National culture- this is what makes up the memory of entire nations, and also what makes this people different from others. Thanks to traditions, people feel the connection of generations through time and feel the continuity of generations. People have spiritual support.
Important!!!
Each day of the calendar has its own ritual or holiday, and even a church sacrament. The calendar in Rus' had a special name - months. The calendar was also designed for a year and every day was scheduled - traditions, rituals, phenomena, signs, superstitions, etc.
The folk calendar was dedicated to agriculture, so the names of the months had similar names, as well as signs and customs. Interesting fact that the length of the season is related specifically to climatic phenomena. It is for this reason that in different areas the names didn't match. Leaf fall can occur in both October and November. If you look at the calendar, you can read it like an encyclopedia that tells about the life of peasants, about holidays and ordinary days. In the calendar you could find information on various issues life activity. The folk calendar was a mixture of paganism and Christianity. After all, with the advent of Christianity, paganism began to shift, and pagan holidays were banned. However, these holidays received new interpretations and moved through time. In addition to those holidays that had specific days, there were also holidays of the Easter type, which were not assigned to a specific day, but became mobile.
If we talk about rituals that took place on major holidays, then here great place occupies folk art:
- Songs
- Round dances
- Dancing
- Scenes
Calendar and ritual holidays of Russians
The peasants worked hard, so they loved to relax. The main rest took place on holidays.
How is the word “holiday” translated and where did it come from?
This word comes from the word “prazd” (Old Slavic). This word means idleness, rest.
There were many celebrations in Rus'. For a very long time, the focus was not on one calendar, but on three:
- Natural (change of seasons)
- Pagan (like the first one, it was related to nature)
- Christian (holidays were designated; if we talk about the largest ones, then there were only 12 of them).
Christmas and Yuletide
The main and favorite holiday of antiquity was Christmas. In Rus', Christmas began to be celebrated after the introduction of Christianity. Christmas was combined with ancient Slavic Christmastide.
The Importance of Christmas
This holiday was the most important for the Slavs. Winter work came to an end and preparations for spring began. And people enjoyed the holiday, because... they had been waiting for him for a very long time. Nature was conducive to rest, because the bright sun was shining, the days became longer. December 25 at ancient calendar was called the day of “Spyridon the solstice.” In ancient times, it was believed that when a new sun was born, ancestors came to earth and were called saints - and this is how the name “Yuletide” appeared.
Christmastide was celebrated for quite a long time - from the end of December and the first week of January. On this multi-day holiday, it was not allowed to mention death and quarrel, use foul language and commit reprehensible acts. It was a time when only joy and pleasant emotions could be given to each other.
The evening before Christmas was called Christmas Eve. Observance of rituals was preparation for Christmas. According to the rules, on this day they fasted until the first star. And only after the evening dawn appeared, it was possible to sit down at the table. On Christmas Eve, godchildren went to visit their godfathers and mothers. They brought them kutya and pies. The godparents were supposed to treat the godchildren and give them money in return. Christmas Eve was a fairly quiet and modest holiday, cozy and family-friendly.
What comes after Christmas Eve?
And the next morning the fun began. The holiday began with children walking from one house to another, holding a star and a nativity scene. They sang verses that praised Christ. The star was made of paper, painted and a lit candle was placed inside. As a rule, boys carried the star - for them it was very honorable.
Important!!!
The nativity scene was a box of two tiers. In the nativity scene, wooden figures depicted scenes. In general, this entire composition with children can be described as a reminder of the Star of Bethlehem, and the nativity scene is a puppet theater.
The miners received gifts for their contributions. It was either pies or money. To collect pies, one of the children carried the body, and to collect money they carried a plate. Around noon, the adults began worshiping. Previously, absolutely all people took part in this, regardless of class.
Advice
Not a single Christmastide passed without mummers. The mummers fooled around, showed various performances, and entered the huts. A kind of fun for buffoons.
Also among the rituals one can highlight caroling. It was quite common. This is a distant reminder of the ancient Kolyada. Carols are Christmas songs that are aimed at glorifying the owner of the house, wishing him joy, prosperity, well-being for him and his family. The hosts offered tasty rewards for caroling. If the owner turned out to be stingy and did not treat the carolers with anything, then he could very well hear unpleasant wishes.
Christmas and Christmastide in Rus'
Fortune telling was a favorite Christmas activity. Fortune telling arose from an insatiable desire to find out what lies ahead and, perhaps, even influence the future. During pagan times, fortune telling was used exclusively for economic purposes - crops, livestock, the health of loved ones. On Christmastide they would bring an armful of hay to the hut, and then use their teeth to pull out a straw and a blade of grass. If the ear was full, then the owner was in for a rich harvest; if there was a long blade of grass, then good haymaking. Over time, fortune telling began to be popular exclusively among young people, mainly among girls. Everything that was pagan in this ritual has long been lost, all that remains is the fun of the holiday.
