On what mountain was the Transfiguration of the Lord? Transfiguration. How and when to celebrate

The Transfiguration of the Lord, or, popularly, “Apple Savior” is an Orthodox holiday that believers celebrate on August 19. On this day we remember the gospel event when the apostles Peter, James and John saw the Lord Jesus Christ transfigured - in all Divine, eternal glory. We will talk about the history, meaning and traditions of the Feast of the Transfiguration.

What is Transfiguration

Transfiguration(Greek metamorphosis, Latin transfiguratio) literally translates as “transformation into another form” or “change of form.” The full name of the holiday is the Transfiguration of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ. This is one of the so-called twelve holidays, which are dogmatically closely connected with the events of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Mother of God and are divided into the Lord's (dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ) and the Theotokos (dedicated to the Mother of God). Transfiguration is the Lord's holiday.

The events of the Transfiguration are described in the Gospels; all the evangelists write about them, except the Apostle John. During prayer on Mount Tabor, three disciples of Jesus Christ - Peter, James and John - saw how the Teacher was transformed: After six days, Jesus took Peter, James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain alone, and was transformed before them: and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as the light(Matthew 17:1-2).

In Rus', this holiday received the popular name “Apple Savior”. The fact is that in Israel and Greece the day of Transfiguration fell on the time of ripening of grapes. Christians brought fragrant bunches to the temple - for blessing and as a sign of gratitude to God. In countries where grapes do not grow, for example, in most of Russia, apples began to be blessed instead. There is a special prayer “For the consecration of the firstfruits of vegetables (fruits).”

We read about the Transfiguration in three Gospels; it is not described only in the Gospel of John.

As the evangelical apostles report, the events of the Transfiguration occurred six days after Christ, in a conversation about the cross and the Kingdom of God, said:“...truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come with power.”(Mk 9 :1). The Savior took three disciples with him - Peter, James and John - and went to the mountain to pray. While Christ was praying, the disciples, tired during the day, fell asleep. But then a miracle woke them up - Teacher“He was transfigured before them: and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light.”(Matthew 17 :2). The prophets Moses and Elijah appeared before the Savior and spoke with Him. As the Apostle Luke writes, the conversation went"about His exodus, which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem"(Luke 9 :31), that is, about the upcoming crucifixion. The Apostle Peter, amazed by the greatness of the Lord, exclaimed:“Rabbi! It’s good for us to be here; Let us make three tabernacles: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”(Mk 9 :5). After these words, a light cloud appeared and covered everyone with its shadow. From the depths of the cloud came the voice of God the Father:This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; Listen to him(Matthew 17 :5). After this miraculous event, Christ and the disciples descended from the mountain. The Savior forbade the apostles to reveal the secret of the Transfiguration to anyone,"until the Son of Man rises from the dead"(Mark 9:9).

Favor - Mount of Transfiguration

Tabor is a 588-meter-high mountain located in Israel, 9 kilometers southeast of the city of Nazareth. According to legend, it was on Mount Tabor that the apostles Peter, James and John saw the miraculous Transfiguration of the Lord. Currently, there are two monasteries on the top of the mountain, Orthodox and Catholic.

History of the celebration of the Transfiguration of the Lord

The tradition of celebrating the Transfiguration of the Lord existed already in the 4th century, and, most likely, even earlier. It was in the 4th century that Empress Helen, Equal to the Apostles, built a temple in honor of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor. In addition, we read about this holiday in the teachings of Saints Ephraim the Syrian and John Chrysostom. From the 7th century, the word on the Transfiguration of the Lord by St. Andrew of Crete has reached us.

Icon of Transfiguration

The Transfiguration of the Lord is an icon from the Festive Row of the Orthodox iconostasis. Already in the 6th century, the plot of the icon became canonical. Christ is depicted in the center, with the prophets Moses and Elijah standing on both sides of Him. Moreover, Moses in the icon is most often young, and Elijah is old. Just below we see the fallen apostles. The Savior’s white robes shine, light radiates from His face and His entire figure. Icon painters depict Christ in a round or oval halo.

