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Dormition of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary

Icons of Sophia, the Wisdom of God (Novgorod). Revered icons of the Assumption of the Mother of God: Kiev-Pechersk (1073), Ovinovskaya (1425), Pskov-Pecherskaya (1472), Seven-City (XV) and Pyukhtitskaya (XVI). Icons of the Mother of God: Mozdok (XIII), Atskur (I), Tsilkan (IV), Vlaherna (Georgian), Vladimir-Rostov (XII), Gaenat (XIII), Bakhchisaray, Chukhloma (1350), Surdegskaya (1530) and Tupichevskaya (XVII).

Morning – Lk., 4 credits, I, 39–49, 56. Lit. - Phlp., 240 credits, II, 5–11. Lk., 54 credits, X, 38-42; XI, 27-28.

Fish is allowed at the meal.

In the morning, magnification: “We magnify Thee, Immaculate Mother of Christ our God, and gloriously glorify Thy Assumption.” We don’t sing the “most honest” one, but we sing the refrains of the holiday. 1st refrain: "Angels, having seen the Assumption of the Most Pure One, were surprised how the Virgin rises from earth to Heaven."

At the liturgy, instead of "Worthy" - "Angels, dormition ... The charters of nature are defeated ..." (before giving).

We congratulate birthday people on Angel Day!

Icon of the day

Dormition of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary

Dormition of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary

After the Ascension of the Lord, the Mother of God remained in the care of the Apostle John the Theologian, and in his absence she lived in his parents' house near the Mount of Olives. For the apostles and all believers, She was a consolation and edification. Talking with them, the Mother of God told about the miraculous events of the Annunciation, the seedless conception and the incorruptible birth of Christ from Her, His infancy and all earthly life. Like the apostles, She planted and established the Christian Church with Her presence, word and prayers. The reverence of the apostles for the Blessed Virgin was extraordinary. After receiving the Holy Spirit on the significant day of Pentecost, they stayed in Jerusalem for about 10 years, serving the salvation of the Jews and wanting to see and hear Divine words from Her more often. Many of those newly enlightened by faith even came from distant lands to Jerusalem to see and hear the Most Pure Theotokos.

During the persecution raised by Herod against the young Church of Christ (Acts 12:1-3), the Blessed Virgin Mary, together with the Apostle John the Theologian, retired to Ephesus in the year 43, in which the lot fell to the Apostle John the Theologian to preach the Gospel. She was also in Cyprus at St. Lazarus the Four Days, who episcopated there, and on the Holy Mount Athos, about which, as St. Stephen the Holy Mountaineer says, the Mother of God prophetically said: I will be an Intercessor to this place and to God about it an Intercessor."

The reverence of ancient Christians for the Mother of God was so great that they preserved everything about Her life that they could only notice from Her words and deeds, and even conveyed to us about Her appearance.

According to a tradition based on the words of the Hieromartyrs Dionysius the Areopagite († October 3, 96) and Ignatius the God-bearer (+ December 20, 107), Saint Ambrose of Milan in his work "On Virgins" wrote about the Mother of God: "She was a Virgin, not only in her body but also in soul, humble in heart, prudent in words, prudent, reticent, lover of reading, industrious, chaste in speech. Her rule was not to offend anyone, to be well-disposed to everyone, to honor elders, not to envy equals, to avoid boasting, to be sensible, to love virtue. When even with the expression of her face did she offend her parents, when she was in disagreement with her relatives? When she was proud before a modest person, laughed at the weak, evaded the poor? She had nothing harsh in her eyes, nothing imprudent in words, nothing indecent in actions : modest body movements, quiet tread, even voice, so Her bodily appearance was the expression of the soul, the personification of purity. All Her days She turned into a fast: sleep she ate only at the request of need, but even when Her body was at rest, She was awake in spirit, repeating what she had read in a dream, or thinking about bringing her intended intentions into fulfillment, or devising new ones. She left the house only to go to church, and then accompanied by relatives. However, although She appeared outside Her house accompanied by others, She herself was the best guardian for Herself; others guarded only her body, and she guarded her own morals herself. " According to a legend preserved by the church historian Nicephorus Callistus (XIV century), the Mother of God "was of medium height or, as others say, somewhat more than average; golden hair; eyes quick, with pupils, as it were, the color of an olive; the eyebrows are arched and moderately black, the nose is oblong, the lips are flowering, full of sweet speeches; the face is neither round nor pointed, but somewhat oblong; her hands and fingers are long... In conversation with others, she maintained decency, did not laugh, did not get indignant, and especially did not get angry; completely artless, simple, she did not think about herself in the least and, far from effeminacy, she was distinguished by complete humility. As for the clothes she wore, She was content with their natural color, which even now proves Her sacred head covering. In short, in all Her actions, a special grace was revealed. "(Nicephorus Kallistos borrowed his description from St. Epiphanius of Cyprus, (+ May 12, 403); Letter to Theophilus about icons. The translation of the text of St. . M., 1868, September, p. 363).

The circumstances of the Assumption of the Mother of God are known in Orthodox Church from the time of the apostles. In the 1st century, the Hieromartyr Dionysius the Areopagite wrote about Her Dormition. In the 2nd century, the legend of the bodily migration of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Heaven is found in the writings of Meliton, Bishop of Sardis. In the 4th century, Saint Epiphanius of Cyprus points to the tradition of the Dormition of the Mother of God. In the 5th century Saint Juvenaly, Patriarch of Jerusalem, said to the holy noble Greek Empress Pulcheria: “Although there is no narration in Holy Scripture about the circumstances of Her death, however, we know about them from the most ancient and true tradition.” This tradition is collected in detail and set forth in the church history of Nicephorus Callistus in the fourteenth century.

By the time of Her blessed Assumption, the Blessed Virgin Mary again arrived in Jerusalem. Her glory as the Mother of God has already spread over the earth and armed many envious and proud people against those who attempted on Her life; but God kept her from her enemies.

She spent her days and nights in prayer. Often the Most Holy Theotokos came to the Holy Sepulcher of the Lord, burned incense here and knelt down. More than once the enemies of the Savior tried to prevent Her from visiting Holy place and asked the high priests for guards to guard the Sepulcher of the Savior. But the Holy Virgin, not seen by anyone, continued to pray before him. On one of these visits to Golgotha, the Archangel Gabriel appeared before Her and announced Her imminent migration from this life to the Heavenly life, eternally blessed. As a pledge, the Archangel gave Her a palm branch. With heavenly news, the Mother of God returned to Bethlehem with three virgins who served Her (Sepphora, Evigaea and Zoila). Then She summoned the righteous Joseph of Arimathea and the disciples of the Lord, to whom she announced Her imminent Dormition. The Blessed Virgin also prayed that the Lord would send the Apostle John to Her. And the Holy Spirit snatched him up from Ephesus, placing him next to the place where the Mother of God reclined. After the prayer, the Blessed Virgin burned incense, and John heard a voice from Heaven, concluding Her prayer with the word "Amen." The Mother of God noticed that this voice means the imminent arrival of the apostles and the Holy Powers of the Bodiless. The apostles, whose number cannot be counted, flocked, says St. John of Damascus, like clouds and eagles, to serve the Mother of God. Seeing each other, the apostles rejoiced, but in bewilderment they asked each other: why did the Lord gather them in one place? Saint John the Theologian, greeting them with joyful tears, said that the time had come for the Mother of God to depart to the Lord. Entering the Mother of God, they saw Her sitting splendidly on the couch, filled with spiritual joy. The apostles greeted Her, and then told about their miraculous rapture from the place of the sermon. The Blessed Virgin, glorified God that He heard Her prayer and fulfilled the desire of Her heart, and began a conversation about Her impending death. During this conversation, the Apostle Paul also miraculously appeared with his disciples: Dionysius the Areopagite, the marvelous Hierotheus, the Divine Timothy and others from among the 70 apostles. All of them were gathered by the Holy Spirit so that they could be blessed with the blessings of the Most Pure Virgin Mary and arrange the burial of the Mother of the Lord more magnificently. She called each of them to Her by name, blessed and praised the faith and their labors in preaching the Gospel of Christ, wished each of them eternal bliss and prayed with them for peace and the well-being of the whole world.

The third hour arrived, when the Dormition of the Mother of God was to take place. Many candles were burning. The holy apostles with hymns surrounded the splendidly decorated bed, on which the Blessed Virgin Mary reclined. She prayed in anticipation of her departure and the coming of her longed-for Son and Lord. Suddenly, the inexpressible Light of Divine Glory shone, before which the blazing candles faded. Those who saw were horrified. The top of the room, as it were, disappeared in the rays of the immense Light, and the King of Glory Himself, Christ, descended, surrounded by many Angels, Archangels and other Heavenly Forces with the righteous souls of the forefathers and prophets, who once foreshadowed the Blessed Virgin. Seeing Her Son, the Mother of God exclaimed: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and My spirit rejoices in God, My Savior, as if looking at the humility of His servant” - and, rising from the bed to meet the Lord, she bowed to Him. The Lord invited Her to the abodes of Eternal Life. Without any bodily suffering, as if in a pleasant dream, the Blessed Virgin gave up her soul into the hands of Her Son and God.

Then the joyful angelic singing began. Accompanying the pure soul of the God Bride with reverent fear as the Queen of Heaven, the Angels called out: "Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee, blessed are You among women! salvation was a man. We cannot look at Nyuzhe, and we can’t pay the worthy honor to that one "(stichera of the holiday on" Lord, I cried "). The heavenly gates rose, meeting the soul of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Cherubim and Seraphim glorified Her with joy. The blessed face of the Mother of God shone with the glory of Divine virginity, and a fragrance poured from her body.

Marvelous was the life of the Most Pure Virgin, marvelous is Her Assumption, as the Holy Church sings: “The God of the universe will show on You, Queen, miracles that exceed the laws of nature. your body"(Canon 1, Ode 6, Troparion 1). Reverently and fearfully kissing the most pure body, the apostles were sanctified from it and filled with grace and spiritual joy. lamenting their separation from the Mother of God on earth, the apostles proceeded to bury Her most pure body. The holy apostles Peter, Paul, James, with others from among the 12 apostles, carried on their shoulders a bed on which the body of the Ever-Virgin lay. Saint John the Theologian walked in front with branch of Paradise, and other saints and many faithful accompanied the bed with candles and censers, singing sacred songs.This solemn procession began from Zion through all Jerusalem to Gethsemane.

At his first movement over the pure body of the Mother of God and all those who accompanied Her, a vast and luminous cloudy circle suddenly appeared, like a crown, and the face of an Angel joined the face of the apostles. The singing of the Heavenly Forces was heard, glorifying the Mother of God, which echoed the earthly voices. This circle with Heavenly singers and radiance moved through the air and accompanied the procession to the very place of burial. The unbelieving inhabitants of Jerusalem, struck by the extraordinary grandeur of the funeral procession and embittered by the honors given to the Mother of Jesus, reported this to the chief priests and scribes. Burning with envy and vengeance for everything that reminded them of Christ, they sent their servants to disperse those who accompanied them, and burn the very body of the Mother of God. The excited people and the soldiers with fury rushed at the Christians, but the cloudy crown, which accompanied the procession through the air, descended to the ground and, as it were, protected it with a wall. The pursuers heard footsteps and singing, but they did not see any of the escorts. Many of them were stricken with blindness. The Jewish priest Affonia, out of envy and hatred for the Mother of Jesus of Nazareth, wanted to overturn the bed on which the body of the Blessed Virgin lay, but the Angel of God invisibly cut off his hands, which touched the tomb. Seeing such a miracle, Affonia repented and with faith confessed the greatness of the Mother of God. He received healing and joined the host of those who accompanied the body of the Mother of God, becoming a zealous follower of Christ. When the procession reached Gethsemane, there, with weeping and sobbing, the last kissing of the most pure body began. Only in the evening could the holy apostles put him in a coffin and close the entrance to the cave with a large stone. For three days they did not leave the place of burial, performing incessant prayers and psalmody. According to the wise judgment of God, the Apostle Thomas was not destined to be present at the burial of the Mother of the Lord. Arriving on the third day in Gethsemane, he fell down with bitter tears before the tomb cave and loudly expressed regret that he had not received the last blessing of the Mother of God and farewell to Her. The apostles, in heartfelt pity for him, decided to open the cave and bring him consolation - to bow to the holy remains of the Ever-Virgin. But, having opened the coffin, they found in it only Her funeral shrouds and thus became convinced of the miraculous ascension of the Blessed Virgin with her body into Heaven.

