Wednesday before Easter signs and customs. Easter signs and superstitions, traditions, what not to do and what can and should be done. What do they light up for Easter?

Our ancestors firmly believed that the events that take place on Easter are full of special divine meaning. The people had many beliefs and signs for Easter and the week before Easter, the veracity of which was not even questioned.

HOLY WEEK (week before Easter)

Monday

On this day, a lot of tidying begins. The house is cleared of old, bulky things.

Tuesday

Groceries are being purchased for Easter. Women cook medicinal infusions. Men should not even touch herbs, tinctures, powders.

Wednesday

This is the day of washing and all sorts of wiping. On Wednesday, it is advisable to thoroughly wash, scrub the floors, and beat out the carpets.

After crossing ourselves three times, we covered the mug with a clean or new towel, and at 2 a.m., after crossing ourselves three times again, we doused ourselves with this water, leaving a little in the mug. Afterwards, clothes were put on the wet body without drying, and the water that remained in the mug was poured onto a bush or flowers for up to 3 hours. They say that a body washed in this way is reborn.

Cut hair

Maundy Thursday advised cutting your hair for the first time one year old child(before one year of age, cutting your hair was considered a sin), and girls were given the ends of their braids so that they would grow longer and thicker. All livestock were also advised to have their hair clipped for health and well-being.

Thursday salt

Painted eggs

Starting from Maundy Thursday we prepared for festive table, painted and painted eggs. According to ancient tradition, colored eggs were placed on freshly sprouted oats and wheat.

On Thursday morning they started baking Easter cakes, babas, small products from wheat flour with images of crosses, lambs, doves, larks, as well as honey gingerbread cookies. In the evening they prepared Easter.

To have money

Melt water

Our ancestors noticed that many amazing things happen before Easter. With the help of folk signs, you will learn which signs from above should not be ignored in order to avoid serious difficulties.

The long-awaited holiday of Easter is celebrated every year by believers in different days. In Rus', preparation for the great event alone was given special importance. In this regard, many popular signs and superstitions have appeared, most of which have been tested for centuries. Our ancestors believed that during this period the Higher Powers themselves give us signals about upcoming events, so ignoring them is extremely dangerous. Experts will tell you about the main signs of Holy Week.

Folk signs for Holy Week

Holy Week- the strictest period of Lent. At this time, people limit themselves to their usual entertainment, exclude meat, fish and dairy products from their diet, actively prepare for Easter and observe folk signs.

The first preparations for Easter began in Great Monday. General cleaning was carried out, sometimes combined with repairs. To cleanse the house of negativity on this day, it is customary to get rid of old and broken things.

If the weather is sunny on Maundy Monday, it means the harvest will be good in the summer.

Newlyweds who get married on Holy Monday will live happily ever after.

By washing your face with holy water on Monday, you will ensure your health for the whole year.

IN Maundy Tuesday Believers continue to prepare for Easter and begin to think about holiday dishes. If there were not enough products for cooking, they were purchased on Tuesday.

If the weather is rainy on Tuesday, it means the year will be cold and barren.

IN Great Wednesday believers remember the betrayal of Judas. On this day it is customary to complete preparations for Easter. One of the signs says that cleaning should end with washing windows and doors so that evil spirits cannot enter the house.

Most folk signs are associated with Maundy Thursday. If the family has not completed the cleaning by this day, there will be quarrels and disagreements in the house all year.

On Thursday, it is customary to wash before dawn in order to have time to cleanse yourself of evil and get rid of negative energy.

If there is a seriously ill person in the house, Maundy Thursday You need to bring a candle from the church and burn it at the head of the patient’s bed. The remaining wax should be buried in the yard of a neighboring house.

To ensure prosperity and well-being reign in the house all year, on Thursday it is customary to move furniture and count money.

In Rus', girls who wanted to get married cut their hair on Maundy Thursday, and then kept it under their pillow until Easter.

Good Friday- day of sorrow. To avoid troubles, you need to say the Lord’s Prayer in the morning.

To ensure that babies grow up healthy and strong, the best time to wean them is on Good Friday.

If on Good Friday the first person you see is a man, then great luck awaits you soon.

According to the superstition, whoever washes himself on Good Friday will wash away all his health.

IN Holy Saturday free time should be followed by prayer. Whoever has fun on this day will cry all year long.