Divine service of the Transfiguration of the Lord

The Feast of the Transfiguration has one day of pre-celebration (August 5) and seven days of post-feast (from 7 to 13 August). The celebration of the holiday takes place in churches on August 13.

The popular name for the Transfiguration of the Lord, “Apple Savior,” reminds us of the ancient tradition of consecrating fruits on this day. In Israel and southern Christian countries, for example, Greece, the grapes were just ripe at the time of the holiday. People carried bunches of grapes, as well as ears of corn, to the temple for blessings and as a sign of gratitude to God.

On Russian lands, grapes did not grow everywhere, so the tradition was transformed - apples began to be blessed. There is a special prayer - “For the consecration of the firstfruits of vegetables (fruits).”

Troparion of the Transfiguration of the Lord

voice 7

Thou art transfigured on the mountain, O Christ God, showing Thy disciples Thy glory, as unto a man, that Thy Light, ever present through the prayers of the Mother of God, may shine upon us sinners, O Light-Giver, glory to Thee.

Kontakion of the Transfiguration of the Lord

voice 7

You were transfigured on the mountain, and as the host of Your disciples, they saw Your glory, O Christ God, so that when they see You crucified, they will understand the free suffering, and the world will preach that You are truly the Father’s radiance.

The Greatness of the Transfiguration of the Lord

We magnify You, Life-Giving Christ, and honor Your most pure flesh, the glorious Transfiguration.

“Apple Savior” - folk traditions of the Transfiguration holiday

The Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Rus' was also called Apple Savior, Savior, Second Savior, Feast of First Fruits, Savior on the Mountain, Middle Savior, Pea Day, Second Meeting of Autumn, First Autumn, Autumn.

“First autumn” means welcoming autumn. Summer was waning, peasants were harvesting crops in the fields and gardens. Apples were brought to churches for blessing. Above them the priest read a special prayer - “For the consecration of the firstfruits of vegetables (fruits).” From this moment on, believers could begin to eat apples and other fruits of the new harvest.

On Apple Spas, housewives baked apple pies and made jam. Relatives and friends were invited to the treat. There was a tradition of feeding the poor - for the glory of God. If someone refused to do this good deed, he was reproached in every possible way: “God forbid, God forbid, to have anything to do with them! He forgot the old and the orphan, did not give them any small good from his wealth, did not look upon the sick and the poor with his goods!” Even on Transfiguration, they sang songs and saw off the sun in the field.

Folk signs and sayings about the Transfiguration

In Rus', many signs and sayings were associated with the Transfiguration of the Lord, or, as it was called, the “Apple Savior”. Most often they tell us not about the Christian meaning of the holiday, but about the weather, the seasons, and the harvest. These sayings reflected the daily life of the common people.

The Savior has come - it’s only an hour.

The second Savior has arrived, take your mittens in reserve.

On the second Spas, take the golitsa in reserve.

What a second Savior, so is January.

Meeting autumn - Autumn.

On the second day of the Savior, apples and honey are blessed.

On the second day, the Savior and the beggar will eat an apple.

What is the day on the Second Savior, such is the Intercession.

A dry day foreshadows a dry autumn, a wet day foretells a wet one, and a clear day foretells a harsh winter.

On this day they see off the sunset in the field with songs.

Whoever wants (to fly away), and the crane to the Savior.

When you eat the first apple, “what is far-fetched will come true, what will come true will not pass away.”

Until the second rescue, they do not eat any fruits except cucumbers.

On August 19, according to the new style (August 6, according to the old style), the Holy Orthodox Church remembers the Transfiguration of the Lord. This holiday was established in memory of the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ before the disciples on Mount Tabor.

History of the holiday: liturgical texts in honor of the Transfiguration were created by saints

St. John of Damascus

The Transfiguration of the Lord was celebrated by Christians already in the 4th century. This is evidenced by the teachings of St. Ephraim the Syrian and St. John Chrysostom. The existence of the holiday in the 4th century indicates that its beginning dates back to the previous three centuries of Christianity.

