11 september church calendar

“There is no fate more majestic or more tragic,” wrote Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh in his sermon on the Beheading of John the Baptist. On September 11, Orthodox Christians remember the New Testament event - the violent death of the great prophet, who predicted the coming of the Messiah and baptized the Lord Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan River.

Events of the Beheading of John the Baptist

The beheading of the head of the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John is the full name of the holiday. September 11 (August 29, old style) The Russian Orthodox Church recalls the events of the New Testament described in the 14th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew and the 6th chapter of the Gospel of Mark.

Saint John the Baptist, who foretold the coming of the Messiah and baptized Jesus Christ in the Jordan River, was imprisoned by the order of King Herod Antipas. Herod at that time ruled in Galilee, and the great prophet denounced the sins and atrocities of him and his entourage. The Tetrarch (that is, one of the four Roman rulers of Judea) was afraid to execute the saint: the people loved him, and Herod was afraid of the people's anger. But his brother's wife Herodias, with whom he cohabited, persuaded her daughter Salome to deceive the king to kill the prisoner. At the feast Salome danced for Herod. He liked the dance so much that he vowed to fulfill her every desire. Salome asked for John's head on a platter. Herod complied with the request. So the prophet was martyred.

Why John the Baptist was imprisoned

John the Baptist denounced the tetrarch (that is, one of the four Roman rulers of Judea) of Galilee Herod Antipas for many atrocities. Herod cohabited with his brother Philip's wife Herodias, which grossly violated Jewish custom. The prophet was not afraid of the cruel king and spoke of his sins before the people. Herod put him in prison, but did not want to execute him: he was afraid of human unrest: the Jews loved and honored the righteous.

When the Beheading of John the Baptist is celebrated

The beheading of John the Baptist is commemorated by the Russian Orthodox Church on September 11 (August 29, old style).

What can you eat on the feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist

This day is a strict fast. Fasting people do not eat meat, fish, eggs or dairy products. Food can only be seasoned with vegetable oil. Gastronomic restrictions on this holiday are an expression of our grief over the death of the great John the Baptist.

The head of John the Baptist - the history of the shrine

Many years after the execution of John the Baptist, the land in which the vessel with his holy head rested became the property of the pious nobleman Innocent. The vessel was discovered during the construction of the church. This was the first miraculous finding of the head of John the Baptist.

Miracles began to occur from the shrine. Innocent reverently kept the head of the prophet, and shortly before his death he buried it again in the same place so that it would not be reviled by the Gentiles.
According to legend, during the reign of Emperor Constantine, Saint John the Baptist appeared to two monks - pilgrims who had come to Jerusalem. They dug up a vessel with its holy head and decided to appropriate the great shrine for themselves. They hid it in a bag and went home. On the way, they met a potter, whom they had entrusted to carry the precious burden. The Forerunner appeared again - to the potter. According to the word of the prophet, this pious man left the monks along with the head of the prophet. The sealed vessel was passed down from generation to generation in his family.

As the legend says, then the shrine fell into the hands of the heretic - the priest Eustathius. He was a follower of the heresy of Arianism. Using the miraculous power emanating from the head, he seduced many people into heresy. But the secret became clear - the blasphemy was revealed. Eustathius buried the relic in a cave next to Emesa, wishing to return later and take it.

The heretic failed to regain the head of the prophet: a monastery was founded in the cave. In 452, John the Baptist appeared to the archimandrite of the monastery Markell. The saint indicated where his head rests. This was the second miraculous finding of the head of John the Baptist. She was transferred to Emessa, and then to the capital of Byzantium - Constantinople.
In 850, the head of the prophet was again transferred to Emesa, and then, during the Saracens' raid, to Comana. When the iconoclastic persecutions began in Coman, the shrine was hidden. When the veneration of icons was restored, Patriarch Ignatius during prayer received knowledge about the place where the honest chapter is kept. The shrine was found - this was the third miraculous finding of the head of John the Baptist. The head was moved to the court church. Now part of it is kept on the holy Mount Athos.

The Church recalls the first and second miraculous finding of the head of John the Baptist on March 9 in the new style (February 24 in the old style). Feast of the third discovery of the head of St. John the Baptist - June 7, new style (May 25, old style).

