Trinity 2021: date, traditions, what to do and what not to do on this day

Updated July 20, 2021
Hello, dear readers of the KtoNaNovenkogo.ru blog. To motivate yourself after unsuccessful attempts to perform any action (hand in a quarterly report, beg your loved one for money for another handbag), they say: “God loves a trinity.”

A popular expression, but its essence is vague. What is the Trinity, a certain group of three persons, a mystical number or a significant event associated with lush greenery, round dances, wreaths, the smell of freshly cut grass and incense...

We'll find out!

Traditions of celebrating Trinity

Trinity Sunday is also called Pentecost (celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter) and Green Sunday.

According to Orthodox tradition, the floor of the church on Trinity Sunday is covered with freshly cut grass, icons and houses are decorated with young birch branches. Young greenery reminds believers that under the influence of God's grace, human souls blossom with goodness.

Plucked branches on the eve of Trinity Day or on the holiday itself are consecrated in the church and then kept at home as a talisman all year round.

The Day of the Holy Trinity means the beginning of summer, the name day of Mother Earth, the blossoming of nature, it was always greeted magnificently and cheerfully, with festivities and fortune-telling. Since ancient times, the holiday has been very revered among the people and carried many traditions.

Trinity in 2021: history and traditions of the holiday

Priests prepare for this day in a special way, and wear special outfits for services. The date of the great holiday changes every year. Trinity Day is celebrated 50 days after Easter and in 2021 falls on Sunday, June 20.

The holiday of the Holy Trinity is filled with deep sacred meaning: the events remembered on this day played an important role in the formation of the Christian religion.

history of the holiday

Trinity Day is established in honor of the triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

As the New Testament says, before the Ascension into heaven, which occurred 40 days after the Resurrection of Christ (Easter), Jesus Christ told his disciples that he would leave the Earth, but as a consolation he would send them the Holy Spirit - a kind of communication channel between man and God. Therefore, the Orthodox holiday of the Trinity symbolizes the Triune God, who was revealed in all his fullness - in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Icon "Trinity"

It is believed that God is always invisibly next to us, and at any moment we can turn to him for help. It is for this purpose that the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, was sent to our planet.

On this day, Orthodox Christians remember the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, after which the Lord’s disciples became able to speak different languages and dispersed throughout the world to preach the teachings of Christ.

The traditions of celebrating Trinity began many centuries ago and have survived to this day. Trinity is also called Pentecost, as it is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter, and Green Sunday.

According to Orthodox tradition, on this day the floor of the temple is covered with freshly cut grass, and the icons are decorated with young birch branches. The color of the vestments of the clergy on this day is green, depicting the life-giving and renewing power of the Saint. Flowering branches remind believers that under the influence of God's grace, human souls blossom with goodness.

Icon "Trinity" in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.

The day of the descent of the Holy Spirit is considered the day of the creation of the Christian church. The fact is that the Apostle Peter, having received the gift of carrying the teachings of the Lord throughout the world, even to distant countries, already with his first sermon attracted thousands of people to Christianity. They all believed in the Lord, repented of their sins and were baptized. This is how, according to scripture, the history of the Church of Christ began. And the Orthodox now celebrate the Trinity: the unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

How to prepare

Before the holiday, Orthodox Christians decorate their home with birch branches, fresh herbs and wildflowers. They take birch branches with them to the temple, to services, in order to consecrate them.

It was customary to organize a festive feast on Trinity Sunday. Therefore, housewives baked pancakes and prepared delicacies from fruits and vegetables.

On the eve of the celebration, the girls wondered “about the groom.” There were different methods, but the most famous was “birch tree curling.” The girls went into the forest, bent young birch trees towards themselves and wove a small wreath on the top. So to speak, they “curled” the tree. And on Trinity itself they came to the birch tree and checked: if the wreath remained on the tree, then the girl would soon have a successful marriage, a magnificent wedding and a “full cup” in family life, and if the birch tree withered or the wreath came undone, then in the coming year There's no point in waiting for an offer.

Celebration of Trinity in Rostov-on-Don

During the green week, men enjoyed the summer weather and relaxation between sowing and haymaking, and also went out for mass celebrations - they danced in circles with girls, jumped over the fire, showing off their brave prowess.

