The culture of the peoples of Russia is the most interesting. Wedding rituals and traditions in Rus'

How in the old days they escorted you to military service.

In the old days, men served as soldiers for 25 years. Since there was no railway at that time, conscripted soldiers had to walk to and fro. To do this they had to walk for long weeks. Moreover, those who became soldiers were soon forgotten about in the village, and were not given land upon their return. Therefore, at that time there were also deserters who evaded conscription, who hid and lived in the forests located close to the village. Such people were called "Tarkans". For a long time, those conscripted into the army were escorted with all honors. They were invited to visit, they gave scarves, etc. The future soldier sang a pre-departure song for military service with his friends and peers, waving a bunch of numerous scarves and walked along all the streets of the village. Relatives and neighbors invited the future soldier and his friends to their house and seated him at a pre-prepared table with gifts. The owners treated everyone to beer, and hung an embroidered towel on the soldier’s shoulder. At the same time, everyone read a prayer, turning to God with the words: “May God protect you and bring you home safe and sound!” Those who left home for 25 years to become soldiers were escorted off as if they were going to their death. Relatives prepared food and supplies for the journey in a special bag. Somewhat later, in some places the soldiers who had already returned home began to be recognized as respected people. If such people started families and had children, then in the church during registration and baptism they indicated “Father-Soldier Ivan.” Many of these customs of sending off to the army are still preserved in the village. For example, someone leaving for the army sings a pre-departure song with his friends, walking through the streets of the village and waving a bunch of scarves. Relatives and friends invite him to their home and bless him for military service, and at the same time they hang an embroidered towel on his shoulder.

How they greeted us when we met.

This custom is described in a handwritten book as follows: “previously, decent people respected each other, bowed to each other when they met, and exchanged good words. Poor people and rich people were equal in this regard: they bowed publicly or without strangers. The people, somewhat intoxicated, when they walked along the street, reaching the courtyard of some Ivan or Peter, shouted, for example, hello to Ivan or Peter, or bread and salt to Ivan, Peter. These words were like respect to these people. The younger ones said hello first.” Nowadays, these customs are observed mainly by older people. When they meet each other, they shake hands, bow, take off their headdress, wishing each other health.

Religious rituals.

Before the adoption of the Orthodox faith in our village, the villagers did not pray to God, but observed religious rituals similar to the Old Believers. For example, in the book by Andrei Mikhailovich, the rituals of the Old Believers in our village are described as follows: “The Old Believers performed rituals in the place where the water mill was located. At that time, and even now, there is the so-called “Ivan Mountain”. People here gathered at a certain time and prayed, and after that they dined from a common large cauldron. Everyone brought cups and spoons for themselves. In addition, the peasants prayed every day, leaving the house, in the yard, bowing towards the barn to an unknown god.” Such rituals were called "Kiremet". After accepting Orthodoxy, all village residents regularly attended churches and prayed. At the same time, they observed all Orthodox rituals, baptized newborns and got married only in churches. There was no church in our village, and there is none now. Therefore, the villagers went to the church in the village of Vysokovka, which still exists today. The village of Vysokovka is located in the northwest of our village.

How young people got married.

IN winter time women and young girls were spinning wool on homemade wooden looms. Such classes took place not only in huts, but also in warm black baths after washing the family. Despite the miserable lifestyle, young girls got married. At the same time, the matchmaking ritual was always observed. For matchmaking, the groom invited his closest relatives to the bride's house. The groom's parents took an embroidered towel, a loaf of bread, a keg of beer and a circle of homemade cheese. They were symbols of abundance and prosperity future family. During matchmaking, the parents agreed on the timing of the wedding, what ransom the groom had to pay for the bride, and which relative should be chosen as the father. Grooms, as a rule, rode out for the bride on good horses, like real cavalrymen on saddles. At the moment when the bride left her father’s house, the groom “treated” her with a whip 3 times. From that moment on, she was allegedly the groom's wife. This also meant that from that moment on, the bride's father handed her over to the groom. There were often cases when brides were abducted by force, and then the parents locked the bride and groom in a barn for the night. After that, they already went to the church for the wedding. After the wedding took place, as Andrei Mikhailovich writes in his book, according to custom, they did not have the right to divorce. Whether they loved each other or not, they were supposed to live their lives only together. Currently, some customs have been preserved: matchmaking and wedding rituals.

How thieves were punished.

