Autumn Russian folk holidays. Russian calendar and ritual holidays of the autumn cycle and their artistic elements. Autumn signs in Rus'

On September 14, or September 1 according to the old style, the beginning of autumn is celebrated - Oseniny - a harvest festival, when people thank the earth for its gifts. In 325, the First Ecumenical Council established this day as the beginning of the year. According to the tradition of the Orthodox Church, it was in September that the world was created.

On Autumn, it’s as if nature itself dresses up in bright and festive attire. This holiday was celebrated in Rus' with all possible entertainment. Young and old gathered for gatherings with the eldest in the family to celebrate the new summer, and then went to church for matins. The day before, the fire in the houses was extinguished, and in the morning, by rubbing two planks, a “new” one was mined, and with this fire, sit-ins or gatherings began.

In the morning, after church services, women went to the shores of lakes and ponds to greet Mother Osenina with jelly and oatmeal bread. The older woman held bread in her hands, and the young people around her sang songs. Then the bread was broken according to the number of those present and fed to the cattle.

In Rus' they began to celebrate from this day autumn weddings. The wedding weeks, which all unmarried women and single men looked forward to with great impatience, lasted until).

To that holiday An ancient funny ritual of burial of cockroaches and flies, which people were pretty tired of over the summer, was timed. The annoying insects were buried by girls who dressed up in best clothes, they made coffins from the shells of nuts or vegetables and, with lamentations, carried insects out of the hut to bury them. It was believed that if you kill a fly before September 14, then seven more flies will be born, and if after, then seven more flies will die. Participation in the funeral of flies and cockroaches gave the girls the opportunity to appear in all their glory in front of the assembled boys and, thus, find a future spouse.

Even on this day they moved to new huts and celebrated housewarming. They believed that this would bring prosperity to the newly-made owners. Be sure to follow the ritual of transferring the brownie to a new place of residence. From the stove of the old house they took out a pot of coals, in which, according to legend, the house spirit was located, and transferred it to new house. Only after this was it allowed to sit down festive table and celebrate a housewarming party without fear that the brownie will get angry and take revenge on the forgetful owners.

According to tradition, on the first day of autumn, relatives and acquaintances visited the newlyweds to “look at their life and teach them wisdom.” The young housewife fed the guests a hearty lunch and showed them all her household items in the house. As usual, those who came praised her and gave practical advice. The owner took the guests to the yard, showed them the livestock in the barns, and winter and summer harnesses in the sheds, then everyone went to the garden, where they drank wine from a barrel.

At the end of the harvest, village fraternities were often held in villages. The more productive the summer was, the more hospitable and longer the holiday was celebrated. On Osenina, boys 4-5 years old were mounted on horses for the first time, and the rite of “tonsuring” was also carried out for boys who had reached the age of seven, marking their new role in the community.

On September 14, Indian summer begins, which in some places lasts up to three weeks. They noticed that if the day is clear, then the entire Indian summer will be warm, and winter too. Pay attention to the Indian Summer weather:

If it rains often during this period of time, then autumn will be dry.
A lot of cobwebs in Indian summer means a clear autumn and a frosty winter.

Before this date, you need to remove the grain crops (otherwise the entire harvest will be lost - the grain will fall to the ground) and sow winter rye.

According to an old tradition, on September 14 one should be merciful and perform charitable deeds. On this day, our ancestors distributed alms to the poor, treated widows and orphans, visited prisoners in prison and gave them gifts.

There are a great many signs dedicated to this day. They were used to judge the near and distant future, the fertility of livestock, the quantity and quality of the harvest:

The wind blows from the southern region - a warm and damp winter.
If the wind is from under the sun, then in winter the north wind will often blow.
Rainy day - for rainy autumn.
A lot of cobwebs promise a long and clear autumn.
If the wild geese have flown away, then winter will be early.

Video: Autumn in Rus'

Autumn is a time of holidays

Since ancient times, time for various celebrations it was autumn. For example, ceremonies and rituals on the day of the autumn equinox are varied and numerous. Why did this happen? The fact is that the time for farming was ending, everyone was harvesting and preparing for winter. The majority of the population in those days were peasants, so 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, Sukkot takes place on September 19th. On this day, Jews perform the ritual of raising the lulav. Lulava consists of four plants - myrtle, willow, date palm leaf, etrog. Each of these plants symbolizes a person. Thus, the etrog symbolizes people who do good deeds, and the willow symbolizes people who do not know how to do good. The combination of these plants suggests that everyone should help the other, teach him the right way to live. The holiday lasts seven days. On the eighth day they read a prayer 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 try to go to their native places for these three days. On Chuseok, every family worships their ancestors, and 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

In Europe, grape harvest holidays are considered traditional. Thus, in Switzerland in mid-September there is a festival of young wine. About one hundred and fifty varieties of wines are sent here from all over the country. Various shows, dances, and concerts take place 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 Belarusians). In the nineteenth century, this holiday was celebrated everywhere among the Slavs, only in different time, mainly depending on the climate. Thus, among the Eastern Slavs, the mentioned holiday coincided with the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, and in Siberia - with the holiday of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

On this day people spent several autumn rites. For example, the last sheaf was reaped in silence, and then the women rolled through the stubble with certain words-songs. Several ears of corn, twisted into a beard, were left on the field. This ritual was called “beard curling.”

Traditions and rituals of autumn in Rus'

The first of September in Rus' was called Indian summer; in some areas the countdown was from September 8th. Already somewhere from Ilyin's day, and somewhere from Uspenev, autumn round dances began in many settlements. It is worth noting that the round dance is the most ancient of the dances of the Russian people, and is rooted in the rites of worship of the Sun God. Round dance in Rus' was of great importance. This dance reflected the three eras of the year: spring, summer, autumn.

