Piety is what? The meaning of the word "piety"

The big problem of modern mankind lies in the fact that we have lost the true meaning of a huge number of very important words, such as love, honesty, chastity and many others. The word "piety" is no exception. It appeared in the Russian language as an attempt to translate the Greek ευσέβεια (evsebiya), which means homage to parents, superiors, brothers and sisters, gratitude, piety, due regard for everything that a person meets in life.

"Translation" into modern language

First you need to consider how this word can be understood by a modern person, far from the Church. If we take it apart, it turns out that piety is a combination of two concepts: "good" and "honor." With the words "good", "good" everything is simple. They mean all the good, the good, the positive. But with the word "honor" is already more difficult. Honor is honor, respect, dignity, chastity, and integrity. "Honest Word" is not just truthful, but trustworthy. If you think about it, it turns out that this is an exceptionally positive characterization of the person around. Something like a reputation. But the reputation can be bad or good, and the honor is either there or absent. It is impossible to be "wicked" or "wicked". That is, in the understanding of modern man "piety" is an enhanced positive meaning of the concept of "honor."

Holy Fathers about piety

The best books about piety are the Old and New Testaments. You can understand them only by reading the Holy Fathers. These people especially - by life, deeds, refusal of any excesses - attracted the Holy Spirit, who revealed to them the real meaning of Holy Scripture. It can be said that everything written by all the saints, theologians, speaks specifically of the true worship of God. What are the types of piety?

"The first - not to sin, the second - having sinned, to carry the coming sorrows, the third kind is that, if we do not transfer sorrows, weep for lack of patience ..." (Reverend Mark the Slave).

"The piety of the present is not only to not do evil, but not to think about it" (the Monk Symeon the New Theologian).

Church Translation

What does this word mean in the understanding of the Church? Piety is the worship of good. Since for a believing person, good is God, then, accordingly, the Christian understanding of this word consists in honoring, glorifying the Creator through the fulfillment of the commandments of Christ. "Lord, save the pious ..." - the clergymen turn to God daily during the service. "And hear us (us) ..." - they conclude the appeal. That is, the text of the church prayer assumes that the fact that a person is in the temple takes part in the service already confirms that he glorifies God. This is the underwater stone. It is important to remember that the words of prayer are called pious people in order to remind them that they should try to comply with this definition.

Demonstrative piety

Unfortunately, many vetschkovlennye people find for themselves in these words an inexhaustible source of recharge for conceit. Hence, a demonstrative form of piety is born - a desire to show everyone around and emphasize its high dignity: "I glorify God!". Last but not least, this is why the word "piety" is missing in the lexicon of most modern people: its meaning is distorted and associated with ostentatious religiosity, hypocrisy, pomposity, cleanliness. But the main reason that this word has disappeared from everyday life, of course, is that the very worship of God is not in the minds and hearts of people.

Faith of the father in the son

And should be this. Suppose a son talks with his father, whom he loves and respects. The father says to him: "I am glad that you are an honest man." The son at this time remembers how at breakfast he lied that he had already gone into the room. He, of course, becomes ashamed? And he confesses to his father that he acted dishonestly (something like this happens during confession in the temple). Then the son gives his father out loud, and to himself mentally, the word that from now on all diligence will apply to not lying any more. So during prayer, a person hears: "Lord, save the pious ...". He understands that he is not completely pious or does not have the right to attribute this word to himself. Then (in the norm), he has a firm desire to achieve true piety.

View from the outside

There is also the opposite problem. A person who starts to visit the church often, gives alms, observes fasts, prays at home, is inevitably subjected to a strict court of colleagues, family members, acquaintances. Especially if he often shares his impressions of services or pilgrimages. It is not necessary to hurry immediately to hang a shameful mark on such a person. It must be remembered that we can not know what is actually moving them. We must approach each other in terms of "presumption of innocence." Perhaps, the imaginary braggart often talks about the church, in order to share his joy. Most believers have an irresistible desire to "pull" everyone who comes across their eyes to the temple. They are good there. Therefore, they really want everyone to know what they are voluntarily deprived of. And most importantly - not everything that is done in sight, is on display.

A pious woman

Women's piety ... The meaning of this word, more precisely the word combination, is best explained with a concrete example.

The piety of a woman is necessarily reflected in appearance. There are no specific strict requirements for clothing, except for one: "A wife praying with uncovered head ... shames her head ...". But the inner state of a person is always reflected in the external appearance. If everything goes right in the woman's soul, then she will gradually refuse to use cosmetics and ornaments, at least while visiting the church. On high heels, legs get tired very quickly, which means that it is impossible to defend a two-hour service without damage to health. Doing bows in a short tight skirt is just inconvenient. But the main requirement for a woman striving for real piety is chastity, that is, the desire, including in appearance, to create conditions (for oneself and for others) that promote prayer, and not distract from it.

The model of female Christian piety, of course, is the Mother of God. During the earthly life, she did not seek to adorn herself with expensive clothes or jewelry. All of Her attention was devoted to prayer, to contemplation of God, to reading the Scriptures, to reflections on what she had read, and on needlework. She loved to spend time in silence, solitude and left the house only to visit the temple.

The whole image of an Orthodox woman is a peculiar form of piety. God can be glorified and beauty, born of a healthy lifestyle, emphasizing her modesty, neatness, matched with taste clothes. Normally, worship is expressed by the desire to create healthy relationships in the family and at work, self-expression as a wife, mother, or dedication of all of his life to God (monasticism).

How is piety expressed?

So what is piety? The meaning of the word gives only a vague idea of this. Its traditional understanding presupposes, first of all, regular attendance of services, participation in the Sacraments, observance of all church ordinances, fasting and the fulfillment of the prayer rule of the house. But those who strictly comply with all these conditions and at the same time do not change anything in their lives, relationships with others, very quickly find that they do not reach the desired state of the soul. A truly pious person is due to whom others see the love of God for all people from his actions or the events of his life. Anyone who does at least something in the way Christ did in his place, who relates all his words and even his thoughts to God's assessment - truly reveres God. The one who has received relief or help from God, gladly shares his story with other people - truly praises God. And the services, prayers, Sacraments and fasts only help in this, as the medicines help to regain health. No patient is proud to go to physiotherapy, but every reasonable person listens and follows the doctor's instructions carefully. Christian piety is a true love for God, for people and for oneself.

The essence of true piety in the Gospel episode is very well explained, when Christ talks with the Samaritan woman at the well. It was then that he first said that God expects people to worship in spirit and truth, and not just in words. What does it mean to worship in spirit and truth? Jews for worship of God were to make a trip to Jerusalem, and the Samaritans - to climb Mount Gerizim and sacrifice dead animals and birds. The veneration of God became for both, and for others, a tribute to tradition, a routine routine. This worship of the body, without any participation of the spirit (the same is happening now with many Christians, for whom all the piety lies in exhibiting services).

Jesus promised the Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob that the time is not far off when true worshipers of God will worship Him in spirit and truth. That is, it will not be necessary to climb a mountain or to travel the distance from your native city to Jerusalem, dragging on yourself a sacrifice unnecessary to God (He already owns everything material in this world). It is enough in your heart to turn to the Creator sincerely, and not by tradition or habit.