Prayers of the Beheading of John the Baptist

Troparion the Forerunner
The memory of the righteous with praises, the testimony of the Lord, the Forerunner, is overwhelming for you: the most honest one showed that you are truly afraid of the prophets, as if you were honored by the Preached in the streams of baptism. However, having suffered for the truth, rejoicing, you preached the good news to those in hell of God, who appeared in the flesh, taking away the sin of the world and giving us great mercy.

Kontakion Forerunner

Forerunner glorious beheading, seeing was a kind of Divine, and for those in hell the Savior's preaching of the coming; let Herodia weep, asking for the lawless murder: not the law of God, nor love the living century, but pretense, temporary.

Magnification of the Forerunner

We magnify thee, John the Baptist of the Savior, and we honor all your honest heads, beheading.

The meaning of the holiday Beheading of John the Baptist

Archpriest Igor FOMIN, rector of the Church of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky at MGIMO, answers:

“On September 11, we celebrate the memory of a man who was a prophet, forerunner, baptist of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The day of the Beheading of John the Baptist is the day of the saint's parting with this world, on which he suffered from human anger and cruelty. What does this holiday teach us? It would seem that evil defeated good: the righteous man is killed, his executioners are alive. Yes, martyrdom was the result of his life and heroism, but it did not erase the goodness and truth that he brought to people. Likewise, those of us who died for faith and righteousness did not live in vain. A life given in the name of truth can be the greatest sacrifice. It is not in vain, with its help a person preaches his ideals. "

Icon of the Beheading of John the Baptist

The icons of the Beheading of John the Baptist of the early Byzantine era have come down to us. This is a miniature from the Alexandria Chronicle and a fresco of the Church of St. John the Baptist in Cavushin in Cappadocia.

In the Middle Byzantine period, such an icon-painting plot was widespread: the prophet bowed down, and the warrior raises his sword over him; the action takes place against the backdrop of the desert. Also, the head of Saint John was depicted as separated from the body. At the same time, blood was poured from the prophet's neck, and his executioner stood over him and put his sword into the sheath.

On ancient Russian icons, the head of the prophet John the Baptist was painted in a bowl against the background of the temple. Monks, clergymen and Emperor Constantine were painted on either side of it.

Often Russian icon painters depicted the saint bowed, with his hands tied in front; while the warrior raised a sword over him. Such a plot can be seen, for example, on the frescoes in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin in the Anthony Monastery in Veliky Novgorod (1125), in the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Mirozhsky Monastery in Pskov (around 1140), in the Church of the Annunciation on Myachin in Veliky Novgorod (1189) ...

Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh. Sermon for the Day Beheading of John the Baptist

There is no fate more majestic and more tragic - Beheading of John the Baptist

We are accustomed in our life that about every need, about every occasion, we turn to God for His help. And for every our call, for every cry of longing, suffering, fear, we expect that the Lord will intercede for us, protect, comfort; and we know that He does this constantly, and that He showed His utmost concern for us by becoming a man and dying for us and for us.

But sometimes it happens in the life of our world that God turns to man for help. And this happens all the time, but often barely noticeable or goes completely unnoticed. God constantly addresses each of us, asking, praying, persuading to be in this world, which He loved so much that he laid down his life for it - to be His living presence, to be His living care, seeing, virtuous, attentive. He tells us that whatever we do good for any person, we have done for Him; thus He calls us to be here, as it were, in His place. And sometimes He calls some people to a more personal service to Him. In the Old Testament we read about prophets; Prophet Amos says that a prophet is a person with whom God shares His thoughts. But not only in thoughts, but also in His deeds. Remember the prophet Isaiah, who in a vision saw the Lord looking around and saying: Whom should I send? - and the prophet got up and said: Me, Lord ...

But among the prophets, among the people who served God with an undivided heart, with all the great strength of the soul, there is one whose memory we celebrate today and whom God called the greatest among those who were born on earth. This is John the Baptist. And indeed, when you think about his fate, it seems that there is no fate more majestic and more tragic.

His whole destiny was not to be so that in the consciousness and vision of people the only One Who is - the Lord would grow.

