Paraskeva-Gryaznukha against general cleaning: why October 27 is a mess in the apartment - to money

The hermit who became a “baby saint”: who is Paraskeva

In the Christian tradition, on October 27, the Monk Paraskeva of Serbia is venerated - an ascetic maiden of the XI century, who was born in a rich family, but gave all her property to the poor and went to live in the desert for the sake of prayer.

However, in Russia, the canonical image of the saint miraculously intertwined with the pre-Christian cult of the Slavic goddess Makoshi. As a result, Paraskeva Friday (her name is literally translated from Greek as “Friday”) turned into the main “holy grandmother” – a formidable but fair defender of women, marriage and weaving.

According to popular beliefs, Paraskeva walks the earth in the form of a exhausted woman, dotted with the needles of those negligent mistresses who dared to sew or spin on forbidden days.

The Great Cleaning Ban: Why You Can't Clean on October 27

The main bans of this day are centered around women's labor, water and hygiene. Women were strictly forbidden to wash clothes, wash floors and even comb their hair: it was believed that together with water and sludge you can wash out of the house all the well-being.

Handicrafts fell under a special ban: sewing, knitting and spinning were postponed in a far corner, so as not to "rescue the saint's eyes.".

Another severe taboo was about fun: our ancestors believed that someone who laughs a lot and laughs loudly at Dirty will shed bitter tears in old age. So we keep on our faces a slight mysterious smile or a harsh Siberian equanimity.

Porridge with butter and prayers for the betrothed: the main traditions of the day

As for traditions, Paraskeva Friday has always been considered the patroness of mothers, pregnant women and the family hearth. On this day, future mothers prayed for an easy birth, and young girls tried to appease the saint in order to quickly meet the betrothed.

The main culinary ritual of the day was the preparation of porridge from the new harvest, which was necessarily filled with fresh oil - this was to guarantee a full winter.

Men on this day were recommended to check the box, repair carts and prepare sleds, but without unnecessary noise and fuss, adjusting to the general contemplative rhythm of the holiday.

Natural informer: what will tell the dirt about the next winter

In conclusion, it is worth paying attention to natural signs, which on October 27 work as a free synoptic informer.

If there is such slurry on the roads on Paraskeva that the horse trail is immediately poured with water, then exactly four weeks remain until real winter and stable snow.

The abundance of mud on this day also promised abundant rains the following spring and, as a result, an excellent harvest of grain.

But if the sky at night is covered with dense clouds and the stars are not visible at all, then November promises to be mild and without extreme Siberian frosts.