Kornilov day: what promises folk signs on September 26 and how not to scare away luck

In the Orthodox tradition, September 26 honors the memory of the Hieromartyr Cornelius Sotnik, the first pagan who converted to Christianity. In Russia, the name of the saint organically intertwined with the agrarian rhythm: the word “Cornelius” was associated with “root”, and the day began to symbolize the end of the season of root crops.

The peasants said: “In Corniglia, the root in the earth does not grow, but chills.” This was the last opportunity to harvest radish, turnips, carrots, beets and trousers. It was believed that after September 26, even abundant watering and the sun will not help root crops gain weight - it was time not to grow, but to preserve. That is why the villages tried to free the beds by this date and prepare the cellar for planting vegetables.

The folk signs of Kornilov Day are, in fact, a centuries-old “weather diary” of the middle strip of Russia. By observing the sky, animals and plants, peasants predicted winter and the coming weeks.

These signs work as a system of indirect indicators: for example, the abundance of webs is associated with dry and warm weather, in which spiders are more active in weaving nets, and low bird flight - with a change in atmospheric pressure before the rain.

On this day, work was in full swing in the villages: they collected root vegetables, sorted and sorted vegetables, prepared a cellar. But there were special customs that gave the day a ritual meaning.

Kornilov day was surrounded by a number of taboos, which helped, according to ancestors, not to scare away luck and not to cause trouble.