On Saturday it is forbidden to borrow or lend money, so as not to lose health, luck and prosperity.

On Easter The house must be clean for the whole year to be successful.

If a husband and wife hug on Easter morning, they will live their whole lives in love and harmony.

By this time, Lent has already come to an end, which means that on Easter you can finally please yourself and your loved ones with your favorite dishes. Red wine is allowed to be served as a drink, but it is prohibited to abuse the drink.

In Rus', it was customary to make a wish while the Easter bells were ringing. The sign says that it can come true exactly 33 days from Easter.

Whoever throws food from the refectory table on Easter will be haunted by misfortunes all year long. It is advisable to bury the remaining dishes in the yard of your house or feed them to the homeless.

Before celebrating the Holy Resurrection of Christ, it is customary to observe Lent. During this period, there are many prohibitions and restrictions that every believer must take into account. However, most of the important church traditions are associated with Great Easter. In order not to anger the Higher Powers, spend this day correctly, without violating customs.

Preceded by Palm Sunday Holy Week - the last week Lent was marked by the observance of special rituals. From Monday on Holy - or, as people said, Scary - week, everyone began to put themselves and their home in order, preparing for Easter.

Herself week before Easter- the week of the Week is dedicated to last days life of Jesus Christ. So, for example, Palm Sunday commemorated the entry of Christ on a donkey into Jerusalem. The people greet him by laying out their clothes and palm branches. Nowadays, it is supposed to bring willow branches into the house; it has become an obligatory tradition to whip each other with them in order to drive illness, bad luck, out of the body. bad thoughts and recharge your spirit with health, driving away thinness and troubles for the next year.
Monday.
From this day begins the diligent preparation for Easter. Each family member is supposed to decorate their willow bouquets with ribbons, beads, bright threads, and flowers. It was also customary on this day to clean the house, wash, and do laundry. Yes, exactly on this day, and not as we are used to, believing that Maundy Thursday is named so that it is on this supposed day that one must clean up.
Tuesday.
This is the last day when it was allowed to finish seven new clothes for Easter, and on this day it was also supposed to make peace with everyone with whom you were in a quarrel. Today you can simply put all your clothes in order for the great holiday of Easter.
Wednesday.
The busiest day is the middle of Holy Week; it was on Wednesday that the main symbol of Easter was created, the “spoon” from hollow branches of straw and thread, which was supposed to personify the fragility of the world. We hung this decoration in the middle of the main room and started general cleaning. It was necessary to wash before midnight. On this day, a parallel was drawn between the repentant and forgiven sinner and the traitor Judas. According to other sources, on Great Wednesday it was necessary, on the contrary, to finish all the cleaning around the house and be prepared for the next great day.
Thursday.
There is a misconception that in Maundy Thursday It is necessary to clean the house and put things in order. On this day, it was strictly forbidden to do anything around the house, so as not to bring trouble to your home. In the morning, women collected dew, which they used to wash all their relatives, rewarding good health, those who washed themselves from silver dishes invited wealth into the house. It was on Thursday that people cleansed their souls: they took communion, stood at the service, during which the Thursday fire was lit. It was supposed to be brought into your home to protect everyone from illness and fill the house with happiness. The most important Gospel events (the Last Supper, the Lord’s washing of the feet of his disciples, the Savior’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane and the betrayal of Judas) belong to this day. Also on this day it is necessary to knead the dough for Easter cakes, but not bake.
Friday.
The strictest day of fasting, on which it was forbidden to eat. This is the day of Christ's crucifixion, death and subsequent burial. To distract themselves from temptation, which is why the day is called Holy Day, people decorated their houses with willow, heather, embroidered towels and other decorations.
Saturday.
From the very morning on this day, housewives baked Easter cakes and painted eggs in order to bless the holiday delicacies at the evening service. All believers on this day tried to attend the all-night service, after which they congratulated each other with the joyful news “Christ is Risen” and received in response a threefold kiss with the words of joy “Truly He is Risen.” After three o'clock in the morning it was possible to break the fast.
Sunday.
On this day, all believers celebrate Easter, exchange eggs, treat each other at the festive table, go to visit, sing solemn prayers and rejoice at the new day, listening to the bells ringing.
If you follow long-standing traditions, then this is exactly how you should conduct last week before Easter every believing family.

