Maundy Thursday: customs, traditions and signs. Prayers, conspiracies, rituals and rituals on Maundy Thursday for money, love, beauty, cleansing, health, from fear, the evil eye

BATHING ON HOLY THURSDAY: RULES, SPELLS “If filthy and wicked thoughts begin to overcome you, or evil witchcraft is cast upon you, wash your hands and face in clean water. And a vigilant spirit will leap, and you yourself will be pure and live joyfully.” This is what the Slavs said, emphasizing the special, sacred role of water. Special meaning has a bath on Maundy Thursday in Holy Week (April 13, 2017). Our ancestors always woke up on this day before sunrise to swim, wash their hands and body clean water. Ablution performed on this day gives health to the soul and body. The ritual should be performed at dawn, when the dawn is just breaking on the horizon. It is better to do this near a river, lake, spring, well or in a bathhouse. However, even if only over a basin of water or at the washbasin. They believed that water on Clean Thursday gets rid of not only the visible dirt that sticks to the body, but also the dirt that settles in the thoughts, in the soul, sent by a malicious sorcerer. Bathing on Maundy Thursday should begin with your hands, pouring water from palm to palm and saying: “Voditsa, our godmother! Wash the fool off my hands, grant me the purity of the dawn. Amen". Only then can you wash your body and head. The main verdict on this day is this: “What toils the body and soul, Clean Thursday washes everything away. Amen". The cult of water among the Slavs was so great that simple hand washing as an elementary act of washing away dirt was only a small part of human interaction with water. In everyday life there were many magical ritual ablutions in which the hands played the main role. “My right hand is honey, and my hand is fiery,” they said in the old days, implying sacred power supreme gods, which with their right hand (right hand) sent fertility, abundance and prosperity to the earth, and with their left hand (shuitsa) - bodily, mental strength and victory over the enemy. People accompanied hand washing with magical whispers, remembering the holy veneration of water. Here is one of the options: “Water, water, earthly resin! Don’t let any dirt get to me and send me God’s grace. Amen". After washing, they usually did not wipe their hands, but exposed them to the wind or sun, being sure that the right hand would also right hand, and shuytsa - left hand will absorb the power of the wind and the warmth of the sun. Another option: the hands will receive a piece of the power of such omnipotent gods as Stribog and Yarila. Through water, through water, in water, people purified themselves from diseases, the consequences of witchcraft, and even from sins. It is unlikely that the ancestors knew about the energy channels running from the tips of the fingers to internal organs and regulating their work, but one thing is certain - they knew something like that. It is no coincidence that when performing a ritual washing of hands, designed to remove witchcraft spells (damage, the evil eye, illness, mortal melancholy, or even death itself), a person turned to the water with the request: “Spring water, blessed seven times seven times by the powers of heaven! Wash my hands, remove through my fingers bodily illness (evil damage, black evil eye, fierce death, etc.). It was taken from the fingers, removed by water, crucified by the forces of heaven. Amen". Without wiping his hands, the man touched his forehead, chest and knees with his fingertips. Then he went home. If a disabled or sick person could not come to the water himself, relatives performed the ritual at home over a tub of clean water. Washing is not just a hygienic procedure, but a magic that gives youth and beauty. So, washing your face and neck in the morning, unmarried girls they said: “Whiteness - from a swan feather, blush - from the clear sun, from silk - smoothness, from pure water - long youth, so that my girlfriends will marvel at me, and the guys will admire me. Amen". The older women whispered their own: “Vodytsa-bell, take the old age off your face. From time to time I will be a white-faced, ruddy young woman. Amen". We dried ourselves with a clean towel with a short sentence: “I drain the water, I restore beauty.” Water has long been revered as a talisman. And to this day, when pouring clean water over small children after bathing, mothers say: “Water is off a duck’s back, but (name is given) is all thinness.” Swimming before dawn Maundy Thursday- an important rite for every believer. In addition, on Maundy Thursday you need to clean up your home and enter a new happy life cycle with cleanliness!

In general, there are a lot of signs, rites and rituals associated with the entire Holy Week that can guide our lives throughout next year, from Easter to next Easter, on track. Special signs are associated with Maundy Thursday. This is the day when you can get rid of many sins and improve your life.

