Forgiveness Sunday is always celebrated before the first day of Lent. Everyone knows that they need to ask for forgiveness from family and friends. But it is important to answer correctly. Next, we will look at how to respond to a request for forgiveness on Forgiveness Sunday, what words to say and what to put into them. Before fasting you need to be sincere, of course it’s good to forgive offenders, but it also happens that you cannot forgive, is it worth it to be disingenuous then? Or you can answer sincerely, without harboring malicious intent or hiding the truth.
- Psychological moment
- History of Forgiveness Sunday
What words to choose to answer a request for forgiveness from the point of view of the Orthodox faith
Traditionally, on the last Sunday of Maslenitsa week, which precedes Lent, we ask each other for forgiveness and in return forgive the offenders. But many are lost and do not know what words to choose when they hear a request for forgiveness. It is important to understand here that some people ask for forgiveness only because custom requires it, out of habit, because this is the day. But the request must be answered. It is customary to say: “God will forgive!” Some also add: “And I forgive!”
Important! Speak these words sincerely, from a pure heart. Priests advise choosing different words if there is no forgiveness in the soul or there is nothing to forgive for. It is better to answer not according to the accepted form, but sincerely, from the heart. If you cannot forgive offenses to someone who asks for forgiveness, answer that “God will forgive” and sincerely wish this. You can even say that you cannot forgive yourself yet, but you really hope that the Lord will grant forgiveness. Such an answer will help you come to terms with yourself inside before Lent and perhaps bring you closer to the person who offended you.
If there is no offense, then say that there is nothing to forgive for, do not take the request formally, treat this ritual with soul and understanding, do not think about how to correctly answer the request for forgiveness on Asking Sunday, answer as your heart dictates.
Important! The cliche answer that God will forgive is sometimes not welcomed by the church. There is no need to answer like that if there is no forgiveness in your heart, and you do not wish the offender the forgiveness of the Almighty. If this is a formal excuse, then you also shouldn’t once again mention the name of the Lord in vain. This breaks the third commandment. Choose other words, you can even say that you cannot forgive. It will be better than hypocrisy. Well, if there is no offense, then answer so.
The accepted answer “God will forgive” emphasizes that we are all sinners on this earth and have no right to judge or hold grudges. They will tell the one who asked for forgiveness that you are equal, that you are not going to judge, that you turn to God for forgiveness and mercy. This is the essence of Christian forgiveness. In addition, the Gospel speaks of the importance of forgiveness. By forgiving, we can claim that we ourselves will be forgiven by the Lord.
Psychological moment
Psychologists say that it is necessary to respond to a request for forgiveness on Forgiveness Sunday, but how, the heart will tell you. From a psychological point of view, the template answer is not always correct. Even this can serve as a source of resentment. This is possible if no one caused offense to each other. It is important to choose the right words and intonation.
If you are approached with a request for forgiveness, paying tribute to tradition, say kindly that there is nothing to forgive, that there are no offenses. Be sure to tell the person you have forgiven about it. It will be important for a person who repents of causing offense to hear sincere words of forgiveness.
You should not take a formal approach to the need for forgiveness before starting the fast. The important thing here is to actually forgive, and not to choose words for an answer. But you shouldn’t blame yourself for not being able to forgive; it’s better to be sincere with yourself and your loved ones.
Asking for forgiveness is one of the customs that have been established since ancient times, back in the days of paganism, like Maslenitsa itself. There are several customs on Forgiveness Sunday, all of them have the meaning of cleansing, letting go of those moments that tugged at the soul.
Other customs for Forgiveness Sunday
Since ancient times, in Rus' it was customary to spend the Maslenitsa week noisily and cheerfully, and on Forgiveness Sunday to ask for forgiveness, to cleanse the conscience and body. Here's what happened that day:
1. Visit the baths. This is a symbolic rite of purification. They washed away all the burdens and bodily dirt.
2. Ask for forgiveness. Remove from yourself all emotional experiences and worries, everything that torments and torments.
On this day, believers go to church, confess, and perform rites of reconciliation and purification.
