As the Bible says, in one Jerusalem family, the wife of Anna and her husband Joachim could not conceive a child. Their family was Orthodox, they asked God for a daughter or a son for a long time. One day, a miracle happened, God had mercy, and Anna finally became pregnant. Before her long-awaited pregnancy, Joachim had a vision: he saw the archangel Gabriel. The archangel warned the future father that soon he and his wife would have a daughter, and that her name was Mary. Mary will have to grant salvation to the whole world.
When the Mother of God was born, in the fourth year of her birth, the parents gave the girl a minister in the temple, as the Archangel Gabriel bequeathed to them. Mary served the Lord, did not commit sins and atrocities, and was chosen by Him for the birth of the Son of God. After the birth of Jesus Christ, Mary prayed until the end of her days for all people and asked the Lord to have mercy on them. The image of the Mother of God is the embodiment of purity and a bright soul.
What can you do
Since the Nativity of the Virgin is a church celebration and does not imply the observance of Lent, on this day it is not forbidden to eat any food, have fun and rest. Many are interested in whether it is possible to play a wedding on this holiday. The answer is yes. Moreover, the Mother of God is considered the patroness of the hearth and women's happiness. If the wedding falls on September 21, this will be an additional amulet to create a strong union.
Be sure to pray on the feast of the Virgin for the health of children and mothers. If there is no child in the house yet, and difficulties arise with conception, be sure to ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to help. Mary will hear calls for help and help solve difficulties. You can go to church and light a candle for the whole family in order to live in health and tranquility.
What not to do
On the birthday of the Mother of God, it is prohibited:
- swear and swear with loved ones, yell at children;
- abuse alcohol;
- be rude and offend parents, old people;
- do hard work.
If beggars or lepers ask for alms, you need to give them some money. Refusal can threaten a woman with infertility or setbacks in family life.
Signs and traditions
Since in Russia all church holidays were intertwined with Slavic ones, the onset of the autumn season - Osenins - was celebrated at the Birth of the Virgin. Most of the harvest has already been harvested from the fields and thanked the Lord and nature for it. Always asked for a warm snowy winter and early spring.
In the morning the women went to wash to the streams and rivers before sunrise and there they met Osenina. They brought kissels, food products to the reservoirs, tried in every possible way to appease Mother Nature.
For young girls, this time fell on gatherings. The future grooms were called to the gatherings, they were given tea with treats, and the guys wooed.
On the birthday of the Mother of God, they tried to burn all the trash in the house. It was believed that this removes the evil eye.
There were many signs about Osenina. All of them are mainly associated with the onset of autumn and preparation for winter. Here are some:
- if the weather is warm, the winter will also be good;
- onions day - dig up all the onions from the ground;
- you need to bury a fly or midge in the ground - insects will not bite;
- if there is dew on the grass, then frost is approaching;
- if the stars are not visible in the sky, the winter will be cold;
- if the wind blows on this day, then there will be little snow in the winter.
How to celebrate
The birth of the Virgin is an excellent occasion to bring the whole family together at a round table. Parents, grandparents, children are invited to their place for lunch or dinner. The young family invites all relatives to visit. The hostesses cook pies and prepare various dishes.
If the meeting with relatives took place in a warm atmosphere, then life will be cloudless and happy. Crumbs from the table are not thrown away, but given to birds or animals.
The birth of the Savior marks the beginning of a new period in life, so if there are candles in the house, you can illuminate the corners so that all litigation will go away. In the absence of candles, light a splinter and extinguish it, then light it again. Such a rite assumes that the difficulties are in the past, and only a successful future lies ahead.
What can you cook
The first step is to bake bread. If possible, use oatmeal for cooking, but if it is not available, then regular flour will do. Guests and households are treated to fresh bread. The remains of the bread are dried on crackers and stored at home. If someone close to them is sick or morally depressed, they give him a crouton and lighted water. The patient will definitely recover.
The Orthodox holiday Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos means a great triumph of faith and the appearance to the World of the Mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Lord. Her appearance on the Light of God was a miracle, as well as the Immaculate Conception that revealed the Savior to the World.
Celebration history
But in the Russian Orthodox Church there is a widespread version, which was universally adhered to by St. Demetrius of Rostov, that Her birth of God happened in Nazareth, where her parents Joachim and Anna lived.
