The last Sunday before the beginning of Holy Lent is called forgiven. This special day for Orthodox people in 2016 falls on March 13th.
Lent is a special time for repentance and spiritual perfection of a person. The last calendar day before saving abstinence is called Forgiveness Sunday.
On this day, the Orthodox Christian tries to cleanse his conscience from all malice, to forgive his resentment from the bottom of his heart, regardless of how strong the grief was. The Lord Jesus Christ himself commanded a person to forgive others, to have mercy, because in this case, forgiveness from God will be granted to the person himself.
The meaning and meaning of Forgiveness Sunday is very important for the spiritual life of an Orthodox person. On the day of Forgiveness Sunday, every Orthodox Christian not only leaves resentment to his neighbor, but he himself asks for forgiveness.
In Orthodox churches on the evening of Forgiveness Sunday, a special service is held, ending with the forgiveness, during which all those present in the church ask each other for forgiveness, purifying their conscience in front of their neighbors. This action of reconciliation is necessary in order to adequately enter Great Lent and to strive in the spiritual virtues of prayer and fasting.
The Orthodox person needs to understand that it is very important not just to wait for himself when the sinning person deigns to ask for forgiveness. It is worthwhile, in your mercy, to take the step of reconciliation first, asking for forgiveness, even when the fault lies with your neighbor.
It often happens that with his behavior a person introduces into temptation, the temptation of his neighbor. In secular language, such behavior can be called a provocation, because of which the people around are angry and can insult them in a rude way. Seeking forgiveness from others can also be considered as apologies for the temptations and temptations in relation to another person that have taken place in our lives.
