According to the folk calendar - Zosima Pchelnik

Zosima the Pchelnik is celebrated on April 30 (April 17, old style) according to the folk calendar Zosima holiday is named after Saint Zosima of Solovetsky, revered by Orthodox Christians on this day The history of Zosima began in the 15th century in the Novgorod region in the village of Tolvue After the death of his parents, he distributed property to the poor, and he himself took monastic vows The monk met the Monk Savvaty and went with him to the Solovetsky Islands There they created a monastery, which later became the Solovetsky Monastery, and Zosima became its abbot The saint lived to old age, and after his death his relics were transferred to the Transfiguration Cathedral One day, Zosima and Savvaty traveled to Athos (modern Greece), and on the way back they brought home a queen bee, thus marking the beginning of beekeeping in Rus' Since then, saints have been considered the patrons of the bee swarm That’s why people called the day Zosima the Beekeeper On Zosima Pchelnik, beekeepers (as well as on Pudov Day - April 28) removed the hives from the omshaniks and checked the safety of the swarm after wintering If the weather was favorable, the bees were released to fly around In case of cold weather, their release was delayed, but the bees were fed with sugar syrup so that the insects gained strength after the winter Among beekeepers there was a ritual with beehives They were taken out into the fresh air, and a table was placed in the middle of the apiary, covered with a tablecloth and salt and freshly baked bread were laid out on it The owners lit a candle, consecrated in the temple, and walked around the hives with it, reading a prayer to the patron saints for the successful growth of the bee colony and a large collection of honey Then the hives were sprinkled with holy water, and the honeycombs were taken to the temple for consecration Also on this day you should try a spoonful of honey People used honey in tea, in baking, and in Christmas kutya It was also considered an important ingredient in the production of mead, mash, and beer In addition, honey, propolis and pollen collected by bees were used as medicine People loved bees and believed that bees do not sting good people On Zosima Pchelnik the peasants watched their flight If a bee landed on a flowering tree, it foreshadowed its increased fertility If the bees passed any plant, then there was no harvest expected from it