What should not Volgograd residents do on October 8, the day of Sergius of Radonezh

Who is Sergius of Radonezh: the history of the saint

On October 8, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Sergius of Radonezh, one of the greatest ascetics of the Russian land. In the world he bore the name Bartholomew and was born about 1314 near Rostov in the family of pious boyars Cyril and Mary. Already in infancy, Bartholomew showed an unusual aspiration for spiritual life: on Wednesdays and Fridays he refused mother’s milk, and if his mother ate meat, he did not take breasts on other days.

Education at first was difficult for the boy, but one day, when on behalf of his father went to the field to get horses, he met an old monk. By the prayer of Bartholomew, the elder blessed the young man and gave him a piece of prosphora – from that moment the boy became easy to read and understand books, ahead of his brothers and peers in knowledge.

Around 1328 the family moved to Radonezh. After the death of his parents, Bartholomew, together with his older brother Stefan, went to the forest, where they built a cell and a small church. In 1337 Bartholomew accepted monasticism with the name Sergius and founded the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, a monastery that became one of the main spiritual centers of Russia. St. Sergius is called the “gumen of the Russian land”: he blessed Prince Dmitry Donskoy before the Battle of Kulikovo, helped reconcile the warring princes and raised many disciples who founded dozens of monasteries throughout the country. The saint departed to the Lord on September 25, 1392, and on October 8 (in a new style) believers commemorate him. “Kalewood” and “Chicken”: the meaning of the popular names of the day

In the national calendar, October 8 is known at once under two names - "Kapustnik" and "Kicken". The name "Cabbage" is associated with the beginning of the seasonal harvesting of cabbage: by this time, the first frosts usually came, and the hostesses began cutting and fermenting cabbage for the winter. It was not just domestic labor, but a whole collective action: neighbors and relatives gathered together, chopped cabbage in large tubs, added salt, apples, lingonberries or cranberries, sang songs and treated each other.

The second name – “Chicken” – is explained by the fact that Sergius of Radonezh was considered the patron saint of poultry, especially chickens. On this day, part of the bird was slaughtered for sale or prepared for the festive table. Chicken broth on this day was considered healing, and chicken dishes are an obligatory part of the meal.

What to do on October 8: good traditions and rituals

The main care of the owner on October 8 is the harvesting of cabbage. The popular belief was that it should be stewed strictly after the first frost, otherwise it will not turn crunchy and quickly deteriorate. Worked together: with the whole family or with neighbors. It was believed that those who eat cabbage pie on this day will not get sick all winter. The first baked cake was even buried in the garden - in gratitude to the land for the harvest and in the hope of fertility in the next year.

The hostess baked bread cakes on cabbage leaf, cooked shy and chicken soups. Believers on this day visited the temple and prayed to St. Sergius for peace in the family, healing, prudence in affairs and help in learning – the saint has long been revered as the patron saint of students.

There were special guarding customs: on the shore they searched for “chicken gods” – stones with a natural hole – and hung them above the front door to protect the house from cold, quarrels and adversity.

What not to do on October 8: bans and warnings

The Day of Remembrance of St. Sergius was considered a bright holiday, so any manifestations of anger, envy, gossip and swearing were perceived as a serious offense. It was forbidden to raise other people’s things or money from the ground: according to legend, together with the find, you can “take away” the diseases and troubles of the former owner.

Particular attention was paid to appearance: dirty, crumpled or torn clothes promised trouble and financial difficulties. It was not recommended to wash your hair – it was believed that it could cause a headache. Overeating was also not advised: they believed that it was possible to “seal” the disease for the whole winter.

On this day, idleness was condemned: on October 8, it was supposed to work and take care of the house. It was not worth giving large sums in debt - this could lead to ruin, but it was impossible to refuse those in need of help: it was believed that after the refusal, difficulties would come to the person himself. Also, you should not accept valuable gifts from unfamiliar people and try on someone else’s shoes – there could be “damage” on things.

Folk signs about the weather and harvest

On the day of Sergius, they tried to guess what winter would be like and what to expect from the future harvest. Clear weather on October 8 promised another three weeks without major changes. The north wind foreshadowed a cold winter, the south - warm, and the west - snowy.

If the leaves were still on the birch, they expected the snow to fall late. The first snow that fell promised early winter, and if it lay on wet ground - frosts came quickly. Loudly chirping birds near the house were considered harbingers of a good harvest of grain, and the abundance of acorns on oaks predicted a frosty winter.