From the 7th century, the word on the Transfiguration of the Lord came to us by St. Andrew of Crete (635-680). In this word, the term “Transfiguration” is considered not only in a dogmatic sense, but also in the sense of an actual solemn holiday of the Church.

In the 8th century, St. John of Damascus and St. Cosmas of Maium compiled a number of stichera and canons with which the Orthodox Church glorifies the event of the holiday even today.

Gospel narrative: conversation of the prophets with the Messiah

Orthodox monastery on top of Tabor

The Transfiguration is told in three Gospels: Matthew (17:1-6), Mark (9:1-8), Luke (9:28-36).

The evangelists narrate that the Lord prophetically said: “...Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come with power” (Mark 9:1). Six days later, He took three of his closest disciples - Peter, James and John - and went up the mountain to pray with them. There, during prayer, as stated in the Gospel of Matthew (17:2-9), He “was transfigured before them: and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light.”

Mount Tabor today

And the Old Testament prophets appeared before them - Moses and Elijah. Then a bright cloud overshadowed them and they heard a voice from it that said: This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; listen to Him. The apostles were afraid and fell to the ground, and Jesus came up, touched them and said: stand up and do not be afraid. When the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus. The Lord forbade them to tell about what they saw until the Son of Man rose from the dead.

Theological interpretation: Jesus Christ, true God and true man, was transfigured on Tabor

The Transfiguration - the appearance of the Son, during which the Father witnesses with a voice from the bright cloud of the Holy Spirit - is the revelation of all Persons of the Holy Trinity.

This gospel event shows that in Jesus Christ two natures are united, i.e. nature: divine and human. During the Transfiguration, the divine nature of Christ did not change, but was revealed in His human nature. According to St. John Chrysostom, it happened “in order to show us the future transformation of our nature and His future coming on the clouds in glory with the angels.”

The appearance of the prophets Moses and Elijah is also symbolic. In the words of the same Saint John Chrysostom, “one who died (ed. - Moses) and another who has not yet experienced death (ed. - Elijah, who ascended alive in a chariot into heaven)” appeared in order to show that “Christ has power over life and death, dominion over heaven and earth.”

The appearance of the Old Testament prophets

On Mount Tabor, two great prophets appeared to Jesus and his apostles - Moses and Elijah. Both prophets came to know God on mountain tops. Moses received the tablets of the law with the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai (Ex. 31:18). On Mount Horeb, Elijah found God not in the wind, not in an earthquake, but in a quiet breeze (1 Kings 19:9-12), which is mentioned in the proverbs - liturgical readings - on the eve of the holiday during Great Vespers.
Moses lived 1600 years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Elijah - 900 years. On the day of the Transfiguration, the apostles saw them alive, which means they saw confirmation of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ: “He who believes in Me has eternal life” (John 6:47)

Traditions: Apple Spas

In the folk tradition of the Eastern Slavs, the Transfiguration is called the Second Savior or the Apple Savior. The holiday acquired its popular name due to the fact that, according to the Typikon, on this day new harvest grapes and other fruits are blessed, and where they are not available, apples, after which they are allowed to be eaten. This is due to the fact that in Greece (formerly Byzantium) the grapes ripened just in time for this time of year. And a believer always brought the first fruits to the temple as his sacrifice to God and to sanctify the entire harvest.

The Transfiguration of the Lord in 2019 is celebrated on August 19. This is one of the 12 great Orthodox holidays. It is dedicated to the memories of the transfiguration of Jesus Christ before his three disciples during prayer on Mount Tabor. People call this day Apple, or the Second Savior.

history of the holiday

The Transfiguration of the Lord is timed to coincide with events in the life of Jesus Christ. 40 days before the crucifixion, he revealed to his disciples his destiny: to die a martyr’s death in the name of humanity. Jesus and his three disciples: Peter, John and James climbed Mount Tabor. When Christ began to read prayers, his clothes became snow-white and his face lit up with light. Jesus forbade his disciples to talk about the event. When they descended from the mountain, Christ ordered the apples to be collected to consecrate them.