On the evening of the same day, when the apostles gathered in the house to strengthen themselves with food, the Mother of God Herself appeared to them and said: "Rejoice! I am with you - all the days." This delighted the apostles and all who were with them so much that they raised the part of the bread supplied for the meal in memory of the Savior ("part of the Lord") and exclaimed: "Most Holy Theotokos, help us." (This marked the beginning of the rite of offering a panagia - the custom of offering a piece of bread in honor of the Mother of God, which is still kept in monasteries.)

The belt of the Mother of God, Her holy clothes, kept with reverence and divided into parts on the face of the earth, worked and work miracles. Her numerous icons pour out currents of healings and signs everywhere, and Her holy body, taken to Heaven, testifies to our future stay with him. It is not left to the accidental changes of the transient world, but is incomparably more exalted by the glorious ascension to Heaven.

The Feast of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated with special solemnity in Gethsemane, at the place of Her burial. Nowhere does the heart grieve so much at separation from the Mother of God, and nowhere does it rejoice so much, convinced of Her intercession for the world.

The Holy City of Jerusalem is separated from the Mount of Olives (Olive) by the Kidron Valley or Jehoshaphat. At the foot of the Mount of Olives is the Garden of Gethsemane, whose olive trees still bear fruit.

Holy Godfather Joachim reposed as an 80-year-old elder a few years after the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin. Saint Anna, left a widow, moved from Nazareth to Jerusalem and lived near the temple. In Jerusalem, she acquired two estates: the first at the Gethsemane gate, and the second - in the valley of Jehoshaphat. In the second estate, she arranged a crypt for the deceased members of the family, where she was buried along with Joachim. There, in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Savior often prayed with His disciples.

The most pure body of the Mother of God was buried in the family cemetery. From the very burial of Her Christians reverently honored the coffin of the Mother of God and built a temple on that place. Precious shrouds were kept in the temple, with which the most pure and fragrant body was twisted.

The Holy Patriarch of Jerusalem Juvenaly (420-458) confirmed before the Emperor Marcian (450-457) the authenticity of the legend about the miraculous ascension of the Mother of God into Heaven and sent to his wife, Saint Pulcheria (+ 453; Comm. 10 September), the funeral sheets of the Mother of God, which he took from her tomb. Saint Pulcheria laid these shrouds in the Blachernae church.

Evidence has been preserved that at the end of the 7th century, there was an upper church above the underground church of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos, from the high bell tower of which the dome of the Church of the Resurrection of the Lord was visible. There are no traces of this church today. In the 9th century, a monastery was built near the underground Gethsemane temple, in which more than 30 monks labored.

The temple was subjected to great destruction in 1009 from the persecutor of holy places Hakim. Significant changes, traces of which remain to this day, were made by the crusaders in 1130. In the 11th-12th centuries, a part of the carved stone, on which the Savior prayed on the night of His Tradition, disappeared from Jerusalem. This part of the stone until the VI century was in the Gethsemane Basilica.

But, despite the destruction and changes, the overall original cruciform plan of the temple has been preserved. At the entrance to the temple, four marble columns stand on the sides of the iron doors. To enter the temple, one has to descend a staircase of 48 steps. At the 23rd step on right side there is a chapel in honor of the holy Fathers of God Joachim and Anna with their tomb, and opposite, on the left side - the chapel of the righteous Joseph the Betrothed with his tomb. The right aisle belongs to the Orthodox Church, and the left - to the Armenian-Gregorian (since 1814).

The Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God has the following dimensions: 48 arshins long, 8 arshins wide. Earlier in the temple, in addition to doors, there were windows. The whole temple is decorated with many lamps and offerings. Two small entrances lead to the tomb of the Mother of God: they enter through the western doors, and exit through the northern ones. The tomb of the Most Pure is covered with precious curtains. The burial bed of the Mother of God is carved from stone in the image of ancient Jewish tombs and is very similar to the Holy Sepulcher. Behind the tomb is the altar of the temple, in which the Divine Liturgy is celebrated daily in Greek.

Olive trees on the eastern and northern sides of the temple were acquired by the Orthodox from the Turks in the 7th-8th centuries. The Catholics acquired olive trees on the east and south sides in 1803, and the Armenian Gregorians on the west side in 1821.

On August 12, in Little Gethsemane at 2 a.m., the rector of the Gethsemane Church celebrates the Divine Liturgy. At the end of the Liturgy at 4 o'clock in the morning, the rector, in full vestments, performs a short prayer before the light shroud, lays it on his hands and solemnly carries it all the way to the church in Gethsemane, where the holy tomb of the Mother of God is located. All members of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, headed by the head of the Mission, annually participate in the transfer of the holy shroud, called the "litany".

The rite of the burial of the Mother of God in Gethsemane begins, according to custom, on the morning of August 14th. A multitude of people, led by bishops and clerics, set out from the Jerusalem Patriarchate (near the Church of the Resurrection of Christ) on a sad journey. The funeral procession moves along the narrow streets of the Holy City to Gethsemane. In the forefront of the procession they carry the icon of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On the way, pilgrims meet the icon, kiss the face of the Most Pure One and bring children to the icon. different ages. The clergy are followed in two rows by the monks - the monks and nuns of the Holy City: Greeks, Romanians, Arabs, Russians. The procession, lasting about two hours, ends with a paraklis in the Gethsemane temple. In front of the throne, behind the tomb of the Mother of God, a hill is being built, on which the Shroud of the Most Holy Theotokos rests in fragrant flowers and myrtle, covered with precious shrouds.

"O wondrous miracle! The Source of Life is supposed to be in the coffin, and the coffin is a ladder to Heaven ..." - here, at the tomb of the Most Pure One, these words pierce with their original meaning and sadness dissolves with joy: "Blessed, rejoice, the Lord is with you, give peace with you great mercy!"

Numerous pilgrims, venerating the icon of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos, bend down under it, according to ancient custom.

On the day the holiday is given away (August 23), a solemn procession is again performed. On the way back, the holy shroud of the Most Holy Theotokos is carried by the clergy, headed by the rector-archimandrite of Gethsemane.

Troparion of the holiday

At Christmas you preserved your virginity, / in the Assumption of the world you did not leave, O Mother of God, / you reposed to your stomach, / Mother of the Life of the Life, / and with Your prayers you deliver our souls from death.

Holiday kontakion

In prayers to the Unsleeping Mother of God / and in intercessions, immutable hope / the coffin and mortification cannot be held back: / like the Mother of the Belly / to the stomach, / put in the womb of the ever-virgin.

magnificence

We magnify Thee, / Immaculate / Mother of Christ our God, / and glorify the all-glorious / / Your Assumption.

Worthy

Angels, having seen the Assumption of the Most Pure One, were surprised, / / ​​how the Virgin ascends from earth to heaven. The statutes of nature are conquered / in You, Pure Virgin, / virgin for Christmas / and the belly betrothed death. / After the birth of the Virgin and after death is alive, / you save forever, / / ​​Mother of God, your inheritance.

Reading the Gospel Together with the Church

We read the Gospel together with the Church. Gospel of Luke. Chapter X, Art. 38-42; XI, 27-28.

CHAPTER 10

38 In the course of their journey He came to a certain village; here a woman named Martha received him into her house; 39 she had a sister, named Mary, who sat down at the feet of Jesus and listened to His word.

40 Martha, however, was anxious about a great treat, and, coming up, said: Lord! Or do you not need that my sister left me alone to serve? tell her to help me.

41 Jesus answered her and said, Martha! Martha! you care and fuss about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed; Mary chose the good part, which will not be taken away from her.

CHAPTER 11

27 When He was saying this, a woman from among the people raised her voice and said to Him: Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts that nursed You!

28 And He said: Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.

(Luke 10:38-42; 11:27-28)

cartoon calendar

Orthodox educational courses

TRANSITION TO ETERNAL LIFE: Word on the day of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos

At the singing of the Mother of God gives a completely new meaning to the transition of a person from this life to eternal life. Dormition - a person literally falls asleep in order to meet the Lord in the Kingdom of Heaven. There was sorrow for a temporary parting, but joy filled the hearts of people and Angels, who solemnly accompanied the Mother of God on this journey. Death and sorrow no longer had such power over them. And the Mother of God really only fell asleep: already on the third day Her body was not found in the tomb, She was already in the Kingdom of Heaven.

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Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov)

Preparation for the Sacrament of Holy Baptism

AT section " Preparation for Baptism" site "Sunday school: online courses " Archpriest Andrey Fedosov, head of the department of education and catechesis of the Kinel Diocese, information has been collected that will be useful to those who are going to be baptized themselves, or who want to baptize their child or become a godparent.

R The section consists of five categorical conversations, which reveal the content of the Orthodox dogma within the framework of the Creed, explain the sequence and meaning of the rites performed at Baptism, and provide answers to common questions related to this Sacrament. Each conversation is accompanied by additional materials, links to sources, recommended literature and Internet resources.

O The lectures of the course are presented in the form of texts, audio files and videos.

Course Topics:

• Conversation #1 Preliminary Concepts
• Conversation #2 Sacred Bible Story
• Conversation No. 3 Church of Christ
• Conversation #4 Christian Morality
• Conversation No. 5 The Sacrament of Holy Baptism

Applications:

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Orthodox calendar

Dormition of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary

Icons of Sophia, the Wisdom of God (Novgorod). Revered icons of the Assumption of the Mother of God: Kiev-Pechersk (1073), Ovinovskaya (1425), Pskov-Pecherskaya (1472), Seven-City (XV) and Pyukhtitskaya (XVI). Icons of the Mother of God: Mozdok (XIII), Atskur (I), Tsilkan (IV), Vlaherna (Georgian), Vladimir-Rostov (XII), Gaenat (XIII), Bakhchisaray, Chukhloma (1350), Surdegskaya (1530) and Tupichevskaya (XVII).

Morning – Lk., 4 credits, I, 39–49, 56. Lit. - Phlp., 240 credits, II, 5–11. Lk., 54 credits, X, 38-42; XI, 27-28.

Fish is allowed at the meal.

In the morning, magnification: “We magnify Thee, Immaculate Mother of Christ our God, and gloriously glorify Thy Assumption.” We don’t sing the “most honest” one, but we sing the refrains of the holiday. 1st refrain: "Angels, having seen the Assumption of the Most Pure One, were surprised how the Virgin rises from earth to Heaven."

At the liturgy, instead of "Worthy" - "Angels, dormition ... The charters of nature are defeated ..." (before giving).

We congratulate birthday people on Angel Day!

Icon of the day

Dormition of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary

Dormition of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary

After the Ascension of the Lord, the Mother of God remained in the care of the Apostle John the Theologian, and in his absence she lived in his parents' house near the Mount of Olives. For the apostles and all believers, She was a consolation and edification. Talking with them, the Mother of God told about the miraculous events of the Annunciation, the seedless conception and the incorruptible birth of Christ from Her, His infancy and all earthly life. Like the apostles, She planted and established the Christian Church with Her presence, word and prayers. The reverence of the apostles for the Blessed Virgin was extraordinary. After receiving the Holy Spirit on the significant day of Pentecost, they stayed in Jerusalem for about 10 years, serving the salvation of the Jews and wanting to see and hear Divine words from Her more often. Many of those newly enlightened by faith even came from distant lands to Jerusalem to see and hear the Most Pure Theotokos.

During the persecution raised by Herod against the young Church of Christ (Acts 12:1-3), the Blessed Virgin Mary, together with the Apostle John the Theologian, retired to Ephesus in the year 43, in which the lot fell to the Apostle John the Theologian to preach the Gospel. She was also in Cyprus at St. Lazarus the Four Days, who episcopated there, and on the Holy Mount Athos, about which, as St. Stephen the Holy Mountaineer says, the Mother of God prophetically said: I will be an Intercessor to this place and to God about it an Intercessor."

