Holy Week VS work: Advice from priests. Holy Week

This holiday will begin on April 10. It is believed that the holiday is dedicated to last days life of Jesus Christ. Each day has its own permitted and prohibited foods, this must be taken into account, otherwise Holy Week will not be observed.

Description of the church holiday

There are many ways to celebrate Holy Week; this article will discuss the main activities of a believer during this period. Of course, one cannot talk about the church charter in such a dry manner - after all, Holy Week is a predecessor Happy Easter which foreshadows new round your life, you can’t treat it so dryly.

Good Monday, for example, requires adherence to the principle of “dry food”, which neglects various fruits, and one cannot eat processed foods. But you can also play sports and carry out your usual activities, of course, remembering that a believer needs to observe great amount rules

You need to eat exclusively as predicted. That is, you cannot determine your diet at your own will, you are a believer! You need to understand and be aware of your place in this ever-changing society. Otherwise, you can lose yourself in this way, drive yourself into depression. completely forget how to live correctly. And this is very bad, because everyone needs God in their heart, but you cannot anger him - you can send a terrible curse on yourself.

Yes, by not observing Holy Week according to all the rules, you can also incur the wrath of Jesus, and you may then very, very many times regret your rash decision, which is detrimental not only to physical but also to moral health, which cost you such punishment, You should not be too confident in yourself regarding this decision, otherwise you may completely forget about your situation. A believer must be aware of his place.

Until April 16, it will be possible to enjoy this holiday, which brings the highest enlightenment to all believing families, does not bring anything bad and is one of the holiest weeks in the whole world.

Description by day of the week

You only need to drink water; for Great Monday, water is the most important thing. Together with moisture, you must pull out all the violence from yourself, it is very well used in various places, but you may not notice how everything was immediately resolved - you need to understand that you can’t sin on Holy Monday either. You need to understand everything that exists in the world.

• On Wednesday you don’t have to bother at all - just eat what you already had. The environment is not different at all, that is, the “hunger strike” has not yet set in here. You do not need to atone for your sins, you are literally sanctified by God himself, if, of course, you understand your faith.
• On Maundy Thursday, plant foods are needed, this is where people’s “weight loss” begins. Must be consumed vegetable oil in food, so as not to gain much weight, but also to feel that you, too, can live in the same free way as you lived before.

• Friday is the most mournful day; on this day you can’t even drink Cahors. It’s absolutely impossible, you could anger God, who is already displeased with the fact that Friday is coming during this Holy Week. What to do? Definitely give up Cahors, so that you don’t have to do such a thing, you need to come to this on your own, not just “Anyhow,” but to do what needs to be done.
• Saturday is a great day on which the complete cleansing of the soul and victory over evil begins. You should not neglect this, since it is victory over evil that can give you a new, divine appearance. It’s not like Friday, on Friday you may not have any insight at all, but if you can normally sacrifice yourself to Christ, then you too will have divine repentance, don’t forget about the rituals!
• You should forget about gambling and from various kinds of events there will only be problems, otherwise the holiday will be extremely useless for you, you will forget about your divine affiliation and will become only unnecessary sinners in the person of divine forces, who will be disappointed in you and will no longer patronize your undertakings, and this is extremely terrible, you should not neglect this matter.

Orthodox Christians. How to fast in last week before Easter and who shouldn’t strictly limit their diet?

Rules of Holy Week

Lenten Holy Week- a time when believers practice not only abstaining from certain types of foods, but also bad habits, excessive fun, sinful thoughts and passions. The purpose of such abstinence is to subject the body and soul to the holy spirit. And manifestations of anger and despondency these days are as unacceptable as drinking alcohol and eating meat.

What can you eat during Holy Week?

According to tradition, you can eat bread, mushrooms, pickled, dried and fresh vegetables and fruits. Only cold teas, infusions and water are allowed as drinks. Dairy products, eggs, fish are also prohibited, and only honey is allowed among sweet products. The number of meals is reduced to once a day - in the evening.

Monday- thermally unprocessed fruits and vegetables, bread, water (dry diet).

Tuesday and Wednesday- the same diet.