Birth of the Virgin
So ... To the north of Jerusalem, in the mountainous region near the Ezdrelon Valley, lay the small town of Nazareth. This city, like its inhabitants, was not famous for anything significant, therefore, among the Jews there was an opinion that nothing good could come from Nazareth.
But a married couple lived in this town, it was their God who chose to be the parents of the Mother of the Savior of the World. A native of the royal family and the daughter of the high priest, Joachim and Anna, were wealthy people, had wealth, servants and households. But this did not prevent them from reverently treating each other, leading a God-fearing life, and showing deeds of mercy. For these qualities, the townspeople loved the pious Christian family very much.
Other holidays of Christmas:
But the spouses were very depressed by the absence of children, moreover, in those days it was a sign of God's punishment (anger). But the spouses did not grumble, they constantly begged for the gift of joy in life in the form of a long-awaited baby, although in their advanced years the birth of a child, in principle, was no longer possible.
The virgin and her parents
Angel's message
Once Joachim retired into the wilderness in order to pray earnestly and keep a strict fast. The righteous wife, admitting the guilt of the mischief, grieved greatly and began to pray even more fervently to God for the gift of a child. And then a miracle happened - the Angel of the Lord descended from Heaven and announced to her that the Creator had heard the prayer and that conception would soon take place, from which a daughter, blessed, above all earthly daughters, would be born in the family, and ordered to give her the name Mary.
The same Angel appeared to Joachim. He announced to him the imminent birth of his daughter. In response, the righteous husband promised that if it happens that Anna will give birth to a daughter, he will certainly give her to the service of God.
The righteous went to Jerusalem, where Anna was waiting for him at the golden gates, and together they returned to Nazareth. And after the expiration of the gestation period, the woman gave birth to a daughter, whom her parents named Mary, as the Angel ordered.
Joachim arranged a grand feast, to which many people were summoned. During the feast, the father raised his Daughter and asked the priests to bless her.
Nativity of the Virgin. Fresco by Giotto
The meaning of the holiday
It was at a time when the world was experiencing a severe decline in moral values and there was a great need for the revival of faith that the Blessed Virgin was born. It was She who was chosen by the Creator to be the most worthy of those worthy in order to be the Mother of God and to reveal to the world in the image of the human nature of the son of God.
About other feasts of the Mother of God:
The birth of Mary brought the earthly world closer to the Kingdom of God, to the knowledge of the truth and eternal life in Christ. And the Mother of God herself was destined to be the merciful Intercessor of Orthodox Christians.
How the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin is celebrated
Since the 6th century, believers rush to churches, where solemn services are performed. People praise God and the day when the Lord gave the world in the form of the Most Pure Virgin hope for the coming of the Savior into the world.
The hostesses baked bread with the letters "R" and "B", which meant "The Nativity of the Mother of God." They were distributed to all family members, relatives, friends, and kept under the icon of Jesus Christ, until the day of His Nativity. It was believed that by eating a piece of this bread with prayer, it is possible to recover from all kinds of ailments.
In the Holy Land, Jerusalem and Nazareth on these holidays become the center of pilgrimage. A huge stream of believers flows to the shrines associated with the earthly life of the Queen of Heaven. People especially tend to visit the source of the Virgin Mary and the Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin in Nazareth, the Greek Church of the Nativity of the Virgin in Jerusalem. According to Tradition, it was built on the site where the house of Mary's parents used to stand.
On this day, Heaven hears all the prayers of Orthodox Christians, therefore it is necessary to repent of sins, thank the Creator and prayerfully ask for the fulfillment of what is asked.
An important point! On the day of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, you must not consume alcoholic beverages, meat and non-fast foods. It's a fast day! Physical work is prohibited, taboo on quarrels, condemnation. It is necessary to maintain spiritual purity, perform virtue, help in word and deed.
Icon "Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary"
Holiday customs: what you can and should do on this day
- The Nativity of the Virgin in the world is considered a women's holiday, when every lady should be honored as the continuer of the family.
- Childless women attend the festive divine service, after which they arrange a dinner and invite the poor to the table, so that after eating they pray for the hostess who dreams of gifting a baby. It is believed that the prayers of the Mother of God for the gift of children, ascended on the very day of Her Christmas, have special power.
