Let us remind you that on April 7, Orthodox Christians around the world celebrate the holiday. The history of the date suggests that on this day Archangel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary the good news that she would become the mother of the son of God - Jesus Christ.
The holiday of April 7 is an event when adults and children try to spend the day without committing sins and adhering to traditions. Main question on this day for many - is it possible to work for. Read further about all the prohibitions for the holiday.
So, answering the question about whether it is possible to work for the Annunciation, we answer: as in any other big religious holiday, you should not engage in heavy labor or do housework. It is better to dedicate your day to self-education and spiritual development as much as possible.
As for what you should not do on the Annunciation, it is worth remembering that it is not advisable to leave home (it is better to postpone the trip), you cannot work on the land or trim trees. It is believed that it is on this day that the Lord blesses everything that grows, and the plants grow and begin to turn green.
Under no circumstances should girls braid their hair on April 7th. It was believed that because of this, you could confuse your threads of fate and your whole life would go awry.
What you can’t do for sure is that you can’t give anything away from home, and especially don’t borrow money from someone. Otherwise, you may be giving away your health and well-being.
What day of the week does April 7th fall on, on that day you cannot start new things throughout the year.
You don’t wear new clothes on Annunciation Day—or you’ll tear them and get them so dirty you can’t wash them. Previously, girls who wanted to show off their new clothes on this day wore them secretly on themselves for several days so that no one would see.
You cannot sew, weave or knit anything. This ancient prohibition is due to the fact that human life is a thread that can only be controlled by guardian angels and the Lord himself. On this day, the probability of confusing the threads of life is extremely high. This can lead to the destruction of a family or the emergence of strife with relatives and friends, transfer of fate from one person to another, etc.
What not to do on the Annunciation - prohibitions that have been passed on from mouth to mouth for centuries, so it’s worth listening to them. Let us remind you that his dietary restrictions are still ongoing. Therefore, there are points that you need to know about what you can eat on the Annunciation.
Since the Annunciation falls on , it is worth adhering to the requirements of Lent (we published earlier about delicious ones for this period). But as an exception and in honor of the holiday, you can relax and eat fish. Meat, eggs, and milk are still excluded from the meal.
But there are important exceptions: if the Annunciation falls on Holy Week, fish is not allowed.
Now you know what you cannot do on the Annunciation, and also what you can eat on the Annunciation. Happy holiday!
Photo: cover - Treti Pivni Workshop, open sources on the Internet
Among the people, the holiday of the Annunciation, which is celebrated on April 7 every year, is considered predominantly for women. Therefore, many signs about what you can do on this day and what you need to refuse apply specifically to women. The Virgin Mary is the mother of Jesus Christ and it is believed that she asks the Lord for a woman’s share, being next to him. On the day of the Annunciation, if you pray to the Mother of God with a pure heart and with great faith in your soul, she will definitely hear and help.
The history of the holiday is connected with the Archangel Gabriel, sent by the Lord and the young Virgin Mary. She learned from the Archangel on this very day that a miracle had happened, the Holy Spirit had descended on her, and after the allotted period of pregnancy she was destined to give birth to the Son of God. On this big holiday, you need to give up housework and be sure to go to church. An ancient tradition in Rus' is to release birds from cages into the wild one day, high into the sky, so that they fly straight to the Lord.
What not to do on Annunciation:
*Work primarily around the house. After all, this holiday does not always fall on a day off and refuse to go to work on modern world a person cannot. But household chores need to be postponed until another day, this is a church holiday and work is prohibited.
*You should not leave home on this day, especially if you go on a long trip.
*Work on the land is prohibited; you must even refuse to trim trees. Because the people believed that on the day of the Annunciation the Lord blesses everything that grows, the plants grow and begin to actively turn green.
*Girls do not braid their hair on this day, just as birds do not build nests. If you do complex hairstyles on a holiday, you can tangle the threads of your destiny, just like the hair on your head gets tangled. Everything in life can go wrong from this.
