National holiday Spiritual Day (Holy Spirit Day) is celebrated on the 51st day after Easter. In 2019 it falls on June 17th.
Story
The Church established this holiday in memory of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles on the 50th day after Easter. It was created with the goal of conveying to people the greatness of the Holy and Life-giving Spirit, which is the source of all life. He possesses everything that is in the power of the Father and the Son, except life and death. There are three faces in one God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Orthodox Church speaks about this.
In the Bible, the most references and reflections on the Holy Spirit are found in John. But on the day of the holiday, the church decided to read from the 18th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. It tells a parable about a shepherd and a sheep that strayed from the flock, about love for mankind and reproof. It also says that true Orthodox Christians have been given the power to judge the world and how important prayer is for a person.
Traditions and rituals
On Spiritual Day, priests consecrate wells. According to legend, this is where mermaids hide after emerging from bodies of water. Those who fear the presence of water spirits in the house place a table with bread and salt in the courtyard. After sprinkling the wells with holy water, the priest visits the homes and sprinkles it on the walls.
Girls throw wreaths into the water and tell fortunes for good luck. If the wreath goes to the bottom, it is not good, but if it remains on the surface, it is good luck.
The oldest women perform the ritual of “feeding the earth.” They spread tablecloths on lawns or fields and eat. After a while they pause to take some of the dishes to different places and leave them on the ground.
Mermaids leave lakes and rivers on Spiritual Day. They walk across open spaces, giving moisture to meadows and fields. After this, the shoots grow thicker and more spiky.
On the day of the holiday, a sacred cleansing fire descends to the earth, from which everything hides. devilry. And the Holy Spirit descends from heaven on the eve of the holiday. He dwells among people and enters houses.
Signs
What the weather is like that day will be like that for the next six weeks.
On Spiritual Day you cannot say “for water,” otherwise you may die from the water. You need to pronounce “by water.”
It is forbidden to stick anything into the ground or pull it out of it.
You can't catch a reflection in the water - this way you can lose love.
In some countries of the Spirits, the day is considered a day off, since this holiday always follows Trinity. In Russia, Holy Spirit Day is a holiday for Orthodox Christians and an ordinary working day. In all churches, a service is held with the blessing of birch branches, which are then taken home to decorate the house. In ancient times, for this purpose, they specially went with a priest so that he would sprinkle one tree with holy water, from which all the women would subsequently pick a branch and carry it into the house. It was believed that in this way one could drive away evil spirits from one’s family. Even before the baptism of Rus', this day was also dedicated to spirits, but already to the spirits of the earth. Our ancestors believed that the Earth also possesses a certain spirit, which has a huge influence on the fate of each person and humanity as a whole. Therefore, it was the name day of Mother Earth. This day was also saturated with a huge number of superstitions, for example, they used to believe that various evil spirits woke up on Spirits Day - mermaids, mermen, and so on. Perhaps that is why the coming week was called Rusalya.
Traditions and customs on Spiritual Day
It seems that such a day should begin with a service in the temple or prayer. However, according to ancient belief, on Spiritual Day many tried to listen to the earth. After evening prayer, people went out into the street before sunrise, put their ear to the ground and listened. This ritual was performed in the hope that in this way great secrets would be revealed to them. But at the same time, everyone then sincerely believed that this could only happen to a select few.
On this day, not only did they go into the forest with the priest to sprinkle the birch tree with holy water, this ritual was also performed over the well. Our ancestors sincerely believed that in this way they saved it from drying out, and also this sprinkling of the well helps to 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 Spiritual Day they corrected it. After all, according to beliefs, on this holiday all herbs do not lose their special power, and are also capable of healing, like herbs collected on Trinity. We stocked up on herbs and flowers, because... believed that plants collected and dried on this day have healing properties. Because it was believed that fire comes 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 to exorcise demons.
