Yegory Veshny (St. George's Day). History and traditions of the day of the Great Martyr Yuri Yuryev Day: signs, traditions of the holiday

The life of Russian people in the distant past consisted of a series of everyday life and holidays. Everyday life is a time filled with hard peasant labor and worries, “sadly monotonous with simple-minded joys and sorrows.” Weekdays were contrasted with holidays, the most ancient of which were associated with the agricultural calendar. Yegoryev's day was one of these holidays.

Yegoryev Day (Yegory, Yegor the Brave, Yuri the Green, Yuryev Day) is the popular name for two church Orthodox holidays, days of remembrance of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious. In Russian folk tradition, St. George the Victorious was considered one of the main saints.

People used to say: “There are two Yegories in Rus': one is cold, the other is hungry.” The first - Yegoriy Veshny ("Summer", "Warm", "Hungry") - was celebrated on April 23/May 6. The second - Yegory Autumn, Yegory Winter, Yegory Kholodny was celebrated on November 26/December 9

In the minds of the common people, Saint Yegor was the personification of the creative forces of nature, a symbol of spring cleansing and renewal of nature. Russian peasants said that spring comes to earth with Yegory: “Egory brought spring to the threshold,” “There would be no spring in Holy Rus' without Yegory.” It was believed that he “opened” the earth, gave fertility to the fields, and protected livestock.

The sowing of spring crops begins in Yegor. “There will be frost on Yegoria - there will be millet and oats,” “On Yegoria there will be rain - there will be an easy year for the cattle, and there will be a failure of buckwheat,” the farmers said. From Georgiy they begin to sow root crops - beets, carrots.

Saint Yegoriy was considered the patron saint of wild animals and guardian of livestock. In popular legends, Saint George protects livestock, helps shepherds, or punishes them for wrongdoing and negligence. Therefore, Egoriev's Day is especially characterized by ritual actions aimed at protecting domestic animals.

Spring Yegor was the day of the first cattle pasture in the field. After almost two hundred days of stabling, the ceremonial first drive of cattle into the field acquired a solemn and ritualistic overtones.

It is firmly established in the popular consciousness that the first time to drive cattle into the field must be on Yegoriy. Peasant belief said that on this day Saint George himself grazes cattle.

The ritual of the first pasture was performed to preserve the livestock and obtain a good offspring and consisted of several stages:

· crawling of livestock by owners in the yard,

· ritual feeding of livestock,

· driving cattle into the herd,

· walking around the herd as a shepherd,

· giving gifts to the shepherd and a meal for the shepherds and owners in the pasture.

On the eve of Yegoriev's Day, the peasants did not work, “so that the wolf would not eat the sheep.” The herding of cattle was carried out solemnly in compliance with numerous rules.

The ritual began with a walk around the courtyard - it was performed silently or with the utterance of some incantations or words asking Saint Yegor to preserve the cattle.

Everywhere there was a custom of ritually feeding cattle before grazing with special bread baked on Maundy Thursday. Bread provided offspring, strength and health. The bread fed to livestock had different shapes and names.

The customs of the western districts of the Moscow province, of course, had a regional flavor, but were not very different in essence.

So, in Volokolamsk district, the owner of each hut turned out his fur coat, put it on top with wool, took the image of St. George and a dish with flour, put an egg in it and put a wax candle. With this, he walked around his cattle, driven out of the barns into the yard in a heap. After this, the image and dish were placed over the gate for a week.

The cattle were first driven out of the yard by the collector, followed by all the peasants. When the herd was gathered, the collector walked around it with a secular icon - then he handed the icon to the shepherd. The cattle were driven into the field using willow. Having brought it in, each one stuck the willow in his own strip. The herd was not in the field for long, because the feed was still thin. The shepherd was given cakes and eggs

IN Ruza district in 1851 This is how the first cattle drive took place.

On Yegoryev's day, after mass, the priest was invited to the pasture, where the blessing of water was performed. In the morning, a shepherd, playing the horn, walked through the village, and the widows, who were respected and reputed to be pious, drove out the cattle with willow. At the end of the prayer service, the shepherd took the icon and walked around the entire flock three times. Finally the cattle were driven into the field; he was accompanied by peasants of both sexes. Arriving in the field, each peasant woman placed a willow in the rye in her strip and prayed to God. They returned from the field to the village, giving the shepherd bread, eggs, and cakes with cottage cheese.

In the 60s of the last century in the Ruza region, a rare family did not have cattle, so the customs of Yegoryev’s Day are still preserved in the memory of old-timers. They didn’t bake ritual bread back then, but they always saved a separate loaf for pasture, cut it into slices and seasoned it with salt. A yoke or poker was placed on the ground in front of the gate so that the cow would step over it.

The hostess led the herd on a rope with a willow branch. Having been released into the flock, she baptized three times and herself went to the meeting at the edge of the field.

