home Audience 1 History and traditions of the Trinity holiday. Folk festivities on Trinity. Trinity Day: customs, traditions and rituals

History and traditions of the Trinity holiday. Folk festivities on Trinity. Trinity Day: customs, traditions and rituals

The color of the Trinity holiday is emerald green. This is the shade of fresh, lush grass or foliage that has not had time to get tired and absorb the heavy dust of the city. The churches glow from the inside like an emerald cloud - hundreds of birch branches are carried by parishioners, the floor of the church is densely covered with grass, the musty smell of June is intensified by the rays of the sun from the church windows, mixed with subtle notes of incense and wax candles. The candles are no longer red, but honey-yellow - “Easter is given away.” Exactly 50 days after the Resurrection of the Lord, Christians celebrate the Holy Trinity. Great Holiday, beautiful Holiday.

… Fifty days after the Passover, the Jews celebrated the day of Pentecost, dedicated to the legislation of Sinai. The apostles did not take part in mass celebrations, but gathered together with the Mother of God and other disciples in the house of one person. History has not preserved evidence of his name and what he did, we only know that it was in Jerusalem... It was about three o'clock in the afternoon according to Jewish time (about nine o'clock in the morning according to modern reckoning). Suddenly, from heaven itself, from above, an incredible noise was heard, reminiscent of the howl and roar of a rushing strong wind, the noise filled the entire house in which the disciples of Christ and the Virgin Mary were located. People began to pray. Tongues of fire began to play between people and began to dwell for a moment on each of the worshipers. So the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit, with which they received the amazing ability to speak and preach in many languages, previously unknown to them... The Savior’s promise was fulfilled. His disciples received special grace and gift, power and ability to carry the teachings of Jesus Christ. It is believed that the Holy Spirit descended in the form of fire as a sign that it has the power to scorch sins and cleanse, sanctify and warm the soul.
On the occasion of the holiday, Jerusalem was full of people; Jews from different countries converged on the city on this day. A strange noise from the house where the disciples of Christ were, caused hundreds of people to run to this place. Those gathered were amazed and asked each other: “Are they not all Galileans? How do we hear each of our own languages in which we were born? How can they speak with our tongues about the great things of God?” And in bewilderment they said: “They got drunk on sweet wine.” Then the Apostle Peter, standing up with the other eleven apostles, said that they were not drunk, but that the Holy Spirit had descended on them, as was predicted by the prophet Joel, and that Jesus Christ, who had been crucified, had ascended into heaven and poured out the Holy Spirit on them. Spirit. Many of those who listened to the sermon of the Apostle Peter at that moment believed and were baptized. The apostles initially preached to the Jews, and then dispersed to different countries to preach to all nations.

So Saint Andrew, who is also called Andrew the First-Called, went to preach the Word of God to the eastern countries. He passed through Asia Minor, Thrace, Macedonia, reached the Danube, passed the Black Sea coast, the Crimea, the Black Sea region and along the Dnieper rose to the place where the city of Kyiv now stands. Here he stopped at the Kyiv Mountains for the night. Rising in the morning, he said to the disciples who were with him: “Do you see these mountains? On these mountains the grace of God will shine, there will be a great city, and God will build many churches.” The apostle climbed the mountains, blessed them and planted a cross. After praying, he climbed even higher along the Dnieper and reached the Slavic settlements where Novgorod was founded.

Miraculously, the Apostle Thomas, who believed in Christ, reached the shores of India. To this day, in the southern states of this country, Kerala and Karnataka, there live Christians whose ancestors were baptized by St. Thomas.

Peter visited various regions of the Middle East, Asia Minor, and later settled in Rome. There, according to a very reliable tradition of the late 1st and early 2nd centuries, he was executed between 64 and 68 AD. According to Origen, Peter, at his own request, was crucified upside down, since he considered that he was unworthy to undergo the same the execution that the Lord suffered.

While enlightening the nations with the teachings of Christ, the Apostle Paul also undertook long journeys. In addition to his repeated stays in Palestine, he preached about Christ in Phenicia, Syria, Cappadocia, Lydia, Macedonia, Italy, the islands of Cyprus, Lesbos, Rhodes, Sicily and other lands. The power of his preaching was so great that the Jews could not do anything to oppose the power of Paul’s teaching; the pagans themselves asked him to preach the word of God and the whole city gathered to listen to him.