Bathing

If you swim before sunrise on Maundy Thursday, you will be healthy all year. This sign is due to the fact that the water this morning acquires magical properties. healing properties. She is able to wash away all the sins that have accumulated throughout the year. And, as you know, many diseases appear precisely because of sins. In addition, this water is calming. And if we think logically, then all other diseases are precisely from nervous disorders. Therefore, you should not be lazy, but it is better to get up on Maundy Thursday early in the morning before dawn and take a shower or bath. If you do not believe in the power of Thursday water, then at least you will be clean on this day.

Cleaning

On Maundy Thursday, if you clean the whole house, you will get a lot of joy. Cleaning should generally be done regularly. But Maundy Thursday is a special day. If you do not do this on a given day, then according to religious concepts, cleaning cannot be done for the next six days. Friday is Good Friday, Saturday is full of things to do before Easter, and the next three days are a holy holiday, nothing can be done. In addition, there is a popular belief that if a person does general cleaning in the house, then the Lord gives him the opportunity to find long-lost necessary or favorite things. And many claim that during such cleaning, they actually find things that they mentally said goodbye to long ago.

Money

On Maundy Thursday, count all your money - there will be money. There is an old Russian custom, from which they later made a sign in order to pass on their knowledge to their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It was believed that if all the money in the house was counted three times during this day, then the money would not be transferred during this year. Money should be counted at sunrise, noon and sunset. None of the household members should see this process, and especially not outsiders. Otherwise there will be no point. Only the one who manages the finances in the family should count the money. If there is such a need, then warn all your household members so that you will not be disturbed for some time. Even Small child enters such a moment, then everything will go to waste, although the child is innocent. This is the very case when no one should bother you. Just you, the Lord God and what you want for your family throughout the next year. And you don’t have to worry about the fact that at this moment there is not enough money in the family. Even a penny can attract to you what you really want.

Clean windows and doors mean money

Wash the windows and doors with the water in which the change lies - the money will increase all year. One should follow important rule– you should start cleaning with windows and doors, and then everything else. Now, when you are going to wash windows and doors, do not forget to throw a handful of coins into a basin of water. Those who know the special words that must be pronounced at the moment when they put change into a basin of water receive much more help than those who do not know these words. But it is not important. You can read any other conspiracy or prayer that you know. And according to your faith it will be for you. After you have washed all the windows and doors in your house or apartment, the small change should be taken out and placed in the farthest corner of your house for a week, but only after you have cleaned it. And you need to pour the water under any one you like. And after that you can start cleaning the entire room.

Silver water from evil spirits

On Maundy Thursday you will wash yourself from silver - devilry won't touch. It is believed that if you put any silver item in a vessel with water overnight and wash your face with this water in the morning, then no one will be able to harm you in any way throughout the year. It is especially necessary to wash a child who is not yet one year old in this way. Babies cannot protect themselves, so we need to make sure that we protect them. But it should be noted that in Lately We started selling silver, so to speak, economy class. This is the lowest standard of silver that can be found. It will, of course, help, but not as much as real high-quality silver can. But even knowing this, you should not despair. Supreme Help still comes faster to those who sincerely believe, and not to those who will use the most expensive silver.

Thursday salt for all diseases

Thursday salt, collected from three yards - even heals fatal diseases. In Russian witchcraft there is a sign that if collected from three households, then by adding this salt to the food and drink that a terminally ill person takes, he can be cured. What does it mean to collect salt from three different yards? This means that on Maundy Thursday you need to go to your acquaintances and friends and ask for a small handful of salt. Then this salt must be mixed in any container, although the old people say that it is better to do this in earthenware. But, again, it all depends on your faith. There is one more sign about Thursday salt. You don’t have to ask anyone for salt, but pour a pack of salt into a frying pan and fry it, stirring constantly. At the same time, it is necessary to constantly read the “Our Father” prayer. When the salt is ready, you will feel it yourself. If the salt in the frying pan begins to crack and shoot, it means that you have been damaged. In this case, the salt must be fried for as long as possible until it “calms down.” And do not forget that all this time you need to read a prayer.

Preparing for Easter

Only after Maundy Thursday do they begin to bake Easter cakes and paint Easter eggs. This sign was also not invented lightly. Those who do not follow the rules of Maundy Thursday will not have their pasques raised. It should be noted that in many regions of Russia paskas are called Easter cakes. Although, on the other hand, the name is not important, but the essence is important. Anyway, first you need to do some general cleaning, and only after that you can start preparing Easter dishes.

