Orthodox holidays in spring. Orthodox holidays of spring and folk signs for preschoolers
Goals:
- Educational:
- to form in students an idea of Christianity as a religion that has absorbed the remnants of paganism,
- lead students to the conclusion that Easter is a "holiday of holidays" in Christianity; introduce Easter rituals, legends, games.
- Educational:
- to bring students through sensory perception to the realization of the need for spiritual self-education and development as a person through contact with the spiritual and cultural values of the Russian people.
- Developing:
- continue work by developing the skills and abilities of analysis historical events and their influence on the development of the spiritual culture of the Russian people.
- Experience-practical:
- introducing students to the situation of celebrating a major religious holiday.
Equipment: visual aids with the image of the Easter holiday and pagan gods, images of temples, including Orenburg (regional component), a reproduction of Rublev's icon "Trinity", a cross (the crucifixion of Jesus Christ), children's drawings, compositions created by students, attributes for games.
Musical arrangement: M. I. Glinka "Lark", P.I. Tchaikovsky "The Seasons (March, April)", church music, bell ringing music.
DURING THE CLASSES
Module 1. Rites and beliefs of the ancient Slavs in Russia. Prev spring holiday Maslenitsa.
Image:
Repetition of rituals and beliefs in Russia. Students are asked questions: What is Christianity? When did it appear in Russia? What signs are associated with the arrival of spring?
An image of a spring mood is created using illustrations, students' drawings, Tchaikovsky's music "The Seasons". The arrival of spring is associated with its invocation. The first stage of inviting was Maslenitsa.
Analysis:
Students decipher the symbolism of ancient Slavic mythology, talk about how and why they called for spring.
Maslenitsa falls just at that time of winter, when the victory of the life-giving forces of nature over the deadly power of darkness and cold became more and more tangible: there are thaws, drops are pouring from the roofs, the day is growing noticeably. Moran's fearsome monster fled, and her flight was tantamount to death until the new winter. The bright deity of the spring fertility of the earth appeared - the cheerful beauty Lada. Through the centuries, the pagan monster Moran turned into an effigy of Maslenitsa, which was burned. And he was replaced by spring-red and it had to be called ( Appendix 1
).
Action: students gather in a round dance, in the center of which is a girl decorated with a green wreath, and sing a song to Russian folk instruments. Spring is called by singing:
Spring, red spring
Come spring with joy
With great mercy.
With tall flax,
With a deep root
With abundant bread.
Thus ends the analysis of the pagan beliefs of the ancient Slavs.
Module 2. Religious holidays and pagan beliefs. Spring meeting
Image
: It is necessary to connect the idea of folk signs with the phenomenon of nature, the life of animals and birds, with seasonal changes in their behavior.
In order to create an image of awakening nature and people rejoicing in its renewal, in order to give emotionality to the lesson in this part, Glinka's work "The Lark" sounds. There is an image of awakening nature and people rejoicing in its renewal.
Analysis
: Students talk about the features of the Magpie holiday in Russia and in their area.
On this day Orthodox Church recalls the forty martyrs who, according to popular belief, pave the way - the road to forty matinees (frosts). According to the sign, if all forty frosts - matinees pass in a row, it will be warm all summer long.
On this day, the second spring bird arrives - the lark, and with it forty more birds.
In honor of their arrival, forty larks from the dough are baked on this day in each family.
Action : Students stage a fragment of the holiday Baked birds are handed out to children and they run to call the larks, and take off the spring:
Larks, come
Take away the winter to the student,
Bring the warmth of spring.
We are sick of winter
We ate all the bread.
Then everyone gets up in round dances and sings songs - stoneflies:
It's time to call spring, forget winter.
Ay Leli, Leli, forget the winter.
Forget winter, wait for summer.
Ay Leli, Leli, wait for the summer.
The action ends with crumbling baked larks. This rite resembles a pagan sacrifice and emphasizes the connection of a person with nature, from which envy not only prosperity in the family, but also the very life of a person and his loved ones. That is why the Russian peasant, like a Slavic pagan of deep antiquity, appeases the earth and other forces of nature. For example, it crumbles baked larks.
