Religious rites and rituals - what is it? Perhaps some believe that only those who are closely associated with religion experience such phenomena. However, in reality, such rituals have long been intertwined with the daily lives of ordinary people. What can we say about a believer, for whom religious customs and rituals are an integral part of being.

And yet, despite this, many interesting questions remain in the shadows. For example, even the meaning of the word "religious rite" causes a number of bewilderment. After all, how to understand which rituals should be attributed to them, and which not? Or what is the difference between Orthodox sacraments and Catholic ones? And after all, how long ago was the first religious ceremony? So, let's consider everything in order.

As always, you need to start at the root of the problem, namely with the exact meaning of this expression. So, a religious rite is a certain action based on a person's mystical idea of ​​the surrounding reality.

That is, the main task of such a ritual is to strengthen the connection of the believer with his higher beginning, or God. At the same time, it does not matter at all whether such an action is carried out individually or if it is a collective event.

What is a religious rite?

Yet it is not enough to simply know the meaning of the word. To fully understand its essence, it is necessary to look at everything from a special angle, relying on illustrative examples and arguments. That is why let's consider what a religious ceremony really is.

To begin with, let's take as an example finger baptism, which is common among all Christians. It would seem that there is nothing mystical, the usual manipulation of the hand in a given order, which is used during prayer. And yet it's a religious rite... Do you know why?

Because there are two important things here. First, the established ritual, which has not changed for all Christians for many centuries. Secondly, it is based on the belief that such an action can shed God's grace on a person.

Based on this, we can draw the following conclusion: any custom that combines these two points is a religious rite.

The first mystical mysteries

No one knows exactly when a person began to believe that a higher mind rules the world. After all, for the first time this happened in those days when our distant ancestors did not yet know how to write. The only evidence of their intelligent way of life is the pattern and notches on the rocks. However, even this meager information is enough to understand what a religious rite is among ancient people.

In those distant times, a person's life directly depended on how favorable mother nature was to him. Just imagine how majestic it was for people who had no idea about the laws of physics and chemistry. Therefore, it is not surprising that over the years they began to attribute to her the presence of her own will and mind.

Therefore, to answer the question: “What is a religious rite among ancient people?” will be pretty easy. Almost all of their rituals were aimed at appeasing the spirits of nature, so that they would grant them their patronage.

This belief in the power of sacred rites has had a marked impact on the entire history of mankind. After all, it was thanks to the ancient sacraments that the first priests appeared - people who communicate with otherworldly forces.

Rites of the Slavs

Before the arrival of Christianity in Russia, our ancestors were pagans. They believed in the existence of many gods, forming the Slavic pantheon. So, warriors worshiped Perun, peasants worshiped Lada, and creative people worshiped Veles.

Initially, rituals were invented by ordinary people in order to somehow appease their beloved deity. A little later, the priests themselves began to select the most favorable rites and insist that this was the will of a higher mind.

It got to the point that not a single holiday or significant event could do without a religious sacrament. And the more often and systematically they were repeated, the stronger they stuck into the consciousness of people. After many years, they became an integral part of the daily life of the Slavs and were taken by the people as a matter of course.

For example, peasants always made a sacrifice to Lada before starting sowing. After all, if this is not done, then the goddess will not bestow her grace on the sowing, and then the harvest will be bad. The same applied to other aspects of the life of the Slavs: the birth of children, marriage, war and death. Each occasion had its own religious rite, aimed at strengthening the relationship between the deity and man.

But what about other countries and continents?

The most curious thing is that such a worldview was inherent in almost all nations and peoples. So, the Greeks believed in the gods of Olympus, the Egyptians - in the powerful god Osiris and other equally powerful creatures. And the indigenous people of Africa did have so many different deities that there is not the slightest possibility to count them.

And they all practiced religious rites. For example, the Greeks made rich offerings to their gods in temples, and on holidays they organized festivities with a masquerade. The Egyptians built pyramids so that their pharaohs would live there even after death. And some African tribes ate human hearts, hoping in this way to gain the strength and courage of a defeated enemy.