What you find in Easter cake is your destiny. In Russia, it was customary to bake one Easter cake just for the family. Notes with predictions were baked in such a cake. Some people find happiness in their family, while others find happiness in money or business. Well, and everything else. Whoever gets something out of the family will get it. Very bad omen It was considered to be cutting such a family cake while other guests were present. Such a turn could save the family from happiness, but could only add problems. Strangers may envy you, and after that you won’t have to wait for happiness. Therefore, such a cake was closely watched and carefully hidden from guests.

If on Maundy Thursday you move many items from one place to another, then there will be no problems with money. Perhaps this belief is correct. But many old people claim that this sign is more associated with lazy people than with hard-working people. You can rearrange your home if you want your wishes to come true. But if you leave everything in the dirt, then nothing good will happen. However, there is a sign that if you have been wanting to rearrange your house for a long time, then you cannot even think of a better opportunity. With one blow you will realize your desire and attract good luck to yourself. There is only one condition - cleaning comes first.

If on Maundy Thursday you saw the old woman first, then expect failure. It is this sign that underlies Thursday. If you want to know your future for the next three months, then in the morning, after you wash, look out the window. If the first person you see is an old lady, then over the next three months you will experience a series of failures. It's even worse if this old lady walks with an empty bucket or empty bag. In this case, all your failures will be related to money problems. Or rather, with their absence or even with the loss of work. The same thing means if you see a cat. But to see a man or is to happiness and well-being. And if you are lucky enough to see a man with a dog through the window, it means that your wish will be fulfilled. cherished desire. If you see a child, you have to study. You may receive an offer for new job, which will require you to obtain a certain education. If you see a young woman, happiness in the family awaits you. But it should be noted that although a person wants to know his future, he should not guess. Many people who strongly believe in fortune telling take everything at face value. If they see failures in the window, they will do nothing to correct the situation. In this case, failures will constantly stick to these people, because they themselves allow them into their lives.

Maundy Thursday Holy Week (Great Week) - This . Moreover, this is the turning point of each year when you can change your future, or maintain what you have. Therefore, all these signs need to be known and observed. Otherwise, you can get into a lot of problems.

The Fourth Great Day of Holy Week is the Pure Four, even those who are far from religion associate this day with various rituals, traditions, and call such a day “bath”. It's no wonder, because main tradition on Pure Four is . Those who still try to follow church canons are wondering when to wash on Maundy Thursday before Easter: in the morning or in the evening? Let's consider this ritual, how to perform it correctly and when to do it.

Maundy Thursday and important traditions

If we turn to history, then it was in the Pure Four that the last supper, when Jesus, knowing that one of his disciples would betray him, said goodbye to them with a special ritual - he washed everyone’s feet. This is how he showed his humility, forgiveness and love. Therefore, one of the most important rituals on this day is bathing and washing.

It is believed that on Maundy Thursday you can cleanse your soul and body, and help your life improve (it doesn’t matter what aspect of life needs improvement). In addition to swimming, there are other common traditions and rituals on this day:

Communion in church and confession;
Total house cleaning;
Preparation of Thursday salt;
Baking Easter cakes and preparing food for the festive meal on the occasion of Easter.

When to swim on Maundy Thursday

Popular wisdom says: “If you want to live in health all year, take a swim on Maundy Thursday before the sun appears on the horizon.” This morning, the water acquires unique healing properties, you will feel vigor, health, and strength. With this water you can wash away all your sins that have accumulated throughout the year.

The best time to swim is on clean Thursday early in the morning, and even better if it’s a trip to the bathhouse. Of course, in modern conditions This is not always possible, so acceptance is also welcome hot bath with foam and soap. At the same time, while washing, you need to think about something good, positive so that bad emotions do not interfere with the cleansing process.

Is it possible or not to swim in the evening and at night? Despite the fact that it is better to start your day with a swim on Maundy Thursday, you can swim in the evening, at any time, the main thing is to do it immediately before bed. Even if this evening ritual will be performed not for the healing properties of water, but to cleanse the spirit and body, and also as respect for traditions.

