History of the most important anniversary

[Sorry for my accent (English is not my native language)]

It is known that recently, on the evening of March 27, millions of Christians around the world noted the Lord's Supper, or as it is also called, the Memorial of Jesus’ death. That evening (corresponding to the beginning of Nisan 14 on the Israeli calendar) was the anniversary of the sacrificial death of Jesus of Nazareth. It was on this evening that Jesus gave his disciples bread and wine and commanded " Keep doing this in remembrance of me."

At the same time, many churches and denominations celebrate a different event - Easter. This holiday is associated with the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and is also celebrated once a year. Still it is celebrated exclusively on Sunday (regardless of whether it falls on the anniversary of the events of the first century AD or not)

This year, Orthodox and Catholics celebrate Easter on April 4 and May 2, accordingly. (Parishioners of Western and Eastern rites use the so-called different Paschalions ). Easter is perceived by them as a "transitional" holiday - that is, one that has no fixed date and falls at a different time each year and is celebrated after the Jewish Passover.

And what exactly are guided by "one, the second and the third"?

First of all, I want to say that in this video presentation, we will not delve into the complex theological aspects of different denominations or promote any idea. Moreover, we will use the Bible only as an aid - as a historical source.

Let's start with one interesting historical fact. Did you know that there is documentary evidence that around 155 AD, there was a serious debate in Rome about when to commemorate the events surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth?

Christians from Asia Minor (where Christianity spread earlier) defended the 14th of Nisan as the date of the Remembrance of the death of Jesus Christ. In doing so, they referred to the example of the apostles with whom they spent time and knew them personally. While the bishop of Rome - Anicetus, defended Sunday as a day to celebrate Easter. He referred to the tradition of the bishops who were before him - in Rome… While the representatives of the Christian congregations of Asia Minor based their position on the authority of the apostles, whom they knew personally and with whom they spent time… Neither side gave up its position, although then the situation succeeded to settle peacefully. However, this peace did not last long… But what preceded these events, and what happened later? Let's see!

If we look back to the period of the ministry of Jesus and the apostles in Palestine, we must first find the answer to this question - how did just those people actually perceive the death and resurrection of Jesus?

It is known that the first Christians, of course, believed in the resurrection of Jesus. However, there is no historical information to confirm that they celebrated the feast of his resurrection from year to year. This is not just about baking ceremonial cookies or Easter eggs, which are known to have pagan origins and became a religious layer in Christianity in later centuries. And even the very idea of ​​celebrating the resurrection of Jesus in any form is not recorded in biblical texts. Obviously, those people who became followers of Jesus Christ at that time simply did not have such a custom.

In general, if we study the ritual, so to speak, side of the life of first-century Christians, then - it was quite simple. At their meetings, the early Christians mostly read and discussed the Hebrew and Christian Greek Scriptures, shared their faith with others, and did not perform any of the rituals that are common today.

.. On the other hand, this does not mean that they did not have any customs or good traditions. Or that they fanatically rejected any solemn events.

For example, as mentioned at the beginning, on the eve of his death, Jesus commanded his followers to remember an important event. In Luke 22:19, 20 we read about this - " Also, he took a loaf, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying: “This means my body, which is to be given in your behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” Also, he did the same with the cup after they had the evening meal, saying: “This cup means the new covenantq by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in your behalf»

Thus, it can be concluded that Christians who lived in the territory of Palestine in the first century, had the custom of remembering the Lord's Supper, or Memorial of Jesus’ death.

However, given this, the next question arises - how often did they do it?

Speaking of today, some churches comply this event monthly, weekly, even daily.

In the publication "Documents of the Second Vatican Council. Constitution, decrees, declarations "says" Our Savior at the Last Supper, the night on which he was betrayed to death, instituted the Eucharistic Sacrifice of his Body and Blood, to repeat the sacrifice of the Cross for all ages, until his coming "(Lviv, 1996 , pp. 29; italics our). This event is also called Mass or Holy Communion.

As we see, the idea of the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is present in one form or another in every denomination and is reflected in religious festivals and rituals.

But in this video presentation we are more interested in the way of observing this event in the first Christians and subsequent generations.

So the question remains, how often did the early Christians observe the Lord's Supper?

Although for many, this information may be new - but there is evidence that they did it once a year, Abib 14 (or as it is also called Nisan 14).

First, consider when exactly, this event was founded?

At the supper of Nisan 14, Jesus met with the apostles not just like that. Because all these men were Jews, according to the Mosaic Law, they celebrated the Jewish Passover every year. This festival marked the liberation of ancient Israel from Egyptian slavery. So an interesting point, the Lord's Supper was founded on the day of the Jewish Passover.

Hundreds of millions of non-Jews around the world know something about this event, which preceded the observeing of the First Lord's Supper. They may have read about it in the biblical book of Exodus, heard it from others, or watched a movie based on the event.

For those who do not know, here is a brief historical background. The Israelites were slaves in Egypt for many years. Jehovah, whom the Israelites worshiped, sent the prophet Moses to ask Pharaoh to release His people. The impudent ruler, of course, did not want to give the Israelites freedom, so God imposed ten devastating punishments on the land of Egypt. The last of which was the death of all the firstborn of Egypt. then Pharaoh liberated God's people.

But what did the Israelites have to do before their liberation?

God commanded that on the tenth day of that month the Israelites begin certain preparations for Nisan 14. That day began after sunset, as the days of the Jews lasted from one sunset to the next. Among other things, at Nisan 14, each family had to slaughter a lamb, and all the families had to eat a supper of roast lamb, unleavened bread, and some herbs.

Passover was one of the designated "anniversaries" that Jews were to celebrate each year. Therefore, when we hear the word Passover, we must remember that in the original it is actually an ancient Jewish festival.

Being faithful Israelites, Jesus and his apostles actually gathered together on the evening of Nisan 14 to commemorate the event. However, for Christians, this Passover was the last, because Jesus Christ established a new feast that day, which replaced the old one. Memory of his death. (which took place the same day after sunrise).

So, the question arises, is it possible to consider the Lord's Supper from a historical point of view - actually as an anniversary, in the most literal sense of the word?

Obviously so. Interestingly, even modern Israelites have a custom of remembering their closest relatives on the anniversary of their death (according to the Jewish calendar). In Yiddish (one of the forms of the Hebrew language) this concept sounds like yahrtzeit (in Yiddish: ā אָרצײַט, romanized: yortsayt).

Yahrtzeit literally means "time of [one] year." Parents, children, spouses, as well as siblings gather together in memory of the deceased.

The prevailing custom is to determine the date of Yahrzeit according to the time zone where the death occurred. If death occurs after sunset but before dark, Jews ask a competent rabbi to set a date.

Passover was an annual festival. It is logical that the Remembrance of the Death of Jesus Christ was just as solemn for the first Christians.

Yet time passed, and Christianity spread beyond Palestine, reaching ancient Greece, Rome, and other parts of what was then Europe.

Many wanted to commemorate the death of Jesus on a fixed day of the week, not on the day of Nisan 14. They also considered the day of Jesus' resurrection more important than the day of his death. So they chose Sunday.

Although in Asia Minor many followed the apostolic custom, in Rome it was celebrated on Sunday. About 155 AD Polycarp of Smyrna (modern Izmir), a representative of Christians from Asia Minor, visited Rome to discuss this and other issues.

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