Autumn ceremonial holidays. Slavic rites. Autumn equinox

16.05.2019

The life of a peasant in Russia from ancient times was subordinated to the repeated change of time. This is the winter and summer solstice, the autumn and spring equinox, the natural change of the seasons. This calendar ritual was opened with big calendar holidays: winter - Christmas time, spring and summer - Shrovetide, Semytsk - Trinity week, Ivano - Kupala holiday, autumn - a holiday in the name of the Savior and the Mother of God, etc.
Some calendar rituals, due to the significance of the celebrated holiday, the peculiarities of the natural situation and changing socio-economic conditions, have retained their pagan roots, while others have undergone significant changes.

Autumn in Russia was accompanied by a large number of various ritual actions, ranging from harvesting, preserving the yield of the land, thanking higher forces for the harvest to striving to restore the strength of the peasant.

The Slavic farmers considered the beginning of the year to be September - the month when they were harvesting. In the pagan calendar, September was called Veresen or Ryuen, and among the people it was called "gloomy" and "leaf fall". Several important national holidays were celebrated during the month.

The first week of September, from 1 to 7, was dedicated to the goddess Mokos, on September 8 and 9, the most important pagan gods, Rod and Rozhanitsy, were honored. On these days, the folk holidays of opox and autumn were celebrated. The peasants performed the rite of glorification of the Family and Rozhanitsy, made sacrifices to their ancestors and glorified family well-being.

Autumn- harvest festival... The whole family gathered together at the table, a feast was arranged. On the table must have been oatmeal, eggs, cottage cheese, honey, wine from berries, venison or beef. A bowl of wine was passed in a circle, praising the gods. Then they played games and round dances, sang songs about hops (hop harvesting began from these days). In each family, oatmeal bread was blessed, which was later used to treat sick people and animals.

The Feast of the Autumn in Russia was celebrated several times: in addition to 9 - another 14, 21 and 27 September. The fall of September 14 in the pagan calendar was called the Autumn Serpent - the time of snake weddings. This day was dedicated to the god Veles. On this day, it was impossible to go to the forest, because it was believed that all forest spirits ran through the forest, checking how it was ready for winter. At night, the goblin went to bed until spring, the spirits calmed down, and people could start harvesting mushrooms. And in the villages, cabbage evenings (cabbage) were held, when women gathered in turn at each other's, salted cabbage together, joked, sang appropriate songs.

The holiday itself was filled with rituals. For example, it was necessary to strike a fire with the help of two dry planks. The ground was fumigated with this fire. It was also supposed to offer thanks to the earth for the harvest. And from the flour of the new harvest they baked a festive cake. On that day, the grooms went out into the street to look after their brides.

Children also had their own obligatory rituals. One of them was the solemn ceremony of burying summer pests - flies and cockroaches - in specially constructed miniature coffins made of chips and turnips. And the boys were supposed to be put on a horse that day.

There were also signs - if the weather on this holiday is clear, then the "Indian summer" and the coming winter will be warm. Well, if the weather was bad, it was believed that the fall would be rainy.

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Educational-methodical material

To help the leader

folklore group

Ostaptsova Tatiana Nikolaevna

folklore teacher

MAU TO the city of Kaliningrad "Children's Music School named after R.M. Gliera "

Tradition comes from the Latin traditio meaning to transmit. Initially, traditio was used in its direct meaning, denoting a material action: for example, in the Roman Empire it was used when giving an object and even when giving a daughter in marriage. In our times, the word "tradition" also has a connection with the past, with something that has lost its novelty, but, invariably, despite all the historical cataclysms, it symbolizes the stability of their perception and observance. There were a great many holidays in Russia. Holidays have survived, which we continue to observe, getting used to them, without even thinking about their origin. But there are holidays that are again applicable in our modern life. The ancient Slavic traditions with their unique ethnic background are being revived.

Autumn traditional holidays

With the arrival of autumn in Russia, the harvesting season was coming to an end in the village, there was more free time, more opportunities to relax and have fun. Even the most wedding season falls in autumn - on Pokrova (October 14). But not only at the wedding, the people had fun and celebrated the rituals.

The first of September in Russia was called the Indian summer ... In some places, Indian summer began on the eighth of September. In Saratov and Penza provinces, this day was called apiary. The hives were being removed there at that time. In the Yaroslavl and Vologda provinces - onions. In Ryazan province - Asposov day.

Autumn round dances began on that day in the villages. In some places, an interesting ritual was performed with a round dance under the name of brewing beer. Young women went out with a braga to the gate and treated passers-by. After that, the girls began to dance in a round dance - to brew beer. Having made a circle, the girls walked around, portraying a drunk:

We brewed beer on the mountain,
Okay, okay, they brewed beer!
We will gather all around from this beer,
Okay, okay, let's all gather around!
We will all disperse from this beer,
Okay, okay, let's all disperse!
We'll all sit down from this beer,
Okay, okay, let's all sit down!
We'll go to bed with this beer,
Okay, okay, let's go to bed!
We'll get up from this beer again,
Okay, okay, let's get up again!
We will all clap our hands from this beer,
Okay, okay, let's clap our hands!
We'll all get drunk from this beer,
Okay, okay, let's all get drunk!
Now we’ll fight everything from this beer,
Okay, okay, we’ll get on the wrong side!

