Windows to Russia the Great Lent!

In this we will talk about Russian Great Lent

2008 date for Easter:
March 23 (Western)
April 27 (Eastern)

Tradition of the Great Lent originates from ancient Christian church and is kept only in Orthodox. Lent is called Great because of its importance and is kept in memory of 40 day lent of Jesus Christ who, after his baptism, retired in a desert.

Great Lent is the longest (49 days) and strictest. It is recommended to manage without food in the first two days and the last one of Lent and be moderate in other days. You can eat fish only on the day of Annunciation and Palm Sunday. Vine and oil is allowed on Saturdays and Sundays. Lent is not a diet for physical health, but for moral health. Lent is considered as a deeping into spiritual world where you can appreciate the value of a word, as a word is silver, but silence is gold. Lent is a real heroic exploit and far from everyone can do it.

What did people eat at Lent time?

Let’s imagine Lent fair: dry mushrooms, peas, radish, carrot, onion, beet, sauerkraut, pickled cucumbers, bilberries, cranberries, apples, honey, jam. There were special Lent dishes – Turya (salted water with bread pieces and chopped onion), Tolokno (fried oats with salted water), Kulesh (thin gruel made from peas, potatoes and groats). In fact, Lent table could not be so poor, as there are many vegetable dishes. The principal thing was refusal of pleasures and that made believers be thankful for this simple food. Great Lent prepares a believer to the greatest event – resurrection of Jesus, Easter.

Beginning of the Great Lent. Tone eight.(March 10th)
Great Lent. By Monastic Charter – Full abstention from food

Clean Monday. (On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of the 1st week of Great Lent the Great Vespers the canon of St. Andrew of Crete is read).
St. Porphyrius, bishop of Gaza (420).
New Hieromartyr Peter priest (1930).
New Hieromartyr Sergius priest (1933).
Virgin-martyr Anna (1937).
New Hieromartyrs John bishop of Rylsk and John priest (1938).
St. Sebastian, monk of Poshekhonye (1542).
Martyrs Sebastian and Christodoulos (66).
New Martyr John Calphas (“the Apprentice”) at Constantinople (1575) (Greek).
St. Photina, the Samaritan woman, and her sisters Anatola, Phota, Photis, Parasceva, and Cyriaca; her sons Photinus and Joses; and Sebastian the Duke, Victor, and Christodulus — all martyred under Nero (66) (Greek).
Martyr Theoclitas, martyred with St. Photina (Greek).
New Martyr Elias of Trebizond (1749).
The Mezhetsk Icon of the Mother of God.

The Scripture Readings

Isaiah 1:1-20 (6th Hour)
Genesis 1:1-13 (Vespers, 1st Reading)
Proverbs 1:1-20 (Vespers, 2nd Reading)
First Week of the Great Lent. Tone eight.(17th of March)
Great Lent. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)

Martyr Eudocia of Heliopolis (152).
New Hieromartyr Olga (1937).
New Hieromartyrs Basil, Peter, John, Benjamin, Michael priests, New Hieromartyr Antony, Virgin-martyrs Anna, Daria, Eudokia, Alexandra, Martyr Basil, Virgin-martyr Nadezhda (1938).
New Hieromartyr Alexander priest (1942).
New Hieromartyrs Abbess Antonina of Kizliar (1924), Methodius (1920) and Anastasia Andreyevna, fool-for-Christ.
St. Martyrius, abbot of Zelenets (Tikhvin) (1603).
Martyrs Nestor, Tribimius, Marcellus, and Anthony of Perge in Pamphylia (3rd c.).
Martyr Antonina of Nicaea in Bithynia (284-305).
Virgin Domnina of Syria (450-460).
St. Agapius of Vatopedi Skete of Kolitsou, Mt. Athos, and his four companions.
St. Swidbert, monastic founder on the Rhine River (713).
St. David of Wales, bishop (6th c.) (Celtic & British).
St. Albinus, bishop of Angers (550).
St. Leo-Luke of Corleone, Sicily (900).
New Martyr Paraskevas of Trebizond (1659).
Martyrs Sophronius and Silvester (Greek).
Martyrs Charisius, Nicephorus, and Agapius (Greek).

