Conversations with the priest. Transfiguration. Amazing transformations of women after visiting an image stylist Transformation of people before and after
Cosmetics really work wonders in the right hands! Some makeup artists prove that with the help of makeup you can not only become a fatal beauty, but also look 10-15 years younger.
Makeup artist Vadim Andreev
St. Petersburg makeup artist Vadim Andreev, using classic techniques makeup and sculpting, radically changes the faces of girls. For better or worse, you know better, but the result is literally obvious.
This is the transformation we like best. Down with 10 years, and even the oval of the face seems to have changed!
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She was just a pretty girl, but she became very beautiful, and all thanks to shaded eye shadow and pink lipstick.
Makeup artist Ulyana Starobinskaya
Ulyana Starobinskaya, another talented makeup artist from the Northern capital, adds bright colors, thereby turning girls into real beauties.
Melissa Murphy
American makeup artist Melissa Murphy gained more than 50 thousand subscribers in one day when she began posting photos of porn actresses before and after makeup on her Istagram. This is how girls turn from simpletons into sex bombs...
A girl with bad skin turned into a porcelain doll, and even with the look of Sasha Gray...
A good example of makeup that makes the face look much younger.
This is what complexion correction and intense eye makeup can do. And my lips, by the way, became noticeably plumper.
Problem skin? No problem, the makeup artist will fix everything! It will also make your eyes mysterious and almond-shaped...
Even without makeup, this girl has expressive eyes and wide eyebrows, but look what the makeup does - after working as a makeup artist, she has become simply a top model!
Red lipstick, winged eyeliner, emphasized eyebrows - and the simplest face looks completely different.
And a few more transformations...
This is perhaps the most successful example of anti-aging makeup: the girl was very pretty even without makeup, but after the makeup she became noticeably younger. Well, at least on the red carpet!
Well, no comments at all...
Now let’s look at the correction in a few steps. The makeup artist did the contouring...
The photos on the right and left are not at all different people! These are the same women who simply became more beautiful with the help of makeup. We give a standing ovation to their makeup artists and raise our own self-esteem with the help of our selection.
Makeup artist Gohar Avetisyan
Gohar Avetisyan is perhaps the most famous Russian makeup artist. Her Instagram audience is more than three million subscribers. And for good reason! The transformations that Gohar makes with women are simply amazing.
Makeup artist Thea Flego
A Croatian makeup artist named Teja has become famous for skillfully doing makeup for her 80-year-old grandmother. You can be beautiful at any age!
Makeup artist Melissa Murphy
Melissa Murphy is known for her work with porn actresses. Yes, yes, the makeup of Playboy beauties is her work.
Makeup artist Vadim Andreev
St. Petersburg makeup artist Vadim Andrei loves working with Natasha Koroleva and Elena Vaenga. It’s not surprising, because his works are worthy of star beauties.
Makeup artist Anar Agakishiev
Georgian make-up artist works wonders! His trick is to restore youth to women of any age.
Makeup artist Veronica Kalasheva
Veronika Kalasheva recently worked in the Ai Lab studio of the popular Instagrammer Aiza Dolmatova. But the girls did not get along, and now Veronica has opened her own salon and her own makeup school.
Makeup artist Serdar Kambarov
Serdar Kambarov was born and spent almost his entire life in Ufa, and now shines on television in a famous show together with Ksenia Borodina. What a success!
Modern women rarely go out in public without makeup. Even when going to the store to buy bread, girls apply foundation, mascara and lip gloss, and sometimes do a full make-up to look 100%.
Cosmetics can do a lot, but the main thing is to apply it correctly so as not to make the image look too adult or vulgar. We decided to look at examples of transformation, and there really is something to see here!
Noticeable transformation
Some girls suffer greatly from acne, are embarrassed about their appearance and are afraid to appear in public. Previously, it was believed that decorative cosmetics only clogged pores and contributed to the formation of acne, but today cosmetics are mostly aimed not only at masking the problem, but also at treating it. Therefore, when choosing cosmetics for problem and oily skin, you should pay attention to the composition of the product. For example, creams that contain seaweed are perfect, but talc should be avoided, as it will irritate already inflamed skin. Also for girls with oily skin It is necessary to choose mattifying foundations, without shimmers. You should also be careful with shining powders and illuminizers, they can create a greasy shine effect.