Module 3
Image : Associated with the next spring month - April. Students lead folk omens related to this month: "In April the earth dies." "April streams wake up the earth." "Three rains in April - thousands of rains stand."
Analysis : In April, one of the twelve significant holidays of the Russian Orthodox Church is celebrated - the Annunciation. It entered the Christian calendar in the 4th century. The Annunciation came to Russia with ancient Christian holidays and rituals at the end of the 10th century. It is celebrated on April 7 in memory of the message of the good news of the coming birth of the son of God, Jesus Christ, by the archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary.
Good News, Good News...
She is like a happy song.
Jesus will be born soon and save the world.
Good News, Good News...
Mary is hard to pronounce
That an angel spoke to her that the heart of her son was waiting.
Students remember the ritual to release birds on this holiday.
Only on a dark night did the merry gatherings stop. On the night of the Annunciation, the peasants burned their beds, jumped over the fire, fumigated their dresses. It was believed that this saved from damage and the evil eye. Elderly women calcined salt in the oven, which, in their opinion, works wonders for various diseases.
Students make a conclusion about how deeply pagan beliefs penetrated and took root in religious holidays.
Action : shows students' drawings on this topic.
Module 4
Image : students talk about the rites that precede and accompany Palm Sunday. This is how the image of the forthcoming sacrifice of the Savior and preparation for the feast of Sunday is created. Willow in Russia is a symbol of the beginning of a new life. With us, the willow replaces the palm branches that were thrown under the feet of Christ when he entered Jerusalem, knowing about the coming Calvary cross.
Analysis : on the last Sunday before Easter, the church celebrates the solemn entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. This great holiday is called Palm Sunday because on this day, during the all-night vigil, worshipers distribute sacred willow branches. In the old days, green branches met the kings, returning in triumph after the victory over the enemies. People, holding the first blossoming branches in their hands, glorify the Savior as the conqueror of death, because he resurrected the dead and on that very day entered Jerusalem in order to die for the sins of people, to rise and thereby save people from eternal death and eternal torment . Thus, the willow branch serves us as a sign of Christ's victory over death and reminds us of the future resurrection from the dead.
Action : students show their compositions with willow.
Module 5
Image : Reading an excerpt from the story of the writer I. Shmelev "Summer of the Lord" about the celebration of Easter. During the reading, illustrations of the celebration of Easter are shown.
Analysis
: The symbolism of the holiday is being analyzed.
What does the egg mean, why is it red. In a religious sense, the egg is a symbol of constant rebirth. But it also performs the function of fertility. Speaking about the tradition of dyeing eggs, students note the custom of dyeing eggs red. Red color easter egg has a special meaning - it is colored by the blood of Christ.
At midnight, Great Saturday gives way to the bright Sunday of Christ, the procession begins. Crosses are baked for Easter.
Against the background of church music, students talk about the symbolism of the cross.
From an instrument of execution, the cross turned into a symbol of redemption and an object of reverence. His official veneration was introduced into Christianity in the 4th century.
The audio recording "The Biblical legend of the crucifixion of Christ" sounds.
Students read a poem by A.K. Tolstoy:
Among the oak forest
Shines with crosses
Temple five-domed
with bells,
He pulls himself
Irresistible
Calls and beckons
He is native to the land!..
Easter joy is the joy of eternal life. Since the services take place in the temple, the students make out the symbolism of the internal structure of the temple.
The temple is a special building, different from other buildings, dedicated to God and intended for public service to him. It consists of three parts:
The altar is the kingdom of God (God lives)
The dome is the kingdom of heaven (angels live here)
The vestibule is the kingdom of the earth (people live).
The story is illustrated with images of churches in Russia and the existing and lost churches of the native land. The meaning of the number of domes on the church is explained. One dome on the temple means the unity of God, two - Christ is God and man, three - God is the father, God is the son, God is a saint (the trinity of God), four are the evangelists (people who each in their own way described the life of Christ. Their names were Mark, John, Matthew and Luke, their books are called the Gospel, which means good news), five are God and the evangelists.
On Easter, church bells ring out announcing the Resurrection of Christ. There are several types of chimes: blagovest, chime, chime.