The Scripture Readings

Isaiah 3:1-14 (6th Hour)
Genesis 2:20-3:20 (Vespers, 1st Reading)
Proverbs 3:19-34 (Vespers, 2nd Reading)

Second Week of the Great Lent. Tone one.
Great Lent. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)

St. Theophylactus, bishop of Nicomedia (845).
New Hieromartyr John priest (1923).
Martyr Vladimir (1942).
Sts. Lazarus and Athanasius, monks of Murman Island, Onega Lake (1391).
Apostle Hermas of the Seventy (1st c.).
Hieromartyr Theodoretus of Antioch (361).
St. Dometius, monk (363).
Kursk “Sign” Icon (1898) Icon of the Mother of God.
St. Felix of Burgundy, bishop of Dunwich and enlightener of East Anglia (648) (Celtic & British).
St. Paul of Prusias, confessor (840) (Greek).
Martyr Dio (Greek).
Martyrs Quintilian and Capatolinus in Nicomedia.

The Scripture Readings

Isaiah 7:1-15 (6th Hour)
Genesis 5:32-6:8 (Vespers, 1st Reading)
Proverbs 6:20-7:1 (Vespers, 2nd Reading)

Third Week of the Great Lent. Tone two.(24 of March)
Great Lent. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)

Martyrs Agapius, Publius (Pauplios), Timolaus, Romulus, two named Dionysius, and two named Alexander, at Caesarea in Palestine (303).
New Hieromartyr Demetrius priest (1938).
New Hieromartyr Michael priest (1940).
Hieromartyr Alexander of Side in Pamphylia (270-275).
Martyr Nicander of Egypt (302).
St. Nicander, monk, of Gorodets (Novgorod) (1603).
New Martyr Manuel of Crete (1792) (Greek).
St. Hebarestes.
St. Zachariah, pope of Rome (752).

The Scripture Readings

Isaiah 13:2-13 (6th Hour)
Genesis 8:4-21 (Vespers, 1st Reading)
Proverbs 10:31-11:12 (Vespers, 2nd Reading)

Fourth Week of the Great Lent: Adoration of Cross. Tone three.(31st of march)
Great Lent. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)

Hieromartyr Basil, presbyter of Ancyra (362).
Martyr Drosida (Drosis) of Antioch, and five virgins (104).
St. Isaac, founder of the Dalmatian Monastery at Constantinople (383).
Martyrs Callinica and Basilissa of Rome (2nd c.).
St. Basil of Mangazea in Siberia (1600).
Venerable Euthymius of Constantinople.
“The Izborsk” Icon of the Mother of God (1657).
St. Paul, bishop of Narbonne, Brittany (3rd c.) (Celtic & British).
New Martyr Euthymius of Mt. Athos (1814) (Greek).
New Martyr Basil (Zelentsov) bishop of Priluk (1930).
New Martyr Schema-abbess Sophia of Kiev (1941) and her priest Demetrius Ivanov (1934).

The Scripture Readings

Isaiah 29:13-23 (6th Hour)
Genesis 12:1-7 (Vespers, 1st Reading)
Proverbs 14:15-26 (Vespers, 2nd Reading)

Fifth Week of the Great Lent. Tone four.(7th of April)
Great Lent. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)

Martyr Mark, bishop of Arethusa (364), and with him Hieromartyr Cyril the Deacon of Heliopolis, and others, who suffered under Julian the Apostate (362).
New Martyrs Priest Paul (Voinarsky), and brothers Paul and Alexis Kiryan, of the Crimea (1919).
New Hieromartyr Micael priest(1933).
Venerable John, Anchorite of Egypt (4th c.).
St. Eustathius (Eustace) the Confessor, bishop of Kios in Bithynia(9thc.).
Sts. Jonah (1480) and Mark of the Pskov Caves.
St. Diadochus, bishop of Photike in Epirus (ca. 486).
St. Eustasius, abbot of Luxeuil (7th c.).
Sts. Gwynllw and Gwladys, parents of St. Cadoc.

The Scripture Readings

Isaiah 45:11-17 (6th Hour)
Genesis 22:1-18 (Vespers, 1st Reading)
Proverbs 17:17-18:5 (Vespers, 2nd Reading)

Sixth Week of the Great Lent. Tone five.(14th of April)
Great Lent. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)

