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How to make crosses from dough. Lean crosses

The meaning and beauty of Orthodox holidays, customs and rituals are vividly revealed in the novel by I.S. Shmelev "Summer of the Lord". The novel was written so talentedly that it became a true encyclopedia of the life of a Russian Orthodox person. Here is what we read in the novel about the customs of the Week of the Cross:

« On Saturday of the third week of Great Lent, we bake "crosses": the "Worship of the Cross" is coming. "Crosses" are special cookies with an almond flavor, crumbly and sweet. Where the cross-pieces of the "cross" lie - raspberries from jam are pressed in, as if nailed with carnations. So from time immemorial they baked, even before the great-grandmother Ustinya - as a consolation for the post.

Gorkin instructed me this way: Our Orthodox faith, Russian ... she, my dear, is the best, the most cheerful! and relieves the weak, enlightens despondency, and joy to the small. And this is absolutely true. Although you have Great Lent, but still a relief for the soul, "crosses" are something. Only with great-grandmother Ustinya raisins in sadness, and now funny raspberries.
"The Worship of the Cross" is a sacred week, a strict fast, some kind of special, "su-lip" - Gorkin says so, in a church way. If we were to keep strictly in the church way, we ought to be in dry food, but due to weakness, relief is given. On Wednesday - Friday we will eat without butter, - pea stew and vinaigrette, and on other days, which are "colorful" - a concession: you can eat mushroom caviar, soup with mushroom ears, stewed cabbage with porridge, cranberry jelly with almond milk, rice cutlets with prune-raisin sauce, with a whisper, baked potatoes in salt. And for a snack there are always "crosses": remember "Krestopoklonnaya".

Maryushka makes “crosses” with a prayer, tenderly says: “And these are carnations, as the villainous torturers nailed Christ ... here a carnation, and here a carnation,” and pushes in cheerful raspberries. And I think: why funny ... it would be better to have blue blueberries ... We all watch how she folds the "crosses". On a large baking sheet they lie in rows, shine with cheerful raspberries. Little white "crosses", as if they were made of a paw, are cut off. Sometimes you couldn't wait: ah, they'd rather take it out of the oven!

And Gorkin also instructed: eat the cross and think to yourself - "The Worship of the Cross", they say, has come. And these are not for pleasure, but ... everyone, they say, is given a cross in order to live approximately ... and obediently carry it, as the Lord sends a test. Our faith is good, it does not teach evil, but leads to understanding ... "

We also offer you to bake Lenten Crosses biscuits.
This requires the following products:

flour about 400 g (2.5 cups),

starch - 120 g (1 glass),

vegetable oil - 150 ml (3/4 cup),

water - 150 ml (3/4 cup),

sugar - 1 incomplete glass,

vanilla sugar- 1 tbsp. spoon,

salt on the tip of a knife,

baking powder or soda, slaked with vinegar (lemon) - 1 tsp.

Sift flour. Pour flour and starch into a bowl, mix with baking powder (if using baking soda, extinguish it and add to the liquid mixture).

Pour water into another bowl, dissolve salt, sugar and vanilla sugar in it. Pour in vegetable oil and mix. Pour water with sugar and butter into the flour mass and knead an elastic, soft, non-sticky dough.

Roll out the dough into a layer approximately 8 - 10 mm thick, cut into wide strips. Place crosses on a baking sheet, pressing well the bonding point (you do not need to grease the baking sheet with oil). You can decorate with berries from jam, dried fruits, marmalade, candied fruits.

Bake in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for about 15 minutes. The cookies must not brown!

The Week of the Cross of the Great Lent 2018 falls in the middle of it. For each of the weeks of Great Lent, a special name was assigned, reminiscent of one or another event associated with the holy great martyrs, metropolitans, miracle workers, Jesus Christ himself, the Mother of God and the Holy Trinity.

The names convey special differences in church services, in who should offer prayer and worship. It is also connected with special spiritual instructions, perceiving which Christians should unite in a single impulse, supporting each other in deed and word, let it be reflected only in prayer. The third Week of Lent is dedicated to the worship of the Honest and Life-giving Cross. The editors of the Useful Soviets.ru website have found out when the week of the cross will be, what week of Great Lent in 2018. What traditions exist, traditions and rituals, as well as the history of this wonderful holiday. And we will share the most the best recipes Lenten biscuits Crosses, which are traditionally baked on the week of the Cross at home.

The name “cross-worshiping” comes from the fact that in the said week services in the church are accompanied by bows to the sacred cross, on which the Son of God was allegedly crucified (“supposedly” means that Jesus was not crucified on each of the crosses in all churches).

