The Twelfth Feast of the Theotokos in Orthodoxy. Twelfth holidays of the Orthodox Church

In the Orthodox Church, every day is marked with a memorable event. Surely every baptized person has heard the phrase “twelfth holidays” at one point in their life. What does it mean? To which church dates does this name apply? And what is this strange word - “twelfth”?

What is the twelfth holiday?

This name arose from the Slavic “twelve” - that is, “twelve”. In the church classification, these holidays are the most significant after Easter, and they are celebrated with special celebration. All twelve holidays are dedicated to the events of the earthly life of Jesus Christ and Holy Mother of God. In the Typicon (the statutory document of the Church regulating the rules and procedure for performing divine services) they are marked with a red cross in a full circle, which also emphasizes their significance.

There are dates relating to the twelve holidays, such as pre-celebrations, post-celebrations and giving. In the first case, believers prepare for a great event and begin to celebrate in advance. In secular tradition, by the way, there is an unspoken sign that it is impossible to celebrate the holiday in advance, as well as to congratulate it. In Orthodoxy, the forefeast day prepares a person for celebration, reminds him of events, and helps him tune himself into a spiritual wave that he may have lost due to being busy with everyday affairs.

Afterfeast- This is a continuation of the holiday, which usually happens a few days later. A giving, as you guessed, is a “farewell” to the holiday until its next onset. The spread of celebrations over time, even if a person cannot always attend the service, thanks to the presence of a calendar, helps one to remember and, together with the entire Church, live through the events of the holiday, think about one’s soul, the meaning of life, and mentally compare oneself with the “heroes” of memorable dates. This allows the believer to engage in spiritual self-development, because comparison with a saint will certainly show his own imperfection.

What Orthodox holidays belong to the twelfths?

Here they are, many of them are probably familiar to you:

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple
Nativity
Epiphany
Presentation of the Lord
Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem
Ascension of the Lord
Day of the Holy Trinity
Transfiguration
Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Why is Easter not one of the twelve holidays?

But you are probably wondering: why is everyone’s favorite Easter, the day of the Bright Resurrection of Christ, not among these holidays? The greatness and significance of the events of Easter for Orthodox Christians is so great that this date, the day on which the Crucified Jesus Christ rose from the dead, rose from the grave after a painful death, is usually placed above the twelve holidays. The Resurrection of Christ, as it were, crowns these important memorable dates. By the way, on the icon of the twelve holidays, the fragment dedicated to Easter is traditionally depicted in the middle, while the events of the twelve holidays are placed around the perimeter of the icon.

Icon depicting the twelve feasts

Moving and non-moving holidays

The basis for the worship of the Orthodox Church is the annual calendar. It is he who determines the dates of celebrations and the order of service. The twelfth holidays are movable (that is, their date always changes depending on the indications of the calendar) and immovable (that is, they have a strictly fixed date).

Moving holidays include:

Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday). It is celebrated a week before Easter, and is always celebrated on different dates, since Easter is also a moving date on the calendar.
The Church remembers the Ascension of the Lord on the 40th day after the feast of the Holy Resurrection of Christ, and, as we see, it also completely depends on this date.
Trinity Day falls on the 50th day after Easter.

Permanent holidays make up the majority among the twelve (dates in brackets according to the new, modern style):

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary - September 8 (21);
Exaltation of the Holy Cross - September 14 (27);
Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the temple - November 21 (December 4);
Christmas - December 25 (January 7);
Epiphany - January 6 (19)
Presentation of the Lord - February 2 (15);
Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary - March 25 (April 7);
Transfiguration of the Lord - August 6 (19);
Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary - August 15 (28).

Lord's and Mother of God holidays

Another classification of the twelve holidays concerns their content. It has already been said above that the holidays are dedicated to the events of the earthly life of Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Therefore, another division of them was called the Lord's and the Theotokos.

Lord's holidays:

Exaltation of the Holy Cross;
Nativity;
Epiphany;
Transfiguration;
Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem;
Ascension of the Lord;
Day of the Holy Trinity.

Mother of God holidays:

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the temple;
Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
Meeting of the Lord.

How are the twelve holidays different, besides who are they dedicated to? Features of the service when it falls on a particular date, day of the week, or a coincidence in date with each other. The Lord's holidays, as well as Sunday - Little Easter - will always take priority over the Feast of the Theotokos in the rite of worship.

The meaning and significance of the twelve holidays

Speaking about the twelve holidays, their name, dedication and classification, we must not forget about their meaning. This is how it will become clear why these 12 events have special veneration among Orthodox Christians.

1. Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

An important mission was assigned to save fallen humanity from slavery to sin. It is through Immaculate Virgin, born from righteous parents, Joachim and Anna, Jesus Christ was about to come into the world. And so it happened. Old Testament prophecies warned about the birth of the Mother of God and Her appearance was predetermined. She became the Gate through which God came to people, becoming outwardly similar to them.

2. Exaltation of the Holy Cross

In 326 in Palestine, during excavations by the Empress Catherine of Constantinople and the Bishop of Jerusalem Macarius, three crosses were discovered, the same ones on which Jesus Christ and two thieves were crucified. According to legend, when one of the crosses was placed on a sick woman, she received healing. This is how a significant Christian shrine was defined. Cross in ancient world was considered an instrument of shameful execution, and thanks to the Lord it became a symbol of the salvation of the soul, showing that spiritual self-development, the desire for godlikeness will not be simple, but associated with incessant work and even suffering. The name “Elevation” is due to the fact that during the service dedicated to the holiday, the Cross is raised for viewing by all those praying. This tradition dates back to the time when the shrine was found.

3. Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the temple

When Saint Mary was 3 years old, her parents fulfilled the vow given at birth: to dedicate the child to God. When the Girl was brought to the temple and placed on the first step, She suddenly overcame them on her own, which caused considerable surprise. And the high priest Zechariah intensified this surprise: he brought the little Mother of God into the very Holy place Jerusalem Temple, the Holy of Holies, where only he could enter and only once a year. From then on, Saint Mary lived in the innermost temple room until she was 12 years old, when she was married off. This event also shows the role of the Mother of Christ in the fate of all humanity.

