The film is dedicated to the twelfth church feast of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos. We will talk about how, more than two thousand years ago, a little three-year-old girl named Mary was brought to the Old Testament temple in the city of Jerusalem and why the world changed after this event.
We will visit the famous Orthodox monasteries dedicated to the holiday in the Holy Vvedensky Tolga Monastery near the city of Yaroslavl and in Optina Hermitage, and also remember the Vvedensky churches destroyed during the Khrushchev persecution of the Church. Let's talk about "introduction to the temple" - the ways of coming to faith, in our time.

Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev), archaeologist Leonid Belyaev and historian Alexander Tkachenko, as well as the inhabitants of the Tolga Monastery, reflect on this in the film.

Already from December 3rd, and the church day begins in the evening, the Christmas hymns “Christ is born…” are sung, because the main thing of our salvation begins with this. God grant that this holiday shines in our souls, God grant that we, by the power of God, through the prayers of the Mother of God, are cleansed, enlightened, and that we adequately meet the luminous feast of the Nativity of Christ.

Divine service in honor of the holiday

starts in the eveningDecember 3 at 15:30 all-night festive service with

lithium and polyeleum

V 7:00 - early liturgy and

V 9:00 - late liturgy

Miracles for the Feast of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos:

On the eve of the feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos,on the night of 3 to 4 December , around midnight, for a few minutes, despite any frost, all the willows bloom (photo+video)

As on the feast of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem, we meet the Lord withbloomingwillows, andBlessedThe Virgin Mother of God is glorified not only by angels and people, but also by winter nature.

04.12.2012

As the entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem is greeted with willows, so the Mother of God enters the Holy of Holies into the temple of the Lord, and all nature greets Her with flowers. This miraculous phenomenon happens every year and each time in a different way. But the willow always blooms by December 4th, but most often on the night of December 3rd to 4th ...

The parishioners of our church, the Resurrection Cathedral, also witnessed this miraculous phenomenon...

Troparion, tone 4

Today, the prefiguration of God's good pleasure and the preaching of salvation to men, the Virgin appears clearly in the temple of God and foretells Christ to everyone, and we will loudly cry out to him: Rejoice, watching the Builder's fulfillment.

Kontakion, tone 4

The most pure temple of the Savior, the precious chamber and the Virgin, the sacred treasure of the glory of God, is now being introduced into the house of the Lord, bringing grace together, even in the Divine Spirit, the Angels of God sing: This is a heavenly village.

magnificence

We magnify thee, Blessed Virgin, God-chosen Maiden, and we honor your entry into the temple of the Lord.

Honorer, voice 4

Angels, the entrance of the All-Pure One is sighted, wondering: what with the glory of entering the holy of holies? As if to the animate of God's casket, let the hand of the wicked never touch, but those who are faithful to the Theotokos silently, the voice of the Angel sings, with joy they cry: truly exalt all, O Pure Virgin.

A week after the beginning of the Nativity Fast (November 28 - January 6), its measured course is broken by a holiday - the day in honor of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos. This holiday is considered great in the Church, because it is dedicated to a symbolic event in the life of the Mother of Christ. And it is also called childish - because this landmark episode happened to Maria when she was only three years old. What happened gave the name to the holiday: the three-year-old Mary was brought to the Temple in Jerusalem, the girl entered there on her own - this is the holiday called the Entry into the Temple. But what was unusual, significant and symbolic in all this?

Among the icy December days - like an unexpected thaw - a holiday Entry into the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Many call it the holiday of Orthodox children. True, this tradition has not yet been completely settled, but I know the five-year-old servant of God Stefan, who always receives a good gift from his parents on this day, this is not counting his birthday, name day and Christmas holidays. But, of course, it's not about gifts. A touching picture of the beginning of the New Testament history.

A three-year-old girl in elegant clothes stands on the stairs leading to the Temple in Jerusalem. There are fifteen high steps in front of her, and she is so small ... But, without outside help, rustling with a festive dress, she easily climbs into the temple and enters the Holy of Holies - a sacred place in the temple, where no one except the high priest had the right to enter, And then only once a year. Why does the high priest gladly accept the girl and bless her? It was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that this girl was the chosen one of God and that Her destiny was high and beautiful: to become the Mother of the Son of God.

