On April 7, Eastern Rite Christians celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation. This is one of the 12 most important holidays for Christians, it is non-transferable and is celebrated annually on the same day..

The meaning of the holiday.

The very word " On this day, believers remember the events when the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary, who informed her that she would become the mother of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world..

The name of the holiday was given in the 7th century, until that time it was called " The full name of the holiday in Orthodoxy sounds like this: "

[see_also ids\u003d"

Celebration traditions.

Any work that day was considered a sin.

On this day, it was customary to release birds, especially pigeons.. It is believed that they will bring news of good deeds to guardian angels..

On a holiday, you can’t sew or knit something. It is believed that human life is a thread that only angels and God can manage.. On this day, the probability of tangling the threads is very high..

You can't wear new clothes on this day..

On a holiday you can’t go to visit, it must be spent in the family circle. If a girl or woman knocks on the door, she may be a witch.

It was also customary to prepare Annunciation salt. Each of the family members threw a pinch of salt into a special bag, after which the hostess ignited it and took care of it for special occasions.. It is believed that such salt can cure even the hopelessly ill.. If the salt is not useful within a year, it must be burned at the stake..

Prayer for the Annunciation.

I sing of Your grace, Lady, I pray to You: enrich my mind. Teach me the right to walk, by the way of Christ's commandments. Strengthen vigilance to the song, despondency burdens the dream. Bound by the captives of the falls, resolve your prayers, God-bride. Save me in the night and in the days, the fighting enemy delivers me. Having given birth to the life-giver of God, revive me with passions. Heavenly mi improve fun, with all the saints, vouchsafe. Blessed Virgin, hear the voice of your indecent servant. Give me a stream of tears. Most pure, cleansing your soul's filth. I bring groans from the heart. Deliver me soulful dirty tricks, diligently imploring Christ; To him honor and worship befits now and forever, and forever and ever, amen. (I sing of Your grace, Lady, I pray to You: enrich my mind. Teach me to go straight, following the path of Christ's commandments.

Bound by the captives of the falls, with your prayers, ease the fate of the people, God's bride. Keep me both day and dark at night, delivering me from evil enemies. Giving life to God, revive my soul, ruined by passions. Holy Virgin, hear the voice of your indecent servant. I shed tears before You, Most Pure One, I cleanse my soul from filth. I bring groans from the heart. Deliver me from the dirty tricks that corrupt the soul, Christ diligently begging for this; To him honor and worship befits now and forever, and forever and ever.. Amen.