4. Christmas

The Christmas holiday is familiar to many, and everyone understands perfectly well that January 7 is considered the date of birth of Jesus Christ two thousand years ago. That’s right, on this day we remember the coming of the Savior to human civilization, who was supposed to show with His life how a person mired in sin, infected with the terrible disease of death, could be healed and become like God. Righteous Joseph, the husband of the Mother of God, was supposed to come to the city of Bethlehem for the population census announced by the Roman emperor. The family did not have the opportunity to stay at a hotel, so they spent the night in a cave. There the Baby Jesus was born to Mary. First the local shepherds came to worship, and then the wise men with gifts. The Jewish king Herod learned about the birth of Christ. Fearing that the event was a real attack on his power, he sent soldiers to kill all the babies in Bethlehem. Miraculously Righteous Joseph, Mary and Jesus were warned and fled to Egypt.

5. Baptism of the Lord

When people in Russia talk about the Feast of Epiphany, also called the Epiphany in the Church, ice holes in reservoirs invariably come to mind, Epiphany water and swimming in the freezing cold. In fact, on January 19, we remember the events of antiquity, when in the waters of the Jordan River, John the Baptist, better known as the Baptist, performed the baptism ceremony over Jesus Christ. On that day, by the way, it was established as a sacrament and now all Orthodox Christians resort to it in order to become members of the Church. According to legend, the Holy Spirit descended from heaven on Christ in the form of a dove, and a voice was heard from heaven proclaiming: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).

6. Presentation of the Lord

The unknown word “sretenie” is literally translated from Slavic as “meeting”. Who met whom? As already mentioned, Jewish tradition prescribed that one should bring one’s first-born children to the temple to dedicate the latter to God. As in the case of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the parents did the same. Simeon, a respected theologian-translator who, according to legend, lived for more than 300 years, met righteous Joseph and Mary together with the Infant Christ. Simeon took Jesus in his arms, blessed him and said the words that later became the famous prayer “Now you let go...”. The meeting of the Infant God with an old representative of the Old Testament Church symbolizes the meeting of humanity with God.

7. Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Feast of the Annunciation tells us about the events associated with the “good news.” Archangel Gabriel appeared and said that it was She who would become the Gate through which the Savior would come to human civilization. The angel said that the Son would need to be called Jesus, and Holy Mary expressed agreement with the high mission ahead of Her.

8. Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem

People usually call this day Palm Sunday, and the branches of the tree are taken to the temple, consecrated and then kept somewhere in the house all day... In Israel there was no willow, but there was a palm tree, and it was the branches of this tree that were originally symbols of the holiday. A week before His death on the cross, Jesus Christ, already glorified by His preaching, miracles and good deeds, was heading to Jerusalem. He rode into the city on a donkey’s colt (although He could have done this riding on a beautiful horse and as part of a whole column), thereby giving people an example of modesty. The inhabitants of the city greeted Jesus as a king: the road along his route was strewn with palm branches and glorified with the most enthusiastic words. In the Jerusalem Temple, Christ dispersed the merchants who had turned the House of God into a real bazaar, healed sick people and retired to the city of Bethany. It can be said that events Palm Sunday became a kind of pre-celebration of Easter.

9. Ascension of the Lord

Ascension refers to holidays celebrated after the Resurrection of Christ. The resurrected Jesus appeared to his disciples for 40 days and spoke about the Kingdom of Heaven. At the end of this period, he rose to heaven, telling the surprised apostles the famous life-affirming words: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen” (Matthew 28:20). This holiday speaks of deification and shows what fate a person who lives according to the commandments of God will receive.

10. Trinity Day

This holiday can be considered the birthday of the Orthodox Church. Already on the 50th day after Easter, the Holy Spirit descended from heaven on the apostles, disciples of Christ, supernaturally making them able to preach the faith, speak other languages, and teach people.

11. Transfiguration of the Lord

In Russia folk tradition dubbed the holiday “Apple Savior.” Jesus Christ climbed Mount Tabor, where he called the apostles Peter, James and John with him to prayer. During prayer, the face of Christ suddenly lit up bright light, and the clothes also became light. The prophets Moses and Elijah appeared before the apostles and began to talk with the Lord! After these events, Jesus forbade the apostles to talk about what they saw until His resurrection. But this incident showed the divinity of Christ’s origin, although until the very end of His earthly life those close to him could only guess about it.

Many people who are not so far from the church, if you ask them what kind of holidays there are Orthodox Church, fall into a stupor.

And really, what kind of days are these and what does the church celebrate on them?

And how many are there anyway?

Twelfth holidays in calendar order

To begin with, I would like to clarify that the calendar year in the church begins not on the first of January, which people are accustomed to, but on the first of September. Also, according to the Julian calendar (new style), in order to understand the exact date of the celebration, you need to add thirteen days to the date according to the old style.

Many sources differ in the dating of the celebration, so this article will include both.

The Orthodox Church, unlike the Catholic Church, celebrates all twelve holidays using the new style date. But there are also exceptions for which it is more preferable old style. It is worth considering this before going to the liturgy.

At all, The twelve feasts are celebrations established in honor of the Son of God - Jesus Christ. They also include holidays relating to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Take into account: Among them there are those that are fixed, whose date has been fixed over the centuries, and there are those that depend on others. For example, at least three holidays depend on Easter.

