The Orthodox faith is the most joyful, the days of memory of the holy martyrs and martyrs are celebrated daily. But church holidays in April are especially important in the life of Christians. Almost the entire month will pass for Orthodox believers in the feat of fasting and prayer, and will end with a joyful event - the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ.
Material Content:
Orthodox calendar for April 2019
Church holidays in April 2019 are in no way associated with generally accepted celebrations. Their meaning lies in spiritual joy. Ideally, Orthodox people should constantly rejoice, always radiate good and light. Holidays great and small set up a person to the joy of communicating with God and loved ones. These days, people come to the temple to help others, to visit lonely people.
Orthodox believers celebrate the twelfth holidays in honor of the memory of 12 events from the life of the Savior or the Mother of God. Such celebrations in April include the Annunciation. On all twelve holy days, Christians receive communion. Participating in the sacrament of the Eucharist, they more fully feel the connection with the event that is revered on this day.
In April 2019, the main holiday of all Christians will come - Easter. It is preceded by Palm Sunday or the Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem.
1 to 10
The beginning of April is the middle of Lent. The Gospel says that demons, the cause of all human illnesses and misfortunes, are driven out by fasting and prayer. Therefore, in order to make their life easier, obedient Christians fast. To strengthen the laity in this difficult struggle, the church draws attention to the cross as a reminder of Christ's suffering and his victory over death - the Holy Week begins on April 1.
The great event of the first decade of April is the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Once, an archangel appeared to the Virgin Mary, betrothed to Joseph.He preached the conception of the Holy Spirit, that the born child, the Son of God, called Jesus, would reign, and His kingdom would have no end. The first prediction of the archangel came true - Jesus was born, and Christians of the whole world joyfully await his accessions.
April 1 - 4 week of Lent, Holy Cross;
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April 1 - Righteous Sofia, Princess Slutskaya;
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April 1 - Icons of the Mother of God, called "Tenderness", Smolensk;
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April 2 - Rev. Euphrosynus of Sinozersky, Novgorod;
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April 3 - St. Thomas, Patriarch of Constantinople;
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April 4 - Izborsk Icon of the Mother of God;
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April 5 - Rev. Martyr Nikon Bishop and 199 of his disciples;
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April 6 - Ecumenical parental Saturday of the 4th week of Great Lent;
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April 6 - The Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
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April 7 - Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
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April 7 - Week 4 of Great Lent;
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April 7 - The Annunciation Icons of the Mother of God of Moscow (XVI) and Kiev;
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April 8 - 5th week of Lent;
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April 8 - Cathedral of the Archangel Gabriel;
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April 9 - Martyrs Matrona of Solun.
10 to 20
In the second decade of April, the church celebrates the memory of St. John Climacus. He was a great ascetic, who at 16 left for the Sinai monastery and became a monk. For forty years he lived as a hermit in silence, fasting and prayer. At 75, John became abbot of the Sinai monastery. With the blessing of the abbot of the Raifa Monastery, he wrote the book “Ladder”. In this work passions and steps of spiritual ascent are described, everything that interferes and how to deal with it is indicated.
Orthodox Christians continue to fast, on April 14 the fourth ends and the fifth week of Great Lent begins. It will continue until Easter.
April 10 - Rev. Stephen the Wonderworker, Confessor, Father Superior of Triglia;
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April 11 - St. Eustathius the Confessor, Bishop of Bithynia;
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April 12 - Rev. John Climacus, Abbot of Sinai;
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April 13 - Praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary (rolling
celebration);
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April 13 - St. Jonah, Metropolitan of Kiev, Moscow and All Russia, the miracle worker;
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April 14 - Week 5 Lent;
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April 14 - Rev. Mary of Egypt (passing celebration in the 5th Week of Great Lent);
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April 15 - 6th week of Great Lent (Wai);
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April 15 - Rev. Titus the Wonderworker;
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April 16 - The Icon of the Mother of God "Fadeless Color";
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April 17 - The Icons of the Mother of God, referred to as "Gerontissa" and "Redeemer";
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April 18 - Transfer of the relics of St. Job, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia;
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April 19 - St. Methodius the Equal-to-the-Apostles, Archbishop of Moravia, the first teacher of the Slavs.