Another important nuance that should be noted is that you need to bathe or wash yourself on Maundy Thursday for a reason, but with prayers using special spell words. The following words should be pronounced:

Holy Scripture says that one must pray on Maundy Thursday not only during ablutions, but also when performing any task, and there will be quite a few of them on Maundy Thursday. Everything on this day should be done with great love in the heart, with joy, good thoughts. After all, Easter is coming, which means you need to cleanse yourself of all negativity, and this is only possible through intense and sincere prayers.

So when is the best time to wash before Easter on Maundy Thursday? In the morning it’s best, but in the evening it’s also possible, so don’t be upset, the main thing is to approach the matter with good intentions and sincere faith, then there will be no difference between the two procedures.

Communion and Confession on Maundy Thursday

After the literal cleansing of body and spirit, you should “consolidate” the result by going to church for communion and confession. It is important to take into account here that if you have not observed the entire period of Lent, then before communion you need to fast for several days, you can start on Holy Monday. Only on Maundy Thursday can you pray away even those sins that are considered mortal.

Again, without communion and confession there will be no complete cleansing, which means that a person is not ready for Great Easter.

Maundy Thursday is an important and special day for religious people, this is actually final stage Great Lent, the last stage of preparation for the holiday. The rituals that are customary to be performed on Maundy Thursday are valid only on this day.

TRADITIONS

According to customs, on Maundy Thursday you need to wake up before sunrise and take a swim (or at least wash your face) - symbolically cleanse yourself of sins and recharge your health, because water on this day has the power of healing.

Preparations for Easter begin on Maundy Thursday. Believers come to churches to confess and receive communion. Candles are also lit there, which bring live fire, so people take them home, trying not to extinguish them. It is believed that a passionate candle made on Maundy Thursday protects the house from fires and its inhabitants from illness.

After visiting the church during the day, the housewives do the cleaning: they clean the house, yard and garden of the litter, dirt and dust that has accumulated over the winter. Thoroughly wash floors, walls, ceilings and all utensils. At the same time, a big wash is done - all clothes, bed linen, tablecloths, curtains and towels, as well as rugs, rugs and bedding are washed.

Afterwards they bake Easter cakes and paint eggs.

After the cleaning has been done, there is no need to sweep the floors in the houses until Easter.

SIGNS

1. If you swim before sunrise on Maundy Thursday, you will be healthy all year.

This sign is due to the fact that water this morning acquires magical healing properties. She is able to wash away all the sins that have accumulated throughout the year. In addition, this water is calming. Residents of Zaporozhye should not be lazy - it is better to get up on Maundy Thursday early in the morning before dawn and take a shower or bath.

2. On Maundy Thursday, if you clean the whole house, you will get a lot of joy. According to religious principles, cleaning cannot be done for the next six days.

Friday is Good Friday, Saturday is full of things to do before Easter, Sunday and the next three days are a holy holiday, nothing can be done. In addition, there is a popular belief that if a person does a general cleaning of the house, then the Lord gives him the opportunity to find long-lost necessary or favorite things. What if you are lucky enough to find something valuable.

3. On Maundy Thursday you need to count all your money - there will be money. According to an old Russian custom, if you count all the money in the house three times during this day, then no money will be transferred during this year. Money should be counted at sunrise, noon and sunset. No one should see this process, and only the one who manages the finances in the family should count the money.

4. Wash the windows and doors with the water in which the change lies - the money will increase all year. You should start cleaning with windows and doors, and then clean everything else. You need to throw a handful of coins into a basin of water. After you have washed all the windows and doors in your house or apartment, the small change should be taken out and placed in the farthest corner of your house for a week, but only after you have cleaned it. And you need to pour the water under any tree you like.

5. On Maundy Thursday you wash your silver - evil spirits will not touch it. It is believed that if you put any silver item in a vessel with water overnight and wash your face with this water in the morning, then no one will be able to harm you in any way throughout the year. It is especially necessary to wash a child who is not yet one year old in this way.

6. Thursday salt, collected from three yards, can even cure fatal diseases. On Maundy Thursday, you need to go to your acquaintances and friends and ask for a small handful of salt. Then this salt must be mixed in any container and used for food.

7. Only after Maundy Thursday do they begin to bake Easter cakes and paint Easter eggs. Those who do not follow the rules of Maundy Thursday will not have their pasques raised. Anyway, first you need to do some general cleaning, and only after that you can start preparing Easter dishes.