It is not customary to spend this day noisily with fun and feast. It is important to prepare for Lent physically and mentally.
History of Forgiveness Sunday
Today we noisily celebrate the last day of Maslenitsa - Sunday, although initially it served to repent and prepare for fasting. Pagan traditions underlie the Maslenitsa holiday, and the rite of repentance and forgiveness is Christian. It has nothing to do with Maslenitsa, it just coincides with the calendar.Before the start of Lent, which the monks spent in wandering and solitude, they asked each other for forgiveness for all grievances, voluntary and involuntary. This was important because they spent all the ambassador’s days in strict restrictions, not caring about their bodies, in solitude. Many did not return and died. The fact that they were forgiven before they died was of great importance both for those who passed away and for those who remained.
Forgiveness Sunday and what date is it in 2019, because the dates are constantly shifting? This is a special day when people can remember all the insults inflicted on them, everyone they offended and sincerely ask for forgiveness. Also remember all the unfulfilled promises, all the moments when we unwittingly offended ourselves, offended the Almighty, offended our parents. Every person can make mistakes, he has the opportunity to correct them with sincere repentance.
Date of Forgiveness Sunday
The significance of the holiday is great - it falls on the last preparatory day before the start of the long, Great Lent. People will just be able to let go of grievances, be forgiven themselves and begin to fast. This is the end for Maslenitsa week and the last milestone after the “farewell to winter”.Forgiveness Sunday is oriented more towards Maslenitsa itself, and its date should be calculated based on them. The date for 2019 is March 10. It’s better to mentally prepare in advance, remember all the important events of the past year, all the quarrels, possible misunderstandings, scandals. To relive in order to let go forever and forgive everyone who, wittingly or unwittingly, could offend.
Why "Forgiveness Sunday"
The name is telling. In Christianity, repentance and forgiveness play a vital role. The tradition of repentance has been around for thousands of years, when people tried to correct the sins they committed, the insults they caused to loved ones and casual acquaintances, and also sincerely forgive everything that was wrong to them.Why is it so needed? Forgiveness Sunday is dedicated to cleansing the soul. After all, grievances hang like a burden, do not allow you to sleep, sometimes going through all the bad memories makes it impossible to sleep. Resentment poisons life, darkens days and spoils human relationships.
The one who bears a grudge can no longer move on; the grudges hang on him like stones. Is it important to remember all the quarrels, even small ones? No. The main thing is to sincerely repent, because your opponent will see your sincerity and forgive you. You cannot ask for forgiveness just for the sake of a holiday, reducing its significance.
Is it possible to apologize from a distance? Yes, after all, it is not always possible to meet the eyes of the offender, sometimes the person is far away, even in another country or city, perhaps he is even dead. How to forgive the deceased, is it worth it? Certainly. Resentment can be bitter, deadly, deep, or it can be petty and insignificant. The main thing is to be able to let go of the situation and forgive sincerely. How does this even help, how does it work? To forgive sincerely is to forget the offense. Let go. Don’t think about revenge, don’t sort through memories to yourself, don’t suffer. And sincerely convey this to the person.
It seems to consist of two important parts. People must forgive themselves and apologize, remembering those who were accidentally or deliberately offended. Answer those asking: “God will forgive, and I forgive too,” and repeat these words in your soul. Of course, sometimes it is very difficult to forgive particularly bitter grievances. Then pray.
Ask God for strength, think how strong Jesus was, who was able to sincerely let go of his offenders, even the traitors who threw him into difficult situations. If the interlocutor could not respond sincerely to words about forgiveness? Let him go and don't push him. Not everyone can accept even sincere words about forgiveness.
Why do you need to ask for forgiveness, why can’t you limit yourself to the words “sorry”? the church believes that the word “sorry” is considered to justify a person, something like “sorry, you yourself should understand, I’m not guilty” or “sorry, well, look, this is how the circumstances have developed,” as if saying that the person’s own guilt is either little or not here .