More signs

On Holy Wednesday and Maundy Thursday It was customary to wash all domestic animals with water melted from snow - from cows to chickens - and burn the salt in the oven, which, according to popular beliefs, acquired healing properties from this. In some villages, at midnight on Maundy Thursday, women were also ordered to douse themselves with water to protect themselves from illness. It was believed that at this midnight even “the raven bathes his children.”

There was even a custom at midnight on Holy Thursday for girls to go waist-deep into the river (if the ice had already melted) and, standing in a tight circle, call on spring. If the ice had not yet broken, the girls washed themselves from the ice hole and rolled “to the east and west sides” on the ground.

If you wash your face before dawn on Maundy (Clean) Thursday, you need to say at the same time: “I wash away what they let on me, what toils my soul and body, everything is removed on Maundy Thursday.”

And so that young people would pay attention, the girls, while washing themselves, would say: “As Maundy Thursday is bright and red, so I will be beautiful for everyone. Amen".

Wednesday of Holy Week they remembered a special ritual against any bodily illness. It was necessary to scoop up water with a mug from a well or from a barrel on the street, or draw water from a river. After crossing ourselves three times, we covered the mug with a clean or new towel, and at 2 a.m., after crossing ourselves three times again, we doused ourselves with this water, leaving a little in the mug. Afterwards, clothes were put on the wet body without drying, and the water that remained in the mug was poured onto a bush or flowers for up to 3 hours. They say that a body washed in this way is reborn.

On Maundy Thursday It was advised to cut the hair of a one-year-old child for the first time (cutting it before the age of one was considered a sin), and for girls to cut the ends of their braids so that they would grow longer and thicker. All livestock were also advised to have their hair clipped for health and well-being.

There was also a custom of burning crosses on doors and ceilings with a candle to protect the house from invasion. evil spirits. Passion candles were given into the hands of those who were seriously ill or suffering from difficult childbirth: it was believed that they had healing power. From Maundy Thursday it was forbidden to sweep the floor in the house until Easter. Weather signs were also associated with it: if it rained, spring would be late and wet.

Good Friday- the day itself strict fasting- was especially revered by the people. It preceded Holy Saturday, when it was customary to conjure matinees (morning frosts).

Throughout Holy Week, according to pagan tradition, bonfires were burned on high hills in honor of the god of fire Perun. Another pagan tradition was the fencing of fields from evil spirit. Guys and girls with lighted splinters in their hands, and some with brooms and whips, began to ride on horseback through the village from one end to the other with wild screams: it was believed that this should scare away evil spirits.

So, the last, seventh day of Holy Week came - Bright Resurrection of Christ. According to custom, on this day, in the morning, bonfires were lit in front of churches and along the hills, which is also associated with the pagan tradition of celebrating the victory of light over darkness and spring warmth over winter cold. In villages, on the Holy Night before Easter Sunday, tar barrels are burned, and the coals from them are collected and then these coals are placed under the roof: it is believed that this protects the house from lightning strikes.

As soon as Easter Sunday The bells began to ring, people crossed themselves and said three times: “Christ has risen, and my family has health, my house has wealth, my field has a harvest. Amen".

After singing in churches: “Christ is Risen,” it was customary to shoot blank charges from guns into the air, which also symbolized victory over darkness and death.

If on Easter night you scoop up water from a spring or river, then popular belief, she will have special power.

If someone in the house is dying, then in church on Easter Sunday you had to try to take Easter Egg from the hands of the father. When leaving the church, you need to go up to the icon of the Mother of God and call her with you: “Mother Mother of God, come with me to my home. Spend the night with us, heal the slave (name of the patient). At home, it was necessary to feed at least part of the egg brought to the patient. Then, according to popular belief, he will not die this year.

There is another, no less interesting belief: if at the morning service on Easter Sunday you stand in the corner of the church, holding in your left hand silver coin, and at the first greeting of the priest “Christ is Risen” instead of “Truly He is Risen” say: “Antmoz mago” - the coin will receive miraculous power and will not only return to the owner, but will also bring him a lot of money.

More signs and conspiracies

On this day, you should count your money three times so that you can keep the money throughout the year. Everyone in the family should take a handful of salt and pour it into one bag. This salt is removed and stored, and it is called “Thursday salt”, i.e. Maundy Thursday. You can use it to treat yourself, as well as your family and friends. This salt is used to make amulets for the family, livestock, garden, home, etc.

