On Monday, immediately after Trinity, Orthodox believers celebrate Spirit Day. This year, the date of this holiday falls on May 28. Another, more popular name for this church holiday is “Name Day of the Earth”. On this day, liturgies are held in churches in honor of an important event: the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles.
Church holidays are always associated with strict prohibitions, and is no exception. Spirits Day in 2018, what not to do list will not be as impressive as on other holidays. On this day, according to the New Testament. The Holy Spirit descended on the apostles in the form of fiery rays. They suddenly spoke in different languages, began to understand these languages. After this event, the apostles carried the word of God throughout the world.
Descent of the Holy Spirit
Before you find out what you can’t do on Spirits Day in 2018, you need to understand what kind of holiday it is. Believers celebrate on this day the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles. This is a continuation of the Trinity, therefore, the traditions of the days are very similar in many ways.
In the people this holiday is also called Name Day of the Earth. On Spirits Day one cannot work on earth, because it is considered a great sin. On this Monday, we must protect the earth and show her our reverence and respect.
What Not to Do
The specific list of what not to do on Spirits Day in 2018, customs, is quite short. Almost all prohibitions here will be connected with the land. You can’t work on it, plant something, weed, dig, harrow. It is better to postpone all work that is somehow connected with the earth. ?
Also on this day, you should try to give up all housework. As on Trinity Day, you can’t sew and knit, clean, wash. Cooking is allowed. These are the main prohibitions, on Spirits Day 2018, what should not be done. The list of things to do is much longer and more exciting. 
What you can do on Spirits Day (May 28, 2018):
* Stock up on herbs and flowers. Plants harvested and dried on this day have healing properties. Because it was believed that fire descends from the sky and destroys all evil spirits. It was from the herbs collected during this period that the healers prepared a special herbal powder for expelling demons.
* Feed the earth. Spirits Day in many villages was considered a women's holiday. It was customary for the married women of the village, including the oldest representative, to gather on the outskirts. A tablecloth was covered there, right on the ground, women sang, had fun, led round dances. This ceremony was supposed to show respect and reverence for the land.
* Wash away sins from yourself, but not by swimming in open water (this, by the way, cannot be done within three days after the Trinity and on the Trinity itself), but with well water. This custom was especially widespread in the Kaluga province. It was necessary to throw a coin into the well, pray, and then wash with this water. In this territory, it was believed that in this way on Spirits Day one can wash away sins from oneself.
* Bring consecrated birch twigs home from church. They were placed in the house as protection from evil forces. When the branches dried up, they must be kept in a secluded corner.
* Listen to treasures. Since on this day people worship the earth, it revealed its secrets to some. After the evening prayer, people would put their ears to the ground and listen to see if we would reveal our secrets to them.
Spirits day 2018: what can not be done or can not affect the sign associated with the weather. In particular, what the weather will be like on Spirits Day, it will be like this all summer. Have a bright holiday and only sunny weather!
According to the Orthodox faith, most church holidays directly depend on what time Easter is celebrated. Therefore, many are interested in what date is the day of the Holy Spirit in 2018.
Spirits Day is always celebrated on Monday, the day after the feast of Trinity. Another name for the holiday is Holy Spirit Day.
Interesting fact. Catholics celebrate this holiday on the same day as Trinity. Since the Trinity in 2018 falls on May 27, the Day of the Holy Spirit is held at the same time. Such customs were established many centuries ago, which is one of the features of different currents of Orthodoxy.
According to Orthodox customs, this holiday is celebrated on the day after the Trinity, and in the common people such days are called Pentecost. And before these two holidays, one more thing is not forgotten - the Trinity Parental Saturday. On such a day, all Christians remember the deceased loved ones and commemorate them. In most cases, they go to their graves, put things in order and put flowers. An integral part of such a day on the eve of the day of the Holy Spirit is a trip to the church, where you need to put candles for the repose of relatives.
It is on this day that both Orthodox and pagan traditions are immediately intertwined. It is worth noting that the day of the Holy Spirit in the past became the first day in history, which marked the beginning of the spread of Christianity in the world, since the apostles were able to disclose their faith and carry it to the masses.
