Apple Spas: traditions, signs and congratulations. Tomorrow Orthodox Christians will celebrate the Apple Savior. Apple Savior: traditions, customs and signs.

The Second Spas, which is called Yablochny, is celebrated on August 19. This event does not go unnoticed among people. signs and beliefs that are relevant to this day are known for the fact that on this day all fortune-telling, as a rule, turns out to be true.

A little about the holiday

Apple Spas- this is a sign that warm or hot summer is gradually giving way to cooler autumn. On this day it is necessary to harvest. Observant people notice that on August 19 it becomes cool, and birds and animals, sensing the approach of cold weather, begin to behave cautiously and fussily.

Jesus Christ is considered the Savior, that is, the savior of the human race. It was thanks to him that the holiday received its name. Traditions, customs, rituals and signs on Apple Spas (August 19) are very diverse. If you are observant enough and believe in magic, you will notice how, by following all the rules, your life will change for the better.

There are many signs that indicate that good luck will soon visit your life. Here are the most popular ones:

• If on August 19 a fly landed on your hand twice, then luck will follow you whole year. It has been noted that even if you don’t like flies, you should be patient and wait until the insect flies away.
• If you treat a poor or needy person on this day, you can expect a good harvest next year.

Many signs that exist on Yablochny Spas are dedicated to women.

Signs for women

A lot of new and even mystical things happen to the fair sex at Yablochny Spas. Signs for women, the observance of which helps not to commit sins, are as follows:

• As everyone knows, Adam and Eve were expelled from paradise because of one apple they ate. After Easter and before the Apple Savior, a woman should not eat apples, so as not to violate God's commandment. If a girl breaks this tradition, she will take upon herself a grave sin.
• A woman should not come to church wearing a skirt above the knee or with her head uncovered. This means disobedience to the laws of the Lord.

Such traditions have existed at Yablochny Spas since ancient times. Signs for women occupy a special place in this holiday, since it is the fair sex who are the keepers of the hearth and provide family comfort.

There are also many folk beliefs that help predict the future course of events.

Popular beliefs are not limited to signs for women. For example, there is a tradition that obliges you to eat an apple with honey on this day. This will help you improve your health and give you strength for the whole year. Besides:

• On this day it is customary to harvest peas and apples.
• For good luck to follow you, prepare dishes that contain apples for Apple Spas.
• If you do not harvest your grain crop by August 19, then after this day all weather conditions will harm it.
• After August 19 the weather will become much colder.
• If it’s hot on Yablochny Spas, then the winter won’t be very snowy, but if it’s cold, expect cold and snowstorms.

In addition, there are several conspiracies and fortune telling that young girls often resort to on this day:

• Cut a red ripe apple into equal halves, put a note between them with the name of the person you like. Place the apple on the windowsill and watch which half begins to deteriorate and darken first. If it’s on the right, then the person you’re interested in doesn’t have warm feelings for you, and if it’s on the left, then most likely your loved one will soon take the initiative to bring you closer together.
• If you want to perform a ritual that will show whether your dream will come true, take 3 apples different color. Let one be red, the second yellow, and the third green. Place the fruits in one container. Imagine that your wish has come true. Do it in colors. After this, take one apple out of the box. If you come across red, then your wish will come true, and this fulfillment will not take long to come. If the apple is yellow, then you will have to make some efforts to achieve your dream. If you pulled out green fruit, then your desire is not destined to come true.

You can not only guess at Apple Spas. Signs, conspiracies, and rituals are also popular among believers.

Rituals and conspiracies for Apple Savior

Signs for Apple Spas on August 19 boil down to the fact that you can attract good luck in your personal life, career and other important areas on your own. This must be done using the following rituals:

• Pick 3 linden branches and place them in a vase next to your bed. After this, for 9 days, every morning, take the branches out of the vase, walk around the whole house with them, whipping them in the corners. This way you will attract wealth into your life.
• To bewitch your loved one, take an apple, cut it into equal halves, put a nettle leaf between them, and again connect the parts into one whole. Next, bring the apple to your lips and read the spell: “Fly to me, my destiny, like stinging nettles. Let it be for the good of you, me and everyone around.” After that, hide the apple in a place where no one will find it. Wait until the fruit dries, then bury it in the ground near your loved one's home.
• To rid your home of bad energy, on August 19, take a large apple and cut it into 2 equal parts, cut out the core from one. Next, take a candle, place it on a saucer, light it and walk around every corner of your house with it. The wax will drip from the candle, you should pour it into the cored apple half. Cover it with the second part of the fruit and fasten it tightly with threads. After this, take the apple outside and bury it deep in the ground.