The reverence of ancient Christians for the Mother of God was so great that they preserved everything about Her life that they could only notice from Her words and deeds, and even conveyed to us about Her appearance.

According to a tradition based on the words of the Hieromartyrs Dionysius the Areopagite († October 3, 96) and Ignatius the God-bearer (+ December 20, 107), Saint Ambrose of Milan in his work "On Virgins" wrote about the Mother of God: "She was a Virgin, not only in her body but also in soul, humble in heart, prudent in words, prudent, reticent, lover of reading, industrious, chaste in speech. Her rule was not to offend anyone, to be well-disposed to everyone, to honor elders, not to envy equals, to avoid boasting, to be sensible, to love virtue. When even with the expression of her face did she offend her parents, when she was in disagreement with her relatives? When she was proud before a modest person, laughed at the weak, evaded the poor? She had nothing harsh in her eyes, nothing imprudent in words, nothing indecent in actions : modest body movements, quiet tread, even voice, so Her bodily appearance was the expression of the soul, the personification of purity. All Her days She turned into a fast: sleep she ate only at the request of need, but even when Her body was at rest, She was awake in spirit, repeating what she had read in a dream, or thinking about bringing her intended intentions into fulfillment, or devising new ones. She left the house only to go to church, and then accompanied by relatives. However, although She appeared outside Her house accompanied by others, She herself was the best guardian for Herself; others guarded only her body, and she guarded her own morals herself. " According to a legend preserved by the church historian Nicephorus Callistus (XIV century), the Mother of God "was of medium height or, as others say, somewhat more than average; golden hair; eyes quick, with pupils, as it were, the color of an olive; the eyebrows are arched and moderately black, the nose is oblong, the lips are flowering, full of sweet speeches; the face is neither round nor pointed, but somewhat oblong; her hands and fingers are long... In conversation with others, she maintained decency, did not laugh, did not get indignant, and especially did not get angry; completely artless, simple, she did not think about herself in the least and, far from effeminacy, she was distinguished by complete humility. As for the clothes she wore, She was content with their natural color, which even now proves Her sacred head covering. In short, in all Her actions, a special grace was revealed. "(Nicephorus Kallistos borrowed his description from St. Epiphanius of Cyprus, (+ May 12, 403); Letter to Theophilus about icons. The translation of the text of St. . M., 1868, September, p. 363).

The circumstances of the Assumption of the Mother of God are known in the Orthodox Church from the time of the apostles. In the 1st century, the Hieromartyr Dionysius the Areopagite wrote about Her Dormition. In the 2nd century, the legend of the bodily migration of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Heaven is found in the writings of Meliton, Bishop of Sardis. In the 4th century, Saint Epiphanius of Cyprus points to the tradition of the Dormition of the Mother of God. In the 5th century Saint Juvenaly, Patriarch of Jerusalem, said to the holy noble Greek Empress Pulcheria: “Although there is no narration in Holy Scripture about the circumstances of Her death, however, we know about them from the most ancient and true tradition.” This tradition is collected in detail and set forth in the church history of Nicephorus Callistus in the fourteenth century.

By the time of Her blessed Assumption, the Blessed Virgin Mary again arrived in Jerusalem. Her glory as the Mother of God has already spread over the earth and armed many envious and proud people against those who attempted on Her life; but God kept her from her enemies.

She spent her days and nights in prayer. Often the Most Holy Theotokos came to the Holy Sepulcher of the Lord, burned incense here and knelt down. More than once, the Savior's enemies attempted to prevent her from visiting the holy place and asked the high priests for guards to guard the Savior's Tomb. But the Holy Virgin, not seen by anyone, continued to pray before him. On one of these visits to Golgotha, the Archangel Gabriel appeared before Her and announced Her imminent migration from this life to the Heavenly life, eternally blessed. As a pledge, the Archangel gave Her a palm branch. With heavenly news, the Mother of God returned to Bethlehem with three virgins who served Her (Sepphora, Evigaea and Zoila). Then She summoned the righteous Joseph of Arimathea and the disciples of the Lord, to whom she announced Her imminent Dormition. The Blessed Virgin also prayed that the Lord would send the Apostle John to Her. And the Holy Spirit snatched him up from Ephesus, placing him next to the place where the Mother of God reclined. After the prayer, the Blessed Virgin burned incense, and John heard a voice from Heaven, concluding Her prayer with the word "Amen." The Mother of God noticed that this voice means the imminent arrival of the apostles and the Holy Powers of the Bodiless. The apostles, whose number cannot be counted, flocked, says St. John of Damascus, like clouds and eagles, to serve the Mother of God. Seeing each other, the apostles rejoiced, but in bewilderment they asked each other: why did the Lord gather them in one place? Saint John the Theologian, greeting them with joyful tears, said that the time had come for the Mother of God to depart to the Lord. Entering the Mother of God, they saw Her sitting splendidly on the couch, filled with spiritual joy. The apostles greeted Her, and then told about their miraculous rapture from the place of the sermon. The Blessed Virgin, glorified God that He heard Her prayer and fulfilled the desire of Her heart, and began a conversation about Her impending death. During this conversation, the Apostle Paul also miraculously appeared with his disciples: Dionysius the Areopagite, the marvelous Hierotheus, the Divine Timothy and others from among the 70 apostles. All of them were gathered by the Holy Spirit so that they could be blessed with the blessings of the Most Pure Virgin Mary and arrange the burial of the Mother of the Lord more magnificently. She called each of them to Her by name, blessed and praised the faith and their labors in preaching the Gospel of Christ, wished each of them eternal bliss and prayed with them for peace and the well-being of the whole world.

The third hour arrived, when the Dormition of the Mother of God was to take place. Many candles were burning. The holy apostles with hymns surrounded the splendidly decorated bed, on which the Blessed Virgin Mary reclined. She prayed in anticipation of her departure and the coming of her longed-for Son and Lord. Suddenly, the inexpressible Light of Divine Glory shone, before which the blazing candles faded. Those who saw were horrified. The top of the room, as it were, disappeared in the rays of the immense Light, and the King of Glory Himself, Christ, descended, surrounded by many Angels, Archangels and other Heavenly Forces with the righteous souls of the forefathers and prophets, who once foreshadowed the Blessed Virgin. Seeing Her Son, the Mother of God exclaimed: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and My spirit rejoices in God, My Savior, as if looking at the humility of His servant” - and, rising from the bed to meet the Lord, she bowed to Him. The Lord invited Her to the abodes of Eternal Life. Without any bodily suffering, as if in a pleasant dream, the Blessed Virgin gave up her soul into the hands of Her Son and God.

Then the joyful angelic singing began. Accompanying the pure soul of the God Bride with reverent fear as the Queen of Heaven, the Angels called out: "Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee, blessed are You among women! salvation was a man. We cannot look at Nyuzhe, and we can’t pay the worthy honor to that one "(stichera of the holiday on" Lord, I cried "). The heavenly gates rose, meeting the soul of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Cherubim and Seraphim glorified Her with joy. The blessed face of the Mother of God shone with the glory of Divine virginity, and a fragrance poured from her body.

Marvelous was the life of the Most Pure Virgin, marvelous is Her Dormition, as the Holy Church sings: “The God of the universe will show on You, Queen, miracles that exceed the laws of nature. canon 1, canto 6, troparion 1). Kissing the most pure body with reverence and fear, the apostles were sanctified from it and filled with grace and spiritual joy. For greater glorification of the Most Holy Theotokos, the almighty power of God healed the sick, with faith and love, who touched the sacred bed. After mourning their separation from the Mother of God on earth, the apostles set about burying Her most pure body. The Holy Apostles Peter, Paul, James, with others from among the 12 Apostles, carried on their shoulders a bed on which the body of the Ever-Virgin lay. St. John the Theologian walked in front with a heavenly luminous branch, and other saints and many faithful accompanied the bed with candles and censers, singing sacred songs. This solemn procession began from Zion through all of Jerusalem to Gethsemane.

At his first movement over the pure body of the Mother of God and all those who accompanied Her, a vast and luminous cloudy circle suddenly appeared, like a crown, and the face of an Angel joined the face of the apostles. The singing of the Heavenly Forces was heard, glorifying the Mother of God, which echoed the earthly voices. This circle with Heavenly singers and radiance moved through the air and accompanied the procession to the very place of burial. The unbelieving inhabitants of Jerusalem, struck by the extraordinary grandeur of the funeral procession and embittered by the honors given to the Mother of Jesus, reported this to the chief priests and scribes. Burning with envy and vengeance for everything that reminded them of Christ, they sent their servants to disperse those who accompanied them, and burn the very body of the Mother of God. The excited people and the soldiers with fury rushed at the Christians, but the cloudy crown, which accompanied the procession through the air, descended to the ground and, as it were, protected it with a wall. The pursuers heard footsteps and singing, but they did not see any of the escorts. Many of them were stricken with blindness. The Jewish priest Affonia, out of envy and hatred for the Mother of Jesus of Nazareth, wanted to overturn the bed on which the body of the Blessed Virgin lay, but the Angel of God invisibly cut off his hands, which touched the tomb. Seeing such a miracle, Affonia repented and with faith confessed the greatness of the Mother of God. He received healing and joined the host of those who accompanied the body of the Mother of God, becoming a zealous follower of Christ. When the procession reached Gethsemane, there, with weeping and sobbing, the last kissing of the most pure body began. Only in the evening could the holy apostles put him in a coffin and close the entrance to the cave with a large stone. For three days they did not leave the place of burial, performing incessant prayers and psalmody. According to the wise judgment of God, the Apostle Thomas was not destined to be present at the burial of the Mother of the Lord. Arriving on the third day in Gethsemane, he fell down with bitter tears before the tomb cave and loudly expressed regret that he had not received the last blessing of the Mother of God and farewell to Her. The apostles, in heartfelt pity for him, decided to open the cave and bring him consolation - to bow to the holy remains of the Ever-Virgin. But, having opened the coffin, they found in it only Her funeral shrouds and thus became convinced of the miraculous ascension of the Blessed Virgin with her body into Heaven.

On the evening of the same day, when the apostles gathered in the house to strengthen themselves with food, the Mother of God Herself appeared to them and said: "Rejoice! I am with you - all the days." This delighted the apostles and all who were with them so much that they raised the part of the bread supplied for the meal in memory of the Savior ("part of the Lord") and exclaimed: "Most Holy Theotokos, help us." (This marked the beginning of the rite of offering a panagia - the custom of offering a piece of bread in honor of the Mother of God, which is still kept in monasteries.)

The belt of the Mother of God, Her holy clothes, kept with reverence and divided into parts on the face of the earth, worked and work miracles. Her numerous icons pour out currents of healings and signs everywhere, and Her holy body, taken to Heaven, testifies to our future stay with him. It is not left to the accidental changes of the transient world, but is incomparably more exalted by the glorious ascension to Heaven.

The Feast of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated with special solemnity in Gethsemane, at the place of Her burial. Nowhere does the heart grieve so much at separation from the Mother of God, and nowhere does it rejoice so much, convinced of Her intercession for the world.

The Holy City of Jerusalem is separated from the Mount of Olives (Olive) by the Kidron Valley or Jehoshaphat. At the foot of the Mount of Olives is the Garden of Gethsemane, whose olive trees still bear fruit.

Holy Godfather Joachim reposed as an 80-year-old elder a few years after the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin. Saint Anna, left a widow, moved from Nazareth to Jerusalem and lived near the temple. In Jerusalem, she acquired two estates: the first at the Gethsemane gate, and the second - in the valley of Jehoshaphat. In the second estate, she arranged a crypt for the deceased members of the family, where she was buried along with Joachim. There, in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Savior often prayed with His disciples.

The most pure body of the Mother of God was buried in the family cemetery. From the very burial of Her Christians reverently honored the coffin of the Mother of God and built a temple on that place. Precious shrouds were kept in the temple, with which the most pure and fragrant body was twisted.

The Holy Patriarch of Jerusalem Juvenaly (420-458) confirmed before the Emperor Marcian (450-457) the authenticity of the legend about the miraculous ascension of the Mother of God into Heaven and sent to his wife, Saint Pulcheria (+ 453; Comm. 10 September), the funeral sheets of the Mother of God, which he took from her tomb. Saint Pulcheria laid these shrouds in the Blachernae church.

