How to prepare for Easter and what you need to do before it & nbsp. Preparing for Easter

Many of us are believers. But often superstition and ignorance prevail in our minds. And so every time before Easter we begin to look for answers to the most pressing questions: when and how to light the cakes, how you can and how you can not paint eggs, and in general - how best to prepare for the holy celebration and spend it.In order to cast aside all doubts this time, let's try to prepare for the Great Holiday in the way they advise us in the Orthodox Church.

The first and most important rule is to celebrate Easter with peace in your heart.

In no case should you swear with someone, take offense at someone ... If there are old grievances, it is best to be reconciled. But if you do not have such an opportunity, then forgive this person at least in your own heart. Forgive and pray for him.It is best if a person takes communion before Easter. For this Orthodox Church recommends fasting for at least three days, and all 49 before Easter. Another thing is that people are weak, and the interests of the flesh are more important for many than spiritual needs.

Rule two: Easter food should be symbolic.

The church charter calls any festive meal "the great consolation of the brethren." But this does not mean that Easter should be a holiday for the belly. On the contrary, the Orthodox Church does not particularly approve of gourmet dishes, considering this a manifestation of the sin of gluttony, and requires the presence of inexpensive, but delicious dishes that carry symbolic content.It is customary to paint eggs for Easter. different colors but among different colors the central place belongs to red. Why? History has preserved such a legend for us ...

After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, his disciples and followers dispersed to different countries everywhere proclaiming the good news that you no longer need to fear death. Christ, the Savior of the world, defeated her. He resurrected Himself and will resurrect everyone who believes Him and will love people as much as He loved. Mary Magdalene dared to come with this news to the Roman emperor Tiberius himself. Since it was not customary to come to the emperor without gifts, and Maria had nothing, she came with a simple chicken egg. Of course, she chose the egg with meaning.The egg has always been a symbol of life: in a strong shell is life hidden from the eyes, which at its hour will break out of the lime captivity in the form of a small yellow chicken. But when Mary began to tell Tiberius that Jesus Christ also escaped from the mortal chains and rose again, the emperor only laughed: "It is just as impossible as your white egg can turn into red." And before Tiberius had time to finish the phrase, the egg in the hands of Mary Magdalene became completely red. Since then, in memory of this event, which symbolizes our faith in the Risen Lord, we paint eggs.

Artos - the bread that is consecrated at the Easter service and distributed to believers on Saturday Bright week... Easter artos is a symbol of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Addressing his disciples, Christ said: “I am the bread of life ... The bread that comes down from heaven is such that he who eats it will not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; he who eats this bread will live forever; but the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I gave for the life of the world ”(John 6: 48-51).Easter cake symbolizes the presence of God in the world and in human life... Unlike artos, it contains baked goods, sweetness, raisins, and nuts. It is believed that a properly prepared Russian Easter cake can stand without spoiling for all 40 days of Easter.Easter cottage cheese is a symbol of Easter fun, the sweetness of heavenly life. And the “hill”, the shape into which the Passover is placed, is a symbol of Heavenly Zion, the unshakable foundation of New Jerusalem, a city in which there is no temple, but “the Lord God Almighty Himself is its temple and a lamb” (Apoc. 21, 22).

Rule three: the cake must be consecrated in the Temple.

But Easter cakes are baked on the Friday of Holy Week of Great Lent. But if you have no time, then there is nothing wrong if the cakes are baked on Saturday. On the same days, they make cottage cheese Easter, paint eggs and prepare other dishes. festive table. You should inquire about the time of consecration of the cake and Easter food in the temple where you are going to do it. Most often, the consecration of holiday supplies begins after the end of the Great Saturday liturgy. In most churches, refreshments are consecrated on the morning of Christ's Resurrection, also after the end of the liturgy.Do not succumb to advertising and believe that the cakes for sale have already been consecrated. The clergy themselves say that only that which was consecrated at the Easter service can be considered consecrated. It is foolish to think that priests stand in bakeries and consecrate party after party.

Rule four: stickers with icons are not allowed!

Eggs are best painted on Saturday to keep them fresh for longer. By the way, in folk vocabulary Great Saturday is called the dyeing Saturday. The traditional Easter egg is painted a solid red, symbolizing the victory of life over death. In Russia, Easter eggs were most often dyed with onion skins. Other coloring is also acceptable, images of abstract ornaments, flowers, plants, celestial bodies.

