A holiday and an important day for Christians has long been established on August 28. Believers look forward to it: according to biblical beliefs, it was on this day that the pure soul of the Holy Mother of God left the body, and "the Son of God himself met her." Since that day, the Orthodox world has acquired a great prayer book and the main intercessor in Heaven, and the people have established special beliefs and signs for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Orthodox traditions for the holiday
For Christians, the Great Day of the Assumption is preceded by a two-week fast. For a long time, believers have not attributed this period of abstinence to strict and difficult, since in August granaries were bursting with a harvest of vegetables, fruits, nuts and other gifts of nature that were allowed in fasting.
The festive day is called the First Most Holy and is considered a real holiday and a significant event, which is filled with beliefs and signs. Harvest ended at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it was possible to celebrate and have fun, therefore the atmosphere of the day was established majestic and special.
It should have been properly prepared for this day:
- clean the house;
- reconcile with all those with whom there were disagreements;
- prepare a generous and varied treats;
- provide a calm and friendly atmosphere in the house throughout the day.
Bans on an important day
The customs for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary are associated with the holiday atmosphere, but also reflect the characteristics of the seasonal period of the year.
Many bans were associated with this day among the people, which should be observed.
- It was forbidden to use piercing and cutting objects on this day, so they did not pick up a fork and knife at the table. They tried to cook food the day before, so as not to violate an important ban.
- Signs for the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary prohibit walking barefoot on the grass that day. The interpretation of such a ban has a double meaning: believers believe that the dew that fell on this day is the tears of the Blessed Virgin that she leaves the earth and cannot help people. On the other hand, the earth was cooling by this day, so walking barefoot can contribute to hypothermia and disease.
- You should strictly monitor so as not to rub your foot with uncomfortable shoes on the day of the First Most Holy. According to popular beliefs, in this way it was possible to incur problems and troubles.
Holiday customs
Signs on the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary are associated with the conduct of special rituals and ceremonies. The energy of the day has long been considered special and unique, it was this factor that contributed to the strengthening of the customs of the people associated with this August day. Such ritual customs have their roots from those settlements in which the assumption belonged to the feast days:
- In the afternoon, after prayer calls to the Mother of God, people gathered in the center of the settlement. With the icon raised in a procession of the cross, people went to the field and loudly read prayers to the Virgin, singing the miracle worker and the intercessor.
- During the morning service in the church they consecrated bread, which should have been taken out to the field that day. There consecrated loaves were broken, eaten by the whole world, washed down with holy water. It was believed that in such a way it is possible to ensure the yield of the next year, but it was worth strictly to ensure that crumbs of bread did not fall on the ground.
Home celebrations
To attract good luck, prosperity and healing from illnesses into the house and family, special rites of the house should be carried out. Good signs for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - August 28, hang an icon with the face of the Virgin in the courtyard of the house, leave it there for the whole day and be sure to monitor its location:
- The face of the Virgin, who looks that day from the gate to the house, attracts happiness, luck and prosperity into it.
- The icon of the Mother of God in the very center of the courtyard will help get rid of all the diseases that plague family members.
The face of the Virgin should have been brought into the house after the morning prayer was defended with this icon. Candles and a lamp were lit in the house, it was necessary to make sure that the candle did not go out during the whole holiday.
Signs of healing
An important moment of the Assumption Day has long been considered signs and ceremonies conducted to get rid of diseases and ailments.
The holding of such ceremonies was considered especially relevant for those families in which one of the family members was seriously ill. An important condition of the rituals was that a sick person had to defend a prayer in the church and go through the procession of the procession for the icon with the face of the Mother of God. Therefore, they even tried to bring seriously ill patients behind the icon, after which they removed the pectoral crosses and dipped them in holy water. Drops that flowed from the cross, sprinkled on a sick person, smeared areas of the body where the pain was felt especially strongly.
The people sincerely believed that in this way it is possible to heal from many ailments, especially from diseases of the joints and spine - that is how the signs for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary claimed. On August 28, with the help of this rite, pain in the stretched muscles, joints deformed by arthrosis was removed, and healed from post-traumatic pains in the limbs.
Signs for personal happiness
Girls were looking forward with special impatience to the holiday, as some signs of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary promised them personal happiness.
After the period of Assumption Lent, a meat-eater came, young people tried to catch a mate before Pokrov, otherwise they risked being alone until spring.
In order for the subsequent period to be prosperous and young people to be able to find each other, folk signs for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary were advised in those houses where young unmarried girls lived, set up generous tables, and treated all visitors and guests. The house should not be heard quarrels, swearing, the atmosphere of the day should be festive and bright.
A good mood should accompany everyone living in the house, in the evening young people were supposed to gather for youth gatherings.
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is not the most important holiday among the Orthodox, but it is of great importance for those who live with God in their souls.