On Maundy Thursday clean, wash. Starting from Thursday, nothing is given away from home until Easter.

IN Friday sweep the corners with a rag; this rag will help get rid of lower back pain if you tie it around yourself. The same rag is used to wipe your feet in the bathhouse after washing so that your feet don’t hurt. Ash taken on the Friday before Easter will help cure alcoholism, black shaking, the evil eye and mortal melancholy.

IN Friday look out the window, noticing who they will see first: if a man, then to prosperity for three months. If a person gets sick at this time, he will quickly recover. Any problem will be easily resolved. If you see an old woman, you will have a succession of three months of failure and illness, and if you see a young woman, you will live these three months without problems. If you see a family, it means peace in the family, reconciliation of those who are at odds. A dog means sadness, a cat means profit, birds mean a new acquaintance and good news, a disabled person means the death of a loved one.

Of course, all prepared work: cooking, painting eggs must be completed before Easter.

Easter morning wash with water left over from Maundy Thursday. It’s good to put a silver thing or a spoon in it, or maybe a coin. Wash for beauty and wealth. If a girl cannot get married, she needs to give the towel with which she dried herself on Maundy Thursday to people on Easter, to those who ask for alms, along with dyes and Easter cake. After this, they soon get married.

FOLK SIGNS AND BELIEFS FOR HOLY WEEK AND EASTER

Our ancestors firmly believed that the events that take place on Easter are full of special divine meaning.
Among the people there were many signs and beliefs for Easter, the veracity of which was not even questioned.

HOLY WEEK (week before Easter)

Monday
On this day, a lot of tidying begins. The house is cleared of old, bulky things.

Tuesday
Groceries are being purchased for Easter. Women prepare medicinal infusions. Men should not even touch herbs, tinctures, powders.

Wednesday
This is the day of washing and all sorts of wiping. On Wednesday, it is advisable to thoroughly wash, scrub the floors, and beat out the carpets.

On Wednesday of Holy Week, a special ritual against any bodily illness was remembered. It was necessary to scoop up water with a mug from a well or from a barrel on the street, or draw water from a river. After crossing ourselves three times, we covered the mug with a clean or new towel, and at 2 a.m., after crossing ourselves three times again, we doused ourselves with this water, leaving a little in the mug. Afterwards, clothes were put on the wet body without drying, and the water that remained in the mug was poured onto a bush or flowers for up to 3 hours. They say that a body washed in this way is reborn.

Thursday
- On Maundy Thursday it was advised to cut the hair of a one-year-old child for the first time (cutting it before one was considered a sin), and for girls to cut the ends of their braids so that they would grow longer and thicker. All livestock were also advised to have their hair clipped for health and well-being.

On this day, Thursday salt is prepared: it is heated in a frying pan, and the salt becomes medicinal properties. It is advisable to consecrate this salt in the Temple.

Maundy Thursday is traditionally called “clean”, and not only because on this day every Orthodox man strives to be spiritually cleansed, to take communion, to accept the sacrament established by Christ. On Maundy Thursday, the folk custom of cleansing with water was widespread - swimming in an ice hole, river, lake or dousing in a bathhouse before sunrise.

There are many traditions associated with this day. On Maundy Thursday they cleaned the houses, washed and cleaned everything. It was customary to collect and burn juniper branches to fumigate homes and stables. It is believed that healing juniper smoke protects humans and animals from evil spirits and diseases.

There was also a belief that eggs laid on Holy Thursday and eaten on Easter protected against illness, and the shells of eggs buried in the ground in a pasture reliably protected livestock from the evil eye.

Starting from Maundy Thursday, they prepared for the festive table, painted and painted eggs. According to ancient tradition, colored eggs were placed on freshly sprouted oats and wheat.

On Thursday morning they began baking Easter cakes, babas, small products made from wheat flour with images of crosses, lambs, doves, larks, as well as honey gingerbread. In the evening they prepared Easter.

Everyone in the family should take a handful of salt and pour it into one bag. This salt is removed and stored, and it is called “Thursday salt”, i.e. Maundy Thursday. You can use it to treat yourself, as well as your family and friends. This salt is used to make amulets for the family, livestock, garden, home, etc.