This event is celebrated by the Orthodox Church as a great holiday - the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The entrance to the temple is always the beginning. To fall on your knees under the priestly stole, you must first enter the temple. In order to kindle the flame of a candle for the health of one's neighbor, one must enter the temple; in order to cry at a memorial service for those who are not around, one must enter the temple. And most importantly: in order to be saved, one must enter the temple. “I have God in my soul, I already pray, I don’t need the church,” the home-grown theologian argues to himself “for salvation”. Yes, the history of the Church knows the names of those who, having God in their souls, prayed or knelt in the forest or under the starry sky of the spit-stained city square. Seraphim of Sarov, Xenia of Petersburg, St. Basil the Blessed ... And our heart, trembling like a hare's tail, from fear of losing the desired passions and habitual pleasures, a little "Napoleon" in the weakness of megalomania - miserable, pitiful and funny. About us, about us, not about neighbors in the stairwell, a wise proverb is composed: "To whom the Church is not a mother, God is not a father." God is not a father, which means that we are rootless in our earthly homeland, and in that other, we will remain rootless. And if so, we should be homeless and wander in the afterlife vales. Scary? And doesn’t the entrance to the temple give us a saving chance to find the child-loving Mother Church, and, therefore, the Savior Father? Simple as that...

Each of us entered the temple in our own unique way. One person was serving a term in a strict regime colony, tore a sheet out of an old shabby book into a cigarette roll. And the Word snatched out his eye: "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden..." The book turned out to be the Gospel. All. The entrance to the temple took place in the Zekov barracks blown by the winds. The woman was going to have an abortion and, already standing in slippers and a dressing gown in front of the operating room door, she heard a child cry through the open window: “Mom! I'm in pain!" And she ran home - in slippers and a bathrobe. Her introduction to the temple began with the penitential words of the first confession in her life. And happy children, whose parents are reasonable and God-loving, enter the temple the way the three-year-old Mother Mary entered it - in beautiful clothes, with lighted candles in their hands. We can give children the feast of the Entry into the Temple, so that from it they can begin a joyful and difficult, wise and simple, grace-filled and saving life with Christ.

It is interesting that it is from the feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos in Orthodox churches during Matins that they begin to sing “Christ is born, glorify ...”

The Nativity Fast is still long, the magi have not yet discovered a special guiding star, the luggage with expensive gifts to the Divine Infant has not yet been laid on camels. Even the Virgin Mary does not know about the great mission entrusted to Her to be the Mother of the Savior, but She has already entered the Jerusalem temple, she is already climbing its steep steps. The high priest is already blessing Her, having seen through the Holy Spirit our great feast - the Entry into the Temple ... and in church hymns it is called "a foreshadow of God's goodwill towards people." Not the message itself is a foreshadowing, but how much light and warmth spills from this foreshadowing through God's temple, how much quivering love a Christian experiences, feeling the strong connection of his Orthodox heart with the great history of Christianity and the wise laws of the Creator.

HISTORY AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HOLIDAY

The previous twelfth feast (the first in the church year) told us about the Birth of the Blessed Virgin, who in the future will become the Mother of God. Her parents, the holy righteous Joachim and Anna, received a gift from God - their baby, and therefore, even before birth, she was dedicated to Him. Therefore, Her place is in the temple of God, where She will be brought up according to the law of the Lord.

Begged by the prayers of her parents, the Blessed Virgin Mary lived with them until the age of three. But when the Virgin Mary was three years old, She Herself reminds parents of the fulfillment of their vow - to give their Child to the service of God...

Her pious parents prepared to fulfill their vow to God. They called their relatives, invited their Daughter's peers, dressed Her in the best clothes and took Her to the Temple in Jerusalem to be consecrated to God.

This intention of Joachim and Anna - to consecrate their daughter to God - became known in Jerusalem, and many other people gathered for this event.

Her friends of the same age, like Maria herself, walked with lighted candles in their hands. Solemn procession. Righteous Anna carries the wonderful Child in her arms to the temple. Several little girls in white, and some of the adults accompany them. Everyone has lit candles in their hands.