Evidence has been preserved that at the end of the 7th century, there was an upper church above the underground church of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos, from the high bell tower of which the dome of the Church of the Resurrection of the Lord was visible. There are no traces of this church today. In the 9th century, a monastery was built near the underground Gethsemane temple, in which more than 30 monks labored.

The temple was subjected to great destruction in 1009 from the persecutor of holy places Hakim. Significant changes, traces of which remain to this day, were made by the crusaders in 1130. In the 11th-12th centuries, a part of the carved stone, on which the Savior prayed on the night of His Tradition, disappeared from Jerusalem. This part of the stone until the VI century was in the Gethsemane Basilica.

But, despite the destruction and changes, the overall original cruciform plan of the temple has been preserved. At the entrance to the temple, four marble columns stand on the sides of the iron doors. To enter the temple, one has to descend a staircase of 48 steps. On the 23rd step on the right side there is a chapel in honor of the holy Fathers of God Joachim and Anna with their tomb, and opposite, on the left side - the chapel of the righteous Joseph the Betrothed with his tomb. The right aisle belongs to the Orthodox Church, and the left - to the Armenian-Gregorian (since 1814).

The Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God has the following dimensions: 48 arshins long, 8 arshins wide. Earlier in the temple, in addition to doors, there were windows. The whole temple is decorated with many lamps and offerings. Two small entrances lead to the tomb of the Mother of God: they enter through the western doors, and exit through the northern ones. The tomb of the Most Pure is covered with precious curtains. The burial bed of the Mother of God is carved from stone in the image of ancient Jewish tombs and is very similar to the Holy Sepulcher. Behind the tomb is the altar of the temple, in which the Divine Liturgy is celebrated daily in Greek.

Olive trees on the eastern and northern sides of the temple were acquired by the Orthodox from the Turks in the 7th-8th centuries. The Catholics acquired olive trees on the east and south sides in 1803, and the Armenian Gregorians on the west side in 1821.

On August 12, in Little Gethsemane at 2 a.m., the rector of the Gethsemane Church celebrates the Divine Liturgy. At the end of the Liturgy at 4 o'clock in the morning, the rector, in full vestments, performs a short prayer before the light shroud, lays it on his hands and solemnly carries it all the way to the church in Gethsemane, where the holy tomb of the Mother of God is located. All members of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, headed by the head of the Mission, annually participate in the transfer of the holy shroud, called the "litany".

The rite of the burial of the Mother of God in Gethsemane begins, according to custom, on the morning of August 14th. A multitude of people, led by bishops and clerics, set out from the Jerusalem Patriarchate (near the Church of the Resurrection of Christ) on a sad journey. The funeral procession moves along the narrow streets of the Holy City to Gethsemane. In the forefront of the procession they carry the icon of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On the way, pilgrims meet the icon, kiss the face of the Most Pure One and bring children of different ages to the icon. The clergy are followed in two rows by the monks - the monks and nuns of the Holy City: Greeks, Romanians, Arabs, Russians. The procession, lasting about two hours, ends with a paraklis in the Gethsemane temple. In front of the throne, behind the tomb of the Mother of God, a hill is being built, on which the Shroud of the Most Holy Theotokos rests in fragrant flowers and myrtle, covered with precious shrouds.

"O wondrous miracle! The Source of Life is supposed to be in the coffin, and the coffin is a ladder to Heaven ..." - here, at the tomb of the Most Pure One, these words pierce with their original meaning and sadness dissolves with joy: "Blessed, rejoice, the Lord is with you, give peace with you great mercy!"

Numerous pilgrims, venerating the icon of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos, bend down under it, according to ancient custom.

On the day the holiday is given away (August 23), a solemn procession is again performed. On the way back, the holy shroud of the Most Holy Theotokos is carried by the clergy, headed by the rector-archimandrite of Gethsemane.

Troparion of the holiday

At Christmas you preserved your virginity, / in the Assumption of the world you did not leave, O Mother of God, / you reposed to your stomach, / Mother of the Life of the Life, / and with Your prayers you deliver our souls from death.

Holiday kontakion

In prayers to the Unsleeping Mother of God / and in intercessions, immutable hope / the coffin and mortification cannot be held back: / like the Mother of the Belly / to the stomach, / put in the womb of the ever-virgin.

magnificence

We magnify Thee, / Immaculate / Mother of Christ our God, / and glorify the all-glorious / / Your Assumption.

Worthy

Angels, having seen the Assumption of the Most Pure One, were surprised, / / ​​how the Virgin ascends from earth to heaven. The statutes of nature are conquered / in You, Pure Virgin, / virgin for Christmas / and the belly betrothed death. / After the birth of the Virgin and after death is alive, / you save forever, / / ​​Mother of God, your inheritance.

Reading the Gospel Together with the Church

We read the Gospel together with the Church. Gospel of Luke. Chapter X, Art. 38-42; XI, 27-28.

CHAPTER 10

38 In the course of their journey He came to a certain village; here a woman named Martha received him into her house; 39 she had a sister, named Mary, who sat down at the feet of Jesus and listened to His word.

40 Martha, however, was anxious about a great treat, and, coming up, said: Lord! Or do you not need that my sister left me alone to serve? tell her to help me.

41 Jesus answered her and said, Martha! Martha! you care and fuss about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed; Mary chose the good part, which will not be taken away from her.

CHAPTER 11

27 When He was saying this, a woman from among the people raised her voice and said to Him: Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts that nursed You!

28 And He said: Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.

(Luke 10:38-42; 11:27-28)

cartoon calendar

Orthodox educational courses

TRANSITION TO ETERNAL LIFE: Word on the day of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos

At the singing of the Mother of God gives a completely new meaning to the transition of a person from this life to eternal life. Dormition - a person literally falls asleep in order to meet the Lord in the Kingdom of Heaven. There was sorrow for a temporary parting, but joy filled the hearts of people and Angels, who solemnly accompanied the Mother of God on this journey. Death and sorrow no longer had such power over them. And the Mother of God really only fell asleep: already on the third day Her body was not found in the tomb, She was already in the Kingdom of Heaven.

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Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov)

Preparation for the Sacrament of Holy Baptism

AT section " Preparation for Baptism" site "Sunday school: online courses " Archpriest Andrey Fedosov, head of the department of education and catechesis of the Kinel Diocese, information has been collected that will be useful to those who are going to be baptized themselves, or who want to baptize their child or become a godparent.

R The section consists of five categorical conversations, which reveal the content of the Orthodox dogma within the framework of the Creed, explain the sequence and meaning of the rites performed at Baptism, and provide answers to common questions related to this Sacrament. Each conversation is accompanied by additional materials, links to sources, recommended literature and Internet resources.

O The lectures of the course are presented in the form of texts, audio files and videos.

Course Topics:

• Conversation #1 Preliminary Concepts
• Conversation #2 Sacred Bible Story
• Conversation No. 3 Church of Christ
• Conversation #4 Christian Morality
• Conversation No. 5 The Sacrament of Holy Baptism

Applications:

The program of teaching and educational activities of the Sunday school at the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was developed in accordance with the Constitution Russian Federation, Federal Laws “On Education in the Russian Federation” and “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations”, regulatory documents of the Russian Orthodox Church “Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church”, “regulatory documents of the Department of Religious Education and Catechization of the Russian Orthodox Church “Regulations on the activities of the Sunday school ( for children) of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Russian Federation”, “Standard for teaching and educational activities implemented in Sunday schools (for children) of the Russian Orthodox Church (hereinafter referred to as the Standard)”, “The Orthodox component of the main general educational program of preschool education (for an Orthodox preschool educational institution on the territory Russian Federation)”, SanPiN 2.4.2.2821-10 “Sanitary and epidemiological requirements for the conditions and organization of education in educational institutions”.

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Sunday school at the Church of the Nativity of Christ

Ascension Deanery

Vyksa and Pavlovsk diocese

AGREED APPROVED

Church Rector Sunday School Director

of the Nativity of Christ __________S.V. Krylova

Priest Alexander Larin

PROGRAM OF EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

SUNDAY SCHOOL

CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST

Developed by the teacher of the Sunday School Krylova S.V.

With. Polkhovsky Maidan

2017

Introduction

The program of teaching and educational activities of the Sunday school at the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was developed in accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the Federal Laws "On Education in the Russian Federation" and "On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations", regulatory documents of the Russian Orthodox Church "Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church" , “regulatory documents of the Department of Religious Education and Catechesis of the Russian Orthodox Church “Regulations on the activities of the Sunday school (for children) of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Russian Federation”, “Standard for teaching and educational activities implemented in Sunday schools (for children) of the Russian Orthodox Church (hereinafter referred to as the Standard )”, “The Orthodox component of the main general educational program of preschool education (for an Orthodox preschool educational institution on the territory of the Russian Federation)”, SanPiN 2.4.2.2821-10 “Sanitary and epidemiological requirements for the conditions and organization of education in general education decisions".

The program is designed taking into account the type of educational institution determined by normative document of the Department of Religious Education and Catechization of the Russian Sunday School of the Orthodox Church "A Brief Guide to Determining the Type of Sunday School", as well as taking into account the educational needs of participants in the educational process.

The Sunday school program is a regulatory document that regulates the specifics of the organizational and pedagogical conditions and the content of the Sunday school's activities in implementing the Standard.

The normative period for the development of the Program is four years. thus, this Program will be implemented, refined and adjusted within 4 years.

1. Explanatory note

Orthodox Sunday school is a pedagogical system of additional religious education, within the framework of which religion is taught in order to form an Orthodox worldview in students.

The modern Sunday school as a system of additional religious education is a phenomenon caused by the secularization of society in general and the education system in particular: until the school in Russia was separated from the Church in 1917, the teaching of religion was built into the educational process of the general education school, and pre-revolutionary Sunday schools represented one of the forms of general education.

At the same time, it cannot be said that the modern parish Sunday school has no roots in the church pedagogical tradition. They exist and go into the very depths of the history of the Church, when it was impossible to imagine that over time someone would begin to doubt whether preparation for baptism is necessary, whether Christians should know the basics of faith and moral teaching, etc.

Sunday school is a relatively new phenomenon in institutional terms, but ancient, as it inherits the church tradition of catechumens, which is being revived in specific historical conditions, including through Sunday schools.

Priority in this system is given to education and the formation of a pedagogical environment. This does not mean that much attention is not paid to the formation of knowledge, but only that a set of formal knowledge, skills, and habits is not the worldview itself. The latter is formed through the assimilation by students of religious and moralistic ideas and concepts. However, in this regard, a healthy communication environment plays a greater role than the amount of memorized information. We must not forget that children come to Sunday school after a six-day school week, and everything that reminds them of the official educational process (including the emphasis on memorizing material) can cause rejection and unwillingness to attend classes. As a result, those who have fallen away will be lost to the Sunday School as a medium for Orthodox education.

It should be noted that the Sunday school is primarily focused on parishioners and at the same time is not limited to them, but is open to everyone who is interested in the foundations of the Orthodox faith. Moreover, the teacher should build his conversation with the children in such a way that even non-religious parents, who are sometimes present at the classes, receive food for thought and also, little by little, become enlightened and become churched.

A specific feature of the Sunday school as a pedagogical system is the fluidity among the composition of the students. Given this fact, thematic planning should be built in such a way that, firstly, the informative material and conceptual apparatus of the previous stage is present in each of the subsequent ones, and secondly, the disclosure of topics in the classroom should be built in such a way that the student who or for other reasons, he would interrupt his education, would learn as much as possible spiritual and moral ideas and concepts, which in later life turned out to be that guiding star that would lead him to God or at least to some extent save him from evil.

This program does not include the whole variety of subjects that can be studied in Sunday school, but only the course of the Law of God, the structural components of which are the Sacred History of the Old and New Testaments (Bible history), Catechism, the basics of liturgy, general church history and the history of the Russian Orthodox Church. All other disciplines studied in the Sunday school should be guided by the course of the Law of God as the core, in the field of which they rotate like satellites: interdisciplinary connections should be built relative to this course as a backbone for all subsequent ones.