Religious practices in the modern world

Despite the fact that now the age of popularization of scientific theories and atheistic views has come, religious rites have not gone away. Moreover, some of them are so deeply rooted in the minds of people that they have become a familiar norm. Let's look at the most popular rites of the two giant religions - Christianity and Islam.

So, let's start with the Orthodox baptism of children. This religious rite is considered one of the most ancient in our history. According to his laws, small children are washed with holy water in order to cleanse them from original sin. In addition, Christians believe that during baptism, God will give a person a guardian angel.

Another ancient religious ritual that has survived to this day is the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. They believe that every true believer should make such a trip at least once in his life in order to show his devotion to Allah.

Loyalty bordering on fanaticism

However, not all rituals and rituals are harmless. Unfortunately, sometimes faith develops into fanaticism, and then the first victims appear. In particular, some religious rites require blood, sometimes even human. And a fanatic believer is ready to present such a gift. After all, this is the will of God, and human life in comparison with it is just dust.

At the same time, a bloody trail from religious rites stretches from the very depths of history, now disappearing, then reappearing. What are the Crusades of Christians or holy wars of Muslims against the infidels. Not to mention that the ancient Aztecs sacrificed hundreds or even thousands of people just to satisfy the mystical appetite of the sun god.

In this regard, it should be understood that religious rites can be carried out both for good and vice versa. At the same time, it is not God who creates evil, but people, because it is they who ultimately determine the essence and procedure for the ritual.

Miraculous words: what is a tribe idol prayer sacrifice religious rite in full description from all the sources we found.

Explain the meaning of the words: ax, hoe, sickle, grain grater, spinning, weaving, mat, spirits, gods, elder, council of elders, tribe, idol, prayer, sacrifice,

Explain the meaning of the words: ax, hoe, sickle, grain grater, spinning, weaving, mat, spirits, gods, elders on, council of elders, tribe, idol, prayer, sacrifice,

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A hoe is a tool for cultivating the land.

Grain grater - designed for processing grain.

Weaving - designed for processing fabric.

Mat - dense braided straw

Spirits are dead people.

The gods are the creators of the world.

Elder - the head of the settlement, the oldest.

The Council of Elders is the main assembly in the settlements.

A tribe is an association of people connected by tribal relations, a common language and territory.

Idol - a statue, which pagans worship as a deity, an idol, an idol.

Prayer is an appeal to the Lord God.

The victim is a person or an animal that must be killed in order to amuse the gods.

A religious rite is an initiation somewhere.

1) Sexual relationship with a man.

2) Board, krutilka, ceramics.

Question: What do the words mean: ax, hoe, sickle, grain grater, spinning, weaving, mat, spirits, gods, elder, council of elders, tribe, idol, prayer, sacrifice, religious rite.

What do the words mean: ax, hoe, sickle, grain grater, spinning, weaving, mat, spirits, gods, elder, council of elders, tribe, idol, prayer, sacrifice, religious rite.

Ax is a tool for cutting down trees. A hoe is a tool for plowing the land. Extremely inconvenient if you need to plow a large area. A sickle is a tool for collecting grains from ears of wheat, etc. Grain grater - in ancient times two stones, one of which has a small depression. Grain was placed in a stone with a recess and ground between another stone and this one. Spinning is an occupation mainly of women. Example: Spinning a mat. Weaving is an occupation where women weave (create) fabric. Mat - a rug woven from straw, grass or wood bast. Spirits - in ancient times they believed that in all objects there is a soul, a spirit. The gods are spirits that prevail with greater power than all the rest. Elder - the oldest and most experienced person in the tribe who had power over others Council of Elders - Several elders united in one group. Tribe - several united tribal communities. Idol - the image of the spirit, god in the form of a figurine. Prayer is an appeal to the spirit, to God. The sacrifice is a gift to the spirit, to the god during the rituals. Religious rite - an appeal to the spirit, god with a request, reading a prayer and transferring the victim.