That grace of the Holy Spirit, which was clearly taught to the apostles in the form of tongues of fire, is now given invisibly in the Orthodox Church - in its holy sacraments through the successors of the apostles - the shepherds of the Church - bishops and priests.

The holiday of Christian Pentecost contains a double celebration: both in the glory of the Most Holy Trinity, and in the glory of the Most Holy Spirit, who descended on the Apostles and sealed the new eternal covenant of God with man.

On the Feast of the Holy Trinity, established at the end of the 4th century, after the dogma of the Trinity - the Trinitarian God - was officially adopted at a church council in Constantinople in 381, we talk about another important aspect of the Christian faith: the incomprehensible mystery of the trinity of God. God is one in three persons and this mystery is incomprehensible to the human mind, but the essence of the Trinity was revealed to people on this day.

By the way, for a long time Christian artists did not depict the Trinity, believing that God can only be depicted in the person of Jesus Christ - the son of God. But not God the Father, not God the Holy Spirit should not be written... However, over time, a special iconography of the Holy Trinity was formed, which is now divided into two types. The Old Testament Trinity is familiar to each of us from the famous icon of Andrei of Radonezh (Rublev), on which God is depicted in the form of three angels who appeared to Abraham. The icons of the New Testament Trinity are images of God the Father in the form of an old man, Jesus Christ as a youth in his bosom or an adult husband at his right hand, and the Spirit above them in the form of a dove.

In Rus', they began to celebrate Holy Pentecost not in the first years after the baptism of Rus', but almost 300 years later, in the 14th century, under St. Sergius of Radonezh.

In our country, this holiday merged with the Slavic folk holiday Semik, incorporating many pagan rituals associated mainly with the veneration of the spirits of herbs, trees and flowers. Therefore, on Trinity Sunday it was customary to decorate houses with greenery and conduct round dances around the birch tree.

In the last week before Trinity, on Thursday, cooking began in peasant houses - they baked pies, flat cakes, chicken pots, scrambled eggs, noodle pans, crackers, and cooked poultry stew. Then they went into the forest with these dishes, spread tablecloths under the trees, ate and drank beer. Choosing a branchy birch tree, the youth divided into pairs and curled wreaths without breaking off the branches from the tree.

On Trinity Day they went into the forest again to develop wreaths. Each couple, finding their wreath, judged their future happiness, which depended on whether the wreath had withered or not, faded or was still green...

Many rituals were associated with wreaths. Probably the most famous of them, when they threw wreaths into the river, guessing their fate by their movement: I’ll go to the Danube, to the river, I’ll stand on the steep bank, I’ll throw the wreath on the water, I’ll go further away and see if my wreath is drowning water? My wreath sank, my dear one remembered me: “O my gentle light, O my friendly light!”

The day after Pentecost, which is always celebrated on Sunday, the Church glorifies the third person of the Holy Trinity - the Holy Spirit. From this day until the next holiday of Holy Easter, they begin to sing the troparion to the Holy Spirit “To the King of Heaven...” From this same moment, prostrations to the ground are allowed for the first time after Easter.

... The Divine Service on the Feast of Holy Pentecost is touching and beautiful. The temple is decorated, the priests are dressed in green vestments, the smell of grass and fresh greens, the choir “... renew in our hearts, O Almighty, the true, right Spirit,” sounds solemnly and lightly, the parishioners kneel and read the special prayers of St. Basil the Great. And it’s a juicy early summer outside - a reminder of that beautiful and deep “summer of the Lord” that Jesus Christ promised the righteous.

The Feast of Trinity is one of the most beautiful holidays in Orthodoxy. It always falls at a time when the first leaves on the trees begin to bloom. Therefore, on this holiday, people decorate houses and churches with green branches of birch, maple, and rowan.

Trinity Sunday does not have a fixed date of celebration. It is scheduled for the fiftieth day after Easter. The Bible says that it was on this day that the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles. Students

received the ability to preach the word of Christ. Therefore, this holiday is otherwise called Pentecost or the Descent of the Holy Spirit. Only in the 14th century did they begin to celebrate the Trinity holiday in Rus'. Customs and traditions on this day have been observed since ancient times. The founder of the holiday was St. Sergius of Radonezh.

The Old Testament holiday of Pentecost is a Jewish holiday that is celebrated on the 50th day after the Jewish Passover. According to legend, on this day the people of Israel received the Sinai law. Traditionally, in honor of the celebration, entertainment for the people, mass celebrations, and sacrifices are organized. The Prophet Moses gave the Law of God to his people on Mount Sinai. This happened on the fiftieth day after the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. Since then, Pentecost (or Shavuot) began to be celebrated every year. In Israel, on the same day, the festival of the first harvest and fruits is celebrated.