2. The goals of the Sunday school:

• To give initial form spiritual and moral education.
• Give an Orthodox religious education.

Sunday School Objectives:

1. Churching of children through natural getting used to the church community and liturgical life.
2. Formation of the need to participate in the liturgical, social, missionary life of the parish.
3. Education in the faith, which includes teaching Christian doctrine and evangelical morality;
4. Adaptation to life in modern society in accordance with the norms of Christian morality.
5. Comprehensive development of personality and motivation for knowledge and creativity and the formation of a common culture.
6. Security necessary conditions to strengthen spiritual and physical health, civic self-determination and creative work.

3. The main activities of the Sunday school

To achieve the goals and objectives, the Sunday school carries out the following activities:

1. Enlightenment (catechetical).

The religious and spiritual and moral direction is realized through classes in doctrinal subjects and subjects of a spiritual and moral orientation, through pilgrimage trips, participation in the liturgical life of the parish and ensures the education of an active and multifaceted Christian personality.

2.Social direction contributes to the cultivation of Christian qualities in pupils (mercy, sacrifice, patience, etc.)

3.Cultural and educationaldirection integrates educational work, aesthetic, spiritual - moral development through the creativity of children.

4.Intelligentthe direction helps to increase motivation for cognitive activity, the development of mental abilities. Within the framework of this direction, participation in quizzes, cognitive and intellectual games, subject Olympiads, scientific conferences, intellectual marathons, research projects and other educational events.

The list of educational activities is open and can be changed in accordance with the requests of children and their parents (legal representatives).

4. Pedagogical approaches in training and education

1) Differentiated Approachin education and training, one of the ways to solve pedagogical problems, taking into account the socio-psychological characteristics of education groups. A differentiated approach makes it possible to influence the relationship between the individual and the group, the group and the team, children and adults. This approach reveals the dignity of students through games, competitions and is directly dependent on the creative atmosphere.

2) Individual approach -an important psychological and pedagogical principle, taking into account the individual characteristics of each child. This requires the supervision of a teacher, a meeting with parents. To support the child in case of difficulty, to come to the rescue in time. This approach will ensure the effectiveness of each student.

3) Activity approachin education - the process of the student's activity, aimed at the formation of his personality as a whole. This means making learning motivated, teaching the child to independently set a goal, to find ways and means to achieve it. Know how to control yourself.

5. Participants in educational activities

Participants in the educational process in the Sunday school are: the rector of the parish (confessor), the director of the Sunday school, teaching staff of the Sunday school, students, parents (legal representatives of students).

II. Goals and results of educational activities for each stage

The planned results of the training program include:

Personal results:

• readiness and ability of students to self-development;
• the formation of motivation to study and cognition;
• reflection of individual - personal positions, personal qualities.

Metasubject results:

Mastering by students of universal educational actions (cognitive, regulatory and commutative).

Accounting individual age, psychological characteristics of students.

The standard establishes requirements for the results of educational activities:

a) personal, including the readiness and ability of pupils to be guided by Christian moral principles in their lives, to self-development and self-determination, value-semantic attitudes that reflect individual positions, the presence of strong motivation for learning and cognition, the ability to set goals and build life plans;

b) subject, including the spiritual experience mastered by pupils in the course of studying doctrinal subjects.

The subject goals and results of the teaching and educational activities of the Sunday school for each level are:

Preschool

Orthodox upbringing of preschool children is the first step in the process of becoming a spiritual and moral personality. At this age, the child deeply and reverently perceives and experiences his first impressions, gaining experience that will later determine his life path and moral choice. It is very important that these first impressions give him lessons of kindness and love, reveal the beauty and grandeur of the world created by God, teach him to take care of it. The upbringing of the skill of a virtuous life in children should be manifested in the desire to help other people, the ability to empathize, sympathy, adequate expression of their feelings, in maintaining order and cleanliness in the house and in the yard, in their things..

The doctrinal subject of the preschool level is "Introduction to the Law of God" (primary concepts about God, about the spiritual world, about prayer, about the Holy Biblical history, about the temple of God).

The study of "Introduction to the Law of God" at preschool age is aimed at achieving the following goals:

• to lay the foundations of the Orthodox worldview, to give basic knowledge about God and faith, the world and man;
• awaken the personality of the child, direct it to the knowledge of God, form religious feelings;
• to instill in children a sense of reverence for the shrine and saints, reverence and love for parents and other people, to teach them to take care of the world around them as a creation of God;
• develop Creative skills, direct them to the mental and physical improvement of the child;
• help to master and consolidate the initial skills of spiritual life in the Church;
• develop moral feelings, give the first ideas about good and evil, enrich the moral experience of children through mastering the skills of a virtuous life.

The subject results of the study "Introduction to the Law of God":

• understanding that God is the Creator of the world;
• knowledge about prayer: where, when and how to pray, prayers beforehand, the Lord's Prayer, prayers before and after the meal, communion verse, Troparion: Christ is Risen!;
• the idea of ​​the Church of Christ as the house of God;
• vision of the bible holy book, knowledge of the main plots from Holy Scripture(about the creation of the world, about the Great Flood, about Abraham, Moses, about the main events of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ);
• knowledge of the Commandments of God (overview);
• knowing the names of their heavenly patrons; saints revered in the temple, in the family;

• the ability to make a short morning and evening prayer rule;
• the ability to distinguish between the images of the Savior, the Mother of God and saints;
• the ability to sing simple chants;
• the ability to receive blessings and approach Holy Communion.

the initial stage

Doctrine items elementary school are: "The Law of God" (including: the sacred biblical history, the organization of an Orthodox church, worship and the history of the Church; "Fundamentals of Christian morality" based on the Gospel and the lives of the saints); "Church Slavonic language" and "Fundamentals of choral and church singing".

The study of the course "Law of God" is aimed at achieving the following goals:

• lay the foundations Orthodox worldview and worldview;
• give knowledge about major events sacred biblical and church history, about the internal and external aspects of the life of the Church, about the moral spiritual law;
• help master the basic skills of a virtuous life (according to conscience), liturgical life through participation in the Sacraments and Divine Services, feasible temple obediences, rules of conduct in the temple and personal prayer;
• bring up moral feelings, respect and love for parents and elders, for the motherland, respect for the world around us, as a creation of God;
• form valuable life guidelines;
• teach to applyacquired knowledge for spiritual and creative improvement and helping others.

Subject results of the study of the "Law of God":

• the knowledge that God is the Creator of the world, Jesus Christ the Son of God is the Savior of the world;
• knowledge and understanding of the Lord's Prayer, prayers before and after the meal, before and after the teaching, the communion verse, the main Easter hymns (troparion, stichera, selected songs of the Easter canon);
• the idea of ​​the Bible as a Holy Book, knowledge of the main plots of the Holy History of the Old Testament (about the creation of the world, the fall of the daylight, about the first people and their fall into sin, the history of Cain and Abel, the Great Flood, about Abraham and Moses); knowledge of the main events of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ, the main parables;
• the idea of ​​the Church as a gathering of people in the name of Christ; the temple and its structure, external and internal symbols, clergymen, clergymen;
• knowledge of the names of the twelfth and great holidays;
• knowledge of the Sacrament of Penance and the Eucharist;
• knowledge of the names of the twelve apostles; presentation of the life of the Apostles Peter and Paul, Archdeacon Stephen, Great Martyrs George the Victorious and Panteleimon, Martyrs Vera, Nadezhda, Lyubov and their mother Sophia, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Elena;
• the idea of ​​the Baptism of Russia, the Apostle Andrew the First-Called and Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir and Olga, the life of the Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky, the Monk Sergius of Radonezh, St. Alexis of Moscow, the Blessed Prince Demetrius Donskoy, Hieromartyr Patriarch Hermogenes, Reverend Seraphim Sarovsky, Blessed Xenia of Petersburg and Matrona of Moscow, the righteous John of Kronstadt and the warrior Fyodor Ushakov; about the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia;
• knowledge of the Ten Commandments of God, the Beatitudes;

• the ability to sing the troparia of the twelfth feasts, the troparion and stichera of Pascha;
• conscious participation in the sacraments of confession and communion.

Using your knowledge to:

• revealing and realizing one's own sinful acts;
• construction of confession and correction of sins.

The study of the Church Slavonic language is aimed at achieving the following goals:

• to form an idea of ​​the Church Slavonic language as the greatest value, the property of universal and national culture, the culture of the Slavic peoples;
• reveal its socio-cultural and historical significance for the formation and development of the spiritual image of the Russian, all Slavic peoples, Slavic literary languages, the greatness and richness of the Church Slavonic language as the language of worship of the Russian Orthodox Church;
• master the traditions of the Church Slavonic language in order to improve the skills of reading and understanding Church Slavonic texts, for conscious participation in the liturgical life of the Church.

Subject results of the study of the Church Slavonic language:

• knowledge of the life history and labors of Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril (Constantine) and Methodius;
• knowledge of the history of the emergence of Slavic writing, the development of the Church Slavonic language;
• knowledge of the alphabet: the alphabetical order of letters, names, styles and sound correspondences of each letter;
• knowledge of the main features of Church Slavonic vocabulary, word formation, morphology, syntax;
• knowledge dictionary words for reading and listeningGospels and Psalms;
• knowledge of the origin and meaning of common personal canonical names;
• mastering the rules of reading and spelling (features of Church Slavonic graphics) of the Church Slavonic text;

• the ability to read the Church Slavonic text (initiatory prayers; the most commonly used troparia);
• the ability to navigate the numbering of pages, psalms, verses in church books;
• the ability to transcribe psalms and parables into Russian;
• ability to analyze and briefly characterize parts of speech, sentence;
• ability to work with Church Slavonic dictionaries.

Use the acquired knowledge and skills in the practical activities of everyday life:

• read and understand the Church Slavonic text;
• know by heart the main prayers;
• independently and regularly perform the morning and evening prayer rule;
• meaningful participation in worship.

Main stage

The doctrinal subjects of the main stage are: "Holy Scripture": "Old and New Testament"; "Orthodox Divine Service" ("Liturgy"); "Fundamentals of the Orthodox Faith" / ("Catechism"); "History of the Christian Church", "Christian Ethics".

The study of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments is aimed at achieving the following goals:

• formation of a holistic Christian picture of the world;
• understanding the main stages of the salvation of the human race through the Incarnation, the Sacrifice of the Cross and the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ;
• mastering knowledge about the most important events of the Old Testament and New Testament history;
• mastering the skills of working with the text of the Bible and the skills of understanding it;
• the formation of value orientations in the course of acquaintance with the historical events of the Old Testament period and the moral teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ;
• application of knowledge and ideas about the moral law in personal life for Christian self-improvement;
• education of moral feelings, as well as respect, responsibility and careful attitude to the world around.

Subject results of the study of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments:

• knowledge about the Bible, the names of the books that make it up, the author of the Pentateuch;

• knowledge of the main events of the biblical history of the Old and New Testaments, the main prototypes of the Old Testament history;
• knowledge of the Ten Commandments of God;
• knowledge of the main events of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ;
• the ability to talk about the Bible as a sacred book that has value for all people;

• the ability to tell the chronology and content of the main stages of the Old Testament history and explain the meaning;
• the ability to reveal the moral meaning of the ten commandments of God;
• the ability to tell the chronology and content of the main stages of the New Testament history and explain their meaning;
• the ability to reveal the moral content of the Beatitudes.

Use the acquired knowledge and skills in practical activities and everyday life to:

• understanding the processes taking place in the moral life of modern society;
• expressing one's own opinion on issues of moral assessment of what is happening in modern society;
• using the knowledge of Christian morality for a personal pious life.

The study of the "Foundations of the Orthodox Faith" / "Catechism" is aimed at achieving the following goals:

• the formation of an Orthodox worldview and life position of an Orthodox Christian;
• development of knowledge concerning the Orthodox dogma;
• mastering the skills of a virtuous life;
• formation of a system of values ​​based on the Orthodox worldview;
• application of acquired knowledge for spiritual self-improvement and involvement of others in Orthodox faith, traditions and culture;
• education of religious feelings, love, compassion for others.