Girl with problem skin 
A woman with any skin type can be transformed
Makeup for mature skin
Mature skin requires special nutrition, so it is advisable to make moisturizing masks with collagen or hyaluronic acid shortly before applying makeup. Next, in order for the cosmetics to remain on the face longer and not crease, it is necessary to apply a moisturizing primer, and dust with a thin layer of light loose powder on top, preferably pearl or any other colorless one. The foundation is then applied in a thin layer, several times if necessary. Setting makeup with powder on a mature face is not recommended, as this will only emphasize age.
The skin needs to be well moisturized before applying makeup.
To make your face look younger, you can use one simple trick - make your eyebrows a little lighter. You should also choose a lipstick that is subtle but filling in color, which will not emphasize the folds and wrinkles of your lips, but will not make your lips look pale. And don’t get carried away with sculpting; a light touch of blush will be enough!
Noticeable result
Sometimes you just need to highlight the beauty of your eyes
Girls who do not accept sculpting, do not like to wear a lot of makeup on themselves and go with virtually no makeup, still sometimes need to adjust their appearance. For example, sometimes it is enough to even out the skin tone, make the eyes more expressive and emphasize the beauty of the lips or cheeks, and the image immediately plays with new colors. If a girl beautiful shape eyebrows, but they clearly lack color, then you can correct the situation using a modeling pencil of a natural color. They do not need to paint the entire eyebrow; it is enough to fill only those places where there are gaps. Then the eyebrows will look more uniform and stylish. Moreover, beautiful eyebrows are in fashion today.
Radiant skin is in fashion today
Just a few strokes
From a simple girl to a Hollywood star
Focus on the eyes
Natural beauty
Makeup that makes you look older
Not all women strive to look young; some girls lack respectability - they are not taken seriously, are not hired for a good position, or are considered naive. In this case, you should think about mature makeup, for example, make your eyebrows darker, highlight your cheekbones, or choose a rich, deep shade of lipstick. The shape of the eyebrows can play an important role; for example, a slightly arched eyebrow speaks of cunning and wisdom. This is worth taking note!
To look more respectable...
It is worth making your eyebrows darker and choosing a rich shade of lipstick
Often newly converted Christians (and not only “newcomers” to the faith) encounter difficulties when it comes to church holidays. Every important event for an Orthodox person has its own traditions and prohibitions. One of the most important Orthodox dates is the Transfiguration of the Lord. What kind of holiday is this, when is it celebrated and what rituals should be observed on this day, read the material from Find out.rf.
What is Transfiguration
The full name of the holiday is the Transfiguration of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Literally translated it means: metamorphosis, changing form and the whole self, transforming into another species; a holiday of soul, renewal, light and love.The Divine Transfiguration of Christ is a visual manifestation of the kingdom of God on earth, the personification of His greatness and glory on Mount Tabor before the apostles - disciples. On this day people should think about spiritual change.
According to legend, the Savior, after half of His earthly ministry, decided to show the three disciples (John, James and Peter) the glory of His Divinity and prepare them for His death and subsequent resurrection. To pray, Christ and his followers climbed Mount Tabor, a hill located near Nazareth, to pray.
All symbols of the holiday contain a deep edifying meaning. Mount Tabor is no exception. Translated, “favor” means “chamber of purity and light,” a silent, secluded place for praying, which helps connect the human restless mind with God.
While Christ was saying prayers, the disciples dozed off, and when they woke up, they saw that Jesus had been transformed: his face shone like the Sun, and his clothes became whiter than snow. The prophets Elijah and Moses stood nearby, talking about the upcoming event. The students felt joy and peace. A cloud appeared nearby, from which God’s voice spoke with the instruction: “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him.”
When the vision disappeared, the Savior told the disciples that He was called to Earth as a sacrifice to die for the sins of people, but three days after death He would resurrect and ascend to heaven. Jesus ordered his disciples to keep secret what he told them before his resurrection. This event is described in detail in the Synoptic Gospels of Luke, Mark and Matthew.
