Wedding on the red hill. Wedding on Krasnaya Gorka: signs. Rings and wedding dress

No matter how much the Church warns about the dangers of superstition, no matter how strictly the priests urge the parishioners not to trust all kinds of "signs", signs associated with the wedding live and prosper. Nothing can destroy them! It is easy to understand the endurance of popular beliefs: there are so many hopes and worries accompanying a joyful day of marriage. I would like to foresee everything, to protect myself from all conceivable and inconceivable dangers, to do something "such" that will forever seal the concluded alliance ... And the signs are right there! We are always ready to suggest to those who wish a recipe for a happy marriage.

The first thing that future spouses do, deciding to seal their union with sacred bonds, is to choose a temple in which the sacraments will take place, and set a wedding date. But if there are usually no problems with choosing a place, then the time of the wedding raises many questions.

Is it possible to start a family in a "bad" year?

Fees to the temple

  • According to tradition, parents necessarily blessed the kneeling groom with the bride with a family icon. It was considered a good sign if, at the same time, the young, having applied to the image, bowed at the same time, which meant that harmony and complete mutual understanding would reign in the family.
  • After the bride left the house, the parents diligently washed the floors in all rooms so that the girl would take root in the new family and never return: she went out and washed her traces.
  • In the old days, only the godfather and mother were supposed to accompany the young to the temple, and the relatives were supposed to wait for the newly-made spouses at home and prepare a feast. But now times have changed, and if parents certainly want to get to a wedding in a church, the omens will no longer argue.
  • Under the threshold of the house, through which the couple crossed, going to the temple, they put a lock, and then they firmly closed it and threw away the key: what was locked could no longer fall apart.
  • The total number of vehicles in the wedding cortege had to be odd.
  • It was considered a very bad sign if someone crossed the path of the wedding procession.

During the wedding

And the very wedding in the church, the signs were not ignored. Many people know the old legend about the ring, which our great classic, Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, dropped when he put it on his future wife. Leisurely tongues immediately predicted a bad ending to the marriage, and we know how the matter ended for the poet ... It is not known whether this incident really took place, but the fallen ring is a really bad omen. And what else do beliefs warn about?

  • It is supposed to enter the church from the right foot.
  • If the bride has gloves on her hands, they must be removed so as not to put the ring on the “covered” hand.
  • The strong crackle of wedding candles predicts a difficult family life, and too quickly a candle burned out of one of the spouses hints at a short century, measured out for him.
  • Whoever is the first to enter the wedding dress or put a ring on the finger of his half to the very foundation, that will be the head of the family.
  • If, during the sacrament, a crown falls from one of the spouses, he will be a widow.
  • It is advisable not to look either around or in each other's eyes, but only at the priest performing the ceremony. The sign has its own logic: it will make it easier for you to concentrate.
  • If the newlyweds leave the church under the soft clatter of raindrops or the loud ringing of bells, their family life will be happy. Rain, of course, is a matter of chance. On the other hand, it is usually not difficult to agree on the bells. The most that may be required of you is a small surcharge.

After marriage

And after the wedding, the omens will not subside!

  • Whichever way the bride gets to the church, they always tried to choose another road to return, "confusing the trail."
  • An attacker should not be allowed to steal any element of the bride's clothing - a glove, a frill from a dress, and even more so a veil. Will take away a piece of future happiness!
  • The parents were supposed to meet the young parents with bread and salt, although in some regions of Russia the mother-in-law tried to pass the cake to the newlywed imperceptibly from prying eyes, and scatter hops under her feet so that life was fun. The couple ate both bread and pie strictly for two, not breaking off a piece to anyone.
  • At the festive table, the husband and wife sat tightly to each other and intertwined their legs so that "the cat would not run between them."
  • Already in the bedroom, before going to bed, the newlyweds put their rings in cups of honey drink and drained it to the bottom. By the way, it was strictly forbidden for a husband and wife to drink alcohol, so that children born in the future would not have problems with strong drinks.