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

On Semenov Day - the first of September - they mounted a horse. In each family, the first-born was seated on a horse. In addition, the New Year was celebrated on this same day for 400 years. It was abolished only in 1700 by decree of Peter 1.

And on September 14, Osenins began to be celebrated in Rus'. People thanked Mother Earth for the rich harvest. They renewed the fire, extinguished the old one, and started a new one. From that time on, all activities in the field ended and work began in the house, in the yard, and in the garden. In the houses on First Autumn, a festive table was set, beer was brewed and a ram was slaughtered. A cake was baked from the new flour.

September 21 - Second Autumns. On the same day they celebrated the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. September 23 - Peter and Pavel Ryabinnik. On this day, rowan berries were collected for compote and kvass. The windows were decorated with bunches of rowan berries; it was believed that they would protect the house from all evil spirits.

Third Autumn - September 27. In another way, this day was called the snake holiday. According to legends, all birds and snakes moved to another country on this day. They conveyed requests to the deceased. On this day we did not go into the forest, because it was believed that a snake could drag us away.

Autumn traditions among Belarusians

Autumn holidays among Belarusians are similar to autumn rituals and holidays among other Slavic peoples. For a long time in Belarus they celebrated the end of the harvest. This holiday was called dozhinki. One of the main autumn rituals was held on Dozhinki. The last sheaf was entwined with flowers and dressed in women's dress, after which they were taken to the village and left until the next harvest. Now Dozhinki is a holiday of national significance.

Similarly, the Osenins in Belarus celebrated the harvest festival - the rich man. The symbol of the holiday was a popular print with grain and a candle inside. The “rich man” was in one of the houses of the village, where a priest was invited to conduct a prayer service. Afterwards, the popular print with a lit candle was carried through the entire village.

An equally famous ritual holiday of late autumn in Belarus is Dzyady. This holiday of remembrance of ancestors falls on November 1-2. Dziady means “grandfathers”, “ancestors”. Before Dzyady they washed in the bathhouse and cleaned the house. A bucket of water was left in the bathhouse clean water and a broom for the souls of ancestors. The whole family gathered for dinner that day. Various dishes were prepared, and before dinner the doors were opened in the house so that the souls of the dead could enter.

At dinner they did not say unnecessary words, behaved humbly, remembered only good things about their ancestors, and remembered the dead. Dziady was given to the beggars who walked around the villages.

Autumn equinox. Rituals and rituals in different countries of the world

The autumnal equinox falls on September 22, sometimes 23. Day and night at this time become equal. Many peoples attached mystical significance to this day. Traditions, celebrations and rituals on the Autumn Equinox Day are commonplace.

In some countries this Public Holiday, for example, in Japan. Here, according to tradition, ancestors are remembered on this day. Conduct ancient rite Buddhist holiday Higan. On this day, the Japanese prepare food only from plant ingredients: beans, vegetables. They make pilgrimages to the graves of their ancestors and worship them.

In Mexico, on the day of the autumn equinox, people go to the The object is designed 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; they resemble a snake in shape. This illusion lasts a little more than three hours, during which time you need to make a wish.

Autumn equinox among the Slavs

The autumn equinox was one of the main holidays among the Slavs. It had different names: Tausen, Ovsen, Radogoshch. Rituals and rituals were also performed in different places.

Ovsen is the name of a deity in mythology who was responsible for the change of seasons, so in the fall he was thanked for fruits and harvests. They celebrated the day of the autumn equinox (with ceremonies and rituals) for two weeks. The main holiday drink was honey, made from fresh hops. Pies with meat, cabbage, and lingonberries are the main delicacy on the table.

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

On the day of the autumn equinox, special autumn events were held folk rituals. To attract good luck and happiness, they baked pies with cabbage and round apples. If the dough rose quickly, it means that the financial situation should improve next year.

On this day, all old things were taken out into the yard and burned.

Special rituals for the autumn equinox were performed with water. She was believed to have special powers. We washed ourselves morning and evening with the belief that water would keep children healthy and women attractive.

Our ancestors often used trees in autumn rituals and holidays. So, they protected the house and themselves with rowan branches. It was believed that rowan, picked on this day, has enormous energy and will not let evil into the house. The girls used walnut branches. They put a second pillow on the bed in order to get married faster, they burned the branches of the nut, and the ashes were scattered on the street. The clusters of rowan trees were used to judge winter. The more berries, the harsher the winter.

A special autumn ritual in Rus' was sacrifice. In gratitude for a good harvest in pagan times, the Slavs sacrificed the largest animal to Veles. This was done before harvest. After the sacrifice, the sheaves were tied and the "grandmothers" were placed. Afterwards a rich table was set.

Orthodox autumn holidays, traditions, rituals

Most big celebration- Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (September 21). The holiday coincided with the second autumn.

September 27 - Exaltation of the Holy Cross. 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. This is how the Feast of the Exaltation was established. From this day we began harvesting cabbage for the winter. And young boys and girls gathered for cabbage parties. The table was set, the guys looked after the brides.

October 14 - Intercession of the Virgin Mary. The holiday was established by Andrei Bogolyubsky. In Rus' they believed that the Mother of God took Rus' under her protection, so they always relied on her protection and mercy. At this time, they were finishing work in the field and collecting the last fruits. In Pokrov, women made ten-handed dolls, which, it was believed, were supposed to help around the house, since the woman did not have time to do everything.

On the third day of November they celebrated "Kazanskaya". This is the Mother of God.

Autumn signs in Rus'

September 11 - Ivan Poletny, Poletovshchik. A day later they began to pull out root crops and dig up potatoes.

September 24 - Fedora-Ripped off. Two Fedoras up the mountain - one autumn, one winter, one with mud, the other with cold.

