August is a fertile time for harvesting, in the folk calendar three holidays are associated with this period at once - three Spas: Honey Spas is always celebrated on August 14, Apple Spas on August 19, the third Spas - Walnut - is celebrated on August 29.
The Slavic word "Spas" (Savior) is one of the theological names of Jesus Christ. Orthodox these days celebrate other events that have nothing to do with the harvest.
Honey Spas
Honey Spas is also called First Spas, Spas on the Water, Poppy Spas, Poppy.
The Honey Savior is called due to the fact that the honeycombs in the hives are usually already filled by this time, and the beekeepers begin to collect honey. It was believed that if the beekeeper "does not break the honeycomb", then the neighboring bees will pull out all the honey. According to tradition, from that day it was allowed to eat honey, having previously consecrated it in the church.
On the First Spas, "woman's sins" are prayed for: it is believed that women are forgiven all their unforgiving sins.
"Savior on the Water" honey Savior is called in honor of the small blessing of water. Earlier in Russia, wells were consecrated and cleaned on this day, and they also made a procession to bless the water. After the procession, they bathed in this water and bathed livestock in order to wash away sin and be healthier.
Our ancestors considered this day to be the last stretch of summer: it is waning, the water is “blooming”, the birds are silent, the bees do not wear fees, the rooks gather in flocks and prepare to fly away. That is why there was a custom on the Honey Savior to bring to the church for consecration a part of almost all stocks of the agricultural harvest. As a rule, women did it.
According to folk tradition, on Honey Spas, housewives baked lean cookies from wheat dough, pouring thick honey mixed with crushed poppy seeds on top. In addition, shortcakes were prepared from honey and poppy seeds - the famous poppy seeds.
Apple Spas
Orthodox Christians celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord in honor of the fact that on this day the disciples learned that Jesus Christ is the son of God.
In folk tradition, on the Second, or Apple Spas, apples are consecrated - the most common fruit in Russia, as well as other fruits of the new harvest, which are just beginning to ripen. It is believed that apples of the new crop cannot be eaten before this date.
By the way, bringing the fruits of the first harvest to the church is a custom that dates back to Old Testament times. However, it is believed that these gifts are of secondary importance, just believers in this way symbolically express gratitude to the Creator. The main expression of gratitude, from the point of view of the church, should be repentance and prayer.
According to beliefs, after consecration, apples acquire some magical power, and if you make a wish by biting off the first piece, then it will certainly come true.
According to popular beliefs, the Apple Savior (also called the "first autumn") means the onset of autumn and the transformation of nature. It is generally accepted that the nights after the Savior become colder.
There are also many "meteorological" signs associated with this day: what is the second Savior, such is January; a dry day on Apple Savior portends a dry autumn, a rainy day - a wet one, and a clear one - a harsh winter.
Walnut Spas
On the Third Savior, the church celebrates the transfer from Edessa to Constantinople of the Image of Jesus Christ Not Made by Hands, which took place in 944.
According to legend, the prince of Edessa, Avgar, fell ill with leprosy. He was treated for quite a long time, but all to no avail, until he heard about a miracle worker from Palestine. It was Jesus Christ. The prince sent a messenger to him. Christ, after washing, wiped his face with a towel, on which his face was imprinted. The messenger took this towel to the prince, and only one touch to this towel eased the suffering of the patient, and then healed him.
The towel (ubrus) of Christ became a banner on the gate tower of Edessa, as it saved the lord. Thus, the custom was born to protect the gate towers of Christian cities with images of Christ, icons of the Savior (Savior). Therefore, the gate tower of the Moscow Kremlin is called Spasskaya.
Among the people, this Savior has several names at once. First of all, Walnut. The fact is that by this day nuts (hazel) just ripen in the forest and their mass collection begins. In the same period, the work on harvesting bread is coming to an end. Hence the second name - Khlebny Spas.
On this day, it was customary to bake pies from the flour of the new crop, as well as to sow winter rye: "The Third Savior has stored up bread."
The people celebrated this day as a day of thanksgiving to the Lord for their daily bread.
Another popular name for the Third Savior - Canvas (Savior on canvas) - was given because fairs took place on this holiday, where canvases and canvases were sold. It was believed that on this day you need to buy at least something, otherwise you will spend the whole year in poverty.
The main dish of the holiday, of course, is the consecrated bread of the new harvest, as well as nuts.
The uncomplicated "nut" fortune-telling was traditional on August 29th. The girls made a wish, chose a nut and broke it. If the nut fruit was full and tasty, it meant success and that everything planned would come true. And vice versa, when a nut came across empty, black, dry and tasteless, then the desire was not destined to come true.
