Meet the religious procession, signs and customs, conspiracies. Signs for Easter. Why is it customary to color eggs at Easter?

Among the people there were many signs and beliefs for Easter, the veracity of which was not even questioned.

PASSION WEEK (week before Easter)

Monday
On this day, a lot of tidying begins. The house is cleared of old, bulky things.
Tuesday
Groceries are being purchased for Easter. Women prepare medicinal infusions. Men should not even touch herbs, tinctures, powders.
Wednesday
This is the day of washing and all sorts of wiping. On Wednesday, it is advisable to thoroughly wash, scrub the floors, and beat out the carpets.
On Wednesday of Holy Week, a special ritual against any bodily illness was remembered. It was necessary to scoop up water with a mug from a well or from a barrel on the street, or draw water from a river. After crossing ourselves three times, we covered the mug with a clean or new towel, and at 2 a.m., after crossing ourselves three times again, we doused ourselves with this water, leaving a little in the mug. Afterwards, clothes were put on the wet body without drying, and the water that remained in the mug was poured onto a bush or flowers for up to 3 hours. They say that a body washed in this way is reborn.
Thursday
- On Maundy Thursday it was advised to cut the hair of a one-year-old child for the first time (cutting it before one was considered a sin), and for girls to cut the ends of their braids so that they would grow longer and thicker. All livestock were also advised to have their hair clipped for health and well-being.
- On this day, Thursday salt is prepared: it is heated in a frying pan, and the salt acquires medicinal properties. It is advisable to consecrate this salt in the Temple.
- Maundy Thursday is traditionally called “clean”, and not only because on this day every Orthodox person strives to cleanse himself spiritually, take communion, and accept the sacrament established by Christ. On Maundy Thursday, the folk custom of cleansing with water was widespread - swimming in an ice hole, river, lake, or dousing in a bathhouse before sunrise.
- There are many traditions associated with this day. On Maundy Thursday they cleaned the houses, washed and cleaned everything. It was customary to collect and burn juniper branches to fumigate homes and stables. It is believed that healing juniper smoke protects humans and animals from evil spirits and diseases.
- There was also a belief that eggs laid on Holy Thursday and eaten on Easter protected against illness, and the shells of eggs buried in the ground in a pasture reliably protected livestock from the evil eye.
- Starting from Maundy Thursday, we prepared for the festive table, painted and painted eggs. According to ancient tradition, colored eggs were placed on freshly sprouted oats and wheat.
- On Thursday morning they began to bake Easter cakes, babas, small products made from wheat flour with the image of crosses, lambs, doves, larks, as well as honey gingerbread. In the evening they prepared Easter.
- On Maundy Thursday, you should count your money three times so that you can keep the money throughout the year.
- Everyone in the family should take a handful of salt and pour it into one bag. This salt is removed and stored, and it is called “Thursday salt”, i.e. Maundy Thursday. You can use it to treat yourself, as well as your family and friends. This salt is used to make amulets for the family, livestock, garden, home, etc.
- On Holy Wednesday and Maundy Thursday, it was customary to wash all domestic animals with water melted from snow - from cows to chickens - and burn the salt in the oven, which, according to popular beliefs, acquired healing properties from this.
In some villages, at midnight on Maundy Thursday, women were also ordered to douse themselves with water to protect themselves from illness.
- If you wash your face before dawn on Maundy (Clean) Thursday, you need to say: “I wash off what they put on me, what the soul and body toils with, everything is removed on Maundy Thursday.”
- On Easter morning they wash themselves with water left over from Maundy Thursday. It’s good to put a silver thing or a spoon in it, or maybe a coin. Wash for beauty and wealth.
If a girl cannot get married, she needs to give the towel with which she dried herself on Maundy Thursday to people on Easter, to those who ask for alms, along with dyes and Easter cake. After this, they soon get married.
There was also a custom of burning crosses on doors and ceilings with a candle to protect the house from the invasion of evil spirits. Passion candles were given to seriously ill people or those suffering from difficult childbirth; they have healing powers. From Maundy Thursday it was forbidden to sweep the floor in the house until Easter.
Friday
Cooking on this day is going well. We continued to bake and prepare for Easter. “Angels help,” say pious people.
On Friday they will sweep the corners with a rag; this rag will help get rid of lower back pain if you tie it around yourself. The same rag is used to wipe your feet in the bathhouse after washing so that your feet don’t hurt. Ash taken on the Friday before Easter will help cure alcoholism, black shaking, the evil eye and mortal melancholy.
Saturday
The last (quiet) tidy. You can also paint eggs. On this day, common holiday dishes are prepared. On Saturday they brought colored eggs, Easter cakes, Easter cakes and other items to church to be blessed. And before going to the service on Easter night, they left a treat on the table so that later they could break their fast. True, they ate little by little - only symbolically, after which they went to bed. But late on Sunday morning the real feast began, which lasted all week.
Of course, all preparatory work: cooking, painting eggs must be completed before Easter.