October 1 is crane summer. It was believed that if the cranes flew on this day, then there would be the first frost on Pokrov. If not, you shouldn’t expect frost before November 1st.

November 14 - Kuzminki. On Kuzminki they celebrated the rooster's name day. The girls had a feast-conversation and invited the guys.

On this day, a ritual called “the wedding and funeral of Kuzma-Demyan” was performed. The girls made a stuffed animal out of straw, dressed it up as a guy and held a comic wedding. They sat this scarecrow in the middle of the hut and “married” it to some girl, then they took it into the forest, burned it and danced on it. We made dolls Kuzma and Demyan. They were considered guardians family hearth, patrons of women's handicrafts.

Educational and methodological material

To help the manager

folklore group

Ostaptsova Tatyana Nikolaevna

teacher of folklore disciplines

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

The concept of “tradition” comes from the Latin traditio, meaning “to pass on.” Initially, traditio was used in its direct meaning, denoting a material action: for example, in the Roman Empire it was used when presenting an object and even when giving a daughter in marriage. In our times, the word “tradition” also has a connection with the past, with that which has lost its novelty, but, invariably, despite all historical cataclysms, symbolizes the stability of their perception and observance. There were a great many holidays in Rus'. Holidays have been preserved, which we continue to observe, having become accustomed to them, without even thinking about their origin. But there are holidays that are again applicable in our modern life. The ancients are reborn Slavic traditions with their unique ethnic baggage.

Autumn traditional holidays

With the arrival of autumn in Rus', harvesting time was coming to an end in the villages, more free time appeared, more opportunities to relax and have fun. Even the most wedding season falls in the fall - on Intercession (October 14). But it was not only at the wedding that people had fun and celebrated rituals.

The first of September in Rus' was called Indian summer . In some places, Indian summer began on September 8th. In the Saratov and Penza provinces this day was called apiary day. The hives were being cleaned there at that time. In the Yaroslavl and Vologda provinces - onion. In the Ryazan province - Asposov day.

In the villages, autumn round dances began on this day. In some places they performed an interesting ritual with a round dance under the name of brewing beer. Young women came out to the gate with mash and treated passers-by. After this, the girls began to dance in a circle to brew beer. Having formed a circle, the girls walked around pretending to be drunk:

Oh, we brewed beer on the mountain,
Lado, okay, beer has been brewed!
With this beer we will all gather around,
My goodness, my goodness, let's all gather around!
We'll all go away with this beer,
My goodness, my goodness, let's all go our separate ways!
We'll all sit down with this beer,
My goodness, my goodness, let's all sit down!
We'll go to bed with this beer,
My goodness, my goodness, let's go to bed!
We'll get up again with this beer,
My goodness, my goodness, let's get up again!
With this beer we will all clap our hands,
My goodness, my goodness, let's clap our hands!
We'll all get drunk off this beer,
Okay, okay, let's all get drunk!
Now we'll all fight with this beer,
My goodness, my goodness, we’ll all fight!

At the end of the round dance, the women brought jugs of mash and treated the girls.
In Tula and Serpukhov there was the following ritual - the funeral of flies and cockroaches.

In Rus' inSemyonov day (September 1 ) there were tonsures and mounting a horse. This ancient rite was performed in some families with every son, in others - only the firstborn.

Autumn rite September 30th.
In the evening of this day, young women in the villages burned their straw beds. This whole ritual was performed from the “evil eye”. And the old women burned only their bast shoes. Children were bathed on a sieve threshold. All this was done to avoid future illnesses.

The most significant Orthodox folk holidays of the autumn cycle

Nativity of the Virgin Mary (September 8/21)

The popular name of the twelfth feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary in memory of the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In on native tradition The Mother of God relieved sorrows and misfortunes, eased pain, patronized women in labor, and was the intercessor of children and girls of marriageable age.

The popular name for the day of remembrance of St. Simeon the Stylite, the founder of the asceticism called Styliteism (IV-V centuries). In Rus' he was called the “summer guide” and for 400 years the beginning of a new summer (year) was celebrated on this day, as in Russia until 1700 New Year started on September 1. On Semenov's day, the peasants performed the rite of autumn - the first meeting of autumn and the onset of Indian summer.

The popular name of the great twelfth feast of the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, established in honor of the acquisition by Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Helen of the Honest Cross of Christ. On this day, crosses were raised on churches under construction and roadside crosses were erected.

The popular name for the church holiday of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in memory of the appearance of the Mother of God in the temple in Constantinople in the middle of the 10th century. In 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. He was considered a maiden holiday and the patron saint of weddings. From that day on, youth festivities were moved from the street to the hut, livestock were placed in the yard, hunters went to winter hunting.

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

The popular name for the days of remembrance of Saints Paraskevi, of which there are four in the Orthodox tradition. The Eastern Slavs especially revered Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, the patroness of the day of the week of the same name. Girls and women considered her their intercessor: she helped during childbirth, patronized marriage, home, women's activities, especially spinning. Paraskeva healed from mental and physical ailments, patronized land, livestock and water, and was the intercessor of trade.

Holiday "Kuzminki" folk calendar- first winter holiday, meeting winter. They named it in honor of Saints Cosmas and Damian, especially respected among the people who called them Kuzma and Demyan in their own way. The people accepted them as patrons of crafts, primarily blacksmiths and doctors, and were called “unmercenaries” because they did not take money into their hands.

There was also a nickname “kashniks” because the only food they ate was porridge. During their lifetime, the saints were “free” doctors who treated people and livestock “for the glory of God.”

Chicken name day was celebrated on this 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 held prayer services after mass. In the villages, women came with chickens to the boyar's courtyard and with petitions brought them to their boyar "for a good life."

In response, the noblewoman gave the peasant women ribbons for their ubrusnik (headdress). Such “petition chickens” were kept in a special way: they were fed mainly on oats and barley and were never killed. The eggs that these chickens laid were considered healing.

