Transfiguration of the Lord: the history of the feast. Apple Savior - Transfiguration of Our Lord

One of the greatest evangelical events celebrated annually in the Christian world is the Transfiguration of the Lord. The history of the holiday began around the 4th century, when, on the initiative of the holy Queen Helena, a Christian church was built on Mount Tabor , consecrated in honor of the Transfiguration. According to the Gospel narratives, the events described occurred about 40 days before the Easter holiday, but Eastern Christians celebrate the holiday in the summer. The tradition of celebrating the Transfiguration in August is connected with the Great Lent: in order not to be distracted mentally from the events of the holy fourteenth month, the holiday was moved to another period of the year. In 40 days after the Transfiguration, Christians celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and the Life-giving Cross, thus reminding ourselves of the chronology of the Gospel events.

Transfiguration. history of the holiday

The story of the feast of the Transfiguration of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is described in the Gospels of Matthew, Luke, Mark, and these three narratives are very similar.

As stated in the Holy Scripture, the Son of God took his beloved disciples - John, Peter and James - and went with them to Mount Tabor with the goal of praying to the Heavenly Father. Here, during prayer, his face brightened like the sun, and the clothes became white as snow. At the same time near the Son of God were the prophets Moses and Elijah, talking with him about the future redemptive suffering.

When the disciples saw such a transformation of their Teacher, Peter, the hottest of them, said: "Teacher, it's good for us to be here, let's arrange here three tents (tents) - To You, to Moses and Elijah." After that, a cloud surrounded them, from which the disciples heard the voice of the Heavenly Father, saying: "This is My beloved Son, Hear Him." Then the vision ended, and Jesus Christ forbade the disciples to tell anyone what they saw until His Resurrection from the dead.

What does this incident mean in a spiritual sense? It is known that the Lord, living on earth, did not make any random signs or miracles. Every extraordinary event described in the Gospels necessarily has an instructive meaning and moral edification. The theological interpretation of the Transfiguration of the Lord is as follows:

1. The phenomenon of the Holy Trinity. It is not the first time since the birth of Christ that the One God has appeared through the Holy Trinity. The first similar event occurred on the day of the Baptism of Jesus Christ, when, at the descent of the Holy Spirit, the voice of the Father, recognizing His Son in Jesus Christ, was heard by all present. The same thing happens on Tabor, when God the Father from the cloud calls to listen to His teaching. This is how the Epiphany occurred, that is, the opening of the Persons of the Holy Trinity to people.
2. The Transfiguration of Jesus Christ demonstrates the union in God's Son of two natures - the Divine and the human. Disputes about the binary nature of Christ for many centuries did not stop among many Christian theologians. In the interpretation of the Holy Fathers, the Transfiguration occurred as a sign of the future transformation of all people in the Kingdom of Heaven.
3. In addition, it is symbolic here and the phenomenon of the prophets of the Old Testament - Elijah and Moses. It is known that the prophet Moses died his death, and the prophet Elijah was taken from the flesh to heaven. In the events of the feast, described by the holy Evangelists, the power of the Son of God over life and death is shown, His royal dominion over heaven and earth.

Date of the Transfiguration

Patristic theological teaching left a pattern to the descendants of how to perceive such an evangelical event as the Transfiguration of the Lord. The history of the holiday is remembered annually by all believing Christians. In the Orthodox Church, this event is celebrated on August 19, according to a new style, and the feast is one of the twelve (that is, one of the 12 great festivals celebrated annually by Orthodox Christians).

Features of the holiday

In the people this holiday is called the Apple Savior. The Transfiguration of the Lord bears this name because on this day, according to the church statute, it is necessary to consecrate the fruits of the new harvest. There is a long-standing pious tradition to bring various fruits to the feast to perform a special prayer on them, which is read in the temples after the Liturgy.

In addition, on this day, Orthodox Christians are allowed to taste the fruits of a new harvest for the first time, since before the feast of the Transfiguration there is a ban on the consumption of fruits of apples and grapes. This is a certain restriction on fresh fruit, which begins with the Petrov fast and ends with the Transfiguration.

When this holiday is celebrated, the clergy wear white garments symbolizing the eternal divine light that Jesus Christ showed on Tabor.

On the Transfiguration of the Lord (the Savior of the Apple) in the Orthodox world, the use of fish as an easing of strict fasting in honor of the holy feast is allowed.

Festive Akathist

Akathist to the Transfiguration of the Lord describes in detail the events of the feast, interpreting the theological features of the evangelical event. Praise and supplicatory prayers, placed in the akathist, are addressed to the Lord Jesus Christ. Each icon ends with the words of the apostle Peter, which he told the Savior in Tabor at the highest moment of heartfelt emotion: "Jesus, the Eternal God, good to us always be under the shelter of Your grace." Thus, as an apostle, we glorify the mercy of God, capable of elevating human nature to Divine majesty.

The transfer of the Transfiguration takes place on August 26, a week after the holiday. Akathist to the Transfiguration of the Lord is often performed in Orthodox churches in the evening, on the day of the feast. Also, it can be read throughout the period of adulthood.

In the Akathist "Transfiguration of Our Lord" the prayer dedicated to the festive event is located at the very end. It is often read in Orthodox churches after the festive liturgy.

Folk traditions of celebration

Orthodox Christians around the world in a special way revere the feast of the Transfiguration of the Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ. There are many centuries of tradition of celebrating this event. On the eve of all Christians are trying to prepare a supply of fresh fruit. Many farmers store fruits grown on their own plot.

