According to the folk calendar - Erema - stay at home

On November 17, the holiday “Erema - stay at home” falls on the national calendar According to the strict style, it was celebrated on November 4th On this day, Orthodox Christians honor the memory of such holy martyrs as Nikander, Presbyter Hermey and Bishop Mirskaya They were followers of the Apostle Paul and converted many pagans to the Christian faith It is customary for people to stay at home during the holiday and not even go outside the fence Previously, it was believed that people who decided to leave their homes could encounter terrible troubles and even evil spirits The disciples of the Apostle Titus Hermei and Nikander began to preach the Word of God after he accepted them into the faith and ordained them as priests Titus himself was a follower of the Apostle Paul Hermey and Nikander with their sermons were able to convert many pagans to Christianity This did not please the mayor Livanius, who ordered the guards to seize them and force them to renounce their faith However, neither persuasion nor threats had any effect on the preachers, who were adamant Then Livanius decided to deal with the priests By his decree, the martyrs were subjected to terrible torture: they were dragged over stones, their bodies were torn apart with hooks, and they were burned in an oven Despite the unbearable pain, the men constantly prayed and asked God to help them overcome all the trials After this, the executioners drove nails into their heads and hearts, and then covered them with earth while still alive Almost every year on November 17th the weather was bad On this day our ancestors said: “Erema - stay at home” There was a popular belief that an evil spirit descended from heaven was walking the earth and trying to get into houses to get coal and fire Therefore, no one was given either fire or coal on this day in order to avoid misfortunes Empty houses where the doors did not close were especially attractive to evil spirits Fearing uninvited guests, people locked their homes with bolts and did not allow anyone outside the house The peasants were afraid to even step outside the door again and tried to do their homework Women cleaned the house and prepared food, and in the evening they did handicrafts: weaving and spinning In order to protect houses from evil spirits, the ancient Slavs carved sickles and crosses above windows or on shutters, which were considered strong amulets Shutters, which protected windows from drafts, also helped protect against evil spirits Several folk beliefs are associated with this folk holiday: 1 In order not to incur misfortune on yourself, you cannot lend or take anything out of the house on this day2 To protect the house from evil spirits, you need to draw crosses with chalk above the entrance doors and windows, and also lay out rowan bunches on the windowsill3 As protection against evil spirits, you can use horseshoes or old snake skins, which they shed during the molting period4 On this day you cannot schedule weddings, meet people or start any new business, everything will be useless5 If a wife wants her husband to stop drinking or going out, he needs to be kept at home on Eremin’s day, this will help him get on the right path6 It is better to remember dreams that occur on the night of November 17th They can tell you what to watch out for and what will help you achieve your goal On Eremin's Day, you need to pay attention to weather signs that will tell you when winter will begin and what it will be like: 1 Fog foreshadows a thaw, and frost on the grass and trees - a cold snap2 If ducks do not fly to warmer climes, it means the winter will be mild3 Heavy snowfall indicates that there will be a rich harvest of winter crops4 If there is a lot of snow for the holiday and it does not melt, then in the spring many snowdrops will bloom5 Wavy clouds in the sky foreshadow precipitation and cold weather6 Green dawn on Eremin's day - for clear weather7 Before the approaching snowfall, chickens pluck their feathers and cackle8 If white circles are visible around the sun, a snowstorm is approaching People born on November 17th have a strong and resilient character As a rule, they have a difficult fate and many difficulties along the path of life Hyacinth, which has magical properties and prolongs youth, is suitable for them as a talisman