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

Brief description of the eventfulness of the holidays (pagan and Orthodox meaning of the holidays)

Nativity of the Virgin Mary (Mother of God Day, Second Most Pure Day, Little Most Pure Mother of God, Second Lady, Rich Lady, Spozha, Spozhka, Big Spozhka, Asposov /Aspasov/ day, Sposov day, Pasikov day, Autumn, Second Autumn, Lukov day, Podnesenev day) - the popular name of the great the twelfth feast of the Mother of God of the Orthodox Church - the Nativity of our Most Holy Lady 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.

Information about the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary dates back to the 4th - 5th centuries. The first indication of this holiday, according to Palestinian traditions, is the fact of the construction of St. Helena Church in honor of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. 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 Mary was described by St. Stefan Svyatogradets, in the 7th century. St. Andrew of Crete and Sergius, Patriarch of Constantinople, in the 8th century. St. John of Damascus and Herman of Constantinople.

The Day of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary is celebrated with a solemn prayer service; singing magnification at Matins: “We magnify Thee, Most Holy Virgin, and honor Thy holy parents and glorify Thy Nativity.” Church hymns: stichera, troparia and canons in honor of the Mother of God are called “Theotokos”; they are part of all daily services. In the liturgical books, the Mother of God holidays in honor of the Mother of God are especially highlighted. Each Mother of God holiday has its own Theotokos.

Among the people, the Mother of God was especially revered. 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, worrying and interceding for them like a mother.

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 “Virgin Mother of God” and “childbirth”. Therefore, requests were sent to the Mother of God for help during difficult births. The Mother of God was seen not only as the Mother of God, but as a Mother in general, the natural 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, Mother Earth and one’s own mother.

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

The Mother of God was especially honored by girls of marriageable age. They approached her with requests for grooms.

In the folklore tradition, the Mother of God is a favorite character in spiritual poems - epic songs on religious subjects, which were performed 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 region tells about the Mother of God, who was frightened by a hazel grouse in the forest, got angry, and she turned him into a “small bird with a big rustle” so that any hunter could quickly find him, and divided the tender white meat (“hazel grouse inheritance”) between all birds and animals.

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

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

Exaltation (Shift, Movement, Ascent Day, Stavrov Day, Cabbage / Cabbage /) - the popular name of the great twelfth holiday of the Orthodox Church of the Exaltation of the Honorable 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 Queen Helen, Equal-to-the-Apostles.

A feature of the service of this holiday was the transfer of the cross from the altar to the altar during Vespers and then its removal at Matins, after the Great Doxology, to the middle of the church for worship. In the church, the celebration lasts seven days; The celebration of the holiday takes place on September 21 / October 4.

The folk tale dedicated to the Day of the Exaltation reveals the meaning of the holiday 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” were and was killed. The Jewish queen reported the discovery of the crosses, unable to bear the torture of her child, who was placed between two “living fires.” She sent King Constantine to Mount Odubar, where the “honest crosses” that the apostles spoke about were discovered.

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

In the chronicles this day was called “Stavrov’s Day” (Greek cross). For a long time, religious processions were held around villages on Exaltation to protect them from harm for a year. Molebens were served, icons were raised, and fields were walked around with prayer for the future harvest. They also prayed for the sick: “Pray with faith on the Day of Exaltation, so the Life-giving Cross will rise from your deathbed.” It was customary to raise crosses on churches under construction; install roadside crosses; build votive chapels (ordinaries) and small churches - according to the promise, in honor of the holiday.

In popular ideas, the Exaltation is associated with the consonant word “movement”, with the help of which many peasants explained the meaning of the holiday. This is the basis of the signs and sayings dedicated to this day. They talked about the end of the harvest: “On Vozdvizhene the last haystack from the field is moving, the last cart is in a hurry to the threshing floor”; “Movement - the grain from the field has moved.”

By the time of the Exaltation, Indian summer was ending, the third meeting of autumn was taking place: “Summer closes the Exaltation, the blue tick takes the keys with it overseas” (Smolensk). The approach of winter was noted: “The rise of autumn is moving towards winter”; “It’s not a problem for the peasant on the Exaltation of the Winter”; “On Vozdvizhenie, winter takes off its nest, it’s going to visit a Russian peasant, - this (he says) I, winter-winter, will stay in Holy Rus', I’ll visit the gray peasant.” To the offensive winter cold They prepared in advance, so they said: “The Elevation will remove the caftan from the reach, put on the sheepskin coat”; “Exaltation will push back the zipun, move the fur coat.”

On the Exaltation, no important work was started, since there was a belief that everything started on this day would be unsuccessful and useless.

By the time of the Exaltation, the harvesting of vegetables, flax, and hemp was completed; flax processing took place (“the tow was crushed”). They began to chop cabbage and prepare it for the winter, so the Exaltation was called the cabbage holiday: “The Exaltation is someone’s holiday, but cabbage has more than everyone else!”; “On Vozdvizhenie the first lady is cabbage”; “Be smart, woman, about cabbage: The Exaltation has come!” The cutting of cabbage was accompanied by songs and food in the evenings. “A good man has cabbage pie on Vozdvizhen’s Day”; “On Vozdvizhene, a good fellow has cabbage on the porch.”

With the Exaltation, a series of autumn girls' parties began, called “cabbage parties”, “cabbages”, “cabbage girls”, “cabbage evenings”. Cabbage festivities took place not only in villages, but also in cities, and lasted two weeks. The girls, wearing smart clothes, went from house to house singing - chopping cabbage. A special table with snacks was being prepared. The grooms came with gifts and looked out for brides - “cabbage girls”.

