On June 19, the entire Orthodox world celebrates one of the twelve twelfth holidays - Holy Trinity Day.

In our church, the all-night vigil will begin on Saturday, June 18 at 16.00. On Sunday at 8.30 - the beginning of confession and at 9.00 - the Divine Liturgy and Great Vespers with the reading of kneeling prayers.

Trinity – what kind of holiday is this and what not to do?

Trinity is a great Christian holiday, which is one of the twelve - the most important of the year. It takes place on the fiftieth day after Easter, which is why it is also called Pentecost. On this day, Orthodox Christians remember the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, after which the Lord’s disciples became able to speak different languages and dispersed throughout the world to preach the teachings of Christ.

The Feast of the Holy Trinity always falls on a Sunday. Believers always try to attend the service on this day and take communion. The Trinity service itself is especially solemn - the inside of the churches is decorated with greenery, plant branches and flowers. After the Liturgy, Great Vespers is served with the reading of kneeling prayers, during which, turning to the Lord, we ask Him for help and intercession.

There are a lot of folk customs associated with the holiday: you can’t do this, you can’t do that... But most of them have purely pagan, folk roots. And often such customs contradict the very essence of the Christian faith. Therefore, when studying the Russian traditions of the Trinity holiday, one must clearly distinguish what is consonant with Orthodoxy in them and what is not.

In the Church there are no everyday rules about what is not allowed and what can be done on certain holidays. The main thing that can and should be done is to be in church and pray.

If you still have any doubts about how to spend the day of the holiday of Trinity (Pentecost), you can read below a selection of the most frequently asked questions and answers about what can and cannot be done on Trinity.

What can't you do on Trinity?

As a rule, the answers to this question are quite superstitious. The Church Charter does not provide clearly regulated instructions in this sense. If you are a believer, then you understand that Trinity is one of the most important, most revered holidays, that on this day you need to be in church for services, refrain from external vain affairs, and devote yourself to prayer. When there is no reverence for the holiday, no internal reverence for this day, then why outwardly fulfill any instructions if they do not carry any spiritual meaning?

Is it possible to work for Trinity?

Trinity is one of the most important Christian holidays, which takes place on the fiftieth day after Easter. On this day, the Church remembers the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. After this event, the Lord’s disciples became able to speak different languages and dispersed throughout the world to proclaim to people about the Risen Savior.

The Feast of the Holy Trinity always falls on a Sunday. Orthodox Christians try to dedicate this day to God by their presence in church during divine services, by diligent and sincere prayer, and by participating in church Sacraments. If possible, on such a big holiday it is better to refrain from work, put aside all vain matters and devote time to the Lord, devoting yourself to prayer and good deeds.

Is it possible to work on the second day of Trinity?

The Feast of the Holy Trinity is divided into two days. The first day is dedicated to the glorification of the Trinity and the remembrance of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, which is why it is called Trinity Day. The second day glorifies the All-Holy Life-Giving Spirit and in honor of this is called the Spiritual Day.

Orthodox believers, realizing the holiness of the holiday, always try to attend church services on these days, put aside all vain matters and devote time to prayer. Since the first day of Trinity always falls on a Sunday, there is usually no problem for a Christian to attend services on that day. The second day of Trinity - Spiritual Day - falls at the beginning of the work week. It is clear that on Monday it is difficult for a modern person to put aside his affairs and work. But if possible, it is better to start performing it after attending the morning service in order to pay tribute to the holiday.

Is it possible to work in the garden on Trinity Sunday?

The Feast of the Holy Trinity always falls on a Sunday, so believers always try to attend the festive service in the church, partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, refrain from doing any work and devote time to prayer.

By working on Trinity Day, we seem to show God our disrespect. It is not for nothing that people have always tried to put off all external, vain affairs on the days of great holidays - this is displeasing to the Lord. The work, as a rule, was in vain and did not bring a positive result. Of course, there are particularly important matters that cannot be postponed to another time. It is better to begin to implement them only after attending a service and praying. But if possible, on major holidays, such as Trinity, it is better to postpone all matters, including work in the garden.

Is it possible to remember those who committed suicide on Trinity Sunday?

The Feast of the Holy Trinity is preceded by Trinity Parents' Saturday- day of universal remembrance of the dead. On Trinity Saturday, funeral services are held in churches, during which the Church commemorates all deceased Orthodox Christians.

As for commemorating suicides at a memorial service, the Church does not bless this - neither on Trinity, nor on any other day. Taking the life of another person is a great sin, but a murderer can always sincerely repent of his sin and the Lord will forgive him. A person who commits suicide does not have the opportunity to repent of his action. The soul of a suicide is left to God's will. However, this does not mean that it is completely impossible to pray for such people. On the contrary, their souls especially need the prayers of loved ones, which can be done at home.

Why can't you kneel before Trinity?

Hieromonk Constantine (Simon) answers:

We do not kneel during the period from Easter to Pentecost because it is a time of joy. We kneel in prayer very often during Lent, as it is a time of repentance. But the period after Easter is a joyful time, we should not be sad. Of course, we should always ask the Lord for forgiveness of our sins. But Easter is a special time, it is the time of the triumph of Jesus Christ over death. These days we live in a special, special way, we live by Easter grace. And this grace does not allow us to kneel.
And on the day of the Holy Trinity, at Great Vespers, we kneel for the first time since Easter. Kneeling prayers are read on it, during which we can again ask God for the forgiveness of our sins, we can repent. The moment of repentance is clearly reflected in the texts of these prayers.
It is also worth noting that Great Vespers refers to Monday, the second day of the Holy Trinity - Spiritual Day, since according to the rules of the Council of Nicaea, Orthodox Christians should not kneel on Sundays.

Is it possible to swim on Trinity Sunday?

Trinity, as a rule, falls at the end of spring or beginning of summer. Usually the weather improves by this time and people try to spend their weekends with their families in nature, near a pond - there is nothing reprehensible in this. Of course, the church charter does not prohibit swimming on Trinity (or ever before). However, for an Orthodox person it is important to set priorities correctly so that it does not turn out that instead of attending a service on a holiday, he goes to the beach.