This action - a bow after reading a prayer, occurs four times, starting on Sunday, which is called the Cross, and then on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Bows mean a tribute to the deed of Christ, a desire to follow him, as well as acceptance of one's own burden, one's destiny, which manifests itself every day in everyday life, such seemingly small deprivations in the form of a reduced portion of food and a complete rejection of worldly entertainment.

The significance of the Week of the Cross lies on the surface. There is an expression among the people "to carry their cross", it has a direct bearing on the explanation. During Great Lent, every Christian tries to endure the burden that lay on the shoulders of Jesus in the days of forty days of abstinence. Everyone experiences their temptation based on the "weak" point.

This means that in the middle of Great Lent the Christian has already cognized "his cross", has fully felt all the temptations that accompany abstinence, to fight with which he raised his spirit. This is a kind of act of recognition of their voluntary, coveted burden.

Also, the cross is a symbol of a reminder of the death of Christ and the result of the entire fast, after which comes the sacred resurrection. Thus, on the Week of the Cross, everyone can feel the inspiration to continue their fast, realizing for what purpose and for what outcome he keeps his will in his fist.

History

During the Iranian-Byzantine war in 614, the Persian king Khosraus II besieged and took Jerusalem, taking prisoner the Jerusalem patriarch Zechariah and capturing the Tree of the Life-giving Cross, found once by Equal-to-the-Apostles Helen.

In 626, Khosra, in alliance with the Avars and Slavs (yes, the Slavs!), Almost captured Constantinople. By the miraculous intercession of the Mother of God, the capital city was spared from the invasion, and then the course of the war changed, and in the end the Byzantine emperor Heraclius I celebrated the victorious end of the 26-year war.

Presumably on March 6, 631, the Life-giving Cross returned to Jerusalem. The emperor brought him into the city with his own hand, and Patriarch Zachariah, who was freed from captivity, happily walked alongside. Since then, Jerusalem began to celebrate the anniversary of the return of the Life-giving Cross.

It must be said that at that time the duration and severity of Lent were still being discussed, and the order of the Lent services was just being formed. When the custom arose to postpone the holidays that occur in Great Lent from weekdays to Saturdays and Sundays (so as not to violate the strict mood of weekdays), then the feast in honor of the Cross also shifted and was gradually fixed on the third Sunday of Lent.

Right from the middle of Lent, an intensive preparation began for those catechumens who were going to be baptized on Easter this year. And it turned out to be very appropriate to begin this preparation with the worship of the Cross.

Starting next Wednesday, at each Presanctified Liturgy, after the litany of the catechumens, there will be another litany - about those "preparing for enlightenment" - just in memory of those who diligently prepared and were going to be baptized soon.

Over time, the purely Jerusalem holiday of the Return of the Cross became not so relevant for the entire Christian world, and the holiday in honor of the Cross acquired a more global sound and more applied meaning: as a memory and help in the middle of the most strict and difficult of the fasts.

When and how is the Week of the Cross

Many of these sources call the 4th week of Lent the Cross, which seems quite logical and memorable, given the clue that it falls exactly in the middle of Lent. However, in fact, the name

The worship of the Cross passes to the week from the Sunday of the same name, which ends the 3rd week of fasting. Consequently, the week of the Cross is also the third, despite the fact that more services with worship of the cross are held on the 4th week.

On the above-mentioned Sunday, the first service with bows to the cross is held. The next one takes place on Monday, exactly every other day. Also on Wednesday, and on Friday evening of the 4th week, the last service of the Cross takes place, after which the cross takes place in the altar.

The Week of the Cross of Lent in 2018 falls on March 5th. On this day, the traditional removal of the cross will take place in the middle of the temple hall, so that each prayer can bow down to the ground before him and be inspired by the deed done by Jesus to continue fasting.

During the liturgy on these days, the prayer to the Most Holy Trinity, which traditionally accompanies the service every day, is replaced by the prayer song "We worship Thy Cross, O Lord, and gloriously Thy Resurrection", after which it is necessary to bow.

If possible, you should visit all 4 services. A single voice of dozens, addressed to prayer, can work a miracle, especially if our will has weakened under the pressure of routine.

Service in the church

On Saturday evening, at an all-night vigil, the Life-giving Cross of the Lord is solemnly brought to the center of the church - a reminder of the approaching Holy Week and Easter of Christ. After that, the priests and parishioners of the temple make three bows before the cross. When worshiping the Cross, the Church sings: "We bow to Your Cross, O Lord, and we glorify Your holy resurrection." This hymn is sung at the Liturgy instead of the Trisagion.

The Holy Cross remains for worship for a week until Friday, when it is brought back into the altar before the Liturgy. Therefore, the third Sunday and the fourth week of Great Lent are called "worshipers of the cross."