Intercession of the Virgin Mary (Protection of the Day) - the popular name for the Mother of God holiday of the Orthodox Church - the Intercession of Our Blessed Lady Theotokos 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 occurred in the middle of the 10th century. during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Leo VI the Wise.

In Rus', the holiday was established under Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky around 1164. The church service on this day is given a special “magnification”: “We magnify You, Most Holy Virgin, and honor Your honorable Protection.” There is an akathist in honor of the Intercession of the Mother of God.

In popular understanding religious holiday The Protection of the Virgin Mary appears far removed from Christian legend. The people create their own legend about the wandering Mother of God, who was denied lodging for the night in one of the villages, for which the residents were punished by Elijah, the prophet, who sent “thunder and lightning”, “fire and stone arrows”, “hail the size of a human head” at them, "rain-rain". Taking pity on the people, the Mother of God saved them by spreading a veil over the village, after which they became kind and hospitable.

The Veil of the Virgin Mary 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 destitute and is woven from threads of gold and silver that descend from the sky.

For the peasant, Intercession 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 border position of the Feast of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary between autumn and winter designated it as the day by which the weather for the coming winter was determined, since for the peasants it was always important whether the approaching winter would be severe. Accordingly, they noted: “What is the weather on Pokrov, so is winter”; “Where the wind comes from on Pokrov, the frosts will start from there” (Voronezh); “If a leaf from an oak and birch falls cleanly on Pokrov, it means a light year, and not cleanly, it means a severe winter”; “The flight of cranes to Pokrov - for the early cold winter”; “If the squirrel is clean (molded) before the Intercession, then autumn (winter) will be good” (Perm); “If the hare does not run out before the Intercession, then the autumn will be long”; the dual nature of the weather on this day was characterized: “Pokrov - the first winter”; “On Pokrov it’s autumn before lunch, and after lunch it’s winter-winter”; “Winter begins with the Intercession, with winter Matryona - November 6 (19) and 9 (22) winter rises to its feet, frosts arrive”; “The Veil is not summer - Candlemas (Annunciation) is not winter”; “The cover covers the ground, sometimes with a leaf, sometimes with snow.”

The first snow fell near the Intercession, covering everything around, therefore, in the popular consciousness, the Intercession of the Mother of God was associated with the snow cover of the earth at the onset of winter: “On the Intercession, the earth is covered with snow, dressed in frost.” But the snow that fell on Pokrov often melted quickly, and for the peasant a serious problem was the end of the autumn thaw and the establishment of a sled route, so they followed: “If snow fell on Pokrov, then on Dmitri’s day (November 26/8) it will certainly be the same "; “The Veil is naked, then Catherine (November 24 / December 7) is naked”; “It’s six weeks from the first snow to the sleigh ride” (Pinezhye).

But the Day of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary was associated not only with snow cover. The cover (of the veil) of the Most Holy Theotokos was associated with the veil, veil, and head scarf with which the bride was covered during the ceremony. wedding ceremony. The Day of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary was considered the “patron of weddings” and a girl’s holiday: “The Intercession will come and cover the girl’s head”; “If it’s windy on Pokrov, there will be a great demand for brides”; “If snow falls on Pokrov, then this foreshadows many weddings”; “If snow falls on Pokrov - happiness for the young”; “The veil will cover the earth and the girl (the earth with snow, and the girl with a scarf)”; “Fly to Pokrov, my friend (they were talking about brides).”

Girls especially believed in the power of the holiday of the Intercession, so various actions were dedicated to it to help them find their betrothed and get married. On the eve of this day, the girls told fortunes in a barn: to perform fortune telling, they baked small rye bread, and also crushed and ruffled a bunch of flax. In the evening, bread and flax were taken to the barn and placed on grates - poles laid horizontally, on which sheaves of bread were placed to dry, while they said: “My betrothed, my dear, come to Riga today, look at work, show yourself from the window” (Yaroslavl .). At the same time, the girl had to silently wait for her betrothed to appear, standing in the middle of the threshing floor and looking out the window through which the sheaves were thrown into the barn. Most often, the girls were afraid to stay alone in the barn at night and, putting bread and flax on the grate, went to sleep, and in the morning, when the good news for the morning sounded, they took the bread and flax from the barn, which had the miraculous power to bewitch hearts. If a girl secretly lets you eat a piece of bread and puts a thread of “enchanted” flax in her pocket, then the guy she likes will love her.

After the holiday of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary, youth festivities were moved from the street to the hut (“The Intercession is the end of round dances, the beginning of gatherings”), while on Sundays festive evenings were held, and on weekdays, after finishing chores around the house, the girls gathered in turns to each other for gatherings, mainly with spinning or sewing: “Winter has come - gatherings have brought”; “From Pokrov the spinners stay up at night.”

Pokrov was the day by which the period of hires and transactions was calculated - usually workers were hired for a year - from Pokrov to Pokrov; In Pokrov, calculations were made for shepherds and emergency workers, and new ones were hired for the next year. Various dates were established: “From Intercession to Evdokey”; “From Intercession to Epiphany”; "From Pokrov to Yegorye." After the Intercession, having completed agricultural work, many peasants went on otkhodniks, especially if they owned some kind of craft, and some, on the contrary, returned home.

By the Intercession, the grain harvest was completed - the last sheaves were taken away and stored in a barn or barn; the harvesting of vegetables from the gardens was completed: “The Most Pure Mother (the Dormition of the Theotokos) sows, and the Intercession gathers”; “On Pokrov, the last harvest of fruits.” In many places, Pokrovsky fairs began: “Come to bed, merchant, to the Intercession, I’ll sell it at the Pokrovsky fair”; “Wait until the Intercession: I will pay off the entire debt.”