The Transfiguration of the Lord began to be celebrated in the 4th century, when a temple was opened on Mount Tabor. The Orthodox Church scheduled the celebration for August so that the celebration would not fall during Lent.

Traditions and rituals of the holiday

A morning service is held in churches, during which a cross is brought into the center, a rite of worship, a religious procession and the consecration of fruits take place. At the liturgy, the canon about the Great Transfiguration is sung. The clergy wear white clothes, which symbolizes God's light.

According to folk traditions, on this day housewives dry apples, prepare jam and compotes for the winter, and bake pies. On August 19, people begin to harvest grapes and peas.

On this holiday it is customary to honor the memory of deceased relatives. After the service, people bring blessed apples to the cemetery and place them on the graves.

In Rus', autumn was celebrated on this day. People went out into the fields and said goodbye to the summer at sunset.

What you can and cannot eat on the Transfiguration of the Lord

The Transfiguration of the Lord occurs during the strict Dormition Fast, during which it is forbidden to eat meat, dairy products, and eggs. But on this holiday, the Orthodox Church allows you to eat fish and seafood dishes and drink a small amount of wine.

What not to do on the Transfiguration of the Lord

On this holiday you cannot engage in heavy physical labor. Housewives are advised to refrain from cleaning the house, sewing and knitting.

On the Transfiguration of the Lord it is forbidden to kill insects. If a fly or bee lands on a person, you should wait until it flies away.

Signs and beliefs on the Transfiguration of the Lord

• What the weather is like on the Transfiguration of the Lord, the same will be on the Feast of the Intercession (October 14).
• The weather is clear - a sign of a cold winter.
• If parents whose children have died do not eat apples before August 19, then the Lord will give them heavenly apples in the next world.
• If you treat someone with a harvest from your garden on the Transfiguration of the Lord, then the next year will pass in prosperity and abundance.
• Apples collected on this day will be well stored in winter.

The Transfiguration of the Lord is one of the twelfth, that is, the main after Easter, Orthodox holidays, which is revered every year, including 2017, August 19 (old style - August 6). In churches, after the festive liturgy, apples and various other fruits from the newly harvested harvest are traditionally blessed on this day, symbolizing the autumn transformation in nature, which is why the holiday of the Transfiguration of the Lord is also popularly called the Apple Savior.

History of the Feast of Transfiguration

According to the legend of the Gospel of Matthew, the third year of preaching of the thirty-three-year-old Jesus Christ was already over, when his disciples were greatly saddened when they heard from their teacher the story that he would soon need to go to Jerusalem, to endure many persecutions there from the high priests, scribes and elders , severe suffering for people, die on the cross and after three days rise. Since the disciples had great hopes for the proclamation of Jesus as king, they were not consoled even by the news of his resurrection. Noticing the grief of the apostles, especially Peter, and wanting to minimize it, and also to strengthen the faith of his disciples in the future, when they would observe his torment, Jesus Christ decided to show them his glory, in which he would abide after the resurrection. (The Glory of the Lord is a term in Christianity of biblical etymology, meaning a form of the full appearance of an immortal deity, which is usually not visible to mere mortal people).
Soon after this conversation, Jesus Christ, together with his three disciples - James, John and Peter - ascended Mount Tabor (which today is one of the main symbols of the Transfiguration of the Lord), where in solitude the Savior usually indulged in prayer. The apostles, tired of the ascent and a long stay in a state of prayer, fell asleep on the mountain, and at dawn Jesus was transformed before them in the brilliance of all his Divine glory: like the sun, his face shone, and his robes shed a snow-white radiant light. At the command of Christ, the prophets Elijah (from paradise) and Moses (from the dead) appeared before him and began a conversation about the upcoming accomplishments and sufferings of Jesus in Jerusalem, about his future death and resurrection. The awakened apostles froze in awe and fear from what they saw and heard. Peter, in fear, even turned to Jesus Christ with a proposal to make three tabernacles (shelters from the sun) for him and the prophets, and while he was saying this, without knowing what, a light cloud enveloped the top of the mountain and overshadowed those present, and a voice came from it , which reads: “This is my beloved son, in him I am well pleased. Listen to him." The disciples, hearing the voice of God, fell on their faces in horror. All the faces of the Holy Trinity were revealed before them: the Son of God with the testimony of God the Father in the Holy Spirit. The prophets and the Glory of the Lord disappeared, and Jesus Christ, approaching his disciples, told them to get up and fear nothing in the future. When the students got up from the ground, they saw the teacher already alone and in his previous guise. On the way back, on the descent from Mount Tabor, Jesus told the apostles John, James and Peter not to tell anyone about what they had seen until the Son of Man was raised from the dead.

