The meaning of Sunday in the life of an Orthodox Christian
This day is a holiday in the life of Orthodox Christians. A person works all week, trying to complete all the necessary daily tasks before Sunday. Sunday is reserved for visiting church, warm communication with loved ones, and the opportunity for spiritual cleansing.
This does not mean at all that the day should be spent in idleness, lying on the sofa, because Christian commandments and laziness are incompatible concepts. On Sunday, every Christian should participate in the Divine Liturgy; it is great if he can receive communion weekly.
Sunday symbolizes the resurrection of Christ, his victory over death. That is why Orthodox Christians devote this day to reading the Bible, prayers, and charitable deeds (visiting sick, lonely acquaintances and relatives, giving alms). The day is set aside for glorifying the Lord, reading spiritual literature, talking about God, and attending Sunday school.
What holiday is today? February 19, 2022
February 19, according to the Orthodox calendar, is the day of remembrance of the Venerable Vukola, Bishop of Smyrna. According to the folk calendar, the date was called Vukol-calf.
Vukol lived in the 1st century, was kind and chaste, studied with John the Theologian. The mentor appreciated Vukola’s high educational abilities and appointed him bishop to the temple of the Asia Minor city of Smyrna.
The Monk Vukol opened the path to the true faith to many pagans and baptized them. After his death, a myrtle tree grew at the burial site, which had the ability to heal the sick.
What believers can and cannot do on Sunday
Life makes its own adjustments to people's daily routines. Many of them work in shifts, have irregular working hours, and sometimes need to be at work on Sunday. There are no categorical prohibitions on this. The Church says that on this day you cannot work for profit or perform actions that can be postponed.
It is strictly forbidden on Sunday:
- quarrel and swear with others;
- gamble;
- commit adultery, drink large amounts of alcohol;
- gossip and slander;
- provoke scandals and quarrels;
- visit fortune tellers and sorcerers.
Of course, all these actions are not welcomed by the church on other days of the week.
Important: reading horoscopes and dream books refers to fortune telling.
You should not plan things for this day that can be postponed to another date. Of the household duties, only urgent ones are left (cooking, washing dishes, childcare responsibilities). Sick family members, elderly parents, and the presence of a subsidiary farm require daily care. Such works are a godly deed. On Sunday you should not:
- Visit beauty salons (hair cutting and coloring, manicures, pedicures are not recommended);
- Go to the sauna, pool, SPA treatments;
- Wash and iron clothes.
- Do handicrafts, sewing and knitting.
- Work in the countryside.
- Start some general cleaning or renovation.
- Arrange feasts.
It is believed that you should not start new business on Sunday. It is better to postpone important events until a weekday.
Biblical Taboos: 10 Prohibitions That Christians Should Not Violate
Tattoos
According to Christian canons, making any marks on the body is strictly prohibited. The body of a Christian belongs to God, the Holy Spirit descends on it, so applying any butterflies, dragons or writing to the skin is simply unacceptable. This is how the Bible speaks about it, the plain text: “You shall not make any cuts in your flesh, nor write on yourselves. I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:28).
Haircut and shaving
Those “bearded men” who consider themselves brutal barterers are, in fact, by biblical standards, ordinary little guys. “Do not shave your head round, and do not spoil the edges of your beard” - Leviticus 19:27. This is how normal men are seen according to long-standing canons.
Fortune telling and horoscopes
While not everyone can boast of going to fortune tellers, we have all read horoscopes. Some more often, some less often, but they read. It is a fact. Almost every magazine or newspaper has a list of “prophecies” addressed to the 12 zodiac signs on the back page. There is also such a trick as “compatibility of zodiac signs”... So, all this is strictly prohibited by the Bible. The same Leviticus (19:31): “Do not turn to those who call the dead, and do not go to magicians, and do not bring yourself to defilement from them. I am the Lord your God."
Deprived of manhood
Suddenly? But it's a fact! If, God forbid, the same thing happens to someone as happened to the hero of the novel “Fiesta” by Ernst Hemingway, he will not see the Kingdom of Heaven. Even if it happens by tragic accident... It doesn’t matter! This is what Deuteronomy (23:1) says about this: “Whoever has his yatras crushed or his reproductive member cut off cannot enter into the congregation of the Lord.” So, be careful!
Wives interfering in men's fights
Actually, we are talking about a specific situation that must meet certain conditions: if two men are fighting, then a woman cannot interfere in any way and grab someone else’s man by the “casual place”, otherwise she must be deprived of her hand (or hands, if both are enough). It is not specified who will carry out the punishment, but in Deuteronomy (25:11-12) it literally reads like this: “When men are fighting among themselves, and the wife of one comes up to take her husband away from the hands of him who is beating him, and stretching out her hand, she grabs him for a shameful oud, then cut off her hand: let not your eye have mercy on her.”
Piglets, rabbits and other animals
The Bible gives strict restrictions regarding the foods that can be eaten. Pork, rabbit meat, camel meat - all this is strictly prohibited for Christians, as well as for Muslims and Jews. We impose the “rule of the law” in its entirety, without twisting: “Just do not eat these from those who chew the cud and have cloven hooves: a camel, because it chews the cud, but its hooves are not cloven, it is unclean for you... and a hare, because it chews chewing gum, but its hooves are not cloven, it is unclean to you; and a pig, because its hooves are cloven and there is a deep cut in its hooves, but it does not chew the cud, it is unclean for you; Do not eat their meat and do not touch their corpses; they are unclean to you” (Leviticus 11:3-8).