Remember the first thing that is said about him in the Gospel of Mark: "He is a voice crying in the wilderness." He is only a voice, he has become so united, he is no longer distinguishable from his ministry, that he has become only God's voice, only an evangelist; as if he was like a person, a person of flesh and blood, a person who can yearn and suffer, and pray, and seek, and stand, in the end, before the impending death - as if this person does not exist. He and his calling are one and the same; he is the voice of the Lord, sounding, thundering in the middle of the human desert; that desert where souls are empty, because there were people around John, and the desert remained unchanged from this.

And then the Lord Himself says about him in the Gospel that he is a friend of the Bridegroom. A friend who loves the bride and groom so much, so deeply that he is able, forgetting himself, to serve their love, and to serve so that he will never be superfluous, never be there and when he is not needed. He is a friend who is able to protect the love of the bride and groom and remain outside, the keeper of the secret of this love. Here, too, is the great mystery of a man who is capable of not becoming, as it were, so that there is something greater than him. And then the Baptist himself says about himself in relation to the Lord: "I need to decrease, come to naught, in order for Him to increase." It is necessary that they forget about me, that only He is remembered, it is necessary that my disciples turn away from me and leave, like Andrew and John on the banks of the Jordan River, in order to follow with an undivided heart only after Him: I live only to so that I am gone!

And the last - the terrible image of John, when he was already in prison, when the circle of coming death narrowed around him, when he had no way out, when this colossal great soul hesitated. Death went on him, life ended, where he had nothing of his own, in the past there was only the feat of renouncing himself, and in front of him was darkness. And at that moment, when the spirit hesitated in him, he sent his disciples to ask Christ: Are you the one we were expecting? If Thoth, then it was worth dying in a young age. If He is the One, it was worth diminishing from year to year so that John would be forgotten and only the image of the Coming One would grow in the eyes of people. If He is the One, then it was worth now dying with the last dying, because everything for which John lived was fulfilled and accomplished. But what if He is not the One? Then everything is lost: both youth and the greatest strength of mature years, everything is ruined, everything is meaningless; and even worse, it happened because God ‘deceived’. God who called John in the wilderness, God who took him away from people, God who inspired him to the deed of self-death. Has God deceived, and life is gone, and there is no return?

And so, having sent his disciples to Christ with the question: "Are you the one?", John does not receive a direct, comforting answer. Christ does not answer him: "Yes, I am the One, go in peace!" He only gives the prophet the answer of another prophet that the blind receive their sight, that the lame walk, that the dead are raised, that the poor are preaching the gospel. He gives the answer from Isaiah, but does not add His words - nothing but one formidable warning: “Blessed is he who will not be tempted about Me. Go tell John. " And this answer reached John in his dying expectation: believe to the end, believe, demanding no evidence, no proof, no signs. Believe, because you have heard within, in the depths of your soul, the voice of the Lord, commanding you to do the work of the prophet. Prophets can somehow lean on the Lord for their sometimes greatest feat. But God supports John only by commanding him to be the Forerunner and for the sake of this to show the utmost faith, confidence in things invisible. And that is why it takes our breath away when we think of him, and that is why every time we think of a heroic deed that has no limit, we remember John. That is why of those who were born among people by natural birth and were lifted up wonderfully by grace, he is the greatest of all.

Today we celebrate the day of the beheading ... We celebrate ... We are used to understanding the word "celebrate" as joy, but it also means "to stay idle," it can happen because the hands dropped from grief or from horror. And this is today's holiday: what will you take up in the face of what we have heard about today in the Gospel?

And on this day, when before the horror and majesty of this fate we give up, the Church calls on us to pray for those who, also in horror and trembling and bewilderment, and sometimes in despair, died on the battlefield, died in dungeons, died a lonely death. After you venerate the cross, let us pray for all those who laid down their lives on the battlefield so that others might live, bowed to the ground so that another would rise. Let us remember those who, from millennium to millennium, and not only in our time, perished a terrible death, because they knew how to love, or because others did not know how to love, we remember everyone, because the Lord's love embraces everyone, and for everyone is ahead, praying, the great John, who went through the whole tragedy of the sacrifice to the end of dying and death without a single word of consolation, but only by the imperious command of God: "Believe to the end, and be faithful to the end!"

Part of the relics of John the Baptist

Before a particle of the relics of John the Baptist, you can pray in the Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God in Vinogradov. This is the North-Eastern District of Moscow, the Trinity Deanery.