Explain the meaning of the words: ax, hoe, sickle, grain grinder, spinning, weaving, mat, spirit and gods, Elder, council of elders,

Answer or solution 1

An ax is a tool with a stone tip and a wooden handle.

Hoe - a stick with a knot, with which they dug up the earth.

Grain grinder - grinding grain on flat stones.

Spinning - twisting threads from pet hair or fibers

Mat - a rug woven from scrap, grass or wood bast.

Spirit is a supernatural being endowed with will, ability

perceive objects and various supernatural abilities and

opportunities, while remaining itself almost always inaccessible to

God is the most powerful spirit.

Elder - the most experienced and wise of the old people who knew the habits

animals and plant properties, ancient legends and rules of conduct.

The Council of Elders is the governing body of the tribe, consisting of a group of elders.

Several tribal communities living in the same area constituted a tribe.

Idol - images of gods and spirits.

Prayer is a request to the gods.

Religious ritual is a means of influencing supernatural forces.

explain the meaning of the words: ax, grain grater, spinning, weaving, mat, spirits, gods, council of elders, prayer, sacrifice, religious rite, hoe, sickle,

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Explain the meaning of the words: ax, grain grater, spinning, weaving, mat, spirits, gods, council of elders, prayer, sacrifice, religious ceremony, hoe, sickle, elder, tribe, idol.

Answers and explanations

1.9 Ax - A metal tool for cutting with a blade and a butt mounted on a handle.

2. Grain grinder - a device for manual grinding.

3. Spinning - making yarn or roving. In a broad sense - the same as spinning production.

4. Weaving - Production of fabrics.

5. Mat - A dense wicker product made of straw, reeds for laying on the floor, for packaging.)

6. Spirits - A philosophical concept, meaning an immaterial beginning; consciousness, mind, thinking, mental abilities. Non-material and - according to religious ideas - the supernatural, divine principle in man;

7. Gods - in religious beliefs, a supernatural being; in the mythological representations of polytheism, each of the gods has supreme power over any part of the world whole; in theism, the only God has absolute power over the world (“omnipotence”). Belief in God is the basis of any religion.

8. Council of Elders - The Council, which includes the oldest deputies of the body or leaders of the polit. parties represented in it.

9. Prayer - 1. Laudatory, thanksgiving or pleading appeal to God, saints. // deprecated. Prayer, fervent request for smth. 2. An established text read or spoken by believers when referring to God, to the saints.

10. Sacrifice - An object or living being, usually killed, which is offered as a gift to a deity. Victim - An injured person who died as a result of an accident, natural disaster, criminal act.

11. Religious rites - symbolic collective actions that embody religious ideas and ideas and are aimed at supernatural objects.

12. Hoe - 1. Primitive agricultural tool for tillage, consisting of a sharp wooden or stone blade on a stick. 2. A manual agricultural tool for loosening the soil, destroying weeds, consisting of a metal spatula, perpendicularly planted on a stick.

13. Sickle - A hand tool for cutting cereals from the root, which is a long curved, finely serrated knife.

14. Elder - The head of the primitive community, chosen from among its senior and most experienced and influential members.

15. Tribe - An ethnic and social community of people connected by tribal relations, territory, culture, language and self-name.

16. Idol - 1. An object - a statue, an idol - as an object of religious worship.

Explain the meaning of the words: ax, hoe, sickle, grain grinder, spinning, weaving, mat, spirits, gods, elder, council of elders, tribe, idol, prayer, sacrifice, religious ceremony.

answer the questions:

what observations of primitive women led to the appearance of the delusion? tell us about the three main tools of the method of sculpting from clay? what animal was domesticated first? how did he help people? why did the relatives obey the elders?

Guys please help me I give 85 points :)

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Arina0405 19.09.2015

2. Grain grinder - a device for manual grinding.

3. Spinning - making yarn or roving. In a broad sense - the same as spinning production.

4. Weaving - Production of fabrics.

5. Mat - A dense wicker product made of straw, reeds for laying on the floor, for packaging.)

6. Spirits - A philosophical concept, meaning an immaterial beginning; consciousness, mind, thinking, mental abilities. Intangible and – according to rel

Answers and explanations

An ax is a tool for cutting trees and so on.