Kuzminki (Kuzmodemyanki) - a girl's holiday celebrated throughout 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 dish served was chicken noodles. In the evening (less often, for three days), the girls organized a “Kuzmin party” (“ssypchina”, “bratchina”). For this purpose, they rented the hut in advance, collected food from the village - potatoes, butter, eggs, cereals, flour, etc., prepared ritual food, porridge was among the obligatory dishes, and brewed Kozmodemyansk beer. Often, girls sold porridge to guys for a few kopecks, putting it in cups, and dividing the money received among themselves. Teenage girls were cooking porridge in several pots; after which they ate in a certain order: first they ate a dish of porridge with vegetable oil, then with quick butter, and at the end - a dish of porridge with lard. (Novgorod).

After the treat, the youth games began, among the indispensable ones, the so-called “kissing games”. So, when playing “Spinning Spinning,” the players stood in a circle, and while singing the song: “Spinning spinner, my spinner, I’ll throw you out of the mountain into the street...” - the guy and the girl spun in different directions, kissed and gave way to another couple (Pechorsk .).

The Kuzma party could last all night. When the meal ended, the guys went “to hunt” - they stole neighbor’s chickens to make new dishes (such thefts were not condemned by the peasants); 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 tricked the guy!”), youth acquaintances (in popular terminology - “grooming”), cooperative games and courtship, creating a prototype wedding game(so, 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:

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

AUTUMN HOLIDAYS OF THE SLAVS

Autumn is approaching or Mother Autumn, as our ancestors affectionately called her.

In September, a new natural cycle begins, a new round of life, which was celebrated with special festivities and rituals. They helped a person adjust to a new rhythm, enter a new state corresponding to autumn nature.

The Russian Slav has a lot to do in the fall.

A villager's daily chores alone are overwhelming. Collect the harvest, prepare the land for winter crops, dry the grain, thresh it, prepare food for the cattle for the winter, insulate the house for the cold... and much more.

And it’s also necessary to celebrate the harvest festival with the birthing brothers, honor the gods of fertility, bow to Mother Earth for the earth’s fruits, meet Mother Osenina, see off the sun for winter rest, and get some strength from the earth for the winter.

Make protective protection against autumn colds and fevers, and make other amulets for your home and family before the onset of the dark time.

August 29 Even at the beginning of the 20th century, in some villages they carried out burial ceremony of the “red fly”: young people gathered at the outskirts, and a clay doll prepared by old people the day before was brought there. She was molded to human height and dressed in a canvas shroud. Two girls, in reverent silence, lifted the doll into their arms and carried it to the river. The rest of the people followed them. On the steepest bank, everyone stopped and laid their burden on the ground. Then those present began to lament over the doll. Having mourned her as if she were dead, they picked her up and threw her into the water with all their might. This doll was the personification of the “red fly”, which was seen off and buried according to ancient rituals.

In the Orthodox tradition, this day was dedicated to John the Baptist, popularly called Ivan-poletkom. In this Ivan one cannot help but recognize the face of summer Ivan Kupala. If medicinal herbs were collected on Summer Kupala, then medicinal roots were collected on Autumn Ivan. " On Ivan Lenten, collect tall roots" From this day on, migratory birds begin to prepare to fly south. And according to legend, Kupala is carried away to Nav - the other world by geese-swans.

August 30 on the fields curled the left uncompressed stems and they spoke of the future harvest.

First Osenins- the first calls of autumn were carried out first day of September. In the 19th century, on this day, women and girls in festive clothes came out to the river bank in the morning. They brought with them the required oatmeal bread and oatmeal jelly on an embroidered towel, and with bows they called Mother Autumn, the Mother of the Harvest, in a drawn-out manner. Makosh and asked to accept a treat.

Autumn, autumn,
We invite you to visit!
With abundant bread,
With high sheaves,
Autumn, autumn,
We invite you to visit!
With falling leaves and rain,
With the migrating crane!

Autumn, autumn,
Guests for eight weeks:
With strong thunders,
With rain, with downpours.
Autumn, autumn,
Guests for eight weeks:
With a threshed sheaf
And a rosy pie.

They brought the treat required by Autumn-Makoshi, carefully lowering it into the water with respect, leaving it on the river bank. Migratory birds were seen off with a song:

Autumn queen,
Goldsmith:
With a spinning wheel, with a bottom,
With a comb, with a spindle,
With a tall spikelet,
With a wide sheaf;
The cranes are overseas!
Autumn - to the fields!

Then they divided the bread blessed by Mother Osenina into equal parts according to the number of women gathered, treated themselves to it, and praised Lada, Makosh and Rozhanits and sang songs.

It started on the same day Indian summer, which lasted two weeks. " With Ivan Postnik the man welcomes autumn, the woman begins her summer. Indian summer is a holiday dedicated to female deities, who also patronized women's autumn work. The faces were honored these days Mother Goddesses: Mother of cheese earth, Mokosh, Lada, Mara, Rozhanitsy.

Perhaps a vestige of commemoration Mary- the dark face of the Goddess of Autumn, was a game held by girls in the 19th century. The girls arranged "funeral" of flies and cockroaches. And together with them, they ritually and symbolically “buried” everything that they wanted to get rid of in themselves: bad, boring, outdated.

By this day they tried to move to a new house. Having a housewarming party on the first day of the new year means a happy, rich life! Indeed, on this day the goddess Makosh herself, the patroness of fertility, abundance and prosperity, descended to earth.

Fire Week marked the beginning of autumn. " In September there is fire in the field and in the house" - says a Russian proverb. On the day of the first meeting of autumn, they always extinguished the old fire in the houses and lit a new living fire in the ancient way, using friction. For a whole week people celebrated the Tsar-Father - Fire. They brought him demands, tried to appease him so that he would not burn houses or burn barns. For example, when making a Svarozhich fire under a barn to dry the sheaves, they put an unthreshed sheaf of rye in it as a sacrifice, so that the fire would eat, be fed and not burn the barn.