When did the Trinity appear in Christianity?

The customs and traditions of the celebration originate from the Old Testament Pentecost. The apostles retired to celebrate the Jewish Pentecost. The Savior, before his martyrdom, promised them a miracle - the coming of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, every day they gathered in one of the Zion upper rooms. On the 50th day after the Resurrection, they heard a noise that filled the small space of the house. Flames appeared and the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles. He showed them three hypostases - God the Father (Divine Mind), God the Son (Divine Word), God the Spirit (Holy Spirit). This trinity is the basis of Christianity, on which the Christian faith firmly stands. People who were not far from the upper room heard a strange noise - the apostles were speaking in different languages. Jesus' disciples received amazing abilities - to heal, prophesy and preach in different dialects, which allowed them to carry the word of God to all corners of the world. The apostles visited the Middle East, India, and Asia Minor. We visited Crimea and Kyiv. All the disciples, except John, suffered martyrdom - they were executed by opponents of Christianity.

The One God is the Holy Trinity.

The customs of the church holiday began in the morning. The whole family went to church for worship. After which people returned home. They held a gala dinner, went to visit, congratulated friends on the bright holiday, and gave gifts.

In our country, the holiday of the Trinity began to be celebrated only 300 years after the baptism of Rus'. Before this, the Slavs were pagans. But even today there are rituals and signs that originated in those times. Before Trinity, this day was considered the border between spring and summer. Its name is Semik (Green Week), or Triglav. According to pagan religion, three deities ruled all humanity - Perun, Svarog, Svyatovit. The latter is the keeper of light and human energy. Perun is the defender of truth and warriors. Svarog is the creator of the Universe. In Semik, people held merry celebrations and danced in circles. Houses were first decorated with greenery, from which medicinal tinctures and decoctions were then prepared. Thus, from the pagan celebration, a church holiday arose - Trinity.

The customs and signs of those ancient times are still relevant among the people. For example, the greenery that was used to decorate the church on Pentecost was taken home and dried. It was sewn into canvas bags. This sachet served as a talisman at home .

Celebration traditions

How is the holiday of Trinity? The customs of most holidays begin with cleaning the house. Only after the room was sparkling clean did the women decorate the rooms with green branches and flowers. They are a symbol of fertility and wealth. The housewives prepared the festive table - they cooked pies and gingerbreads, cooked jelly. There is no fasting on this day, so Orthodox Christians are allowed any food. In churches, the Divine Liturgy is celebrated on Trinity Sunday, and immediately after it, the evening liturgy.

During it, kneeling prayers are read. The clergy ask for the granting of grace to all those present, for the sending of wisdom and reason to the believers.

After the service, people sit down at the festive table, invite guests, give gifts and congratulate each other. According to tradition, it was customary to get married on this day. It was believed that if the matchmaking took place on Trinity and the wedding on Pokrov, a happy life awaited the young family.

How is Trinity celebrated in other parts of the world?

Traditions, customs, and rituals from different countries are united by festive services. And in England, religious processions are even held on this day. In Italy, rose petals are scattered from under the ceiling of a church. In France, trumpets are blown during worship, which symbolizes the descent of the Holy Spirit.

Folk customs for Trinity

According to folk legends, mermaids wake up on Pentecost.

In this regard, the villagers have several customs. In the villages they made a stuffed mermaid and danced around it during festivities. Then it was torn into small pieces and scattered across the field. Before going to bed, women ran through the village with a broom to protect themselves from mermaids. One girl was dressed as a mermaid, taken to a field and thrown into a grain harvest. After which everyone fled to their homes.

What other folk practices are the Trinity famous for? Traditions, customs, rituals consisted of driving away evil spirits from the gates of the house. According to legend, on this day the merman woke up, and the villagers burned fires along the shore to ward off evil spirits.

Folk customs for Trinity

Much attention was paid to decorating the house. Only branches of maple, birch, rowan, and oak could protect people and give them strength and health. Another custom was to water the branches and flowers that were in the temple with your tears. Girls and women tried to cry harder so that drops of tears would fall on the greenery. This method helped the ancestors get rid of the summer drought and autumn crop failure. All festive events were divided into 3 days.

