The first autumn month is rich for Christian holidays, and the Nativity of the Virgin is one of the most significant and revered. On the same day, the day of the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God is celebrated, which has its signs and customs on September 21.
Traditions of the day
On the day of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, it was customary to go to visit. Particular attention was paid to young couples who just recently became newlyweds. They were visited by older relatives, and these visits were considered an opportunity to teach young minds, to give useful advice on the arrangement of their family life, to eat and have fun.
September 21, the birthday of the Virgin, signs were addressed to girls with the names Anna, Anastasia and Alena. They were not recommended to clean hair in any hair on that day. But it was believed that during the Nativity of the Virgin they could walk the streets in search of grooms.
It was believed that this holiday should be found near the water, bringing with it a loaf of grain from a new crop and treating them to all those present. The last piece needed to feed the cattle, so that it was healthy and prolific.
Since September 21 is a great church holiday, with which many signs are connected, on that day ceremonial services were held in the churches; The same day was considered a great women's holiday, coinciding with the day of the autumnal equinox.
Signs of September 21
- On this day the peasants noticed the weather, because it was considered the second meeting of the autumn.
- On this day, the bow was removed from the beds: it was believed that collected on this day, it will lie until the spring and retain its best qualities. This case, as a rule, was performed by women.
- The beekeepers cleaned the bees for the winter on that day.
- It was noted whether there were many spruce cones in the forest: their harvest was associated with abundant harvests of beans and cucumbers for the next year.
- Signs on the Virgin on September 21 prompted how soon the winter would come. On her attack was judged on the hare's fur coat: if it turned white, then winter is just around the corner. Mass flight of birds on this day also warned about the imminent winter.
This day was considered the end of the Indian summer, so on September 21 - also the holiday of the second autumn meeting, when it finally entered into its rights; he received the name of Osenina, and the signs of this day were the correct weather indicator. So, if there was a rain, the flowers of the field calendula folded their petals. But if on this day there was clear sunny warm weather, it was believed that the remaining autumn days would be warm and dry.