And here is the decoration of Easter eggs with stickers depicting temples, a cross, icons of the Lord Jesus Christ, Mother of God saints, in the opinion of the Church, is completely unacceptable. Sacred images should not be placed not only on Easter eggs, but in general should not be located where they can be desecrated by negligence.

Rule five: it is not recommended to go to the cemetery on Easter Sunday.

As the clergy say, this custom comes to us from Soviet history, when they were closed or completely destroyed. Orthodox churches... Although, according to the always existing church canons, it is not worth going to the cemetery on this bright day. The entire Church - both heavenly and earthly - triumphs and rejoices, and there should be no place for sorrow in the heart of a Christian. According to the priests, we do not know how to treat death correctly, because we do not understand that it "is not the cessation of all that exists, but the birth of Eternal life."As advised in Russian churches, on Easter Sunday it is best to visit people who are lonely, weak, those who have not been seen for a long time. And you can visit the cemetery on the 9th day of Easter, that is, on Radunitsa.

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Coming next Sunday, Holy Easter for Christians - fasting and not fasting - is a whole week of holidays lasting until Tuesday of St. Thomas' week, when it is customary to commemorate the dead and visit cemeteries on Radonitsa. They begin to prepare for Easter on Maundy Thursday.

It is customary to make all preparations for the Easter table on Thursday of Holy Week, when the people confess, receive communion and listen to the reading of the 12 Gospels. On this day, the house is cleaned for the last time, the windows are washed and the table is prepared. But if you did not have time, do not be upset, but hurry up to prepare everything in the remaining days.

The dough for Easter cakes is "long", it is placed the night before, lowered several times in the morning, allowed to rise and begin to bake. Choose from a variety of recipes, but remember a few tips. Close all the vents - this dough is afraid of the draft. Butter for Easter cake cannot be heated, it can only be rubbed. When adding nuts and raisins, wash them, dry them, roll them in flour, and then put them in the dough. Place the egg whites in the freezer for two minutes, then beat by placing the container on ice.

For the cake, you need a form of thin tin, which is filled 1/3 for a "light" cake or 1/2 for a "heavy" cake. Such forms are usually passed down from generation to generation, since they industrial production does not exist. Some people use cans - their edges need to be smooth, and it is important that the tin is without corrugation and without plastic film inside. The cans are coated with oil, an oiled circle of paper is placed on the bottom, and dough is placed on top, they are allowed to stand in a warm place and are placed in the oven. When the cake rises, it is pierced with a thin wooden stick to check its readiness, and shaken out of the mold.

You can use an unenamelled aluminum tall pan made of thin sheet metal - its height should be twice the diameter of the bottom.

Some people bake enough cakes to last a week. Easter cakes are distributed to the poor, presented to neighbors and loved ones. Correctly baked Easter cakes do not stale or spoil, they are decorated with glaze, sprinkled with colored millet beets, crosses or letters ХВ ("Christ is risen") are laid out with candied fruits and nuts ("Christ is risen!") And placed in wooden chests. In the absence of a chest, you can store Easter cakes in a box, pots or jars, the main thing is to let the cake cool down under a towel first.

If you buy Easter cake, look at what it is made of: it should contain yeast (not baking soda, baking powder, improver, or anything else). Kulich is supposed to be "heavy", with nuts, candied fruits and raisins, his hat should not slide to one side, and his decorations should not be of poisonous flowers. It is better to buy a "correct" Easter cake and decorate it yourself than to purchase a piece by an unknown pastry chef in a dazzling package.

Cheese Easter is also prepared on Maundy Thursday. Experienced housewives make cottage cheese themselves, others buy it on the market. It is important that the curd is crumbly - "tough" - and not sour. The finished Easter is placed in cheesecloth and hung for a day so that the serum is glass, or in cheesecloth it is placed in a special pyramidal sausage box - a form of four boards. If you got such a pastoral woman from your great-grandmother, you are in luck. You can try looking for them in rural bazaars to the south or east of Moscow, you can order them from carpenters, but for this they need a sample. If there is nothing, do not despair. On Saturday, lay out your Easter on a tall pyramid-shaped plate and decorate. Easter can be made from curd mass (not in a paper wrapper, but in foil, with raisins, and not with other additives). Put nuts, candied fruits and raisins in it for at least half a day - they will take away excess liquid.

