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

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 land for its gifts. In 325, the First Ecumenical Council established this day as the beginning of the year. According to the legend of the Orthodox Church, it was in September that the world was created.

On Oseniny, as it were, nature itself dresses up in a bright and festive dress. This holiday was celebrated in Russia with all possible amusements. Young and old gathered for gatherings with the eldest in the family to meet the new summer, and then went to church for matins. The day before, the fires were extinguished in the houses, and in the morning, by rubbing two planks, a “new” one was obtained and with this fire they began to sit down or sit down.

In the morning, after the church service, the women went to the shores of lakes and ponds to meet Mother Osenina with jelly and oat bread. The older woman held bread in her hands, and the younger ones sang songs around her. Then the bread was broken according to the number of those present and fed to the cattle.

In Russia, from that day, they began to celebrate autumn weddings. The wedding weeks, which all unmarried women and single men were eagerly awaiting, continued until).

An ancient funny funeral ceremony for cockroaches and flies, which people had pretty tired of over the summer, was timed to this holiday. Girls buried annoying insects, who dressed up in the best clothes, made coffins from the shell of nuts or vegetables, and lamentably carried insects out of the hut to bury. 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 made it possible for the girls to appear in all their glory in front of the assembled guys and, thus, to find themselves a future spouse.

Even on this day, we moved to new huts and celebrated housewarming. They believed that this would bring prosperity to the newly-made owners. The ritual of transferring the brownie to the new place of residence was sure to be observed. A pot of coals was taken from the oven of the old house, in which, according to legend, the spirit of the house was located, and transferred to a new house. Only after that was it allowed to sit down at the festive table and celebrate housewarming, not fearing that the brownie would get angry and would take revenge on the forgetful owners.

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

At the end of the harvest, a village brotherhood was often organized in the villages. The more productive the summer was, the more hospitable and longer the holiday was celebrated. On Oseniny, boys of 4-5 years old were first put on horses, and they also performed the ceremony of “tonsure” of boys who had reached the age of seven, celebrating 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 whole Indian summer will be warm, and so will the winter. Pay attention to the weather of Indian summer:

If it rains frequently during this period, the autumn will be dry.
A lot of cobwebs in Indian summer - to a clear autumn and frosty winter.

Before this date, it is necessary to remove the ear crops (otherwise the entire crop will be lost - the grain will fall on the ground) and sow winter rye.

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

There will be a great many people dedicated to this day. They were used to judge the near and distant future, the fertility of livestock, the quantity and quality of the crop:

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

Video: Osenins in Russia

Autumn is the time of holidays

Since antiquity, the time for various celebrations has been autumn. Varied 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. Thus, etrog symbolizes people who do good deeds, and 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 try to go to their native places for these three days. 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. So, 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, 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 Assumption of the Virgin, 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. Several ears were left in the field, twisted into a beard. This ceremony was called "curling the beard."

Autumn traditions and rituals 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 Uspeniev, 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 mash, then got up in a round dance and pretended to be drunk. At the end, all the girls were treated to home brew.

On Semyonov's day - September 1 - they mounted a horse. In every family, the firstborn 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, they collected mountain ash 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 splint 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 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 got together for dinner that day. They cooked various dishes, before dinner they opened the doors 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. Dzyadov was served to the beggars who walked through the villages.

Autumn equinox. Rituals 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. It had different names: Tausen, Ovsen, Radogosh. Rites and rituals were also performed in different localities.

Oat is the name of a deity in mythology who was responsible for the change of 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 the 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 autumn 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 power. 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 with rowan branches. It was believed that the rowan tree plucked on this day has tremendous energy and will not let the bad into the house. The girls used walnut branches. They put the second pillow on the bed to get married as soon as possible, burned the branches of the walnut, and scattered the ashes on the street. The bunches of mountain ash 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 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, they began harvesting cabbage for the winter. 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 cock's name day. The girls arranged a feast-conversation, invited the guys.

On this day, a ceremony was performed called "the wedding and funeral of Kuzma-Demyan." 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.

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The concept of "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, more free time appeared, 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, the Indian summer began on September 8th. 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 the Ryazan province - Asposov day.