Is it possible to go to the cemetery on Trinity Sunday?

Hieromonk Constantine (Simon) answers:

Why does this question arise? I think because the holiday of Trinity is closely connected with prayer for the dead. This especially applies to the Saturday before Trinity - funeral Saturday. And, in my opinion, it is better to visit the cemetery on Saturday, and not on Sunday, because it is on Saturday that a memorial service, a special service with prayers for the deceased, is held in churches.
On Sunday, the day of the Trinity, kneeling prayers are read. They conclude the evening service before the Spiritual Day. During these prayers we also pray for the souls of the departed. We even pray for those who are in hell, asking the Lord to soften their fate. All this happens through the action of the Holy Trinity and especially through the action of the Holy Spirit, who gives life to both the dead and the living. In general, the living and the dead on this day are very close, since the Holy Spirit unites the heavenly Church - the one in heaven, the suffering Church - the one in hell, and the Church on earth.

What can you do on Saturday before Trinity?

The Saturday before Trinity is also called Trinity Parental Saturday; on this day a special commemoration of all the departed is performed in churches. Believers come to the morning service, after which a memorial service is held. In addition, on the Saturday before Trinity, as well as on the eve of other great holidays, newlyweds are not married. Also, on the Saturday before Trinity, it is recommended to attend the evening service and confess at it, so that on Sunday morning you can come to the church for the Liturgy and receive communion. The Church does not introduce any other special restrictions on this day.

Is it possible to get married before Trinity?

The Church does not perform weddings directly on the eve of great holidays, as well as on fasting days of the week: Wednesday and Friday. As for the remaining days in the week before Trinity, on these days, as a rule, you can get married. Of course, a particular church may have special circumstances related to its work and worship schedule. Therefore, it is worth agreeing in advance on the time and place of the wedding.

How many days can you not work on Trinity Sunday?

Another popular question from people who are just immersing themselves in church tradition. The answer will disappoint some, but will delight others: there are no restrictions on work on the eve of Trinity. So workaholics can calmly enjoy their work, but lazy people, alas, will not have a new reason to relax.

Is it possible to baptize on Trinity?

The sacrament of Baptism can be performed absolutely at any time - on days of fasting, ordinary days or holidays. But we must understand that there are some limiting factors. So, for example, on Trinity morning the morning service is greatly lengthened, since after the Liturgy Great Vespers with special prayers and petitions is immediately served. After such a long service, not every church will be able to perform the Sacrament of Baptism. In addition, each parish may have its own schedule for services and sacraments, which must be learned on the spot.

Is it possible to get married/get married/have a wedding on Trinity Sunday?

There are no weddings on Trinity Sunday. Since weddings on the days of the twelve holidays are not prohibited, but undesirable. Since it is the day of a great church holiday, we strive first of all to experience the events of the holiday, without overshadowing the church joy with our personal joy. If it is necessary to get married on these days, special agreement with the priest is required.

Birches in the temple

On Trinity Sunday, churches were traditionally decorated with birch branches and grass. This custom has several explanations. Firstly, birch trees can be reminiscent of the oak grove of Mamvre, where there was an oak tree, under which the Lord, the Holy Trinity, appeared to Abraham in the form of three angels. She is depicted on the icons of the Trinity.

Secondly, on the day when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles, the Jews celebrated the Feast of Pentecost, which was associated with the history of the giving of the Law of God to them. . On the fiftieth day after leaving the land of Egypt, the Jews approached Mount Sinai, where the Lord gave Moses the Ten Commandments.
It was spring time, and the entire Mount Sinai was covered with flowering trees. Probably from here, in the ancient Church there was a custom on the day of Pentecost to decorate their temples and houses with greenery, as if to find themselves again on Mount Sinai with Moses.

Trinity is celebrated seven weeks later - on the fiftieth day - after Easter. The holiday is also called Trinity Day or Pentecost.

The celebration of the Trinity, like the Easter holiday, has its roots in the times of the Old Testament. On the 50th day after Passover (the day the Jewish people left Egypt), the prophet Moses founded the Old Testament priesthood at Mount Sinai and gave his people God's law. This day becomes the day of the founding of the Old Testament Church.

The Day of the Holy Trinity is also related to the New Testament Easter, since on the 50th day after the resurrection from the dead, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to the apostles.

In Rus', the holiday began to be celebrated 300 years after the introduction of Christianity by Prince Vladimir.

In Ukraine, the holiday is closely associated with welcoming summer and seeing off spring - Green Holidays. The week before Trinity is called “green”, “mermaid” or “clecal”, and the 3 days before the holiday itself and 3 days after it are called Green Week. During the Green Holidays, oats bloom, people decorate their houses with flowers and greenery, young girls weave wreaths. According to legends, at this time mermaids emerge from the water and the dead awaken.

The Holy Trinity is one of the important provisions of Christianity. On this holiday, the Orthodox Church remembers the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles. The concept of the Trinity symbolizes the image of God - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

This big church holiday symbolizes liberation from everything sinful and bad in the human soul. The Holy Spirit, who descended on the apostles in the form of sacred fire, endowed them with grace and gave them strength to create the Holy Church on earth, with the goal of bringing God’s word to every person.

The holiday of Trinity is the birthday of the church. On this day, God's chosen disciples were given special powers to help them preach the Gospel throughout the world and spread the message of Jesus as Lord and Savior. Today the clergy are the successors of the apostles. They are considered mediators between people and God.

Celebrating Trinity: customs

For the holiday, housewives clean the house, decorate the rooms with flowers, using young grass and green branches for this purpose, which symbolize spring, the continuation and prosperity of life. For decoration, branches of oak, birch, maple, rowan, mint, calamus grass, and lemon balm are most often used.

On the morning of Trinity Day they go to church for a festive service. Parishioners hold flowers, green branches and fragrant herbs in their hands.