The stone temple was built in 1772-1777 at the expense of Alexander Glebov, the owner of the estate in Vinogradov - according to the project of the famous architect Vasily Bazhenov. During the years of Soviet power, the church was not closed, but in 1930 the church house was confiscated from the community.

Church of the Beheading of John the Baptist in Kolomenskoye (Dyakovo village)

The temple is located in Moscow at the address: Andropov Avenue, house 39, building 7.

The church was erected in the village of Dyakovo in the middle of the 16th century. In some of its features, she anticipated the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed. Some researchers associate the foundation of the temple with the wedding of Ivan the Terrible to the kingdom in 1547; others suggest that it was founded as a prayer temple for Ivan the Terrible for his son, Tsarevich Ivan, who was born in 1554.

The temple was heavily altered in the 19th century, but all alterations were removed during the restoration in the 60s of the 20th century. In 1962, fragments of the original painting were cleared on the domed vault of the central pillar - an image of a circle with spirals made of red bricks. It is interesting that scientists have not yet revealed the meaning of this painting.

Folk traditions of the feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist

Among the people, the holiday of the Beheading of John the Baptist was also called the Flightman, Poletok, Ivan the Proletok, Repniy Feast, Golovosek, Ivan - the autumn torzhok, Ivan the Lenten, Ivan Lent, and so on.

The traditions of the celebration were strongly influenced by ancient pagan beliefs and everyday superstitions. Many Christian symbols in the popular mind were distorted and acquired a grotesque meaning. For example, on the Feast of the Beheading, it was impossible to eat round fruits and vegetables, because ... they look like the head of the prophet. Apples, potatoes, watermelons, onions, turnips were banned. They tried to hide sharp objects away: they reminded ordinary people of the sword with which the warrior cut off the head of the saint. Therefore, the vegetables were not cut, and the bread was broken by hand. In some regions, red fruits and drinks, the color of the Baptist's blood, were removed from the table.

But there were folk traditions more associated with the weather and the calendar cycle than with paganism. The day of the Beheading of John the Baptist was considered the beginning of autumn: "With Ivan Lent, a man meets autumn, a woman begins her Indian summer."

This holiday is the beginning of the "Repnye Days". They fasted strictly, did not dance in circles and did not sing songs, because "Herod's daughter, dancing and singing, begged to cut off the head of John the Baptist." It was customary to invite the poor and wanderers to the festive table.

Published on 9/11/18 08:29 AM

Today, September 11, 2018, the church holiday of the beheading of John the Baptist is celebrated. What not to do, signs and traditions of the holiday - read the Topnews article.

Today, September 11, what an Orthodox holiday: Ivan the Postny (the day of the beheading of the head of John the Baptist)

The day is dedicated to the memory of the beheading of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus Christ, the soothsayer, who told the world that the Savior would soon come. He also baptized him in the Jordan River.

The death of John the Baptist is spoken of in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. When Herod the Great died, Palestine was divided into four states, each of which was assigned a ruler from the Romans. John came from Galilee, which went to the reign of Herod Antipas, who, in addition to his wife, also had a mistress, a spouse intcbatch brother - Herodias.

For pointing out this sin, Herodias hated John. Insidious revenge was helped by her daughter - the beautiful Salome. Seducing Herod with a skillful dance, he wished as a reward not jewelry, not mercy, but the head of John. The severed head of the Forerunner, however, did not fall silent and again spoke of the sins of the ruler. The murderers of the saint did not live long - the ruler and his mistress fell into the open earth, and Salome lost her head from a sharp ice floe.

On the day of John, there is a special fast, during which dishes of vegetables and fruits that have a rounded shape are not supposed to be served on the table. you cannot eat anything that has a round shape - apples and potato tubers, cabbage cabbage soup, you cannot even cut off poppy heads.

The fields are already empty, but the work continues with the preparation of winter supplies. The people gathered at fairs and auctions, usual for autumn, and everything turned out so that on St. John's Day there were especially many temptations, but it was necessary to keep oneself in strictness, about which they said: "Ivanov's post is not great, and before him Filippov's post is a sandpiper. ".

Nature turns from the warm summer bliss to the autumn morning cold and close winter, so our ancestors used to say: "Ivan Lenten came, he took the red summer away", "Ivan Lenten is the godfather of autumn", "From Ivan the man meets autumn, the woman begins the Indian summer ".