By the way, the day before Trinity is Parents' Saturday, also a special day in the Orthodox calendar, when priests read special funeral services. It is customary for believers to go to the cemetery on Parents' Saturday to remember deceased relatives.

What not to do

People say that on Holy Trinity you cannot walk in the forest, swim, get a haircut, and so on. In fact, there are practically no prohibitions on this holiday. The Church believes that the main thing on this day is to avoid in every possible way those very popular superstitions. The priests say that you need to live this day “in a Christian way”: go to church and pray for the forgiveness of sins. If bathing and other activities do not interfere with spiritual cleansing, then you should not give them up.

Trinity Celebration

But work is more difficult. Initially, they believed that it was under no circumstances possible to work for Trinity. They say that in this way a person shows his disrespect for God. Partly because of this, services are held exclusively on Sundays. But in the modern world it is difficult to follow such a rule. And the Church slightly changed its attitude towards this: if the work cannot be rescheduled, then there is nothing wrong with that.

Folk signs

They tried not to schedule a wedding for this day - it was believed that nothing good would await such a family. But dating or matchmaking on this holiday is a good sign.
It is believed that if it rains on Trinity, there will be a good harvest all year, lots of mushrooms and good weather.

Trinity rituals for love and marriage

To speed up the meeting with their betrothed, the girls performed the following rituals:

A bouquet of meadow herbs was blessed in the church, and at home they crushed it and prepared a decoction. While washing with it, they said: “Ant-grass, bring me a groom. Let life boil, and let your soul burn with love”;

they wove a wreath from branches of herbs and leaves, and at midnight they threw it into the water, saying: “Betrothed-mummer, find the wreath and bring it to me” (if the wreath drowns - there will be trouble, it spins in place - the girl will be unmarried for a year, they float with the flow - wait for the groom);
Before going to bed, they put a bunch of meadow grass under the pillow so that they could see their betrothed in a dream.

Folk rituals for Trinity

To improve health

To do this, just wash your face with morning dew or walk in the rain.

To attract success

To attract success, they weave a wreath with yellow flowers alone and, climbing a hill, read a prayer, and then leave a gift to God

To fulfill your wishes

A wreath with red flowers is thrown into the water and the mermaids are asked to help. There must be one desire

What to do during Trinity Week

Trinity Week consists of holidays:

Semik - Thursday on the eve of Trinity (Semik was considered a women's holiday, which was celebrated by young unmarried girls and performed rituals for love);
Parents' Saturday - believers visited the cemetery, cleaned the graves, remembered the deceased, read a prayer for the repose of the soul;
Trinity Sunday;
Spiritual Day - Monday after Trinity

Our ancestors had time for Trinity:

collect meadow grass and birch branches; folk signs say that on this day plants have special miraculous powers and will cure all ailments;

attend a church service;
remember the dead;
take a walk, have fun;
tell fortunes for the future.

According to Slavic traditions, on Trinity Sunday they lit a fire, danced in circles, and baked a loaf of bread. The table was covered with a new tablecloth. After the meal they did not wash it, but left it under the spouses’ bed. It was believed that the love tablecloth would bring harmony and understanding between spouses.

On Spiritual Day, the land was treated with respect; field work was not recommended. They carried out the ritual of “feeding the earth”: the eldest woman in the family buried a piece of bread in the ground with the words: “Birthday girl of the earth, give us a good harvest.”

Feast of the Holy Trinity: what does it mean?

Let’s move on from complex theological concepts to more familiar categories—festive ones.

After all, first of all, Trinity is a holiday, one of those that the church classifies as the twelve (12 most important after Easter). It is associated with the emerald greenery of forbs, birch branches, and the smell of freshly cut grass.

Trinity: what kind of holiday is this for believers? Not at all banal twigs and flowers and barbecue gatherings in a friendly company under the canopy of birches.

This is an annual remembrance of the gospel event - the descent of the Holy Spirit.

As the New Testament says, before ascending into the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus made a promise to the apostles that to complete the work of saving people, the Comforter - the Holy Spirit - would come to them, and this would happen very soon. The Jerusalem apostles waited: together with the Blessed Virgin Mary and other believers, they gathered daily to read the Holy Scriptures and pray.