Signs for Apple Spas on August 19 are not limited to this. There are several other beliefs that seem to look mystical.

• If parents whose child has recently died do not eat apples before the Apple Savior, then in the next world the baby will receive gifts in the form of heavenly apples.
• On this day, peas also need to be blessed in church. Good luck will follow the one who shares the blessed fruits with poor people.

Apple Savior is considered an Orthodox holiday, so people who believe in God observe all the traditions of this holiday.

In Yablochny Spas - summer has left us

In August we celebrate three Spas - Honey, Apple and Nut Spas. All three holidays are folk on the one hand, and on the other they are closely connected with the church. This happened due to the mixing of folk and Orthodox traditions.

In the last article we talked about traditions, signs and congratulations on the Honey Savior. In this same year, we will discuss the second holiday - Apple. We will also learn about ancient traditions, signs, and some sayings. Let's find out when Apple Spas and much more.

When Apple Spas

Apple Savior is always celebrated on the same date, combined with the great Orthodox holiday - the Transfiguration of the Lord. And in 2018, 2019, 20th and so on, the Second Savior will be celebrated on August 19.

Story

This day began to be celebrated a long time ago; among the people it was one of the most revered. Since ancient times, this time was considered the beginning of autumn. The holiday is timed, however, like many August holidays, to coincide with harvest time.

After the advent of Christianity, he began to gain new essence, since on this day the church began to celebrate the Transfiguration. The first mention of the holiday dates back to the 4th century, in Palestine.

In Orthodoxy, the Transfiguration is the twelfth great holiday, falling during the Dormition Fast. On this day in church:

Liturgies are celebrated;

canons are sung;

people confess and receive communion.

Believers believe that the Apple Savior is a great time to think about the future and be spiritually transformed. God helps in this, because on the day of the Transfiguration the Lord sends His blessing to people.

In Rus', Apple Spas was widely celebrated. The holiday closely intertwined both religious and folk traditions. This is how it has survived to this day.

Traditions

One of the most common names is Apple Spas. But the day is not only associated with apples, although these are some of the most popular fruit trees in the world, known to man from time immemorial.

• First of all, it is worth mentioning that apples (and other fruits) were not eaten before August 19th. They started doing this only on Apple Savior, after the blessing of fruits in the church.
• Blessed apples were not only eaten or given away as a treat. They were also taken to the cemetery to “treat” their deceased relatives. This was especially true for children: mothers usually carried several apples to the temple, and then to the child’s grave. This custom comes from the belief that on Apple Savior angels treat the souls of children with apples.
• It is believed that apples become magical on this day. By taking a bite, you can make a wish, it should come true. Only the apple must first be dipped in honey.
• The girls wove apple leaves into wreaths and asked the tree for beauty.
• In a good manner was to treat the poor and sick with Spasov's apple. In general, first you had to treat everyone around, especially those in need, and only then eat the apples yourself.
• The poor were not only treated to apples on this day. Other fruits and vegetables too. It was believed that if this was done, the future harvest would be good. Those who did not follow tradition were considered not very decent people.
• Of course, from this day onwards they traditionally began to harvest apples for future use. Housewives prepared various treats with apple filling or simply baked them in the oven.
• In addition to apples, they also began to eat peas. Hence another name for the holiday - Pea Day.
• The herbalists were in a hurry to finish preparing medicinal plants.
• The sowing of rye before winter began in the fields.
• To bless the crops, the priest was often invited, right into the field.
• On the festival of fertility, which the Apple Savior was in pre-Christian times, fairs were held. Apples were sold directly from carts. They had fun from the heart, walked noisily, singing and dancing.
• As in any Orthodox holiday housework was strictly prohibited. Housewives did not do needlework, did not clean, did not wash, and so on. A special ban was imposed on sewing - anyone who sews on this day will cry for the rest of the year. All that was allowed was to harvest crops and cook food.
• Grains had to be completely removed by August 19, otherwise they could be destroyed by rain.
• Apple Spas is a welcome to autumn, which is visible more and more clearly in the air: the days are shorter, the nights are colder:

The Second Savior has arrived - take mittens in reserve

• It was strictly forbidden to tie the knot. The holiday falls on the Dormition Fast, and getting married at this time is a great sin. It is even believed that those who break the prohibitions will not live together in happiness for long.

Home cleansing ritual

An ancient ritual during which the housewives took a church candle and an apple.

1. They cut the apple in half, cut out the core, inserted a candle into one half, set it on fire and walked around the house.
2. When going around, one should ask the Lord to protect the house and those living in it from harm, to give peace to the family and prosperity.
3. After the house has been walked around, you need to collect the wax from the candle and put it in the other half of the apple.
4. Then you need to fold both halves of the fruit, tie them tightly with a rope, take them away from the house and bury them.

Signs for Apple Spas

Of course, there are many signs associated with such a holiday as Apple Savior. We have already announced some of them in the article about the national holidays of August. But we will give some here too.

• There was no need to chase away the flies on August 19th. There is a sign: if a fly lands on your hand twice, it promises good luck.
• One of the beliefs said that the first apple eaten at Yablochny Spas can predict the future. For example, if the apple is sour, expect trouble, if the apple is sweet - prosperity. Sweet and sour - comfort, well-being and a strong family.
• There are a lot of starlings on the trees - expect a harsh January.
• Heat on Pea Day means a January with little snow, rain means a snowy winter.
• Bees flock to honey - to prosperity in the house.
• Bees swarm and it starts to rain - expect a cold and dank autumn.
• The sky is starry and clear - frosty winter.

Congratulations on Apple Savior

In the vastness of the Runet, we searched for you several congratulations on the Apple Savior. Mostly these are pictures. Eat short congratulations, some with poetry, some even animated.

On August 19, Orthodox Christians celebrate the Transfiguration of the Lord, or, as people say, Apple Savior. But the main event that the Church celebrates on August 19 does not concern apples at all. And the word "saved" included in popular name The holiday of the Transfiguration should be written with a capital letter - Savior, because this is an abbreviation for the word “Savior” - one of the names of God. By the way, Jesus in Greek means Savior. So, the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord is a holiday in honor of Jesus Christ, that is, the Savior. And apples are the least important thing here.

On August 19, the Church remembers the event of the Transfiguration of Christ, which occurred before His three disciples - Peter, James and John. It happened on Mount Tabor, and with this Transfiguration Jesus for the first time revealed His Divine essence to the disciples. “And His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light,” we read in the Gospel.

But what does the term “transformation” itself mean? Metamorphosis, change, and initially internal. Modification, transformation, transformation... All these are synonyms, they are close in meaning when it comes to the transformation of nature - “with the arrival of spring the forest was transformed”, or of a person - “Andrei saw how Natasha Rostova was transformed.” When they talk about the transfiguration of God, then, firstly, the word itself begins to be written with a capital letter. And secondly, they keep in mind the fact that only the word “Transfiguration” can describe descriptively the mysterious phenomenon that happened to Jesus almost two thousand years ago, in front of His disciples. A phenomenon that visibly showed these three disciples of Jesus that He had a Divine essence.