Relatives and loved ones are invited to a festive dinner and treated to loaves of bread, pancakes, egg dishes, pies, and jelly. On this day it is customary to give each other funny gifts. Many people prefer to go to nature and organize picnics, because Trinity is always celebrated on a day off.

From ancient times to the present day, the tradition of folk festivals has been preserved. Concerts, cultural events, and fairs are held in cities.

Trinity: traditions and rituals

In the old days, people, having served the morning service on Trinity Sunday, began to celebrate the holiday. In cities and villages there were massive folk festivals, round dances, chants, competitions and active games in the open air. In the evening, unmarried girls danced in circles, and single guys looked after brides. The girls wove wreaths from herbs and flowers, carried them to the river and floated them along the water. Wreaths could also be secretly given to chosen ones as a sign of sympathy.

On Trinity Sunday, herbs were dried, and subsequently used as a remedy for various troubles and a cure for many diseases. According to legend, such greenery can protect a house from a thunderstorm.

Rusks from a loaf baked for Trinity were kept until the wedding. They were added to wedding cakes in the belief that they would bring happiness to the newlyweds.

Our ancestors had a tradition of consecrating “tear herbs” in the church - herbs that were specially mourned because tears symbolized rain. After church, this grass was taken home and hidden behind window frames or icons. Thus, people asked nature for a good and fruitful summer without drought.

Also, so that there would be a rich harvest in the summer, birch branches were inserted behind the shutters, platbands, and window frames, and green grass was scattered throughout the room. This was the case in every home.

In the village, any peasant labor was condemned on Trinity Sunday: it was forbidden to do anything either in the house or in the field. Only cooking was allowed. Swimming in the river was also strictly forbidden, because Trinity is the time when mermaids come to land and can lure people to the bottom.

The Saturday before Trinity is for parents. On this day it is customary to go to the cemetery and remember relatives. Our ancestors believed that a person who did not go to the churchyard on this day and did not remember his deceased relatives was inviting the dead to come to him, and they, in turn, would take someone from home with them, i.e. In the near future, someone may die in this house. Therefore, before Trinity, a memorial dinner was held, the clothes of the dead were hung on the fence, thus trying to drive death away from their home.

On Trinity Sunday, old women went to the cemetery and swept the graves with birch wreaths. It was believed that by doing this they drive away evil spirits and bring joy to the deceased, who promote harmony, peace and wealth for all village residents.

Wooing on Trinity was a good omen. It was believed that if they were wooed on Trinity and married on the Intercession, it means that these spouses would have a happy and long life, they would live in love and harmony.

If it rains on Trinity, then expect a good harvest, warm weather without frost and a lot of mushrooms.

Monday after Trinity is Spiritual Day. On this day, the Earth was considered the birthday girl. They didn’t work on the land, but early in the morning they went looking for treasures. It was believed that on her name day she would reveal something valuable to a good person.

Fortune telling for Trinity

On Trinity Sunday, girls wondered about their betrothed and their fate. One of the most popular fortune telling was weaving wreaths and “curling” a birch tree. On the eve of the holiday, the girls went into the forest, found young birch trees there, and on their tops they wove a wreath of twigs - “curled”. On Trinity, the girls returned to their birch trees and looked at the wreath; if it had developed or withered, then nothing good should be expected. If it remains the same, then this year a wedding with a loved one and wealth in the house are expected.

Another popular custom for Trinity is weaving wreaths. We did this in women's company; men were not allowed. It was believed that if a guy saw a wreath, he would be in trouble. With the finished wreaths they went to the river and lowered them into the water:

Where the wreath floats - from there wait for the betrothed;
if the wreath is left near the shore, then the girl will not marry;
if she drowns, the girl will die soon.

The wreath was not removed from the head by hand, but the head was tilted so that it fell on its own.

To see the betrothed in a dream, birch branches were placed under the pillow.

Customs and traditions of celebrating the Holy Trinity

Biblical Description of Pentecost

This holiday was named Trinity in honor of the fullness of God, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with whom the Creator baptized the Apostles on the fiftieth day from the Resurrection of the Lord. Hence the second name of this holiday - Pentecost.

The Holy Trinity

The Apostles and faithful followers of Jesus Christ were in prayer and daily communion, among whom were:

students;
women who accompanied the teacher during His earthly life;
Mother Mary;
His brothers.

The Teacher did not say when the Holy Spirit would appear, or how it would be, he only said that everyone should be waiting.

The history of the holiday in Orthodoxy

From this day on, every Sunday, 50 days or seven weeks after, the Apostles and the Christians around them celebrated the day of the Descent of the Holy Spirit. The celebrations of the Week ended with the baptism of those added to the Church.

Quintus Tertullian, an early Christian theologian, writer of more than 31 preserved treatises, wrote in 220-230 that the holiday of Trinity eclipsed all pagan rituals of that time.

The Trinity in Orthodoxy means the unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Pentecost received official recognition by the Church in 381 during the Ecumenical Council of Constantinople, at which a dogma was approved recognizing the equality of all three hypostases of the Holy Trinity.

At the Council, the Symbol of the Christian Faith was adopted - I Believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Symbol of faith
I believe in God the Father, the Almighty Creator, who created heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, the Savior of people, who was born of the Virgin Mary at conception by the Holy Spirit, was tortured during the time of Pontius Pilate, died by crucifixion, was buried and resurrected after descending into hell, ascended to Heaven, sat down at the right hand of the Most High, so that with Him to judge people, living and dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Universal Church, eternal life through forgiveness and resurrection. Amen.

Amen translated means the statement “So be it!”

Also see:

The Symbol of Faith is read in churches and at home prayers from Trinity to Easter.

The difference between Trinity and other holidays

Easter services end with Pentecost, after which the weeks in the church calendar are numbered as weeks after Trinity.

