Clean Thursday in 2016 - date, signs and customs

For the Orthodox, Great Pure Thursday is a significant day of the Passionate Season, when important evangelical events occurred - the last meal of Jesus with apostle disciples took place. The Last Supper, where the rite of the Holy Eucharist was first established, or the Communion. The day is considered the harbinger of the earthly sufferings of Christ, a turning point, followed by a resurrection. From April 28, the date when pure Thursday 2016 comes, believers can gather in churches where during the services they read the Gospel, confess and take the sacrament.

Clean Thursday in 2016 - what number?

For believers every day of the pre-Easter week is important, but for sympathetic religion one of the most famous days is Clean Thursday. Many do not have a canonical understanding of what can be done on passionate days and what can not be done, but try not to miss Thursday and devote to purifying procedures and rituals, cleaning, preparing for the celebration of Easter, mixing Orthodox traditions with pagan beliefs. According to the secular new style, clean Thursday 2016 will be April 28, and Easter Sunday May 1.

What is Krasnaya Gorka and when it is celebrated, read here .

Why Net Thursday is so called

According to the gospel legend at the Last Supper, Jesus Christ washes the disciples' feet, showing an example of humility and love, a victory over passions and pride. The plot, which became the starting point of the tradition of physical and spiritual purification, received multiple interpretations in everyday practice and for Great Thursday the name "Great Pure Thursday" was firmly established. All cleaning procedures in the dwelling or relating to the body, committed on this day, are given a symbolic and even magical meaning. For Christians, the most important is the sacred significance of a remarkable date, connected with the priority of spiritual renewal. Believers focus their thoughts on cleansing the soul, deliverance from greed, selfishness, envy and other vices, drawing inspiration from love for their neighbor in the heroic deed of Christ, who voluntarily suffered for universal sins. The custom of washing the body on this day marks the overcoming of sin and the beginning of the spiritual path. It is necessary to finish cleaning the premises, so that until Sunday, do not be distracted from spiritual practice.

What we do on Pure Thursday

On Pure Thursday it is necessary to have a lot of time and it is worth knowing in advance what date it will come, to find out what should and can be done on this holy day. We must prepare for the Bright Easter, fix the house and start preparing the ritual meal - a cake oven, cook Easter, paint eggs. Those who want to join the tradition for the first time can be offered a visual recipe for the main course. In the temples there are special divine services. It is recommended that you attend compulsory attendance and receive communion. Be sure to observe the strict fast on Pure Thursday. Prepare Easter dishes by completing all harvesting procedures. Consistency is important. What we do first of all is that it is necessary to defend the morning liturgy, and after returning to start cleaning up, but there is no strict requirement. Many, having completed the case, go to the evening service. It is well known that one can not do it - there is a fast, arrange holidays, have fun, break abstinence. Many of the bans on Clean Thursday are connected with signs.

More information about the Trinity can be found here .

Clean Thursday 2016: signs and customs

In each locality, their customs and common signs have been adopted, but some have become common. The tradition to swim before dawn took root everywhere. Ritual is often accompanied by prayer or conspiracy. There is a custom to bring candles from the service. They purify the house or store for rites of disease. With the same purpose and for money magic, the fourth water is kept. It is known that they also make Thursday salt for rituals of health, well-being and protection. The main sign of Thursday is associated with baking cakes. If it turned out magnificent, without flaws - a sign of well-being for a year. Settled - expect trouble, bad approach - there will be difficulties. Garbage in the house - to family quarrels. As on the Annunciation, on Thursday Passion read the signs seen in the morning in the window. The best sign is a man, an unpleasant one is an old woman. Beliefs and religion endow Great Thursday 2016 with great power, knowing what number it will come, there is a time to better understand its traditions.