In his book “Reflections Alone,” Andrei Mikhailovich writes how in our village in the old days thieves were punished: “at a time when village houses were built without the designation and concept of “street,” - totam, in another place, far from each other, everything this was beneficial for swindlers and bandits. Come in, take it, kill it - no one hears. The Tsar's gendarmes were then too far from the village. For this reason, barns were built with the doors facing the hut, and richer people built two-story barns. Moreover, less valuable things were stored on the lower floor, and more valuable ones on the upper floor. Only 1-2 families were richer in our village. Such families covered the roofs of their houses and barns with wooden planks, and later even with sheet iron. At the beginning of the construction of the village in our area there were many crooks who stole not only food Agriculture, but even women and animals. However, when houses began to be built at close distances from each other, according to the “street” principle, it became more difficult for swindlers to more openly steal agricultural products and small animals. Therefore, they began to steal horses not only while they were in the pasture, but also when they were kept in the farmyards of peasants. In 1910, the cost of one working horse reached 30-40 rubles, which amounted to 70-80 pounds of rye, which was very profitable for robbers and thieves. At that time, if a peasant was left without a horse, it almost meant the death of the family. There is nowhere to work, there are no enterprises around where one could earn money, the peasant has nothing to sell to support his family. Even if there was a good equipment, a barn for keeping a horse, the swindlers managed to kidnap horses, dragging them through the storage shed, using logs, thick boards and ropes for this. However, if local residents catch such thieves, they will have no mercy. In 1913, an unknown person, previously convicted, intended to steal a horse from the peasant Kirill Zinoviev. However, local residents noticed the thief. Local residents said that he was escorted somewhere. And no one knows where and to what country. Previously, local residents had the right to take action against offenders, such as working somewhere in the construction of houses, cellars, sheds, etc. And in relation to murderers and major robbers, they had the right to send them into exile in Siberia for up to 25 years. In our village, a peasant named Terenty returned from Siberia after exile and lived in the village until 1913 and died here in old age. In 1890, in our village, a man named Unichem was sent to Siberia for 25 years for systematic hooliganism by decision of the village people. He returned from there after the 1917 revolution. After which he worked for railway until old age. In his old age, no one looked after him. In general, at that time, peasants did not respect thieves and swindlers, and outright hated them. There were cases when a petty swindler was caught, such people were punished in public with canes or they were taken around the village and forced to shout: “I am a thief, a swindler, so that no one will ever steal.” Then the author describes how Ustin was stolen from the peasant Gerasimov horse, and suspicion fell on fellow villager Vasley. For this, allegedly by mistake, he was beaten half to death. Another case was when a peasant named Dmitry stole two carts of unthreshed sheaves and brought them home. For this, local residents beat him on the soles of his feet. This man then went blind and soon died untimely. Even in 1921, for stealing potatoes, they took the swindler by the hand, led him around the village and forced him to shout that he was a swindler. Residents did not communicate with swindlers and thieves at all, did not even sit down to dine with them. There were two cases when stealing horses were beaten to death. In general, those who returned from exile to the village were looked upon as beasts of prey. According to the author’s notes, under the tsarist regime those guilty were not sent to prison. They were simply punished on the spot at discretion local residents. The author gives an example of how one was stabbed to death with a sickle during the harvest, another was killed with a knife in the office of the volost executive committee. Currently, thieves are not punished in this way, this is dealt with by the relevant police and prosecutors.

Holidays.

In the summer, before the start of grain harvesting in the field, young boys and girls gathered in the late afternoon to a predetermined place, where they sang songs, danced, and played all kinds of games. All this could be heard from afar. The impression is that the whole village is celebrating. Such fun companies They dispersed only after dark. Young people, in order to meet each other more often, visited church, markets, and fairs. The closest bazaar at that time was the village of Vysokovka. This is a village 4 kilometers from us and there was also a church where both young and old gathered on Mondays. Here at the bazaar they sold almost everything that a peasant needed: cheap textiles, scarves (called red goods), shoes, shirts, trousers, etc. There is also a church almost nearby, where everyone went after visiting the bazaar. The most acceptable place of entertainment for young people was the village of Malye Kibechi. Such holidays were called carnivals in honor of the king's coronation day. Here on this day, young and old rejoiced, drank, noble people were rewarded by raising them in their arms and up, several times. Holidays, the so-called “Trinity holidays,” were also fun days. Such holidays were held after the end of the sowing campaign on the outskirts of the forest called “Pekat”. On the day appointed for the holiday, young and old residents of the villages of Malye Kibechi, Middle Kibechi, Lower Kibechi, Verkhnee Divlizerovo, Chelkumagi-Kibechi gathered here. All kinds of performances were shown here, amateur art groups took part, dances and dances were organized, as well as sports competitions. Old men and women went there with the aim of possibly selecting brides for their sons. Even in winter, people, especially young people, found time for entertainment. For this purpose, they gathered for parties somewhere in a more free space (hut, bathhouse). Such parties were called “ulakh” in Chuvash. Here the girls spun and embroidered, and the boys chose brides for themselves. Guys and girls met here using all sorts of religious dates. For example, baptism, New Year, Maslenitsa, Christmastide, Christmas, Easter.