An audio recording of bells sounds and verses are read against its background:
Christ is risen! Easter ringing
Singing, bells are ringing
And the news is - joyful, bright -
A wave rushes over the world
And the world listens to that message.
Light Christ Sunday has always been a celebration of love and mercy. People greeted each other with the words: "Christ is Risen" and gave each other Easter eggs.
Students tell about the history of the greeting "Christ is Risen" and the answer "Truly Risen".
Action
: bell ringing sounds - blagovest.
Students greet each other and exchange Easter eggs.
Easter celebrations begin with Easter games. Students participate in games. Then there is a treat with Easter and other Easter dishes and presenting everyone with Easter Easter eggs to the sounds of bell ringing ( Appendix 2
).
Literature:
1. Folk holiday calendar. Literary and musical almanac. Youth Stage. 1999
2. Kolesnikov V."Holidays of Orthodox Russia" M. "TERRA" 1998
3. Zabylin M."Russian people" M. Bely city. 2004
4. Korinfskiy A."People's Russia". M., White City, 2006
5. Shmelev I."Favorites". M., Pravda, 1989
6. Magazine "Folk Art".
Church holidays- these are important dates for Christians, for which it is customary to prepare prayerfully, observe fasting, and then come to the solemn liturgy with communion in the temple. Some Orthodox holidays, such as the Dormition, seem strange to people who are far from church life. Why do Christians celebrate death? We will try to tell you about the essence of church holidays in this article.
The calendar of non-transferable church holidays is known:
| Religious holiday | Church holiday date | The meaning of the church holiday |
| Nativity | January 7 | |
| Epiphany | January 19 | Twelfth Church Feast |
| Meeting of the Lord | February, 15 | Twelfth Church Feast |
| Annunciation Holy Mother of God | April 7 | Twelfth Church Feast |
| Nativity of John the Baptist | July 7 | Great church holiday |
| Day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul | July, 12 | Great church holiday |
| Transfiguration | August 19 | Twelfth Church Feast |
| Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary | August 28 | Twelfth Church Feast |
| The Beheading of John the Baptist | 11 September | Great church holiday |
| September 21 | Twelfth Church Feast | |
| Exaltation of the Holy Cross | September 27 | Twelfth Church Feast |
| Protection of the Holy Mother of God | October 14 | Great church holiday |
| December 4 | Twelfth Church Feast |
Passing church holidays, in turn, are constantly celebrated in different days. We have compiled a table for the nearest dates:
| Holidays | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
| Beginning triodi | February 17 | February 9th | February 21 |
| Forgiveness Sunday | 10th of March | March 1 | March 14th |
| Entrance to Jerusalem | April 21 | 12th of April | 25th of April |
| Easter | April 28 | April 19 | May 2 |
| Ascension of the Lord | June 6 | May 28 | June 10th |
| Trinity | June 16 | June 7 | June 20 |
| Petrov post | 18 days | 27 days | 14 days |
What is a church holiday?
Rejoice always in the Lord; and again I say: rejoice ( Phil. 4:4–7 .)
What is an Orthodox holiday? Secular people often ask this question when entering the path of church life. Many worldly holidays are accompanied by noisy feasts, dances and songs. How are church holidays different from them?
The Lord called us not for suffering, but for salvation and eternal life, which, in itself, is already a reason for joy. Therefore, even when we weep, repenting of our sins, it is a great joy. After all, we have One who is ready to accept our repentance. Orthodox holidays enclosed in the quiet joy of union with God. These important dates are designed to remind us of the events of the Gospel, they are associated with ancient Christian traditions and allow us to temporarily escape from worldly fuss in order to devote one more day of the year to communion with God. During a church holiday, a liturgy is served in the temple, and we praise the history of our Salvation by Jesus Christ, recalling certain events of Holy Scripture or the lives of Orthodox saints.
Church holidays are divided into passing and non-moving. The date of non-transferable holidays never changes and is celebrated on the same day every year. Transitional Orthodox holidays do not have a fixed date and depend on the date of the celebration of Easter. It is because of the date of the celebration of Easter that the Church calendar usually moves. The date of the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ is calculated according to the solar lunar calendar. It is usually celebrated on the nearest Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox (March 21). The Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council decreed this order as early as 325.
