How many different holidays brighten up our everyday life! Among them there are Orthodox ones - given to us by the Holy Church, there are political ones - sent down to us from the offices of state power, and there are, to be honest, pagan ones, or rather, their modern interpretation. But it happens that in some holiday traits of modernity and archaism, Christianity and idolatry are suddenly revealed. Usually such holidays are called folk. This article will tell about one such holiday. This is the holiday of Warm Alexei. It is celebrated on March 30.
Whose name is this holiday
At the turn of the 4th and 5th centuries, in Rome, in a pious but childless family, after long prayers, a son was born. His parents named him Alexis. From the age of six, the child studies diligently and comprehends not only literacy, but also church dispensation. It fills all his thoughts. When, at the right age, parents try to marry Alexy, he, having married the bride, immediately leaves her and, seizing his property, goes to Syria.
Life in Edessa and homecoming
In the city of Edessa, the monk offers prayersin front of the famous miraculous image of Jesus Christ, which the Savior sent to the sick Abgar. From that day on, he begins the life of a holy fool. Having sold everything that was with him, he distributes money to the poor, he himself lives on alms received on the porch of the temple of the Virgin. This is how Alexy spends seventeen years, strengthening himself in humility. All his time is filled with prayers and pleasing God. The glory of his holy life becomes the property of others.
Not wanting to be the center of everyone's attention, Alexy leaves Edessa and, unrecognized by anyone, returns to Rome, to his father's house. The years spent in voluntary poverty have changed his appearance so much that neither the father nor the household members know who is in front of them. Here, living in the position of a simple hanger-on, he is subjected to all sorts of humiliations and insults, but he accepts them as sent down by the Lord to strengthen his humility and gentleness.
Having lived like this for another seventeen years, the reverend completes his earthly journey. Before his death, he sets out the story of his life on paper. On this day, during the liturgy in the temple, the Lord reveals to all those present, including the bishop and the emperor, the whole holiness of Alexy's life. The deceased is honored, and a precious ark is prepared for his relics. So the Christian Church acquires a new saint - Alexy, the man of God.
What does the holiday Warm Alexey mean
In the minds of the people, this saint has become the personification of God's reward for humility, for the uncomplaining transfer of hardships and hardships. The future bliss will be the crown of suffering - this is the truth,which his image carries. That is why the holiday of Warm Alexei is loved by the people, because spring, when it comes, is also a kind of reward for the hardships of winter.
Modern people, especially city dwellers, surrounded by the achievements of civilization, it is difficult to imagine everything that winter brought with it to our ancestors in the vast expanses of Russia. Often in winter it was necessary to literally survive in a hut covered with snow up to the very roof, under the howling of wolves and the lowing of hungry cattle - hay was not always enough until the first grass. So they rejoiced at the end of the torment.
The calendar does not indicate the Orthodox holiday - Warm Alex. Among the church holidays it is not. This is easy to verify. By the way, neither the Catholics nor the Protestants abroad have the church holiday Warm Alexei either. On this day, we commemorate the man of God Alexy at the liturgy. Note that even the name is pronounced a little differently, but the people never forgot about it.
Customs on this holiday
It was not supposed to work that day - it was possible to offend the spring. In Russia, especially in the northern part, spring has always been a touchy lady. A little something is wrong, and it will be flooded with rain tears for whole weeks, but the peasants need to go out into the field with a plow, and drive the cattle out onto the first grass - so it’s better not to be angry. The peasants tried to dress in a festive way, and on this day their congratulations on the holiday of Warm Alexei were heard everywhere.
Exceptionwas done only for those who kept bees. On this day, it was customary to bring beehives to the apiary after a long winter. This was accompanied by a certain magical ritual. So that in the summer the bee swarm did not leave its hive and did not fly away, there was a sure remedy. It was necessary to dig out a small piece of turf, encircle it around the apiary three times and say: “As this turf (according to the folk - turf) will remain in this place, so will my bees remain in the hive.” They say it helped.
Goose feasts for the holiday
Even on the holiday of Warm Alexei, it was not supposed to ride a sleigh. The sign was true: you ride - and there will be no rapid melting of snow. Yes, in fact, it was already out of hand to go - the winter path under the rays of the sun turned into continuous rivers. Sitting at home, celebrating. They arranged goose feasts. Congratulations on the holiday of Warm Alexei were accepted by both the owners and the geese. The last, however, was assigned the role of roast.
Those who could not sit at home on this spring day went to collect the first birch sap. It could be drunk in its pure form, and honey-birch broth could be prepared. It was something like a sting. Modern housewives can easily cook it. To do this, take 150 grams of honey and the same amount of sugar. Knead them in a liter of birch sap and cook for 20 minutes. Then add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and ginger. After boiling for five minutes, remove from heat and strain. The resulting drink is not only tasty, but also gives strength. But spices were often added only by those that they could find in theirvillage shops. Not a single holiday of Warm Alexei could do without such a treat.
Sayings and signs related to the holiday
Of course, the national holiday could not but be reflected in folklore. There are many different sayings associated with it. Let us recall at least: “Alexey - pour a jug from each snowdrift”, “Water from the mountains on Alexei, and I will stop the fish,” and so on. In addition, life experience helped to guess forecasts for the future in natural phenomena. From here, folk omens for the holiday Warm Alexei were born. For example, they said that if it was warm on that day, then the spring would be early and warm, the abundance of streams determined how widely the rivers would soon overflow, and much more.
Marriage signs and customs on this day
And another interesting fact. Warm Alexei is a holiday whose signs predicted not only the weather, but also changes in his personal life. For example, it was believed that if a girl gives a shirt to a beggar for a holiday, then this is a sure sign of an imminent marriage.
So for the cherished day, many girls secretly prepared gifts for the poor. It was possible to determine even the appearance of your betrothed by holiday signs. To do this, it was enough to come to the garden on the eve of the holiday and, closing your eyes, break out a willow branch. If it turns out to be long and even, the future husband will be just a feast for the eyes, tall and slender. Well, if the branch turns out to be short and crooked, it’s her own fault, there’s no one to blame.
The successfully broken branch was not thrown away, but carried to be blessed inchurch. After that, she could bewitch the desired groom. You had to either touch him with a branch right in the church, or, even more reliable, throw pieces of a branch into his water or put it under his pillow.
Pre-Christian culture and Orthodoxy
Of course, in all this there is a clear mixture of paganism and Christianity, but in general - touching and poetic. This spring day brought joy to people, and that is why we say that Warm Alexey is a holiday. Signs, customs and beliefs are an organic part of him, and without them he would have lost his charm.
When we talk about returning to our spiritual foundations, then, of course, first of all we have in mind the Orthodox culture, the thousand-year baggage of which we have largely lost over the past decades. Orthodoxy is the basis of our morality and moral purity. But it would be a serious mistake to cross out and forget those deep layers of culture that were created by our ancient ancestors. They are also our roots.