Sunday 2019, March 10, is dedicated not to self-justification, but to sincere words. After all, in the soul, any person realizes the degree of his guilt. There is no need to look for any excuses, even if you accidentally caused offense. “I’m sorry” sounds like a request, precisely repentance. After all, the Almighty accepts people, forgives their shortcomings, even serious sins, he is ready to meet everyone and take their soul.
It is believed that fasting should begin not only with a clean body, but for a Christian it is the soul that is important. The body is only an addition to it, because the soul is immortal, it will remain when the body decays after death.
Therefore, it is important to deliver our souls. It is important to forgive not only
MOSCOW, March 10 - RIA Novosti, Anton Skripunov. For Orthodox Christians it begins. On this day on the eve of Lent, it is customary for believers to reconcile with each other, because Christ commanded his followers to “forgive each other’s sins.” About why this ritual was needed, how it is carried out today and from whom you don’t have to ask for forgiveness, read in the RIA Novosti material.
Sorry and goodbye
This Orthodox tradition - perhaps the most touching - is called the "rite of forgiveness." It is with this that Lent begins - a time of repentance and the strictest abstinence, when the believer must pray and put his thoughts and feelings in order.
On Sunday evenings in Orthodox churches, to the accompaniment of penitential chants, the clergy put on black clothes, the lights go out and all those gathered come up to each other with the words: “Forgive me!” And in response they hear: “God will forgive, and I forgive. And you forgive me!” Someone hugs, someone cries...
"The main goal of Great Lent is spiritual preparation for the meeting of the Risen Christ (Easter - editor's note). This is nothing more than a struggle with one's passions. And one of the passions is irritability, anger, leading to quarrels. And the meaning of the Forgiven Sunday is to forgive all the insults that have been inflicted on you and ask for forgiveness from those whom you yourself have offended. This is the first step towards a Christian dispensation of the soul," explains Archpriest Georgy Orekhanov, professor of theology at PSTGU.
Soviet anti-religious propaganda was never able to erase this tradition from people's memory. Although I tried very hard. During the Khrushchev “thaw,” when Maslenitsa was revived as a “purely national holiday,” Forgiveness Sunday was given a different meaning: they say, on this day you need to say goodbye to the abundance of pancakes. That is, this is “farewell Sunday.”
"Every man is involved in sin"
Surprisingly, in the first centuries of Christianity this is exactly what happened - to some extent. And that's why.
The rite of forgiveness itself arose in Middle Eastern monasteries somewhere in the 5th century. Their inhabitants went into the desert until Easter to spend Lent in complete solitude, alone with their own thoughts. And some of them might not return from the desert: they might die of old age or illness, or become a victim of wild animals or robbers. Realizing this, the hermits made peace with each other before going their separate ways.
Thus, they followed one of the commandments of Christ: “If you do not forgive people their sins, then your Heavenly Father will not forgive you your sins.” This Gospel passage is read in all Orthodox churches on Forgiveness Sunday.
And in the Orthodox church calendar this day is called “Memory of Adam’s Exile.” It is with the expulsion of Adam and Eve from paradise that the earthly history of humanity begins, which, according to the theological interpretation, after the Fall said goodbye to immortality.
“As the holy fathers write, every person, including an infant, is involved in the original sin committed by Adam. And this sin leads the soul to an unpeaceful state - when a person does not want to live in peace with other people. Therefore, he must begin with that “to change your attitude towards them,” says Father Georgy Orekhanov.
"Make a first step!"
“Forgive a person and everything will get better” sounds extremely simple. Moreover, there is no need to rack your brains about when to do this: there is a special day - Forgiveness Sunday.
However, this does not mean at all that on March 10 you can forgive everyone, apologize yourself and say goodbye to these people until next year. The Church constantly calls for asking for forgiveness and forgiving.
“The rite of forgiveness in the Church is performed in order to remind: we must always act this way. We must ask each other for forgiveness every day. For example, for spouses, Christian writers have a very good rule: if you quarrel, you must try to reconcile before sunset and not transfer the insult to the next day. This rule is suitable for everyone. Only people forget about it,” Orekhanov complains.