- Previously, this Feast of the Theotokos was considered the beginning of the new year. It was customary to light a torch and not extinguish it even at night. When the first one burned out, the next was kindled from it, and so on. In modern times, some believers adhere to this tradition: they constantly, day and night, have a lamp at their icons.
- The day of the Nativity of the Virgin began the countdown of matchmaking: from that day matchmakers were sent to the homes of unmarried girls. On this day, it is just as good to play a wedding - the family will always be under the Protection of the Queen of Heaven.
- From ancient times to the present day, there is a tradition: women went to the reservoir early in the morning. It is believed that if a girl or woman washes her face before sunrise, then the beauty of her face will be preserved until old age. Of course, there is something pagan about it, but there is no harm whatsoever.
- From the week of Christmas, the housewives removed the onions from the beds, and before it began, it was necessary to remove all other crops from the fields. The villagers sowed the fields with rye, and the beekeepers prepared the hives for wintering.
Folk omens
September 21 is the day of the autumnal equinox. From this date, daylight hours gradually decrease, while the night, on the contrary, becomes longer. By the weather, people determined what the coming autumn and winter would be like.
- Birds rise up into the sky - autumn will not come soon. If flocks of birds huddle to the ground and look for food, then a harsh and hungry winter should be expected.
- A clear sun on the Mother of God means the continuation of autumn and the preservation of heat until October.
- The morning sky is starry, clear - to the imminent onset of frost.
- Fog at Christmas is a harbinger of rain. If it dissipates quickly, an alternation of rainy and clear weather should be expected.
- Rain from early morning - bad weather for another 40 days and cold winter.
- Dew on the Mother of God means that frost will fall in a month.
- Dew dries quickly - by a winter with little snow, but if it dries for a long time, before lunchtime, then a lot of snow should be expected.
- Wind on September 21 - to the winter with little snow and windy.
- In the morning the weather is nice and warm, and after lunch it has become frosty - you should expect a harsh, cold winter.
- Bright and warm sun - to frequent thaws in cold winters.
The world famous Saint Andrew of Crete (Jerusalem), Christian theologian, preacher and author of spiritual hymns, called the Nativity of the Mother of God "The beginning of all holidays."
Indeed, the birth of the Virgin Mary, the Bride of the Bride, prepared for the incarnation of the Son of God into the earthly world, His sermon, the Sacrifice of the Savior and the great Miracle of the Resurrection.
Watch a video about the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos Our Lady Mary is celebrated annually on September 21 (new Art.) And has 1 day of the pre-celebration and 4 days after the celebration. It is important to know and remember about this date, about the named holiday for any Orthodox Christian who believes with his heart, respects traditions and pays due tribute to the history of Christianity. One of the central holidays of Christianity is celebrated all over the world and has its own characteristic history and traditions.
The history of the bright Feast of the Most Holy Theotokos
From year to year, the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated on September 21, this date is fixed, and 2018 was no exception. Therefore, everyone has the opportunity to prepare in advance for the holiday and going to church. Letting go of grievances, repenting of evil thoughts, opening your heart and soul to spiritual cleansing and filling with Divine joy and peace - this must be done by everyone who believes in the truth.
The history of the holiday begins its course from the time when the Virgin Mary was born. According to legend, the parents of the Virgin Mary were Anna and Joachim, who lived in Nazareth at that time. Anna and Joachim were people of rare kindness, endowed with a deep awareness of the need for a sense of mercy and humility, sincere desires to help others with their deeds or words.
Despite the countless deeds of Anna and Joachim, they increasingly became objects of condemnation and, to some extent, gloating, because the Lord did not give Anna and Joachim a child. At that time it was believed that in this case, Anna and Joachim would not be granted the kingdom of heaven. For a long time they prayed for the mercy of God, asked for a child, but continued to do good deeds, helping those who needed it.
At a rather old age, Joachim wanted to indulge in the sacrifice, but the priest opposed this, indicating that the child would retreat. Then, upset, Joachim withdrew into the wilderness. There he prayed incessantly, repented of his sins, and asked God to send a child. His wife Anna also indulged in constant prayers and requests for mercy on her soul and the gift of a child. After a long period of time, the angels descended from heaven brought the news of the imminent birth of the firstborn. Then Joachim, pacified and filled with happiness, returned home.