At the end of the round dance, the women brought jugs of home brew and treated the girls.
In Tula and Serpukhov, there was the following rite - the burial of flies and cockroaches.

In Russia inSemyonov day (September 1 ) there were tonsured and mounted on a horse. This ancient rite was performed in some families with each son, in others - only the firstborn.

Autumn ceremony on September 30.
In the evening of that day, young women in the villages burned their straw beds. This whole rite was performed from the "evil eye". And the old women burned only bast shoes. The children were bathed on the threshold from the sieve. All this was done to avoid future illnesses.

The most significant Orthodox folk holidays of the autumn cycle

Nativity of the Virgin (September 8/21)

The popular name for the twelveth feast of the Nativity of the Virgin and Ever-Virgin Mary in memory of the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the folk tradition, the Mother of God delivered from sorrows and misfortunes, relieved pain, patronized women in labor, was the intercessor of children and girls of marriageable age.

The popular name for the day of remembrance of the Monk Simeon the Stylite, the founder of asceticism, called pillage (IV-V centuries). In Russia he was called "the pilot" and for 400 years on this day they celebrated the beginning of a new summer (year), since in Russia until 1700 the new year began on September 1. On Semyonov's day, the peasants performed the autumn ceremony - the first meeting of autumn and the onset of Indian summer.

The popular name of the great twelve-eighth feast of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-giving Cross of the Lord, established in honor of the acquisition of the Holy Cross of Christ by the Equal-to-the-Apostles Helen. On this day, crosses were raised on the temples under construction and roadside crosses were erected.

The popular name of the church holiday of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in memory of the appearance of the Mother of God in the temple in Constantinople in the middle of the 10th century. In the folk tradition, the holiday is associated with the completion of field work and the beginning of winter, with the first snow cover of the earth. It was considered a girl's holiday and the patron saint of weddings. From that day on, the youth festivities were transferred from the street to the hut, the cattle were put in the yard, the hunters went to winter trades.

Paraskeva (March 20 / April 2 (Roman Great Martyr Paraskeva, injured at Neuron), July 26 / August 8 (Martyr Paraskeva, who was born near Rome in 138), October 14/27 (Venerable Paraskeva of Serbia, who became famous in the middle of the 11th century),October 28 / November 10 (Great Martyr Paraskeva Friday).

The popular name for the days of memory of Saints Paraskev, of which there are four in the Orthodox tradition. Among the Eastern Slavs, Paraskeva Friday, the patroness of the day of the week of the same name, was especially revered. Girls and women considered her to be their patron: she helped with childbirth, patronized marriage, home, women's pursuits, especially spinning. Paraskeva healed from mental and physical ailments, patronized land, livestock and water, was the patron of trade.

According to the national calendar, the Kuzminki holiday is the first winter holiday, the meeting of winter. It was named after Saints Cosmas and Damian, especially respected among the people, who in their own way called them Kuzma and Demyan. The people accepted them as patrons of crafts, primarily blacksmiths and doctors, and were called "unmercenaries", since they did not take money into their hands.

There was also a nickname "kashniki", because only porridge was consumed from food. During their lifetime, the saints were "free" doctors, healed people and livestock "for the glory of God."

On this day, the hens celebrated the name day. This old custom was known in Moscow. There, in Tolmachevsky lane, beyond the Moskva River, women gathered around the church of Kozma and Damian with chickens and after mass they served prayer services. In the villages, women came with chickens to the boyar's yard and, with a petition, brought them to their boyar "for a red life."

In response, the noblewoman presented the peasant women with ribbons for the ubrusnik (headdress). Such "petition chickens" were kept especially: they were fed mainly with oats and barley and were never killed. The eggs carried by these chickens were considered medicinal.

In Russia, the day of Kuzma and Demyan was considered a girl's holiday and was widely celebrated. The hut was filmed for the day, where they were going to celebrate the Kuzmin party; the girls went from house to house to collect food for dinner, and also brewed beer together. If a bride-girl was present, she was considered the mistress of the house.

A brief description of the eventfulness of the holidays (pagan and Orthodox meaning of the holidays)

Nativity of the Virgin (Mother of God Day, Second Most Pure, Malaya Most Pure, Lady Second, Lady Rich, Spozhka, Spozhka, Big Spozhka, Asposov / Aspasov / day, Spozhka's day, Pasik's day, Osenins, Second Osenins, Onions day, Presenting day) - the popular name of the great the twelve-eighth feast of the Mother of God of the Orthodox Church - the Nativity of the Most Holy Lady Our Lady and Ever-Virgin Mary, which is celebrated on September 8 (21). Installed in memory of the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Lord God Jesus Christ.

Information about the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin dates back to the 4th - 5th centuries. The first indication of this holiday, according to Palestinian legends, lies in the fact of the construction of St. Helena of the temple in honor of the Nativity of the Virgin. This holiday is mentioned by St. John Chrysostom, St. Proclus and blessed. Augustine. In the VI - IX centuries. the event of the Nativity of the Virgin was described by St. Stefan Svyatogradets, in the 7th century. Sts. Andrew of Crete and Sergius, Patriarch of Constantinople, in the VIII century. Sts. John Damascene and Herman of Constantinople.

