One of the greatest gospel 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 Empress Helen, a Christian church was built on Mount Tabor, consecrated in honor of the Transfiguration. According to the gospel narratives, the events described took place about 40 days before the spring holiday of Easter, but Eastern Christians celebrate the holiday in the summer. The tradition of celebrating the Transfiguration in August is associated with Great Lent: in order not to be mentally distracted from the events of Holy Fortecost, the holiday was moved to another period of the year. 40 days after the Transfiguration, Christians celebrate the Ex altation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, thereby reminding themselves of the chronology of the Gospel events.
The Transfiguration of the Lord. History of the holiday
The history of the feast of the Transfiguration of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is described in the Gospels of Matthew, Luke, Mark, and theseThe 3 stories are very similar to each other.
As it is said in the Holy Scripture, the Son of God took his beloved disciples - John, Peter and James - and ascended Mount Tabor with them in order to pray to the Heavenly Father. Here, during prayer, his face brightened like the sun, and his clothes became white as snow. At the same time, the prophets Moses and Elijah were near the Son of God, who talked with him about the coming redemptive suffering.
When the disciples saw such a transformation of their Teacher, Peter, the most ardent of them, said: “Teacher, it’s good for us to be here, let’s set up three tabernacles (tents) here - You, 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, listen to Him." Then the vision ended, and Jesus Christ forbade the disciples to tell anyone what they saw until His Resurrection from the dead took place.
What does this incident signify in a spiritual sense? It is known that the Lord, while living on earth, did not perform any random signs or miracles. Each extraordinary event described in the Gospels necessarily has an instructive meaning and moral edification. The theological interpretation of the event of the Transfiguration of the Lord is as follows:
- The Appearance of the Holy Trinity. It is not the first time since the birth of Christ that the One God appears through the Holy Trinity. The first similar event took place on the day of the Baptism of Jesus Christ, when, at the descent of the Holy Spirit, the voice of the Father was heard by all present, recognizing His Son in Jesus Christ. SameIt also happens on Tabor, when God the Father from the cloud calls to listen to His teaching. This is how the Epiphany happened, that is, the revelation of the Persons of the Holy Trinity to people.
- The Transfiguration of Jesus Christ demonstrates the union in the Son of God of two natures - Divine and human. Disputes about the duality of the nature of Christ did not stop for many centuries among many Christian theologians. According to the interpretation of the Holy Fathers, the Transfiguration took place as a sign of the future transformation of all people in the Kingdom of Heaven.
- In addition, the appearance of the prophets of the Old Testament - Elijah and Moses - is also symbolic here. It is known that the prophet Moses died a natural death, and the prophet Elijah was taken from the flesh to heaven. The events of the feast, described by the holy Evangelists, show the power of the Son of God over life and death, His royal dominion over heaven and earth.
Date of the celebration of the Transfiguration
The patristic theological teaching left a model for posterity on how to perceive such an evangelical event as the Transfiguration of the Lord. The history of the holiday is annually remembered by all believing Christians. In the Orthodox Church, this event is celebrated on August 19 according to the new style, and the holiday belongs to the Twelve (that is, it is one of the 12 great holidays that Orthodox Christians celebrate annually).
Features of the holiday
People call this holiday the Apple Spas. The Transfiguration of the Lord bears such a name because on this day, according to the church charter, the fruits of the new harvest should be consecrated. There is a longa pious tradition to bring various fruits to the feast to perform a special prayer over them, which is read in churches after the liturgy.
In addition, on this day, Orthodox Christians are allowed to taste the fruits of the new harvest for the first time, since before the Feast of the Transfiguration there is a ban on the consumption of apples and grapes. This is a specific restriction on fresh fruit that begins with Peter's Lent and ends with Transfiguration.
When this holiday is celebrated, the clergy wear white robes, symbolizing the eternal divine light, revealed by Jesus Christ on Tabor.
On the Transfiguration of the Lord (Apple Savior) in the Orthodox world, the use of fish is allowed as an indulgence of the strict fast in honor of the holy holiday.
Festive Akathist
The Akathist to the Transfiguration of the Lord describes in detail the events of the holiday, interpreting the theological features of the gospel event. Laudatory and pleading prayers, placed in the akathist, are addressed to the Lord Jesus Christ. Each ikos ends with the words of the Apostle Peter, which he said to the Savior on Tabor in the highest moment of heart tenderness: “Jesus, Eternal God, it is good for us to always be under the roof of Your grace.” Thus, we, like the supreme apostle, glorify the mercy of God, capable of elevating human nature to Divine greatness.
The giving of the Transfiguration takes place on August 26, a week after the holiday. Akathist to the Transfiguration of the Lord oftenperformed in Orthodox churches in the evening, on the day of the holiday. It can also be read throughout the period of the afterfeast.
In the akathist "The Transfiguration of the Lord", a 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 honor the feast of the Transfiguration of the Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. There are centuries-old traditions of celebrating this event. On the eve, all Christians try to prepare a supply of fresh fruits. Many farmers stock up on their own produce.