And to remind of this, during each liturgy, the priest comes out of the altar to the believers and asks the parishioners for forgiveness, and they do the same in response.
But is it necessary to ask for forgiveness for those who do not believe in God? And who can you not ask for forgiveness from?
“If we are talking about communication with other people - psychology calls this interpersonal relationships, then from this point of view, it seems to me, one cannot help but ask for forgiveness. We are talking about friends, acquaintances, those whom you know distantly or had a quarrel with many years ago By the way, people often come to confession with the question: “Father, I quarreled with a man 20 years ago and all this time I have not called him or corresponded with him - what should I do?” And I always urge you to take the first step towards reconciliation,” explains theologian.
“If we are talking about people with whom you are completely unfamiliar, you are not at all obliged to ask for their forgiveness,” the priest notes.
Forgiveness (forgiven) Sunday, a beautiful, humane Russian custom. Before the strict days of Great Lent, cleanse your soul, submit, ask all honest people, as the Lord said: “For if you forgive people their sins, then our Heavenly Father will also forgive you, and if you do not forgive people their sins, then the Father will also forgive you.” yours will not forgive you your sins" (Matthew 6:14-15).
Forgiveness Sunday - the last day before Lent
The proverb “Maslenitsa is not all for the cat” comes from the fact that after Maslenitsa fasting begins, and with it a strictly abstinent life. From the first day of fasting, many do not even drink water until they have heard matins. For the first three days they don’t cook anything: they eat only dry foods, pickles, mushrooms, sauerkraut, horseradish and radishes, etc. From Thursday they cook dishes from vegetables without vegetable oil.
Maslenitsa is over, Lent and Easter are ahead.
Forgiveness Sunday, history of the holiday
Not everyone knows that the custom of asking for forgiveness came to us from Egypt. This country, about two thousand years ago, sheltered the holy family - Jesus and his mother Mary - from the persecution of Herod. Later, Christian monasteries appeared here.
Before Easter, the monks went into the desert for forty days to pray alone to our Lord, becoming even more spiritually purer in their thoughts, and thereby prepare themselves to meet Christ on the day of his resurrection. But it is very difficult for a person to spend forty days alone in the desert.
Dangers lurk at every step. These are hungry animals, snakes, and poisonous spiders. The monks, leaving for the desert, knew that they might not return back, and that they might never see the people to whom they were saying goodbye. Therefore, when leaving, they asked everyone for forgiveness for everything, even for the bad thoughts that may have arisen in their heads.Gradually this custom spread and took hold. Previously, in Rus', battles stopped on this day; opponents had to lay down their arms and ask each other for forgiveness. Even the king on this day asked for forgiveness from his subjects.Until the last dawn, people went from house to house and asked for forgiveness from relatives, neighbors, and complete strangers. And it was necessary to forgive with a pure heart, because God forgives all of us our sins, but are we above God? We, too, must forgive and continue to live in peace and harmony, as Christ wanted.
The Story of the Publican and the Pharisee
Some people think that they have nothing to ask for forgiveness for, because they live correctly, don’t steal, don’t kill, and don’t do anything bad to anyone. Here it is useful to remember the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector.
The Pharisee lived correctly, prayed, fasted twice a week and considered himself better than others for this. He asked God for recognition of his merits.The publican collected taxes from the people while serving the invaders, so people for the most part hated him. He was clearly aware of his situation and all he asked of God was forgiveness.God accepted the Publican's request and refused the Pharisee, because he, blinded by his pride, tried to elevate himself and become on the same level with God.
Holy Sunday - Day of Forgiveness
We all, voluntarily or unwittingly, commit various major and minor sins - we swear (even if quite rightly!) over prices that are growing every day. Sometimes we argue in lines, we grumble when someone steps on our feet on a crowded bus, or when a neighbor suddenly decides to hammer a hanger nail into the wall on Sunday morning.