Paper flowers are sold at the entrance to the temples, Easter candles are usually red, waxy. But you will have to paint the eggs yourself - or count on gifts.

Eggs should also be taken care of in advance - dietetic store eggs with a permanent seal will not work for you; preferable white over dark. It is best to buy them on the market - their shells are stronger, and they themselves are fresher and tastier than Kombinatov's. By this time, you should have collected dry, bright red onion husks (from about three kilograms of onions). In a low and wide saucepan, boil this husk, and then very carefully dip the eggs into boiling salted water (not from the refrigerator - otherwise they will crack). The color depends on the duration of the boil - from bright yellow to dark ocher. The eggs should be cooled in water, wiped and brushed with vegetable oil to make them shine. You can roll wet eggs in rice, wrap with gauze and cook like that, you can simply wrap tightly with threads - a white pattern remains on the shell. You should not trust food colors, but stickers, decals can be used. You need to glue with food glues made of starch or protein.

Eggs are usually placed on sprouted oats, wheat or watercress. True, this should have been taken care of on Sunday. This green herb cannot be bought, you can replace it with salad or dill, but if you have time, put it on the dishes, decorate the edges with paper flowers and lay out colored eggs.

On Bright Week, the eggs "roll" - they compete to see who breaks the shells of whom. The winner takes the broken egg for himself. If you have special groove slides in your family, then your fight will be more interesting. In any case, eggs are not just eaten - they are exchanged, they are presented, they are treated, they are donated. When giving an egg, they usually say "Christ is risen!" in memory of how Mary Magdalene came with the good news of the Resurrection of Christ to the emperor Tiberius and presented him with a red Easter egg. If the person answers “Truly is risen!”, Boldly kiss with a three-fold brotherly kiss. For many shy people, this is generally The best way discover your feelings.

For the Easter table, jelly, jelly, special curly gingerbread cookies in the form of lambs and birds are prepared in advance. They make paper flowers, Easter cards and cards for seating guests.

Easter cakes, Easter and eggs should be consecrated on Saturday - not everything that you have prepared, but part, taking into account the fact that you will donate to the beggars for the parish meal.

It is not customary to sit at the table before religious procession- a particularly joyful bell ringing announces him. Lighted candles are carried home from the procession. This is another custom - to compete who will report. Candles are not thrown away, they do not stick to the fence of the temple, but they are thrown into special baskets for cinders. The Easter table is set on a white tablecloth, Easter cakes, Easter cakes and eggs are placed, all the lights are lit. Before breaking the fast, according to the old custom, many people drink a spoonful of vegetable oil. First of all, they taste jelly and fruit drinks. The cake is cut, Easter is spread on it. Mayonnaise is now served with eggs, although this was not the case in the old days. Then they eat aspic, jellies, cold goose, veal, lamb, boiled pork. Hot and fish, as a rule, are not served.

You shouldn't lean heavily on meat at night. In the old days, meat was not put on this pre-morning Easter table. But from Sunday, throughout the entire Bright Week, the table should be laid, on it wealthy people keep 40 dishes (according to the number of fasting days), hot and cold, for guests who visit each other, congratulate, Christ and go on. There are no invitations or special gifts on Svetlaya. In the villages, men still visit on Monday and women on Tuesday.

And the last thing. Every year, the Church Fathers in vain ask the Orthodox about three things: not to go to the cemetery on the very first Sunday, not to stick candles to the fence of churches, and not to put glasses for the dead. So far in vain.

managing editor of the site "M.Vkus"

Holy Week ("passions" - suffering for Church Slavonic, - approx. Ed.) is also called White or Pure - this is the time of spiritual cleansing and prayer. These days it is not customary to have fun, have loud conversations, sing and laugh. Everything should remind of the last earthly days of Christ, of how he was betrayed by one of his disciples, of his judgment and of the martyrdom... Six of the most severe days of the year should prepare us for Easter, the day of the Resurrection of Christ, the oldest and most important Christian holiday. This holiday and accompanying traditions and customs did not disappear even in anti-religious times. He turned out to be so firmly inscribed in our culture that even unbelievers, sometimes without knowing it, follow these traditions. Today we will remind you of the most basic ones.

