Do people bake Easter cakes on Good Friday? Holy Week calendar: preparing for Easter according to folk traditions

Good Friday is approaching. What you can’t do and what the main signs of this day are, you should find out in advance. After all, Good Friday is the most mournful day. It got its name from the expression “The Passion of Christ”. It's important to follow certain rules, refuse to do any heavy work and eat food. Let's try to figure out what not to do in Good Friday before Easter, and what are the main traditions of this day.

Bans on Good Friday

In all Orthodox cathedrals, temples and churches, a liturgy is required. In addition to the need to attend church, you should know other rules and prohibitions.

On this day it is prohibited to engage in any business activities. Wherein we're talking about not only about hard work, but also about sewing, washing or cleaning. In addition, on this day it is forbidden to even wash. Violation of any of these rules is considered a terrible sin.

On Good Friday, any display of fun and joy is prohibited. It is believed that people who have fun on this day whole year they will cry. And although the service on this day is joyless, it prepares Orthodox people to the fact that the Resurrection of Christ is approaching.

In addition, it is advisable not to work on Good Friday. Of course, this does not apply to people who need to go to the office or do other work on this day. You shouldn't miss a day of work because of Weird Friday. We are talking about agricultural work. You cannot dig, yell or rake the earth. Any iron objects that are stuck into the ground on this day can cause trouble. In addition, all plants that were planted on this day will produce a poor harvest and the flowers will die. However, you can plant parsley on Good Friday. It is believed that parsley planted on this day will produce a double harvest.

Among what you cannot eat on Good Friday, you should highlight any food products before Vespers. During this period, you should even stop drinking. After Vespers, you can eat some bread and drink water.

It is better to avoid painting eggs, as well as other household chores, on Good Friday. But the answer to the question whether it is possible to bake Easter cakes on Good Friday is clear. Baking Easter on Good Friday is not only possible, but also necessary. It is believed that Easter cakes baked on Good Friday will never become moldy. In addition, they have practically magical properties. Such Easter cakes can heal the sick, protect against fires, protect from storms and other bad weather. That is why the Easter cake that was baked on Good Friday is a powerful amulet.

Main signs:

  • Transporting bees on any day other than Good Friday may result in their death.
  • If you don’t drink water all day, then for a whole year no drink can cause harm.
  • If the weather is bad on Good Friday, then the bread will be bad this year.
  • Clear sky with big amount stars to good harvest cereals
  • If you want to protect yourself and your loved ones from diseases, you should consecrate your rings on this day and wear them constantly.
  • If you wean a child from the breast on this day, he will grow up healthy, strong and will have a happy and long life.

After the liturgy in church, you need to bring 12 candles with which you stood at the ceremony to your house. Try to convey them so that they do not go out. Then place them around the house and let them burn out.

On the eve of such an important and brightest, kindest religious holiday as Easter, careful preparations are underway in all homes. Even those who are far from religion and church canons still observe some traditions of this day. Preparations are made in advance for Easter, and we are talking not only about spiritual preparation, but also about preparing dishes for the holiday. The main treat for Easter is Easter cakes, and those who bake them themselves should definitely know when to bake Easter cakes for Easter in 2017.

Choosing the right time to cook Easter cakes

As a rule, the main preparation for Easter, which concerns household chores, is carried out in the last week before the holiday, called Holy Week. In 2017, the dates of this week are from April 10 to 16. Each day of the final period of Lent is called Great, and each day has its own traditions. So, on some days of Holy Week you can and should prepare Easter cakes for Great Easter.

Traditionally, the main work of preparing Easter cakes took place on Great Wednesday and Maundy Thursday. On Wednesday, we usually bought groceries and completed repair work, but the Great Four are much more suitable for culinary matters. On Maundy Thursday, you can start baking the traditional Easter treat only after other things have been completed. Namely, first you should wash with soap, clean the whole house, and only then settle in the kitchen. If you follow church canons, then you cannot start baking cries while the house is dirty. That is why it is better to clean on Wednesday and finish on Thursday general cleaning finally and with a clear conscience bake Easter cakes.

It was believed that if you bake Easter cake on Maundy Thursday, it will not spoil until Easter and will remain fresh and soft. It was on Maundy Thursday that the most delicious and fluffy Easter cakes were made, since during their preparation the housewives read prayers. In general, if we consider the traditions of this particular Great Day, when it is possible to bake Easter cakes, then each task should be approached only with the most joyful and kind thoughts.

But, given the fact that there is so much trouble for the Clean Four, many housewives simply did not have time to get to the kitchen and even knead the dough, not to mention bake the cake. When else can you bake Easter cakes? Holy Saturday is also suitable for this task; on this day you can paint eggs. The main thing is not to miss this last chance prepare traditional Easter dishes yourself.

Is it possible to bake Easter cakes on Good Friday?

Good Friday is the most tragic day not only in Holy Week, but throughout church year. There are many prohibitions and things that cannot be done on this day. What about baking Easter cakes?

