The history of the holiday introduction to the temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The meaning of the feast of the introduction of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the temple The feast of the introduction of the virgin into the temple
[Greek Εἴσοδος τῆς ῾Υπεραγίας Θεοτόκου ἐν τῷ Ναῷ; lat. Praesentatio S. Mariae in templo], one of the great church holidays, established in honor of the event of bringing Rev. Mother of God by Her parents in the Jerusalem temple for dedication to God.
The event of V. is not mentioned in the canonical Gospels and is known from later apocryphal Greek. "Protoevangelium of James" (ch. 7. 2-3) (2nd half of the 2nd century) and lat. The Gospels of Pseudo-Matthew (IX century), which reflect oral tradition, but in accordance with the traditions of Lit. The genre is supplemented with details from biblical books that have a representative value (1 Chronicles 15 and Ps 44), as well as from the gospel story of the Candlemas (Lk 2. 22-38).
According to the mentioned sources, the parents of Rev. Virgins Joachim and Anna, when their Daughter reached the age of 3, decided to fulfill their earlier vow to dedicate Her to God and went to the Jerusalem temple. Near the entrance to the temple stood young virgins called by Joachim with lit lamps, so that young Mary would love the temple with all her heart. Rev. The Virgin, despite her age, easily overcame the steep steps of the temple and was met and blessed by the high priest, according to the legend, Zechariah, bud. father of John the Baptist. By special revelation, She, as an animated kivot of God (cf.: 1 Chr. 15), was introduced into the Holy of Holies, where only the high priest had the right to enter once a year (see: Exodus 30.10; Heb. 9.7) - this was Her a special role in the fate of mankind. The event of V. marked the beginning of a new stage in the life of the Immaculate Virgin - a stay at the Jerusalem temple, which lasted until She was 12 years old. Living at the temple, Mary devoted herself to prayer, the study of the Holy. Scriptures and handicrafts. As time passed, She, having decided to preserve her virginity and escape God, was, according to the law of the fathers, entrusted to the cares of the aged Joseph, her betrothed.
Establishment of the holiday
In present V.'s time is one of the twelve feasts, but it was established in the Church later than others of this number. Perhaps its appearance is connected with the activities of imp. Justinian I, who built in 543 on the ruins of the Jerusalem temple a huge church dedicated to St. Theotokos and named by him New to distinguish it from the former, located near the Sheep font, opposite the temple (Procop. De aedif. 5. 6).
In the 8th century the holiday was celebrated in some months. Their restrained instructions, apparently, indicate that initially the service in V. was performed without much solemnity. Patriarch Herman I of Poland (VIII century) is credited with 2 homilies in V. (PG. Vol. 98. Col. 292-309, 309-320), which may indicate the celebration of V. in the K-field of that time. From the 9th century the holiday became widespread in the East (Skaballanovich. Tipikon. Issue 1. P. 110).
The status of the V. holiday gradually changed, in Orthodoxy. Churches, he finally entered the number of twelve holidays only after the XIV century - Theodore Prodrom (XII century) and Nicephorus Callistus (XIV century) (Niceph. Callist. Hist. eccl. 2. 3) did not yet include him in this number ( Sergius (Spassky). Monthly. T. 1. S. 401), but, according to the Studial and Jerusalem Typikons of the 11th-14th centuries, it is celebrated almost as solemnly as other twelfth holidays. Nevertheless, even in the printed Typicons of the 17th century. certain features of the service of V. indicate that the status of this holiday is several. inferior to the status of other twelfth.
November 21 is almost universally accepted as the date of the holiday, with the only exception being Coptic. months, in which V. is celebrated on November 29. ( Sergius (Spassky). Monthly. T. 1. S. 395), and the practice of certain areas of the Roman Church, where V. was a mobile holiday and was celebrated on Sunday after November 11.
Patristic sermons on V.
Patristic lectionaries (for example, Hieros. Patr. 8, XI century; 133, 1582; 135, XIV century; Hieros. Crucis. 7, XII century., etc.) usually lead one (or both) from 2 words of St. Георгия Никомидийского : «Καλὰς ἡμῖν ὑποθέσεων ἀρχὰς ἡ παροῦσα πανήγυρις» (Хорошие оснований начатки - нынешнее торжество - PG. 100. Col. 1420) и «Αἱ τῶν θείων πανηγύρεων ἐλλάμψεις» (Сияния божественных торжеств - Combefis F . Novum Auctarium Graeco-Latinae Bibliothecae Patrum. P., 1648. T. 2. P. 1069; the words of St. George are also indicated by all Studial Typicons), and sometimes the word of St. Herman I of Poland "᾿Ιδοὺ καὶ πάλιν ἕτερα πανήγυρις" (Here again another celebration - PG. 98. Col. 309-320). Less common are the words of St. Tarasia K-Polsky “θαιδρὰ καὶ παράδομος ἡ παροῦσα πανήγυρις” (light and miraculous celebration-pg. 98. Col. 1481-1500; it is this word that is indicated in the Moscow primary typion of 1610) and Ionna Gavar “῾ο ῦν ἐν λν λν λν ἐν ἐ> "(Now in words - Boissonade J. F. Anecdota graeca. P., 1831. Vol. 3. P. 71-111).
Feast of V., according to the Typicon of the Great Church (IX-X centuries)
In the early manuscript of this Typikon (Patm. gr. 266, 9th-10th centuries), there are no special instructions regarding the order of the service in V., only the memory of the event is noted (Dmitrievsky. Description. T. 1. P. 26; the same is in the Monthly Word of the Greek Gospels Sinait, gr. 150, X-XI centuries - Ibid., p. 203). According to 2 manuscripts of the 10th-11th centuries, the service in the East was sung in the church of St. Mother of God in Chalkopratia (a common place along with the Blachernae Church for services on the feasts of the Mother of God), where in the morning on the day of the feast a litia was sent from the church of St. Sophia with the participation of the Patriarch. At Matins (on Ps 50) and the small entrance of the liturgy, they sang the troparion of the 4th tone "Σήμερον τῆς εὐδοκίας Θεοῦ τὸ προοίμιον" ( 
); readings at the liturgy: prokeimenon of the 3rd tone (Lk 1.46a-47), Heb 9.1-7, alleluiarium (4th plagal, i.e. 8th, tone), Lk 1.39-50, 56; involved - Ps 115.4 (Mateos. Typicon. T. 1. P. 110).
In studio typicons
used in Byzantium until the beginning. XIII century., And in Rus' until the beginning. XV century, the festive cycle of V. already consists of 3 or 4 days: pre-holidays on November 20, the actual holiday on November 21, after-feasts on November 22 (or 22-23). Various editions of the Studian statute - Studian-Aleksievsky 1034 (reflects the Polish practice of the 1st half of the 11th century), Evergetid (reflects the practice of Polish monasticism at the end of the 11th century), George Mtatsmindeli (reflects the practice of Athos monasticism in the middle 11th century), Messinsky 1131 (reflects the South Italian (Calabros-Sicilian) practice of the 12th century.) Typicons - set out the order of the services of the Vvedensky cycle with some differences (see: Pentkovsky. Typikon. S. 296-298; Dmitrievsky, Description, vol. 1, pp. 319-323, 813; Kekelidze, Georgian Liturgical Monuments, pp. 241; Arranz, Typicon, pp. 58-61).
In the earlier Studio-Aleksievsky, as well as South Italian. Messinian and Nikolo-Kazolian Typikons and Studial Menaions of the 11th-12th centuries. (Yagich. Service Menaia. S. 431-436) the afterfeast is 1 day; in the Evergetid and George Mtatsmindeli Tipicons - 2. Late South Italian. The Typicon of the Grottaferrata Monastery (Crypt. A. II. 7, 1300) extends the afterfeast for 3 days ( Sergius (Spassky). Monthly. T. 2. S. 365). The day of giving the holiday of V. is not distinguished in the Studio Typicons.
On the feast day, 20 Nov. a service is performed with "God is the Lord", the following of V. is combined with the following of the saints of this day. Studio-Aleksievsky Typicon under 20 Nov. does not mention the memory of the saints, however, in the description of the service, the connection of the following of V. with the following of the “day saint” is noted. In other Typikons, the memory of St. Gregory Dekapolit and St. Proclus, but the service of V. is connected only with the following of St. Gregory (the same in the Studium Menaions of the 11th-12th centuries). Only in the Evergetid Typicon is a combination of the followings of V. and both saints, and the hymns of the Octoechos are not indicated (probably due to an excess of followings).
On the day of V., festive vespers (with an entrance and 3 paroemias) and matins are performed; in the morning after kathisma or festive antiphons - the 1st degree antiphon of the 4th tone (), prokimen and the Gospel of the Virgin; at the liturgy - the service of the Virgin. Only hymns of the holiday are sung.
On the days of the afterfeast, the following of V. is combined with the following of the “daytime saint”, the canon of Matins is the same as on the day of the holiday, part of the stichera is borrowed from the observance of November 21, and some are special (afterfeasts). The distribution of stichera, sedals and canons by day and on the days of the festive cycle is noted in different Studio Typicons, although they are all based on the same corpus of hymns.
On each of the 3 days of the holiday (November 20-22), the Studiysko-Aleksievsky Typikon leads a special troparion: November 20. troparion of the 1st tone “To the righteous man the fruit of Joachim and Anna is offered to God” (currently sedal on November 21); November 21 - the troparion is the same as in the Typicon of the Great Church, and in later liturgical books; November 22 - troparion of the 4th tone “Ascended in the church in the holy of holies” (not used in modern books). According to the Evergetides and Messinian Typikons, the same troparion is sung on the days of the afterfeast as on the first day of the feast.
Various Studio Typikons describe the features of the service of V. in different ways, which is mainly due to the peculiarities of one or another edition of the Studian Charter: 1) according to the Studio-Aleksievsky Typicon, the 1st glory of the 1st kathisma “Blessed is the husband” is sung on the eve of the holiday, according to the Evergetides and Messines, the evening verse is cancelled; 2) according to the Evergetid Typicon, after Vespers, a pannikhis is performed (παννυχίς - a special night service), on which the canons of the day and the holiday are sung (4th tone, the creation of Joseph; this canon in other Studio Typikons is indicated on the morning of November 20); 3) kathismas at Matins according to the Typicons of Messina and George Mtatsmindeli are replaced, as in other holidays, by 3 festive antiphons; The Evergetid Typikon, after kathismas and sedals, indicates to chant the 6th kathisma (Ps 37-45; the versification is assigned, perhaps, in order to sound Ps 44, which is usually interpreted as prophesying about the Mother of God), and then polyeleos; 4) since, according to the Studian-Aleksievsky Typicon, Matins ends with a great doxology in the cathedral edition only on Great Saturday, on V. Matins has stichera on the verse; according to other Studio Typikons, the end of Matins with the singing of the great doxology in the cathedral edition; 5) at the liturgy according to the Messinian and George Mtatsmindeli Typikons, the antiphons "", according to the Studian-Aleksievsky and Evergetidsky - pictorial; The Evergetid Typikon indicates the entrance verse (Ps 44.15b).