There are twelve most important church holidays. They are called "twelfth" or sometimes "twelve". Easter is not included in this list, as the most important Orthodox holiday, standing separately, outside of any categories.
- Nativity
- Epiphany
- Candlemas
- Annunciation
- Palm Sunday
- Ascension
- Trinity
- Transfiguration
- Dormition of the Blessed
- Exaltation of the Holy Cross
- Nativity of the Virgin
- Introduction to the Temple of Our Lady
- Protection of the Holy Mother of God
- Circumcision of the Lord and the memory of St. Basil the Great
- Nativity of John the Baptist
- Commemoration of the Chief Apostles Peter and Paul
- The Beheading of John the Baptist
- Holy memory. Nicholas
- Transfer of relics of St. Nicholas in the Italian city of Bari.
With the advent of new saints, the list of Orthodox holidays is also replenished.
Holidays in the Orthodox calendar
Twelfth Feasts of the Theotokos
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Not far from Jerusalem is the city of Nazareth. It was in this city that the righteous and already elderly spouses Joachim and Anna lived. For a long time the Lord did not give them children. At the time of their lives, this was considered a shame, because children were considered a blessing from God. Once the High Priest did not even accept the sacrifice from Joachim, accusing him of having obviously done something wrong before God, since the Lord does not give him children. Joachim prayed to the Lord to grant him and his wife a child. Anna considered herself guilty of a childless marriage. She also turned to God with a request to give them and Joachim offspring and promised to bring the child as a gift to God, to serve Him. Then a Heavenly Angel appeared before her and said: “Your prayer has been heard. You will give birth to a blessed daughter. For her sake all the generations of the earth will be blessed. Through her, salvation will be given to the whole world and she will be called Mary.
In those days, only the birth of a male baby was considered a blessing from God. Even in the Holy Scriptures, people are counted only in male units. But the girl that Anna will give birth to will be the Most Holy Theotokos, the mother of Christ.
Joachim, meanwhile, hastened to the Golden Gate of Jerusalem after a forty-day fast in the mountains. He had to see his wife Anna, because in the mountains an angel appeared to him too. Embracing him at the gate, Anna said, “Now I know that the Lord has blessed me.”
The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the first twelfth Orthodox holiday in the church year, which begins on September 14 according to the new style. The Mother of God served the cause of Salvation by giving birth to the Son of Man, from whom a new era and a new chronology began. With the Savior, the Lord revealed to us that the main law in our life should be the law of love, the ability to sacrifice in the name of love. The earthly path of the Mother of God was filled with sorrows, she stood at the Cross of the Lord and, together with the Savior, experienced the agony of the Cross.
But the world rejoiced at her birth, on the day of the Nativity of the Mother of God, our intercessor before the Gods was born, through prayers to which great miracles are performed.
Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos is one of the main church holidays dedicated to the earthly life of the Mother of God. In addition to the Introduction, the Nativity of the Virgin and the Assumption of the Virgin are also celebrated. These holidays are based on Holy Tradition. The feast of the Annunciation is based on the Gospel events, when the Angel of the Lord appeared to announce the conception of Christ.
In addition to these main holidays, other Orthodox holidays are also celebrated - the holidays of the miraculous icons of the Mother of God, the Intercession (this day is especially loved by the people) and many other days that reflect our love for the Most Holy Theotokos. The introduction of the Virgin Mary into the temple is a special date that has no analogues among other church holidays. Holy Tradition tells that as soon as the Virgin Mary was three years old, her parents Joachim and Anna took her to the temple in order, according to the vow given to the Lord, to raise her in Divine grace. This vow was fulfilled in gratitude for the gift of a child. It did not mean that the child took a vow of monasticism or a special ascetic life, but his upbringing was no longer done by his parents, but by the servants of the temple. This is a sign of the highest trust in God.