They used to say about flocks of migratory birds: "Ivan the Forerunner drives the birds far away." Feathered travelers predicted what the weather would be like. If the cranes were buzzing farewell to John, it means that a brief autumn and early snows should be expected. If the birdies were still lingering, it means that it will still be warm. If the rooks flew in the evenings, then fine days will still stand. In contrast, geese predicted rain, and swans predicted snow.

Together with the harvesting of turnips, they quietly celebrated its "Repny" holiday - they themselves did not have fun, did not feast, but generously endowed the hungry poor people with lean dishes.

Traditions for the Beheading of John the Baptist

One of the traditions of the holiday is the preparation of treats for those in need. Also on this day, believers go to the liturgy to honor the memory of the martyr John. At morning prayer, they ask for forgiveness for all sins.

It is believed that a person who fasts on this day will have his deepest desire fulfilled.

This is a day of strict fasting, so it is forbidden to eat not only meat and dairy products, but even fish. It is believed that after spending this day on bread and water, you can ask God for healing.

Signs of Beheading

The people believe that to meet on September 11, that is, on Beheading, a white dog is a good sign, because this animal portends prosperity and prosperity to you.

It is believed that if a white dog follows you on the Beheading, it is John the Baptist himself who blesses for good luck. In this case, the four-legged must be treated to something.

If thunder is heard on this day, it portends a long and warm autumn.

The beheading of John the Baptist: what cannot be done on this day:

This is a day of strict fasting, so it is forbidden to eat not only meat and dairy products, but even fish. It is believed that after spending this day on bread and water, one can ask God for the healing of diseases;

To hold something sharp in their hands, on this holiday believers do not even cut bread, but break it. The people say: "Whoever uses a knife for Beheading, he himself will be left without a head";

There is something that resembles a head, for example, cabbage, apples, watermelons (round is associated with the severed head of the Baptist);

A special prohibition applies to cabbage - you cannot cut the heads of cabbage and chop it;

Red food, which is associated with blood, is also banned on this day.

It is not customary to drink any red drinks;

Singing and dancing: this is connected with the dance of Salome, stepdaughter of Herod, at whose request John the Baptist was beheaded;

Work and do household chores;

To quarrel, because it was anger and anger that caused John's death;

On this day, the priests do not carry out the wedding ceremony.

The list of Russian holidays for September 11, 2018 will acquaint with state, professional, international, folk, church, unusual holidays that are celebrated in the country on this day. You can choose an event of interest and find out its history, traditions and rituals.

Holidays September 11

Beheading of John the Baptist (Golovosek)

A series of autumn church holidays and days of remembrance begins with the memory of a terrible event. On September 11, 2018, the Orthodox Church and all believers remember the martyrdom of the Baptist of the Lord John - this day is called the Beheading of John the Baptist. The people call it simpler: Headache, Golovosek, Ivan Lenten.

What is the date of the Head Vision in 2018?

The Day of the Head Vision of John the Baptist does not fall out of date - every year this event is remembered on September 11 in a new style. On this day, Orthodox Christians are assigned a strict fast as an expression of the grief of Christians about the violent death of the great prophet.

The beheading of John the Baptist belongs to the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church, but is not included in the Twelve. This day in the Christian world is a memorial day - believers commemorate all the departed who suffered for righteousness, since it was John the Baptist who was the first righteous man to pay with his life.

The events that took place on this day are described in the Gospel of Matthew and Mark. Saint John the Baptist, who foretold the coming of the Messiah and baptized Jesus Christ in the Jordan River, was imprisoned by the order of King Herod Antipas. Herod at that time ruled in Galilee, and the great prophet denounced the sins and atrocities of him and his entourage. The Tetrarch (that is, one of the four Roman rulers of Judea) was afraid to execute the saint: the people loved him, and Herod was afraid of the people's anger. But his brother's wife Herodias, with whom he cohabited, persuaded her daughter Salome to deceive the king to kill the prisoner. At the feast Salome danced for Herod. He liked the dance so much that he vowed to fulfill her every desire. Salome asked for John's head on a platter. Herod complied with the request. So the prophet was martyred.