According to the Charter, it is necessary to do four worship during the week of the Cross: on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On Sunday, worship of the Cross occurs only at matins (after the removal of the Cross), on Monday and Wednesday it is performed at the first hour, and on Friday “after the hours are gone”.

Liturgical texts in honor of the Cross are very sublime and beautiful, they abound in oppositions, allegories, and artistic personification.

Tradition - to bake cookies in the form of crosses during the week of the cross

There was such an interesting Russian folk tradition - to bake cookies in the form of crosses on Krestopoklonnaya. Crosses may vary in size, but they are always similar in shape, most often they are made symmetrical, equilateral, with four rays.

To do this, two equal strips of dough are placed one on top of the other crosswise (these are "simple" crosses). or the rolled dough is cut into "crosses" with a mold or a knife (these are "cut" crosses).

Sometimes they are made even easier - in the form of round cakes, on which the image of a cross is applied. According to legend, such Crosses "drove away" everything bad from home and households.

Ivan Shmelev in his book "Summer of the Lord" well described this custom. Here is an extensive quote - Shmelev very vividly showed how such a tradition is inscribed in the order of life and thinking of an Orthodox, church child. Showed the "angle of presentation" of this custom:

“On the Saturday of the third week of Great Lent, we bake“ crosses ”: the“ Worship of the Cross ”is coming.
“Crosses” - special cookies, with an almond flavor, crumbly and sweet; where the cross-pieces of the “cross” lie - raspberries from jam are pressed in, as if nailed with carnations. So from time immemorial they baked, even before the great-grandmother Ustinya - as a consolation for the post. Gorkin instructed me:
- Our Orthodox faith, Russian ... it is, my dear, the best, most cheerful! and relieves the weak, enlightens despondency, and joy to the small.

And this is absolutely true. Even though you Great post, but still a relief for the soul, "crosses" something. Only with great-grandmother Ustinya raisins in sadness, and now funny raspberries.

“The Worship of the Cross” is a sacred week, a strict fast, some kind of special - “su-lip”, - Gorkin says so, in a church way. If we were to keep strictly in the church way, we would have to stay in dry food, but due to weakness, relief is given: on Wednesday-Friday we will eat without butter, - pea stew and vinaigrette, and on other days, which are "colorful", - a concession ... but for the snack is always "crosses": remember the "Cross-worship".
Maryushka makes “crosses” with a prayer ...

And Gorkin also instructed:
- Taste the cross and think to yourself - “The Worship of the Cross”, they say, has come. And these are not for pleasure, but everyone, they say, is given a cross in order to live approximately ... and obediently carry it, as the Lord sends a test. Our faith is good, it does not teach evil, but leads to understanding ”.

"Cross" macaroons recipe

Products:

150 g peeled almonds
1⁄2 cup boiling water
100 g of honey
1 circle of lemon with skin about 1 cm thick
1⁄2 tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg,
1⁄4 cup olive oil,
250 g wheat flour,
50 g rye flour,
2/3 sachet of baking powder.

How to cook:

Rinse the almonds and pour boiling water over for 10 minutes. Add honey, oil, a circle of lemon there and grind with a blender. Combine flour, baking powder and spices. Pour the honey nut syrup into the flour and knead the dough, which should eventually roll into a ball.
Leave the dough in the refrigerator for half an hour, then roll it into a thin layer (about 5 mm) and cut out the crosses. Bake at 190 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Cookies "crosses" honey

Ingredients:

2 cups of flour,
300 g of honey
2-3 st. spoon vegetable oil,
100 g shelled nuts
1 teaspoon of spices,
1 lemon
1 teaspoon of baking soda, raisins.

Preparation

Thoroughly grind or mince the kernels of nuts (walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts), combine with honey, add vegetable oil, spices and lemon grated on a fine grater with zest.

Mix the mass, add flour mixed with soda and knead the dough.

Roll it out, cut out “crosses” with a notch or knife, put the raisins on top and bake in the oven.
Various spices can be used to flavor cookies: cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, etc., as well as mixtures thereof.

Lemon crosses

Would need:

250 g lean margarine
3 cups flour
1 glass potato starch,
1 tbsp. l. baking powder,
2 bags of vanilla sugar
zest of 1 lemon,
1 glass of water.

We bake lean biscuits lemon crosses:

Chop the margarine with flour and starch. Add sugar, baking powder, finely grated zest and replace the dough with very cold water(from the refrigerator). Blind the crosses, crush the raisins into the bars and bake.

