According to the Russian Orthodox tradition, God is in everyone’s soul, and in order to ask Him for something, it is not necessary to go to church, since the text of the prayer reaches God through the word. The order of service in the church is only the earthly embodiment of faith. You can come here, repent and receive a blessing.
It is very important for many people not only to feel the support of God in their souls, but also to see his embodiment in the icons that are in the temple. The church holds services according to certain canons. The duration and start time differ depending on the church holiday.
Schedule of liturgies
For church monasteries there is no general rule for holding Divine Liturgies and matins, especially on weekdays. The temple opens early in the morning. The time of the event is determined by the priest himself. depending on the wishes of the people visiting it.
On major Christian holidays, evening and morning liturgies are held. In addition, a prayer service is held on Sunday. Church services on Sundays usually start at 7-8 am. In some churches Matins and Matins may be moved an hour later or an hour earlier. That's why about matins you need to check with the temple servants, where you go, how long the liturgy lasts in the morning, they decide. Vespers at 19-20 hours. Night service also happens, but only on major holidays: Epiphany, Easter. In addition, a religious procession is held for the glory of God.
How long a church service lasts depends on the significance of the holiday. On weekdays it can be held for a maximum of 2 hours, and Sunday services in the Orthodox Church can last up to three hours.
What time the evening service in the church begins also depends on the scale of the holiday. The earliest start can be at 16:00, the latest at 18:00. This service takes place over 2-4 hours. If church holidays are celebrated, then it is divided into daily, small and great. carried out using the all-night language.
Types of services
Regardless of who holds it and in what place, all services are divided into daily, annual and weekly. Full services are held in monasteries, and it is the monks who follow all the canons of the church. The monks fully comply with the rules of church services, but in small churches they are held depending on the schedule created by the ministers.
Each day of the week is celebrated in the church and dedicated to certain moments:
- Sunday is Little Easter, on this day the resurrection of Christ is remembered.
- You can pray to the angels on Monday.
- John the Baptist hears prayers on Tuesday.
- On Wednesday they remember the betrayal of Judas and the memory of the Cross.
- Thursday is considered an apostolic day and is dedicated to St. Nicholas.
- On Friday, services are held dedicated to prayer for the suffering of Christ.
- Saturday is dedicated to the Mother of God.
Therefore, if you do not have the opportunity to go to church regularly, then you can read prayers every day, depending on who they will be intended for.
Church services on weekdays
Believers visit the temple not only on Saturday or Sunday, but also on weekdays. You can go to church when it is convenient for the believer. At the same time, a Christian parish should always be open. The daily cycle of worship is divided into 9 different parts, and it includes:
- The circle starts at 18:00.
- Compline is the reading of prayers in the evening.
- From 12:00 at night there is a midnight office.
- Matins is divided into the following: the first hour - from 7:00, the third hour - from 9:00, the sixth hour - from 12:00, the ninth hour from 15:00.
Liturgy held from 6:00, 9:00 and until 12:00 is not included in the daily circle of church services. Speaking of ideal worship, every temple should be open at this time, and all of the listed services should be held.
The specifics of their implementation depend solely on the chief priest of the church. In villages, early and late readings of prayers occur only in large churches.
Service in the temple
As already mentioned, the service is held in each church, the only difference is in the time and its duration. During the day, the main worship service is the Divine Liturgy.
At the service, a prayer is read, Christ is remembered, and it ends with an invitation to everyone who wants to undergo the sacrament of Communion. It is carried out between 6 and 9 o'clock.
On Sunday, as a rule, one service is held, and it is called the Eucharistic. Services on this day go one after another. Matins gives way to mass, and mass, in turn, gives way to evening service.
Not long ago there were changes in the Church Charter, and now Compline is held only during the beginning of Lent. If we are talking about church holidays, then the service may not stop, and one replaces the other.
In addition to large services, the church can hold rituals and sacraments, reading evening and morning prayers, reading akathists in the temple and much more. All services, regardless of the time, are conducted by the minister of the temple, and visitors become its participants.
Visiting church, reading a prayer at night or during the day is solely everyone’s business. No one can force a person to go to church and pray. Only the person himself decides for himself what to do, what to visit and how to convey his prayer to God.