You never know when and who we have offended over the past year with a deed or a carelessly dropped word! It is for all this that we must ask for forgiveness, not formally, of course, but quite consciously and try not to repeat these mistakes in the future (we won’t apologize for the same thing every time). If everyone does this from the bottom of their hearts, our lives will definitely become better. Ask for forgiveness from loved ones. When you wake up in the morning, without delay, ask for forgiveness for all the grievances caused from your household. You need to ask for forgiveness sincerely, regretting the pain caused to your loved one. If it is difficult to ask for forgiveness, you can first imagine yourself in the place of the offended person and feel for yourself how bad it was for him. Then you will definitely regret and repent of your evil deed. The request for forgiveness will happen as if by itself. Families did not go to bed without making peace with each other.Ask forgiveness from the dead. On this day, it is customary to come to the graves of relatives and friends to ask for forgiveness from those with whom it is no longer possible to see. We often regret that we offended a person during his lifetime. On this day there is an opportunity to ask for forgiveness and remove the burden from your soul.Forgive those who ask. On Forgiveness Sunday, we need to sincerely forgive those who ask us to do so. And even those who cannot or do not want to ask us for forgiveness. Simply, forgive all the accumulated grievances, thinking that our offenders are just as wrong as we ourselves and their soul suffers from this.The main thing for a person on Forgiveness Sunday is sincere repentance of the evil act committed towards another person and forgiveness of their offenders. After all, we all ask the Lord for forgiveness of our sins. Just as we forgive others, so the Lord will forgive us. Forgiving others means approaching Lent with a pure soul and preparing spiritually.Visit the temple. In churches during the Liturgy they read the biblical story about Adam and Eve, remembering the fall of our first parents and their expulsion from Paradise. The Gospel narrative is also read in churches, where Jesus Christ explains the words of the prayer Our Father, “and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” The Lord himself shows us the way to the Kingdom of God - to renounce evil grievances, to love and forgive each other.
I forgive everyone who cannot be forgiven,
Who paved my roads with slander.
The Lord taught: “Do not be strict with your loved ones.
The earth will reconcile you all anyway.”
I forgive those who have kind words
He told me without believing in them at all.
And yet, no matter how sad it was for me,
My gullibility was right.
I forgive everyone who wished me harm.
But I did not console my soul with revenge.
Because he is also not without sin in battles.
My arrow found someone too.
(Andrey Dementyev)
I apologize to everyone
And I bow low before you,
Whom did she lead into some kind of sin?
Who did you offend with your words?
Who did I give a reason to?
Think about me with condemnation,
Whom did she secretly lead into temptation?
With your appearance or movement.
I couldn’t answer who
Mutual friendship or love,
Who didn’t help in trouble,
Whose wounds bled.
I apologize to everyone
Whom I didn’t have time to help,
For those who made me laugh,
When I was inept.
I apologize to you too,
Who threw stones at me,
When I've fallen more than once
And they didn’t shake hands with me.
I ask my enemies to forgive me,
At least I don’t consider you enemies.
I don't want to take revenge on you in any way
And I dream of seeing you as friends.
I ask forgiveness from the Creator,
That I love His children little,
I ask Heavenly Father
May He give me more love for them!
Learn to forgive... Pray for those who offend,
Conquer evil with a ray of good.
Go without hesitation to the camp of those who forgive,
While the Golgotha star is burning.
Learn to forgive when your soul is offended,
And the heart is like a cup of bitter tears,
And it seems that all kindness is burned out,
Remember how Christ forgave.
Learn to forgive, forgive not only with words,
But with all my soul, with all my essence.
Forgiveness is born of love
In the creation of prayer nights.
Learn to forgive. Joy is hidden in forgiveness.
Generosity heals like a balm.
The blood on the Cross was shed for everyone.
Learn to forgive so that you yourself can be forgiven.
Boris Pasternak
Forgiveness Sunday is the last day before Lent. On this day, all Orthodox Christians ask each other for forgiveness - in order to begin fasting with a good soul, focus on spiritual life and meet Easter - the day of the Resurrection of Christ - with a pure heart.