Subject results of the study of the "Fundamentals of the Orthodox Faith" / "Catechism":

• knowledge of the Creed, the meaning of the twelve members of the Creed;
• knowledge of the Lord's Prayer, the meaning of the doctrine of Hope embedded in it;
• knowledge of the Beatitudes, the teachings embedded in them;
• knowledge of the meaning and significance of the Sacraments of the Church in human life;
• understanding of the Christian understanding of marriage and the norms of Christian behavior;

• the ability to explain the concepts of "God", "Trinity", "fall", "Incarnation", "redemption", "salvation";
• the ability to explain the meaning of the Savior's death on the Cross, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, the doctrine of the Mother of God, the understanding of "holiness";
• the ability to tell from a Christian position about the purpose and meaning of human life, to reveal the meaning of the words “the image and likeness of God in man”, “deification”.

Use the acquired knowledge and skills in practical activities and everyday life to:

• understanding the role and place of Orthodox dogma in human life;
• expressing one's own mature religious judgments;
• using the acquired knowledge about the foundations of faith for the organization of the Orthodox Christian way of life.

The study of the "History of the Christian Church" is aimed at achieving the following goals:

• education of patriotism, respect for the history and traditions of the Church and Fatherland;
• mastering knowledge about the most important events, processes of national and universal church history, their relationship with civil history;
• mastering the methods of historical knowledge, the ability to work with sources of historical information;
• formation of ideas about the importance of the historical role of the Russian Orthodox Church in the history of Russia;
• application of knowledge and ideas about the role of the Orthodox Church in the life of society to participate in intercultural interaction with representatives of other religious traditions.

Subject results of the study of the "History of the Christian Church":

• knowledge of the main stages and key events in the history of the general church and the history of the Russian Orthodox Church;
• knowledge of the names of prominent church leaders and their contribution to the development of the Church and society;
• understanding of the significance of Christianity in the cultural development of Western Europe;
• understanding the significance of the Baptism of Russia and the Orthodox Church in the history of Russia;
• an idea of ​​the Local Orthodox Churches;

• the ability to correlate the dates of events in civil and church history;
• the ability to correlate general historical processes and individual facts;
• the ability to talk about the most important historical events and their participants, showing knowledge of the necessary facts, dates, terms; give a description.

• understanding of historical causes and historical significance events and phenomena of modern church and public life;
• explanations of one's personal attitude to the most significant events and personalities of Russian Church history and general history;
• using knowledge about the historical path and traditions of the peoples of Russia in communicating with people of other national and religious affiliations.

The study of "Christian Ethics" is aimed at achieving the goals:

• the upbringing of a person who bears the image of God in himself;
• mastering Christian ideas about the meaning of life, a person's place in the world, freedom and responsibility;
• mastering the ability to resist evil in the world and in oneself;
• the formation of ideas about the spiritual life of a Christian;

• application of the acquired knowledge in personal spiritual life, in interpersonal relations and public service.

Subject results of the study of "Christian Ethics":

• understanding of approaches to solving the question of the meaning of life in the philosophies and religions of the world;

• knowledge of the Christian approach to the question of the meaning of life;
• knowledge of the provisions of the Decalogue and their relevance in the modern world;
• understanding of the foundations of the spiritual (inner) life of a person;

• the ability to apply knowledge in personal spiritual life, interpersonal relationships and public service.

The ability to use the acquired knowledge and skills in practical activities and everyday life for:

• finding the meaning of your life and defining yourself in the world;
• self-identification in the world as a Christian;
• opposition to evil in the world and in oneself.

III. The program of spiritual and moral education of children.

Spiritual and moral educational work in the Sunday school is aimed at uniting children, parents and teachers into a large family around the temple.

Spiritual and moral educational work goes in such directions as:

• spiritual;
• cognitive;
• Patriotic;
• cultural;
• environmental;
• local history;
• Creative.

Spirituality is what the Sunday school is for. This is when a Sunday school student sees his classmates at worship and participates in church sacraments.

We consider the teaching of spiritual disciplines to be an important part of our activity, therefore, such a direction as cognitive is closely connected with education. These are intellectual games, quizzes.

In second place we put work with family and parents. We are trying to create an environment that would contribute to the development of such a family life program that leads to the salvation of the whole family.

We also have a local history direction, where pilgrimage trips are necessarily planned, where we invite not only schoolchildren, but also members of their families. Thus, the family approach can be traced here as well.

The ecological direction is manifested in cleaning on the territory of the temple and on the church square.

The cultural direction is traditionally associated with holding and organizing holidays, concerts, reading competitions, etc.

The patriotic direction has always occupied a significant place in the educational program of the Sunday school. We are celebrating significant dates of our country, the church.

The creative direction in working with children helps to reveal their individuality and skills. Unites children and parents in the implementation of creative projects. It unites the family with joint obediences in the temple.

Curriculum clock grid. Main stage

The curriculum of the Sunday School at the Church of the Nativity of Christ.

IV. Sunday School Curriculum at the Church of the Nativity of Christ

preschool group

God's Law Program for Children younger age

the initial stage

The curriculum for the Sunday school was compiled on the basis of the Vertograd UMC, compiled by Zakharova L.A., designed for 7 years of study and intended for Sunday schools, Orthodox gymnasiums, general education schools.

Progress control system

The school uses a performance monitoring system in the form of intermediate and final assessment of students. The school independently organizes a general verification of the results of teaching and educational activities, using various forms of control, mainly creative. Knowledge is evaluated on a five-point system. Intermediate certification is carried out within school year in the form of an interview in the studied disciplines. The final attestation takes place in the form of a final attestation in the disciplines studied. The final attestation should be carried out by the attestation commission on the basis of examination tickets developed in the EORiK and approved by the bishop.

The attestation commission is headed by the rector (with the blessing of the rector - the director) and is formed by him from among the clergy, school teachers and parents of pupils; he also determines the composition and number of members of the commission (the recommended number is 4 people).

In addition, the curriculum provides for the following lessons:

• Meetings with the priest (Lessons of morality on the basis of Orthodoxy).
• Needlework - making handicrafts on the themes of biblical and holiday stories using various techniques: beading, cross-stitch, satin stitch, crochet and knitting, soft toys.

VI. Features of the organization of educational activities

Sunday School Activities

To achieve its goals and objectives, the Sunday School carries out the following activities:

• conducting classes of religious and spiritual and moral orientation; · conducting additional personal and socially oriented classes aimed at educating an active and versatile personality of a Christian;
• organizing and holding exhibitions, issuing wall newspapers, etc.

Additional Sunday School Activities

The school can carry out cultural and educational, concert, pilgrimage activities.

Conclusion

The task of the Sunday school is not to communicate a certain set of religious and moral rules, but to form an "Orthodox consciousness", i.e. awareness of the priority solution of moral problems, as well as a firm conviction that an Orthodox church person is responsible to his relatives, the surrounding reality, and most importantly, to his own conscience and God.

Bibliography

Main:

1. Slobodskoy S. God's Law: A Guide for Family and School. - M.: Eleon, 2000.
2. Zakharova L.A. Set teaching aids for the teacher. Pushchino, 2010.
3. Zakharova L.A. Set of workbooks. Pushchino, 2010.
4. Bible stories and tasks for every day, 2008

Additional:

1. Gospel in retelling for children / comp. Davydova N.V., art. Kiseleva T.V./- STSL, 2004.
2. Orthodox Church Calendar.
3. Zinchenko Z. Children about the Orthodox Faith: A Book for School and Family. Part 1. - Saratov: Blagovestnik, 2000.
4. Kulomzina S. The Law of God for the smallest / thin. Shienok A. - M.: Palomnik, 2004.

SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAM

developed by Yu. Kolesnikova and O. Zaitseva

for latest version email:

[email protected]

Free to share, not to sell without permission of I.C.C.

Explanation for the program.

Cycle 1. "Egg or chicken"

Lesson 1. God is the beginning of everything.

Lesson 2. Creation of heaven and earth (days 1-4) Gen. 1:1-19

Lesson 3. Creation of heaven and earth (days 5-7) Gen. 1:20-2:3, 19:25

Lesson 4 3

Cycle 2. Bible

Lesson 1

Lesson 2 22:1-23:25

Lesson 3 16

Lesson 4. The Bible is God's letter to you Acts. 8:26-40

Cycle 3. God

Lesson 1

Lesson 2 God the Father OK. 15:11-24

Lesson 3. God is the Son of Matt. 14:22-33

Lesson 4. God is the Holy Spirit Acts. 2:1-13

Cycle 4. God is my best friend

Lesson 1 18:1-20:43

Lesson 2

Lesson 3. God is honest with us 2 Sam. chapters 11 and 12

Lesson 4. Our obedience to God

Cycle 5. Who am I?

Lesson 1. Who am I when I am alone Lk. 18:10-14

Lesson 2

Lesson 3. Who am I at home 1 Sam. 16:1-13

Lesson 4 8:1-11

Cycle 6. God's love

Lesson 1. God gives love to people Lk. 10:30-35

Lesson 2. God heals Mk. 10:46-52

Lesson 3. God Gives Joy Lk. 7:11-17

Lesson 4 God Provides Salvation Lk. 19:1-10

Cycle 7. Church

Lesson 1. A church is not a building. Worship John. 4:1-26

Lesson 2. The Church is the family of Acts. 2:42-47, 4:32-37, 6:1-15, 16:12-15.

Lesson 3 The Church is the Body of Christ 1 Cor. 12:11-31

Lesson 4. When we are together, we are strong.

Cycle 8. Ministry in the Church

Lesson 1 9:36-39

Lesson 2 9:1-30

Lesson 3 18:1-3

Lesson 4

Cycle 9 We Can Count on God

Lesson 1 When We Are Lonely Dan. 1:1-7

Lesson 2. When we are afraid Dan.3:1-27

Lesson 3 When we made a mistake Dan. 5

Lesson 4 When we are in a stalemate Dan. 6

Cycle 10-11. Life of Jesus Christ

Lesson 1

Lesson 2 4:1-11

Lesson 3 2:1-12

Lesson 4 6:5-13

Lesson 5 15:4-7

Lesson 6 22:1-14

Lesson 7

Lesson 8 28:16-20, Acts. 1:4-12

Cycle 12. What will happen to this world

Lesson 1 The Second Coming of Jesus Isa. 2:17 Dan. 12:2-3, Joel 2:30-31, Zech. 14:1-9 Matt. 24:26-51, Acts. 1:11, 2 Pet. 3:10, Jude 14, 1 Thess. 4:13-18, 5:3, Rev. 19:5-10

Lesson 2

Lesson 3. Judgment at the White Throne Rev. 20:11-15

Lesson 4 Eternal Life Rev. 22:1-22:5

Explanation for the program.

This program is designed for children 8-12 years old. The program includes a video cassette and a teacher's book. The program consists of 12 cycles, including 4 lessons each, and 12 videos. Watching the video film takes place at the first lesson of each cycle; the exception is cycle 12, where the video is shown in the second lesson. Videos and Sunday School lessons can be used independently.

Each lesson consists of several stages:

Greetings.

Repetition.

Introduction.

Bible story.

Golden verse.

Consolidation.

Parting.

The "greeting" stage includes congratulations to the birthday people. Singing is not included in every lesson, but the teacher can repeat songs already learned if desired. When telling Bible stories, you can use any visual aids (flanegraph, illustrations, dolls, paper / wooden figurines, etc.) Repetition of the golden verses is at the discretion of the teacher and can be carried out in any lesson. The stages "prayer" and "farewell" are not included in the lessons. The teacher inserts the prayer into the part of the lesson that seems most appropriate to him. The "farewell" stage includes announcements.

Cycle 1. "Egg or chicken"

Lesson 1. God is the beginning of everything.

Greetings.

Dating game "Klubok"

Children sit in a circle. One has a ball in his hand. He calls his name and throws the ball to another, holding the end of the thread in his hand. Another calls the name of the first, then his own and throws the ball to the third, holding the thread in his hands. This continues until everyone has called their names. Then the last one throws the ball to the previous one, calling him by name. He winds his part of the thread around him and throws it to the next, calling him by name. Thus, the whole ball is wound.

Teacher: "Every ball has a beginning. And now I will give you riddles, and you guess."