A hoe is a tool for cultivating the land.

Grain grater - designed for processing grain.

Weaving - designed to process fabric.

Mat - dense braided straw

Spirits are dead people.

The gods are the creators of the world.

Elder - the head of the settlement, the oldest.

The Council of Elders is the main assembly in the settlements.

An idol is a statue that the pagans worship as a deity, an idol, an idol.

Prayer is an appeal to the Lord God.

The victim is a person or an animal that must be killed in order to amuse the gods.

A religious rite is an initiation somewhere.

2) Board, krutilka, ceramics.

5) The legend says that the elders communicate with the Gods.

Please help me write the meaning of the words: ax, hoe, sickle, grain grater, spinning, weaving, mat, spirits, gods, elder, council of elders, tribe, idol, prayer, sacrifice, religious rite.

Answers and explanations

The hoe is an agricultural labor tool. The Elder is the wisest and most intelligent elder. The Council of Elders there are all discussing issues of war and other important issues of the tribes. Idol statue. A sacrifice is an animal or person offering to the gods at the sacrifice

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An ax is a cutting tool in the form of a thick iron blade mounted on a wooden handle with a sharp blade on one side and a butt on the other.

A hoe is a hand-held agricultural tool consisting of a stick and a blade perpendicular to it in the form of a pointed blade, used. for weeding and loosening row spacings, for hilling, etc.

A sickle is a hand tool in the form of a finely serrated knife curved in a semicircle for cutting cereals from the root.

A grain grater is an ancient device for grinding grain.

Spinning is the process of longitudinal folding and helical twisting of individual fibers to obtain a long and strong thread.

Weaving - and art, the technique of making fabrics.

Mat - a dense braid of straw, reeds, bast, etc. for laying on the floor, for packaging.

Spirits - religious and mystical ideas: a disembodied supernatural being.

God is the name of a powerful supernatural Supreme Being in Russian. in theistic and deistic teachings

The elder is the head of the community.

The Council of Elders is a meeting of elders, heads of the community, to discuss problems and events.

A tribe is an association of people connected by tribal relations, a common language and territory.

Help explain the meaning of the words ax, hoe, sickle, grain grinder, spinning, weaving, mat, spirits, gods, elder, council of elders, tribe, idol, prayer, sacrifice, religious rite thank you in advance

Answer left the guest

An ax is a tool, usually with a metal blade. In ancient times and in the Middle Ages, an ax was a common hand cold weapon, less often a metal one. A hoe is an agricultural tool. Sickle - 1. A hand tool for cutting cereals from the root, which is a long curved, finely serrated knife.

If you are not satisfied with the answer or there is none, then try to use the search on the site and find similar answers on the subject of History.

What is a religious rite? Religious rites and rituals

Religious rites and rituals - what is it? Perhaps some believe that only those who are closely associated with religion experience such phenomena. However, in reality, such rituals have long been intertwined with the daily lives of ordinary people. What can we say about a believer, for whom religious customs and rituals are an integral part of being.

And yet, despite this, many interesting questions remain in the shadows. For example, even the meaning of the word "religious rite" causes a number of bewilderment. After all, how to understand which rituals should be attributed to them, and which not? Or what is the difference between Orthodox sacraments and Catholic ones? And after all, how long ago was the first religious ceremony? So, let's consider everything in order.

The meaning of the word "religious rite"

As always, you need to start at the root of the problem, namely with the exact meaning of this expression. So, a religious rite is a certain action based on a person's mystical idea of ​​the surrounding reality.

That is, the main task of such a ritual is to strengthen the connection of the believer with his higher beginning, or God. At the same time, it does not matter at all whether such an action is carried out individually or if it is a collective event.

What is a religious rite?

Yet it is not enough to simply know the meaning of the word. To fully understand its essence, it is necessary to look at everything from a special angle, relying on illustrative examples and arguments. That is why let's consider what a religious ceremony really is.