What date will Forgiveness Sunday be in 2018? The essence of the holiday and how to properly ask for forgiveness
When will Forgiveness Sunday be in 2018, what date does the holiday fall on, the traditions and history of this event, as well as how to ask for forgiveness correctly and what needs to be answered - we’ll figure it out together, and our article will help you understand what the essence of this church holiday Forgiveness Sunday is .
The meaning of the holiday and its essence
On Forgiveness Sunday, February 18, 2018, we should sit and reflect on the fact that not all of our actions may be pleasant and pleasing to another person and the Lord.
After all, even bad thoughts about someone or something is, in fact, a sinful act. If we consider that envy, anger, foul language, gluttony are also included in the list of bad feelings and emotions, then each of us should think about it. Over the course of a whole year, a lot of such bad emotions can accumulate in a person’s soul.
And if we take into account the fact that we are not always guided by common sense, then our actions are not always correct, especially those actions that were committed under the influence of negative emotions.
Therefore, it is very important to cleanse your soul from burdensome sins at least once a year. How can we contribute to this? On Forgiveness Sunday, you should ask for forgiveness from everyone, even if it seems that there is absolutely nothing to ask for forgiveness from someone for.
You cannot ignore your enemies and adversaries; you should also ask for forgiveness from them. At the end of the day, your soul will feel much lighter.
Asked Sunday in 2018 falls on February 18th. The Lord sees right through us, and sees that sometimes a person, without intending to, can cause harm to someone, offend him. This is why such a day as Forgiveness Sunday was created.
In addition to the fact that on this day one must ask for forgiveness, one must also accept forgiveness from others who have also repented. All words of forgiveness heard should certainly be accepted. Also on this day you should not allow evil thoughts, quarrels and offense.
And considering that Maslenitsa is just around the corner, who wants to ruin the last day of festivities and waste time on something evil instead of rejoicing?
Forgiveness Sunday: the history of the holiday
The last day of Maslenitsa week is Forgiveness Sunday. People also called it farewell, tselovalnik, Forgiveness day, raw food (the last time before fasting one is allowed to eat cheese, butter and eggs).
Forgiveness Sunday is the first step on the path to Lent. Christians on this day ask each other for forgiveness of sins and grievances. This is the day of reconciliation between warring parties.
In churches they read the Gospel and the Sermon on the Mount, which talks about forgiveness of offenses to neighbors. During the liturgy, priests call on believers to forgive and ask for forgiveness from loved ones and friends.
After evening services in churches, parishioners and clergy ask each other for forgiveness in order to enter Lent with a pure soul.
The rector of the temple addresses the brethren and common people with the words: “Bless, holy fathers and brethren, and forgive me, a sinner, for everything I have sinned this day in deed, word, thought and all my feelings.”
From century to century, according to tradition, on this day children bowed at the feet of their parents. The enemies went to their opponents and asked them for reconciliation. People went to the cemetery, commemorated the dead, and left pancakes on the graves.
Even gentlemen and wealthy citizens did not consider it a shame to ask forgiveness from their servants. In pre-revolutionary Russia, the tsar toured the troops and asked for forgiveness from the soldiers, then visited monasteries, where he asked for forgiveness from the brethren and bishops.
This is a day for good deeds - charitable donations and debt remission.
Where did the custom come from? On this day, believers remember the expulsion of Adam and Eve from paradise for disobedience and intemperance, C-ib reports. We remember that we are all exiles and we can find what we have lost through repentance, abstinence and prayer.
The rite of forgiveness traces its history back to Egyptian monks. Before the onset of Lent, in order to strengthen the feat of prayer, they dispersed through the desert for the entire forty days of fasting.
Many never returned: they died of hunger or were torn to pieces by wild animals. Therefore, when they separated, the monks forgave each other’s offenses, as before death.
What to do on Forgiveness Sunday
We all, voluntarily or unwittingly, commit various major and minor sins - we swear (even if quite rightly!) over prices that are growing every day.
Sometimes we argue in lines, we grumble when someone steps on our feet on a crowded bus, or when a neighbor suddenly decides to hammer a hanger nail into the wall on Sunday morning.