Seven weeks after the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ, a new, incomparable joy awaited His disciples - the descent of the Holy Spirit of the Comforter upon them. This was the fulfillment of the promise given to them by the Teacher before His ascension to Heaven. From now on, filled with God's Grace, they became the foundation of a new cathedral and apostolic church, which trampled down the gates of hell and opened the way to eternal life.
Pentecost Orthodox and Jewish
The holiday established in honor of this event - the Orthodox Trinity - is often called Holy Pentecost. There are several explanations for this name. In addition to the fact that the descent of the Holy Spirit took place precisely on the fiftieth day after Easter, which served as the basis for its name, it was also the day of the Jewish holiday, also called Pentecost. It was established in memory of the gift of the Law to the Jews, inscribed on the tablets and received by them from the hands of the prophet Moses on the fiftieth day after their exit from Egyptian slavery - the Jewish Passover.
We learn about it from the works of many ancient authors. One of them, talking about this holiday, which is also associated with the beginning of the wheat harvest, calls it Pentecost. A similar name is also found in the writings of Greek and Byzantine historians that have reached us.
Type of the New Testament
Thus, the one concluded by the Lord with the Jews on the fiftieth day after the Jewish Passover and called Sinai, became a prototype of the New Testament concluded in the Upper Room of Zion. This expresses the inextricable connection of the New Testament with the Old. Of all the holidays established by the Holy Church, only Easter and Pentecost have Old Testament roots.
New Testament explanation of the holiday
To fully understand what this means, one should turn to the texts of the New Testament. It follows from them that death has ruled over people since the time of original sin, but Jesus Christ, with his suffering on the cross and subsequent resurrection from the dead, revealed eternal life to people. The Christian Church, born on the day of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, appeared as the gateway to it.
The second chapter of the book of the Acts of the Apostles describes how Christ’s disciples spent ten days following his miraculous ascension in Jerusalem and, together with the Most Holy Theotokos, gathered daily in the upper room, which was called Zion. All their time was filled with prayers and thoughts of God. On the tenth day, as is clear from the Holy Scriptures, suddenly a noise was heard, similar to that generated by gusts of wind. Following him, tongues of flame appeared above the heads of the apostles, which, having described a circle in the air, rested on each of them.
Gifts of the Holy Spirit
This immaterial fire was a visual image of the Holy Spirit. Filled with Him, the apostles were reborn to a new life. From now on, their minds were opened to comprehend the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven. But, in addition, by the Grace of God they were given the strength and abilities necessary to preach the true teaching among a wide variety of peoples. Their lips now spoke in languages that were previously alien and unknown to them. Such a miracle confused the witnesses of their first sermons. With the greatest amazement, foreigners recognized the sounds of their native language in their speeches.
From then on, apostolic succession was established. Each subsequent generation of priests, through the sacrament of ordination, acquired grace, which gave them the opportunity to perform the sacraments themselves, without which the path to eternal life is impossible. That is why this joyful holiday - the Orthodox Trinity - is rightfully considered the birthday of the Church of Christ.
Features of the Trinity service
The celebration of Trinity is accompanied by one of the most beautiful and memorable church services of the entire Orthodox annual cycle. At Great Vespers, solemn stichera are sung, praising the Holy Spirit and his descent on the apostles, and at their conclusion, the priest reads special holiday prayers, asking God for the blessing of His holy Church, the salvation of all her children and the repose of the souls of the departed. The Trinity service also includes a special petition offered for those whose souls remain in hell until the Last Judgment. While reading these prayers, everyone present in the temple kneels and listens to the words of the priest.
The traditions of the Trinity holiday are unusually rich and poetic. Since ancient times, it has been customary on this day to cover the floors of churches and residential buildings with fresh grass, and to place birch trees specially cut down for the holiday in church premises. Icons are usually decorated with a headdress made of birch branches, and during the service the entire clergy is required to wear green vestments, which symbolizes the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit. On this day, the interior of the temples takes on the appearance of a spring grove, where everything glorifies the Creator in His ineffable wisdom.
