Signs for Peter's day and what not to do

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Peter's Day, or the Day of Remembrance of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, is an everlasting church holiday in which folk signs and customs have become entrenched. Rites and fortune-telling on July 12 are associated with the end of the celebration of the Kupala days. We will tell you what not to do, and what it is advisable to devote to your leisure time on this day.

What holiday is it

This holiday was celebrated on a grand scale. On Peter's day, the season of summer weddings began. It is considered one of the most significant summer holidays:

• in church traditions, this is the Memorial Day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul;
• there is a belief that it is on this day in paradise that a place is being prepared for every believer, therefore, it is necessary to observe especially carefully what cannot be done;
• the apostles are highly revered among the people, because on the holiday you can give weather forecasts until autumn and determine the optimal time for working in the field;
• this is the milestone at which the "Kupala festivities" end, and at the same time the short summer Petrov Lent;
• in spite of the date, they began to harvest hay for livestock.

Before his conversion, Saint Peter was a fisherman, and his brother, Andrew, also became an apostle of Christ. Paul was originally wealthy, had Roman citizenship, and joined the Pharisees. But his mind was comprehended by enlightenment and from persecuting Christians he became their apostle.

The Apostle Peter was executed by Nero, sentencing him to crucifixion. He accepted the sentence with dignity, begging the executioners to hang him upside down on the cross, because he considered himself unworthy of death in the pose of the Lord. Paul, as a Roman citizen, could not be crucified, so he was beheaded with a sword on the Ostian road.

Both died on the same day - July 12. Therefore, they are revered on Peter's day, and the sons in the family were previously given paired names - the eldest was called Peter, and the youngest - Paul, or the twin boys who were born were called that.

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Signs for Petrov Day

Many signs were associated with the day of Peter and Paul, which, mainly, related to weather conditions. It was interesting to observe that cuckoos do not cuckle on this holiday, and if they start to cuckle the next day, then the summer will be dry and hot, and winter will come late and will not cause any special troubles.

Folk omens have always been distinguished by their accuracy and are still used by farmers to this day:

• triple rain on Petrov's day promised a rich harvest, but it could interfere with the beginning haymaking, a single morning rain was to bad harvest, and lunch, on the contrary, to the rich;
• there were signs by which it was precisely on this day that precipitation could be accurately predicted - flea dogs began to roll on the ground, beetles hummed, flying lower than usual, and toads croaked in hoarse voices;
• falling leaves are a sure sign of an early but rich autumn, with a good harvest of mushrooms, berries and nuts;
• By all indications, if there is no rain on July 12, this promises a prosperous year, especially if frogs croak loudly on water bodies, and the gnat does not eat livestock in the pastures.

On Peter's day, it was considered an especially good omen to drink from a forest spring - this way one could get health or heal from existing ailments.

But if an unmarried girl finds time and washes from three different fontanelle keys, she will be both healthy and beautiful, and even lucky enough to get a handsome and economic husband. Water on a holiday was considered special, it was called Petrova's water, but it was not stored for future use.

Customs

Many beliefs, magical actions and customs have not survived to our time, but even from the ones that have come down to us, you can see the importance attached by believers to the Day of Memory of Peter and Paul.

The celebration began at night - practical jokes and even some atrocities were practiced. But this was not encouraged by either secular or ecclesiastical authorities, and gradually Petrovkas quieted down.

They danced in circles, jumped over the fire, but they could also smear the gate with tar or set fire to the shed. On Peter's night, they swam in rivers and lakes, because they believed that mermaids and mermaids would sleep soundly for the holiday and would not be able to hurt them.

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Customs dictated a generous table in the evening, after haymaking, visiting and receiving guests. The only reservation: if Peter's day fell on Wednesday or Friday, the fast continued, there was no meat or dairy, but fish was served in abundance, because one of the apostles was a fisherman.

Other customs were also strictly observed:

• an indispensable morning attribute was a visit to the church - they prayed to the apostles for Peter and Paul, asked them for protection, a generous harvest, an abundant catch of fish, good weather;
• women bound their husbands' legs with red thread, pronouncing special words so that they would not leave the family;
• on Peter's day, they traditionally fumigated the stockyard with collected wormwood, and the men were responsible for tying bells so that livestock would be guarded by their ringing and would not be subject to forest scum;
• Another wonderful custom is to give a hand-embroidered scarf to your chosen one, so that he becomes yours, and to live your family life with him in prosperity, harmony and harmony.

There were also such customs. Girls who were not married were driven around the village in a cart. It was believed that a wreath with cornflowers, worn on the head of a girl who had sat too long, and such skating would help her finally find her half.

Or the past comic struggle, in which healthy men took part. To help their betrothed, the ladies read conspiracies at this time. They fought weakly, it was believed that this way you could throw out negative emotions and avoid enmity between neighbors.

What not to do

The day of the apostles Peter and Paul was traditionally considered suitable for flirting, courtship, flirting, and amicable agreements. But it is forbidden to play a wedding on this day. There are other strict instructions that cannot be done on Peter's day:

• to think about bad things, to be sad, to contemplate bad deeds and even more so to commit them;
• in no case should you lend money, things, food even to close people - it is believed that in this way happiness and material well-being leave the house;
• go to the forest without company, since the water evil sleeps soundly that night, but the forest evil does not sleep;
• there are fruits and vegetables that have been harvested this year. Such a violation on Peter's day, nature punishes with poor harvests and even a pestilence of cattle;
• to wash and do needlework, to clean the yard or in the house, to be engaged in a garden, a vegetable garden.

Some of the actions from the list of what not to do are of the same type for big church holidays - swearing, conflict, admitting bad thoughts and actions, and abuse alcohol. But they are especially significant for Peter and Paul.

Fortune telling on Peter's day

On this day, various magical conspiracies and divination are carried out, but fortune-telling has little in common with them. These are unsophisticated actions that do not require much effort:

1. Weaving birch branches into a braid with the recitation: "In the name of the Father and the Son." The braid was tied with a red ribbon. If after a while she blooms herself - the cherished wish made during weaving will come true. If the birch tree has not loosened the braid, you need to unravel it, because the answer to the request is negative.
2. And 12 flowers, collected in 12 fields, after pronouncing the words laid down for the occasion, could not only show the future betrothed, but also lure him to the girl. To do this, you can put the collected flowers under the pillow at night, but with other slander.
3. The ancestors were sure that it was on Peter's day that you could see a prophetic dream, if you put a plantain or a dandelion under your pillow, pray to the guardian angel.

Popular beliefs have survived to this day, but many magic spells, dark divination, the art of amulets are hopelessly lost. The Church considered it impermissible to turn to the dark forces on the day when the memory of the two apostles of Christ, who fell for the true faith, is commemorated.

Summarize

1. Peter and Paul, or Peter's day, is an enduring holiday associated with a specific calendar date - July 12.
2. On this day, the church celebrates the day of remembrance of the two apostles of Jesus Christ who died for their faith.
3. This is the first day after the end of Petrov's fast, and meat is not always eaten on it, but fish can be consumed.
4. Many folk beliefs, rituals and traditions are associated with it.
5. It is compulsory to visit the church on this day, preferably in the morning.