You never know when and who we have offended over the past year with a deed or a carelessly dropped word! It is for all this that we must ask for forgiveness, not formally, of course, but quite consciously and try not to repeat these mistakes in the future (we won’t apologize for the same thing every time). If everyone does this from the bottom of their hearts, our lives will definitely become better.
- Asking for forgiveness from loved ones
When you wake up in the morning, without delay, ask for forgiveness for all the grievances caused from your household. You need to ask for forgiveness sincerely, regretting the pain caused to your loved one.
If it is difficult to ask for forgiveness, you can first imagine yourself in the place of the offended person and feel for yourself how bad it was for him.
Then you will definitely regret and repent of your evil deed. The request for forgiveness will happen as if by itself. Families did not go to bed without making peace with each other.
- Asking forgiveness from the dead
On this day, it is customary to come to the graves of relatives and friends to ask for forgiveness from those with whom it is no longer possible to see. We often regret that we offended a person during his lifetime. On this day there is an opportunity to ask for forgiveness and remove the burden from your soul.
- Forgive those who ask
On Forgiveness Sunday, we need to sincerely forgive those who ask us to do so. And even those who cannot or do not want to ask us for forgiveness. Simply, forgive all the accumulated grievances, thinking that our offenders are just as wrong as we ourselves and their soul suffers from this.
The main thing for a person on Forgiveness Sunday is sincere repentance of the evil act committed towards another person and forgiveness of their offenders.
After all, we all ask the Lord for forgiveness of our sins. Just as we forgive others, so the Lord will forgive us. Forgiving others means approaching Lent with a pure soul and preparing spiritually.
- Visit the temple
In churches during the Liturgy they read the biblical story about Adam and Eve, remembering the fall of our first parents and their expulsion from Paradise. The Gospel narrative is also read in churches, where Jesus Christ explains the words of the prayer Our Father, “and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
The Lord himself shows us the way to the Kingdom of God - to renounce evil grievances, to love and forgive each other.
How to ask for forgiveness and what to answer
The last day of Maslenitsa is the last Sunday before Lent. Therefore, on this day they celebrate Forgiveness Sunday, which, according to the priests, helps people cleanse themselves before the test of the spirit. On this day, it is customary to ask for forgiveness and forgive your offenders.
And if you are asked for forgiveness, it is customary to answer: “God will forgive.”
According to tradition, on this day you cannot quarrel with anyone. And if any conflict arises, it must be resolved immediately. And even more so, you can’t fall asleep in a quarrel and with thoughts that are heavy because of it.
By the way, in Rus' even the tsar himself asked for forgiveness from his servants and the people!
It is customary to ask for forgiveness on Forgiveness Sunday not only from the living, but also from the dead, visiting their graves. After all, sometimes a heavy burden remains on the soul when a person is no longer alive, and there is no longer any opportunity to ask for his forgiveness.
Forgiveness Sunday: short poems and SMS
Let the spring sunshine
The soul will warm up,
Let there be a feeling
That life is all good,
And the mood will become
You are wonderful!
Happy Forgiveness Sunday!
Sorry, forgive me!
I apologize from the bottom of my heart
And I forgive you in return,
After all, a hidden load of grievances
It weighs so much on my soul...
Let never in your life
There will be no disappointments!
Happy last Maslenitsa day -
Happy Forgiveness Sunday!
You are with all my heart today
Forgive me for everything
Kohl managed unwittingly
Offend!
And continue with good mood
Let's live well!
Happy Forgiveness Sunday!
We won't be sad!
***
Happy Forgiveness Sunday!
To relieve the burden from the soul
Today, without a doubt,
Let's forgive each other!
Let the mood be
You are wonderful,
And there will be inspiration
To do good!
***
Love in my soul, Pancakes for a treat, and I apologize to you for everything!
***
On Forgiveness Sunday,
I want to ask for forgiveness.
May the road be brighter
Forgive me for God's sake!
***
I ask your forgiveness before the Lord
For all the insults that I once caused.
And I congratulate you on Forgiveness Sunday,
Goodness and Peace, Happiness and Warmth!
This Sunday morning
I ask you for forgiveness - for the insults,
For doubts and misunderstandings!
