Ancient signs for the trinity. What to do for Trinity in church and at home. What you need to do on Trinity

15.07.2020

June 4– The Orthodox Church celebrates the Day of the Holy Trinity today. The holiday is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter, which is why it is also called Pentecost.

It is known that Holy Trinity Day is celebrated for three days: Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Moreover, on all these days prayers are read in churches and the dead are commemorated.

It is worth noting that it is customary for believers on Trinity Day after the festive service in churches to visit each other and give gifts. Orthodox Christians also decorate their houses with tree branches in honor of this holiday.

Do's and Don'ts

According to folk traditions and signs, on the feast of the Holy Trinity, as in any other Orthodox holiday, you can not perform various work - sewing, washing, washing, cleaning, etc. All housework and chores must be completed before the holiday.
Especially strictly on the holiday it is forbidden to work on the ground, including digging, planting and mowing grass.

Those who do not follow the old customs and violate the prohibitions, according to beliefs, can suffer significant damage. So, for example, for those who plow - livestock may die, for those who sow - the hail will beat the crops. And for those who spin wool, the sheep will go astray, and so on.

These days you can cook for festive table and feed and water livestock and domestic animals. On a holiday, the whole family decorates the house with branches of various trees, flowers and greenery, consecrated in the church. The feast of the Holy Trinity always falls on Sunday - on this day, believers try to attend the festive service in the church in the morning, partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ and devote time to prayer.

Is it possible to work for the Trinity

In the old days, on the days of great holidays, people always tried to put off all things, believing that this was not pleasing to the Lord, since work, as a rule, did not argue and did not bring a positive result.

The clergy explain that by working on the day of the Trinity, we seem to show our disrespect to God, therefore, if possible, on the days of big holidays, such as the Trinity, it is better to postpone all things, including work in the garden. Of course, there are especially important things that cannot be moved to another day, but it is better to start doing them only after attending a service and praying. In addition, in the modern world there are many works that must be done daily, without breaks and weekends, so if a believer cannot visit the temple, he can pray at home or at work.

Is it possible to swim on Trinity

According to folk tradition, it is not recommended to swim in the reservoirs on the Trinity. In ancient times, this was explained by the fact that during this period “mermaids walk”, which can drag a person into their kingdom. People on the holiday also refrained from swimming in the house - they tried not to come close to the water, even just to wash themselves.
The clergy argue that there is not and cannot be any reason not to allow bathing on the Trinity. Just don't replace going to church and praying beach holiday which would certainly be a sin. You can go to nature after the service, especially since the Trinity always falls at the end of May or the beginning of June, when the weather is hot.

What else can not be done

It was forbidden to hold weddings and celebrate weddings on Trinity, but wooing on this holiday was considered an auspicious omen - living together will be long and happy. On the holiday of the Trinity, it is forbidden to think about the bad, swear with loved ones, be offended by others and wish someone bad.
It was also forbidden to go to the forest on the Holy Trinity. In the old days, it was believed that Leshii and Mavki (evil forest spirits) guarded people there, lured them into the depths of the forest and tickled them to death. But the girls who wanted to know their future, breaking the ban, still ran the forest to tell fortunes about their betrothed.