Folk traditions and rituals
Folk traditions of the Trinity holiday go back to pre-Christian times. It so happened that often in the deep consciousness of the people the Christian and the pagan coexist side by side. This is especially clear in ancient customs. Trinity Day is no exception. The traditions of this holiday, one of the most important among the Eastern Slavs, include the so-called Semitsko-Trinity cycle. It includes Thursday and Saturday in the week preceding the holiday, as well as Trinity Day itself. In general, this is popularly called “Green Christmastide”.
Folk traditions of the Trinity holiday are closely related to the rituals of remembering the dead, especially drowned people. In addition, they reflected the ancient cult of plants and everything connected with girls’ fortune telling, festivities and all kinds of initiations. If we add here the farewell to spring and welcoming of summer, which is also common among the Slavs, then it will be clear how diverse this holiday is in its semantic shades.
The week before the holiday
The whole week before the holiday was perceived as its joyful eve. These days, young girls aged 8-12 went to collect birch branches to decorate their houses. On Thursday it was customary to treat yourself to scrambled eggs, symbolizing the summer sun. In the forest, children performed a special ritual - curling a birch tree. It was first decorated with ribbons, beads and flowers, and then its branches were woven into braids, tying them in pairs. Round dances were performed around a birch tree decorated in this way - just as it is done around a Christmas tree.
The Saturday before Trinity was the day of remembrance of the dead. It has long been called Parents' Saturday. That's what it's called today. The Orthodox Church included it among the days of special commemoration. In addition to prayerful remembrance in church and at home, on Parents' Saturday it is customary to visit cemeteries, care for graves and simply pray from the heart for those who have passed away, but remain close and dear to us. The Holy Church teaches that God has no dead, therefore for those who have gone into eternal life, our remembrances will be like congratulations on the Holy Trinity.
Holiday traditions
The Saturday before Trinity, with its quiet sadness for those who had passed away, was replaced by a joyful day of celebration. After the solemn service in the temple, the youth went into the forest, to those birch trees that were curled during Trinity (Semitic) week. Now it was necessary to develop them, otherwise the birches could be “offended.” Round dances were held again, songs were sung, and congratulations on the Holy Trinity were accepted. It all ended with a festive meal. The birches themselves were cut down. They were carried around the village singing and finally allowed to float down the river. It was believed that their vitality would transfer to the first shoots of the new harvest.
Rivers and lakes were given a special role. On this day, it was customary for girls to guess about how their personal lives would turn out in the near future. To find out these secrets that excite young hearts, they wove wreaths of spring flowers and lowered them into river streams. If the wreath sank, it meant that the girl would have to be patient and wait for her betrothed until next spring. If he floated on the water, and especially if he swam against the current, then he could confidently prepare his wedding attire - the groom was somewhere nearby.
Restrictions prescribed on holidays
But, according to ancient beliefs, all reservoirs on the days when the celebration of the Trinity took place were fraught with special danger. It was noticed that on Whitsunday the mermaids left their usual pools and came out of the water. Hidden in the foliage of coastal willows, they lured unwary passersby with laughter and hooting and, tickling them to death, carried them along with them into the watery depths. For this reason, swimming on Trinity Sunday was considered complete madness.
In general, this holiday was accompanied by many restrictions. Apart from swimming, it was not recommended to walk alone in the forest, since nothing good could be expected from goblin either. Throughout Trinity Week, it was forbidden to knit birch brooms, which is quite understandable, given the sacred role assigned to birch on the day of the holiday. It was also believed that those who would build a fence or repair harrows during Semitskaya Week would have ugly offspring from their cattle. It’s hard to say what the connection is, but if it’s impossible, it means it’s impossible, it’s better not to risk it. And, of course, as on every holiday, it was impossible to work.
Trinity Day yesterday and today
There is an opinion among researchers that only during the time of St. Sergius of Radonezh the feast of the Holy Trinity began to be fully celebrated in Rus'. The traditions and customs previously inherent in the Semitskaya Week gradually transferred to the Trinity, which is not uncommon in historical practice. A striking illustration of this can be the Orthodox Nativity of Christ, traditionally accompanied by numerous rituals that have come down to us from pagan times.