EASTER AND EASTER WEEK

v It was believed that the ringing of bells on the day of Christ's resurrection was endowed with truly magical powers - by striking the bell, believers asked for a good harvest, peace and harmony in the family, and the girls for a handsome and rich groom. If a person said his request from the bottom of his heart, then it would definitely come true.

v In Rus', every year on the day of this great holiday, jugs of honey, called kanunchiki, were placed near the icons in every house. The owners lit candles in them and remembered their relatives and friends who had departed from this world, so that they too could rejoice that Christ had risen. After the holiday, on Easter week, these jugs were taken to the cemetery and left on the graves of the dead. They also took three red Easter eggs with them to the cemetery and, saying “Christ is risen” at the grave, crumbled the colors for the birds.

v As soon as the bells began to ring on Easter Sunday, people were baptized and said three times: “Christ has risen, and my family has health, my house has wealth, my field has a harvest. Amen".

v It’s good to ride on a swing on Easter (and throughout Easter week). This is a ritual of fanning. They say it blows away all sins.

v If you scoop up water from a spring or river on Easter night, then, according to popular belief, it will have special power.

v So, the one who is the first to see the sunrise on Easter will not know troubles all year.

v To get married, girls had to say to themselves during the church service on Easter: “The Resurrection of Christ! Send me a single groom!”

v If a child was born on Easter Sunday, then he will become a famous, famous person. Anyone born on Easter week will have good health.

v Great people, who can even change the course of history, are born not just on Easter Sunday, but also at noon and with a shirt on.

v Death on Easter is a special sign. A person who died on this day is marked by God. His soul will immediately rush to heaven, to the holy saints. The deceased is buried with a red testicle in his right hand.

v After the morning service, you need to get home as quickly as possible and start the festive meal: the faster you do this, the more successful things will go.

v And in order for the baby to grow strong and strong, on the morning of Easter Sunday he must be placed with his feet on an ax and said: “As steel is strong, so be you strong and healthy. Amen.”

v If your baby is slow to develop, walk him barefoot on a wooden floor at Easter. And his teeth will erupt faster, he will walk on his own legs sooner, and he will speak sooner.

v The willow brought during Palm Week was used to fan the children's room, thereby driving out misfortunes and illnesses.

v It is a good omen to hear a cuckoo on Easter - this foretells an addition to the family, and for young girls - an imminent marriage.

v Our great-grandfathers always crumbled a piece of blessed Easter cake to the birds, thus calling for good luck and wealth.

v It is considered a bad omen if a candle goes out during the Easter service in church, but if it burns out before the end of the service and the person puts it out himself, then this is good.

v On Easter and throughout the week following it, the church did not marry newlyweds - being distracted by worldly holidays was considered a great sin.

v On Great Thursday, or as it is also called Clean Thursday, every housewife did a general cleaning in the house and washed all the dirt clean. People say that holidays do not come to a dirty house.

v If you are experiencing constant difficulties with money, be sure to give a coin to a beggar at Easter - you will not know the need for the whole year.

v The girls made themselves beautiful on this day - they placed a blessed red Easter egg in water, and then washed themselves with this water.

v Couples in love were sensitive to kisses on Easter. It was considered a bad omen to kiss on the threshold - it promised separation. Also, if you hear the croaking of a raven during a kiss, then the lovers could soon separate. But if the kiss took place under a tree, then this promised a joyful life.

v Mothers protected their children in the following way - starting from Easter and throughout Easter week, the babies were first given a piece of blessed Easter cake on an empty stomach, and then only fed the rest of the food.

v And so that there is peace and harmony in the family and no one quarrels with each other, the Easter meal must begin with the whole family and everyone must first of all eat a piece of Easter cake and eggs that were blessed in the church.

v A woman who can’t get pregnant should put an extra plate next to her on Easter, put a piece of Easter on it with the words: “Kulich for the kids!” After the meal, this piece was crumbled to the birds.

v At Easter, as at the Annunciation, birds were released into the wild as a sign of spring freedom. When releasing it, they made a wish - it was believed that the bird was a heavenly creature, and she would pass it on to the Almighty.

v Candles bought for Easter in the church were kept all year - they blessed the young, placed them near the seriously ill, and used them to drive out evil spirits from houses.

v Old people throughout Easter week, combing their hair, said the following words: “Send me, Lord, as many grandchildren as there are hairs on the comb.”

v The remains of wax from Easter candles were stored until the next Easter - according to popular belief, this served as a talisman for the house from fire, and for the family from curses.

v A husband and wife must hit colored eggs against each other at breakfast on Easter Sunday; the one whose egg does not break will be the “head” of the family all year.

v If your child is capricious and whiny, parents should definitely go to church on Easter to atone for their sins.

v To prevent the harvest from being damaged by hail, drought or rain, peasants buried Easter egg shells in the ground on Easter.

v It was considered a bad omen to oversleep the morning service on Easter - this prophesied failure.

v If during Easter week you saw a deceased relative in a dream, this means that next year no one in the family will become seriously ill or die;

v If someone in the house is dying, then in church on Easter Sunday you had to try to take the Easter egg from the hands of the priest. When leaving the church, you need to go up to the icon of the Mother of God and call her with you: “Mother Mother of God, come with me to my home. Spend the night with us, heal the slave (name of the patient). At home, it was necessary to feed at least part of the egg brought to the patient. Then, according to popular belief, he will not die this year.

