According to the folk calendar - Martyn Lisogon

On April 27 (old style – April 14) according to the folk calendar, Martyn Lisogon is celebrated The name of the holiday is borrowed from the name of the Pope of Rome - St Martin I, whose memory is celebrated in Orthodox churches on this day Martin held the rank of Pope in the 7th century It was during the years of his office that the Monothelite heresy arose on the part of the Roman ruler and Patriarch of Constantinople, according to which the Savior had one will Martin tried to dispute this statement, but for this he was defrocked and exiled to Chersonesos There the saint died of illness His relics were transported years later to Constantinople, and then to Rome People called Martin's day Foxgon, and this name was associated with the unusual behavior of foxes By this day, the foxes exchanged old holes for new ones in order to get rid of parasites before the appearance of the fox cubs When digging a new hole, foxes fell into a state of night blindness, so they could be caught even with bare hands Therefore, the men went into the forest to hunt foxes Their fur was used to make fur coats or hats Foxes were not particularly taken into account, because they were seen only as a pest: foxes often snuck into the chicken coop and stole the birds Sometimes Martin's day was called the Raven Festival - the day of honoring the raven The people's attitude towards the raven was twofold On the one hand, he was represented as a wise bird, a protector of the economy, and they even prepared a treat for the crow in the form of porridge On the other hand, the black screamer was associated with the forerunner of trouble or death Unmarried girls especially rejoiced at Martyn Lisogon's day, since the time for matchmaking and bridesmaids began Matchmakers were sent to the parents of a suitable bride, and if the matchmaking was successful, the groom's parents came to the bride to evaluate the girl's strengths and weaknesses Residents believed that the betrothal to Martyn Lisogon foreshadowed the newlyweds' easy life together In the more southern regions of the country, peasants actively cultivated the land If the soil dried out from the melted snow, they began to sow wheat, barley or rye There was plenty of work in the fields in the spring days, so the residents worked from dawn until dark By the signs of Martyn Lisogon, residents recognized the future If it rained, cultivation of the land in the following days was predicted to be easier Sunny and calm weather promised good harvests The sky, dotted with white and dark gray clouds, meant the arrival of rain