Speaking about what the holiday of Trinity means in our days and what it meant for our ancestors, we need to highlight the main thing - both then and now it is the triumph of life given to us by the Savior. Today we approach it more meaningfully. Thanks to the opportunities that the century of technological progress has opened up for us, the works of the holy fathers and popular theological articles have become available to everyone. Much of what long-gone generations of Slavs believed in has become for us only poetic folklore. But on the other hand, the greatest humanism of Christ’s teaching has opened up to our understanding in all its strength and beauty.
From year to year, during the evening celebration of the Trinity (according to the Rules, it is celebrated immediately after the Sunday Liturgy), we listen to the kneeling prayers of St. Basil the Great. For the first time since the Feast of the Resurrection, the entire church congregation prayerfully kneels before God. The bishop or priest reads long prayers at the open Royal Doors.
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The Church, through sublime songs and prayers, calls on those praying to worthily accept the priceless gifts of God's grace. Vespers begins with the prayer “To the Heavenly King,” with which other services begin. But today it has a special meaning for believers who remember the descent of the Holy Spirit of the Comforter.
At the Great Litany, the deacon prays for those “waiting for the grace of the Holy Spirit” and “bowing their hearts and knees before the Lord” and asks God that He, “having accepted our kneeling as incense,” would send us His rich mercies and heavenly help. After the litany, the stichera on “Lord, I have cried” follow, the entrance with the censer is made, “Quiet Light” is sung and the prokeimenon is proclaimed: “Who is the great God, as is our God, You are God, work miracles.”
After this, the priest and all the worshipers kneel and with concentration, with a feeling of heartfelt contrition, ask God for their spiritual renewal.
At this time, the temple becomes that ancient upper room in which the Holy Spirit first descended on the apostles.
Feast of Pentecost
After the ascension of Jesus Christ, the tenth day came: it was the fiftieth day after the Resurrection of Christ. The Jews then had the great festival of Pentecost in memory of the legislation of Sinai. All the apostles, together with the Mother of God and with other disciples of Christ and other believers, were unanimously in the same upper room in Jerusalem. It was the third hour of the day, according to the Jewish clock, i.e., according to ours, it was the ninth hour of the morning.
Suddenly a sound came from heaven, as if from a rushing strong wind, and filled the whole house where the disciples of Christ were. And tongues of fire appeared and rested (stopped) one on each of them. Everyone was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to glorify God in different languages that they did not know before. So the Holy Spirit, according to the promise of the Savior, descended on the apostles in the form of tongues of fire, as a sign that He gave the apostles the ability and strength to preach the teachings of Christ to all nations; He descended in the form of fire as a sign that he has the power to scorch sins and cleanse, sanctify and warm souls.
The image of the Trinity in the Holy Trinity Ionin Monastery
On the occasion of the Feast of Pentecost, there were many Jews in Jerusalem at that time who came from different countries. Hearing the noise, a huge crowd of people gathered near the house where the disciples of Christ were. All the people were amazed and asked each other: “Are they not all Galileans? How do we hear each of our own languages in which we were born? How can they speak with our tongues about the great things of God?” And in bewilderment they said: “They got drunk on sweet wine.”
Then the Apostle Peter, standing up with the other eleven apostles, said that they were not drunk, but that the Holy Spirit had descended on them, as was predicted by the prophet Joel, and that Jesus Christ, whom the Jews had crucified, had risen from the dead and ascended into heaven and poured out the Holy Spirit on them. Concluding his sermon about Jesus Christ, the Apostle Peter said: “Therefore, all the people of Israel know with certainty that God has sent this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be Savior and Christ.”
Peter's sermon had such an effect on those who heard it that many believed in Jesus Christ. They began to ask Peter and the other apostles: “What should we do, men and brethren?”
Peter answered them: “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; then you too will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Those who believed in Christ willingly accepted baptism; there were about three thousand of them that day. Thus, the Kingdom of God, that is, the holy Church of Christ, began to be established on earth.