When is the Transfiguration of the Lord celebrated?
The Transfiguration of the Lord (Second or Apple Savior) is one of the most important Christian holidays. Belongs to the twelve - the 12 most important after Easter Orthodox holidays, mostly with a fixed date.Celebrated every year on August 19 in memory of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ on Mount Tabor. According to the old style - August 6.
As stated in the Gospel, the Transfiguration occurred 40 days before Easter, but is celebrated not in February, but in August, otherwise the celebration would have taken place during Lent. On the 40th day after the event, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is celebrated (September 27).History of the celebration of the Transfiguration of the Lord
The Transfiguration of the Lord is one of the most ancient holidays. The first mention of it dates back to the 4th century, but most likely it was noted long before that. Celebrating this day when God appeared to people in human form, the Orthodox Church professes the union of two natures in Christ: divine and human.In the 4th century, Equal-to-the-Apostles Holy Queen Helena erected a temple on the site of the Transfiguration of the Lord, and from that day on, celebrations were announced in honor of the event. In the places where the Savior’s disciples slept, a three-altar temple was built. Three more temples were erected in the 6th century: in the name of the prophets Elijah, Moses and the Savior himself.
In the 19th century, Archimandrite Irinarch and Hierodeacon Nestor established an altar on Mount Tabor, and prayer services were served for pilgrims who donated funds for the construction and support of the temple. Irinarch did not live to see the illumination of the shrine by Patriarch Kirill II of Jerusalem for only a year.
Icon of Transfiguration
In the Festive Row of the Orthodox iconostasis there is an icon of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the plot of which became canonical already in the 6th century. 
In the center of the canvas is Jesus Christ in White shining robes, to the right and left of Him are the Old Testament prophets: the mature Elijah and the young Moses. Below are the fallen apostles. Icon painters depict Christ in an oval or oval halo round shape. The light emanating from Christ divides the icon into earthly and heavenly principles, opposite to each other.
This is one of the most recognizable biblical scenes in church art. The most famous icon of the Transfiguration in Russia (early 15th century) belongs to the author of Theophanes the Greek and is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery.
Customs and signs
On August 19 - Apple Savior - in all Orthodox churches, clergy put on festive white vestments, personifying the Divine Light, like the one that appeared on Mount Tabor, and conduct festive services.After the main part, fruits are blessed - the custom is described in the Old Testament, when people offered cereals and bunches of grapes to the Jerusalem Temple as a sign of nobility to the Lord. This ritual has a symbolic meaning - nature is renewed together with man. In countries where grapes do not grow, people consecrate apples. This is how the popular name of the holiday arose - Apple Savior.
According to signs, it is believed that whatever the weather will be on August 19, on the Second Spas, the same will be the case throughout January. Clear weather means a harsh and long winter, rainy weather means snowy, cloudy or dry weather means the same autumn.
How to celebrate and what not to do
On the Second Savior, according to tradition, all Christian believers must go to church, not forgetting to take apples with them for consecration.Before this significant day, it is forbidden to eat the fruits of the new harvest, but on this day Christians try the new harvest for the first time.
In modern Orthodox calendar The holiday falls on the Dormition Fast; on the occasion of the event, according to the church charter, you can eat fish, but it is prohibited:- gluttonize;
- consume dairy products, meat;
- have fun.
Man and the whole world acquire a blessed, changed state with His Resurrection. The one who realizes his actions, repents of them, is freed from mental torment, dirt and can accept the uncreated Divine Light or the Uncreated Light, which is in every person.
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Z Hello, dear visitors of the Orthodox website “Family and Faith”!
P The transfiguration of the Lord is a significant event in the earthly life of our Lord Jesus Christ. Having transformed himself before his three beloved disciples, Jesus Christ showed the apostles His Divine glory, which He had always possessed. By this, the Lord confirmed to His disciples that His upcoming sufferings would be free.
N and in Rus' this holiday was called (and is still called) with special love - Apple Savior! It was on August 19 (and according to the old style this holiday fell on August 6), after serving the Divine Liturgy, that the new harvest of apples was blessed. And then -
"V“You could hear the juicy crunch of apples in the streets all day long,”
– recalling his childhood, writes the Russian writer V. A. Nikiforov-Volgin.