List of 12 Orthodox holidays

The list of holidays in the year is presented below:

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary begins both the calendar year of the twelve feasts and the circle of the Mother of God celebrations, and is celebrated on September 8 ( September 21 according to new Art.). This is, in fact, the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary at St. Joachim and St. Anna. This event was captured on the icons of the same name, as well as in the Holy Scriptures.
The second twelve holidays in the calendar year are Exaltation of the Holy Cross, which is celebrated on September 14 (September 27 according to new Art.). This festival is very important for all of Christianity, since around this day, several dozen centuries ago, the cross that Jesus Christ carried to Calvary, the greatest relic of the Christian church, was found. After this, the persecution of Christians practically ceased, and a time of peace began for several years.
No less important is Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple, which meant that St. Joachim and St. Anna recognizes the will of God and gives her only daughter to serve Him. This event is celebrated in the church on November 21 ( December 4 according to new Art.). Just like Christmas, the Introduction was reflected in icons, as well as in several works of literature.
One of the most important holidays is rightfully considered Nativity, celebrated by the church on December 25 ( Jan. 7 according to new Art.). On this day, according to Holy Scripture, the Lord Jesus Christ was born in a cave. This event is depicted on many icons, and in literature it is even given separate place.When this holiday is celebrated, temples may hold their services throughout the night.
Thirty years after his birth, the Lord was allowed to be baptized (previously it was impossible to preach if the preacher was unbaptized). This event - Epiphany- celebrated in the church on January 6 ( January 19 according to new Art.). It is included in the circle of main holidays of the Orthodox Church, therefore special liturgies are served on this day.
Previously, on the fortieth day after the birth of a baby boy, parents carried him to the temple in order to dedicate him to God. So in the life of Jesus Christ there was such a moment, now celebrated by the church on February 2 ( February, 15 according to new Art.) . Since he was the firstborn, Joseph and Mary without hesitation carried him to the temple, where the elder St. had been waiting for him for about three hundred years. Simeon the God-Receiver.
Some time after leaving the temple and living with her betrothed Joseph, an Angel comes to the Virgin Mary, who announces to Her that the Savior of the world is in Her womb.
As a rule, this holiday is celebrated on March 25 ( April 7 according to new Art.). Kontakia of praise and prayers are said several days before the holiday itself.
On the last Sunday before Easter the church celebrates Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, which meant the voluntary coming of Jesus Christ to his death. There is no exact date for the celebration; it is a moving festival depending on Easter. This day is called differently Palm Sunday.
The next holiday that also depends on Easter- This Ascension of the Lord. It is celebrated, as a rule, after forty days and is very important for the church. On this day the Lord ascended to heaven. From this day on, the reading of the troparion “The Lord is risen from the dead...” stops.
Another, no less important holiday is Trinity Day(“Trinity”, popularly), otherwise referred to as the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles or Pentecost. Celebrated on the fiftieth day after the Resurrection of Christ. The Church celebrates this day as a memory of the Holy Spirit, who descended on the Apostles and made it possible to carry the good news in many languages.
August 6 ( August 19 according to new Art.) celebrates in church Transfiguration- the day when Jesus Christ appeared before his three closest disciples praying on the mountain.
This holiday is popularly called Apple Savior. This day completes the circle of feasts of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Completes the calendar circle of the Twelfth and Mother of God holidays Dormition of the Mother of God- the day when Holy Virgin Mary fell asleep peacefully and went to heaven to be with her Son. As a rule, this festival is celebrated on August 15 ( August 28 according to new Art.). This is one of the main holidays that every Christian knows.

The church has a lot of holidays - the days of remembrance of a variety of saints, martyrs, reverends, and holy martyrs are celebrated every day, but these twelfth holidays are the most important in the Orthodox calendar year.

She was considered crazy, but it was her cross - a voluntarily taken upon herself feat of foolishness

REMEMBRANCE OF ALL DEAD WHO SUFFERED IN THE YEAR OF PERSECUTION FOR THE FAITH OF CHRIST

How many there are and where their graves are - only God knows. Exiled, tortured, killed - they maintained their faith, enduring indescribable, inexplicable, inhuman torture. Through their blood and prayers the Russian Church stands, strengthens and resurrects. Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia...

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The righteous Joachim and Anna lived in the city of Nazareth. Both of them lived to old age, but had no children. They fervently prayed that the Lord would give them a son or daughter, and made a promise that if a child was born to them, they would dedicate him to serving God at the temple. The Lord heard their prayer: they had a daughter, whom they named Mary.
The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated on September 21(8).

Troparion, voice 4th:
Your Nativity, Virgin Mary,
joy to proclaim to the whole universe:
from You has arisen the Sun of righteousness, Christ our God,
and having broken the oath, I gave a blessing,
and having abolished death, he gave us eternal life.

Kontakion, voice 4th:
Joachim and Anna reproach childlessness,
and Adam and Eve were freed from mortal aphids,
Most Pure One, in Your holy Nativity.
This is what Your People celebrate,
having freed yourself from the guilt of sins, always call Ti:
The Mother of God and the nourisher of our life gives birth to barren fruits.

2. Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple

(Introduction). When the Virgin Mary was three years old, Joachim and Anna fulfilled their promise and brought Her to the Jerusalem Temple. The High Priest met the Virgin Mary at the entrance and, at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, led Her into a special place, the Holy of Holies, where he himself could only enter once a year. The Virgin Mary remained to live at the temple and spent most of her time in prayer and reading holy books.
The Blessed Virgin Mary lived at the temple until she was 14 years old. After this, according to the law, She had to return to her parents or get married. But Joachim and Anna had already died by this time, and the Virgin Mary did not want to get married, since she had promised to remain a virgin. Then the priests betrothed Her to a distant relative, the eighty-year-old elder Joseph, so that he would take care of Her as his daughter. Joseph lived in Nazareth: he was a poor man and was engaged in carpentry.
The Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated on December 4 (November 21).

Troparion, voice 4th:
Today of God's favor the transfiguration
and preaching the salvation of men:
in the temple of God the Virgin clearly appears,
and proclaims Christ to everyone,
We too will cry out loudly:
Rejoice, fulfillment of the Lord’s vision.

Kontakion, voice 4th:
The Most Pure Church of the Savior,
the valuable palace and the Virgin,
sacred treasure of the glory of God,
today he is brought into the house of the Lord,
co-leading grace, even in the Divine Spirit,
The Angels of God are singing:
This is the village of heaven.

3. Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Luke 1:26-38)

(Annunciation). When the Virgin Mary lived with Joseph, the Archangel Gabriel was sent to Her by God to tell her the good news about the birth of the Savior of the world from Her. He appeared to Her with these words: “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with You, blessed are You among women.” The Virgin Mary was embarrassed and thought: what does this greeting mean? The Archangel continued: “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God; You will give birth to a Son and call Him Jesus.” The Virgin Mary asked in bewilderment: “How can this be when I am not married”? The Archangel answered Her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon You and the power of the Most High will overshadow You, therefore the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.” The Virgin Mary said with humility: “I am the servant of the Lord, let it be done to me according to Your word.” And the angel departed from Her.
The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated on April 7 (March 25).