The first was called Green Sunday. On this day, icons were decorated with birch branches, and a special prayer was said for Trinity. Folk festivities were held in forests and fields.

People danced, played, and sang songs. The girls wove wreaths and lowered them down the river.

Such fortune-telling helped to find out what fate awaited in the coming year.

People remembered their deceased relatives. In the cemetery they swept crosses and monuments with a birch broom to ward off evil spirits. They left treats for the deceased at the graves.

That night, according to folk tales, people had prophetic dreams.

Second day Clutch Monday- the second day of the celebration of Pentecost. People were rushing to church in the morning.

After the service, the priests walked through the fields with blessings. This was done in order to protect the crop from drought, rain and hail.

Third day Bogodukhovo day Girls celebrate the most. They organize celebrations, games, and fortune telling. According to folk tradition, a fun activity is held - “Drive Poplar”. The most beautiful girl was dressed up, decorated with greenery and wreaths - she played the role of Poplar. Then the youth took Topolya home, and each owner gave her a delicious treat or gift. In Rus', it was customary to venerate the birch tree on Trinity Day.

The customs of Pentecost are closely associated with this tree. Around the birch tree there were girls' round dances. Houses were decorated with it, the first leaves were dried to protect against the evil eye. There is still a ritual of curling a birch tree.

Kumlenie on Semik-Trinity. XIX century

During the process, the girls wished good health to their mother and other relatives. Or, while curling the birch tree, they thought about the young man they loved - thus tying his thoughts and thoughts to themselves. Trinity holiday customs signs During the festivities, a small birch tree was decorated with ribbons and flowers were flown into it.

After round dance chants, they cut it down and began a triumphal procession through the village. An elegant birch tree was carried around the entire village, attracting good luck to its residents. In the evening, the ribbons were removed from the tree and a traditional sacrifice was performed. The branches were “buried” in the field, and the birch itself was drowned in a pond. So people asked for a bountiful harvest and protection from the spirits. Early dew was collected on Trinity Sunday - it was considered a strong medicine against illnesses and illnesses. Such rituals existed among our ancestors. Some of them can still be found today.

What was forbidden to do on Pentecost

On this holiday, it was strictly forbidden to work in the garden or around the house. Therefore, zealous housewives carried out general cleaning before Trinity. And on the holiday itself they only decorated the house and prepared a rich meal.

What other prohibitions exist? What can't you do on Trinity? All home repairs are best left for another day. You can't sew. Do not wash, cut or dye your hair. On this day you cannot think about bad things or talk about someone in a negative way. It is forbidden to swim - otherwise the disobedient person will die in the near future (according to one version, he will be tickled by mermaids). And the one who remained alive after swimming on Trinity Sunday was declared a sorcerer. You should not be offended or swear on this day - Trinity is a bright holiday. Signs and customs (what you can’t do and what you can do) - it all comes down to prayer and kind words. Trinity is a holiday of renewal of life, so you should surround yourself only with positivity on this day.

Parents' Saturday

The day before Trinity, parents' Saturday began. People went to the cemetery to commemorate their deceased relatives.

Since ancient times, a funeral dinner was prepared on parents' Saturday - cutlery was set out for the deceased. The deceased was invited to a meal. On this day the bathhouse was heated. And after the whole family had washed, they left water and a broom for the deceased. On Trinity Parents' Saturday they remember suicides and ask for repose for their souls. A memorial prayer is read for Trinity. But the Holy Church claims that this is a delusion - suicides will not be able to find peace after death. Therefore, only in home prayer can you ask for them.

Signs for Pentecost

The Trinity is rich in beliefs and signs. The customs and traditions of the holiday carry many centuries-tested omens. Rain on Pentecost means an abundance of mushrooms and close warmth. If the birch is fresh on the third day after the holiday, it means wet haymaking. They get married on Trinity, they get married on the Intercession - for love and harmony in the family. To attract wealth to your home, you need to place several graves in the cemetery. The heat on Trinity means a dry summer. The entire week of celebration was called Rusal Week.

Thursday was considered especially important - on this day the mermaids tried to lure people into the water. Therefore, in the evenings people tried not to leave the house. Swimming was prohibited for the entire week. And you should definitely carry wormwood with you - this herb repels evil spirits. Nowadays, the Trinity holiday is celebrated in nature, with songs and fun. Customs and signs of ancient times become irrelevant and gradually disappear. But people still decorate their homes with greenery so that peace, tranquility, happiness, health and prosperity reign in it.