The fact is that on Good Friday you cannot eat until the Shroud is taken out in churches, after which you can only eat water and bread; raw vegetables, dried fruits, and nuts are allowed as a relief. Baking Easter cakes can provoke an appetite, which in itself is a temptation. But that's not the point. You can't cut on Good Friday either, so it's hard to imagine the cooking process. Easter cakes are not baked on Good Friday; there are Clean Fours and Holy Saturday for this purpose.

However, it is worth noting that it was previously believed that bread baked on Good Friday could heal all ailments and become the strongest amulet, it does not mold or become stale. The sailors even took such bread on voyages so that the ship would not be wrecked. Therefore, you can bake bread on Good Friday, but Easter cake is still an attribute of the holiday, and on Good Friday you cannot have fun or have fun. Remember, this day is the day of sorrow and crucifixion of our Savior, therefore it must be spent thinking about these events and your life.

Of course, Easter cakes can now be bought in any supermarket, but they turn out much tastier if they are made with love and warmth at home. It’s not for nothing that housewives, when making Easter cakes on Maundy Thursday, pray over them. Such Easter cakes are endowed with enormous mental strength, and therefore it is better to actually bake them at home, if time permits, rather than buy store-bought products.

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There are no strict rules regarding the preparation of any Easter dishes on Good Friday. And also there are no church regulations.

Beliefs about prohibitions came from the fact that it was customary to complete all household and culinary tasks on Maundy Thursday, when on this day they washed in the baths, cleaned the garden, barnyard and put things in order in the house.

And you can do things in the kitchen on Saturday. Remember that the holiday itself is important, not its attributes. Household chores should not distract from going to church and praying.

  • Arguments for"
  • Arguments against"

The essence of Good Friday




On this day, the temple commemorates the Passion of Christ and His death on the cross. And we must not forget about the Passion of Christ and when he sacrificed himself. IN evening time, on Thursday the 12 Passion Gospels are read, which tell about His Passion. Once in the Garden of Gethsemane, until he sweated blood, He read them Himself. And also when he was led by guards and at the crucifixion itself. After reading each prayer, the bell is usually rung.

Also, on this day the Royal Hours are read. And at 3 o’clock the priests take out the shroud and place it in the center of the temple - this is considered a symbol of the fact that Christ was in the tomb for 3 days and for the same time it is left in the middle of the temple. Time is a reminder of when Christ's death occurred.

Arguments for and against making Easter cakes



Arguments for"

On Holy Saturday or Easter Sunday, many people may simply not have time to prepare holiday dishes.

It's too late to do any cooking on Easter. Still, I want to start celebrating it in the morning, gathering with the whole family at the table.

It is more pleasant to eat fresh baked goods; if the Easter cakes have been sitting since Maundy Thursday, they may become stale. Although, even in this case, there are many tricks that will save your baking.

Arguments against"

Everyone has a personal relationship with Christ, so contact yours more often. state of mind in this matter.




- Lent ends on Saturday, and on Friday the pleasant aromas of freshly baked Easter cakes may tempt you to break it.

On such a day, it is better to pay attention to heavenly things rather than earthly whims.


Thus, we can conclude that it is possible to engage in Easter paraphernalia on this day. The main thing is to understand that this is secondary. The primary thing is sincere empathy for the suffering of our Savior, prayer, visiting church. And you can always buy all the baked goods in stores.



Exact date When you can bake Easter cakes for Easter 2019 does not exist. This is because it can be done from Monday to Saturday. Holy Week, with the exception of Friday only. Depending on the date of Easter, the dates of this Holy Week will differ for each year. In 2019, it falls on the period from April 15 to April 20 inclusive.

Active preparation for Easter not only in the spiritual, but in the ordinary everyday life begins precisely on the Great Week. This happens against the backdrop of increased fasting and prayer, and constant visiting of the temple. There are specific church traditions for each day of this week, but in order to be on time with the preparations, start preparing Easter table also follows in advance.

To ensure that the cakes retain their freshness, fluffiness and aroma, it is recommended to start baking them at, and not earlier. Moreover, on Maundy Thursday there are much more important rites and rituals to be performed. In the morning you need to get up before sunrise and take a swim, then go to church service, confess and take communion. Carry out general cleaning at home, certain rituals using money. If after all this you still have strength left, then you can start baking Easter cakes for Easter.




Interesting! People in Rus' began to bake Easter cakes on Maundy Thursday for another reason that it was a common method of fortune telling. The first Easter cake was used to determine what the family's life would be like during the year. Everything is logical here, if the baking was good, then the year will be good. If the cake did not rise, did not brown, or something else was wrong with it, this is not a very good sign.