On the 10th day after the Ascension, a noise was heard, tongues of fire appeared (they shone, but did not burn), descending on the heads of the disciples. The apostles acquired the ability to speak foreign languages and could now preach to different nations. Thus, Christian teaching began to spread throughout the world, and this was started by 12 simple, illiterate workers.

What happened clearly showed the existence of 3 Persons of God, one in essence, and the day of the descent of the Holy Spirit is considered to be the day of the birth of the Christian Church.

What is cooked and eaten on Trinity Sunday in Russia

Of course, any holiday also means a delicious table, at which you can not only satisfy your hunger, but also have a pleasant conversation with family and friends. This tradition has long existed in Rus' - housewives prepared festive dishes in advance before the Holy Trinity and put the house in complete order.

The fact is that on the holiday itself, the whole family went to church in the morning, and then they had to sit down at the prepared table at home.

In general, traditional dishes are served on Trinity Sunday. But there is one important condition: they all must be quite light, summer-ready. Fatty, smoked, heavy meat and everything like that are not welcome.

It is better to focus on vegetables and fruits, cereals, dietary meat, fish. You can’t do without light salads, fresh juices, and herbs. The following dishes can be prepared for Trinity:

vegetable casserole;
pies with onions and eggs, spinach, and other herbs;
vegetable stew;
bigos with chicken;
baked fish.

You can also serve cottage cheese at the holiday table, and pancakes with sour cream or any other tasty filling as a snack. A good red wine will look appropriate, and white wine will go well with fish. As for strong drinks, it is better to abstain from them.

Video ritual Trinity

Trinity rituals can be not only of a loving nature, but also aimed at attracting various benefits to the family.

So, on Trinity Sunday it is customary to carry out the ritual of driving a bush:

You can see about the most beautiful holiday - Trinity, and its rituals here:

Many rituals performed on Trinity are intended to preserve the hearth and family wealth. From time immemorial, a woman was considered the keeper of this hearth. Therefore, it is the woman who should take care of herself on such a day first of all. You can use this ritual for beauty and preservation of youth.

To carry it out you will need:

birch leaves;
lovage;
peonies.

Three days before the holiday, the prepared herbs should be dried near the window. On the day of the celebration, take the flowers to the church. When planning to take a bath in the evening, you should take some prepared herbs, and standing on the threshold say: “Remember, Trinity, my loneliness.” Only after the words have been spoken, place the flowers in the water and swim. The ritual is designed not only for single ladies, but also for married women who lack attention from their man.

An equally important aspect in family life is wealth. To make it easier for a man to build his career, a woman can prepare a special amulet.

To do this you will need:

a piece of cotton fabric;
red threads;
leaves of clover, oak, wormwood.

On Trinity Day, take the dried herbs to the church and bless them. Then, when you get home, fold it into cloth and tie it to make a bag. Place the blank in the pillow of the person for whom this amulet was intended. Such a talisman can clear a person’s thoughts, make the head work well, and smart ideas come more often.

How to spend Trinity - a commentary from the church

Thus, the traditions of how Trinity is celebrated in Russia are quite rich. And here is the promised video commentary by the priest on this topic.

The holiday of Holy Pentecost itself is very rich in bright summer colors. After all, it is always celebrated either at the end of spring in May, or in the summer in June, when even in our latitudes the warm season usually begins. Needless to say, a real new “summer of the Lord” is coming.

Therefore, the celebration of the Holy Trinity can be called, without exaggeration, good, truly bright, and that means it should be met and celebrated accordingly.

Folk traditions

In the Slavic folk tradition, the day is called Trinity or Trinity Day and is celebrated as a holiday either for one day (Sunday) or three days (from Sunday to Tuesday), and in general the period of Trinity holidays includes Midsummer, Ascension, Semik, the week preceding Trinity, Trinity itself week, certain days of the week following Trinity, which are celebrated in order to avoid drought or hail or as a commemoration for unclean dead (primarily Thursday), as well as Peter's spell.

Traditions and customs on Trinity Day

The holiday of Trinity in Ancient Rus' took root only after baptism. The peasants put the house in order, and then decorated the walls with green branches of maple, birch or rowan. This symbolized the arrival of real spring, the continuation and prosperity of life.