How Easter was celebrated (monkun).

Easter was celebrated for a whole week. Guys and girls were sledding in the ravine, dancing right in the street without music. In the old days, for such purposes in the village they used musical instruments harp and shybyr (bagpipes). Easter is a holiday celebrating the spring new year according to the ancient Chuvash calendar. The name Monkun is translated into Russian as “great day”. Adults visited relatives this holiday week. The named fathers and mothers of newborn children, new sons-in-law and matchmakers, as well as other relatives were certainly invited to visit. We visited with big amount gifts, and everyone brought their own beer. There were always colored eggs on the table. Guests and hosts each took one egg in their hands and knocked them one by one. The last unbroken egg was placed near the icons, believing that it would bring good luck to the house. A large number of gifts was supposed to contribute to the wealth and well-being of the owners. In turn, the hosts also tried to richly reward their guests. Fathers and mothers - the children's successors - brought them a shirt each. Children were supposed to be presented with shirts at their wedding. It was believed that children bring happiness, health and well-being to the home. Therefore, if a boy came to the house on the first day of Easter, it was believed that the cows would bring bulls, and the sheep - rams. But heifers and hotties were more desirable. Therefore, the boys tried to let the girls go ahead of them. The one who came first was carried in his arms to the front corner and sat, with a pillow, on a chair in front of the table, and was treated as best as possible. At the same time, the children had to sit still, otherwise, supposedly, the birds would not hatch their chicks. Some of these customs have been preserved to this day: dyeing eggs, going to relatives with gifts, the first person to come to visit is seated on a pillow, and treated as best as possible.

Customs and traditions: the harshest examples

What are customs and traditions? Customs are historically established certain actions and practices that have long become the habit of the entire people. By traditions we “decipher” a certain “cultural code” that is passed on by people from generation to generation.

Traditions and customs are very similar in meaning. Sociologists even highlight e. They are closely connected not only with history, but also with religious views. It was with the advent of beliefs that the beginning of customs and traditions was laid.

We all follow some traditions and customs, but not each of us truly knows their purpose and their history. I believe that people should pay special attention to history, because all traditions and customs are an interesting part of the culture of the people, the history of generations and religion, and are also one of the components of a person’s upbringing and his worldview.

The history of the emergence of customs and traditions

Initially, customs and traditions arose out of the need for survival. This is how the so-called hunting magic was born. We must understand that people in ancient times were much more dependent on nature than you and I. The hunt could be successful - or unsuccessful. Therefore, rituals arose that were believed to bring good luck to the side of the hunters. The elders had knowledge about such rituals, so in ancient times old people were treated with due respect, not like now.

The ancients also had other customs and traditions: not to wake up a sleeping person (his soul may not have time to return from the world of dreams), not to mate during a hunt - this is fraught with uncontrolled birth control, etc. By the way, it is within the framework of hunting magic that arises rock painting: people wanted to attract the spirit of the animal to their side.

Life was accompanied by such customs and traditions ancient man. They have become so ingrained in our culture that we don’t even notice or track them! For example, look at a teenager at a bus stop. He smoked, spat, and wiped his food on the asphalt with his foot. What is this? This is a genetic memory: in fact, he destroyed a trace of himself. After all before people They believed that through saliva, hair and other remains of a person it was possible to bring trouble to him. Don't believe me? Read the textbook “History of Primitive Society” for universities!

Wedding traditions are completely ancient: White color(dress, veil) is a symbol of transition to another state. We ritually wear white three times in our lives: when we are born, when we get married, and when we die. Did you even know about all this? Write in the comments!

Customs related to food. When you come to a new job, you have to sign up, when you go on vacation, it’s the same. Wedding table, parties - in a word, a lot is connected precisely with eating food. Why? It turns out that in ancient times there was a custom of potlatch, when the leader of the tribe fed all his community members. This meant that he did them good - he must respond in kind! And today: I went on vacation, and we work? We're stressed! We need to eat! And a “problem” arises. Have you graduated from school and received a certificate? Are you stressed? School ball, graduation is again related to food. Didn't notice

Interesting customs and traditions of the peoples of the world

Peoples all over the world have many traditions and customs, and they are different for all nations. For example, Russians have a tradition of celebrating the New Year, a holiday that connects the past and the future. This holiday carries bright feelings and many miracles, but, like most other traditions, New Year goes back to ancient times.