Blessing of Easter cakes

You can also bake Easter cakes on Holy Saturday, but on Good Friday it’s better not to do this kind of work. In the temple, of course, they will say that modern man must calculate time based on own schedule. If it turns out that you can’t find time for Easter cakes on Thursday or next Saturday, then you can make them on Good Friday: with a prayer on your lips. However, it is best to postpone the preparation of Easter cakes to Holy Saturday: get up early in the morning, put out the dough and bake delicious Easter cakes. Then go to the temple to bless the food, which is placed first on Easter day after fasting. festive table and try.




But here it is important to follow one rule: the Easter cakes for consecration must already be completely cooled, the glaze on them must take well and harden. Likewise, the eggs must already be completely ready for transportation.

To make the cakes

On the pages of our culinary and holiday website you can find delicious Easter cakes with or without yeast. But, of course, you can’t try all these recipes for one holiday: you’ll have to choose a few just for yourself. However, there are also general recommendations how to cook Easter cakes so that they turn out just right.

For example, it is important to take premium flour and first sift it through a fine sieve two or three times. Do everything in good mood with the joy of the approaching holiday in my soul. It is also important to take other ingredients for the dough at exactly the same temperature. Raisins, other dried fruits, nuts, lemon or orange zest will add piquancy to the taste of the dough and the cake itself.

It is also important to choose the right form for baking Easter cakes. It is recommended to buy special disposable paper molds in the store: they are themed, fit perfectly and are cheap. Just remember that yeast dough in such molds only one third of the volume is applied. Then let the dough stand, it will rise twice, then put it in the oven, where the baked goods will rise again and will already occupy the entire mold, even creeping out a little.

IN church calendar many special days. One of these is Good Friday. In 2018, this day of spiritual purification and carnal humility falls on April 6. It is imperative to devote time to prayers and attend church. This is the only way to get rid of the negativity accumulated over the year.

But this day dictates not only necessary actions, but also prohibitions. Below we will highlight them and give an answer to the most common question among housewives - is it possible to bake Easter cakes on Good Friday.

To bake or not to bake?

So, is it possible to bake Easter cakes, the main Easter attribute, on Good Friday? It turns out that it is not only possible, but necessary. And it’s best on this day. It is generally accepted that baked goods prepared on Good Friday have healing properties.

You could even call her special. Kulich, prepared on the day of grief and prayerful cleansing, according to tradition, does not go stale for a long time, does not grow moldy, and copes well with various kinds of diseases. This is not simple bread, but a real talisman for the home.

Good Friday 2018 - is it possible to dye eggs?

Dyeing eggs is a bit of work. Often this favorite hobby, which brings the whole family together in the kitchen. Housewives come up with various ways to paint the eggs as unusually as possible. But you still need to do this on Thursday, the day when it is customary to do homework:

  • take away;
  • wash;
  • iron.

Is it true, modern life leaves very little time on weekdays for household chores. And sometimes it’s simply not possible to do everything. The priests are quite loyal in their assurance that if it was not possible to prepare the “krashenki” on Thursday, you can do this on Friday, however, either before or after the evening service. It’s better, of course, after it ends, at 7-8 pm. Then sin can be avoided.

In general, you can continue doing household chores, including painting eggs, on Saturday, the last day before Easter. Then there is certainly nothing wrong with this.

All the strictest prohibitions: what do they concern?

There are many restrictions on Good Friday. Let's look at the main ones. So, on this day it is prohibited:

  1. Work, because you need to free up time to go to church and participate in services. In many countries, the Friday before Easter is a day off;
  2. Sewing and spinning;
  3. Sawing, chopping, cutting. Do not pick up nails, axes, or hammers at all, because it was with their help that Jesus Christ was crucified. It is absolutely forbidden to pierce the ground with iron; immediate punishment will come for such an act;
  4. Sing, walk, indulge in fun. The laughter heard on this day is a harbinger of tears in the future;
  5. Watch TV and sit at the computer. These are modern prohibitions, and yet they still exist. True, there is a small exception to the rule - watching spiritual films and news is allowed;
  6. Eat and drink. Snacking on products of non-animal origin is possible only after the Shroud has been removed. Meat, eggs and anything made from milk should be completely avoided.

A diverse world will accept

Like prohibitions, this day has many signs:

  1. Checking enchanted things. The crackling of a candle left after the service while walking around the house indicated the presence of a bad object;
  2. Exclusion of lovemaking, even between legitimate husband and wife. It was believed that a child conceived on this day would suffer serious injuries in the womb. If he avoids this, he will become a murderer in life;
  3. Washing restrictions. Drops of blood will appear on washed and hung laundry;
  4. Revealing the date of death. A person who survives this day without food or drink will know the time of his death;
  5. Treatment of the back and limbs. A rag used to wipe all corners of the house will cure problems with the lower back and legs. In the first case, you need to tie it around your waist, in the second, wipe it off after washing;
  6. Conspiracy against alcoholism, the evil eye and death using stove ash formed on Good Friday.

There are a lot of prohibitions and beliefs on this special church day; it’s up to you to decide whether to adhere to them or consider them prejudices.