The meaning of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

In the church tradition, it is believed that with his Transfiguration, Jesus Christ as the Savior demonstrated to humanity what awaits him in the Kingdom of Heaven and how the entire earthly world will be transformed. According to St. John Chrysostom, the reason for the transfiguration for the Lord was the desire to show people his next coming in heaven in glory and the future transformation of human nature.

Transfiguration of the Lord - what does this holiday mean? What are its origins? You will find answers to these and other questions in the sermon below.

Today’s holiday, dear brothers and sisters, gives us rich food for thought. I would like to note this feature of the Gospel event now being remembered. On Mount Tabor, Moses and Christ appeared to Christ, who revealed to us, to the extent possible for our earthly perception, His heavenly glory. Liturgical texts reveal to us one of the meanings of this meeting of God with two of the greatest Old Testament prophets: “For Christ, who is ruler of heaven and earth and has power over the underworld, the apostles appeared to you from the earth, Elijah the Tishbite from heaven, and Moses from the dead, singing in agreement: people, exalt them to all ages” (canon, canto 8).

But in the presence of Moses and Elijah before Christ there was also something very personal; This is indicated by the proverbs of the holiday, which were read yesterday at the All-Night Vigil. The Book of Exodus talks about how Moses cried out to the Lord: “If I have found favor in Your sight, then I pray: Show me Yourself with understanding, that I may see You; show me Your glory." And the Lord answered Moses: “You cannot see My face, because man cannot see Me and live.” And the Lord said: “This is my place - stand on this rock; When My glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I pass by; and when I remove My hand, you will see Me from behind, but My face will not be visible to you” (Exodus, chapter 33). And in the Third Book of Kings it is told about the prophet Elijah, who was jealous of the Lord God of Hosts. And the Lord said to him: “Go out and stand on the mountain before the face of the Lord, and behold, the Lord will pass by; and a great and strong wind, rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord is not in the wind; after the wind there is an earthquake, but the Lord is not in the earthquake; after the earthquake there is fire, but the Lord is not in the fire; after the fire there is a thin voice of cold, and the Lord is there.” Hearing this, Elijah covered his face with his mantle (1 Kings, chapter 19).

Of course, such a request, such a desire of Moses and Elijah to see God, came from some essential depths of their spiritual life, because it is not just that a person says to God: show yourself to me, show yourself to me. It is impossible to turn this request to God out of idle curiosity; it is born from the heart only when a person with all his strength wants to transform himself and his whole life so that only God lives and acts in it, and nothing but Him. And the fact that the Lord responded to such a request speaks precisely about this.

It testifies that God did not show Himself to either Moses or Elijah, but only allowed Himself to be felt by a certain edge, covering their perception with His right hand. But the desire of Moses and Elijah nevertheless did not go unfulfilled. Moses had already departed to the land of the dead, and Elijah was mysteriously taken from the earth, and many thousands of years passed - and their desire to see God in fullness was fulfilled. On Mount Tabor, Moses and Elijah contemplated God face to face - but the disciples of Christ could not look at this and fell to the ground in horror.

