Forgiven Sunday – 2026: when to celebrate and what to say

Every year, on the last day of Shrovetide Week, Russians celebrate Forgiveness Sunday. It falls on different dates, as it is directly related to Easter and the church calendar. In 2026, Orthodox believers will celebrate it on February 22. This day ends the Cheese Week and precedes Lent, which begins on February 23 and lasts until Easter. Read about the spiritual content of the date, church and folk traditions in the Izvestia article.

Forgiven Sunday – 2026: the history of tradition and the liturgical meaning

Forgiveness Sunday is one of the few church days in which liturgical practice, monastic experience and folk culture are intertwined especially closely. Its modern form developed gradually based on the early Christian ascetic tradition.

The earliest evidence of the custom of mutual forgiveness dates back to the fourth and fifth centuries and is associated with Egyptian monasticism. Before the beginning of Great Lent, hermits left their monasteries and retreated to the desert for forty days. The conditions were harsh, and not everyone returned alive. Realizing this, the monks asked each other for forgiveness, symbolically saying goodbye forever.

This gesture was not a formality, it was perceived as a spiritual summing up and an attempt to clear his conscience before possible death. Gradually, the practice became established in the monasteries of the East, and then became part of the general church charter. With the development of the liturgical system of Byzantium, the custom of mutual reconciliation was integrated into the last service before Lent.

In Russia, the tradition appeared together with the Byzantine liturgical charter. Even in ancient Russian monasteries, there was a rite of mutual forgiveness before the beginning of lent. Over time, he moved beyond the monastic environment and became part of the parish practice.

How believers celebrate Maslenitsa in 2026: traditions of the Cheese Week by day

In 2026, the Cheese Week will be held from February 16 to 22 before Lent.

The name "Forgiven Sunday" is not used in official liturgical books — it is a popular definition that has become established in everyday life. In the church tradition, the day is called Cheese Week. This name is associated with the end of the consumption of dairy products — on this day, believers "release" cheese and other dairy products, preparing for a strict fast.

Another church name for Forgiven Sunday is "Adam's Exile." The service recalls the biblical story of God's creation of the first man, his fall from grace, and his expulsion from paradise. This story sets the key meaning of the day — realizing his own weakness, the believer must learn to forgive and ask for forgiveness.

How to ask for forgiveness correctly

In the Orthodox tradition, reconciliation is not a formality, but a necessary step before fasting. At the liturgy on this day, the words of the Gospel about forgiveness are read. In the morning, the divine service is performed in light vestments, but in the evening, during the rite of forgiveness, the clergy dress in dark robes — a sign of repentance and entry into fasting. The decoration of the temple is also changing, and the service itself is becoming more focused.

During the rite, the rector asks for forgiveness from the clergy and parishioners, making a bow to the ground. Then the priests, according to their seniority, address him, after which they address the flock. Believers traditionally say: "I'm sorry." The answer is: "God will forgive, and I forgive."

The main condition of this tradition is sincerity. Formal utterance of words, unsupported by internal reconciliation, deprives it of meaning. A person does not always realize that he could hurt someone with a word or deed, so asking for forgiveness is primarily an act of inner honesty.

You can ask for forgiveness not only in church, but also in everyday life. Modern methods of communication — telephone, messengers, social networks — are not prohibited by the church. However, the clergy recommend doing this personally whenever possible. If it is impossible to contact a person, a prayer address is allowed in front of the icon asking for forgiveness.

The traditions of the Forgiven Sunday

In Russia, Forgiveness Sunday combined church and folk traditions. The day coincided with the end of Maslenitsa, the end of winter and preparations for the spring agricultural cycle.

The morning of the Forgiven Sunday began with a visit to the temple. The faithful participated in the Divine Liturgy and prayed for the gift of humility, the ability to free themselves from resentment and enter Lent with a pure heart. Special attention was paid to internal reconciliation, willingness to give up accumulated irritation and admit their own mistakes.

Candlemas of the Lord — 2026: the main signs of the day on February 15th and what they mean

After the service, the ancestors went to the city squares and fairs, where Carnival festivities with carnival rows, pancakes, performances of buffoons, competitions and games were held. The central event was the burning of an effigy of Maslenitsa, a farewell to winter and the end of the festive week, which symbolized the boundary between the time of fun and the period of abstinence. Ashes, according to an ancient custom, were scattered over the fields with the hope of a rich harvest.

After the city holidays, people returned home. We spent the evening in a family circle, finishing pancakes — the main Pancake treat, noisy conversations gave way to a more relaxed mood.

What not to do on Forgiveness Sunday

In Russia, Forgiven Sunday was perceived as both a spiritual and a calendar milestone. Therefore, the restrictions on this day concerned not only behavior in the temple, but also daily life.

From the church's point of view, insincerity was considered the main prohibition of the day. It was impossible to ask for forgiveness "for the sake of order" or to respond formally, while maintaining an inner resentment. The day also meant avoiding conflict and irritation.

What else you can't do on February 21:

• indulging in despondency and slander is considered an obstacle to the purification of the soul.;
• quarreling and clarifying relationships — conflict on this day is especially destructive, as a person enters into a fast with a grudge.;
• to get angry and irritated — anger contradicts the very meaning of reconciliation;
• to refuse help is considered spiritual insensitivity before the start of fasting.;
• to start hard work, the day should be spent calmly, focusing on its spiritual component, without fuss and major worldly, household chores.;
• throwing away food or leaving pancakes untouched is considered disrespectful to work and "attracts" trouble.;
• Indulging in excessive merriment — excesses on the eve of fasting contradict the essence of spiritual tradition.

Earlier, Izvestia shared postcards and congratulations on Candlemas.