Since Spiritual Day is strongly associated with paganism, even after the adoption of Christianity our people tried to appease evil spirits. To do this, women went 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 there is a huge chance of gaining wealth and prosperity, but there is also a risk of getting misfortune and misfortune on your head. After all, at the same time, there was a belief that mermaids could tickle you to death, or carry you away in a round dance. Girls and children had to be especially wary, so during Rusalya Week they were not allowed into the forest. They believed that people who swim on these holidays die. And if not, many considered them witches, since only they could escape from the mermaids who live in lakes and rivers.
On Spiritual Day it was forbidden to wash your hair or cut your hair. Do repairs, do crafts, sew, etc. it was also impossible.
It was also common practice to feed the earth on this day. Spiritual 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 laid there, right on the ground, and a meal was arranged. The women sang, had fun, and danced in circles. This ritual was meant to show respect and reverence for the land. To do this, women went out into the field, laid out a blanket and had a meal. If this ritual is performed, then, according to our ancestors, there will be a good and rich harvest all year. And some of the food was either distributed around different parts fields, or tried to bury some 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 Rus' they tried to wash away all sins and cleanse themselves.
Blessed birch branches were brought home from church. They were placed in the house as protection from evil forces. When the branches dried out, they were necessarily stored in a secluded corner.
After the temple, many hurried to the cemetery to decorate the graves with birch branches. There was also a meal there. However, they did not take all the remaining food home, but left it in the cemetery.
The holiday ended with the 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 boards, after which they carried the girl to the river and performed the “awakening” ritual. Then everyone swam together and had a party. This ritual symbolized that Kostroma resurrects after death and bestows fertility and good harvest.
Signs and beliefs on Spiritual Day
Our ancestors believed that under no circumstances should you look at your reflection in the water on this day. This could lead to the girl or guy losing their true love.
If this holiday was rainy, then, according to signs, the next six weeks will also be the same.
On this day, when going to get water, they always said, “I went on water.” If you say “let’s go get water,” you can easily drown.
They also believed that the mermaids and mermaids that can be met on this day are people who died before their time or committed suicide.
On Spiritual Day, all the dead gather near birch trees or sit on their branches. Perhaps for this reason, the birch tree was appointed as the symbol of this holiday.
Since our ancestors believed that the earth had a name day on this day, it was forbidden to work, sew, sow, or dig. It was allowed to cook food.
And in order to protect themselves from evil spirits, in ancient times they wore fragrant plants on this day, such as wormwood, garlic or onions.
Whatever the weather will be on Spiritual Day, the same is expected for the whole summer.
But the thunderstorm and lightning on this day - good sign, because in this way the earth drives away evil spirits, because since ancient times it was believed that it is fire that can get rid of them.
Despite the fact that the mermaid is the embodiment of an evil spirit who needs to be feared and feared, she is still associated with good omen. So, in the old days they believed that wherever a mermaid set her foot, there would be a rich harvest of wheat and rye.
They also used to say: “Don’t trust the heat until the Spiritual Day.”
But it was undesirable to run on this day - you could run away from your fate. But in order to bring the meeting with happiness closer, on Spiritual Day it was necessary to walk barefoot in the dew in the morning.
There were different signs for Spiritual Day, some of which have survived to our times. Previously, on the Day of the Holy Spirit, some symbol of the Spirit was hung from the shrines - these were wooden doves. Many Christians still believe in the phenomenon that the Holy Spirit descends to earth on the evening of Trinity Day. And therefore, on such a day you cannot run either around the house or on the ground outside. It is believed that the Earth is the birthday girl.
Spiritual Day in Russia and other Orthodox countries is always associated with rain and thunderstorms. It is believed that after this day there should be no frost until winter. What the weather will be like on such a day will indicate what it will be like in the next 6 weeks.
Fortune telling on Spiritual Day
Fortune telling with wreaths was also relevant on this day. Therefore, the girls did not miss the opportunity to tell fortunes on the river. To do this, they floated a wreath along the river:
- if he drowned, then there will be trouble and the girl will soon become very ill;
- if she landed on the shore, then she will get married this year;
- if the wreath floated far away, then the girl will soon meet strong and long-lasting love.
