March 10 — Taras Sleepless: why you can't sleep until sunset on a holiday

Taras Sleepless is celebrated annually on March 10 according to the national calendar. On this ancient holiday, our ancestors tried to stay awake all day, chasing away sleep in all possible ways. What is the reason for this custom and what signs exist on Taras Sleepless tell Izvestia.

The story of Taras the Sleepless, celebrated on March 10

The name of the national Christian holiday is due to St. Tarasius, Patriarch of Constantinople, who lived in the late 8th — early 9th century in Byzantium. Due to his noble birth and good education, the saint held a high position at the court of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine VI.

Even when the emperor was young, he became an adviser to his mother, Tsarina Irina, who ruled after the death of her husband, Emperor Leo IV. When the question of electing a new patriarch arose in 784, she personally supported Tarasius' candidacy for this post.

The saint occupied the patriarchal chair for almost twenty years, being remembered by parishioners as a wise and just patriarch. He helped those in need a lot, and on Easter he set large tables and served the guests himself. Tarasius also became famous for restoring the veneration of Christian icons at the Council of Nicaea in 787 (the Seventh Ecumenical Council).

Tarasius died in 806 from an illness. He was buried in a monastery he had built on the Bosphorus. After his death, many miracles were performed at his coffin.

How Taras the Sleepless was celebrated in Russia

In Russia, the day of veneration of the saint was known as Taras Sleepless. In the old days, it was believed that Tarasius helps to cope with the fever that comes to the peasants' houses in early spring. They tried to escape from the disease with the help of special rituals and prayers.

In order not to fall ill at the beginning of the agricultural season, aspen bark juice was collected in the villages, which was sprinkled on the dwelling, and they tried not to sleep until sunset. People used to say, "Whoever sleeps in the evening will sleep well." Kumokha is an ancient name for fever, which was represented as an evil spirit that sends various ailments to people. It was believed that it first plunges a person into a doze, and then penetrates the body, causing chills and fever.

They also did not open the windows and doors on Taras and tried not to look through the shutters, since, according to beliefs, it was at this moment that the fever could get inside. The peasants spent the whole day in labors and worries in order to drive away sleep and not fall asleep ahead of time. In particular, in the middle and southern latitudes, early cabbage was being sown at that time.

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According to the lunar calendar, the first decade and the end of the month will be the most successful for landings.

Folk signs for March 10

According to the signs of the day, the upcoming weather and the future harvest were judged. If snow fell on Taras Sleepless, then there will be bad weather just before Easter. If thunder strikes, wait for a cold snap. And crows swimming in puddles foreshadowed warmth.

At the same time, the rooks and other birds shouting were not a good sign. This means that the summer will be stormy and the harvest will be poor. The calm behavior of the birds, on the contrary, promised a successful season.

Earlier in March, Polycarpus Day was celebrated. Izvestia reported on the history and traditions of this day.