It was believed that on Yegoryev's Day it was necessary to drive cattle out to pasture, even if it was cold and there was snow in some places, otherwise the cow would not be “sentenced to the herd.” Even if, depending on weather conditions, the cattle were driven out before or after the holiday, the ritual was observed.

On the first day of herding cattle, shepherds played a special role. Having driven the herd out of the village, the shepherd walked around it three times, as if casting a talisman against the attacks of animals. On this day, the shepherds had to be thanked and honored.

Housewives, festively dressed, with bundles of provisions in their hands, went with the herd to the field for pasture. The shepherd was given eggs, pies, meat, sweets, booze and money. The shepherd often placed two baskets in the pasture, where offerings were supposed to be placed. The women also treated each other to food and drink they brought with them after going around. On the one hand, the owners wanted to win the shepherd over to themselves and their cattle with gifts, and on the other hand, the gifts were supposed to have a magical meaning - to preserve the cattle, to receive offspring from it.

Thus, the customs and rituals of Yegoryev's day were very significant for the peasants. And a striking example of this is the first cattle pasture after winter, which turned into a folk holiday with protective, protective ritual actions.

LITERATURE

Volkov N. N. Description of the Ruza district of the Moscow province / / Moscow Provincial Gazette. 1851,

Egoriy Veshny/Korinfsky A.A. People's Russia. - Smolensk: Rusich, 1995. pp. 233-242.

Yegoryev day/ Russian holiday. Holidays and rituals of the folk agricultural calendar. - St. Petersburg: Art of St. Petersburg, 2001.SS.151-160

Yegoryev day, chapter in the book. Shmelev I. Summer of the Lord

Holidays in Ruza district in 1851//Folklore treasures of the Moscow land. T.1. Rituals and ritual folklore / comp. Introductory article, commentary, index and dictionaries by T.M. Ananicheva, E.A. Samodelova.- M.: Heritage, 1997.-424 p.

First cattle drive. Ruza. 1904. From the funds of the Ruza Museum of Local Lore

Yegoryev Day (Yegor Yuri). Egory Veshny. . Festival of the Shepherds- they drive the herd out into the field. During Yegoryevsk week, swallows arrive.
Yegory is the organizer of the Russian land. Until the 15th century, he alone was on the state coat of arms. He is also the patron saint of the capital city of Moscow. Moreover, he is considered the patron saint of fields and all fruits of the earth, which predetermined the tradition of consecrating fields and crops on this day. George - the Water-Bearer, he was also the patron saint of springs and rivers. Therefore, on the saint’s day, the blessing of water was also obligatory. Yuriev's dew has a healing effect even on hopelessly ill people. St. George's Day is celebrated twice a year: on May 6 and December 9. Therefore, the signs and sayings that developed for St. George’s Day corresponded to the time of year. George was called, according to the popular transformation of the name, both Yegor and Yuri. Since our modern calendar is “shifted” forward by 13 days, all signs should be attributed to how they developed on April 23. By the day of St. George the Spring, field work was already underway everywhere.
The peasants asked Yegor to open up the land and release the dew. Yuriev's dew from the evil eye, from seven ailments. "Be healthy, like Yuriev's dew!" On Yegoryev's day, they hung a damp towel in the yard: if it dries overnight, there will be no frost for a long time, but if it freezes, there will be frosts in August.

There are two Yegoriyas in Rus': one is cold, the other is hungry (December 9 and May 6). If the spring Egoriy is with food, the autumn Nikola (December 19) will be with a bridge (i.e. winter will set in, there will be a good sleigh ride). It's frosty in Yegorya - there will be millet and oats. When there is frost on Georgia and it will happen again in a week, we should expect a warm autumn. Just as it freezes on Yegorievsk night, forty matinees will still fall on bread. On Yegorya dew - there will be good millet. On Yurya, rain is a non-genus. Early spring sowing from Yegorye, late - from Yeremey (May 14). A clear morning on Yurya means early sowing, a clear evening means late sowing. These early peas are before George, the late ones are after George. From George they begin to sow beets, carrots and seedlings. The first day of cattle grazing. Round dances began with Yegory, and gatherings were postponed until Dmitry (November 8). Yuriev spring day. Egory with warmth, and Nikola with food. Egory with water (dew), and Nikola with grass. Yegory with a bridge, and Nikola with a nail. Yegory with a burden (with a body), and Nikola with a cart. Don’t boast about sowing on Yegoryev’s day, or boasting about grass on Nikelin’s day! On Yegoryev's day, doesn't the lazy plow go out? Swallows arrive in Yegoria. There is dew on Yuri - the horses don't need oats. Yuri stores cows, Nikola stores horses. Yuri is a holiday of shepherds (since on his day cattle are driven out into the willow field for the first time since Palm Sunday). Yuriev's dew from the evil eye, from seven ailments. Be healthy, like Yuri's dew! If Yuri has a birch leaf in his bowl, put bread in the tub for the Assumption. Yarovaya this to Yegorye or from Yegorye. The rich man is well-fed even on St. Yegoryev’s Day, but the poor man endures until the Savior. They don’t work near Yegorye Veshny so that the wolf doesn’t eat the sheep. On St. George's Yegory rides through the forests on a white horse and gives orders to the animals. Every animal is at Yegor's fingertips. What the wolf has in its teeth, Yuri gave. Egory begins spring, Ilya ends summer.

