Maundy Tuesday

Tuesday of Holy Week, which coincides with Lent, is dedicated to the recollection of one story from the Gospel - Christ’s denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees On this day, the parables of Jesus are read about the resurrection of the dead, about talents, the end of the world, ten virgins, the Last Judgment and other sermons he preached in the Jerusalem Temple On Holy Tuesday, believers are called to spiritual vigilance, the Liturgy of Gregory the Two-Eloquent, or the Presanctified Holy Gifts, is celebrated Holy Week, that is, the week before Easter, is celebrated by both the Catholic and Orthodox churches The last seven days of Christ's life on Earth are very important for believers, because they prepare them for heartfelt participation in the sufferings of the Savior This week is called Holy Week because these days the world is reliving the passions of Christ - the betrayal of Jesus by his companions, the trial, the accusation of blasphemy, mockery and death Every year the week falls on different dates, because it is tied to the celebration of Easter One of the most important among other solemn days of Holy Week is Holy Tuesday On this and other holidays, Christians will pay special attention to abstinence and prayer For the purpose of spiritual self-improvement and pacification of the flesh, fasting is observed Every day of the week before the Resurrection of Christ is called great - this week marks the peak of suffering and the death of Jesus for the human race In honor of the holiday, the troparion “On Great Tuesday” is read, the parable “The Loving Heart”, the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, teachings, sermons “On the properties of deceivers”, etc These works call the Orthodox to spiritual wakefulness, to the use of God-given powers and abilities to show mercy “We must try to overcome the sins to which we are accustomed, to see our shortcomings and not judge our neighbors,” Patriarch Alexy II said in his sermons these days During Holy Week, weddings and baptisms do not take place, saints' days are not celebrated, confessions are not made, and the dead are not commemorated All rituals, including those held on Holy Tuesday, are dedicated to the spiritual preparation of believers for Easter During his ministry, Alexy II reminded the laity of the lessons of Lent - humility before God and the achievement of moral purity Every year, Patriarch Kirill, the current Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, performs a liturgy in honor of the holiday and addresses the believers with a sermon The Lord speaks about the responsibility of every mortal before God, family and friends, the importance of fighting despondency, the spirit of idleness and covetousness - the desire for power Services in churches during Holy Week are distinguished by special grandeur and solemnity This emphasizes the importance of each day of the week for strengthening the spirit of believers Worship services and observance of other traditions on Holy Tuesday are a great help in this