It didn't take long to wait for the arrival of winter, with cold weather and snowstorms. People cannot survive in this harsh time without Father Fire, so they bowed to him ahead of time Svarozhich, thanked for the light and warmth. Fire was especially celebrated by artisans: blacksmiths, potters...

Many rituals were associated with the stove, with the barn and with the light.

In September, evening work and gatherings began in huts illuminated by fire. On the border of Ukraine and Belarus there was September 1 interesting ritual associated with the first lighting of the light, he called " Comyn's marriage". "Komin" was whitewashed, decorated with ripe hops and flowers. When the torches were lit, they sprinkled nuts, melon seeds, pieces of corned beef and lumps of butter on them. In Kyiv they arranged " wedding candles": they put up a felled tree, hung with fruits, melons and decorated with wax candles.

IN folk month word XIX century this day was called as Oseniny, Shchaniny, and in the Orthodox calendar, on the day of a certain saint Semyon, who was popularly called Semyon the Summer Guide. And if, in fact, this day was dedicated Mokoshi-Osenine, That September 2 accordingly was once dedicated Veles. After the baptism of Rus', he was replaced by a certain saint Mamontius, popularly nicknamed Mamontius the Shepherd. Saint Mamontius took on the responsibilities of Veles - he patronized livestock, sheep and goats. On this day, honoring Veles Autumn, they didn’t drive the cattle out of the yard, they believed: if you drive them out, you’ll bring trouble!

September 3 in the Orthodox calendar it was dedicated to the virgin Domna, artificially blocking the day of veneration of the Slavic goddess, the patroness of the home and hearth. On this day, at the beginning of the 20th century, in villages, women took all sorts of junk out of the house, believing that this action ensured well-being for the fall. This is a forgotten rudiment home protection ritual. These days myself Makosh-Osenina helped every woman clean and protect her home. Throwing away and burning old things on the days of the beginning of a new year, a new time ( year, godina - time in Old Church Slavonic.) made room for new things to come into their lives. Other junk in the form of worn-out bast shoes and broken pots was hung on the fence around the house. This an ancient, proven amulet to ward off the evil, envious eye. An evil person will stare at the junk, and will scatter his attention, and with it his witchcraft power.

4 September in the Orthodox calendar it was dedicated to a certain Babyla and... the burning bush. " On Vavila the pitchforks celebrate - they lie in vain!" Hay in the stacks, bread in the stacks - rest for the peasants. And it appears again face of Veles. Taking a break from field work, no matter how you praise him, dignify him with songs and musical playing. And besides, let us remember Vavila the epic buffoon-magician.

Well, there’s nothing to say about the burning bush. Let us remember: “bush” is a bush that burns and cannot be burned from the Old Testament, in which the Lord appeared to Moses. It was a week of fire veneration - fiery week. The pagans praised the fire, treated it and conjured it, and the Orthodox held prayer services for fire protection on this day.

September 5 in the Orthodox calendar it was dedicated to the Old Testament Zechariah and Elizabeth. What kind of holidays did the churchmen come up with, just to block the people's memory of the veneration of their native gods. And again we turn to the native witch tradition and learn that this day was happy for predictions and fortune telling. And therefore to whom was it dedicated? The Volkhov hypostasis of Veles Osenniy and his wife Makosha Osenina.

September 5 sorcerers and healers drove out from the villages the unclean, dark force embodied in autumn ailments and fevers. People called her Kumokha. In order to protect the house and family from her, in the morning on this day the women read the following conspiracy:

I will girdle you with a wolf's bast,
I will touch the crow with a feather,
Go to the backyard
Without looking around - a cow pen!
Petrov batog I bet on you,
Fire noise!
It’s just like in your tracks
The fire will start
Let the owl rush
You can't escape, kumoha, beyond the ravine,
Don't become a bump
swamp bog,
Go home, kumoha,
Don't bend the aspen trees,
Don't push my insides, fever,
Don't ruin my existence, you bastard!

Women on this day made a talisman called “ winter fever" These are protective dolls against evil spirits in the house, which is the cause of illness and disorder in the house. There are twelve winter fevers or Shakers, each had its own name and was associated with a specific disease (an evil spirit). They were represented in the guise of female sisters, evil, ugly, stunted, starved, feeling constant hunger, sometimes even blind and armless. Commands the fever sisters elder sister named Kumoha.

According to Slavic mythology, Chernobog created Fever from mud, swamp slurry and burdock thorns. In the summer, the hero Perun drives evil fevers into the fiery depths of the underground, because at this time they are not dangerous to people. And with the beginning of winter, when Perun, along with other bright gods, goes to the heavenly Iriy, Chernobog sends them again to the human race. As the day begins to be shorter than the night, you need to start taking care of them. According to legend, fever demons fly into a house through a chimney at night and take possession of people, begin to shake them, relax their joints and break bones. Having exhausted one, the fever spreads to the other.

That's what they did, protective protective dolls. Women rolled them from chips of dead wood and shreds from necessarily worn-out clothes, which were collected on the day of Domna. The dolls were placed on a stove or tied with a cord and hung near the chimney. It was believed that the fever, having flown into the house through the chimney at night, would begin to look around in search of a victim, see a doll, recognize itself in it, and move into it instead of one of the household members. The dolls that had served their time were burned in the spring, freeing the house from negativity.

While making fevers, they read the plot, calling each one by name. The skill was to knit the dolls in the rhythm of the hex, the last knot tied coincided with the last word. They dressed the feverish ones in brighter, brighter colors, so that the doll would definitely please the disease-demon.

The next day 6 September We were expecting the first frost of the morning. The day in the Orthodox monthly was dedicated to St. Michael. " Mikhail grabbed the ground with frost" But as we know, the feasts of St. Michael overlapped the days of veneration Perun. Finally, before leaving for the bright heavenly Svarga, Perun struck with frost and drove away the evil spirits.