In prayers to God, Joachim promised to give the born child into the service of the heavenly father. Joachim kept his word, the baby at an early age was given to serve in the temple. The name of the girl was chosen by the angels - Mary is translated from Hebrew as "savior".
The girl grew unusually quickly and soon blossomed as a meek girl, modest and humble. Mary loved to embroider and pray to God for the salvation of the soul and the gift of the kingdom of heaven, which she was taught in the temple.
Remarkable is the fact that the exact date of the birth of the Virgin Mary remained shrouded in mystery, which have not yet been solved. September 21 was chosen as the date when night equals day.
Having become a young girl, Maria was faced with a choice - to get married, or to remain single. She chose the latter, but Mary was never alone, she was with God. She made her heavenly father vow to be innocent. Therefore, after a while, an elderly man became her husband, who believed in God and kept Mary from earthly misfortunes. And later, the Lord chose Mary to become the mother of the son of God Jesus Christ.
The date of September 21 is fixed according to the new style. Since 1245, the date has remained unchanged. However, Catholics celebrate the holiday on September 8th.
The meaning of the holy day of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin
The Holy Virgin Mary is revered as the founder of the Christian faith and a symbol of the salvation of the whole world. The scriptures describe Mary as a very humble, merciful and compassionate girl, therefore observance of customs and rituals is especially important on the day of Mary's birth.
The feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on September 21, 2018 will surely bring joy and harmony to the heart of every believer. On this day, cherished desires may come true, which are akin to a miracle for us. But on this day, everyone can wait for the fulfillment of this miracle, as Joachim and Anna once waited for their miracle.
On this day, Orthodox believers pray to the Holy Mother of God and thank for everything that happened to them, good and bad over the past year, pray for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the opportunity to live in the image and likeness of the Mother of God. On this day, a person can really experience a spiritual rebirth. To do this, you need to prepare for the holiday - to let go of all insults, to repent of sins, evil thoughts, ask the Lord to cleanse the soul and heart from all defilement and open the spiritual principle for rebirth.
Rites for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Going to church on September 21, you need to light a candle to the Theotokos in thanksgiving for her good deeds and the salvation of your soul, after which you need to read prayers for loved ones. The candle can also be lit at home, which will herald the emergence of joy and happiness.
Many go to the cemetery on this day, then you should take something with you for everyone in need. This is how the Lord our heavenly father commanded - not sparing himself to help all those who suffer, then in return God will help. It was believed that good people always had better harvests, but today, probably, those who sincerely help those in need are better off in any business. It is especially important to help poor women in order not to become sterile. But in the latter, it is not the fact of help itself that is more important, but rather a sincere and kind intention.
On the festive table on September 21, 2018, you need to cook oatmeal cookies. You can also make pies with mushroom or fish fillings. This day falls on fasting, but fish is allowed to eat. It is recommended to refrain from fatty, dairy and protein foods, preferring simple, modest foods.
During the holiday, you can go on a visit, taking treats with you. Together with relatives and friends, the prayer to the Holy Virgin Mary will have an even greater impact.
Before the holiday comes, you need to put things in order in the house. Perform general cleaning, wash and iron all linen. So that your home for Christmas is also cleansed of all the negativity that has accumulated over the year. On the day of the holiday, you can put shoes of autumn colors at home.
In ancient times, people baked special bread, which would be enough for the whole family on the day of the Holiday. Certainly, part of the loaves had to be given to the needy. And one piece had to be put under the icon of the Holy Mother of God until the next Christmas.
Folk omens for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
On this day, September 21, young girls got up earlier in order to find the calculation close to the water, which was supposed to speed up the marriage. And already married women also washed themselves with water from the river in the early morning, which, according to custom, could prolong their beauty.
On that day, birds were usually watched, and if the latter soared low above the ground, then the winters promised to be severe and cold. But if it is high, then on the contrary - the whole year will be warm.
If it rains on September 21, the wet weather will continue for a long time. And the appearance of morning dew portends a cold snap. After the holiday, the weather becomes consistently cloudy and cold.
