What is Sunday. Sunday, Sunday afternoon. Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos of the Monk Hieroschemamonk Nil of Sorsk, which may be on Sunday

Combining with every day of the week the remembrance of this or that sacred event, of the exploits of this or that saint, the Christian Church especially honors and singles out Sunday as a day of remembrance of the resurrection and the risen Savior. The beginning of its celebration dates back to the first days of Christianity, it was supposed, if not by Jesus Christ himself, as Athanasius the Great claims in a conversation about the sower, then, in any case, by the apostles. On Saturday before the resurrection of the Savior, they “remained at rest according to the commandment” (Luke 23:56), and the “first day of the week” following it was considered everyday (Luke 24:13-17). But on that day, the resurrected Christ appeared to them, and “the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord” (John 20:19-20). With this moment“the first day of the week” becomes for the apostles a day of special joy, and at the same time, one might think, the beginning of its celebration, its separation from a number of others, is due. And indeed, “in the days of Osmich” after the first appearance of the Lord (John 20:26), i.e., according to the Jewish account, on the same first day of the week they again gather together, and again the Savior appears to them. On the first day of the week, the Jewish holiday of Pentecost also fell in the year of the resurrection of Christ, and the apostles again gather in the Zion upper room (Acts 2, 1). And if the Savior marked His first appearance with the "breaking of bread", now He sent down on the apostles and those who were with them St. Spirit (Acts 2:3-4). And this time, the “first day of the week” became for them a day of bright celebration, close communion with God and spiritual joy. All this taken together served, without a doubt, as a sufficient reason and basis for its selection, celebration. The events of subsequent time as well as possible confirm the validity of such an assumption. From the years 57 and 58, two indications have been preserved, testifying to the custom of celebrating Sunday with liturgical meetings and charitable deeds in Galatia, Corinth and Troad, that is, in the churches founded by the apostle. Pavel. “On the first day of the week, when the disciples gathered (at Troas) to break bread, Paul talked with them and spent the whole night in conversation,” we read in verses 7-11. 20 ch. book. Acts of the Apostles. “When collecting for the saints, writes St. Corinthians, do as I have ordained in the churches of Galatia. On the first day of the week, let each of you set aside and save as much as his condition allows, so that he does not have to collect when I come” (1 Cor. 16:1). After the death of App. Paul (66), during the activity of John the Theologian, the celebration of Sunday. day has become so established that it already has its own technical term, which determines its significance in the life of a Christian. If hitherto it was called " μἱα τὡν σαββἁτων ”, - one from Saturdays, the first day of the week, now it becomes known under the name “ χυριαχἡ ἡμἑρα" or simply " χυριαχἡ", i.e., the day of the Lord (Apocal. 1, 10). An indirect indication of the celebration of Sunday. day under the apostles presents the testimony of Eusebius of Caesarea about the heretics of the apostolic time - the Ebionites. “The Ebionites,” he notes in 27 ch. III book. his Church History, calling the apostles apostates of the law .., kept the Sabbath; however, like us, we also celebrated Sunday. days to remember the resurrection of the Lord. As for the celebration of Sunday. day in the following period, then it turns out to be universal and ubiquitous. Known as “the day of the Lord”, “the day of the sun” (the name occurs no more than three or four times: in Justin the Philosopher in 67 ch. 1 of the Apology and in Tertullian in ch. 16 of the apology and 13 ch. 1 of the book “to the peoples”; in the law of Valentinian of 386, it is explained by the addition: “which very many people are in the habit of calling the day of the Lord”, “Sunday of the Lord”, “queen of days”, etc., it is mentioned by many persons. and the beginning of the second century (97-112) - “ Διδαχἡ τὡν δὡδεχα ἁποστὁλων ", prescribing in the XIV ch. celebrate it with the celebration of the sacrament of the Eucharist. About the same time, Pliny the Younger remarks about Christians that they are in the habit of gathering on an appointed day and singing a song to Christ as to God. What kind of "established day" Barnabas points out when he says: "we celebrate the eighth day in which Jesus rose from the dead." No less clearly speaks of the celebration of Sunday. days and the third monument of the 2nd century, - the message of Ignatius the God-bearer to the Magyesians, prescribing in the IX ch. no longer honor the Jewish Sabbath, but live according to the day of the Lord. Explaining this place, Clement of Alexandria remarks: “he who fulfills the commandment of the gospel makes that day the Lord’s, when, having rejected the evil thought of the soul and having received the thought and knowledge of the Lord himself, he glorifies the resurrection.” The same testimonies about the celebration of Sunday. days are found in Dionysius of Corinth, Justin the Philosopher, Theophilus of Antioch, Irenaeus of Lyon, Origen, in the 64th Apostolic Rule, in the Apostolic Lent. etc. According to the testimony of 26 ch. IV book. Church History of Eusebius, Meliton of Sardis even wrote an essay on Sunday, but it, unfortunately, has been lost.

Starting the celebration of Sunday day, the apostolic age also indicated the very way of celebrating. According to 7 st. 20 ch. book. Acts of the Apostles, Sunday was the day of public worship under the apostles, the celebration of the sacrament of the Eucharist. It has always remained so, throughout the entire existence of the church. On the custom to perform on Sunday. the day of the Eucharist says, as seen above, Διδαχἡ τὡν δὡδεχα ἁποστὁλων ; Pliny's testimony that Christians gathered in stato die to partake of food, ordinary, however, and innocent, is understood in the same sense. From the same second century, a detailed description of the liturgy on the "day of the sun" in 67 ch. 1 Apology of Justin Martyr. The prescription to celebrate the Eucharist on the "day of the Lord" is also found in a recently published monument of the 2nd-3rd centuries. - "Testamentum Domini Nostri Jesu Christi" (1 book, 22 chapters). The testimonies of the 4th and following centuries speak of the celebration on Sunday not of one liturgy, but of all-night vigils and evening worship. The existence of the former can be judged from the letter of Basil the Great, in which he notes that the custom of performing all-night vigils appeared in Caesarea only under him, but at first it seemed such an innovation that in order to justify it, one had to refer to the practice of other churches. In the same IV century. Sunday all-night vigils also appeared in Constantinople. We find direct indications of this in Chapter 8. IV book. Cer. History of Socrates, in 8 ch. VIII book. The stories of Sozomen and in the word of John Chrysostom on St. martyrs. As for the Sunday evening service, according to Socrates in 22 ch. V book. History, it took place in Caesarea Cappadocia, and according to the VIII conversation of John Chrysostom on statues and II teaching about the devil - in Antioch. At the same time, the celebration and attendance of Sunday worship was considered in antiquity a matter of such great importance that it was not canceled even during the period of persecution, when Christian assemblies were in danger of every minute attack from the pagans. Therefore, when some timid Christians asked Tertullian: “how shall we gather the faithful, how shall we celebrate Sunday? then he answered them: just like the apostles, secure by faith and not by money. If sometimes you cannot collect them, then you have the night, in the light of Christ the Light-giver” (On Flight, ch. 14). Based on this practice, the Sardic Council of 347 threatens in II Ave. day, for three weeks he will not come to the church meeting. In the same spirit, 21 Ave. of the Illibertine Council is expressed, and subsequently the sixth ecumenical council confirmed these decisions with a special canon (80), explaining that only an urgent need or obstacle can serve as an excusing circumstance. A necessary attribute of the Sunday service was the sermon delivered both at the liturgy and at the evening service. “Not every day, but only two days a week (Saturday and Sunday) we invite you to listen to the teachings,” says I. Chrysostom in the 25th discourse on the gospel of John. The 8th and 9th conversations to the people of Antioch about the statues testify to the utterance of his evening teachings. Three centuries later, the Trulsky Cathedral made the pronunciation of Sunday teachings an indispensable duty for all primates of the church. Among the features of the Sunday service also belonged to the custom of praying standing, without kneeling. It is mentioned by Irenaeus of Lyons, raising its beginning to the apostles, Justin the Philosopher, explaining that he marks the resurrection of Christ, Tertullian and who died shortly before the first ecumenical council of St. Peter, Bishop of Alexandria. “Sunday,” he says in 15 right, we spend, like a day of joy, for the sake of the Risen One on it. On this day, we have not even bowed the knee.” On the existence of this custom in the IV century. testifies to the 20th avenue of the first ecumenical council, in the 5th century. Blessed mentions him. Augustine in his 119th letter to Jannuarius, and in the 7th Trulsky Cathedral makes a special decree (90th pr.).