Icon of the Holy Trinity in the Trinity Ionin Monastery
From the day of the descent of the Holy Spirit, the Christian faith began to spread rapidly, with the help of God; the number of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ increased day by day. Taught by the Holy Spirit, the apostles boldly preached to everyone about Jesus Christ, the Son of God, about His suffering for us and the resurrection from the dead. The Lord helped them with great and numerous miracles that were performed through the apostles in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Initially, the apostles preached to the Jews, and then dispersed to different countries to preach to all nations. To perform the sacraments and preach Christian teaching, the apostles appointed bishops, presbyters (priests, otherwise priests) and deacons through ordination.
That grace of the Holy Spirit, which was clearly taught to the apostles, in the form of tongues of fire, is now given invisibly in our Holy Orthodox Church - in its holy sacraments, through the successors of the apostles - the shepherds of the Church: bishops and priests. This day is considered the birthday of the New Testament Church and has been solemnly celebrated since ancient times.
Text of the service of the Holy Trinity, or Pentecost (Vespers, Liturgy, Vespers of genuflection), compiled by the society. M.N. Skaballanovich and is published with the blessing of the Honorary Chairman of the society, the abbot of the Kyiv Trinity Ionian Monastery, Bishop Jonah of Obukhov.
Prepared specifically for the Ionian Monastery, but contains all the chants and sequences of the service. Presented in Church Slavonic with parallel translation into Russian and explanation.
June 19, 2005 - the day of the Holy Trinity, Pentecost.
The evening before, an all-night vigil is held in the church. This type of worship developed during the time of the first Christians. Then the service continued all night, which is why it got its name. In our time, the service is, of course, shorter, but its spiritual meaning remains the same - to adequately prepare a believer for the Divine Liturgy.
The All-Night Vigil includes Vespers and Matins.
Let's see how this service goes in the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky in Verbilki
Even on the day before the feast of the Holy Trinity, the temple was transformed. The entrance to the temple and the icons in the narthex are decorated with birch branches.
The service has not yet begun, there are no parishioners yet, but everything is ready for the start of the service. The iconostasis of the temple is decorated with birch branches. Changed to green and the color of the curtain behind the royal doors
Before the service begins, the candles are not yet lit, only the faint glow of the lamps on the icons decorated with birch branches. The Trinity holiday always falls during the shortest nights of the year, so during the evening service the temple is illuminated by the rays of the setting sun, and tree branches filled with greenery approach the windows of the temple. It seems that the birch trees from the street entered the temple and all the icons were placed in their branches.
The smell of fresh birch branches, lamp oil and wax candles create an amazing aroma, especially noticeable in the wooden building of the temple.
Gradually the temple is filled with believers. On the feast of the Holy Trinity, many parishioners try to add something green to their clothes.
Some city dwellers, seeing the church belfry for the first time, will think: “Is it really possible to ring the gospel on such bells?”
But, really, it’s worth one day to hear all the bells ringing when Anatoly Vasilyevich rings, in order to feel how deceptive the first impression can be. The friendly and harmonious ringing of a high tone and beautiful timbre can be heard far from the temple. The bell ringer will finish his work, and the sound of the bells will be heard for a long time, as if the bells are competing to see whose sound will last longer in the thickening evening air.
The all-night vigil of Great Vespers begins. The royal doors are opened, the altar is censed, then the iconostasis and the entire temple. Vespers is filled with deep spiritual meaning; it symbolizes the Divine grace that filled Paradise in Old Testament times.
The chopping of the entire temple signifies the Holy Spirit, who, as the Bible tells us, “move over the waters” at the creation of the world. By censing, honor is given to icons and all the saints, and the grace of God is invoked on the people ahead.
Before the all-night vigil, parishioners venerate the icons and light the candles.
At services in the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky there are always many children who come to the service with their parents. Children, like adults, venerate the icons and light candles.
Older children, especially Sunday school students, are already familiar with the church rules and participate in worship with understanding. Young children do not yet understand the full meaning of what is happening and show direct childish interest in what their parents are doing.
An important ritual of Vespers is the entrance with the censer. It symbolizes the descent to earth of the Son of God to save people. The entrance itself symbolizes the Incarnation, and the candlebearers with candles symbolize the light of the teachings of Christ.