20 to 30
The third decade of April begins with Lazarev Saturday. The first Sunday is marked by a great Christian holiday - the Lord's Entrance into Jerusalem. This is a recollection of events on the eve of the crucifixion of Christ, when he arrived in Jerusalem to the solemn exclamations of the crowd. In a few days, these same people will shout: “Crucify!”, Turning to Pontius Pilate. And the Lord will die a martyrdom in order to rise again to justify the sins of those who believe in him.
Easter or Great Day is the main event of Christian life, which is celebrated on April 28. This is a rolling date, changing annually, it depends on the first full moon after the vernal equinox. Festive service in the temple begins the day before, in the evening. Many days of fasting come to an end, Easter cakes and Easter cakes are celebrated in the church, families gather at the festive table.
April 20 - Byzantine icon of the Mother of God;
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April 21 - Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem, Waius Week, 6 Lent, Palm Sunday;
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April 21 - Holy Martyr Sergius Presbyter;
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April 22 - Holy Week. Great Monday;
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April 22 - Martyr Eupsychius;
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April 23 - Holy Week, Great Tuesday;
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April 23 - Martyrs Terenty, Pompius, Afrikan, Maxim, Zinon, Alexander, Theodore;
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April 24 - Holy Week, Great Wednesday;
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April 24 - Holy Martyr Antipas, Bishop of Pergamum of Asia;
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April 25 - Holy Week. Maundy Thursday, Memorial of the Last Supper;
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April 25 - Murom, Ryazan and Belynich icons of the Mother of God;
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April 25 - Relocation of the honest belt of the Mother of God to Constantinople;
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April 26 - Holy Week, Good Friday, Remembrance of the Passion of the Lord;
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April 26 - Priest Martyr Artemon, presbyter of Laodicea;
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April 27 - Great Saturday, Descent to Hell;
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April 27 - Vilensky icon of the Mother of God;
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April 28 - Christ's Resurrection, Easter, End of Lent;
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April 28 - Apostles from 70 Aristarchus, Pud and Trofim;
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April 28 - May 4 - Bright Week. Solid week, fasting is canceled;
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April 29 - Ilyinsko-Chernihiv and Tambov icons of the Mother of God;
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April 30 - Iveron Icon of the Mother of God (rolling celebration on Tuesday of the Bright Week);
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April 30 - Shuyskaya icon of the Mother of God (passing celebration on Tuesday of the Bright Week);
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April 30 - The acquisition of the relics of the Monk Alexander Svirsky.
The most important church holidays
In April, the church celebrates 3 great holidays:
- The Annunciation (April 7). It plays an important role and is especially worth in a series of Orthodox celebrations. It was with the Annunciation that the salvation of the human race began. The Lord chose the Virgin, sent the archangel Michael to her, and he raised to her that from her would be born the Savior of the world Jesus Christ. People say about this day: "The bird does not nest." It is not customary to start work on a holiday; believers come to the temple for solemn service.
- Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem or Palm Sunday (April 21). Celebrated 7 days before Easter. On this day it is allowed to eat fish, ahead of a week of strictly fasting. Believers hallow in the church willow and willow branches, bring them to the house and store them until next Palm Sunday.
- Easter of Christ or the Resurrection of Christ (April 28). This holiday is considered the greatest among Christians, it stands at the head of all the other days of the year and great celebrations. Without the resurrection of Christ, there would be no church. Easter reminds people of the need to reconcile with God through the blood of His Son in order to participate in the resurrection of the dead and eternal life.
The calendar of church holidays helps to prepare in advance for important events in spiritual life. Participation in the sacraments and visiting the church for Orthodox believers is not just a formality, but a conscious understanding of what is happening in the life of the church.