Monday

First day passionate week, which follows Palm Sunday, you need to start preparing for Easter - to put things in order in the house, get rid of old and unnecessary things, repair broken ones. Try not to make cleaning an overwhelming task. To do this, you need to not deviate from it during the day - this is the only way you can complete what you started. Be sure to involve household members in cleaning - a common cause brings the family closer and allows you to work much faster. Choose a cleaning scheme: either put things in order in each room separately, or do the same type of work at once throughout the apartment: for example, wipe the dust or remove scattered things all over the house at once.

Tuesday

On this day, we continue to put things in order in the house: you need to wash, iron and dismantle things. It is worth preparing clothes for a solemn service, it is advisable to choose a red outfit, because red is a symbol of life.

Trying to have time to do everything in one day, remember the rules of safe washing. Do not overload washing machine: it is worth laying the laundry taking into account its maximum capabilities (remember that this indicator is indicated for cotton fabrics, you can fill the tank half with synthetics, and woolen fabrics- only a third). Not only an iron, but also a steam generator or steamer can help to iron clothes and clothes: about gadgets that simplify the care of clothes,.

Wednesday

On Wednesday, the last garbage and unnecessary things are taken out of the house, and preparations for the Easter table begin. On this day, it is worth purchasing all the necessary products, including eggs, flour, dried fruits. Choose a method for dyeing Easter eggs: traditionally the most beautiful ones are those made with. Before painting, the eggs must be washed well, and the cooking water must be well salt. Onion skins give a rich color from yellow to reddish brown, beets or blueberries - a beautiful light red color. Turmeric (seasoning) will color bright gold, spinach or nettle - bright green, red cabbage - rich blue color... After staining, be sure to spread the egg vegetable oil: This makes the color bright and the surface glossy.

Thursday

Thursday is called clean - it is believed that water on this day has healing properties, therefore, you must definitely wash yourself and once again put things in order in the house. On this day, they begin to cook Easter cakes and paint eggs. The dough for kulich loves warmth and the absence of drafts, it is better to use live yeast for the dough, with them a heavy dough (it will be made like this a large number of butter and eggs) will rise faster. To make the cakes a beautiful golden hue, use fresh country eggs with orange yolk and add a little turmeric to the dough.

Friday

Good Friday is the most mournful day of Holy Week. On this day, it is not customary to work at home and cook - all a person's strength should be directed to prayer and spiritual work. This is also the strictest day of Great Lent - ideally, it should be spent without food, on only water.

Saturday

At the end of the service in the church, the dishes of the Easter table are consecrated: Easter cakes, eggs, Easter. The latter is also prepared on Thursday: dry plastic Easter does not spoil for more than a week. On this day, they decorate the house and prepare for the celebration: they lay eggs on "Easter hills" made of sprouted oats or wheat (recently we have been how to grow ornamental greenery for the Easter table), decorate Easter decorations: wreaths, bouquets, prepare tablecloths, decorate cutlery and dishes , put fresh flowers (about decorating the house for Easter).

Sunday

You can start your meal after returning from church: they eat the egg and a piece of Easter first, then proceed to the rest of the meal. The Easter table is rich in a variety of meat dishes, so desired after Lent. Earlier, wealthy families served more than forty dishes on the table, according to the number of days of Great Lent. Meat dishes must be cooked "without blood", that is, well fried or boiled, as dishes cooked "with blood" quickly deteriorate and cannot be prepared in advance. Easter is a holiday of great joy, kindness, light, after a meal it is customary to visit, congratulate friends and neighbors, exchange colored eggs, the main symbol of the holiday.

The next week after Holy Week is called Easter: for seven days it is customary to congratulate each other, treat guests with Easter cake and Easter. Easter week is dedicated to fun and joy: on Krasnaya Gorka, the next Sunday after Easter, it was customary to celebrate a wedding, it was believed that this would bring happiness to the newlyweds. After Easter, spring is considered to have fully come into its own.

Easter rituals and ceremonies, signs for Easter.