Thursday- a slight indulgence in the form of two warm meals a day, seasoned with vegetable oil. A small amount of wine is allowed.

Friday(passionate) - day of remembrance of the painful death of the Savior on the Cross. This is the strictest day of Lent, when believers do not eat anything until the second half of the day (before the removal of the shroud - a symbol of the removal of Jesus from the Cross) and drink only water. In the afternoon you can eat some bread.

Saturday- According to the canon, it is forbidden to eat any food, and you can only drink water.

Nutrition calendar for Holy Week 2017

Do's and Don'ts during Holy Week

Every day of this week special services are held in all churches. During this period, it is not recommended to have noisy fun, sing and dance. Time before happy holiday Easter must be devoted to repentance, spiritual cleansing, prayer and reflection.

• Maundy Monday- the day of completion of all work in the house related to repairs, painting or other major projects.
• Maundy Tuesday- the day of completion of all work related to putting clothes in order (washing, ironing, darning, etc.) and other household items.
• Great Wednesday- the day when the last garbage is removed from the living quarters, everything necessary for coloring eggs is prepared.
• Maundy Thursday - it is believed that on this day, before sunrise, the water has healing power, and swimming on this day helps to quickly get rid of illness and gain strength for the sick and weakened, and makes all other people even healthier. On this day, they clean up their homes and begin preparing Easter cakes. To ensure successful baking, before kneading the dough, you should cleanse your soul and the space around you by reading a prayer.
• Good Friday- on this day all household chores stop until Saturday. In this case, you should refrain from attending entertainment events and spend the day in prayer and reflection.
• Holy Saturday- the day of preparing dishes for a festive feast and painting Easter eggs.
• - the day the fast ends and the beginning of the celebration of Easter.

How is fasting useful?

The system of alternating meat-eaters and fasting has existed for many centuries and has an important meaning: it is believed that the transition from meat to lean food, as well as vice versa, can stimulate the cleansing of the body from waste products, which in turn increases its defenses.

Every year, the environmental conditions of living of people all over the planet change not only better side. Heavy metals, toxic gases and other foreign substances in the air, products, household items and everything that surrounds us are a consequence of the development of technological progress. All this accumulates and gradually poisons our body.

In addition, a monotonous, excessive and unhealthy diet, a sedentary lifestyle, and many bad habits contribute to this. All these factors lead to a malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular and other systems of the body, its immunity decreases, making us more and more vulnerable to various diseases.

Including lean and plant-based foods rich in vitamins, beneficial microelements and natural fiber in your diet during fasting allows you to:

gently and painlessly cleanse the body of a significant portion of harmful substances,

remove excess moisture

reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels,

maintain normal body weight,

improve health,

improve your physical and psychological condition,

increase the body's resistance.

It is no secret that in the last decade there have been more and more young people suffering from impaired glucose utilization in the body. The consequences of this are an increase in body weight (obesity), the development of health problems such as diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), infertility and many other troubles.

Go to proper nutrition and keeping fasts are in ideal ways avoid such dangerous complications, improve your well-being and even prolong your life.

If you think that you will not be able to withstand the strict requirements of abstaining from normal diet, then you can begin to restrict gradually. For example, during one of your fasts, stop eating meat products while continuing to eat fish and dairy foods. Then eliminate fish and eggs from your diet, and next time also dairy products. At the same time, you will be convinced that you are quite capable of doing this, as well as what positive results can be obtained by observing fasting.

Who shouldn't fast?

During fasting, the composition of the blood improves, the work of everyone improves internal organs, this has a beneficial effect on a person’s well-being and overall health. That is why the healing power of fasting has been known since ancient times. However, strict abstinence in diet, as recommended by church canons, is not suitable for everyone.

A certain group of people should remember to take precautions so that, instead of improving their health, they do not harm their health and do not provoke exacerbation of existing diseases.

Strict observance of fasting will only benefit those who do not have serious problems with health. Unfortunately, there are not many such people. In order not to harm your body, allow yourself small indulgences. After all, fanatical adherence to strict church rules can sometimes cause even greater damage to health than when a person does not fast at all.

