Holy Tuesday is an important day of Holy Week: prayers, omens, what not to do
The second day of Holy Week, Holy Tuesday, is coming. On this day, believers remember the sermons of Jesus Christ that he preached in and outside the Jerusalem Temple, including the gospel parable of the ten virgins and the talents. In this way, the church calls for the vigilance of the spirit and works of mercy. For more information about Holy Tuesday, parables, church services and prohibitions on this day, see the Izvestia article.
Holy Tuesday of Holy Week in 2025
Holy Tuesday is the second day of Holy Week, which in 2025 will last from April 14 to April 19. This week, Lent ends and the Bright Resurrection of Christ, Easter, begins.
Every day of Holy Week is called the Great One, because it is dedicated to the last days of the Savior's earthly life, his sufferings (passions) and death. However, in the first two days, the church remembers not the events themselves preceding the Resurrection, but the last sermons and parables of Christ and important Old Testament stories that prepare believers for repentance.
On Holy Week, the church does not celebrate saints' days, nor does it commemorate the dead. On the first three days, a Hallelujah service is celebrated with the Liturgy of the presanctified gifts — the next time it will be performed only in 2026.
What happened on Holy Tuesday of Holy Week according to the Gospel
On Holy Tuesday, Orthodox believers remember the last sermon of the Savior and his parting words, which are described in the Gospel of Matthew, as well as the Last Judgment. It is on this day that the words "give what is Caesar's to Caesar, and what is God's to God" are heard at the service. At the end of the sermon, Christ told the disciples the parables of the Second Coming, the ten virgins, and the talents (monetary unit).
Jesus' chastisement of the Pharisees and Scribes in Jerusalem. The Pharisees and Sadducees are different branches of Judaism, and the scribes copied the scrolls of the Holy Scriptures. They were all respectable people, but Jesus accused them of hypocrisy and dishonesty in his sermons. After that, the high priests decided to execute the Savior by trickery, asking him provocative questions. So, the question of whether the inhabitants of Judea (a province conquered by the Roman Empire) should pay taxes to Caesar was a trick. The Pharisees expected that if the answer was yes, Jesus would lose the trust of believers, and if it was negative, he could be accused of inciting a riot and then executed. But he replied, "Give what is Caesar's to Caesar, and what is God's to God," which means "to each according to his merits."
Another parable was the story of the ten virgins, referring to the wedding custom of that time. According to legend, ten maidens, bridesmaids, were waiting for the groom to appear. Five of them, called reasonable, had prepared enough oil for the lamps in advance, and the unreasonable ones were left practically without it by the time the groom arrived and had to leave to buy more. But upon their return, they were unable to enter the marriage chamber, as the door was already closed. The oil in the parable refers to virtues, and the parable itself calls believers to spiritual vigilance. The wedding feast symbolizes the second coming of the Savior, who is shown in the parable as the bridegroom. It is not known when it will come, but it is important to be prepared.
The parable of the Talents. Another story of Great Tuesday tells about a ruler who, before his departure, distributed a silver talent to three servants, and two were able to increase their property by putting money into business, while the third buried it and did not bother. Upon his return, the ruler asked how the servants had disposed of the gift, and praised the former, and punished the latter. The meaning of the parable is that everyone will have to answer for their deeds when the Last Judgment comes. This is also where the popular expression "burying talent in the ground" comes from.
Great Tuesday 2025: What you can't do, what you can eat
Holy Week is a time of spiritual purification and compassion for believers, so quarrels and resentments are forbidden on any day. Throughout Great Lent, they do not marry or baptize, and it is also not recommended to arrange lavish celebrations.
In the world, the first four days of Holy Week were devoted to household chores, and Tuesday was devoted to clothes: torn ones were repaired, worn ones were thrown away and new ones were bought: it was believed that such clothes would last a long time. Also on this day, they started planning Easter treats and buying groceries. Doing this earlier than Tuesday was considered a bad omen.
In addition to household signs, weather signs were also popular among the people. If Tuesday turned out to be rainy, there will be a large mushroom harvest, and if the weather is clear, wheat will grow well.
Severe food restrictions continued on Tuesday of Lent. Among the products that are allowed: vegetables and fruits, cereals, pasta, honey, nuts. Meat, eggs, fish and dairy products remain banned. The use of vegetable oil is also prohibited on Tuesday. Food restrictions are stricter for clergymen. At the same time, the sick, the infirm, and travelers are exempt from fasting.
Great Tuesday, April 15, 2025: prayers, worship
Believers on Holy Tuesday, as on other days of Holy Week, devote a lot of time to prayer, reflecting and remembering Jesus' sacrifice for people, as well as his passion.
According to the schedule of services of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, on April 15, two services will be held: at 8:00 a.m. — confession and Liturgy of the presanctified gifts, and at 17:00 p.m. — Matins of Holy Week.
In St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg, at 8:00, the hours will begin, the Liturgy of the presanctified gifts will be pictorial, and at 16:45 — matins and the 1st hour.
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