Orthodox feast of 40 saints a year. Larks

March 22 - Magpies, a holiday of great importance in. Today is the feast of 40 Saints, and therefore many are wondering if it is possible to work for 40 Saints, what are the traditions and signs of the day, and also on the feast of 40 Saints? what can't be done. Therefore, the editors want to devote time to this issue.

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Answering the question what church holiday is today, we inform you: church holidays 2019 include one important date - 40 Saints. Regarding the history of the feast of 40 Saints, it is known that the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste were the best squad in the army of the ancient Roman emperor Licinius. The ruler himself was a cruel pagan, a persecutor of the Christian faith and those who tried to preach it. And these forty combatants were bound by love for Jesus Christ, refusing all worldly goods, wealth and honors did not agree to sacrifice to the pagan gods. Thus, 40 soldiers did not renounce the Christian faith and were killed.

Thus, in the traditions of Christianity, a day appeared when the 40 Sebastian martyrs are venerated.

Customs and Traditions on the Feast of the Forty Saints

The Orthodox calendar 2019 in folk traditions is often intertwined with pagan rituals, due to the long existence in the culture of the ancient Slavs. The Feast of the 40 Saints is no exception in this regard. So, on March 22, the girls need to break forty wooden dies, break forty ropes - this will drive away the evil spirits that are bound by frost. Thus, they got rid of winter, paving the way for spring. There is also a tradition to swing on a swing on March 22 - the stronger you swing and fly higher, the more fruitful the year will be, and people will become happier. March 22 is the feast of the Magpie or 40 Saints, and therefore another tradition would also be very appropriate. In honor of spring, on this day, trees are decorated with paper or rag flowers, bright ribbons, bells, so that spring will quickly come into its own.

Good housewives bake forty lark-shaped buns with honey on this day. The tradition says to distribute them to children so that the poultry on the farm is healthy. Girls also have to show their ability to do household chores: cook forty dumplings and treat the guys.

Feast of 40 Saints: signs

40 Holy signs say that on this day, March 22, winter ends and spring comes. Very often this day coincides with the day of the equinox. In the folk tradition, it is also called Sorochintsy, Magpies, Larks, because after the winter wandering from the south, migratory birds fly to us and bring spring with them. Usually on this day, gardeners can get an answer on when to start planting seedlings. All signs on this day, as a rule, are associated with the weather. So, on this day you can judge the weather for the next 40 days. If it is frosty, then this weather will last another 40 days. If birds arrive, then this is an early warmth.

Feast of 40 saints: what not to do

The church calendar, according to tradition, has its own instructions regarding the celebration of church dates. Therefore, many are interested in whether it is possible to work for the feast of 40 Saints. In general, it is important that on this day you should not be lazy, but it is better to prepare for the meeting of spring and appease her with your own.

March 22 is the feast of the Forty Holy Martyrs, which is celebrated annually during. And this means that on this day the prohibitions are the same as on. The only difference is that you can eat food with vegetable oil. Cahors wine is also allowed on this day. It is also not advisable to work and clean the house on this day. Answering the question whether it is possible to work on the feast of 40 Saints, we inform you that work is prohibited for personal gain, for good purposes it is possible.

The memory of the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste in the Russian Orthodox Church is celebrated on March 22 according to the new style. This is a non-transferable holiday, that is, its date is fixed. But in 2017, due to the fact that the feast of the Forty Martyrs of Sebastia falls on the Wednesday of the Week of the Cross, and on this day a service is performed with the veneration of the Cross according to the Lenten Triodion, the festive service to the martyrs of Sebaste is postponed to March 21, explains foma.ru. In this regard, today, March 21, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts was served in churches.

In 313, Saint Constantine the Great issued a decree according to which Christians were allowed freedom of religion and they were equal in rights with pagans. But his co-ruler Licinius was a staunch pagan and in his part of the empire decided to eradicate Christianity, which had spread significantly there. Licinius was preparing for a war against Constantine and, fearing treason, decided to purge his army of Christians.

At that time, in the Armenian city of Sebastia, one of the commanders was Agricolaus, an ardent supporter of paganism. Under his command was a squad of forty Cappadocians, brave warriors who emerged victorious from many battles. All of them were Christians. When the soldiers refused to sacrifice to the pagan gods, Agricolaus imprisoned them. The soldiers indulged in fervent prayer and one night they heard a voice: "He who endures to the end, he will be saved."