Starting in the temple, the celebration of Sunday. the day was not limited to its walls; it went beyond it, found a place in everyday, domestic life. Already from the first three centuries of Christianity, there are indications that it was consecrated on Sunday by liturgical actions. So, in the IV book. works of Irenaeus of Lyons against heresies, the idea is that holidays should be dedicated to the affairs of the soul, that is, to reflections, good speeches and teachings. The Fathers of the 4th century speak about this even more clearly. They often urged Christians to turn their homes into churches on Sundays through psalmody and prayer, the aspiration of the mind to God, etc. - one day a week (Sunday) to devote the whole to listening and remembering what you heard. “After leaving the church, he notes in another place (5th discourse on the gospel of Matthew), we should not take up obscene deeds, but, having come home, we must take a book and, together with our wife and children, bring to memory that was spoken." In the same way, Basil the Great advises wives that on the day dedicated to the remembrance of Sunday, they should sit at home and have in their thoughts the day when heaven will be opened and the judge will appear from heaven ... In addition, the fathers inspired that Christians prepare at home for a worthy and reasonable participation in public worship. So, John Chrysostom charges his flock with the obligation to read on Sunday. day at home that part of the gospel that will be read in the temple. To give Christians the opportunity to celebrate Sunday. day in a similar way, the church forbade for this time everything that interfered, in her opinion, with the creation of a pious mood, and above all - worldly affairs and activities. The first ancient evidence of the observance of Sunday rest is found in Tertullian in Chapter XXIII. essays on prayer. “On the day of the Lord, on which He has risen, we must be free, says Tert., from any manifestation of sorrow and sorrow, also postponing deeds so as not to give place to the devil” ... “On this (Sunday) day, John notes Chrysostom in a conversation about mercy. to antioch. people, all work ceases, and the soul becomes joyful from calmness. Socrates expresses himself in the same spirit in 22 ch. V book. his Church. East “People love holidays,” he says, because during them they take a break from work. 29 Ave. Laodicean Cathedral and 23 ch. VIII book. Apostle Regulations raise this custom to the level of a mandatory regulation. The first pronounces an anathema on the Judaizers, i.e., those who are idle on Saturday and do not celebrate Sundays, the second demands that slaves be freed from occupation on this day. The preservation of the Sunday rest was a matter not only of the church, but also of the civil authorities, who helped her by issuing special laws. The first of them belong to Constantine the Great. So, in March 321, he issued the following edict: “Let all judges, urban population and artisans of every kind rest on the venerable day of the sun. However, in the villages, let the farmers work freely and freely, because it often happens that on another day it is too inconvenient to entrust the grain to the furrow, or the grapes to the pit, so that, having missed an opportunity, not to lose the auspicious time sent down by heavenly providence. Three months later, the emperor issued a new law, supplementing the previous one. “As far as we considered it indecent on the glorious day of the sun to engage in litigation and competition of the parties, it says, so much (we consider) pleasant and comforting on this day to do what is most related to consecration to God: so let everything be on a holiday (i.e. ., suns) have the ability to free and set free slaves; apart from these cases, do not carry out others (i.e., in courts). In addition, from the biography of Constantine the Great, compiled by the church historian Eusebius, it is known that he released on Sunday. day of all military people from military occupations. The successors of Constantine the Great continued to clarify and supplement the laws he had issued. Thus, around 368, Emperor Valentinian the Elder issued an edict demanding that "on the day of the sun, which has long been considered joyful, no Christian should be subject to debt collection." The next in time - (386) law of Valentinian the Younger and Theodosius the Great orders to stop on the Lord's day the conduct of all litigation, the production of trade, the conclusion of contracts, and “If anyone, the emperors add, deviates from this establishment of the holy faith, he must be judged. .. like a blasphemer.” These decrees entered into force until the first half of the VI century. code of Theodosius; in 469 were confirmed by the emperor Leo the Armenian, and as an integral part of the code of Justinian remained valid until the end of the 9th century, when the emperor Leo the Philosopher made an important addition to them. Finding these laws insufficiently strict, he forbade practicing on Sundays. day and field work, since they contradicted, in his opinion, the teachings of the apostles. No less, if not more, incompatible with the Christian celebration of Sunday. During the day, secular, worldly amusements appeared, especially those that were delivered by spectacles in the theater, circus, horse races and gladiator fights, and therefore they, like everyday activities, were banned. But since the church was to some extent powerless in the fight against addiction to such pleasures, the civil authority came to its aid. So, shortly before 386, Emperor Theodosius the Great issued an edict forbidding spectacles on Sundays. In June of the same year, 386, he was again confirmed by Theodosius and Gratian. “No one, say the emperors, should give spectacles to the people on the day of the sun and violate pious reverence with these performances.” Some time later, the fathers of the Council of Carthage in 399 decided to ask the secular authorities to forbid the presentation of shameful games on Sunday. and on other days of the Christian faith. A contemporary of the cathedral, Emperor Honorius, refused to grant this request on the grounds that judgments on such subjects were beyond the scope of episcopal competence. Theodosius the Younger turned out to be more indulgent than him, who issued the following law in 425: “on the day of the Lord, that is, on the first day of the week ... we forbid all the pleasures of theaters and circuses to the population of all cities, so that all the thoughts of Christians and the faithful are completely occupied deeds of worship." In 469, this law is confirmed by the emperor Leo the Armenian, who threatens to deprive him of his posts and confiscate his father's inheritance for non-fulfilment. In the 7th century for the termination of horse racing, as well as other folk spectacle, the Trulsky Cathedral spoke out in 66 Ave., and in the 9th century. Patriarch Nicephorus of Constantinople and Pope Nicholas announced that on Sunday. days should not be tolerant of theatrical entertainment. Not allowing on Sunday. day of worldly affairs, forbidding secular amusements and pleasures, the ancient church recommended doing deeds of Christian love at this time, and indicated a special, decent for a believer, way of expressing joy. Such deeds were various works of mercy and charity. Known even under the apostles (1 Cor. 16, 12), they are repeatedly mentioned by writers of later times. “You are in contentment and rich,” Cyprian, for example, says to one woman, how do you want to celebrate the Lord’s day without thinking at all about the offering? How do you come on the day of the Lord without a sacrifice? Tertullian, defining in 39 ch. Apologetics for the purpose of these fees, says the following: “this is a fund of piety, which is spent not on feasts, not on drunkenness, not on overeating, but is used to feed and bury the poor, to support poor orphans, to old men, to alleviate the plight of the unfortunate, the victims shipwreck. If there happen to be Christians exiled to the mines, imprisoned in dungeons, then they also receive help from us.” John Chrysostom invites his listeners to such exact donations. “Let each of us,” he says in the 27th and 43rd conversation on the 1st epistle, to Corinth., on the day of the Lord put aside the money of the Lord; let it be made law.” Judging by the many examples of charity represented by the lives of the saints, in ancient times they provided material assistance to the poor, wanderers, orphans; but those who were imprisoned in dungeons aroused special pity. Both civil and spiritual authorities tried to alleviate their fate. So, the emperor Honorius issued an edict in 409, commanding that judges visit prisoners on Sundays and inquire whether the prison guards are denying them proper philanthropy, so that those prisoners who did not have daily bread would be given money for food; the edict recommends that the primates of the churches exhort the judges to carry out this decree. Subsequently, the Council of Orleans in 549 ordered the bishops that they should be on Sunday. days, they either personally visited the prisoners, or ordered the deacons to do this, and with exhortations and help alleviated the fate of the unfortunate. Proceeding from the same desire to honor the day of the Lord with deeds of love, Valentinian the Elder (c. 368) and Valentinian the Younger (c. 386) forbade the collection on Sunday. days, both public and private debts ... As for the joy caused by the remembrance of the resurrection of the Savior, then on Sunday. day it was expressed by breaking the fast. “On the day of the Lord we consider it indecent to fast,” remarks Tertullian in ch. writings "de corona militum". “I cannot,” Ambrose of Milan notes in letter 83, “fast on Sunday. day; to establish a fast on this day means not to believe the resurrection of Christ. As if in confirmation of such a view, 64 Ave. of the IV Carthaginian Cathedral forbids reckoning those who fast on Sunday as Orthodox, and 18 Ave. of the Gangra Cathedral anathematizes such persons. We read the same thing in 55 Ave. of the Trulsky Cathedral: “If anyone from the clergy is seen fasting on the holy day of the Lord, let him be deposed; but if he is a layman, let him be excommunicated.” The 64th Apostolic Canon is expressed in the same spirit. The custom is to stop on Sunday. fasting was so respected that, according to Epiphanius and Cassian, even hermits observed it. Another expression of joy was the replacement of everyday clothes with more valuable and bright ones. An indication of this is found in the 3rd word of Gregory of Nyssa about the resurrection. Sunday celebration. days in the Russian church bore and bears almost the same character as in the east. Known originally under the name of "week", and from the XVI century. especially the 17th century. called "Sunday", it was primarily a day of worship. “On holidays,” says one teaching of the XIII century. - "The word is worthy of honor for a week, about nothing mundane... but just to get together in church for prayer." “Week, notes in the XII century. ep. Nifont, this is an honorable day and a festive one," is appointed in order to "go to church and pray." Sending on Sunday days of ordinary services - an all-night vigil, a liturgy, except for the funeral (Belech charter of the 11th century), and vespers, the ancient Russian church singled them out from a number of other days of the week by performing religious processions. “We establish, like other cities, religious processions on the second Sunday after Easter, on Peter's fast,” writes the Archbishop of Novgorod Theodosius in a letter of 1543 to Korel. A little later, the Stoglavy Cathedral established such Sunday moves in Moscow, starting from the week of all saints and up to the Exaltation. There was also a custom in the Russian Church to refrain from kneeling during Sunday worship. It is mentioned, for example, by the “Charter of Belech” of the 11th century, as well as by Kirik (12th century) in his questions. “Lord! he asked ep. Nifont, wives most of all bow to the ground on Saturday, leading in their justification: we bow for the rest. “Harrow the great one,” answered the bishop; don’t give on five vespers, but on a week after vespers, it’s worth it. ” However, the custom in question was valid only in the pre-Mongolian period. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries it begins to fall into disuse, so that, according to Herberstein, in the most joyful and solemn holidays the people bowed to the ground with contrition of heart and with tears. In everyday life, the celebration of Sunday. of the day was expressed in the dedication of free time to prayer, reading the Holy Scriptures, etc. Prayer was considered especially necessary, since it was seen as a means to warn believers from participating in different kind games. So, in one teaching of the XIII or XIV century. on the topic of honoring the holidays, it says: “when there are some gatherings of idol games, you stay at home that year (hour), not going out and calling -“ Lord have mercy. “Many are waiting for the coming of the holy Sunday. day, the author of the word notes, what a week is worthy of honor, ”but not all with the same goal; who fear God, then wait for this day to send up their prayers to God, and those who are lazy and lazy, so that, leaving the business, they gather for games. Another occupation that sanctifies Sunday. day, there were also deeds of love and mercy. They consisted in offerings for the decoration of churches, for the upkeep of monasteries and the clergy, and for doing good to poor neighbors. So, about Theodosius of the Caves, it is known that every week (i.e., Sunday) he sent a cartload of bread to prisoners in dungeons. But the main form of charity was the distribution of alms by hand to the poor, the poor and the sick. At the end of the service, especially on Sundays. and festive, they appeared at the doors of the church and begged for alms, which was considered the duty of every Orthodox Christian to give. As for the celebration of Sunday. day by abstaining from work, some monuments of the XI century speak of the existence of this custom. So, in the Belechesky charter there are two rules protecting Sunday peace. One - the 69th requires “not to be done a week until the evening”, the other - the 68th prescribes “on the week of proscura (prosphora) of the oven, and if you don’t get bread, then bake a little with proscuras”. The above rules, however, stand alone in ancient Russian writing. Attempts to introduce strict observance of Sunday rest were not successful. In ancient monuments, there are many accusations against those who, omitting worship, dissuaded: "I am not idle." But no one taught that work on Sunday. the day itself, no matter what it distracts from worship, is a sin. And indeed, according to Herberstein, “the townspeople and artisans return to work after the festive mass, thinking that it is more honest to do work than to waste their wealth and time in drunkenness, gambling, and similar things.” He also notes that “the villagers work for their master six days a week; the seventh day is given to them for their own work. Finally, in his own words, "holidays are usually observed only by princes and boyars." But they, as can be seen from other monuments, did not consider worldly activities on Sunday to be a special sin. days. So, according to the annals, one can judge that on Sunday. the days of receptions and the departure of ambassadors fell, as well as royal trips to suburban and distant estates. Finally, by Sunday fairs and auctions were timed to days, which took place in cities and villages near churches and, moreover, during worship. In view of this, the aforementioned Archbishop of Novgorod Theodosius, establishing religious processions on three Sundays. per year, expresses the desire that trade be stopped for that time. Sunday non-observance rest, it is all the more strange that, judging by the composition of the Kormchas, which, among other laws, included the laws of Justinian regarding the protection of the holiness of holidays, the Russian people were aware of the decrees prohibiting work on Sunday. days.

All Old Russian decrees regarding Sunday came from representatives of the spiritual authorities; the secular did not take any part in this matter. Nowhere, neither in "Pravda" of Yaroslav the Wise, nor in the "Code of Laws" of John III and IV, nor in various judicial charters, are there any laws and orders regarding holidays, including Sundays. day. And only in the XVII century the secular government decided to take up this matter. The first to attract his attention were folk amusements, incompatible with the idea of ​​the holiness of the Resurrection. day. But in early XVII in. only one decree was issued, - by Mikhail Feodorovich of May 23, 1627, which forbade, under pain of punishment with a whip, to converge on "bezlelitsa", that is, on merrymaking. The next two decrees of the same content, one of December 24 of the same 1627 and the other of 1636 belong to Patriarch Philaret and Joasaph. More energetic and active was the secular power under Alexei Mikhailovich. Around 1648 they were forbidden at any time in general, and on Sunday. days in particular, a whole series of superstitious customs and non-superstitious amusements: "any drunkenness and any rebellious demonic action, mockery and buffoonery with all sorts of demonic games." Instead of indulging in such entertainment, the decree commands "all service people, both peasants and all officials" to come on Sunday. days to church and stand here "quietly with all godliness." The one who disobeyed was ordered to “beat the batogs” and even exiled to Ukrainian cities (for disobedience for the third time). On August 11, 1652, a new decree was issued by the tsar forbidding the sale of wine on Sundays throughout the year. Five years before him, on March 17, 1647, an order was issued to stop work on holidays. “The Great Sovereign Tsar and Grand Duke Alexei Mikhailovich pointed out, and ... St. Joseph, Patriarch of Moscow, was laid down with the entire sacred cathedral, the decree says: according to the rules of St. apostles and st. fathers on Sunday the day is by no means befitting for anyone to do, lord and mistress, neither slave nor free; but exercise and come to the church of God for prayer.” With some changes and additions, this decree became part of the Code of 1648. It was in Article 26 of its X Ch. says: “but against the resurrection. days through the entire Sabbath, a Christian from all work and from trade stop and go into seclusion for three hours, until evening. And on Sunday day of the rows do not open and do not sell anything, besides edible goods and horse feed ... And there is no work on Sunday. don't work for anyone for a day." 25 article of the same X ch. prohibits the conduct of court cases on Sunday: “on Sunday. day, she says, no one. judge and do no deeds, besides the most necessary public affairs. But according to the law of 1649, legal proceedings are prohibited on Sunday. days until noon. These orders were subsequently confirmed by the Moscow Cathedral of 1666 and the decree of Alexei Mikhailovich of August 20, 1667. days of fairs and auctions; the decree orders to transfer them to another time.