An impressive list ... But to summarize, let's say: don't take it too seriously. Why fill one of the most joyful days in life with experiences: "Has everything been done, right?" There were couples who dropped their rings and stumbled during the procession at the altar, and lived a happy long life side by side. And there were those who faithfully followed all the signs, but still did not keep the marriage. If you have already decided to ask God to bless you for building a strong and loving family, rely on Him. And also on their own love, care and patience.

Krasnaya Gorka is a folk holiday in which Orthodox and pagan traditions are closely intertwined. It is tied to the Bright Resurrection of Christ and is celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter.

The Orthodox Church celebrates Antipascha or Fomino Sunday on this day.

Sputnik Georgia will tell you about the holiday and its traditions, as well as the meaning of all three of its names.

Red hill

The word "red" in Slavic dialects means "beautiful, blooming, cheerful". The very spring and summer are called red, because the weather is clear, and nature is in all its glory.

Red slide means beautiful in location and fun in games. In many localities, the hills or hills on which people gathered in the spring were called red hills.

The holiday symbolizes rebirth, the victory of life over death, spring over a long winter. The essence of the holiday is the meeting and greeting of spring in its full strength and beauty. In the old days, it was believed that by this day nature was already completely at the mercy of a bright blooming spring, and summer suffering and harvesting awaited ahead.

The youth, who since ancient times greeted the festive dawn on a beautiful hill, were looking forward to the holiday with great impatience. The sunrise was greeted with a traditional song and then sung by all in chorus. At the end, they left an offering to Spring - a round loaf and a painted egg.

Antipaskha

The Orthodox Church has given the holiday a new meaning, linking it with Christian events. "Antipascha" is a Greek word, and the prefix "anti" does not mean "against", but "instead", that is, the repetition of the holiday on the eighth day after Easter.

This is as an addition to Easter, because it is on this day, after the end of a long fast, that one can get married - the Church, after a long break, begins to perform the sacrament of marriage.

A huge number of weddings are traditionally celebrated on Krasnaya Gorka. It is believed that the wedding, played on this very day, will be the key to a long and happy family life.

The first mention of Antipascha is found in the Antiochian "Apostolic Decisions", which date back to about 380, and the description of the Jerusalem service on this day is in the "Pilgrimage of Egeria", about 400.

The service of Antipascha, according to the current Jerusalem charter, is performed according to the rite of the twelve (main) holidays, although formally the day itself is not included in such holidays.

Fomina week

In memory of the miracle of the assurance of the Apostle Thomas, this day is called St. Thomas's Week. In Church Slavonic, the word "week" refers to Sunday - the day when you need to rest and devote time to God.

On this day, the service is associated with the remembrance of two appearances of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ to the apostles. The first happened on the evening of Easter, when only ten apostles saw Christ, among whom was not Thomas.

The second - on the eighth day after Easter, when the Savior appeared to all eleven apostles, including Thomas.

According to Scripture, the Apostle Thomas, who was absent during the first appearance, did not believe that Jesus Christ was resurrected, so the Savior appeared to him on the eighth day after his miraculous resurrection.

Human nature has a desire to be confident after receiving confirmation, so people often require logical, tangible evidence.

Thomas, seeing Christ, exclaimed: "My Lord and my God!" These words of his meant not only faith in the Resurrection of Christ, but also faith in Him as God. To which Jesus answered him: "You believed because you saw Me; blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

Traditions and customs

The red hill was considered a day of love, the birth of feelings and hopes. It has pagan roots and traditions - many of them have been lost over time, but some have survived to this day.

Previously, girls and boys met on Krasnaya Gorka. They chose their betrothed and in a playful, playful way announced and showed their affection and sympathy.

They prepared for the holiday in advance, since it was customary to dress up in the most beautiful outfits and clothes on Krasnaya Gorka. Young girls tried in every possible way to attract attention to themselves - they weaved bright ribbons into their braids and put on colorful scarves.

The red hill was considered a girl's holiday.

On this day, mass festivities, games, round dances, matchmaking, chants were held. It was considered a bad omen for young people to sit at home on a holiday, since it was said that those who did not go out to the festivities in Krasnaya Gorka would not be able to find a mate.

