For Orthodox people, the end of September is the time of the onset of the great holiday of the Shift (Ex altation of the Life-Giving, Holy Cross of the Lord). This is the twelfth holiday, which was established in memory of the fact that St. Helena found the very Cross on which Jesus Christ was once crucified.
Holiday Shift. Description and legends
In 326, according to legend, excavations were carried out at the site where Golgotha used to be. It was then that they found the cave of the Holy Sepulcher, and there were three crosses very close to it. It was possible to determine which cross belonged to Jesus thanks to a sick woman. The unfortunate woman touched one of them, and her illness immediately disappeared. It was a real miracle.
There is another legend that says that the deceased was carried past the crosses to carry out the burial ceremony, and his hand accidentally touched the cross. As soon as this happened, the deceased came to life, and so they were able to determine which cross belonged to the son of the Lord.
And the ruler started the search for the Holy CrossKonstantin. Before that, Jesus Christ appeared to him in a dream and said that if he depicts a cross on his flags, then victory will be his. After Constantine won the battle, he vowed that he would spread Christianity throughout the world as much as possible. In search of the place where Golgotha was, he sent Helen, who took a long time to reach the goal. After the cross was found, the ruler ordered to erect a temple with a piece of this cross. It has survived to this day and is considered one of the greatest shrines of Christianity.
History
Shift is a church holiday, it is considered the last day of Indian summer. As soon as the peasants finish celebrating, the cold sets in and autumn comes into its own, it is an integral part of nature. In the old days, it was believed that in honor of this holiday it was worth erecting a chapel or a church, so Orthodox people often built such buildings on September 27.
Besides, in ancient times in Russia, roadside crosses were erected on this holiday. This custom is still maintained, it is believed that the cross erected on the Orthodox holiday of the Shift shows people's gratitude to God for protecting them from evil and all misfortunes. In addition, in the future, he will protect the village from evil forces and inspired troubles.
Prayers
Shift is a church holiday, and at this time the Orthodox make crusades, because the legend says that such campaigns will help protect the people from misfortunes and troubles throughoutnext year. Those believers who had their own fields and lands walked around them, holding icons in their hands, saying prayers for the future harvest, so that it would be good.
For the he alth of sick people, they also pray on this day. It is believed that in honor of the holiday, the Lord will hear them and give forgiveness to the sick, depriving him of all ailments. This is connected with legends and beliefs about the healing power of the resurrection of the Life-Giving Cross. According to popular beliefs, on this day, prayer can even raise you from your deathbed.
The battle between good and evil
Lore also says that during the Shift there is a battle between two forces, good and evil. And when the confrontation is only gaining momentum, the dark forces begin to win. According to legend, the earth begins to shake, and the Holy Cross of the Lord appears from it, and good begins to overcome evil. It is believed that at this time the whole earth is flooded with heavenly light, cleansing it from evil spirits. The rays of light emanating from this cross burn the evil completely, saving the common people from the evil one. And everything that is righteous and pure wins victory. And every year this battle takes place as a sign of proof that all good will always defeat the dark forces. Many are interested in what date the Shift holiday is celebrated in order to know exactly when this eternal struggle takes place.
Partly this moment is mystified in some villages. So, there is a belief that on this night it is necessary to close basements and cellars. During the battle, the light drives all the evil spirits underground, and when the struggle is still ongoing, the dark forces cantake advantage of human structures and sit out the battle, then to climb out through them. Until now, in some villages, all places that can hide evil spirits from the bright light of the Cross are closed.
Cabbets
From ancient times, the holiday of the Shift has been popularly called cabbage girls. Virtually all the sayings of the time associated the cabbage with the Shift. This vegetable has always been held in high esteem among the common people, as evidenced by many proverbs and sayings of that time. Also, skits were called holidays that were arranged by young people in honor of the Shift. In ancient times in Russia, girls put on their brightest outfits and went around the neighbors, so to speak, chop cabbage. At the same time, they sang cheerful songs and had fun, and in the houses where they went, they were treated to beer, sweet honey and other dishes. To recreate old traditions, it is important for many to know what date the Shift holiday should be celebrated.
At the same time, all the young guys looked at the girls and looked for their future bride among them. Toward evening, when the cabbage ritual was already completed, it all turned into festivities and festivities. Often, after such events, weddings were played, and on Pokrov, in mid-October.
Shift - a holiday (what date it comes, they are still interested) is very important. Cabbage parties were held from the end of September until Pokrov. It is believed that Vozdvizhensky skits are exactly a girl's holiday. When the guys came together in the evening in search of brides, among the guests there was always someone who had already liked the girl. There is even a special conspiracy that marriageable girls read seven times on the Shift, so that the guy they like also appreciates the beauty of the chosen one.