With Peter the Great, a new period in the history of the celebration of Sunday begins in Russia. day. In accordance with the laws that appeared during its course, it can be divided into two parts, or eras. The first, embracing the XVIII century. (1690-1795), is characterized by the fall of ancient piety and, in particular, the veneration of Sunday. days. This began in the reign of Peter. By his nature, he represented the complete opposite of his father: as much as the latter loved worship and silence, so much Peter - noisy gaiety and feasts; besides, he could not boast of a commitment to ritual piety. Under such a king, the persecution of worldly amusements could no longer take place. On the contrary, now, following the example of the king himself, Resurrection. days are days, predominantly over others used for worldly amusements. And indeed, in one of his decrees, Peter allows folk fun on Sunday. days, however, - only at the end of the liturgy and, moreover, only "for popular polishing, and not for some kind of disgrace." As if in addition to this, they were open on Sunday. days and taverns (decree of September 27, 1722) How harmful were such orders to the celebration of Sunday. day, it can be seen from the words of Pososhkov that on Sunday. one day one could hardly find two or three pilgrims in the church. At the end of his reign, Peter decided to take up the restoration of the holiness of the holidays. For these purposes, on February 17, 1718, a decree was issued obliging all people - commoners, townspeople and villagers to go on Sunday. days for vespers, matins, and especially for the liturgy. At the same time, under the fear of "taking a considerable fine," it was forbidden on Sunday. days to trade in cities, villages and villages with any goods, both in shops and in squares. But work and entertainment on Sunday. days and now were not forbidden. An exception is made only for government offices exempted from classes under § 4 of the Regulations. After Peter the Great, in the cares of the secular government about the veneration of Sunday. the day was followed by a break; and during the reign of Anna Ioannovna and the rule of the Germans, the previous decrees on the resurrection. day ceased to be fulfilled. With the accession of Elizabeth Petrovna, the government's concern for the protection of the sanctity of Sunday resumed for some time. day. So, in 1743, she forbade the use on Sunday. days for any work of “convicts and slaves” and open taverns before the start of the service. The last ban, however, did not bring any benefit, so that a few time after its appearance, the synod complained that “there is noise, fights and stingy songs in taverns during worship,” and asked to move these institutions built in close proximity to the churches, to another place. But the request, for fear of loss, was not respected. A year after the issuance of these orders, a command was issued to stop the custom of doing on Sunday. days visits to "noble persons", and in 1749 "any executions" were forbidden. The attitude of the government towards Sunday is completely different. day under Catherine II. Thanks to the spread and strengthening of the ideas of the Encyclopedists in society, respect for him begins to weaken again. It comes to the fact that the work on Sunday is praised. days. So, in the decree of 1776 it is said: “who, out of his special diligence and zeal for service on Sunday. the day he makes a survey, then this will relate to his diligence. As for the sale of wine, under Catherine it was forbidden to trade in taverns only during the celebration of the liturgy (and before it began) and, moreover, only in those located at a distance of less than 20 sazhens from the church.

With the death of Catherine the Great, the first era of that period in the celebration of Sunday ends. day, which begins with Peter I. It is characterized by a gradual fall in the celebration of this day, a gradual weakening of legislative measures aimed at maintaining it. Drinking trade prohibited on Sunday. days by decrees of Alexei Mikhailovich, is now allowed throughout this day. Entertainment, in the 17th century. not allowed on weekdays, are now prohibited only on Sunday mornings. Works previously prohibited are now encouraged. Attendance at worship, previously compulsory, is now left to the will of everyone.

With the accession of Pavel Petrovich, a new period begins in the history of the celebration of Sunday. day. Paul himself provided an example of this. During his life, he managed to render important services to the restoration of his veneration. So, by decree of 22 Oct. 1796 Pavel Petrovich banned theatrical performances "on all Saturdays." An equally important measure aimed at preserving the holiness of the Resurrection. of the day, is the manifesto of 5 Apr. 1797, commanding “everyone to watch, so that no one, under any circumstances, dares on Sunday. days to force the peasants to work. Moreover, Pavel Petrovich was decided in 1799 “not to produce on Sunday. days of drinking sales at the time when the divine liturgy and the procession are performed "... In 1833, the Code of Laws was compiled, relating in the XIV volume to the issue of celebrating Sunday. day. The Sunday legislation is presented in it in the following form. Sundays are dedicated both to rest from work and at the same time to devout piety. Based on the latter provision, the law advises, refraining from a dissolute life these days, to go to church for the service of God, especially for the liturgy. At the same time, the civil authorities took upon themselves the obligation to take care of the protection during worship of order, peace and tranquility both in the temple and around it. In accordance with the first provision, the law is released on Sunday. days of attendance from meetings, educational establishments from employment, and nowhere is it allowed to carry out state and other public works, both by free and state masters, and by prisoners. Likewise, it is forbidden to employ landowning peasants for master work. Drinking houses, bucket and damask shops, as well as commercial ones, should be opened only after the end of the liturgy. Finally, the law forbids starting before finishing. Sunday Liturgy games, music, theatrical performances and all other public amusements and amusements. Introducing this resolution, the compilers of the "Code of Laws" for some reason did not include in it the order of Pavel Petrovich about the inadmissibility of theatrical performances and performances "on all Saturdays." But this gap was filled later, namely by the decree of September 21, 1881, which forbade the day before Sunday. days, all performances, except for dramatic performances on foreign languages. Having coped with this point, the legislation has not yet resolved another issue not touched upon in the Code of Laws, namely, about Sunday rest, the cessation of trade and work. And therefore, attempts to resolve it in the affirmative sense belong to private corporations - city dumas, rural gatherings, etc. They began approximately from 1843, when Metropolitan Filaret, with the consent of the citizens of Moscow, asked the governor general to ban trade on holidays or, at least at least move it to the afternoon. In 1860, the same Metropolitan Filaret presented to St. the synod petition that all kinds of trade in shops and squares, fairs and markets, as well as taverns, be prohibited from the evening before until vespers on Sunday. day. But he did not live to see the fulfillment of his desires; it followed after his death and, moreover, not in all cities. in the sixties and next years many city dumas are beginning to issue resolutions on the transfer of bazaars from Sunday. days on weekdays, on the closure or restriction of Sunday trading. Decrees of this kind were made in Penza (1861), Nizhny Novgorod (1864), Novorossia and Bessarabia, Pskov (1865), Tambov, Irkutsk, Yelets and other places. In defense of the celebration of the resurrection. days were performed in 1866 by St. synod and the Ministry of the Interior. In both cases, the question was raised: should the bazaars be abolished? Having agreed with the Chief Prosecutor's arguments about their abolition, the Minister of the Interior did not dare to indicate to the governors an article of the law, by virtue of which the latter must abolish Sunday bazaars everywhere, as the Chief Prosecutor requested. Because of this, the solution of the question of Sunday rest and trade turned out to be completely dependent on the representatives of the city in the subsequent time. And therefore, while in some it is settled more or less satisfactorily, in others trade continues as before, there is almost no rest. The good undertakings of individuals have been shattered and are being shattered by the indifference of the masses. Such, for example, is the fate of the desire of some St. Petersburg merchants to stop on Sunday. days of trade and release the clerks from work. Even more unattractive is the behavior of the Duma of the city of Kotelnich in the Vyatka province. In 1888, she decided to stop on Sunday. days of trade, received the highest gratitude for this, but did not carry out her decision. In other cities, orders made were canceled after a short period of time. So, in Moscow it was decided in the spring of 1888 to trade on Sunday. days only from 12 to 3 pm. But at the insistence of the merchants, in the fall of that year, this Duma resolution was canceled. As for other work on Sunday. days, there was no question of banning them until recently.

As for the celebration of Sunday. days in Western Europe, then here it has its own history. So, from the VI century. before the beginning of the Reformation, it is characterized by strict observance of Sunday rest and the issuance of laws no less stringent in order to protect it. This can be confirmed by the decisions of two councils - Orleans 538 and Masonic 585. The first banned on Sunday. days of field work, as well as work in vineyards and vegetable gardens; the second threatens with canes the peasants and slaves for field work on Sunday, officials for violating Sunday. days - by deprivation of office, and for clerics by six months' imprisonment. No less strict are the civil ordinances on the resurrection. day. So, according to the law of Hildsrich, the last of the Merovingians, harnessed to Sunday. a day in an oxcart is deprived of the right one. The Allemans had a law according to which the disturbed resurrection. day for the fourth time is deprived of a third of the estate, and the fifth violator - freedom. Subsequently, Charlemagne listed in detail in his decrees what was forbidden on Sunday. days of work. After him, care for the protection of Sunday. day passed into the hands of the popes, but they did not add anything new to the former decrees. Exactly the same views were held by the representatives of the Reformation, and moreover, as those who did not consider the celebration of Sunday. day by divine institution, and their opponents. Of the first, Calvin defined in his church decrees severe penalties for violating Sunday. day. The teaching of the latter found fertile soil for itself among the Puritans, thanks to whom it established itself in England and was even introduced into the Westminster Confession (1643-1648). The latter requires that on Sunday. the day Christians, putting aside all worldly affairs, not only spent it in sacred rest, but also in public and private liturgical exercises. In the same XVII century. was issued in England a number of laws directed against all kinds of Sunday amusements and work. Their completion is the act of Lord Day, which is still the basic law in English Sunday law. Strict observance of Sunday peace passed from England and its colonies, especially to the North American states, finding support here among the Methodists. Sunday was no less strictly observed. peace and in Germany XVI-XVII Art. Laws 1540, 1561, 1649, 1661 prohibited on Sunday. days almost all work and entertainment. In the 18th century, when the old religious foundations shook in Europe, the zeal for observing the celebration of Sunday also weakened. day. In France, an attempt was even made to completely destroy it. The decline of rigor in observing the rest of Sunday. days is noticeable during this time in England; thus, one of the orators of Parliament complained in 1795 that “work on large buildings is being carried out contrary to all propriety on Sunday. day". With the onset of the 19th century a reaction began against former hobbies and the restoration of the trampled dignity of Sunday. day. England was the first to take this path. The laws in it remain the same as they were in the 17th century, but due to popular sympathy in England, Sunday is observed more strictly than in any other state. peace. On this day, all government offices are closed; factory and all other work stops, six-seventh shops are closed; the number of rail trains is reduced by four-fifths; in many places, at the request of the public, post offices are closed; even museums, galleries are not available for visitors on this day. And peace and quiet reign among the practical people. Other states are following the example of England. So, in 1861, at the Geneva meeting of the Evangelical Union, it was decided to propagandize in favor of the Sunday. day. In eight cantons of the Swiss, “Sunday unions” arose, which then formed the “Swiss Society for the Consecration of Sundays. days." The results of his work are evident. Postal officials are released from work in Switzerland every other Sunday; office hours in postal and telegraph offices are limited, railway officials are also released from work every third Sunday, and the reception and issuance of ordinary luggage on Sunday. completely prohibited. 14 years after Switzerland, she responded to a question about the veneration of Sunday. day Germany. It was first initiated in it in 1875 by the central committee for an internal mission at the congress in Dresden. After that, "Sunday Unions" began to form, and a year later Germany already had quite a few representatives at the international "Sunday Union", which was in 1876 in Geneva. Some of the German “Sunday Unions” are attached to the internal mission, others are independent of it, but all of them, in order to promote the ideas of Sunday rest, arrange public readings about Sunday. issue, appoint prizes for the best essays on this issue, publish magazines specially dedicated to Sunday. day, they make petitions to the government, appeals to the people, etc. Agitation in favor of the resurrection had a special effect. days in Prussia. The Prussian main church council instructed to deal with the issue of Sunday. day to district synods. The latter addressed the relevant appeals to the communities and industrial institutions. In Mork County, the Evangelical Union began publishing a flyer, Celebration and Violation of Sunday. day. An Appeal to the German Christian Population". In some cities of Saxony, "Sunday unions" arose. In Westphalia, lawyers began to make collective announcements that on Sunday. days their office is closed. The Rhine Provincial Synod went even further; he unanimously accepted the following proposals regarding the resurrection. of the day: to insist on the application of existing laws and police regulations for rest Sunday. day and ask the main church council to help ensure that the overseers of trade have a third Sunday. was free from classes, transportation of goods by railways was reduced, classes in government offices were discontinued, various Sundays. pleasures and amusements are limited, and the clergy have taken care to set up Sunday and other societies to help make Sunday a day of rest. Finally, France also joined the general movement. In 1883, a committee was formed in it to promote the consecration of the Sunday. day, and on March 11, 1891, the first meeting of the formed league of "Sunday rest" took place. He is looked after by both the Evangelical and the Roman Catholic committees. Under the influence of them, many representatives of the trade have declared a desire to stop work on Sunday. days, and some railway companies - to stop receiving and sending low-speed cargo. Focused on Sunday. peace in Austria. In 1885, its archbishops issued a district message, urging the faithful to honor Sunday. day, and in the same year some laws protecting its holiness were issued.