© Sputnik / I. Zenin

On this day, ceremonies were also held, designed to isolate the village from adversity and attract happiness and a good harvest. To carry out the ceremony, all the women gathered at the edge of the village in the dark, harnessed to the plow and made a furrow around the entire village, while reading prayers.

If a cross formed when the circle was closed, it was considered a good omen. The deep furrow symbolized the protection of the settlement from disease, drought, crop failure and other misfortunes. Men did not participate in this ceremony.

After the ceremony, festivities began, in which girls and boys from all over the village took an active part. The youth tried to show their skills and talents from the best side - the girls sang and danced, and the guys demonstrated their agility and strength in small competitions.

On Krasnaya Gorka, a ceremony was also performed for good luck - people rolled colored eggs from small hills. It was believed that if the egg rolls down smoothly and does not break, then happiness and good luck awaits its owner.

The Red Hill in 2017, unlike the past, favors traditional weddings - it falls in April. According to popular belief, May is the worst month for marriage. This was confirmed by the saying: "Marry in May - toil all your life."

Signs on Krasnaya Gorka

Red Hill, like many other holidays, is associated with various signs in which many people believe to this day. The most common ones are for wealth, happiness and health.

So, in order not to know the lack of money, on Krasnaya Gorka you need to wash in front of the icon. At the same time, the oldest in the family must wash those who are younger.

To attract happiness, people on this day made a wish for a coin and threw it into a well or pond. It was believed that this would bring happiness, and the wish made would certainly come true.

To get longevity and good health, it was customary to pray to the Lord on Krasnaya Gorka. People believed that on this holiday, their prayers are heard not only by God, but also by deceased relatives, who will also help those who are praying.

For those who observe the signs on Krasnaya Gorka, the year promises material well-being and a happy marriage. But it should be remembered that these superstitions, like any others, are not approved by the church.

The material was prepared on the basis of open sources

Have you ever heard of a wedding on Krasnaya Gorka? In the old days, our ancestors, the pagan Slavs, had an abundance of holidays. Today I will talk about the Red Hill celebration.

Red Hill is a pagan holiday of fun, joy, the victory of spring over a long, harsh winter. The Eastern Slavs considered this day to be the beginning of spring and the birth of a new life for all nature.

In Russia, the slide was celebrated on the first Sunday following Easter. It was a special day, for which the hostesses diligently prepared: they baked lush loaves and ruddy pies, cooked eggs. It is interesting that the prepared dishes necessarily had a round "sun" shape, which symbolically reminded of the beginning of the life cycle.

The holiday was celebrated on a grand scale: with mass festivities and celebrations, bonfires with round dances and fairs of brides, the invocation of spring and cheerful songs. Among other things, this holiday bore its symbol - the meeting of new love, the birth of a new family.

The Red Hill was considered a predominantly girls' holiday, it was the first spring festivities of young girls. Although it was impossible without daring fellows on this day - all the young people put on the best elegant clothes and went to get acquainted with each other at the celebration, to seek happiness for themselves.

The celebration took place on the hills, where the snow melted earlier than everyone else, and fresh green grass appeared, hence the popular name of the holiday - "red" (that is, beautiful) hill.

Every single girl and every single boy, already ready to start a family by age, were obliged to take part in the celebration of the slide. Dodging participation in mass festivities was condemned by public opinion, provoked ridicule, and even viewed as a great sin, followed by severe punishment, celibacy, childlessness, or early widowhood.

Rites and traditions

In Russia, many weddings were traditionally celebrated on Krasnaya Gorka. It was believed that if the wedding was played on this special day, the young would be guaranteed a long and happy married life. If in a village or village a wedding was celebrated on a hill, all the mass festivities and the wedding itself merged into one big holiday.

There was an interesting ritual called "Hailing the Young" - young people or only girls walked around the courtyards with congratulations (thereby calling out) the young. On Saturday, on the eve of the Krasnaya Gorka celebration, even before sunrise, a cheerful crowd gathered in a cheerful crowd, dressed in festive shirts.