Egory Veshny. During a thunderstorm, the thunder will soon stop - the weather will improve.
Birds build nests on the sunny side - for a cold summer.
A healthy person has an unreasonably depressed mood - it means rain.
The evening dawn is crimson-red - to bad weather.
Clouds have appeared in the sky, shaped like lenses or elongated lentil seeds - a thunderstorm will begin in 1-1.5 hours.

Dazhbog Day (Big Autumn)(Feast of the Slavs)

Dazhbog - Dab, Radegast, Radigosh, Svarozhich - these are different variations of the name of the same god. God of fertility and sunlight, life-giving force. The first ancestor of the Slavs (the Slavs, according to the text of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”, are the grandchildren of God).
On the day of Dazhbog, people rejoiced that Dazhbog rejected Marena and became engaged to Zhivaya. This meant the end of Winter, the beginning of Spring and Summer. At this time, Dazhbog was glorified in Vedic temples and in plowed fields.
“We praise Dazhbog. May he be our patron and protector from Kolyada to Kolyada! And the patron of fruits in the fields. He gives grass to our cattle all the days. And the cows multiply, and the grains multiply in the granaries. And he does not allow the honey to ferment. He is the God of Light. Glory to Svarozhich, who renounces Winter and flows towards Summer. And we sing his glory in the fields, for he is our father.” / Vel. 31/
Dazhbog Day is also the time for the first cattle drive to pasture. That’s why they lit fires for Dazhbog and asked him to protect the cattle:
You, Dazhbozhe, are brave!
Save the cattle, protect them from kidnappers!
Protect from the fierce bear,
Save yourself from the predatory wolf!
It was believed that on this day the god Veles stole cloud-cows from Perun and imprisoned them in the Caucasus mountains. Therefore, Yara, Dazhbog and Perun asked to free the clouds, otherwise all life on Earth would die. On this day they glorify the victory of Dozhbog over Veles.

Tales of the Russian people collected by I.P. Sakharov.

Observations. - Rituals. - Treats - The Legend of St. George the Brave

Observant villagers say: “Yegory with warmth, and Nikola with food.” - Sow the seedlings to Yegorye, there will be plenty of cabbage soup. - If there is frost on Yegoryev’s day, then there will be oats under the bush. - If on Yegoryev’s day put a half-sized leaf, on Ilya’s day put bread in the pantry.-If frost came to Yegory, otherwise there will be millet and oats.-If spring Yegory is with food, then autumn Nikola will be with a bridge.-Drive the cattle to St. George's dew.-Egory with water, and Nikola with grass.- In Russia there are two Egories, cold and hungry, but everywhere there is God's grace. - What the wolf has in his teeth, Egory gave. - He is as full as Yuryev's Mountain, - the Nerekhonians say about the rich man. - Saint Yuri stores cows, and Nikola stores horses, - say the Belarusians. - Yegory with half a cart, and Nikola with a whole cart. In the Chukhloma and Kholmogory districts they say: “Drive the herd into the field and call Yegor.”
On St. George's Day, cattle are driven out onto the grass with willow left over from Palm Week. Early in the morning, prayers are served on students, rivers, or meadows from all over the world, and after a blessing from the priest, the entire village escorts the cattle to the field. Here the shepherds are treated to hearty worldly scrambled eggs and given linen and money. At this festival of shepherds, all the villagers have fun.
In the Tula province they go out into the sown fields to serve prayers with the blessing of water, sprinkle the fields of St. water. After this, men and women ride through the fields, hoping to be strong and healthy, like St. George's dew. In Kursk on St. George's Day there is a fair where wooden and clay cows are sold. In the Murom district there were previously religious processions around arable lands; and in other places around villages and all fields. In Mshyurussia on April 23 there is a religious procession to Zhito. The Pitchans, in memory of their ancestors, the Khlynovites, who won the victory over the Chud and Votyaks, on Yuryev's Day from the village of Iolkova brought the image of St. George along with iron arrows.
On St. George's Day, rural festivities begin. Evening round dances are performed in Shenkursk and the Velsk district. In Soligalich and Buya, villagers come out at night to sing songs, which always end with refrains about preserving the herds. Smolensk residents go into the city to cool off in the mountains and walk until late after three.
There is a secret legend among healers and sorceresses that the early dew of Yuriev is extremely bad for animals. For this very purpose, they go out into the field to collect dew. Collecting dew involves soaking canvas in the morning dew. According to their signs, Yuryevskaya dew dries out cattle, takes away milk from cows, and blinds calves. One has only to cover the cattle with this canvas, and then all the troubles will pour on them like a river. The only thing that can not harm the cattle is if the villagers drive them out with willow on St. George's Day.
From St. George's Day, the villagers begin to carry out all trade transactions and set deadlines. Workers, according to the old custom, are hired: “from spring Yury to Semyon Day or Pokrov.” Merchants say: “Put it out by St. George’s Day - I’ll be ready by St. George’s Day.” For them, this day serves as an indication of the event: “And this was before St. George’s Day - it seems that it happened on St. George’s Day.”
Our people have preserved the ancient legend about George the Brave - the eradicator of infidelity and the champion of Bright Rus'. We quote the story here:

In the holy land, Orthodox,
The desired child is born
Whether from the Wise Sophia;
And she calls by name
His brainchild, Georgy,
Nicknamed Brave.
George the Brave is growing
Between three sisters,
Do not depart from good deeds,
Protecting with the holy word,
Pleases the baptized world.
How he became, George the Brave,
Come to your mature age,
Mind-mind to be aware,
And he taught at that time,
Notify the strong Duma
To my dear mother,
And whether she, the wise Sophia:
“If you please, dear mother,
Madam, wise Sophia,
Let me go to the light Russian land
To affirm the Christian faith."
And his dear mother gives him,
Is it she, the wise lady Sophia,
Your great blessing:
Go to that light Russian land,
Affirm Christian faith.
He is riding, George the Brave,
To that light Russian land,
Traveling from east to west,
Affirming the holy faith,
Besermen's faith is victorious.

To those forests, to the dark ones,
To those forests, to the dense ones;





“Oh, you forests, dark forests!
Oh, forests, dense forests!
Get over yourself, dark forests,

Spread out, dense forests,
Over steep mountains, over high ones,
Everything is according to God's command,
According to Georgiev, all the prayers,
According to him, Georgiev,
Is it by him, Brave, by prayer!
Dark forests are overgrown
Through the holy land of Light Russian,
The dense forests are scattered
On steep mountains, on high ones.
He comes, Georgy the Brave,
To those mountains, to those high ones,
To those wide hills;
He, Georgy, wants to pass here,
He, Brave, wants to lead the way here;
You can’t let Georgiy pass here,
The Brave One can't think about it
And George the Brave will say:
“Oh, you mountains, high mountains!
Oh, you hills, the hills are wide!
Scatter, high mountains,
Throughout the Light Russian land,
Stand up, wide hills,
Through the steppes, green fields,
According to God's command,
According to Georgiev, everything is prayer!”
Is it according to his word, Georgiev,

The high mountains crumbled
Throughout the Light Russian land,
The hills became wide
Through the steppes and green fields.
He comes, Georgy the Brave,
To those seas, to the deep ones,
On those wide rivers;
He, Georgy, wants to pass here,
He, Brave, wants to lead the way here:
You can’t let Georgiy pass here,
The Brave One cannot think here.
And George the Brave will say:
“Oh, you seas, deep seas!
Oh, you rivers, wide rivers!
Flow, deep seas,
Throughout the Light Russian land,
Run, rivers are wide,
From the east and to the west,
According to God's command,
According to Georgiev, everything is prayer!”
Is it according to his word, Georgiev,
Is it by his Brave prayer,
The seas flowed deep
Throughout the Light Russian land,
Wide rivers ran through
From the east and to the west.
He comes, Georgy the Brave,
On those animals, on the mighty ones,
On those animals, on the horned ones;
He, Georgy, wants to pass here,
He, Brave, wants to lead the way here:
You can’t let Georgiy pass here,
The Brave One cannot think here.
And George the Brave will say:
“Oh, you beasts, mighty beasts!
Oh, you animals, horned animals!
Move in, mighty beasts,
Throughout the whole Russian land there is light,
Be fruitful, horned beasts,
Through the steppes, fields without number,
According to God's command,
According to Georgiev, everything is prayer!”
And he, George the Brave, commands
To all mighty beasts,
To all horned animals:
“And there’s food about you -
In the fields the grass is ant-like,
And there is something about you on Poilipo -
The water in the rivers is cold.”
Is it according to his word, Georgiev,
Is it by his Brave prayer,
Mighty animals settled in
Throughout the Light Russian land;
Mighty beasts multiplied
Through the steppes, fields without number;
They drink and eat what they are ordered to do,
Commanded, commanded
From him, George the Brave.
He comes, Georgy the Brave,
For that herd, for the serpent's,
For that herd, for the fierce one;
He, Georgy, wants to pass here