Literature. Vetrinsky Monuments of an ancient Christian church. T. V, part 9. Brief information about the resurrection. day. - Christian Thursday, 1837, III. Review of ancient decrees (I-IX centuries) on the veneration of Sunday. day. - "Orthodox Interlocutor", 1867, I. Sergievsky, On the behavior of ancient Christians on Sundays and holidays. 1856 Sunday celebration. days of the ancient Christians. - "Guide for rural shepherds", 1873, I. Istomin, Meaning of Sunday. days in public life Christian nations from the point of view of Western moralists. - "Faith and Reason", 1885, Nos. 13-14. State and Sunday day. - "Orthodox Review" 1885, III. Belyaev, On the rest of the resurrection. day. Smirnov, Celebration of Sunday. days, 1893

* Alexander Vasilievich Petrovsky,
Master of Theology, Lecturer
St. Petersburg Theological Academy,

Text source: Orthodox theological encyclopedia. Volume 3, column. 956. Edition Petrograd. Appendix to the spiritual magazine "Wanderer" for 1902 Spelling modern.

Now in the Cathedral of the Annunciation, at the Divine Liturgy, the conception was read from the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Hebrews, in which were the following words:

“What else can I say? I will not have time to tell about Gideon, about Barak, about Samson and Jephthah, about David, Samuel and (other) prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, did righteousness, received promises, stopped the mouth of lions, quenched the power of fire, avoided the edge of the sword, strengthened from weakness, were strong in war, drove away regiments of strangers; wives received their dead resurrected; others were martyred, not accepting liberation, in order to receive a better resurrection; others experienced reproach and beatings, as well as bonds and prison, were stoned, sawed through, tortured, died by the sword, wandered in cloaks and goat skins, suffering shortcomings, sorrows, bitterness; those whom the whole world was not worthy wandered through deserts and mountains, through caves and ravines of the earth. And all these, who were testified in faith, did not receive what was promised, because God provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us” (Cor 11:32-40).

The apostle speaks of the holy righteous of God, who, having endured multiple harassment, abuse and persecution, did not depart from the Gospel and at the cost of their own blood did not allow the confession of the True Faith and the life of the Church of Christ to fade away. They are did not receive what was promised here on earth, but have inherited a better kingdom..

And one of these righteous people is remembered by the Holy Church today - St. Maximus the Confessor. He lived at the turn of the 6th-7th centuries in the era of ecumenical councils, when the emperors and patriarchs of the Roman Empire were very much concerned about religious issues. And these questions were so subtle and deep that it would be almost impossible for the current layman to imagine their subject. Few of the parishioners now think about how in Christ there was both a Divine and a human beginning, how many wills He had (divine, human, or two at once?), etc., however, such things, such topics were so significant that not only the ecclesiastical, but also the political integrity of the Roman Empire depended on them.

And so, the monk Maxim, being a very, very educated theologian, defended the purity and truth of the Orthodox faith, fighting the heresy of Monothelitism that was raging at that time.

A little earlier, the majority of hierarchs were strongly satisfied with another heretical faith - Monophysitism, which is why the heresy spread throughout the Church. And this spread had to be stopped by a competent theological justification of the untruth of heresy, but, already in the minority, the Orthodox bishops, led by Pope Honorius, formulated a new justification for Christian doctrine in order to compromise with heretics and profess a single Christian doctrine not split by heresy, but, unfortunately, the concession to heretics brought with it a new heresy - monoenergism, which brought with it monothelitism. The Church rallied, but the Faith and its practice were untrue. And only the monk Maxim, not agreeing with a single "compromise" , defended the true faith.

Just think about it! All Orthodoxy at that moment was kept by only one person!

And the worst thing is that, having great authority, Reverend Maxim did not give rest to the emperor, and the pope, and the patriarchs, for which he was declared an enemy of the Empire, who tried to create in her theological works unity split. He was convicted, his right hand was cut off so that he could not write, his tongue was torn out so that he could not preach, and he was sent to a distant exile, where he died, having received the crown of confession.

It is clear that after some time the Church, having renounced heresy, accepted his teachings as really true, but, one way or another, if Maximus the Confessor had stopped at some point, succumbing to this pressure, then perhaps the Church would now would not be. That is why it is necessary to preserve and honor the memory of the holy confessor of God, who gave his life for the sake of the Truth and washed the Body of the Church of Christ from heretical ulcers with his own blood.

. Who will get the reader's choice award is up to you: leave comments at the end of the article. Send us your stories

Sunday. Morning. In a few minutes, the parishioners will gather for a prayer service with an akathist before the Liturgy. Everyone can participate in reading and singing, just 5 years ago, and I began my churching with just such akathists ...

... A thin little book with the inscription "Akathist to All Saints" trembles in her hands, Natalya Borisovna, head of the temple and "senior in akathists", looks around in search of readers. A book in my hands is a signal of readiness for reading, and I do not go unnoticed. Reassuring smile: "Will you read?" A lump in my throat, at first my voice changes, but slowly gets stronger. When I finish, I see friendly faces nearby - they accepted me ...

After the akathist - Hours before the Liturgy. The temple is filling up, it's so nice to see everyone again, just like every weekend! Notes are served, candles are bought, everyone disperses to their usual places ... Father Alexy burns incense and congratulates everyone on the holiday ...

... The first time I saw Father Alexy was on TV - a local television company showed a story about a visit by the rector of the Intercession Church in the village of Khomutovo to the Shchelkovsky orphanage. “This is the kind of priest I could go to confession to…” – this thought stuck in me and served as the beginning of my return to the church, after I stopped attending Sunday school, I began to be afraid to appear in the vicinity of the church.

“Blessed is the Kingdom…” — the Liturgy begins.

Gradually, numerous parents with children gather at the temple. Older children immediately go to the service, the little ones go to the playground on the territory of the temple. Mothers and fathers of very young children usually take turns attending the service in order to be able to pray in peace. Sandbox, swings, climbing ladders - what a joy for kids! But all this appeared not so long ago, the number of children in the parish, thank God, is growing every year.

Those who signed up for baptism timidly look into the territory through the gate. Mothers swing babies, future godparents, ruddy and cheerful, ask where the gatehouse is, standing right in front of her door. The owners of video cameras and cameras, in anticipation of the main event, capture the beauty of the temple and the numerous flower beds in the fence, carefully cultivated by parishioners. Most often, a temple for those who come to be baptized or baptize children is something distant, mysterious and enigmatic ... Soon our Lena will come to them, conducting public discussions before baptism, she will explain everything and answer all questions. In addition to this obedience, Lena also takes care of the library at the temple, where anyone can borrow books to read. And she, like many others, helps to clean up the temple.

I remember the first time I decided to offer my help in the temple - I stayed after the service. Valentina, the young woman behind the box, was a little surprised, smiled amiably, and went to teach me how to put out the lamps. I remember how the priest, passing by, looked at me for a while - someone new appeared ... And then, with tears in my eyes, I told my friends at the school how I wanted to become a member of this family - clean up, wash floors, everything anything - just to be there ...

I remember that the first person who greeted me in the church at the Easter night service with a joyful exclamation of “Christ is Risen!” there was Irina, under whose guidance my friend and I watched the candles and washed the floors on Holy Saturday ...

... Here Annushka, an old altar girl, passed from the gatehouse to the temple. It seems that she already hears and sees very badly, but she will never pass by familiar faces without a slight bow and a surprisingly kind and joyful smile. We have two altar girls - there is also Antonina - a zealot for a reverent attitude towards the temple and the service, simple and kind, but not giving descent to the altar boys in case of negligence.

It's time for us to go to church. You enter and immediately hear harmonious choir singing. Today, Sunday, the choir is in full force. Regent Luba is still quite young, but very strict - try to hit the wrong note! But this does not happen on Sundays - the parishioners with the best vocal abilities, and the most experienced, are on the kliros. Among them, if you look closely, you can see our oldest and most respected chorister, Zinaida Grigorievna. It was she, mother Zinaida, who once took me by the hand and led me to the kliros, without even imagining how much it meant to me then, and this event became significant for me forever in my life ... Modest and inconspicuous at festive services, Mother Zinaida, who devoted her whole life to the church, is simply indispensable at everyday services, when there are very few singers, not infrequently, and one had to help the priests sing and subtract the service lasting several hours ...

Behind the box - Elizabeth, Valentina, Lyudmila Andreevna - the treasurer of the temple. They will always smile, answer the inexhaustible questions of those who are just looking for the way to the temple, who came “accidentally”, out of curiosity, they will recommend a book, talk about icons, tell you when it is more convenient to approach the priest with a question. Well, moms with kids will always add an extra prosphora - after Communion, no sweets can be compared with fresh prosphora!

In Nikolsky aisle - confession. Father Vasily is now confessing. Amazing dad! Recently the entire parish celebrated his 70th birthday. Despite all the infirmities, Father Vasily does not leave the service in the temple. He confesses, concelebrates, serves a memorial service - his service means a lot, the parishioners love and appreciate him. Next to him is always his right hand - mother Tamara - kind, friendly, the favorite of all the kids in the parish.

We have one more father - father Alexander. You don’t often meet such a cheerful father - everyone will remember some of his good jokes, a funny remark that brings you out of despondency. Father Alexander will never pass by the children just like that - he will bless, pat on the head, ask how things are going, does anyone offend? Many noticed that he was especially partial to boys - the father has four daughters and two granddaughters, whom he never gets tired of talking about.

It is impossible not to mention Matushka Evgenia, the wife of our rector, mother of four children. She is always aware of all the affairs in the parish, she will always support in difficult times, pray, find someone who can help in a difficult situation. Young mothers will be advised how to cope with small children, not to forget the temple and not to leave prayer under any circumstances.