In Jerusalem at that time there was one temple, in the altar of which the Ark of the Covenant was once kept. In the same temple there was a special theological school, where boys and girls dedicated to God were brought up. The Virgin Mary was met by the high priest Zacharias. He played an important role in the Old Testament Church and was an indisputable moral authority for believers. Without outside help The Virgin Mary ascended all fifteen steps leading to the sanctuary, barely crossing the threshold of the temple. Those who saw it perceived the ascent as a miracle. Despite the body of the baby, the Mother of God was already perfect in soul. She entered the temple joyful and triumphant, as in her own home.
The high priest Zechariah led the girl to the holy of holies of the temple, where he himself could enter only once a year. He immediately saw that before him - not an ordinary child. Staying in the temple, the Virgin Mary admired everyone with the fullness of her virtue, being at the same time humble and meek. This was another step on the way to the appearance of the Savior in the world, therefore believers so honor this significant date and distinguish it among many Orthodox holidays.
Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (March 25/April 7)
The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the twelfth Orthodox holiday.
It was called differently among the first Christians: the Conception of Christ, the Annunciation of Christ, the Beginning of Redemption, the Annunciation of the Angel of Mary, but in the 7th century in the East and West it began to be called the same - the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. 
This day brought joy to the whole world and became the beginning of our Salvation, a blessing for all people. On this day, God united with mankind and in the person of the Virgin Mary all the prophecies of the Old Testament about the Son of Man were fulfilled. In the whole world then there was no holier and more worthy of the Virgin Mary. She had been living in the temple for twelve years when the high priest told her that when she came of age, she should leave the temple, get married, and move into her husband's home. The Virgin Mary humbly replied that she had made a vow to devote her life to the Lord and did not want to break her vow of chastity. The high priest cannot force the Virgin to break her vow to God, so he gathered the clergy of the temple to pray and ask God to reveal His will. An angel appeared to the high priest Zarakhriy with instructions to take unmarried husbands from the house of David and ask them to bring their rods, to which of them the Lord will show a sign, he will become a husband for the Virgin Mary.
When the High Priest gathered the wands, he began to pray that the Lord would reveal his will. At night, the rods were left in the temple, and the next day, Joseph's rod blossomed. Joseph was a relative of the Virgin Mary, led a righteous life, he was already over 80 years old, he lived as a widow and had adult children. The Virgin Mary moved from the temple to Nazareth, but remained to live in solitude and silence, preserving her virginity. The Most Pure Virgin continued to live for God, to do household chores. While God sent the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary.
The Virgin Mary knew the prophecies about the coming of the Messiah and about the Blessed Virgin who would become His mother. She prayed to minister to this woman, but this woman turned out to be herself.
“Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you; Blessed are You in wives, ”the Virgin Mary heard these words from the archangel who appeared to her. These words confused her, and she remained silent. But the archangel Gabriel comforted her with the words that the Lord would give the Son the throne of David. The Virgin Mary did not know a husband, but the power of the Most High overshadowed her, and she conceived when the light of the Spirit of God overshadowed her. The sacrament of the incarnation of the Son of God has come to pass. Chosen from all generations, the Virgin Mary contained within herself the treasure of grace and gave man the opportunity to hope for salvation.
Meeting of the Lord (February 2/15)
The church holiday of the Presentation of the Lord is based on an amazing miraculous event that took place in Jerusalem in the 1st century AD. According to tradition, on the fortieth day after birth, all Jews had to bring their first sons to the temple for consecration to God. In gratitude, it was customary to bring a sacrifice to God - a ram, an ox, doves. An important role was played by what the family could afford.
This law was established in memory of the liberation of the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery. Then the Lord saved Israel's firstborn from destruction.
Parents brought Jesus Christ to the Jerusalem temple, as required by the law, as soon as He was forty days old, to present before God. Joseph and Mary could not afford to make a costly sacrifice, as they did not live well. They sacrificed only two baby pigeons. At that time, a pious elder, Simeon the God-bearer, lived in Jerusalem. At the suggestion of the Spirit of God and the prophetess Anna, he came to the temple, as the Holy Spirit promised Righteous Simeon that he would not die until he saw the Messiah. He was already 360 years old. According to the Tradition of the Church, he was one of those who translated the Old Testament from Hebrew into Ancient Greek. He knew the Scriptures well and waited with faith for Christ the Savior. Although, at first he doubted the possibility of fulfilling the prophecy that the Savior would be born into the world from an earthly woman. He even wanted to blot out these prophecies in Scripture, but the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and held him back, confirming the truth of these words - “Believe what is written!”.