Autumn round dances began in the villages from that day. In some places, an interesting ritual was held 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 will 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 get on with this beer,
Okay, okay, we’ll get into trouble!

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

In Russia inSemenov day (September 1 ) there were tonsure and horse riding. This ancient rite was performed in some families with each son, in others - only the firstborn.

Autumn ceremony September 30.
In the evening of that day, young women in the villages burned their straw beds. This whole ceremony 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 Saint 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 a church 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 (Venerable 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 remembrance 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 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, meeting 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 in 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 home to collect food for dinner, and also brewed beer together. If a girl-bride was present, she was considered the mistress of the house.

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

Nativity of the Virgin (Mother of God Day, Second Most Pure, Malaya Most Pure, Lady Second, Lady Rich, Spozhka, Spozhka, Big Spozhka, Asposov / Aspas / 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, is the fact of the construction of St. Helena Church 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 Virgin is celebrated with a solemn prayer service; singing of exaltation at Matins: "We magnify Thee, Most Holy Virgin, and we honor Thy holy parents and glorify Thy 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 Theotokos feasts in honor of the Mother of God. Each Mother of God has its own Mother of God.

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, worried about them like a mother and stood up for them.

The Mother of God was considered the patroness of women in labor, which stems 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 Theotokos 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 the earth and the 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 fruit-bearing land-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 monastic 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. The 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 Theotokos or Asposov Day - the second meeting of autumn - Oseny (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.

Oseniny 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 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 bear the torture of her child, laid between two "living fires". She sent Tsar Constantine to Odubar Mountain, where the "honest crosses", about 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 though the Exaltation comes on Sunday, 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; to 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, I will visit the gray peasant." They prepared in advance for the onset of the winter cold, so they said: "The erection of the caftan from the ples will move, the sheepskin coat will pull on"; "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 cabbage: Exaltation has come!”. The cabbage chopping was accompanied by songs and refreshments in the evenings. "A good man has a cabbage pie for Vozdvizheniyev"; "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 for two weeks. Girls, putting on smart clothes, went from house to house singing songs - chopping cabbage. A special appetizer table was being prepared. Guys-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 Virgin 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 during the reign of 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 Virgin appears 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 hail 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 spins 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 that 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 - 6 (19) and 9 (22) November, 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 Theotokos 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 (24 November / 7 December) is naked”; “Six weeks from the first snow to the sled path” (Pinezhie).

But the day of the Protection of the Virgin was connected not only with the snow cover in the popular mind. The veil (plate) of the Most Holy Theotokos was associated with a veil, a veil, a 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 were talking about 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, look at work, show yourself out of the window" (Yaroslavsk .). At the same time, the girl had to silently wait 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 to bewitch 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 transactions was counted — usually workers were hired for a year — from Pokrov to Pokrov; in Pokrov, shepherds and urgent 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 Pokrov to Egoria". After the Intercession, after completing agricultural work, many peasants went to migrant workers, 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 your goods, to the Pokrov, I will hand them 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 was porridge, brewed goat-modemyan 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 ..." - a guy and a girl circled in different directions, kissed and gave way to another pair (Pechorsk .).

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

The girls' holiday, celebrated on the day of Cosmas and Damian, logically fit into the autumn wedding period, when brides were shown (they said: “The girl’s boyfriend’s bribed!”), Acquaintances of young people (in folk terminology - “grooming”), joint games and courtship, creating 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”.

Purpose:

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 coming 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 festivals and rituals. They helped a person to readjust to a new rhythm, to enter a new state corresponding to autumn nature.

The Slav-Rusich has a lot to do in the fall.

A villager has a lot of household chores alone. Gather the harvest, prepare the land for winter crops, dry the grain, grind it, prepare the cattle for the winter, warm the house for the cold ... and much more.

And it is also necessary to celebrate the harvest festival with the brother in labor, honor the gods of fertility, bow to Mother Earth for earthly fruits, meet Mother Autumn, spend the sun for winter rest, and get some silushka from the earth for the winter.

Make a protective protection against autumn colds-feverish, and make other amulets of the house and family before the onset of the dark time.

