What to do on Maundy Thursday before Easter. What you absolutely cannot do before Easter on Maundy Thursday. Is it possible to clean up after Maundy Thursday?

In 2016, Maundy Thursday falls on tomorrow, April 28. “Evening Volgograd.ru” will tell you why Thursday is called Clean Thursday, and will explain the main signs and customs of Clean Thursday this year. Believers and those who fast are concerned about another important question - what can you do on Maundy Thursday and what can you eat on this day.

According to Orthodox traditions, Holy Week is currently ongoing, which in 2016 will end on May 1 with the most important Christian holiday - Easter. This is the last and most strict week of Great Lent, when believers not only fast, but also prepare for Easter.

Holy Week is the strictest week of Lent. It presupposes a particularly strong adherence to purity of spirit and body. Therefore, sometimes Holy Week is called Clean Week. Throughout the entire Clean (Holy Week) people prepared their home for the Easter holiday. Believers strive to meet her according to all the rules, according to traditions and customs.

Maundy (Maundy) Thursday - 2016

Let us note that there are especially many traditions and signs associated with Maundy Thursday. On this day, Christians remember the Last Supper and the establishment of the sacrament of the Eucharist (communion) by Jesus Christ. On Maundy Thursday, Orthodox Christians commemorate Christ's washing of the disciples' feet, his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane and the betrayal of Judas.

In churches throughout Russia they serve the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great and consecrate freshly brewed myrrh. On this day, the Patriarch symbolically washes the feet of 12 priests.

Maundy Thursday in the traditions of the Russian people.

In Rus' this day is called Maundy Thursday. There are many folk signs, customs and conspiracies associated with it that have pre-Christian roots.

What do you do on Maundy Thursday? First of all, on Maundy Thursday, houses are thoroughly cleaned. The second custom on Maundy Thursday is preparation for Easter.

On this day, everything related to washing, cleaning, water and bathing has symbolic meaning. On this day, they got up very early, even before sunrise, and washed or swam in open reservoirs. Allegedly, swimming on Maundy Thursday is akin to Epiphany. Water can wash away sins and illnesses, so you can stock up on health for the whole year.

Believers must visit the church, where they undergo confession and communion. You should start preparing the house for Easter: do a general cleaning, clean all the far corners of the house, wash the floors, kitchen utensils, walls and ceilings. Housewives can start a huge wash, shake out and vacuum all the carpets.

And according to tradition, after this general cleaning on Maundy Thursday, the housewife no longer cleans the house until Easter. Also on this day, women began pre-holiday cooking. They baked Easter cakes from dough, prepared cottage cheese Easter cakes, and baked boiled pork. In Rus', it was on this day that the whole family painted eggs.

Why is it necessary to wash on Maundy Thursday?

On Maundy Thursday you need to wake up early - before the sun rises. What you definitely need to do on Maundy Thursday is take a swim. Swimming on Maundy Thursday has symbolic power - we thus wash away our sins.

What can you eat on Maundy Thursday - 2016

Thursday, April 28, is a day of fasting. Only dry eating is allowed (consumption of bread, raw vegetables, fruits, dried fruits, honey, nuts). There are no concessions. You cannot eat meat, fish, or caviar.

Maundy Thursday: signs

Some signs are also associated with this day.

Maundy Thursday: a sign for money.

In order for the family to always have money on Maundy Thursday, it was considered correct to count the money, not once, but three times a day. In the morning, as soon as we woke up and the sun had not risen, as well as at lunchtime and at sunset.

Maundy Thursday: a sign of salt

On this day, Thursday salt is prepared. How to do it? Each family member needs to take regular salt (hands must be clean!) and pour handfuls into one pot. Then, throughout the year, you can add this salt to the water when harvesting. It is believed that such Thursday salt will cleanse the energy of the house. This salt was also calcined and used as a “cure” for all diseases (it was believed to be healing).

Many necessary accomplishments await us during Holy Week. So, for example, today we will try to find out what needs to be done on Maundy Thursday before Easter. This day, like all the days of Holy Week, is Great. They call it Pure because today it is necessary to cleanse the soul with prayers.

Why is Maundy Thursday important and what should you do on this day? First of all, early in the morning, before dawn, you need to swim in a river or lake. But if you live in the city, then a contrast shower can also be considered a completed ritual. Even if you don't believe in the miraculous properties of water on Maundy Thursday, it's still worth taking a bath. At least you will be clean in body.

