So in ancient times they called in Old Slavonic any good news that announced a good and joyful event. But this word was established in the Russian language in one sense: as the name of a great Christian holiday, established in memory of the message that the Virgin Mary received from above. The news of the future birth of a Divine son from her.
… Until her majority, Mary spent in the temple. Reading Scripture and handicrafts filled her time. The day came when she had to leave the temple. As usual, the priests of the temple chose a betrothed for the girl who was brought up there, in whose house she could settle, keeping the vow of chastity, at the same time managing his household. Mary chose Joseph as a carpenter, a resident of Nazareth, a man known for his piety.
Tradition tells that one day Joseph went to distant places for construction work. One spring day, at the end of March, taking a jug of water, Maria went to the well. She had already scooped up the water when she suddenly heard a mysterious voice. Someone loudly and clearly said: "Rejoice, grace-filled, the Lord is with you!" There was no one around. Frightened and embarrassed, she came home and sat down to spin.
Soon the Archangel Gabriel visibly appeared before the chosen one of heaven and repeated the words spoken at the well. He told her that she would have a Divine Son who should be called Jesus. “Mary asked the angel: how will it be when I don’t know my husband? The angel answered: The Holy Spirit will find you … and the holy being born will be called the Son of God."
“Let it be done to me according to your word,” Mary answered in accordance with the divine will.
There are many depictions of the Annunciation in Orthodox churches, because, along with ordinary icons, they must necessarily be on the royal gates - symbolic doors leading to the altar. Poetry is fanned by icons depicting a reservoir or a fountain with beautiful white birds - a symbol of eternal life. The image of the main participants in the sacred event remains unchanged, the meaning of which is expressed in the lines of the poem "Annunciation" by the poet of the Pushkin era, V. Benediktov:
This holiday left a significant mark in the history of Russia. Its symbol is the shrine of Russia - the Cathedral of the Annunciation in the Moscow Kremlin. Built during the time of Dmitry Donskoy, it burned more than once, collapsed, defiled by enemies. But again and again he ascended to heaven, thanks to the creations of the spirit and human hands. Excellent artists worked in the cathedral, among whom was the brilliant Russian artist Andrei Rublev.
This holiday is spring March 25 (April 7). At the Annunciation, according to a popular saying, "spring overcame winter." The Annunciation is a joyful holiday, foreshadowing a quick Easter, the Resurrection of Christ. For more than a thousand years on this day, a solemn chant in honor of the Mother of God has been singing jubilantly under the arches of Russian churches: "Rejoice, Blessed One, the Lord is with you." No wonder, according to popular belief, "the sun plays" on the holiday.
It was said that on this day the Mother of God sows all the fields of the earth from a heavenly height. Gabriel the Archangel drives a plow, with a white horse harnessed to it, and the Mother of the Most Holy Theotokos scatters every living in handfuls from a golden felted cloth, and at the same time “with silent lips, speaking hearts” prays the Lord of Forces to send down blessings for the future harvest.
The significance of the feast of the Annunciation is also evident from the everyday life of the Moscow tsars, who strictly observed all church statutes and rules of fasting. Fish dishes and cakes with olive, nut, linseed and hemp oils were prepared weekly on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. For the posts of Great and Uspensky, raw and warmed cabbage, salted, raw and heated mushrooms and berry dishes were prepared, but without oil. It was allowed only on Annunciation Day equally for both the queen and the princes. Only young tsarevichs and princesses were given permission at all fasts for fish dishes and butter cakes in order “that they are still in their young years of fasting is not wet”. Those who did not want to fast at all, that is, they ate fish, drank in wine, were "subdued, humbled and excommunicated by the authorities and priests from the Church of God and imposed an epithemic."In addition to the Annunciation, the sovereign was allowed any seasoning even on the birthday of the tsarina and children, when cups are relied on at all dinners, including up to monasteries. For the Annunciation Day in the 16th century, an exception was made, as an innovation, along with the Day of the Nativity of Christ, which consisted in the fact that during the divine service candles were distributed to the monastery brethren and laity.
In old Moscow, a special "rite of bread-breaking" was performed, during the all-night vigil with the blessing of bread, wheat, wine and oil. The Holy Patriarchs of Moscow on this night intended "grateful" bread and wine to be distributed to all those present in the church. Having crushed the bread, the patriarch offered part, and sometimes the whole bread to the sovereign, who was sure to attend the temple festival of his house cathedral in honor of the Annunciation of Our Lady.
The Russian people have long honored this holiday, on which even the evil bird "crow" does not build its nest. Even the red girl does not braid her braids. The cuckoo broke this age-old custom, tried to build a nest, and for this was bitterly punished. She will never have her own nest and is forced to lay eggs in other people's nests. Only thieves try to steal more on this day in order to have luck in their shameful business all year round.
We noticed on this day:
On the Annunciation rain - rye will be born.
Wet Annunciation - mushroom summer.
A good catch of fish for the Annunciation.
On the Annunciation, a thunderstorm - for a warm summer, for the harvest of nuts.
The icon of the Annunciation was placed in a tub with spring grain intended for sowing, while saying:
Elderly women burned salt in the oven that day. With salt, which, according to legend, has various miracles, they baked small rolls intended for the treatment of livestock, and they were called "byashki".
Earlier in Moscow on the Annunciation they observed the rite of “letting the birds go free”. In the morning, the townspeople bought birds from catchers and immediately released them.
On this day, the peasants brought the festive Annunciation prosphora from the church, but they did not eat this consecrated loaf at once, but kept it under house images until the beginning of sowing. Then the prosphora was placed in a basket with seeds so that they would be sanctified and give a good harvest. Folk performances merged with the meaning of the church holiday itself.
100 great holidays. Elena Olegovna Chekulaeva