This is how the Evangelist Luke talks about this event. Eight days after the Apostle Paul solemnly called Jesus the Messiah, that is, the Christ, Jesus, taking with Him three disciples - Peter, John and James, “went up the mountain to pray. And during prayer His face suddenly changed, and His clothes became sparkling whiteness. And two people talked with Him - these were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in the radiance of heavenly glory. And they spoke about the exodus that He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem. What were they talking about: Jesus and the two Old Testament prophets? About the coming suffering of Christ, His death on the Cross, the Resurrection from the dead, about the atoning sacrifice of the Son of God, liberating humanity from slavery to sin and death. “Peter and his companions fell asleep,” we read further in the Gospel of Luke, “and when they woke up, they saw the radiance of His glory and two men standing next to Him. And when they were about to leave Him, Peter said to Jesus: “Master, how good we should be here! Let us set up three tents here: one for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah!” “He himself did not know what he was saying,” notes the Evangelist Luke: indeed, even the disciples of Christ, accustomed to miracles, were shocked by what they saw. Peter had not yet finished speaking, “when a cloud appeared and covered them with its shadow. The disciples, finding themselves in the cloud, were afraid. But a voice was heard from the cloud, saying: “This is My chosen Son, listen to Him!” And when the voice fell silent, it turned out that Jesus alone. The disciples kept it a secret and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen” (Luke 9:28-36).

And Evangelist Mark clarifies: “When they were descending from the mountain, Jesus ordered that they should not tell anyone about what they had seen until the Son of Man rose from the tomb. They did this, but among themselves they interpreted: “What does this mean?” rise from the grave?" (9:9-10).

So, having seen the Transfiguration of Jesus, the disciples of Christ received a sign that Jesus is the Son of God.

Icons of the holiday usually depict exactly this moment: Jesus in the halo of the “light of Tabor” - the radiance seen by the apostles. To the left and right of Christ are the prophets Elijah and Moses. Moses holds the Tablet of the Covenant in his hands - stone boards with ten main laws. And in the lower part of the icon are the apostles, fallen on their faces and covering their faces with their hands: so unbearably bright is the light rushing towards them in the form of broken rays.

Historians believe that the event of the Transfiguration of the Lord itself, described in the Gospel, did not take place in August. The Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, a mysterious and mystical event, occurred shortly before the last Easter of Jesus' earthly life, in February or March according to our calendar. But the Church in Armenia and Cappadocia (now the territory of Turkey) established the celebration of the Transfiguration in August for educational and pedagogical reasons: the August celebration in honor of the Transfiguration of our Lord and God Jesus Christ was supposed to replace the existing festival dedicated to the goddess of love and fertility. And the holiday stuck. In Greece, it replaced the pagan festivities in honor of Bacchus, which also coincided with the ripening of the grape harvest. In Russia, which borrowed the holiday from Greece, grapes were replaced with more familiar apples. Hence the second name of the holiday in honor of the Savior - Apple Savior. Thus, the Gospel event of the Transfiguration of Jesus turned out to be combined with a thanksgiving prayer service, which was read in honor of God giving us “the fruits of the earth.” A seemingly random combination of two events: the Transfiguration of the Son of God before His disciples, revealing to them Who He is, and the Lord’s thanksgiving for the harvest. But what a deep meaning lies in such unity! “We bring to church the fruits of the earth, which were sour and green, but under the influence of the rays of the visible sun they changed and ripened. So the human soul, rising to the mountain where the Sun of Truth shines, begins to warm up, grow spiritually, change under the influence of the blessed rays, to be transformed, to mature for the life of the next century. These are not words, but the reality that those who see see. For us, the ascent to Mount Tabor is our walk following Christ and our cleansing from sin,” wrote Bishop Methodius (Kulman).

True, the people had their own version of why apples are blessed in churches on Transfiguration - let’s listen to Shmelev’s hero of “The Summer of the Lord” Gorkin: “And how many Spas do we have?.. Three Spas. The first Spas - Gorkin bends his finger, yellow from polish, terribly flattened, - the honey Savior, the Cross is taken out. So, the summer is over, the honey can be broken out, the bee is not offended... The second Savior, which is tomorrow, is the apple Savior, the apples are sprinkled. But why did Adam and Eve sin? , the serpent deceived them with an apple, but it was not commanded, because of sin! But Christ ascended the mountain and sanctified it. So they began to beware. without harm. And the third Savior is called the nut one, the nuts are ripe, after the Dormition there is a religious procession in our village, they carry the icon of the Savior, and all the nuts are gnawed.”

