Autumn Kuzminki will be celebrated on November 14: traditions, signs and prohibitions of the day
According to the national calendar, November 14 celebrate the Autumn Kuzminki, which is also called the Kury namesake. On this day, Orthodox believers remember the holy unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian of Asia.
The main treat of the festive table was traditionally chicken. The hostess cooked soup with noodles, baked a bird with vegetables and baked pies with chicken stuffing. It was believed that a generous treat will help to attract wealth to the house for the whole winter.
A special place was occupied by girls' gatherings. The girls gathered in a separate hut, brought groceries, cooked food together and organized parties with songs and dances. Such meetings were called Kuzmin evenings or rashchins. For unmarried girls, the holiday was also an opportunity to show themselves as a good hostess.
In some villages, it was customary to give chickens to relatives. The birds were not slaughtered, but kept until natural death. Also on Kuzminki began winter needlework: women sat down for sewing, knitting and other home crafts. He also helped those in need and gave charity.
Our ancestors tried to predict the nature of the coming winter. A warm day was considered a harbinger of mild cold, and a large amount of snow was associated with a strong spring flood. If there were still leaves on the trees, they waited for a long and harsh winter.
They also pay attention to the behavior of animals. If the chickens sat on the roost early, it foreshadowed a cold snap. Morning fog, according to legends, promised an early thaw, and the south wind - a mild and snowy winter. Frost on trees was considered a good sign for the future harvest of oats.
With autumn Kuzminka were associated with certain prohibitions. On this day, they tried not to quarrel with loved ones, not to gossip and not to refuse help to those who needed it. It was believed that conflicts can ruin relationships for a long time, and greed can cause financial difficulties.
It was also not recommended to spend the day alone and despondent, doing hard work unnecessarily and making rash large purchases. Cats were not driven out of the house because they believed that these animals protect the family well-being.