The Day of the Nativity of the Mother of God is celebrated with a solemn prayer service; singing exaltation at Matins: "We magnify Thee, Most Holy Virgin, and we honor Your holy parents and glorify Your Christmas all-glorious." Church chants: stichera, troparia and canons in honor of the Mother of God are called "Theotokos", they are part of all daily services. The liturgical books highlight the Mother of God feasts in honor of the Mother of God. Each of the Mother of God feasts has its own Mother of God.

Among the people, the Mother of God was especially venerated. The image of the Mother of God was clearer, more accessible and closer to the people's consciousness than the image of Jesus Christ. On the one hand, “ascended into the divine world,” on the other, she remained connected with ordinary people, worried about them like a mother and stood up for them.

The Mother of God was considered the patroness of women in labor, which follows from the maternal principle in her image, which is confirmed by the iconography of the Mother of God, as well as the etymological proximity of the words "Theotokos" and "childbirth". Therefore, requests for help in difficult childbirth were sent to the Mother of God. The Mother of God was seen not only as the Mother of God, but as the Mother in general, the mother of every person. In this sense, the Mother of God is often called Mother, Mother. Hence the people's view of swearing: it insults the three mothers of man - the Mother of God, the Mother of Damp Earth and his own mother.

In the Russian folk tradition, the image of the Mother of God became close to the image of Mother Earth, which led to the formation of the cult of the Mother of God. The Mother of God was equated, and sometimes identified with the giving birth and fertile ground-nurse.

The Mother of God was also in special honor among the girls of marriageable age. They turned to her with requests for suitors.

In the folklore tradition, the Mother of God is a favorite character in spiritual poetry - epic songs on religious subjects, which were sung by wandering singers at fairs, market squares or at the gates of monastery churches.

According to North Russian legends, the Mother of God "walks on the earth" on Easter. Legends about birds and animals are also associated with the Mother of God. A folk legend of the Russian population of the Surgut Territory reports about the Mother of God, who was frightened by a hazel grouse in the forest, getting angry, she turned him into a “small bird with a big rustle” so that any hunter could find him as soon as possible, and divided the tender white meat (“hazel grouse inheritance”) between all birds and animals.

The Osenins were timed to coincide with the Nativity of the Virgin or Asposov Day - the second meeting of autumn - Autumn (the first took place on the Transfiguration of the Lord or on Semenov Day). The women gathered early in the morning and went to the banks of rivers, lakes and ponds to meet Mother Osenina. For this meeting, oat bread was specially baked, which was held by the eldest of the women, and the young ones sang songs, standing around her. Then the bread was broken into pieces according to the number of those present and the livestock was fed with it.

Autumn celebrated for a whole week (in the church tradition, 6 days were allotted for the celebration of the Nativity of the Theotokos, since this holiday had the day of the forefeast - September 7 (20) and four days of the afterfeast).

Exaltation (Shift, Zdvizhenie, Vzdvizhenie day, Stavrov day, Cabbage / Cabbage /) is the popular name of the great twelveth feast of the Orthodox Church of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-giving Cross of the Lord, which is celebrated on September 14/27. Installed in the first half of the 4th century. in honor of the acquisition of the Holy Cross of Christ by the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Queen Helen.

A feature of the service of this holiday was the transfer of the cross from the altar to the throne during Vespers and then carrying it out at Matins, after the great doxology, in the middle of the church for worship. In the church, the celebration lasts seven days; the giving of the holiday takes place on September 21 / October 4.

In the folk tale dedicated to the Day of the Exaltation, the meaning of the holiday is revealed in its own way. The legend speaks of the attack of Constantine on the "Jewish land" and the capture of the "king of the Jews", who refused to say where the "honest crosses" are and was killed. The Jewish queen reported about the finding of the crosses, unable to bear the torture of her child, laid between two "living fires". She sent Tsar Constantine to the Odubar Mountain, where the "honest crosses" of which the apostles spoke were discovered.

Since the cross is a symbol of suffering, the day of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord was considered by the people to be fast: "Even if the Exaltation comes on Sunday, but everything on it is Friday-Wednesday, fast food"; “Whoever does not fast with the Exaltation - the Cross of Christ - on him will be raised up seven sins”; "Whoever has on the table about the Exaltation of the Slaughter - he kills all his prayers."

In the annals this day was called "Stavrov Day" (Greek cross). For a long time, processions of the cross were performed on the Exaltation around the villages in order to protect them from troubles for a year. Prayers were served, icons were raised and the fields were walked around with a prayer for the future harvest. They also prayed for the sick: "Pray with faith on the Exaltation Day, so the Life-giving Cross will rise from the deathbed." It was customary to raise crosses on temples under construction; install roadside crosses; to build vows chapels (everyday life) and small churches - according to the promise, in honor of the holiday.

In popular beliefs, the Exaltation is associated with the word "movement" consonant with it, with the help of which many peasants explained the meaning of the holiday. Signs and sayings dated to this day are based on this. They talked about the end of the harvest: "At the Exaltation, the last shock from the field is moving, the last cart is in a hurry to the threshing floor"; "Movement - bread has moved from the field."