Post
Although the Shift is the twelfth holiday, on this day you still need to observe a strict fast. As the old saying goes, no matter what day of the week the festival falls, there should be fast food all day. According to church charters, those who do not fast on this day will receive what they deserve - seven sins will be raised on them. The thing is that people fast in memory of the torment that Christ endured during the crucifixion.
But all the celebrations are dedicated to making people remember the finding of the Cross. Since the Shift (holiday) is still celebrated, what cannot be done during this period, many Orthodox people are interested. During the fast, it is forbidden to eat meat, fish, as well as any dairy products and eggs. Anyone who observes this fast can count on the forgiveness of all seven deadly sins.
Advice from the Apostle Paul
According to the clergy, the Apostle Paul called on the Orthodox to bear their Cross with humility. That is, to accept all grievances for Jesus, while not being surprised at the betrayal of the closest and dearest people, to calmly treat the troubles received from friends. At the same time, it is important to maintain humility, not wish them any harm in return, or death, and sincerely pray. It is necessary that the frankness of prayer be equivalent to how Christ prayed on the cross. That is, the Apostle urges everyone not to forget thateveryone deserves forgiveness, because he does not know what he is doing. This is the whole essence of the described holiday.
On the Shift (holiday) what cannot be done is to turn away from traditions, it is very important to find your own cross for each person. After all, we all, taking into account the rhythm of our lives, fill up personal crosses with garbage, and often they lie at the very bottom with us. We pollute our pure souls with everything that the evil one so graciously presents us, and therefore it is important for ourselves to understand what kind of cross we are bearing. Each of us fulfills his own special mission on earth, and we should not forget what it is. We need to open our souls to the world and do everything to fulfill our destiny. We must remember that the Lord helps us to carry our cross, and if we do his will, he always makes obstacles in our way easier.
Vigil
The churches have preserved an old tradition on the day of the Ex altation, which is called vigil and Liturgy. The difference from other festivities is that you need to serve all night. The culmination of this event is the moment when the priest, dressed in a purple robe, takes out the Cross. Everyone who prays in the temple must kiss the holy object, and then receive the anointing with holy oil. After that, the Cross is placed on the lectern, where it remains until the day the Shift is given - October 4.
Beliefs
According to popular beliefs, on this day one should not go to the forest, because it is on the Shift of the snake and other forest dwellers that they prepare for winter. It is believed that the Shift is a holiday, on the nightwhich Leshy counts all the inhabitants of the thicket, and it is better for an ordinary person not to see this. Thus, it turns out that night walks can be extremely dangerous. It is also not recommended that righteous believers begin significant deeds, since all of them will not be completed and will go to dust. As you can see, the Shift (holiday) is of considerable importance. Is it possible to work on this day? The answer is yes, because harvesting cabbage is also work.
To protect themselves from evil forces, in the old days, a cross was drawn on every door in the house. In addition, in order to save cattle from adversity, wooden crosses were placed in the manger. Those who did not prepare a special cross put two branches of mountain ash, crossed and fastened together.
Cleaning the house of negativity
In addition to celebrating and fasting, a very important moment on the Shift (a holiday that everyone used to celebrate) is the cleansing of the house from negativity and dark forces. To do this, from the old days in the church they buy three candles and put them together, setting them on fire. After that, they take holy water and sprinkle all the corners in the house with cross-shaped movements. At this moment, you need to read “Our Father” three times from the bottom of your heart, hoping that the Lord will help cleanse the house of adversity and evil.
Signs
There are a huge number of signs regarding this holiday. Basically, they are connected with the vital affairs of the people. There are signs related to the harvesting of cabbage for the winter, indicating that a good owner will definitely have a cabbage pie that day. It's all about the old timesindeed, everyone harvested this vegetable for the winter precisely on the Shift, so there are so many traditions for this holiday.
There are also signs that relate to hiking in the forest and snakes. They are mainly designed to warn people against rash decisions. The shift is a holiday containing many warnings. After all, snakes that are looking for a place to sleep are quite aggressive, they can harm a random traveler.
Also, signs call for closing all doors in houses so that snakes and other insects do not get into the house for the winter.
And the last part of the signs refers to the impending cold. The erection is directly related to the end of the Indian summer, and after it frosts begin at night. Therefore, signs warn people that it is worth dressing warmer in the mornings and evenings so as not to catch a cold.