Many folk signs are associated with the Nut Savior. So, it was believed that if the cranes flew away, then there would be frost on Pokrov. But thunderous August is a harbinger of a long warm autumn.
There is also an interesting superstition that every witch prepares a magic wand for Nut Spas. The people said that magic wands were made from hazel, which on this day is filled with special power.
And ordinary people made bath brooms from walnut on this day. It was believed that such a broom would help cure any disease, even the most severe, but they could not be dried and stored next to brooms tied from the branches of other trees.
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In the last month of summer, three especially revered and beloved holidays are held at once. The traditions of the August Spas originated in ancient times and are observed every year.
Three summer Spas were originally devoted to harvesting, and after the adoption of Christianity, they were timed to coincide with church celebrations. Therefore, each Savior - Honey, Apple and Walnut - corresponds to one of the Orthodox holidays called to glorify the Savior, which explains the origin of the name. The series of Spas combined Christian and folk customs, which for several centuries intertwined and became inseparable from each other. Ancient traditions are revered to this day.
Honey Spas in 2017
Honey Savior is celebrated every year on the same day - August 14th. The Church on this date celebrates the Origin of the honest trees of the Life-Giving Cross. The word "origin" in this case has an unusual meaning - it means "exodus", "removal". The fact is that the holiday originated in Constantinople several centuries ago and was dedicated to the removal from the royal treasury of a piece of the cross on which the Savior was crucified. At that time, epidemics of serious illnesses raged, and believers, relying on Divine help, kissed the Cross. And today, the culmination of the church service is the removal of the Cross to the center of the temple, so that every believer can touch the shrine. Also this day is the beginning of the Dormition fast.
In the folk calendar, this holiday is dedicated to the collection of honey. It is believed that it is at this time that the cells are filled to the maximum. The collected delicacy is certainly consecrated in the church, and the housewives on a holiday try to cook as many dishes as possible with honey. They don’t forget about poppies either: in some localities, Honey Spas is called Makovei, because the poppy ripens on this day, and August 14 is the day of memory of the holy martyrs of Maccabees, whose name in the popular mind is identified with the name of the plant.
Apple Spas in 2017
The second August Spas falls on August 19th. Believers on this day celebrate the Transfiguration of the Lord - a great Christian holiday dedicated to the memory of the appearance of the divine essence of the Savior. According to the gospel story, during prayer, together with the disciples, Christ was lit up with an unearthly light, and the voice of the Lord was heard from Heaven, announcing that this was His Son.
On Apple Spas, they began to say goodbye to summer and prepare for autumn. Until that moment, apples were not usually eaten: this was considered a bad omen, and the fruits did not have the same taste properties that they acquired by August 19. On this day, it was customary to consecrate apples and everything that the earth bestowed in the church.
According to tradition, on this day they prepared lenten dishes from apples, they began to make preparations for the winter. Young girls performed a small ritual on the holiday - they asked the apple tree for beauty, blush and long youth.
Nut Spas in 2017
Nut Savior is celebrated on August 29, the day after the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin. The Third Spas marks the final transition from summer to autumn: at this time, the August field work was completed and winter crops were sown. On August 29, for the first time, bread was baked from a new grain crop, which is why the holiday is also called the “Bread Savior”. By this time, the hazelnuts, which were collected and consecrated during the church service, were finally ripening. According to the weather, they guessed what autumn would be like, so many signs and traditions of the Nut Savior were born.
Looking at the church calendar for 2017, you will not miss the dates of important celebrations. May good luck accompany you in all your affairs.
950 years ago, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky established the celebration of three great Spas - Honey, Apple and Walnut. Since then, Orthodox Christians celebrate these holidays every year.
Apples on the table, honey in a jar, fresh bread right there, hot pies, hazelnuts ... All this is nothing but symbols of the beautiful Spas. The holidays of the Savior are special, because they are named in honor of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Savior is another name for Jesus Christ. It is not often that there are sources that call Jesus by this name. But the Honey, Apple and Nut Spas, which in 2017 will be celebrated in August, originated precisely from one of the names of the Savior.
Every year, the Orthodox Church celebrates three Spas - Honey, Apple and Walnut. These holidays are non-transferable, that is, from year to year they are celebrated on the same dates.
The Orthodox Honey Savior will be celebrated on August 14, 2017. This is the first of three Spasov. He is also called the Savior on the Water and Makovei. It is believed that Honey Spas is the end of summer. From this day, preparations for the winter begin. One of the products that is customary to harvest for future use is honey.
On August 14, you need to go to the temple for a service, as well as in order to consecrate fresh honey. After the honey has been consecrated in the temple, it can be eaten.