“Come with the fear of God and faith…” – that’s Communion. Many young mothers and fathers with babies in their arms reached out towards the priest, who was holding the Chalice in his hands and reciting a prayer. In front of Father Alexy there are many children in colorful festive clothes and scarves, a little further away - older children, sedately folded their hands on their chests ... Thank God that there are so many of them! Grant, Lord, that they go through their whole lives with faith and hope in God's help...

After Communion, the little ones are taken away to be fed and put to sleep in strollers, many remain until the end of the service. Adult parishioners pull closer to the priest to listen to the sermon. But, thanks to the care of our craftsmen, Grigory and Sergey, who extended wires with microphones to the altar, the sermon is very clearly audible not only next to the priest, but also in any corner of the church.

Let's go to the Cross. The priest greets everyone, asks how his health is, whether things have improved, invites him to a meal.

In the porch, many linger at the stands. Here you can always find out the news of the parish, read announcements about upcoming religious processions, parish holidays, read articles by parishioners from our website, see photo reports from past parish events and festive concerts, admire the drawings of young Sunday school students, and learn much more. Adults are invited to talk about Orthodoxy with the priest, held on Wednesdays in a children's club in the town of Schelkovo-7.

The youth, led by a young officer Vladimir, agrees on the next hiking or cycling trip - after all, summer is in the yard, it's time to relax in nature.

Approximately once a month in the porch, and on sunny summer days and at the exit from the temple, clothes and shoes are distributed for those in need. Natalya Nikolaevna, who is obedient here, says that such distributions help many. Well, mothers at the parish at any time do not stop exchanging children's clothes and things that babies, as a rule, do not have time to wear out.

On the days of patronal feasts, a festive meal awaits everyone at the exit from the temple - specially made tables are lined with dishes with cookies and sweets, everyone is treated to fragrant tea - the whole air around is permeated with the atmosphere of the holiday ... We communicate, rejoice, share news and impressions, plan future meetings.

After the service, many remain in the church to help, after a meal and rest, Sunday school classes begin. For seniors, Alexander Georgievich, a former military man, conducts a hand-to-hand combat section.

My children and I are going home - they are still too small for Sunday school, and my husband’s obedience in the church is rather “homely” - Boris, and another of our parishioners, and just a friend, Sergey, with the blessing of the priest, are engaged in the website of our church. They write new articles, make photo reports, regularly update the schedule of services, and look for interesting materials.

The last look at the temple, the sign of the cross, bow ... We go home, but our souls never leave here. This is our second, or rather, first home, here are our friends, our family, which is constantly growing and changing, always ready to accept someone who is hard and lonely, ready to help and support. Our family is our parish.

Olga Ushkevich

The topic explored by the author of the article concerns one of the most important aspects of Christian life - the veneration of Sunday, as well as its relationship with the fourth commandment of the Decalogue, which prescribes to observe the Sabbath. This publication provides answers to many questions on the topic, including: what is the New Testament Orthodox understanding of the Sabbath? Is it possible to say that Sunday is celebrated by the Church instead of Saturday? Also E.O. Ivanov makes an attempt to reveal the depth of the meaning of the fourth commandment in accordance with Scripture and Tradition of the Orthodox Church.

The proposed topic concerns one of the most important aspects of Christian life - the veneration of Sunday, as well as its relationship with the fourth commandment of the Decalogue, which prescribes the observance of the Sabbath. In our opinion, the widespread idea among the Orthodox that Saturday as a special holiday was replaced by Sunday arose as a result of Catholic influence and requires clarification in the light of the teachings of the Church. This article outlines the foundations of the theology of Sunday and Saturday, which makes it possible to more accurately understand the meaning of the fourth commandment in accordance with Scripture and the Tradition of the Orthodox Church.

Foundations of Orthodox veneration of Sunday

The Orthodox theology of the Sunday is the Church's active comprehension of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ as the foundation of the Christian faith. The Resurrection of Christ took place “on the first day of the week” (Mark 16:9), in connection with which, from the time of the apostles, this day was given a special meaning in the life of the Church and the name “the day of the Lord.”

The meaning of the resurrection was expressed with special power by the holy Apostle Paul, who says: “But if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is also in vain” (1 Cor. 15:14). This thought runs through the entire New Testament, in the books of which various aspects of faith in the resurrection are revealed. Thus, the apostle Paul points out that God was “revealed as the Son of God in power, according to the spirit of holiness, through the resurrection from the dead” (Rom. 1:4); that Christ "was raised for our justification" (Rom. 4:25). Paul preached to the Athenians "Jesus and the resurrection" (Acts 17:18). The Apostle Peter says that through the resurrection of Christ, God regenerates believers "to a living hope" (1 Pet. 1:3). The book of Acts says, “The apostles bore witness with great power of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 4:33). These and other verses (eg Acts 2:31, 4:2) testify to the resurrection of the Lord as the foundation of the Christian faith.

Sunday worship began in apostolic times. There is evidence of this in Holy Scripture. Thus, the book of Acts says: “On the very first day of the week, when the disciples gathered to break bread, Paul, intending to go on the next day, talked with them and continued the word until midnight” (Acts 20:7). Thus, on Sunday, the disciples gathered together to celebrate the Eucharist, as well as listening to the sermon. Assuming the regularity of Sunday meetings, the Apostle Paul instructs on this very day to set aside funds for the needs of the Church: “On the first day of the week, let each of you put away and save as much as his condition allows” (1 Cor. 16:2). St. John Chrysostom explains the words of the apostle: “Remember, he says, what you were honored with on this day: ineffable blessings, the root and source of our life, began on this day, and not only this time disposes to philanthropy, but also because it delivers rest and freedom from work.

In Revelation, the Apostle John the Theologian reports that he "was in the spirit on the resurrection day" (Rev. 1:10). St. Andrew of Caesarea conveys the apostle's thought as follows: "I, embraced by the Holy Spirit, having acquired spiritual hearing, heard on a revered day, for the sake of the resurrection, more than any other day the voice of the Lord in sonority like a trumpet."

In the writings of Christians of the first centuries, the veneration of Sunday appears as a universally recognized tradition. St. Ignatius the God-bearer (II century), denouncing the Judaizers, wrote: “If we still live according to the Jewish law, then through this we openly admit that we have not received grace”; “those who lived in the ancient order of things drew near to the new hope, and no longer kept the Sabbath, but lived the life of the Resurrection.” Similar thoughts are contained in the "Epistle of the Apostle Barnabas" (II century): "We also spend the eighth day in joy, on which Jesus rose from the dead." St. Justin the Philosopher (II century) testified: “On the day of the sun, we all generally hold a meeting, because this is the first day on which God, having changed darkness and matter, created the world, and Jesus Christ, our Savior, on that same day rose from the dead." Tertullian in his epistle "To the Gentiles" (1, 13) reports that some "consider that the Christian God is the sun, because our custom (...) is known to celebrate the day of the sun" .

Also curious is an excerpt from a letter from a Roman statesman
Pliny the Younger (2nd century) that Christians "on the appointed day gathered before dawn, sang, alternating, Christ as God" . This testimony is fully consistent with Holy Scripture and Tradition. Thus, the Evangelist Mark writes that the myrrh-bearing women came to the tomb of Christ on Sunday “very early”, “at sunrise” (Mark 16:2), and the Apostle John specifies that this happened “early, when it was still dark” (John 20:1). Since Pliny is obviously talking about Sunday, the mention of the divinity of Christ, which with the greatest force and clearly witnessed precisely in His resurrection. This is fully consistent with the practice of the Church, which on Easter night calls on believers to repeat the path of the myrrh-bearing women and meet the resurrected Christ: “Let’s morning deep in the morning and instead of the world we will bring the song to the Master, and we will see the truth of Christ, the Sun, shining life to all” (irmos 5 songs of the Paschal canon) .

From the time of Constantine the Great, the Roman authorities began to legally support the veneration of Sunday: in 321, the emperor, who favored Christians, by his decree proclaimed the “day of the Sun” non-working. As Eusebius of Caesarea reports, the king ordered pagan soldiers to gather on Sundays in open squares and pray to God.

The veneration of Sunday so entered the life of the Church in the first centuries that its meaning for Christians was self-evident and did not require any special "theoretical" justification. As stated in Canon 1 of Theophilus of Alexandria (4th century), “both custom and duty require us to honor every Sunday and celebrate it: because on this day our Lord Jesus Christ showed us the resurrection from the dead.”

In view of the self-evident significance of Sunday, it is not surprising that in the rules of church councils it is rarely spoken of and more from a disciplinary point of view than from a doctrinal point of view. So, canon 20 of the First Ecumenical Council forbids kneeling on Sunday. Rule 18 of the Gangra Council (circa 340) and Rule 64 of the Apostolic Ordinances forbade fasting on Sunday. Canon 11 of the Sardic Council (340s) says: “If a layman, while in the city, on three Sundays, for three weeks, does not come to the meeting, let him be removed from the fellowship of the church.” Canon 29 of the Council of Laodicea (4th century) prescribed that "Sunday should be celebrated predominantly." The Council of Carthage (419) in the 72nd rule forbids spectacles and games "on Sunday".

It is important to note that neither in the Holy Scriptures nor in the Tradition of the Church is there any basis for the assertion that is widespread today that Sunday is a substitute for Saturday. Only centuries later, largely under the influence of Roman Catholicism with its characteristic meticulous systematization of its doctrine, did the Orthodox Church receive a catechetical exposition of the foundations of the veneration of Sunday, tying it to the fulfillment of the fourth commandment of the Decalogue. In the "Orthodox Confession" of Metropolitan Peter Mohyla, published in the 1640s, regarding the fourth commandment of the Decalogue (about keeping the Sabbath), it says: Jesus Christ our Lord, the renewal of the whole world took place, and the liberation of the human race from the slavery of the devil. St. Philaret of Moscow in the Catechism interprets the fourth commandment as follows: “The seventh is also celebrated every six days, only not the last of the seven days, or Saturday, but the first day of every week, or Sunday” (ch. 534). The Catechism also says that “Sunday is celebrated from the time of the Resurrection of Christ” (ch. 535). St. Nicholas of Serbia in his "Catechism" explains the fourth commandment and the veneration of Sunday as follows: "Why do we consider Sunday a day of rest? “Because our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the seventh day, and on Saturday He was in Hell, preaching the Gospel to the dead and saving them.” Nikolai Serbsky also points to the proper pastime of Sunday, which consists in joyfully remembering the victory of Christ over death, refraining from everyday work, prayer, reading the Bible, doing good deeds, etc.

So, we can sum up the intermediate results:

1) the self-evident and self-sufficient significance of Sunday as the main celebration of the Christian faith is confirmed both by the Holy Scripture of the Church and its Tradition;

2) at the same time, in Orthodox catechisms, starting from the 17th century, a concept that is Roman Catholic in its origins appears, according to which Saturday is replaced by Sunday, and the celebration of Sunday is subordinate to the Old Testament commandment about Saturday.

In this regard, we should consider what the New Testament Orthodox understanding of the Sabbath is and whether it is possible in any sense to say that Sunday is celebrated by the Church instead of the Sabbath.

The Sabbath and Sunday Command in the Light of the New Testament

First of all, from a formal point of view, it is incorrect to apply the fourth commandment to Sunday, since it speaks not of the first day of the week, but of the seventh: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy; six days you shall work, and do [in them] all your works, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God” (Ex. 20:8-10). Sunday is the first day in the week of creation and a model for the rest, thus significantly differing in meaning from the Sabbath. If on the first day the dynamics of the creation of the world is set, then on the seventh day the unshakable fullness of creation is contemplated. Saturday, therefore, is an image of the rest in which God dwelt at the end of the six creative days: “And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, for in it he rested from all his works, which God created and created” (Genesis 2:3).