Examples of riddles:

Where did your life begin?

How did you start your day today?

How does the program "Good night, kids" begin?

How did our lesson start?

Where does the river begin?

What came first: the egg or the chicken?

You are not the only one looking for the answer to this question. There are others who are interested.

Watching 1 video.

Movie questions:

So what came first: the chicken or the egg?

From which book did Kuzya learn this?

6. Golden verse. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).

Let's open our Bibles together and read what Kuzya learned (reading John 1:1). Look closely at this verse. What unusual thing did you notice?

Yes, the word "Word" is capitalized. What is capitalized in Russian?

So means "Word" - it can be someone's name. Look again at this verse and you will see whose.

Exactly, the Word is God. Now let's see how attentive you are. Close bible. I will begin the verse, and you will take turns adding one word at a time.

Teacher: "In the beginning." The children take turns saying the words of the verse, including the address.

Song "My God Is So Great"

My God is so great

Strong and mighty

That He can do everything (2x)

He created the mountains

And created the rivers

And the stars are His creation.

My God is so great

Strong and mighty

That He can do everything.

Lesson 4

Greetings

Songs "Who is the King in the green jungle"

"My God is so great"

"Our Good Lord Father"

Intro "Choose a Gift"

The teacher brings a bag of cookies, sweets, and other sweets to the lesson and asks each child to choose one for himself. After that, the teacher says: "Every day we all choose something. Now you had to choose a gift from a bag. Every morning you decide what to wear. Sometimes we have to make big decisions that can change our lives."

Bible story Gen. 3. When telling a story, you can use a doll.

I recently walked in the garden and thought how happy I am: I have a husband - the best man in the whole world, we do not know worries, we live in a wonderful place, we have everything we want. But most importantly, we know and love God. God is very kind to us, in the evenings He comes to talk to us. In the morning, my husband and I begin to wait for the sun to set, the coolness to fall on the earth, and in the soft twilight we will hear the voice of the One who loves us and cares for us. I can't imagine my life without God. And without Adam.

I have no idea how he lived without me. He himself does not understand. We are so one that we cannot imagine ourselves without each other. I'm so proud of Adam! God made him king over the earth. Over fish, birds, animals. Set over everything. How wonderful to be the wife of a king! It is a great honor, and, of course, also a responsibility: I help Adam take care of the garden.

And then I walked and examined the trees: is everything in order. The lower branch of the apple tree broke, I removed dry foliage from the peach tree, the tree of life never causes trouble, but next to it is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God once told Adam not to eat the fruit from it, otherwise we will die. Adam and I thought for a long time what it meant to "die", and in the end he said: "Eve, God loves us. If He does not want us to eat these fruits, we will not. Why are we, others few?" My husband is so smart, his logic amazes me! Of course I agreed!

It is good when we trust God and obey Him, even if we do not quite understand why He tells us to do this and not otherwise.

Since then, I have tried not to pass by this tree. But this time, being near, I suddenly heard that someone was calling me. An unfamiliar voice is interesting! I ran to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and saw a snake in its branches, so beautiful that it’s hard to imagine! The serpent writhed in the branches of the tree, and the sun's rays merrily gilded its sparkling skin. This is the first time I've seen a talking snake! I thought that in the garden no one except God and Adam and me can talk.

We met. The snake was very kind and asked a lot of questions. He was especially interested in our relationship with God.

Is it true that God does not allow you to eat fruit from the trees in the garden?

No, no, - I laughed, - we can all eat, only we can’t eat from this tree on which you are sitting.

And why?

So that we don't die.

Die? - in the eyes of the snake, bewilderment began to play, - No, you won’t die, - he continued confidently, - but God knows, - and then sincere indignation sounded in his voice, - that when you eat these fruits, you will become the same as He.

What? So God deceived us? He just doesn't want us to be as wise, beautiful, powerful as He?! It's not fair! And a friend is called! Whether deal snakes! That's what a real friend is!

Have you ever been in a life where you found out that your friends were cheating on you? It's so painful and embarrassing!

At this time, the serpent plucked the fruit from the twig.

Well, try it! Die! This is what you need to think about! - he was indignant.

I took the fruit, and in my head it flashed: "Don't!" But the fruit was so tender. juicy, fragrant, and the snake spoke so insistently. Mmm... yummy! Yes, I have never eaten better in my life! And all this time God did not allow us to eat it! Apparently, he was afraid that he himself would get little.

Adam! How did I forget about my husband? Here he is running, and anxiety on his face.

Eva, what have you done? God forbade eating this fruit, so that we would not know ...

That's the point, Adam! Have I died? And I already ate one. Here's to you! Do you understand what's going on...

And I quickly told Adam everything I had learned from the snake. Adam couldn't believe his ears.

And we have always trusted God! - He thoughtfully chewed the fruit, - Listen, Eve, are you not cold? And in general, it is indecent to walk naked in front of men!

Are you Adam, overeat henbane? You've never spoken to me like that before! - I angrily looked at him and was stunned: Adam was completely naked! - Look at yourself! At least cover up!

Eva, run, God will kill us for disobedience! - Adam grabbed my hand, and we rushed to hide, plucking large fig leaves as we went to cover ourselves.

When we disobey our parents, and they find out about it, we also want to hide so that we are not punished.

Adam! Adam, where are you?

I have never seen Adam so frightened, his voice was like the squeak of a mouse:

For a long time afterwards I could not forgive Adam for what he had done then.

Lord, it's not me! It's all her fault! He pointed angrily at me with his finger.

Eve? - Genuine surprise and dumb question.

I? Why me? Like what, I immediately! It's him! - and the snake at this time unsuccessfully tried to hide in the grass.

I curse you, snake, - God said weightily, and then turned to my husband, - Well, Adam, you have made your choice. I have offered you life and death, blessings and curses. I asked you to choose life. You made up your mind. We can no longer meet like we used to. And you will no longer live in this garden. You didn't listen to Me - that's a sin. He separates us, Adam. But this will not always be the case. Wait for the Savior.

Sin, like a quarrel, separates us from those we love.

God's last words still ring in my heart: "Wait for the Savior." When will the Savior come, who will choose life for us?

Adam and Eve did not obey God, and for this not only they, but all their descendants were separated from God.

Key Verse "As by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one man many will be made righteous." Rome. 5:19. The verse is written on the board in solid text without spaces between words, the children must break the text into separate words.

Fixing "Situations from a hat"

Written on pieces of paper different situations, fold into a hat, the children pull out a piece of paper for themselves, read to themselves. A few minutes are given for reflection. Then the children take turns answering what they will do and why. Do they always do what they want?

Adam and Eve made their choice. Now, each of you will have a choice. What will you do?

Situations:

You came from school. You can learn your lessons or go for a walk.

A friend/girlfriend calls you to visit, and your mother asks you to help her.

Sunday morning. You can go to church or get a good night's sleep.

You're late for class. You can say that there was no transport for a long time, or tell the truth that you left the house late.

You are in a hurry to train and you see that an old man needs your help. Are you going to practice or stop helping?

Your parents ask you to wash the dishes, and your favorite show is on TV. Are you going to help or are you going to watch TV?

You quarreled with your friends, you are in a bad mood, you don’t want to talk to anyone, and your grandmother just wants to talk to you. Will you be rude to her or will you talk to her?

You see how the older guys offend the baby. Will you step in or walk on by?

You see the fire start. Are you gonna call the fire department or pretend you didn't notice?

Are you tired. You sit on the tram in an empty seat by the window. Nearby is a woman with a child. Will you pretend to be dozing by turning your head to the window, or will you give her your seat?

Cycle 2. Bible

Lesson 1

Greetings

Chlo-clap game

The leader is selected, he leaves the room. Something is hidden in the room. The host comes in, tries to find the item. Children clap their hands: the closer it is to the place where the object is hidden, the louder they clap, the farther away, the quieter. When the host finds the item, choose another.

Watching a movie 2.

Introduction "Bible Quiz"

Let's see what you know about the Bible.

(a) How many people wrote the Bible? (more than 40)

(b) What 2 parts is the Bible divided into? (Old and New Testaments)

c) Name the first and last book of the Bible (Genesis and Revelation)

d) In what languages ​​was the Bible written? (Aramaic, Hebrew and Ancient Greek)

e) What is the most common word in the Bible? (conjunction "and")

f) How many books did Jesus Christ write in the Bible? (none)

g) Why is the Bible an unusual book?

h) What is another name for the Bible in the video? (letter)

i) Who wrote this letter? (God)

Making a wall newspaper.

The teacher brings a sheet of drawing paper. The answers to the quiz questions written on separate sheets of paper are pasted on it. The teacher says that during this month the classes will be devoted to the Bible, and everyone can find, write out and stick on the wall newspaper Interesting Facts about the Bible.

Golden verse. All the verses memorized in previous lessons are written on sheets of paper. Sheets are cut and mixed. Children must compose poems.

Lesson 2

Greetings

Introduction.

The teacher brings a candle to the class.

Why might it be useful to us?

Why do we need light?

Why is it difficult for us when there is no light?

Those. the light shows where we are

shows the way to go.

bible story

4 Kings 22:1-23:25

I wish I were king at eight years old! - I once heard a swirling boy helping his gardener father take care of the trees in my garden.

But I became king at the age of eight. I remember how the nanny broke into my room at night, I was almost asleep:

Poor Josiah! - she wailed, I did not understand anything.

And the next morning they told me that my father, the king, was killed at night by servants, and now I was assuming the throne. Eighteen years have passed since then.

I was taught that there is a Lord God, that He must be worshiped. But I was also told that there are other gods whose heights are scattered throughout Judea. I tried to learn more about God, who created the heavens and the earth, so I loved to visit the temple of the Lord. It was already dilapidated and in need of repair. People donated to the temple, and one day I called my scribe Shafan and asked him to go to the high priest Helkia with an order to count all the cash and start repairs. The house of the Lord was not only dilapidated, but also was in desolation: the people liked to make incense to various gods on high and in temples more than to go to the house of the living God. I felt sincerely sorry for the high priests who wandered there among the heaps of rubbish and dust.

Shaphan soon returned, holding a scroll in his hands. In great agitation, he turned to me:

King Josiah, the high priest, found the book of the law in the temple. Would you like to read it?

The book of the law? I thought she was long gone. I secretly dreamed of reading the Word of God, but I never had the opportunity to do so. What a luck! Here I am holding the Law of Moses in my hands. The scroll is heavy, but dilapidated. It must be handled carefully so as not to damage it. I unfolded it with trepidation and began to read.

It turns out that Easter is the decree of the Lord, and we have never celebrated it, as far as I can remember. It turns out that children cannot be sacrificed, as my people often do! It turns out that you can not put altars to other gods in the temple of the Lord! It turns out that there are no other gods at all!

Now I understand the cause of all the disasters and failures of my country: the wrath of the Lord is kindled against us. We have turned away from Him, how can He bless His people? And after all, people do not understand that they are doing evil and grieving God.

I wept bitterly. What to do?

King, - Shafan spoke timidly, - after all, it is written in the law what we must do and how to live. We need to announce this to the people and start doing what the Lord wants us to do.

What a blessing that the book of the law was found! Now we can tell people what God is and what He wants us to be! And the book is really like a lamp: in the darkness we did not know where to go and what to do, and now the Word of God shows us the path that the Lord leads us.

The next day the people gathered in the temple, and we read the law to them. The hearts of the people were broken for their sins. I stood on a high place and made a covenant before God. Together with my people, I promised God to eradicate sin and follow His commandments in everything.

That's when we started making changes. All things dedicated to idols were taken out of the temple, altars to foreign gods were destroyed, idols were burned. Reform went through all of Judea, and again I was surprised that the Lord did not destroy us for idolatry. Only now I saw how many altars we had to false gods, how deeply and firmly sin entered the minds and lives of people. But God did not leave us. Every day I went back to His Word to see if we were doing everything right.

And so, when the earth was finally cleared of idols, I declared the Passover of the Lord. Since the time of the judges, the people had not done it, and how wonderful it was to renew the covenant with the Lord and worship the God of our deliverance.

And how glad I am that the Word of God, like a lamp, has shown us where we are and where to go!