Troparion, voice 4th:
The day of our salvation is the greatest,
and the manifestation of the sacrament from the ages,
The Son of God is the Son of the Virgin,
and Gabriel preaches grace.
In the same way, we will cry out to the Mother of God:
Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.

Kontakion, voice 8th:
The elected Voivode is victorious,
like having gotten rid of the evil ones,
Let us sing thanksgiving to Thy servants, O Mother of God:
but as having an invincible power,
free us from all troubles,
let us call Ti: Rejoice, Unbrided Bride.

4. Christmas (Luke 2:1-21)

(Christmas). The Roman Emperor Augustus ordered a national census to be taken in the land of Judea under his control. To do this, every Jew had to go and register in the city where his ancestors lived. Joseph and Mary went to the city of Bethlehem to register. Here they could not find a place in the house, since a lot of people had gathered in Bethlehem on the occasion of the census, and they stopped outside the city in a cave where shepherds drove cattle into a bad pagoda. Here at night the Blessed Virgin gave birth to a Baby, wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger.
On the night of the Nativity of Christ, the Bethlehem shepherds grazed their flocks in the field. Suddenly an angel appeared to them. The shepherds were afraid. But the angel told them: “Do not be afraid! I bring you great joy: on this night the Savior of the world was born, and this is a sign for you: you will find a Child wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” At this time, many angels appeared in heaven, praising God and singing: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
When the angels disappeared, the shepherds began to say: “Let us go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.” They came to the cave and found Mary, Joseph and the Child lying in a manger. They worshiped Him and told Joseph and Mary what they had seen and heard from the angels. On the eighth day after His birth, He was given the name Jesus.
Christmas is celebrated on January 7 (December 25).

Troparion, voice 4th:
Your Nativity, Christ Our God,
The rise of the world, the light of reason,
there are servants of the stars in it
I follow a star
I bow to you to the Sun of Truth
and I lead you from the heights of the East:
Lord, glory to You!

Kontakion, voice 3:
The Virgin is giving birth today to the Most Essential,
and the earth brings the den to the Unapproachable:
Angels and shepherds praise,
The wolves travel with the star:
For our sake, the Young Child, the Eternal God, was born.

5. Presentation of the Lord (Luke 2:22-39)

(Candlemas). The Jews had a law that on the fortieth day after his birth the first son should be brought to the temple to be dedicated to God. In this case, they sacrificed: the rich - a lamb and a dove, and the poor - two pigeon chicks. When Jesus Christ was forty days old, the Virgin Mary and Joseph brought Him to the Jerusalem Temple and, since they were poor, they sacrificed two doves. On the same day, Elder Simeon came to the temple, who was predicted that he would not die until he saw Christ the Savior. He met Mary and the Child and, taking Him in his arms, said: “Now I can die in peace, because my eyes have seen the Savior of the world.”
In the temple there was the widow Anna the prophetess, 84 years old, who told those present that this Child is the Savior of the world.
The Presentation of the Lord is celebrated on February 15 (2).

Prayer of St. Simeon the God-Receiver,(sung at Vespers, 1st part of the All-Night Vigil):
Now dost thou release thy servant, O Lord,
according to Your word, in peace;
for my eyes have seen Your salvation,
which you have prepared in the presence of all people,
light in the revelation of tongues
and the glory of Your people Israel. (Luke 2:29-32).

6. Baptism of the Lord (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:32-34)

(Baptism). When Jesus Christ turned 30 years old, He went to the Jordan River to John the Baptist to be baptized by him. John at first refused, saying: “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered him: “Leave it, we need to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John baptized Him. When Jesus Christ emerged from the water, the heavens suddenly opened above Him and the Spirit of God descended on Him in the form of a dove, and the voice of God the Father was heard from heaven: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Since the Holy Trinity appeared during the Baptism of the Lord, this holiday is also called Epiphany.
The Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated on January 19 (6). On this holiday, in the church, water is blessed twice. The first time after the Liturgy, which is served on the day before the holiday. This water is called “Evening Water”. For the second time on the day of the holiday after the Liturgy, a procession of the Cross takes place, which is called “Walking to the Jordan.” During this Procession of the Cross the water is blessed, which is called “Epiphany water”.

Troparion, voice 1st:
In the Jordan I am baptized to You, Lord,
Trinitarian worship revealed:
Your parents' voice bears witness to You,
calling your beloved son:
and the Spirit, in the form of a dove,
your worded statement:
appear Christ God,
and the world of enlightenment, glory to You.

Kontakion, voice 4th:
You appeared today to the universe,
and Your light, O Lord, shines upon us,
in the mind of those singing Ty:
You have come and you have appeared as an unapproachable Light.

7. Transfiguration of the Lord (Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36)

(Transfiguration). Shortly before His suffering, Jesus Christ took with Him three of His disciples: Peter, James and John and went up with them to Mount Tabor to pray. While He was praying, the disciples fell asleep. When they woke up, they saw that Jesus Christ had been transformed: His face shone like the sun, and His clothes were white as snow, and Moses and Elijah appeared to Him in glory and talked with Him about the suffering and death that He had to endure in Jerusalem . When Moses and Elijah left Jesus Christ, Peter exclaimed: “Lord! we feel good here; We will make three tents: one for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” Suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and they heard a voice from the cloud: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; Listen to him." The disciples threw themselves to the ground in fear. Jesus Christ approached them, touched them and said: “stand up, do not be afraid”! The disciples stood up and saw Jesus Christ in his usual form.
The Transfiguration of the Lord is celebrated on August 19 (6).

Troparion, voice 7th:
You were transfigured on the mountain, O Christ God,
showing to Your disciples Your glory, as to a man:
may Your ever-present light shine upon us sinners,
through the prayers of the Mother of God, Light-Giver, glory to Thee.

Kontakion, voice 7th:
You appeared on the mountain,
and as a place that contains Thy disciples,
I have seen Your glory, O Christ God:
Yes, when they see You crucified,
suffering will then be understood as free,
they preach to the world,
for You are truly the Father's radiance.

8. Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-19; Luke 19:29-48; John 12:12-19)

(Palm Sunday). Six days before Easter, Jesus Christ left Bethany for Jerusalem. Halfway along the road, at his request, the disciples brought a donkey and a colt to him so that he could ride on them. They covered them with their clothes and Jesus Christ sat down and rode to Jerusalem. And as He rode, a multitude of people came out to meet him from Jerusalem. Some took off their clothes and spread them along the road; others cut palm branches, carried them in their hands or threw them along the road, and everyone loudly exclaimed: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest! The children especially diligently and joyfully greeted the Savior and even in the temple shouted to Him: “Hosanna to the Son of David”!
The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is celebrated on Sunday, a week before Easter. During the service, willow trees (instead of palm branches) are blessed and distributed. This happens during Lent, before Holy Week. On this day, students usually receive communion with their parents and teachers.

8a. Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:1-15; Mark 16:1-11; Luke 24:1-12) (John 20:1-18; Corinthians 15:3-5)

(Resurrection of Christ. Resurrection. Easter of Christ). On the first day after Saturday, early in the morning, Jesus Christ rose from the dead. At the same time it happened strong earthquake. An angel of the Lord descended from heaven; his appearance was like lightning, and his robe was white as snow. He rolled away the stone from the door of the tomb and sat on it. The warriors standing guard fell to the ground out of fear and became as if they were dead, and then, having come to their senses, they fled. Some of them came to the high priests and told what had happened. The high priests gave them money and taught them to say that at night, while they were sleeping, the disciples of Jesus Christ came and stole His body.
Feast of Feasts, Resurrection of Christ, Easter, celebrated on the first Sunday after the first spring full moon between April 4 (March 22) and May 8 (April 25). At midnight (Saturday to Sunday) Easter Matins is served, followed by the Liturgy. After these services ends Lent and you can break your fast (eat modestly, not fast). Easter is celebrated for seven days.

Stichera at the beginning of Matins, voice 6th:
Your Resurrection, O Christ the Savior,
Angels sing in heaven:
and vouchsafe us to the earth
glorify You with a pure heart.

Troparion:
Christ is risen from the dead,
death death is trampled,
and to those in the tombs life was given freely.

9. Ascension of the Lord (Mark 16:15-19; Luke 24:46-53; Acts 1:2;4-26)

(Ascension). On the fortieth day after the resurrection from the dead, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to His disciples and told them to stay in Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit. Then He led them out of the city to the Mount of Olives and, raising his hands, blessed them, and when he blessed them, he began to ascend into heaven. Finally, a bright cloud hid Jesus Christ from the sight of the disciples. They looked at the sky for a long time. Suddenly two angels in white robes appeared to them and said: “Men of Galilee! Why are you standing and looking at the sky? This Jesus, who has ascended into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him ascend into heaven.” The disciples bowed to the ascended Lord and joyfully returned to Jerusalem.
The Ascension of the Lord is celebrated in the fortieth day after Easter, always on Thursday.

Troparion, voice 4th:
Thou art exalted in glory, O Christ our God,
joy created by the student,
the promise of the Holy Spirit,
the former blessing notified to them:
for You are the Son of God, the Savior of the world.

Kontakion, voice 6th:
Having already looked after us,
and uniting those on earth with those in heaven,
You are exalted in glory, O Christ our God,
not leaving at all, but remaining persistent,
and cry out to those who love Thee:
I am with you, and no one else is with you.

10. The descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles (Acts 2;14:23)

(Holy Trinity. Trinity. Pentecost). On the fiftieth day after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the apostles with the Mother of God and other believers were together and prayed. At three o'clock from the beginning of the day, a noise was suddenly heard from the sky, as if from strong wind, and filled the whole house where they were, and tongues of fire appeared and rested on each of them. Everyone was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to praise God different languages, which were not known before.
In Jerusalem at that time there were many Jews who came from different countries, on the occasion of the Feast of Pentecost. Hearing the noise, they gathered near the house where the apostles were, and were surprised that simple, unlearned people spoke different languages. Then the Apostle Peter spoke and explained to the people that they had received the Holy Spirit from Jesus Christ, who was crucified but rose from the dead. Those who heard this sermon were touched in their hearts and asked Peter: “What should we do?” Peter answered them: “Repent and be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. And on that day about three thousand people were baptized.
The descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles signifies the end of the New Testament and the beginning of the apostolic preaching and the history of the Christian Church. The events before the Descent of the Holy Spirit are described in the Gospel, and the Descent itself and after it are described in the book of the Apostle.
The descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles is celebrated on fiftieth day after Easter and is called the day of the Holy Trinity or Pentecost. The Holy Trinity always happens on Sunday and is celebrated for three days. There is no fasting throughout the week, that is, Wednesday and Friday are not fasting; that's why it's called "solid".

Troparion, voice 8th:
Blessed are you, Christ our God,
Like the wise fishers of phenomena,
sending down the Holy Spirit upon them,
and with them catch the universe,
Lover of humanity, glory to Thee.

Kontakion, voice 8th:
When the tongues merged,
dividing the languages of the Most High:
when the fiery tongues were distributed,
in connection with the whole appeal:
and accordingly we glorify the All-Holy Spirit.

11. Dormition of the Mother of God

(Assumption). After the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God lived in Jerusalem in the house of the holy Apostle John the Theologian. She was notified of her dormition three days in advance by the Archangel Gabriel. Then, according to Her desire, all the apostles, except Thomas, were miraculously gathered to Jerusalem by the power of God. At the hour of her death, an extraordinary light illuminated the room where the Mother of God was; The Lord Jesus Christ Himself appeared and received Her most pure soul, and Her apostles buried Her body in the Garden of Gethsemane, in the cave where the bodies of Her parents and righteous Joseph rested. Three days later, the Apostle Thomas arrived and wished to venerate the body of the Mother of God. But when they opened the cave, they did not find a body there. The apostles stood in bewilderment. Suddenly the Mother of God Herself appeared to them and said: “Rejoice! I will always be your prayer book before God.”
The Dormition of the Mother of God is celebrated on August 28 (15).