When this procession approached the temple, the priests headed by the high priest came out to meet them.

The priests headed by the high priest came out of the temple to meet them.

Anna places the Infant Mary on the first of the fifteen steps of the porch of the temple - according to the number of psalms that the priests sang at the entrance to the temple. And then a mysterious miracle happened, the Divine Maiden - the Most Pure Mother of God then was only three years old - she herself climbed the steps of the Temple. General amazement, and the high priest met and blessed her, as he always did with all those consecrated to God. And then the high priest introduces Mary after him into the innermost depths of the temple, into the Holy of Holies. It was the most sacred place in the temple. No one had the right to enter there, except for the high priest, and then only once a year. And suddenly the high priest performs an act that, according to the Law, surprised, perhaps even confused many. But we know that all the events that occur according to God's inspiration do not have an ordinary, consistent meaning. They are out of the ordinary, but they are justified precisely because God wants them so.

The ancient people, or people of the Bible, had a special inspiration, spiritual inspiration. After all, a modern person is in a sense programmed, he acts according to external etiquette rules. The heart of ancient man was always open to revelations hidden from contemplative perception.

It was precisely such a person that the high priest Zacharias was, who met the Most Holy Theotokos in the temple. With a spiritual gaze, he saw in the little girl the Great Virgin, Who is destined to become the Mother of the Son of God, who will open the entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven for people and, obeying the revelation of the Holy Spirit, led Her into the Holy of Holies. Mary is chosen by God, therefore she is worthy to enter the most sacred place.

God is everywhere, everywhere, but there are places of His special presence. The Mother of God draws close to God, Who will directly act through Her in the future: the Father will bless, the Holy Spirit will sanctify, and the Son of God will descend, be born. The three faces of the Holy Trinity intersect in the Holy of Holies, the history of mankind is changing, the promise of God is being fulfilled, behold, the Chosen One of God is revealed to the world, the One Who will become the cause of the salvation of mankind, Christ will come through Her. And the high priest is just a companion, a guide who makes it possible to see what is already happening.

This introduction of the Blessed Virgin struck not only all those present, but also the Angels who were invisibly present here, who, as it is sung in the Dedicator of the feast, “seeingly wondered how the Virgin entered the Holy of Holies.”

Maybe it was an allegory, because it is hard to imagine that in that Jerusalem, which was filled with fanatical people, the Jews could allow anyone to enter the Holy of Holies. Only one bishop could enter there, and then only once a year. Something mysterious happened, perhaps the angels of God hid the Most Pure Maiden from the eyes of these fanatical Jews. Perhaps, it means that the entrance to the Holy of Holies is the movement of her soul towards God, as if the entry of the Most Pure into the mysterious Divine life, to which She always aspired.

The Mother of God is with us, she is the daughter of ordinary parents, righteous, but ordinary. And She, co-natural with us, elevates human nature to the depths of communion with God. The Holy of Holies is the image of Paradise, it is the end result of life, to which a person should strive. And entering there, the Mother of God, as it were, leads all people, She shows that through Her all mankind will be saved and go to Paradise - will return to that sacred ancient region that it lost through the original sin of the forefathers.

This idea permeates both the Divine Liturgy of the Feast of the Introduction itself and the entire Nativity Fast. This is the leitmotif of Christmas hymns and hymns: just as the Mother of God entered the Holy of Holies, so we will return to the covenant with God, we will return to Paradise. Therefore, it is the Feast of the Introduction that leads us from the beginning of Lent until the very Nativity of Christ. Why did the Church establish this celebration? In itself, the Introduction was not a tribute to the Old Testament, a rite or ritual of the ancient Jews. This was the beginning of salvation.

And then, Joachim and Anna, having fulfilled their vow, returned home, and Mary remained to live at the temple. Righteous Zechariah arranged for the Holy Virgin to live in a house at the temple. The temple in its circumference had various extensions, in which those who served under it lived. There was also an orphanage for girls. Left to live at the temple, the Holy Virgin Mary was under the supervision and guidance of pious mentors, who taught Her both the Holy Scripture and various handicrafts.