Seeing the baby Jesus at the door of the temple, he exclaimed with great joy: “This is God, Concurrent with the Father, this is the Eternal Light and the Lord Savior!” As promised by the Lord, the Divine Infant appeared to him with the Blessed Virgin and righteous Joseph. Simeon's heart trembled, he praised the Lord in prayer. The elder saw the One Who was promised by the Lord to people, the fullness of times came. He could leave this world, for the prophecy was fulfilled.
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin (August 15/28)
This holiday seems paradoxical to those who are not familiar with Orthodox church holidays. Why do we celebrate death? But we know the words “Do we live, we live for the Lord; If we die, we die for the Lord.” Even the Apostle Paul said: “For me, life is Christ and death is gain.”
The last thing we know about the earthly path of the Virgin Mary from the Gospel is the words that the Lord addresses to the Mother from the cross. Words about His beloved disciple, John the Theologian: “ Geno! behold, thy son“. These words, of course, applied to all mankind.
The beloved disciple of Christ took the Virgin Mary to him. Holy Bible does not convey to us information about the Assumption of the Mother of God, but Church Tradition stores for us information about the life of the Mother of God after the Resurrection of Christ.
So, the Mother of God lived in the house of John the Theologian. She often retired to pray to her Divine Son. On one of these days, the archangel Gabriel again appeared to her to announce that in three days the Blessed Virgin would depart to the Lord. The Mother of God accepted these words with great joy in anticipation of a meeting with God. The only thing she asked was to give her the opportunity to say goodbye to the apostles, the disciples of Christ, who brought the message of Salvation to the world. Miraculously, the apostles, who were far from Jerusalem, were transferred there to say goodbye to their Heavenly Mother. The Mother of God consoled the apostles in their grief and said goodbye to each of them.
But the Dormition of the Mother of God was not an ordinary parting of the soul with the body. At the hour of her death, the heavens opened up and those present saw Christ with the angels and the reposed righteous. The Blessed Virgin was as if immersed in a dream, therefore her repose is called the Dormition, that is, sleep. And behind this dream, glory and awakening in the Kingdom of Heaven were expected. The soul of the Virgin Mary, accompanied by angelic singing, ascended to Heaven.
During the burial of the body of the Virgin, one Jewish priest was filled with anger towards the Mother of Jesus Christ and decided to overturn the body of the Virgin Mary on the ground. But as soon as he touched the bed of the Blessed Virgin, the Angel of the Lord appeared with a sword and cut off his hands. The priest prayed to the apostles for help. The Apostle Peter replied that the Lord, through prayers to His Mother, could grant him healing. Priest Athos put his hands to the place of cutting off, offering prayers to the Mother of God. His prayer was heard, and he followed the bed of the Virgin Mary, glorifying the Lord and the Mother of God.
The Apostle Thomas did not have time to see the burial of the Mother of God and was very sad, wanting to say goodbye to her. When on the third day the apostles opened the tomb for him, the body of the Mother of God was not in it, but she herself appeared to them in Heavenly Glory, surrounded by many angels with the words: “Rejoice, for I am with you all the days.”
Holidays in spring are not only March 8, May 1 and 9. There have always been much more spring holidays in Russia. Some of them date back to pagan times, somehow adapting to the Orthodox calendar and Christianity and harmoniously merging into church traditions.
Spring holidays of the Slavs
The first spring holiday, which was celebrated back in pagan Russia - (Maslyanitsa) or cheese week. This spring folk festival involves a cycle of rituals associated with seeing off winter and ends with the burning of an effigy symbolizing winter. Before that, people have fun all week long, treat each other with pancakes and other dishes, participate in fisticuffs, ride a sleigh and dance.
The burning of an effigy by our ancestors personifies rebirth, similar to the Phoenix bird, through death. After that, the ashes of the effigy, as well as old things thrown into the fire, were fluttered across the fields so that with the new harvest a new revival would come, prosperity and prosperity would come.