And, of course, people paid attention and noticed the weather on this bright holiday.

Good weather at Easter was considered a harbinger of a hot summer, cloudy weather meant a cold, dry summer;

If many stars were visible in the sky, this meant that there would still be frost;

According to popular belief, if all the snow has already melted on Easter, then the harvest will be rich this season.

Heavy rains during Easter week also foreshadowed a prosperous year.

A thunderstorm during Easter week was considered a sign of late and dry autumn;

Seeing a colorful sunset on Easter was considered an excellent omen and promised great luck.

Our ancestors firmly believed that the events that take place on Easter are full of special divine meaning.
Among the people there were many signs and beliefs for Easter, the veracity of which was not even questioned.

PASSION WEEK (week before Easter)
*** Monday
On this day, a lot of tidying begins. The house is cleared of old, bulky things.
*** Tuesday
Groceries are being purchased for Easter. Women prepare medicinal infusions. Men should not even touch herbs, tinctures, powders.
***Wednesday
This is the day of washing and all sorts of wiping. On Wednesday, it is advisable to thoroughly wash, scrub the floors, and beat out the carpets.

On Wednesday of Holy Week, a special ritual against any bodily illness was remembered. It was necessary to scoop up water with a mug from a well or from a barrel on the street, or draw water from a river. After crossing ourselves three times, we covered the mug with a clean or new towel, and at 2 a.m., after crossing ourselves three times again, we doused ourselves with this water, leaving a little in the mug. Afterwards, clothes were put on the wet body without drying, and the water that remained in the mug was poured onto a bush or flowers for up to 3 hours. They say that a body washed in this way is reborn.
*** Thursday
- On Maundy Thursday it was advised to cut the hair of a one-year-old child for the first time (cutting it before one was considered a sin), and for girls to cut the ends of their braids so that they would grow longer and thicker. All livestock were also advised to have their hair clipped for health and well-being.
- On this day, Thursday salt is prepared: it is heated in a frying pan, and the salt acquires medicinal properties. It is advisable to consecrate this salt in the Temple.
- Maundy Thursday is traditionally called “clean”, and not only because on this day every Orthodox person strives to cleanse himself spiritually, take communion, and accept the sacrament established by Christ. On Maundy Thursday, the folk custom of cleansing with water was widespread - swimming in an ice hole, river, lake or dousing in a bathhouse before sunrise.
- There are many traditions associated with this day. On Maundy Thursday they cleaned the houses, washed and cleaned everything. It was customary to collect and burn juniper branches to fumigate homes and stables. It is believed that healing juniper smoke protects humans and animals from evil spirits and diseases.
- There was also a belief that eggs laid on Holy Thursday and eaten on Easter protected against illness, and the shells of eggs buried in the ground in a pasture reliably protected livestock from the evil eye.
- Starting from Maundy Thursday, we prepared for the festive table, painted and painted eggs. According to ancient tradition, colored eggs were placed on freshly sprouted oats and wheat.
- On Thursday morning they began to bake Easter cakes, babas, small products made from wheat flour with the image of crosses, lambs, doves, larks, as well as honey gingerbread. In the evening they prepared Easter.
- On Maundy Thursday, you should count your money three times so that you can keep the money throughout the year.
- Everyone in the family should take a handful of salt and pour it into one bag. This salt is removed and stored, and it is called “Thursday salt”, i.e. Maundy Thursday. You can use it to treat yourself, as well as your family and friends. This salt is used to make amulets for the family, livestock, garden, home, etc.
- On Holy Wednesday and Maundy Thursday, it was customary to wash all domestic animals with water melted from snow - from cows to chickens - and burn the salt in the oven, which, according to popular beliefs, acquired healing properties from this.
In some villages, at midnight on Maundy Thursday, women were also ordered to douse themselves with water to protect themselves from illness.
- If you wash your face before dawn on Maundy (Clean) Thursday, you need to say: “I wash off what they put on me, what the soul and body toils with, everything is removed on Maundy Thursday.”
-On Easter morning they wash themselves with water left over from Maundy Thursday. It’s good to put a silver thing or a spoon in it, or maybe a coin. Wash for beauty and wealth.
If a girl cannot get married, she needs to give the towel with which she dried herself on Maundy Thursday to people on Easter, to those who ask for alms, along with dyes and Easter cake. After this, they soon get married.
*** There was also a custom of burning crosses on doors and ceilings with a candle to protect the house from the invasion of evil spirits. Passion candles were given to seriously ill people or those suffering from difficult childbirth; they have healing powers. From Maundy Thursday it was forbidden to sweep the floor in the house until Easter.
*** Friday
Cooking on this day is going well. We continued to bake and prepare for Easter. “Angels help,” say pious people.
On Friday they will sweep the corners with a rag; this rag will help get rid of lower back pain if you tie it around yourself. The same rag is used to wipe your feet in the bathhouse after washing so that your feet don’t hurt. Ash taken on the Friday before Easter will help cure alcoholism, black shaking, the evil eye and mortal melancholy.
*** Saturday
The last (quiet) tidy. You can also paint eggs. On this day, common holiday dishes are prepared. On Saturday they brought colored eggs, Easter cakes, Easter cakes and other items to church to be blessed. And before going to the service on Easter night, they left a treat on the table so that later they could break their fast. True, they ate little by little - only symbolically, after which they went to bed. But late on Sunday morning the real feast began, which lasted all week.
*** Of course, all preparatory work: cooking, painting eggs must be completed before Easter.

