Lent in 2018 lasts from February 19 to April 7 (new time). Easter - April 8.

Lent is preceded by three preparatory weeks -

• Week of the Last Judgment (last day of eating meat) February 11, 201 8

The first preparatory week for Great Lent - The Week of the Publican and the Pharisee

During the first preparatory week, which is called « Week of the Publican and the Pharisee », there is no fasting on Wednesday and Friday, which is why it is called “continuous week” (February 24, 2013). During the Liturgy this Sunday, the Gospel “About the Publican and the Pharisee” is read (Luke 18:10-14).

Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee

“Two men entered the temple to pray: one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: God! I thank You that I am not like other people, robbers, offenders, adulterers, or like this publican: I fast twice a week, I give a tenth of everything I acquire. The publican, standing in the distance, did not even dare to raise his eyes to heaven; but, striking himself on the chest, he said: God! be merciful to me, a sinner! I tell you that this one went to his house justified more than the other: for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

This parable sets the tone for the entire fast and shows that only tearful prayer and humility, like the tax collector, and not listing one’s virtues, like the Pharisee, can win us God’s mercy, only then can we see our mistakes and change for the better. She teaches us that we must approach fasting with repentance and without pride.

In the evening, after Vespers, the priest sets an example and is the first to ask everyone for forgiveness. After this, all the parishioners come up and ask for his forgiveness, as well as each other. On this day, everyone does everything possible to reconcile with everyone. In some churches, Lenten Vespers is served immediately after the liturgy.

The Great Lent is preceded by the Holy Pentecost - the week about the publican and the Pharisee, the week and week about the Prodigal Son, the week and week of the meat-free season (meat-holiday), the week and week of the raw-holiday (raw-holiday, cheese, Shrovetide).

During the preparatory weeks, the Church prepares believers for fasting by gradually introducing abstinence: after the continuous week, the fasts of Wednesday and Friday are restored; then follows highest degree preparatory abstinence - prohibition from eating meat foods. In the preparatory services, the Church, recalling the first days of the world and man, the blissful state of the first parents and their fall, the coming of the Son of God to earth for the salvation of man, encourages believers to fast, repentance and spiritual achievement.

The synaxarion of Cheese Saturday says that just as “leaders, before a militia army already standing in the ranks, talk about the exploits of ancient men and thereby encourage the soldiers, so the holy fathers who enter into fasting point to the holy men who have shone in fasting and teach “that fasting consists not only in the abstinence of food, but also in curbing the tongue, heart and eyes.”

Such preparation for the fast of Pentecost is an ancient institution of the Church. Thus, already famous preachers of the 4th century, Saints Basil the Great, John Chrysostom, Cyril of Alexandria, in their conversations and words, spoke about abstinence in the Weeks preceding Lent. In the 8th century, the Monks Theodore and Joseph the Studites compiled services for the Week of the Prodigal Son, meat and cheese services; in the 9th century, George, Metropolitan of Nicomedia, compiled a canon for the Week about the publican and the Pharisee.

Preparing for fasting and repentance, the Church in the first Week, through the example of the publican and the Pharisee, reminds of humility as the true beginning and foundation of repentance and all virtue, and of pride as the main source of sins, which defiles a person, alienates him from people, makes him an apostate, imprisoning yourself into a sinful selfish shell.

Humility as a path to spiritual exaltation was shown by God the Word Himself, who humbled himself to the point of weakness human nature- “until the sight of a servant” (Phil. 2:7).

In the hymns of the Week about the publican and the Pharisee, the Church calls to reject - to “reject” highly praised pride, fierce, destructive exaltation, “highly praised arrogance” and “vile arrogance.”

To awaken feelings of repentance and contrition for sins, the Church sings at Sunday matins during the preparatory Weeks, starting with the Week of the Publican and the Pharisee and ending with the fifth Sunday of Lent, after the Gospel, singing “Having seen the Resurrection of Christ” and reading the 50th Psalm, before the canon, touching stichera (troparia) “Open the doors of repentance, O Life-Giver,” “Instruct me in the path of salvation. Mother of God”, “Thinking about the many cruel things I have done, O wretched one, I tremble.” Bringing together the 70-day period of the Triodion with the 70-year stay of Israel in Babylonian captivity, the Church in some preparatory Weeks mourns the spiritual captivity of the new Israel by singing Psalm 136 “On the rivers of Babylon.”

The first stichera - “Open the doors of repentance” - is based on the parable of the publican: comparisons are taken from it to depict the feeling of repentance. The second song, “On the Path to Salvation,” is based on the parable of the prodigal son. The third is based on “Many evil things I have done” - the Savior’s prediction about Last Judgment.

On the Sunday of the Prodigal Son gospel parable(Luke 15, 11 – 32), from which the Week itself received its name, the Church shows an example of God’s inexhaustible mercy towards all sinners who turn to God with sincere repentance. No sin can shake God’s love for mankind. A soul that has repented and turned from sin, imbued with hope in God, God's grace comes to the meeting, kisses her, adorns her and triumphs in reconciliation with her, no matter how sinful she was before, until her repentance.