Further, it should be borne in mind that with the advent of Christ, the Old Testament commandments, including the Sabbath, are overcome in their worldly-restrictive, “bodily” dimension, acquiring a new spiritual meaning. The Apostle Paul characterizes the unspiritual fulfillment of the commandments of the Decalogue as “the service of deadly letters inscribed on stones” (2 Cor. 3:7), pointing out that it is useless: did not bring anything to perfection; but a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God” (Heb. 7:18-19). Accordingly, the Church did not consider it possible to keep the law of Moses, as determined at the Council of Jerusalem in the first century (see Acts 15:28-29).

As for the Sabbath, according to the words of the Apostle Paul, it is a prototype, “the shadow of the future” (Col. 2:17), that is, a foretaste of that true and full spiritual life that is revealed in Christ. The Jews, despite their outward observance of the Sabbath, did not enter into God's rest "for disobedience" (Heb. 4:6). Calling himself "Lord of the Sabbath" (see Mark 2:28) in response to the reproaches of the Pharisees, Christ abolishes the Old Testament commandment in its carnal-formal and worldly-limiting attitude, thereby showing a completely new spiritual content of faith and that the true Sabbath consists in confessing the Lordship of Christ, cutting off evil deeds and evil will, doing good.

The connection of the New Testament Sabbath with the resurrection and divinity of Christ is revealed even more fully in chapter 5 of the Gospel of John. To the accusations of violating the Old Testament Sabbath, Christ replied: “My Father is working until now, and I am working” (John 5:17). Consequently, rest from work in a set period of time does not yet constitute a Sabbath as such, because the divine rest of the seventh day does not mean the complete inaction of God the Trinity and the absence of His care (providance) for the world after creation. Christ teaches not to abstain from deeds in general, but from a sinful way of thinking and living, which turns out to be impossible to correct by keeping the Sabbath in the Old Testament sense. According to St. Maximus the Confessor, “according to the law, corresponding to the state of temporary things, giving birth and dying, Saturday is honored by the suppression of deeds, and according to the Gospel, corresponding to the state of spiritual and mental affairs, it is celebrated by doing good deeds.”

It is noteworthy that in response to the reproach about the Sabbath, Christ confessed Himself to be God (John 5:18-27), preached the resurrection of the dead and His power over death. Thus He showed that the New Testament Sabbath includes the confession of the deity of Christ and His victory over sin and death. Not in the Sabbath itself, but in the resurrection according to the Holy Scriptures, the union of a person with Christ, the final abolition of sin and victory over death (Rom. 6:5-9) takes place.

Christ, being the lord of the Sabbath, manifests his dominion with the greatest force in His resurrection, through which alone entry into the divine rest of the Heavenly Kingdom is possible. St. John of Damascus testifies: “We celebrate the perfect peace of human nature; I'm talking about the day of resurrection, on which the Lord Jesus, the Head of life and Savior, led us into the inheritance promised to those who serve God spiritually, into which He Himself entered as our Forerunner, having risen from the dead, and after the gates of heaven were opened to Him, He sat bodily at the right hand Father, those who keep the spiritual law will also enter here, that is, those who keep the true, spiritual Sabbath.

In the light of the New Testament, the fourth commandment of the Decalogue can be fulfilled spiritually (that is, truly) only through participation in the triumph of the resurrection of Christ, and not through following formal prescriptions and restrictions. If the Old Testament Sabbath requires a person to have a special pastime and worship God on the seventh day, then the New Testament Sabbath consists in complete renunciation of sin and doing good at all times.

It should also be noted that the law did not so much bring closer to God as it did not allow a person to move away from God even further than he had already moved away. And in this sense, the requirements of the law are minimal and consistent with the state of people in pre-Christian times. As St. John of Damascus, the commandment on the Sabbath was given so that “those who do not consecrate their whole lives to God, who serve the Lord not out of love, as the Father, but as ungrateful servants, give God at least a small and insignificant part of their lives and (would do ) this is at least because of the fear of responsibility and punishment for violation (commandments) ".

In the New Testament, not just one day of the week (be it the seventh or the first) is subject to consecration, but the whole life, every thought, word and action of a transformed person, regardless of time and place. The first Christians “did every day with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with joy and simplicity of heart, praising God” (Acts 2:46-47). The Savior cancels both temporal and spatial restrictions in the worship of God: “the time is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father” (John 4:21). Thus, in the Orthodox Church, the conciliar service to God (liturgy) is performed daily and everywhere, and not on just one Saturday in just one specific place. Sunday stands out in the cycle of the week not as the only day for consecration and worship, but as a special holiday.

From the above, the following conclusions can be drawn:

1) the fourth commandment of the Decalogue is not applicable to Sunday from a formal point of view (a formal argument);

2) the New Testament Sabbath consists in confessing the divinity of Christ, believing in His resurrection, putting off evil deeds and evil will, doing good deeds, since through this entry into the rest (Sabbath) of the Kingdom of Heaven is carried out (spiritual argument).

In our opinion, some problematic of the Orthodox catechetical exposition of the fourth commandment lies in the fact that it reproduces its outwardly formal content, which has ceased to be relevant from the point of view of the New Testament, while the spiritual New Testament content is reflected insufficiently and, as it were, is limited to one day of the week. The formal aspect here prevails over the spiritual.

At the same time, the substantiation of the veneration of Sunday by referring to the fourth commandment has some grounds of a different kind.

It should be noted that statements about the need to honor Saturday or Sunday have a common logical form: "It is necessary to allocate a special day in the week for worshiping God." In this sense, the analogy between Saturday and Sunday is obvious (without detracting from the fact that the reasons for honoring each of these days are different). This idea is present in St. John Chrysostom on the book of Genesis: “Already here, at the very beginning (of the existence of the world), God divinely offers us the teaching that we devote one day in the circle of the week and separate it for spiritual deeds.”

This argument is very convenient from the point of view of practical, pastoral tasks, since it allows the Church to remind believers of their religious duty. As St. John Chrysostom, “the week has seven days; God divided these seven days with us so that He did not take more, and did not give us less, and did not even divide them equally - He did not take three for Himself and did not give us three, but He separated six days for You, and left one for Himself. .

Coming to Church on Sundays is not the fulfillment of the Old Testament commandment about the Sabbath in the literal sense, but the veneration of Sunday has a clear similarity with the veneration of the Sabbath. Thus, Sunday is celebrated “instead of” Saturday, not in the sense of its literal replacement, but by analogy with it. At the same time, Sunday is filled with a special spiritual meaning and reveals the New Testament meaning of the Sabbath.

The presented argument from analogy (together with the pastoral aspect) allows us to consider the Orthodox catechetical exposition of the fourth commandment, although incomplete, but having the necessary foundations.

Saturday in Orthodox worship and asceticism

Christ in the Sermon on the Mount said that "not one jot or one tittle will pass from the law until all is fulfilled" (Matthew 5:18). Therefore, the commandments of the Old Testament have some meaning for the Christian, even if they are formally repealed. Thus, according to Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov's) Catechism, “Saturday in the Christian Church is not celebrated as a perfect (real) holiday. However, in memory of the creation of the world and in continuation of the original celebration, he is released from fasting. Therefore, if the fourth commandment really changed Saturday to Sunday, then there would be no basis for the continued special status of the Sabbath in Orthodox theology and liturgy. Saturday has a distinct festive meaning; on this day, as on Sunday, fasting is canceled or weakened.

It is known that since ancient times, the Orthodox Church in its weekly liturgical cycle has emphasized exactly Saturday and Sunday. For example, in "Lavsaik" (5th century) it is said about the Nitrian ascetics that they "gather to church only on Saturdays and Sundays" . The content of the Sabbath liturgy is different from the services of any other day. The Orthodox Church on Saturday remembers not only the divine rest after the creation of the world, but also the departed Christians. On Great Saturday on the eve of Easter, the Church experiences the descent of Christ into hell. It was on Holy Saturday that mass baptisms were performed in ancient times: the catechumens were invited to be mystically buried with Christ, to plunge into Saturday rest, in order to then be resurrected with the Savior. The kontakion of the sixth irmos of the canon of Great Saturday reads: "This Saturday is blessed, in which Christ, having fallen asleep, will rise three days."

The special spiritual significance of the commandment about the Sabbath is revealed in Orthodox asceticism. From Saints Justin Martyr and Irenaeus of Lyon, the first evidence of such a spiritual understanding has come down to us, in full agreement with Holy Scripture. Yes, St. Justin, in a dialogue with Trypho the Jew, says that in the New Testament, God commands "to keep the everlasting Sabbath," that is, to repent and sin no more: the next one "will make the true and pleasant Sabbath of God." According to St. Irenaeus of Lyon, “and it is not commanded to spend the day in peace and leisure to those who observe the Sabbath every day, that is, in the temple of God, which is the body of man, performs a worthy service to God and does righteousness every hour.” Other Orthodox saints had the same understanding of the Sabbath.

So, Reverend Macarius Egyptian, in the conversation “On the New and Old Sabbath,” said that the old Sabbath was “the image and shade of the true Sabbath,” consisting in the fact that “the soul, having been able to get rid of shameful and impure thoughts, Sabbaths the true Sabbath, and rests in true peace, being idle and free from all dark deeds. St. Gregory the Theologian instructed: "Keep every Sabbath - both lofty and hidden." St. Basil the Great, in his commentary on the prophet Isaiah, wrote: “True Sabbaths are the rest intended for the people of God; them, because they are true, God accepts. And those Sabbaths of rest are reached by the one in whom the world was crucified, - he reaches the perfect distance from the mundane and upon entering his own place of spiritual rest, abiding in which he will not move from his place, through the silence and serenity of this state. Etc. Mark the Ascetic wrote that “the Sabbath of Saturdays (Lev. 16:31) is the peace of mind of the rational soul, which, distracting the mind even from all the Divine words that are hidden in beings (created), in the rapture of love completely clothed it in the one God and mysterious theology has made the mind completely inseparable from God.

Cyril of Alexandria, Maximus the Confessor, John of Damascus and other saints had a similar understanding of the Sabbath.

These saints did not put into the commandment about the Sabbath the meaning that it is assimilated in modern Orthodox catechisms, and did not connect it with the external veneration of Sunday. St. Maximus the Confessor in the Speculative and Active Chapters (ch. 228, 229) clearly distinguishes the meaning of Saturday and Sunday (Easter): “Saturday is the repose of the movement of passions, or their complete inactivity. God commanded to honor the Sabbath, (...) for He Himself is also the Sabbath (...); there is He and Easter (…); and Pentecost is He. The same saint directly says that the commandment on the Sabbath is not connected with the veneration of any one day (be it Saturday or Sunday): “Some of the commandments of the law must be observed bodily and spiritually, and others only spiritually. For example, do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, and such must be observed bodily and spiritually (...). On the contrary (…) keeping the Sabbath (…) is only spiritual” (Chapters on Love, Second Centurion, 86).

So, Orthodox theology and tradition testifies that Sunday should not be regarded as a day that replaced Saturday, but as a new and main holiday in the history of God's people. In Orthodox hymnography, this significance of Sunday and its preeminence over Saturday is especially strongly expressed in the Paschal Canon of St. John of Damascus: “This is the appointed and holy day, one Sabbath is the king and Lord, the holidays are the feast and the triumph of celebrations, in which we will bless Christ forever.”

Although Saturday is abolished in Christianity as a mandatory institution, its meaning, however, continues to be displayed in Orthodox liturgics. The commandment to observe the Sabbath is considered in Orthodoxy mystically and ascetically as a call to union with God and the cessation of sin. At the same time, the Old Testament veneration of the Sabbath remains part of the Christian heritage (as well as other Old Testament commandments), in support of which we can refer to the words of St. Irenaeus of Lyons: “Preparing a person for this life, the Lord Himself spoke to everyone equally the words of the Decalogue; and therefore they also remain with us, having received through the fleshly advent of His expansion and increase, and not destruction.