Customs and signs

The week before Trinity is called Green - during the week the girls weave wreaths for all family members and bring them home. If the wreath has not wilted by the Trinity, then the person will live happily ever after. On Trinity, it was customary to decorate rooms with flowers, young grass and green branches, which symbolizes prosperity and the continuation of life. To do this, they used branches of birch, mountain ash, maple, mint, lemon balm - people believed that the more greenery there was in the house for the Trinity, the happier the house would become. In the church, during the service, herbs and bouquets of wild flowers were consecrated, which were dried and stored for a whole year as a talisman against the evil eye. After the festive morning service, the plot and the house were consecrated with holy water in order to ward off otherworldly forces in this way. From ancient times, a fun feast was arranged - close people and relatives were invited to a festive dinner, who were treated to the Trinity loaf, egg dishes, pancakes, pies, jelly. They gave each other funny gifts. Rusks from the Trinity loaf were kept to be added to the wedding cake for the newlyweds as a sign of happiness and love. On Trinity, it is useful to walk barefoot on the grass, collect and dry medicinal plants (thyme, mint, lemon balm), which are subsequently used as medicine. Since ancient times, people believed that on this day the earth and greenery have a special healing power. On the Trinity and subsequent days, they always wore their pectoral cross, as a talisman that would protect against otherworldly creatures. Among girls, it was considered an important custom to float a woven wreath. If the wreath floated far, then you can prepare for the wedding, if it drowns, then it will be trouble, and if it moored to the shore, then she will have to wait a long time for marriage. And in order to see the betrothed in a dream, it was necessary to put birch twigs under the pillow.

On the Trinity, you cannot follow common signs and superstitions, many of which just give advice on what supposedly “not” to do on the Trinity (swim, walk in the forest and in the field, work, etc.). First of all, you need to live this day in a Christian way - go to the temple, pray, take communion, try to be kind and attentive to your loved ones, spend your free time with them. For a Christian, there are no prohibitions on certain types of activities on an ordinary or holiday day, if they do not harm his soul. Neither bathing, nor walking, nor work will interfere with a believing person if he remembers God. On the Trinity, every believer tries to visit the temple, where on this day, after the Liturgy, special kneeling prayers are read for the forgiveness of sins, the mercy of God and the bestowal of the grace of the Holy Spirit. But a Christian can only preserve and multiply this grace in his life, following the Gospel, and not superstitious rules. And most importantly - not only on the Holy Trinity, but also on any other day, you can’t keep negative thoughts in yourself, don’t wish bad on anyone, forgive all insults to your family and friends, step over them and leave them in the past to find peace morally and physically.

Material prepared on the basis of open sources

In 2018, a very important Orthodox holiday Trinity was celebrated on May 27. Yesterday in all Orthodox churches the relevant services were held, but for now it would be appropriate to recall the history of this holiday once again.

The most important Orthodox holiday Trinity is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter Sunday. This entails its displacement from day to year. The second name of the holiday is the following definition - Pentecost. The holiday is old, so we can safely talk about the rich history.

Trinity 2018: the history of the holiday

Having plunged into a long history, one can pay attention to such an important aspect as the fact that on this day the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles. Jesus Christ promised his disciples that after death he would send them the Holy Spirit, with the help of which they would learn to carry the good news to the world. It was on the fiftieth day after the resurrection of the Savior that the flames of the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles. After that, the apostles were able to speak in different languages and went to preach in the world and carry the word of God.

The feast of the Holy Trinity is carefully prepared. Many traditions have survived to this day. In particular, housewives try to clean the house by decorating the rooms with fresh greenery and flowers.

On this day, the whole family gathers at the table. As for the festive table, it should be simple. So, meat, salads, potatoes, regular soup will be appropriate. It is customary to visit the Trinity, as well as organize mass festivities on the street. At one time, young people danced round dances, entertained themselves with the help of ditties and songs.

A remarkable feature of the Trinity is the fact that this day is associated with matchmaking. The fact is that before the guy had the right to approach any girl he liked and offer her to become his wife. If the girl agreed, then the matchmakers were immediately sent.

The girls on the Trinity asked the Almighty to send them a good spouse. But the mothers of the girls dried a piece of the festive cake, which they then brought to the wedding for the young. This was considered a moment that would bring good luck and happiness to a married couple for many years to come.

Trinity: signs, traditions and customs

On the day of the Holy Trinity, it is customary to decorate your houses with grass, flowers, green branches of trees: maple, willow, linden. Aspen, sometimes willow, was considered a forbidden tree by our ancestors. Branches were attached to the windows, to the gates, and it was customary to cover the floor with herbs: lovage, mint, calamus, or, as it is popularly called, Tatar potion.