But why is it necessary to guess at this particular time?
It is recommended to guess at this time, because... By old legend at this time evil spirits appear, which can tell about future fate. The main purpose of fortune telling for girls is to find out whether they will get married this year. In the dead of night, when everyone at home had long since fallen asleep, the girls let a rooster into the house. If the rooster ran away from the hut, then the girl coming year does not promise marriage, but if the rooster came to the table, then the girl will get married.
Bird in fortune telling
There was also another type of fortune telling. The girls entered the goose coop in the dark and caught the bird. If there was a female, then continue to go as a wench, and if it was a male, then marriage is coming.
Single or widower?
Such questions were also present at fortune-telling. The girl secretly left the house and approached the tyn, or fence. She grabbed it with both hands and fingered each tawny with one hand. At the same time, it was necessary to pronounce the words “single, widower, single, widower.” Whichever word the tyn ends with is the one she will marry.
Advice
To find out from which side to wait for their betrothed, the girls threw a shoe behind the gate. Where the end of the shoe pointed, in that direction the narrowed one lived. You can experiment.
Wax for fate
To find out what fate was, they burned wax. The resulting figures spoke of what awaited the girl. If the outline of the wax resembled a church, then the girl was in for a wedding; if it was a cave, then she was headed for death.
Fortune telling with a dish
The most popular fortune telling was subspecies. The girls put their rings into the dish and covered them with a handkerchief. They sang songs, and after the song they shook the dish. The fortune teller pulled out one ring. Whose ring was pulled out, the song, or rather its content, related to that girl. This is a prediction of fate.
Mirror and candles
The most exciting and scary fortune telling was fortune telling with a mirror and a candle. You had to look in the mirror through the flame of a candle. One could see something in this reflection.
Important!!!
Fortune telling was allowed during Christmas time, i.e. until January 19 (when Epiphany was celebrated). This holiday was established by the prophet John the Baptist in memory of the Baptism of Jesus Christ.
On the eve of spring everyone was waiting happy holiday- Maslenitsa. This holiday dates back to pagan times - it is a celebration of welcoming spring, as well as seeing off winter. The name of the holiday appeared for a reason. the last week before fasting is such that you can no longer eat meat, but you can eat dairy products, and on Maslenitsa they eat pancakes with dairy products, which also includes butter. So, thanks to the main holiday dish, the name of this holiday appeared. And earlier, Maslenitsa was called “meat empty” - also self-explanatory name. Just like Easter, Maslenitsa is not attached to a specific day and is celebrated in the week before Lent. Christians have been waiting for this event for a very long time.
Name by day
Each day of Maslenitsa had its own name and each day had actions that were prohibited. Such actions included some rituals and rules of conduct. Monday is a meeting. Tuesday was called flirting, and Wednesday was called dainty. Thursday was a riot. Friday was known for mother-in-law's parties. On Saturday we organized gatherings for sisters-in-law and on Sunday we had a farewell day and farewell.
Important!!!
In addition to the official names attached to the days, there were also names for the entire week that were used by the people - honest, broad, cheerful and others, Madam Maslenitsa.
On the eve of Maslenitsa
On Sunday, on the eve of Maslenitsa, the young wife’s father went to visit the matchmakers with a treat (usually pies) and asked to let his son-in-law and his wife go to visit. Matchmakers were also invited, the whole family. As usual, the newlyweds arrived on Friday, which the whole village was looking forward to. The mother-in-law had to look after her son-in-law, baked pancakes and other delicious dishes. It is from these customs that Friday on Maslenitsa is called mother-in-law evening. The next day belonged to the sister-in-law (husband's sister), now it was her turn to look after the guests.
Among the main Maslenitsa events are the meeting and farewell. By Thursday, a doll was made from straw. The outfit for this doll was either bought together or dressed in cast-offs. They carried this stuffed animal throughout the village, sang songs and jokes, laughed and frolicked.
Lighting fires
The most common way to see off Maslenitsa was to light bonfires. On Maslenitsa Sunday in the evening there was a procession for winter, and it was there that the effigy was burned at the stake. You could see absolutely everyone around the fire. People sang songs, joked, and sang jokes. They threw more straw into the fire and said goodbye to Maslenitsa and called for the next year.
Newlyweds from the hill
A favorite custom during Maslenitsa was the newlyweds skating down the ice mountain. For this skating, the young people put on their best outfits. It was the duty of each husband to take his wife down the mountain. The skating was accompanied by bows and kisses. A cheerful crowd could stop the sleigh and then the newlyweds had to pay off with public kisses.