According to St. John of Damascus, being removed from the company of dishonorable husbands and wives, She lived in the temple in such a way that she was a model of the life of the best and purest Virgin in comparison with others. Vigilance in prayer, modesty, humility and meekness were Her distinguishing qualities.

Her day at the temple was distributed as follows: from early morning She prayed, then read the Holy Scriptures, then moved on to needlework. She also ended her day with a prayer.

While still very young, the Blessed Virgin lost Your parents. Left an orphan, She completely surrendered to God, not at all thinking about earthly love or family life. Having given a vow of virginity, She was the first to open the path of total service to God, which many Christian ascetics later followed. And the Spirit of God and the Holy Angels guarded the Divine Virgin.

Solitude was necessary for her. Everything in her was imbued with a kind of unusual stillness. Never from Her meek lips did a restless word escape.

Over time, having studied the Holy Scriptures, the Blessed Virgin Mary paid special attention to the prophecy of Isaiah, who wrote about the Messiah: “Behold, the Virgin in the womb will take and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name: Immanuel.” Thinking about this text, She was burning with the desire to see that blessed Virgin who would be worthy to become the mother of the Savior of mankind.

The entrance into the temple of the Most Holy Theotokos makes it possible to vividly experience both the meaning of the Nativity fast and the close presence of the Messiah. As it is written in Scripture that He is not yet visible, He is somewhere there, behind the mountains, but His presence is already close, His rays are already shining...

It must be remembered that our salvation, our redemption by the incarnate Son of God became possible because the Most Pure Mother of God, chosen to serve for this purpose, was led by her parents into the temple of God and received an upbringing at the temple. The church sets this act of Mary's parents as an example to all believers, indicating that true Christians should instill love for the Almighty in their children from a very early age, as soon as the child begins to understand the environment.

It is also necessary for us to enter the Holy Orthodox Church, to bring our children into the temple of God. It is especially important to come to the temple for prayer on Sundays and holidays. In the Orthodox Church - our salvation, spiritual transformation.

God bless you for the story about the flowering willow. We had a plucked branch bloom last year. We really wanted to see this miracle, but willow grows only very far from home and in a wasteland among all sorts of other bushes, it’s scary to go there at 11 o’clock at night. Therefore, returning on December 3 at 7 pm with the vigil, my sister and I turned to the wasteland to see if it had bloomed. It was difficult to distinguish the bushes in the dark. They plucked a thin branch to see what it was in the light. We examined it at home - it looks more like a willow, because. branch is not red. They didn’t put them in the water, but simply put them in front of the icons. At 12 o'clock in the morning, Anya noticed how the kidneys quietly began to open and white "lambs" appeared. I saw this beauty only in the morning, the kidneys opened completely. We were surprised that the Lord sent us this miracle. It was joyful at heart. Indeed, the Most Holy Theotokos is glorified by all nature. God bless! Valentine

On December 4, the great church holiday of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated. It was installed in memory of events from the childhood of the Virgin Mary. Her parents, the righteous Joachim and Anna, could not have children for a long time. At that time, infertility was considered God's punishment. Therefore, the absence of children was very upsetting for the spouses. Saint Anna was already at an advanced age when an angel appeared to her and said that she would soon have a daughter. Then the woman made a promise that she would give the child as a gift to the Lord, whom he would serve all his life.

When the Virgin Mary was three years old, her pious parents decided to fulfill the promise given before the birth of their daughter: to give her up for education in the temple, so that she would serve the Lord. Mary was dressed in the best clothes and taken to the steps of the Jerusalem temple. Next to the girl were her parents and relatives. The priests who served at the temple embroidered towards her.

Saint Zacharias took the Virgin Child by the hand and led her into the temple. First, they visited the sanctuary of the temple, and then, by inspiration from above, he led Mary into the innermost compartment - the Holy of Holies, where only the high priest had the right to enter once a year with cleansing sacrificial blood. This event surprised everyone present. Having received a blessing from the bishop and handed over the gifts to the church, Anna and Joachim returned home, while Mary remained at the church.

Entrance to the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos: the history of the holiday

The introduction is the last of the twelve feasts of the year, which the Orthodox Church regards as the eve of the great feast of the Nativity of Christ. In the concept of Introduction, a deep meaning is embedded in the preparation of the future Mother of God to become the purest vessel of the Son of God. After the Entry into the Temple, the life of the Blessed Virgin changed dramatically, therefore this event can be called Her second birth for a new life dedicated to serving the Lord.