N We also enclose the Preobrazhensky episode of the program “Conversations with the Father” on the Soyuz TV channel, the guest of which was Abbot Damian (Zaletov), rector of the Church of the Holy Righteous Theodore Ushakov in South Butovo. Broadcast from Moscow.
T The theme of the program is festive, and is entirely dedicated to the Transfiguration.
Orthodox website "Family and Faith"
Presenter: Denis Beresnev
Transcript: Yulia Podzolova
— Hello, dear TV viewers. The program “Conversations with Father” is broadcast on the Soyuz TV channel. In the studio of Denis Beresnev. Today our guest is the rector of the Church of the Holy Righteous Theodore Ushakov in South Butovo Moscow Abbot Damian (Zaletov).Hello, father.
- Hello, Denis. Hello, dear TV viewers.
— Today the theme of our program is “The Transfiguration of the Lord.”
Why is the Transfiguration considered the culmination of the Savior’s earthly journey?
— I would say differently: not the climax, but preparation for it. If we use the word “climax,” it rather refers to the suffering and resurrection of the Lord. Ascension is the completion of our earthly journey and our transformation.
The Transfiguration prepares Christians for these great events and the understanding of Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world. In the liturgical texts of the holiday we hear words about the preparation of the apostles, that they needed to deepen their understanding of Christ. We also need to deepen our understanding of Christ.
On the other hand, the apostles specifically needed preparation for the upcoming Golgotha. It was a big test for them, and we know how difficult it was. But we must follow this path, although formally we are familiar with the events of the Gospel, we know about the crucifixion of Christ, about His resurrection. But often our understanding is superficial, and we need to penetrate these events, become their accomplices, and share them.
What is required to become a co-worker or employee? You have to stand somewhere nearby, be close. This requires a change in our human nature. We need to change, that is, transform. Our soul must be transformed, and our life must be transformed. As we transform ourselves internally and work on ourselves, we become closer to Christ.
The result, or as we say, the culmination, is the Resurrection of Christ. The Apostle Paul writes that without the resurrection our faith is vain. Resurrection is the final permanent and already irrevocable transfiguration of Christ. If after the Transfiguration the Lord still returned to His form, hidden for man, to the humble form of the Son of Man, then after His Resurrection He is already the constantly transformed Son of God, revealed to us through human nature.
The Apostle Paul therefore writes: we no longer know Christ before the crucifixion, we only know Him risen. And the apostles received their first experience of this acquaintance during the Transfiguration. Although they failed to realize a lot, experience is very important.
This is also very instructive for us: we must try, work, even if we do not understand something yet. For example, the experience of fasting, the experience of prayer. Some say that something is incomprehensible to them or something is difficult, but experience itself is gradual knowledge, it gives a person what he needs. If we put it off all the time, we may never acquire it.
The Transfiguration is, first of all, a gospel event, reflecting an event in the life of Christ, but on the other hand, it is eternally reflected in our life and our practice. What was necessary to become a participant in the Transfiguration?
— Not all the apostles climbed the mountain with Christ. Why did He take only three disciples with Him?
— The event of the Transfiguration itself suggests that it is universal in nature, and for this it is not the number of participants that is important, but the event itself and the participation in it of a person, a disciple, an apostle, a Christian. Just as not everyone was an event of the Resurrection, but now we are all participants in the Resurrection to the end of the age and the General Resurrection.
The symbolic ascent to the mountain means that we break away from the earthly and rise to the heavenly. For Christ, all important events take place on hills, because it helped to renounce, to break away from the bustle. You are higher - closer to Heaven.
Those who were on the Mount of Temptations, on Mount Tabor, the Mount of Beatitudes, each one requires that they make an effort to climb it. Requires both physical and spiritual effort. Climbing a mountain is work. Detachment is good, but what is needed for this? To make an effort, to climb, is also a huge school of the soul.
The Feast of the Transfiguration falls during the Dormition Fast. This is also a wise structure of the Church. We are just climbing the mountain of fasting, and this holiday should just fall during fasting. You can become imbued with the Feast of the Transfiguration only by climbing in Lent, being in its labor.