What else should you do on Maundy Thursday? The entire house needs to be cleaned. I agree with the rituals performed by Christians, after this day you will not be able to clean for 6 days. Even if you are working, find the strength to clean your house of dust and dirt, wash all the windows, doors and floors. Otherwise you will spend Easter in a house full of dirt. You can’t do anything at all on Good Friday, it’s Holy Friday. Easter treats are most often prepared on Holy Saturday. On Great Sunday - Easter, accordingly, on such a day there is a celebration and there is no time for cleaning the house. Then you won’t be able to do anything for another three days.



On Maundy Thursday, by the way, windows should be washed with water containing change. Moreover, cleaning the house should begin with windows and doors. When everything is clean, pour the water under the tree that you like best, and place the coins in the farthest corner of the house. All this is done so that money is not transferred to your home until next Maundy Thursday. And in the new year, perform these rituals again.

On Maundy Thursday, Thursday salt was previously collected from three houses, then it was fired in the oven, and silver water was also prepared by dipping a silver spoon into the holy water. Salt was kept to heal the sick, sometimes even terminally ill. And they washed themselves with water and drank it right away that day.




After all the above rituals, on Maundy Thursday in 2018 you can start baking Easter cakes and decorating eggs. Pre-cleaning the house is very important, otherwise your cakes will not rise.

But what you cannot do on Maundy Thursday, as well as on the other days of Holy Week, is guess. According to the rituals of Holy Week, it is also forbidden to celebrate any holidays, have fun, dance or sing. On such a day, the best thing would be to cleanse your home, body and soul with the help of prayers.

We hope that the question of what they do on Maundy Thursday will no longer arise, since we have fully collected all the information. It remains to find out what you can eat on Maundy Thursday. Many Orthodox Christians refuse any food on such a day. But even if you observe Lent, you still work, which means you must draw strength from somewhere. Therefore, we hasten to inform you that on Maundy Thursday you can eat bread and drink red wine. You can also eat foods that are not subject to heat treatment, but today they can be poured with vegetable oil, that is, they can be cooked

In 2018, Maundy Thursday will be celebrated on April 5, and many people are wondering whether it is possible to clean on this day or whether it is better to postpone all tasks for another time. The detailed answer to this question is given below.

Cleaning on Maundy Thursday - is it possible?

Definitely yes, and even necessary! It is believed that if the house is in complete order, then the year will be successful, because all household members will feel a wave of freshness, cleanliness and order.

Here we are faced with a fairly common case when Orthodox and folk traditions are harmoniously combined with each other.

Thursday of Holy Week is called clean because it was on this day that Christ washed the feet of all his 12 disciples (including Judas, who betrayed him a few hours later).

So it turned out that for several centuries in Rus' and in other countries people have sought to take a thorough swim on this day. And also to restore complete order in their homes - they removed cobwebs, swept away all the garbage, washed the windows and tinted the fences. This is understandable: Good Friday and Saturday are ahead. And then there is Easter - the main Christian holiday, which today, without exaggeration, is celebrated by billions of people on our planet.

Interestingly, many housewives still try not to pour dirty water left after cleaning into the toilet or other place in the house on Maundy Thursday. It would be better to take it out and pour it somewhere outside the apartment - on a rocky path or in a ditch, so as not to disturb plants and other living creatures.

NOTE

In fact, the question of whether it is possible to clean on Maundy Thursday can be reduced to a more general one: is it even possible to work on this day, or do any household or official work?

Of course, you can - life goes on as usual. And each person acts not only according to his own desire, but also in accordance with the actual circumstances.

Is it possible to clean on Friday after Maundy Thursday?

If a person does not have time to complete all his affairs, he can swim and clean the house both before and after Thursday, Wordyou reports. So, often circumstances are such that it is possible to tidy up, wash, etc. only on Wednesday evening. You can also do these things on Friday and Saturday - there are no strict prohibitions here.

This point of view is shared by representatives of the Orthodox Church.

However, it is important to make one caveat here. The fact is that Friday and Saturday in Holy Week (week) are the times when the Savior was executed and crucified, and his spirit left his lifeless body. It is clear that these are the most difficult, dramatic days for all believers, when even fasting involves the most serious restrictions.

Therefore, at such moments it will be better to focus on reading the Bible, prayers and virtues. The bustle of the house can simply distract from the holiday and the days preceding it - therefore, if possible, it is better to finish bathing, washing and general cleaning of the house on Thursday.

What else can you do on Maundy Thursday?