Advice
Don't miss your chance to ride. Sliding down a hill is, in principle, considered one of the favorite pastimes. Both children and adults have been riding the slides since Monday. The slides were decorated with lanterns, Christmas trees, and ice statues.
Fun for Maslenitsa
On Thursday, instead of sliding down the hills, we switched to horse riding. Troikas with bells were held in high esteem. We rode both to race and just for fun. There were also harsh entertainments. Such entertainment includes fist fights. Everyone fought one on one, there were also wall to wall fights. As a rule, they fought on the ice of frozen rivers. The battles were passionate, merciless, everyone fought at full strength. Some battles ended not only in injury, but also in death.
Taking the snow town
Another fun of Maslenitsa week is taking a snowy town. A week before the start of Maslenitsa, little children built a town out of snow. The guys tried their best, creating masterpieces. Next, a mayor was chosen, whose duties included protecting the city from the attack of Maslenitsa. The city was captured on the last day of Maslenitsa. The purpose of taking a city is to capture the flag on the city and also the mayor.
On the last day of the celebrations was Forgiveness Sunday. On this day it was customary to ask for forgiveness from both the living and the dead. In the evening it was customary to visit the bathhouse, where everyone cleansed themselves and entered Lent.
Lent was marked by the celebration of the Annunciation. Church tradition says that on April 7, an archangel appeared to the Virgin Mary, who said that she would give birth to a baby who would be miraculously conceived. It is believed that all living things on earth are blessed on this day. Despite the fact that the holiday takes place during Lent, it was allowed to eat fish on this day.
Every year in the spring, Christians celebrate Easter. This is one of the oldest celebrations. Among the main Easter rituals are baking Easter cakes and painting eggs. But this is not the only thing that marks Easter for a believer. It is also known for its all-night vigil, procession of the cross and the celebration of Christ. The latter is a greeting with kisses on this bright day. On “Christ is Risen” it is customary to answer “Truly He is Risen.”
Why is this holiday so revered among the Russian people?
This holiday is the most important and incredibly solemn, because... This is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who suffered martyrdom. The fact that the day of Easter celebration moves, the course of events that are associated with this holiday cycle changes every year. Thus, the dates of Lent and Trinity change.
One week before Easter, Palm Sunday is celebrated. In the church, this holiday commemorates the entry of Christ into Jerusalem. And at that time the people threw palm branches at him. It is the willow that is the symbol of these branches. It was customary to bless the branches in the church.
The week that follows Palm Sunday was called Holy. This week is the week of preparation for Easter. People went to the bathhouse, cleaned everything in the house, cleaned it and put it in a festive look and, of course, baked Easter cakes and painted eggs.
Trinity
On the fiftieth day after Easter, Trinity was celebrated. This holiday has its roots in ancient Slavic times. Then a similar holiday was called Semika and it was customary to spend it in the forest. The main attention that day was focused on the birch tree. Ribbons and flowers were hung on the birch tree. Round dances with chants were performed around the birch tree. The birch tree was chosen for these purposes for a reason. After all, it was the birch tree that was one of the first to put on its emerald crown after winter. This is where the belief came from that the birch tree has the power of growth and must certainly be used. Birch branches were used as home decoration - they were hung on windows and doors, on temples, courtyards, because... wanted to get its healing power. And on Trinity Sunday it was customary to bury a birch tree, i.e. drown in water to make it rain.
It is worth noting that Kupala is pagan, and it did not have any name. And he received his name when this holiday coincided with the Christian holiday - the Nativity of John the Baptist.
Other name
This day was also called the day of Ivan Travnik. There is a belief that medicinal herbs that are collected at this time are miraculous. On Kupala, my cherished dream was to find a fern - to see how it blossoms. It was at such a time that green treasures came out of the ground and burned with emerald lights.
Important!!!
Everyone also wanted to see the grass gap. It was believed that one contact with this herb could destroy metal and also open any doors.
Advice
The Slavs believed that the period of wild growth of grasses was a period of rampant evil spirits. To get rid of evil spirits, fire was made in an ancient way, fires were lit and pairs, crowned with flowers, jumped over them. There was a sign that said that the higher you jump over the fire, the better the grain harvest. Old things and clothes of the sick were also thrown into the fire.
In the evening, after visiting the bathhouse, everyone went to splash around in the river. It was believed that not only fire at this time had miraculous powers, but also water. The Orthodox Church did not accept this holiday, considering it pagan and obscene. This holiday was persecuted by the authorities and after the 19th century it was almost stopped being celebrated in Rus'.
Conclusion:
Russian folk holidays are vibrant celebrations full of fun and interesting events. They are very diverse, although, unfortunately, some of them have not been celebrated for a long time. But there is little hope that the lost culture will begin to revive and be transmitted through generations again. Rus' is a country that is rich in traditions and customs. A large number of holidays confirm this. These traditions filled me with joy and interesting events the life of our ancestors. These traditions need to be revived and passed on to descendants.
