Russian folk festival: calendar, scripts, traditions and rituals

In the past, holidays in Russia were an important part of family and social life. Throughout many centuries, the people sacredly cherished and honored their traditions, which were passed from one generation to another.

Meaning of holidays

On weekdays a person was engaged in his daily affairs and extracted daily bread. Something opposite to this was a holiday. On such a day there was a merger with the community, revered by all history and sacred values, which was perceived as a sacred event.

Main traditions

At the everyday level, there were a number of rules that allowed a psychophysiological feeling of completeness of life on a festive day.

Russian folk festivals for children, old people and old maidens simply did not exist. It was believed that the first did not reach the age when they can realize the sacred value, the latter are already on the verge of a living and dead world, and the third, marked by celibacy, have not fulfilled their destiny on this earth.

Russian folk festivals and rituals always assumed freedom from any work. The ban on such days was imposed on plowing and mowing, chopping firewood and sewing, weaving and cleaning the hut, that is, for any day-to-day activities. On holidays people should dress smartly and choose for the conversation only joyful and pleasant topics. If someone violated the rules, then he could be fined. One of the measures of influence was whipping.

Chronology of holidays

In the old days all days, free from work, were combined in a single multistage sequence. The Russian folk calendar of holidays placed them in a certain order, which did not change from century to century.

It was believed that the most sacred power was the holy day of Easter. Russian folk festival, considered to be a great one, is Christmas. No less important was the Trinity, Maslenitsa, and also Petrov and Ivanov's days. Allocated special periods, which associated with the initiative of various peasant works. It could be the harvesting of cabbage for the winter or sowing cereals. Such days were considered semi-holidays or small holidays.

The Orthodox dogma established the Passover with the Twelve. These are the twelve holidays proclaimed in honor of the Mother of God and Jesus Christ. There were also temple days. They were local holidays, dedicated to significant events that took place in the lives of saints, in honor of which the temples were built.

Special days are allocated to a special group, which have no connection with church traditions. These include Shrove Tuesday and Christmas Eve. There were also cherished holidays, celebrated in memory of some tragic event. They were conducted in the hope of achieving the favor of a deity or nature. There were numerous women's and men's, as well as youth festivals.

Rituals held in winter

Long ago the Russian people assigned a role to each of the seasons. Any Russian folk festival, celebrated in the winter, was famous for festivities, fun and games. This quiet time suited the farmer for entertainment and thought.

In Rus, the end date of a large list of rituals associated with land tenure was New Town. It was accompanied by Christmas-trees and Christmas carols. These were colorful folk festivals.

The holy days were the period from the Prenewood, lasting twelve days. The Christmas Eve was celebrated the day before. By this holiday the hut was properly cleaned, went to the bathhouse and changed clothes.

After Christmas, on January 19, they celebrated Baptism, or the Epiphany of the Lord. This is one of the great feasts of the twelve.

The Lord's Sacrament is celebrated on February 15. This is also one of the twelve-fold Orthodox holidays. It is celebrated in memory of the meeting of the baby Jesus, brought to the Jerusalem temple, with the holy prophetess Anna and the elder Simeon.

Spring Holidays

Winter is over. The forces of heat and light defeated the cold. At this time, there is a Russian folk festival, which is known for its wide fun - Maslenitsa. During this period, which lasts a whole week before the Great Lent, there was a farewell to the winter.

Scenarios of Russian folk festivals, which came to us from ancient times, dictated to Shrovetide to go to visit and bake pancakes, go for a drive on sleds and sleighs, burn, and then bury an effigy of winter, dress up and arrange feasts.
On March 22, the Magpies celebrated, when the day in its duration was equal to the night. Traditionally, young people were playing dances and singing songs. The gatherings ended with the Carnival.

April 7 - Annunciation. The sixth week of Lent is the Palm Sunday. The folk traditions of this holiday are connected with the willow. Its branches are consecrated in the church.
The great holiday of all Christians living on our planet is Easter. On this day, the Resurrection is celebrated, that is, the fulfillment of the transition of Jesus Christ from death to life.

Krasnaya Gorka is a Russian folk festival. It is timed to the first Sunday after Easter, and is a symbol of the full arrival of spring. This holiday the ancient Slavs met the time of the revival of nature.

On the fortieth day after Easter, the Ascension was celebrated. This is the last spring holiday.

Rites and traditions in the summer

The fiftieth day after Easter is considered the Day of the Holy Trinity (Pentecost). This is one of the greatest Orthodox twentieth feasts. In the Bible, this day is described by events that endowed the Apostles with the Holy Spirit and enabled them to preach the teaching of Christ among all nations. Pentecost is considered the birthday of the Church itself.

Russian folk festivals began in the summer with the Trinity. This day was connected with the final wires of spring. The main tradition for the celebration of the Trinity was the decoration of the dwelling and the temple with various twigs, flowers and fragrant grass. This was done in order for the Holy Spirit to come down. As in the Easter week, the eggs were painted again.

A significant Russian folk festival of July is Ivan Kupala. It is of ethnic origin and is celebrated from the sixth to the seventh when the summer solstice is observed. Traditionally on this day, burning bonfires and jumping through them, weave wreaths and lead roundelays. It is called a holiday in honor of John the Baptist. The main thing, how this day differs from other festivities, is jumping through the bonfires, which contribute to the purification of the person from the inside of the evil spirits.

Summer Russian national holidays of August are remarkable. They begin with the second day, when Ilyin is celebrated. After it, the summer heat recedes with the establishment of moderate heat. Traditionally, Ilyin's Day baked pyschki and Koloba from the flour of a new crop.

Already on August 14, along with the first Savior, the departure of the summer began. On this day, honeycomb hacked out honeycombs in the hives. That's why the holiday is called honey. The Second Savior is celebrated on August 19. They called it apple, because at that time the time for harvesting the ripened fruit crop comes.

August 28, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated. This is a great event. He is referred to the twelve Orthodox holidays. It is a day of reverence for the memory of the great Prayer Book - the Mother of God. According to folk traditions, this holiday is called the Lord's Day. Surrounded it is not sadness, but joy.

The day after the Assumption, the third Savior is celebrated. This day is marked both in the Orthodox and in the Slavic calendar. It marks the reigns and the last flight of swallows, as well as the beginning of the Indian summer, which lasts until the eleventh of September.

Autumn Holidays

On September 14, the Eastern Slavs celebrate the holiday, named in honor of the Semen Letoporodets. Its essence is holding celebrations that mark the approaching autumn. This is the day of rituals, including the following: housewarming and sit-ups, cutting and burning fire, as well as funeral flies.

Exactly one month later, on October 14, the Day of Protection is celebrated. It marks the final offensive of the autumn period. In earlier times, this day, burnt worn over the summer bast shoes and thatched bed. It was believed that autumn is found on the Pokrov in winter.

Russian folk festivals in modern life

Since ancient times, when people traditionally did not work and performed certain ceremonies, awakened in a person a sense of beauty, allowed to feel free and relax.

Nowadays in Russia some old holidays are not forgotten. They are celebrated, as before, with the preservation of the oldest traditions. As in the olden days, the Russian people have a reason to arrange cheerful feasts, dances, games and parties.

Religious holidays are also celebrated in Russia. They are also popular, because the Orthodox faith can not be separated from the values that the country's culture is rich in.