And the girls carry wreaths to the reservoirs and, holding their breath, set them afloat: wherever the wreath floats, wait for the betrothed from there, and if it washes up to the shore, you know it’s not your destiny to get married this year...

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Several centuries before his son Jesus Christ was crucified on earth, the Lord through the prophets announced to people that the Holy Spirit would be sent to help them:

“I will put My spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My commandments, and to keep My statutes and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27).

Jesus Christ also promised his disciples:

“The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything that I have told you” (John 14:26).

Therefore, the apostles, together with the Blessed Virgin Mary, did not go home after Christ, but remained in Jerusalem, awaiting the fulfillment of the promise.
They were in the Zion Upper Room, where they all prayed to the Lord together. In this upper room, after His Resurrection, the Savior twice already appeared to His disciples.
When fifty days passed after the Resurrection of Christ, on the tenth day after His Ascension, the words of the Teacher were fulfilled. On this day there was a great Jewish holiday - God giving the Prophet Moses the Ten Commandments, which he received on Mount Sinai, so there were a lot of people in Jerusalem. Pilgrims came not only from Judea itself, but also from other countries.
In the morning

“Suddenly there came a sound from heaven, like a rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:2).

Following this, fiery tongues of flame appeared in the air and froze above each of the apostles. The fire of these tongues shone, but did not burn. The prophecy of St. John the Baptist about the fiery baptism of the apostles came true:

“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matt. 3:11).

This wonderful property occurs every year and currently - at the Descent of the Holy Fire in Jerusalem. On Holy Saturday, on the eve of Orthodox Easter, during the first few minutes the fire really shines, but does not burn.
Each of the apostles felt an extraordinary surge of spiritual strength - it was God who, through fiery tongues of flame, transferred strength to the apostles so that they could preach and glorify the teachings of Christ.
Hearing a loud noise, pilgrims began to gather at the Zion Upper Room, and the apostles went out to the people and

“they began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4)

The miracle was that each of the people heard speech in their own language, so the people were very surprised by this phenomenon.
Many knew the apostles as ordinary poor people who were not trained in science and, accordingly, were not trained in oratory.

The gathered people tried to explain what happened by saying that the apostles “ got drunk on sweet wine“And in response to this accusation, the most ardent Apostle Peter, unexpectedly for everyone and, first of all, for himself, began the first sermon in his life.
Now, through the mouth of a simple poor man Peter, the Holy Spirit Himself spoke to people. The Apostle preached to them about the life of Jesus Christ and His martyrdom. The words of the Apostle Peter sank deep into the souls of those gathered.

"What should we do?" - they asked him. “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:37-38).

After his preaching, about three thousand people believed and became Christians.
Thus, the Lord gave His disciples 9 special gifts:
the gift of wisdom and knowledge, the gift of prophecy, the ability to discern spirits, the gifts of shepherding, faith, healing and working miracles, the gifts of knowledge and interpretation of tongues.

The apostles were literally reborn - they became people of strong faith and unusual strength of spirit. They knew from their Teacher that their life would not be easy, each of them would have their own cup of suffering ahead of them, their life would be full of ridicule, bullying, beatings and imprisonment. And indeed, almost all of them died or were executed.
To overcome these sufferings, the ascended Jesus Christ sent His messengers the Holy Spirit of the Comforter. And now neither crucifixion, nor burning at the stake, nor death under a hail of stones could stop God’s apostles-messengers from preaching the Divine teaching throughout the world.
Zion Upper Room, after the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and the Mother of God who were in it, began to be considered the first Christian temple. And this day began to be called the Feast of the Holy Trinity, in honor of the fact that the Lord revealed himself to people in three forms - God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit.

IMPORTANCE AND MEANING OF THE TRINITY HOLIDAY

Trinity Day is one of the Great Orthodox holidays. On this day, the Holy Spirit descended to earth and people were shown the Triune image of God: God the Father - the creator, God the Son - Jesus Christ, who appeared to people for the atonement of sins, and God the Holy Spirit. This Trinity Day is considered the celebration of the birth of the earthly Church.
Trinity is celebrated on the fiftieth day after the Resurrection of Christ, which is why it is also called Holy Pentecost. The holiday itself consists of two parts. Sunday (the first day) is the Day of the Holy Trinity, and the second day (Monday) is the Day of the Holy Spirit.
« Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit… “- any Christian has repeatedly uttered these solemn words, while doing the three first fingers folded together express our faith in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as a consubstantial and indivisible Trinity.

