Forgiveness Sunday: date and history of the holiday

What kind of holiday is Forgiveness Sunday, when is it celebrated in 2024 and what traditions exist on this day – in the Kommersant information.

When is Forgiveness Sunday celebrated?

Forgiveness Sunday is the last of four Sundays in preparation for Lent. The holiday does not have a specific date; in different years it can be at different times – it depends on the date of Easter. In 2024, the holiday falls on March 17th. The day after Forgiveness Sunday, Lent begins. In addition, this holiday is the last day of Maslenitsa.

history of the holiday

In Orthodoxy, this day is also called “Cheese Week,” this expression means “I release the cheese.” Another name for this day is “Adam’s Banishment.” Forgiveness Sunday is the last day before Lent on which you can eat cheese, dairy products and fish. This holiday ends Cheese Week. This day coincides with the last day of the Slavic Maslenitsa, therefore it combines different traditions and customs.

Church traditions of the holiday

In Orthodoxy on this day, during the liturgy, the Gospel of Matthew is read, which talks about forgiveness:

“For if you forgive people their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive people their trespasses, then your Father will not forgive you your trespasses.”

This day is called “Adam’s expulsion” because the Russian Orthodox Church, during its services, commemorates “Adam’s expulsion” – the expulsion of Adam and Eve from paradise for disobedience to God. The clergy urge parishioners to abstain.

After the liturgy, the priests change into mourning vestments. The evening service takes place with the lights off. In addition, the altar curtain and altar covers on the throne and altar are changed. At evening services, the “rite of forgiveness” is performed. This tradition came from Egyptian monks. Before Lent, they dispersed through the desert for the entire period of fasting. The monks saw each other again only on Easter, but many did not experience such a test, so they asked each other for forgiveness in advance and forgave the others themselves. There is no clear form of how to ask for forgiveness. Typically, one person says to another “forgive me,” to which the other responds, “God forgives, and I forgive.”

Maslenitsa traditions of Forgiveness Sunday

Forgiveness Sunday is also the last day of Maslenitsa, so there were non-church customs characteristic of the holiday. Some of them have survived to this day. At the end of Maslenitsa week, it was customary to organize extensive festivities and fist fights. In addition, on this day we went to the bathhouse. People had big feasts with pancakes. On Forgiveness Sunday it was forbidden to clean or do other housework.

At the end of the holiday, the ceremonial burning of the Maslenitsa effigy took place. Pancakes and other dishes were thrown into the fire with him. Then the ashes from the fires were scattered across the fields. This ritual was performed to “feed” the earth. In this way, people hoped to achieve the best harvest, as well as prosperity in the new year.

Modern celebration of Forgiveness Sunday

Nowadays, in honor of Maslenitsa, fairs, festivals and similar entertainment are organized in cities. Forgiveness Sunday marks their finale, on which grandiose festivities are held. Concerts are held, and, as a rule, an effigy of Maslenitsa is burned. Festivals are organized at different venues. For example, in Moscow the main celebration will take place on Red Square.