Here’s what else they do on Maundy Thursday before Easter according to folk traditions:

1. In modern conditions, not everyone can go to the bathhouse. But a silver spoon or other utensils made of this noble metal should probably be found in many homes. If you fill a silver bowl with water and wash your face with it in the morning (again, better before sunrise), you will receive a charge of vigor and health for the whole year. You can simply put a silver spoon in a vessel of water and wash your face.
2. You need to try to cleanse not only your body, but the whole house. On Maundy Thursday they try to get rid of all the trash, old things that have not been used for a long time.
3. Housewives are not forbidden to sew, wash and do other household chores on Maundy Thursday, and it is better to do them before the evening.
4. You also need to boil the eggs in the evening of Maundy Thursday, paint them, knead the dough, and then bake the Easter cakes. The pasochki will not go stale if you prepare them using the correct technology. An interesting nuance - on this day it is forbidden to take samples from Easter cake, eggs and other holiday dishes. Of course, this rule applies to a greater extent to churchgoers who observe Lent. However, those who have not fasted can also heed the advice.
5. Even on Maundy Thursday, the so-called Thursday salt is prepared. It is prepared on the basis of ordinary salt - the crystals are mixed with the soggy crumb of rye bread or with the grounds that remain after the kvass has settled. It is believed that it will serve as an excellent amulet for the whole family, and will last for a whole year.
6. On Maundy Thursday they also make peculiar conspiracies for money and for the betrothed. For example, you could put a silver coin in water overnight and then hide it in your wallet for a whole year. Or take a piece of soap and say the name of your loved one, saying: “(Name) sticks to me like soap.” Of course, these traditions are more likely to be folk than church traditions. However, there is nothing wrong with a person’s very desire to find love and live in abundance.

Maundy Thursday is the fourth day of the last, seventh week of Lent. The final week before Holy Easter is called Holy Easter, because it is dedicated to memories of the last days of the Lord’s earthly life, His suffering, crucifixion, death and burial.

Maundy Thursday is celebrated on the Thursday before Easter every year.
On this day, the Orthodox Church remembers the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the 12 Apostles.
Other holiday names
Maundy Thursday, Holy Thursday, Maundy Thursday, Thursday of Holy Week, Thursday of Holy Week.
Read more about Holy Week, what you can and cannot do.