And this is a great consolation from God and edification for us. Even when we ask God for something with all our soul, with all our heart, and the Lord does not fulfill it for some reason that is unknown to us, our good desire will still be fulfilled, if not in this life, then in the future . And this is the very important, deep essence of the Gospel: nothing good in a person is lost, any of his desires addressed to God will be fulfilled. And we must always rely on this with faith and joy - especially when we are in difficult circumstances, for example, when a person is undergoing some kind of long-term internal temptation. It happens that we pray to God for years, but everything remains the same, as if God does not hear us. And then we need to remember the Transfiguration of Christ and the prophets Moses and Elijah, who asked God for the unthinkable, the highest thing - and received what they asked from Him, although a lot of time had passed. But God does not have time - and for Christians who communicate with Him through the Gospel life and the Holy Sacraments, time has no meaning. When we live in God by faith, He transforms our lives, eases our sorrows - and will certainly fulfill all the desires coming from a believing heart. Amen.

Read also:

Transfiguration of the Lord: a film about the holiday

On August 19, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the Transfiguration of the Lord - one of the most mysterious New Testament events. We present to our readers a film from the Neophyte film company about the Transfiguration of the Lord and the places of the Holy Land.

Consecration of fruits for the Transfiguration

The Transfiguration is celebrated after the harvest of grain (in the north, and earlier in the south) after the fruits have ripened, that is, at the end of labor. And moreover, when everything reaches perfection, maturity. Especially in the south. This is a symbol of perfection, the fullness of the future Kingdom of glory, but after the labors of our life on the cross.

Transfiguration

It is no coincidence that the Apostle Peter on Tabor spoke to the Lord about tabernacles. Tabernacles are huts made of branches and greenery, which in ancient Israel, according to the Law of Moses, were supposed to be built at the beginning of the harvest of fruits in memory of the fact that the ancestors of the Israelites lived in the huts when the Lord brought them out of Egypt, where they were under the yoke of Pharaoh.

Terrible Transformation. Thoughts about the Holiday

Although the Apostle Peter “didn’t know” what to say, he still wanted to delay the bliss: “If only we could all live like this all the time!” I forgot about myself and my comrades, humble...

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. Transformation... The prefix “pre” in our Russian language has two meanings: change, change, and the highest degree of quality. And here, in the naming of today’s holiday, both of these meanings are attested to by the event itself.

Sometimes we are at Tabor, and sometimes we find ourselves at Golgotha. Sometimes the presence of God is so palpable, obvious, that we would like these minutes to never end, to last forever. But sometimes God seems to abandon us, leaving us in the darkness alone with ourselves, with our problems and sins.

Transfiguration of the Lord: the free path from Tabor to Golgotha

Shortly before His suffering on the cross, the Lord Jesus Christ began to tell His disciples that He would soon suffer, be crucified, and rise again on the third day.

Transfiguration of the Lord Jesus Christ: the free path from Tabor to Golgotha

On August 19, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Transfiguration of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospel tells that at the end of his earthly journey, shortly before Calvary, Christ took his three disciples Peter, James and John and led them to the mountain. According to legend, this was Mount Tabor. Now groups of Christian pilgrims climb there in an organized manner: in forty minutes they reach the top, following the same paths that Christ and His disciples once walked...

Transfiguration of the Lord: iconography of the holiday

The iconography of the Transfiguration goes back to ancient times, when symbolic forms of presenting biblical stories played an important role. Pokrovsky cites St. Apollinare in Classe as the first chronologically defined example of a mosaic.

Orthodoxy is the religion of Transfiguration

In the light of Christ the world is changed, not abolished. Favor leaves no room for the gloomy nihilism of all kinds of yogas. An uncreated, unearthly light sparkled on the Tabor peak - and the world was not burned by it. Christ's clothes became white as snow - but remained clothes. The body of Christ shone like the sun - but Christ did not disincarnate. Peter saw the One Light of the Universe - but did not turn into an angel or Moses, he remained Peter, with his own reactions and aspirations.