August 29 at the beginning of the 20th century, in some villages, burial ceremony "red letechka": young people gathered at the outskirts, and they brought a clay doll prepared by old people the day before. She was sculpted to the height of a man and dressed in a canvas shroud. The two girls in reverent silence lifted the doll in their arms and carried it to the river. The rest of the people followed them. On the steepest bank everyone stopped and put their load on the ground. Then those present began to lament over the doll. Having mourned her as a deceased, they lifted her in their arms and threw them into the water with all their might. This doll was the personification of the "red letechka", which was seen off and buried according to ancient rites.

In the Orthodox tradition, this day was dedicated to John the Baptist, the people called him Ivan Poetkom... In this Ivan it is impossible not to recognize the face of the summer Ivan-Kupala. If on the summer Kupala they collected medicinal herbs, then on Ivan the autumn they collected medicinal roots. " Collect tall roots on Ivan Postny". From that day on, migratory birds begin to gather for a flight to the south. And Kupala, according to legend, is carried away to Nav - the otherworldly world of geese-swans.

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

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

Autumn, autumn,
We ask for a visit!
With abundant loaves,
With high sheaves
Autumn, autumn,
We ask for a visit!
With falling leaves and rain
With a migratory crane!

Autumn, autumn,
Guests for eight weeks:
With strong thunder
With rains, with showers.
Autumn, autumn,
Guests for eight weeks:
With a threshed sheaf
And a ruddy cake.

They brought refreshments-required Autumn-Makoshi, carefully and respectfully lowering them into the water, leaving them on the banks of the river. The migratory birds were seen off with a song:

Autumn queen
For gold the craftswoman:
With a spinning wheel, with a bottom,
With a comb, with a spindle,
With a high spikelet,
With a wide button;
The cranes are beyond the seas!
Autumn into the fields!

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

From the same day began indian summerwhich lasted two weeks. " A man meets autumn with Ivan Postnik, a woman begins her summer... Indian Summer is a festival dedicated to female deities who also patronized women's autumn work. Faces were honored these days Mother Goddesses: Mother of cheese earth, Mokosh, Lada, Mara, Rozhanitsy.

Perhaps a rudiment of celebration Mary - the dark face of the Goddess of Autumn, was a game conducted by girls in the 19th century. Girls arranged "Burial" of flies and cockroaches... And together with them, ritually and symbolically, they "buried" everything that they wanted to get rid of in themselves: bad, boring, obsolete.

By this day, they tried to move to a new house. To arrange a housewarming on the first day of the beginning of a new colo-year period - to a happy rich life! Indeed, on this day, the goddess Makosh herself, the patroness of fertility, abundance and prosperity, went to earth.

Fiery week marked the beginning of autumn. " In September, fire in the field and in the house"- says a Russian proverb. On the day of the first meeting of autumn, the old fire was extinguished in the houses and a new fire was kindled alive in an ancient way, with the help of friction. For a whole week people honored the tsar-father - Fire. They brought him demands, tried to appease him, so as not to burn houses, did not burn barns. For example, making a fire-Svarozhich under the barn, to dry the sheaves, an unmilled sheaf of rye was put into it as a sacrifice so that the fire would eat, be full and not burn the barn.

It did not take long to wait for the arrival of winter, with cold weather and snowstorms. People cannot survive in this harsh time without the Fire-Father, therefore they bowed to him ahead of time Svarozhich, thanked for the light, warmth. The fire was especially honored by artisans: blacksmiths, potters ...

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

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

In the folklore of the 19th century, this day was called as Osenins, Shanins, and in Orthodox saints the day of a certain Saint Semyon, who was popularly called Semyon the Flyer. And if, in fact, this day was dedicated to Makoshi-Oseninthen September 2 accordingly, it was once dedicated Velez... After the baptism of Rus', he was replaced by a certain saint Mammoth, popularly nicknamed Mamonti the Shepherd. Saint Mamonti took upon himself the duties of Veles - he patronized livestock, sheep and goats. On this day, honoring Veles Autumn, did not drive the cattle out of the yard, believed: if you drive it out, you will catch up with trouble!

