the windows with her icy breath. The day, according to signs, could be different. It happened that the roads became muddy due to the introduction of a thaw, and sometimes there were severe frosts. “Vvedensky frosts do not define winter.” Here it is, the day of December 4, an Orthodox holiday, the signs of which read as follows: “Introduction is considered the gateway to winter”, “Introduction is a steep glaciation” (that is, frosty), “Introduction - the glaciation will recede” (that is, a thaw), “If If it’s frosty on this day, then the summer will be sultry,” “The millet porridge turned brown in the oven on this day - to a lot of snow.”

December 6

The Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky is remembered by the church on December 6. This Orthodox holiday is honored and remembered by all believers. On this day back in 1263, Prince Alexander reposed in the Lord and took monastic vows. Prince Alexander was born in 1220 in the city of Pereyaslavl-Zalessky. His parents were eminent princes. In 1227, the family moved to reign in Veliky Novgorod.

In 1240, the young, but experienced in military affairs, Prince Alexander defeated the crusaders on the Neva. From that time on they began to call it “Nevsky”. In 1242, on Lake Peipus, the troops of Alexander Nevsky finally defeated the knights of the Teutonic Order.

As a wise politician and diplomat, Prince Alexander for a long time could maintain mutually beneficial relations with the Golden Horde. One day, after regular negotiations with the khan, returning home, Prince Alexander fell ill. He died on the way. The body was buried in the Nativity Monastery. For many years it remained incorruptible.

The incorrupt relics were discovered before the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380. A local celebration was established at the same time. In 1547, the church glorification of St. Alexander took place. Now December 6 is an Orthodox holiday, the day of remembrance of the Grand Duke. In 1724, by decree of Tsar Peter I, the relics of the Great Saint were transferred to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery in St. Petersburg.

December 7

December 7 is an Orthodox holiday dedicated to the Holy Great Martyr Catherine. The maiden was born into a noble family, her father was the ruler of Alexandria. Possessing rare beauty and at the same time intelligence, Catherine received the best education. When the time came to look for a groom, she told her parents that her chosen one would only be the one who surpassed her in wisdom, beauty and learning.

Catherine's mother was a secret Christian, and she took the maiden to her confessor for advice. The elder, after listening to her, said that he knew such a young man. Catherine ardently desired to see the image of the one whose beauty lighter than the sun, wisdom governs creation, and the height of the race is ineffable. The confessor gave the girl an icon of the Mother of God with the Baby Jesus and ordered her to pray passionately. In the first vision, Jesus did not want to turn his face towards the maiden, since she was not washed Epiphany waters. In the morning, upset Catherine went to the elder. He set her on the right path, helped her convert to the faith of Christ and performed the sacrament of Baptism. That same night, Catherine saw Jesus in a dream, he looked at her tenderly, gave her a ring, betrothing her to himself. Waking up, the maiden found a gift on her finger.

Throughout her short life, Catherine opposed the pagans. Emperor Maximin himself sought her hand and forced her to renounce the faith of Christ. The Holy Virgin spent many days in agony and torture. Having achieved nothing from the young Christian woman, the emperor ordered her execution.

The relics of Saint Catherine were transferred by angels to Mount Sinai. Much later the Sinai Monastery was built there. And now pilgrims can venerate the shrine with the relics of St. Catherine, which are stored there (chapter and left hand). The church celebrates the Orthodox holiday on December 7 - the commemoration of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine.

December 10

Orthodox holidays in December include in their list the day of veneration of the icon of the Mother of God “The Sign”. There is a list with this miraculous icon, framed with a silver frame in the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, in one of the Sacristies. The icon depicts the seated Blessed Virgin Mary with her hands raised in prayer. Against the background of a sphere (or round shield) is the baby Spas-Emmanuel. This image belongs to the very first iconographic images. The Orthodox holiday of December 10 - the icon of the Mother of God "The Sign" - has a centuries-old history. The icon began to be called “The Sign” after a miraculous incident near Novgorod.

In 1170, the enemy approached the city walls. Novgorodians relied only on God's help. Day and night they prayed for salvation. Archbishop Elijah heard a voice that ordered an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos to be brought from the temple to the walls of the city. While they were carrying the image, a bunch of enemy arrows pierced the face of the Virgin Mary. Tears flowed from her eyes, and she turned to the city. At the same time, the enemies were seized with inexplicable horror. The Novgorodians, filled with fighting spirit, won the battle.

The Orthodox holiday of December 10 has not been forgotten to this day. In honor of the sign of the Mother of God, the archbishop installed it at that distant time.

December 19th

December 19 is the Orthodox holiday of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, Wonderworker. In Christianity, this is one of the most revered saints. Nicholas was born and lived in the 3rd century in the Lycia region of the city of Patara. His parents revered the Lord and raised their son in Christian faith, his uncle was a bishop.

