Russian Orthodox Church marks Transfiguration of Our Lord holiday
The Russian Orthodox Church marks this Sunday one of the 12 great holidays – the Transfiguration of Our Lord. Alexy, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, will perform a holiday service and sanctify new crop goods at the Christ Our Saviour Cathedral.
It is one of the ancient holidays, dating back from the fourth century. The Gospel says that Christ ascended on this day three of his disciples Peter, Jacob and John to Mt. Fabor and transfigured before them: His face shined, while his robes turned to be extremely white.
The Church notes that God showed the force of deity with his transfiguration so that the apostles would not hesitate in faith during his crucifix sufferings and death.
This holiday coincides in Russia with ripening of new crop fruit. People eat apples on this day. According to the church tradition, it was impossible to eat apples or other fruit before this day, apart from cucumbers. Apple bazaars were arranged on this day before the 1917 October Revolution: sanctified apples were handed out to the poor as well as sent to hospitals and invalids homes. The Assumption Fast was not so stringent on the holiday of the Transfiguration of Our Lord: believers could eat fish, sweets, wine and vegetables, stewed in oil.
The Russian Orthodox Church marks this Sunday one of the 12 great holidays – the Transfiguration of Our Lord. Alexy, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, will perform a holiday service and sanctify new crop goods at the Christ Our Saviour Cathedral.