In the Evergetid Typikon, in addition to the usual order of service, indications are given about the coincidence of the days of the Vvedensky cycle with Sunday - short for November 20, 22 and 23. (only about the liturgy), detailed for 21 Nov. (there is no polyeleos in the morning, the power antiphons of the voice, the prokeimenon and the Sunday Gospel are sung, the Gospel of the feast is canceled; the entrance verse is canceled at the liturgy).
According to the Jerusalem Rule
to which in the XII-XIII centuries. passed Greek, in the XIV century - Yuzhoslav. Churches, in con. XIV - beginning. XV century - The Russian Church, the celebration of V. forms a 6-day cycle: the fore-feast is still 1 day (November 20), when 3 successions are sung: fore-feasts, St. Gregory and St. Proclus; afterfeast increased to 4 days, including the celebration of the holiday on the last day (22-25 Nov.). In the description of the service of V., the editions of the Jerusalem Charter differ slightly.
The service of the pre-holiday as a whole corresponds to the sixfold one (see Art. Signs of the feasts of the month of the word); the succession contains the original troparion and several. self-consistent. In old printed Russian. Typikonakh (M., 1610, 1633, 1641) the day of forefeast has a hexadecimal sign; there is no sign in the Typicon now adopted in the ROC, although the statutory instructions are almost the same as those of the old printed books. The troparion of the fore-feast is different from that in the Studial Typikons. The chants of Oktoikh are not used in the service, which is recorded both in the old printed and in the modern. Typicons; in the latter, the chants of the Octoechos are regularly canceled on the eve of the feast, and in the old printed Typicons the Octoechos is not sung because of the need to combine 3 menaine sequences at once. At the evening verse, instead of the stichera of the Octoechos, the stichera of St. Proclus, not sung at “Lord, I cried” (where the stichera of the forefeast and St. Gregory were sung). Matins ends according to the everyday rite, pictorial antiphons are sung at the liturgy, songs of the 3rd and 6th canons of the forefeast are sung at the blessed ones, readings at the liturgy are ordinary and St. Proclus. The theme of V. appears in the service long before the holiday - already on November 8th. on the lithium is the stichera " 
».
Day of the holiday 21 Nov. it is celebrated with an all-night vigil, although the possibility of performing a polyeleic service is also stipulated. Until the 2nd floor. 17th century vigils were served only in churches dedicated to V., in other vigils there were no vigils (see, for example: A. P. Golubtsov, Officials of the Moscow Assumption Cathedral and Exits of Patriarch Nikon. M., 1908, pp. 21, 216). Divine service on the V. consists of small vespers, all-night vigil (with litiya), hours and liturgy. The charter of the service practically does not differ from the charter of other twelfth feasts of the Theotokos (the Nativity of the Virgin and the Assumption). Only hymns of the holiday are sung. At Matins on Ps 50 on "", "" - special refrains ( 
). After each song of the canon of Matins, the irmos of the 1st canon of the Nativity of Christ are used as a katavasia; from the day of V. the Christmas riot begins, and from that time in the service of some days of November. and Dec. features of the forefeast of the Nativity of Christ appear. On the 9th ode of the canon, instead of the hymns of Rev. Virgin and right. Zechariah - special refrains-magnifications; in modern liturgical books indicate a total of 10 refrains (7 for the 1st canon, 1 for the 2nd and one each instead of "", ""); 1 refrain of the 4th tone (“Aggeli enter ...”) was written out already in the Annunciation kondakar of the 12th century; in later manuscripts there are extensive cycles of refrains-magnifications (see: Dmitrievsky. Description. T. 1. S. 756-757); in old printed Russian. The Typikons and Menaions list only 2 refrains (1 for each canon). Feature of the Russian old-printed Typikons, which are absent in modern times - after the katavasia on the 9th song, the irmos of the 1st canon of V. is additionally sung (and the earth is bowed). At the liturgy, as in other feasts of the Theotokos, figurative antiphons are performed, at the blessed ones - the 3rd and 6th songs of the canon of the holiday (3rd song from the 1st canon, 6th from the 2nd).
The charter of afterfeast services does not differ significantly from the afterfeasts of other holidays. Chants are sung both from the 1st day of the holiday (alternately, by day, one of the 2 canons; self-voiced), and their own chants of the days after the feast. Nov 23 the following of the holiday can be combined with the following of blgv. book. Alexander Nevsky, charter of service in modern. The Typicone is missing; in the early printed Typicons, this charter was written out (M., 1610. L. 421-423; M., 1633. L. 269-271).
On the day of giving the feast of V., November 25, the following of V. is combined with the following of the holy martyrs Clement of Rome and Peter of Alexandria, which is a distinctive feature of the giving of V. in comparison with others, because usually on such days the following of “daytime saints” do not sing. As for the rest, the service of giving does not differ from others: the hymns of the feast are repeated from the 1st day, only there is no entrance to Vespers with proverbs and polyeles at Matins. At the end of Matins, a great doxology is sung.
Markov chapters
Typicon, adopted in present. time in the Russian Church, for the cycle V. has several. Mark chapters describing the connection with the Sunday service of the prefeast (Tipikon. [T. 1.] pp. 270-272), the feast (Ibid. pp. 275-276), the afterfeast (Ibid. pp. 276-278) and giving (Ibid., pp. 287-288). If the afterfeast or giving coincides with Sunday, the service of one of the saints is left (November 20 - St. Proclus, November 25 - Hieromartyr Peter). Dr. 2 chapters have, on the whole, the same content as similar chapters for other holidays.
Modern Greek Parish Typikon
Protopsalt George Violakis (Βιολάκης . Τυπικὸν. Σ. 99-103) prescribes a polyeleic service without lithium (there is no all-night vigil). The order of the festive service remains approximately the same as in the modern. Russian Typicone. Differences: on “Lord, I have called”, the stichera are sung at 6, at the end of Vespers - the troparion of the holiday three times, after the polyeleos in the morning, the chosen psalm “” is sung (it is used on all the Twelve Feasts of the Theotokos). At the liturgy, festive antiphons are sung, at the entrance - "... ...". The Typicon contains 2 chapters - on the connection with the Sunday service following the feast and on the Sunday after the feast (with the afterfeast). If 21 Nov. falls on a Sunday, the refrains to the 9th ode and the antiphons in the liturgy are still sung.
Holiday V. in the West
In Yuzh. Italy, where many Orthodox Greeks, V. was celebrated from the 9th century. The Normans, who captured these lands in the 11th century, transferred the custom of celebrating V. to England: for example, the Calendar from Winchester (1100) mentions Oblatio S. Mariae in templo Domini cum esset trium annorum (Radò P. Enchiridion Liturgicum. R ., 1966. Vol. 2, P. 1357). However, the holiday became widespread only in the 2nd half. 14th century In 1340, the French. Crusader nobleman Philippe de Mezieres († 1405), chancellor of the titular Cor. Jerusalem Peter I Lusignan, who also owned Cyprus, turned to Pope Gregory XI with a proposal, following the example of the Greeks, to officially establish the celebration of V. in the Catholic. Churches (Epistola de solemnitate Praesentationis beatae Mariae). The pope allowed the service of V. only as a votive service (service at will or by vow). Since 1371, she was regularly served in Avignon, in the Franciscan church.
In the XV century. efforts to spread the holiday in French. lands attached cor. Charles V, who commanded to serve V. in his court chapel in Paris. In 1472, Pope Sixtus IV (1471-1484) included V.'s service in the Breviary (as a holiday "at will" for some places). Last Pope Pius V (1566-1572) excluded the service of V., but Pope Sixtus V in 1585 made V.'s feast obligatory for the Roman Catholic Church. During this time, 7 different services of V. appeared in the West, including those of Philippe de Mezieres and Pope Gregory XI.
In present time of the feast of V. in the Catholic. The church is considered small, lasts 1 day, and the service is performed without much solemnity.
A. A. Lukashevich
hymnography
A significant part of the hymns of the holiday of V. according to modern. Menaion dates back to the period of dominance of the Studite Rule. The follow-up to the prefeast includes the troparion of the 4th tone: ""; kontakion of the 4th voice: ""; canon of the 4th tone, the creation of Joseph, with an alphabetic acrostic in the 1-7th songs, a special alphabetic acrostic in the 8th song (each of the 6 troparia of the song is divided into 4 parts, the 1st letter of each part is the letter of the acrostic - then The same in the canon of November 21) and the name “Joseph” in the 9th, Irmos: “᾿ανοίular τὸ στόμα μου” (), beginning: “῾αγίων ἰ>ς ̀λδβλavyεαγια, ἡ παγία κμωμος, οἰκῆσαι προέροέ digents () (); 3 self-voiced (1st of them " » sung 8 Nov. on lithium) and 2 groups are similar, both are similar to the 1st voice of the “Heavenly Orders”.
On the day of the holiday, the troparion of the 4th tone is sung, composed on the basis of the troparia of the Annunciation: “ 
”(for an indication of similar, see the following of the holiday according to the Evergetid Typicon - Dmitrievsky. Description. T. 1. S. 322); kontakion of the 4th tone: " 
»; 2 canons. 1st canon 4th tone, the work of St. George of Nicomedia, with an acrostic in the 1-7th songs "Σὺ τὴ[ν χάρι]ν, Δέσποινα, τῷ λόγῳ δίδου" (You are grace, Lady, give the word) - a gap in the acrostic indicates the initial presence in the canon of the 2nd song , not given in modern. publications; in the 8th and 9th odes the acrostic is alphabetical (in the 8th ode in the forward order, in the 9th - in the reverse order), composed according to the same principle as in the canon of the fore-feast (and imitating the 8th and 9th th songs of the canon of the Annunciation); irmos: "᾿Ανοίξω τὸ στόμα μου" (), beginning: "Σοφίας πανάχραντε, σὲ θησαυρὸν ἐπιστάμενοι" ( 
). The 2nd canon of the 1st tone, the work of Basil, with the name of the author in Bogorodichny ("Βσιλείου" - the omission of the 2nd letter of the acrostic indicates that the canon originally had the 2nd song) Θεῷ" (), beginning: "Συνδράμωμεν σήμερον, τῇ Θεοτόκῳ, τιμῶντες ἐν ᾄσμασι" (); 8 self-vowels (including the works of St. George of Nicomedia, Leont master (i.e. Leo Bardalis, hymnographer of the 1st half of the XIV century - see: Filaret (Gumilevsky). Song singers. S. 360-361), Sergius Hagiopolitus), most of them are also used in the sequences of pre- and after-feasts. Paroemia readings at Vespers on the eve of the feast are common Mother of God readings, as are the New Testament readings of Matins and Liturgy.