The Monday after the Feast of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is called the Day of the Holy Spirit. From there, until Easter, the Creed is read, and after the Resurrection of Jesus and until the day of Pentecost, during church and home prayers, the chant is read: “Christ rose from the dead, through death he overcame death, he rose alive from the grave,” which is not sung after the Day of the Holy Spirit.

The Trinity service begins with a prayer; it is read before the beginning at the end of any holiday or activity, when the Holy Spirit is invoked as a reliable helper.

Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth, abiding everywhere and filling everything, Source of blessings and Giver of life, come and dwell in us and cleanse us from all sin and save, O Good One, our souls.

The Venerable John of Damascus and Cosmas of Maium compiled the festive canons back in the eighth century; they were set out in the First Complete Byzantine Rule for the conduct of services on Trinity.

For information! At the evening service there is no kissing of the icon; parishioners venerate the Gospel.

At the all-night vigil before the holiday, the canon of Pentecost is read. The Morning Liturgy is replaced by the Feast of the Holy Spirit, during which prayers are read while kneeling.

The festive stichera helps to understand the meaning of this action. The Jewish people, among whom God the Son was born, are deprived of God's grace through their unbelief. Christians all over the world, pagans in the flesh, are filled with Divine light. Kneeling, as a symbol of a bowed heart, with deep faith we worship the third Hypostasis of the Divine Trinity - God the Spirit.

Composed the first prayers:

The first petition is dedicated to confessing sins to the Creator and asking for mercy in the name of the Sacrifice given to people by Jesus Christ, God the Son.
The second prayer is an appeal for the gift of the Holy Spirit to all people.
The third appeal to Christ, the Mission, God, who descended into hell and took the keys of life from Satan, to have mercy on our deceased relatives.

During the holiday the Troparion is performed:

Blessed are you, Christ our God, who gave wisdom to the fishermen, making them Apostles, sent them the Holy Spirit and helped them gain the whole world, glory to you, God the Lover of Mankind.

Traditions of decorating temples and houses on the day of Pentecost

According to folk tradition, churches and houses are decorated with greenery on Trinity Sunday; people call this holiday green Christmastide.

Decorating the church with greenery for the holiday of Trinity as a symbol of the flowering of the Christian soul

On the one hand, this is a historical basis. God appeared to Abraham in the form of three elders who were reclining under an oak tree.

On the fiftieth day after leaving Egypt, the Almighty, on the green Mount Sinai, gave the people 10 commandments, which are still the basis of Christianity.

According to custom, in honor of these events, all temples were decorated with greenery. The greenery on Pentecost symbolizes the flowering of the Christian soul, which was awakened by the Divine Spirit through the grace of God the Father and the Son.

Birch trees cut down on Trinity Day symbolize the power of grace. While the tree fed through its roots and grew in the ground, it lived, and as soon as it was cut down, it died. So the human soul lives as long as it is nourished by Divine power, but if a person leaves the Church, he immediately dies. Jesus is the Vine, and we are His branches, feeding on mercy, forgiveness through confession and communion.

For information! The week following Bright Week is fast; it ends with All Saints' Week, after which Peter's Fast begins.

The Almighty has shown himself to be triune in the Trinity, consubstantial and indivisible; you should not try to understand this dogma with your mind, or explain it with the human mind. Each Hypostasis of the Trinity has its own face, but these are not three Gods, but a single Divine essence.

Day of the Holy Trinity. Pentecost

“Come, people, let us worship the three-component Deity!”

Trinity. Icons

One of the first in the iconography of the Trinity was the story of the appearance of three Angels to Abraham (“Hospitality of Abraham”), set out in the eighteenth chapter of the biblical book of Genesis. It tells how the forefather Abraham, the ancestor of the chosen people, met three mysterious wanderers near the oak grove of Mamre (in the next chapter they were called angels). During a meal in Abraham's house, he was given a promise about the coming miraculous birth of his son Isaac. According to the will of God, from Abraham a “great and strong nation” was to come, in which “all the nations of the earth will be blessed.”

Catacombs of Via Latina
Hospitality of Abraham. Santa Maria Maggiore. Mosaic of the Roman temple of Santa Maria Maggiore (1st half of the 5th century)
Mosaic in the Temple of San Vitale. Ravenna (1st half of the 6th century)

In the second millennium, the custom arose of adding the words “Holy Trinity” to the plot of “Abraham’s Hospitality”: such an inscription appears on one of the miniatures of the Greek Psalter of the 11th century. In this miniature, the head of the middle Angel is crowned with a cross-shaped halo: it faces the viewer frontally, while the other two Angels are depicted in a three-quarter turn.

The same type of image is found on the doors of the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Suzdal (c. 1230) and on the fresco of Theophanes the Greek from the Novgorod Church of the Transfiguration on Ilyin Street. The cross halo indicates that the central Angel is identified with Christ.

Trinity. Theophanes the Greek. 1378 Fresco in the choir chamber. Church of the Transfiguration on Ilyin Street, Novgorod
Zyryan Trinity. End of the 14th century Vologda State Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve, Vologda

It is known that the iconographic version of the Trinity without forefathers existed even before Rublev in Byzantine art. But all these compositions are not independent in nature. Andrei Rublev not only gives the image a complete and independent character, but makes it a complete theological text. On a light background, three angels are depicted sitting around a table on which there is a bowl. The middle angel rises above the others, behind him is a tree, behind the right angel is a mountain, behind the left are chambers. The angels' heads are bowed in silent conversation. Their faces are similar, as if the same face is depicted in three versions. The entire composition is inscribed in a system of concentric circles that can be drawn along the halos, along the outlines of the wings, according to the movement of angelic hands, and all these circles converge at the epicenter of the icon, where a bowl is depicted, and in the bowl is the head of a calf. Before us is not just a meal, but a Eucharistic meal in which an atoning sacrifice is made. The Trinity of Andrei Rublev is a symbolic image of the trinity of the Divine, as already pointed out by the Council of the Hundred Heads. After all, the visit to Abraham by three Angels was not a manifestation of the Holy Trinity, but was only “a prophetic vision of this mystery, which over the course of centuries will gradually be revealed to the believing thought of the Church.” In accordance with this, in Rublev’s icon we are presented not with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but with three Angels, symbolizing the Eternal Council of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity. The symbolism of the Rublev icon is somewhat akin to the symbolism of early Christian painting, which hid deep dogmatic truths under simple but spiritually significant symbols.

