Church holidays in March 2025: important dates and traditions
March 2025 will be rich in important church events that have deep spiritual significance for believers. With the transition of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine to the new Julian calendar, the dates of the celebration of some holidays have changed.
Main church holidays in March 2025:
March 2 – Forgiveness Sunday: On this day, believers ask each other for forgiveness for offenses and sins in order to begin Lent with a pure heart.
March 3 – the beginning of Lent: Lent is a period of repentance and spiritual purification that lasts 48 days before Easter.
March 25 – Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary: One of the 12 greatest Christian holidays, marking the day when the archangel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary the birth of Jesus Christ.
March 26 – The Cathedral of the Archangel Gabriel: The Cathedral of the Archangel Gabriel is celebrated the day after the Annunciation.
Other important dates:
March 9 – 40 Martyrs of Sebaste: Memorial day for forty Christian warriors who suffered martyrdom for their faith.
Memorial days (parental Saturdays) in March:
In the Orthodox tradition, there are special days to honor the memory of the deceased – memorial parental Saturdays. In March 2025, they will be on the following days:
Saturday of the second week of Great Lent — March 15 ;
Saturday of the third week of Great Lent — March 22 ;
Saturday of the fourth week of Great Lent — March 29.
Traditions and customs:
Forgiveness Sunday: On this day, believers visit churches, ask for forgiveness from family and friends, and also forgive offenses themselves.
Lent: During Lent, believers observe a strict fast, attend church services, pray, and repent of their sins.
Annunciation: On the Annunciation, believers visit churches where prosphora are blessed. It is also customary to release birds on this day, symbolizing the liberation of the soul from sin.
40 Martyrs of Sebaste: On this day, it is customary to bake buns in the shape of larks, which are a symbol of the souls of the martyrs.
March 2025 is a time for spiritual renewal, repentance, and preparation for the celebration of Easter.
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