Troparion, voice 1st:
You preserved your virginity at Christmas,
in the Dormition you did not forsake the world, O Mother of God,
You reposed to the belly, Mother of the Being of the Belly,
and through Your prayers You deliver our souls from death.

Kontakion, voice 2:
In prayers the never-sleeping Mother of God,
and in intercession there is immutable hope,
the coffin and death cannot be withheld:
like the Mother of the Belly,
Place in the belly into the womb of the ever-virgin one.

12. Exaltation of the Holy Cross

(Exaltation). The first Christians were ancient Jews and experienced great persecution from Jewish leaders who did not follow Jesus Christ. The first Christian martyr, the Holy Protomartyr Stephen, was stoned to death for preaching Christianity. After the fall of Jerusalem, many times more terrible persecution of Christians began from the pagan Romans. The Romans were against Christians, since Christian teaching was complete opposite customs, morals and views of the pagans. Instead of selfishness, it preached love, put humility in place of pride, instead of luxury, taught abstinence and fasting, eradicated polygamy, promoted the emancipation of slaves, and instead of cruelty called for mercy and charity. Christianity morally elevates and purifies a person and directs all his activities towards good. Christianity was prohibited, severely punished, Christians were cruelly tortured and then killed. This was the case until 313, when Emperor Constantine not only freed Christians, but also made Christianity the state faith.
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross is celebrated on September 27 (14).

The Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, the last of the twelve feasts, is described in the textbook on the Law of God as follows:
Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The persecution of Christians continued for about three hundred years, and ended only under Emperor Costantine the Great, who himself accepted the Christian faith. His mother, the pious Queen Helena, went to Jerusalem to find the cross on which the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified.
It was pointed out to the queen that the cross of Christ was buried in the ground, and a pagan temple was built in that place. When, by order of Elena, they broke down the building and began to dig the ground, they found three crosses and next to them a tablet with the inscription: “Jesus Christ of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”
To find out which of the three Crosses of the Lord they began to place on the deceased. No miracle happened from the two crosses, but when they laid the third cross, the dead man was resurrected, and thus they recognized the cross of the Lord.
Everyone who was there wanted to see the holy cross. Then the Patriarch of Jerusalem Macarius and Queen Helena stood on an elevated place and erected a cross, and the people bowed to him and exclaimed: “Lord, have mercy!”

Troparion(Tone 1)
God bless your people,
and bless Your inheritance,
victories by an Orthodox Christian
granting to the resistance,
and preserving Your residence by Your Cross.
In Russian(translation by ANM)
God bless your people,
and bless Your inheritance,
victory for Orthodox Christians
grant on enemies
and preserving Your residence by Your Cross.
Kontakion(Tone 4)
Ascended to the Cross by will,

Orthodox Christians rejoice in Your power,
giving them victories for comparison,
benefit to those who have, Your weapon of peace,
invincible victory.
In Russian(translation by ANM)
Ascended to the Cross by will,
your namesake new residence
Grant Thy compassions, O Christ God:
make the Orthodox Christians glad in Your power,
give them victories over their enemies,
benefit to those who have, Your weapon of peace,
invincible victory.


	Icon "Twelfth Holidays". Butenko's workshop.

Church holidays are the center of the liturgical life of the Church; with their solemnity, they seem to anticipate here on earth the future heavenly bliss for the righteous, and the memories associated with these holidays Sacred History our Salvation and about the saints God's people, who showed in themselves the image of holiness and could say: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me,” have exceptional edifying significance for all members of the Church - they teach us how to believe correctly and how we should love God. With its holidays, the Church testifies to Its Unity, uniting together the past history of our Salvation and our present life, the Heavenly Church, composed of triumphant saints, and the earthly Church, of those who repent, are saved and achieve holiness. This is how the great Serbian theologian Rev. writes about church holidays. Justin (Popovich) (+1978):

“The whole life of the Church is continuous service to God, therefore every day in the Church is a holiday, for every day there is Divine service and remembrance of the saints. Therefore, life in the Church is continuous worship and life “with all the saints” (Eph. 7:18). The Saints today we are handed over to tomorrow's, tomorrow's to the next day's saints, etc., all year round without end. Celebrating the memory of the saints, we prayerfully and truly experience their grace and holy virtues to the extent of our faith, for the saints are the personification and embodiment of the gospel virtues, the immortal dogmas of our salvation. Orthodox Divine Service There is living life A Church in which every member of the Church participates through the experience of everything that is Divine and human, everything that is apostolic and patristic, in a word - everything that is Orthodox. In this experience, the entire Theanthropic past of the Church is present as the reality of our days. In the Church, all the past is the present and all the present is the past, and moreover: only the boundless present exists. Everything here is immortal and holy, everything is theanthropic and apostolic conciliar, everything in the Church is Ecumenical.

In fact, human salvation consists in conciliar life “with all the saints” in the Theanthropic body of the Church. This life is continuous and permeates our every day, for every day the memory of one or more saints who work in the matter of our salvation is celebrated. Our prayerful communication with them creates salvation for us, therefore it is necessary to celebrate all holidays, without exception, the feasts of the Lord, the Mother of God, the Angels, the Apostles, the feasts of the holy martyrs and all the others. All day and night services create our salvation, and in all this is the entire God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head and Body of the Church, with all the holy and enduring truths and His endless life with all His eternities.

Each holy dogma of our Theanthropic faith has its own holiday: the Incarnation - Christmas, the Resurrection - Easter, faith - the holidays of the holy martyrs, - and all other holy virtues - the holidays of all other saints. The truths of holy dogmas are experienced by every believer in the “Body of Christ,” the Church. Every dogmatic truth is experienced as immortal life and the organic part of the Eternal Hypostasis of the God-Man: “I am the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6). Holy Services are experiences of holy eternal dogmatic truths. For example, the dogma of the God-manhood of the Lord Jesus Christ is experienced in the Nativity, Annunciation, Transfiguration, Resurrection and other feasts of the Lord. This eternal truth is constantly and fully experienced and thus becomes our every second life. “Our residence is in heaven, from where we wait for the Savior, our Lord, Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20; Col. 3:3)” (The Orthodox Church and Ecumenism. Part 1, Chapter 8).