And what could be more reliable for a person than faith in God, in his protection and protection:
“My hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son, my protection is the Holy Spirit: Holy Trinity, glory to Thee.”

The holiday of the Trinity is a bright holiday, which is permeated with sunshine, the emergence of life in nature after winter, when it seems to us that God's grace spreads everywhere, in every ray of the sun and in every green leaf, when everything around blooms, blossoms, comes to life and begins a new round of life!
On this day, churches are decorated with flowers and greenery - this is a symbol of the birth of life in the spring, as a symbol of the birth of the Church.

On this day, special veneration is associated, first of all, with the birch tree, whose greenery blooms on the Trinity Day. People associate it with goodness, with protection from evil spirits and with a tree that drives out diseases (birch sap, birch buds and, of course, bathhouse brooms).
Since ancient times, temples and churches in Rus' have been decorated with its branches, as well as young trees.

People who come to the festive service bring with them and hold in their hands birch branches and flowers, which are blessed during the service.
In honor of this Great holiday, priests usually dress in green phelonions, and church utensils are often decorated with light green fabrics and ribbons.
On the Day of the Holy Trinity, during special prayers, everyone in the church is required (to the extent possible) to kneel. Trinity is considered the first day of permission after Easter for kneeling prayers in church. This kneeling is a liturgical feature, the highlight of this holiday.

GREATNESS

We magnify You, Life-Giving Christ, and honor Your All-Holy Spirit, Whom You sent from the Father as Your Divine disciple.

VIDEO

Trinity is a great Orthodox holiday, symbolizing the fullness of God's grace, when the third Holy Hypostasis appeared to people - the Holy Spirit; in 2019 it is celebrated on June 16.

Before His ascension, resurrected and staying with his chosen disciples, the Apostles, Jesus commanded them not to leave Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit descended on them, after which he ascended to heaven.

Biblical Description of Pentecost

This holiday was named Trinity in honor of the fullness of God, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with whom the Creator baptized the Apostles on the fiftieth day from the Resurrection of the Lord. Hence the second name of this holiday - Pentecost.

The Holy Trinity

The Apostles and faithful followers of Jesus Christ were in prayer and daily communion, among whom were:

students;
women who accompanied the teacher during His earthly life;
Mother Mary;
His brothers.

The Teacher did not say when the Holy Spirit would appear, or how it would be, he only said that everyone should be waiting.

The history of the holiday in Orthodoxy

From this day on, every Sunday, 50 days or seven weeks after, the Apostles and the Christians around them celebrated the day of the Descent of the Holy Spirit. The celebrations of the Week ended with the baptism of those added to the Church.

Quintus Tertullian, an early Christian theologian, writer of more than 31 preserved treatises, wrote in 220-230 that the holiday of Trinity eclipsed all pagan rituals of that time.

The Trinity in Orthodoxy means the unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Pentecost received official recognition by the Church in 381 during the Ecumenical Council of Constantinople, at which a dogma was approved recognizing the equality of all three hypostases of the Holy Trinity.

At the Council, the Symbol of the Christian Faith was adopted - I Believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Symbol of faith
I believe in God the Father, the Almighty Creator, who created heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, the Savior of people, who was born of the Virgin Mary at conception by the Holy Spirit, was tortured during the time of Pontius Pilate, died by crucifixion, was buried and resurrected after descending into hell, ascended to Heaven, sat down at the right hand of the Most High, so that with Him to judge people, living and dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Universal Church, eternal life through forgiveness and resurrection. Amen.

Amen translated means the statement “So be it!”

Also see:

The Symbol of Faith is read in churches and at home prayers from Trinity to Easter.

The difference between Trinity and other holidays

Easter services end with Pentecost, after which the weeks in the church calendar are numbered as weeks after Trinity.

The Monday after the Feast of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is called the Day of the Holy Spirit. From there, until Easter, the Creed is read, and after the Resurrection of Jesus and until the day of Pentecost, during church and home prayers, the chant is read: “Christ rose from the dead, through death he overcame death, he rose alive from the grave,” which is not sung after the Day of the Holy Spirit.

The Trinity service begins with a prayer; it is read before the beginning at the end of any holiday or activity, when the Holy Spirit is invoked as a reliable helper.

Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth, abiding everywhere and filling everything, Source of blessings and Giver of life, come and dwell in us and cleanse us from all sin and save, O Good One, our souls.

The Venerable John of Damascus and Cosmas of Maium compiled the festive canons back in the eighth century; they were set out in the First Complete Byzantine Rule for the conduct of services on Trinity.

For information! At the evening service there is no kissing of the icon; parishioners venerate the Gospel.

At the all-night vigil before the holiday, the canon of Pentecost is read. The Morning Liturgy is replaced by the Feast of the Holy Spirit, during which prayers are read while kneeling.

The festive stichera helps to understand the meaning of this action. The Jewish people, among whom God the Son was born, are deprived of God's grace through their unbelief. Christians all over the world, pagans in the flesh, are filled with Divine light. Kneeling, as a symbol of a bowed heart, with deep faith we worship the third Hypostasis of the Divine Trinity - God the Spirit.

Composed the first prayers:

The first petition is dedicated to confessing sins to the Creator and asking for mercy in the name of the Sacrifice given to people by Jesus Christ, God the Son.
The second prayer is an appeal for the gift of the Holy Spirit to all people.
The third appeal to Christ, the Mission, God, who descended into hell and took the keys of life from Satan, to have mercy on our deceased relatives.

During the holiday the Troparion is performed:

Blessed are you, Christ our God, who gave wisdom to the fishermen, making them Apostles, sent them the Holy Spirit and helped them gain the whole world, glory to you, God the Lover of Mankind.

Traditions of decorating temples and houses on the day of Pentecost

According to folk tradition, churches and houses are decorated with greenery on Trinity Sunday; people call this holiday green Christmastide.

Decorating the church with greenery for the holiday of Trinity as a symbol of the flowering of the Christian soul

On the one hand, this is a historical basis. God appeared to Abraham in the form of three elders who were reclining under an oak tree.

On the fiftieth day after leaving Egypt, the Almighty, on the green Mount Sinai, gave the people 10 commandments, which are still the basis of Christianity.

According to custom, in honor of these events, all temples were decorated with greenery. The greenery on Pentecost symbolizes the flowering of the Christian soul, which was awakened by the Divine Spirit through the grace of God the Father and the Son.

Birch trees cut down on Trinity Day symbolize the power of grace. While the tree fed through its roots and grew in the ground, it lived, and as soon as it was cut down, it died. So the human soul lives as long as it is nourished by Divine power, but if a person leaves the Church, he immediately dies. Jesus is the Vine, and we are His branches, feeding on mercy, forgiveness through confession and communion.

For information! The week following Bright Week is fast; it ends with All Saints' Week, after which Peter's Fast begins.

The Almighty has shown himself to be triune in the Trinity, consubstantial and indivisible; you should not try to understand this dogma with your mind, or explain it with the human mind. Each Hypostasis of the Trinity has its own face, but these are not three Gods, but a single Divine essence.

Day of the Holy Trinity. Pentecost

The great feast of the Holy Trinity, which is also called Pentecost or the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, is the birthday of the Holy Church. God the Father laid its foundation in the Old Testament, God the Son, according to His Word, created the Church through His earthly incarnation, and the Holy Spirit reigns in it.

Some believe that Trinity is one holiday, and Pentecost another. In fact, this is one day, the fiftieth after Easter.

When the Lord ascended to Heaven, the apostles returned to Jerusalem and began to wait for the fulfillment of the Savior’s words - the descent of the Holy Spirit on them, which was to give them special power for a great work - preaching the Gospel (the teachings of Christ) throughout the world.

On the tenth day after the Ascension, on the fiftieth day after the Resurrection of Christ, the words of the Savior were fulfilled. On this day, the Jews celebrated Pentecost - one of the great Jewish holidays.

The Mother of God and the apostles gathered, as usual, in the upper room for prayer. At nine o'clock in the morning a noise was heard, similar to the sound of a strong wind, which filled the whole house. Following the noise, fiery tongues of miraculous flames appeared above the heads of the apostles and the Mother of God, which glowed but did not burn - this was a visible sign that the Holy Spirit was descending on them. This is how the baptism of the apostles with the Holy Spirit and fire took place.

The unusual noise attracted everyone's attention, and soon a crowd of pilgrims who had arrived in Jerusalem from many countries for the holiday gathered near the house. The apostles came out to them and suddenly... began to speak in different languages. Each of those who came heard words addressed to him in his native language. Everyone was surprised and amazed: “Aren’t these people originally from Galilee?” After all, it was no secret to anyone that the disciples of Jesus Christ were simple, unlearned people. And suddenly they all began to speak different languages, which they had never studied before and did not understand until that day! There was something to be surprised here...