The apples, indeed, ripened only by August 19, and after the festive service it was customary not only to eat the blessed fruits themselves, but also to treat everyone with them, especially the poor.

Transfiguration is the people's favorite holiday. It is no coincidence that we had so many churches consecrated in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Transfiguration Squares, streets and villages. The first linear sailing ship Black Sea Fleet Russia, equipped with 66 cannons, received the name "Transfiguration of the Lord", and with this name, as part of the legendary squadron of Rear Admiral F.F. Ushakov, went down in Russian history military glory(1789-1791).

The oldest guards regiment of the Russian Imperial Army, an elite regiment formed by Peter the Great, bore the proud name of the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment. Poems were dedicated to the Feast of the Transfiguration by Blok and Yesenin. And here is what Ivan Sergeevich Shmelev wrote about this day: “The Transfiguration of the Lord... A gentle, quiet light from it in the soul - to this day. Probably from the morning garden, from the bright blue sky, from heaps of straw, from pear apples buried in the greenery, in which individual leaves are already turning yellow - green-golden, soft. Clear, bluish day, not hot, August. The sunflowers have already outgrown the fences and are looking out into the street - is there a religious procession underway? Soon their hats will be cut off and carried while singing on golden banners. The first apple and pear in our garden is ripe and turning red. We'll shake it for tomorrow."

"Usually light without flame

Coming from Tabor on this day,

And autumn, clear as a sign,

It draws everyone's attention to itself!" - and this is Pasternak's poem "August".

The subtlest experiences of the poet, who feels that the Transfiguration is not just an event in distant history, an event that happened to the Son of God, but also something that each of us can experience. The mystery that connects man with God. Transfiguration is a significant change in the image, the manifestation of a new, still unknown quality in what is already known. And if we remember how the eyes of saints shine with love and light - in icons, in photographs, if we remember the expression “he is all glowing with joy,” we will understand that the Transfiguration of the Lord is not just some event that took place almost two thousand years ago . No, this is the discovery of the mystery of the nature of the Son of God, a mystery in which we can also become involved.

Happy holiday! Happy Transfiguration!

Apple Spas is associated with a huge amount signs, rituals and customs. The church and folk traditions of this festival are intertwined and today represent a single whole.

Apple Spas falls on August 19, corresponding to one of the great church holidays- the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord. This is the second Spas, following the Honey, or Poppy, Spas, which is celebrated everywhere on August 14, and preceding the Nut Spas. All three holidays are an integral part of the Dormition Fast.

history of the holiday

The official church name of the celebration is the Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Other names are also known among the people: the Second Savior, the Feast of the First Fruits and the Apple Savior. Beginning on August 19, people intensively collected the first harvest. In the last days of summer, apples were ripening, so the name of the celebration is indicative. During the period of holy abstinence, plant foods predominate; any Lenten pies flavored with honey and apples are used. This is why the Assumption Fast is very popular. Orthodox people, because almost the entire harvest is ripe, which means you can treat yourself to delicious treats.

The history of the festival goes back to ancient times, personifying the manifestation of the divine essence of Christ to the disciples. Long before his ordeal and crucifixion, Jesus prepared those close to him for inevitable events, so that they would see the truth of his stay on Earth. People who zealously loved the Savior firmly believed that the Messiah was supposed to occupy the throne of Israel. Christ tried to explain that he was not the liberator of the Jewish inhabitants, but the Son of the Lord, who descended to earth in order to save all living from the Fall and devilish captivity.

The Transfiguration of the Lord is a celebration glorifying Jesus Christ, who became the Savior of the entire human race. The Messiah and his disciples appeared on Mount Tabor, where the prophet Moses and Elijah descended from heaven. In the eyes of his disciples, Jesus was transformed, becoming the true God and the light illuminating their blindness and unbelief. The apostles heard a Divine voice saying that before them was the Son of the Lord, who had descended to save mankind from filth and vices.

Apple Spas: traditions, customs and signs

The celebration is in many ways similar to the celebration of the Poppy Savior, only unlike honey and poppies, apples, pears and plums are illuminated in churches. In the warm regions of Russia at this time, grapes were ripening, which also needed to be blessed in the church.