We can assume that when the apostles climbed the mountain, they did not carry bags with food and drink. Maybe there was some kind of spring on Mount Tabor, perhaps some wild fruits, grass. It is clear that in such conditions the disciples had a fast: bread and water. These were always not fast ascents, which means that some kind of fasting arose. That is, all this was impossible without fasting, some kind of work on oneself.
Here we need to grasp this point: not just the one who worked gets a reward, but those who work, they already change themselves. You work on yourself, you overcome - this is the transformation of a person.
— The Transfiguration took place before the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ, so why is the Feast of the Transfiguration celebrated after Easter?
- Firstly, we have a liturgical year, which we call a liturgical circle, and the whole life of the Savior is inserted into it, as well as holidays associated with the Mother of God, other church events, and there is a certain overlap. But if you start to miscalculate, many holidays are interdependent and complementary. If we are talking about the circle of services, then why “after”, maybe “before”? After all, this is a spiral, and people who know the liturgical rules see these patterns.
Throughout the year, perhaps at every service, we remember both the Nativity of Christ and His crucifixion - every Wednesday and Friday, every Sunday. During periods of this circle, all of these themes are constantly present.
Transfiguration is the final part of the year, as the liturgical year ends in August. The New Year begins in September. The Feast of the Mother of God - the Assumption - ends the liturgical year in August. The new church year begins with the Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God. Then there will be the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, the cross is the instrument of our salvation. These memories of Christ, his suffering, and resurrection are always present in our liturgical circle. One is unthinkable without the other.
— Why is the Transfiguration sometimes called the second Savior? What does it mean?
— This is folk terminology, the perception of the people associated with the end of summer, the beginning of autumn, the ripening of fruits. This is how certain connections arise. First, the Transfiguration is highlighted, then the Image Not Made by Hands, and these holidays are called Spasami, rounded up. They are associated with the consecration of certain products, but this is a separate topic.
- Please tell us about this.
— First of all, the main idea enshrined in our worship is the consecration of the first fruits of the first fruits and fruits in general. What appears through our labor and thanks to the Lord’s mercy, which sends us strength, weather, and the gift of all this to us for food. And we thank the Lord for this. The beginnings are the results of any labor.
Previously, within our Russian Church, there were generally similar fruits and vegetables, and everything ripened at about the same time, so it was tied to the Transfiguration. But it is not connected with a deep historical understanding of this event.
The idea is to illuminate the beginnings. For example, we picked the first handful of raspberries in our garden, and there will be many more. We present the first handful of the product created by our labor to the Lord and tell Him:
- We thank You, Lord, that You have given us this fruit blessed by You.
And for humility, obedience and gratitude, the Lord blesses our work. We dedicate the first fruit to the Lord. On earth the Lord is revealed by the Church, the Body of Christ, which means we bring fruit to the Church as a donation, to the poor and the needy. That is, not everything for ourselves, but we give the first to the First, we thank the Lord and give.
A prayer for consecration is read, and this is a clear manifestation of God’s blessing on everything else that has grown. If a person does this, his entire harvest is already blessed.
It seems to me that we now have two erroneous nuances. Firstly, a connection to the Transfiguration, since we now have a variety of fruits that ripen at different times. This should be done with everything: with the first cucumbers, tomatoes. This is the action of love and humility. There should not be a strict connection to the date, otherwise what would happen with other fruits and other varieties.
Secondly, this should concern, first of all, those fruits that we must create with our labor. Because now, unlike recently, the majority of the population is urban residents, and also because we have fruits and vegetables all year round.
But if we have great success, then it may not be for our good. As in the parable about a certain man who gathered a large harvest, stuffed everything into barns and said:
“I have everything in stock for many years.” Soul, rejoice, eat, drink, be merry.
And the Lord says to him:
- Madman, this night your soul will be taken from you. Who did you prepare all this for?
—What is the meaning of the appearance of Moses and Elijah on Mount Tabor?
— This is a very remarkable detail of the Transfiguration of the Lord, which is evidence of the eternal existence of the soul, that with God everyone is alive.