According to Greek other canons of the feast are also known to the manuscripts: the 1st tone, with an alphabetic acrostic and the name “Joseph” in the 9th song, with the 2nd song, irmos: “Χριστὸς γεννᾶται, δοξάσατε” (), beginning: “᾿Αγάλλου, γῆ, καὶ οὐράνια" (Hail, earth and heaven); 3rd voice, with the name “George” in the Mother of God, with the 2nd song, Irmos: “θαυμαστὸς ἐνδόival” (), beginning: “῾η λαμπρὰ ἐδοὺ πανήγυρις τῆς θεοτόκου” arranged the festival of the Virgin); 4th tone, with the name "George" in the 9th song, with the 2nd song, with the acrostic "̀ρδβλθυοτεΑνομῖν τὰς πύλας σου, παρθένε. Γεωργίῳ "(may you open the doors to us, Devo. George), Irmos:" θαλάσσσης τὸ ὸερυθραῖον πέλαγος "(), beginning:" ᾿ανοίγονται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις σήμερον "(they will open to people) (ταμεῖο. ; The canon of the pre-holiday of the 1st voice, with the acrostic “πύλας ἀνοίγει τῇ θεοῦ ναὸς πύλῃ χαίρων” (the door is opened by the divine temple of the door of grace), Irmos: “σοῦ ἡ τροπαιοῦχος δages” ( 
), beginning: "Πύλας καὶ εἰσόδους ὁ ναὸς" (The door and entrance to the temple) (AHG. T. 3. P. 466-477).
Judging by the stipulation in the Evergetid Typicon “The verb and the irmos instead of the “Tree”” (“The Tree” is the irmos of the Sunday troparions on the beatitudes of the 2nd tone), there once existed a cycle of festive beatitudes for V.
In con. IX or early 10th century in Bulgaria, in the circle of the closest disciples of Saints Cyril and Methodius, as part of the creation of glories. The Menaia of the Festive was written canon V. 4th tone (beginning: “Receive, O Lady, the introduction of Ty singing”) with an anonymous acrostic in the initial letters of the troparia and the Theotokos: “Receive Hidden the singing of Your offering.” In order to fully accommodate the acrostic, the author of the canon provided the 8th canto with an additional troparion, and the 9th canto with 2 troparia (with 3 troparia in songs 1-7). In a number of lists, scribes considered these troparia redundant and equalized the last songs in size with the rest. The canon came down in a significant number of lists (at least 20), mainly as part of the Menaia of the Festive XIII-XV centuries. (the oldest of them are in the Skopskaya and Draganova Menaia of the end of the 13th century). With the spread of the Jerusalem Charter, it fell into disuse (Kozhukharov S. Preslavsky canon for the Introduction of the Bogorodichno (Km problem "acrostic - reconstruction in systava") // Paleobulgarica. 1991. XV. N 4. P. 28-38).
Lit .: Skaballanovich M . Introduction to the Church of St. Mother of God. K., 1916. (Christ. holidays; 3); Goubert P. Influence des évangiles apocryphes sur l "iconographie Mariale (de Castelseprio à la Cappadoce) // Acta Congr. Mariologici-Mariani. Lourdes, 1958. Vol. 15. P. 147-164; Cothenet E. Marie dans les Apocryphes // Maria: Études sur la Sainte Vierge, 1961, Vol. 6, pp. 71-56; Buck F. Are the 'Ascension of Isaiah" and the 'Odes of Solomon" Witnesses to an Early Cult of Mary? // Acta Congr. Mariologici- Mariani, Lisboa, Fatima, 1967, Vol 4, pp. 371-399, Langevin P.-E, Les Ecrits Apocryphes du Nouveau Testament et la Vierge Marie, Ibid., P. 233-252, Peretto, L. M. Criteri d "impiego di alcune citazioni bibliche nel "Protovangelo di Giacomo" // Ibid. P. 274-293; Roschini G. M. I Fondamenti dogmatici del culto mariano nel "Protovangelo di Giacomo" // Ibid. P. 253-271; Peretto E . Apocrifi e pieta popolare mariana // Riv. Liturgica. 1998. No. 2/3. P. 333-350.
A. A. Lukashevich, A. A. Turilov
Iconography
According to J. La Fontaine-Dozogne's research, the image of the composition "Entering the Virgin into the Temple" was originally known as part of the cycle of the Life of the Virgin. It has been found in monumental paintings since the 9th century. (chapels of Joachim and Anna in Kyzylchukur, IX century, of the Virgin and Saints John the Baptist and George in Goreme, beginning or 1st half of the 10th century (Cappadocia); St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, 1037-1345; c. Dormition of the Theotokos in Daphne, circa 1100; Transfiguration Cathedral of the Mirozh Monastery in Pskov, 40s of the 12th century; Church of Our Lady Peribleptos in Ohrid (Macedonia), 1295; Church of Our Lady in the village of Sushitsa near Skopje (Macedonia), end of the 13th century, Church of the Savior in the mon- te Žiča (Serbia), 1309-1316, Church of the Savior (St. George in Staro Nagorichino (Macedonia), 1317-1318; the church of the Assumption of the Virgin of the Gracanitsa monastery (Serbia, Kosovo and Metohija), c. 1320; the cathedral of the Hilandar monastery on Mount Athos, 1320-1321; the Chora monastery ( Kahriye-jami) in K-field, 1316-1321). This composition in the cycle of the Life of the Virgin can be located in the altar (St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, the church of the Assumption of the Virgin of the Grachanitsa monastery), in the naos (the church of Our Lady Peribleptos in Ohrid, the Kraleva church in the Studenitsa monastery), in the chapel (the church of the Savior in the monastery of Zhich, the church of martyr George in Staro-Nagorichino), in the west. compartment under the choirs (Cathedral of the Mirozhsky Monastery), in the narthex (the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin in Daphne, the Monastery of Chora).
As a separate event, liturgically commemorated and celebrated by the Church, the Entry of the Mother of God into the temple is depicted in a miniature from the Minology of Basil II (Vat. gr. 1613), on icons as part of the festive row of the iconostasis (fragment of an epistyle, XII century, Vatopedi monastery; fragment epistyle, end of the 12th century, monastery of the Great Patriarch Catherine on Sinai; icon of the beginning of the 14th century, monastery of Hilandar; icon from the Kirillo-Belozersky monastery, 1497, KBIAMZ), as well as in monumental paintings, where The composition is presented as an independent plot. ". 2nd stichera on lithium, tone 4). The composition is a procession heading towards the temple in the form of a ciborium on thin columns, located inside a low fence. In the open (sometimes closed) doors of the fence, which resemble the royal doors of the iconostasis, the High Priest Zechariah leans towards the Mother of God, behind him the church throne is visible. The image of open or closed gates corresponds to the hymns of the service, in which the Mother of God is called “The Door of the Lord” (for example, “The Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos. Painting of the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. 1642–1643.
Introduction to the Church of St. Mother of God. Painting of the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. 1642–1643
In the monuments of the IX-XIII centuries. at the head of the procession, after the Mother of God, Her parents are depicted, who hand her over to the priest as a gift promised to God; behind the righteous Joachim and Anna are virgins holding burning candles in their hands. This construction of the composition corresponds to the theme of glorifying the Mother of God as a pure sacrifice to God (“ 
"- 6th troparion of the 8th song of the 2nd canon). This sacrifice is understood as preparation, a prototype of that sacrifice, which the Lord Himself will bring. It is no coincidence that in the system of temple painting, the compositions “Entrance into the Temple” and “Presentation of the Lord” are often compared. In c. Savior on Nereditsa near Novgorod, 1199, these scenes are presented next to the north. wall, in c. St. Nicholas on Lipno Island (Novgorod), 1299, opposite each other, to the north. and south. vima walls. The large-sized compositions "Nativity of the Virgin" and "Entrance into the Temple", occupying the most important places in the system of temple decorations, line up in one semantic row with the scenes "Nativity of Christ" and "Meeting" (the church of St. Panteleimon in Nerezi (Macedonia), 1164; Church of St. Achilles, Bishop Larissa in Arilya (Serbia), 1296; Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin in the Snetogorsk Monastery, 1313), as well as with passionate subjects (the Church of St. Theodore Stratilates on the Stream in Novgorod, 80- 90s of the XIV century - the composition "Entrance into the Temple" is located under the Crucifixion on the eastern wall of the southern arm of the cross).
In the Paleolog era, in the iconography of the composition "Entrance into the Temple", the emphasis shifts towards the Eucharistic understanding of the event. Righteous Joachim and Anna are depicted as closing the procession (Kraleva Church in the Studenitsa monastery), virgins with candles surround the Mother of God, who is also sometimes depicted with a candle in her hand. In the scene of the feeding of the Mother of God, sitting on the steps of the Holy of Holies, with an angel flying to Her from heaven, the Eucharistic significance of the episode is emphasized by the size of the bread and the clear image of the cross on it (Khilandar). This theme is also dictated by the hymns of the V. service: "" (3rd stichera in praise, tone 1). In the painting of the vestibule of the Boyana Church (Bulgaria), 1259, the Mother of God in the scene of eating heavenly bread is represented standing next to the angel behind the throne in the Holy of Holies. In the painting of the altar vault of the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, 1642-1643, the composition is depicted in the interior of the five-domed church, and the Old Testament Holy of Holies is presented as the altar of the New Testament church, above the throne of which the Mother of God sits on the steps, an angel flies to Her with a censer in her hand .