During Vespers, the consecration of bread, wheat, wine and oil is carried out. Before the consecration begins, special prayers are read - litias, in which the church asks for intercession with God from all the saints. In lithium prayers, the church asks for forgiveness of sins, deliverance from natural disasters, wars, and civil strife. These prayers are strengthened by repeated singing of “Lord, have mercy.”
In remembrance of the five gospel loaves, with which the Lord fed five thousand people, five loaves are consecrated, as well as wheat, wine and oil (oil). The priest prays for the increase of these God's gifts and blesses them.
During the consecration, incense of God's gifts is carried out.
The consecration of the loaves, wheat, wine and oil concludes Vespers. The chant “Blessed be the Name of the Lord from now to eternity” serves as a transition to the Matins service.
In the temple all the candles are extinguished and the reading of the Six Psalms - six selected psalms - begins. The Six Psalms, as it were, replaces the entire Psalter, which was read in full at all-night vigils during the time of the first Christians. The Six Psalms symbolizes the state of mind of people after expulsion from Paradise and people’s search for a path to spiritual salvation. By His coming into the world, the Lord Jesus Christ opened this path. .
At the end of the reading of the Psalter, the most solemn and bright part of Matins begins - the polyeleos. Translated from Greek, polyeleos means “abundance of oil” - a symbol of God’s mercy and grace-filled gifts. At this time, all the lamps in the temple are lit. This part of the all-night vigil symbolizes the uncreated Light of Christ, revealed in His Incarnation and Resurrection from the dead. At the beginning of the polyeleos, parishioners light candles.
Those parishioners who did not have time to approach the icons before the start of the service venerate and light the candles at the beginning of the polyeleos.
The abundance of light and many burning candles - symbols of the Light of Christ - are characteristic features of this part of Matins. The royal doors open and the priest censes the entire temple, symbolizing the myrrh-bearing women and the apostles, who, having learned from the angels about the Resurrection of Christ, announced this joy to all believers.
In the final part of Matins, the priest anoints the parishioners with consecrated oil (oil).
Before the anointing of oil, parishioners venerate the icons. Simultaneously with the anointing with oil, the priest sprinkles consecrated water on birch branches and bouquets of flowers that parishioners bring with them, because tomorrow is the day of the Holy Trinity and many strive to decorate their homes with consecrated birch branches
After anointing with oil, parishioners receive particles of bread soaked in wine, which were blessed during Vespers.
“It will be known that the blessed bread helps against all kinds of evils, if it is received with faith.”
At the very end of the all-night vigil, perhaps the most intimate and important part of the service for parishioners begins - confession. In the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky, the rule is strictly observed that everyone who wishes to receive communion at the Divine Liturgy must attend the evening service the day before and confess.
Among those confessing are both adults and children. Some confess from memory, but many bring notes. From the outside it looks especially touching when children confess with notes. How can we not remember the benefits of spiritual education in Sunday schools?
There are many who wish to receive communion on the great church holiday - the day of the Holy Trinity. The main services of the all-night vigil have already been completed, almost all the candles have burned out and the priest in the altar has already taken off his festive vestments, but the line of parishioners for confession is not yet finished. The reception of the Holy Mysteries of Christ at the Liturgy must be worthy; the communicants will come to the Liturgy with a clear conscience after confession.
Tomorrow is the day of the Holy Trinity, Pentecost.
About the liturgical features of the Trinity Day–Archpriest Konstantin Pilipchuk, secretary of the Kyiv diocese, associate professor of the KDA.
– What are the liturgical features of the Feast of the Holy Trinity?
– The service for Trinity, celebrated at the present time, differs significantly from the service in the first centuries of Christianity. Then this holiday was not so widely known and, according to liturgists, it was celebrated on Sunday, in fact no different from the usual Sunday service.
Over time, starting from the 3rd and especially from the 4th century, when the Church had already received legitimate status, the worship of the Trinity began to acquire new colors and new prayers.
– When did kneeling prayer appear?