Types of holidays

Separation church holidays on their subject. According to the subject in honor of which they are established, holidays are divided into:

A) Lord's- dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ and the memory of his accomplishment of our Salvation (Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension, etc.), as well as veneration Holy Cross of the Lord (Exaltation, Sign of the Cross, etc.),

b) Theotokos- dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos, Her life (Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, Entry into the Temple, etc.), who appeared to Her miraculous icons(Vladimir, Iverskaya, Kazan, etc.), and Her miracles (Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary).

V) Saints- dedicated to the veneration of the heavenly angelic forces of the disembodied (the Council of the Archangel Michael, etc.), holy forefathers, prophets, apostles and equals of the apostles, martyrs, saints, saints, righteous people, etc.

Civil holidays. In addition to these church holidays, the Holy Church has since ancient times celebrated civil holidays associated with special events in the life of the Christian state and society - this is the beginning of the indictment on September 1 (14) and the new year - January 1 (14), the “renewal of Constantinople” dedicated to the establishment of St. Equal to the Apostles Constantine the new capital of the Roman Empire - New Rome, Constantinople, which became the center of the Christian Kingdom. While the Christian monarchy existed in Russia, the Church celebrated the royal days, dedicated to prayer for the Kings and members of the reigning house - accession to the throne, anointing to the throne, birthday and namesake. Now that, due to our sins, the kingdom was taken away from us, royal days are not celebrated, and the New Year, after the introduction of a new calendar by the Bolsheviks (generally creating great confusion in the correlation of civil and church days), lost its social meaning.

General church and local holidays. Some holidays are solemnly celebrated by the entire Orthodox Church or by whole local churches(thus, the Feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated especially solemnly in the Russian Church), others are the subject of special celebration in individual localities, dioceses and churches. Local holidays are, for example, temple holidays - in honor of those saints in whose memory the temple or chapels in the temple are consecrated. Celebrations of temple saints are in this case more solemn than in other places and have their own characteristics. So, for example, in the churches of the “Resurrection of the Word”, dedicated to the feast of the Renewal of the Temple of the Resurrection of the Lord in Jerusalem, St. equal to Constantine in 335, on this holiday (September 13), according to custom, the Easter Service is celebrated.

Movable and fixed holidays. According to the time of celebration, holidays are divided into fixed and moving. Fixed holidays occur annually on the same dates of the month, but in different days weeks, and moving weeks, although they fall on the same days of the week, move to different numbers of months. Movable holidays, with regard to the time of celebration, depend on the Easter holiday, which annually moves from one date to another between March 22 and April 25.

Degrees of church holidays

According to the importance of the remembered events and persons and the solemnity of the Divine service, holidays are divided into great, medium and small.

Great Holidays

IN liturgical books are marked with a red cross in a red circle.

a) The highest category of these holidays is the “holiday feast” of Holy Pascha, which has an exceptional solemn service, which at Matins consists almost exclusively of the singing of the famous Paschal Canon of St. John of Damascus.

b) Holy Easter is followed in special solemnity by 12 great feasts of the Lord and the Theotokos, called the twelve feasts. These are the twelve most important holidays in Orthodoxy after Easter. They are dedicated to the events of the earthly life of Jesus Christ and the Mother of God (according to the chronology of the church year, which begins on September 1 (14):

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary- September 8 (21),
Exaltation Life-giving Cross God's- September 14 (27)
Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple- November 21 (December 4),
Nativity- December 25 (January 7),
Epiphany (Epiphany)- January 6 (19),
Presentation of the Lord- February 2 (15),
Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary- March 25 (April 7),
Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (week of Vai)- a week before Easter (Sunday before Easter) – moving,
Ascension of the Lord- 40th day after Easter, always on Thursday - moving,
Trinity Day (Pentecost) - 50th day after Easter, always on Sunday - moving,
Transfiguration- August 6 (19),
Dormition of the Mother of God- August 15 (28).

In Russia, these holidays were also civil holidays until 1925.
These holidays depict the history of our salvation from the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (it is believed that this event is the boundary of the Old and New Testaments), Her life, the Nativity of the Savior, His Theanthropic Feat, ending with the Ascension of Christ, the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary - the first deified man, completely united with God , and the memory of St. being in Jerusalem. Equal to the Apostles Helen, mother of St. equal to Constantine, the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord - which marks the highest triumph of the Christian Faith - the transition of a great many people, including the most powerful Roman emperors themselves, under the sign of the Cross of the Lord, the recognition by the most powerful of people of their dependence on the will of God and their expression of hope in its power. From the beginning of our salvation in the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Church leads us through the circle of the twelve feasts to the establishment of the complete triumph of the Christian Faith in Heaven and on earth.

c) Except for these holidays, to the greats (not the twelve) relate:

Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary- October 1 (14);
Circumcision of the Lord- January 1 (14);
Nativity of John the Baptist- June 24 (July 7);
Holy Chief Apostles Peter and Paul- June 29 (July 12);
Beheading of John the Baptist- August 29 (September 11);

Features of the celebration of great holidays.

About the great holidays in the Typikon (Chapter 47) it is said: “the vigil and the entire service of the holiday are performed according to the rules.”

IN church celebration great holidays should be distinguished: the day of the holiday itself and the days of the pre-celebration, post-celebration and giving away of the holiday.

Long before some great holidays, the Church begins to prepare us for their meeting - even a month and a half before the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, at matins they begin to sing: “Moses drew the Cross,” from November 21 in churches they sing: “Christ is born - glorify.”

Then the Church introduces us with the days of forefeast (they do not exist at the Entry of the Lord and at the non-twelfth great feasts) into the immediate vicinity of the celebration. Along with prayers and hymns to the saints remembered these days, the Church offers prayers and hymns in honor of the upcoming holiday. The twelfth holidays have 1 day of forefeast, with the exception of the Nativity of Christ, which has 5 days, and Epiphany, which has 4 days of forefeast. Easter has no pre-celebration.