On Holy Wednesday and Maundy Thursday, it was customary to wash all domestic animals with water melted from snow - from cows to chickens - and burn the salt in the oven, which, according to popular belief, acquired healing properties from this.
In some villages, at midnight on Maundy Thursday, women were also ordered to douse themselves with water to protect themselves from illness.

If you wash your face before dawn on Maundy (Clean) Thursday, you need to say: “I wash away what they put on me, what is toiling my soul and body, everything is removed on Maundy Thursday.”

On Easter morning they wash themselves with water left over from Maundy Thursday. It’s good to put a silver thing or a spoon in it, or maybe a coin. Wash for beauty and wealth.
If a girl cannot get married, she needs to give the towel with which she dried herself on Maundy Thursday to people on Easter, to those who ask for alms, along with dyes and Easter cake. After this, they soon get married.

There was also a custom of burning crosses on doors and ceilings with a candle to protect the house from the invasion of evil spirits. Passion candles were given to seriously ill people or those suffering from difficult childbirth; they have healing powers. From Maundy Thursday it was forbidden to sweep the floor in the house until Easter.

Friday
Cooking on this day is going well. We continued to bake and prepare for Easter. “Angels help,” say pious people.

On Friday they will sweep the corners with a rag; this rag will help get rid of lower back pain if you tie it around yourself. The same rag is used to wipe your feet in the bathhouse after washing so that your feet don’t hurt. Ash taken on the Friday before Easter will help cure alcoholism, black shaking, the evil eye and mortal melancholy.

Saturday
The last (quiet) tidy. You can also paint eggs. On this day, common holiday dishes are prepared. On Saturday they brought colored eggs, Easter cakes, Easter cakes and other items to church to be blessed. And before going to the service on Easter night, they left a treat on the table so that later they could break their fast. True, they ate little by little - only symbolically, after which they went to bed. But late on Sunday morning the real feast began, which lasted all week.

Of course, everything preparatory work: cooking and painting of eggs must be completed before Easter.

EASTER AND EASTER WEEK

It was believed that the ringing of bells on the day of Christ's Resurrection was endowed with truly magical powers - by striking the bell, believers asked for a good harvest, peace and harmony in the family, and the girls for a handsome and rich groom. If a person said his request from the bottom of his heart, then it would definitely come true.

In Rus', every year on the day of this great holiday, jugs of honey, called kanunchiki, were placed near the icons in every house. The owners lit candles in them and remembered their relatives and friends who had departed from this world, so that they too could rejoice that Christ had risen. After the holiday, on Easter week, these jugs were taken to the cemetery and left on the graves of the dead. They also took three red Easter eggs with them to the cemetery and, saying “Christ is risen” at the grave, crumbled the colors for the birds.

As soon as the bells began to ring on Easter Sunday, people were baptized and said three times: “Christ has risen, and my family has health, my house has wealth, my field has a harvest. Amen".

It’s good to go on a swing on Easter (and throughout Easter week). This is a ritual of fanning. They say it blows away all sins.

If you scoop up water from a spring or river on Easter night, then, according to popular belief, it will have special power.

So, the one who is the first to see the sunrise on Easter will not know troubles all year.

To get married, girls had to say to themselves during the church service on Easter: “The Resurrection of Christ! Send me a single groom!”

If a child was born on Easter Sunday, he will become famous, famous person. Anyone born on Easter week will have good health.
Great people, who can even change the course of history, are born not just on Easter Sunday, but also at noon and with a shirt on.

Death on Easter is a special sign. A person who died on this day is marked by God. His soul will immediately rush to heaven, to the holy saints. The deceased is buried with a red testicle in his right hand.

After the morning service, you need to get home as quickly as possible and start the festive meal: the faster you do this, the more successful things will go.

And in order for the baby to grow strong and strong, on the morning of Easter Sunday he must be placed with his feet on an ax and said: “As steel is strong, so be you strong and healthy. Amen.”

If your baby is slow to develop, walk him barefoot on a wooden floor at Easter. And his teeth will erupt faster, he will walk on his own legs sooner, and he will speak sooner.

The willow brought during Palm Week was used to fan the children's room, thereby driving out misfortunes and illnesses.

It is a good omen to hear a cuckoo on Easter - this foretells an addition to the family, and for young girls - an imminent marriage.

Our great-grandfathers always crumbled a piece of the blessed Easter cake to the birds, thus invoking good luck and wealth.