Religious meaning of the holiday:
The holiday takes its name from the fact that in the past it was on this day that the descent of the Holy Spirit to the apostles was observed. The apostles who were in the Upper Room of Zion prayed tirelessly. They continued to do this from the time of the death of Jesus Christ, as he told them about the miracle that they would eventually see.
At about 3 pm, they heard a great noise in the sky, as if a great storm was raging. And at the same time the Holy Spirit came down. He was surrounded by hundreds of fiery rays. At the same time, all the apostles began to speak different languages and, remarkably, they easily understood each other. This helped them to carry the word of God around the world in various languages, which would be understood by the inhabitants of all countries. The Holy Spirit also filled the souls of people with a piece of his soul.
The descent of the Holy Spirit to the apostles took place exactly on the fiftieth day after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The apostles got the opportunity to heal people in need and carry the word of God into the world. It is noteworthy that of all the twelve apostles, eleven were executed because of their deeds and the spread of the word of God among the people. The twelfth apostle John the Theologian died a natural death. Since then, this day has been considered the time of the birth of the Christian church.
In churches, festive liturgies are held in honor of such an event. It is believed that it is on such a day that the Holy Spirit descends from heaven and visits every person, not leaving him without his attention. Prayers begin to be read from the evening of the Trinity. They mention all the dead. If desired, everyone can order a special prayer service for their loved ones or magpie.
All living things on this day wish only the very best: enlightenment, goodness, indulgence. It is interesting that on such days in most churches, when reading prayers, small figures of doves are hung under the icons, which symbolizes the descent of the Holy Spirit.
The icon “The Descent of the Holy Spirit”, the author of which was Prokhor, has survived to this day. The work dates back to around 1405. It fully reflects the church stories about the descent of the Spirit over the twelve apostles.
If we talk about Ancient Jerusalem, then this holiday was special here. Then, under one sky, all people gathered together: both simple, and rich, and healthy, and infirm in order to honor the memory of such a great divine deed.
Folk traditions and customs of the holiday:
According to historians, it is Christians who have extremely deep roots, which in time frames exceed several millennia and bring us closer to paganism. Until the time Christianity came, most people celebrated another holiday on the day of the Holy Spirit - the Name Day of the Earth. And from the time when Christianity began to spread in Russia, people did not forget about their former traditions and beliefs, but only expanded their borders.
On this day, it is customary to decorate the entrance doors to the house or the gate with birch branches. It is believed that such a rite will help cleanse the house. In addition, on such days, the girls always guessed and did it too with the help of thin birch branches and various herbs and flowers. To begin with, they wove wreaths and put them on their heads. After some time they took them off, then went to the river. Here they let them into the water. If the birch wreath floats - this portends happiness to the owner, sinks - to be in trouble in life young.
Also on this day, unmarried people were allowed to tell fortunes in a fairly simple way. To do this, the girls gathered together and began to spin strongly in any direction. When each one spins strongly, it will fall in one direction. It was believed that it was from that side that her betrothed would come. However, if someone hurt the girl during such a fortune-telling, then she had to repeat it, since it was untruthful.
Another custom is connected with the fact that on the eve of the Day of the Holy Spirit on Trinity, the girls gathered in the field and wreathed wreaths, after which they hung them on the nearest birch. The very next day they came and studied it. If the wreath is wilted, then the girl should be careful, she will be in trouble. If it remains fresh, then the year will be successful, and troubles will not have to be expected. And if some flowers have bloomed at all, then someone is waiting for the young one near the house, good news will come very soon.
Traditions say that it is on this day that the earth is pregnant with a future harvest, and its peace should not be disturbed. Therefore, it was forbidden to do ordinary work related to the land. In addition, in the evening on the day of the holiday, people “feeded” the land: they went out into the field and took tablecloths with them. After that, they began to have dinner, and scattered a few pieces of food across the field, giving it to the earth.
According to ancient rituals, it was on this day that it was customary for large families to gather, set “expensive” tables and treat loved ones. There must be a loaf on the tables, which was baked by the mistress of the house herself. Pancakes are also considered an essential dish on any table on this day.