The Church instructs that the fullness and joy of life lie in a grace-filled union with God and in constant communion with Him, and removal from this communion is a source of spiritual disasters.

Having shown the true beginning of repentance on the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, the Church reveals its full power: with true humility and repentance, forgiveness of sins is possible. Therefore, no sinner should despair of the gracious help of the Heavenly Father.

The Meat Week is also called the Week of the Last Judgment, since the Gospel is read about it at the liturgy (Matthew 25. 31 - 46).

On Saturday the Meat Shabbat, which is also called Ecumenical parent's Saturday, the Church commemorates “from the ages of the dead all those who lived by faith in piety and died piously, either in the desert, or in cities, or in the sea, or on earth, or in any place... from Adam even to this day, who served God purely, the fathers and our brethren, friends together and relatives, every person who has served faithfully in life, and who has come to God in many ways and in many ways.” The Church diligently asks “to give (them) in the hour of judgment a good answer to God and to receive His presence in joy, among the righteous, and among the saints, a bright lot, and worthy of being His Kingdom.”

According to an inscrutable Providence, people have different demise. “It is appropriate to know,” says the synaxarion, “that not all who fall into the abyss, and into fire, and into the sea, and the verbal destruction, and cold (cold) and famine, suffer this by the direct command of God: this is the essence of God’s fate , some of them happen by (God’s) good will, others (to others) by permission, others for the sake of knowledge and rebuke (warning), and the chastity of others.”

On Meat Saturday, the Church, out of its love for mankind, especially prays for those dead who did not receive a church funeral service or at all church prayer: “I have not received legalized psalms and hymns of memory.” The Church prays “for some of the righteous to do”, “even though the water was covered, the battle was reaped, the coward (earthquake) was embraced, and the murderers were killed, and the fire fell.” Prayers are offered for those who, in ignorance and not in their own minds, ended their lives, for those whom the Lord, knowing everything useful, allowed to die by sudden death - “from the sadness and joy that preceded it unreliably (unexpectedly)” and for those who died in sea ​​or on land, on rivers, springs, lakes, which became the prey of animals and birds, killed by a sword, burned by lightning, frozen in the cold and snow, buried under an earthen collapse or walls, killed by poisoning, strangulation and hanging from neighbors, died from any other type of unexpected and violent death.

The thought of the end of our life while remembering those who have already passed into eternity has a sobering effect on everyone who forgets about eternity and clings with all his soul to the corruptible and fleeting.

Meat Eating Week (Sunday) is dedicated to a reminder of the general final and Last Judgment of the living and the dead (Matthew 25, 31 - 46). This reminder is necessary so that people who sin do not indulge in carelessness and carelessness about their salvation in the hope of God’s ineffable mercy. The Church, in the stichera and troparions of the service of this Week, depicts the consequences of a lawless life, when the sinner will appear before the impartial Court of God.

Recalling the last Judgment of Christ, the Church at the same time points out the true meaning of the very hope in God’s mercy. God is merciful, but He is also a righteous Judge. In liturgical hymns, the Lord Jesus Christ is called just, and His Judgment is called a righteous and incorruptible test (unwashed torture, unwashed judgment). Both inveterate sinners and those carelessly relying on God’s mercy must therefore remember the spiritual responsibility for their moral state, and the Church, with all its services of this Week, strives to bring them to the awareness of their sinfulness.

What works of repentance and correction of life are especially emphasized? First of all and mainly, on acts of love and mercy, for the Lord will pronounce His Judgment primarily on works of mercy, and, moreover, possible for everyone, without mentioning other virtues that are not equally accessible to everyone. No one has the right to say that he could not help the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, or visit the sick. Material works of mercy have their value when they are a manifestation of love that rules the heart and are connected with spiritual works of mercy, which include the body. and the souls of our neighbors are relieved.

The last week of preparation for the Holy Pentecost is called cheese week, cheese week, Maslenitsa, Maslenitsa. During this week, cheese foods are consumed: milk, cheese, butter, eggs.

The Church, forbearing to our weakness and gradually leading us into the feat of fasting, established the consumption of cheese food in the last week before Pentecost, “so that we, from meat and overeating, would be led to strict abstinence... little by little we would take the reins from pleasant foods, that is, the feat of fasting " On raw Wednesday and Friday, a stricter fast is required (until the evening).

Through the chants of Cheese Week, the Church inspires us that this week is already the threshold of repentance, the forefeast of abstinence, the week of pre-purification. In these hymns, the Holy Church invites us to deep abstinence, recalling the fall of our ancestors, which resulted from intemperance.

On Cheese Saturday, the remembrance of holy men and women is celebrated, who shone in the feat of fasting. By the example of holy ascetics, the Church strengthens us for spiritual feats, “as if we look at their primitive, kindly lives, we do manifold and varied virtues, just as there is strength for everyone,” remembering that the holy ascetics and ascetics glorified by the Church were people clothed with infirmities flesh like us.