Ivan Kupala - how it is celebrated
The culture of the peoples of Russia is one of the most diverse in the world. More than 190 peoples live on its territory, each of which individually has its own unique culture, and what more numbers, the more noticeable the contribution of this people to the culture of the whole country.
The Russian population is the largest in Russia - it amounts to 111 million people. The top three most numerous nationalities are completed by Tatars and Ukrainians.
Russian culture
Russian culture has a huge historical and cultural heritage and dominates the state.
Orthodoxy- the most widespread religion among the Russian people, which had a huge impact on the development moral culture peoples of Russia.
The second largest religion, although incomparably inferior to Orthodoxy, is Protestantism.
Russian housing
A traditional Russian dwelling is considered to be a hut, built of logs, with a gable roof. The entrance was a porch; a stove and cellar were built in the house.
There are still many huts in Russia, for example, in the city of Vyatka, Arbazhsky district Kirov region. There is an opportunity to visit unique Museum Russian hut in the village of Kochemirovo, Kadomsky district, Ryazan region, where you can see not only a real hut, but also household items, a stove, a loom and other elements of Russian culture.
Russian national costume
In general, men's folk costume consisted of a shirt with an embroidered collar, trousers, bast shoes or boots. The shirt was worn untucked and secured with a fabric belt. A caftan was worn as outerwear.
Women's folk costume consisted of a long embroidered shirt with long sleeves, sundress or skirt with a frill, and on top of the woolen skirt - poneva. Married women wore a headdress called a warrior. The festive headdress was a kokoshnik.
IN Everyday life Russian folk costumes are no longer worn. The best examples of this clothing can be seen in ethnographic museums, as well as at various dance competitions and festivals of Russian culture.
Traditional Russian cuisine
Russian cuisine is famous for its first courses - cabbage soup, solyanka, ukha, rassolnik, okroshka. Porridge was usually prepared as a second course. “Soup cabbage soup and porridge are our food,” they have long said.
Very often cottage cheese is used in dishes, especially when preparing pies, cheesecakes and cheesecakes.
It is popular to prepare various pickles and marinades.
You can try Russian dishes in numerous restaurants of Russian cuisine, which are found almost everywhere both in Russia and abroad.
Family traditions and spiritual values of the Russian people
Family has always been the main and unconditional value for a Russian person. Therefore, since ancient times it was important to remember one’s family. The connection with the ancestors was sacred. Children are often given names in honor of their grandparents, sons are named after their fathers - this is a way of showing respect to relatives.
Previously, the profession was often passed on from father to son, but now this tradition has almost died out.
An important tradition is the inheritance of things and family heirlooms. This is how things accompany a family from generation to generation and acquire their own history.
Both religious and secular holidays are celebrated.
The most widely celebrated public holiday in Russia is the New Year holiday. Many people also celebrate the Old Year on January 14 New Year.
The following holidays are also celebrated: Defender of the Fatherland Day, International Women's Day, Victory Day, Workers' Solidarity Day ("May" holidays on May 1-2), Constitution Day.
The largest Orthodox holidays are Easter and Christmas.
Not so massively, but the following are also noted Orthodox holidays: Epiphany, Transfiguration of the Lord ( Apple saved), Honey Saved, Trinity and others.
Russian folk culture and the Maslenitsa holiday, which lasts a whole week until Lent, are practically inseparable from each other. This holiday has its roots in paganism, but is now celebrated everywhere by Orthodox people. Maslenitsa also symbolizes farewell to winter. Business card festive table - pancakes.
Ukrainian culture
The number of Ukrainians in the Russian Federation is approximately 1 million 928 thousand people - this is the third largest number among the total population, and therefore Ukrainian culture is an important component of the culture of the peoples of Russia.
Traditional Ukrainian housing
The Ukrainian hut is an important component of the Ukrainian traditional culture. A typical Ukrainian house was wooden, small in size, with a hipped roof made of straw. The hut had to be whitewashed inside and out.
There are such huts in Russia, for example, in the Orenburg region, in the western and central regions of Ukraine, in Kazakhstan, but almost always the thatched roof is replaced with slate or covered with roofing felt.
Ukrainian folk costume
The men's suit consists of a linen shirt and trousers. The Ukrainian shirt is characterized by an embroidered slit in the front; they wear it tucked into their pants, belted with a sash.
The basis for a woman's outfit is a long shirt. The hem of the shirt and sleeves were always embroidered. On top they put on a corset, yupka or andarak.
The most famous element of traditional Ukrainian clothing is vyshyvanka - a men's or women's shirt, distinguished by complex and varied embroidery.