Oysters, shrimp, lobsters and other seafood are also prohibited
France, Spain, Italy, Portugal - no matter what coast you live on - no crustaceans or molluscs! Even if you are in India, Thailand or the Philippines, a Christian cannot eat such things. Will you stay hungry? Can't enjoy a glass of beer without shrimp or anchovies? Your problems: “...all those who do not have feathers and scales, whether in the seas or rivers, of all those who swim in the waters and of all those living in the waters, are unclean to you; they shall be unclean to you: you shall not eat their flesh, and you shall abhor their corpses.” Leviticus 11:10-11 speaks about this, but at the same time it is permissible to eat locusts. But this delicacy is clearly not for everyone.
Second wedding: marriage or marriage
This prohibition is based on one of the Ten Commandments, which concerns adultery. She does not take into account what you said there or signed in the registry office: if you got married, be kind enough to be faithful to each other no matter what. “He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if a wife divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” More on this in Mark 10:11-12.
Losing virginity before marriage
Today no one wants to hear about suddenly giving up sex before marriage: how can you date and not do it? Girls and boys - both want the same thing - to enjoy the benefits of family life without being married. This is what Deuteronomy 22:21-22 says: “If what is said is true, and the virginity of the damsel is not found, then let the maiden be brought to the door of her father’s house, and the inhabitants of her city will stone her to death, for she has done a shameful thing among Israel, having committed fornication in his father's house; and [so] destroy evil from among you.”
Saturday is not for work
The fact is that the Bible commands one day a week to be given to God. The Old Testament, according to which the Jews live, defined this day as Saturday - Shabbat. For Christians, the day to give to the Lord is determined by the New Testament. This Sunday. But giving the day to God does not mean parasitizing the whole day from morning to evening, visiting friends and doing nothing. Giving a day to God means going to church, reading the Holy Letter and doing other things that make a person more perfect spiritually. Yes yes exactly! “And you shall keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you; whoever profanes it shall be betrayed.” Feel free to replace Saturday with Sunday if you are a Christian and not a Jew.
Reasons for prohibitions and restrictions
In the whirlwind of everyday affairs, people have no time left to think about God, for warm friendly communication with loved ones and household members, for their own spiritual development. That is why Christian commandments command us to put aside our usual activities and devote ourselves entirely to communication with God on this day.
The Lord, who created the world in 7 days, dedicated the eighth day to rest from work, and he bequeathed the same to Christians. In addition, Sunday is considered a small Easter, the holiday of the resurrection of the Lord and glorification of his disciples and followers.
For trade workers who are forced to work on Sunday, part of the money they earn should be directed to helping the sick and disadvantaged, and to charity.
Signs for Vukol's Memorial Day
- Spill cow's milk - the animal will begin to give it less.
- A cow gives birth to a calf - to the well-being of the family.
- A frosty day means a warm spring. Particularly severe frosts mean a hot summer.
- Dawn with a golden hue - for good weather in the coming days.
- The cat is looking for warm places and hiding its face under its paws - to the imminent frost.
- Seeing a mouse running through the snow means a thaw.
- Birds sit on the upper branches of trees - warming up. Birds sit on lower branches or walk on the ground - frosts will remain for now.
- Tobacco gets damp - it’s time for snowfall.
- On February 19th it became warmer - cows will produce little milk.
What to do on Sunday
You need to start your morning by visiting church and participating in the Divine Liturgy. Coming from church, you should have breakfast with your family. Sunday food should be hearty, without excess and alcohol.
Sincere prayers, reading Orthodox literature, sincere conversation with loved ones - free hours should be devoted to this. You can meet with friends, take a walk in the park, thinking about the Creator, talk to your children about business in a calm, friendly tone. It will be pleasing to God to visit sick and elderly relatives, visit an orphanage, an animal shelter, and participate in charity events.
In the evening they attend the evening service, and before going to bed they must read a prayer. A restful sleep will help you prepare for the new work week.
You should not devote your entire day to watching TV series, playing computer games, or frivolous chatting. There is no need to provoke loved ones into quarrels or sort out relationships with children and spouses. The day should pass in a calm, friendly atmosphere.
conclusions
For an Orthodox Christian, Sunday is a day of spiritual purification and development, an opportunity to communion with oneself and help loved ones, to become closer to the Lord. This is a time of reflection and sincere prayers glorifying the Creator, an opportunity to study the Holy Scriptures and Lives of the Saints, share your thoughts with loved ones and talk about Orthodoxy and Christianity.
The day should be calm, it is necessary to maintain goodwill, a good mood, and not respond to possible aggression from others. Good deeds and deeds will help you better understand yourself and your purpose, and appreciate God’s mercy towards yourself and your loved ones. After all, visiting hospitals, hospices, orphanages and orphanages, a person quickly begins to realize how valuable it is that the Lord has taken away such troubles from him, and how many people there are in the world who need sincere sympathy and help.
However, before you personally go to an orphanage or hospice, you should ask for the priest’s blessing and evaluate your own capabilities, since not all people are emotionally ready for such self-sacrifice. Sometimes it is better to limit yourself to financial assistance. It must be remembered that the main thing is purity of thoughts and sincerity in the desire to join the Lord.
Of course, the ideal Sunday for an Orthodox Christian has been described, but modern people rarely manage to spend it like this. What to do if you need to complete unfinished work, your profession requires you to be present at the workplace, you need to get your children to kindergarten and school? For many, Sunday is the only day off when they need to do a bunch of household chores.
The Church tolerates necessary activities. No one will consider a doctor or teacher, electrician or lifeguard working on Sunday a sinner. A mother who washes and irons children’s clothes and household clothes will not be called a sinner in order to be neat the next day. The Lord is merciful, he does not blame people for their work. The main thing is purity of thoughts, a sincere desire to be close to him, and not to forget about your own spiritual development.
