Church Orthodox holiday of January. Church Orthodox holiday of January January 14th what holiday is today
January 14, 2018 Circumcision of the Lord: what kind of holiday is it, how is it celebrated, traditions, signs, history. Every year on January 14, the Orthodox holiday of the Circumcision of the Lord is celebrated. This day commemorates the event associated with the circumcision of the baby Jesus. For Christians, it is a symbol that Jesus was a flesh and blood man and not a disembodied spirit. According to history, the holiday of the Circumcision of the Lord was established by the Orthodox Church in the 4th century.
According to the Old Testament law, the Son of God was circumcised on the eighth day after his birth. Among the Jewish people, this ritual was a symbol of the fact that a person agrees to obey the laws and teachings of God. At circumcision the baby was given a name Jesus. It is translated from Hebrew as "God will save."
The holiday of the Circumcision of the Lord on January 14, 2018 coincides with another Orthodox holiday - the day of honoring the memory of the saint Basil the Great. According to tradition, on this holiday, many churches hold divine services: an all-night vigil and the solemn part of Matins (polyeleos). In churches the Jesus Prayer is read and the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is celebrated.
The holiday of the Circumcision of the Lord on January 14, 2018, in addition to church traditions, also has folk signs and beliefs.
People say that the bright sun on this holiday is a symbol of a rich harvest of berries and fruits.
If frost covers the trees on this day, then there will be a good harvest of grain crops.
It is believed that a person born on January 14 at the Circumcision of the Lord will live in abundance all his life.
Wearing a new item on January 14, 2018 is considered a good omen. This means that the whole year will be successful.
Also, bad omens include solving financial problems on this day. In addition, you should not lend money on January 14 and count small change.
Many sincerely believe that what was dreamed up on the night of January 13-14 will definitely come true.
*** Circumcision of the Lord. Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea of Cappadocia (379).
Martyr Basil of Ancyra (c. 362). Saint Gregory of Nazianzus, father of St. Gregory the Theologian (374). Saint Emilia, mother of Saint Basil the Great (IV). Martyr Theodotus. Venerable Theodosius, abbot of Triglia (VIII). Martyr Peter the Peloponnesian (1776). Venerable Martyr Jeremiah (1918); Hieromartyrs Plato, Bishop of Revel, and with him Mikhail (Bleive) and Nikolai (Bezhanitsky) presbyters, Yuryevsky (1919); Hieromartyrs Alexander, Archbishop of Samara, and with him John (Smirnov), John (Suldin), Alexander (Ivanov), Alexander (Organov), Trofim (Myachin), Vasily (Vitevsky), Vyacheslav (Infantov) and Jacob (Alferov) presbyters, Samarskikh (1938).
New Year. The New Year holiday passed into the Christian Church from the Old Testament. It, along with other holidays, was established by Moses at the command of God Himself. There were two New Year celebrations in the Old Testament Church. One of them began the civil New Year, the other - the church New Year. The civil one was celebrated in the fall, in the month of Tisri (September) - in the month of gathering fruits, and the church one - in the spring, in the month of Aviv or Nisan (March), - in the month of the liberation of the Jews from Egyptian slavery. On the New Year's Day, the Jews had sacred meetings, sacrifices were made in large numbers, and the Holy Scriptures were read in the temple and synagogues. The Scriptures recalled God's good deeds to His people. Also in our Orthodox Christian Church there is a civil New Year, January 1 (previously it was March 1), and a church New Year - September 1. The Lord Jesus Christ himself consecrated the new year of September, when one day on this holiday he entered the synagogue and read the words of the prophet. Isaiah about a new favorable year with His coming to earth (Luke 4:17-19). The month of March is significant for Christians with the event of the incarnation of Christ the Savior from the Blessed Virgin on the 25th day of this month. In our Fatherland, January was accepted as the beginning of the civil year on January 1, 1700, under Emperor Peter the Great. Our church service for the New Year takes place on September 1, and in January only a prayer service is held on the occasion of the New Year.
Circumcision of the Lord
Church Tradition testifies to us that on the eighth day after His Nativity, Jesus Christ, according to the Old Testament law, accepted circumcision, established for all male infants as a sign of the Covenant of God with the forefather Abraham and his descendants. During the performance of this rite, the Divine Infant was given the Name Jesus (Savior), announced by Archangel Gabriel on the day of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to the interpretation of the Fathers of the Church, the Lord, the Creator of the law, accepted circumcision, setting an example of how people should strictly fulfill Divine decrees. The Lord accepted circumcision so that no one could subsequently doubt that He was a true Man, and not a bearer of illusory flesh, as some heretics (Docetes) taught. In the New Testament, the rite of circumcision gave way to the sacrament of Baptism, of which it was a prototype. Bishop Theophan the Recluse compared the holiday of circumcision with the “circumcision of the heart,” when passions and lustful dispositions are cut off: “Let us give up our former harmful habits, all pleasures and everything in which we previously found pleasure, and from this moment we will begin to live solely for God for our salvation.”