Happy Forgiveness Sunday to you!
If there is some sin behind me,
If I'm very guilty of something,
And since I once offended you,
Sorry on your farewell weekend!
I ask everyone for forgiveness today,
In response, I hear, God will forgive.
Forgiveness today is Sunday,
And let forgiveness float in the air.
Soars, descends to the ground,
Forgiveness, letting go
What have we managed to accumulate in a year?
Let's forgive everyone and let everyone go, it's easy.
Forgiveness today is Sunday,
I let go of everything, resentment, anger,
Your bad mood
There is no more interference.
The offender will become a friend tomorrow,
Anger will dissolve into nowhere.
Spring is a holiday
It contains melt water.
She will wash away all the bad things,
She will disperse the shadow.
Everything always goes away with water,
Only a clean day will remain.
Ask everyone for forgiveness today,
Purify your hearts.
Let tomorrow be a clear day,
Spring water will carry everything away
Rituals for Forgiveness Sunday
If you are present at the mass burning of the Maslenitsa effigy, then stand closer to the fire so that you break out in sweat, and wipe the sweat from your face with a handkerchief. Say the following words to yourself: Run away from me, hunger and cold go away, fire, rise, spring, begin. What burns will not be, but I can walk in gold. Amen."
Prayer for Forgiveness Sunday
Hope to all the ends of the earth, Most Pure Virgin, Lady Theotokos, our consolation! Do not disdain us sinners, for we trust in Your mercy: extinguish the sinful flame burning in us and water our parched hearts with repentance, cleanse our minds from sinful thoughts, accept prayers from the soul and heart with sighs offered to You.
Be an intercessor for us to Your Son and God, and turn away His anger with Your Mother’s prayers. Heal mental and physical ulcers, O Lord Lady, quench the illnesses of the soul and body, comfort the storm of evil attacks of the enemy, take away the burden of our sins, and do not leave us to perish until the end, and comfort our broken hearts with sorrow. Let us glorify Thee until our last breath.”
Quit smoking ritual
- In the evening, smoke your last cigarette and place the empty cigarette pack on the table next to your bed. Place a note on the packet: “I quit smoking.” On top is an empty matchbox. Now go to bed. They say that in the morning there will be no trace of cravings for smoking.
- In the square where the effigy is burned, you need to walk around the effigy three times and throw your pack of cigarettes into the fire, saying: “I burn tobacco, I close myself off from smoking, I open myself to a new life.
Life without tobacco is my dear!”
Rituals for financial well-being
On the Monday following the last day of Maslenitsa - Forgiveness Sunday - go to the place where the festivities took place. Walk around, looking carefully: you need to find any coin, even a penny. Raising it with your left hand, say the spell:
“I walked (walked) and found (found)
As I, (state your name), walked (went) to this money, so that the money would come to me.
Just as many people were here today in honor of Holy Maslenitsa, so I would always have a lot of money.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen".
Keep the charmed coin throughout the year, until the next first Monday after Maslenitsa. This talisman will attract money to you and protect you from financial failures. After the specified period, “lose” your spent money in the same place where you picked it up.
Conspiracy to fulfill a wish for Forgiveness Sunday
On Forgiveness Sunday, you need to go to bed before sunset, but first read the following spell: “Light up a bright star in the sky, to the joy of the entire baptized world, light up with unquenchable fire for the joy of the Orthodox! Look into the star and into my house, into the house of the servant of God (your name), illuminate my house with your unquenchable light, hear my desire (say a desire) and help me fulfill it! Amen!". The plot must be read three times, making the sign of the cross each time.
Cleaning up if you swore on Forgiveness Sunday
On Forgiveness Sunday, you should never quarrel with anyone. To avoid trouble, first read the prayer, and then a special conspiracy.
How do you feel about the tradition of asking for forgiveness on the last Sunday before Lent? And what do you think to yourself when those who have offended you ask you for forgiveness?
-God will forgive! - is this forgiveness or not? Did you forgive or did you invite God to deal with your offender himself?
In contact with