Cookies Crosses on cucumber pickle

Products:

1 glass cucumber pickle,
1 cup refined sunflower oil,
1 cup of sugar,
100 g coconut flakes,
2-3 cups flour.

A simple recipe for lean Crosses in brine:

Combine butter, sugar, brine, half shavings and flour. Knead the dough as thick as a shortbread. Roll out, sprinkling with the remaining coconut flakes. Cut the crosses, place on a baking sheet lightly sprinkled with flour and bake at 180 degrees for 5-8 minutes. Instead of coconut flakes, you can use poppy seeds, lemon zest, candied fruits, dried apricots, cut into small pieces or dried orange peels crushed in a coffee grinder.

Lean cookie dough Crosses with poppy seeds

Cookie Ingredients:

25 g poppy seeds
1 cup flour
4 tbsp. tablespoons of sugar
5 tbsp. tablespoons of vegetable oil
0.5 tsp of baking soda,
3 tbsp. spoons of water with lemon juice

Lean cookies with poppy seeds Crosses on the week of the Cross - step by step recipe with photo:

Mix poppy seeds with 1 tbsp. spoon of sugar, add 100 g of water, heat for 10 minutes until the water boils. To cover with a lid. Rub the poppy seeds in a mortar until poppy milk and the characteristic poppy smell appear.
Pour flour, poppy seeds, 3 tbsp into a bowl. tablespoons of sugar and rub with your hands.
Add oil.
Add soda with lemon juice, add 2 tbsp. spoons of water and knead the dough. Wrap in plastic and put in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Roll out the dough 0.5 cm thick, cut the crosses. Press raisins into the middle of each cross. Bake at 180 C for 15 minutes.

In the old days on the week of the Cross on Wednesday, congratulations were made on the end of the first half of the fast. It was accepted to bake cookies in the form of crosses from fresh dough. The cookies were baked with prayer. In these crosses, either a grain of rye was baked so that the bread would be born, or a chicken feather, so that chickens were led, or a human hair, so that the head was easier.

A person was considered happy if he came across one of these items. The cookie was a reminder of the suffering of Christ and that each person has his own cross in life.

There was a custom on the third Sunday of Lent to fumigate the house with vapors of vinegar and mint in order to cleanse the dwelling and drive out the spirit of any disease.

Crosses (crosses, crosses, christs, gristles) are baked goods made of rye flour, unleavened or sour dough in the shape of a cross, made on Wednesday or Thursday during the Holy Week of Great Lent (see Sredokrestye), and which had ritual significance. Pointing to the importance of baking "crosses" in the middle of the post, the peasant women of the Nizhny Novgorod region. they said: "Fasting breaks - biscuits crosses."

In different places, the "crosses" could differ in size, but were similar in shape. Most often they were made symmetrical, equilateral, with four rays. To do this, two equal strips of dough were placed one on top of the other crosswise or the rolled dough was cut into "crosses" using a mold. In the same locality, both methods of manufacturing could occur. So, in the Nizhny Novgorod region. "Crosses" that were baked from unleavened dough the two named ways were called "simple" and "cut". In some areas of the Ryazan region. “Crosses” were baked in the form of round cakes, on which the image of the cross was applied.

Russian peasants believed that these cookies could contribute to a good harvest, the well-being of the farm and family. So the Siberians believed that the "cross" eaten in Sredokrestye gives a person health. In Vyaznikovsky u. Vladimirskaya gubernia, “so that the bread is born,” the hostess baked rye grain in the middle of the cross; “To keep the chickens” - a feather; “To make the head lighter” - human hair, etc. On the objects baked in "crosses", they were guessing about the future, in this case they baked exactly as many cookies as there were people in the family. The hostess put the crosses in a sieve, shook it several times, after which each one chose the cross he liked. Whoever gets a coin or grain will live in prosperity and happiness, coal or "stove" - a piece of oven brick - in sorrow, a ring - marry or get married, a rag - to death, and if there is nothing in the "cross" , said: "Life will be empty." The cross received along with the cookies (pectoral or made of splinters) in different places was regarded differently: in some places it portended misfortune and death, and in some places it pointed to a person with light hand, the one who was supposed to be the first to sow bread (Moscow). In other places, the first sower was a person who had a coin in the “cross” (Vologodsk, Kostromsk, Moscow, etc.), and in Saratov province. the first handful of grain had to be thrown by the one who found barley grain in his "cross". In order to increase the yield, one or more “crosses” were kept before sowing, burying them in the grain barn. When they went to sow, they took them with them and, having prayed, ate them in the field: in the Kursk lips. they did this when they sowed oats, so that "the oats were even." In the Ryazan region. before throwing the first handful of grain, the sower did not eat such cookies, but “plowed them in the field”, sprinkled them with earth on the arable land.