The Lord at one time explained to the Sadducees and others what the meaning of the resurrection was and said:
“You don’t know either the Scriptures or the power of God, but with the Lord everyone is alive.” He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living.
Here is evidence of this for those who seek to be with the Lord. These people, the greatest righteous people, exist and are present in this world, and they are close to the Lord. This is a consolation for them - be faithful to the Lord, and you will always find yourself close to Him.
These righteous people are among the most prominent personalities of the Old Testament. Prophet Elijah is a participant in the entire world history: the deep Old Testament, the times of the prophets, the struggle for the truth, then the mysterious withdrawal from this world, then participation in the First and Second Coming of Christ. John the Baptist was called the prophet Elijah who appeared. These two great men saw with their own eyes what they believed and hoped for. Of course, they did not doubt the existence of God, but how can Salvation be realized? They believed that the Lord would not leave, although it was very far from them. And the fact that they have now seen it with their own eyes, what a triumph it is for them.
We know that then the Lord descends to hell, to Sheol, and brings out the righteous from there: Moses, all the prophets, forefathers, ancient patriarchs. They all saw the Savior and became partakers. For us Christians, this is doubly inspiration and hope, because we are already participants in the Transfiguration, the Resurrection of the Lord. How firm and unshakable we must be. They saw salvation in the fog of the future, but we see salvation already in reality, so we have no reason to be despondent and despair.
Like Elijah and Moses, we ourselves now stand before Christ and see Him in the temple of God, in the Sacraments, and we ask Him: let us be participants in Your Resurrection.
The Icon of the Transfiguration shows us this well: in the center is Christ, the mountain as an important symbol, on top are Moses and Elijah, as a kind of image of true Christians, and the apostles who lie in fear. This is still us - we are in growth, we are in hope.
The Apostle Peter, seeing the transfigured Christ, said: It is good for us to be here. And we say this, both church people and non-church people: the Lord helps us, saves us, it’s good for us on God’s earth. But this is not enough: we are not just consumers, we are participants, employees, we are called to more.
Unique, rare words of God the Father, which sound as if in contrast to the words of the Apostle Peter. Appearances of God the Father in gospel history are rare, and here He says:
- This is My beloved Son, listen to Him.
That is, listen not to yourself - it’s good for us, but listen to Christ - and it will be even better, you will stand like Moses and Elijah.
—What is the meaning of the words of the Apostle Peter about the three tabernacles?
- Three tabernacles - three houses, three huts. That is, to stop the moment, a certain static state, nothing else is needed - this is also a feature of human thinking.
God’s plan is different: for us to endlessly rejoice and improve in God. There is an even more beautiful path, this is just a glimpse, and ahead is the Resurrection and the path of suffering towards it. Unfortunately, Peter will still have time to utter other words.
This static nature does not resolve the issue: good is good, but the person is still weak, has not yet understood himself, has not tested himself, has not renounced earthly passions and fears. You must become a participant. The greatest task set before us by Christ is to be holy as I am Holy. Therefore, staticity is unacceptable. Listening not to yourself, but to Christ - these are the commandments, the Gospel, Calvary, the Resurrection, and everything that happened before the Ascension, when you had to listen to Him and follow Him. Everything became different there, and the tabernacles were no longer needed, but: Their messages went out into all the earth, and their words went out to the ends of the world.. They brought the good news and their joy to the whole world
By the way, here is a hint for the behavior of some individuals and groups of individuals: if true joy and happiness comes from God, then when someone is locked somewhere, what we call separated communities or schisms is a static quality that is incompatible with them. The Church is constantly growing, it is constantly with Christ, even the Kingdom of Heaven is a constant movement in the infinite goodness of God. There is no static nature in God, but endless improvement and joy. But this must be achieved, and for this we must listen to Christ. Here is a reminder that you need to read the Gospel, the direct commandment of God the Father: “Listen to Christ.” Whoever does not listen to Christ, does not listen to God the Father, is in a sad state: a state of sleep and “humility,” that is, limitation, primitiveness.
