What kind of holiday is it, what are its roots and what are the traditional Slavic greetings on Forgiveness Sunday? This church holiday has been preserved only in the Orthodox and Greek Catholic traditions. Forgiven Sunday does not have a clear calendar day: since Easter every year falls on different days of the calendar, this holiday also “migrates” after its celebration. In short, Forgiveness Sunday falls on the day when Shrovetide ends or on the last Sunday before Great Lent begins. This day seems to share the revelry and merry week of Shrovetide and the strict first days of the pre-Easter Lent.
What are the roots of this holiday? The foundation on which Forgiveness Sunday rests is contained in the teachings of Jesus Christ, who taught to forgive those who offend us, bless those who curse us, and turn the left cheek if they hit the right one. But, although His teachings concerned all 365 days of the year, people have not yet achieved such perfectionism, so they allotted only one day for forgiveness. Why, then, on the last day before Great Lent? The tradition was brought by the monks-schemists who lived in Egypt in the first centuries of our era. Following the example of Christ, who, before teaching people, retired to the desert for 40 days, the monks also went to the desert one by one, where they fasted and prayed for 40 days. After this bodily test, not everyone returned to the monastery, some died in hermitages. Therefore, going to the wasteland, the monks apologized mutually and forgave each other for all knowingly or inadvertently inflicted insults, as if preparing for death. Thus the tradition was born to celebrate Forgiveness Sunday. Congratulations on this holiday is a later layering, invented by the laity.
But priests and monks even now perform the “rite of forgiveness” on this day, that is, they ask for forgiveness from others and forgive themselves. The Orthodox tradition provides that on this day believers go to confess to the church, so that God forgive them and forgive them all their sins. Although this day is not yet considered a fasting day, fervent believers still refrain from eating meat, and eat dairy products (cheeses, butter), fish, eggs. After the church and confession, believers rush to the cemetery, where they apologize even to deceased relatives. Pancakes and other treats are left on the grave. And then Orthodox believers go to the homes of friends and neighbors, congratulating them on Forgiveness Sunday.
Elders on this day should be the first to apologize to the younger and subordinates. Be sure to visit elderly relatives on this day, since it is likely that they will go to the grave, having a grudge in their hearts. Especially it was necessary to go to congratulate on the holiday people with whom you were in a quarrel. What is the meaning of the usual Orthodox congratulations on Forgiveness Sunday? A person who comes into the house (for example, to a neighbor) must, with his head uncovered, in a humble and quiet voice, ask for forgiveness for all the insults that he - intentionally or unintentionally - inflicted on him. The owner of the house, embracing the man who came over his shoulders, says: “God will forgive. And forgive me. ” After which they exchange a kiss of peace.
Congratulations on Forgiveness Sunday should be pronounced from the moment the sunset begins, but have time to ask forgiveness from as many people as possible before it becomes completely dark. Before going to bed, all family members bow to each other and ask each other for forgiveness for all insults inflicted during the year. Naturally, asking for forgiveness should not be an empty formality, just like forgiving other people should completely eliminate thoughts of revenge. It is important that you enter Great Lent with a pure heart, without burdening your soul with thoughts of the vain. Indeed, on the next day and for the next two subsequent years, the Orthodox can not only eat meat, but even cook food: they eat pickles, sauerkraut , pickled mushrooms.
Now that our circle of acquaintances has expanded significantly, and many of our friends and foes are living at a considerable distance from us, it is customary to send congratulations on Forgiveness Sunday with the help of postcards and even SMS messages. The essence of such congratulations can be reduced to the wish of a merry Shrovetide, delicious pancakes, hope to wait for the bright Day of the Resurrection of the Lord and at the end - a modest hope for forgiveness from the addressee.