And the herd of serpents will speak
To that George the Brave:
“Don’t you know, Georgy,
Don’t you know, Brave:
That that land was ordered by word,
In a word it is ordered, commanded.
On that land reserved,
The man did not walk on foot,
No one rode by on horseback.
Calm down, Georgy, your zealous horse,
Come back, Brave, yourself.”
Georgy took out a sharp saber,
Brave attacked the serpentine herd.
Exactly three days and three nights
The herd of serpents chops and stabs;
And on the third day in the evening
He cut down and chopped up the fierce herd.
He comes, Georgy the Brave,
To that light Russian land,
To those fields, wide rivers,
Those towers are high, golden-domed.
He, Georgy, wants to pass here,
He, Brave, wants to lead the way here.
How is it possible for him, George,
Beautiful girls come out to meet you,
How and then will they say to him, the Brave:
“And are we waiting for you, Georgy,
Thirty-three years without entering
From a high tower, golden-domed,
And are we waiting for you, Brave One,
We keep a great vow to our family:
Give up the Light Russian land,
Accept the baptized faith from you.”
He receives, George the Brave,
That light Russian land
Under your great cover,
Confirms the baptized faith
Throughout the Light Russian land.

A similar legend was found by Kolyar and published in the collection of Chermno-Russian songs, in which the victory over the serpent and the liberation of the maiden are glorified. The Germans preserved an ancient knightly song about the battle of Diedrich of Bern with the dragon - Dieterichs Drachenkampf.
In Kologrivsky district, the Yegoryevsky call has been preserved:

We walked around the field
They called out to Yegoriy,
Makarya was called.
Yegory, you are our Brave...
You save our cattle
In the field and beyond the field,
In the forest and beyond the forest,
Under the bright moon,
Under the red sun
From the wolf from the predatory one,
From the fierce bear,
From the evil beast.

Reverence to St. St. George the Victorious belongs to all Christians; but the Slavic world marked itself more than anyone else. On St. George's Day, the Serbs bathe before the sun rises and drive the cattle into the willow field. They say: “There is no summer without St. George’s Day.” Serbian women sing in their songs: “Oh, the feast of St. George, come and find me married! On St. George's Day, the Bulgars scale a lamb without shedding blood on the ground. They smear the children's foreheads, cheeks and beards with this blood.
The lamb is roasted at a gathering of all household and relatives of unmarried men. After the priest has prayed, the feast begins. In the evening, all the lamb bones are buried in the ground. Roasting lamb is performed by Serbs, Bosnians and Herzegovinians. In Galicia, on St. George's Day, a feast of shepherds is celebrated with horse rituals and songs.
In the old days, our fathers had a legend that in Lukomorye there are people who die on November 26th, and come to life on April 23rd. Before their death, it was as if they took their goods to one place, where in winter their neighbors could take them for a certain price, without any deception. They settled accounts with unscrupulous buyers in the spring, during their revival (Kar. Ist. T. VII, p. 233). This legend, known to Herodotus, was probably brought to Rus' from the east.

Yegoryev Day is a holiday overgrown with many superstitions, signs and traditions. The Slavs have two such days a year. Find out below how many times a year, when and how Yuryev, or Yegoryev's Day, is celebrated.

What date to celebrate and how many times a year

There are several Yegoryev Day holidays. The Orthodox have four such days a year, and all of them are dedicated to memory Great Martyr George the Victorious. People have long called him Yegor or Yuri.

Lubok "Egory of the Spring". 19th century

Yegoriy Veshny is celebrated on May 6th. This is the day of remembrance of the saint in Orthodoxy, the date of his death according to his biography. It has many popular names - St. George's Day, horse holiday, the day of the Unlocking of the Earth. Sometimes another one was used - Yegor Golodny, since by the beginning of May all supplies usually came to an end.

December 9 - Egoriy Osenniy. The holiday was established in the 11th century and coincides with the consecration of the St. George Church in Kyiv. It was subsequently destroyed in the 30s of the last century. Saint Yegoriy was considered the heavenly patron of Prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich, who at the time of construction was the Prince of Kyiv. He also set the date of veneration of the saint on December 9.

S. Ivanov. "St. George's Day" 1908

April 23 is the day of veneration of St. George in Catholicism. In the Georgian Orthodox tradition, he is one of the most revered saints as the patron saint of Georgia. The day dedicated to George is celebrated here on November 23 and May 6.

In Orthodoxy, only two days dedicated to the saint are holidays. These are May 6th and December 9th. Many traditions have been associated with these dates for several centuries. They are also the main calendar milestones in the lives of peasants. Agricultural work begins on Yegor Veshniy, and ends by Osenniy.