*You cannot borrow anything from home, including money, on a holiday. People believed that with the thing borrowed on this day, you can give a person your health and well-being.
*You should not wear new clothes.
*Do sewing, weaving or knitting. Again, due to the fact that the threads of fate may get tangled.
This folk signs about the prohibitions on the Annunciation, which not everyone supports the church, but for many generations they were passed on from mouth to mouth and were preserved in our tradition. Again, do not forget that during this period there is Lent before Easter and almost all fasting prohibitions are not annulled. Therefore, you cannot have fun too actively, talk loudly. As for the holiday menu, fasting makes an exception and fish can be included in the diet.
What to do on Annunciation Day
By old tradition, which is beginning to actively revive these days, birds were released on this holiday. Especially white doves. Birds must fly high into the sky and report to the Lord God about good deeds the person who released them.
Previously, in villages, special Annunciation salt was prepared for the Annunciation. It must be said that this is a folk sign; it has nothing to do with church rules. Each family member had to take a pinch of ordinary salt and throw it into the bag. Then the mistress of the house calcined the salt over the fire, put it in the red corner and stored it there for years for certain occasions. For example, if someone got sick, a bag of this salt was placed at the head of that person’s bed so that he would recover faster.
Important! If during the year the Annunciation salt is not useful and remains until the new holiday, then it must be burned the next day, April 8. Together with it, the flame will consume misfortunes, troubles and illnesses that could be in store for the family next year.
Common signs and customs for the Annunciation:
*Decorate someone's small item. The sign is contradictory, because theft in Christianity is a great sin, but the people believed that this way one could attract great luck to oneself.
* Be careful with fire on this day.
*In Transcarpathia, before dawn on Annunciation, unmarried girls combed their braids and walked around their house three times, swept their parents’ hut, but collected the garbage and took it to the river, next to which they buried it in a deep hole. Then you need to collect water from the river and water the beds where you plan to plant the seeds. It was believed that such a ritual could provide a good match for marriage and a happy family life.
*If you find a primrose on this day, then this summer a young girl will definitely get married.
*In the evenings in the villages they gathered around the fires and held modest round dances and jumped over the fire. But all this must be done modestly and without much noise, because
The most revered holiday in Orthodoxy - the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary - not only interesting story, but also interesting signs and beliefs. Our ancestors believed that by observing them, you could bring happiness to your home and make all family members healthy.
HISTORY OF THE HOLIDAY
The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated annually on April 7. And if the holiday falls during Lent, it is allowed to eat fish on this day. But why is the holiday so revered?
The fact is that on this day the Archangel Gabriel told young Mary the Good News that she would become the Mother of the Son of God: “Rejoice, full of grace! The Lord is with you; Blessed are you among women." It is also believed that it was on this day that the conception of Jesus Christ took place. And the good news about the approaching birth of the Savior spread throughout the world.
WHAT NOT TO DO ON THIS DAY
From time immemorial, there were many prohibitions on this special day. So, for example, it is considered that working is a special sin. They say that on this day “not even a bird builds a nest.” But given that most of us will still have to work, in the evening put all everyday worries aside and relax with your family.
Also on the Annunciation, as well as on any other holiday for Christians,no handicrafts allowed - weave, knit, embroider. By the way, this ban is especially strict on the Annunciation. It is believed that human life is a thread controlled by God and angels. And on this day there is a particular risk that the threads of destinies may get tangled and other people’s problems and troubles will be transferred to you.
You can't wear new clothes.
It is unknown where this ban came from. But ethnographers found a very interesting detail: it turns out that in the old days, girls put on new clothes a few days before the holiday, and old ones on top, so that no one would see them. And they wore it all day. And then for the Annunciation they changed clothes (theoretically, new things were already considered worn) and became fashionable on the street!
Girls should not comb their hair on this day.