September 3 in Orthodox saints dedicated to the virgin Domna, artificially overlapping the day of veneration of the Slavic goddess, patroness of the house and home. On this day, at the beginning of the 20th century, women in the villages took out all kinds of junk from the house, believing that this action ensured well-being for the fall. This is a forgotten rudiment rite of the amulet of the house... These days myself Makosh-Osenina helped every woman to clean and protect her home. Throwing away and burning old things on the days of the beginning of a new year, new time ( year, godina - time for Staroslaviansk.) 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. it ancient proven amulet to ward off the evil envious eye... The evil person will look at the junk, and will scatter his attention, and with it his witchcraft power.

4 September in Orthodox saints it was dedicated to a certain Babel and ... the burning bush. " On Vavila the pitchforks are celebrating - they lie in vain!". Hay in haystacks, bread in haystacks - to the peasants' pitchforks. And reappears the face of Veles... Moving away from field work, whoever glorifies him, dignifies with songs and musical play. And besides, let us recall the epic buffoon-wolf to Vavila.

Well, and there is nothing to say about the burning bush. Let's remind: "bush" is a bush, burning and unburned from the Old Testament, in which his Lord appeared to Moses. There was a week of honoring fire - fiery week... The pagans glorified fire, treated and conjured, and the Orthodox on this day held prayers from the fires.

September 5th in Orthodox saints it was dedicated to the Old Testament Zechariah and Elizabeth. What kind of holidays the churchmen did not come up with, just to block the popular memory of the veneration of the native gods. And again we turn to the Vedic native tradition and find out that this day was happy for predictions and fortune-telling. And therefore to whom was he dedicated? Volkhov's hypostasis of Veles Osenny and his wife Makosha Osenine.

September 5th sorcerers and sorcerers drove from the villages an unclean, dark force embodied in autumn ailments, fever diseases. The people called her Kumokha. In order to protect the house and family from her, in the morning on this day, women read a conspiracy:

I will gird you with a wolf's bast,
I will omash with the feather of a crow
Go backyard
Without looking back - a cow corral!
I'm holding Petrov's batog on you,
Fire noise!
Like in your footsteps
The fire will take over
Let the owl rush
You can't leave, kumokha, beyond the hollow,
Don't become a bump
Swamp quagmire
Go home, kumokha,
Do not oppress the aspens top,
Don't push my gut, fever
Do not run around my being, lomikha!

Women on this day made a talisman called " winter feverish". These are protective dolls from evil spirits in the house, which is the cause of illness and discord in the house. There are twelve winter fever-fevers or Triasovits, each had its own name and was associated with a certain disease (evil spirit). They represented them in the guise of female sisters, evil, ugly, stunted, starved, feeling constant hunger, sometimes even blind and armless. The sisters-fevers are ruled by an older sister named Kumoha.

According to Slavic mythology, he created Chernobog Fever from mud, swamp slurry and thistles of burdock. In summer, the hero Perun drives evil fevers into the fiery underground depths, because at this time they are not dangerous to people. And with the beginning of winter, when Perun, together with other bright gods, leaves for the heavenly Iriy, Chernobog sends them back to the human race. As the day begins to be shorter than the night, one must begin to beware of them. According to legend, fever demons fly into the house through a pipe at night and enter people, start shaking them, relaxing their joints and breaking bones. Having exhausted one, the fever passes into the other.

So they did, protective protective dolls. They were folded by women from splinters of dead wood and scraps of necessarily worn-out clothes, which were just collected on Domna's day. The dolls were placed on a rack or tied with a string and hung near the chimney. It was believed that a fever, having flown into the house through a pipe at night, will begin to look around in search of a victim, see a doll, recognize itself in it, and move into it instead of someone from the household. The pupae that had served their time were burned in the spring, freeing the house from negativity.

When making fevers, they read the conspiracy, calling each one by name. The skill consisted in knitting dolls in the rhythm of a spell, the last knot tied, coincided with the last word. They dressed up the fever that dyed it, brighter, so that the doll would definitely like the demonic illness.

The next day 6 September expected the first morning frost. The day in the Orthodox month was dedicated to Saint Michael. " Freezing Michael grabbed the earth". 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 a freeze, drove evil spirits.

8 September - the second meeting of autumn, the second Osenins. And also an ancient festival in honor of Rod and Rozhanits... The veneration of these ancient gods, which originated in the days of matriarchy, survived in the folk environment until the 17th century! Rod and Rozhanitsy were the most hated, the most damned "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 clothes, towels, bedding, cut out on household utensils, shutters, etc.