The Orthodox Church began to celebrate the holiday in the 8th century. But since it is described briefly in the hymns of that time, it was most likely performed without any solemnity. Only from the 9th century did the holiday become widespread, but until the 14th century it was not among the twelfth. Today, the Introduction is celebrated just as solemnly as the other twelfth holidays.

In honor of this holiday, Christian churches are consecrated, which are then called Vvedensky.

Introduction to the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Traditions and Signs

In Rus', a special role was assigned to the first word in the name of the holiday - "Introduction". It has been given an extended meaning. It applied not only to the Theotokos, but also meant "input" or "beginning." The fact is that the holiday coincided with the onset of winter. That's why people said: The introduction has come - the winter has brought», « Introduction opens the gates of winter», « Introduction to the mind instructs winter».

According to folk legend, on this day Winter herself passes through the earth in a snow-white coat. With her icy breath, she casts snow patterns on the window panes.

The real winter is not established immediately. She is gradually gaining strength, walking with an uneven step: either she freezes hard, then she retreats and pleases with warm days. There are folk sayings about this:

Introduction does not put winter.

Vvedensky frosts do not set winter.

It was believed that the snow that had fallen before the holiday would soon melt. But if after the Introduction it snows, then the real winter will begin.

Since either a thaw or a cold often occurs before the holiday and immediately after it, people say, referring to bodies of water covered or covered with ice:

Introduction breeds ice.

The Introduction put a thick ice on the water, paved the rivers.

Even if there was a good sledge track on the Introduction, rarely any of the peasants set off on the road. People believed that the road was still unreliable and that they should wait a bit for winter to fully come into its own.

With the onset of winter, the people lived in anticipation of the holidays, which are rich in December and the first half of January. People wanted to know what kind of weather to expect during the holidays:

If it’s frosty in Keeping, then all the holidays ( meaning the weather ) will be frosty. If it is warm on December 4, then the weather will be warm for the holidays.

On this holiday, they made trial rides on a sleigh. The winter festivities of the newlyweds began, who solemnly furnished their first trip: they picked up light, painted sleighs, decorated with multi-colored paths. The young woman put on the best clothes, and the young husband, girded with a red sash, famously drove the horses. At the departure of the newlyweds came to watch their friends and relatives. In the people this rite was called " look young».

On the Introduction, winter sales were organized everywhere, which in some places grew into large fairs. Triple, double and single sleds were sold at such fairs. The most beautiful were Galician painted sledges. The sleighs who traded them shouted jokes:

Many went home from the fair on new sledges.

There was a belief that on this day a special spirit comes to negligent spinners - a messenger: “ If by this day you don’t spin the mot, then the veterinarian will come, wrap your hair in a coil and drag it into the chimney».

It is curious how different phenomena are combined in the popular consciousness, and something new is obtained. Vedenitsa got its name from the holiday to which its appearance was timed. However, her name and behavior merged ideas about a witch, a witch, a snake-spindle - an enchantress, a woman-sorceress or evil spirits. A common feature of these representatives is witchcraft - inhuman, supernatural knowledge and the ability to conjure, remove and send damage and disease, turn into different creatures and objects, rule over the weather, spoil the crop and steal the moon.

It is the witches who, having turned into a whirlwind of smoke or a bird, fly out into the chimney or enter the house through the pipes. Often they move on stove utensils (poker, bread shovel, broomstick, etc.). Often they are related to women's needlework - spinning or weaving. They help needlewomen, and harm bad and lazy housewives, severely punishing them.

On the eve of the holiday, marriageable girls were advised to read a prayer for marriage before going to bed:

"Introduction of the Most Holy Theotokos, take me to that house in which to live forever."

In the morning they remembered the dreams they had that night. It was believed that they were prophetic.

On the day of the holiday, the girls prayed for the wedding:

“Introduction Most Holy Theotokos, enter into the temple of God as soon as possible!”.

On this day pancakes were baked everywhere. By all means, a coin was baked in one pancake: whoever gets it will be happy.

