The history of most Russian folk festivals is very complex, they were born in dense times, when the Slavs did not know anything about writing and even Christianity. After baptism, some of them were banned, while others were transformed and were not subjected to persecution. For example, the Comedian becomes the Carnival , and the holiday of the Sun has turned into Kupala. Orthodoxy greatly changed the life of the Russian people, but he tried to adapt to changes in his own way, which led to the emergence of new signs, conspiracies, songs, fortune-telling. Purely Christian Russian holidays began to grow folk customs, much like pagan rituals.
The main Russian folk festivals and traditions
With the onset of cold weather commoners could rest, there was an opportunity to play weddings calmly, organize mass festivities, go to visit. Maybe that's why there are so many winter Russian folk festivals. The most real cheerful Slavic complex are Christmas trees , which are celebrated from 6 to 19 January. For two weeks, there are large-scale games, with caroling, sowing, going on a visit. There are many rituals that have nothing in common with Christianity, for example, fortune telling or rituals, which should increase fertility.
The Epiphany Eve prepares the Baptism festival (18.01) and is also called The Hungry Kutya. Observed strictest post, until the appearance of the first asterisk followed from the food to abstain. In the evening service, people water the water and then, with the help of ears, consecrate it with their dwelling, the cowshed, all corners of the manor, so that the family will escape illnesses, and prosperity will come to the house.
Many Russian folk spring holidays are directly connected with Easter . Preparation for the Resurrection of Christ was held on Holy Week. The house should be cleaned, people were sure to bathe, paint eggs and bake cakes, it was necessary to remember the deceased relatives. Easter itself for the people turned into an event of enormous significance. Near the church were consecrated cakes, testicles, different foods, people were allowed after the fastest fasting to break fast and walk. It was necessary to take Christos at a meeting and congratulate distant relatives with postcards and letters.
No less revered and summer Russian folk festivals. The Trinity is celebrated in June on the 50th day after the Resurrection of Christ. The seventh week had its own mystical meaning and was also called the "mermaid week". Its other popular name is the Green Christmas Tree. The girls should weave wreaths and guess the fate of the Troitsyn day, if they were well sailed, then we could expect an early marriage. Bouquets and branches were consecrated in churches, and then houses were decorated with greenery. Later they were not thrown away, but dried and stored as strong amulets.
A pleasant and expected event was the Honey Spas (14.08) from which the collection of the sweet product began. Traditionally, it was recommended to consecrate wells on this day and clean old sources. For Orthodox, this event is the beginning of the Assumption Post.
Now Ilin Day (2.08) is dedicated to the Christian prophet, but some original folk traditions testify
On the Apple Savior (19.08), apples were consecrated and allowed to eat, before this day people were forbidden to eat sweet fruits. It was best to treat at first the apples of the poor with orphans, thus recalling the ancestors, and only then to treat themselves. In fact, this Russian folk festival meant the meeting of autumn. Before sunset at the Apple Savior, people went out into the countryside with a song to spend the sun and the warm summer that was leaving.