By the time of the Exaltation, the Indian summer was coming to an end, the third meeting of the autumn took place: "The summer closes in, the keys with a gray tick take away with it across the sea" (Smolensk). The approach of winter was noted: "The elevation of autumn moves towards winter"; “At the Exaltation of the Winter - the Peasant Doesn't Care”; "At the Exaltation, winter is off the white - the nest is removed, he is going to visit the Russian peasant, - the family (says) I, winter-winter, in Holy Russia I will go and visit the gray peasant." They were preparing for the onset of the cold weather in advance, so they said: "The erection of the caftan from the ples will move, the sheepskin coat will pull it down"; "The exaltation will push the zipun, move the fur coat."

During the Exaltation, important matters were not started, as there was a belief that everything started on that day would be unsuccessful and useless.

By the Exaltation, the harvesting of vegetables, flax, hemp was completed; flax was processed ("crumpled for a tow"). They began to chop cabbage and harvest it for the winter, therefore, the Exaltation was called a cabbage holiday: "On the Exaltation - someone's party, but cabbage has more than everyone else!"; "On the Exaltation, the first lady - cabbage"; "Dare, woman, about the cabbage: Exaltation has come!" The cabbage chopping was accompanied by songs and refreshments in the evenings. “A good man has a cabbage pie for Vozdvizhenev's day”; "On the Exaltation of a good fellow - cabbage by the porch."

With the Exaltation began a series of autumn girls' parties, called "skits", "cabbage", "cabbage", "cabbage evenings". Cabbage mows occurred not only in villages, but also in cities, and lasted two weeks. The girls, wearing smart clothes, went from house to house singing songs - chopping cabbage. A special appetizer table was being prepared. Boyfriends-grooms came with gifts and looked out for brides - "cabbage girls".

Protection of the Virgin (Protection of the day) - the popular name of the Mother of God feast of the Orthodox Church - the Intercession of the Most Holy Lady of Our Lady and Ever-Virgin Mary, which is celebrated on October 1 (14). Installed in memory of the appearance of the Mother of God in the Blachernae Church in Constantinople. This event took place in the middle of the 10th century. during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Leo VI the Wise.

In Russia, the holiday was established under Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky around 1164. The church service was given a special "dignity" on this day: "We magnify Thee, Most Holy Virgin, and we honor Thy veil." In honor of the Protection of the Mother of God, there is an akathist.

In popular understanding, the church holiday of the Intercession of the Mother of God appears to be far removed from the Christian legend. The people create their own legend about the wandering Mother of God, who was denied an overnight stay in one of the villages, for which the inhabitants were punished by Elijah, the prophet, who sent them "thunder-lightning", "fire and stone arrows", "a city the size of a human head", "Downpour-rain". Taking pity on the people, the Mother of God rescued them by unfurling a veil over the village, after which they became kind and hospitable.

The Protection of the Mother of God acquires symbolic meaning and is seen as a fabulous veil of the Virgin - the Sun, which personifies the morning and evening dawn. This veil covers all the disadvantaged and is spun from threads of gold and silver that descend from the sky.

For the peasant, Pokrov Day is one of the most important autumn holidays, associated in folk tradition with the completion of agricultural work and the beginning of winter.

The borderline position of the Feast of the Intercession of the Virgin between autumn and winter designated it as the day by which the weather for the coming winter was determined, since it was always important for the peasants whether the approaching winter would be harsh. Accordingly, they noted: "What is the weather on Pokrov - such is the winter"; "Whence the wind to Pokrov, from there frosts will begin accordingly" (Voronezh); "If a leaf from an oak and birch tree falls on the Pokrov cleanly - by an easy year, and not clean - by a severe winter"; "The flight of cranes to Pokrov - in the early cold winter"; “If the squirrel is clean (faded) before the Pokrova, then the autumn (winter) will be good” (Perm.); “If the hare does not run out before the Cover, then the autumn will be long”; the ambivalent nature of the weather on this day was characterized: "Pokrov - the first winter"; "On Pokrov, autumn is before lunchtime, and winter is winter after lunch"; “From the Pokrova winter begins, from the winter Matrens - on November 6 (19) and 9 (22), winter rises to its feet, frosts come”; "The veil is not summer - Presentation (Annunciation) is not winter"; "The veil covers the ground, now with a leaf, now with snow."

The first snow fell near the Intercession, covering everything around, therefore, in the popular consciousness, the Intercession of the Virgin was associated with the snow cover of the earth at the onset of winter: "On the Cover, the earth is covered with snow, dresses with frost." But the snow that fell on the Pokrov often melted quickly, and for the peasant, the end of the autumn thaw and the establishment of a sled path was a serious problem, so they followed: “If it snowed on Pokrov, then on Dmitriev's day (November 26/8) it will certainly be the same "; “The veil is naked, then Catherine (November 24 / December 7) is naked”; "From the first snow to the sled path six weeks" (Pinezhie).