That is why pregnant and lactating women, sick and weakened people, children under seven years of age, as well as those who often travel or whose work is associated with difficult physical activity, you can fast less strictly than other people.

For example, you can increase the number of meals you eat while keeping your diet mostly plant-based. And for people suffering from chronic diseases, it is better to first consult with your doctor who knows all the details from your medical history.

Dietary restrictions during illness

As already mentioned, excessive zeal in fasting is not recommended for everyone, especially when there are any ailments. Let's look at what it is not recommended to do with some of them.

Anemia of various nature. With this problem, you should not give up meat, which is useful product for such people. But it is better to prepare it in such a way as to preserve all its beneficial properties as much as possible.

Infectious diseases. For those whose body is weakened by any of the infectious diseases, fasting can only bring harm. Continue to eat well until full recovery strength, taking into account the recommendations of your doctor.

If there is a lack of enzymes in the digestive process (pancreatitis, cholecystitis, biliary dyskinesia), switching to a lean diet can cause a lot of discomfort. You should especially not fast during periods of exacerbation of such diseases. Before you start fasting, consult your doctor, who will give appropriate recommendations.

For example:

1. If your disease is chronic, then in the morning you should drink a glass of boiling water in small sips with the addition of one teaspoon of lemon juice. This simple drink will help relax the bile ducts, facilitating the release of the amount of bile necessary for normal digestion.

2. If lemon juice does not suit you for some reason, then it can be replaced with olive oil. Simply roll a teaspoon of oil in your mouth with your tongue for five minutes, after which you can spit it out. This stimulates the reflex opening of the bile ducts, after which the liver is activated.

3. More good way- chew 5 lightly salted olives along with the pits. It also stimulates the release large quantities stagnant bile, which will help better digestion of food.

Chronic pancreatitis- consuming hard-to-digest foods such as mushrooms requires special caution in case of this disease.

People who, due to profession or other reasons, are forced to spend a lot of time immobile, often suffer from constipation during the beginning of fasting. To avoid discomfort, bake the wheat bran in the oven and add it a tablespoon at a time to the first and second courses. You can also sprinkle them on a sandwich or as a side dish. Thanks to this, your body will receive required amount B vitamins and natural fiber, which stimulates intestinal function.

For such people, only meat products are excluded from the diet during fasting. As for cottage cheese, cheese and other dairy products, as well as fish, their presence in the diet is necessary. If you have diabetes, it is strictly forbidden to follow strict fasting.

Lack of calcium in the body. For diagnosed osteoporosis, healing of fractures, pregnancy, cottage cheese, hard cheeses and other dairy products are excellent suppliers of calcium. Therefore, they should not be excluded from the diet during fasting.

Dysbacteriosis. After taking antibacterial drugs, the intestinal flora needs to be replenished with lactic acid bacteria. Therefore, doctors do not recommend excluding dairy products from the diet.

Holy Week for Christian believers is a special period, not only the most difficult for the body, but also the brightest for the soul. Translated from Church Slavonic language“passions” mean “trials and sufferings.” Holy Week is dedicated to the events in the dying days of Christ's earthly life: the Last Supper, betrayal, suffering, crucifixion, burial and resurrection. The Holy Week before Easter is also popularly called Red and Clean Week.

Days of Holy Week

Each day of Holy Week begins with the name “Great” and has its own greatness and meaning.

Maundy Monday reminds us of Old Testament patriarch Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers, as a prototype of the suffering of Jesus Christ. We also recall the curse of the barren fig tree, symbolically showing the soul of a person without the fruits of faith, repentance and works of mercy.

On Maundy Tuesday, one reads about the denunciation of the Pharisees and scribes, the parables spoken by Jesus in the Jerusalem Temple.

On Holy Wednesday, the church remembers the betrayal of Jesus by his disciple Judas for 30 pieces of silver. Even on this day, the story is read about the sinner who prepared Jesus for burial, washing him with her tears and precious ointment.

On Maundy Thursday, in churches they read a passage from the Bible about the Last Supper, how the Savior washed the feet of the apostles.