4. Key Verse "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Ps. 119:105). Memorization with the help of symbol cards "book", "lamp", "leg", "candle", "path".

Lesson 3

Greetings

Fruit salad game

Children sit in a circle. Everyone pulls out a piece of paper with the name of the fruit, but does not show it to anyone else. The leader in the circle names one of the fruits. Children who have pieces of paper with this fruit quickly change places. The leader at this time tries to take the place of one of them. The one whose place was taken by the leader becomes the leader instead of him. After 3-4 times, change the names of fruits in children.

Repetition of "Spaghetti"

The teacher writes questions from the previous lesson. He brings a colander to class, with woolen threads of different colors and lengths inserted into the holes. Insert the threads so that it is impossible to find out how long the thread is without looking inside. Children are divided into two teams. The teams take turns answering the questions, and if the answer is correct, the team pulls one string. At the end, the team ties their threads into one, and the team whose thread is longer wins.

Introduction

The teacher brings bread.

Why do we need bread?

What is food?

What healthy food do you know?

What junk food do you know?

Bread and other food strengthen our body. Does the body need food?

What spiritual food do you know?

Is there harmful and useful spiritual food? Which?

Bible story Exodus 16.

Mommy, I want to eat!

I'm hungry too!

The mother of the twins covered her face with her hands and wept. Their father waved his hand in annoyance, turned sharply and went to the head of the camp. There stood the leaders of the people, Aaron and Moses. One by one people flocked to them.

Our stock has run out! We have nothing to eat! Where to get food in this desert? What were you thinking when they led us out of Egypt? It would be better if we stayed there - in Egypt we were always full! Where is your Lord?

Moses asked himself these questions. And he had no answers. Bye. One thing he did not doubt: God will come up with something, God will find a way out, God will not leave His people and will give them food. But how? And how do you explain it to people?

I will ask God what to do, - Moses said meekly and retired to his tent.

Moses, tomorrow I will give bread to my people. As many as they need.

The father of the twins with other men, grumbling with displeasure, dispersed to their tents. The next morning, he was awakened by the twins' cry:

Mother! Dad! Look! What is it on earth? Well, let's try. Oh how delicious! It's like your honey cakes, mommy!

Their parents ran out of the tent and saw something white covering the ground. The children, laughing merrily, picked it up and ate it.

I don't know what it is, - said the mother of the twins, after tasting the white grains, - but it really is delicious!

This is the bread that the Lord promised to give us. It's called manna. Collect it as much as you need for today, and do not be afraid: tomorrow the manna will be on the earth again. God strengthens His people!

Dad, who is God? one of the twins asked.

And what is God? - picked up another.

Dad, it's so good that God gave us food, - without waiting for an answer, the first one chattered.

Moses approached the family with a heavy step and put his hand on the shoulder of a curious boy:

God will not only give bread for our bodies, but also nourish our souls. He will give His Word so that we may know Him.

Moses, I heard that you are talking to God, - the father joined the conversation.

Yes, and the Lord strengthens me with His Word.

I want to be strong, like you, Moses, and like my dad, the first twin said proudly.

And I want the Lord to strengthen me with His Word, - picked up the second.

The Lord kept His word, - the father said thoughtfully, - but we will not live by manna alone.

But also every word that God speaks.

Golden verse "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" Matt. 4:4

The verse is written on a sheet of paper, then the sheet is cut like a mosaic, and the children must assemble it.

Fixing - we continue to make a wall newspaper.

Cycle 3. God

Lesson 1

Greetings

Repetition of "In a circle into the microphone"

The teacher brings a tape recorder with a microphone. Children sit in a circle. On the suggestion, passing the microphone to each other, they tell the story from the previous lesson. After listening to the resulting recording.

Introduction - game "Three"

Children are divided into two teams. The task of the team is to remember as many words and phrases as possible with the word "three" (three little pigs, shamrock, cocked hat) in 1 minute. Then the teams take turns saying the words. For each word that the other team does not have, they get 10 points. If the other team also has a word - 5. The team with the most points wins.

Watching Movie 3

Visual lesson "Peach"

The teacher shows the children a peach.

What's this? (peach) How many peaches do I have in my hand? (one) Here is one peach. There is only one true God. What are the three parts of a peach? (the teacher cuts a peach in half and shows the children a cut: peel, pulp, stone) One real God has three personalities: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. All three parts of a peach are a peach. It has peach skin, peach pulp, peach pit. But nevertheless, these are not three different peaches, but one. All three persons of the one true God are God. God the Father is God, God the Son is God, God the Holy Spirit is God. But these are not three different Gods, but one.

The three parts of a peach serve different functions. What is a peach peel for? (protects from damage) What is the pulp of a peach for? (we eat it) And what can be done from peaches? (compote, jam, jam, jelly, cakes) And why does a peach have a bone? (they plant it in the ground, and many, many, many peaches grow from one seed)

As in the peach, the three personalities of the one true God perform different functions. God the Father created us: you, you, me, trees, sky, even peaches. God the Father loves and protects us. Sometimes we do things that the Father does not like. It is a sin. He says that such actions should be punished. Do you like being punished? Nobody likes it! Punishment does not bring joy, and we would be very very sad (you can draw a sad face on the board). But God the Father loves us so much that He sent God the Son to take our punishment upon Himself. What is the name of God the Son? (Jesus Christ) What do you know about Him? (lived on earth, was crucified, died) Jesus was buried, just like a peach pit is put into the ground. But Jesus is the real God. As a peach seed sprouts and gives birth to new peaches, so Jesus rose from the dead to give us a cheerful, happy, wonderful life. But to get this fun, happy, wonderful life, you have to do something. You know what? Believe in Jesus. When we plant a peach seed in the ground, we believe that a peach tree will grow out of it. This is faith in the peach pit. If you believe that Jesus died on the cross for you and then rose again, you believe in Jesus Christ.

Our hearts are like the ground. Can the earth itself plant a seed? (no) Someone should bury the bone in the ground. In the same way, we ourselves cannot plant faith in our hearts. This is what God the Holy Spirit does. He puts faith in our hearts and then grows it. When a stone is planted in the ground, the rain waters it, the sun warms it, and the earth nourishes it. Then the bone begins to grow: a small sprout appears, which later turns into a huge tree. When the Holy Spirit puts faith in our hearts, He feeds it with the word of God and it grows.

When a peach tree grows, we know that it is a peach tree. Where? (according to the fruits - peaches) When a person's faith grows, it bears fruit: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, mercy, faith, meekness, temperance.

When we see a peach, we know that it is not a banana, not a watermelon. It has peach skin, peach pulp, peach pit. If we believe in the real God, we believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. But we believe that these are not three Gods, but one.

Fastening - song "Put your stone"

(in the verse, the echo is sung after each line, the chorus is sung together)

1.Place your stone-

We will build a house.

There will be a tall house

The house will be beautiful.

We will glorify in it

Pr: Our Father,

Son of Christ

Holy Spirit

At all times

These stones will be

Good deeds.

If anyone is humiliated

If someone is offended

Glorify always

All the prayers of the world

We will put in the house.

Children's prayers

And adult prayers.

We will glorify in it

Lesson 2. God the Father

Greetings

Game "Helicopter"

Two or three guys leave the room. They come in one by one. There is a board on top of two chairs/bricks/piles of books. The visitor is asked to stand on this board, beforehand they blindfold him. The leader takes him by both hands and says: "Imagine that you are in a helicopter. Now the helicopter will climb. Don't be afraid, I'm holding you." Two men raise the board low by the edges, and the leader at the same time smoothly crouches until he can barely hold the child by the fingers. "Now jump." After that, the second child is launched from the corridor.

Bible story Lk. 15:11-24

How scary to be alone! How terrible it is when you can't trust anyone! How painful it is when everyone betrayed you! When there was money, there was no end to friends, but now I am poor, and everyone has abandoned me! It's so hard to find a job now, and I don't even have any education. So I had to hire this greedy peasant to graze pigs. I haven't eaten in such a long time that I don't even remember what it's like to be full. But it wasn't always like that... I wasn't always a pitiful ragamuffin. My father is very rich. I also have a mother and a brother. But now it seems like it was all so long ago...

My brother and I have always been different. He spent a lot of time at home, and I strove to run away. Of course, I always came back for dinner. Sometimes I came home with torn knees and bruises under my eye. Sometimes the neighbors would come and complain to my father about me. Then my brother laughed maliciously, my mother cried, and my father punished me and at the same time said: "Son, you did not do well. But no matter what happens, no matter what you do, you will always remain my son, and I will always love you."

No matter what happens, no matter what we do, our Heavenly Father still loves us.

I couldn't wait for the day when I turn 18 and I can live on my own. The strict rules of my father's house got to me a long time ago. Conflict followed conflict. And finally my birthday came. I went up to my father and said, "I'm leaving. Divide the inheritance between me and my brother, and give me my share." At the same time, my mother burst into tears, threw herself on my neck with a cry: "Don't leave, son!" And the father just took out the money, handed it to me and said: "Son, no matter what happens, no matter what you do, you will always be my son, and I will always love you."

God wants well for us, but if we decide to live our own way, He does not hold us back, but allows us to go and make mistakes for as long as we want.

I moved to another city, began to live alone. The money that my father gave was enough to live for my own pleasure, but then ... I did not think about what would happen next. And then the money ran out, and with them friends. I've turned into a hungry ragamuffin and I don't know what to do next. It's just ridiculous: my father has a lot of workers, my father pays them well, and I, his son, beg and wander! I'll be back home...

But I hurt my father so much. Will he accept me? He said, of course, that he would always love me, but after all that I had done ... Even the most loving father would not communicate with such a son! Stop! What if you hire him? I will work honestly and earn money honestly. I will change.

But will he accept me? Will he know? Well, trying is not torture. I'll get up and go to my father.

The path is long. I'm tired, I can barely drag my feet. I'm so hungry! And sleep! Father's house is getting closer. How the heart beats! What will the father say? Will mom accept? How can I look my brother in the eyes? Neighbors, of course, will gloat.

Oops, someone is running down the hill! They will probably kick me out! What? Yes, this is ... This is my father!

Father, I...

How can my father, in an expensive English wool suit, fragrant with the freshness of imported eau de toilette, hug and kiss a stinking tramp? What he says? "Son, no matter what happens, no matter what you do, you will always be my son and I will always love you." So that means it's true? Does my father love and accept me? I'm not a mercenary, I'm his son! It's all like a dream, like a fairy tale. But now the father's ring is on my finger, the servants are already carrying new clean clothes, everyone in the house is alarmed and preparing a festive dinner. Does my father love me so much? Am I that dear to him? It's good that I have such a father. It's good that I'm his son.

See what kind of love the Father has given us so that we can be called and be children of God.

Key Verse "See what love the Father has given us, that we may be called and be children of God" 1 John 3:1

Fastening - the song "Look what love"

Look what love our Heavenly Father has given us (2 times)

So that we can be called and be His children (2 times)

Lesson 3

Greetings

Repetition - the game "Draw and guess"

Children are divided into two teams. Teams take turns sending one person to the leader. The leader has words on the cards related to the previous biblical story (elder brother, prodigal son, father, money, etc.). The leader gives a card to the child, he must draw on the board what is written on the card, and the teams guess. For each word guessed, the team gets a point.

Introduction is the focus.

The teacher asks the children: "Do you believe in miracles?" Then he shows the children some simple trick.

What I showed is a miracle?

How is a trick or trick different from a miracle?

Who does tricks?

And who can work real miracles?

To lead the children to the idea that only God is able to work real miracles.

Bible story Matt. 14:22-33

Once the disciples of Jesus decided to cross over to the other side of the sea, and Jesus remained on the shore. It was already late, and the disciples were in a hurry to cross the sea before dark. Four of them were experienced fishermen, and over the years they had studied the nature of the Sea of ​​Galilee well: storms and storms began there unexpectedly and at the most inopportune moment. Andrei and Peter looked at each other anxiously, expecting the worst.

Of course, as soon as they were in the middle of the sea, the wind increased, raising huge waves, tossing the boat from side to side like a nutshell.

Often our life is like a raging sea, when we are overcome by difficulties and problems.