But the day of the Intercession of the Mother of God was connected not only with the snow cover in the popular mind. The veil (plate) of the Most Holy Theotokos was associated with the veil, veil, headscarf, which the bride was covered with during the wedding ceremony. The Day of the Intercession of the Virgin was considered "the patron saint of weddings" and a maiden's holiday: "The Intercession will come, the girl will cover her head"; “If it is windy on Pokrov, there will be a great demand for brides”; “If snow falls on the Pokrov, it portends many weddings”; “If snow falls on the Pokrov - happiness for the young”; "Cover the ground and the girl will cover (the ground with snow, and the girl with a handkerchief)"; "Fly the goods to the Pokrov (they talked about the brides)."

The girls especially believed in the power of the holiday of the Intercession, so various actions were timed to coincide with it, helping them to find a betrothed and get married. On the eve of this day, the girls wondered in the barn: to perform fortune-telling, they baked a small rye bread, and also crumpled and ruffled a bunch of flax. In the evening, bread and flax were taken to the barn and put on the grates - horizontally laid poles, on which they put sheaves of bread to dry, while saying: "My betrothed, my dear, come to Riga today, see enough at work, show yourself out of the window" (Yaroslavsk .). At the same time, the girl had to wait silently for the appearance of her betrothed, standing in the middle of the barn and looking out the window through which sheaves are thrown into the barn. Most often, the girls were afraid to be alone at night in the barn and, putting bread and flax on the grates, went to sleep, and in the morning, when the gospel for matins was heard, they took bread and flax from the barn, which had the miraculous power of bewitching hearts. If a girl secretly gives a piece of bread to eat and puts in her pocket a thread of "cast-in" flax, then the guy she likes will love her.

After the feast of the Intercession of the Virgin, the youth festivities were transferred from the street to the hut ("Intercession - the end of round dances, the beginning of gatherings"), while festive evenings were held on Sundays, and on weekdays, after finishing chores around the house, the girls gathered in turn to each other to get-togethers, mainly with spinning or sewing: "Winter has come - it has led to an ambush"; "From the Pokrova the spinners sit up at night."

The veil was the day on which the duration of hiring and deals was counted — usually workers were hired for a year — from Pokrova to Pokrov; in Pokrov, shepherds and fixed-term workers were calculated, new ones were hired for the next year. Various terms were established: "From the Intercession to Evdokey"; "From Intercession to Epiphany"; "From the Intercession to Egoria". After the Intercession, after completing agricultural work, many peasants went to work migrants, especially if they owned some kind of craft, and some, on the contrary, returned home.

By the Pokrov, the harvesting of grain was finished - the last sheaves were taken away and piled up in a barn or barn; the harvesting of vegetables from the gardens was completed: "The Most Pure Mother (Assumption of the Virgin) sows, and the Pokrov gathers"; "On the Cover of the last collection of fruits." In many places, the Pokrovskaya fairs began: "Take a good drink, to the Pokrov, I will hand it over at the Pokrovskaya fair"; "Wait until the Pokrov: I'll pay off the entire debt."

Kuzminki (Kuzmodemyanka) - a girl's holiday, celebrated all over Russia by girls on the autumn day of memory of Kuzma and Demyan - November 1/14.

On this day, the bride-girl became the mistress of the house. She cooked food for the family and treated everyone; the main course served on the table was chicken noodles. In the evening (less often - for three days), the girls organized a "Kuzmin party" ("pissing", bratchina). For this they rented a hut in advance, collected food in the village - potatoes, butter, eggs, cereals, flour, etc., prepared ceremonial food, among the obligatory dishes there was porridge, brewed goatmodemyansk beer. Often the girls sold the porridge to the guys for a few kopecks, putting it in cups, and the money received was divided among themselves. Teenage girls cooked porridge in several pots; after which they ate in a certain order: first they ate a dish of porridge with vegetable oil, then with butter, and at the end - a dish of porridge with lard. (Novgorod.).

After the refreshment, youth games began, among the indispensable, the so-called "kissing". So, playing "Spinning", the players stood in a circle, and during the performance of the song: "Spinner, my cocoa, I will throw you out of the mountain ..." - the guy and the girl circled in different directions, kissed and gave way to another pair (Pechorsk .).

The Kuzminskaya party could go on all night. When the food was over, the guys went “hunting” - they stole neighboring chickens to make new dishes (peasants did not condemn such thefts); after which the fun resumed.

The girl's holiday, celebrated on the day of Cosmas and Damian, logically fit into the autumn wedding period, when brides are shown (they said: "The girl has taken the guy!" the prototype of the wedding game (for example, among the main treat Kuzminok - wedding ritual dishes: chicken noodles and porridge), which fit into the image of saints created by the people as patrons of marriage and “wedding blacksmiths”.

Target:

Acquaintance with the traditional autumn holidays of the Russian people, their history, customs and rituals.

Tasks:

Raising respect for Russian culture, spirituality, patriotism, revival of folk traditions.