Saint Basil the Great Day
Saint Basil the Great was born around 330 in the city of Caesarea Cappadocia (Asia Minor), into the pious Christian family of Basil and Emilia. The saint's father was a lawyer and teacher of rhetoric. There were ten children in the family, five of whom, including the saint’s mother, righteous Emilia, were canonized by the Church as saints.
Saint Basil received his initial education under the guidance of his parents and grandmother Macrina, a highly educated Christian. After the death of his father and grandmother, Saint Basil went for further education to Constantinople, and then to Athens, where he perfectly studied various sciences - rhetoric and philosophy, astronomy and mathematics, physics and medicine. Around 357, Saint Basil returned to Caesarea, where he taught rhetoric for some time. In Antioch, in 362 he was ordained a deacon by Bishop Meletius, and in 364 he was ordained a presbyter by Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea.
While fulfilling his ministry, Saint Basil preached zealously and tirelessly cared for the needs of his flock, thanks to which he gained high respect and love. Bishop Eusebius, due to human weakness, became envious of him and began to show his dislike. To avoid troubles, Saint Basil withdrew to the Pontic desert (the southern coast of the Black Sea), where he settled not far from the monastery founded by his mother and older sister. Here Saint Basil labored in ascetic labors together with his friend Saint Gregory the Theologian. Guided by the Holy Scriptures, they wrote regulations for monastic life, which were subsequently adopted by Christian monasteries.
After the death of Emperor Constantine the Great, under his son Constantius (337-361), the Arian false teaching, condemned at the 1st Ecumenical Council in 325, began to spread again and especially intensified under Emperor Valens (364-378), a supporter of the Arians. For Saints Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian, the hour came when the Lord called them from prayerful solitude into the world to fight heresy. Saint Gregory returned to Nazianzus, and Saint Basil returned to Caesarea, having heeded the written request of Bishop Eusebius, who was reconciled with him. Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea (author of the famous “Ecclesiastical History”) died in the arms of Saint Basil the Great, blessing him to be his successor.
Soon Saint Basil was elected by the Council of Bishops to the See of Caesarea (370). In difficult times for the Church, he showed himself as a fiery defender of the Orthodox faith, protecting it from heresies with his words and messages. Particularly noteworthy are his three books against the Arian false teacher Eunomius, in which St. Basil the Great taught about the Divinity of the Holy Spirit and the unity of His nature with the Father and the Son. During his short life († 379), Saint Basil left us many theological works: nine discourses on the Sixth Day, 16 discourses on various psalms, five books in defense of the Orthodox teaching about the Holy Trinity; 24 conversations on various theological topics; seven ascetic treatises; monastic rules; ascetic charter; two books about Baptism; a book about the Holy Spirit; several sermons and 366 letters to various persons.
Through unceasing efforts of fasting and prayer, Saint Basil acquired from the Lord the gift of clairvoyance and miracle-working. There are many known cases of miraculous healings performed by St. Basil the Great. The power of Saint Basil’s prayers was so great that he could boldly ask the Lord for forgiveness for a sinner who had renounced Christ, leading him to sincere repentance. Through the prayers of the saint, many great sinners who despaired of salvation received forgiveness and were freed from their sins. Interesting fact. While on his deathbed, the saint converted his Jewish doctor Joseph to Christ. The latter was sure that the saint would not be able to live until the morning, and said that otherwise he would believe in Christ and accept Baptism. The saint asked the Lord to delay his death. The night passed and, to Joseph’s amazement, Saint Basil not only did not die, but, getting up from his bed, came to the temple, performed the sacrament of Baptism over Joseph, served the Divine Liturgy, gave Joseph communion, taught him a lesson, and then, saying goodbye to everyone, He went to the Lord with prayer without leaving the temple.
Saint Basil the Great, along with Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, has since ancient times enjoyed special veneration among the Russian believing people. A particle of the relics of St. Basil still remains in the Pochaev Lavra. The honorable head of St. Basil is reverently kept in the Lavra of St. Athanasius on Athos, and his right hand is in the altar of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem.
Stop waking up in a cold sweat and wondering if you missed some important event. Most likely, I missed it, because in the country, as throughout the world, every day is a holiday. For example, Kiss Day, Cat Day and so on. What holiday is January 14th? Of course, this date is no exception to the rule, first of all it is the old New Year. This is worth talking about in more detail.
Origin of the holiday
As mentioned earlier, the Old New Year is celebrated on the fourteenth of January. “What kind of event is this?” - you ask. The Old New Year is a holiday that arose as a result of the transition to another chronology, when the Julian calendar was replaced by the Gregorian calendar, that is, the one by which almost the entire globe lives. Thus, due to the 13-day discrepancy, people can once again celebrate the desired and beloved holiday on January 14th. What child would not be happy about such an opportunity! In addition, New Year's gifts can be given again.
By the way, this day is especially valuable for believers, since they can truly, with all the Russian scope, celebrate the New Year on January 14, when the Nativity Fast has already ended. Therefore, if you didn’t know why the neighbors make so much noise and the fireworks don’t subside for half the night, remember!