It is also not forbidden to hold celebrations in nature, however, according to traditions, there are some precautions that say not to choose a place in nature near wetlands or near growing birches. It is in the swamps that mermaids live, who will try to take young girls to them, and the souls of the dead people will live near the birches that evening.
Quite often you can hear that it was on the day of the Holy Spirit that young people danced near birch trees, which symbolizes the fertility of the earth and gratitude to her for it. However, such rituals can be performed only in the morning or afternoon; in the evening it is strictly forbidden to do this. Some, after rituals with birches, take a few of its branches and hide them in their homes in a secluded place. It is believed that this is how the family protects itself from unclean Spirits.
Folk signs on the day of the Holy Spirit:
There are a lot of signs that people pay attention to on this day. However, the main ones again came from the time of paganism and were slightly deformed after the spread of Christianity. This day has always been considered the day of the mermaids, who at night crawled out of the water and swayed on the branches of trees, calling young girls to them.
Despite all the mysticism of such events, the people believed that it was in the place where the mermaid's foot would set foot that thick and green grass would grow. The youth very often went out that day to “chase mermaids” and ran through the meadows, steppes and forests.
One of the most important signs on this day is that if you wash yourself with cold water in the morning on the day of the celebration of the day of the Holy Spirit, then you can wash away any illness from yourself. It also helped to protect oneself from evil spirits for the whole next year. Often people in families went to wash themselves with river water or they collected it from a well.
According to another sign, the souls of the dead, who visited loved ones on the day of the Holy Spirit and had not yet descended to heaven, visited places that were especially important for them and circled over them. If you look closely, you will never see the Spirit, because he hides in the branches of birches.
People also say that what the weather will be on this particular day, this will be the case for the next month. Interestingly, it was in the past that they said that summer comes from the day of the celebration of the Day of the Holy Spirit. Also, on such a day, you should never worry, because any evil spirits are afraid of this day.
If on this day it is necessary to cleanse the house of evil Spirits, then in the morning they collect wormwood branches and decorate their house with them. It is believed that it is their smell that will drive away evil spirits throughout the year.
It was believed that on this day mermaids could drag anyone underwater. Therefore, women who went for water to a well or a river always said: "went on the water" as to go "behind the water" meant to bring disaster upon oneself. According to popular belief, on the day of the Holy Spirit, one could drown even in shallow water.
Our ancestors believed that in no case on this day it was impossible to look at your reflection in the water. This can lead to the fact that a girl or a guy could lose his true love.
What can you do on the day of the Holy Spirit:
* walk in the morning on fresh dew. Such a rite, as they believed in the old days, will bring good luck to life.
* go to church, light candles for the repose of the soul, pray for happiness for the living
* collect healing herbs, mint, lemon balm, sedge will be especially strong on this day
*consecrate herbs in the church
* bathe, wash with water from the river
* get together with families and have a feast
* wash your face in the morning with water from a well or river
* put up with those with whom you have been in a quarrel for a long time
What not to do on the day of the Holy Spirit:
* people said - it is forbidden to run on this day, because this way you can run away from your fate
* do things in the garden: dig, plant, loosen the soil
* sewing, crafting, repairing
*clean the house
*Lock yourself at home. It is advisable to invite guests, go to church for a service yourself, or just visit relatives and friends
* mention someone with a bad word, call trouble on the enemy
The Day of the Holy Spirit is a holiday that has a long history. Despite the fact that everyone celebrates this day in their own way, there are common traditions for every family and people. the day of the Holy Spirit is a time of peace and tranquility on earth, which marks the Lord's patronage and condescension towards people.
Traditions and customs on Spirits Day:
It seems that such a day should begin with a service in the temple or prayer. However, according to ancient belief, on Spirits Day, many tried to listen to the earth. To do this, even before sunrise, they went outside, put their ear to the ground and listened. Such a rite was performed in the hope that in this way great secrets would be revealed to them. But at the same time, everyone sincerely believed that this could happen only to the elect.
As we have already mentioned, on this day they went to the forest together with the priest to sprinkle birch with holy water. However, this ceremony was also performed over the well. Our ancestors sincerely believed that in this way they save it from drying out, and this sprinkling of the well helps keep the water clean and fresh.