An integral part of the New Year is a Christmas tree with funny and winding toys, bright and glossy balls and flashing different colors, garlands. Do you know why everyone decorates the Christmas tree so quickly before this holiday? Because according to customs, people believed that by decorating a Christmas tree, they make the evil forces that surround them good. Currently, many have forgotten about these forces, but the decorated Christmas tree still remains a symbol New Year's holiday. This magical holiday is described in many Russian fairy tales and poems, the authors of which are well-known A. S. Pushkin, S. A. Yesenin and others.

The Russian people also have interesting customs, which are incomprehensible to foreign residents. For example, on the eve of Great Easter - a bright holiday that appeared in Rus' at the end of the tenth century, in honor of the resurrection of Christ, we paint chicken eggs. And many people paint them with onion peel, because it gives a burgundy-red hue, this shade symbolizes the blood of Christ crucified on the cross. A egg in turn, a symbol of the birth of a new life.

But not only the Russian people are famous for their traditions and customs. Abroad, there is the well-known All Hallows Eve, or, as we call it, Halloween. The holiday became a tradition several centuries ago and, as we know from the book “Scarlett”, authored by Alexandra Ripley, this holiday had roots in Ireland. An attribute of this tradition is a pumpkin, which simultaneously symbolizes the harvest, evil forces and the fire that scares them away.

There are no less interesting traditions in the countries of the East. For example, polygamy. Polygamy also came into life from our ancestors and persists in the countries of the East to this day. For example, the Book of Mormon can tell us a lot about such a tradition. From the book it is known that in ancient times, when nomadic way life required considerable care for numerous herds of horses or camels, so the owner was forced to have several women who could provide care for mares or camels. Camel fur made it possible to have warm and light blankets, and camel milk was highly valued. All this could only be done by a woman; men had no time to do housework, they were breadwinners. Currently, in Eastern countries, polygamy determines the prestige of a man, which is no less important for residents of the East.

Moving away from the stories of polygamy traditions Eastern countries, one cannot help but recall the monogamy of the Caucasus. No matter how sad it may sound, wars always occur in countries, as a result of which the number of men sharply decreases. As a rule, more girls are born than boys, and in the future many adult girls will not have enough husbands, and as a result, families and children.

In general, if you remember, there have been cases in history when only one survivor from the male population of the village returned to the village from the front. However, after some time the population returned to its previous level.

So during the Caucasian War of the nineteenth century, the leader Caucasian highlanders Imam Shamil eased the lot of widows and single women. They were allowed to choose a husband at their own discretion, which actually legitimized the existing relationship. As S. Essadze wrote: “The named man, single or married, was obliged to marry the one who chose him.”

I propose to remember the customs and traditions of the inhabitants of such interesting country like Thailand. Thailand is famous for its exotic customs. Throughout the calendar year, indigenous Thais have many customs and traditions that delight tourists. Ceremonial holidays celebrated by the entire kingdom of Thailand. In general, some of the most interesting rituals can be observed in “backward” cultures, whose carriers live in.

An example of this is one of the most beautiful holidays in Thailand - Loy Krathong, dedicated to the spirits of water. This day falls at the beginning of November on the day full moon. The Thais float their boats along the rivers - krathongs, in which candles burn brightly and contain fresh flowers, coins, and various incense. Thais firmly believe that with the help of these boats, on this night, the water spirits will wash away all the sins of the previous year.

Each country in our vast world has its own special customs and traditions that determine the way of life and culture of people. How often do we hear about the customs and traditions of China? One of the most special traditions in China is greeting. In the old days, the Chinese greeted each other by bowing with their hands folded across their chests. It was believed that the lower the bow, the more people shows respect. Modern Chinese today simply bow their heads a little. However, if they want to show respect, they can bow lower.

The customs and traditions of all the peoples of the world inhabiting the Earth are very extensive and multifaceted. They are directly related to factors that are rooted in the very depths of history, and to religion, which helps a person to realize and perceive the world, believing in the supernatural. You need to respect and honor not only the customs and traditions of your country, your people, but also other countries and its inhabitants.

Interesting article? Like it and write what you think about all this in the comments. .

©Sokolova E. A.

Editing by Andrey Puchkov

Russian people - representatives of the East Slavic ethnic group, indigenous inhabitants of Russia (110 million people - 80% of the population Russian Federation), the largest ethnic group in Europe. The Russian diaspora numbers about 30 million people and is concentrated in countries such as Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and former USSR, in the USA and EU countries. As a result of sociological research, it was found that 75% of the Russian population of Russia are followers of Orthodoxy, and a significant part of the population does not consider itself to be a member of any particular religion. The national language of the Russian people is Russian.