The next morning, the soldiers were again brought to Agricola. This time the pagan used flattery. He began to praise their courage, youth and strength, and again invited them to renounce Christ and thus win the honor and favor of the emperor himself. Again hearing the refusal, Agricolaus ordered the soldiers to be chained. However, the eldest of them, Kirion, said: "The Emperor did not give you the right to impose fetters on us." Agricolaus was embarrassed and ordered the soldiers to be taken to the dungeon without fetters.

Seven days later, a noble dignitary Lysias arrived in Sevastia and arranged a trial for the soldiers. The saints firmly answered: "Take not only our military rank, but also our lives, for us there is nothing more precious than Christ God." Then Lysias ordered that the holy martyrs be stoned. But the stones flew off target; a stone thrown by Lysias hit Agricolaus in the face. The tormentors realized that some invisible force was protecting the saints. In prison, the soldiers spent the night in prayer and again heard the voice of the Lord comforting them: "He who believes in Me, even if he dies, will come to life. Be of good cheer and do not be afraid, for you will receive incorruptible crowns."

The next day, the trial before the tormentor and the interrogation was repeated, but the soldiers remained adamant.

It was winter, it was very cold. The holy warriors were undressed, taken to a lake not far from the city, and placed under guard on the ice all night. In order to break the will of the martyrs, a bathhouse was kindled nearby on the shore. In the first hour of the night, when the cold became unbearable, one of the soldiers could not stand it and rushed to the bathhouse, but as soon as he crossed the threshold, he fell down dead. At the third hour of the night, the Lord sent consolation to the martyrs: suddenly it became light, the ice melted, and the water in the lake became warm. All the guards were asleep, only one named Aglaius was awake. Looking at the lake, he saw that a bright crown appeared above the head of each martyr. Aglaius counted thirty-nine crowns and realized that the fleeing warrior had lost his crown. Then Aglaius woke up the rest of the guards, threw off his clothes and said to them: "And I am a Christian!" - and joined the martyrs. Standing in the water, he prayed: "Lord God, I believe in You, in Whom these soldiers believe. Add me to them, so that I may be able to suffer with Your servants."

The next morning, the torturers were surprised to see that the martyrs were alive, and their guard Aglaius, together with them, glorified Christ. Then the soldiers were taken out of the water and their shins were broken. During this painful execution, the mother of the youngest of the warriors, Meliton, urged her son not to be afraid and endure everything to the end. The bodies of the martyrs were placed on chariots and taken to be burned. Young Meliton was still breathing, and he was left to lie on the ground. Then the mother picked up her son and carried him on her shoulders after the chariot. When Meliton breathed his last, his mother placed him on a chariot next to the bodies of his holy companions. The bodies of the saints were burned at the stake, and the charred bones were thrown into the water so that the Christians would not collect them.

Three days later, the martyrs appeared in a dream to Blessed Peter, Bishop of Sebaste, and commanded him to bury their remains. The bishop, with several clerics, collected the remains of the glorious martyrs at night and buried them with honor.

The names of the martyrs: Kirion, Candide, Domnus, Hesychius, Heraclius, Smaragdus, Eunoikus, Ualens (Valens), Vivian, Claudius, Priscus, Theodulus, Eutychius, John, Xanthius, Ilian, Sisinius, Angius, Aetius, Flavius, Akakiy, Ekdikiy, Lysimachus, Alexander, Eli, Gorgonius, Theophilus, Dometian, Gaius, Leontius, Athanasius, Cyril, Sakerdon, Nicholas, Walerius (Valery), Philoctimon, Severian, Hudion, Meliton and Aglaius.

The next day, the trial before the tormentor and the interrogation was repeated, but the soldiers remained adamant.

Forty Saints 2017

The history of the holiday is very ancient and dates back to the first centuries of Christianity. It tells about 40 soldiers of the Roman legion who died near the city of Sebastia for refusing to renounce the Christian faith. Their memory is revered in the Orthodox and Catholic churches.

However, on this day there are some prohibitions.

What not to do on 40 Saints Day

On this day, you should not be lazy, but you should prepare well for the meeting of spring and appease it with your culinary pastries.