Today, to some extent, popular beliefs are losing their relevance, since modernity gives preference to forecasters from Google. But still, September 21, 2018 is approaching and all the signs can be checked.
Starting from the evening of September 20, 2018, services dedicated to the Mother of God will begin in the churches and will continue the whole next day on September 21. To receive the protection and patronage of the Most Holy Theotokos, you need to follow the commandments of God, be a pure soul and kind in heart, show mercy and compassion. Each year according to the church calendar begins with Christmas and ends with the Assumption. September 21, 2018 is the time to start a new spiritual life.
Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. Icon / http://hram-kupina.ru
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary: what not to do
According to tradition, on this day it is strictly forbidden:
- any housework, even food is prepared the day before - read more in our material - an exception is made only for urgent matters: caring for children and pets, etc.;
- quarrel, shout and wish evil - especially to close people;
- sweep crumbs from the festive table to the floor - they are given to pets.
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary: fasting
There are such weather-related signs for the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos:
- if the weather on that day turns out to be good, then the autumn will be nice too;
- if it rains, it will pour for another 40 days, and wait for autumn damp and rainy, plus winter will be cold.
- if there is fog in the morning, then wait for rainy weather, but if the fog quickly disperses, then the weather will be changeable;
- if the sun dries dew quickly in the morning, don't expect a lot of snow in winter.
On Friday, September 21, all Orthodox believers celebrate the Nativity of the Most Holy Lady of our Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary
This twentieth non-passing Feast of the Mother of God is celebrated as one of the great holidays, it is considered the day of the beginning of the Russian state, as indicated on the monument to the Millennium of Russia, erected in Novgorod in 1862, during the reign of Emperor Alexander I.
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary: history
When the time drew near for the Savior of the world to be born, in the Galilean city of Nazareth lived a descendant of King David Joachim with his wife Anna, pious people known not for their royal origin, but for their humility and mercy. Their whole life was imbued with love for God. They distributed most of their money to the poor, fed and watered the poor, often visited synagogues, which they decorated at their own expense. They lived to a ripe old age, and did not have children, this made them very upset. At that time, every Jew hoped through his offspring to be a participant in the kingdom of the Messiah, and if there were no children, this was considered a great punishment from God for sins.
One day, on a great feast, Joachim went to the temple to offer a sacrifice. The priest, having learned that Joachim was childless, did not allow him to do this. The Jews who were here began to laugh at him and insult him. The incident so saddened Joachim that he did not want to return home, but went into the desert, where his flocks were grazing. Here, in prayers to God, he made a promise until then not to eat, not drink and not return home until God hears his prayers.
Anna, his wife, stayed at home. Hearing about what had happened, she began to pray even more fervently to God and promised to give the child to the service of the Lord, if He pleases to hear their prayer. During this prayer, an Angel appeared to her and said: "Your prayer has been heard, the Lord will send you a daughter, whom you will call Mary." At the same time, an Angel appeared to Joachim and announced the same good news.
For patience, great faith and love for God and for each other, the Lord sent Joachim and Anna this great joy - at the end of their life they had a daughter. At the direction of the Angel, her parents gave her the name Mary, which means in Hebrew "Lady, Hope." The birth of Mary brought joy not only to her parents, but to all people, because she was intended by God to be the Mother of the Son of God, the Savior of the world. The parents kept their Most Holy Daughter as the apple of their eye and not only loved as a daughter, but also honored, remembering what the Angel said about her. When She was three years old, they brought Mary to the temple, and, according to the promise, dedicated to God. This event is celebrated under the title Introduction to the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos on December 4 (November 21, Old Style).
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary: traditions
At any service, the Most Pure Virgin Mary is praised, who has been honored to be the Mother of our Savior Jesus Christ, and Her parents, Saints Joachim and Anna, are mentioned. Righteous Joachim and Anna, according to popular belief, are the main helpers in marital sterility, they are called the Godfathers.
The service in the temple begins before sunrise, all the women light candles and leave notes with requests near the icon. During the service, they sincerely pray and ask for health to children and loved ones, harmony in family relationships, well-being in the family, cure for ailments and the gift of the opportunity to give birth to a healthy child.