Day of the specialist of educational work bodies

The holiday "Day of a specialist in educational work bodies" was established by order of the Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation. However, educational structures in our country existed long before the creation of this holiday.

Organ history

Empress Catherine II, on this very day in 1766, by her decree, for the first time in Russian history, approved the positions of officer-educators.

Currently, this position is quite popular and popular. There are many educators among modern officers.

The position of the educational worker

This position is held by highly qualified specialists in psychology and sociology, as well as deputy commanders, public education officers and information specialists. This concept also includes those people who are responsible for organizing cultural activities, as well as teachers and military journalists.

For the effective implementation of educational work in our country, officers 'houses, soldiers' clubs, libraries, museums, rooms of military glory, etc. are specially created.

It is safe to say that the positions of educators in the Russian army are not superfluous. These people are necessary because they work for the benefit of the nation. It should be noted that they improve their qualifications, they constantly undergo retraining. In our country, training and obtaining the profession of a military officer for educational work is now constantly being carried out.

These specialists are interested in educating a worthy generation of Russian soldiers. In some military educational institutions of Russia there are faculties, which train specialists in educational work.

For more than two and a half centuries that have passed since the creation of this profession, the role of educational structures has remained very large, despite the numerous changes that have taken place in our Armed Forces. The tasks they solve, which include the organization of educational work, the main goal of which can be called the maintenance of high morale of the military, have remained the same.

It is safe to say that all modern workers of the educational work bodies of our army are united by such concepts as loyalty to the chosen military profession and a high degree of responsibility.

All-Russian Day of Sobriety

The All-Russian Day of Sobriety is a holiday that has been celebrated in Russia annually on September 11, since 1913. The meaning of the holiday is to once again warn people about the dangers of alcohol abuse and the need to quit this addiction.

All-Russian Day of Sobriety - September 11

The history of the holiday begins in 1913, when representatives of the Orthodox Church proposed to declare the Day of Sobriety in honor of the Beheading of the head of the Holy Prophet John the Baptist. On this holiday, it is customary to observe a strict fast, including the use of alcohol.

In the old days, "Day of Sobriety" was honored so high that on September 11, wine shops were closed, and in other places the sale of alcohol was stopped. And today anyone can visit the temple to light a candle for the healing of those suffering from drunkenness. Also on this day, it is recommended to pray for your relatives and friends who suffer from this ailment, as well as spend this day in sobriety, completely abandoning any intoxicating drinks.

Currently, the churches are holding the campaign "Light a candle for the healing of those suffering from the ailment of drunkenness," and those wishing to get recovery from adversity offer prayers to the icon "Inexhaustible Chalice", granting healing from diseases, alcoholism and drug addiction. The priests recommend spending this day in action - going to the temple, lighting a candle and praying for everyone suffering from the ailment of drunkenness.

On this day, you should think about the dangers of drinking alcohol. The problem of alcoholism in modern society is very relevant. Surely all or most of us are aware of cases when alcoholism in relatives, loved ones, friends and acquaintances ruined not only careers, but also life itself.

Birthday of the faceted glass

It has become a tradition for a long time that alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are consumed using a certain type of tableware. For example, noble cognac is served in pear-shaped glasses on a low stem, dessert wines are drunk from so-called "Madeira" glasses, champagne is always poured into wine glasses. There are also cone-shaped glasses for cocktails, bowls for serving crochets, lafite glasses for red wine ... And from what do they drink the traditional Russian drink - vodka? Someone will answer "from a glass with a capacity of 50 g" and will be right. But there is an additional vessel designed for this purpose - a faceted glass. Most of us strongly associate it with the Soviet era, and on September 11, Russia celebrates the Day of the faceted glass.

A holiday of affectionate treatment

Do you like to be treated kindly? Affectionate words are words that always lead to good deeds. These are simple, gentle and sweet nicknames that people who love us give us. Today, September 11, you can arrange a holiday of affectionate addresses. How? Yes, just address your friends and just those around you affectionately, using gentle words, and you will see - the world will change.

It is customary in Russia to celebrate a large number of holidays. This applies not only to state and professional, but also to church holidays, which are based on the Orthodox calendar. Let's dwell on the main ones.

Today, September 11, is the All-Russian Day of Sobriety. In turn, according to the national calendar, the following holiday is celebrated: Ivan the Postny.

