Honey, Bread and Apple Spas: dates of holidays, their customs and traditions

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Many church holidays are important and significant only for truly believing people who attend services every Sunday, but there are in the list of celebrations marked in the Orthodox calendar, those that are loved by many residents of our country and even those who basically doesn't go to church. These include Apple Spas. The date of this holiday, however, is a mystery to many. Mainly because many people mistakenly believe that this holiday, along with Easter and Trinity, does not have a fixed date.

In today's article, we will find out what this day means for the parishioners of the Orthodox Church, how it should be celebrated, and also find out if there are special things that need to be done on Apple Spas. The date on which this bright holiday falls coincides with another important event for Christians - the Transfiguration of the Lord. Let's find out what is the relationship between these saints.

Great August Festivities

August is a very significant month for Orthodox believers. The fourteenth day of this month marks the beginning of a two-week fast, with which Christians venerate the Most Holy Theotokos and her Assumption (death). Nevertheless, in August it is also customary to celebrate a series of special holidays that are fraught with not only church rites and beliefs, but also pagan roots.

The dates of Honey, Apple and Walnut Savior fall in mid-late August. This is the period of the year when the villagers harvest their crops, nature generously thanks the farmers for their hard work in the fields, in the gardens, endows people with forest we alth. That is why it can be considered the harvest day of the Apple Savior. The date of this holiday is August 19.

Holiday post

He is the second in a row of summer calendars, which are an occasion for believers to thank the Lord for his gifts. The first is the Honey Spas, which the Orthodox celebrate on August 14th. Then the two-week fast begins. It is one of the four most significant and enduring in the Orthodox faith.

However, the holy fathers explain to their parishioners the essence of this action. According to them, this fast is not a time to indulge in suffering and torment; on the contrary, it marks the arrival of joy and God's grace. It is during this short two-week period that the dates of the Honey and Apple Spas (August 14 and 19) fall. On the day of the second Savior, fish and dishes with it, and even wine, are allowed in the diet of fasting people. And onBread, or as it is also called - Nut Savior, the post ends, and the parishioners can break their fast. Now let's talk in more detail about each of these festivities.

Sweet we alth

Honey Spas is the first in their line, followed by the most common Apple Spas. The date of the day when parishioners bring honey and other bee products to church for consecration is August 14.

It is believed that until this day it is strictly forbidden to eat the amber sweetness that the bees made this year, deviation from this rule is a great sin.

In addition, this holiday is also called Makovei, and the Orthodox bring bouquets with poppy heads to the service for consecration, which are then stored at home behind icons until the next sowing season. You couldn't throw them in the trash. Since most of these traditions concern the inhabitants of the villages, the believers found a reasonable use for ritual things. So, black grains fluttered over the field, and the girls wove flowers into their braids.

Second Spas

Now we will tell you what Apple Spas is. The holiday date is August 19. According to church rules, a solemn service takes place in churches on this day, which marks the onset of the Transfiguration of the Lord. According to ancient legends, Jesus, having called his disciples to Mount Tabor, indulged in earnest prayer, after which he was transformed right before their eyes. His face and clothes shone, and a voice came from heaven, saying that Jesus -this is the son of God who descended on people as a blessing of the Lord.

The custom to consecrate apples on this very day is explained by Jesus' instructions to his followers, in which he said that they should collect the ripe fruits from the trees and give them to his father for consecration. In addition, it is at this time that the cold sets in, and vegetables, fruits and berries finally ripen. The time for their collection and preparation for the winter begins.

Customs and prohibitions

It is quite logical that over the many years of the existence of this holiday, it has "overgrown" with a significant number of beliefs, traditions and customs. Among them there are those that are confirmed by the church, but there are also those that came from the time of the transition of people from pagan rites to Christianity.

The most famous belief is the ban on eating apples of the new harvest for people whose children have died. It is believed that if a mother manages to adhere to this restriction, her child in the next world will receive a present from her guardian angel.

Also on this day, it is imperative to give alms to the poor and needy. In addition, fasting takes place during this period, which is associated with a reduction in expenses for believers, who must transfer the saved money to the charity of the church and the poor.

Some Christians are especially zealous about all sorts of prohibitions that are usually set on holidays. You should not do any serious work on Apple Spas, such as sewing or repairing, but ordinary household chores are quite acceptable. Moreover, from time immemorial, housewives baked pies with apples and pears on this day, which is customarywas to share with those who came to visit.

Of course, you should definitely go to church, after which the parishioners arranged a festive dinner. The first step was to eat a consecrated apple, biting off which you can make a wish, it was believed that it would come true.

Khlebny Spas

The last and final in the series of August religious festivities is the Bread (Nut) Savior. It comes a week after parishioners celebrate Apple Savior. The date of the celebration of the last celebration, which also means the end of the Dormition Fast, takes place on August 29.

On this day, women baked bread, buns and pies for households from new harvest flour, which were all the tastier because the dough could be generously flavored with butter and eggs, because the fast was already ending.