Cross-shaped cookies, according to popular beliefs, had a beneficial effect not only on the harvest, but also on the health, safety and offspring of livestock. In the Kaluga and Ryazan provinces, he was allowed to be eaten in the field by a horse, on which they plowed, for which they made a special "cross", which was much larger than the rest. In the Moscow province. "Crosses" were kept "until Yegoriy" (see Yegoriev's day), the day of the first pasture of cattle on pastures, when they were fed to cows and horses. In South Russia, in addition to “crosses”, special breads for cattle were baked from the same dough: small cakes or balls - “katukhi”.

In the Middle Volga region - in the Kostroma, Nizhny Novgorod provinces - each hostess baked a large number of "crosses" for children ("knockers", "podokoshniks"). In Sredokrestye, boys (girls rarely) walked around the house singing mischievous "godparents" songs, in which they begged for cookies:

"The shit is breaking,
Christ puts on his shoes on the stove,
The milk carafe is tipping over
Thread lobe, lobe, lobe,
Give me a cross, maybe.
Whoever does not give - take out his eyes,
Who will give - to that one silver. "

Or:
"Auntie, cross -
The shit will crack.
The shit is breaking
Moving towards Easter. "

Or:
“Half of the shit is broken,
And the other rolled under the ravine.
Serve a "cross", serve another,
Wash with water. "

Or:
"Khres is resurrected,
Give us some kres
Harp, harp,
Student water
Don't touch the raven,
Don't throw a stone!
Half of the shit will roll
Christ's day is coming! "

Although in the late 19th - early 20th centuries. detours turned into child's play, apparently earlier they were one of the means of agrarian imitative magic: the rite of inducing spring rain, which is necessary for germination. This is evidenced by the final request of many songs: "Pour water over"; "Water whatever you want, just give the cross"; "Give a cross, douse your tail," and so on. In some places it was really customary to pour water on the children in response to their request. The children, like chickens, were put under a large basket, from there they sang: “Hello, the owner is the red sun, hello, the hostess is a bright month, hello, the children are bright stars! Half of the shit broke, and the other half bent over! " At the same time, they were doused with water, and then given on the cross.

In those places of the Nizhny Novgorod region, where bypasses of courtyards were not common, crosses were baked according to the number of family members plus one. At the same time, it was customary to give the first baked cross either to a neighbor's child or to a beggar. In the traditional popular consciousness, children and, to a greater extent, the beggars were considered to have a connection with the other world, therefore, treating them with ceremonial bread ("cross") can be interpreted as an offering - a sacrifice to the ancestors, on whom the well-being of the farmer depended.

Cross cookies in some areas of the Nizhny Novgorod region. they were also used in ceremonial actions that marked the break of the Fast ("shrine"). In the Semyonovskiy district, the baking was broken with the words: "The cross will crack - and the fasting will crack." In Pervomaisky District, stretching out the cross during divination, they said: "A whole cross is a whole post", and after breaking it, they added: "Half of the cross is half a post." The spoken formula, turning into the 20th century. in the game, goes back to the actions of a spell, the purpose of which was to mark the transition of the post into its second phase and the approach of Easter.

Often Sredokrestye was associated with the approach of spring, while ritual actions with "crosses" were supposed, in the opinion of the peasants, to facilitate her meeting in the same way as similar actions with "larks." In the Voronezh region. children with freshly baked "chrests" sang calls - vesnianki:

"Bristles, bristles,
What did you grow on?
On the whip
On a yoke
On a plow,
On the harrow
On the wrong side. "

Chapter:
RUSSIAN KITCHEN
Traditional Russian dishes
Section 70 page

Traditional ritual and ceremonial dishes
Ceremonial cookies
"CROSSES"
"Voznesensky Ladders"

Crosses (sacrum) are ceremonial biscuits that were baked by the Orthodox for many religious holidays, but it was obligatory for Epiphany and the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, as well as on the Week of the Cross on the Great Lent.

“... On the Saturday of the third week of Great Lent, we bake“ crosses ”: the Worshiper is coming. "Crosses" - special cookies, with an almond flavor, crumbly and sweet; where the diameters of the "cross" lie - raspberries from jam are pressed in, as if nailed with carnations. So from time immemorial, they baked - as a consolation for fasting ... "(IS Shmelev. Summer of the Lord).

Orthodox Christians also start the first morning home meal for Epiphany (January 19), which was supposed to be washed down with holy water. Baked and special name cookies, which the mother of the family marked with certain signs and symbols known only to her. By such "crosses" taken out of the oven, one could find out what kind of life cross each family member would carry in the coming year.