Ukrainian folk costumes are no longer worn, but they can be seen in museums and at Ukrainian festivals folk culture. But embroidered shirts are still in use and are even gaining more and more popularity - Ukrainians of all ages love to wear them, both as a festive outfit and as an element of their everyday wardrobe.
The most famous Ukrainian dish is red borscht made from beets and cabbage.
The most popular product in Ukrainian cooking is lard - it is used to prepare many dishes, eaten separately, salted, fried and smoked.
Wheat flour products are widely used. TO national dishes These include dumplings, dumplings, verguns, and lemishki.
Ukrainian cuisine is loved and popular not only among Ukrainians, but also among many other residents of Russia - find a restaurant serving Ukrainian cuisine in major cities won't be difficult.
The family values of Ukrainians and Russians are largely identical. The same goes for religion - Orthodox Christianity occupies the largest part among the religions of Ukrainians living in Russia; Traditional holidays are almost no different.
Tatar culture
Representatives of the Tatar ethnic group in Russia number approximately 5 million 310 thousand people - this is 3.72% of the total population of the country.
Tatar religion
The main religion of the Tatars is Sunni Islam. At the same time, there is a small part of the Kryashen Tatars, whose religion is Orthodoxy.
Tatar mosques can be seen in many cities of Russia, for example, the Moscow Historical Mosque, the St. Petersburg Cathedral Mosque, the Perm Cathedral Mosque, the Izhevsk Cathedral Mosque and others.
Traditional Tatar housing
Tatar housing was a four-walled log house, fenced on the front side and set back from the street, with a vestibule. Inside, the room was divided into women's and men's parts, the women's part was also a kitchen. Houses were decorated with bright paintings, especially the gates.
In Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, many such estates remain, not only as architectural monuments, but also as residential buildings.
The costume may differ depending on the subgroup of the Tatars, but it has a great influence on a single image national costume provided by the clothes of the Volga Tatars. It consists of a shirt-dress and trousers, for both women and men, and a robe was often used as outerwear. The headdress for men was a skullcap, for women - a velvet cap.
Such costumes are no longer worn in their original form, but some elements of clothing are still in use, for example, scarves and ichigs. You can see traditional clothing in ethnographic museums and thematic exhibitions.
Traditional Tatar cuisine
A distinctive feature of this cuisine is that its development was influenced not only by Tatar ethnic traditions. From different cultures Tatar cuisine includes bal-mai, dumplings, pilaf, baklava, tea and other various dishes.
Tatar cuisine boasts a variety of flour products, among them: echpochmak, kystyby, kabartma, sansa, kyimak.
Milk is often consumed, but most often in processed form - cottage cheese, katyk, sour cream, syuzme, eremchek.
A lot of restaurants throughout Russia offer menus Tatar cuisine, A the best choice, of course, in the capital of Tatarstan - Kazan.
Family traditions and spiritual values of the Tatars
Creating a family has always been the highest value among the Tatar people. Marriage is considered a sacred duty.
The moral and spiritual culture of the peoples of Russia is in one way or another connected with religious culture, and the peculiarities of Muslim marriage lie in the fact that it is inextricably linked with the religious culture of Muslims. For example, the Koran prohibits marrying an atheist or agnostic woman; Marriage with a representative of another religion is not very much approved.
Now Tatars get acquainted and get married mostly without family intervention, but previously the most common marriage was through matchmaking - the groom’s relatives went to the bride’s parents and proposed.
The Tatar family is a family of the patriarchal type, married woman was completely at the mercy of her husband and at his support. The number of children in a family sometimes exceeded six. The spouses lived with the husband's parents; living with the bride's parents was shameful.
Unquestioning obedience and respect for elders is another important feature of the Tatar mentality.
Tatar holidays
The Tatar culture of celebration includes Islamic, original Tatar, and all-Russian public holidays.
Major religious holidays are considered to be Eid al-Fitr - the holiday of breaking the fast, in honor of the end of the month of fasting - Ramadan, and Kurban Bayram - the holiday of sacrifice.
Until now, the Tatars celebrate both kargatuy, or karga butkasy - a folk holiday of spring, and sabantuy - a holiday marking the completion of spring agricultural work.
The culture of each people of Russia is unique, and together they represent an amazing puzzle, which will be incomplete if any part is removed. Our task is to know and appreciate this cultural heritage.
Tradition, custom, ritual are a centuries-old connection, a kind of bridge between the past and the present. Some customs are rooted in the distant past; over time they have changed and lost their sacred meaning, but are still observed today, passed on from grandparents to their grandchildren and great-grandchildren as a memory of their ancestors. IN rural areas traditions are observed more widely than in cities where people live separately from each other. But many rituals have become so firmly established in our lives that we perform them without even thinking about their meaning.