***
EASTER AND EASTER WEEK

***
*** It was believed that the ringing of bells on the day of Christ’s Resurrection was endowed with truly magical powers - by striking the bell, believers asked for a good harvest, peace and harmony in the family, and the girls for a handsome and rich groom. If a person said his request from the bottom of his heart, then it would definitely come true.
*** In Rus', every year on the day of this great holiday, jugs of honey, called kanunchiki, were placed near the icons in every house. The owners lit candles in them and remembered their relatives and friends who had departed from this world, so that they too could rejoice that Christ had risen. After the holiday, on Easter week, these jugs were taken to the cemetery and left on the graves of the dead. They also took three red Easter eggs with them to the cemetery and, saying “Christ is risen” at the grave, crumbled the colors for the birds.
*** As soon as the bells began to ring on Easter Sunday, people were baptized and said three times: “Christ has risen, and my family has health, my house has wealth, my field has a harvest. Amen".
*** It’s good to ride on a swing on Easter (and throughout Easter week). This is a ritual of fanning. They say it blows away all sins.
*** If you scoop up water from a spring or river on Easter night, then, according to popular belief, it will have special power.
*** So, the one who is the first to see the sunrise on Easter will not know troubles all year.
*** Girls, in order to get married, had to say to themselves during the church service on Easter: “The Resurrection of Christ! Send me a single groom!”
*** If a child was born on Easter Sunday, then he will become a famous, famous person. Anyone born on Easter week will have good health.
Great people, who can even change the course of history, are born not just on Easter Sunday, but also at noon and with a shirt on.
*** Death on Easter is a special sign. A person who died on this day is marked by God. His soul will immediately rush to heaven, to the holy saints. The deceased is buried with a red testicle in his right hand.
*** After the morning service, you need to get home as quickly as possible and start the festive meal: the faster you do this, the more successful things will go.
*** And in order for the baby to grow strong and strong, on the morning of Easter Sunday he must be placed with his feet on an ax and said: “As steel is strong, so be strong and healthy. Amen.
***If your baby is slow to develop, walk him barefoot on a wooden floor at Easter. And his teeth will erupt faster, he will walk on his own legs sooner, and he will speak sooner.
*** The willow brought during Palm Week was used to fan the children's room, thereby driving out misfortunes and illnesses.
*** It is a good omen to hear a cuckoo on Easter - this foretells an addition to the family, and for young girls - an imminent marriage.
*** Our great-grandfathers always crumbled a piece of blessed Easter cake to the birds, thus calling for good luck and wealth.
*** It is considered a bad omen if a candle goes out during an Easter service in a church, but if it burns out before the end of the service and the person puts it out himself, then this is a good thing.
*** On Easter and throughout the week following it, the church did not marry newlyweds - being distracted by worldly holidays was considered a great sin.
*** On Great Thursday, or as it is also called Clean Thursday, every housewife did a general cleaning in the house and washed all the dirt clean. People say that holidays do not come to a dirty house.
*** If you are experiencing constant difficulties with money, be sure to give a coin to a beggar at Easter - you will not know the need for the whole year.
*** The girls made themselves beautiful on this day - they placed a blessed red Easter egg in the water, and then washed themselves with this water.
*** Couples in love were sensitive to kisses on Easter. It was considered a bad omen to kiss on the threshold - it promised separation. Also, if you hear the croaking of a raven during a kiss, then the lovers could soon separate. But if the kiss took place under a tree, then this promised a joyful life.
*** Mothers protected their children in the following way - starting from Easter and throughout Easter week, the babies were first given a piece of blessed Easter cake on an empty stomach, and then only fed the rest of the food.
*** And so that there is peace and harmony in the family and no one quarrels with each other, the Easter meal must begin with the whole family and everyone must first of all eat a piece of Easter cake and eggs that were blessed in the church.
*** A woman who can’t get pregnant should put an extra plate next to her on Easter, put a piece of Easter there with the words: “Kulich for the kids!” After the meal, this piece was crumbled to the birds.
*** At Easter, as at the Annunciation, birds were released into the wild as a sign of spring freedom. When releasing it, they made a wish - it was believed that the bird was a heavenly creature, and she would pass it on to the Almighty.
*** Candles bought for Easter in the church were kept all year - they blessed the young, placed them near the seriously ill, and used them to drive out evil spirits from houses.
*** Elderly people throughout Easter week, combing their hair, said the following words: “Send me, Lord, as many grandchildren as there are hairs on the comb.”
*** The remains of wax from Easter candles were stored until the next Easter - according to popular belief, this served as a talisman for the house from fire, and for the family from curses.
*** A husband and wife must hit colored eggs against each other at breakfast on Easter Sunday; the one whose egg does not break will be the “head” of the family all year.
**** If your child is capricious and whiny, parents should definitely go to church on Easter to atone for their sins.
*** To prevent the harvest from being damaged by hail, drought or rain, peasants buried Easter egg shells in the ground on Easter.
*** It was considered a bad omen to oversleep the morning service on Easter - this prophesied failure.
*** If during Easter week you saw a deceased relative in a dream, this means that next year no one in the family will become seriously ill or die;
*** If someone in the house is dying, then in church on Easter Sunday you had to try to take the Easter egg from the hands of the priest. When leaving the church, you need to go up to the icon of the Mother of God and call her with you: “Mother Mother of God, come with me to my home. Spend the night with us, heal the slave (name of the patient). At home, it was necessary to feed at least part of the egg brought to the patient. Then, according to popular belief, he will not die this year.
*** And, of course, people paid attention and noticed the weather on this bright holiday.
- Good weather on Easter was considered a harbinger of a hot summer, cloudy weather meant a cold, dry summer;
- If many stars were visible in the sky, this meant that there would still be frost;
- According to popular belief, if all the snow has already melted on Easter, it means the harvest this season will be rich.
- Heavy rains during Easter week also foreshadowed a prosperous year.
- A thunderstorm on Easter week was considered a sign of late and dry autumn;
- Seeing a colorful sunset on Easter was considered an excellent omen and promised great luck.