Trinity. Andrey Rublev. 15th century
Trinity. XV century. Sergiev Posad State Historical and Art Museum-Reserve
Icon “The Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles” Novgorod, 16th century
The descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles. Athos, Dionysiat Monastery, XIV century
Trinity of the Old Testament. Mid-16th century Yaroslavl Art Museum, Yaroslavl
Trinity of the Old Testament. Second half of the 16th century. Moscow, State Tretyakov Gallery
The Holy Trinity. End of the 16th - beginning of the 17th centuries. Yaroslavl Art Museum, Yaroslavl
Trinity of the Old Testament. End of the 16th - beginning of the 17th centuries. Moscow, State Tretyakov Gallery
Trinity. End of the 14th century From the collection of N.P. Likhachev. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg

Trinity churches in Rus'

One of the first churches in Rus' was dedicated to the Trinity. It was built by Princess Olga in her homeland, Pskov. The wooden temple, erected in the 10th century, stood for about 200 years. The second temple was made of stone. According to legend, it was founded in 1138 by the holy noble prince Vsevolod (baptized Gabriel). In the 14th century, the vault of the temple collapsed and a new cathedral was built on its foundation. But it has not survived to this day - it was badly damaged in 1609 during a fire. The fourth cathedral, built on the same site and still bearing the name of the Holy Trinity, has survived to this day.

St. Basil's Cathedral, on Red Square in Moscow, was built on the site of the Trinity Church, near which there were seven more wooden churches - in memory of the Kazan victories, they were consecrated in the name of those holidays and memories of the saints when the decisive battles took place. In 1555-61. on the site of these temples, one stone temple was built - nine-altar. The central altar was consecrated in honor of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, and one of the chapels was dedicated to the Trinity. Until the 17th century, the cathedral bore the popular name of Trinity.

The most famous Russian monastery is dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity - Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Having settled on Makovets in 1337, the Monk Sergius built a wooden Church of the Holy Trinity. In 1422, on the site of the former wooden church, the disciple of St. Sergius, Abbot Nikon, founded the stone Trinity Cathedral. During its construction, the relics of St. Sergius were discovered. The cathedral was painted by famous masters Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny. The famous image of the Old Testament Trinity was painted for the iconostasis.

In the name of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Trinity Markov Monastery was founded in Vitebsk. The foundation of the Markov Monastery presumably dates back to the 14th–15th centuries. There is a legend about the founder of the monastery, a certain Mark, who retired to a plot of land that belonged to him and built a chapel there. Soon he was joined by like-minded people. The monastery existed until 1576, after which it was abolished, and the Trinity Church was turned into a parish church. The monastery was reopened in 1633 by Prince Lev Oginsky, and closed in 1920. The police and other institutions were located on its territory for a long time. All buildings, except the Holy Kazan Church, were destroyed (including the Trinity Cathedral - one of the best examples of wooden Belarusian architecture). The Kazan Church was damaged during the Great Patriotic War, but then partially restored. This is the only church in Vitebsk that did not close in the post-war years. The main altar of the temple is consecrated in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, and the side chapel is in honor of St. Sergius of Radonezh. The monastery was revived in 2000.

Trinity Cathedral in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra

In honor of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Trinity (Troitsky) Monastery was founded in the city of Slutsk (Belarus). The time of foundation of the Holy Trinity Monastery is unknown. The first mention of it dates back to 1445. There was a monastery near the city, downstream of the Sluch River. People began to settle around the monastery, the suburb of Troychany was formed, and the street from the city to the monastery began to be called Troychany. The monastery had a charter from the Polish king, confirming its Orthodox status. Since 1560, there has been a theological school at the monastery, where theology, rhetoric, Slavic and Greek grammars were studied. It is also known about the small library of the monastery: in 1494 there were 45 books. In 1571, the abbot of the monastery was Archimandrite Mikhail Ragoza (d. 1599), the future Metropolitan of Kiev. An Orthodox seminary was opened at the monastery, which was headed until 1575 by the former abbot of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra Artemy (? - early 1570s). At the beginning of the 17th century, the seminary no longer existed. It appears again in the 18th century. During the First World War there was an infirmary in the monastery. In the summer of 1917, the buildings of the monastery, where 13 monks and 13 novices lived, were transferred to the Belarusian gymnasium, the rector, Archimandrite Afanasy Vecherko, was expelled. On February 21, 1930, the monastery was closed, the relics were transferred to museums. The monastery buildings were finally destroyed in the 1950s. Subsequently, a military camp was located in its place. In 1994, a memorial cross was erected on the site of the monastery.

Slutsk Holy Trinity Monastery. N. Horde. Second floor. 19th century

In 1414, on the banks of the Nurma River, not far from its confluence with the Obnora, in the territory of the modern Gryazovets district of the Vologda region, the Trinity Pavlo-Obnorsky Monastery was founded. The founder of the monastery was a disciple of St. Sergius of Radonezh - Pavel Obnorsky (1317–1429). In 1489, the monastery received a charter from Grand Duke Ivan III allocating the monastery with forests, villages and exemption from taxes. The monastery's privileges were subsequently consolidated by Vasily III, Ivan IV the Terrible and their successors. The cathedral church of the Trinity was built in the monastery (1505–1516). In the middle of the 19th century, 12 monks lived in the monastery. In 1909, the monastery was damaged by a severe fire. The cross that St. Paul received from Sergius of Radonezh melted in the fire. Before the revolution, about 80 inhabitants lived in the monastery. The monastery was closed in 1924 by decision of the Gryazovets district executive committee of the RCP (b). In the 1920s and 30s, the Trinity Cathedral with adjacent temple buildings, the bell tower and the fence were destroyed. An experimental pedagogical station, a school, and an orphanage were located on the territory of the monastery. In 1945, a children's sanatorium was opened, then a regional sanatorium-forest school. Returned to the Russian Orthodox Church in 1994.

