Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin MaryPhoto:ShutterstockOn April 7, the Orthodox Church celebrates one of the most important religious holidays - the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Annunciation is an evangelical event and a Christian holiday dedicated to it: the announcement by the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary of the future birth of Jesus Christ in the flesh from her. The holiday was originally celebrated on March 25. The Russian Orthodox Church and other churches celebrate the Annunciation on April 7 according to the Gregorian calendar. In Orthodoxy, it is one of the twelve great holidays (12 most important holidays after Easter in Orthodoxy). The bright holiday of Christ's Resurrection was celebrated on April 4 this year. This year, the Annunciation may be the warmest in almost a century and a half - according to forecasters, the air temperature on the holiday will warm up to 16 degrees Celsius (in the central region of Russia). Many folk signs are associated with this holiday. «If there is snow on the roofs on the Annunciation, then it will lie in the fields until Yegor's Day (May 6). «On the Annunciation the sun is bright - there will be a stormy summer; a thunderstorm - a warm summer, a nut harvest; cloudy - there is no good harvest». «On the Annunciation rain - the rye will be born». «Wet Annunciation - a mushroom summer». «On the Annunciation frost - a harvest of milk mushrooms».