The Second Spas is Apple. It is also called the Middle or Great. As usual, in 2017, the Orthodox will celebrate the Apple Savior on August 19. On this day, fresh harvest apples are consecrated in temples. After which they are allowed to eat.
According to tradition, festivities are organized on this day, a variety of treats are prepared from apples. Apple cakes are served to poor people.
Third Savior - Nut .. Nut Savior is not celebrated by the people as widely as Honey or Apple. This is probably due to the fact that it falls on the peak of the harvest.
On Nut Spas it is also customary to go to church. Freshly harvested nuts and dishes prepared using them are consecrated on this day. On this day, Christians thank God for a rich harvest. It is customary to leave part of the consecrated dishes in the church, and the rest, bringing home, is eaten at a festive family dinner.
The tradition of celebrating the Honey, Apple and Walnut Spas in August originated in antiquity and has survived to this day.
Each of the three Saviors has its own traditions. One of the traditions is to prepare dishes for the holidays using symbolic products. On Honey Spas, dishes are prepared using honey. On Apple Savior they prepare pastries with apples. And on Nut Savior, nuts are certainly added to the dishes.
Like any church holiday, Honey, Apple and Walnut Spas must be met with a pure soul!
In the first half of August, Spasovki or Spas begin, it is during this period that three Spas take place, that the names of these holidays are given in honor of Jesus Christ the Savior (Savior).
Honey Savior correlates with the Orthodox holiday of the Origin of the honest trees of the Life-Giving Cross. Honey Spas - the first Spas, it begins on August 14, the second Apple - on August 19, and the third Nut - on August 29.
Previously, it was on this day that our ancestors began to collect honey from apiaries, the honeycombs in the hives are usually already filled by this time. Then everyone gathered at the reservoirs, ate honey, sang songs and generally spent time together. Also, be sure to bake products with poppy seeds.
It was believed that if the beekeeper did not pull out the honeycombs, then the neighboring bees would pull out all the honey. The beekeepers were very superstitious and carefully approached the harvest, having a whole rite.
Honey Spas is also called Makovey, which is why pancakes are baked with both poppy seeds and honey. This day is called Makovei in honor of the memory of the seven Old Testament martyrs Maccabees, who died in 166 BC. e. Their martyrdom is described in the Bible in the Second and Fourth Books of Maccabees, which are not included in the biblical canon. However, among the people, the etymology of the holiday was rethought and associated with poppy, which just ripens by mid-August.
People consecrated the so-called "poppy flowers" in the church. This is a bouquet of thyme, marigolds, rue, mint, cornflowers, marigolds and other garden flowers. Heads of sunflowers and poppies were added to it. On this day, solemn services are held in the temples. Priests perform a rite of small blessing of water and bless the baskets with the gifts of nature, which are brought by believers.
On the day of Makovey, young people danced round dances with songs, with playful round dances. The girls showered the boys with poppies.
It was believed that on Makovey, all sins are forgiven a woman if she asks her guardian angel about it.
Summer ends on Honey Spas, so on August 14 you can’t swim, just like on Ilyin’s day, as you can drown or get sick. For logical reasons, the nights were already getting cool, so the water began to "bloom", which could cause various diseases.
On this day, a strict Assumption fast begins, so you need to follow the rules of nutrition.
You can’t speak loudly on Makovei, celebrate noisily, as the bees react badly (and on the same day they collected honey).
You can’t quarrel, swear or wish anyone harm on Makovei, otherwise the negative will return like a boomerang.
What to put in a basket for consecration on Honey Spas
Each product carries a symbolic meaning, the sacred meaning of which is important to know.
According to tradition, honey or honeycombs (as a symbol of prosperity in the house), bread (a symbol of home and family), horseradish (a symbol of perseverance in faith), salt (a symbol of readiness for life), various pastries with honey are placed in the Spasov basket.
Also, do not forget about the amulet-makoveychik!
According to folk tradition, on this day poppy amulets are consecrated - bouquets of flowers and herbs. The makoveychik must include:
- viburnum - a symbol of beauty and femininity;
- sunflower - a symbol of hope and faith;
- marigolds and Chernobrivtsy - a symbol of health;
- mint is a symbol of peace of mind and peace;
- wormwood is a symbol of reconciliation;
- poppy heads are a symbol of fertility.
Candles can supplement the basket (bring matches with you), fragrant greens (mint, thyme, Chernobrivtsi). Living greenery symbolizes joy and faith in immortal life.
And the most important thing on this bright day, remember, Savior, first of all, is a holiday of the soul.