Bright Easter is the most important Christian holiday.
Despite the fact that many people do not comply Great post, they try to follow other religious traditions and begin to prepare for Christ's Resurrection already in a few weeks.

The date for the celebration of Easter changes every year, and in 2019 we will celebrate this bright holiday on April 28.

The previous event is traditionally Great Lent, which Orthodox believers observe for 6 weeks.
Restriction in food and spiritual cleansing are important, but not the only ways prepare for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Before celebrating Easter, you need to know in advance how to do it correctly, without violating religious laws.

How to prepare for the Bright Resurrection of Christ

The most important stage in preparing for Easter is observing Great Lent. During this period, believers cleanse their body and soul and prepare for union with the Lord God.
However, no fasting is required, since restricting food and changing the diet is available only to people in good health.

Before Easter, every believer must at least once visit the church and attend a service.
Repent to God for your misdeeds and say strong prayer about the forgiveness of sins.
At this time, it is important to admit and realize your mistakes, and then the Lord God will surely hear you.

Try to suppress negative emotions and negative thoughts, especially a few days before Easter.
You can not scold children, quarrel with loved ones and wish harm to other people.
Ask your loved ones for forgiveness and try to maintain an atmosphere of kindness and tranquility in your home.
Do not forget to pay attention to relatives who live far away from you.

Until Great Lent is over, complete all the unfulfilled fellowships in order to meet Easter with a pure soul and an easy heart.

Entertainment and useless communication are not the most suitable activities in the pre-Easter period.
In your free time, it is recommended to visit the temple or pray at home.

Engage in godly affairs, help those in need, and surround your loved ones with care.
During this period, you should do as many good deeds as possible in order to receive the blessing of the Lord.

Active preparation for Easter begins one week in advance.
V Maundy Thursday Orthodox believers bake cakes, Easter cottage cheese and paint Easter eggs.
V Great Saturday Easter attributes are taken to the church, where the clergy can consecrate them during the service.

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Easter rituals are a real treasure of wisdom bequeathed to us by our ancestors. For more than two thousand years, the Resurrection of Christ has been considered by the Orthodox not only the greatest ecclesiastical, but also folk holiday, a day of joy and unity, a day when the Lord helps to fulfill even the most daring and cherished dreams.

Easter rituals and ceremonies

In ancient documents, the most complex rituals for Easter are described in detail, the implementation of which requires thorough and long preparation. But even if you do not have time, on Easter week you can also perform simple rituals for health, wealth and good luck: after all, these days there is a special energy channel that connects a person and Higher power, opens, and the Lord hears your prayers, helping in all good endeavors!

Health ritual

Light the candles on Easter night. Come to church on Sunday. With the first sound of the bell (gospel), raise the lighted candle and say the words: "Christ is risen, may I also become healthy, getting rid of all ailments." This ritual can be performed even if there is a sick person in your home. Just replace "I" with his full name.
Rite of passage to get rid of drunkenness and drug addiction

By performing this ritual, you can really help your loved one get rid of drunkenness and drug addiction. Consecrate Easter cake in the church on Easter night. On one of the days of the week, cut it into twelve pieces and go to the cemetery. You need to find 12 graves of people with the same name as the person you want to help. Put a piece of roll on each grave and say: "You don't drink, and don't let him (say the person's name) either." Do not tell anyone that you performed the ritual. This should remain your secret.

Ritual for money

For Easter, you can bring money into your home with colored eggs. On the eve of Easter put in every corner of the house a bill (any) and on it - "paint". Ask that money never leaves you. In the morning, have each member of your family eat a charmed Easter egg. Hide money in a secluded place. Do not touch the Easter money until the end of the week, then you can spend it on gifts and sweets for the children.

Rite of passage for beauty

Before Easter, women always collect medicinal herbs and wildflowers and make decoctions of them. It is believed that any Easter plants give youth and beauty. You can wash your face with decoctions of dried herbs and flowers, and drink tinctures from them, and not only for Easter, but all year round.

Groom ritual

The girl who wanted to "marry" the guy gave him a bouquet of wildflowers for Easter with a red "dye" hidden inside. If the young man accepted the gift, it means that the matter is going to the wedding.

Signs for Easter

What the weather is for Easter, so will the whole spring and the harvest.

Accidentally broken dishes for Easter - illness, trouble or even the death of someone close to you awaits you.