Good Friday speaks of torment and death on the cross Christ.

On Holy Saturday the service speaks of Christ’s presence in the tomb and the consecration of Easter food takes place. An amazing thing happens in Jerusalem on Saturday. unexplained phenomenon- the descent of the Holy Fire.

Benefits of fasting

Compliance with Orthodox fasting provides very great benefits for the human body. Some people perceive it as a diet and assume that it is only useful for overweight people. This is wrong. The post is useful to everyone. mainly consists of cereals, fruits and vegetables containing a lot of fiber. Such food, like a universal cleaner, rids the body of waste and toxins, normalizes weight and makes the body healthier. And they strengthen the body well. Reducing the volume of the stomach during fasting reduces the need for food, especially since fasting food is very healthy and nutritious. Fasting is useful for sick and healthy, thin and fat. There is an opinion that Orthodox fasts are difficult to observe; many expect hunger pangs. This is wrong. Those who try fasting are often surprised by how full they feel without eating meat. No pill can help cleanse and heal the body as much as fasting. Nowadays it is easy to do Lenten food varied thanks to many recipes. Therefore, the question of what to eat during Holy Week does not pose a problem.

Features of fasting days during Holy Week

Particularly strict fasting days occur before Easter. After a long forty-day fast, they are a great test. But the sweeter the holiday for those who were able to curb their womb. Holy Week before Easter encourages us to adhere to the second degree of fasting - dry eating. At the same time, to normal rules includes: refusal of meat and vegetable oil, cooking without any heat treatment (boiling or frying) is added, and on Friday and Saturday complete abstinence from any food is prescribed. However, this is a requirement of strict monastic order. Orthodox Christians take a blessing for this from a priest. Fast days must be carried out according to strength and health conditions. This process can be of different degrees:

• refusal of meat;
• plus giving up dairy products, including cheeses and butter;
• plus giving up eggs and all dishes containing them;
• plus giving up fish, etc.

In addition, during fasting it is necessary to reduce the volume of dishes, and especially Holy Week.

Menu for Holy Week

The modern church charter is based on the rules for monks. For fasting laymen there is their own charter - the Old Russian Typik, used since the 12th century. It spells out what to eat during Holy Week, that the laity need to act “according to their strength” - in accordance with different life situations. There are concessions for the elderly, the sick, pregnant and lactating women, children, etc.

You should aim to eat one meal a day. The food should consist of raw vegetables with bread and water. Even with such strict rules as Holy Week, the menu can be quite varied.

On Holy Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, dry eating is prescribed - cold food without vegetable oil, unheated drink.

Breakfast: vegetable or fruit salads, for example, cabbage-prunes or apple-cabbage with orange sauce, or topped with coconut-orange ambrosia.

Lunch: beet or carrot salad, potatoes with mushrooms or grated carrots with oranges.

Dinner: spicy carrots, pickled cucumbers, carrot and nut salad.

If you prepare the dishes suggested, or prepare something of your own, keep in mind that if the recipe contains oil, simply exclude it.

On Maundy Thursday you are allowed to eat boiled vegetables with butter and a small amount of wine.

Breakfast: apple and apricot soup, with apple or jam.

Lunch: “Motley salad”, vegetable or dried fruit soups, sweet pie with berries.

Dinner: vegetable soup or stew with vegetables and rice,

On Friday we try to abstain from food altogether. Only at three o'clock in the morning is it allowed to take some bread and water.

On Saturday you should also abstain from food if possible. If this is difficult for you, you can create a menu like this:

Breakfast: oatmeal soup with quince or cold soups with dried fruits, bread.

Lunch: potato soup, cabbage rolls with prunes and rice.

Dinner: bean soup with sweet peppers or mushroom solyanka.

When considering soup recipes, vegetable oil is easily omitted if you do not fry the recommended products in it, but simmer them in water or immediately add them to the soup without additional heat treatment.