Holy Trinity Pavlo-Obnorsky Monastery

The Ulyanovsk Trinity-Stefanovsky Monastery was consecrated in the name of the Holy Trinity. Located in the village of Ulyanovo, Ust-Kulomsky district of the Komi Republic. According to legend, the monastery was founded in 1385 by Saint Stephen of Perm (1340s - 1396) with the goal of spreading Christianity in the Upper Vychegda. But this building did not last long. According to local legends, the Ulyanovsk monastery was named after the girl Ulyaniya, who, not wanting to fall into the hands of the enemy, decided to drown herself in the river. A monastery was built opposite this place. During the years of Soviet power, the Ulyanovsk monastery was closed and its property was looted. Many monks were repressed. The Trinity Cathedral was completely destroyed, most of the outbuildings were in deplorable condition. Items seized from the Ulyanovsk Monastery were kept in the National Museum of the Komi Republic. In 1994, the monastery was transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church.

Trinity-Stephano-Ulyanovsky Monastery

In the name of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Trinity Ipatiev Monastery was founded in Kostroma. The monastery was first mentioned in chronicles in 1432, but it may have been founded much earlier. According to the generally accepted version, the monastery was founded around 1330 by the Tatar Murza Chet, the founder of the Godunov and Saburov family, who fled from the Golden Horde to Ivan Kalita (c. 1283/1288 - 1340/1341) and was baptized in Moscow under the name Zacharias. In this place, he had a vision of the Mother of God with the upcoming Apostle Philip and Hieromartyr Hypatius of Gangra (d. 325/326), the result of which was his healing from the disease. In gratitude for the healing, a monastery was founded on this site. Initially, the Church of the Holy Trinity was built, then the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, several cells and a powerful oak wall. Residential and outbuildings were located around. All buildings were wooden. After the death of Prince Vasily and the abolition of the Kostroma principality, the monastery came under the patronage of the Godunov family, which rose to prominence in the mid-16th century. During this period, the monastery developed rapidly. After the October Revolution, in 1919, the monastery was abolished and its values were nationalized. For many years there was a museum on the territory of the monastery, part of the exhibition of which is still there today. In 2005, the monastery was transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church.

Ipatiev Monastery. View from the old bed of the Kostroma River

In the name of the Trinity, the Stefano-Makhrischi Holy Trinity Monastery was founded. Located on the Molokcha River in the village of Makhra, Aleksandrovsky district, Vladimir region. Founded in the 14th century by Stefan Makhrischsky (d. July 14, 1406) as a monastery. From 1615 to the 1920s it was assigned to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Closed in 1922. Reopened in 1995 as a convent.

Stefano-Makhrishchsky Holy Trinity Monastery

In the name of the Holy Trinity, the Trinity Anthony-Siysky Monastery was founded in 1520. The monastery was founded by the Monk Anthony of Siysk (1477–1556). In pre-Petrine times, the Siysky Monastery was one of the largest centers of spiritual life in the Russian North. From the monastery book collection come such unique manuscripts as the Siya Gospel of the 16th century and illustrated calendars. After the revolution, ancient documents were confiscated from the monks and transferred to the Arkhangelsk Regional Archive, from where in 1958 and 1966 they were transported to Moscow (now to the RGADA). The monastery was closed by a resolution of the Yemetsk Executive Committee dated June 12, 1923 and by a decision of the Presidium of the Arkhangelsk Provincial Executive Committee dated July 11, 1923. The territory was used for the needs of the labor commune and collective farm. In 1992, the monastery was transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church.

Trinity Siysky Monastery. Pre-revolutionary postcard

A monastery in Astrakhan was consecrated in the name of the Trinity. The history of the Trinity Monastery in Astrakhan begins in 1568, when Tsar Ivan the Terrible, sending abbot Kiril here, ordered him to establish a common monastery in the city of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. By 1573, Abbot Kiril had built: “the temple of the Life-Giving Trinity, to which was attached a meal about six fathoms, and a cellar about three fathoms, 12 cells, two cellars with dryers, a glen and a cookhouse.” All buildings were wooden. By the time of the death of Abbot Kiril in 1576, he had built two more wooden churches in the monastery: in honor of the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The monastery itself, originally called Nikolsky, later received the name Trinity, in honor of the cathedral church of the Life-Giving Trinity. In the 90s of the 16th century, the new abbot Theodosius began rebuilding the monastery from wood to stone. On September 13, 1603, the new stone Trinity Cathedral was consecrated. A little later, a chapel was added to it in honor of the holy passion-bearers Princes Boris and Gleb. In addition, under Abbot Theodosius, the following were built: a stone bell tower with the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker under it and a wooden Church of the Origin of the Venerable Trees of the Holy Cross with a chapel in honor of the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary. During the Soviet years, an archive storage facility was set up in the monastery, and the shrines were desecrated.

Trinity Monastery in Astrakhan

In the name of the Trinity, a monastery was founded in the city of Murom, Vladimir region. The monastery was founded in the second quarter of the 17th century (1643) by the Murom merchant Tarasy Borisovich Tsvetnov, according to a number of local historians, on the site of the so-called “old settlement”, where initially in the period of the 11th–13th centuries there was a wooden cathedral in honor of Saints Boris and Gleb, and later there was a wooden Holy Trinity Church. In 1923 the monastery was closed. In 1975, a wooden church in honor of St. Sergius of Radonezh was brought to the territory of the monastery from the neighboring Melenkovsky district, which is a monument to wooden architecture of the 18th century. Opened in 1991. The main shrine of the monastery is the relics of the holy saints Prince Peter and Princess Fevronia, transported from the local museum on September 19, 1992. Until 1921, the relics rested in the city's Nativity Cathedral.