Thus, in New Testament asceticism, the Sabbath commandment has a deep spiritual meaning, and its Old Testament meaning is not diminished, but rather, on the contrary, acquires its fullness.

The Doctrine of Sunday and Saturday in Western Orthodoxy

In the Orthodox West, the theology of Sunday and Sabbath was basically identical with the teachings of the churches of the East, with the exception that the Roman Church kept the Sabbath fast, thereby emphasizing the non-holiday nature of the Sabbath, and paid more attention to the disciplinary aspects of the veneration of Sunday.

The theology of Sunday and Saturday was most fully revealed in the West by Blessed Augustine of Hippo. In a letter to Junuarius, he testifies that the Lord's day is celebrated by Christians in honor of the resurrection of the Lord (see letter 55, from Augustine to Januarius, 13, 23). Augustine draws attention to the fact that the Old Testament commandment about the Sabbath is placed among the commandments that determine a person’s relationship to God, and not to other people: the Sabbath is an invitation precisely to Divine rest, which therefore cannot be bodily and limited in time. This is “complete and holy eternal rest” (letter 55, from Augustine to Januarius, 9, 17), to which the Christian strives in faith, hope and love, and the way to which Jesus Christ opened through His sufferings; peace from all heaviness, care and anxiety, which, however, is not passive inaction, but is full of life, good deeds and prayerful glorification of God. Therefore, “the prescribed bodily rest is an image that we received as a means of our edification, and not as a duty that weighs on us” (letter 55, from Augustine to Januarius, 12, 22). In his "Confession" Augustine asks God for "peace of rest, peace of the Sabbath, peace that knows no evening", he spiritually understands the seventh day as the eternal rest of the Kingdom of Heaven.

As later St. Maximus the Confessor, Bl. Augustine says that the Sabbath command, unlike the rest of the commandments of the Decalogue, has a figurative and mystical meaning and must be fulfilled spiritually, and not bodily: “we are not commanded to keep the Sabbath day literally, in repose from bodily labors, as the Jews do” ( letter 55, from Augustine to Januarius, 12, 22). Augustine points out that the spiritual meaning of the Sabbath is revealed through the resurrection of the Savior: “Now, when through rest we return to that true life that the soul lost through sin, the symbol of this rest is the seventh day of the week. But this true life itself (...) is displayed by the first day of the week, which we call the day of the Lord ”(letter 55, from Augustine to Januarius, 9, 17). These thoughts of Augustine are consistent with what the Eastern holy fathers spoke about.

Other examples should be cited regarding Sunday and Sabbath theology in Western Orthodoxy.

Pope Innocent I at the beginning of the 5th century. wrote: "We celebrate Sunday because of the revered Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ." Pope Gregory the Dialogist (c. 540-604) spoke about the holiness of Sunday: “our respect for the day of the resurrection of our Lord and concern for its holiness requires us that we dedicate this day, appointed for rest from labor, dedicating it to the Lord, before Him are prayers for the forgiveness of the sins we have committed during the six days. As St. Gregory the Dialogist, “everything that is written in the Old Testament about the Sabbath, we accept and keep spiritually, and since Saturday is a day of rest, then our true Sabbath is our Redeemer Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who gave temporary and eternal rest to the souls of the righteous.” The Second Masonic Council in the 6th century decreed that the Sunday rest was "offered to us in the manner of the seventh day in the law and the prophets."

The Church in the West placed great importance on the disciplinary aspects of Sunday observance. Even at the Elvira Local Council (306), it was decided that a person could be expelled from the city if he did not attend worship three Sundays in a row (21 rules). The Council of Agde (506) obliged Christians to attend the Sunday service. Similar rules were adopted at the III Orleans Council (538) and II Masonic (581-583).

It should also be noted that the Roman Church fasted on the Sabbath. At first, this practice was not universal: according to Bl. Augustine, she was absent in the Milan area. However, later the Sabbath fast was established everywhere in the West, which became one of the reasons for the separation with the Eastern churches.

In the future, the Catholic doctrine of Sunday and Saturday, developing already outside Orthodox tradition, has acquired its own characteristics, the main of which, in our opinion, is the concept of replacing Saturday with Sunday. Because this concept is more late time influenced Orthodox Christians, it is necessary to consider what the Roman Catholic doctrine of Saturday and Sunday consists of.

Sunday and Sabbath Doctrine in Roman Catholicism

In its foundations, the Catholic understanding of the day of the Lord coincides with the church, as it is based on faith in the resurrection of Christ and the heritage of the pre-schism period. In Dies Domini (1998), summarizing Catholic Sunday theology, Pope John Paul II referred to the Lord's day as Easter, "which returns week after week." According to the Catholic Catechism, "Through the Passover of Christ, Sunday fulfills the spiritual truth of the Jewish Sabbath and proclaims man's eternal rest in God." Obviously, these provisions are consistent with the Tradition of the Church.

Serious differences between the Roman Catholic teaching and the church lie in its excessive legalism, as well as in the concept of replacing Saturday with Sunday, which to some extent was also accepted by Orthodox Christians.

A strongly pronounced legalism in the understanding of the fourth commandment and the day of the Lord is present in the catechism of the Council of Trent (1545-1563), the most significant in terms of the completeness of the exposition of the Catholic doctrine. In it, the commandment to rest on the seventh day is interpreted precisely as a duty: "those who completely neglect its fulfillment oppose God and His Church: they are enemies of God and His holy laws."

However, only in 1917, in the Code of Canon Law, participation in Sunday mass was made a direct obligation for believers. The current Code formulates this prescription as follows: “faithful Christians are bound by the obligation to participate on Sundays and holidays in the Divine Liturgy.” The Second Vatican Council also confirmed this in the constitution on the sacred liturgy (Sacrosanctum concilium, II, 56): "The Holy Council urges pastors in teaching the faith to persistently remind the faithful of their obligation to participate in the entire Mass, especially on Sundays." The same is said in the catechism.

Thus, in Catholicism, the veneration of Sunday appears as a binding legal norm, the violation of which is punishable. Such an understanding is in many ways alien to the Orthodox Church, which, having canonical prescriptions for Sunday, is more drawn to the good conscience and free will of man. However, it should be noted that in the message "Dies Domini" (1998), Pope John Paul II softened the legal tone of the catechetical teaching: "observance of the Lord's Day (...) remains a genuine obligation. However, such observance should be perceived more not as a prescription, but as a need that arises in the depths of the Christian life.

Another difference between Catholicism in the doctrine of Sunday is the fundamental assertion that Sunday is celebrated instead of Saturday. In the largest Catholic teacher, Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225-1274), this thought finds a complete expression: the beginning of a new creation in the resurrection of Christ.

To justify the concept of substitution, Aquinas divided the Sabbath commandment into what pertains to moral (natural, divine, immutable, eternal) law and what is ceremonial (situational, ceremonial, changeable, temporal) institution: moral in the sense that it commands man to devote part of his time to the divine (...), and it is in this sense that it is among the prescriptions of the Decalogue, and not in that it establishes a specific time, in which respect it is a ritual prescription. On this Thomist basis, the confession of the Council of Trent (1545-1563) was formed, in the catechism of which it was said that the commandment on the Sabbath, “from the point of view of the time of its fulfillment, is not fixed and immutable”, “we are not taught by the natural right to worship God in Saturday, like any other day." Accordingly, Saturday can be celebrated on Sunday: "The Church of God, in her wisdom, prescribed that the celebration of the Sabbath should be transferred to the "day of the Lord"".

Thus, both Saturday and Sunday are introduced into the relativistic logical construction as subordinate elements in relation to the “natural law”, thus the unique meaning of each of these days is, as it were, eliminated. The Sabbath command is reduced to its most general formulation: "Remember that you must keep the feast days holy."

The Fathers of the Church understand the fourth commandment spiritually as entry into Divine rest through renunciation of sins and passions, do not tie its fulfillment to any period of time, and nowhere do they teach about replacing Saturday with Sunday. The commandment on the Sabbath is not divided by the holy fathers into parts, it is fully recognized as an expression of the immutable divine will (“natural law” in the terminology of Thomas Aquinas) and receives a spiritual increment in the light of the New Testament. Whereas in the Catholic Thomistic interpretation the Sabbath commandment is artificially broken, Sunday is understood as a replacement for the Sabbath, and the New Testament spiritual content of the commandment is not revealed. Although Thomas Aquinas used the image of the "spiritual Sabbath", it was not developed much.

Perhaps the specific attitude towards the Sabbath that developed in Roman Catholicism was caused by the spread of Sabbath sects in the West. Although similar movements arose in the East, perhaps it was in Rome at some stage that they constituted a threat to the Church. Pope Gregory the Dialogist called the Subbotniks "preachers of the Antichrist." Confrontation with the sects could strengthen the Roman Church in the practice of Sabbath fasting and the conscious elimination of the festive features of the Sabbath, preserved in the Orthodox Church.

The Trullian (or Fifth-Sixth) Ecumenical Council (691-692) in the 55th rule ordered the Roman Church to abolish the Sabbath fast. Despite such an authoritative decision, the Roman Church did not change its practice. In 867, Patriarch Photius of Constantinople in his "District Epistle" as the first difference between Eastern and Western Church singled out the Sabbath fast: “For their first untruth is the Sabbath fast, which not only rejects the Tradition in a small way, but also reveals a neglect of the teaching as a whole.”

Thus, although the Orthodox and Catholic teachings about Sunday and Saturday are identical in their foundations, they also have significant differences. Probably, the presence in the Orthodox catechisms of the concept of replacing Saturday with Sunday is caused, as we have already mentioned, by Catholic influence. This is confirmed by her late appearance in the Church.

Conclusion

Revealing the theology of Sunday and Saturday in the light of the teachings of the Orthodox Church, we are convinced of the deep spiritual meaning inherent in their veneration. This meaning is not limited to setting aside one day a week for the worship of God. This external, "bodily" dimension is inseparable from the Christian life, but secondary to that fullness of the life of the Holy Spirit, which is given in the New Testament and which overcomes temporal and geographical limitations.

The Orthodox Church teaches that through the resurrection of Christ, the way is opened to the peace of the Kingdom of Heaven, true Sabbath in glorifying God, victory over sin and death, and doing good deeds. Sunday, therefore, is the new and main feast of the Church, "there is one Sabbath, the king and the Lord," according to St. John of Damascus.

At the same time, in Orthodoxy, reverence for Saturday is preserved: it is the second most important day in the seven-day liturgical circle. The glory of the Sabbath as the main Old Testament holiday is diminished by the glory of Sunday, but not swallowed up or destroyed by it. In the I-II centuries, the Church did not oppose Jewish Christians in keeping the Sabbath according to the law of Moses, but forbade this to be done by new converts from Gentiles. Later, the Church finally banned the Old Testament rites of the Sabbath, at the same time affirming in the canons its special status in memory of the Old Testament celebration.

The relationship between Saturday and Sunday is thus the relationship between the New and Old Testaments. The greatest Old Testament prophet - John the Baptist - spoke of Christ: "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).
Bl. Theophylact of Bulgaria interprets these words as follows: “How is the glory of the Forerunner diminished? Just as the morning dawn is covered by the sun, and it seems to many that its light has died out, although in fact it has not died out, but is covered by a greater one, so, without a doubt, the Forerunner daylight is covered by the mental Sun, and therefore it is said that it diminishes. So is Saturday: it is not canceled by the Church, but its significance is diminished in comparison with Sunday, dedicated to the triumph of Easter of Christ.

Roman Catholicism also recognizes the advantage of Sunday over Saturday, but the glory of Saturday and the memory of its celebration are eliminated: Saturday, according to Catholic teaching, is replaced by Sunday. This concept, due to purely external, historical reasons, had an impact on Orthodox Christians, but it has no basis in the Tradition of the Church. The consequence of this influence is that Orthodox Christians are often unaware of the spiritual meaning that the Holy Fathers put into the commandment about the Sabbath.