Burnt day of the national calendar of the Slavs and the rite of completion of the harvest. By mid-August, the grain harvest ends, hence the name of the holiday. Obzhinka is characteristic primarily of the East and West Slavic traditions; among the southern Slavs, the holiday of the end of the harvesting of grain was shifted to the period of grain threshing

Vyzhanka At the end of the summer, on the farm, where the field has not yet been harvested, it is consumed with cleanliness (volunteer helpers). The last sheaf is reaped in silence, so as not to disturb the spirit of the field, which moves into it. According to an old custom, a small part of uncut ears is left on the squeezed field, tying them with a ribbon and curling a "beard"

Autumn is the day of the folk calendar of the Eastern Slavs, which falls on September 21. The holiday is dedicated to the harvested harvest, fertility and family well-being. By this time, the field work is completed. The foundation has been laid for the welfare of the family for the coming year. On this day, they honored and thanked the Mother of God for the harvest. It is believed that she gives prosperity, patronizes agriculture, family and especially mothers. In some places, commemorations for the dead are held, like on Dmitrievskaya Saturday.

Kindling fire It was believed that from September 21, the end of summer comes and autumn comes into its own. They said about this day: "Amen to every summer." The meeting of autumn in some localities is marked by the renewal of the fire hut: the old fire is extinguished and a new one is lit, which is obtained by striking a flint or rubbing a tree.

Honoring Women Early in the morning, a woman and girls went out to the banks of rivers, lakes and ponds to meet Mother Osenina with oatmeal bread and jelly. The older woman is standing with bread, and the younger ones are singing songs around her. After that, they break the bread into pieces according to the number of people and feed them to livestock.

Funeral of flies On this day in some places the ceremony of "burial of flies" is held. A caught fly (cockroach, mosquito, wasp) is placed in a carrot domina, solemnly taken to a vacant lot and buried in a grave, which means the numbness of insects and the Earth during the coming winter.

1. The most significant folk holidays of the autumn cycle

Paraskeva (March 20 / April 2 (Roman Great Martyr Paraskeva, injured at Neuron), July 26 / August 8 (Martyr Paraskeva, born near Rome in 138), October 14/27 (Venerable Paraskeva of Serbia, who became famous in the middle of the 11th century), October 28 / November 10 (Great Martyr Paraskeva Friday).

Maiden's holiday, celebrated on the day of memory of Cosmas and Damian (Kuzma and Demyan). On this day, girls - brides became complete mistresses of the house. Girls' "Kuzmin parties" were arranged, special ritual dishes were prepared, brides were shown.

2. A brief description of the eventfulness of the holidays (pagan and Orthodox meaning of the holidays)

Nativity of the Mother of God (Mother of God Day, Second Most Pure, Small Most Pure, Lady Second, Lady Rich, Spozhka, Spozhka, Big Spozhka, Asposov / Aspas / day, Spoos day, Pasik's day, Osenins, Second Osenins, Onions day, Present day) - folk the name of the great feast of the Mother of God of the Orthodox Church - the Nativity of the Most Holy Lady of our Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, which is celebrated on September 8 (21). Installed in memory of the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Lord God Jesus Christ.

The Mother of God was also in special honor among the girls of marriageable age. They turned to her with requests for suitors.

According to North Russian legends, the Mother of God "walks on the earth" on Easter. Legends about birds and animals are also associated with the Mother of God. A folk legend of the Russian population of the Surgut Territory reports about the Mother of God, who was frightened by a hazel grouse in the forest, getting angry, she turned him into a "small bird with a big rustle" so that any hunter could find him as soon as possible, and divided the tender white meat ("hazel grouse inheritance") between all birds and animals.

The Osenins celebrated for a whole week (in the church tradition, 6 days were allotted for the celebration of the Nativity of the Virgin, since this holiday had the day of the forefeast - September 7 (20) and four days of the afterfeast).

Exaltation (Movement, Building, Exaltation of the Day, Stavrov Day, Cabbage / Cabbage /) is the popular name for the great twelveth feast of the Orthodox Church of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-giving Cross of the Lord, which is celebrated on September 14/27. Installed in the first half of the 4th century. in honor of the acquisition of the Holy Cross of Christ by the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Queen Helen.

In the folk tale dedicated to the Day of the Exaltation, the meaning of the holiday is revealed in its own way. The legend speaks of Constantine's attack on the "Jewish land" and the capture of the "king of the Jews", who refused to say where the "honest crosses" are and was killed. The Jewish queen reported about the finding of the crosses, unable to withstand the torture of her child, laid between two "living fires". She sent Tsar Constantine to Odubar Mountain, where the "honest crosses" of which the apostles spoke were discovered.

Since the cross is a symbol of suffering, the day of the Exaltation of the Lord's Cross was considered by the people to be fast: "Even if the Exaltation comes on Sunday, everything on it is Friday-Wednesday, fast food"; "He who does not fast with the Exaltation - the Cross of Christ, - on him will be raised up seven sins"; "Whoever has on the table about the Exaltation of the Slaughter - he kills all his prayers."

By the time of the Exaltation, the Indian summer was coming to an end, the third meeting of autumn was taking place: "The summer is closing in, the keys with a gray tick take away with it across the sea" (Smolensk). The approach of winter was noted: "The elevation of autumn moves towards winter"; "On the Exaltation of the Winter - the Peasant Doesn't Care"; "At the Exaltation, winter is off the white - the nest is removed, he is going to visit the Russian peasant, - the family (says) I, winter-winter, in Holy Russia, I will gawk, I will visit the gray peasant." They were preparing for the onset of the winter cold in advance, so they said: "The erection of the caftan from the ples will move, the sheepskin coat will pull it down"; "The exaltation will push the zipun, move the fur coat."