A well-baked yellow-pink cross promises health, success and well-being. Cookies with cracks and breaks promise difficulties and changes in fate. But a burnt or unbaked cross predicts illness and sadness. These last crosses cannot be eaten, they are usually fed to birds.

Ingredients:
2 glasses of flour, 300 g of honey, 2-3 tbsp. a spoonful of vegetable oil, 100 g of peeled nuts, 1 teaspoon of spices, 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon of soda, raisins.

Thoroughly grind or mince the kernels of nuts (walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts), combine with honey, add vegetable oil, spices and lemon grated on a fine grater with zest.
Mix the mass, add flour mixed with soda and knead the dough.
Roll it out, cut out “crosses” with a notch or knife, put the raisins on top and bake in the oven.
Various spices can be used to flavor cookies: cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, etc., as well as mixtures thereof.

Ingredients:
1 kg of flour, 25 g of yeast, 125 g of vegetable oil, 1 glass of sugar, 250 g of water, a pinch of salt.
For lubrication: sweet strong tea.

Cook lean yeast dough, roll it out and cut "crosses" with a notch or knife.
In the center of the intersection of the beams, press the raisins into the dough.
Grease the cookies with sweet strong tea and bake in the oven.

Ingredients:
250 g flour, 1 egg, 125 g butter, 2.5 tbsp. tablespoons of sugar, 1 glass of brandy or rum, salt and vanillin to taste.

Combine all products, knead unleavened dough and divide it into several parts.
Roll each part in the form of a rope and lay them on top of each other with a cross.
Place the cookies on a greased baking sheet and bake in the oven until golden brown.

"Yeast" from potatoes.
Dissolve 100 g of sugar in 1 liter of water, bring the solution to a boil, add, stirring, 500 g of grated potatoes and heat the mass over medium heat.
The resulting jelly is cooled to a temperature of 28-30 ° C, about 50 g of yeast is introduced and allowed to rise.
The resulting sourdough is used to prepare the dough (for 100 pies - 250 g of sourdough).
Store it in the refrigerator. In the next portion of the starter culture, not yeast is introduced, but a part of the first starter culture (100-150 g).

Stairway to Heaven:
Ceremonial cookies
"Voznesensky Ladders"

it traditional biscuits prepared as a symbol of "ascent to heaven":
- on the Ascension of the Lord (40th day after);
- on the day of commemoration of St. John Climacus ();
- on Lazarev Saturday preceding;
- on the 40th day after death to facilitate the ascent of the soul of the deceased to heaven.

According to popular concepts, "ladders" facilitated the road to heaven and symbolized the spiritual ascent of the soul of the righteous to paradise. At the Ascension, they were supposed to help Jesus Christ ascend to heaven on the fortieth day after his resurrection.

Sometimes cookies "ladders" were used in rituals to increase the fertility of the earth and as a holy aid in healing the sick.

Depending on the case, cookies can be made from lean or short dough, wheat or rye.

Ladder cookies are cut in two ways:
- long bundles are rolled out of the dough, cut them onto the sides of the stairs and crossbars, then they are folded on a baking sheet in the form of a ladder (sometimes the "ladders" are made slightly tapering towards the top);
- the dough is rolled into a layer (usually about 0.7-1 cm thick), cut into strips, side racks and rungs of the "ladder" are cut from the strips and "ladders" are collected from them on a baking sheet.
Places overlapping parts with a brush or a shaving brush are lightly lubricated with water so that the dough sticks better and the baked products are strong enough.

The sizes of the "ladders" can be arbitrary, but in some localities the number of "steps" was normalized:
- or 7 - according to the number of 7 heavens of the Apocalypse,
- or 23 - according to the number of ordeals of the soul in the next world,
- or 30 - according to the number of 30 chapters of the work of John Climacus "Ladder of Paradise" ("Spiritual Tablets"), which is a description of the "steps" of virtues by which a Christian should ascend on the path to spiritual perfection.

The symbolism of the number "30" used is explained in the introduction to The Ladder as follows:
“The Reverend Father judged wisely, arranging for us an ascent equal to the age of the Lord in the flesh; for at the age of thirty years of the Lord's coming of age, he fortuitously depicted a ladder, consisting of thirty degrees of spiritual perfection, along which, having reached the fullness of the Lord's age, we will appear truly righteous and unshakable to fall. "

Cookies are usually made with 7 "rungs" or less. if the size is too large, the "ladder" biscuits do not have sufficient strength.

Sometimes a small "ladder" was baked on the back of a "lark" (called in some localities "sandpiper").