On Maundy Thursday, active efforts begin to prepare for Easter. According to Russian custom, many things need to be done on this day. And at the same time, according to the Orthodox canons, one must not forget about the soul and repentance, because Maundy (Holy) Thursday is dedicated to the Last Supper, during which Christ performed the ritual that we call Holy Communion.
The date of Maundy Thursday is floating, as it directly depends on the celebration of Easter.
In 2018, Maundy Thursday falls on April 5th.
Date of Maundy Thursday in the coming years
– April 25, 2019.
– April 16, 2020.
– April 29, 2021.
Story
On this day, Jesus and His disciples held the Last Supper. On it the Savior washed the feet of the apostles. They protested and said that they were unworthy of such an act. But Jesus explained that this was His way of expressing His love and humility. He said that serving one's neighbor is not humiliating for a person.
At the end of the Supper, Jesus held a final farewell conversation, during which he said goodbye to the apostles. After this He offered them bread and wine, as His body and blood. This rite was called the Sacrament of Communion.
That night the Jewish chief priests sentenced Jesus to death. Therefore, the night from Thursday to Friday is considered a terrible time in Orthodoxy.
There have been many studies that have tried to explain why the betrayed Judas did this to Jesus, but none has been able to clarify the sinner's act. One version indicates that Judas became disillusioned with the teachings of the Savior. According to another theory, the traitor dreamed of being convinced of Christ’s abilities. One way or another, the apostle raised an uprising in Jerusalem, bringing the Messiah to the end of his earthly life.
Despite the dire consequences of this day, believers continue to honor Maundy Thursday. Christians desire to persistently be with the Lord in the last days of His worldly life, intensifying our prayers during Holy Week and intensifying our deeds of spirit and body. On this day, believers imitate Christ, who endured terrible suffering solely out of love for humanity. We must try to be more lenient towards weak people, to bring goodness, mercy and love into the world. Do not judge, stop all litigation, trials, disputes, punishments and learn forgiveness.
This is the most important day for the entire human race, since Maundy Thursday begins intensive preparation for Christ's Sunday. On Thursday, believers cleanse their souls and homes, on Friday food is prepared, and on Saturday the food is taken to church for consecration. On Maundy Thursday itself, you need to atone for your sins and, if possible, forgive the sins of other people whose actions caused you harm.
Traditions and rituals
The main traditions on this day are services in churches; communion; swimming until dawn; cleaning the house; baking Easter cakes; preparation of Thursday, or “black” salt; a haircut.
- On Maundy Thursday, it is customary to get up very early, before dawn, and the first thing to do is cleanse the body - take a bath or shower. This is done in memory of how Christ washed the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper. In addition, it is believed that water on this day cleanses not only from dirt, but also from sins, and from bad intentions, and from possible diseases. Therefore, while bathing, thoughts should be bright, then bathing will have a beneficial effect on health, psychological mood, and spiritual development of the individual.
- Many people not only wash themselves on Holy Thursday, but also get their hair cut. There is a belief that ailments, evil eyes and evil go away with the cut strands. In the old days, it was on this day that mothers cut their babies’ hair for the first time, so that damage would not stick to them, and so that the hair would be soft and healthy.
- On Great (Pure, Passionate) Thursday, believers, after washing, go to church, where they perform Matins, confess and receive communion. This is necessary in order to get rid of the burden of sins and cleanse yourself, and also to remember how Christ at the Last Supper broke bread and called it his body, and wine his blood. In memory of this, the clergy give parishioners prosphora and a sip of Cahors at communion.
- After washing and visiting the temple, believers have been cleaning the house and surrounding areas since ancient times. According to tradition, we start with icons and lamps. They are cleaned, renewed, and fresh oil is poured into the lamps. In addition, on Maundy Thursday it is important to get rid of garbage and unnecessary things that have accumulated over the entire previous year, wash all the dishes, and sweep out garbage from all corners.
- On this day, windows are washed so that nothing overshadows the holiday of the Resurrection, and doors, floors, walls and ceilings are also washed. In the old days, this was the last cleaning before Easter; the next time the housewife took up a broom only 6 days later.
- On Maundy Thursday there is also a big wash - housewives remove all textiles (curtains, bedspreads, bed linen) and wash them thoroughly. It is customary to wash rugs and featherbeds, beat out carpets and paths. Previously, all this was hung in the yard, and on the night of Good Friday the whole family slept on straw. This was not only a household necessity, but also a religious asceticism, because, according to the Gospel, on the last Friday before Easter, Christ accepted death on the cross, therefore, after Friday midnight, any excesses are unacceptable.
- It is on Maundy Thursday that custom dictates baking Easter cakes, making Easter from cottage cheese and painting Easter eggs. This is done with prayer, with due humility and with bright thoughts. You can’t start cooking Easter cakes in a bad mood, otherwise the dough won’t rise, and the eggs will crack if you put them on the boil while being angry at someone or arguing with someone.
What can you eat on Maundy Thursday?
Maundy Thursday falls in the last week of Lent. On this day, dry eating is allowed - uncooked food of plant origin: bread, water, salt, raw fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, honey, nuts. You should refrain from drinking alcohol.
What not to do on Maundy Thursday
- On this day you need to get rid of trash, but it is not customary to give anything to other people, that is, you can throw away what you don’t need, but you can’t give it away, otherwise prosperity and monetary luck will leave your home.
- On Holy Thursday they don’t even lend money, and they don’t share kitchen utensils with neighbors or relatives who live elsewhere. Previously, housewives preferred to stock up in advance on everything they might need, since they knew that on that day they would not be able to ask anyone about anything. True, following this tradition somehow does not fit with the mercy spoken of in church texts.
- On this holiday it is forbidden to have fun, sing, dance, or tell fortunes.
– There is no need to be angry, offended, or think about bad things.
– You cannot borrow money and things, especially kitchen utensils, otherwise prosperity will leave the house.
– It is prohibited to bake Easter cakes and paint eggs until the house is cleaned.
– You cannot leave dishes unwashed and laundry dirty.
Signs for Maundy Thursday
– A sunny day is a sign of sunny spring.
– If you swim in the river on Maundy Thursday, the water will give you strength and health.
– If you wash yourself and wash yourself on this holiday, your house will be clean all year.
– The Easter cake turned out to be loose, heavy and not baked – a sign of a difficult and troublesome year.
– If on Maundy Thursday you count all the money in the house three times, then throughout the year they will be in full abundance. Calculations should be done in the morning, at noon, and closer to night, hiding not only from strangers, but also from those who permanently live in the house.
– Money can also be used to speak. Throw a handful of coins into the water, saying “Money, keep it, don’t transfer it, grow and multiply, don’t get it from the enemy!” Water will acquire special properties that attract money. Doors and windows are washed with this water. Then the coins should be taken out of the water and placed in the house, in some inaccessible, but clean and washed corner, and kept there for a week. The trees near the house are watered with the water in which the coins were lying, without missing a single one.
– It is believed that during spring cleaning on Maundy Thursday you can find things that seem to have been lost forever. Moreover, they are often found in the most visible place or where they have been searched for more than once.
Orthodox services on Maundy Thursday
Church services are dedicated to remembering and reproducing those difficult events that the Son of God once experienced on this day.
The liturgy celebrated on this day has its own characteristics: all believers, priests, and the choir repeat a special prayer read before communion. In some, usually in large temples, the ritual of washing the feet is performed. The bishop, like Jesus Christ did to his disciples, washes the feet of the priests.
Also on this day, the church stores Gifts for communion with the sick and infirm, that is, those who do not have the opportunity to receive communion in church. The bread and wine consecrated during the liturgy (the Body and Blood of Christ) are preserved in a special tabernacle standing on the altar. From it, priests can take Gifts for communion outside the walls of the church throughout the year.
On Maundy Thursday, the Patriarch blesses myrrh (fragrant oil of a special composition), necessary for the rite of anointing, through which the believer receives the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Myrrh is kept in a special vessel, and with each new consecration a new portion is added to it. Then the myrrh is distributed to all dioceses and parishes, which once again emphasizes the unity of the church and the community of all believers. Every person who has undergone the rite of confirmation can be sure that he has received the same gifts of the Holy Spirit as any other anointed one.
The evening of Maundy Thursday is dedicated to a long service, during which those passages from the Gospel that are most directly related to the events of this day are read. This is a sad and tragic story. She reveals the plans of the high priests who planned to kill the Son of God. Then it tells about the evening in Bethany and the anointing of Jesus himself, about the treacherous plans of Judas, about how Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. After this, the story moves on to the Last Supper itself and the dramatic events that occurred after it: prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, the betrayal of Judas, the arrest of Jesus, the trial of the Sanhedrin, bullying, and then the conversation with Pontius Pilate, the denial of the Apostle Peter.
It is a remarkable custom that has survived to this day. During the reading, parishioners hold burning candles in their hands. It is customary to take them home burning and place them in front of home icons.