It is customary to pray and thank the Lord for good harvest. According to tradition, people treat each other with apples and honey, and also donate part of their own collection to the needs of the church. In the temple, anyone in need can take advantage of people’s donations and take some of the sweet dishes for themselves.

On this day you need to go to visit or invite loved ones to your place. Each housewife should have her own personal apple pie recipe with which she can surprise her guests.

While eating the illuminated apple in the church, you should make wishes. It is believed that it will definitely come true.

Popular belief says that after the Apple Savior comes cold weather. The weather changes dramatically. Night comes much earlier. In Russian villages, on this day they celebrated not only an Orthodox holiday, but also organized a magnificent celebration dedicated to welcoming autumn.

Our ancestors closely monitored the weather. If the weather was dry and warm on Yablochny Spas, we waited warm winter. But if there was rain, they prepared for a harsh winter.

On this day, it is also customary to remember the dead by leaving apples on their graves. There is a sign that if the relatives of the deceased ate the fruits of apples before the Great Savior began, then the departed souls will not be able to enjoy the celebration and share the joy among themselves.

The girls performed a ritual to attract love. It was necessary to eat an apple, thinking about the chosen one and imminent marriage. In this way, young ladies lured their lover into sweet captivity, bewitching him to themselves.

The priests sprinkled the ground with holy water on the Apple Savior. In this way, the soil was prepared for winter sowing.

Apple Savior is still celebrated today, and the traditions of this joyful day teach us to trust folk wisdom. Rituals and customs are currently gaining popularity again. This is a holiday of holiness, faith and repentance. Sincere prayers will help you get closer to God and cleanse your soul during the Dormition Fast. We wish you peace in your soul and strong faith. be happyand don't forget to press the buttons and

15.08.2017 06:27

Apple Spas is a national holiday of Orthodox Christians. This day is full of various signs and rituals...

Apple Spas, or the Transfiguration of the Lord, is one of the first harvest festivals of the year and the second of three Spas, which are celebrated in August. According to legends, on this day autumn begins to set in nature.

When is Apple Savior 2018 celebrated?

From year to year, Apple Spas is celebrated on the same day - August 19. In 2018, this day falls on Sunday.

Why is the Second Spas called Apple

Apple Savior is the popular name for the holiday of the Transfiguration of the Lord. Many folk rituals are dedicated to it. First of all, Apple Savior means the onset of autumn, the transformation of nature. Previously, before this holiday, it was not allowed to eat fruits, no fruits at all, except cucumbers. On August 19, they were consecrated in the church, after which all fruits were allowed to be eaten. After the consecration, some of the fruits brought must be given away to the parable, and the rest must be taken to the house, where they break the fast with them.

It is believed that if parents do not eat apples before the Second Savior, then in the next world their children are given gifts, including heavenly apples. And those children whose parents have tried apples are not given them. Therefore, many parents, especially those who have buried children, consider it a sin to eat apples before this holiday. Mothers who have lost their children bring several apples to the temple on the morning of Apple Savior, consecrate them, and then take them to the graves of their deceased children. If the grave is far away, the blessed apple can be placed on any child’s grave or left in the temple. Previously, blessed apples were often carried to cemeteries to be given to all deceased relatives.

There is also a belief that during the Transfiguration apples become magical. By taking a bite, you can make a wish that will certainly come true.

From this day on, it is a busy time in the orchards; apples are prepared for future use according to many recipes: they are dried, canned, and soaked. During the holiday, you also need to prepare many dishes with apples, bake them in the oven or oven with honey, and make pies. Spasov apples were given to the poor and the sick.

On the same day, mass consumption of peas begins, sometimes even a special “Pea Day” was held. With the Apple Savior and the Feast of the Transfiguration, the harvest of spring crops and the sowing of winter crops (rye) began. The healers tried to prepare for this day medicinal herbs, the Hutsuls did not take fire out into the street; in Transcarpathia they did not borrow fire on that day.

Mass festivities and fairs coincided with the holiday.

By folk signs, after the Apple Savior the nights become colder. This holiday is also a welcome to autumn.