On the day of the feast, Christians bring to the temple the most beautiful and ripe fruits and put them on the central table, preparing for the consecration. Very fond of this tradition, young children, they are anxiously waiting for the priest's prayer "for the consecration of fruit, trying to keep fruit baskets on their own, without the help of adults. In some families, it is customary to congratulate each other, to give various gifts for the Transfiguration of the Lord. Congratulation is often made out in a poetic form. After the service, Christians go home for a festive meal. There is a pious tradition to start a dinner with consecrated fruits. There is also a slight easing of fasting - the meal is allowed to eat fish. Many Orthodox hostesses at the Apple Savior (Transfiguration of the Lord) cook a variety of dishes. It can be apple and honey pies, jams.

Transfiguration. Congratulation

Many Orthodox Christians write each other festive greetings in verse, sending telegrams or SMS. For example, it is common practice to give poems to the Transfiguration of the Lord. In addition to written congratulations, among Christians it is customary to treat each other with fruits, apple pies and go to visit.

Celebrating the Transfiguration in the Holy Land

The Transfiguration of the Lord in the Holy Land is celebrated in a special way. Throughout the year, Tabor was beautifully and secluded in Tabor. A few pilgrimage groups visit this place mainly during the period from Lent to Pentecost. But for the Feast of the Transfiguration on Mount Favor there is a special mood, as multiple pilgrims and tourists from Russia fill the pilgrim dormitories and hotel rooms. From the surrounding areas - Kafr Yasif, Nazareth, Aqrah, Haifa, Kana Galilei - also come groups of believers who want to visit the feast directly on the site of the holy event.

After the evening service, pious Christians dine and try to go to bed early to be at the dawn to attend a festive divine service. At the Liturgy, almost all pilgrims commune with the Holy Mysteries. In addition, local believers have a tradition of infant baptism on this holiday.

Christian-natives celebrate the holy event in the opposite direction. Having settled in tents in the monastery yard, they drink alcohol, play musical instruments, dance, shoot guns, sing cheerful folk songs, conduct cheerful conversations, which often turn into finding out the relationship, ending with a fight. Noisy celebration ends at dawn, when the first bell rings, announcing the beginning of matins.

After the service, a religious procession takes place, which the faithful natives greet with cheerful cries and gun shots. Also the reckless fun continues after the Liturgy.

People's Signs of the Transfiguration of Our Lord

Popular traditions of the celebration of such an event as the Transfiguration of the Lord are widespread among the people. The signs left in the popular belief are mainly related to the harvest. For example, there is a tradition on this day to treat beggars or poor people with fruits grown in their garden. In this case, there is a belief that the next year will be especially fruitful. In addition, if this day did not manage to meet the needy beggar, it means that next year will be low-yielding. Thus the proverb was born: "The apple-tree will be eaten in the Apple Savior and the beggar will eat it."

Also there was a tradition on the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord to eat at least one apple with honey. This was considered a guarantee of good health for the next year.

Among other things, there was a tradition to harvest the whole grain crop until August 19, as it was believed that after this date any rain would be fatal to it (the so-called rain-baking).

The church practice of not eating the fruits of fresh harvests is directly related to the degree of their maturity. It is known that apples and grapes fully mature only by the end of August, becoming useful to the body. Also in the popular consciousness, the connection between the violation of the "apple fast" and the sin of Eve, who tasted the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, was deeply rooted, and thus caused the wrath of God to all mankind. That is why in the common people a special way is observing the observance of the tradition not to eat fresh apples in the period before the Transfiguration.

According to the teaching of the Orthodox Church, it is necessary to meet with purity and love the Transfiguration of the Lord. Signs should not be taken seriously, one should not treat them as irrefutable dogmas.

Transformation in 2014

August 19, 2014 The Transfiguration of the Lord was celebrated again. The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church celebrated the Holy Liturgy in the monastery of Solovki. According to custom, after the service the Patriarch of Moscow delivered a sermon in which he told about the history and significance of the Transfiguration in the life of every Christian. Patriarch Kirill cordially congratulated the monastic brotherhood led by Father Archimandrite on the holiday and thanked for the gifts presented. So the congratulation of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on the holy land of Solovetsky passed to the Transfiguration of Our Lord. In addition, the Holy One donated to the monastery the image of the Monk Seraphim of Vyritsky.

The Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, in which the Patriarch served the liturgy, is located on the territory of the Solovetsky Monastery - it is a majestic ancient cathedral, built in 1558. On this day in this cathedral a patron saint is celebrated.

It fell on August 19, 2014 - The Transfiguration of Our Lord - on Tuesday. The peculiarities of the festive worship are such that if on August 19 falls on a Sunday, all the characteristics of the Sunday service are canceled. Hymns, stichera, canon will be dedicated only to the main holiday, especially since this is the Transfiguration of the Lord. The divine service, which will be performed on any other weekday, does not differ from the Sunday version.

Features of this service:

• The whole service is dedicated only to the holiday.
• In the morning, the celebration of the feast with poems from the chosen psalm is sung.
• "Honest" for matins is not sung, is replaced by the choruses of the holiday.
• The Liturgy is sung by the antiphons of the Transfiguration.
• On the grand entrance is read the entrance festive verse.
• The Hymnal is sung.
• After reading the prayer in the salvation, the consecration of the fruits of the new harvest takes place.
• At Vespers, on the very day of the feast, a great prokeimena is sung.

Conclusion

Very important in the Christian world is the Transfiguration of the Lord. The history of the holiday reveals its symbolism. The mountain, undoubtedly, designates silence and a secluded place - these are the conditions for a mental connection with God in pure prayer. The name "Favor" is translated as "light, purity", which symbolizes the purification of the soul from the burden of sins, its enlightenment in God. The Transfiguration of the Savior marks the main goal of the Christian life - the complete victory of the spirit over bodily passions, the purification from everyday dirt and the acceptance of the Divine light, which is possible for any person who aspires to God.