The girls also tried to find out through fortune-telling about which side she should wait for her beloved. To do this, they circled on this day, who would fall in which direction, and from there await their fate. Or they scattered the fragments of an old plow - in which direction it fell, she would wait for her beloved.
Also, unmarried young girls curled a birch tree a few days before the holidays, and already on Trinity or Spiritual Day they came to develop it. If during this time the branches have withered, then the girl will soon get sick or be in trouble, but if the branches are fresh, then the girl will have good luck, joy and luck this year.
Whatever popular beliefs exist related to this date, it is important to remember that the truth is different for each person. An Orthodox believer must always remember God and pray to him, regardless of what holiday is in the yard and what folk signs and beliefs are associated with it.
Spirits Day: there are different signs and customs, although in fact there are not so many of them. First, let's figure out what kind of holiday this is and why it is celebrated after Trinity.
On the dates of Trinity, the day of the earth was celebrated, as well as the day of the spirits. It was believed that at this time all evil spirits come out from their habitats (goblin, water goblins, mermaids) and perform all sorts of intrigues on people. Therefore, it was said that on Spiritual Day you cannot, for example, go to the forest or swim in reservoirs.
The main tradition of the holiday, which has been preserved and even adopted by the church, is decorating the house with young branches of birch, willow, and wildflowers. After all, the holiday always falls at the beginning of summer.
Important! You need to decorate the house even before Trinity and the Feast of the Spirits. After all, at any church holidays Housework is not allowed. So, cover it festive table, you definitely need to clean and decorate your home in advance.
Another symbol of the holiday is the dove. Here we can talk about church tradition, because the white dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. If there is such an opportunity, then you can decorate your house with figures of a wooden dove, birds cut out of paper or other materials. You can cook it on holiday.
It is forbidden on Spiritual Day:
Work on the land. It is believed that the earth is the birthday girl on this holiday and you should not influence it in any other way;
You cannot run around the house or street;
It is forbidden to go into the forest alone, pick flowers or branches;
You should not swim in open waters;
Spirits Day: signs and customs of 2015 tell us that on this day it is necessary to walk barefoot on the earth. It is believed that this will bring happiness. It is also important to stock up on medicinal herbs and plants on this holiday. On Trinity and Holy Spiritual Day you cannot tear anything, but there is an exception: medicinal herbs and plants. They say that these days the earth especially nourishes such plants and their healing power increases several times.
Interesting! On Spiritual Day you can judge what the weather will be like in the summer. If it rains and thunderstorms on this holiday, then there will be no frost until winter comes. Next month the weather will be exactly the same as on Spiritual Day.
Spiritual Day: signs and customs while studying, do not forget about your spiritual life. Still, today it is a religious church holiday. Therefore, be sure to go to church and pay sufficient attention to spiritual life. Then you can run to collect herbs and follow others folk signs, many of which have been preserved in Rus' since pagan times.
There are a huge number of church holidays that have their own history, traditions and superstitions. After Trinity, it is customary to celebrate the Day of the Spirits, the signs and customs of which were formed in ancient times. People believe that the energy of this day has enormous power and can be used for your own benefit.
What is Spiritual Day?
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. When figuring out what Spiritual Day is in Orthodoxy, it is worth pointing out that it is celebrated every year on the day after Trinity. People still consider this holiday to be the name day of the land. A large number of signs and traditions are associated with it.
Spiritual Day - what can you do?
The holiday must begin by going to church for a service, which is dedicated to the Most Holy and Life-Giving Spirit. In 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 relating to this holiday:
- On Spiritual Day, signs and customs indicate that it is necessary to stock up on herbs and flowers on the holiday. This is due to the fact that collected and dried plants will have healing properties. Healers used herbs to prepare a powder that they used to cast out demons.
- People believed that Spiritual Day was a women's holiday and to show respect for the land, married women gathered on the outskirts and celebrated.
- A common tradition was to wash away sins, but doing this in open water was prohibited. Well water was used for ablution. A person must first throw a coin into the well, read a prayer and wash.
- It is important to know that if the Day of the Holy Spirit has come, what you should not do is that you should not sweep on this holiday, so as not to sweep away happiness from your family along with the trash. You can't do housework or gardening, or get married.