It was believed that these days the plants have a special protective power, so they protected families from all troubles, helped the sick to recover.

Trinity: what not to do

It is believed that a wedding should not be scheduled on Trinity - supposedly nothing good awaits such a family. It is impossible to sew, bake and work in the garden, as well as on other big Christian holidays, on the Trinity.

Trinity coincides with the end of hard work and preparation for the harvest. Those people who do not rest on this day, according to legend, are waiting for misfortune: for those who plow, the cattle will fall, for those who sow, the hail will beat the crops. Those who spin wool will make their sheep go astray.

Spirits Day is the day after Trinity, when it is forbidden to work on the earth, but you can look for treasure in it. Allegedly, the earth on this day will definitely give good man something valuable.

The people believed that mythical creatures - mavkas and mermaids - come to the Trinity, therefore it is undesirable to go alone into the forest or into the field, Rosregistr informs the portal. Also, you can not drive livestock into the forest. And you can’t swim on Trinity, otherwise, according to ancient beliefs, mermaids will be pulled to the bottom.

What you need to do on Trinity

collect herbs: it is believed that it is on the Trinity that all the healing power is collected in them;
decorate the house with branches of maple, birch, oak and mountain ash. But in no case should you take a willow. From flowers, preference should be given to daisies and cornflowers, from herbs - calamus (cleanses the house of negativity), lovage, mint, fern and wormwood (protect from evil and give strength, health and energy to overcome life's obstacles). You can’t throw these branches into the trash, otherwise everything good will leave the house. A week later, they just need to be burned at the stake;
go to church services. Our ancestors, when they came to church, always took with them the grass that was used in the decoration, it became known w. Such grass was considered a family talisman from many troubles;
commemorate those who died not by their own death: suicides and those who went missing. To do this, they go to the cemetery and distribute alms;
put only festive dishes on the table. If the hostess baked bread or a pie, then she hid a piece of it and tried to keep it until the time when her daughter would get married. Our ancestors believed: in this way, daughters can be guaranteed a successful marriage, and the husband will not drink;
guess at fate. Unmarried girls floated their own woven wreaths that they had. If the wreaths converged, then it was worth waiting for the matchmakers. In addition, dreams on a festive night were considered prophetic.

What herbs to bless in the church on the Trinity?

With the advent of Christianity on Trinity, people came to church for a prayer service with a bunch of wildflowers and herbs. They believed that holy water enhances their healing and protective properties. Therefore, the consecrated herbs were not thrown away, but preserved. Basically, wormwood, lovage, calamus, tansy, thyme, mint and lemon balm were collected on Trinity.

Wormwood (chernobyl)

With the smoke of dry wormwood, it was advised to fumigate the dwelling before a housewarming party, and then they attached a bunch of grass over front door at the threshold, in order to "not give passage" to the house of dark forces. "Bitter grass" was credited with the ability to protect against mermaids, who were very active during Trinity week.

It was believed that a traveler who hides a leaf of wormwood in his shoe can walk many miles without getting tired, and if you look at the flame of a fire lit in honor of the summer solstice through a bunch of wormwood, this will provide good eyesight for the whole year.

In folk medicine, the root of wormwood was used as a sedative, and the leaves as painkillers and regulating the activity of the gastrointestinal tract and the menstrual cycle.

calamus marsh

Calamus stems were scattered on the floor in all rooms. It was believed that he attracts good spirits to the house, cleanses the house and strengthens the health of the inhabitants. They believed that calamus brings good luck, wealth, peace of mind and reliably protects only those who have no evil in their souls from adversity, otherwise the plant does not show its magical power.