It was planned to call out those young people who got married in the last Krasnaya Gorka. Not a single young married couple could be missed. Under the windows of the young couple, the haillers sang and danced.

I have already written about the two main signs of a wedding on Krasnaya Gorka: if you get married on this day, then family life will certainly be happy, and if you stay at home, then there will be no wedding this year. Other signs are no less interesting.

Sign of the fulfillment of desires

They believed that if a coin was thrown into the well on the day of the holiday, then the cherished desire would certainly come true and there would be happiness in life.

Rolling eggs

Eggs were rolled onto Krasnaya Gorka from a natural slope and a built slide. It was believed that if the egg rolls smoothly, but stops smoothly and does not beat, then the year is waiting for a successful one.

The newlyweds also took part in this fun, together with the slide they pushed the eggs and watched how they rolled down - next to each other or separately, at the same pace or at different speeds, how they stopped - together, or one of the eggs rolled further.

From what they saw, the young concluded what family life awaits them next year.

Wealth sign

It was believed that if you wash your face with water from the icon on the day of Krasnaya Gorka, you will surely get rich. But just to tell that this ritual was carried out in the family, no one was allowed!

Longevity sign

Whoever reads prayers this day will be given a long life.

Wedding and wedding on this day

Today, a wedding on Krasnaya Gorka is no less popular - many young couples want to return to the traditions of their people and get married on this very day.

Every year, the time to celebrate Krasnaya Gorka causes a real stir in the registry offices and churches. In 2018, the celebration falls on April 15, 2019 on May 5, and in 2020 falls on April 26.

If you decide to celebrate your wedding on Krasnaya Gorka, I recommend a celebration in the original Russian style.

Wedding clothes will be traditional elegant Russian-folk costumes of the bride and groom, harmoniously combined with the general style of the wedding, if you use red, red and white ribbons, wildflowers in the decoration.

It is great if the photo zone is made with the use of such elements as bulk apples, painting under Khokhloma, teddy bears, accordion and balalaikas.

Every couple in love who has decided to legalize their relationship is faced with a difficult choice of date for this most exciting and important event in the life of every person. Someone has solved this issue long ago - for example, a couple adjusts vacation dates. Someone chooses from several options.

Well, someone wants to time the wedding to some event, so that the holiday becomes bright and eventful! Newlyweds often choose symbolic dates, such as the date they met, or just a “nice number” like 01/18/18. Traditionally, registry offices are full of grooms and brides on days close to Valentine's Day (February 14).

Also, the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity, or the Day of Remembrance of Peter and Fevronia - July 8, is also very popular for weddings now. In addition to this holiday, there is one more holiday, though undeservedly less popular. It is called.

This holiday has come down to our days since the days of paganism, and with the advent of Christianity it was closely intertwined with the traditions of celebrating Easter. Red Hill is celebrated the following Sunday - in 2019 it will be May 5th. In the old days, the opportunity to get married and play a wedding after the end of a long strict fast gathered in churches throughout Russia a huge number of couples striving for a wedding crown. Also, at this spring time, there was a hot field and economic work, so that every peasant family was glad to have more workers. Common work united the young family, helped to rally.

There were many signs - it was believed that guys and girls who got married on Krasnaya Gorka receive God's blessing for a strong and happy marriage. The newlyweds on Krasnaya Gorka wished all singles and unmarried happiness, a speedy marriage, presented the guests with Easter eggs and dyed eggs - painted and dyed eggs. An egg with two yolks that came across to the bride or groom promised the birth of twins, wealth.

By the way, according to one of the versions of the origin of the name "Krasnaya Gorka", it was customary to choose a hill near the village as a place of celebration, so that everyone could freely accommodate. It is not for nothing that in Russian culture the word "red" was also used in the meaning of "beautiful", we still use stable combinations of "red girl", "red sun".

It was believed that red should be present in the bride's attire - for the beauty of married life. The meeting of spring and weddings was celebrated on a grand scale, with games, songs, dances, round dances in the open air - the more fun the wedding, the happier the young people will live. It is possible that many omens are not so relevant in our time, but just turning to native traditions will make the wedding colorful, warm and memorable!