Headlock (holiday): history, traditions, folk omens

2025 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2025-01-22 17:55

The beheading of the Prophet John is celebrated by the Russian Orthodox Church on September 11th. In the people, this day is referred to as Golovosek. The holiday is one of the greatest in Orthodoxy. A strict one-day fast must be observed on this day. The people believed that when Golovosek came, autumn began, so all Orthodox people did not work on this holiday for the sake of the he alth of their loved ones and livestock. Also on this day, people did not go to the forest, it was believed that snakes and evil spirits were looking for their homes there. What kind of day is this, let's see.

St. John's Decapitation Day

Beheading (Headslinger) is considered one of the most dangerous and terrible dates, so people were very afraid to plow the land, sow, go on a long journey, and also celebrate any celebrations. On this day, it was forbidden to eat anything that would remind of the head, sword, blood, cutting off. It was impossible to put round plates, dishes on the table. This is due to the fact that theon a platter the head of the Forerunner was given to Herod. People did not dare to eat round-shaped fruits and vegetables (potatoes, cabbage, turnips, onions, apples, etc.). Cutting is also strictly prohibited on this holiday. It was believed that the sickle, knife, ax, scythe could not be picked up. What is the story of Golovosek's holiday, let's figure it out!

History

So, it all started with the fact that the Galilean ruler Herod had a wife. She was the daughter of the Arabian king Aretha. But soon Herod betrayed her and went to another woman named Herodias. The queen wished with all her heart to take revenge on him. Herodias was the wife of Herod's blood brother. John observed this vicious relationship and pointed it out to the ruler more than once. Herod did not want to listen, but did not dare to punish him for this, since John was valued and respected by all the people.

On Herod's birthday, a rich feast was held, at which a young girl named Salome danced along with the guests. She was the daughter of his concubine Herodias. Herod liked Salome so much that he ordered her to ask for whatever she wanted. The girl asked her mother for advice. Herodias ordered her daughter to ask for the head of St. John on a platter. Upon learning this, Herod was upset, because he was very afraid of the wrath of God. But a promise is a promise. Later, the request was granted, the Prophet was beheaded and brought to Salome on a platter.

As the legend says, the head continued to scold the ruler and his concubine for their connection. For this, Herodias took her, pierced her tongue with a needle and buried her in the ground. royal wifethe housekeeper saw all this and secretly dug out the Saint's head. Joanna (that was the name of the housekeeper's wife) placed it in a vessel and buried it on the Mount of Olives not far from Herod's estate. The body of the Holy Baptist was buried by his disciples.

Punishment

After some time, God's punishment fell on all the villains. Salome fell through the ice while traveling along the Sikoris River. The ice floe decapitated her, and the body was never found. The head of Salome was brought to Herodias and Herod in the same way as it was once done with John. Herod suffered a defeat when Aretha (the Arabian king) moved his troops against him. After that, Herod and Herodias were exiled to Spain, where they died in poverty and shame.

After many years, the head of John went to the nobleman Innokenty during the construction of the church. He learned about the shrine because signs and wonders were constantly coming from it. Before his death, Innocent was afraid that the shrine would be stolen, and hid it in the same place.

After some time, John came in a dream to two novices of the Jerusalem church and pointed to the burial place of his head. They dug up the shrine, put it in a bag and went home. On the way they met a potter who agreed to carry the precious burden. At night, John came to him in a dream and asked him to run away from the novices along with the shrine.

In the family of a potter, the head was passed down from generation to generation and, in the end, fell into the hands of the cruel and power-hungry Eustathius. He used the power from the head and deceived many innocent peopleof people. After some time, his lies were revealed to everyone, and Eustathius fled the city in disgrace and humiliation, burying his head in a cave. He really hoped that after a while he could take her again. But this did not happen, the Lord protected the shrine. Pious hermits settled there and created a monastery on this site. In the year 452, John came to the servant of the monastery Marcellus in a dream and pointed to the burial place of the head. The shrine was moved to Emessa, then to Constantinople. This is how Ivan Golovosek came to the Orthodox.

The day of the second and third acquisition of the head

The feast of the second acquisition of the head of John in the Orthodox Church is celebrated on February 24th. For the third time, the shrine was acquired by Patriarch Ignatius, who transferred the head to the church. At the moment, part of the shrine is kept in Rome, and the other - in France. The third acquisition is celebrated according to the Julian calendar on May 25, this day is also a fast day.

Happyhead Holiday. Traditions and folk signs

People say that you can’t cut anything on this day, otherwise scarlet blood will flow, so Golovosek is a holiday on which they didn’t cook borscht and, moreover, didn’t eat it, it was a great sin for the peasants. It was allowed to eat everything lean or eat nothing at all. The bread could not be cut, only broken.

The head-hunter is included in the main holidays and customs of the Ukrainian people, he is most often called Ivan the Lenten. It was impossible to dance or sing, since it was after the fun that an agreement was reached onbeheading of Saint John. Everyone who wished had to go to church and pray for their he alth.

On the eve of the holiday, according to folk tradition, the peasants made a clay headless doll. In the evening, on the day of Golovosek, two girls took a scarecrow and carried it to the river. After that, all those gathered were to mourn him, as if they were their own deceased. After that, the doll was taken and thrown into the river. It represented John the Baptist.

On this day it was customary to distribute food to the poor, needy and wanderers.

Also Golovosek is a holiday on which the peasants remembered those who died in the war and prayed for the soldiers, as it was believed that their deaths were very similar to the unjust departure of the Prophet.

Signs

People said that a child born on this holiday would be unhappy all his life.

It was believed that if a person gets hurt on this day, the wound will never heal.

Belarusian beliefs said that the spots on the moon mean the head of John.

The fairer sex was not allowed to eat that day.

For men

Holvosek - a holiday in which men were forbidden to shave and cut their hair. It was also undesirable for them to look in the mirror that day, to take their heads and touch rounded objects.

Follow all the traditions and signs on the feast of the Beheading of John, and the Lord will definitely protect you.