Each country and its people have their own importance in modern world, concepts are very important folk culture and the history of the nation, their formation and development. Each nation and its culture are unique in their own way, the flavor and uniqueness of each nationality should not be lost or dissolved in assimilation with other peoples, the younger generation should always remember who they really are. For Russia, which is a multinational power and home to 190 peoples, the issue of national culture is quite acute, due to the fact that in recent years its erasure has been especially noticeable against the background of the cultures of other nationalities.

Culture and life of the Russian people

(Russian folk costume)

The first associations that arise with the concept of “Russian people” are, of course, breadth of soul and strength of spirit. But national culture is formed by people, and it is these character traits that have a huge impact on its formation and development.

One of distinctive features The Russian people have always had and still have simplicity; in former times, Slavic houses and property were very often subjected to plunder and complete destruction, hence the simplified attitude towards everyday issues. And of course, these trials that befell the long-suffering Russian people only strengthened their character, made them stronger and taught them to get out of any life situations with their heads held high.

Another trait that prevails in the character of the Russian ethnic group can be called kindness. The whole world is well aware of the concept of Russian hospitality, when “they feed you, give you something to drink, and put you to bed.” A unique combination of such qualities as cordiality, mercy, compassion, generosity, tolerance and, again, simplicity, very rarely found among other peoples of the world, all this is fully manifested in the very breadth of the Russian soul.

Hard work is another one of the main traits of the Russian character, although many historians in the study of the Russian people note both its love of work and enormous potential, as well as its laziness, as well as complete lack of initiative (remember Oblomov in Goncharov’s novel). But still, the efficiency and endurance of the Russian people is an indisputable fact that is difficult to argue against. And no matter how much scientists around the world want to understand the “mysterious Russian soul,” it is unlikely that any of them can do it, because it is so unique and multifaceted that its “zest” will forever remain a secret to everyone.

Traditions and customs of the Russian people

(Russian meal)

Folk traditions and customs represent a unique connection, a kind of “bridge of times” connecting the distant past with the present. Some of them have their roots in the pagan past of the Russian people, even before the baptism of Rus', little by little sacred meaning was lost and forgotten, but the main points were preserved and are still observed. In villages and towns, Russian traditions and customs are honored and remembered to a greater extent than in cities, which is due to the more isolated lifestyle of city residents.

A large number of rituals and traditions are associated with family life(this includes matchmaking, wedding celebrations, and baptism of children). Carrying out ancient rites and rituals guaranteed successful and happy life, the health of descendants and the general well-being of the family.

(Colorized photograph of a Russian family at the beginning of the 20th century)

Since ancient times, Slavic families were distinguished by a large number of family members (up to 20 people); adult children, having already gotten married, remained to live in home, the head of the family was the father or older brother, everyone had to obey them and unquestioningly carry out all their orders. Typically, wedding celebrations were held either in the fall, after the harvest, or in the winter after the Epiphany holiday (January 19). Then the first week after Easter, the so-called “Red Hill,” began to be considered a very successful time for a wedding. The wedding itself was preceded by a matchmaking ceremony, when the groom's parents came to the bride's family together with his godparents, if the parents agreed to give their daughter in marriage, then a bridesmaid ceremony was held (meeting the future newlyweds), then there was a ceremony of collusion and hand-waving (the parents decided on the dowry and the date of the wedding festivities ).

The rite of baptism in Rus' was also interesting and unique, the child had to be baptized immediately after birth, for this purpose godparents were chosen, who would be responsible for the life and well-being of the godson all his life. When the baby was one year old, they sat him on the inside of a sheep's coat and cut his hair, cutting a cross on the crown, with such meaning that evil spirits would not be able to penetrate his head and would not have power over him. Every Christmas Eve (January 6), a slightly older godson should bring godparents kutya (wheat porridge with honey and poppy seeds), and they, in turn, should give him sweets.

Traditional holidays of the Russian people

Russia is a truly unique state where, along with the highly developed culture of the modern world, they carefully honor ancient traditions their grandfathers and great-grandfathers, going back centuries and preserving the memory of not only Orthodox vows and canons, but also the most ancient pagan rituals and sacraments. To this day, pagan holidays are celebrated, people listen to signs and age-old traditions, remember and tell their children and grandchildren ancient traditions and legends.

Main national holidays:

Christmas Jan. 7
Christmastide January 6 - 9
Baptism January 19
Maslenitsa from 20 to 26 February

Forgiveness Sunday ( before the onset of Lent)
Palm Sunday (on the Sunday before Easter)
Easter ( the first Sunday after the full moon, which occurs no earlier than the day of the conventional vernal equinox on March 21)
Red hill ( first Sunday after Easter)

Trinity ( on Sunday on the day of Pentecost - the 50th day after Easter)
Ivan Kupala July 7
Peter and Fevronia Day July 8
Elijah's day August 2

Honey Spas August 14
Apple Spas August 19
Third (Khlebny) Spas August 29
Pokrov day October 14

There is a belief that on the night of Ivan Kupala (from 6 to 7 July), once a year a fern flower blooms in the forest, and whoever finds it will gain untold riches. In the evening, large bonfires are lit near rivers and lakes, people dressed in festive ancient Russian attires lead round dances, sing ritual chants, jump over the fire, and let wreaths float downstream, in the hope of finding their soul mate.