Rituals and customs are part of the culture of every nation, be it a huge nation or a small community. They accompany us throughout our lives. Some of them go back centuries, and we either forget about them or do not know about them at all. Others continue to exist. We invite you to get acquainted with the autumn ceremonies, the history of their origin and essence. The traditions associated with the onset of autumn are interesting and varied in different countries.

Autumn is the time of the holidays

Since antiquity, the time for various celebrations has been autumn. Various and numerous, for example, ceremonies and rituals on the day of the autumn equinox. Why did it happen? The fact is that the time of agriculture was coming to an end, everyone was harvesting, preparing for winter. The majority of the population were peasants at that time, so the seasonality had a significant impact on their way of life. Full bins and free time gave people the opportunity to relax.

Harvest Festival in Israel

Mostly people celebrated the Harvest Festival. So, in Israel on September 19, Sukkot takes place. Jews on this day perform the rite of the ascension of the lulav. Lulava consists of four plants - myrtle, willow, date palm leaf, etrog. Each of these plants symbolizes a person. So, the etrog symbolizes people who do good deeds, and the willow - people who do not know how to do good. The combination of these plants suggests that each should help the other, teach him the right life. The holiday lasts seven days. On the eighth, a prayer is read for the granting of the harvest for the next year.

Korean autumn traditions

The harvest is called Chuseok. It lasts three days. An interesting point: all people for these three days try to go to their native places. In Chuseok, ancestors are worshiped in every family, after this ritual they are treated to festive dishes from the sacrificial table. Then everyone goes to the graves of relatives to honor their memory.

Wine harvest

Grape harvest festivals are considered traditional in Europe. For example, a young wine festival is held in Switzerland in mid-September. About one hundred and fifty varieties of wines are sent here from all over the country. Various shows, dances, concerts are held these days.

Autumn holidays among the Slavs

Autumn holidays among the Slavs often have pagan and Orthodox roots. The most famous were Obzhinki or Dozhinki (among the Belarusians). In the nineteenth century, this holiday was celebrated everywhere among the Slavs, only at different times, mainly depending on the climate. So, among the Eastern Slavs, the mentioned holiday coincided with the Dormition of the Theotokos, and in Siberia - with the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

On this day, people performed several autumn ceremonies. For example, the last sheaf was reaped in silence, and then the women rolled over the stubble with certain song words. A few ears of corn were left in the field, twisted into a beard. This rite was called "curling the beard."

Traditions and ceremonies of autumn in Russia

The first of September in Russia was called the Indian summer, in some regions the countdown was from September 8. Already somewhere from Ilyin's day, and somewhere from Uspenyev, autumn round dances began to be led in many settlements. It is worth noting that the round dance is the oldest of the dances of the Russian people, rooted in the rituals of worshiping the sun god. The round dance in Russia was of great importance. This dance reflected three epochs of the year: spring, summer, autumn.

One of the Russian autumn rites is a round dance called "brewing beer." Young women went out into the street and treated everyone to home brew, then got up in a round dance and pretended to be drunk. At the end of the day, all the girls were treated to home brew.

On Semyonov's day - September 1 - they mounted a horse. In every family, the first-born was mounted on a horse. In addition, the New Year was celebrated on the same day for 400 years. It was canceled only in 1700 by the decree of Peter 1.

And on September 14, in Russia, they began to celebrate the Osenins. People thanked Mother Earth for a rich harvest. They renewed the fire, extinguished the old one, produced a new one. From that time on, all activities in the field ended and work began in the house and in the house, in the garden. In the houses on the First Oseniny, a festive table was laid, beer was brewed and a ram was slaughtered. A pie was baked from new flour.

September 21 - Second Autumn. On the same day, the Birth of the Most Holy Theotokos was celebrated. September 23 - Peter and Pavel Ryabinniki. On this day, rowan was harvested for compote, kvass. The windows were decorated with rowan bunches, it was believed that they would protect the house from all evil spirits.

Third Osenins - September 27. In another way, this day was called the snake holiday. According to legends, all birds and snakes moved to another country that day. With them, requests were passed to the deceased. On this day, they did not go to the forest, because it was believed that the snake could drag away.

Autumn traditions among Belarusians

Autumn holidays among Belarusians are similar to autumn ceremonies and holidays among other Slavic peoples. The end of the harvest has long been celebrated in Belarus. This holiday was called dozhinki. One of the main autumn ceremonies was performed at the dozhinki. The last sheaf was intertwined with flowers and dressed in a woman's dress, after which it was carried to the village and left until the next harvest. Now the dozhinki is a holiday of national importance.

Similarly to the Osenins, Belarus celebrated the harvest festival - the rich man. A popular print with grain and a candle inside was considered the symbol of the holiday. "The rich man" was in one of the houses of the village, where a priest was invited to conduct a prayer service. After that the splint with a lit candle was carried through the whole village.