Egoriy Veshny - essence and traditions

On spring St. George's Day “the saint opens the earth”, “brings spring”- this is what people say to this day. In ancient times, on May 6, the opening of the new agricultural season was celebrated. During pagan times, a holiday dedicated to Dazhdbog was celebrated at this time.

Egorievskaya dew has received a lot of attention since ancient times. To swim in it is to gain health, longevity and beauty. With the keys taken from God, the saint opened the earth, releasing healing liquid from it. True, it retained its magical properties only until dawn. Cattle were also wiped with this dew to avoid illness and the evil eye. However, with the help of Yuriev's dew, in the old days witches caused damage to livestock. Therefore, in some regions it was considered harmful to animals.

It was believed that such dew enhances the healing properties of herbs. Therefore, it was impossible to do without collecting medicinal plants. At this time, chaga, Irish moss, fir and pine needles, oak bark, angelica roots, hawthorn flowers, birch buds and leaves, as well as dandelions and lilies of the valley are collected.

The blessing of wells and springs is another custom at the beginning of May. After the prayer service, everyone considered it their duty to collect water in reserve, attributing to it the properties of Yegoryevsk dew.

An almost forgotten tradition of Yegor Veshny is to go to the houses of couples who got married this year and sing majestic songs in their honor. As on Christmastide, it was customary to give a treat for this. This tradition is called Vyunishnik, or calling out to the young. She practiced not only on St. George's Day, but also on some other holidays.

St. George was considered the patron saint of brides, and on his feast day girls prayed for marriage. It was customary to wear the most beautiful and brightest outfits, a large amount of jewelry - so that the grooms would notice.

Otherwise, like most Slavic holidays, St. George’s Day was accompanied by songs and round dances around large bonfires. An important part of the folk festivities on May 6 in most regions of Rus' were horse competitions. Swearing and quarrels were strictly prohibited. In the old days, they believed that violators would be killed by lightning on Elijah’s Day, August 2.

It was not possible to do without feasts and ritual meals in the fields and gardens. Jelly occupied a special place on the table. His absence was considered a great sin. For the Southern Slavs, a mandatory dish is spit-roasted lamb. Leftover food was buried there to increase the productivity of the land.

Customs and rituals

IN Earth Unlocking Day For the first time in the year, cattle were driven out to pasture with a certain ritual. Animals were decorated. For example, it was customary to decorate sheep with wreaths of fresh flowers. A separate wreath was hung on the container for the first milking. The horses were fed baked goods in the shape of a cross.

The Southern Slavs sacrificed lambs on St. George's Day to protect animals from disease, damage and the evil eye, predators and evil spirits. His blood was collected without spilling on the ground. She was supposed to lubricate the foreheads and lips of children, as well as the first beards of boys. The purpose of this action was protection from evil spirits and disease.

On May 6, shepherds are also honored. In the old days, they were visited in the field and treated to scrambled eggs, and given fabrics and money. One of the traditions, perhaps, did not please the shepherds too much - they were doused with cold water so that they would not fall asleep while working. It was considered a great sin if a shepherd did not attend a church service on a holiday dedicated to his patron.

In addition, the shepherd was obliged to offer milk to the goblin if the field was located near his property. He also had to conclude or renew an agreement with the owner of the forest on the protection of livestock from wild animals. To do this, the shepherd uttered a special spell, and then threw an open castle into the forest. The goblin locked it with a key, and the lock was kept in a special place, which only the shepherd knew about.

In Ukraine and Belarus, during the Discovery of the Earth, it was customary to inspect the crops and invite a priest to consecrate the fields. There was a sign - if you inspect the vegetable garden and garden on Yegory, the year will be fertile. For the same purpose, the owners tumbled over the beds and fields. On Yuri, branches blessed on Palm Sunday were stuck into the ground for protection and harvest. Crosses and candles blessed in the temple were also buried. Sometimes the pasture of livestock was combined with an inspection of the fields - the animals were led through the crops. In the old days they believed that such a walk would increase milk yield and increase the harvest.

Rituals and conspiracies on Yegoriy Veshny were mostly aimed at the well-being of livestock, their fertility, protection from witches and evil spirits. On this day there was a ban on spinning and knitting from wool. Even picking up threads is a bad omen, leading to the death of livestock from wolf teeth. However, if you are not engaged in cattle breeding, this ban does not apply to you.

Weather and gardening signs for May 6

If it’s warm on Yegoryev’s day in May, it means that summer won’t be cold. A lot of mosquitoes - a sign of rapid warming. Heavy rain on May 6 foreshadows a lot of grass in the summer. Rain indicates that there will be a lot of bread, but buckwheat will not be harvested. The warm night from May 6 to 7 warns about this. A lot of dew can be taken as advice to sow millet - a lot of it will grow this year. Snow, hail and frost - to a good buckwheat harvest.