What not to do during Holy Week

By tradition Orthodox Church Christians spent this week in prayer, observed the strictest fasting, and tried to attend church every day. There was a ban even on loud conversations, laughter, singing songs and having fun. Nowadays Lent, and especially the strict rules of Holy Week, are observed by few, and even fewer attend church. The Church teaches that refusing to eat certain foods means little without spiritual fasting. It consists of prayers, doing good deeds, good thoughts etc. If you have a desire to fast, and you are thinking about what to eat during Holy Week, remember the words of Theophan the Recluse: “Fasting seems gloomy until one enters into the field of it...”.

Spiritual fasting has its own “menu”: with it, a person “... avoids anger, rage, malice and revenge, avoids idle talk, foul language, idle talk, slander, condemnation, flattery, lies and all slander... a true faster is one who flees from all evil...", commands the Holy Church.

During Lent, and especially during Holy Week, sexual activity is also prohibited. Kisses between husband and wife are allowed only in dark time days. What you cannot do during Holy Week is to sing, have fun, dance, laugh, attend any entertainment and entertainment events, holidays, birthdays and weddings, and give up extraneous thoughts. According to the monastery charter, it is forbidden to sit down at the table more than once a day; this is allowed only after sunset. IN Good Friday It is also not recommended to do housework and wash.

Therefore, when taking part in preparations for the most important Christian holiday, think not only about what to eat during Holy Week, but also how to fast spiritually.

Traditions of Easter week

This week is full of traditions and rituals for every day; it is customary to start putting things in order not only in the soul, but also in the house. During Holy Week, a thorough general cleaning of the house was carried out - ceilings were whitewashed, walls were painted, rugs were washed, curtains were starched. The most beautiful tablecloths and napkins came from chests and chests of drawers.

There is a beautiful tradition of releasing birds into the wild on Annunciation Day. In 2015, this holiday fell on Maundy Tuesday. Nowadays, the clergy symbolically releases tame pigeons. Animal rights activists recommend not buying wild birds from hunters and poachers, who are trying to profit from the suffering and death of birds, since birds often die after the stress of captivity.

Holy Week before Easter is 6 days from Monday to Saturday before the Resurrection of Christ. At this time, the suffering of the Savior for the atonement of human sins is remembered. Every day is called Great (Passionate), since the events that occurred thousands of years ago are of great importance for all humanity. Believers pray fervently, abstain from bad thoughts, and perform decent deeds.

The betrayal, condemnation, elevation to Golgotha, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ took place during the Holy (Red, Great, Red, Holy) week.

Every day has its own meaning and history. We will talk about the Great Holy Week. We will discover what to do during Holy Week, what you should not do and signs, and we will tell you what you can eat by day.

Holy Week before Easter: history

Believers listen to the parable of a withered fig tree that bears no fruit, as a symbol of people perishing because of their unwillingness to repent. Jesus saw no fruit on the tree and dried it up. Likewise, sinful souls are not able to bear fruit in the Kingdom of God.

Orthodox Christians remember the instructive stories read by Christ in the Jerusalem Temple about the resurrection of the dead and the Last Judgment. The meaning of sermons is the need of believers to be ready every minute for a meeting with God, to be fearless to do good, and not to give in to despondency.

On this day, it is appropriate to remember the virgin who anointed Jesus’ feet with myrrh and wiped them with her hair, thereby preparing the Savior for the inevitable suffering on the cross. They compare the one who, being a great sinner, repented and came to Jesus, and the traitor Judas, who chose thirty pieces of silver - the death of his soul.

On Thursday, the Last Supper took place - the Savior's last supper with his followers, after which Jesus prayed with the twelve Disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane.

It was from there that the guards took him away after the betrayal of Judas Iscariot.

The saddest day when the Savior was condemned, crucified, and handed the cross that he carried to Golgotha.

Jesus was crucified on the same cross. On the same cross, he accepted incredible suffering for the entire human race.

Jesus lay in the tomb, and his soul descended to the underworld.

The priests serve the liturgy in dark robes, then change into light robes. One can feel the approach of a great holiday. WITH procession At 12 o'clock at night, Bright Matins begins, when all believers joyfully greet each other: “Christ is Risen!”