Traditions can be calendar, related to field work, family, pre-Christian, the most ancient, religious, which entered our lives with the adoption of Christianity, and some pagan rituals mixed with Orthodox beliefs and were somewhat modified.
Calendar rituals
The Slavs were cattle breeders and farmers. In the pre-Christian period the pantheon Slavic gods included several thousand idols. The supreme gods were Svarozhichi, the ancestors of all living things. One of them was Veles, the patron of cattle breeding and agriculture. The Slavs made sacrifices to him before sowing and harvesting. On the first day of sowing, all villagers went out to the field in new, clean shirts with flowers and wreaths. The oldest resident of the village and the smallest one began sowing, and they threw the first grain into the ground.
The harvest was also a holiday. All, even the old and sick, villagers gathered at the border of the field, a sacrifice was made to Veles, most often a large ram, then the strongest and handsome men and young guys with scythes in their hands and simultaneously walked through the first lane. Then the girls and young women, always fast and healthy, tied the sheaves and placed the money. After successful cleaning, a rich table was set for all residents of the village; a large sheaf, decorated with ribbons and flowers, was placed at the head of the table, which was also considered a sacrifice to the god Veles.
Maslenitsa also refers to calendar rituals, although at present it is considered already semi- religious holiday. In ancient times, this ritual invoked Yarilo, the god of the sun and heat, on whom the harvest directly depended. That is why the custom arose on this day to bake pancakes, fatty, rosy, hot as the sun. All people danced in circles, which are also a symbol of the sun, sang songs praising the power and beauty of the sun, and burned an effigy of Maslenitsa.
Today Maslenitsa has abandoned its pagan meaning and is considered almost a religious holiday. Each day of Maslenitsa week has its own purpose. And the most important day is Forgiveness Sunday, when you should ask all your family and relatives for forgiveness for involuntary offenses. Sunday is the turn to Great Lent, the strictest and longest, when believers give up meat and dairy foods for seven weeks.
Yule rituals
When Christianity was firmly established in Rus', new church holidays. And some holidays that have religious basis, have become truly popular. This is precisely what should be included in the Christmas festivities, which take place from January 7 (Christmas) to January 19 (Epiphany).
On Christmastide, young people went from house to house with performances, other groups of boys and girls caroled, girls and young women told fortunes in the evenings. All village residents were required to participate in preparations for the holidays. They slaughtered livestock and prepared special dishes. On Christmas Eve, January 6, the evening before Christmas, we cooked uzvar, a sweet compote with rice, prepared cheesecakes and pies, sochevo, a special dish of cabbage with grain.
Young people sang special comic carol songs, asked for treats, and jokingly threatened:
“If you don’t give me some pie, we’ll take the cow by the horns.”
If they didn’t give treats, they could play a joke: close the chimney, destroy a woodpile of firewood, freeze the door. But this happened rarely. It was believed, and is still believed, that generous gifts, songs with wishes of happiness and prosperity, and grain brought into the house by guests bring happiness to the house for the entire New Year, and relieve illness and misfortune. Therefore, everyone tried to treat those who came and give them generous gifts.
Young girls most often wondered about their fate, about their suitors. The bravest ones told fortunes in a bathhouse with a mirror by candlelight, although this was considered very dangerous, because in the bathhouse they removed the cross from themselves. The girls brought armfuls of firewood into the house; by the number of logs, even or odd, one could tell whether or not she would get married this year. They fed the chicken with counting grain, melted the wax and looked at what it predicted for them.
Family rituals
Perhaps the most rituals and traditions are associated with family life. Matchmaking, wedding, christening - all this required compliance with ancient rituals that came from grandmothers and great-grandmothers, and their strict observance promised a happy family life, healthy children and grandchildren.
The Slavs used to live in large families, where adult children, who already had their own families, lived with their parents. In such families three or four generations could be observed; families included up to twenty people. The elder of such a large family was usually the father or older brother, and his wife was the head of the women. Their orders were carried out unquestioningly, along with the laws of the government.
Weddings were usually celebrated after the harvest or after Epiphany. Later, the most successful time for weddings was “Red Hill” - the week after Easter. Myself wedding ceremony took a fairly long period of time and included several stages, and therefore a large number of rituals.
The groom's parents came to woo the bride together with their godparents, and less often other close relatives. The conversation should have started allegorically:
“You have goods, we have a merchant” or “Didn’t a heifer run into your yard, we came for her.”
If the bride's parents agreed, a viewing party should be held where the bride and groom would get to know each other. Then there will be collusion or handshaking. Here the new relatives agree on the wedding day, the dowry, and what gifts the groom will bring to the bride.
