January 31 – Afanasiev day: folk omens

2018-01-30 16:59

January 31 – Afanasiev day: folk omens
If the day has been hortulanum – early spring can be expected. Otherwise said clear weather at noon. If the crows were flying and circling flocks is even more frost.

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Folk festival “Afanasiev day” is celebrated on 31 January (the date in the old style – January 18). Believers of the Orthodox Church in this day honors the memory of the Great saints Athanasius and Cyril archbishops of Alexandria.

Other names of the holiday: “Athanasius-clematis”, “Athanasius and Cyril”, “Athanasian frosts”, “Clematis freezes the nose”, “goose feast”. Athanasius the Great lived in the 4th century.

He is considered one of the fathers of the Greek Church. Athanasius belonged to the Alexandrian school of Patristics. Known as one of the most vigorous opponents of Arianism. To the year 350, left neurons the only Orthodox Bishop in the Eastern half of the Roman Empire. For slander of heretics were accused of dissolute life and murder, but through his speeches and actions were justified. Cyril was born into a family of noble Christians.

Athanasius mastered the Sciences, but I wanted to know the truth and the Scriptures. Reaching a youthful age, he entered the monastery of St. Macarius, where he lived for 6 years. Soon he was ordained deacon and attached to the clergy. When he died the Patriarch of the Church of Alexandria Theophilus, Cyril was appointed in his place. He fought with the statements of infidels, and refuted their opinions, sending the message to the Emperor Theodosius, Pope Celestine i and in the monastery. Lomonosov Athanasius called on Russia for what in his day was advancing the strongest frosts.

“Frost’s nose lazy enough, and before prompt hat films”, – said the people, noticing that in cold weather, need to move more. There were other sayings about the weather: “Afanasiev – the KREN, the frost”; “Came Afanasiy-clematis – take care of the cheeks and nose”; “Not afraid of the frost, when, covered nose”. With Afanasyev day had to do a lot to take. If the day has been hortulanum – early spring can be expected. Otherwise said clear weather at noon. If the crows were flying and circling flocks is even more frost. Cold signs and loudly humming samovar. By the way, cold is perceived without negative: it was thought that the frozen winter earth in summer will give more yield.

The people believed that in the Athanasian frosts witches fly on the Sabbath and there lose your head from excessive fun. Returning, they try to hurt people. So on this day, it is necessary to expel the evil spirits from houses. Invited to the exile witch witch doctor the night came to calling. Of his coming was known only to the host with the hostess, as it was believed that without compliance of this condition will not work.

At midnight the witch doctor started d about the implementation of the rite began to speak of the pipe, as it was believed that witches fly in houses this way. Under the “princeling” scoring wedges, scattered on “zagnetko” premade of the seven furnaces ash and then went to the outskirts of the village. Here, too, he sprinkled the ashes, saying the words conspiracy. Said the witch, wanting to cause someone harm, flew into the pipe, but the pipe was spoken for, then the whole house and yard is free from its mischief. Familiar with the legends of superstitious antiquity people knew exactly and in a way, elected by the witches in their flight to the Sabbath and the Sabbath.

First of all, the witches were flying in the afternoon to Bald mountain and pulled them to the West. Western rural fence and healers spoke. Get witch just flew from zagovorila pipe – turn up the hedge, and then she free go no rush or dashing far away from the village, or break his head, if you step bare foot on scattered kiln ash. Gifts to witch doctor all good things for his intricate work. Belarusians of Smolensk day was considered a holiday goose. From that day began to feed the geese with grain. If this day was a Blizzard, which, in the opinion of the peasants represented the flying white fluff, it was regarded as a true sign that this year will appear a lot of goslings.

Day, Athanasius was considered to be the middle of winter relative to feed cattle. If feed reserves remained more than half – a farmer could not worry and calmly wait for spring grazing. But if less than – then the owner tried to feed more carefully.