Easter is the most important holiday of the year for every Orthodox person. Over the course of several centuries, this day has acquired many popular signs and beliefs. Some of them have reached our time unchanged.

If the sun shines brightly on Easter, then summer will be clear and hot. If it rains, then the summer will also be cold and rainy.

It is believed that if a bird flies to the windowsill on Easter morning, then it is the soul of a deceased relative who has come to visit his relatives.

In order for the whole year to pass in joy and prosperity, the whole family needs to have breakfast on Easter morning.

Eating a piece of homemade cake means attracting wealth. To deprive this food of your attention is to invite poverty.

To meet the dawn on the holiday of the Resurrection of Christ is a great happiness.

If a girl hits her elbow on Easter day, then fate will soon take her by the hand and lead her to her betrothed.

You can get rid of the evil eye and damage on Easter by crossing yourself with a blessed egg.

If a small child cries bitterly on Easter, then it’s time for the parents to go to church and go to confession. It is believed that through the child the Guardian Angel makes it clear to parents that their souls have too much burden of sins.

If you were given an egg and it peeled off, it’s a big sin on you.

Unexpected guests on Easter mean great wealth.

Going for a visit on Easter day yourself will open up new paths to happiness and good luck.

If during a festive meal the Easter cake is eaten first and entirely, the year will be extremely successful.

Feeding the birds on Easter means getting rid of past failures and even illnesses.

If a stray cat or dog comes to your house on the Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord, this is a sign of great wealth and unexpected joy. In order for well-being to become a part of your life, animals should be fed from the heart.

Borrowing money to a friend for Easter means a big financial increase in the near future.

Spilling salt on Easter day means grief in the family.

Finding a bouquet of consecrated willow on the road means trouble.

Spilling water, tea or coffee before sunset on Sunday means tears. After sunset - to tears of joy.

Oversleeping through the morning service if you were not at the night service is a big disaster.

Drawing a cross on the front door frame with soot from an Easter candle will protect your home from troubles and fire for the whole year.

If a child was born on Easter, he should be strong and healthy.

It is believed that a person who dies on Easter goes straight to Heaven. All sins committed during his lifetime are forgiven, and at the funeral a red blessed Easter egg is placed in the right hand of the deceased.

It is believed that on the Day of Resurrection you must go on a swing: all sins will be blown away by the wind.

During the morning meal, married couples beat colored eggs against each other: it is believed that the one whose shell remains intact will be the head of the family all year.

Hearing a cuckoo at sunset on Easter Sunday means the birth of a child, and the sound of a woodpecker means a new home.

Cutting yourself until you bleed on Easter means illness, and shedding someone else’s blood means taking on all the sins of that person.

If a thunderstorm came on the Resurrection of Christ, then the summer will be long and warm, and the autumn will be late and dry.

If Easter night is clear and starry, there will be frost the next day.

Easter rituals and fortune telling

Despite the fact that clergy strongly discourage fortune telling during Easter week, several long-standing rituals that attract wealth and prosperity continue to be used for many years.

Ritual for wealth

This simple ritual is performed on the first evening after the Easter night service. For the ritual you will need:

soup plate;
a handful of millet, a handful of sunflower seeds and a handful of bread crumbs;
church candle.

At sunset, you need to stay alone, install and light a candle, and then read any prayer that you know and feel.

Place a plate in front of the candle, take a handful of millet, and, pouring it into the container, say the words:

“Millet grains are like suns. The hens will peck the millet and lay golden eggs. Gold flows into my house! Amen".