Maslenitsa is a traditional holiday of the Russian people, celebrated during the week before Lent. A very long time ago, Maslenitsa was more likely not a holiday, but a ritual when the memory of departed ancestors was honored, placating them with pancakes, asking them for a fertile year, and spending the winter by burning a straw effigy. Time passed, and the Russian people, thirsting for fun and positive emotions in the cold and dull season, turned the sad holiday into a more cheerful and daring celebration, which began to symbolize the joy of the imminent end of winter and the arrival of the long-awaited warmth. The meaning has changed, but the tradition of baking pancakes remained, exciting winter entertainment appeared: sledding and horse-drawn sled rides, a straw effigy of Winter was burned, throughout the entire Maslenitsa week relatives went to pancakes with their mother-in-law and sister-in-law, an atmosphere of celebration and fun reigned everywhere , various theatrical and puppet shows with the participation of Petrushka and other folklore characters. One of the very colorful and dangerous entertainment On Maslenitsa, fist fights were held; the male population took part in them, for whom it was an honor to take part in a kind of “military affair” that tested their courage, boldness and dexterity.

Christmas and Easter are considered especially revered Christian holidays among the Russian people.

The Nativity of Christ is not only a bright holiday of Orthodoxy, it also symbolizes the revival and return to life, the traditions and customs of this holiday, filled with kindness and humanity, high moral ideals and the triumph of the spirit over worldly concerns, are being rediscovered and rethought by society in the modern world. The day before Christmas (January 6) is called Christmas Eve because the main dish festive table, which should consist of 12 dishes, is a special porridge “sochivo”, consisting of boiled cereal, drizzled with honey, sprinkled with poppy seeds and nuts. You can sit down at the table only after the first star appears in the sky. Christmas (January 7) is a family holiday, when everyone gathered at one table, ate a festive treat and gave each other gifts. The 12 days after the holiday (until January 19) are called Christmastide. Previously, at this time, girls in Rus' held various gatherings with fortune telling and rituals to attract suitors.

Easter has long been considered a great holiday in Rus', which people associated with the day of general equality, forgiveness and mercy. On the eve of Easter celebrations, Russian women usually bake kulichi (festive Easter bread) and Easter, clean and decorate their homes, youth and children paint eggs, which ancient legend symbolize drops of blood of Jesus Christ crucified on the cross. On the day of Holy Easter, smartly dressed people, meeting, say “Christ is Risen!”, answer “Truly He is Risen!”, followed by a three-time kiss and an exchange of festive Easter eggs.

To a modern person, the customs of the ancient Slavs may seem like just some kind of creepy fantasy. But this really happened. These ancient customs make you feel very uneasy. And for some today one could easily get a criminal sentence.

We have collected seven of the strangest rituals of our ancestors. It was especially hard on women and children.

Daughtership

“Father-in-law.” V. Makovsky

This neutral word was used to describe sexual intercourse between father-in-law and daughter-in-law. Not that it was approved, but it was considered a very minor sin. Often fathers married their sons at 12-13 years old to girls 16-17 years old. In the meantime, the guys were catching up with their young wives in development, dad was working off conjugal duties for them. At all a win-win option it was possible to send my son to work for six months or, even better, to the army for twenty years. Then the daughter-in-law, remaining in her husband’s family, had practically no chance of refusing her father-in-law. If she resisted, she did the hardest and dirtiest work and put up with the constant nagging of the “starshak” (as the head of the family was called). Nowadays law enforcement agencies would talk to the elder, but then there was nowhere to complain.

Sin of the dump

“Fern blossom.” O. Gurenkov

Nowadays this can only be seen in special films, mainly made in Germany. And before this was done in Russian villages on Ivan Kupala. This holiday combines pagan and Christian traditions. So, after dancing around the fire, the couples went to look for fern flowers in the forest. Just so you understand, fern does not bloom, it reproduces by spores. This is only an excuse for young people to go into the forest and indulge in carnal pleasures. Moreover, such connections did not oblige either boys or girls to anything.

Gasky

B. Olshansky “The Manor of Princess Winter”

This custom, which can also be called a sin, is described by the Italian traveler Roccolini. All the youth of the village gathered in big house. They sang and danced in the light of a torch. And when the torch went out, they indulged in blind lovemaking with the one who happened to be nearby. Then the torch was lit, and the fun and dancing continued again. And so on until dawn. That night when Roccolini got on the Gasky, the torch went out and came on five times. Whether the traveler himself participated in the Russian folk ritual, history is silent.