Bad omen It is believed that if a candle goes out during the Easter service in the church, but if it burns out before the end of the service and the person puts it out himself, then this is good.

On Easter and throughout the week following it, the church did not marry newlyweds - being distracted by worldly holidays was considered a great sin.

On Great Thursday, or as it is also called Clean Thursday, every housewife did a general cleaning in the house and washed all the dirt clean. People say that holidays do not come to a dirty house.

If you are constantly experiencing difficulties with money, be sure to give a coin to a beggar at Easter - you will not know the need for the whole year.

On this day, the girls made themselves beautiful - they placed a blessed red Easter egg in water, and then washed themselves with this water.

Couples in love were sensitive to kisses on Easter. It was considered a bad omen to kiss on the threshold - it promised separation. Also, if you hear the croaking of a raven during a kiss, then the lovers could soon separate. But if the kiss took place under a tree, then this promised a joyful life.

Mothers protected their children in the following way: starting from Easter and throughout Easter week, the babies were first given a piece of blessed Easter cake on an empty stomach, and then only fed the rest of the food.

And so that there is peace and harmony in the family and no one quarrels with each other, the Easter meal must begin with the whole family and everyone must first of all eat a piece of Easter cake and eggs that were blessed in the church.

A woman who is having trouble getting pregnant should put an extra plate next to her on Easter, put a piece of Easter on it with the words: “Kulich for the kids!” After the meal, this piece was crumbled to the birds.

At Easter, as well as at the Annunciation, birds were released into the wild as a sign of spring freedom. When releasing it, they made a wish - it was believed that the bird was a heavenly creature, and she would pass it on to the Almighty.

Candles bought for Easter in the church were kept all year - they blessed the young, placed them near the seriously ill, and used them to drive out evil spirits from houses.

Throughout Easter week, older people, combing their hair, said the following words: “Send me, Lord, as many grandchildren as there are hairs on the comb.”

The remains of wax from Easter candles were stored until next Easter - according to folk signs this served as a talisman for the house from fire, and for the family from curses.

A husband and wife must hit colored eggs against each other at breakfast on Easter Sunday; the one whose egg does not break will be the “head” of the family all year.

If your child is capricious and whiny, parents should definitely go to church on Easter to atone for their sins.

To prevent the harvest from being damaged by hail, drought or rain, peasants buried Easter egg shells in the ground in the field at Easter.

It was considered a bad omen to oversleep the morning service on Easter - this prophesied failure.

If during Easter week you saw a deceased relative in a dream, this means that next year no one in the family will become seriously ill or die;

If someone in the house was dying, then in church on Easter Sunday they had to try to take the Easter egg from the hands of the priest. When leaving the church, you need to go up to the icon of the Mother of God and call her with you: “Mother Mother of God, come with me to my home. Spend the night with us, heal the slave (name of the patient). At home, it was necessary to feed at least part of the egg brought to the patient. Then, according to popular belief, he will not die this year.

And, of course, people paid attention and noticed the weather on this bright holiday.

Good weather at Easter was considered a harbinger of a hot summer, cloudy weather meant a cold, dry summer;
- If many stars were visible in the sky, this meant that there would still be frost;
- According to popular belief, if all the snow has already melted on Easter, it means the harvest this season will be rich.
- Heavy rains during Easter week also foreshadowed a prosperous year.
- A thunderstorm on Easter week was considered a sign of late and dry autumn;
- Seeing a colorful sunset on Easter was considered an excellent omen and promised great luck.

Happy Easter to you! PEACEFUL SKY!!! HAPPINESS!!

Easter is coming soon and the last week before Easter is called Holy Week or Holy Week.

Our ancestors firmly believed that the events that take place on Easter are full of special divine meaning. Among the people there were many signs and beliefs for Easter, the veracity of which was not even questioned.

Holy Week - signs for every day

Monday

On this day, a lot of tidying begins. The house is cleared of old, bulky things.

Tuesday

Groceries are being purchased for Easter. Women prepare medicinal infusions. Men should not even touch herbs, tinctures, powders.

Wednesday

This is the day of washing and all sorts of wiping. On Wednesday, it is advisable to thoroughly wash, scrub the floors, and beat out the carpets.