Then take a handful of sunflower seeds in your hands and pour it into the millet with the words:

“Just as a sunflower grew and reached to the heavens, so wealth reaches out to me, sprouts from the ground, bears fruits and seeds. Amen".

After this, pour the bread crumbs into the same plate, saying the following words:

“Golden rye grows, God’s bread is baked and life is prolonged. Just as crumbs cannot turn into seeds, so no one can take away my wealth. Amen".

Mix the grains, seeds and crumbs in a bowl, wait until the candle burns out, and give the contents of the plate to the birds, saying the following words:

“As soon as the bird pecks the last grain, wealth will come to my doorstep! Amen".

Fortune telling on Easter cake

You can learn how the year will go for each family member by looking at the Easter cake. To do this, you need to knead the dough with your own hands and divide it into as many parts as there are people in your family.

Having formed the cakes, you need to name each one after one of your household members. After this, the cakes need to be baked, and after they are ready, carefully examine them.

if the cake turns out to be the correct shape, evenly baked, then this relative will have a good and successful year;
an Easter cake that is burnt or has fallen over on one side predicts many difficulties and illnesses;
if the cake falls apart or burns, this is a big disaster.

Help you find out about the joy and well-being that is on your doorstep

Easter signs, which contain the wisdom of more than one generation, are of great importance for believers. People use them to predict events in the near future, and they will also help prevent bad events and well-being.

Easter signs and beliefs

Thanks to people's observation, weather signs have appeared that are still relevant today:

If the weather is clear on this great holiday, this is a harbinger of a hot summer, and if it is cloudy, it is a harbinger of a cold and dry one.
When it rains on Easter, this indicates that there will be frequent rains in late spring, and a rich harvest of rye should also be expected.
A thunderstorm on this day foreshadows a late and dry autumn.
If the snow has not completely cleared from the fields before Easter, this is a harbinger of a rich harvest.

There are other Easter signs and customs that provide a lot of information about life:

It is believed that the person who is the first to see the sunrise on this holiday will not know troubles all year.
Elderly people should comb their hair on this holiday, saying that they will have as many grandchildren as there are hairs on their heads.
It is believed that if a person rides on a swing on Easter, this will be a ritual of worship and one can get rid of all sins.
If a person breaks something on the first day of a great holiday, then this is a harbinger of death.
A colorful sunset on Easter foretells good luck.

Easter cake - signs

Since ancient times, women have been baking special Easter cakes, and many traditions and signs are associated with this process. When kneading the dough, you must read well-known prayers. Traditionally, the dough needs to be kneaded for an hour and is considered to be very sensitive to people's physical condition. If it does not rise, it means that there is a seriously ill person at home.

Describing signs about Easter cakes, it is worth saying that for every Easter, before putting them in the oven, you need to make a wish for one of the family members. If the baking fails, it means that the person to whom it was dedicated will become seriously ill. When it turns out beautiful, it is a symbol of health. Understanding what signs for Easter are associated with Easter cakes, it is worth saying that if they crack during the holiday, this is a bad sign that foreshadows troubles for the whole family. To ensure a good harvest, the owner always took a head from the blessed Easter cake with him to the field for lunch.

Easter eggs - signs

It is difficult to imagine this great church holiday without colored eggs, which are associated with many superstitions.

At Easter, children are always given red eggs (a symbol of the blood of Christ), which will provide them with health and well-being.
Signs about Easter eggs say that with their help you can get rid of damage, headaches, fatigue and other problems. In ancient times in Germany, they were eaten by women in labor who wanted to have a boy.
If consecrated paints have spoiled, they should never be thrown away, as this is a sinful act. The solution to the problem is to bury them. It is also necessary to do the same with the shell.
Easter signs for girls indicate that if you wash your face with water in which the blessed red eggs have lain for some time, you can preserve your beauty.
People believed that with the help of an egg it was possible to increase the harvest, for which purpose it was buried in wheat during a church service. Afterwards they take it with them to the field when sowing is carried out.

Easter candle - signs

It is important to take a candle with you to the service and for the blessing of Easter cakes. It is believed that it has enormous power and must be brought home from church. The following Easter folk signs are common:

A bad sign is when a candle goes out during a service. It is believed that this portends illness and other troubles. If the candle burns out before the end of the service, and in the end it is extinguished by the person himself, then this is good.
It is recommended to store the remaining wax from candles until the next holiday, since folk signs say that they are a talisman for the house against fires and for the family against curses.
According to another superstition, in order to protect your family from various kinds of problems, quarrels and bad luck, you need to burn a cross on the door frame using.

Signs on Easter night in church

The time after sunset has enormous energy, so there are certain signs that are suitable only for this period.

If you scoop up water from a river or spring on Easter night, it will have enormous power. With its help, it will be possible to cure diseases and improve beauty for girls.
Signs for the Easter service indicate that it is important to attend it in order to cleanse yourself and celebrate the great event with other believers. If a person overslept it, this is a bad sign, foreshadowing a lot of trouble.
If there are many stars in the sky at night on Easter, then frosts should still be expected.
Girls should know that if they start menstruating at night, they should not go to church services. You can ask other people to light a candle.