Eyebrows or lips itch - for an imminent wedding or a date with a loved one.

A piece of Easter cake or Easter fell from the festive table - to wealth and money. In the old days, fallen Easter products were buried in the ground to preserve crops and protect against drought, fires and floods.

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Get answers to your questions from experts!

Orthodox Easter in 2020 is celebrated on April 19. Positive emotions those associated with the arrival of spring are familiar to us from childhood: someone, together with adults, prepared and decorated a house or apartment for Easter and participated in Easter chores, someone has vivid memories of grandmother's pies, Easter cakes and brightly colored eggs against the background of a snow-white tablecloth ... Many are looking forward to the holiday of kindness and warmth and begin to thoroughly prepare for it ahead of time, trying to decorate the living space as best as possible in order to please friends, family and loved ones with inspiring ideas of Easter decor.

Preparing the house for Easter. P askha is a bright and clean holiday with special traditions and centuries-old history, which must be met in a clean apartment and with a clean soul. The holiday itself follows the so-called Holy Week, during which the main preparations take place.
Maundy Thursday. On this day, you need to do a general cleaning in the house, get rid of all the dirt that has accumulated over the winter. Clean carpets, wash windows, wash curtains, bedspreads, dirty things, run wet cleaning, do not forget about the entrance and the surrounding area. You need to clean up every corner of the house and personal plot- it will save you from "evil spirits" and will bring health benefits.

Decorating a house / apartment for Easter

After cleaning is finished, you can start decorating your home. Prepare for Easter with wonderful Easter sets for interior design will make it easier. With their help or with the participation of your own crafts, you can find many beautiful and original solutions for decorating a home.

General color scheme

Easter symbolizes the Resurrection of the Lord, the beginning of a new life. Therefore, it is customary to decorate this holiday in light, bright and cheerful colors.

Decoration front door Houses

The holiday should start from the very doorstep and therefore the tulip composition with easter eggs perfect for the occasion. Such an installation will create an atmosphere of joy, warmth and kindness - not only in the house, but also around it.

Eggs and Chickens Baskets

Small wicker baskets placed around the house are a magnificent decoration of the interior. different sizes with dyed Easter eggs and little fluffy toy chickens.

Rabbit and bird

Other Easter symbols would be appropriate - a rabbit and a bird. They can decorate not only any place in the house / apartment, but also a festive Easter table, and make a nest for the birds (you need to take any wicker basket or plate, put dried or artificial grass on top, and plant figures of birds on top).

Decoration with flowers

Flowers in vases (pussy willow, daffodils, hyacinths, various greens) can become elements of Easter decoration - all this against the backdrop of beautiful tablecloths and napkins.

Easter tree

The classic way to decorate your home for Easter is with the Easter tree. You must take an empty one flower pot(bucket, flowerpot, jar), put a floristic oasis on the bottom (if it is not there, then sand, small pebbles will do), pour water, insert willow branches there and decorate the tree to your liking with birdie figurines, colored ribbons, plastic eggs (fabric , paper, yarn, thread, beads, papier-mâché).

Window decor for Easter

You can decorate the window with a horizontal or round wreath, made in a cheerful spring style and decorated with bright Easter symbols. It is easy to make it with wire, colored paper, multi-colored fabric, green twigs, willow branches, fresh and artificial flowers. Another design option is a garland of colored eggs. Inflate Balloons, then they are wrapped with colored threads dipped in glue, the threads are allowed to dry, the balls are pierced - and the air frames for decorating the house are ready!

Decorating fireplace shelves and window sills for Easter

Window sills and mantels can be decorated with structures woven from twigs and other materials at hand. You can use large glasses and any glass containers by placing the Easter assortment in them.

The next step in preparing your home for the holiday is drawing up a festive menu. It traditionally includes dyed chicken eggs, Easter cake, Easter. It is advisable to consecrate all these products in the church. Of course, you should not limit yourself to these Easter treats, you can also serve other dishes at the table.According to tradition, invited guests should be greeted with the words "Christ is risen" and presented with an Easter egg.

Not only cute and eye-catching Easter decoration elements, but also refreshing aromas of dried herbs, flowers and burning candles will help to awaken pleasant emotions on the main holiday of the entire Christian world.