Another Russian spring holiday - stoneflies, meeting of spring. Like Shrovetide, the celebration takes place on different days in accordance with the church calendar. Prior to that, he was tied to the astronomical spring equinox - March 22.
The celebration is accompanied by invocations of spring with the help of spells. And since the beginning of spring is associated with the arrival of birds, the main means of the spell is the preparation of larks and waders, which are then placed on elevated places or thrown into the air. The action is accompanied by ritual songs designed to bring spring closer.
Another spring holiday associated with a meeting with spring - " Alexey - streams from the mountains". It is celebrated during Lent. From that day on, the peasants began to prepare for field work. The Orthodox Church on this day remembers Alexei - the man of God.
Easter holiday cycle
- a holiday celebrated always a week before Easter. On this day, the Lord's entry into Jerusalem is remembered, shortly before his torment and death on the cross. Believers met him with palm branches, lining the road with them, because another name for the holiday is Palm Sunday. On this day, all Orthodox go to church and illuminate the willow branches and greet Christ, who has come to save humanity from eternal death.
The main spring holiday, of course, is - Easter. The miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ is not just a holiday, but the most significant event in world history. This is the whole essence of Christianity and the meaning of faith, the hope of salvation.
Easter traditions include the greeting "Christ is Risen - Truly Risen", "christening" with colored eggs, lighting Easter cakes and Easter cakes.
Folk festivals with round dances, songs and games, which sometimes lasted up to 2-3 weeks after Easter, are called Krasnaya Gorka. This holiday has been known since ancient times, it is also timed to welcome spring.
50 days after Easter, the Orthodox celebrate the holiday Trinity or Pentecost. Everyone decorates their homes with green twigs and flowers, which symbolizes the flowering of human virtue, and also recalls the appearance of the Trinity to Abraham in 
Mamvrian oak forest. Decorated with greenery, the temple resembles the same oak forest.
Spring children's holidays
In order to instill in children a love for the history of their people and its traditions, it is best to involve them from the cradle in the celebration of native Russian holidays.
The organization of a meeting of spring can be very bright, non-standard and fun. Moreover, there are many ready-made scenarios for various celebrations and festivities.
Maslenitsa Initially, the holiday of carnival - komoeditsy was on the spring equinox and included the second calls of spring (in paganism, after they move to the "magpies") and the meeting of ancestors who "arrive on bird wings" from iria. The celebration of the victory of spring over winter, the farewell-funeral of winter. Time - spring "resurrection" (from "Kres" - fire) of mother earth and all nature. Immediately after Pancake Week was followed by a komoeditsa - a bear holiday, honoring the totem bear ancestor, who at this time wakes up in his lair (the incarnation Veles , opening the gates of iriy, and transferring the reins of government to the spring-summer period Yarile ),. Men honored him with a special bear dance and Veles wrestling. Women baked coma - ritual loaves made from several flour mixtures: oats, peas and barley. Some of the clods were taken out into the forest to appease the bear. Maslenitsa was celebrated when migratory birds appear, and the grown-up calf breaks away from the udder, switches to feeding on hay, which gives an abundance of milk for the holiday. In folk Maslenitsa games, guys share strength with young men Yarila, so that it melts the snow and enters into full force. The "seed" of melt water enters the earth for new life. The Shrovetide doll of the defeated winter-Marena was stuffed with straw from a dozhin sheaf and burned. sending her with a message to the "bright gods" in iriy that people are waiting for their return.