What to do during Holy Week. What not to do and signs

Holy Week is a time of strict fasting, which involves serious restrictions not only in food, but also in the ways of spending leisure time. So you can’t watch TV, celebrate any social events, waste time on entertainment, laziness. It is necessary to devote oneself to charity and mercy.

On Monday, Orthodox Christians began to clean their homes, repair furniture, throw out unnecessary rubbish, broken dishes. During Holy Week, noisy human conversations fell silent. In the villages there were special people who monitored order and silence.

Signs

• Our ancestors believed that before Easter evil forces they riot, rejoicing in the torment of the Savior.
• There was an opinion that on the eve of the holiday of feasts souls of the dead visit the earth to celebrate the miraculous resurrection of the Son of God.

On Tuesday, juiced milk is prepared from hemp and flax seeds crushed in a mortar, which are diluted with water. It had to be done at dawn in secret from the male half of the family. This remedy was given to domestic animals to protect them from diseases.

On Wednesday they committed special rite to rid households of present and future ailments. Using this method, the body seemed to be reborn. They took well (river) water. They were baptized three times, then a new towel was laid on top of the cup of water. At night they crossed themselves three times again and doused themselves with the prepared water so that three sips remained. Then, without wiping off, they got dressed, and the magical water remaining in the cup was poured into the grass.

On Thursday (they called it Clean) they carried out widespread cleaning of their homes and washed themselves. Sweeping was no longer recommended until Easter.

Signs

• At midnight the youth went to the river to swim. Those who bathed in the dwelling carried water into the house until dawn. Then they placed a gold (silver) coin in the river water to gain beauty, wealth, and health.
• The baby, who was one year old, had his hair cut for the first time. Girls straightened the ends of their hair for well-being and health. Young and old washed in the baths.
• We counted all the banknotes and coins in the house three times to increase the amount.

On the fourth day Holy Week did Thursday salt . To do this, it was poured onto cast iron frying pan, heated it, then crushed it, sifted it, and blessed it in church with Easter. It was kept for a whole year as a healing agent.

On Thursday they started coloring eggs, baking Easter cakes, and roasting hams.

On Friday - the hardest day of the week, when Christ was crucified - they give alms to the needy and distribute food to the poor. Because of the torment that the Savior suffered on this day, the fifth day of the week was called Passion. It is forbidden to do laundry on Friday.

Signs

• You need to clean all the corners in the house with a rag, which can then be used to treat radiculitis. After the bath, they wipe their feet with such a cloth to get rid of ailments.
• They take ash to help with alcoholism and spoilage.
• Whoever you see first on Friday will be the same for the next three months: the man indicates wealth and the health of the family all three months after Easter. The cat symbolizes good luck, financial well-being, birds - good news.

On Saturday, Easter cakes, eggs, salt, and Easter are blessed. Orthodox Christians attend the evening service to celebrate Easter in the church .A day of rest, when you need to realize the horror of what was done thousands of years ago.

What you can and cannot eat during Holy Week

During Holy Week, it is necessary to adhere to the refusal of fast food and dry eating.. That is, food cannot be processed thermally: boil, fry, bake. If the strength is not enough for such strict abstinence, then you can reduce the usual amount of food, eat once a day after seven o’clock in the evening.

Let's look at Holy Week: do's and don'ts, as well as other aspects of this important period. This week is called “Passionate” or “Great”. The first name, of course, is given to the period in honor of the fact that these days we remember the suffering of Jesus Christ, which he endured on earth in order to atone for the sins of mankind.

Also, every day of this period is called “great” because it falls on short term before the Great Easter holiday. On these days, from Monday to Saturday (inclusive), believers observe a particularly strict fast. But here it is important to remember that fasting is not just about giving up meat and eating once a day. It includes repentance, prayers, awareness of human sinfulness.

Important information about Easter days

What should you definitely know about the period about which so much is said in this material? Of course, first of all, what is Holy Week: what can and cannot be done on each day. There are especially many traditions and beliefs among the people: someone counts money three times so that it is sure to be found. Some people douse themselves with water at dawn for health reasons. As for church traditions, they do not single out any day of Great Week: every day is important and special in its own way.