Overbaking

This ritual has nothing to do with sex, you can relax. It was customary to “over-bake” a premature or weak child in an oven. Not into kebab, of course, but rather into bread. It was believed that if the baby was not “prepared” in the womb, then it was necessary to bake it yourself. To gain strength and get stronger. The baby was wrapped in a special rye dough prepared in water. Only the nostrils were left to breathe. They tied him to a bread shovel and, saying secret words, sent him into the oven for some time. Of course, the oven was not hot, but warm. No one was going to serve the child to the table. They tried to burn away diseases with this ritual. Whether this helped, history is silent.

Scaring pregnant women

L. Plakhov. “Rest in the hayfield”

Our ancestors treated childbirth with special trepidation. It was believed that at this moment the child passes from the world of the dead to the world of the living. The process itself is already difficult for a woman, and the midwives tried to make it completely unbearable. A specially trained grandmother positioned herself between the legs of the woman in labor and persuaded the pelvic bones to move apart. If this didn't help, then expectant mother they started to scare her, rattled pots, and could fire a gun near her. They also loved to induce vomiting in women in labor. It was believed that when she vomited, baby is coming more willingly. To do this, they shoved her own braid into her mouth or stuck her fingers into her mouth.

Salting

This wild rite used not only in some regions of Rus', but also in France, Armenia and other countries. It was believed that a newborn baby needed to gain strength from salt. This was apparently an alternative to overbaking. The child was coated with fine salt, including his ears and eyes. Probably to hear and see well after that. Then they wrapped them in rags and kept them there for a couple of hours, not paying attention to the inhuman screams. Those who were richer literally buried the child in salt. Cases are described when, after such a health procedure, all the skin peeled off the baby. But that’s okay, but then he’ll be healthy.

Dead Man's Rite

V. Korolkov. “Marriage Rite”

This terrible ceremony is nothing more than a wedding. Those bride's outfits, which we now consider ceremonial, were called funeral by our ancestors. A white robe, a veil, which was used to cover the face of a dead man so that he would not accidentally open his eyes and look at someone alive. The entire ceremony of marriage was perceived as the new birth of a girl. And in order to be born, you must first die. A white doll was put on the young woman's head (a headdress like that of nuns). They were usually buried in it. From there he goes to mourn the bride, which is still practiced in some villages in the outback. But now they are crying that the girl is leaving home, but before they were crying about her “death.” The ransom ritual also arose for a reason. By doing this, the groom tries to find the bride in the world of the dead and bring her to White light. Bridesmaids in this case were perceived as guardians of the afterlife. Therefore, if you are suddenly invited to bargain with the groom on the spit-stained stairs in the entrance, remember where this tradition comes from and do not agree))

National culture is the national memory of the people, what distinguishes given people among others, it protects a person from depersonalization, allows him to feel the connection between times and generations, receive spiritual support and support in life.

Both with the calendar and with human life are connected folk customs, as well as church sacraments, rituals and holidays. In Rus', the calendar was called a monthly calendar. The month covered the whole year peasant life, “describing” day by day, month after month, where each day had its own holidays or weekdays, customs and superstitions, traditions and rituals, natural signs and phenomena.

The folk calendar was an agricultural calendar, which was reflected in the names of the months, folk signs, rituals and customs. Even the determination of the timing and duration of the seasons is associated with real climatic conditions. Hence the discrepancy between the names of the months in different areas. For example, both October and November can be called leaf fall. The folk calendar is a kind of encyclopedia peasant life with its holidays and everyday life. It includes knowledge of nature, agricultural experience, rituals, and norms of social life.

The folk calendar is a fusion of pagan and Christian principles, folk Orthodoxy. With the establishment of Christianity, pagan holidays were prohibited, received a new interpretation, or were moved from their time. In addition to those assigned to certain dates in the calendar, movable holidays of the Easter cycle appeared.

Rituals dedicated to major holidays included a large number of different works folk art: songs, sentences, round dances, games, dances, dramatic scenes, masks, folk costumes, original props.

Calendar and ritual holidays of Russians

Russian people knew how to work, and they knew how to relax. Following the principle: “There is time for work, an hour for fun,” the peasants rested mainly on holidays. What is a holiday? Russian word“holiday” comes from the ancient Slavic “prazd”, meaning “rest, idleness.” What holidays were revered in Rus'? For a long time in villages they lived by three calendars. The first is natural, agricultural, associated with the change of seasons. The second - pagan, pre-Christian times, just like agricultural, was correlated with natural phenomena. The third, latest calendar is the Christian, Orthodox, in which there are only twelve great holidays, not counting Easter.

