According to the folk calendar - Nettle spell

According to the folk calendar, the nettle spell is celebrated on July 11 (June 28, old style) The holiday is dedicated to honoring nettles and goes back to the distant past, when paganism flourished in Rus', and the people worshiped plants, animals, and natural phenomena Residents believed that the Nettle Spell was the last day of the year when nettle was full of healing properties; from the next day it brought significantly less benefits Traditionally, on this day, housewives prepared cabbage soup from nettle leaves The hot plant was also used as a filling in pies, its leaves were added to salads and hot dishes And it is no coincidence, because nettle contains many useful substances It was especially valued for vitamin C, which is so necessary to strengthen the body Fabrics were often woven from nettles The material turned out to be rough, but it was used to make bags, canvas, capes, blankets and rough clothing Cables and cords were made from the toughest fibers, and the remains were used to insulate homes, like tow Weavers at the Nettle Garden wove medicinal belts to help with back pain It was believed that nettle tissue disperses blood throughout the body and cleanses it Nettle was also used for medicinal purposes We used leaves, stems, roots and seeds of nettle Doctors prepared it in dry form and in the form of tinctures It helped with bleeding, colds, stomach and skin diseases, rheumatism, and menstrual irregularities Women used nettle infusions for beautiful hair and for acne People believed that nettle was a strong talisman against evil spirits Its branches were hung in rooms and hidden under the path at the threshold, as protection from evil spirits To remove damage or the evil eye from household members, the home was fumigated with smoke from its leaves They used a nettle broom to sweep the floors, thus driving out evil spirits On the Nettle Spell, residents lit a bathhouse and took a steam bath In the evening, guys and girls got together and walked all night They lit fires, talked, played, sang and danced It was the custom of young people to hide their faces under masks and try to recognize each other The bravest ones went in search of the Peter's Cross plant, because they believed that whoever found it and could pull it out of the ground with its rhizome intact would be able to find the treasure and open it without difficulty Noticing the silence in the forest during the Nettle Spread, the residents prepared for the impending rain Heavy rainfall was also foreshadowed by a magpie hiding under the roof The silent cuckoo announced the early onset of winter with frequent snow The influx of water in the wells promised inclement weather