A clear morning suggests that early sowings will be most successful. If it was cloudy in the morning, but by the evening the weather had improved, the harvest will be late. The south wind means a good harvest; the north wind foretells a not very successful year for gardeners. The large size of leaves on birch trees also indicates a good harvest.

In order to find out how ugly cucumbers are, you need to hang a wet towel on Yegor Veshny on the street. If it dries out in the evening, expect a large number of these vegetables in the beds. If not, you shouldn’t count on their harvest.

Egor Osenniy - traditions and superstitions

Autumn Yegoryev day, or Yuri Kholodny celebrated on December 9. It is on this date, in the minds of our distant ancestors, that the saint releases wolves. It was often called the wolf wedding day. From now on, predators will attack livestock and people more often. Therefore, St. George the Victorious could not do without prayer for protection from wild animals.

In the imagination of Russians who lived several centuries ago, St. George rides on a horse in the spring, and on a wolf in the winter. In order to appease him and the forest predators, ritual cookies were baked in the shape of horses, cows and other animals. Treats were buried in the field. Another way to protect pets is to give them water from an ice hole into which several burning coals from the stove have been thrown.

Since December 9, the bears stopped bothering the villagers and went to bed until spring. It’s getting colder, the rivers are freezing - “Yuri is building bridges.” In the old days, on this day it was necessary to insulate windows, doors and the entrance to the cellar.

The winter day of memory of St. George the Victorious was also a holiday of strength and courage. There was a tradition of floating weak and frail guys in a bathhouse and whipping them with oak brooms. Oak has always served as a symbol of strength, good health, and masculine energy. It is believed that after such procedures you can gain strength. After the bath, men lubricated their bodies with wolf fat in order to acquire the courage of a predatory beast.

For serfs, Yuryev's day had special significance. This was the only day of the year when they could change their owner. Perhaps this is where the following superstition takes its roots - on winter St. George’s Day, all debts should be paid off. However, they always tried to do this before the offensive. New Year's holidays so as not to live in debt for another year. Preparation for them begins with Yegory.

Since those times, a sign has been preserved - the master will be kind to workers hired on December 9. Therefore, it was believed that this day is best suited for job searches, interviews, and the first day of work. Since many peasant families left at this time to seek a better life, Yuryev's holiday is considered one of the best days for moving. But before getting ready for a long journey, in the old days they ordered a prayer service in the church - so that life in the new place would not be worse than in the old one.

Catchphrases like “Here’s to you, grandma, and Yuryev’s Day” or “A woman dressed up on Yuryev’s Day to take a walk from the manor’s yard, but she couldn’t find the way” were also composed during the times of serfdom. In the 17th century, a royal decree prohibited peasants from moving from one owner to another. Most of the proverbs about this day took on a tone of disappointment.

Even if the weather was not very favorable, medicinal plants were collected on December 9th. These include pine needles, alder and mistletoe. It was believed that plants on this day have stronger healing properties.

Weather signs for December 9

One of the traditions of Yegoriy Osenniy is listen to water in wells. The noise predicted the weather for the winter. Calm water means warmth, noisy water means severe cold. As much snow falls on December 9, so much grass will grow in the spring.

Severe frost on Yuri means a harsh winter. This was also predicted by the howl of a wolf heard in the village, as well as the wind from the north. Frost on December 9 foretells a good harvest next year, especially oats.

A snowstorm on December 9 foretells a good swarming of bees. A crimson dawn means a strong wind, a blizzard. Wind - to a snowstorm. The thaw predicted that the winter would be rich in warm days. This also promises the appearance of rooks.

In general, Egoriev, or Yuriev's day, celebrated twice a year, served not only as a day of remembrance of the saint, but also as a calendar milestone, the boundary between the warm and cold seasons of the year. On Veshny Yegoriy, the patron saint opened the land, and the people, in turn, began the agricultural season. Winter Egor released hungry wolves and severe frosts into the wild. Many superstitions, mostly of an agricultural nature, are associated with these days.

A meeting of lightweight mixed martial arts fighters competing under the auspices of the UFC, the current champion Khabib Nurmagomedova(Russia) and interim champion Dustin Portier(USA) will take place as part of the UFC 242 tournament, which will be held in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Russian Khabib Nurmagomedov will return to the octagon to compete for the unification of the lightweight belts. At the same time, according to Khabib’s father, the meeting will not be a quiet walk, since Portier has earned the right to this fight on sporting grounds and his dignity cannot be belittled.

Although, of course, not all parenting days fall on Saturday. So, the first parents' day after Easter in 2019, called Radonitsa, is held on Tuesday a week after Easter Sunday.

That is, what date will Radonitsa be (parent’s day after Easter 2019):
* on Tuesday May 7, 2019

In some Russian regions, May 7, 2019 has been declared a holiday. Taking into account the May holidays, at the beginning of May 2019, residents of these regions will have 10 days off.

