The beheading of the Prophet John is celebrated on September 11 by the Russian Orthodox Church. In the people this day is referred to as Golovosek. The holiday is one of the greatest in Orthodoxy. A strict one-day fast should be observed on this day. The people believed that when Golovosek came, autumn began, so all Orthodox people on this holiday did not work for the health of their loved ones and cattle. Also on this day, people did not go to the forest, it was believed that snakes and evil spirits there were looking for their homes. What is this day, let's figure it out.
Day of deprivation of St. John's head
The Beheading (Golovosek) is considered one of the most dangerous and terrible dates, so people were very afraid to plow the land, sow, go on a long journey, and also celebrate any kind of celebration. On this day it was forbidden to eat something that would remind of a head, sword, blood, clipping. It was impossible to put round plates, dishes on the table. This is due to the fact that it was on a platter that the head of the Forerunner was served to Herod. People did not dare to eat round-shaped fruits and vegetables (potatoes, cabbage, turnips, onions, apples, etc.). Cutting is also strictly prohibited on this holiday. It was believed that a sickle, knife, ax, scythe could not be picked up. What is the story of the Holovosek holiday, let's see!
Story
So, it all started with the fact that the Galilean ruler Herod had a wife. She was the daughter of the king of Arabian Arefa. But soon Herod betrayed her and went to another woman named Herodias. The queen wholeheartedly wanted to take revenge on him. Herodias was the wife of Herod's blood brother. John watched this vicious relationship and repeatedly pointed this out to the ruler. Herod did not want to listen, but did not dare to punish him for this, since John was valued and respected by all the people.
Herod's birthday was a rich feast, at which a young girl named Salome danced along with the guests. She was the daughter of his roommate Herodias. Herod was so fond of Herod that he ordered her to ask for everything she wanted. The girl asked her mother for advice. Herodias ordered her daughter to ask for the head of St. John on a platter. Upon learning this, Herod was upset, because he was very afraid of the wrath of God. But a promise is a promise. The request was later fulfilled, the Prophet was chopped off and brought to Salome on a platter.
According to legend, the head continued to scold the ruler and his roommate for their connection. For this Herodias took it, pricked her tongue with a needle and buried it in the ground. The wife of the tsar’s housekeeper saw all this and secretly dug up the head of the Saint. John (that was the name of the wife of the keeper) put her in a vessel and buried her on the Mount of Olives near the estate of Herod. The body of the Holy Baptist was buried by his disciples.
Punishment
After some time, God's punishment fell upon all the villains. Salome fell through the ice while traveling along the Sikoris River. The ice floe decapitated her, but her body was never found. The head of Salome was brought to Herodias and Herod in the same way as it was done with John in due time. Herod was defeated when Arefa (king of Arabia) moved his troops to him. After that, Herod and Herodias were exiled to Spain, where they died in poverty and shame.
After many years, the Head of John went to the nobleman Innocent during the construction of the church. He learned about the shrine, since signs and wonders constantly proceeded from it. Before his death, Innocent was afraid that the shrine would be stolen, and hid it in the same place.
After some time, John came in a dream to two novices of the Jerusalem church and pointed to the place where his head was buried. They dug up the shrine, put it in a bag and went home. On the way, they met a potter who agreed to carry a precious burden. At night, John came to him in a dream and asked him to run away from the novices along with the shrine.
In the potter’s family, the head was handed down from generation to generation and, in the end, fell into the hands of the cruel and power-hungry Eustache. He used the power emanating from the head, and deceived many innocent people. After some time, his lies were revealed to everyone, and Eustathius fled the city in shame and humiliation, buried his head in a cave. He really hoped that after a while he could pick her up again. But this did not happen, the Lord guarded the shrine. Pious hermits settled there, who created a monastery on this site. In 452, John came to the monastery’s minister Markella in a dream and pointed to the place where his head was buried. The shrine was moved to Emessa, then to Constantinople. This is how Ivan Golovosek came to the Orthodox.
Day of the second and third acquisition of the head
The feast of the second acquisition of the head of John in the Orthodox Church is celebrated on February 24. The third time the shrine was acquired by Patriarch Ignatius, who transferred his head to the church. At the moment, part of the shrine is stored in Rome, and the other in France. The third acquisition is celebrated on the Julian calendar on May 25, this day is also a Lenten day.
Celebration Little Girl. Traditions and omens
People say that you can’t cut anything on this day, otherwise scarlet blood will be poured, therefore Golovosek is a holiday in which borsch was not cooked and especially not eaten, this was a great sin for the peasants. Allowed to eat all lean or nothing at all. Bread could not be cut, only broken.
Golovosek is included in the main holidays and
customs of the Ukrainian people, he is most often called Ivan Lenten. It was impossible to dance or sing, since it was after the fun that an agreement was reached on the decapitation of John the Hierarch. Everyone was supposed to go to church and pray for their health.
On the eve of the holiday, peasants, according to folk tradition, made a clay headless doll. In the evening on the day of Golovosek, two girls took a scarecrow and carried it to the river. After that, all those gathered should mourn him, as their own dead man. After that, the doll was taken and thrown into the river. This personified John the Baptist.
On this day, it was customary to distribute food to the poor, needy and wanderers.
Golovosek is also a holiday in which peasants remembered those who died in the war and prayed for warriors, since it was believed that their deaths were very similar to the unjust departure of the Prophet.
Signs
The people said that a child born on this holiday will be unhappy all his life.
It was believed that if a person gets hurt that day, the wound will never heal.
According to Belarusian beliefs, spots on the moon mean the head of John.
Women were not allowed to eat that day.
For men
Golovosek - a holiday in which men were forbidden to shave and cut their hair. Also, it was undesirable for them to look in the mirror that day, take their heads and touch rounded objects.
Observe all traditions and signs on the feast of the Beheading of John, and the Lord will surely protect you.