Like every year, in 2017 August will send us holidays along with natural gifts: August 14, 2017 - Honey Spas, August 19 - Apple Spas, August 29 - Walnut Spas.
Honey Spas (Poppy Spas, First Spas)- one of the favorite summer holidays of the Eastern Slavs and marks the beginning of the Assumption Lent, lasting two weeks. It is always celebrated on August 14th.
The First Savior is interesting in that several events are celebrated on this day, hence the several names of the holiday: Day of the Seven Holy Martyrs Maccabees, Savior on the Water, Honey Feast, Bee Feast, Maccobeus.
history of the holiday
This day in the history of the Orthodox Church - the Feast of the Origin of the Honest Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord - was first established in the 9th century in Constantinople. Since August is the hottest month of the year, infectious diseases are especially activated during this period, people tried to touch the Cross on which Christ was crucified, drink holy water and, thus, receive healing.
Hence the folk origin of the meaning of the word “saved” - from “to be saved”, that is, to save oneself, to survive by eating something, namely: honey, apples, bread. On this day, the Dormition Fast begins, which is not inferior in religious significance and lasts two weeks.
In addition, on August 14 they also salute the seven Old Testament martyrs of Maccabees, who suffered for their faith and were martyred. Their teacher, the ninety-year-old elder Eleazar, was not afraid to resist the desecration of the Jerusalem temple by the statue of Zeus and died in agony. Their teacher was supported by the seven Maccabee brothers and their mother Solomonia, who also followed to eternal life in the Kingdom of God.
It is said that the Maccobeian holiday got its name because of the consonance with the poppy, which ripens at this time, and the surname of the seven martyrs and their mother.
Another event that took place in 1164 is mentioned by the Church. This is the victory of Andrei Bogolyubsky over the Bulgarians, which became possible due to the fact that the prince, a deeply religious person, ordered two clergymen to bring the icon of the Queen of Heaven from Kyiv in front of his army. The Bulgarians were defeated, and, according to legend, huge fiery rays came from the icon. In memory of the victory and the miracle, with the blessing of the church authorities, a feast was established for the All-Merciful Savior and the Most Holy Theotokos.
How to celebrate Honey Spas in 2017
August 14 - start. As in all years, water, poppy, flowers, and various green potions are consecrated on this day, which became a talisman in the house. Bouquets of flowers from marigolds, dahlias, asters, carnations, periwinkle and various herbs, in which ripe poppy heads are required, are popularly called “poppy seeds”. Each flower in such a composition has its own meaning. After their consecration, they remained behind the icons until spring and then scattered around the garden.
During the Dormition Fast, moderate consumption of lenten food and drink is recommended in order to strengthen both the physical and spiritual nature of a person. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday of fasting, they eat dry food, that is, bread, water, and dried vegetables.
Boiled food, without oil, is only allowed on Tuesday and Thursday. On Saturday and Sunday, wine and oil are permitted by the Church. It is recommended to use fresh vegetables and fruits of the new harvest, therefore the Assumption Fast is considered the most acceptable and light, since the basis of the diet includes new potatoes, mushrooms, fresh vegetables and fruits.
From the very morning, believers try not to eat anything until they drink holy water.
Traditions and rituals of the Honey Savior
The First Spas marks the ripening of the first fruits - honey and poppy. The beekeepers, signing the sign of the cross over the beehive, began to harvest, honey was allowed to be eaten only after it was consecrated in the church. Also, honey consecrated in the church was distributed to all the needy and hungry. On this day, it was recommended to sanctify the water (reservoir), in which people dipped, then cattle, in order to be healthier and cleaner.
Mistresses on Honey Spas cooked pancakes with honey, baked rolls, bread with poppy seeds, and there was a belief that the first spoonful of honey consecrated in the church had its magical meaning - whoever ate it made a wish that would come true. In addition, on this day, women diligently begged for forgiveness in the church, since it was believed that it was on the Honey Savior that all sins were forgiven.
With Makovey, the farewell to summer began, and from that day on, no one bathed. Many signs related to the Honey Savior have come down to us. Among them:
- On the first Savior, holy wells, bathe horses in the river, pinch peas, prepare a threshing floor, plow under winter.
- The first Savior has everything in store - rain, sun, and wind.
- The crane flies away to Spas.
- Poppies are harvested on Maccabees.
- Rain on Maccabee - there are few fires.
- Poppy for baking needs to be collected exactly on August 14, then it will have medicinal properties.
- Even a beggar will try honey for honey.
- On the first Savior, holy wells.
- Collect the poppy for the poppy.
- At first, holy wells saved, holy wreaths of bread.