In general, the composition “Entrance into the Temple”, which has not changed much over the centuries, can sometimes be. marked by certain features. So, on the Novgorod icon of the XIV century. (GRM) it is shown in the interior of the 3-domed temple, lamps with burning candles hang under its vaults. The figurine of the Mother of God is depicted against the background of a high black arched opening. Behind the Mother of God on the right in poses of prayerful standing are the righteous Joachim and Anna, virgins, on the left for the rights. Zechariah is Joseph, St. Betrothed. The appearance of the image of rights. Joseph on the Novgorod icon, according to La Fontaine-Dozogne, may be due to the influence of the composition "Betrothal of Mary". For example, on the epistyle of the XII century. (Mont-r Vatopedi) scenes "Entrance into the Temple" and "Betrothal of Mary" are located in a row. The hipped form of the temple and hanging lamps reveal similarities with the hipped ciborium, decorated with lamps in the scene “Entering the Temple” in the mural of c. Panagia Arakos near Lagoudera (Cyprus), 1192. In the c. Dormition on the Volotovo field in Novgorod, 60s. 14th century, traditional the layout of the composition is so inscribed in the space allotted to it that the group of maidens with candles is separated from the rest of the composition by a window opening. The expression of the images is emphasized by the pose of the child of Mary, ascending the steps of the temple. This motif corresponds to the story of the "Protoevangelium of Jacob" that, to the surprise of those present, the Mother of God independently climbed the 15 high steps of the Jerusalem temple.
The miniatures of 2 manuscripts of the Words of Jacob of Kokkinobathe, 1st floor, are distinguished by special details in the depiction of the introduction and stay of the Virgin in the temple, accompanied by a host of angels. 12th century (Paris. gr. 1208; Vat. gr. 1162).
Lit .: Barsov E . On the impact of the apocrypha on ritual and icon painting // ZhMNP. 1885 Dec. pp. 96-115 (Same: Christ. poetry and art in connection with the New Testament apocrypha // Philosophy of Russian religious art. M., 1993. P. 123-139); Porfiriev I . I AM . Apocryphal stories about New Testament persons and events. SPb., 1890; Skaballanovich M . Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos. K., 1916. 1995 (Christian holidays); Lafontaine-Dosogne J. Iconographie de l "enfance de la Vierge dans l" Empire byzantin et en Occident. Brux., 1964. Vol. 1. P. 136-167; LCI. bd. 3 Sp. 213-216; Smirnova E. FROM . Painting of Veliky Novgorod: Ser. XIII - beginning. 15th century M., 1976. S. 208-213.
N. V. Kvlividze
The Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos is a holiday that came to us from Church Tradition. On this day, Christians remember how Saints Joachim and Anna brought the three-year-old Virgin Mary to the Jerusalem Temple. So the parents of the Mother of God fulfilled their vow - a promise to dedicate their long-awaited daughter to God. We will tell about the history, features and traditions of the holiday.
What is the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
The Entry into the Church of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary - this is the full name of the holiday that the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates on December 4 (according to the new style). This is the second twelfth feast of the Mother of God of the church year. The Twelfth are called holidays that are dogmatically closely connected with the events of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Mother of God and are divided into lordly (dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ) and theotokos (dedicated to the Mother of God).
On this day, Orthodox Christians remember how the holy righteous Joachim and Anna brought their three-year-old daughter - the Most Holy Theotokos - to the Jerusalem Temple. They did this in order to fulfill their vow before the Lord - to dedicate their daughter to serving Him. From that day on, the Virgin Mary lived at the Jerusalem Temple - until the very moment she was betrothed to the righteous Joseph.
We will not find a mention of the events of this holiday in the canonical Gospels, but Church Tradition tells us about it (which is revered on a par with Holy Scripture). Namely, “The Story of James about the Birth of Mary”, or “The Proto-Gospel of James” (II century), and “The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew” (the Latin version of the childhood of the Virgin Mary and Jesus, developed by the 9th-10th centuries, but based on earlier " childhood gospels).
Events of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
When the Virgin Mary was three years old, her righteous parents Joachim and Anna realized that the time had come to fulfill the vow they had made to God. Namely, to dedicate a daughter to serving Him. They brought Mary to the walls of the Jerusalem Temple. As the Holy Tradition says, the Mother of God easily climbed the steep steps, despite the fact that she was just a baby. The high priest was already waiting for her upstairs to bless her. According to some sources, this was Saint Zacharias, the future father of the prophet John the Baptist.
Zechariah had a revelation from the Lord, and he introduced Mary into the Holy of Holies - a place where only the high priest was allowed to enter, and even then only once a year. From this moment, unusual for contemporaries, the long, glorious and difficult journey of the Mother of God began.
Years passed, the Mother of God lived and served at the Temple. She spent her days in prayer, studied the Holy Scriptures - right up to the moment when she was betrothed to the righteous Joseph.
When is the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos celebrated?
The Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated on December 4, according to the new style (November 21, according to the old style). This is a non-transitory holiday, that is, its date is unchanged.
What can you eat on the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
The holiday falls on the Nativity Fast (it is also called Philip's Fast). It is allowed to eat fish on this day.
The history of the celebration of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
According to Church Tradition, the feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos was already known in the first centuries of Christianity. Equal-to-the-Apostles Empress Elena (years of life: 250-330) built a temple in honor of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the temple. And in the 4th century, St. Gregory of Nyssa wrote about the holiday.
The feast of the Entrance of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple became widespread only from the 9th century. George of Nicomedia and Joseph of Hymns wrote two canons for this day's worship.
Iconography of the Entry into the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary
On the icons dedicated to the events of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Mother of God herself is depicted in the center of the composition. She is wearing a maforium, the traditional dress of married women. Nearby are the holy righteous Joachim and Anna, the parents who brought her to the Temple in Jerusalem.
The temple itself is most often depicted as a ciborium (tent, canopy over the throne). The priest Zechariah, the future father of the prophet John the Baptist, meets the Virgin Mary. Also on the icon we see a staircase of fifteen steps - according to Tradition, the three-year-old Mother of God overcame them on her own, without the help of adults.
Liturgy of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
On the day of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, the festive divine service consists of small vespers, all-night vigil (with litiya), hours and liturgy. The charter of the service practically does not differ from the charter of other twelfth celebrations of the Theotokos (the Nativity of the Virgin and the Assumption). Only hymns of the holiday are sung. Priests are dressed in white and/or blue vestments.
Prayers of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
Troparion of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
voice 4
Today is the prefiguration of the favor of God and the preaching of salvation to men: in the temple of God, the Virgin clearly appears and announces Christ to everyone. To that and we will loudly cry out: Rejoice, watching the Builder's fulfillment.
Translation:
Now the foreshadowing of God's good pleasure and the foreshadowing of the salvation of people: in the temple of God, the Virgin solemnly appears and announces Christ to everyone; To her and we will loudly exclaim: "Rejoice, fulfilling the providence of the Creator for us."
Kontakion of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
voice 4
The Most Pure Church of the Savior, the precious chamber and the Virgin, the sacred treasure of the glory of God, are now being introduced into the house of the Lord, conferring grace, Even in the Divine Soul, Angels of God sing: This is the village of Heaven.
Translation:
The purest temple of the Savior, the precious palace and the Virgin, the sacred treasure of the glory of God, is now being brought into the house of the Lord, bringing with Him the grace of the Divine Spirit; The angels of God sing about her: "She is a dwelling place in heaven."
Magnification of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
We magnify thee, Blessed Virgin, God-chosen Maiden, and honor the hedgehog in the temple of the Lord Your entry.
Translation:
We magnify You, Most Holy Virgin, God-chosen Maiden, and honor Your entry into the temple of the Lord.
Saint Gregory Palamas. Word on the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
If “a tree from its fruit is known”, and “a good tree brings forth good fruit” (Matt. 7:17; Lk. 6:44), then the Mother of Goodness Itself and the Parent of Eternal Beauty cannot be incomparably more excellent than any good that is in the natural and supernatural world? For the Eternal and Unchanging Image of the goodness of the Most High Father, the Eternal, Pre-existing and Most Benevolent Word, by inexpressible love of mankind and compassion for us, desiring to take upon Himself our image, in order to call our nature to Himself from the hell of the underworld, in order to renew this decayed nature and elevate it to heavenly heights, - for all this he finds the kindest Servant, the Ever-Virgin, whom we glorify and whose miraculous Entry into the temple - into the Holy of Holies we now celebrate. God predestinates her before the ages for the salvation and calling of our kind: She is chosen from among those chosen from the ages and glorious both in her piety and prudence, and in God-pleasing words and deeds.
Once the culprit of evil, the serpent exalted itself above us and dragged us into its abyss. Many reasons prompted him to rise up against us and enslave our nature: envy, rivalry, hatred, injustice, deceit, cunning, and, in addition to all this, the deadly force in him, which he himself created for himself, as the first apostate from true life. . The culprit of evil envied Adam, seeing him striving from earth to heaven, from where he himself was cast out in justice and, envious, attacked Adam with terrible fury, even wanted to clothe him with death. After all, envy is the parent not only of hatred, but also of murder, which this truly misanthrope committed over us, slyly sticking to us, for he extremely unjustly wished to be the ruler over the earthly for the destruction of a creature created in the image and likeness of God. And since he did not have enough courage to attack personally, he resorted to cunning and cunning and, taking the form of a sensual serpent, turning to the earthly, as a friend and useful adviser, this truly terrible enemy and intruder, imperceptibly passes to action and his God-opposing advice pours his own deadly force, like poison, into a person.
Had Adam perhaps held fast to the Divine commandment, he would have been the conqueror of his enemy, and would have risen above the deadly defilement; but since, on the one hand, voluntarily succumbing to sin, he was defeated and became a sinner, and on the other hand, being the root of our race, he gave birth to us already deadly offspring, then in order for us to destroy the deadly poison of soul and body in ourselves and again acquire eternal life, it was absolutely necessary for our kind to have a new root. It was necessary for us to have a new Adam, who would not only be sinless and completely invincible, but could forgive sins and deliver from punishment those subject to him - and would not only have life, but also the ability to quicken, to make participants in the life of those who cling to Him and belong to His race, and not only those of the next generation after Him, but also those who have already died before Him. That is why St. Paul, that great trumpet of the Holy Spirit, exclaims: "Be the first man... I live into the soul", and the second Man "gives life into the Spirit" (1 Cor. 15:45).