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

Women in labor - the foremothers of all living things on earth. They reigned in heaven in the form of two star deer, giving rise to all life on earth. They also patronized the human race-tribe.

Lada and her daughter Lelya were also revered by women in labor - goddesses of fertility, vegetative natural forces, patrons of love and marriage.

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

TO 8 September the harvest has already been harvested. On this day, the whole world arranged a feast-brother, baked a pie from the flour of the new harvest, slaughtered a bull fed by the whole world, sang, danced, arranged funny fights, good men measured their strength, glorified the ancient gods and ancestors.

According to a legend that goes back thousands of years, once, on this day, a magic deer with a deer came running to people from the forest. It was sent to people by the gods themselves for a solemn feast. She left her cub for the people, which became a ritual treat, and she herself returned to the forest. Fawn meat possessed magical properties, it strengthened people, helped to survive the harsh winter, made them stronger and healthier. But over time, the human tribe multiplied, there was less and less undeveloped forest land, food and water supplies. The people became fierce, they became more and more greedy. And once 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. Since then, the gods no longer sent a magic deer to people. But in memory of the past, people began to slaughter a bull from their own herd that day.

This myth dates back to the times of the change of eras, the transition from a hunting way of life to a pastoralist. People lost touch with wildlife and moved on to their own subsistence farming.

But the sacrificial meat on this day, according to legend, was still sanctified and blessed by the gods of fertility. And he who 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 always returns a hundredfold. Therefore, in a magical way, the soul of the sacrificial bull will surely "return" next year, of course, in the form of a newborn calf.

On the same day, women made their own ancient secret rites... Referring to Women in labor and their strength, the pullets prayed to them for the conception of healthy children, for successful childbirth, mothers asked to endow their children with a happy fate. Women in labor revered and how Share and Nedolyaendowing life benefits.

On holiday Rod and Rozhanits special rituals with the help of witch doctors were performed by women who, due to some illness, could not have children; they asked Rozhanits for healing and for the imminent conception of children.

For example, they spoke water:

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

Later, when the feast of women in labor was replaced by the church for the feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, women on this day began to turn to the Most Holy Theotokos:

«… Godly ... Glorified Mother of generosity and love for mankind, All-merciful Intercessor for the whole world, diligently towards Your Divine and wonderful image of Yours with tenderness, we pray ... O My Most Holy Lady Theotokos, my unshakable hope, accept these prayers with great merciful hope and Thy faith ... and grant me healing from my infertility and the opportunity to conceive a child from my husband ».

Women contacted and To the kind of heaven:

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

People prayed to Rozhanits on this day not only for the addition of offspring, but also for the multiplication of their flocks and for an abundant harvest next year. Why did they bring them bloodless treasures: milk, cottage cheese, eggs, various fruits.

On the days of the celebration of the Family and women in labor, in the villages, ceremonial treats with cereal from the grains of the first harvest were organized for the whole district. Porridge was cooked in boilers - right on the street. And from a small part of the grain of the new harvest, women made a ceremonial pupa Zernovushka. They sewed a small bag, filled it with the selected grain of the new crop and dressed up in a doll. This doll had other names: Zernushka, Krupenichka, Goroshinka. And it could look different, depending on the area where it is made. But she has a common basis - there is grain inside the doll. Creating a doll-amulet, women always sang a song or read a conspiracy, a prayer. An apron with a magical spell ornament was tied to the body-pouch: water, earth, grain, sun. Such a Zernovushka was made and presented 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 a holiday.
Pearl barley - for prosperity
Oats for strength.

The grain barn was carefully kept in a conspicuous place in the red corner of the hut. She kept the strength of the grain until the next harvest. In order to increase his harvest power, the pupa was allowed to be played by children in winter. Children are overflowing with youthful vitality, and playing they filled the grain with it. Also, the communal doll, made of grain, was handed over in turn during the winter from the hut to the hut, so that it would bring happiness and prosperity to each family from the community, and each family would give her a piece of their warmth and love. Indeed, in the spring, the first handful of it will sow the earth.

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

Excerpt from the book of Rada (Julia Gultz) "Slavic Kologod: Rituals for Every Day".