On the day of the holiday, Christians bring the most beautiful and ripe fruits to the temple and put them on the central table, preparing for consecration. Little children love this tradition very much, they wait with excitement and trepidation for the priest’s prayer “for the consecration of fruits”, they try to hold fruit baskets on their own, without the help of adults. In some families, there is a custom to congratulate each other, to give various gifts for the Transfiguration of the Lord. Congratulation is often issued in poetic form. After the service, Christians go home to have a festive meal. There is a pious tradition here to start the meal with consecrated fruit. There is also a slight relaxation of fasting - fish is allowed to be eaten at the meal. Many Orthodox housewives at the Apple Spas (Transfiguration of the Lord) prepare a variety of dishes. It can be apple and honey pies, jams.
The Transfiguration of the Lord. Congratulations
Many Orthodox Christians write holiday greetings to each other in verse, sending telegrams or SMS. For example, the practice of giving verses for the Transfiguration of the Lord is widespread. In addition to written congratulations, among Christians it is customary to treat each other with fruits, apple pies and visit each other.
Celebration of the Transfiguration in the Holy Land
The Transfiguration of the Lord is celebrated in a special way in the Holy Land. Throughout the year, it is sedate and secluded on Tabor. A few pilgrimage groups visit this place mainly during the period from Great Lent to Pentecost. But for the feast of the Transfiguration, there is a special mood on Mount Tabor, as numerous pilgrims and tourists from Russia fill the pilgrimage hostels and hotel rooms. From the surrounding areas - Kafr Yasif, Nazareth, Acre, Haifa, Cana of Galilee - groups of believers also arrive who want to visit the feast directly at the site of the holy event.
After the evening service, pious Christians have dinner and try to go to bed early in order to be present at the festive service at dawn. At the liturgy, almost all pilgrims partake of the Holy Mysteries. In addition, local believers have a tradition of infant baptism on this holiday.
Christian natives celebrate the holy event in quite the opposite way. Having settled in tents in the monastery courtyard, they drink alcoholic drinks, play musicalinstruments, dance, shoot guns, sing cheerful folk songs, have cheerful conversations, which often turn into a showdown, ending in a fight. The noisy celebration ends at dawn when the first bell tolls, announcing the start of matins.
After the service, a religious procession takes place, which the believing natives greet with cheerful shouts and gun shots. Also, reckless fun continues after the liturgy.
Folk omens for the Transfiguration of the Lord
Folk traditions of celebrating such an event as the Transfiguration of the Lord are widespread among the people. The signs left in popular belief are mainly related to the harvest. For example, there is a tradition on this day to treat the poor or the poor with fruits grown in their garden. In this case, there is a belief that next year will be especially fruitful. In addition, if on this day it was not possible to meet a needy beggar, then this means that the next year will be poor. This is how the saying was born: “In the apple tree Spas an apple and a beggar will eat it.”
There was also 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 he alth for the next year.
Among other things, there was a tradition to harvest the entire grain crop before August 19, since it was believed that after that date any rain would be fatal for him (the so-called grain rain).
The Church's practice of not eating the fruits of a fresh harvest is directly related to the degree of their maturity. Apples and grapes are known to fully ripenonly by the end of August, becoming useful for the body. Also, the connection between the violation of the "apple fast" and the sin of the foremother Eve, who ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, was deeply rooted in the public consciousness and thereby brought the wrath of God on all mankind. That is why the common people in a special way monitor the observance of the tradition of not eating fresh apples in the period before the Transfiguration.
According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, one should meet the Transfiguration of the Lord with purity and love. Signs should not be taken seriously, they should not be treated as irrefutable dogmas.
2014 makeover
August 19, 2014 The Transfiguration of the Lord was celebrated again. The Primate of the Orthodox Russian Church celebrated the Holy Liturgy at the Solovetsky Monastery for men. As usual, after the service, the Patriarch of Moscow delivered a sermon in which he spoke about the history and significance of the Transfiguration in the life of every Christian. Patriarch Kirill cordially congratulated the monastic brethren, led by Father Archimandrite, on the holiday and thanked them for the gifts presented. This is how the congratulations of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on the holy land of Solovetsky took place on the Transfiguration of the Lord. In addition, His Holiness donated to the monastery the image of St. Seraphim of Vyritsky.
The Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, in which His Holiness the Patriarch served the liturgy, is located on the territory of the Solovetsky Monastery - this is a majestic ancient cathedral built in 1558. On this day inin this cathedral, a patronal feast is celebrated.
Dropped on August 19, 2014 - Transfiguration of the Lord - on Tuesday. The features of the festive service are such that if August 19 falls on a Sunday, then all the features of the Sunday service are canceled. Chants, stichera, canon will be devoted 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.
- At Matins, the glorification of the holiday is sung with verses from a selected psalm.
- “The most honest” is not sung at Matins, it is replaced by the refrains of the holiday.
- Antiphons of the Transfiguration are sung at the liturgy.
- The entrance festive verse is read at the great entrance.
- The merit is sung.
- After reading the prayer behind the ambo, the consecration of the fruits of the new harvest is performed.
- A great prokeimenon is sung at Vespers on the very day of the feast.
Conclusion
The Transfiguration of the Lord is very important in the Christian world. The history of the holiday reveals its symbolism. The mountain, no doubt, means silence and a solitary place - these are the conditions for mental connection with God in pure prayer. The name "Tavor" is translated as "light, purity", which symbolizes the cleansing of the soul from the burden of sins, its enlightenment in God. The Transfiguration of the Savior denotes the main goal of the Christian life - the complete victory of the spirit over the bodilypassions, cleansing from worldly dirt and accepting the Divine light, which is possible for any person striving for God.