It is believed that after such a procedure, the hair becomes brittle and begins to fall out. True, this does not mean that you have to go to work without your hair. The fact is that on holidays girls often combed their long hair, devoting more than one hour to this activity. So this particular procedure was banned.
And finally, on the Annunciation You cannot do gardening work.
But the next day, April 8, the ancestors, on the contrary, strongly advised us to devote almost all our time to this so that the harvest would be good!
WHAT YOU MUST DO
In the old days there was a tradition on this day release the birds , so that they take the news of the good deeds of man to the guardian angels.
Back on this day You definitely need to stock up on Annunciation salt. To do this, each family member takes a pinch and pours it into a bag. Then the housewife heats it in a frying pan over high heat and pours it into a jar or bag. This salt can be stored for a year. According to legends, she can heal even a hopelessly ill family member.
The Russian Orthodox Church classifies the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary as one of the twelve (that is, 12 most important) immutable (celebrated on the same day) holidays. The holiday is celebrated on March 25 according to the New Julian calendar, which is followed by the Russian Orthodox Church and some other denominations. According to modern chronology, the feast of the Annunciation always falls on April 7.
According to the gospel interpretation of this event, the Lord sent the Archangel Gabriel to Nazareth to the Virgin Mary to tell her that she would become the mother of the son of God, who was destined to become the savior of mankind. Being obedient to God's will, the Virgin Mary accomplished the first stage of atonement for the Fall committed by Eve, who, despite the ban, tasted the forbidden fruit.
On the Annunciation, it is prohibited to sew, weave or knit anything. This ancient prohibition is due to the fact that human life is a thread that can only be controlled by guardian angels and the Lord God himself. On this day, the probability of confusing the threads of life is extremely high. This can lead to the transfer of fate from one person to another, the destruction of a family, etc.
Knowledgeable people On this day, special Annunciation salt was prepared. Each family member had to take a pinch of salt and pour it into a bag. After this, the mistress of the house heats the salt over the fire and saves it for special occasions. According to popular belief, Annunciation salt can heal even the most hopeless patient. If it is not needed within a year, it must be burned in a bonfire built on the occasion of the next feast of the Annunciation. Our ancestors were sure that all adversities, illnesses, strife and troubles would burn with her. This also applies to the prosphora and holy water brought from the service, which in the Christian world are considered almost a panacea.
After the Annunciation service, the girls in the church courtyard started a spring round dance for the first time - “crooked dance”. Vesnyanki, who sang during the dance, were called guards, because, despite the holiday, Lent continued. Perhaps this is why people were not supposed to visit on the Annunciation. The holiday was celebrated in a narrow family circle. They were most afraid that during the feast a strange woman or girl would knock on the door: according to legend, she could turn out to be a witch. Therefore, in order not to incur the wrath of their neighbors, women tried to stay at home on this day.
Lend something or, conversely, give money and things to strangers. Otherwise, you may lose your well-being, health, peace and quiet in your family. This requirement should be strictly observed, even if the person asking you for something is well known and you are uncomfortable refusing him. It is important to ensure that nothing is taken from your home. Therefore, it is not advisable to invite guests on April 7th. The holiday is usually celebrated with family.
They don't start something new. Otherwise, there will be no success in business. The modern sign that says that serious things cannot be started on Monday (construction, business, etc.) had a different interpretation in the old days. Previously, it was believed that one should not undertake any business on the day of the week corresponding to the past Annunciation. For example, if this celebration fell on Wednesday, then it was considered an unlucky day next year.
This day should be spent the way you would like. According to legend, it is believed that whatever this holiday is like for you, it will be like that for the rest of the year. Therefore, you should not be offended at the Annunciation or quarrel with the people around you. On the contrary, you need to spend the day in a good, bright mood. Don't be alone. Even if you don’t have your own family, take the opportunity to visit your family and meet friends. For people who have pets, it is advisable to feed them well. Crumbs of blessed prosphora should be added to the food. Thus, the owner protects not only himself, but also his pets from diseases in the future.