The days of after-feast constitute a continuation of the holiday. These days, along with hymns to the saint, the Church sometimes remembers and glorifies the participants in the event, and in general, the event of the former holiday. The number of days of after-feast varies from 1 to 9 days, depending on the greater or lesser proximity of some holidays to others or to days of fasting: Annunciation - 1 day (and from Saturday of Lazarus - no after-feast), Nativity of the Mother of God and Her Entry into the Temple - 4 days, Nativity of Christ and Pentecost - 6 days, Transfiguration and Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord - 7 days, Presentation - an unequal number of days in each year, from 0 to 7 days, Epiphany and Ascension - 8 days, Dormition of the Mother of God - 9 days, non-twelfths Great holidays - 1 day. The after-feast of Easter lasts 40 days.
The last day of the after-feast is called the day of the celebration of the holiday and differs from the days of the after-feast in the greater solemnity of the Divine service, because the following of this day holds most of the prayers and chants of the holiday itself.
The feasts of the Nativity and the Beheading of John the Baptist, the Circumcision of the Lord, the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, and the holy chief apostles Peter and Paul have no forefeast, afterfeast, or giving away.

Worship.

Services for the twelve feasts of the fixed circle are located in the Menaions of the Months, where services to saints and holidays for each day of the year are located. Services for the twelve feasts of the moving circle are located in the Lenten and Colored Triodions, where all the services of the Easter cycle are recorded.
During the pre-feast period, at services dedicated to the ordinary days of Menaion, chants of the coming great holiday begin to appear, increasing in number and culminating on the day of the holiday itself, when only these festive chants are sung. On the days of the post-feast, the content of the services again returns to the saints and the events of the Menaion, but there are also festive chants, the number of which decreases, and on the day of the celebration they again predominate.
At the festive all-night vigil of all twelve feasts, litia is served (which means “intensified prayer”). At the litia, church-wide and local saints are remembered, and special petitions are made for deliverance from all sorts of disasters. At this time, a special litany is sung with repeated “Lord, have mercy.” Then there is a blessing of five loaves (in memory of the gospel miracle of feeding 5,000 people with five loaves), as well as wheat, wine and oil (oil). This custom dates back to ancient times - it is the consecration of the “fruits of the earth,” during which people pray to God to send abundance, prosperity and peace. During the burning of the bread, the troparion of the holiday is solemnly sung three times.
On great holidays all-night vigil It can be especially solemn and long; on these days, the entire service is dedicated to the celebration of the holiday, not containing any other additions. On the great twelve holidays, each hymn of the morning canon contains 17 or 18, and on Easter there are 19 hymns and most of the service is not read, but sung.
When one of the four Lord's holidays falls on a Sunday - the Exaltation, the Nativity of Christ, the Epiphany and the Transfiguration - the entire service is exclusively festive in nature, and the Sunday element is completely omitted (“on Sunday we sing nothing”).

On great holidays, the church is decorated with special light covers and the service is performed in full light; in addition, on Sundays and great holidays it is not customary to kneel during services.
Liturgical features of the twelve feasts of the Virgin Mary
There are only 4 twelve feasts of the Theotokos: Introduction, Assumption, Annunciation and Nativity of the Virgin. All-night vigil is scheduled for these holidays. If the holiday falls on weekdays and on Saturday, then the service for the holiday is served, and if on Sunday, then there is a combination of two services - the Mother of God and Sunday. This happens because it is impossible to cancel the master's holiday, which is Sunday, as a smaller holiday, even if it is the twentieth, because The Mother of God is not higher than Christ.

In addition to the Great ones, there are medium and small holidays:
Middle holidays

A) Some are designated in liturgical books with a red cross in a red semicircle and, like great holidays, have an All-Night Vigil. There are few of these holidays indicated in the church charter:
September 26 and May 8 - St. Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian;
November 13 - St. John Chrysostom;
December 6 - St. Nicholas Myra Miracle Worker;
January 2 - Rev. Seraphim of Sarov;
January 30 - Three Hierarchs and Ecumenical Teachers - Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom;
April 23 St. Great Martyr George
and some others, but they are joined by temple holidays in honor of the relics of saints in the churches where they rest. The successions of these holidays, unlike the great holidays, are not dedicated exclusively to a remembered event or saint, because on them the canon of the Virgin Mary at Matins is added to the holiday canon. In the “Charter” (Typikon) it is said about these holidays: “at which time the vigil is celebrated, the canon of the Mother of God for Matins according to the charter is also attached.”
b) Other middle holidays are indicated by a red cross without a semicircle. These are such holidays as: Position of the Robe of the Lord (July 10); Vladimir icon Our Lady (May 21); Holy Prophet Elijah (July 20); St. Equal to the Apostles Constant and Helena (May 21); St. Basil the Great (January 1). On these holidays the all-night vigil is not celebrated, but on the eve there is Great Vespers, at Matins the polyeleos is laid and the Gospel is read. Saints who have this sign are called saints with polyeleos.

Small holidays.

a) The first type of holiday is indicated by a red bracket with three red dots in the middle. Saints who have this sign are called saints with doxology, because on these days the great doxology at Matins is sung and not read.
b) The second type of minor holidays are indicated by a black bracket with three black dots in the middle.

Iconography.

Icons of the holidays form the basis of the “festive” row of the iconostasis. Icons of the twelve feasts in churches where there is a full iconostasis are usually placed in the second row from the bottom, between the local and Deesis rows. If the temple is consecrated in honor of one of the twelve feasts, then the corresponding icon is also in the local row. The image is placed on a lectern in the middle of the temple on the day of the holiday, so that everyone entering the temple can immediately see what event is being celebrated by the church.
Each holiday has its own image, captured on the icon, and it also has its own poetic expression in church chants on this day. Iconography and hymnography by different means express the same thing - the meaning of the celebrated event and its theological interpretation. All holidays, as a rule, have one icon, only the Easter holiday has two: the Crucifixion and the Resurrection, since Easter is not the thirteenth holiday, but “a holiday of holidays, a triumph of celebrations,” it stands in the center of the church calendar.

(palomnic.org; ru.wikipedia.org; art.1september.ru; illustrations - www.investinart.ru; www.antiq.soldes.ru; www.icon-art.info; www.solovki.ca).

Iconostasis of the monastery. temple in honor of the icon B.M. , Vsetsaritsa, Krasnodar. 2nd row - festive.