Notes of the day:

1. On Introduction it got colder - by the harsh winter.
2. If winter sets in from that day on, next year there will be a rich harvest.
3. If there is frost on the Introduction, then there will be frosts throughout the winter holidays. If it is warm on this day, then the holidays will be warm.

People born on December 4 are patronized byPholyMother of God. Their stone is a diamond.

Video: Introduction to the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Starting the story about the feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, it is worth noting that there is no information about it in the canonical Gospels. For the first time this event is mentioned in apocryphal texts, in particular, in the Greek Protoevangelium of James (II century) and the Latin Gospel of pseudo-Matthew (IX century). These sources, in turn, reflect the oral tradition of the Church, which is an integral part of Divine Revelation.

The main plot of the holiday is the story of bringing the Most Holy Theotokos to the Temple in Jerusalem by her parents, the righteous Joachim and Anna.

Having no children for a long time, the righteous spouses made a vow - if they have a child, they will dedicate it to the Lord God. The Lord heard the prayers of Joachim and Anna. When the couple had lived together for about fifty years, He gave them a child - a daughter was born, whom they named Mary (translated from Hebrew - "lady", "hope"). In the future, Mary was to become the Lady and Hope of all who believed in the Messiah. By her father, the Mother of God came from the tribe of Judah, from the family of King David, and by her mother - from the family of the high priest Aaron. Thus, the Old Testament prophecies regarding the future birth of the Messiah came true - after all, He was to come from the royal and priestly families at the same time.
After the birth of their daughter, the righteous Joachim and Anna made offerings of thanksgiving and made another vow - their daughter would not walk the earth until they brought Her into the temple of God.

Here we meet with the Tradition of the Church about the introduction of the Most Holy Theotokos into the temple. This solemn event took place when Mary was three years old. The parents brought their daughter to the temple, where she was solemnly greeted by immaculate virgins with lit lamps. The staircase leading to the temple consisted of fifteen steps. Mary without outside help climbed all the steps, and the high priest came out to meet Her. Here the Tradition of the Church informs us that this high priest was the righteous Zechariah, the father of St. John the Baptist, the Baptist of the Lord.

Archangel Gabriel strikes Zacharias with dumbness.
Alexander Ivanov, 1840s

Mary was introduced into the Holy of Holies, the centerpiece of the Temple in Jerusalem. This was done by a special command of God: after all, according to the law, only one high priest could enter there, and even then only once a year. Mary was admitted into the Holy of Holies as the Mother of the Savior, Who was to be born of Her. Liturgical texts compare Her with an animated kivot (cupboard, drawer) of God (1 Chr. 15).

After that, Mary remains to live and serve in the temple - here She studied with other virgins, studied the Holy Scriptures, spun and sewed priestly vestments. According to legend, the Virgin Mary lived in the temple until she was 12 years old.

Some time after the end of education in the temple of Mary, it was necessary to marry. However, She told the priests that She would keep her virginity before God. It was at this moment that it was decided that Mary should have a patron, since Her parents had already died by that time. As a result (as a result of a special lot), Mary was betrothed to the elderly carpenter Joseph, who also came from the family of King David. Actually, this is where the story about the main meaning of the holiday ends.

How did the event of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos become part of the great twelfth feasts of the Christian Church?

Researchers believe that the appearance of the holiday is directly related to the reign of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. In 543, at his command, a large church in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos was built on the remains of the destroyed Jerusalem temple. This construction marked the event of the Entrance of the Mother of God into the temple.
Starting from the 8th century, the feast of the Entry is briefly mentioned in some menologions, and Patriarch Herman I of Constantinople also writes two homily (conversations) about it. Thus, by the 8th century, the tradition of celebrating the event of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos began to take shape. Since the 9th century, the holiday has become widely known throughout the Christian Middle East. Finally, the introduction entered the number of great twelfth holidays after the XIV century.

Jerusalem temple. The place where eras meet

The majestic mountain towering over Jerusalem according to the biblical tradition, both Jewish and Christian, is identified with Mount Moriah, where Abraham was to sacrifice his son Isaac, and King Solomon built the famous Old Testament temple. The altar of Abraham, now covered by the dome of the mosque, was once the natural peak of Mount Moriah. The word "moriah" comes from the Hebrew word for "sea" (fear, anxiety), or "ora" (light). Abraham named this place "Jehovah Jira" which means "The Lord will provide".