In ancient times the main thing winter holiday It was considered Christmas. The holiday of Christmas came to Rus' along with Christianity in the 10th century. and merged with the ancient Slavic winter holiday - Christmastide, or carol.

Maslenitsa

What did you do on Maslenitsa? A significant part of the customs for Maslenitsa, one way or another, was connected with the theme of family and marriage relations: newlyweds who got married during the past year were honored at Maslenitsa. The young people were given a kind of viewing party in the village: they were placed at the gate posts and forced to kiss in front of everyone, they were “buried” in the snow or they were showered with snow on Maslenitsa. They were also subjected to other tests: when the young people were riding in a sleigh through the village, they were stopped and thrown with old bast shoes or straw, and sometimes they were given a “kissing party” or “kissing party” - when fellow villagers could come to the house of the young people and kiss the young woman. The newlyweds were driven around the village, but if they received

A bad treat; they could have given the newlyweds a ride not in a sleigh, but on a harrow.

Maslenitsa week also took place in mutual visits of two recently intermarried families.

Easter Christian

Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the most important holiday in the Christian calendar. Easter Sunday does not fall on the same date every year, but always occurs between March 22 and April 25. It falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following March 21, the vernal equinox. The date of Easter Sunday was approved by the church council in Nika in 325 AD. The name "Easter" is a direct transfer of the name of the Jewish holiday, celebrated annually during the week starting from the 14th day

Happy spring month Nissan. The name "Passover" itself is a Greek modification of the Hebrew word "pesah", which was interpreted as "passing"; it was borrowed from the more ancient pastoral custom of celebrating the transition from winter to summer pastures.

Nativity

Christmas is not only a bright holiday of Orthodoxy. Christmas is a holiday returned, reborn. The traditions of this holiday, full of true humanity and kindness, high moral ideals, are being discovered and comprehended again these days.

Agraphens Bathing suit and Ivan Kupala

The summer solstice is one of the significant turning points of the year. Since ancient times, all the peoples of the Earth celebrated the peak of summer at the end of June. In our country, such a holiday is Ivan Kupala. However, this holiday was inherent not only to the Russian people. In Lithuania it is known as Lado, in Poland - as Sobotki, in Ukraine - Kupalo or Kupaylo. Our ancient ancestors had a deity named Kupala, personifying summer fertility. In his honor, in the evenings they sang songs and jumped over the fire. This ritual action has turned into an annual celebration summer solstice, mixing pagan and Christian traditions. The deity Kupala began to be called Ivan after the baptism of Rus', when he was replaced by none other than John the Baptist (more precisely, his folk image), whose Christmas was celebrated on June 24.

Wedding in Russia

In the life of all peoples, a wedding is one of the most important and colorful events. Every person should have his own family and children. And so that it does not happen that someone stays for a long time “in the girls” or “in the grooms,” matchmakers came to the rescue. The matchmakers were lively, talkative, knowledgeable women wedding tradition. When the matchmaker came to match the bride, she, after praying, sat down or stood in a place that, it was believed, could bring good luck in matchmaking. She began the conversation with the allegorical phrases customary in this case, by which the bride’s parents immediately guessed what kind of guests had come to them. For example, the matchmaker said: “You have a product (bride), and we have a merchant (groom)” or “You have a bright woman (bride), and we have a shepherd (groom).” If both parties were satisfied with the conditions of marriage, then they agreed on a wedding.

Russian bath

What Russian doesn't like baths? Nestor the chronicler also wrote about the bathhouse in his works. Initially, cleansing rituals were carried out in the bathhouse: washing the bride and groom before the wedding, the woman in labor and the newborn, expelling " evil spirits"from the mentally ill. Using medicinal herbs and bath steam, healers healed those suffering from ailments. The youth arranged in the baths Christmas fortune telling, and the farmers made predictions about the future harvest and weather. The proverb “Everyone is equal in the bathhouse” testifies that both old and young, commoners and princes have been here. Russian bathhouse

The bathhouse turned out to be one of the most persistent Russian traditions. It is impossible to imagine that there is a Russian person who has never tasted thick bath steam or a birch or oak broom. The bathhouse heals many diseases; in the bathhouse you can relieve accumulated fatigue and stress, cleanse not only the body, but also the soul. The technology of taking a bath has not changed much in ancient times. Having warmed up the body on each shelf in turn, they whip themselves heartily with a well-steamed broom, then wash themselves with soap and a washcloth, and rinse their hair with bread and herbal infusions. Russian tradition requires, after the steam room, to jump into the cool water of a pond, or into a snowdrift, or an ice hole.