Ash Wednesday in Catholics

Many people know that after the Carnival begins a fast, which lasts until Easter. Christians of both directions (Catholics and Orthodox) adhere to it until the day of Christ's Resurrection. However, among Catholics and Orthodox the fast begins on different days and has its name.

It was to this day that the work of Thomas Eliot, written in verse in the 1930s, is dedicated. To understand what exactly described the "Ash Wednesday" Eliot, it is important to know the essence of the day itself.

Meaning of the holiday

Catholics start a fast on Wednesday. Why this happens, we will find out a little later, but first let's analyze why the Ash Wednesday is so called. At the beginning of the fast, the priest in the church puts a cross on the forehead of the parishioners with consecrated ashes. It reminds people that their bodies are but dust. The priest conducts the procedure with the words: "Remember, O man, that you are dust and return to dust."

The ash used is not simple, it should be from palm branches that have been preserved since the last Palm Sunday holiday (the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem). The branches of pussy will be used in European countries. People often call them kittens. Many parishioners believe that blessed ashes contribute to a good harvest.

There are other names for this day:

• Bad environment.
• Black Wednesday.
• Adam's day.
• Curve medium.
• Mad environment.

All these names refer to the same day and begin a fast, which should last 46 days.

History

The custom itself first assumed the strewing of the head with ashes, but eventually it changed in some countries. It has an ancient biblical origin. Even in the Old Testament, such action meant repentance and humility of man.

It is already known that Ash Wednesday is the beginning of fasting. This tradition arose in the 4th century. And in the beginning, its duration was 40 days, and by the 8th century it was decided to add a few more days. Since that time the post began to be held from Wednesday.

Easter has no fixed date, which repeats from year to year. It is celebrated every year at different times, so the Ash Wednesday begins in different ways. For example, in 2015 it was held on February 18.

Why does Adam's day begin 46 days before Easter?

The answer lies in the fact that Ash Wednesday is the beginning of fasting, and it lasts 40 days, that is 6 weeks. But Catholics do not adhere to it on Sundays, so these days fall out. That's why they start it earlier, that is, on Wednesday, and not on Monday.

At the same time the Orthodox fasts are continuous and make up all 40 consecutive days. Therefore, he takes his beginning on Monday, which is called Clean.

It is interesting that the Catholics have the last day before the fast, called Fat Tuesday. The Orthodox know it as a Forgiveness Sunday.

Days of the Mad Environment until 2020

The dates are calculated according to the algorithm developed by the Catholic faith. In the following years, the Ashen environment for Catholics will be conducted:

• 2016 - 10 February;
• 2017 - 1 March;
• 2018 - 14 February;
• 2019 - 6 March;
• 2020 - 26 February.

Ashen environment in the Slavic traditions

Simple people are always very difficult to resist any prohibitions, therefore fasting can not adhere to all. If today the priests talk more about the spiritual side, rather than abstaining from food, then in the last century it was about strict adherence to Christian dogmas.

In Europe, it was decided to wear dark clothes these days, only a certain list of foods was allowed to be eaten and alcohol was not allowed. However, the last point was quite severe for the male half of the population, so many found justification for their weaknesses. In general, Ash Wednesday is the same for Catholics everywhere, although in some countries there are rituals.

For example, in the Czech Republic, men, after serving in Krivoi Wednesday, believed that a glass of alcohol, drunk on that day, would save them in the summer from mosquito bites and other insects. In some areas they even said: "To drink ash."

As Ash Wednesday shared the life of people for the festivities and long abstinence, they treated it in a special way. So, it was believed that on this day it is impossible to spin the thread. Non-compliance with the ban can lead to a poor harvest of flax and cannabis, and the one who will get such clothes will suffer unhappiness.

In Slovakia, it is impossible at this time to lay eggs under the hen, so that they do not hatch. Also, women cooked long noodles in order to produce high ears, and baked large cakes to make the pigs thick.

In Poland there was a tradition according to which on this day a person could steal from the owner of the house some thing, and afterwards sell it back to the owner in a tavern.

Traditions with soot

In addition to the stains and anointings of ashes in the church, the Slavs held their rites. So, in Slovakia, guys tried to smear soot on young girls, women also smeared themselves with it. Poles clung to the entrance to the house a sieve with ashes, so that all those entering the house were showered with it.

Many Slavic Catholics collected ashes from a kiln for sprinkling seeds, dwellings, fields. This was to save from fires, pests, natural disasters.

The ashen environment, the photo of which is celebrated in the article, has many traditions that supplement it. More often than not, the people have thought them out on their own, so in different countries and even regions they may differ.

The reasons for the discrepancy between the Passover and the Catholics and Orthodox Christians

It so happened that the celebration of the Christian Easter among Orthodox and Catholics does not coincide. It happened not because of the split and not specifically. The fact is that the celebration is calculated by studying the phase of the moon. More specifically, this should be on day 14 of the phase after the day of the vernal equinox. The calculation of this day for many ancient countries had its own, therefore in Gaul, Italy, Egypt the date of Easter was its own back in the 4th century.

Another contradiction was the calendar split that occurred in the 16th century. The Gregorian calendar was introduced , and the world was divided into those who lived in the New and Old styles. The Orthodox Church has left the Julian calendar in the rituals , that's why all holidays are celebrated according to the Old style.

Most often the difference between Easter is from one to five weeks. But it can not be two or three weeks. All these calculations are carried out according to a special algorithm. At the same time every few years, Easter in both faiths can coincide. For example, in 2014 it was so. The next coincidence will be in 2017. The main condition is that the Christian Easter does not coincide with the Jewish one.