To begin with, let's take as an example finger baptism, which is common among all Christians. It would seem that there is nothing mystical, the usual manipulation of the hand in a given order, which is used during prayer. And yet it is a religious rite. Do you know why?

Because there are two important things here. First, the established ritual, which has not changed for all Christians for many centuries. Secondly, it is based on the belief that such an action can shed God's grace on a person.

Based on this, we can draw the following conclusion: any custom that combines these two points is a religious rite.

The first mystical mysteries

No one knows exactly when a person began to believe that a higher mind rules the world. After all, for the first time this happened in those days when our distant ancestors did not yet know how to write. The only evidence of their intelligent way of life is the pattern and notches on the rocks. However, even this meager information is enough to understand what a religious rite is among ancient people.

In those distant times, a person's life directly depended on how favorable mother nature was to him. Just imagine how majestic it was for people who had no idea about the laws of physics and chemistry. Therefore, it is not surprising that over the years they began to attribute to her the presence of her own will and mind.

Therefore, to answer the question: “What is a religious rite among ancient people?” will be pretty easy. Almost all of their rituals were aimed at appeasing the spirits of nature, so that they would grant them their patronage.

This belief in the power of sacred rites has had a marked impact on the entire history of mankind. After all, it was thanks to the ancient sacraments that the first priests appeared - people who communicate with otherworldly forces.

Rites of the Slavs

Before the arrival of Christianity in Russia, our ancestors were pagans. They believed in the existence of many gods, forming the Slavic pantheon. So, warriors worshiped Perun, peasants worshiped Lada, and creative people worshiped Veles.

Initially, rituals were invented by ordinary people in order to somehow appease their beloved deity. A little later, the priests themselves began to select the most favorable rites and insist that this was the will of a higher mind.

It got to the point that not a single holiday or significant event could do without a religious sacrament. And the more often and systematically they were repeated, the stronger they stuck into the consciousness of people. After many years, they became an integral part of the daily life of the Slavs and were taken by the people as a matter of course.

For example, peasants always made a sacrifice to Lada before starting sowing. After all, if this is not done, then the goddess will not bestow her grace on the sowing, and then the harvest will be bad. The same applied to other aspects of the life of the Slavs: the birth of children, marriage, war and death. Each occasion had its own religious rite, aimed at strengthening the relationship between the deity and man.

But what about other countries and continents?

The most curious thing is that such a worldview was inherent in almost all nations and peoples. So, the Greeks believed in the gods of Olympus, the Egyptians - in the powerful god Osiris and other equally powerful creatures. And the indigenous people of Africa did have so many different deities that there is not the slightest possibility to count them.

And they all practiced religious rites. For example, the Greeks made rich offerings to their gods in temples, and on holidays they organized festivities with a masquerade. The Egyptians built pyramids so that their pharaohs would live there even after death. And some African tribes ate human hearts, hoping in this way to gain the strength and courage of a defeated enemy.

Religious practices in the modern world

Despite the fact that now the age of popularization of scientific theories and atheistic views has come, religious rites have not gone away. Moreover, some of them are so deeply rooted in the minds of people that they have become a familiar norm. Let's look at the most popular rites of the two giant religions - Christianity and Islam.

So, let's start with the Orthodox baptism of children. This religious rite is considered one of the most ancient in our history. According to his laws, small children are washed with holy water in order to cleanse them from original sin. In addition, Christians believe that during baptism, God will give a person a guardian angel.

Another ancient religious ritual that has survived to this day is the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. They believe that every true believer should make such a trip at least once in his life in order to show his devotion to Allah.

Loyalty bordering on fanaticism

However, not all rituals and rituals are harmless. Unfortunately, sometimes faith develops into fanaticism, and then the first victims appear. In particular, some religious rites require blood, sometimes even human. And a fanatic believer is ready to present such a gift. After all, this is the will of God, and human life in comparison with it is just dust.