They tried to explain the miracle in different ways, until the Apostle Peter, unexpectedly for himself, preached the first sermon in his life. He told those gathered about Jesus Christ, Who preached His Divine teaching, was crucified and rose again on the third day; that today the Savior, as promised, sent the Holy Spirit from Heaven, who gave the apostles the ability to speak different languages.

Through the mouth of a simple, uneducated fisherman, the Holy Spirit Himself spoke, which is why Peter’s words penetrated so deeply into the hearts of the people who listened to him. After his sermon, about three thousand people believed in Jesus Christ and received Holy Baptism on the same day.

This was the beginning of the Church of Christ - the image of the Kingdom of God on earth, and the very day of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles is considered to be the day of the Birth of the Church!

After the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the apostles became completely different people - they were literally reborn. Let us remember those disciples of the Lord who fell into despair when they learned about the death on the cross and burial of their Teacher; who for a long time later did not believe in His Resurrection, although Jesus Christ Himself told them about this more than once... Now they were completely different - people of strong faith, tireless preachers of the Word of God.

The apostles knew from their Divine Teacher that their life would be full of ridicule, beatings, and mockery; that they will be imprisoned; that each of them awaits their own cup of suffering... In these coming trials, it was necessary to strengthen, support and comfort the apostles, to give them courage and patience. That is why the ascended Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit-Comforter to His disciples.

And now no one and nothing could stop God’s messengers in their holy and great feat - the spread of Divine teaching throughout the world. Crucified on crosses, burned at the stake, dying under a hail of stones and in circus arenas, the apostles were unusually strong in spirit.

The first Christians lived very well and piously. Every day we prayed and received communion. They loved each other very much and tried to help each other in everything.

From the day of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, the Christian faith began to quickly spread throughout the world - the number of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ increased day by day. At first, the apostles preached Christian teaching only in Palestine, and therefore decided to disperse throughout the world. They cast lots as to who should go in which direction, and soon dispersed to different countries. It is known that the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called visited the Russian lands.

Trinity is one of the most beloved Orthodox holidays by the people. Notice how elegant our church is on this day: young grass is scattered on the floor, fresh wildflowers all around, branches of young birch trees with sticky shiny leaves. White birch trees stand at the altar; icons are decorated with branches; people come to the service with bouquets made of birch branches and flowers. This is a sign of renewal, the flowering of life in Christ.

The green color of the vestments depicts the life-giving and renewing power of the Holy Spirit.

Trinity is filled with the ringing of bells, the spicy aroma of herbs, summer and sunshine.

On the day of Holy Pentecost, for the first time after Easter, the prayer “To the Heavenly King” is sung in church; this is a prayer to the Holy Spirit.

On the day of Pentecost, the Church glorifies not only the Divine Teacher, but also the entire Holy Trinity: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, which is why the holiday is called the day of the Holy Trinity or Trinity Day.

On Trinity, long kneeling prayers are read. The continuous week before Peter's Lent begins.

The day following Trinity is the Day of the Spirits. It is believed that on this day the whole earth is a birthday girl. The land is not plowed, not disturbed, and is allowed to rest. On Spiritual Day, the Church remembers and glorifies the Holy Spirit - the third person of the Holy Trinity, who lit the lights above the heads of the apostles.

The wonderful fragrance of spring herbs is felt especially strongly on this day. Like little suns, kupavki and night blindness are blooming, ruby meadows of field carnations and seas of white daisies are glowing, bluebells are rustling and modest cornflowers are blooming. The lilac has already blossomed, white lacy cherries and snow cherry trees are fragrant, a pink sea of apple trees, golden acacia - everything is blooming, everything is permeated with the sun. During the day, each flower is visited by angels. And at night the nightingales do not let you sleep. And I don’t want to. And mosquitoes are not scary, it’s so good to be in nature on Spiritual Day.

The next Sunday after Trinity is All Saints' Day, and the second Sunday is Russian Saints' Day. On this day, try to light a candle for your patron saint, whose name you bear.

The text is compiled from the books: Today is a holiday. O. Glagoleva, E. Shcheglova. Publication of the Valaam Spasopreobrazhensky Monastery, 2006; V. Krupin. Children's church calendar. M., 2002.