– In the 4th century, kneeling prayers already appeared, the authorship of which is attributed to the pen of Basil the Great. Also dating back to the 4th century is the testimony of St. John Chrysostom that the temple was decorated with greenery and flowers for this holiday. Since the 7th century, we have known the kontakion of the holiday, the authorship of which belongs to Roman the Sweet Singer. By the 8th century, John of Damascus and Cosmas of Mayum wrote the solemn canons of the Trinity.
And from the 9th to the 10th centuries, a solemn stichera of the holiday appeared in liturgical sources, now very much loved by the Orthodox people: "King of Heaven..." This stichera so well illustrates the image of the third Hypostasis of the Holy Trinity - the Holy Spirit, whom the Lord Himself calls “Comforter” in the Gospel, that since the 14th–15th centuries it has been included in the so-called regular beginning of all rites of the Orthodox Church, all prayers, even the morning and evening rules .
The full rite of the solemn service of Pentecost first appears in the statutes of the Church of Constantinople in the 10th century.
–Are there any liturgical features of the Liturgy?
The main feature and special solemnity of the Liturgy was the custom of the ancient Church to perform the Baptism of catechumens (those preparing to accept Christianity) on this day. Hence the appearance of the solemn baptismal chant “Elitsa was baptized into Christ...” instead of the “Trisagion.” This feature contributed to the popularization of this holiday in ancient times and its spread. Moreover, this feature also coincides with the holiday of Holy Easter and Epiphany.
M. Nesterov. Trinity Old Testament
– Another chant, which also relates to this holiday,–This is a wonderful stichera “I have seen the true light...”
“Over time, she also entered into the rites of the Liturgy. They began to sing it after Communion at every service. Moreover, during the period from Easter to Pentecost, 50 days, these prayers are not used, preparing a person to perceive with special attention the meaning of these chants on the day of Holy Pentecost.
Also, from Easter to Pentecost, the Church abolishes kneeling. And the most striking feature of the Trinity service is the service of Great Vespers on the very day of the holiday after the Divine Liturgy, with the reading of kneeling prayers. It is from this day that we again begin to sing a prayer appeal to the Holy Spirit and again receive permission from the Church Charter to kneel.
St. Andrey Rublev. Trinity
– What does kneeling mean in religious terms?
– In the ancient Church, litanies, which were used in divine services and were not as numerous and not as meaningful as at the present time, were always accompanied by genuflection.
Kneeling itself in religious terms is very important - a person, through his physical, external manifestations, demonstrates his attitude towards God, his special reverence for Him. When a person stands before God in tenderness and reverence, he wants to bow his knees before Him.
In kneeling prayers for Trinity, each of us turns to God, in the One Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, so that the Lord does not abandon His creation, does not leave us all without His personal attention, without His Grace, His love and care.
Trinity. Kneeling prayers
– Is it true that Pentecost is the crown of God’s saving plan for man, the fulfillment of the entire earthly ministry of Jesus Christ?
- Absolutely right. Before His suffering, the Lord told the apostles that He must undergo suffering, otherwise the Comforter would not come to them: “...For if I do not go, the Comforter will not come to you; and if I go, I will send Him to you...” (John 16:7). Completing his earthly mission, the Lord sends us the Comforter Spirit, who gathers us all together into the special mystical Body of Christ - the Church, and gives us special gifts of grace, special help, without which we will not be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
It is especially important that from this moment, from the moment of the descent of the Holy Spirit, the Lord opens to us the opportunity to be with Him, opens to us the Royal Gates to heaven. But we must understand that for us this is only a potential opportunity.
We say that the Lord conquered death, the Lord conquered sin, but at the same time we are eyewitnesses of the fact that both death and sin are present in man’s earthly life - in what sense should we perceive these words?
The Lord never violates the will of man. In His love, He desires that each of us, of our own free will and without coercion, return to the bosom of the Father, to the Edenic abodes. But we cannot do this with our own efforts, talents or gifts; we cannot resist sin. Therefore, the Lord established the Church and teaches us the Divine Sacraments in It. The first Sacraments are Baptism and Confirmation, with which the Lord seals a person in the Holy Spirit, through the anointing with chrism he gives us the promise that he will not leave us. And it depends on us: to be with the Lord or not, to enter the Kingdom of God or not, to come to the Creator or not.