Sometimes, elongated pies with filling were placed as "steps" between two dough "racks". In this case, the "ladder" was made large, for the entire length of the baking sheet, as a tasty loaf for festive table... It turned out 2 long loaves of bread with pies between them.

In some places, the liver of the "ladder" gave the appearance of an elongated flat cake, on which several strips of dough and crossbars were applied; sometimes overhead dough "supenki" on a long cake were replaced with transverse cuts with a knife.

It could also act as a "ladder" open pie, which was poured with cottage cheese, sour cream, filled with potatoes or porridge, jam or poppy seeds, and a flat doughy image of the stairs was laid on top.

In some places, "ladders" were baked from different types sweet butter dough just as tasty or for tea ("bite"). In this case, they were made from or dough with the addition of honey, raisins, candied fruits and decorated with a sugar pattern.

The work belongs to the category of ascetic literature.

Dimitri of Rostov characterizes the work of John as follows:
"The Ladder of St. John is distinguished by deep spiritual experience, with which is combined a deep knowledge of Holy Scripture. A rare thought is expressed by the Ladder without illuminating it by direct or indirect reference to Holy Scripture. expresses much in few words, and therefore is full of power. That is why the "Ladder" of St. John has always been a reference book for monks living in a hostel. "

The work of John Climacus consists of 30 chapters, which represent the "steps" of virtues by which a Christian must ascend on the path to spiritual perfection.

"Steps" can be grouped as follows:

Group	Steps
Fighting the bustle of the world (steps 1-4)	Renunciation of worldly living Impartiality (putting aside worries and sorrow for the world) Wandering (dodging the world) Obedience
Sorrows on the Path to True Bliss (steps 5-7)	Repentance Memory of death Crying about your sinfulness
Fight against vices (steps 8-17)	Meekness and Anger Removing memory malice Profanity Silence Truthfulness Lack of despondency and laziness Fighting gluttony Chastity Fighting the love of money Lack of covetousness
Overcoming obstacles in an ascetic life (steps 18-26)	Eradicating insensibility Small sleep, zeal for brotherly prayer Bodily vigil Lack of fear and strengthening in faith Eradicating vanity Lack of pride Meekness, simplicity and gentleness Humility Deposition of passions and strengthening of virtues
Soul world (steps 27-29)	Silence of soul and body Prayer Dispassion
The top of the path is the union of the three main virtues (step 30)	Faith, hope and love

The Ladder also includes a “special word for the shepherd,” which, unlike the previous chapters, refers exclusively to mentors.

LADDER OR SPIRITUAL TABLES
Reverend Father John John Abbot of Mount Sinai

Content:
Preface to this book, called the Spiritual Tablets.
Word 1. On the renunciation of the life of the world.
Word 2. About equanimity, that is, putting aside worries and sorrow for the world.
Word 3. About wandering, that is, avoiding the world.
Word 4. On blessed and memorable obedience.
Word 5. About patronizing and real repentance and also about the life of the holy convicts, and about prison.
Word 6. About the memory of death.
Word 7. About joyful crying.
Word 8. About anger and meekness.
Word 9. About memory malice.
Word 10. About slander and slander.
Word 11. On polyphony and silence.
Word 12. About lies.
Word 13. About despondency and laziness.
Word 14. About the beloved and deceitful ruler, the womb.
Word 15. About incorruptible purity and chastity, which the corruptible acquire by labor and sweat.
Word 16. About the love of money.
Word 17. About non-acquisitiveness.
Word 18. About insensibility.
Word 19. About sleep, prayer and psalmics in the cathedral of brethren.
Word 20. About bodily vigil: how we reach the spiritual through it, and how it should pass.
Word 21. About cowardly timidity, or insurance.
Word 22. On the manifold vanity.
Word 23. About insane pride.
Word 24. About meekness, simplicity and gentleness, which do not come from nature, but are acquired by diligence and labor, and about craftiness.
Word 25. About the exterminator of passions, the highest humility of mind, which is in an invisible feeling.
Word 26. On the discourse of thoughts and passions, and virtues.
Word 27. About the sacred silence of the soul and body.
Word 28. About the mother of virtues, sacred and blessed prayer, and about standing in her mind and body.
Word 29. About the earthly sky, or about god-imitative dispassion and perfection, and the resurrection of the soul before the general resurrection.
Word 30. About the union of three virtues, that is, about faith, hope and love.
A special word for a shepherd, teaching what a teacher of verbal sheep should be.

For the full text of this work, see.

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From the history of traditions and rituals

Epiphany this is one of the largest holidays of the Orthodox Church, celebrated on January 19 in memory of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan. In all cities and villages where there were churches, water was sanctified.

This is the third and last big holiday of the Christmas and New Year period.

