Apple saved: traditions and customs, history and features of celebration

August is rich in national holidays, originally dedicated to harvesting. And they are all ecclesiastical holidays. For example, the Apple Savior, whose traditions and history are very close to ordinary people, is the second, popular name for the beautiful day of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

Holy holiday

The Three Gospels tell about the Transfiguration of our Lord the sweetest, Jesus Christ. This happened on Mount Tabor, in the presence of His disciples. This was the Lord's last year on earth. Jesus Christ knew about the coming sufferings and gradually began to reveal to the disciples what He had to go through.

The Master's words, of course, saddened the apostles, and he pitied their sorrow by showing Peter, John, and Jacob the unfading glory to which He would be clothed according to the Word of the Father. Having ascended to the top of the mountain, they began a long prayer, during which the weary apostles fell asleep. It was then that the Lord changed: his face changed and shone, the clothes became white and shining. The awakened apostles could not believe their eyes: Christ spoke quietly with the prophets Elijah and Moses about the suffering that was coming to Him. Peter dared to wedge himself into the conversation, offering to put here three tabernacles - Christ and His prophets. That is, he still looked at the Master with earthly eyes. Christ answered that none of them needed the tabernacle, while the Heavenly Father sheltered them with a bright cloud. And while He spoke this, a cloud dawned upon them, and a voice was heard: "This is My beloved Son ..."

The apostles fell to the ground in fear, and the glory of the Lord with the prophets disappeared from them. Jesus came to console the disciples, and then, raising their eyes, they saw no one else, only the Lord Jesus. At His request, the apostles were silent about the Transfiguration, until He accepted the suffering and rose again on the third day.

The second, or Apple Savior

The Transfiguration of the Lord is celebrated on August 19, according to a new style, just as the apples are ripening. Signs and traditions of the Apple Savior were filled with good in the past centuries. In Russia, on that day, the apple was eaten even by the last beggar, because the fruits were carried by whole wagons to give to the poor. This is the Apple Savior, whose traditions and customs are aimed at building up, good-neighborly relations, faith, striving for light and quiet joy.

Until this day neither vegetables nor fruits were allowed, only cucumbers and berries were allowed. The Orthodox calendar shows the Assumption Post at this time, so on August 19 the people happily brought to the temples apples and fruits for consecration.

Apples, honey and nuts

Three times the people celebrate the gifts of nature in August. The first Savior - Honey, it is celebrated on August 14. On this day, beekeepers first get honeycomb with honey from the hives. After the Liturgy, all the poor, needy and children were treated to the consecrated honey. But honey is not the main thing on this day.

In churches, a very significant event is celebrated: people worship the Life-Creating Cross of the Lord, the procession is held. And finally, the days when unity was in all good impulses are returning, both society and religion were one.

The Apple Savior, whose signs and traditions will be considered in more detail in this article, is celebrated simultaneously with the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, on August 19. In all the churches a liturgy is served, where people come with fruits, festive attire and high spirits. People are very fond of this holiday - the Apple Savior. Traditions and customs are remembered and observed.

Canvas and bread

The third Savior - Nut or Hlebny, is also very popular among the people as a harvest festival. It is celebrated on August 29 (new style). Nuts are already ripening, and the first harvest is consecrated in the temple. But the main thing in this day is the first bread from the grain of the new crop. He is solemnly carried to the church, after the consecration reverently revels, the last piece is wrapped with a clean linen and stored behind the icons. Walnut, like the Apple Savior, preserves traditions and customs: there is a sign that with all the bread in the house all the prosperity is inevitably attracted.

Orthodoxy knows this day as the Transfer of the Image of the Image of the Holy Face. This story is about how Christ helped a painter who did not manage to paint a portrait of Him. Jesus washed and wiped his face with a canvas on which the face of the Lord miraculously appeared. That is why religious rituals and folk songs were intertwined in one holiday. Savior on canvas is another name for this day. The sale of new homespun fabrics from flax. Grace: honey, apples, nuts, fresh bread - what else could the people please the religion?

Apple saved: signs and traditions

The people readily enjoyed the gifts of forests, gardens, fields, apiaries, quite reasonably believing that everything that the earth gives at this time has accumulated so much positive energy that it should last for a year. Thus, luck, health, well-being are acquired.

Before the Christianity on earth, too, apples grew, and people who had not yet recognized our God also had a feast of picking apples on a certain day, to which they were considered immature. The pagans also brought fruits to the altars and believed that after the consecration they would bring health, strength, beauty and happiness. So the Apple Spas acquired signs, customs, traditions, which came from ancient pagan times.

The beginning of autumn, Autumn, as people said - the time when the harvesting of bread is coming to an end, the preparations begin for the winter. The signs were noticed and mistaken rarely: a clear day for the Apple Spas - severe winter, rainy - to wet autumn, dry - also bad, dry autumn - it will be difficult to winter for fruit trees.

Harvest Festival

"How does the Savior come - so the whole hour." For the abundance and generosity of nature, people thanked the Lord. Cereals tried to clean up before the Transfiguration of the Lord, in order to have time to take care of winter crops: it gets colder at night, even frosts are possible. "Spas has come to us - the summer is running away from us." Spas came to us - the fur coat in reserve. "

The folk calendar says that even from this day the nature undergoes a transformation. People said goodbye to the summer, the festivities lasted until sunset - they accompanied the sun, sang ritual songs.

The consecrated apple was considered miraculous and capable of fulfilling wishes. These fruits were on August 19 everywhere: in pancakes, pies, cooked and baked. The dough, of course, was lean, but nourishing, fragrant, and apple filling - ah, how delicious! For a year on apples, certainly, have become bored. I was glad, the people were glad at the Apple Savior!

Traditions and customs of our days

Contemporaries also honor this wonderful holiday. People's festivities take place in almost every village, and in large cities cultural and entertainment programs are truly grandiose. Liturgies serve in all temples, consecrate apples and other fruits.

Even beyond the borders of our country and even in non-Orthodox countries, this day is undoubtedly celebrated by our former compatriots. With round dances, folk games: buffoons, stilts and, of course, refreshments with seasonal fruits. The Orthodox Greeks, for example, bless the grapes, which is mentioned in the Scriptures. At us apples have replaced grapes - "vine fruits" as earlier it in Russia hardly grew.

And in the backwoods of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine this day is traditionally celebrated until dusk, saying goodbye to a short summer, try to be kind to others and generous to the have-nots. This is the main custom of the feast of the Transfiguration.