- From church you need to bring home consecrated birch branches, which were used as powerful protection against evil forces.
Is it possible to clean on Spiritual Day?
If we turn to the Orthodox scriptures, then there are no prohibitions associated with this day. Believers are sure that Spiritual Day and Trinity are holy holidays and it is forbidden to engage in household chores. All free time It is best to devote time to prayer and going to church. If there is an urgent need for cleaning, then there is no serious sin in this.
Is it possible to do laundry on Spiritual Day?
All church holidays for believers are red days of the calendar, during which all the time must be devoted to oneself, going to church, studying the Word of God and prayer. Since washing is not urgent matter, it is recommended to postpone it for another time. In the list of what is done on Spiritual Day, there is no mention of washing, also because, according to popular beliefs, goblins, mermaids and other evil spirits emerge from the rivers where things were previously washed. In addition, it is believed that washing can wash away all happiness.
Is it possible to wash on Spiritual Day?
The clergy argue that if there is no obvious need, then water procedures should be abandoned. According to folk superstitions The week that begins on Spiritual Day is called “mermaid week,” therefore, on the holiday, mermaids are active and can pull a person under water, so swimming in open bodies of water is prohibited. To ensure that the day of the descent of the Holy Spirit passed without incident, people tied linen ribbons to trees located close to the bathing place. They served as a kind of ransom for the mermaids.
Is it possible to plant on Spiritual Day?
Believers are confident that the Holy Spirit descends to earth in the morning and remains on it throughout the day. Since ancient times, it has been believed that on holiday it is recommended to walk barefoot on the ground, but working in the garden and harvesting is strictly prohibited. The Slavs honor Spirits Day as the name day of the land, so it is important to take care of it and show your respect and respect.
Is it possible to sew on Spiritual Day?
It is believed that this day is not meant for any work and free time should be spent praying to the Lord. People who are interested in whether it is possible to embroider on Spiritual Day and engage in other types of needlework should know that working 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 the service in the morning, in the afternoon you can go about your business.
Spiritual Day - signs
From ancient times to the present day, a large number of superstitions have come down and what is most interesting is that many of them still have their force. Signs of the weather and more are known on Spiritual Day:
- It is believed that only from this holiday can one trust the warmth and there will be no more frost.
- On Spiritual Day, signs and customs are based on folk wisdom; it is forbidden to look at your reflection in the water, as this may cause a person to lose his true love.
- To protect yourself from evil spirits, you need to carry plants with a strong aroma with you during the holiday, for example, garlic or garlic.
- You can’t run during the day, because you can run away from your fate, but if you run barefoot through the dew, you can bring your happiness closer.
- Folk signs on Spiritual Day say that girls can learn about their future on this holiday. You need to weave a wreath of wildflowers and float it on the water. If it sinks, then you should expect trouble, and if it lands on the shore, expect it. A floating wreath predicts a long and happy life.
Rain on Spiritual Day - signs
Since ancient times, people have paid attention to weather changes, by which they judged future events. If it rains on Spirits Day, it means that in summer and autumn it will be possible to collect a large harvest of mushrooms. There was bad weather on this church holiday good omen, but it was believed that such weather would continue for another six weeks. Rain was predicted for the Spirits day warm weather summer and autumn. If a thunderstorm breaks out and lightning is visible, this is a good sign indicating that the earth is driving away evil spirits.
Money signs for Spiritual Day
To improve your financial situation, you must show your generosity on this holiday. When leaving the church after the service, you should give to those in need. Signs for Spiritual Day indicate that on this holiday Mother Earth reveals all secrets to man and treasures can be found. In ancient times, the Slavs, after visiting a temple and praying to the Holy Spirit, went to “listen to treasures,” for which they put their ears to the ground.