The girls braided wreaths, which they lowered into the river in the evening, bending low so as not to touch with their hands. The wreath had to fall into the water on its own. Afterwards, they carefully watched him, in which direction he swam - from there and wait for the groom. If the wreath does not budge, then there will be no wedding this year, and if it drowns, then the hostess will face trouble.

Tradition of releasing wreaths

By tradition, the days of the holiday are called “Green Week”. They bring any greenery, tree branches, flowers to church for consecration. Then they decorate the house to cleanse it of evil spirits. This tradition has survived to this day. Blessed greens were also dried and used as a cure for diseases, evil eyes and evil intentions.

After attending a church service, they held a celebration, baked a loaf, and invited guests. The remains of the loaf from the table were dried and added to the pie dough for the wedding. People believed that this would bring prosperity and joy in family life.

Green Christmastide

Long before the adoption of Christianity, in early June, festivities related to the veneration of Mother Earth took place in Rus'. They were called “green” or “emerald” days, hence the popular name for Trinity Day - Green Christmastide.

According to legends, on Green Christmastide the earth should not be disturbed - planting or replanting plants, digging and loosening, removing weeds. Let the birthday girl rest, then she will be favorable to man.

Trinity spell for good luck

On Trinity Sunday they cast a spell for good luck and success in business:

“I will get up, pray, go out, cross myself, climb a high mountain, look around on all four sides. How on the eastern side a black horse grazes in a green meadow, wild and violent. No one saddled him, no one rode him, that horse did not know the stirrups or reins. I will tame that horse, and he will walk under me obediently, carry me wherever I want. My will is strong, my word is true. Amen".

Love spell for Trinity

And in order to bewitch her beloved, on Trinity Day a woman collects grass, weaves a small wreath from it and, when she goes to bed, puts it under her pillow with a spell:

“As these herbs curled and intertwined into a wreath, so let the servant of God (name) curl and twine around me, the servant of God (name), as the wreath withers and dries, so let it dry and grieve for me, God’s servant (name) ), does not binge on food, does not wash it down with drink, does not go on a spree; whether he is at a feast or during a conversation, whether he is in the field or in the house - I would not leave his mind.

May my words be strong and sculpted, stronger than stone and damask steel, a sharp knife and a greyhound spear. And the key to my words is a confirmation, and a strong fortress, and a strong force in the heights of heaven, and a castle in the depths of the sea. Let it be so!".

How to celebrate Trinity

There is a custom on this day to venerate the icon of the Holy Trinity; some people light three candles for it. You can also put candles to any icon. Separately, it should be noted that on this day it is not customary to light candles for repose; Parents' Saturday is reserved for this. But you should light candles for the health of yourself and your loved ones on Trinity Sunday

The clergy wear green clothes, which means eternal life (white and gold colors are acceptable). Temples are also decorated with greenery. On Trinity Sunday they collect birch branches and meadow grasses. In the morning, parishioners go to the festive service in the church with flowers and branches. It should be noted that during the period from Easter to the Holy Trinity, all prayers were read standing, and only starting from Trinity, kneeling prayers are read, cleansing from sins, calming the souls of the dead. On Trinity Sunday itself, the Gospel of John is read.

Art

The Icon of the Holy Trinity (otherwise the Trinity or Hospitality of Abraham) is the most famous of Russian icons and was painted by Andrei Rublev (15th century). Now the icon is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery, where all conditions for humidity and temperature conditions have been created for it. Every year on Trinity Day, the icon is very carefully delivered to the Church (museum) of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi.

Is it true that plantings cannot be done after Trinity?

May 13, 10:33

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The fact that after Trinity you cannot plant a vegetable garden is nothing more than a popular belief.

In Rus', on the days of major Christian holidays, they tried to refrain from hard work and devoted time to God and loved ones. This is where the belief arose that on Trinity Sunday it is not allowed to dig, sow, or replant.

In addition, the date of Trinity changes from year to year and depends on Easter. The earliest Easter falls on April 4th. It turns out that planting, regardless of weather conditions, must be completed before May 23, and this is unrealistic in many climatic zones, explains goodgrunt.ru.

June 03, 8:45