There are rituals in most religions and are designed to strengthen the faith of a person, as they are massive and can influence the consciousness of people, creating the visible side of faith.

religious rites

A religious rite is a complex of actions that are performed in a strict order, often with the use of religious symbols, slogans, songs and prayers. Rites have been used since time immemorial, when most of the peoples still adhered to pagan beliefs. As a synonym, you can use the word "ritual". The purpose of these events is to strengthen faith, giving the appearance of dogma, since people by nature are more inclined to believe in what they see, and not in invisible deities. Rituals include:

• Wedding;
• Sacrifice;
• Pilgrimage to holy places;
• initiation;
• Baptism;
• Funeral service for the dead, etc.

Some peoples, such as the Aztecs, the Mayans, the ancient Egyptians, the Phoenicians, the inhabitants of Carthage, etc., had human sacrifices in antiquity, which were supposed to loyally set the gods to believers. For example, people could ask God for rain during a drought, or for a good harvest, for victory in a war, and so on. With the spread of monotheistic religions, these rituals ceased to exist.

Many nations continue to have rituals with animal sacrifice, for example, among Muslims during the Eid al-Adha holiday. It is also common among Jews, Armenians, etc. Animals such as a ram, a rooster, a dove, etc. are sacrificed.

Basically, the rites are performed by the religious clergy, and this serves as a method to raise the status of the clergy. For example, in especially religious Christian communities, especially in the Middle Ages, without the presence of a priest, the wedding ritual could not take place. And without a funeral, people were afraid that the soul of their relative would not go to heaven. Over time, this led to the fact that in the Middle Ages the church in many countries, especially in Catholic Europe, became corrupt, and Catholic priests demanded money and gifts for blessings or funerals.

Faith acquires a religious character, becomes an element of religion in the event that it is included in the system of religious actions and relations, in other words, it is included in the religious cult system. The main element of religion, giving it originality, that is, distinguishing it from other forms of social consciousness and social institutions, is the cult system. Consequently, the specificity of religion is manifested not in the special nature of belief, or in some special subject or object of belief, but in the fact that these representations, concepts, images are included in the cult system, acquire a symbolic character in it and, as such, function in social interaction.

It follows from this that there is an organic relationship between religious consciousness and religious actions. religious cult is nothing else than the social form of the objectification of religious consciousness, the realization of religious faith in the actions of a social group or individual individuals. Those or other views and ideas that form worldview constructions, being included in the cult system, acquire the character of a dogma. And this gives them a spiritual and practical character.

The cult system, first of all, is a set of certain rituals.

rite- this is a set of stereotypical actions established by the custom or tradition of a particular social community, symbolizing certain ideas, norms, ideals and ideas. The rite performs important social functions in society. One of the main social functions of the rite is the accumulation and transfer of experience both by individuals to each other and from generation to generation. In the rite, the experience of social activity of many generations is accumulated and becomes evident, as if human activity and communication are concentrated. In the general system of social interaction, the ritual fixes the most important, key moments in the life of a social group. The specificity of religious rites lies in their ideological content, that is, in what kind of images, representations, ideas, values ​​they embody in symbolic form. Each religious organization in the process of its formation and development develops its own specific system of cult activities.

Ritual- “a set of rites accompanying a religious act” or “worked out custom or a set procedure for doing something; ceremonial. Both the dictionary definition and other sources show that a ritual is a special case of a broader concept - a custom, however, the relationship between the concepts of "ritual" and "rite" is defined differently in different sources:

concepts are considered identical;

the ritual is considered a special case of the rite;

A ritual is a set of rites.