Eid al-Fitr in 2019 - day off or working day:

The following regions of the Russian Federation are celebrating the holiday:
* Republic of Adygea.
* Republic of Bashkortostan (Bashkiria).
* The Republic of Dagestan.
* Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (Kabardino-Balkaria).
* Karachay-Cherkess Republic (Karachay-Cherkessia).
* Republic of Crimea.
* Republic of Tatarstan.
* Chechen Republic.

In the listed regions, Tuesday June 4, 2019 is a day off, and the Monday before (June 3, 2019) is a short working day.

Yegoryev Day (Yegor Yuri). Egory Veshny. George the Victorious. Festival of the Shepherds- they drive the herd out into the field. During Yegoryevsk week, swallows arrive.
Yegory is the organizer of the Russian land. Until the 15th century, he alone was on the state coat of arms. He is also the patron saint of the capital city of Moscow. Moreover, he is considered the patron saint of fields and all fruits of the earth, which predetermined the tradition of consecrating fields and crops on this day. George - the Water-Bearer, he was also the patron saint of springs and rivers. Therefore, on the saint’s day, the blessing of water was also obligatory. Yuriev's dew has a healing effect even on hopelessly ill people. St. George's Day is celebrated twice a year: on May 6 and December 9. Therefore, the signs and sayings that developed for St. George’s Day corresponded to the time of year. George was called, according to the popular transformation of the name, both Yegor and Yuri. Since our modern calendar is “shifted” forward by 13 days, all signs should be attributed to how they developed on April 23. By the day of St. George the Spring, field work was already underway everywhere.
The peasants asked Yegor to open up the land and release the dew. Yuriev's dew from the evil eye, from seven ailments. "Be healthy, like Yuriev's dew!" On Yegoryev's day, they hung a damp towel in the yard: if it dries overnight, there will be no frost for a long time, but if it freezes, there will be frosts in August.
There are two Yegoriyas in Rus': one is cold, the other is hungry (December 9 and May 6). If the spring Egoriy is with food, the autumn Nikola (December 19) will be with a bridge (i.e. winter will set in, there will be a good sleigh ride). It's frosty in Yegorya - there will be millet and oats. When there is frost on Georgia and it will happen again in a week, we should expect a warm autumn. Just as it freezes on Yegorievsk night, forty matinees will still fall on bread. On Yegorya dew - there will be good millet. On Yurya, rain is a non-genus. Early spring sowing from Yegorye, late - from Yeremey (May 14). A clear morning on Yurya means early sowing, a clear evening means late sowing. These early peas are before George, the late ones are after George. From George they begin to sow beets, carrots and seedlings. The first day of cattle grazing. Round dances began with Yegory, and gatherings were postponed until Dmitry (November 8). Yuriev spring day. Egory with warmth, and Nikola with food. Egory with water (dew), and Nikola with grass. Yegory with a bridge, and Nikola with a nail. Yegory with a burden (with a body), and Nikola with a cart. Don’t boast about sowing on Yegoryev’s day, or boasting about grass on Nikelin’s day! On Yegoryev's day, doesn't the lazy plow go out? Swallows arrive in Yegoria. There is dew on Yuri - the horses don't need oats. Yuri stores cows, Nikola stores horses. Yuri is a holiday of shepherds (since on his day cattle are driven out into the willow field for the first time since Palm Sunday). Yuriev's dew from the evil eye, from seven ailments. Be healthy, like Yuri's dew! If Yuri has a birch leaf in his bowl, put bread in the tub for the Assumption. Yarovaya this to Yegorye or from Yegorye. The rich man is well-fed even on St. Yegoryev’s Day, but the poor man endures until the Savior. They don’t work near Yegorye Veshny so that the wolf doesn’t eat the sheep. On St. George's Yegory rides through the forests on a white horse and gives orders to the animals. Every animal is at Yegor's fingertips. What the wolf has in its teeth, Yuri gave. Egory begins spring, Ilya ends summer.

Egory Veshny. Festival of the shepherds - they drive the flock into the field. During Yegoryevsk week, swallows arrive.
During a thunderstorm, the thunder will soon stop - the weather will improve.
Birds build nests on the sunny side - for a cold summer.
A healthy person has an unreasonably depressed mood - it means rain.
The evening dawn is crimson-red - to bad weather.
Clouds have appeared in the sky, shaped like lenses or elongated lentil seeds - a thunderstorm will begin in 1-1.5 hours.

Other folk signs of May.

If it rains in May, there will be rye.
How many rains there are in May, the harvest will take so long.
The sky will give rain, and the earth will give rye.
When the bird cherry blossoms, there is always cold.
It gets especially cold when the oak tree unfolds.