According to the folk calendar - Apple Spas

Orthodox Christians celebrate the Apple Savior, or Transfiguration of the Lord, on August 19 Contrary to popular belief, apples have nothing to do with this holiday The key word in its name is Spas, short for “savior” Translated from Greek, the name Jesus means “savior” Why did apples appear in the name of one of the most beloved holidays among Christians? The fact is that many Christian traditions, over time, supplanted the pagan beliefs of people - this also happened with the holidays In ancient pre-Christian times, the Greeks celebrated a festival dedicated to the goddess of fertility and love on this summer day By this time, the harvest was just ripening in the fields and gardens, and first of all, people collected sweet, aromatic grapes, from which they later made wine Heavy ripe grapes were brought as a gift to the goddess of fertility to thank her for a successful year with a generous harvest Over time, the Greeks adopted Christianity, forgetting about pagan holidays, but on this August day they continued to collect and consecrate grapes - but in Orthodox churches In Rus', they borrowed this tradition from the Greeks, only the grapes were replaced with a fruit more familiar to us - apples This is how the Savior of the Transfiguration of the Lord became “apple-shaped” In addition, this holiday intersects with the prayer service of thanks given by Orthodox Christians in honor of the Almighty giving us “the fruits of the earth” And yet, the main event that gave rise to the glorious holiday has nothing to do with fertility or the harvest It was on August 19, about two thousand years ago, that the Transfiguration of Christ happened before John, James and Peter - his three disciples On this day, Jesus first appeared before people in his true Divine essence This event, called the Transfiguration of the Lord, took place on Mount Tabor During the common prayer of Christ with his disciples, the heavens suddenly lit up with a bright light, and the Old Testament prophets, Elijah and Moses, descended to the earth in a white radiance They told Jesus about the upcoming trials, about the exodus in Jerusalem, about death on the Cross, the future Resurrection and about the atoning sacrifice that he had to make to save humanity It is this great event that we celebrate on August 19th There are many popular sayings associated with this Christian holiday One of them says: “Apple Savior has come - summer has left us” Indeed, on this day one could already feel the first faint breath of the approaching autumn In addition to sayings, there are many folk signs that are closely related to the celebration of the Apple Savior:• By the weather on this day you can judge what the middle of autumn will be like• If the fruit in the garden has rotted before the onset of the Apple Savior, it means that the next year will be difficult and full tests• If a child ran into the house on this day, complaining of a bee sting, it means that guests should be expected soon• If you help people on the day of the Honey Savior and appease them, then they will help you throughout the year• So that a cherished wish came true, you need to eat an apple blessed in church on the day of the holiday, washing it down with honey• On the day of the Apple Savior, it was customary to distribute small money to the poor - it was believed that such an act promised wealth and prosperity to the giver There were also some prohibitions associated with the holiday: • It was believed that on this day one should rest and not work It was forbidden to even pick up handicrafts• On the Feast of the Apple Savior, it was forbidden to swim in reservoirs• Eating apples on such a day was allowed only after they were consecrated in the temple• It was forbidden to quarrel on the day of this holiday and provoke conflicts• You cannot go to the bathhouse on such a day , it is strictly forbidden to wash your hair• Insects on the day of the Apple Savior cannot be driven away or killed• When praying on this day, you should definitely remember all your deceased relatives• Since the Assumption Fast comes with the Honey Savior, on the day of the holiday you should minimize consumption of animal products