If on the feast of the Holy Trinity women did not have time to collect medicinal herbs, then on Spirits Day they corrected this. After all, according to popular beliefs, on this holiday, all herbs do not lose their special power, and are also able to cure, like herbs collected on the Trinity.
Since Spirits Day is strongly associated with paganism, even after the adoption of Christianity, our people tried to appease evil spirits. To do this, women went out into the forest, to the river and hung old children's clothes everywhere.
At the same time, it was believed that if you meet a mermaid, then in this case there is a huge chance to gain wealth and prosperity, but there is also a risk and get trouble and misfortune on your head. Indeed, at the same time, there was a belief that mermaids could tickle to death, or carry them along in a round dance. Girls and children should have been especially wary, so they were not allowed into the forest during Rusal Week.
It was also customary to feed the earth everywhere on this day. To do this, women went out into the field, spread a blanket and had a meal. If this ceremony is performed, then, according to our ancestors, the whole year there will be a good and rich harvest. And part of the food was either carried to different parts of the field, or they tried to bury a little food, saying: “Birthday Earth, give us a harvest.”
The well, which was consecrated, was constantly visited during the day. They washed, left funeral food, threw a coin and prayed. Thus, in ancient times in Russia they tried to wash away all sins from themselves and cleanse themselves.
After the temple, many hurried to the cemetery to decorate the graves with birch branches. They also had a meal there. However, all the remaining food was not taken home, but left in the cemetery.
The holiday ended with a symbolic burial of Kostroma, the role of which was most often taken by a young girl. She was dressed in white clothes, and then laid on the boards, after which they carried the girl to the river and performed the rite of "awakening". Then they all bathed together and had a festivity. This rite symbolized the fact that Kostroma is resurrected after death and bestows fertility and a good harvest.
Divination on Spirits Day:
Fortune telling with wreaths on this day was also relevant. Therefore, the girls did not miss the opportunity to tell fortunes on the river.
To do this, they let a wreath down the river:
* if he drowned, then be in trouble and the girl will soon become very ill;
* if landed on the shore, then this year she will marry;
* if the wreath has sailed away, then the girl will soon meet strong and lasting love.
Also, the girls tried to find out with the help of fortune-telling about which side she should wait for her beloved. To do this, they circled that day, whoever falls in which direction, from there and wait for their fate. Or they scattered fragments of an old plow - in which direction it falls, from that one and wait for her beloved.
Also, unmarried young girls curled a birch a few days before the holidays, and already on the Trinity or Spirits day they came to develop. If during this time the branches withered, then soon the girl will fall ill or trouble awaits her, but if the branches are fresh, then the girl will have good luck, joy and luck this year.
Prayer to the Holy Spirit, which will be discussed later, is universal. It is usually referred to as morning prayers. Reading the lines of this prayer, we turn to the holy principle of God, which lives in any person.
Holy Spirit in the bible:
In general, in Christianity, the Holy Spirit is a kind of independent entity, an incorporeal creature that permeates both the world of the dead and the world of the living. It is the Holy Spirit that performs the rite of baptism. This is a kind of incorporeal personality that has no character, no face and no emotions. She is called to give strength to any person and give her great blessing. The Holy Spirit does not act on its own because it is invisible like air, but it can take many forms. For example, in the form of fire or a dove. The dove is the most popular image of the Holy Spirit, which was fixed at the very beginning of the Christian era of mankind.
It was the Spirit, as the light, descended on many saints who gained strength and insight to carry on their shoulders a heavy burden for their time, called faith in the one God. This is the main reason for the many prayers aimed at asking the Spirit to give his great blessing to ordinary people so that their faith becomes unshakable and their actions righteous.
Text and interpretation of the prayer:
“King of Heaven, Comforter, Soul of Truth, Who is everywhere and fills everything, Treasury of the good and Giver of life, come and dwell in us and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Blessed One, our souls.”
Why do these lines help us to live another day in spiritual purity and tranquility?
Everything is extremely simple, because the Holy Spirit is the embodiment of sinlessness, it is one of the components of God, called the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit himself.