Spells for Spiritual Day
Since ancient times, many people have used church holidays to read conspiracies aimed at changing life in better side. Among the most popular and accessible rituals are the following rituals for Spiritual Day:
Prayers on Spiritual Day
On this sacred holiday, it is customary to turn to the Holy Spirit to express your joy and ask for help. The presented text is universal and is mostly related to morning addresses. Prayers for the Day of the Holy Spirit are a request for God to dwell in us and cleanse us of all negativity that may become an obstacle to reunification with him in . A short prayer appeal bestows seven blessings: intelligence, wisdom, perseverance, conscience, piety and fear of the Lord.
Spirits day, what kind of holiday, meaning
Holy Spirit Monday is a Christian holiday. Its liturgical meaning goes back to the New Testament, the book of the Acts of the Apostles, which describes the descent of the Holy Spirit on the followers of Jesus Christ. According to the Orthodox church tradition, Spirits Day 2018 is celebrated on the 51st day after Easter - May 28. This Monday, all believers will come to Vespers, celebrated at the Liturgy of the Trinity. At Vespers, prayers will be read during which for the first time since Lent, parishioners will kneel.
What not to do on Spiritual Day, meaning, traditions
In folklore, Spirit Day 2018 is known as Rusalnitsa. It is very important to know what you can and cannot do on Spiritual Day. There is a belief that on this day mermaids leave their ponds, go out into the field and begin to dance in circles. Wherever they pass, wheat of extraordinary beauty grows there. In order to appease the mermaids, it was necessary to leave treats for them - sweet pies, honey and sour cream. Anyone who sees the mermaids dance with their own eyes will be happy and rich. However, if a mermaid notices a person, this is not good, it means illness.
For centuries there has been a lively debate about what can and cannot be done on Spiritual Day. Our ancestors, despite their involvement in christian church, carefully preserved pagan traditions, giving them a religious overtones. According to an ancient belief, on this day the earth, like a woman, becomes pregnant with a new harvest, which means it cannot be cultivated. A little bit later folk traditions they began to explain the ban on work in the fields by the fact that the Holy Spirit is spilling over all fields, which means that any work is blasphemy.
What to do on Spiritual Day 2018
People believed: the souls of drowned people can only be remembered on Rusalnitsa. The families of those killed in the reservoirs set rich tables. Some of the food was distributed to the poor so that the little ones would not cry, and some was buried in the ground for a good harvest. In some regions, women took old clothes and utensils to the river, leaving them on the shore for the mermaids. In this way they tried to appease them so that they would not take anyone away from the family.
Legends often say that mermaids could steal the guy or child they liked, tickle him to death and drag him down with them to the bottom. Therefore, everyone these days tried to have holy water, horseradish, wormwood or garlic with them. Cutting, bad smell scared away the mermaids. In many villages the priest gathered people and went procession consecrate wells and courtyards. There was an opinion: this is where mermaids like to spend their free time, sowing discord in the family and encouraging men to drink.
The youth organized celebrations. Single guys took out the ritual birch tree, unraveled the intertwined branches, and then drowned it in the river. Single girls they told fortunes by floating wreaths on the water. If the wreath sank, it would be bad. Sailed - to marriage, happy life. Married women collected healing fees. Herbs for the Rusalnitsa had a magical effect: they were brewed for bathing newborns, placed at the head of women in labor, hemmed under the shirts of travelers, made into an infusion and given to newlyweds to drink so that they would live in peace and harmony. Every person from infancy knew that it was forbidden to do things for perfume on a day and was in every possible way afraid of breaking the prohibitions. According to legend, anyone who swims in a river or lake will certainly drown. And those who go to work in the fields will be dragged along by mermaids.
What kind of holiday of the Spirits is this day: signs
The most common signs of spirit day are interesting because people tried to explain phenomena and events that were incomprehensible to them. It was believed that one should not run and disturb the earth in any way, so that drought does not occur. Much attention was also paid to observing the weather. If Monday was warm and sunny, summer will be hot. If a thunderstorm began, the wind rose - summer promises to be damp and cold. IN modern world Spiritual Day is officially celebrated by 12 countries, including Germany, Switzerland, France and Ukraine. 
In Russia, this day is considered a working day, but many believers prefer to take a day off to attend the liturgy and celebrate this holiday in church.