5. Sign, symbol, propitiatory actions, prayers, types of prayers.

As the most important feature of the rite, the researchers of this social form call its symbolic character. There is a tradition in philosophical literature to consider symbol as a special kind of signs - an “iconic sign”, which has a partial resemblance to the designated object. The sign and symbol have a similar structure, which includes: 1) material form, 2) replaced (designated) object, 3) meaning or meaning. The basic functional property of these social forms is also similar. They are intended to represent (to represent outside) a content different from their forms. However, the sign and the symbol have significant differences. Signs are artificial formations. Their material form is largely arbitrary and does not significantly affect functioning. The sign does not reproduce the object, but only replaces it. On the contrary, the form of the symbol has a partial resemblance to the designated object. It plays an important role in revealing the content, as it informs about the content and influences the perceiver. And this fact significantly changes the functional property of symbols. Sign systems only designate an object. The sign designation is external, formal character. It is the process of external expression of the formalized meaning. In the symbol, the designation is largely of a meaningful nature. This is a figurative designation, to a certain extent reproducing the symbolized content. Consequently, at the symbol level, a qualitatively new process takes place, which can no longer be characterized simply as a designation, but should be called symbolization. Symbolization can be defined as the ability of consciousness, through certain sensually perceived objects, to figuratively represent (represent outside) other objects or phenomena of reality. From these positions, in our opinion, the rite can be considered as a kind of symbol.

The evolution of religious rites went along the line of their spiritualization, spiritualization. The apex of this path is prayer- verbal (verbal) appeal of a person to the object of his faith. Ethnographers argue that prayer, as a specific religious rite, developed on the basis of pagan conspiracies and spells, as an element of verbal magic (the magic of the word). As a verbal component, it was originally included in the rite of sacrifice. Subsequently, prayer separated from sacrifice and became an essential component of the cult of many religions. There are two types of prayer. The psychological basis of the first type is a kind of "Deal with God", begging from him for certain benefits, and, accordingly, a promise to fulfill all divine prescriptions. The purpose of the second type of prayer is itself "fellowship with God" rapprochement and dissolution of the believer in God. Prayers are collective and individual. Prayers are performed during divine services in churches, prayer houses, cemeteries, etc. They are performed in an organized manner. In the process of these prayers, the participants in the service experience an impact on each other, both psychological and controlling. Participation in collective prayer can occur for various reasons, including non-religious ones. A person can join such a prayer in the process of worship, as they say, “for the company”, so as not to seem like a “black sheep” or simply because he came to the temple, to the prayer house, to some solemn event, such as the consecration of a newly built building , buildings. Individual, solitary prayer, as a rule, occurs only on the basis of religious motivation. Therefore, many sociologists consider it an important sign of true religiosity.

World cults and rituals. The power and strength of the ancients Matyukhina Yulia Alekseevna

Religious rites and rituals

Religious rites and rituals

At the dawn of mankind, all peoples were pagans: they believed in the powers of the spirits of nature, worshiped them, sacrificed animals and even people. The first religious rituals appeared already in the Stone Age, when priests or sorcerers performed cults, led the process of sacrifices and prayers. Later, Buddhist Brahmins performed religious rituals on the lands of Hindustan, and a few centuries later the first Christians and Muslims appeared, and religious rituals acquired a completely new meaning - they contained a symbol of worship to the one God. Since then, for many centuries, people have changed, the names of states, even the climate on our planet has changed, and religious rituals - one of the most conservative phenomena on earth - are still performed. Instead of ancient sorcerers, sorcerers and priests, church rituals are carried out by priests, and instead of pagan temples, temples, mosques, and cathedrals serve as venues for rituals.

The main goal of the religious ritual is to bring prayers to the one God, faith in Whom helps many generations of people on Earth live. Ritual objects - icons, candles, censers, crosses - help in the performance of rituals and therefore have such great sacred significance.

Rituals of modern Hinduism

The rituals of Hinduism have changed significantly over the centuries, as has the religion itself. The basis of Hinduism is the belief in the connection of man with secret forces. The rituals of this religion were in close connection with the world of the stars, with the periods of full moon and new moon, with changes in nature. As in other ancient religions, in Hinduism there were many rituals aimed at establishing a closer connection between man and the forces of nature. Features of ancient Hindu rituals are recorded in the works of ancient literature - the Vedas and Upanishads, dating back more than 2.5 thousand years. According to the Vedas, an ancient priest, an Aryan, sacrificed an animal to appease the deity. The sacrifice was performed with the help of sacred fire for the Hindus.