After the adoption of Christianity, Maslenitsa is celebrated according to the lunar calendar. May be from February 23 and no later than April 7. Family and tribal customs - seven days. Maslenitsa is a celebration of a newly-made family. Tribal ranks and customs unfold in Shrovetide. Every day has its purpose. Commemoration and communication with ancestors begins with the first pancake. 1st pancake for remembrance. Visiting the graves on Saturday and Sunday. Yard walks, dressing up . (asked for a blink) Fist fights, brothers (fought and made up, drank beer). Rolling in circles on a horse in a sleigh. Visiting (by prior arrangement), special cuisine (cottage cheese, pancakes, pies, fish) Skiing with go R- everyone should ride (they wondered what kind of flax would grow: the farther they go, the higher) Taking the snow town - a symbol of the struggle of winter with spring, a snowy town - the abode of winter. mummers - a necessary accessory of any funeral feast (Afanasiev) The resurrection of spring-Alive was combined in folk ideas with the Resurrection of the righteous sun - Christ. Therefore, such rituals were present both on St. Thomas' Week and on Passion Week. Spring (Alive) "enlightens" the sun, i.e. makes it burn brighter. Farewell to the dead world transition to a new agricultural period(magic: berezozole - they burned the ashes, the children played cuts). Baking forms of tools from dough, healing and cleansing ceremonies (treatment with burnt ash, listening to water to determine the productivity of the earth, observing heavenly bodies. Collect filthy crusts - all the half-eaten food is distributed to the poor, passers-by. Seeing Shrovetide Burning an effigy or a wheel – purification by fire, contact with the cosmos, expulsion of winter and death.
Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Palm Sunday
The Annunciation is the good news of the coming birth of Christ. The name Christ means "Savior", named by the archangel Gabriel to the Divine Infant. On that day it was proclaimed to the world.
The Annunciation is one of the most big holidays spring. And people, and animals, and birds, and plants rejoice this day, and even the sun "plays".
Third meeting of spring. The first meeting - at the Candlemas, the second - at Magpies. Magpies - March 9/22. Forty martyrs were tortured by frost on an ice-covered Armenian lake. As if in memory of them, spring nature sends forty frosts.
The vernal equinox. On Magpie, day and night are reconciled, equal. April 8 - Palm Sunday.
Note:
If snow still lies on the fields on the Annunciation, then the summer will be lean.
Good weather on the day of the Annunciation portends a good harvest this year, clear before sunset - abundant haymaking.
The Annunciation has passed, look - the thunder will rumble.
With the Annunciation, ants and mosquitoes come to life.
The Annunciation is God's biggest holiday.
On the Annunciation, spring overcame winter.
On the Annunciation and Easter, sinners are not tormented in hell.
On the Annunciation, the stork flies and the bear gets up.
Annunciation - release of birds.
On the Annunciation, the bird does not nest.
A cuckoo without a nest for curling it on the Annunciation.
Easter
The Bright Resurrection of Christ is called Easter and is considered the main holiday Christian Church. Memories of the suffering and resurrection of Christ formed part of the church rites of Holy Week, Lent and Holy Week of Pascha.
From spring pagan holiday Christian Easter took the ritual of consecrating Easter cakes, making cottage cheese Easter, dyeing eggs.
Note:
At Easter, the sky is clear and the sun is playing - to a good harvest and a red summer.
On Holy rain - good rye.
For Easter, a bucket - all summer will be bucket.
The people are convinced that the sun "plays" five times a year: at Christmas, at Epiphany, at the Annunciation, at John the Baptist (Ivan Kupala's Feast - June 24 / July 7).
Ascension of the Lord
Passing holidays - the Ascension and the Trinity - are among those with which many signs and folk customs are associated. Although, depending on the day of Easter, the time of their celebration varies greatly from year to year, this does not change their general meaning: if they come earlier or later, this is primarily a celebration of the triumphant spring, the coming summer, when nature, as it were, celebrates its rebirth together with man. Due to this, the customs associated with them had a special poetic coloring, reflected in songs, games, rituals and beliefs. Ascension is celebrated on the fortieth day from Easter.
Note:
Ascension is not on Wednesday, but on Thursday.
They did not work in the field on Ascension. They smelled from Ascension.
On Ascension they baked ladders and said: "Fly, Christ, to heaven, drag rye by the hair," - then they put cookies in rye.
On Ascension, they baked pancakes, pies with the first green onion, made scrambled eggs and dracheny, ate it in the fields. "For the food of Christ."
The night before the Ascension is a nightingale, the nightingales sing louder and louder than on other days.
Ascension day will come
Reset spring-red laziness,
In the summer it will turn around, pretend,
For work in the field will be accepted.