8. If on Maundy Thursday you move many items from one place to another, then there will be no problems with money. You can rearrange your home if you want your wishes to come true. But if you leave everything in the dirt, then nothing good will happen.

9. If on Maundy Thursday you saw the old woman first, then expect failure. It is this sign that underlies Thursday fortune telling. If you want to know your future for the next three months, then in the morning, after you wash, look out the window. If the first person you see is an old lady, then over the next three months you will experience a series of failures. It’s even worse if this old lady comes with an empty bucket or an empty bag. In this case, all your failures will be related to money problems. Or rather, with their absence or even with the loss of work. The same thing means if you see a cat. But seeing a man or a dog is a sign of happiness and well-being.

10. There is a belief that Maundy Thursday is a good day for a haircut. The girls tried to cut off at least the ends of their braids so that their hair would grow even thicker and longer. It is also recommended to cut hair for one-year-old babies.

However, the main rule of Maundy Thursday is cleanliness. Therefore, dear readers, even if you don’t believe in omens, don’t be lazy and clean your house before Easter. The only guaranteed sign is cleanliness in the house for the next few days.

By the way, during all established procedures the following rules must be observed:

A woman should clean with a scarf on her head;

During cleaning, a church candle should burn;

While washing windows, doors and floors, coins were thrown into the water (for prosperity). After cleaning, they put the small change in a distant but clean corner of the house, and poured the water under any tree;

Took out the trash before sunset

They threw away all the broken dishes;

After cleaning, they washed themselves with tap water, then crossed themselves

The scarf in which cleaning was done was washed or burned;

Let us remind you that you cannot clean the house after sunset until the end of Easter. It should also be noted that after general cleaning on Maundy Thursday and before Easter Sunday, it is prohibited to throw away or give away anything from the house.

When you've got the whole house in a state of perfect cleanliness, it's time to look at the kitchen. After all, on Maundy Thursday, after you have cleared your home and all your thoughts, it’s time to prepare Easter baking.

Thursday of Holy Week is called Great or Clean Thursday. This day should be dedicated to cleansing the house and yourself. Therefore, the main ritual on Maundy Thursday is bathing. Traditionally, they wash in cool water, as it has strong cleansing energy. How to swim properly on Maundy Thursday before Easter? Let's look at the topic in the article.

How did our ancestors perform the ritual of ablution on Maundy Thursday? There were many beliefs and customs associated with bathing. For example, to keep the face clean, soap was taken outside from Wednesday to Thursday and left overnight under the moon. It was customary to immerse in water silver coins to have a rich year.

The ritual part of Maundy Thursday was entirely aimed at cleansing oneself and one’s home from the negative energy accumulated over the year.

People went to the river and plunged into the icy water. It was believed that the river would wash away all energy dirt and give health and longevity. Swimming in the river was accompanied by a conspiracy:

What time should you go to the river? Before the sun rises. IN modern city you can just get under a cool shower and do the same.

It is customary to take a steam bath before sunrise. What should we say at the same time, because evil spirits run rampant at night? The following words were spoken:

The baptized are on the shelf, the unbaptized are from the shelf.

How to wash properly if you can’t visit a sauna or take a bath? Just get up before dawn, fill a bowl with water, read the spell words over it and wash your face:

Get rid of damage

On this day you can quickly remove the spoilage. You need to wash yourself with the words:

What time should this be done? They wash themselves from damage until dawn.

You can spell water in another way:

Then you need to ask for water in your own words so that it will free you from evil and corruption, take away illnesses and ailments, gossip and gossip, evil eyes and bad rumors.

On Maundy Thursday they put silver in the water and left it until Sunday to wash. It was believed that after this ritual no evil spirits were afraid.

Home cleansing

At dawn they began to cleanse their home and yard. The room was first fumigated with juniper branches, and then general cleaning was done. If there is no juniper, you can fumigate the house with incense, St. John's wort or sage. Cleans well negative energies and wormwood with thistle.

How to fumigate a room correctly? You need to heat a frying pan with a long handle, put herbs or incense on it and walk around the whole house, while reading a prayer. Grass ashes should be thrown outside into trash can, wash the pan. When you return home, drink some holy water and start general cleaning.

Note! On Maundy Thursday you need to water the flowers, replace the water in vases with bouquets and wash the laundry soaked the day before. You cannot leave unwashed laundry in the basin until Friday.