Also on this day, it was customary to help the poor by distributing food to them (bread and pastries baked in advance, different types of cereals, vegetables and fruits grown by our own hands).
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary: traditions
There are many signs associated with this day, which are passed down from generation to generation:
Before the holiday, the Orthodox tried to harvest the entire crop and end the agricultural season;
Our ancestors noticed that if a woman has time to bathe before the first rays of the sun, then her beauty until old age;
On the day of the Nativity of the Virgin, unmarried girls read prayers for a future happy family life, for the birth of healthy first-born children and glorified the Most Holy Theotokos;
The newlyweds invited their relatives to visit: the young wife tried to surprise them with her culinary abilities, and her husband - by running the house, in particular - showed the relatives the animals raised in the courtyard for a year.
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017: what not to do on this holiday
On the day of the Nativity of the Virgin, the following actions cannot be performed:
swear or quarrel with family, friends and strangers;
work hard, you need to allow yourself a rest on this day;
throw away the crumbs after eating (they must be left to the animals);
call someone bad words, or use obscene and evil words.
Customs and traditions of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
It has long been considered that this is a holiday for all women and mothers. On this day, they thank the Most Holy Theotokos for the possibility of procreation, for the birth of Her Son of God.
What prayer to read before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos?
Celebrating the Birth of the Virgin Mary is gratitude to God for salvation and the opportunity to get rid of sin. Believers, putting on their festive clothes, go to church to sing praises to the Lord, to thank Him, to pray to the Mother of God, to put a candle to Her. You can contact her on this day with your troubles, requests, worries. The appeals to Her on this holiday will be heard. However, the Mother of God on other days never ignores those who pray to Her, rejoicing that people turn to her. In front of the icon, prayers are read, asking not only for themselves, but also for others.
Prayer to the Mother of God:
“O Most Holy Theotokos! Look with mercy on the prayers of us, your sinful and humble servants, and pray to God your Son, that He may grant us and all those who flow to You, mental and physical health and all that is needed for eternal and temporary life, may he forgive us every free sin and involuntary; may he deliver us from all sorrows and diseases, and misfortunes, and all evil of the situation. To her, our Abiding Tsarina, our indestructible Hope and invincible Intercessor! Turn not Thy face away from us, for the multitude of our sins; but stretch out to us the hand of Thy motherly mercy and create with us a sign for good. Show us Thy rich help and success in every good deed; turn us away from every sinful undertaking and the evil providence, so that I may take out Thy Holy Name and worship Thy honest image, and magnify God the Father, and His Only Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit with all the saints, forever and ever. Amen"
Make a wish in front of the icon of the Mother of God. How to ask the Theotokos for welfare for your family and yourself?
Women asked the Mother of God for welfare for their home and family members. They put candles for Her, the bottom of which was wrapped in advance with sheets of paper with written wishes. When the candle burned, they looked at which edge would be the first to be burned - the desire written there would come true. The completely burnt paper meant that the Mother of God heard all the requests. The best gift for the Most Holy Theotokos is the faith of people, the purity of their souls, the ability to love.
Bread from all diseases for the Nativity of the Virgin
Housewives on this holiday bake bread with the first letters of its name - "Nativity of the Virgin" for each member of the family. They were kept until the Nativity of Christ under the images. When one of the family members fell ill, he was given bread with holy water, which is consecrated on the feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God. Sometimes, for treatment, they were crushed into holy water and given to drink.
What can you eat for the feast of the birth of the Virgin?
This day falls on fasting, but you can eat fish on the holiday. The prepared dishes were treated to loved ones and necessarily beggars. Women should give alms in the form of food and money so that God can give them children and family welfare. He punishes women who buy alms with sterility.
Tables are laid generously on this day. It is believed that this is gratitude to nature for giving a rich harvest. They bake pies with different fillings, set the table with gifts of the earth. The holiday is celebrated for a long time - from several days to two weeks, depending on whether the harvest was rich or poor.
Is it possible to marry on the Nativity of the Virgin?
The apiary owners removed the hives from them so that the bees would not freeze. Sugar was poured into them for nutrition.
Onion week begins with the holiday. The vegetables were removed from the fields and gardens, and the girls began to gather time. Young people came to them, brought refreshments, sang songs.