In our opinion, the clarification of the spiritual meaning of both Saturday and Sunday in the light of the teachings of the Holy Fathers can contribute to the spiritual growth of Orthodox Christians and a better understanding of the faith. The missionary-apologetic aspect of Sunday and Sabbath theology is also important, in particular from the point of view of the controversy with Subbotniks.

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18. Catechism Catholic Church. URL: http://cathmos.ru/files/docs/vatican_documents/cce4/content.htm

19. Catechism of the Catholic Church. Compendium. - M .: Cultural Center "Spiritual Library", 2007.

20. Cyril of Alexandria. Glafira or skillful explanations of selected places from the book of Exodus.

21. Krasovitskaya M. S. Liturgy. - Moscow: Orthodox St. Tikhon Theological Institute, 1999.

22. Palladius, Bishop of Helenopolis, Lavsaik, or the Narrative of the Life of the Holy and Blessed Fathers / Per. from Greek ep. Eusebius (Orlinsky). 3rd ed. SPb., 1873. (Reprint edition.)

23. Writings of the men of the apostles. – Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, 2008.

24. A complete Orthodox prayer book for the laity and the Psalter. - M .: Ark, 2009. (Including the Easter canon of John of Damascus.)

25. Popov A. Historical and literary review of ancient Russian polemical writings against the Latins. XI-XV centuries M., 1875.

26. Rules of the Orthodox Church with interpretations of Nikodim, Bishop of Dalmatia-Istria. Volume II. St. Petersburg, 1912.

27. Orthodox Encyclopedia. URL: http://www.pravenc.ru/

28. Orthodox Confession of the Eastern Catholic and Apostolic Church, with the words of St. John of Damascus on holy icons, and the statement of faith, according to the revelation of St. Gregory the Wonderworker, Bishop of Neocaesarea. Translation from Greek. Moscow. Synodal Printing House. 1900.

29. Our Reverend Father Macarius of Egypt spiritual conversations, epistle and words, with the addition of information about his life and writings. Moscow. In the printing house of Vladimir Gauthier. 1855.

30. Our Reverend Fathers, Abba Isaiah the Hermit and Mark the Ascetic, teachings and words. - M .: "Rule of Faith", 2007.

31. A lengthy Christian catechism of the Orthodox Catholic Eastern Church. Compiled by Metropolitan Filaret (Drozdov). Reissue. Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, 2008.

32. Early Church Fathers. Anthology. – Brussels, 1988.

33. Saint Gregory the Dialogist, Pope of Rome, Epistle to the Citizens of Rome, in which he forbids keeping the Sabbath, according to Jewish custom. // Journal "Christian reading, published at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy". - St. Petersburg: In the printing house of K. Zhernakov. - 1843 - Part IV.

34. Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia. Creations: In 2 volumes. Volume One: Dogmatic-polemical writings. exegetical writings. Conversations. App.: Archbishop. Vasily (Krivoshein). The problem of knowing God. – M.: Siberian Blagozvonnitsa, 2012.

35. Saint Nicholas of Serbia. Orthodox catechism. "Christian Life", Klin, 2009.

36. Saint Andrew, Archbishop of Caesarea Interpretation of the Apocalypse // Vladimir, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine. "Yes, come, Lord Jesus." Saint Andrew, Archbishop of Caesarea. Interpretation of the Apocalypse (collection). - Russian language. - K .: Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, 2011.

37. St. John of Damascus. Exact presentation of the Orthodox faith. Book. IV, ch. XXIII. Against the Jews, about the Sabbath // Complete collection of works of St. John of Damascus. Volume 1. St. Petersburg, 1913.

38. St. Irenaeus of Lyons. Against heresies. Proof of the Apostolic Sermon / Translation by Archpriest P. Preobrazhensky, N. I. Sagarda. – Ed. 2nd, corrected. - St. Petersburg: "Publishing house of Oleg Abyshko", 2010.

39. St. Justin Philosopher and Martyr. Creations. – M.: Palomnik, Blagovest, 1995.

40. St. Cyril of Alexandria. Commentary on the Gospel of John//Creations. Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, 1901.

41. Symphony based on the works of St. Gregory the Theologian - M .: "DAR", 2008.

42. Skaballanovich M. N. Explanatory Typicon. M., 2004

43. Creations of St. Epiphanius of Cyprus. Part one: On eighty heresies Panary, or the Ark. M .: Printing house of V. Gauthier, 1863.

44. Creations of our holy father John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, in Russian translation. Volume two in two books. Book one. St. Petersburg. Edition of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. 1896.

45. Creations of our holy father John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, in Russian translation. Volume ten in two books. Book one. St. Petersburg. Edition of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. 1904.

46. ​​Tertullian. Selected works: Per. from lat./General. ed. and comp. A. A. Stolyarova. - M .: Publishing group "Progress", "Culture", 1994.

47. Thomas Aquinas. sum of theology. Part II-I. Questions 90-114. - K .: Nika-Center, 2010.

48.St. Augustine: Letters 1-99. Translation, introduction, and notes by Roland J. Teske, S.J.. Hyde Park, NY: New City Press, 2001.

49. The Catechism of the Council of Trent, published by command of Pope Pius the Fifth. Translated into English by Rev. J. Donovan, Professor, &c., Royal College, Maynooth. Dublin, 1829.

Dies Domini, III, 47.

To date, the last pan-Catholic cathedral, and therefore in a relative sense more authoritative for Catholics.

Documents of the II Vatican Council. Moscow: Paoline, 1998, p. 37.

Thomas Aquinas. sum of theology. S. 133

See: Acts of the Ecumenical Councils, published in Russian translation at the Kazan Theological Academy. Volume six. Third edition. Kazan, 1908. S. 288.

Popov A. Historical and literary review of ancient Russian polemical writings against the Latins. XI-XV centuries M., 1875. S. 9.

The earliest example is from St. Gregory Palamas (XIV century), see his Decalogue of the Christian Law, where it is said: “One day of the week, which is called the Lord’s, because it is dedicated to the Lord, who rose from the dead into it, and thus the general resurrection of all foreshadowed in him warned - this day is holy (Ex. 20: 10-11), and do not do any worldly work on it (...). Having thus God as a place of refuge, you will not transgress the commandments, you will not kindle the fire of passions, and you will not take the burden of sin upon yourself; and thus you will sanctify the Sabbath day, Sabbath-keeping by not doing evil ”(St. Gregory Palamas. The Decalogue of the Christian Law // Philokalia: In 5 vols. - Vol. 5. - 4th ed. - M .: Sretensky Monastery Publishing House, 2010. S. 275). St. Gregory, like the early holy fathers, speaks of the spiritual Sabbath, but he ties the fulfillment of the commandment about the Sabbath to Sunday.

As M. N. Skaballanovich wrote, “From the very beginning of the 3rd century, with the weakening of antagonism to Judaism, there was a tendency to honor the Sabbath in some way, separating it from a number of ordinary days, and this trend by the end of the century and the beginning of the 4th century. leads to the fact that in some Churches Saturday is honored almost equally with Sunday ”(Skaballanovich M.N. Explanatory Typikon. M., 2004).

See also the words of the righteous Simeon the God-Receiver: “Now you release Your servant, Lord, according to Your word, in peace, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel” (Lk 2:29-32).

Commentary on the Holy Gospel of Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria. In two volumes. T. II.

Interpretations on the Gospels of Luke and John.: Siberian Blagozvonnitsa; Moscow; 2010, p. 204.

Most of us consider Sunday a day off when we can relax and do nothing. But in the Church, the attitude towards him is somewhat different. How to spend the seventh day of the week according to the Orthodox tradition, we learn from the cleric of the Nativity of Christ cathedral Uvarovo priest Vladimir Kryuchkov.

- Father Vladimir, tell us, what is the spiritual meaning of Sunday for Orthodox people?

- Sunday takes its origins from the Old Testament (this is the Book of Genesis, the Pentateuch of Moses). It says that when the creation of the world was going on, the Lord left the seventh day as a day of rest. Six days of creation, and on the seventh day the Lord rested from His labors. In addition, on the tablets of the Covenant, which were handed over to the Prophet Moses, were written commandments on how to honor the Sabbath day: “Dedicate the Sabbath day to the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:8-10). Therefore, the Old Testament Sabbath is a type of today's Sunday. We all know that the Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected on this day. And therefore, Sunday is honored by Orthodox Christians as a small Easter, a small Resurrection.

There is an opinion among the people that “nothing can be done” on Sunday, at least until lunch. How, according to the Charter of the Orthodox Church, should Sunday be spent?

This question can be answered by referring to both the Old and New Testaments. Because the Sabbath in the Old Testament time the Jews honored sacredly, but they honored it in such a way that, in the end, it came to the ridiculous. They did nothing, and that was the most important thing for them. Nothing could be done - it was a sin, it was a crime. And what about the New Testament? The Holy Gospel tells how Jesus Christ and His disciples walked through the field, and the disciples were hungry, that is, they wanted to eat. They began to pluck the ears, grind them in their hands and eat. And immediately the Pharisees, who were in the ranks of His disciples, murmured: why are Your disciples doing this on the Sabbath? Saturday is a holy day, nothing can be done, and rubbing the ears, this, in their opinion, was already work. Then the Lord said these words: “Not a man for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath for a man” (Mark 2:27).

Also, many times the Pharisees tried to catch Jesus Christ in the fact that on Saturday He did good deeds: He healed a withered hand, a possessed one. Then He, seeing the deceit of their hearts, once asked: “What do you think? If a man had a hundred sheep and one of them went astray, would he not leave the ninety-nine in the mountains and go looking for the lost one? (Matt. 18, 12) Therefore, to the question - is it possible to heal on Saturday or not, is it possible to do good deeds on Saturday or not, the question, of course, is unequivocal - it is possible.

Father Vladimir, it happens that Sunday, due to work or urgent matters, cannot be freed for visiting the temple, reading holy books, and praying. How, then, to preserve the spirit of Sunday, so as not to forget about its Christian significance?

Of course, our time is very crafty, very fast. And sometimes cases accumulate in six days, not everyone has two days off, but only one - Sunday. And those things that have accumulated over the week, I want to do. All the same, it is necessary to observe Sunday like this: if a person does not have the opportunity to come to the temple, then you need to pray at home, remember the health, repose of your loved ones, read some spiritual books. After that, you can get down to business.

And any business must begin with prayer. Our ancestors always did this, and they managed to do much more than we do. And there was no fuss, and there was no race, in which we all now live voluntarily or involuntarily. The fact is that every business that our grandparents started began with a holy prayer, with God's blessing. And they ended a small or big deed also with a prayer, but already with thanksgiving. Then, taking on another matter, the same thing: "The King of Heaven" was read. And when a person finished the day, he lit a lamp and prayed, read the evening rule, and he had such a feeling, such a feeling that he had spent the whole day in the temple. Because prayer, intertwined with our secular and physical affairs, went on uninterruptedly, and the person did two things: he was in social service, did physical things, and at the same time prayed to God, that is, he did spiritual things. We also need to follow this.

- How can you determine that a person correctly fulfills the commandment to keep the Sunday day?

Sunday is given to us, first of all, to honor God. And the second is for relaxation. Because a person, if taken from a physical point of view, will not give himself rest, sooner or later he will break down, become seriously ill, or some other infirmity will visit him. You don’t have to load yourself with big things, but you also don’t have to go from one extreme to the other, because if it’s Sunday, then the Russian soul always strives to roam. You can’t do any outrageous things on this day, remembering that this is the day of the Lord. This day is pious, quiet and holy.

- Father Vladimir, God save you for your advice.

- May the Lord bless you. Goodbye.