Transation of the relics (1652) of St. Job, patriarch of Moscow (1607).
Martyrs Theodulus, reader, and Agathopodes, deacon, and those with them at Thessalonica (303).
New Hieromartyr Alexis priest (1930)..
New Hieromartyr Nicholas priest (1931).
St. Publius of Egypt, monk (4th c.).
Sts. Theonas, Symeon, and Phorbinus of Egypt (4th c.).
St. Mark the Anchorite of Athens (400).
St. Plato, abbot of the Studion (813).
St. Theodora, nun, of Thessalonica (892) (Greek).
New Martyr George of New Ephesus (1801).
Repose of St. Philip the First, metropolitan of Moscow (1473).
Five girls martyred at Neanidor of Lesbos (Greek).
Martyrs Theodora and Didymus of Alexandria (305).
The Martyr Fermus.
New Martyr Argyra at Constantinople (1725).
New Martyr Panaghiotis of Jerusalem (1820).
St. Derfel of Lianderfel.
St. Ethelburga, queen and Abbes of Lyminge, Kent.
Martyrs Claudius, Diodorus, Victor, Victorinus, Pappia, Serapion, and Nicephorus (Greek).

The Scripture Readings

John 10:1-9 Matins Gospel
Isaiah 66:10-24 (6th Hour)
Genesis 49:33-50:26 (Vespers, 1st Reading)
Proverbs 31:8-31 (Vespers, 2nd Reading)
Hebrews 7:26-8:2 St. Job
John 10:9-16 St. Job

Passion Week: Great Friday, Passion of Jesus Christ. (21st of April)
Great Lent. By Monastic Charter – Full abstention from food

St. Basil the Confessor, bishop of Parium (760).
New Hieromartyr Sergius (1938).
Hieromartyr Zeno, bishop of Verona (ca. 260).
St. Isaac the Syrian, abbot of Spoleto, Italy (ca. 550).
Martyrs Menas, David, and John of Palestine (630).
Virgin Anthusa of Constantinople (801).
St. Athanasia, abbess of Aegina (860).
“Murom” (12th c.) and “Belynich” (13th c.) Icons of the Mother of God.
St. Acacius of Kapsokalyvia Skete, Mt. Athos (1730).
St. Basil, bishop of Ryazan (1295).
Deposition of the Belt of the Most Holy Mother of God in Constantinople (942).
Martyr Sabbas the Goth, who suffered at Buzau in Wallachia (372) (Romania).
St. Sergius, patriarch of Constantinople (1019).
Martyrs Demas, Protion, and those with them (Greek).

The Scripture Readings

John 13:31-18:1 (Matins, 1st Passion Gospel)
John 18:1-28 (Matins, 2nd Passion Gospel)
Matthew 26:57-75 (Matins, 3rd Passion Gospel)
John 18:28-19:16 (Matins, 4th Passion Gospel)
Matthew 27:3-32 (Matins, 5th Passion Gospel)
Mark 15:16-32 (Matins, 6th Passion Gospel)
Matthew 27:33-54 (Matins, 7th Passion Gospel)
Luke 23:32-49 (Matins, 8th Passion Gospel)
John 19:25-37 (Matins, 9th Passion Gospel)
Mark 15:43-47 (Matins, 10th Passion Gospel)
John 19:38-42 (Matins, 11th Passion Gospel)
Matthew 27:62-66 (Matins, 12th Passion Gospel)
Galatians 6:14-18 (Royal Hours – 1st Hour)
Matthew 27:1-56 (Royal Hours – 1st Hour)
Romans 5:6-11 (Royal Hours – 3rd Hour)
Mark 15:16-41 (Royal Hours – 3rd Hour)
Hebrews 2:11-18 (Royal Hours – 6th Hour)
Luke 23:32-49 (Royal Hours – 6th Hour)
Hebrews 10:19-31 (Royal Hours – 9th Hour)
John 18:28-19:37 (Royal Hours – 9th Hour)
1 Corinthians 1:18-2:2
Matthew 27:1-38
Luke 23:39-43
Matthew 27:39-54
John 19:31-37
Matthew 27:55-61

Paschalia

Feb 17 – Sunday of the Publican
and Pharisee
Mar 02 – Meatfare Sunday
Mar 09 – Forgiveness Sunday
Apr 20 – Palm Sunday
Apr 27 – Great and Holy Pascha
May 21 – Mid-Pentecost (Prepolovenie)
Jun 05 – Holy Ascension
Jun 15 – Pentecost – Trinity Sunday
Jun 22 – All Saints

It goes on but I think that you see the gist of things. Easter is here and Lent is going on.

So however you deal with Lent. It is a time for recollection and renewal!

Happy Easter!

Kyle & Svet

http://kylekeeton.com/2008/03/russian-easter.html

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Цштвщцы ещ Кгыышф!

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