This prayer is about asking God to inhabit us and cleanse us of what prevents us from reuniting with him in the afterlife.
This is a short, but one of the most powerful prayers in the Christian faith, which gives us seven benefactors: wisdom, reason, steadfastness, advice, piety, fear of God.
The Holy Spirit and this prayer comfort us in moments of sorrow and grief, giving us peace. Also, all the sacraments of the church are sanctified by the grace of the Holy Spirit: baptism, communion, wedding, and so on.
May your faith be strong. May this simple prayer always be with you to help in difficult situations and sanctify your path, blessing you for good deeds.
There are a huge number of church holidays that have their own history, traditions and superstitions. After the Trinity, it is customary to celebrate the Spirits of the day, the signs and customs of which were formed in ancient times. The people believe that the energy of this day has great power and it can be used for your own good.
This is a significant church holiday and is considered the beginning of the formation of the church. People believe that on this day Jesus delivered his Sermon on the Mount, and descended on the apostles. Finding out what Spirits Day is in Orthodoxy, it is worth pointing out that it is celebrated every year on the day after the Trinity. In the people this holiday is still considered the name day of the earth. A large number of signs and traditions are associated with it.
The holiday must begin with a trip to the church for the service, which is dedicated to the Most Holy and Life-Giving Spirit. In the church, you can pray for deceased relatives and friends. After the temple, you can go to the cemetery to decorate the graves with birch branches. In the evening there was a festive meal. There is a special list of traditions related to this holiday:
If we turn to Orthodox scriptures, then there are no prohibitions associated with this day. Believers are sure that Spirits Day and the Trinity are holy holidays and it is impossible to do household chores. It is best to devote all your free time to prayer and going to church. If there is an urgent need for cleaning, then there is no serious sin in this.
All church holidays for believers are the red days of the calendar, during which you need to devote all the time to yourself, going to church, studying the Word of God and praying. Since washing is not an urgent matter, it is recommended to postpone it for another time. In the list of what they do on Spirits Day, there is no mention of washing, also due to the fact that, according to popular beliefs, goblin, mermaids and other evil spirits come out of the rivers where things used to be washed. In addition, it is believed that washing can wash away all happiness.
The clergy say that if there is no obvious need, then water procedures should be abandoned. According to popular superstitions, the week that begins on Spiritual Day is called the “mermaid”, therefore, on the holiday, mermaids are active and can drag a person under water, so you can’t swim in open water. In order for the day of the descent of the Holy Spirit to pass without incident, people tied linen ribbons on the trees, which were located close to the bathing place. They served as a kind of ransom for the mermaids.
Believers are sure that in the morning the Holy Spirit descends to the earth and stays on it during the day. Since ancient times, it has been believed that on a holiday it is recommended to walk barefoot on the ground, but working in the garden and harvesting is strictly prohibited. Spirits day among the Slavs is revered as the name day of the earth, so it is important to protect it and show your reverence and respect.
It is believed that this day is not intended for any work, and the free time is to pray to the Lord. People who are interested in whether it is possible to embroider on the Spirits of the day and engage in other types of needlework, so you should know that work on this day is undesirable, but if there is a need to sew on a button, then this can be done. In this matter, it is important not to go to extremes, so after attending worship in the morning, in the afternoon you can go about your business.
A large number of superstitions have survived from ancient times to the present day, and what is most interesting, many of them still have their power. Known on Spirits Day signs of the weather and not only:
Since ancient times, people have paid attention to changes in the weather, by which they judged the events of the future. If it rains on Spirits Day, it means that in summer and autumn it will be possible to harvest a large crop of mushrooms. Bad weather on this church holiday was a good omen, but it was believed that such weather would continue for another six weeks. Rain on Spirits Day promised warm weather in summer and autumn. If a thunderstorm broke out and lightning is visible, this is a good sign indicating that the earth is driving away evil spirits.
To improve your financial situation, on this holiday you must definitely show your generosity. Leaving the church after the service, you should give to those in need. Signs on Spirits Day indicate that on this holiday, mother earth reveals all secrets to a person and treasures can be found. In ancient times, the Slavs, after visiting the temple and praying to the Holy Spirit, went to "listen to treasures", for which they crouched their ear to the ground.