Troparion of the holiday

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.

Holiday kontakion

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.

magnificence

We magnify Thee, Blessed Virgin, God-chosen Maiden, and we honor Your entry into the temple of the Lord.

Prayer

Oh, Blessed Virgin, Queen of Heaven and earth, previously chosen Bride of God, in recent times who came to the church lawfully to be engaged to the Heavenly Bridegroom! Thou hast left Thy people and Thy father's house, in order to sacrifice to Thee a pure and undefiled God, and was the first to give thee a vow of everlasting virginity. Grant us also to keep ourselves in chastity and purity and in the fear of God all the days of our belly, let us be temples of the Holy Spirit, especially help everyone in imitation of Yours in the cloisters of those who live and betrothed themselves to the service of God in the purity of virginity spend their lives and from youth to carry the yoke of Christ, good and light, keeping one's vows holy. You spent all the days of Your youth in the temple of the Lord, away from the temptations of this world, in prayerful vigilance and in every abstinence of the soul and body, help us to reflect all the temptations of the enemy from the flesh, the world and the devil that come upon us from our youth and overcome them with prayer and fasting. You are in the temple of the Lord with the angels abiding, you were adorned with all the virtues, especially with humility, purity and love, and you were worthily brought up, so that you would be ready to contain the incomprehensible Word of God in your flesh. Vouchsafe us, obsessed with pride, intemperance and laziness, to put on all spiritual perfection, may each of us, with Your help, prepare the wedding garment of his soul and the oil of goodness, but do not name and do not prepare us to appear at the meeting of our Immortal Bridegroom and Your Son Christ, the Savior and our God, but may they receive us with the wise virgins in the abode of paradise, where with all the saints, make us worthy of glorifying and glorifying the all-holy name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and Your merciful intercession is always, now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.

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 Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the holiday during the Nativity Fast on December 4 - meaning, meaning, history, icon, features of worship, troparion.

December 4, 2017. At the beginning, the Church recalls the event described in Tradition - the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos. This is the twelfth feast of the Mother of God, which is non-transitory, that is, it is always celebrated on December 4 according to the new style.

This feast finally completed a number of major church events only by the 9th century, although mention of it can be found already in the historical monuments of the 5th century.

Holiday Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos installed in memory of bringing to the Temple in Jerusalem by the vow of the Virgin Mary at the age of 3 years. The description of this event has come down to us in Holy Tradition. It says that the Child literally ran up the high steps of the temple, and at the entrance she was met by two high priests. The Orthodox Church is of the opinion that one of them was Zechariah, who later became the father of John the Baptist. Mary was introduced into the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept - that special place in the temple, where the high priests could very rarely enter. This is exactly what Zechariah was commanded to do in foresight. Mary lived in the temple before she became an adult - she worked, embroidering linens and covers.

This holiday shows us a wonderful event - the merciful Lord, for the first time after the fall, brought close to Himself the descendant of Adam and Eve - the Righteous Virgin, in order to make her the Mother of Christ, the Savior of mankind.

The Divine Liturgy of the Feast of the Entrance into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos begins on the evening of December 3, when Small Vespers and All-Night Vigil (with Litiya) are served. In the morning the hours are read and the Divine Liturgy is served. The vestments of the clergy are blue, rarely white. The charter of the service differs little from the charter of other twelfth celebrations of the Mother of God, only the hymns of the holiday are a feature.

The choir of the Valaam Monastery performs the troparion of the Entry into the Temple in Byzantine chant

Traditionally, in many Orthodox churches, the troparion is sung in 4 tones.

The canonical Orthodox icons depict the main event of the feast of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos. Maria is dressed in her traditional attire of a married woman with a maphorium. Nearby are Her parents, the righteous Joachim and Anna. The temple is often depicted symbolically, in the form of a tent over the throne, in front of which there are not always steps. Ever-Virgin is met by Zechariah in the attire of the high priest of the Jerusalem temple.

On images of the academic school and Catholic icons, the event is depicted with a lot of detail.