Holy Trinity Convent of Murom in the 19th century

Also consecrated in the name of the Holy Trinity are the Alexander-Svirsky Monastery, the Zelenetsky-Trinity Monastery, the Klopsky Monastery, the Eletsky Trinity Monastery, the Belopesotsky and Trinity Boldin Monasteries, monasteries in Kazan, Sviyazhsk, Kalyazin, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Tyumen, Cheboksary and other cities.

In honor of the Holy Trinity, monasteries were founded in Serbia, Georgia, Greece, Palestine, Finland, and Sweden.

A temple in Veliky Novgorod was consecrated in honor of the Trinity. The temple dates back to 1365. Built by order of Novgorod merchants who traded with Ugra (Ural region). The Trinity Church suffered the greatest damage during the Great Patriotic War. Along with other monuments of Novgorod architecture, it was restored in 1975–1978, although in fact the work is still ongoing.

Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Yamskaya Sloboda in Veliky Novgorod

Also in honor of the Trinity, the Church of the Spiritual Monastery in Veliky Novgorod was consecrated. The Trinity Church with a refectory chamber was built around 1557 by order of Abbot Jonah. It is located almost in the center of the monastery territory. On the ground floor of the refectory there was a cookhouse, a bakery and two leaven cellars; on the second floor there is a refectory and a cellar room. The church was seriously damaged during the Swedish occupation of 1611–1617, as well as from a severe fire in 1685.

Trinity Church of the Spiritual Monastery in Veliky Novgorod

In the name of the Life-Giving Trinity, a temple in Moscow - in the Fields - was consecrated. It was first mentioned in 1493 in the Resurrection Chronicle. In 1565 a stone church was built. In 1639, next to the stone Trinity Church with the chapels of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and Boris and Gleb, built by the boyar M. M. Saltykov (cousin of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich), a wooden temple was built in honor of Sergius of Radonezh. Trinity Church was destroyed in 1934. The speed of demolition did not allow for a detailed study of the architectural monument. In its place a square was laid out, and a monument to the pioneer printer Ivan Fedorov was erected in place of the refectory.

Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in the Fields. Photo from N. A. Naidenov’s album, 1882

A temple in Nikitniki (Moscow) was consecrated in the name of the Trinity. Back in the 16th century, there was a wooden church here in the name of the holy martyr Nikita (d. c. 372). In the 1620s, it burned down, and by order of the Yaroslavl merchant Grigory Nikitnikov, who lived nearby, a new stone church was built in the name of the Holy Trinity in 1628–1651. Sources mention construction work in 1631–1634 and 1653. The southern aisle of the temple was dedicated to Nikita the Martyr, and the revered icon of this saint was transferred to it from the burnt church. It served as the tomb of the temple builder and members of his family. In 1920, the temple was closed for worship and in 1934 transferred to the State Historical Museum. In 1991 the temple was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church.

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Church of the Life-Giving Trinity DOC. Liepaja
Church of the Holy Trinity DOC. Kublishchino

In addition, the feast of the Holy Trinity is patronal for the Nikolo-Uleiminsky monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church and for the Holy Trinity monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church in the village. Kamenka, Zlynsky district, Bryansk region.

On the 8th week after Easter, the Church celebrates the last mobile twelve feast - Pentecost, or the Day of the Holy Trinity (another name for the holiday). This is one of the oldest holidays: it is mentioned already in sources from the end of the 2nd century. and in terms of antiquity it is second only to Easter. In the modern Charter, this holiday has the highest status: it is one of the three most significant twelve holidays (together with the Nativity of Christ and the Epiphany), which in terms of the solemnity of the service are second only to Easter, but in a number of aspects they are superior to other twelve holidays.

The name “Pentecost” arose in the intertestamental period (approximately in the 3rd – 2nd centuries BC) and is mentioned in the Holy Scriptures (Tov. 2 ,1; 2 Macc. 12 ,22; Acts 2 ,1; 20.16; 1 Cor. 16 ,8). The meaning of the name is simple: the Old Testament prototype of our holiday fell on the 50th day after the Jewish Passover, and the church holiday of Pentecost occupied exactly the same place in the calendar relative to Christian Easter. Another name - Holy Trinity Day - is associated with the theological meaning of the event: on this day we celebrate the appearance of the Holy Spirit, which became the decisive event in the revelation of the Holy Trinity. The Revelation of God the Father and God the Son was manifested in sufficient fullness in the previous events of gospel history and in the teaching of the Lord Jesus, while the Revelation of the Holy Spirit was insufficient. Only the fact of His descent on the apostles already clearly tells us about God, glorified in the Trinity.

Now let us briefly recall the event of the holiday. After the ascension of Christ, the apostles were all together in Jerusalem, waiting to receive another Comforter, as the Lord commanded them. On the day of the Jewish holiday of Weeks (or Pentecost), all 12 apostles in their renewed composition (together with Matthias, who was chosen to replace Judas) gathered in the upper room, where they remained throughout the entire period from Passover to Pentecost. This upper room was a spacious room at the top of the house; Such upper rooms were found in many Jewish homes, and rabbis often used them for prayers and meetings. There is a strong tradition that this was the Upper Room of Zion, where the Last Supper took place.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as from a rushing strong wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.And cloven tongues as of fire appeared to them, and one rested on each of them.And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance(Acts 2 , 2–4). In the above description, attention is paid to the signs of the Epiphany, which are characteristic of Sacred history and which manifested themselves in this event: a loud sound ( noise), strong wind, fire. This means that the descent of the Holy Spirit was essentially a Theophany and thereby indirectly expresses the idea of the Divine dignity of the Holy Spirit.

