In the Orthodox Christian tradition, there are several preparatory weeks for holy Great Lent. This is a special time in which a person seeks to spiritually prepare for a proper deed. Forgiveness Sunday is the last day before the beginning of the holy forty days.
The last Sunday before the beginning of Great Lent is called a cheese week in the liturgical language. On this day, for the last time before fasting, it is allowed to eat dairy food, cheese and eggs. Also at this time, the Orthodox Church remembers the expulsion of the forefathers Adam and Eve from paradise. There is another name for this day among the people - forgiven Sunday.
The naming of the cheese week by Forgiven Sunday is no coincidence. It is on this day that a special rite of forgiveness is performed in all Orthodox churches, during which believers ask God for the forgiveness of their sins, and also apologize to each other for various omissions or sometimes outright unkind deeds. Such a practice is necessary for an Orthodox person in order to enter Great Lent without unnecessary "debts" to his neighbors. Through asking forgiveness from neighbors and forsaking, in turn, and the last of sins, a person renewed begins the salvific feat of abstinence.
Forgiveness Sunday is not fixed on a specific date. Such a calendar feature is due to the fact that Great Lent itself is a passing one (depending on the time of the celebration of the Passover of Christ). However, many believers know that forgiven Sunday always falls on the last Sunday before the beginning of the holy fourtieth day. In 2015, Lent itself begins quite early, therefore, forgiven Sunday itself dates from a fairly early period. In 2015, Forgiveness Sunday falls on February 22nd.
On the day of forgiveness Sunday, it is advisable for all Orthodox people to attend a service, at the end of which the rite of forgiveness will be performed.