In our time, gifts are brought to the Hindu deity, puja, in the form of wreaths of flowers and fruits, incense sticks, and delicious dishes. Services are held near the image of the deity, ritual songs and dances are arranged.

For almost 3 thousand years, rituals have been performed by Brahmin priests, their role in Indian society is quite large. Even the household rituals common among Hindus are carried out with the desired participation of a priest called a purohita. Until now, a caste of untouchables has survived in India, who do not have the right to go to temples and invite priests home. In recent years, the movement of untouchables for their rights has intensified, primarily for permission to participate in religious life. Many Hindus from the untouchable caste perform rituals according to the ancient Vedas, when there was no rigid division into castes and, accordingly, prohibitions on performing rituals.

Buddhism and its rituals in the modern world

Buddhism, unlike most other religions, never had a church organization and centralized government. Buddhists are united in one thing: they keep three basic values ​​- Buddha, dharma and sangha. At the same time, the Buddha is a special being who has reached the heights of possible life on earth; dharma - the law discovered by the Buddha and explaining everything that happens around; sangha is a community of equals.

At present, Buddhism is preached in many Asian countries and in Russia (Kalmykia, regions near Mongolia), though in very different forms and manifestations. So, the most exotic secular rituals take place in Japan, and in other countries of Asia, Buddhism is widespread in numerous monasteries.

In 1956, in the year of the celebration of the 2500th anniversary of Buddhism, the Minister of Justice of India B. R. Ambedkar called on the Indians of the untouchable caste to preach Buddhism, which does not recognize castes in principle. In one day, more than 500 people converted to Buddhism, and the minister was declared a bodhisattva after his death. Many people began to preach Buddhism in the following years, and the government of India allocated sums of money for the development of institutions of Buddhism.

in Burma at the end of the 20th century. there were about 25 thousand monasteries and temples. Very often, Buddhist monks become temporary, for example, for 2-3 months. Having entered the sangha, the monks clearly perform all the rituals (mainly meditation), perform all spiritual practices. It is believed that in this way a person earns himself a special merit, a harrier, which will later help to produce a happy reincarnation. More than 80% of Burma's population are worshiping Buddhists.

Tibet is famous for its monasteries with secret rituals and traditions. Until the middle of the twentieth century. every family in Tibet sent one (and sometimes two) sons to be monks, every seventh inhabitant was a monk in Tibetan society.

In China, several Buddhist monasteries of a unique direction have survived to this day - the rituals in them combine Buddhist meditation with shamanic rituals.

All Buddhists shave their heads baldly, wear special clothes and most often observe the laws of celibacy.

Easter

The great Christian holiday, rooted in the pagan past of our people, is one of the most beloved holidays of the year. Throughout the Easter week, Christians prepare special dishes, paint eggs, visit and receive guests, praising the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The ancient Slavs, like many other peoples of the world, many centuries ago revered a chicken egg as a sacred object, often making it a fetish and bringing it as a gift to deities. The egg keeps the eternal mystery of the continuation of life.

With the advent of Christianity in Russia, an egg painted with red paint as a symbol of new life, a sign of the sun, becomes the main attribute of Easter, the great spring holiday. Millions of people around the world exchange colored eggs, not thinking about the mysterious symbolism of the egg, but referring this tradition to the late Christian ones.

Among the Eastern Slavs, Easter cakes are an essential attribute of Easter, which are a symbol of ancient breads brought as a gift to pagan gods. Long before the adoption of Christianity, the Slavs baked high breads from coarse flour and sour milk in ancient ovens, decorated them with fruits and carried them to the temple during the most important rituals. Later, this tradition of gift-giving was adopted and reworked by the Christian church, and now all believers consecrate Easter cakes in churches, like other Easter dishes.

On the example of the great Easter, the process of transformation of ancient pagan cults into Christian cults is clearly traced. This process also affected other Russian holidays: Svyatki, Ivan Kupala, Ilyin's Day, Parents' Day and many others. The Christian Church, having only slightly modified the ancient cult customs, erected its own rituals in their place, quite understandable to believers, since they are built on traditional Russian beliefs.