We can say that Friday stands apart precisely within the framework of the church rules of Holy Week. Following biblical scriptures, the church believes that it was on this day of the week that Jesus Christ was crucified, and then, on the third day, that is, on Sunday, he was resurrected. On Good Friday, any work is prohibited (of course, for regular work to modern man You will have to go, but you must definitely refuse to do housework and kitchen work). On Good Friday, fasting is as strict as possible and it is recommended not to eat anything until the shroud is taken out.

Maundy Monday

On this day, they begin cleaning the house and area in preparation for Easter. Fasting for a person is a way to cleanse himself physically, prayers and repentance are a way to cleanse himself spiritually. But not only the person, but also his home must be prepared for the big holiday.

Maundy Tuesday

This day of Lent is intended to continue cleaning the house and continue your spiritual preparation for the Easter holiday. Since on the eve of the Resurrection of Christ the house needs to be thoroughly cleaned, the sooner it starts, the more time there will be on Maundy Thursday - the last day when you can clean the house in order to perform a variety of rituals.

Note! After the end of Maundy Thursday, you can no longer clean the house until Easter, and then throughout the holiday week. It is for this reason that it is recommended to start cleaning the house at the beginning of Holy Week, and not leave everything until the period of Clean Week.
Thursday.

Great Wednesday

Again, we continue to prepare ourselves and our homes for the holiday. It will be necessary to adhere to the same strict rules on this day, Holy Week: what can be done and what cannot be done. As for nutrition, during the first three days of the Great Week you can eat only plant foods and only cold. That is, cooking food, vegetable oil is prohibited.

It is important to attend church and pray during this period. In principle, if you don’t have time to go to church for a service, you can pray at home. It is important to do all this with awareness, sincerity and love.

Maundy Thursday

Well, many people know about this day of Holy Week and many are looking forward to it with great impatience. Because, rules, Holy Week: there are many things you can do and what you can’t do on Maundy Thursday, and there are more conspiracies and rituals, prayers than any prohibitions (as it will be, for example, the very next day on Good Friday) .

On Maundy Thursday it is customary to finish cleaning the house and complete all the laundry. You should not ignore cleaning on this day, because it is believed that if there is dirt in the house today, then throughout the year there will be constant quarrels and squabbles in this house. Great .

Other beliefs on Maundy Thursday:
For the first time in Rus', it was customary to cut children's hair on Maundy Thursday. Also, some wool is cut off from livestock on this day to ensure their health and well-being throughout the year.
In the morning, you must wash everything in the house - this will protect your home from illness and quarrels.
On this day you cannot borrow anything from home, and the rule remains until Easter.
In order for money to flow throughout the year, it will be necessary per day Holy Thursday count them three times: at dawn, at noon, and also at midnight.
You can prepare Thursday salt. Each family member should take a handful of salt and pour it into a cloth bag. Heat this salt in a frying pan and then store it in the red corner for a year. If someone gets sick, add this salt to their food.
On Thursday you can remove the damage from yourself. To do this, wash yourself before dawn, saying: “I am washing off what they put on me. Let both body and soul be clean. Amen".
Already on this day you can replace the dough for flat cakes and Easter cakes, which will be prepared in
Holy Saturday.

Good Friday

You cannot do anything, and it is recommended to abstain from food until the shroud of Jesus Christ is brought into the center of the temple during the evening service. Holy Week: Do's and Don'ts applies specifically to Good Friday. This applies directly to prohibitions.

If a secular person will definitely have to go to work on this day, then housework: sewing, washing, knitting, cooking, must be postponed. Working on this day is a great sin. Good Friday is the day when Jesus Christ was crucified; it is the most mournful day of the year.

Holy Saturday

On this day of Holy Week, fasting is observed according to the same rules as the first four days. You can no longer clean the house, sew or do laundry, but you can completely devote yourself to preparing the most different dishes for the Easter table. On this day, food is also blessed in temples.

These are the prohibitions, recommendations on what must be done, and others important aspects Holy Week must always be remembered. This is not only a time of strict fasting and prayer, it is a time active preparation for the holiday of Easter.