Russia, like many other countries, has never been distinguished by a reasonable attitude towards strong drinks. Holidays were celebrated widely, on a grand scale. Intoxicating flowed like a river. A severe hangover and the woeful consequences of drunken revels stopped few people. Centuries have passed, but little has changed, except that the volume of alcohol consumed has increased many times. The idea to distract the nation from drunkenness, as they say, is long overdue.

The Orthodox Church was the first to oppose thoughtless drunkenness. It happened over a century ago. At that time, the events were of a cultural and educational nature. Most often, the activists of the Sobriety Society invited people to talk and handed out brochures about the dangers of alcohol.

Drunkenness very often took place on church holidays, of which there are quite a few in the Orthodox calendar. But these days, the sale of alcohol was strictly prohibited. Religious processions were gathered, sermons were read on abstinence from alcohol. The repentance of drunkards, which took place in public, was especially welcomed.

Today alcoholism is officially recognized as a disease. And it is for the fight against this disease that the All-Russian Day of Sobriety was established. It cannot be said that it is widely celebrated, but it will not work to call it a "forgotten" holiday.

The church continues the tradition - on this day they call to put candles in the health of those suffering from alcoholism in front of the icon of the Mother of God (it is believed that the "Inexhaustible Chalice" helps). On this day, a prayer service is ordered to John the Baptist, who preached the rejection of alcohol.

Numerous religious processions are gathered by the parishioners. Modernity is making its own adjustments: in some regions, abbots rise into the sky on airplanes, conduct services and sprinkle cities with holy water directly from a special hatch.

It is customary this day to remember the soldiers who died for the Motherland.

The fields are already empty, but the work continues with the preparation of winter supplies. The people gathered at fairs and auctions, usual for the fall, and everything turned out so that on St. John's Day there were especially many temptations, but it was necessary to keep oneself in strictness, about which they said: “Ivanov's post is not great, and before him Filippov's post is a sandpiper ".

Nature turns from the warm summer bliss to the autumn morning cold and close winter, so our ancestors used to say: “Ivan Lenten came, he took the red summer away”, “Ivan Lenten is the godfather of autumn”, “From Ivan the man meets autumn, the woman begins the Indian summer ".

Together with the harvesting of turnips, they quietly celebrated her holiday "Repny" - they themselves did not have fun, did not feast, but generously endowed the hungry poor people with lean dishes.

* Beheading of the head of the Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John
Martyr Anastasia (1794).

Beheading of the head of the Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John

The story of the Beheading of the Forerunner John is more or less known to everyone. Saint John, the prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of Christ, died a martyr's death for the righteousness of God. He accused King Herod of taking the wife of his brother, also king, Philip, and, thereby violating the law of God and mankind, he tempted the people. I especially did not like to hear the denunciation of Herod's most illegitimate wife, Herodias. She wanted to destroy the prophet as soon as possible; but Herod, seeing in him a righteous one, spared him, and only to please his wife put him in prison. But the wicked wife soon achieved her goal. On the day of the celebration of Herod's birthday, when her daughter Salome pleased Herod and her guests very much with her dance, she taught her daughter to ask for the head of her accuser as a reward. Herod, out of weakness, could not refuse the criminal request. The head was brought on a platter and served to Herodias. But the prophet, even when he died, denounced the sinners. His dead head spoke the former words of accusation: "Herod, you should not have Herodias as a wife." Weak Herod, and especially the wicked Herodias, did not come to their senses even here by the reproof of the prophet. Herodias, taking a pin, pricked his dead tongue and ordered to throw his head into an unclean place. But the servant, the pious wife of the housekeeper Khuza, put it in an earthen vessel and buried her with honor on the Mount of Olives, where Herod's estate was. Those responsible for the death of the Baptist of Christ did not escape punishment. Herod, deprived of the throne and exiled to captivity, was swallowed up by the open earth along with Herodias. Salome drowned, and the ice floes cut off her head.

The feast of the Orthodox Church on August 29 (September 11) is one of the greats. Installed in memory of the beheading of John the Baptist by order of the Galilean tetrarch (tetrarch) Herod Antipas (see Matthew 14, 6-12; Mark 6, 17-29).
On this day, a strict fast is laid as an expression of the grief of Christians about the violent death of the great prophet.