The Feast of the Forty Holy Martyrs is celebrated annually during Great Lent. And on this day, the prohibitions are the same as on any day of fasting. The only difference is that you can eat food with vegetable oil. Cahors wine is also allowed on this day.

It is also not advisable to work and clean the house on this day.

Signs for 40 Saints Day

It is believed that on this holiday winter ends and spring comes. Very often this day coincides with the day of the equinox. It is also called Sorochintsy, Magpies, Larks, because after the winter wandering from the south, migratory birds fly to us and bring spring with them.

On this day, gardeners can get an answer on when to start planting seedlings.

On the feast of 40 saints, signs are mainly related to the weather. So, on this day you can judge the weather for the next 40 days. If it is frosty, then this weather will last another 40 days. If birds arrive, then this is an early warmth.

On this day, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of the forty Martyrs of Sebastia - Christian soldiers who were martyred. The people call the holiday differently: Magpies, Larks, Forty Magpies, Forty Saints, Forty Martyrs.

Folk traditions and signs on the Forty Martyrs

Among the people, the day of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste or Forty Magpies was considered a great holiday - the day of the second meeting of spring. The first day of the meeting was considered the Meeting, the third day of the meeting of spring was the Annunciation. There was a saying: on Magpie, day and night are measured, winter ends, spring begins.

And how without folk traditions. They were very colorful and loved by the people at Forty Sorokov.

Mistresses ahead of time baked cookies in the form of birds from dough, usually 40 pieces by the number of dead martyrs. After all, larks were the harbingers of spring, although according to legend, 40 different birds flew to Magpies from across the sea, and the magpie builds a nest of 40 sticks.

Recipe for baking larks for the day of Forty Forty:

2 kg of flour, 50 g of yeast, 250 g of vegetable oil, a glass of sugar, 0.5 liters of water, a little salt, smeared with sweet strong tea.

Larks were usually baked on Larks with outstretched wings, as if flying. The cookies were handed out to the children, saying: The larks flew in, they sat on the head of the children. The children climbed onto the roofs, tied the larks to the twigs and called the birds to fly in and bring spring:

Larks, fly to us, Bring us some warmth, Winter is tired, I ate all the bread! Larks, larks, Fly from across the sea, Bring a piece of health. We give you a small bag, And you give us a bag of money! Oh you larks, larks! Fly into the field, bring health: The first is cow, The second is sheep, The third is human!

In the evening, baked birds were usually eaten, and their heads were given to cattle or given to their mother with the words: “Like a lark, it flew high, so that your flax was tall. What a head my lark has, so that the flax was big-headed. Sometimes these cookies were crumbled, scattered on four sides for birds to feed. With the help of such birds, a family sower was selected on the Larks. To do this, a coin, a splinter was baked into the lark, ... Men pulled out a baked bird for themselves. Whoever drew lots, scattered the first handfuls of grains at the time of the beginning of sowing.

Other folk customs are associated with this holiday. For example, it was customary, in addition to birds, to bake forty “nuts” and throw one out into the street every subsequent day with the following words: “Frost Red Nose! Here's your bread and oats! And now get out of the way, hello!”

Sometimes forty balls of dough were placed in specially made straw nests so that the chickens would not go around other people's yards, rush at home and bring more eggs for the bright holiday of Easter.

However, spring could be deceptive - the morning frosts were still strong. To protect yourself from matinees, hostesses baked from rye or oat flour 40 balls- forty saints, golden kolobans. They were supposed to be thrown out of the window one at a time for 40 days.

Watching the weather today:

if it is warm on Magpies, then it will be the same for another 40 days;
a warm wind promised a rainy summer;
the first thunder that sounded over the bare forest foreshadowed a hungry year;
frost on Forty Forty, on the contrary, promised a harvest - especially millet.

History of the Day of Remembrance of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste

All the martyrs were from Cappadocia and served in the Roman army. The commander demanded that the Christians, along with the rest of the soldiers, sacrifice to the pagan gods. After refusing, they were tortured and then stripped and forced to stand in an ice-covered lake overnight. By morning, one of the soldiers could not stand it - and ran to a warm bath. However, his place among the martyrs was taken by the Roman Aglaius, who was impressed by the fortitude of the Christian spirit.