When everything was discussed, her girlfriends gathered at the bride’s house every evening and helped prepare the dowry: they wove, sewed, knitted lace, embroidered gifts for the groom. All girls' get-togethers were accompanied by sad songs, because no one knew what the girl's fate would be. Waiting for a woman at her husband's house hard labour and complete submission to the will of the husband. On the first day of the wedding, the songs sounded mainly lyrical, majestic, farewell laments. Upon arrival from church, the newlyweds were greeted on the porch by their parents with bread and salt, and the mother-in-law had to put a spoonful of honey in her new daughter-in-law’s mouth.
The second day is a completely different matter. On this day, according to custom, the son-in-law and his friends went “to their mother-in-law for pancakes.” After a good feast, the guests dressed up, covered their faces with bandages or canvas, and drove around the village, visiting all their new relatives. This custom is still preserved in many villages, where on the second day of the wedding, the costumed guests themselves harness themselves to the cart and drive the new matchmakers through the streets.
And, of course, speaking of customs, one cannot miss the rite of infant baptism. Children were baptized immediately after birth. To perform the ceremony, they consulted for a long time, choosing godparents. They will be second parents for the child and, equally with them, are responsible for the life, health and upbringing of the baby. Godparents become godfathers and maintain friendly relations with each other throughout their lives.
When the child turned one year old, the godmother sat him on an inside-out sheepskin coat and carefully cut a cross in his hair on the crown of his head with scissors. This was done so that evil spirits would not have access to his thoughts and further actions.
Every year, on Christmas Eve, the grown-up godson always brought the godfather kutya and other treats, and the godfather gave him some sweets in return.
Mixed rites
As we have already said, some rituals originated in the pre-Christian period, but continue to live to this day, slightly changing their appearance. It was the same with Maslenitsa. A widely known ritual is the celebration of the night of Ivan Kupala. It was believed that only on this single day of the year does the fern bloom. Whoever can find this flower that cannot be handed over will be able to see the treasures underground, and all the secrets will be revealed to him. But only a person who is pure in heart, sinless, can find it.
In the evening, huge fires were lit, over which young people jumped in pairs. It was believed that if the two of you, holding hands, jump over the fire, then love will not leave you throughout your life. They danced in circles and sang songs. The girls wove wreaths and floated them on the water. They believed that if the wreath floated to the shore, the girl would remain alone for another year, if she drowned, she would die this year, and if she floated with the flow, she would soon get married.
Echoes of antiquity, the Slavic roots of Russians make themselves felt in modern life. For centuries, Russians have continued to celebrate pagan holidays and believe in numerous folk signs and legends. Wherein modern culture Russians also retained later traditions and habits that originated at the beginning of the 20th century.
Christianity gave Russians such wonderful holidays as Easter and Christmas, and paganism gave Maslenitsa. Modernity has also preserved some pagan customs, among which caroling and weddings are most popular.
During the celebration of Easter, Russians remember the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The day before Easter, Russians bake kulichi (sweet bread) and paint eggs (one of the folk ways paint an egg - boil it in onion skins), which symbolize the body of Christ. These rituals are so common that even atheists do not avoid them. In the morning, after all-night vigils have taken place in all churches (they last the whole day) and religious processions around churches (starting at 12 o'clock at night), people gather with their relatives or loved ones to give Easter cake or a painted egg. Gifts are presented with the words: “Jesus is risen!”, to which the recipient must respond: “In truth he is risen!” and give in return either Easter cake or a painted egg. This custom is called "Christification".
The egg, which was traditionally painted in red colors and its shades, has become mandatory attribute and a symbol of Christian Easter since the 12th century. In addition to painted natural eggs, special gifts made of precious metals, glass, crystal, and painted porcelain were also prepared for Easter. Carl Faberge succeeded most in this craft. And Easter cake was always baked from yeast dough round in shape, which symbolizes the shroud of Christ, according to legend, which has the same round shape. When eating, the cake is cut not lengthwise, but crosswise, keeping the top intact in order to cover the rest of the sweet dish with it.
Kalyada (or carols) are held during Christmas on the night of January 6-7. At this time, people did not sleep, but went from house to house, singing carols (ritual songs), for which guests were treated to various delicacies. Now this custom is widespread only in villages, but in old times Tsars and nobles, who usually dressed in carnival costumes. The poor turned their clothes inside out and put on animal masks. Children especially liked to participate in caroling, and they were always treated to sweets for singing songs. Most lovely pagan holiday For Russians it is Maslenitsa and New Year. During the first, people bake pancakes for a whole week. Now the tradition of burning the effigy of Maslenitsa has been resumed. This ritual symbolizes the arrival of spring and farewell to winter. Russians decorate the Christmas tree for New Year New Year's toys, homemade ones are very popular. On this night (from December 31 to January 1), Russians gather with families and groups in other people's apartments, drink a lot of alcohol and make a lot of wishes, since there is a folk sign: “What you wish for the New Year should come true in the future.” On this day, Russians also remember one more sign: “How you spend the New Year, so will the next one.” At 12 o'clock at night, Russians usually clink glasses and drink a glass of champagne, and then open their gifts and dance.