From a young age, Nikolai led a solitary life and indulged in prayer. I was left without parents early. He distributed all the inheritance to the suffering. Already in his youth, Nicholas was ordained to the priesthood. He set an ardent example to his flock with his righteous deeds.

Mir was later elected Lycian bishop. He took care of his flock every hour. During the persecution of Christians, he steadfastly endured all the hardships of imprisonment. And there he supported the strength and spirit of his flock. He cared not only about the soul, but also supported bodily well-being in every possible way. One of the miracles is considered to be how Saint Nicholas appeared to one of the merchants in a dream, gave three coins and ordered him to take provisions to the hungry. Waking up, this merchant actually discovered these three coins and, of course, fulfilled the Saint’s request.

Saint Nicholas lived to a ripe old age, performing many miracles throughout his life. He stood up for the defense of the innocent, always appeared to those in need, and provided help. Saint Nicholas is especially revered in Rus'. After Mother of God Perhaps the most icons are dedicated to his face. Many of them even have Russian additions to their names: Nikola Velikoretsky, Nikola Mozhaisky, Nikola Lipensky and others. The Christian Church celebrates on December 19 an Orthodox holiday that honors St. Nicholas.

December 4(November 21 according to the “old style” - the church Julian calendar). Monday of the 27th week of Pentecost(twenty-seventh week after the feast of the Holy Trinity, Pentecost). Christmas post According to the Church Charter, fish is blessed at the meal. Today in Russian Orthodox Church One of the main (twelfth) holidays is celebrated - the Entry into the Temple of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.

A little girl walks along the steps of the temple towards an old man in priestly robes. This iconographic plot is widely known. Girl - dedicated by parents To God the Most Holy Theotokos, Elder - High Priest Zechariah, father of John the Baptist.

It was he who, by revelation from above, led three-year-old Mary into the Holy of Holies of the Jerusalem Temple - a place where he himself entered only once a year. And it was this amazing event that became the basis of one of the main Christian holidays - the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

From the history of the holiday

Alas, we do not know the details of this event from the Holy Scriptures; the good news of the entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple of Jerusalem came to us from the apocrypha - the Proto-Gospel of James of the second half of the 2nd century AD and the Latin Gospel of pseudo-Matthew of the 9th century.

The Orthodox Church does not canonize these traditions, but treats them with respect. Therefore, we can only rely on them, imagining in our imagination a picture absolutely amazing for contemporaries of this greatest event:

“When the Mother of God was placed in front of the temple of the Lord, She ran up fifteen steps, without turning back and without calling her parents, as children usually do. And everyone was filled with surprise at the sight of this, and the priests of the temple were in amazement...”(From the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, IV)

It is also known from legend that the young Mother of God spent more than ten years in the Jerusalem Temple until she was betrothed (entrusted) to the righteous old man Joseph. And it was these events that became the threshold of the Nativity of Christ.

Vvedensky shrines

In Rus', Introduction has been one of the favorite holidays since ancient times. With him, as the "gate of winter", many were associated folk customs, many Russian churches and monasteries are dedicated to him, including the famous Optina Pustyn. In Moscow alone, several churches were erected in honor of the feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary, most of which were destroyed during the years of atheistic persecution.

Thus, only Muscovites lost such great shrines as the Vvedenskaya Church on Bolshaya Lubyanka at the beginning of the 16th century, the temple of the Novinsky Vvedensky Monastery, founded at the confluence of the Presnya River with the Moskva River back in the first half of the 15th century, and the Church of the Entry of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple in Semenovskaya Sloboda (regimental church of the legendary Semenovsky regiment).

Today in Moscow, only two pre-revolutionary shrines dedicated to this holiday have survived: the Vvedensky Church at the Saltykov Bridge, which before the revolution was the center of the Moscow common faith - the Old Believers in the bosom of the Russian Church. And the Vvedenskaya Church in Barashi is a vivid symbol of the Moscow Baroque of the late 17th century. Here and in many other churches and monasteries dedicated to the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, this twelfth holiday is celebrated especially solemnly.

Christian meaning of the holiday

But why exactly did this event, not reflected in the Gospel, become so beloved among the Orthodox people, and among icon painters who dedicated thousands of masterpieces to the Introduction, and among temple builders and founders of monasteries? Of course, not only because “The Introduction has come and brought winter to Rus',” but because of its deep meaning. A meaning that is significant for every Christian and very aptly expressed in the sermon of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', delivered on this holiday in 2012:

“Remembering the solemn and symbolic event - the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the temple, we must renew our own attitude towards the temple of God. We must realize the importance of visiting the temple, praying in the temple, contacting Divine grace. Today no one is destroying temples, today we are building temples. And how important it is that they are filled with people, how important it is that people feel God’s presence in them..."

Indeed, each of us, coming to the festive service on the day of the Entry, must remember the essence of this holiday. Expressed in the goal and meaning of our entire Christian life - the salvation of the soul, which is possible only in unity with the Church of Christ. And for this unity, each of us, like the Mother of God herself, needs to one day enter the temple for the first time.