Easter bell - signs

Since ancient times, it has been believed that the ringing of bells can cleanse a person’s soul, drive out evil spirits from him and give him health. Many people attest to his grace because they have experienced it themselves. When figuring out what signs on Easter night and day are associated with the ringing of bells, it is worth pointing out that it has special magical powers. When a person hears the bell ringing during the morning service, he must make a wish, and it will come true. In order for the trees to produce a rich harvest, it is necessary to shake them thoroughly during the ringing.

Easter love signs

People who are in a relationship should be careful about kissing on the day of the great holiday; for example, you should not kiss on the threshold, as this portends separation. Easter signs of love indicate that if lovers hear crows cawing while kissing, then there is a high risk that the relationship will soon end. The best place for a kiss is under a tree, then it will portend a happy life.

Easter signs for marriage

There are a number of superstitions that can be used by single girls who want to find their soulmate and get married. The most popular folk signs on Easter days, indicating an imminent marriage:

If your eyebrow is very itchy on this day, then a meeting with your future spouse will take place in the near future.
A feeling as if your lips are burning or severe itching in this area foreshadows fiery kisses and, perhaps, you will soon be able to receive a marriage proposal.
Signs for the Easter week for the family say that if a fly gets on the plate of a lonely girl during the Easter meal, then she will definitely get married this year.
A good sign is to hear the cuckoo cuckoo on this day, which promises a successful marriage.
It is believed that if the weather is bad on Easter, then you should not agree to marriage this year, as it will be unsuccessful.

Easter signs for pregnancy

If a woman has been unable to get pregnant for a long time, then Easter is a great time to take advantage of the enormous energy of this holiday and increase your chances of success. There are special Easter signs for getting pregnant:

During the meal, you need to put an empty plate next to you and put a piece of Easter cake there, saying: “Easter cake is for the kids!” Then go outside and feed the baked goods to the birds.
It is believed that if you bless an apple on this holiday, make a wish on it and eat it, your dream will come true.
According to another Easter sign, if you hit any child with a colored egg and say “Christ is risen,” your chances of getting pregnant will increase significantly.

It is believed that a child born on Easter Sunday will certainly have some kind of talent, and he will be able to become a famous person. It is also believed that he will have excellent health. Another ancient sign is known, which indicates that if a child is developing slowly, then he should be walked barefoot on a wooden floor on Easter. After this, he should quickly learn to walk, talk, and so on.

Signs for Easter for money

On this great holiday, you can increase your financial well-being; for this, it is recommended to follow a number of signs.

It is believed that the whole family must go to church for the service, and then return home together and the housewife must feed all the household members.
Signs for Easter week regarding money indicate that in order to increase your financial situation, you need to share, so after the service, be sure to give out alms, giving not only money, but also Easter cakes and eggs. It is important to do everything from the heart, and not because it is necessary.
Crumbs left after eating Easter cakes should not be thrown away. They need to be fed to the birds.

Getting sick on Easter is a sign

According to ancient beliefs, if a person gets sick on this day, the illness will not last long and he will soon recover. It is believed that in this way the Higher powers protect or protect a person from some kind of danger, so if an illness occurs, it is worth analyzing your life, perhaps the wrong decision was made. Signs on Easter day indicate that if someone saw a dead relative in a dream, then neither he nor his loved ones will get sick in the near future.

Death during Easter week - signs

There are several days a year when death, according to Orthodox traditions, must be perceived as grace. Signs on Easter day say that a person who passes away on this great holiday is marked by the Lord God. His soul will certainly go to heaven among the holy saints. It is important to bury such a person by placing a red egg in his right hand.

Resurrection of Christ (Easter) is the most important Christian holiday, established in remembrance of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The Charter of the church service depends on the date of Easter (from this day the countdown of the “pillars” of osmoglasia begins), and the end of the longest and strictest Lent (breaking the fast) and many other Orthodox holidays.

Even for people far from religion, Holy Easter is associated with a nightly solemn service, a procession of the cross and Easter cakes, colored eggs and the ringing of bells. What is the spiritual meaning of Easter and what are its traditions?

Easter of Christ. How many days is it celebrated?

Easter is the most important and solemn Christian holiday. It takes place every year at different times and is one of the moving holidays. Other moving holidays also depend on the day of Easter, such as: Palm Sunday, Ascension of the Lord, Feast of the Holy Trinity (Pentecost) and others. The celebration of Easter is the longest: for 40 days, believers greet each other with the words “Christ is Risen!” - “Truly he is risen!” The Day of the Bright Resurrection of Christ for Christians is a time of special celebration and spiritual joy, when believers gather for services to glorify the risen Christ, and the entire Easter week is celebrated “as one day.” The church service throughout the week almost completely repeats the nightly Easter service.

Celebration of Easter in history. Why is Sunday called Sunday?