— After His transfiguration, the Lord Jesus Christ descended with his disciples from Mount Tabor and performed a miracle of healing the demon-possessed youth. Does this healing of the youth have any symbolic meaning?
- Certainly. There is a mysterious moment in the Gospel: it is said that people ran up and greeted Christ in a special way. Apparently, even those who did not participate in the transfiguration of Christ, although He was already in in the usual form, after all, people felt a certain breath of inner light and warmth from Him. A certain attractive force from Him, which caused, perhaps, not even a meaningful desire to be with Christ.
Of course, the events of the youth’s healing have a deep connection with the previous transfiguration on Mount Tabor. This is a continuation of the idea that we are to be partners and co-workers with God.
The disciples could not cope with the healing of this youth, and then the Lord said a very important phrase: only prayer and fasting crush the forces of the devil. It would seem, what does our fasting and our prayer have to do with someone else? It turns out that they mean that if we work on ourselves, we become partakers of God’s economy of salvation, we become co-workers with God. And God’s co-workers already have strength from God, since they are His co-workers. Strength to fight the devil and evil.
“So the students didn’t have enough strength?”
“Maybe there was some kind of arrogance.” It seems to me that here there is also an exposure of certain false healers, some of whom are scoundrels, but the rest are collaborators of the devil. Because a true gift is given to those who work with God. Some imagined that they were good and correct in themselves. So who are they working with?
After all, he who works with God listens to Christ, his whole life must be directed according to the Gospel: Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are the merciful, and further. This is what gives the right to be with God, and then the Lord gives gifts to whoever needs them. We know that many saints had various gifts precisely because they worked with God. This is what the Lord speaks about in his words “This generation is driven out only by prayer and fasting“, that is, not some magical formulas and acts, but the self-improvement of a person through fasting and prayer. Work must be with Christ, and this is His power - to give to whomever He wants. All this, of course, is based on repentance and humility.
— The Gospel says that a cloud overshadowed Christ’s disciples on Mount Tabor. What symbolic meaning does this cloud have?
- This is another wonderful image. We have every right to call the Feast of the Transfiguration the Day of the Holy Trinity. We mainly call this the Feast of Pentecost because on this day the grace of the Holy Spirit appeared in full. There will never be a more vibrant presence of the Holy Trinity, like the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and His Church, in the world. It is like the bud that blossomed on the day of Pentecost, the final, real salvation, thanks to the grace of all Three Persons of the Holy Trinity.
The hidden Holy Trinity appeared more than once in the Old Testament. But this was a pre-indication; She did not yet have a world soteriological action in the world. Perhaps it was in relation to Abraham, and in him in relation to all future humanity - these are also interesting meanings.
But the first bright appearance of the Holy Trinity is the day of Epiphany. The Son is baptized, the voice of God the Father is heard, and the Holy Spirit appears in the form of a dove. Also a very important parallel: Epiphany - Transfiguration. Without our baptism our transformation is impossible. Baptism is the beginning of transformation. Baptism, transfiguration, and then resurrection. Everything is interconnected, there is a clear logical soteriological line.
Transfiguration - The Son reveals his divine nature. The voice of God the Father is heard, and a cloud appears, which symbolizes the Holy Spirit. The Gospel clearly states the sacred nature of this cloud. The entire Holy Trinity appears again, and this reminds us who our God is, and what the essence of our salvation is - in returning to God. This return is given to us through the ministry of God in the Person of Jesus Christ. He became incarnate and added human nature “unfused, unchangeable, indivisible, inseparable,” and gave us the guarantee of salvation. This is a very beautiful, inspiring dogmatic theme.
Everything is amazingly interconnected: the ministry of Christ, the Gospel, all these events. All the phenomena of the Holy Trinity are increasing: Baptism, Transfiguration, Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of tongues of fire. This is already our particle, our life, our practice. Man seemed to be preparing for this - in the form of the apostles, disciples, because they were the first clergy, the first bishops of the Church, and this is how they prepared for their service. It was not for nothing that when they chose an apostle instead of the traitor Judas, they chose the one who was with Christ from the moment of His baptism from John. That is, a kind of full course of “spiritual academy” with Christ and complicity, empathy.