No less famous ritual holiday of late autumn in Belarus - Dzyady. This holiday of remembrance of the ancestors falls on November 1-2. Dzyady means "grandfathers", "ancestors". Before Dziady we washed in a bath, cleaned houses. A bucket of clean water and a broom for the souls of ancestors were left in the bath. The whole family gathered for dinner that day. They prepared various dishes, before supper the doors were opened in the house so that the souls of the dead could enter.

During dinner, they did not say unnecessary words, behaved humbly, remembered only good things about their ancestors, remembered the dead. Dziadov was served to the beggars who went to the villages.

Autumn equinox. Ceremonies and rituals around the world

The autumnal equinox falls on September 22, sometimes 23. Day and night at this time become equal. Many peoples attached a mystical meaning to this day. Traditions, celebrations and ceremonies on the Day of the Autumnal Equinox are commonplace.

In some countries, this is a public holiday, such as Japan. Here, according to tradition, they remember their ancestors on this day. The ancient rite of the Buddhist festival Higan is held. On this day, the Japanese prepare food only from plant components: beans, vegetables. They make pilgrimages to the graves of their ancestors and worship them.

In Mexico, on the day of the autumnal equinox, people go to the object. The object is arranged so that on the days of the equinox, the sun's rays create triangles of light and shadow on the pyramid. The lower the sun, the more distinct the contours of the shadow, in shape they resemble a snake. Such an illusion lasts a little more than three hours, during which time you need to have time to make a wish.

Autumn equinox among the Slavs

The day of the autumnal equinox was one of the main holidays among the Slavs. Its names were different: Tausen, Ovsen, Radogosh. Rites and rituals were also performed in different localities.

Oat is the name of a deity in mythology that was responsible for changing the seasons, so in the fall he was thanked for the fruits and harvest. Celebrated the day of the autumnal equinox (with ceremonies and rituals) for two weeks. The main festive drink was a honey drink made from fresh hops. Pies with meat, cabbage, lingonberries - this is the main delicacy on the table.

The ceremony for the autumn equinox was the seeing off of the goddess Zhiva to Svarga - the heavenly kingdom, which was closed in winter. On the day of the equinox, the Slavs also worshiped the goddess Lada. She was the patroness of weddings. And weddings were most often celebrated after the end of the field work.

On the day of the autumnal equinox, special autumn folk rituals were held. To attract good luck and happiness, pies with cabbage and round apples were baked. If the dough rose quickly, then the financial situation should have improved next year.

All old things that day were taken out into the yard and burned.

Special ceremonies for the autumn equinox were performed with water. She was believed to have special powers. We washed in the morning and in the evening with the belief that water will keep children healthy, and women - attractive.

Our ancestors often used trees in autumn ceremonies and holidays. So, the house and themselves were protected by rowan branches. It was believed that the mountain ash plucked on this day has tremendous energy and will not let bad things into the house. The girls used walnut twigs. They put the second pillow on the bed in order to get married as soon as possible, burned the branches of the nut, and scattered the ashes on the street. The bunches of rowan trees were used to judge the winter. The more berries, the more severe the winter.

Sacrifice was a special autumn rite in Russia. In gratitude for a good harvest in pagan times, the Slavs sacrificed the largest animal to Veles. We did it before harvesting. After the sacrifice, sheaves were tied up and "grandmothers" were placed. After that, a rich table was laid.

Orthodox autumn holidays, traditions, rituals

The biggest holiday is the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos (September 21). The holiday coincided with the second autumn.

September 27 - Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord. In the 4th century, the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great found the Cross and the Holy Sepulcher. Many then wanted to see this miracle. So the Feast of the Exaltation was established. From that day on, the harvesting of cabbage for the winter began. And young guys and girls gathered for cabbage. The table was laid, the guys looked after the brides.

October 14 - Protection of the Virgin. The holiday was established by Andrey Bogolyubsky. In Russia, they believed that the Mother of God took Russia under the protection, therefore they always hoped for her protection and mercy. At this time, they were finishing work in the field, collecting the last fruits. In Pokrov, women made ten-handed dolls, which, as it was believed, were supposed to help around the house, since the woman did not have time for everything.

On the third day of November, Kazanskaya was celebrated. This is the Mother of God.

Autumn signs in Russia

September 11 - Ivan Poletny, Flightman. A day later, they began to pull out root crops, dug potatoes.

September 24 - Fedora-Ripped off. Two Fedors up the hill - one in autumn, one in winter, one with mud, the other with cold.

October 1 - crane years. It was believed that if the cranes fly on this day, then the first frost will be on Pokrov. If not, frost should not be expected earlier than November 1.

November 14 - Kuzminki. On Kuzminki they celebrated the cock's name day. The girls arranged a feast-conversation, invited the guys.

On this day, a ceremony called "the wedding and funeral of Kuzma-Demyan" was performed. The girls made a stuffed animal out of straw, dressed him up as a guy and held a comic wedding. They seated this scarecrow in the middle of the hut and "married" some girl, then carried it into the forest, burned it and danced on it. They made dolls Kuzma and Demyana. They were considered the keepers of the family hearth, patrons of women's handicrafts.