After crossing ourselves three times, we covered the mug with a clean or new towel, and at 2 a.m., after crossing ourselves three times again, we doused ourselves with this water, leaving a little in the mug. Afterwards, clothes were put on the wet body without drying, and the water that remained in the mug was poured onto a bush or flowers for up to 3 hours. They say that a body washed in this way is reborn.

Thursday

— On Maundy Thursday they advised to cut the hair of a one-year-old child for the first time (cutting it before one year was considered a sin), and for girls to cut the ends of their braids so that they would grow longer and thicker. All livestock were also advised to have their hair clipped for health and well-being.

— On this day, Thursday salt is prepared: it is heated in a frying pan, and the salt acquires medicinal properties. It is advisable to consecrate this salt in the Temple.

— Maundy Thursday is traditionally called “clean,” and not only because on this day every Orthodox person strives to cleanse himself spiritually, take communion, and accept the sacrament established by Christ. On Maundy Thursday, the folk custom of cleansing with water was widespread - swimming in an ice hole, river, lake, or dousing in a bathhouse before sunrise.

— There are many traditions associated with this day. On Maundy Thursday they cleaned the houses, washed and cleaned everything. It was customary to collect and burn juniper branches to fumigate homes and stables. It is believed that healing juniper smoke protects humans and animals from evil spirits and diseases.

“There was also a belief that eggs laid on Holy Thursday and eaten on Easter protect against illness, and the shells of eggs buried in the ground in a pasture reliably protect livestock from the evil eye.

— Starting from Maundy Thursday, we prepared for the festive table, painted and painted eggs. According to ancient tradition, colored eggs were placed on freshly sprouted oats and wheat.

— On Thursday morning they started baking Easter cakes, babas, small products made from wheat flour with images of crosses, lambs, doves, larks, as well as honey gingerbread. In the evening they prepared Easter.

— Everyone in the family should take a handful of salt and pour it into one bag. This salt is removed and stored, and it is called “Thursday salt”, i.e. Maundy Thursday. You can use this salt to make amulets for your family, livestock, garden, home, etc.

- If you wash your face before dawn on Maundy (Clean) Thursday, you need to say: “I wash away what they put on me, what toils my soul and body, everything is removed on Maundy Thursday.”

— On the morning of Easter, they wash themselves with water left over from Maundy Thursday. It’s good to put a silver thing or a spoon in it, or maybe a coin. Wash for beauty and wealth. If a girl cannot get married, she needs to give the towel with which she dried herself on Maundy Thursday to people on Easter, to those who ask for alms, along with dyes and Easter cake. After this, they soon get married.

— There was also a custom of burning crosses on doors and ceilings with a candle to protect the house from the invasion of evil spirits. Passion candles were given to seriously ill people or those suffering from difficult childbirth; they have healing powers. From Maundy Thursday it was forbidden to sweep the floor in the house until Easter.

Friday

Good Friday, the most mournful day of the year, which is dedicated to the commemoration of the suffering and death of Christ. Friday is the day on which Jesus Christ was crucified.

Good Friday is a special day on which, according to the rules, one must abstain from eating until the Shroud is taken out, and after that one can only eat bread and drink only water. All preparations for the Easter holiday must be completed on Maundy Thursday, so that on Good Friday nothing distracts from prayers and services. On this day you cannot do any household chores, especially sewing, washing or cutting anything. Violation of this prohibition is considered a great sin.

- On Friday they will sweep the corners with a rag; this rag will help get rid of lower back pain if you tie it around yourself. The same rag is used to wipe your feet in the bathhouse after washing so that your feet don’t hurt. Ash taken on the Friday before Easter will help cure alcoholism, black shaking, the evil eye and mortal melancholy.

- In addition, on Good Friday they determined whether there were any spoken things in the house: on this day, they took from the church an unburnt candle that was in their hands during the service, brought it home, lit it and walked through the rooms. It is believed that where it crackles, there is a damaged item.

Saturday

The last (quiet) tidy. You can also paint eggs. On this day, common holiday dishes are prepared. On Saturday they brought colored eggs, Easter cakes, Easter cakes and other items to church to be blessed. And before going to the service on Easter night, they left a treat on the table so that later they could break their fast. True, they ate little by little - only symbolically, after which they went to bed. But late on Sunday morning the real feast began, which lasted all week.

Of course, all preparatory work: cooking, painting eggs must be completed before Easter.

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