8 September- the second meeting of autumn, the second Autumn. And also an ancient festival in honor of Roda and Rozhanits. The veneration of these ancient gods, which originated in the times of matriarchy, survived among the people until the 17th century! Rod and Rozhanitsy were the most hated, most cursed “pagan idols” by the churchmen. Ordinary people honored them as they did not honor any of their other gods, neither earthly nor heavenly. Their images were embroidered on women's clothing, towels, on bed decorations, carved on household utensils, shutters, etc.

Rod and Rozhanitsy- a great life-giving force, thanks to which the earth produces crops, children are born, and the life of the human race continues.

Women in labor- the mother of all life on earth. They reigned in the sky in the forms of two star deer, giving birth to all life on earth. They also patronized the human race.

Lada and her daughter Lelya were also revered as mothers in labor.- goddesses of fertility, vegetative natural forces, patroness of love and marriage.

Rod is the Father-Progenitor, that balancing component, without which there is no harmony in the universe. If Women in labor- this is the feminine, maternal, giving birth principle, then Genus- this is the masculine, paternal, fertilizing principle.

TO 8 September the harvest had already been harvested. On this day, the whole world organized a brotherhood feast, baked a pie from the flour of the new harvest, slaughtered a bull that had been fattened by the whole world, sang, danced, staged funny fights, good men they measured themselves with strength, glorified the ancient gods and ancestors.

According to a legend that goes back thousands of years, once upon a time, on this day, a magical deer with a fawn came running to people from the forest. The gods themselves sent it to people for a solemn feast. She left her cub for the people, which became a ritual treat, and she returned to the forest. The deer meat had magical properties, it strengthened people, helped them survive the harsh winter, made them stronger and healthier. But over time, the human tribe multiplied, and there were less and less undeveloped forest land, food and water supplies. People became embittered and became greedier and greedier. And one day it seemed to them that they would not have enough meat from a small deer, and they killed not only the child, but also the mother. From then on, the gods no longer sent a magical deer to people. But in memory of the past, people began to slaughter a bull from their own herd on this day.

This myth dates back to the times of change of eras, the transition from a hunting way of life to a pastoral one. People lost contact with wild nature and switched to their own subsistence farming.

But sacrificial meat on this day was still, according to legend, sanctified and blessed by the gods of fertility. And whoever ate it acquired the strength and health of the sacrificial animal. The best part of the sacrificial bull was given to the gods. And what is sincerely sacrificed to the gods is always returned a hundredfold. Therefore, magically, the soul of the sacrificial bull will definitely “return” to next year, of course, in the form of a newborn calf.

On the same day the women created their ancient secret rites. Addressing Women in labor and their strength, the pullets prayed to them for the conception of healthy children, for a successful birth, mothers asked to give their children a happy destiny. Women in labor revered and how Share and Nedolya, endowing with the benefits of life.

On holiday Roda and Rozhanits Special rituals, with the help of sorceresses, were performed by women who, due to some illness, could not have children; they asked Rozhanitsa for healing and for the speedy conception of children.

For example, they cast a spell on water:

« Mother Theotokos, intercessor of mothers, come out of the heavenly doors, strengthen the daughter of God (name), the fruit of the womb and the womb of the fetus ».

Later, when the feast of women in labor was replaced by the church on the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, women on this day began to turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary:

«… Delighted by God..., Glorified Mother of generosity and love for mankind, All-merciful Intercessor for the whole world, we diligently pray to Your Divine and most wonderful image with tenderness... Oh, my Most Holy Lady Theotokos, my indestructible hope, accept these prayers with great hope and faith in Your immeasurable mercy ... and grant me healing from my barrenness and the opportunity to conceive a child from my husband ».

Women also contacted To the heavenly race:

«… Just as You gave people the Sun and the Moon, frequent stars and light clouds, so that I, daughter (name), would carry and give birth to a child. Just as you, the month, were born in the sky today, so would my child be born in my womb …».

On this day, people prayed to Rozhanits not only for more offspring, but also for the multiplication of their herds and for a bountiful harvest next year. Why did they bring them bloodless gifts as gifts: milk, cottage cheese, eggs, various fruits?

On the days of the celebration of the Family and women in labor, villages organized a ritual treat of porridge from the grains of the first harvest for the entire area. The porridge was cooked in cauldrons - right on the street. And from a small part of the grain of the new harvest, women made a ritual doll, Zernovushka. They sewed a small bag, filled it with selected grain from the new harvest and dressed it up as a doll. This doll also had other names: Zernushka, Krupenichka, Pea. And it could look different, depending on the area where it was made. But it has a common basis - there is grain inside the doll. When creating a talisman doll, women always sang a song or read a spell or prayer. An apron with a magical incantatory ornament was tied to the body-bag: water, earth, grain, sun. Such a grain was made and given as a gift with the wish of a good harvest next year. Cereals were usually poured with the meaning:

Buckwheat - satiety and wealth.
Rice is the most expensive grain for the holiday.
Barley - for abundance
Oats - for strength.

The grain was carefully kept in a visible place in the red corner of the hut. She preserved the power of grain until the new harvest. To increase its harvest power, the doll was given to children to play with in winter. The children were filled with youthful vitality, and as they played they filled the grain with it. Also, a community doll, made from grain, was passed on one by one during the winter from hut to hut, so that it would bring happiness and prosperity to each family from the community, and each family would give it a piece of their warmth and love. After all, in the spring the first handful of it will be sown in the ground.

Also on the day of Birth, such a ritual doll was made from new grain by a woman with a special spell if she wanted children.

Excerpt from the book of Rada (Julia Gultz) “Slavic Kologod: rituals for every day.”