But, apart from God, no one is sinless, does not give life and cannot forgive sins. Therefore, the new Adam had to be not only a Man, but also God, so that He Himself would be both life, and wisdom, and truth, and love, and mercy, and in general, every good thing in order to bring the old Adam into renewal and quickening by grace. , wisdom, truth, by the opposite means of which the author of evil caused us death.
Thus, just as this primordial murderer exalted himself above us with envy and hatred, the Ruler of life was raised up for us by His immeasurable philanthropy and His goodness. Indeed, He greatly desired the salvation of His creation, which salvation consisted in once again subduing it to Himself, just as the author of evil wanted the destruction of God’s creation, which consists in placing man under his power, and himself with tyranny weighing on him. And just as he brought victory to himself and a fall to man by his injustice, deceit, deceit, cunning, so the Liberator acquired for himself the defeat of the culprit of evil and renewed his creation with truth, wisdom, and truth.
It was a matter of perfect justice that our nature, which had voluntarily been enslaved and defeated, itself again entered into the struggle for victory and overthrew voluntary slavery. That is why it was pleasing to God to take upon Himself our nature from us, miraculously uniting with it Hypostatically. But the union of the Highest Nature, the purity of which is incomprehensible to our mind, with the sinful nature was impossible before it purifies itself. Therefore, for the conception and birth of the Giver of purity, the Virgin was absolutely Immaculate and Most Pure.
Now we are celebrating the memory of what once contributed to this incarnation. For he who is of God, the God of the Word and the Son co-eternal and co-eternal with the Most High Father, becomes the Son of Man, the son of the Ever-Virgin. “Jesus Christ yesterday and today, the same and forever” (Heb. 13:8), immutable in divinity and immaculate in humanity, He alone, as the prophet Isaiah foretold about Him, “do not commit iniquity, below finding deceit in his mouth ”(Is.53:9), - He alone was not conceived in iniquities, and His birth was not in sins, in contrast to how the prophet David testifies about himself and about every other person (Ps.50:7). He alone was completely pure and did not even need purification for Himself: for our sake He took upon Himself suffering, death and resurrection.
God is born from the Immaculate and Holy Virgin, or, better, from the All-Pure and All-Holy. This Virgin is not only above all carnal defilement, but even above all impure thoughts, and Her conception was determined not by the lust of the flesh, but by the overshadowing of the Most Holy Spirit. When the Virgin lived completely away from people and was in a prayerful mood and spiritual joy, she spoke to the angel who announced the gospel: “behold the servant of the Lord: wake me according to your word” (Luke 1:38) and, having conceived, gave birth. So, in order to prove to be a Virgin worthy for this higher goal, God before the ages predestinates and from among the elect from the beginning of the century chooses this, now praised by us, the Ever-Virgin. Note also where this election began. Of the sons of Adam, the wonderful Seth was chosen by God, who, by propriety of morals, by grandeur of feelings, by the height of virtues, revealed himself to be animated by heaven, which is why he was honored with the election, from which the Virgin - the God-beautified chariot of the Most Heavenly God - was to be born and call earthly people to heavenly adoption. For this reason, the whole generation of Seth was called “sons of God”: for from this generation the Son of God was to be born, since the name Seth also means resurrection or resurrection (from the dead), which, in fact, is the Lord, who promises and gives immortal life believers in His Name. And what a strict accuracy of this prototype! Seth was born to Eve, as she herself said, instead of Abel, whom Cain killed out of envy (Gen. 4:25), and the Son of the Virgin, Christ, was born for us instead of Adam, who was killed out of envy by the culprit and patron of evil. But Seth did not resurrect Abel: for he served only as a type of the resurrection, and our Lord Jesus Christ resurrected Adam, since He is Life and Resurrection for the earthly, for which the descendants of Seth were honored, by hope, with Divine adoption, being called the children of God. And that, as a result of this hope, they were called the sons of God, this is shown by the first son of Seth so named and by succession who received this election - Enos, who, according to the testimony of Moses, first hoped to be called by the name of the Lord (Gen. 4:26) .
Thus, the election of the future Mother of God, starting from the very sons of Adam and passing through all the generations of time, according to the foreknowledge of God, reaches the king and prophet David and the successors of his kingdom and family. When the time came for the election, God chose Joachim and Anna from the house and fatherland of David, who, although they were childless, were better than all those descended from the tribe of David in their virtuous life and good morals. And when in prayer they asked God for permission to be childless and promised to dedicate the Born, from His very childhood, to God, the Mother of God is proclaimed to them and given from God as a Child, so that the Pre-virtuous and Most Pure Virgin was conceived from such many-virtuous ones, so that, thus, and chastity, in conjunction with prayer, was fructified, and the Most Pure One became the Parent of virginity, having incorruptibly given birth to Him in the flesh, Who, according to the Divinity, was born before the ages of God the Father. And so, when the righteous Joachim and Anna saw that they had been honored with their desire and that God’s promise to them had come true in practice, then they, as true God-lovers, for their part, hastened to fulfill their vow given to God: now they brought this to God’s temple, verily, the Holy and Divine Child-Our Lady of the Virgin, as soon as She ceased to feed on milk. And She, despite such a small age, was full of Divine gifts and understood more than others what was happening to Her, and showed with all Her qualities that they did not bring Her into the temple, but that She herself, by her own impulse, came to serve God, as if on self-begotten wings, striving for sacred and Divine love, being convinced that bringing Her into the temple - into the Holy of Holies and staying in it is a desirable thing for Her. That is why the high priest, seeing that Divine Grace abides on the Lady more than anyone else, wished to instill Her in the Holy of Holies and persuaded everyone to willingly agree to this. And God assisted the Virgin and sent Her mysterious food through His Angel, thanks to which She was strengthened by nature and became purer than angels, while having Heavenly spirits in her service. And not only once She was introduced into the Holy of Holies, but was accepted by God to stay with Him for many years: for through Her, in due time, the Heavenly Abodes had to be opened and be granted for eternal residence to those who believe in Her miraculous Birth. This, then, is why the Chosen One from the beginning of the century among the elect turned out to be the Holy of Holies. Having her own body purer than the spirits themselves purified by virtue, so that it could receive the Hypostatic Word of the Pre-Eternal Father Itself, the Ever-Virgin Mary, as the Treasure of God, was now placed in the Holy of Holies, according to her property, so that at the appropriate time, as it was, to serve for enrichment and to premium decoration. Therefore, Christ God glorifies His Mother, both before birth and after birth.
But we, thinking about the salvation done for us through the Blessed Virgin, let us give Her thanks and praise with all our might. And truly, if a grateful wife (about whom the Gospel tells us), having heard a few saving words of the Lord, gave thanks to His Mother, raising her voice from the crowd and saying to Christ: “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts that fed You” (Luke 11: 27), then all the more we Christians, who have inscribed in our hearts the words of eternal life, and not only words, but also miracles and sufferings, and through them the restoration of our nature from the dead, and the ascension from earth to heaven, and the immortal life promised to us. , and immutable salvation, all the more so after all this we cannot but glorify and tirelessly please the Mother of the Author of salvation and the Giver of life, celebrating Her conception and birth and now Her Entry into the temple - into the Holy of Holies. Let us move ourselves, brethren, from the earth to woe; let us be transferred from the flesh to the spirit; let us prefer the desire of the permanent rather than the temporary. Let us give due contempt to the pleasures of the flesh, which serve as a bait against the soul and soon pass away. Let us desire spiritual gifts as if they were incorruptible. Let us divert our mind and our attention from worldly cares and raise it to the Heavenly depths - to that Holy of Holies where the Mother of God now lives. For in this way our hymns and prayers, with God-pleasing boldness and benefit, will reach Her, and thanks to Her intercession, together with present blessings, we will become heirs of future, endless blessings, by the grace and love of mankind for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, born of Her, to Him befits glory, power, honor and worship with His Beginningless Father and with His Eternal and Life-Giving Spirit now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh. Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
At the beginning of the Nativity Fast, we reverently celebrate the Entrance of the Mother of God into the temple. The temple is the lot of God, it is a place that belongs to God inseparably, a place where neither thought, nor feeling, nor will can be other than the will of God. And so the Most Pure Virgin Theotokos, in her youthful, infantile years, is brought to the temple of the Lord, enters that region where, apart from God and His ways, there is nothing. She is immersed in prayer, She stands before the Living God, She indulges in women's holy work, which can be an expression - if only a person's heart is sensitive and pure - of love and care. And immersed in this element of the Divine presence and human admiration, She grows, from year to year, to the full extent of Her maturity. And when the great Archangel of the Annunciation appears before Her and announces to Her that, mysteriously and incomprehensibly, the Lord will be born of Her, She gives Himself unconditionally, in trembling and humble obedience: Behold, the servant of the Lord, be it to me according to His will ...
During these years of complete immersion in the mystery of God, in the mystery of love, She became capable of becoming the One through Whom the saving, transfiguring, sacrificial and cross-loving love of God would enter the world. Saint Gregory Palamas tells us that the incarnation of the Son of God would have been just as impossible without the permission of His earthly Mother, as without the will of the Heavenly Father. Having gone completely into God's will, into the mystery of love for Him, and in Him for all creation, She was able to pronounce the name of God, the holy, mysterious name, which coincides with His personality, with all Her thought, with all Her heart, with all Her will and with everything His body, and this Word became flesh, and therefore we reverently contemplate this unique, unique holiness of the Mother of God.
But it is not in vain that this feast has been set up, as it were, on the eve of our procession towards the Nativity of Christ, the incarnation of the Word of God. And we must so prepare, so deepen, so purify our hearts, sanctify our thoughts, renew our will, sanctify our flesh, so that eternal life, manifested in Christ, could also be born in us, so that we, immersed in His death, risen by His Resurrection on the day of our baptism, could indeed so grow together with Him, so be one with Him, as the members of the body are one with each other, as the whole body is one with the head. The Mother of God gave birth to the world the Creative Word and Incarnate Love; and we have been given prayer, faithfulness to the gospel path, love for God and neighbor, renunciation of ourselves, giving ourselves without reserve to both God and our neighbor - and it has been given to us to unite with God so mysteriously that we too will be resurrected with Christ and in Christ. There is a path before us now - let's walk this path not just in anticipation of a miracle at the end of this path, but by becoming living, creative participants in this path so that the Lord is born and so that with Him a new, rejoicing, all-conquering love and life is born in us eternal. Amen.