Since ancient times, many people have used church holidays to read conspiracies aimed at changing life for the better. Among the most popular and accessible rites are the following rituals for Spirits Day:
On a sacred holiday, it is customary to turn to the Holy Spirit to express one's joy and ask for help. The presented text is universal and is more related to morning addresses. Prayers for the day of the Holy Spirit are a request from God to inhabit us and cleanse us of all negativity that can become an obstacle to reuniting with him. A short prayer appeal bestows seven blessings: intelligence, wisdom, steadfastness, conscience, piety and fear of the Lord.
Spirits Day, which is also called the Day of the Holy Spirit, in 2018 falls on Monday, May 28th. This is a Christian and folk holiday, which the Orthodox celebrate on the 51st day after Easter. On this day, Orthodox and pagan traditions are intertwined.
The importance of the Spirits Day was comparable to the Trinity. The Holy Spirit - in Orthodox Christianity - the third divine component of the Holy Trinity.
So, the feast of the Holy Spirit is a special church holiday in honor of the third Person of the Trinity - the Holy Spirit, revered along with God the Father and God the Son. It is believed that on such a day the Holy Spirit descends from heaven and pays attention to every person.
On this day, you need to go to church and pray. In the divine service, the feast in honor of the Holy Spirit begins with great vespers.
A prayer is raised to the Holy Spirit: “King of Heaven, Comforter Spirit of truth, who is everywhere and fills everything, the source of all good and the Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all sin and save our souls, Good One.”
In the Slavic tradition of Spirits, Day is a holiday of Pitchfork and Madder, Earthly Moisture. It began with honoring the ancestors. They were invited to visit the house, scattering fresh birch branches around the corners of the house.
It is also a day of remembrance and communication with water, meadow and forest navyas. According to legend, mermaids and mermaids are those who died prematurely before becoming adults, or who died voluntarily.
Women performed secret ceremonies on this day. Mothers left for mermaid children in the field or on the branches near the springs the old clothes of their children, towels, linens. Thus, they tried to appease the mermaid spirits.
Girls threw wreaths into the water: sink - unfortunately, float - fortunately. The last spring festivities of youth were also held.
Thunderstorms are often associated with the Spiritual Day - on this day "a sacred fire descends from the sky, which incinerates evil spirits." Also, according to some beliefs of the Spirits, the day determines the weather for the rest of the summer.
According to folk signs, frosts stop only after Spirit Day; they don't happen until autumn.
Do not believe the heat until Spirit Day!
The day of the Holy Spirit will come - it will be in the yard, as on a stove.
The Holy Spirit will warm the whole world!
And the siverok is cold until Spirit Day.
If it rains on Spirit Day, it will be a warm and mushroomy summer.
What will be the weather during the Spirit Day, such will be the summer.
There are many signs and rituals for the Spirits of the day. What can and cannot be done on this holiday, we learn from ancient legends and modern Orthodox rules.
Spirits Day is celebrated on the Monday immediately after Trinity and on the fifty-first day after Easter. Like other Slavic holidays, the day of the holy spirit has pagan roots. It has various popular names: the Mermaid, the name day of the earth, seeing off the mermaids, Ivan da Marya.
The celebration of the day of the holy spirit falls at the beginning of June, and according to folk traditions, it is believed that during this period the mother earth is pregnant with the future harvest. In the evening, the holy spirit descends from heaven to Trinity to bless the earth and everything that grows on it. In all Orthodox churches on this day, a service is held in honor of the life-giving spirit.
On this day, it is customary for believers to visit a church decorated with birch branches and freshly cut herbs. Be sure to pray on Holy Monday for the souls of the dead. You can commemorate the dead at the cemetery and at home, arranging memorial meals.
Women traditionally had to perform the ritual of feeding the earth on the evening of the day of the holy spirit. For this custom, they went out into the field, spread out a large tablecloth and laid out various dishes on it, arranging a festive dinner. Young girls dispersed across the field and laid out pieces of food, sprinkling them neatly with earth. This was done so that the harvest of this year would especially please with its fertility and no element would destroy it.
