In Orthodox Christianity, there are holidays that are attributed to the main events in the history of Christianity. There are twelve such days. December 4 - Entry into the temple of the Most Holy Theotokos - one of them. You can learn more about the holiday and traditions on this day from this article.
What holiday is this, what can not be done on December 4 and what can you eat?
This day is the twelfth Christian holiday. What does "twelfth" mean? This is the name of Christian holidays that are directly related to the Mother of God (Mother of God) and the life on earth of Jesus Christ (master's). According to their number and name - the twelve ("twelve" - twelve). This is a great holiday for believers - December 4, the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos. What not to do: do hard work, laundry, sewing, cleaning and other household chores. And it is better not to give in this dayduty. You can visit or invite friends over. Day 4 December falls on the fast of Christmas or Filippov, so you can eat fish.
The Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos December 4th. What does this holiday mean?
Here are the events of the day. Mary was only three years old, her parents - Anna and Joachim - decided that it was time to fulfill the promise to God. After all, when still childless Joachim and Anna prayed to the Lord for a child, they promised to dedicate the child to the service of the King of Heaven. On the appointed day, they dressed Mary in the most beautiful clothes, gathered all her relatives. With the singing of church songs, Mary's parents lit candles and with all their relatives went to the Jerusalem temple. There, the little girl overcame high and steep steps (there were fifteen of them) with amazing ease. At the door she was met by the high priest Zechariah, the future father of John, who baptized Jesus. He blessed Mary, as he did with all who were dedicated to God.
How Mary was received in the temple
On the day when the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos took place, December 4, the High Priest had a Divine revelation. Zechariah led Mary to the most sacred place of the temple, where only he himself was allowed to enter once a year. This surprised everyone again. From the moment of entering the temple, Mary, the only one of all the girls, Zechariah, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, allowed her to pray not between the church and the altar, but in the inner altar. The Mother of God remained in the upbringing in the temple, and her parents returned to their home. This is how the introduction toChurch of the Most Holy Theotokos on December 4 and her long, earthly, glorious journey began.
What happened to the Mother of God after coming of age?
Mary grew up very pious, modest, hardworking and obedient to the Lord. The Mother of God spent time in the temple with other virgins in reading the Bible, prayer, fasting and needlework until she came of age. In those days, it came at the age of fifteen. The Most Holy Theotokos decided to devote her whole life to serving the Heavenly Father. The priests turned to Mary with advice to get married, since all Israelis and Israeli women were supposed to be married, as the rabbis taught. But the Mother of God said that she had given the Lord a vow to remain a virgin forever. It was strange for the clergy. High Priest Zechariah found a way out of this situation. Mary was given in marriage to her relative, a widower in old age, righteous Joseph. The marriage was formal, as Joseph became the guardian of the young virgin Mary, so that she fulfilled her vow.
How and when did they start celebrating the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos?
Significant for all Christians, the church solemnly celebrated the day since ancient times. After all, thanks to the introduction into the temple, the Virgin Mary set foot on the path of serving the Lord. Subsequently, it became possible to incarnate the son of the Lord God, Jesus Christ, and the salvation of all people who believed in him. Even in the first centuries after the birth of the Savior, a temple was built in honor ofthis holiday, under the leadership of Empress Helen (who lived from 250 to 330), who was canonized, that is, she became a saint. It is customary to celebrate the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos on December 4th. The prayer, pronounced on this day by all believers, praises the Ever-Virgin Mary and asks for the intercession of the Mother of God before the Lord for everyone who prays.
Introduction Icons
Of course, such a great event could not but be reflected in icon painting. The icons depict the Virgin Mary in the very center. On one side of her are the parents of the Virgin, on the other side, the high priest Zechariah is depicted meeting the girl. Also on the icon you can find the image of the Jerusalem temple and fifteen steps, the very ones that little Mary overcame without outside help.
Folk traditions on this day
It is celebrated on the old style on November 21, on the new - on December 4. The introduction to the temple of the Most Holy Theotokos was popularly called simply - Introduction, the Gate of Winter, or the Feast of a Young Family, or Importation. There are folk sayings related to the beginning of winter and freeze-up: "The introduction has come - the winter has brought"; "On the Introduction - thick ice." On this day, cheerful, noisy and crowded fairs were held everywhere, sleigh rides from hills and horse troikas were held. After the festive service in the temples, the godparents treated the godchildren with sweets, gave gifts, sleds. On the day of the Introduction, the peasants switched from summer transport (carts) to winter transport (sledges). They aremade a trial trip, laying a toboggan path. The newlyweds, who played the day before, in the fall, the wedding, dressed up the sleigh and drove out to people in order, as they said, "to show the young." It was on the Introduction that they put broken cherry branches into the water behind the icon and looked on the eve of the new year, whether they blossomed or withered. Twigs with leaves promised good in the new year, and dried ones - bad.
December 4 - Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos. Signs
If it snowed before this day, then they waited for it to melt. They listened to the ringing of bells: clear - to frost, deaf - to snow. It was noted that the snow cover that covered the earth after the Introduction would no longer melt until spring. See if the weather is cold that day. It was believed that in case of frost, all winter holidays would be frosty, and vice versa - warm, which means that warm celebrations in winter are expected. If a deep winter set in from that day on, a good grain harvest was expected.
The earthly life of the Mother of God from birth to death is shrouded in mystery and holiness. Her introduction into the temple to dedicate to God became the starting point for the possibility of saving human souls through Jesus, born of the Mother of God. That is why December 4 - the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos - is a great holiday for believers, when there was hope that they could become at least a little closer to the Lord. The Most Pure Virgin Mary connected people and the abode of the Heavenly Father with an invisible thread. She still helps those in need with her prayers. The Mother of God is the intercessor of children and her mercy knows no bounds. It is impossible to imagine a more revered saint in Christianity. Pray, and she will certainly hear and help.