Vvedenskoe Cemetery
Many toponyms are associated with the feast of the Presentation of the Mother of God in Russia. One of the most famous is the Vvedenskoye cemetery.
The Vvedenskoye cemetery (also known as the German or Vvedensky mountains) was founded in 1771 during the plague epidemic. It is located in the east of Moscow, in the Lefortovo district. In the 18th-19th centuries it was called the German Cemetery, as mainly Catholics and Lutherans were buried there.
The cemetery got its name because of the Vvedensky mountains (otherwise Lefortovo hill). This is a hill on the left bank of the Yauza (one of the "seven hills" of Moscow). The mountains, in turn, got their name from the once former village of Vvedenskoye, and it, in turn, from the wooden Church of the Presentation of the Virgin into the Temple, built on the hills in 1643 by decree of Tsarina Evdokia Lukyanovna, the second wife of Tsar Mikhail Romanov.
The wall and cemetery buildings were built at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century. In the 1960s, the territory was expanded and a columbarium wall was built.
Many are buried in the cemetery famous people, and part of the monuments and tombstones created by famous architects and sculptures are recognized as objects of cultural heritage.
Traditions of the Celebration of the Entry into the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary
In Rus', noisy and cheerful Vvedensky fairs were held in all cities and villages. The most famous was the wide Moscow. Fish auctions were held here, and peddlers offered customers to try piping hot buns, pretzels, gingerbread, pancakes, pies. They all washed down with a hot honey drink - sbitn.
On the screen saver is a fragment of the painting Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos(Titian, 1534-1538)
The Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos is a holiday that came to us from Church Tradition. On this day, Christians remember how Saints Joachim and Anna brought the three-year-old Virgin Mary to the Jerusalem Temple. So the parents of the Virgin fulfilled their vow - a promise to dedicate their long-awaited daughter to God. We will tell about the history, features and traditions of the holiday.
What is the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
The Entry into the Church of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is the full name of the holiday that the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates on December 4 (according to the new style). This is the second twelfth feast of the Mother of God of the church year. The Twelfth are called holidays that are dogmatically closely connected with the events of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Mother of God and are divided into lordly (dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ) and theotokos (dedicated to the Mother of God).
On this day, Orthodox Christians remember how the holy righteous Joachim and Anna brought their three-year-old daughter, the Most Holy Theotokos, to the Temple in Jerusalem. They did this in order to fulfill their vow before the Lord - to dedicate their daughter to serving Him. From that day on, the Virgin Mary lived at the Jerusalem Temple - until the very moment she was betrothed to the righteous Joseph.
We will not find a mention of the events of this holiday in the canonical Gospels, but Church Tradition tells us about it (which is revered on a par with Holy Scripture). Namely, “The Story of James about the Birth of Mary”, or “The Proto-Gospel of James” (II century), and “The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew” (the Latin version of the childhood of the Virgin Mary and Jesus, developed by the 9th-10th centuries, but based on earlier “ childhood gospels).
Events of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
When the Virgin Mary was three years old, her righteous parents Joachim and Anna realized that the time had come to fulfill the vow they had made to God. Namely, to dedicate a daughter to His service. They brought Mary to the walls of the Jerusalem Temple. As the Holy Tradition says, the Mother of God easily climbed the steep steps, despite the fact that she was just a baby. The high priest was already waiting for her upstairs to bless her. According to some sources, this was Saint Zacharias, the future father of the prophet John the Baptist.
Zechariah had a revelation from the Lord, and he led Mary into the Holy of Holies - a place where only the high priest was allowed to enter, and even then only once a year. From this moment, unusual for contemporaries, the long, glorious and difficult journey of the Mother of God began.
Years passed, the Mother of God lived and served at the Temple. She spent her days in prayer, studied the Holy Scriptures - right up to the moment when she was betrothed to the righteous Joseph.
When is the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos celebrated?
The Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated on December 4, according to the new style (November 21, according to the old style). This is a non-transitory holiday, that is, its date is unchanged.
What can you eat on the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
The holiday falls on the Nativity Fast (it is also called Philip's Fast). It is allowed to eat fish on this day.
The history of the celebration of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
According to Church Tradition, the feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos was already known in the first centuries of Christianity. Equal-to-the-Apostles Empress Elena (years of life: 250-330) built a temple in honor of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the temple. And in the 4th century, St. Gregory of Nyssa wrote about the holiday.
The feast of the Entrance of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple became widespread only from the 9th century. George of Nicomedia and Joseph of Hymns wrote two canons for this day's worship.
Iconography of the Entry into the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary
On the icons dedicated to the events of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Mother of God herself is depicted in the center of the composition. She is wearing a maforium, the traditional dress of married women. Nearby are the holy righteous Joachim and Anna, the parents who brought her to the Temple in Jerusalem.
The temple itself is most often depicted as a ciborium (tent, canopy over the throne). The priest Zechariah, the future father of the prophet John the Baptist, meets the Virgin Mary. Also on the icon we see a staircase of fifteen steps - according to Tradition, the three-year-old Mother of God overcame them on her own, without the help of adults.
Liturgy of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
On the day of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, the festive divine service consists of small vespers, all-night vigil (with litiya), hours and liturgy. The charter of the service practically does not differ from the charter of other twelfth celebrations of the Theotokos (the Nativity of the Virgin and the Assumption). Only hymns of the holiday are sung. Priests are dressed in white and/or blue vestments.
Prayers of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
Troparion of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
voice 4
Today is the prefiguration of the favor of God and the preaching of salvation to men: in the temple of God, the Virgin clearly appears and announces Christ to everyone. To that and we will loudly cry out: Rejoice, watching the Builder's fulfillment.
Translation:
Now the foreshadowing of God's good pleasure and the foreshadowing of the salvation of people: in the temple of God, the Virgin solemnly appears and announces Christ to everyone; To her and we will loudly exclaim: "Rejoice, fulfilling the providence of the Creator for us."
Kontakion of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
voice 4
The Most Pure Church of the Savior, the precious chamber and the Virgin, the sacred treasure of the glory of God, are now being introduced into the house of the Lord, conferring grace, Even in the Divine Soul, Angels of God sing: This is the village of Heaven.
Translation:
The purest temple of the Savior, the precious palace and the Virgin, the sacred treasure of the glory of God, is now being brought into the house of the Lord, bringing with Him the grace of the Divine Spirit; The angels of God sing about her: "She is the habitation of heaven."
Magnification of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
We magnify thee, Blessed Virgin, God-chosen Maiden, and honor the hedgehog in the temple of the Lord Your entry.
Translation:
We magnify You, Most Holy Virgin, God-chosen Maiden, and honor Your entry into the temple of the Lord.
Saint Gregory Palamas. Word on the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
If "A tree is known by its fruit", and "A good tree brings forth good fruit"(Mt. 7 :17; OK. 6 :44), then how could the Mother of Goodness Itself and the Mother of Eternal Beauty not be incomparably more excellent than any good that is in the natural and supernatural world? For the Eternal and Unchanging Image of the goodness of the Most High Father, the Eternal, Pre-existing and Most Benevolent Word, by inexpressible love of mankind and compassion for us, desiring to take upon Himself our image, in order to call our nature to Himself from the hell of the underworld, in order to renew this decayed nature and elevate it to heavenly heights, - for all this he finds the kindest Servant, the Ever-Virgin, whom we glorify and whose miraculous Entry into the temple - into the Holy of Holies we now celebrate. God predestinates her before the ages for the salvation and calling of our kind: She is chosen from among those chosen from the ages and glorious both in her piety and prudence, and in God-pleasing words and deeds.
Once the culprit of evil - the serpent exalted itself above us and dragged us into its abyss. Many reasons prompted him to rise up against us and enslave our nature: envy, rivalry, hatred, injustice, deceit, cunning, and, in addition to all this, the deadly force in him, which he himself created for himself, as the first apostate from true life. . The culprit of evil envied Adam, seeing him striving from earth to heaven, from where he himself was cast out in justice and, envious, attacked Adam with terrible fury, even wanted to clothe him with death. After all, envy is the parent not only of hatred, but also of murder, which this truly misanthrope committed over us, slyly pestering us, for he extremely unjustly wished to be the ruler over the earthly for the destruction of a creature created in the image and likeness of God. And since he did not have enough courage to attack personally, he resorted to cunning and cunning and, taking the form of a sensual serpent, turning to the earthly, as a friend and useful adviser, this truly terrible enemy and intruder, imperceptibly passes to action and his God-opposing advice pours his own deadly force, like poison, into a person.
Had Adam perhaps held fast to the Divine commandment, he would have been the conqueror of his enemy, and would have risen above the deadly defilement; but since, on the one hand, voluntarily succumbing to sin, he was defeated and became a sinner, and on the other hand, being the root of our race, he gave birth to us already deadly offspring, then in order for us to destroy the deadly poison of soul and body in ourselves and again acquire eternal life, it was absolutely necessary for our kind to have a new root. It was necessary for us to have a new Adam, who would not only be sinless and completely invincible, but could forgive sins and deliver from punishment those subject to him - and would not only have life, but also the ability to quicken, to make participants in the life of those who cling to Him and belong to His race, and not only those of the next generation after Him, but also those who have already died before Him. Therefore Saint Paul, that great trumpet of the Holy Spirit, exclaims: "be the first person ... I live in the soul", and the second person "into the life-giving Spirit"(1 Cor. 15 :45).
But, apart from God, no one is sinless, does not give life and cannot forgive sins. Therefore, the new Adam had to be not only a Man, but also God, so that He Himself would be both life, and wisdom, and truth, and love, and mercy, and in general, every good thing in order to bring the old Adam into renewal and quickening by grace. , wisdom, truth, by the opposite means of which the author of evil caused us death.
Thus, just as this primordial murderer exalted himself above us with envy and hatred, the Ruler of life was raised up for us by His immeasurable philanthropy and His goodness. Indeed, He greatly desired the salvation of His creation, which salvation consisted in once again subduing it to Himself, just as the author of evil wanted the destruction of God’s creation, which consists in placing man under his power, and himself with tyranny weighing on him. And just as he brought victory to himself and a fall to man by his injustice, deceit, deceit, cunning, so the Liberator acquired for himself the defeat of the culprit of evil and renewed his creation with truth, wisdom, and truth.