Also on this day, Annunciation salt was prepared, which was later used as a medicinal potion. All family members put a pinch of salt in a bag, and then the housewife poured the salt onto the brazier and calcined it. The calcined salt was again poured into the bag and used as a universal remedy for all diseases. Annunciation prosphora was also used as a remedy.
The Russian Orthodox Church classifies the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary as one of the twelve (that is, 12 most important) immutable (celebrated on the same day) holidays. The holiday is celebrated on March 25 according to the New Julian calendar, which is followed by the Russian Orthodox Church and some other denominations. According to modern chronology, the feast of the Annunciation always falls on April 7.
According to the gospel interpretation of this event, the Lord sent the Archangel Gabriel to Nazareth to the Virgin Mary to tell her that she would become the mother of the son of God, who was destined to become the savior of mankind. Being obedient to God's will, the Virgin Mary accomplished the first stage of atonement for the Fall committed by Eve, who, despite the ban, tasted the forbidden fruit.
On the Annunciation, it is prohibited to sew, weave or knit anything. This ancient prohibition is due to the fact that human life is a thread that can only be controlled by guardian angels and the Lord God himself. On this day, the probability of confusing the threads of life is extremely high. This can lead to the transfer of fate from one person to another, the destruction of a family, etc.
Knowledgeable people prepared special Annunciation salt on this day. Each family member had to take a pinch of salt and pour it into a bag. After this, the mistress of the house heats the salt over the fire and saves it for special occasions. According to popular belief, Annunciation salt can heal even the most hopeless patient. If it is not needed within a year, it must be burned in a bonfire built on the occasion of the next feast of the Annunciation. Our ancestors were sure that all adversities, illnesses, strife and troubles would burn with her. This also applies to the prosphora and holy water brought from the service, which in the Christian world are considered almost a panacea.
After the Annunciation service, the girls in the church courtyard started a spring round dance for the first time - “crooked dance”. Vesnyanki, who sang during the dance, were called guards, because, despite the holiday, Lent continued. Perhaps this is why people were not supposed to visit on the Annunciation. The holiday was celebrated in a narrow family circle. They were most afraid that during the feast a strange woman or girl would knock on the door: according to legend, she could turn out to be a witch. Therefore, in order not to incur the wrath of their neighbors, women tried to stay at home on this day.
Lend something or, conversely, give money and things to strangers. Otherwise, you may lose your well-being, health, peace and quiet in your family. This requirement should be strictly observed, even if the person asking you for something is well known and you are uncomfortable refusing him. It is important to ensure that nothing is taken from your home. Therefore, it is not advisable to invite guests on April 7th. The holiday is usually celebrated with family.
They don't start something new. Otherwise, there will be no success in business. The modern sign that says that serious things cannot be started on Monday (construction, business, etc.) had a different interpretation in the old days. Previously, it was believed that one should not undertake any business on the day of the week corresponding to the past Annunciation. For example, if this celebration fell on Wednesday, then it was considered an unlucky day next year.
This day should be spent the way you would like. According to legend, it is believed that whatever this holiday is like for you, it will be like that for the rest of the year. Therefore, you should not be offended at the Annunciation or quarrel with the people around you. On the contrary, you need to spend the day in a good, bright mood. Don't be alone. Even if you don’t have your own family, take the opportunity to visit your family and meet friends. For people who have pets, it is advisable to feed them well. Crumbs of blessed prosphora should be added to the food. Thus, the owner protects not only himself, but also his pets from diseases in the future.
Also on this day, Annunciation salt was prepared, which was later used as a medicinal potion. All family members put a pinch of salt in a bag, and then the housewife poured the salt onto the brazier and calcined it. The calcined salt was again poured into the bag and used as a universal remedy for all diseases. Annunciation prosphora was also used as a remedy.
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