God is getting closer and closer to us, He comes to meet us, like a father goes to meet the prodigal son, but we could only reunite with Him after the events on Calvary and His Resurrection. So far there has been no glorification of Christ on the Cross, because when someone sacrifices himself, no matter how scary it may look, this is the glory of a person, and in this case, the God-man. This is the highest sacrifice that can be on earth.
So this is a wonderful and inspiring holiday, and God grant that we do not narrow it down to apples and fruits, although this is an important issue for us.
— Why did Christ command to keep secret what he saw on Mount Tabor for some time?
- Just as He commanded His disciples not to reveal until the time who He is the Son of God. It is clear that the disciples who were next to Him, saw His deeds, began to understand that He was not a prophet, not a King, but Someone greater. And the Apostle Peter says to Him: You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. This understanding did not happen because the apostles were attentive and guessed; this knowledge was also a gift of the Holy Spirit. It was necessary to mature in this, to be imbued with it. Before Golgotha, before His Resurrection, it was impossible to put an end to the understanding of Christ. Some people wanted to put an end to this - those who shouted “Hosanna” at His entry into Jerusalem. They recognized: here is the king, the prophet, so give it to us. And then: oh, you don’t give or you don’t give what we need, then crucify Him.
Therefore, before the Crucifixion and Resurrection, it was impossible to fully understand who Christ was. So that this is already the main idea in life. Transfiguration actually tells us about this. The Church in the troparion and kontakion mentions that the Lord shows His glory before His suffering in order to strengthen the apostles for that highest test, the “exam” in the knowledge of Christ, which is yet to come. And we remember how difficult this “exam” of the Cross was for them, and no less difficult the “exam” of the Resurrection. The Gospel gives living, human details: how they were afraid, saw and doubted, experienced, and so on. It was possible to put an end to understanding, confessing and talking about this only after the Resurrection.
The Resurrection itself shows how the apostles matured, came to this and became real confessors of Christ, witnesses. This word appears after the Resurrection. Witnesses with their lives. In Greek the word martyr means witness, and we call martyrs witnesses of Christ.
Transfiguration is the support of students on this difficult and great path, so it was not for chatter, not for stories about a miracle.
- But all the disciples probably needed support, why did Christ take only three? Maybe if Judas had been on Tabor, he would not have betrayed Christ?
— In this case, we are not talking about individuals, but about the principle: Christ does not take three, but takes disciples. The Apostle Peter was on Tabor and denied Christ three times. The lesson for us is that faith is not acquired through external miracles or external effects. The Lord Himself said in a parable: that even if the dead are resurrected, they will not believe, and that if they do not listen to Moses, that is, Scripture, no external effects will create faith. Because faith in the biblical sense means free life choice. Not some kind of fear and an attempt to “join”, but a desire to share the work and path with God. I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.
It doesn’t matter how many students there are, the result would be the same. This is a hint for all of us: thanks to this event and the Gospel, this is available to everyone. Although we already know the entire sequence of events, our path of faith follows this gradualness and consistency. It’s not enough to know, you need to make it your main life goal, path, truth and your life. And here we, although we know the whole Gospel, know about the Resurrection, follow the same path as the apostles, since we have not yet been imbued with all this.
For example, we must consciously empathize with all the events of the liturgical circle, read the Gospel, some moments of meeting with Christ will definitely happen in our lives - maybe these are those glimpses, like the Transfiguration. How can we respond to these glimpses? First option: it’s good for us to be here, let’s make a tabernacle. We need to think about whether we are making a tabernacle? Think about it. When we realize this, we admire it and, already knowing about our goal, we begin to work. Each glimpse excites us to greater diligence, understanding, comprehension, work, which is already expressed in our everyday life: love, kindness, patience, humility, and so on. We know that we do not need a tabernacle, but we are going to Calvary and the General Resurrection.
- Thank you very much, Father Damian. Our transmission time has come to an end. Bless our viewers.
- Thank you very much for your attention. On this wonderful Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, I wish everyone to feel the joy of the divine Tabor light, so that it illuminates our path in life and is the guarantee of the eternal sun of truth of the risen Lord.
God bless everyone. Happy holiday!