It was a matter of perfect justice that our nature, which had voluntarily been enslaved and defeated, itself again entered into the struggle for victory and overthrew voluntary slavery. That is why it was pleasing to God to take upon Himself our nature from us, miraculously uniting with it Hypostatically. But the union of the Highest Nature, the purity of which is incomprehensible to our mind, with the sinful nature was impossible before it purifies itself. Therefore, for the conception and birth of the Giver of purity, the Virgin was absolutely Immaculate and Most Pure.
Now we are celebrating the memory of what once contributed to this incarnation. For he who is of God, the God of the Word and the Son co-eternal and co-eternal with the Most High Father, becomes the Son of Man, the son of the Ever-Virgin. "Jesus Christ yesterday and today, the same and forever"(Heb. 13 :8), immutable in divinity and immaculate in humanity, He is the only one, as the prophet Isaiah foretold of Him, “ do not do iniquity, below you find flattery in his mouth"(Is. 53 :9), - He alone was not conceived in iniquities, and His birth was not in sins, in contrast to how the prophet David testifies of himself and of every other person (Ps. 50 :7). He alone was completely pure and did not even need purification for Himself: for our sake He took upon Himself suffering, death and resurrection.
God is born from the Immaculate and Holy Virgin, or, better, from the All-Pure and All-Holy. This Virgin is not only above all carnal defilement, but even above all impure thoughts, and Her conception was determined not by the lust of the flesh, but by the overshadowing of the Most Holy Spirit. When the Virgin lived completely far from people and was in a prayerful mood and spiritual joy, She spoke to the angel who announced the gospel: "Behold the servant of the Lord: wake me according to thy word"(OK. 1 :38) and, having conceived, gave birth. So, in order to prove to be a Virgin worthy for this higher goal, God before the ages predestinates and from among the elect from the beginning of the century chooses this, now praised by us, the Ever-Virgin. Note also where this election began. Of the sons of Adam, the wonderful Seth was chosen by God, who, by propriety of morals, by grandeur of feelings, by the height of virtues, revealed himself to be animated by heaven, which is why he was honored with the election, from which the Virgin - the God-beautified chariot of the Most Heavenly God - was to be born and call earthly people to heavenly adoption. For this reason, the whole generation of Seth was called “sons of God”: for from this generation the Son of God was to be born, since the name Seth also means resurrection or resurrection (from the dead), which, in fact, is the Lord, who promises and gives immortal life believers in His Name. And what a strict accuracy of this prototype! Seth was born to Eve, as she herself said, instead of Abel, whom Cain killed out of envy (Gen. 4 :25), and the Son of the Virgin, Christ, was born for us in place of Adam, who, out of envy, was killed by the author and patron of evil. But Seth did not resurrect Abel: for he served only as a type of the resurrection, and our Lord Jesus Christ resurrected Adam, since He is Life and Resurrection for the earthly, for which the descendants of Seth were honored, by hope, with Divine adoption, being called the children of God. And that as a result of this hope they were called the sons of God, this is shown by the first son of Seth named and by succession who received this election - Enos, who, according to the testimony of Moses, first hoped to be called by the name of the Lord (Gen. 4 :26).
Thus, the election of the future Mother of God, starting from the very sons of Adam and passing through all the generations of time, according to the foreknowledge of God, reaches the king and prophet David and the successors of his kingdom and family. When the time came for the election, God chose Joachim and Anna from the house and fatherland of David, who, although they were childless, were better than all those descended from the tribe of David in their virtuous life and good morals. And when in prayer they asked God for permission to be childless and promised to dedicate the Born, from His very childhood, to God, the Mother of God is proclaimed to them and given from God as a Child, so that the Pre-virtuous and Most Pure Virgin was conceived from such many-virtuous ones, so that, thus, and chastity, in conjunction with prayer, was fructified, and the Most Pure One became the Parent of virginity, having incorruptibly given birth to Him in the flesh, Who, according to the Divinity, was born before the ages of God the Father. And so, when the righteous Joachim and Anna saw that they had been honored with their desire and that God’s promise to them had come true in practice, then they, as true God-lovers, for their part, hastened to fulfill their vow given to God: now they brought this to God’s temple, verily, the Holy and Divine Child-Our Lady of the Virgin, as soon as She ceased to feed on milk. And She, despite such a small age, was full of Divine gifts and understood more than others what was happening to Her, and showed with all Her qualities that they did not bring Her into the temple, but that She herself, by her own impulse, came to serve God, as if on self-begotten wings, striving for sacred and Divine love, being convinced that bringing Her into the temple - into the Holy of Holies and staying in it is a desirable thing for Her. That is why the high priest, seeing that Divine Grace abides on the Lady more than anyone else, wished to instill Her in the Holy of Holies and persuaded everyone to willingly agree to this. And God assisted the Virgin and sent Her mysterious food through His Angel, thanks to which She was strengthened by nature and became purer than angels, while having Heavenly spirits in her service. And not only once She was introduced into the Holy of Holies, but was accepted by God to stay with Him for many years: for through Her, in due time, the Heavenly Abodes had to be opened and be granted for eternal residence to those who believe in Her miraculous Birth. This, then, is why the Chosen One from the beginning of the century among the elect turned out to be the Holy of Holies. Having her body purer than the spirits themselves purified by virtue, so that it could receive the Hypostatic Word of the Father without beginning, the Ever-Virgin Mary, as the Treasure of God, was now placed in the Holy of Holies, according to her property, so that at the appropriate time, as it was, to serve for enrichment and to premium decoration. Therefore, Christ God glorifies His Mother, both before birth and after birth.
But we, thinking about the salvation done for us through the Blessed Virgin, let us give Her thanks and praise with all our might. And truly, if a grateful wife (about whom the Gospel tells us), having heard a few saving words of the Lord, gave thanks to His Mother, raising her voice from the crowd and saying to Christ: "Blessed is the womb that bore Thee, and the breasts that nursed Thee"(OK. 11 :27), then all the more we Christians, who have inscribed in our hearts the words of eternal life and not only words, but also miracles and sufferings, and through them the restoration of our nature from the dead, and the ascension from the earth to heaven, and the immortal life promised to us life, and immutable salvation, all the more, after all this, we cannot but glorify and tirelessly please the Mother of the Head of salvation and the Giver of life, celebrating Her conception and birth and now Her Entry into the temple - into the Holy of Holies. Let us move ourselves, brethren, from the earth to woe; let us be transferred from the flesh to the spirit; let us prefer the desire of the permanent rather than the temporary. Let us give due contempt to the pleasures of the flesh, which serve as a bait against the soul and soon pass away. Let us desire spiritual gifts as if they were incorruptible. Let us divert our mind and our attention from worldly cares and raise it to the Heavenly depths - to that Holy of Holies, where the Mother of God now lives. For in this way our hymns and prayers, with God-pleasing boldness and benefit, will reach Her, and thanks to Her intercession, together with present blessings, we will become heirs of future, endless blessings, by the grace and love of mankind for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, born of Her, to Him befits glory, power, honor and worship with His Beginningless Father and with His Eternal and Life-Giving Spirit now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh. Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
At the beginning of the Nativity Fast, we reverently celebrate the Entrance of the Mother of God into the temple. The temple is the lot of God, it is a place that belongs to God inseparably, a place where neither thought, nor feeling, nor will can be other than the will of God. And so the Most Pure Virgin Theotokos, in her youthful, infantile years, is brought to the temple of the Lord, enters that region where, apart from God and His ways, there is nothing. She plunges into prayer, She stands before the Living God, She indulges in women's holy work, which can be an expression - if only a person's heart is sensitive and pure - of love and care. And immersed in this element of the Divine presence and human admiration, She grows, from year to year, to the full extent of Her maturity. And when the great Archangel of the Annunciation appears before Her and announces to Her that, mysteriously and incomprehensibly, the Lord will be born from Her, She gives Himself unconditionally, in trembling and humble obedience: Behold, the servant of the Lord, be it to me according to His will ...
During these years of complete immersion in the mystery of God, in the mystery of love, She became capable of becoming the One through Whom the saving, transfiguring, sacrificial and cross-loving love of God would enter the world. Saint Gregory Palamas tells us that the incarnation of the Son of God would have been just as impossible without the permission of His earthly Mother, as without the will of the Heavenly Father. Having gone completely into God's will, into the mystery of love for Him, and in Him for all creation, She was able to pronounce the name of God, the holy, mysterious name, which coincides with His personality, with all Her thought, with all Her heart, with all Her will and with everything His body, and this Word became flesh, and therefore we reverently contemplate this unique, unique holiness of the Mother of God.
But it is not in vain that this feast has been set up, as it were, on the eve of our procession towards the Nativity of Christ, the incarnation of the Word of God. And we must so prepare, so deepen, so purify our hearts, sanctify our thoughts, renew our will, sanctify our flesh, so that eternal life, manifested in Christ, could also be born in us, so that we, immersed in His death, risen by His Resurrection on the day of our baptism, could indeed so grow together with Him, so be one with Him, as the members of the body are one with each other, as the whole body is one with the head.
The Mother of God gave birth to the world the Creative Word and Incarnate Love; and it is given to us by prayer, fidelity to the gospel path, love for God and neighbor, renunciation of ourselves, giving ourselves without reserve to both God and our neighbor — and it is given to us to be united with God so mysteriously that we too will be resurrected with Christ and in Christ. We now have a path ahead of us - let's walk this path not just in anticipation of a miracle at the end of this path, but by becoming living, creative participants in this path so that the Lord is born and so that with Him a new, rejoicing, all-conquering love and life is born in us. eternal. Amen.
Vvedenskoe Cemetery
Many toponyms are associated with the feast of the Presentation of the Mother of God in Russia. One of the most famous is the Vvedenskoye cemetery.
The Vvedenskoye cemetery (also known as the German or Vvedensky mountains) was founded in 1771 during the plague epidemic. It is located in the east of Moscow, in the Lefortovo district. In the 18th-19th centuries it was called the German Cemetery, as mainly Catholics and Lutherans were buried there.
The cemetery got its name because of the Vvedensky mountains (otherwise Lefortovo hill). This is a hill on the left bank of the Yauza (one of the "seven hills" of Moscow). The mountains, in turn, got their name from the once former village of Vvedenskoye, and it, in turn, from the wooden Church of the Presentation of the Virgin into the Temple, built on the hills in 1643 by decree of Tsarina Evdokia Lukyanovna, the second wife of Tsar Mikhail Romanov.
The wall and cemetery buildings were built at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century. In the 1960s, the territory was expanded and a columbarium wall was built.
