Clean monday. Vanya wakes up in his native Zamoskvoretsky house. Great Lent begins, and everything is ready for it.

The boy hears his father scolding the senior clerk, Vasil Vasilich: yesterday his people escorted Maslenitsa, drunk, rolled people from the hills and "nearly mutilated the public." Vani’s father, Sergei Ivanovich, is well known in Moscow: he is a contractor, the owner is kind and energetic. After lunch, the father forgives Vasil Vasilich. In the evening, Vanya and Gorkin go to church: special Lenten services began. Gorkin is a former carpenter. He is already old, and therefore does not work, but simply lives "at home", takes care of Vanya.

Spring morning. Vanya looks out the window as they fill the cellar with ice, and he goes with Gorkin to the Lean Market for supplies. The Annunciation comes - on this day, "everyone should make someone happy." Father forgives Denis, who drank the owner's revenue. Comes a merchant of songbirds Solodovkin. All together, as is customary, birds are released. In the evening they learn that because of the ice drift their father’s barges “cut off”. The father and his assistants manage to catch them.

Easter. Father arranges illumination in his parish church and, most importantly, in the Kremlin. A festive dinner is in the courtyard, the owners have lunch with their employees. After the holidays, new workers come to be hired. The Iveron Icon of the Virgin is solemnly brought into the house - to pray to her before starting work.

Vanya goes to Trinity with Gorkin to the Sparrow Hills for birches, then with his father - for flowers. On the day of the holiday, the church, decorated with flowers and greenery, turns into a “sacred garden”.

The Transfiguration is approaching - the apple Spas. An apple tree is shaking in the garden, and then Vanya and Gorkin go to the Swamp to the apple trader Krapivkin. You need a lot of apples: for yourself, for workers, for clergy, for parishioners.

Frosty, snowy winter. Christmas. A shoemaker comes to the house with the boys “praise Christ”. They give a little idea about King Herod. Beggars-miserable come, they are served "for the holiday." In addition, as always, they arrange a dinner “for different people,” that is, for the poor. Van is always curious to look at outlandish "different" people.

Christmas time has come. Parents left for the theater, and Vanya goes to the kitchen, to the people. Gorkin suggests fortune telling "in the circle of Tsar Solomon." He reads to each saying - to whom what will happen. True, he himself chooses these sayings, taking advantage of the fact that the rest are illiterate. Only Vanya notices the cunning of Gorkin. But the fact is that Gorkin wants for everyone to read the most suitable and instructive.

Water is blessed at Epiphany in the Moscow River, and many, including Gorkin, bathe in the ice hole. Vasil Vasilich competes with the German “Iceman”, who will sit longer in the water. They are contrived: the German is rubbed with pork fat, Vasil Vasilich - with goose. A soldier competes with them, and without any tricks. Vasil Vasilich wins. And the father takes the soldier as a guard.

Maslenitsa. Workers bake pancakes. The bishop arrives, to prepare the festive treats, the chef Garanka is invited. On Saturday, famously ride from the mountains. And on Sunday everyone asks each other for forgiveness before the beginning of Lent.

Gorkin and Vanya go to the icebreaker to “clean up”: Vasil Vasilich drinks everything, but you need to have time to bring the ice to the customer. However, it turns out that day laborers are doing everything quickly and well: Vasil Vasilich “penetrated them” and gives him a beer every day.

Summer Petrovsky post. Maid Masha, seamstress Glasha, Gorkin and Vanya go to the Moscow River to rinse their clothes. Denis lives there at the port mine. He wants to marry Masha, asks Gorkin to talk to her.

Feast of the Don Icon, solemn procession. Banners are brought from all Moscow churches. The Veil will come soon. At home, pickles are pickled, cabbage is chopped, Antonovka is wet. Denis and Masha are exchanged with barbs. On the very holiday, Vanina's sister Katyusha is born. And Denis and Masha finally got along.

The workers are in a hurry to give Sergey Ivanovich a pretzel with the inscription: “To the good master,” on name days of unprecedented size. Vasil Vasilich, in violation of the rules, arranges church ringing while they carry the pretzel. Name day succeed in glory. More than a hundred congratulations, pies from all over Moscow. The bishop himself arrives. When he blesses Vasil Vasilich, he cries in a thin voice ...

It is Mikhailov’s day, Gorkin’s name day. Everyone loves him too. Vanin's father gives him rich gifts.

Everyone heads up before the Christmas post. Aunt of his father arrives, Pelageya Ivanovna. She is “like a holy fool,” and predictions lurk in her jokes.

Christmas is coming. Father undertook to build an “ice house” in the Zoological Garden. Denis and Andrei the carpenter suggest how to do this. It turns out - just a miracle. Father - glory to all of Moscow (though no profit).

Vanya is going to congratulate the angel of the godfather Kashin, "the proud proud man."

At the crucifix week, Vanya is talking with Gorkin, and for the first time, Vanya. This year there are a lot of bad omens in the house: father and Gorkin see ominous dreams, the terrible flower “snake color” blooms.

Palm Sunday is coming. Old coal miners bring willow from the forest. Easter. Janitor Grishka, who did not attend the service, is doused with cold water. On Holy Week, Vanya and Gorkin go to the Kremlin, go to cathedrals.

Egoriev day. Vanya listens to shepherd’s songs. Again, bad omens: the dog Bushush howls, starlings did not fly in, the furrier instead of the holy picture slipped a sacrilegious one.

Radunitsa - Easter commemoration of the dead. Gorkin and Vanya go to cemeteries. On the way back, drove into the tavern, they hear the terrible news: Vanino father "killed the horse."

My father survived, but everything has been sick since he broke his head when he fell from a restless horse. He is feeling better, he is going to the baths - to be doused with cold water. After that, he feels completely healthy, goes to Vorobyovka to admire Moscow. It starts to go to construction sites ... but then the disease returns.

An icon of the healer Panteleimon is invited to the house, a moleben is served. The patient becomes better for a while. Doctors say there is no hope. Sergei Ivanovich at parting blesses the children; Vanya - an icon of the Trinity. It is already clear to everyone that he is dying. They collect it.

Father's name day is coming. Congratulations and pies are sent from everywhere again. But to the family of the dying, all this seems a bitter mockery.

Father comes - read the waste. Vanya falls asleep, he has a happy dream, and the next morning he finds out that his father has passed away. At the coffin, Van becomes ill. He falls ill, cannot go to the funeral, and only sees the removal of the coffin through the window.