Birthday is the most important holiday in the life of any person. It is attended by friends, family, relatives and just close people. In this way, we celebrate our appearance on Earth, thank our father and mother for giving us life. But there is another important date related to spirituality and religion. This is a name day, or Angel Day, which is associated with the name of a person. Irina is one of the most common female names, so let's find out when Irina's Angel Day is, as well as everything related to it.
Tribute to heavenly patrons
Name day (Angel Day) is the day of memory of that saint or great martyr, whose name a person was named at baptism. Name days are determined according to the church calendar. Receiving the name of one of the canonized saints, a person acquires his heavenly patron and intercessor before God. Therefore, it is so important not to forget to celebrate your name day - this is an opportunity to thank and express respect to your “intermediary”. Today the tradition of celebrating your Angel Day returns.
Irina: name date, name meaning
In Greek"Irina" means "peace", "calm". Irina's name day falls on several dates of the church calendar.
- In April: the 29th is the day of memory of the martyr Irina.
- In May: the 18th is the day of memory of the Great Martyr Irina; 26th - Righteous Irina, wife of George the Confessor.
- In August: 10th - the memory of St. Irene of Cappadocia; 17th - martyr Irina; 26th - the memory of the blessed Empress Irina (in nuns Xenia).
- In October: 1st - the memory of the martyr Irina.
What date is Angel Day
Irina celebrate their name day on the day that is next to their birthday. The same goes for other names. But what about other days marked on the calendar as Irina's Angel Day? They are considered "small" name days and are celebrated in a more modest atmosphere. Before the revolution, name days, or Angel Day, were considered the main holiday, and the day of birth was not celebrated. Let's find out how Irina's Angel Day should be celebrated (as well as the name day of a person with a different name) according to church requirements.
How name days are spent
On the name day they baked pies, loaves, laid a large table, as they invited all relatives and neighbors. Despite the number of guests, this holiday was not noisy and sweeping. After all, it is given for inner spiritual contemplation and turning to God through the memory of its high patrons. If the name day fell during the period of fasting, then only lenten dishes were prepared. Moreover, if it was listed on a weekday, then it was transferred to the next weekend.
The main thing for the birthday boy was preparation not for a feast, but for Communion and the sacrament of confession. In the morning we went to the church, where, in addition, they put candles, ordered a prayer service. This is how Irina celebrated Angel Day in Russia since ancient times.
Date of Soul Festival
If a secular birthday is a holiday that glorifies the birth of the body shell, then name days are a sign of attention to the soul and a manifestation of respect for your heavenly patron. Accordingly, gifts these days are given differently. For a birthday, these are household, worldly items, utensils, money and other material values. And on name days they always gave what was needed for conversion and communication with God and the saints: icons, lamps, vessels for holy water. Spiritual literature, hand-painted icons, prayer books were considered and are considered to be wonderful gifts.