The modern name of the day of the week - Sunday - comes from the Christian holiday of Easter. Every Sunday of the week throughout the year, Christians especially celebrate with prayer and a solemn service in the temple. Sunday is also called “little Easter.” Sunday is called Sunday in honor of Jesus Christ who was resurrected on the third day after the crucifixion. And although Christians remember the Resurrection of the Lord weekly, this event is especially solemnly celebrated once a year - on Easter.

In the first centuries of Christianity there was a division between Easter of the Cross and Easter of Sunday. Mention of this is contained in the works of the early Church Fathers: the epistle of St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 130–202) to the Roman Bishop Victor, the “Tale of Easter” by St. Melito of Sardis (beginning of the 2nd century - c. 190), the works of St. Clement of Alexandria (c. 150 - c. 215) and Hippolytus the Pope (c. 170 - c. 235). Easter of the Cross - the memory of the suffering and death of the Savior was celebrated with a special fast and coincided with the Jewish Passover in memory of the fact that the Lord was crucified during this Old Testament holiday. The first Christians prayed and strictly fasted until Easter Sunday - the joyful memory of the Resurrection of Christ.

At present, there is no division between Easter of the Cross and Sunday, although the content has been preserved in the liturgical Charter: the strict and mournful services of Holy Thursday, Friday and Saturday end with the joyful and jubilant Easter service. Actually, the Easter night service itself begins with a mournful midnight office, at which the canon of Great Saturday is read. At this time, in the middle of the temple there is still a lectern with the Shroud - an embroidered or painted icon depicting the position of the Lord in the tomb.

Traditions of celebrating Easter among the Old Believers

Old Believers of all types - both priests and non-priests - have many common traditions of celebrating the Holy Resurrection of Christ. Old Believers begin breaking their fast on Holy Easter at a meal with their family after the temple service. Many communities also have a common church meal, at which many believers gather. On the day of the Resurrection of Christ, special dishes are placed on the table, which are prepared only once a year: Easter cake, Easter cottage cheese, painted eggs. In addition to special Easter dishes, many traditional delicacies of Russian cuisine are prepared. At the beginning of the Easter meal, it is customary to eat food consecrated in the temple, then all other dishes.

Signs for Easter. Popular beliefs

For Easter baking to turn out lush and tasty, the house should be quiet and calm. You can’t speak loudly and, especially, quarrel.

After the consecration in the church, each owner tried to bring the Easter cake home as quickly as possible. This custom is based on a popular belief: whoever runs home first on Easter will have the best harvest and the owner will be the first to finish field work.

In connection with this custom, there were some other Easter beliefs:

The bread will grow as fast as the owner runs with Easter
Whoever overtakes everyone will have the strongest horse and will overtake others in work for a whole year.
The weather signs for Easter were of great importance for our ancestors, because it was from them that one could find out how fruitful and successful the whole next year would be.
If a thunderstorm breaks out on this day, it means that autumn will come late and will be dry. Rain without a thunderstorm foreshadows a rainy spring.
If it's cloudy, it means the summer will be cold and cloudy.
Frost on Easter predicts a good harvest.
Cold, but not sub-zero weather means a dry summer. All the snow melts completely by the harvest year.
If the weather is clear on Tuesday after Easter, it will rain all summer.
And if it’s warm and clear on Sunday, it means the summer will be sunny and fruitful.
A starry, clear night on Easter promises frosts and cold snaps.

According to Slavic beliefs, before or after the Great Day, the ancestors return to the earth, where they remain until the Trinity period. In the western and southern provinces of the Russian Empire, peasants went to the cemetery immediately after the festive liturgy and commemorated Christ with the deceased. This is connected with the idea of the “Easter of the Dead”, according to which on the eve of Easter the Lord opens heaven and hell (a sign of which is the royal doors open in the church) and releases the souls of the dead from the “other world” so that they can visit their homes and celebrate their Easter .

After the morning service on the first day of Easter, they go to celebrate Christ with the dead in the cemetery and bury an egg in the grave. The commemoration of the dead on Bright Week contradicts the church canon (as incompatible with the joy of the Resurrection of Christ) and has retained the status of a purely folk custom.

The Russians had a belief that on this day the sky opens, and during the entire Bright Week, the souls of the departed freely move to the “villages of the righteous”, constantly circulate among the living, visit their relatives and friends, drink, eat and rejoice with them.

According to the beliefs of the villagers, the evil spirits that are in the underground kingdom live in the silence of the grave and are very afraid of screams and noise. And when on Great Day they fired shots from guns, knocked on wood and dishes, played music and ringing bells, people believed that this drove away evil spirits and evil spirits

There was a belief that on Easter “the sun plays.” According to the ideas of Russian peasants, “the rising sun will either appear from behind the edge of the sky, then hide behind it again, then look up, then go down, then shine with scarlet, white, azure flowers, then shine in all its glory so that no eye can see It’s impossible to look at him.”

During Velikodenskaya Week, as well as on Maslenitsa, the main attention was paid to young people and newlyweds. For example, in youth Easter round dances, future married couples were usually named and newlyweds who got married during the last year were called.

On Easter, mass celebrations were held almost everywhere with singing, round dances and games, “bride fairs”, swings and other amusements.