The wedding season begins with this holiday. All summer affairs are done, you can devote time to the celebration. Nature begins a new round of her life, which means it's time to start a family.
How to ask the Mother of God for the conception and birth of a child?
On the Nativity of the Mother of God, the childless turn to Her with prayer, asking for the onset of pregnancy, easy childbirth, and the birth of a healthy baby. They read the following prayer near Her image:
Prayer to the Mother of God for the birth of a baby:
“Oh, Most Pure and Most Blessed Virgin, requested from God by holy prayers, dedicated to God, beloved by God, and purity for the sake of the soul and body of Thy Mother of the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, chosen. Who will not please You or who will not sing Your glorious Christmas, for Your Birth is the beginning of our salvation. Accept from us, unworthy ones, your praise and do not reject our prayer. We confess Your greatness, we fall to You in affection, and we ask the child-loving and benevolent Mother, who is quick in intercession, to ask Thy Son and our God to give us sinners, sincere repentance and a pious life, so that the opportunity to live is pleasing to God and it is useful for our souls. O Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of heaven and earth, look mercifully on Your servants who have not yet been able to give birth to offspring and by Your omnipotent intercession sent down to them healing from barrenness. O Mother of God and Nourishing of our life, wake us to help and save the faithful children of the Holy Church, hear our prayers, heal the sick, quench sorrow, direct courage for good. In the same way, we humbly resort to You and ask: ask us from the All-Merciful Lord God forgiveness of all our sins, voluntary and involuntary, to our suffering fatherland of salvation, peace, silence and piety. And all that is so necessary for our life and salvation, ask for us from Thy Son, Christ our God. You are our hope in the hour of death, grant us a Christian end, and the inheritance of the eternal and ineffable blessings of the Kingdom of Heaven. With all the saints we tirelessly ask you for intercession and glorify the one True God, worshiped in the Holy Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen"
Or a prayer like this:
Prayer to the Virgin Mary for the birth of a baby:
"O My Most Holy Lady Theotokos, my unshakable hope, accept these prayers with great hope and faith in Your immeasurable mercy, exalted, have mercy on the servant of God (name) and grant me healing from my infertility and the opportunity to conceive a child from my husband."
How to charge your home with good luck and prosperity next year?
The Nativity of the Virgin is celebrated hospitably. It is customary to visit friends and relatives.
A young family invites parents to visit, treats them to goodies, boasts about their household. Not only parents come - the house is visited by grandfathers, grandmothers, elders. The young hostess should please the guests with a delicious pie, cooked with her own hands. If the dish turns out to be tasty, she is presented with a gift. If not, give instructions, advice on how to become a good housewife. At the table, old people tell young people about signs and rituals. If a couple fulfills them and listens to the recommendations of the older generation, their life is friendly and cloudless. The crumbs left over from the eaten pie are scattered around the barn so that the cattle does not get sick, is not destroyed by wandering animals, and the crop is not spoiled by birds.
You definitely need to visit your parents. They go to them in the evening, not empty-handed, but with delicious treats. So that the couple is not afraid of a bad eye, the wife ties a braid with embroidered letters "P" and "B" on the clothes. If she untied her clothes, untied, this is a sign of envy from others.
It is believed that a new life begins from the birth of the Mother of God. To make the year successful and successful, the fire was renewed in the old days. Everyone in the hut had a torch that always burned. On the Nativity of the Mother of God, it was extinguished and then re-lit. It was believed that this would help to leave behind sorrows and illnesses, and to take only good health and joy into a new life.
Rite of passage to protect children from disease and misfortune
In the old days, people kindled fires and burned worn-out shoes and clothes in them. This protected them from damage, disease and adversity. It was customary to douse children with water when they crossed the threshold.
On this day, the Second Autumn and the autumn equinox are celebrated. The holiday is associated with the entry of autumn into its own rights. From early in the morning, women go to the reservoirs to meet Osenina. They took food with them - jelly, oat bread. Autumn trees are dedicated to gratitude to nature for the harvest. In order not to lose their beauty to the very gray hair, women washed themselves before the sun rose. The girls did this so that the groom would marry. The two holidays merge into one, although they have different origins.
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