“The Second Savior has arrived - take mittens in reserve.”

History of the celebration

The Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord is associated with one of the parables about Christ. Christ with his disciples Peter, James and John, 40 days before his crucifixion, goes to Mount Tabor, where it is revealed to him further fate as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of mankind. During this, Jesus was illuminated by the brightest light of the Lord and the disciples saw how Christ was transformed. But he forbade them to tell anyone about this, and ordered them to collect fruits in the garden under the mountain and consecrate them.

The history of the celebration of the Great Savior in Rus' dates back to the 4th century and was initially not associated with Orthodox themes. On this day, people believed in a change in nature and the turning of the calendar to autumn. It was believed that nature was transforming and a new time period was beginning - autumn.

On this day, it has long been customary to treat everyone with fruits from their lands. For this purpose, baskets with collected fruits were displayed at the gates of the house and everyone could treat themselves to them. Those who did not display treats were considered greedy people and tried to avoid their homes.

The apple, one of the main fruits in Rus', was endowed special significance. The people believed that an apple eaten on this holiday would certainly give a lot of strength and fulfill the most cherished wish. It was customary not only to eat apples, but also to prepare jams, compotes and pies from them.

An important tradition in Russian villages on this day was the clearing of fields for the next harvest. On this holiday, houses were decorated with collected ears of corn, which symbolized a rich harvest and a long, well-fed life.

“Apple Savior” - folk traditions of the Transfiguration holiday

The Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Rus' was also called Apple Savior, Savior, Second Savior, Feast of First Fruits, Savior on the Mountain, Middle Savior, Pea Day, Second Meeting of Autumn, First Autumn, Autumn.

“First autumn” means welcoming autumn. Summer was waning, peasants were harvesting crops in the fields and gardens. Apples were brought to churches for blessing. Above them the priest read a special prayer - “For the consecration of the firstfruits of vegetables (fruits).” From this moment on, believers could begin to eat apples and other fruits of the new harvest.

By this time, apples were ripening en masse in the orchards.

On Apple Spas, housewives baked apple pies and made jam. Relatives and friends were invited to the treat. There was a tradition of feeding the poor - for the glory of God. If someone refused to perform this good deed, he was reproached in every possible way:

“God forbid, God forbid you have anything to do with them! He forgot the old and the orphan, did not give them any small good from his wealth, did not look upon the sick and the poor with his goods!”

Even on Transfiguration, they sang songs and saw off the sun in the field.

Customs and signs

The celebration is in many ways similar to the celebration of the Poppy Savior, only unlike honey and poppies, apples, pears and plums are illuminated in churches. In the warm regions of Russia at this time, grapes were ripening, which also needed to be blessed in the church.

It is customary to pray and thank the Lord for a good harvest. According to tradition, people treat each other with apples and honey, and also donate part of their own collection to the needs of the church. In the temple, anyone in need can take advantage of people’s donations and take some of the sweet dishes for themselves.

On this day you need to go to visit or invite loved ones to your place. Each housewife should have her own personal apple pie recipe with which she can surprise her guests.

While eating the apple blessed in the church, you should make wishes. It is believed that it will definitely come true.

Popular belief says that after the Apple Savior comes cold weather. The weather changes dramatically. Night comes much earlier. In Russian villages, on this day they celebrated not only an Orthodox holiday, but also organized a magnificent celebration dedicated to welcoming autumn.

Our ancestors closely monitored the weather. If the weather was dry and warm on Yablochny Spas, they expected a warm winter. But if there was rain, they prepared for a harsh winter.

On this day, it is also customary to remember the deceased by leaving apples on their graves. There is a sign that says that if the relatives of the deceased ate the fruits of apples before the Great Savior began, then the departed souls will not be able to enjoy the celebration and share the joy among themselves.

The girls performed a ritual to attract love. It was necessary to eat an apple, thinking about the chosen one and the imminent marriage. In this way, young ladies lured their lover into sweet captivity, bewitching him to themselves.

The priests sprinkled the ground with holy water on the Apple Savior. In this way, the soil was prepared for winter sowing.