The main tradition of the feast of the Baptism of the Lord is the blessing of water. This tradition existed among other Christian peoples even before the adoption of Christianity in Russia - for example, among the Greeks, on the feast of Epiphany, it is customary to immerse themselves in water.

Orthodox Christians have a long tradition of bringing home holy water and keeping it carefully. This water is considered healing, they drink it, they wash it, sprinkle the house with it.

In ancient times, Baptism was considered a turning point. That evening they hoped for the best, made plans, made wishes. “On the night of the Epiphany, the sky opens,” said the people.

But, the feast of Epiphany is not only bathing, blessing of water and fortune-telling. Our ancestors had to ceremonial baking.

Ritual cooking, partially preserved to this day, keeps echoes the most ancient magical rites.

The collector of Russian folklore I.P. Sakharov noted: “In some villages, the old custom has been preserved to cook ... from wheat dough animals: cows, bulls, sheep and poultry, as well as figurines of shepherds. The animals were put on the windows to be shown to passers-by, on the table they flaunted for the family in the morning and in the evening they were sent as a gift to their relatives.

But this is already the enlightened 19th century. And the first mentions of dough figurines are found in Russian chronicles of the 12th century.

Traditional characters - a horse, a deer, a cow, a goat, a duck, a grouse with chicks in those days, such ritual figurines of animals or birds were hung on barnyards as amulets, later in the mainstream of the Christian tradition on Epiphany, soaked figurines were added to feed for livestock to be healthy and prolific.

Also, at baptism, it was traditionally baked ceremonial cookies "Crosses".

Russian peasants believed that these cookies could contribute to a good harvest, the well-being of the farm and family.

On January 18, the hostesses bake these cookies according to custom. The first morning meal on January 19 for each of the household should consist of these cookies, which are supposed to be washed down with holy water. So the Siberians believed that the eaten "cross" gives a person health.

Special cookies were also baked - nominal ones. The mother of the family, when she rolls out the dough and forms it, marks flour products: a highlight for herself, for a husband - with poppy seeds, for a son - with anise, for a daughter - with caraway seeds, or simply squeezes out the first letter of a name with a knife.

These symbols, taken out of the oven, tell what kind of life cross all family members will have to bear in the coming year.

If the cross is well-baked, yellow-pink, then it will give success, health, prosperity.
The person who got such a cookie can then look for sympathy, intercession, and advice for a whole year.
If the "cross" is broken with cracks, then it predicts changes in fate, difficulties.

Figurines

I used brioche dough to bake the figurines..

Although it would be more correct to use the dough for lean baking.

Figures can be formed from a piece of dough, or they can be cut out using a stencil. You can take a stencil of figures from children's coloring pages.

BISCUITS "CROSSES"

Recipe
1 cup wheat flour
2 eggs
150g softened butter
100 g sugar
2 tablespoons of rum, cognac (I used balm)
Vanillin
Salt
Cinnamon
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Technology

Grind the softened butter white with sugar. Add beaten eggs, salt, vanillin, cinnamon, alcohol. Then add flour, stir quickly. Usually shortbread dough I keep it in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours. Roll the resulting dough into a layer 0.5 cm thick. Then, with a sharp knife, cut into strips 2 cm wide and about 8 cm long. You can choose other sizes.

Place the strips in the form of a cross, one on top of the other. Decorate with raisins. In order for the raisins to hold well in the dough, I made the indentations with a cap ballpoint pen at the location of the raisin.
Bake at 200 ° C for about 12 minutes.

R A Z N Y E R A Z N O S T I

FEATURES ON BAPTISM

If there is a blizzard, snow or drift on this day, there will be a harvest.

There is little snow on the branches of the trees - in summer, do not look for mushrooms or berries.

If the stars shine strongly on this night, the bread will be good.

The stars are not visible - there will be no mushrooms.

If there is a blizzard on this day, the same will happen on Shrovetide; if there are strong winds from the south - stormy summer.

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE BAPTISM

On a frosty day on Epiphany
You accept the invitation:
Come to a warm home,
Let's drink tea with pies!

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I hasten to congratulate you on the Baptism
And wish you cleanliness
All thoughts and all aspirations,
Health, happiness and love!

GUESSING ON THE FULFILLMENT OF DESIRES

On the evening before Epiphany, write on the pieces of paper twelve of your wishes and put them under your pillow before going to bed.

Waking up in the morning, take out three pieces of paper at random, those desires that will be indicated on these pieces of paper and must be fulfilled.

Spread a handful of small items on the table, such as nuts, seeds, etc.
Make a wish and count the number of items.

If their number is even - the wish will come true, respectively, the number of objects is odd - the wish will not come true.