The last Sunday before Great Lent has the inscription (name) in the Triodion: “On the Week of Cheese, the expulsion of Adam.” On this day, the event of the expulsion of our first parents from paradise is remembered.

“Open the doors of repentance, O Life-Giver! . ."

The Church begins preparations for Lent three weeks in advance. Four Sunday days before the start of the Holy Pentecost are devoted to preparation for the feats of fasting, repentance and fervent prayer. And before earthly battles, warriors begin to prepare in advance. So the holy fathers, before a special feat of spiritual warfare, before Great Lent, established preparatory days.

“Open the doors of repentance, O Life-Giver! . ." - this is the main motive of all this extremely wise and deep psychological preparation of complete internal harmony with this cry of a repentant soul. This is sung on our behalf, on behalf of all believing Orthodox Christians, in church during the all-night vigil, every Saturday during all these preparatory weeks and throughout the entire post that follows. Are we in the church at this time, are we merging our own inner cry about God granting us a sincere feeling of repentance with this common cry of the entire Church? Are we afraid of missing something else from all this rich edification, are we catching, are we absorbing every word from everything that is heard these days in our churches. Are we preparing ourselves internally for the upcoming Great Lent? This is a question of paramount importance in our lives, to which each of us must be answered by our conscience.

Lent in 2016 continues from March 14 – April 30 2016. Easter – May 1st.

Great Lent is preceded by three preparatory weeks (weeks) -

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The first preparatory week (week) for Great Lent – ​​The Week of the Publican and the Pharisee

During the first preparatory week, which is called « », There is no fasting on Wednesday and Friday, which is why it is called “solid week.” During the Liturgy this Sunday, the Gospel “About the Publican and the Pharisee” is read (Luke 18:10-14).

Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee

“Two men entered the temple to pray: one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: God! I thank You that I am not like other people, robbers, offenders, adulterers, or like this publican: I fast twice a week, I give a tenth of everything I acquire. The publican, standing in the distance, did not even dare to raise his eyes to heaven; but, striking himself on the chest, he said: God! be merciful to me, a sinner! I tell you that this one went to his house justified more than the other: for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

This parable sets the tone for the entire fast and shows that only tearful prayer and humility, like the tax collector, and not listing one’s virtues, like the Pharisee, can win us God’s mercy, only then can we see our mistakes and change for the better. She teaches us that we must approach fasting with repentance and without pride.

In the evening, after Vespers, the priest sets an example and is the first to ask everyone for forgiveness. After this, all the parishioners come up and ask for his forgiveness, as well as each other. On this day, everyone does everything possible to reconcile with everyone. In some churches, Lenten Vespers is served immediately after the liturgy.

Cheese Week - continuous (Maslenitsa), the week before Lent from February 12 to 18, 2018.

Cheese Week or Maslenitsa is the week following the Meat Week. In its continuation, meat is not eaten, but fasting for other fasting foods on Wednesday and Friday is canceled. The Divine Liturgy is not celebrated on Wednesday and Friday. Behind evening worship On Tuesday, the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is read for the first time, which is repeated many times during all Lenten services.
Cheese Week is the threshold of Lent. The Holy Church calls it “the bright precursor to abstinence”, “the beginning of tenderness and repentance”, therefore it is not appropriate for the true children of the Church of Christ to indulge in revelry, worldly amusements and entertainment during Shrovetide.
On Cheese Saturday, the Church remembers all the reverend fathers, “who shone brightly in fasting and lived reverently,” thereby reminding us of the upcoming feat of Great Lent and pointing out examples of virtuous life in the person of the great fasters - holy wives and husbands.
It should be borne in mind that the concept of “broad Maslenitsa” existing in Rus' is more a secular, or even pagan, invention than a Christian one. It is difficult to imagine that, having reminded us of the Last Judgment, the Church immediately blessed us with gluttony, drunkenness and unbridled joy. We will not find such a blessing in any charter. On the contrary, by prohibiting the consumption of meat products, the Church is bringing us close to the beginning of the perfect fast. For a person who loves the temple of God, cheese week is permeated with reflections on the Last Judgment of Christ. Therefore, earthly joy these days among Orthodox Christians is tempered by church services, and Maslenitsa itself does not become a time of gluttony.

The meaning of Cheese Week is the spell for Lent.

It is worth noting that on Wednesday and Friday of Cheese Week (this week) the Divine Liturgy is not supposed to be celebrated, because (on those two days we sing alleluia with bows, evening and morning). The reason given by the famous Orthodox canonist Theodore Balsamon (12th century) for not serving the full Divine Liturgy during the Holy Pentecost, except on Saturdays and Sundays, is quite applicable to these days. Sundays and the Feast of the Annunciation Holy Mother of God: Fast days made to be for crying and tenderness, for the cleansing of everyone’s sins; To offer a sacrifice to God is to triumph, and to triumph is nothing other than joy. How can anyone cry and still rejoice? In addition to the indicated two days, for the same reason the Divine Liturgy is not prescribed by the Rules on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays of Great Lent, on Great Friday, on the Friday before the Nativity of Christ and Epiphany, if these holidays occur on Sunday and Monday.