January 14 is an Orthodox holiday
What believer does not know that on this day Christians have been celebrating the Circumcision of the Lord since the 4th century? This event occurred exactly a week after the birth of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Luke wrote about this in his Gospel. Therefore, a week after Christmas, Christians celebrate the Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord. It originates in the Jewish tradition, according to which everyone who has not undergone this procedure is considered a Gentile, not worthy of making a sacrifice to God and, therefore, turning to him. This ritual proved that the man belonged to God’s chosen people. It is believed that the circumcision ceremony in the Old Testament is a kind of prototype of the current Orthodox baptism.
Vasiliev's day
What church holiday is January 14th? Before the calendar reform, it was the Day of Basil of Caesarea (or, as he is also called, Basil the Great), who was the archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia in the 4th century. He is famous for defining the concept of the iconostasis, being a writer of sermons and a theologian. In Rus' he was known under the name Vasily Svinyatnik, in the positive meaning of this nickname. And he received it because he was considered the patron saint of pigs, since it was customary for Christians to make New Year dishes from pork. Now, if you are asked what church holiday is January 14, you can answer: “Vasil’s Day.”
By the way, from 7 to 14 it was customary to celebrate holy evenings, and already from January 15, “terrible” evenings began. On St. Basil of Caesarea Day, young girls actively wondered about their marriage, and the older guys in the family “sowed” the houses so that there would be a good harvest all year.
Pipeline Troops
Civil and Orthodox events have already been mentioned, but what holiday is January 14th in Russia? And in the Russian Federation, the pipeline troops annually celebrate their professional day.
On November 22, 1951, Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin signed a decree on the creation of a modernized pipeline. And just on January 14, 1952, based on the mentioned document, Alexander Mikhailovich Vasilevsky, who was the USSR Minister of War at that time, signed a directive stating the creation of the First Separate Battalion for pumping fuel. As you can see, the day the directive was signed became the professional Day of Pipeline Troops in Russia.
What is the holiday on January 14th in India?
Oddly enough, the holidays don’t end there. For example, in India, Pongal is celebrated on this day, also known officially as the Harvest Festival. When does this happen? Just after the shortest day of the year in winter. The date of this event was not chosen by chance, but was determined based on the solar calendar. For Hindus, this holiday is of great importance. From year to year, on January 14, the sun moves into the constellation Capricorn and gradually moves north over the course of six months.
The major city of Ahmedabad hosts the International Kite Festival on 14 January every year. What other holiday can concentrate such a huge number of paper kites of various sizes and colors in one place! 1000 “birds” will fly into the clear blue sky, embodying one of the basic desires of man - to gain wings and fly up to the clouds. This festival celebrates the change of seasons and the movement of the sun in a northerly direction, signifying the end of winter time.
The Gospel of Luke describes this event in detail. It is believed that the circumcision of the Lord took place on the eighth day after the Nativity of Christ. That is why the appropriate date for the holiday was chosen. For the ancient Jews, circumcision itself determined membership in the category of God's Chosen. If a person was undercircumcised, it was believed that he was unworthy to make sacrifices and turn to God with prayers. Therefore, Old Testament circumcision was considered a kind of prototype of Christian baptism
According to biblical sources, Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple for circumcision, where this ceremony was performed. In addition, the first Christians and apostles who followed the teachings of Christ also subjected themselves to circumcision
Why is the Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord so important to the Jews? Contrary to heresies that distort the earthly appearance of the Savior, he confirms that Jesus was a man and underwent rituals that are characteristic of the Jews.
In independent Uzbekistan, such a holiday is celebrated in honor of the creation of the armed forces belonging to the country. The holiday itself was established after a decision was made by the Supreme Council of the Republic on December 29, 1993.
This date is widely celebrated in Uzbekistan itself. Thus, the anthem of the Republic is played on the main Independence Square, and ceremonial marches are organized with the participation of local military units. Also, the commander-in-chief must pronounce congratulations for the defenders of the Motherland
Saint Basil the Great was born in Caesarea in Cappadocia in 330 into a Christian family. I received the appropriate education. After the death of his father, he went to study in Constantinople and Athens, where he studied a variety of sciences to perfection.
Vasily was especially good at philosophy and rhetoric, medicine, astronomy, and physics. In 357 he returned to Caesarea, where he later became presbyter by Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea. Despite the universal love of the parishioners, he has to leave the church and retire due to disagreements with another elder and envy on the part of the latter.
After the death of Emperor Constantine the Great, Basil the Great again became the head of the church. Along with Nicholas the Wonderworker, he enjoyed special honor among believers. It is known that today a particle of his relics is in the Pochaev Lavra, the venerable head is in the Lavra of St. Athanasius on Athos, and his right hand is in the altar of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem.
On January 14, 1824, the famous music critic, archaeologist, art historian and public figure Vladimir Stasov was born
On January 14, 1827, the famous Russian traveler, scientist, de facto leader of the Russian Geographical Society, Pyotr Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, was born. It is he who is known for having made a large expedition to the Tien Shan, after which he created his own fundamental description, for which he received the corresponding prefix to his surname.
One of the most famous directors of modern British theater, Trevor Nunn, was born on January 14, 1940.