Thus, the apostles accepted the gift of the Holy Spirit and were able to speak in the languages of different nations, that is, they received not only a gift of grace, but also a real opportunity to preach the Gospel to both Jews and foreigners. This day is considered the birthday of the Church not only because it was the starting point of the apostolic preaching, but primarily due to the gift of the Holy Spirit, for the Holy Spirit acts in the Sacraments of the Church and assimilates to believers the fruits of the redemption accomplished by Christ (without the Holy Spirit living and acting in the Church, the Church itself is unthinkable).

After describing the actual descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, Saint Luke narrates the reaction of the Jews who were in Jerusalem, who saw the apostles speaking different languages, and also cites the speech of the Apostle Peter. It should be noted that, in accordance with Deut. 16 , 16, the Feast of Weeks was one of three days on which all faithful Jews were required to come to the central sanctuary (that is, Jerusalem). And although in terms of “popularity” Pentecost was inferior to two other holidays (Easter and the Feast of Tabernacles), still on this day many pilgrims gathered in Jerusalem from different ends of the earth where the Jews lived. The fact that the apostles spoke in the languages of the nations testified to their acceptance of the gift of God, and the Jews who came to Jerusalem providentially confirmed this. It turns out that already at the moment of the birth of the Church, the sermon about Christ is multilingual and addressed to all peoples; This is not a closed national-religious community (as the Old Testament Jewish community was), but the Christian Church, from its very inception, has been characterized by cultural diversity and a rich ethnic composition.

In contrast to the enthusiastic reaction of Diaspora Jews, some skeptical Jerusalem residents accused the apostles of they got drunk on sweet wine(Acts 2 , 13). In response to this, the Apostle Peter delivered his first speech, in which he answered this reproach, and explained the meaning of everything that happened to the apostles, and also recalled the events (the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ) that preceded this. Let us note that the Apostle Peter in his speech quoted the prophecy of Joel ( 2 , 28–29), witnessing its fulfillment on that day; the text of this prophecy is read as a proverb at the holiday service.

An important question arises: why is the descent of the Holy Spirit timed by the Providence of God to coincide with the day of Pentecost? The Old Testament speaks of the agricultural nature of the Feast of Weeks (Old Testament Pentecost): on this day they celebrated feast of the first fruits harvest(Ex. 23 , 16) and sacrificed two wheat loaves baked from the flour of the new harvest (see: Lev. 23 , 16–17). And just as the Feast of Weeks was the beginning of the material harvest, so the New Testament Pentecost is the beginning of the spiritual harvest. The Lord in the Gospel calls the apostles “harvest workers” (see: Lk. 10 , 2), and the founding of the Church signifies the beginning of the preaching of Christianity, which is a harvest in the spiritual sense. It is in this sense that explains the relevance of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Feast of Weeks of St. John Chrysostom: “What kind of Pentecost is this? This is the time when it was necessary to cut the harvest with a sickle, when it was necessary to gather fruits. Did you see the image? Look, in turn, at the truth itself. When it was necessary to use the sickle of the word, when it was necessary to gather the harvest, then the Spirit flies in like a sophisticated sickle. Listen, in fact, to what Christ says: lift up your eyes and look at the fields, how they are white and ripe for harvest(In. 4 , 35); and further: the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few(OK. 10 , 2)".

Now about the most striking features of the festive service. The all-night vigil is performed generally according to the standard pattern; Let us note the “return” of two well-known prayers, which since Easter have not been used either in worship or in private prayer. These are “I have seen the true light...” and “To the King of Heaven...” On the eve of Trinity, “I have seen the true light...” is sung on “Lord, I have cried...” with the fourth stichera, and “To the King of Heaven...” is sung when singing the stichera on the stichera. “To the Heavenly King...” is usually sung by the entire temple. In general, the stichera “To the Heavenly King...” on the day of Pentecost is, as it were, a birthday girl, therefore at the all-night vigil of the holiday it is sung several times (even before the canon and before the doxology).

At the Liturgy, instead of the Trisagion, “Be baptized into Christ as you are” is sung. This reminds us that in the early Christian Church, the baptism of catechumens was performed on Pentecost. This seemed appropriate - the day of the founding of the Church and its growth with new members.

But the most striking service from the point of view of liturgical uniqueness is Great Vespers, which is celebrated on the day of the holiday after the Liturgy. There are several features here that occur once a year. Thus, special petitions for the grace of the Holy Spirit are added to the peaceful litany. And the culmination is, of course, the reading of kneeling prayers. There are only seven of them, they are divided into three parts: two in the first and second, three in the third. The parts are separated from each other by short prayers: the first - after the great prokemna (“Who is the great God...”), the second - after the special litany “Rtsem all...”); after the second part, “Grant, Lord...” is sung, and then the third part. At the very end of Vespers, the third of its features, is a long special dispensation: “Who from the Father’s and Divine bosom depleted Himself and descended from heaven to earth...” In its introductory, very lengthy phrase, all the saving actions of God are glorified, starting with the Incarnation and ending with the Cross death and the sending of the Spirit. This dismissal sums up the entire redemptive work of the Lord.

And in conclusion, a few words about the custom of decorating churches on the day of the Holy Trinity with greenery. This custom, according to the famous liturgist of the early 20th century. M. Skaballanovich, “gives special grandeur to the holiday and noticeably sets it apart from other holidays.” About the meaning of this tradition, the same M. Skaballanovich writes: “According to the law of Moses, on the feast of Pentecost, the first fruits of the harvest were supposed to be brought to the temple... And on the feast of Christian Pentecost, branches and flowers are brought to God as the firstfruits of spring, renewed by the power of the life-giving Spirit and indicate spiritual fruitfulness Church of Christ." There is another interesting explanation: the greenery at this moment (end of May - June) is fresh and beautiful, the whole creature is renewed, it is like a period of “rejoicing of spring”. By decorating churches with this greenery, we not only create a wonderful atmosphere, but also remember that the Lord created all the beauty of the world for man, which moves us to thanksgiving and fervent prayer.

Alexey Sergeevich Kashkin, candidate of theology, teacher, head of the department of biblical studies of the Saratov Orthodox Theological Seminary, May 27, 2018