The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of the three most important church holidays for Orthodox believers after Easter and Christmas. We will tell you when the Annunciation is celebrated in 2023, about the traditions and prohibitions of this day.
When is the Annunciation in 2023
In Orthodoxy, the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos is one of the 12 main church holidays, the so-called twelfth. Its date is imperishable, Orthodox Christians annually celebrate this holiday on the same day - April 7th. In 2023, the Annunciation falls on a Friday. If we count from this date, it turns out that the Annunciation and the Nativity of Christ, which we annually celebrate on January 7, share exactly nine months - the period that a woman bears a child. This pattern is understandable. Indeed, it was at the Annunciation that the Archangel Gabriel informed the Virgin Mary that she would become the mother of the Son of God, that is, he brought her the good news. By the way, the Catholic Church celebrates a bright holiday - the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, associated with an important gospel event - the announcement by the archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary about the future birth of the Savior in the flesh from her - every year on March 25th.
The essence of the holiday The Annunciation as a holiday has come into use by Orthodox Christians since VII, although it was celebrated long before that. In ancient times, the holiday was given different names “Annunciation of the Angel of Mary”, “Annunciation”, “Greeting Mary”, “Conception of Christ”, “Beginning of Redemption”, etc.
Today, the full name of the holiday in Orthodoxy sounds like this: the Annunciation of the Blessed Lady of our Mother of God, and Ever-Virgin Mary. The Day of the Annunciation was an important event in the life of the Virgin Mary. The future Mother of God grew up in one of the temples of Jerusalem, where she ended up as a three-year-old girl by the decision of her parents. Mary made a vow to God that she would remain a virgin. Therefore, with the named husband Joseph, she led a modest and pious life. The Annunciation is dedicated to the appearance of the Virgin Mary by the Archangel Gabriel, who informed her of the imminent birth of her son, who "will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High." At first she was afraid, but then she accepted her fate.
What can be done on the Annunciation
It is believed that on the Annunciation the heavens can open up and the Lord will hear the prayers and requests of every Christian. Therefore, on this holiday, it is customary to visit the temple and pray. Christians also bring holy water home from worship. There is a belief that on this day she has special power. It is a tradition in cathedrals and churches to release pigeons and other birds from their cages after the service, a ritual that serves as a reminder of freedom for every creature of God. Our ancestors believed that the birds, having reached the sky, tell the guardian angels about the good events that happened during the year. The Annunciation in 2023 falls on Great Lent, but in honor of the holiday, the church allows the rules to be relaxed. You can eat fish dishes, stews and boiled foods with oil, drink a small amount of red wine.
On the Annunciation, they traditionally eat vegetables, berries and fruits, greens, algae, mushrooms, legumes, dried fruits, seeds, cereals, lean bread, lean sauces and dressings, oil, and drinks (tea, compote). But if you decide to treat yourself to something sweet in honor of the holiday, you can eat oatmeal cookies, marshmallows, halva, honey, and dark chocolate. And on the Annunciation, our ancestors washed with meltwater - it was believed that this ritual would help improve health. Also on this day, they made a wish and believed that it would come true.
What not to do on the Annunciation
The Annunciation is a great twelfth holiday, therefore a person’s thoughts on this day must be pure, therefore, a number of prohibitions have been established for Christians:
it is forbidden to slander, quarrel, swear;
you can’t borrow or lend money, and indeed give anything away from home - this threatens with losses in the future;
until the end of Lent, there is a taboo on weddings and weddings;
do not engage in heavy physical labor, as well as sew, knit and take on any kind of needlework;
you can’t put on new clothes and demonstrate wealth - otherwise the clothes will quickly tear, and the well-being of the family will be in jeopardy;
you can not eat meat, eggs, dairy products, alcohol;
our ancestors also had a ban on washing their hair on the Annunciation, the church, in principle, is not against hygiene, but it is forbidden to cut your hair and braid. Popular belief says that braids are like the threads of life, if you do hair weaving, you can tangle the threads and change the fate of a person.
Signs for the Annunciation April 7
Our ancestors on the Annunciation were especially attentive to the weather and nature, because it was on this day that the new agricultural year started:
People believed that if on April 7 there was fog and a strong wind, then the harvest would be good.
If there is still snow on the roofs on the Annunciation, then in the next month it will also be snowy in the field and you can not expect good shoots.
Clear weather on the Annunciation suggests that the summer is expected to be warm.
A thunderstorm on April 7 portends a hot and dry summer.
Rain on the Annunciation promises mushroom autumn and successful fishing.