Maundy Thursday is the fourth day of Holy Week before the Great Feast of Easter. In 2019, it will be on April 25. This must be done carefully, looking into every corner. People believed that in this way all unclean spirits could be driven out of the home, and then the family would live in joy, health and happiness for a whole year. After cleaning, women can begin preparing Easter cakes.

Thursday is the last day before Christ's Resurrection, when all preparations for the holiday need to be completed. The church does not recommend cleaning on other days.

On Maundy Thursday, following the Gospel, the Last Supper took place on the eve of the Jewish Passover. In those days, it was customary to wash your feet before dinner; this was done by a servant. But that evening no one came to Jesus and the disciples. Then the Son of God took off his outer clothing and performed this ritual for everyone present. Thus, the Savior wanted to teach his brothers humility and love for each other. After that, He said that one of you will betray me. Taking the bread, the Lord said that this was His body, and the grape wine was His blood. And he treated all his students.

During the Last Supper, Jesus performed the rite of Communion. He was recognized by Catholics, Protestants, and Christians.

Clean Thursday: how to clean your apartment correctly: traditions and rituals on this day

In Rus', it was customary on Maundy Thursday to wake up before sunrise, wash, or even swim in rivers or other bodies of water; this was considered a small baptism. Thus, people were cleansed not only physically, but also spiritually.

On Thursday, all housewives cleaned their houses. They washed the windows and floors, wiped dust everywhere, looked into every corner so that there was no dirt left anywhere. All soiled linen had to be washed so that everything would be clean by Easter. The owners were tidying up the yard and garden. If the cleaning is done thoroughly, then the family will be in order and idyll for the whole year. From Good Friday until the end of Holy Sunday, it was forbidden to clean up, so as not to pollute the eyes of Jesus lying in the tomb.

Having finished all the cleaning, the housewives began the main process - baking Easter cakes. It was believed that before kneading the dough, you must read a prayer and ask the Lord for help. The dough could not be shown to anyone. While the cake was in the oven, it was forbidden to talk loudly or think about bad things, so that the baked goods would rise and turn out well.

On this day it is customary to go to church to receive communion before Easter. Our ancestors also brought heather and juniper to the house after the service. They were hung on doors to protect homes from harm.

Maundy Thursday: signs

Signs on Maundy Thursday

1. In order for money to be kept in the house, it must be counted three times: before sunset, at lunchtime and after sunset.

2. To make your hair lush, healthy, and grow faster, you need to cut the ends.

3. The one who has dirt in his house after Maundy Thursday will spend the whole year in quarrels.

4. To attract your betrothed, you need to leave something for him in each room, and put new shoes with their toes towards the house.

5. After cleaning, dirty water should be poured outside the house.

6. Do not leave dirty dishes and soaked laundry.

7. If the cake is baked well, then the whole year will be good, but if it does not rise, then the whole year will be bad.

8. Swim before sunrise - and you will be healthy for the whole year.

9. On Maundy Thursday you can find a long-lost item.