Many famous people are buried in the cemetery, and some of the monuments and tombstones created by famous architects and sculptures are recognized as objects of cultural heritage.
Traditions of the Celebration of the Entry into the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary
In Rus', noisy and cheerful Vvedensky fairs were held in all cities and villages. The most famous was the wide Moscow. Fish auctions were held here, and peddlers offered customers to try piping hot buns, pretzels, gingerbread, pancakes, pies. They all washed it down with a hot honey drink - sbiten.
On the screen saver is a fragment of the painting Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos(Titian, 1534-1538)
In the Orthodox tradition, the holiday is celebrated on the fourth of December. Refers to the twelfth (twelve main dates of Orthodoxy), is non-transitory. The full name is the Entry into the Temple of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary. Based on a religious tradition about the introduction of the three-year-old Mary, the future Mother of God, into the temple of Jerusalem. Established at an early stage in the development of Christianity. It became widespread among the Orthodox in the ninth century. Popular name - Introduction. The peasants in Rus', believing that winter begins with his arrival, said: "The introduction has come - the winter has brought."
history of the holiday
The righteous Joachim and Anna, inhabitants of Jerusalem, had no children. Praying the Lord to send them a child, they made a promise to dedicate it to God. After some time, their daughter was born. They named her Mary. Three years later, it was time to fulfill the vow. Parents brought the baby to the walls of the temple. She easily climbed the fifteen steep steps without looking back at her father and mother below. Everyone was surprised by the behavior of the child. At the top, the high priest Zechariah was waiting for her for a blessing.
The pious Mary remained in the temple until she came of age, devoting time to prayers. Saint Zacharias watched as the archangel Gabriel brought her food and drink. The Mother of God made a vow to remain a virgin, deciding to devote herself to the service of the Lord. But according to Jewish traditions, it had to be married. At the direction of the angel, the high priest chose a groom for her, he turned out to be the widower Joseph. He became formally the husband of Mary, being a guardian.
The Church has been celebrating this day since ancient times, considering it important. Thanks to her entry into the temple, Mary followed the path of serving the Lord. In the future, it became possible to incarnate Jesus Christ, the salvation of people who believe in him. Christians give praise to the Ever-Virgin, asking for intercession before the Lord.
The twelfth Orthodox feast of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated by the church on November 21 / December 4, it has 1 day of fore-feast and 4 days of after-feast.
An ancient tradition has preserved for us the following details about the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin:
Introduction to the temple, with the life of the Mother of God, Joachim and Anna Tretyakov Gallery 16th century icon
When Mary reached three years of age, Saints Joachim and Anna decided to fulfill their vow, for which they went to Jerusalem. According to the established rite, the Virgin Mary was accompanied by several pure virgins who carried lighted candles and sang psalms.
All Jerusalem came out to meet the Most Pure Lady. Before the gates of the temple, the priests met the Mother of God, and when the parents of the Holy Virgin placed her on the first of the fifteen steps of the temple porch, the maiden, without anyone else's help, quickly and cheerfully climbed to the very top of the temple platform.
Here the high priest Zechariah himself met Mary. Instead of, according to the existing custom, introducing the Lady into the sanctuary - that was the name of that part of the temple where all the people had access, Zechariah, by a special revelation of God, led the Most Pure Virgin into the Holy of Holies, into the most sacred place of the temple, where only the high priest had access, and then once a year with cleansing blood for himself and for the sins of the people, and where entry to others was forbidden by law, under pain of death.
... and shattered Mary with joy with her feet
Such an act of the high priest amazed not only people, but also angels: “The Angels, the entry of the Most Pure, seeing, wondering how the Virgin entered the Holy of Holies”.
In one of the buildings erected near the walls of the Jerusalem temple for the residence of employees, Mary also settled along with other virgins. Widows who devoted themselves to the service of the Lord (as, for example, Anna the Prophetess) (Luke 2, 37), and Nazarenes lived there, as well as wanderers and strangers were accepted for a while, they all fed from the income of the church, being at its disposal and service.
Stay in the temple
She willingly studied, often read holy scripture and thought about it, spun wool and linen, embroidered with silks. Maria was especially fond of sewing clothes that priests wore during worship, and in general she was engaged in such needlework, from which she could subsequently have an honest livelihood.
Francisco de Zurbaran "The Boyhood of Our Lady"
Her prudence surprised everyone. The Blessed Virgin from early morning until three o'clock in the afternoon prayed, from the third to the ninth hour she did needlework or read. Then, from the ninth hour, she again began to pray, and ate food only after finishing her evening prayer.
Mary often retired to the Holy of Holies to pray. Here, in sacred seclusion, she conversed with the angels who, by the will of God, visited her. Once the priest Zacharias, fulfilling his ministry in the sanctuary, saw how an angel brought food to the holy Lady and talked with her.
This is how the Immaculate Virgin was preparing for her high appointment: to serve as the mother of King Christ.
The maidens of Israel, at the end of their upbringing at the temple, usually entered into marriage. But the Blessed Virgin Mary, having reached the age of fourteen, announced to the high priest that she could not enter into marriage, because her parents had consecrated her to God, and she herself had vowed to remain forever a virgin.
Betrothal of Joseph to Maria Kahriye Jami, Chora Monastery Ca. 1316–1321
When she has matured as a bride, the bishop, at the command of the angels, calls all the unmarried men and orders everyone to bring a rod with them, on which God will reveal which of them to take Mary for himself. A lily blossoms from Joseph's rod, and a dove flies out of it.
Barsov E.V.
Thus, with the advice and consent of the entire sacred council, the Blessed Virgin was entrusted and betrothed to a relative, the 84-year-old Elder Joseph, also descended from a royal family, from the house of David and Solomon, who took the name of her husband with the duty of guardian and guardian of her chastity. Leaving her refuge at the temple, she moved to the house of Joseph, in Nazareth of Galilee.
According to Jerome, Gregory of Nyssa, and other teachers of the church, the Blessed Virgin was the first to betrothed her virginity to God: this virtue, later praised by the Gospel and the apostolic teaching, was not then so respected by the Jews. But God breathed into his chosen one the holy desire of virginity, dissimilar to the feelings and customs of the people, may the scripture come true: "she shall receive the virgin in the womb."
Marriage of the Virgin Mary to Joseph - detail, Raphael
The Righteous Parents of St. Mary reached a ripe old age. Joachim, died a few years after the introduction of his blessed daughter into the temple at the age of 80 years. Anna, who was left a widow and moved from Nazareth to Jerusalem, lived there for two more years next to Mary, died 79 years old.
In commemoration of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos, the church established the twelfth feast of November 21 (December 4), which became known as early as the 4th century, which can be seen from the traditions of Palestinian Christians, which point to the former ancient Church of the Presentation of the Virgin, attributing its construction to Empress Elena.
In the 8th century, it is mentioned in the teachings of Herman and Tarasius, the Patriarchs of Constantinople, and others. But in some places it was established much later, such as in France, where they began to honor him in 1372, and in Germany around 1460.
In the church songs that are sung on this feast at the divine service, all the circumstances of the introduction of the Most Holy Theotokos into the temple and her stay there are recalled, and the greatness of her and the Savior of the Lord, who is to be born from her, is glorified. Believers are called to praise the Blessed Lady.
In the kontakion, the holy church, glorifying the Most Pure Virgin, calls her the most pure temple, the Savior's, valuable chamber, the sacred treasure of the glory of God.
On this feast, just like on the feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos, together with the Virgin Mary, St. the church also remembers its parents, who consecrated their only child to God. He calls on Christian parents to imitate the righteous Joachim and Anna, at least by raising their children in the fear of God, to instill in the hearts of their children love for the Savior and his holy church, which will forever remain with them and make them true Christians and honest, good citizens.
From the day of the feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Theotokos, the Orthodox Church begins to sing the irmos of the canon on the Nativity of Christ: “Born by Christ, glorify,” and so on. This establishment was made because the church sees the foreshadowing of the birth of Christ in the entrance to the temple of the Mother of God, and therefore begins to prepare the faithful in advance for a worthy meeting of the feast of the Nativity of Christ.
Introduction of the Virgin - folk traditions
The Advent fast continues, but on the holiday food is allowed with vegetable oil and fish. In the popular imagination, this day is a kind of introduction to winter, an introduction to the Advent fast, an introduction to the pre-holiday, pre-Christmas days. It is on this holiday that Christmas chants “Christ is born, glorify ...” are heard for the first time as an echo of the future holiday for which we are all preparing - the Nativity of Christ.
Several Russian sayings for this day, which, like many others, play on the consonance of words, indicate the setting of the rivers taking place at this time, with the exception of one Tula and one Moscow sign, according to which frosts are still unreliable at this time, and one can even expect breaking ice, in the event of warm weather, although such a phenomenon should, it would seem, be considered more or less exceptional
- The introduction came and brought the winter.
- The introduction has come - it has brought winter into the hut.
- On the Introduction, thick ice (Ryazan lips.)
- Introduced a thick ice on the water.
- The Vvedensky frosts put mittens on the peasant, set the cold, set winter on his mind.
- The introduction breaks the ice (Tula province).
- Vvedensky frosts do not set winter (Moscow province).
The “Vvedensky thaws” noted in some provinces should be considered an unfavorable phenomenon, judging by the sign that promises a good harvest if a deep winter comes from the Introduction:
- If a deep winter falls from the Introduction, prepare deep bins: there will be a rich harvest of bread.
In the old days, Introduction was the first day of winter bargaining, the beginning of winter skiing and festivities. On that day, a huge number of sledges were brought to Lubyanka Square - products of bast and wood chips, justifying its name.
Goryushkin-Sorokopudov. Market day in the old town. 1910
The sleigh trade was booming. By evening, almost half of Moscow was rolling on new, skillfully and brightly painted sledges. According to tradition, the newlyweds went for a ride. In some places, the departure of the young took place on November 24 / December 7 on Catherine's Day, its popular name is Katerina sannitsa.
Yuon Konstantin Fedorovich 1911 View of the Lavra from Vokzalnaya Street
- Winter for frosts, man for holidays
In Little Russia, horseradish and carrots were sacred on the Introduction. Local healers and healers believed in their miraculous power and healing properties against night blindness.
Literature:
Archpriest John Yakhontov, St. Petersburg, 1864
Journal "Mirskoy Herald" St. Petersburg, 1865
G. Lavrentiev, Twelfth holidays Orthodox Church. St. Petersburg, 1862
Barsov E. V., 1885
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