Baptism - the most ancient rite, which in the Orthodox and catholic church belongs to the category of sacraments. It means taking a person into the fold christian church. After baptism they say: “He became a man of God,” that is, he joined religion. In the Orthodox Church, the baby is dipped into water three times, while in the Catholic Church they simply douse it with water. In Russia, it is customary to invite relatives and friends to christenings, cover festive table. In addition, in Russia, at a baby’s christening, they choose godfathers and mother, who are later called “godfather” and “godfather” and who are called upon throughout later life help the child in all difficulties. Over time, this ritual has not changed: people still sign up for church, where the priest says a clarification prayer, blesses the water, dresses the baby in a baptismal robe, presents a pectoral cross, and performs the sacraments of confirmation and baptism. Weddings in Russia, traditionally lasting 2-3 days, usually take place in the fall or winter, in the intervals between major fasts. The most popular period for weddings in Russia came after Christmas and lasted until Maslenitsa. was called "wedding party". Now spring and late summer or autumn have become more popular among newlyweds. Modern weddings usually last.
The rite of a church wedding is becoming increasingly popular, but according to the law it is possible only after registering a marriage in a state institution - the registry office. A wedding is a very beautiful and touching ceremony when, standing under the crown, the newlyweds make vows to be faithful in sorrow and joy. It is believed that after it, spouses become more acutely aware of their belonging to each other and are prepared for a long life. life together, because in general divorces Orthodox Church prohibited. Before registration, the groom, who comes to pick up the bride at the church, must buy her from the guests; he also goes through a lot of tests, which are a series of competitions, at the end of which the groom, according to tradition, must pay all participants with gifts or money.
Traditionally, rings, a dress and shoes for the bride are bought by the groom, and the bride's family provides her with a “dowry” - bed linen, dishes and furniture. The wedding table must include poultry dishes, symbolizing a happy family life. Wedding cake in Russia is called "kurnik". It is made from pancakes or rich unleavened dough, layered with chicken, mushrooms, rice and other fillings. When a newly-made husband and wife arrive at the house of the groom’s parents, his mother greets him and, according to Russian tradition, with bread and salt. All guests watch whoever breaks off the largest piece of bread: he will be the head of the house. A modern wedding usually lasts 2-3 days.
One of the elements of Russian life is going to the bathhouse. Previously, Russians did this every day, since “bath therapy” helps in the treatment of colds, as well as in relieving stress and mental disorders. Now this tradition has grown into entertainment. Now they go to the bathhouse once a week or month to chat with friends and drink beer. Some modern baths have cabins for one person, as well as for a whole company. The main attributes of a Russian bath: steam, birch or oak broom, fragrant tea with herbs, kvass or beer.
Since the times of the socialist system, Russians still have a lot of old habits and customs. The most common is to give in public transport a place for elderly people and children to make jam in the summer and can preserve fruits and vegetables, to live during their holidays in country dachas, where everything necessary for food is grown summer period time of year. And also - go to visit not only on weekends and bring something with you “for tea”, visit close friends or relatives without warning. Among the most ingrained customs, apartment living should be noted: almost 60% of Russians spend their entire lives in one-, two-, or three-room apartments. Western tradition have your own a private house spread among only well-to-do Russians.
Many Russians still do not “let” their children go adult life until they start their own family. And only after this many, now married, young men and women begin to work to provide for their young family. As a rule, in Russia, representatives of the fair sex get married at the age of 18-23 years. The age of the strong half of humanity is similar to their chosen ones.
In Russia, it is not customary to buy everything necessary for a newborn in advance, since in most cases young spouses hope for gifts from loved ones and relatives, who with their gifts will cover all the necessary needs and expenses for the baby. Another family custom- give the born child to be raised by the grandmother-in-law. Moreover, she takes care of her grandson/granddaughter until the moment when the child goes to school. As for the relationship between a man and a woman, here a representative of the fair sex should not forget to shake his hand to his companion when she gets off a tram, trolleybus or taxi. He should also remember that a woman from Russia should always be escorted to the ladies' room, and then wait for her near this place. But the most important thing: in Russia, men always pay for women when they go to a restaurant, diner, theater, cinema and other places.
Russians drink only hot tea, and they usually do this in the morning and late at night. In addition, they categorically do not accept obscene language and prefer to read all kinds of literature on public transport when traveling from work or vice versa.