Calamus tinctures were made for rinsing the mouth, and a piece of the dried root was advised to be kept in the mouth near the inflamed gums, as a disinfectant. They also washed their heads with a decoction of marigold flowers, calamus root and burdock so that the hair would not fall out.

lovage

Lovage ("love root", "lucky grass") protected from any witchcraft, evil eye, damage or evil spirits. Lovage root was added to bathing water. It was believed that water with it can cleanse not only the body, but also the soul, and can also attract love. Girls washed their hair with a decoction of lovage, and mothers put lovage in their daughters' beds: so that the girl "chooses her own happiness, not someone else's, and so that it stays with her forever."

In folk medicine, decoctions, infusions and teas from lovage were used as a diuretic, cardiac, expectorant, cleansing and analgesic. And its fresh leaves, slightly wrinkled, were applied to the forehead to relieve headaches of any origin.

Tansy

Tansy was also considered a herb amulet. They believed that if you carry her leaves with you, then there will be a lapel for every “love spell”. In modern times, tansy leaves and flowers are often used as a moth repellant.

In folk medicine, tansy is used for fever, as an antihelminthic, for gastrointestinal diseases, gout, rheumatism, diseases of the liver and gallbladder. And medicinal preparations from tansy increase the secretion of bile, tone up the muscles of the digestive organs, increase blood pressure, normalize heart rhythms, and also have wound healing and anti-inflammatory effects.

Thyme (creeping thyme)

The Slavs respectfully called thyme “female grass” (“Mother of God grass”) and believed that a bunch of thyme in the house could help a woman attract her betrothed, give birth and raise a child, and keep peace in the family. The grass could be sewn into a pillow (it was believed that it was able to get rid of nightmares) or carried with you as a charm, in the form of an incense or sewn into clothes. In order to drive an unpleasant person away from the house, they poured powder from dried grass into his shoes. In the villages, livestock was fumigated with the smoke of dry thyme grass, protecting it from damage or the evil eye.

They believed that a sprig of thyme would give a man who carries it with him courage, courage, perseverance, courage and bring success in all endeavors. In ancient Rome, soldiers bathed in water infused with thyme to gain strength, courage and energy (“thymus "- means "strong", "courageous").

The aroma of thyme and tea from it soothe and drive away insomnia. Thyme has been used in folk medicine as an expectorant, diaphoretic, sedative and analgesic. Thyme lotions disinfected wounds and relieved pain. Aromatic thyme baths were considered curative for diseases caused by impaired metabolism. It was added to medicinal infusions that cured alcoholism, kidney disease, stomach and intestinal pain, and joint pain.

Peppermint and lemon balm (lemon balm)

Fragrant mint was credited with the ability to scare away evil spirits, cleanse the house and protect it from enemies. Even in ancient times, they noticed that the aroma of the plant is able to restore peace of mind and dispel the blues. Perhaps this is because the aroma of mint and teas from its leaves activate mental activity. Therefore, in ancient Rome, it was recommended to wear mint wreaths to the classes of ancient philosophers, and the tables were rubbed with the leaves of the plant before receiving guests, believing that its aroma contributes to a lively table conversation and uplifts the mood.

Our ancestors used the aroma of fresh crushed mint leaves as a remedy for drowsiness, and dried mint leaves were sewn into a pillow to normalize sleep.

Mint and lemon balm tea has a calming effect on nervous and heart diseases, regulates the function of the gastrointestinal tract, is able to restore tone to the body in case of loss of strength, quench toothache and refresh the oral cavity. Warm balm leaves can be used to treat skin inflammations, and if you chew mint leaves with honey, they will eliminate the smell of alcohol.

One of the main Christian holidays - Holy Trinity Day in 2018 is celebrated on May 27 - Orthodox Church on this day, he remembers the gospel event - the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, which is described in one of the books of the New Testament.

The holiday does not have a specific date in church calendar, since it is tied to the day of the celebration of Easter - it is celebrated on the 50th day after the Bright Resurrection of Christ.

Sputnik Georgia asked what signs are associated with the Day of the Holy Trinity, what can and cannot be done on this great holiday which has one day of forefeast and six days of afterfeast.