The pagan and Christian beginnings of the holiday are strongly intertwined. This is evidenced by the procession, which the church led through the plowed fields. It was a call of blessing to the land and the people who cultivate it. After such prayers, the land was sure to please with a large harvest of wheat, buckwheat, and barley.
One of the obligatory ceremonies was considered to be the remembrance with a kind word of all the deceased relatives and friends, even those who were buried without a funeral service and repentance. Candles were placed in the temple for the repose of the soul. And the parishioners left after the service with birch twigs, consecrated and free from various misfortunes and ailments. At home they were placed next to the icons. Some believed that the souls of deceased loved ones flocked and sat on birch branches.
It was traditional to collect medicinal herbs, but without damaging the land cover. Herbal preparations on this day had a special healing power. They were brought to the temple for consecration and then used for a whole year, brewing infusions and teas for the family.
All the grass, laid out on the Trinity around the house, was also collected on the spirits of the day. They could fumigate seriously ill and suffering people, this contributed to a speedy recovery.
Families gathered for dinner, laying tables rich and full of delicious food. Pancakes, pies and loaves with meat and fish were an indispensable treat for a friendly feast. Often such feasts were organized in nature, thanking the earth for everything that she sent them for dinner.
At that time, young people went out into the fields to chase mermaids, running along the grass and waving birch twigs in the air. It was believed that mermaids came out of the reservoirs during this period and swayed on the branches of a birch or a weeping willow.
Another of the traditions was the morning washing with well water. This relieved ailments, misfortunes and gave vigor and energy to the believer.
The birch was the main attribute of the rituals for the day of the holy spirit. Young girls wove wreaths from branches and let them into the river. If the wreath immediately began to swim far away, to be a beauty married to a good and wealthy person. And if you stood still and unraveled, it means expecting a series of obstacles this year, with which the girl will have to cope. The wreath sank - wait for misfortune or deep shock.
If the weather pleased with the sun and a warm, pleasant breeze, such grace could be expected for the next six whole weeks. It was on this day that people met summer, seeing off spring with songs, dances, games and general fun.
It was undesirable for the girls to run fast on the spirits of the day. It threatened that you could run away from your fate. And in order to bring their female happiness closer, young ladies walked barefoot through the dew at dawn. This foreshadowed an early meeting with the betrothed, to which bare feet would find their own path.
But the most important thing that an Orthodox person should do on this day is to keep faith in his soul, strive for good thoughts, a creative beginning, obligatory attendance at the temple and prayers for the bestowal of the grace of the Holy Spirit.
On this holy holiday, in the first place, any agricultural work was prohibited. Digging the earth, planting plants, sticking stakes, weeding the grass and somehow disturbing the earth-breadwinner was considered a great sin. People believed that by violating the integrity of the earth cover, it meant losing the future harvest, causing serious harm to the Earth.
All household work for women was also banned. This concerned cleaning and mopping, washing linen, sewing and embroidery. Women behaved especially meek and modest this Monday. It was not customary to talk loudly, provoke quarrels, conflicts and showdown.
It is not customary to overeat and abuse alcohol on the spirits of the day. This is a holiday of the soul, a kneeling prayer for the forgiveness of sins and commemoration of the departed.
It was dangerous to swim at this time. It was believed that mermaids are especially mischievous on spirits day and can drag a bather underwater. This was especially true of young unmarried fellows, whom girls with a fish tail could easily seduce with their long hair and rounded shapes.
Not going to church was a bad sign. No matter how busy a person is in his affairs and worries, he definitely had to go to the service in the temple.
Many signs have also remained revered and traditional today. On the days of Pentecost, it is customary to decorate an apartment with freshly cut grass and birch branches, pray in the temple and light candles for deceased relatives.
As for restrictions in work, this is already at the discretion of the believer. In the modern world, there are many duties, the fulfillment of which is extremely necessary on time. Therefore, if circumstances do not add up in favor of rest, you should simply remember your loved ones and, if possible, order a prayer service for the repose of their souls.
